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Author: News Desk

  • Rameez Raja blames Babar Azam for bad pitches

    Rameez Raja blames Babar Azam for bad pitches

    Former Chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Rameez Raja has blamed Babar Azam for the bad pitches used during Australia’s tour of Pakistan.

    According to Geo, “The pitch during Australia’s tour of Pakistan and the Test series was prepared at the behest of Babar Azam. The preparation of the pitches and the selection of the players were done according to the strategy made by the captain.”

    The former PCB chairman said, “I always preferred captain’s strategy over pitch preparation and player selection. When Babar Azam was the captain, I asked him what is your plan. During the series against Australia, he prepared wickets according to the strategy.”

    “Babar was allowed to set the game plan and prepare his players accordingly, especially for the first Test match because he was the captain, and what happens on the ground is what the captain plans,” he added.

    Video Source: Twitter

    He said, “Without knowing the nature of the pitches, the result of playing the match by guessing is visible to everyone because without understanding the pitch, you cannot adopt any plan or strategy, and in the end, that thing leads to your loss. Pakistan is also going through the same situation, and the reason for the defeat at home is that the pitches don’t match Pakistan’s talent.”

    Rameez Raja served as PCB chairman from 2021 to 2022.

  • Fakhar Zaman responds to PCB’s Show-cause notice

    Fakhar Zaman responds to PCB’s Show-cause notice

    National cricket team’s batsman Fakhar Zaman has responded to the show-cause notice issued by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for supporting former captain Babar Azam.

    Babar Azam was dropped from the Pakistan team against England, after which opener Fakhar Zaman posted a post in support of him, saying that Babar deserved better treatment.

    He had given an example and said that India’s star batsman Virat Kohli also had a bad time, and despite three years of poor form, he was not benched, but throwing out the country’s best batsman will send a negative message to the team.

    After his post, PCB took action and issued a show-cause notice to Fakhar Zaman, seeking his reply. The batsman has sent his reply to the PCB.

    According to reports, he said, ‘I am under the PCB, and I must accept the decisions; writing about Babar Azam was not meant to criticize or hurt anyone. PCB’s central contract is of the opinion; I spoke as a fellow player; my only aim was for Babar Azam to have a chance in difficult times. PCB is our institution; we will continue to respect it.’

    After seeing Fakhar Zaman’s response, the board will decide on his inclusion in the team for the tour of Australia.

    The Pakistan team for the tour of Australia is likely to be announced on Monday; the Pakistan team is scheduled to participate in the ODI and T20I series next month in the land of kangaroos.

  • What did Law Minister say about the Constitutional Amendments?

    What did Law Minister say about the Constitutional Amendments?

    As the legislature goes to vote on the 26th Constitutional Amendments after much confusion and controversy, federal Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar offered some clarifications on the bill.

    Talking to the press on Sunday afternoon, the Minister praised Bilawal Bhutto Zardari for helping pass the amendments before offering a few clarifications on some points.

    “The Chief Justice will head the judicial commission. Under the leadership of the Chief Justice, the Judicial Commission will formulate Constitutional Benches,” he said. When asked about the amendments that Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) wanted to be incorporated into the draft, he stated, “JUI-F has given five suggestions for the amendments. JUI-F’s suggestions about interest [Riba] have been added to the amendments.”

    He then talked about provincial courts. “A mechanism for provincial constitutional benches has been included in the draft.”

    He confirmed that the Chief Justice will be the head of the judicial commission while four senior most judges will be part of the judicial commission.

    “The amendment includes the matter of the evaluation of the performance of high court judges. This is a new thing, performance evaluation,” he observed.

    The Chief Justice will have a tenure of three years, the minister stated, adding that one non-Muslim member will be part of the judicial commission.

  • Long-awaited 26th Amendment tabled; PTI skips voting

    Long-awaited 26th Amendment tabled; PTI skips voting

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has decided to skip voting on the controversial 26th Constitutional Amendments as both the Upper and Lower Houses are expected to go to vote on Sunday evening.

    Chairman of PTI, Barrister Gohar, again met Maulana Fazlur Rehman, head of Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) on Sunday afternoon to discuss the Amendments again.

    Talking to the press after the meeting, Barrister Gohar said, “We appreciate Maulana’s role but Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf will not vote on this Amendment.”

    He said that he hoped to continue the fruitful relation the party has with Fazlur Rehman.

    Maulana himself them took to the podium to make a few short comments.

    “In the process of [formulating] the Constitutional Amendments, we have broken the teeth of the black snake and removed it’s venom. I think PTI will agree with this.

    Abstaining from voting as protest is PTI’s right.”

    The two leaders then walked away.

  • ‘The connection is very different’: Areej Chaudhary on Mustafa and Sharjeena

    ‘The connection is very different’: Areej Chaudhary on Mustafa and Sharjeena

    Actress and model Areej Chaudhary, who plays the character of Natasha in the hit drama serial Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum, recently opened up about her role and the lessons viewers can learn from the storyline.

    Recently, she gave an interview to Connect Cinne, where Areej reflected on the chemistry between Mustafa and Sharjeena.

    The host, Fardioon Shahryar, asked, “There has been a lot of discussion about Mustafa and Sharjeena’s chemistry. What’s your take on it? Do you find it amazing and one of the reasons it has connected with audiences worldwide?”

    Areej said, “Their connection is very different. The first thing I want to tell you about them is that Sharjeena was getting married to someone else, but it didn’t happen, so what happened was she got married to Mustafa.”

    The Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum actress also spoke about the unexpected turns of life, sharing her thoughts.

    “But you see how things turned out—you didn’t like a person at first, and suddenly you end up marrying them. Sometimes you feel like your chemistry with someone isn’t going to work, but you never really know. You never know when you might develop amazing chemistry with someone. A person you didn’t expect can become the best companion for you,” Areej said.

    “I think this is a lesson for people, and it’s a beautiful thing that shows us that sometimes the decision we make, thinking, ‘This person is perfect for me, I should marry them,’ doesn’t turn out to be right in the long run. And sometimes things happen accidentally, by nature or by God’s will, and it turns out to be a miracle for you, becoming much better than expected,” the Sitam actress added.

    Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum is written by Farhat Ishtiaq and directed by Badar Mehmood.

    The drama airs every Monday and Tuesday at 8:00 PM on ARY Digital.

  • Gold price in Pakistan increases Rs6,300 in a week

    Gold price in Pakistan increases Rs6,300 in a week

    Gold price in Pakistan witnessed an increase of Rs6,300 per tola within six trading sessions during the week ending on October 19, 2024.

    On a week-over-week basis, the price of 24-karat gold surged by Rs6,300, breaking all-time high record and ending the week at a new record high rate of Rs281,800 per tola as compared to its price recorded on October 12, when the yellow metal was priced at Rs275,500 per tola in the local gold market.

    A number of experts have attributed the latest surge in local and international gold prices to escalating tensions in the Middle East, along with uncertainties regarding US elections, coupled with relaxed monetary policy expectations.

    The latest increase in gold’s rate was witnessed on Saturday, when gold prices saw an increase of Rs900 per tola ad closed at new historic high.

    According to All-Pakistan Gems and Jewellers Sarafa Association (APGJSA), which shares gold prices on a daily basis, the ten-gramme gold also witnessed a single-day surge of Rs772, clocking in at Rs241,598.

    The recent surge in local gold rates comes after gold prices, in the international market, were seen at their highest level after rising by $9. As per APGJSA, the price of gold was recorded at $2,721 per ounce, including a premium of $20.

    Silver prices in the local market were also up for the second straight session. According to the associaton, silver rate was recorded about Rs50 up, settling the week at Rs3,150 per tola.

  • $1000 for flour, $73 for a dozen eggs; sky-high prices of food in Gaza

    $1000 for flour, $73 for a dozen eggs; sky-high prices of food in Gaza

    Israel has closed the Rafah crossing, which has resulted in a food blockade in Gaza, leaving almost 400,000 Palestinians facing starvation.

    A recent report by Maram Humaid and Alia Chghtai of Al Jazeera elaborates that at least 2.15 million people, or 96 per cent of the population, are facing high levels of food shortages, with one in five people facing starvation across the besieged enclave of Gaza.

    Israeli airstrikes and forced evacuations have closed food distribution points, kitchens and bakeries.

    Additionally, the only functioning bakery in Northern Gaza, supported by the World Food Programme (WFP), also caught fire after an Israeli airstrike.

    10-year-old food blogger Renad Attallah has frequently spoken about the shortage of food in Gaza as she makes her recipes with the available ingredients.

    In one of her videos she excitedly examined two sugar packets inside an aid package, an item usually considered unaffordable for her family as it costs 99 Dirhams in the war-torn Gaza.

    On top of that, the prices of basic essentials are very high.

    Gazans lack basic essential goods, lost their jobs and are dependent upon charity kitchens and aid distributions for food and cash coupons. Their cash savings have run out.

    Al Jazeera journalists compiled a summary of the prices of food items as of September.

    Prices of essential items have increased to a great extent. Flour, for example, costs $150 for a 25kg (approximately 55-pound) bag in the south and up to $1,000 per bag in the north.

    However, a dozen eggs that cost $3.50 before the war now sell at $32 in the South and about $73 in the North.

    Non-dairy powdered milk is now being sold in the north for $1 a spoonful or $124 a kilo (2.2 pounds).

    Infant formula, which is imperative for children’s growth, is largely unavailable in the North and costs $15 a tin in the South. Meanwhile, an average tin is approximately 350gm (12 ounces).

    The price of the biggest source of protein, frozen meat, has increased 17 times and sells at $90 per kg in the North and 41 dollars in the South.

    Fresh produce, including cucumbers and tomatoes, are among the most expensive after Israel destroyed most of Gaza’s farms.

    Satellite images show the once-fertile regions of Beit Lahiya- known for its juicy strawberries that locals called “red gold”- are now destroyed with vehicle tracks and barrenness.

  • PCB postpones Quaid-e-Azam Trophy

    PCB postpones Quaid-e-Azam Trophy

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has postponed the most important first-class tournament, the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. The event was supposed to start on October 20, but the details of the season have not been finalized yet.

    According to reports, the announcement of the new dates for the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy is expected soon, and the domestic department is waiting for the approval of Chairman Mohsin Naqvi in ​​this regard.

    Regional teams were supposed to participate in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, and the players of different regions were busy preparing for it, but the final teams have not yet been announced, and the schedule has not been decided.

    This is not the first time that PCB has changed the domestic cricket schedule. Earlier, the U-19 tournament was also stopped and postponed on the first day after it started.

    The PCB Domestic Department has also instructed the departments to be ready for the President’s Trophy as a backup plan.

    If there is further delay in organizing the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, a first-class departmental tournament will be organized first. This tournament was earlier scheduled for January 6.

  • No men allowed near female students in schools, colleges: Lahore High Court

    No men allowed near female students in schools, colleges: Lahore High Court

    Lahore High Court (LHC) announced in a recent hearing that college authorities should prohibit the presence of men wherever there are female students. The remarks came with regard to an alleged case of sexual harassment in LCWU.

    A full court bench heard the case.

    On Friday, Chief Justice Aalia Neelum ordered the authorities to note down the statement of the alleged victim linked to the claims of rape in Punjab College.
    The High Court took up the matter of three separate incidents, including the protests against alleged rape in Punjab College Campus 10 and a case of harassment in Lahore College of Women University (LCWU).

    Punjab College case

    Punjab Inspector General Usman Anwer and officials from the colleges appeared before the court with a complete report.

    Justice Neelum expressed displeasure with the police chief. She asked him the reason for the delay. She also remarked that removing the video from social media would have only taken half an hour. The IG replied that they had reached out to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, but it wasn’t within the police dom­ain to delete a video to prevent it from going viral.

    Advocate General Punjab told the court that the relevant assistant superintendent of police met family of the concerned student linked to alleged rape and checked CCTV footage.

    “Every child protesting was claiming that rape had been committed but no one has the evidence,” he stated in the court.

    He, however, admitted that there were some failures on the authorities’ part.

    “It is quite unfortunate if all this happened due to fake news,” the CJ remarked during the hearing.

    LCWU case

    Moreover, she inquired about the number of complaints regarding harassment case in the LCWU.

    The public prosecutor and college registrar told the court that there was only one such complaint and the person facing the allegations has been suspended from his post.

    CJ Neelum asked the authorities if the students were in such a “state of mind” that they can join their colleges again and she said for this the college administration should regain the trust of parents.

    The court ordered the authorities to take the statement from the girl who is being named in the claims pertaining to alleged rapein LCWU. It also warned the college authorities against pressurising the student.

    The court also ordered a Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) committee to investigate all three cases.

    Read More: Committee formed to investigate Punjab College case declares alleged rape as fake

  • PPP and JUI-F agree on 26th Constitutional Amendments

    PPP and JUI-F agree on 26th Constitutional Amendments

    Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has claimed that PPP and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) have reached a 100 per cent consensus on the Constitutional Amendments.

    Speaking to the media in Islamabad, Bhutto expressed his wish by saying that Maulana Fazlur Rehman should himself present the Constitutional Amendments draft in parliament.

    Regarding the positive role of political parties on the 26th Constitutional Amendment, he urges the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party by saying, “Prove that you PTI are a political party, not social media Lashkar.”

    “Politics is a name of compromises,” Chairman PPP added.

    He further said that he hoped that Maulana Fazlur Rehman could convince the PTI leadership of the government’s proposed Constitutional Amendments.

    Meanwhile, Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Barrister Gohar Khan clarified his party stance on Constitutional Amendments by saying, “Jab tak Khan sahab ki final guidance nahi a jati tab tak hum is position ma nahi hu sakte ke hum is par vote kar sakain.”

    He remarked that the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, gave a message to his followers from Adiala Jail Rawalpindi that Khan is firm in remaining in jail for “100 years” for the betterment of the sovereignty of the constitution.