Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s aide on political communication, Dr Shahbaz Gill, has rubbished reports claiming that he is earning hefty profits by importing vaccine for COVID-19.
“Some people are making false claims that I have imported coronavirus vaccine. This news is fake. I have nothing to do with it,” he tweeted, urging people to stop spreading it.
کچھ لوگ میرے نام سے فیک وٹس ایپ میسج پھیلا رہے ہیں کہ میں نے کرونا کی کوئی ویکسین امپورٹ کی ہے۔ یہ جھوٹی خبر ہے۔ میرا اس سے کوئی لینا دینا نہیں ہے۔ براہ مہربانی جھوٹے وٹس ایپ مت پھیلائیں۔
The government has now allowed Gill’s company to import Russian vaccine with a profit of Rs7,000 on each dose, the report had alleged.
It went on to claim that Gill’s company had ordered 200,000 Sputnik-V vaccines in the first consignment, keeping a net profit of Rs1.40 billion — with Rs8,500 for every Rs1,550 dose — in one consignment and that too with the permission of the government.
In another tweet, Gill said the fake WhatsApp forward regarding him cracked him up.
کسی نے یہ وٹس ایپ پر بھیجا اور میری ہنسی نکل گئی کہ لوگ کیسے کیسے جھوٹ بنتے ہیں۔ کوئی حال نہیں انکا pic.twitter.com/IkjC4HYNwX
The news and its dismissal comes days after the government capped the maximum retail price of Russian and Chinese coronavirus vaccine injections imported by the private sector.
The government has fixed the maximum sale price of Sputnik-V vaccine at Rs8,449 for two doses and China’s Convidecia at Rs4,225 per injection, showed the summary of the National Health Services and Regulations Ministry.
In yet another Twitter blunder from political quarters, the official Twitter handle of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Monday-Tuesday midnight mistakenly dated the Lahore Resolution of 1940 as a 1947 event, which was passed seven years before actual independence.
“23rd March: Pakistan Resolution Day Back in 1947, our ancestors resolved on this day to lay the foundation of Pakistan. On this day, once again we resolve to save our homeland from corruption and rebuild Pakistan!” read a tweet that was deleted after netizens pointed out the blunder.
Here’s the new tweet:
23rd March: Pakistan Resolution Day Back in 1940, our ancestors resolved on this day to lay the foundation of Pakistan. On this day, once again we resolve to save our homeland from corruption and rebuild Pakistan! #PakistanDaypic.twitter.com/YJzge9ESZ9
The Lahore Resolution was a formal political statement of declaration of independence of Pakistan adopted by the All-India Muslim League on the occasion of its three-day general session in Lahore from March 22–24, 1940.
The resolution called for independent states as seen by this statement:
That geographically contiguous units are demarcated regions which should be constituted, with such territorial readjustments as may be necessary that the areas in which the Muslims are numerically in a majority as in the North Western and Eastern Zones of (British) India should be grouped to constitute ‘independent states’ in which the constituent units should be autonomous and sovereign.
Today marks 81 years since its adoption that was followed by creation of Pakistan seven years later in 1947.
Ahsan Khan has responded to the controversy surrounding the inclusion of animals “as props” on his talk show Time Out with Ahsan Khan.
“Let me clarify. These rabbits are basically pets and the person who owns them brings them to the set,” said Ahsan, while speaking exclusively to The Current. “When they are on set, we make sure that they are well-fed and taken care of and are not facing any issues. They are not uncomfortable at all. The person whose pets they are keeps them indoors and they are very easy to play with.”
“Araam say haathon main aa jaatay hain,” explained Khan.
Khan further went onto share the segment has been inspired by the Hop Quiz on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
“Basically, this segment has been inspired by Hollywood’s The Tonight Show,” said Ahsan.
The actor then said that being a pet lover he is very careful with the animals on set and cares for them.
“I myself am a pet lover,” said Ahsan. “I have dogs at home. I have cats. I also have parrots and hens and they are all like my own children. We try to provide them with comfortable environments. So naturally, we are very careful with the animals – all of us on set.”
He further said that after the show invited backlash for “using animals as props,” he and his producer decided to avoid it.
“My producer and I thought that if this is hurting people and they are not liking it, then we can avoid it. So we have cut out the segment in the last three to four episodes we’ve recorded,” stated Ahsan, clarifying that the ones which included the animals were shot before.
“Although this segment is one of my favourites because this is the only one in which we discuss general knowledge, which not only educates my guests but also those who are watching the show. Whoever gives a wrong answer has to hold the pet in their lap,” he shared. It is pertinent to add here that the male guests usually enjoy petting the animals but the female guests are scared of them and often jump around screaming when asked to hold them.
“We on our end have been very careful with handling them, but if some people don’t like it then we, including my producers and all can apologise to them,” concluded Khan. “It’s a mutual thing. If something is not right, we should look into it.”
Earlier, a Lahore-based law firm Crown Chambers had filed a complaint before the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) against Express Entertainment and the show for using animals as props.
Our Law Firm has filed Complaint in PEMRA Council of Complaint against use of Rabbit as Props in Show aired on Express Entertainment hosted by Actor Ahsan Khan. The said act is violation of Article 9 of Constitution, Animal Cruelty Act 1890 and Judgment of Islmabad High Court. pic.twitter.com/fwfJMz8Ytw
“The said segment on the TV show, subjecting a sentient living being, an animal, to unnecessary suffering is not only an offence under the law but a breach of the constitutionally guaranteed right to life under Art. 9 of the constitution, as laid down by Islamabad high court in Islamabad Wildfire Management board Vs Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad, cited in 2021 CLC 262,” read the complaint.
It further said: “The format of the segment involves a series of questions and answers with known celebrities as guests, who if fail to answer properly, as a “punishment” or “penalty”, are required to hold an animal or at times required to pile several animals such as petrified rabbits/pigeons etc, on their laps, causing distress not only to the animals but to the guest at times as well.”
“Morever, it has spread the message to masses through the said TV channel that projecteing such treatmeant onto animals is acceptable.”
The inclusion of animals on Time Out with Ahsan Khan sparked outrage after a video of Maya Ali screaming and jumping around while being teased with the rabbits went viral on social media. She had appeared on the show with Bilal Ashraf.
Trust Priyanka Chopra Jonas to pass the most inconsiderate comments ever.
The actor while speaking to Oprah Winfrey opened up about her religious side and gave an insight into how her life was while growing up.
Talking about her spiritual journey, Priyanka said that she had been influenced by different religions throughout her life, ranging from Hinduism to Christianity and Islam.
“With the swirling number of religions that live in the country [India]… I grew up in a convent school,” said Chopra. “So I was aware of Christianity. My dad used to sing in a mosque and that made me well aware of Islam. Being a Hindu and coming from a Hindu family, I adapted the rituals and teachings from Hinduism.”
“Spirituality is such a large part of India that you can’t ignore it,” she added.
Priyanka further shared that her late father educated her about all faiths.
“I am a Hindu. I pray and have a temple in my home. I do it as often as I can. But truly to me, I am a believer that a higher power does exist and I like to have faith in that,” she said.
Soon after Priyanka’s comments about her dad “singing” in a mosque went viral on social media, Ahsan Khan among countless others, expressed their shock over the actor’s religiously insensitive comments.
Besides Ahsan, several other social media users also expressed their outrage of the Priyanka’s comments.
About 24 hours after military chiefs from Pakistan and India surprised the world last month with a rare joint commitment to respect a 2003 cease-fire agreement, the top diplomat of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) popped over to New Delhi for a quick one-day visit.
The official UAE readout of the Feb 26 meeting gave few clues of what Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed spoke about with Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, noting they “discussed all regional and international issues of common interest and exchanged views on them.”
Yet behind closed doors, the Pakistan-India ceasefire marked a milestone in secret talks brokered by the UAE that began months earlier, according to officials aware of the situation who asked not to be identified. The cease-fire, one said, is only the beginning of a larger roadmap to forge a lasting peace between the neighbors, both of which have nuclear weapons and spar regularly over a decades-old territory dispute.
The next step in the process, the official said, involves both sides reinstating envoys in Islamabad and New Delhi, who were pulled in 2019 after Pakistan protested India’s move to revoke seven decades of autonomy for the disputed Muslim-majority state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Kriti Sanon who shared the screen with Sushant Singh Rajput in 2017’s Raabta, has opened up about the actor’s death and revealed why she chose to remain silent on the matter.
Sanon, who was also rumoured to have dated the late actor, chose to step away from the spotlight following Rajput’s alleged suicide, even as people reportedly used his death to claim their five minutes of fame in the media.
Speaking to an Indian media outlet, Sanon shared why she decided to stay silent on the matter.
“At one point, there was so much noise around that I didn’t want to be a part of it,” said Kriti. “It reached a point where people stopped being sensitive, and there was too much negativity around. I didn’t want to be a part of that negativity.”
“I knew what I felt about the situation and I wanted to keep that to myself. I didn’t feel the need to talk to anyone about anything that I was feeling. Also, what you want to say, you can always say it on social media. You can write and express yourself instead of talking out loud.”
Two days after Sushant’s death, Kriti had penned a heartbreaking note for her late co-star, writing: “Sush…I knew that your brilliant mind was your best friend and your worst enemy…but it has broken me completely to know that you had a moment in your life where dying felt easier or better than living.”
“A part of my heart has gone with you, and a part will always keep you alive,” Kriti had written in her note.
On June 14, 2020, Singh was found dead at his home in Mumbai. While the police initially reported Rajput’s death as suicide, the federal police agency later began to investigate foul play after fans of the actors expressed outrage on social media and his family filed an FIR against his alleged girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty. Chakraborty was also investigated and arrested in the case.
Prime Minister Imran Khan on March 20 tested positive for COVID-19. According to details, the premier is suffering from ‘mild symptoms’ and is self-isolating at home. PM Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi has also tested positive for the virus.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan, while talking to the media, said that they “are monitoring his clinical parameters, and medical treatment will be given to him if required.”
“Right now, there is no need for any treatment, as such,” added Dr Sultan.
Soon after the news of PM Imran testing positive spread, prayers started pouring in for his speedy recovery. Among those who sent him good wishes include Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa, Maulana Tariq Jamil, PPP co-chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and PML-N’s Ahsan Iqbal.
“Best wishes to PM Imran for a speedy recovery from COVID-19,” said PM Modi.
Best wishes to Prime Minister @ImranKhanPTI for a speedy recovery from COVID-19.
May Allah Grant recovery to @ImranKhanPTI from Corona Ameen! We should as leaders take precautions & wear mask to be model of safety. Please wear mask, wash hands with soap, & keep safe distances.
PM Khan’s former teammates Wasim Akram, Ramiz Raja and Waqar Younis also prayed for his swift recovery.
Concerned to hear about your Covid positive test but I am sure you will fight it out Skipper all the prayers . Once a fighter always a fighter . #getwellsoonskipperhttps://t.co/G7XJFOo9Ip
Wishing @ImranKhanPTI a very speedy recovery. Proves the point that nobody is immune and that this pandemic is far from over. While we pray for our Prime Minister, lets also remain vigilant.#GetWellSoonPMIK
An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore has handed two culprits in the motorway rape case – Abid Malhi and Shafqat Bagga – a death sentence. They have also been sentenced to prison for life and slapped a fine of Rs 50,000 each.
According to reports, the two have been sentenced to death for gang-raping a woman on the Lahore-Sialkot motorway in September 2020. The court, which had earlier reserved the verdict, announced it today at Lahore’s Camp Jail, where the trial took place.
This is the first time that convicts in a gang-rape case have been handed death sentences.
The court has also ordered to confiscate the two convicts’ properties.
THE INCIDENT
A woman, along with her three children, was driving to Gujranwala in her car when she was forced to stop at the Gujjarpura section of the Lahore-Sialkot motorway after running out of fuel at around 1:30 am in September 2020.
She immediately called a relative and sent him her location. He asked her to also dial the Motorway Police helpline 130 but she was reportedly refused help.
In the meantime, two robbers approached the car, broke the window and took the woman and her children to nearby bushes where they raped her repeatedly in front of the children. They also snatched her purse that had cash around Rs100,000, one bracelet, car registration and three ATM cards.
The Gujjarpura police have registered a case, while Motorway Police spokesperson said they had not been able to take action as the incident did not occur in the limits of Motorway Police.
The case had sparked outrage and protests across the country following which the government formulated the Anti-Rape Ordinance 2020, under which special courts will be set up across the country to expedite trials of rape cases on a priority basis and award harsher sentences, such as chemical castration.
Sharing the video of the two underwater, Ahsan wrote: “20/03/20” followed by a heart emoji.
Tagging Minal, Ahsan further said: “1 year down, 100 more to go.”
Ahsan also turned off the comments on the post.
The couple earlier came under fire for posting loved-up pictures. At the time, Ahsan had reacted to the backlash by asking people to worry about “his/her own life instead of others”.
“Islam teaches us not to condemn others. Leave the judging to God. Worry about, and judge, only yourself,” he had said.
Meanwhile, Minal also recently hit back at a troll for who moral-policed her over her choice of outfit.
Later, senior PTI leader Senator Faisal Javed Khan said that PM Khan is “experiencing mild symptoms” and “will continue to work from home over video calls”.
Prime Minister Imran Khan tests positive for coronavirus, is experiencing ‘mild symptoms’. He will self-quarantine at home however will continue to work from home over video con. Lots of prayers for everyone. Stay Safe
PM Khan had received the first dose of his COVID-19 vaccine on March 18. Interacting with the media after receiving his shot, PM had urged everyone to get vaccinated for the virus. It is pertinent to add here that PM Imran is yet to receive the second dose of the vaccine, which will be administered to him after a month.
The Ministry of National Health Services also clarified that PM Khan was “not fully vaccinated when he contracted the virus”.
“He only got the first dose and merely two days ago which is too soon for any vaccine to become effective,” asserted the minister, adding: “Anti-bodies develop 2-3 weeks after the second dose of COVID vaccines.”
Prime Minister Imran Khan was not fully vaccinated when he contracted the virus. He only got the 1st dose and merely 2 days ago which is too soon for ANY vaccine to become effective. Anti-bodies develop 2-3 weeks after 2nd dose of 2-dose COVID vaccines. #VaccinesWork
— Ministry of National Health Services, Pakistan (@nhsrcofficial) March 20, 2021
وزیراعظم عمران خان کا کورونا مثبت آنے کا مطلب یہ نہیں ہے کہ ویکسین غیر موثر تھی۔ ویکسین سے اینٹی باڈیز بننے میں 14 دن لگتے ہیں لہذا تمام امکانات میں ویکسی نیشن کے وقت وزیر اعظم پہلے ہی کورونا کا شکار ہو چکے تھے- شکوک و شبہات پیدا کرنے سے اجتناب کرنا ہوگا سبکو ویکسین لگانی چاہئے
Meanwhile, several PTI leaders including Sheikh Rasheed, Usman Buzdar and Hammad Azhar have wished the premier a swift recovery.
Prayers for quick recovery of Prime Minister @ImranKhanPTI.
Recent spike in #COVID19 cases and positivity rate is alarming and we all need to be extra careful and strictly follow safety protocols!! https://t.co/ip6ccCQQzR
Wishing @ImranKhanPTI a speedy recovery & complete shifa from #COVID19. This is a reminder to us all that the virus can hit any of our homes; practise social distancing, wear your masks & #StaySafe
