Current Final

Category: Lifestyle

  • Police arrest four suspects involved in allegedly raping, parading women naked in India

    Police arrest four suspects involved in allegedly raping, parading women naked in India

    Police on Friday have taken four individuals into custody in connection with a distressing incident where two women were paraded naked in front of a mob in the northeastern state of Manipur in India.

    Local police confirmed the arrest of the four main accused, as announced on their official Twitter account.

    The action has been taken after over two months of the incident happening in the troubled district. Public outrage exerted pressure on the state government, led by the Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and four culprits were apprehended.

    The suspects came to light after a video of the incident surfaced on social media in early May, garnering nationwide outrage. The video depicted the women being subjected to humiliation and harassment by a jeering mob while walking naked along a street in the state.

    The country’s Supreme Court took notice of the horrifying incident and issued a warning to Modi’s government, urging immediate action, with the implication that the court would intervene if necessary.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi finally broke his silence on the matter, after facing harsh criticism by lawmakers and public. He said that the country was “shamed” by the incident.

    The incident occurred against the backdrop of months of ethnic violence that has resulted in at least 120 fatalities. The situation has been further exacerbated by the imposition of an internet shutdown by the Indian authorities in the area.

  • Pakistan’s famous blue-eyed chaiwala opens café in London

    Pakistan’s famous blue-eyed chaiwala opens café in London

    You guys remember the chai wala who went viral internationally after his pictures was shared in 2016 by a photographer Jiah Ali? He went overnight from opening a chai stall in Islamabad, to getting modelling contracts from fashion brands. And now, Arshad Khan is set to make a chai cafe in London, after fans from the UK had requested to taste the karak chai made by the maestro himself.

    The official handle shared by Arshad’s instagram page is @chaiwalauk_ak, and he had shared a video of the design preps to set up the cafe.

    The official website of the page shared that it was Arshad’s love of chai and his hard work that had led him to open three outlets in Pakistan, and now will be opening a cafe in London.

    “Chai has been in his blood (considering the amount of chai that is consumed in South Asia, that could be true!) since he was a young boy – that is all he has seen, smelt and made. From a humble background to a handsome superstar chaiwala overnight, that’s quite some journey! He worked hard, stayed focus and did what he’s best at, which is making amazing chai.

    ‘Cafe Chaiwala Arshad Khan’ has 3 outlets in Pakistan and we are now bringing the first of many international outlets to the UK. Our cafe will immerse you in the traditional ambience with a fusion of culture and elegance. Here you will find a variety of chai with unique ingredients and great tasting food; there is something for everyone.”

    The Instagram page also shared some videos of the cafe and honestly it warms our heart to witness the well deserved reward of a hard working man, who rose from being a street vendor to becoming an international star

  • Baby monkey gives hard time to wildlife team after it escapes KHI court

    Baby monkey gives hard time to wildlife team after it escapes KHI court

    A dramatic incident unfolded at the city court in Karachi when a baby monkey managed to escape while being brought alongside 13 other monkeys by the Sindh Wildlife Department, reported Geo News.

    Two individuals responsible for transporting the monkeys were arrested by the authorities for violating provincial wildlife laws. The suspects were brought before the district and sessions court on Thursday, which fined them Rs100,000 and ordered to hand over the baby monkeys to the zoo.

    The monkeys were being kept in wooden mango crates, and one clever little monkey managed to escape the confines of its container. The baby monkey sought refuge on a tree, proving to be quite elusive due to its small size and agility, making it challenging for the rescue team to catch. The Sindh Wildlife Department stated that they would continue their rescue operation the next day (Friday), which is today, in an effort to capture the baby monkey still at large in the city court area.

    The department had recovered them during a search of a passenger bus arriving in Karachi from Charsadda. The monkeys were suspected to have been illegally captured from the forests in Charsadda.

    Authorities are working diligently to ensure the safety and welfare of these rescued monkeys, aiming to return them to their natural habitats or appropriate care facilities.

  • ‘Qabool hai’ is for the woman too Moulvi sahib, not her father

    ‘Qabool hai’ is for the woman too Moulvi sahib, not her father

    In the wildest twist of events, it turns out that sometimes, even during your Nikkah, women are not asked if they accept the marriage or not.

    A video went viral on Instagram where television host Aisha Abrar was seen sitting for her Nikkah with her husband, where the molvi was seen asking her husband about whether he had accepted the marriage. He did not ask Aisha for her consent. Her husband asked the molvi to ask his wife for whether she had consented to the marriage. Aisha wrote on Instagram:

    “I told him all I really want is to say: “Qubool hai” which I never got to say . I did not only want to sign the papers and be done with it.

    The Maulvi sahab did not give me a chance to say “Qubool hai” so my boyo ensured I get to say something affirmative also. Qubool hai ki bajaaye manzoor hai but hua to sahi!”

    We would like all women to remember that during your Nikkah, it is important for the moulvi sahib to ask the girl and the boy separately if they wish to get married. It’s not the girl’s representative, who answers this question for her.

    The video had received over 30,000 likes on Instagram with many users applauding the husband for taking a stand and acknowledging his wife’s right.

    ‘It’s important to ask the girl herself…glad your partner took a stand for you,” another user wrote.

    Women shared their own stories in the comments section as well of the times they had taken a stand and asked that they are consulted about their consent before signing the nikkahnama.

  • Police arrest university’s chief security officer for objectionable videos of female students, drug possession

    Police arrest university’s chief security officer for objectionable videos of female students, drug possession

    Trigger warning: Sexual assault

    Islamia University Bahawalpur’s Chief Security Officer was apprehended by police on charges of drug possession and possession of objectionable material, including videos and pictures of the university’s female officials and students, reported Dawn.

    Baghdadul Jadid SHO said the police acted on intelligence-based information to apprehend the suspect.

    The arrest took place when the suspect’s car was stopped at a police checkpoint, and upon searching the vehicle, authorities found 10 grams of ice and aphrodisiacs. The individual was identified as Syed Ejaz Hussain Shah, Chief Security Officer at IUB.

    Police investigation revealed that his two mobile phones contained numerous objectionable videos and pictures of women, including those of officials from various departments of the university and female students. Shah admitted to using and selling drugs, as well as possessing the illicit material.

    Further investigation is underway. Police have been actively working to eradicate drug peddlers from educational institutions, said SHO.

  • Afghan women protest beauty parlour ban, Taliban hit protestors with tasers

    Afghan women protest beauty parlour ban, Taliban hit protestors with tasers

    In a rare occurrence, Afghan women took to the streets in Kabul to protest another draconian law imposed on the demographic by the ruling Taliban. Earlier this month, the Taliban banned women’s beauty parlours in Afghanistan, another decisive step in slashing women’s rights in the country. 

    Women shouted “work, bread and justice” while they were gathered in the capital city, Kabul. Around 50 women took part in the protest on Wednesday, BBC reports. Security forces dispersed the demonstration by using fire hoses, tasers, and shooting their guns into the air. Some protestors told Al-Jazeera that stun guns were also used against them.

    The Taliban have given beauty parlours one month from the 2nd of July to shut down operations completely, and the order has been sent across the country. According to BBC, they said the wearing of wigs and the practice of eyebrow-plucking were against Islamic values, further stating that beauty parlours are a ‘waste of money’ when couples are getting married. 

    The closure of all beauty salons will lead to the loss of 60,000 jobs, Afghanistan’s Chamber of Commerce said. 

    Women’s rights and access to public spaces have been systematically struck down since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. Afghan women were already barred from attending secondary school and college, from entering gyms or parks, and now they are unable to continue their predominantly female-run beauty parlour businesses.

    The Taliban continue to impose restrictions on women, despite widespread international condemnation. They have prohibited women from working for the United Nations (UN), in spite of the UN having a commission in Kabul.

    There have been minor sporadic protests against measures introduced by the Taliban, but any form of dissent is being crushed, BBC reports.

  • List of illegal, unrecognised universities across Pakistan made public

    List of illegal, unrecognised universities across Pakistan made public

    The Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan recently released a list of illegal and ‘fake’ campuses of universities and higher education institutions across the country. According to the HEC, degrees obtained from these institutions will not be recognised by the commission. To ensure students across the country obtain valid degrees, the HEC has urged students to avoid seeking admission to these institutions.

    Colleges on the list range from local sounding institutions (for instance, the Quaid-e-Azam College of Information Technology), while others seem to present themselves as branches of international universities, such as the American University of London. Though funnily enough, no such university actually exists in London.

    The HEC is responsible for recognising degrees from both private and public chartered universities and higher education institutions in Pakistan. HEC also extends recognition to affiliated campuses. 

    The general public are advised to exercise caution and refrain from enrolling in any fake, illegal, or unrecognised universities/colleges. The HEC has published, and regularly updates, its list of accredited institutions, so if the institution you are enrolling for is not mentioned on the website, you will likely acquire an invalid degree by the end of it. 

    View the entire list of illegal universities and colleges on HEC’s website.

  • New record: Naila Kayani scales all five ‘8,000 m’ peaks in Pakistan

    New record: Naila Kayani scales all five ‘8,000 m’ peaks in Pakistan

    Naila Kayani, a female mountaineer from Pakistan, has successfully climbed all five of Pakistan’s ‘8000 m’ peaks. She successfully summited the 12th highest peak in the world, Broad Peak, today [Thursday].

    After successfully climbing the 8,051 meters high Broad Peak today, Kayani has become the first Pakistani woman to achieve this feat.

    Naila Kayani hails from a conservative family in the Gujar Khan area of Rawalpindi, Punjab. She studied Aerospace Engineering in the UK and worked in the field before pursuing her passion for mountaineering.

    In addition to climbing all five ‘8000 m’ peaks in Pakistan, Naila Kayani has also summited Mount Everest, Lhotse, and Annapurna, among other impressive accomplishments.

    She is the first Pakistani woman to summit Nanga Parbat, Lhotse, Annapurna, and Gasherbrum Two, and the second Pakistani woman to climb Everest. Furthermore, she is the first Pakistani woman to summit eight of the 14 peaks that are over 8,000 meters in height.

    Her achievements have not gone unrecognised — she was awarded the Sitara-i-Imtiaz by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for climbing Mount Everest, and later received an award from President Dr Arif Alvi in December 2021 for her remarkable accomplishments in mountaineering.

  • Melting glacier causes Indus to stop flowing, locals and infrastructure at risk

    Melting glacier causes Indus to stop flowing, locals and infrastructure at risk

    The Indus River has stopped flowing due to the melting of a glacier, which has emerged as an eminent threat to the surrounding population in Diamer district of Gilgit-Baltistan.

    There is a fear of damage to the adjacent population due to the hold in water flow of the Indus River, reported Geo News. The rising water level has started touching the Labcher Bridge that could result in damaging the structure.

    Following the water blockage in Indus, the Raikot Mathath drain has also flooded and the drain water has entered the water channel of the Raikot Power House [Raikot is a village situated along the Indus River].

    Flooding in the drain has further caused a power outage in Gonar farm and Goharabad areas. Furthermore, a house and crops were also damaged.

  • Protests, counter-protests escalate over Quran burning in Sweden and Iraq

    Protests, counter-protests escalate over Quran burning in Sweden and Iraq

    A group of protesters in Iraq set fire to the Swedish embassy in Baghdad after hearing about a planned burning of the Holy Quran in Stockholmon on Thursday.

    The Swedish authorities have approved a demonstration outside the Iraqi embassy in Stockholm, where organisers plan to burn a copy of the Holy Quran and an Iraqi flag.

    Last week, an Iraqi Christian immigrant burned the Holy Quran outside a mosque in Stockholm on the occasion of the Muslim holiday of Eid ul-Azha.

    The incident has caused widespread condemnation in the Islamic world.

    This, along with other recent protests by a far-right activist, has sparked a debate in Sweden about the limits of freedom of speech. Swedish police have now received new requests for demonstrations by individuals who want to burn the Quran, Torah, and Bible. The Islamic world has urged Sweden to enact bans and introduce blasphemy laws.