Current Final

Author: News Desk

  • EXCLUSIVE: Afridi denies rumours of request to be rested

    EXCLUSIVE: Afridi denies rumours of request to be rested

    Pakistan’s star all-rounder Shahid Afridi has denied the rumours of his request of being given rest. Earlier, The News reported that Afridi had requested Pakistan Super League’s (PSL) franchise Quetta Gladiators to give him rest for some days after a bad spell against Islamabad United on Thursday.

    Shahid Afridi told The Current that he has not asked to be rested, in fact, he is anxiously looking forward to the next matches.

    Afridi had conceded 67 runs in a four-over spell against Islamabad United on Thursday and became the most expensive bowling figure in the history of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

    Earlier, Islamabad United’s Zafar Gohar held the record of conceding the most runs, 65.

    It was also reported that Afridi did not attend the practice session at the High-Performance Centre, the report added.

    On February 3, Afridi, who had returned to the squad after completing Covid-19 isolation, could not bowl up to mark.

    Read More – Shahid Afridi recovers from Covid-19, announce Quetta Gladiators

    The former Pakistan skipper bowled a total of four overs, where he conceded 67 runs and managed to take only one wicket. His most expensive over was the last over (20th), where he conceded 20 runs.

    It should be noted that this was Afridi’s first match of his farewell PSL, after missing the initial games due to Covid-19, but was thrashed by the United batters Colin Munro and Azam Khan during his four-over spell.

    Twitterati extended support to the all-round cricketer.

    https://twitter.com/mmustafa_abid/status/1489307976364175365?t=dHvv5PdY5wu5V5b6qVoVdw&s=19
  • Senate Interior Committee passes bill to decriminalise suicide in Pakistan

    Senate Interior Committee passes bill to decriminalise suicide in Pakistan

    The Senate Interior Committee has passed the bill for decriminalising suicide in Pakistan and demanded amendments in section 325 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). The bill was first introduced by Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) member, Senator Shahadat Awan, in the Senate.

    It stated, “Whoever attempts to commit suicide and does any act towards the commission of such offence, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both.”

    Awan said that the families do not take suicide victims to hospitals in fear of police and other legal obstacles.

    The committee also recommended that the government should initiate psychological treatments for victims who take extreme action of attempting to end their lives.

    During the meeting, a senator from Balochistan Awami Party, Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti, said that suicide is forbidden in Islam but what should be done about those who survive during the suicide attempt.

    In response, Azam Nazeer Tarar from Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) said that there are other actions which are forbidden in Islam that are not accountable by law. He added that here we are talking about humanity.

  • Australia’s white-ball captain Aaron Finch ‘can’t wait’ to tour Pakistan

    Australia’s white-ball captain Aaron Finch ‘can’t wait’ to tour Pakistan

    Australian captain Aaron Finch has said that he cannot wait to go to Pakistan for the white-ball leg, consisting of three ODIs and one T20I.

    “As a player, I can’t wait to go to Pakistan for the white-ball leg,” said Finch, according to Sportstar.

    The right-handed batter said that Pakistan has not been able to play cricket at home for a long time.

    “That’s one part of the world that’s been deprived of (international) cricket for a long time now, and world cricket’s in a much better place when Pakistan’s thriving as a cricket nation,” he added.

    Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Cricket Australia (CA) on Friday announced the revised schedule of the Australia men’s cricket team’s tour of Pakistan in 2022.

    The Australian cricket team will arrive in Pakistan in the last week to play three Tests, three ODIs, and one T20I at three different venues Rawalpindi, Karachi, and Lahore.

    It will be Australia’s first tour of Pakistan after 24 long years. The Aussies’ last tour of Pakistan was in 1998 when they won the three-match Test series by 1-0 as two matches were drawn.

  • Man arrested for second marriage without taking consent of first wife

    A man convicted of remarrying without the permission of his first wife has been arrested in Lahore High Court. The convict was sentenced to six months imprisonment and a fine of Rs 560,000 in December last year by trial court. However, he ran away before getting arrested.

    Ghulam Rasool, who had remarried without permission from his first wife, had come to the Lahore High Court to file an appeal against the sentence, where he was arrested.

    A one-member bench of the Lahore High Court will hear the appeal against the sentence next week. Ghulam Rasool has requested the High Court to suspend the sentence till the decision on his appeal. The accused’s first wife had filed a case against her husband for remarrying.

  • Giraffe dies at Lahore Zoo

    Giraffe dies at Lahore Zoo

    A male giraffe, who had been sick for the last seven months, died at Lahore Zoo on Friday. As per the zoo officials, the nine-year-old giraffe had stopped eating to its full capacity.

    Punjab Wildlife Headquarters Deputy Director Muhammad Mudassar, while talking to Dawn, said that the exact cause of death would be determined after the post-mortem report, but the giraffe was suspected of having a blood infection.

    A total of three giraffes were procured by the Lahore Zoo in 2018. However, one of the female giraffes died soon after her arrival. Now only one female giraffe is left in Lahore Zoo. A giraffe costs around Rs40m to Rs50m, according to zoo officials. The zoo will now make arrangements for the giraffe to be paired.

    Six giraffes have been imported into the Lahore Zoo since 2007, and five of them have died prematurely due to various reasons.

  • Shehbaz Sharif invites Bilawal Bhutto for lunch, meeting arranged on directives of Nawaz Sharif

    Shehbaz Sharif invites Bilawal Bhutto for lunch, meeting arranged on directives of Nawaz Sharif

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif contacted Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Friday and invited him for a luncheon meeting on Saturday, reports Dawn.

    Bilawal accepted the invitation. The PPP chairman arrived in the city along with his father Asif Ali Zardari earlier in the day for the luncheon meeting on Saturday.

    Officials privy to the matter have told the news outlet that the meeting is being arranged on the directives of party supremo Nawaz Sharif who, they claim, has been contacted multiple times by the PPP.

    It is being reported that in-house change, both in the National and in Punjab Assembly, will be on top of the agenda of the meeting.

    PML-N leaders say the PPP wishes to start the no-confidence or in-house change process from Punjab, while they wish to see a change in the federal setup.

  • Angry Inzamam schools Babar after Karachi Kings’ fourth consecutive defeat

    Angry Inzamam schools Babar after Karachi Kings’ fourth consecutive defeat

    Former captain of Pakistan cricket team Inzamam-ul-Haq has schooled Karachi Kings captain Babar Azam for not finishing the match on Friday despite playing complete 20 overs against Peshawar Zalmi at National Stadium Karachi.

    Kings’ poor performance continued to frustrate the fans in the seventh edition of Pakistan Super League (PSL) as the Babar-led side has lost all their matches in the tournament.

    Speaking on Geo News programme ‘Jashn-e-Cricket’, former chief selector Inzamam criticised Babar for not being able to finish the match with a win.

    “If you are the world’s number one cricket player and stands on wicket throughout 20 overs, then you should be finishing the match, otherwise get out without playing complete overs,” said Inzamam after the Kings failed to achieve the target of 174.

    Azam’s 63-ball 90 included 12 fours and a six.

    The former captain was also not pleased with the home team’s selection and batting order in the PSL 2022.

    Inzamam-ul-Haq also criticised Australian authorities for declaring Mohammad Husnain’s bowling action illegal.

    “Hasnain has been playing cricket for 2-3 years and his bowling action did not seem to be illegal,” he said.

    “Why do 90% of players get banned after going to Australia?” he questioned.

    Inzamam said that Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) should have sorted out Hasnain’s bowling action issue before the start of PSL.

    Meanwhile, PCB has said in a statement that the board will work on the young pacer’s bowling action and get it cleared as soon as possible.

  • ‘World should pay attention to the ongoing atrocities of India’: PM Khan

    ‘World should pay attention to the ongoing atrocities of India’: PM Khan

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan, who is on a four-day visit to China, cited India’s aggressive behaviour and the prevailing Hindutva ideology as a threat to regional peace and a cause of lingering instability of the region.

    The premier’s remarks came in an exclusive session with the heads and representatives of leading Chinese think tanks, universities, and the Pakistan Study Centre in Beijing.

    “The atrocities of India are continuing in Indian-Occupied Kashmir (IoK). The world should pay attention to the ongoing atrocities of India against Kashmiris,” said PM Khan.

    Referring to India’s aggressive behaviour and the prevailing Hindutva ideology, PM Khan said that the country was a threat to regional peace and a cause of lingering instability of the region.

    “In view of myriad global challenges, the world did not need another Cold War. Divisions could result in mounting suffering and prevent common benefits. Pakistan was, therefore, of the belief that the key driver in international politics should be cooperation, rather than confrontation,” said PM Khan.

    In his meeting with NDRC chairman and Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference vice-chairman, the prime minister said the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has a strategic significance for both countries and was delivering tangible benefits. PM Khan noted with satisfaction that CPEC’s early-harvest projects had transformed Pakistan’s economic landscape, thus laying a solid foundation for sustainable economic growth.

    Reaffirming the commitment of two sides to timely completion of CPEC and its high-quality development, the premier said both sides would continue to expedite efforts to achieve Gwadar’s potential as a hub of regional commerce and industry while also prioritising preparatory work on the railway’s Main Line-1 (ML-1) and key energy projects.

    Prime Minister Imran Khan also attended the inauguration of the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022 at the national stadium.

    Chinese President Xi Jinping inaugurated the sports event that brought together around 3,000 athletes from 91 nations to compete across 109 medal games.

  • Orphan files petition against NADRA for not issuing CNIC

    Orphan files petition against NADRA for not issuing CNIC

    An abandoned orphan man, Muhammad Ahsan approached the Sindh High Court and has filed a petition against the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) under section 199 (False statement made in declaration which is by law receivable as evidence) of the Pakistan Penal Code for not issuing a Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC).

    Ahsan is a resident of Orangi Town in Karachi who has been trying to get CNIC for four years to get admission to a university but every time he does, NADRA refuses to let him apply for an identity card. He is asked to come with blood relatives.

    According to Ahsan, his mother abandoned him when he was only six years old because his father was a drug addict. He was brought up by his grandparents but they also died later. His father also passed away in 2008. His uncle took responsibility for him and also assisted in getting him an education.

    The petition stated that he submitted the death certificate of his father as one of the requirements of NADRA. However, they insisted he come with a blood relative.

  • Fawad Chaudhry welcomes Australian team, recommends Lahore and Karachi’s desi food

    Fawad Chaudhry welcomes Australian team, recommends Lahore and Karachi’s desi food

    Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry has welcomed the Australian cricket team to Pakistan after they confirmed their tour to Pakistan for the first time in 24 years. Australia will play a full-fledged series in three Tests, three ODIs and a solitary T20I on their tour starting March 4.

    The minister also recommended the Australian team to try desi food in Lahore and Karachi.

    Taking to Twitter, he wrote: “Welcome to Pakistan a beautiful country of ours, May you enjoy your trip and do try Our very Desi food in Karachi and Lahore.”

    Rawalpindi will host the tour-opening first Test, swapping with Karachi, which will now host the second Test from March 12.

    The Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore will be the venue for the final Test.

    The schedule has been revised to ease logistical and operational challenges as well as to avoid Pakistan Day rehearsals, which usually commence in Islamabad in the second week of March.

    The two cricket boards have also agreed that the Australia Test side will complete their isolation in Australia, before arriving in Islamabad on February 27 on a chartered flight. After a one-day room isolation, they will hold training sessions at the Pindi Cricket Stadium.

    Australia’s white-ball players are expected to arrive in Lahore on March 24 following isolation in Australia. After a one-day isolation upon arrival, they will integrate with other members of the side and travel to Islamabad for the first ODI in Rawalpindi on March 29.