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  • State-run PTV uses VPN to post about ‘un-Islamic’ VPNs on X

    State-run PTV uses VPN to post about ‘un-Islamic’ VPNs on X

    With the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) terming the use of virtual private networks (VPNs) “un-Islamic”, state-run Pakistan Television (PTV) has reported all about it on X, formerly Twitter, which remains inaccessible in the country without VPN.

    As per the details, the CII on Friday declared the use of VPNs as “un-Islamic”, emphasising the need to block access to immoral or blasphemous content on the internet.

    CII Chairman Dr Raghib Hussain Naeemi, in a statement, said the federal government had the prerogative to curb evil and prevent access to it, declaring that adopting measures to prevent or restrict access to immoral and offensive content was in accordance with the Shariah.

    The development came hours after the Ministry of Interior (MoI) penned a letter to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to block illegal VPNs, highlighting increasing risks to national security and public morality.

    Amid criticism against the ruling by netizens and religious scholars, including Maulana Tariq Jameel, state-run PTV also reported on the CII decision.

    It went on to post about the development on X, the micro-blogging website that remains inaccessible to Pakistanis without a VPN since before the February 8 general elections due to compliance issues. 

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    “[The] Council of Islamic Ideology has declared the use of VPN in violation of Shariah,” PTV said in a post that went viral soon after.

    Earlier, CII chief Dr Naeemi had also said that VPNs, while technically a tool for security and privacy, were often misused to access forbidden content. 

    These included obscene websites, platforms spreading misinformation, or those fostering anarchy within society, he said, adding that VPNs were also used for online theft and fraud, making it difficult to trace cybercriminals.

    The CII chief said that under Islamic principles, the permissibility of any act depended on its intent and method of use. He said using VPNs for unlawful purposes directly violated both Islamic and societal laws. Furthermore, he added, Muslims were obligated to respect state laws, provided they did not contradict Islamic principles.

    He warned that bypassing restrictions on blocked websites not only violated national laws but also went against Islamic ethical principles.

    Meanwhile, the MoI stated in its letter that VPNs were “increasingly being exploited by terrorists” to facilitate violent activities and financial transactions in Pakistan. “Off late, an alarming fact has been identified, wherein VPNs are used by terrorists to obscure and conceal their communications,” it said in a statement.

    Additionally, the ministry added, unregulated VPNs were also being used for discreetly accessing pornographic and blasphemous content.

  • Rohit Sharma has become a father again

    Rohit Sharma has become a father again

    Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma and his wife Ritika Sajdeh have welcomed their first son on the intervening night of Friday, November 15 and 16.

    Following his son’s birth, Sharma could not leave for Australia with the Indian team for a Test series.

    This is the second child born to captain Rohit and Ritika. The couple are parents to six-year-old daughter Sameera.

  • THAT shirt scene in Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum fans can’t get over

    THAT shirt scene in Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum fans can’t get over

    Fahad Mustafa’s return to television after 10 years with Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum has been a massive hit. The serial has enthralled audiences across the globe, creating a fanatic fan base. 

    One moment that fans can’t stop talking about is the iconic “shirt scene”. 

    Fahad portrayed Mustafa, a character with a funky and laid back fashion sense. A unique twist in the story delighted viewers when his on screen wife, Sharjeena, began borrowing his oversized shirts to wear at home.

     During a recent appearance on Something Haute hosted by Hassan Choudhry, Fahad Mustafa revealed the story behind the iconic shirt scene from Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum.

    The host asked, “The idea of creating highly realistic characters and showing Hania and you switching outfits, whose idea was that?”

    Fahad replied, “You know, intimacy has its own heights, we’re quite restricted when it comes to television, and many scenes that we showcased were innocent and very cute. There wasn’t a cringe worthy moment or anything that would make you feel uncomfortable.” 

    “We thought, what could be the height of romance? If you’re truly in love with someone, what would you do, but then again, how could we show that? We can’t dance or do much else here. I think the maximum we could do was hold hands, and that’s about it,” he observed.

    The Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum actor shared how the beloved shirt scene came to life. 

    “There’s a scene where she comes out of the bathroom, and I ask her, ‘What are you doing?’ We decided to just play with it. What I liked most was how the audience connected. If you show them things that happen to them or things that are normal, that’s where the romance lies. Romance isn’t about descending from helicopter with flowing hair,” Fahad Mustafa laughingly said.

    In the same interview, he also talked about his favorite scene from Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum.

    Talking about his favorite scene from Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum, Fahad Mustafa said, “The scene between Sharjeena and Mustafa that I like the most is the last scene, I really love that scene, and no one could have made that last scene, no one could have thought of it, no one could have created it.”

     The Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum actor didn’t hold back when talking about the hurdles he faced as a producer and actor. He expressed frustration about how money often overshadows the creative process.

    “I was a bit angry during the production of Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum. When I talked to anyone, all they were focused on was how much money they will make. I know that I would earn a lot of money from this drama, a lot of money, but it’s not about money. In any project, you have to be fully involved. If it doesn’t make any difference, there’s no benefit,” Fahad said

  • 10 newborns killed, 16 critical in India hospital fire

    10 newborns killed, 16 critical in India hospital fire

    A fire at the neonatal unit of an Indian hospital killed 10 newborns, authorities said on Saturday, with another 16 clinging to life after a blaze blamed on a faulty oxygen machine.

    Building fires are common in India due to shoddy construction and a routine disregard for safety regulations.

    Friday night’s fire broke out at about 10:30pm (1700 GMT) Friday at the Maharani Lakshmibai Medical College in Jhansi, around 450 kilometres (280 miles) south of the capital New Delhi.

    Footage from the scene showed charred beds and walls inside the ward as a crowd of anguished families waited outside.

    Babies rescued from the fire, all only days old, were laid side by side on a bed elsewhere in the hospital as hospital staff hooked up their arms to intravenous drips.

    “Ten infants have sadly died,” Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak told reporters.

    “Seven bodies have been identified. Three bodies haven’t been identified as yet.”

    Another 16 infants were in critical condition after the blaze, news outlet Times Now reported.

    Pathak said a safety audit of the hospital was carried out in February followed by a fire drill three months later.

    “The cause of the fire will be probed,” he added. “If any lapses are found, strict action will be taken against those responsible and no one will be spared.”

    District official Avinash Kumar said the fire had been caused by an electrical short circuit in the unit.

    “We are providing medical care to the critically injured,” he was quoted as saying by the Hindustan Times newspaper.

    Local media reports quoted other officials who said the fire started in a piece of machinery used to enrich the level of oxygen in the atmosphere.

    The high concentration of the combustible gas in the unit helped the fire spread quickly and suddenly, they said.

    Broadcaster NDTV reported that 54 infants in total were in the neonatal intensive care unit when the fire broke out.

    ‘War footing’

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the deaths “heart-wrenching” in a post on social media platform X.

    “My deepest condolences to those who have lost their innocent children in this. I pray to God to give them the strength to bear this immense loss,” he wrote.

    Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced compensation of 500,000 rupees ($5,900) to bereaved families.

    “The district administration and concerned officials have been instructed to carry out relief and rescue operations on a war footing,” Adityanath wrote on X.

    “I pray to Lord Shri Ram to provide salvation to the departed souls and speedy recovery to the injured.”

    Friday’s fire comes six months after a similar blaze at a children’s hospital in New Delhi that killed six newborns.

  • Four-year-old crushed under metro bus in Rawalpindi

    Four-year-old crushed under metro bus in Rawalpindi

    A metro bus crushed a four-year-old child as he was getting off with his mother at Liaquat Bagh metro station in Rawalpindi.


    Various footage of the incident has emerged online. In one of them, it can be seen that the body was covered with a sheet, surrounded by people and a bus parked on the side.

     


    Journalist Shabbir Dar posted a video made from inside the bus where the parents of the child were seen shouting and crying in panic while other passengers were trying to console them.


    Geo News reported that the four-year-old child fell on the track while getting off the metro bus. He was accompanied by his mother and was crushed under the tyre of the metro bus. The child died on the spot.


    The police said that the child who died in the incident at Liaquat Bagh metro bus station was identified as Rehan, a resident of the Amrapura area of Rawalpindi.


    The police stated that the child was getting off the bus and holding his mother’s finger when the bus stopped at Liaquat Bagh station, and he instantly fell on the metro track.
     
    However, at the same time, the bus driver started the bus, and as a result, the child was crushed to death by the big bus tyre.


    The driver of the metro bus, as well as the other officials of the metro bus administration, fled the premises immediately after the incident, according to the police.


    The incident happened in the jurisdiction of Waris Khan police station of Rawalpindi. A police team reached the accident site and started an investigation.

    Previously, in 2017, a 19-year-old student was crushed to death after the bus rammed into a near side pole. Following her death, massive protests broke out in the area by fellow students. 

  • YouTuber Jake Paul defeats Mike Tyson in boxing match

    YouTuber Jake Paul defeats Mike Tyson in boxing match

    YouTuber Jake Paul defeated former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson in an international boxing match on Friday night.

    All three judges declared Jake Paul the winner on points in an eight-round match in Texas.

    The 27-year-old Paul is also an American actor.

    The 58-year-old Mike Tyson, on the other hand, is known as one of the “greatest heavyweight boxers of all time.” However, he appeared a bit sluggish in this match.

    The age difference was clearly evident. Tyson fought hard in the first two rounds, but in the end, Jake Paul defeated him.

    Earlier, this fight was scheduled for July this year, but it was postponed due to Tyson’s health issues.

    Tyson retired from boxing in 2005 after losing to Kevin McBride.

    Mike Tyson slaps Jake Paul


    Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson slapped opponent Jake Paul as the two men faced off for the final time on Thursday ahead of their controversial Netflix-backed bout.

    Tyson, 58, hit Paul flush on the cheek with his right hand following the formal weigh-in for Friday’s fight at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.


    A scrum of security swiftly intervened to separate the two fighters following the incident before Tyson was ushered away.

    Tyson, who weighed in at 228.4 pounds after stepping onto the scales wearing only a pair of Versace briefs, barely spoke before leaving the stage.

    “Talking’s over,” Tyson said before making his exit with members of his entourage.

    Paul, the 27-year-old Youtuber-turned-boxer, insisted he had not been hurt by Tyson’s open-handed slap, which drew gasps from the audience.


    “I didn’t even feel it — he’s angry. He’s an angry little elf…cute slap buddy,” said Paul, who weighed in at 227.2 pounds.

    Paul concluded his remarks with an expletive-laden pledge to knock Tyson out before roaring theatrically into a microphone: “He must die.”


    Tyson is reportedly being paid $20 million for Friday’s officially sanctioned about in Texas, which will be comprised of eight two-minute rounds.

    The contest, being streamed live on Netflix, has divided opinion across the boxing world, with many prominent figures decrying the prospect of Tyson lacing up his gloves nearly 40 years after his professional debut and 19 years after his last officially sanctioned fight.

  • Weather update for the second T20 between Pakistan and Australia

    Weather update for the second T20 between Pakistan and Australia

    The second T20 match between Pakistan and Australia is scheduled to be played today (Saturday) at 1 pm Pakistani time in Sydeny, but there is bad news for cricket fans. 

    The second T20 match is also likely to be affected by rain. 

    According to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, four to six per cent rainfall was predicted during the crucial match of the series to be played in Sydney. Chances of rain in the morning hours are up to 30 per cent.

    Scattered clouds will continue to linger throughout the day in Sydney, while wind speeds of upto 31 kilometres per hour are exoected. Humidity is likely to be between 76 and 83 per cent.

    Probable change in Pakistan’s squad:

    The Pakistan cricket team is likely to drop a fast bowler and include a young spinner in the second T20 match against Australia.

    The second match of the T20 series between Pakistan and Australia will be played in Sydney today (Saturday) at 1 pm Pakistani time.

    The Sydney pitch is conducive to spin, for which Sufyan Muqeem or Arafat Minhas is likely to be included in the national team, while Naseem Shah can be dropped.

    In the first T20, Naseem Shah took only one wicket for 37 runs in two overs.

    Both teams have not faced each other at the Sydney Cricket Ground since 2019 when the match was washed out due to rain, while the Green Shirts have not won a T20 match against the Kangaroos at home.

    The first match was delayed due to rain. Later, the game resumed with seven overs for each team. Australia defeated Pakistan by 29 runs. Chasing 94 runs, the Green Shirts scored 64 runs for the loss of 9 wickets. 

    Glenn Maxwell was declared the man of the match for playing an aggressive innings of 43 runs on 19 balls.

  • Pakistani fan gives gifts worth crores to Mika Singh

    Pakistani fan gives gifts worth crores to Mika Singh

    A Pakistan fan has given gifts worth crores to Bollywood singer Mika Singh during a concert in the US.

    In a video shared on Instagram, Mika Singh can be seen receiving the gifts on stage.

    According to media reports, when Mika Singh was performing on stage, a Pakistani fan caught the singer’s attention by waving a chain from the crowd. After that, the fan came to Mika towards the stage and presented gifts. He put a gold chain around Mika’s neck, gave him an expensive watch and diamond rings.

    The total value of the gifts is said to be around 30 million Indian rupees, which is around 10 crore Pakistani rupees.

    Mika Singh appreciated the fan and shared the video on Instagram. He added heart emojis and captioned the video, “My brother, thank you for this beautiful gift.” 

    Social media users were abuzz with the fan’s generous gesture. 

    Mika Singh has sung many famous Bollywood songs including Aaj Ki Party and Chinta Ta Ta Chitta Chitta.

  • Pakistan will make one change in second T20 against Australia.

    Pakistan will make one change in second T20 against Australia.

    The Pakistan cricket team is likely to drop a fast bowler and include a young spinner in the second T20 match against Australia.

    The second match of the T20 series between Pakistan and Australia will be played in Sydney today (Saturday) at 1 pm Pakistani time.

    The Sydney pitch is conducive to spin, for which Sufyan Muqeem or Arafat Minhas is likely to be included in the national team, while Naseem Shah can be dropped.

    In the first T20, Naseem Shah took only one wicket for 37 runs in two overs.

    Both teams have not faced each other at the Sydney Cricket Ground since 2019 when the match was washed out due to rain, while the Green Shirts have not won a T20 match against the Kangaroos at home.

    The first match was delayed due to rain. Later, the game resumed with seven overs for each team. Australia defeated Pakistan by 29 runs. Chasing 94 runs, the Green Shirts scored 64 runs for the loss of 9 wickets. 

    Glenn Maxwell was declared the man of the match for playing an aggressive innings of 43 runs on 19 balls.

  • ‘I don’t wash hands’: Defence Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth’s 2019 comment goes viral

    ‘I don’t wash hands’: Defence Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth’s 2019 comment goes viral

    An old clip of Fox News host Pete Hegseth, who claimed he hadn’t washed his hands in a decade, resurfaced and went viral on social media after US President-elect Donald Trump nominated him for the Secretary of Defence last Tuesday.

    The clip from 2019 has been reshared on X, formerly known as Twitter, after the recent nomination, with one post reaching over 1.2 million people. 

    “I don’t really wash my hands ever and inoculate myself. Germs aren’t a real thing. I can’t see them; therefore, they are not real,” Hegseth was quoted as having said in the clip. His Fox and Friends co-host Jedediah Bila appeared shocked, saying: “Someone, help me!” Hegseth later posted on Twitter that the comment was a joke. 

    The renowned host previously served in Afghanistan and Iraq, receiving the Combat Infantryman Badge. During his time with Fox News, he developed a friendship with Trump, who has made regular appearances on Hegseth’s show on the weekends.

    Trump announced Hegseth’s selection as the Secretary of Defence in a social media post on Tuesday evening. “Pete has spent his entire life as a Warrior for the Troops, and for the Country. Pete is tough, smart and a true believer in America First,” the president-elect said.

    On the one hand, Hegseth’s nomination received a mixed reaction from those in the military and the Republican Party, but on the other social media users used the viral clip to doubt that he isn’t qualified to run such a complex government department.

    According to an X user, “Why is he not nominated for Health Secretary?” Another said, “I just hope the Generals at the Pentagon have someone to talk to tonight.”

    However, some said the host was clearly joking in a clip that was nearly six years ago.