Atif Aslam receives flak for singing Indian song at Independence Day parade

Singer Atif Aslam has received immense criticism for singing a Bollywood song during an Independence Day parade in New York.
Many Pakistani citizens were disappointed after Atif sang an Indian song and left the concert midway. The singer also faced immense criticism on social media.

Renowned singer Muhammad Ali Shaikhi said that it was inappropriate to sing an Indian song at an event held to mark Independence Day.

He said national and patriotic songs are usually sung on such occasions, but it was possible that Atif may have sang one of his own songs on request.

“Often we are requested to sing one of our songs. I think Atif may have done that, not realising whether the song was made in India or Pakistan” he told ARY News.

He said that it was not sensitive to sing the song on such an occasion, but Atif may not have realised the reaction that it may cause.

He said that it was oversight of the situation and it was not a serious issue that he sang any other song. “The era of hatred and differences has now ended,” he said.

Another singer Nadeem Jafri said that it was inappropriate for Atif to sing any other song on any such occasion particularly from a country with which Pakistan has a contentious relationship.

However, he said that Atif has released a large number of songs in India as compared to Pakistan, so either Pakistani artists should either be stopped from going to India or otherwise it not a serious issue.

Singer Abrar-ul-Haq said that Atif Aslam should be forgiven for the inadvertent mistake, but it was rather insensitive to sing an Indian song at such an occasion.

He said that artists are not given the due rights in the country and forward towards India to further their talent and skills. He said that Atif should be much careful in the future.

Atif Aslam sang the song “Tera Hone Laga Hoon” from the movie “Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani.”

Read More

Bangladesh: Mass student protests after deadly road accident

Bangladeshi students burn an effigy of Bangladesh's Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan, who is also a transport workers' leader [AM Ahad/AP]

Tens of thousands of students in Bangladesh have rallied for a fifth consecutive day after two teenagers were killed by a speeding bus.
The demonstrators, mostly students in their mid-teens, chanted "we want justice" on Thursday as they defied pouring rain to march in the capital, Dhaka, bringing traffic to a standstill.

Anger has not subdued since a bus racing for passengers killed Diya Khanam Mim and Abdul Karim Rajib on the roadside on Sunday.

According to local reports, the protests appeared to be spontaneous and disorganised, with the students not appearing to have any spokespersons or leadership.

"We've never seen this unprecedented number of students [in the streets]," said Al Jazeera's Tanvir Chowdhury, reporting from Dhaka, adding that the protesters were supported by their guardians.

Chowdhury said the students are calling for major reforms.

"Overall, there is a general frustration among the public because there is no room for demonstration or free expression," he said.

"Students don't seem [to be] moving out of the street anytime soon, unless must of their demands are met," he added.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina consoled the parents of the two teens who lost their lives and said she would stand by the families with all possible means, according to press secretary Ihsanul Karim.

"I have no language to console you as I can feel the pain of losing near and dear one ... In one night I lost all members of my family," he quoted her as saying during talks with the family members.

May be I couldn't attend the protest physically but seeing my frnd @SumaiyaTumpa attending the protest I m kinda feeling proud & relieved ♥ #RoadSafety#নিরাপদসড়কচাই#Bangladeshpic.twitter.com/Rm1VdK6O2J

— I better get in a public university 🇧🇩 (@TasmimRashid) August 2, 2018

Corrupt and dangerous

Bangladesh's transport sector is widely perceived as corrupt, unregulated and dangerous.

Meanwhile, a comment by Shajahan Khan, a government minister with ties transport unions, triggered fresh outrage.

"A road crash has claimed 33 lives in India's Maharashtra; but do they talk about it the way we do?" he asked.

After these remarks, there were immediate demands for his resignation despite the minister later offering an apology.

The education ministry shut down high schools in an effort to quell unrest, promising students their demands for reforms to road safety would be considered.

"They should have taken our demands seriously, but they didn't," Imran Ahmed, a protesting student, said.

Authorities say more than 300 vehicles have been vandalised since the protests started.

"We don't want any vehicles without licences on the streets. Those unfit to drive should not get licences, and we don't want underage motorists driving public transport," protester Mohammad Sifat told AFP news agency.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Wednesday promised that the government would launch a public transport safety campaign and urged the protesters to go home.

"People are suffering and we don't want this," he said.

According to the National Committee to Protect Shipping, Roads and Railways, a private research group, more than 4,200 pedestrians were killed in road accidents last year, a 25 percent increase from 2016.

Protests are expected to resume on Friday.

Bangladeshi students shout slogans as they block a road during a protest in Dhaka [A. M. Ahad/Bangladesh]

Read More

Protesters paralyze parts of Bangladesh after a speeding bus kills two students

Last weekend, after a speeding bus struck and killed two students in Dhaka, Bangladesh, their peers began to pour into the streets to demand justice.
Since then, tens of thousands of students, many dressed in school uniforms, have essentially shut down the capital, blocking roads and preventing transit through much of the city. They're calling for improvements to road safety in Bangladesh, where around 12,000 people are killed in road accidents each year, according to the Associated Press.

As the protests grew in recent days, students stopped vehicles — including those belonging to government officials — to ask them for their papers and licenses. Some buses have been vandalized and set on fire, including one that was set ablaze after it hit and killed a motorcyclist Friday, local news reports said.

This week, the Daily Star, Bangladesh's leading English-language newspaper, said bus services have been suspended around the country because major roadways in Dhaka are now blocked and drivers fear the huge crowds of students.

On Saturday, clashes broke out after police used tear gas and batons to scatter protesters. Agence-France Presse said students were fighting with other young adults. The news agency also reported that more than 100 people were injured after police fired rubber bullets into the crowds. “A few of them were in very bad condition,” one doctor told AFP.

The government closed high schools on Thursday in an effort to put an end to the protests.

The Daily Star reported that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina encouraged students to quit protesting so they could return to class. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal spoke on the government's behalf this week, saying “all the demands raised by the agitating students are logical, and the process to implement those demands is underway.”

Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan questioned the protesters' fury, saying that in neighboring India, a recent crash killed more than 30 people, “but do they talk about it the way we do?” He apologized after outrage on social media, with many people calling for him to step down. Bangladeshi news outlets reported that he later visited the families of one of the students killed by the bus to apologize.

The protests come just months before general elections scheduled for December and follow another series of protests in Dhaka this past spring. At that time, students boycotted classes to protest the government's job quota system, which limited the number of open roles for university graduates. Hasina also encouraged students then to quit their protests: “They have demonstrated enough protests; now let them return home,” she said in response.

Kamal told Reuters this week that the government has promised students it will fulfill their demands. But he said he fears “the movement may turn violent as there is conspiracy to … make the government inoperative.”

There have been reports that both the ruling party and opposition have mobilized supporters to infiltrate the protests.

Read More

SAI aircraft carrying stranded Pakistanis takes off from China

ISLAMABAD: More than 200 Pakistanis, who were stranded in a Chinese city for over a week, heaved a sigh of relief when an aircraft of the Shaheen Air International (SIA) carrying them took off from Guangzhou airport on Monday, ARY News reported.
The aircraft reached Guangzhou this morning to bring back 214 passengers stranded there. It is expected to touch down at Lahore airport by 6:00 pm today.

The issue surfaced when the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) suspended the airline’s flight operation over non-payment of its dues of over Rs 1.5 billion.

As a result, the SAI flight which was to carry as many as 300 Pakistanis from the Chinese port city of Guangzhou was cancelled on July 29 and hence they were left stranded.

Some of the passengers had refunded their tickets while others were provided food and lodging.

Taking notice of media reports about the ordeal of the passengers, Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar had ordered the airline to immediately bring them back.

Afterwards, the CAA gave special permission to the airline to send an aircraft to repatriate the stranded passengers. The CAA engineers inspected the aircraft which was declared faulty and not airworthy.

Later, the faulty part (pipe) of the aircraft was procured from abroad and was installed by engineers after which the plane took off for China.

Read More

Ghinwa Bhutto, the wife of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s deceased eldest son Mir Murtaza Bhutto, drew ire of Imran Khan’s ex-wife Jemima Goldsmith after the former took exception to Jemima’s alleged trip to Israel, when it was actually not the case.

It all started when Ghinwa, through a tweet, alleged Jemima of vacationing in Israel with her family.

In response, Jemima clarified that she was in Mexico and not Israel. And here’s what she wrote in an apparent rage: “This tweet is staggeringly ignorant and would be funny if it weren’t dangerous. The photo is taken on a family holiday in Mexico (not Israel) and we are wearing ponchos (not Jewish religious dress) @GhinwaBhutto – shame on you.”

Realising the misinformation she “unknowingly” shared, Ghinwa apologized to Jemima, but fuming evident in her tone: “@Jemima_Khan . Oh my god! that was Mexico ? My apologies. How perceptions can easily blind people , even me. But please, please do not lecture me about shame.”

The series of harsh exchanges between them on the micro-blogging website haven’t yet ended. Whether Jemima prefers another retort or skips the response that is yet to be seen.

Read More

PTI seeks UK, UAE help to recover looted money

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday confirmed that an important point of discussion in Imran Khan’s recent meetings with envoys of UK and UAE — who visited Bani Gala to congratulate him over his party’s victory in general elections — was money laundering.
“Imran emphasised that these countries [UK and UAE] should cooperate with Pakistan to identify those Pakistanis who piled up properties worth billions of rupees abroad. Their cooperation is also sought to bring back all the looted money,” PTI spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry said.
Addressing a press conference outside the PTI chief’s Bani Gala residence, the party spokesperson said, “Imran also talked about the issue with other European countries’ envoys. The matter of fact is there are several Pakistanis who remained part of past governments and now they own costly properties abroad. It’s in the best interest of the country to bring back all the public money.”

He said the PTI chairman had conveyed to the foreign envoys that his government would take stringent measures regarding money laundering.

On formation of government, he said the Election Commission of Pakistan would release official results on August 7 and afterwards the election body would give three days to independents to join any party of their choice or remain independent.

He said all the independent MNAs and MPAs, who joined the PTI, had submitted their undertakings with the party about their decision to join PTI.

The ECP, Chaudhry said, would notify returned candidates on seats reserved for women and minorities and the process would be completed by August 11.

He said that the PTI still had no reservations over recounting of votes in any constituency as was earlier offered by Imran himself.

“Recounting has so far been held in 48 constituencies and no major difference has been reported in results before and after the fresh tally,” said Chaudhry, adding that all opposition parties had the right to protest but it should only be done if the government “does not pay heed to their reservations”.

“PTI has already announced that it will support each and every party in recounting of votes in any constituency of their choice, but still the opposition is giving protest calls,” he said, reminding that the PTI didn’t conduct the polls but the ECP did, which was formed by the PML-N and the PPP.

“Fazl lost elections on two NA seats so now he is busy agitating other political parties just to receive his share,” alleged Chaudhry, adding that the PTI would soon address all the genuine reservations of the opposition.

Read More

Pakistani residents in UAE are majority in availing tax amnesty scheme

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani nationals being UAE residents have made to the top position in the list of people who have filed the details of their assets under foreign tax amnesty scheme. Pakistani nationals from various countries filed their assets, some of the countries includes UK, Switzerland, USA, Canada, Singapore etc.

According to details, 5363 people have availed the foreign tax amnesty scheme and 77846 have availed the domestic amnesty scheme.

According to the statement of Rukhsana Yasmeen, Chairperson Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), around Rs2.5 trillion is whitened in the semblance of the tax amnesty scheme. Pakistan has obtained around $366 million cash proceeds in the name of offshore tax amnesty scheme.

Furthermore, in some time FBR will be sending tax notices to a number of declarants who have failed to pay the outstanding amount and now a full penalty amount of 35% tax will be charged on their assets.

According to Ms Yasmeen, the tax amnesty scheme was a huge success as FBR is able to get Rs121 billion consisting Rs44 billion from foreign amnesty and Rs77 billion by domestic amnesty.

According to sources, it is declared that FBR got Rs97 billion as taxes and Rs24 billion in July 2018 under the tax amnesty scheme. Also, the figure amount of Rs121 billion can hike and can be reached to Rs126-127 billion.

Read More

Tax notices to be sent to Pakistani nationals owning properties in UK- FBR

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is geared up to send tax notification to almost 700 people owning properties in UK, and failed to proclaimed their assets under tax amnesty scheme 2018 . Also these property rents plays vital role in their income.

According to sources, FBR has acknowledged the data from their associated entity in the United Kingdom (UK), consisting minutiae along with complete address and contact details of Pakistani nationals owning properties in UK and earning rental income.

These details are attained under an agreement signed with the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

This online portal is very helpful for FBR, tax evaders can easily be detected and heavy fines can be imposed on them.

The Large Taxpayers Units (LTUs) and Regional Taxpayers Offices (RTOs) are issued the directions in order to send the tax notices to almost 600 to 700 people living in Islamabad, Karachi & Lahore and various cities of Pakistan, also measure are taken to determine whether those people were tax filers or not.

According to sources, it is declared that if they were found to be non-filers, then suitable measures will be taken against them as per law.

Furthermore, FBR has created a centralized system to trail progress on the tax notices sent, so that there shall be no point of aggravation.

The FBR officials stated that the details of many Pakistani nationals living in UK are there with FBR, but due to the agreement signed with OECD, exact number of figures cannot be disclosed yet. Else OECD has the right to withdraw from providing information if anything is disclosed prior to the official notice.

Also FBR has setup a software that will start operating from 1st September, 2018. the software is to acquire the cases of Pakistani’s through automatic exchange portal from the OECD to salvage financial details of assets and bank accounts.

Read More

Switzerland never offered to return assets of Pakistanis in Swiss banks: FBR

ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) says that Switzerland never, at any time, offered to return even a single dollar of Pakistanis deposited in Swiss accounts.

In a statement, it said there was a misconception being caused by a segment of print and electronic media regarding Switzerland offering to return $200 billion, in 2014, under an Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement (ADTA) with Pakistan.

It clarified that ADTAs were not meant for retrieval of assets. The primary purpose of ADTAs was elimination of double taxation and exchange of information on request.

It said the media had also attempted to raise questions regarding sending of junior officers for negotiations with the Pakistani delegation.

The FBR clarified that the composition of the delegation was strictly in accordance with the delegations sent for negotiating ADTAs and the then Chairman Tariq Bajwa, could not accompany for administrative reasons and the fact that the officer leading the delegation from Swiss side was also of lower rank.

It added, the impression conveyed in the media reports that non-implementation of the draft initialled in 2014 had caused loss to Pakistan as otherwise Pakistan would have been able to access the benefits thereof immediately was totally misconceived since ADTAs were not for retrieval of dollars or assets.

Read More

What frightens extremists most – a girl with a book

KARACHI: Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai, while condemning the torching of a dozen schools in various parts of Gilgti-Baltistan’s Diamer district in the early hours of Friday, has called for rebuilding these schools immediately. 

“The extremists have shown what frightens them most – a girl with a book,” she tweeted in reaction to the attacks on the schools.

“We must rebuild these schools immediately, get the students back into their classrooms and show the world that every girl and boy has the right to learn.”

In a ghastly incident, at least a dozen schools in Diamer district of Gilgit-Baltistan region, were burnt down overnight.

Superintendent Police (SP) Diamer Roy Ajmal said the residents informed the police about the incident in which around 12 schools were set on fire overnight, and half of them were girls-only.

Police are yet to give details of the incident, and said they were investigating it.

According to reports, the schools that were burnt down include Girls Primary School located in Ronay, Chilas; Girls School Takya; Social Action Programme (SAP) Primary School in Hudur area; Primary School in Tabor village of Darel Valley; SAP Primary School in Tabor, Darel; Girls Primary School Sheegay Manikal, Darel Valley; Girls Primary School Galee Bala, Tangir Valley; Primary School Galee Bala, Tangir Valley;  Girls Primary School Khanbary; Girls Primary School Gyal Village.

The district administration is of the view that schools [that were found burnt] were under-construction.

Read More

Pak-China artists to jointly celebrate Pakistan Independence Day

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) National Performing Arts Group (NPAG) and China Shaanxi Yulin Coal Sea Art Group would jointly perform on August 14 at PNCA Auditorium to celebrate Independence Day in a befitting manner.

The performance would start with flute performance by Maestro Salman Adil. Flute is an instrument well known all over the world. It consists of a Bamboo tube with 6 melody playing holes and one for blowing.

The Chinese artists would present Yangko Dance of Northern Shaanxi dance performance. Other performances include Run dance performance, Waist Drum performance of Northern Shaanxi “The World Agitation”, Yangko Harvest Dance and Golden snake dance would be performed by Chinese artists.

Chinese singer Xue Xiang Fei would present folk songs of Norther Shaanxi “Folk Song Medley” China. This collection of outstanding folk’s songs from Northern Shaanxi reflects all aspects of social life, carrying feelings of bitternes, joy, love and envoy of the people of Northern Shaanxi.

PNCA would also organize miniature exhibition titled Ustad Shagird and Photographic exhibition “Land, Life and People”.

Read More

Will Imran Khan change Pakistan's stance toward Israel?

Much has been written in national and international press about Imran Khan's address to the nation since his party won majority in the parliament in July 25 election.

Media outlets at home and abroad ran editorials and analyses on what Khan's victory means for his country and the world at large.

The part of his first address that was discussed in international media was Pakistan's foreign policy and his plans to foster relations with other nations especially neighboring countries.

Although Pakistan does not recognize Israel, the media in the Jewish state has also reported developments in Pakistan since July 25 elections.

In an analysis published in the Times of Israel, an author questioned whether Pakistan's new leader will be any different from his predecessors when it comes to Islamic Republic's relations with the Jewish state.

Written by Charles Dunst, the article gave complete profile of the Pakistani leader, highlighting his career as sportsman and a politician.

The author also discussed the allegations Imran Khan has long faced about his connection to Jewish lobby after his marriage to Jemima Khan.

The author thinks Imran is less critical of Isreal than many other leaders in the Muslim world.

The analyst interpreted one of Khan's tweet from 2011 as an apparent repudiation of anti-Semitism.

“Just as questioning the holocaust is painful to the Jews, & we respect this, so abuse of the Prophet (PBUH) is even more painful to Muslims” the author referred to this tweet of Khan which he had sent out to condemn blasphemy.

Alluding to Khushid Kasuri's 2005 meeting with Israeli counterpart Silvan Shalom in Istanbol, the writer questioned whether Khan would build on this relations or follow Saudi Arabia which seems to have softened its stance towards Tel Aviv.

The analyst also quotes, Hussain Haqqani, the former Pakistani ambassador to Washington, saying “His (Imran Khan's )political stance has been anti-Israel.Given his own Islamic-nationalist rhetoric, I do not see Imran Khan as the man who would reach out to Israel on behalf of Pakistan. But miracles can always happen.".

Arguing that Israel is open to establishing relation with Pakistan, the author presented Isreali prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu speech in which he rebuked claims that his country's relationship with India is in any way a threat to Pakistan.

“We are not enemies of Pakistan and Pakistan should not be our enemy either,” Netanyahu told reporters," the Israeli PM was quoted as saying at an event in India last year.

“Negative perceptions of Israel by some in Pakistan, and Israel’s close partnership with India, may impose some limits on what is possible,” he cautioned. “But that doesn’t mean quiet ties based on security cooperation or access to Israeli technology are out of the question.

“They can provide important mutual benefits even before establishing official relations is possible," Daniel Shapiro, the former US ambassador to Israel is reported as having said .

Read More

I am not going to Pakistan

Bollywood actor Aamir Khan has said he is not going to Pakistan to attend the oath taking ceremony of Imran Khan, according to an Indian TV channel.

Khan told CNN News 18, an Indian English language channel, on Thursday that he has not received an invitation from Imran Khan. 

View image on Twitter

News18

✔@CNNnews18

#BREAKING -- I am not going to Pakistan. Haven't received an invitation for @ImranKhanPTI's swearing-in: @aamir_khan tells News18 | #PakPicksImran

11:17 AM - Aug 2, 2018

• 26
• See News18's other Tweets

Twitter Ads info and privacy

Earlier, reports said Prime Minister in-waiting Imran Khan wants  Bollywood star Aamir Khan and former Indian cricketers Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and Navjot Singh Sidhu to attend his his oath-taking ceremony in Islamabad on August 11.

 Sidhu had  expressed his willingnewss to travel to Pakistan to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the former cricket hero. 

According to reports, PTI's Shireen Mazari and Shafqat Mahmood also met Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua and sought her suggestion about inviting SAARC leaders to Khan's inauguration.

The PTI leaders wanted to know which foreign dignitaries would be willing to attend the ceremony before finalizing any name to avoid an embarrassing situation.

But later in the day, Dr. Shireen Mazari in a tweet said the decision taken was to have a simple oath-taking with no external invitees.

Read More