Author: News Desk

  • Pakistani celebrities demand justice for Sunita Masih

    Pakistani celebrities demand justice for Sunita Masih

    Pakistani celebrities have taken to social media and demanded justice for Sunita Masih, a 14-year-old Christian girl gang-raped in Faisalabad.

    As per details, Sunita was abducted and gang-raped. She was allegedly asked to convert to Islam and when she refused, they cut her hair and tortured her sensitive body parts.

    “Feeling sick to the stomach. With each new case, humanity plunges deeper and deeper into a dreary, dark pit,” wrote Adnan Siddiqui while addressing this incident on Twitter.

    Siddiqui questioned: “Why are we turning into morally depraved monsters? Abhorrent!”

    Armeena Rana Khan said: “Sunita Masih, a Christian girl from Faisalabad, aged just 14 has allegedly been gang raped. She was asked to recite the Kalma. When she refused her hair was shaved off. So, lots of activism for the innocents elsewhere, great but how about raising our voices here too?”

    https://twitter.com/ArmeenaRK/status/1396937183110512640?s=19

    “Appalled. Speechless,” said Faysal Quraishi. “Assailants of such crimes should be granted the highest form of punishment so that they can be an example for all those who even think of committing such atrocious crimes.”

    Actor and television host Nadia Jamil took to social media and said: “I urge all of us on media to protect the dignity of the child Sunita Masih by blurring her face. It will cause further trauma to her to be b exposed.”

    “I plea to Imran Khan to ensure she is provided physical/mental health care immediately and to see that the perpetrators are arrested, punished,” she appealed to Prime Minister Imran Khan .

    In another tweet, Jamil requested PM Imran to look at the case of the 14-year-old. “She needs care 4 her physical wounds and mental health. She needs her face protected. She is too young to be exposed publicly by media. Perpetrators should be arrested immediately amd punished as soon as possible,” wrote Jamil.

    https://twitter.com/NJLahori/status/1397100152658223106?s=19

    “Deleted my previous tweet, instead of sharing the victims picture,” said comedian and host Shafaat Ali.

    “This is just shameful and unbelievably inhumane. We cannot let minorities and CHILDREN suffer these atrocities for reasons which are incomprehensible. We need implementation of law and strict punishments so we can put an end to this nonsense once and for all,” wrote Hassan Sheheryar on Twitter.

    Ushna Shah also addressed the incident, while sharing Armeena Rana’s tweet on her Instagram stories, she said: “Apna girehbaann quite soiled.”

    Alizeh Shah also condemned this act of brutality, saying: “I don’t know where these people are heading to by doing such sinful acts.”

    “Rape culprits k law ka kya bana? Implementation ka kya hua,” questioned Maryam Nafees.

    Zoya Nasir apologised from Sunita for “what these monsters” dis to her.

    Many other social media users have also strongly condemned this inhumane treatment to the teenager and demanded immediate action from the government against the accused.

    According to reports, data released by a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) Sahil, eight children are abused every day in Pakistan in one form or the other, while 51 per cent of the victims are girls and 49 per cent boys.

  • Fawad Chaudhry, Shireen Mazari condemn attack on journalist

    Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry and Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari on Wednesday condemned the attack on journalist Asad Ali Toor, by unidentified men.

    As per the official account of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, SSP Islamabad has been directed to probe the attack and bring the perpetrators to justice.

    As per Asad Ali Toor’s video statement, three unidentified men broke into his apartment and tortured him. The three assailants can be seen leaving Toor’s apartment in the CCTV footage, reported BBC Urdu. Journalist Shahbaz Zahid also posted the CCTV footage on Twitter.

    Chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari also called for a full and transparent inquiry of the incident.

    Amnesty International has also urged authorities to take urgent steps for the safety of media workers in Pakistan.

    Journalists from around the country have condemned the attack and expressed solidarity with Toor.

    The federal cabinet in April approved the Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Bill. Last year, journalist Matiullah Jan was abducted in Islamabad but was released after 12 hours while last month, senior journalist Absar Alam survived an assassination attempt in Islamabad. The Freedom Network’s annual state of press freedom report released in April 2021 highlighted a dramatic escalation in the climate of intimidation and harassment of journalists and the media in Pakistan.

  • ’PDM is not Shahid Khaqan’s bonded slave’: Kaira

    ’PDM is not Shahid Khaqan’s bonded slave’: Kaira

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Qamar Zaman Kaira said that the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) is not Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s personal slave or bonded labour that he can impose his views on the Opposition alliance.

    Kaira was talking to anchorperson Shahzeb Khanzada on Geo News’ programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath’.

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had said he would quit PDM if PPP was allowed to rejoin the Opposition alliance unconditionally.

    Kaira also said that while Shehbaz Sharif is making efforts to unite the Opposition, Shahid Khaqan was tearing it apart.

    Maryam Nawaz on Tuesday said Shehbaz Sharif’s dinner had nothing to do with PDM.

    PPP leadership also urged Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to take back his words against the party.

    Fazl on Tuesday said the PPP and the Awami National Party (ANP) could rejoin the PDM if they apologie to the Opposition alliance for going against its decisions.

    Fazl said both the PPP and ANP had been given sufficient time to get back to the PDM leadership, but they have not done so.

    “There are currently no proposals to invite PPP and ANP at the PDM meeting on May 29,” Fazl said. He added that during the upcoming PDM meeting, the Opposition leaders will decide the future of the PPP and ANP in the alliance.

  • Rs 827.2 billion drawn from ATMs during Ramazan, Eid

    Rs 827.2 billion drawn from ATMs during Ramazan, Eid

    Around Rs 827.2 billion were reportedly drawn from Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) during Ramazan and Eid holidays, through approximately 63.2 million transactions.

    Only on Eid, Rs137.8 billion were withdrawn through 11.6 million ATM transactions. The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) collaborated with commercial banks to make ATM services available for people on holidays and other festivals.

    SBP formed a special team through which they monitored ATMs during Ramazan and Eid as there is a high demand for cash during these festivals.

    Besides, the banks also managed to sustain an average uptime of 96.5 percent which further improved to 98 percent during Eid-ul-Fitr holidays earlier this month. The special team performed nationwide operations on all banks through both on-site and off-site inspections and monitoring.

    During these holidays, only 500 complaints were received from the public and were immediately resolved. SBP praised the efforts of the banks to maintain the availability of services during these festivals.

    “SBP firmly resolves to keep facilitating the public and carrying out similar exercises in future as well to facilitate the general public at large,” read a statement from the bank.

  • Pakistan to open vaccine registration for citizens aged 19 and above

    Pakistan to open vaccine registration for citizens aged 19 and above

    Pakistan will start registering persons aged 19 and above for coronavirus vaccination from tomorrow, May 27.

    Asad Umar tweeted that National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has decided to open vaccination registration for all citizens aged 19 and above.

    Registration will start tomorrow. “So now registration will be open for the entire national population which is approved by health experts for Covid vaccination,” tweeted Asad Umar.

    Registration for citizens aged 30 and above started on May 16.

  • Why doesn’t Maryam Nawaz drink lassi?

    Why doesn’t Maryam Nawaz drink lassi?

    Despite being told that how can one be Lahori and not drink lassi, PML-N’s Maryam Nawaz says that she doesn’t drink the heavy yoghurt drink. She was asked whether she was ‘having lassi’ by someone who tweeted a picture of her holding a silver glass.

    https://twitter.com/Rix_says/status/1397188965585797121

    To which she responded and said, “I wish I could have it everyday but I have to watch my weight so coffee only”.

    After her tweet, another follower commented that being Lahori and not having lassi is a crime.

    to which she responded and said, “Isn’t it?”

    This is not the first time Maryam has expressed her love for chilled drinks. She tweeted in 2013 that she loved the “tang of diet coke”, and in 2019 Imran Khan’s ex wife Reham Khan criticised her former husband for not letting Maryam Nawaz have diet coke when Maryam was in jail.

  • CNN anchor Bianna Golodryga lashes out at Pakistan for not speaking up for Uyghur Muslims

    CNN’s Senior Global Affairs Analyst and anchorperson Bianna Golodryga who earlier labelled Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi “anti-Semitic” after she interviewed him on the ongoing violence in Gaza has now called out Pakistanis for not speaking up for Uyghur Muslims.

    Sharing a news story by Vice media about the crackdown by Pakistan on Uyghur Muslims who fled China, Bianna wrote: “Even though Pakistan is the only country in the world created as a Muslim nation, the promise of Chinese money seemingly overpowers the desires to stop what is happening to Uyghur Muslims.”

    Born in 1978, Bianna Vitalievna Golodryga is a senior global affairs analyst at CNN. She has previously served in Yahoo! News, ABC Network, CNBC, Wall Street Journal, and CBS.

  • Kissing couple on local flight divides the internet

    The news of a couple kissing in a flight that was going from Karachi to Islamabad is everywhere on social media, and Twitter is having a field day over it with people sharing every kind of opinions on it.

    A couple travelling in an Airblue flight, from Karachi to Islamabad on May 20, were seen kissing in public, which made some fellow passengers uncomfortable.

    “When [some fellow passengers] complained to the air hostess, she warned them but they continued with what they were doing,” he added, “The air hostess then provided them with a blanket to keep their displays of affection under wraps”

    The news has left the internet divided. Have a look at some of the tweets:

    https://twitter.com/jennabahadur/status/1397083138325721092
    https://twitter.com/talkingcurves/status/1397119035205197832

  • Nick Jonas thanks Priyanka for ‘staying by his side’

    Nick Jonas has penned a thank you note for his wife Priyanka Chopra for staying by his side and helping him present at the Billboard Music Awards (BMAs). Nick recently broke his rib while shooting for an upcoming project.

    “I started this last week by taking a brutal tumble on a bike, fracturing my rib and ended it hosting the Billboard Music Awards with my incredible wife by my side who helped me every step of the way to recover and feel my best,” wrote Nick adding, “I love you Priyanka Chopra.”

    Chopra reportedly flew from London to Los Angeles to help Jonas present following his accident and give him support.

    He also shared how grateful he was for the opportunity saying: “I have watched this show since I was a kid and to be asked to host was an honour.”

    Priyanka also wrote a “husband appreciation” post for Nick. “Not even a cracked rib can stop this force of nature,” wrote Chopra.

    “So proud of you baby. With everything you do! Your work ethic, your pursuit of excellence! You inspire me everyday! Crushed it today! I love you so much!,” she added.

    Priyanka and Nick made heads turn as they posed together on the red carpet. While Chopra wore a sheer nude plunge dress with a high leg slit by Dolce & Gabbana paired with Bulgari jewelry, Jonas looked dapper in a green Fendi suit.

    The annual BMAs took place on May 23 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles with Jonas serving as host for the first time. The Weeknd swept the ceremony receiving 10 awards for his chart-topping album After Hours and single Blinding Lights.

  • Who is Bianna Golodryga?

    Who is Bianna Golodryga?

    Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s recent remarks on Israel got him under fire as CNN presenter Bianna Golodrya accused him of publicly expressing anti-Semitic remarks.

    Who is Bianna Golodrya?

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    Born in 1978, Bianna Vitalievna Golodryga is a senior global affairs analyst at CNN. She has previously served in Yahoo! News, ABC Network, CNBC, Wall Street Journal, and CBS.

    The forty-two-year-old anchor is the second wife of Peter R Orszag who is a former Director of Management and Budget for Obama Administration. The couple have two children together.

    Born to a Jewish family from the Soviet Republic of Moldova, Golodryga’s parents migrated to Houston as political refugees with no more than $150 in their pockets.


    The anchor often boasts about attending High School for Performing Visual Arts in Houston because of the fact that the music sensation Beyoncé Knowles also graduated from there.

    After completing her undergraduate degree in Russian/European affairs from the University of Texas, Golodryga began her as a producer for CNBC in 2001. One of her notable initial projects include live coverage of the aftermath of 9/11 terrorist attacks.

    In 2015, Golodryga was chosen by Hillary Clinton to conduct her first interview as a presidential candidate. Unfortunately, Clinton’s staff confused “Bianna” with “Brianna” which ended up with the golden opportunity being allocated to fellow CNN anchor Brianna Keilar instead of Golodryga.

    As Golodryga gained fame after being listed as one of the top journalists under 30 in 2004, she also went through various controversies. She was convicted of driving-under-influence in early 2000. Police records confirm that Golodryga was given a 30-day jail sentence which was later dismissed.

    Fluent in both Russian and English, the anchor serves as a member of Council on Foreign Relations and has a net worth of roughly $3 million.