With the number of dengue cases in the country reaching five-digits and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health Dr Zafar Mirza warning of a further increase within the next 10 days, Punjab government has come up with a spiritual cure.
Sharing an Arabic phrase in a “public service message” — posters of which have been pasted across Toba Tek Singh — the city’s deputy commissioner has advised people to read the dua every day and paste the pamphlet outside their houses and workplace to ward off evil dengue.
The dengue virus is spreading in different parts of the country due to the negligence of provincial governments. Despite many warnings issued by health experts before the season, no adequate arrangements were made by the departments concerned to tackle the issue.
In Pakistan, there is no specific vaccine available to treat dengue and with scanty arrangments made by the government, it is likely that in the days to come, the situation will only get worse.
Plenty of dramas nowadays are openly discussing infidelity and cheating in relationships – a topic which has long been brushed under the carpet, as “mard ki bhool” or “sab mard kartay hain”, it’s okay. This leads to the bigger question: Why do people cheat in relationships?
Recently, blogger Hira Mannan of The Mewly Weds also opened up about being cheated on and a lot of other people also came forward, spoke about their experiences and the concept of cheating in relationships.
The Current asked Lahore-based psychotherapist Omer Tauseef to shed some light on the topic and here are the reasons he gave:
Concept of masculinity – Men have the pressure to perform and there is a sense of conquest along with peer pressure.
Invisible divorces – Marriages in our society are often forced (khandaan ki izzat), because of which there is little or no compatibility between the couple. As a result, people go for relationships outside of a marriage and these empty shell marriages remain for the kids or for financial reasons.
Self-discovery, thrill, sense of entitlement
Marriages are kept for children, responsibilities while lust is channeled into an affair.
Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is currently in the United States for the 74th session United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), flew from Saudi Arabia to New York in Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s (MBS) private jet.
According to reports, when MBS inquired from PM Khan how he will be travelling to the US, the premier told him that he will be taking a commercial flight. MBS is reported to have responded, “How can you take a commercial flight, you are our special guest,” adding that he cannot let his guest travel via a commercial flight.
The Crown Prince then arranged for his private jet to fly PM Khan from Madinah to New York. Meanwhile, some media outlets reported that PM Khan flew in a Saudi Airlines chartered plane.
سعودی ولی عہد نے پاکستان سے دوستی اور مہمان داری کی نئی مثال قائم کردی وزیر اعظم عمران خان کو امریکا جانے کے لیے اپنا ذاتی طیارہ فراہم کردیا سعودی ولی عہد نے کہا آپ ہمارے مہمان ہیں کمرشل فلائٹ سے امریکہ نہیں جا سکتے#PMImranKhanpic.twitter.com/AkXrcUiQWq
The PM was accompanied by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Adviser on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh and Special Assistant on Overseas Pakistanis Zulfikar Abbas Bokhari.
PM Khan arrives in New York
PM Khan reached New York on September 21. He is scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump on September 23 and will address the UNGA on September 27, where he will raise the matter of Kashmir.
To be real, cheating husbands is not an alien concept. Most women will accept behind closed doors that their partners, spouses etc have cheated but they have always been advised to brush it under the carpet and forget about it as “mard ki bhool.” However, things are now slowly changing and more women are coming forward with their stories and more and more dramas are being churned out on the topic.
Blogger Hira Mannan who runs the blog The Mewly Weds recently opened up about being cheated on. Hira’s story sent waves of shock across social media because everyone thought she had the perfect married life.
Taking to Twitter, Hira posted a long thread on how her husband started cheating on her just a few months after their marriage. She said she had no idea how many women her husband had been with but all she knew was that he was on Tinder.
She said this went on for more than a year before she decided to join the dating app herself to experiment. She also shared a screenshot of her account.
Hira then went onto say that she and her husband were a fairly popular couple and it hurts her to think that those who had seen them “goofing around” must have laughed at her for not knowing what her husband was upto behind her back. She added that no one came forward to tell her about her husband’s actions and how it irks her that society protects men.
Hira then went onto share another incidence of her husband’s infidelity and even shared screenshots of her husband chatting with his mistress because “accountability should go both ways.”
Hira revealed that she became pregnant but soon miscarried because of the stress and anxiety. She said that she developed body image issues and was in a constant spiral of depression and even became suicidal.
Hira’s story was met with an outpour of support for her.
It was so painful to even read all your posts. Cant even imagine what you must have gone through. We live in a shitty world may Allah make things easier for you.
I am so sorry. What you went through is nothing less than traumatizing. I am glad you spoke up and got help. Stay strong. It will get better. I know it doesn’t feel like that right now but it will. Hug.
More power to you. I’m sorry you had to go through this and May you reach the right decision about your future. Whatever you decide, you will be fine because you’re strong.
So we are well into the first term of the school year. The excitement is slowly wearing off and energy levels in the morning are not so high anymore (as if they ever were!), and I have started DREADING the morning routine which has now become a blur between breakfast and running out the door. Putting together the school lunchbox for my boys’, aged 6 and 3, is probably THE most difficult task of the day.
In this article, I will share tips and tricks I use for quick and healthy snacks and lunches to suit all types of eaters.
Tip 1: Don’t be afraid of leftovers
Leftovers from dinner the night before are actually lifesavers! Whether it’s daal chaawal (lentils and rice) or chicken saalan curry, if you learn the art of presentation, your kids can eat a full meal in school.
For anything rice-based like chaawal qeema I use the insulated Thermos Food jars. These keep the food warm and fresh until lunch break and act as a bowl to help my kids eat without making a mess.
On days that I have leftover chicken or any other curry, I just take out the meat, wash away the curry and mash it up with mayonnaise to make a chicken sandwich or paratha roll and voila, I have a meal.
And our personal favourite is leftover PIZZA!
Tip 2: Use pasta as an alternative to rice
Giving rice more than 2 times a week means getting rice back in their lunch box. The best alternative to this is pasta or noodles. My quick and easy go-to pasta recipe is:
Boil the pasta a night before along with boiled chicken (with a dash of salt and pepper)
Store it in the fridge
The next morning, warm up a helping of pasta and chicken. Add butter generously and you have Butter Pasta with Chicken for lunch.
Once again, give this in a steel jar or box to keep it warm and fresh and soft.
Tip 3: Make heavy snacks
Let’s address the parents who were rolling their eyes in the above section because their kids would NEVER touch rice or anything they have eaten the night before. Some kids just need more snack-based meals and there’s no reason to think these can’t be healthy and proper meals that can also be prepared quickly and easily first thing in the morning. On days I have not boiled rice or pasta in advance I am saved by BREAD.
Two slices of bread covered generously in butter with a slice of cheddar cheese is my two-minute sandwich.
However, to make this a little more substantial I add anything and everything from the fridge that I know my kids will eat. These can include:
Turkey slices to give that dose of protein (but I would only recommend this once in two weeks as turkey is processed meat).
Those Shaami Kebabs that us desi moms always have stored in our freezers is a great addition also.
(Extra tip: I use my beloved Air Fryer to save frying time in the morning. I just have to defrost the kebabs in the microwave and put them in the air fryer while I get the kids ready. If you don’t have the option of an air fryer, you can fry them the night before and heat them up in the morning to save time).
Homemade or store-bought frozen chicken or beef burger patties with ketchup and mayonnaise on burger buns to make a yummy burger.
(Extra tip: Add vegetables only if your kids enjoy them and only the ones they prefer. You don’t want a perfectly good burger going to waste!)
Tip 4: Eggs are your best friend
Generally, my kids eat scrambled eggs in the morning. But on days I need to give them eggs for lunch (because I have nothing else in the fridge), I give them cereal or croissants for breakfast. And then I use eggs to make the following lunches:
Fry an egg. Toast 2 slices of bread and put butter on both. Grab a slice of cheese. Put them together to make the easiest egg sandwich.
Make two slices of French Toast and add some cheese slices in the box to make it a substantial meal.
Boil eggs during the weekend. Mash. Add salt, pepper and mayonnaise. Store the mixture in the fridge for upcoming school mornings to make a different kind of egg sandwich.
2 minute Egg Quiche: Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a mug. Add 1 egg, 2 tablespoon milk, salt and pepper, any other topping like spinach or tomatoes or turkey. Place broken bread on top and dip it in so it’s wet. Microwave for 2 minutes. Once done scoop it out in one whole piece.
Egg Quiche
Tip 5: Add small bites for a full stomachs
Rice, pasta, sandwich, burgers, paratha rolls – we have covered our grains here. But my kids need more favours and fun things to keep them going during the day.
There are many snacks one can give such as biscuits, chips and cakes. But under the health policy in our schools, chips, chocolates and anything with frosting is a no-no.
I mostly alternate between the following snacks for my kids as I know they will actually eat them.
Others: Plain Cake, Cheese Sticks, Crackers and Cheese, Plain Biscuits
An alternative for kids who don’t enjoy fruits are:
Banana cupcakes
Apple Crumble
Blueberry Muffins
Healthy alternatives for chips are cereals or crackers. I give my boys protein cereals or cheddar crackers for them to nibble at during snack or lunchtime.
Apart from that, I am also a firm believer of water versus juices as they too contain a large amount of sugar. But sometimes when I feel like the food and snacks will not be enough I add flavoured milk or juice for some extra energy. This way they are not weighted by oil or heavy sugars and spend an active day.
Hope these tips help you during rushed mornings for the rest of the remaining term and you are able to feel better about your children’s lunch menu in school!
Zunaira is the author of a blog called From Dresses To Diapers. The part-time blogger and full-time mommy can be reached at her Instagram account.
Tucked inside Sui Northern Officers Co-Operative Housing Society, Déjà by Khadija is a cute little bakery café. Decorated in pink, gold and grey, this cosy café’s décor and the presentation of their dishes set a good impression.
Now let’s discuss food! We tried their sharing platter, which was quite delectable and filling. The taco parathas were yummy, as were the assorted bread, especially the one with white sauce in it, but the aalu chaat was not all that great. While the chicken strips were nice, they could have been better. The mozzarella sticks with sauce were great but the assorted fries were so-so, especially the wedges.
Sharing Platter
We also tried the K’s Style Chicken Parm – it was well cooked and the sauce wasn’t too acidic though we do think they could have added a bit more parmesan. The Open Lamb Sandwich was also very well made with soft meat, which wasn’t smelly. It was served with sauce, didn’t taste too meaty and the cabbage was paired well with it.
Meanwhile, the Baked Marinara could have been better but as an afterthought, it wasn’t all that bad. We absolutely loved the Mushroom Toast. It had just the right amount of mushrooms, and the chilli scrambled eggs were just perfect. We highly recommend that if you love eggs!
Baked Marinara
Mushroom on Toast
What we really enjoyed were the drinks which were presented in a very fun way; they reminded you of Chemistry Lab at school. The ice-cube with rose petals was also a nice touch. Strawberry Lemon Potion was nice with the right amount of tangy and strawberry juice. Strawberry Slammer is also lovely.
Strawberry Lemon Potion
Coming onto the desserts now. Déjà also serves homemade ice-cream. We tried their chocolate ice-cream, which was nice but very creamy. Their gurr (jaggery) ice-cream wasn’t good; too much aftertaste of butter or cream and minimum taste of gurr.
Meanwhile, their French Toast is excellent – it was soft and crispy and the caramel sauce that comes with it was delicious. The best part was that they didn’t skimp on it like a lot of other places. After Amu and Aylanto, this is another place that makes really good French Toast in Lahore.
Off-the-counter Mango Cheesecake was meh (5 out of 10) – it was more like mousse than a cheesecake. But the Apple Pie slice was good (7 out of 10).
Overall, Déjà was a good experience because of the nice and cutesy ambience. They serve good portion sizes for a reasonable cost, which is a major plus point (Per person cost comes to Rs 1500). If the owner is around, she ensures that you feel welcomed and are properly taken care of. However, we do wish the chairs were comfier; it felt like a ‘grab your food, quickly eat and go’ place. Or maybe – given the shortage of space – this is their aim at the moment.
We recommend that everyone should try out this place as you get value for your money and the ambience makes it different from the rest of your restaurant experiences. Just keep in mind that it is a small place with very few tables so if you’re a large group, either reserve a table in advance or otherwise be ready to wait.
Major Adeel Shahid, a Pakistan Army Officer, who embraced martyrdom in an IED explosion on Friday, was married to a martyr’s widow.
According to details, a resident of Karachi, the officer was married to the widow of his coursemate, Captain Mujahid Bashir Shaheed, who had sacrificed his life for the country a few years ago. Major Adeel also adopted his daughter who was born a few months after her father’s demise.
Major Adeel was martyred when an IED planted by terrorists went off near the Afghan border in Mohmand district of Khyber Paktunkhwa.
The father of 1.5-year-old twin daughters was laid to rest in Karachi on Saturday. Social media users took to Twitter to salute the widow who had sacrificed her loved one for the country.
Major Adeel’s last visit to Karachi had been on Eid-ul Azha and he reportedly spoke to his father just two days before he was martyred.
