Current Final

Category: Lifestyle

  • KMC admits traffic engineering department is dysfunctional

    KMC admits traffic engineering department is dysfunctional

    The Sindh High Court (SHC) has ordered that strict action be taken against those who run illegal charged parking in other places in Karachi.

    While hearing a petition against illegal parking in the Court, DIG Traffic submitted a report which was then made part of the record as well.

    In the report, the court was informed that charged parking lots have been constructed on 46 roads of Karachi.

    The court ordered that a case should be registered if parking lots are made anywhere other than the charged ones.

    During the hearing, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) admitted that the traffic engineering department is dysfunctional, reports Geo News.

    The traffic engineering department plays a key role in traffic matters.

    The court adjourned the hearing by directing the Secretary of Local Government to implement court orders.

  • Climate activist Greta Thunberg commends Baloch protestors; Islamabad police gets trolled in replies

    Climate activist Greta Thunberg commends Baloch protestors; Islamabad police gets trolled in replies

    Climate activist Greta Thunberg has expressed solidarity with Baloch Protestors who had to face police brutality on Wednesday night after marching to Islamabad.

    Taking to X, Thunberg tagged the female leader of the march Mehrang Baloch, and condemned Islamabad Police for detaining, torturing, and disrupting peaceful protestors. “Climate justice activists all over the world stand in solidarity with Mehrang Baloch and other peaceful protesters who have been detained, tortured and disrupted by Islamabad police for protesting against human rights abuses in Balochistan.”

    Islamabad Police is being slammed for using baton charges, water cannons, and arrests to deter the protestors. However, the response by the police under Greta’s post enraged many.

    The official handle of the police stated, “There is no evidence of any injured persons at all.”

    To this people started sharing the pictures and videos of police assaulting the protestors as proof.


    A user responded sarcastically, “Dear Islamabad Police, Greta doesn’t watch Pakistani TV channels.”

    Baloch protesters are on roads demanding the release of all “missing persons” and an end to “extrajudicial killings” in Balochistan under the leadership of activist Dr Mahrang Baloch and Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC).

  • Class of 2022: Apply for this Chinese scholarship before it ends

    Class of 2022: Apply for this Chinese scholarship before it ends

    China Scholarship Council (CSC) is providing a great opportunity for Pakistani students to pursue a degree in the country with the support of the Chinese government.

    For the academic year 2024–2025, the Chinese government has entrusted the Higher Education Commission (HEC) with the responsibility of managing these scholarships on behalf of the Government of Pakistan.


    Interested individuals can submit their applications through the relevant HEC portal or the CSC’s portal before the December 28 deadline.
    The initiative is a proactive step towards promoting educational opportunities for international students and researchers pursuing bachelor’s, master’s, or PhD degrees.


    Eligibility:


    To be eligible for consideration under the Chinese Government Scholarship Program for the academic year 2024-25, applicants must possess a valid Higher Education Aptitude Test (HAT) or Higher Education Undergraduate Studies Admission Test (USAT) score obtained after January 01, 2022.

    How to Apply:

    According to the official Higher Education Commission (HEC) website, the China Scholarship Council (CSC), under the auspices of China’s Ministry of Education, assumes responsibility for the enrollment and administration of the Chinese Government Scholarship Program.

    Applications for the concerned programme can be submitted to the related HEC portal or the CSC’s portal by December 28.

    Enrollment:

    According to the official HEC website, the CSC — entrusted by China’s Ministry of Education — is responsible for the enrollment and the administration of Chinese Government Scholarship Program.

  • The top five most eligible Pakistani bachelors of 2023

    The top five most eligible Pakistani bachelors of 2023

    It is no secret that Pakistanis are obsessed with shadis. This is reflected everywhere, from television dramas to the daily discourse. The marital status of people in the limelight always attracts more curiosity. Politicians, actors, and sportsmen are the three types of public figures the masses are generally most interested in.

    So, it is impossible that anyone especially a man, a good-looking one, can escape the omnipresent question, “When are you getting married?”. While we are not asking that personal question, we at The Current bringing you our top picks of the most coveted bachelor’s in Pakistan, exceptional men achieving big things in their respective fields-be it acting, singing, sports, or politics.

    It is important to note that we conducted a poll on our social media platforms to incorporate the feedback of our followers.

    1. Babar Azam

    Former Pakistani cricket team’s captain, popularly known as ‘King Babar’, surpasses every other bachelor in the country with an overwhelming majority of the vote.

    The support and the fan base this Lahori cricketer has is unprecedented. Even though he may be enjoying his bachelor life, fans want him to settle down.

    Different names keep getting associated with him one after the other, the latest being Hania Amir. The actress refuted all such claims by saying “Babar bhai hain bro”.

    We really hope that next year the nation gets to see a “national bhabi”.

    1. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari

    Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is the second most prized bachelor people want to see get married.

    The former Foreign Minister, son of the late Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, has been asked about his wedding plans multiple times but it seems like nothing is on the horizon for the 35-year-old politician. However, in an interview with The Current, he mentioned that the prospective bride must get along with his two sisters.

    1. Hasan Raheem

    Peechay Hut fame singer Hasan Raheem is a youth icon.

    He has not just the looks of a rock star but also a professional degree of MBBS, along with a smooth voice. There is a huge number of girls that are smitten. His political correctness has our hearts melted already.

    The singer seems to be eager to get married as well as he expressed in one of the interviews.

    1. Hamza Sohail

    Hamza Sohail has raised the bar high with the uber-romantic Farjad Khan Bahadur in Fairytale.

    A significant number of viewers want this boy-next-door to settle with his on-screen wife Sehar Khan but will settle for him tying the knot with anyone.

    1. Bilal Abbas Khan
      Bilal Abbas made it to the list as recommended by people, for the thirty-year-old actor is the very definition of an old-school hero.

    Two-time winner of the Lux Style Award, he is casting his spell on audiences with the role of Shahmeer Sikander in the drama serial Ishq Murshid. Known for his long-lashed eyes, we hope he someday enchants a girl for good.

    Towards the end, we want to share the results of the poll conducted by The Current where Babar Azam won the poll with a clear majority.

  • Mass shooting at Prague University by student leaves 14 dead, 25 injured

    Mass shooting at Prague University by student leaves 14 dead, 25 injured

    A 24-year-old student killed 14 people and wounded 25 at a Prague university on Thursday in the Czech Republic’s worst shooting in decades before authorities said the attacker was “eliminated”.

    The deadly violence in the city’s historic centre sparked evacuations, a massive response by heavily armed police and warnings for people to stay indoors.

    The shooting erupted at the Charles University’s Faculty of Arts, which sits near major tourist sites like the 14th-century Charles Bridge.

    “At this moment I can confirm 14 victims of the horrible crime and 25 wounded, of which 10 seriously,” police chief Martin Vondrasek told reporters after the shooting.

    All the victims were gunned down inside the building, he said. Media said at least some were the gunman’s fellow students.

    Vondrasek added the gunman, previously unknown to the police, had a “huge arsenal of weapons and ammunition” and that quick police action prevented far more serious carnage.

    Vondrasek said police started a search for the man before the mass shooting as his father had been found dead in the village of Hostoun west of Prague.

    The gunman “left for Prague saying he wanted to kill himself,” Vondrasek said. Police suggested earlier the gunman had killed his father.

    Police searched a Faculty of Arts building where the gunman was expected to show up for a lecture, but he went to the faculty’s main building nearby and they did not find him.

    “At 1359 GMT, we received the first information about shooting,” Vondrasek told reporters, adding the rapid response unit was on the scene within 12 minutes.

    “At 1420 GMT, the officers in action told us about the gunman’s motionless body,” Vondrasek said, adding unconfirmed information showed he had killed himself.

    Another murder

    Citing a probe into social media, Vondrasek said the gunman was inspired by a “similar case that happened in Russia”, without going into details.

    “At the moment, there is nothing to suggest any further imminent danger,” he added.

    Vondrasek said police believed the same gunman had also killed a young man and his two-month-old daughter in a pram during a walk in a forest on the eastern outskirts of Prague on December 15.

    The police investigation into the murder that had shocked Prague was deadlocked until evidence found in Hostoun linked the gunman with the crime.

    Vondrasek said no police officer was wounded in Thursday’s action.

    Police evacuated the building, using a concert hall across the street as a temporary refuge for the evacuees.

    Czech President Petr Pavel said he was “shocked” by the violence and expressed “deep regret and sincere condolences to the families and relatives of the victims”.

    Prime Minister Petr Fiala said the “lone gunman… wasted many lives of mostly young people”.

    “There is no justification for this horrendous act,” he added.

    The worst shooting since the Czech Republic emerged as an independent state in 1993 also prompted messages of support from across the world.

    US President Joe Biden sent his condolences, slamming the “senseless” shooting.

    “The president and the first lady are praying for the families who lost loved ones and everyone else who has been affected by the senseless act of violence,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters.

    French President Emmanuel Macron also expressed his “solidarity” with the Czech people, as did many other European leaders including European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

    ‘No other gunman’

    Czech Interior Minister Vit Rakusan said that there was no link between the shooting and “international terrorism”.

    He added that “no other gunman has been confirmed” and called on people to follow police instructions.

    Police cordoned off the area and asked people living nearby to stay at home.

    Prague’s emergency service said on X that “a large number of ambulance units” were deployed at the faculty.

    Though mass gun violence is unusual in the Czech Republic, the nation has been rocked by some instances in recent years.

    A 63-year-old man shot seven men and a woman dead in 2015 before killing himself in a restaurant in the southeastern town of Uhersky Brod.

    In 2019, a man killed six people in the waiting room of a hospital in the eastern city of Ostrava, with another woman dying days later. The man shot himself dead about three hours after the attack.

  • Boycott movement for Palestine loses steam in Pakistan; majority still supports, survey reveals

    Boycott movement for Palestine loses steam in Pakistan; majority still supports, survey reveals

    The latest survey by Pulse Consultants shows that the perception of boycotting products or companies supporting Israel has decreased in Pakistan.


    Three surveys conducted from November 5 to December 14 revealed that Pakistani consumers’ opinion of boycotting Israeli products dropped significantly from 83 percent in November to 60 percent in December.


    A Pulse Consultants survey found that 83 percent of a total of 1,224 sampled on November 5 supported the idea of a boycott, while the latest poll conducted on December 14 showed that only 60 percent of a total of 1,206 sampled supported a boycott of the products.


    According to the survey, boycott sentiments are relatively high in females who are decision-makers for domestic brands as compared to the males of Pakistan.


    The upper class and upper middle class are more in favor of boycotting than the middle class and lower class of Pakistan. The survey revealed that the most boycotted products are carbonated soft drinks, followed by fast food chains, chips and snack brands, juices, soaps, toothpaste, etc.


    A recent poll conducted from December 8 to 14 found that 60 percent of people supported the idea of boycotting products that support Israel.


    It is important to note that the boycott is part of an international campaign known as the BDS movement. It is to boycott, divest from, and sanction Israel, called BDS for short.

  • JN.1: World Health Organization warns about fastest growing variant of Covid-19

    JN.1: World Health Organization warns about fastest growing variant of Covid-19

    A new sub-variant of the Omicron strain of coronavirus named JN.1 has alerted experts across the global health industry, as it has been classified as a “variant of interest” by the World Health Organisation (WHO) due to its fast-growing spread.


    COVID-19 cases involving the JN.1 variant have been found in many countries across the world, including India, China, the United Kingdom, and the United States.


    Although WHO has stated that the risk to the public is currently low, it warns that COVID-19 and other infections could rise this winter.


    The virus behind COVID-19 is constantly evolving, with new variants arising, Omicron being the globally dominant one.


    Meanwhile, WHO is closely monitoring several variants linked to Omicron, including JN.1, but none are considered concerning at the moment.
    However, JN.1 is the fastest-growing variant of COVID-19, accounting for 15-29 percent of infections in the US, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.


    It is also the fastest-growing in the UK, accounting for around 7 percent of positive coronavirus tests, according to the UK Health Security Agency.
    Therefore, it is important to continue monitoring all available data on this and other variants to ensure that appropriate measures are taken to control the spread of the virus.

    “It is anticipated that this variant may cause an increase in Sars-Cov-2 [coronavirus] cases amid a surge of infections of other viral and bacterial infections, especially in countries entering the winter season,” the WHO’s risk assessment says.


    There is still limited evidence on how capable JN.1 is of getting around the immunity offered by vaccines, the WHO says.


    WHO reports no increased illness rates with this variant compared to previous ones, but more studies are needed to understand its health impact due to a decrease in countries reporting COVID-19 data.


    Meanwhile, WHO has advised people to take precautionary measures to prevent infections and severe disease by wearing a mask in crowded areas, covering up coughs and sneezes, cleaning their hands regularly, and staying up to date with coronavirus and flu vaccinations, especially if vulnerable.
    Additionally, WHO advises people to stay home if they are ill and get tested if they have symptoms.

  • List of all public holidays in 2024

    List of all public holidays in 2024

    In a notification issued by the Cabinet Division on Wednesday, the Government of Pakistan has officially declared the public holidays for the upcoming year 2024.


    The list encompasses a range of festivals and events significant to both Muslims and minorities across the nation.


    The 2024 public holiday calendar features a total of 11 days, each representing a momentous occasion celebrated widely in Pakistan.
    The notification also includes optional holidays for minorities.

    To avail those they will have to take prior permission from the head of their department.

  • Marriage and employment scam: 500 girls from Lahore sold in Sindh after kidnapping

    Marriage and employment scam: 500 girls from Lahore sold in Sindh after kidnapping

    The recovery of a 15-year-old Sheikhupura girl from Sindh has unearthed a gang that has sold 500 young women by scamming and kidnapping them. Seven arrests have been made so far from Lahore and Jacobabad.


    As per the police report, an abduction case was registered with the Factory Area Police Station in Sheikhupura on June 2 following the disappearance of a teenage girl. An investigation was initiated upon their failure to recover the girl, reported Dunya News on December 12.


    Urdu News has reported the incident in greater detail, including listing the motives of the girl who eloped, and how she got recovered.


    Alisha reached Lahore on the morning of June 2. She got out of the car near a petrol pump near Data Darbar in Lahore. She didn’t have her phone with her which she deliberately left at home, as she looked for someone in the crowd. Alisha got in touch with a man named Nadeem through Facebook. After being in contact online for a long time, she fell in love with him.


    Nadeem promised Alisha that if she came to Lahore, they will marry each other.


    On the morning of June 2, when her mother went to work, Alisha ran away from home to find her unknown love.


    When Alisha did not find Nadeem in Lahore, she broke down. She reached the Data Darbar premises exhausted and sat in the courtyard. A woman came to her and comforted her and said that she would get her a job in a good place or get her married somewhere. Alisha had no choice but to believe this unknown woman and thus they became friends.


    On the other hand, Alisha’s mother registered an FIR of her abduction in Sheikhupura Police Station Factory Area.


    Sheikhupura Police Spokesperson Wajid Abbas told Urdu News that Alisha’s mother received a phone call telling her that her daughter was in Sindh and she had to pay a ransom of Rs 25 lakh to get her daughter back. Alisha’s mother filed a case of kidnapping on June 6.

    Meanwhile, two local politicians in the area advised the woman to file a writ in the High Court, that her daughter was missing.


    Wajid Abbas said that the court reprimanded the SHO of the local police station and said that if the girl is not recovered, he will be suspended.


    He said that DPO Sheikhpura Zahid Marwat took a personal interest in the case and tried his best to solve the case. The police also found a trace of a gang.


    Sheikhupura police reached Lahore in search of Alisha and started searching for her with the help of Safe City Authority cameras, when the police saw some people talking to Alisha in the Data Darbar area.


    According to the police, after making inquiries about the wanted persons, they arrested one. When the police interrogated the man, he confessed to his gang kidnapping the girls.


    On investigation, the police found that the main character of this gang is a woman named Latifan Bibi living in Karachi, while her husband Khan Muhammad is also involved in criminal activities.


    The suspect told the police about the modus operandi of his gang. Latifan Bibi is in touch with six people from Karachi to Lahore. Three women and three men operate in Lahore, these six people approach different girls and convince them that they will get them married or get them a good job.

    They then transfer all of them from Lahore to the rural areas of Sindh.


    The spokesperson of Sheikhupura Police said, “When Alisha was seduced by an unknown woman in the Data Darbar area of Lahore, she informed Latifan Bibi in Karachi about it, after which the unknown woman sold Alisha to Latifan Bibi for 20,000. This group commits crimes systematically, two people from Lahore went to leave Alisha to Karachi.”


    He said that Latifan Bibi gave these people 20,000 rupees for traveling expenses. The police soon came to know that these two men also raped fifteen-year-old Alisha on the way.


    According to him, as long as Alisha stayed with Latifan, her husband Khan Muhammad also kept raping her. Then Latifan Bibi sold Alisha in the city of Qamber in Sindh for two lakh rupees, after which she was sold eight times in Sindh.


    The police traced Alisha and had information about the alleged gang, but the police now had the task of catching the entire gang. The police prepared a plan to nab the accused.


    According to the Sheikhupura Police Spokesperson, “We prepared one of our lady constables and told the arrested accused to call Latifan Bibi and tell her that they are bringing another girl to Sindh.” Latifan Bibi did not know anything about this.


    “When our officials reached the Kacha area of Sindh with the accused and the lady constable, Latifan Bibi and later her husband were also arrested from there.”


    Latifan Bibi and other suspects revealed disturbing details during the investigation.


    Latifan Bibi told the police “So far they have abducted around 500 girls from Lahore and sold them in the Kacha area of Sindh and got a huge price for them.”

    “Girls who come to courts or run away from home, we would trap them and kidnap them.”


    According to the Sheikhupura police, this gang has remained safe from being caught by the police until now because whenever the police went to catch them or found a trace of a missing girl, Latifan Bibi would arrange the marriages of these girls, after which these girls would be found by the police. She used to state that she was married, due to which the police action could not be successful.


    When the Sheikhupura police recovered Alisha on the identification of the arrested accused, there were many revelations.


    According to Sheikhupura police, Latifan Bibi revealed that she sold Alisha at nine different places, but finally, police found Alisha from an area called Mehr on the border of Sindh and Balochistan and brought her to Punjab. She is now in police custody.


    Sheikhupura Police Spokesperson Wajid Abbas further said that the police have detained eight accused in this case, including four men and their wives. Alisha and her mother also tried to change their statement, but now we have kept Alisha in safe custody so that this gang can be severely punished.


    The police led by DPO Zahid Marwat produced Alisha in the court and informed her about the entire incident.


    The court, while dealing with Alisha’s recovery request, issued an order that, “This matter should be investigated more deeply and all possible measures should be taken for the recovery of the kidnapped girls.”

  • X restored after being globally down for more than an hour

    X restored after being globally down for more than an hour

    Various complaints of social networking website X (formerly Twitter) being down around the world have been reported in the past hour but it is now restored.


    Reports emerged that complaints of the service being down of both the social media micro-blogging website and mobile application surfaced around 11 am.


    According to X-monitoring website Downdetector, about 70,000 complaints were received from around the world about X’s service being affected.

    Earlier, in March and July of this year, there were complaints about X’s services being affected.


    According to media reports, users visiting X saw ‘WELCOME TO YOUR TIMELINE’ written instead of regular tweets, indicating that there was a major problem on the social networking site.