De Kock distracted Zaman, Pakistan lost the second ODI

Quinton de Kock is ensnared in scandal after a sneaky bit of deceit ended one of the best one-day international knocks in history on Sunday.

Pakistan lost the second One-Day International against South Africa by 17 runs at The Wanderers, behind Fakhar Zaman’s brilliant 193.

However, in helping South Africa tie the series 1-1, de Kock stirred controversy by dismissing Fakhar.

His brilliant innings finished with an odd run out because he was duped into believing the ball wasn’t going to his end.

As Fakhar returned to the striker’s end for a second try, wicketkeeper de Kock gestured to the non-end, the striker’s as if the ball was heading there.

Fakhar took it easy and began jogging into the crease, only to see the ball reach the stumps at his end, leaving him short of the ground.

Zaman took Responsibility

Fakhar Zaman did not blame de Kock and admitted that his fault. He said, “the fault was mine as I was too busy looking out for Haris Rauf at the other end as I felt he’d started off a little late from his crease, so I thought he was in trouble.”

continued he, “the rest is up to the match referee, but I don’t think it’s Quinton’s fault.”

However, South Africa captain Temba Bavuma seemed to indicate that wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock’s gesticulating, which appeared to confuse Zaman, was a calculated act, after all, calling it “very clever.”

The conciliatory comments may help to relieve some of the pressure on the umpires, who seemed to see nothing wrong with de Kock’s conduct.

Legality

However, the legality of the dismissal was called into question because de Kock was throwing his arms about, perhaps meaning that Markram’s throw was heading to the non-end striker’s. He may have been trying to explain something to his teammates as well.

Zaman eventually slowed down and even turned around to look at the non-end, the striker’s but he was left short.

Shoaib Akhtar’s reaction

Shoaib Akhtar is dissatisfied with De Kock and slams the match referee for Fakhar Zaman’s dismissal. He said that “The spirit of the game was hurt.”

After being run-out against South Africa in the second ODI in Johannesburg on Sunday night, Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman lost out on his second ODI double-century.

Aiden Markram’s direct strike from long-off caught him out of his crease, and he was dismissed on 193. As a result, while chasing a 342-run mark, Babar Azam & Co were defeated by 17 runs.

Former Pakistan pace legend Shoaib Akhtar termed De Kock’s action against the “good spirit of the game” in a recent video on his YouTube video.

This incident provoked outrage and drew criticism from Proteas wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock, who seemed to indicate that Markram’s throw could be heading to the non-end. striker’s.

When Zaman saw this motion, he slowed down, thinking the throw could not come from his end, but Markram caught him off guard.

PM Khan back to work after recovering from COVID

ISLAMABAD: After healing from coronavirus on Monday, Prime Minister Imran Khan announced that he has returned to work.

After healing from coronavirus on Monday, Prime Minister Imran Khan announced that he has returned to work.

Faisal Sultan, the Prime Minister’s Special Assistant for National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination, announced the news on Twitter.

He said on March 28, “PM Imran Khan has made steady clinical recovery from Covid and his lab parameters have remained stable. He has been advised that he may resume work and build up his work routine over the next few days. This is in line with national and int’l guidelines”

He had also divulged the news through his Twitter account about PM’s contration of the virus.

PM Imran was quarantined at home after testing positive for the coronavirus on March 20.

However, he began his official duties last week without receiving a second examination, according to Shahbaz Gill, the PM’s aide, who confirmed that a coronavirus patient “does not need to be screened three days after their symptoms subside.”

The prime minister is active on social media and regularly publishes images from both his work and personal lives.

 

Godzilla vs. Kong makes $48.5m in five days

Godzilla vs. Kong was nothing short of a miracle as the box office roared back to life after more than a year of lackluster opening weekends.

According to Deadline, the huge Warner Bros. mash-up grossed $32.2 million in its three-day weekend, the highest of the pandemic’s history, and $48.5 million in the first five days.

The Adam Wingard-directed film was also a success internationally, grossing $236.9 million in 12 days for a worldwide total of $285.4 million.

While the figures may have been considered poor in another period, particularly with a reported budget of $160 million, they far surpassed Warner Bros.’ expectations.

It also poses the likelihood that moviegoers will be able to return to theaters following a lengthy pause triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Zulqarnain, Kanwal TikTok Stars Are Nikkahfied

KARACHI: Zulqarnain Sikandar and Kanwal Aftab, two famous Tik Tok sensations have officially tied the knot on April 4.

Zulqarnain shared the invitation card for his Nikkah with Kanwal on Instagram. “Kisi nay pocha barkat kis main ha,” says the narrator. He captioned the photo, “ALLAH ke Nabi nay farmaya Nikkah main.”

According to several media sources, the wedding ceremony took place in Lahore.

On Sunday night, Kanwal Aftab and Zulqarnain had their nikkah ceremony.

Kanwal, on the other hand, shared breathtaking photos from their wedding ceremony on Instagram Stories.

Fans and fellow TikTokers wished the newlyweds all the luck.

Kanwal Aftab and Zulqarnain Tik Tokers

Kanwal Aftab and Zulqarnain Sikandar are inseparable when it comes to filming TikTok videos, as someone who has binge-watched TikTok videos knows.

They often sometimes flood each other’s Instagram feeds with pictures. Though the two have never made it official, there have been rumors of them dating for a long time, and they seem to be dating.

Kanwal, on the other hand, shared breathtaking photos from their wedding ceremony on Instagram Stories.

CPEC projects are not limited to infrastructure: Asad Umar

KARACHI: Federal Minister for Planning and Development, Asad Umar has said that the projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects are not just restricted to infrastructure now, with a $240 million investment, a Chinese company will construct a steel mill in the Rashakai SEZ.

He also said that CPEC is entering into the second phase which is the most important phase since working for the provision of basic necessities is underway at a swift pace.

He was speaking at a reception, on Sunday, commemorating the arrival of the first consignment of equipment and machinery for Century Steel at the Karachi Port, in preparation for the company’s plans to construct a steel mill in the Rashakai Special Economic Zone.

Federal Minister for Planning and Development said that “the way the government handled the pandemic situation and made efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19, it would also continue working day and night for the success of CPEC.”

He called the occasion another evidence of outstanding relations between Pakistan and China.

According to Umar, CPEC is now in its most critical second phase, and the projects are no longer confined to infrastructure.

The minister also stated that work on providing basic amenities, such as electricity and other services, at the Rashakai SEZ was progressing at a rapid rate.

He stated that the CRBC, a Chinese company, had signed an agreement with Pakistan as part of the CPEC to encourage foreign investment for production and marketing in the Rashakai Special Economic Zone (SEZ).

The minister also stated that work on providing basic amenities, such as electricity and other services, at the Rashakai SEZ was progressing at a rapid rate.

Century Steel, a Chinese company, will spend $240 million in Rashakai SEZ to construct a steel mill that will manufacture 1.5 million tons of steel, according to Umar.

He added, “The CPEC is moving practically into the exciting phase of industrial cooperation with foreign investment, transferring technology and creating jobs.”

During the construction process, the company will hire over 600 Pakistanis, while the second phase will employ over 1,000 workers.

Speaking on the occasion, Chinese Consul General in Karachi Li Bijian said that the economy of Pakistan was improving and gaining traction amid the negative impact of the global pandemic and that the construction sector, in particular, had seen faster growth and demand for steel had increased, thanks to the government’s concerted efforts.

The first phase of the CPEC has been completed thanks to the brilliant efforts of both China and Pakistan, he added, adding that they are confident in gaining more and more investments in the Rashakai SEZ.

The consul-general expressed gratitude to the federal government, especially the chairperson of the CPEC Authority, for his support and efforts.

He said it was an honor for him to be present at the arrival of the first consignment of Century Steel equipment and machinery.

NEPRA reduces electricity tariff, spokesman

ISLAMABAD: In an effort to lower the electricity tariff, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has reduced the Return on Equity (ROE) and Return on Equity During Construction (ROEDC) components of 12 thermal power plants.

“Nepra has reduced the ROE and ROEDC components of those 12 thermal power plants that were built under the Power Generation Policy 2002 and have a total net capacity of 2,412 MW,” a Nepra spokesman said in a statement released on Friday.

“Over the remaining life of the schemes, the tariff cut will result in an expected saving of Rs182 billion,” the spokesperson said.

The decision was taken in response to the Central Power Generation Agency’s (CPPA-G) tariff adjustment applications for lowering the ROE and ROEDC components of the 12 plants.

The CPPA-G had asked Nepra to update the ROE and ROEDC components for local equity on the basis of a 17 percent return and a fixed exchange rate of Rs148/US$ without dollar indexation, and for international equity on the basis of a 12 percent return with dollar indexation.

According to the current rules and regulations, the authority accepted the applications and held a hearing on March 3, 2021, at which it deliberated on the applications.

Later, Nepra revised the ROE and ROEDC components for local equity based on a 17 percent return and a fixed exchange rate of Rs148/US$ without future indexation, and the ROE and ROEDC components for international equity based on a 12 percent return with future dollar indexation.

Nepra had previously cut the ROE portion of three 931MW nuclear power plants, including C-2, C-3, and C-4, and slashed the tariff by Re. 0.2515 per unit in a landmark decision. This decision was made to help save Rs2.05 billion every year for the next 25-37 years.

Nuclear power plants filed petitions with Nepra on August 2, 2020, in accordance with a Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCOE) decision of August 2, 2020, requesting a reduction in their ROE components due to the decreased ROE rate and the freezing of the exchange rate at Rs148/dollar.

After a public hearing, Nepra agreed to hold the exchange rate at Rs.148/dollar and lower the return on investment from 15% to 14.5 percent for the remaining life of the schemes. Nepra was told last month that 30 of the 47 independent power plants (IPPs) had signed agreements.

Five opposition parties decide to separate from PDM

ISLAMABAD: The schism between two main opposition parties – the PML-N and the PPP – over the Senate’s opposition leader’s office expanded on Friday, when five opposition parties, including the PML-N, voted to create a new coalition of 27 senators in the upper house of parliament.

After the PPP named its stalwart Yusuf Raza Gilani as Senate opposition leader, seemingly in defiance of what had previously been decided upon in a PDM conference, significant disagreements arose between the groups – all parts of an anti-government coalition, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).

According to reports, leaders of eight opposition parties met in Islamabad on Friday and decided to send “show cause notices” to the PPP and the ANP for defying the PDM’s decision.

The eight parties have agreed to first give a chance to the PPP and the ANP to provide an explanation of their position.

However, if they fail to satisfy then they will be expelled from the alliance.

Five Senate opposition parties–the PML-N, JUI-F, PkMAP, and BNP-Mengal – declared late Friday night that they would form a new opposition bloc.

According to the official release, the meeting also agreed to contact the PDM president to ask the PPP and ANP “why they took votes from BAP – the Balochistan Awami Party.”

Mahira Khan supports Saba Qamar’s decision

After Saba Qamar announced her breakup with Azeem Khan, Mahira Khan backed her up, saying, “You do YOU.” Happiness is just a few steps away.”

Parey Hut Love actress Saba Qamar left an inspiring message on Saba Qamar’s entry.

“You do YOU,” Mahira Khan said. “InshAllah, happiness is just around the corner,” she wrote, adding a heart emoji and a dove of peace emoticon.

Saba Qamar, who was praised for her performance in Irrfan Khan’s Bollywood debut Hindi Medium (2017), has called off her wedding to Pakistani entrepreneur Azeem Khan, who lives in Australia.

The actress made the announcement on social media, writing a lengthy note in which she hoped her followers would respect her decision.

Saba revealed in an Instagram post that she has never met Azeem in person and that they have just spoken on the internet.

“I have a very important announcement to make, due to a lot of personal reasons, I have decided to call it off with Azeem Khan, ‘WE ARE NOT GETTING MARRIED NOW’ hope you guys can respect my decision just as you guys have always supported me, and I think it’s never too late to realise the bitter realities!” she wrote without elaborating.

“I also wanted to clarify ONE Crucial thing that is: ‘I have never met Azeem Khan in my life, we were just linked over the phone,” the actor added, adding that it is a tough time for her. It’s a very trying time for me right now, but as we all know, ‘THIS TOO SHALL PASS,’ Insha Allah :)”

Azeem Khan, immediately re-posted her Instagram message, taking “absolute responsibility for this breakdown.” “You have the most beautiful spirit, Saba Qamar, and you deserve all the happiness in the universe,” he wrote. Can God shower you with love and prosperity. Sometimes, the most difficult roads lead to the most stunning destinations.”

 

#Cancelboardexams2021 starts trending on Twitter

KARACHI: The health and education authorities in Pakistan have declined to cancel this year’s board exams as the country faces the third outbreak of the coronavirus.

Last month, Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood declared that board exams for grades nine through twelve would be held on time.

The decision has angered students, who believe the government is putting their safety at risk.

Students have repeatedly taken to social media to argue that the government postpones the tests in order to persuade politicians to reverse their decisions.

Students have launched the hashtag #cancelboardexams2021, once again asking the government to postpone the tests.

Many of the tweets featured memes, while others stressed the gravity of the case.

Here are a few examples of reactions:

The exams were canceled for a variety of reasons, according to this person.

Students in Karachi have been asked to organize a “strong rally” outside the Karachi Press Club.

https://twitter.com/rehman_41/status/1378205332934160387

Awais was perplexed as to why exams are conducted in Pakistan while they are canceled in the United Kingdom.

Eshal said, “our king Shafqat will not betray us”

https://twitter.com/Eshal07923880/status/1378093315241938949

Philippines, Pakistan, Kenya, and Bangladesh added to UK travel ban Red List

The UK has added four more countries including Pakistan to its red list.

Philippines, Pakistan, Kenya, and Bangladesh have been added to the UK’s travel ban red list, which prohibits all travelers due to concerns over Covid versions.

From 4 a.m. on Friday, April 9, international travelers from these four countries will be denied entry into England.

Only people with British or Irish citizenship – or UK residency rights – will be able to enter England from next Friday.

Brits arriving from these nations, however, would be expected to self-isolate for 10 days in a government-approved hotel quarantine facility.

On days two and eight, they will be forced to take a coronavirus test, and they will not be permitted to shorten their quarantine time if the test findings are negative.

Many other tourists from these countries are forbidden from entering the United Kingdom.

The Philippines, Pakistan, Kenya, and Bangladesh have joined England’s red list in an attempt to protect the country from new Covid mutations, like the South African mutation.

Many other tourists from these countries are forbidden from entering the United Kingdom.

They follow the other 35 countries on the red list, which include the United Arab Emirates, South America, and South African nations.

If travelers left or transited through the four nations, they would be denied entry to England.

Full list of red list travel ban countries from April 9 – THE SUN

What does it mean to be on a Red-list?

If the country is added, all travel to the country may be forbidden, even if the restrictions are removed.

When returning to the UK from a red-list country, visitors must stay in a government-mandated hotel for ten days at a cost of £1,750 per guest.

It comes after fears that international vacations could be off the table before August to avoid the risk of new cases, especially of variants like the South African strain, being imported into the UK.

Professor Sir Mark Walport, the former Government’s chief science advisor, told the BBC Today programme that vacations are unlikely to continue due to the increasing number of regular events.

“Certainly, many countries in Europe have case figures that are rising at the moment – there are 36,000 cases a day in France, 16,000 in Germany, and 22,000 in Italy,” he stated.

LG is likely to shutdown its smartphone business

LG may be on the verge of abandoning its smartphone market.

The speculation first surfaced in January, when it was reported that the group was considering selling, downsizing, or shuttering its cash-losing mobile division.

According to The Korea Times, LG has made the decision to exit the smartphone market.

LG allegedly attempted to sell its smartphone division to many interested parties but was unable to negotiate a deal with any of them, according to the outlet’s sources.

At its board meeting on Monday, April 5, the company is scheduled to make a formal statement about the shutdown of its smartphone division.

LG told the outlet that “any prospect” is possible and that the company “will announce the precise course” of its mobile communications operation.

There’s no denying that LG’s mobile business hasn’t made a profit since 2014, and the company’s worldwide smartphone market share has plummeted in recent years.

Nonetheless, at its January CES launch, the firm teased a rollable smartphone. The company insisted a few days later that the phone is “a true thing” that will be released in 2021.

Inflation touches the highest peak in March, PBS

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) announced on Thursday that inflation rose to over 9% in March, the highest rate in three months, due to increases in food and electricity prices, especially in rural areas of the country.

Three days after Prime Minister Imran Khan sacked Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh for not being able to manage inflation, the PBS reported a 9.1 percent inflation rate, ignoring the fact that the real explanation was the central bank’s autonomy.

The inflation rate of over 9% was in line with the Ministry of Finance’s estimates.

According to the PBS, energy prices were 31.5 percent higher than the last year, and nearly all kitchen products, including wheat, sugar, and wheat flour, saw double-digit price rises.

Despite mild weather across Pakistan, egg prices were 64 percent higher than a year ago.

The wheat prices were 35% higher, in March after a 24% average increase in prices of sugar, 20% pulses, 19% wheat flour, and 17% vegetable ghee, declared the PBS.

Premier Imran and Planning Minister Asad Umar had shared the congratulatory tweets as the inflation reading had slipped to 5.7%, In January this year.

According to the PBS, inflation in rural areas has risen considerably more than in urban areas. In March, the inflation rate in urban areas rose marginally to 8.7%, while the rate in rural areas increased from 8.8% to 9.5 percent.

Inflationary pressures on food were also higher in rural areas than in urban areas. According to the PBS, it increased from 10.3 percent to 11.5 percent in counties, while it increased by 2% in rural areas, from 9.1 percent to 11.1 percent in a month.

The State Bank of Pakistan has fixed its policy rate based on headline inflation. The central bank made no changes to the interest rate in its most recent monetary policy statement.

In March, core inflation, which excludes food and oil, eased marginally to 6.3 percent in urban areas, according to the PBS.

The central bank wants to pursue, under the new SBP Amendment Bill 2021, price stability as its primary goal.

However, there is no concept of market stabilization in the draft legislation, and no corrective sanctions are recommended if the target is not met.

In March, the food group saw a price spike of 11.6 percent compared to the previous year. Non-perishable food prices jumped 17 percent on an annualized basis within the food sector.

The inflation index is made up of 12 main categories, with food and non-alcoholic drinks accounting for 34.6 percent of the total.

The double-digit price rise indicated that operating the kitchen with minimal capital was not easy for the middle and low-income classes. However, perishable food products saw a price drop of over 17 percent, according to the PBS.

Last month, the lodging, water, power, coal, and fuel group, which accounts for one-fourth of the basket’s weight, had an inflation rate of 8.8%.

According to the PBS bulletin, the government boosted the energy tariff by 31.5 percent on an annualized basis last month. Last month, the cost of footwear increased by almost 16.2 percent as compared to the same time the previous year.

According to the PBS, the annual inflation rate for the current fiscal year’s July-March cycle was 8.34 percent.

Pakistan’s inflation rate is expected to be 9% this year, slowing to 7% the following financial year, according to the World Bank.

Pakistan records another peak, 5,000 new corona cases

KARACHI: In just 24 hours, Pakistan reported 5,234 new coronavirus cases, raising the total number of Covid-19 cases to 678,165.

The death toll in the world has risen to 14,613 people, according to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), after 83 people died of the deadly disease in the last 24 hours. Punjab had the most deaths, led by K-P.1

According to the NCOC, there are 56,347 active Covid-19 cases throughout the world.

Meanwhile, 1,931 patients recovered from the lethal disease in a single day, increasing the overall number of patients that have recovered to 607,205.

According to NCOC, there are a total of 56,347 active Covid-19 cases across the world.

In Balochistan, there were about 209 suicides, 103 in G-B, and 358 in AJK.

Since the virus’s spread, the NCOC has announced that a total of 10,297,54 experiments have been performed. There are approximately 631 hospitals with Covid-19 facilities throughout the country, with over 3,000 patients admitted, according to the survey.

As the third outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic erupted through the world on March 28, the government declared a blanket ban on all indoor and outdoor events beginning next month to contain the spread of the pandemic.

“We are not getting Married” says Saba Qamar

KARACHI: Saba Qamar, a famous Pakistani actress, called off her wedding with a blogger Azeem Khan.

she took to her Instagram account to break the news. In an Insta-post she wrote, “Hi everyone! I have a very important announcement to make, due to a lot of personal reasons I have decided to call it off with Azeem Khan.”

“WE ARE NOT GETTING MARRIED NOW.” was written in the caps which implies the emphasis.

She added that “Hope you guys will support my decision just like you all have been supporting me always, and I guess it’s never too late to realize the bitter realities!”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CNJvzwkhZsc/?utm_source=ig_embed

Saba continued in her post, I also wanted to clear ONE IMPORTANT thing that is: I have never met Azeem Khan in my life we were only connected over the phone”

She concluded, “It’s a very hard time for me right now but as we all know ‘this too shall pass’ Insha Allah. Much love to you all!”

Saba Qamar, who recently made headlines after declaring her engagement, has now called off her wedding, and it’s fair to say that many people are happy.

How it all started?

It all began when Azeem Khan commented on Saba Qamar’s Instagram post, “Let’s get married this year?” “Qubool Hai,” said the Baaghi actress in response.

Lately, Saba Qamar has revealed that she will be married to a blogger Azeem Khan, who proposed to the Cheekh actress on social media.

The 36-year-old artist claimed she has met the guy with whom she will share the remainder of her life. “Yes, I’ve met the guy with whom I’d like to start a family, and if all goes well, I’ll be marrying really soon,” she said.

“Obviously, it is strange for someone like me – who has always avoided relationships and has been outspoken about the institution of marriage – but here was someone who I got along with and who was able to persuade me otherwise,” Saba continued.

Harassment allegations on Azeem Khan

After a woman accused him of abuse recently, Saba Qamar’s fiancé and entrepreneur Azeem Khan has been entangled in controversy.

In a video message shared on Instagram, he answered the charges and refuted them.

“I want to express my gratitude to all of you for your overwhelming love and kindness over the last two days. “Some people said weird things, and I really wanted to respond to them via video message,” he explained.

“I only have one thing to say: what is the point of posting statues on social media? “Let’s do it the right way,” Khan said, adding, “I don’t care about Saba’s history, and she doesn’t care about mine.”

The Murky Origins of April Fools’ Day

April Fools’ Day has a long tradition of pranks, ranging from family pranks to the pranks that went horribly wrong, to public escapade.

It is an annual tradition to play practical jokes and hoaxes on April 1. However, the exact origins of the day have remained a mystery.

It’s a non-religious holiday and a recognized day in the Western world. It is when children prank their parents, colleagues prank their coworkers and vice versa.

Many Historians hypothesize that the day dates back to 1582. It is when France changed the Julian calendar to the Gregorian one.

People had moved April Fools’ Day to January 1 when they could not recognize that the start of the new year. They did not cease to celebrate it during the last week of March through April 1.

Some people would include practical jokes and hoaxes back then by placing paper fish on their backs. Then they would have them called as poisson d’avril (April fish).

This day soon became popular and was spread across entire Britain in the 18th century.

According to Britannica, since Charles IX ordered that the new year would begin on January 1 instead of Easter, as had been customary in Christendom. Those that clung to the old ways were called “April Fools” because Easter was a lunar and hence movable day.

The custom became a two-day event in Scotland marking the beginning with “hunting the gowk,” in which people were sent on a ludicrous trip.

An article published on Reader’s Digest suggests that there is a possibility that the Roman tradition of Hilaria has started it all. It is a spring festival observed around March 25.

While some argue that it’s hard to track the history to prove whether the day is legit or a coincidence.

Here are some April Fool’s pranks that went horribly wrong, from “April Fool’s nearly sparked a war” to playing an “April Fool’s prank fatally shocked a wife.”

April Fool’s nearly sparked a war

In 1986 an April Fool’s prank had nearly sparked a war when an Israeli intelligence officer shared a piece of fake news on the radio that an attempt is made to murder an Islamic leader.

Shortly after the news was shared, tensions flared up in Israel. the officer mentioned that Lebanese Shia Muslim leader Nabih Berri was murdered or severely wounded in an attempt. After a while, the news was proven a hoax and the officer was court-martialed for sharing a hoax.

The giant smoke cloud prank

In 1974, on the morning of April 1 residents of Sitka city in Alaska caught a gruesome sight. They saw a giant smoke cloud over Mount Edgecumbe. The sight terrified the residents who then rushed to save themselves. To investigate the blaze a chopper flew over the site.

The pilot found a number of tyres afire on the summit and a message was there read “April Fool”.

It was revealed after inquiries that someone hired a chopper to fly tyres that were soaked in kerosene and burned them to celebrate April Fools’ Day prank.

Suicide for April Fools’ Day Ruse

A man in the USA back in 2004 played his death prank on his former wife. When his ex-wife saw him hanging, she immediately informed the police. The man was arrested after the officer found him alive.

April Fool’s prank fatally shocked a wife

A newlywed farmer in Tennessee, United States, frightened his wife to death in 1896. The farmer, known as John Ahrens, dressed up as a tramp and wore a white face mask on April Fool’s Day. He then went up to the door and knocked. When his wife saw him, she passed out and died an hour later from shock. He had not expected the joke to have such a horrific result.

Pranks become a priority for people on April Fool’s Day. However, they do not always go as expected. They can result in catastrophic outcomes.

Whatever the origins may be, these practical jokes by no means are justifiable to hurt other just for a short-lived pleasure.

DW Starts Digital Streaming of ‘Poha’

Karachi: Pashto has more than 60 million native speakers around the world while 35 million people live in Pakistan and speak the language.

Yet science and technology or knowledge related content has been missing for the native Pashto speaking population. POHA, Pashto Science Magazine, is the initiative of Deutsche Welle (DW), which will start streaming on Pakistan’s first short form digital media platform, RINSTRA, from April 2021.

Poha (knowledge) dives into the fascinating world of science with stories from around the world in the Pashto language. It gives viewers a weekly dose of science education. The show is geared towards people who are curious about the cosmos and how it works. The show is presented by Gul Ghutai Popal, who has been a radio and television presenter on Afghanistan in Germany for years. She is currently an editor for Deutsche Welle’s Pashto service.

“We are really excited about this latest development in Pakistan,” said Tobias Grote-Beverborg, DW’s Senior Distribution Executive for South Asia. “We have been broadcasting to Pakistan for more than 40 years and by producing a new television program in Pashto, we hope to make even more friends.”

Dr. Adil Akhtar, Chairman and Co-founder, RINSTRA Technologies said that, “We are excited to partner with DW on this initiative, as this helps us to promote the science knowledge to our regional languages in Pakistan and beyond. Content diversity is a big challenge for the media industry in Pakistan. The mainstream media has sidelined, science and technology related content especially the knowledge-based programming. This partnership will encourage RINSTRA users to explore a new genre of programing in Pashto language.

Chief Executive Officer of RINSTRA, Amir Jahangir said, “POHA is a great initiative of DW and we are excited to host it on our platform. POHA will encourage native Pashto speaking population and the diaspora to enjoy the knowledge-based program in their own language.” We hope this initiative will generate more curiosity in our users towards science and technology.

RINSTRA is one of the mega projects of National Innovation Basket (NIB) initiative of DICE Foundation – a non-profit organization, run by expatriate Pakistanis. RINSTRA was conceived and incubated by DICE Creative Art & Media platform (CAM) with a goal to make CAM as one of the economic pillars of Pakistan.

Deutsche Welle (DW) is Germany’s international broadcaster and one of the most successful and relevant international media outlets. In 2020, our multimedia content in 30 languages reached 249 million weekly user contacts, thus significantly exceeding the company’s target for 2021. DW Akademie is on track to becoming the leading European institution for media development.

RINSTRA is the gateway for Pakistani content and talent to the local and international media markets and digital platforms. Rising stars on iRINSTRA are promoted on the main RINSTRA platform that will open-up global opportunities for the artists. The state-of-the-art RINSTRA platform offers content creators to discover, create, showcase and monetize their content creation and creative pursuits.

Peshawar High Court removes Ban On TikTok

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has lifted the ban on the popular video streaming application TikTok on Thursday.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Qaiser Rashid, according to the details, to ensure that immoral content is not uploaded to the app issued orders to the concerned authorities to put a ban.

PHC’s top judge questioned the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) director-general, amid the proceedings, ‘What action have you taken so far for the removal of objectionable content from the application?’

In response to the question, DG PTA said that the issue has been raised with the management of TikTok. ‘The management has hired a focal person who will handle the issues of indecent and illegal content,’ he added.

Federal Minister of Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry, shortly, put an emphasis in his tweets on the need for a framework to encourage international organizations for making Pakistan their investment hub.

Fawad Chaudhry wrote in his tweet, “Pesh HC has suspended the operation of single bench judgement, ban on @TikTok_Paki has been lifted, my submission is lets be very careful while taking decisions that may effect Economic future of Pak, we need a framework to encourage int companies so to make Pak their investment hub.”

2021’s first Roza is likely to be on April 13 in most countries

Karachi: The International Astronomy Centre (IAC) has confirmed that on April 13, the first Roza is likely to observe in most countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Iran, Oman, UAE, and Saudi Arabia.

According to the news published in Khaleej Times, the Ramadan moon is expected to be sighted on April 12 including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, Libya, Malaysia, Brunei, Iran, Oman, Mauritania, Algeria, Morocco, and some non-Arab Islamic countries in Africa.

On April 12, certain areas of the Islamic world will be able to see the crescent, according to the Director of the International Astronomy Centre.

Moreover, Iraq, Egypt, Turkey, and Tunisia are expected to see the eclipse on April 11, marking the beginning of the holy month.

Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Meeting on April 13

In Pakistan, however, the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee will summon a meeting on April 13 to sight the moon of Ramadan, as per the statement from the body.

Moulana Abdul Khabir Azad, the Chairman Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee in the statement issued on Tuesday said, the meeting of zonal and district committees will take place at their respective head office.

This will be the first Ramadan moon sighting under the current chairman, Moulana Azad, who took over from Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman in December last year.

In January, the new chairman said that he will do whatever possible to ensure that Ramadan and Eid are observed in peace in the country in the future.

He mentioned, “The entire nation will observe fasting on the same days and also celebrate Eid on one day.”

PCB to submit report on coronavirus cases tomorrow

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced that the two-member fact-finding committee looking into the causes of coronavirus outbreaks in the biosecure bubble built for the Pakistan Super League (PSL) will submit its findings on Friday (tomorrow).

After seven players and crew members tested positive for coronavirus, the sixth edition of Pakistan’s premier T20 tournament was postponed indefinitely.

Just 14 of the 34 scheduled matches were completed before the league had to be rescheduled.

Infectious disease experts Faisal Mehmood and Salma Mohammad Abbas were to send the report by March 31, according to a news report released in The News.

According to the report, Faisal Mehmood and Salma Mohammad Abbas – who are infectious disease experts – were to submit the report by March 31.

The process, however, has been put off for two days and the report will now be submitted to Ehsan Mani, the PCB chairman, by the end of this week.

Remainder PSL matches to hold in Karachi

The PSL 6 will now be held in Karachi in May, according to the commission. The board has decided to resume the PSL 6 in May in Karachi.

The remaining matches, officials noted, are expected to be held from May 23.

the cricket board, they said that, has completed its consultation with the franchises.

Karachi’s temperature expected to touch 41°C

KARACHI: The weather in the metropolis is likely to remain hot and dry even today. The mercury is expected to touch 41°C in the city.

Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has alerted the residents of Karachi that the weather will remain hot and dry for the next 24 hours.

In the port area, winds are blowing at a speed of 10 km per hour from the northwest, with an average humidity of 8%.

On Thursday, the minimum temperature was 22°C, with the maximum temperature forecast to be between 39°C and 41°C.

However, the visibility is 4km near the airport.

Heatwave: Karachi’s temperature crossed 41°C

Karachi temperature was recorded at 41.5°C on Wednesday, 31 March that exceeded a degree compared to Tuesday’s temperature.

The PMD however had predicted a rise in temperature and advised residents to avoid unnecessary movements outside between peak hot hours.

The PMD on March 30, had also issued a warning regarding the first heatwave of the season earlier.

From Tuesday to Saturday, the weather in Sindh, Southern Punjab, Eastern, and Southern Balochistan will be extremely hot and dry.

According to a spokesperson for the PMD, the week will be largely hot and dry.

“Dust-raising winds are forecast in Sindh and Balochistan during this period, with daytime temperatures in most plain areas staying above average (04-06°C),” he said.

In the wake of heatwave conditions, the temperatures will rise in most sub-mountainous areas of the world according to the spokesperson.

Pakistan reports highest COVID-19 cases since June 20

ISLAMABAD: As the third wave of the coronavirus intensifies, Pakistan has recorded the highest single-day toll since June 30 with 4,974 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours.

The nation has recorded 98 more deaths, raising the total number of deaths to 14,530.

Coronavirus cases had a positivity rating of 9.92 percent, for a record of 672,931 cases.

The total number of open cases is 53,127, with 605,274 recoveries around the world.

The third wave of coronavirus proved to be more deadly and infectious than the previous two. It has raised questions among health experts.

To combat the transmission of the virus, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has declared a full ban on conducting wedding functions.

According to NCOC both indoor and outdoor should be banned completely.

Areas, where the three-day rolling average of the virus positivity ratio is at or above 8%, will experience a complete ban.

According to the NCOC, the government is also considering tightening inter-provincial travel restrictions.

NCOC has announced a complete ban on wedding functions

From April 5th onwards, the NCOC has declared a “full ban on marriages (both indoor and outdoor).”

The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) declared on Sunday that from April 5, wedding events — both indoor and outdoor — would be banned in areas with a three-day rolling average of an 8% positivity ratio.

The decisions were taken at a meeting held on Sunday by the coronavirus control body.

Asad Umar, the Federal Minister of Planning and Development, presided over the conference, which was also attended by the chief ministers of all four provinces via video connection.

the NCOC statement also read, “However, provinces will be at liberty to implement restrictions in early time frame as per the situation on ground.”

According to the NCOC, the government is also considering tightening inter-provincial travel restrictions. The statement said, “Various options for minimizing inter-provincial transportation were considered.”

The final decision, according to the NCOC, would be based on feedback from all provinces and a review of data on the number of inter-provincial commuters by air, train, and road.

With effect from March 29, 2021, the NCOC will include revised hotspot maps to provinces for the implementation of extended lockdowns, according to the NCOC.

It also instructed provinces to ensure that the NCOC’s vaccine targets are met in a timely manner.

“Govt will reduce petrol and diesel prices”, Hammad Azhar

ISLAMABAD: Federal Finance Minister Hammad Azhar declared the government’s decision to lower gasoline and diesel rates on Wednesday.

“This decision has nothing to do with the ECC [meeting that took place], but the first decision we’ve reached is to of the price of gasoline and diesel after discussions with the prime minister,” Hammad Azhar said at a press conference.

“Petrol prices will be reduced by Rs1.5 per litre, while diesel prices will be reduced by Rs3 per litre. We made this decision because, as a result of a price shift on the foreign market, we now have some extra space,” said he.

The minister addressed Pakistan’s high sugar prices, saying that although the government had approved sugar imports from other countries, the price of the commodity in those countries was also high.

According to Azhar, the demand for cotton in Pakistan is growing with the passage of time, and the country requires a large quantity of the crop.

Azhar clarified that since Pakistan did not grow high-quality cotton last year, the country had provided the go-ahead for the crop to be imported from other countries.

He added that “the import of cotton from India was banned and this had a direct effect on our SMEs,”

However, the minister said, “at the recommendation of the Ministry of Commerce, we have also decided to resume the trade of cotton with India.”

“We made the State Bank of Pakistan autonomous,” he continued, “Our currency today is standing on its own feet, we are not adding dollars to it.”

In response to a query about the State Bank bill, Azhar said that the government would present it to Parliament for discussion and that all stakeholders would be heard.

“The Parliament is sovereign; no other entity in the world is sovereign,” he said, adding that the government would amend the bill “with an open mind and an open heart” if it thought it was necessary.

FIA files cases against Jahangir Tareen and Ali Tareen

Jahangir Tareen, the leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, has been charged with fraud and money laundering.

On March 22, a Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Lahore investigation team filed a lawsuit against them for a suspected Rs3.14 billion scam.

Jahangir Tareen is accused of transferring fraudulent shares worth billions of rupees to Farooqi Pulp Mills Limited (FPML), which is owned by his son and close relatives, according to the FIR.

According to the paper, the transactions were “patently fraudulent investments that eventually transformed into personal benefits” for Jahangir’s family, particularly after 2011-12. The same factory was used to spend and launder Rs3 billion.

The FIR describes how and why FPML was created in 1991.

Sections 406, 420, and 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code, as well as Section 3/4 of the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2010, are included. The officer in charge of the investigation will be Rana M Shawaz.

Jahangir Tareen terms allegations as baseless

Jahangir Tareen has termed FIA’s accusations as “baseless.” He said that his companies’ finances had already been validated by a private audit company.

According to the PTI chairman, all of the shares were exchanged in compliance with the legislation and accounting regulations.

The investigation report and Sugar crisis of 2020

Premier Imran Khan, last year had given a task to FIA and ordered it to investigate the sugar crisis issue across the country and find out who took advantage of it.

The FIA’s repost that was realized a year ago divulged that PTI’s significant leaders were found to have a hand in the crisis who has their fair share of advantage.

FIA’s report said that one of the leaders was Jahangir Tareen and Khusro Bakhtiara’s brother who was Minister for National Food Security in 2020.

According to the report, Tareen has benefited the most from the sugar crisis after Bakhtiar’s brother.

It was also claimed in the investigation report that companies belonging to Moonis Elahi — an ally of the party — also took advantage of the sugar crisis. Elahi is Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi’s son and a significant member of the PML-Q.

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