Tag: trending

  • People in Rajanpur await relief packages

    People in Rajanpur await relief packages

    Hundreds of flood affectees in Rajanpur district, Punjab, are awaiting government aid as they continue to camp on roads to escape the devastation of high water levels in their villages and towns, reports Ilyas Gabol for Samaa News.

    According to the affectees, no one from the government has reached out to them with relief packages.

    “No one has come here to deliver relief package to us despite several claims by the government that aid is being disbursed among the needy persons,” a flood victim told Samaa.

    Another woman said, “We are helplessly sitting on the side of the road fending for ourselves and cooking whatever is available.”

    She requested the authorities to send help immediately.

    ’90 per cent of people still await assistance’: Faisal Edhi

    Faisal Edhi of the Edhi Foundation said that the situation is critical and warned that it’s going to worsen.

    He highlighted that people’s participation in relief work as compared to the 2010 floods and 2005 earthquake in Pakistan isn’t sufficient.

    Edhi revealed that despite a great deal of effort made by the Edhi Foundation, government and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), help has reached 10 percent of people. “90 per cent of them still await assistance,” he observed.

    “There are people who say that they don’t want to come to the streets with their children. They only ask for food. Water has entered their houses,” he said.

    Moreover, he said he fears that international migration from Pakistan will begin as thirty to forty million people have been affected by the catastrophe.

    In the last 24 hours, 57 more deaths have occurred which has taken the death toll to 1,265.

    The Current has compiled a list of things that you can donate.

  • ‘Pehaly insan bano, phir siyasatdan bano!’: Bilawal on Khan for holding public rallies

    Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari berated former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan for holding public rallies as the aftermath of severe flooding keeps on unfolding across the country.

    “Pakistan is facing the biggest disaster in our history. One-third of our country is underwater! One-seventh of our citizens are affected, 35 million people. The former PM is holding concerts in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa & Punjab,” tweeted Bilawal, directing his anger towards Khan who addressed a public gathering in Gujrat, on September 2.

    The chief ministers of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are busy organising concerts of the former prime minister instead of helping flood victims, accused Bilawal.

    Calling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) behaviour “shameful”, Bilawal said, “Pehaly insan bano, phir siyasatdan bano! [First, become a human being, then become a politician].”

    Addressing a public rally in Gujrat, Khan warned the government against political victimisation of PTI activists. “If this continues, PTI will come to Islamabad, and there will be no place left for them to hide,” the former Premier said.

    Khan has repeatedly said that the PTI’s movement for Haqeeqi Azadi will continue alongside its flood relief work. In his recent speeches, Khan has made it clear that his struggle against ‘thieves’ will continue whether come what may.

    Pakistan is in the throes of devastating floods which have wreaked havoc across all four provinces. The scale of devastation has been estimated to be upwards of $10 billion.

  • Casting coup: Iqra Aziz set to star opposite Imran Ashraf and Feroze Khan in her comeback project

    Casting coup: Iqra Aziz set to star opposite Imran Ashraf and Feroze Khan in her comeback project

    Actor Iqra Aziz is returning to the television screens with a magnum opus project after taking a brief post-pregnancy break. The Raqeeb Se heroine will star opposite Imran Ashraf and Feroze Khan in Geo TV’s next project, Sanwal Yaar Piya. Written by Hashim Nadeem, this Wajahat Rauf directorial will be produced by Shazia Wajahat.

    The director took to Instagram and confirmed all speculations. Feroze Khan, Iqra Aziz, and Imran Ashraf are working in his forthcoming project Sanwal Yaar Piya which is written by renowned playwright Hashim Nadeem.

    “It gives me great pleasure to announce this labour of love called Sanwal Yaar Piya in association with Geo TV, featuring this dream cast Feroze Khan, Iqra Aziz, and Imran Ashraf along with some of the most talented actors in the country. It is an honour teaming up once again with the great Hashim Nadeem sb (after Raqse Bismil) who has given us this intense story!” he wrote.

    Wajahat also posted a picture of the first look of the drama with the three actors in it.

    While Aziz previously worked with Feroze in blockbuster drama Khuda Aur Muhabbat Season 3, while she collaborated with Imran Ashraf in Hum TV’s Ranjha Ranjha Kardi. 

    The filming will commence on September 12th. It is indeed a great cast which has never appeared together on screen.

  • Google, Suzuki donate millions to flood-affectees

    Google, Suzuki donate millions to flood-affectees

    Tech giant Google has announced that it will donate $500,000 (Rs110 million) for flood relief efforts in Pakistan.

    Google Southeast Asia Vice President Stephanie Davis posted on LinkedIn that the tech giant would donate the amount to the Centre for Disaster Philanthropy through Google.org.

    In a post, she wrote: “Our hearts go out to each and everyone impacted by the ongoing floods in Pakistan. Even when faced with the fear of having their homes washed away and vital farmland destroyed, we have also witnessed Pakistanis and communities coming together to help each other. We are inspired by their bravery, and we want to help.”

    She added that the company would find more ways to help Pakistan through its tools and resources.

    Separately, Google’s Regional Head for South Asian Frontier Markets Farhan Qureshi said Google employees have contributed over Rs72 million so far in personal donations and company matches.

    Earlier this week, Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook said his company would donate to relief and recovery efforts on the ground.

    “The floods in Pakistan and surrounding areas are devastating humanitarian disasters. Our thoughts are with those that have lost loved ones, the many displaced families, and all those affected,” he tweeted.

    Suzuki has also decided to offer aid to Pakistan in support of the flood victims. According to an official notification, the company will offer a relief fund of 10 million Japanese Yen (Rs15.6 million).

    Water levels continued to rise on Friday as the overall death toll from the devastating floods has crossed 1,200.

  • Court fixes contempt case against former Chief Judge Rana Shamim

    Court fixes contempt case against former Chief Judge Rana Shamim

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has fixed a contempt case against former Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) Chief Judge (CJ), Dr Rana Muhammad Shamim, on September 5.

    Shamim allegedly signed an affidavit that incriminates former Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar.

    The affidavit contained allegations that Saqib Nisar attempted to influence a case against former Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif and his daughter, Maryam Nawaz, in an attempt to bring Imran Khan into power.

    The authenticity of the affidavit, which surfaced in one of Pakistan’s leading newspapers in November 2021, has been in question.

    Journalist Ansar Abbasi who published this investigative report has also been called in for contempt of court.

    Earlier in January, IHC indicted Rana Shamim for allegations that he levelled against Saqib.

    At the time, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah deferred the framing of charges against the media personnel who were also named in the case, including journalist Abbasi and Jang Group owner Mir Shakeel-ur-Rehman.

  • Court to hear Gill’s plea for bail on Sept 5

    Court to hear Gill’s plea for bail on Sept 5

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s Chief of Staff Dr Shahbaz Gill approached Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday, September 2, after failed efforts to get bail from a trial court in a sedition case filed against him.

    Gill requested that he should be released on bail, stating that senior doctors at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) performed a medical examination on August 17 and the medical board found “evidence of physical torture”. 

    The court has fixed a hearing on September 5.

    Shahbaz Gill’s bail plea dismissed in sedition case

    A district and sessions court in Islamabad dismissed the post-arrest bail petition of Gill on Tuesday (August 30).

    Additional District and Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal pronounced the reserved verdict.

    Shahbaz Gill was taken into custody on August 9 from Bani Gala Chowk for inciting the public against state institutions.

    There have been claims of torture and sexual abuse by Gill during his detention.

    PTI leader Shireen Mazari said that the rejection of Gill’s plea was “shameful”.

    She alleged that the “state is hellbent on torturing Gill to try and get to IK”.

    Islamabad court rejects plea to send Gill on physical remand

    A district and sessions court in Islamabad rejected a request by the Islamabad Police for an extension in the physical remand of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shahbaz Gill on August 24. He is under custody in a sedition case.

    Another case has also been registered against Gill over possession of an illegal weapon.

    Read More: ‘Yes, it’s true’: Shahbaz Gill confirms he was sexually assaulted in police custody

    The prosecution sought an extension in Gill’s physical remand, which was strongly opposed by PTI’s lawyers. After hearing the arguments, the court sent Gill on judicial remand.

    Islamabad court approves two-day physical remand of Shahbaz Gill

    A district and sessions court on Monday (August 22) granted a two-day physical remand of PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s chief of staff, Shahbaz Gill, to the Islamabad Police in a sedition case.

    Gill was presented in court today after he was discharged from the Pakistan Institute Of Medical Sciences (PIMS) hospital, where he was admitted last week.

    During the hearing, the judge asked about his medical report and remarked that the decision to grant an extension in remand will be taken after reviewing the report.

    Gill told the court: “I was fed forcefully; 10-12 people shaved me; they lied to me about my bail.”

    Earlier, a video of Gill surfaced on the internet where he can he heard saying that he is eating in protest.

    PTI lawyer Babar Awan told the court that Gill has been in custody for 14 days and that it was enough time for the police to investigate him.

    However, the prosecution disagreed and demanded that more time was needed for the probe. The prosecutor requested the court to extend Gill’s remand.

  • ‘Pakistan’s international debt should be immediately cancelled’: British MP

    ‘Pakistan’s international debt should be immediately cancelled’: British MP

    United Kingdom (UK) Member of Parliament (MP) Claudia Webbe has called on the international community to cancel Pakistan’s debt as the country’s inflation hits the highest level since 1973.

    In a statement on Twitter, Webbe said, “Inflation in Pakistan is at an all-time high at 27 per cent! Pakistan’s international debt should be immediately cancelled – they should instead be given reparations for the climate crisis caused.”

    According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), Pakistan’s Consumer Price Index-based inflation (CPI) climbed by 27.3 per cent on a year-over-year basis in August 2022.

    Prior to this statement, she repeatedly urged foreign countries to stand shoulder to shoulder in full solidarity with Pakistan and termed the silence from western countries a “moral crime”.

    “We need a global climate tax so that the global rich can be made to pay for the climate damage they cause in the world,” she said.

    She also blamed rich countries for the climate crisis and said that they should bear the cost, not Pakistan, as the country is responsible for 1 per cent of global emissions.

    On her official Twitter account, she also shared videos of the devasting floods in Pakistan.

    Water levels continued to rise on Friday as the overall death toll from the devastating floods has crossed 1,200.

    On Thursday, the UK announced an additional £15 million of lifesaving support for flood victims in Pakistan.

    More than 33 million people are affected — one in every seven Pakistanis — and reconstruction work will cost more than $10 billion.

    United Nations (UN) chief Antonio Guterres called the floods a “climate catastrophe” and launched an appeal for $160 million in emergency funding. Meanwhile, western countries have also donated millions of dollars to Pakistan.

  • The highly demanded feature Twitter is testing is out

    The highly demanded feature Twitter is testing is out

    Microblogging website Twitter said it is testing the edit button for a limited number of users. The feature will be initially available for paid users only.

    “If you see an edited Tweet, it’s because we’re testing the edit button,” the official Twitter account tweeted Thursday.

    “This is happening and you’ll be okay,” the tweet added

    https://twitter.com/Twitter/status/1565318587736285184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

    “Edit Tweet is a feature that lets people make changes to their Tweet after it’s been published. Think of it as a short period of time to do things like fix typos, add missed tags, and more,” said the company in a blog post.
    “For this test, Tweets will be able to be edited a few times in the 30 minutes following their publication. Edited Tweets will appear with an icon, timestamp, and label so it’s clear to readers that the original Tweet has been modified. Tapping the label will take viewers to the Tweet’s Edit History, which includes past versions of the Tweet.”
    “For context, the time limit and version history play an important role here. They help protect the integrity of the conversation and create a publicly accessible record of what was said,” the statement added.
    “Twitter Blue” subscribers will have access to the Edit button.

    Following the completion of initial internal testing, the Edit Tweet feature will be made available to a few Twitter Blue subscribers later this month.
    Earlier this year, Twitter announced that the company is working on the Edit button

  • ‘Mujhe itna dewaar say mat lagain ke mai sari qaum ke samnay unki shaklain rakh doon’: Imran Khan

    ‘Mujhe itna dewaar say mat lagain ke mai sari qaum ke samnay unki shaklain rakh doon’: Imran Khan

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan warned his opponents against pushing him against the wall.

    “I have been tolerating all this for the last four months. The more you try to intimidate me, the more I will fight back,” said Khan while addressing a gathering in Sargodha, on September 1.

    “Mujhe itna dewaar say mat lagain ke main sari qoum ke samnay unki shaklain rakh don jinho nay apnay mufaad ke liye mulk ko mushkil main dala [Don’t push me against the wall otherwise I will expose all those faces to the nation who have put the country in trouble for their interest]”, warned Khan.

    Talking about his public support, the former Prime Minister said that he can shut down the federal capital whenever he wants.

    “My nation is standing by me. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf is spread all over, from Gilgit Baltistan to Khyber Pakthunwkan. We’re in Punjab and Azad Kashmir. Whenever I want, I can shut down Islamabad,” he said.

    “I am telling you again, don’t push me that much. The more you will try to put pressure, scare me and file FIRs, I will fight back more strongly,” he told his opponents.

    Khan further alleged that conspiracied were hatched to sideline him. “It was decided in closed door meetings to side line me. I thank God I got to know about their plans. I have made a tape and recorded the names of four people who hatched the conspiracy against me. If any thing happens to me I know my country will not spare them,” he told the crowd.

    Responding to Imran Khan’s speech, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that when one loses power they talk in a similar manner as does Imran Khan.

    “He [Imran Khan] must try and block Islamabad. You have provincial governments, you must spend your time making the lives of people better there, rather than claiming to shut down the capital. This is not the way democracy works,” rebuked the former Premier.

    “It is the people who will push Imran Khan to the wall for all the lies he has been telling,” said Khaqan.

  • ‘Heartbreaking’: Bollywood celebs react to the plight of flood victims in Pakistan

    ‘Heartbreaking’: Bollywood celebs react to the plight of flood victims in Pakistan

    Severe flash floods have wreaked havoc in Pakistan; the country’s citizens are suffering from homelessness and many have also lost loved ones.

    Floods triggered by incessant rains have killed more than 1000 people including 300 hundred children. The catastrophic flooding has rendered millions of people homeless during the last few days. People from across the globe are also sending prayers, donations, and supportive words to Pakistani citizens, who are concerned about the flood victims.

    Bollywood actors Ishaan Khatter and Aly Goni took to their Instagram stories to express their concerns and prayers for the plight of flood victims in Pakistan. While Aly made a prayer, Ishaan termed the situation as heartbreaking.

    Even Turkish superstar Engin Altan Duzyatan stated on Instagram that he is praying for Pakistan.