Renowned ghazal singer and Padma Shri awardee, Pankaj Udhas, breathed his last on Monday at the age of 73 after a prolonged illness, Indian media has reported.
The confirmation of the death of the iconic singer, known for ghazals like ‘Chithi Aayi Hai’ and ‘Chandi Jaisa Rang’ came through his daughter, Nayab Udhas, in an Instagram post.
The singer had been unwell since the past few days and was admitted to Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital for treatment.
The newly-elected Chief Minister (CM) of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz, took the oath of office after being elected as the first female chief executive of the province.
The ceremony took place at Punjab Governor House in Lahore, where Governor Punjab Baligh Ur Rehman administered the oath.
Maryam’s father, Nawaz Sharif and uncle Shehbaz Sharif, both former Prime Ministers, were present on the occasion.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Maryam Nawaz on Monday was elected as Punjab’s chief minister amid a boycott by the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) of the polls.
Maryam, who has become the first-ever female chief minister in Pakistan’s history, won the election after receiving the backing of 220 MPAs in the provincial assembly.
In a video, currently viral on social media, Uzma Kardar, who recently joined PMLN, can be seen hugging Maryam Nawaz to congratulate her and Maryam pushes her off. Social media users seem to think that this was a “rude” gesture.
https://twitter.com/_faridkhan/status/1762064751650099553?
In June 2020, then-member of the Punjab Assembly (MPA), Uzma Kardar was officially removed from her positions on the Media Strategy Committee and as a spokesperson for the provincial government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
This action followed the online leak of a purported audio leak where Kardar made controversial remarks regarding former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, alleging her possession of spiritual powers such as controlling jinns and exerting significant influence over affairs at Imran Khan’s residence in Bani Gala.
Former PTI MPA Uzma Kardar joined the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) in January 2023 after meeting with its senior vice president Maryam Nawaz.
Read more: Maryam puts women first in first speech as Chief Minister
Pakistan’s senior actress Saba Faisal has revealed that many young men have offered her marriage through messages.
The actress recently appeared as a guest on a show where the host asked her, “Have you ever encountered a fanatical fan who is absolutely crazy? Affected by you to the point of insanity or harassing you with messages etc?”
In response, Saba said, “Maybe the fans think that I am very bored but the fact is that this has never happened to me,” but, she also said, “the messages keep coming.”
“Recently a 22-year-old boy sent me a message that if you give me a green signal even at this age, then I am ready to leave everything for you, if you say yes, then I will immediately come and hold your hand.” To which I told him that you will ask my 9-year-old grandson for my hand in marriage.”
Saba Faisal then showed the message to her husband. “I have been married for 40 years but Masha Allah my husband still expresses love to me through long messages because I am in Lahore more due to work.” She continued, “In response to their messages I call them and say thank you Faisal, we are far away, so this love is established,” to which they complain, “that I never respond to them in a romantic way.”
Bollywood thespian Nawazuddin Siddiqui is loved in both India and Pakistan. Playing a reporter Chand Nawab in ‘Bajrangi Bhaijan’ made him popular on both sides of the border. He recently spoke with DW Urdu about his journey in the entertainment industry.
Talking about his role as ‘Chand Nawab’, he said that he practiced the lines the character had to say 100 times and then completed shooting the scene in one take.
During the interview, he told Pakistani journalist Chand Nawab to avoid repeating mistakes so we can enjoy ourselves.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui has become an admirer of Pakistani artists, acknowledging that Pakistani dramas have really good writing, and their actors are also very talented.
Pakistan cricket team’s right-arm fast bowler Hassan Ali announced the birth of his second child on social media.
Hassan Ali wrote on ‘X’, “We are pleased to share that Alhamdulillah we have been blessed with a baby girl earlier this morning. Both mother and daughter are healthy. We request you all to remember us in your prayers.”
We are pleased to share that Alhumdulilah we have been blessed with a baby girl earlier this morning. Both mother and daughter are healthy. We request you all to remember us in your prayers pic.twitter.com/Guf7pIMX5H
— Hassan Ali (@RealHa55an) February 26, 2024
In August 2019, the right-arm pacer tied the knot with Indian national Samiya Arzoo. On April 6 2019 Hassan announced the birth of his first child.
Actress Nadia Khan often shares videos on her YouTube channel about her daily life. Recently, she posted a vlog about actress Arisha Razi’s wedding. However, comments on the vlog criticized Arisha for dancing at her own wedding, with some users questioning her choice, given her background as a child star in the Pakistani showbiz industry.
Nadia Khan was NOT happy with the trolls.
She warned her followers on Instagram that she’ll block anyone who posts negative comments on her photos or videos. “When I shared Arisha’s wedding video, some comments really upset me. It was her wedding; she can dance if she likes.” Nadia reminded viewers that her channel is only for positive people. “If you disrespect others, you’ll be blocked,” the Queen said.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Maryam Nawaz on Monday was elected as Punjab’s chief minister amid a boycott by the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) of the polls.
Maryam, who has become the first-ever female chief minister in Pakistan’s history, won the election after receiving the backing of 220 MPAs in the provincial assembly.
After announcing the result, the speaker invited CM-elect Maryam Nawaz to come to the seat of the leader of the House.
She started her speech by congratulating the newly-elected speaker and deputy speaker.
“I wanted the opposition to be present in this democratic process,” said Maryam, extending an olive branch to the opposition in her maiden speech. She also thanked her party lawmakers, allied parties Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Istehkam-e-Pakistan (IPP) members for voting in her favour.
“This is the honour of every mother, sister and daughter that a woman has been elected as the CM and I pray that the process continues and more women take my place as the leader of the house,” she expressed.
“I neither have a feeling of revenge or vengeance and my journey includes my arrest, my father’s arrest, my mother’s passing away,” she said.
The Punjab CM-elect further thanked the opposition for making her “pass through” all the “ordeal” which helped her reach in the province’s top office.
“On this occasion, I thank my late mother too as she knowingly and unknowingly trained me for this day. She is still present with me, her prayers and best wishes. She taught me how to face trials,” said Maryam.
“I am thankful that you have made me occupy the seat from where a visionary leader like Nawaz started his career [and] who later made Pakistan invincible with nuclear technology,” said the newly-elected chief minister.
She said that the senior PML-N leaders including Nawaz and Shehbaz Sharif were her mentors. “I consider this office as a big responsibility on my shoulders,” she added.
She also hoped to rise above the political polarisation to serve Punjab, assuring that she will resolve the issues of her opponents’ constituencies regardless of their party affiliation.
In her victory speech, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz paid tribute to her father who, she said, “handheld” her from the general elections till the position she was in today.
“From the day I was nominated as Punjab CM, Nawaz Sharif chalked out a five-year plan for the province and gave me valuable advice every day,” she said.
“I want to take this moment and tell the youth that you should respect your parents […] because the prayer of our parents takes us to the position where we never envisioned to be,” Maryam added.
She also vowed to take forward the legacy of the PML-N.
“I was born in an affluent household but the difficulties I have faced, I got a chance to hold direct interaction with the common people and I am aware of their problems […] I know the expectations they have from the government.
“Therefore, from today onwards, after the oath, I will go to my office and begin the implementation of my manifesto,” she said.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has announced a Ramazan relief package, Nigheban, for the province.
She said it includes essentials worth Rs6.5 million – Rs7 million which would be distributed to the public in packages during Ramazan. “The package will be delivered to their doorstep.”
Maryam added that market places providing essential items at subsidised rates will also be set up.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has said that she has plans to transform Punjab into an “economic hub” by creating an enabling environment for businessmen.
In her victory speech, she said the government’s job was to create policies rather than conduct business, adding that she had plans to enhance public-private partnership.
She added that “incentives were necessary” for the private sector in order to foster economic stability.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has said that free medicines will be provided at every government hospital across the province from today onwards.
She also vowed to build one state-of-the-art hospital in every city of Punjab, which will include specialised departments.
Maryam also stated that Punjab’s first air ambulance will be announced within the next 12 weeks to improve healthcare for the people living in mountainous and hilly areas.
She said that a afety of women in the province was her first priority. “Therefore, I am announcing a dedicated helpline for women,” she said.
She said women would also be provided proper facilities, including separate washrooms and daycare centres, at workplaces.
“Harassing any woman is Maryam Nawaz’s red line,” she affirmed.
CM Maryam also lauded Gulber Circle ASP Shehr Bano for protecting the life of a teenage girl wearing a dress with Arabic calligraphy printed on it from an attack by a charged mob in Lahore yesterday.
Another air hostess of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) allegedly went missing while on duty in Canada.
The incident came to light when Maryam Raza, assigned to flight PK 782 from Pakistan to Toronto, failed to report for duty on the return flight, PK 784 from Toronto to Karachi.
Upon investigation, a note expressing gratitude to PIA was discovered alongside her uniform hanging in her room. “Thank you, PIA”, she wrote, reports Samaa News.
This marks the third reported case this year of PIA flight attendants allegedly ‘slipping’ while on duty, with two of them being women.
Despite measures such as collecting passports of flight attendants assigned to Toronto flights to prevent such incidents, the effectiveness of these policies has come under scrutiny.
Experts cite low pay and a lack of job security within the national airline as the primary reasons behind these alleged instances of slippage but above all it maligns the image of the country on an international level.
Read more here: Two PIA flight attendants go missing in Canada
An old interview of former Indian tennis player Sania Mirza has appeared online with host Kamiya Jani, where she discussed her marriage with Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik. The pair are now divorced and Malik has gone on to marry again.
The interview, which took place in October 2022, sheds light on Sania’s experiences visiting Pakistan and the cultural dynamics of marrying someone from across the border.
“We go there actually once a year because Shoaib’s family still lives there and obviously Izhan goes to meet them, and you know we do meet them every year, once a year, and they come here once a year,” Mirza said about visiting Pakistan.
Discussing the differences and similarities between India and it’s neighbour, Sania acknowledged both aspects. Drawing on her South Indian background, she admitted feeling a cultural difference but highlighted the resemblance between Lahore and Delhi, saying, “If I was from Delhi, I wouldn’t feel that much of a culture shock. Because Lahore is a lot similar to Delhi. The way they speak, the way they eat, the things they eat, you know, all that kind of… Culturally, they’re just Punjabis, right? So it’s a little more similar.”
Despite the similarities, she noted, “But they are different in some ways also. You can tell, I mean, at least I can tell when there is a Pakistani speaking or an Indian person speaking…to another person, they might not be able to tell but I can tell the differences.”
In a surprising development, Shoaib announced his third marriage to Pakistani actor Sana Javed, leading to the revelation of his split with Sania. The newlyweds shared joyous pictures from their wedding ceremony on social media.
Shortly after, Indian news outlet PTI confirmed that Sania and Shoaib had divorced. Sania’s father Imran Mirza disclosed to PTI that Sania took a khula from Shoaib, officially confirming the end of their relationship. Taking to Instagram, Imran addressed speculation about his daughter’s marriage, emphasizing the need for privacy and confirming their divorce.