Author: Ali Qasim

Pakistan crosses 1mn COVID-19 cases amid fourth wave

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Lahore (Nut-Desk)

Pakistan’s coronavirus tally on Friday crossed the grim milestone of 1 million after the country reported 1,425 cases during the last 24 hours, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) announced on Friday.

According to the NCOC, 25,215 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours and the positivity ratio was below six per cent. The current positivity rate stands at 5.65% and the total number of cases are 1,000,034.

The NCOC reported the grim milestone exactly two months after Pakistan’s tally of positive cases crossed 900,000.

The nationwide death toll from the coronavirus now stands 22,939 after 11 people lost their lives to the disease. While the number of recovered patients stands at 923,472 and the active cases of the country are 53,623.

Coronavirus has cast a pall on Eid ul Adha celebrations for a second consecutive year, as Muslims across Pakistan celebrate the religious festival.

Eid celebrations in the country come at a time when a steady rise in COVID-19 cases has been witnessed and the threat of the Delta variant looms large. Owing to the potential of Eid becoming a super spreader event — and a probable cause for the fourth wave — the government has urged the nation to scale back on gatherings.

Veteran Journalist Arif Nizami Passed Away in Lahore

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

Veteran journalist and former caretaker federal minister for information and postal service Arif Nizami on Wednesday has passed away in Lahore.

The journalist was under treatment at a hospital for the last two weeks after he had suffered a heart attack. Arif Nizami was son of Hameed Nizami, the founder Nawa-i-Waqt Group of newspapers.

While reacting to the journalist’s death, Prime Minister Imran Khan said, “Saddened to learn of the passing of veteran journalist, editor, and political commentator Arif Nizami.”

“My condolences and prayers go to his family,” he added.

President Dr. Arif Alvi also condoled over the demise of veteran journalist Arif Nizami and prayed for the departed soul and bereaved family.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhary Fawad Hussain also expressed grief and sorrow over the demise of Arif Nizami.

Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has also expressed heartfelt condolences on the sad demise of senior journalist Arif Nizami.

According to ISPR, the Army Chief prayed that Allah Al-Mighty may bless his soul and give strength to the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss.

Meanwhile, Chief of the Air Staff Pakistan Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu Wednesday expressed his heartfelt condolences on the sad demise of senior journalist Arif Nizami.

“May Allah bless the departed soul and give strength to the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss, Ameen,” said the air chief in a condolence message, issued here by Pakistan Air Force.

 

 

Pakistani Celebrities Celebrate Eid-ul-Adha’21 With Full Zeal & Zest and Style

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Pakistani Celebrities Celebrate Eid-ul-Adha’21 With Full Zeal & Zest and Style

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

Eid-ul-Azha is being celebrated all across Pakistan. Today, people are celebrating 2nd day of Eid. After sacrificing their Qurbani Jawar, people are making delicious dishes and are spreading love by distributing meat.

Eid-ul-Azha comes 2 months and 10 days after Eid-ul-Fitar. After Eid-ul-Fitar people start preparing for Eid-ul-Azha. Everyone buys new clothes, shoes and accessories for Eid. The girls apply Mehndi on their hands. Boys are much concerned with Qurbani on Eid.

Our celebrities also celebrate Eid with great joy wearing beautiful dresses and having stunning looks. Here we have pictures of Pakistani Celebrities on Eid-ul-Azha 2021. Have a look to them.

For the first Time, Saudi women stand gurad in Makkah during HAJJ.

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

Inspired by her late father’s career, Mona decided to join the military and the first group of Saudi women soldiers to work in Islam s holiest sites, where they are helping secure the hajj annual pilgrimage.

Since April, dozens of female soldiers have become part of the security services that monitor pilgrims in Makkah and Medina, the birth places of Islam.

Dressed in a military khaki uniform, with a hip-length jacket, loose trousers and a black beret over a veil covering her hair, Mona spends her shifts roaming in the Grand Mosque in Makkah.

“I am following the steps of my late father to complete his journey, standing here at the Grand mosque in Makkah, the holiest place. To serve the worshippers is a very noble and honourable task,” said Mona, who declined to give her family name.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has pushed through social and economic reforms as part of plans to modernise the conservative Muslim kingdom and attract foreign investment under a diversification drive.

Under his reform plan, known as Vision 2030, the crown prince lifted a driving ban on women, allowed adult women to travel without permission from guardians and granted them more control over family matters.

But the reform plan has been accompanied by a crackdown on dissent, including on women s rights activists. Saudi Arabia has restricted the hajj to its own citizens and residents for the second year in a row, barring millions of other pilgrims from abroad in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Samar, another soldier watching pilgrims near the Kaaba, a cube-shaped structure that Muslims believe was built by Abraham, said she was encouraged by her family to join the military, after psychology studies.

“This is a huge accomplishment for us and it is the biggest pride to be in the service of religion, the country and the guests of God, the most merciful,” she said.

For the first Time, Saudi women stand guard in Makkah during HAJJ.
For the first Time, Saudi women stand guard in Makkah during HAJJ.

PTA again bans TIKTOK across Pakistan

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on Wednesday has banned famous social media application TikTok across the country. The ban has been imposed over presence of indecent material on the application. TikTok management has not taken any step to remove the material, PTA stated.

In light of relevant provisions of Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016, PTA has blocked access to [the] TikTok app and website in the country,” the authority said in a brief statement.

The action has been taken due to [the] continuous presence of inappropriate content on the platform and its failure to take such content down,” the statement said.

The first time the Chinese-owned app was banned in Pakistan was in October 2020. According to the PTA, the decision was taken over complaints regarding indecent and immoral content. It was lifted 10 days later after the company assured the telecom regulator it would block accounts “spreading obscenity.

This year in March, the Peshawar High Court had also imposed a ban on the video-​sharing application that was later lifted in April. In June, the Sindh High Court followed suit and ordered the PTA to suspend access to TikTok in the country for “spreading immorality and obscenity”. The court had lifted the suspension three days after issuing the order.

6 million videos removed in Pakistan in first quarter of 2021

Last month, the app said that more than six million videos were removed from TikTok in Pakistan in three months. “In the Pakistani market, TikTok removed 6,495,992 videos making it the second market to get the most videos removed after the USA, where 8,540,088 videos were removed,” TikTok Pakistan’s latest transparency report said, covering January to March.

Around 15 per cent of the removed videos were “adult nudity and sexual activities”. A spokesman said the Pakistan-made videos were banned as a result of both user and government request

PTA again bans TIKTOK across Pakistan
PTA again bans TIKTOK across Pakistan

Atif Aslam gifts Fans New Song on Eid. Sajal Ali graces the Video

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Atif Aslam gifts Fans New Song on Eid. Sajal Ali graces the Video

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

The most awaited music video of Eid season Rafta Rafta starring Pakistani stars Sajal Aly and Atif Aslam finally has been released and it has won the hearts of the fans. The Alif actor took to Instagram and shared a short clip from the music video to announce its release.

The Jeene Laga Hoon singer also shared the same video clip and said “The wait is over – Rafta Rafta video out now!”

Earlier, the teaser of Rafta Rafta had also won the hearts of the fans after it was dropped online on July 16. Produced by Tarun Chaudhary and Omer Ahmad, the video is directed by Hassam Baloch.

Mohammad Rizwan makes it to top 10, Babar Azam retains second spot in T20I rankings

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Mohammad Rizwan makes it to top 10, Babar Azam retains second spot in T20I rankings

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

Pakistani skipper Babar Azam on Wednesday retained the second position and wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan bagged the seventh spot in International Cricket Council’s updated T20I rankings.

England’s Dawid Malan, who is the top T20I batsman, according to the latest statistics, has 841 rating points and leads Babar by a mere eight points.

Rizwan was able to jump up the table and secure 709 rating points. The wicketkeeper became the eighth Pakistani player to complete 1,000 T20I runs after a bat carrying inning vs Engand at Old Trafford on Tuesday.

India’s Virat Kohli and Lokesh Rahul are also among the top 10 batsmen, with the skipper having 762 rating points and the latter 743 rating points.

Last week, Azam had taken the lead in the ICC Men’s ODI Batting Rankings, surpassing Kohli, after his outstanding performance against England at Edgbaston.

The 26-year-old Pakistan captain — who struck a fine 158 in the final match of the series — was able to gain eight rating points to reach a career-best 873 rating points, 16 more than Kohli, who is in second place.

England defeats Pakistan in nail-biter, clinches T 20 series by 2-1

Posted on by Ali Qasim

England defeats Pakistan in nail-biter, clinches T 20 series by 2-1 

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

England overcame self-created wobble to beat Pakistan in a pulsating final Twenty20 at Emirates Old Trafford and win the series 2-1. Adil Rashid took a career-best haul before England just did enough in a nervous chase to wrap up their white-ball home season with a thrilling three-wicket win over Pakistan in a Twenty20 final. Leg-spinner Rashid took 4-35 as Pakistan were restricted to 154-6 after winning the toss, with Mohammad Rizwan batting through the innings for 76 not out.

England opener Jason Roy, the player of the match, got the chase off to a brisk start with a dashing 64. But the hosts kept losing wickets before returning captain Eoin Morgan made a useful 21.

Liam Livingstone, the player of the series after scoring England´s fastest T20 hundred in the opener at Trent Bridge, struck one six and then holed out before Chris Jordan struck the winning runs in the last over. Roy took four boundaries off Shaheen Shah Afridi´s first over and swept spinner Imad Wasim for six.

Fellow opener Jos Buttler was well caught in the deep by Pakistan captain Babar Azam off leg-spinner Shadab Khan for a scratchy 21. Roy, by contrast completed a 30-ball fifty but on 64 he skied a catch off Usman Qadir, a leg-spinner like his father, the outstanding Abdul Qadir.

Jonny Bairstow holed out cheaply off left-arm spinner Imad Wasim and when Moeen Ali was bowled charging at off-spinner Mohammad Hafeez for just one, England were 112-4 off 15 overs. With four overs left, England needed 39 more runs to win.

But with Morgan hitting a couple of fours off Hafeez, England were 126-4 off 17 overs. Azam, rather than continue with spin, recalled paceman Hasan Ali into the attack. But left-hander Morgan hoisted him for two sixes separated by three dot balls.

But when Hafeez bowled Dawid Malan for 31, England still needed 12 to win off eight balls. Liam Livingstone, however, responded by hoisting his first ball for six only to be caught next ball, with England needing six off the last over. Livingstone and Morgan then got out in quick succession before a pair of hard-run twos from Jordan ended the match.

Notably, Pakistan have so far toured England seven times for the T20I series. They could only win two one-off matches- the first came way back in 2006 while the second came in 2016. In 2020, Pakistan drew the series 1-1 against England. A win in the series-decider will give Pakistan a golden chance to clinch their first-ever T20I series win against England. The hosts, on the other hand, will be hoping to win their second T20I series against Pakistan at home ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup.

Nation Celebrates Eid-ul-Adha with religious fervor today

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Lahore (Nut-Desk)

Eid-ul- Azha will be celebrated today with religious fervor to commemorate the great sacrifice of Hazrat Ibrahim and Hazrat Ismael (AS). The day will dawn with special prayers in mosques for well-being of the Ummah and progress, prosperity and security of the country.

Congregational prayers will be held across the country to mark the religious festival, along with sermons highlighting the significance of the event and the philosophy behind sacrifice.

Security arrangements have been beefed up across the country during the occasion.Prime Minister Imran Khan will offer Eid prayers at Nathia Gali.

Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Bazdar will offer Eidul Adha prayer at GOR. After the Eid prayers, Chief Minister Usman Bazdar will offer prayers for the security and stability of the country.

Former President Asif Ali Zardari will offer Eid prayers at Bilawal House. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah will offer Eid-ul-Adha prayers in Sehwan Sharif.

Most of the political leaders of Sindh will offer Eid prayers in their home towns. Sindh Minister for Information and Local Government Nasir Shah will offer Eid prayers in Sukkur. President PPP Sindh and Provincial Advisor Nisar Khorro will offer Eid prayers in Larkana.

The Balochistan Governor and the chief minister will celebrate Eid in Quetta while members of the National and Provincial Assemblies and Senators will celebrate in their respective areas.

Governor Balochistan Syed Zahoor Agha and Chief Minister Jam Kamal will celebrate Eid in Quetta. They will offer Eid prayers at the Governor House, Quetta.

Lionel Messi breaks Cristiano Ronaldo’s Instagram record

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Lahore (Nut-Desk)

Football superstar Lionel Messi has surpassed Cristiano Ronaldo’s record for the most-liked photo on Instagram. Messi — in the photo that has amassed more than 21 million likes — can be seen holding the Copa America Cup that Argentina won after beating Brazil 1-0.

“What a beautiful madness! This is unbelievable! Thank you, God! We are the champions!” read the caption of the photo, in which Messi can be seen holding the trophy after Argentina won against Brazil on July 10.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CRLJN-or7DE/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=9172e519-96c4-4218-b4e2-d3b0d79822ad

Ronaldo’s photo with Argentinian great Diego Maradona, which he posted on Instagram following the legend’s death, had racked up 19.8 million likes.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CIBa_OCgb7g/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=239139e9-e65a-4137-a797-671fc6136c96

Lionel Messi was uncharacteristically quiet in Argentina’s 1-0 win over Brazil but his performance was irrelevant compared to what the victory meant — a first major title for Messi in the blue and white of the national side.

The Barcelona striker has won the FIFA World Player of the Year record six times and is widely considered one of the greatest players ever to play the game, alongside Pele and countryman Diego Maradona.

But his inability to win an international title with Argentina always left an asterisk beside his name on the all-time greats list.

That was gone after an emotional Copa America final at the Maracana stadium decided by a first-half goal from Angel Di Maria.

Messi had a quiet game by his own standards and missed a golden chance with two minutes remaining when he appeared to stutter with only the keeper to beat.