Author: newsdesk

  • Rajkummar Rao thanks Zara Noor Abbas for appreciating ‘The White Tiger’

    Rajkummar Rao has thanked Zara Noor Abbas for appreciating his latest release The White Tiger.

    In an Instagram story, Zara had called the film a “masterpiece” and had urged her followers to “Watch this Now.” Responding to Zara’s story, Rao expressed his gratitude, writing: “Thank you so much.”

    Read more – ‘Tandav’: A weak script saved by brilliant performances

    Based on Aravind Adiga’s book of the same name, The White Tiger explores poverty and class struggles in modern-day India. The book was published in 2008 and won the 40th Man Booker Prize in the same year. Meanwhile, the cast of the movie includes Priyanka Chopra-Jonas and Adarsh Gourav besides Rao. It has been directed by Ramin Bahrani.

  • Sit back LDA? Lahore to get another land authority with retired/serving military or civil officers as DG

    Sit back LDA? Lahore to get another land authority with retired/serving military or civil officers as DG

    The Punjab government has approved the establishment of another development authority to develop its posh neighbourhoods, with Chief Minister Usman Buzdar as the chairman.

    The Lahore Central Business District (CBD) Development Authority will be set up under the Lahore Central Business District Development Authority Ordinance 2021 and the ordinance would also pave the way for the appointment of retired/serving military officers or civil servants as the director general of the authority.

    As per the drafted legislation, the authority will have the power to acquire and hold property, both movable and immovable, and to carry out development in posh areas.

    Though Lahore already has a development authority that is in charge of planning and development in the district, the new authority is said to be an autonomous body that is tasked with the commercialisation and promotion of vertical construction in the city.

    According to Geo News, the idea of setting up a Central Business District in Lahore was first proposed by the Lahore Development Authority in 2009 for the development of Jail Road, Main Boulevard, M M Alam Road, Hali Road and Gulberg.

  • GDP growth in 2021: Pakistan likely at par with Nigeria at 1.5%; India at 11.5%, China at 8.1%

    GDP growth in 2021: Pakistan likely at par with Nigeria at 1.5%; India at 11.5%, China at 8.1%

    The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has raised its forecast for global economic growth in 2021 but warned that there was still “extraordinary uncertainty” about the outlook.

    According to the latest World Economic Outlook forecast, the IMF projects global growth at 5.5%, which is higher than their previous forecast in October. Global growth will moderate to 4.2% growth in 2022, the IMF said.

    As per the forecast, Pakistan’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the ongoing year will stand at 1.5% that it shares with Nigeria, while neighbouring India and China are likely to stand at staggering 11.5% and 8.1%, respectively.

    GDP is the total monetary or market value of all the finished goods and services produced within a country’s borders in a specific time period. As a broad measure of overall domestic production, it functions as a comprehensive scorecard of a given country’s economic health.

    Malaysia’s growth is likely to stand at 7%, Turkey: 6%, Spain: 5.9%, France: 5.5%, the United States (US) 5.1%, Indonesia: 4.8%, the United Kingdom (UK): 4.5%, Mexico: 4.3%, Brazil: 3.6%, Canada: 3.6%, Germany: 3.5%, Japan: 3.1%, Russia: 3%, Italy: 3%, while the GDP growth of Saudi Arabia has been predicted to stand at 2.6%.

    The upgrade for this year reflects the positive effects from the start to vaccinations in some countries, additional fiscal support in the US and Japan, and at least a partial return to business and consumer normality as the health crisis wanes.

    “Much now depends on the outcome of this race between a mutating virus and vaccines to end the pandemic, and on the ability of policies to provide effective support until that happens,” said IMF chief economist Gita Gopinath in a blog post accompanying the updated forecast.

    The global economy contracted by 3.5% in 2020, the worst peacetime contraction since the Great Depression of the 1930s, the agency said.

    Close to 90 million people are expected to enter extreme poverty in 2020 and 2021, reversing the trends of the past two decades, the IMF said.

    Altogether, the COVID-19 pandemic will cost the global economy $22 trillion over 2020-2025 relative to pre-pandemic projected levels.

  • VIDEO: PIA pilots spot and record UFO above their plane in Karachi

    VIDEO: PIA pilots spot and record UFO above their plane in Karachi

    Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) pilots have spotted and unidentified flying object (UFO) flying at 35,000 feet above Karachi.

    According to ProPakistani, the “foo fighter” — a term used by Allied aircraft pilots during World War II to describe UFOs or mysterious aerial phenomena seen in the skies over both the European and Pacific theaters of operations — was a white round object above the jet which the plane’s captain noticed on Sunday.

    The flight crew immediately started filming the object and after landing found that similar sightings had been reported in the past across the world.

    The flight captain said that the round object had a metal ring around it and was emitting white light from the center.

    He added that it was difficult to determine whether the object was hovering or moving slowly due to relative motion.

    Sharing the video of the incident, UFO hunter and blogger Scott Waring said that PIA pilots had provided the most focused photo of a foo fighter in the history of UFO research.

    He added that it “proved that aliens follow planes and keep a close eye on human activities”.

    WATCH VIDEO:

  • Warner Bros, HBO Max shut down reports of ‘Harry Potter’ TV series

    Warner Bros and HBO Max have shut down and rubbished reports which stated that a Harry Potter TV series is in making at HBO Max.

    In a joint statement to NY Post, Warner Bros. and HBO Max said: “There is no Harry Potter series in development at the studio or on the streaming platform.”

    Read more – Hilary Duff confirms ‘Lizzie McGuire’ reboot cancelled

    There have long been talks of a “Potter”-verse series but no information on the subject has been shared by either the cast of the movies or the production house.

    Nonetheless, if the creators of the film franchise were to make something, it would probably be a redo of the Harry Potter books, which came out between 1997 and 2007 considering plenty of material, such as a lot of the Marauder’s backstory, or Hermione’s house-elf crusade, was cut from the movies.

    On the other hand, a TV series could also easily be set in a different era in the rich Harry Potter world, like the spinoff movie franchise Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is set around World War II.

    As far as the return of original cast members such as Daniel Radcliffe or Emma Watson is concerned, only time will tell.

    Meanwhile, it is pertinent to add that author J.K. Rowling recently came under fire for her controversial views on transgender people, which she outlined in a lengthy manifesto. This could perhaps present an issue for the Potter series from making a comeback.

    The Potter books have sold more than 500 million copies worldwide and remain a hit, so they could also be controversy-proof as a pop-culture juggernaut. 

  • First day of PAK vs SA ends in distress despite ‘Super Rizwan’

    First day of PAK vs SA ends in distress despite ‘Super Rizwan’

    The Pakistan vs South Africa series kickstarted on Tuesday with a Test match at the National Stadium Karachi. While the day began with cricket aficionados witnessing some great wicketkeeping by ‘Super Rizwan’, it ended with four out after making just 33 runs. SA, on the other hand, had a score of 220-10.

    Muhammad Rizwan’s exceptional wicketkeeping abilities left everyone in awe during the first session of the first test between Pakistan and South Africa. Middle-order batsman Van der Dussen was run out by a quick throw from Babar Azam and excellent work with the gloves from Rizwan.

    With an excellent speed, Rizwan broke the wickets in seconds. The skipper’s throw in the right direction helped Rizwan run out the South African Middle-order batsman at 17 runs.

    This Test series is very important for Pakistan Cricket as the green shirts have faced a humiliating defeat in New Zealand.

    Pakistan’s 11 initially appeared strong with its two debutants, Nauman Ali and Imran Butt, but opener Imran, couldn’t do anything promising with the bat. Earlier in the day, Younis Khan and Yasir Shah had presented both Ali and Butt their first Test cap.

    The visiting team opted for batting after winning the toss. They had a strong start but lost Markram early after which they could not construct a lasting partnership. The highest individual score from a South Africa batsman came from the blade of Dean Elgar, who scored a well-made 58. The visitors could only post a total of 220.

    For Pakistan, with the ball, the spinners rose to the occasion. Yasir Shah was the highlight, with 3 wickets to his name, while debutant Nauman Ali snared two. The pacers had 3 wickets to their names. And then, Pakistan stepped out to bat, in their first innings. It was a horror start with the bat though, as they lost Abid Ali early and saw further collapses, including the skipper at 7.

    In the end, they closed out Day 1, at 33 for 4, and probably have to thank the sun for setting down, rather than any of their batsmen. However, if one exception were to be made, one can say that Azhar Ali is gritting it out there – he is the man the visiting team would hope to snare as they resume play on Day 2.

    Pakistan will need 187 runs to opt for a lead tomorrow with six wickets in hand.

  • Fazl not invited to Bakhtawar Bhutto-Zardari’s wedding: report

    Fazl not invited to Bakhtawar Bhutto-Zardari’s wedding: report

    Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) head Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who is also leading the anti-government opposition alliance, hasn’t been invited to the wedding ceremony of Bakhtawar Bhutto-Zardari to be held on Jan 29, reported ARY News.

    The sister of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari will tie the knot with fiancé Mahmood Choudhry at Bilawal House in Karachi on Friday in a ceremony that would be attended by around 1,000 people.

    Though the invitation cards have been sent to the bigwigs across the country, it seems Fazl has not received the letter. According to a report, Fazl said that he was not invited by former president Asif Ali Zardari to the wedding of his daughter. “When asked as to many big names would be participating in the event, Fazlur Rehman said that he does not know about the big names but he is not invited,” the media outlet quoted him while talking to reporters.

    Bakhtawar’s mehndi ceremony will be held on January 27. The nikkah will take place on January 29 while the baarat is scheduled for January 30. All events are expected to take place at the bride’s residence in Karachi.

    PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari will be suspending his political activities for a week to participate in sister’s wedding. He was unable to attend her engagement as he was in isolation after testing positive for COVID-19.

    The spokesperson further added that close to a thousand guests have been invited to the wedding.

    Bakhtawar and Mahmood got engaged on November 27, 2020, in an intimate ceremony at the Bilawal House Karachi. Bakhtawar’s husband-to-be “Mahmood Choudhry is the son of Mohammad Younas and Begum Suraiya Choudhry who hail from the old town of Lahore.”

    “Mahmood, the last born of five siblings was born on July 28, 1988, in the city of Abu Dhabi. He completed his primary schooling in Abu Dhabi and secondary schooling in the United Kingdom. Mahmood further went on to read Law at the University of Durham.”

    “The family’s primary country of residence remains the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where Mahmood continues to run his businesses in construction, finance and tech,” added the statement.

  • Ayeza Khan says she always wanted a husband ‘jis per saari larkian marti hon’

    Ayeza Khan says she always wanted a husband ‘jis per saari larkian marti hon’

    Ayeza Khan has said that she always wanted a husband “jis per saari dunya ki larkian marti hon“.

    Opening up about her marriage in a rare interview on Ahsan Khan’s new show Time Out with Ahsan Khan, Ayeza said: “Mujhe jo hai na eik aisay larkay say shaadi karni thi jo hero ho, jis per saari dunya ki larkian marti hon. Aur meri hogayi (I always wanted to marry a man who is a hero and desired by all women in the world. And it happened).

    She continued: “Main chahati hoon larkian marein. Main tyaar kark aksar bhejti hoon inhein. (In fact, I want women to lust over him. I enjoy it. I make sure he looks amazing when he walks out of the house).”

    Read more – ‘Time Out’: Ahsan Khan returns with a new talk show

    Later, talking about their marriage, Danish Taimoor, who was also a guest on the show said: “I only consider the time we’ve spent together after marriage because that is when you really become friends and get to know each other.”

    Danish further shared that though they were together before their marriage, they always kept their relationship under wraps.

    “I feel you shouldn’t disclose your relationship until you’re married. You can’t publicly own someone before you’ve married them,” said the actor.

    Similarly, Ayeza said: “Danish and I were in a relationship for five years but we never talked about it in public. These days people openly post their relationships online which is not right. If you’re an unmarried couple, don’t show it on social media because once you’ve posted your personal life online, it’s impossible to erase it.”

    “When your children grow up and search your name online, the things that can pop up I’m afraid of that. We need to be the strength of our children, not their weaknesses. They shouldn’t have to face anything because of us,” she added.

    Read more – Danish Taimoor cannot ‘imagine a single second without’ Ayeza

    Danish also shared his thoughts on institution of marriage during the interview, saying: “I don’t understand why people run away from marriage these days. They think that if they get married, they’ll get stuck.”

    “Let me tell you something: nikkah is the most beautiful thing in the world. And once you get married to someone, you naturally start loving them in a way you may have never loved anyone before,” he added.

    Ayeza and Danish have been married for six years and have two children together.

  • Faysal Quraishi urges society to support rape survivors

    Faysal Quraishi urges society to support rape survivors

    Faysal Quraishi has said that rape is a stigma for perpetrators, not the victims.

    In a tweet, the actor said: “In light of recent news regarding a couple that kidnapped young girls, raped and recorded this heinous act – only one came forward and 45 didn’t for fear of society and stigma.”

    “Humari society apna qibla sahi karay, stigma perpetrator kay liye and victim kay liye support honi chaiyae,” he added.

    According to details, a local court has convicted a couple from Rawalpindi for luring girls and filming their rape to blackmail them. They were arrested in 2019.

    Additional District and Sessions Judge Jahangir Gondal awarded a death sentence to Qasim Jahangir over rape and recording explicit videos. Jahangir was also given a three-year prison sentence in addition to a life sentence and has to pay a fine of Rs2.5 million. His wife Kiran Mahmood has also been sentenced to life and has to pay a fine.

    The couple was tracked and arrested following a complaint lodged by a girl with the CPO Rawalpindi.

    Read more – President okays anti-rape law for speedy trials, harsher sentences

    According to the police, the girl, who was a student of MSc, in her statement said that the couple lured her into their car and took her to a house where she was raped and filmed. She shared that she was coming out of her college when a masked woman came to her and started talking to her. After introducing herself as a student at a local girls’ college, the two went for a walk before a car stopped near them and asked the two women to sit inside. The masked woman introduced the driver as her close relative and asked her to sit in the car.

    As soon as the girl was inside the car, black curtains were drawn and the car was taken to a house located in Gulistan Colony, where the accused raped her at gunpoint, while his wife filmed the scene.

    City Police Officer (CPO) Muhammad Faisal Rana said the couple had confessed to raping as many as 45 minors and filming their rape.

  • ‘Saudi crown prince desperate for patchup with Pakistan while Imran, Gen Bajwa may have moved on,’ claims journalist

    ‘Saudi crown prince desperate for patchup with Pakistan while Imran, Gen Bajwa may have moved on,’ claims journalist

    Anchor Usama Ghazi, among other journalists with a presence on YouTube, has claimed that Saudi Arabia is desperate to improve ties with Pakistan as it needs to get closer to the new Biden administration in the United States (US); however, it seems that the civil and military leadership in Pakistan may have moved on.

    Islamabad recently returned $1 billion to Riyadh as the second instalment of a $3 billion soft loan, as the country reached out to Beijing for a commercial loan to help it offset pressure to repay the last $1 billion in January.

    “Now that Pakistan will no longer be under Saudi pressure but the Kingdom will be fearing missing out on a lot under a new US government; it is trying to improve relations with Pakistan that have suffered blows over the past few months,” Ghazi said in a YouTube video, citing Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s closeness with former US president Donald Trump as a major reason.

    He went on to claim that a new world was being formed with Pakistan, China, Russia, Turkey and even Iran if Biden’s US removes Trump-imposed sanctions on the country.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    “Saudi Arabia is regretting not outrightly supporting Pakistan on the Kashmir issue against India and seeking back the loan […] but now the ball is in Pakistan’s court,” he said and added that leadership in Pakistan was no longer under any burden. “They have appointed Bilal Akbar as the new envoy [to Saudi Arabia] and Gen (r) Raheel Sharif is already there.”

    While the journalist also mentioned the under-construction Iran–Pakistan gas pipeline and what impact would it have in the new world, it is relevant to note that Ghazi is not the only one to have come forward with such claims regarding alleged Saudi desperation for better ties with Pakistan.

    Senior journalist Irshad Bhatti had earlier claimed that the Saudi government has refused to let former convicted PM Nawaz Sharif, leading to speculations if it was an attempt to appease the Pakistani government.