Category: Uncategorized

  • Johnny Depp receives long, standing ovation at Cannes, social media users divided

    Johnny Depp showed up at the Cannes Film Festival a year after a highly publicised court trial with his ex-wife Amber Heard, for the screening of his French period film ‘Jeanne du Barry’, in which he played King Louis XV.

    In a viral clip, the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ actor was seen receiving a thunderous seven minute standing ovation at the premiere of the film.
    Social media users however remained divided on the actor’s comeback.

    Some users were praising how Depp made a powerful comeback after facing years of pushback, being dropped by some major roles, as well as the court trial with his ex-wife Heard, who accused him of domestic abuse and rape.

    Some were enraged at how the prestigious film festival refused to condemn abusers, which lead to the launch of the viral hashtag #cannesyounot, through which Twitter users criticised festival organisers for overlooking allegations of abuse on Depp.

    https://twitter.com/hotline2hades/status/1658758656014405633?s=20

    In an article posted in ‘Liberation’ newspaper, 123 French film workers had criticised the festival’s decision to invite Depp:

    “By rolling out the red carpet to men and women who commit assaults, the festival demonstrates that violence in creative circles can be exercised with complete impunity,” they wrote.

  • Six years later, Sajal Aly, Ahad Raza Mir’s powerful performances in ‘Yakeen Ka Safar’ still enthrall Twitter users

    Pakistani dramas are often seen off with heavy sighs of reliefs because honestly, one less thing to plague our minds on a weekly basis.

    But there are some exceptional acting powerhouses like Sajal Aly and Ahad Raza Mir, who have changed the entertainment industry with their performances as well as their chemistry that no other acting duo has been able to compete with.

    In 2017, ‘Yakeen Ka Safar’ graced our screens, marking the debut of Ahad Raza Mir as Dr Asfandyar, who is shattered after the tragic murder of his brother, Daniyal. While Aly starred as Dr Zubia, who is still devastated by the murder of her mother by her father.

    Seven years after this drama, Twitter users still have not gotten over the duo, who later went on to star together in Aangan (2018) and Ye Dil Mera (2019).

    After a tweet asked their followers to share a clip from one of their favorite dramas, Pakistani Twitter users were quick to champion ‘Yakeen Ka Safar’ as one of the finest productions the entertainment industry has produced.

    https://twitter.com/unhingedbushra/status/1658538852154482690?s=20

    Another actress who has been championed by Twitter users as one of the finest actresses Pakistan has ever seen in Yumna Zaidi, as users shared clips of her tear jerking and powerful performance from ‘Dil Naumeed Tou Nahi’ and ‘Pyar Ke Sadqay’

  • Imran Khan condemns ‘arrest, abduction’ of PTI workers, leaders

    Imran Khan condemns ‘arrest, abduction’ of PTI workers, leaders

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan has condemned the “arrest” and “abduction” of party leaders, and workers.
    “I strongly condemn the illegal arrests and abduction of our workers and leaders. Our Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Secy General Asad Umar have also been incarcerated for more than a week now. Also, despite court orders journalist Imran Riaz Khan has not been presented in court and there are confirmed reports of torture against him,” wrote PTI chairman in a tweet on Wednesday.

    He demanded the immediate release of all female leaders, workers and the female family members of our leaders and workers of his party.
    “How could Shehrayar Afridi’s wife be jailed? This is purely to spread terror amongst the people so that they don’t stand up for their constitutional rights?,” questioned Khan.

    “I am deeply disturbed after hearing of Dr. Shireen Mazari, the former Human Rights Minister’s treatment and her daughter being physically assaulted by male police officers. After the IHC granted bail to Dr Mazari and Senator Falak Chitrali they were abducted from within Adyala Jail and taken to thana secretariat where Dr Mazari’s screams were heard.,” he added.

    “The video evidence coming forward of the barbaric treatment meted out to our female supporters is reprehensible. Many of our female MNAs, supporters, and workers are being held in jails across Pakistan under inhumane conditions, vulnerable to police excesses. These abductions and the treatment being meted out to women by this fascist government are not only grave human rights violations but are strictly against our culture and Islamic teachings. All these women must be immediately released. Their continued incarceration is unconscionable. I am also raising this with International Human Rights Organizations.”

    Yesterday, Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir, the daughter of Shireen Mazari, expressed her disappointment in Imran Khan for not speaking up about the arrest, which she labels as an abduction.

    Imran’s tweet did not mention Fawad Chaudhry who last night condemned the May 9 riots while talking yo the media.

  • Imran Khan cannot be arrested before May 31: IHC

    Imran Khan cannot be arrested before May 31: IHC

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has extended bail for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan till May 31.

    The decision was made during a hearing of PTI’s plea to provide details of more than 100 cases in which Imran is booked.

    The former Prime Minister was represented by Barrister Gohar in court today. The government’s attorney asked for extra time to disclose details regarding the charges brought against the PTI chief.

    The court, while approving the request of the government’s attorney, postponed the hearing until May 31, passing orders not to arrest Imran Khan until then.

    Earlier IHC, barred authorities from arresting Imran Khan till May 17 in any new case registered against him after May 9.

  • ‘Aik lafz nahin bola’: Shireen Mazari’s daughter disappointed in IK for not speaking up for her mother

    ‘Aik lafz nahin bola’: Shireen Mazari’s daughter disappointed in IK for not speaking up for her mother

    Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir, the daughter of Shireen Mazari, appeared on Spot Light at AajTv with Munizae Jahangir on Tuesday, where she expressed her disappointment in PTI chief Imran Khan for not speaking up about the arrest, which she labels as an abduction.

    During the show, the anchor asked Imaan if Imran Khan had shown any support to her upon her mother’s arrest. The human rights activist replied, “I’m very disappointed, even though my mother always stood by Imran Khan, he did not utter a single word at her abduction”.

    During the show Imaan further revealed that instead of releasing her mother from Adiala Jail, the Islamabad police abducted her and took her to another police station.

    She continued by saying that she reached the secretariat police station after she received unverified information about her mother’s location with her lawyer.

    When she reached there, officials asked her to go to and meet G-11 Superintendent, but Imaan said that she entered the police station forcefully screaming her mother’s name and she then saw her mother behind prison shouting that she was being beaten. Imaan said that her mother advised her to leave the police station.

    She told the anchor that officials dragged her out, adding that she is unsure of what really happened.

    Shireen Mazari was arrested by the police in the early hours of the previous Friday. Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday deemed the detention of Shireen under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) as unlawful and ordered her immediate release. However, she was arrested again by police shortly after her release from Adiala Jail. In a tweet, Imaan Mazari said that she does not know about the whereabouts of her mother.

  • Asia Cup 2023: Hybrid model? Bangladesh and Sri Lanka say okay

    Asia Cup 2023: Hybrid model? Bangladesh and Sri Lanka say okay

    Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has proposed a hybrid model twice meetings with Asian Cricket Council (ACC).

    Pakistan has now gotten green signal from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka for the second proposal of the hybrid model in which the first four matches will be played in Pakistan and the rest of the tournament will be played in a neutral venue.

    According to reports, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka cricket boards have emailed PCB that they have no issues with the proposed model.

    PCB has proposed two options in the hybrid model. The first option says that India shall play their respective matches at a neutral venue while all other matches will be played in Pakistan, as originally planned.

    The second option says that the initial four matches of the group stage in the primary phase of the tournament shall be played in Pakistan. Moreover, the next phase, including matches of India and finals, are to be played at a neutral venue.

    There is a larger probability and a higher success ratio for the second option to be locked. In that scenario, Pakistan will play their group stage match against Nepal on home ground. Likewise, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan will also be playing their pool matches in Pakistan.

    There is a chance that ACC will call a crucial and final meeting this week to discuss the hybrid model.

    Previously, the chairman of PCB, Najam Sethi, gave a straight-up warning of pulling out from Asia Cup 2023 in case the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) doesn’t end up affirming the hybrid model.

    For this very reason, a meeting has been called by ACC, incorporating all members of the council to discuss the hybrid model.

    Jay Shah, ACC President, and also the secretary of BCCI, is the son of Amit Shah, a powerful BJP leader. BCCI initially influenced other teams to back off from playing in Pakistan and BCCI started planning their own five nation version of Asia Cup excluding Pakistan.

    But this all seems to have gone in vain because official broadcasters did not want to exclude Pakistan from the tournament.

    Keeping in mind that earlier, BCCI refuted the idea of sending their team to Pakistan for this year’s Asia Cup and kept on stressing that the entire tournament should be held at a neutral venue.

    On the contrary, PCB is adamant about hosting the event in their territory, at least some part of it; otherwise, it would waive off all the efforts made in order to summon international cricket back to the country.

    Pakistan and India are known arch-rivals based on their historical grounds – fans from both ends of the borders anticipate their face-off on the cricket field with eagerness and excitement.

    However, it’s no less than unfortunate that both the national teams haven’t played each other on home soil in any format of the game since 2012.

  • ‘Young Al Pacino or young Robert De Niro?’ A Twitter poll has users shaking, crying and throwing up

    Ever had to make a life-altering decision but faced with two things you absolutely cannot pick between? Yes we’re talking to you.

    Social media is being asked to pick between two of the best actors Hollywood has ever witnessed: Al Pacino and Robert De Niro.

    A journalist Ashley Reese was the one who initiated this babe smackdown when she posted a poll on her Twitter account and asked her 60.9 K followers to do the impossible and pick the one who was hotter in their prime.

    The poll went viral with even Pakistani Twitter users stepping in and offer their two cents along with evidence to back it up.

    Like we had amazing fancams from Twitter users defending Al Pacino and his show stopping performance in ‘The Godfather’, ‘Dog Days’ and even ‘Serpico’.

    The gorgeous love letter he wrote for Diane Keaton? Sign us up please

    https://twitter.com/taytertotbitch/status/1657846246680281088?s=20

    As for Robert De Niro… we as well as other Twitter users have no words to describe how gorgeous he was as well.

    Twitter has given their verdict, and the poll came to a tie. But what does our audiences think? Let us know in the comments!

  • ‘If not Army Act, then should we try them under hooliganism act?’: Khawaja Asif on taking action against PTI protesters

    ‘If not Army Act, then should we try them under hooliganism act?’: Khawaja Asif on taking action against PTI protesters

    Defence Minister Khawaja Asif appeared on Geo News’ programme ‘Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath’ on Monday. During the programme, Asif said that the decision to try Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers under the Pakistan Army Act was yet to be made.

    While talking about charging the protesters, the minister said, “If not the Army Act, then should we try them under ‘hooliganism act’?”

    “They will face the law for whatever they have done. No one will go scot-free, not even Imran Khan,” he added.

    The minister also clarified that the government has no plans to ban PTI.

    A Corps Commander Conference held in Rawalpindi on Monday, decided that the rioters who attacked military installations and buildings during the protests led by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters, will be tried under the Army Act and Official Secret Act.

  • US urges India to condemn religious violence

    US urges India to condemn religious violence

    The State Department of the United States on Monday released an annual report on religious freedom which listed attacks against religious minorities including Muslims and Christians in India, AFP has reported.

    According to the State Department study, Muslims in Gujarat have had their homes demolished and have been publicly flogged by police after being accused of hurting Hindus. The department collected this information from both direct research and reports from media and advocacy groups.

    “Regarding these concerns, we’re continuing to encourage the government to condemn violence and hold accountable (those) who engage in rhetoric that’s dehumanizing towards religious minorities,” a senior US official said while talking to AFP.
    The official said they will talk directly to Indian officials. “We’ll continue to work very closely with our civil society colleagues on the ground (and) with courageous journalists that are working every day to document some of these abuses.”

  • PDM be warned: allow Army Act trials and some day military laws might be used against you too

    PDM be warned: allow Army Act trials and some day military laws might be used against you too

    A Special Corps Commander Conference held at the General Headquarters (GHQ) and presided by Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir has decided that the planners, instigators, abettors and perpetrators of the attacks on military installations and buildings during the protests led by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters will be tried under relevant Pakistani laws, including the Army Act and Official Secret Act. The statement released by the ISPR after the Corps Commanders meeting is not just unprecedented but is being seen as a violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

    In a statement, Aurat March Lahore said: “Use of military laws and courts to try civilians, the complete absence of due process, transparency and accountability flies in the face of the pretence of democracy under the current PDM regime… State institutions and monuments are not more important than people’s fundamental rights and lives. Respect must be earned through actions, not through the force of draconian laws.”

    It must be noted that if convicted under the Army Act, a person can be sentenced to life imprisonment or be handed a death sentence. Pakistan is going through one of its worst crises ever with the entire system tethering on the brink of collapse. From the military establishment to the judicial establishment, all institutions have lost their credibility. It is high time that political parties and parliament take charge of the situation and make sure that the law is followed instead of going down the path of military trials which offer no transparency.

    A word of caution: if the PDM government go down this path and allows civilian rioters to be tried under military laws, the same will one day be applied to their leadership, their supporters and workers. We have seen history repeat itself too many times to not learn a lesson. Democracy is not about punishing your opponents; it is about ensuring that no one is targeted unjustly for their political views. Rioters, when identified, should be prosecuted as per the law of the land in courts, not military courts. If PTI justified arbitrary arrests, detentions and draconian punishments, PDM should refrain from doing so. Politics isn’t about personal enmity.