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Author: News Desk

  • I don’t want to be Messi: Lamine Yamal

    I don’t want to be Messi: Lamine Yamal

    Barcelona star Lamine Yamal has dismissed comparisons with Lionel Messi, saying he wants to create his own identity, adding that that the Argentinian legend understands his feelings. 

    Speaking to a news outlet, Yamal addressed the comparisons with Messi. “I respect him for what he has been and what he is for football,” Yamal said.

    “If we meet one day on a football field, there will be that mutual respect. For me he is the best in history.”

    He stressed that “We both also know that I don’t want to be Messi and Messi knows that I don’t want to be him, I want to follow my own path. I have no intention of playing like him, or wearing the number 10 that Messi wore, or anything like that.”

    Yamal admitted that Messi influenced his development as a young player, especially through his passing. 

    “When I was little, I never dribbled much, I ran a lot but above all I always had a very good vision of the game. I looked a lot at Messi because he gave different passes, goal passes and that’s what I looked at. Also in passes with the outside, that I’ve seen a lot to Modric. They are things that I liked a lot and that seemed more interesting than a dribble.”

    While explaining his style, Yamal said he plays football to entertain. 

    “Fun, that’s the word. In the end I play for people to have fun. I’m an athlete who entertains and whose goal is not to break all the records in the world, to score a million goals, to make a million dribbles. I want to enjoy myself and for kids to want to be like me. Obviously, if I score a lot of goals, that’s even better, but I think football goes beyond that.”

    Yamal’s rise has been meteoric. He has won two league titles with FC Barcelona and a European Championship with Spain’s national football team. 

    He finished as runner-up in the 2025 Ballon d’Or just months ago.

    Meanwhile, former Barcelona great Messi won 35 trophies during his legendary spell at the club.

  • ‘Insulting people is wrong’: Fiza Ali is not ok with Nida Yasir’s remarks about delivery riders

    ‘Insulting people is wrong’: Fiza Ali is not ok with Nida Yasir’s remarks about delivery riders

    Television host Fiza Ali is known for not holding back on her views and true to form, she has openly criticised Nida Yasir for her recent comments about food delivery riders, saying that tipping may not be mandatory, but insulting someone is completely wrong.

    Speaking about their daily struggles, Fiza said that while people relax at home after placing orders, riders sacrifice their sleep, comfort, and even risk their lives to deliver food. 

    “They ride through heavy rain, storms, and harsh weather just so our food reaches us,” she said.

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    She questioned whether people ever think about the families waiting for the riders at home. “Some mother must be waiting for her son. A child must be hoping his father comes home early. Many riders have only one bike, their only means of livelihood,” she said.

    Fiza also highlighted the rude behavior riders often face. “We get angry if we don’t get change, we misbehave if the order is delayed, and we argue over tips,” she said. She stressed that while tipping is not compulsory, insulting someone is never acceptable.

    Calling for basic humanity, Fiza said, “Riders are not machines. They are humans with feelings and responsibilities. If you show kindness today, Allah will help you in your difficult moments tomorrow.”

    She also pointed out that people easily spend 500 rupees on food but hesitate to offer even 20 rupees to riders. “Delivery may be late, but humanity should never be late,” she added.

    Fiza reminded the public that riders support entire households. “They are not just workers, they are someone’s father, someone’s son,” she said. She ended her message by saying, “I hope my message reaches you all. Please take care of yourselves, and respect those who work hard for us every day.”

    Earlier this week, Nida Yasir discussed food delivery riders on her morning show Good Morning Pakistan. Referring to the issue of change, she said, “Food delivery riders never seem to have change. If you tip them out of your own will, that’s completely fine but when they falsely claim they don’t have change, I always ask my driver to go and get it.”

    She added, “When they’re made to wait and end up reaching their next deliveries late, then they understand. It has become a habit with many of them.” Actress Nadia Khan and other guests reacted with nods and jokes as they shared similar experiences.

    The discussion sparked mixed reactions on social media. While some users related to Nida Yasir’s statement and shared similar experiences, many others strongly criticised her remarks and sided with Fiza Ali, calling for empathy, respect, and better treatment of delivery riders.

  • Lahore police bust honey-trap gang after factory owner drugged, blackmailed

    Lahore police bust honey-trap gang after factory owner drugged, blackmailed

    Lahore police have taken down a five-member honey-trap network accused of drugging, filming and extorting a local factory owner after luring him to a house under false pretenses.

    As per officials, one of the women, who had formerly been employed at the victim’s factory, reached out to him stating she wanted to repay borrowed money. When he showed up to take the money, he was served tea laced with drugs that left him in a semi-conscious state. During this time, the group allegedly filmed compromising footage and later used it to extort money from him.

    Authorities report that the gang had already obtained Rs 15,000 and was pressuring the victim for an additional Rs 500,000. Following a tip-off, police intervened and arrested all members of the group, which consisted of three women and two men.

    Sub-Inspector Adnan Gujjar led the operation, seizing cash, mobile devices, and digital recordings from the suspects. Among those apprehended are Asim and Ramiz, who is also known as Raja.

    SP City Bilal Ahmed said a case has been registered and urged residents to stay alert to similar honey-trap schemes, warning that such criminal setups often target individuals through personal trust and manipulation.

  • 13-year-old Afghan boy publicly executes murderer; 80,000 spectators

    13-year-old Afghan boy publicly executes murderer; 80,000 spectators

    A 13-year-old Afghan boy publicly shot and killed the man who murdered his family, in an execution carried out under Taliban rule and witnessed by a crowd of over 80,000 people in Afghanistan’s southeastern Khost province.

    According to foreign reports, a huge crowd of men filled a sports stadium to watch the execution, which human rights activists condemned as inhuman and cruel. The Taliban barred spectators from bringing camera phones, but footage recorded from outside the stadium showed tens of thousands gathered for the spectacle.

    The man, identified as a resident of Paktia province, was convicted along with two others of killing 13 members of the boy’s family, including women and children. 

    Afghanistan’s three-tier court system, the lower court, the appeals court, and the Supreme Court, upheld the death sentence, and Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada gave final approval.

    According to the Supreme Court, relatives of the victims were offered the option to forgive the convicted man, which would have spared his life. They refused, choosing the death penalty. 

    Khost police spokesperson Mustaghfir Gorbaz said the execution was carried out by a family member of the victims.

    The Supreme Court said prayers were offered at the end of the gathering, calling for stronger national security, improved access to justice, and strict implementation of Islamic law.

    Executions for two other men convicted in the same case are pending because all heirs of the victims were not present. 

    This marks the 11th execution since the Taliban returned to power and reinstated their hardline interpretation of Sharia, under which crimes such as murder, adultery and theft can result in execution, amputation or flogging.

    Since taking over in 2021 after the withdrawal of US and NATO forces, the Taliban have also banned Afghan women and girls from secondary school, universities and most jobs.

  • Another child falls into open manhole in Karachi as public outrage increases

    Another child falls into open manhole in Karachi as public outrage increases

    A video of a young girl falling into an open manhole in Karachi is circulating online. The footage shows her falling in a manhole, local residents pulling her out and rinsing her off with water, before taking her away. 

    According to the police, the video appears to be from Gulshan-e-Iqbal Town. Officials are currently examining the footage to determine the date and details surrounding the event.

    They also mentioned that an investigation is ongoing to identify who filmed it and when it took place.

    Three days prior, a three-year-old boy, Ibrahim, fell into an open manhole near Nipa Chowrangi, which is in Gulshan-e-Iqbal. His body was discovered 15 hours later in a nearby drain following a search by rescue teams and volunteers. Ibrahim ran ahead of his family, while visiting a store and slipped into the uncovered manhole.

    Ibrahim’s incident prompted protests close to Nipa Chowrangi, with residents blocking roads leading to Hasan Square and the University of Karachi, demanding action from authorities. 

    Protesters stated that their numerous warnings regarding open manholes had not received any attention or action. A media vehicle was targeted during the demonstration, and political figures who arrived were asked to leave the area by the residents.

    Public reaction to the latest case of the young girl spread quickly on social media. Users questioned both the condition of Karachi’s drainage system and the responsibility of adults. One user wrote, “Okay EVERYBODY knows Karachi is possibly in the worst and dangerous conditions… Why are parents/families this neglectful of their children? Baby Ibrahim incident just happened few days ago… parents, please do your due diligence please.”

    Another user said, “That means we do not have to wait for the government or rescue departments because it’s only we who would have to help each other instead of waiting for them.”

    A separate reaction stated, “Beyond heartbreaking! How many more tragedies will it take for authorities to wake up and take action? They’re not ‘accidents’ but the result of negligence from our government!”

    Another commentator asked, “Is this a new trend now? Is the govt. sleeping? I wish their own child suffer the same thing so then they will get to know how it feels.”

    Residents said repeated incidents show that open manholes continue to pose a risk across the city and that the latest case has again, highlighted concerns raised after Ibrahim’s death.

  • All Karachi milk samples declared unfit for consumption

    All Karachi milk samples declared unfit for consumption

    All milk samples collected from Karachi were declared unfit for human consumption, the Sindh High Court (SHC) was told on Tuesday.

    According to a report submitted by the City commissioner, the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) tested samples and found formalin in 22 of them and phosphate in eight, proving widespread adulteration across the supply chain. 

    The hygiene and safety practices of farmers, wholesalers and retailers pose a direct risk to public health, the report said as the court was also informed that the milk retailers association had itself requested citywide quality checks.

    The commissioner said that there was no justification for any increase in milk prices, adding that winters usually brought a lower demand for milk-based products, which makes a hike even more unreasonable. 

    It merits a mention that a government notification issued on November 27 fixed the retail price of milk at Rs220 per litre and directed all associations to follow the rate, ensure proper measurement and comply with new hygiene and safety SOPs.

    Earlier this year, the SHC had instructed the commissioner to consult all stakeholders and set the price of milk according to the law.

  • Pakistani T20 cricketers to miss BBL if picked for Sri Lanka, Australia series

    Pakistani T20 cricketers to miss BBL if picked for Sri Lanka, Australia series

    Top Pakistani cricketers selected for the upcoming T20 series against Sri Lanka and Australia will have to miss the Big Bash League (BBL) due to national duty. 

    Reports quoted officials as saying that BBL 2025–26 season begins on December 19, and no-objection certificates (NOCs) were issued from December 14 to January 28 for several Pakistani stars.

    However, the NOCs for foreign league are always conditional and players must remain fully available for Pakistan.

    Earlier, Babar Azam signed with Sydney Sixers, Mohammad Rizwan with Melbourne Renegades, Shaheen Shah Afridi with Brisbane Heat, Haris Rauf with Melbourne Stars, Shadab Khan with Sydney Thunder and Hasan Ali with Adelaide Strikers.

    Fakhar Zaman, Naseem Shah and Hassan Nawaz, on the other hand, received NOCs for other leagues until January 4.

    Scheduling, however, creates a direct clash. Pakistan will play three T20Is in Sri Lanka on January 7, 9 and 11 in Dambulla. Later in January, Australia will tour Pakistan for a T20 series. 

    Both series are key steps in preparations for the 2026 T20 World Cup.

    Selectors are unlikely to exempt any main squad members from national due to the World Cup build-up. This means players chosen for Pakistan’s T20 squads will have to leave their BBL teams and join the national side instead.

  • Indian rupee among Asia’s worst performing currencies this year

    Indian rupee among Asia’s worst performing currencies this year

    The Indian rupee is among Asia’s worst performing currencies this year, slipping to a fresh record low of over INR90 per US dollar on Wednesday.

    Traders partly blamed delays in striking a trade deal with the United States.

    Early in the year, trade negotiations between Washington DC and New Delhi had raised hopes that foreign capital would flow into the world’s fifth-largest economy. This optimism helped push the rupee to a nearly six-month high of 83.75 against the dollar in May.

    However, setbacks in trade talks and weak corporate earnings have led overseas investors to sell more than $16 billion in Indian shares so far this year.

    On Wednesday morning, the rupee weakened by as much as 0.35 percent to 90.19, a symbolic new low, according to Bloomberg data.

    Dilip Parmar, an analyst at HDFC Securities, told a foreign media outlet that the fall in the rupee is primarily due to an imbalance of demand and supply, with foreign fund outflows and trade deal uncertainty adding pressure.

    He added that another factor is the lack of a strong and consistent intervention from India’s central bank. 

    Analysts say the Reserve Bank of India has occasionally supported the rupee this year through aggressive dollar sales but appears recently to be allowing more currency flexibility.

  • Basant comes back to Lahore after 25 years

    Basant comes back to Lahore after 25 years

    The Punjab government has issued an ordinance granting conditional permission for kite-flying during the much loved spring festival of Basant, effectively banned since two decades. 

    The ordinance, signed by Governor Salim Haider, sets rules for celebrating Basant, with penalties for violations including fines and imprisonment.

    Kite-flying was banned in Punjab in 2001. After 25 years, it has been allowed again, but children under 18 are not permitted to participate. Parents or guardians will be held responsible for any violations by minors.

    The ordinance specifies that only string made of thread can be used for kite-flying. Use of metal or glass-coated string will result in strict penalties, including three to five years of imprisonment and fines up to Rs2 million rupees. 

    Motorcycles in the area must follow designated safety measures.

    Authorities also have the right to search suspicious places or houses. Violations related to minors are non-bailable, with fines of 50,000 rupees for the first offense and 100,000 rupees for the second. Non-payment of fines will lead to action against parents or guardians. 

    Kite-flying associations must register with the deputy commissioner of the district.

    The ordinance further requires kites to be purchased only from registered sellers. Each registered seller and kite will have a QR code to identify them. 

    Manufacturers of kite strings must also be registered with QR codes.

  • FACT CHECK: No, Aleema Khan did not blame Pakistan or military leadership for May clashes with India

    FACT CHECK: No, Aleema Khan did not blame Pakistan or military leadership for May clashes with India

    A video circulating online falsely shows journalist Yalda Hakim of Sky News questioning Aleema Khan, sister of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, about “war” between Pakistan and India, referencing to the military clashes that took place between the two nuclear-armed countries in May. 


    The clip includes a series of political statements that Aleema seemingly says, including blaming senior Pakistani military leadership for the war, however, none of them appear in the original interview. The footage has been digitally altered while the source of the manipulated version remains unclear.


    Yalda Hakim herself tweeted about the deepfake, saying: “This is terrifying, a deepfake of my interview with Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, is circulating. It falsely claims we discussed the Pakistan-India war earlier this year. We did NOT. This clip is completely fake.”



    The conversation, which runs from 13:21 to 17:37 in Hakim’s Sky News program The World with Yalda Hakim does not address any conflict, foreign policy issue, or cross-border tensions.

    Instead, Hakim focuses on reports about Imran Khan’s wellbeing injail, speculation surrounding his health, and claims that his family had limited access to him. She also questions why he had been prevented from seeing his lawyer despite court orders.

    In the real clip, Aleema Khan says her sister Uzma Khan visited Imran and reported that he appeared physically stable, noting his daily exercise and reading routine. She adds that he has not been allowed to read for several weeks and that he voiced strong discontent over prolonged solitary confinement, which he regards as unlawful under both local and international standards. She also highlights the wider uncertainty caused by limited information about his condition.

    The manipulated clip circulating online does not reflect this exchange. None of the statements about a “war,” geopolitical motives, or political characterisations were part of the actual interview. They were inserted into the altered version and do not correspond to anything said in the verified footage.

    The authentic interview remains limited to concerns regarding Imran Khan’s health, isolation, and access to legal counsel, with no discussion of an armed conflict at any point.