Mumbai Police arrests man for issuing death threat to Salman Khan

A day after Bollywood superstar Salman Khan received a fresh death threat and ransom demand from an unknown caller, Mumbai police arrested the suspected person for allegedly sending the message.

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For the unversed, Salman Khan received the latest death threat in a WhatsApp message sent to Mumbai Police’s Traffic Helpline number, where the sender demanded that the Bollywood star and MLA Zeeshan Siddique must pay INR2 crores or else they would face dire consequences.

Reportedly, the sender threatened that the two would meet the same fate as Siddique’s father, former lawmaker and NCP politician Baba Siddique, who was killed by the shooters of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang earlier this month, for his ties with the Bollywood star.

The matter was reported to the Worli Police and the officials started a probe into the message.

As per the latest development, Mumbai police have arrested 56-year-old Azam Mohammed Mustafa, a resident of Blue Fame Apartment in Bandra, for sending a threatening message to Traffic Police’s helpline.

According to the details, the officials recovered the mobile phone and the SIM card from the arrested suspect, which was used in the crime.

Reportedly, the police collected the call details record of the mobile number during the probe and based on technical inputs, nabbed the suspect from Bandra.

Also Read: Salman Khan ‘can’t sleep properly’ since Baba Siddique’s killing

It is worth noting here that the officials also took into arrest a Jamshedpur man earlier, for allegedly threatening Khan in the name of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and demanding INR5 crore ransom.

Notably, Bishnoi had openly admitted to plans of eliminating Khan for killing a black buck [which is considered sacred by the Bishnoi community] in 1998.

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Arsalan Bajari: Son of Sindh CM’s private secretary booked for threatening police officers

HYDERABAD: Arsalan Bajari, the son of Sindh Chief Minister’s Private Secretary, Saleem Bajari, has been booked in a case related to allegedly humiliating and abusing police officers after being stopped for snap-checking in Hyderabad. 

As per details, a case has been registered against Arsalan Bajari at Qasimabad police station for allegedly threatening and mistreating police officers, confirmed a police spokesperson.

SSP Hyderabad, Dr. Farrukh Lanjar, stated that Arsalan Bajari threatened police personnel, and appropriate legal action will be taken. He emphasized that any disrespect towards police officers will not be tolerated.

The police signaled the young man to stop his vehicle during routine checking in Hyderabad. The young man, who claimed to be Saleem Bajari’s son, became hostile when he was told to stop.

Read more: VIDEO: Sindh bureaucrat’s son threatens police during snap-checking

The young man hurled abuses and insults at the police officers, saying, “I’ll gouge out your eyes” and “You’re my servant.”

“I’m an ASI (Assistant Sub-Inspectors), show some respect when talking to me,” the police officer told the young man.

When asked to provide identification, the young man refused, stating, “You don’t need to know my name.”

“People like you cannot stop us. I ride around with four Assistant Sub-Inspectors in my car,” the young man said.

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Super Typhoon Kong-rey makes landfall in Taiwan

KEELUNG, Taiwan: Super Typhoon Kong-rey made landfall in Taiwan on Thursday as one of the most powerful storms to hit the island in years, whipping up 10-metre waves and forcing thousands of people to flee their homes.

Packing maximum wind speeds of 184 kilometres per hour (114 miles per hour), Kong-rey hit the east coast at Chenggong town in Taitung County at 1:40 pm (0540 GMT), the Central Weather Administration said.

It was the same strength as Typhoon Gaemi, which was the most powerful storm to hit Taiwan in eight years when it made landfall in July, but Kong-rey’s radius of 320 kilometres made it the biggest in nearly three decades.

“Its impact on all of Taiwan will be quite severe,” Chu Mei-lin from the state weather forecaster, Central Weather Administration, warned.

Work and schools across Taiwan were suspended on Thursday as people hunkered down ahead of the storm.

The streets of Taipei were largely deserted as bursts of heavy rain and fierce wind lashed the capital.

“This typhoon feels very strong,” 52-year-old office worker Kevin Lin told AFP as he enjoyed a day off at home.

“I’m used to the many typhoons in Taiwan and I don’t feel scared.”

Troops on standby

At least 27 people have been injured in the wild weather, with trees knocked down and four mudslides recorded, the National Fire Agency said Thursday, without providing details.

Authorities were still trying to contact two Czech tourists who were believed to be hiking in Taroko Gorge in Hualien after they could not be reached on their satellite and mobile phones.

More than 400 domestic and international flights were cancelled while all ferry services were suspended. Around 18,000 homes lost power, but most have been reconnected, disaster officials said.

Taiwanese tech giant TSMC said it had “activated routine typhoon alert preparation procedures” at its chip-making facilities and did not expect a “significant impact” on operations.

Kong-rey was travelling at a “relatively fast” 21 kilometres per hour as it swept across the sea towards Hualien and Taitung counties, Chu from the state weather forecaster said.

The storm was expected to weaken after hitting land and then move across the mountains that run down the centre of the island before exiting over the Taiwan Strait in the evening, Chu said.

But she warned that the storm would “severely” affect the island all day and into the early hours of Friday.

More than a metre of rain could fall in the hardest-hit areas along the east coast by Friday as the seasonal monsoon also drenched the island of 23 million people earlier in the week, prompting warnings of landslides.

Authorities have evacuated 8,600 people from their homes in vulnerable counties and cities, including Yilan, Hualien and Taitung, according to the National Fire Agency.

Forecasters have warned of “destructive” winds from Kong-rey, and nearly 35,000 troops were on standby to help with relief efforts.

Scientists have warned climate change is increasing the intensity of storms, leading to heavier rains and flash floods and stronger gusts.

Kong-rey was the third typhoon to hit Taiwan since July.

Gaemi killed at least 10 people, injured hundreds and triggered widespread flooding in the southern seaport of Kaohsiung.

That was followed in early October by Krathon, which killed at least four people and injured hundreds, triggering mudslides, flooding and record-strong gusts.

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Two Karachi hostages recovered from Shikarpur katcha area

KARACHI/SHIKARPUR: Police and Rangers in a joint operation recovered a hostage from Garhi Tegho katcha area after exchange of fire with bandits, police said.

“Bandits fled from the scene after shootout and a hostage recovered,” SSP Shahzaib Chachar said. “Recovered hostage has been identified as Sherdil,” police officer said. “He was kidnapped from Karachi’s Singer Chowrangi,” according to police.

“Police has launched a search operation in the area to arrest fleeing bandits,” SSP further said.

Moreover, a team of the anti-violent crime cell (AVCC) police in a raid in Shikarpur recovered a hostage, who was called to Shikarpur from Karachi, with honey trap and taken hostage.

“Noor Mohammad was honey-trapped to Shikarpur on September 19 and kidnappers had demanded Rs. 10 million ransom money for safe release of the hostage,” SSP Aneel Haider said.

“The case was registered at Shahrah-e-Noorjahan police station of Karachi and a special police team was constituted for recovery of the kidnapped person,” police officer further said.

He said the police conducted raid in Begari Katcha area of Shikarpur and recovered the hostage.

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PTI’s Sania Nishtar resigns from Senate seat

ISLAMABAD: PTI Senator Sania Nishtar has tendered resignation from her seat of the upper house of the Parliament, citing sources ARY News reported on Wednesday.

Sania Nishtar, former special assistant to the PM in the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) government, has submitted her resignation from the parliament seat in the Senate Secretariat, sources said.

Sources said that Nishtar has submitted her resignation after joining a Geneva based international organization.

Sania Nishtar was elected senator on a seat of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2021 election of the Senate.

Sania Nishtar a physician by profession, was appointed CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance in 2024. She previously served as Special Assistant on Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, with the status of federal minister, and chairperson of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) and Ehsaas Programme.

She had also served previously in the interim federal cabinet in 2013 overseeing public health, education and science

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Neelam Kothari reveals she once ‘wanted to kill’ Chunky Panday

Former Bollywood diva Neelam Kothari revealed she once wanted to ‘kill’ her frequent co-star and close friend Chunky Panday.

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In a new interview with an Indian radio channel, ‘Fabulous Lives vs Bollywood Wives’ star Neelam Kothari recalled her first experience of shooting ‘Aag Hi Aag’ (1987) with actor Chunky Panday and shared that she wanted to kill him at that time before the two went on to become good friends and shared the screen in multiple films.

“Chunky is a very good friend today. And he was a good friend back then too but there were days when I just wanted to kill him,” she said.

“He used to irritate me on set because he was a newcomer. He took his own sweet time. ‘The shot is ready, cameras are set, but where’s Chunky Panday?’ Chunky Panday’s in the bathroom. This didn’t happen just once, but many times, and I just wanted to kill him,” Kothari reasoned.

“There was a scene in Aag Hi Aag where I was getting married to someone else, and Chunky was supposed to come on a bike, pick me up from the mandap, and ride away. I must have asked him 10 times if he knew how to ride a bike, and he kept saying, ‘Of course’. He didn’t know – he was joking. So he picked me up on the bike and pushed the accelerator so hard that it did a wheelie, and I was in bridal attire. I fell off, and the bike landed on top of me,” she shared. “I burned my leg and everything. I wanted to kill him. I still have that scar on my leg, and I still remind Chunky that I have it for life because of him.”

On the work front, Neelam Kothari is most recently seen in the new season 3 of Netflix’s ‘Fabulous Lives vs Bollywood Wives’, which also includes Chunky Panday’s wife Bhavna, Maheep Kapoor and Seema Sajdeh in the main cast. The Mumbai celebrity wives are also joined by three influential businesswomen from Delhi, Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, Kalyani Saha and Shalini Passi, for the season.

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Vidya Balan reveals reason for rejecting ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2’

Bollywood A-lister Vidya Balan reveals the real reason for not starring in ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2’ before she returned for the third film of the franchise.

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Speaking to the Indian media during the promotions of her forthcoming film ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’, Vidya Balan, who starred alongside Akshay Kumar in the first movie of the horror-comedy franchise, revealed why she rejected the second film with Kartik Aaryan and Kiara Advani.

Balan shared that she was scared not to ruin the impact she was able to create in the original film directed by Priyadarshan which turned out to be a huge blockbuster.

“I was so scared because Bhool Bhulaiyaa has given me so much. So I said, if I did something wrong, then everything would be in vain. I told Anees [Bazmee] ji that I can’t take this risk,” she said.

The ‘Kahaani’ actor continued, “But when they came back to me with the third part, I loved the script. I was dying to work on this with Anees bhai and Bhushan [Kumar]. And then it only kept getting better.”

 

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“And then the icing on the cake was working with Madhuri Dixit ma’am. So, I think it only kept getting better, and I accumulated the courage. I had a great time,” she added. “He (Bazmee) is the king of entertainment. I had the opportunity to work with him.”

Also Read: Vidya Balan, Madhuri Dixit unite for ‘Ami Je Tomar’ in ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’ 

Notably, ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’ is headlined by Balan, Kartik Aaryan and Madhuri Dixit. It also stars young starlet Triptii Dimri, as Aaryan’s love interest, along with Vijay Raaz, Rajpal Yadav, Sanjay Mishra and Ashwini Kalsekar.

Anees Bazmee’s directorial is scheduled for theatrical release on November 1, coinciding with the Hindu festival of Diwali, in the Box office clash with another biggie, Rohit Shetty’s ‘Singham Again’.

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PTI Founder shall be granted bail like Bushra Bibi: Salman Akram

ISLAMABAD: PTI’s leader Salman Akram Raja has said that the PTI’s Founder should also be granted bail in cases as the court given bail to Burshra Bibi, ARY News reported on Monday.

Salman Akram Raja talking to media here said that any action according to the law, should not be attributed as ‘a deal’. “There is no deal, nothing substantial in the cases,” he said. “I was booked in seven terrorism cases within three weeks,” he added.

“It has been said that Bilawal Bhutto will become the next prime minister and the PTI’s Founder will support him,” a newsman questioned the PTI leader.

“The PTI’s founder will not support any undemocratic action,” Raja said. “The country has given its democratic verdict in the favour of the PTI and its Founder, we will not go at any cost against the will of the people,” he added.

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‘Mirzapur The Film’ announced: Munna Bhaiya to return for big screen adaptation

Months after the latest season 3 of the popular Indian web series, the makers have now officially announced ‘Mirzapur The Film’, with the fan-favourite character of Divyendu Sharma – Munna Tripathi.

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In a social media announcement on Monday morning, Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani’s Excel Entertainment, the production banner of ‘Mirzapur’ confirmed the movie adaptation of the award-winning crime series, with acclaimed actors Pankaj Tripathi (Kaleen Bhaiya), Ali Fazal (Guddu Pandit), Divyendu Sharma (Munna Tripathi) and Abhishek Banerjee (Compounder).

Along with a minute-and-a-half-long teaser of the film, the caption read, “Ab bhaukaal bhi bada hoga, aur parda bhi. Mirzapur The Film, coming soon.”

According to the details, the title is written by the series creator Puneet Krishna, whereas, the direction is helmed by Gurmeet Singh.

‘Mirzapur The Film’ is set for theatrical release in 2026. However, after the 8-week exclusive run in cinemas, the title will be available to stream on Amazon Prime Video in over 240 countries and territories.

 

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Notably, Amazon Prime’s crime series ‘Mirzapur’, created by Karan Anshuman and Puneet Krishna, follows the story of Akhandanand ‘Kaleen’ Tripathi, a crime boss and businessman, who is the proverbial ruler of Mirzapur district, in the Purvanchal region of Uttar Pradesh state in India.

The launching season of the series premiered in November 2018, whereas, the makers returned with season 2 in October 2020. The 10-episodic latest season 3 of ‘Mirzapur’ was released in July this year, along with a bonus episode in the following month.

Also Read: ‘Mirzapur’ smashes all previous records with season 3

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Balochistan registers another Congo virus case

Balochistan has reported another Congo virus cases, increasing the number of cases to 41 this year, ARY News reported on Monday.

“Sharafuddin, 25, was brought to Fatima Jinnah Hospital in a precarious condition,” hospital officials said.

The man was tested positive for Congo virus after undergoing tests, the hospital sources said.

This is not the first instance that an epidemic of Congo virus fever has broken out in Balochistan. In late 80s and mid-90s dozens of people had died of the disease, health sources said.

The virus is primarily transmitted to humans by ticks on cattle and other livestock and can cause severe fever, muscle pain, vomiting, and internal bleeding. The disease has a high fatality rate, and currently no vaccine or specific treatment available for the virus.

Read more: Quetta reports another Congo virus case

It is pertinent to mention here that the National Institute of Health (NIH) issued advisories for the prevention and control of CCHF.

In the wake of high disease transmission, it is imperative to be vigilant about the situation and take steps to interrupt the transmission of CCHF.

It explained that CCHF is caused by tick-borne Nairovirus. Animals such as cattle, goats, sheep and hares are carriers of this virus, which is transmitted to people by tick bites or through contact with infected blood or tissues during and immediately after slaughter.

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Karachi police arrest suspect for killing boy, injuring mother, daughter

Karachi West police have arrested a suspect involved in the killing of boy and slitting the throat of a mother and daughter during a ‘rape attempt’ in Orangi Town.

As per details, Sameer Ali, the primary suspect in the brutal assault on a mother and her two children, which led to the tragic death of one child, has been taken into custody.

According to police, the suspect entered the home when Ramsha was alone with her children, Aliza and Subhan. Ramsha reportedly served him tea, after which Sameer attempted a sexual assault.

Read more: Man arrested for assaulting girl at Kuwait mall

When she resisted and her children intervened, he allegedly attacked them with an iron, severely injuring their faces and necks. Subhan, one of the children, later succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.

Police were able to locate and apprehend Sameer Ali through technical surveillance. The suspect is currently being transferred to the police station for further investigation.

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LPG shop blast claims two lives in Karachi’s Federal B area

Two people were burnt to death in a devastating fire, triggered by a gas cylinder explosion in Karachi, ARY News reported on Sunday, quoting police.

As per details, the incident took place at an LPG shop in Karachi’s Federal B Area on Saturday night.

Police reported that the bodies of the deceased were moved to a nearby hospital.

Local residents alleged that the shop had been previously sealed but was reopened, placing blame on the police for allowing its operation to resume.

Investigations into the cause of the fire and the full circumstances surrounding the incident are ongoing.

Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori expressed concern over the cylinder explosion and has sought a report from Karachi’s Commissioner.

Read more: Hyderabad gas blast death toll rises to 24

This is not the first time, that LPG cylinder shop blast has claimed lives in Sindh. Prior to this in Hyderabad, at least 24 people were killed in cylinder blast at a LPG shop.

The blast took place in the LPG cylinder filling shop located on the ground floor of Zacha Bacha Hospital area along Mir Nabi Bux Town Road in UC-8 of Neerunkot town.

At least 60 people, mostly children, received serious burn injuries and had to be shifted to Karachi after being provided emergency treatment at the Liaquat University Hospital (LUH).

Some 18-22 injured persons with 80pc to 90pc burns were referred to a major hospital in Karachi.

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PCB announces central contracts for national team

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced central contracts for the players, ARY News reported on Sunday. 

As many as 25 players have been added to the central contract list by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Fakhar Zaman, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Imad Wasim and Iftikhar Ahmed have been dropped.

Former captain Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have retained their spots in the prestigious “A” category.

For the first time, PCB has also offered central contracts to five emerging players, marking a new initiative.

Fast bowlers Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah have been awarded B-category contracts while Shan Masood’s B-category contract is subject to him remaining captain.

Players in the C category include Shadab Khan, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmad, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Haris Rauf and Saim Ayub. Noman Ali’s contract is subject to fitness.

Aamer Jamal, Muhammad Waseem, Muhammad Hurraira, Mir Hamza, Khurram Shehzad, Mohammed Ali, Usman KhanIrfan Niazi, Haseebullah Khan, Abbas Afridi and Kamran Ghulam were given D-category contracts.

Read more: Shan Masood promoted in PCB’s central contract list

The Spin-duo of Sajid Khan and Nauman Ali played a vital role in beating England in the recent Test Series as the national team was down and out after losing the first match of the series by an innings.

Both the spinners grabbed 39 wickets collectively.

 

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On Saturday, Pakistan sealed a Test series victory after a gap of more than three years with a thumping nine-wicket victory over England in the third match in Rawalpindi.

Pakistan’s decision to make four massive changes after the first Test thrashing paid off as their spin duo of Sajid Khan and Noman Ali, coming in as Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah’s replacement, gave a new life to the struggling hosts.

The spin duo claimed 39 out of 40 England wickets to fall in the remaining two Tests, coupled with handy and timely cameos to further traumatize the touring side.

Their mastery of spin steered Pakistan to their first home Test series victory since 2021.

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‘Bulbulay’ star Nabeel Zafar reveals surprising fact about on-screen mother

As ARY Digital’s long-running comedy series ‘Bulbulay’ marked the 15th anniversary of the show being on air, its creator Nabeel Zafar, aka the only son of beloved Momo (Hina Dilpazeer), revealed the surprising fact about his on-screen mother.

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In a new podcast interview with a digital magazine, Nabeel Zafar disclosed that acclaimed actor Hina Dilpazeer, who essays his mother Mumtaz, aka everyone’s favourite Momo on screen, is actually younger than him.

Zafar revealed that he had previously shared the screen with Dilpazeer in her on-screen debut, ARY Digital’s telefilm ‘Burns Road Ki Nilofar’, and was impressed by her work. Therefore, during the casting of Momo, to enter the sitcom in its 17th episode, he called the ‘Quddusi Sahab ki Bewah’ actor and said, “You may be two or four years younger than me, but you’ll have to play my mother!”

Zafar shared that she had no qualms about playing his mother and immediately agreed to do the role after a laugh.

 

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And since then – Dilpazeer has been winning over people of all ages with her portrayal of Momo, for the last 15 years.

Also Read: ARY Digital’s ‘Bulbulay’ completes 15 successful years on air

One of its kind family sitcom, ‘Bulbulay’ co-stars Zafar and Dilpazeer with seasoned actors Mehmood Aslam and Ayesha Omar, whereas, veteran actors Shagufta Ejaz, Ashraf Khan and child stars Faatima Nabeel and Nyle Rizwan feature in the pivotal supporting roles.

Written by Ali Imran and Saba Hassan, drama director Rana Rizwan has helmed more than 700 episodes of ‘Bulbulay’ over 2 seasons.

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PSX crosses 90,000-point barrier in new all-time high

KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) achieved a remarkable feat on Friday, as the KSE-100 index broke through the 90,000-point barrier in intra-day trading.

The index was trading at 90,087.41 points at 11:58 am, representing a 1.25% increase from the previous day’s close of 88,945.98.

Mohammed Sohail, chief executive of Topline Securities, noted that the stocks reached the 90,000 mark in one of the fastest record gains of 125pc in 18 months.

The PSX’s upward momentum continued throughout the week, with the index surpassing the 89,000 mark on Thursday.

Most analysts predict the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) will reduce its policy rate by 200 basis points in its upcoming meeting on November 4. This would mark the fourth consecutive rate cut since June.

Topline Securities, in its report, commented that bulls dominated the PSX as the KSE-100 index surged to an all-time high of 89,126, up 1,931 points, or 2.22%, before closing at 88,946, higher by 2.01%.

Investor optimism was fuelled by expectations ahead of the monetary policy meeting scheduled for November 4. Market sentiment suggested that two significant policy rate cuts may be on the horizon, prompting a wave of stock buying that propelled the index to the historic peak, it said.

Also, investors were shifting their fixed-income portfolios to equities, further boosting market momentum, Topline added.

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Six SC judges skip full court reference for outgoing CJP Qazi Faez Isa

ISLAMABAD: Six Supreme Court (SC) judges skipped full court reference held for outgoing CJP Qazi Faez Isa, ARY News reported on Friday. 

As per details, six Supreme Court judges including Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Ayesha Malik, Justice Shahid Waheed, Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Malik Shehzad chose to skip the full court reference held in honor of outgoing Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa.

The reference, traditionally attended by Supreme Court justices to bid farewell to the departing CJP, saw a reduced attendance this time.

It is to be noted that Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa is to retire today (Friday), after serving for more than a year.

The oath-taking ceremony of new CJP Justice Yahya Afridi will take place tomorrow. President Asif Ali Zardari will administer the oath to the new CJP.

Read more: Justice Mansoor Ali Shah to skip full court reference for outgoing CJP Isa

On Thursday night, a farewell dinner was hosted by the Supreme Court Bar Association and the Pakistan Bar Council in honour of outgoing CJP Qazi Faez Isa.

The event was attended by the nominated Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, Supreme Court judges, and Chief Justices of all high courts.

Earlier this week, President Asif Ali Zardari officially approved the appointment of Justice Yahya Afridi as the chief justice following the retirement of Qazi Faez Isa on October 25 (today).

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Karachi, Lahore among most polluted cities of world

KARACHI: Karachi becomes the second and Lahore third most polluted cities of the world today as pollution on the rise in two largest cities of Pakistan ahead of coming winter.

Indian capital New Delhi was on the top of the world’s most polluted cities’ list.

Karachi has 198 reading on the Air Quality Index, while Lahore has 192 AQI reading.

India’s Delhi has 252 AQI reading.

It is to be mentioned here that AQI as high as 151-200 is considered unhealthy, while an AQI reading between 201 to 300 is more harmful and AQI reading above 300 mark is extremely hazardous.

According to experts, the air becomes heavier in the winter, causing poisonous particles in the atmosphere to move downwards and making the atmosphere polluted. As a result, a layer of polluted particles, including large amounts of carbon and smoke, covers an area.

The smoke produced by factories or by burning coal, garbage, oil or tyres, enters the atmosphere and its impact appears at the onset of the winter and remains till the end of the season, experts said.

Although southwestern winds blowing from the sea in Karachi, work as a filter for the air, these winds remain mostly suspended during the winter.

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26th Amendment: SC bench sends case to constitutional bench

ISLAMABAD: A Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Mansoor Ali Shah on Wednesday sent a petition of the government employees seeking restoration of their jobs to the constitutional bench, ARY News reported.

A three-member bench headed by Justice Mansoor Shah was hearing the case.

“There is a constitutional question in this case, in view of the passage of the 26th Constitutional Amendment, constitutional benches would hear the cases related to constitutional questions,” Justice Mansoor Ali Shah said.

“These benches will be constituted and will determine the issue, we are sending these petitions to constitutional benches,” Justice Shah further said.

Seven sacked employees of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources had challenged the high court’s decision in the apex court.

The Sindh High Court (SHC) also adjourned hearing of a petition against the election of Mayor Karachi.

The counsel pleaded that the case after approval of the constitutional amendment is liable to be heard by a constitutional bench.

“It will be better to adjourn the hearing,” the high court’s chief justice observed.

AAG Sindh however, said that the bench could hear the case until the Sindh Assembly passes a resolution to this effect.

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IHC grants bail to Bushra Bibi in Toshakhana-II case

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday granted bail to Bushra Bibi, wife of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, in the Toshakhana-II case.

More details to follow…

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ML-I project decided to be completed in two phases: sources

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China have decided to divide the 6.8 billion dollars’ cost mainline (ML-1) railway project into two phases, sources here said.

“The sides will sign two separate agreements for the Phase-I and II of the ML-1 railway project,” sources at the finance ministry said.

“The Phase-I agreement of 3.2 bln dollars, likely to be executed in the next month,” sources said.

Feasibility study prior to the Phase-II agreement will be held after completion of the first phase of the project, sources further said.

“In the first phase, railway line will be completed from Karachi to Hyderabad, and Hyderabad to Multan,” according to sources.

“In the second phase of the ML-I, railway track will be built from Multan to Peshawar,” sources said.

The financing terms and conditions will be finalized with the Chinese officials in the current month. “The long-term financing will be taken from China for the Phase-I of the ML-I”.

“Pakistan intending to borrow low-interest loan from China for the mainline project,” sources shared.

Pakistan was earlier negotiating with China for 6.8 billion dollars financing for the ML-I, sources said. The sides didn’t agree over a combined agreement for the whole project, ministry sources added.

The development and renovation of Karachi-Lahore-Peshawar railway track, known as ML-I project, is planned under the flagship CPEC project.

The ML-I project is based on total length of 1,872 kilometers. The PML-N government in the past had also decided to divide the project into two, because of its elevated costs and widespread work which necessitates renovation and extension of the main railway line.

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ICC plans major changes to revive Test, ODI cricket

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is set to introduce significant changes to promote Test and One-Day International (ODI) cricket.

The global cricket-governing body is now pondering having a minimum of three Test matches in every series which is a part of the World Test Championship (WTC).

The ICC’s cricket committee has also suggested the use of two balls within the first 25 overs only in an ODI game.

The ICC’s cricket committee proposed several changes during meetings in Dubai.

“Some countries like South Africa, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka mostly play just two-Test series. Only India, England, and Australia play long Test series. That doesn’t help in promoting Test cricket, and the point distribution becomes very unfair,” an ICC source stated.

The ICC believes Day-Night Tests have boosted stadium attendance. “The ICC committee feels the pink-ball Tests have brought more people into the stadiums. Recently, one saw very poor turnouts in Pakistan. The three pink-ball Tests in India sold more tickets than usual,” the source added.

The ICC will seek feedback from captains on the proposed ODI changes. “The recommendation will be sent to the captains. A consensus must be achieved on this. But this looks the best option to bring reverse swing and finger spinners back into the game,” the source said.

ODI reforms:

• Using two balls only within the first 25 overs
• Reverting to one ball for the remaining overs to promote reverse swing and finger spin

Test Cricket reforms:

• Minimum of three Test matches per series in the World Test Championship (WTC)
• Increased Day-Night Tests to attract more spectators
• Encouraging host nations to schedule more pink-ball Tests

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26th Constitutional Amendment challenged in Supreme Court

ISLAMABAD: The 26th Constitutional Amendment has been challenged by a citizen in the Supreme Court of Pakistan, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

Petitioner has made the federal government as respondent in the constitutional petition pleading the court to declare the amendment as void.

“The Parliament could legislate and amend the constitution with 2/3 majority, but it could not encroach the judicial matters,” the petition read.

It argued that the 26th amendment has been violation of the basic framework of the constitution and the division of powers among the state institutions.

“The amendment has handed over appointment of the Chief Justice to the incumbent government,” according to the plea. “The formation of the Judicial Commission has also been altered in the new amendment,” petitioner said.

Petitioner has requested to the court to declare the 26th amendment in the constitution as violation of the fundamental rights and the independence of judiciary.

Sindh High Court

The 26th Constitutional Amendment has also been challenged in the Sindh High Court.

Illahi Bux advocate has filed a petition against the constitutional legislation in the high court.

Petitioner has requested for declaring section 8, 11 and 14 of the constitutional amendment as null and void.

Secretaries of cabinet division, law and justice and other concerned have been made respondents in the plea.

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WHO declares Egypt malaria free after nearly century of efforts

Egypt has achieved a significant milestone in public health as the World Health Organization (WHO) certified the nation as malaria-free, marking the elimination of a disease that had pagued the country since ancient times.

The WHO grants certification to countries that prove, beyond reasonable doubt, that the chain of indigenous malaria transmission by Anopheles mosquitoes has been interrupted for at least the previous three consecutive years.

Now, the status has been granted to a total of 44 countries and one territory globally, the WHO said in a statement.

The WHO called the achievement “truly historic” and the culmination of nearly a century of work to stamp out the disease, AFP reported.

“Malaria is as old as Egyptian civilisation itself, but the disease that plagued pharaohs now belongs to its history and not its future,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement.

“This certification of Egypt as malaria-free is truly historic, and a testament to the commitment of the people and government of Egypt to rid themselves of this ancient scourge.”

“Receiving the malaria elimination certificate today is not the end of the journey but the beginning of a new phase,” said Egypt´s Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar.

“We must now work tirelessly and vigilantly to sustain our achievement through maintaining the highest standards for surveillance, diagnosis and treatment.”

To be certified malaria free, a country must also demonstrate the ability to prevent the re-establishment of transmission.

Read more: Sindh ‘reports 106684 malaria cases’ in last week

Spread by mosquitoes, malaria is mostly found in tropical countries and the infection is caused by a parasite, that kills more than 600,000 people every year, 95% of them in Africa, according to the WHO.

There were 249 million recorded malaria cases worldwide in 2022.

The WHO said that early efforts to reduce human-mosquito contact in Egypt started in the 1920s with a ban on rice and crop cultivation near homes.

By 1942, malaria cases in Egypt had spiked to over three million due to population displacement during World War II.

The construction of the Aswan Dam, built in the 1960s, introduced new risks with stagnant water creating mosquito breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

However, by 2001, Egypt had malaria “firmly under control”, the WHO said.

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Dialogue is not PTI’s politics, says Rana Sanaullah

ISLAMABAD: PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah Khan has said that the dialogue is not the style of the PTI’s politics, ARY News reported on Sunday.

“It is my considered opinion that the PTI could not be convinced, creating consensus or holding dialogue is not the PTI’s type of politics,” special assistant to the PM on political affairs, Rana Sanaullah said.

“They will do, what they are doing for the last 10 years,” PML-N veteran said. “They are talking something else over there and pretending that they are consulting,” he said.

“I pray for the success of Maulana (Fazlur Rehman), they are tricking with him,” Sanaullah said.

Earlier, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, called for more time to review the proposed legislation, ARY News reported on Saturday, citing sources.

Sources close to the development revealed that the JUI-F has expressed concerns about rushing through the amendments without enough consultation and suggested the government not to take any hasty decision.

During a meeting, the final draft of the amendment was presented to JUI-F leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman, suggested that more time is needed to discuss the implications of the changes.

It is to be mentioned here that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Political Committee has announced that it will boycott the voting process for constitutional amendments in both houses.

According to the official statement, the committee has also decided to protest against PTI members of the National Assembly and Senate who participate in the voting process.

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Instagram unveils new profile card feature to help users monetize

Instagram, owned by Meta, has introduced a groundbreaking feature allowing users to share their profile information through customizable, two-sided profile cards.

The new feature simplifies connections, collaborations, and friendships, particularly among Gen Z users who utilize their profiles as digital resumes.

According to Instagram, the profile card feature enables users to share their information quickly and easily with potential collaborators, brands, or like-minded individuals.

“Profile cards offer a convenient way for users to share their profile information and showcase their interests,” said an Instagram spokesperson.

Key benefits of profile cards:

Easy sharing of profile information
Customizable two-sided design
Simplified connections and collaborations
Enhanced community engagement
Empowers creators to showcase their interests

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CTD apprehends seven terrorists in Punjab IBOs

LAHORE: The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) has made a expedited crack down to combat terrorism, apprehending seven terrorists in Punjab during intelligence-based operations (IBOs), ARY News reported.

As per details, the operations were conducted across various cities, including Lahore, Bhakkar, Attock, Vehari, Bahawalpur, and Jhang, targeting terrorist hideouts and suspects.

The spokesperson said that two highly dangerous terrorists linked to the Fitna Alkhwarij were arrested in Lahore and Bhakkar. The raids yielded a significant recovery of arms, ammunition, and explosive material, including nine detonators, explosive material, arms and ammunition, and banned literature.

The apprehended terrorists were identified as Hayatullah, Shehnawaz Khan, Muhammad Siddique, Zuhor Ahmed, Akram Khan, and Mushbeer Ali.

According to authorities, the terrorists planned to create fear and panic among the public by carrying out attacks at different locations.

In a separate operation, 2943 combing operations were conducted in the last week, resulting in the arrest of 257 suspected individuals, and 68,537 people were interrogated.

Read More: Seven khwarij gunned down in Kurram IBO: ISPR

Earlier on September 4, the counter-terrorism department on arrested a terrorist in an intelligence operation in Sahiwal.

The terrorist identified as Aman Ullah belongs to banned organization Fitna Alkhwarij.

During the operation, the CTD also recovered literature and books inciting hate and religious extremism from the arrested terrorist and a case has been registered against him.

In a separate development, the security forces conducted an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the Razmak area of North Waziristan and killed three khwarij, according to a statement released by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

During the operation, a firefight ensued, resulting in the elimination of three terrorists, Khawarij, associated with an outlawed group while one terrorist was injured. The security forces also recovered a huge cache of weapons and ammunition from the killed terrorists, the ISPR said.

The statement further mentioned that the terrorists were involved in targeted killings of both security personnel and civilians.

The ISPR reiterated the commitment of the security forces to rid the country of the menace of terrorism and the Khawarij extremists.

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Bushra Bibi’s bail plea in Toshakhana-II case fixed for hearing

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court has fixed former first lady Bushra Bibi’s bail plea in the Toshakhana-II case for hearing on October 22, ARY News reported.

As per details, Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb will preside over the case. Previously, the hearing was delayed due to the judge’s health issues. The registrar’s office has released the cause list for the upcoming hearing.

The court has already issued a notice to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in connection with the case. In a previous development, the Special Central Judge had rejected Bushra Bibi’s bail plea.

Earlier, Islamabad High Court (IHC) noticed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in Toshakhana-II case against Bushra Bibi.

The plea was presided over by Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb of the IHC. At the commencement of the hearing, Bushra Bibi’s lawyer said his client is in jail from 13 July.

Read more: Bushra Bibi moves IHC for bail in Toshakhana-II reference

The trial court rejected the bail plea and directed to move to the high court, the lawyer stated.

After the initial hearing, the IHC noticed FIA to submit their response on the plea, next week.

On July 13, Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi were arrested in a fresh National Accountability Bureau (NAB) reference related to Toshakhana, hours after their acquittal in the Iddat case.

The NAB team headed by Deputy Director Mohsin Haroon arrested Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi from the Adiala Jail.

The development came after the Islamabad district and sessions court accepted the appeals filed by former prime minister Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi against their conviction in the Iddat case.

The couple was sentenced to seven years in prison and awarded a fine of Rs500,000 each, in February earlier this year after a trial court found their nikah to be fraudulent.

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Power sector subsidies surge by 400% in five Years: World Bank

ISLAMABAD: The World Bank has revealed that the power sector subsidies in Pakistan have increased by a staggering 400% in the last five years, putting a major burden on the federal government’s finances, ARY News reported.

According to the World Bank report, the growing number of protected consumers has contributed to the surge in subsidy burden, with 94% of domestic consumers benefiting from the budgetary subsidy in 2024.

The power sector subsidy has climbed from Rs. 236 billion in the financial year 2020 to Rs. 1190 billion in the current financial year, a staggering increase of Rs. 954 billion.

The inability to reduce losses and poor recovery of electricity bills have contributed to the circular debt, which has averaged Rs. 400 billion annually for the past four years despite reforms.

The World Bank has warned that the increasing electricity tariffs and poor revenue collection will continue to exacerbate the circular debt crisis, making it essential for the government to address the underlying issues in the power sector to reduce the subsidy burden and circular debt.

READ: World Bank concerned over Pakistan’s power sector circular debt

Earlier, the World Bank (WB) expressed concerns over the rise in Pakistan’s power sector circular debt despite historic hike in electricity tariffs.

The World Bank stated in its report that over the past six years, the debt has increased by 1241 billion rupees, with an increase of 1128 billion rupees between 2019 and 2021.

The World Bank reported that the power sector’s circular debt has been growing at an alarming rate, with a notable increase of 113 billion rupees between 2022 and 2024.

As of 2024, the total volume of circular debt in Pakistan’s power sector has reached 2393 billion rupees.

The World Bank emphasized the need for reforms to address the circular debt problem.

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Iran’s foreign minister makes rare trip to Egypt

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi landed in Cairo late on Wednesday for talks with Egyptian officials, the first such visit in years as part of a Middle Eastern tour amid concerns of a wider confrontation in the region with Israel.

Tensions are high in anticipation of the nature of an expected Israeli attack on Iran in retaliation for Iran’s missile attack on Oct. 1. That followed a rapidly spiralling conflict between Israel and Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Araqchi arrived for “important talks with Egypt’s high ranking officials that will be held tomorrow [Thursday],” Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said in a post on X on Wednesday, after stops in countries including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq and Lebanon.

Relations between Egypt and Iran have generally been fraught in recent decades but the two countries have stepped up high-level diplomatic contacts since the eruption of the Gaza crisis last year as Egypt tried to play a mediating role.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty traveled to Tehran in July to attend the country’s presidential inauguration.

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South Korea’s Han sells one million books after Nobel win

SEOUL: More than a million copies of books by Han Kang, the first South Korean to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, have sold locally since the honour was announced, bookstores said Wednesday.

The short story writer and novelist is best known overseas for her Man Booker Prize-winning “The Vegetarian”, her first novel translated into English.

The 53-year-old, who also became the first Asian woman author to win the Nobel, was chosen “for her intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life”, the Swedish Academy said last week.

Han’s win has created a sensation in South Korea, with the websites of major bookstores and publishing houses crashing after it was announced, as tens of thousands rushed to order her books.

As of Wednesday morning, at least 1.06 million copies, including e-books, had been sold since last Thursday’s Nobel announcement, three major bookstores and online retailers — Kyobo, Aladin and YES24 — told AFP.

“Han Kang’s books are experiencing unprecedented sales. This is a situation we have never seen before,” Kyobo spokesperson Kim Hyun-jung told AFP.

Online bookstore Aladin said Han’s victory had not only led to a staggering 1,200-fold increase in the sales of her books compared with the same period last year, but dramatically boosted the sales of South Korean literature as a whole.

Since her win, “the overall sales of Korean literature increased by more than 12 times compared to the previous year”, it said in a statement.

Sales of two books Han recently mentioned she was reading — “Inventory of Losses” by Judith Schalansky and “Atlas de botanique élémentaire” by Jean-Jacques Rousseau — had also surged, Aladin said.

Kyobo Book Centre said while it does not have exact figures, Han’s books had seen dramatically higher sales compared with other Nobel prize winners.

“We have been in the publishing industry for a while, but this whole situation feels very surreal even to some of us,” a Kyobo employee told AFP.

South Koreans have been overjoyed by the news, with Han’s alma mater, Seoul’s Yonsei University, displaying banners that read: “Congratulations to the proud Yonsei alumnus, Han Kang, on winning the Nobel Prize in Literature.”

In her hometown of Gwangju — where a massacre occurred in 1980 that later inspired Han’s acclaimed novel “Human Acts” — a congratulatory banner was hung on a building fired on by a military helicopter at the time.

Local reports said some printing houses had been operating at full capacity on the weekend to meet the demand for Han’s books.

“I’ve never been this busy since I joined the company in 2006,” an Aladin employee told AFP.

“But it’s all been very happy.”

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Arabian Sea Depression near Oman Coast, to weaken in low-pressure area

KARACHI: The Depression over West-central Arabian Sea slowly moving westwards to Oman coast and weaken gradually into a well-marked low-pressure area during next few hours, according to a weather report.

The system moved further westward during past 10 hours and now lies at around Latitude 16.0N and Longitude 60.8E, at a distance of about 1190km southwest of Karachi, Pakistan Meteorological Department said on Tuesday.

The weather system has moved westwards with a speed of 8 kmph during past 6 hours, has been at a distance of 1100km southwest of Ormara in Baluchistan, 1020km south of Gwadar, 520km southeast of Masirah (Oman) and 720km east of Salalah (Oman).

The system is likely to move further west towards Oman coast and weaken into a well-marked low-pressure area by this afternoon

Squally winds of 30-40 Km/hour gusting 50Km/hour are likely around the system’s Centre till evening and reduce thereafter.

Sea condition to remain rough till evening and improve thereafter, according to report.

Fishermen of Baluchistan have been advised to remain careful and avoid going to deep sea till the evening.

None of the Pakistan coastal area has been under threat from the weather system.

The weather will remain hot and dry in most of the districts in Sindh on Tuesday. But, Karachi, Dadu, Thatta, Sujawal and Hyderabad likely to receive gusty winds-duststorms and rainfall with thunderstorm at some places.

The weather will remain hot and dry in most of the districts of Baluchistan on Tuesday. But southern districts will remain partly cloudy and Lasbela, Gwadar, Jiwani, Kech, Khuzdar, Turbat and Awaran may receive gusty winds-duststorms and rainfall with thunderstorm.

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Palestinian medical students arrive in Pakistan to continue studies

LAHORE: The first batch of twenty-seven Palestinian medical students from Gaza arrived in Lahore to continue their studies in Pakistan, ARY News reported.

As per details, the Palestinian students arrived in Pakistan via an international airline from Istanbul and were moved to a local hotel in a strict security.

Before arriving in Lahore, the officials of Embassy of Pakistan in Cairo and representatives of Al-Khidmat Foundation facilitated the departure of Palestinian students from Cairo International Airport to Lahore.

This batch of students is part of one hundred and ninety-two Palestinian medical students from war torn Gaza who will continue their medical and dental studies in various medical institutes in Pakistan.

Under the directives of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, these students will be facilitated to continue their studies in Pakistani medical universities on fully funded programmes.

READ: 250,000 in southern Gaza hit by Israel’s new evacuation order: UN

It is worth mentioning here that the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) earlier approved special permission for medical and dental students from Gaza to complete their education in Pakistan.

According to a spokesperson, the decision was made at the request of the Pakistani High Commissioner in London.

The PMDC president said that it is expected that around 100 medical and dental students from Gaza will come to Pakistan.

The students will be adjusted in Pakistani medical and dental colleges, and the committee will ensure the smooth completion of their education, he added.

The approval came after the UN agency supporting Palestinian refugees estimated that a quarter of a million people had been impacted since Israel’s army issued a new evacuation order for parts of southern Gaza a day earlier.

“We’ve seen people moving, families moving, people starting to pack up their belongings and try to leave this area,” UNRWA spokeswoman Louise Wateridge told reporters in Geneva via video-link from Gaza.

The agency “estimates that around 250,000 people have been impacted by these orders”, she said, adding: “We expect these numbers to grow”.

Israel’s offensive in Gaza has killed at least 42,000 people, mostly civilians, according to data from the health ministry in the territory.

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