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  • Atif Aslam, Aima Baig, Sabri Sisters, Daniya Kanwal to sing PSL 11 anthem

    Atif Aslam, Aima Baig, Sabri Sisters, Daniya Kanwal to sing PSL 11 anthem

    The name of the lead singer for the 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) has been revealed, just weeks before the tournament begins on March 26.

    The announcement came through the league’s official social media platforms with the caption, “A new era. A legendary voice. Atif Aslam leads the HBL PSL anthem.” 

    The anthem carries the theme “Bat Pe Khelenge,” which highlights the energy and passion of cricket.

    This instance marks the second time Atif Aslam will headline a PSL anthem. He previously performed the season seven anthem “Agay Dekh” alongside Aima Baig, which became very popular among fans.

    The official anthem is expected to release on Chaand Raat, building anticipation ahead of the tournament.

    The upcoming PSL season will run from March 26 to May 3 and will span 39 days. This edition will feature an expanded format with eight teams. Along with the six existing franchises, two new teams, RawalPindiz and Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen, will join the competition.

    A total of 44 matches will take place during the tournament. Defending champions Lahore Qalandars will face Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen in the opening match at Gaddafi Stadium on March 26.

    Each team will play ten matches in the group stage, with the top four sides advancing to the playoffs. The final will take place at Gaddafi Stadium on May 3, while May 4 has been reserved as a backup day.

    The schedule includes six double-headers, with three set to be played in Lahore. Matches will be held across six venues, including Gaddafi Stadium, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Iqbal Stadium, National Bank Stadium and Multan Cricket Stadium.

    Faisalabad and Peshawar will host PSL matches for the first time. Iqbal Stadium will stage seven games, while Arbab Niaz Stadium, also known as Imran Khan Cricket Stadium, will host a match between Peshawar Zalmi and Pindiz on March 28.

    Gaddafi Stadium will host the highest number of matches with 15 fixtures, followed by Rawalpindi with 11, Faisalabad with seven, Karachi with six and Multan with four.

  • ‘Reckless celebrities’: Zara Noor Abbas spreads Taliban propaganda claiming Pakistan bombed health facility

    ‘Reckless celebrities’: Zara Noor Abbas spreads Taliban propaganda claiming Pakistan bombed health facility

    Actor Zara Noor Abbas has fallen in the crosshairs of netizens who took to social media to criticse her Instagram story furthering Taliban propaganda regarding cross-border strikes by Pakistan.

    “This is heartbreaking. No rehab facility or hospitals should be targeted in wars. I condemn the attacks that kill children and patients and innocents,” she wrote while sharing The Afghan’s Instagram post wherein it was claimed that dozens were killed and several others injured when Pakistan bombed a health facility across the border.

    The post came amid what was termed by authorities in Islamabad as “propaganda” by the Taliban regime as Pakistan continues to carry out precision strikes on terror hideouts in Afghanistan in the aftermath of a spike in suicide bombings on this side of the border, and the Afghan Taliban’s refusal to rein in terrorists belonging to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

    Pakistan on Tuesday maintained that it had targeted Camp Phoenix — a former US military base currently being used by Afghan Taliban forces — even as Afghanistan claimed a drug rehabilitation centre had been bombed instead.

    According to Information Minister Atta Tarar, an ammunition storage facility was among the targets hit in the Afghan capital. However, reports from Kabul said that a drug treatment centre known as ‘Omid Camp’ was targeted, with Afghan officials claiming hundreds dead and injured as a result.

    In a statement, Tarar said that Pakistan conducted six “precise, deliberate and professional” strikes in Kabul and Nangarhar on Monday night, as part of Islamabad’s Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, to dismantle terrorist infrastructure being used by the TTP to launch attacks in the country.

    As with established practice, all six strikes were promptly put out with video footage by the information ministry, making the nature of the targets plain for all to see, he noted.

    “The visuals leave no room for doubt,” the info minister said, adding the flames and secondary detonations witnessed in Kabul further confirm that the intended ammunition storage site was hit.

    “No hospital, no drug rehabilitation centre, and no civilian facility was targeted,” he said.

    However, the post by the actor came as similar posts from the Afghan side flooded the internet, and did not sit well with a number of netizens.

    “If our celebrities are falling for Afghan propaganda then, it’s a matter of great concern,” wrote one user.

    Another said that actors such as Abbas with a huge following “should not be reckless” and verify what they post online.

    Earlier, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also went on to hint at possible staging of the incident by the Taliban regime for “international sympathy”.

    Meanwhile, government officials noted that a systematic campaign to undermine Pakistan’s anti-terror agenda had been launched on social media.

  • Iran launches another barrage of missiles on Israel following security chief’s assassination

    Iran launches another barrage of missiles on Israel following security chief’s assassination

    The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has launched a new missile barrage on central Israel in retaliation against the killing of Ali Larijani, the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council.

    As per the details, the IRGC confirmed the strikes were carried out to avenge Larijani and Gholamreza Soleimani, the head of the Basij paramilitary force, both of whom died in Israeli air strikes a day ago.

    Iranian Army chief Amir Hatami said that the response to the assassinations would be “decisive and regrettable”. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, speaking to Al Jazeera, dismissed the impact of high-level assassinations on the country’s stability.

    Referring to the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the first day of the conflict, Araghchi noted that the system provided a replacement immediately. “If the foreign minister were ever to be martyred, there would ultimately be someone else to take the position,” he said, adding that anyone could become a target.

    The escalation comes as Israel’s military confirms it targeted Iranian command centres, missile sites and the intelligence ministry. In Tehran, the governor reported that 12,000 buildings have so far been damaged or destroyed with over 500 deaths and 5,700 injuries recorded in the province.

    The conflict also continues to spread across the Gulf as Qatar’s defence ministry intercepted a missile attack over Doha on Wednesday morning. Saudi Arabia’s Defence Ministry also reported downing multiple drones approaching Riyadh’s diplomatic quarter. 

    In the UAE, air defences intercepted strikes targeting Al Minhad Air Base. 

    In Iraq, security sources reported the interception of a drone near the logistics support centre at Baghdad airport.

    International maritime and nuclear watchdogs have also raised alarms as the violence reaches critical infrastructure.

    The UN nuclear watchdog (IAEA) confirmed a projectile hit the Bushehr nuclear power plant on Tuesday evening, though no damage or radiation leaks were reported. IAEA head Rafael Grossi called for “maximum restrain” to avoid a nuclear accident.

    Meanwhile, the situation at the Strait of Hormuz also doesn’t seem to be improving with Iranian blockades restricting global oil supply.

    In London, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is holding emergency talks to discuss the fate of ships stranded in the Persian Gulf while a proposal for a safe maritime corridor is under review as Iranian retaliation continues to impact shipping.

  • PIA suspends Fujairah flights for 48 hours amid Gulf security concerns

    PIA suspends Fujairah flights for 48 hours amid Gulf security concerns

    Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has suspended flights to Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the next 48 hours due to the ongoing security situation in the Gulf region.

    In a notification issued on Wednesday, the airline confirmed that operations to Al Ain would continue as scheduled. “For now, Al Ain will remain the only destination in the UAE where PIA flights will operate,” the notification said.

    The temporary suspension follows fresh attacks by Iran on the UAE on Tuesday. The strikes led to a fire at the port of Fujairah, a major export terminal where oil loading by state firm ADNOC was halted. The incident comes amid a crisis that has already pushed energy prices higher.

    Since the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran on February 28, Gulf Arab states, including the UAE, have been subjected to more than 2,000 missile and drone attacks. These attacks have targeted US diplomatic missions, military bases, oil infrastructure, ports, airports, and residential and commercial buildings.

    The disruption has extended to Pakistan’s air travel network, with a total of 83 flights to Middle Eastern destinations cancelled in a single day. Flight operations to Fujairah have been completely suspended from Islamabad, Lahore, and Peshawar, where all eight scheduled flights were cancelled.

    From Karachi, 18 flights to destinations including Doha, Bahrain, Baghdad, Dubai, Sharjah, and Abu Dhabi were cancelled. Lahore saw another 18 flights grounded to Kuwait, Sharjah, Doha, Bahrain, and Dubai. Additional cancellations included 26 flights from Islamabad, 11 from Peshawar, six from Sialkot, and four from Multan.

    However, flights from Faisalabad remained unaffected, with all nine scheduled operations to Jeddah, Dubai, Sharjah, and Madinah proceeding as planned.

  • ‘International sympathy’: Kh Asif slams Afghan claims of hospital bombing, highlights civilian killings in Pakistan

    ‘International sympathy’: Kh Asif slams Afghan claims of hospital bombing, highlights civilian killings in Pakistan

    Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has issued a strong response to the allegations by the Afghan Taliban regime that Pakistan targeted a hospital in Kabul, stating that those who kill schoolchildren and worshippers in mosques are capable of entering hospitals to kill patients and then blaming Pakistan to gain international sympathy.

    Asif took to X to write, “Killers of school children and worshippers in mosques are definitely capable of entering a hospital and killing patients and then blaming Pakistan just to attract international sympathy”.

    Earlier, speaking on private media channel talkshow Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said that the Afghan Taliban regime must decide whether it stands with terrorists or with Pakistan.

    He added that the roots of terrorism in Pakistan trace back to Afghanistan and that strikes were carried out on terrorist hideouts and infrastructure linked to the Afghan Taliban regime.

    Tarar said that the Afghan Taliban attempted to build a false narrative that a hospital had been targeted, adding that ammunition was stored at the site that was struck and the resulting explosions confirmed the nature of the target. He added that the objectives of Operation Ghazab- lil-haq were clear.

    Pakistan carried out airstrikes in Kabul and Nangarhar on the night of March 16, destroying ammunition and technical infrastructure.

    A spokesperson for the Afghan interior ministry had claimed that 400 people were killed in an attack on a drug rehabilitation centre, a claim Pakistan has rejected.


    In a post on X, Tarar said the Afghan Taliban regime is “peddling yet another falsehood by alleging that Pakistan targeted a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul. This claim is entirely baseless. Pakistan, in its ongoing war against terrorism, is engaging only those military and terrorist targets, along with the infrastructure of the Afghan Taliban regime, that are being directly or indirectly used to plan, facilitate, shelter, train, or abet terrorist attacks inside Pakistan.”

    He added that the strikes were “precise, deliberate, and professional,” and that “no hospital, no drug rehabilitation centre, and no civilian facility was targeted.” Tarar said video footage released by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MoIB) confirmed that ammunition storage sites were struck, and that Afghan Taliban officials had repeatedly used false narratives, doctored claims, and old visuals to mislead audiences.

    He concluded that Pakistan will continue to take measures to defend its citizens, degrade terrorist capability, and deny safe haven to those who wage terror against Pakistan from across the border.

  • Venezuela stun US to win first World Baseball Classic title

    Venezuela stun US to win first World Baseball Classic title

    Venezuela has claimed its first-ever World Baseball Classic title with a dramatic 3-2 win over the United States (US) in the final held in Miami on Tuesday.

    The historic victory came after a tense contest that went down to the final inning, with Eugenio Suárez driving in the winning run in the top of the ninth.

    Venezuela had taken control early in the game before the US fought back to level the score late on. However, Suárez’s decisive hit sealed the result and sparked celebrations among players and fans inside the stadium.

    “Nobody believed in Venezuela but now we win the championship today,” Suárez said after the match.

    “This is a celebration for all the Venezuelan country,” he added.

    Several players wrapped themselves in flags as they marked a landmark moment in the country’s baseball history.

    The win holds added significance as it comes during a period of political tension in Venezuela, making the triumph even more emotional for fans.

    The US, despite fielding a star-studded lineup, fell short in the final for the second consecutive edition after also losing the 2023 title clash.

    This year’s tournament featured some of baseball’s biggest names, including Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge, highlighting the global appeal of the competition.

    For Venezuela, the victory marks a defining moment, as the team finally lifted the trophy after years of near misses and established itself among the elite nations in international baseball.

  • Lahore domestic worker ‘kills employers’ two-year-old child’ after being scolded

    Lahore domestic worker ‘kills employers’ two-year-old child’ after being scolded

    Harbanspura police in Lahore have arrested a domestic worker accused of killing a two-year-old child by suffocation. 

    According to officials, the incident took place within the jurisdiction of Harbanspura police station, where the suspect allegedly killed the child, identified as Zaid, by placing a cloth over his face.

    Police stated that SHO (Station House Officer) Waqar Ashraf responded to an emergency call on 15 and took the suspect, identified as Anila, into custody on the directions of SP (Superintendent of Police) Cantt.

    Initial investigation indicates that the suspect allegedly committed the act after being scolded by her employer, officials added.

    A case has been registered against the nominated suspect on the complaint of the child’s father, Muhammad Umar, while the accused has been handed over to the investigation wing for further inquiry.

    SP Cantt Akhtar Nawaz said that those who take the law into their own hands will be brought to justice and given strict punishment through the courts.

  • Husband arrested in triple murder of wife and sisters-in-law in Gujranwala

    Husband arrested in triple murder of wife and sisters-in-law in Gujranwala

    Gujranwala police have arrested a man in connection with the killing of three Christian women in Rasul Nagar. Authorities say the suspect allegedly lured them with promises of opportunities abroad before carrying out the murders.

    Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations Rana Ghiyur Ahmad Khan said the investigation began after the body of an unidentified woman was discovered in the Civil Nagar area, which falls under the Alipur Chattha police jurisdiction.

    The Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) collected samples, and with the help of NADRA, the victim was identified as 45-year-old Nazia. Police then launched a search for her sisters, Bimla and Maria, who were reported missing.

    Investigations later revealed that the two sisters were found dead too in Hafizabad.

    A police team led by Superintendent of Police (SP) Saddar Akhtar Inayat and Station House Officer (SHO) Aurangzeb carried out continuous inquiries, using modern investigative techniques to gather evidence.

    Authorities said that suspicion soon fell on Nazia’s husband, as he was reportedly the last person seen with her. He was taken into custody for questioning.

    During interrogation, the suspect, named Mansha, admitted to killing his wife and her two sisters. Police said he carried out the murders with help from his nephews, Dawood and Subhan. 

    According to investigators, Bimla and Maria were killed and their bodies dumped in the Lower Chenab Canal, from where they were later recovered in Hafizabad.

    Police added that Mansha told investigators he had grown suspicious of his wife’s character, which led him to plan and execute the killings.

    The City Police Officer (CPO) of Gujranwala praised the investigative team for resolving the case, calling it a significant achievement given the complexity of the triple murder.

  • Utah jury finds wife guilty of husband’s murder, attempted poisoning with ‘Michael Jackson stuff’

    Utah jury finds wife guilty of husband’s murder, attempted poisoning with ‘Michael Jackson stuff’

    A jury in Utah has found Kouri Richins guilty of murdering her husband, Eric Richins, by poisoning him with a fentanyl-laced drink in March 2022, according to court proceedings.

    The verdict was delivered after around three hours of deliberation on Monday. Richins, 35, was also convicted of attempted murder linked to an earlier incident in which prosecutors said she poisoned her husband but did not succeed in killing him.

    During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence that Richins had accumulated significant debt, taken out life insurance policies on her husband and was involved in an extramarital relationship. They argued she believed she would inherit an estate valued at more than $4 million following his death.

    “She wanted to leave Eric Richins but did not want to leave his money,” Summit County prosecutor Brad Bloodworth told the court.

    The prosecution called more than 40 witnesses, including a woman who testified that she had sold the drugs used in the killing. Richins’ defence team did not call any witnesses and rested its case without having her testify.

    Court documents showed that between December 2021 and February 2022, Richins contacted a person previously arrested on drug charges, requesting prescription pain medication. She initially obtained hydrocodone before asking for stronger substances, including fentanyl, referring to it in messages as “some of the Michael Jackson stuff”.

    According to the documents, days after obtaining the drugs, the couple had a Valentine’s Day dinner after which Eric Richins became ill. “Eric believed that he had been poisoned,” the documents stated, adding: “Eric told a friend that he thought his wife was trying to poison him.”

    Prosecutors said Richins later obtained more fentanyl and, on 4 March 2022, called police reporting that she had found her husband unresponsive. She told authorities she had served him a mixed vodka drink before going to sleep with one of their children. She later returned and found him cold to the touch.

    A medical examiner determined that Eric Richins died from a fentanyl overdose, with five times the lethal dose found in his system.

    Richins was also found guilty of fraudulently claiming insurance benefits after her husband’s death. She had pleaded not guilty to all charges. The aggravated murder conviction carries a sentence of 25 years to life in prison.

    Her arrest in March 2023 came two months after she published a children’s book, Are You With Me?, which she said was written to help families cope with loss.

    “We wrote this book and we’re really hoping that it provides some comfort for not just obviously, our family, but other families that are going through the same thing,” she said in an interview prior to her arrest.

    She had dedicated the book to her husband, describing him as “my amazing husband and a wonderful father”.

  • ‘You people make these calls’: Javeria Saud hits back at ‘planted callers’ criticism

    ‘You people make these calls’: Javeria Saud hits back at ‘planted callers’ criticism

    Pakistani host Javeria Saud has reacted strongly to allegations that calls on her Ramzan transmission are planted, as viral clips from the show continue to spark debate online.

    The program, aired during Ramzan, has drawn attention for its unusual live calls, particularly during segments featuring Maulana Azad Jameel. Several of these interactions have gone viral, with some social media users claiming the calls are scripted to boost ratings.

    Addressing the criticism, Javeria rejected the claims and insisted that the calls come directly from viewers.

    “As far as calls are concerned, you people make these calls. Many times it has happened in shows that someone calls and says something strange. Our audience gets entertained by calling us. When they are asked outside what they want to say, they say something else, but once the call is connected and it is confirmed that they are live with Javeria, they say something completely different. Sometimes such questions are asked that we just end up laughing. After all, we are human,” she said.

    She also responded to questions about background sounds during calls, including Azaan, which some viewers had pointed out.

    “When we receive calls from Lahore, there is often the sound of Azaan in the background. One day we got a call from Lahore, another day from Multan, and in many of those calls, Azaan could be heard in the backdrop. So here, can Azaan be given before Maghrib? Over there, it happens earlier,” she explained.

    Javeria further spoke about the scrutiny she faces online, saying every reaction from her becomes a talking point.

    “Here, it has become a problem. If we laugh, people ask why we are laughing. If we cry, they ask why we are crying. If I laugh, it goes viral. If I cry, it goes viral. Whatever I say goes viral. Even if I joke, it goes viral. It’s hard to understand whether this is my popularity or if it is turning into criticism. But there are also some people who take everything positively and see things from a different perspective. There is a big difference between joking and making fun of someone,” she said.

    Clips from the show often feature unexpected and sometimes unusual questions, which many viewers find controversial. 

    Javeria Saud, a long-time figure in Pakistan’s entertainment industry, has worked as an actress, producer and host. She appeared in popular dramas like “Yeh Zindagi Hai” and continues to host Ramzan transmissions each year.

    She is married to actor Saud Qasmi, and together they have remained active figures in the drama industry both on and off screen.