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  • Change of Pace: Revolutionising Pakistan’s cricket commentary

    Be it Nasser Hussain’s “one minute down, next minute up” or David Lloyd’s “Big man, Big game; it’s a leg bye who cares” moment, there are some iconic commentary lines seared into our hippocampus. To keep the listeners engaged, a blend of analysis and wit is the sine qua non for commentators. Richie Benaud, one of the finest commentators ever, once said that commentators should shut up if they cannot add anything to what’s written on the screen.

    Much of the commentary on Pakistan cricket by current local commentators, instead of invaluable insights or tactful analysis, lacks substance and predominantly revolves around repeating banal cliches and reading numbers emblazoned on the screen — something which someone with even a cursory understanding of the game can also do.

    The era when Munir Hussain, Omar Kureishi, and Chishty Mujahid used to take the commentary mic is considered by cricket historians as the golden era of Pakistan’s cricket commentary. The void these three have left is a big one to fill. Launched before the 2019 edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), Change of Pace has been a breath of fresh air for fans who wanted to listen to the quality commentary.

    Pioneered by a bunch of avid cricket fans, the commentary team — comprising Musad Afzal, AZ Khawaja, Ahmed Hassan, Sarkhail Khan, Ahmad Afzal alongside producer Sarfaraz Ali — is a clear-cut upgrade over many of the seasoned local commentators.

    Although there is still a long way to go for Change of Pace commentators to be at par with the troika of Chishty, Munir, and Omar, credit must be given to them for revitalising Pakistan’s cricket commentary. From starting off with ball-by-ball commentary of just 20-over matches, they have now come a long way.

    Not only have they commentated on entire ODI and Test matches, but they have also managed to rope in cricketers and eminent names in the cricketing world like Cricviz’s Freddie Wilde, Islamabad United’s Strategy Manager Hassan Cheema and Multan Sultan’s chief operating officer (COO) Haider Azhar to come on their podcast.

    Outspoken and quality in-depth analysis of the match? Check. Good sense of humour that can tickle your fancy? Check. Discussion of other topics like music, culture, and movies alongside cricket? Check. Change of Pace’s unique style of commentary has unsurprisingly received an extremely positive response from Pakistan’s cricket community and has garnered more than 132,000 listeners.

    There is also an interactive chat box alongside audio ball-by-ball commentary paving the way for fans to share their thoughts and engage in discussion with the commentary team and other listeners. On top of all that, in a long-term partnership with The Citizens Foundation (TCF) in the UAE on their Baghbaan programme, they are also helping raise funds for the development and operations of their schools.

    The journey from inception to this point has not been all smooth for Change of Pace but instead of getting bogged down, their commitment did not flinch. Talking about their journey on The Padded Room podcast, Musad admitted that there were times when listeners plummeted to an ‘embarrassing’ level. To fill me in about their journey, I reached out to AZ Khawaja, one of the members of their commentary team.

    “It was surprising how quickly we have developed a committed listener base,” Khawaja said. “We wanted to create a space where genuine fans can offer their views, and where the coverage celebrated Pakistan cricket rather than denigrate it.”

    He further added that the in-game chat has developed into a safe space for discussion and it is quite remarkable in this social media era that they had to face almost zero negativity or toxicity.

    So, if you want to watch a Pakistan cricket match where commentary does not just revolve around banalities and clichés, make sure that you tune into changeofpacelive.com whenever Pakistan plays its next game.

  • Math theory reveals the perfect age to marry

    Math theory reveals the perfect age to marry

    A new math theory has proposed that people should marry at the age of 26, as it is the best time for them to have a life partner.

     Tom Griffiths and Brian Christian wrote in their book, Algorithms to Live By: The Computer Science of Human Decisions, that the best age to find a life partner is 26.

    The rule dictates that once you are 37 per cent of the way through completing something within a set timeframe, then you have reached the perfect point at which to decide.

    If the average person is looking for their perfect match between the ages of 18-40, then 26 is the ideal age, because you are 37 per cent of the way through the 22 years.

    Read More: Wedding horse runs away with groom

    The theory states that if you are any younger or older than 26, you are going to debate and argue too much and it might not work out.

    However, University of Utah sociologist Nicholas H. Wolfinger did not agree with this theory as he found out in July 2015 that the best age to get married to avoid divorce was 28-32.

    According to a UK publication, the theory is not perfect because it does not really account for the fact that our tastes may change between the age of 18-40, and we may be looking for something different. 

  • Covid positivity rate jumps to 7.5 per cent in Pakistan

    Covid positivity rate jumps to 7.5 per cent in Pakistan

    The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) reported that the Covid-19 positivity rate is currently 7.51 per cent.

    President Dr Arif Alvi urged citizens to “get serious”. “Cases have shot up post-Eid. I was expecting and warning about it as I saw carelessness in [the] streets, bazaars, [and at] weddings and mosques,” he said.

    President Alvi urged Pakistanis to get vaccinated. “Don’t let the recent gains towards stability [be] sacrificed on the alter of neglect. You are a rising nation, so the important test is to rise to the occasion,” he added.

    The number of deaths from coronavirus in the country has risen to 23,048 after 32 more people died in the last 24 hours and the total number of cases has reached 108,446.

  • Asim Azhar makes his weekend memorable with rumoured fiancé Meerub Ali

    Asim Azhar makes his weekend memorable with rumoured fiancé Meerub Ali

    Star singer Asim Azhar created headlines earlier this month as the netizens speculated on his alleged engagement with Meerub Ali. Pictures of the two from their weekend hangouts surfaced on the web over the weekend in which the rumoured fiancés are seen enjoying each other’s company.

    Earlier, Asim posted that he’ll be the first one to announce any personal development to his fans.

  • ‘How dare you speak to a woman like that, this is not why I voted for PTI’: Mariyam Nafees slams Ali Amin Gandapur

    ‘How dare you speak to a woman like that, this is not why I voted for PTI’: Mariyam Nafees slams Ali Amin Gandapur

    Diyar-e-Dil fame actress Mariyam Nafees took to her Instagram stories to call out PTI leader Ali Amin Gandapur for sexist comments on fellow politician Maryam Nawaz.

    Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Ali Amin Khan Gandapur came under fire for making sexist and violent remarks against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz.

    Taking a jibe at Maryam, Gandapur said: “You [Maryam] have spent Rs80 million [tax payers] money on surgery. I will unmask your real face before the public by removing [cosmetic surgery].”

    Last month, Mariyam blasted a netizen for sending indecent messages on her Instagram account.

    Taking to her social media, the Fitrat actress wrote: “The point of putting this up is because I truly want to put a stop to this,” Mariyam shared. She added, “I don’t know who’s responsible for these morons to think this way and who’s entertaining them but no! Absolutely not! I and my esteemed co-actresses respectfully work for twelve hours (sometimes more) every day and we refuse to tolerate this mentality.”

  • PTI wins AJK elections with vast majority, PPP, PML-N reject results

    PTI wins AJK elections with vast majority, PPP, PML-N reject results

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has won the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections by clinching the most seats. The PTI won in 25 constituencies, followed by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) in 11 constituencies and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz in six constituencies, according to unofficial results.

    The Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Party and the (JKPP) and the All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference (AJK-MC) managed to bag one seat each according to the unofficial results.

    Turnout in AJK elections was recorded at around 62 per cent. More than 700 candidates from 32 political and religious parties contested for the 45 general seats.

    The official Twitter account of PTI celebrated the victory and called Prime Minister Imran Khan the ‘Ambassador of Kashmir’.

    PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz claimed that the PTI won the Kashmir polls through rigging and rejected the results of the elections held on Sunday.

    Maryam Nawaz tweeted, “I have not accepted the results and neither will I.”

    Maryam praised her party workers for “putting up a good fight” despite rigging by PTI.

    Taking to Twitter, Bilawal Bhutto claimed the election commission had failed to take action against the PTI for violating electoral rules.

     

  • Yasra Rizvi vows to raise a son with whom ‘every living being feels safe’

    Dunk fame actor Yasra Rizvi took to her Instagram account to share a picture of her son along with an elaborative note in which she vowed to raise a son with whom all the living being feels safe including animals. The Churails star posted this on her Instagram after Noor Mukadam, 27, was shot and then beheaded in Islamabad.

    “I vow to raise a son who is kind, humane, fair, compassionate and respectful. A man with whom women, children, transgenders, other men, animals, every living being feels safe, who is not threatened by women and their agency, who doesn’t take their vulnerability as license to exploit, whose first response is to empathize, who doesn’t blame the victim, who understands that human life is precious and not anyone’s to take, who knows that every human being has the right to choose, prosper and shine, who knows that he cant touch or for that matter speak to anyone without their consent, who UNDERSTANDS that being a man is not a privilege its a responsibility!”

    The Dil Na Umeed To Nahi diva further added, “I don’t know what we can do about the monsters we live amidst or the sham of a society we are a part of at present other than protesting its very existence but we can change the future by starting today.”

    On the work front, Yasra is currently being seen in television dramas Dunk and Dil Na Umeed Toh Nahi .

  • Notable personalities laud Talha Talib for his unbeatable Olympics debut

    Notable personalities laud Talha Talib for his unbeatable Olympics debut

    Weightlifter Talha Talib has finished fifth in the 67 kilograms (KG) weightlifting competition of the Tokyo Olympics 2020 and Pakistanis lauded the debutant for his efforts.

    Read More – Pakistani athletes participating in Tokyo Olympics

    The 21-year-old Talha was just two points short of gaining an Olympic medal for Pakistan after 29 years.

    The Gujranwala-born, who was on his Olympics’ debut, finished with a total of 320 points as he broke his own national record by lifting 150 kg in snatch while he lifted 170 kg in clean and jerk.

    China’s Chen Lijun bagged gold while Colombia’s Luis Javier Mosquera and Italy’s Mirko Zanni clinched silver and bronze medals respectively.

    Many notable people, including politicians, cricketers, and celebrities lauded the 21-year-old for his efforts.

    https://twitter.com/76Shadabkhan/status/1419280792497311747?s=20

    Thanking everyone, the Olympian turned to his social media and wrote: “Alhamdulillah! Thank you everyone for your support and your love. In Sha Allah next time it will be better. Remember me in your prayers Special thanks to my father, my family, my coach Naveed Aslam Malik (late), and Pakistan Weightlifting Federation.”

  • Father sentenced to 14 years jail for raping eight-year-old daughter

    Father sentenced to 14 years jail for raping eight-year-old daughter

    Recently, a session court in Karachi has sentenced a man to 14 years in jail after he was found guilty of raping his eight-year-old daughter three years ago, reports Zubair Ashraf for The News.

    On March 7, 2019, the rapist Shahid’s wife, a young maid, was at work. Her three children came back home from their school in the evening. Their father, Shahid, was at home to greet them. He sent his two younger sons to play outside and raped his daughter at his house.

    The victim told her mother when she returned home from the work. The mother after finding the truth fought with Shahid but he denied the allegations. The mother with her daughter went to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) for the medical examination.

    The medical reports showed that the girl was subjected to vaginal and anal intercourse. The police took a week to register an FIR against Shahid on the complaint of his wife.

    An investigation was started and the officials questioned the accused and the complainant collected swabs for DNA and chemical analysis and held the clothes of the victim.

    After the investigation, the police charged-sheeted the husband for rape and unnatural offence. When the suspect was charged, he did not confess alleging his wife of infidelity. He said that he was falsely accused in the case by his wife because he had caught her cheating on him with another man in their house.

    A lawyer, Asiya Munir represented Zakiya and Gulshan in the case. Speaking to The News, she said, “First of all, nobody in our society tends to believe incest cases, not even the judges. They think that these all are made-up stories. In this hostile and harassing environment, proving your case becomes a tremendously difficult job.” The worst part of it, she added, was standing to the leering looks and shameful questions during the arguments in the courtroom.

    “I have seen these mother and daughter sitting together like glued in a corner of the courtroom getting humiliated by staffers and taunted by the defence lawyers,” Asiya said, explaining the reason behind her request for an in-camera hearing to record the statement of the victim.

    The examination-in-chief of the victim took place inside the chamber of the judge. Except for the victim, judge, and complainant’s and defence lawyers, no one was there in the room.

    After the victim stated what had happened, the defence lawyer was allowed to cross-examine her. “You [the victim] are lying because your mother has told you to,” the lawyer representing her father asked her. She responded, “My mother has not taught me to lie.”

    “Your mother had an affair with someone,” the lawyer asked another question. Her attorney objected to it but the victim said, “No, my mother cleans the washrooms of others for us. She is not lying nor am I.”

    The defence lawyer questions before the judge were: In the case of rape, why is there no violence mark or injury found on the victim? Why was the FIR filed a week later? Why were the clothes of the victim handed to the police 19 days after the incident? Why didn’t the complainant get a letter from the concerned police station before going to the JPMC? The complainant is having an extramarital affair and the person should also be summoned by the court.

    In the judgment issued on July 17, the East Additional District and Sessions Judge, Javed Ahmed Phulpoto, observed that as far as the allegation of the affair was concerned, the accused had not been able to produce even his own relatives to support his stance. The judge termed this allegation an attempt by the accused “to malign the complainant and gain sympathy from society to get away from his crime.”

    The judge remarked that the absence of torture marks was not enough proof to suggest that the crime did not take place.

    “The statement of the victim is straightforward and [she] narrated the entire incident in a very innocent and natural manner and the defence failed to establish that there was any exaggeration in her statement,” the judge observed, adding that the victim’s, the complainant’s and the investigators’ testimonies were not questionable and so was the medical proof which showed the offence on the accused.

  • Zahir called his parents before the murder and told them that Noor has refused to marry him

    Parents of Zahir Jaffer, the alleged killer of Noor Mukadam were presented in a local court in Islamabad on Sunday along with the other two suspects.

    Azaz Syed a local reporter who was present in the court while speaking to The Current shared details about the latest development in Noor Mukadam’s case. Zahir Jaffer’s father Zakir told Azaz that he condemns the incident and he paid his condolences to the family of the girl saying that he knows Noor’s family personally and he is saddened over what has happened and that he wants to see justice.

    Azaz further told that the Lawyer of Zahir’s parents told the court that they were in Karachi when they came to know about the ‘crime’.

    Azaz also told The Current that the public prosecutor told the court that Zahir called his parents before the murder and told them that Noor has refused to marry him.

    Islamabad police, on Saturday night, arrested the parents of alleged killer Zahir Jaffer, Zaqir Jaffer and Asmat Adamjee for hiding evidence and abetting the murder. The court gave the police a two-day remand for the parents of Zahir Jaffer and they are to remain in police custody.

    Meanwhile, TherapyWorks, the counselling company which came to Zahir’s aid on his father’s request, has been sealed in Islamabad by the police.