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  • ‘You want a three-year extension for Gen Bajwa, will it be 20 years for a better general?’ CJP reportedly asks govt

    With hearing of the case pertaining to Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s extension resuming Thursday, the Supreme Court (SC) has once again put the government in a tight spot as it asked “if a better general would be given a 20-year extension”.

    “You’re seeking a three-year extension for now. If another general, who is exceptional, comes next, will you give him a 20-year extension?” journalist Omar Qureshi quoted the three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Asif Saeed Khan Khosa, as asking the government representatives.

    Earlier, the bench resumed hearing the petition challenging the extension of COAS Gen Bajwa. As proceedings continued, the CJP asked Attorney General (AG) Anwar Mansoor Khan to present the notifications regarding the extension in the tenure of former army chief Gen (r) Ashfaq Pervez Kayani and retirement of Gen Raheel Sharif.

    “We were told yesterday that generals never retire,” remarked CJP Khosa.

    The AG informed the court that Gen Bajwa had been reappointed under Article 243, to which the CJP remarked that the government had to convince the court that it was legal.

    The SC then reserved the verdict that will be announced later in the day by a 10-member full court.

    On Wednesday night, the federal government, aided by the military’s counsel, drafted a new summary removing all legal lacunas pointed out by the apex court earlier in the day.

    The paperwork was completed with the assistance, for the first time, of the Judge Advocate General (JAG) Branch of the General Headquarters (GHQ), according to The News.

    Those privy to the developments told the publication that input from the JAG Branch was sought by the ministry concerned, which had till then failed to produce the required documents and after the SC highlighted serious errors in the drafts presented in court.

    The fresh summary was inked by midnight and has replaced the words “re-appointment” with “extension in service”. Once finalised, the summary was sent to the federal cabinet through a circulation process late on Wednesday night and then submitted to the president, who issued the requisite notification.

  • “Allah is watching and He knows what’s in your heart,” says singer Akon

    “Allah is watching and He knows what’s in your heart,” says singer Akon

    Akon was in the UAE this week and and instead of singing his famous tunes, he delivered a keynote address at the Sharjah Entrepreneurial Festival.

    He spoke about his journey from being a car thief to becoming one of the biggest pop stars but said that his social entrepreneurship is what gives him the most satisfaction.

    Originally from Senegal, Akon is a Grammy award winning singer and has now launched a solar-powered energy project of his own. He says that his decisions are based on his faith and there is a spiritual side to business that entrepreneurs ignore.

    “It makes you ask the question: what is success? Is it fame or fortune? Does that measure what success means to you? Or is it faith?” he asked, “For me, real success is faith. If God is not smiling upon me I am not successful. I don’t care even if I have a billion dollars in the bank. And what good am I if have a billion dollars sitting in the bank in the first place?”

    One of Akon’s biggest hits: Right Now (Na Na Na)

    Akon had spoken to The National, a UAE based newspaper and said that he was born a Muslim and in some places of Senegal it was considered haram. But he said that the intention has to be good and even in daily prayers, “we pray in melody.”

    He also added that he would not judge anyone because, “at the end of the day, Allah is watching and he knows what is in your heart.”

    Akon was going to visit Pakistan in April of this year but was not able to. In January he had uploaded this message for PM Khan,

  • Are Ahad & Sajal getting married in March 2020?

    Are Ahad & Sajal getting married in March 2020?

    Rumours are strong that Pakistan’s ‘it’ celebrity couple, Ahad Raza Mir and Sajal Aly are tying the knot in March 2020 and that too in Turkey.

    While there has been no official confirmation from the two, speculations are rife and fans are excited for the wedding.

    Ahad and Sajal announced their engagement in early June, though people say that the two made it official months before they revealed the news to their fans. Hence, it is quite likely that the two will secretly get married before making an official announcement.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/ByYROZ4Ba0f/?utm_source=ig_embed

    Meanwhile, the two are currently setting our screens on fire with their performances and chemistry in Ye Dil Mera which airs on Hum TV every Wednesday.

  • ‘Pakistan ready to boost tech-enabled financial inclusion,’ says Queen Maxima

    ‘Pakistan ready to boost tech-enabled financial inclusion,’ says Queen Maxima

    United Nations (UN) Secretary General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development (UNSGSA) Queen Maxima has said that Pakistan is in a good position for a boost to the technology-enabled financial inclusion, Express Tribune reported.

    According to the details, Queen Maxima in a meeting with State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Governor Reza Baqir said that in the last five years, the country’s start-up tech and fintech ecosystems had made some notable progress in relation to improving their supporting networks.

    She also appreciated the progress made by the SBP and Pakistan with respect to financial inclusion while focusing on gender mainstreaming and digital financial services.

    The queen said it could be helpful to establish a pro-poor gateway for the wider acceptance of micropayment methods and introduce consumers to micropayments on a large scale and supported the steps taken by the SBP for creating a micropayment gateway in 2020.

    She, however, added that while resolving the technical issues was important, it was more challenging to encourage people to engage in digital modes of payment.

    The UNSGSA emphasised that in this regard the inclusion of new players was important, whereby they should not only be competing but also participating in expanding the delivery of services as well.

  • New study reveals all-girls holidays key to happiness

    New study reveals all-girls holidays key to happiness

    An exotic holiday with your best girlfriends sounds like a fabulous idea and not that you needed any reason to go on one, but new research has revealed that girls’ holidays are actually key to keeping happy – AND they have a positive impact on our overall health.

    According to social-personality psychologist William Chopik, friendships “are a way to derive all the benefits of being in a relationship with someone without the enormity of it.”

    He explained that friendships enrich a person’s life and generally makes them happier, adding, “These are relationships of choice. You choose to hang out together because you enjoy each other’s company.”

    Speaking specifically about a girls trip, Dr Chopnik said that such holidays allow you to connect more with your pals.

    “You can sit down, look them in the eye, have a true back-and-forth and read each other’s body language. They can see you and your facial expressions. You’re emotionally responding to things and you can pick up on their emotions. You don’t always get that through a phone call.”

    Meanwhile, a recent study by Harvard University also found that going away with friends has noticeable health benefits because “social connections like these not only give pleasure, they also influence our long-term health in ways every bit as powerful as adequate sleep, a good diet and not smoking.”

  • What do Pakistani men like to wear on their shaadi?

    Shadi season is in full swing and the hardest decision one has to make is what to wear and what not to wear, especially for the bride and groom. While the bride has a lot of options with different colors and styles. Groom has very limited options and the survey shows what Pakistani men prefer to wear on their Shaadi.

    26% Pakistanis chose simple shalwar kameez and sherwani. Only 16% selected coat-suit as their option. Then there was the 1% that didn’t even know how to respond. The winner outfit is Shalwar Kameez with a waistcoat. 30% of Pakistani chose Shalwar Kameez with a waistcoat as the best clothing option for a groom.


    The survey was created by the Gilani Research Foundation Survey and carried out by Gallup & Gilani Pakistan.

  • JUI-F’s Mufti Kifayatullah injured in attempt on life

    JUI-F’s Mufti Kifayatullah injured in attempt on life

    Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam’s (JUI-F) senior leader Mufti Kifayatullah was injured in an assassination attempt near Mansehra Interchange on Wednesday morning, Geo News reported. 

    According to the details, Kifayatullah along with his two sons and a companion were travelling to Mansehra from Islamabad when another vehicle hit their car from behind and stopped it near Mansehra Interchange.

    The attackers tried to pull the JUI-F leader from his car and attacked them with iron rods, leaving all inhabitants of the car wounded.

    Mufti and the others were later shifted to the King Abdullah Teaching Hospital Mansehra for treatment. 

    Police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the attack.

    Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan’s former wife Reham Khan has condemned the attack and said, “If the culprits behind this attack are not arrested immediately we will consider that the incumbent government is itself involved in this attack”.

  • Did PU cancel the degree of the main organiser of Students Solidarity March?

    Did PU cancel the degree of the main organiser of Students Solidarity March?

    It has been alleged that Punjab University has cancelled the degree of the student who is the main organizer of the students solidarity march.

    Activist Ammar Ali Jan took to twitter and wrote that “Hasnain, who was an M.Phil student of political science at Punjab University, has had his degree canceled”, adding that targeting Jameel was proof of the fact that the university administrations were afraid of the rising power of students.

    Journalist Rabia Mehmood has stated on Twitter that the student was never given a warning. He was also barred from entering Punjab University’s campus.

    In a viral video, Hasnain Jameel, was seen playing the drums with his friends singing  ‘Sarfaroshi ki tamana’ during the campaign for the march at the Faiz International Festival.

    Not entirely true

    According to PU mouthpiece, the student has been declared persona non grata. He has 15 days to challenge the “indiscriminate” decision also taken against Jamiat students in light of campus unrest earlier this year. He can seek an apology, but might not even need to do so since he is from an earlier session of MPhil.

  • Sanam Chauhdry gets married

    Sanam Chauhdry gets married

    It’s wedding season all around. After Ali Xeeshan and Zainab Abbas, actor Sanam Chauhdry tied the knot in an afternoon wedding.

    The Ghar Titli Ka Par actor shared pictures from her Nikkah on Instagram, surprising fans.

    The big moment

    Awww

    Sanam’s husband Somee Chohan is a Punjabi singer and composer, based in Brooklyn, New York

    Girl gang

    The one with Mama

    Earlier, in July, there were reports that Sanam had quit acting and will be settling abroad. However, Sanam slammed the rumours and said: “It is a rumor and not true, I have worked so much in the past two years without a break that now I am on a vacation and that is it,” adding that she has several projects in the pipeline.

    Wishing the happy couple all the very best.

  • Extension or no extension? All you need to know about Gen Bajwa’s case hearing from Wednesday

    Extension or no extension? All you need to know about Gen Bajwa’s case hearing from Wednesday

    A three-member bench of the Supreme Court (SC), headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Asif Saeed Khan Khosa and comprising Justice Mazhar Alam and Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, has adjourned the hearing of the case regarding the extension in service of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa until Thursday morning.

    Here are key points of Wednesday’s hearing as the extension of Gen Bajwa, who is set to retire on November 29, hangs in balance:

    • Federal Law Minister Farogh Naseem, who resigned from office on Tuesday to to represent the army chief, submits his power of attorney to the court
    • CJP asks Attorney General (AG) Anwar Mansoor Khan if the government has accepted the points raised by the court on Tuesday. AG says they have not accepted the mistake.
    • “We will hear everyone as it is an important issue. Earlier, this question was never raised and now that it has been brought forward, all legal aspects will be reviewed. We are not in a hurry,” CJP Khosa remarks.
    • “In the past, five or six generals had their tenures extended by themselves and no one questioned them,” Khosa maintains.
    • Top judge comments on government’s reliance on Article 255 of Army Regulations, says the rule applies to officers and not the army chief.

    Following the SC’s suspension of notification of Gen Bajwa’s extension Tuesday, the federal cabinet had met in two sittings led by Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan and decided to amend Section 255 of the Army Rules, which pertains to “suspension or limitation of retirement”.

    As per the amendment, it will now also contain “extension in tenure” of the army chief. According to Federal Minister Shafqat Mehmood, the amendment is in line with the premier’s intention to grant an extension to Gen Bajwa.

    • CJP rubbishes media reports claiming Gen Bajwa’s case is a suo motu case. Says court is hearing the petition filed by Advocate Riaz Hanif.
    • Justice Shah wonders how an army chief can be reappointed to the office “when he is no longer part of the staff”, to which, CJP once more inquires whether a retired officer can be reappointed.
    • Hearing gets adjourned twice before top court shifts focus to Army Act.
    • CJP emphasises that the court is looking at the rules regarding the tenure of the army chief, not a general; it must understand Army Act before AG’s arguments.
    • “This is a court of law; it is the law we are looking at, not personalities,” He remarks. “If something is wrong as per the law, we cannot say that it is correct. If [the decision] is not correct as per the law, we will give our verdict,” apex judge says.
    • CJP reiterates he is apolitical. “I will never involve myself in any political activities. This sentence is also part of the oath. It is a very good thing to stay away from political activities.”
    • Hearing has been adjourned until Thursday.

    The government on August 19 had reappointment Gen Bajwa, extending his tenure for three years, citing the “regional security environment”. However, on Tuesday, the SC suspended the notification and issued notices to the federal government, COAS through the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Law.