Author: newsdesk

  • Sarwat Gillani gushes about meeting Bollywood lyricist Javed Akhtar

    Sarwat Gillani gushes about meeting Bollywood lyricist Javed Akhtar

    Pakistani and Indian celebrities had a wholesome interaction at a party held on Monday night.
    Pakistani actresses attended a party where Bollywood screenwriter and lyricist Javed Akhtar and his daughter filmmaker Zoya Akhtar were also in attendance.
    Sarwat Gillani posted pictures of the interaction, thanking Fauzai Kehar for hosting the event.

    “Had the pleasure to meet the Master, Javed Akhtar Sahab and his brilliant filmmaker daughter Zoya Akhtar.

    Thank you @fauzia_kehar for opening your heart and home to us, you’re a wonderful host to say the least.”

    Among the attendees included actresses Ayesha Omar, artist Rashid Rana, Kiran Malik and Rao Ali Khan.

  • WhatsApp to get new camera modes, blocking shortcut

    WhatsApp to get new camera modes, blocking shortcut

    WhatsApp will soon get two new features that will make using messenger more convenient. The first feature is the option to block a contact right from the message notification pop-up, and the second feature offers separate tabs for taking photos and recording videos from within the app.

    Presently, if you want to block someone on WhatsApp, you have to go to the app, select the chat, tap on the contact information, and then select the option to block the contact. Some people might find the process too lengthy, which is why WhatsApp is working on offering an option to block a contact right from an unwanted message’s pop-up notification. This will make it easier to block a contact.

    To prevent you from unintentionally blocking your contacts, this option will only appear for contacts that are not saved on your device.

    Currently, in WhatsApp, you must press and hold the camera shutter button in order to shoot a video. If you want to record a lengthy video, it can feel fairly difficult.

    WhatsApp is now testing a new feature that provides various tabs for shooting pictures and making videos. So, all you have to do to record a video is choose the video mode in the viewfinder and give the record button one quick tap.

    These features are expected to roll out to the stable version of the app in the next few months.

  • UN rights experts urge Pakistani authorities to end forced child marriage

    UN rights experts urge Pakistani authorities to end forced child marriage

    On Monday the United Nations’ rights experts condemned an increase in forced marriages, conversions, and kidnappings of girls from Pakistan’s religious minority and urged the government to immediately put an end to such practices.

    “The group of around a dozen independent United Nations rights experts includes the UN special rapporteurs on the sale and sexual exploitation of children, contemporary forms of slavery, violence against women, and minority issues,” the statement read.

    “We are deeply troubled to hear that girls as young as 13 are being kidnapped from their families, trafficked to locations far from their homes, made to marry men sometimes twice their age, and coerced to convert to Islam,” the experts said. They pointed out that abductors often “force their victims to sign documents which falsely attest to their being of legal age for marriage as well as marrying and converting of free will”.

    The experts demanded that the Pakistani government act right away to stop and fully examine these activities.

  • Srha Asghar makes revelations about her brother’s demise, gets emotional

    Srha Asghar makes revelations about her brother’s demise, gets emotional

    Actor Srha Asghar recently spoke about her brother’s untimely death for the first time in an interview with Nadir Ali.

    Srha Asghar told about her military brother who was stationed in Afghanistan. Srha said this about him in Nadir Ali’s podcast: “I think that I feel sad about the time when my brother died in the USA, I could not even go to his funeral, even if I could go I can’t tell about my feelings, I think I can’t attend funerals, and at that time I had my exams and my other brother was with me, I know it’s important to be at the funeral of brother but I could not go and even when I visited his grave , I didn’t react.”

    Srha Asghar discussed her brother's tragic death for the first time

    The Pyaar Ke Sadqay star added, “I remember that I cried after two three days, my brother died in 2012, he was 31’yeard old, he used to serve in US Army and he got a bullet in Afghanistan. a troop hit his camp. I talked to him on skype before his death. He talked to everyone, it was difficult for me but I think how difficult would it be for my mother”.

  • ‘Shame people can take our tragedies and make money’ Jeffery Dahmer’s victim’s mother speaks out on Golden Globes win

    ‘Shame people can take our tragedies and make money’ Jeffery Dahmer’s victim’s mother speaks out on Golden Globes win

    Netflix documentary ‘Dahmer-Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer story’ has been panned by families of the serial-killer’s victims for profiteering off from their tragedy and glorifying a killer.
    While accepting the Golden Globes Award for Best Actor, Evan Peters said in his speech how hard it was to do the film, and how he hoped it would further lead to some good in the world.
    The mother of one of Dahmer’s victims has criticized Peters for his speech in an interview with TMZ. She pointed out that Netflix consistently profits from making movies and documentaries about serial killers, and will glamorize and further add grief to the families who suffered because of Dahmer.
    ‘Nothing good will come from Evan’s award for the Netflix series. She says it just adds to the grief for the families of the people Dahmer killed, replaying the tragedy over and over.’
    The mother said that Peter’s should have made his acceptance speech about the families who had suffered because of Dahmer’s action, and also encourge Hollywood to stop glorifying serial killers.
    “Evan should have used his acceptance speech to mention the families who are still suffering from Dahmer’s crimes, or to say Hollywood should put an end to telling stories about killers and glorifying them.”

  • ‘Law and order situation in KP alarming’: Politicians and journalists condemn Senior Lawyer Latif Afridi’s assassination

    Former President of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and renowned jurist Abdul Latif Afridi has been assassinated on Monday in a firing incident inside the Peshawar High Court bar room.

    Despite the regular tight deployment of forces at the entrance of the high court, the incident took place when Latif Afridi was sitting with other lawyers in the bar room when a gunman opened fire at him.

    According to Geo News, the lawyer was shot six times. Latif Afridi was 79.

    The assailant is currently in police custody. “The police have arrested the accused and identified him as Adnan Afridi,” the officer said, revealing that the attacker was related to the slain jurist. Adnan is the son of Judge Aftab Afridi who was killed in 2021.

    It is pertinent to mention that Latif Afridi was acquitted in the murder case of Adnan’s father.

    In 2021, the judge was attacked as unknown assailants opened fire on his car. However, Latif, the then-SCBA president, had denied his involvement in the incident and assured his full cooperation in the investigation.

    A few media reports have said that the police have termed the murder a matter of personal enmity between the two families while further investigations are underway.

    However, several politicians and journalists came forward to condemn the attack.

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow and grief over the “brutal killing” of the senior lawyer.

    “I pray that the bereaved family bear this loss with fortitude. The worsening law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is alarming,” the PM noted, adding that the provincial government should take immediate measures in this regard.

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan also expressed his condolences and prayers.

    Former president and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari condemned the murder, calling Latif a strong supporter of democracy and a staunch opponent of extremism.

    Other politicians also condemned the tragic episode.

    Similarly, lawyer and activist Jibran Nasir, Journalist Asma Shirazi, and others expressed grief at the killing.

  • Islamabad Police destroys over 4,000 pressure horns to reduce noise pollution in the capital

    Islamabad Police destroys over 4,000 pressure horns to reduce noise pollution in the capital

    More than 4,000 pressure horns and fancy license plates were destroyed by the Islamabad Capital Police in an attempt to reduce noise pollution and guarantee public safety.

    The destruction process at the Traffic Police Office Faizabad was observed by Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Dr Syed Mustafa Tanveer, Superintendent (SP) Traffic Ch Abid Hussain, and other top police officers.

    On the advice of Inspector General Police (IGP) Islamabad Dr Akbar Nasir Khan, actions are being taken to guarantee a secure driving environment and a controlled traffic structure in the capital. The traffic police are working to make the capital noise-free, according to CTO Tanveer.

    To address the smog-causing issues and expedite the conversion of the brick kilns to modern technology, Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Saqib Manan has instructed the relevant authorities to take strong action against SOP violators.

    More than Rs21.1 million fine imposed on smoke-emitting vehicles

    During the previous month in the Rawalpindi area, 3,559 smoke-emitting vehicles were issued challan slips, and fines totaling more than Rs2.1 million were imposed on the violators. In addition, an industrial facility that had broken environmental laws had been sealed and fined Rs100,000.

    According to The News, drivers were urged to adopt all necessary precautions when driving in the fog by District Emergency Officer (DEO) Rawalpindi. He recommended the populace stay home during times of dense fog.

    He further advised that the drivers must keep the fog lights on and drive slowly while maintaining a safe following distance during fog.

  • ‘Weeks later the film is still with me’: Rupi Kaur on Joyland

    ‘Weeks later the film is still with me’: Rupi Kaur on Joyland

    After Riz Ahmed and Malala, poet Rupi Kaur has joined in on the rising tide of praise for the Pakistani film Joyland.

    In an Instagram post, Kaur gushed about the brilliance of the Saim Sadiq film, and also congratulated team Joyland for its progress towards the Academy Awards. The full statement is below:

    “JOYLAND. shortlisted for Best International Film at this years Oscars @TheAcademy. When I first watched @joylandmovie I was transfixed by the storytelling and visuals. The script!!! And how delicious the words were. Weeks later the film is still with me ❤️ If chosen, JOYLAND will make Oscar history as the first Pakistani film to ever be nominated.”

    Previously, actor and rapper Riz Ahmed announced that his production house Left Handed Films was officially becoming a part of team Joyland. In his Instagram stories, Ahmed staunchly shared the two reasons why he was prepared to support the film as it progresses to the Oscars.

    ‘You know it’s an important movie when:

    1. the film gets banned
    2. when Malala is one of your producers”

  • ‘Complicated process’, ECP responds to delay in LG polls results and rigging allegations

    Amid questions on delayed results and allegations of rigging, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has commented on the second phase of Local Government (LG) elections in Karachi, Hyderabad.

    The commission explained that compiling the results is, “a complicated process” and said it takes time to prepare the result of one union council.

    In its statement on Monday, the ECP said the results are being transferred to the offices of Returning Officers (RO) from all polling stations across the city.

    The provincial election commissioner said that each RO had to compile the result of at least five UCs, which “is causing a delay in releasing poll results”.

    However, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) openly accused the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), provincial administration and the electoral body of wrongdoing, warning that any attempt to “change the results” after voting would lead to a strong reaction.

    Meanwhile, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Karachi President Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman said: “We are not getting results from the returning officers despite 18 hours of delay since the conclusion of polling.”

    He strongly condemned the delay and called on the concerned authorities to stop the ROs who are “trying to change the results”.

    He said that a lot of people from the PPP also voted for JI. He further said that his party has won over 100 seats, adding that there is ambiguity on the rest of the seats.

    As of now, it’s being reported that PPP leads with victorious on 46 UCs, Jamat-e-Islami has secured 17, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) 13, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) three, Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam (JUI-F) two, while banned organisation Tehreek-e-Labbaik (TLP) and an independent have one won seat each.

    Voting started early on Sunday morning amid a low turnout, however, official results are still not declared as of Monday afternoon. It is pertinent to mention that a day before the polls, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan announced that they are boycotting the local government polls

  • Are Aima Baig and Shahbaz Shigri back together?

    Are Aima Baig and Shahbaz Shigri back together?

    Star-singer Aima Baig took to her Instagram stories to announce that she has called off her engagement with Shahbaz Shigri in September last year. 

    The Balma Baghora crooner shared a lighthearted note on her Instagram story confirming her break-up with long-term boyfriend turned fiancé’ Shigri.

    The Chan Ve diva wrote: “Yes, I will always respect this person for giving me a good time. Sometimes, shit happens and happens for a reason. And to answer all your questions, yes we have parted ways. but we both are doing good and fine so don’t worry.”

    “I wanted to do it in the most respectful way and so I did. People can choose their ways of expressing their feelings, which defines who they are from the inside.”

    “That’s me, telling the truth to anyone wondering if are they or are not together. And the answer is Nope, I and Shahbaz are not together anymore. P.S no more “feeling sorry texts” please! We are doing just fine. Music is life, let’s see where it takes us”, she added.

    Aima Baig and Shahbaz Shigri were in a relationship since 2019. They announced their engagement in July 2021.  After their split, the duo unfollowed each other on social media.

    Latest Update

    Seems like the new year has brought a change in the ex-couple’s equation as they followed each other again on Instagram. This digital move of Shigri and Baig has made their fans extremely happy.

    Recently, the Sajna Door star indulged in a Q&A session on her official Instagram handle. She opened up about her colleagues and revealed her favourites.