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  • Pakistan falls at 152 on UNDP’s human development index 2019

    Pakistan falls at 152 on UNDP’s human development index 2019

    Pakistan remains among the medium human development countries with its position falling from 151 to 152, according to the 2019 Human Development Index (HDI) released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Geo News reported

    According to the details, the UNDP’s Human Development Report (HDR) –launched on Monday in Colombia — gave Pakistan a score of 0.560.

    The score puts the country as the second last country among the Medium Human development countries. Solomon Islands is the only country behind Pakistan in the category.

    The HDI classifications are based on HDI fixed cutoff points. Countries which are below the cutoff points of less than 0.550 are categorised as low human development, while medium human development are categorised within the range of 0.550–0.699. Scores of 0.700–0.799 is for high human development and 0.800 or greater for very high human development.

    As per data, Pakistan’s life expectancy stands at 67; while the expected years of schooling was at 8.5 years, with the mean years of schooling standing at 5.2 and the country’s Gross National Income (GNI) per capita was $5,190.

    When the report was first published in 1990, Pakistan scored 0.404. The latest report gave the country a score of 0.560 which shows an overall increase in the score by 1.17%.

    However, the trend from 1990 till 2018 showed that Pakistan had steadily improved from being a low human development country to a medium development country.

    Speaking on the release of the report, Resident Representative of UNDP Pakistan Ignacio Artaza has stated, “The HDR shows us that inequality is not ‘natural’ or inevitable. However, governments, civil societies, and ordinary citizens need to work together and translate words into concrete actions to ensure that people all over the world can live their lives to their fullest potential”.

  • US threatens India with sanctions over ‘anti-Muslim’ citizenship bill

    US threatens India with sanctions over ‘anti-Muslim’ citizenship bill

    The United States (US) has threatened Indian government officials with sanctions for failing to list Muslims among ‘persecuted’ minorities, RT reported.

    According to the details, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has claimed that it was “deeply troubled” by the citizenship bill, which passed the Indian parliament’s lower house, the Lok Sabha, in a 311-80 vote, calling it nothing short of a “religious test for Indian citizenship” which “excludes Muslims.”

    The commission said, “The United States government should consider sanctions against the home minister and other principal leadership if the bill passes”, insisting that it knows how Indian internal politics works best.

    Dubbed the Citizenship Amendment Bill, the new law will fast-track Indian citizenship for immigrants facing religious discrimination in several neighboring countries.

    The bill provides that Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians fleeing persecution in Muslim-majority Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan can be granted citizenship of India but there are no similar provisions for Muslim refugees.

    Indian Home Minister Amit Shah, who introduced the law, has rejected the US butting into India’s internal affairs, insisting the bill is solely intended to protect those facing persecution.

    The bill also has backing from Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, who, like Shah, belongs to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

    Meanwhile, PM Imran Khan has strongly condemned controversial legislation passed by the Indian Parliament, terming the move as “part of the RSS Hindu Rashtra design of expansionism propagated by the fascist Modi government.”.

    “We strongly condemn Indian Lok Sabha citizenship legislation which violates all norms of international human rights law and bilateral agreements with Pakistan,” PM Imran tweeted on Monday.

    The USCIRF was earlier established in 1998 to monitor and evaluate religious freedoms in other countries and to make policy recommendations to the US president, the State Department and the House of Representatives – routinely calling for sanctions against those countries who don’t live up to American standards.

    The commission had earlier placed India on a “watch list” in 2009 over what it said were “largely inadequate” protections for minorities.

  • VIDEO: Crowd bursts into laughter as PM Imran mistakes Gen Shujaat for ex-ISI chief

    VIDEO: Crowd bursts into laughter as PM Imran mistakes Gen Shujaat for ex-ISI chief

    While addressing during the inauguration ceremony of the National Science and Technology Park (NSTP), Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan mistook the head of National University of Science and Technology (NUST), General Syed Shujaat, for former ISI chief General Pasha.

    The mistake was instantly noticed by an official standing next to Imran Khan, after that he quickly corrected himself, but the crowd had already burst into laughter upon hearing General Pasha’s name.

    General Syed Shujaat is the founding director of NUST. His work as the rector at NUST has allowed him to turn the campus into an internationally reputed research institute.

    PML-Q leader and Speaker Punjab Assembly Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi in an interview with a private news channel had claimed that during the general elections in 2013, General Pasha allegedly convinced members of the PML-Q to join Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

  • ‘PTI’ supporters in London raise slogans ‘to shoot Nawaz dead’

    A group of alleged Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters held a protest outside the Avenfield flats in London, where they raised slogans to shoot former premier Nawaz Sharif and attempted to break down the main gate, The News International reported.

    According to the details, around 40 protesters, led by Tariq Mehmood who runs a group called ‘Pakistan Patriotic Front’, raised slogans in support of the ruling PTI and many were wearing PTI caps.

    Reports claim that many of the protesters who were present outside Avenfield flats are seen often at the PTI protests earlier, but the party’s elected body has issued a statement distancing itself from the protest.

    One of the protesters can be heard shouting in the video that “some shoot him” in reference to former prime minister’s presence on the third floor in Avenfield flats and slogans for Taliban style bombing of the Avenfield apartments were also made during the protest.

    Video footage from the protest also shows at least three protesters banging the front gate in order to break down while two protesters entered premises from the side entrance and they were asked by the police to come out.

    Ahead of Nawaz’s arrival, elected senior official of PTI in United Kingdom (UK) Soraya Aziz had issued a similar call for violence on Twitter.

    Soraya Aziz, who is head of Computing at the Beths Grammar School in Bexley, Kent had wrote, “For his own safety, I strongly recommend Nawaz Sharif not leave his Avenfield apartments. If he’s seen shopping in Knightsbridge, overseas Pakistanis will give him response even his few remaining platelets won’t know where to hide!!”.

    Soraya later deleted her Tweet.

    Meanwhile, PTI’s Information Secretary London Taqveem Ahsan Siddiqui, in a statement issued on Sunday had said, “The PTI has not called for any demonstration outside disqualified former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s residence.”

    “It has been brought to our attention that an invite to demonstrate outside his residence is in circulation. PTI UK does not have any intention to call or join any demonstration outside Nawaz Sharif’s residence until he abides by his bail condition”, Taqveem added.

    Former premier Nawaz is in London for a medical check-up after the Lahore High Court (LHC) granted him exemption on medical grounds. The court had earlier directed Nawaz to return to Pakistan after four weeks.

  • VIDEO: British journalist destroys Shireen Mazari on silence over China’s repression of Uighur Muslims

    British journalist Mehdi Hasan has called out the Prime Minsiter (PM) Imran Khan-led Pakistan government for voicing concerns over repression being faced by Muslims across the globe expect the Chinese persecution of Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang.

    Speaking to Federal Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari on his show, Al Jazeera’s Hasan asked as to why had Pakistan not publicly criticised China on its detention of millions of Uighur Muslims.

    “There’s a quote on your Twitter profile page from the great Muslim leader and the grandson of the prophet, Imam Hussain, that reads ‘those who are silent when others are oppressed, are guilty of oppression themselves’,” he said, adding that in China, millions of Uighur Muslims were being detained against their will in “concentration camps” and yet the Pakistani government had said nothing.

    “In fact, PM Imran Khan has said that he will not criticise China on this publically. Couldn’t the Uighurs say that your silence, Pakistan’s silence, means that you’re guilty of oppressing them too?”

    Responding to the question, Mazari said that the link established by Hasan was “absurd” since her government had talked to China. “When we have evidence, we take it up. But China is an ally of ours, and we will not go screaming on the streets about it.”

    When asked if Pakistan had condemned Chinese actions privately, the minister said that Islamabad had been speaking to the Chinese and “hearing their point of view”.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    “You haven’t stood up and spoken about the Uighurs… that’s the problem,” the journalist maintained as Mazari said repression must be called out regardless of who was behind it when asked if she would condemn the Chinese actions.

    PAKISTAN, CHINA & UIGHURS:

    The Chinese government has reportedly detained more than a million Muslims in reeducation camps. Most of the people who have been arbitrarily detained are Uighur, a predominantly Turkic-speaking ethnic group primarily from China’s northwestern region of Xinjiang.

    Human rights organisations, United Nations (UN) officials and many foreign governments are urging China to stop the crackdown; however, officials maintain that what they call “vocational training centres” do not infringe on Uighurs’ rights.

    While the Chinese government has refused to share information about the detention centres and prevented journalists and foreign investigators from examining them, internal documents leaked in late 2019 have provided important details on how officials launched and maintain the camps.

    As part of a campaign seeking relief for Uighurs in China, Islamabad has time and again been called out for raising its voice for Muslims facing Indian oppression in held Kashmir as well as helpless Palestinians, but not for those in China where lie Pakistan’s economic interests — such as the construction of China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

    CPEC is a collection of infrastructure projects that are currently under construction throughout Pakistan. Originally valued at $46 billion, the value of CPEC projects is worth $62 billion as of 2017.

    It is expected to not only benefit Pakistan and China, but also to have a positive impact on Iran, Afghanistan and India with the enhancement of geographical links through improved road, rail and air transportation system with frequent and free exchanges of growth and people to people contact.

  • Finland’s Sanna Marin to become world’s youngest sitting prime minister

    Finland’s Sanna Marin to become world’s youngest sitting prime minister

    Finland’s 34-year-old transportation minister Sanna Marin, has been selected as the country’s prime minister (PM) on Dec 08, making her the youngest leader in the world to ever hold the PM’s job, Quartz reported.

    According to the details, Marin will be taking over from former PM Antii Rinne, who resigned from the position last week after just six months on the job, following controversy over his handling of a postal strike.

    Like Rinne, Marin is also a member of the Social Democratic Party, the largest in Finland’s five-member ruling coalition. Finland’s other four parties are also led by women, three of whom are under 35 years old.

    Rinne resigned on Tuesday after the Centre Party, said it had lost confidence in him following his handling of a postal strike.

    Reports claim that Marin will continue an agenda to reduce carbon emissions, and after winning a narrow party vote against SDP parliamentary group leader Antti Lindtman, Marin told reporters that “We have a lot of work ahead to rebuild trust.”

    Marin has had a swift rise in Finnish politics since becoming head of the city council of her industrial hometown of Tampere at the age of 27.

    She will take over in the middle of a 3-day wave of strikes, which will halt production at some of Finland’s largest companies from Monday. The Confederation of Finnish Industries estimates the strikes will cost the companies a combined 500 million euros ($550 million) in lost revenue.

  • Sania Mirza reveals details of her first meeting with Shoaib Malik

    Sania Mirza reveals details of her first meeting with Shoaib Malik

    If there is one couple that has stood the test of time and the Indo-Pak conflict, it has to be Shoaib Malik and Sania Mirza.

    In a recent interview, Sania revealed details of her first meeting with husband, Shoaib.

    Sania shared that the two met in a restaurant in Hobart, Australia.

    “We knew each other socially and then we bumped into each other at a restaurant in Hobart where you don’t even see animals/birds after 6 pm, forget people,” Sania said.

    “Must’ve been destiny that we met over there to be very honest. Only later, I realised that he had actually planned to come to the restaurant because I was there. I was giving destiny all the credit but it was clearly not,” she laughed.

    Sania and Shoaib got married on April 12, 2010 in Hyderabad followed by another ceremony in Sialkot, Pakistan. The two welcomed a baby boy, Izhaan Mirza Malik, in October 2018.

    Meanwhile, Sania also confirmed that she will be returning to courts, two years after taking a maternity break, at the Hobart International in January 2020.

  • PM Khan to receive Bahrain’s highest civilian award

    PM Khan to receive Bahrain’s highest civilian award

    Prime Minister Imran Khan will receive Bahrain’s highest civil award, the King Hamad Order of the Renaissance, during an upcoming visit to the Kingdom.

    According to Arab News, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Overseas Pakistanis, Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari said that PM Khan will be going on an official visit to Bahrain in mid-December, where he will be conferred Bahrain’s highest civilian award at a special ceremony.

    During this visit to Bahrain, the premiere will meet his counterpart Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. He will also participate in Bahrain’s national day celebrations.

    The National Guard of the Kingdom of Bahrain, Lt. General Sheikh Mohammed bin Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, on his visit to Pakistan earlier this year, had invited PM Khan to visit Bahrain on behalf of the prime minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain.

    PM Khan is expected to depart on a three-country tour on December 15, starting with Bahrain, followed by Switzerland where he will address a global conference on refugees in Geneva, before concluding his tour in Malaysia.

    It is pertinent to mention that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also received the King Hamad Order of the Renaissance by Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa during a visit to the Kingdom in August.

  • London bridge attacker laid to rest in Pakistan

    London bridge attacker laid to rest in Pakistan

    British national Usman Khan who attacked people on London Bridge was laid to rest in his family’s ancestral village in a southern district of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Friday, Dawn reported.

    According to the details, the body of the 28-year-old Usman was brought by his family from Islamabad airport to Kijlani village in district Kotli where the funeral took place at 4pm, following which he was buried in a local graveyard.

    Pakistan International Airline’s (PIA) General Manager Public Relations Abdul Hafeez has said that Usman Khan’s body was shifted to Islamabad from London aboard a PIA flight PK-792, which was later handed over to his family.

    Abdul Hafeez said that it was the PIA’s policy that it carried bodies on the basis of genuine documentation, including foreign-origin card of the deceased and Pakistan High Com­mission’s letter.

    The body was handed over to his relatives after passing through the immigration and customs process.

    Usman’s relatives drove the body to the town of Kotli for burial as his family didn’t want to bury him in the United Kingdom (UK). His funeral prayers were earlier offered in a Birmingham mosque.

    After Usman’s funeral people, on social media have pointed out that the government had earlier tried to cover up the fact that the London Bridge attacker was a Pakistani and now they have allowed him burial in the country.

    Usman Khan had earlier stabbed two people to death and left three others injured in an attack in London. He had been residing in the Staffordshire area of UK.

    According to reports, Khan was part of a gang of nine extremists, mostly of Bangladeshi origin, who were sentenced in February 2012 after being convicted. However, he was released in December 2018, but was required to wear a GPS [an electronic tag].

    After the London Bridge attack, Usman was shot dead by security personnel.

  • £190 million recovery: TV channel mutes ex-governor upon mentioning Malik Riaz’s name

    £190 million recovery: TV channel mutes ex-governor upon mentioning Malik Riaz’s name

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and former Sindh governor Muhammad Zubair was muted on-air by a private media outlet when he took property tycoon Malik Riaz’s name in relation with the £190 million settlement of United Kingdom’s (UK) National Crime Agency.

    Discussing the issue, Zubair highlighted how the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government was hesitating when it came to naming the Bahria Town founder publicly. He then went on to take Malik Riaz’s name twice, but it was censored by the TV channel both times.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    Media has largely been ignoring the news of Riaz’s settlement with the National Crime Agency, with majority of the English daily newspapers refraining from posting the news on their front page. While some are avoiding mentioning Riaz’s name, others are not reporting the settlement at all.

    Government officials, including the premier’s aide on information and broadcasting, have also been spotted avoiding mentioning the name of the Bahria Town founder.

    Sharing the details of the settlement with the media, Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan on Thursday avoided mentioning Riaz’s name when asked about the family in question. “The report contains the name of the family that made the settlement,” she said.