Iconic Indian Punjab singer Sidhu Moosewala’s family shared pictures of the late rapper’s younger brother with the world, bringing joy and hope to his grieving legion of fans.
On November 7, Sidhu’s parents, Balkaur Singh and Charan Kaur, shared the first pictures of their newborn son Shubhdeep, whom they lovingly named after Sidhu’s real name.
Balkaur Singh shared his feeling about the new addition to their family, writing on Instagram, “The gaze holds a special depth, understanding every truth of our life. Beyond the innocence of the face and the words, there is a priceless light that always makes us feel that the face we entrusted to Akal Purakh with tearful eyes, we are now witnessing again in His grace, in the form of a small one, with all the prayers of our brothers and sisters.”
Sidhu father shared a video in which he is cutting a cake with the medical professionals who helped bring Shubhdeep into the world.
Earlier this year, he addressed his wife’s pregnancy, clarifying that she conceived through IVF at the age of 58. Balkaur reassured everyone that official updates would always come directly from the family to avoid any misinformation. Shubhdeep, was born on March 17, 2024.
Sidhu Moosewala was a popular singer, known for composing and producing revolutionary songs.
Indian media reports confirm that Sidhu Moosewala’s mother is 58 years old and his father is 60 years. On May 29, 2022, assailants shot and killed Sidhu Moosewala while he traveled in his car in the Mansa district of Indian Punjab. He was contesting the Punjab Assembly election on a Congress ticket at that time.
Fans were excited to see a glimpse of Shubhdeep, showering the family with love. Many shared their heartfelt comments and emoji, sending their best wishes for the little one.
Sidhu Moosewala sang songs such as 295, Same BEEF, Old Skool, Goat, Malwa BlOCK, Regret, Levels,Drippy, Sajnu, and before his death, his last song was The Last Ride.
Here are some comments by the fans under the Instagram posts of Balkaur Singh and Charan Kaur.
Earlier, Tajinder Bagga, contestant of Big Boss 18 and a BJP leader, shared a shocking claim. Bagga claimed that an astrologer had warned Sidhu Moosewala before his death and suggested to him that he should leave the country.
Tajinder said, “Sidhu had listened to the astrologer and had planned to leave the country, but eight days after the prediction, Sidhu Moosewala was killed.”
“I too informed Sidhu about the threat, after this incident, we contacted the astrologer again and asked for advice”, Tajinder added. and Charan Kaur.
As the Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump swept the polls in the United States on Wednesday, messages of congratulations poured in from across the world. However, unbeknownst to the American public and the President-elect himself, it also created a storm of memes, taunts, and jokes within the Pakistani political sphere, with PTI leaders trolling government leaders for their past critical remarks on Donald Trump.
PTI leaders and supporters claimed that Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal deleted his past tweets critical of the next President of the United States. It should be noted that Ahsan Iqbal has not deleted his old tweets criticising Trump. However, the official page of the ruling party PML-N has indeed deleted its post from 2021 in which Maryam Nawaz compared Trump and Khan.
It must be emphasised that PTI blamed the US for conspiring against its government when Imran Khan was ousted from power through a no-confidence motion in 2022. Founder PTI Imran Khan, in an infamous rally, waved a page in front of a charged crowd, which was allegedly the cypher sent to Islamabad by Pakistan’s ambassador in Washington.
The Intercept, a US-based news website, in August 2023 published what it claimed to be the “cypher” that hinted the US administration wanted to remove Khan from power.
However, later, Khan and his party changed their narratives multiple times while the American-Pakistani community continuously lobbied among US politicians for pressurising Pakistan government to release Imran Khan.
PTI leader Hammad Azhar, who has been in hiding for over a year, posted on X, “Congratulations to @realDonaldTrumpfor winning the US election. Donald was falsely framed, victimised and survived an assassination attempt. It’s the same story as Imran Khan in Pakistan only difference is that our mandate was brazenly stolen. But IK will also be successful soon IA as the people’s power cannot be suppressed for long.”
He also tweeted, “PMLN leaders including Maryam Nawaz, Ahsan Iqbal & others went public in their hate remarks for @realDonaldTrump. Now they are on a delete spree. Unfortunately the ,establishment of Pakistan imposed puppets on us that are not trained in the basics of diplomacy or intl relations.”
French Statesman Charles de Gaulle once said: “Since a politician never believes what he says, he is quite surprised to be taken at his word.”
Since Pakistani politics or its players never cease to amaze, one social media user pointed out Hammad’s tweet from 2016 in which he criticised the former US President himself writing, “Rise of Trump like politicians, protectionist barriers, UK leaving EU, radical Islam; peoples of the world are moving away from each other.”
Another PTI leader, Ali Muhammad Khan, held a press conference saying, “It is hoped that the new US President Donald Trump will realise the mistake that it was wrong to expel Imran Khan on behalf of the Joe Biden government.”
However, the former deputy speaker and another prominent PTI leader who is currently in the United States, Qasim Khan Suri, took to X to blame the Democratic Party for Khan’s fall from power instead of blaming the United States.
Suri posted his speech from 2022 when he was the deputy assembly speaker, in which he blamed the United States for conspiring against Khan due to his alleged “independent foreign policy, economy and the sanctity of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).” Yet, the caption Suri wrote was in clear contrast with the contents of the video, writing, “The crushing defeat of the US Democratic Party, which played an important role in bringing down the government of Imran Khan, in the US presidential election made local facilitators sleepless, many of them immediately issued statements to change their father.”
Suri also took to X to post a viral clip of Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif criticising and comparing Khan with Trump while tagging Trump family members as if complaining.
Meanwhile, Imran Khan’s official account also posted a congratulatory message to Donald Trump for his landslide victory in the US elections.
Former President Arif Alvi also took to X to congratulate Trump while comparing his political struggles with Khan, including the assassination attempt on both leaders. “On behalf of the people of my country, and as the 13th President of Pakistan, I would like to congratulate you on your resounding victory to ‘Make America Great Again’. We look forward to continued cooperation as democratic nations. Indeed, your victory must have sent shivers down the spine of dictators and aspiring dictators of the world,” wrote Alvi.
Pakistan cricket team captain Muhammad Rizwan has equalled the record for most catches in a match.
During the second ODI match against Australia, Rizwan took six catches, coming tantalising close to a world record if he had not dropped the catch of Adam Zampa.
Adam Gilchrist, Mark Boucher, Alec Stewart, Matt Prior, Jos Buttler, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Quinton D Cook, and Matthew Cross have six catches in a match.
The second match of the three-match ODI series is being played in Adelaide, where Australia has set Pakistan a target of 164 runs to win.
Australia defeated Pakistan by two wickets in the first match of the series.
Prime Minister’s Advisor for Political Affairs, Rana Sanaullah, made a witty jab at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) after some party leaders suggested that incarcerated party founder Imran Khan would be released once newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump takes office.
Rana Sanaullah, speaking on the 365 News ‘HEAD ON’ talk show, said that “it’s better for the party to make peace with the government”’ if they are relying on the U.S. for the release of Khan.
PM Advisor also asserted that there would be “no direct dealing” between PTI and the establishment.
“PTI has only one way of dealing, and that is through parliament, political parties, and political leadership,” he said, adding, “The sooner PTI understands this, the better it will be for the party and the country’s politics.”
When asked about PTI’s recent attempts to hold direct talks with the establishment, Rana Sanaullah said that ISPR clarified in a press conference on May 8 that dialogue could only be done through political parties.
Earlier, PTI’s spokesperson, Raoof Hassan, declared that the party wanted to engage in negotiations with the establishment and political parties through direct negotiations.
“It has been PTI’s policy that we want to engage with the establishment, and I will go a step ahead to say that dialogue between my party and the establishment is inevitable for this state, and we must not delay this,” Hassan claimed in October during an interview on a private news channel.
As Pakistan and Chinese officials discuss the terms of the loan for the ML-I railway project, local businesses grow worried. While there are many supposed benefits on the surface of the loan deal, there are many ominous conditions that may soon reveal themselves.
As for the benefits, the construction of the Karachi-Hyderabad segment of ML-I will help reduce transport times and fuel costs for businesses in the long run. As a result, businesses will be able to reduce the costs of their goods and services, resulting in greater demand for these products. This is likely to increase the profit margins of many businesses, especially those transporting goods around Karachi and Hyderabad.
Hyderabad, known for its export of textiles and agricultural produce, will benefit from the construction of the railway, which will allow goods to flow freely to the port city of Karachi. This will allow for exporters to guarantee shorter delivery times to international buyers along with lower costs thanks to the railway.
However, local construction companies should not be delighted as they may not even get the contracts to work on the railway to begin with. Historically, Chinese loans often come with clauses to employ Chinese companies or the contract is already pre-awarded to a Chinese firm.
So, while on paper, the influx of a billion dollars looks great, the reality of the matter is that the loan only employs Chinese firms that bring in its nationals to work on the projects. While these Chinese employees may spend part of their earnings here in Pakistan, the majority of the proceeds of projects are repatriated back to China.
Moreover, the materials to be utilised are also often sourced from China. As a result, Pakistani businesses do not benefit meaningfully from these loans. An example of such loans can be seen primarily in Africa and Eastern Europe, which rely on Chinese loans.
Moreover, Chinese officials are trying to get Pakistan to sign the loan agreement at an interest rate of 2.3 per cent, while the Pakistani side is making huge efforts for the interest rate to be 1 per cent. If Chinese loan conditions are agreed upon, the government will have to foot higher interest payments on the loan – A loan where their own companies and businesses are not the primary beneficiaries.
While Pakistan relies on loans to finance the majority of its large-scale projects, it might not sound like a great deal to secure them at unfavourable terms. However, the loan deal will most probably be secured by Pakistan regardless. Will this be a gift to the economy or a curse? Time shall tell.
The Democrat candidate Kamala Harris has lost the US presidential elections 2024.
While many political pundits had already predicted her loss, they are shocked by how badly she was defeated, with Donald Trump surpassing the requisite 270 electoral college numbers in no time. Not only that, he also won the progressive vote.
BBC reports that Harris campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dillon said in an email to campaign staff on Wednesday, “This will take a long time to process.”
Political pundits are attributing the defeat to a number of factors:
Stance on Gaza genocide
First thing first, it’s the baggage of Joe Biden’s murky legacy that Harris carried and then owned. In an op-ed for The Guardian back in August, Mehdi Hassan wrote, “Biden’s Gaza policy is a liability for Kamala Harris. She must break with Biden now.”
Israel’s carnage in Gaza alienated more Dem voters than the party believed.
Media reports suggest that a large number of Arab-American voters, young voters and Muslims generally did not vote for Kamala Harris because of her commitment to sustaining the flow of US weapons to Israel and her rhetoric of “Israel has the right to defend herself.”
While she tried to redeem herself by saying that she will end the “war in Gaza” during her last speech in the swing state of Michigan with a large population of Arab-American citizens, the erstwhile state still voted for Trump’s Republican party, and more importantly, for the anti-Israel Jill Stein.
Biden’s approval ratings has consistently plummeted in the last four years and this impacted Kamala badly as two thirds of voters believed that the country is on the wrong track and that Kamala will continue Joe Biden’s policies.
America’s support of Ukraine, both militarily and financially, was enabled by Biden’s administration of which Harris was a part and also a key factor as well. As per the recent numbers, the Democratic administration provided more than $64.1 billion in military assistance alone.
Meanwhile, Trump repeatedly reminded his supporters that he never started a war in his tenure.
Policies on Climate
Kamala’s change of stance on climate also paved the way for her loss. While she opposed “fracking”-the artificial matter of extracting gas- during her campaign, she confirmed that she will not seek to ban fracking if elected.
Climate activists also alleged that her tone towards climate changed over time.
Flaws in campaigning style
Kamala got endorsements from all the big shots of Hollywood like Taylor Swift and Beyonce while Trump was seen attending rallies, meeting voters and serving fries at a McDonalds drive-thru.
Quoting the Democrat campaign misjudgments, analyst Leigh Sales said, “The Democrats also had a tin ear when it came to the gap between rich and poor and how politically potent it is. Why was Harris constantly campaigning with squillionaire celebrities?”
Illegal immigration
Trump’s “America First” slogan gained traction from many quarters all around the country as he targeted the issue of Illegal immigration. Kamala, on the other hand, has shown leniency as she advocated for strict border security and reforms.
Economic policies
Last but not least, ever-growing inflation in Biden’s four-year-tenure contributed in steering voters away from Kamala’s side. Reportedly, the inflation rate was the highest after the 1970’s.
The second match of the three-match ODI series between Pakistan and Australia is underway in Adelaide today, with Australia setting Pakistan a target of 164 runs to win.
Pakistan won the toss and invited Australia to bat. In the third over, with a total score of 21, Jack Fraser McGurk was dismissed lbw by Shaheen Afridi after he scored 13 runs off ten balls.
Mathew Short also fell victim to Afridi’s balling with a total score of 41 in the seventh over. He scored 19 runs off 15 balls and was caught out by Babar Azam.
Josh Ingles scored 18 runs off 25 balls, while Marnus Labuchagne scored six runs off 11 balls and was dismissed in the 16th over by Haris Rauf.
In the 21st over, when Australia’s score was 101, Steven Smith also returned to the pavilion. He scored 35 runs off 48 balls and was caught out by Mohammad Rizwan off Mohammad Hasnain.
Australia’s sixth wicket fell in the 26th over at a total of 121 when Aaron Hardie scored 13 off 29 balls and was caught out by Mohammad Rizwan off Haris Rauf. In the 28th over, Glenn Maxwell also returned to the pavilion. He scored 16 runs off 21 balls and was bowled by Haris Rauf.
In the next over, Australia’s total score had just increased by one run when Mitchell Starc scored a run and was caught out by Mohammad Rizwan off the ball of Naseem Shah.
Adam Zampa scored 18 runs and was dismissed by Shaheen in the 35th over.
Haris Rauf took five, while Shaheen Afridi took three wickets for Pakistan. Naseem Shah and Muhammad Hasnain took one wicket each.
Canada said Wednesday it is shutting down TikTok’s offices in the country following a security review, but people will still be allowed to use the popular video-sharing app.
“The government is taking action to address the specific national security risks related to ByteDance Ltd.’s operations in Canada,” Francois-Philippe Champagne, minister of innovation, science and industry, said in a statement.
Ottawa is not imposing restrictions on Canadian users of TikTok, which has come under scrutiny for its ownership under China-based ByteDance.
“The decision to use a social media application or platform is a personal choice,” Champagne said.
Canada banned TikTok from all government devices last year and launched a security review of the application.
Champagne said Wednesday’s decision was made in accordance with a law that “allows for the review of foreign investments that may be injurious to Canada’s national security.”
TikTok said it would challenge the decision in court.
“Shutting down TikTok’s Canadian offices and destroying hundreds of well-paying local jobs is not in anyone’s best interest,” said a spokesperson.
“We will challenge this order in court.”
A cyber expert at the University of Ottawa, Michael Geist, said “there may well be good reasons” to ban the app but warned the move could be counterproductive.
“Banning the company rather than the app may actually make matters worse since the risks associated with the app will remain but the ability to hold the company accountable will be weakened,” Geist wrote in an online post.
TikTok also faces a ban in the United States if it remains owned by ByteDance – a threat the company is battling in a federal appeals court, arguing that it violates free speech rights.
The US government alleges that TikTok allows Beijing to collect data and spy on users. It also says the platform is a conduit to spread propaganda.
Producers of honey rejoiced as an export deal saw the first shipment of Pakistani honey heading for Malaysian shores. This sweet deal is expected to open up new destinations for Pakistan’s honey. Any further developments will help Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) the most, as the industry is primarily focused on the province.
This deal was negotiated and supported by the Pakistani High Commission in Kuala Lumpur, which has made it the second of its kind in recent history. The first one was negotiated by the Pakistani High Commission in Kenya to support tractor sales in East Africa. These activities by the High Commission are a reflection of Commerce Minister Jam Kamal, who has been advocating for the export of commodities such as cotton, sugar, tractors and, most recently, honey.
As it stands, Pakistan ranks 34th in the export of honey, a position hardly anyone could envy.
Historically, Pakistan’s honey has always been destined to be shelved in stores that are primarily located in the Middle East. This expansion into a new market spells great news for the 60,000 honey farms that call KPK home as they expect to boost export levels.
The value of all traded honey in 2022 sat at $2.69 billion, with China leading the export race at $254.2 million. If Pakistan’s producers manage to secure additional deals, they can expect to scale up the scope of their operations, as there will be a large inflow of foreign reserves.
These foreign reserves will be critical for businesses involved in the production of honey. This is because the majority of these honey-producing farms are located in rural areas where income tends to be generally low. However, the same jar of honey can fetch a better price in foreign markets, which is especially beneficial to businesses located in economically depressed areas of the country.
The signing of export deals by foreign importers and Pakistani honey businesses will undoubtedly create employment opportunities, as the increased demand for honey will incentivise farms to scale up production by hiring labour.
This is especially beneficial for KP, where the farms are predominantly located. This could help reduce the unemployment rate in the province, which rests at an uneasy 8.8 per cent.
The export to Malaysia is also a great safety net for honey producers in Pakistan because if the Middle East decides to cut back on honey imports, the effect will not be as pronounced. This is just another example of why diversification of trade is always beneficial.
Transport businesses are also eyeing the deal as a positive step.
If this batch of exports garners more international customers, the local transport sector could see more activity in the coming months. Likewise, businesses lining the route from KP to Karachi port.
Smog levels in Lahore have surged to dangerous levels, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching a staggering 1,067 early in the day. In comparison, Delhi, which is second on the list, has an AQI of 228, significantly lower than Lahore.
The visibility limit in Lahore has also reached zero.
The Current reached out to Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, who is leading the mission to combat smog. She claimed that the sudden surge in smog levels is the consequence of the change in wind direction, which has caused smog levels to decrease in Delhi while surging in Lahore.
The meteorological department had “warned the citizens that the intensity of smog will continue in Lahore for the next 48 hours,” she quoted in an official statement.
The minister further backed her claims by acknowledging that “NASA has released an aerial image of smog from large-scale burning of crop residues in Indian regions.”
The air pollution level in Lahore was previously at 157 as a result of the change in wind direction, but over the last five days, it has risen to an unprecedented level, as mentioned in her press release.
The high-speed winds from India also brought smoke into Pakistani areas, regarding which Marriyam Aurangzeb appealed to citizens not to leave their homes unnecessarily.
She also mentioned that the wind is slowly shifting to the south, which will improve air quality in the provincial capital.
The Current reached out to the Secretary of the Environment Department of Punjab, Raja Jahangir, who described at length the steps taken by the government so far and the situation on the ground.
The sudden surge of smog in Lahore can be attributed to the “Eastern Wind Corridor” and some local practices.
“The cropping mechanism, agricultural practices, mindset and behaviour of the farmers from both India and Pakistan are same. They burn the stubble after the harvesting of rice,” Jahangir elaborated.
“The thermal scanning of NASA’s satellite is the proof which shows both sides of the border red,” he said.
According to Jahangir, this change in pattern had been previously predicted. However, it was intensified by the Diwali celebrations, which involved the widespread use of fireworks. The wind has now shifted to the south, affecting air quality in Muridke and nearby areas.
“This will give Lahore a breathing space,” he added.
And while the wind pattern is worsening the smog, some of the local factors can not be ignored.
“Lahore is a city of 15 million, with 4.5 million bikes and 1.3 million cars on roads. There are 6,800 industrial units because it is the fastest growing city in the country and has the most construction sites, as well as more than 1,200 brick kilns,” Jahangir highlighted.
For a city spread over 1,757 square kilometres, the green cover is not enough.
“Ideally, it needs to be more than 30 per cent, but unfortunately, it is not more than four per cent,” he said, further that the smoke emitted from harvesting of 6.6 million of rice given a boost by air pressure is disturbing the air of Lahore while it doesn’t have enough to combat.
“Ideally, it needs to be more than 30 per cent, but unfortunately, it is not above four per cent,” he said, adding that the smoke emitted from the harvesting of 6.6 million tons of rice, combined with air pressure, is contributing to the air pollution in Lahore, which lacks sufficient resources to combat it.
What has the government done so far?
Raja Jahangir emphasised that while smog has been a regular phenomenon in winter for the past 7-8 years, it has always been managed by the environment department. This time, however, the government has engaged multiple sectors, including transport, health, agriculture, and safe city projects, adopting a “whole government approach.”
The smog mitigation plan is a product of this new strategy, supervised by Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb.
Jahangir also asserted that phenomena like smog do not have a “quick fix.”
He noted that the government had demolished 600 brick kilns that were not using zig-zag technology and closed down industries emitting high carbon. Furthermore, smoking-emitting vehicles have been impounded while media awareness campaigns have been conducted.
The agriculture department, on the other hand, has given incentives to farmers to use super seeders in efforts to encourage environment-friendly practices, while contracts have been signed with international companies that will convert the crop residue into biofuel and activate the Vehicle Inspection and Certification System. This will test the fitness of vehicles and ensure a zero-tolerance system.
The goal is also to transition public transport, such as buses and trains, to electric, provide electric bikes to students, and convert gasoline vehicles to electric on a large scale.
Additional steps also include a plantation drive across the province to restore green cover.
Jahangir further mentioned the “Green Lockdown,” the latest initiative by the Punjab government, under which restrictions will be imposed on identified smog hotspots to create green zones in these areas.
In these zones, construction is banned, and inspections are being conducted to stop the use of diesel in generators and offices, whereas to reduce traffic, work-from-home is encouraged. Meanwhile, water sprinkling is being carried out to reduce smoke in the air, along with changes to parking areas around the city.
“It is a long battle, and this can’t be sorted in one day. For this, we have to change our practices, and everyone has to contribute to it,” the Environment Secretary asserted.
When asked about the Pakistan Air Quality Experts Group (PAQx)’s collective statement criticising the Punjab government’s Smog Mitigation Plan as “lacking to deal with the scale of the challenge,” Jahangir concluded that, for the first time, “Rs. 10 billion has been allocated to combat smog, with projects worth over Rs. 100 billion budgeted in the current development budget of the province.”
“This is not the end of the story; rather, we have just begun,” he said.
