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  • Did Imran Khan’s son say he was looking to Israel for his father’s release

    Did Imran Khan’s son say he was looking to Israel for his father’s release

    A claim circulating on social media states that Kasim Khan, one of the two sons of the incarcerated founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan, in a recent interview with a US-based news channel Real America’s Voice (RAV), stated that he was looking towards Israel to secure his father’s release from prison.

    Claim


    A social media user posted a video on X (formerly Twitter) on July 30 with the caption, “Kasim Goldsmith has said that my father Imran Khan made a mistake by demanding freedom from America. We are ashamed of this. Our eyes are towards Israel now. My father has done a lot for Israel and now they should help us too (sic).”

    Similar claims can be seen here, here and here.

    Fact


    The 39-second video clip featuring Kasim, which was shared online, did not mention Israel. In the video, Imran Khan’s son can be heard clearly saying that “we are looking to America at the moment” for support for his jailed father.

    He added that a lot of people in the United States have expressed “concern” about his father’s cases, adding, “It seems like it might be the only route out at the moment.”

    Kasim’s response followed the interviewee’s question: “Who are some of Imran Khan’s allies, either in Pakistan or across the globe, who can help secure Imran Khan’s release from jail?”

    Verdict: The clip has been misrepresented. Kasim Khan did not say he was looking to Israel for his father’s release.

  • Man who snatched woman’s gold earrings in viral video, killed in police encounter

    Man who snatched woman’s gold earrings in viral video, killed in police encounter

    Police in Lahore’s Manawan area shot dead Fraasat Ali, the main suspect in a case involving the snatching of earrings from an elderly woman, along with his accomplice, Jon Shah, during an encounter. 

    Both men were wanted in connection with multiple serious criminal cases.

    According to reports, the CCD Cantt team made efforts to arrest the suspects when they opened fire on officers. SHO Atif Zulfiqar survived after bullets struck his bulletproof vest.

    A few days earlier, Fraasat Ali snatched earrings from an elderly woman in Ghaziabad and fled. After the video of the incident went viral, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz ordered their arrest.

    Reports citing CCD stated both suspects had long criminal records and police wanted them for multiple incidents in Lahore and other areas.

  • Madonna urges Pope Leo to visit Gaza

    Madonna urges Pope Leo to visit Gaza

    Pop star Madonna has appealed to Pope Leo to visit Gaza as soon as possible, stating that children are the worst affected by ongoing Israeli attacks.

    In a message shared on Instagram, Madonna wrote, “As a mother, I cannot bear to watch their suffering. The children of the world belong to everyone, and you are the only one of us who cannot be denied entry.”

    She added, “The humanitarian gates must be opened to save innocent and helpless children because there is very little time left.”

    The singer further stated, “Politics cannot solve problems. Only consciousness can bring change. Therefore, I am requesting help from Pope Leo.”

    Madonna said that on her son Rocco’s birthday, she considered “the greatest gift” to be urging everyone to help the children of Gaza, “who are the most affected in this war.”

    Tagging international organizations, she urged those willing to help to donate to aid groups, adding, “I cannot watch Gaza’s children die of hunger.”

    Under the ongoing Israeli genocide against Palestinians, humanitarian aid is unable to reach Gaza, leaving innocent children and people dying of hunger.

    The United Nations and the World Health Organization have strongly condemned the situation in Gaza, warning that famine and starvation are imminent. They reported that hundreds of people, including many children, have already lost their lives due to hunger.

  • Indian boy accidentally gets RCB captain’s old phone number, receives calls from Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers

    Indian boy accidentally gets RCB captain’s old phone number, receives calls from Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers

    A routine SIM card purchase turned into an unexpected adventure for a young man from Gariaband, who discovered he had been given the old phone number of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain Rajat Patidar, and soon found himself receiving calls from Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, and other cricketers.

    According to Indian media, 21-year-old Manish Basi bought a SIM card from a small mobile store in Devbhog at the end of June. While setting up his WhatsApp account, his friend noticed that the profile picture was of Rajat Patidar, but they did not pay much attention to it. Soon after, Manish began receiving calls from people claiming to be Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Yash Dayal, and other RCB players.

    This continued for two weeks until Patidar realised he could not access his WhatsApp account and filed a complaint with the Madhya Pradesh cyber cell. Investigations revealed that, under company policy, many inactive accounts for six months had been reassigned to a new customer. Police later returned the number to Patidar.

    Patidar, who recently led RCB to their first-ever IPL title, is a prominent batsman from Madhya Pradesh.

  • Power minister rules out raising threshold of protected power slab to 300 units

    Power minister rules out raising threshold of protected power slab to 300 units

    Addressing the National Assembly on Monday, Federal Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari stated that the government cannot raise the threshold for the protected power category. According to reports, the federal government would require a staggering Rs275 billion in subsidies to increase the threshold from 200 to 300 units.

    While this change remains unfeasible under the current budget, the 6 minister highlighted the government’s efforts to provide affordable electricity to low use power users. He outlined that charges for households consuming up to 200 units a month had fallen by 60 percent over the last nine months. According to reports, this segment of electricity users receive a sizable subsidy to reduce the financial burden of high electricity bills on them.

    While responding to a question in the National Assembly, the Power Minister revealed that 18.3 million of the 35 million electricity users nationwide are receiving power subsidies. These figures suggest that over 52 percent of electricity users benefit from subsidies provided by the federal government.

    Data from reports suggests that the subsidy rate for electricity users consuming 100 to 200 units stands at 70 percent. However, the subsidy rate jumps significantly for users consuming 100 units or less, as their subsidy rate stands at 90 percent.

    Moreover, while replying to a question posed by a Member of the National Assembly (MNA) regarding the provision of subsidized power to cryptocurrency mining operations in Pakistan, the Power Minister revealed that no power had been offered to mining companies at subsidized rates. Earlier this year, the federal government had allocated 2,000 megawatts of surplus power to crypto mining and to power artificial intelligence data centres. 

    However, reports indicate that the Power Minister has clarified that no legal framework regarding power rates or tariff had been approved for crypto ventures. According to the minister, the federal government had introduced a power package for the industrial sector without subsidies to increase competitiveness.

    Reports suggest that this package was going to allow exporters to boost their performance in the international market. As per the details, a staggering 7,500 Megawatts (MW) of extra power was available for the package, which could be used to improve grid stability. However, this move was to be made after discussions with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other development partners concluded.

  • India harasses Pakistani diplomats, orders four to vacate homes

    India harasses Pakistani diplomats, orders four to vacate homes

    Diplomats at the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi are reportedly facing harassment in the host country, with basic utilities and services to their residences being disrupted.

    According to media reports published on Tuesday, four Pakistani diplomats living in rented private residences in India have been issued notices to vacate their homes. 

    The extension of Indian visas for 17 staff members, including diplomats, is also pending in the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. Three to five months ago, a request was made to New Delhi for the extension of visas for Pakistani officials.

    Pakistani diplomats are under constant watch, and their home gas and internet services are being cut off from time to time, according to reports.

    The water supply to the Commission in New Delhi has reportedly been cut off, while the delivery of Indian newspapers to the commission has also been barred for a month and a half. Meanwhile, the PHC has informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs authorities.

    Relations between both countries deteriorated following the April 22 attack in Pahalgam in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), which killed 26 people, leading to a military confrontation between the nuclear-armed neighbours.

    In May this year, the Indian government declared two Pakistani officials posted at PHC in New Delhi persona non grata, accusing them of “activities not in keeping with their official status.”

    In response, Pakistan had declared a staff member of the Indian High Commission (IHC) in Islamabad persona non grata, directing the diplomat to leave the country within 24 hours.

  • Pakistan’s warming ties with US unsettle India, says Financial Times

    Pakistan’s warming ties with US unsettle India, says Financial Times

    Recent diplomatic engagement by Pakistan with the United States (US) President Donald Trump’s administration has signalled an unexpected thaw in Washington-Islamabad ties, eliciting a strong reaction from India, the Financial Times (FT) reported on Monday.

    Describing the improved relations between Islamabad and Washington DC as an “unexpected resurgence”, the newspaper said that Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal General Asim Munir has twice been received in high-level settings in the US this summer, most recently in Florida, where he attended the retirement ceremony of Gen Michael Kurilla, head of US Central Command.

    According to the FT, a month after the Pakistan and India clashes, Asim Munir met with US President Trump in June for a two-hour private lunch; the meeting was particularly notable as Trump had previously been openly critical of Pakistan.

    “What’s happening in US-Pakistan relations is a surprise. I would describe the relationship now as one that’s enjoying an unexpected resurgence, even a renaissance. Pakistan has very successfully understood how to engage with such an unconventional president,” the newspaper quoted Michael Kugelman, a non-resident senior fellow at the Asia Pacific Foundation, as saying.

    Attributing the change in tone to a diplomatic strategy by senior Pakistani officials, combining counterterrorism cooperation, outreach to individuals in Trump’s business network, and agreements involving energy, mineral resources, and cryptocurrency, the FT said that the moves were accompanied by positive messaging towards the White House.

    Citing the transfer of an Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K) suspect, Sharifullah, to the US from Pakistan, the report declared the move a key development between both countries. The suspect is alleged to have masterminded the Abbey Gate attack at Kabul airport in August 2021, killing at least 170 Afghans alongside 13 US service members.


    When the suspect was being transferred to the US, Trump praised Pakistan for the arrest in his State of the Union address.

    The newspaper also detailed an April agreement between World Liberty Financial, a Trump-backed cryptocurrency initiative, and Pakistan’s crypto council. One of the venture’s co-founders remarked during a visit to Pakistan on the scale of the country’s mineral resources.

    The FT noted that India responded with “deep irritation” to the improving relations, especially since US tariffs on Indian goods were raised to 50 percent, while Pakistan faced a lower rate of 19 percent.

    Trump’s reiteration that he brokered a ceasefire agreement between Pakistan and India in May was lauded by Islamabad; conversely, New Delhi emphasized that the agreement had been reached through direct channels between the Director General Military Operations (DGMO) of both countries.

  • Faisalabad police arrest serial rapist also involved in blackmailing minors

    Faisalabad police arrest serial rapist also involved in blackmailing minors

    Faisalabad’s Lyallpur division Crime Control Department (CCD) has arrested a paedophile serial rapist accused of sexually assaulting several minor boys and girls, secretly recording the abuse, and blackmailing the victims, according to media reports on Monday.

    The suspect, identified only as “M,” is a refrigerator mechanic living in Kot Khan Muhammad locality on Satiana Road. Police said he raped children at gunpoint and used hidden cameras to record the assaults.

    Authorities recovered more than two dozen pornographic videos featuring children aged eight to twelve from his mobile phones, along with other obscene material.

    Police revealed the suspect was caught red-handed raping a child about a year ago but fled to Multan. He later returned to Faisalabad and allegedly raped an eight-year-old girl again, recording the act.

    The accused had also reportedly electrocuted a 10-year-old boy named Shoaib after assaulting him several years ago.

    The CCD has now arrested the suspect following a tip-off and continues to investigate the case.

  • Talwinder defies ban, plays Hasan Raheem song twice at NYC concert

    Talwinder defies ban, plays Hasan Raheem song twice at NYC concert

    Indian singer Talwinder made a bold statement during a recent event in New York City by performing Wishes, his collaboration with Pakistani singer Hasan Raheem, not once, but twice, despite the track being banned in his native India.

    A video from the concert has gone viral with the caption: “Talwinder said they banned this song because he collaborated with a Pakistani artist (Hasan Raheem).”

    The ban stems from military clashes between Pakistan and India earlier this year. India restricted Pakistani artists and YouTube channels, removing their songs from platforms. The restrictions extended to collaborative tracks between Pakistani and Indian musicians.

    Fans were quick to applaud Talwinder’s gesture. One wrote: “I love Talwinder, love from Pakistan ❤.” Another pointed out: “Hasan Raheem also played Wishes twice in his NYC concert!!” Others questioned the politics behind the decision, with one asking: “Why are we bringing talent in between politics? Is this fair??”

    The viral clip also sparked confusion about Talwinder’s nationality, with many admitting they had assumed he was Pakistani. One fan wrote: “Why the hell did I think Talwinder was Pakistani until now? ”

    Talwinder’s move has been praised by many as a stand for artistic unity, showing that music can cross borders even when politics tries to keep them apart.

  • South Africa’s Kwena Maphaka breaks 16-year-old record

    South Africa’s Kwena Maphaka breaks 16-year-old record

    South African fast bowler Kwena Maphaka made history in a T20 match against Australia by taking 4 wickets and breaking a 16-year-old record. Australia won the match by 17 runs, with Tim David earning player of the match for a brilliant 83-run innings.

    The 19-year-old Maphaka bowled 4 overs, conceding just 20 runs while dismissing key Australian batsmen including Mitchell Owen, Ben Dwarish, Adam Zampa, and Tim David, who scored 83 runs off 52 balls.

    Maphaka became the youngest fast bowler to take four wickets in a T20 International, surpassing the previous record set by Wayne Parnell in 2009.

    He also became the youngest bowler to claim four wickets against Australia in T20 cricket, breaking the record previously held by Pakistan’s Shadab Khan, who achieved the feat during the 2021 T20 World Cup semi-final at Dubai International Stadium.