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Category: Lifestyle

  • Destination weddings in Pakistan

    Destination weddings in Pakistan

    Weddings are a serious affair in Pakistan. Months are spent into planning the perfect wedding.

    However, recent years have seen Pakistanis ditch the unconventional route and opt for destinations weddings. This shift has recently gained momentum and pictures of a couple who tied the knot in Hunza have recently gone viral. Historic sites, fancy buildings and sandy beaches are proving to be a better wedding backdrop than flower-laden stages.

    The trend began with the rich flying out to get married in countries like Turkey, Dubai and Thailand. However, considering they are becoming difficult to pull off especially with the rising dollar, many are now turning towards scenic locales within Pakistan.

    If your wedding is round the corner and you’re looking to making your special day even more special, here are some places you can plan your wedding.

    Hunza Valley

    Hunza Valley often referred to as “Heaven on Earth” is located in the Gilgit Baltistan region of Pakistan. The best places to get married in Hunza are the Altit and Baltit Forts, the sublime fairy meadows and Rakaposhi. The cherry blossom season is in full bloom from March to April making it the best season to tie the knot in this area.


    Khaplu Palace

    Khaplu Palace is known as Yabgo Khar in local terms which means “the fort on the roof” because it is located 8,500 feet above sea level in the Ghanche District of Baltistan. October and November are the best months for a wedding because the temperature is ideal during that time.

    Azad Kashmir

    The quiet valley of Neelum in Azad Kashmir is the perfect wedding getaway. If you’re the sort of person who wants a small close-knit wedding, then pack your wedding trousseau and head to Kashmir.

    French Beach

    If you’re a beach bum and the ocean is your happy place, then what better than a beach wedding. The best weather to tie the knot on the beach is in the winters when there is less humidity.

    Badshahi Masjid

    A nikkah and simple wedding at Badshahi Masjid will never get old.

    Khanpur Dam

    Khanpur Dam has recently become a popular wedding spot. And why wouldn’t it? The blue waters and lush green backdrop is truly breathtaking.

  • The plight of the brown bear in Islamabad Zoo

    The plight of the brown bear in Islamabad Zoo

    Islamabad’s Marghazar Zoo has time and time again landed itself in hot waters over the inadequate treatment given to the animals who reside there. In the last few years, the zoo has seen the demise of over 20 animals and animal rights activists have often criticised the government for its lack of attention towards the zoo.

    The zoo has recently come under fire again because of a Himalayan brown bear who is in a sorry condition and has multiple injuries. The source of her injuries are not known but zoo authorities say Soozi got her face and right leg injured during mating, which is apparently a common phenomenon. Zoo authorities claim that the bear is being treated for injuries and that the wounds have almost healed up but pictures and videos on social media paint a different picture.

    As per social media, the matter first came to light when PAWS Pakistan posted a video of the Himalayan brown bear limping and nursing an open wound.

    https://twitter.com/pawspakistan/status/1138532356598509568

    Soozi is being kept in a small cage, which barely fits her, restricting her movement. The zoo director said that keeping the injured animal in a small cage was “necessary for her proper treatment” and that the veterinary doctor recommended it.

    https://twitter.com/wildpakistan/status/1142079219033354240

    Even then, the enclosure where Soozi and her partner, Balu, are kept is not suitable for such animals. In fact, most of the enclosures in the zoo are inadequate and reportedly do not meet the standard operating procedure (SOP). The lion’s enclosure is also too small as is that of Kavaan, the lone elephant.

    According to media reports, the government is considering transferring the administration of the facility to the Ministry of Climate Change. A few months ago, Minister for Climate Change Zartaj Gul had requested the government to hand over the zoo’s administration to them. Meanwhile, a case regarding the conditions of the Islamabad zoo is currently ongoing in the Islamabad High Court.

    Mayor Sheikh Anser Aziz stated that maximum facilities were being provided in the given funds and that the government has not allocated any funds to the zoo. In fact, the PTI government has even dropped a project by the PML-N government worth Rs200 million for strengthening and upgrading the zoo.

  • Afghan President in Lahore; roads to avoid today

    Afghan President in Lahore; roads to avoid today

    Afghan President Ashraf Ghani landed in Lahore on Friday morning where he was received by Governor of Punjab Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar and Chief Minister of the province Usman Khan Buzdar.

    The Afghan President is in the country on a two-day official visit on the invitation of Prime Minister Imran Khan. President Ghani is expected to participate in a business forum attended by representatives from both countries.

    He offered his Friday prayers at the Governor House before fulfilling his formal commitments.

    In order to avoid getting stuck in traffic, it is best to avoid all roads leading to and from the airport. Avoid Mall Road as well as it will be closed for VIP movement.

    Try staying within Defence or Model Town and avoid Gulberg and other areas surrounding the Mall Road. Better still, just stay at home today and chill.

  • 5 drugs you probably didn’t know about

    5 drugs you probably didn’t know about

    On International Day against Drug Abuse, The Current decided to spread awareness on the subject considering what a grave matter of concern it is in our country. We’ve already posted a list of drugs which are very popular among the youth. Here’s a list of drugs you probably had no idea existed.

    Bichoo

    Bichoo is a local term for scorpion. In order to make a drug out of a scorpion, the bichoo is first killed and then dried in sunlight or burnt on coal. The burnt body is then crushed and mixed with tobacco or hashish and smoked. A bichoo’s tail is what is most important as it contains the venom which gives a high. Bichoo as a drug is most common in KPK.

    Shrooms

    Though shrooms are not available easily in Pakistan, they are apparently the most organic form of drug available as they don’t leave you with a hangover. You can eat them raw, dried, cooked or stewed.

    Samad Bond

    As strange as it sounds, Samad Bond is also used as a drug. The glue is poured on a piece of cloth and then inhaled to get a high.

    Withdrawal pills for heroin addicts

    Medicines which are used to help heroin addicts deal with their addiction is also used as a drug.

    ADHD cure pills

    Pills used to counteract attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are also surprisingly used as a drug. According to our source, the pill when taken with alcohol gives a high like cocaine.

  • The most used drugs in Pakistan

    The most used drugs in Pakistan

    It’s World International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking and though Pakistani authorities keep talking about cracking down drug abuse in the country, it’s unfortunate that the number of drug users have increased in the country. Statistics on the number of drug users in the country are not as easily available as the drugs themselves but the fact remains that drug abuse is a cause for concern. Earlier this year, minister Shahryar Afridi claimed that 75% of students in Islamabad’s educational institutions are drug addicts.

    We did some research on which drugs are the most popular among teenagers and the results are listed below. This article can serve as a guide to parents and friends and help them identify if those around them are using drugs.

    Coke

    Cocaine is allegedly the most popular drug among the youth, though a gram of coke can cost between Rs 12,000 and Rs 20,000 depending on the quality. News reports also suggest that overdose of it is the reason behind so many young deaths in the country.

    Hash (chars)

    Hash or weed, locally known as chars, has become very popular among the youth so much so that it is no longer considered a drug. It is either rolled into a cigarette and smoked or people add it to their sheesha for a stronger effect. 100 grams of chars cost Rs 1500 depending on where you get it from. You can roll about 25 cigarettes with 100 grams of chars.

    LSD

    Lysergic acid diethylamide, LSD for short, is a hallucinogenic drug. Depending on the strip potency, this drug can cost between Rs 2,000 and Rs 4000.

    Crystal Meth/Ice

    Use of meth and ice has drastically increased in our country. The powder-like substance, which can keep you alert and active for hours, typically costs around 500,000 rupees for a kilo.

    Ecstasy

    The ecstasy drug is available in the form of a pill which can cost between Rs 2500 and Rs 4000, depending on the variation.

    MDMA

    MDMA, better known as molly, is a compound of the ecstasy pill. Its price is approximately Rs 9000 per gram and one typically swallows it to feel high. However, it can also be smoked.

  • The Current’s Favorite TikTok Videos

    The Current’s Favorite TikTok Videos

  • A nightmare full of trash: Indian wedding leaves behind 4000 kgs of garbage

    A nightmare full of trash: Indian wedding leaves behind 4000 kgs of garbage

    Two weddings that cost INR 200 crore (approx PKR 400 crore) left behind mountains of garbage in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. According to media reports and videos online, 4,000 kg of garbage was left behind.

    The Gupta family from South Africa was behind the nightmare. They hosted two weddings of their sons Suryakant and Shashank Gupta at a hill-station, Auli, between June 18 and 22.

    Bride Kritika Singhal is the daughter of diamond merchant Suresh Singhal, and groom Suryakant is the son of industrialist Ajay Gupta

    Two grand wedding stages, as well as a glasshouse with floral arrangements from flowers that were flown in specially from Switzerland, were set up to celebrate the festivities. The guests were also flown in via special choppers. Many superstars including Katrina Kaif, Badshah and Kalaish Kher also performed at the functions.

    These wedding functions left behind a huge mess of leftover petals, foam, food and plastic among other things in the region, known to be ecologically fragile. The local municipal corporation is cleaning up mountains of trash left behind after the Gupta family deposited INR 54,000 with the Corporation. The Guptas have also agreed to pay the entire cost of cleaning up.

  • Swat’s Malam Jabba ski resort gets a zip line

    Swat’s Malam Jabba ski resort gets a zip line

    Swat’s famed Malam Jabba ski resort has a new attraction: a zip line. The zip line, which is the highest in Pakistan at 9,200 feet, has been installed in the resort to attract tourists from all over the country and the world.

    The newly installed zip line is approximately 1,000 feet (90 metre) high and about 2,000 feet (550 metre) long, while its speed can reach up to 80 kilometres per hour. Just imagine the views and adrenaline rush you’re going to get.

    Ever since it was opened, tourists have thronged to the new tourist attraction, zip-lining to their heart’s content. Speaking to different media outlets, the tourists said that it was a true adventure and a unique experience for them.

    The provincial government of KPK along with the federal government have placed a lot of emphasis on developing tourism in Pakistan. In fact, KP Tourism Minister Atif Khan in a recent media talk revealed that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is planning to start a helicopter service to make it easier for people to reach popular tourist spots.

  • Why are car drivers not careful while driving in the rain?

    Why are car drivers not careful while driving in the rain?

  • Here’s why you should nap in the middle of the day

    Here’s why you should nap in the middle of the day

    We’ve all grown up with the knowledge that eight hours of sleep is very important for our bodies in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. But taking a nap, or wanting to sleep in the middle of the day is also completely normal.

    Sleep experts have claimed that our bodies are programmed to doze off at various times of the day making it okay to take a short nap when you feel like it.

    According to a UK-based sleep physician, Dr David Cunnington, the idea of getting eight hours of sleep comes from the Labour moment in the UK in the early 19th century. The slogan, ‘Eight hours’ labour, eight hours’ recreation, eight hours’ rest’, coined by labour rights activist Robert Owen in 1817 became the goal in western society.

    This rule however, limits people to only sleep for eight hours at night.

    “We criticise millennials for being lazy but many of them are moving toward that freelancer way of living rather than salary working,” Dr Cunnington said, adding “And that means they can allocate time across their day for work, play and sleep and therefore be more productive in whatever role they have.”

    While there are some places in Southern Europe where they sleep twice a day, most industries and countries follow the eight-hour margin.

    We are designed to sleep in cycles of 60 minutes to 120 minutes before coming up to surface. As you age, the amount of sleep you actually require decreases. Working adults should be sleeping an average of 7-9 hours.