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  • Spousal, parental consent mandatory for women on Hajj

    Spousal, parental consent mandatory for women on Hajj

    The Ministry of Religious Affairs on Tuesday said that women intending to go on Hajj this year but not granted permission by their husbands or parents to do so will not be able to perform the pilgrimage. 


    The statement has been released after Hajj applications for 2025 have closed. 


    Dawn quotes the 2025 Hajj Policy, which clearly states that women will be able to travel to Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage alone after fulfilling the conditions set by the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII).


    The conditions laid out by the Council quoted in the document says, “As per the decision of the Council of Islamic Ideology taken in its session no. 232 held on 6th and 7th June 2023, female pilgrim (without mehram) shall be allowed for Haj subject to the conditions that: a) She has been allowed by her parents, and in case of married, by her husband. b) She will have a group of reliable female pilgrims and there is no threat to her dignity.”
    The practice has already been happening in the country as women were not allowed to travel to Saudi Arabia alone in the past. 


    The document further stated that children below 12 will not be allowed to go for Hajj and the immunisation of vaccines approved by Saudi Arabia are also mandatory for everyone intending to come this year.


    Notably, as per the policies of Saudi Arabia, any woman can come for Hajj alone. The move first surfaced in 2021 as part of a campaign by the de-facto Saudi leader Prince Mohammad bin Salman in an attempt to improve the rights of women in the country.


    The CII lifted all restrictions and allowed women to travel to Saudi Arabia for Hajj and Umrah without a male companion. 


    Moreover, this year, Pakistanis are allotted a Hajj quota of 179,210 pilgrims by the Saudi government. 


    Approximately 89,602 people will be performing the Hajj under the government scheme, while the rest will perform it through private tour operators in 2025.

  • Fakhar Zaman gears up for strong comeback in Champions Trophy

    Fakhar Zaman gears up for strong comeback in Champions Trophy

    Pakistani opener Fakhar Zaman, who steered the team to a decisive win over India with his outstanding 114-run innings in the 2017 Champions Trophy final, is gearing up for a full comeback in the 2025 edition of the tournament.

    As per the details, Fakhar, who was dropped from the national squad last year, allegedly for his criticism of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and officially for being “unfit”, is hoping to make a comeback on home ground during Champions Trophy 2025.

    “I am 100 per cent optimistic about playing the Champions Trophy and am preparing for the tournament in full swing. Currently, my focus is on the Champions Trophy and that is why I did not play in Australia and South Africa. My only focus is making myself available for the tournament and being fully fit for it,” he said during the Viper Voices Podcast.

    Fakhar said he was not part of the team after the T20 World Cup due to illness and fitness issues, but now he was 100 per cent recovered. “I spoke to the selectors and head coach, and everyone wanted me to play Champions Trophy… you will see me in Pakistan’s upcoming white-ball series as well.”

    Talking about Saim Ayub, Fakhar praised the 22-year-old opener and said he had kicked off his ODI career in a great way with three centuries and one fifty in just nine innings, including those against Australia and South Africa.

    On the young opener’s recent injury against South Africa, the veteran batter hoped he would recover soon. “He is such a great batsman… if he continues to play for the next four or five years, he will be among the top three in the world. Pakistan has three of the best players in the world… Babar Azam, Muhammad Rizwan and Saim Ayub… and I consider myself fortunate for being in the same team as them.”

    It merits mention that Fakhar has not played international cricket since the T20 World Cup in June 2024. He played his last ODI during the 2023 World Cup.

    Despite his performance over the years, Fakhar was declared unfit and dropped from the national squad. Reports, however, claimed he was excluded from PCB’s central contract 2024-25 for going against the board’s wishes to tweet in favour of struggling Babar Azam.

    Fakhar’s tweet in favour of Babar Azam:

    National cricketer Fakhar Zaman had severely criticized Pakistan Cricket Board’s decision to drop former captain Babar Azam in the second and third Test matches against England.

    Fakhar wrote on X sitting Indian star cricketer Virat Kohli, “It’s concerning to hear suggestions about dropping Babar Azam. India didn’t bench Virat Kohli during his rough stretch between 2020 and 2023, when he averaged 19.33, 28.21, and 26.50, respectively.”

    “If we are considering sidelining our premier batsman, arguably the best Pakistan has ever produced, it could send a deeply negative message across the team. There is still time to avoid pressing the panic button; we should focus on safeguarding our key players rather than undermining them,” he wrote.

    The Pakistan squad for the second and third Tests against England was announced on Sunday, while Babar Azam, Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi have been dropped from the team.

    PCB’s show-cause notice to the Fakhar:

    Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had taken strict action against batsman Fakhar Zaman after Zaman publicly supported Babar Azam in a tweet on X.

    According to Geo, PCB has issued a show cause notice to Fakhar Zaman and asked for a reply within a week. Geo sources say that the notice was issued to Fakhar due his public criticism of the selection policy, stating that the tweet was a violation of discipline.

    Fakhar Zaman dropped from central contract 2024-25:

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) recently announced the central contracts for the 2024-25 season, and unfortunately, Fakhar Zaman was dropped from the list.

    Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi has explained the reason behind sacking Fakhar Zaman from the central contract.

    Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, October 27, Naqvi said, “Any national team player cannot go around tweeting his opinion on decisions made by the selection committee.”

  • Hwang Dong-hyuk teases future of Squid Game: Season 3

    Hwang Dong-hyuk teases future of Squid Game: Season 3

    It looks like the games are winding down, but don’t worry; Hwang Dong-hyuk might have a few more tricks (or masks) up his sleeve.


    Hwang Dong-hyuk, the creator of Netflix show Squid Game, recently discussed plans for the show’s future in an interview with a US media outlet.


    The series is back with season 2, last month. The story is still continuing, as Gi-hun, played by Lee Jung-jae, tries to take down the game from inside. The fate of Gi-hun is still unclear after the finale of season 2, but Hwang confirmed that the series will end at season 3, which will be released in 2025.


    When asked what would convince him to continue the Squid Game franchise, Hwang said, “I wanted to end the show with season 3, completing Gi-hun’s story.” However, he is open to creating spin-offs with different characters if he ever returns to the Netflix show.
    Hwang mentioned, “If I return, I might explore different characters and their stories, such as the masked guards and what they do in their downtime.”


    In a previous interview, Hwang assured fans that the upcoming season would feature exciting storylines and become more intense and entertaining with each episode and season. He encouraged fans to watch until the very end.

  • Looks like Imran Khan doesn’t want dialogue: Rana Sanaullah

    Looks like Imran Khan doesn’t want dialogue: Rana Sanaullah

    Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs, Rana Sanaullah, while appearing on ARY News on December 7, expressed disappointment over a recent post made by Imran Khan’s official X (formerly Twitter) account amidst ongoing negotiation between the government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

    “Only they [PTI] can explain why such a strong statement came from Imran Khan’s account during dialogue; however, it is highly unfortunate,” said the former interior minister.

    The government and PTI, for the first time in almost two years, have broken the ice by agreeing to talk their issues out for “greater national interests”.

    “Khawaja Asif’s analysis is absolutely true that when dialogue begins between two parties or is about to start, then both parties, especially the leadership of both parties, must choose their words very carefully so as not to damage the peace. It is a known fact that PTI’s negotiation committee won’t agree to a single condition without Imran Khan’s approval. Such a post made by Imran Khan after a long time points to two facts: either he does not want a dialogue, or he believes nothing will come out of it,” stated the senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader.

    Rana Sanaullah opined that political dialogue can never stop in any kind of democratic setup.

    Founder PTI Imran Khan’s official X (formerly Twitter) account made a long post on January 7 targeting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir, stating: “I have witnessed all Martial Laws imposed on Pakistan during my lifetime, including those under Ayub Khan, Yahya Khan, Zia-ul-Haq, and Musharraf. What is happening in the country today in the guise of democracy can only be compared to Yahya Khan’s era. In order to ensure that no one raises their voice against the ruler’s transgressions, the first targets in martial law are democracy, an independent judiciary, and free media.”

    “What kind of democracy is this where the name of the chairman of Pakistan’s largest and most popular political party cannot even be mentioned in the media?” read the post by Imran Khan on X. 

    Imran Khan also criticised the ongoing proceedings of the Al-Qadir Trust case, saying: “The Al-Qadir Trust case, like previous cases, is being dragged on only to pressure me, but I demand its immediate resolution because, just as you were exposed in the Toshakhana and the Cipher cases, the same will happen now.”

  • Strengthening ties: Pakistan’s bid to enhance exports with Bangladesh

    Strengthening ties: Pakistan’s bid to enhance exports with Bangladesh

    Delegates from the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) are heading to Bangladesh in an attempt to boost bilateral trade between the two countries. The delegates are mainly interested in boosting export levels, which currently stand at $800 million.

    Officials claim that this figure can be easily boosted up to three billion dollars in the coming years if bilateral relations improve.

    One of the primary beneficiaries of improved bilateral relations will be airlines, as flights between the two countries will resume. This could help local airlines, especially Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), as visas are expected to be issued in abundance, and hence, a lucrative route will be secured.

    The surge in visa issuance is expected as Bangladeshi officials are interested in opening up their borders to genuine Pakistani investors. The new route is expected to generate respectable cash flows for PIA and could even help in its privatisation efforts as it will appear more attractive to investors.

    Another beneficiary of enhanced trade will be the agricultural sector in Pakistan as Bangladesh imports approximately six billion dollars worth of fruits and vegetables annually.

    These include onions, which Bangladesh has been importing primarily from India. Bangladesh’s vegetable import bill, along with India’s, stood at over two billion dollars in 2022. However, with India imposing a ban on the export of onions in 2024, it is prime time for Pakistan to capitalise on the need gap in the Bangladeshi market.

    Aside from Indian export bans, Bangladesh alternates between importing from either Pakistan or India based on who sets a lower price. With the price of Indian onions projected to rise, Bangladesh could get a higher import order of Pakistani onions.

    The benefits of onion exports, however, should be taken with a grain of salt (no pun intended). Pakistan’s vegetable market frequently experiences a shortage of onions, resulting in the markets flooding with Iranian onions, which are either imported or illegally smuggled across the border.

    The chairman of the Rice Exporters Association claims that Pakistan could also export 200 million dollars worth of rice annually. This would boost bilateral trade with Bangladesh past the one-billion-dollar mark, bringing in vast sums of foreign exchange revenues for the cash-strapped nation.

    All in all, the agricultural sector will flourish as its yields find their way to the international market. Exporting to Bangladesh will not just bring in revenues but will also allow Pakistani products to gain recognition in the market — A market where goods from India have dominated in the past.

    With Bangladesh and Pakistan sharing a common sector as their largest textiles, collaborations between the two could also flourish in terms of exports. There can be huge gains from trade to be made with information and technology sharing alone.

  • Okara woman raped by ex-husband

    Okara woman raped by ex-husband

    A woman from Okara was subjected to sexual assault by her ex-husband on January 7, Express Tribune has reported. 


    The man, identified as Muhammad Azam, allegedly assaulted his ex-wife after breaking into her room in Okara within the jurisdiction of A-Division Police Station in the city.


    Swiftly responding to the complaint, the police conducted multiple raids and arrested Mohammad Azam.


    The initial investigation suggests that Azam is a resident of the 26-2R village, where he had married the victim, Anjuman Bibi, almost 13 years ago.


    The couple had four children, but domestic disputes led to a divorce in 2020.


    However, after the divorce, Azam allegedly entered into a relationship with his ex-wife’s younger sister, Sidra, consequently having two illegitimate children with her.


    This relationship also came to an end and Azam married another woman named Saba, with whom he has one child.


    Police have confirmed that on the day of the incident, Azam visited his ex-wife’s house accompanied by his present wife, Saba, to meet his children. 


    The couple decided to stay overnight because of bad weather conditions.


    Later at night, the accused allegedly entered his ex-wife’s room and raped her.


    The victim immediately contacted her brother, Usman Ashraf, who came to her aid, but Azam fled the scene before his arrival.


    Local police officials were informed through an emergency call on 15, and they registered a case under the relevant sections for assault in the Pakistan Penal Code.


    District Police Officer (DPO) Muhammad Rashid Hidayat told the media that the police took Azam into custody during a raid, and the victim has been sent for a medical examination.


    Further investigations are underway.


    The crime rate is rapidly increasing in the region of Okara as Punjab Police’s official website reports that a local footballer was also arrested on January 3 on charges of sexual assault.


    The FIR suggests that the girl’s family approached the suspect to help her join the football academy as she was interested in playing football. 


    On the day of the incident, the suspect came to the girl’s house and asked her to provide admission-related information. The girl’s mother left the house to bring food. 


    Upon her arrival, she found her daughter weeping. The girl told her mother that the suspect assaulted her at gunpoint.

    The mother called the police, but the suspect had escaped before the police arrived. The victim’s mother registered a case against the suspect on charges of rape and the police claimed to have arrested the suspect afterwards.

  • Imran Khan’s recent tweets causing delay in him meeting negotiations committee, says Sher Afzal Marwat

    Imran Khan’s recent tweets causing delay in him meeting negotiations committee, says Sher Afzal Marwat

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Sher Afzal Marwat stated on Tuesday that the party’s negotiation committee meeting with former premier Imran Khan is delayed due to the party founder’s recent tweets.

    Speaking on the ARY News programme 11th Hour, Marwat said that the government had not expected Imran Khan’s harsh tweets when the PTI was already involved in negotiations with them.

    Founder PTI Imran Khan on Tuesday hit out at Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif in a post on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “In order to save the bogus and fraudulent government produced by Forms 47, PTI is being relentlessly crushed, and democracy, rule of law, and judicial independence are being buried. Shehbaz Sharif is nothing more than a puppet.”

    “Even Shaukat Aziz, during Musharraf’s era, was a more powerful prime minister because, at least, elections then did not witness the level of rigging seen in February 2024. This illegitimate but fragile group propped up by the fraudulent Forms 47 is a disgrace on the name of governance,” he decried Shehbaz Sharif.

    The dialogue between the opposition party and the government was initiated two weeks ago. However, a significant development is yet to come despite two rounds of negotiations over the past couple of weeks.

    According to reports, major hurdles so far are the PTI negotiators’ lack of access to jailed Imran Khan and the party’s unwillingness to share its charter of demands with the government in writing.

    Marwat, however, maintained that the party negotiation committee meeting with Imran Khan in Adiala Jail is expected to take place in a couple of days.

    The PTI firebrand asked why Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi was not included in the government negotiation committee; however, in the same breath, Marwat said, “If [Interior Minister] Mohsin Naqvi had been part of the negotiation committee, the issues surrounding the meeting with Khan wouldn’t have dragged on for so long.”

    Commenting on surveillance during the meeting with Imran Khan, Marwat explained that Islamabad High Court (IHC) has a clear direction that whenever the lawyers meet their client at the jail, there must be no camera, guard or mic in the cell.

    He said that all political parties, including the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) and PTI, must sit together to find a solution to political polarisation in the country.

    PTI has so far put two key demands in talks with the government. These include the formation of a judicial commission comprising the three most senior judges of the Supreme Court to investigate the May 9, 2023, and November 26, 2024, events, whereas the other demand is to release all political prisoners, including party founder Imran Khan.

  • Saim will be included in Champions Trophy squad

    Saim will be included in Champions Trophy squad

    Pakistani selectors have decided to include Saim Ayub’s name in the squad for Champions Trophy 2025. If Saim, who got injured during the on January 3 against South Africa, does not recover by the mega event, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will request the tournament’s technical committee for a replacement player.

    The deadline for teams to submit their preliminary list of players for the Champions Trophy 2025 is approaching, as all teams can submit the list by 12 am on January 11.

    Teams can change their squads without the approval of the International Cricket Council (ICC) until February 11, but from February 12, it will be mandatory to get the approval of the ICC technical committee for changes in teams.

    Saim has reached London from Cape Town for treatment. He has been ruled out of cricket for six weeks due to a fracture in his right ankle. 

    He suffered the fracture while fielding on the first day of the second Test match against South Africa on January 3.

    Read more about Saim Ayub?

  • Hassan Jahangir claims a Bollywood superstar copied his iconic style

    Hassan Jahangir claims a Bollywood superstar copied his iconic style

    What if the iconic Bollywood superstar you admire today, including Salman Khan, once looked up to Pakistani singer Hassan Jahangir for style inspiration. 

    Appearing as a guest on the FHM podcast, Hassan said that Bollywood stars, including Salman Khan, once drew inspiration from his unique style.

    “I was creating trends and introducing new styles even before Salman Khan became a star. I was the first singer to throw off my shirt during a concert, and that move was later copied by other stars.”

    The Hawa Hawa singer acknowledged that, like many others, he grew up watching Bollywood films and listening to Indian songs. He recalled that during his early years, he noticed a pattern in the industry.  


    “In Bollywood, one person sings a song, another writes the lyrics, someone else arranges the music and another person handles the choreography.”

     This realization sparked a defining decision for him, Hassan explained: “I decided early on that I would do everything myself, and that’s exactly what I did, I introduced new trends and styles.” 


    The Shadi Na Karna Yaro singer adopted the style of popular Bollywood stars like Mithun Chakraborty and Jeetendra but he claimed other actors copied his style. He pointed to the success of his hit song Hawa Hawa which became popular not only in Pakistan but also across India, playing everywhere from Gurdawaras to temples. 

    “After Hawa Hawa became a hit, I was not only popular in Pakistan, but I had also become a well-known figure in India,” he said.

  • Starlink internet packages for Pakistan revealed

    Starlink internet packages for Pakistan revealed

    Starlink, the satellite internet service launched by SpaceX under the leadership of Elon Musk, is set to launch in Pakistan. In a tweet on X (Previously Twitter) on Sunday, Elon said, “We are waiting for approval from the government of Pakistan.”

    Starlink is a satellite internet constellation constructed by SpaceX to provide satellite internet access. The system aims to deliver high-speed broadband internet to locations where access has been unreliable, expensive, or completely unavailable. The network is composed of thousands of mass-produced small satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO), working in combination with ground transceivers.

    Starlink has not officially launched in Pakistan; however, here are the possible prices for internet packages.

    Starlink offers various packages tailored to different needs:

    Residential Package: 50-250 Mbps speed, priced at PKR 35,000 per month. The one-time hardware cost is PKR 110,000.
    Business Package: 100-500 Mbps speed, priced at PKR 95,000 per month. The one-time hardware cost is PKR 220,000.
    Mobility Package: 50-250 Mbps speed, priced at PKR 50,000 per month. The one-time hardware cost is PKR 120,000.

    Note: These prices are estimated based on other regions, as Starlink has not officially launched in Pakistan.


    Starlink Prices in Other Countries

    United States: USD 110 per month, with a one-time hardware cost of USD 599.
    United Kingdom: £89 per month, with a one-time hardware cost of £499.
    Australia: AUD 139 per month, with a one-time hardware cost of AUD 709.

    If you’re new and interested in subscribing to Starlink for your residential place, here’s the process:

    -Visit the Starlink website and enter your address to see if the service is available in your area.

    -Sign up and pay a refundable deposit (usually USD 99) to secure your spot in the queue.

    – You will receive the Starlink Kit, which includes the Starlink Dish, Wi-Fi Router, Power Supply, Cables, and Mounting Tripod.

    – Install the dish in an area with a clear view of the sky, connect it to the router, and power on the system.

    -Use the Starlink app to set up and manage your network, following the on-screen instructions.

    -The dish will automatically connect to the satellites, and you can start using the internet service.


    Starlink could revolutionize internet access, especially in remote and underserved areas.

    Want to know more about Starlink?