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Author: News Desk

  • Suicide and heart attacks reported in India after losing World Cup final

    Suicide and heart attacks reported in India after losing World Cup final

    An Indian cricket fan has reportedly died of a heart attack after the team lost the ICC Men’s World Cup final to Australia on Sunday.

    The Indian team won 10 consecutive matches in the ICC ODI World Cup 2023, walking into the final as hot favourites. However, they lost to Australia by six wickets in the final, dashing the hopes of the country. While some Indian fans lashed out at the team for their poor performance in the final, one fan of the Indian team took the defeat to heart.

    Heart Attack case:

    According to Indian media reports, Jyoti Kumar Yadav, a 32-year-old software engineer from Tirupati in the state of Andhra Pradesh, was saddened to see tears in the eyes of captain Rohit Sharma after India’s defeat, leading to a seizure and a fall to the ground.

    According to the report, Kumar Yadav’s friends rushed him to the hospital but doctors declared him dead of a heart attack.

    Suicide cases:

    According to India.com, 23-year-old Rahul Lohar committed suicide after Australia’s win. He worked at a saree shop and quit his job to watch India-Australia final match.

    According to his brother-in-law, “He was a die hard fan of the Indian cricket team. He quit duty and also managed to get a projector along with his friends to watch the match. After losing, he could not bear this heartbreak. He committed suicide when there was no one at home. I was informed about this at 11 pm of the final match’s night.”

    A case of unnatural death has been reported at the nearby police station. According to the police, there is no criminal angle in the case but investigations are being carried out.

    Another suicide case was filed in Odish’s Jaipur, Binjharpur area where 23-year-old Dev Ranjan Das was found hanging on the terrace of his house shortly after the India-Australia final.

    According to his family members, he left his room in despair after India lost.

  • Senators propose discontinuation of Rs5,000 currency note to fight corruption

    Senators propose discontinuation of Rs5,000 currency note to fight corruption

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senators are advocating for the discontinuation of the Rs5,000 currency note as a strategic move to combat corruption and inflation.

    On Monday, Senator Mohsin Aziz presented a resolution in the Upper House of Parliament urging the prohibition of the highest-denomination currency.

    According to Senator Aziz, the Rs5,000 note is frequently associated with corruption, terrorism, and smuggling.

    Providing details, Senator Aziz revealed that Rs5,000 currency notes totaling Rs3.5 trillion have been issued to date.

    Notably, he emphasised that Rs2 trillion worth of Rs5,000 notes are not currently in circulation but are securely stored in “safe deposit,” which he alleges is linked to money laundering, tax evasion, and smuggling.

    Senator Aziz called for a specific timeframe during which individuals should surrender the highest denomination notes.

    Supporting this initiative, another PTI Senator, Waleed Iqbal, echoed Senator Aziz’s call to discontinue the Rs5,000 currency note.
    He suggested that promoting digital payments would be instrumental in reducing reliance on physical currency.

    Responding to these claims, Caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi stated that Rs5,000 currency notes totaling 905 million have been issued thus far, with Rs4.5 trillion currently in circulation.

    Solangi attributed the autonomy granted to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) by the previous government as a contributing factor to the situation. He asserted that the SBP operates within the confines of its laws.

    This isn’t the first time that officials have targeted the highest denomination note for its alleged role in fostering corruption.

    In September of this year, former Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) chief Shabbar Zaidi emphasised the importance of discontinuing Rs5,000 notes and imposing restrictions on the physical movement of dollars as crucial steps in curbing the cash economy in the country.

  • General elections 2024: Candidates allowed to spend up to Rs10 million on campaigns

    General elections 2024: Candidates allowed to spend up to Rs10 million on campaigns

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has recently finalised the Code of Conduct for political parties in preparation for the upcoming general elections in 2024.

    In a collaborative effort with political parties, the Election Commission of Pakistan has meticulously drafted the code of conduct, incorporating valuable suggestions from various political entities.

    According to reliable sources, the code includes provisions preventing political parties from undermining the sovereignty of Pakistan during the election campaign.
    Additionally, parties are expected to refrain from disparaging the ECP in the course of their campaigns.

    The code of conduct emphasises ethical practices, urging political parties and candidates to abstain from offering gifts, inducements, or bribes to encourage the withdrawal of other candidates.

    Ensuring the safety of election staff and polling agents is paramount, as outlined in the draft.
    A noteworthy feature of the code is the commitment to implementing a 5 per cent women’s quota in the upcoming general elections in 2024. This underscores the importance of gender inclusivity in the political landscape.

    The code unequivocally discourages violence on polling day, strictly prohibiting the display of weapons during election campaigns.
    Aerial shootings and the use of firecrackers in public gatherings are also prohibited, promoting a peaceful electoral environment.

    Addressing the eligibility of election agents, the code stipulates that the appointed agent must be a registered voter in the relevant constituency.

    Furthermore, financial regulations have been established, allowing National Assembly candidates a spending limit of up to Rs10 million for their election campaigns, while Provincial Assembly candidates are capped at a maximum of Rs4 million.

    In adherence to transparency, successful candidates are required to submit detailed reports of their election expenses to returning Officers, fostering accountability in the electoral process.


    The comprehensive nature of the Code of Conduct reflects the Election Commission’s commitment to conducting fair, transparent, and violence-free elections in 2024.

  • ‘Imran Khan ruined my 28-year-long marriage with Bushra’; Khawar Maneka

    ‘Imran Khan ruined my 28-year-long marriage with Bushra’; Khawar Maneka

    Khawar Maneka, the former husband of Bushra Bibi, the current wife of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, has disclosed private details of the circumstances that led to his divorce.

    During an interview with Geo News’ ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Ke Saath,’ Khawar Maneka claimed that Imran Khan used to visit his house without his consent, adding that he was not happy with the frequent meetings between Khan and his ex-wife.

    He narrated an incident where he asked his servant to escort Imran Khan out of his house when the former Prime Minister visited his home.

    He also revealed that Bushra and Imran used to talk over the phone for hours. Farah Gogi, Bibi’s close friend and the central character in an alleged corruption probe, provided them with “private cell phones” on Imran’s behest.

    Maneka further revealed that during PTI’s sit-ins in Islamabad, Bushra’s sister, Maryam Watto, arranged a meeting between his wife and Imran.

    He stated that his marriage with Bushra lasted for 28 years, and they had a happy life until Imran Khan, driven by spiritual pursuits, allegedly ruined their household.

    Maneka claimed that his mother warned him not to let Imran Khan into their house, as she considered him to be a bad person.

    However, secret phone conversations between Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi began, and they continued to communicate extensively.

    Maneka disclosed that he had his own house in Bani Gala, but Bushra Bibi used to visit Imran Khan’s house without informing him.

    According to him, six months before their divorce, Bushra Bibi left him and went to live at her own home.

    He visited her in Pakpattan and asked her to come with him but she responded in the negative.

    He claimed that one day, Farah sent him a message on the phone, asking him to divorce Bushra Bibi. Maneka said that he went to his wife, asking her if she wanted to end the marriage. When she remained silent, he sent divorce papers on November 14, 2017.

    Bushra married Imran within 1.5 months of divorce and a controversy arose regarding her Iddat period.

    Later, Farah Gogi and Zulfi Bukhari called him and requested to change the date of the divorce.

    He also claimed that Gogi and Bukhari told him to stay silent citing Imran Khan’s upcoming premiership. He perceived this as a moderate threat but later realised that they might cause harm to his children.

    Maneka emphasised that he had no knowledge of Bushra Bibi’s marriage to Imran Khan and was unaware of the development until Geo News and Dunya News broke the story, casting doubt on the authenticity of their marriage.

    He further claimed that he never used any influence, alleging that Farah Gogi and her husband Ahsan Jameel Gujjar became self-procaimed parents of his children and used all their powers to favour them.

    Interestingly, whenever Maneka was questioned with counter facts by Shahzeb, he would fumble, while appearing distressed.

    Gondal Case

    Shahzeb Khanzada then moved on to allegations of misuse of the first lady’s position by Maneka, citing the Gondal case.

    In 2018, Pakpattan’s former district police officer (DPO) Rizwan Umar Gondal’s men stopped Maneka’s car as he was travelling towards Pir Ghani on the night of August 23.

    Controversy sparked when Punjab’s former Chief Minister Usman Buzdar allegedly transferred Gondal on the complaint of Khawar Maneka.

    Police officials claimed that Maneka refused to stop at the policemen’s request and misbehaved with them.

    Subsequently, Maneka demanded that the DPO of the area should visit his dera to personally apologise to him.

    When Gondal’s transfer orders started making the rounds, it was widely speculated in news and social media that the police officer was transferred because of the August 23 episode.

    DPO Gondal revealed details of his meeting with the Punjab CM on August 24. He said Ahsan Jameel was sitting along with the CM when he was summoned to Lahore. Gondal said he then thought Jameel to be a senior official.

    Gondal said he told the Punjab CM that after police officials’ altercation with the Manekas at Pakpattan, Manika’s son Ibrahim was invited to the DPO house to redress his grievances but he refused to come.

    However, Gondal claimed, it was Jameel who addressed him in ‘an overbearing manner’ but he did not go to Maneka’s residence to offer apologies despite repeated instructions.

    “Don’t take this issue lightly. This time we may exercise restraint but the next time things shall go out of control and you all will suffer,” Gondal quoted Jameel as saying.

    When asked about this case by Shahzeb, Maneka categorically refused any use of influence or any sort of connection with Jameel.

    When asked about allegations of corruption, making money, increased assets beyond means, and a significant shift in lifestyle, Maneka claimed that everything is out in the open and he is willing to cooperate with any sort of investigation. He also credited his parents for his lifestyle.

    ‘Imran Khan denies’

    Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan’s lawyer Sher Afzal Marwat stated that Imran Khan has refuted claims made by Khawar Maneka about Khan’s marriage to Bushra Bibi.

    Marwat asserted that there is no legal validity of a person who gives contradictory statements and Maneka’s claims are baseless. “Khawar Maneka was also an abducted person. He was arrested under corruption charges but is being used in the iddat case for mala fide statements,” he said.

    He emphasised that Maneka’s and Khan’s opponents’ acts are inhumane, generating controversies around Khan’s kids, his marriages, his wives, and his family, and Khan’s opponents use any opportunity to malign him.

    “We could’ve said a lot of things around Junaid Safdar’s issue for political point-scoring but we believe that doing this when someone’s home is being broken is disgusting,” he said.

    He also said that anchorperson Shahzeb Khanzada, who conducted Khawar Maneka’s interview, should’ve thought about his reputation before doing such an interview.

    Nawaz Sharif Reacts

    Former Prime Minister and leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Nawaz Sharif, has reacted to Khawar Maneka’s recent interview where he detailed the circumstances that led to his divorce.

    Maneka’s recent interview where he detailed the circumstances that led to his divorce.

    Nawaz Sharif briefly addressed media at Islamabad High Court, where he was asked about Khawar Maneka’s revelations. When questioned if he had watched the interview, Sharif responded in the affirmative.

    The reporter then inquired about Rana Sanaullah’s remarks ‘Dur Fittay Mu’ following the interview, asking if they were accurate. In response, the former Prime Minister stated that after the statements (by Maneka), Riasat e Madina shouldn’t have been mentioned (by Imran).

    Upon further questioning about whether the real face has now been revealed and Imran’s secrets have been disclosed, Nawaz Sharif replied that he had already spoken on the matter, and subsequent to those statements, the emphasis should have been on not mentioning Riasat e Madina.

  • World Children’s Day celebrated as ‘graveyard of children’, Gaza, remains under siege

    World Children’s Day celebrated as ‘graveyard of children’, Gaza, remains under siege

    World Children’s Day is annually celebrated on November 20. The theme for this year is ‘For every child, every right’. The blatant irony is that the day is being celebrated as the children of Gaza do not even have the fundamental right to life. They are being orphaned, injured, losing limbs, burned by white phosphorus, or worse, killed. With the war entering the seventh week, almost 5000 children are dead. 1800 children are missing under the rubble, presumably dead, while 9000 are severely injured with life-changing consequences.

    One out of every 200 children in Gaza has been killed by Israeli strikes since October 7. This is like one child is killed every 10 minutes in the besieged Gaza strip.

    A report published by Save the Children published when the toll was around 4630, said that the number of deaths “surpasses the annual number of children killed across all the world’s conflict zones since 2019.” The report clearly mentioned that “no child in Gaza is safe at the moment”.

    The children who have survived will bear trauma for the rest of their lives but their imminent problems are hunger, fear, lack of shelter, hygiene.

    The New York Times, called out multiple times by critics of the war, today published its headline, ‘Graveyard of Children’. In the course of the last six weeks, the world saw a girl pushing her way out of the rubble, another bawling her eyes out searching for her mother insisting she had recognized her among the dead from her hair, a boy who lost his parents in the first bombing and his legs to the second in the hospital, children’s corpses burned and decimated, and as many as 30 crying infants who are out of incubators, walking the thin line of life and death.
    Dr Abu-Sittah told The NY Times “More and more, it seems like a war against children.”

  • PML-N rejects reports that it will change 18th Amendment

    PML-N rejects reports that it will change 18th Amendment

    The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) rejected a report that the party will bring changes to the 18th Constitutional Amendment, if it came back to power.

    PML-N’s manifesto committee chief, Senator Irfan Siddiqui, a close aide of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, and the party’s Information Secretary, Marriyum Aurangzeb, both have rejected the report.

    Senator Siddiqui also said that “We have not received any such recommendations.” He further stated that party leadership didn’t ever discuss the matter in internal meetings.

    “We reject the false report related to changes in the 18th Amendment,” said Marriyum Aurangzeb.

    According to a report published in DAWN today, the PML-N’s manifesto committee received several proposals, including the swing in the 18th Amendment to change the distribution structure of budget among provinces.

    “There’s a very strong feeling, rather conviction, among the party’s top leadership that the current arrangements of financial resources distribution among the provinces [under the 18th Amendment to the Constitution] has created unsustainable financial problems,” PML-N source had told the publication on the condition of anonymity.

    “So far, it’s believed that the party would not go for an outright reversal of the 18th Amendment, but it would address its key features and reshape the distribution mechanism of financial resources among the provinces. You would hopefully see it as part of the PML-N manifesto,” the source had explained.

    Two party leaders, who had spoken to the publication anonymously, had also confirmed the development.

    Earlier in the tenure of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), former Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said in April 2020 that the “18th Amendment should be revisited to run the country’s affairs effectively.”

  • Viral video about Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib is actually from four kilometres away

    Viral video about Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib is actually from four kilometres away

     A video going viral on the other side of the border shows a group dancing at what seems to be an event. The video was spread in India with claims that liquor and meat were served at the event in the Gurdwara Sahib. It is to be noted that meat and alcohol are strictly prohibited in Sikhism and their use is considered against the Sikh protocol. Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib is the second most holiest place for Sikhs around the world for it is believed that Guru Nanak breathed his last here.

    General Secretary, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, Jagdip Singh Kahlon called it “unacceptable”. A number of publications also posted the video quoting statements from BJP leaders like Manjinder Singh Sirsa condemning the incident.

    Reputable Journalist Shiraz Hassan debunked the news as “totally false news”. He goes on to elaborate, “The event venue was at least 4KM away from Srri Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara – the whole area is known as Kartapur and the event was organized in Doda village!”

  • Australia Tour: Pakistan Cricket Team Test squad announced

    Australia Tour: Pakistan Cricket Team Test squad announced

    Pakistan’s national team chief selector Wahab Riaz has announced the national Test squad for the tour of Australia.

    Wahab Riaz announced in a press conference that the 18-member Test squad includes captain Shan Masood, Babar Azam, Abdullah Shafiq, Imamul Haq, Hasan Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Abrar Ahmed, Shaheen Afridi, Aamir Jamal, Khurram Shahzad, Saud Shakeel, Sarfraz Ahmed, Mir Hamza, Muhammad Rizwan, Waseem Jr., Nauman Ali, Saim Ayub, and Salman Ali Agha.

    Wahab Riaz said that fast bowler Haris Rauf has withdrawn himself from playing Tests.

    He said that Shahnawaz Dahani, Shadab Khan, Usama Mir, Usman Qadir and Muhammad Nawaz will join the camp.

    The chief selector said that Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafiq, and Shan Masood are performing in the top order, four five spinners have been invited to the camp, and Sahibzada Farhan was the top scorer but there is no place in the squad yet. He added that Hasan Ali has performed well in the county season and has experience.

  • ‘Crashing Eid’ is the hilarious Arabic Netflix comedy that is the talk of the town

    ‘Crashing Eid’ is the hilarious Arabic Netflix comedy that is the talk of the town

    ‘Crashing Eid’ is currently dominating Netflix Pakistan and seriously, this is the comedy series we have all been waiting for. Created by Saudi filmmaker Nora Aboushousha, the family drama tackles Saudi norms with comedy and ends with the enduring message that love conquers all.

    The drama follows the hilarious and fiercely independent Razzan, a single mother who lives in Britain with her daughter Lamar. She proposes to her British-Pakistani boyfriend Sameer, under the assumption her family back home in Saudi Arabia would approve of their marriage. However, sheer hilarity breaks out when her parents refuse to recognise their engagement, and the couple tackle racial divisions, prejudice and cultural norms to get married.

    Since this series hit Netflix, it is already getting rave reviews from Pakistani users, who praised the series for not holding back on tackling the racism Pakistanis face in Arabic countries.

    “The comedy series “Crashing Eid” is a good window into Arabs’ racist tendencies, bigotry, and toxic masculinity. As someone who visited a Gulf country earlier in the year, this comedy series portrays only but the tip of the iceberg,” one user wrote.

    Speaking to Arab News, Aboushousha spoke about how she came up with the concept of the series.

    “We started off with a concept of someone who is different from their family, and that grew into this story of a single mother who returns from abroad. We started wondering, what will inspire the clash with the rest of the family? And immediately we realized, ‘oh, she should come back ready to be married to someone from outside the culture!’ Everything fell into place from there.”

  • Supreme Court will hear petition against deportation of Afghan refugees

    Supreme Court will hear petition against deportation of Afghan refugees

    In a significant development on Monday, the Supreme Court decided to entertain a petition challenging the government’s move to force out Afghan refugees from the country. The decision comes after the Supreme Court Registrar’s Office initially raised objections to the petition’s maintainability, putting a temporary halt on its progress.

    Despite the decision to entertain the petition, a specific date for the hearing is yet to be announced. According to sources, Justice Yahya Afridi of the Supreme Court heard the appeal against the objections in his chamber on Monday, as confirmed by a counsel for the petitioners.

    Mohsin Dawar took to X (former Twitter) and said, “We appeared before Justice Yahya Afridi for the Chamber Appeal against the Registrar’s objection on our petition against the mass deportation of Afghan Refugees. Our appeal has been accepted and the petition will be heard by the Supreme Court.”

    The petition, returned by the Supreme Court Registrar’s Office on November 8, faced objections related to its maintainability. One notable objection was the absence of a specific question of public importance regarding the enforcement of fundamental rights as guaranteed under the Constitution, warranting the invocation of Article 184(3).

    In response to the objections, the petitioners contended that their case raised critical issues pertaining to fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution. The appeal, filed by Umer Ijaz Gillani on behalf of human rights activists and politicians, argued that the issues presented in the petition are essential for safeguarding the rights guaranteed in the Constitution.

    “The issues raised in the petition are critical for securing the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution,” stated the appeal. It emphasized the need to prevent constitutional promises from becoming mere rhetoric, asserting, “The promises contained in the Constitution must never be allowed to become mere verbiage, the harbingers of false hope.”

    The petitioners include prominent figures such as Jamaat-i-Islami Pakistan Senator Mushtaq Ahmed, Human rights activist Amina Masood Janjua, National Democratic Movement Chairman Mohsin Dawar, lawyer Jibran Nasir, Rohail Kasi, Syed Muaz Shah, Pastor Ghazala Parveen, lawyer Iman Zainab Mazari, Ahmad Shabbar, Advocate Imran Shafiq, Luke Victor, and Sijal Shafiq.

    The petitioners stated in their press release on Sunday, “After 18 days of eager wait and continuous legal struggle, the Supreme Court has finally fixed our Case against the Caretaker Government’s Mass Deportation drive for a preliminary hearing. The hearing will be conducted by a 1-member bench comprising Mr. Justice Yahya Afridi inside his Chamber. It is scheduled for 1:00 pm on Monday, 20th November, 2023.

    Needless to say that under Article 184(3), the principal responsibility for taking charge of the situation and preventing systemic violation of fundamental rights vests in the Court itself. The petitioners’ role is that of informants who apprise the Court about what is happening and prick its judicial conscience.

    What has been happening to scores of people since October 3, when this draconian Deportation Drive was launched by a government lacking all mandate, is clear to all and sundry. However, in order to assist the Court in discharge of its sacred duty, the counsel for the Petitioners will appear before the bench.”

    The government of Pakistan decided to deport all the illegal aliens from the country early in October.

    A vast majority of them are Afghans who were given a deadline of November 1 to leave the country voluntarily or else there would be a crackdown.

    The government has identified phases in which these Afghan immigrants will be repatriated under the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan.

    There is a large number of 1.7 million Afgan refugees which the government aims to repatriate in the first phase of the plan. More than 200,000 of them have been repatriated until now.

    Aurat March protests

    Aurat March Lahore reiterated its demand that the Government of Pakistan immediately halt deportations of Afghan refugees, during a protest on Saturday.

    The protestors further stated that the hastily imposed 1 November expulsion deadline is an authoritarian decision that exceeds the caretaker government’s limited constitutional mandate. It effectively overturned decades of refugee policy overnight without accountability or transparency.

    Furthermore, the ill-thought-out decision has resulted in the denial of Afghan refugees’ rights to liberty,due process, and, in many cases, citizenship.

    On 29 October 2023, Aurat March chapters from across the country marked their protest and addressed an open letter urging the caretaker Prime Minister, Anwar ul Haq Kakar, to reverse his decision.

    However, this caretaker government has failed to yield to these demands and has since doubled down on its decision by announcing that the second phase of deportations will be of “documented” refugees.

    Aurat March stated, “We refuse this insidious distinction between “documented” and “undocumented” refugees; all refugees have the non-derogable right to non-refoulement and deserve support, not persecution.”