Current Final

Tag: Pakistan

  • Fact Check: Video showing man jumping into rainwater is fake

    Claim: Viral video showed that in Karachi, a man jumped into accumulated rainwater from the rooftop of his building

    Fact: Video was taken from an Indian Youtube channel and was published two days earlier

    With rain wreaking havoc across Sindh and flooding roads across provincial capital Karachi yet again, a viral video has shown a man jumping into rainwater from a rooftop, which according to The Current’s verification, is not from Karachi.

    As per the details, the video showing a man jumping from the rooftop of a residential building into accumulated rainwater first surfaced on Sunday evening. It wasn’t later that it broke the internet by Monday afternoon as it was widely shared by people claiming it to be a scene from Karachi.

    However, going the extra mile to dig out facts regarding the video, The Current ascertained that it was actually a video from the Indian city of Mumbai, and was uploaded to an Indian YouTube channel two days ago, on August 23.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    https://twitter.com/ToxicTruths83/status/1298295506569965568

    While the said video is not from Karachi, the port city is still submerged owing to lack of proper monsoon infrastructure there.

    Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Murad Ali Shah has declared an emergency across the province while roof-collapse, electrocution and drowning incidents make headlines.

    In Karachi, Malir, Korangi, Landhi, Shah Faisal Colony, Gulshan-e-Hadeed, Saadi Town, Liaquatabad, Federal B Area, North Karachi, Surjani Town and North Nazimabad are some of the areas that are underwater after receiving heavy rainfall since Monday night.

    Power outages are also spelling misery for the people of the country’s largest city.

    VERDICT: FALSE

  • KYA BOLA? (Aug 26): ‘Trump ka aik crore naukriyo ka naara’, ‘wazire azam k sath dhoka’, ‘Usman Buzdar doosro se behtar’

    KYA BOLA? (Aug 26): ‘Trump ka aik crore naukriyo ka naara’, ‘wazire azam k sath dhoka’, ‘Usman Buzdar doosro se behtar’

    Following are some snippets that stood out from Urdu newspapers on August 26, 2020, which The Current takes no responsibility for.

    ‘Trump Ka Aik Crore Naukriyo Ka Naara’

    It has been reported by Daily Jang that Donald Trump has promised to provide one crore (10 million) jobs if he wins the presidential election scheduled for November 3. 

    ‘Wazire Azam K Sath Dhoka’

    According to Daily Jang, Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed has said, “Mein zaati taur pr Nawaz Sharif ko bahar janay ki ijaazat denay ka haami tha… woh yahaan rahein yaa Bartania mein, iss se koi farq nahi parrta… yeh sarrkoon pay aanay wali jamaat nahi hai. Wazire azam ko Nawaz Sharif k bahar janay ka afsos hai aur unko andaaza hogya tha inn k sath dhoka hua hai… log deal k beghair bahar nahi jatay, kahin naa kahin mamla tay hota hai.”

    ‘Usman Buzdar Doosro Se Behtar’

    Prominent journalist Saleem Safi, in his column for Daily Jang, has said, “Karkardagi k lihaz se sab se zyada aitraz Usman Buzdar pr ho rha hai halaan k ap kisi bhi mayar pr parkhein tou KP aur Balochistan k wazire aala ki karkardagi Buzdar Sahib se kai guna kharaab hai. Buzdar Sahib ne kuch naya nahi kia tou pehle se bani cheezo ko tabah bhi nahi kia… KP mein pehle se qayim idaaro ko tabah kia gya jab k Balochistan tou har hawaly se tabah-haal hai… lekin siyasat aur media mein tabsara sirf Punjab aur Buzdar Sahib ka hota hai.”

  • KYA BOLA? (Aug 25): ‘Aale Sharif’, ‘Shahid Khaqan Abbasi ka moo torr deingay’, ‘Mulk ko lootnay walay wajibul qatl hain’

    KYA BOLA? (Aug 25): ‘Aale Sharif’, ‘Shahid Khaqan Abbasi ka moo torr deingay’, ‘Mulk ko lootnay walay wajibul qatl hain’

    Following are some snippets that stood out from Urdu newspapers on August 25, 2020, which The Current takes no responsibility for.

    ‘Aale Sharif’

    It has been reported by Daily Jang that Punjab Information Minister Fayazul Hasan Chohan has said, “Shehbaz Sharif ki aik dhelay ki corruption naa krnay ki baat darust hai kyun k Aale Sharif ne aik dhelay ki corruption nahi ki balkeh qaum ko arabo ka teeka lagaya aur iss corruption k dhairo saboot JIT aur NAB k pass hain.”

    ‘Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Ka Moo Torr Deingay’

    According to Daily Jang, Federal Minister of Water Resources Faisal Vawda has said, “Shahid Khaqan Abbasi ne assembly mein ghatiya zubaan istemal ki, speaker ko kahaa ‘bakwaas band karo’… speaker ki sharafat hai Shahid Khaqan k moo pr thappar nahi mara… agar ainda aisi baat ki to tumhara moo torr deingay.”

    ‘Mulk Ko Lootnay Walay Wajibul Qatl Hain’

    It has been reported by Daily Dunya that Federal Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan has said, “35 saal se jamhooriyat k naam pr mulk lootnay walay wajibul qatl hain… itna zulm Halaku Khan aur Chingiz Khan ne nahi kia jitna inn 2 jamaato ne kia.”

  • Pakistan gets most advanced Chinese warship amid New Delhi’s tensions with Beijing

    Pakistan gets most advanced Chinese warship amid New Delhi’s tensions with Beijing

    China has launched an advanced warship for Pakistan, the largest it has built for any country, and the first among the four most sophisticated naval platforms it is readying for the Pakistan Navy amid deepening military and strategic ties.

    According to reports, the Type 054A/P, a guided missile frigate, is the largest combat ship China has sold to a foreign navy and is “an important milestone” for China’s military export sector.

    The acquisition of the warship will double the combat power of the Pakistani Navy’s surface fleet, Chinese state media reported. By 2021, the Pakistan Navy is expected to have three more similar warships in its fleet.

    The Chinese state-owned Hudong Zhonghua Shipyard in Shanghai held the launch ceremony for the advanced warship with top officials and naval officers attending the function.

    The shipyard is a wholly owned subsidiary of the China State Shipbuilding Corporation, the largest builders in the country.

    The ship launch took place two days after Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi discussed the situation in the Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir region with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi during the second round of the China-Pakistan foreign ministers’ dialogue in Hainan.

    The development comes at a time while New Delhi is locked in tension with both Pakistan and China over disputed boundaries and the abrogation of Article 370 in the troubled valley.

    India is reportedly closely monitoring the military cooperation between its two neighbours.

  • KYA BOLA? (Aug 24): ‘Media ka Usman Buzdar se pyar’ to ‘Jahangir Tareen se Ch Sarwar tak sab wazire aala ban’nay k khuwahishmand’

    KYA BOLA? (Aug 24): ‘Media ka Usman Buzdar se pyar’ to ‘Jahangir Tareen se Ch Sarwar tak sab wazire aala ban’nay k khuwahishmand’

    Following are some snippets that stood out from Urdu newspapers on August 24, 2020, which The Current takes no responsibility for.

    ‘Media Ka Usman Buzdar se Pyar’

    It has been reported by Daily Jang that Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar was asked why he is so reluctant to interact with media, to which he said“Taa k media ka hum se pyaar barqaraar rahay.”

    ‘Usman Buzdar Aur Phone’

     Senior journalist and analyst Irshad Bhatti, in his column for Daily Jang, has stated that he asked Usman Buzdar how did he feel after becoming the chief minister, to which he said “Allah ka shukar adaa kr rha tha… mein 5 saal har maah Shehbaz Sharif ko fax krta aur milnay ki darkhuwast krta magar woh 5 saal mujhe nahi milay. Soch raha tha ab Allah ne mujhe wazire aala bana dia.”

    To another question he said, “Yeh sach hai mujhe mobile phone k baray mein zayda nahi pata… call krna, call sun’na aur kabhi kabaar WhatsApp messages bus.”

    ‘Jahangir Tareen se Ch Sarwar Tak Sab Wazire Aala Ban’nay K Khuwahishmand Thay‘

    It has been reported by Daily Dunya that Punjab Governor Chaudhary Sarwar has said, “Mujh samait Shah Mahmood Qureshi aur Jahangir Tareen sab wazire aala ban’nay k khuwahishmand thay lekin Imran Khan ne Usman Buzdar ko chuna. Pervaiz Elahi ney wazire aala ban’ny ki khuwahish zahir nahi ki.”

  • ‘Coronavirus over in Pakistan’: Myth [busted?]

    The nationwide coronavirus lockdown in Pakistan ended on August 10 as the government announced returning to pre-coronavirus life with a few standard operating procedures (SOPs) and social distancing guidelines amid a significant drop in infections and fatalities.

    Previously shut down sectors, including tourism and recreation, food among all other businesses except marriage halls and educational institutions were allowed to re-open and now, despite the passage of nearly two weeks, no prominent increase in COVID-19 cases has been recorded against officials and experts’ predictions in light of Eidul Azha and Independence Day celebrations during which people flouted all guidelines.

    While large gatherings, including religious congregations and family feasts over the Eid weekend, added to the risk of a second wave of the virus in the days to come, a large number of people taking to roads on August 14 to express their love for Pakistan, mistaking the drop in COVID-19 cases for its eradication, did the same. Independence Day was marked by firework displays at midnight in major cities, including Lahore and Karachi, where tens of thousands flooded the roads without face masks or any regard to the SOPs.

    Here is how the pandemic situation turned out from August 1 to August 20 amid the said recklessness of the masses:

    While the country is still at risk owing to the behaviour of the people over Eid and the Independence Day as officials fear it can lead to a sudden spike in COVID-19 cases, some experts believe that herd immunity has been achieved in metropolises like Lahore and Karachi as they were the most affected by the virus when it peaked in June.

    A study conducted in 25 cities shows that almost 11% of Pakistanis have developed protective immunity (antibodies) across the country against COVID-19. The research further says that seropositivity in urban areas is more when compared to rural areas, and a majority of those who came into contact with corona-positive patients are more likely to have developed antibodies.

    While infectious disease experts such as Prof Dr Faisal Mahmood of Aga Khan Hospital say the drop in number of cases is real but the reason that led to it has not yet been ascertained, according to a report by The Telegraph, Pakistan’s young population — two-thirds of its total population is under the age of 30 — can also be a major factor if herd immunity has actually been developed.

    Even though it is too early to be sure about Pakistan’s victory in the battle against COVID-19, the significant drop is a huge achievement. It, however, might not last if people continue flouting social distancing guidelines in the days to come, leading to the second and or even third wave of the pandemic in September.

  • KP govt to transform small dams into picnic points

    The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has decided to transform small dams into picnic points to boost tourism in the country. The government has begun to transform five dams into picnic points for the public. 

    As per details, Kundar Dam in Swabi, Jalozai Dam Nowshera, Thand Dam Kohat, Chattri Dam Haripur and Jhangra Dam Abbottabad are being completed as picnic spots.

    Services like parking, restaurants, open cooking, solar system, spot fishing and others will be available for the visitors on these sites.

    Earlier on August 19, Prime Minister Imran Khan had chaired a meeting on reviving the tourism sector in the country, where it was decided to form a coordination committee under the supervision of his Special Assistant on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resources Development Zulfiqar Bukhari.

    The committee would meet after every week and would give a briefing to PM Khan over the progress and development of the tourism sector in the country.

  • 76-year-old gets admission in Malakand University to complete his degree

    A 76-year-old man in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is fulfilling his dreams of getting a B.A degree.

    The old man could not complete his studies due to financial crisis. The financial problems might have stopped him from continuing his studies but he did not give up.

    Speaking to Independent Urdu, Muhammad Khan said, “I passed the matriculation examination in 1962 and joined the government school in 1963 as a teacher. I retired as a teacher in 2004 but was interested in education, now I have passed the FA exam in 2020 and now want to do a BA.”

    Khan, who enjoys reading, further shared: “I want to get a Master’s degree after doing a BA.”

    The elderly man added that he has educated his daughters from primary to postgraduate and now wants to continue his own studies.

    After so many years, Khan has now taken admission to appear in the BA Part-I exams. The vice-chancellor of the University of Malakand is supporting Khan financially and any other help that he might need.

  • Qureshi leaves for ‘very important’ China visit to represent Pakistan’s civil, military stance

    Qureshi leaves for ‘very important’ China visit to represent Pakistan’s civil, military stance

    Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has left for a two-day visit to China to attend the second round of the China-Pakistan Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue, a statement from the Foreign Office said on Thursday.

    In a video message released before his departure, the foreign minister said he was going on a “very important trip to China” and that he had a discussion with Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan before leaving.

    “I am leaving on a very important visit to China. I had a discussion with the prime minister regarding this visit yesterday. My delegation will represent the stance of the political and military leadership of the country. I am hopeful that my meeting with Foreign Minister Wang Yi will prove to be beneficial for both countries,” Qureshi said.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    Qureshi, who is accompanied by senior officials, will visit China’s Hainan province where he will lead the Pakistani delegation in the dialogue, the FO statement added. He is scheduled to return tomorrow (Aug 21).

    State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will lead the Chinese side during the dialogue, according to the statement.

    “During the dialogue, both sides will discuss cooperation on COVID-19, bilateral relations and regional and international issues of mutual interest,” the FO said.

    “The visit will play an important role in further strengthening Pakistan-China ‘All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership’ and deepen strategic communication and coordination with China on a range of issues.”

    The first round of the China-Pakistan Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue took place in March 2019 in which both sides vowed to protect the $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) from “all kinds of threats”.

    Reports emerging on Wednesday suggested the foreign minister will “hold meetings with his Chinese counterpart and senior leadership while important decisions will be taken regarding the visit of the Chinese president to Pakistan.”

    He was also expected to call upon Chinese President Xi Jinping during the trip.

    The trip comes after PM Imran, earlier this week, said it should be clear that Islamabad’s future is tied to Beijing which has stood by Pakistan through thick and thin.

    Speaking to senior journalist Kamran Khan during a wide-ranging interview, he said that both countries recognised each other’s importance and were further strengthening mutual ties. “Unfortunately, western countries are using India against China,” he added.

    The premier also said that Chinese President Xi Jinping was scheduled to visit Pakistan in May this year but his visit was delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak. “His visit is now expected towards the end of the year.”

  • KYA BOLA? (Aug 20): PML-N govt’s finance minister all-praise for PTI to Kuwait running out of money

    KYA BOLA? (Aug 20): PML-N govt’s finance minister all-praise for PTI to Kuwait running out of money

    Following are some snippets that stood out from Urdu newspapers on August 20, 2020, which The Current takes no responsibility for.

    PML-N Govt’s Finance Minister All-Praise For PTI

    It has been reported by Daily Jang that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and former finance minister Miftah Ismail has said, “Hukoomat ne Ehsaas Programme mein ghareebo ko paisay diye… iski tareef krta hun.”

    ‘Hukoomat Aur Yeh Saal’

    It was reported by Daily Dunya that Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed has said, “Nawaz Sharif deal kr k gaye… mazeed siyasatdaan andar janay walay hain. Teesra saal hukoomat k liye imtahan ka saal hoga… agar pichlay saalo ki tarha yeh saal bhi aisay guzar gya to phir buhat barray masail paida ho jayeingay.”

    Kuwait Running Out Of Money

    It was reported by Daily Dunya that Kuwait’s Finance Minister Barak Ali Al-Shaytan has warned the parliament that only two million dinars remain in the country’s treasury and no money will be available to pay government employee’s salaries after October.