MR News

ISLAMABAD: Maulana Fazlur Rehman, head of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), expressed his concerns regarding the delay in signing the Seminary Registration Bill, emphasising the need for immediate resolution through legal and constitutional means, ARY News reported. According to reports, the recent meeting of the Ittehad Tanzimat Madaris Diniyah (ITMD) concluded with detailed discussions on the Seminary Registration Bill. Key leaders, including Mufti Muneeb ur Rehman, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, and Mufti Taqi Usmani, were present. Speaking at a press conference after ITMD meeting, Maulana Fazlur Rehman stated that the bill was initially introduced by the government, and his party accepted it in principle. He pointed out that during the 26th Amendment discussions, the bill was revisited, and any changes made to it were introduced by the current government, not his party. “There is no controversial clause left for us in this bill,” he remarked, adding that the government should now move forwa...

LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly has approved the manyfold increase in the monthly salaries of MPAs, provincial ministers, speaker, deputy speaker, parliamentary secretaries and other officials, ARY News reported on Monday. The 19th session of the Punjab Assembly was held under the chairmanship of Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan. Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman tabled the bill to increase the salaries of members of the assembly. Opposition leader Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar raised some nominal objections before the House passed the bill with a majority vote. The monthly salary of a member of the provincial assembly (MPA) has been increased by 426 percent to Rs4,00000 from the previous Rs76,000. Similarly, the salary of a provincial minister surged by 860 percent, reaching Rs9,60,000 from the previous amount of Rs1,00000. Also, the salary of the speaker assembly was hiked from Rs1,25000 to Rs9,50,000, while the deputy speaker’s salary rose from Rs1,20,000 to ...

Australian batter Travis Head scored his second ton of the ongoing AUS v IND Border-Gavaskar Trophy series during the third Test at The Gabba. Head built an all-important 241-run partnership with Steve Smith to put Australia in a commanding position after they lost Marnus Labuschagne after scoring just 12 runs, leaving the hosts reeling at 75/3. Travis Head went on to score 152 off 160 balls before his dismissal to help Australia post 405/7 at the end of Day 2 of the third AUS v IND Test. With his inning, he became the only batter to bag a ‘King Pair’ and century at a venue in the same calendar year. Across all formats, the Australian batter has scored 1,707 runs at an average of 47.41 against India, with four centuries including a ton in the ICC World Test Championship final, ODI World Cup final 2023 and the series-levelling AUS v IND Test at Adelaide. It is worth noting here that Travis Head has scored 880 runs, with an average of 80 against India in his previous 11 innings sin...

BRISBANE: Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj faced a hostile reception from the Gabba crowd on Day 1 of the third Test between India and Australia. Siraj was booed by the home crowd as he came on to bowl, a continuation of the animosity stemming from his heated on-field exchange with Travis Head during the pink-ball Test in Adelaide. The Indian team, led by skipper Rohit Sharma, opted to bowl first after winning the toss. Siraj, along with Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep, was entrusted with exploiting the early conditions. However, as he took the ball, the Gabba crowd erupted with boos, intensifying the already charged atmosphere of the match. The boos at the Gabba mirrored those in Adelaide, further underlining Siraj’s polarising presence in Australia. Despite the hostile reception, Siraj has often brought out his combative best in such encounters, and fans eagerly await his performance in Brisbane. Big boo for siraj from the crowd #AUSvIND #TheGabba pic.twitter.com/rQp5ekoIak — ٭𝙉...

Pakistan actress Nimra Khan has revealed the heartbreaking impact of social media trolling on her mental health. To Read Lifestyle Stories in Urdu – Click Here During a recent appearance on a private TV show, the actress addressed issues such as facing trolls, going through a divorce and surviving an accident. The Pakistan actress noted the fake persona people show on social media despite going through troubling times in their lives. “Tell me, all of you sitting here, don’t you all have your own struggles in life? Everyone is fighting their own battles. Would you feel like opening social media at 11 or 12 at night and seeing everyone’s struggles? People prefer to see happy, uplifting content to distract themselves. So, I feel that society doesn’t offer us acceptance. If you post something good, you’ll receive good feedback. But if you share something that reflects your pain, you’ll be met with endless judgments,” Nimra Khan said. The Pakistani actress took the audience by surpris...

ISLAMABAD: The federal government of Pakistan has decided to terminate agreements with six more Independent Power Producers (IPPs) to reduce electricity prices, ARY News reported, citing sources. Aiming to provide relief to consumers burdened by high electricity costs, the government has decided to end expensive contracts with six more IPPs having a total capacity of 2,396 Megawatt, government sources said. This measure is expected to save at least Rs300 billion in the national exchequer of Pakistan. The six IPPs include Gul Ahmed Energy with 136 megawatt capacity, Kapco Power Project 1638 MW, Liberty Power 200 MW, Attock Power 135 MW, Koh e Noor Energy 131 MW, and Tapal Energy 126 MW. The termination of the contracts with more IPPs will lead to a significant reduction in electricity tariffs, as per sources. Read more:  Some IPPs being paid Rs 750 per unit for electricity: Gohar Ejaz The federal cabinet had previously approved the cancellation of contracts with 13 IPPs inclu...

ISLAMABAD: Senator Faisal Vawda claimed that former Director General (DG) Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) Lieutenant General (retd) Faiz Hameed has provided evidence, including devices, against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan. Speaking during ARY News programme ‘ Khabar’ , Senator Faisla Vawda said, “The troubles for the PTI founder and his associates are going to be increased as Faiz Hameed has handed over crucial evidence, including devices, against them.” Faisal Vawda said that Faiz Hameed’s trial has deflated the Imran Khan-led party’s call for civil disobedience. “If Faiz Hameed’s trial had not taken place, the PTI founder, his wife, and associates would not have faced these challenges,” he added. The former minister said that he would not be surprised if the PTI founder faces a military trial. He added that investigations against Faiz Hameed for other offenses are still ongoing. The independent senator also claimed that the PTI is planning to launch a n...

Outgoing US President Joe Biden said on Thursday that he was pardoning 39 people convicted of non-violent crimes and commuting the sentences of nearly 1,500 others who were serving long prison terms. The moves come over a week after the US president signed an unconditional pardon for his son Hunter. Officials said last week that the White House was listening to demands for Joe Biden to extend the same grace to thousands of people wronged by the US judicial system. The commutations on Thursday were announced for those who were placed on home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic. The US president said these people would have received shorter sentences if charged under today’s laws, policies and practices. Sources had told Reuters last week that the pardons being discussed included those convicted of nonviolent drug offenses and people identified by civil rights groups as unjustly incarcerated. Read more: Joe Biden says he has pardoned his son, Hunter “As president, I have the...

KARACHI: A report has revealed the shocking details regarding a police encounter in Oragni Town’s Pirabad area in which two alleged dacoits were killed, ARY News reported. Karachi police on December 3 claimed the killing of two dacoits Bilawal and Naqqash during a robbery at the house of a man identified as Mubarak Shah in Orangi Town. However, relatives of the dacoits protested, saying that the boys were innocent. They alleged the police killed both boys in a fake encounter. An investigation into the incident revealed that the robbery plan was hatched by three girls, including the niece of the house owner, a home tutor, and her sister in the house located in Orangi Town. According to the inquiry, Sabira, Mubarak Shah’s niece, devised the plan with Munnaza, who used to tutor Shah’s kids, and her sister Laiba. “Laiba persuaded her boyfriend Bilawal to commit the robbery, who along with his friend Naqqash entered Mubarak Shah’s house disguised as women in burqas,” the report said. ...

Saudi Arabia will host the men’s soccer World Cup in 2034 while the 2030 edition will be held in Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with one-off matches in three South American countries, world soccer’s governing body FIFA said on Wednesday. The decision was announced by FIFA President Gianni Infantino following a virtual extraordinary Congress. The 2030 and 2034 World Cups each had only a single bid and both were confirmed by acclamation. “We are bringing football to more countries and the number of teams has not diluted the quality. It actually enhanced the opportunity,” Infantino said about the 2030 World Cup. “What better way to celebrate the 100th anniversary in 2030 than to have the World Cup in six countries, in three continents, with 48 teams and 104 epic matches. The world will stand still and will celebrate the 100 years of the World Cup. “Congratulations to all the bidders for putting up a great dossier, but I would like to put on record my big, big thank you to the six confe...

KARACHI: The trend of migration in educated Pakistani youth is increasing exorbitantly, according to a report by PIDE. A report by the think tank Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) explained that disappointment with the future and the feeling of insecurity in Pakistani youth were among the major reasons for the brain drain. According to the figures by Overseas and Immigration of Pakistan, around 281,000 Pakistani citizens have moved to other countries in search of employment opportunities in 2024. It refuted the 700,000 figure given by a Gallup Pakistan’s representative in the “Subah Bakhair” program. Meanwhile, the PIDE report suggested that around 70 percent of educated youngsters, male and female, want to migrate due to economic instability and unemployment in Pakistan. A PIDE report in 2022 said that “62 percent of the educated young population of Pakistan, aged between 15 to 24 years want to leave the country as they are disappointed with their future”. Read...

BEIRUT: Four Israeli soldiers who were killed in southern Lebanon were likely killed in an accidental detonation of explosives as they demolished a Hezbollah tunnel laden with weapons, Israel’s Army Radio reported on Monday. The Israeli military said that four soldiers killed in combat, without providing further details. Army Radio said that the incident happened on Sunday and that an initial review found that the detonation set off secondary explosions, leading to the collapse of the tunnel while the soldiers were in it. Israeli authorities did not blame the explosion on Hezbollah or say it was a violation of the Nov. 26 ceasefire agreement, though the two sides have accused each other of other infractions over the past two weeks. A ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah was held last month after both sides accepted an agreement brokered by the U.S. and France, a rare victory for diplomacy in the Middle East wracked by two wars for over a year. Israel-Hezbollah ceasefi...

SYRIA: Bewildered and elated prisoners poured out of Syrian jails on Sunday, shouting with joy as they emerged from one of the world’s most notorious detention systems and walked to freedom following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s government. All across Syria, families wept as they were reunited with children, siblings, spouses and parents who vanished years ago into the impregnable gulag of the Assad dynasty’s five-decade rule. A video verified by Reuters showed newly freed prisoners ran through the Damascus streets in Syria, holding up the fingers of both hands to show how many years they had been in prison, asking passers-by what had happened, not immediately understanding that Assad had fallen. “We toppled the regime!” a voice shouted and a prisoner yelled and skipped with delight in the same video. A man watching the prisoners rush through the dawn streets put his hands to head, exclaiming with wonder: “Oh my god, the prisoners!” Read More: Who is Abu Mohammed al-Golani: f...

PESHAWAR: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI)-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has hinted at launching an anti-government movement over objections raised against the Madrasah Registration Bill, ARY News reported. According to reports, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the head of JUI-F, issued a threat during a ceremony at Jamia Usmania in Peshawar. Fazlur Rehman questioned whether objections from President Asif Zardari on the Madrasah Registration Bill were motivated by ill-intentions. Fazlur Rehman argued that pressuring religious madrasahs could lead them towards extremism. Fazlur Rehman also warned that if the government continued to exert pressure, he would respond with the anti-government slogan at the next anti-Israel rally, challenging the government’s authority against his party’s resistance. Earlier on December 6, JUI-F gave the government a deadline of December 8 to pass the Madrasah Registration Bill. In a statement, JUI-F leader Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidri said that the government must a...

ISLAMABAD: Senator Faisal Vawda has claimed that former Director-General of Inter-Services Intelligence of Pakistan (DG ISI) Faiz Hameed is likely to face indictment within the next few days, ARY News reported. During ARY News’ program “ Aitraaz Hai ,” Faisal Vawda stated that the announcement of a civil disobedience call by PTI founder Imran Khan for December 14 is linked to news about Faiz Hameed. He asserted that, “Imran Khan anticipates news about Faiz Hameed to surface soon, but I am telling you it will come even before December 14.” Faisal Vawda expressed that holding influential figures accountable would set a positive precedent. He suggested that if Faiz Hameed provides evidence against Imran Khan, it could lead to severe consequences for the PTI founder. The senator also speculated about the possibility of Imran Khan facing a military court trial, emphasising that he wouldn’t be surprised if Faiz Hameed receives a court-martial and punishment. Vawda claimed that Imran K...

ISLAMABAD: The Constitutional Bench will hear a petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, seeking formation of a judicial commission to investigate the May 9 riots, ARY News reported. A seven-member constitutional bench, headed by Justice Aminuddin, will hear a petition on December 10 regarding the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the May 9 incident. Imran Khan had filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking an investigation into the May 9 incident. Additionally, the PTI founder has also requested that the Supreme Court declare the trial by the civilian military court as null and void. Meanwhile, the Constitutional Bench will also hear a petition, seeking formation of a judicial commission to investigate the allegations of rigging in the February 8 general elections. A seven-member constitutional bench headed by Justice Aminuddin will take up the plea filed by a citizen named Qayyum Khan on December 12. Read More: ATC denies bail to ...

Indian batter Abhishek Sharma equalled the record for the fastest T20 century by an Indian as he hit a 28-ball ton. The fiery inning came during a game between Punjab and Meghalaya in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Chasing a target of 143 runs in 20 overs, Abhishek Sharma launched an onslaught on the Meghalayan bowlers and reached his ton in no time. The left-handed Indian batter smashed 11 sixes and 8 fours in his ton, having amassed 98 runs just by boundaries. Despite wickets tumbling all around him, Sharma continued his fiery inning and completed his T20 hundred in just 28 balls. With the blazing ton, he equalled the Indian record set by Urvil Patel just a week earlier when he scored a century on 28 balls against Tripura. Read more: WATCH: Saim Ayub reaches maiden ODI ton with a four Abhishek Sharma remained unbeaten on 106 off 29 as Punjab chased down the target in 9.3 overs. It is worth noting here that the title for the fastest T20 century is held by Estonia’s Sahil Chauha...

South superstar Allu Arjun was booked in a case pertaining to the death of a woman in a stampede during the premiere of his film ‘Pushpa 2. To Read Lifestyle Stories in Urdu- Click Here Indian media outlets reported that police booked the actor and his team for not informing the authorities and for the lack of additional security and crowd management provisions before his arrival at the venue. According to police, Allu Arjun arrived at the venue without prior intimation to the police, resulting in chaos which claimed the life of a woman while her son was critically injured. Hyderabad Police Commissioner CV Anand said in a statement, “There was no intimation from the side of theatre management or actors team that they will be visiting the theatre.” According to the commissioner, the ‘Pushpa 2’ actor’s team did not mark a separate entry or exit for the actor, leading to a stampede-like situation. “Stringent action as per law will be taken against all the persons responsible for th...

LAHORE: The Punjab Government has launched an innovative e-auction system, allowing citizens to register vehicles and bid for desired number plates online through a dedicated app and web portal. The registration for this program will remain open until December 31, 2024, providing ample time for participants to secure their preferred vehicle numbers. Developed by the Punjab Excise and Taxation Department in partnership with the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB), the e-auction platform is designed to streamline the bidding process for both motorcycle and car number plates. Users can also view auction results and winning details directly within the app. PITB Chairman Faisal Yousaf highlighted the ease and accessibility of the system, stating that the e-auction app allows individuals to register online and bid for vehicle numbers effortlessly, ensuring convenience and efficiency in the process. Read More: Pakistan announces new policy for smuggled cars Earlier today, in a bi...

DHAKA: Bangladesh on Tuesday summoned New Delhi’s ambassador after an attack on one of its consulates in India, the latest flare-up in strained ties between the neighbours. Relations have been frayed by the student-led uprising in August that toppled Bangladesh’s autocratic former leader Sheikh Hasina, who is now residing in India. Hindu activists on Monday attempted to storm a Bangladeshi consulate during a protest in Agartala, a small Indian city not far from the two countries’ shared border. India has condemned the breach and local police have arrested seven people. After meeting Bangladesh foreign ministry officials, Indian High Commissioner (ambassador) Pranay Verma said his country was committed to engaging with the interim government, which took office after Hasina’s ouster to implement democratic reforms. “This is a wide-ranging relationship, a multifaceted relationship,” Verma told reporters. “We remain interested in working with the government of Bangladesh to fulfil o...