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Category: Lifestyle

  • ‘Groped her buttocks’: German diplomat in Karachi harasses woman

    ‘Groped her buttocks’: German diplomat in Karachi harasses woman

    Holger Ziegeler, a German diplomat in Karachi, has been accused of sexually harassing attendees and groping a woman at an event in Karachi. The event took place on November 13 last year and was co-funded by the German Consulate.

    “At the 2nd ScrapFest Pakistan event on November 13th/ 2021 at a privately hired venue; a woman attending was sexually harassed by one of the senior staff members from the German Consulate in Karachi,” wrote Urvah Khan in an Instagram post. She was the main organiser of the event.

    “Since my last post on this incident, the German Federal Foreign Office’s unit responsible for investigating all allegations of sexual misconduct has directly contacted me. I have provided them with the video and text evidence I mentioned was in my possession,” wrote Urvah in a separate Instagram post.

    Talking exclusively to The Current, Urvah Khan said that she organised the event ScrapFest, which promotes women and people from the LGBT community. The second event was co-funded by the German Consulate and Holger Ziegeler was German Consul General in Karachi.

    The event took place on November 13, 2021, and Urvah officially issued a statement on April 22, 2022. Three days after issuing a statement, she contacted the German Foreign Office.

    “It took a bit of time to make the statement because I needed time to speak to a victim and to convince the witnesses to come forward. We had a text message. After we found the video evidence and had collected the statements of the victims, I knew we had everything we needed.”

    Regarding the status of the investigation, she said the German Foreign Office in Berlin is investigating the matter. “They are interviewing the witnesses and the victim. We are waiting to find out what is going to happen.”

    Urvah further added that the woman who was groped by Holger Ziegeler reached out to her with the allegations the same night, and recorded her statement the next morning. “I brought it up with Holger. At first he was willing to apologise. The victim asked for a written apology as she was traumatised and did not want to see his face. He later retracted his apology and said that he did not harass her and this was a terrorist attack on his legacy.”

    He also pressurised Urvah to get rid of the evidence.

    Urvah said that when the German Consulate in Karachi was informed, they messaged her to take her Instagram posts down.

    “They did not support me or try to investigate, which is one of the reasons I reached out to the German Foreign Office in Berlin.”

    “A woman came by the stage where he groped her buttocks, then grabbed her hand.”

    Urvah added that apart from the victim who was groped, Holger’s behaviour throughout the night was unacceptable and disrespectful towards many of the attendees. Many of them came forward as witnesses about how uncomfortable they felt.

    “In terms of other attendees, he would try to go closer to them. A few of the witnesses said that they saw him trying to touch women on their body parts, on their stomachs, on their backs.”

    “There was another witness who said that he was standing in front of him while he kept touching his friend’s back. She kept putting his hand back to where it was supposed to be,” added Urvah.

    Asked why she chose to speak to an international publication, VICE, instead of a local one regarding the case, Urvah said, “Because he is a foreign diplomat, he had diplomatic immunity so that is why I was worried about PEMRA coming after an article or news item like this, and shutting it down. This is why I wanted the first article to be published in an international publication so PEMRA could not touch it.”

    “The big issue is that he thought because he co-funded the event through the German Consulate, he could behave in this manner and could get away with it,” said Urvah. “I think it’s important if we all talk about what he did and I think it’s important to have a conversation.”

    Talking exclusively to The Current, Dr Mehrub Moiz Awan, said, “I was hosting this event for a fee as requested by Urvah and a lot of my fans came specially for me.”

    While narrating what happened at the event, Mehrub said, “The white man was visibly drunk or at least tipsy and interrupted me a few times during my jokes as well. I had especially made a point to crack jokes at white people and white privilege and our own audience was loving them. He tried to be a little handsy with me as well but as I’m a Pakistani transwoman, I know how to handle such guys very well.”

    “Later I found out that a female left very upset because she was groped by the same guy. The dude actually sent Urvah a text as well that I saw with my own eyes. It said something like who’s this girl, she’s good. I want her number,” added Mehrub.

    Disclaimer: The Current is not responsible for the statements mentioned in the story.

  • Two female Pakistani artists nominated for South Asia’s most prestigious art prize

    Two female Pakistani artists nominated for South Asia’s most prestigious art prize

    Two Pakistani female artists have been shortlisted for The 2022 Sovereign Asian Art Prize. From over 400 entries, Ayessha Quraishi and Marium Agha were chosen. The finalists represent 16 Asia-Pacific countries and regions.

    Marium Agha:

    Marium Agha (b. 1982, Pakistan) holds a BFA from Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture, Pakistan (2006), an MFA from University of The Arts London, Central Saint Martins, London (2009), and completed a course in Curating Contemporary Art from Chelsea School of Art And Design, London (2009). By surveying the relentless nature of love for over a decade through images, theory, and the self, the artist finds a safe process in deconstructing elements of popular culture which no longer validate contemporary sensibilities. Agha’s deconstructed tapestries, drawings, and text serve to create newer, relevant narratives of the ‘given real’, that is, love, and the supposed representational: the concupiscence of the flesh.

    Ayessha Quraishi:

    Ayessha Quraishi (b. 1970, Pakistan) works in a way natural to her since childhood, her process appearing like braille. Physically, she maintains constant contact with two materials: the surface and the paint

    The Sovereign Asian Art Prize was launched in 2003 to increase the international exposure of artists in the region, whilst raising funds for programmes that support disadvantaged children using expressive arts. Held annually, The Prize is now recognised as the most established and prestigious annual art award in Asia-Pacific.

  • Lahore Traffic Police raises minimum fine amount for four-wheelers to Rs5,000

    Lahore Traffic Police raises minimum fine amount for four-wheelers to Rs5,000

    In an attempt to combat traffic rule infractions in Lahore, Punjab police have ordered a significant hike in fines. The department announced on social media that instead of a few hundred rupees, violators will now be slapped with at least Rs5,000 fine for four-wheelers and Rs2,000 for two-wheelers.

    Muntazir Mehdi, the Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) of Lahore, shared his recommendations with the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Traffic Police. The department also released information on the provincial capital’s increased fine rates.

    As per a recent tweet, Improper parking of motorbikes would incur a penalty of Rs2,000 and improper parking of vehicles will incur a fine of Rs5,000. Moreover, riding a motorcycle without a license will cost the violator Rs2,000, while driving a car will now cost Rs5,000 without a license.

    Motorcycles without number plates or with fancy number plates will be fined Rs2,000, while car drivers would be fined Rs5,000.

    Punjab’s Chief Minister (CM) Hamza Shehbaz Sharif in the last week ordered the creation of an emergency traffic plan to alleviate traffic congestion on important roads in Lahore. He directed the Inspector General (IG) to provide a comprehensive plan, including the promotion and relocation of traffic wardens, as well as its proper implementation.

  • Exclusive: Police officer suspended after woman files harassment complaint

    Exclusive: Police officer suspended after woman files harassment complaint

    A Lahore resident, Maryam Khan, shared pictures on her Twitter account in which a Lahore traffic police officer on a motorbike can be seen harassing her in broad daylight on Mall Road, one of the busiest roads in Lahore. He parked his bike next to her car at a signal and made ‘kissing’ gestures at her and her daughter.

    “Here are photos of a traffic police officer named Sami Ullah on Mall Road, Lahore at 12.30 pm today, harassing me and my daughter while we were at a traffic light stop before G.O.R 1,” tweeted Maryam Khan.

    She tagged City Traffic Police (CTP) Lahore to take action against the harasser.

    While talking to The Current, Public Relations Officer (PRO) Rana Arif said that the police officer, Sami Ullah, has been suspended and an inquiry is underway. He added that the next action will be taken as per the inquiry report. He said that CCTV cameras are placed all over Mall Road and it will be very easy to find out what actually happened.

    Earlier, responding to Khan’s tweet, CTP Lahore said, “Ma’am, if you have any complaints regarding any traffic police official. You can register the complaint on Rasta app which is the right forum.”

    Following the incident, Twitterati expressed their disappointment and anger over it.

    https://twitter.com/Mianbaksh/status/1526461149570531329?s=20&t=wMtPjunef7zBXk1wHTxZtw
    https://twitter.com/seditiousmusing/status/1526270762272935936?s=20&t=wMtPjunef7zBXk1wHTxZtw
  • Court allows divorce on grounds of mental cruelty to husband

    Court allows divorce on grounds of mental cruelty to husband

    An Indian state Chhattisgarh High Court bench granted a decree of divorce on grounds of mental cruelty to the husband.

    The court declared that if a wife insists that her husband to get separated from his parents and threatens to implicate him in a false dowry demand case, it would be counted as mental cruelty.

    Justices Goutam Bhaduri and NK Chandravanshi heard a petition filed by a husband challenging the order passed by a Family Court in 2017 by which his plea seeking divorce on the ground of cruelty was rejected.

    The judges noted that the marriage of the couple hardly worked for two months. The wife often left her matrimonial house as she wanted to live alone with her husband who made several attempts to reconcile but in vain.

    “In such a lower middle-class family, it is the responsibility of the eldest son to take care of his elderly parents, as he has deposed also in his statement. In such a situation, if the wife persistently creates constraints upon the husband to get separated from his family and to live with her at her parental house and also threatened him that, otherwise she will implicate him in the dowry case, it, itself amounts to mental cruelty on the husband,” the high court remarked.

    The Family Court was unjustified in making such an observation, the court said.

  • UN lists Pakistan among 23 drought-hit countries

    UN lists Pakistan among 23 drought-hit countries

    According to the United Nations ‘Global Land Outlook’ report, Pakistan is one of 23 nations that have experienced drought in the last two years (2020-2022).

    The report, released by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) ahead of World Drought Day (June 17), lists the highest total number of people affected by drought over the last century.

    The 23 countries listed by the report include Afghanis­tan, Angola, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Chile, Ethiopia, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Lesotho, Mali, Mauritania, Madagascar, Malawi, Moza­m­bique, Niger, Somalia, Sou­th Sudan, Syria, Pakistan, the United States and Zambia.

    The report warns that humanity has never confronted such a diverse range of known and unknown risks and hazards while interacting in a hyper-connected and fast-changing environment.

    By 2050, an additional 4 million square kilometres of natural areas, equivalent to the size of India and Pakistan, would require drought restoration measures, the report said.

    The report warned that up to 40 per cent of the planet’s land is degraded, which affects half of humanity and threatens roughly 50 per cent of the global GDP worth USD 44 trillion.

  • Two boys arrested for listening to Pakistani song in India

    Two boys arrested for listening to Pakistani song in India

    Two people were arrested in India for allegedly attempting to disrupt national integrity by playing pro-Pakistani music on their mobile phones. An FIR was also registered against Naeem and Mustikm, Indian media has reported.

    A video of the incident, in which a shopkeeper can be seen listening to “Pakistan Zindabad” slogans, has gone viral on the internet. A fellow resident of the village complained to the police that the pro-Pakistan music was being played.

    The boys have been slapped with Section 153B (imputation, assertions, prejudicial to national integration), 504 (intentional insult), and 506 (criminal intimidation. The FIR states that when the complainant asked the two to stop listening to the songs, they allegedly started hurling abuses and said “bad things” about India.

    On other hand, the Pakistani song Pasoori has been trending in India since its release. Many Bollywood celebrities including Shilpa Shetty Kundra and Jasmin Bhasin were seen grooving to the song.

  • Gas supply only three times a day?

    Gas supply only three times a day?

    A few days ago, the news was doing rounds on social media that gas will be supplied to consumers only at certain times in winter.

    According to news shared on the Internet, Sui Northern Gas and the Ministry of Petroleum have planned to provide gas to consumers in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa three times a day, during breakfast, lunch and dinner time.

    Ministry of energy took to Twitter to clarify that the news circulating is not true.

    “Misleading news is being shared on different TV channels that gas will be provided to domestic consumers only three times a day. No such decision has been taken by the Ministry of Energy. However, the ministry has directed Sui Northern officials to ensure supply of gas to domestic consumers during the meal timings,” the ministry tweeted.

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  • ‘Sindh police want to kidnap me, husband’: The Minor

    ‘Sindh police want to kidnap me, husband’: The Minor

    The Minor, an alleged 14-year-old girl, who claims she is 18-years-old, went missing in Karachi in April. She later revealed that she ran away from home to marry Zaheer Ahmed, 21. She has now stated that the couple’s lives are in danger.

    The Minor revealed in a video message that she had eloped with her husband and travelled to Lahore to marry him. “While the Constitution and the law of this country allow me to marry whomever I want and I can live wherever I want under the law, my life is in danger,” she said.

    The Minor went on to say that she is “happy married and lives a quiet life in Lahore,” and that her in-laws treat her well. “People on social media are calling my in-laws part of some gang, but that is a baseless allegation. They are respectable people and are even better than my parents,” she added.

    The Minor also revealed that before eloping, she wrote her parents a letter in which she “clearly stated the reasons for leaving her home.”

    The Minor, who went missing last month was found by the police. Her parents claim that their daughter has been forced into this marriage.

  • Lahore ranks first in reporting most traffic accidents

    Lahore ranks first in reporting most traffic accidents

    During the last 24 hours, the Punjab Emergency Service Department (PESD) dealt with 1,115 accidents across the province. 11 persons died and 1,161 were injured in these car accidents.

    As per the data, there were 272 road accidents in Lahore, impacting 280 people, putting the Provincial Capital at the top of the list, followed by 98 in Faisalabad, with 111 victims, and 79 in Multan, with 83 victims.

    664 people were critically hurt and were taken to nearby hospitals. Rescue medical teams treated 497 minor injured people at the scene of the accident. Around 69 per cent of traffic accidents involved motorcycles.

    Moreover, 561 drivers, 46 underage drivers, 113 pedestrians, and 498 passengers were among the sufferers of these road traffic collisions, according to the report.

    Read more: Lahore Police officials will now wear ‘body cams’ to fight crime

    The figures also indicated that 1,172 people were impacted in road traffic accidents, comprising 979 men and 183 women, with 256 of the deceased being under the age of 18 and 605 being between the ages of 18 and 40, and the remaining 311 being above the age of 40.

    In the aforementioned road accidents, 989 motorcycles, 77 auto-rickshaws, 145 automobiles, 26 vans, 10 passenger buses, 37 trucks, and 109 other types of cars and sluggish carts were involved.