Current Final

Author: News Desk

  • Turkey officially changes name at UN to Türkiye

    Turkey officially changes name at UN to Türkiye

    The Republic of Turkey’s national name at the United Nations has been changed from ‘Turkey’ to ‘Türkiye.’

    According to UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu wrote to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday, demanding that ‘Türkiye’ be used instead of ‘Turkey’ in all matters.

    According to the spokeswoman, the country name change took effect as soon as the letter was received. On Tuesday, Cavusoglu said that the letter had been officially submitted to the UN and other international organisations.

    The Turkish government of President Recep Tayyip Erdoan has pushed for the internationally recognised name Turkey to be changed to Türkiye (tur-key-YAY), as it is spelled and spoken in Turkish.

  • ‘In what capacity did Shehbaz take his son to a state dinner?’ Twitterati question Suleman Shehbaz’s presence in Turkey

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif’s son Suleman Shehbaz has been in the limelight ever since his picture with President Tayyip Erdogan and the first lady from his father’s recent trip surfaced on the internet.

    Suleman Shehbaz, who has been accused of money laundering and assets beyond means, was present in Turkey, along with his father Shehbaz. His wife shared the picture of their dinner on Twitter which was heavily slammed by netizens.

    Twitterati questioned Suleman’s presence on an official trip.

    https://twitter.com/rabiaisrar38/status/1532374495306076161?s=20&t=AqOHY81s9F53RgIcK62vmQ

    Shehbaz’s three-day visit to Turkey too gathered criticism and was deemed that the duration and timing of the trip is rather unnecessary.

    The government before leaving gave ads of the trip to various newspapers. Twitterati questioned whether it was necessary to give ads

  • Islamabad High Court directs military to take back complaint against Imaan Mazari-Hazir

    Islamabad High Court directs military to take back complaint against Imaan Mazari-Hazir

    On June 1, 2022, Chief Justice Athar Minallah responded to the FIR No.436/22 which was registered against Lawyer and Daughter of PTI’s Shireen Mazari, Imaan Mazari-Hazir, at the Ramna police station in Islamabad. The FIR was filed against Mazari’s alleged use of “objectionable language” during her mother’s arrest on May 21, 2022 when Shireen Mazari was arrested and taken into custody by Punjab Police Anti Corruption wing.

    Chief Justice (CJ) of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) Athar Minallah issued a court order which says that on the basis of the evidence shown so far, the information that the police officers have provided is ‘misleading’ and that the trauma and distress caused to Imaan Mazari was aggravated because of the misleading information provided by police officials, adding that it was not her intent to disrespect the armed forces.

    Minallah also clarified that there was no intent to commit an offence on the part of Mazari’s actions which have become the subject of the FIR filed against her. “The regret and remorse on the part of the petitioner is obvious and the court has no reason to doubt the bonafides of the statement made on her behalf,” reads the court order. Further the Chief Justice directed the complainant who filed the FIR on behalf of the armed forces to consider withdrawing their complaint.

    The case has been adjourned till June 9.

  • Netizens want ‘tangas’ back on roads as petrol hits Rs209.86

    Netizens want ‘tangas’ back on roads as petrol hits Rs209.86

    To meet the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) conditions, the government has unleashed another big gasoline bomb on the country after another hike of Rs30. In less than a month, the price of petrol has risen by Rs60 to Rs209.86.

    The latest petrol price hike came just hours after the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) approved a power tariff hike of Rs7.91 per unit.

    In an attempt to save money, a large number of people rushed to nearby petrol pumps to fill up their tanks before midnight. Numerous two-wheelers, as well as sedans and full-fledged SUVs, formed long lines outside gas stations.

    Several traffic bottlenecks were observed in key areas of Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad due to long queues of automobiles.

    Netizens expressed their displeasure on social media platforms, alleging that petrol had become out of reach for the general public.

    Despite hefty price increases that would unleash a strong wave of inflation, Pakistan is still far from reaching an agreement with the IMF which requires a budget agreement for fiscal year 2022-23.

    Petrol now costs Rs209.86 per litre, high-speed diesel (HSD) costs Rs204.15, kerosene oil costs Rs181.94 and light diesel oil costs Rs178.31, thanks to the rise.

    The Finance Minister, Miftah Ismail went on to say that the government is holding talk with the IMF on a daily basis. “We cannot accede to all of their requests, but we must agree on certain aspects”.

    He insisted that the petroleum subsidy announced by former Prime Minister Imran Khan had to be rescinded to avoid financial losses.

    Journalist Kazmi Wajahat described the chaotic scene outside gas stations just before the higher rates went into effect at 12 am.

    The decision to remove the gasoline subsidy should have been made sooner, according to economists, who also warned that the worst is still to come.

    One-unit price of electricity has increased from Rs16.91 to Rs24.82 as a result of the new raise. The hike has been reported to the federal government by Nepra. According to a statement, the increased tariffs will take effect after the government issues its final notification. Recent hike in tariffs has been attributed to the rupee’s depreciation and increased oil prices on the foreign market.

  • Jammat-e-Islami wants to ban Muslim dating app, CEO says ‘its not for casual flings’

    Jammat-e-Islami wants to ban Muslim dating app, CEO says ‘its not for casual flings’

    Jammat-e-Islami Sindh wants authorities to ban ‘Muzz Match’, a Muslim dating app. Pakistan has 400,000 active users of this app.

    “Jammat-e-Islami Sindh in a statement on Wednesday demanded the authorities to ban Muzz match, leading Muslim dating and marriage app, and remove its billboards from Karachi and other major urban center,” Journalist Zia Ur Rehman wrote in a tweet.

    The Current reached out to CEO and Founder of Muzz match, Shahzad Younas regarding the request of ban. “I’m a practising Pakistani Muslim in the UK and built Muzz almost 10 years ago because of how difficult it is to find a suitable partner,” he said.

    “It’s important that young Pakistanis have an app made for them that gives them a safe way to find a Muslim spouse who respects Islamic traditions, otherwise, they might turn to Western alternatives which unfortunately promote casual dating and non Islamic relationships,” he added.

    “We’re nothing like Tinder or other Western apps designed for casual flings.”

    “Our app discourages casual relationships, hookups and anything that doesn’t bring our members closer to their deen.”

    “We are proud to ban and block any member that is reported for not being serious or having ill intentions and have a 20-strong all female community team whose entire role is to keep our app safe and respectful,” he added.

    He continued by adding, “Our app also automatically censors and removes foul or obscene language being used” adding, “Unlike western apps, we have a wali/chaperone feature which lets members keep their parents or guardians informed about their conversations with matches.”

    While talking about the features of his app said, “Privacy and modesty are central to our app – male and female members can opt to have their photos completely private, and only share with specific interested parties.”

    “We have over 400,000 members in Pakistan and already have over 4,000 successful marriages reported to us.”

  • Meghan Markle’s bonding with royal children steals the limelight at Platinum Jubilee

    The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stole the spotlight with their amazing first appearance at the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee on Thursday.

    The duo arrived in the UK on Wednesday with their children Archie and Lilibet, and joined the royal family for Trooping the Colour.

    The Sussexex, who did not appear alongside the Queen on the balcony, watched the birthday parade for Queen Elizabeth from the Major General’s Office, which overlooks the Horse Guards Parade.

    The couple enjoyed the moments with the various young royals at the Palace, including Zara Tindall’s kids Mia, 8, and Lena, 3, and Peter Phillips’ daughter Savannah, 11.

    Meghan and Harry, who was seen chatting with the Duke of Kent and at one point shushing the boisterous royal kids himself have appeared together with the royal family in more than two years.

    The Duke and Duchess of Sussex made their last appearance in March 2020 for Commonwealth Day as official working royals.

    The Duchess looked smashing as she wore an asymmetrical, wide-brimmed Stephen Jones hat with an oversized navy bow and coordinating navy dress, while donned a blue suit rather than ceremonial dress as he has in the past.

    The Queen previously announced that only senior working members of the royal family will be included in the balcony appearance. Harry and Meghan stepped back from royal duties in January 2020 and have since moved to Montecito, California.

  • Microsoft reduces profit estimation due to market volatility

    Microsoft reduces profit estimation due to market volatility

    Microsoft slashed its fourth-quarter profitability and earnings projections on June 2, becoming the latest U.S. corporation to notify of the impact of a stronger dollar.

    An aggressive Federal Reserve and increased geopolitical tensions have driven the dollar up 14 per cent against a basket of currencies in the last year, forcing companies like Coca-Cola Co and Procter & Gamble to lower their expectations for the rest of the year.

    A stronger dollar generally consumes the earnings of multinational corporations that have extensive global operations and convert foreign currencies into dollars. Microsoft has lowered its sales forecast for all three segments, which include Windows products, cloud services, and personal computing.

    Corporate hedging activity has increased as more businesses seek to protect their revenues from the impact of market volatility in the face of rising inflation. It’s indeed common for businesses to preserve themself from unusual currency transitions, however, the intensity comes after years of low forex fluctuation when market volatility had little impact on income.

    Revenue for the quarter is expected to be between $51.94 billion and $52.74 billion, down from a previous range of $52.40 billion to $53.20 billion. Microsoft reduced its profit forecast from $2.28 to $2.35 per share to between $2.24 and $2.32 per share.

    Considering Refinitiv data, analysts expect earnings per share of $2.33 on revenue of $52.87 billion. In April, the company forecasted double-digit revenue growth for the next fiscal year, owing to increased demand for its office software and cloud services as economies reopen and businesses shift to a hybrid model that allows employees to work from both the office and from home.

  • ’Threat to national security’, PEMRA bans Bol show after Khan’s interview

    The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has just banned Bol News’ programme “Tajzia” hosted by Anchor Sami Ibrahim after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s appearance on the show.

    The notice reads that “the statements that Khan gave at the show gravely threatened the national security, independence, sovereignty, integrity and ideology of the country and it is a clear violation of Article 19 of the constitution, PEMRA Ordinance, Electronic Media Code of Conduct (2015).

    Article 19 mainly states that “every citizen shall have the right to freedom of speech and expression, and there shall be freedom of the press, subject to any reasonable restrictions imposed by law in the interest of the glory of Islam or the integrity, security or defence of Pakistan or any part, therefore, friendly relations with foreign States, public order, decency or morality, or in relation to contempt of court, or incitement to an offence.’

    Imran Khan, in an interview aired on Wednesday, said that the establishment needs to make the right decisions and if they don’t, “the army will be destroyed”.

    He further said, “If the establishment doesn’t make the right decisions then I can assure you in writing that the army and they will be destroyed. Pakistan is going towards default. If right decisions aren’t made, then the country will be on a suicidal path.”

  • Oxford announces scholarships for Pakistani students

    The prestigious University of Oxford has launched the Oxford Pakistan Programme (OPP) to address the underrepresentation of Pakistani and British-Pakistani students at Oxford and to promote an academic exchange between Pakistani students and Oxford.

    The OPP launched the programme at Lady Margaret Hall (LMH), which is in Oxford, where both former Prime Minister (PM) Benazir Bhutto and Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai studied.

    Dr Talha J Pirzada, a co-founder of the OPP, announced that the programme would be offering up to three scholarships in its initial round, allowing Pakistani students to take advantage of Oxford’s world-class facilities and teaching programme of Oxford.

    He also announced the launch of the OPP’s Visiting Fellow Programmes, including a programme developed in partnership with the Malala Fund, the Government of Sindh and non-profit Durbeen, to provide opportunities for Pakistani academics to take advantage of Oxford’s research facilities.

  • ‘Hindutva pop’: the anti Muslim saffron groove for violent mobs

    ‘Hindutva pop’: the anti Muslim saffron groove for violent mobs

    Orange garments, violent hate speech against Muslims, multiple instruments and consistent chanting constitute the anatomy of a basic Hindutva pop song. Swaddled in gold and saffron, Laxmi Dubey, one of the most popular Hindutva pop artists has uploaded several music videos on YouTube with millions of views, where she engages in anti-Muslim sloganeering, direct attacks on Islamic injunctions, the state of Pakistan, hateful statements regarding the issue of Kashmir and Modi and BJP’s political aggrandization.

    What’s concerning is not just that people like Laxmi Dubey are some of the most popular national icons in India at the moment, but also the fact that through her green screen music videos, YouTube monetization and public shows, she is estimated to be earning 68 Lacs per year. Dubey’s most-listened to song has more than 50 million views. But there is an ensemble of popstars just like her.

    Laxmu Dubey, 30, Hindutva popstar living in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.

    Following the 2014 election victory for Bharatiya Janata Party, the country has embarked on a journey of extreme polarization and radical hate against Muslims, Islam and Pakistan. Dubey’s words “Hindustan mein rehna hai tou vande matram kehna seekho” [Translation: If you want to live in India, learn how to say Vande Matram] epitomize perfectly the jingoistic philosophy of nationwide hatred for the Muslim community. In this political atmosphere, films, music, poetry and other forms of art all turned in service of the most influential political campaign of the time.

    Krishnavanshi is another such musician whose songs often embody the strongly felt sentiment of expelling all Muslims from the India and sending them “back” to Pakistan, which is neither their home country nor where they want to live. These songs are akin to a full-fleged battle cry, announcement of an all out war against Muslims and Islamic identity formations, attacking historical symbols of the Mughal-era and contemporary national symbols of Pakistan, rallying violent support against the Muslims of India.

    The famous juvenile Jamia shooter from India rose to prominence when he was apprehended on January 30, 2020 for opening fire at a crowd of unarmed protestors from Jamia. He is also an associated to the famous Hindutva militant leader Deepak Tyagi, who alleged that a 10 year-old Muslim boy, who had accidentally wandered into a temple, was a trained killer. This Jamia shooter and his friends have recorded videos of abduction and assault against Muslims in India which are played against the backdrop of the Hindutva ‘pop’ music. These videos are viral on Indian social media and are standing in to exemplify the far-reaching impact of music on politics and vice versa.