The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) said on Saturday that party leader Usman Dar has been “abducted”, demanding that the Sialkot native be recovered and presented in court, Geo News has reported.
“First it was Aoun Abbas Buppi, then Sadaqat Abbasi, and now Usman Dar has been abducted,” the party wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Usman Dar is the latest in a number of PTI leaders and officials who have encountered cases and incarceration after the May 9 riots. PTI leader Farrukh Habib said in a tweet on Saturday that Dar “be brought to light immediately and presented in court if there was a case against him so Dar could exercise his right to defend himself and his family could meet him”.
Earlier, Dar had said that his house, factory, and business in Sialkot were sealed in August. He had also said in one of his statements that his family members, including women, were left helpless.
Bushra Iqbal, the ex-wife of late television host and politician Aamir Liaquat, was a guest on Hafiz Ahmed’s podcast where she opened up about her 2020 divorce. The late politician’s divorce of his wife Syeda Bushra in 2020 left many in surprise, particularly as it came after he married actress Tuba Anwar.
At the time, Bushra had announced on her Instagram account that her marriage to the television host had ended, confirming that she was divorced by Liaquat on the phone at the request of his second wife, an act she termed traumatic for their two children.
Speaking at the podcast, the lawyer and television producer revealed she had not wanted to leave Aamir, but Tuba and her family kept pushing Aamir to divorce her, which is why he did it.
Bushra also addressed the leaked videos controversy, where the late host could be seen walking around a small room without clothes. Bushra said she was disappointed at how revenge videos were released to shame her husband.
“Honour is not just a woman’s. A man has honour as well. Had this happened to a woman, the entire country would have been out on the street, burning things. But a woman had done this. Men and women are kept equal. God has not kept the level of punishment different in the Quran.”
“People didn’t speak up. I was quite hurt. Everyone had their fun. YouTubers, members, everyone…People should think, ‘What if this happened to me?’ The best of people end up killing themselves. Who [ends up killing themselves]? Those who have no shame or honour. Otherwise, people have a lot of videos leaked, it was his honour. There are many videos of him crying. Some people claim we weren’t in contact. About facing his kids, he’s crying and saying – there are many audios that people haven’t even heard, I have them, on which basis I am fighting the case.”
In 2007, Apple introduced the iPhone, a revolutionary new smartphone that would change the way people use their phones forever. BlackBerry, the dominant smartphone maker at the time, was quick to dismiss the iPhone, saying that it was “not a threat” and that “we’ll be fine.”
But BlackBerry was wrong. The iPhone was a huge success, and it quickly took over the market. BlackBerry, on the other hand, began to lose market share. By 2013, BlackBerry was no longer the top smartphone maker.
How BlackBerry lost the smartphone war?
There were a number of reasons why BlackBerry failed to see the threat posed by the iPhone. Here are some of the most important factors:
BlackBerry was too focused on its existing customers: The company’s bread and butter was business users, who were slow to adopt new technologies. The iPhone, on the other hand, was designed for a wider audience, including consumers.
Slow to innovate: The iPhone was packed with new features, like a touch screen and a web browser, that BlackBerry didn’t have. BlackBerry was also slow to adopt new operating systems, such as Android.
BlackBerry was arrogant: The company executives believed that they were the best in the business and that they didn’t need to change. This attitude blinded them to the threat posed by the iPhone.
How iPhones have captured the market now
The iPhone has been the best-selling smartphone in the world for many years. In 2022, it accounted for 22 per cent of the global smartphone market. This is followed by Android with 69. per cent market share.
There are a number of reasons why iPhones have captured the market:
They are known for their high quality and sleek design. iPhones are made from high-quality materials and have a sleek, modern design. This makes them appealing to consumers who want a stylish and durable smartphone.
iPhones have a user-friendly interface and are easy to use. The iPhone’s operating system, iOS, is known for its intuitive interface and easy-to-use features. This makes it a good choice for people who are not familiar with smartphones.
Offer a wide range of features and apps. The App Store has a wide variety of apps to choose from, including games, productivity apps, and social media apps. This makes the iPhone a versatile device that can be used for a variety of purposes.
Backed by a strong brand name and reputation. Apple is a well-known and respected company, and its products are known for their quality. This gives consumers confidence in the iPhone.
Facts about iPhone sales
In 2022, Apple sold over 240 million iPhones.
The iPhone 13 was the best-selling iPhone model in 2022.
Apple iPhone generates more revenue for the tech giant than any other product.
The iPhone is a major driver of Apple’s stock price.
Additional thoughts on the matter
BlackBerry’s physical keyboard was a major advantage in the early days of smartphones, when touch screens were still relatively new and difficult to use. However, the iPhone’s touch screen was a more intuitive and user-friendly interface, and it eventually won over consumers.
The company’s business model was also a factor in its downfall. BlackBerry made most of its money from selling its devices to businesses, which were slow to adopt new technologies. Apple, on the other hand, made most of its money from selling apps and services in its App Store, which was a more open and flexible platform.
BlackBerry also made some bad strategic decisions. For example, the company decided to focus on its own proprietary operating system, BlackBerry OS, instead of adopting a more open platform like Android. This decision made it difficult for BlackBerry to attract developers and apps, which further hurt its competitive position.
The story of BlackBerry vs. iPhone is a cautionary tale about the dangers of complacency. When a new technology comes along, it’s important to be open to change and to be willing to adapt. Otherwise, you could end up like BlackBerry.
BlackBerry’s main focus currently is on software and services. Sadly, the company has discontinued its own smartphone line and now focuses on providing security software and services to businesses and governments.
October aka Spooktober has already set in motion with the return of the fan favourite horror novel series ‘Goosebumps’, set to release on Disney Plus and Hulu from October 13 onwards. A teaser trailer is already setting social media on fire. The series was created by Rob Letterman and Nicholas Stoller, and will feature an entirely new cast of child actors.
Omfg yessss can't wait October is gonna be amazing I'm so hyped for this
— Hannah (Prp and banner is from my bestie cholley) (@Franandfriends1) September 7, 2023
The television series is adapted from the popular horror novel series written by R.L Stine, which explores the lives of protagonists who find them selves in scary situations involving ghosts or other supernatural elements.
The series were previously adapted into a television series in 1995, and a film in 2015, which followed a fictionalised version of Stine teaming up with his daughter to save the neighbourhood after the monsters written in his book escape and begin igniting chaos.
A new trend known as ‘Barbie Botox’ has been unleashed on TikTok. Women are getting Trapezius Botox in order to elongate the neck and shrink the shoulders, so it makes the person resemble a Barbie doll. The hashtag #barbiebotox has over 9.4 million views on TikTok according to Forbes, while #traptox has over 22.5 million views, with clips of popular influencers and reality tv who have gotten the procedure.
TikTok influencer Malibutoast who has over 195 K followers, shared clips of herself after having the procedure done, with users worried in her comments about whether the trend would encourage more insecurities among women on social media.
‘Wake up guys new insecurity just dropped,” wrote one user.
“Damn now I have to add… trapezius to the list of things I need to fix about myself ” another wrote.
Isabelle Lux, another TikTok influencer who credits herself with coining the phrase ‘Botox Barbie’ detailed her own experience of getting the treatment with CNN:
“It came from the idea that you would look more like a Barbie when you get it done, which I don’t think is a bad thing. It elongates the neck, slims the shoulders and creates a very delicate physique when it’s done properly.”
Speaking to the news organisation about the growing backlash she was getting on the internet, including being called an ‘anti-feminist’, Lux defended her choice by pointing out that women shouldn’t be belittled for wanting to look a certain way.
“The desire to look a certain way has for centuries been seen as silly, a waste of time, waste of money and pointless, especially for women,” she told CNN. “But when a man wants to look a certain way, it’s scientific, it’s cool. I think that we need to stop belittling women for things that they’re interested in, including looking a certain way if they want to. It’s not silly. Like, it’s real.”
But many plastic surgeons are condemning the trend, explaining that the procedure was coined in order to help those with excessive neck pain, with a side effect of creating the illusion of a longer and slimmer neck. Speaking to PEOPLE magazine, New York City dermatologist Dr Amy Wechsler pointed out that Barbie’s features are unrealistic and these cosmetic procedures won’t make a noticeable effect on women.
“Someone years ago explained that if you take a Barbie doll and make it into an adult woman, the measurements are not really realistic. So I don’t love jumping on social media trends because they often don’t have any basis in science,” she explains. “I think that’s human nature to try to wanna copy a trend, but usually what happens — which is good — is that the trend will fizzle out if it’s not a good idea or if it’s not healthy.”
“The #BarbieBotox trend is more about slimming,” Wechsler adds. “If you relax those muscles it can make a big improvement in the feel and the look. But if someone doesn’t overuse that muscle, I don’t think it does that much.”
Speaking to CNN, Dr Parisha Acharya warned that incorrect administration of Botox could weaken the muscle completely, and then effect your ability to hold up your neck properly. She expressed concerns about the trend going viral on social media, especially when younger audiences are watching:
“I think a medical procedure should be treated as a medical procedure. And in the UK, (the aesthetics industry) is unregulated. So shockingly anyone can administer botulinum toxin injections. That could be a beautician or hairdresser with no clinical experience, no anatomy knowledge. It really does worry me.”
Dr Acharya also pointed out that the trend took the wrong message from the movie ‘Barbie’ which advocated for women to stop trying to mould themselves to appease the patriarchy, and start accepting their bodies as the way they are:
“It was very pro-feminism, and (women) were moving away from sexualizing our bodies and thinking of them as just objects,” she stressed. “I don’t like the fact that this trend is using Barbie to say we should have slim necks. We should embrace ourselves for who we are.”
If you could share an unpopular opinion about marriage, what would you say?
Pakistani women are sharing cold hard facts with this trend on X (formerly Twitter), sharing their frank opinions about marriage. Since desi societies predominantly consider marriages to be a system arranged without a woman’s consent or opinion, many women shared what they thought about relationships, living with parents and other issues Pakistanis should really consider listening to.
We completely have to side with this one. Your wives are not hired helpers for your home or your parents.
If your wife moves in with your parents you owe her. This is even before she bears and raises your children. Very beghairat of any man who raises his voice to a wife who puts up with his mother. https://t.co/ycqGsW9ex7
— OhChiefestAndGreatestOfCalamities (@mustyoumustard) September 9, 2023
Never take any excuses like this from someone who claims to love you.
Chakor, an Instagram-based platform providing data-driven insights, recently compiled statistics on cousin-marriages in Pakistan
According to Chakor’s data, nearly 2 out of every 3 Pakistani marriages are between cousins. The organisation claims that Pakistan has one of the highest rates of marriages between cousins in the world.
They further highlighted medical evidence about how detrimental cousin-marriages can be for women’s reproductive health, adding that such marriages can cause serious health complications for the child.
Pakistan’s textile sector has experienced a continued decline in exports, with provisional data released by the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) indicating that in August, exports reached $1.48 billion, down by 6 per cent compared to the same month in the previous year when they stood at $1.58 billion.
Moreover, the data reveals that Pakistan’s textile exports for the first eight months of the calendar year 2023 have seen a significant drop of 19 per cent, totaling $10.58 billion, as opposed to the $13 billion recorded during the equivalent period in 2022. This year-on-year decline raises concerns for Pakistan’s economy, especially in light of its foreign exchange shortage, which has already led to a depreciation of the rupee by more than 25 per cent in the inter-bank market since the beginning of 2023.
However, there is a glimmer of optimism as monthly figures indicate a 13 per cent improvement in textile exports, rising to $1.48 billion in August compared to $1.31 billion recorded in July.
Pakistan’s celebrated singer Shazia Manzoor has been honored in Ontario, Canada on Friday with The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Pin. The award was presented by Canadian politician Shafqat Ali, who praised the veteran singer for her contribution to arts and culture.
“It was such an honour to host Shazia Manzoor, a recognized and renowned Pakistani singer, and to recognize her for her contribution to art and culture and her commitment to bringing South Asian communities together through her song It was such a blessing to meet the acclaimed Pride of Performance of Pakistan and to award her with Her Majesty the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Pin Thank you for visiting and we hope to see you again soon.”
Asif Ali Zardari, former president and co-chairman of the Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP), defended the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Saturday, saying that since the new census was announced, a new delimitation is now required.
The PPP’s leader expressed complete trust in Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja and other ECP members in a statement posted on the party’s social media platforms. The statement further stated that the commission will conduct elections in accordance with the Constitution. After several PPP leaders, including party chairman Bilawal Bhutto, urged the ECP to declare an election date within 90 days in accordance with the Constitution, Zardari came to the defence of the constitutional body.
“The stance we adopted today is that the PPP wants the ECP to announce a new election date and the schedule for it. There is restlessness in the nation, and it is very important that a new election date and schedule is announced,” PPP’s Nayyar Bukhari said after the meeting on August 29. Asif Zardari urged the caretaker administration to complete the projects started under the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), an apex body set up by the previous administration to draw in foreign investment.
“The country should be put on the path of development by completing these projects,” he added.
