Current Final

Category: National

  • Here’s why you were stuck in traffic in Lahore despite South Africa playing Test in Rawalpindi

    Massive jams in major parts of Lahore on Thursday spelt misery for citizens on the second consecutive day with little or no public knowledge regarding the jams except assumptions that the South African cricket team was in town.

    According to the details of the jam, the city’s arteries, including Jail Road, Canal Bank Road and The Mall, remained blocked for traffic as contingents of police and rangers barred motorists from movement on the said roads.

    As a result, all routes leading to the aforementioned major roads also remained choked with traffic jams in Shadman, Shah Jamal, Gulberg, Mozang, Upper & Lower Mall, Lytton Road, Liberty Chowk, Kalma Chowk and Davis Road among other adjoining areas.

    But what could have been the cause, especially when the South African team is currently playing its second Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi?

    Well, a separate Proteas T20 squad arrived in Lahore on Wednesday for three-match series against the Green Shirts.

    Security before the movement of the team was beefed up in the Punjab capital and the guests were shifted to the hotel in the fully escorted motorcade.

    Heinrich Klaasen will lead the South Africa squad in the three fixtures which will be played on February 11, 13, and 14. The first practice session is scheduled for Friday.

    The series will start at the Gaddafi Stadium Lahore on February 11, and so, the current traffic situation is likely to prevail until February 15, after which the Pakistan Super League (PSL) matches could add to motorists’ woes.

    Meanwhile, Pakistan captain Babar Azam won the toss and elected to bat in the second and final Test in Rawalpindi against South Africa on Thursday.

    Pakistan retained the playing XI which won the first Test by seven wickets inside four days at Karachi last week.

  • Five KP policemen suspended for beating up women suspects

    Five KP policemen suspended for beating up women suspects

    Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police chief Sanaullah Abbasi has suspended five police officials after their video beating up three women, accused of robbery, in Swat went viral on Wednesday.

    According to Express Tribune, the women who were detained by the Saidu Sharif police for alleged robbery were slapped and kicked in broad daylight by the police officials, including the SHO, as they were bundled into a police vehicle. An ASHO of the Kokarai Police Station was also among the suspended policemen.

    According to the report, suspended cops are: SHO Police Station Saidu Sharif SI Rafiullah, ASHO Police Station Kokarai SI Ayaz Ahmad and constables Muhammad Alam, Ishaq, and Fazal Khaliq.

    KP Inspector General Dr Sanaullah Abbasi reportedly arrested the three SHOs involved in the incident. “Respecting women is important in Peshawar. The investigation against the women who allegedly stole is underway but no one is allowed to take the law into their own hands,” the KP IG stated.

    KP CM Mahmood Khan also took notice of the violence against the suspects and ordered an inquiry into the incident. “The incident of public violence against women by the police is intolerable,” the chief minister said in a statement.

  • Two PHA officials suspended for ‘inefficiency and negligence’ over Iqbal sculpture

    Two PHA officials suspended for ‘inefficiency and negligence’ over Iqbal sculpture

    Two officials of the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) have been suspended for “inefficiency and negligence of duty” over the Allama Iqbal sculpture placed in Lahore’s Gulshan-i-Iqbal Park.

    According to a notification issued by the authority, the two officers have been suspended for “negligence of duty and inefficiency”. 

    The park’s Deputy Director Horticulture Shah Nawaz Wattoo, and Assistant Director Horticulture Ghulam Sibtain have been suspended with “immediate effect”. 

    The sculpture of the Allama Iqbal sparked social media outrage after netizens pointed out that it barely resembled the national poet. Chairman PHA Yasir Gillani later clarified that the sculpture was built by the gardeners of the park in order to pay tribute to the great poet.

    However, following the backlash, CM Punjab Usman Buzdar ordered the sculpture to be removed.

    Nadia Tufail, a spokesperson of the park located in the city’s Gulshan-e-Iqbal area, confirmed to The News that the sculpture had been removed and will be put up again after necessary improvements. 

  • Global Democracy Index ranks Pakistan 105/167; says Islamabad has ‘hybrid democracy’

    Democracy has had yet another bad year globally, according to the latest edition of the Democracy Index from The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).

    The annual EIU’s Democracy Index provides a snapshot of the state of democracy worldwide in 167 countries. This covers almost the entire population of the world and the vast majority of the world’s states (microstates are excluded).

    The index is based on five categories, electoral process and pluralism, the functioning of government, political participation, political culture and civil liberties.

    Based on its scores on a range of indicators within these categories, each country is then itself classified as one of four types of regime: “full democracy”, “flawed democracy”, “hybrid regime” or “authoritarian regime”.

    This year, the index classified 23 countries as full democracies, 52 as flawed democracies, 35 as hybrid regimes and 57 as authoritarian regimes.

    Securing the 105th slot, Pakistan, like last year, has been placed under the head of hybrid democracy, next to Turkey at the 104th rank. India, on the other hand, has been classified as a “flawed democracy” along with countries such as the United States (US), France, Belgium and Brazil.

    Among the countries topping the list are Norway, Iceland, Sweden, New Zealand and Canada, followed by Finland, Denmark, Ireland, Australia and Netherlands.

    “The authorities’ handling of the coronavirus pandemic led to a further erosion of civil liberties in 2020,” the report said.

  • Senate body approves public hanging of child rapists

    Senate body approves public hanging of child rapists

    The Senate Standing Committee on Interior has passed a bill that suggested public hangings of child abusers by seeking amendments in sections 376 and 377 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

    The bill was moved by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Javed Abbasi. As per the proposed legislation, the high courts should conduct trials of the rape cases involving children within 30 days.

    It further says that the Supreme Court should adjudicate the appeals pertaining to these cases within 60 days.

    The bill, if converted into an act of parliament, will also close doors on a compromise by the families of the children who become victims of sexual abuse.

    Dawn quoted the draft of the bill as such: “Whoever commits [child sexual abuse] be punished with death or imprisonment for life without parole till death and shall also be liable to fine.”

    Under a proposed amendment to Section 377 of the PPC, whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any boy under 18 years of age shall be punished with death or imprisonment for life without parole till death and shall also be liable to fine.

    “Rape is a heinous crime; an act of violence that ruins the lives of victims. In Pakistan, rape cases are reported and registered; however, conviction rates of the accused are abysmally low. Recent events relating to sexual abuse and rape throughout the country, particularly against children, have necessitated that tough punishments should be meted out to perpetrators.

    “Current penalties are less compared to the magnitude of the crime. The bill aims to increase the punishment of rape as one of the deterrent to this heinous crime,” reads the statement of objects and reasons.

    During the proceedings of the Senate panel, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and Leader of House Senator Shahzad Waseem staged a walkout. Waseem told the newspaper that he had opposed the bill because the government was bringing an ordinance over the same issue.

    However, Senate body Chairman Rehman Malik said that the ordinance should be clubbed with bill during the stage of its consideration.

  • VIDEO: Frontline workers receive their COVID-19 vaccines across Pakistan

    The National Immunisation Drive against COVID-19 formally commenced on Tuesday with a ceremony at the National Command and Control Centre (NCOC) in Islamabad. Prime Minister Imran Khan, Asad Umar, Fawad Chaudhry, Dr Faisal Sultan and Dr Sania Nishtar were among those present at the event.

    According to Umar, Dr Rana Imran Sikander, who heads the COVID ward at PIMS Hospital in Islamabad, was the first person to receive the vaccination in the country.

    Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar lauded the sacrifices and services of frontline healthcare workers for serving the nation during the pandemic.

    “Frontline healthcare workers are our real heroes,” said the minister. “No doubt they have put their lives at risk in their fight against COVID-19 and we pay tribute to all of them.”

    He also thanked the Government of China for supporting Pakistan during the pandemic and donating vaccine to the country. Umar also paid tribute to the NCOC team and provincial authorities working in close liaison in the fight against the virus.

    The next day on Wednesday, separate ceremonies were held in all the provinces and federating units at the same time, where healthcare workers received their first dose of the vaccine. Healthcare workers are being inoculated with the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine imported from China.

    Meanwhile, addressing a press conference on Wednesday, Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on National Health Services Dr Faisal Sultan said an effective mechanism has been developed to ensure the administration of the COVID vaccine to the people.

    Dr Faisal said adult vaccine centres have been established across the country which currently have the capacity to administer the vaccine to forty thousand people on daily basis. He said this capacity will be further enhanced in the coming days.

    The SAPM added that the government aims to inoculate seventy percent population by the end of this year.

  • Time to extend hand of peace in all directions, says Gen Bajwa

    Time to extend hand of peace in all directions, says Gen Bajwa

    Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa has said that Pakistan is fully committed to the ideals of mutual respect and peaceful co-existence as it is a peace-loving country.

    He was addressing the graduation ceremony of 144th GD (P), 90th Engineering Course, and 100th AD courses held at Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Academy Asghar Khan, said a statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

    The country has rendered great sacrifices for regional and global peace, said Gen Bajwa, adding that it is time to extend “hand of peace in all directions”.

    The army chief also talked about the peaceful resolution of the Kashmir conflict. Pakistan and India should also resolve the longstanding issue of Jammu and Kashmir in a dignified and peaceful manner as per the aspirations of people of Jammu and Kashmir and bring this human tragedy to its logical conclusion, the army chief emphasised.

    “However, we will not allow anybody or any entity to misinterpret our desire for peace as a sign of weakness,” he added.

    The army chief said that the armed forces were fully prepared to thwart any threat. The coordination and harmony displayed by all the three services in operations against the enemies of Pakistan had brought great improvement in the internal security environment, he said.

  • PM Imran gaining record weight because of workload: report

    The workload that entails one’s election as the chief executive of a country can not even be imagined by someone who hasn’t been there, and requires spending a lot of time sitting in the office.

    There have been no exceptions for Pakistan’s very own cricketer-turned-politician, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan, who, according to Geo, now weighs around 15 pounds (6 kgs) more than he has ever weighed as a sportsperson, philanthropist or struggling politician.

    According to the premier, he has never weighed more than 185 pounds (83 kgs) but now weighs 200 pounds (90 kgs), the report said.

    PM Imran, who is well-known for maintaining good health through regular exercise, has lately not been exercising at all, the report quoted his close associates as saying.

    Back in 2018 when he had recently assumed office, PM Imran made it a routine for himself to work out in the morning before starting his official duties.

    At that time, pictures of the premier enthusiastically exercising had gone viral on social media, with people commending his healthy lifestyle.

    No holiday when there is a country to be run, Prime Minister Imran Khan has reached office #PMIK

    Posted by Imran Khan on Sunday, August 19, 2018

    What do you think of it? Let The Current know in the comments below…

  • Man’s in-laws mutilate his private parts

    Man’s in-laws mutilate his private parts

    The genitals of a man were allegedly mutilated by his in-laws near Mianwali on Tuesday.

    As per reports, the victim who is  a resident of Gharibabad, got married for the second time in three years. He had a son from his first marriage and later was in a relationship with another woman, whom he married by his own choice in Kalabagh.

    Last year, after the victim married for the second time, he restored his relations twice with his first wife, on the condition that he would not go anywhere near the area of her family. However, the victim did not stop stalking the locality of his in-laws from the first marriage.

    Reportedly, the conflict began when he threw a ball at his in-laws. His first wife’s family members were so enraged at him that they grabbed the man and allegedly chopped off his genitals.

    After the victim was assaulted, Kalabagh police reached the spot and recorded the man’s statement. The victim was taken to Kalabagh Tehsil Headquarters Hospital in a critical condition.

  • FIA to probe hacking of SC Justice Faez Isa’s cell phone

    FIA to probe hacking of SC Justice Faez Isa’s cell phone

    The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) will trace the suspects responsible for hacking the phone of senior Supreme Court judge Qazi Faez Isa.

    The News reported that the FIA team would comprise forensic and cyber exports who would identify the hackers and their motives for targetting the judge. It will also probe the potential theft of the judge’s phone data, email and messages, during the hacking attempt. It hasn’t been decided as to who would head the FIA team to probe the cyber attack.

    On Tuesday, Supreme Court Registrar Khawaja Daud Ahmad requested FIA Director General Wajid Zia to form a team of experts to probe this phone hacking issue.

    “I am directed to state that the personal cell phone of Justice Qazi Faez Isa, judge of this court, was hacked on Jan 29, 2021 (Saturday) and his lordship learnt of this early Sunday morning. I am therefore directed to request you [Wajid Zia] to depute a technical team to assess his lordship’s cell phone in respect of hacking status and apprise about the same at the earliest,” stated Registrar Supreme Court’s letter quoted by Geo News.

    The SC had also issued an official statement to inform the public that the personal cell phone of Justice Qazi Faez Isa was hacked.

    “There is suspicion that misleading communication can be made from his lordship’s number to anyone with ulterior motives,” read the SCP’s official statement. “Therefore, the communication purportedly made from his lordship’s cell phone, which his lordship had not sent, may be treated as fake and false,” the official statement added.

    IT expert Dr Umar Saif, while talking about the hacking of the judge’s phone, said there were two ways to hack a cell phone: one is to take over other person’s Whatsapp by stealing the confirmation code, while the second, more sophisticated one, is to hack the entire operating system of the cell phone.

    Both techniques are being used to hack phones in Pakistan, he said, adding that an Israeli cybersecurity firm built a software named Pegasus to hack the phones in 2016.

    Pegasus malware is spyware that can hack any device and steal a variety of data from the infected device, including text messages, emails, key logs, audio and information from installed applications, such as Facebook or Instagram. The spyware can record conversations and video as well as snap pictures from the device’s camera.

    The malware was created by NSO Group, an Israeli cybersecurity firm founded in 2010, and has been around since at least the summer of 2016.