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Author: News Desk

  • India’s Bishnoi Gang declared terrorist entity by Canada

    India’s Bishnoi Gang declared terrorist entity by Canada

    India’s notorious criminal syndicate Bishnoi Gang has been declared a “terrorist entity” by the Canadian government, penalising the group who committed a high-profile murder on its soil on the behest of the Indian government.

    Canada has long maintained that India got Canadian national Harjeet Singh Nijjar, a Sikh separatist, murdered in Vancouver in 2023. The grisly shooting in a parking lot led the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to allege that the Narendra Modi-led Indian government had conspired with Bishnoi Gang to target or attempt to assassinate many Sikh separatists in the country. 

    India rejected the allegations, leading to a prolonged diplomatic impasse which saw Ottawa expelling Indian diplomats and India replying in kind. 

    The Canadian Minister for Public Safety, Gary Anandasagree, has stated that the terrorist designation gives the state “more powerful and effective tools” to target the gang. 

    His office said in a statement that the Bishnoi Gang was a transnational organisation that spreads terror through extortion and intimidation and works primarily out of India.

  • Hania Aamir joins Bangladeshi YouTuber’s family for local food

    Hania Aamir joins Bangladeshi YouTuber’s family for local food

    Pakistan’s sweetheart Hania Aamir visited Dhaka, Bangladesh and went to YouTuber Iftekhar Rafsan’s house to eat Bangladeshi food cooked by his mother.

    In a YouTube video that garnered over a million views overnight, Hania is seen engaging in light-hearted banter with Rafsan’s mother, asking if she speaks or understands Urdu, telling her how ‘amazing her son is’ and appreciating the Bangladeshi food Rafsan’s mother has made. 

    Hania even takes a bite into a raw green chilli, saying it doesn’t taste that spicy and later regretting it by saying, “Mazay mazay mai kar jaati hoon ghalat cheezain.”

    She then has a serving of local gulab jamans and says that she has never been able to find the same in Pakistan and asks if she can take them with her.

    Rafsan then tells her how people have been asking him how ‘Hania Aamir is’ and he then analyses her personality saying she is a super extrovert and has a bubbly character. 

    People in Pakistan and Bangladesh have both appreciated the video with comments about Hania and Rafsan’s humbleness and how sincerely his mother has made an effort for Hania. 

    Hania was in Dhaka to attend an event there and has charmed social media in both countries with her energy and joy being in the city.

  • Pakistan names 18-member squad for home Test series against South Africa

    Pakistan names 18-member squad for home Test series against South Africa

    Pakistan has named an 18-member squad for the upcoming home Test series against South Africa.

    Captain Shan Masood will continue to lead the side featuring Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Abdullah Shafique, Imam Ul Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Aamir Jamal, Hasan Ali, Khurram Shahzad, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Kamran Ghulam and Abrar Ahmed.

    Three new players earning a call-up include Asif Afridi, Faisal Akram and Rohail Nazir.

    The first Test between Pakistan and South Africa will take place at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore from October 12 to 16. The second Test is scheduled in Rawalpindi from October 20 to 24.

  • PCB suspends top players’ NOCs after Asia Cup defeat

    PCB suspends top players’ NOCs after Asia Cup defeat

    Days after the country’s repeated losses to India in the Asia Cup, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has suspended the No Objection Certificates (NOCs) of top national players, which allowed them to participate in foreign cricketing leagues.

    The decision, confirmed through an official notification issued by PCB Chief Operating Officer Sameer Ahmed, comes a day after Pakistan also lost to India in the final of the tournament.

    The board had earlier granted NOCs to several players for participation in Australia’s Big Bash League, but said approvals have now been put on hold.

    The move directly affects Pakistan’s leading cricketers, including Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan and Faheem Ashraf.

  • Trump says PM Shehbaz, COAS Munir fully back Gaza peace plan

    Trump says PM Shehbaz, COAS Munir fully back Gaza peace plan

    United States (US) President Donald Trump has said that Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir have fully backed his Gaza peace plan that calls for an immediate ceasefire, a phased Israeli withdrawal and the release of hostages, including over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, within 48 hours.

    “PM and Field Marshal… they were right with us from the beginning. Incredible, in fact. They just put out a statement that they fully believe in this pact. They back this 100%,” Trump said while addressing a joint press conference along with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

    His remarks came hours after the premier welcomed Trump’s plan aimed at ending the war in Gaza, saying a durable peace between the Palestinian people and Israel is essential for regional stability and economic growth.

    In a post on X, PM Shehbaz said he was “convinced that durable peace between the Palestinian people and Israel would be essential in bringing political stability and economic growth to the region”.

    “It is also my firm belief that President Trump is fully prepared to assist in whatever way necessary to make this extremely important and urgent understanding to become a reality,” he wrote and praised Trump’s leadership.

    The premier reiterated his support for a two-state solution and said he also strongly believed that the implementation of the two-state proposal was essential to ensure lasting peace in the region.

    Meanwhile, Pakistan pledged support for the plan at the United Nations (UN) as well. 

    Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad told the UN Security Council (UNSC) members that Islamabad, in coordination with eight OIC and Arab states, would actively participate in the consultative process to support a sustainable resolution.

    “We value the initiative of President Donald Trump, working with eight OIC and Arab countries to advance peace through concrete measures,” the envoy said while addressing a briefing on the Middle East.


    “As a participant in this consultative process, Pakistan will closely engage and play a constructive role in promoting consensus,” he added, stressing that the goal was to alleviate the suffering of Palestinians and achieve just, comprehensive and lasting peace consistent with UN resolutions.

    It may be noted that PM Shehbaz had on Sunday said that the recent meeting between President Trump and leaders of eight Arab-Islamic countries in New York was encouraging.

    He had said he was confident the talks would yield a positive outcome for a ceasefire in Gaza, following which President Trump had also said that “all were on board for something special, first time ever”.

  • Nepal beat West Indies to clinch historic T20I series win

    Nepal beat West Indies to clinch historic T20I series win

    Nepal made history in Sharjah on Monday by defeating West Indies by 90 runs in the second T20 International to seal the series 2-0. 

    This marked Nepal’s first bilateral series victory against a Test-playing nation.

    Batting first, Nepal posted 173 for 6 in their 20 overs. Aasif Sheikh anchored the innings with an unbeaten 68 runs off eight fours and two sixes. Sundeep Jora added a quickfire 63, hitting three fours and five sixes.

    For West Indies, Akeal Hosein and Kyle Mayers picked up two wickets each.

    In reply, West Indies faltered and were bowled out for just 83 runs in the 18th over. Jason Holder top-scored with 21 runs but found little support from the rest of the batting order.

    Under captain Rohit Paudel, Nepal had already secured their first T20I win against a full-member nation in the opening match of the series. Their only previous win against a future Test side came in 2014 when they beat Afghanistan, who were still an associate member at the time.

    The series win carries extra weight as it was Nepal’s first multi-match series against a Test-playing nation. Nepal had prepared for the challenge by participating in the Top End T20 Series in Australia, where they played against Bangladesh A, Pakistan Shaheens and several Australian club sides.

  • ‘Babar Azam is a rock’: Rabada names ex-Pakistan skipper among toughest batters

    ‘Babar Azam is a rock’: Rabada names ex-Pakistan skipper among toughest batters

    South Africa’s pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada has praised Pakistan captain Babar Azam, calling him one of the toughest batters he has faced in international cricket.

    Speaking on the Beard Before Cricket Podcast hosted by Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid, Rabada described Babar as “a rock” at the crease, especially when playing in home conditions.

    “Babar Azam is a rock, especially in Pakistan. It’s like, ‘Man, how do you get this guy out?’” Rabada said while reflecting on his toughest opponents.

    The Proteas fast bowler also listed several batting greats he has struggled against over his career. He mentioned India’s Virat Kohli, England’s Joe Root, Australia’s Steve Smith and New Zealand’s Kane Williamson as among the most challenging.

    Rabada, however, singled out Australia’s David Warner as the hardest of them all due to his aggressive and unorthodox style.

    “I actually found David Warner quite tough to bowl to. I think he’s the hardest because he was so unorthodox. He used to cut a lot of balls, and whenever I dropped my length short, he would just latch onto it and cut,” Rabada said.

    “He was the only guy who could do that against me. He was very hard. As much as I had a lot of success against him, I thought he was very tough to bowl to,” he added.

    Rabada has represented South Africa in 71 Tests, 106 ODIs and 70 T20Is, taking more than 500 international wickets across formats.

  • Chris Woakes bids farewell to international cricket

    Chris Woakes bids farewell to international cricket

    England all-rounder Chris Woakes has announced his retirement from international cricket.

    Woakes, 36, represented England in 217 matches across all formats since his 2011 debut, scoring 3,705 runs and taking 396 wickets. He was also part of England’s 2019 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup and 2022 T20 World Cup winning squads.

    His final appearance came earlier this summer in the World Test Championship series against India, where he bravely batted with one arm in a sling after dislocating his shoulder.

  • Father shot dead in front of children during robbery attempt in Karachi

    Father shot dead in front of children during robbery attempt in Karachi

    A horrifying incident unfolded in Orangi Town’s Nishan-e-Haider area where armed men shot and killed a 25-year-old father in front of his children at the doorstep of his home.

    The victim, Muhammad Sajjad, had traveled from Faisalabad to Karachi three days ago to visit his in-laws. He was the father of two young children.

    According to the FIR filed by the victim’s father-in-law at Iqbal Market Police Station, the robbers attempted to snatch Sajjad’s mobile phone at gunpoint. When he resisted, one of the attackers opened fire, hitting him in the chest and killing him on the spot.

    CCTV footage of the killing shows Sajjad standing at the door with his children. One child was in his arms while the other stood beside him when two men on a motorcycle arrived. The gunmen stepped off the bike, pushed Sajjad and fired at point-blank range. Sajjad collapsed instantly as one of his children ran inside in fear.

    Police said the footage clearly showed the attacker’s face, and teams were working to trace and arrest the suspects.

    Relatives have taken Sajjad’s body to Faisalabad for burial.

    According to reports, more than 65 citizens have lost their lives in Karachi this year for resisting robberies.

  • Iranian supreme leader’s senior advisor suggests joining Pak-Saudi defence pact

    Iranian supreme leader’s senior advisor suggests joining Pak-Saudi defence pact

    Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s senior advisor Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi has said that Tehran should also join the mutual defence agreement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

    “Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Iraq can reach a collective defence pact,” Iran International quoted Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) General Safavi as saying.

    Terming the pact a positive development, Gen Safavi claimed that the United States’ influence in the region was diminishing as it was now shifting its focus to the Asia-Pacific region.

    He also said that in this situation, countries could establish a regional Islamic alliance.

    Safavi’s remarks refer to the “Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement” signed between Islamabad and Riyadh on Sept 17, as per which an attack on either country would be treated as an act of aggression against both.

    The agreement was inked days after Israel struck in Qatar’s capital Doha, which raised security concerns among Gulf countries.

    The word “strategic” in the agreement prompted several international media outlets to speculate that Pakistan’s nuclear programme had been made part of the pact, a claim that quickly drew attention and fuelled debate. 

    Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has, however, rejected the claim that Pakistan would sell nuclear weapons to the Kingdom under said agreement.