Actor Ali Rehman Khan is currently playing the role of a transgender woman in the Express Entertainment drama ‘Guru’. The drama is facing intense backlash from social media users, especially transgender activists like Shahzadi Rai, who condemned the limited spaces allowed to members of the transgender community within the entertainment industry to be able to tell their own stories.
Speaking to The Current, the activist expressed her dismay at how cis men were constantly taking up roles about people belonging to the third gender, and used the incorrect term used to describe the community like ‘intersex’.
“People who do not want to declare themselves as intersex, why are you pushing the label on them? And roles that are about the third gender, you should give them to people who identify under it. A man’s role would be played by a man, while a woman’s role would be played by a woman.”
Several social media users also pointed out that films like ‘Joyland’ which starred transgender actress Alina Khan were met with intense backlash and banned in the country, but it was dramas like ‘Guru’ which were not met with the same scrutiny since members of the transgender community aren’t involved in production.
2) This is hypocrisy. When Joyland featured an actual khwajasira person, the entire country is up in arms. But we seem to be totally okay with basing our movies and shows on their lives as long as we’re not actually giving them opportunities in the process.
Speaking to BBC Urdu, the actor has come forward to address these allegations, saying that despite the studio’s best efforts, they couldn’t find transgender actors to take on the role, and encouraged more members of the community to come into the field.
“We were planning that one or two of the chelas in the show should be members of the transgender community. But we did a lot of auditions and couldn’t find any actors. And with a huge production there is a lot at stake, since you have to shoot for 40-50 days. You can’t just rely on one actor: you have to have a cohesive list.”
The actor went on to express his desire to see more transgender people coming into acting, who can play these kinds of roles even more efficiently than he has.
The actor also elaborated on how he had prepared for the leading role, revealing the process involved. He spoke with members of the transgender community, along with watching documentaries and movies related to the topic.
Shortly after introducing support for high-definition photos, Meta’s messaging app, WhatsApp, has now incorporated the capability for users to send videos in high-definition resolution as well. This enhancement has been made available to both iOS and Android users.
Much like the previously launched high-definition photos feature, the inclusion of high-definition videos empowers users with the option to share videos in superior quality through WhatsApp.
Prior to this update, videos of high-definition quality would undergo compression, limiting them to 480p resolution. With the recent update, users are now afforded the choice to transmit videos in high-definition, although this is restricted to a maximum resolution of 720p.
The process for sharing high-definition videos mirrors that of sharing high-definition photos. Upon selecting the desired video or videos for sharing, users will encounter a newly integrated HD button positioned atop the screen. Subsequently, a dialogue box will emerge, affording the user the decision to opt for Standard Quality or HD Quality. This dialogue box also provides insight into the associated file sizes. The sharing procedure is then finalized by selecting the “send” option, consistent with standard sharing practices.
It is noteworthy that all images and videos exchanged on WhatsApp remain safeguarded through the company’s robust end-to-end encryption protocols.
According to Meta, this feature is currently being rolled out, indicating that users who have yet to access it will likely do so in the coming days.
New cases of dengue are being reported across Punjab. In Lahore alone, 18 confirmed cases have been reported in the past 24 hours while 83 confirmed cases were reported in less than a week.
According to Dunya News, more than 30,000 dengue hotspots were found in the city by the government officials. Doctors are advising people to strictly follow standard operating procedures (SOPs).
Similarly, dengue cases in Rawalpindi crossed 100 last week with at least 13 more patients diagnosed in the last 24 hours while 63 FIRs registered, 18 tickets issued, and 28 premises were sealed.
District Coordinator Epidemics Prevention and Control Dr Sajjad Mehmood said the Rawalpindi administration registered as many as 1,802 FIRs on violations of anti-dengue SOPs from January 1 to date in various areas of the district.
The Express Tribune has reported that the district administration, in collaboration with allied departments, had sealed 438 premises, issued tickets to 646 and a fine of Rs31,33,000 was imposed on violations of dengue SOPs in 2023.
On August 23, Business Recorder reported that up till now, since January 1, 2023, a total of 678 confirmed dengue cases had been recorded in all the 36 districts of Punjab but fortunately there have been no deaths.
Punjab Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Dr Jamal Nasir has stated that on directions of caretaker Chief Minister Punjab Mohsin Naqvi, special dengue centres have been established in district and tehsil headquarters hospitals, which will provide free treatment to dengue patients.
Dr Nasir has also claimed that larva monitoring has been increased throughout Punjab and strict legal action will be taken against the violators.
Star javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem made history on Sunday when he became the first Pakistani to win the first-ever silver medal for his country at the World Athletics Championship in Budapest, Hungary with his best 87.82-meter throw.
India’s Neeraj Chopra was able to secure the gold medal with his best throw of 88.17 meters.
Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq Kakar took to X (former Twitter) and congratulated Arshad Nadeem as he became the first Pakistani to win a medal at the World Athletics Championship.
What a day! What a moment of joy for @ArshadOlympian1 You’ve made the nation happy and proud for your excellent sportsmanship that won you—and the country—a silver medal at the World Athletics championship pic.twitter.com/ed6Ty2zscZ
It was the Nadeem’s third throw that was the biggest breakthrough as it reached as far as 87.82 meters — his season’s best.
Arshad Nadeem celebrated his win by stating, “What a day! Tiring yet rewarding. Like to thank Allah for this giving me the ability to go this far. This was the first time in the history of Pakistan that any Pakistani athlete won a medal at the World athletics championships.”
What a day! Tiring yet rewarding. Like to thank Allah for this giving me the ability to go this far. This was the first time in the history of Pakistan that any Pakistani athlete won a medal at the World athletics championships pic.twitter.com/DaZDeRNyq7
Hassan Cheema, selection committee secretary and manager analytics and team strategy for the national cricket team men’s side, said: “Grew up watching Diamond Leagues & World Championships on Super Sports without ever expecting to see a Pakistani face in it ever. Today we’ve got a medal!! ”
Grew up watching Diamond Leagues & World Championships on Super Sports without ever expecting to see a Pakistani face in it ever. Today we’ve got a medal!! What an extraordinary athlete. #ArshadNadeem
Geetika Srivastava will be the first-ever female chargé d’affaires (an ambassador’s deputy) appointed by the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, reports The News.
She was appointed soon after the designation of the United Kingdom’s first female high commissioner to Pakistan.
Following the friction in the bilateral relations between Pakistan and India in 2019, no full-time high commissioner has been posted in Islamabad or New Delhi, and instead, junior diplomats are posted as chargé d’affaires.
The last Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad, Ajay Bisaria, was removed in 2019 after Pakistan decided to downgrade diplomatic ties over India’s revocation of the special status of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
Some of the qualified Indian high commissioners serving in Islamabad departed and were promoted as foreign secretaries in India.
Who is Geetika Srivastava?
Geetika Srivastava is from the 2005 batch of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS).
She speaks Chinese (Mandarin) fluently and has previously been appointed in China for an assignment. Originally from Uttar Pradesh, she has also served as Regional Passport Officer in Kolkata and Director in the IOR Division of the Ministry of External Affairs.
She is currently a Joint Secretary in charge of the Indo-Pacific Division in the Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi. The Indo-Pacific Division of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) looks after India’s multilateral diplomacy with ASEAN, IORA, FIPIC, and other entities in the Indo-Pacific region.
Four suspects in the 10-year-old Fatima case have been rearrested after a short release on Sunday.
The suspects included SHO Ameer Chang; two doctors Dr. Fateh Memon and Dr. Ali Hasan Wasan and hospital worker Imtiaz Meerasi.
According to Investigation Officer, Qazi Bachal, they were released on evidence of their innocence. However, they are still under investigation.
The four were accused of concealing facts, concealing crime and neglect of duties.
Samaa news reports that no suspect was produced in court and that they were free without any investigation allegedly due to political pressure.
Additionally, on Saturday, Judicial Magistrate Khairpur extended the physical remand of Pir Asad Shah, the main suspect in the Fatima murder case, by three days.
Previously
Pir Asad Shah, the main suspect in the Fatima murder case at Ranipur Haveli in Khairpur, was being facilitated by a local SHO of police to remain in contact with his mureeds [followers], geo.tv has reported.
Earlier, DIG Sukkur Javed Jaskani had said in a conversation with Geo News that the police will not accommodate any pressure in the case.
The seven days long bail period of Hina Shah, another suspect in the case, has also ended.
Pir Asad Shah is the main suspect in the killing of 10-year-old Fatima who was found dead at the Haveli. The child, who was working as a domestic servant at the Haveli, was hastily buried. However, subsequent exhumation and autopsy revealed that Fatima had multiple injuries over her body, and had been raped vaginally and anally.
More cases linked to Ranipur Haveli
Recently, National Commission for Human Rights tweeted that four children, along with their mothers, have been rescued from Ranipur Haveli in Khairpur, where they had been working.
However, more troubling details emerged from the Haveli where 10-year-old Fatima was previously found dead.
A 20-year-old girl named Sana has reportedly gone missing from the Haveli.
She was a resident of Meena village in Qamber. According to Geo, Sana’s father Deedar Gurhmani said that he sent his daughter to the haveli of Pir of Ranipur Syed Sohail Ahmed Shah, one and a half years ago, “for trust and protection until his problems were resolved”.
It was about a month ago that Shah called him to tell that Sana had disappeared. When Gurhmani tried to get more details, Sohail told him off.
While the family still does not know about her whereabouts, the parents claim that the police have still not lodged a complaint regarding the girl’s disappearance despite their insistence.
They also appealed to higher authorities to help find their daughter.
Sindh caretaker Chief Minister Justice (retired) Maqbool Baqar has taken notice of the incident and has directed the Sukkur divisional commissioner and DIG to ensure the safe recovery of the missing girl.
Previously, Fatima’s mother stated that her daughter had been burned with hot iron, had her hair pulled out, and was also sexually assaulted.
As reported by Samaa news, Fatima’s mother has claimed that hundreds of teenage girls are held as maids by the Pir’s family. These girls are the daughters of mureeds, each of whom is supposed to send one girl to ‘serve’ the Pir. They are kept as domestic workers and can meet with their families only if the mureed allows it.
According to a representative of Khairpur Civil Society (KCS), “There are mureeds who willingly entrust their children to Pirs as they view it as an honour,” while others are financially unstable and give their children at the Pir’s service so that they have shelter and food.
The representative, however, says that not all Pirs are like this, “there are good and bad people everywhere”.
However, social activist and a member at Sindh Human Rights Commission, Dr. Aisha Hassan Dharejo, tweeted the account of two more girls working at the haveli. They, too, have been subjected to torture and sexual abuse.
SP Mir Rohal Khoso responded to the tweets saying that their statements have been recorded “so that the element of torture in this particular case may be evident and the case be stronger, to ensure conviction”.
یہ دوں لڑکیاں بھی اُسی حویلی کے وکٹم ہیں جہاں سے فاطمہ کا لاش گھر پہنچا تھا ان کے ظلم کے داستاں سُنیں ،یہ حویلیاں جہاں بچوں سے جبری کام لیا جاتا ہے جہاں پر عورتوں اور بچیوں کو جنسی طور پر حراساں کیا جاتا ہیں جہاں پر بچیوں کو تشدد کا نشانا بنایا جاتا ہے @khalidkoree@NJLahoripic.twitter.com/WhE7kMWqWr
10-year-old child named Fatima Phuriro has been found dead under suspicious circumstances in Ranipur city, District Khairpur.
The child had been working as a domestic worker at a haveli owned by an influential local, Pir Asad Shah Jilani.
Fatima’s mother, Shabana, was informed about the death by the employer who asked her to remove the body from the premises where two of Fatima’s sisters are also employed.
According to DIG Sukkur Javed Jiskani, the parents initially did not share the facts of the case with the police and claimed that the girl was suffering from gastroenteritis. While her diagnosis was also confirmed by Dr Abdul Fatah Memon who treated her, the DIG revealed that Fatima was taken to the hospital either by the Pir or his staff and that the SHO was present at the time she was pronounced dead.
It was not until videos of torture were leaked by an unknown source and circulated in social media that the case caught media’s eye. By then, the family had buried Fatima on August 15.
As per police sources, CCTV footage from the house’s bedroom also revealed Fatima in a troubling state. In the video, the child can be seen lying on the ground. She tries to get up, then gets agitated, before collapsing. A woman later enters the room with another minor maid. They both try to wake the girl up. When they fail to do so, a man gets up from the bed and tries to shake her awake.
Journalist Riyaz Sohail claimsedthat the police had been trying to coerce the relatives to remain silent about the incident.
DSP Qudoos Kalwar met Fatima’s parents and reported the seriousness of the case to the DIG and demanded exhumation of the body. After being taken into confidence, Shabana revealed details to the SSP Khairpur district Rohail Khoso. “The parents were told that if they didn’t disclose facts, police will take action on their own, and they will go for exhumation and lodge a case,” the DIG said.
Moreover, according to Dawn.com, Sindh Director General Health Dr Irshad Memon believes that the doctors’ reports about her examination needed to be verified.
The SSP ordered to conduct a DNA test in case of apprehension of rape.
“My daughter had a fractured arm. She had bruises and some marks — apparently of torture — were there on her body, especially around her neck and belly.”, described Shabana.
According to Geo reports, Shabana claimed that Fatima was subjected to torture for several days and that she died as a result of multiple injuries.
DIG Sukkur formed a team headed by an SSP, and ordered an investigation into the matter. He also ordered to that the body of the child be exhumed to verify the allegations of torture. The investigation team also includes DSP Counterterrorism Department Sukkur Abdul Qudoos Kalwar and ASP Gambat, Noman Siddiqui.
The DIG also suspended SHO Ranipur Ameer Chang.
Furthermore, the police arrested Pir Asad following the registration of an FIR under Sections 302 (qatl-i-amd; premeditated murder) and 34 ( acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the PPC on the Shabana’s complaint.
Asad has denied all charges and said that his family’s name is being tainted. He says that Fatima’s death was caused by a stomach ailment.
As Fatima Phuriro’s case came to the fore, rumours circulated that the alleged murderer, Pir Asad Shah Jilani, is the son-in-law of PPP vice chairman, Syed Fayyaz Shah.
Bakhtawar Bhutto dismissed these rumours while condemning the murder in her latest tweet.
For sheer political hatred people are projecting blame away from the demented perpetrator (who personally speaking should be burnt alive for his sins) & instead deflect to somehow blame PPP – the only party that has actually legislated against both child labour & child marriage. https://t.co/LXVoX3LDTZ
Qazi Asif, a Sindh based senior journalist, has on Sunday shared the autopsy report of 10-year-old Fatima who was found dead in suspicious circumstances at the haveli of a pir in Ranipur. Viral footage filmed most likely on CCTV cameras inside one of the bedrooms in the house showed the child collapsing on the ground, after rising up in a distressed state from a makeshift bed on the ground.
A man, purportedly Pir Asad Shah Jelani, a member of the notable Pirs of Ranipur, can allegedly be seen in the video, rising from bed and trying to wake the girl up.
The post mortem examination has confirmed her parents’ fears, revealing that the 10-year-old domestic worker was raped both vaginally and anally. The report also pointed out multiple injuries all over her body.
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) senior leader Khursheed Shah said on Sunday that the health of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif is not good, and he doesn’t think that Nawaz Sharif is coming to Pakistan in October, Geo News has reported.
Nawaz went to London in November 2019 for medical treatment, and has been living there since then.
Khursheed Shah said that Nawaz Sharif has no plan to return to the country soon, as his health cab deteriorate at the last moment. It seemed that he was being sarcastic about Sharif.
Earlier, former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that his elder brother, Nawaz Sharif, will return to Pakistan next month and face the law. It will be a major development if Nawaz Sharif comes back, as the upcoming elections are going to be held very soon.
According to Dawn.com, Lahore is experiencing a severe shortage of life-saving medicines with more than 120 drugs unavailable at the local pharmacies and medical stores. The shortage has resulted in stress among patients and attendants.
These include medicines like Glucophage (for diabetics) that are prescribed at a large scale. In fact, an alternative to Glucophage for type 2 diabetes to control sugar levels, is also in short supply in local stores.
Others include blood thinning medicines used by cardiac patients; Hepa-Merz used as a supportive therapy for liver diseases like jaundice, hepatitis (infection of the liver), hepatic cirrhosis (scarring/fibrosis of the liver).
According to medical practitioners, medicines for diarrhea treatment are also in short supply even though the demand is high following rain spells. Severe stomach-related ailments can lead to complications and even death.
Moreover, as per medical practitioners, widely-used drugs prescribed to children and adults for coughs are being sold in the black market and that pharmacy owners are hoarding commonly used medicines like Pyodine and Polyfax skin ointment etc to earn unjustified profits.
Pharmaceutical companies are also struggling with drug manufacturing and supplying them against the approved rates due to the frequent dollar rate hike. This has also resulted in increased prices of raw material being imported from other countries.
Additionally, medicines for Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, and gynae-related complications are also short.
Human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari has been arrested by the Bara Kahu police Islamabad outside Adiala Jail after getting bail from ATC this morning. According to her lawyer, no new FIR or arrest warrant has been shared with them.
What a disgrace! As you all know by now, @ImaanZHazir has been rearrested on terrorism charges by the @ICT_Police from outside Adhilya Jail. Bara Kahu police has taken custody of Imaan & have refused to share any FIR with us nor have they shared any arrest warrants with us. pic.twitter.com/vAZ6j3Tfca
— Barrister Ahsan J. Pirzada (@AhsanJPirzada) August 28, 2023
On Monday morning, an Islamabad Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) has granted bail to human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) leader Ali Wazir in a sedition case related to controversial speeches allegedly made against state institutions at PTM’s public rally.
The two were arrested on August 20 and sent on physical remand after they were accused of delivering a controversial speech. ATC Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain heard the plea and approved post-arrest bail of Imaan and Wazir against surety bonds of Rs30,000 each.
On August 19, two first information reports (FIR) were registered against Imaan and Wazir at the Tarnol police station and Counter-Terrorism Department police station. Both were booked on the charges of sedition, preventing government officials from carrying out their duties and damaging public property.
The cases so far
Two first information reports (FIR) have been registered against Wazir and Imaan.
The first FIR was registered on the complaint of Tarnol Station House Officer (SHO) Mian Mohammad Imran who was present at Tarnol Phatak chowk to ensure peace during a rally led by PTM. According to the complainant, the rallly devaited from the allocated area violating no-objection certificate
The FIR was filed under Sections 148 (rioting armed with a deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 395 (punishment for dacoity), 440 (mischief committed after preparation made for causing death or hurt) and 506ii (criminal intimidation) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
The SHO has claimed that the participants, numbering about 700-800, were armed with sticks and attacked the police, official vehicles, and shut down shops when asked to restore access to GT road that they had blocked.
The second FIR was registered under the complaint of Inspector Mohammad Ashraf who was present when about 950 PTM supporters blocked GT road. He said that people including Manzoor Pashteen and Iman Mazari spoke against the state, inciting hatred and revolt. The second FIR was registered under PPC Sections 124A (sedition), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object) among others.
Pakistani athlete Arshad Nadeem has won a silver medal at the World Athletics championship in Hungary. Twelve athletes, including Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem and India’s Neraj Chopra, are competing in the javelin throw at the 2023 Athletics World Championships.
Neeraj Chopra secured the Gold medal with a throw of 88.17 meters.
What a day! Tiring yet rewarding. Like to thank Allah for this giving me the ability to go this far. This was the first time in the history of Pakistan that any Pakistani athlete won a medal at the World athletics championships pic.twitter.com/DaZDeRNyq7
In the end, there was an intense rivalry between Arshad Nadeem and Niraj Chopra, who won gold with a throw of 88.17 meters, while the national athlete took silver.
Arshad Nadeem threw 74.80m in the first attempt 82.81m in the second attempt, 87.82m in the third, and 87.15 in the fourth. In the final throw of the field championship, Arshad threw 81.86 meters.
Arshad Nadeem has already qualified for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
