Current Final

Author: News Desk

  • Pakistani and Indian officials participated in ‘off the record’ sessions

    Pakistani and Indian officials participated in ‘off the record’ sessions

    Senior serving and retired Pakistani and Indian officials participated in a conference organised recently by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IIS) in Oman, reports Rezaul Hasan Laskar for Hindustan Times.

    The 15th edition of the Southern Asia Security Conference saw officials from both sides participating in “off the record” sessions that were held behind closed doors.

    The conference, which was held in Muscat from September 17 to September 18, saw the participation of an Indian delegation that included the external affairs ministry’s pointperson for Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran, joint secretary J P Singh, and at least two former officials from the external intelligence setup who continue to be active in tracking Pakistan-related issues, writes Laskar.

    “The Pakistani side was represented by former foreign secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani, the special representative for Afghanistan, Mohammad Sadiq, and Brig Zulfiqar Ali Bhatty, the director of strategic communications in Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Haneef Atmar, the foreign minister in the former Afghan government led by president Ashraf Ghani, also participated in the conference.”

    The conference was held at a time when there are virtually no bilateral contacts between India and Pakistan, with relations having plummeted since New Delhi scrapped Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in August 2019.

  • Lizz Truss resigns as UK prime minister

    Lizz Truss resigns as UK prime minister

    After only 45 days in the position, Prime Minister Liz Truss abruptly announced her resignation. The Prime Minister said that a Tory leadership election will be held in the coming week to choose her successor.

    After her government was overthrown and the majority of her economic policies were abandoned, Tory MPs pushed Ms Truss to leave.

    According to Al Jazeera, Ms Truss was elected by the Conservative membership in September, but after making a number of U-turns, she was forced to resign. In a speech outside Downing Street, Ms Truss said: “I recognise that I cannot deliver the mandate on which I was elected by the Conservative Party.”

    Ms Truss declared that she would stay in her position until a replacement legally assumes the role of party leader and is chosen as King Charles III’s prime minister.

    When Ms Truss leaves office, she will hold the record for the shortest tenure as prime minister in British history. She took office 44 days ago. Following Ms Truss’ resignation address, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer demanded a quick election.

    In her speech, Ms Truss said she entered “office at a time of great economic and international instability”, as war rages in Ukraine and living costs skyrocket. However, her retirement follows the resignation of a crucial minister, former home secretary Suella Braverman, and a disorderly parliamentary vote in which Tory MPs dissented.

  • Indonesia bans all syrup, liquid medication after death of nearly 100 children

    Indonesia bans all syrup, liquid medication after death of nearly 100 children

    Indonesia has suspended sales of all syrup and liquid medication in the country after the death of nearly 100 children in the region.

    According to the media reports, a few syrup medicine was found to contain ingredients linked to Acute Kidney Injuries (AKI), which have killed a total of 99 young children this year.

    The country’s authorities have so far not disclosed the brands or types of syrup medicines suspected to have caused the illnesses. For now, the government has temporarily banned the sale and prescription of all syrup and liquid medicines.

    Indonesian health officials said they had reported around 200 cases of AKI in children, most of who were aged under five

    “Some syrups that were used by AKI child patients under five were proven to contain ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol that was not supposed to be there, or is supposed to be in very little amount,” said Indonesia’s Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin.

    Earlier this month, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a global alert over four cough syrups, allegedly manufactured in India, that were linked to the deaths of almost 70 children in The Gambia.

  • ‘Mai PPP mein hoon, Imran mera dost hai’: Aitzaz Ahsan

    ‘Mai PPP mein hoon, Imran mera dost hai’: Aitzaz Ahsan

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) stalwart Aitzaz Ahsan has said that he is a member of the PPP and that Imran Khan, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s Chairman is a friend of his.

    “I am part of PPP, but having said that, Imran Khan and I are friends,” said Aitzaz.

    “PPP is my family. We have differences of opinion on things at times. And that is healthy, and a good thing as PPP is a democratic party, and we value opinions,” said Aitzaz while addressing a press conference.

    “Among all the national parties, PPP is the only one which does not involve religion into politics,” said Aitzaz.

    Prior to this, PTI leader Farrukh Habib invited Aitzaz to join the party, saying, “He is a role model for political workers.”

    “Aitzaz Ahsan openly disagrees with his party’s decision while no one can dare to disagree in PPP and PML-N,” he said.

    Farrukh Habib said that if Aitzaz Ahsan wanted to join PTI, he was welcome. “We have opened our doors for every good person,” he added.

    Meanwhile, Pakistani Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Caption retd Safdar, who also happens to be Maryam Nawaz’s husband, has alleged that Aitzaz Ahsan was trying to become a senator on a PTI ticket.

    “Aitzaz Ahsan has made the judgment of this respectful court very controversial. He has spent 40 years as a lawyer and yet he did this,” Safdar said while talking to media outside Lahore High Court.

  • Billionaire Mukesh Ambani buys Dubai’s most expensive villa for $163 million

    Billionaire Mukesh Ambani buys Dubai’s most expensive villa for $163 million

    India’s second-richest man is expanding his Dubai real estate portfolio with the acquisition of a new beachfront mansion, shattering his previous record for the most expensive residential real estate transaction in the city in a couple of months.

    According to reports, Mukesh Ambani purchased the Palm Jumeirah property from the family of Kuwaiti tycoon Mohammed Alshaya last week for approximately $163 million.

    Starbucks, H&M, and Victoria’s Secret have local franchises owned by Alshaya’s company. Ambani, whose net worth is $84 billion, is the chairman of Reliance Industries Ltd., the largest firm in India by market value.

    The tycoon has been buying up properties abroad and is increasingly searching for second residences in the west. According to Bloomberg, Ambani is looking into purchasing a home in New York and Reliance spent $79 million last year purchasing Stoke Park, a renowned country club in the United Kingdom.

    According to Bloomberg, the $80 million mansion that Ambani bought earlier this year is only a short stroll from his most recent purchase in Dubai. Until another mansion on the palm-shaped island sold for $82.4 million, that transaction represented the largest residential sale in the history of the city.

    This Thursday, the Dubai Land Department reported a $163 million real estate transaction in Palm Jumeirah without identifying the purchaser. Reliance’s spokesman declined to comment, and Alshaya’s representatives did not respond to calls for comment.

  • ‘Murder of school van driver in Swat was honour killing’: police

    Inspector General (IG) of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Police, Moazam Jah Ansari, has said that the case of an attack on a school van in Swat on October 10 was actually an “honour killing incident”.

    Addressing a press conference, the IG said that the murder killed his sister’s husband [the van’s driver] for honour. “We have collared one of the three suspects, while the other two will soon land in the hands of police”, he added.

    Earlier, the police had also claimed that the van driver was in fact the target of the shooting incident which happened while there were 10 to 11 children in the van.

    Moreover, Ansari said, another incident of firing in which children were apparently targeted in Lower Dir was also an armed clash between two rival groups.

    It is pertinent to mention that following the incident of October 10, protestors in Swat valley took to the streets to condemn the attack, believing it was an act of terrorism.

    Many journalists and politicians also expressed concern after the horrifying attack on a school van which left one child injured.

  • ‘Imran Khan sent a message to Nawaz Sharif to team up against the establishment’: Saleem Safi

    ‘Imran Khan sent a message to Nawaz Sharif to team up against the establishment’: Saleem Safi

    Journalist Saleem Safi has revealed that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has sent a message to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supreme leader Nawaz Shairf.

    “They contacted Nawaz Sharif,” Safi said about PTI. “Imran Khan sent a message to Nawaz Sharif to team up against the establishment. However, Nawaz Sharif did not accept the proposal,” said Safi while speaking on Geo News programme ‘Report Card.’

    “Khan Saab sent a messenger to Nawaz Sharif, you heard this in Khan’s [leaked audio] as well that no matter what happens, whether it is fair, legal or illegal, so he will continue to do such things. He will continue to blackmail,” stated Safi.

    When the anchor asked what was the message sent to the elder Sharif, Safi replied, “The message was that we two should shake hands, including [Asif Ali] Zardari and that we all team up against the establishment. However, he [Sharif] rejected the offer.”

    Giving a reason as to why Nawaz rejected the offer Safi revealed that his matters are set with the establishment, “Why would he want to make matters worse now,” wondered the senior journalist.

  • Punjab govt buries abandoned bodies, says they are not of Baloch missing persons

    Punjab govt buries abandoned bodies, says they are not of Baloch missing persons

    The Punjab government revealed on Wednesday that the abandoned bodies that were found on the roof of Nishtar Hospital’s mortuary in Multan are not of Balochistan’s missing persons and have been buried.

    Punjab Chief Minister’s Advisor, Tariq Zaman Gujjar, clarified that the Vice Chancellor and administration of Nishtar Medical Health University have a complete record of abandoned bodies and none of them is a missing person

    On the same day, the hospital’s administration and Edhi Foundation buried the remains of 66 corpses, all found in various stages of decomposition.

    Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) Chief, Sardar Akhtar Mengal, had also expressed concerns that the bodies could be of Balochistan’s missing persons. Mengal had demanded that an investigation must be held.

    The Baloch leader also asked for conducting DNA tests on the corpses, fearing that some of them might be missing persons.

    Responding to this, Gujjar said that he respects Akhtar Mengal but his statement was surprising in that he suspected the abandoned bodies might be those of missing persons.

    Last week, the grisly discovery of putrefied bodies found lying in open on the roof of Multan’s Nishtar Hospital grabbed the country’s attention after videos were widely shared on social media.

    At that time, it was speculated by online media that up to 500 bodies were allegedly found on the rooftop of the hospital. Soon after, an investigation was launched.

    Earlier, Nishtar Medical University’s (NMU) Head of Anatomy Department, Dr Mariam Ashraf said that the facility does not just keep bodies for research purposes but also for safekeeping, if handed over by police or Rescue personnel.

    She claimed that there were only four bodies on the rooftop. “The only reason for keeping bodies on the roof is that their influx is huge and they aren’t being returned back to police stations in the numbers that they should,” she claimed.

  • ‘Lucky to have him’: The Crown’s leading lady Elizabeth Debicki reveals how much she adores Humayun Saeed

    ‘Lucky to have him’: The Crown’s leading lady Elizabeth Debicki reveals how much she adores Humayun Saeed

    Pakistani superstar Humayun Saeed is essaying Dr Hasnat Khan, Princess Diana’s love interest in season five of the hit Netflix series, The Crown.

    Saeed will be the second Pakistani to be cast in a Netflix Original which will premiere on 9th November 2022.

    'The Crown': Release date of Humayun Saeed's Hollywood debut revealed

    The actor will play alongside Australian actor Elizabeth Debicki who has been cast as Princess Diana.

    This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is efrgt.jpg

    Now Elizabeth has praised the London Nahi Jaunga hero in her latest interview, “I absolutely adored Humayun — he was such a lovely actor, and such a beautiful person,” she told Entertainment Weekly. 

    Elizabeth Debicki Praises Humayun Saeed

    “You never know how that’s going to feel when you’re playing things like that with an actor. So I was very lucky to have him and I think he does such a beautiful job.”

    When the news was confirmed earlier this year, Pakistani superstar Mahira Khan congratulated the Bin Roye hero.

    Dr Hasnat Khan, a British-Pakistani surgeon, is widely known for his romantic, two-year relationship with Diana. In May 1996, she visited his family in Lahore too. Diana’s friends are reported to have described Hasnat as the “love of her life” and to have spoken of her distress when he ended their relationship in June 1997. Dr Khan attended Diana’s funeral ceremony in September 1997.

    Season 5 will be about the turmoil of Diana and Prince Charles’ marriage breakdown and the tragic death of Diana in August 1997.

  • PFA issues warning notices to 28 eateries in Lahore for selling sub-standard food

    PFA issues warning notices to 28 eateries in Lahore for selling sub-standard food

    During a province-wide inspection of food outlets, the Punjab Food Authority (PFA) inspected 1,200 food points, issued improvement warning notices to 28 restaurants, and disposed of a significant amount of unwholesome food.

    Mudassar Riaz Malik, the Director General of the PFA, stated that a PFA team visited a well-known restaurant in Gulberg and found expired food products.

    Various cuisine dishes were being prepared using out-of-date items. According to him, the owner of the food establishment also neglected to provide the raiding team with the required documentation and maintain a clean working environment.

    Similarly, PFA seized 7,000 kg of beef last week that was about three years old.

    The meat was retrieved from a hotel’s cold storage unit and was imported from elsewhere.

    After looking into the matter, the food authority’s directorate general concluded that it is unknown if the stale meat is halal or haram. The meat was taken away and burnt by the authorities after the investigation.