Author: newsdesk

  • Imran Khan sends message to Mohsin Naqvi from Adiala jail

    Imran Khan sends message to Mohsin Naqvi from Adiala jail

    After the humiliating defeat in the first Test match against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi, former World Cup-winning captain and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan shared his thoughts.

    While speaking to journalists in Adiala Jail, Khan pointed out that cricket is the only sport watched on national television and that Mohsin Naqvi has ruined cricket.

    Khan said that powerful people are behind Mohsin Naqvi, adding that in the T20 World Cup, the national team did not rank among the top eight teams. He also mentioned that yesterday, the team lost to Bangladesh and set a new record.

    He further claimed that Naqvi’s five-million-dollar property is registered in his wife’s name in Dubai, that he is involved in the wheat scandal, and that he conducted the country’s biggest fraudulent election, questioning his merit. Khan asserted that Naqvi has also destroyed cricket.

    Mohsin Naqvi is currently the Chairman of the PCB and has also served as Federal Interior Minister.

  • Special Court of Lahore blocks Moonis Elahi’s CNIC, passport

    Special Court of Lahore blocks Moonis Elahi’s CNIC, passport

    A special central court of Lahore has ordered the blocking of former Chief Minister (CM) Punjab’s Chaudhary Parvez Elahi son Moonis Elahi’s Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) and passport, along with those of six other suspects, in an alleged money laundering case.

    The court, presided over by judge Tanveer Ahmed Shaikh, also directed that the names of other proclaimed offenders (POs), including Farasat Ali Chatha, Imtiaz Ali Shah, Amir Sohail, and Aamir Fayyaz, be included in the ECL.

    The court also ordered freezing Moonis’ bank account and assets, including 26 kanal acres in Kasur, a plot, and a house in Gulberg, Lahore.

    The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) alleged that Parvez Elahi’s son and daughter-in-law committed money laundering through a peon, Qaiser Iqbal Bhatti, an employee of the Punjab Assembly.

    FIA stated that the suspects were arrested after an unexplained transaction of millions of rupees in Bhatti and Mooni’s accounts.

  • ‘I don’t engage with them,’ Affan Waheed on why he doesn’t read comments

    ‘I don’t engage with them,’ Affan Waheed on why he doesn’t read comments

    Famous actor Affan Waheed took a dig at social media users who criticize artists for showing signs of aging or undergoing surgery.

    Currently, Affan Waheed is busy promoting his debut film, Mastani.

    He appeared on FHM Podcast with Adnan Faisal with co-star Amina Ilyas to promote the film.

    Answering a question during the interview, he said, “Everyone has to grow old; not everyone stays forever young. And when someone enhances their beauty, it’s often said that they’re unhappy with their appearance or that they underwent plastic surgery.”

    He further added, “I have a sensitive nature. I get upset and go into depression when I see criticism or trolling on social media, so I try not to pay much attention to it. That’s why I often close my comments section.”

    He concluded, “If any artist wants to do something within their moral limits, they should not worry about society. Do whatever your heart desires, just keep moral boundaries in mind.”

  • Court acquits man charged with sparking UK riots

    Court acquits man charged with sparking UK riots

    A local court on Monday acquitted a man who was arrested for spreading misinformation that reportedly provoked riots in the UK earlier this month.

    The decision came less than a week after Farhan Asif, a 32-year-old web developer and so-called journalist, was arrested in a raid on his home in Lahore.
    He was charged with cyberterrorism by Lahore police.

    After a hearing on Monday (today), the judge ordered Farhan’s acquittal in the case. He told the judge that he deleted his social media post only six hours after realizing that it was not correct.

    Rana Rizwan, a defence lawyer, told reporters that the Federal Investigative Agency (FIA) told the judge that they had no evidence to prove that he was guilty of intentionally spreading misinformation.

    Farhan Asif was taken into custody from Lahore for being involved in spreading fake news, which sparked far-right racist riots in the United Kingdom a few weeks ago after a fatal stabbing incident at a children’s dance class resulted in the death of three young girls in Southport, England.

    Background

    On August 8, BBC’s Marianna Spring reported about the involvement of a Lahore man in spreading misinformation regarding the Southport stabbing.

    The BBC report was followed by an ITV report stating that Farhan Asif was the owner of the website which misquoted the name of the stabber as Ali Al-Shakati and declared him an immigrant from Syria, who had arrived in the UK on a boat. Later, a UK court announced that the name of the teenager charged with the murders was Axel Rudakubana, who turned out to be a British national.

    ITV said that they couldn’t find out who is the real owner of the website but Farhan Asif has “a significant role in a network of news websites that have promoted falsehoods.”

    Dawn’s sources in Pakistan said that the person identified in the ITV report was a freelancer working for Channel3Now, which collects crime-related news from the UK and the USA and republishes the stories for the sake of clicks and advertisements.

    The BBC report also cracked down on people attached to Channel3Now and asserted that it was actually “a commercial operation attempting to aggregate crime news while making money on social media”. The analysis of the website also showed that all the the freelance writers were recruited from several countries, including Pakistan and India.

    The BBC report elaborated that there are “more than 30” people in the US, UK, Pakistan and India who work for the site, which usually recruits freelancers.

    According to ITV, Channel3Now regularly publishes sensational news stories under the garb of being an American-style TV channel.

    However, BBC quoted Kevin as saying that Farhan Asif in particular was not involved in the false Southport story, which the site has publicly apologised for, and blamed there UK based team for that.

    Wider disinformation network

    Even though the report speculated that the website had links with Russia, it could not come up with a proof for that. Marianna Spring stated, “I did not find any evidence to substantiate claims that Channel3Now’s misinformation could be linked to the Russian state. [A] person claiming to be from Channel3Now‘s management told me that the publication of the false name “shouldn’t have happened, but it was an error, not intentional”.

    Atika noted that there are chances of website be linked to Srivastava Group, an Indian company that ran a vast network of anti-Pakistan fake news websites, which was unearthed by the EU DisinfoLab in a 2019 investigation.

  • ‘Next time shooting at that spot, be extra careful’; Amar Khan reveals scary experience on drama set

    ‘Next time shooting at that spot, be extra careful’; Amar Khan reveals scary experience on drama set

    Amar Khan, the talented actress known for her versatility and bold characters, shared a scary and experience she went through.

    Appearing on After Hours with Ushna Shah, Amar was asked, “Do you have any old ghost stories to share?

    Amar indeed had one. “We were shooting at a haveli, or mansion, close to Malir Cantt on the outskirts of Karachi. It was a stunning white haveli with a lot of greenery all around it. There, we shot a few scenes for Bela Pur Ki Dayan. I want to give you a complete visual description of the place. I had to shoot a scene on the roof at 2:00 am in the morning. I was walking barefoot on a stormy and dark night. My hair was blowing in the wind as I was hanging from a cable on the roof. Because I was playing a supernatural character, I didn’t rehearse the scene beforehand. I noticed about twenty dogs running towards the haveli from the road outside as soon as we started shooting.”

    The strange vibes on set made her uneasy.

    “I stopped the scene and told the team I couldn’t continue because I felt like the dogs were seeing something I couldn’t. It was a really weird feeling. I think the place is haunted. There are graves in the lawn, and I used to recite Ayatul Kursi and all four Qul whenever I entered the haveli,” the Dum Mastam actress added.

    As a warning to others, Amar said, “Next time you are going to shoot at that spot, you must extra careful.”

  • Here’s what we know about Tere Bin season 2

    Here’s what we know about Tere Bin season 2

    After enjoying a critically acclaimed first season, the popular drama series ‘Tere Bin’ is set to make a grand comeback. Producer Abdullah Kadwani has announced that Season 2 will premiere on Friday, December 29, 2023, offering fans a perfect start to the new year.

    “Exciting news for ‘Tere Bin’ fans! The highly anticipated Season 2 is launching on December 29, 2023. Get ready for more heartwarming moments; I promise you will love it. InshaAllah, it’s going to be fantastic,” he said.

    The original series starred Yumna Zaidi and Wahaj Ali as Meerab and Murtasim, two complete opposites who find love despite their differences. Meerab is a fearless, ambitious woman aspiring to be a lawyer, while Murtasim comes from a conservative, land-owning family. Their captivating love story and strong on-screen chemistry resonated with audiences worldwide.

    In July, Kadwani hinted at the sequel by sharing a group photo with Yumna and Wahaj, expressing gratitude for the overwhelming support.

    “The phenomenal journey of ‘Tere Bin’ has achieved unprecedented milestones in Pakistani entertainment history. We thank Almighty Allah and our global audience for their immense love and support. Hats off to Wahaj Ali and Yumna Zaidi for their outstanding performances, and to director Siraj ul Haq and writer Nooran Makhdoom for their exceptional storytelling. Stay tuned for more exciting updates on Season 2.”

    The first season of ‘Tere Bin,’ produced by 7th Sky Entertainment and aired on Geo TV, garnered over three billion views on YouTube and enjoyed immense popularity not only in Pakistan but also in India and other countries. The show’s success is attributed to its engaging storyline and compelling performances by the entire cast, including veteran actress Bushra Ansari.

    Despite busy schedules, with Wahaj Ali working on a new drama with Maya Ali and Yumna Zaidi starring in ‘Gentleman’ on Green Entertainment and an upcoming Hum TV project with Usama Khan, fans are eagerly anticipating the return of ‘Tere Bin.’ The official announcement has alleviated concerns about potential delays or cancellation.

  • Pakistani pilgrim bus crashes in Iran, killing three

    Pakistani pilgrim bus crashes in Iran, killing three

    At least three people have been killed and 48 others wounded when a bus carrying Pakistani pilgrims crashed into a truck in southern Iran, state media reported on Monday.

    The Pakistani pilgrims were headed through Iran to Iraq to attend the Arbaeen commemoration, which marks the 40th day of mourning for Imam Husain, the grandson of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

    Iran’s official news agency IRNA said a bus collided with a truck late on Sunday on the main road between Neyriz city in Fars province and Sirjan in Kerman province, leaving “48 wounded and three dead”.

    It did not specify how many people were on board the bus.

    Colonel Abdol Hashem Dehghani, a Fars traffic police official quoted by IRNA, said the accident was caused by “a technical failure” in the brakes and the driver’s “inability to control the vehicle”.

    Meanwhile, Iran’s Mehr News Urdu quoted Neyriz Governor Yaqub Khosrawani as saying that four Pakistani pilgrims lost their lives while 30 others were injured in the incident.

    This was the second road accident in less than a week involving Pakistani pilgrims after a crash in Iran’s Yazd city killed 28 people on the way to Iraq for Arbaeen.

    Bodies of the 28 pilgrims were brought to Pakistan via a special flight on Friday night.

    Iran has a poor road safety record, with over 20,000 deaths in accidents in the year up to March 2024, according to figures from the Iranian judiciary’s Legal Medicine Organisation cited by local media.

    The occasion of Arbaeen last year drew a total of 22 million pilgrims, according to official figures.

    IRNA said that by August 19 this year, some 25,000 Pakistani pilgrims had entered Iran to reach the Iraqi shrine city of Karbala, where Imam Husain and his brother Abbas are buried.

    Condemnation from Pakistan

    “The prime minister has instructed the Pakistani embassy to fully cooperate with the families of the deceased and provide the best medical assistance to the injured,” the post shared by the Government of Pakistan’s official post read.

  • Why were Geo News, Dawn News shut down in 2018? Shocking details revealed

    Why were Geo News, Dawn News shut down in 2018? Shocking details revealed

    Veteran journalist Azaz Syed has revealed why Geo News and Dawn News were shut down in 2018, a tale full of revelations about what happened at the time.

    Speaking on Absar Alam’s talk show, Mere Sawal, Syed said that he, along with other journalists, was briefed on the situation regarding the Geo News shutdown.

    He said, “Former spymaster Faiz Hameed and former Director General Inter Service Public Relation DG (ISPR) Asif Ghafoor made four demands from the Geo News administration, one of which was to call former Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif a thief.”

    “The second demand was to highlight founder Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan’s campaign, and the third demand was not to criticise any remarks made by the judiciary,” he added.

    Syed stated, “The fourth demand was to either expel some journalists from Geo News or bar them from saying anything critical.”

    Former Chairman Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) Absar Alam said Geo News and Dawn News were shut down to “capture the policy.”

    Responding to halt the distribution of The News and Jang Newspaper, Alam claimed, “These newspaper distributions were barred in the Cantonment and Defence Housing Society (DHA).”

  • Big names including Naumaan Ijaz, Samiya Mumtaz not nominated for Hum Awards 2024

    Big names including Naumaan Ijaz, Samiya Mumtaz not nominated for Hum Awards 2024

    Nominations for the 9th Hum Awards have been announced, however, there are no nominees for best supporting actor or actress this year.

    Despite their stellar performances, some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry, including Naumaan Ijaz, Samiya Mumtaz, and Asif Raza Mir, have been ignored in the nominations. Many notable actors like Sarah Khan, Junaid Khan, and Maham Shahid have missed out on nominations for best supporting actor and actress.

    Here the names of Viewers, Choice categories 2022

    Best actor female

    Kubra Khan for Sang-e- Mah

    Sonya Hussyn for Tinkay Ka Sahara

    Hadiqa Kiani for Dobara

    Yumna Zaidi for Bakhtawar

    Ramsha Khan for Hum Tum

    Hania Amir for Sang-e- Mah

    Yumna Zaidi fir Ishq – e- Laa

    Here the names of Viewers, Choice categories 2022

    Best actor Male

    Ahad Raza Mir for Hum Tum

    Atif Aslam for Sang-e- Mah

    Azaan Sami Khan for Ishq – e- Laa

    Bilal Abbas for Dobara

    Farhan Saeed for Badashah Begum

    Sami Khan for Tinkay Ka Sahara

    Here the names of Viewers, Choice categories 2022

    Best onscreen couple

    Azaan Sami Khan and Yumna Zaidi for Ishq e La

    Bilal Abbas Khan and Hadiqa Kiani for Dobara

    Hania Aamir and Zaviyar Naumaan Ijaz for Sang e Mah

    Ramsha Khan and Ahad Raza Mir for Hum Tum

    Here the names of Viewers, Choice categories 2022

    Best Drama serial

    Bakhtawar

    Dobara

    Hum Tum

    Ishq-e-Laa

    Sang-e- Mah

    Tinkay Ka Sahara

    Here the names of Viewers, Choice categories 2023

    Best actor female

    Dananeer Mobeen for Mohabbat Gumshuda Meri

    Sehar Khan for Faiy Tale 2

    Hiba Bukhari for Jhok Sarkar

    Kinza Hashmi for Mere Ban Jao

    Mawra Hocane for Neem

    Maya Ali for Yunhi

    Here the names of Viewers, Choice categories 2023

    Best actor male

    Ameer Gilani for Neem

    Bilal Ashraf for Yunhi

    Farhan Saeed for Jhok Sarkar

    Hamza Sohail for Fairy Tale 2

    Khushhal Khan for Mohabbat Gumshuda Meri

    Zahid Ahmed for Mere Ban Jao

    Here the names of Viewers, Choice categories 2023

  • How do Yashma Gill’s mom and step-mom behave with each other?

    How do Yashma Gill’s mom and step-mom behave with each other?

    Children of polygamous marriages usually suffer from mental trauma as both sets of parents tend to fight but Pakistani actress Yashma Gill is an exception.

    She shared information about her father’s two marriages and her relationship with both her mothers in an interview.

    Recently, she appeared as a guest on ‘Zabardast show,’ where she openly discussed her career as well as her personal life.

    Answering a question during the interview, she revealed, “My father had two marriages. His first wife passed away two years ago. His mother-in-law, unfortunately, also passed away before I was born.”

    According to Yashma Gill, before the death of her stepmother, the two mothers had a very good and deep relationship.”She revealed, ‘I have a large family, especially when everyone, including my siblings and step-siblings, gets together. We all share a close bond, and in the last years of my stepmother’s life, the two moms also developed a good relationship.

    She said, “I have a good relationship with my step-siblings. They are all married and live in their own homes, while my mother lives with me in Lahore.”