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Tag: Pakistan

  • Video of Ali Sadpara singing ‘Tum Chalay Ao’ goes viral as rescue operation enters third day

    Video of Ali Sadpara singing ‘Tum Chalay Ao’ goes viral as rescue operation enters third day

    An old video of Pakistani mountaineer Muhammad Ali Sadpara singing Tum Chalay Ao has gone viral on social media. In the video, the brave mountaineer can be seen singing, clapping and dancing to the song with his friends in a camp.

    Sadpara, who had embarked on a mission to summit K2 in the winters with Iceland’s John Snorri and Chile’s JP Mohr went missing on Friday.

    Sadpara’s son Sajid Ali Sadpara on Sunday told the media that the chances of the mountaineers’ survival are very low. Efforts to locate the missing climbers are ongoing since Saturday but have been unsuccessful due to poor weather conditions.

    Talking to the reporters in Skardu, Sajid had said: “Rescue operations now only make sense if they are carried out to bring back the bodies. Otherwise, the chances for anyone to survive after being missing for two to three days at 8,000 meters are very bleak.”

    https://twitter.com/SajidAliSadpara/status/1358421202977497088?s=20

    However, Sajid is convinced that his father summited the peak.

    “My father has the experience of summiting all the mountains,” wrote Sajid on Twitter. “I saw him near the K2 mountain last time. I am sure he has summited K2.”

    “On the way back, there were gusty winds that might have caused a problem,” he added.

    https://twitter.com/SajidAliSadpara/status/1358667085585539072?s=20

    Later, Sajid also shared a picture of himself before leaving for a rescue mission on the third day.

    https://twitter.com/SajidAliSadpara/status/1358643110004355078?s=20

    Gilgit Baltistan’s Home Secretary Muhammad Ali Randhawa also shared pictures taken of the K2 on the Pakistan Army Aviation Helicopters during the search operation.

    Meanwhile, Alpine Club of Pakistan secretary Karrar Haider told AFP that “a second helicopters’ search found no sign of missing climbers”.

    He added that the helicopters’ crew traced the route up to a height of 7,000 metres (23,000 feet).

    Chhang Dawa Sherpa, their expedition manager, said he was part of one search team trying to trace the mountaineers.

    “The search team went through the Abruzzi and other routes, we had less weather visibility above C 4 (camp 4), unfortunately, no trace at all,” Sherpa said in a statement.

    Bad weather today (Monday) forced Pakistan Army helicopters to temporarily halt their search for three mountaineers. The officials are uncertain about when weather conditions would improve enough for it to resume again.

    Conditions on K2 are harsh: winds can blow at more than 200 kilometres per hour (125 miles per hour) and temperatures can drop to minus 60 degrees Celsius (minus 76 Fahrenheit). Unlike Mount Everest, which has been scaled by thousands of climbers young and old, K2 is much less travelled due to its tough conditions.

    Earlier on Saturday Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Overseas Pakistanis, Zulfi Bukhari had said that Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa have expressed their concern over the missing climbers and are personally monitoring all developments.

  • ‘Govt unable to retrieve Quaide Azam’s 29-kanal property from land grabbers in Lahore’s Gulberg’

    ‘Govt unable to retrieve Quaide Azam’s 29-kanal property from land grabbers in Lahore’s Gulberg’

    Despite efforts made over the span of more than a year, Punjab’s anti-corruption department has failed to retrieve Quaide Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s property from land grabbers in Lahore, it has been claimed.

    According to Lahore-based journalist Rehan Tariq, the 29-kanal land owned by the founder of Pakistan in the provincial capital’s Gulberg area has been occupied while shopping malls and plazas have been constructed on lands linked to his sister and “Mother of the Nation”, Fatima Jinnah, as well as the country’s first prime minister (PM) Liaquat Ali Khan.

    The journalist went on to claim that the anti-corruption department launched a probe into the matter in December 2019 and it also sought record from the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) besides other public offices.

    “Officials also acquired Jinnah’s will regarding the land and prepared a source report,” Tariq said, adding that Jinnah’s property consisted of Arazi Khasra No 2181, 2129, 2200, 2180, 21825, 2184.

    Now shopping malls and plazas have been built on the land dedicated to a trust, he claimed.

  • Justice Isa holds referendum on country’s press freedom situation in court; no hands raised

    Justice Isa holds referendum on country’s press freedom situation in court; no hands raised

    Supreme Court’s (SC) Justice Qazi Faez Isa has expressed serious concerns over the press freedom situation in Pakistan, holding a referendum on freedom of press in his court.

    “Tell me… is media free in Pakistan?” Justice Isa asked the attorney general while hearing the case regarding local government elections with Justice Maqbool Baqir.

    The top court judge asked the reporters present in the courtroom to raise their hands if media was free in the country. Even though a number of media persons were present, nobody raised their hands.

    At this, Justice Isa said, “The people who are behind curbs on media must go to jails.”

    “The country is systematically being damaged. The poor are crying,” he added.

    Justice Baqir, on the other hand, remarked that a judge should avoid discussing such things but for how long could one remain silent on a situation such as the prevailing one. “It is not an ideal situation.”

    Earlier, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) submitted schedule of local bodies elections to the court.

    The election watchdog, in its reply to the apex court, stated that local government polls will be held in Punjab on July 20 while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Cantonment Boards will hold the election on April 8.

    The commission further said that decision regarding date of the elections in Sindh and Balochistan will be taken on February 11.

    Last Thursday, the top court had asked the ECP to furnish a comprehensive reply within a week on holding the polls.

  • Man sues tailor for not delivering sister’s bridal dress on time

    Man sues tailor for not delivering sister’s bridal dress on time

    A man in Lahore sued a local dress designer for not delivering his sister’s bridal dress on time. He demanded Rs1 million in damages from the tailor, claiming that the family had to buy another dress for the ceremony at the last minute and suffered mental trauma because of it.

    As per reports, the court has set the case for hearing and has summoned the defendant on March 6 to submit his version on the matter.

    In his complaint, the man accused the tailor of not delivering his sister’s bridal dress on time due to which the family’s stress doubled with awaiting wedding and then they had to buy a ready-made bridal dress following severe mental stress.

    Earlier in a similar incident in Karachi, a man approached a consumer court seeking action against a shop owner who allegedly sold his wife a pair of poor quality shoes.

    The claimant stated that his wife bought a pair of shoes from a shop at Tariq Road worth Rs1,600. One piece of the pair broke into two pieces in a few days. The man also added that the shoes were his wife’s favourite ones.

  • Here’s why you were stuck in traffic in Lahore despite South Africa playing Test in Rawalpindi

    Massive jams in major parts of Lahore on Thursday spelt misery for citizens on the second consecutive day with little or no public knowledge regarding the jams except assumptions that the South African cricket team was in town.

    According to the details of the jam, the city’s arteries, including Jail Road, Canal Bank Road and The Mall, remained blocked for traffic as contingents of police and rangers barred motorists from movement on the said roads.

    As a result, all routes leading to the aforementioned major roads also remained choked with traffic jams in Shadman, Shah Jamal, Gulberg, Mozang, Upper & Lower Mall, Lytton Road, Liberty Chowk, Kalma Chowk and Davis Road among other adjoining areas.

    But what could have been the cause, especially when the South African team is currently playing its second Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi?

    Well, a separate Proteas T20 squad arrived in Lahore on Wednesday for three-match series against the Green Shirts.

    Security before the movement of the team was beefed up in the Punjab capital and the guests were shifted to the hotel in the fully escorted motorcade.

    Heinrich Klaasen will lead the South Africa squad in the three fixtures which will be played on February 11, 13, and 14. The first practice session is scheduled for Friday.

    The series will start at the Gaddafi Stadium Lahore on February 11, and so, the current traffic situation is likely to prevail until February 15, after which the Pakistan Super League (PSL) matches could add to motorists’ woes.

    Meanwhile, Pakistan captain Babar Azam won the toss and elected to bat in the second and final Test in Rawalpindi against South Africa on Thursday.

    Pakistan retained the playing XI which won the first Test by seven wickets inside four days at Karachi last week.

  • Two PHA officials suspended for ‘inefficiency and negligence’ over Iqbal sculpture

    Two PHA officials suspended for ‘inefficiency and negligence’ over Iqbal sculpture

    Two officials of the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) have been suspended for “inefficiency and negligence of duty” over the Allama Iqbal sculpture placed in Lahore’s Gulshan-i-Iqbal Park.

    According to a notification issued by the authority, the two officers have been suspended for “negligence of duty and inefficiency”. 

    The park’s Deputy Director Horticulture Shah Nawaz Wattoo, and Assistant Director Horticulture Ghulam Sibtain have been suspended with “immediate effect”. 

    The sculpture of the Allama Iqbal sparked social media outrage after netizens pointed out that it barely resembled the national poet. Chairman PHA Yasir Gillani later clarified that the sculpture was built by the gardeners of the park in order to pay tribute to the great poet.

    However, following the backlash, CM Punjab Usman Buzdar ordered the sculpture to be removed.

    Nadia Tufail, a spokesperson of the park located in the city’s Gulshan-e-Iqbal area, confirmed to The News that the sculpture had been removed and will be put up again after necessary improvements. 

  • VIDEO: Frontline workers receive their COVID-19 vaccines across Pakistan

    The National Immunisation Drive against COVID-19 formally commenced on Tuesday with a ceremony at the National Command and Control Centre (NCOC) in Islamabad. Prime Minister Imran Khan, Asad Umar, Fawad Chaudhry, Dr Faisal Sultan and Dr Sania Nishtar were among those present at the event.

    According to Umar, Dr Rana Imran Sikander, who heads the COVID ward at PIMS Hospital in Islamabad, was the first person to receive the vaccination in the country.

    Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar lauded the sacrifices and services of frontline healthcare workers for serving the nation during the pandemic.

    “Frontline healthcare workers are our real heroes,” said the minister. “No doubt they have put their lives at risk in their fight against COVID-19 and we pay tribute to all of them.”

    He also thanked the Government of China for supporting Pakistan during the pandemic and donating vaccine to the country. Umar also paid tribute to the NCOC team and provincial authorities working in close liaison in the fight against the virus.

    The next day on Wednesday, separate ceremonies were held in all the provinces and federating units at the same time, where healthcare workers received their first dose of the vaccine. Healthcare workers are being inoculated with the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine imported from China.

    Meanwhile, addressing a press conference on Wednesday, Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on National Health Services Dr Faisal Sultan said an effective mechanism has been developed to ensure the administration of the COVID vaccine to the people.

    Dr Faisal said adult vaccine centres have been established across the country which currently have the capacity to administer the vaccine to forty thousand people on daily basis. He said this capacity will be further enhanced in the coming days.

    The SAPM added that the government aims to inoculate seventy percent population by the end of this year.

  • PM Imran gaining record weight because of workload: report

    The workload that entails one’s election as the chief executive of a country can not even be imagined by someone who hasn’t been there, and requires spending a lot of time sitting in the office.

    There have been no exceptions for Pakistan’s very own cricketer-turned-politician, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan, who, according to Geo, now weighs around 15 pounds (6 kgs) more than he has ever weighed as a sportsperson, philanthropist or struggling politician.

    According to the premier, he has never weighed more than 185 pounds (83 kgs) but now weighs 200 pounds (90 kgs), the report said.

    PM Imran, who is well-known for maintaining good health through regular exercise, has lately not been exercising at all, the report quoted his close associates as saying.

    Back in 2018 when he had recently assumed office, PM Imran made it a routine for himself to work out in the morning before starting his official duties.

    At that time, pictures of the premier enthusiastically exercising had gone viral on social media, with people commending his healthy lifestyle.

    No holiday when there is a country to be run, Prime Minister Imran Khan has reached office #PMIK

    Posted by Imran Khan on Sunday, August 19, 2018

    What do you think of it? Let The Current know in the comments below…

  • Senior journalist accuses close aide of PM of disrupting Pak-Qatar ties; Twitter is guessing who…

    Senior journalist accuses close aide of PM of disrupting Pak-Qatar ties; Twitter is guessing who…

    Senior journalist Arif Hameed Bhatti has accused a close aide of Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan of disrupting Pakistan-Qatar business ties.

    Speaking during a talk show on Saturday, Bhatti claimed that a cabinet member, who is also an advisor of the premier, visited Qatar and snubbed the government by asking to start personal business ties.

    He went on to claim that the issue was also discussed in the recently-held cabinet meeting.

    When the host of the current affairs programme, Paras Jahanzaib, asked Bhatti to name the advisor who visited Qatar and told the authorities to end business ties with the Pakistan government, Hameed seemed reluctant to answer, but Twitterati have not been holding back their guesses.

    What do they owe their guesses to? Well, this clip from the show…

    WATCH VIDEO:

    What do you think of the claims? Let The Current know in the comments below…

  • Fawad Ch disqualification case: IHC chief justice wants people to be the judge

    Fawad Ch disqualification case: IHC chief justice wants people to be the judge

    Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Athar Minallah has said that the judiciary has faith in decisions made by the people, who are responsible even if they elect to power the wrong representatives.

    “If eligibility or disqualification are to be decided, do so outside courtrooms,” the top Islamabad judge said while hearing a petition seeking the science and technology minister’s disqualification for allegedly hiding his assets.

    Justice Minallah was due to hear the plea on February 1 (today). The court had already issued notices to Fawad and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for the hearing.

    The petitioner has claimed that the minister did not disclose details of the land he owns in Jhelum in his nomination papers for the 2018 general elections. “He is no longer ‘sadiq and ameen’ and should be disqualified,” the petitioner had argued.

    During the course of proceedings on Monday, the IHC ruled that it will hear the disqualification petitions against all MNAs and MPAs together and give a combined ruling on it.

    The combined cases will be heard on March 9. The cases will be wrapped up together so that the court can listen to other petitioners, the court remarked.

    The court has a clear stance on hearing cases against the representatives of the government. Courts should not be used for political motives, said Justice Minallah. “Why should we hear cases that will eventually lead to the criticism of the courts?”

    The petitioner said that the court has to make a decision if the law is violated anywhere, the petitioner said, adding that former PM Nawaz Sharif was also disqualified by the courts.

    Former CJ of Pakistan Asif Saeed Khosa had said that Parliament should amend Article 62 (1)(f). If it remains the same, then all of us could be disqualified under it, the court added.

    Article 62 (1)(f) of the Constitution is a provision requiring elected officials to be ‘sadiq and ameen’ or honest and righteous. Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and PTI leader Jahangir Tareen were disqualified under this clause.

    Fawad, who attended the hearing, said that whatever has been presented in court is nothing but a classic example of blackmailing. “Courts are supposed to protect us from being blackmailed.”

    Responding to Fawad, Justice Minallah said that the politicians should play their role in changing the blackmail culture. “People hurl abuses at judges on social media,” he remarked, adding that MPAs and MNAs should try to change this culture too.