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  • EXCLUSIVE: What happened when PTI’s Mashal Yousafzai asked for a Toyota Fortuner

    EXCLUSIVE: What happened when PTI’s Mashal Yousafzai asked for a Toyota Fortuner

    On April 17, social media was in an uproar with the news of Advisor to the Chief Minister (CM) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) Mashal Yousafzai requesting the government for luxury cars worth more than Rs 27 million on provincial government’s expenditure.

    Social media users were quick to criticise the move as the government is implementing austerity measures due to poor economic environment.

    Geo News reported on the issue, led by their Peshawar reporter Nadia Saboohi who sent Yousafzai messages on whatsapp to ask about her version. Soon after Geo reported on the story, Yousafzai alleged in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that Saboohi tried to extort money from her and when Yousafzai refused to give in, ‘propaganda’ was done against her.

    The Current spoke with Saboohi to find out what happened.

    “I had access to the document detailing the request for luxury cars, but since there are many fake documents on social media, I waited to get a confirmation from the relevant authorities about the authenticity of the document,” Saboohi said over the phone. “After the document was authenticated by proper authorities, I reached out to advisor sahiba for an explanation and her point of view.”

    Interestingly, according to the document, Yousafzai had asked for a Toyota Fortuner for herself, listed at a price of over Rs. 1.7 crore and a KIA Sportage for her secretary worth Rs. 73 lakhs.

    DOCUMENT

    Saboohi remarked that she simply asked the advisor for her perspective, saying that she also asked if the move was wise in such a difficult economic climate, adding that “Even advisor sahiba’s own department has not paid seven to eight hundred employees their salaries.”

    Saboohi also pointed out that the Chief Minister of KP Ali Amin Gandapur, implemented an austerity program and no government official is allowed to get any new cars or go abroad for medical treatment.

    “In the beginning of our conversation, advisor sahiba flatly denied the existence of any such summary,” Saboohi recalled, “When she was sent the document, she changed her statement and said, ‘This summary is from March 29 and I stopped it.’”

    When Geo News broke the story, it went viral, generating immense backlash against Yousafzai. The advisor then tweeted that she had taken back the request for luxury cars.

     TWEET

    But the issue did not die down. Yousafzai took to X again and criticised the journalist and posted a serious allegation on X against Saboohi.

    ‘You’re taking money from the ‘boys’ and Muazzam Butt,” read Yousafzai’s tweet.

    She also posted screenshots of the conversation she had with the journalist and revealed Saboohi’s phone number to the public. However, in the screenshots posted in her tweet, there is no evidence that Saboohi had extorted money from the advisor.

    Yousafzai later deleted the tweet.

    Deleted Tweet

    “I made it clear to advisor sahiba that, being a journalist, I have no interest in taking sides,” Saboohi said. “I also told her that I have no personal grudge against you but the story was important to break because given the tough socio-economic environment the people of KP are facing, people deserved to know that luxury vehicles might be purchased using taxpayers’ money.”

    According to Saboohi, Yousafza has issues within her own party,  specifically with senior advocate Muazzam Butt in Insaf Lawyers Forum. Butt was also mentioned in the tweet against Saboohi, as someone who Yousafzai alleged, was paying off the journalist. Yousafzai said to Saboohi, “Because Muazzam was unable to become the advocate general so he started propaganda against me with your help.”

    Saboohi said that it was her job as a journalist to report stories about the government in KP and the CM had said that he wanted news outlets to openly report and criticise his government’s actions if needed. In return, “[Yousafzai] released my contact information on social media just because she didn’t approve of my story”.

    KP GOVERNMENT’S RESPONSE

    “The CM house rejected the summary when it was sent to them as told by the CM social media wing representative Yar Muhammad Niazi,” revealed Saboohi. Niazi told her that the document might have been circulated but it was always going to be rejected.

    Saboohi also pointed out that the advisor neither holds the authority to send such a document nor put a stop to it because the ministry belongs to CM.

    “The spokesperson of KPK government, Barrister Saif, said that the document was given by Yousafzai in her individual capacity, when I asked him about the issue,” Saboohi said, “after which I asked him if that meant that any common person can request the government to buy them cars? Because this was an official government document”.

    WHAT HAPPENED NEXT

    Khyber Union of Journalists Peshawar Press Club condemned the advisor for making unsubstantiated remarks and sharing the female journalist’s information on social media.

    According to Saboohi, a Jirga in her community has also vowed to support her, adding that, “anyone is welcome to prove these kinds of allegations in her entire 26 years of career.”

    Peshawar Press Club had given Yousafzai 24 hours to delete the tweet or provide evidence of her claims. Yousafzai has since deleted that tweet.

    When asked about problems she’s faced due to her contact information being publicised by the KPK official, Saboohi remarked, “I am facing a lot of harassment and threats due to this and she [Yousafzai] is responsible for this.”

    SOCIAL MEDIA RESPONSE

    Interestingly, PTI supporters on X are also criticising the advisor on her tweet.

    The Current has reached out to Yousafzai for her version of the story and a comment and have not heard back yet.

  • Hania Aamir takes care of Yashma Gill in the hospital after operation

    Hania Aamir takes care of Yashma Gill in the hospital after operation

    Yashma Gill, known for her lively personality, recently faced a health scare requiring surgery. Despite her family being in another city, her friends, especially Hania Aamir, stood by her side. Hania stayed with Yashma in the hospital, offering care and support during her recovery. Yashma expressed gratitude for her friends’ unwavering support, sharing moments from her hospital stay.


    Here are a few pics:

  • Mohammad Ahmed, Shamim Hilaly say you might regret waiting until 45 to find love

    Mohammad Ahmed, Shamim Hilaly say you might regret waiting until 45 to find love

    Veteran actors Mohammad Ahmed and Shamim Hilaly, known for their brilliant performances, recently spoke to Fuchsia about the changing dynamics of marriages, discussing disparities between modern marital unions and those of the past.
    “People often think they don’t need anyone in their life and they’ll always be young, but things change,” both stars emphasized. “When you turn 45, you start to realize the importance of having a life partner.”

    Ahmed pointed towards rising divorce rates and said, “Couples nowadays are unwilling to compromise on anything and fail to give each other enough time to understand and adjust. Television plays a role in normalizing divorces, portraying the idea that one can easily divorce and marry someone else the next day, which is not realistic. Recently, many showbiz couples have divorced, and this trend is increasing.”

  • IMF says focus on economic reforms rather than size of loan

    IMF says focus on economic reforms rather than size of loan

    The Director of International Monetary Fund (IMF) Middle East and Central Asia has said that Pakistan must focus more on the implementation of structural reforms instead of a loan.

    “I think what is important at this stage is to accelerate the reforms, double down on the structure of reforms in order to provide Pakistan with its full potential of growth,” Jihad Azour told a press conference on the sidelines of the IMF 2024 Spring Meetings.

    The statement comes as Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, who is currently in Washington DC, to finalise yet another bailout package that the country is seeking from IMF.

    Pakistan is nearing the end of a nine-month, $3-billion SBA with the IMF designed to tackle a balance-of-payments crisis, which brought it to the brink of default last summer.

    The Finance Minister in a recent interview, had mentioned that Pakistan would need two to three years of to implement the structural reforms.

  • A hundred pro-Palestinian protesters arrested at New York’s Columbia University

    A hundred pro-Palestinian protesters arrested at New York’s Columbia University

    Police arrested more than 100 pro-Palestinian student protesters at New York’s Columbia University Thursday, a day after the president of the prestigious school was grilled in Congress over accusations of anti-Semitism on campus.

    “NYPD officers moved in to ensure the safety of the campus, the students and the staff made more than 108 arrests, and the NYPD ensured that there was no violence or injuries during the disturbance,” New York Mayor Eric Adams said during a press conference.

    The arrests and dismantling of tents that had been erected Wednesday also attracted a crowd of other demonstrators in support, according to an AFP journalist.

    According to The New York Times, the daughter of Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar was among those detained and she has been ordered to appear in court.

    The students were calling for the school, which has an exchange program with Tel Aviv University, to boycott all activities associated with Israel in light of the country’s war with Hamas and the ensuing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

    University president Nemat Shafik requested police intervention to disperse the protesters, who she said had violated campus security regulations.

    Universities have become the focus of intense cultural debate in the United States since the October 7 attack and Israeli genocide in Gaza, as many students’ pro-Palestinian sentiments drew accusations of anti-Semitism.

    Congressional Republicans have taken up the issue, calling the presidents of the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University to testify, and Harvard’s president Claudine Gay resigned shortly after.

    Shafik herself appeared in Congress Wednesday, where she said “anti-Semitism has no place on our campus.”

  • Pakistani captain slaps Indian opponent before Karate Combat 45 match in Dubai

    Pakistani captain slaps Indian opponent before Karate Combat 45 match in Dubai

    Pakistan karate team captain Shahzaib Rind slapped Indian captain Rana Singh during a pre-match press conference held in preparation for Karate Combat 45. The main event will take place tonight in Dubai.

    Shahzaib and Rind started inciting India-Pakistan hostility. Soon things took a turn for the worse as Rana Singh abused Shahzaib Rind and also spoke highly obscene things about his mother.

    Shahzaib and Singh got into a scuffle after coming face to face and had to be separated by security personnel at the press conference.

    The popularity of combat sports is growing at an impressive rate with each passing year and the wave of popularity has spawned a wave of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) promotions.

  • Four bookmakers caught during IPL match

    Four bookmakers caught during IPL match

    The Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has identified four bookmakers from Mumbai and Jaipur during Indian Premier League (IPL) matches, expelling them both from the stadium.

    According to reports, the bookies were kicked out of the president’s box at the Wankhede Stadium during a match between Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians, while two other bookmakers were kicked out of the Jaipur Stadium during a match between Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Capitals.

    Bookies gain access to stadiums during most matches to eliminate the time lags often seen in live broadcasts, an activity infamously known as ‘pitch sliding’.

    In 2013, IPL was rocked by a major spot-fixing scandal where three Rajasthan Royals players were detained and eleven bookies were also arrested in the case. This resulted in two IPL franchises, Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings, being banned for two years and played a major role in tarnishing the league’s reputation.

    The allotment of passes in luxury boxes is a serious concern following the incident, while there is still no legislation to prevent bookies from ‘pitch sliding’ in a country where betting is illegal.

  • 14 members of Balochistan cabinet takes oath today

    14 members of Balochistan cabinet takes oath today

    Fourteen members of the Balochistan cabinet took oath today in a ceremony held at the Governor’s House in Quetta.

    Those who took the oath include Sadiq Umrani, Ali Madad Jattak, Zahoor Buledi, Noor Muhammad Dumar, Sardar Faisal Jamali, Sarfraz Domki, Abdul Rehman Khetran, Saleem Khosa, Asim Kurd Gello, Bakht Kakar, Tariq Magsi, Shoaib Nosherwani, Raheel Durrani, and Zia Langau.

    On March 2, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Sardar Sarfraz Bugti took oath as the Chief Minister (CM) of Balochistan.

  • Momina Iqbal offers explanation on cricketer messages comments

    Momina Iqbal offers explanation on cricketer messages comments

    Pakistani actress Momina Iqbal is angry with social media twisting her recent comments about getting messages from cricketers.

    In her Instagram story, she lashed out at those who are spreading lies for attention. “I never said anything bad or negative about any cricketer,” she remarked adding that even if someone messaged her, “I would have dealt with it myself.”

    The actress said it was wrong for people to spread negativity just to benefit themselves, calling out those who use controversies to get more attention for their channels.
    “I believe it’s crucial for us to respect each other. I think that being united and staying positive are essential for our nation’s well-being.”
    “Don’t spread negativity for no reason! I’m surprised at those who post anything just to get views.”

    Momina then asked her followers to focus on important things, like the incident where a Jaranwala woman, Maryam Bibi, died in the Millat Express. She wanted everyone to speak up about things that matter and not get into unnecessary arguments.

    The actress talked about a question Wasi Shah asked her in a recent interview about messages from cricketers. She said it’s normal to talk with cricketers because they’re all part of the entertainment world. Momina explained that these messages usually just have nice wishes and hellos, and she can’t remember the names of the cricketers specifically.

  • PTI leaders declare president, prime minister ‘illegal’ after first joint parliament session

    PTI leaders declare president, prime minister ‘illegal’ after first joint parliament session

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Omar Ayub Khan has declared the head of state, Asif Ali Zardari, “illegal” after the President’s first speech in parliament on Thursday.

    Zardari stressed the importance of meaningful dialogue between political parties to reduce the political crisis in Pakistan in his speech.

    The PTI leader raised questions on Article 41 of the Constitution, which states that a President is a representative of the federation, pointing out that Asif Ali Zardari hasn’t resigned as co-chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) as of yet.

    “Law is being violated in this House,” the PTI leader said that he tried to raise a point being a leader of the opposition, but he was denied the floor.

    “As per the law, the floor is given to the opposition leader whenever he asks,” he added.

    On the other hand, PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan also criticized him, saying that “We do not recognize this president [Zardari]. [Not only this president, but Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the entire cabinet are also illegal.”