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Tag: Pakistan

  • Taji Khokhar’s son alleged to have strangled wife to death

    Taji Khokhar’s son alleged to have strangled wife to death

    Farrukh Imtiaz Khokhar’s wife has been found dead in Dhoke Gangal house in Rawalpindi on Sunday.

    A mother of four, Ramsha was found to have signs of strangulation around her neck.

    According to her brother, Ali Raza, she was murdered by her husband before her body was hanged from a ceiling fan of his house.

    As per an FIR lodged by Raza with the Airport police, Ramsha married her cousin Farrukh Khokhar about 14 years ago.

    He added that Khokhar had been mistreating his wife and would often threaten to kill her.

    He was also involved in a relationship with a girl and would take her to other countries.

    Five days before her murder, Ramsha informed Ali Raza and her father that Farrukh had threatened to kill her.

    Farrukh had gone to Qatar with his girlfriend and returned at 3am on Sunday. According to the FIR, he started taunting and abusing his wife as soon as he reached home.

    Ali Raza received a phone call around 9 am from his brother-in-law, Mohammad Imtiaz, who informed that Ramsha was found hanging from a ceiling fan in her husband’s house.

    Raza and his other brother-in-law, Umar Imtiaz, hurried to Farrukh’s house and found Ramsha hanging with her dupatta tied around her neck.

    “My sister had died. There were two marks of strangulation around her neck and nothing was lying under her body,” he highlighted in the FIR.

    In the FIR, he also claimed that Farrukh called him on WhatsApp and threatened him of dire consequences.

    Raza believes that Farrukh killed his sister with the help of his brother Samar Imtiaz.

    The police has taken the body to the District Headquarters Hospital for postmortem.

    As per the initial police report, Ramsha’s body was lying on the floor and black marks were found around her neck.

  • Notices issued to Bajwa and Faiz over ‘controversial’ interviews

    Notices issued to Bajwa and Faiz over ‘controversial’ interviews

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has issued notices to former Army Chief General (retired) Qamar Javed Bajwa and former ISI Chief Lieutenant General (retired) Faiz Hameed over allegations of violating rules by giving interviews after their retirement, where they are accused of misrepresenting events.

    The notices were issued in response to a complaint filed by a private citizen named Atif Ali.

    The petition says that journalists Shahid Maitla and Javed Chaudhry conducted interviews with Bajwa and Faiz for the sake of viewership which had a “negative impact” on society. The petitioner said that he had been taken aback when he saw the articles as they could “pollute” society. It added that the garb of freedom of expression was used for a “criminal act”.

    The petition further alleges that events were misrepresented in the interviews and that the “criminal act” was conducted through connivance between the journalists and the generals.

    The petition says that the interviews portrayed a negative image of the institution and tried to create a rift between it and the people of Pakistan. Copies of the articles have also been attached to the petition.

    In addition to Gen. Bajwa and Lt. Gen. Hameed, notices have also been issued to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) and the Press Association of Pakistan. Two journalists, Shahid Maitla and Javed Chaudhry, who conducted the interviews in question, have also been summoned by the court.

    Islamabad High Court’s Chief Justice, Aamer Farooq, in a written order issued on Monday, expressed dissatisfaction with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for not responding to the petitioner’s repeated requests to file a complaint.

  • Imran Khan objects to treatment in Adiala jail

    Imran Khan objects to treatment in Adiala jail

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s attorney, Salman Safdar, said on Monday that the former Prime Minister has objected to the way he is being treated at Adiala jail.


    Salman Safdar said that Imran Khan has been kept in jail like any other prisoner.


    “The chairman protested that he was provided with a room where it was difficult to live. It is also difficult to move or walk in the cell,” said Safdar. He added that he felt that the PTI chief’s blood pressure was high during today’s hearing.
    “The PTI chief strongly protested during the hearing in the court,” said Safdar.
    Moreover, Imran Khan’s attorney requested that the trial be conducted in an open court so that the public could be aware of it, adding that it is not “right” to conduct the trial in jail.


    On the other hand, Khan’s other lawyer, Sher Afzal Marwat, has said that Imran Khan and PTI’s vice chairman, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, were standing in a “cage” during the hearing. Terrorists are not even presented before court in this manner, the indignant lawyer commented.
    The special court also announced that PTI leaders will be indicted in the cipher case on October 17.

  • Jinnah House Trial to be completed in 1.5 months

    Jinnah House Trial to be completed in 1.5 months

    In a recent development, Punjab’s Special Prosecutor, Syed Farhad Ali Shah, revealed that the Home Department has issued a notification to conduct the trial of the May 9 cases within the confines of a jail facility.

    Speaking about the matter, Syed Farhad Ali Shah stated, “The Jinnah House trial is set to be completed within a timeframe of one to one and a half months.” He also confirmed that the challan (charge sheet) has been submitted to the court.

    The notification issued by the Home Department specifies that not only the Jinnah House case but also the arson and siege cases related to Askari Tower and Shadman police station will be conducted within jail premises. The move aims to streamline legal proceedings and enhance security during the trials.

    In a related development, Justice Ali Baqir Najfi of the Lahore High Court (LHC), on Monday, directed Punjab government prosecutors to apprise the court in the Khadijah Shah case after taking directions from the government.

    The petitioner, through a lawyer, pleaded that she was unduly implicated in the May 9 riots incidents and Gulberg police station had illegally involved her in the case against the facts.
    “The Anti-Terrorism Court dismissed the bail by ignoring the facts,” Khadija Shah pleaded via her lawyer in the provincial apex court.

    Earlier, the LHC had conditionally dismissed the registrar’s objections to Khadija Shah’s bail plea, deciding to remove objectionable documents from the application and dismissing the objection itself.

    In another recent development, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) has ordered the release of Sanam Javed Khan, a prominent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) activist, and eight other party members in connection with the Jinnah House attack case. The decision comes after a series of legal proceedings surrounding the incident earlier this year.

    Presiding over the case, ATC Judge Arshad Javed announced the verdict, granting bail to the nine suspects involved in the Jinnah House attack. The court approved their bail pleas, requiring surety bonds worth Rs 0.1 million each, thereby paving the way for their release.

  • No restrictions on PTI: caretaker government

    No restrictions on PTI: caretaker government

    Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Murtaza Solangi, has asserted that there are no restrictions on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) contesting the upcoming general elections, emphasizing that announcing a date for polls is not the responsibility of the caretaker government.

    The election will be held on the date announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Solangi said, showing confidence in the ECP as an autonomous body mandated with conducting elections.

    The caretaker minister said that all the registered political parties have equal opportunities, including PTI. “All the parties and their leadership have the freedom to give their point of view on an important issue,” he added.

    “There are no restrictions on PTI as a political party,” said Solangi.

    Commenting on Nawaz Sharif’s homecoming on October 21, the caretaker information minister stressed that the interim setup has nothing to do with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo’s return.

  • ‘Did not draw inspiration from anyone’s work’: Hussain Rehar responds to plagiarism accusations

    ‘Did not draw inspiration from anyone’s work’: Hussain Rehar responds to plagiarism accusations

    Fashion designer Hussain Rehar has responded to allegations of plagiarism by Instagram art page Kook Studio, who alleged that the fashion designer stole their art pieces without giving credit. In a lengthy Instagram statement, the fashion designer wrote that his recent collection ‘Jugnu’ did not draw inspiration from any specific individual’s work.

    “Jugnu, a project in the making for over a year, derives its inspirations from traditional African embroidery designs. While there may be similarities in using the same monochrome palette, these elements are commonly found in various art forms across cultures. In an effort to maintain transparency, we are sharing all relevant images and references.”

    Hussain further wrote that his fashion brand was dedicated to “upholding the principles of artistic expression, cultural appreciation and ethical design practices. We hold the artistic community in high regard and are committed to resolving any misunderstandings in a respectful manner. We encourage open dialogue and look forward to ensuring that our shared passion for creativity continues to thrive.”

    Rehar then shared screenshots of his designs along with the pieces that he had used for inspiration.

    Addressing the backlash after the accusations went viral, Rehar wrote that it had taken a toll on his reputation as well as his mental health.

    “I urge everyone to pause and consider the consequences of reacting to a one-sided story. These comments and criticisms have a real impact on an individual’s life and mental health. I hope we can all strive for a more compassionate and empathetic online environment.”

    An online art store named Kook Studio has accused fashion designer Hussain Rehar of plagiarising their artwork.

    In a video shared by the account, the fashion designer requested the artist to collaborate on a fashion shoot.

    The next few screenshots have suggested that Hussain and the artist had met up to discuss the collaboration, but the fashion designer backed out after finding the artist’s fee too high.

    Then three months later, the designer allegedly plagiarised the same designs he referenced to the artist during their meeting.

    A Twitter user shared the video clip on their account, slamming the way big artists plagarise smaller designers.

    The video has gained traction and many users are expressing solidarity with the artist behind Kook Studio.

    A user wrote: “these big “designers” will suck out the blood of smaller designers by stealing or exploiting their craft. its almost impossible to rise as a designer until or unless you have the tag of a foreign brand with you. get outta this country asap.”

    “fffs man top rated designer stealing work of small artists? who are already under paid? is how the dumbing down of a society begins” another user wrote.

    The Current has reached out to Hussain Rehar for a statement and will update the article as soon as we receive it.

  • World Bank reverses suggestion to tax Pakistanis earning below Rs50,000 

    World Bank reverses suggestion to tax Pakistanis earning below Rs50,000 

    The World Bank has retracted its previous recommendation to include individuals earning less than Rs50,000 in the tax system. This reversal comes as the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) reports that the salaried class has outperformed exporters and the real estate sector in tax contributions over the last three months. 

    The World Bank clarified its stance, stating that it does not endorse reducing the existing nominal tax threshold. The initial suggestion may have been misleading, according to their spokesperson. The organisation now acknowledges that their recommendation was based on 2019 data and should be updated to account for the recent surge in inflation rates and changes in the labour market to safeguard the interests of low-income groups. 

    The World Bank’s previous analysis, which used 2019 data, indicated the potential for a lower tax exemption threshold for salaried individuals within a reformed income tax structure. However, this analysis needs to be revised to reflect current economic conditions. The goal is to ensure that low-income earners are not adversely affected. 

    The World Bank also noted that their recommendation in the Pakistan Development Update (PDU) should have been more explicit about the necessity for new analysis using up-to-date data to inform tax reform decisions. 

    In addition to these points, the Washington-based lender reiterated its suggestion for comprehensive tax reforms aimed at creating a more progressive tax system and placing a greater tax burden on higher-income individuals.

    According to The News, these reforms would involve reducing subsidies, eliminating regressive tax exemptions, and increasing taxation for individuals with higher incomes. The World Bank also recommended improvements in the taxation of agriculture, property, and retail sectors. 

    The statement from the World Bank emphasised that any adjustments to tax thresholds should be based on recent survey data and designed to protect the income levels of those with lower earnings. 

    The initial World Bank suggestion had raised concerns among individuals earning Rs50,000 or less, who are currently exempt from direct taxes. These concerns were driven by the backdrop of soaring inflation and an increased cost of living that has placed significant strain on this income group. 

  • Pakistan expected to secure second IMF tranche despite missed deadlines

    Pakistan expected to secure second IMF tranche despite missed deadlines

    Pakistan is poised to secure the next installment of its $3 billion stand-by arrangement (SBA) with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), despite potential delays in meeting certain deadlines, as indicated in a recent brokerage report. 

    Topline Securities, in its analysis, acknowledged that Pakistan had achieved the prescribed targets for net international reserves, net domestic assets, and foreign currency swap/forward positions as of the close of June 2023.  

    However, it also pointed out that Islamabad had fallen short in meeting the targets for the primary deficit, which assesses the fiscal balance excluding interest payments as well as external public debt disbursements. 

    Furthermore, the report highlighted that Pakistan had yet to implement a gas price adjustment agreed upon with the IMF, which was a prerequisite for completing the second review of the program. 

    Pakistan initially received a $1.2 billion installment from the IMF’s stand-by arrangement in July after the IMF’s Executive Board approved the bailout package to stabilise the country’s economy.  

    Under the agreement, the remaining $1.8 billion is set to be disbursed in two tranches following reviews in November and February. 

    The current IMF programme outlines nine performance criteria, four indicative targets, and ten structural benchmarks for the upcoming review. 

    In a briefing for analysts on September 14, the Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan confirmed that all quantitative performance targets related to the central bank, including net domestic assets, swaps, and net international reserves, had been met.  

    Similarly, the Finance Ministry expressed its commitment to maintaining fiscal discipline and achieving primary balance targets. 

    Despite challenges and some unmet targets related to external funding, the primary deficit, gas price adjustments, etc., Topline Securities remains optimistic about Pakistan’s chances of receiving the next IMF tranche.  

    They believe that if the government can effectively manage the current account deficit to around $4 billion for FY2024, as opposed to the projected $6.5 billion, it can meet its financing requirements, particularly given the difficulty of commercial borrowing. 

    The Ministry has projected gross external financing requirements of $28.4 billion for the current fiscal year, including the current account deficit of $6.5 billion, aligning with IMF projections outlined in the latest country report. 

    Regarding funding sources, the government plans to secure a total of $11 billion, with $5 billion coming from China and $6 billion from Saudi Arabia, primarily in the form of rollovers and an oil facility with deferred payments, according to Topline’s report.  

    The government also anticipates around $6.3 billion from multilateral creditors, including the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Islamic Development Bank, and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. 

  • SNGPL cracks down on gas theft, imposing Rs3 crore in fines

    SNGPL cracks down on gas theft, imposing Rs3 crore in fines

    In an ongoing endeavour to combat gas theft, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) has successfully identified and addressed 55 instances of unauthorised gas connections, resulting in the imposition of fines amounting to Rs30 million.  

    According to APP, these concerted efforts have been executed across various regions of Pakistan. 

    According to a company spokesperson, within the city of Lahore, the local SNGPL team has taken decisive action by discontinuing 15 gas connections due to unlawful gas consumption, in addition to two connections linked to the unauthorised use of compressors.  

    Furthermore, 47 cases of underbilling have been meticulously scrutinised, leading to the initiation of a First Information Report (FIR) against the offenders. 

    In Bahawalpur, the SNGPL team has demonstrated their commitment by disconnecting seven connections attributed to compressor usage and 16 connections associated with unauthorised gas consumption.  

    Additionally, 17 cases of underbilling have been diligently processed. The company has levied a fine of Rs40,000 on those engaged in pilfering gas. 

    In Multan, 11 connections have been severed due to illegal gas consumption, while nine have been disconnected for compressor usage. Six instances of underbilling have undergone rigorous examination, resulting in the imposition of appropriate fines. 

    In Sheikhupura, one connection has been disconnected due to compressor usage, and a comprehensive review of 63 underbilling cases has been undertaken.  

    In both Peshawar and Karak, 44 gas connections have been terminated owing to direct gas consumption and the presence of illicit connections. Additionally, two FIRs have been filed against those involved in gas theft. 

    In Rawalpindi, six gas connections have been discontinued due to direct and unauthorised gas consumption, with one connection linked to the use of compressors. 

  • Who are Mahira Khan’s friends?

    Who are Mahira Khan’s friends?

    Mahira Khan is currently sharing more pictures of the intimate wedding festivities where only her close friends and family members were present. Yesterday, she shared pictures of the mayoun her childhood best friends had thrown for her, thanking them in the caption for showering immense love and joy for her special day.

    “So when I told my friends about the wedding,” the ‘Raees superstar wrote on Instagram. “I also laid out a few ‘requests’. This is how they went –

    Me – Guys please I’m too old for dances, can we not have dances ?
    Friends – No. we have to.
    M – Ok just one?
    F – Hell No.
    M – Ok please no dholkis before Bhurban. We should all just chill.
    F – talk to the ✋

    As time came close and they all were over everyday.. I realised they just wanted to celebrate me and us. My childhood friends, work friends, my cousins… had seen it all with me – held me when I was down and clapped when I succeeded. I had done the same with them.

    To these insanely amazing humans I call family. I love you all so freaking much. Alhumdulillah. MashAllah. “

    Here are some of the people present in the pictures, whom Mahira calls her closest friends. The people present are makeup artists Anam Farooq Khan, Adnan Ansari and Babar Zaheer, stylist Nida Khan, and Mahira’s former manager Seher Hafeez. Among her childhood friends are Feeha Jamshed, Sana Hafeez Shaikh, Narood Dharani and Sarah Ajmal.

    The celebrities present in the picture are Momal Sheikh, who is currently starring in Mahira’s drama ‘Razia’, as well as singer and actor Azaan Sami Khan.

    Mahira’s childhood friend and fashion designer Feeha Noor Jamshed shared a message on Tuesday about how she was the one who linked up Mahira and Salim together eight years ago, writing that she ‘manifested this union’.

    READ MORE: Mahira’s childhood friend recounts how she got the couple together

    Among the celebrities present, actor Sheheryar Munawar was invited to the actress’s wedding reception, and on his Instagram he penned a long note celebrating his friendship with Mahira and gushed about her gorgeous wedding.

    “Meri Pyari Muni,

    From our first meeting a decade ago when you asked me who i was and what business i had being there ( you have a knack for setting the tone in the first meeting ) to dancing all night and pouring our hearts out to each other, knowing we both have “halka paits” … “but mahira this one you can’t tell anyone” – “sherry i’ll kill you if you tell anyone – and i mean ANYONE” , From having different methods and annoying each other on sets to being each others confidants and support system on the toughest ones. From Competing to be @asimrazatvf favourite child to standing up for each other when it comes to everyone else – it’s been a beautiful journey, one i wouldn’t want to be on with anyone else. As you embark on a new journey, here’s celebrating you and wishing you all the love and magic the universe has to offer !
    Even though i’ve shared the wedding stage with you on film so many times and was making fun of people for crying at the mehndi – seeing you walk down that aisle had me bawling
    you and saleem both looked beautiful and you both lucked out ❤

    Shadi Mubarik Pyari Muni “

    READ MORE: Here are all the celebrities who were present at Mahira Khan, Salim Karim’s wedding

    Mahira posted a comment thanking Sheheryar for the love: “I love love love you. And you know know know that. My sherry with   on top ♥