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Author: News Desk

  • World No. 3 badminton player pulls out from India Open citing extreme pollution

    World No. 3 badminton player pulls out from India Open citing extreme pollution

    Top Danish badminton player Anders Antonsen, currently ranked world No. 3 in men’s singles, has withdrawn from the India Open Super 750 in New Delhi, citing extreme air pollution as his reason. 

    The Danish shuttler shared a screenshot showing the Air Quality Index (AQI) at 348, which falls into the hazardous category. The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has fined him $5,000 for skipping the event.

    “Many is curious to why I have pulled out of the India Open for the third consecutive year. Due to the extreme pollution in Delhi at the moment I don’t thinks it’s a place to host a badminton tournament. Crossing my fingers that it will be better in the Summer when the World Championships will take place in Delhi. As a result BWF once again has fined me 5000 USD,” Antonsen wrote on his Instagram story.

    Antonsen’s decision follows similar concerns raised by his compatriot, Mia Blichfeldt. The world No. 20, who reached the Round of 16 in the tournament, complained about poor health conditions.

    She pointed out that the training venue remained cold, dusty, and unhygienic, making warm-ups and preparation difficult.

    “I am happy with the court conditions but not with health conditions. I actually hoped it was going to be better than the other hall. I think it’s still very dirty and really unhealthy conditions for all the players. Everyone is warming up in two layers of pants and winter jackets and gloves and hats,” Blichfeldt told Indian media.

    “It’s not good warm-up preparation for a player who has to go on court and move fast and go in splits. I know everyone is doing their best to make the conditions better for the players, but I think there is still a way to go,” she added.

    The Yonex-Sunrise India Open 2026 is taking place at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi from January 13 to 18. 

    The Super 750 tournament features 256 players from 20 countries competing for a total prize purse of $950,000. The event serves as a crucial preparation for players ahead of the BWF World Championships scheduled at the same venue in August 2026.

  • US envoy Witkoff meets Reza Pahlavi as Iran protests continue

    US envoy Witkoff meets Reza Pahlavi as Iran protests continue

    White House envoy Steve Witkoff reportedly met with exiled Iranian crown prince Reza Pahlavi over the weekend as protests continue across Iran, a report by Axios has claimed, citing a senior US official. 

    Axios said the meeting took place privately and marked the first reported high-level contact between the Trump administration and Iranian opposition figures since protests began around 15 days ago. 

    Reza Pahlavi is the son of Iran’s last Shah, who was overthrown during the 1979 Islamic Revolution that led to the establishment of the Islamic republic.

    The US official quoted by Axios said Pahlavi’s name has been heard during protests in several cities, a development that surprised officials US. “There has been an ascendance of Pahlavi. They are chanting his name in protests in many cities and it seems to be happening organically,” the official told Axios. 

    The outlet reported that Pahlavi has been presenting himself as a possible transitional figure in the event of a collapse of the current system.

    Pahlavi has publicly called on US President Donald Trump to take action. In a Jan 9 post on X, he addressed the US president directly, writing: “Mr President, this is an urgent and immediate call for your attention, support, and action.” 

    He accused Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei of using communications blackouts to carry out a crackdown and urged Trump to “be prepared to intervene to help the people of Iran.” In his remarks, Pahlavi described Trump as a “man of peace.”

    Trump has issued multiple statements backing protesters but has not formally endorsed Pahlavi. In an interview with radio host Hugh Hewitt, Trump said Iran had “been told very strongly” that it would face consequences if violence was used against protestors. 

    In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price.” He added: “I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY. MIGA!!!”


    Iranian security chief Ali Larijani said on social media site X that Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were the “main killers” of the Iranian people in response to the US president’s post.


    Russia also weighed in, condemning what it called “subversive external interference” in Iran’s internal affairs and warning that any repeat of last year’s US strikes would have consequences for regional and international security.

  • Pakistan, Morocco join hands to strengthen defence cooperation, security ties

    Pakistan, Morocco join hands to strengthen defence cooperation, security ties

    Pakistan and Morocco have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on defence cooperation, marking a significant step towards strengthening bilateral defence and security ties, a statement issued by the Pakistani embassy in Morocco has revealed.


    According to the statement, the agreement was signed during Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif’s official visit to Morocco from January 12 to 14, where he held meetings with Moroccan officials, including Minister of State for National Defence Administration Abdellatif Loudiyi.


    “Defence cooperation and bilateral engagements between Pakistan and Morocco were discussed in a high-level meeting led by Federal Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif, underscoring Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening strategic ties and mutual collaboration with Morocco,” the Pakistani defence minister also said in a statement on his social media accounts.


    According to Asif’s Instagram post, the MoU will promote defence cooperation and establish “an institutional framework for permanent defense ties”.


    “The MoU will also open new avenues for future collaboration across various defense [sic] and security sectors, including military training, exchange of experiences, capacity building, and other joint initiatives,” he added.


    Earlier, the defence minister was welcomed at the Casablanca airport by Major General Ahmed Hatuto, commander of the Casablanca army, senior government officials and Pakistan’s ambassador to Morocco Syed Adil Gilani.


    During the visit, he also led delegation-level talks aimed at enhancing cooperation in areas of mutual interest.


    Pakistan and Morocco share longstanding friendly relations, supported by cooperation in diplomatic, defence and economic fields. 


    In April last year, the armies of Pakistan and Morocco also conducted the third edition of their joint bilateral military exercise to enhance professional skills and strengthen defence ties.

  • Karan Aujla reacts to Shae Gill, Ali Raza’s cover of his hit song ‘For A Reason’

    Karan Aujla reacts to Shae Gill, Ali Raza’s cover of his hit song ‘For A Reason’

    Pakistani singers Shae Gill and Ali Raza have caught the attention of Indian Punjabi star Karan Aujla after posting a collaborative cover video of his song “For A Reason.”

    The internet showered praise on the duo’s rendition, with fans flooding the comments section with appreciation. However, the highlight came when Aujla himself responded to the cover with heart and fire emojis.

    “❤️ ,” Karan Aujla commented on the video.

    Fans couldn’t contain their excitement over the cover. One user wrote, “I AM OBSESSED WITH UR VOICE MAAM.”

    Another user praised the performance, commenting, “Beautiful ❤️”

    “Anushae singing Aujleya is a whole vibe!! ,” another fan added.

    One Aujla fan went as far as calling it the best version of the track, writing, “Probably the best cover of this song I’ve heard. As an Aujla fan, no one could’ve done it better! “

    “Ky bat ,” another comment read.

    Karan Aujla is an Indian Punjabi singer, rapper and songwriter based in Canada. 

    Some of his popular tracks include “Tauba Tauba,” “Don’t Worry,” “Softly,” “52 Bars,” “Chitta Kurta,” “Winning Speech,” and “White Brown Black.”

    On the other hand, Pakistani singer Shae Gill rose to fame with her monster hit “Pasoori,” a Punjabi-Urdu duet with Ali Sethi from Coke Studio Season 14. The song became the most-streamed Pakistani song on Spotify in 2022 and garnered hundreds of millions of views worldwide.

  • Maya Khan reveals ex-husband took all her savings

    Maya Khan reveals ex-husband took all her savings

    Television host and actor Maya Khan has opened up about the financial difficulties she faced when her ex-husband took all her savings, forcing her to spend two years battling in court without success.

    During her recent appearance on a morning show, Maya shared the traumatic experience that left her financially devastated.

    “My savings were taken from me by my ex-husband… all my money was taken by that man. I had spoken up about it everywhere and had all the proofs. I visited courts for two years, yet I couldn’t recover my hard-earned money,” Maya said.

    She explained why she didn’t take her case to media despite having evidence. “When a person is going through a traumatic experience, such things don’t come to mind.”

    Maya first gained recognition as a teenage star on PTV’s “Aik Muhabbat So Afsaney”. 

    In 2024, she made a successful comeback with the drama series Mayi Ri and also received widespread praise for her performance in Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum.

    She recently earned acclaim for her character Waniya in Baray Bhaiyya.

  • Lahore to host three Pak-Australia T20Is later this month

    Lahore to host three Pak-Australia T20Is later this month

    Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially announced the schedule for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Australia, with all matches set to take place at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore later this month.

    Australia’s squad will arrive in Lahore on Wednesday, January 28, a day before the series opener.

    The series provides both teams with crucial match practice ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Pakistan will compete in Group A of the tournament, while Australia have been placed in Group B.

    This tour marks Australia’s third visit to Pakistan since their return in March-April 2022, when they played Tests, ODIs, and a one-off T20I. The Australian side also participated in three matches of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 held in Pakistan.

    The two teams have met only once in a T20I at Gaddafi Stadium, on April 5, 2022, when Australia claimed a narrow three-wicket victory.

    Pakistan vs Australia T20I Schedule 

    1st T20I: January 29, 2026
    2nd T20I: January 31, 2026 
    3rd T20I: February 1, 2026

  • KP govt to auction number plates named after Imran Khan, Zardari, Nawaz, Maryam

    KP govt to auction number plates named after Imran Khan, Zardari, Nawaz, Maryam

    The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has announced its plan to auction vehicle number plates bearing the names of political and national figures, including jailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, President Asif Ali Zardari and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

    In an interview with a private news outlet, Provincial Minister for Excise and Taxation Syed Fakhar Jehan said that number plates with the names of Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Maryam Nawaz and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto would also be up for auction.

    According to him, the programme aims to raise money for the government and encourage citizen participation.

    The minister announced that the sale will take place in phases.

    On January 27, two license plates with the names “Imran Khan-804” and “Imran Khan-1” will be put up for bid in the first phase. In later stages, he said, number plates bearing the names of other political figures would be added. 

    Nishtar Hall in Peshawar will host the auction’s initial phase. 

    Number plates with well-known caste and tribal names will also be put up for auction on the same day, according to a public announcement by the Excise and Taxation Department. Afridi, Gandapur, Durrani, Kundi, Yousufzai, Mahsood and Khattak are among the names that will be auctioned.

    The department said citizens interested in participating in the auction can submit their applications through the Dastak app. The deadline for submitting applications has been set for January 26.

    The bidding process for each number plate will begin at Rs1 million, and the revenue generated through the auction will be directed to the national exchequer.

  • Man issued driving licence with woman’s photo in Multan

    Man issued driving licence with woman’s photo in Multan

    A case of administrative negligence has surfaced at the Punjab Traffic Police Driving Licence Branch in Multan, where a male applicant was issued a driving licence bearing a woman’s photograph instead of his own, according to a private media outlet. 


    The affected individual, Asghar Sawal, said he applied for a driving licence in Multan in 2025 after completing the required training and passing the driving test. He paid Rs7,000 as part of the licensing process.


    However, upon receiving the licence, he discovered that a woman’s photograph had been mistakenly printed on the official document.


    Asghar, who is currently residing in Karachi for work, said travelling repeatedly to Multan was difficult for him. He contacted the Multan Driving Licence Branch to have the error corrected.


    Instead of acknowledging the mistake, officials at the licence branch allegedly held him responsible and informed him that he would need to pay Rs650 to have the record fixed.


    He was also told that the correction process could take up to four months, despite the error originating within the department.


    “I was surprised and frustrated,” Asghar said. “It was their mistake, but they are asking me to pay and wait for months to fix it.”


    The incident has raised concerns over data management, record-keeping practices and accountability within the Punjab Traffic Police’s licensing system. 


    A driving licence serves as an official identity document, and such an error could create legal and practical complications for the holder, particularly during traffic checks, travel or verification procedures.


    Asghar has appealed to the Inspector General of Punjab Police to intervene in the matter and order an immediate correction without imposing any additional charges.

  • Commerce ministry clears re-export of Afghan transit cargo stuck at ports

    Commerce ministry clears re-export of Afghan transit cargo stuck at ports

    The Ministry of Commerce has advised the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to permit the re-export of Afghan transit cargo to any seaport, subject to requests from exporters or their clearing and forwarding agents.


    In a letter addressed to the FBR, the ministry approved the re-export of all stranded Afghan transit trade cargo currently held at Karachi and Gwadar ports as well as at various Border Crossing Points (BCPs). The directive aims to facilitate the clearance of goods delayed due to border disruptions.


    In a separate communication, the commerce ministry also granted an exemption from para-6(4) of the Import Policy Order (IPO) 2022, which stipulates that imports under the Afghanistan Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APPTA) 2010 must be processed in accordance with rules notified by the federal government.


    “The stranded Afghan Transit Trade (ATT) containers originating from Vietnam and Malaysia are allowed to be re-exported to any seaport as per the request of exporters or their clearing/forwarding agents”. 

    “In view of the above, Federal Board of Revenue is requested to take further necessary action for the re-export of stranded ATT containers originating from Vietnam and Malaysia,” it added.

    The move follows an inter-ministerial meeting chaired by the joint secretary of the Ministry of Commerce to formulate a strategy for clearing cargo stuck at seaports and BCPs following the closure of the Pak-Afghan border on October 11, 2025.


    The meeting was attended by Director General Transit Trade Karachi Sanaullah Abro, Joint Secretary (FT-II) of the Ministry of Commerce Mrs. Maria Kazi, and other relevant stakeholders.


    During the meeting, the joint secretary (FT-II) stated that the ministry had already issued directives for the clearance of transit containers stranded at Karachi ports destined for Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, as well as UN humanitarian cargo and ATT containers originating from Vietnam and Malaysia.


    However, the director general transit trade informed participants that a significant number of transit containers from multiple countries remained stranded at Karachi ports and various BCPs, along with bulk cargo held at Gwadar port.

    She further noted that the Ministry of Commerce was receiving frequent requests from foreign missions, exporters and clearing agents for the clearance of stranded cargo, underscoring the need for a consistent policy framework to address congestion at ports and border crossings.

    The director general transit trade acknowledged the ministry’s efforts and said that while clear instructions had been received for certain categories of transit cargo, there was no guidance for the remaining consignments, accounting for nearly 50 percent of the total stranded cargo. He added that these goods could not be held indefinitely at ports and BCPs.


    According to the briefing, the remaining ATT cargo originated from several countries, including China, the UAE, Singapore and Turkiye, along with bulk DAP fertiliser cargo from Australia stranded at Gwadar port. A decision on this cargo was deemed necessary to ease congestion.


    Taking into account security considerations, the forum recommended four options for Central Asian transit cargo stuck at BCPs. These included allowing containers to cross via Taftan with a change of manifest at Karachi, permitting movement through Khunjerab/Sost with a revised manifest, allowing airlifting of containers, and re-exporting cargo to other seaports upon specific requests.


    For ATT cargo stranded at seaports and BCPs, the meeting recommended re-export to any seaport, subject to requests from exporters or their clearing agents.


    The forum also decided that the Ministry of Commerce would approach the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and UN agencies to seek approval for changes in the manifest of UN humanitarian cargo, which would then be cleared from Karachi ports and stored in warehouses.

  • PCB officially invites bids for Multan Sultans

    PCB officially invites bids for Multan Sultans

    Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially opened bidding for the rights to the Multan Sultans franchise, inviting interested parties to acquire one of the most established teams of the Pakistan Super League (PSL). 

    PCB announced the opportunity through a newspaper advertisement, inviting proposals from prospective investors who wish to acquire the franchise rights for Multan.

    The deadline for submission of technical proposals is January 30 at 3:00 pm, with the opening scheduled for 3:30 pm on the same day. Only technically qualified bidders will advance to the next stage of the process.

    The move comes shortly after PCB successfully auctioned two new PSL franchises on January 8. 

    The Kingsmen Group (FKS) secured the Hyderabad franchise for PKR 1.75 billion, while OZ Developers acquired the Sialkot franchise for a record PKR 1.85 billion at the Jinnah Convention Centre in Islamabad.

    Ten bidders initially registered for that auction, though the Ali Tareen Group withdrew just before bidding began, leaving nine groups to compete for the two spots.

    The eleventh edition of PSL will feature eight teams for the first time, with Hyderabad and Sialkot joining the existing lineup alongside Multan.

    PCB highlighted Multan’s established presence in the league since the tournament’s third edition in 2018, describing it as “a compelling opportunity for investors to build on its legacy and take team Multan to unprecedented heights.”

    According to the PCB, prospective bidders can obtain detailed bid documents from the board ahead of the January 30 deadline.