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  • Case No. 9: the double-cross no one saw coming

    Case No. 9: the double-cross no one saw coming

    Episode 19-20 of Case No.9 was full of suspense and a twist that no one expected.

     

    Kamran (Faysal Quraishi) bribes Inspector Shafeeq (Gohar Rasheed) to figure out a way to ruin Sehar’s (Saba Qamar) reputation and case online and Shafeeq makes a killer good plan by getting a woman Shazia, to pretend she is Kamran’s earlier victim and gain Sehar’s trust. He figures out that Sehar and her team will want to use the victim’s story and he’s banking on them using social media to do it. Once they do, Shazia will release a video of herself saying Sehar and her team bribed her to lie.

     

    It did feel like Shazia was shady. The way she randomly got in touch and randomly had a thing with Kamran when he was single without showing any form of proof. It seemed strange from the start and it was also strange that Manisha (Navin Waqar) was so pushed to get her statement on social media. It wasn’t very clear what kind of information Ali (Ali Rehman Khan) Sehar’s ex-husband was going to gather from Kamran’s workplace but this is the episode that shows exactly why he was needed, at the right place at the right time.

     

    Without a doubt the most stellar performance in the series is by Inspector Shafeeq. It is hard to hate a character as much as you learn to hate Shafeeq and credit goes to Gohar Rasheed for really playing the part of the greedy, corrupt police officer to the T. 

     

    Even though Sehar finds out in time that the woman has been planted by Kamran, it is Beenish (Amina Shaikh) that becomes a soft voice of reason where she, when talking to Manisha, says that maybe it’s not a good idea to use social media – almost because it’s a tool that was used and abused by Kamran as well. Beenish realises the value and sanctity of the case and even though Manisha does too, Manisha knows the power that social media holds. The point being that there is no quick fix to cases like this and that maybe it’s best to let things off social media, no matter how tempting it is to take a battle on that front as well. 

     

    But things are bad when Bukhari (Noor-ul-Hasan) is also trying to convince Kamran to use his underhanded ways to help them gain sympathy in the case. The lawyer, who was so arrogant and sure of himself in the past, now seems shaky, which shows where things are going.

     

    Even though Kamran figures out that Ali is in fact, Sehar’s husband and now Ali’s cover is blown, the more telling part is how everyone expects that a divorce is the woman’s fault. Kamran and Bukhari wanted to find Ali to prove Sehar was a bad wife (a point inadmissible in court) but Ali clearly shows us how it is – it was him and he is man enough to admit it.

     

    But the biggest point is that it is now crystal clear that Rohit (Junaid Khan) will have to take the stand. Beenish explains that even if Rohit doesn’t want to, the court can force him to and it’s something that will either make or break the case for Sehar. Watching Rohit go through his moral struggle, with his marriage and family on the line, is the real suspense and Junaid Khan doesn’t disappoint. 

     

    We will definitely be seeing more of him and his internal struggle in the next few episodes and also Beenish poking holes in the testimonies of Kamran’s staff. Things aren’t looking good for him as he realises that money can’t buy everything.

  • Eight Pakistani athletes get Olympic scholarships for LA 2028

    Eight Pakistani athletes get Olympic scholarships for LA 2028

    The Pakistan Olympic Association has announced the list of Olympic Solidarity Scholarship holders for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

    As per the details, the athletes will receive support under the IOC Olympic Solidarity Programme from September this year till August 2028. 

    Each athlete will get $13,500 annually to help them prepare for the next Olympic Games. The list includes four men and four women from athletics, shooting, table tennis and taekwondo.

    While Olympian Arshad Nadeem, who won a historic gold medal at the Paris Olympics with his record javelin throw, is among the athletes, the National Rifle Association of Pakistan has named five shooters namely Muhammad Farrukh Nadeem, Suliman Khan, Imam Haroon, Kishmala Talat and Rabia Kabir.

    From table tennis, Haiqa Hassan has been selected for the scholarship whereas Taekwondo champ Fatima Uz Zahra Khawar will also receive support until the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

  • Adolf Hitler is back in office after winning fifth consecutive election

    Adolf Hitler is back in office after winning fifth consecutive election

    A local politician in Namibia, a namesake of Nazi Germany’s notorious leader, has retained his seat for the fifth time in a row after reportedly winning the local elections.

    As per the details, Adolf Hitler Uunona has retained his seat in his small northern constituency despite his controversial name.

    Representing Ompundja in the Oshana region since 2004 as a member of the South West Africa People’s Organisation (SWAPO), the 59-year-old has been a popular figure in the constituency of less than 5,000 residents despite his namesake’s legacy, winning the election with 85% of the vote in 2020.

    While Namibia’s Electoral Commission has yet to release the official vote count, Uunona won by a large margin, reports said.

    As regional councilor, Hitler has been lauded for his grassroots work and anti-apartheid efforts, domestic media reported.

    In an interview with German newspaper Bild in 2020 — when he won his fourth mandate — Uunona said he had “nothing to do” with Nazi ideology. He also rejected any notion of world domination.

    “It wasn’t until I was growing up that I realised: this man wanted to subjugate the whole world,” Uunona said. “I have nothing to do with any of these things.”

    He explained that his father named him after the notorious Nazi leader responsible for the Holocaust. However, Uunona pointed out that “he probably did not understand” what it meant.

    “As a child I saw it as a totally normal name,” Uunona insisted. “It does not mean I have Adolf Hitler’s character or resemble that of Adolf Hitler of Germany,” he told Namibian press in a separate interview.

    He goes by the name Adolf Uunona in his daily life, but he maintains he has no plans to change it, as it is “too late for that”.
    The centre-left SWAPO party originated in the Namibian liberation movement. It campaigns on anti-colonial politics, including the rejection of white-minority governance.

    In recent years, the party has shifted towards the centre and market-oriented policies.

    Namibia was once a German colony and part of German South West Africa, and Germanic names like Adolf remain common.

  • ‘I talk to myself and I talk to my coaches’: Babar Azam opens up about dealing with failure

    ‘I talk to myself and I talk to my coaches’: Babar Azam opens up about dealing with failure

    After a roughly two-year-long rough patch that saw him struggling on the crease, former Pakistan cricket captain Babar Azam has opened up about handling failure and dealing with public pressure.

    Appearing on Kevin Pietersen’s new YouTube channel “The Switch”, he sat down for a candid conversation with the England great.

    During the interview, Kevin asked him how he manages tough phases and criticism, to which Babar said he blocks out distractions and focuses on honest conversations with himself and the people he trusts. 

    “You know if you have a bad patch then the main thing is focus. There are a lot of distractions and a lot of negative thoughts. People talk and everyone has a different opinion. The main thing is I just stop listening to anyone. I talk to myself and I talk to my coaches,” he said.

    Kevin also asked if Babar still has coaches from his early days who guide him. 

    “Yeah, my school coach is Mama Jee [Uncle]. He always supports me a lot. Mansoor Rana coaches me a lot too. Our very good friend Mushtaq Ahmed… he is a good coach. I spoke with Mushi bhai [Mushtaq Ahmed]. My father always talks with me. Then I get back to normal and focus on my game.”

    The former English batter then talked about the intense expectations from fans. “When Babar comes out, Babar has to make a hundred. He is not allowed to make anything less than a hundred,” he said.

    “I am a human being. Sometimes you make a few mistakes. Mostly when you are playing, the good time is very short,” he replied.

    Babar has faced a challenging run with the bat since scoring 151 against Nepal in the 2023 Asia Cup.

    That innings was his last international hundred for a long stretch as he struggled to convert starts for more than a year.

    He finally ended the drought when he scored a century against Sri Lanka earlier this month. It was his first hundred after 83 innings across formats, giving him a much-needed boost after months of form-related discussions.

    Babar is currently part of Pakistan’s squad for the ongoing tri-nation series featuring Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. Pakistan are set to face Sri Lanka in the final on November 29 in Rawalpindi.

  • Did your city make it to PSL? Journalist reveals names of upcoming teams…

    Did your city make it to PSL? Journalist reveals names of upcoming teams…

    Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 is set to witness a major shake-up with two new franchises joining the tournament.

    Amid speculation on the names of the two new cities set to join the country’s flagship T20 league, sports journalist and anchor Syed Yahya Hussaini has claimed that the franchises would be named after Hyderabad and Faisalabad.

    “Pakistan Super League 2026 will feature a seventh franchise from Hyderabad and an eighth from Faisalabad. Season 11 will also see Iqbal Stadium hosting its fifth PSL match,” he wrote on X.

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is renewing franchise agreements following the conclusion of the 10th season. 

    Peshawar Zalmi, Islamabad United, Lahore Qalandars, Karachi Kings and Quetta Gladiators have all accepted the PCB’s new proposal and will continue under their current owners.

    Meanwhile, Multan Sultans owner Ali Tareen has announced his departure citing “principles”. 

    “Being part of this team has been one of the greatest honours of my life. I love the fans, I love this team, and I absolutely love being able to represent South Punjab. Something my late uncle Alamgir Tareen was especially proud of,” he said in a statement earlier this week.

    “I have always spoken my mind. I never learned how to play it safe or just play along. If staying means compromising those principles, there is only one choice I can make. I would rather lose this team while standing on my feet than run it from my knees. So, this is goodbye,” he said.

    The Multan Sultans and PCB have had a rocky relationship, including a public feud a few weeks back.

    On the financial front, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has announced revised prize money for the upcoming season. 

    “Complementing the Pakistan Super League’s growth, I am thrilled to announce a new reward for franchises in the forthcoming editions,” he said. 

    The champions will receive $500,000, the runner-up will take home $300,000, and an additional $200,000 will be awarded to the franchise contributing most towards cricket development.

    The auction for the two new PSL teams is scheduled for January 6, 2026, while the final decision on which cities will host the teams will be made after December 15. 

    The expansion marks the league’s first major restructuring in seven years since the addition of Multan Sultans in 2018.

  • ‘Biggest mistake of my life’: Honey Singh recalls drug addiction, eight-year long battle

    ‘Biggest mistake of my life’: Honey Singh recalls drug addiction, eight-year long battle

    Indian rapper and singer Yo Yo Honey Singh has admitted that drug addiction was the biggest mistake of his career, which caused severe damage till he completely rid his body of the same after an eight-year battle.

    “Honey Singh from 15 to 20 years ago was intelligent and dedicated, but he made a huge mistake, and that was drug use. Drugs severely damaged me, and today I tell my younger brothers and sisters to stay away from drugs because they hurt you badly, and you do not even realize it,” he said in a recent interview.

    He recalled quitting drugs in 2014 when doctors told him he was sick.

    “But even after that, it took me eight years to fully recover. It did not leave my body easily, and I do not want anyone, not even my enemy, to go through what I suffered.”

    Honey Singh also revealed that during the peak of his career between 2012 and 2014, he sometimes avoided meeting his parents because he was too busy chasing fame and making money. 

    “I was touring worldwide and forgot about them. I also maintained distance because I did not want my parents to find out about my addiction,” he explained.

    Yo Yo Honey Singh’s career peaked in 2012 before a crushing decline. Following the success of his song ‘Desi Kalakaar’ he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and started using drugs. In 2017, he broke down during a tour. 

    He gave up music and drugs, returned to Delhi, and started rehabilitation with a global team of doctors and therapists.

    “I was drowning in drugs and alcohol, smoking 12 to 15 joints and drinking bottles. I abandoned my family and lost control of myself. Once, I was so intoxicated that I bit a friend eight times on his stomach.”

    After his break from work, Honey Singh returned in 2023 with the song ‘Kalaastar’, a sequel to Desi Kalakaar.

    He is now preparing for his My Story World Tour to take his music global, scheduled to kick off on February 6, at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai. 

    He also recently released an album 51 Glorious Days.

  • Punjab government bans production of petrol-run motorcycle rickshaws

    Punjab government bans production of petrol-run motorcycle rickshaws

    The Punjab government has decided to ban the production of petrol-run motorcycle rickshaws, multiple news outlets have reported. 

    The decision was made during a Cabinet Committee meeting on anti-smog measures held on Thursday, chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. 

    Key decisions included an immediate ban on the production of petrol-run motorcycle rickshaws and an in-principle decision to phase out the production of petrol-run motorcycles.

    The meeting also finalized the purchase of electric vehicles and electric motorcycles for government departments.

    Additionally, the government will impose strict penalties for burning plastic and smoke-producing toxic materials, emphasizing zero tolerance for actions that harm citizens’ health and the environment. It was also decided to install colored waste bins across Punjab, similar to modern international practices.

    Senior Provincial Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb briefed the committee, stating that Punjab’s first state-of-the-art Air Quality Monitoring Network has been established and a comprehensive anti-pollution operation is underway.

    She reported an 88 percent reduction in crop burning incidents in Lahore and its surrounding areas, noting that drones are being used for surveillance to prevent such incidents.

    Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz expressed satisfaction with the environmental improvement measures and commended the entire team. 

    She said, “The spirit, hard work, and focus with which the institutions and the team have worked in the last one and a half years are commendable. We also thank the citizens who fully cooperated with the government and institutions.”

    Despite these efforts, Lahore’s air quality is experiencing a severe decline, pushing the city to the second position on the global pollution index as of 7:00 PM on Thursday.

    According to the Air Quality Index (AQI) data, Lahore registered an overall pollution level of 226, which falls under the “very unhealthy” category.

    Certain areas within the city are facing alarmingly high levels of contamination. The vicinity of the Civil Secretariat was identified as the most polluted zone, with AQI levels skyrocketing to 788. Other areas severely impacted include Johar Town (695), Cantonment (581), Barki Road (403), Askari-X (327), and Allama Iqbal Town (298).

    The crisis is not limited to the provincial capital. Several other major cities across Punjab, including Sialkot, Gujranwala, Multan, and Bahawalpur, are also grappling with severely compromised air, with their AQI levels consistently categorized as “very unhealthy.”

    Earlier, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), Punjab issued a smog and fog alert. 

    The PDMA directed all Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners across the province to immediately implement timely preventive measures to mitigate the health and environmental risks posed by the high pollution levels.

  • IHC chief justice refuses to meet KP CM

    IHC chief justice refuses to meet KP CM

    Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice (CJ) Sarfaraz Dogar has refused to meet Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister (CM) Sohail Afridi.

    According to media reports, the provincial executive of KP arrived at the IHC seeking a meeting with the top judge after staging an overnight sit-in outside Adiala Jail.

    However, the meeting did not take place and Afridi, accompanied by jailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, and a group of lawyers, left the office of the CJ’s secretary.

    “We were not heard. We received a message from the chief justice that he cannot meet us,” CM Afridi said while expressing his disappointment in conversation with media persons.

    He announced that his party had decided to disrupt both the National Assembly and Senate sessions today, and vowed to gather again outside the high court and Adiala Jail next Tuesday.

    KP Advocate General also confirmed to a private media outlet that the top Islamabad judge had declined to meet the CM, adding that Justice Dogar was currently not meeting anyone.

    He clarified that the CJ had also not met the advocate general or any lawyer.

    Earlier, Afridi ended the overnight sit-in after being denied a meeting with the incarcerated party founder for the eighth time a day earlier.

    The sit-in began on Thursday afternoon and also included members of the KP cabinet.

    Visuals reposted by the PTI on X showed CM Afridi, along with other party workers, offering Fajr prayers outside the jail on Friday morning. Other images showed Afridi and others huddled around a fire. The sit-in was also livestreamed by the party on its social media channels.

    Speaking on the livestream on Friday morning, the KP CM announced that the sit-in was being wrapped up, adding that he would now approach the IHC.

    “We will now go to the IHC to meet the chief justice,” he said, adding that they would request him that three of his judges had ordered the meeting. Afridi was referring to a three-member IHC bench in October telling the Adiala administration to allow a meeting between him and jailed Imran.

    “Previous orders were very clear that Khan Sahib would be allowed to meet his family and lawyers on Tuesdays and party leadership on Thursdays,” he said, adding that courts should ensure the enforcement of their orders, otherwise, it was “the law of the jungle”.

    CM Afridi also expressed frustration, stating that he had exhausted all “constitutional and legal” avenues available to meet his party’s founder.

    “What other avenue is left for me to explore now?” he asked and lamented that despite court orders, he, other party leaders and Imran’s family were not being allowed to meet him.

    He also recalled the treatment meted out to Imran’s sisters outside Adiala last week when police briefly detained them for a sit-in against the lack of permission to see their brother.

  • Trump vows to ‘permanently pause’ migration from all Third World countries

    Trump vows to ‘permanently pause’ migration from all Third World countries

    U.S. President Donald Trump announced that his administration will “permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries” after an attack near the White House on Thursday. 

    He did not name any specific countries or clarify what counts as a Third World country. He also did not explain how long the migration freeze would last. He added the plan would also apply to cases approved under the previous administration.

    “I will permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the U.S. system to fully recover, terminate all of the millions of Biden illegal admissions, including those signed by Sleepy Joe Biden’s autopen, and remove anyone who is not a net asset to the United States,” Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social.

    He further pledged to end all federal benefits and subsidies for “non-citizens,” to “denaturalize migrants who undermine domestic tranquility,” and to deport any foreign national deemed a public charge, security risk, or “non-compatible with Western civilization.”

    His announcement came after a member of the National Guard died following a shooting near the White House, which investigators attribute to an Afghan migrant. 

    Earlier in the week, officials from the Department of Homeland Security confirmed that Trump ordered a broad review of asylum cases approved under the Biden administration, including Green Cards issued to citizens of 19 countries.

    According to documents seen by a media outlet, the alleged shooter, identified as 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, entered the U.S. in 2021 under a resettlement program initiated after the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan. 

    Other officials have suspended processing immigration requests for Afghan nationals indefinitely.

    Trump defended his immigration crackdown, asserting that hundreds of thousands arrived in the U.S. under what he called an “unvetted and unchecked” airlift from Afghanistan. 

    “These goals will be pursued with the aim of achieving a major reduction in illegal and disruptive populations,” he said. He added, “Only REVERSE MIGRATION can fully cure this situation.”

    Supporters of Trump argue that the recent shooting justifies tougher migration rules. 

    Critics warn that freezing migration from entire regions and stripping legal status from migrants, even those admitted under previous administrations, risks violating human rights and undermines established immigration law.

  • ‘I’m a big girl in a small-minded society’: Mathira slams body-shamers after she walks the ramp

    ‘I’m a big girl in a small-minded society’: Mathira slams body-shamers after she walks the ramp

    Television host Mathira is calling out a wave of body-shaming comments from trolls after her recent appearance as a showstopper on a catwalk. 

    She reacted strongly after a news outlet shared a video of her walking on the ramp, reposting it on her Instagram Story with her own message saying, “I’ve seen several people talk about my body.”

    She wrote, “I’m happy being healthy. I was invited to showstopper, I didn’t do anything wrong. But sick, mentally ill pages like this talk shit.” 

    She told her followers that she has been fighting health issues privately and said, “I’ve had a knee operation, my thyroid issues have been a mess, and this is how people act? Shame on this page and many more people posting.”

    Mathira refused to let online comments shake her confidence. She said, “I will walk like a rule. This world is for me. I can happily say I’m a big girl in a small-minded society.” She ended her message proudly, calling herself “a healthy big girl in a small-minded world.”

    Mathira walked the ramp at a wedding-themed fashion show in a silk outfit designed for the wedding season. 

    The video of the walk went viral within hours, but also became a target for trolls.

    Mathira first gained mainstream fame in 2011 when she hosted the late-night talk show Love Indicator, a program that made her one of Pakistan’s most discussed media personalities. 

    She later hosted AAG TV’s Baji Online and continued building her presence through music videos, fashion shoots and television appearances.

    Over the years, she featured in popular songs such as Piya Re and performed item numbers in films including Main Hoon Shahid Afridi and the Punjabi movie Young Malang. 

    Mathira also acted in the Geo Kahani drama Naagin and appeared in the 2019 film Sirf Tum Hi To Ho.