Non-availability of an advanced laptop has cost dearly to 17 officials of state-run PTV in Pakistan. &nbsp;

No, we are not kidding, it is absolutely true. &nbsp;

These officials have been suspended by the PTV for not being able to ensure 'proper' coverage of the Lahore visit of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. &nbsp;

Last week, the leader visited Kot Lakhpat Jail and Ramazan Bazaars in Lahore. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pak-pm-hits-jackpot-in-maiden-visit-secures-8bn-package-from-saudi-arabia-for-ailing-economy-says-report-475453">Pak PM hits 'jackpot' in maiden visit, secures $8bn from Saudi Arabia: Report</a>

In the incident, the Pakistan Television (PTV), which was taking care of the coverage, could not do it as it did not have an advanced laptop required to upload the footage through File Transfer Protocol (FTP), the Dawn newspaper reported. &nbsp;

For the coverage of any such visit by the PM, a VVIP team, which comprises reporters and producers of PTV, is entrusted and equipped with the latest gadgets, according to the standard operating procedures. &nbsp;

These gadgets include laptops for live streaming and fast uploading of the footage of the event, the report said. &nbsp;

When the PTV’s Lahore centre got information about the PM’s visit, it informed the headquarters to provide an advanced laptop, the report said. &nbsp;

Watch | Medina Incident: Sharif Govt alleges PTI's hand in attack, Imran Khan denies role

<iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/medina-incident-sharif-govt-alleges-ptis-hand-in-attack-imran-khan-denies-role-475366/embed" width="560"></iframe>

"Since, we don't have any laptop editing facility at the Lahore centre, we hired a laptop with the editing facility, but as a permanent arrangement, we must own the same facility at the centre," the centre at Lahore told the headquarters in a letter earlier. &nbsp;

No attention was paid to this matter. The state-run TV suggested hiring one again. &nbsp;

On the reply, the personal laptop of an official was arranged by Lahore centre but when the team tried to transmit the footage, the battery of the laptop had already drained. &nbsp;

This led to the suspension of the officials including VVIP coverage deputy controller Imran Bashir Khan. &nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Non-availability of an advanced laptop has cost dearly to 17 officials of state-run PTV in Pakistan. No, we are not kidding, it is absolutely true. These officials have been suspended by the PTV for not being able to ensure 'proper' coverage of the Lahore visit of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Non-availability of an advanced laptop has cost dearly to 17 officials of state-run PTV in Pakistan. No, we are not kidding, it is absolutely true. These officials have been suspended by the PTV for not being able to ensure 'proper' coverage of the Lahore visit of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Last week, the leader visited Kot Lakhpat Jail and Ramazan Bazaars in Lahore. Also Read: Pak PM hits 'jackpot' in maiden visit, secures $8bn from Saudi Arabia: Report In the incident, the Pakistan Television (PTV), which was taking care of the coverage, could not do it as it did not have an advanced laptop required to upload the footage through File Transfer Protocol (FTP), the Dawn newspaper reported. For the coverage of any such visit by the PM, a VVIP team, which comprises reporters and producers of PTV, is entrusted and equipped with the latest gadgets, according to the standard operating procedures. These gadgets include laptops for live streaming and fast uploading of the footage of the event, the report said. When the PTV’s Lahore centre got information about the PM’s visit, it informed the headquarters to provide an advanced laptop, the report said. Watch | Medina Incident: Sharif Govt alleges PTI's hand in attack, Imran Khan denies role "Since, we don't have any laptop editing facility at the Lahore centre, we hired a laptop with the editing facility, but as a permanent arrangement, we must own the same facility at the centre," the centre at Lahore told the headquarters in a letter earlier. No attention was paid to this matter. The state-run TV suggested hiring one again. On the reply, the personal laptop of an official was arranged by Lahore centre but when the team tried to transmit the footage, the battery of the laptop had already drained. This led to the suspension of the officials including VVIP coverage deputy controller Imran Bashir Khan. WATCH WION LIVE HERE (With inputs from agencies)

17 PTV officials get suspended as unavailability of laptop leads to non-coverage of Pak PM's event

After the on-air spat between Pakistan TV anchor Nauman Niaz and Shoaib Akhtar, the former cricketer has received a notice from the channel. Taking to his official Twitter handle, the former pacer revealed that he has received a recovery notice from the PTV channel and vowed to fight the legal battle.&nbsp;In common terms, recovery notice is a legal notice for the recovery of money.&nbsp;

"Utterly Disappointed. After miserably failing to safeguard my respect &amp; repute while i was working for PTV, they have now sent me a Recovery Notice. I am a fighter &amp; will not give up &amp; fight this legal battle. My lawyer&nbsp;will take this forward according to law," Akhtar wrote on his Twitter.&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-rashid-khan-impresses-with-football-skill-during-afghanistan-vs-new-zealand-clash-427516">Rashid Khan impresses with football skill during Afghanistan vs New Zealand clash</a>

Recently, in one of the&nbsp;shows during the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2021, Akhtar was told on-air by anchor Niaz to leave and former pacer immediately announced that he is resigning as PTV's cricket analyst. Cricket legends like Sir Viv Richards, David Gower, Rashid Latif, Aaqib Javed, Azhar Mahmood, Umar Gul and Sana Mir were also present.&nbsp;

In the aftermath, the anchor&nbsp;offered an "unconditional" apology to Akhtar, however, he also added that the cricketer took the channel for "granted".&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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Utterly Disappointed. After miserably failing to safeguard my respect &amp; repute while i was working for PTV, they have now sent me a Recovery Notice. I am a fighter &amp; will not give up &amp; fight this legal battle. My lawyer <a href="https://twitter.com/SalmanKNiazi1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SalmanKNiazi1</a> will take this forward according to law.
— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) <a href="https://twitter.com/shoaib100mph/status/1457380219011076100?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2021</a></blockquote>
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During a YouTube interaction, Niaz told fellow journalist Rauf Klasra, "The repercussions of my on-air outburst are totally fair. To err is human, that should not have happened and for that, I can apologise for not only once but a million times."

However, he had even revealed that the details of Shoaib's contract, as he said, "Shoaib was contracted with us on a yearly basis and we pay him a very handsome salary on the basis of exclusivity. Before the World Cup Shoaib came to me and had sought a pay raise which was eventually settled in a meeting with the channel's managing director."

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/t20-world-cup-we-take-a-lot-of-positives-from-this-tournament-says-afghanistan-skipper-mohammad-nabi-427524">T20 World Cup: 'We take a lot of positives from this tournament,' says Afghanistan skipper Mohammad Nabi</a>

"Later on Oct 17, Shoaib was supposed to take part in the transmission, but he left for Dubai and participated in a show there with Harbhajan Singh. He then committed to come back for the PTV transmission a couple of days later but didn't turn up," the anchor added.&nbsp;

Niaz said that clause-5 of the former bowler's contract outright barred him from taking part in any other talk show, however, he participated in other shows during this period.&nbsp;

After the on-air spat between Pakistan TV anchor Nauman Niaz and Shoaib Akhtar, the former cricketer has received a notice from the channel. Taking to his official Twitter handle, the former pacer revealed that he has received a recovery notice from the PTV channel and vowed to fight the legal battle.

After the on-air spat between Pakistan TV anchor Nauman Niaz and Shoaib Akhtar, the former cricketer has received a notice from the channel. Taking to his official Twitter handle, the former pacer revealed that he has received a recovery notice from the PTV channel and vowed to fight the legal battle. In common terms, recovery notice is a legal notice for the recovery of money. "Utterly Disappointed. After miserably failing to safeguard my respect & repute while i was working for PTV, they have now sent me a Recovery Notice. I am a fighter & will not give up & fight this legal battle. My lawyer will take this forward according to law," Akhtar wrote on his Twitter. WATCH | Rashid Khan impresses with football skill during Afghanistan vs New Zealand clash Recently, in one of the shows during the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2021, Akhtar was told on-air by anchor Niaz to leave and former pacer immediately announced that he is resigning as PTV's cricket analyst. Cricket legends like Sir Viv Richards, David Gower, Rashid Latif, Aaqib Javed, Azhar Mahmood, Umar Gul and Sana Mir were also present. In the aftermath, the anchor offered an "unconditional" apology to Akhtar, however, he also added that the cricketer took the channel for "granted". Utterly Disappointed. After miserably failing to safeguard my respect & repute while i was working for PTV, they have now sent me a Recovery Notice. I am a fighter & will not give up & fight this legal battle. My lawyer @SalmanKNiazi1 will take this forward according to law. — Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) November 7, 2021 × During a YouTube interaction, Niaz told fellow journalist Rauf Klasra, "The repercussions of my on-air outburst are totally fair. To err is human, that should not have happened and for that, I can apologise for not only once but a million times." However, he had even revealed that the details of Shoaib's contract, as he said, "Shoaib was contracted with us on a yearly basis and we pay him a very handsome salary on the basis of exclusivity. Before the World Cup Shoaib came to me and had sought a pay raise which was eventually settled in a meeting with the channel's managing director." ALSO READ | T20 World Cup: 'We take a lot of positives from this tournament,' says Afghanistan skipper Mohammad Nabi "Later on Oct 17, Shoaib was supposed to take part in the transmission, but he left for Dubai and participated in a show there with Harbhajan Singh. He then committed to come back for the PTV transmission a couple of days later but didn't turn up," the anchor added. Niaz said that clause-5 of the former bowler's contract outright barred him from taking part in any other talk show, however, he participated in other shows during this period.

'I am a fighter & will not give up': Shoaib Akhtar 'disappointed' after receiving recovery notice

In the aftermath of his on-air fight with anchor Dr Nauman Niaz on a television broadcast, Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) has sent ace bowler and cricketing legend Shoaib Akhtar a Rs 100 million defamation notice.&nbsp;

According to a notice issued by the national television authority, Shoaib Akhtar resigned on air from PTV Sports on October 26th, which was not only a breach of the clause but also resulted in significant financial losses for PTV.&nbsp; 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/t20-wc-shoaib-akhtar-walks-out-of-tv-show-as-anchor-labels-him-rude-issues-statement-on-twitter-watch-424363">T20 WC: Shoaib Akhtar walks out of TV show as anchor labels him 'rude', issues statement on Twitter - WATCH</a>

PTV has demanded that Shoaib Akhtar pay Rs 100 million in damages and a three-month salary of Rs 33,33,000, failing which the organisation "reserves its rights to commence legal actions" against the former fast bowler before a court of competent jurisdiction.&nbsp; 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/sport-can-live-without-pakistans-cricket-jihad-thank-you-425065">Opinion</a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/sport-can-live-without-pakistans-cricket-jihad-thank-you-425065">&nbsp;| Sport can live without Pakistan's cricket Jihad, thank you</a>

Shoaib Akhtar, on the other hand, has taken to Twitter to criticise the corporation. Akhtar expressed his disappointment with the move in response to the costly defamation claim.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Utterly Disappointed. After miserably failing to safeguard my respect &amp; repute while i was working for PTV, they have now sent me a Recovery Notice. I am a fighter &amp; will not give up &amp; fight this legal battle. My lawyer <a href="https://twitter.com/SalmanKNiazi1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SalmanKNiazi1</a> will take this forward according to law.
— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) <a href="https://twitter.com/shoaib100mph/status/1457380219011076100?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2021</a></blockquote>
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According to ARY News, the national television administration in the notice said, "As per clause 22, both sides shall have the right to terminate their agreement by serving three months' written notice or payment in lieu thereof." Whereas, Shoaib Akhtar resigned on air on October 26, which has resulted in huge financial losses for PTV. "&nbsp; 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-can-apologise-a-million-times-pakistan-tv-anchor-sorry-over-on-air-spat-with-shoaib-akhtar-427077">Also read | 'I can apologise a million times': Pakistan TV anchor sorry over on-air spat with Shoaib Akhtar</a>

"Shoaib Akhtar also left Dubai during T20 World Cup transmission without any prior information to PTVC management. Besides, appearance on an Indian TV show along with Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh, which also caused irreparable losses to PTV," the notice further added.

Shoaib Akhtar stormed off a live TV broadcast last month when the host ordered him to leave because he was "oversmart and rude."

Shortly after, the former cricketer quit as a cricket pundit from the channel, blaming presenter Nauman Niaz's inappropriate behaviour on-air.

"Please accept my apologies, but I am leaving from PTV Sports immediately since I have been humiliated and treated unfairly on live television in front of the entire nation," the former Pakistani bowler stated before exiting the broadcast.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

In the aftermath of his on-air fight with anchor Dr Nauman Niaz on a television broadcast, Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) has sent ace bowler and cricketing legend Shoaib Akhtar a Rs 100 million defamation notice.

In the aftermath of his on-air fight with anchor Dr Nauman Niaz on a television broadcast, Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) has sent ace bowler and cricketing legend Shoaib Akhtar a Rs 100 million defamation notice. According to a notice issued by the national television authority, Shoaib Akhtar resigned on air from PTV Sports on October 26th, which was not only a breach of the clause but also resulted in significant financial losses for PTV. T20 WC: Shoaib Akhtar walks out of TV show as anchor labels him 'rude', issues statement on Twitter - WATCH PTV has demanded that Shoaib Akhtar pay Rs 100 million in damages and a three-month salary of Rs 33,33,000, failing which the organisation "reserves its rights to commence legal actions" against the former fast bowler before a court of competent jurisdiction. Opinion | Sport can live without Pakistan's cricket Jihad, thank you Shoaib Akhtar, on the other hand, has taken to Twitter to criticise the corporation. Akhtar expressed his disappointment with the move in response to the costly defamation claim. Utterly Disappointed. After miserably failing to safeguard my respect & repute while i was working for PTV, they have now sent me a Recovery Notice. I am a fighter & will not give up & fight this legal battle. My lawyer @SalmanKNiazi1 will take this forward according to law. — Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) November 7, 2021 × According to ARY News, the national television administration in the notice said, "As per clause 22, both sides shall have the right to terminate their agreement by serving three months' written notice or payment in lieu thereof." Whereas, Shoaib Akhtar resigned on air on October 26, which has resulted in huge financial losses for PTV. " Also read | 'I can apologise a million times': Pakistan TV anchor sorry over on-air spat with Shoaib Akhtar "Shoaib Akhtar also left Dubai during T20 World Cup transmission without any prior information to PTVC management. Besides, appearance on an Indian TV show along with Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh, which also caused irreparable losses to PTV," the notice further added. Shoaib Akhtar stormed off a live TV broadcast last month when the host ordered him to leave because he was "oversmart and rude." Shortly after, the former cricketer quit as a cricket pundit from the channel, blaming presenter Nauman Niaz's inappropriate behaviour on-air. "Please accept my apologies, but I am leaving from PTV Sports immediately since I have been humiliated and treated unfairly on live television in front of the entire nation," the former Pakistani bowler stated before exiting the broadcast. (With inputs from agencies)

Shoaib Akhtar-Nauman Niaz spat: Rawalpindi Express gets Rs 100 million defamation notice from PTV

Nauman Niaz, the Pakistan TV anchor has apologised to the former cricketer Shoaib Akhtar over an ugly on-air spat between the two that grabbed attention and remained in headlines in recent days.

Nauman Niaz, the Pakistan TV anchor has apologised to the former cricketer Shoaib Akhtar over an ugly on-air spat between the two that grabbed attention and remained in headlines in recent days. The incident happened during T20 World Cup when Akhtar was told by Niaz to leave a cricket-related show, which was on-air. Former pacer immediately announced that he is resigning as PTV's cricket analyst. During the show, stalwarts like Sir Viv Richards, David Gower, Rashid Latif, Aaqib Javed, Azhar Mahmood, Umar Gul and Sana Mir were also present. The entire episode created a buzz on social media platforms with many demanding the termination of the TV host. Now, the anchor has offered an "unconditional" apology to Akhtar, however, he also added that the cricketer took the channel for "granted". ALSO READ | T20WC: India beat Scotland in 6.3 overs, here's how it changes semis permutations. How can India qualify? During a YouTube interaction, Niaz told fellow journalist Rauf Klasra, "The repercussions of my on-air outburst are totally fair. To err is human, that should not have happened and for that, I can apologise for not only once but a million times." "I know I hurt the sentiments of a lot of people and that includes Shoaib Akhtar, who has been a rollicking star… regardless of the fact that it was his mistake or not," Niaz also spilled some beans on what were the circumstances that led to the spat. "Shoaib was contracted with us on a yearly basis and we pay him a very handsome salary on the basis of exclusivity. Before the World Cup Shoaib came to me and had sought a pay raise which was eventually settled in a meeting with the channel's managing director. ALSO READ | 'Huge respect': Virat Kohli and other team members visit Scotland dressing room after the game - see pics "Later on Oct 17, Shoaib was supposed to take part in the transmission, but he left for Dubai and participated in a show there with Harbhajan Singh. He then committed to come back for the PTV transmission a couple of days later but didn't turn up." Admitting that Akhtar is a "saleable brand" on screen, he clarified that clause-5 of the former bowler's contract outright barred him from taking part in any other talk show. "However, he participated in other shows during this period". Niaz also said that all this also contributed to the incident as deep down he resented Akhtar's behaviour who had not taken into consideration the channel's reputation. "PTV was being taken for granted, which was bad," he added. "These things were building up in my mind. Let me honestly say that a minor abrasion erupted in my cognitive mind that led to the incident which we all saw and it should not have happened." (With inputs from agencies)

'I can apologise a million times': Pakistan TV anchor sorry over on-air spat with Shoaib Akhtar

The press in Pakistan has a habit of embarrassing the government. This time it has embarrassed Islamabad by depicting the reality.

PTV, Pakistan's state broadcaster aired a map with Kashmir rightfully portrayed as a part of India.&nbsp;

Kashmir was shown as a legitimate part of India on national TV&nbsp;in Pakistan.

The news channel was broadcasting a story about Pakistan's population. It didn't pay attention to the geographical details. What's worse, this happened on a children's show.

The news channel has apologised. It says it has zero-tolerance for such negligence and has promised strict action.&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-the-true-story-of-naya-pakistan-304946/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

But the Pakistan government is mighty upset. Chaudhary Fawad Hussain, the minister of science and technology, couldn't stop himself from venting his frustration at the channel's owners.

&nbsp;He Tweeted: "Shameful .. Arshad Khan is heading PTV since decades, it seems he forgot he is the chairman and de-facto managing director of PTV and not Doordarshan. I expect Shibli Faraz the information and broadcasting minister to take all measures to teach them what Kashmir is to Pakistan."

This is not the first time that PTA has embarrassed the Pakistan government. The biggest problem in the world is money laundering --- said the Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan.

What's the biggest problem in Pakistan? 
As of last night, it was an incursion by the Indian Air Force as what People in Pakistan said.&nbsp;

Panic gripped Pakistan last night after rumours spread that Indian Air Force fighter jets had crossed the Line of Control. There were rumours of a breakout-style raid in the city of Karachi.

Some said that the authorities had put Karachi under blackout after IAF fighter jets were spotted near the city.

But the jets were from Pakistan Air Force. These people mistook their aircraft as India's.

The Indian air force has categorically denied any such mischievous activity.

But that's not the end of this Pakistan story. It gets more bizarre. A donkey has been arrested in Pakistan for gambling. This happened in Raheem Yaar Khan, a city in the Punjab province of Pakistan.

A donkey along with eight humans was arrested because its name was included in the FIR. It has been charged with participating in gambling.

The press in Pakistan has a habit of embarrassing the government. This time it has embarrassed Islamabad by depicting the reality. PTV, Pakistan's state broadcaster aired a map with Kashmir rightfully portrayed as a part of India.

The press in Pakistan has a habit of embarrassing the government. This time it has embarrassed Islamabad by depicting the reality. PTV, Pakistan's state broadcaster aired a map with Kashmir rightfully portrayed as a part of India. Kashmir was shown as a legitimate part of India on national TV in Pakistan. The news channel was broadcasting a story about Pakistan's population. It didn't pay attention to the geographical details. What's worse, this happened on a children's show. The news channel has apologised. It says it has zero-tolerance for such negligence and has promised strict action. But the Pakistan government is mighty upset. Chaudhary Fawad Hussain, the minister of science and technology, couldn't stop himself from venting his frustration at the channel's owners. He Tweeted: "Shameful .. Arshad Khan is heading PTV since decades, it seems he forgot he is the chairman and de-facto managing director of PTV and not Doordarshan. I expect Shibli Faraz the information and broadcasting minister to take all measures to teach them what Kashmir is to Pakistan." This is not the first time that PTA has embarrassed the Pakistan government. The biggest problem in the world is money laundering --- said the Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan. What's the biggest problem in Pakistan? As of last night, it was an incursion by the Indian Air Force as what People in Pakistan said. Panic gripped Pakistan last night after rumours spread that Indian Air Force fighter jets had crossed the Line of Control. There were rumours of a breakout-style raid in the city of Karachi. Some said that the authorities had put Karachi under blackout after IAF fighter jets were spotted near the city. But the jets were from Pakistan Air Force. These people mistook their aircraft as India's. The Indian air force has categorically denied any such mischievous activity. But that's not the end of this Pakistan story. It gets more bizarre. A donkey has been arrested in Pakistan for gambling. This happened in Raheem Yaar Khan, a city in the Punjab province of Pakistan. A donkey along with eight humans was arrested because its name was included in the FIR. It has been charged with participating in gambling.

Bizarre! Pakistan's press continues to embarrass Islamabad

&nbsp;In a small office at the Pakistani Television Corporation (PTV) headquarters in Islamabad, producers are preparing to air a video interview of a Pakistani man and his Chinese bride.

The woman in the footage is dressed in traditional Pakistani clothes, sitting next to her husband who addresses her in fluent Mandarin, amplifying a message of trans-national love prevailing over differences in language, religion, and culture.

The videos are the latest sign of China's growing push to build up cultural "soft power" to complement the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the $60 billion infrastructure programme it has launched as part of the Asian giant's flagship "Belt and Road" project.

Over the past year, China has sent state-owned PTV and other commercial television channels a series of documentaries, dramas and other television programming for free, officials from PTV told Reuters.

Experts say China has been ramping up attempts to win the hearts and minds of citizens in Belt and Road nations through language, traditional media, and social media campaigns, echoing the cultural firepower previously wielded by Western nations, which have leveraged everything from language centres to Hollywood and blue jeans to burnish global influence.

"We have learned from the experience of the United States, the UK, and other Western countries&nbsp;but now, it's time for the world to understand China," said Chen Xiang, a correspondent coordinating state-run China Radio International's wide-ranging presence in Pakistan.&nbsp;

"We want to tell the people the truth about China, what real China is through radio programmes, through TV and through other cultural activities we can do this."

China is boosting its Mandarin teaching through state-backed language and culture organizations called Confucius Institutes Pakistan is home to four with two more Confucius resource centres set to open&nbsp;and spreading exposure to its arts and narrative media in a bid to engage everyday Pakistanis.

Earlier this year, PTV World aired its first Chinese cartoon series, titled Three Drops of Blood, following its premier at the government-funded Pakistan National Council of Arts, where the Chinese Embassy rented a large portion of the building to host a China Cultural Centre.

Recent investments in TV and film follow Chinese interest in print media. Launched in 2017, Huashang, the first-ever Chinese language newspaper in Pakistan, now boasts a readership of over 60,000 a week.

With around 25,000 <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-slams-jammu-and-kashmirs-mention-in-china-pakistan-joint-statement-raises-concerns-on-cpec-248827">Pakistanis</a> learning Chinese at home and another 22,000 Pakistani students in China, there is some way to go before Mandarin challenges English in Pakistan, where the legacy of British colonial rule is everywhere.

But signs of China's presence are increasingly visible, from expatriate engineers and their families shopping in city centres to a growing number of Chinese tourists visiting the spectacular scenery of Pakistan's rugged mountainous north. Locals report an increasing appetite to engage using shared cultural touchpoints and language sometimes with business in mind.

PAKISTANIS EMBRACING CHINA

"China is interested in improving its soft power all across the world, " said Dr Kiran Hassan, Research Associate Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, adding Pakistanis were responding with enthusiasm.

"It's an audience that is ready to receive the Chinese perspective as they feel that China is offering them an economic opportunity."

Awais Chaudhry moved from his home in the eastern city of Faisalabad to study at a Chinese language institute in Lahore for more than six months, hoping it would help his marketing job.

"China is our neighbour and a large number of imports is from there, and so with that business point of view, I tried to learn the basics of this language," he told Reuters.

Everyday cultural contacts, while still limited, are expanding, although there is inevitably sometimes a darker side, notably in the periodic scandals over people-trafficking involving Pakistani girls sent to China to be married to men unable to find a wife at home.

&nbsp;HARDER EDGE

There is a harder edge to some of China's soft power, notably in its response to criticisms of the Belt and Road initiative as a neo-colonial project, promoting environmentally damaging projects such as coal-fired power plants that benefit Chinese companies more than Pakistan.

Media and think tank officials from both nations plan to set up a "Rapid Response Initiative System" to counter negative perceptions and stop "fake news" about <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-approaches-international-community-over-kashmir-but-commits-genocide-in-balochistan-baloch-leader-248933">China-Pakistan </a>projects, some of which have garnered increasing skepticism of their economic benefits and criticism of the environmental cost.

Run collaboratively by China Economic Net, a Beijing-based online news organization, and the Pakistan China Institute, a pro-Beijing Islamabad-based think tank, the system disseminates information to counter negative or "fake" views about CPEC and replace it with a message of a profitable alliance.

"We can't take down information, so what we do is give correct information. All media tools are used," says Mustafa Sayed, Executive Director of the Pakistan China Institute, adding that they spread messages via news anchors, newspapers and Twitter.

In August Zhao Lijian, China's then-deputy ambassador to Pakistan, retweeted an article titled 'CPEC is dead. Somebody tell Beijing.'

"Congratulations, this report has won the title called 'joke of the day'" he wrote in the Tweet. "The article is pure nonsense, fake news, groundless speculation. This article has become the largest laughing stock in China and Pakistan."

In a small office at the Pakistani Television Corporation (PTV) headquarters in Islamabad, producers are preparing to air a video interview of a Pakistani man and his Chinese bride.

In a small office at the Pakistani Television Corporation (PTV) headquarters in Islamabad, producers are preparing to air a video interview of a Pakistani man and his Chinese bride. The woman in the footage is dressed in traditional Pakistani clothes, sitting next to her husband who addresses her in fluent Mandarin, amplifying a message of trans-national love prevailing over differences in language, religion, and culture. The videos are the latest sign of China's growing push to build up cultural "soft power" to complement the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the $60 billion infrastructure programme it has launched as part of the Asian giant's flagship "Belt and Road" project. Over the past year, China has sent state-owned PTV and other commercial television channels a series of documentaries, dramas and other television programming for free, officials from PTV told Reuters. Experts say China has been ramping up attempts to win the hearts and minds of citizens in Belt and Road nations through language, traditional media, and social media campaigns, echoing the cultural firepower previously wielded by Western nations, which have leveraged everything from language centres to Hollywood and blue jeans to burnish global influence. "We have learned from the experience of the United States, the UK, and other Western countries but now, it's time for the world to understand China," said Chen Xiang, a correspondent coordinating state-run China Radio International's wide-ranging presence in Pakistan. "We want to tell the people the truth about China, what real China is through radio programmes, through TV and through other cultural activities we can do this." China is boosting its Mandarin teaching through state-backed language and culture organizations called Confucius Institutes Pakistan is home to four with two more Confucius resource centres set to open and spreading exposure to its arts and narrative media in a bid to engage everyday Pakistanis. Earlier this year, PTV World aired its first Chinese cartoon series, titled Three Drops of Blood, following its premier at the government-funded Pakistan National Council of Arts, where the Chinese Embassy rented a large portion of the building to host a China Cultural Centre. Recent investments in TV and film follow Chinese interest in print media. Launched in 2017, Huashang, the first-ever Chinese language newspaper in Pakistan, now boasts a readership of over 60,000 a week. With around 25,000 Pakistanis learning Chinese at home and another 22,000 Pakistani students in China, there is some way to go before Mandarin challenges English in Pakistan, where the legacy of British colonial rule is everywhere. But signs of China's presence are increasingly visible, from expatriate engineers and their families shopping in city centres to a growing number of Chinese tourists visiting the spectacular scenery of Pakistan's rugged mountainous north. Locals report an increasing appetite to engage using shared cultural touchpoints and language sometimes with business in mind. PAKISTANIS EMBRACING CHINA "China is interested in improving its soft power all across the world, " said Dr Kiran Hassan, Research Associate Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, adding Pakistanis were responding with enthusiasm. "It's an audience that is ready to receive the Chinese perspective as they feel that China is offering them an economic opportunity." Awais Chaudhry moved from his home in the eastern city of Faisalabad to study at a Chinese language institute in Lahore for more than six months, hoping it would help his marketing job. "China is our neighbour and a large number of imports is from there, and so with that business point of view, I tried to learn the basics of this language," he told Reuters. Everyday cultural contacts, while still limited, are expanding, although there is inevitably sometimes a darker side, notably in the periodic scandals over people-trafficking involving Pakistani girls sent to China to be married to men unable to find a wife at home. HARDER EDGE There is a harder edge to some of China's soft power, notably in its response to criticisms of the Belt and Road initiative as a neo-colonial project, promoting environmentally damaging projects such as coal-fired power plants that benefit Chinese companies more than Pakistan. Media and think tank officials from both nations plan to set up a "Rapid Response Initiative System" to counter negative perceptions and stop "fake news" about China-Pakistan projects, some of which have garnered increasing skepticism of their economic benefits and criticism of the environmental cost. Run collaboratively by China Economic Net, a Beijing-based online news organization, and the Pakistan China Institute, a pro-Beijing Islamabad-based think tank, the system disseminates information to counter negative or "fake" views about CPEC and replace it with a message of a profitable alliance. "We can't take down information, so what we do is give correct information. All media tools are used," says Mustafa Sayed, Executive Director of the Pakistan China Institute, adding that they spread messages via news anchors, newspapers and Twitter. In August Zhao Lijian, China's then-deputy ambassador to Pakistan, retweeted an article titled 'CPEC is dead. Somebody tell Beijing.' "Congratulations, this report has won the title called 'joke of the day'" he wrote in the Tweet. "The article is pure nonsense, fake news, groundless speculation. This article has become the largest laughing stock in China and Pakistan."

China boosts soft power in Pakistan via film and social media

State-run Pakistan TV has apologisied for saying Imran Khan was "begging" in China.&nbsp;

The Pakistani prime minister had been in China on a three-day visit. Khan had also been hoping for a bailout. Pakistan is currently undergoing a balance of payments crisis and China is one of Pakistan's staunchest allies.&nbsp;

On Sunday, Imran had been giving a speech at the Central Party School in Beijing. The speech was shown live on PTV (Pakistan Television Corporation).&nbsp;

Somebody however made a blooper and instead of writing "Beijing" — which is where Imran was — on the screen, that somebody wrote "Begging" (see pic below).&nbsp;

<img alt="Imran Khan 'begging' in China" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f4b12b78-bc79-4258-97d1-3895af7aa3fd" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/imran%20khan%20begging.JPG" />

The blooper stayed on, on the top left-hand side of the PTV screen, for about 20 seconds, which was more than enough for social media to pick it up. &nbsp;

Expectedly, the blooper soon went viral.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
PTV sources have confirmed that for the ‘Begging - Beijing’ dateline typographical error during PM <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ImranKhanPTI</a> speech in China, PTV’s Director News, Director Current Affairs, Director IT and 3 panel-personnel have been suspended and orders came directly from the PM <a href="https://t.co/YRwJVt6Gz3">pic.twitter.com/YRwJVt6Gz3</a>
— Pakistan Media Watch (@PakPressWatch) <a href="https://twitter.com/PakPressWatch/status/1059445220469886976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

PTV apologised later.&nbsp;

"Today, during a live address of the Prime Minister during his ongoing visit to China, a typographical error took place, which remained on screen for 20 seconds &amp; later removed. This incident is regrettable. Strict action has been initiated under rules against concerned officials," PTV tweeted from its official handle.&nbsp;

Information and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Chaudhry meanwhile has ordered an inquiry into the incident.

State-run Pakistan TV has apologisied for saying Imran Khan was "begging" in China. The Pakistani prime minister had been in China on a three-day visit. Khan had also been hoping for a bailout.

State-run Pakistan TV has apologisied for saying Imran Khan was "begging" in China. The Pakistani prime minister had been in China on a three-day visit. Khan had also been hoping for a bailout. Pakistan is currently undergoing a balance of payments crisis and China is one of Pakistan's staunchest allies. On Sunday, Imran had been giving a speech at the Central Party School in Beijing. The speech was shown live on PTV (Pakistan Television Corporation). Somebody however made a blooper and instead of writing "Beijing" — which is where Imran was — on the screen, that somebody wrote "Begging" (see pic below). The blooper stayed on, on the top left-hand side of the PTV screen, for about 20 seconds, which was more than enough for social media to pick it up. Expectedly, the blooper soon went viral. PTV sources have confirmed that for the ‘Begging - Beijing’ dateline typographical error during PM @ImranKhanPTI speech in China, PTV’s Director News, Director Current Affairs, Director IT and 3 panel-personnel have been suspended and orders came directly from the PM pic.twitter.com/YRwJVt6Gz3 — Pakistan Media Watch (@PakPressWatch) November 5, 2018 × PTV apologised later. "Today, during a live address of the Prime Minister during his ongoing visit to China, a typographical error took place, which remained on screen for 20 seconds & later removed. This incident is regrettable. Strict action has been initiated under rules against concerned officials," PTV tweeted from its official handle. Information and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Chaudhry meanwhile has ordered an inquiry into the incident.

PTV apologises for saying Imran Khan was 'begging' in China

A Pakistani anti-terror court today ordered police to arrest cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan and cleric Tahirul Qadri by November 17 in connection with an attack on the Pakistan Television headquarters during an anti-government protest in 2014.

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The court in Islamabad issued the orders during regular hearing of PTV attack case.

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Judge Kausar Abbas Zaidi expressed annoyance at police failure to implement its orders, according&nbsp; to a court official.

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The judge also ordered that Khan, chairman of Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) and firebrand cleric and chief of Pakistan Awami Tehrik Tahirul Qadri should be arrested and presented before the court by November 17 along with 68 supporters of the two parties who were involved in the attack.

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The attack occurred on September 1, 2014 when Khan and Qadri were protesting in Islamabad against alleged poll rigging and demanding removal of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

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At the height of tension about 400-500 supporters of two leaders invaded and Pakistan Television (PTV) headquarters and forced it to cease transmission.

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The transmission was restored after some hours when army troops intervene and persuaded the protesters to disperse peacefully.

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It was for the time when the state television was taken off air since 1999 military coup by Pervez Musharraf who toppled the Sharif-led government.

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The latest orders by the court amid Khan launching another protest on November 2 to force Sharif step down over the issue of alleged corruption.&nbsp;

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(PTI) 
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The court in Islamabad issued the ordered the arrest of the cricketer-turned-politician during a hearing of PTV attack case

A Pakistani anti-terror court today ordered police to arrest cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan and cleric Tahirul Qadri by November 17 in connection with an attack on the Pakistan Television headquarters during an anti-government protest in 2014. The court in Islamabad issued the orders during regular hearing of PTV attack case. Judge Kausar Abbas Zaidi expressed annoyance at police failure to implement its orders, according to a court official. The judge also ordered that Khan, chairman of Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) and firebrand cleric and chief of Pakistan Awami Tehrik Tahirul Qadri should be arrested and presented before the court by November 17 along with 68 supporters of the two parties who were involved in the attack. The attack occurred on September 1, 2014 when Khan and Qadri were protesting in Islamabad against alleged poll rigging and demanding removal of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. At the height of tension about 400-500 supporters of two leaders invaded and Pakistan Television (PTV) headquarters and forced it to cease transmission. The transmission was restored after some hours when army troops intervene and persuaded the protesters to disperse peacefully. It was for the time when the state television was taken off air since 1999 military coup by Pervez Musharraf who toppled the Sharif-led government. The latest orders by the court amid Khan launching another protest on November 2 to force Sharif step down over the issue of alleged corruption. (PTI)

Pakistan's anti-terror court orders Imran Khan's arrest

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