Author: newsdesk

  • ‘I’m already quite late for marriage,’ says Ali Rehman Khan

    ‘I’m already quite late for marriage,’ says Ali Rehman Khan

    Actor Ali Rehman Khan says that the pressure to marry early is greater on women than on men.

    He recently appeared as a guest on ‘Fuchsia Magazine’ where he discussed societal pressures on not getting married.

    “I think men also face social pressure to marry, but my parents didn’t put any pressure on me,” he said.

    “Yes, it is too late for my marriage, but whenever I get married, I will do it of my own free will,” he added.

    He also pointed out that society, ‘especially aunties,’ puts a lot of pressure to marry, and questions about marriage are always asked.

    “But I think that women face more pressure than men if they get married late,” he said.

    “Marriage is a wonderful relationship, everyone should consider it, but it should be done when the person feels ready and is responsible.”

    He added, “I think our social system marriage is also a problem. I don’t want to say it but now, joint family system is not good for newly wed couples.”

    “This is my point of view, I don’t want to impose it on others but I think newlyweds should spend at least one or two years away from their family. Husband and wife should spend time with each other so that both of them can understand each other,” Ali Rehman Khan explained.

  • Ali Amin Gandapur charged under Anti Terrorism Act

    Chief Minister (CM) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Ali Amin Gandapur has been charged with thirteen provisions, including the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATC), for resorting to violence near the Sialkot interchange on the Motorway.

    The First Information Report (FIR) filed at the Manawan police station in Lahore reads that an armed mob led by CM Ali Amin Gandapur attempted to set fire to vehicles parked at the Sialkot toll plaza on the order of a politician.

    The FIR further states that an armed mob confronted police with AK-47 rifles while Gandapur, Shahid Khattak and other politicians moved ahead during the riot.

    On September 21, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) held a rally at Punjab’s provincial capital, Lahore. However, CM KP Ali Amin Gandapur was unable to reach the rally venue within the time allotted by the district administration from 3 PM to 6 PM.
    A video circulated on social media showed Gandapur smashing a truck window with a rifle.

  • Pakistan women’s cricket team arrives in Dubai for T20 World Cup

    Pakistan women’s cricket team arrives in Dubai for T20 World Cup

    The Pakistan cricket team have reached Dubai to participate in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Women’s T20 World Cup.

    The team will start practice tomorrow to get ready for their first warm-up match against Scotland on September 28. The second warm-up match against Bangladesh will be played on September 30.

    The mega event will start on October 3. Pakistan team will play its first match against Sri Lanka on October 3, while on October 6, the team will face traditional rivals India.
    Australia, India, New Zealand and Sri Lanka are in one group along with Pakistan.

  • Will Babar Azam remain captain of national cricket team? PCB confirms

    Will Babar Azam remain captain of national cricket team? PCB confirms

    The Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) connection camp, held in Lahore, has come to an end. It included sessions discussing the future of cricket captains.

    According to Geo News, PCB messed up players to support their captains and play unitedly, and it was said that whoever the captain is, whatever the format, all the players should help. Success will be possible only if all the players play as a team.

    The players were told that all players could play all three formats long and had to build unity.

    There was also an indication that the captains in the connection camp had not been changed. PCB sent a message to the players that no player should be afraid of being dropped and removed from the captaincy. Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi also emphasized ensuring unity.

    PCB will form a two-member committee, which will not be related to the management; the players will tell the committee about their problems.

    The players in the camp expressed concerns about the international and domestic cricket departments.

    The players also had a separate meeting with the coaches in the camp and discussed with the coaches the clear policy of workload management and selection.

  • PTI leaders clash in Punjab Assembly over credit for September rally

    PTI leaders clash in Punjab Assembly over credit for September rally

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders had an altercation at the Punjab Assembly amongst themselves after having a heated debate over the party rally at Kahna on September 21.

    PTI’s Lahore President, Shiekh Imtiaz Mehmood and Member Provincial Assembly (MPA) Farukh Javed Moon fought over the credit for the party rally, while the opposition leader of the Punjab Assembly, Malik Ahmed Khan, was also present, Public News reported.

    MPA Firdous Shamim Naqvi cited poor performance, adding that the event did not live up to expectations and criticised PTI leadership for not carrying the rally beyond 6 PM.

    Shiekh Imtiaz, in response, said that with hindrances, it is an achievement to have held a rally; adding that it cost 35 lac.

    While questioning this cost, Moon pointed out that rallies had been held in the past as well, but why did it cost this much now? This infuriated Imtiaz, and both the members ended up in a physical fight.

  • ‘Laapataa Ladies’ has been selected for Oscars 2025

    ‘Laapataa Ladies’ has been selected for Oscars 2025

    Director and writer Kiran Rao’s dream has come true as her film ‘Laapataa Ladies’ has been chosen as India’s official entry for the Oscars Academy Award 2025 in the Best Foreign Film category.

    On Saturday September 21, 2024, during an interview with Press Trust of India,
    Kiran Rao said, “My dream will be fulfilled… if it (Laapataa Ladies) will go to the Oscars. But it’s a process, and I am hoping it will be considered. I am sure the best film will qualify, whoever they (Film Federation India) choose in the scheme of things.”

    “Our primary recognition comes from the audience’s response at the box office. If the audience and the nation appreciate our work, that would be the greatest accolade for us”, Kiran Rao added.

    On her Instagram account Rao wrote, “I am deeply honored and beyond delighted that our film Laapataa Ladies has been chosen as India’s official entry to the Academy Awards. This recognition is a testament to the tireless work of my entire team, whose dedication and passion brought this story to life. Cinema has always been a powerful medium to connect hearts, transcend boundaries, and ignite meaningful conversations. I hope that this film will resonate with audiences across the world, just as it has in India.

    “I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the selection committee and to everyone who believed in this film. It is indeed a great privilege to be selected from among such amazing Indian films this year, who are equally worthy contenders for this honor.”

    The cast of the charming film includes Nitanshi Goel, Pratibha Ranta, Sparsh Shrivastav Ravi Kishan, Chhaya Kadam, and Geeta Aggarwal Sharma. The story line revolves around two brides who get mixed up while making their way to their sussraals. What follows is an adventure on which both the young women discover their strengths.

    Here is the post shared by Kiran Rao :

    Here are the Instagram stories of the cast Laaptaa laidies who shared the story:

  • Govt warns IPPs to end Power Purchase Agreement or face forensic audit

    Govt warns IPPs to end Power Purchase Agreement or face forensic audit

    Owners of four Independent Power Producers (IPPs) set up under both 1994 policy 2002 policy have been directed to voluntarily discontinue the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) and go into ‘pay-and-take mode’, an official privy to the dealings told The News.

    Official privy further said, “The government will not pay capacity payments anymore in the range of Rs139-150 billion per annum to the said IPPs for the next 3-5 years; this has been told to the proprietors of the said five IPPs. They have also been categorically told that the government has already made excess payments to the said IPPs in the form of capacity payments and returns on equity and has also paid the loans for the IPPs.”

    Meanwhile, the owner of IPP, the official said, responded that if the government pays RS 55 billion to his company, he will not only be ready to terminate the contract but also hand over the plant to the government.

    The main member of the task force has told IPP owners that there is no other option for them; if they don’t act, a forensic audit will initiate and recover extra profits they made in the past through wrongdoings.

    The 1994 governmental agreement with IPPs states that whether these power producers work at a hundred per cent efficiency or fifty per cent efficiency, they will be paid for their installed capacity.

    The agreement was based on a ‘take or pay’ policy (the government was bound to pay to IPPs even if no electricity was produced or supplied), not a “take and pay” policy.

  • Saba Hamid says she is not a controlling mother-in-law unlike her Noor Jahan character

    Saba Hamid says she is not a controlling mother-in-law unlike her Noor Jahan character

    Veteran actress Saba Hamid has stunned fans with her performance as Noor Jahan in the hit drama serial of the same name.

    In the serial Noor Jahan , Saba Hamid played the character of Noor Jahan.

    During an appearance on After Hours, host Ushna Shah asked, “The character of Noor Jahan is such that you start to dislike her a bit because she is an extremely controlling mother-in-law, and she is completely opposite to you, introverted, someone who minds her own business. So, tell me, what was it like playing a woman like that?”

    Saba Hamid replied, “Mostly, if a mother-in-law has a significant role, she is portrayed as controlling and powerful. Generally, we have reached this age by playing such roles, so it wasn’t something new. But there was a good balance in Noor Jahan’s character. It was very gray, I didn’t see her as a completely black (evil) person. I felt that she believed in what she was saying, she wasn’t plotting or being deceitful. She truly believed that sons should be prioritized, which was a wrong idea, but the character was portrayed as wrong, not right, because people do think this way. We can’t close our eyes to it.”

    The Noor Jahan actress also highlighted how important it was to play a role that made people think about society.
    “To point that out, you sometimes have to touch the wound in order to heal it. I know many people were upset about that monologue where it was said that when a daughter is born, the father’s head lowers in shame. But this is how society thinks, and it was highlighted and countered well. There was a strong contrast because another drama of mine, which was filmed around the same time, also had a mother-in-law, but she was completely different calm and gentle. And I played both characters back-to-back, which overlapped a bit. I think it was fantastic how I managed to pull it off, and I believe I did well with both roles.”
    Talking about her working relationship with Musadiq Malik,
    Hamid said, “I am genuinely saying that I have worked with many directors, even with those who are very skilled. He is young and new, and Noor Jahan was only his second serial. The first one was Habs, and with Noor Jahan, he outdid everything he had done before. So, full marks to both (Zanjabeel Asim Shah) of them for making Noor Jahan what it is. “It was an interesting experience because he had assisted me before, and now he was directing me. When he assisted me, we had already formed a team where no one was the boss or subordinate. We always worked collaboratively, and even when I was directing, I valued his input. Similarly, when he was directing, he valued my opinions as well.”

  • ‘It felt like the world had ended’; Aadi Adeel on his father’s passing

    ‘It felt like the world had ended’; Aadi Adeel on his father’s passing

    Television host and actor Aadi Adeel, famous for his comedic roles, recently appeared on a TV show with Mathira.

    The happy-go-lucky actor shared some personal stories and spoke about being vulnerable.

    “I did not remember exactly what I was angry about with my mother, but I did not speak to her for many years,” he said.

    Adeel recalled not talking to her even when he was in front of her in the same house.

    “Later, on the day my father died, I hugged my mother and apologised to her,” he said.

    “My mother did not say anything to me except that I was her son, and that why would she not forgive me?”

    He further said, “The death of my father is the biggest sorrow and shock of my life, and I miss him even today.”

    “My father and I had a good, friendly relationship, and I always felt that if anything happened to me in life, if I got into trouble, my father would get me out of it,” he remembered.

    But after his father’s death, “the illusion was broken” for him.

    “When my father passed away, I felt that the whole world had ended, the colours had disappeared from the world, and illusions had disappeared,” he said.

    “I still feel that after the death of my father, there is no one to take care of me, to get me out of any trouble; I am my only protector,” he shared.

    It has been 15 years since his father’s death, who died at a young age.

  • Gold price drops by Rs600 from record high to Rs271,900 per tola

    Gold price drops by Rs600 from record high to Rs271,900 per tola

    Gold prices in Pakistan dropped after hitting record high in the previous session.

    On first trading day of the week, according to the All-Pakistan Gems and Jewellers Sarafa Association (APGJSA), the price of 24-karat gold fell by Rs600 and closed at Rs271,900 per tola.

    The price of 10-gramme of gold was recorded at Rs233,110 after sliding by Rs471.

    It is worth mentioning that the gold price in the last two trading sessions jumped by Rs4,000 per tola.

    The last gold rate before Monday’s closing was Rs272,500 per tola.

    Furthermore, silver prices were unchanged once again, clocking in at Rs2,950 per tola.

    The price of gold in the global market also witnessed a loss of $5 during the day and was recorded at $2,617 per ounce. This price also includes a premium of $20.