A video of Pakistan’s well-known YouTuber and Tik-Toker Maaz Safdar has created a storm on social media, with many Pakistani cricket fans criticizing him.
In a show related to the ICC ODI World Cup, Maaz Safdar and other tik tokers analyzed the sport. Maaz Safdar then explained how to play shots.
He can be seen giving advice to Pakistani batsmen on how to avoid getting LBW (Leg Before Wicket). When Muaz Safdar’s video went viral on social media, users criticized the YouTuber.
Civilians around the world and human rights activists are staging protests outside US and Israeli embassies demanding an end to the ongoing genocide in Gaza, where the death toll is now about to reach 6,000 — with 2,000 among them children. At protests, the rallying cry is: ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’. What does this phrase mean and why does it hold so much significance for the Palestinian civilians? We’ll decode it all here.
The phrase ‘From the river to the sea’ was officially endorsed by the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) in 1964, which called for a liberated Palestinian state from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea, former Palestinian territories that are currently under forced occupation of Israel.
Since then, the chant has been widely used in pro-Palestinian protests as a demand for the end to the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians by Israel and also that they are handed back their land. However, Zionists have consistently tried to paint it as ‘Anti Semite’ chant by claiming it calls for the genocide of Israeli Jews. A tube driver of the London Underground Train was suspended from his position after a viral video showed him leading the chant ”Free Free Palestine”. Similarly, UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman claimed the chant was ‘anti semitic’, and was “widely understood” to call for the destruction of Israel.
Along with this phrase, another common thing spotted among Palestinian protests is the symbol of a watermelon, which is plastered on flags and posters as protestors condemn the growing death toll in Gaza.
In a few decades, future generations will come across a photo of German protesters sketching a slice of watermelon with “Free Palestine” written on it. What does watermelon have to do with Palestinian freedom? They will ask. The explanation will be that certain authoritarian… pic.twitter.com/Zao5dZnZGy
The watermelon became a powerful symbol of resistance during 1967 when Israel seized control over the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, during which the public display of the Palestinian flag was considered a criminal offence.
The symbolic relevance of the watermelon began in 1980 when Palestinian artist Sliman Mansour was arrested by Israeli officials along with Nabil Anani and Issam Badrl as well as their works, because they featured the colours of the Palestinian flag.
“They told us that painting the Palestinian flag was forbidden, but also the colours were forbidden. So Issam said, ‘What if I were to make a flower of red, green, black and white?’, to which the officer replied angrily, ‘It will be confiscated. Even if you paint a watermelon, it will be confiscated,’” Mansour revealed to The National in 2021.
Watermelons were also a popular fruit exported around the world before the Nakba, as Palestinian controlled valleys like the Jordan Valley, Jenin and Arabet Al-Batouf were well known for growing enormous watermelons. Hyperallergic writes after Israeli defence forces drove out Palestinians from their neighbourhoods and brought in their own seed companies, Palestinian watermelons still remained popular due to their size in countries like Lebanon, Jordan and Syria.
Since then, Palestinian artists used the watermelon as a symbol of Palestinian independence to protest against Israel’s illegal occupation. Artists like Khaled Hourani crafted a silkscreen series titled ‘The Story Of The Watermelon’ (2007), which is a series of watermelon slices in front of a white background.
Hourani later went on to co-found the International Art Academy of Palestine along with Mansour and Anani. Speaking about the growing resurgence of the political symbolism behind the watermelon, he was happy at how the Palestinian cause was receiving attention:
“For me, it was kind of sudden. This is just one of my projects, which was not as successful or widespread as it is right now. It’s a unique kind of solidarity… It’s very powerful. I honestly don’t know how to deal with it. Some people are getting it as a tattoo, some are making patterns for clothes, putting it on flags, different mediums. I’m happy that it brings attention to the Palestinian cause.”
Speaking on the rise of social media support for Palestine, Hourani said:
“People around the world are standing up and saying that the occupation has to come to an end. This is a historical moment. As an artist, as a human being, I feel honoured that my work is being used as a tool or is a part of this driving force.”
A delegation from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is scheduled to visit Pakistan on November 2 to initiate discussions pertaining to the inaugural assessment of the nation’s ongoing $3 billion standby arrangement (SBA).
Pakistan is currently navigating a complex journey towards economic recovery, operating under an interim government.
This endeavour follows an IMF loan programme sanctioned in July, which was instrumental in averting a potential sovereign debt default. As part of this programme, Pakistan received an initial disbursement of $1.2 billion from the IMF in July.
Esther Perez Ruiz, the IMF’s resident representative in Pakistan, has disclosed that a delegation led by Mr Nathan Porter from the International Monetary Fund will embark on a mission to Pakistan commencing on November 2, with the primary objective being the evaluation of the current Stand-By Arrangement.
Additionally, the finance ministry has exerted significant efforts to maintain the budget deficit within the predefined limits agreed upon with the IMF. They issued warnings to the provinces, urging them to curtail their expenditures. Recent provisional estimates indicate that both Punjab and Sindh have made notable strides in this direction.
However, a notable challenge in the quest to contain the overall fiscal deficit lies in the escalating debt servicing requirements. These obligations are projected to surpass Rs8.3 trillion and reach Rs8.5 trillion for the current fiscal year 2023–24. This surge is attributed to the central bank’s heightened policy rate, a departure from the initial target of Rs7.3 trillion.
Senior politician Andleeb Abbas, along with two other former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) women MPAs joined the ranks of the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) on Tuesday.
In a significant show of support, the IPP patron-in-chief Jahangir Khan Tareen met the trio of former women MPAs, where they officially severed ties with PTI and pledged their allegiance to the IPP.
Flanked by IPP Information Secretary Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, Andleeb Abbas said: “The IPP will make a strong Pakistan. We have a cause to follow, which is above a party and an individual. We have joined the IPP for a cause.”
Sadia Sohail said: “We are sitting here together for Pakistan. May 9 should not have happened. All institutions should be respected.”
Sumaira Bokhari said nothing was more important than Pakistan. When asked why they chose to join hands with Tareen and Aleem Khan who [allegedly] represent mafias in the country and their reason to quit the PTI, the trio chose not to respond to any of these queries.
A group of leaders from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in Balochistan also aligned themselves with the IPP.
PML-N Balochistan vice president Jaleel Ahmed Khan Musakhel, and his associates met IPP President Abdul Aleem Khan in Lahore to solidify their transition.
Expressing his thoughts on the occasion, Aleem Khan said, “We want to see more progress in the small provinces. Apart from Punjab, the key political personalities from the other provinces are also joining the IPP.’’
“The masses are upset by the traditional politics practiced by the PML-N, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), and PTI,’’ Aleem Khan added.
The IPP’s momentum further gained strength as Pashtun Social Community (PSC) Punjab President Muhammad Sher Khan officially announced his decision to join the party on October 17.
The development came after Sher Khan held a meeting with IPP General Secretary Mian Khalid Mehmood.
Khalid Mehmood welcomed Sher Khan by presenting a party scarf to the latter.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday extended the deadline for the voter registration and information update from October 25 to October 28 (Saturday).
The decision was made during a meeting chaired by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja.
CEC Raja called upon the general public to utilise this final opportunity to ensure their registration, transfers, exclusions, and vote accuracy by October 28.
How to register your vote:
You can submit your application along with a copy of CNIC to the District Election Commissioner (DEC) or Registration Officer or Assistant Registration Officer of the district where you want to get your name enrolled.
The prescribed Form (Enrolment / Transfer of Vote) is available online at the ECP website or it can be obtained free of cost from the office of the District Election Commissioner or Registration Officer or Assistant Registration Officer or Display Centre Incharge.
How to check the details of your vote registration:
Please type your CNIC without Hyphen (-) and spaces on your mobile and send it to 8300.
After sending an SMS to 8300, an automated response will be generated, furnishing information such as the name of the electoral area, block code, and serial number.
Each registered voter has the option to verify their details by visiting the District Election Commissioner’s (DEC) office in their respective area, where the complete electoral roll is accessible.
How to transfer your vote
There are two ways to transfer your vote:
Visit the NADRA office and renew or modify your CNIC and ensure that the option to transfer your vote either at a temporary or permanent address is marked properly.
A person shall be entitled to be enrolled as a voter in an electoral area if he—
(a) is a citizen of Pakistan;
(b) is not less than 18 years of age;
(c) possesses a National Identity Card issued by the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) at any time till the last day fixed for inviting claims, objections and applications for preparation, revision or correction of electoral rolls;
(d) is not declared by a competent court to be of unsound mind; and
(e) is or is deemed under section 27 to be resident in the electoral area.
Explanation: The National Identity Card issued by the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) shall be deemed to be valid for the purpose of registration as a voter or for casting vote in an election, notwithstanding the expiry of its validity period.
Former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir slammed Pakistan’s poor fielding and spin bowling after continued defeats in the World Cup.
In a recent interview with the Indian media, Gautam Gambhir said, “We have discussed it in the Asia Cup as well. A team in bowling and batting can have a bad day but it can’t have a bad day in fielding. Pakistan team’s poor fielding has continued since the Asia Cup, which has not improved till now. I believe that Pakistan is a mediocre fielding team in this World Cup.”
“The second problem with Pakistan is their spin bowling. In the match against Afghanistan, Pakistan had a wicket where there was no dew and they also had spinners, but none of the three spinners could NOT take wickets,” added Gambhir.
Gautam Gambhir said that cricket has become very modern now. “Cricket is not like back it was in 1990 or 2011 where you score 270 or 280 runs and think your bowling will defend it. Teams will have to play attacking cricket.”
Chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari met his party leaders on Tuesday in Islamabad to deliberate on the current political landscape of the country.
In a notable development, Robina Shaheen Wattoo, a former member of the Assembly representing Okara, officially joined PPP. Her inclusion was warmly embraced by Bhutto-Zardari, marking an important addition to the party.
اسلام آباد: پاکستان پیپلزپارٹی کے چیئرمین بلاول بھٹو زرداری سے زرداری ہاؤس میں پی پی پی میں شمولیت کے بعد سابق وزیراعلی پنجاب میاں منظور وٹو کی صاحبزادی اور سابق رکن قومی و صوبائی اسمبلی روبینہ شاہین وٹو کی ملاقات ہوئی، چیئرمین بلاول بھٹو زرداری نے روبینہ شاہین وٹو کو پارٹی میں… pic.twitter.com/SnxkOgvVsv
On the occasion, former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf were present.
The meeting delved into the intricate political dynamics of Punjab, with a particular focus on the situation in Okara.
Several prominent PPP leaders including Sardar Omar Goraya, Nadeem Afzal Chan, Muhammad Ali Shah Bacha, and Shazi Khan were present in the meeting.
Focused on dissecting the current political climate of the nation, the discussions centred on navigating Pakistan’s complex political situation.
اسلام آباد: پاکستان پیپلزپارٹی کے چیئرمین بلاول بھٹو زرداری سے پی پی پی بلوچستان کے رہنما سردار عمر گورگیج، پی پی پی پنجاب کے رہنما ندیم افضل چن اور پی پی پی خیبرپختونخوا کے رہنما محمد علی شاہ باچہ اور شازی خان نے ملاقات کی جس میں ملک کی مجموعی سیاسی صورت حال پر بات چیت کی گئی،… pic.twitter.com/lilI8h47r1
New details reveal that among the total staff members of 687 in the Supreme Court, only 45 are women.
The information came to light as a judicial order directed Supreme Court Registrar Jazeela Aslam to give details on staff following a petition filed in 2019, appealing the Right of Access to Information Act 2017 and Article 19-A of the Constitution.
The apex court reportedly has 894 sanctioned positions at the moment but 207 of them are vacant and 687 employees were working as of September 25.
146 are employed on a daily wage basis.
84 new positions have been created since January 2017.
The details also reveal that out of all the 45 women working in the apex court, 33 hold regular positions while 12 are contingent employees.
Additionally, only two people with disabilities and two transgenders are employed.
The ICC World Cup is underway in India and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced it will give free popcorn and cold drinks to all fans for the India-Sri Lanka match, which will be held at Wankhede Stadium Mumbai on November 2.
According to the Mumbai Cricket Association President Amul Kaal, for free cold drinks and popcorn, fans will have to show their ticket at the counter, and free cold drinks and popcorn will be available for non-hospitality areas.
The entire cost of free popcorn and cold drinks will be borne by the Mumbai Cricket Association.
The recent decision by the Punjab caretaker government to suspend the sentence of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the Al-Azizia reference has triggered a political firestorm, with major parties, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), vehemently opposing the move.
PPP’s Punjab chapter leader, Hasan Murtaza, lashed out at the decision, referring to Sharif as ‘Ladla Plus’ and labelling the suspension as a ‘cowardly’ act.
“The caretaker government is doing everything it should not do,” the PPP leader said.
“The caretaker government is not here to give relief to criminals, but to hold elections.” He added: “It is not the task of the caretaker Punjab cabinet to approve the suspension of Nawaz Sharif’s sentence.”
He urged the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to take notice of the partiality of the caretaker government.
Simultaneously, PTI’s legal affairs spokesperson, Barrister Gohar Khan, condemned the decision as a direct violation of the law.
He took to X (former Twitter) and said, “Provincial Government has no power whatsoever to extend any relief regarding sentence under CrPC to someone convicted by NAB Court – period.”
Provincial Government has no power whatsoever to extend any relief regarding sentence under CrPC to someone convicted by NAB Court – period.
In response to the criticism, Punjab caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi clarified that the government had not directly suspended Sharif’s sentence but had instead referred the case to the court of law under Section 401, leaving the final decision on bail to the judiciary.
Section 401 of the criminal procedure code says, “When any person has been sentenced to punishment of an offence, the provincial government may at any time without conditions or upon any conditions which the person sentenced accepts, suspend the execution of his sentence or remit the whole or any part of the punishment to which he has been sentenced.”
