Senior journalist and YouTuber Mansoor Ali Khan got angry at Afghan ambassador Hafiz Mohibullah Shakri for not standing up when Pakistan’s national anthem was played at the Rehmat-ul-Alameen Conference in Peshawar.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Mansoor said, “The cricket you play today? If Pakistan hadn’t helped you, we would have seen how you play cricket. But today, you have so much pain in your legs that you can’t stand for the national anthem of Pakistan. If you can’t stand, get out of here. Get out of this country if you can’t stand the national anthem of Pakistan. Then there is no need for people like you here.”
The visibily angry television anchor then said, “The government there should take care of themselves. Teach him manners. Tell him that when you step on Pakistani land, you will have to stand for the national anthem. You will have to stand up for it.”
Afghan Consul General Hafiz Mohibullah Shakri, posted in Peshawar, is under criticism for not standing in honour of the national anthem at the ceremony organized by the provincial government in Peshawar. A resolution of condemnation against the Afghan diplomat has also been submitted to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly.
However, the Afghan consulate says that not standing for the national anthem is part of the Taliban government’s policy, which has been explained to the Afghan and Pakistani governments.
A second deadly wave of unprecedented explosions in the strongholds of Lebanon’s Hezbollah left it in disarray on Thursday, hours before a major speech by its beleaguered leader, Hassan Nasrallah.
The latest batch of device explosions killed 20 people and wounded more than 450 others on Wednesday, officials said, stoking fears of a full-blown war with Israel.
The blasts came a day after the simultaneous detonation of pagers used by Hezbollah killed 12 people, including two children, and wounded up to 2,800 others across Lebanon in an unprecedented attack blamed on Israel.
Walkie-talkies used by its members exploded in the latest blasts at Hezbollah’s Beirut stronghold, a source close to the group said, with state media reporting similar detonations in south and east Lebanon.
AFPTV footage showed people running for cover when an explosion went off during a funeral for Hezbollah fighters in south Beirut in the afternoon.
“The wave of enemy explosions that targeted walkie talkies… killed 20 people and wounded more than 450,” Lebanon’s health ministry said in a statement.
There was no comment from Israel, which only hours before Tuesday’s explosions had announced it was broadening the aims of its offensive in Gaza to include its fight against Hamas’s ally Hezbollah.
“The centre of gravity is moving northward,” Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said during a visit to an air base on Wednesday, adding, “We are at the start of a new phase in the war.”
Amos Harel of the left-leaning Haaretz newspaper said the pager and walkie-talkie blasts had put “Israel and Hezbollah on the brink of all-out war”.
Out of this world
With tensions in the Middle East spiralling, senior diplomats from the United States, Britain, Germany, France and Italy will meet on Thursday in Paris, sources said, ahead of a UN Security Council meeting planned for Friday.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will join his counterparts in the French capital after discussing the possibility of a Gaza truce in Cairo.
The White House warned all sides against “an escalation of any kind”.
“We don’t believe that the way to solve where we’re at in this crisis is by additional military operations at all,” US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters.
Hezbollah has traded near-daily cross-border fire with Israel since Hamas’s October 7 attacks sparked the conflict in Gaza.
Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib warned that the “blatant assault on Lebanon’s sovereignty and security” was a dangerous development that could “signal a wider war”.
Hezbollah said Israel was “fully responsible for this criminal aggression” and vowed revenge.
Iran’s envoy to the UN said the country “reserves the right to take retaliatory measures” after its ambassador in Beirut was wounded.
The influx of so many casualties all at once overwhelmed medics.
At a Beirut hospital, doctor Joelle Khadra said the “injuries were mainly to the eyes and hands, with finger amputations, shrapnel in the eyes — some people lost their sight”.
A doctor at another hospital in the Lebanese capital said he had worked through the night and that the injuries were “out of this world — never seen anything like it”.
Among the dead was the 10-year-old daughter of a Hezbollah member, killed in east Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley when her father’s pager exploded, the family and a source close to the group said.
Hezbollah fighters carry the coffins of people killed after hundreds of paging devices exploded in a deadly wave across Lebanon the previous day, during their funeral procession in Beirut’s southern suburbs on September 18, 2024. — AFP
Heavy blow
Analysts said operatives had likely planted explosives on the pagers before they were delivered to Hezbollah.
“A small plastic explosive was almost certainly concealed alongside the battery, for remote detonation via a call or page,” said Charles Lister of the Middle East Institute.
The preliminary findings of a Lebanese investigation into the blasts found the pagers had been booby-trapped, a security official said.
“Data indicates the devices were pre-programmed to detonate and contained explosive materials planted next to the battery,” the official said, requesting anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.
A source close to Hezbollah, asking not to be identified, said the pagers were “recently imported” and appeared to have been “sabotaged at source”.
After The New York Times reported that the pagers had been ordered from Taiwanese manufacturer Gold Apollo, the company said they had been produced by its Hungarian partner BAC Consulting KFT.
A government spokesman in Budapest said the company was “a trading intermediary, with no manufacturing or operational site in Hungary”.
The attack dealt a heavy blow to Hezbollah, which already had concerns about the security of its communications after losing several commanders to targeted strikes in recent months.
As fears surged of a regional conflagration nearly a year into the Gaza conflict, Lufthansa and Air France announced the suspension of flights to Tel Aviv, Tehran and Beirut until Thursday.
‘Extremely volatile’
Since October, the exchanges of fire between Israeli troops and Hezbollah have killed hundreds of people, mostly fighters, in Lebanon, and dozens including soldiers on the Israeli side.
They have also forced tens of thousands of people on both sides to flee their homes.
United Nations rights chief Volker Turk said Tuesday’s attack had come at an “extremely volatile time”, calling the blasts “shocking” and their impact on civilians “unacceptable”.
UN chief Antonio Guterres urged governments “not to weaponise civilian objects”.
The October 7 attacks that sparked the genocide in Gaza resulted in the deaths of 1,205 people, mostly civilians, on the Israeli side, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures that include hostages killed in captivity.
Out of 251 hostages seized by fighters, 97 are still held in Gaza, including 33 the Israeli military says are dead.
Israel’s military offensive and strikes has killed at least 41,272 people in Gaza, most of them civilians, according to data provided by the territory’s health ministry. The UN has acknowledged these figures as reliable.
In Gaza on Wednesday, the civil defence agency said an Israeli strike on a school-turned-shelter killed five people, while the Israeli military said it targeted Hamas.
Afghanistan created a new history by defeating South Africa by six wickets in the first match of the 3 ODI series.
In the match played in Sharjah, South Africa won the toss and decided to bat first against Afghanistan.
The South African batting line proved to be a wall of sand in front of the Afghan bowlers; half the team returned to the pavilion for only 29 runs.
The South African team was bowled out for 106 runs in the 34th over in the first ODI against Afghanistan.
Fazal Haq Farooqui and Ghazanfar did not let the South African top order stay at the crease. Farooqui dismissed four players, Ghazanfar dismissed three players, and Rashid Khan dismissed two players.
In response to the target of 107 runs, Afghanistan did not start well either. Opener Rehmanullah Gurbaz got out without scoring any runs, while Rahmat Shah scored eight runs. Apart from this, Riyaz Hasan and Rahmatullah Shahidi were also dismissed after scoring 16 runs each.
After the fall of 4 wickets, Gulbuddin Naib scored 34 runs, and Azmatullah Umarzai played an innings of 25 runs. Afghanistan achieved the target in 26 overs and took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
This is Afghanistan’s first win against South Africa in any format.
Chief Minister (CM) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Ali Amin Gandapur has announced the removal of several checkpoints across the province.
Citing the convenience of the people, he stated that the KP government intends to demolish the majority of check posts and urges the public to cooperate in maintaining law and order.
He also clarified that the government plans to reinstate the elder jirga system in KP after reaching a consensus at district-level meetings.
In response to Afghan Acting Consul General Muhib Ullah Shakil and his aide’s refusal to stand for Pakistan’s national anthem at the Peshawar conference, Gandapur stated, “It is their policy not to stand before any anthem that includes music.”
However, Afghan Consulate Peshawar spokesperson Shahid Ullah clarified, “The Consul General did not stand due to the music in the anthem. We have even banned our own national anthem for the same reason.”
Actor Ali Raza, who stole hearts as Murad in the hit drama serial Noor Jahan, is taking over the entertainment industry. He recently appeared in an interview with Fuchsia Magazine where Raza talked about on modern day friendship.
The host Rabia Mughni asked “What are the red flags for you when it comes to girls?”
Ali Raza replied, “Male best friends that girls have apart from their boyfriends nowadays, it really puts me off. But the way things are nowadays, I think everyone understands that, and there’s no need to explain.”
“It’s hard for you to trust anyone. And I feel that the relationship doesn’t last long because mostly girls will have their best friend and having a best friend is acceptable, but you shouldn’t bond with them in the same way that you would with a lover.
For example, if you have plans with your boyfriend, don’t do those things with your best friend instead. Then what’s the point of having a boyfriend?” he explained.
“I think that’s a major red flag for me now. It wasn’t before, but after seeing things, I’ve come to understand. I used to tell my friends that nothing like this happens, that I have many friends too. But I’ve always kept a distance, and that’s why my friendships last because I maintain boundaries. If I meet my female friends, I try not to touch them or get too close,” the actor added.
“It’s not about them [women] or their husbands, but for me, I keep a distance, so in the future, if there’s ever a problem, her husband can’t say anything about me.
So maintaining that distance is important, and I think boundaries and respect are necessary,” Ali Raza believes.
Actress Ayeza Khan in one of her public appearances in London, shared that she has started appreciating her husband more after ‘Mere Paas Tum Ho.’
The drama serial ‘Mere Paas Tum Ho’, aired on ARY Digital in 2019, was a blockbuster and was written by the controversial Khalil ur Rehman. It was not only appreciated but also criticized for portraying the lead character as a greedy, gold-digger woman.
Ayeza Khan played the role of the lead character who was running after money while actor Humayun Saeed portrayed her impoverished husband.
Recently, Khan expressed her feelings during a fund-raising event for Palestine in the UK and said, “the role of ‘Mehwish’ in the drama serial ‘Mere Paas Tum Ho’ made me respect my husband Danish Taimoor more than ever and taught me to appreciate him more.”
She added, “During my career I believe in working in dramas that have a good message and lesson for the audience.”
She further said, “Whenever I choose a project, I also consider whether I can learn something from the story or the character.”
The Pakistan Stock Exchange’s (PSX) benchmark KSE-100 index climbed by 1.22 per cent or 970.20 points on Wednesday to close the day in green.
According to data from PSX, the KSE-100 index settled the trading session at 80,461.33 on second trading day of the week.
It appears to be a favourable day for the PSX, as the fresh gains have once again pushed the Pakistani stock market above the 80,000-mark.
Interestingly, the KSE-100 during trading witnessed the peak of 80,587.44, while the lowest level observed during the day was 79,798.75.
The current closing is about 662.68 points higher than the intraday low and -126.11 lower than the intraday high witnessed during Wednesday’s session.
It is worth noting that this gain comes after a break of one day as the PSX remained closed for trading due to Eid-Milad-un-Nabi on Tuesday.
According to PSX data portal, top gainers, in percentage terms, during the day included TRG (+10.01 per cent), MARI (+10.00 per cent), NCPL (+4.33 per cent), PSEL (+4.17 per cent), and PKGP (+4.11 per cent).
On the other hand, top decliners, in percentage terms, were INIL (-4.09 per cent), THALL (-3.86 per cent), PGLC (-3.85 per cent), CNERGY (-3.12 per cent), and ISL (-2.63 per cent).
Actress Nadia Afgan has given a message to her fans to look out for people suffering from mental health problems, listen to them and help them.
Nadia took to Instagram and shared a video in which she said, “I’m sure most of you know that September is suicide prevention month, so this month, keep an eye out for those around you who are suffering from depression, anxiety and mental health issues.”
Stressing the need for people to look out for others, Nadia added, “There are many people in the society who are going through many problems, they don’t even have any knowledge about their mental health, there is a need to keep an eye on such people and listen to them.”
“When you see people with mental problems, talk to friends and family, reassure them that they are not alone, even a word from you can give them courage.”
Mental health is everyone’s problem and all of us are affected by mental health directly or indirectly, so there is a need to understand such problems and support each other, the actress said.
“People suffering from mental problems need to be provided with a safe place where they can overcome their fears and express their feelings and explain their problems,” she said, emphasizing the need to have a safe space.
The United States (US) has reiterated its double standards in the international world, emphasizing its stance on Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile programme, citing the absurd reason of strengthening the international non-proliferating regime.
In a press briefing from Washington, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated, “We have been clear and consistent about our concerns with Pakistan’s ballistic missile programme for many years.”
“Pakistan has been a long-term partner of ours, and I think what this action shows is that there continue to be places where we have disagreement, and when we have disagreements, we won’t hesitate to act on those to protect America’s interests,” Miller added.
Responding to Miller’s statement, Pakistan stated, “Such double standards and discriminatory practices undermine the credibility of global nonproliferation regimes, increase military asymmetries, and endanger international peace and security.”
The US imposed sanctions on three Chinese companies and a Chinese research institute that had assisted Pakistan in developing the Shaheen Three and Ababeel missile systems.
In a statement, the spokesperson of the State Department had cleared that these embargos were imposed under the Arms Export Control Act (AECA) and Export Control Reform Act (ECRA).
The Pakistani rupee (PKR) on the second trading day of the week rose marginally against the US dollar (USD) during intraday trading and managed to close the session in green.
According to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the PKR gained 0.03 per cent or nine paisa against USD and settled Wednesday at Rs278.13.
Considering the current financial year, the home unit has appreciated against the greenback by 29.89 paisa or 0.11 per cent. On the other hand, the calendar year has seen rupee appreciate by Rs3.82 or 1.37 per cent.
As compared to other foreign currencies, here is how the Pakistani currency performed today:
Currency
Monday’s rate
Wednesday’s rate
Change (Paisa)
British Pound
366.59
366.97
38.88
Euro
309.29
309.47
18.38
UAE Dirham
75.70
75.72
2.31
Saudi Riyal
74.11
74.08
2.85
Swiss Franc
329.44
329.18
25.64
Japanese Yen
1.988
1.9592
2.88
Chinese Yuan
39.21
39.21
0.35
Exchange rates for today
The PKR shed 38.88 paisa against the British Pound and closed at Rs366.97 per GBP.
The PKR shed over 18 paisa against the Euro and closed the trading session at Rs309.47 per Euro.
The Swiss franc shed more than 25.6 paisa, closing at Rs329.18.
The Saudi Riyal closed at 74.08 with a loss of 2.85 paisa from its value of 74.11 on Monday.
Against the Japanese Yen, PKR rose 2.88 paisa, closing at Rs1.9592.
The Chinese Yuan gained 0.35 paisa, closing the day at Rs39.21 against Rs39.21 on last trading day.
For those unaware, the currency market remained closed on Tuesday due to the Eid Milad-un-Nabi holiday.
