In a world full of moral policing and the constant battle between right and wrong, we get introduced to the newly-appointed Assistant Commissioner (AC) of North Nazimbad Karachi, Hazim Bangwar. The 29-year-old, commonly known as the ‘cool’ commissioner, has been called out for ‘imitating women’ as he carries himself in a certain way and because of his unique fashion sense, while others have been classifying him as transgender or even female.
Bangwar is nothing like what one expects a bureaucrat in Pakistan to be like. Bureaucrats are generally considered serious and sober people who follow a particular dress code. Our mental image of a government servant is a man or a woman wearing spectacles, shalwar kameez or perhaps sunglasses. Some of the older lot wear smart suits with perfect ties.
And here comes Bangwar, a breath of fresh air who defies the rules, looking like the most unconventional Assistant Commissioner in the country.
Bangwar does not fit the bill of a traditional AC. This uber cool AC deviates from our conventional idea of masculinity and that is what people can’t digest. So we are forced to ask: why are we so scared of people who aren’t afraid to be different? Many people shared an alleged screenshot of a Twitter post supposedly made by Hazim in August 2018 that featured a rainbow flag with the tweet, “Happy Pride Month”. Hazim assured a news outlet that the post is “fake”. No such tweet can be found on Hazim’s official Twitter handle either.
Where many were ready to rebuke him for his fashion sense and choice of living differently, there were others who said Bangwar was the change we all need. Many came out in support of the 29-year-old AC for his hard work and being a compassionate officer.
Bangwar recently said that he can be judged by his work but whatever he does in his personal life has no bearing on his professional one. Nonetheless, the AC is being trolled online for allegedly being a transgender. Addressing the issue, he said that he is not a transgender but a male. However, the urge that people have shown to call him out as a woman or a transgender are rather offensive. One wonders: Is being a woman terrible? Or is being a third gender bad?
In a world ready to put down people for being different, may we all learn to be unique and live our lives whichever way we like. Bangwar, through his unapologetically cool self, taught us that society and people need to change. Not you. Never you. Way to go, Bangwar!
The Government of Pakistan is planning to launch a mental health app named ‘Humraaz’, Head of Prime Minister’s Strategic Reforms Unit, Salman Sufi has said in a tweet on Wednesday.
Sufi called upon Psychologists/Psychiatrists to be a part of the initiative, which he termed “groundbreaking”.
As we prepare to launch Pakistan’s first Governmental Mental Health Help App -Humraaz- soon,
Calling upon Psychologists/Psychiatrists who will like to be a part of this groundbreaking initiative-
— Salman Sufi (Get New Covid Booster Today) (@SalmanSufi7) February 1, 2023
Sufi, while talking exclusively to The Current, said that the app will be launched in March.
He added that Humraaz will give access to help in case a citizen has suicidal thoughts or a mental health emergency. Humraaz can also be used to make appointments with psychiatrists and psychologists.
“Also they will be able to share issues they face in confidentiality,” he added.
Sufi further said that the application is being launched on the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
A video of an incident shows three girls forcing their classmate to the ground, then sitting on her back. One of the girls can be seen pulling the victim’s hair and swearing at her while making her apologise. On Friday, a first information report (FIR) was registered on the complaint of the victim’s father Imran Younis, who stated that his daughter was studying in Scarsdale American International School in Lahore.
The incident was triggering, but what was more alarming to witness was how everyone jumped on the punishment bandwagon. Yes, what we all witnessed was rather a sad and scary face of our society and teenagers being violent. But how does that take away from the fact that all the girls in the video are minors. And there is a way to deal with it. The first step for parents is to tell their children what is right and what is wrong. The second is for children to realise that if they are given freedom, it doesn’t mean they can hurt others in the name of being cool and resort to violence. Nothing justifies violence and bullying.
This incident reminds us how little space for correction and repentance we give to others. The school must take action against all those involved in this shocking incident of bullying and violence. This one incident should act as an eye-opener for all. The parents and schools really need to reflect on what it is that they are teaching their kids. This should not be made an act of revenge or seeking violence. This should be taken as an example of what should not be done. The reaction from various classes of our society has been a shocking cry for help.
We hope both the parents and schools rather than instilling values of crushing competition, power and the continuous race to be on the top, teach inclusivity, kindness, anti-bullying practices, encourage healthy debate, and much more.
A strong misconception about celebrities is that they lead a life laced with glitz and glamour so they are always happy and in high spirits, which isn’t true. It is important to realize that mental illnesses do not have any fixed causes or reasons behind them. The manifestations of them, likewise, take various forms. Lately, with an increased awareness surrounding mental health in Pakistan, a number of celebrities, both national and international, have come out with their struggle with depression.
Hina Altaf
When Hina Altaf talked about her fight with depression, she was one of the first celebrities to talk about this issue in detail. She shared the symptoms she had and everything she did which helped her on Samina Pirzada’s show. She also talked about how the environment in her house affected her mental condition. Hina also gave credit to the doctor who totally turned her life around. Hina Altaf also talked about schizophrenia, another mental disorder that people do not know much about. She made it a point that she talked about her fight with depression in every talk show because according to her that is what her therapist recommended. Hina’s interviews definitely helped people understand depression and they went viral. She used her fame for this constructive purpose and while doing so, Altaf also healed herself.
Mawra Hocane
Mawra Hocane along with her sister Urwa talked about depression rather casually when they were invited as guests in Nida Yasir’s morning show. They were criticized and made fun of after they remarked that the kind of food they eat causes depression and food can also cure depression. They were criticized for their ill-informed opinions and that is when both sisters decided to talk about their own struggles with depression and anxiety. While replying to someone on Instagram, Mawra Hocane shared that she had been battling with anxiety and she also showed her support for all those people who were fighting with the disorder. This was Mawra’s way of telling the world that she was not ill-informed but she too was going through the same turmoil. She also cited different sources which supported her claim that processed food adds to depression. People however continued to mock her. Mawra did not let the criticism stop her from sharing how she fought with anxiety and once again through social media shared her journey and hoped to spread awareness about anxiety.
Mahira Khan
Superstar Mahira Khan spoke with Sara-Jane Mee about the importance of mental health awareness and her new role as an ambassador for the British and Asian Trust. The Bin Roye star Two years back when a fan asked her on Twitter whether there is any cure for depression, the Raees diva shared a piece of advice to those who are suffering from mental illnesses, urging them not to be afraid to speak up about depression. “Don’t be afraid of getting help. Talk about it. Ask questions. Read. Reach out to people,” she responded. “There is no shame in reaching out for help. Sometimes talking therapy helps. Other times meds do. But it’s important to go to the right people who can guide you through it,” added Mahira.
Momina Mustehsan
In 2018 when model Anam Tanoli took her own life after fighting depression, Momina Mustehsan spoke about her own struggle with depression through an Instagram post. She posted her picture and wrote, “I was going through turmoil not very long ago. It happens to the best of us. Mental health is just as important as physical health, and we all hit points in our lives sometimes when all seems to be falling out of our control.” This was not the first time that Momina talked about her struggle with depression. She made several videos in which she talked about her struggles in detail and she also had a special message for the trolls. Momina’s struggle basically showed that celebrities too sometimes find it really hard to cope with the demands of their work and they of course are under severe scrutiny continuously which adds to the deterioration of their mental health. Momina Mustehsan came under severe criticism for ‘photographing’ herself while she was depressed. Earlier in a video post, Momina talked about her struggle with depression and tried to make people understand the disorder.
Usman Mukhtar
Usman Mukhtar talked about the impact childhood experiences have on a person’s mental health. He talked about being an overly anxious adult to the extent that it impacted his eating habits and as a result of that he gained a lot of weight. He shared that he was sent to a boarding school when he was really young and the bullying there coupled with the pressure of coping on his own impacted his mental health. He stayed in the boarding school for 5 years and feels that it shaped his personality in such a way that he finds it difficult to cope with many situations.
Imran Abbas
Following model Anam Tanoli’s tragic incident, Imran Abbas shared a post on his Instagram explaining how mental illnesses are not a joke and how there is a collective need for introspection, as a society.
To put it in Abbas’ words, “Please don’t look down to people suffering from depression, mental ailment, stress, and anxiety. Before judging anyone or making fun of someone (specially who is deceased and who can’t explain/ clarify her/himself) we must look around and try to be nice to people who are suffering from the circumstances which can lead a person to suicide (which certainly is one of the most forbidden acts in our religion).”
Further down in his post, he said, “In our society, it’s so convenient to slut-shame an actress and model, scoff at anyone for any rhyme or reason. Making jokes about people who’ve committed suicide does not make you a comedian. It is not dark humor, it is condemnable humor.”
Imran had previously also opened up his depression, in an interview with Times of India. He mentioned how not being able to do Aashiqui 2 put him in a depressive phase. Even hearing somebody sing “Tum Hi Ho” triggered him.
Hira Mani
Hira Mani’s interview with Samina Peerzada has been a memorable one for many reasons. The Kashf star talked about depression and that she was going to a therapist to cure her depression. She stated that when she entered showbiz, she became too competitive and materialistic. Because of this, she went into depression, she was constantly trying to own things that other popular actresses had. Then a moment of realization changed everything for her. She realized that the reason for her depression was that she was trying to find happiness where there was none. Hira cried while talking about this phase of her life and had an important message for her listeners as well.
Nausheen Shah
Nausheen Shah revealed on Ahsan Khan’s show that she was struggling with depression and anxiety when she was shooting for Deewar-e-Shab been fighting depression for almost 7 years and although she went to see the doctor, she did not get the kind of help she was expecting to get. The doctor gave her a relaxant and Nausheen Shah started abusing the drug because it brought short-term relief. One day she completely broke down in front of her co-actor Shahroz Sabzwari and he pointed her in the right direction. Shah is still fighting depression but with the help of medicine and experts to guide her. Nausheen talked about her struggle with depression in Ahsan Khan’s talk show. She has also been part of seminars that help spread awareness about depression.
Juggan Kazim
Juggan Kazim often talks about mental health because she has gone through a really difficult period of her life when she was in an abusive marriage. Juggan got really depressed and had low self-esteem. When her son was born, her life got meaning but the abusive marriage left her broken. She often talks about the importance of therapy and how important it is to seek help in such situations.
Other Artists
Yashma Gill
Actor Yashma Gill shared in multiple interviews that she came from a broken family which impacted her mental health. She was depressed and anxious. She started avoiding her family and was over-dependent on friends. At the age of 19, she was diagnosed with clinical depression. She worked hard in order to come out of this mental state and eventually found solace in the family. She also moved to Australia for further studies and the change in environment helped.
Senior actor Salma Hassan opened up about how therapy helped her over the years. She is also one of those few celebrities who talked openly about post-partum depression; a topic that is often considered taboo even in this day and age. She discussed the issue in detail and talked about the stigma attached to therapy. She shared how she was on medication for depression and later on turned to therapy when she felt that her daughter was getting affected due to her mental condition.
Actor Babar Khan also talked about the extreme depression he went through after his beloved wife Sana Khan passed away in a tragic incident. Babar Khan made a television appearance after many years and talked about how depressed he got and also attempted to take his own life. Babar Khan’s struggle with depression has been a long fight that finally ended when he had his first daughter and he felt that his life had meaning now. Even now Babar Khan hardly ever gives interviews and struggles with staying happy.
Singer Nouman Javaid was so depressed that he tried to kill himself. His suicide attempt was initially termed as an accident but later on, Nouman talked openly about how difficult it was for him to fight depression. While talking about the tough times he had been going through Nouman said in an interview, “I was in depression for quite some time before finally attempting suicide. I was facing issues in life but I wish to make it clear that Fariha was not the only reason behind my depression; there were a number of other things involved.” Nouman Javaid’s marriage with Fariha ended weeks after his suicide attempt. Before attempting suicide, Nouman also posted a status saying “mein chala” (I am going). In a recent interview, Nouman said that he was focusing on namaz and his work to help him deal with heartbreak and now he was content with his life.
It’s 2023 but Bollywood can’t seem to get over its obsession of portraying lame and rather bizarre stereotypes about Pakistanis in its movies.
Netfilx released the official trailer for Mission Majnu that features Sidharth Malhotra as an Indian spy on a covert operation to expose nuclear weapons in the heart of Pakistan that India must “neutralise”. Everything was fine till Malhotra dresses up like a ‘Muslim Pakistani’. So Indian filmmakers have a starter pack for actors playing the roles of Muslims and Pakistanis. A man with kohl-rimmed eyes who spits adaab in every sentence, wearing a namaz ki topi [skullcap] and something green in the background somewhere to show that this is a Muslim person or from the Muslim community. Women would be shown wearing lehnga aur ghagra, with lots of bangles, and yes the tradition of adaab continues for them too. However, the reality is far different.
The matter of the fact is that Bollywood has been successfully fooling the world by portraying and creating this image to represent Pakistanis. One of the leading film industries in the world has been adamantly bent on trying to portray and represent Pakistanis as a threat. Due to this portrayal, for the longest time people believed it to be true when it comes to Pakistan.
Bollywood has been making bad anti-Pakistan propaganda for years now but a little research would tell them that no, Pakistanis do not look, wear or talk like they depict in their movies. From Veer-Zaara in 2004 to Mission Majnu in 2023, Bollywood’s depiction of Pakistan and Pakistani lifestyle has been completely wrong. No, we don’t live in 19th century Lucknow. Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta and other cities of Pakistan don’t have men with kajal going adaab-adaab or roaming around in sherwanis as if it’s a norm.
What is even more appalling is to witness that in India, most leading Bollywood actors are Muslims, some originating from Pakistan and yet they don’t wear and look like anything Bollywood so often depicts Muslims, be they in India or Pakistan.
We hope that for once Bollywood comes out of its propagandist thinking and portrays ‘Pakistani Muslims’ as they are.
In a meeting with journalists yesterday, PTI Chairman Imran Khan said that the PML-Q should merge with the PTI but discussions have yet to take place on this.
Looking relaxed and quite confident after pulling off Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi’s vote of confidence in the Punjab Assembly and the dissolution of the Punjab Assembly, Khan praised Moonis Elahi and said he stood by the PTI despite pressure by powerful quarters. “Moonis is a forward-looking young man and he could see PTI’s political future and was able to convince the older leadership of his party.”
Khan also praised Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi for having withstood threats and other pressure. He said that even his own members had a lot of offers, especially women MPAs, but they refused and stood by their party when it came to the vote of confidence.
Khan said that fighting with the establishment is madness. On reconciliation with the army, Khan said that it is possible and he is willing to forgive the establishment and move on, whether it is the case of Azam Khan Swati or Shahbaz Gill or other things that took place since the vote of no-confidence against him because he genuinely believes that the military is the most organised institution and has the resources to stop smuggling of dollars, help in the crackdown against corruption and other things.
Khan recalled the army’s assistance and work during the Covid pandemic, in polio vaccination campaigns and in controlling locusts. He also said that the military establishment only needs direction by the leaders. Their role can be very positive when they move in the right direction. To a question by this reporter on whether the military would get more space to meddle in politics if more role is given to it, he said that it cannot end overnight but leaders have to make sure that a direction is set on how to use the military to establish rule of law. Per him, only the military can take the country out of the current quagmire if it works with all political stakeholders.
Khan said that the military can establish rule of law and no institution should be above the law. He said that he was not willing to sit with the PDM because they are looters who want an NRO, which basically means they want to be above the law. He said they have no stakes in the country as their assets are stashed abroad, which is why they can also be pressurised by outside powers.
Talking about Balochistan and former FATA, Khan said he believed in political solutions and not military solutions.
On being asked (by this reporter) about the crackdown against the media during the PTI’s tenure, Khan said he had nothing to do with it. “I have always taken the legal route when I have had problems with the media. I have a lot of tolerance for media criticism.”
The PTI chairman was very confident that after the dissolution of the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies, the PDM would be left with no choice but to go for general elections. Khan believes that the current establishment will not support the government given the economic crisis. “If this government continues till August, Pakistan will be worse off than even Sri Lanka.”
Khan said that whatever economic growth was achieved during the PTI tenure had all been undone by the PDM in less than a year.
Every now and then we sit and wonder: why are women easy and soft targets for hate, abuse and criticism? What is it in our society that allows men to slander and defame women without any consequences?
Recently, Youtuber Adil Raja claimed that some Pakistani actresses and models were working in cahoots with General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa and former ISI chief General Faiz Hameed to trap politicians. Although he shared the initials of the actresses instead of full names, it became obvious to netizens who he was referring to. Soon after his vlog surfaced online, a large number of social media users were seen spreading a collage of pictures featuring Mehwish Hayat, Mahira Khan, Kubra Khan, and Sajal Aly.
Pakistan’s political rivalries have often played out by powerful men maligning innocent women to humiliate their opponents. The narratives almost always invoke charges of immoral behaviour between men and women who are well-known enough to generate intrigue and scandal. This case was no different. Do we ever use initials of men in the industry to malign someone? Has anyone ever done any moral policing on men? Are names of Pakistani actors and models dragged similarly as our women for revenge tactics and cheap fame? No, because people think twice before dragging a man’s name. Women aren’t and will not be dummy objects to be dragged and slandered in the present day tug-of-war for more likes, shares and subscription on a YouTube channel or for social media fame.
There is no doubt that the system is rigged against women and partial towards men. Women are almost always accused of inviting the attacks on themselves by virtue of the fact that they are women. Will the system for once rise up to the promises and practice the same levels as it does for its men. Though the men of the film industry took a stand for the women and what was even more heartening to see was these women standing for themselves and rising up because they had to for the protection of their name, respect and the hard work they had put in. Unfortunately, in Pakistan, defamation laws are toothless, and it take years for people to clear their names.
We hope that from onwards, the so-called keyboard warriors think twice before defaming a woman, think twice as hard before trying to disrespect a woman. Women aren’t soft targets; men need to learn to get their two cents of fame on their own and not misuse women’s names.
Look, Pakistani men: you no longer have a choice. This year, Pakistani women are taking over. And don’t we deserve it. Looking back at 2022, we had to bear the burden of abuse, rape and gruesome murders.
Pakistan faces a gender gap in ways and incidents unimaginable. The World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2022 ranked Pakistan at 145 out of the 146 countries ranked on the index. Pakistan was just ahead of Afghanistan, where women can’t go to school and universities. The report gauges how immense the gender gap is in areas, including education, economic participation, health, and political empowerment. Pakistan’s second-last position came as no surprise, at least not for the women in the country.
Women in Pakistan are yearning for the day when our society will learn to provide the strength where it is required and stand with the survivors of sexual assaults, when no one will be afraid to talk about their horrific experiences and when no woman will be blamed for being a victim and celebrated for being a survivor. But until that day arrives, we can all try to bridge the gap and make it better for the women in our country. Our leaders and decision-makers can really try and make an effort to make Pakistan safe for women. It is time to stand up for the ones suffering and give women safe spaces.
We as a country were still dealing with the horrors of the murder of Noor Mukadam and we hadn’t healed, when we witnessed the bone-chilling gruesome murder of Sara Shahnawaz in September at the hands of a man who, too, was raised as a result of the patriarchy.
From glorifying abusers and then giving them awards, the Lux Style Awards (LSAs) became a sorry affair in 2022. The coveted LSAs rolled out nominations for its 21st edition and as soon as the names were dropped, viewers condemned what they felt was an injustice to other artists and women.
So listen up: we hope that 2023 is a year when better sense prevails, we learn from our mistakes as individuals and start to become a country where our women and men are given their due rights and respect.
Pakistani cricketers Shaheen Shah Afridi., Hassan Ali and Shoaib Malik have sent prayers for India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant who has been injured in a serious car accident. The Indian cricketing star has been taken to a hospital in Dehradun, ESPN has reported.
“Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant’s car met with an accident at around 5:30 am,” Director General of Uttarakhand Police, Ashok Kumar, was quoted as saying by NDTV. “The incident took place at Mohammedpur Jat near Roorkee … the car collided with the divider and caught fire. He was moved to the Roorkee hospital from where he has now been shifted to Dehradun.”
“We are still examining him [Pant]. He is stable at the moment, there doesn’t appear to be cause for major worry. Once the evaluation is complete, we will put out a detailed bulletin,” said Dr Dishant Yagnik, medical superintendent at Max Hospital, Dehradun. “He is conscious, he is talking, and the doctors are examining wherever he is saying there is discomfort. Orthopaedics and plastic surgeons are looking at him right now. And we are examining for any internal injuries.”
Just came to know about about Rishabh Pant’s accident in India. Sending many prayers and wishes for you @RishabhPant17. Wishing you a speedy recovery, get well soon brother… #RishabhPant
I hope there’s nothing serious @RishabhPant17 I wish you a quick recovery and many prayers bhai. InshaAllah you will be fine and back on field very soon ❤️ pic.twitter.com/gy5WhoO0gf
Religious Scholar Maulana Tariq Jamil was shifted to a hospital in Canada after suffering a heart attack on Tuesday.
The doctor has confirmed that Maulana Tariq Jamil is out of danger and has been shifted to Critical Care Unit (CCU).
بابا جان اس وقت کینیڈا میں ہیں اور ان کو دل کا دورہ پڑنے پر ہسپتال منتقل کیا گیا ہے. اللہ کے فضل سے اب ان کی حالت بہت بہتر ہے. آپ سب احباب سے دعاؤں کی درخواست ہے. اللہ رب العزت والد محترم کو صحت کاملہ عطا فرمائے.
