Power outages have been reported in all major cities of Pakistan, including Islamabad, Lahore, Multan, Rawalpindi and Karachi.
While no confirmed reports have yet poured in on the situation in other cities, the blackout is being deemed a national one with a fault allegedly occuring in the National Transmission & Despatch Company (NTDC) transmission lines.
The cause of the fault has not yet been ascertained, however, sources say it could be due to the foggy weather conditions prevailing in the country.
Earlier, the outage began with voltage fluctuations. The same being a countrywide problem emerged as soon as people took to social media.
“The core question we are confronted with now is that if Shan 2.0 was a hoax or whether he would get his act together and we’ll get to see that Shan again who can judge which balls to play and which ones to leave.”
In the absence of Babar Azam and with Pakistan’s most senior batsman Azhar Ali suffering a form slump, Shan Masood carried a heavy load on his shoulders to save Pakistan’s batting against a top-quality Kiwi bowling attack.
This Shan Masood wasn’t the same who was sidelined from the team after abject performances with the bat when James Anderson made him dance to his tunes during Pakistan’s tour of England in 2016
It was the rejuvenated Shan Masood, also touted as Shan 2.0. The 2018 tour of South Africa, 2019 tour of Australia and 2020 tour of England where he struck a remarkable ton at Old Trafford confirmed that Shan Masood 2.0 had worked on his flaws, upped his game drastically and could be relied upon to solve Pakistan’s top-order woes.
However, the recent tour of New Zealand has laid bare his technical frailties again. Across four innings, he could muster a tally of 10 runs, including three ducks on the trot, and seemed to be like the replica of Shan 1.0 who has harked back to his old ways. Even 17-year-old Naseem Shah, Pakistan’s No.11 batsman, managed a higher tally of runs in the series than Shan. Before proceeding to deconstruct what sets Shan 2.0 apart from Shan 1.0, let’s revisit his dismissals during the series.
Barring the first innings of the first test where he scored 10 thanks to a few painstaking nudges and nurdles, he failed to buy a single run in the next three innings. In the first innings of the first test, he ended up giving a catch to wicketkeeper BJ Watling trying to glide Jamieson towards the third man region. Tim Southee accounted for him in the next innings when he edged him to Ross Taylor standing at the first slip attempting a defensive prod off a ball pitching outside the off-stump. Under the pump to score big in the next match, he ended up registering a pair. Southee had him plumb in the first innings when he failed to get a bat on his yorker and then Jamieson’s away angler induced an outside edge of his bat which was pouched safely by Tim Southee at the third slip wrapping up a miserable tour for him.
Fair play to New Zealand bowlers for their disciplined bowling but, to be honest, none of the deliveries which sent Shan back to the pavilion weren’t brute or corker of a delivery but then that’s par for the course for a batsman who couldn’t resist the temptation to chase deliveries away from the stumps, leave them alone and not poke his bat at it. Things would have gotten easier for him and Pakistan if he had managed to see off the new ball with patience. Interestingly, as told by Shan Masood in an interview with Jarrod Kimber for the Red Inker podcast, it was his judgement of not being able to decide when to play at a ball and when it is wide enough to let it go that coach Gary Palmer identified as a flaw in his technique after 2016 tour of England. Palmer, according to Shan, remarked that he was susceptible to throw his bat at balls that could be safely left alone because of incorrect positioning of his head when facing the bowler which in turn adversely impacted his judgement.
On the back of strong performances in domestic, he earned his way back into the side and fared reasonably well on the tough tours to South Africa, Australia and England thereby passing the attrition test and announcing the arrival of rejuvenated Shan 2.0. It was evident that the net sessions with Palmer helped him to chip away at his flaws. As pointed by Tim Wigmore in his article for The Telegraph, during the 2020 tour of England, Shan left 22 per cent of balls from seamers to him pitched 20cm outside off stump as compared to the 2016 tour where he left only three per cent of deliveries bowled in that channel. Shan 2.0 was like a breath of fresh air. However, watching the 83 balls he played in this series, it seemed like all the skills he learned from Palmer had evaporated in unison. The core question we are confronted with now is that if Shan 2.0 was a hoax or whether he would get his act together and we’ll get to see that Shan again who can judge which balls to play and which ones to leave.
The government has established the first COVID-19 vaccination centre in Taralai area of the federal capital.
According to details, citizens can register themselves for the vaccine using the helpline 1166. The government has installed a special chiller at the centre so that the vaccine remains safe and lasts long.
The federal health ministry has also set up a training centre for the vaccinators at the site.
The centre was set up a day after Secretary for Ministry of National Health Services Dr Nausheen Hamid said that Pakistan is expected to get the first COVID-19 vaccine batch by the end of January.
According to Radio Pakistan, Dr Hamid said that the government was “urgently” drafting a database of all public and private medical workers to get them vaccinated in the first phase.
However, it has not yet revealed which vaccine it is and from which country Pakistan would procure it.
A week earlier, Science Minister Fawad Chaudhry said Pakistan would purchase 1.2 million doses of virus vaccine from China’s Sinopharm.
کابینہ کمیٹی نے فیصلہ کیا ہے کہ ابتدائ طور پر چین کی کمپنی سائنوفارم سے ویکسین کی بارہ لاکھ Doses خریدی جائیں گی جو 2021 کی پہلی سہ ماہی میں فرنٹ لائن ورکرز کو مفت مہیا کی جائیں گی، پرائیویٹ سیکٹر اگر کوئ اور بینالاقوامی طور پر منظور شدہ ویکسین امپورٹ کرنا چاہےتو وہ بھی کرسکتا ہے
The Henley Passport Index has released its annual report ranking the world’s strongest and weakest passports despite there being limited travel in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Henley Passport Index is based on data provided by the International Air Transport Authority (IATA) and covers 199 passports and 227 travel spots. Asian residents continue to have the world’s most powerful travel documents.
As the report doesn’t take temporary restrictions into account, Japan tops the list offering visa-free or visa-on-arrival service to tourists from 191 destinations around the world.
The best passports to hold in 2021 are of Japan with 191 destinations, Singapore with 190, South Korea and Germany with 189, Italy, Finland, Spain and Luxembourg with 18, and Denmark along with Austria with 187 destinations.
Followed by Denmark are Sweden, France, Portugal, Netherlands and Ireland with 186 destinations.
Many countries around the world have visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to less than 40 countries.
Passports with the lowest ranking include North Korea with 39 destinations on the 103rd rank, Libya and Nepal with 38 destinations, 105 Palestinian territories with 37, and Somalia along with Yemen on the 106th rank with 33 destinations to offer visa-free arrival.
Pakistan ranks 107th on the list with 32 destinations for the second time in a row, followed by Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, India, and Tajikistan.
UAE is on the 16th position rising from 62nd position from 2006 back when the index began. UAE provides visa-free/visa-on-arrival access to 173 destinations.
Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has come under criticism for meeting the founding team of hit Turkish drama series ‘Diriliş: Ertuğrul’ days after the Mach massacre, victim families of which await him even after the passage of five days.
Earlier, thousands of protesters blocked Quetta’s key western bypass on Sunday after 11 coalminers belonging to the Hazara community were brutally executed. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack by terrorists at a residential compound near a mine site in Mach area of Bolan, some 100km away from the provincial capital.
While the protesters have been seeking the government’s support and assurance for an end to sectarian killings that have once again shot up in the area, they have been demanding that the premier personally meets them.
Amid delays in PM Imran’s travel to Balochistan, and subsequent criticism by opposition members as well as the general public, it has emerged that he on Thursday met the founding team of the hit Turkish series that has broken viewership records in Pakistan.
The meeting in Islamabad was also attended by Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz, Kashmir Committee Chairperson Shehryar Afridi and personalities from Turkish and Pakistani film industries.
The meeting discussed in detail the proposed television series being created in collaboration between Pakistan and Turkey on the Khilafat Movement among other future projects and the lost glory of Pakistani entertainment industry.
The premier, however, did tweet on the Mach massacre once again on Wednesday.
I share your pain & have come to you before also to stand with you in your time of suffering. I will come again very soon to offer prayers and condole with all the families personally. I will never betray my people's trust. Please bury your loved ones so their souls find peace.
TikTok has announced a competition for its users in Pakistan for the first time. Contestants can participate in the competition ‘1 Million Audition’ by sending creative videos.
The #1MAuditionPK campaign started on January 6 and will continue till January 22. The campaign invites all TikTokers to showcase their creative streak, across various talent categories.
TikTokers in Pakistan will have to use the #1MAudition hashtag for the campaign. They can also add the category in which they would like to compete such as #1MAComedy, #1MATalent, #1MASing&Dance.
There will be nine winners in each category. Winners will be selected based on video quality and engagement on the video. The final winners will be announced on January 22.
TikTok will gift a voucher worth US$1000 to one winner in each category. The runner up in each category will get an $800 voucher and while the second runnerup will receive $500.
This campaign was launched in 2018 in many other countries by TikTok.
As per a press release, the move is aimed to encourage and promote creative expression in Pakistan.
The police arrested a delivery boy for robbing people using a weapon hidden inside his delivery bag.
As per details, the suspect from Karachi’s Ferozabad area bore the uniform and a box of online food delivery service in which he put his weapon.
The delivery boy, Abdul Rauf told the police he had only recently joined the online food delivery service and admitted he was tempted to rob people as he had no money.
“I bought this gun back in 2011”, Rauf admitted to police.
Senior Superintendent Police (SSP) East Sajid Sadozai told media the suspect knocked at house doors pretending to be a food delivery person and then robbed them with his partners.
The police are still searching for his alleged aides involved in criminal activities.
Rauf has confessed to at least 21 robberies, SSP Sadozai said.
Hamza Ali Abbasi has expressed his sorrow and grief over the horrific attack that took place on Sunday in Balochistan’s Bolan district and left 11 coal miners belonging to the Shia Hazara community dead. TheIslamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack.
“The horrifying tragedy inflicted by a few evil men on the Hazara community is so heartbreaking that all I can tell myself to feel some peace is that God is watching everything,” wrote Hamza on social media.
“May Allah bless the souls of the victims and give courage to the families,” added the actor.
The horrifying tragedy inflicted by a few EVIL MEN on the Hazara community is so heart breaking that all i can tell myself to feel some peace is that GOD IS WATCHING EVERYTHING. May Allah bless the souls of the victims & give courage to the families.
People from Hazara community are currently protesting at the Western Bypass, Quetta, saying they won’t bury their dead till Prime Minister Imran Khan personally visits them and assures them of security.
Meanwhile, PM Imran Khan has requested the Hazara community to “please bury your loved one so their souls find peace”, adding that he “shares” their pain and will come to them soon.
I share your pain & have come to you before also to stand with you in your time of suffering. I will come again very soon to offer prayers and condole with all the families personally. I will never betray my people's trust. Please bury your loved ones so their souls find peace.
A video of an ostrich running across a road in Karachi is doing rounds on social media.
As per reports, the bird had escaped a private park and made its way to a road in the city’s Korangi No 4 area.
“Ostriches are afraid of water. This one escaped from a private park when water entered it” said the police. “The park’s employees ran after it and captured it later.”
Governor Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar has announced that an artificial forest near Head Baloki will be named after Baba Guru Nanak.
Talking to the media on Baba Guru Gobind Singh’s birth anniversary, Governor Sarwar said that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is involved in the killing of minorities and Kashmiris living in India. The governor asserted that the UN should declare India and Modi terrorists.
He said minorities in Pakistan have full religious freedom.
Minority MNA Shaneela Ruth and MPA Mahindra Pal Singh, who were also present on the occasion said: “We are proud that the government under the leadership of Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan is ensuring the provision of all basic facilities to the minorities and standing by the deserving families during the corona crisis.”
Sharing his thoughts on the ongoing PDM rallies, the governor said that PM Imran Khan will complete his constitutional term, commenting that are as many narratives in PDM as there are parties.
“I am sure that the general elections in Pakistan will be held on time. Since the formation of the opposition alliance PDM, none of its promise or claim has been fulfilled, so there is no doubt that the PDM is clueless about its strategy,” said Sarwar.
Meanwhile, Governor Sarwar also announced mass marriages of 15 deserving Sikh couples and promised 2% quota for employment of minorities in the Higher Education Department.
