Category: Lifestyle

  • 30 people land in hospital after drinking poor-quality lassi in KP

    30 people land in hospital after drinking poor-quality lassi in KP

    At least 30 people got seriously sick after drinking substandard lassi in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

    According to reports, the sick – most of who are women and children – have been admitted to Civil Hospital. The incident took place in Takht Nusrati Kujay region of Ganderi Khattak.

    Medical Supervisor of civil hospital Khyber Pakhtunkhwa told that 20 of the sick patients have been brought in to the medical facility.

    Earlier a fast-food chain in the locality of I I Chundrigarh road was sealed by Sindh Food and Health authorities in Karachi after three children who ate from the outlet died.

    Food authorities took samples of the food at the fast-food restaurant and after laboratory tests, the food’s quality will be determined.

  • Space museum to be set up in Islamabad

    The Scientific Committee of the National Astronomical Observation Commission has decided to set up Pakistan’s first-ever space museum in Islamabad. Earlier, there was PIA Planetarium at Expo Centre in Karachi which used to give a virtual tour of the outer space.

    According to APP, Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry chaired the meeting in which the decision was taken to set up Pakistan’s first space museum in Islamabad. The federal minister announced that the first-ever space museum will be established within eight months.

    The meeting also decided to set up five astronomical observatories in Pakistan. It was unanimously decided that astronomical observatories would be set up in Islamabad and Gwadar at the initial phase.

    In a tweet, Fawad said that provincial governments have also been asked to established space museums in provincial capitals.

    “From looking at the moon to beyond the stars, you will be able to explore the universe in future”, he said.

    The Ministry of Science and Technology has been making great strides in development. Earlier, this week they also delivered a batch of locally-manufactured ventilators to the National Disaster Management Authority to fight COVID-19.

  • Netizens are calling for unpaid internships to be cancelled

    Netizens are calling for unpaid internships to be cancelled

    Though we’re not living in normal times or circumstances currently, summertime for students studying in colleges and universities usually means internships. Proper internship programs in Pakistan are limited and most interns are required to work free of cost and are promised “exposure and experience” in return. Recently, Pakistani Twitter was lit with a debate on unpaid internships with netizens demanding a ban on them.

    The debate started when an old tweet resurfaced in which a Twitter user had called out a prominent influencer for promoting unpaid internships and had mocked them.

    The internship advertisement posted by Syed Muzammil Hasan Zaidi stated that he needed an intern/assistant to work on several projects with him. He clarified that the position is unpaid and that the successful candidate will get no leaves for three months. Incentives included getting a chance to work with top government officials and top creators in the digital media industry.

    Following that, Twitter users began to slam the influencer for promoting this and called for the culture of unpaid internships to be cancelled.

    https://twitter.com/theD_inDNA/status/1278712145866301441?s=20
    https://twitter.com/MeshalMalikk/status/1279026695920631809?s=20

    The debate is not just limited to Pakistan. People across the world are calling for a ban on this practise and are urging workplaces to be more inclusive.

    https://twitter.com/awkward_duck/status/1278000313581088769?s=20
  • Indian family lands in hospital after confusing methi leaves with marijuana

    A family from Uttar Pradesh, India ended up in a hospital after confusing marijuana leaves with methi and mistakenly making a ‘ganja sabzi’ out of it. 

    A local vegetable seller, Naval Kishore sold a packet full of weed claiming that it was methi to a villager’s son, Nitesh as a prank. 

    Nitesh gave the packet of weed to his sister-in-law to cook it. According to reports, the family of six unknowingly ate the cooked marijuana leaves.

    Minutes after they ate their food, the family started feeling uncomfortable and asked their neighbours to call a doctor. While their neighbours were calling a doctor, the entire family fainted. 

    The neighbours immediately called the police after which the family was hospitalized. The police cracked the mystery after they found a cooking pot with the leftover food next to an uncooked pack of weed. 

    The cooked marijuana and raw leaves were detained and the police went on to investigate the vegetable vendor for his irresponsible act.

    The police has caught the vegetable vendor for putting so many lives at risk. Authorities further confirmed that a case will be registered after a formal complaint is filed. 

  • Punjab Govt vows to make an example of perpetrators in school harassment case

    The Punjab government has said that they will hand exemplary punishments to the perpetrators of the Lahore private school harassment incident and make an example of them.

    According to Geo News, Punjab Government Spokesperson Musarrat Cheema said that the government, including Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar and Education Minister Dr Murad Raas, has taken action against the harassment case reported in the private school. She said that an inquiry committee has also been formed to investigate the incident. On Wednesday, CM Buzdar had taken notice of the matter and had directed CCPO Lahore to carry out an impartial inquiry into the incident and had said that harassment of students will not be tolerated at any cost.

    Cheema asserted that the government will use this incident to send a stern message across the board.

    “These culprits will not only have to let go of their jobs but they will also be punished according to the circumstances,” assured Cheema.

    The spokesperson also encouraged victims and their parents to come forward and share their experiences, adding that action can only be taken if the government is aware of any such incident. She also advised parents to educate their children on the matter and encourage them to speak up.

    “If their kids go through such an incident, they should inform the administration and also tell the government so that we can remove those evil humans, who are in the form of teachers,” said the spokesperson.

    Punjab Education Minister Dr Murad Raas says that he will personally be dealing with the case.

    Later, in a press conference, the minister announced that the provincial government would bring a new act for private institutions.

    Lauding the students for their courage, Dr Raas said that the students who reported sexual harassment had gone through considerable mental anguish. He shared that more than 20 students spoke to him and broke down while narrating their ordeals.

    “A written complaint of the incidents is required, without which action cannot be taken,” he said. “We are going to bring a new act for private schools [and] we are adding legislation on harassment to our laws.”

    The Punjab minister said the government could only help people when written requests were submitted.

    Meanwhile, Chairperson Child Protection & Welfare Bureau Punjab Sarah Ahmad shared that the school did not respond when officers from the bureau went to the school.

    Earlier, Federal Minister for Human Right Dr Shireen Mazari also took notice of the allegations and said that the regional offices have been alerted on the matter.

    Principal, administrator and coordinator suspended

    Director of the institute Nighat Ali said that all five employees who were accused of harassing female students were fired from their jobs, while the principal, administrator and coordinator, who were accused of covering up the incidents, have also been suspended.

    She added that an inquiry committee has been constituted to probe further into the matter.

    “The school has full authority to take legal action against the culprits and if the charges against the dismissed employees are proven, an action will be taken against them,” Ali said.

    The allegations

    On June 28, dozens of girls came forward with accounts of harassment and inappropriate behaviour by teachers at Lahore Grammar School (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 and immediate 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 hours after the allegations surfaced.

  • Expert’s daughter invades BBC interview, asks ‘Mummy, what’s his name?’

    Expert’s daughter invades BBC interview, asks ‘Mummy, what’s his name?’

    With work from home becoming the new normal, parents across the globe now have a double job: they have to balance their work and look after their kids, all at the same time.

    A working parent, Dr Clare Wenham was recently live on BBC from home discussing the lockdown situation in England and how staying indoors is a learning process for locals amid the outbreak of the virus.

    That’s when her daughter Scarlett interrupted the interview and started pestering her mother to help her choose the best shelf to display her art.

    BBC presenter Christian Fraser stepped in and asked Dr Clare: “What’s your daughter called?”

    Wenham replied, “Her name is Scarlett.”

    Fraser told Scarlett that her art looked better on the lower shelf. In response, Scarlett asked her mother: “Mummy, what’s his name?” to which Fraser politely said, “My name is Christian.”

    The entire episode was recorded and shared on BBC UK’s official Twitter handle. People on the internet found the entire episode very cute.

    https://twitter.com/fascinatorfun/status/1278395826201452545?s=20
  • Élan’s Khadijah Shah denies accusations of torturing employee

    Élan’s Khadijah Shah denies accusations of torturing employee

    Élan’s Khadijah Shah seems to have found herself in controversy yet again. A video of a man claiming to be imprisoned by the designer in her warehouse since the past six months is doing the rounds on social media.

    According to the man in the video, Shah, the founder and Creative Director of Pakistan’s leading luxury clothing brand, has not paid the worker for two months and has refused to let him leave the warehouse where business operations take place. The man added that Shah along with her associate Rehan Bashir has exploited 144 other labourers along with him and has refused to let them leave the warehouse.

    “I worked for their Élan Lawn 2020 project. They asked to bring in extra labour to which I obliged. However, when I asked for payment, my staff and I were imprisoned here. We are being humiliated every day,” he said.

    Soon after the allegations surfaced, Khadijah responded to them on Instagram saying that the man had stolen from her and was now seeking revenge for being terminated.

    Khadija said that the man in the video was in the packing department from where he had stolen over 7000 pieces of Élan lawn.

    The designer added that the matter came to light when a huge amount of inventory was missing and customers began to file complaints for missing pieces. She said they had to halt dispatches due to incomplete orders. Shah added that an FIR has also been registered against the former employee and that he has asked her for forgiveness.

    Shah further said that she is not one of those who put people in dungeons and torture them.

    Later, the designer also cracked a joke on the situation, saying “After I torture people in dungeons with Rehan Bashir, we eat lots of dessert.”

    Shah is one of Pakistan’s most renowned designers. Her brand Élan had also designed an outfit for Kate Middleton when she came to Pakistan.

  • Health Benefits of Lychee

    Health Benefits of Lychee

    Juicy, pulpy and tasty, lychees are one of summer’s most-loved fruits. From improving the immunity to aiding weight loss, lychees have many health benefits.

    Here are some of the benefits of the fruit: 

    Improves immunity

    Lychees are rich in vitamins that stimulate the activity of white blood cells that defend the body against germs, viruses and other foreign materials. Lychees also have more than 100% of the daily requirement of ascorbic acid (natural water-soluble vitamin )that works exceptionally well for boosting your immunity. 

    Good for your skin

    Lychee can help reduce signs of aging and blemishes. Vitamin E in lychees helps to heal sunburn that causes pain and irritation and helps keep the skin healthy and glowing.

    Helps indigestion

    Lychee has dietary fibres that help in the digestion process. It can be very beneficial for constipation and other tummy problems. It also stimulates gastric and digestive juices helping effective nutrient absorption.

    Reduces inflammation

    Lychees have anti-inflammatory properties. This helps is fighting flu and infections during the summer months.

    Aids Weight Loss

    Lychee is a great source of dietary fibre which plays an important role in weight loss. Lychee contains high water content and has reduced fat content which further makes it a perfect fruit for weight loss. It is also low on calories, making it a fulfilling snack.

  • KP’s Sikh community deliver ration packs to pandemic-hit families

    Members of the Sikh community in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) have been distributing ration bags among families affected by the coronavirus outbreak.

    Speaking to Arab News, a Sikh pharmacist from Peshawar, Dr Jatinder Singh said, “We try not to publicise this since we only seek our reward from God and want to protect the identity and dignity of all beneficiaries.”

    Singh said many Sikh business owners have donated big-heartedly to distribute the ration packs among 400 families.

    “This is a community-driven welfare service which is a great source of satisfaction for us,” he added.

    Before the emergence of COVID-19, Singh and his community also helped to arrange collective Iftar dinners for Muslims during Ramazan. Now, Muslim philanthropists have also started participating in the Sikh community’s ration initiative.

    “We distribute ration packs among deserving families regardless of their caste and creed,” Singh said. “We hope that this endeavor will somewhat mitigate the negative economic impact on people’s lives caused by the pandemic.”

  • PTA temporarily bans PUBG

    PTA temporarily bans PUBG

    The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has temporarily banned the PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG), an online battle game, for being harmful to players’ health.

    The move came after three children committed suicide in Lahore recently due to the online game.

    The authority, in a statement, said that it received “many complaints against PUBG wherein it is stated that the game is addictive, wastage of time and poses a serious negative impact on the physical and psychological health of the children”.

    It added that the decision came on the back of complaints received from different segments of society as well as media reports claiming “cases of suicide attributed to PUBG game”.

    “Honorable Lahore High court has also directed PTA to look into the issue and decide the matter after hearing the complainants. In this regard, a hearing is being conducted on the 9th of July 2020,” it added.

    PTA has also urged people to share their opinion and give their feedback on the issue at consultation-pubg@pta.gov.pk by July 10, 2020.