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  • What next for the PML-N? Experts weigh in

    What next for the PML-N? Experts weigh in

    On July 17, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) suffered a heavy loss in the by-elections as it only managed to win four seats out of 20 while its rival party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) won 75 per cent (15 seats) of the Punjab constituencies.

    Despite the PML-N’s disastrous performance in Punjab, the federal government has decided to complete its constitutional tenure till August 2023. The decision was made during a meeting chaired by Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday (July 19). The coalition partners also agreed that they will give a tough time to Imran Khan.

    The Current reached out to experts to ask their opinion on what the PML-N should do next and what will be PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s next move.

    Here is what they have to say.

    PML-N is no longer popular among the masses: Shafqat Mahmood

    “PML-N is no longer popular among the masses. The people of Pakistan have realised that these people are “bhayaanak” [horrible]. It is because of their history of corruption and bad governance during the last three months that they have been badly defeated,” said PTI leader and former Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood.

    Talking about Khan and his future plans after winning the Punjab by-polls Mahmood said, “PTI only wants fair and free elections. On July 22, PTI will be in power in Punjab once again.”

    PML-N needs to go to the drawing board: Mansoor Ali Khan

    Senior journalist Mansoor Ali Khan said that the PML-N needs to go to the drawing board to fix its problems and start the process all over again.

    “They have to go back to the drawing board and start the process again. The most important thing in the present situation for the PML-N to think about is when can Nawaz Sharif come back to Pakistan. His absence has already caused a lot of damage. The party really needs to take a look at all the mistakes committed by them, which led to its defeat in the Punjab by-polls.”

    “I think this is Imran Khan’s winning moment and he will only want early elections. Khan will keep putting pressure on the government and will only want elections. Since the last two months, we have already witnessed him doing this and the Punjab by-polls result is evidence enough that Khan’s plan is working.”

    Federal capital without Punjab is nothing: Kashif Abbasi

    Senior journalist Kashif Abbasi said that the federal capital without Punjab is nothing.

    “The PML-N should talk to the PTI and find a way to work towards early elections. There is no point in running the federal capital without Punjab.”

    Abbasi said that Khan has all the cards at the moment while the PML-N is in trouble.

    “Early elections will possibly favour the PTI as well. So at present, early elections are the solution both for the PTI and PML-N.”

    Early elections should be called: Absa Komal

    Journalist Absa Komal said that the PTI secured a clear mandate in Punjab by sweeping the by-polls in PML-N’s home ground.

    “Ideally, sanity should prevail within the PML-N and early elections should be called.”

    “Khan sahib will keep on resisting, especially if the government creates problems in making Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi chief minister. Meanwhile, he will continue to build a narrative about the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). Khan will continue to use his victory in Punjab for building his future narrative,” said Komal.

    PML-N reaction

    Meanwhile, Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique said that these by-elections cannot measure the popularity or unpopularity of the PML-N. 

    Finance Minister Miftah Ismail stated in an interview that the government would keep making difficult choices in an effort to save the economy and keep the nation from going bankrupt.

    The finance minister also noted that it was crucial for the government to take unpopular measures, which also resulted in political setbacks. “But if need be, we will take more tough decisions,” he said.

  • BTS members’ Instagram earnings: From Jin charging PKR 13.6 crore to RM charging PKR 33 lacs per post

    BTS members’ Instagram earnings: From Jin charging PKR 13.6 crore to RM charging PKR 33 lacs per post

    The South Korean boy band BTS enjoys a massive fan following around the globe. It’s the ARMY (their fandom) that helped the septet rise to immense fame. Well, apart from their concerts, shows, and other endorsements, the boys are very much capable of minting quite some huge amount of money from social media too.

    Just last year in December the septet – RM, Jin, Suga, Jimin, Jungkook, V and J-Hope made their Instagram debut leaving the entire ARMY super elated. Just in a day, the boy band welcomed millions of followers on the social media handle. Talking about their social media handle, take a look at the earnings the boys can make once they start dropping sponsored posts. We are sure the numbers will leave you baffled.

    BTS 7 Fates Chakho: Bangtan Boys' Webtoon Takes On Monster In MCU-like World, Members In Awe; Watch

    RM (Kim Namjoon): The leader of BTS RM enjoys a massive fan following of 36M followers on Instagram. The posts on his account are all about museum outings, concert pictures and many other interesting updates on his daily life. As per the report by Koreaboo, the price of a sponsored post on the leader’s account would be a whopping cost of $16K which is around PKR Rs 33 lacs.

    Jin (Kim Seokjin): Jin who is the eldest member of the boy band enjoys a fan following of 37M followers on Instagram. Apart from his cute snaps and thriving stories, according to the same reports, he can earn up to $614K (PKR- 13.6 crore).

    V (Kim Taehyung): Everyone’s beloved member V has a huge number of followers of 47M and growing followers. Every minute his followers are just growing in real-time, all thanks to his high engagement posts and stories. Even though V has claimed that he does not understand the algorithm of IG, according to the reports, can get about $68K USD-$810K.

    Jungkook (Jeon Jungkook): aka The Golden Maknae of BTS who enjoys 43M plus Instagram followers can earn around USD 33K to $395K.

    Jimin (Park Jimin): The heartthrob of BTS has 39M plus followers on Instagram and can reportedly earn about USD 63K to USD 756K. The bar has been set super high for other artists for sure.

    Suga (Min Yoongi): Yoongi has a humongous following of 36M plus followers on Instagram and can make up to USD 54K to $645K.

    J-Hope (Jung Hoseok): Lastly, everyone’s J-Hope Oppa who has a following of 37M plus can earn about USD 37K to $449K.

  • Google to launch its Android Earthquake Alerts System in Pakistan

    Google to launch its Android Earthquake Alerts System in Pakistan

    Google has announced the launch of its “Android Earthquake Alerts System” in Pakistan, which will send automatic early warning alerts that help people be prepared for an emergency.

    “Android Earthquake Alerts System is a no-cost, helpful android feature that detects earthquakes around the world and alerts people. It uses sensors in Android smartphones,” said Google in a statement.

    “When people look up ‘earthquake’ or ‘earthquake near me’, they will find relevant results, along with helpful resources on what to do after an earthquake,” the statement further added.

    “Pakistan has experienced several earthquakes in the past, especially in the northern and western parts of the country. With the expansion of this earthquake alerts system, android users in Pakistan may receive automatic early warning alerts that help them be prepared for an emergency.”

    “One feature titled ‘Be Aware’ alerts people when earthquakes with a magnitude of 4.5 occur, or an intensity level of 3 or 4 on the MMI scale. The notification is sent along with the distance of the earthquake’s epicentre. The alert uses the phone’s current volume, vibration, and Do Not Disturb settings.”

    The Android Earthquake Alerts System was initially launched in New Zealand and Greece.

  • New Covid symptom only occurs at night

    New Covid symptom only occurs at night

    A leading immunologist has warned that a new Covid variant can cause a different symptom that only occurs at night.

    BA.5 was first discovered in South Africa earlier this year. It is a highly-contagious subvariant that can cause night sweats. The variant is contributing to a fresh wave of infections across the world.

    Professor Luke O’Neill from Trinity College Dublin called this symptom “strange”.

    “One extra symptom from BA.5 I saw this morning is night sweats.”

    “The disease is slightly different because the virus has changed. But if you are vaccinated and you’re boosted, it doesn’t progress into the severe disease,” Professor O’Neill added.

    BA.5’s ability to reinfect is concerning to healthcare professionals. It is pertinent to mention that previously, if a person had been infected with SARS-CoV-2, they were considered safe from the virus after one cycle ended. With the subvariants, this is not the case anymore.

  • Janhvi Kapoor blames Sara Ali Khan for choosing a non-heater room in freezing cold to save Rs 6,000 on their vacay

    Janhvi Kapoor blames Sara Ali Khan for choosing a non-heater room in freezing cold to save Rs 6,000 on their vacay

    The much-awaited Koffee With Karan season 7 is back with stirring cups of steamy confessions, secrets, and manifestations. In the season’s second episode, the new Bollywood besties, Sara Ali Khan and Janhvi Kapoor graced the couch with stories about their style, wits, and misadventures.

    Host Karan Johar asked them about life, work and love; the dynamic duo reveals stories of their travel and adventures. Bonding over the scenic beauty of Kedarnath, Janhvi and Sara’s trip hit a roadblock as they faced two near-death experiences.

    Recollecting Khan’s choice of a low-cost no-heater hotel in a bid to save Rs 6000, Janhvi shared how this choice nearly froze them. She said, “I had traveled to Kedarnath with two thermals, one puffer jacket, three shawls, two-track pants, and two sweaters. Karan, I wore every single piece of clothing I had owned and was still shivering,” adding that by the time Sara returned to their room after meeting her friends, her lips had turned blue and she was shivering! She even added that apart from the absence of a heater in the freezing -7℃ weather, the bathroom in the hotel was also doubtful, “If I had sat on that pot, it would have shattered,” said Janhvi Kapoor adding to her bad-hotel stay story.

    Sara Ali Khan And Janhvi Kapoor's Kedarnath Trip

    Later Janhvi chose a hike at Bhairavnath over walking a normal path, the duo were faced with an unexpected twist in their adventure. Sara Ali Khan said, “We decided to go to Bhairavnath and there was a normal path for walking. But we thought ourselves to be better. We chose to hike instead. There was an 85 incline of just rocks and Janhvi is like let us just climb this,” Though skeptical of climbing the incline, Sara admitted that she was afraid of being called a buzzkill. However, the adventure turned sour as their climb became very scary. Admitting about fear kicking in, Sara mentioned how at one point, she was sure they would fall off owing to dangerous rocks.

    With no escape in sight, they found solace when they saw a fan coming toward them as they hung off the cliff. Much to their dismay, he was of no help, as he only wanted to take a selfie with them. Eventually, Sara’s driver found them after almost 30 minutes of being stuck, and they were rescued with the help of special forces.

  • PML-N decides not to hold early elections

    PML-N decides not to hold early elections

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has decided not to hold early general elections in the country and to complete its constitutional term, reports Geo News.

    In a meeting on Monday under the leadership of Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif, the PML-N’s defeat in Punjab by-polls and other political matters were discussed.

    On July 17, the ruling party suffered a heavy loss as it only managed to win four seats out of 20 while its rival party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) won 75 per cent (15 seats) of the Punjab constituencies.

    The decision regarding elections has been taken by the PML-N. The party is yet to discuss the matter with its coalition partners and for that, a meeting is scheduled for today (Tuesday).

    A day earlier, PTI Chairman Imran Khan addressed the nation after his party’s landslide victory in Punjab. He highlighted that the only way out of the current political crisis is free and fair elections.

  • ‘Voice-recorder found in my bedroom,’ Shireen Mazari

    ‘Voice-recorder found in my bedroom,’ Shireen Mazari

    Former Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari claimed that the staff at her Islamabad residence had discovered a “voice-recorder” in her bedroom a day earlier.

    “I was at Bani Gala yesterday when I received a call from my domestic staff that a device was found attached underneath a coffee table in my bedroom,” said Mazari.

    “The question that arises is: who installed it? That too in my bedroom. Which agency [installed this device]? We have our doubts regarding who is behind it. But I want to highlight that this is a violation of the Constitution.”

    Mazari said she initially thought the device in question was a USB. But upon further investigation, it was discovered that it was a “voice-recorder”.

    “What are they trying to find out?”

    “What more do you want to achieve? Fake cases have been lodged against us. Our mobile phones have been tapped. The law and the Constitution have been turned into a joke.”

    “But I will stand up against this and file a constitutional petition in the Islamabad High Court. They have infringed on my right to privacy and protection,” said Mazari.

    Last month, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Dr Shahbaz Gill said that a Bani Gala staffer was caught installing a spy device in PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s bedroom.

  • Video: Man gropes burqa-clad woman in Islamabad

    Video: Man gropes burqa-clad woman in Islamabad

    A CCTV footage of a man forcefully groping a woman is being shared on social media. The video was posted by Twitter user Ehtesham Ali Abbasi and the incident took place in the I-10 area of Islamabad.

    In the video, a man can be seen running towards a burqa-clad woman and then groping her from behind. The woman tries pushing the man away. He later runs away.

    The Islamabad Police is currently investigating the case. The man has reportedly been traced.

    Ehtesham Ali Abbasi tweeted to the Islamabad Police that the family of the woman who was harassed is also satisfied with the police investigation.

    People on social media are requesting the Islamabad Police to arrest the culprit at the earliest.

  • ‘England will miss him,’ Twitter is sad over Ben Stokes’ sudden ODI retirement

    ‘England will miss him,’ Twitter is sad over Ben Stokes’ sudden ODI retirement

    England cricket team all-rounder Ben Stokes announced his shocking retirement from One-Day International (ODI) cricket on Monday citing the “unsustainable” rigour of playing all three formats of the game.

    Stokes was recently appointed as the captain of the England Men’s Test side.

    Today’s (Tuesday) match against South Africa at his home ground will be Stokes’ last ODI. However, he will continue to play Twenty20 Internationals and Test cricket.

    The 31-year-old said, “This has been an incredibly tough decision to make. I have loved every minute of playing with my mates for England. Hard as this decision was to come, it’s not as hard as dealing with the fact I can’t give my teammates 100% of myself in this format anymore. The England shirt deserves nothing less from anyone who wears it.”

    Ben Stokes has not played a T20 international for 16 months. He missed the World Cup last autumn while he was taking a break from the game to prioritise his mental health.

    Following the news, cricket fans couldn’t hold themselves from expressing their sadness over Stokes’ retirement while some of his fans and fellow cricketers wished him luck.

  • Numbers: Does Hamza have a chance to be CM Punjab?

    Numbers: Does Hamza have a chance to be CM Punjab?

    The result of the Punjab by-elections has come as a shock for Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and its supporters while it has proved to be a ray of light for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) future in upcoming elections.

    According to the results (as of now), PML-N managed to win only four seats in its popular province. PTI swept the by-elections by bagging almost 75 per cent of Punjab constituencies (15 seats) and one independent candidate won the seat.

    It is pertinent to mention that before the by-polls, PTI and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) jointly had the strength of 173 members. Now, with 15 additional seats, the parties have achieved 188 seats in Punjab Assembly (PA) whereas they only needed 186. One independent MPA who has won is likely to be a part of the new ruling coalition.

    On the contrary, the current ruling coalition (PML-N, PPP and others) has 179 members.

    Two MPAs of PML-N including Mian Jaleel Sharaqpuri and Faisal Niazi had resigned so their seats are vacant. MPA Chaudhry Nisar is unlikely to vote for any of the candidates

    Great voter turnout

    In this election, a great voter turnout has been noted.

    In Sahiwal, the voter turnout was almost 56 per cent. While in Khushab, the turnout was 47.84 per cent.

    In the constituency of Multan, the turnout remained at 42 per cent where former Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s son Zain Hussain Qureshi won.

    In the largest city of Punjab, the lowest turnout was recorded while the highest turnout was in Bakkhar where PTI’s Irfan Ullah Niazi won.