Current Final

Author: News Desk

  • KP’s natural resources are not PTM’s dowry: DG ISPR

    KP’s natural resources are not PTM’s dowry: DG ISPR

    Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, DG of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) has issued a controversial statement on Tuesday while addressing cadets in Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying that the natural resources in the province are not Pashtun Tahafuz Movement’s (PTM) “birthright or dowry.”

    “Understand what they [PTM] are asking. They say that KP has chromite, copper, oil and gas, and nobody is allowed to touch it. Very good…then develop it yourself. Allah has bestowed Pakistan with abundant natural resources, not just KPK. Did PTM get these resources in their inheritance? Or they got it as dowry?”

    The military’s media wing chief referred to the recent Jirga held on October 11 by the PTM. The jirga claimed to address key issues affecting the Pashtuns, including security concerns, political autonomy, and socio-economic challenges in the region. 

    It should be noted that the October 11 Jirga was a continuation of previous jirgas, including the 2022 Bannu Jirga, leading to further discussions on Pashtun rights.

    In 2022, the jirga presented 25 points, one of which included: “The national right of the Pashtun people over all natural resources of the Pakhtunkhwa region be recognized. The provisions of the Pakistani constitution be implemented in the real sense, and oil refineries be built in the Pakhtunkhwa province.”

    During his address, the DG ISPR criticised the notion of “creating divisions on ethnic bases.” “The jirga is a noble tradition, but the concept of their demands is wrong. This concept of protecting Pashtuns from non-Pashtuns is wrong. The Army is composed of 25% Pashtuns. Our ancestors made this country in the name of Allah, not on an ethnic basis. This thinking is that if one is from a certain clan, one could be superior to any other human being – that is jahaalat [ignorance].”

    “Would you like to be associated with ethnicity? But Hazaras also live in the KP; Hindkos and Chitralis are also here. More than 10 million Pashtuns are settled in Punjab. Karachi has Pashtun people, and we are a diverse society. This concept is entirely wrong,” stated the DG ISPR.

    PTM supporters on social media criticised DG ISPR for his speech while using the hashtag #WeStandWith11OctJirga. One user took to X to express their disappointment with the DG’s statement, writing, “DG ISPR says that the Pashtuns got the resources on the land in dowry, so did the Pakistani army get it in dowry? Mr. DG, we will have authority over our resources very soon, God willing, our resources are not for the generals to buy, and these resources were given to us by Allah a long time ago, Pakistan has completed 75 years, which is younger than our grandfather I am sorry to hear your conversation like this.”

  • South Korean actor Song Jae-rim found dead

    South Korean actor Song Jae-rim found dead

    Renowned South Korean actor and model Song Jae-rim has been found dead at his home.

    According to Korean media, the 39-year-old actor’s body was discovered on Tuesday, November 12, in his apartment in the Seongdong district of Seoul.

    Officials reported that a two-page letter was also recovered from Song Jae-rim’s residence.

    Although the exact cause of his death is not yet known, police authorities confirmed that there is no evidence of foul play or criminal involvement in the death, while further investigations continue.

    According to Korean media reports, Song Jae Rim’s funeral will be held on November 14 in Yeouido.

    Following the news of his passing, fans took to social media in shock and grief. 

    Song Jae Rim began his acting career in 2009 and gained fame for his roles as a bodyguard in the historical drama Moon Embracing the Sun (2012) and a ruthless killer in Two Weeks (2013).

    He appeared alongside Kim So Eun in the fourth season of the popular reality show.

    We Got Married, which significantly boosted his popularity and earned him the Best Couple Award at the MBC Entertainment Awards in 2017.

    Some of Song

    Jae Rim’s popular dramas include Secret Garden, Cool Guys, Hot Ramen, Inspiring Generation, and I Wanna Hear Your Song.

  • Azaz Syed asks NADRA Chief about dual role; General Munir Afsar gives vague answer

    Azaz Syed asks NADRA Chief about dual role; General Munir Afsar gives vague answer

    Veteran journalist Azaz Syed, known for his candid and probing questions, has asked the serving Chairman of the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), Lieutenant General Munir Afsar a question about his appointment, termed illegal by many legal experts. 


    On Tuesday, the journalist was present in Parliament House where he asked Lieutenant General Munir Afsar about his alleged illegal appointment as Chairman of NADRA during the interim government, to which the General replied, “It’s a sub judice case; contact Lahore High Court for clarification.” 

    Responding to the journalist’s question about serving two posts simultaneously, one as Chairman of NADRA and the second as a serving army officer, Munir Afsar substantiated it by saying: “The founding Chairman of NADRA was also serving.”

    Chairman NADRA seemed to have mostly dodged the journalist’s questions in the video Azaz filmed. 

    Lieutenant General Munir Afsar was appointed as the NADRA Chairman on October 2, 2023, during the interim government, following the retirement of the then-serving Chairman of NADRA, Tariq Malik.

    Ashba Kamran, a citizen, had approached the Lahore High Court about the appointment of an in-service army officer as chairman of NADRA by maintaining that the appointment was “in violation of the provisions of NADRA Ordinance, 2000.”

    She asserted that the caretaker government is not mandated to call decisions on permanent policy matters and urged the court to remove Munir Afsar as NADRA Chairman.

    Citing the unofficial approach of the caretaker government and the lack of qualifications evaluation over appointment, Justice Asim Hafeez declared the appointment of Munir Afsar as Chairman of NADRA “unauthorised” and in violation of NADRA’s rules.

    “Lest anyone misunderstand this, we make it clear that the appointment to any post under the government can only be made after a proper advertisement has been made, inviting applications from eligible candidates,” the order of the verdict said.

    However, the federal government challenged the ruling of Justice Asim Hafeez.

    Lahore High Court division bench, on September 11, 2023, overturned the single bench decision and restored the position of Munir Afsar as NADRA Chairman.


    When asked about the alleged illegal appointment of Munib Cheema, Munir Afsar stated: “You should ask the Auditor General (AG)” about the appointment, noting, “I hadn’t made an appointment.”

  • Babar Azam donates Test jersey to Usman Khawaja’s foundation

    Babar Azam donates Test jersey to Usman Khawaja’s foundation

    Batting maestro Babar Azam has donated a Test jersey to Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja for his foundation in Brisbane.

    Speaking on the occasion, Khawaja said, “I am collecting donations for the foundation; Babar Azam gave me his Test jersey; I am grateful to him. Babar is a great cricketer of Pakistan.”

    Babar said, “I am in touch with Usman Bhai; we keep talking during matches. I promised him that if I could support him in any way, I would definitely do it. It is an honour for me to have done something for his foundation.”

    A three-match T20 series between Pakistan and Australia is starting tomorrow.

    Pakistan has already defeated Australia in the three-match ODI series by 2-1, a rare feat achieved after 22 years on their home ground.

  • Which Bollywood superstar made Naseem Vicky blank out on stage

    Which Bollywood superstar made Naseem Vicky blank out on stage


    Imagine being on stage in front of a crowd, with one of Bollywood’s biggest superstars watching, and suddenly, you forget your joke. 

    That’s exactly what happened to Naseem Vicky, one of Pakistan’s most beloved comedians, during a performance for Comedy Nights Bachao. 
     
    Talking about the experience on Gup Shab, Naseem shared the unforgettable moment from his career that left him speechless.
     A fan from the audience asked, “Have you ever forgotten your joke during a performance?”
     
    Naseem Vicky replied, “Yes, it actually happened once when I went to perform for Comedy Nights Bachao.  There were celebrities sitting in front of me, including Mika and Salman Khan. My joke was that I was going to roast them. I had planned to tell Salman Khan, ‘Make me your son,’ and he would reply, ‘How can I have such an old son?’ I had this punchline ready. But, my mother had just passed away, and I was grieving. That was the first time in my life that I went up on stage and couldn’t remember my script. I was blank. I kept trying to recall it, but couldn’t. Then, suddenly, there was a blast on set, and the transformer blew up. Allah helped me, and after a little while, I regained my composure. It was a very tough episode for me because my mind was focused on my mother.”
     
    Co-host Rabbania Shirjeel asked, “What do you think, if we compare Pakistan to India, where do comedians and theater artists have more opportunities?”  
     
     “They have more opportunities there in India, here, our comedians work very hard. We don’t get written material, we don’t get ready-made content. What they do is they perform, they do comedy. Here, we focus only on punchlines. If we were given proper comedy situations, we would do amazing work. We have fantastic comedians here like Iftikhar Thakur, Qaisar Piya, Nasir Chinati, Agha Majid, and many others who have not been used properly. There are so many people who are just not getting an opportunity, and they could do wonders in films and television if they were given the right roles. The only issue is that the majority of them don’t know English, and that’s why they are one step behind. But if they get proper opportunities, the film industry in our country could be amazing, and sitcoms could become really successful,” the Heer Da Hero actor replied.
     
     
    When asked about bringing elements from the Indian industry to Pakistan or taking elements from Pakistan to India to change the industry, Naseem Vicky shared his insights: 


    “What happens is, if you don’t have a good script, you can bring all the best cameras, locations, costumes, and everything else, but it won’t work. If the script is good, then you can make a short clip with simple resources, and it will be great. The script is the key. I would also advise Vasay Bhai to write films like the Punjabi films in India and then make them. Don’t worry about money. Just focus on the quality of the work. The rest will follow.”

  • PCB asks tough questions from ICC after India refuses to come to Pakistan

    PCB asks tough questions from ICC after India refuses to come to Pakistan

    Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has sought answers to important questions in a letter written to the head of the International Cricket Council (ICC) after India refused to come to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy.

    The PCB wrote a letter to the ICC on Tuesday after India refused to come to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy.

    According to Geo, vital  answers have been sought in the letter written by the PCB to the head of the ICC.

    The PCB has asked the ICC when exactly did the Indian Cricket Board inform them that the Indian cricket team will not be able to participate in the Champions Trophy, which will be held in Pakistan. PCB has also asked whether the Indian Cricket Board has informed the ICC in writing about its refusal. The PCB has also asked the next question: if India has refused in writing to come to Pakistan, then what are the reasons for it. 

    PCB asked the ICC for a copy of the Indian Cricket Board’s written notice so that the reasons on the basis of which the decision was taken can be reviewed.

    What is your response to the Indian Cricket Board’s refusal to send the team asked PCB in the letter, PCB has asked. 

    After getting answers to all these questions, the Pakistan Cricket Board will take legal advice and guidance from its government so that the next course of action can be formulated.

    If India really does not send its cricket team to Pakistan and the ICC accepts India’s refusal, then Pakistan will not play any match with the Indian cricket team during the Champions Trophy under any circumstances.

    Earlier, there were reports that PCB is taking a tough stance on the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) decision not to send its team to the Champions Trophy in Pakistan: considering a ‘minus-India’ formula in response.

    The PCB has decided to use examples from the 1996 and 2003 World Cup in its initial stance to adopt a tough stance against India.

    However, Indian media reports are claiming that the Champions Trophy will be shifted to South Africa if Pakistan rejects the hybrid model.

    The decision will be made at the board meeting, where a poll will be necessary for transferring the Champions Trophy from Pakistan.

    The International Cricket Council (ICC) is awaiting the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) response to an email sent on Friday, and ICC’s next course of action will depend on the PCB’s reaction, the report said.

  • Did Atif Aslam really say he will not perform in Saudi Arabia?

    Did Atif Aslam really say he will not perform in Saudi Arabia?

    Renowned singer Atif Aslam has distanced himself from a statement attributed to him regarding a concert in Saudi Arabia.

    According to sources close to the singer, “Atif did not make any statement regarding holding a concert in Saudi Arabia or not. He did not make any statement that he would not hold a concert in Saudi Arabia, adding that the statement attributed to Atif Aslam on social media is “a complete lie.”

    Atif has performed in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, in the past.

    Atif Aslam stopped concert to fulfill a fan’s request

    Singer Atif Aslam stopped in the middle of a concert to fulfill a fan’s request. A video of the interaction went viral on social media.

    In the viral video, it can be seen that during a concert in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, a female fan approached the stage to take a selfie with the singer, but security personnel pushed her back, preventing her from moving forward. She stumbled after losing her balance.

    Arif saw the scene unfolding while performing on stage. He paused the concert to say, “Be gentle with the fans.”

    At that point, a security official told Atif Aslam, “These fans are coming forward to take a selfie with you.”

    After listening to the security guard, he invited the fan on stage to take a selfie with him.

    Atif Aslam and Ed Sheeran shine at Diljit Dosanjh’s concert

    Indian superstar Diljit Dosanjh, Pakistani legend Atif Aslam, and British icon Ed Sheeran – who wouldn’t want to see these three music stars together? For those who missed it, Dosanjh’s tour producer Sonali Singh thrilled fans by sharing heartwarming photos on Instagram. The images showed Aslam and Sheeran meeting backstage at Dosanjh’s Birmingham concert, part of his DIL-Luminati tour.

    On Instagram, Atif Aslam shared a picture with Ed Sheeran.

    In the caption of the Instagram post, he wrote, “What a night it was.”

    Ed Sheeran made a surprise entry at Diljit Dosanjh’s electrifying ‘Dilluminati Tour’ concert in Birmingham, captivating the audience.

    Atif Aslam and Ed Sheeran unexpectedly met during the concert, with pictures shared by Atif Aslam himself and Diljit Dosanjh’s business manager Sonali Singh on social media, which quickly went viral.

    Fans were overjoyed after seeing the backstage meeting photos. As soon as the pictures started circulating on social media, fans suggested that the two artists should collaborate for a concert.

  • Earthquake jolts areas of KP and Islamabad

    Earthquake jolts areas of KP and Islamabad

    Tremors have been felt in various areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and the capital territory of Islamabad earlier on Wednesday. The epicentre was in Afghanistan’s Badakhshan region.

    The United States Geological Survey (USGS) revealed that the earthquake had a magnitude of 5.1 while the epicentre of the quake was located 37 kilometres west-southwest of Afghanistan’s Ishkashim town, with a depth of 220.7 km. On the other hand, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) reported the magnitude as 5.3.

    The earthquake struck at 10:13 AM, Pakistan Standard Time, as confirmed by both the USGS and PMD.

    DawnNewsTV reported that the tremors were felt in Peshawar and surrounding areas, as well as in parts of Islamabad. Residents in the affected cities reported that the quake caused people to evacuate buildings in panic.

    No casualties have been reported so far.

  • Exemption of Urdu for O-level students on medical grounds irks educators

    Exemption of Urdu for O-level students on medical grounds irks educators

    The recent exemption of the Urdu subject exam for O-level students on medical grounds has sparked serious concerns among educators in Pakistan.

      

    According to critiques, the exemption conveys a strange message that sickness only impacts students’ ability to read and write a particular language. They fear that the higher-level decision will further exclude the national language from school curricula.

    The Inter Boards Coordination Commission (IBCC) has recently exempted O-level students from the Urdu exam on medical grounds. In a recent notification issued by the IBCC’s Assistant Director, it has been clearly mentioned that O-level students appearing for their examinations on medical grounds will be exempted from the compulsory subject of Urdu.

    It was announced during the 173rd meeting of the IBCC on September 30 that a student must provide proof of their medical condition to be allowed an exemption for the Urdu exam.

    According to IBCC’s website, English, Urdu, Islamic Studies, Pakistan Studies and Mathematics have been included in the eight compulsory subjects of O-level in Pakistan. A notification was also issued by the Federal Ministry of Education in June 2023.

    Urdu, English, Pakistan Studies, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Computer Science, Entrepreneurship and Islamic Studies have been approved for Grades nine to 12 under the National Curriculum of Pakistan.

    The IBCC’s announcement has triggered a fresh debate among the education circles in the country, with some teachers questioning why the students are being allowed an exemption on medical grounds from the subject of Urdu only when an exemption from any compulsory subject could be sought on medical grounds.

    Terming it a discriminatory move, an Urdu teacher observes that the IBCC could have issued a notification in which either no subject or all the compulsory subjects were mentioned. “Students, who don’t want to study Urdu, can misuse this exemption on medical grounds,” he said.

    Dr Irfan Shah, who is a Professor of Urdu at the Government City College, Karachi, is of the view that the notification is beyond the IBCC’s jurisdiction. “This matter is related to the National Curriculum and only the Bureau of Curriculum can decide all kinds of exemptions related to compulsory subjects,” he maintained. Shah wondered how such decisions are being made by the subordinate bodies of a federal minister whose mother tongue is Urdu as well.

    IBCC’s Director Meetings Aamar Gilani, when contacted by the Express Tribune, conveyed his unawareness of the matter, saying this was a specific case and no general notification had been issued.

    When the correspondent read out the notification to Gilani, he inquired about how the notification came to be accessible. “I have to see when and how the general notification was issued,” he responded.

    COURTESY TO THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE

  • Block pornographic and blasphemous content, ministry urges PTA

    Block pornographic and blasphemous content, ministry urges PTA

    The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has been urged to block and restrict public access to pornographic, blasphemous and other harmful online content.

    The Ministry of Religious Affairs, in an official communique to the top telecom regulator, showed concerns that Pakistan is becoming “one of the leading countries in terms of viewing pornographic content, which is highly alarming, especially in light of its negative impact on public morality and the well-being of our society”.

    “Despite the proactive measures taken by the PTA to block such content in line with the Supreme Court orders issued in January 2016, May 2016, and March 2018, it has been observed that pornographic and blasphemous material is still readily accessible on multiple online platforms.”

    The ministry acknowledged the PTA’s efforts to curb this issue by blocking the accessibility of such content, but noted with concerns that such material “is still online accessible that violates our cultural and religious values”.

    The letter further states that the widespread availability of such content undermines efforts to protect citizens, particularly young people, from exposure to harmful material.

    It also raises concerns regarding the adherence to the directives of the top court and the authority’s ability to enforce content regulations effectively.