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  • Justice Isa says order banning him from hearing cases against PM wasn’t shared with him

    A day after Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed restrained Justice Qazi Faez Isa from hearing cases against Prime Minister Imran Khan in a judgement pertaining to the development funds allegedly doled out to the lawmakers, Justice Isa wrote a letter to the SC registrar saying why the judgement wasn’t shared with him even though it was a “standard practice”.

    On Thursday,  the CJP-led bench ruled that Justice Isa “should not hear matters involving the prime minister”.

    “The Hon. Chief Justice of Pakistan, therefore, observed that in these circumstances it would not be proper for the judge [Isa] to hear the matter considering that he had already filed a petition against the Prime Minister of Pakistan, in his personal capacity. Therefore, to uphold the principle of unbiasedness and impartiality, it would be in the interest of justice that the judge should not hear matters” concerning PM Imran Khan, the order on the SC website read.

    In response to this ban, Justice Isa wrote a letter to the SC registrar. “I have learnt that an order/judgment (don’t know which one) was passed in the subject case on 11 February 2021, and released to the media. This is shocking since, as yet, I have not received the file with the order/judgement.”

    “It is settled practice that after the judge heading the bench (in this case, the CJP) writes the order/judgement, it is sent to the next senior judge, and to on; however, Justice ljaz ul Ahsan apparently received it, but I never did, and the world knows of it before I’ve seen it,” the judge complained.

    Justice Isa asked why the order wasn’t shared with him and release to the media even before it was shared with him. “Kindly let me know: (1) Why the order/judgment was not sent to me, (2) Why the settled practice of sending it to the next senior judge was not followed? (3) Why was it released to the media before I read it (let alone had the opportunity to sign it in agreement/disagreement)? (4) Who ordered its release to the media? (5) And, provide me with the case file so I may finally read the order/judegment,” he wrote.

    BAR CONCERNED OVER RULING:

    Balochistan Bar Council, in a statement, expressed concerns over the ruling banning the senior judge from hearing the cases involving the premier. It regretted that such a directive was against legal and constitutional principles, especially when a 10-judge Supreme Court bench had already quashed the presidential reference filed against Justice Isa — a reference which they said was based on malice.

     Former Pakistan Bar Council vice-chairman Abid Saqi said that one set of judges of a constituted bench could not issue a directive to the other bench or any of the judges of the bench, not to hear a matter, as per a report in Dawn.


  • ‘I failed’: Justin Timberlake apologises to Britney Spears, Janet Jackson after online criticism

    ‘I failed’: Justin Timberlake apologises to Britney Spears, Janet Jackson after online criticism

    Justin Timberlake on Friday apologised for moments he “fell short” and condoned misogyny, one week after the release of a blockbuster documentary on Britney Spears saw the behaviour of the former boy band star come under sharp criticism.

    The film, produced by FX and The New York Times, explores the vitriol both the media and entertainment industry aimed at Spears, who soared to global fame before publicly suffering a mental health crisis and becoming a paparazzi punching bag in the mid-to-late 2000s.

    Spears and Timberlake famously dated several years around the turn of the millennium, having met as children while cast members of Disney’s Mickey Mouse Club variety show.

    The popular narrative of their breakup cast Spears as a cheating heartbreaker, offering sympathy to Timberlake especially after he released a revenge fantasy music video for the break-up hit Cry Me A River.

    The documentary Framing Britney Spears includes audio from a 2002 radio interview in which Timberlake jokes about the couple’s sex life; Spears for years was needled over the state of her virginity prior to the break-up.

    “So when are you apologising to Britney?” asked Spears fans on social media, flooding Timberlake’s accounts with tags.

    “I’ve seen the messages, tags, comments, and concerns and I want to respond,” Timberlake said Friday on Instagram.

    “I am deeply sorry for the times in my life where my actions contributed to the problem, where I spoke out of turn, or did not speak up for what was right,” he wrote. “I understand that I fell short in these moments and in many others and benefited from a system that condones misogyny and racism.”

    Timberlake, 40, said he “specifically wanted to apologise to Britney Spears and Janet Jackson both individually, because I care for and respect these women and I know I failed.”

    In Jackson’s case, the former NSYNC star was referring to the infamous “wardrobe malfunction” Jackson suffered during a much-watched Super Bowl halftime show when Timberlake appeared to pull off part of her outfit and expose her breast.

    The 2004 scandal triggered widespread outcry, with much of the criticism aimed at Jackson.

    In both cases Jackson’s and Spears’ careers took serious hits, while Timberlake’s popularity remained largely unscathed.

    “As a man in a privileged position I have to be vocal about this,” Timberlake wrote, nearly two decades after the incidents in question.

    “Because of my ignorance, I didn’t recognise it for all that it was while it was happening in my own life but I do not want to ever benefit from others being pulled down again.”

    “I have not been perfect in navigating all of this throughout my career,” Timberlake added. “I know this apology is the first step and doesn’t absolve the past. I want to take accountability for my missteps in all of this as well as be part of a world that uplifts and supports.”

    Timberlake is now married to actress Jessica Biel.

    The documentary’s release this month has triggered renewed scrutiny of the conservatorship Spears, 39, has lived under since 2008, a legal guardianship dictating the course of her life and finances that’s largely been steered by her father Jamie.

    Spears filed last year to remove her father from the conservatorship and give sole power over her estate to a financial institution. Her court-appointed lawyer says she’s “afraid” of her father.

    On Thursday a judge ruled that both Spears’ father and Bessemer Trust would oversee the pop star’s finances, denying Jamie Spears’ bid to keep sole power to delegate investments.

    Spears’ lawyer did not seek Thursday to remove Jamie Spears’ from the legal arrangement normally intended for the elderly or infirm, but has not ruled out doing so in the future.

    The next hearing is set for March 17.

  • Four soldiers martyred in Waziristan attack

    Four soldiers were martyred in an attack on security forces post in Makeen area of South Waziristan late Thursday night, the military’s media wing said on Friday.

    In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that troops killed four alleged militants in retaliation.

    During the exchange of fire, four soldiers had embraced martyrdom, including Lance Naik Imran Ali, Sepoy Atif Jahangir, Sepoy Anees-ur-Rehman and Sepoy Aziz, the ISPR said, adding that “area sanitisation” was in progress following the attack.

    President Dr Arif Alvi condemned the terrorist attack and expressed grief over the martyrdom of army personnel. He expressed his condolences to the grieving families and prayed for their strength.

    Last month, security forces had conducted an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the Nargosa area of South Waziristan, killing two terrorists and injuring one, all of whom were reportedly a part of the proscribed terrorist cell, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan’s (TTP) Sajna group.

    “Security forces conducted an IBO in Nargosa area of South Waziristan district,” the military’s media wing had said at the time, adding that all three had been active members of the TTP and experts at making improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

  • ‘Rasode Main Kon Tha’s’ Yashraj Mukhate is back with an epic take on ‘Pawri Ho Rai Hai’

    ‘Rasode Main Kon Tha’s’ Yashraj Mukhate is back with an epic take on ‘Pawri Ho Rai Hai’

    Rasode Main Kon Tha’s Yashraj Mukhate is back with an epic take on Pawri Ho Rai Hai, a viral video trending on social media.

    Mukhate, who became famous overnight after he released a hilarious rap featuring Saath Nibhaana Saathiya’s Kokilaben, Gopi bahu and Rashi, has now made a video of the girl vacationing in Northern Pakistan while saying “Yeh humari party ho rahi hai“. Mukhate created the video after many Pakistani and Indian fans tagged him in the video and requested him to make a rap on it.

    Sharing the video on social media, Mukhate wrote: “Aaj se me party nahi karunga sirf pawri karunga. Kyuki party karneme wo mazaa nahi jo pawri karneme hai (From now on I will only do ‘pawri’ instead of party. Because partying is not as fun than pawriing).”

    According to details, the girl who posted the original video is an Instagram influencer Dananeer. While commenting on Mukhate post, even she couldn’t stop praising the rap version.

    Meanwhile, Pawri Ho Rai Hai has become a trend on social media with many people including celebrities creating their own take on it.

    Here are some of the videos:

    https://twitter.com/MemonHizba/status/1359911934146019331?s=19

    This is not the first time that Mukhate used a Pakistani viral video to make a rap. Earlier, he used a video from a Pakistani show, in which the girl was mimicking street hawkers who sell Garam Anday (boiled eggs) on the streets.

  • Strong earthquake jolts country

    Strong earthquake jolts country

    A strong earthquake of reportedly 6.4 magnitude on the Richter scale jolted different parts of the country on Friday night.

    The tremors were felt in the federal capital and cities across Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), including Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Mardan, North Waziristan, Swat, Multan, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Lahore and adjoining areas.

    No losses of property or lives have so far been reported.

    However, panic spread amid the tremors as people were seen evacuating their houses and other buildings, reciting the Kalma.

    The epicenter of the quake is being reported as Tajikistan.

    Citizens have been advised to remain careful as the aftershocks of the earthquake are expected.

  • PCB defends Naseebo Lal, ‘Groove Mera’

    PCB defends Naseebo Lal, ‘Groove Mera’

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday defended its decision to hire Naseebo Lal, Aima Baig and Young Stunners to perform the anthem of the sixth edition of Pakistan Super League (PSL).

    According to a report, a PCB spokesperson said that the three artists were chosen to do the song as the board wanted to feature voices that were new and had not sung any PSL anthem before.

    “Naseebo Lal is an extremely talented, underutilised vocalist whose voice has the strength to carry this cricket anthem,” the official is reported to have said. He further added that Aima gave young energy to the anthem. 

    The spokesperson said that Young Stunners were a “natural choice” to be a part of the anthem as they are leaders in the country’s hip-hop scene.

    “Cricket and music have always formed a natural union in Pakistan. The thought process was to pave the way for a new sound of cricket in Pakistan that appeals to the multi-dimensional audience that comes with Pakistan’s biggest cricketing event,” added the spokesperson.

    Meanwhile, PSL also shared a behind the scenes (BTS) video of the song’s shoot in which the singers spoke about the song and their role in it.

    “It feels so good because this is the first time I’ve done a project which is making me happy,” said Naseebo in the video.

    “My groove is my beloved Pakistan and the camera is also my groove,” added the singer.

    On the other hand, the song’s producer Zulfiqar Jabbar (Xulfi) while talking about cricket and music, said: “There is one thing common in cricket and music, which is rhythm. You might have heard commentators talking about a bowler’s rhythm and rhythm is excitingly called as ‘groove’.”

    Elaborating further, Xulfi said: “We usually say that if Shaheen Afridi has taken 4 wickets in a match, then on that day, he’s in groove.”

    “Groove Mera is everyone’s groove in PSL. This can be anyone’s groove – a commentator’s groove or a cricketer, batsman, baller or we all musicians and artists’ groove, who are singing or it may be yours [public] as well,” he continued.

    Xulfi further said that he “could feel Naseebo’s voice echoing in the stadium.”

    “We knew how to get the balance among Naseebo, Aima and the Young Stunners. We exactly knew what their vibe is separately and we then made a connecting melody, which is basically the hook of the song,” he added.

    “It is the hybrid of all the personalities of the singers, who are in this song,” he concluded.

    Meanwhile, Aima speaking about the song said: “The anthem’s vibe is pretty street and I really like it because our public really like street songs and music and it is very festive EDM. Overall I love the vibe.”

    Groove Mera has created a stir with social media divided on the song. While many including Shoaib Akhtar slammed the song, other celebrities including Mehwish Hayat, Adnan Siddiqui, Faysal Quraishi, Haroon Shahid and Farhan Saeed praised the anthem and its composition.

    Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan also criticised the song. Talking to media, Dr Awan said that she did not like it at all, adding that it “could have been improved further”.

    Referring to Naseebo as Pakistan’s ‘laal,’ or beloved, Dr Awan said: “Here we were representing the league in front of international players. This is not district-level league. The Lal should have been presented as a jewel and voice of the nation.”

    “If there is any chance of improvement, then we should go for it,” she concluded.

  • Quaid-e-Azam House Museum in Karachi to be converted into a nation-building institute

    The Jinnah Society and the Sindh Government’s Culture Department have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to convert Quaid-e-Azam House Museum in Karachi into a nation-building research institute, Samaa News has reported. The building will be used for different learning activities including educational and cultural activities.

    Under the MoU, a board of management has been formed who will look after the building and the proposed institute.

    Jinnah’s grandnephew Liaquat Merchant and Ikram Sehgal of the Karachi Council of Foreign Relations will serve as the vice-chairpersons of the board while the Sindh chief minister will be the ex-officio chairperson of the institute.

    Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah attended the MoU signing ceremony as the chief guest while Sindh Culture Minister Sardar Shah and Arts Council Chairman Ahmed Shah were among the attendees.

    Speaking at the event, CM Murad said that the proposed institute would become the learning ground for the next generation. He said the new institute would be able to produce researchers who will come up with the correct version of their history.

    The Quaid-e-Azam House is located on the crossing of Shahra e Faisal and Fatima Jinnah Road, Karachi. It was designed by British architect Moses Somake as was initially referred to as the Flagstaff House before turning into Quaid-e-Azam House. Muhammad Ali Jinnah purchased the house in 1943 and used it as his personal residence.

  • Last-minute Valentine’s Day gift ideas

    Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. While celebrations will be slightly different this year given the pandemic, it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t celebrate the day of love. If you have not yet bought any gift for your loved one(s), then do not fret. The Current has compiled a list of gifts you can still buy or order online before Valentine’s.

    For Book Lovers

    If your partner is into reading then you can buy a very nice book for him/her and complement it with some flowers and chocolates. You can either order books from Readings or Liberty Books.

    For Foodies

    For food lovers, frozen food packets are the best gift they can enjoy while watching their favourite series or a movie. You can simply deliver get them at their doorsteps via Cornish Meat (if in Lahore) or from Naheed.pk (if in Islamabad or Karachi). In any case, most big department stores across the country are offering home delivery now.

    Perfumes

    A perfume is perhaps the easiest and quickest gift ever and one that is actually a great one too. Buy a good cologne/perfume for your beloved with a cute handwritten note to make them feel special during these tough COVID days.

    Gullmit can deliver in Lahore and if you are in Karachi you can buy perfume from Chase.pk.

    Customized Basket

    Head to your nearest flower shop for a customized flower basket on Valentine’s Day. You can always accessorize the basket with some of their favourite chocolates.

    Wrist Watch

    Watches are durable and long-lasting. They’re one of the only gifts that can be worn on a daily basis.

    Jewellery

    The right necklace, bracelet, earrings or other piece can brighten up any big day. Check Tesoro or Limelight for some pretty jewellery designs.

  • ‘Horse-trading video’: Ex-CM Khattak, Asad Qaiser exempted from probe

    ‘Horse-trading video’: Ex-CM Khattak, Asad Qaiser exempted from probe

    The committee set up by the prime minister to investigate horse-trading during the Senate election in 2018 — following a leaked video of lawmakers taking money — will not probe Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak and National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser because allegations against the duo are levelled by “liars”.

    This was stated by Science and Technology Minister Fawad Chaudhry while speaking to a local media outlet. According to Fawad, those who levelled allegations — Ubaidullah Mayar and Zahid Durrani-– have “sold their conscience”.

    Fawad is part of the three-member committee alongside Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari and PM’s accountability aide Shahzad Akbar that would fix the responsibility in this case.

    “The PTI leaders will not be probed on the basis of allegations levelled by those who sold their conscience as their accusations are not worthy,” the federal minister quoted by The News as saying. The committee would investigate as to who was the beneficiary of these bribes.

    ‘LEAKED VIDEO’:

    On Tuesday, the video first released by ARY News showed lawmakers belonging to the now ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) counting bundles of cash and then stashing the same in a bag.

    The video showed how, during the critical period, loyalties were switched by PTI’s 20 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa lawmakers, all of whom were reportedly expelled by the party’s central leadership after an investigation. The money was dished out in Feb-March 2018, it was reported.

    A day after the video was leaked to the media, ex-PTI MPA Ubaidullah Mayar admitted to taking Rs10 million in bribe ahead of the elections in 2018 on the “directives of then chief minister Pervaiz Khattak”.

    Mayar had said the PTI government had paid Rs10 million to all the MPAs and then recorded it on camera without their knowledge. He said the video was shot at the residence of then KP Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser — the custodian of the National Assembly now.

    Khattak and Qaiser paid “us money and asked to vote for their candidates”. “At that time, Pervez Khattak had formed a committee of 17 MPAs and asked us to vote for them, paid us the money, and promised to give us party’s tickets,” he alleged

    Both Khattak and Qaiser had denied these allegations.

    It may be noted that the damning video comes at a time when Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan expresses aims to hold Senate elections through open ballot in 2021 in a bid to eliminate horse-trading. Defending his party’s move to hold the elections through open ballot, the premier had last week spoken of bribes paid to buy loyalties, revealing that he himself had been offered some.

    On February 6, President Dr Arif Alvi signed Elections (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 that will pave way for the organisation of Senate elections through open ballot. But the Supreme Court is hearing a presidential reference in this regard and is expected to announce its decision on the secret ballot soon.

  • Govt allows private companies to import COVID-19 vaccine

    Govt allows private companies to import COVID-19 vaccine

    The government will allow private companies to import coronavirus vaccines and has agreed to exempt such imports from price caps as the world scrambles to secure supplies.

    The documents show the National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination division had sought a special cabinet exemption to allow for such imports while excluding the imported vaccines from the strict price cap regime that is typically applied to all drug sales within the country.

    The federal cabinet, the documents suggest, has approved the proposal.

    State Minister of Health Dr Faisal Sultan said that the government still planned to inoculate its population for free and only a “small minority” who wish to pay for the shots will have that option in the open market.

    “Only those who wish to get it via private sector will pay anything,” he said. “Personally, my assessment is that when the vaccines are available and we have market competition, that will automatically set the prices.”

    Pakistan began rolling out the anti-coronavirus jabs last week after receiving half a million shots of the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine.

    As per the roll-out plan, the vaccine will first be made available to more than 400,000 doctors and frontline healthcare workers, teachers and social workers because they run the highest risk of exposure to the contagious disease.

    After that, the shots will be provided to citizens over the age of 65, who generally face a higher mortality risk from the virus.

    Pakistan received its first tranche of the Sinopharm jabs, given by China as a “gift”, on Tuesday last week. The shipment marked the first shots to be imported into the country where more than 550,000 cases of the disease have been reported since the outbreak in February last.

    In addition, the government is due to receive a further 1.1 million doses of the Sinopharm vaccine by the end of this month, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had announced late last month.