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Author: News Desk

  • Sidhu Moose Wala was set to tie the knot and visit Pakistan this year

    Sidhu Moose Wala was set to tie the knot and visit Pakistan this year

    Indian singer Sidhu Moose Wala, 28, was shot dead on Sunday by unidentified assailants in Punjab’s Mansa district, a day after the Punjab government curtailed his security cover to crack the VIP culture. 

    According to Punjab police, Canada-based Goldy Brar has claimed responsibility for the murder of Sidhu.

    The singer was touted as a youth icon as he established his name with chartbusters like Jatt Da Muqabla, Dollar, So high and Bambiha Bole.

    Now a video from a concert of his in Dubai is going viral in which he shares his plan of visiting Pakistan by the end of this year. He wanted to perform in Lahore and Islamabad. The Game singer was also in talks for the same.

    Sidhu first asked from the crowd how many had come from Pakistan to watch his show. He then said that he received many messages from the people of Pakistan to conduct a concert in their country. Listening to their demands, Sidhu then went on to make the most awaited announcement.

    He announced from the stage that a live show will first be held in Lahore and the second in Islamabad. He also promised all the fans that the live show will surely be held in this year, 2022, itself. There couldn’t have been happier news for the Pakistani fans of Sidhu Moosewala and it was very well visible in the cheers of the crowd following Sidhu’s announcement.

    His mother, Charan Kaur is inconsolable and demands justice for her son. Her last wish to see Sidhu married is left unfilled. She was preparing for Sidhu’s marriage since January 2022, and in one of her interviews, Charan Kaur had mentioned that her son would soon get married and had also revealed that it was a love marriage. The singer was engaged and was all set to get married soon.

    Sidhu Moose Wala's Mother, Charan Kaur Is Inconsolable, Was Preparing For His Marriage Since January

  • Video: When legendary Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan reacted to Bollywood copying his songs

    Legendary Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was a powerhouse vocalist, musician, composer and music director, primarily known for his qawwali. He has been an inspiration to many musicians across the globe.

    While Khan is widely credited for introducing qawwali music to the international audience, he has also had a big impact on contemporary South Asian popular music, including Bollywood music.

    The Shahenshah-e-Qawwali once opened up about music composers copying his music. He even took names of composers Anu Malik and Viju Shah.

    While interacting with Zee TV a few decades ago, Khan was asked about Indian music directors, who were inspired by his work. Responding to the question on who he thought made the ‘best copy’ of his songs and deserved the ‘best copy award’, the Pakistani musician said, “Not best copy, they have done good work. Viju Shah has done well. Anu Malik has also copied me well.

    Bollywood has often been called out for plagiarising Khan’s songs.

    Hindi cinema has been accused of adapting and copying NFAK’s qawwalis and songs a few of which include, Mera Piya Ghar Aya, Kitna Pyara Tujhay Rab Ne Banaya’ which happened to be a rip-off NFAK’s song ‘Kina Sona Tenu Rab Ne Banaya’ and another ‘Mujhe Ek Pal Chain Na Awe’ from the film Judaai that happened to be a copy of ‘Sanu Ek Pal Chain Na Awe’ by the legend himself.

  • Excise, Taxation Department intensifies action against tax defaulting vehicle owners

    Excise, Taxation Department intensifies action against tax defaulting vehicle owners

    The Sindh government has issued a warning to car owners who have not paid their taxes. The Excise, Taxation, and Narcotics Control (ET&NC) Department has been conducting a road inspection for more than a week now. Authorities have inspected a total of 21,303 vehicles across the province.

    A total of 1,358 automobiles were seized for various reasons, with the paperwork of 1,958 vehicles also being confiscated during the road check, according to The News.

    Mukesh Kumar Chawla, the provincial minister in charge of (ET&NC), has planned a tax-collecting campaign. He went on to say that the campaign will run until June 3, after which the government will take action against automobiles that have not paid their taxes.

    Kumar issued a statement urging citizens to pay their taxes as soon as possible. Meanwhile, authorities claim to have recovered over Rs252 million in taxes from non-compliant car owners.

    The authorities had collected about Rs21.4 million in taxes from the car owners by the fourth day. Chawla has directed that non-compliant car owners be dealt with harshly by the authorities.

  • ‘Such mean tactics can’t deter me from asking questions’: Matiullah reacts to rape comments by Journalists

    ‘Such mean tactics can’t deter me from asking questions’: Matiullah reacts to rape comments by Journalists

    Matiullah Jan has reacted to rape comments by Journalists. “Thanks everyone for massive support.Such mean tactics can’t deter me from asking Qs. For the record, allegations (now clarified as a joke) r rubbish & reflect upon anchors’ true nature. My offer stands – invite me to your live show & if I prove you wrong you quit journalism,” he wrote.

    Twitter has lashed out at Anchor turned YouTuber Imran Riaz Khan for making a crude rape joke regarding Senior Journalist Matiullah Jan. In the video clip, that has gone viral on social media, Imran Riaz Khan, Sami Ibrahim and Jameel Farooqui can be seen making insensitive comments about rape, while Matiullah Jan is also present.

    In the video, Imran Riaz Khan is asking Matiullah to pursue the case against his alleged rape in army barracks.

    https://twitter.com/asadkharal/status/1531174191323656193?s=21&t=4v5eGPSi5BD5EU1_AZeO9w

    Twitter users have lashed out at Imran Riaz Khan for ‘insensitive, condemnable, and unacceptable’, comments.

    Have a look at the Twitter reactions:

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    https://twitter.com/No_Xtra0rdinary/status/1531192420821618690
  • PM says ‘no question of cut in HEC budget’, two days after educationist raises issue in Op-ed

    PM says ‘no question of cut in HEC budget’, two days after educationist raises issue in Op-ed

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said there is no question of a cut in the budget of the Higher Education Commission (HEC).

    “There is no question of a cut in the budget of Higher Education Commission. I am aware of the negative effect that cuts have had on higher education during the past four years. I have given clear directions to Planning Commission & Ministry of Finance in this regard,” he wrote in a tweet.

    Two days before PM’s statement, an opinion piece was published in The News titled ‘Abandoning higher education‘ by Dr Ayesha Razzaque.

    “For the next fiscal year, the HEC requested a recurrent budget of Rs104 billion. However, a few days ago an official letter (dated May 23, 2022) from the Finance Division regarding the 2022-23 budget emerged. It directs the HEC to prepare a new budget for next year that fits into Rs30 billion, – less than a third of what was requested and less than half of this year’s Rs65.25 billion. Here I would like to acknowledge that Federal Minister for Planning and Development Dr Ahsan Iqbal has voiced his opposition to this news.”

    https://twitter.com/Razzaque_Ayesha/status/1530407000709992450

    Dr Ayesha Razzaque took to Twitter to share PM’s statement.

    A thread by Dr Razzaque on the issue of HEC budget can be accessed here.

  • Honda Pakistan records 40 per cent increase in earnings

    Honda Pakistan records 40 per cent increase in earnings

    Honda Atlas Cars Limited (HACL) concluded the financial year with a 40 per cent increase in earnings, giving investors reason to be optimistic. This is despite several challenges including an ongoing chip shortage, rising commodity prices on overseas markets, hefty freight rates, and the rupee’s depreciation.

    “The result is below our expectations, which is mainly due to higher-than-expected distribution costs and effective tax rate,” Ismail Iqbal Securities auto sector analyst Muqeet Naeem stated.

    The automaker benefited from the fact that demand for four-wheelers remained high despite the problems.

    Honda purchasers appear to be unconcerned with price changes, preferring to purchase their preferred vehicles whenever they want, regardless of how much more expensive they are now than they were only two years ago.

    Prices have continued to rise at a rapid pace. There may also be a sense that prices will continue to rise. However, in a market known for “own money” or high premiums, continued demand despite price increases should not be surprising.

    The earnings per unit sold is a great marker of how quickly prices have risen. Honda sold 57 per cent more automobiles in MY22 than the previous year, which ended in March 21.

    The introduction of a new Civic generation considerably attributed to Honda’s sales growth.

    Not only have imports become more expensive as the PKR has depreciated against the greenback, but inflationary pressures on inputs and rising fuel prices have also contributed to cost increases. Revenue and cost per unit sold have generally increased in lockstep.

    As a result, despite strong demand growth, margins have fallen to 5 per cent.

    Other income, which consists of customer advances, has significantly bolstered the company’s profitability. Other income boosted the bottom line by 47 per cent in MY22, compared to 33 per cent the previous year. This also suggests that demand will continue to rise in the coming months.

    However, as lending rates continue to skyrocket, the company may lose demand from purchasers who plan to finance their vehicles through a bank.

  • Fact Check: Imran Khan falsely claims that PTI worker from Malakand was killed during Azadi March

    Fact Check: Imran Khan falsely claims that PTI worker from Malakand was killed during Azadi March

    Claim: A PTI activist from Mardan was killed last week as a result of Punjab police’s acts of brutality

    Fact: The banner showed images of Muhammad Zada Agra who was killed by drug smugglers in 2021

    During the PTI Workers’ Convention in Charsadda, Imran Khan raised a banner to tribute the two PTI workers which he alleged in this tweet were killed during last week’s processions. This tweet has 1,135 total Twitter interactions and was shared to 829,798 social media users on Twitter.

    He named these workers to be Faisal Abbas Chaudhry from Lahore and Syed Ahmed Jan from Mardan in his tweet and claimed that they both died as a result of police violence.

    During his speech, not only did he say the name of the second activist from Mardan was Syed Ali Shah, but the banner which he raised, showed an image which showed Muhammad Zada Agra, a journalist and social activist who was murdered in Sakhakot, his home city in Malakand, for Agra’s reporting and advocacy against local drug cartels, in 2021.

    Screenshot of the CPJ report on Muhammad Zada Agra’s killing in 2021

    Although Agra was a PTI supporter and a former district president of the Insaf Students Federation, the student wing of PTI, he was not murdered by the police or on the dictation of Rana Sanaullah, as Khan claims in his address.

    In fact, this Committee to Protect Journalists’ report explains that the Deputy Commissioner Malakand district police announced that the two men who killed Agra were confirmed to be associated with local drug smugglers after their arrest.

    Verdict: MISLEADING

  • Independent candidates take lead in Balochistan LG polls

    Independent candidates take lead in Balochistan LG polls

    Local Government (LG) polls are being held in 32 of 34 districts in Balochistan after nine years.

    As per unofficial results, independent candidates were leading on around 1,487 seats, while Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) won 260 seats.

    Unofficial results: Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) 213 seats, National Party (NP) 100 seats, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) 88, Balochistan National Party (BNP) 79, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) 58, BNP Awami 43, Awami National Party (ANP) 24, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) 23, Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) 18, Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) 15 and Jamat-e-Islami (JI) 7, Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) 5 seats so far. Gwadar’s Haq Do Tehreek clinched 27 seats on the municipal committee out of the total 30.

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said democracy stands strengthened with LG elections in Balochistan.

    In a statement on Twitter Sunday, he said, “People’s active participation in polls shows their trust in state institutions to provide security & ensure smooth conduct of polls. I admire law enforcement agencies for their role.”

    Balochistan Chief Secretary Abdul Aziz Aqeeli said the elections were held in a peaceful, free, transparent, and impartial manner.

    Talking to the media on Sunday, he said voter turnout remained 60 per cent, the highest since the 1988 elections.

  • Khan says govt ‘to recognise Israel’, Israel’s president praises Pakistani delegation

    Khan says govt ‘to recognise Israel’, Israel’s president praises Pakistani delegation

    Israel President Isaac Herzog has said that he had had an “amazing experience” while meeting a Pakistan expatriate delegation living in the United States (US). Herzog referred to this visit as an example that showed him “great change” towards Israel’s ties with the Muslim world.

    Herzog said he received a delegation of Pakistani expats who lived in the US “together with other members of other countries in their region”.

    No change in govt’s policy on Israel: Foreign Office

    However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan categorically rejected the notion of any delegation from Pakistan visiting Israel.

    “The reported visit in question was organised by a foreign NGO that is not based in Pakistan,” the Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson said in a statement.

    “Pakistan’s position on the Palestinian issue is clear and unambiguous. There is no change whatsoever in our policy on which there is a complete national consensus.”

    The statement further added that Pakistan steadfastly supports the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to self-determination. 

    “The establishment of an independent, viable, and contiguous Palestinian state with pre-1967 borders and Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, in accordance with the relevant UN and OIC resolutions, is imperative for just and lasting peace in the region,” the statement added. 

    Govt going to accept Israel: Khan

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan criticised the sitting government as the Pakistani expats delegation visited Israel. More criticism was hurled their way after Herzog praised the Pakistani-American delegation.

    Khan on Sunday criticising the government and alleged that it was going to recognise Israel.

    “This government will strike a deal with India to sell the people of Kashmir, and to top it off, they are also going to accept Israel,” he said while addressing the PTI workers’ convention in Charsadda.

    There was no Pakistan delegation visiting Israel: Anila Ali

    A 15-member delegation visited Israel to promote interfaith harmony. The trip was organised by the American Muslim and Multifaith Women’s Council and an NGO called Sharaka. Founder of the American Muslim and Multifaith Women Empowerment Council, Anila Ali, led the delegation.

    After Khan’s allegations, Anila tweeted: There was no #Pakistan delegation visiting #Israel.

    Pakistan does not recognise the state of Israel: Ahsan Iqbal

    Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal clarified no official or semi-official delegation from Pakistan met the Israeli president.

    “The participants in this delegation were Pakistani-Americans who have already provided an explanation in this regard,” the planning minister said in a tweet.

    Iqbal said the policy of the Government of Pakistan is clear — it does not recognise the state of Israel. “All our sympathies lie with brothers and sisters of Palestine.”

    Israeli President received a delegation of Pakistani expats

    “I must say this was an amazing experience. We haven’t had a group of Pakistani leaders in Israel in such scope. And that all stems from the Abraham Accords [a deal brokered by the United States in 2020 which saw normalisation of relations between Israel, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Bahrain], meaning Jews and Muslims can dwell together in the region.”

    Israeli President Isaac was speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

    Pakistan refused to accept Israel as a sovereign state because of the Palestine-Israel conflict, and every government that came to power has endorsed this stance. Speculations were being created that the new government was in a way ready to recognise Israel as a sovereign state.

  • Daren Sammy receives Sitara-i-Pakistan

    Daren Sammy receives Sitara-i-Pakistan

    Former Peshawar Zalmi and West Indian captain Daren Sammy received Sitara-i-Pakistan award from the government of Pakistan.

    “Such a proud moment,” Sammy tweeted and shared a picture receiving the award.

    Daren Sammy wrote on his Intagram: “Cricket took me all over the world enabling me to see and play in some amazing places. Pakistan is definitely one of these places. A place that always makes me feel at home. It’s such an honor to have received this prestigious award( Sitara-I-Pakistan) from the Government and people of Pakistan. Thank you.”

    Peshawar Zalmi’s owner, Javed Afridi, also took to Twitter to congratulate Sammy on receiving the prestigious award.