Author: newsdesk

  • Pakistan Civil Awards 2022: List of all the recipients

    Pakistan Civil Awards 2022: List of all the recipients

    President Dr Arif Alvi conferred 253 Pakistani citizens and foreign nationals with Pakistan civil awards in honour of the nation’s 75th Diamond Jubilee.
    Awards were given to the people for their bravery and excellence in various disciplines. The ceremony of the awards will take place on Pakistan Day, March 23, 2023.

    Have a look at the list:
    NISHAN-I-IMTIAZ

    Mr Sartaj Aziz, Public Service

    Mr. Hasil Bazinjo, Public Service

    Mr Raees-ul-Ahrar Ch. Ghulam Abbas Khan (Late), Public Service

    Justice (R) Rana Bhagwan Das (Late), Public Service

    Mr Ahmed Ghulam Ali Chagla (late), Art (Musician / Composer)

    Mr Sufi Ghulam Mustafa Tabassum (late), Poet

    Mr Muhammad Qavi Khan, Performing Arts
    (Drama, film & stage)

    Mr Jahangir Khan Sports,(Squash)

    HILAL-I-PAKISTAN

    Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser Services to Pakistan

    His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan Services to Pakistan

    HRH Prince Faisal bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud Services to Pakistan

    Engr. Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih Services to Pakistan

    H.E. Sheikh Mohammad bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani (Qatari) Services to Pakistan

    Ambassador (R) Robin L. Raphel Services to Pakistan

    HILAL-I-SHUJAAT

    Brig (R) Khalid Farid Gallantry

    Brig. Faisal Naseer Gallantry (Counter Terrorism)

    HILAL-I-IMTIAZ

    Dr Khawaja Abdul Hayee (late) Education

    Engr. Prof. Ahmed Farooq Bazai Academic Administration/Education

    Prof. Dr Talat Naseer Pasha Science, Engineering & Education

    Hakim Rizwan Hafeez Health

    Dr Raja Ali Raza Anwar Engineering (Nuclear)

    Mr Raees Ahmed Arts (Violinist)

    Mr Amjad Islam Amjad Arts (Literature)

    Mr Ahmad Arif Nizami (late) Journalism

    Mr Mujib-ur-Rahman Shami Journalism

    Mr Altaf Hassan Qureshi Journalism

    Ms. Bilquis Bano Edhi (Late) Social Services

    Mr Muhammad Ramzan Chhipa Public Service

    Sardar Ahmad Nawaz Sukhera Public Service

    Mr. Maroof Afzal (Late) Public Service

    Senator Muhammad Talah Mahmood Public Service

    Senator Hilal-ur-Rehman Public Service

    Dr Gohar Ejaz Philanthropy

    HILAL-I-QUAID-I-AZAM

    Dr James M. Shera Services to Pakistan

    SITARA-I-PAKISTAN

    Mr Lin Songtian, Services to Pakistan

    Mr Khalid Mehmood Services to Pakistan

    Mr Cahit Yasar Eren Services to Pakistan

    Raja Najabat Hussain Services to Pakistan

    SITARA-I-SHUJAAT

    Malik Muhammad Hassan Gallantry

    Malik Gingray (late) Gallantry

    Malik Shumail Khan Gallantry

    Ms Fizza Tariq Malik (late) Gallantry

    Raja Mustafa Ali Gallantry

    Mr Muhammad Afzal Shaikh Gallantry

    Mr. Sajid Kiani Gallantry

    Lt Col Shahid Rasool Choudhary Gallantry (Counter Terrorism)

    Mr Wajahat Ullah Afridi Gallantry (Counter Terrorism)

    Mr Mansoor Ahmad Khan Services to Pakistan

    SITARA-I-IMTIAZ

    Prof. Dr. Asuman Belen Ozcan, Services to Pakistan

    Dr Muhammad Afzal Javed Services to Pakistan

    Mr Zafar Ullah Khan, Services to Pakistan

    Mr Tang Meng Sheng Services to Pakistan

    Prof. Kong Julan Services to Pakistan

    Prof. Dr Engr. Bhawani Shankar Chowdhry Science, Engineering & Education

    Engr. Javed Qureshi Science (Agriculture)

    Dr Abdul Ghani Akram Science (Physics)

    Mr Ghafoor Ahmad Engineering (Chemical)

    Dr Suleman Qaiser Engineering (Chemical)

    Mr Mohsin Fayyaz Engineering (Mechanical)

    Dr Muhammad Aleem Mirza Engineering (Electronics)

    Dr Muhammad Bilal Malik Engineering (Electrical)

    Dr Faiz-ul-Hassan Engineering (Systems)

    Mr Asif Iqbal Navigations System

    Mr Humayun Khan (Late) Agriculture (Garlic Innovation)

    Mr Asif Peer Information Technology

    Dr Saeed Akhtar Medicine

    Dr Muhammad Sharif Malik, M.D. Medicine (Health)

    Prof. Dr Muhammad Ali Education

    Mr Mahfooz-ur-Rehman Education

    Mr Tauqeer Ahmed Nasir Art (Actor)

    Mr Riaz Shahid (Late) Art (Film Director & Writer)

    Mr. Fakhr-e-Alam Art (Host)

    Mr Hassan Ali Isfahani Alias Hassan Jahangir Art (Play Back Singer)

    Mr Saghar Siddiqui alias Muhammad Akhtar (Late) Art (Poetry)

    Mr Aneeq Ahmed Art (Anchor)

    Syed Manzar Hasan alias Hasan Manzar Art (Literature)

    Dr. Moeen ud Din Aqeel Art (Literature)

    Mrs Shama Khalid (Late) Art (Literature)

    Mr Naseer Turabi (Late) Literature

    Mr. Muhammad Shafi alias Shakir Shuja Abadi Literature

    Ch. Shafay Hussain Sport (Kabbadi)

    Mr Babar Azam Sports (Cricket)

    Mr Ziauddin (Late) Journalism

    Mr Javed Choudhry Journalism

    Mr Nadeem Malik Journalism

    Mr. Atta Ur Rehman (Late) Journalism

    Dr Anees Ahmed Religious Scholar

    Maulana Muhammad Hanif Jalandhari Religious Scholar

    Dr Qibla Ayaz Religious Scholar

    Allama Saqib Raza Mustafai Religious Scholar

    Mr. Abdul Rauf Rufi Naat Khawan

    Mr Waqar Ahmed Malik Public Service

    Mr. Murtaza Mehmood Public Service

    Mr. Imdad ullah Bosal Public Service

    Mr. Moin Ul Haq Public Service

    Dr Mohammad Ashraf Tahir Public Service

    Mirza Ishtiaq Baig Social Services

    PRESIDENT’S AWARD FOR PRIDE OF PERFORMANCE

    Dr Mehboob Ali Sial Science (Agriculture)

    Mr Abdul Majid Khan Science (Chemistry)

    Mr Muhammad Azam Khan Science (Chemistry)

    Ch. Muhammad Yousaf Science (Chemistry)

    Mr Zulfiqar Ahmed Khan Engineering (Nuclear)

    Mr Naveed Ahmad Engineering (Metallurgy)

    Hafiz M. Noshad Ali Engineering (Mechanical)

    Mr Muhammad Javed Siddique Engineering (Mechanical)

    Dr Humayun Qureshi Engineering (Aerospace)

    Mr. Raheem Sanaullah Ch. Engineering (Electrical)

    Mr Tariq Maqbool Quality Management

    Col (R) Muhammad Amin Missile Design

    Mr Amad Ahmad Digital Communication

    Mr Muhammad Mehboob Khan Science (Physics)

    Mr Haroon Ikram Sheikh Science (Metallurgy & Material)

    Mr Muhammad Rahman Nuclear Safety Regulation

    Dr Muhammad Maqsood Physics
    (Vacuum Science & Technology)

    Prof. Dr Aisha Siddiqa Medicine / Health

    Ms Parveen alias Sangeeta Art (Film Director)

    Mr Abdul Aziz Khan Alias Aziz Tabassum Art (Film Director)

    Mr Muhammad Hafeez Tahir Art (Producer)

    Mr Qadir Ali Shaggan Art (Music / Classical Singer)

    Mr Anwar Hussain Vistro Art (Singer)

    Ms. Gul Zari (Wagma) Art (Singer)

    Ms Arooj Aftab Art (Singing)

    Mr Altaf Hussain Tafu Khan Art
    (Tabla Player / Music Composer)

    Ustad Abdullah Khan Art (Shahani Player)

    Ms Nargis Shaheen Art (Broadcaster, Compare)

    Ms. Anjum Shaheen (Alias Anjuman) Art (Acting)

    Mr Amanullah Nasir Arts (Acting / Writer)

    Syed Afzal Ahmad Art (Film, Tv Actor)

    Ms Bushra Farrukh Art (Drama)

    Ms Taskeen Zafar Art (News Reader / Anchor)

    Mr. Sher Dad Khan Alias Sher Miandad Khan Art (Qawwali)

    Mr Anjum Ayaz Art (Sculptor)

    Mr R. M. Naeem Art (Painting, Educationist)

    Mr. Sain Dad Art (Ghara Dancer)

    Mr Muhammad Javed Arts (Painting)

    Mr Muhammad Qamar Sultan Arts (Quranic Calligraphy)

    Syed Shamoon Ashraf Hashmi Art (Television Compare)

    MrObaidullah Darwesh Durrani Art (Literature)

    Dr Ghulam Hassan Hassanu Art (Literature)

    Rana Fazal Hussain Art (Literature)

    Prof. Dr Muhammad Ashraf Shaheen Qaiserani Art (Literature)

    Prof Jehanzeb Niaz Khan (Late) Art (Literature)

    Mr Jamshid Khan Dukhi (Late) Art (Literature / Poetry)

    Mr Farhat Abbas Shah Literature (Poet)

    Mr Arshad Nadeem Sports (Athletics)

    Mr Sirbaz Khan Sports (Mountaineering)

    Ms Shahida Sports (Karate)

    Ms Amina Wali Sports (Skiing)

    Mr Abdul Karim (late) Sports (Mountaineering/Porter)

    Mr Irfan Mehsood Sports (Martial Arts)

    Mr Masood Jan Sports (Blind Cricket)

    Mr Ahsan Ramzan Sports (Snooker)

    Mr Nooh Dastagir Butt Sports (Weight Lifter)

    Mr Tikka Khan Journalism

    Hafiz Tahir Khalil Journalism

    Master Altaf Hussain (Late) Public Service
    (Tailoring Pakistan Flag)

    TAMGHA-I-PAKISTAN

    Mr Huang Guiping (Late) Services to Pakistan

    Ms Ding Mufang (Late) Services to Pakistan

    Ms Chen Sai (Late) Services to Pakistan

    TAMGHA-I-SHUJAAT

    Mr Amir Nawaz Khan (Shaheed) Gallantry

    Mr Muhammad Kamran (Shaheed) Gallantry

    Col (R) Muhammad Arif Gallantry

    Mr Muhammad Usman Shahbaz Gallantry

    Dr. Kamran Ahmed Gallantry

    Mr Sher Ahmed (Faisal Baloch) Gallantry

    Mr Tanveer Hussain Tunio Gallantry

    Mr. Amjad Ahmed Gallantry

    Mr Mazhar Nawaz Shaikh Gallantry

    Mr Bashir Ahmed Brohi Gallantry

    FC Zeeshan Ahmed Gallantry

    FC Naveed Ahmed Gallantry

    FC Zia ur Rehman Gallantry

    Mr Shaheed Javed Ullah Gallantry

    Dr Akbar Nasir, I.G. Gallantry

    Mr. Sohail Zafar Chattha Gallantry

    Mr Sadiq Shah Gallantry

    Raja Muhammad Majid Gallantry

    Mr Muhammad Bilal Raja Gallantry

    Mr Mubashir Saleem Gallantry

    Mr Minhas Ahmad Khan Gallantry

    Mr Ijaz Hafeez Gallantry

    Mr Aqeel Ahmed Siddiqi Gallantry

    Mr Waseem Ahmed Khan Gallantry

    Maj Zahoor Ahmed Gallantry (Counter Terrorism)

    Mr Yahya Azeem Gallantry (Counter Terrorism)

    Hav Abid Ali Gallantry (Counter Terrorism)

    TAMGHA-I-IMTIAZ

    Chaudhary Waseem Akhtar Gallantry

    Mr Ali Usman Gallantry

    Mr Saleem Ahmad, SI Gallantry

    Mr Naseeb Ullah Khan, SP/RO, CTD Gallantry

    Mr Muhammad Ashraf Chaddar, DSP/RO,CTD Gallantry

    Mr Fathi Aly Youseef Services to Pakistan

    Mr Achad Bhuglah Services to Pakistan

    Ms Jehan Ara Science (Information Technology)

    Mr Mudassir Sheikha Science (Information Technology)

    Ms Riffat Shamshad Science (Space Sciences)

    Mr Saleem Khan Lohani Science (Physics)

    Dr Uzma Batool Science (Medicine)

    Prof. Dr Muhammad Younas Science (Veterinary)

    Dr Rizwan Uppal Health

    Dr Farah Naz Qamar Medicine / Health

    Prof. Dr Tanwir Khaliq Medicine

    Prof. Dr Salman Ayaz Medicine

    Dr Nusratullah Chaudhry Medicine

    Dr S. Abbas Raza Medicine

    Prof. Khalid Mahmood Medicine (Neurosurgery)

    Mr Muhammad Shahzad Engineering (Mechanical)

    Mr Muhammad Saadullah Engineering (Chemical)

    Dr Khurram Hameed Engineering (Electronics)

    Syed Muhammad Yasir Abbas Engineering (Communication)

    Mr Shahzad Sadiq Engineering (Mechanical)

    Prof. Dr Zahoor Ul Haq Higher Education

    Dr Samreen Hussain Education

    Prof. Kamal Munir Education

    Ms Noor Jahan Bilgrami Art (Visual, textile designer, researcher & educationist)

    Mr Rustam Ali Lone (Charli) Art (Acting)

    Mr Arif Khan Alias Arbaz Khan Art (Film Director & Artist)

    Mr Muhammad Iqbal Latif Art (Producer / Director)

    Ms Nigar Nazar Art (Puppetry, Cartoon & Animation)

    Mr Zain Ullah Music (Chitrali Sitar Player)

    Mr Muhammad Hanif Alias Hanif Shahzad Art (Painting)

    Mr Jameel Ahmad Paul Art (Literature)

    Dr. Zulfiqar Siyal Art (Literature)

    Dr Waheed Ahmad Art (Literature)

    Ms Neelam Ahmad Bashir Art (Literature)

    Dr. Sheikh Muhammad Iqbal Art (Literature)

    Mr. Sooraj Narain Alias Narain Lal Art (Literature)

    Ms Khansa Maria Literature

    Qari Dr. Ikram Ullah Qira’at

    Mr. Awais Raza Qadri Naat Khawan

    Mr Shafiq Ahmed Chishti Sports (Kabaddi)

    Ms Bisma Maroof Sports (Cricket)

    Mr. Ajey Lalwani (Late) Journalism (Cameraman)

    Mr Irshad Mastoi (Late) Journalism

    Mr. Musa Khan Khel (Late) Journalism

    Mr Arif Khan (Late) Journalism

    Mr. Zia Ur Rehman Farooqi (Late) Journalism

    Mr Shahid Zehri (Late) Journalism

    Ms Cristina VON Sperling Afridi Public Service

    Mr. Farhaj Sikandar Yar Khan Public Service

    Dr Faridullah Khan Public Service

    Ms Saima Saleem Public Service

    Mr Yasin Malik Public Service (Tax Payer)

    Mr Hassan Javed Exporter Leather

    Mr. Shehzad Ashghar Exporter Textile

    Mr Shabbir Dewan Exporter Plastic

    Mr. Faud Garib Exporter Rice

    Mr Khalid Mehmood Exporter Pharma

    Masood Akhtar Exporter Sports

    Mr. Yaqoob Zamindar Social Services

    Mr Amin Hashwani Social Services Philanthropy

    TAMGHA-I-QUAID-I-AZAM

    Dr Mehreen Faruqi Services to Pakistan

    TAMGHA-I-KHIDMAT

    Choudhary Pervaiz Iqbal Losar Services to Pakistan

  • Motorola X30 Pro is world’s first smartphone to use Samsung’s 200MP camera sensor

    Motorola X30 Pro is world’s first smartphone to use Samsung’s 200MP camera sensor

    The Moto X30 Pro, which debuted alongside Motorola’s Moto Razr 3, is the first smartphone in the world to have a 200MP ISOCELL HP1 sensor created by Samsung and a top-tier CPU.

    Unexpectedly, while having premium specs, the Motorola X30 Pro is not that expensive.

    The Moto X30 Pro sports a large sensor with 200,000,000 pixels. This is then combined with a unique Chameleon Cell technology that employs pixel binning techniques of 2×2 and 4×4. While the second combination produces more traditional 12.5MP photographs with larger individual pixels at 2.56m, the first combination produces 50MP images with 1.2m pixels. It is also possible to shoot with the full 200MP resolution, however the pixels will only be 0.64 mm in size.

    Three cameras are incorporated on the rear side. A 50MP ultrawide and a 12MP telephoto with a 2x optical zoom are available. A massive 60MP camera is used for taking selfies. The rear can record video in up to 8K resolution at 30 frames per second.

    The 6.67-inch OLED screen with 144Hz refresh rate and Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor round out the low-cost flagship’s features. On the screen, Motorola features a fingerprint scanner. The base model comes with 8 GB RAM and 128 GB of storage, while the top-end variant features a memory configuration of 12 GB/512 GB.

    It’s intriguing to learn that the Moto X30 Pro is now the first phone in the world with a 200MP Samsung camera. On the other hand, it appears strange that it is being used for the first time by another brand and not a Samsung flagship.

    Motorola X30 Pro price

    In terms of cost, the Moto X30 Pro’s base model will cost for Rs120,000 ($550) in China. The most costly selection will set you back Rs146,400 ($670). It is currently up for pre-order. Although its global availability is not specified, given that certain Moto devices are marketed abroad, it’s possible that it will be released outside of China.

  • ‘Rajasthan Royals owner slapped me 3-4 times’: Ross Taylor makes shocking reveal

    ‘Rajasthan Royals owner slapped me 3-4 times’: Ross Taylor makes shocking reveal

    Former New Zealand batter Ross Taylor claims that an Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise owner of the Rajasthan Royals team “slapped” him three to four times during the 2011 IPL season.

    The disclosure was made by Taylor in his latest recent book, Ross Taylor: Black & White, and he claimed that the incident happened after a loss to Kings XI Punjab in Mohali.

    In his book, Taylor stated, “The chase was 195, I was lbw for a duck and we didn’t get close.” An excerpt from Taylor’s book was posted on Stuff.co.nz.

    “The squad, support staff, and management were then at the hotel’s bar on the top floor. Warnie [Shane Warne] was present along with Liz Hurley. We didn’t pay you a million dollars to acquire a duck, one of the Royals owners said to me, slapping me three or four times in the face. I’m not certain if it was all play, but he was laughing and they weren’t hard slaps. I wasn’t going to complain about it because of the circumstances, but I couldn’t see it occurring in many professional sporting settings.”

    The Royals have not yet made a remark on this.

    Taylor played one season for Royals in 2011 after being acquired for USD $1 million at the auction after spending three years with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) between 2008 and 2010. Taylor wrote in his memoir that he regretted not staying at RCB.

    Taylor said, “While it was amazing to go for a million dollars, in the end I would’ve been better off RCB had got me for US$950,000.”

    “If they had, I would have been with them for the fourth year. Although the IPL is not very sentimental, there is devotion to long-serving players, and I probably would have had a longer IPL career if I had only played for one franchise. On the other side, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to play with legends like Virender Sehwag, Shane Warne, Mahela Jayawardene, and Yuvraj Singh if I had remained at RCB.”

    “When you fetch that sort of money, you’re desperately keen to prove that you’re worth it. And those who are paying you that sort of money have high expectations – that’s professional sport and human nature. I’d paid my dues at RCB: if I’d had a lean trot, the management would have had faith in me because of what I’d done in the past. When you go to a new team, you don’t get that backing. You never feel comfortable because you know that if you go two or three games without a score, you come under cold-eyed scrutiny,” he went on to write.

    Taylor played 12 matches for the Royals in 2011, hitting 181 runs at a strike rate of 119. He then played three more seasons in India for the Delhi Daredevils and Pune Warriors.

    While playing cricket in and for New Zealand, Taylor also acknowledged in his autobiography that he had encountered racial insensitivity.

  • Independence Day: Five Mili Naghmas we love

    Independence Day: Five Mili Naghmas we love

    Today is the 75th Independence Day of Pakistan. In seven decades of Pakistan’s history, many mili naghmas (national songs) were produced. We have listed the top five mili naghmas that we think are loved by everyone.

    Yeh Watan Tumhara Hai

    This mili naghma was sung by Mehdi Hassan in 1962. “Mir-e-karwaan hum thay, rooh-e-karwaan tum ho. Hum to sirf unwaan thay, asal dastaan tum ho.” These lyrics will surely re-ignite the patriotic spirit in you.

    Dil Dil Pakistan

    It won’t be unfair to say that Dil Dil Pakistan by Vital Signs can be termed as the unofficial national anthem of Pakistan. It was released on Independence Day in 1987. It was also copied and used in an Indian film in 1990.

    Ae Watan Pyare Watan

    Ae Watan Pyare Watan was released in 1965 and is sung by Ustad Amanat Ali Khan.This mili naghma evokes strength, jubilance, and a sense of patriotism.

    Ae Watan Ke Sajeelay Jawano

    Malika-e-Tarranum Noor Jehan recorded 12 songs during the 1965 war. Ae Watan Ke Sajeelay Jawano was one of them. Composed with love and passion, this is a song that is guaranteed to evoke patriotism in you.

    Ae Rahe Haq Ke Shaheedon

    The song was composed and sung for the film Madar-e-Watan released in 1966, a year after the 1965 War to pay homage to the martyrs of the 1965 War and is sung by Naseem Begum. The lyrics and music of this song never fails to touch our hearts.

    Happy Independence Day. Pakistan Zindabad!

  • Confession: Saif Ali Khan regrets rejecting Fawad Khan’s role in ‘Kapoor & Sons’

    Confession: Saif Ali Khan regrets rejecting Fawad Khan’s role in ‘Kapoor & Sons’

    A video of Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan is resurfacing on social media in which he admits to having regretted passing on Pakistani superstar Fawad Khan’s role in Kapoor & Sons.

    Saif Ali Khan: I had no idea what Kangana was saying on Koffee With Karan, I was surprised

    Co-guest Kangana Ranaut said that Saif should have done the film while praising the Zindagi Gulzar Hai star for his performance. “Fawad was so good in the film, I love Fawad.”

    Earlier in another interview, Said revealed that, “I’m not a petty guy with a narrow-minded mentality. I’m very liberal in my views and can look beyond things. It’d be amazing to have a gay character as one of the roles in my portfolio and I look forward to playing one. It’s got nothing to do with being perceived as an alpha male, like your article argued, as I don’t think I have a particularly macho image. At the time when Kapoor and Sons was offered to me, I didn’t feel it was the right project for me to get into.”

    Fawad and Sidharth Malhotra - The Brown Identity

    “It’s very sad if people have perceived my rejection of Kapoor and Sons as something to do with homosexuality, something that I wholeheartedly support. Everyone makes mistakes, but when Karan (Johar, film producer) and Shakun (Batra, film director) came to me, I just didn’t feel like doing the film… just like when Sajid Khan came to me, I had felt like doing Humshakals, which now I know was horrible. Shit happens.”

    When Shakun Batra’s Kapoor And Sons was released back in 2016, no one had thought that the film would be what it is. It is probably one of the most realistic yet entertaining family films that, instead of painting a rosy picture, gives us a glimpse of what really goes on in a family. The way the vulnerabilities, flaws, and shortcomings of each character were portrayed has been lauded for years and it made us empathize with the family. Fawad Khan was unanimously praised for his acting in the film. His portrayal of a closet man was spot on. However, the role was rejected by multiple A-list actors before it fell in Fawad’s lap.

    The five actors are Saif Ali Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar, Shahid Kapoor, and Aditya Roy Kapoor.

    Popular film critic Rajeev Masand wrote in a leading daily, “As many as half a dozen actors are believed to have turned down the role of the elder brother in Shakun Batra’s hit Kapoor & Sons, before the makers approached Fawad Khan. Saif Ali Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar, Shahid Kapoor and Aditya Roy Kapoor were all approached. While some explicitly admitted that they didn’t want to play a character that happens to be gay, others reportedly cited different excuses.”

    Rajeev also sighted that Farhan was the only one who gave declined in the most professional way. “Farhan, whom Shakun had assisted previously, said he loved the film but didn’t see himself playing the older sibling. Of the lot, the makers say he was the most professional and upfront about his reservations.”

  • Urwa Hocane opens up about regressive plight of Pakistani television, glorification of toxic heroes

    Urwa Hocane opens up about regressive plight of Pakistani television, glorification of toxic heroes

    Actress Urwa Hocane opened up about the plight of Pakistani Television and the glorification of toxic masculinity in an interview with journalist Maliha Rehman. The Punjab Nahi Jaungi star said that PEMRA issued multiple notices to the producers of her drama Udaari for highlighting child abuse, which is a serious issue in the country.

    *Udaari* has a strong star cast and it looks as if we will see some great performances

    She also agreed with the host’s stance that domestic violence and toxic masculinity are being romanticised in recent dramas, which is extremely problematic.

    “We have romanticized domestic violence, domestic harassment, and martial rape we have romanticized all that and it’s wrong. Have you lost your mind?”. While she added, “And if a girl is silent we consider it as a heroine?”.

    she added, “I’ve come up to the point that I end up singing on the script that is less problematic”.

    “And I hope that I get to convince the director to make the story slightly better, there are full of angry heroes in stories until they pull your head and until they torture you, you can’t fall in love with them. Is it really good what we are portraying over television screens? Someone harassed you and later you fall in love with that man?”.

    The Neeli Zinda Hai actress also shed light on her journey, “I started working as a VJ at the age of 17, but actually I the first time I started earning was the age of 14 when I started giving tuitions. I had a thought in my mind that we should never put a burden on our parents and I always wanted to be independent.”

    Hocane shared her take on a man’s importance in a woman’s life, “What do you need a man for? You don’t need a man to live your life. I’m sure you would like to have one but it’s not compulsory. In my opinion, there’s no need of having a man in your life.”

    Urwa was dragged into a controversy when actor Aijaz Aslam appeared with his wife Sabeen on The Couple Show hosted by Aagha Ali and Hina Altaf earlier this year.

    The Couple Show | Season 2 | Aijaz Aslam & Sabeen Aijazz | Aagha Ali & Hina Altaf | Episode 8 - YouTube

    On being asked about a leading lady who has attitude problems, unprofessional and needs to work on her behaviour, the Nand star gave a shocking answer.

    Aijaz named Urwa Hocane and stated, “Although I haven’t worked with her but I have heard (from friends and colleagues) that it is Urwa, she gets very angry on the sets, quickly loses her temper and even instructs the director on creative aspects.”

    The hosting duo kept nodding while Aslam was talking, however, Aagha mentioned later that he recently met the Tich Button diva at an event and felt that she was grounded.

    Hocane then issued a statement, responding to the “baseless allegations” that were circulating about her. She explains that she is respectful of her seniors in the fraternity, and emphasizes that seniors too must be mindful of the responsibility they have towards younger actors, keeping in mind how their words can deeply impact the “image, mind, and even work” of these younger stars.

    She called herself “creatively charged,” and states that she always indulges in “healthy discussions” with her directors and producers.

    The Amanat star also stated that she is certain that the senior actor meant no harm, given that they do not know each other personally, nor have they ever starred together. However, she does state that “irresponsible statements leave us at a mercy of internet trolls, therefore everyone must watch what they say in public about someone else, especially when it’s mere hearsay.”

    She concluded by thanking Aagha and Hina, who understood the gravity of the situation and did not become party to it.

  • ‘When he’s not working, he’s working out’: Shahzeb Khanzada goes shirtless

    ‘When he’s not working, he’s working out’: Shahzeb Khanzada goes shirtless

    Anchorperson Shahzeb Khanzada’s wife and actor Rushna Khan recently shared a shirtless picture of her husband.

    “When he’s not working, he’s working out,” said Rushna in her Instagram post.

    In the picture, Shahzeb can be seen working out, and his six-pack abs can be spotted.

    This is not the first time Rushna has shared shirtless pictures of her husband.

    Read more- EXCLUSIVE: The real deal to Shahzeb Khanzada’s six pack

    Last year in August, Rushna shared a picture of Shahzeb from their vacations. After his picture with six-pack abs went viral on social media, The Current reached a very close source to Shahzeb and asked some questions about his fitness and daily eating routine.

  • Top 5 secret iPhone features you must try

    Top 5 secret iPhone features you must try

    With numerous improvements from the previous model, Apple iPhones have gotten better every year. However, only a select few users are aware of the flagship’s full potential.

    Since the majority of people purchase iPhones for its camera, which captures fantastic images, there are a number of hidden features in the iPhone that people don’t utilise or perhaps aren’t aware of.

    Apple users need to know all of the features in order to benefit from the hefty price they have paid for their iPhones.

    Here are some fantastic hidden features iPhone users must try out:

    Enable Back Tap

    With Back Tap enabled, you can assign a range of different functions to both a double and a triple finger tap on the back of your phone, kind of like gestures on a trackpad. For example, you can use Double Tap for Torch and Triple Tap for Camera — these are both incredibly useful when your iphone at odd angles and can’t reach the lock screen icons or the Control Center pull down.

    How to enable back tap: Find Back Tap within the Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap and turn it on.

    Drag and drop files

    You can tap and hold on to the file you want to move, then drag it toward the top or bottom of the display. Then, while continuing to hold that file with one finger, you swipe up from the bottom of the screen with another finger and open the app you want to drag your file into. It’s a handy feature to have when you need to send an image or file via iMessage or WhatsApp.

    Use iPhone with a Mouse

    Despite the fact that very few people are aware of it, this feature comes very handy when you need to edit or draw on something while using your iPhone with a Bluetooth mouse.

    How to connect a mouse: Go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Assistive Touch > Devices and look for your Bluetooth wireless mouse to connect it.

    Share anything without holding your iPhone

    Siri sharing capabilities have been enhanced with iOS 15. You can use Siri to share whatever is on your screen with a contact rather than the more traditional method of tapping the share button. When you need to quickly share anything but don’t have free hands, it is advantageous.

    You can send a screenshot or a photo to a friend by telling Siri to “Hey Siri, send an image”.

    Hide ‘Hidden’ photos

    Despite the fact that iOS has long provided a mechanism to hide specific photos and videos, the absence of solid protection made it easier for anyone to find the Hidden Album. That’s no longer the case, though, as iOS 14 provides a better option to conceal the Hidden Album. Be sure to use this new feature if you no longer want all of your private images to be easily found by anyone.

    How to hide hidden album: Go to Settings > Photos > Hidden Album and turn it off.

    Read more: Leaks reveal iPhone 14 could be the best model ever

    The Apple iPhone is unquestionably one of the best phones currently on the market for its top-notch performance and smart features that makes it an excellent choice for customers who are not on a tight budget.

  • Sarfaraz Ahmed thanks Sindh govt for adding his biography to grade 4 book

    Sarfaraz Ahmed thanks Sindh govt for adding his biography to grade 4 book

    Sarfaraz Ahmed’s biography has been added in the fourth standard Urdu book by Sindh. Sarfaraz Ahmed took to Twitter to thank the Sindh government for the “big honour”.

    “Thank you! This is a big honour for me. As role models we endeavour to inspire children. I would always be there to play my part in these efforts,” wrote Sarfraz while tagging the Sindh government in his tweet.

    Sarfaraz’s wife Khushbakht took to Twitter to share the news.

    “Thrilled! Just by imagining when my kids would read about their father along with friends & teacher! Can’t be more proud! Alhamdulillah,” she wrote.

    Sarfaraz has won two ICC Trophies; U19 Cricket World Cup 2006 and the Champions Trophy for Pakistan. Sarfaraz has represented Pakistan in 49 Tests, 117 ODIs and 61 T20Is, scoring 5,700 international runs.