Current Final

Author: News Desk

  • Mphil scholar shot dead by abductors inspite of paying ransom

    Mphil scholar shot dead by abductors inspite of paying ransom

    A kidnapped 22-year-old MPhil graduate, Talha Arshad, was found fatally shot in the head, despite his family allegedly having paid Rs2.5 million in ransom to his abductors. His grieving family staged a protest demonstration at Rafiq Shah Chowk against the police after placing the body on the spot.


    The victim, a resident of Mohalla Telianwala, had recently completed his MPhil from the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. On the day he went missing he left home on a motorcycle on January 17 but did not return.


    Upon a lawyer’s intervention, the police registered a kidnapping case on January 18, filed by Talha’s brother Irfan Arshad.


    The abductors had sent a video of Talha tied with a rope, through WhatsApp on January 21, demanding a ransom of Rs10 million for his release. Despite the family sending Rs2.5 million to the cryptocurrency account specified by the kidnappers, Talha was not released, reports The Express Tribune.


    However, on Wednesday, Talha’s tortured body, locked in a suitcase, was discovered in a well near an upscale neighborhood.


    Kamran Arshad, the victim’s brother, alleged that the police had acted as silent spectators when the victim’s phone was active on January 21 and 23.
    The police reportedly found the location of the deceased’s mobile phone in Bahawalnagar and Donga Bonga, initiating searches in the areas. The DPO’s spokesperson Zahid Rasool said the police were actively engaged in the matter, collaborating with the victim’s family.

    In response to protesters’ demands, the SHO was removed from the local police station and an inquiry against him initiated.

    The police’s efforts to trace the suspects were reportedly hindered as the perpetrators used VPN to conceal their location.

  • ‘Real youth, not ‘mummy daddy’ ones, support PML-N, says Nawaz Sharif

    ‘Real youth, not ‘mummy daddy’ ones, support PML-N, says Nawaz Sharif

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif criticised supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), saying in a rally that the country’s “real youth” stands behind his party, if not the “mummy-daddy” ones.

    PML-N and other political opponents have always accused PTI of attracting “privileged youth” or “wannabes,” who they say lack traditional values and commitments. They use phrases like “mummy-daddy” to suggest that the party’s supporters aren’t genuine.

    “Some people say the youth support someone else. But no, youth, not the mummy-daddy ones, are with Muslim League Noon. The real Pakistani youth. That’s why Nawaz Sharif loves you,” the ex-prime minister told a rally in Faisalabad on Friday.

    Nawaz Sharif is aiming to become prime minister for the fourth time, after receiving legal relief from courts in multiple cases. After the Supreme Court’s (SC) decision, the PML-N supremo is now eligible to contest elections.

    The competition in the upcoming general elections is seemingly between PML-N and its former ally, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), as the popular PTI is seemingly out of the election race, with it’s candidates contesting as independents. The founder of PTI, Imran Khan, is currently in Adiala jail.

    Earlier, an accountability court sentenced former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his spouse, Bushra Bibi, to 14 years in prison in the Toshakhana reference.

  • ‘If you harm an American, we will respond,’ says Biden after launching airstrikes in Syria and Iraq

    ‘If you harm an American, we will respond,’ says Biden after launching airstrikes in Syria and Iraq


    The President of the United States of America, Joe Biden, has cautioned, “If you harm an American, we will respond,” as US forces attacked more than 80 targets in Iraq and Syria in a wide-ranging air assault on sites belonging to Iran-linked fighter groups and Tehran’s Revolutionary Guard.


    The US president said the strikes had been launched in retaliation for the drone strike that killed three US troops in Jordan earlier in the week, adding: “Our response began today. It will continue at times and places of our choosing,” reports The Guardian.


    The US military’s Central Command said it had struck with more than 125 bombs in an attack that took place around midnight local time in what was described as the first of multiple attacks against the groups.


    “US military forces struck more than 85 targets, with numerous aircraft to include long-range bombers flown from the United States,” Centcom said in a statement. The raids were aimed at facilities believed to be controlled by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force and affiliated militia groups.


    John Kirby, the White House national security spokesman, said the strikes lasted about 30 minutes. “These responses began tonight. They’re not going to end tonight. So there will be additional responses. There will be additional action that we will take, all designed to put an end to these attacks and to take away capability by the IRGC.”


    The 85 targets were grouped in seven different locations: four in Syria and three in Iraq, according to US officials. Lt Gen Douglas Sims, director for operations on the joint staff, said the timing of the strikes was determined by the weather.


    “The initial indications are that we hit exactly what we meant to hit with a number of secondary explosions associated with the ammunition and logistics locations,” Sims said, although this could not be verified.


    On Thursday, the US said it blamed Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a coalition of Iran-linked militias, for the deadly drone attack last weekend on the remote Tower 22 logistics base in Jordan, near the border with Syria and Iraq. Three US army reservists were killed after living quarters were struck at night and more than 80 wounded.

  • ‘Hired a harasser’ PCB slammed for choosing Ali Zafar for PSL 9 anthem, calls for boycott

    ‘Hired a harasser’ PCB slammed for choosing Ali Zafar for PSL 9 anthem, calls for boycott

    Social media users are slamming the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for hiring Ali Zafar for the anthem of the ninth edition of Pakistan Super League.

    PSL released a video on social media with the caption “Ali Zafar is set to immerse his magic to the official HBL PSL anthem 2024”, making it clear that Ali Zafar will sing the anthem for PSL season 9. The last time he sang the anthem for PSL was in 2018.

    Just a few weeks ago, Ali revealed that he would not be performing the anthem for reasons he didn’t want to disclose.

    Read: ‘Informed that PCB can’t go ahead with the anthem for reasons that I would not like to disclose’, says Ali Zafar

    Here is how social media users are reacting on it:

    It should be noted that in 2018 singer Meesha Shafi made allegations against Ali Zafar for sexual harassment. Meesha stated that she was sharing her story because she feels that speaking about such issues will break the culture of silence in our society.

  • NADRA official ‘kidnapped’ in Islamabad

    NADRA official ‘kidnapped’ in Islamabad

    Islamabad police are currently looking into the reported abduction of Najeebullah, Deputy Assistant Director at the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA).

    Asadullah Khan, a resident of Islamabad, lodged a First Information Report (FIR) with the Ramna police on January 31, stating that his brother left for duty at 9 pm on January 30, and has not returned since.

    According to the FIR, Najeebullah contacted his family the following morning via WhatsApp, stating that he was en route to Peshawar and assured them of his imminent return. Asadullah, however, noted a distressed tone in his brother’s voice and expressed concern as Najeebullah reportedly had no acquaintances in Peshawar.

    Subsequent communication with Najeebullah intensified the concerns, as he conveyed suspicions of being held against his will. The family is now apprehensive that his disappearance may be linked to an ongoing case.

    According to sources of Hum News, NADRA is cracking down on foreign nationals illegally residing in Pakistan who have managed to obtain fake national identity cards.

    During a meeting held at the Ministry of Interior, it was revealed that a significant number of non-residents managed to acquire properties worth billions using fake Pakistani identity cards.

    A senior police officer shared that an investigation is underway after taking footage from Safe City security cameras.

    A NADRA spokesperson stated that they were monitoring the situation closely and were in contact with the officer’s family.

  • PSL 9: Multan Sultans on top of its game with massive collaborations

    PSL 9: Multan Sultans on top of its game with massive collaborations

    Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Multan Sultans is in the game with massive collaborations for PSL season 9. Multan has partnered with KTrade as an investment partner and Raiment 61 as official partner (Clothing Brand) for the ninth edition of the HBL Pakistan Super League.

    On Wednesday, KTrade, a leading stock trading platform, formerly known as KASB, joined Multan Sultans as the official investment partner for the HBL Pakistan Super League season 9.

    On this occasion Multan Sultan’s General Manager Hijab Zahid said, “We are extremely delighted to have KTrade on board. To have a respected stock brokerage firm in KTrade collaborating with us is a testimony of how popular Multan Sultans as a franchise is. Through this partnership, cricket is tapping into a new industry in Pakistan, which will prove to be beneficial for the game and the stock and commodity brokerage industry.

    KTrade Securities Chairperson Ali Farid Khwaja said, “We are proud of our association with the Multan Sultans. They punch beyond their weight through passion and energy, which is the feat of a true champion. Their cricket is not only about the game on the field but about social and community development of a region which has deep historical value and entrepreneurial energy.”

    Today, Pakistan’s Raiment 61 (Clothing Brand) joined Multan Sultans. The franchise’s contingent will wear Raiment 61 trousers during their team dinners, travels, and other activities in the ninth edition of Pakistan Super League.

    Multan Sultans General Manager Hijab Zahid said “We are thrilled to be partnering with Raiment 61. I am sure our players, coaches, and management will look classy in these especially designed pants.

    “What makes us proud to be having Raiment 61 on board with us are the strong ethical values that these manufacturers hold. Whether it is the sustainability initiatives or steps towards gender-inclusivity, Kehkeshan Usman, Raiment 61’s chief operating officer, and her team have been at the forefront.”

    Raiment 61 Co-Founders Saba and Anees Khawaja said “With our strong roots in the city of Multan, we are delighted to be partnering with Multan Sultans. This has always been our team. It gives every person of this region a great pleasure to see how much this young team has achieved in short time both on and off the field and we are very excited for the upcoming edition.”

    “We are looking forward to working with this young and dynamic team.”

    Anees Khawaja further said, “I have known Ali Khan Tareen, the owner and chief executive of Multan Sultans, for a long time, and I have great admiration for the work he has done and continues to do for the uplifting of the region of South Punjab. Seeing how Multan Sultans are taking a lead in providing equal opportunities in administration and coaching side of the things is very heartening and perfectly aligns with our vision.”

    Multan Sultans will begin their HBL PSL 9 campaign on 18 February against Karachi Kings at the Sultans Fort (Multan Cricket Stadium).

  • Anti-Pakistan Indian film ‘Fighter’ flops

    Anti-Pakistan Indian film ‘Fighter’ flops

    Karma is a queen!

    Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan and actress Deepika Padukone’s anti-Pakistan film ‘Fighter’ has flopped.

    According to Indian media reports, ‘Fighter’, which was released on January 25, did excellent business in the initial days, but gradually the film’s rule at the box office weakened.

    The reports further state that the film has practically flopped on the fifth day of its release, with business dropping by 70-80 per cent after entering the 200 crore club on the fourth day.
    Indian film analysts say that despite having anti-Pakistan content, the film failed to attract a large number of viewers.

    Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone play squadron leaders of the Indian Air Force, while Anil Kapoor depicts their commanding officer.

    We’d feel bad for them, but hey, this is payback for propaganda.

  • Pakistani rupee shows marginal improvement, gains 0.03% against US dollar

    Pakistani rupee shows marginal improvement, gains 0.03% against US dollar

    The Pakistani rupee (PKR) experienced a slight improvement, appreciating by 0.03 per cent against the US dollar (USD) in the inter-bank market on Friday. 

    Closing at Rs279.41 after a gain of Re0.07 against the USD, as reported by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). On Thursday, the rupee had a marginal increase, settling at Rs279.48 against the USD, according to the SBP.

    The government is reportedly scheduled to hold a session with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the next day or two, focusing on tariff rationalisation to reduce industry tariffs from 14 cents per unit to 11.75 cents per unit through a subsidy-neutral proposal.

    Globally, the US dollar experienced a broad decline on Friday, influenced by positive risk sentiment following upbeat big tech earnings on Wall Street. Traders are anticipating US job data later in the day to assess the potential timing for the Federal Reserve to initiate rate easing.

    Comparatively, against major currencies, the PKR depreciated by 2.71 rupees against the Euro, closing at 304.1 compared to the previous value of 301.39. 

    The British Pound strengthened, becoming costlier by 2.93 rupees and closing at 356.46 compared to 353.52 from the previous day. 

    The Swiss franc saw gains of 2.6 rupees, closing at 325.94, compared to 323.34 in the previous session. Against the Japanese yen, PKR lost 0.06 paisa, closing at 1.906 versus 1.906 a day ago. 

    The Chinese Yuan gained 1.57 paisa, closing at 38.9171 against 38.9014 from the previous session.

  • Hockey Federation employees unpaid since six months

    Hockey Federation employees unpaid since six months

    Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) employees have not been paid salaries since six months.

    According to Geo sources, employees of the Lahore headquarters have demanded that they be paid dues soon.

    PHF sources say that sick employees do not have money for medical treatment, including a PHF employee who suffers from heart disease.

    According to sources, the issue of due salaries of senior and junior players is also pending. Captain Imad Shakeel Butt demanded payment of delays after participating in the Olympics qualifying round, but funds have not been released to PHF by the government. A funds and assignment account is yet to be opened.

    According to PHF sources, one month’s salary is in arrears in the current cycle, the remaining five months’ arrears are from the previous cycle. About eight crore rupees is pending.

    The current administration had closed the accounts of the federation in the last week of December due to which it is now necessary to open an assignment account.

  • In a first, Peshawar High Court orders separate queue for transgender voters

    In a first, Peshawar High Court orders separate queue for transgender voters

    Peshawar High Court has directed authorities in the province to establish a separate queue for transgender voters in PK-81 from where trans rights activist Sobia Khan is contesting elections as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s first transgender individual participating in general polls.


    The court’s verdict highlighted the absence of specific documents for the transgender quota, as no such provision currently exists. Additionally, the court-mandated security measures for transgender candidate Subiya during the general elections, where she is running independently in PK-81.


    Who is Sobia Khan?


    Sobia is hailing from Peshawar and she has filed nomination papers for the provincial assembly seat from constituency PK-81. She is running her campaign as an independent candidate.


    Notably, Sobia Khan, a graduate and the first transgender broadcaster in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been hosting TNN’s “Sobiya Khan Show” for the past four years.

    Sobia welcomed the court ruling. Talking to Tribal News Network, Sobia detailed her broader goals, aiming not only to champion transgender rights but also to challenge societal perceptions. She aspires to work for the welfare of the constituency, particularly focusing on the rights of women and children, breaking stereotypes about the capabilities of transgenders.


    Sobia Khan, backed by her family and local support, appealed to NGOs, civil society, and the district administration for assistance in her election campaign. Acknowledging the unprecedented nature of a transgender participating directly in elections, she stressed the need for security during her campaign.