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  • Cricket fraternity mourns the death of former Australian cricketer Andrew Symonds

    Cricket fraternity mourns the death of former Australian cricketer Andrew Symonds

    Former Australia cricketer Andrew Symonds died in a car crash in Queensland today (May 15) at the age of 46.

    “We are shocked and saddened by the loss of the loveable Queenslander, who has tragically passed away at the age of 46,” Cricket Australia announced his death in a poignant message.

    The all-rounder played 26 Tests, 198 One-Day internationals and 14 Twenty20s for Australia between 1998 and 2009.

    Cricketers expressed their shock and paid glowing tributes to Symonds.

    Former Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar said he was devastated to hear the news. “We shared a great relationship on & off the field.”

    Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting said, “If Roy shook your hand you had his word, that’s the sort of bloke he was and that’s why I always wanted him on my team.”

    Former Indian captain Sachin Tendulkar tweeted: “Not only was he a brilliant all-rounder, but also a live-wire on the field.”

    https://twitter.com/SAfridiOfficial/status/1525771814575677440
    https://twitter.com/iRashidLatif68/status/1525688279441481728

    Symonds’ death has shocked the cricketing world. His tragic demise follows the death of former Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne, who died at the age of 52 earlier this year in March.

  • Why give Aamir Liaquat so much attention?

    Why give Aamir Liaquat so much attention?

    Aamir Liaquat is a public personality known for being in the limelight for all the wrong reasons. The man, nearing his 50s, is revered by one segment of Pakistani society and utterly despised by the other. Liaquat has recently been a hot topic of discussion for his third possible divorce with Dania Malik, who allegedly leaked two videos of Liaquat: one, where he can be seen roaming stark naked around in his room, and another where he is allegedly taking drugs. The two viral videos surfaced days after Aamir’s allegedly underage wife, Dania Shah, claimed that the televangelist takes illegal substances. The recent turn of events has clearly sparked a debate around a society glorifying child-and-adult unions. Dania claims she is 15, and Aamir knew it but still forged documents to get married. There can be no defence for a predatory act that takes advantage of class difference, age gap, and fame to trap a young teenage girl from a small city. Similarly, there can be no defence against revenge porn, even when it is against a person who has repeatedly aggravated public sentiment with impunity while disrespecting the institution of marriage, and religion.

    Liaquat has announced to leave Pakistan for good, but what still remains a question is why Liaquat or men like him are given so much limelight or attention. Where are we heading as a society? What examples are we setting for younger boys? We can expect no less in a country where misogyny is peddled as soon as children are born, and underage marriage is glorified as some invaluable social norm. This is the sad reality of Pakistani discourse.

    We can only hope that our society learns for the better and rather than giving so much limelight to people who are habitual of committing such acts with no remorse. We need to make people aware of the legal age of marriage, the exploitation of impressionable young girls, of the absence of justice, law, and order, which have led to a glorification of such vile acts of abuse in our society.

  • ‘Please don’t go out in the heat to get tanks filled’: Miftah Ismail

    ‘Please don’t go out in the heat to get tanks filled’: Miftah Ismail

    Finance Minister Miftah Ismail said on Sunday that the government has no plans to raise the price of petroleum goods for the time being.

    Addressing a press conference, the finance minister said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had rejected the proposal of increasing petroleum prices today, adding that the government could not burden the people any further.

    “We are not increasing prices today. Please do not go out in this heat to get your tanks filled,” said Miftah Ismail.

    However, Miftah later tweeted, “But due to changing circumstances and international oil prices, we may have to revisit our decision soon.”

    The finance minister stated that he will be part of a delegation travelling to Qatar for talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) next week and he hoped the negotiations would be productive for the country.

  • Lahore ranks first in reporting most traffic accidents

    Lahore ranks first in reporting most traffic accidents

    During the last 24 hours, the Punjab Emergency Service Department (PESD) dealt with 1,115 accidents across the province. 11 persons died and 1,161 were injured in these car accidents.

    As per the data, there were 272 road accidents in Lahore, impacting 280 people, putting the Provincial Capital at the top of the list, followed by 98 in Faisalabad, with 111 victims, and 79 in Multan, with 83 victims.

    664 people were critically hurt and were taken to nearby hospitals. Rescue medical teams treated 497 minor injured people at the scene of the accident. Around 69 per cent of traffic accidents involved motorcycles.

    Moreover, 561 drivers, 46 underage drivers, 113 pedestrians, and 498 passengers were among the sufferers of these road traffic collisions, according to the report.

    Read more: Lahore Police officials will now wear ‘body cams’ to fight crime

    The figures also indicated that 1,172 people were impacted in road traffic accidents, comprising 979 men and 183 women, with 256 of the deceased being under the age of 18 and 605 being between the ages of 18 and 40, and the remaining 311 being above the age of 40.

    In the aforementioned road accidents, 989 motorcycles, 77 auto-rickshaws, 145 automobiles, 26 vans, 10 passenger buses, 37 trucks, and 109 other types of cars and sluggish carts were involved.

  • ‘If something happens to me, a tell-all video will be released’: Imran Khan

    ‘If something happens to me, a tell-all video will be released’: Imran Khan

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and Former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan said that he has recorded a video, in which he has mentioned each and every character behind the “conspiracy” against his government, and if something happens to him, it will be released.

    Addressing a rally in Sialkot on Saturday, Khan claimed that his life is in danger and a “conspiracy” is being hatched to take his life. According to him, the video is stored in a “safe place.”

    “I have recorded this video as I don’t consider what I do as politics, this is jihad to me,” the PTI chairman added.

    The former PM said, through this video, he will expose everyone who went “against the country’s interest. He urged people to come out against the current government and support PTI and if they do not do this, the “public will have no future”.

    Khan praised the judiciary and said they took a good initiative by taking a suo motu on the night of the no-confidence vote and opened the gates of the courts.

    The PTI chairman told the judiciary that Rs24 billion corruption cases were filed against the current PM Shehbaz Sharif, Chief Minister (CM) Hamza Shahbaz, and his brother, Suleman Shahbaz.

    He said that the former Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) director Dr Rizwan, was bold enough to continue investigating corruption cases against the “Sharif mafia”.

    Reacting to a police crackdown at the party’s venue, Khan said that when PTI was in power, it did not stop the then-Opposition from holding long marches, rallies, or sit-ins.

    On Saturday, police got the PTI’s rally venue vacated after they tried to hold a public meeting at the CTI ground, a property belonging to the Christian community, without their consent. However, the party changed the venue to the public VIP Ground in Sialkot.

    Khan claimed that his party has always remained peaceful, but warned Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and the government, that if they resort to violence, then they would “not get any place to hide”.

  • Lahore Police officials will now wear ‘body cams’ to fight crime

    Lahore Police officials will now wear ‘body cams’ to fight crime

    Lahore Police has planned to utilise Body Worn Cam at E-Police checkpoints on the entry and exit points of the provincial capital for the welfare of the public, according to the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations Wing Lahore Captain (retd) Mustansir Feroze. 

    He claimed that the Lahore Police Department’s plan will not only keep the city secure but also minimize citizen-police conflicts. He added that the interaction (audio and video) between police officers and civilians would also be recorded by the Body-Worn Cam.

    According to SSP Operations, this measure will aid in identifying criminals as well as eliminating terrorism. He claimed that this method would re-establish public trust in the police force, and also that citizens can lodge complaints on 1787.

    Read more: Islamabad Traffic Police intensifies crackdown against wrong parking

    Senior police officials will supervise the programme and would offer on-the-spot instructions to address the public’s complaints.

    Body cameras are already being used in a number of other nations, but they have never been deployed by police in Pakistan. This idea will undoubtedly aid higher-ranking Lahore police officials in combating crime and monitoring how officers perform throughout the day and their attitude toward civilians.

  • PTI’s Usman Dar arrested for planning jalsa on minority’s private property

    PTI’s Usman Dar arrested for planning jalsa on minority’s private property

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) leader Usman Dar and other party members were arrested on Saturday after a police crackdown at the party’s rally venue in Sialkot.

    Dar shared a video on Twitter, saying he was speaking from a “prison van”. Others could also be seen with him.

    Dar said, “We will bear imprisonment but remain loyal to our leader Imran Khan. And listen closely, we will come out of the jails and again hold a rally in Sialkot. Our leader will again come to Sialkot. And under the leadership of Imran Khan, we will bury this imported government, these puppets of America forever.”

    Earlier, in the day police launched a crackdown on PTI’s activists and got the rally venue vacated after they tried to hold a public meeting at the CTI ground, a property belonging to the Christian community, without their consent. However, now the party has changed the venue to the public VIP Ground in Sialkot.

    The Christian community lodged a protest as PTI had not taken prior permission from them for the rally. When the police arrived to stop the arrangements, many PTI workers showed resistance, however police baton-charged and used tear gas to disperse PTI workers.

    Sialkot District Police Officer (DPO) Hasan Iqbal, who was present at the site, told reporters, “As you know we are right now standing on a ground that belongs to the Christian community. They had filed a writ [petition] in the high court, asking that no political rally be held on the grounds.”

    He added that the “political party’s leaders” sought permission to hold the rally but the Christian community refused. “Then we came here and told them that we can help you with regards to an alternative venue. What has happened after that is there for you to see,” he added.

    In a video, Iqbal can be heard talking to PTI members. He said, “No one is stopping you. This land is private. You didn’t take permission from them. Your party talks about rule of law. Does the law allow you to do a jalsa on this land without the Christian community’s consent?”

    “We have been trying to tell your this for two days. Try to understand it”, he added.

    Following the situation, former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan claimed, “What imported govt did in Sialkot against our leadership & workers is outrageous, but not unexpected. This bunch of criminals out on bail and their convict mafia boss in London have always used fascist tactics against opponents when they are in power.”

    In a press conference, Shafqat Mehmood, Ejaz Chaudhry, and Firdous Ashiq Awan blamed Defence Minister Khawaja Asif for the police action and urged the administration to release PTI leaders who have been arrested.

  • PCB earns Rs2 billion from PSL 7

    PCB earns Rs2 billion from PSL 7

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Friday that the seventh edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) brought it a net profit of almost Rs2 billion. After experiencing losses in previous seasons owing to Covid-19, PCB claimed that all six franchises must have generated a profit.

    Franchises are also expected to receive a significant portion of the funds. According to estimates, the Pakistan Cricket Board’s financial reserves have increased from Rs12 billion to Rs15 billion in the last year.

    As per a report, in the fifth and sixth editions of the Pakistan Super League, PCB lost Rs700 million. However, PCB spared the franchises the cost of paying Rs1 billion on their own.

    As it prepares to unveil the new centrally contracted list, the board will also raise the remuneration of the players. The new agreements will be in effect from July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023.

  • Nine Pakistani female entrepreneurs flying to US for mentoring, networking

    Nine Pakistani female entrepreneurs flying to US for mentoring, networking

    A programme financed by the United States (US) Embassy and introduced by the Indus Entrepreneurs (TIE) Islamabad, sent nine Pakistani women entrepreneurs to the US this week.

    The Accelerator Programme for Women Entrepreneurs is a one-of-a-kind training programme and competition that offers women-owned Pakistani start-ups exposure to American business tools, coaching, and mentorship.

    450 women-owned companies responded enthusiastically to the programme. The top 12 start-ups were chosen for a 15-week Founders Institute Acceleration Programme after a comprehensive round of mentoring sessions and pitching contests.

    Nine women entrepreneurs were chosen from among the 12 start-ups for an in-person acceleration exchange. Women entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to attend important conferences and visit the offices of big corporations like as Microsoft, Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, and PayPal during their tour.

    They’ll also stop by 9 Mile Labs, Kiwi Tech, Angel Pad, and Alchemist, all of which are situated in the United States. Throughout the eight-week programme, the participants will have many networking opportunities and will pitch to selected US-based investors on both the east and west coasts.

    Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Syed Amin-Ul-Haque said that this initiative offers Pakistani women entrepreneurs connectivity to global startups and foreign investors, speaking at a ceremony organised by the TIE Islamabad chapter before the departure of the Pakistani women entrepreneurs to the United States.

  • ‘My mother always told me never ever sell your country,’ says Shoaib Akhtar

    ‘My mother always told me never ever sell your country,’ says Shoaib Akhtar

    The former Pakistani pacer, Shoaib Akhtar in an interview stated that his mother constantly counseled him to protect Pakistan’s pride.

    Akhtar also revealed that 12 of his fellow players had been engaged in match-fixing but he said nothing.

    “I can’t stand lying, so I’ve never fixed or even considered fixing a game,” he explained. “Match-fixing was a problem for 12 of my former teammates. I was aware, but I said nothing. ‘Never ever sell your nation,’ my mum used to say “cricketer-turned-YouTuber expressed his sentiments.

    Conversely, Akhtar, who is known for his strong words and anger, claimed that he have hit the umpires and batters with the bat at least 30-40 times.

    Shoaib Akhtar reflected on his background and said he had seen a lot of unfairness. He mentioned the 1999 World Cup, when Steve Waugh was plumb out but the umpire denied the appeal, provoking him to kick his leg and even scream at him.