Current Final

Category: Lifestyle

  • After PTA’s ban on PUBG and Bigo, Supreme Court hints at blocking YouTube in Pakistan

    Amid Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s (PTA) ban on popular online multiplayer game PUBG and social networking application Bigo besides a “final warning” to TikTok, the Supreme Court (SC) has reportedly hinted at banning YouTube in Pakistan.

    According to The Express Tribune, the apex court, while hearing the case of one Shaukat Ali involved in a sectarian crime, objected to unregulated content on social media, particularly comments regarding the judiciary, the armed forces and the government.

    We have no objection to freedom of expression, remarked Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin. “Our salaries are paid from the money of the people, they have the right to raise questions on our decisions and our performance,” he said. “But the Constitution also grants us the right to privacy,” added Justice Amin.

    He remarked that family members of the judiciary come under scrutiny on YouTube and referred to a decision announced a day earlier, which was discussed on the platform and asked whether the PTA and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had taken notice of such happenings on the platform where judges were mocked and embarrassed.

    A PTA official told the court that the PTA cannot remove objectionable content but can only report it.

    READ: Final warning to TikTok as PTA plans to ban it over vulgar content

    YouTube is banned in many countries, said Justice Mushir Alam, who was also on the bench. He asked whether anyone would dare post content against the United States (US) or the European Union (EU) on the platform.

    Justice Amin asked how many people had been prosecuted for such crimes while Justice Alam noted that social media was regulated through local laws in many countries.

    People are incited against the judiciary, the government and the armed forces, remarked Justice Amin.

    The court then issued notices to the attorney-general of Pakistan (AGP) and the Foreign Ministry on the matter.

    Pakistan’s digital space has been frequently restricted and is monitored closely through laws such as the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 as well by the federal agencies PTA and FIA.

  • Son allegedly beats mother for property, cash

    Son allegedly beats mother for property, cash

    Late Tuesday night, a video of a man beating and abusing his mother went viral on social media. According to details, the man thrashed his mother for property and cash.

    The man’s sister Zobia Meer, who shared a video on social media, revealed all the details of the incident and said that she and her sister reported that violent act to the police but they released their brother an hour later. She added that they are trying to register an FIR but the police is not helping them in this matter.

    The video sparked outrage on social media and many journalists, celebrities, social activists and other members of the civil society condemned the incident and demanded justice for Meer and her mother.

    Ali Rehman Khan, Ushna Shah, Hamza Ali Abbasi and Armeena Khan also Tweeted to condemn the incident.

    https://twitter.com/ArmeenaRK/status/1285701130358587392?s=20
    https://twitter.com/AbbaxiObaid/status/1285695893186977793?s=20
    https://twitter.com/taimoordanish31/status/1285695945259257860?s=20

    Rawalpindi police registered a case against the culprit after the video went viral.

    Zobia Meer and her mother told all the details in a live session with Waqar Zaka.

  • LGS Harassment: Senate Committee takes notice, invites parents to attend meeting

    Senate Human Rights Committee has taken the notice of sexual harassment incidents at the Lahore Grammar School and will hold a meeting in this regard on July 22.

    Senate Human Rights Committee Chairperson and PPP Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar shared details of the meeting and said that “parents of the students who were concerned with the way investigations have progressed so far” can also attend the meeting.

    The agenda of the meeting will be to brief the Senate body on the incidents and the actions taken after the allegations by the Punjab Education secretary, LGS principal, and Lahore DPO.

    Speaking to The Current about the matter Senator Khokhar said, “[These incidents are] deeply disturbing. One wonders where we are headed as a society with crimes of sexual assault and harassment on the rise.”

    He added: “[We are] waiting to hear from the authorities and the outcome of their investigations so far, whether cases have been registered against offenders and whether any action has been taken by the education ministry or school for incidents like this not to happen again.”

    Read More – Meesha Shafi extends support to victims of harassment at Lahore school

    On June 28, dozens of girls came forward with accounts of harassment and inappropriate behaviour by teachers at LGS 1A1 Ghalib Market Branch. The management of the school, including female teachers, also came under fire for brushing the matter under the carpet for years. It is pertinent to mention here that most of the girls studying at the school were minors at the time.

    Such incidents had reportedly been going on for the past four or five years and the victims had been reporting the matter to the admin and their teachers. However, they took no action and resorted to victim-blaming. Strict action was only taken after the girls shared their ordeal on social media and the matter became public.

    According to details, students have come forward and shared their experiences of being harassed by three teachers namely Aitezaz Rehman Sheikh, Umer Shareef and Zahid Iqbal Warraich. All three teachers were fired soon after the allegations surfaced.

    Following the uproar on social media, Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari had said that she has taken serious notice of the allegations. The Punjab government had also said that they will hand exemplary punishments to the perpetrators and make an example of them.

  • Private schools’ association demands reopening of schools from Aug 15

    Private schools’ association demands reopening of schools from Aug 15

    The All Pakistan Private Schools and Colleges Association (APPSCA) has announced the reopening of private schools from August 15 across the country rejecting the Federal Government’s decision to reopen them in September.

    In a press conference, the association said that students had to go through an educational loss because schools have been shut down for the past six to eight months.

    The APPSCA president, Hidayat Khan, added that the virus has slowed down and that cases are also decreasing.

    He added that the association had tried to negotiate with the government but they did not listen. Khan warned that if the government does not listen to them, they will march to protest against the government. He also strongly criticised the federal government and called it incompetent.

    “We will open schools in line with the SOPs. Madrassas have been opened, and they have even conducted examinations,” he added.

  • Final warning to TikTok as PTA plans to ban it over vulgar content

    Final warning to TikTok as PTA plans to ban it over vulgar content

    The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has issued a final warning to popular Chinese social networking app TikTok over obscene and immoral content as it banned live streaming application Bigo over similar concerns raised by the general public.

    TikTok allows users to make video clips, lip sync to songs and create short videos, and has time and again been criticised over the quality of content amid unparallel popularity among Pakistanis.

    Last week, a civil miscellaneous application was filed in the Lahore High Court (LHC) demanding an immediate ban on TikTok, Dawn reported.

    The petitioner said the app was a “great mischief of modern times” and had become a source of spreading pornography for the sake of fame and ratings on social media.

    According to a statement released by the PTA late on Monday night, complaints were received from different segments of society against immoral, obscene and vulgar content on social media applications particularly TikTok and Bigo.

    “PTA had issued necessary notices to the aforementioned social media companies under law to moderate the socialisation and content within legal and moral limits, in accordance with the laws of the country,” the statement said.

    The PTA said the response of these companies was “not satisfactory”.

    “Therefore, in exercise of its powers under PECA, the PTA has decided to immediately block Bigo and issue a final warning to TikTok to put in place a comprehensive mechanism to control obscenity, vulgarity and immorality through its social media application,” the statement said.

  • Pakistani carpenter becomes model in Saudi Arabia after pictures go viral

    Pakistani carpenter becomes model in Saudi Arabia after pictures go viral

    Pictures of a 24-year-old Pakistani carpenter living in Saudi Arabia went viral on social media making his dream of becoming a model come true.

    According to media reports, Muhammad Waqas who went to Saudi Arabia four years ago always wanted to become a model. But, he did not expect to succeed.

    “I came to Saudi Arabia four years ago to work as a carpenter. And, I never thought of becoming a model in advertising,” said Waqas.

    However, a social media post by his friend changed his life.

    “One day I saw my friend [Faisal] editing the photos of a photo session. I told him that since childhood I have wanted to work in this field but in Pakistan, I did not get the chance, so my friend suggested and took a picture of me and sent it to the relevant person,” he added.

    A screenshot of Waqas’s friend asking to get the youngster a chance in the modeling industry went viral on social media.

    https://twitter.com/tamimi1_1/status/1278368438747095041?s=20

    A Twitter user took the screenshot and posted it on social media. In the tweet, which has gotten over 33,000 likes so far, user @tamimi1_1 asked agencies looking for models to get in contact with him.

    “Brands who want this handsome man to model for them, contact me,” @tamimi1_1 wrote.

    And soon Waqas was offered modeling opportunities. Waqas also posted his pictures, modelling for a waist-coat making company on Twitter.

    Here are a few pictures of Waqas.

  • Islamabad to get an electric vehicle charging station

    Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhary has announced that the first electric vehicle (EV) charging station will be launched in Islamabad.

    “Extremely excited to see the launching of first Electric Car Charging Station in Islamabad,” the minister wrote in a tweet.

    He added that the first flagship EV charging facility will be set up at Jinnah Avenue Islamabad soon.

    “The opening of EV charging stations was another target of Ministry of Science and Technology to encourage E-vehicles as future transportation,” he said.

    As the country approved its first-ever electric vehicle (EV) policy last month, vehicles in Pakistan will be shifted on electric power. Under the policy, motorcycles and vehicles would be shifted on electric power, while EV Manufacturing Units would also be established in the country.

  • Cabinet bans employing children as domestic workers

    Cabinet bans employing children as domestic workers

    The federal cabinet has approved a bill against the employment of children as domestic help across the country, Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari has said.

    According to details, the minister during her speech in the Senate on Friday said it will be applied once further work on the bill is finalised.

    “Violence and mistreatment of children start from these households,” Mazari said, mentioning that the new bill is government’s effort to end the violence against children.

    According to the new clause, any child under the age of 14 years can not be hired as domestic help. If anyone violates the law, strict action will be taken against them.

    The move came after several child abuse cases were reported from across the country. A campaign was also started on social media against the domestic employment of children. The government had also faced criticism for its lack of laws on the issue.

    Dr Mazari had been trying to include domestic labour by children as an unsafe line of work under this act.

  • VIDEO: News anchor stays calm as she loses a tooth live on TV

    VIDEO: News anchor stays calm as she loses a tooth live on TV

    Ukrainian news anchor Marichka Padalko was in the middle of a live news bulletin when her tooth fell out. However, she kept her calm and did not stop the broadcast. 

     In a video which is being circulated on social media, Marichka quickly put her hand to her mouth to catch the loose front tooth and continued with the bulletin.

    “Yes, I lost part of my front tooth today during the live broadcast of TSN at 9:00,” Padalko wrote on Instagram, according to a translation. “This is probably my most curious experience in twenty years as a presenter. Live broadcasting is wonderful because it is always unpredictable.”

    The newscaster said her dental problem happened about a decade ago when her young daughter knocked her in the mouth with a metal alarm clock.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CCqr6gsJ-1_/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    Padalko said that her news program “deliberately” did not post her recent disaster to YouTube, for the sake of discretion.

    “Honestly, I thought the incident would go unnoticed…. But we underestimated the attention of our viewers,” the anchor explained.

    Padalko thanked fans for their support.

    “We keep calm in any situation,” the journalist concluded. “See you tomorrow morning.”

  • Kaavan to be relocated to Cambodia

    Kaavan to be relocated to Cambodia

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Saturday approved the relocation of Islamabad Zoo’s lone elephant Kaavan to Cambodia. The court had ordered Kaavan’s freedom in May and instructed wildlife officials to find him a “suitable sanctuary”.

    According to AFP, Adviser to Prime Minister Imran Khan on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam said authorities would “ensure that he lives a happy life”. He revealed that a team from Cambodia is coming over to take the 36-year-old elephant with them.

    “We are bidding Kaavan farewell with a heavy heart. It is a sad decision,” he said.

    Amin also shared that he had discussed Kaavan’s plight with Prime Minister Imran Khan and it had been decided that a safari zoo will be built in Islamabad.

    Authorities told the court that an expert committee had recommended he be moved to a 25,000-acre wildlife sanctuary in Cambodia for retirement.

    Kaavan was kept in chains at Islamabad Zoo and exhibited symptoms of mental illness, prompting global outrage over his treatment and a petition demanding his release that garnered over 400,000 signatures.

    Though zoo officials have denied this and claimed that he was pining for a new mate after his partner died in 2012, Kaavan’s behaviour — including signs of distress such as bobbing his head repeatedly — demonstrated “a kind of mental illness”.

    Activists also said Kaavan was not properly sheltered from Islamabad’s searing summer temperatures, which can rise above 40 degrees Celsius (100 Fahrenheit).

    Kaavan’s plight drew the attention of Cher, who spent years calling for his freedom.

    She tweeted in May that the court’s decision to order his release was “one of the greatest moments of my life”.

    Read more – Cher thanks PM Khan for ‘making her dream come true’

    Arriving in Pakistan as a one-year-old in 1985 from Sri Lanka, Kaavan was temporarily held in chains in 2002 because zookeepers were concerned about increasingly violent tendencies. He was freed later that year after an outcry but it emerged in 2015 that he was once more being regularly chained for several hours each day.

    The court’s May ruling also ordered dozens of other animals — including brown bears, lions and birds — to be relocated temporarily till the zoo improves its standards.