Current Final

Author: News Desk

  • ‘Brotherhood, humanity’: Sikhs open gurdwaras for Friday prayers after Muslims attacked by Hindu extremists

    ‘Brotherhood, humanity’: Sikhs open gurdwaras for Friday prayers after Muslims attacked by Hindu extremists

    After an official ban on Muslim prayers at open places in India’s Gurugram city near New Delhi, a local organisation taking care of gurdwaras, holy places of the Sikh religion, has announced opening the doors of a gurdwara for Muslims.

    Hindu extremists have been protesting against the Muslims’ act of offering Friday prayers at open places outside mosques for the last several weeks. As Muslims in larger numbers swarm to mosques to say their weekly Friday prayers, mosques mostly cannot accommodate these big numbers of worshipers and they have to use the open places outside the mosques to say their prayers.

    Keeping in view the protests by Hindu extremists, the local authorities in Gurugram city have stopped Muslims from using the open places outside the mosques to offer their Friday prayers and cancelled the permission letters issued earlier in this regard.

    Hindu extremists have also been disrupting the Muslim Friday prayers at open places by raising their religious slogans.

    Last week, Hindu extremists filled an open place with cow dung where Muslims were going to say their Friday prayers the next day. They said they wanted to turn that place into a volleyball court.

    Against this backdrop, an organisation associated with gurdwaras of the Sikh religion has come forward and announced opening a gurdwara in Gurugram so that Muslims can offer their Friday prayers there.

    Harteerath Singh, Community Development Director at Hemkunt Foundation, wrote on Twitter, “Gurgaon’s Sadar Bazaar Gurudwara is now open for our Muslim brothers to offer their daily namaz keeping in mind the recent events that took place in the city.”

    Despite of death threats, he said that he will “always stand up for truth and sewa (help).”

    https://twitter.com/HarteerathSingh/status/1461355592027496467?s=20

    In another tweet, he added: “The best part is tomorrow is Guru Nanak Dev jis Gurpurab and Friday namaaz too. What a spectacular sight it will be tomorrow- prime example of brotherhood and humanity!”

    Thousands of Sikh pilgrims will attend the 552nd birth anniversary commemorations in Kartarpur today. An 18-member delegation led by Indian Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh entered Pakistan from the Kartarpur corridor on Thursday.

    Prime Minister Imran Khan has also extended felicitations to Sikhs.

  • ‘That flame no longer burns’: AB de Villiers announces retirement from all forms of cricket

    ‘That flame no longer burns’: AB de Villiers announces retirement from all forms of cricket

    Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers took to social media to announce his retirement from all forms of cricket.

    AB de Villiers made the announcement on Friday, November 19, marking an end to an incredible career that spanned over a period of more than 18 years.

    “It has been an incredible journey, but I have decided to retire from all cricket,” ABD wrote on Twitter. “Ever since the back yard matches with my older brothers, I have played the game with pure enjoyment and unbridled enthusiasm. Now, at the age of 37, that flame no longer burns so brightly.

    “That’s the reality I must accept – and, even if it may seem sudden, that is why I am making this announcement today. I’ve had my time. Cricket has been exceptionally kind to me,” he wrote in another Tweet.

    Having made his international debut in 2004, AB de Villiers represented South Africa in 114 Tests, 228 ODIs and 78 T20Is. Across formats, he amassed 20,014 runs, averaging more than 50 in both Tests and ODIs. He retired from international cricket in May 2018.

    England’s batter Jos Buttler also extended his wishes for the veteran cricketer, saying that he used to “turn on the tv just to watch” him bat.

  • ECP not sure about use of EVMs, PTI’s Faisal Javed says system can be activated within a month

    ECP not sure about use of EVMs, PTI’s Faisal Javed says system can be activated within a month

    The Elec­tion Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday seemed unsure about using electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the next polls.

    The observation from the ECP came during a meeting of the members of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Law and Justice.

    During the meeting, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MNA Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha said the bill introduced electronic voting without omitting the condition of manual voting, which meant that at present the Elections Act allowed both electronic and manual voting in elections, reports Dawn.

    He said the proposed EVM lacked a biometric verification facility and it would rely on manual verification. As a result, “someone can cast vote on the computerised national identity card of a dead man”, he added.

    On the other hand, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Faisal Javed Khan on Thursday said that the EVM “system can be activated within a month”.

    The senator’s statement came during Geo News’ programme “Capital Talk” while advocating the use of EVMs in the next general elections. He said that the EVMs are “just a one-time expense”.

    “There will be no more expenditure in the future,” said Faisal Javed.

  • Teachers hired in school, colleges to ‘basically teach extremism,’ Fawad Chaudhry lashes out at the education system

    Teachers hired in school, colleges to ‘basically teach extremism,’ Fawad Chaudhry lashes out at the education system

    Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, while addressing a consultative conference on terrorism in Islamabad on Thursday, said that extremism in Pakistan is rooted in schools and colleges, not in madrassas, reports Dawn.

    The federal minister said that during the 80s and 90s, teachers were hired in schools and colleges as part of a plot to “basically teach extremism”.

    He continued by saying that the students of “ordinary schools and colleges” had been involved in notable incidents of extremism in Pakistan and not of madrassas. The minister further said, “You closed their (school and college students’) minds. If you cultivate a society where an opposing view is immediately declared kufr (heresy) … how can you present an opposing view?”

    “Religious extremism was seen more in regions that are in India now. Areas over here (Pakistan) never had religious extremism to the extent [seen today],” he said, regretting that “Pakistan faces a grave danger today.”

    “We don’t have any potential threat from India. We have the sixth largest army in the world, we are an atomic power, and India cannot compete with us,” he continued. “We face no danger from America. We face no danger from Europe. The biggest danger we face [today] is from within [Pakistan].”

    “Whoever has even little understanding of Islam and is aware of the way Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) spent his life, how could he adopt extremism?” said Chaudhry, adding, “The problem is with those who interpret religious injunctions.”

    https://twitter.com/fawadptiupdates/status/1461329523904028674?s=21

    Talking about state’s role in curbing extremism, Fawad said, “[The] state should have only one business, and that business is the enforcement of the law. If a state is unable to enforce the law, its existence is questioned, as, in this scenario, it gradually moves towards civil war.”

    He said that it is the state’s responsibility to ensure that no group uses violence to impose its own point of view. “If the state weakens and violent groups gain strength, there lies a problem.”

    https://twitter.com/fawadptiupdates/status/1461331362024235012?s=21
  • Judge Rana Shamim’s son requests Kashif Abbasi to let him sing a song on live show for his wife

    Judge Rana Shamim’s son requests Kashif Abbasi to let him sing a song on live show for his wife

    Former Chief Judge (CJ) of Gilgit-Baltistan Justice (retd) Rana Shamim’s son appeared on Kashif Abbasi’s show ‘Off the Record’ yesterday (Thursday) while sitting in a car.

    During the interview, the anchor asked him if he is in a position to talk about his father’s case, who is also his client. To which Supreme Court advocate Ahmed Hassan Rana said his father texted him today after he appeared on a news channel saying, “enough shows done”.

    Kashif further asked if his father met Nawaz Sharif in London. Rana asked if it made any difference, adding that his father has not told him about any meeting.

    https://twitter.com/chmwaqasakramk4/status/1461396551163691012?s=21

    Rana seemed more interested in talking about his own problems, saying he has no authority in his home and his wife is angry at him, and that he is on the road thinking about how to make it up to her.

    He asked Kashif, “Can you help me make up with my wife?” The anchor said he could not.

    He then requested Kashif to let him sing a song on his show for his wife; the request was denied by the host who said it was national television.

    Earlier, Rana Shamim’s son made an appearance in Geo News programme, ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’ in which while describing his relationship with his father, Rana said if he has to go play snooker at 10pm, his wife will ask for the permission on his behalf at 09:45pm from his father. He also questioned the host, asking if Shahzeb has to take permission from his father if he has to go out late at night. To which the anchor said no, he does not ask for permission from his father.

  • Jamaat-e-Islami proposes law to ban gender reassignment surgeries, condemns current law

    Jamaat-e-Islami proposes law to ban gender reassignment surgeries, condemns current law

    Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) presented a bill in the upper house of Parliament Senate seeking an amendment in the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018, for the creation of a medical board that would recommend “whether a person’s gender should change, instead of them seeking a reassignment on the basis of their personal identity”, reports Dawn.

    The bill was presented by JI’s Senator Mushtaq Ahmad who recommended the formation of such boards at the district level comprising of a professor doctor, a psychologist, a male general surgeon, a female general surgeon, and a chief medical officer after the approval by the Prime Minister (PM) and provincial Chief Ministers (CM).

    The proposed law also seeks a ban of gender reassignment surgeries or any other treatment to change genital features on the basis of “any psychological disorder or gender dysphoria”. It also states that the law in its present form could lead to the “legalisation of homosexual marriages”.

    However, the present law states: “A person recognised as transgender shall have the right to get himself or herself registered as per self-perceived gender identity with all government departments including, but not limited to NADRA (National Database and Registration Authority).”

    According to the JI, under the current law, a person could get themselves registered as a man or a woman not on the basis of their biology but their “personal thoughts”.

    Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari strongly opposed the proposed bill which was presented by JI and said the proposed amendment was aimed at “victimising” transgenders. She defended the current law and argued that it gave Transgenders Persons the right to identity.

    “Till date, not a single complaint has been received regarding the misuse of this existing law,” she said.

    JI and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) senators protested Mazari’s remarks, following which Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, sent the bill to the relevant standing committee for discussion.

    According to data shared with the house, 16,530 cases of gender change from male to female were processed, 12,154 cases of female to male, 21 cases of transgender to male, nine cases of male to transgender and as many cases of transgender to female.

  • Sitara-i-Imtiaz holder allegedly sexually abused a 23-year-old girl

    Zia Chishti, Sitara-i-Imtiaz (third-highest honour and civilian award in Pakistan) holder and founder of a multi-dollar company “Afiniti”, has been accused by a 23-year-old Tatiana Spottiswoode of sexually abusing her, reports The Guardian.

    Spottiswoode, who is a Columbia University law student and daughter of Chishti’s friend, told the United States (US) House of Representatives judiciary committee that Chishti had told her “he should have had sex with me when I was 13 years old”.

    The committee released images on Wednesday allegedly showing neck injuries sustained by Spottiswoode.

    Spottiswoode, who joined Afiniti on Chishti’s insistence in 2016, told the committee her contract included an arbitration agreement with a “strong confidentiality clause” that had prevented her from speaking out about the alleged assaults.

    Trigger Warning!

    She said, “Over the next 18 months he [Chishti] oscillated between pressuring me for sex and punishing me. When I rebuffed him he humiliated me in front of co-workers and then ignored me completely, causing me to fear for my job.”

    She said that on a work trip to Brazil she “began to worry that, in addition to wanting sex, Chishti wanted to hurt me and punish me for rejecting him”.

    “I felt completely trapped and hopeless. I was 23 and very far from home,” she told the committee. “I didn’t want to lose my job, I didn’t want him to get any angrier, I did not feel that anyone would protect me and I was too tired to argue with him anymore. I went to his room where he beat me while having sex with me.”

    Spottiswoode said her body was “covered with scratches, cuts, and contusions”.

    “I had bruises around my neck that looked like I had been strangled, a large bump on my head, and a black eye. A nurse at the hospital said I had the symptoms of a concussion,” she said.

    Afiniti, which also employs Princess Beatrice, said Chishti “strongly disputes all accusations against him” and termed Spottiswoode’s claims “wrong”.

    After a detailed string of allegations made against the Sitara-i-Imtiaz holder, former British Prime Minister (PM) David Cameron announced that he has quit his role at the software company.

    The former PM stood down as chair of its advisory board.

  • Stray dogs attack kills four deer in Sahiwal zoo

    Stray dogs attack kills four deer in Sahiwal zoo

    A total of four deer have been reported dead in a stray dog attack incident, reports Daily Times.

    Three of them reportedly died yesterday, while the fourth was found dead at the Sahiwal’s zoo today (Thursday). It has been learned that the deer were bitten by stray dogs in the zoo on which the residents have expressed their concern.

    The Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) administration said that the deer died after being bitten by an animal as the wounds were found on the bodies of the dead animals.

    This is not the first time that animals have been reported dead at the zoos of Punjab.

  • ‘Will not spare those responsible for his death,’ Umer Sharif’s wife speaks out

    ‘Will not spare those responsible for his death,’ Umer Sharif’s wife speaks out

    Zareen Umer, the wife of legendary comedian and actor, Umer Sharif, penned a heartfelt note about the “change” in her life after the demise of her husband.

    She said that it has been 40 days since she has cooked because she used to cook only for Umer Sharif.

    Zareen added that she has no life after her husband’s death, saying, “Now the TV in the bedroom doesn’t turn on in the morning. Now no one sits on your (Umer Sharif) chair. Some of your things are kept on it. Everything has changed.”

    Death is inevitable, but she said that she will not spare people responsible for Umer Sharif’s death, adding that she won’t forgive those who made Sharif cry.

    Pakistan’s ‘king of comedy’ died at the age of 66 in Germany.

    Read More – ‘Alvida Legend’: Transnational stars mourn the death of Umer Sharif

    Sharif, who was battling cardiac ailments, was flown out of Pakistan on an air ambulance on September 28 for surgery in the United States.

    However, he was admitted to a hospital in Germany during a stopover as his condition deteriorated.

  • Jamaat-i-Islami demands public hanging of rapists, terms castration ‘unIslamic, against Sharia’

    Jamaat-i-Islami demands public hanging of rapists, terms castration ‘unIslamic, against Sharia’

    One of the bills passed by the joint session of parliament on Wednesday included that of the “chemical castration” of rapists.

    According to the bill, “chemical castration is a process duly notified by rules framed by the prime minister, whereby a person is rendered incapable of performing sexual intercourse for any period of his life, as may be determined by the court through administration of drugs which shall be conducted through a notified medial board”.

    Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Senator Mushtaq Ahmed protested over the bill and termed it unIslamic and against Sharia. He said a rapist should be hanged publicly, but there was no mention of castration in the Sharia, reports Dawn.