Current Final

Author: News Desk

  • Aseefa Bhutto drives two Presidents in girl-boss move

    Aseefa Bhutto drives two Presidents in girl-boss move

    First Lady Aseefa Bhutto Zardari on Thursday took to X (formerly Twitter) to share footage of herself driving a car with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sitting next to her and President Asif Ali Zardari seated in the backseat. She called it an unforgettable moment. 

    Sharing footage of herself driving besides a smiling Erdogan, Aseefa wrote, “An unforgettable moment driving President 


    @RTErdogan during his visit to Pakistan. Very mindful while in the driving seat with two Presidents as passengers, but not a moment I will ever forget!”

    The youngest sister of the Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari drove the vehicle after Erdogan visited President House and gifted the Turkish-made TogT10X electric car to Asif Ali Zardari.

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif also received an e-car as a gift from the Turkish President following the latter’s visit to PM House.


     
    Internet users lauded the respectful gesture of the First Lady, calling the moment “most beautiful”. A social media user commented on Aseefa’s post, “Two Presidents in your safe hands! MashaAllah! This is just the beginning, InshaAllah! May you drive the future of the people of our land. Aameen!”

    Another user wrote, “A very powerful message from Pakistan to the world on women empowerment. The First Lady of Pakistan @AseefaBZ driving the Turkish President @RTErdogan.”

    A third user commented, “Proud daughter of #SMBB and #MardHur. This is a very powerful message from Pakistan to the world on women’s empowerment. The First Lady of Pakistan @AseefaBZ driving the Turkish President @RTErdogan.”

    “This is brilliant and empowering. My sister also drive her car and with examples like @AseefaBZ many more women/girls will be able to get these empowering fundamental rights. Hats off to our women leaders for their display of diplomacy and power today (sic),” another netizen said.

    The Turkish President, who arrived on Thursday night in Islamabad from Indonesia, was warmly welcomed by Asif Ali Zardari and Shehbaz Sharif at the airport.

    During a high-level meeting in PM House on Thursday, the Turkish President maintained that both countries considered expanding the scope of their current goods and trade agreements, according to state-run Radio Pakistan.

    Following the meeting, Erdogan told reporters, “Turkish investors will be encouraged to engage more in Pakistan and develop flagship projects.” 

    “Our military dialogue and cooperation in the defence industry have grown our trade and investment relations exponentially.”

    Speaking at the Pakistan-Turkiye Business Forum in Islamabad, the PM said, “We had committed that together, we will achieve a target of $5bn volume in bilateral trade, but unfortunately, it is a long way to go.”

  • Pakistan defeats Japan to reach semi-finals of Asian Junior Squash Team Championship

    Pakistan defeats Japan to reach semi-finals of Asian Junior Squash Team Championship

    Pakistan has secured a spot in the semi-finals of the 22nd Asian Junior Squash Team Championship after defeating Japan 2-1 in the quarter-finals.

    In the quarter-final clash, Ans Ali Shah won the first match for Pakistan, defeating Renshi Makino in an intense 53-minute battle with scores of 11-4, 11-6, 7-11, and 11-8.

    However, Sakhiullah Khan Tarin faced a tough contest against Sho Takashi, eventually losing after a hard-fought 57-minute match with scores of 11-9, 11-6, 2-11, 7-11, and 11-8.

    In the decisive match, Abdullah Nawaz delivered an outstanding performance, defeating Shinsaku Kariazono in just 30 minutes with scores of 11-7, 11-5, and 12-10, securing Pakistan’s victory.

    Pakistan will now face Korea in the semi-finals.

    Earlier in the tournament, Pakistan remained unbeaten in the group stage, defeating India, Macau, and China to advance to the knockout round.

  • Former football captain to run for PFF President

    Former football captain to run for PFF President

    Former Pakistan football captain Kaleemullah has decided to run for the presidency of the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF). 

    He has played for Pakistan for years and competed in leagues around the world, including the United States.

    Kaleemullah is seen as a strong candidate and has started gathering support to become the first international footballer to lead PFF. His football career was cut short due to internal conflicts in Pakistan’s football, but he remains well-connected in political, military, and football circles.

    He led Pakistan to a historic series win against India in 2014 and is the nephew of Balochistan Assembly Speaker Captain (retd) Abdul Khaliq Khan Achakzai. He has also organized football events, including one in Karachi, with support from PPP leader Bilawal Bhutto.

    Another strong candidate for the presidency is Syed Zahir Shah, a politician and newly elected member of the PFF Congress.

    Meanwhile, changes are happening in the PFF Normalization Committee. Chairman Haroon Malik is stepping down on February 15, and FIFA has appointed Saud Hashmi as his replacement. Saud has been part of the committee from the beginning and is expected to oversee fair elections.

    FIFA recently suspended PFF, but the ban may be lifted as soon as the newly elected PFF Congress prepares to approve proposed amendments.

  • Pakistan’s probable playing XI for final against New Zealand revealed

    Pakistan’s probable playing XI for final against New Zealand revealed

    Pakistan is set to face New Zealand in the highly anticipated final of the Tri-Series, scheduled to take place on Friday at the National Stadium in Karachi.

    According to reports, Pakistan’s probable playing XI for the final has been revealed. It is expected that the same squad that played against South Africa on Wednesday will take the field in the final.

    The lineup includes captain Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Khushdil Shah, Abrar Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Mohammad Hasnain.

    New Zealand has already secured its place in the final after winning its first two matches, defeating Pakistan by 78 runs and South Africa by six wickets. Pakistan also qualified for the final after a thrilling six-wicket victory against South Africa in the third match of the series.

    Mohammad Rizwan will lead the Pakistani side, while Mitchell Santner will handle New Zealand’s captaincy responsibilities.

    The ongoing Tri-Series features three teams—Pakistan, New Zealand, and South Africa—competing in a series of One Day Internationals in Pakistan.

  • COAS denies receiving Imran Khan’s letter

    COAS denies receiving Imran Khan’s letter

    Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir has denied receiving any letter from incarcerated former premier Imran Khan.

    In a formal conversation with the media on Thursday, the Army chief, while alluding to the jailed Imran Khan’s open letter, said that he would not “read it [the letter] even if I receive it.”

    He maintained that he would forward any such communication to Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif if he received it.

    “Pakistan is moving forward, and Pakistan has to move forward,” the army chief said.

    The clarification comes a day after Imran Khan’s lawyer, Faisal Chaudhry, claimed that the PTI founder had written a third letter to the army chief.

    On February 3, Chaudhry, while speaking to the media outside Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, had stated, “Imran Khan, as a party supremo and former premier, has written a six-point letter to the army chief, expressing solidarity with the military in its fight against terrorism, and acknowledging the sacrifices made by our soldiers.”

    According to Chaudhry, Khan’s letter maintained that the entire nation was standing with its armed forces and also highlighted for Gen Munir the issue of “fraudulent elections,” the controversial Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), the 26th Amendment, and the Al-Qadir Trust case verdict against him.

    On February 8, party sources claimed Khan had written a second letter, this time complaining about the reaction to the first letter, among other things.

    “I wrote an open letter to you with sincere intentions for the betterment of the nation… However, the response I received was highly unserious and irresponsible [sic],” read a statement on Khan’s official X handle.

    In the second letter, Khan reportedly went on to write a series of complaints to General Asim Munir. “I was placed in solitary confinement under extreme conditions for 20 days… in a cell where even sunlight could not reach. For five days, my cell’s electricity was cut off, leaving me in complete darkness,” he claimed.

    “My exercise equipment and television were confiscated and I was denied access to newspapers… apart from those 20 days, I was also kept in solitary for 40 hours,” he said and added that he had only been allowed to talk to his sons three times over the past six months, despite a court order allowing him to contact his children regularly.

    On February 12, Faisal Chaudhry said in a statement, “The PTI founder, in his letter to the army chief, has raised the issue of giving preference to the minority over the majority through election fraud.”

  • NAB chief warns of capital flight as 25,000 Pakistanis shift funds abroad for foreign citizenship

    NAB chief warns of capital flight as 25,000 Pakistanis shift funds abroad for foreign citizenship

    National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman, retired Lieutenant Gen Nazir Ahmed Butt, has warned that approximately 25,000 individuals may have shifted significant capital abroad to acquire citizenship through investment.

    NAB Chairman, while speaking at the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) on Wednesday, underscored the need to curb both brain drain and capital flight to retain Pakistan’s human and financial resources.

    An analysis by Pulse Consultants, An Overview of Pakistani Emigration Patterns (2008-2024), based on data from the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment, found that around 10 million Pakistanis have moved abroad in search of work since 2008. These Pakistanis working overseas contributed a significant $30.251 million in remittances in the fiscal year 2023-24.

    Of these, approximately 2.389 million moved abroad during the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) era from 2008 to 2013. According to the analysis, a whopping 3.54 million people moved abroad during the time of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government from 2013 to 2018.

    Another 1.75 million Pakistanis left the country under Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) aborted tenure from 2018 to 2022. The incumbent Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government, however, has seen nearly the same figure, 1.67 million, leave in just the past two years, from 2022 to 2024.

    NAB Chairman maintained that if the nation focused on growth, the country had the potential to become a trillion-dollar economy within the next six to seven years, according to the KCCI’s press release.

    He asserted that rice exports alone had reached $3.8 billion, while total agricultural exports touched $9 billion. Pakistan had shifted from an agriculture-import-driven economy to an export-driven one, a positive trend that should be leveraged, he added.

    He also emphasised that Pakistan must focus on improving its competitiveness rather than relying on trade agreements such as the European Union’s GSP+ preferential tariff scheme.

    NAB Chairman further reiterated NAB’s commitment to creating a fair business environment and discouraging harassment by government departments.

    Meanwhile, Businessmen Group (BMG) Chairman Zubair Motiwala said Pakistan’s IT sector had the potential to reach $30 billion in exports, but this potential was being undermined due to harassment by numerous departments.

  • Video: Here’s Naseem Shah’s Indian doppelganger

    Video: Here’s Naseem Shah’s Indian doppelganger

    A man resembling Pakistani fast bowler Naseem Shah has gone viral after expressing anger in a video over a controversy related to the YouTube show India Got Latent. However, instead of focusing on the issue, social media users are more obsessed with his uncanny resemblance to the Pakistani heartthrob cricketer.

    In the now-viral clip, the Naseem Shah lookalike expresses frustration over how much attention India’s Got Latent is receiving. He argues that the focus should be on bigger issues like inflation, pollution, and unemployment instead of debating whether the show should be banned.

    He said, “Of course, our country will only become great when shows like India’s Got Latent are banned. Even Elon Musk and China think the same way. China disrupted the market with platforms like DeepSea, but in our country, the trending topic is whether India’s Got Latent should be banned.”

    “People are being summoned as if they are criminals. Inflation is rising, pollution is increasing, unemployment is growing, but no one is talking about these issues,” he added.

    He also slammed the hypocrisy around entertainment, saying, “Controversial songs like Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai, Sheila Ki Jawani, and Bidi Jalai Le have played at festivals for years, but no one had a problem with them. Where was the moral outrage then?”

    “Comedy should be seen as comedy. This is not a physics or philosophy class. If you don’t like the show, don’t watch it. But people want to watch and criticize at the same time—what double standards!” he added.

    Despite his serious take on the issue, the highlight for many social media users remains his resemblance to Naseem Shah. The video has sparked humorous memes.

    One user commented, “Ye bilkul Naseem Shah ka bhai lag raha hai” (He looks exactly like Naseem Shah’s brother). Another joked, “Hailaaaa! Naseem Shah!”

    Some cricket fans, seemingly confused, even thought he was Naseem himself. “Starting m mujhe laga yeh Pakistan ka cricket player Naseem Shah hai” (At first, I thought this was Pakistan’s cricket player Naseem Shah),” wrote one user. Another asked, “Yeh banda Naseem Shah hai kya? Pakistani bowler?”

    Some even humorously advised the man to stay out of Indian controversies and focus on cricket. “Why is Naseem Shah angry over Indian issues? Bro, focus on the Champions Trophy,” one person commented. Another added, “Naseem Shah, bowling par dhyan de!” (Naseem Shah, focus on bowling!).

    Meanwhile, others couldn’t help but joke about his resemblance, calling him “Naseem Shah ke bichade bhai” (Naseem Shah’s long-lost brother).

    Despite the man’s attempts to address the controversy, it seems the internet is only interested in one thing—how much he looks like Pakistan’s young fast-bowling sensation.

  • Heated debate erupts between Gharida Farooqi, Meher Bano Qureshi on TV show

    Heated debate erupts between Gharida Farooqi, Meher Bano Qureshi on TV show

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Meher Bano Qureshi and journalist Gharida Farooqi got into a heated debate on Wednesday when the latter said that legislators are accountable to the media and the public.

    Speaking on a private news channel on Wednesday, the journalist mocked PTI’s narrative, remarking that whenever the party leadership met with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir, they beamed with joy.  “We used to criticise Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz over their U-turn from ‘Vote Ko Izzat Do’ slogan,” she said.

    Gharida Farooqi further claimed that PTI came into power in 2018 with public tax money and if the party wished to form the government again, it would be accountable to the public as well as to the media.

    In reply, the daughter of imprisoned former Foreign Minister and senior PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Meher Bano Qureshi, alleged, “You [Farooqi] as a journalist are accountable to people, where you spread or mis spread information to {…} If you want to talk about accountability, then all the individuals who sit in parliament with false oaths, knowing that they were not actually elected, are also accountable.”

    Qureshi further said, “This is also accountability that you [Farooqi] should have to speak the truth by telling where the interference happened and who was involved in the interference.”

    The journalist countered by asserting that she would not speak the truth of someone’s choice, adding, “The patriarchal thinking that politicians are not accountable to media and public must be left behind.”

    The journalist then moved on to ask why the salaries of Members of the National Assembly (MNA) were increased, alluding to the bill passed yesterday from the National Assembly, which increased Members of Parliament’s monthly salaries from PKR 180,000 to 519,000.

    Farooqi claimed that the rationale for increasing the wages of MNAs and senators to meet their household expenses is completely illogical. “I do not pay taxes to cover your [lawmakers] household expenses, but pay for state welfare and my own convenience.”

    PML-N leader Rana Ahsan Afzal, who was also present in the talk show, chimed in, saying that the legislators get compensation in exchange for serving their role in parliamentary democracy.

    “If a laborer who gets PKR35,000-40,000 salary in this country can meet his household expenses, then our parliamentarian can definitely manage on a lac or two lacs,” asserted Farooqi.

    “Why then did the judges and journalists receive high salaries?” asked Afzal while dubbing debate “illogical”.

  • Man who helped save Rishabh Pant in 2022 takes poison with girlfriend

    Man who helped save Rishabh Pant in 2022 takes poison with girlfriend

    Rajat Kumar, the 25-year-old man who saved Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant in a 2022 car accident, has reportedly consumed poison along with his girlfriend.

    According to NDTV, the incident occurred on February 9 in Bochha Basti village, Muzaffarnagar district, Uttar Pradesh.

    Rajat Kumar and his 21-year-old girlfriend Manu Kashyap reportedly took poison as their families were against their relationship. Manu passed away during treatment, while Rajat Kumar remains in critical condition.

    Indian reports suggest that both families had arranged their marriages elsewhere and refused to accept their relationship as they were from different castes, driving them to attempt suicide.

    Following Manu Kashyap’s death, her mother accused Rajat Kumar of kidnapping her daughter and poisoning her.

    Rajat Kumar gained national attention in December 2022 when he, along with another man, Nishu Kumar, saved cricketer Rishabh Pant from a severe car accident.

    Pant was travelling from Delhi to Uttarakhand when his Mercedes crashed and caught fire. 

    Rajat and Nishu Kumar acted swiftly, pulling him out of the burning vehicle and taking him to a nearby hospital for treatment.

  • ICC fines Shaheen Afridi, Saud Shakeel and Kamran Ghulam

    ICC fines Shaheen Afridi, Saud Shakeel and Kamran Ghulam

    The International Cricket Council (ICC) has fined Shaheen Afridi, Saud Shakeel, and Kamran Ghulam for violating the ICC Code of Conduct.

    According to the ICC, Shaheen Afridi has been fined 25 percent of his match fee, while Saud Shakeel and substitute player Kamran Ghulam have each been fined 10 percent of their match fees.

    All three players are said to have breached the Code of Conduct during a match against South Africa in the tri-nation series. Additionally, each player has been handed one demerit point.

    Afridi deliberately obstructed South African batter Matthew Breetzke’s path, made inappropriate body contact, and became involved in an argument. Meanwhile, Saud Shakeel and Kamran Ghulam celebrated a dismissal too close to Temba Bavuma.