Saudi man in unnatural state rams car into gate of Makkah’s grand mosque

Authorities in Saudi Arabia arrested a man late on Friday for crashing his car into the outer-perimeter gate of the Grand Mosque in Makkah. The driver – a Saudi national – was found in an unnatural state and was immediately detained and will be referred to the public prosecution.

Council of Islamic Ideology approves construction of Hindu temple in Islamabad

Pakistan’s top Islamic advisory body, the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), has approved the construction of a temple in Islamabad, despite resistance. The council has though approved the construction yet it mentioned in its decision that it did not support provision of the government funds for the construction of the temple because “there is no such tradition in the country.”

Ready for a pollution-free Sunday in Islamabad? Sign up for the ‘Cycling Sunday’ on Nov 1st

Cycling has long been considered a great way to enhance health and fitness. Other than being a sport, cycling as a leisure activity helps keep the environment pollution-free and body fit. In order to promote myriad benefits of leisurely cycling, National Incubation Center, Urban Innovation Pvt. Ltd. and Learner’s Republic have planned a cycling event in the federal capital. 

India infuriated after Saudi Arabia issues bank note showing Kashmir as separate state

Saudi Arabia’s new banknote to mark the upcoming G20 summit has sparked an outage in India as it shows Kashmir with new borders as a separate state. The currency note in question was issued on October 24 by Saudi Arabia to celebrate the kingdom’s leadership of the Group of Twenty (G20) and the back side of the note is a world map.

Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, Pakistani neuroscientist convicted by US, signs mercy petition

Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani neuroscientist serving an 86 -years sentence in the United States, has finally signed a mercy petition. The news was revealed by Adviser to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan to the senate. Earlier Dr. Siddiqui had reservations over filing the mercy petition, but now the petition was being sent to US president through jail authorities.

Islamabad’s club for the elites pays Rs3 rent per acre per month

Spanning an area of “approximately 352 acres”, Islamabad’s elitist Club, the Islamabad Club keeps its membership exclusive but pays a rent of meagre Rs. 3 per acre.  The club, which was established as a social club for federal government officers and diplomats in the late 60s, has been turned into a commercial entity, making money and lacking transparent criteria for membership.

Pakistan’s first transgender lawyer makes her way from the streets to court

Pakistan’s first transgender lawyer, Nisha Rao, has made the country proud with her incredible journey from begging on the streets to the court room. Nisha, 28, escaped an abusive home in Lahore and came to Karachi but had to resort to begging. However, after observing the police’s brutality towards her community, Nisha decided to take up the profession of law. 

France at risk of losing over $100B foreign trade as calls for boycott of French goods gain traction

Foreign trade of more than $100 billion that France has with predominantly Muslim countries is at stake as calls for a consumer boycott of that nation’s goods increased due to President Emmanuel Macron’s controversial claims about Islam sparked huge controversy across multiple regions. Turkey’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was the first to appeal to citizens to shun French products over Macron’s anti-Islam agenda.

Watches, diamonds and gold gun: Toshakhana gifts worth millions put on auction

The government has decided to auction various items available in the Toshakhana of the Cabinet Division. These items range from a L.U. Chopard watch worth Rs17.5 million to a Rolex watch of Rs3.5 million. The items will be available for the officers of the federal government and armed forces to bid on when the auction starts on November 4, according to a Cabinet Division notification.

Pakistan introduces law to give one month paternity leave to fathers, but only in Islamabad

The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Law and Justice approved a bill allowing one-month paternity leave to fathers on the birth of their new child. The father will be eligible to get a one-month leave for first three children only. The law will apply to all government and non-government institutions, but only in the federal capital.