Tag: Pakistan

  • Zobia Meer Case: Man’s wife responds to allegations

    The wife of Arsalan, the man who was seen beating and abusing his mother in the video, has responded to allegations of physical and verbal abuse.

    Taking to social media, Arsalan’s wife posted a video and said that the allegations her sister-in-law and mother-in-law have made are false. She said that her husband has asthma and she is six months pregnant.

    “My mother-in-law attacked my husband’s private parts which made him unconscious. She also attacked my private parts as she wanted to abort my child,” said the woman in the video.

    She also alleged that her mother-in-law beat her daughter and that Zobia Meer did not share the complete video.

    The woman further said that the mother and daughter broke their cars, hid their jewellery, ID cards and other papers.

    “They broke things in my room and even hid my daughter’s milk,” she added.

    According to the woman, Zobia is her husband’s half-sister and that the property that Zobia claimed they ran away with is in her husband’s name.

    Late Tuesday night, a video of a man beating and abusing his mother went viral on social media. Rawalpindi police registered a case against the culprit after the social media users including journalists, celebrities and social activists condemned the incident and demanded justice from the authorities.

  • Supreme Court criticises NDMA over lack of transparency in expenditure

    Supreme Court criticises NDMA over lack of transparency in expenditure

    The Supreme Court (SC) has criticised the National Disaster Management Authority’s (NDMA) failure to ensure transparency in expenditures pertaining to the coronavirus pandemic and locust control.

    A five-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed, heard the coronavirus suo moto case, during which the CJP suggested abolishing the NDMA over the authority’s failure to explain its expenses.

    NDMA has yet to submit crucial documents, observed the CJP. “Where are the documents permitting imports of machinery from Al-Hafeez Crystoplast (Pvt) Ltd?” he asked. The CJP also inquired why the documents have not been submitted despite directives being issued thrice in this regard. Where are the details pertaining to chartering the aircraft and its payments, he asked further.

    The director of NDMA maintained before the court that the authority did not import machines from Al-Hafeez company.

    The owner of the company has yet to appear, noted the CJP. The real issue is non-compliance with customs and other laws, he remarked.

    Meanwhile, Justice Ijazul Hasan noted that the cost of the machinery has not been disclosed in the documents.

    Over Rs10.7 million was paid for the charter, observed the CJP. How were the payments made according to the charter agreement, he asked. How can someone give this much cash in Karachi, asked the CJP.

    Where are the documents pertaining to imports of vaccine and the medicines, asked the CJP

    The relevant authorities will have to satisfy the court, said the Attorney General.

    The CJP observed that it appeared that the NDMA would have to be abolished as its chief has failed to provide explanations.

    Perhaps a lot has gone wrong and attempts are being made to cover up, observed the CJP. Should contempt of court notices be issued to the NDMA chief, he asked.

    The institutions of the country should be run in a transparent manner, said the chief justice.

    The NDMA was given a free hand and hefty amounts to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, said Justice Hasan. The authority is answerable to the court and the people, he added.

    The NDMA is acquiring planes and machinery for locust control, noted the CJP. Transparency will have to be ensured through documents and not just verbal statements, he remarked, adding that it was not comprehensible how billions of rupees were being spent.

    From corona to floods to locusts, everything has been handed over to the NDMA, remarked Justice Hasan. But the NDMA’s admin member himself does not know anything, he added.

  • Son allegedly beats mother for property, cash

    Son allegedly beats mother for property, cash

    Late Tuesday night, a video of a man beating and abusing his mother went viral on social media. According to details, the man thrashed his mother for property and cash.

    The man’s sister Zobia Meer, who shared a video on social media, revealed all the details of the incident and said that she and her sister reported that violent act to the police but they released their brother an hour later. She added that they are trying to register an FIR but the police is not helping them in this matter.

    The video sparked outrage on social media and many journalists, celebrities, social activists and other members of the civil society condemned the incident and demanded justice for Meer and her mother.

    Ali Rehman Khan, Ushna Shah, Hamza Ali Abbasi and Armeena Khan also Tweeted to condemn the incident.

    https://twitter.com/ArmeenaRK/status/1285701130358587392?s=20
    https://twitter.com/AbbaxiObaid/status/1285695893186977793?s=20
    https://twitter.com/taimoordanish31/status/1285695945259257860?s=20

    Rawalpindi police registered a case against the culprit after the video went viral.

    Zobia Meer and her mother told all the details in a live session with Waqar Zaka.

  • LGS Harassment: Senate Committee takes notice, invites parents to attend meeting

    Senate Human Rights Committee has taken the notice of sexual harassment incidents at the Lahore Grammar School and will hold a meeting in this regard on July 22.

    Senate Human Rights Committee Chairperson and PPP Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar shared details of the meeting and said that “parents of the students who were concerned with the way investigations have progressed so far” can also attend the meeting.

    The agenda of the meeting will be to brief the Senate body on the incidents and the actions taken after the allegations by the Punjab Education secretary, LGS principal, and Lahore DPO.

    Speaking to The Current about the matter Senator Khokhar said, “[These incidents are] deeply disturbing. One wonders where we are headed as a society with crimes of sexual assault and harassment on the rise.”

    He added: “[We are] waiting to hear from the authorities and the outcome of their investigations so far, whether cases have been registered against offenders and whether any action has been taken by the education ministry or school for incidents like this not to happen again.”

    Read More – Meesha Shafi extends support to victims of harassment at Lahore school

    On June 28, dozens of girls came forward with accounts of harassment and inappropriate behaviour by teachers at LGS 1A1 Ghalib Market Branch. The management of the school, including female teachers, also came under fire for brushing the matter under the carpet for years. It is pertinent to mention here that most of the girls studying at the school were minors at the time.

    Such incidents had reportedly been going on for the past four or five years and the victims had been reporting the matter to the admin and their teachers. However, they took no action and resorted to victim-blaming. Strict action was only taken after the girls shared their ordeal on social media and the matter became public.

    According to details, students have come forward and shared their experiences of being harassed by three teachers namely Aitezaz Rehman Sheikh, Umer Shareef and Zahid Iqbal Warraich. All three teachers were fired soon after the allegations surfaced.

    Following the uproar on social media, Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari had said that she has taken serious notice of the allegations. The Punjab government had also said that they will hand exemplary punishments to the perpetrators and make an example of them.

  • Private schools’ association demands reopening of schools from Aug 15

    Private schools’ association demands reopening of schools from Aug 15

    The All Pakistan Private Schools and Colleges Association (APPSCA) has announced the reopening of private schools from August 15 across the country rejecting the Federal Government’s decision to reopen them in September.

    In a press conference, the association said that students had to go through an educational loss because schools have been shut down for the past six to eight months.

    The APPSCA president, Hidayat Khan, added that the virus has slowed down and that cases are also decreasing.

    He added that the association had tried to negotiate with the government but they did not listen. Khan warned that if the government does not listen to them, they will march to protest against the government. He also strongly criticised the federal government and called it incompetent.

    “We will open schools in line with the SOPs. Madrassas have been opened, and they have even conducted examinations,” he added.

  • Final warning to TikTok as PTA plans to ban it over vulgar content

    Final warning to TikTok as PTA plans to ban it over vulgar content

    The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has issued a final warning to popular Chinese social networking app TikTok over obscene and immoral content as it banned live streaming application Bigo over similar concerns raised by the general public.

    TikTok allows users to make video clips, lip sync to songs and create short videos, and has time and again been criticised over the quality of content amid unparallel popularity among Pakistanis.

    Last week, a civil miscellaneous application was filed in the Lahore High Court (LHC) demanding an immediate ban on TikTok, Dawn reported.

    The petitioner said the app was a “great mischief of modern times” and had become a source of spreading pornography for the sake of fame and ratings on social media.

    According to a statement released by the PTA late on Monday night, complaints were received from different segments of society against immoral, obscene and vulgar content on social media applications particularly TikTok and Bigo.

    “PTA had issued necessary notices to the aforementioned social media companies under law to moderate the socialisation and content within legal and moral limits, in accordance with the laws of the country,” the statement said.

    The PTA said the response of these companies was “not satisfactory”.

    “Therefore, in exercise of its powers under PECA, the PTA has decided to immediately block Bigo and issue a final warning to TikTok to put in place a comprehensive mechanism to control obscenity, vulgarity and immorality through its social media application,” the statement said.

  • Pakistani carpenter becomes model in Saudi Arabia after pictures go viral

    Pakistani carpenter becomes model in Saudi Arabia after pictures go viral

    Pictures of a 24-year-old Pakistani carpenter living in Saudi Arabia went viral on social media making his dream of becoming a model come true.

    According to media reports, Muhammad Waqas who went to Saudi Arabia four years ago always wanted to become a model. But, he did not expect to succeed.

    “I came to Saudi Arabia four years ago to work as a carpenter. And, I never thought of becoming a model in advertising,” said Waqas.

    However, a social media post by his friend changed his life.

    “One day I saw my friend [Faisal] editing the photos of a photo session. I told him that since childhood I have wanted to work in this field but in Pakistan, I did not get the chance, so my friend suggested and took a picture of me and sent it to the relevant person,” he added.

    A screenshot of Waqas’s friend asking to get the youngster a chance in the modeling industry went viral on social media.

    https://twitter.com/tamimi1_1/status/1278368438747095041?s=20

    A Twitter user took the screenshot and posted it on social media. In the tweet, which has gotten over 33,000 likes so far, user @tamimi1_1 asked agencies looking for models to get in contact with him.

    “Brands who want this handsome man to model for them, contact me,” @tamimi1_1 wrote.

    And soon Waqas was offered modeling opportunities. Waqas also posted his pictures, modelling for a waist-coat making company on Twitter.

    Here are a few pictures of Waqas.

  • Islamabad to get an electric vehicle charging station

    Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhary has announced that the first electric vehicle (EV) charging station will be launched in Islamabad.

    “Extremely excited to see the launching of first Electric Car Charging Station in Islamabad,” the minister wrote in a tweet.

    He added that the first flagship EV charging facility will be set up at Jinnah Avenue Islamabad soon.

    “The opening of EV charging stations was another target of Ministry of Science and Technology to encourage E-vehicles as future transportation,” he said.

    As the country approved its first-ever electric vehicle (EV) policy last month, vehicles in Pakistan will be shifted on electric power. Under the policy, motorcycles and vehicles would be shifted on electric power, while EV Manufacturing Units would also be established in the country.

  • KYA BOLA? (Jul 20): ‘Opposition Corona Ka kirdar ada na kary’

    KYA BOLA? (Jul 20): ‘Opposition Corona Ka kirdar ada na kary’

    Following are some of the best snippets from Urdu newspapers on July 20, 2020, which The Current takes no responsibility for.

    Tamam Amla un sy zubani hadayat aur akhkamat leta hai

    It is reported by Daily Jang  (20 July 2020) that Farogh Naseem who resigned as law minister last month, still sits in the law minister’s office and runs the ministry informally “Tamam Amla un sy zubani hadayat aur akhkamat leta hai” . He had resigned in June to represent the government in the Supreme Court (SC) in the presidential reference against Justice Qazi Faez Isa.

    Opposition corona ka kirdar ada na kary”

    It is reported by Daily Dunya (20 July 2020) that Governor Punjab, Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar  said,”opposition Corona Ka kirdar ada na kary” .

    WATCH: The Current Life with Chaudhry Sarwar

    Hukmaron ko jagany key liye horn bajana kafi nahi…”

    It is reported by Daily Jang (20 July 2020) that, Journalist Hassan Nisar said that ” Hukmaron ko jagany key liye horn bajana kafi nahi is k liye Sur- e-israfil phoonk dia jaye tab bhi shayad na jagain”.

    WATCH: WHERE DOES HASSAN NISAR LIVE?

  • Destroying Buddha

    Destroying Buddha

    Police in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on Saturday arrested four men involved in smashing an antique Gandharan Buddha statue found during construction work in Mardan. The remaining parts of the 1,700-year-old statue have also been recovered by Mardan police.

    When videos of a man breaking the antique statue surfaced on social media, many Pakistanis expressed their anger and disappointment at the blatant vandalism of an ancient cultural heritage. According to reports, the man who broke the Buddha statue was instigated by local cleric[s]. The video reminded one of the Bamiyan Buddhas in Afghanistan, which were once the world’s tallest Buddhas but were blown up and destroyed by the Taliban in 2001 on orders by Mullah Omar.

    Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry tweeted that if the progressive people of Pakistan remain silent observers and neutral, all hopes of a progressive and modern Pakistan will be dashed. Chaudhry added that “social degradation is immense and silence is not an option unless you want this society to be as dead as [a] graveyard”. His words about a dead or decadent society should be pondered over. Pakistani society is fast turning into a reactionary and intolerant one. The construction of a Hindu temple was halted just a week ago in Islamabad after protests by religious groups and now we have witnessed the destruction of a Buddha statue.

    While the KP government must be appreciated for its quick response in arresting those involved in this crime, we must ask ourselves if we want Pakistan to be a country envisioned by founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah or if we want it to turn it into a land of bigotry. The mistreatment meted out to our religious minorities renders the white in our flag meaningless. Unless and until all citizens are treated equally, regardless of their colour, caste, creed, religion and ethnicity, Pakistan cannot prosper.

    It was also unfortunate to see some of our lawmakers, including Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif, justify and defend the conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque in Turkey by citing Turkey’s laws and system of judiciary. This kind of obfuscation leads to the justification of bigoted acts. The progressive people of Pakistan do speak out against injustices but they are a minority, or so it seems. We used to say that the ‘silent majority’ in Pakistan is tolerant and against discrimination of religious minorities but in the past few years, we have seen that the so-called ‘silent majority’ actually nods in agreement with the reactionaries.

    It is rather sad to see Pakistan spiral into a regressive society. We must go back to the vision of our founding father who wanted to see a progressive and pluralist Pakistan.