Bollywood’s powerhouse playback singer Sunidhi Chauhan has recently been in the news for her appreciation of the Pakistani music industry. Recently Chauhan appeared on Raj Shamani’s channel podcast, where she highly praised the Pakistani music industry.
“You know, I work with a lot of Pakistanis, they are brilliant and why do I call them Pakistanis, I mean we are the same, we speak the same language, we look like each other, our food and culture are similar. I believe that we are all the same people since I make a lot of Pakistani friends when I travel to the US and the UK. Pakistan’s music got popular because the country has a big music industry and people make music for fun. They have a large and devoted following of artists. Their passion for music is the reason they are loved here in India as well.”
Sunidhi Chauhan highlighted Coke Studio as a prime example.
“They do music for as a passion, like Coke Studio is an example. Currently, I’m stunned by a Coke Studio song Turri Jandi by Hassan Raheem and Shazia Mansoor, who have sung Chandni Ratain and many other songs, she is a big singer. After seeing Turi Jandi, you’ll be thinking, how did they make it? The way they made the video, it’s unbelievable.The song itself is good, but the video made it better. It’s really lovely,” Chauhan added. Sunidhi Chauhan has produced hits such as Ruki Ruki Si Zindagi, Mehboob Mere, Dhoom Machale, and Beedi.
British-Pakistani boxer Amir Khan has stated that if given the opportunity by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir, he is eager to have a “one-on-one meeting with Imran Khan” to find common grounds for resolving issues, journalist Murtaza Ali Shah reported.
“I have known Imran Khan for a long time, and he is a dear friend whom I deeply respect. I am willing to act as a mediator and help resolve any disputes between both parties,” said Khan, wanting to play the role of arbitrator between the establishment and Imran Khan.
He also stated that he has “great respect for the COAS, and his incredible work for Pakistan,” adding that he firmly believes that a personal conversation with the former prime minister could lead to a breakthrough.
The former professional boxer stated that he was ready to travel to Pakistan to resolve the issues between the two parties and ensure the prosperity of Pakistan.
Former England cricketer and coach Graham Thorpe, known as one of the best Test batsmen of his time, has died at the age of 55 from an illness that he had been suffering from since time.
The England Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed his death, saying, “It is with great sadness that we share the news that Graham Thorpe, MBE, has passed away. There seem to be no appropriate words to describe the deep shock we feel at Graham’s death.”
“More than one of England’s finest-ever batters, he was a beloved member of the cricket family and revered by fans worldwide. His skill was unquestioned, and his abilities and achievements across a 13-year international career brought happiness to his teammates and England and Surrey CCC supporters alike. Later, as a coach, he guided the best England Men’s talent to incredible victories across all game formats.”
“The cricket world is in mourning today. Our hearts go out to his wife Amanda, his children, father Geoff, and his family and friends during this unimaginably difficult time. We will always remember Graham for his extraordinary contributions to the sport.”
In 2002, Thorpe took a break from cricket to deal with his first marriage falling apart. The media humiliation and being separated from his two children caused a “total breakdown.” However, after a 13-month break, he returned to the Test team in 2003 with a brilliant century against South Africa at the Oval. The following year was the best of his career, with an average of 73.15 in 20 Test innings in 2004, all while batting at No. 5.
Thorpe was a skilled left-handed batter and a right-handed bowler. In his 12-year international career, he played exactly 100 Test matches and 82 ODIs. He also played 189 first-class matches for Surrey, scoring 49 centuries and averaging 45.04 runs before retiring in 2005.
Founder of Pakistan Tehreek Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan said in an interview with Reuters that it would be “foolish” not to have excellent relations with the Pakistan Army while also clarifying that he held no grudges against the United States, whom he previously blamed for conspiring against his government in 2022.
“Given Pakistan’s geographical position and the military’s significant role in the private sector, it would be foolish not to foster such a relationship,” said Khan.
He also clarified that he criticises certain “individuals” in the army but not the institution, saying, “The miscalculations of the military leadership shouldn’t be held against the institution as a whole.”
Today, August 5, marks a whole year since Khan was arrested and charged with multiple crimes, ranging from selling state gifts to leaking state secrets.
Last week, Khan offered “conditional negotiations” with the military establishment if “clean and transparent” elections were held and the “bogus” cases against his supporters were dropped.
Khan also reiterated that talking with the government was futile since, according to him, the government has no public support.
A Canadian man of Pakistani origin was set on fire at his store in Surrey, British Columbia, on Friday.
Rahat Rao is now fighting for his life in an intensive care unit.
Known to be an active member of the local Canadian-Pakistani community, he was the owner of a currency exchange business in the Surrey Central area.
An initial investigation conducted by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) says that Rao was attacked by a man who first threw a fire accelerant on him and then escaped after setting him ablaze.
Canadian news outlet Global News talked to an eyewitness who said that she was inside the currency exchange store when a man engulfed in flames came running from the back of the business, screaming. A relative of the shop owner told her the man was set alight in a robbery attempt, she said.
Local police have also released the photograph of the alleged attacker, presumed to be 25-year-old, and the white Mini Cooper he drives.
Dawn reports that media speculations were growing about a possible connection with the killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was slain in the same town last year.
Previously, the RCMP had intelligence and concerns about Rao’s safety and had told him to install more cameras.
The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) has called on the Supreme Court of Pakistan to reconsider its ruling regarding Ahmadis’ right to worship within their own worship places in the infamous Mubarak Sani case.
In February 2024 the Supreme Court ruled that Ahmadis, while declared non-Muslims, retain the right to profess and proliferate their religion.
The SCBA lauded the top court for declaring the minority non-Muslims but asserted that they shouldn’t even be allowed to pray privately as well because it “contradicts Islamic principles, the Quran, and Sunnah.”
Journalist Hasnaat Malik posted about this development on X, highlighting the recent memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the SCBA and DHA for developing the Park Road Housing Project.
The majority of social media reactions condemned the stance taken by the bar association.
Hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshi protesters demanding Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resign, clashed with government supporters on Sunday, with dozens killed in one of the deadliest days since demonstrations began.
Rallies that began last month against civil service job quotas have escalated into some of the worst unrest of Hasina’s 15-year rule and shifted into wider calls for the 76-year-old to step down.
At least 91 people were killed on Sunday alone, including 14 police officers, with the rival sides battling with sticks and knives and security forces firing rifles, taking the total killed since protests began in July to at least 261.
Police said protesters attacked their officers, including storming a station in the town of Enayetpur.
“The terrorists attacked the police station and killed 11 policemen,” said Bijoy Basak, a deputy inspector general.
AFP journalists reported hearing sustained crackles of gunfire after dark on Sunday, with protesters defying a nationwide curfew.
Mobile internet was tightly restricted.
‘Final protest’
In several cases, soldiers and police did not intervene to stem the protests, unlike the past month of rallies that repeatedly ended in deadly crackdowns.
Demonstrators in the capital Dhaka, surrounded by a tightly packed and cheering crowd, waved a Bangladeshi flag on top of an armoured car as soldiers watched.
Asif Mahmud, one of the main leaders in the civil disobedience campaign, called on supporters to march on Dhaka on Monday. “Prepare bamboo sticks and liberate Bangladesh,” he wrote on Facebook on Sunday. “The time has come for the final protest,” he said.
Brought to justice
Vast crowds of protesters packed into Dhaka’s central Shahbagh Square on Sunday, with street battles in multiple sites.
“There were clashes between students and the ruling party men,” police inspector Al Helal said, adding two young men were killed in Dhaka’s Munshiganj district.
“One of the dead was hacked in his head and another had gunshot injuries.”
Another policeman, who asked not to be identified, said “the whole city has turned into a battleground”.
Two people were killed in the city of Kishioreganj, where protesters torched a ruling party office, police said.
Some former military officers have joined the student movement and ex-army chief Gen Ikbal Karim Bhuiyan turned his Facebook profile picture red in a show of support.
“We call on the incumbent government to withdraw the armed forces from the street immediately,” Bhuiyan told reporters on Sunday alongside other ex-officers, condemning “egregious killings, torture, disappearances and mass arrests”.
“Those who are responsible for pushing people of this country to a state of such an extreme misery will have to be brought to justice,” he said.
No longer about job quotas
Current army chief Waker-uz-Zaman told officers at the military headquarters in Dhaka on Saturday the “Bangladesh Army is the symbol of trust of the people”.
“It always stood by the people and will do so for the sake of people and in any need of the state,” he said, according to a statement, which did not say explicitly whether the army backed the protests.
The demonstrations attracted people from all strata of Bangladeshi society. Rap songs calling for people’s support have spread widely on social media.
“It is no longer about job quotas,” said Sakhawat, a young female protester who gave only one name, and called Hasina a “killer”.
A group of 47 manufacturers in the economically vital garment sector said they stood in “solidarity” with the protesters.
Obaidul Quader, general secretary of the ruling Awami League, has called on party activists to gather “in every district” nationwide to show their support for the government.
The unrest began in July over the reintroduction of the quota scheme, which reserved more than half of all government jobs for certain groups. It has since been scaled back by the country’s top court.
A unique record has been set at the men’s and women’s races during Olympics 2024. 12 players in the men’s semi-finals have clocked less than 10 seconds, while Julien Alfred has claimed the honour of being the fastest athlete in the women’s race.
Four players could not make it to the finals despite their timing being less than 10 seconds.
It is the first time in Olympic history that an athlete has missed the final race despite reaching the final point in under 10 seconds.
South Africa’s Benjamin Richardson clocked 9.95 seconds, Japan’s Abdul Hakim Sani Brown 9.96 seconds, British Louie Hinchliffe and Canada’s Andre de Grasse are out of the final despite clocking 9.98 seconds.
On the other hand, Julian Alfred of St. Lucia, a Caribbean island nation, became the world’s fastest female athlete by winning the women’s 100-meter race. She completed the 100-meter race in 10.72 seconds.
The United States is currently in the lead with 19 gold, 26 silver, and 26 bronze medals. China also won 19 gold, 15 silver, and 11 bronze medals. France is in third with 12 gold, 14 silver, and 18 bronze medals.
The federal government is poised to increase the sales tax on tractors in Pakistan from 10 per cent to 14 per cent, a move that is expected to raise the cost of these essential agricultural machines.
In the 2024-25 budget, the government removed the previous exemption and introduced a 10 per cent sales tax on tractors.
However, recent discussions within the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) have led to a proposal for further increasing this tax to 14 per cent.
Sources revealed to Business Recorder that the FBR has finalised this proposal, which now awaits Cabinet approval. The Finance Ministry has already forwarded a summary to the Cabinet for review.
The rationale behind this proposed increase is to address an issue with refunds in the tractor industry. Currently, the 10 per cent sales tax does not fully account for the input tax credits, as the standard sales tax rate is 18 per cent.
This discrepancy leads to refunds being issued to the industry, which the government aims to curtail by raising the tax rate.
Since the Finance Act 2024, a 10 per cent sales tax has been in effect on tractors from 1 July 2024, replacing the previous exemption.
The proposed hike to 14 per cent is intended to mitigate the refund issue and align the tax regime more closely with the standard rate.
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz of Spain to win the gold medal in the singles men’s competition at the Paris Olympics tennis event.
After missing out in Beijing, London, Rio, and Tokyo, Djokovic finally won the one title he had been chasing for so long. He secured a 7-6(3) 7-6(2) victory before an excited crowd on Court Philippe Chatrier.
Djokovic shouted with joy after consoling Alcaraz at the net. He dropped to his knees and cried in the middle of the court. Then, he climbed into the crowd to celebrate with his family, friends, and team.
