Author: newsdesk

  • Hindu couple gets married at a mosque in India

    Hindu couple gets married at a mosque in India

    A Hindu couple in Kayamkulam Town in India’s Kerala state tied the knot in the most unusual of places.

    The couple, Sarath Sasi and Anju Ashok, held their wedding at the Cheravally Muslim Jamaath mosque in Kerala, where a Hindu priest oversaw the ceremonies and solemnised the marriage according to Hindu rituals.

    According to Indian media, the mosque committee had set up and decorated the mandap — a covered structure with pillars under which the main Hindu wedding ceremonies and rituals take place. Members of both the religious communities turned up in large numbers to attend the event.

    As per reports, the bride’s mother, on a neighbour’s advice, had approached the mosque to host her daughter’s wedding due to financial constraints.

    “She came to my house seeking help for conducting the marriage. She gave a letter, which I presented to the Jamaath committee. We decided to help the family conduct the marriage,” Nujumudeen Alummoottil, secretary of Cheravally Muslim Jamaat Committee told Indian news agency ANI.

    The mosque committee not only helped provide a venue for the event but also gifted the couple 10 gold souvenirs and 200,000 Indian Rupees, and took care of other wedding expenses.

    The committee also served vegetarian meals to around 1,000 guests at the wedding.

    The family added that they were very thankful to the Jamaath committee for hosting their wedding.

  • Ayesha Omar opens up about her childhood struggles

    Ayesha Omar opens up about her childhood struggles

    Ayesha Omar, while wishing her mother a happy birthday, opened up about her childhood struggles and how her mom fought through the years after her father passed away.

    In an Instagram post, Ayesha detailed her mother’s struggles writing, “A woman was widowed with two tiny children and not a penny to her or her husband’s name. Her siblings were all married and assumed that the well-to-do family she got married into, would take care of her, financially and emotionally. Her in-laws dissolved the family company when her husband (the major shareholder of the company) died and divided all the money amongst themselves.”

    Ayesha also gave an insight into her early years in the industry and how she worked jobs to make ends meet.

    Ayesha attached videos of herself and the cast of Bulbulay cutting a cake for her mother.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B7gd9KFDUnP/

    Ayesha is all set to appear in multiple films this year including Rehbra with Ahsan Khan and Dhai Chaal alongside Shamoon Abbasi.

  • Cricketer Bilal Asif is releasing his first music video

    Cricketer Bilal Asif is releasing his first music video

    Pakistani cricketer Bilal Asif is releasing a music video. He not only sang the song but also wrote it’s lyrics.

    Sharing a poster of his upcoming song Akhiyan, Bilal said that he was “super thrilled” about it and that he hopes everyone will like it.

    Earlier, Bilal was often seen singing and his videos went viral a couple of times. 

    Bilal made his ODI debut in 2015 against Zimbabwe. He has played three ODI matches and five Tests for Pakistan to date.

  • VIDEO: LUMS Students rescued in Gilgit by the Pak Army

    VIDEO: LUMS Students rescued in Gilgit by the Pak Army

    Twenty-two students from Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) had gone skiing in Gilgit and had been stuck in the area for five days due to heavy snow and landslides. LUMS administration approached the Army for help and the Chief of Army Staff, Qamar Javed Bajwa directed the army to find and rescue them by helicopter.

    They were all unhurt and saved by the army and have reached Rawalpindi to return home safely.

    LUMS students rescued by the Pak Army. Photo released by ISPR

    The LUMS Adventure Society organizes such events every year and the students stay in army guest houses. Thirteen boys and nine girls were on this particular trip when they were surrounded by snow in Rattu, Gilgit.

    LUMS students relating their experience

    Temperatures in Pakistan have hit record lows with major cities like Karachi and Lahore facing the most difficult winter in recent times.

  • Prince Harry is ‘sad’ over the end of his royal role

    Prince Harry is ‘sad’ over the end of his royal role

    Britain’s Prince Harry expressed his sadness at being forced to give up his royal duties in a deal with Queen Elizabeth and senior Windsors that will see him and Meghan exit official roles to seek an independent future.

    Buckingham Palace and the queen announced on Saturday that Harry and Meghan would no longer be working members of Britain’s monarchy, no longer use their “Royal Highness” titles and would now pay their own way in life, freeing them to forge new careers.

    In a speech to the Sentebale charity on Sunday, a clearly upset Harry said the final outcome was not what he and Meghan had wanted.

    “Our hope was to continue serving the queen, the Commonwealth and my military associations without public funding. Sadly that wasn’t possible,” the prince, the sixth-in-line to the throne, said.

    “I’ve accepted this knowing it doesn’t change who I am, or how committed I am. But I hope that helps you understand what it had come to, that I would step back from all I have ever known to take a step forward into what I hope can be a more peaceful life.”

    Under the arrangement, Harry will remain a prince and the couple will keep their titles of Duke and Duchess of Sussex as they begin a new life split between Britain and North America where they will spend the majority of their time. But they will not take part in any future ceremonial events or royal tours.

    Royal commentators said it amounted to an “abdication” from the “firm” — as the royals are known — and showed that, under the warm words in which she said Harry and Meghan were much loved, the queen had taken a firm and decisive line by insisting on a clean break.

    “It brings me great sadness that it has come to this,” said Harry. He said the decision to step back had followed months of talks and had not been a decision he had come to lightly. They were not walking away, he explained.

    “As far as this goes, there really was no other option,” he added.

    He told the audience at the charity he founded to help children with HIV in Africa that he wanted them to hear the truth from him “not as a Prince, or a Duke, but as Harry, the same person that many of you have watched grow up over the last 35 years but with a clearer perspective”.

    “The UK is my home and a place that I love. That will never change,” he said.

    Meghan is currently in Canada with their son Archie and Harry is expected to join her soon.

    The couple’s plans for independence, announced after a long break over the Christmas period in Canada, caught the rest of the royal family by surprise earlier this month and left the queen and other senior members hurt and disappointed, according to royal sources.

    Buckingham Palace have said the couple would no longer receive public money and that they would repay the cost of refurbishing their cottage in Windsor, which official figures show amounted to $3.1 million.

    But certain details, such as their future security arrangements or whether the couple could continue to use the “Sussex Royal” title for their website and branding, have either not been finalised or publicly revealed.

  • VIDEO: President says he doesn’t know who is responsible for wheat crisis

    VIDEO: President says he doesn’t know who is responsible for wheat crisis

    President Dr Arif Alvi has said he doesn’t know who is responsible for the wheat crisis in the country, but he should have known about it.

    According to Geo, the president on Monday arrived at National Institute of Child Health (NICH) on a surprise visit along with his wife Sameena Alvi. The two were welcomed and given a tour of the hospital by Executive Director Dr Jamal Raza.

    Speaking to journalists later, the president said he was visiting the hospital on Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s advice. “It is regrettable how patients have no other choice but to share beds for treatment and their families are being sent to buy medicines from outside the hospital,” he reportedly said.

    When asked about the condition of hospitals and the government’s apparent inability to bring relief to the masses, President Alvi said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was unaware of the economic conditions while making its promises ahead of 2018’s general election.

    To a question about the persisting wheat crisis across the country, the president said he had no idea who was to be held responsible for it. “But I should have known,” he added.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    WHEAT CRISIS:

    The PTI government was first warned of the ongoing wheat crisis in September last year when several high-ranking officials had suggested appropriate measures. The government had ignored the warning.

    Initially, the crisis appeared when Sindh decided not to procure wheat because different officials were facing corruption probes on account of its procurement. Meanwhile, Punjab had imposed a ban on inter-provincial movement of wheat.

    Keeping in view the situation, profiteers and hoarders started exploiting the situation and stock piling wheat.

    The federal government has refused to take any responsibility for the crisis, saying it is the domain of the provinces to procure wheat.

  • Sarmad Khoosat considers not releasing ‘Zindagi Tamasha’ amidst threats

    Sarmad Khoosat considers not releasing ‘Zindagi Tamasha’ amidst threats

    Following an appeal to the Prime Minister, President, Chief Justice of Pakistan and Chief of Army Staff to help facilitate the release of his film, award-winning filmmaker Sarmad Khoosat has now penned a letter to his “beloved Pakistan and Pakistanis.”

    In his letter, Sarmad shared that he is getting dozens of threatening phone calls forcing him to reconsider the release of his film. Zindagi Tamasha was scheduled to release on January 24.

    “I did not make Zindagi Tamasha to hurt, offend or malign anyone. It’s a story about a ‘good enough Muslim,” wrote the filmmaker in his letter.

    “There was/is no mention of a sect, party or faction of any sort. Neither in the uncensored nor the censored version.”

    “As an artist, the last thing I’d ever want to achieve through my artistic expression is anarchy or hatred. No! That’s not what an artist does. Or at least I don’t,” he asserted.

    Read more – Sarmad Khoosat appeals to PM, President to facilitate his film’s release

    Sarmad said that he doesn’t want any trouble over his film especially since it has been cleared by the censor boards.

    “I don’t want anyone to have the pleasure of banning my film because legally, officially and morally, no one can…As a good, responsible citizen, I do not want my cities’ roads being blocked, people’s businesses and everyday routines disrupted or any other form of unnecessary trouble and chaos in the name of ‘just a film’.”

    Sarmad concluded the four page note saying that he has left the matter to his Allah.

    https://twitter.com/KhoosatSarmad/status/1218883372375838721?s=20

    Sarmad also shared one of the threatening notes he has received.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B7gU6MHB06H/?utm_source=ig_embed

    Following Sarmad’s letter, celebrities and politicians took to social media to extend their support to the director.

    https://twitter.com/sanammodysaeed/status/1219141362559410176?s=20
    https://twitter.com/sethimirajee/status/1218903640787865600?s=20

    Written by Nirmal Bano and directed by Sarmad Khoosat, Zindagi Tamasha starres Arif Hassan, Samiya Mumtaz, Eman Suleman and Ali Qureshi in the lead. The film is centred around a naat khwan Rahat Khawaja (played by Hassan) and his family who are outcast from the society when a secret of Khawaja’s is leaked.

    The official synopsis states: “The film is an intimate portrait of a family as well as a scorching political commentary on little gods on this earth who police our private passions.”

    The film premiered at the Busan International Film Festival held in October 2019 where it also won the prestigious Kim Ji Seok Award.

  • Buzdar granted permanent Gymkhana membership worth Rs1.4 million

    Buzdar granted permanent Gymkhana membership worth Rs1.4 million

    Despite the club committee opposing it, Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar has been granted permanent membership of the elite Lahore Gymkhana Club after a payment of Rs1.4 million, a private media outlet has reported.

    According to reports, the provincial chief executive was made a member while overlooking at least 3,000 people, the lease policy and terms, over which members of the club have sought details of the move — such as who paid Rs1.4 million for Buzdar’s membership.

    They have also said that at least 60 people were granted membership without following the due procedure, among whom is Buzdar, who was made a member of the social club without an interview.

    The report claimed that committee members had opposed granting membership to CM Buzdar, however, Chairman Kamran Lashari “misused his authority and overruled reservations so as to remain the director general (DG) of Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA)”.

    Lashari has been serving as the WCLA DG since 2016.

    While members of Lashari group have rejected the claims but supported the demand of an investigation into the episode, Lashari himself has said that Buzdar has been granted membership owing to the positive steps he has taken as the Punjab CM.

  • Jennifer Aniston, Brad Pitt leave fans gushing with their SAG Awards backstage reunion

    Jennifer Aniston, Brad Pitt leave fans gushing with their SAG Awards backstage reunion

    The one celebrity couple, no one is ever getting over is Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston.

    The two sent hearts racing after they were caught being adorable on camera backstage at the SAG Awards 2020 on Sunday night. Fans had been waiting for this moment at the Golden Globes held earlier this month but the two just exchanged pleasantries leaving fans wanting more.

    The couple — who split in 2005 after Pitt had an affair with co-star Angelina Jolie — was snapped going in for a hug and smiling at each other. Pitt, 54, and Jolie, 44, married in 2014, split in 2016 and their divorce was finalized in 2019. Since then, fans have been rooting for Brad and Jen to get back together.

    While Pitt took home the award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role for Once Upon a Time in … Hollywood, Jen won the award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series for The Morning Show.

    In his acceptance speech, Brad poked fun at his lackluster love life.

    Taking about his winning role as Cliff Booth in Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, Brad said, “It was a difficult part. The guy who gets high, takes his shirt off, and doesn’t get on with his wife? It’s a big stretch.”

    At this point, the cameras cut to Aniston, who ― while not appearing too enthused at the remark ― clapped.

    Meanwhile, when Jen was onstage accepting her award, Brad was caught on camera watching her.

    Talking about the world’s obsession with her and Brad, Jen told Entertainment Tonight, “It’s hysterical. But what else are they going to talk about?”

    Both Pitt and Aniston have been out and about during this year’s award show circuit in support of their projects.

    Over the years, the exes have remained friendly. Pitt attended Aniston’s annual holiday party, as well as her 50th birthday bash in February 2019.

  • Faisal Vawda to be disqualified for being an American citizen?

    Faisal Vawda to be disqualified for being an American citizen?

    Federal Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda was a dual national by the time of filing nomination papers for 2018’s general election, and concealed his American citizenship by falsely declaring on the oath he submitted to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), The News has reported.

    According to reports, his status was intact not only when he filed nomination papers on June 11, 2018, but even during the scrutiny of the same.

    The Supreme Court (SC), in a recent judgment, has categorically directed that the candidates who previously held dual nationality should have the renunciation certificate at the time of filing of nomination papers. Various lawmakers, including two senators of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), have been disqualified by the top court on this count.

    Both of them had applied for the renunciation of foreign citizenship much earlier, but were unable to obtain the renunciation certificate at the time of filing of nomination papers because of long process.

    In Vawda’s case, the last date to file nomination papers for the election held in July 2018 was June 8 and later extended for another three days. Taking his document an evidence, Vawda submitted election papers on the last date — June 11, 2018 — along with an affidavit wherein he declared himself holding no citizenship other than that of Pakistan.

    The returning officer (RO) of NA-249 Karachi — Vawda’s constituency — approved the papers on June 18, 2018. It was only after this approval that the now federal minister applied for renunciation of his United States (US) nationality in US Consulate Karachi, meaning thereby he was American citizen at the time of filing.

    Vawda applied for revocation of his American citizenship in US Consulate Karachi on June 22, 2018. Normally, the process of renunciation of US nationality takes a couple of weeks or even months because it requires clearance from all the concerned departments. However, the US Consulate issued the ‘Certificate of Loss of Nationality’ to Vawda on next working day, documents revealed.

    Three top legal experts from Vawda’s own party, including Federal Minister Fawad Chaudhry and former interim law minister Ali Zafar, are unanimous in their opinion that whoever holds dual nationality at the time of submitting nomination papers is set to not only face instant disqualification, but he or she can also be penalised on the charges of perjury.

    His dual citizenship didn’t go unchallenged. His rival candidate Abdul Qadir Mandokhel of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) moved Sindh High Court (SHC) in order to disqualify his candidature. However, after a couple of court hearings, Mandokhel withdrew his petition from the apex court. Explaining the reason of pulling out, he told The News he did so “under immense pressure” that he faced not only from certain quarters but also from the leadership of his own party.

    Taking opinion of top legal minds as a guide, Vawda stands disqualified as a member of the Lower House if his case is judged on the same standards which were applied when the apex court dealt with those of leaders of the PML-N, PPP and other political parties.

    A source close to Vawda was quoted as claiming by the media outlet that the now minister was not in favor of surrendering his American passport because he was unsure about winning the election. “However, once he was assured of his victory, only then he applied for the revocation of US citizenship,” he said.

    Meanwhile, ECP spokesperson Nadeem Qasim said the election watchdog cannot take notice on the dual nationality of any parliamentarian by its own. “Someone has to challenge the dual nationality of the said parliamentarian in the court of ECP. If proved that the said parliamentarian was a foreign national at the time of filing of nomination papers, then he will be disqualified,” he was quoted as saying.