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  • PAKvBAN: How can Pakistan still qualify for the World Cup semi-finals?

    New Zealand’s defeat against England has put a heavy dent to Pakistan’s chances of qualifying for the 2019 World Cup semi-finals, but some fans are still hopeful to see Green Shirts end up among the top four teams.

    Pakistan will get through if any of the following scenarios take place in their match against Bangladesh today.

    FIRST SCENARIO:

    If Pakistan win the toss and opt to bat first; they will have to score 400 runs and dismiss Bangladesh for just 84 runs.

    SECOND SCENARIO:

    The Green Shirts can also qualify by putting 350 runs on the scoreboard and dismissing all Bangladeshi batsmen for just 38 runs; however, if Bangladesh bat first, we stand no chance of qualifying.

    These two scenarios would guarantee that Pakistan overtake New Zealand on net run-rate (NRR) as both teams are still running for the final spot in the semi-finals race.

    New Zealand’s defeat to England has ended their campaign at 11 points on the World Cup points table. Pakistan is currently on nine points.

    Teams receive two points for a win and one point for a tie or no-result washout.

    If two sides are level on points at the end of the group stage, the one that has won more games goes through. Since they remain level, the side with the superior NRR — which in this case is New Zealand — advances.

  • ‘Thai Airways never stopped operating from Pakistan’, Sherry Rehman ridicules Fawad

    ‘Thai Airways never stopped operating from Pakistan’, Sherry Rehman ridicules Fawad

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senator Sherry Rehman has ridiculed Federal Minister for Science & Technology Fawad Chaudhry over his claim regarding Thai Airways’ operations in Pakistan.

    “Thai Airways to start operation from Lahore to Bangkok and beyond with four flights a week starting July 16, 2019,” the minister had tweeted Tuesday.

    While a lot of people praised the “restoration” of Thai Airways’ operations after British Airways, that operated its first flight to the country in eleven years on June 2; some users, including Sherry, pointed out what was wrong with the claim.

    “Err, Thai Airways has been flying from Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi several times a week for over ten years. The Islamabad and Lahore flights were suspended due to [the] closure of air space recently. Islamabad flights have still not resumed,” she tweeted.

    Pakistan closed its airspace following an aerial engagement with the Indian Air Force (IAF) along the Line of Control (LoC) on February 27. On June 28, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) announced that the closure for overflight and transit flights will continue till July 12.

  • ‘The similarities continue’, ICC trolls Pakistan with cheeky ’92 jibe

    ‘The similarities continue’, ICC trolls Pakistan with cheeky ’92 jibe

    Soon after England somewhat crushed Pakistan’s dreams of reaching the semi-finals, after the former defeated New Zealand by 119 runs, the International Cricket Council (ICC) trolled the Green Shirts over “another 1992 similarity”.

    Taking to Twitter, ICC aimed a cheeky dig towards Pakistan cricket fans, who had been quite vocal on social media platforms regarding the startling similarities between the 1992 World Cup triumph and the ongoing 2019 tournament.

    “This is the first time England have qualified for the World Cup semi-finals since ’92. The similarities continue,” the tweet read.

    Similar to the Pakistan cricket team’s run in the group stages of the 1992 World Cup, the Green Shirts have registered the exact same record of four victories, three losses and one washout in their 2019 campaign thus far.

    However, England’s crushing victory over New Zealand on Wednesday means that Pakistan stand virtually knocked out of the tournament, unlike their fairy tale run in 1992 when Imran Khan lifted the World Cup in Melbourne.

    Incidentally, England’s victory also ensures their first semi-final qualification since 1992.

  • ‘Sleeping on floor with just one sheet’; how Rana Sanaullah spent his first night in jail

    ‘Sleeping on floor with just one sheet’; how Rana Sanaullah spent his first night in jail

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and MNA Rana Sanaullah, who was arrested by the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) on Monday, spent his first night in jail sleeping on the floor, a private media outlet has reported.

    Rana was taken into custody by the ANF while on his way to Faisalabad for a party meeting. Being intercepted on the motorway by an ANF team in Sukheki, he was detained for allegedly possessing a huge stash of heroin.

    With an anti-narcotics court sending the PML-N leader and other accused to prison on a 14-day judicial remand Tuesday, a news outlet has revealed how Sanaullah’s first night in jail went.

    According to reports, the lawmaker spent the night sleeping on the floor of Barrack No. 6 at Lahore’s Camp Jail, where he was provided with just a single sheet to sleep on.

    The PML-N leader was shifted to his cell after jail authorities emptied all neighbouring barracks, while the five other accused were kept in the old block of the prison.

    Sanaullah was arrested days after a large-scale crackdown on drug peddlers in Punjab was launched. Latest reports claim the MNA would be given B-class facilities in jail.

    Jail officials say B-class facilities include a newspaper, television, bed, table and chair, besides some other items.

  • 41% people happy over Zardari’s arrest, 31% unaffected: survey

    A recent survey has revealed that 41% of Pakistanis are happy over the arrest of former president Asif Ali Zardari, while the development has left 31% people unaffected.

    As per the details, the Gilani Research Foundation survey, based on a sample size of 1,386 men and women, was conducted in both urban and rural areas of all four provinces of the country from June 15-24.

    Among other answers, just 22% Pakistanis said they were upset, 2% remarked that they did not hear about the matter and 4% commented that they were either not aware or did not wish to respond.

    Former president Zardari was arrested on June 10 by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) officials and is accused of plotting to “misappropriate and launder” money out of the country through fake bank accounts.

    Other allegations against the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman include his use of Omni Group “front men” as associates in crime and receiving millions in cash.

  • Govt increases tax on Landa clothes by 5pc

    Govt increases tax on Landa clothes by 5pc

    In the budget for the fiscal year 2019-20, the Pakistan Terheek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has increased withholding tax on secondhand clothes by 5 per cent.

    Reports quoted the Pakistan Second Hand Clothing Merchants Association (PSHCMA) as saying that the tax on used clothes has been increased from 1 per cent to 6 per cent, effective July 1 – start of the new fiscal year.

    The development is expected to pave way for an increase in the costs of secondhand clothes by at least five per cent — something that could’ve been bought for Rs200 earlier, can now cost you Rs210; Rs500, Rs525.

    Urging the government to bring down the withholding tax amid rupee depreciation against the dollar, members of the association have also demanded that 10 per cent regulatory duty (RD) on used clothes import be removed.

    Pakistan imports used ladies garments, gents’ trousers and shirts, blankets, warm clothing, winter garments, shoes etc mainly from the United States (US) and Europe. Landa Bazar is a marketplace where all these secondhand goods are sold at cheaper rates.

    According to the figures of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), import of worn clothing has risen to 426,797 tonnes valuing $165 million against 404,737 tonnes worth $148m in the last fiscal year.

    However, the development suggests that the trend might not live long with even used clothes and other items being out of reach for low-income groups.

  • PTI MPA seeks ‘corrective surgery and appropriate measures’ for transgender kids

    PTI MPA seeks ‘corrective surgery and appropriate measures’ for transgender kids

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MPA Shahina Karim on Wednesday submitted in the Punjab Assembly a resolution to safeguard the rights of transgender children, ARY News reported.

    “Most of the times during childbirth, the kid is not transgender, but is presumed so,” the resolution read.

    “Such a child can be assigned gender after corrective surgery and appropriate measures so that they too can spend life like a man or a woman,” the resolution stated further.

    The move comes amid rising numbers of transgender persons’ killings across the country. Just last week, a 19-year-old transgender woman was found “riddled with bullets” beside a river bank.

    The teenager’s father and uncle were arrested for her murder.

  • Riches in the corridors of power

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has publicly released the asset details of key politicians in the country.

    According to the documents, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari is revealed to be one of the wealthiest politicians with a net worth of Rs 1.5 billion. On the other hand, Federal Minister for Communications and Postal Services Murad Saeed has the minimum amount of assets. He reportedly only has 36 lakhs cash and 15 tolas of gold to his name.

    Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan owns assets worth Rs108 million. These assets include his Bani Gala residence which he declared was a gift, three foreign currency accounts (Dollar, Euro, Pound), four goats worth Rs 50,000 and 150 acres of agricultural land.

    PM Khan had also shared details of his wife, Bushra Bibi‘s assets which include a 3-kanal house in Bani Gala, 431-kanal land in Pakpattan and 266-kanal in Okara.

    Former president Asif Ali Zardari owns holdings worth Rs660 million. Leader of Opposition Shehbaz Sharif assets amounts to Rs189m.

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Rana Sanaullah own assets worth Rs600m and Rs66m respectively.

    Minister for Railways Shaikh Rasheed has assets worth Rs35m.

  • GRAPHIC CONTENT: Firing at Lahore airport kills two

    GRAPHIC CONTENT: Firing at Lahore airport kills two

    At least two people were killed and another injured when an unknown assailant opened fire at Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport.

    According to the police, the suspect was taken into custody by the Airport Security Forces (ASF). The firing, however, caused panic among people which led to a stampede.

    “The suspect reached the airport in a taxi, while the two deceased had returned home after performing Umra,” reports quoted a police official as saying.

    The incident took place at the arrival/waiting area outside the main airport building. Footage available with The Current shows the deceased man lying on the floor with two women sitting next to the body.

    Heavy contingents of police reached the airport to secure the premises. The entry of vehicles at the airport was also barred as a precaution.

    A debate has sparked over the ASF’s failure to stop the flow of weapons into the airport premises.

    This is a developing story.

  • Adding to arrested leaders’ misery: PM orders amending production order law

    Adding to arrested leaders’ misery: PM orders amending production order law

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has ordered to amend the parliamentary procedure of issuing production orders that are necessary for a detained lawmaker to attend assembly sessions, a private media outlet reported Tuesday.

    “Money launderers and financially corrupt individuals should not be facilitated via production orders,” the premier reportedly said while chairing a cabinet meeting to discuss corruption inquiries and the economic situation of the country.

    Stating that people facing corruption inquiries cannot be awarded the status of political prisoners, PM Imran ordered the Law Ministry for further action and possible amendments to the law, reports said.

    The move comes after National Assembly (NA) Speaker Asad Qaiser issued production orders for former president Asif Ali Zardari, who was arrested by the National Accountancy Bureau (NAB) last month.

    Similarly, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Hamza Shehbaz and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Faryal Talpur were brought to the Punjab and Sindh assemblies, respectively, after the speakers concerned issued their production orders.

    Earlier in the day, an appeal submitted to the Supreme Court (SC) also challenged the production orders of opposition leaders arrested over corruption allegations. The application challenged the production orders issued by speakers of the national and provincial assemblies.

    The appeal also sought nullification of the production orders citing that such orders can’t be issued when the accused is under physical remand of a law enforcement agency.