Current Final

Author: News Desk

  • Will summon Faiz Hameed in Parliament, says Khawaja Asif

    Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that he will demand in the parliament that former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director-General (DG) Lieutenant General (retd) Faiz Hameed should be summoned to the floor.

    Speaking on Mohammad Malick’s show “Breaking News” on 92 News, he alleged that Hameed brought Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) back to the country. Referencing to Hameed’s visit to Kabul in 2022 asked why Hameed gave out assurances that everything would be okay.

    It is pertinent to mention here that the former spy chief went to Kabul following the withdrawal of United States (US) troops from Afghanistan.

    He was expected to discuss border management and the overall security issue — to ensure that spoilers and terrorist organisations do not take advantage of the situation — with the Taliban.

    Further lashing out at Hameed, the federal minister said that hundreds of thousands of Afghanis are still in Pakistan and put the blame for the recent extreme episodes of terrorism on the former spy chief’s head.

    He also pointed out that terrorism incidents in the country did not increase just within six to eight months.

    Since government talks with the TTP broke down in November, the militant group has intensified its attacks across Pakistan including attacks on the police.

    According to statistics released by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), January 2023 remained one of the deadliest months since July 2018.

    In January, more than 100 people lost their lives in a suicide attack at a mosque in Peshawar’s Police Lines. The TTP initially claimed responsibility for the attack, however, it later backtracked and claimed that it did not perpetrate the bombing.

    TTP is also responsible for the recent attack on Karachi police chief’s office which took place on February 17.

  • PTI’s ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’ begins today

    PTI’s ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’ begins today

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has announced that the party’s ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek (court arrest movement)’ is set to start today.

    Taking to Twitter, Khan shared two main reasons behind starting the Jail Bharo Tehreek.

    “One, it is a peaceful, non-violent protest against the attack on our constitutionally-guaranteed fundamental rights. We are facing sham FIRs and NAB cases, custodial torture, attacks on journalists and social media people,” wrote Khan.

    Khan went on to say that the second reason is the economic meltdown brought on by a “cabal of crooks who have money laundered billions in looted wealth and gotten NROs for themselves while crushing the people, especially, the poor and the middle class, under the burden of spiralling inflation and rising unemployment.” 

    The former prime minister also released a video message, urging his followers to “fill up prisons and shatter the idols of fear”.

    In the first phase of the movement, the party’s senior leaders — Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Asad Umar — will voluntarily surrender themselves to the authorities on Tuesday.

    It is unclear what offense party leaders and followers are expected to commit to initiate arrest proceedings.

  • JIT formed to probe incident of three dead bodies in Balochistan minister’s alleged private jail

    JIT formed to probe incident of three dead bodies in Balochistan minister’s alleged private jail

    In order to investigate the discovery of three bodies riddled with bullet wounds in a well at the Haji Kot area of Barkhan district in Balochistan, the provincial Home Department on Tuesday established a joint investigation team (JIT) under the direction of DIG Loralai Division.


    “A press release issued by the police said the bodies, which were in sacks, were found on February 20 at around 8pm. The station house officer (SHO) of Barkhan Police Station was informed about the corpses in the well,” Dawn has reported.


    Police identified the victims as Giran Naz, the wife of Khan Muhammad Marri, who was 40–45 years old, and her two sons, Mohammad Nawaz, 20–25 years old, and Abdul Qadir, 15–17 years old.

    What is the back story?

    Sardar Abdur Rehman Khethran, 64, head of the Khethran tribe in Balochistan’s Barkhan, allegedly runs a private jail in the province, and the three bodies recovered in Haji Koat were imprisoned in the same private jail. Khethran wanted Mohammad Marri, who worked as a guard for him, to testify against his son Inaam Shah in a fake police case about a property clash. Marri refused to testify against Inaam after which Khethran imprisoned eight members of his family in his private jail including his wife Giran Naz Bibi, six sons Mohamad Nawaz, Abdul Majid, Abdul Qadir, Abdul Sattar, Abdul Ghaffar, Mohammad Imran and a teenage daughter Farzana.
    Khethran also had Marri arrested, however, he was released after spending three and a half years in jail. After getting released, he started to look for ways to release his family from the private jail.


    Marri, with the help of Inaam Shah, smuggled a cellphone inside the private jail where his wife and kids were being detained.
    A video of Giran Naz Bibi was recorded while she was carrying a Holy Quran. She claims in the video that Sardar Khethran is holding them captive.


    Senator Mushtaq Khan of the Jamaat-e-Islami brought up the subject in the Senate in January. The chief secretary of Balochistan was required to produce a report, and the senator urged that Minister Khethran be called before the Senate

  • Kiran Ashfaque talks about her divorce with Imran Ashraf in a Q&A session on Instagram

    Kiran Ashfaque talks about her divorce with Imran Ashraf in a Q&A session on Instagram

    Actor Imran Ashraf announced last year that he and his wife Kiran Ashfaque had chosen to part ways after four years of marriage. Both had not addressed the reason why they had decided to end their marriage, until now Ashfaque held a Q&A session with her fans on her Instagram stories, where she spoke out about why she had chosen to get a divorce.

    When a fan had asked Ashfaque about why she chose to end her marriage to Ashraf, she had responded:

    “Not all that glitters is gold.”

    Among the other questions, Ashfaque was also asked about whether she had felt insecure and awkward when other people asked her a lot of questions about her divorce, to which she proudly let other women who followed her know that becoming a divorcee isn’t a stain on your identity, and it was empowering to escape a situation that wasn’t helping you grow.

    “This will not go on for long. We will keep dealing with it with a smile.”

    Other followers also asked her why she had chosen to leave Ashraf to which she had said

    “Why don’t you go and ask him yourself.”

    One of the common ways society shames women for seeking their independence or for escaping repressive situations is by labelling them as ‘bold’ a term associated with women who refuse to break themselves down for the sake of keeping others happy. When a fan asked Ashfaque about other people calling her bold for choosing to get a divorce, she addressed it in the most badass way.

    “I was always a very bold person but I changed myself for someone else. My advise to anyone out there is that they should never change themselves for anyone else.”

    Ashfaque also had advice for another woman who asked her how to deal with society’s taunts, after she got divorced when she was 22. Ashfaque replied by telling her that she should never allow other people to dictate her life choices.
    “Why did you allow them to do that? Never give anyone permission to disrespect you.”

  • No, Pakistan did not cheat Turkey in the name of relief material?

    No, Pakistan did not cheat Turkey in the name of relief material?

    Senior journalist Shahid Masood has apologised for the disinformation that he passed on his show.

    The anchor had claimed on the aid sent by Pakistan to his show, ‘Live with Dr.Shahid Masood’ on GNN that the aid Islamabad had sent to Ankara after this month’s devastating earthquake, had infact been sent by Turkey when floods hit Pakistan in 2022.

    Soon after, the story went viral on social media, eventually landing on Indian news channels and websites, running propaganda against Pakistan.

    Masood has now tendered an apology for stating incorrect facts on his show.

    Masood said that as his show is live, he received a text from a Turkish number and said the words on-air. However, he apologised for the incorrect news he said on-air.

  • Gold prices rise on weaker Pakistani rupee and economic outlook

    Gold prices rise on weaker Pakistani rupee and economic outlook

    On Tuesday, gold prices rose further to reach a one-week peak achieved last week, supported by a weaker Pakistani rupee. Investors were keeping an eye on upcoming economic developments that could impact the market’s direction. The All-Pakistan Sarafa Gems and Jewellers Association (APSGJA) reported that the price of gold (24 carats) rose by Rs500 per tola and Rs429 per 10 grammes to settle at Rs197,000 and Rs168,896, respectively.

    The decline of the Pakistani rupee against the US dollar in the interbank market by 0.24 per cent to Rs262.51 boosted the appeal of the precious metal. However, the outlook for gold remained uncertain as the prospects of the rupee’s recovery against the dollar increased, driven by optimism surrounding the revival of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme.

    The yellow metal gained Rs3,800 per tola over the last three sessions. Silver prices in the domestic market also increased by Rs20 per tola and Rs17.14 per 10 grams to settle at Rs2,150 per tola and Rs1,843.27 per 10 grammes, respectively.

    Meanwhile, in the international market, gold prices dropped by $12 per ounce to settle at $1,832 due to the rise of the dollar, while investors awaited US economic data to determine the Federal Reserve’s interest rate strategy. The dollar index remained high, making dollar-priced gold more expensive for buyers with other currencies.

    Han Tan, chief market analyst at Exinity, said that gold’s primary driver remains the changing expectations surrounding the Fed’s policy moves, and the upcoming release of the FOMC minutes could provide more clues. If the US economy continues to defy the Fed’s rate hikes, it could lead to a higher peak for US rates, which would disappoint bullion bulls.

    The market focus this week is on the release of the Federal Open Market Committee’s January meeting minutes on Wednesday, followed by US gross domestic product data on Thursday and Friday’s core PCE price index. Although gold prices reached their highest level since April 2022 earlier this month at $1,959.60, they have dropped by approximately $130 after US data indicated a robust economy.

  • NAB summons Khan and wife on March 9 in Toshakhana case

    NAB summons Khan and wife on March 9 in Toshakhana case

    The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has summoned Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi on March 9 in connection with the Toshakhana reference.

    The anti-graft watchdog’s Rawalpindi branch summoned the PTI chief hours after NAB Chairman Aftab Sultan tendered his resignation after reportedly refusing to “toe the line”.

    In its notice to Khan, NAB wrote: “The competent authority has taken cognizance of an offence allegedly committed by the accused persons under the provisions of NAO, 1999.”

    The questions on gifts included in the notice are on six Rolex watches and an iPhone given by the Chief of Staff of the Qatari Armed Forces.

    On November 19, NAB had taken notice of the alleged non-disclosure of the actual value of gifts received by the former prime minister, his wife, and other cabinet members.

  • ‘If we lose one Hindu girl, we should trap 10 Muslim girls’: Indian politician urges men to fight ‘love jihad’

    ‘If we lose one Hindu girl, we should trap 10 Muslim girls’: Indian politician urges men to fight ‘love jihad’

    Indian politician Pramod Muthalik has urged young Hindu men to lure “10 Muslim girls if we lose one Hindu girl” through what he called “love jihad”.

    Muthalik, the chief of the Hindu nationalist party Sri Ram Sena, alleged that thousands of Hindu girls were being “exploited in the name of love jihad”, the belief that Muslims are seeking to deceive Hindu women through marriage and convert them to Islam.

    “We are aware of the situation. I would like to invite the youth here. If we lose one Hindu girl, we should trap 10 Muslim girls. If you do so, Sri Ram Sena will take responsibility for you and provide every kind of security and employment,” said Muthalik, as quoted in The Indian Express.

    “Our girls are exploited in love jihad. Across the country, thousands of girls are cheated in the name of love. We should warn them,” the politician further said.

    “I am not saying this because elections are around the corner. My statements have always been in the interest of Hindus,” the report quoted him as saying.

    The Indian Express added that Muthalik’s comments have been widely criticised, with “love jihad” considered to be a baseless conspiracy theory that courts have rejected.

  • Pakistani rupee breaks winning streak, closes at Rs262.51 against dollar

    Pakistani rupee breaks winning streak, closes at Rs262.51 against dollar

    During Tuesday’s interbank trading, the Pakistani rupee (PKR) declined and experienced losses against the dollar, reaching a low of Rs265 versus the dollar.
    The rupee lost 63 paisas versus the dollar by the time markets closed, depreciating by 0.24 per cent.

    The local currency commenced trading at Rs261.50 versus the US dollar with full red value. By lunchtime, the dollar had risen to about Rs264 versus the rupee. Before the interbank closure, the local currency was mostly bearish versus the top foreign currency after 1 PM.

    The National Assembly passed the Finance (Supplementary) Bill, 2023, on Monday, proposing extra taxes and tariffs of Rs170 billion, ending the rupee’s five-day winning streak against the dollar and clearing the way for the staff-level deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

    After its record-breaking single-day plunge of Rs25 in the latter week of January, when the rupee was finally “freed” versus the US dollar in the inter-bank market, the rupee has lost more than Rs27. The PKR has decreased by 62.99 paisas today based on observable market trends and fiscal developments.

    Money exchangers claim that a further delay in the staff-level agreement with the IMF might increase pressure on the PKR as investors and exporters alike track exchange rate movements to calculate profit yields in the face of constrained revenue estimates and related import restrictions.

    The rupee may appreciate until the conclusion of the current fiscal year, 2022–2023, in the event that the rescue is successful.

    After obtaining a $2.5 billion loan, the IMF’s current loan programme will end on June 30, 2023. Pakistan will have to reapply for the new loan programme if necessary in the next fiscal year.

  • ECP to consult with AGP on Alvi’s election date

    ECP to consult with AGP on Alvi’s election date

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday held a meeting to review the situation evolving after President Arif Alvi’s unilateral announcement of a date for elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

    ECP decided to consult Attorney General for Pakistan and other legal experts in this regard.

    The meeting was called to after the president announced April 9 as the date for the polls of provincial assemblies.

    On Monday, Alvi exercising his power under Section 57 (1) of the Elections Act, 2017, announced the election date and further asked the ECP to issue an election programme in accordance with Section 57 (2) of the Act.

    Alvi’s move was rejected by federal ministers who were of the view that the president had abrogated the Constitution and he had no right to announce the date.

    The ECP stated that “the commission has been and will continue to make decisions without any pressure according to the Constitution and law”.

    It added that the electoral watchdog is always ready to conduct an election within 90 days as per the Constitution and law, but nowhere in the Constitution, it is written that the commission will give the date for the election.