Author: News Desk

  • VIDEO: Saba Qamar’s beau Azeem Khan responds to ‘harassment’ allegations

    Saba Qamar recently confirmed that she will soon be getting married to Australia-based entrepreneur Azeem Khan. Soon after the announcement, a woman alleged Khan of harassment in an “open letter to Saba Qamar”.

    “I am one of those women he needlessly dragged all across social media,” said the woman in the letter. “For what? A few likes and views?”

    She alleged that Khan leaked pictures and videos of her from a female-only group and posted it on social media because of which she received rape and death threats.

    “His posts led to multiple messages in my inbox from guys telling me they will find me and they will rape me or kill me,” said the woman adding: “We won’t stand by women who stand by men like these.”

    Khan, however, has denied the allegations and says that he has been wrongly accused.

    In a video message, the businessman said: “I only want to say one thing, what is the point of uploading statues on social media. Let’s come through a proper channel.”

    “I don’t care about Saba’s past, neither does she care about mine,” he added.

  • Aurat March Islamabad ‘utterly dismayed’ with FIR against them

    Aurat March Islamabad ‘utterly dismayed’ with FIR against them

    Organisers of Aurat March Islamabad have responded to the petition filed against them in Peshawar, saying that they are “utterly dismayed” with it.

    “The Aurat Azadi March Islamabad is utterly dismayed at the order issued by a Peshawar Session Court judge on Friday afternoon under Section 22A of the CrPC through which a police station in Peshawar Cantonment has been instructed to file an FIR against ‘organisers and participants of ‘Aurat March’ held on March 8, 2021 in Islamabad,” read an official statement.

    The statement further said that the order was issued after a petition was filed by a group of Peshawar-based lawyers accusing the organisers and participants of ‘blasphemous slogans’.

    “The order was issued in response to a petition filed by a group of Peshawar-based lawyers that repeated the same vile lies against Aurat Azadi March Islamabad organisers which have circulated for more than two weeks. These lies, and the outrageous allegations of blasphemous slogans and banners, in particular, have been definitively debunked many times over,” added the statement.

    Read more – Endangering innocent lives

    Aurat Azadi March Islamabad also requested relevant authorities to call an inquiry and action against those who are spreading false accusations.

    “Government officials including PM Advisor on Religious Affairs Tahir Ashrafi and Federal Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry have clearly called for inquiries and action against the elements responsible for sharing doctored content online and spreading the false allegations,” said the organisers.

    Condemning the act, the statement further said: “To accept such a vile and baseless petition is to subject women involved in any way with Aurat Azadi March Islamabad to unspeakable danger. Legal cases against AAM organisers/participants are untenable due to the complete lack of evidence to back up lies and propaganda. Yet to call for the police to lodge an FIR is to embolden elements that have, in the recent past, taken the law into their own hand and engaged in renegade violence against innocent men and women.”

    “It is common knowledge that arousing religious passions in Pakistan is akin to issuing a death warrant, and the Sessions Court order is fanning the flames of a fire that threatens to engulf women who have committed no crime other than speak for their own and the rights of women, girls and oppressed peoples throughout this country, rights that are guaranteed by the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan,” it said further.

    The organisers also said that they have written an open letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan asking him to take strict action against those who continue spread baseless lies.

    “This is why we now demand unequivocal action from all relevant state institutions to ensure that this already alarming situation does not spiral completely out of control. In the first instance, we urge police, administrative and elected authorities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to recognize that the allegations that inform the court order under section 22A have been patently established as false and malafide. There is no basis upon which to lodge an FIR, and we demand protection from the authorities accordingly.”

  • Ahad Raza Mir thanks fans for celebrating wedding anniversary

    Ahad Raza Mir thanks fans for celebrating wedding anniversary

    Ahad Raza Mir has penned a thank you note for fans on behalf of the couple for celebrating their first wedding anniversary with zeal and fervor.

    See – Unseen pictures from Ahad Raza Mir and Sajal Aly’s wedding

    Sharing a picture of himself with Aly, Ahad said: “I know it’s a little late, but thank you to everyone, especially our fans who made our first anniversary so special. We really felt like you celebrated with us.”

    “To those of you who took our anniversary as an opportunity to do some good for our environment, it was the best gift ever,” added Mir.

    Ahad also praised his wife, calling her “a beauty”.

    Concluding his note, Ahad asked his fans to guess what he is holding in his hand in the picture he shared. We’re guessing, it’s an ice-cream stick.

    Ahad and Sajal tied the knot in March 2020 and celebrated their first wedding anniversary on March 14. According to various reports, the couple celebrated their anniversary in Paris after Sajal wrapped up shooting for Jemima Goldsmith’s What’s Love Got to Do With It?.

    Meanwhile, Ahad and Sajal were recently spotted together after a long time at a friend’s mehndi.

  • Facebook in talks with PTA to set up office in Pakistan

    Facebook in talks with PTA to set up office in Pakistan

    Facebook is reportedly planning to launch three new projects, including an office, in Pakistan. 

    Speaking on the development, Advisor to Chief Minister (CM) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on Science, Technology and Information Technology (ST&IT) Zia Ullah Bangash said that a meeting was held between officials of Facebook’s management and representatives of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). 

    Both sides also discussed issues of legislation and compliance. While the meeting made good progress on numerous fronts, Bangash explained that Facebook intends to assist the country by setting up an office in the near future.

    Similar to YouTube, Facebook is planning on monetizing its entertainment model so that individuals and video content creators who want to earn big could benefit from it.

  • Wasim Akram wants govt to ‘slap’ COVID-19 SOP violators

    Wasim Akram wants govt to ‘slap’ COVID-19 SOP violators

    Former captain of the Pakistan Cricket team Wasim Akram on Saturday called on authorities to give “two slaps” to people violating the coronavirus standard operating procedures (SOPs) as only then they would understand the problem.

    Sharing a video message on coronavirus, Akram, in his quintessential Urdu-Punjabi style, hoped that people from Pakistan and across the world will be in good health in these “testing times”.

    The cricketer turned commentator said that he had “read and seen” that coronavirus cases were rising in Punjab, especially in his city Lahore, Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

    “Please follow the SOPs. Why are you so stubborn?” Akram asked his followers.

    The former fast bowler said that there was also a “Plan B” in place for those not following the SOPs.

    Akram, then in Punjabi, explained that “Plan B” is to give all violators two slaps each as they would never understand in the normal manner. He sniped that the Pakistanis were just “legends”.

    The former fast bowler’s comments come as the country for a second day reported more than 4,000 cases. Most of these cases were from Punjab.

    According to data from the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC), 4,468 people tested positive for COVID-19 on March 26 while 67 people succumbed to the virus.

    Pakistan is currently battling its third wave of the coronavirus due to a lethal UK strain that has entered the country.

  • Ahsan Khan says Kohat rape case ‘is a reflection of our failure as a society’

    Ahsan Khan is demanding justice for three-year-old Hareem Fatima, who was brutally murdered after being sexually assaulted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP)’s Kohat district. According to reports, Fatima’s father lodged a complaint with the police stating that Hareem went out to play with other children but unfortunately did not return.

    “Another Twitter trend, another baby girl, another rape, another family destroyed. Another story,” said Ahsan. “Would be remembered for few days and forgotten.”

    “We always talk about upbringing and protection of our daughters, maybe it’s time for us to stress on raising our sons right,” said the actor further, stressing on the importance of educating children.

    “The Kohat incident is a reflection of our failure as a society,” he added.

    Read more – Motorway rape case culprits handed death sentence

    Despite the introduction of an Anti-Rape Ordinance by the government, rape cases continue to rise in the country. The Current is maintaining a daily tally of cases and the numbers are alarming.

    According to a report published by a child protection NGO Sahil, at least 173 children were gang-raped in Pakistan in the first six months of 2020, whereas there were 227 reports of attempted sexual assault. 

  • VIDEO: Sajal, Saboor light up the dance floor at friend’s wedding

    VIDEO: Sajal, Saboor light up the dance floor at friend’s wedding

    Sajal Aly, Ahad Raza Mir, Saboor Aly, Yasir Hussain, Iqra Aziz, Urwa Hocane, Kinza Hashmi and Zara Noor Abbas were recently spotted at their mutual friend Umair Qazi’s mehndi, where they seemed to be having a blast.

    All actors danced their hearts out with the groom at the event and set the internet on fire with their dance moves.

    Sajal’s killer dance moves have specifically left fans swooning. The actor can be seen grooving with Umair and the video of them has taken the internet by storm. She also shared her pictures with Ahad, the groom and friends from the industry.

    Meanwhile, Yasir Hussain also shared a selfie with “the gang”.

    Newly wed couple Sadia Jabbar and Qasim Ali Mureed were also seen last night at the event.

  • Girl from viral obscene video of Indian youngsters, her mother commit suicide

    A 40-year-old woman and her 22-year-old daughter have allegedly committed suicide in India after an obscene video showing the latter went viral on social media in both India and Pakistan.

    Gonda police of India’s Uttar Pradesh (UP) said the incident took place in Nagrasen village. “The duo was upset ever since the video of the young girl and her lover went viral.”

    Villager Pappu Paswan told police that the 22-year-old had gotten married in December. However, Satyam, a former partner of hers from a caste deemed superior, used to harass the woman even after marriage. On the night of March 22, Satyam sent an obscene video of him and the woman to the her husband and made it viral on social media.

    The video also went viral in Pakistan with people on this side of the border widely sharing it.

    “This affected her relationship with her husband and the woman and her mother were devastated. They did not come out of their house all of Tuesday and on Wednesday, we spotted them hanging,” said the villager.

    Satyam has been arrested and booked for abetment of suicide and under the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 that prohibits discrimination, prevent atrocities and hate crimes against scheduled castes and tribes.

    “The accused was blackmailing the woman by saying he would tell the husband about their relationship. He also misbehaved with her and made an obscene video. Thereafter, he started blackmailing her with the video, asking her to live with him. When the woman refused, he sent the video clip to her husband,” said Gonda cop Shailesh Pandey.

  • Nadia Jamil gets emotional after she finds an old post of Haseena Moin on her

    An old post by Haseena Moin addressed to Nadia Jamil, in which the late writer talked about her experience of getting diagnosed with breast cancer and sent love and prayers to Nadia, also a breast cancer survivor has made the actor emotional. The celebrated playwright passed away on Friday at the age of 79.

    Sharing Moin’s letter, Nadia said: “I had not read this post before. I sit here crying, reading it now and it’s as if you are speaking to me from wherever you are. I’m shaken to the core today.”

    “Thank you for this and all the words of love and encouragement you gave me since I’ve been sick,” said Nadia further.

    The actor continued: “You said you were working on a script for me. You really wanted me to work again and kept encouraging me to get back to work. I promise you, I will. And I will make you smile with pride, wherever you are.”

    “Thank you for being such a strong, inspirational, dignified woman,” said Nadia. “But most of all Haseena Apa, thank you for being Haseena Moin. The most amazing, legendary TV writer this country has ever known. You were empowering women with your stories years before we were empowered. You were such a down to earth woman, yet your heart full of romance and feeling.”

    Thanking the late writer, Nadia further said: “Thank you for introducing me to TV with Jaane Ajnaane and for writing Raana Shaikh Khalas [and] Dua, so beautifully.”

    “You have always been a quiet voice of strength and encouragement in my life. You will always be that. I only wish in these last months I’d spoken more to you. Heard more of your incredible journey through life,” added Jamil. “I will always be eternally grateful to you, for all this and so much more.”

    Nadia also shared the words of Albert Schweitzer to remember Haseena.

    “At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.”

    “Haseena Apa thank you for lighting the flame in so many millions of hearts with your writing. You will forever shine on through it after the rest of us are long gone,” she concluded.

    Earlier, other celebrities including Adnan Siddiqui and Mahira Khan also paid rich tributes to Haseena Moin.

  • Authorities fix pothole after videos of a man ‘bathing’ in it went viral

    Authorities fix pothole after videos of a man ‘bathing’ in it went viral

    Authorities in the Indonesian regency of Central Lombok fixed a giant pothole after videos and pictures of a man “bathing” and “fishing” in it did the rounds on social media.

    According to details, the man, Amaq Ohan wanted to draw the attention of road authorities to the problem so he took a bath and did fishing in that pothole.

    One of the videos show Ohan taking  a bath in a pothole with his clothes on. He used a mug to pour water on himself and also washed his hair.

    Pictures that are circulating on the internet show Ohan sitting cross-legged on a plastic chair with an umbrella in his hand and fishing in the middle of the flooded pothole.

    The pothole was fixed by the relevant authorities after the videos and images went viral and made headlines.