Author: newsdesk

  • Why was Bobby Deol’s character a Muslim in ‘Animal’?

    Why was Bobby Deol’s character a Muslim in ‘Animal’?

    Bobby Deol plays the role of a Muslim villain, Abrar Haque, in the recently released Bollywood film Animal.
    Deol has said that he didn’t think of his character as a villain but as someone with childhood trauma.
    Abrar, the negative character, is the cousin of the film’s protagonist Ranujay Singh (Ranbir Kapoor).

    Sandeep Reddy Wanga was asked in a recent interview why Abrar (Bobby Deol) belongs to a Sikh family but he himself is a Muslim.

    “I have seen that in life when people are completely disappointed, they go to a church, a mosque or a sage who helps such distressed people.” In order to get rid of the problem, they give tawzee or suggested to change the name, he said.
    “I have even seen people convert to religion in such desperate situations to completely change their identity. We have seen many people convert to Islam and Christianity but we have never seen anyone convert to Hinduism. So, I thought I should show this fact in my film because a Muslim man can marry more than once so he can have more children so I can show a lot of cousins in my movie story.”

    Sandeep stressed, “That’s the only reason I cast Abrar (Bobby Deol), a character from a Sikh family, as a Muslim in my film.”
    He clarified that he did not do this to make Muslims look bad.

  • ‘Wakhri’ has the best music lineup of any Pakistani movie in a long time

    ‘Wakhri’ has the best music lineup of any Pakistani movie in a long time

    Pakistan’s upcoming film ‘Wakhri’ is gearing up for a nationwide release on January 4, with director, Iram Parveen Bilal, promising a fantastic music album. Renowned music producer Abdullah Siddiqui has curated an impressive collection of tracks featuring prominent female singers from today’s music scene.

    Abdullah Siddiqui took to his Instagram to share the news, announcing a multi-artist album: “I produced four new tracks for Wakhri, the new film by the wonderful Iram Parveen Bilal and they’re out now. They’re performed by the insane lineup of Meesha Shafi, Ali Sethi, Eva B, Natasha Noorani, and RFB.”

    Siddiqui expressed joy in creating the soundscape for the vibrant world of the film, calling the songs both enjoyable and significant. He listed the tracks included in the album, featuring Eva B’s ‘Baaghi’, Meesha Shafi’s ‘You Don’t Give a Haqq’, Natasha Noorani’s ‘Matlabi (Wakhri version), and Risham Faiz Bhutta and Ali Sethi’s ‘Wakhri Dhamaal.’
    Reacting to Siddiqui’s post, director Iram said in the replies, “We are so honoured and I can’t wait to watch you soar even higher!” followed by a series of heart emojis.
    The film, based on the life of Pakistan’s social media sensation Qandeel Baloch, recently celebrated a significant milestone with its worldwide premiere at the Red Sea Film Fest in Jeddah.

    Head of International Programming, Kaleem Aftab, praised “Wakhri” for changing the narrative on a specific incident in Pakistan, while also bringing up Zarrar Kahn’s horror film, ‘In Flames’ as Pakistan’s international Oscar contender, adding diversity to the lineup.

  • PCB to revise rules and regulations regarding player’s agents

    PCB to revise rules and regulations regarding player’s agents

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced plans to revise its rules on player agents, which state that each agent can represent a maximum of two to three players as corporate clients. The decision marks a significant change in player-agent relationships within Pakistan cricket.

    The new rules prevent agents from potentially engaging players in unethical activities such as match-fixing. However, progress on the review has been slow in part due to resistance from players and some PCB officials, who are hesitant to take action as current chairman Zaka Ashraf nears the end of his tenure.

    The PCB is also looking into the issue of player agents after it found that eight national team players were represented by a single agent, Talha Rehmani of Saya Corporation.

    Meanwhile, the company also had former chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq as a director, raising concerns about conflict of interest. As a result, Inzamam resigned from his post in October during the ODI World Cup.

  • Gold prices in Pakistan see weekend dip, reflecting global trend

    Gold prices in Pakistan see weekend dip, reflecting global trend

    On Saturday, gold prices in Pakistan experienced a decline, aligning with the global trend.

    The cost of one tola of gold in domestic market dropped by Rs500, settling at Rs219,300. 

    Similarly, the 10-gramme gold rate decreased by Rs429, reaching Rs188,014, as reported by the All Pakistan Gems and Jewellers Sarafa Association (APGJSA).

    Contrastingly, the previous day witnessed a surge in gold prices by Rs1,800, concluding at Rs219,800 per tola in Pakistan. 

    The international gold rate, despite a $2 decrease, stood at $2,072 per ounce, maintaining a $20 premium, as indicated by APGJSA.

    In the midst of these fluctuations, silver rates remained unchanged at Rs2,650 per tola.

  • KMC admits traffic engineering department is dysfunctional

    KMC admits traffic engineering department is dysfunctional

    The Sindh High Court (SHC) has ordered that strict action be taken against those who run illegal charged parking in other places in Karachi.

    While hearing a petition against illegal parking in the Court, DIG Traffic submitted a report which was then made part of the record as well.

    In the report, the court was informed that charged parking lots have been constructed on 46 roads of Karachi.

    The court ordered that a case should be registered if parking lots are made anywhere other than the charged ones.

    During the hearing, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) admitted that the traffic engineering department is dysfunctional, reports Geo News.

    The traffic engineering department plays a key role in traffic matters.

    The court adjourned the hearing by directing the Secretary of Local Government to implement court orders.

  • Aymen Saleem’s wedding photos are absolutely gorgeous

    Wedding season continues in Pakistan with one mega event upon the other. Pakistani actress Aymen Saleem and Kamran Malik have tied the knot in a dreamy ceremony.
    As snaps and reels from the big day went viral, fans and netizens extended warm wishes to the Chupke Chupke star.

    Aymen, the daughter of former national cricket team player Saleem Yousaf, shared pictures with her husband, the two looking madly in love.

    Aymen was seen in a gold and light pink wedding ensemble while her husband opted for a pink waistcoat with a white shalwar kameez. The actress wrote in the caption, “Here are my forever, Alhamdulillah”.

    Aymen got married yesterday in the presence of her close relatives and friends.

    According to Khawar Bedi, the name of Aymen Saleem’s spouse is Kamran Malik, but he did not provide further details about him.

  • Watch: Yumna Zaidi shows off the coolest moves at a family wedding

    Watch: Yumna Zaidi shows off the coolest moves at a family wedding

    Pakistan’s favourite actress, Yumna Zaidi, has a hidden talent: the girl can dance up a storm. A video of Zaidi dancing in a native style on a song from her debut film ‘Nayab’ has gone viral on social media.

    Yumna Zaidi shared the clip on Instagram where she can be seen wearing a red traditional oriental dress at a wedding ceremony.

    In the caption she wrote that this is her new favorite desi dance number from her upcoming film ‘Nayab’.

    The official poster of Yamuna Zaidi’s debut film ‘Nayab’ has been released. The film, directed by Umair Nisar Ali, sees the actress playing the role of a cricketer.

  • ‘Virtual Prison Meetings’ coming to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa

    ‘Virtual Prison Meetings’ coming to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa

    In a historic move, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government has introduced a virtual system in prisons to facilitate inmates’ meetings with their family members.

    It has also unveiled a transformative digital governance initiative, shifting the entire arms licensing system to an online platform.

    The groundbreaking initiative was announced during a comprehensive progress review meeting for the “Khushhal Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa” program, where Caretaker Chief Minister Justice (retired) Syed Arshad Hussain Shah presided over the session.

    The meeting brought together key figures, including concerned provincial ministers, the chief secretary, administrative secretaries of relevant departments, divisional commissioners, and deputy commissioners attending via video link. The primary focus of the meeting was to assess the progress of various initiatives under the “Khushhal Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa” program.

    Significant headway has been made in the digitization process of manual mutations, resulting in a notable decrease from 813 to 386 cases in recent weeks.

    The statement released on X (former Twitter) also added, “The CM emphasized the program’s vital role in public welfare, urging a collective effort for its full implementation. He stressed the need for a comprehensive approach against issues like encroachments, drugs, adulteration, corruption, and illegal activities. Addressing concerns about revenue matters, he directed swift resolution of cases, emphasizing personal responsibility for officers.”

    One of the major highlights of this digital transformation is the transition of the entire arm licensing system to an online platform. This move is expected to streamline and modernize the licensing process, bringing it into the digital era.

    Simultaneously, the innovative approach of virtual systems in prisons to facilitate inmates’ meetings with their family members aims to enhance communication and connection between inmates and their loved ones, contributing to their overall well-being.

  • PMLN aur IPP ka breakup ho gaya?

    PMLN aur IPP ka breakup ho gaya?

    Discussions between the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) and the Istehkam Pakistan Party (IPP) about a potential electoral alliance have hit a roadblock.

    PML-N is hesitant to forge partnerships on a significant number of its seats, sources cited by The News have said.

    As per sources, PML-N is not ready to make adjustments on the seats where its top leaders will contest elections.

    Sources also disclosed that the party is cautious about entering into alliances on numerous other seats.

    IPP reportedly proposed adjustments on 50 provincial assembly seats and 26 National Assembly seats during talks between the two parties. However, negotiations have failed to yield any substantial breakthrough, leading to a standstill in the alliance talks.

    Maryam Nawaz and Aleem Khan will face each other in the election for NA-119 (Lahore-III), sources said. NA-119 is a stronghold of the PML-N as it won the seat back-to-back in 2013 and 2018 elections.

    To explore potential alliances, the PML-N is reportedly considering an electoral partnership on NA-117 (Lahore-I) for Abdul Aleem Khan and contemplating NA-127 for Aun Chaudhry. It can also go for an alliance on the Lodhran seat for Jahangir Tareen.

    Meanwhile, complications have also arisen in Karachi as the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) is reportedly hesitant to concede the NA-242 seat to PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif. In response, Shehbaz Sharif is anticipated to visit Karachi for crucial talks with MQM leaders, addressing this matter and other pertinent issues.

  • Climate activist Greta Thunberg commends Baloch protestors; Islamabad police gets trolled in replies

    Climate activist Greta Thunberg commends Baloch protestors; Islamabad police gets trolled in replies

    Climate activist Greta Thunberg has expressed solidarity with Baloch Protestors who had to face police brutality on Wednesday night after marching to Islamabad.

    Taking to X, Thunberg tagged the female leader of the march Mehrang Baloch, and condemned Islamabad Police for detaining, torturing, and disrupting peaceful protestors. “Climate justice activists all over the world stand in solidarity with Mehrang Baloch and other peaceful protesters who have been detained, tortured and disrupted by Islamabad police for protesting against human rights abuses in Balochistan.”

    Islamabad Police is being slammed for using baton charges, water cannons, and arrests to deter the protestors. However, the response by the police under Greta’s post enraged many.

    The official handle of the police stated, “There is no evidence of any injured persons at all.”

    To this people started sharing the pictures and videos of police assaulting the protestors as proof.

    A user responded sarcastically, “Dear Islamabad Police, Greta doesn’t watch Pakistani TV channels.”

    Baloch protesters are on roads demanding the release of all “missing persons” and an end to “extrajudicial killings” in Balochistan under the leadership of activist Dr Mahrang Baloch and Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC).