Here’s what’s happening across the border: Six Mercedes Maybachs delivered to Prime Minister’s House; Sikh community celebrates Independence Day.
Plane version of Kiki challenge strikes Pakistan ahead of Independence Day
Just when everyone thought that the worst of the ‘Kiki’ challenge was over, Pakistan sees its own version of the Internet rage.
Polish national Eva Zu Beck, a global traveller, posted a video of her dancing on Canadian rapper Drake’s Kiki song In My Feelings aboard a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight as well as the runway.
Dressed in green and white, the colors of Pakistani flag, Beck draped the national flag around her and carried out the Kiki stunt to celebrate the 71st Independence Day of Pakistan. However, Beck’s gesture received flack from the country instead.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) took notice of the incident and decided to act against the CEO of PIA over abuse of his authority, reported The Express Tribune. NAB chairman Javed Iqbal also questioned how a foreign woman reached the runway and the aircraft and ‘desecrate” the Pakistani flag.
Beck offered an apology Monday and said, “I just thought it can be a fun way of promoting tourism in Pakistan.”
Eva was just expressing her love for Pakistan. We should appreciate that rather than criticise it!@DunyaNews @dawn_com @Dawn_News @ARYNewHD @geonews_english @The_Nation @etribune @brecordernews @Khawar69 pic.twitter.com/AG2rNn7Ge8
— Mehvish Yazdani (@mehvishyazdani) August 13, 2018
However, people on Twitter had a different take on the entire issue.
I feel so ashamed uploading this video of Eva Zu Beck.
Poor her didn’t know that what kind of sick mindset she is going to deal with after creating a beautiful video for #KiKiChallange on #14thAugust to celebrate #PakistanIndependenceDay pic.twitter.com/7f5neav6Vb
— Shama Junejo (@ShamaJunejo) August 13, 2018
I first saw the Kiki challenge by Eva Zu Beck a few hours ago – thought nothing of it – thought some ppl might consider it a bit dangerous – went to play football for a couple of hours and since then its become a huge controversy – people have a lot of free time on their hands
— omar r quraishi (@omar_quraishi) August 13, 2018
Being a Social Media Activist, & influencer, I protest against what's happening against Eva zu Beck. This is not how you treat your guests in Pakistan, when they stay here, and let people know what 'actual' Pakistan is. #iStandWithEva https://t.co/kXBxuotFeD
— Fahad Malik (@Fahad4014) August 13, 2018
Here is Eva zu Beck’s explaination on what happened with the PIA Kiki Challenge video.
My take: There is nothing wrong in that video, she is a foreign tourist promoting positive image of ?? throughout the World. This is enough for me. #PakistanZindabad #IndependanceDay pic.twitter.com/EKyXI8uZDV
— Syed Raza Mehdi (@SyedRezaMehdi) August 13, 2018
The controversy comes after Pakistan’s expected finance minister Asad Umar earlier this month stressed on the need to privatise PIA over its staggering Rs 406 billion debt.
Prime Minister House in Pakistan receives six Mercedes Maybachs
Six units of ultra-luxury Mercedes S600 Maybachs were delivered to the Prime Minister House last week, reported Pakwheels.
This comes after Prime Minister-elect Imran Khan returned the additional vehicles he had received under the official protocol earlier this month. Khan earlier promised to cut government spending to deal with poverty in ‘Naya Pakistan’.
The Pakwheels report said the delivered Maybachs are armored and bomb-proof, as per standard for premiers and state guests, and “are valued at Rs 180 million (18 crore) each.” A BMW M760 was also delivered to the PM house.
National Assembly members take oath, Beijing commits financial support
In the first session of the 15th National Assembly Monday, 328 candidates took oath as lawmakers. Members of the house of three provinces — Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan — also took oath, reported The Express Tribune.
The oath-taking ceremony of the national assembly was administered by outgoing speaker Ayaz Sadiq. Along with Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan, prominent leaders like Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz president Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, and former president Asif Ali Zardari were also present in the assembly.
Prime Minister-elect Khan shook hands with Bilawal and sat in the front row on the treasury benches, next to PTI’s vice-chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi. Opposition benches were occupied by PML-N and PPP leaders like Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari and Khursheed Shah.
During the ceremony in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly, members of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, PPP and Awami National Party staged a protest over the terrorist attacks that took place before the general elections.
Meanwhile, China agreed to financially support Pakistan as the country looks to avoid going to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to tackle its foreign reserves crisis, reported The Financial Times.
A senior Pakistani leader told the international news daily, “The Chinese have signaled their intent to keep helping Pakistan avoid a crisis, a default.”
Sikh community pays tribute to Pakistan on Independence Day
The Sikh community, a minority in Pakistan, was seen celebrating ‘Jashn-e-Azadi’ across the country in the build-up to Independence Day. The community organised many events this month including a gathering in Lahore’s Gilani Park, reported Dunya News.
https://dunyanews.tv/en/Pakistan/452250-Sikh-community-in-Pakistan-celebrates-Jashn-e-Azadi-14-August
“Pakistan is for everyone. It is our national day and it is as much for the minorities as it is for everyone else,” an attendee told Dunya News.
Sikh members also sang patriotic Pakistani songs while waving the national flag to pay tribute to the country.
Pakistani #SikhCommunity is paying tribute to their beloved land Pakistan. #PakistanZindabad #14August2018 #KhalsaMovement #sikhsforjustice @ramindersays pic.twitter.com/fLOD0PA5bT
— Madiha Abid Ali (@MadihaAbidAli) August 13, 2018
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam chief’s Geo News interview not aired, says watchdog
An interview of Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam president, with Geo News was not broadcast even after channel ran a promo due to his mention of poll rigging, alleged journalists’ collective Pakistan Media Watch.
Discussion on poll rigging is banned in Pakistani media and nothing is allowed to be aired on channels, tweeted the media watchdog.
This was Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s interview that Geo News didn’t broadcast after running promo but getting shut down in many parts of Pakistan. Discussion on rigging allegations is banned on Pakistani media and nothing is allowed to be printed or aired on leading channels pic.twitter.com/fiuAi7CAaM
— Pakistan Media Watch (@PakPressWatch) August 5, 2018
In the short promo released by Geo News, Rehman said the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has failed completely. He further said that he has lost faith in the judiciary as everything seems to be under its control. “When Hanif Abbasi was arrested and Rao Anwar was released in just one day, our trust towards judiciary only deteriorated. Our courts are being watched for their actions,” he added.
On a day when Rao Anwar, accused in hundreds of extra judicial murders, walked out on bail, Hanif Abbasi, N-League candidate against Shaikh Rashid, gets life sentence. Judicial cleansing of League politicians continues. What a farce.
— Syed Talat Hussain (@TalatHussain12) July 21, 2018
An enraged Rehman said he will not just raise his voice in the Parliament, but also amid general public. “Will persuade public to show courage and fight for their rights,” he said.
Overseas Pakistanis to now vote in by-polls via Internet, says ECP
Overseas Pakistanis will be allowed to cast vote in the by-elections through Internet, the Election Commission of Pakistan said Monday. The ECP made the announcement as it issued the Internet Voting Task Force (IVTF) report on overseas Pakistanis’ voting rights, reported Geo News.
The use of ‘i-voting’ will be implemented after several tests and pilot projects initiated in limited areas instead of an entire constituency. The IVTF was formed on the orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and comprises NADRA and the ECP’s law and IT wing officials, said the ECP.
Pop singer Nazia Hassan’s 18th death anniversary marked in Pakistan
The 18th death anniversary of Pakistani pop sensation Nazia Hassan, who shot to fame just at the age of 15 with her debut song Aap Jaisa Koi in the 1980 Indian film Qurbani, was marked Monday, reported Dunya News.
Hassan was the youngest recipient of the Filmfare Award in India for the song. Born on 3 April, 1965 in Karachi, she was seen in a number of TV shows as a child artist. After her smashing Indian debut, in 1981, Hassan released her debut album Disco Deewane. The singer released several albums post that, including Young Tarang (1983) which sold over 40 million copies.
Just like fame arrived early to Hassan, so did death. After a battle with lung cancer, the singer died at the age of 35 on 13 August, 2000. Hassan received the ‘Pride of Performance’ award from the Government of Pakistan posthumously in 2002.
Contributors: Alind Chauhan, Anagha Deshpande, Manisha Mondal, Priyamvada Grover, Rupanwita Bhattacharjee and Sonia Agarwal