Author: News Desk

  • Google thinks a pound is worth Rs. 9, leaving Pakistanis questioning reality

    Google thinks a pound is worth Rs. 9, leaving Pakistanis questioning reality

    Google Search is currently displaying the British Pound (GBP) at Rs. 9 against the Pakistani Rupee, despite the actual market value being around Rs. 377. The discrepancy appears to be a data or display error on Google rather than a change in the currency market.

    Banks, currency dealers, and forex platforms in Pakistan continue to trade the British Pound at the standard rate, which remains hundreds of rupees higher than the value shown on Google.

    This is not the first instance of incorrect exchange rates appearing on Google Search for Pakistan. In a previous instance the US dollar was displayed at around Rs. 140 while its real market value was at least Rs. 280. The error caused confusion before it was corrected.

    Currency exchange rates shown on search engines are typically sourced from third-party providers. Errors can occur due to glitches, delayed updates, or incorrect data feeds. In countries like Pakistan, where exchange rates are closely monitored due to inflation and currency fluctuations, such mistakes can be misleading.

    Officials and market participants have not reported any change in the official exchange rate of the British Pound. Users are advised to consult official bank rates, licensed exchange companies, or the State Bank of Pakistan to confirm accurate currency values instead of relying solely on search engine results.

  • Pakistani who crossed border by mistake freed after 25 years in Indian jail

    Pakistani who crossed border by mistake freed after 25 years in Indian jail

    A Pakistani citizen who spent 25 years in Indian prisons after accidentally crossing the border while hunting has finally returned home, following orders from the Indian Supreme Court.


    Asghar Ali, a resident of Chak 170-P near Sadiqabad in Rahim Yar Khan district, reached his hometown on Sunday, where he was warmly welcomed by local residents who had gathered to greet him.


    According to official and family accounts, Ali mistakenly crossed into Indian territory in 2000 during a hunting trip. He was arrested by Indian security forces and charged with terrorism and espionage, despite maintaining that he had unintentionally trespassed and that he was not involved in any militant or intelligence activity.


    An Indian court initially sentenced him to imprisonment until 2010. However, despite completing his sentence, Ali remained in custody after being accused of involvement in an alleged attack while still in prison, leading to a further conviction.



    After a legal appeal, the Indian Supreme Court reviewed the case and ordered his release, enabling Ali to return to Pakistan after a quarter of a century behind bars.


    Speaking after his arrival, Ali described the hardships he endured during his detention, citing repeated physical abuse and prolonged suffering throughout his incarceration. He also said that false allegations were repeatedly made against him to extend his imprisonment, reiterating that his initial arrest had resulted solely from an accidental border crossing during a hunting expedition.

  • Pakistan may boycott India match at T20 World Cup: reports

    Pakistan may boycott India match at T20 World Cup: reports

    According to media reports, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is exploring various protest options, including a potential boycott of their February 15 match against India in Colombo, following the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) decision to expel Bangladesh from the T20 World Cup.

    PCB holds the option to skip the India match, which would result in only a two-point deduction for Pakistan. 

    However, such a move could inflict significant financial losses on the ICC, given the commercial value of an Pak-India encounter. Reports indicate that even if Pakistan decides to participate in the World Cup, the board will keep its options open regarding future decisions.

    On Sunday, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi met with national cricket team players in Lahore and briefed them on the board’s position regarding the T20 World Cup and the players fully supported Naqvi’s principled stance.

    “Bangladesh Cricket Board’s position on not playing in India during the World Cup is based on principles. PCB rejects ICC’s double standards,” Naqvi stated. “We have supported Bangladesh keeping in mind cricket’s golden principles. We will follow whatever decision the Pakistani government makes.”

    The players expressed their solidarity, saying: “We all stand with PCB’s principled position.”

    Naqvi emphasized that politicised cricket serves no one’s interests. “Politics-infused cricket benefits no one. Everyone should follow cricket’s principles. Our players are talented and know how to compete in every respect. Success in any field comes through teamwork,” he said.

    The controversy stems largely from a recent Indian Premier League (IPL) incident where Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman was dropped from the tournament after receiving threats from Hindu extremist groups. 

    Bangladesh argued that if India couldn’t protect a single player in their domestic league, how could they ensure the safety of an entire national team during the World Cup.

    However, ICC rejected Bangladesh’s request and replaced them with Scotland in the group. 

    PCB Chairman is expected to hold an important meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif today to discuss the matter. The consultation will determine Pakistan’s final stance on participating in the tournament, with the board maintaining that it will follow the government’s decision on the issue.

  • French visas for sale? FIA uncovers fraud involving FBR officer

    French visas for sale? FIA uncovers fraud involving FBR officer

    The FIA Anti-Corruption Circle in Islamabad has exposed a visa fraud scandal involving a second secretary of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), authorities said.


    According to the FIA, Atiqur Rehman, who is a serving second secretary at the FBR, fraudulently included two private individuals in an official government delegation by falsely presenting them as FBR officials, helping them to obtain French visas in exchange for Rs5.3 million.


    The investigation found that the French Embassy was misled through official government email correspondence, which falsely verified the two individuals, Muhammad Kamran and Aamir Shahzad as FBR employees. One of the men is a driver, while the other is a property dealer, the FIA said.


    Following the discovery of substantial evidence, the FIA registered a criminal case against the FBR officer and others involved. The agency has also decided to review visas issued to all FBR officers in light of the fraud.


    Kamran and Shahzad were reportedly offloaded and arrested at Islamabad International Airport by FIA immigration staff on suspicion. Investigators said the illicit funds were transferred to the FBR officer through banking channels, and complete financial records have been secured.


    An FIR has been registered at the FIA Anti-Corruption Circle Islamabad and a formal investigation is currently underway. Authorities added that Atiqur Rehman will be arrested shortly.

  • Palestinian-founded app UpScrolled downloads surge after TikTok announces partial ownership by Zionist Billionaire

    Palestinian-founded app UpScrolled downloads surge after TikTok announces partial ownership by Zionist Billionaire

    Downloads of the Australian social media app UpScrolled, founded by a Palestinian technologist, surged across the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia over the weekend as TikTok users moved away from the platform following changes to its privacy policy tied to its transition to US-based Zionist billionaire Larry Ellison’s partial ownership.

    TikTok users in the United States were shown a pop-up on the app asking them to agree to updated terms of service and a revised privacy policy before continuing to use the platform. The changes followed the transfer of majority ownership from China to a US-based entity after pressure from the US government.

    The platform is now operated by TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, an American-majority corporate entity backed by a group of investors that includes software company Oracle. TikTok announced on January 22 that a $14 billion deal had been finalised.

    Shortly after the update, users began shifting to alternative platforms, including UpScrolled, a social media app developed in Australia.

    UpScrolled posted on its X account: “We left you alone for 24 hours. You told someone. They told someone. They told everyone. #11 US  #12 UK  #14 AUS Time to scroll differently.”

    The app climbed from number 30 to number 11 on the US App Store within hours. It also reached number 12 on the UK App Store and number 14 on the Australian App Store.

    The surge followed concerns over expanded data collection outlined in TikTok’s updated privacy policy and fears of censorship. According to the policy, TikTok now collects location information based on device and network data and can also collect “approximate or precise location information” if users enable location services. Posts criticising Israel are being censored. 

    The policy states: “We automatically collect certain information from you when you use the Services, including location information about your approximate location based on your device and network information.”

    The updated policy also allows TikTok to collect data linked to AI-powered features. The policy says it may collect “AI interactions, including prompts, questions, files, and other types of information that you submit to our AI-powered interfaces, as well as the responses they generate.”

    It further notes that metadata linked to AI interactions may include details such as “how, when, where, and by whom” content or prompts were sent.
    TikTok has also expanded its advertising data framework. The policy states that advertisers and partners may provide information about users’ activity outside TikTok, including pages visited, purchases, and apps downloaded.

    UpScrolled was founded by Issam Hijazi, who also serves as the app’s chief executive officer. Hijazi is a Palestinian- -Australian technologist who has previously lived in Jordan, the UAE, and Singapore.

    UpScrolled’s website says the platform allows users to express their views without “censorship, shadowbans, hidden throttling, or pay-to-play favoritism.” It also states that the app does not push political or commercial agendas.

    The company is headquartered in Australia, with core servers based in Dublin, Ireland. The platform says it follows community guidelines to keep the space “safe, respectful, and responsible.”

    UpScrolled states that user data is not sold to third parties for marketing, profiling, or commercial gain. The platform says data is encrypted and that while advertisements will be introduced later, they will be managed internally without third-party tracking.

  • Shahzad Akbar, Adil Raja attacks planned on a social media group chat

    Shahzad Akbar, Adil Raja attacks planned on a social media group chat

    Shahzad Akbar and Youtuber Adil Raja were reportedly targeted in a series of attacks last year that were planned and coordinated through a social media chat group, sources told a private media outlet. 


    The assaults were carried out on December 24, December 31, 2025, and January 10, 2026, raising concerns about organized efforts to harm political figures.


    Four men have been charged in connection with the attacks: Louis Regan, Karl Scott Blackbird, Clark Anthony McAulay, and Doneto Brammer. Three of the accused – Blackbird, McAulay, and Brammer – appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court wearing tracksuits, showing no visible tension. Public records indicate that the men collectively have convictions for more than 40 offences.


    According to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Blackbird and McAulay conspired to assault Adil Raja and cause bodily harm in late December 2025. Blackbird also conspired to assault Shahzad Akbar during the same period. 


    Brammer, on December 31, allegedly possessed a revolver without authority and conspired to damage Akbar’s property by fire, intending to endanger his life. Regan faces charges of conspiring to assault both Raja and Akbar at their homes in Chesham and Cambridge on December 24. Investigators said the assailants filmed the attacks and shared the videos within the same chat group, which reportedly included a number still being traced.


    In a separate development, Interpol has dropped the case against Shahzad Akbar in the high-profile Al-Qadir Trust case, confirming that he is no longer “subject to an Interpol Notice or Diffusion,” a private media outlet reported. Interpol sources said Akbar, the former accountability chief under former Prime Minister Imran Khan, is no longer a subject of interest, and his details have been removed from the Interpol database. The case had been entered at the request of the Pakistan Interior Ministry.


    Reports quoted sources that told a private media outlet that Akbar, through his lawyers, argued that the cases against him were politically motivated, that the £190 million settlement had been approved by the federal cabinet, and that the funds were deposited into the state treasury, not paid to him personally.

  • Police recovers decomposed body from DHA apartment in Karachi

    Police recovers decomposed body from DHA apartment in Karachi

    A man was found dead inside his apartment in the Defence Housing Authority in Karachi late on Saturday night, police said on Sunday.

    Officials at the Darakhshan police station said the body was discovered in a flat located in Florida Homes, Phase V. Police said the Crime Scene Unit was called to the apartment to collect evidence from the scene.

    After the completion of initial procedures, the body was shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for medico-legal examination. Doctors at the hospital reserved the cause of death after conducting a post-mortem examination, police said.

    According to police, the body was in a decomposed condition and appeared to have been lying inside the apartment for the past 15 to 20 days. A police officer said there were no apparent injury marks visible on the body.

    Later, the deceased was identified as 53-year-old Adnan Ameer Baig. Police said Baig had been residing alone in the apartment and was unemployed.

  • ‘It’s fake and AI-made’: Alina Amir breaks silence on viral deepfake video

    ‘It’s fake and AI-made’: Alina Amir breaks silence on viral deepfake video

    Pakistani TikToker Alina Amir has broken her silence on an alleged obscene video circulating online, categorically denying its authenticity and revealing that the content was created using artificial intelligence to damage her reputation.

    The social media star released a detailed video statement on Instagram addressing the controversy that has dominated online discussions for the past week. 

    “I did not intend to address this matter publicly. For an entire week, I observed the situation quietly and chose not to react,” she explained. The situation escalated when she noticed hundreds of misleading posts making false claims about her.

    “But when I began seeing hundreds of posts titled ‘Alina Amir ki video leak ho gayi hai,’ I felt it was necessary to speak,” she said.

    The influencer expressed deep concern over how easily misinformation spreads online. “It is deeply disturbing how easily misinformation is spread and how some people are willing to go to any extent to defame someone without verifying facts,” she added.

    Alina categorically denied the video’s authenticity and urged people to verify content before sharing it.

    “If you are going to upload or circulate content, it is your responsibility to first confirm whether it is authentic or AI generated,” she stated. “Spreading false information causes real harm.”

    The TikToker made a direct appeal to Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, calling for strict action against those who create AI-based illicit material targeting women.

    “I sincerely request the Chief Minister of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz Sharif Sahiba, to take strict action against individuals who create AI generated videos of women and use them to damage reputations and destroy lives,” she said.

    While demanding action, Alina also commended law enforcement agencies for their efforts.

    “I appreciate the work being done by the Crime Control Department,” she stated, noting that “harassment and child abuse cases being handled under CCD is a reassuring step.”

    She urged CCD official Sohail Zafar Chattha to personally oversee the matter. “I request Sohail Zafar Chattha Sir to take this case seriously and ensure that those responsible are arrested and punished severely. Creating AI based illicit content is a serious form of harassment and must be treated as such,” she said.

    Alina emphasized that the issue extends far beyond public figures and affects countless private individuals who lack the resources to defend themselves.

    “This issue is not limited to celebrities,” she explained. “Private individuals suffer even more, as such fabricated content is sent to their homes and families, leaving them with lifelong trauma.”

    She acknowledged her own support system. “Alhamdulillah, my family is educated and stands by me with complete trust.” However, she raised a critical question about others facing similar situations. “Many girls do not have the means or evidence to defend themselves. How are they expected to justify the truth when something false is presented as real?”

    In a decisive move, Alina announced a financial incentive to help track down the perpetrator.

    “I am announcing a cash reward for anyone who provides credible information leading to the identification of the person who created this AI video,” she declared, stressing that accountability remains essential to prevent repeat offenses. “The person responsible must be punished so that they never think of doing this to another girl again.”

    Concluding her statement, Alina framed the issue as a defining challenge of the digital era.

    “It is 2026,” she said. “No woman should feel compelled to remain silent. If you are speaking the truth, you should stand up for yourself without fear.”

    Alina Amir has previously found herself at the center of public speculation regarding her personal life, including reports in July 2025 linking her to Maan Dogar, which she denied. She has also faced intermittent speculation about her relationship with fellow TikToker Umer Butt through claims of close friendship.

    She has 2.5 million followers on Instagram and 2.2 million on TikTok, initially rose to fame through a viral reel where she mimicked the phrase “Tum jo pills khati ho wo kya hai” during a TV show.

  • Obama, Clinton slam ICE murder of civilian in Minneapolis

    Obama, Clinton slam ICE murder of civilian in Minneapolis

    Former US Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton have joined growing criticism of the Donald Trump administration following the fatal shooting of US citizen Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis.



    Obama, in a rare political statement posted on X, described Pretti’s killing as “a heartbreaking tragedy” and said it should serve as “a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party,” warning that core national values were increasingly under threat.



    Clinton also condemned what he called “horrible scenes” unfolding in Minneapolis and across the country, saying such events “never should have taken place in America.” He urged people to “stand up” and “speak out,” adding that the moment would shape the country’s future and warning against the erosion of freedoms.



    The comments come after federal agents shot Pretti, a 37-year-old Minneapolis resident and intensive care unit nurse, during an immigration enforcement operation on Saturday. Authorities said Pretti was taken to hospital and later died from multiple gunshot wounds. Federal officials claimed he was armed and resisted attempts to be disarmed, a version of events disputed by bystander videos that appear to show him holding a phone before the shooting.


    The incident is the second fatal shooting linked to federal immigration enforcement in Minneapolis this month and has triggered daily protests in the city.


    President Donald Trump, responding in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, said his administration is “reviewing everything” related to the shooting. He declined to say whether the agent acted appropriately but claimed Pretti was carrying “a very dangerous gun” and criticised him for bringing a weapon to a protest. Trump said federal immigration officers would eventually leave the area but did not provide a timeline.


    Political pressure has intensified in Washington DC, with eight more Democrats signing on to a resolution seeking the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, bringing the total number of co-sponsors to 120. The Democratic Party posted “IMPEACH KRISTI NOEM” on X on Sunday.


    Legal action has also begun in Minnesota, where state and county authorities have moved to preserve evidence related to the shooting, amid concerns over federal handling of the investigation.


    Protests have continued in Minneapolis and other US cities, with demonstrators calling for the removal of federal immigration agents and accountability for the killings. Labor groups and local officials have warned that the lack of coordination between federal, state and local authorities has worsened tensions and put both civilians and officers at risk.

  • ‘We will miss our secret agent’: Indians react to Haris Rauf’s T20 World Cup exclusion

    ‘We will miss our secret agent’: Indians react to Haris Rauf’s T20 World Cup exclusion

    Indian cricket fans flooded social media with sarcastic reactions after Pakistan excluded fast bowler Haris Rauf from their T20 World Cup 2026 squad, with many jokingly lamenting the loss of their “secret agent.”

    Following Pakistan’s squad announcement on Sunday, Indian users on X (formerly Twitter) took aim at Rauf’s exclusion, referencing his costly performances against India in past encounters.

    One user wrote: “We will miss our secret agent at the event. He was there for us when times got tough for us.”

    Another user wrote, “Indian favourite Haris Rauf has been dropped from Pakistan’s T20 World Cup team because he always helped India win matches. Just when we thought Pakistan would win today…”

    The trolling continued with fans expressing mock disappointment. “Haris Rauf the Impact player of India in crucial matches,” one user quipped, while another declared: “I am boycotting if Haris Rauf is not playing against us.”

    Some took playful digs at opposition teams, writing, “Other teams will miss Haris Rauf’s death bowling,” sarcastically suggesting his exclusion would hurt Pakistan’s opponents more than the team itself.

    During the press conference at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, PCB Director High Performance Aqib Javed addressed questions about Rauf’s omission. “We think about what conditions the team plays in and what combination works better there,” Javed explained.

    “Haris Rauf has played for Pakistan for a long time, but if you look at the recent past, a different combination emerges. We built this team keeping in mind the conditions and since most matches will happen in Sri Lanka, we considered what your best composition could be there,” he added.

    Pakistan announced their 15-member squad for the tournament, with former captain Babar Azam returning to the fold while excluding both Rauf and Mohammad Rizwan.

    A pattern of high-pressure failures appears to have sealed Rauf’s fate. During the 2024 T20 World Cup, Rauf could not defend 15 runs in the final over against the United States, forcing a Super Over that Pakistan ultimately lost in one of the tournament’s biggest upsets.

    In the 2022 T20 World Cup against India, Rauf bowled the 19th over with Pakistan defending 28 runs off eight balls. Virat Kohli hit two consecutive sixes off the final two deliveries, turning the match in India’s favor.

    Most recently, Rauf failed to defend 10 runs in the final over against Brisbane Heat in the ongoing BBL.

    Pakistan hopes to begin their T20 World Cup campaign against the Netherlands on February 7 in Colombo.