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Tag: life-stories

  • Here are the best universities in the world

    Here are the best universities in the world

    Prospective students heads up! The Times Higher Education (THE) has released its annual World University Rankings after analysing more than 1,300 institutions across the world.

    Considered the most comprehensive global ranking, it uses 13 “performance indicators” to judge institutions’ excellence in terms of teaching, research, job placement, income and international outlook.

    This year’s ranking was along the same lines as last year – there was no change at the top this year – European and North American universities continue to dominate.

    The University of Oxford took the top spot for the fourth year in a row, with its traditional rival the University of Cambridge dropping to third place behind the California Institute of Technology.

    UK’s highest-ranked universities including Imperial College London, UCL, the London School of Economics and Political Science, and the University of Edinburgh have all dropped by one place.

    Switzerland was the only country outside the United Kingdom and North America to break into the top 20, with the ETH Zurich coming in joint 13th place. Ellie Bothwell, THE’s rankings editor, said that while Europe continued to perform “extremely well” and attract academics from around the world, there could be challenges ahead.

    Seven territories included in the analysis for the first time were Bangladesh, Brunei, Cuba, Malta, Montenegro, Puerto Rico and Vietnam. Iran was one of the biggest overall climbers, overtaking France and Australia with 40 universities included.

    Asia is the only region posing a serious threat to Anglo-American dominance in the rankings, now in their 16th year. China has grown to be the fourth-most-represented country in the world, while Japan has strengthened its position as the second, though it lags behind countries such as Denmark and Belgium in terms of top-200 representation.

    Meanwhile, in Pakistan, Quaid-i-Azam University (401-500) was the highest-ranked in the country followed by COMSATS University (601-800), Islamabad and University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Lahore University of Management Sciences, National University of Sciences and Technology and the University of Punjab in the 801-1000 bracket.

  • Karachi second in chars consumption worldwide

    Karachi second in chars consumption worldwide

    Karachi has emerged as the second-highest consumer of cannabis in the world, according to ABCD2018 Cannabis Price Index, despite the fact that it is illegal in the country.

    According to the index, Karachi comes just second after New York (77.44 metric tonnes) in terms of consuming cannabis — including hashish — at 41.95 metric tonnes, or 41,950 kgs.

    New Delhi is right behind Karachi at 38.26 metric tonnes. Mumbai is also in the top ten. Interestingly, Amsterdam did not make it to the top 10 considering how popular the drug is in the city.

    People have been smoking hash on the subcontinent for centuries. It predates the arrival of Islam in the region, with reference to cannabis appearing in the sacred Hindu Atharva Veda text describing its medicinal and ritual uses.

    According to a 2013 UN survey, cannabis was the most widely consumed drug in Pakistan with around four million users, representing almost 3.6 percent of the population.

    Most people who smoke up regularly remark that cannabis helps them destress and cope with the anxieties of life. Meanwhile, others comment that it helps increase their concentration and focus.

  • Ashura: Sindh govt seeks suspension of cellular services

    Ashura: Sindh govt seeks suspension of cellular services

    The Government of Sindh has recommended the Ministry of Interior to suspend cellular services in the province on 9th and 10th of Muharram, ARY News has reported.

    According to details, the Sindh home secretary has requested the interior ministry and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to suspend mobile phone services during mourning processions of Muharram ul Haram.

    The provincial government has also issued a circular to all Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners in Sindh, to point out the provincial administration about those areas in their jurisdiction where the cellular services required to be suspended.

    The government has recommended for suspension of mobile service on selective places, especially along the routes of mourning processions.

    The suspension of cellular services and internet services is being taken as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order and avoid any incident of sabotage or terrorism.

    Previously, the Sindh government had suspended mobile phone and internet services in Karachi and other major cities of the province on the main routes of the mourning processions in Chehlum last year.

    Meanwhile, Section 144 of the Pakistan Penal Code was imposed in Rawalpindi on Thursday as part of security measures for Muharram. It will remain effective until 10th Muharram.

    Under Section 144, pillion riding and carrying weapons are banned. Wall chalking and use of loudspeakers is also not allowed.

  • Council of Islamic Ideology recommends making triple talaq punishable crime

    Council of Islamic Ideology recommends making triple talaq punishable crime

    The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) has recommended that the act of triple talaq (instant divorce) should be made a punishable crime.

    Replying to a question by Member of National Assembly (MNA) Bashir Virk, CII Chairman Dr Qibla Ayaz informed the NA Standing Committee on Law and Justice that divorce takes place when the word for it, talaq, is uttered thrice in one breath – even if it has been done in jest.

    Federal Law Minister Farogh Naseem said that there was precedence in Islamic history of such an act being punished by the state, saying that the second caliph of Islam, Hazrat Umar (RA), had punished those who performed the act of instant divorce.

    “Therefore, the NA can make laws to make this action a punishable crime,” he said.

    Endorsing the law minister’s stance, Dr Ayaz said triple talaq should be made punishable in Fiqah Hanafi.

    When inquired about the punishment, Ayaz said that the CII had not determined that as yet. “If the Law Ministry agrees to our suggestion to make it a punishable offence, the punishment can also be determined.”

    The law minister warned that making triple talaq a punishable crime would become another mean through which the police would demand bribes.

    “If divorce is not a crime, then such legislation should be avoided,” he said. “But if there is precedence of the righteous caliph, then we are bound to follow it as well,” he added.

    The committee deferred the discussion on the bill about divorce as well as that on inheritance till the next meeting.

  • Karachi declared world’s 57th safest city

    Karachi declared world’s 57th safest city

    The financial and industrial capital of the country, Karachi, has scored 39 points out of 100 to secure the 57th position among 60 cities ranked by the recently published Safe Cities Index.

    The report, issued by the Economist Intelligence Unit, has ranked 60 metropolises around the world based on over 50 indicators covering their digital, health and personal security, infrastructure, and lifestyle.

    Japan’s capital city Tokyo stands at the top of the list with a score of 92 points, Singapore at second with 91.5 and another Japanese metropolis, Osaka, stands third with 90.9 points.

    United States (US) capital Washington DC — ranked seventh — is the only American city to make it to the top ten, Chicago has grabbed the eleventh place whereas Australia’s Melbourne has secured the 10th spot.

    Other than these, only two European cities, Amsterdam and Copenhagen, could make it to the top ten, at the fourth and eighth positions, respectively.

    The five lowest-ranking cities include Caracas (Venezuela), Yangon (Myanmar), Karachi (Pakistan) and Dhaka (Bangladesh).

  • Pakistani couple’s startup secures $8.1 million financing

    Pakistani couple’s startup secures $8.1 million financing

    A Pakistani e-commerce brand and one of the trailblazers in the world of footwear, Atoms, has raised $8.1 million from a list of illustrious backers to bring its concept to the masses, TechCrunch has reported.

    The company since its beginning has been selling directly to consumers in the United States via its website — which at one point had a waiting list of nearly 40,000 people — and the idea will be to fold in other experiences, including selling from physical spaces in the future.

    The company plans to use the funding to invest in further development of its shoes and to expand its retail and marketing presence.

    The list of investors is being led by Initialized Capital, the investment firm started by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian and Garry Tan.

    They had first encountered Atoms and its co-founders, Sidra Qasim and CEO Waqas Ali, as mentors when the husband-wife duo was going through Y Combinator with their previous high-end shoe startup, Markhor.

    “The thing that I love about Atoms is that it isn’t just a different look, it’s a different feel,” said Ohanian adding that when he put on a pair for the first time, it was a “totally unique experience”.

    Even before the recent achievement of closing a Series A, the startup has come a long way on a relative shoestring with just around $560,000 in seed funding and some of the founders’ own savings.

    Atoms built a supply chain of companies that would make the materials and shoes that it wanted and developed a gradual but strong marketing pipeline with influential people in tech, fashion and design.

    Currently the shoes sell for $179 a pair, which is not cheap and puts them at the high end of the market, so it will be interesting to see how and if price points evolve as it matures as a business, and competitors big and small begin to catch onto the idea of selling their own footwear at a wider range of sizes.

  • Lahore cinema releases night-vision explicit videos of couples

    Lahore cinema releases night-vision explicit videos of couples

    In what is being termed as a blatant breach of citizens’ privacy, a cinema in Lahore has released explicit footage of couples putting on public display of affection at the movies.

    The videos showing couples holding hands, making out and being involved in sexual activities, started doing rounds on Friday evening, sparking outrage over social media.

    While some called out the cinema for “blatant violation” of the couples’ privacy, others stepped in to train guns at the couples for publically being involved in the activities.

    https://twitter.com/SuagaDesi/status/1167727643246125056
    https://twitter.com/ARfrom1947/status/1167698419240058880
    https://twitter.com/MaazPervez/status/1167600430202814464

    No official statement over the episode has yet been released, however, former Punjab’s Strategic Reforms Unit director general (DG) Salman Sufi has announced filing a lawsuit against the cinema.

    “Just found that video recordings of citizens from cinema halls in #Pakistan have been shared around. This is NOT acceptable and is a violation of law. We demand that all theaters/Public places delete ALL video recordings that have no recorded safety threat ASAP [sic],” Sufi tweeted.

  • Behind The Scenes: The Current Life With Shehryar Afridi

    Behind The Scenes: The Current Life With Shehryar Afridi

    https://youtu.be/wDoV3suUzUU

    Watch the full interview:

  • Bombay Chowpatty Faisalabad is pleasantly surprising

    Bombay Chowpatty Faisalabad is pleasantly surprising

    We’ve all visited Bombay Chowpatty in Lahore several times but we recently got a chance to visit Bombay Chowpatty in Faisalabad and it made us very happy.

    Faisalabad’s Bombay Chowpatty is not a fast-food joint but is a proper restaurant offering a wide variety of cuisines. From Continental to Pakistani, from South Indian dishes to thaals (combos) of all sorts, the food there is quite diverse along with being delicious. Located at Kohinoor City in Faisalabad, it is also centrally located. The ambiance is also very nice and service on the dot.

    Being a chaat lover, I first ordered a Raj Kachori and a chaat platter. We were not disappointed. Everything was fresh and crispy with just the right amount of spices and sweet tangy flavour. The serving sizes were also quite big.

    Bombay Chowpatty is famous for its dosas, which is a desi version of a crepe. Making dosas is an art and if you have had dosas at a proper South Indian place, you usually don’t find dosas elsewhere authentic. But the dosas at Bombay Chowpatty were crisp and well-made. The good thing about this branch is that they customise the dosas. We had children with us who wanted cheese dosas and that’s what they got even though cheese dosa isn’t on the menu. We, on the other hand, ordered masala dosas and they were finger-licking good!

    If you’re a tea lover, you would enjoy their refreshing Karrak Chai and if you’ve got a sweet tooth, you won’t be disappointed with their desi desserts. We didn’t try out their western desserts – cakes and ice-cream – as we had had too much of desi meetha.

    If you’re in Faisalabad, we highly recommend Bombay Chowpatty. Despite visiting the place after a shaadi and eaten already, we couldn’t resist their delicious dishes and stuffed ourselves till we literally couldn’t breathe. You won’t regret it.

  • Secret to a happy marriage!

    Secret to a happy marriage!

    A woman in UAE has asked for divorce because her husband loves her a lot and is too obedient.

    Most women would not want any other type of husband — one who cooks, cleans and does not argue at all! But a wife in the UAE has sought divorce for this very reason!

    Apparently, she felt choked by his affection and wants to divorce him. She says her husband’s love was choking her.

    “He never yelled at me or turned me down,” the woman told the court.

    “I was choked by extreme love and affection. He even helped me clean the house.”

    In their year-long marriage, the husband sometimes cooked for her and there were no disputes.

    The wife complained that her life turned into “hell”. Why? Because the husband was so good to her.

    “I long for one day of dispute, but this seems impossible with my romantic husband who always forgave me and showered me with gifts.

    “I need a real discussion, even an argument, not this hassle-free life of obedience.”

    The husband said he did nothing wrong. “I wish to be a perfect and kind husband,” he said.

    The husband has asked the court to advise his wife to withdraw the case.

    “It’s not fair to judge a marriage from the first year, and everybody learns from their mistakes.”

    The court ordered the adjournment of the case to give the couple a chance at reconciliation.