Current Final

Author: News Desk

  • Punjab schools to open from Jan 18, universities from Feb 1: minister

    Punjab schools to open from Jan 18, universities from Feb 1: minister

    Amid the second wave of coronavirus, the Punjab government has decided to open educational institutions in phases from Jan 18.

    According to provincial education minister Murad Raas, the government has decided to open schools and universities in three phases. In the first phase on Jan 18, schools will resume classes for students of matric and intermediate. In the second phase, the primary and middle schools will resume class on Jan 25.

    In the third phase, the government will reopen universities on Feb 1. The minister said the educational institutions “will have 50 per cent students on alternate days as before”.

    Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood had announced in November that all schools across the country will close down from 26th to January 10, 2021, to control the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

    Before this, the schools remained closed from March till September amid the first wave of coronavirus. But due to an increase in the infections in the students, the schools were shut down again.

  • Sarah Khan hits back at troll who criticised her over father’s death

    Sarah Khan hits back at troll who criticised her over father’s death

    Sarah Khan has hit back at a troll who criticised her for posting a picture of her drama Raqs e Bismil, a week after her father’s demise.

    The comment which has now been deleted read criticised the actor for posting about her work, not long after the death of her father.

    “You are worried about Moosa and Zohra! And your father? He hasn’t been gone a week and here you are posting about dramas. Oh, God. What is this world of showbiz!” it read,

    In response, Sarah hit back saying: “Would my pain have lessened if I posted after a month? Does that even make sense?”

    Sarah’s father passed away in December 2020. The actor had earlier posted a heartfelt note for her late parents.

  • Islamic State claims responsibility for attack that killed 11 Hazaras in Balochistan

    Islamic State claims responsibility for attack that killed 11 Hazaras in Balochistan

     Islamic State, aka Daesh, has claimed responsibility for an attack on Sunday that killed 11 miners from minority Shia Hazaras in Balochistan.

    Reuters reported that the attack took place early in the morning in the Mach area of Bolan district, killing the miners who were in a shared residential room near the coal mine where they worked.

    “The throats of all coal miners have been slit after their hands were tied behind their backs and (they were) blindfolded,” a security official told Reuters. A video clip of the victims making the rounds on social media showed three bodies lying outside the room and the rest inside in pools of blood.

    The incident that shook the country drew criticism from all quarters. Prime Minister Imran Khan condemned the killings, calling them “a cowardly inhuman act of terrorism”. “Have asked Frontier Constabulary to use all resources to apprehend these killers and bring them to justice,” he said in a tweet.

    Following the attack, the members of the Hazara community held a protest in Quetta. The protesters blocked the western bypass and burnt tyres to protest the killings.

    It is not the first time that the minority community has faced attacks from radical Islamist outfits, such as the Taliban and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi. In April, a market suicide bombing killed 18 people, half of whom were Hazaras. In 2013, three bombings killed more than 200 people in Hazara neighbourhoods in Quetta.

  • ‘Completely ridiculous’: Sanam Jung shuts down divorce rumours

    ‘Completely ridiculous’: Sanam Jung shuts down divorce rumours

    Contrary to what the rumour mills have been churning, Sanam Jung is not getting divorced and is all set to celebrate her sixth wedding anniversary next week.

    In a note posted to social media, Sanam trashed the rumours saying that she was not planning to post a clarification but concerned phone calls from family member prompted her to do so.

    “I would just like to clarify that there is no truth to these rumours about Qassam and I splitting up,” stated the actor. “This rumour started from a fan comment on my Instagram post and it’s completely ridiculous.”

    “I didn’t plan on posting any kind of clarification or explanation but Qassam and my family have been getting concerned phone calls almost daily about this pressing issue” she continued.

    Sanam further said: “Qassam and I are happily married and are about to celebrate our 6th wedding anniversary next week. I would really appreciate it if people stop posting these false rumours.”

    “We look forward to spending the rest of our lives together,” she added.

    Sanam also requested her followers to not “instigate such rumours and claim their truth without any factual knowledge.”

    “This is a very serious accusation at someone’s family, and we have all been very distressed because of this silly rumour. Please have some empathy for our families as we are real people too!”, she concluded.

    Sanam and Syed Abdul Qassam Jafri, a pilot by profession, tied the knot in 2016. The two have a daughter together.

  • KP govt approves funds to buy Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor’s ancestral homes

    Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mahmood Khan has approved Rs 23.56 million to purchase the ancestral houses of two Bollywood legends Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor in Peshawar.

    As per reports, the value of Raj Kapoor house is Rs 15 million, while Kumar’s home is worth Rs 8.56 million. Both houses will be converted into museums after restoration work.

    The owner of the Kapoor Haveli Hajji Ali Qadir had earlier demanded at least two billion rupees for the mansion in Qissa Khawani Bazaar from the government. The province’s archaeology department at the time had said that it will use legal powers to purchase the Kapoor Haveli as well as Dilip Kumar’s house if needed.

    The department had earlier declared the two houses as national heritage sites that were recognised internationally.

    Earlier, Kumar himself took to social media to express his excitement over the government’s decision. The legendary actor asked his fans living in Peshawar to share photos of his ancestral house on Twitter.

    Not only Kumar but his wife, Saira Banu also appreciated the government’s move to conserve the actor’s house.

  • Rare photos that reveal the unseen side of things

    Rare photos that reveal the unseen side of things

    With time, a monotonous daily routine can numb even the most enthusiastic people. The world, however, is a lovely place, full of excitement and interesting things in every corner. Here are some rare photos of absolutely common objects to make you rediscover their beauty and maybe even expand your horizons.

    1. This is how Chinese soldiers maintain their posture

    2. What an Eclipse looks like from space

    3. Sperm whales (The largest toothed predators on Earth) do not have teeth in their upper jaw but sockets that their lower teeth fit into

    4. A strawberry’s surface as seen in an electron microscope

    5. This is what an elephant’s tail looks like up close

    6. The inside of a space suit

    7. A globe for blind people

    8. You can see every organ in the glass frog

    9) Tiger’s skin when shaved

  • Nadia Khan ties the knot

    Nadia Khan ties the knot

    Nadia Khan has tied the knot in an intimate ceremony.

    The popular television host took to social media to share the news, requesting her followers to wait for the official pictures.

    Later, Nadia released her complete wedding album on YouTube. The bride looked lovely in a sea green ensemble with glowy makeup and a bright pink lip.

    While many believe that it is Nadia Khan’s third marriage but replying to a comment under her post she clarified that it is her second marriage. “Kiaan is my adopted son and this is my second marriage,” wrote Nadia.

  • Sharma, Pant others being investigated for possible bubble breach

    Sharma, Pant others being investigated for possible bubble breach

    Five members of the touring Indian team in Australia could be part of an investigation after being involved in a potential bio-bubble breach reportedly while interacting with a fan at a Melbourne restaurant on January 1.

    Cricket Australia issued a statement saying that “they were alerted to a video post” of five players – Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Prithvi Shaw and Navdeep Saini eating at an indoor venue, and that they are investigating the incident along with BCCI to determine a potential breach. In the meantime, as a precautionary measure, the players have been placed under isolation.

    On Friday, tweets by a fan went viral on social media, where he posted a video of the players enjoying a meal in Melbourne. Subsequent tweets by the individual mentioned that he had paid the bill on behalf of the players, following which Sharma interacted with him and Pant “hugged” him, and the team members posed for a photograph.

    While the fan earned plenty of support for his gesture on Twitter, and the story earned considerable traction on Indian media, there were concerns surrounding the safety of the players at a time when the teams have been placed in strict bio-secure bubbles due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

    Soon after reports of the possible breach came to light, the fan seemingly issued a clarification on social media, stating that Pant had not hugged him as tweeted earlier “as it was all said in excitement”, and insisted that there was “social distance maintained all through”.

    Concerns around player safety are serious particularly in Sydney, the venue of the third Test of the ongoing series. With the recent surge in Covid-19 cases in Sydney, there were reports that Melbourne, the venue of the second Test, could host the third Test as well. However, after negotiations between Cricket Australia and authorities in Queensland and New South Wales, Sydney Cricket Ground was retained as the venue for the third game of the series, currently tied 1-1.

    Meanwhile, according to Indian media, the Indian team management believes that the five players were indeed sitting outdoors as is allowed by protocols. They moved indoors only after there was a drizzle. The board is clear that the players did not do any activity that breaches the bio-secure bubble protocols.

  • Pakistan cricket team visits families of Christchurch Mosque attack victims

    Pakistan cricket team visits families of Christchurch Mosque attack victims

    The Pakistan Cricket team, who will play its second and final game of the two-match Test series against New Zealand at Hagley Oval (Christchurch) on Sunday, took some time out from their busy practise schedule to pay a visit to the families of the victims of Christchurch Mosque attack.

    In a video shared by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the cricketers can be seen interacting with the families and spending time with them.

    Talking to the families of victims, batting coach Younis Khan said: “We can feel your pain and we are with you in your grief.”

    In March 2019, a mass killer attacked two mosques in Christchurch. 51 people were killed and many were injured during the shooting. The killer was later sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.

  • Hasnain Lehri dedicates ‘Best Model’ award to late brother

    Hasnain Lehri dedicates ‘Best Model’ award to late brother

    Hasnain Lehri has dedicated his fourth Lux Style Award (LSA) to his younger brother, who passed away in May 2019 due to a cardiac arrest.

    In a post shared on social media, the model said: “I dedicate this award to my younger brother, whom we lost last year. It has been my biggest trial and a tough time for my family.”

    “For me, this isn’t just an award for creating art but the acknowledgement to myself that I am strong enough to be on my feet again. After his passing I had no motivation, I lost faith in myself.. one day I was just sitting going through Facebook and saw my younger brothers’ old status saying ‘Keep on making me proud’ which gave me the strength I needed, and because of his words today I am holding my fourth award.”

    The model further shared: “I read this somewhere that ‘Jo loug gir ke khud apnay pairoun per kharay hotay hain Khuda unn ki bohut madad kerta hai’ and I tried to stand back on my feet and Allah has always been there for me! And for people out there who have lost their loved ones, always remember one thing, they are far away from you ‘per woh aapkay dil mei hamesha rehte hain’.

    Thanking his fans he said, “Last but not least, I love my fans. This is possible because of the love and respect you show me. Thank you.”

    Lehri won four (2016, 2017,2018, 2020) Best Male Model awards at the LSAs.