Current Final

Tag: Fake News

  • Govt seeking new powers to control media by setting up PMDA: Human Rights Watch

    Govt seeking new powers to control media by setting up PMDA: Human Rights Watch

    As part of its crackdown on freedom of expression, the government is seeking broad new powers in the garb of the proposed Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA), says Human Rights Watch (HRW).

    “The government claims an ordinance setting up the Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA) would replace the ‘fractured’ regulatory environment and fragmented media regulations currently in place. The proposed PMDA would bring all media in Pakistan – print, television, radio, films, and digital media – under one regulator,” HRW said in its statement.

    The PMDA law would grant new unchecked powers to the government-controlled regulator by setting up special “media tribunals” that will have the power to impose steep fines for media organisations and journalists who violate its code of conduct or publish content it deems to be “fake news”.

    The proposed law would also increase government control by allowing government officials to be appointed to key positions.

    With journalists under relentless attack for doing their jobs, the Pakistan government needs to stop trying to control reporters and instead start protecting media freedom, added HRW.

    Earlier this month, the representatives of media organisations rejected the proposed PMDA and termed the concept as an unconstitutional and draconian law against freedom of press and expression and a step toward imposing state control to regulate all segments of media under over-centralised body.

    The major stakeholders believe that the proposed PMDA is an attempt to tighten the government’s control over the media from one platform and ignores the fact that print, electronic and social media are separate entities, each with their own defined features.

  • Nawaz would have been PM in 2018 if PML-N had a different strategy: Shehbaz Sharif

    Nawaz would have been PM in 2018 if PML-N had a different strategy: Shehbaz Sharif

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif says Nawaz Sharif would have been elected prime minister for a fourth time if the PML-N leaders had made a strategy based on consensus in the pre-2018 election period.

    Shehbaz was responding to a question by Saleem Safi on Geo News programme, ‘Jirga’, about whether or not he was offered prime ministership before the 2018 elections on the condition that he would abandon his brother Nawaz Sharif and niece Maryam Nawaz. 

    When asked why was he failing to convince Nawaz Sharif and Maryam of the need for reconciliation, Shehbaz Sharif said he believed in “natural reconciliation”. Shehbaz said he wanted everyone to set aside their personal egos and join hands to eradicate poverty from the country. He further added that every matter in the party is decided with consultation, and his viewpoint is known to everyone. 

    The former Punjab chief minister said he was offered the prime ministership twice over the last couple of decades, adding that one of these offers was made by former president Ghulam Ishaq Khan and later, by General (retd) Pervez Musharraf. 

    He said no single individual or a single institution was responsible for a weak democracy in the country, and “everyone is a culprit” [Is hamam me sab nangay hain].

    Shehbaz Sharif said that Imran Khan had failed to deliver despite being provided all-out support by the establishment. 

    Shehbaz Sharif rejected the notion that he was about to resign from the party’s presidency, describing it as “fake news”. 

    A report in Daily Jang published last week stated that Shehbaz was angry after his strategy for the Azad Kashmir elections was ignored, resulting in the party’s loss. Thus, he threatened to quit party leadership. “When I was finally allowed to speak during the budget session, after four days of chaos [in parliament], I said the budget is a fake one since the people’s pockets are empty. Similarly, just like the budget, this news report is also fake.”

    Shehbaz said that PML-N is his home and that Nawaz Sharif, every party leader, worker, and women [leaders] over the past 40 years have played their role in building the party. He also rejected the accusation that he helped his brother flee the country, saying that it was propaganda.

  • Imran Abbas wants click baiters to stop obsessing over his marriage

    Imran Abbas wants click baiters to stop obsessing over his marriage

    Imran Abbas has had enough of people (read: YouTubers, clickbaiters) getting him married to his co-stars.

    “After Alizeh Shah, Saboor, Ushna [and] now Urwa. My fourth marriage since January 2021,” wrote an exasperated Abbas on social media.

    “Yaar in bloggers ko koi aur kaam nahi hai? Ya ye samajhtay hain ke mujhe koi aur kaam nahi hai,” questioned Abbas while sharing a collage of himself with the aforementioned actresses in bridal shoots.

    The Khuda Aur Mohabbat actor further said: “Can we take action against these bloggers/clickbaiters? It’s very shameful to associate any female’s name with her co-actor/friend or vice versa.”

    “I would request all of you to atleast unsubscribe these YouTube channels, bloggers or social media pages to let them have their own medicine,” added Imran.

    Sharing Abbas’s post in her Instagram stories, Ushna Shah said: “Sometimes we laugh it off, sometimes it isn’t so funny. These clickbait headlines travel in WhatsApp groups to our families and it’s pretty embarrassing.”

    “Can you guys stop already?” questioned Shah.

    Earlier, fake news of Abbas’s marriage with Ushna had emerged on social media and both the actors took it lightly and responded to it humourously.

    Shah had tagged Imran on the screenshot, writing: “Mubarak ho Imran Abbas [Congratulations to you Imran Abbas].”

    In response to Shah’s story, Imran had said: “Ushna! And we even forgot to inform each other in haste.”

    At the same time, he had slammed YouTubers, saying: “YouTubers!! At least do photoshop properly.”

  • Imran Abbas, Ushna Shah forget to tell each other about their marriage

    Imran Abbas, Ushna Shah forget to tell each other about their marriage

    Imran Abbas has given a humorous response to fake news of his marriage with fellow actor Ushna Shah which has made the fans laugh.

    Shah took to her Instagram stories with a screenshot of a thumbnail of a YouTube video with a photoshop photo of Imran and herself saying that Ushna and Imran are married.

    Shah tagged Imran on the screenshot and wrote: “Mubarak ho Imran Abbas [Congratulations to you Imran Abbas].”

    In response to Shah’s story, Imran wrote: “Ushna! And we even forgot to inform each other in haste.”

    At the same time, he slammed YouTubers, saying: “YouTubers!! At least do photoshop properly.”

    Interestingly, this is not the first time that rumors of Imran Abbas’s marriage has emerged and Imran has responded to them publicly. Earlier, Imran had also rubbished the rumours about his relationship with Alizeh Shah.

  • Zayn Malik and Gigi Hadid are not married

    Zayn Malik and Gigi Hadid are not married

    Sorry guys, but Zayn Malik and Gigi Hadid have not gotten married in secret as being speculated and reported.

    Social media was recently abuzz with news that the former One Direction star and his long-time girlfriend had tied the knot in secret after Zayn’s collaborator Ingrid Michaelson referred to him as a married man during a live session. Soon after fans of the couple started trending the hashtag #ZaynisMarried on social media to express their excitement.

    Turns out Michaelson made a blunder because she later issued a clarification, apologising for the accidental blunder.

    “So, I should be asleep, but it’s been a crazy hour, hour and a half,” said the 41-year-old Girls Chase Boys performer in her Instagram stories. “On my Patreon live stream, I said that I’m working with Zayn. I mentioned that he was married, and he’s not married. As far as I know, he’s not married. It was a mistake. I’m so sorry, I said I was sorry.”

    “I don’t live in this world. So the level of fame, makes me really, truly admire Zayn and anybody with that level of fame. Every little thing you say is just, wow! I’m not built for it,” she continued.

    Michaelson further said: “My apologies to Zayn and Gigi, if any of this trickles to you and is annoying. I’m sorry—that’s not my intention.”

    “And to his fans, I’m sorry for getting you all riled up, and much love to you all,” she added.

    Zayn and Gigi, who welcomed their daughter Khai in September 2020, have been dating on and off over the years. They reportedly met at the 2015 Victoria’s Secret after-party, where Zayn recognised the model “from her picture”. In an interview, Zayn revealed that he asked her to have dinner with him at a New York City restaurant called Gemma.

    “She’s a very intelligent woman. She knows how to carry herself. She’s quite classy and that. She’s not, like, arrogant in any way, she’s confident. She carries it well. She’s cool,” Malik had said in the interview.

    They confirmed their romance in December 2015, though they have had several breakups along the way. Their most recent split happened in January 2019, and the couple spent nearly a year apart before they reportedly began casually talking again 11 months later. In April, the couple gave fans a surprise when they announced that they were expecting their first child together. After the birth of baby Khai, rumours have often circulated that the two have gotten married. However, there has been no official announcement by the couple.

  • Harry gets another job as ‘disinformation’ officer

    Harry gets another job as ‘disinformation’ officer

    Britain’s Prince Harry — who is often at war with the British press — was on Wednesday announced as a commissioner for a US study into misinformation online.

    The non-profit Aspen Institute said it was “honoured” to have the Duke of Sussex as one of the 18 members of its “Commission on Information Disorder.”

    The announcement came a day after Harry became Chief Impact Officer at San Francisco life-coaching startup BetterUp as he adds to his growing portfolio of jobs since stepping away from royal duties last year.

    As part of the Aspen study, Harry will help conduct a six-month investigation into misinformation and disinformation in the American digital world that will start in April. The commission aims to identify the biggest causes of the sharing and spreading of false information and find solutions to help the government, private sector and civil society respond.

    “The experience of today’s digital world has us inundated with an avalanche of misinformation, affecting our ability as individuals as well as societies to think clearly and truly understand the world we live in,” Harry said in a statement.

    “It’s my belief that this is a humanitarian issue — and as such, it demands a multi-stakeholder response from advocacy voices, members of the media, academic researchers, and both government and civil society leaders,” he added.

    The prince is likely to bring his own experiences of media coverage of his life to the commission.

    Harry told US talk show host James Corden in February that he left royal life and moved to the United States with Meghan Markle because the British press was “destroying his mental health.”

    The prince has long had a difficult relationship with Britain’s tabloids, blaming press intrusion for contributing to his mother Princess Diana’s death in a car crash in 1997.

    Harry and Meghan have filed several lawsuits against newspapers and last April told Britain’s tabloids that they were ending all cooperation with them due to “distorted, false or invasive” stories.

    An explosive interview they gave to Oprah Winfrey this month — in which they claimed an unnamed royal had asked how dark their baby’s skin would be — plunged the monarchy into its biggest crisis since the death of Diana.

    Meanwhile, Harry’s new boss at BetterUp has said that the British royal likes to be called Harry in the workplace.

    “He’s a colleague, he’s a partner, and so we address him as Harry,” said Chief Executive Alexi Robichaux.

    Robichaux said he met Queen Elizabeth’s grandson, through a mutual friend in late 2020, and talked about how to encourage mental wellbeing.

    “Through a series of conversations over months, (we) really had a lot of shared energy and enthusiasm for how it could be really awesome to find a way to work together and advance the shared mission,” he said.

    As well as being an executive, Prince Harry said in a blog post that he was also a user of the service. Robichaux said he and the coach he was paired with are still working together.

    As for how much Prince Harry is being paid in his new position, Robichaux declined to say.

    “As a private company, you can imagine we don’t disclose compensation information of any of our folks. But I think it’s fair to say he’s deeply invested in the success of BetterUp,” he said.

  • Kubra Khan hits back at media outlet for misreporting her comments

    Kubra Khan has hit back at a local media news outlet for misreporting her comments about un-following Prime Minister Imran Khan on Twitter. Khan, in an interview, had shared that she unfollowed PM Khan (and Hamza Ali Abbasi) on Twitter because she didn’t want any political updates.

    Read more – ‘Masterstroke’: Celebrities, cricketers jubilant over PM Imran’s Vote of Confidence

    Sharing the misreported news on Twitter, Kubra said: “I am and will always one of the biggest supporters of [PM] Imran Khan.”

    “I don’t need to follow him on “social media” to show my support,” said the actor further, adding: “But thanks for adding the negative connotation?”

    Earlier, during the 2018 General Elections, Kubra had said that if she had the option to vote, “it would be no other than PTI.”

    Meanwhile Kubra follows only four people on Twitter: Vasay Chaudhry, Gohar Rasheed, Iqrar ul Hassan Syed and Fahad Mustafa.

  • Meesha Shafi shuts down fake reports of being sentenced to three years jail

    Meesha Shafi has trashed and shut down fake news reports which stated that she is being “sentenced to 3 years in jail for falsely accusing Ali Zafar of sexual harassment”.

    “Another day, another campaign spreading false information,” wrote the singer on Twitter. “Speaking up is way more exhausting than being groped.”

    Meesha further said: “This is why we end up suffering in silence. Sending lots of love and solidarity to all who speak up. It’s hard!”

    Meesha’s lawyer Asad Jamal also trashed the reports saying that “no such verdict has been passed by [the] trial court in the frivolous criminal defamation case instituted by Ali Zafar.”

    According to a report published in Samaa News, the entire matter started when fake news claiming that Shafi has been given a three-year sentence in a defamation case filed by Zafar started flashing on different Indian media outlets.

    On March 12, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ)published an article titled ‘Pakistani Singer Faces Prosecution for Accusing Pop Star of Groping Her‘. The report explained how Meesha “set off the country’s most high-profile #MeToo debate when she accused a fellow pop star of groping her. And now she was being prosecuted on a criminal defamation charge and is facing possible prison time.”

    UK-based tabloid Daily Mail misinterpreted the article in WSJ and wrote a misleading and false headline, which the Indian media picked and ran without verification. It is pertinent to add here that Zafar is a well-known name in India as he has worked in several successful Bollywood films.

    Later, Meesha also shared how she deals with “propaganda, abuse and false information”, detailing an hour-by-hour account of her day.

    Earlier, the Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan approved Shafi’s harassment case against Ali Zafar for hearing, which meant that the SC granted permission to hear the appeal based on its legal points and will deliberate whether Shafi’s accusations of sexual harassment come under the workplace harassment law.

    Background of the case

    In 2018, Meesha first came forward with allegations of sexual harassment against Ali Zafar. She later filed a complaint with the provincial ombudsperson. After her appeal was rejected, she approached Governor Punjab, who upheld the ombudsperson’s decision. Meesha then challenged the Governor’s decision in Lahore High Court which again dismissed Meesha’s case for hearing on grounds that she did not have an employer-employee relationship with the accused.

  • Has State Bank really restricted ATM withdrawal limit to Rs1,000?

    Has State Bank really restricted ATM withdrawal limit to Rs1,000?

    People are receiving an alleged message from the State Bank of Pakistan about restrictions on ATM cash withdrawals till the end of the month.

    The peculiar message that you may receive from ‘8182’ or ‘8832’ will read: “Dear Customer, as per State Bank of Pakistan directions, ATM cash withdrawal limit is restricted to 1000 PKR ” till Jan 31.

    However, the central bank has distanced itself from these messages. It said the decision to set withdrawal limit is taken by the banks, not the SBP.

    Meanwhile, the SBP also sent a message to the banks, asking them to “send appropriately worded messages” to their consumers to curb the flow of misinformation.

    In a the message to the banks, the SBP said that it has received “multiple reports…that customers are receiving messages with the context that SBP has put some kind of restrictions on ATM cash withdrawals”.

    “The SBP has not given any such instructions to the financial institutions,” the statement clarified.

    “In this regard, kindly make sure to send appropriately worded messages to your customers on urgent basis, reassuring them regarding this false spread of messages,” the SBP clarification read.

  • Did a Saudi billionaire really marry her Pakistani driver?

    Did a Saudi billionaire really marry her Pakistani driver?

    Social media is abuzz with the ‘news’ of a marriage between an alleged Saudi billionaire, Sahoo bint Abdullah Al-Mahboob, and her driver who hails from Pakistan.

    The video of the wedding wherein the couple could be seen exchanging rings has garnered thousands of views on social media. Some news websites also featured the story, without checking the veracity of the claims, using this video that’s undated.

    https://twitter.com/hassanjutt25/status/1344921036169633796

    However, a quick Google search shows that Sahoo bint Abdullah Al-Mahboob, who apparently owns hotels in Mecca and Madina as per the rumours, is not a real person. The viral post also claimed that her net worth was $8bn and that she also owned properties in France and other countries.

    Her name doesn’t show up anywhere except the news sites and the Youtube videos that were circulating the news of the marriage. Also, there were no reports of the wedding in the Saudi press about a purported marriage between a driver and a billionaire.