Current Final

Author: News Desk

  • Power transmission system ‘fully restored’ after major outage

    Power transmission system ‘fully restored’ after major outage

    Late on Thursday, the Ministry of Energy confirmed that all countrywide power had been “fully restored,” adding that the issue with two 500kV lines in Karachi’s south had been fixed.

    The ministry posted on its official Twitter account, “Electricity supply is being increased from alternative power plants, which will return to normal by Friday morning.”

    According to Dawn, Energy Minister Khurram Dastgir had expressed his optimism that normal electrical service would be fully restored by tonight.

    He reported power outages on Thursday morning in Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Quetta, Multan, and Faisalabad while speaking at a press conference.

    “Karachi and Quetta are priority regions now,” he said. “Nearly 8,000 MW of power went offline at around 9 AM however, the government has restored 4,700 MW,” he announced. “Restarting of power plants will consume time therefore complete resolution of the problem will take a few more hours.”

    He said that a thorough investigation had been ordered and a team had been formed for the purpose, citing the government’s worry regarding simultaneous faults in two power lines at the same time.

    “We will take action after receiving the inquiry report,” the minister said. “Due to our efforts, northern part of the country remained unaffected from the breakdown.”

    According to the Ministry of Energy, a “fault in the country’s southern transmission system” caused a significant power outage on Thursday that affected Sindh and Punjab.

    In addition to Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Jamshoro, Sujawal, Badin, Mirpurkhas, Umarkot, Sanghar, Nawabshah, Matiari, Tharparkar, and Larkana, electricity was also cut off in other parts of Sindh.

    Additionally, there were power outages in a number of Punjabi cities, including Rajanpur and Rahim Yar Khan.

    “Due to an accidental fault in the country’s southern transmission system, several southern power plants are tripping in stages, which is disrupting the transmission of electricity in the southern part of the country,” said the Ministry of Energy in a tweet post.

    “The Ministry of Energy is diligently investigating the cause of the outage and the power system will be fully restored as soon as possible,” it added.

    According to reports, a technical issue has caused the Guddu Thermal Power Station in Kashmore to stop producing electricity. Technical issues at the power plant prevent the 600MW and 747MW units from running.

    The 500-KV system nationwide is not functioning, according to sources at National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC). They claimed that the causes are still being determined.

    The southern port city’s many neighbourhoods, including Malir, Sarjani Town, and Saddar, experienced power outages. Since 10:00 am, there has been no electricity in these neighbourhoods.

    Furthermore, there were power disruptions in places including Gulshan-e-Maymar, Federal B Area, Liaquatabad, and Super Highway.

    Baldia, Orangi Town, North Nazimabad, and North Karachi are all without electricity. In addition to this, some locations, notably the SITE Industrial Area, lack electricity.

    “There are reports of multiple outages from different parts of the city,” Imran Rana, Spokesperson, K-Electric, said in a tweet post.

    “We are investigating the issue and will keep this space posted,” he added.

    According to information provided by the Ministry of Energy, the KE’s spokesperson verified that the halt in energy supply was caused by a failure in the southern transmission system in an update released about 11:45am.

    He said that efforts to restore the supply had begun, and it would take about five hours to finish the process.

  • Police issues warning of possible TTP attacks across Balochistan

    Police issues warning of possible TTP attacks across Balochistan

    Balochistan police issued a security alert on Thursday and warned of possible attacks by the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) across the province.

    According to the letter issued by the Central Police Office in Quetta, the banned outfit has threatened to launch attacks in different cities of Balochistan, possibly including Zhob, Qila Saifullah, Ziarat, and Loralai.

    Moreover, the letter says that the police and other law enforcement agencies need to be vigilant and improve security arrangements.

    Earlier, the interior ministry issued an alert over the increasing threat of terrorist attacks by TTP.

    It is pertinent to mention that earlier this month, Senator Raza Rabbani, on a point of public concern, asked Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani to direct the interior minister to take parliament and the public at large into confidence about the present status of peace talks with the TTP.

  • ‘Shameful,’ Imran slams Azam Swati’s torture

    ‘Shameful,’ Imran slams Azam Swati’s torture

    Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, reacting to party Senator Azam Swati’s arrest has said, “The custodial torture of Azam Swati over a tweet regarding NRO-2 is another shameful incident in our history.”

    “Can people be forced to respect an individual or institution through bullying and violence,” he asked in his tweet.

    “All those who not only escaped from accountability but allowed biggest criminals to come to power once again after defrauding the national treasury of billions, disgrace has been written in their destiny,” he declared.

    PTI Senator Azam Swati was arrested in the early hours of Thursday morning for tweeting against Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

    Speaking to reporters outside a sessions court later in the day, Swati said that he was arrested for “taking one name — of Bajwa — and that is the violation”.

    Swati tweeted, “Mr Bajwa congratulations to you and few with you. Your plan is really working and all criminals are getting free at cost of this country. With these thugs getting free, you have legitimised corruption. How you predict now the future of this country (sic).”

  • TikTok steals around 70% profit from online donations for Syrians: report

    TikTok steals around 70% profit from online donations for Syrians: report

    According to a BBC investigation, families in Syrian displacement camps that ask for donations on TikTok only receive less than 30% of the money given for them. However, according to TikTok, the company’s commission is smaller than the 70 per cent the refugees do not receive, the BBC was told.


    According to the BBC, streams were apparently making up to $1,000 each hour, which is a small portion of what the family in front of the camera makes.


    Many of these live streams have children who spend hours saying, “Please like, share, and please give a gift.”

    The BBC discovered that the “TikTok middlemen” who gave families the phones and equipment to go live were facilitating the trend in the camps in north-western Syria.

    The middlemen claimed to have relationships with TikTok-related organisations in China and the Middle East who provided the families with access to their TikTok accounts. These firms are a part of TikTok’s global recruitment campaign for live streamers, which aims to increase app usage.


    The BBC constructed a computer software to collect data from 30 TikTok accounts broadcasting live from Syrian refugee camps for five months. The software revealed that viewers were frequently giving each account digital gifts valued up to $1,000 per hour.
    However, families in the camps claimed they were only getting a small portion of these sums.

  • Rupee resumes downward trend against US dollar

    Rupee resumes downward trend against US dollar

    Pakistani rupee suffered a marginal loss of Rs0.50 against the US dollar in the interbank market, extending its losses for a second straight session.

    State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) reports that the local currency lost Rs0.50 against the dollar in the interbank market and ended the day at Rs218.38.

    The Forex Association of Pakistan (FAP) said that banks were trading US dollars for Rs218.78 at the time. The exchange rate for the dollar in the open market was between Rs220 and Rs222.

    This is the second time, the rupee has registered a loss in its value after Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar’s return to office. The local currency appreciated by almost Rs22, or 10.1 per cent, against the greenback in the last 13 sessions.

    Earlier, Federal Minister For Finance and Revenue Ishaq Dar vowed to bring back Pakistani rupee at its original value which is less than 200 against US dollar. “I can genuinely prove that dollar’s actual value is below Rs200,” he added.

  • PM Shehbaz talks with Palestinian President in Arabic

    PM Shehbaz talks with Palestinian President in Arabic

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif—who is currently in Kazakhstan—interacted with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Arabic at the sidelines of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) Summit.

    In the brief talk, PM Shehbaz said that he is extremely grateful for the country’s help during the flood crisis in Pakistan. To which the Palestinian president said, “Pakistan is our home and Pakistanis are our brothers and sisters”.

    The PM also assured Abbas that Pakistan will continue to raise its voice in the support of Palestine.

    The video is gaining attention, leaving viewers amazed at the Prime Minister’s proficiency in Arabic.

    Earlier, The Current reached out to PM’s Focal Person on Digital Media, Muhammad Abubakar Umer, to confirm exactly how many languages can the premier speak.

    He said that the premier is fluent in German, Arabic and English along with Punjabi and Urdu. According to him, PM Shehbaz can speak basic level Turkish, Chinese, Russian, Pashtu and Sindhi.

    The focal person revealed that PM Shehbaz learned Arabic formally while in exile during former President General Pervez Musharraf’s era. To our surprise, we also got to know that the premier holds a diploma in Arabic.

    Exclusive: You will not believe how many languages PM Shehbaz Sharif can speak

    PM Shehbaz has been the talk of the town since a video went viral in which he can be heard speaking in German with a family.

    In the video, shared by the Government of Pakistan, the PM was talking to a German family in their own language. The family was rescued during floods in Swat. Twitter was stunned at the Premier’s fluency in the language.

    After the video went viral, social media started speculation that Shehbaz Sharif might know more languages.

    According to Abubakar, PM Shehbaz knows a total of ten languages.

    “He learned Chinese and Turkish during his tenure as Chief Minister (CM) Punjab from 2013 to 2018 as at the time he had to engage with Chinese and Turkish officials for China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC),” said Abubakar.

    He learned German and Russian during the 1970s and 80s for his business dealings. “At the time, he was not in government”, said Abubakar.

    Abubakar also revealed that before going to any foreign country PM Shehbaz hires an instructor who informs him about the cultural aspects of the country, how people greet each other and what social norms are appreciated there.

  • PM Shehbaz offers to talk to India but onus on New Delhi to take steps for ‘meaningful engagement’

    PM Shehbaz offers to talk to India but onus on New Delhi to take steps for ‘meaningful engagement’

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif said on Thursday he was “absolutely willing and ready” to engage with India for the sake of regional peace and prosperity, but the onus was on New Delhi to take necessary measures for “meaningful engagement“.

    While addressing the 6th summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia in Kazakhstan, the premier said, “I am absolutely ready and willing to have a serious dialogue and discussion with our counterparts, Indians, provided that they show sincerity of purpose and they show that they are ready to discuss issues that have really kept us at a distance over decades.”

    PM Sharif stressed that the people deserved that resources be diverted to their education and health.

    I want to leave behind a legacy of peace and progress

    “I want to leave behind a legacy of peace and progress for the prosperity of the coming generations of our region,” he said.

    “Pakistan’s first priority at the moment is to revive rapid and equitable economy,” he stated, regretting that issues that have kept the two countries apart had hampered the promotion of bilateral trade and investment.

    “This has to come to a stop,” he stressed, “but the onus remains on India to take the necessary steps for meaningful and result oriented-engagement.

    PM on Kashmir

    PM Sharif highlighted India’s unabated atrocities in Jammu and Kashmir for the last seven decades where Kashmiris faced the continued denial of their right to self-determination.

    He urged other countries to take notice of India’s “Bullet over ballot” policy as it blatantly quashed the United Nations Security Council’s resolution on holding a plebiscite in Kashmir.

    “India has become a threat to its minorities, neighbours and the entire region,” he said.

    Prosperous and stable Afghanistan is not only in the interest of Pakistan but also for the international community

    On Afghanistan, he said four decades of conflict took not only a heavy toll on the country but also upon Pakistan.

    Pakistan, he said, suffered immense damage to its peace and security with serious consequences in the shape of 80,000 casualties and billions of dollars in financial losses.

    The prime minister expressed satisfaction that after immense sacrifices, Pakistan was now able to control extremism and terrorism on its soil while managing to host four million Afghan refugees.

    “A prosperous and stable Afghanistan is not only in the interest of Pakistan, but also for the international community,” he said.

  • ‘PPP is asking for share’: Another Shehbaz Sharif audio leak

    ‘PPP is asking for share’: Another Shehbaz Sharif audio leak

    Another audio leak of Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has surfaced in which he can allegedly be heard talking about the appointment of a Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) with an unknown person.

    The unknown person is allegedly telling the premier that Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is asking for their “shares” for SAPM as well. PM Shehbaz then asks to share a document adding that “It’s not just PPP but others as well”.

    Context of the audio:

    In the transcript, we have written the unidentified person as “person”.

    Person: [Federal Minister For Economic Affairs of Pakistan] Ayaz Sadiq is saying PPP is asking for shares for SAPM as well.

    PM Shehbaz: Yes, Bilawal had spoken to me about it.

    Person: We have to appoint Zafar Mehmood and Jahanzaib. I will tell you the final number today.

    PM Shehbaz: Share the document, it’s not just People’s Party (PPP) but other parties as well.

    Person: Then Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) will also ask for it. MQM is naming Malik Ahmed Ali, saying that he had a critical role in this deal

    PM Shehbaz: Who?

    Person: Sir, he hails from Karachi.

    PM Shehbaz has formed a high-power investigation committee to probe the issue, particularly the leaks that involved the PM House.

    Earlier this week, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that the matter of the audio leaks is not related to an agency, but a few people, who have been identified. He added that these people were from among the staff of the PM House.

    Last month, PM Shehbaz and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders’ audios got leaked. The party didn’t deny the authenticity of the audio leaks. In one of the audio leaks, PM Shehbaz and an unidentified person talks about a power plant to be imported from India for PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz’s son-in-law.

  • PTI Senator Azam Swati arrested for tweeting against Gen Bajwa

    PTI Senator Azam Swati arrested for tweeting against Gen Bajwa

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Azam Swati was arrested in the early hours of Thursday morning for tweeting against Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

    Swati tweeted, “Mr Bajwa congratulations to you and few with you. Your plan is really working and all criminals are getting free at cost of this country. With these thugs getting free, you have legitimised corruption. How you predict now the future of this country (sic).”

    Speaking to reporters outside a sessions court later in the day, Swati said that he was arrested for “taking one name — of Bajwa — and that is the violation”.

    When asked who arrested him, he said it was the FIA. When pressed about the case, he alleged he was tortured by “agencies”. “A parliamentarian has been unclothed,” he said. “I am telling the nation.”

    Swati’s tweet came after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz were acquitted in a high-profile money laundering case yesterday.

    The first information report registered at the FIA’s Cyber Crime Reporting Centre in Islamabad, mentions that Swati tweeted with “Malafide intentions & ulterior motives” against “State Institutes of The Islamic Republic of Pakistan and its Senior Government Functionaries including Chief of The Army Staff of Pakistan Army”, reports Dawn.

    The FIR adds that such “Intimidating tweet/s of blaming and naming through Twitter account i.e., @AzamKhanSwatiPK, is a mischievous act of subversion to create a rift between personnel/s of The Armed Forces and an attempt to harm the State of Pakistan”.

    Through the aforementioned tweet, the criminal complaint says, the accused “undermined the Judicial System of the country and also attempted to seduce Army Personnel/s from their allegiance to their duties as subordinates.

    “This is calculated attempt to create hatred in the mind of people and Army Personnel/s against COAS and Pakistan Army and also created distrust towards Judicial System. In such intimidating Tweet/s, the accused Muhammad Azam Khan Swati has attempted to provoke general public and Personnel/s of Armed Forces by trying to create a feeling of ill-will among pillars of the State,” it said.

    It alleges Swati violated privacy and intimidated state institutions, by using false information, “Which is likely to incite, any officer, soldier, sailor, or Airman in the Army, Navy or Air Force of Pakistan to mutiny or otherwise disregard or fail in his duty as such and is also likely to cause fear or alarm in the public and may induce / incite anyone to commit an offence against the State or the State Institution/s or public tranquillity”.

  • Pakistan can face Ebola outbreak warns NIH

    Pakistan can face Ebola outbreak warns NIH

    The National Health Organization (NIH) has voiced concerns that the Ebola virus could travel from the African nation of Uganda to Pakistan.


    The NIH recently released a warning on a potential Ebola outbreak in Pakistan, advising institutions that might be affected to be on high alert.
    It stated that last month, Uganda reported 36 Ebola cases, resulting in 23 fatalities.


    The Central Health Establishment will keep an eye on travellers travelling from Uganda, and the NIH will be informed of any suspected Ebola cases arriving in Pakistan.


    The most recent outbreak of Ebola in humans has been triggered by the SUDV virus, said the advisory.


    The advice claims that regional and international authorities are concerned about the spread of Ebola.


    Ebola is a potentially deadly virus that can kill up to 90 per cent of affected patients. It’s symptoms include fever, diarrhea, body aches and eventually internal and external bleeding. The highly contagious virus was first reported in 1976 in Africa. It can be spread through contact with an affected person’s bodily fluids.