Faysal Quraishi’s youngest child Farmaan Quraishi turned one on January 18, and his parents celebrated with a truck art-themed birthday. Pictures from the small and lowkey event are being widely circulated on social media.
Check out pictures from the celebrations below:
Earlier, Faysal had penned a heartfelt note for his son on his birthday, saying that he looks “forward to being able to see you grow up”.
Meanwhile, take a tour of Faysal’s house in his exclusive interview with The Current.
Weeks-old footage of Information Minister Shibli Faraz is making rounds on Twitter, in which the minister had claimed that the appointment of then Pakistan Television (PTV) chairman Naeem Bukhari was made in line with the Supreme Court verdict.
Faraz, who had appeared on the Hamid Mir show, had said that the appointment of Bukhari was in line with the court order. He had added that the government wouldn’t take any risks and make an appointment against the SC verdict in the Ataul Haq Qasmi case.
But, it seems the minister was lying through his teeth. Because a fortnight after the claim, an Islamabad High Court (IHC) verdict had asked the federal cabinet to review the appointment of Bukhari because he was overaged for the post. The federal cabinet had subsequently removed him from the post.
In the clip, Hamid Mir had asked Faraz about the appointment of the PTV chairman, alluding to the plea in the high court that had questioned the qualification of Bukhari for the post.
At this, Faraz said that Bukhari was named as the PTV chairman after fulfilling all the requirements laid out by the top court in its judgement pertaining to the Ataul Haq Qasmi case. He also claimed that the journalist was being misled by some people who are making the appointment of Bukhari controversial.
BUKHARI BECOMES PTV CHAIRMAN:
In November 2020, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had notified Bukhari, who has a vast experience of doing TV programmes, as chairman of PTV. The appointment was made after a court ruling in Sept 2020 declared the appointments of PTV chairman Arshad Khan and independent members of the board of directors illegal while directing the government to fill the vacant slots in accordance with the law.
Bukhari, who has worked as an anchorperson and commentators on PTV for decades, had joined PTI in June 2016. At the time, he called Imran Khan the “only political leader who had the courage to speak the truth”. Bukhari also represented Imran when he went to the Supreme Court against then prime minister Nawaz Sharif following the Panama Papers leak.
The pleas that were later admitted by the apex court which disqualified Nawaz Sharif for being “dishonest” under Article 62 (1)(f).
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had also hired the services of Bukhari as a special prosecutor to take up cases against close confidants of Sharif brothers — former Lahore Development Authority chief Ahad Cheema and former principal secretary Fawad Hassan Fawad.
Reema Khan has received her first dose of COVID-19 vaccine in the US.
Taking to Instagram, Reema shared a video of herself getting the first shot. When asked that how is she feeling, Reema replied: “I’m fine.”
“Finally got the first COVID-19 vaccine dose,” she captioned the post.
Earlier, the film star also shared a video in which she said that she is going to get her first dose of COVID-19 vaccine and prayed that the vaccine is available in Pakistan soon.
“This is very important,” she said.
In the video, she also urged her followers to get vaccinated, not only for themselves, but for their loved ones as well.
Meanwhile, Imran Abbas lauded Reema for getting the vaccine, calling her a “pioneer”.
Reema lives in Washington DC with her husband Dr Tariq Shahab and son Ali Shahab. Due to coronavirus lockdown, Reema and her son were stuck in Pakistan. As soon as flight operations resumed, the two flew back to the USA in August.
According to Reuters, the first vaccine was administered in the United States in mid-December. Since then till the filing of this report, nearly 12.3 million doses have been given, out of 31.2 million doses distributed. The total includes 1.6 million people who have received both doses.
Jennifer Lopez has fired back at a troll on Instagram who accused her of getting ‘tons of botox’.
According to details, after Lopez, popularly known as JLo, posted a video of herself trying out the ‘limitless’ mask from her beauty brand, J Lo Beauty, an Instagram user commented on it and accused the pop diva of having “tons of Botox”.
“But can I just mention that brows and forehead don’t move at all when you talk or try to express… you definitely have Botox. And tons of it. And it’s all good. Just saying,” commented the social media user.
In response, the 51-year-old star snapped back, writing: “LOL that’s just my face! For the 500 millionth time, I have never done Botox or any injectables or surgery! Just sayin’.”
“Get you some JLo Beauty and feel beautiful in your own skin,” said Lopez further, adding: “And here is another JLo Beauty secret: try spending your time being more positive, kind, and uplifting of others. Don’t spend your time trying to bring others down that will keep you youthful and beautiful too! Sending you love.”
Lopez had earlier also quashed rumours of getting a botox done, saying: “I haven’t ever had botox to this day. I’m not that person. I don’t have anything against people doing that; it’s just not my thing.”
“I’m more about a natural approach to skincare…but I want [my products] to work. I want the hyaluronic acid in there. I want the things that are going to help because I don’t want to have to go to the needles at some point. I’m not saying one day I won’t, but I haven’t yet,” she added.
Read more – Getting wet is the new viral trend in photoshoots
For the unacquainted, Jennifer launched her skincare company JLo Beauty on January 1 after three years of development. The brand offers a range of anti-aging products.
Meanwhile, Lopez is all set to perform at Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ inauguration on January 20. She will be joined by Lady Gaga singing the national anthem as Biden and Harris are sworn in on the West Front of the US Capitol.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Ali Muhammad Khan has claimed that Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari is not taking part in the protest outside the Election Commission of Pakistan because he may have been given an NRO [National Reconciliation Ordinance].
The PTI minister, who appeared on Nadeem Malik’s show alongside PPP’s Qamaruz Zaman Kaira, said the PPP chairperson is avoiding the opposition rally because he may have reached a deal over the corruption cases against him. He, however, went on to say that the incumbent government doesn’t believe in making deals with corrupt politicians.
The PTI minister, however, refused to confirm if Bilawal and his father have actually been given a clean chit in the graft cases against them: “Maybe they have received the NRO, I have no idea.”
However, Ali Muhammad Khan claimed that his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has never received or given an NRO.
This prompted the host to ask if the PTI has refused to give NRO to anyone, then who has given Bilawal this alleged NRO to dissuade him from joining the opposition protest. “Is there a government above the PTI government,” he asked.
The host asked: “Has Bilawal been given an NRO?”
“I don’t know,” said Ali Muhammad Khan. “We don’t give NRO,” he said, adding that the PPP and PML-N’s politics is based on NROs.
Taking a dig at the PTI leader, Kaira said that on the one hand the minister says “his party doesn’t give NROs, and, on the other, he claims that Bilawal has received an NRO which is why he is not a part of the opposition protest; who is dishing out these NROs then — is there a government above the government?”
He said the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) is protesting outside the ECP for the very same reason — an end to the government above the government.
PROTEST OUTSIDE ECP:
Tensions are running high in the twin cities, especially the federal capital, as the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) remains undeterred on plans to hold a protest outside the office of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) against the delay in the decision of ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) foreign funding case.
With security around the ECP being tightened to avoid any untoward incident, Geo News reported that the federal government has deployed two platoons of Punjab Rangers along with police personnel and sealed the election watchdog’s main entrance with barbed wires.
Hira Mani has said that she is now an “official singer”.
Sharing a picture of herself from her new song Saawari, Mani wrote: “Official singer”.
She then thanked all her fans and followers for making it possible.
“Please keep loving me like you do,” said Hira.
The Mere Pass Tum ho actor is very fond of music and has often shared videos of herself singing on her Instagram handle.
Naumaan Ijaz and his wife Rabia Naumaan are celebrating 26 years of marital bliss.
Pictures from their anniversary celebrations were shared by Rabia on social media.
Later, Naumaan wished his wife on social media calling her his strength, weakness and universe.
Rabia also expressed her love for Naumaan thanking him for always making her feel loved.
Ijaz had earlier sparked outrage after an interview of his went viral in which the actor talked about cheating on his wife and getting away with it because he is such “a great actor”.
When host Iffat Omar had asked Naumaan the secret behind his successful marriage, Naumaan said that he is very lucky as far as his wife is concerned. He admitted that he falls in love regularly and that his wife doesn’t find out because he is such “a great actor and an intelligent man.”
Meanwhile, here’s a picture of the couple from their wedding day.
Tensions are running high in the twin cities, especially the federal capital, as the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) remains undeterred on plans to hold a protest outside the office of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) against the delay in the decision of ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) foreign funding case.
With security around the ECP being tightened to avoid any untoward incident, Geo News reports that the federal government has deployed two platoons of Punjab Rangers along with police personnel and sealed the election watchdog’s main entrance with barbed wires.
Walkthrough gates have also been installed in the Red Zone area for pedestrians.
Leaders of the anti-government opposition alliance are scheduled to gather at Kashmir Chowk around 1 pm from where they will lead workers to the ECP aboard a container.
Earlier, the PDM leadership met in Islamabad at the residence of Maulana Fazlur Rehman to review the protest strategy.
Addressing the media after the meeting alongside Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice-president Maryam Nawaz, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief said the PTI foreign case could not be delayed any further and urged the commission to announce the verdict soon.
“Decisions against elected prime ministers are given in a few months’ time but verdict against a selected premier has been pending for over six years,” he said.
“Foreign funding case is the biggest scandal in Pakistan. Imran Khan has amassed millions in the name of party funds. He took the mother of all NROs to create political instability in the country,” he said and claimed that PM Imran used charity funds for personal business and to spread chaos.
The protest will not be attended by PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari who is currently in Sukkur and plans to celebrate PPP’s win in the Umerkot by-polls.
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed has warned the opposition of creating a law and order situation. He has also said he “doesn’t want to scare anyone” but Rawalpindi and Islamabad have been on high alert since December 15.
Parliamentary Special Committee on Kashmir Chairperson Shehryar Afridi ditched Kashmiris on his recent trip to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as he did not meet any Kashmiris living there and neither was the Kashmir issue mentioned in the press statement released by the Pakistan diplomatic mission in Dubai, it has emerged.
According to a report by The News, Afridi visited the Pakistan Consulate in Dubai on Sunday but Kashmiris were not invited. Pakistan Consul-General to Dubai Ahmed Amjad Ali briefed Afridi about the consular services provided to Pakistanis and the COVID-19 operations for repatriation of Pakistanis.
Kashmiri leaders, namely Sardar Shabbir, former adviser to the Azad Kashmir government Sardar Javed Yaqub, Azad Kashmir Assembly candidate Farooq Baniya among others, also raised the issue of Afridi’s inactiveness in meeting Kashmiris and discussing the region’s problems.
They said Afridi heads the Kashmir committee, but unfortunately did not bother to meet or invite the “Kashmiri people”.
As the chief of the Pakistan Kashmir committee, Afridi could have informed the community and taken them in confidence about the efforts the government has been taking to resolve the Kashmir issue, the report quoted Shabbir as saying.
Other Kashmiri leaders said many of their relatives had been living on the Line of Control (LoC) and facing unwarranted cross-border aggression by Indian forces. “We wanted to inform Afridi of this.”
When asked about Afridi’s visit to the consulate and Kashmiris, Press Counsellor Shazia Siraj initially declined to comment. She later said if Kashmiris had shown interest to have a meeting with Afridi, the consulate could have arranged it.
Siraj, however, did not comment on why Kashmir issue was missing in the consulate’s press statement.
Afridi was appointed as the chief of the Parliamentary Special Committee on Kashmir in May 2020. The committee that comprises senior members of the National Assembly and the Senate, monitors human rights violations and atrocities being committed by Indian forces in occupied Jammu and Kashmir besides raising the same in all necessary forms.
Other objectives of the committee include increasing awareness within as well as outside the country about the Kashmir issue, mobilisation of world opinion in support of the cause of right of self-determination to the people of Kashmir as well as the principle stand of Pakistan, and provision of political, moral and diplomatic support to Kashmiris in accordance with the United Nations (UN) resolutions.