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  • Nine people arrested after mob sets ablaze Hindu temple in Karak

    Nine people arrested after mob sets ablaze Hindu temple in Karak

    After a mob provoked by local clerics destroyed a Hindu temple in Karak, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, on Wednesday, police have detained nine suspects in the case.

    Videos making rounds on social media showed thick smoke billowing from the site as men used hammers to damage the walls of the building. They also set it on fire.

    Local clerics had told authorities that they would be organising a peaceful protest against the alleged expansion of the 100-year-old temple, Rahmatullah Wazir, a police officer told news agency, Reuters. But the clerics started giving “provocative speeches,” prompting the mob to set the temple ablaze.

    Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari condemned the attack and urged the provincial government to “ensure culprits [are] brought to justice.”

    District police chief Irfanullah Khan told Reuters nine suspects had been arrested following the attack.

    The temple, first built in the early 1900s as a shrine, was vandalised in 1997. In 2015, the Supreme Court ordered it be reconstructed. 

    “We will stage a protest in front of the Supreme Court against the attack on our temple which is one of the four largest holy sites of the Hindu community in Pakistan,” Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, head of the Pakistan Hindu Council and a ruling party lawmaker, told Germany’s dpa news agency.

    “This is not the first incident of its kind, unfortunately intolerance towards religious minorities has been growing in Pakistan for the last five years, with more frequent attacks on places of worship,” said Hindu rights activist Kapil Dev.

    In July, a mob attacked the construction site of the first Hindu temple in the capital, Islamabad.

  • Mohammad Asif accuses PTI’s Faisal Javed of meddling in players’ selection process

    Former Pakistan right-hand fast bowler Muhammad Asif has levelled serious allegations against Senator Faisal Javed Khan and accused him of meddling in the affairs of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

    In a recent interview with former Test Cricketers Shahid Nazeer and Shahnawaz Khan, Asif blasted the board for not doing enough for the promotion of cricket.

    Asif also claimed that under the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, the Pakistan cricket team is selected by Senator Faisal Javed Khan, adding that Waqar Younis, Misbah-ul-Haq and Younus Khan were pathetic coaches.

    “This team is not picked by Waqar, Younus or Misbah, it is selected by Faisal Javed Khan,” said the former pacer, adding: “As players, Misbah, Waqar and Younus were good but they are pathetic as coaches.”

    “They do not have any dignity or ego, they only know to say ‘Yes Sir’. Team will fail under their coaching,” said Asif further.

    Asif was banned for five years for his involvement in the 2010 spot-fixing scandal that left the cricketing world in shock. He hasn’t played for Pakistan since then. While he made his domestic comeback, he wasn’t given a second chance like left-arm seamer Mohammad Amir.

    Meanwhile, speaking exclusively to The Current, Senator Faisal Javed rubbished the claims and said that he has no idea why Asif is levelling such allegations.

    “These allegations are absolutely baseless,” said Senator Faisal. “I have no interaction with Misbah or any other official of the board. Whatever decision they take is their own and they are responsible for it. Our government has empowered the board completely and do not meddle in their business.”

    “Misbah is the most empowered PCB official and he is the one responsible for the selection and everything that follows,” added Senator Faisal.

    Talking further, Senator Faisal said that he offers his suggestions and advice to the board on social media and radio just like any other cricket aficionado.

    “I have been doing cricket commentary for 15 years now and often give my suggestions on social media or in talk shows,” said the senior leader. “Aur mazay ki baat yeh hai that the board always does the opposite of what I suggest. So I don’t know why Asif made such a shocking comment.”

    When asked about his thoughts on Pakistan’s performance in New Zealand, Senator Faisal said that “major improvements are needed”.

    “The team was not prepared and the team combinations were bad,” said the Senator. “I don’t understand why they did not take Shoaib Malik. He’s is in excellent form for T20.”

    “I understand they wanted to give younger players a chance, but it is always better to have a mix of both.”

    Senator Faisal also lauded Fawad Alam for his performance, saying that he should have been brought on the field earlier.

  • Anushka Sharma glows as she poses with her baby bump

    Anushka Sharma glows as she poses with her baby bump

    With weeks to go before baby Sharma-Kohli arrives, Anushka Sharma has opened up about her pandemic pregnancy and posed for the cover of Vogue India with her baby bump.

    Sharing details about her pregnancy, Sharma revealed that she felt exhausted and nauseous during her first trimester. She said that couldn’t go near the kitchen as she couldn’t stand the smell of things.

    “Smells would revolt me, I couldn’t go near the kitchen. I swear, I could smell people’s skin. I thought it was never going to end,” said Anushka. “I didn’t think I could feel so tired. I am an active person and it was startling, but even when you’re in pain, or uncomfortable, you are still thinking: have I eaten at the right time? Is the baby okay?”

    The actor also revealed that she was hooked to eating toast and crackers during the first three months and when that ended she wanted to eat vada pao and bhel puri. But other than that she did not have any major cravings, unlike Gigi Hadid who shared that she was hooked to eating spices.

    Anushka also said that the pandemic turned out to be a “weird blessing” for the couple.

    “The pandemic has been a weird blessing in a way. Virat was around and I could keep it a secret. We only left to go to the doctor’s clinic. No one was on the streets so we couldn’t be spotted,” said the actor.

    Meanwhile, a self-confessed planner, Sharma revealed that her child’s animal-themed nursery is complete.

    “I just want to be prepared. Everything is slower because of the times we are living in and I don’t like to rush things. This time in my life, even more so,” she says. “I want the nursery to be very calm. It’s the place where you spend the most amount of time, where you are bonding with your baby, so it has to be peaceful.”

    Sharing details about the nursery’s theme, Sharma said: “I don’t believe that boys have to wear blue and girls pink. The nursery has all colours. Both Virat and I love animals and we want our baby to have that bond too. They are a big part of our lives and we really believe they can teach kindness and compassion to children.”

    Anushka and Virat are expected to welcome their bundle of joy in January 2021. Their announcement tweet was the most-liked tweet of 2020.

  • Bomb scare creates panic at Karachi airport

    Panic gripped at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport following the detection of an unclaimed suspicious bag beeping on a motorbike in the parking area by the Civil Aviation Authority.

    As per details, around 03:15 pm in the afternoon, CAA viligance and cargo staff informed the security staff about a suspicious cotton pooch hanging from a motorbike, with a beeping sound coming from it.

    A bomb disposal squad (BDS) was immediately called. They reached the site and defused the device.

    The BDS confirmed that the device did not carry any explosive material but it did carry flammable material which was capable of starting a fire.

    The airport police took the motorbike in custody and the area was marked clear.

    The bike owner was identified as Sundeep Kumar who works as a guard at the Royal Airport Services, Malir SSP Irfan Ali Bahadur confirmed.

    According to the owner, he had installed a flashing device at the Chota Gate, Malir and insisted that it was just a flashing device. Police verified the bike owner’s statement by the mechanic who had installed the flash device and later handed over the bike back to Sundeep.

  • Did you know Pierre Cardin also designed uniforms for PIA?

    Legendary French fashion designer Pierre Cardin passed away at the age of 98 on Tuesday at a hospital in Neuilly in western Paris.

    Confirming the news, his family in a statement said: “It is a day of great sadness for all our family. Pierre Cardin is no more. Italian by birth, Pierre Cardin never forgot his origins while bringing unconditional love to France.”

    Despite coming from a lower middle-class background, Cardin managed to make big name for himself in the fashion industry, particularly in the 1960s and ’70s, when he upended traditional fashion with his futuristic, avant-garde looks. He became known for his visionary creations, shaking up fashion with bubble dresses and geometrical designs.

    During that time, Cardin also made contributions to the Pakistani fashion industry and designed uniforms for Pakistan International Airline’s (PIA) staff. According to the website history of PIA, uniforms designed by Cardin were the official uniform of PIA’s staff from 1966 to 1975.

    “In 1966, Pierre Cardin, the renowned French fashion designer, came up with the legendary fawn colour uniform for summer and moss green uniform for winter,” reads a post on the website. “The uniform consisted of a short, easy fitting “A” line tunic, slim-line trousers and imaginatively moulded dupatta that not only covered heads but also turned heads.”

    “The uniform became an instant hit and the slim-line trousers were dubbed as ‘PIA Pajamas’. Fashion-conscious young ladies, all across Pakistan, copied Cardin’s design eagerly,” it adds.

  • International furniture brand ‘IKEA’ is coming to Pakistan

    IKEA, a multinational conglomerate that designs and sells ready-to-assemble furniture, is ready to launch its operations in Pakistan, Pakistan’s ambassador to Germany Dr Mohammad Faisal has announced.

    Dr Faisal said that he recently met with an official of IKEA, Dieter Mettke who will lead the launching of IKEA’s operations in Pakistan.

    “Met Dieter Mettke IKEA Deutschland. He is going to Pakistan to be in charge of Ikea operations,” Ambassador Faisal had written in a now-deleted tweet. “We look forward to Ikea opening up stores in major cities of Pakistan.”

    Read more – In a first, Hugo Boss places sportswear order with Pakistan

    Founded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kamprad, IKEA is one of the world’s largest furniture retailer since 2008. It has 271 stores in Europe, 65 in North America, 14 in the Middle East, 11 in Oceania, 2 in Africa and 82 in Asia. In August 2018, IKEA launched its sore in India. IKEA opened its first store in 1958 in Älmhult, Sweden.

  • ‘The most beautiful human being’: Shahbaz Shigri pens loving note for Aima Baig

    Shahbaz Shigri has penned a love note for beau Aima Baig, calling her the “most beautiful human being”.

    Sharing a picture of the two from Aima’s sister’s wedding, Shigri expressed his love for his “better half”, writing: “The most beautiful, amazing, magnanimous and wholesomely awesome human being I have ever met in my life, and that’s Aima next to him.”

    “I’m kidding. All those descriptive words actually apply to her, and still, they aren’t enough,” he continued.

    Shigri also thanked Aima for tolerating him, adding: “I promise it only gets worst, so hold on tight.”

    The duo made things official earlier this year with Shigri announcing the news on social media. In an Instagram post, he revealed that Aima is his “better half”. Sharing a picture of himself and the singer in Los Angeles, Shigri swooned over Baig’s smile adding that she is his “partner in crime, homie, companion and a whole bunch of other things which, if I began listing down, would turn up the cringe level to a million”.

  • Nawaz won’t return, PML-N lawmakers won’t resign: Sheikh Rasheed

    After the Pakistan People’s Party expressed its reluctance to quit the national and provincial assemblies, Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed commented that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) too will follow suit and step back from its decision to quit parliament.

    In a conversation with the media, he talked about the Senate elections and the opposition’s participation in the polls. Rasheed said in spite of the PPP reportedly wanting Nawaz Sharif to come back, the PML-N supreme leader will stay in London.

    The PML-N members will not submit their resignations from the national or provincial assemblies as they have claimed, he claimed, adding that the party will even take part in the by-polls.

    He said the PML-N lawmakers are already agitated after the National Assembly speaker summoned two of them to verify their resignation letters that were allegedly sent to the secretariat on the respective official letterheads. He was referring to controversial resignation letters that the PML-N leaders claimed were submitted to the party, but they found their way to the speaker’s office.

    Rasheed also appreciated PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari’s political acumen, saying the former president was a good politician but PM Imran Khan was doing better than him.

    Zardari had recently suggested that the PDM should focus on its fight against the government instead of dictating each other on how to go about it.

    He had made made these comments in an apparent reference to the calls for resignations supported by the PML-N and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

  • 2020 rewind: News that brought a smile to our faces

    2020 rewind: News that brought a smile to our faces

    2020 has pretty much been all about COVID-19 and the pandemic. The year has perhaps been one of the most challenging ones in recent times and has been difficult for everyone. As the year nears its end, The Current decided to look back and reflect upon some happy moments which brought a smile to our faces.

    Kaavan’s Relocation to Cambodia

    After spending years chained in Islamabad Zoo, the world’s former ‘loneliest elephant’ Kaavan was relocated to a local sanctuary in Cambodia where he will spend the rest of his days in the open and among his own. Kaavan’s freedom was assisted by American singer Cher, who came to Pakistan to personally see Kaavan off. She also welcomed the elephant in Cambodia with a very cute nameplate.

    As per the latest details, Kaavan has found new friends in Cambodia and has been spotted enjoying himself at his new home.

    Kavaan’s case and relocation also paved the way for other animals to be relieved of their plight. A few weeks after he left, two brown Himalayan bears at the Islamabad Zoo Suzie and Babloo were sent to a sanctuary in Jordan where they will be rehabilitated and nursed to health. Following their departure, the Islamabad Zoo was shut down.

    Tough anti-rape law

    The federal cabinet approved tough new anti-rape law under which special courts will be established to speed up rape trials and convicted rapists and perpetrators will be chemically castrated. It also prohibits the disclosure of the identity of rape victims and will create a national sex offenders’ register.

    Increased exports

    Pakistan’s exports for the month of November passed the $2 billion mark amid a resurgence of economic activity after the coronavirus lockdown. As per reports, Pakistan’s move to loosen pandemic restrictions early has helped the nation’s exports emerge stronger than its South Asian peers including India and Bangladesh.

    Construction of Hindu Temple

    The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) approved the construction of a new temple for minority Hindus, ruling that Islamic law allows minorities a place of worship. The CII also allowed the government to hand over the temple site as well as its adjoining Dharamshala (community centre) in Saidpur village of Islamabad to the Hindu community “so that it can offer religious rites as per their beliefs”. Many people including celebrities like Hamza Ali Abbasi lauded the initiative.

    Mahira Khan, Dr Sania Nishtar among BBC’s ‘100 women of 2020’

    Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection Dr Sania Nishtar and Mahira Khan were listed among BBC’s ‘100 women of 2020‘. According to the publication, the list included “100 inspiring and influential women from around the world for 2020”.

    “This year 100 Women is highlighting those who are leading change and making a difference during these turbulent times,” said the publication.

    While Mahira was lauded for her outspoken views against sexual violence, refusal to endorse skin-lightening creams and supporting the fight against racism, Dr Nishtar was honoured for “spearheading the transformative Ehsaas Poverty Alleviation programme, which has improved the livelihoods of millions of Pakistanis by providing mobile banking and savings accounts, and other basic resources.”

    It is pertinent to add here that Mahira was also part of the inaugural Forbes Asia’s 100 Digital Stars list, along with Aiman Khan and Atif Aslam. The list highlighted celebrities from across the Asia Pacific region who have taken the digital world by storm.

    Have more good news to share? Let us know in the comments.

  • 8 Pakistani women among world’s ‘100 outstanding nurses and midwives’

    Eight women from Pakistan have been listed among the World’s 100 outstanding Nurses and Midwives.

    To acknowledge the work of nurses and midwives amidst a global pandemic, the World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Nursing Now, International Council of Nurses (ICN), International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), and Women in Global Health (WGH), have compiled a list of World’s 100 Outstanding Nurses and Midwives.

    The list features the achievements and contributions of nurses and midwives from 43 countries and across six global regions.

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also congratulated the women on being recognised for their work.

    Here are the details of five of the eight women who made it to the list :

    Rozina Karmaliani, Board & Management – Midwife Nurse

    Dr Rozina Karmaliani is a Professor and Interim Dean at the School of Nursing and Midwifery and joint faculty with the Department of Community Health Sciences at Aga Khan University (AKU). Dr Rozina Karmaliani has spent decades working to inspire and empower others. Her efforts are currently focused on improving adolescent health, the development and strengthening of research capacities, and the integration of research into education and practice.

    Samina Vertejee, Community Hero – Nurse

    Samina Vertejee is an Assistant Professor at Aga Khan University School of Nursing and Midwifery (AKUSONAM). She brings together her practical and academic expertise to effect policy change for the care of older people. Recognising the gap in knowledge needed to properly care for Pakistan’s ageing population, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic due to their unique vulnerabilities, Vertejee has taken up the challenge at the policy level to improve the welfare of the country’s growing number of older people.

    Saima Sachwani, Human Capital Development: Midwife Nurse

    Ms Sachwani is an Assistant Professor and Section Head of the Public Health Stream, Aga Khan University School of Nursing and Midwifery (AKUSONAM). As a determined public health advocate and educator, her current focus is on creating awareness about the role of nurses in helping achieve universal health coverage. She was the first in Pakistan to introduce simulation into the community health nursing curriculum, with a lasting positive impact on teaching.

    Yasmin Nadeem Parpio, Community Hero: Nurse

    Yasmin Nadeem Parpio is an Assistant Professor at Aga Khan University School of Nursing and Midwifery (AKUSONAM). Yasmin works tirelessly to strengthen nursing curricula and to optimise the learning experiences of nursing students. She is currently undertaking a PhD on the subject of how building social skills among adolescents can reduce stress and improve resilience and quality of life. She also works on a voluntary basis with the local geriatric population, arranging regular educational sessions and working on yearly activity plans, and has established a peer support group.

    Marina Baig, Innovation, Science & Health: MidwifeNurse

    Marina Baig is a senior instructor at the Aga Khan University (AKU) School of Nursing and Midwifery. Her work on the use of mobile health (mHealth) technology to improve antenatal care coverage and skilled delivery in rural settings is exemplary and could serve as an innovative strategy in improving maternal health outcomes. Her contributions in developing an interactive e-book on women-centred reproductive health care focused on family planning and post-abortion care has been recognised as another key development in midwifery education in Pakistan.