Current Final

Category: National

  • CDA selects F-9 Park for new cricket stadium: report

    CDA selects F-9 Park for new cricket stadium: report

    The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has selected F-9 Park in Islamabad as the site for a new cricket stadium.

    According to media reports, former Pakistan cricket captain Rashid Latif has been taken on board to provide expert opinion for the project and will assist the CDA with stadium design and technical aspects.

    Latif had earlier played a key role in the construction of Islamabad Club.

    Given the Supreme Court’s previous rulings on green areas, legal hurdles for the stadium’s construction will be carefully considered. One proposal under discussion is to maintain most of the stadium area as green space.

    Reports said that similar to stadiums in South Africa and the West Indies, some enclosures may include green areas. The CDA may also approach the top court for clearance before starting the project.

    It is worth mentioning that the Supreme Court had earlier halted the construction of a cricket stadium in Shakarparian.

  • Will wait for India to build dam, when they do so, we will destroy it: COAS

    Will wait for India to build dam, when they do so, we will destroy it: COAS

    Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir has pledged to defend the country’s water rights at all costs, even if the forces have to destroy any controversial dam that India seeks to build on the Indus waters.

    “We will wait for India to build a dam, and when they do so, we will destroy it,” the army chief reportedly told members of the Pakistani-American community present at a black-tie dinner hosted by Adnan Asad, Pakistan’s honorary consul in Tampa, Florida, on Saturday.

    “The Indus River is not the Indians’ family property. We have no shortage of resources to undo the Indian designs to stop the river,” he added.

    The COAS said that India projected itself as a “Vishwa Guru [global teacher]” while its intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), was involved in transnational terrorism, citing incidents in Canada, Qatar, and the arrest of Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav. Jadhav was apprehended red-handed by law enforcement agencies in 2016 while infiltrating Pakistan from the Saravan border area of Balochistan with Iran.

    Condemning India’s “unprovoked aggression” across the Line of Control (LoC) during the four-day conflict in May, he mocked New Delhi’s reluctance to admit battlefield losses. He thanked US President Trump for his “strategic leadership” in preventing an India-Pakistan war and other global conflicts.

    The field marshal said that Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) was “not India’s internal matter but an unfinished international agenda”, vowing support for UN resolutions.

    Around 150 guests, including Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Ambassador Rizwan Shaikh, embassy officials, and prominent members of the diaspora, were present at the event.

    In Tampa, the army chief also attended the US Central Command (Centcom) change-of-command ceremony. According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Sunday, the field marshal’s engagements included the retirement ceremony of General Michael E. Kurilla, Commander of Centcom, and the Change of Command in which Admiral Brad Cooper assumed charge.

    The ISPR said FM Munir praised Gen Kurilla’s “exemplary leadership and invaluable contributions in strengthening Pakistan-US military relations” and expressed confidence that Admiral Cooper “would take this partnership forward to address shared security challenges”.

    Munir’s trip came six weeks after his unprecedented lunch with the US president at the White House, a privilege usually reserved for heads of state or government. Following the meeting, Trump praised Munir, saying he was “honored ” to meet the general.

  • Thieves snatch watch worth over Rs18 million from Yusuf Raza Gilani’s son

    Thieves snatch watch worth over Rs18 million from Yusuf Raza Gilani’s son

    Member of the National Assembly (MNA) and one of the sons of Senate Chairman Yusuf Raza Gilani, Abdul Qadir Gilani, was robbed in Barcelona, Spain, where thieves snatched his gold-plated watch worth over Rs18.4 million.

    “I bought [the watch] 13 years ago, back when gold was cheaper; now it is three times higher,” Qadir Gilani was quoted as saying by Geo News on Monday.

    He stated that he was “with his family, and the watch was in my hand,” adding that his host in Barcelona was also robbed.

    “As long as there is life, there is the world; such things come and go,” said Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) lawmaker Gilani.

    The Gilani family of southern Punjab, Multan, is a well-known political dynasty. Brothers Abdul Qadir Gilani, Ali Musa Gilani, and newly elected MNA Qasim Gilani all serve in the National Assembly (NA). Their other brother, Ali Haider Gilani, is a PPP Member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA) in Punjab.

    In a rare coincidence, MNAs Ali Musa, Qasim, and Ali Haider were all born on the same day, 10 April 1986, making the present NA home to a set of twins in the form of Ali Musa and Qasim.

    In August 2024, unsubstantiated allegations surfaced that former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, along with MNAs Ali Qasim and Abdul Qadir, and their sister Fiza Batool Gilani, had travelled to London using public funds.

    Ali Qasim said the visit was completely private, funded by the family, and “did not cost a penny” to Pakistani taxpayers.

  • Two brothers die under mysterious circumstances in Taunsa, third in hospital

    Two brothers die under mysterious circumstances in Taunsa, third in hospital

    Two minor brothers died under mysterious circumstances at Taunsa Sharif Tehsil Headquarters Hospital (THQ), while their third sibling is under treatment at Nishtar Hospital in Multan.

    Khawaja Ghiyasuddin’s three sons reportedly fell ill unexpectedly and were taken to Taunsa THQ. While Ghulam Muhammad (2) and Moeenuddin (4) were transferred to Nishtar Hospital in a severe condition, one-year-old Umar died while receiving treatment. 

    Ghulam Muhammad also died upon arrival, whereas Moeenuddin’s condition is now said to be stable.

    Newly appointed DPO Tariq Wilayat visited the family’s home in Taunsa to offer condolences and collect details about the incident.

    He instructed a crime scene unit to gather evidence from the children’s residence to determine the cause of death and met with doctors at the THQ to obtain information about their condition.

    The DPO stated that the matter would be investigated from all possible angles.

    In another incident, a biscuit manufacturing unit in Muzaffargarh was sealed by the Punjab Food Authority (PFA) for using expired ingredients in its products. 

    The operation was carried out in Ghazi Pur Dasti, Muzaffargarh district where outdated food coloring and cocoa powder were being ground into powder for reuse, along with expired biscuits.

    The operation was led by PFA Director Operations (South) Shehzad Khan Magsi.

    The plant owner was fined Rs300,000, and authorities immediately destroyed 40 liters of other expired products, 90 kg of powder, and 10,000 kg of stale biscuits.

    PFA Director General Muhammad Asim Javed urged consumers to choose safe, quality food products and warned that fraudulent practices in the food industry would not be tolerated.

    In another incident, a young girl and her father were allegedly shot dead over a land dispute at Basti Jamna Chandiain Gaddai police station limits.

    According to police, Khalil and his daughter Rabia were shot at by Jameel, son of Rasheed, and Shafqat, son of Ismail, over a disagreement regarding a 12-marla plan. They both instantly passed away.

    Police gathered forensic evidence from the location, and DPO Tariq Wilayat went to the location and told investigators to examine  the case from every angle.

  • ‘Self-amusement’: Chinese expert rubbishes Indian claim of downing Pakistani jets

    ‘Self-amusement’: Chinese expert rubbishes Indian claim of downing Pakistani jets

    Senior Research Fellow at the Charhar Institute, Prof. Cheng Xizhong, on Sunday, termed Indian Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh’s claim that India had shot down five Pakistani fighter jets and one large aircraft during the conflict in early May “self-amusement.”

    In a statement, Xizhong said, “The remarks by the Indian air chief marshal are comical, implausible, and unconvincing. We may call it self-amusement.”

    Cheng stated New Delhi’s allegations lacked strong evidence and have been “widely questioned by the international community, being considered groundless.” 

    “It is thus evident that no Pakistani fighter jet was hit or destroyed by the Indian side. On the contrary, the Pakistani side shot down six Indian fighter jets and destroyed S-400 air defence positions, among other achievements, which is an indisputable fact,” he added.

    Speaking at an event in Bengaluru on Saturday, the Indian air chief marshal had claimed: “We have at least five fighters confirmed killed, and one large aircraft,” adding that the large aircraft, which could be a surveillance plane, was shot down at a distance of 300 kilometres.

    He alleged that India’s Russian-made S-400 surface-to-air missile system was responsible for downing most of the Pakistani aircraft, citing electronic tracking data as evidence of the strikes.

    Without detailing the type of fighter jets that were downed, he claimed that airstrikes also hit an additional surveillance plane and “a few F-16” fighters that were parked in hangars at two air bases in Sindh and Punjab. “This is actually the largest ever recorded surface-to-air kill,” he added.

    Singh’s remarks came three months after the neighbouring countries’ severe military conflict in May. The statement raises eyebrows about the timing, and he did not present any evidence, such as photos of the fighter jet’s wreckage and radar monitoring data.

    Pakistan said it downed five Indian planes in air-to-air combat on the night of May 6-7, later stating that the figure had climbed up to six. India’s highest-ranking General has also acknowledged that its forces “suffered losses” in the air, and their air force was grounded for two days; however, he denied losing six aircraft.

  • Operation if terrorist refuse to vacate Bajaur, security officials give options to jirga

    Operation if terrorist refuse to vacate Bajaur, security officials give options to jirga

    Security forces have offered tribal jirgas options for negotiations with the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), reportedly mingling with civilians in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) Bajaur.

    According to The News, the first option for the tribal jirgas is that the Khawarij leave Bajaur; the second is that the tribes vacate the area to allow an operation to eliminate them.

    Citing security sources, the report said government-level talks with the Khawarij and their facilitators have been rejected, with officials insisting there will be no negotiations until they fully submit to the state.

    The report added that deliberate attempts are being made to blur the differences between the tribes and the Khawarij in Bajaur, though the ground realities are different. The Khawarij are allegedly using negotiations as a smokescreen to prepare for war, living among civilians while committing terrorist and criminal acts.

    Meanwhile, KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, along with security officials, has presented three points to the tribes:

    These Khawarij, most of whom are Afghan natioanls, should be expelled from the area.

    If the tribes cannot expel the Khawarij themselves, they should vacate the area for one or two days so that security forces can bring them to their end.

    If both these steps are not possible, maximum efforts will be made to avoid harm to ordinary citizens, because the operation against terrorists will continue in any case.

    The outlet quoted security sources as saying it has been made clear that only the state holds the authority to carry out any armed action. They added that Pakistan witnessed 600 terrorist attacks in 2024, all with financial and operational support from the Afghan Taliban.

  • Modi turned down White House invitation over concern of meeting COAS Munir: Bloomberg

    Modi turned down White House invitation over concern of meeting COAS Munir: Bloomberg

    Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi dodged an invitation from United States (US) President Donald Trump to visit the White House in June, wary that the latter would set up a meeting with the Pakistani Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir, Bloomberg reported on Friday.

    The meeting between the COAS and the US president took place on June 18 at the White House over lunch, and following the meeting, Trump said that he was “honoured” to meet the General. 

    The Indian premier was reportedly returning from Canada after attending the G7 summit when he was invited to visit the White House, an invitation Modi had refused citing his scheduled visit to Croatia.

    Quoting officials in New Delhi, the outlet reported that tensions between the two countries intensified following a 35-minute phone call between the US president and Modi that took place on June 17.

    During the call, Trump repeatedly claimed credit for the ceasefire brokered by the US between Pakistan and India on May 10; however, India downplayed the matter.

    After the ceasefire, Islamabad extended thanks to Trump, acknowledging his role in brokering the ceasefire between the two countries. Later, Islamabad also nominated President Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.


    Conversely, India objected to Trump’s role in the cessation of hostilities between two countries that erupted after New Delhi launched illegitimate strikes on the night of May 6-7, targeting civilians in Pakistan in response to the April 22 Pahalgam militant attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) that killed 26 civilians.

    The relationship between New Delhi and Washington, DC appears to have nosedived after Trump imposed an additional 25 percent tariff on Indian goods in the US, bringing the total to 50 percent.

    In an executive order issued from the White House, Trump said, “I find that the Government of India is currently directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil.”

    “Accordingly, and as consistent with applicable law, articles of India imported into the customs territory of the United States shall be subject to an additional ad valorem rate of duty of 25pc.”

    In a statement issued on X (formerly Twitter), later in the day, India declared Trump’s decision “extremely unfortunate”, adding that New Delhi would take all actions necessary to protect its national interests. 

    “We reiterate that these actions are unfair, unjustified and unreasonable,” it said.

  • Surfers of Bulleji: Young Pakistani leads wave of change in coastal community

    Surfers of Bulleji: Young Pakistani leads wave of change in coastal community

    Surfers of Bulleji, an unfinished short film by Shahbano Farid, is currently in pre-production and already making waves online. The team is raising donations to cover shipping costs for essential surf gear and post-production expenses, hoping to bring the inspiring story to life.

    The film spotlights Pakistan’s emerging surf culture through the journey of 21-year-old Attiq Rehman, the son of a fisherman, who dreams of becoming the country’s first internationally recognised surfer.

    Set against the backdrop of the coastal town of Bulleji near Karachi, the film follows Attiq as he builds a grassroots surf movement.

    In 2021, he founded the Surfers of Bulleji surf club, which now brings together over 50 young surfers from nearby fishing villages. With only 15 surfboards shared among them, the surfers battle not only the waves but also economic and social barriers, determined to prove that surfing can thrive in Pakistan.

    Speaking in the film’s teaser shared by creative agency ‘Diet Paratha’, Attiq says, “Waves are alive, they are calling me. I want to show Pakistan that this is a sport too. Surfing is a gift, and I will never waste it.”

    The project has struck a chord with audiences worldwide, with many offering support and surfboards. 

    A user wrote, “Love seeing y’all take up surfing! I got a few boards I would love to donate.” One said, “Love this! Adding Pakistan to my next surf destination.” 

    Another added, “This is amazing! There are many international surfers who would love to help the Pakistani surfer community. Please tell us how we can help you grow.”

    Others shared the excitement, too. “Wow, love this story. These kids are about it!” one viewer said, while another wrote, “Awesome. I want to support.”

    If the team succeeds in raising funds, Surfers of Bulleji could become a landmark film capturing not only the power of sport but also the resilience and dreams of a coastal community.

  • Famous brand deletes ad after showing Quaid eating ketchup

    Famous brand deletes ad after showing Quaid eating ketchup

    A screenshot of a now-deleted Dipitt ad, generated using artificial intelligence (AI), has been circulating on social media. The ad, allegedly shared from the sauce brand’s official accounts, featured Pakistan’s founder, Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, appearing to eat food with a bottle of Dipitt’s chilli garlic sauce on the table.

    According to the claims, the ad was removed following criticism from social media users, who condemned the use of the country’s founder for commercial marketing purposes.

    A user on Facebook opined that the marketing approach was “edgy [and] it wasn’t smart”. “It was ignorant, tone-deaf, and downright shameful,” another added.

    “For the first time, I don’t want to be sarcastic, funny, or anything else … You don’t mess with Quaid-e-Azam,” wrote another user.

    One user stated, “This is what happens when brands forcefully and desperately want their products to be integrated into any occasion! Hate this thing. Every brand manager and owner need to learn that not every product needs to be integrated forcefully in any occasion (sic).”

    “This is what needs to be understood: everything isn’t funny.  He is a respectable man; HE SHOULD BE RESPECTED. He was not an entertainer. He is a man of honour,” maintained one.

    The brand’s Instagram page has over 22,000 followers. Posts on the official account are often humorous, edgy, and inspired by pop culture, frequently using AI tools to create ads linked to major events in Pakistan.

    As of now, the brand has not issued a statement on the matter.

  • Punjabi reporter wins the internet’s heart with her fearless confidence

    Punjabi reporter wins the internet’s heart with her fearless confidence

    A young reporter named Mehrunisa has become an overnight internet sensation, not for breaking a big political story, but for the way she spoke on air. 

    Her rise to viral fame began during the coverage of the Iranian president’s recent visit to Pakistan. In the now-famous clip, her cameraman asks her to start recording, and she replies in her sweet, unapologetic accent, “On ha, abhi thora agay to anay do” (“It is ON, let it come a little closer first”). 

    The internet did the rest.

    As the video spread across social media, people could not get enough of her natural confidence and charm. While some viewers simply enjoyed the light-hearted moment, others applauded her authenticity.

    Prominent journalist Naureen Saleem Janjua shared the clip, writing, “What an innocent and passionate girl. She will go a long way and shine in her career. Her accent will never hold her back if her passion stays like this. I wish her the best of luck in every aspect of life, especially in journalism. You got this girl.”

    Sports journalist Faizan Lakhani also came to her support, recalling his own early days: “Took over 30 retakes to record my first-ever PTC when I joined Aaj TV in 2004. My Urdu back then carried hints of a Gujarati accent. We all grow and learn with time. Instead of mocking young colleagues, let’s guide and support them, that’s how real progress happens.”

    The public reaction was equally heartwarming. 

    One user wrote, “Loved and enjoyed every second of it. Way to go girl, bus Beepar se duur rehna.” Another added, “Her accent should be her strength. Too natural and passionate. Way to go, girl!” Someone else chimed in, “She’s damn cute,” while another declared, “She did it brilliantly, naturally and with confidence, and that’s what truly matters.”

    Since going viral, Mehrunia has been interviewed by several digital media outlets. In one of these interviews, she revealed she has only passed matriculation (Grade 10), but has big dreams of studying further and building a career in journalism.