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  • World Emoji Day: If Pakistani politicians were emojis

    World Emoji Day: If Pakistani politicians were emojis

    Is a Whatsapp conversation even complete, if it doesn’t include at least one emoji? All of us use emojis while texting because not only do they make conversations fun, they are also useful where words fail. 

    On World Emoji Day, we match our politicians to emojis and who knew there are so many of them.

    Imran Khan

    No one cooler than our Prime Minister.

    Z.A Bhutto

    Hain? How does WhatsApp know keh aaj bhi Bhutto zinda hai?

    Fawad Chaudhry

    Bas unees bees ka faraq hai.

    Shehbaz Sharif

    This detective emoji is perfect for our ex-Khadim-e-Aala Punjab, Shehbaz Sharif.

    Shehryar Afridi

    Its the beard.

    Maryam Nawaz

    All hail to princess Maryam. If Maryam Nawaz was an emoji, she would definitely be the princess one.

    Sherry Rehman

    Ain’t no diva like Sherry Rehman.

    Khawaja Asif

    Momina Basit

    This is our favorite one because they resemble a lot. Momina Basit is one of the members of Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI).

  • WATCH: Birds take over Lahore airport

    WATCH: Birds take over Lahore airport

    Flight operations at Allama Iqbal International Airport were severely disrupted after a large flock of birds took over the Lahore airport. Videos from the airport show the birds flying around the runaway.

    WhatsApp-Video-2019-07-17-at-14.42.02

    According to details, seven flights expected to land at the Lahore Airport were diverted to land in other cities due to the situation. A PIA flight coming from Paris was made to land at the Sialkot airport while PIA’s Jeddah-Lahore flight was diverted to Multan airport. An international flight coming from Doha was returned to its origin.

    PIA’s spokesperson told the media that flights were diverted due to safety concerns and efforts are underway to end the bird strike.

    The Lahore airport is surrounded by wedding halls, where leftover food is thrown in nearby areas. Birds gather to have a feast but they pose a substantial threat to planes.

    Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan has directed the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to reduce the price of luggage plastic wrapping to Rs 50 at all airports across the country.

    Previously, rates of double wrapping were Rs400 while for the single wrapping, the airport authorities used to charge Rs200. CAA has made plastic wrapping of luggage mandatory for passengers travelling abroad.

  • SAPM Shabaz Gill corrects false information about new taxes on graves

    SAPM Shabaz Gill corrects false information about new taxes on graves

    Spokesperson to Punjab Chief Minister (CM), Dr Shahbaz Gill, has debunked reports claiming a new tax has been imposed on burial services.

    “The Punjab government is planning to impose tax on the purchase of new coffins and graves in Lahore. A tax of Rs1,000 would be imposed on smaller ones (for children) and Rs1,500 on bigger ones (for adults),” a private media outlet had claimed Tuesday.

    According to reports, Lahore Metropolitan Corporation had forwarded a request to the Local Government Department, seeking approval for the tax on graveyards that come under its jurisdiction.

    Lahore Mayor Mubashir Javid had distanced himself from the reports, saying that he had nothing to do with it.

    “The Punjab government has dissolved the rights of the mayor as well as the local bodies and assigned administrative powers to the commissioner,” he had said while speaking to a private media outlet, adding that the tax “was proposed by the commissioner”.

    However, all claims were rubbished by Punjab CM’s spokesperson, who questioned if the reports were nothing but an “attempt to malign the government and tax culture”.

  • $60,000 to be spent on PM Imran’s US visit unlike Nawaz’s $460,000

    $60,000 to be spent on PM Imran’s US visit unlike Nawaz’s $460,000

    Members of the federal cabinet have been informed that around $60,000 will be spent on Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s forthcoming visit of to the United States (US), unlike ex-PM Nawaz Sharif’s $460,000.

    As per the details, PM Imran on Tuesday chaired a meeting of his cabinet wherein the members were informed about the $400,000 cut.

    They were also provided details of over Rs27 billion expenditure incurred on security, camp offices and foreign visits of former presidents Asif Ali Zardari and Mamnoon Hussain, former PMs Nawaz Sharif, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Yousuf Raza Gilani and Raja Pervaiz Ashraf besides ex-Punjab chief minister Shehbaz Sharif.

    Addressing a post-meeting press conference, Federal Minister for Communication Murad Saeed said that more than Rs4.3 billion had been spent on security, camp offices and travels of Nawaz, Rs3.16 billion on Zardari, Rs8.72 billion on Shehbaz, Rs350 million on Abbasi, Rs245 million on Gilani, Rs32 million on Ashraf and Rs300 million on Mamnoon back when they were in power.

    He added that an amount of Rs8.3 billion was spent on the security of the Sharif family members within the past 10 years, while over Rs2 billion was spent on renovation and other expenditures of the Sharif family’s Raiwind residence, Jati Umra.

  • Fawad Chaudhry invites Malala, Elon Musk to Pakistan

    Fawad Chaudhry invites Malala, Elon Musk to Pakistan

    Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry announced on Tuesday that an international Science Conference will be held in Pakistan in October to celebrate the birthday of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, who was born on October 17.

    Speaking to the media, the minister also shared that Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai has been invited to the conference. He added that the Science Ministry plans on inviting technology entrepreneur Elon Musk, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, Google’s Uttam Tripathi and Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg among other notable personalities.

    ‘Think Future’ will be the theme of the Science Fair and International Science Conference.

  • Review: Is ‘Cheekh’ losing the plot?

    Review: Is ‘Cheekh’ losing the plot?

    ARY’s Cheekh began as an ambitious project. The drama centered around the theme of sexual harassment and abuse and the importance of raising your voice even if you have to go against your own family members. The first few episodes were gripping and had you on the edge but as the drama progressed, it became mundane the point that it almost became a chore to watch the drama.

    Though the characters were wonderfully written, especially Shayan, who we all agree was like a breath of fresh air in the Pakistani drama scene, the overall script of the drama weakened as the drama progressed. The storyline was also becoming depressing as Mannat continued to fight against her brother-in-law, Wajih and lost every time. However, as the drama heads towards its end, viewers got an unexpected twist and the drama caught our attention once again.

    SPOILER ALERT

    The last episode saw Shayan killed by his brother, Wajih after they get into a heated debate with each other. As soon as the accident happens, Wajih bolts from the crime scene while Mannat rushes him to the hospital. In her quest for justice for her friend, Mannat experiences her third loss. She first lost her child in a miscarriage caused by Wajih. Then she lost her mother and now her husband. In between all that Mannat was also admitted to a mental hospital after she lost her case to Wajih. While we agree and accept that the drama’s makers tried to be as realistic as possible, the question is did they become a little too realistic?

    Though I myself am of the opinion that the drama rightfully portrayed the situation of such cases in our society, my colleague appeared to have a dissenting view and argued that what was even the whole point of fighting the case, that too against her brother-in-law when in the end you’re left with nothing. He argued that the drama went overboard and situations like these don’t happen in real life. Whatever your opinion may be, the fact remains that women who dare to raise their voice are subjected to vilification by men who are more powerful than them. For example the case of Khadija Siddiqui.

    On the whole, Cheekh had its shares of highs and lows. The acting by the lead cast was brilliant. Saba Qamar, Bilal Abbas Khan, Emmad Irfani, Aijaz Aslam and Azekah Daniel all gave brilliant performances. The scenes which featured both Saba and Bilal were powerful, to say the least. Both the actors were phenomenal in their roles and deserve standing ovation.

    Though the drama became a drag in the middle with a lot of pointless scenes, the plot was intriguing and made you think about how unfair society is towards victims, especially those of sexual violence. The way the rich and influential are able to maneuver the law as per their liking and get away unaffected is food for thought and the drama portrayed that brilliantly. It also highlights how the law is not equal for everyone and anyone with an iota of influence can get away from being punished.

    With the latest development, it looks like viewers will be tuning into the series once again to see if Mannat will get finally get justice.

  • How Mansoor Ali Khan destroyed a troll

    How Mansoor Ali Khan destroyed a troll

    Trolls. We have to deal with them all the time. They’re everywhere – posting salty comments and making their presence felt. Celebrities and public personalities, in particular, have it harder than any of us common people because they are more often than not the target of such trolls.

    Recently, renowned anchor Mansoor Ali Khan was hit by such a troll but his response was such that it left the troll shaking.

    The troll, whose Facebook username is Muhammad Kashif, sent a message to Mansoor accusing him of being a sellout. Mansoor responded to him saying that he has forwarded his profile to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority and that an FIR will be lodged against him soon. The troll swiftly replied saying that his message was a mistake and that he is a big fan of the anchor’s.

    https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10212630324707693&set=a.1802984369024&type=3&theater
  • Woman commando with henna on hands breaks the internet

    Woman commando with henna on hands breaks the internet

    The picture of a woman commando of Punjab’s Elite Force, holding a gun in her hands with henna tattoos, has gone viral over the internet.

    The image, first shared by self-proclaimed security analyst Zaid Hamid, took social media by storm on Tuesday.

    https://twitter.com/ZaidZamanHamid/status/1150842268162699273

    “Super cute… Hina on hands and guns in hands… on duty Pakistani girls… [sic],” he wrote while tweeting the image that has now gone viral. Hamid also wondered if the commando had recently gotten married.

    The image has been receiving mixed reaction on Twitter.

    The Elite Force of Punjab Police specialises in counter-terrorist operations and VIP security duties. It is known for acting against serious crimes and performing high-risk operations that can’t be carried out by the regular police.

    According to information released by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) in 2010, women first became part of the police force in the subcontinent in 1939 when seven female constables and a head constable were inducted to contain female agitators of a farmers’ movement in Punjab.

    There was no significant change in numbers until 1952 when 25 constables, two head constables and an assistant superintendant were recruited.

    Inclusion of women to Pakistan’s anti-terror squads was initiated in the 1990s. With women joining the force in large numbers over the years, the trend has continued since.

    In October 2001, less than a month after the 9/11 attacks, the first women-only anti-terror squad was established in the country.

  • Exercise makes you happier than having money

    Exercise makes you happier than having money

    The physical and mental benefits of exercise have been discussed plenty of times before but a new study carried out by researchers at Yale and Oxford has said that exercise is probably more important to your mental health than your economic status.

    The study involved observing the physical behaviour and mental mood of over 1.2 million Americans. Participants were asked to answer questions regarding their mental health, income and physical activities. Physical activity was anything from lawn-mowing, childcare, and housework to weight lifting, cycling, and running.

    The scientists found that those who exercised regularly tended to feel bad for around 35 days a year, while non-active participants felt bad for 18 days more on average.

    Researchers also discovered that physically active people feel just as good as those who don’t do sports, but who earn around $25,000 more a year. This means that you’d have to earn quite a lot more for your earnings to give you the same happiness-boosting effect sport has.

    That doesn’t mean, however, that the more sport you do, the happier you are. Too much physical activity can also have a detrimental effect on your body. The study found that physical activity only contributes to better mental well-being when it falls within a certain time frame. According to the study, three to five training sessions each lasting between 30 to 60 minutes per week is ideal.

  • Khadija Siddiqui case: War of words erupts between lawyers

    Khadija Siddiqui case: War of words erupts between lawyers

    Barrister Hassaan Niazi, who represented stabbing victim Khadija Siddiqui in court, has called out activist Nighat Dad’s “fraud” over the latter’s claims regarding her role in bringing the culprit to justice.

    Now a barrister and then law student Khadija was attacked by her class fellow Shah Hussain on May 3, 2016, near Shimla Hill where she, along with her driver, had gone to pick her younger sister from school.

    Dad, a lawyer and activist who runs the not-for-profit organisation Digital Rights Foundation, had on Monday claimed to have “advised Siddiqui on how to spread the word on her case”.

    “Khadija Siddiqui initially lost her case in the lower courts because the father of the attacker was the president of the Lahore Bar and they pressured the judges. But Khadija appealed to the Supreme Court. She reached out to me for advice on how to use the internet to spread the word about the case,” she had claimed in an interview to Council on Foreign Relations (CFR).

    “When cases are pending in courts, you are not allowed to talk publicly about them. But Khadija was like, ‘I’m not going to stop, because I know that technology has so much power and I can reach out to millions of people and get support’. And that’s when we decided that we are not going to obey the court orders.”

    Dad went on to claim that she “designed a strategy for social media” and Khadija started tagging people, making short videos, showing her wounds. “On Twitter and Facebook, she got support not only from women’s groups, but also political parties and leaders. And that’s why Khadija won the case,” she said.

    It wasn’t later that Niazi, who represented Khadija in the case along with Barrister Salman Safdar and other lawyers, took to Twitter to call out Dad over her claims.

    “Nigat Dad this is not even a lie, but a fraud. YOU DID NOT DO ANYTHING FOR KHADIJA,” he wrote while also sharing screengrabs of Nighat’s claims from the interview.

    Niazi also accused Dad of “misusing the #MeToo movement for foreign funds and advised actor Meesha Shafi, who is being represented by Dad in her sexual harassment case against musician Ali Zafar, “to change her lawyer”.

    The tweet was followed by that of Khadija, who seemed to support Niazi’s statement.

    “I have been misquoted completely. I request CFR to please clarify, Barrister Hassaan Niazi was solely responsible for media and social media,” she wrote while also “disagreeing to the facts stated in the article”.

    ‘THERE’S BEEN A MISUNDERSTANDING’:

    Responding to the allegations, Dad said that there had been a misunderstanding.

    “It appears there is a misunderstanding. The interview was a longer conversation and like any interview, answers were condensed for length. Supported you all along in your fight, never took credit for your legal or SM team’s work & continue to respect their efforts,” she tweeted.

    In a subsequent tweet, she wrote:

    The excerpts, highlighted by Khadija’s legal team, have been removed from the interview.