Top Absurdistan Story of the Day:
Meet Turkish star Engin Altan, who needs no introduction in Pakistan as the swashbuckling slayer of infidels “Ertugrul” in a series about the origin story of the Ottoman Empire popularised by PM Imran Khan. The handful of Pakistani stars are overexposed. Indian actors are banned. A wildly popular actor from a friendly Muslim country is brand ambassador gold right? Crossovers. Collaborations. Win win.

Mian Nawaz Sharif breaks his silence with a no holds barred speech at the #APC2020 but will the resolution reflect his taking points? Maulana Fazlur Rehman reads the resolution and action for the #APC2020
The resolution includes concerns over the establishment’s increasing political role, the economy,the wave of Shia-Sunni conflict, media censorship, calls for an investigation in the Asim Saleem Bajwa report.

The motion to vote clause-by-clause on the first FATF-related Bill was passed 200 to 190 in favour of the government and allies. Subsequent voting on clauses rejected the opposition’s amendments too. PPP’s Senator Raza Rabbani raised an objection on Advisor Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan being authorised to move the bills based on the Islamabad High Court’s judgment on advisors and SAPMs. The IHC had said advisors can speak in and attend proceedings but cannot vote.

SCP’s Justice Maqbool Baqir’s detailed judgment on Saad Rafique and Salman Rafique’s bail in the Paragon City case is a indictment of NAB, it’s chairman, it’s investigation and it’s use as a tool of political engineering. 1/5 NAB’s case appears to hang on one approver, Qaiser Ameen Butt. Here’s how his testimony was recorded and what happened to his remand. 2/5

Prime Minister Imran Khan’s second address to the National Assembly in a week. Opens by crediting women and minority parliamentarians.
The opposition benches are empty. PM Imran Khan reiterates that had been asked, he would never have gone ahead with lockdown that Sindh imposed.
Omits mentioning that the same lockdown happened in provinces under PTI rule.

Not reassuring at all. That means no airline is safe to fly in Pakistan.
Fake degree, fake degree hoti hai.

https://twitter.com/Official_PIA/status/1276253116510461958

And the damage has been done.

The Islamabad High Court rejects the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association’s petition and lifts stay on action against sugar mills based on the sugar inquiry report. In its short order, the court did not find that the commission was beyond the scope of the Pakistan Commission Act, nor did the inquiry violate the fundamental rights of the petitioners.

PM Imran Khan says, again, people are not talking the virus seriously and the government will need to take stricter measures - a selective lockdown in hotspots (along the lines of Islamabad) with surveillance by the Tiger Force, emphasises that wearing masks is now compulsory. The Punjab Health Department has recommended a two-week lockdown in Lahore.

There is a parallel between IK’s reneging on his promise to hold a PM Question Hour every fortnight in the National Assembly and insistence that opposition’s calls for a lockdown is a conspiracy against the poor and his government. The first promise was scrapped after his first speech was sabotaged by a raucous opposition. Neither the opposition apologised nor was any effort made by the PM and his team to find a middle way. Incidentally PMQs in the U.K. are full of heckling and TV-friendly zingers.

Is the peak in July or June? Lockdowns don’t just slow down the spread, they prevent death. Lifting any restrictions needs to be slow and cautious.

Pakistan’s doctors and medical staff are under stress and under threat - from Coronavirus, the ignorance of the public, and the impending wave of new cases post-Eid. A salute isn’t enough, they need to be heard and they need protection. 1/4 So far 1900 doctors, nurses and paramedics have tested positive for Covid-19. 17 lost their lives. We asked doctors working in Corona wards to tell us about the difficulties they are facing. 2/4

I was off twitter for most of yesterday so missed the real-time twists and turns of the Real Housewives of Bahria. The interest in this lurid story is understandable, the outrage against the media less so. I’ll explain why. #UzmaKhan 1/7 Tabloid fodder:
An extra-marital affair, leaked videos, an outraged wife w guards, breaking & entering, assault, threats of rape, a model/actor, a well-connected property tycoon and his incestuous family, elite privilege, a missing husband, celebrity lawyers, a delayed FIR. 2/7

On Nadeem Malik’s show, Noorul Haq Qadri and the calls for an inquiry into which minister wanted Ahmedis to be included in the minorities commission
A thread An inquiry into which ministers wanted to include Ahmedis in the commission potentially endangers their lives. Names are already being bandied about and speculated on. Have we forgotten what happened to Ahsan Iqbal and Salman Taseer? 1/6

Asad Umar is right that that the virus has not proved as deadly in Pakistan as it has in Europe & the US.

Many theories, but no one reason has been definitively identified.

Among them. 1. Climate 2. Young population. 3. Strength of virus 4. BCG/Polio Vaccinations

Thread. In Pakistan, the daily number of deaths has been doubling every 9-10 days instead of every 2-3 days as in Europe and the US.

But can deaths be compared to traffic accidents? A current average of 24 Covid-19 deaths per day won’t be valid just a few days from now.

In a briefing to anchorpersons on #Kashmir, Prime Minister Imran Khan ruled out the use of jihadi organisations in IOK “There are more disadvantages than advantages,” he said. PM Imran Khan said he “fears genocide and ethnic cleansing in Kashmir by the racist BJP government” that could push Kashmiri refugees into Pakistan and AjK.