Current Final

Category: National

  • Saudi Arabia rolls out the ‘Lavender carpet’ for PM Khan

    Saudi Arabia rolls out the ‘Lavender carpet’ for PM Khan

    Saudi Arabia has announced that it is renouncing red for its dignitary visits – and opting for purple carpets instead. The decision was announced by the Ministry of Culture, which connected the change in ceremonial procedure to the violet-coloured plants currently in bloom across the Asir region in Saudi Arabia.

    The Kingdom said the decision to choose lavender as the new colour for ceremonial carpets better reflects Saudi national identity and the hospitality of the kingdom. The Kingdom further said that lavender is associated with Saudi generosity and hospitality. The pleasant change for ceremonial welcome is one of the many initiatives announced as part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.

    Lavender covers large areas of the country’s desert landscape in spring and the purple hue of the flower has been associated with royalty.

    Prime Minister Imran Khan walked the lavender carpet when he arrived in Saudi Arabia and was received by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

    At the Oscars this year, the Academy too, rolled out a pink carpet instead of red for its guests. It’s a shade that is said to flatter the A-listers. A secret colour, one whose precise specifications the show’s organisers won’t reveal for fear of copycats.

  • FIA bars Shehbaz from leaving the country

    FIA bars Shehbaz from leaving the country

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif was stopped by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) from leaving the country earlier today. According to the FIA, Sharif’s name is on the Person-Not-In-List (PNIL), which means that persons who are not on Exit Control List (ECL) or on black list can be stopped through PNIL. On Friday, the Lahore High Court (LHC) said Shehbaz has “one time” permission to fly abroad for medical treatment. Sharif was all set to take a flight to London but the FIA stopped him at immigration at the Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore.

    Talking to The Current, PML-N leader Attaullah Tarar said that this is a blatant violation of court orders despite FIA officials being present in court. “Such pettiness on behalf of the government has only exposed their nefarious designs.” Tarar, who is also part of the legal team in Sharif’s case, said that if this delay gives the prime minister satisfaction for a few days, “let him be happy”.

    Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry tweeted that Director General (DG) FIA has the authority to remove a name from a black list. “Shehbaz Sharif’s lawyers have not submitted any application to DG FIA to remove his [Sharif’s] name from the blacklist.” Chaudhry added that communicating something verbally does not mean there will be any change in the record. “The government will move the court against this decision.”

    Talking to the media, PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said that the FIA has added Sharif’s name in another list. She said that despite written order by the LHC, stopping Shehbaz Sharif from travelling is tantamount to contempt of court. Marriyum Aurangzeb added that now we are being told by the FIA that the system has not been updated even though there were two FIA officials present in court when the LHC granted Sharif permission to travel abroad.

  • Wasim Akram ’embarrassed’ as British High Commissioner picks trash in Islamabad

    Wasim Akram ’embarrassed’ as British High Commissioner picks trash in Islamabad

    Wasim Akram has expressed his embarrassment and disgust after the British High Commissioner Dr Christian Turner shared pictures of himself picking trash in Islamabad.

    “Now this is really embarrassing. Where are we heading?,” questioned Akram, who has been actively cleaning the beach in Karachi over the past couple of years.

    The former captain of the Pakistan Cricket Team also thanked Dr Turner “for doing this almost every week.”

    “Safai Nisf Imaan [Hai],” asserted Wasim.

    Earlier on Friday, Dr Turner shared a picture of himself holding two bags of trash he collected after his morning walk on the Margalla Hills in Islamabad.

    “Another Friday morning walk, another two bags of litter,” said Turner. “Safaai nisf imaan hai (cleanliness is half of faith).”

    Dr Turner also tagged the Deputy Commissioner of Islamabad Hamza Shafqaat, who praised him, saying “Great”.

    However, the DC’s comments did not sit well with netizens who called him out for being negligent towards his work.

    Shafqaat later clarified his comment, saying that his intention was misunderstood.

    “This comment is grossly misunderstood. I was just appreciating the efforts of Dr Christian to keep Islamabad clean,” said Hamza, adding: “I would request everyone to not litter in forests. It is everyone’s responsiblity to keep their surroundings clean.”

    He later also said that sanitation teams picked up 1600 tonnes of waste today (Friday).

    “Everyone please remember that cleanliness is a two-way street and everyone of us is responsible for it and not just the British High Commissioner,” urged Shafqaat.

    Meanwhile, last week, Dr Turner had urged the residents of the federal capital to keep Islamabad clean by avoiding littering at open and green places.

    “Meals are for sharing not littering,” Dr Turner had said, sharing a picture of two plastic bags stuffed with empty water bottles, tin cans and other waste material.

    “Please help keep beautiful Islamabad clean,” he had said.

  • ‘PM stands with the working class, not the elite’: Fawad Chaudhry

     Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry defended the prime minister’s remarks about envoys. “PM stands with the working class and not the elite.” PM Khan chastised Pakistani envoys recently over their missions’ indifferent behaviour towards the expat community.

    “If we can’t raise our voices for overseas Pakistanis, we don’t have any right to remain in government,” added Fawad Chaudhry.

    The minister stressed that Pakistan would have to uplift the working class to progress and to strengthen itself as a country. Fawad recalled that the PM had only instructed his ambassadors that the well-being and welfare of the overseas Pakistanis must be a priority.

    The information minister spoke about an incident involving an overseas Pakistani woman, saying that she was being subjected to unjust treatment over the past few years.

    “When she contacted an [Pakistani] embassy, she was told, ‘The police should take action against you for marrying thrice’,” said Chaudhry.

    Chaudhry said the prime minister had, on many occasions in the past, said he was proud of Pakistan’s ambassadors. He said a few embassies had “closed their doors” on overseas Pakistani labourers, adding that action should be taken against those found guilty. 

  • Shehbaz Sharif to go back to London

    Shehbaz Sharif to go back to London

    PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif’s petition for removal of his name from the no-fly list has been approved by the Lahore High Court.

    Shehbaz’s lawyer informed the court that the younger Sharif needed to travel to London for a doctor’s appointment on May 20. The court was made aware that the PML-N president has to be in the UK before that. “Shehbaz has already booked his ticket to Qatar for tomorrow’” said the lawyer, “Pakistanis traveling to the UK need to stay in Qatar for 10 days because of the travel restrictions.”

    The deputy attorney-general remarked, “Shehbaz’s lawyer has not presented his return tickets which means that the PML-N president does not plan on coming back.”

    On this, the court said that it is better if Shehbaz appears in person to provide an explanation.

    Shehbaz’s name was put on the Exit Control List as he is being investigated by the National Accountability Bureau in a number of corruption cases.

    He was released from jail on April 23 after a three-member bench of the Lahore High Court unanimously approved his bail in the money laundering case.

    NAB has accused Shehbaz of laundering money and owning more assets than his known sources of income.

    In December last year, the anti-graft watchdog had issued orders to freeze 23 properties owned by former Punjab chief executive and his sons, Hamza and Suleman, over claims they had acquired assets beyond their known sources of income and committed money-laundering.

    According to the NAB, an investigation against Shehbaz, Hamza, Suleman, and others had revealed that the PML-N president had acquired properties in the name of his wives Nusrat and Tehmina Durrani.

    PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal’s name added to the Exit Control List.

    The Interior Ministry on Friday added PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal’s name to the Exit Control List.

    Iqbal’s name was added to the ECL after the approval of the federal cabinet. The former minister is facing the Narowal Sports City reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). Last November a reference was filed against Iqbal.

    It was initially approved at a cost of Rs34.74 million by the Central Development Working Party (CDWP), which Iqbal headed. NAB maintains that Iqbal illegally directed the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) and NESPAK to increase the project’s scope, enhancing the cost to Rs97.52 million.

    NAB is investigating his involvement in the case, which is being heard by an accountability court in Islamabad. Iqbal has been summoned several times.

    NAB had made a request to add Iqbal’s name to the no-fly list.

  • ‘Thank you, Bilawal,’ says Shehbaz Sharif

    ‘Thank you, Bilawal,’ says Shehbaz Sharif

    Chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari congratulated Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday after a resounding victory by the PML-N in PP-84 by-election. In a statement tweeted by the PPP’s official Twitter handle, Bilawal Bhutto congratulated Sharif on PML-N’s win and also added that the “consistent wins by the Opposition show clearly how disillusioned people are with the PTI and its anti-people policies. The people of Pakistan continue to give their verdict against PTI, but the selected govt refuses to listen.”

    Shehbaz Sharif responded to this tweet by thanking Bilawal. “There is no doubt that the by-election results represent an overwhelming rejection of the anti-people policies pursued by the PTI government,” tweeted Sharif.

    The last few months have seen the leaders of the PPP and PML-N indulge in a war of words, both online and offline. In March, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz tweeted about a ‘substitute being fostered’, which some say was a dig at Bilawal Bhutto after Asif Zardari had asked Mian Nawaz Sharif to return to Pakistan during a meeting of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).

    When Bilawal was later asked whether Maryam’s comment was about him, he said that if he wanted to comment on the PML-N’s vice-president, he would have asked his party’s vice-president to comment on it.

  • Sindh launches home service for COVID-19 vaccination

    Sindh launches home service for COVID-19 vaccination

    The Sindh government has introduced a free COVID-19 home service for coronavirus vaccination to facilitate elderly citizens.

    According to details, the facility is currently being offered to residents of Karachi and Hyderabad only for now.

    The mobile helplines for at-home vaccination are 9123 and 1025. Those calling from a landline phone can dial 021-111-119-123.

    The spokesperson said that people will initially have to register by sending their CNIC number to 1166.

    The vaccines shots available with the government are Sinopharm and Sinovac (CoronaVac).

    Read more – WHO praises Pakistan’s COVID-19 vaccination arrangements

    Meanwhile, the Government of Sindh will also start providing coronavirus vaccine to private hospitals in the province.

  • Board exams to be held after June 15, announces Shafqat Mahmood

    Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood has announced that board exams will start after June 15 with priority for Grade 12 and 10 so that they can take admissions in universities without any delay.

    The minister said the decision was taken in an Interprovincial Education Ministers Conference (IPEMC) that took place on Wednesday.

    “Intermediate and Matric exams would be given priority so that results can come in before university admissions,” said Mahmood, adding that respective boards will announce the exact date of the exams later.

    In lieu of rising cases of COVID-19, Shafqat Mehmood earlier announced that no examinations will take place in the country until June 15. The decision came after increased pressure by students for the cancellation of exams.

    However, after the cancellation of exams, students are now demanding Teacher and School Assessed Grades, arguing that their study schedules have been disrupted because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

  • ‘You won’t be able to escape, I will kill you’ says Mayra’s alleged killer

    ‘You won’t be able to escape, I will kill you’ says Mayra’s alleged killer

    A 24-year-old girl, Mayra Zulfiqar, was found dead in Lahore on Monday. She had recently been threatened by two men who both wanted to marry her.

    Prior to her brutal murder, she had asked police for protection after accusing a man of abducting her at gunpoint.

    In Pakistan, the chief investigating officer in the murder inquiry told the BBC that police teams were targeting addresses in Islamabad and Lahore. So far no arrest had been made.

    In a police report filed before her murder, Ms Zulfiqar named and accused a man of abducting her at gunpoint and attempting to sexually assault her.

    She said she managed to run away by alerting people around but the man threatened her, saying “You won’t be able to escape, I will kill you.”

    Mayra’s uncle Mohammad Nazeer found her body after receiving a phone call from her father, who lives in London, to say she had been killed.

    The initial postmortem report said that Mayra had received two bullets, one to her neck and another to her arm.

    Mayra Zulfiqar’s funeral took place in Lahore, while a special memorial service has been held at a mosque in Hounslow, west London. Her brother Faizan Muhammad said his father had left for Pakistan

    The deceased woman had arrived from the UK, where her family is settled, some two months back and shared the upper portion of the rented house with a friend. Police have taken her housemate into custody as part of the probe.

    Late on Monday, Defence-B police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against two purported friends of Mayra on murder charges on the complaint of the deceased woman’s uncle.

    In a statement, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office said, “our thoughts are with the family at this difficult time. We are urgently seeking more information from the local authorities.”

  • PML-N wins PP-84 Khushab by-poll

    PML-N wins PP-84 Khushab by-poll

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Moazzam Sher Kallu has won the PP-84 Khushab by-election with a significant margin. Kallu came out on top with 73,081 votes and retained the seat that was vacated after the death of PML-N lawmaker Malik Muhammad Waris Kallu in March.

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Ali Hussain Baloch was the runner-up with 62,903 votes. Kallu’s margin of victory is 10,178 votes.

    PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif congratulated the public and winning candidate Moazzam Sher Kallu. “The people of Khushab have rejected the wheat and sugar thieves,” Sharif was quoted

    Maryam Nawaz celebrated the Khushab victory on Twitter. She said “people in every city have declared Nawaz Sharif’s victory” and derided those who wanted to “minus Nawaz Sharif”.

    “Look at the works of Allah! Only Nawaz Sharif is left [standing], while everyone else has been cut out,” added Maryam.

    A total of eight candidates stood in the race. Besides the PML-N and PTI candidates, PPP’s Ghulam Habib Ahmed was in the running, as well the banned TLP’s Asghar Ali. The independents included Amjad Raza, Aurangzeb, Imran Haider Khan, and Ilyas Khan Azad.

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said in a statement that “no untoward situation of law and order has been reported at the polling station”.

    Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari congratulated the President PML-N Shehbaz Sharif, for the win in PP-84 by-polls.