Chief Minister Usman Buzdar’s helicopter made an emergency landing in Lahore due to strong wind on Thursday evening.
Buzdar and his staff members who were travelling from Islamabad to Lahore, remained safe.
The chief minister’s helicopter was scheduled to land at Lahore old airport but the wind forced the pilot to divert and land at the Railway Stadium in Garhi Shahu. Buzdar had gone to Islamabad on Wednesday to attend meetings chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan.
In a recent interview with Something Haute actor Affan Waheed revealed that he refused a character in a Hollywood project which could have landed him a role opposite Nicole Kidman.
Affan shared he could not accept the role because he had commitments with his project MASTANI, and the role demanded a lot of effort and time which he could not commit to adding that his family and friends were disappointed due to his decision.
The actor further revealed that he had received an offer on Facebook by Rajkumar Hirani but he had gotten to know about it after 2-3 years.
On the work front the Galati actor can be currently seen in ARY’s Shadi Mubarak Ho.
Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin presented the Pakistan Economic Survey 2020-21 at a press conference in Islamabad on Thursday. However, the document did not have the latest figures on poverty and unemployment.
Tarin revealed that the industrial and services sectors had helped the country post-Gross Domestic Product growth of 3.94 per cent in the first nine months of the fiscal year [FY](July to March), significantly higher than the target of 2.1 per cent.
“The agriculture and manufacturing sectors helped the economy grow to 4.4%, laying stress on the need for sustainable growth in Pakistan in the years to come,” added Tarin.
The minister opened his press briefing by speaking highly of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s policies in combating the coronavirus pandemic.
“The government itself had set [GDP] growth will be 2.1pc and the IMF predicted even lower. But the decisions by this government such as incentivising manufacturing and textiles, construction, and interventions in agriculture have helped the economy recover,” said Tarin.
He said many people lost their jobs when the pandemic hit Pakistan, however, due to PM’s visionary policy of not imposing a complete lockdown across the country, millions of people who were unemployed were hired again.
“The economy is recovering,” he said.
Tarin said Pakistan’s remittances had broken records, adding that they had crossed $26bn. He said that lately imports, especially food in the form of wheat and sugar, were increasing as Pakistan’s economy was growing at the same time.
“We were net exporter of food but now, we have become a net importer,” he said. “Our exports registered a growth but our remittances increased manifold,” he added.
Tarin spoke highly of the Ehsaas programme, adding that the World Bank had described it as “one of the best and the largest” poverty alleviation initiatives across the globe.
“Full credit goes to Sania Nishtar,” he said, adding that handing out cash to 15 million people was not a small achievement.
Tarin said he had told the prime minister it was time to focus on sustainable growth “until we go to 5-8pc GDP growth”.
“We will do interventions and take care of the poor. The poor man has been crushed in this stabilisation phase because the dreams we have shown them have been of a trickledown economy. And this can only happen when growth is sustainable and continuous for 20-30 years,” he said.
“Countries which had sustainable growth, they grew continuously for 20-30 years. What have we done? Every time we grow by borrowing money, which is credit-based growth.”
According to the survey, during FY 2021, while the world was reeling from the economic impact of the pandemic, Pakistan’s “external sector appeared as a key buffer for resilience.”
“The main driver of improvement in current account balance was the robust growth in remittances,” it stated.
“During July-March FY 2021, export of goods grew by 2.3 percent to $18.7 bn as compared to US$ 18.3 bn the same period last year. Import of goods grew by 9.4pc to $37.4 bn as compared to US$ 34.2 bn last year. Consequently, the trade deficit increased by 17.7per cent to $18.7bn as compared to $15.9bn last year,” the survey said.
The finance minister said the government wanted to control inflation “but prices are still high and affecting the common man”.
“So the way to solve this is by increasing production and that is why we have focused on agriculture in this budget,” Tarin said.
Speaking about the FBR, Tarin said he would end the practice of people being harassed by the bureau. “FBR will not audit [businesses or persons] but a third-party audit will be conducted,” he said.
Tarin said Pakistan’s negotiations with the IMF were ongoing, adding that the international money lender had asked the government to hike tariffs and increase taxes.
The finance minister said Pakistan and the IMF want the same thing; sustainable growth, adding that the country cannot afford to increase taxes or hike tariffs so that the poor and the salaried class do not feel additional burden of inflation.
“This is a red line for the prime minister,” he said. “We will not further burden the poor,” he added.
Tarin said Pakistan’s economy was burdened due to the overcapacity in the power sector, saying that “it was a very big challenge and a black hole” for Pakistan.
Tarin said it was fair to ask how he can privatise state-owned enterprises when all others, before him, promised to do the same but failed to.
“Nawaz Sharif used to shout the same slogan during the first time [when he was prime minister] and then for a second time [when he again became the prime minister] and then a third, but nothing happened,” he said.
Actor Ali Safina was asked on Geo News‘ special Pakistan Super League (PSL) transmission as to who would be a better ghar daamaad (live-in son-in-law). Anchorperson Shahzad Iqbal asked the ‘Chupke Chupke’ actor who would he choose as a better ghar daamaad: Minister of Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Captain (r) Muhammad Safdar, Faisal Sabzwari of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and PML-N’s Talal Chaudhry.
Ali voted for Captain (r) Safdar, who is married to Maryam Nawaz. “Safdar sahab already has the elements of a ghar daamaad in him”.
Shahzad added to Ali’s stance saying, ” Safdar sahab embodies this element very positively.”
Shahzad Iqbal played a clip of Safdar, where he says, “Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari is like a brother to me while his father Asif Ali Zardari is the life-long president of the son-in-law’s union. I am the general secretary.”
In a recent interview with Something Haute, Faryal Mehmood opened up on the reality of the casting couch and sexual harassment that aspiring young actresses have to face. “They would ask me to go for a drive.”
The Raqeeb Se actress said because she didn’t give in, she was constantly told that she was a difficult actor to work with. “I won’t laugh at your vulgar jokes and will tell you not to have the same jokes again.”
Read more – ‘Happy Trolling’: Faryal Mehmood claps back at trolls
The actress shared her experience with two channels and she praised Geo TV, calling it “ghar Ki baat” and lauded Abdullah Kadwani’s 7th Sky Entertainment.
Talking about another channel and a producer, Faryal said “There was one producer, who saw me on an event and called me and said that you need a stylist. Look at me, I mean do I need a stylist? I was working on my weight and dealing with a new body at that time.”
“One day I showed up at a premiere at 2:30 at night, after the premiere, he saw me and texted me on Facebook, saying you know you’ve got potential but you need a stylist. I said, sir I am going through a process, I’m also getting to know what needs to be done. It was a new body for me as well.”
“The same person called me to his office, to the other side of the world (Karachi City) and then he tells me that you’ve got behavioral issues and why people don’t want to work with you. I keep giving your name and they keep rejecting you. The sad part is that i believed that,” said Faryal.
She further said: “After six years i decided that I don’t want it anymore, i’ll do whatever i like. Here no one knows the professional language and how to speak. I’ve also worked outside this country. They teach you how to communicate with people ad taking work from them, without hurting them or disrespecting them.”
“They have no manners and no professionalism,” she added.
“Now, all of them know me how I work. So, i don’t face anything like that anymore,” said Faryal.
But the actress also said the main reason why a lot of young actors don’t speak out against harassment is the fear of losing work and getting blacklisted in the industry. Faryal did, however, mention that there are good producers and directors as well who treat actors with respect.
Mahira Khan is undisputedly the queen of Pakistan film and drama industry but she has also gained this title in rejecting scripts.
Mahira Khan was offered the titular role in Ainee Ki Ayegi Baraat, but she turned it down for being a multi-starrer and the role went to her Humsafar co-star, Naveen Waqar. The script was written by Vasay Chaudhary who even pulled Mahira’s leg for rejecting his show at Fawad Khans production launch event.
Mera Naseeb was supposed to be Mahira Khan’s first drama. It was revealed when a fan tweeted about how he would love to see Sanam Saeed and Mahira appear together on a “friendship movie or a chick flick”, Khan replied that her debut drama was actually supposed to be Hum TV’s Mera Naseeb. The Raees actress mentioned in an interview that she rejected the script as it had the concept of a pretty cousin sister vs an unpleasant-looking cousin sister and how it impacts their married life.
After the thunderous success of Humsafar, Mahira refused the drama Kankar which was later done by Sanam Baloch. The drama dealt with the subject of domestic abuse. Mahira instead chose to do Sarmad Khoosat’s directorial Shehr-e-Zaat as she found it to be more challenging as a performer.
Mahira Khan was approached for the role of Amal Dastoor in Humayun Saeed’s blockbuster film. Humayun revealed in an interview that they had multiple meetings for the same but the talks couldn’t materialize.
Mahira Khan rejected Mehwish Hayat’s role in Jawani Phir Nahi Ani as she was already working for Ho Mann Jahan and felt the script wasn’t empowering for women.
Post Raees, Mahira didn’t find it appropriate to take on a multi-starrer with misogynist elements despite it being mounted on a lavish scale.
Momina Duraid, the producer, offered the film to Mahira but she couldn’t adjust it in her busy diary.
Although Mahira was part of Parey Hut Love in a cameo role as Zeena, but firstly, she was offered the lead role of Saniya. After she refused it, the role was later played by Maya Ali.
Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul said on Wednesday that special legislation granting 20 additional marks was underway to incorporate the youth into Prime Minister’s Ten Billion Tsunami Tree plantation project.
Zartaj Gul, in an exclusive interview with APP, said that in line with PM Khan’s clean and green Pakistan vision, a unique and innovative effort was devised to make it obligatory upon university graduates to plant 20 trees during the course of their study.
Under PM Imran Khan’s vision for a clean and green Pakistan, the full participation of youth in the movement to plant more trees in the country would be encouraged through this legislation, she added.
Explaining the proposed scheme for students, Zartaj Gul said extra marks were given to the students involved in the National Cadet Corps (NCC); additional marks would also be given to the students for planting trees as part of educational activities.
“Programmes like ‘20 Plants 20 Numbers’ will not only encourage the youth to be a part of this national goal but will also further our dream of making Pakistan a green and prosperous country,” she said.
A male and a female kangaroo died in Lahore Zoo on Thursday.
As per reports, the male kangaroo died after suffering from a jaw infection while the female kangaroo was unwell for a long time.
Both were provided medical assistance but couldn’t survive, the officials said.
Now13 adult kangaroos and three baby kangaroos are left at Lahore Zoo.
Earlier, a lion died of ‘cardiac arrest’ in Karachi Zoo. The director of the zoo said the lion died because of its old age and that the average lifespan of a lion is 18 years normally.
The Wild Life Department of Sindh with the help of District East officials captured the two lions in 2017 because they were transported into the city illegally. One of the two had died the later year of their fostering in the zoo, due to old age as well, the director claimed.
According to the post-mortem report of the deceased lion, the cause of death was the cardiac arrest due to heavy fat deposits on its heart.
Minal Khan and Ahsan Mohsin Akram have annouced to tie the knot soon.
Minal Khan took to her Instagram account to share a card that looks like the wedding invitation card of the love birds. Minal sharing the card wrote, “You are invited”. She also tagged her fiancé Ahsan Mohsin Ikram in the post.
Ahsan also shared the invitation card on his Instagram handle. “My heart belongs to you now forever,” he wrote along with the picture.
In May, after months of teasing fans with loved-up pictures and a secret engagement, Minal Khan and Ahsan Mohsin Ikram finally made things official, sharing pictures from their baat paki on social media.
The young couple officially confirmed their relationship on Minal’s birthday in November 2020 with a picture that received immense backlash on social media.
A video of Special Assistant to Chief Minister Punjab on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan slapping Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) MNA Qadir Khan Mandokhel has gone viral. The incident took place off-air after the two were seen brawling with each other on Express News‘ talk show, ‘Kal Tak with Javed Chaudhry’.
Abdul Qadir Mandokhel recently won the bye-elections after a close contest against the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Miftah Ismail in NA-249 in Karachi.
As the video went viral on social media, Twitter was flooded with memes. Have a look at some of the best meme: