Tag: Pakistan

  • Annual report reveals only 22% women in Pakistan are social media users: PTA

    Annual report reveals only 22% women in Pakistan are social media users: PTA

    There is a great gender gap in social media users of Pakistan, reveals a report published by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) for the year 2021.

    “Pakistan has some of the widest gender gaps identified not only by international organisations but also by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS),” states the report.

    “The digitally excluded segments of Pakistani women are mainly illiterate, unemployed, disabled, and those over 45 years of age,” it added.

    Since the last couple of years, the percentage of female mobile subscriptions is only 21 per cent of the total subscriptions. This results in a large number of unaccounted women using mobile connections. Of 1,825 million (FY 2021) mobile connections across Pakistan, only 38 million are held by females against their CNICs; the remaining 144 million connections are held by the male population.

    The Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement (PSLM) Household Survey 2021 released by PBS reported that 46 per cent of the country’s population (25% female and 65% male) owns a mobile phone. In terms of the rural-urban divide, the gap between male-female mobile ownership in rural areas is much higher compared to urban areas.

    As per the report, out of the total social media users in the country, only 22 per cent are women, while the rest of 78 per cent are men.

    The report also revealed the websites that are most visited local websites by the users, which are Daraz, OLX, Urdu Point, and Dawn.

  • No-confidence to be submitted in 48 hours: PDM

    No-confidence to be submitted in 48 hours: PDM

    Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) leader and official spokesman for the Pakistan Demo­cratic Movement (PDM) Hafiz Hamdullah said that the joint Opposition would submit the no-confidence motion in the next 48 hours.

    The development emerged after PDM chief and JUI-F head Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s talks with reporters regarding the no-confidence motion.

    According to Maulana, the Opposition will make a final decision regarding submitting a vote of the no-confidence motion in the next two to three days.

    PDM chief termed the upcoming days “important”. He claimed they have the numbers required for the success of the no-confidence motion. However, he revealed that it has not been decided yet whether they would bring the no-confidence motion against National Assembly (NA) Speaker Asad Qaiser or Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan.

    It is pertinent to mention that in order to bring in-house change against PM Khan, the joint Opposition needs the support of 172 Members of the National Assembly (MNAs). For the no-confidence motion against the NA’s speaker and deputy speaker, the Opposition would need simply a majority in the Lower House.

    Moreover, Maulana said that it seems that the “umpires” [establishment] are neutral. He declared that the Opposition is not seeking any support from the establishment, rather they want them to stop supporting the government.

    An insider told Dawn when the Opposition is 100 per cent about the success rate of the no-confidence motion, only then they will table it. He said it is true that some of the government’s own people are in contact with the Opposition but they still don’t have sufficient numbers.

  • Man murders wife, sends dead body with 10-year-old child in rickshaw

    Man murders wife, sends dead body with 10-year-old child in rickshaw

    A man in Lahore allegedly tortured his wife to death over a personal dispute and sent her body to her family in an auto-rickshaw, along with her minor daughter.

    Nisar married Anjum 15 years ago and the couple was living in Lahore’s Tauheed Park. As per details, Nisar tortured Anjum to death and then packed her body. He then hired a rickshaw to transport her body. He also sent their 10-year old daughter, who was alive, to his wife’s family.

    CCPO Lahore Fayyaz Ahmad Dev has also taken notice of the incident.

    Read more- Video: Two women allegedly kill house help, hide body in a cardboard box

    Last month in February, the body of a female, who was working in a house was discovered in a cardboard box by police in Kahna. In CCTV footage found by the police, two women — Bushra and her daughter Irum — were seen dragging a cardboard box, which allegedly contained the victim’s body.

  • IN PICTURES: Lupita Nyong’o stuns in Pakistani shaadi joras

    IN PICTURES: Lupita Nyong’o stuns in Pakistani shaadi joras

    Hollywood Star Lupita Nyong’o is currently in Pakistan for a friend’s wedding and is sharing pictures of herself from the wedding festivities. She is in Pakistan for the wedding ceremony of Artist Misha Japanwala.

    The ‘Black Panther’ actor opted for traditional Pakistani clothes for her friend’s wedding. Have a look at some of the looks:

    Read more- Black Panther star Lupita Nyong’o takes a trip around Karachi, loves the desi groove

    Who is Misha Japanwala?

    Misha Japanwala is a Pakistani visual artist and designer. She has won global attention and appreciation for her work. The artist has also worked with Gigi Hadid in the past. She has tied the knot with  Actor Fisher Neal. 

  • ‘Ab toh sahi wali bata day Lala,’ Shoaib Akhtar asks Afridi for his actual date of birth, deletes tweet

    ‘Ab toh sahi wali bata day Lala,’ Shoaib Akhtar asks Afridi for his actual date of birth, deletes tweet

    Former Pakistan cricketer Shahid Afridi celebrated his 42nd birthday yesterday (March 1).

    Many cricketers and fans wished the cricket superstar. Boom Boom Afridi thanked his fans, friends and former colleagues on social media by individually responding to their tweets.

    Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar also wished Afridi on Twitter and wrote, “Happy Birthday @SAfridiOfficial . Ab toh sahi wali bata day lala.”

    Afridi thanked his former teammate and said: “Thank you Shabi…Time is running brother “

    Akhtar later deleted his tweet.

    According to ESPNcricinfo, Afridi revealed in his autobiography “Game Changer” that he was born in 1975. However, Afridi’s official date of birth is March 1, 1980.

  • Punjab to offer test tube baby facility for free

    Punjab to offer test tube baby facility for free

    The Punjab government has announced that they will offer the facility of trying for a test-tube baby or in-vitro fertilization (IVF) for people trying to conceive. As per details, the facility will be for free and will be provided in a 600-bed hospital named “Mother and Child” which will be opened in Lahore.

    The hospital will be functional from June 2022 and will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Imran Khan.

    According to Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid, it would be Pakistan’s first public gynaecology department to offer IVF.

    “It will treat pregnancy complications whether due to physiological or reproductive issues,” she said.

    Furthermore, the government facility will have a unit to identify mental and physical health issues in the child before delivery. The 600-bed hospital will also have a section to identify health-related issues in pregnant women.

  • ‘Seems like PM Khan was not assisted correctly over PECA Ordinance’: Justice Minallah

    ‘Seems like PM Khan was not assisted correctly over PECA Ordinance’: Justice Minallah

    During the hearing of a plea challenging the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) PECA Ordinance, 2022, Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Athar Minallah reportedly issued a notice to the attorney-general of Pakistan and directed him to combine this petition with other petitions that are against PECA.

    Justice Minallah said that it seems like no one told the premier that there are laws for contempt other than PECA. He was referring to Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s address yesterday. “It seems like PM Khan was not assisted correctly over PECA Ordinance,” said Justice Minallah, adding that the law is used against critics here.

    The plea was filed by former president of Lahore High Court (LHC) Bar Maqsood Buttar. In the petition, it was argued that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) doesn’t have the authority to deal with a matter between two private parties.

    Previously, the IHC chief called the amendment “draconian in nature”. He said it is even worse than the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) law.

    Last month, President Arif Alvi passed an Ordinance amending PECA 2016, an attempt to make online “defamation” of authorities, including the military and judiciary, a criminal offence with harsh penalties.

    The high court adjourned the hearing till March 10.

  • ‘As dry as local hotels,’ remarks Australian’s chief cricket writer on Rawalpindi pitch

    ‘As dry as local hotels,’ remarks Australian’s chief cricket writer on Rawalpindi pitch

    The Australian’s chief cricket writer, Peter Lalor, remarked on Tuesday that a 22 yard patch of the Rawalpindi pitch is “as dry as the local hotels”. He shared a picture of the pitch at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, where the first match of the Test series between Pakistan and Australia will be played on March 4.

    https://twitter.com/plalor/status/1498535983809282048
    Historic series

    Team Australia arrived in Pakistan on Sunday for their first tour since 1998. They are scheduled to play three Tests, three ODIs and one T20I.

    Tickets

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the availability of Pakistan-Australia Test series tickets online. The matches will be played in several cities of Pakistan— Rawalpindi (March 4-8), Karachi (March 10-12) and Lahore (March 21-25 ). According to the board, the ticket price for the general enclosure has been fixed at Rs 100, a first-class ticket at Rs 200, a premium ticket at Rs 350 and VIP Enclosure ticket at Rs 500.

    NCOC allows 100 per cent crowd capacity for Australia series

    The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) said on Tuesday that 100 per cent crowd capacity is allowed for the upcoming Australia series.

    “The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is allowed to conduct Pakistan vs Australia cricket matches scheduled from March 4 to April 5, 2022 at 100% of the stadium capacity,” said the NCOC.

  • Zahir Jaffer’s gardener appeals against his sentence, says he was employed at PM Secretariat

    Zahir Jaffer’s gardener appeals against his sentence, says he was employed at PM Secretariat

    Jan Mohammad, Zahir Jaffer’s gardener who was convicted in the Noor Mukadam murder case, has filed an appeal in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against his sentence. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison by the sessions court on four counts, which included “concealing design to commit the offence”.

    “My client was never named in the FIR, and he was included in the supplementary statement,” said Advocate Kamran Murtaza, the lawyer of Zahir’s gardener, while filing an application against the verdict in the high court.

    The statement further added that Jan Mohammad was employed at the Prime Minister’s Secretariat and worked part-time at Zahir’s house.

    “There is no evidence of my involvement. My punishment should be quashed,” the petition stated.

    A sessions court on Feburary 24 sentenced Zahir Jaffer to death for the murder of Noor Mukadam. The co-accused staff members at Zahir’s house who aided in keeping Noor in Zahir’s house, Iftikhar and Jameel, were sentenced to 10 years in jail. Additional Sessions Judge Ata Rabbani announced the verdict. All other accused were acquitted, including Zahir’s parents and TherapyWorks staff.

  • Pakistan, India resume talks on water dispute again, this time in Islamabad

    Pakistan, India resume talks on water dispute again, this time in Islamabad

    Pakistan and India will resume talks on the water dispute again from March 1 till March 4. The talks will be held in Islamabad to resolve the issue between the two countries.

    The Indian delegation comprising of ten members will arrive at Wagah Border on Monday and the sessions will be held at the 117th session of the Permanent Indus Commission (PIC), reports The Express Tribune.

    The Indian delegation will be presided by the Indian Commissioner for Indus Water Pradeep Saxena. The Pakistan delegation will be headed by the Indus Water Commissioner Commissioner Mehr Ali Shah.

    While talking about the dispute, Shah mentioned that Pakistan objects to several projects of India which are in progress. The Pakistan delegation will raise the issue regarding projects on Occupied Kashmir, River Chenab, and River Indus.

    According to the Indus Water Treaty, which was signed in 1960, Pakistan and India have to hold discussions at least once a year.

    The talk was last held in March 2021 in New Delhi, India which concluded that frequent meetings will be held to resolve the water dispute.

    Pakistan had also requested India to share designs of the projects. India replied that data would be shared according to the requirements written in the treaty.