Connect with us

Entertainment

ATC throws out Imran Khan’s plea to stop proceedings in GHQ attack case

Published

on

ATC throws out Imran Khan’s plea to stop proceedings in GHQ attack case


Image released by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) shows former prime minister Imran Khan during his appearance at the Supreme Court on May 16, 2024. —PTI
  • PTI founder also seek provision of CCTV footage of case hearing.
  • Not want to be part of hearing sans consultation with Khan: lawyer.
  • Defence wants to waste time, not serious about trial: prosecutor.

RAWALPINDI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Rawalpindi on Tuesday rejected Pakistan Tehreeke-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s plea seeking the halt of court proceedings in May 9 case involving attack on General Headquarters (GHQ).

ATC Judge Amjad Ali Shah conducted the hearing today over two petitions filed by Khan, urging the court to provide the CCTV footage of the court proceedings on September 19 and stopping the proceedings till the high court’s order on the transfer of the jail trial.

During the hearing, where Khan was presented virtually before the court via WhatsApp link, the PTI founder’s lawyer Faisal Malik contended that they did not want to become part of the case proceedings sans consultation with the former prime minister.

To this, the court said: “During the last hearing, you consulted with the PTI founder who [then] boycotted the proceedings”.

When advised by the court to challenge the WhatsApp communication in the high court, counsel Malik said that they had already done so.

“[A] WhatsApp call cannot be considered as [attendance] via a video link,” the lawyer said while requesting the court for more time to challenge the court’s previous order.

“You can challenge it [however] the court proceedings cannot be stopped,” the court responded.

Highlighting that the defence lawyers boycotted the previous hearing, prosecutor Ikram Amin said that the prosecution was not obligated to answer any of their queries.

“The defence lawyers boycott court hearing and then ask for more time the next day. Their conduct shows that they are not serious about the trial,” the prosecutor said, adding that the defence team was wasting the court’s time.

Responding to prosecutor Zaheer Shah’s argument that questioning the court’s order amounted to contempt of court, lawyer Malik said that they were merely seeking a fair trial.

“If the suspect cannot listen to his lawyer and vice versa, how is this a fair trial,” the defence lawyer contended.

On the defence team’s request for the CCTV footage, prosecutor Zaheer said that as per the Lahore High Court (LHC) directives, neither any footage nor a transcript can be provided to anyone.

At this, Khan’s lawyer Salman Akram Raja said that the court does not operate on government instructions but works as per the constitution.

“It is not possible to present a person locked in a cell on WhatsApp,” Raja stressed, to which the court said that they have the right to challenge the court order.

After hearing both side’s arguments, the court rejected the petitions filed by the former PM.

With a total of 41 witnesses recording their statements in the case, the court also adjourned the hearing till September 27. 

The development follows ATC’s last week’s decision of rejecting Khan’s plea for in-person appearance in the said case after the Punjab government cancelled the jail trial of all May 9 cases, including the GHQ attack case.

GHQ attack case

PTI founder Khan along with dozens of other PTI workers indicted in the GHQ attack case related to May 9 violent protests in December 2024.

Over 143 individuals, including Khan, were named as accused in the case, while 23, including Zulfi Bukhari, Shahbaz Gill and Murad Saeed, were listed as fugitives. Additionally, all accused have been prohibited from travelling abroad.

At least 70 PTI leaders were accused of planning the May 9 events and inciting the workers and supporters to attack military and government installations following the arrest of the ousted prime minister by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

The May 9 riots were triggered across the country after the deposed prime minister Khan’s arrest in the £190 million settlement case. Hundreds of PTI workers and senior leaders were put behind bars for their involvement in violence and attacks on military installations in 2023.

During the protests, the miscreants targeted the civil and military installations, including the Jinnah House and General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi. 





Source link

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Entertainment

See Hailey Bieber’s Valentine Day tribute for Justin Bieber

Published

on

See Hailey Bieber’s Valentine Day tribute for Justin Bieber


See Hailey Bieber’s Valentine Day tribute for Justin Bieber

Hailey Bieber gave fans a rare peek into her Valentine’s Day celebrations with husband Justin Bieber, sharing a light-hearted and affectionate moment that kept things personal and understated.

The Rhode founder posted to her Instagram Stories on Saturday, revealing a handwritten note that read, “You are my forever Valentine,” finished with a red kiss mark. 

She followed it with a close-up snap of chocolate-covered strawberries, suggesting the couple marked the day with a cosy, low-key treat rather than anything over the top.

Source: Instagram/haileybieber
Source: Instagram/haileybieber

Hailey, 29, and Justin, 31, have been married since 2018 and are parents to a son, Jack Blues, who is just over a year old. 

While the couple tend to keep their family life private, Hailey’s Valentine’s Day posts offered a gentle snapshot of their relationship at home.

Away from the holiday romance, Hailey also found herself in the spotlight last week after stepping out at the Sydney premiere of Wuthering Heights

The model turned heads in a plunging, completely sheer black lace gown by Saint Laurent. 

Hailey also leaned into romance in another way ahead of Valentine’s Day by sharing a post suggesting that her bond with Justin is written in the stars. 

On Friday, Feb. 13, she reposted a picture from an astrology-focused meme account highlighting their zodiac signs. Born on Nov. 22, Hailey is a Sagittarius, while Justin, who turns 32 on March 1, is a Pisces.

The post showed the couple in PDA, with “Sagittarius” written above Hailey and the phrase “a Pisces who takes them places and lets them be wild” across Justin. 

The post, which explored how different signs connect with Sagittarius in relationships, was captioned, “Which sign is our valentine this year #sagittarius #zodiac #astrology #explore #horoscope.”

Hailey liked the post and reshared the image, which was originally taken on holiday and had appeared in a black-and-white Instagram photo dump she shared back in November. 

At the time, Justin reacted simply, commenting, “Oh my f—in god.”

Together for nearly eight years, the Biebers continue to share glimpses of their relationship in subtle ways, blending quiet family moments, public appearances and playful nods to their connection as Valentine’s Day came around once again.





Source link

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Maya Hawke, Christian Lee Hutson tie knot in Valentine’s Day Ceremony

Published

on

Maya Hawke, Christian Lee Hutson tie knot in Valentine’s Day Ceremony


Maya Hawke, Christian Lee Hutson tie knot in Valentine’s Day Ceremony

Maya Hawke and Christian Lee Hutson have officially tied the knot, exchanging vows in a romantic Valentine’s Day ceremony in New York City on Feb. 14.

The couple said “I do” during a low-key but star-studded wedding, marking a meaningful milestone in a relationship that began as a long friendship. 

According to PEOPLE, the ceremony took place in the city they both call home, with close family and friends in attendance.

For the special day, Hawke wore a white wedding dress with a classic ball gown silhouette, paired with a lace veil and an oversized, feathery white coat that added a winter-ready touch. 

Hutson kept things timeless in a black tuxedo, complete with a white shirt, vest and a floral boutonniere.

Hawke’s parents, Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke, were both present to support their daughter. 

Thurman was photographed in a light blue, floor-length look with matching shoes, while Ethan Hawke wore an all-black ensemble and was seen holding his daughter’s bouquet as he walked alongside her. 

He later walked Hawke down the aisle. Also attending was Hawke’s brother, Levon Roan Thurman-Hawke.

Several of Hawke’s Stranger Things castmates were spotted at the ceremony, including Finn Wolfhard, Joe Keery, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Sadie Sink and Natalia Dyer, underscoring just how personal the celebration was for the actress.

Following the ceremony, the newlyweds and their guests made their way to a reception at The Players Members Club, where the celebrations continued for hours.

The wedding comes after years of creative and personal collaboration between Hawke and Hutson. 

The pair were friends for four years before their relationship turned romantic while working together on Hawke’s 2024 album, Chaos Angel.

Speaking on The Zach Sang Show in June 2024, Hawke praised the foundation of their relationship, saying, “I cannot recommend highly enough dating your friends. It’s the best.”

Hutson subtly confirmed their engagement last year during a radio interview when Hawke was referred to as his “fiancée,” replying simply, “Yeah.” 

Not long after, Hawke was photographed in New York wearing a diamond ring, fuelling further speculation.

Music has remained central to their bond. 

Hutson has appeared on Hawke’s albums Moss and Chaos Angel, while Hawke features on his most recent release, Paradise Pop. 10, and even joined him on stage during parts of his 2025 tour. 

Reflecting on their partnership, Hawke previously said Hutson had been “so encouraging” as she grew into her identity as a musician.

Now married, the couple’s Valentine’s Day wedding feels like a fitting next chapter for two artists whose friendship, creativity and romance have grown hand in hand.





Source link

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Global pandemic of ‘shrinking attention span’

Published

on

Global pandemic of ‘shrinking attention span’


Global pandemic of ‘shrinking attention span’ 

Attention span refers to the duration for which a person can maintain concentration on a single task, activity, or stimulus.

Being a crucial part of humans’ cognitive functioning, it influences how we learn, work, and interact with the surroundings.

The shrinking attention span is more like a global pandemic that has affected every individual on the planet directly or indirectly. Research shows that the average attention span of a human is only 8.25 seconds which is less than that of a goldfish (9 seconds).

This is considered one of the most documented cognitive shifts of the 21st century. Research led by Dr Gloria Mark at the University of California, Irvine, has traced the average duration of focused attention on digital screens over the 20-year period.

The research found that in 2004, the average attention span was approximately 150 seconds which reduced to 75 seconds in 2012. Recent data from 2012 reveals that this figure has decreased to 75 seconds. While in 2024, the average attention span has plummeted to just 47 seconds.

This suggests a broader restructuring of the human cognitive baseline. The decline is primarily linked to the disruption between two main attention systems i.e., the involuntary system (reacts to external stimuli) and the goal-oriented system (enables sustained focus).

Digital platforms especially social media are engineered to trigger the involuntary system via constant notifications, vibrant visual cues, and algorithmic unpredictability. This constant trigger systematically fatigues the prefrontal cortex (region of brain responsible for executive function and impulsive control).

How does the human brain shift attention?

With each instance of attention shifting, “switching cost” occurs. It refers to the measurable reduction in performance particularly slower reacting times and increased errors that usually happen when the brain shifts attention from one task, rule, or mental set to another.

As human brain works as a serial processor, it can’t multitask in the literal sense. Rather, it engages in rapid task-switching. To process each switch, it requires several minutes for the brain to regain its focus.

In a digital environment dominated by short-form content, where a user consumes different content of 15-to-30-second videos in a single session, the brain remains in a continuous state of partial attention.

This continuous state prevents the human’s cognitive system from entering a flow state, a condition where the brain can develop deep engagement that’s required for complex problem solving and creative synthesis.

Additionally, the constant push to check notifications from social media platforms activates the sympathetic nervous system that keeps the body in a state of low-level “fight or flight” mode.

The psychological stress response, measured by high heart rate and perceived stress levels, contributes to the modern epidemic of digital burnout and generalised anxiety. 





Source link

Continue Reading

Trending