Here’s what’s happening across the border: Pakistan’s transgenders to boycott elections in Lahore; football world cup fever hits Karachi.
Afghan President Ghani confirms the death of TTP chief
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani confirmed the death of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) leader Mullah Fazlullah in a drone strike Friday to Pakistani Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, reported Dawn.
Afghanistan’s military media wing said the TTP leader was killed in the country’s Kunar province.
The Pakistani Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) called the feat a “positive development” that “gives relief to scores of Pakistani families that had fallen victim to TTP terror”. According to ISPR, Fazlullah had been “hiding in Afghanistan since 2009”.
The news was also conveyed by Ghani to caretaker Prime Minister Nasirul Mulk, who said, “Finally action has been taken against an enemy of the people and state of Pakistan.”
Politicians, celebrities & athletes extend Eid wishes on social media
World leaders, celebrities, and athletes extended greetings on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, reported Geo Tv. Pakistan will celebrate Eid on 16 June, 2018, as the Shawal moon was not sighted a day earlier.
Eid Mubarak and best wishes to my sisters and brothers celebrating around the world. #EidAlFitr
— Malala (@Malala) June 15, 2018
Eid Mubarak to everyone celebrating ?✨✨
— Gigi Hadid (@GiGiHadid) June 15, 2018
Some who sent Eid greetings via social media were Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, British Prime Minister Theresa May, Nobel laureate Malala, supermodel Gigi Hadid, former cricketer Waqar Younis and Indian actor and director Farhan Akhtar .
"The end of the holy month of Ramadan is a time for Muslims to come together with family, friends and neighbours. It’s an opportunity for spiritual renewal." PM @Theresa_May on Eid al-Fitr pic.twitter.com/j8ABD1JjDp
— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) June 14, 2018
It’s a day of rejoicing and bliss, it’s a day of blessing and peace, it’s a day to reflect and ponder, it’s a day to celebrate together.. #EidMubarikEveryone
— Waqar Younis (@waqyounis99) June 15, 2018
Amongst all, Trudeau was the first to send greetings to Muslims at the start of Ramzan. He shared a video message, “Sending my best wishes to everyone celebrating Eid al-Fitr and the end of Ramazan. Eid Mubarak!”
Sending my best wishes to everyone celebrating Eid al-Fitr and the end of Ramadan. Eid Mubarak! https://t.co/nuyCfpzVbv pic.twitter.com/IupwDqg7Ih
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) June 14, 2018
To Brazil, with love from Karachi
With the 2018 Football World Cup underway in Russia, Mohammad Sharif, a pakora seller, has been distributing small green Brazil flags from the window of his little shack in Malir’s Siddiq Goth in Karachi, Pakistan.
According to the Dawn, Sharif, locally known as ‘Mama Brazil,’ is an ardent fan of the South American nation’s football team, and also spends his free time narrating stories of the country’s football exploits to little children in his locality.
Sharif, who has never owned a mobile phone, has saved enough from his meagre income to buy football memorabilia and souvenirs. He tells Dawn that he found it difficult to play football because of his job but his love for the game never died.
As for football in Pakistan, he says, “Our junior teams, especially our under-16 team, have done much better. But then responsibilities mount in the face of poverty and those players burn out before they reach their 20s. You may be a good footballer but if there is no appreciation for your talent you don’t last long.”
Meanwhile, a young Baloch displays his juggling skills as the Football WorldCup 2018 kicks off.
Unknown to Rest of World in Remote #Balochistan a Gifted young #Baloch Demonstrates his Amazing #Football #Soccer Talent – #WorldCupRussia2018 pic.twitter.com/3SODaPeQmE
— Shawn Forbes (@SForbes500) June 14, 2018
Lahore’s transgender community to boycott polls
There is no separate section for those who identify as transgender in the nomination papers, as a result of which, the community in Lahore has decided to boycott the elections, reported The Tribune.
“Since our different identity is not being accepted, hence there is no use of contesting the elections,” The Tribune quoted Neeli Rana, a transgender, as having said.
Rana also told the paper that members of her community received nomination papers but will not contest polls.
So far, 13 transgender people have announced to take part in the polls, of whom 11 will contest for provincial assembly berths and two for National Assembly seats
Being subjected to negative propaganda: Reham
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan’s former wife, Reham Khan, in an interview Friday complained about the manner in which she was being portrayed by the electronic media with respect to the leaks from her upcoming autobiography, reported Express Tribune.
“I was subjected to negative propaganda in the media,” she said. She added that she had been portrayed as a woman of ‘bad character’.
The autobiography contains details of her marriage with Imran Khan. The book also has references about her interactions with other celebrities.
Yasser Latif Hamdani, Reham’s lawyer, said that the book would be released by August this year. He also said that that the book does not intend to influence the forthcoming general elections in Pakistan.
Teachers go without pay on Eid
It is a difficult Eid for hundreds of Pakistani daily-wage teachers, who have not received their pay for the past five months, reports The Express Tribune. Nearly 1,200 daily-wage teaching staff protested in Islamabad between January 9 and May 9, demanding the release of their salaries and regularisation of their jobs. The strike was called off when the Supreme Court gave orders to the concerned authorities to release their salaries.
Subsequently, the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) allocated a budget to pay the outstanding dues of the teachers. Despite this, they have not received any payment. The teachers alleged that the principals had impeded the payments, seeking revenge for the four-month-long strike by them which affected the academic session and caused many troubles for the principals.
Illicit organ trading takes a toll for worse in Pakistan
The illicit organ trade has been worsening in Pakistan despite the existence of the laws that criminalise organ transplantation for commercial purposes, reports Dawn.
According to Jameel Ahmed Mayo, assistant director of Federal Investigation Agency, the FIA busted a gang from Lahore carrying 40 recipients and donors for illicit liver transplant to Indian and China last week. According to Zafar, professor of pathology at the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT), “Shopping for organs by visiting foreigners has been limited to a large extent but we know that locally the trade is still going on; what we do not know is the extent.”
Talks with India over environmental pollution
Pakistan might take up environmental concerns with India on bilateral and multilateral dialogues, after a judicial commission, formed to implement laws relating to smog and air pollution, has urged the government to approach India, The Express Tribune reported.
The commission believes that the solution to air pollution requires a cooperative approach at a regional level. “For this purpose, the federal government may be directed to put environmental concerns on the agenda of bilateral and multilateral dialogues between India and Pakistan,” a report submitted by the commission to the Supreme Court said.
The smog commission, headed by lawyer Parvez Hassan, was constituted in January this year by the Lahore High Court Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Dawn had reported. According to Environment Performance Index (EPI) ranking released earlier in the year, Pakistan ranks 169 among 180 countries and stands among the 12 worst countries in terms of environmental pollution.
Contributors: Priyamvada Grover, Sharanya Munsi, Manisha Mondal, Rupanwita Bhattachajee, Hansa Kapoor, Prateek Gupta and Alind Chauhan