Mahira Khan has wrapped up shooting for her upcoming film Neelofar in which she will be sharing the screen with Fawad Khan.
“I take with me a piece of you, leaving a bit of my soul with you,” said Mahira, while sharing pictures from behind the camera. “My darling Neelofar, I shall miss you, oh so much.”
In her post, Mahira also thanked those who worked on sets with her.
“Each and every one of them put their heart and soul in it. Can’t wait for all of you to see our hard work and love on your screens soon.”
Mahira had talked about sharing screen space with Fawad in Samina Peerzada’s web show earlier this year. The star had revealed that shooting for their film had halted due to the ongoing pandemic, that too in its last spell.
“We were left with ten days of shooting,” Mahira shared, “But due to COVID-19, the conditions became quite unfavourable for us to continue work.”
The film has been extensively shot in and around Lahore.
She also shed some light on her character and shared that it was quite different from her role in The Legend of Maula Jatt.
“I had so much fun working on this project with Fawad,” she had said. “It had been so long. Neelofar is just about these two people, it is very different from our characters in Maula Jatt. In Neelofar, it’s just the two of us, all our scenes are with each other. It was just so great to back with Fawad as older, more mature actors and people.”
She went on to say that not just the audience, the director of the film also shared similar thoughts on her and Fawad’s onscreen pairing – he loves it!
“My director always said you guys make a really good team. I asked him why thinks that is so? He just says that it is a nice balance. We really hope that we still have the same chemistry as Humsafar,” said Mahira.
Though details about the film are being kept tightly under wraps, audiences are looking forward to Neelofar because of Mahira and Fawad’s pairing. The project will be the actors’ next after Bilal Lashari’s The Legend of Maula Jatt, which is yet to hit screens.
Neelofar has been written by Ammar Rasool and produced by Qasim Mehmood.
Supreme Court (SC) Justice Umar Ata Bandial took exception to the remarks made by Sarina Isa, wife of SC judge Qazi Faez Isa, and warned her not to “overstep her limits”.
Sarina, who appeared in the top court in a case pertaining to the review plea against the June 19 verdict in the Justice Isa case, said that Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmad should be impartial. “Why didn’t the CJP order the formation of a full-bench to hear review pleas against a judgement of a seven-member bench,” she asked, questioning the “objectivity” of CJP Gulzar in the matter.
“You should be careful while talking about the CJP and the institution,” Justice Bandial responded, adding that as the head of the institution, the chief justice left the matter related to the inclusion of three judges to this larger bench.
At this, Muneer A Malik, counsel representing Justice Isa, quoted precedents to make his case for the inclusion of the three judges. Similarly, Rashid A Rizvi, counsel for Sindh High Court Bar Association, said that a lack of inclusion of the three judges could harm the public perception.
To this, Justice Qazi Amin Ahmed remarked that the court decides cases in accordance with the law and the constitution rather than on the basis of public perception.
Hearing of the case is adjourned until Thursday.
On Friday, Justice Qazi Faez Isa had submitted a petition seeking an additional review of the ruling on the presidential reference filed against him, wherein he had requested that an order be passed for the hearing of the petition to be broadcast live on television.
He had demanded at the time that Justices Maqbool Baqar, Mansoor Ali Shah, and Yahya Afridi also be made part of the bench to hear the petition and that his petition be declared admissible in Justice Afridi’s ruling.
Air pollution contaminates the air in Punjab and it shoots up in winter as farmers burn rice stalks left behind after harvesting to clear their fields to plant wheat.
During these cooler months, Lahore, which is surrounded by rice-growing districts, is covered with thick smog, putting people, especially the elderly and sick, at an increased risk.
“It is a health emergency – the air quality monitors in Lahore routinely show hazardous levels in November,” said Farah Rashid, a climate and energy program coordinator for green group WWF-Pakistan.
Now the Punjab government hopes to tackle the problem by providing 500 rice farmers around Lahore with a set of machines named ‘Happy Seeder’ that together eliminate the need to burn crop stubble.
The machines include a shredder that breaks down rice stubble and mulches it into the ground and a seed drill that follows to sow wheat through the mulch.
Malik Amin Aslam, climate change adviser to Prime Minister Imran Khan, called air pollution a “silent killer” and said Lahore’s smog had increased in intensity and frequency over the last five years.
He explained that rice farmers traditionally use combine harvesters to cut their rice in October, leaving behind about four inches of stubble.
With less than two weeks before they have to ready their fields to sow wheat, burning is the fastest way to clear the land, he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
In Pakistan, rice is grown on an area of about 2 million hectares (5 million acres), mainly in the Punjab and Sindh provinces. Many of the fields are cleared by burning every year.
Commuters drive their vehicles amid heavy smog conditions in Lahore
In October and November, Lahore’s Air Quality Index level can jump to over 300, a number that the US Environmental Protection Agency says corresponds to a “health warning of emergency conditions.”
CUTTING EMISSIONS
Farmers say the new farm equipment can help combat smog but note that crop burning produces only a small share of the province’s pollution.
“The stubble is burned only for a few weeks in the winter. It is a fact that the problem becomes worse during this short period,” Bhandara said.
“But farmers are not the only reason for this pollution,” he added.
A 2018 report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) on the underlying causes of smog in Punjab noted that agriculture — mainly rice residue burning — accounts for 20 percent of total air pollutant emissions.
That puts it behind the industry, which produces a quarter of the air pollution in the province, and transport, which contributes more than 40 percent.
Tackling air pollution — and leaving stubble on the soil as mulch, rather than burning it — also has the benefit of reducing carbon emissions that contribute to climate change.
In India, where farmers have been using the rice stubble shredder and Happy Seeder for the past few years, a group of scientists published a report last year stating the technology could cut greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 78 percent.
CHOSEN BY LOTTERY
In Mandi Bahauddin district, where famed Basmati rice is grown, Muhammad Afzal, an agriculture officer at Punjab’s Government Agriculture Seed Farm, has been experimenting with the Happy Seeder for the past two years.
“Stubble management is a serious issue for farmers,” said Afzal, who helps farmers adopt new farming techniques.
Pakistan has penalties for rice stubble burning, including fines of up to Rs20,000 per acre — but most farmers have little other choice and simply continue the practice and pay the penalty when they are charged.
But a growing number are looking for alternative solutions, Afzal said.
The total cost for the stubble shredder and Happy Seeder is about Rs637,500 rupees, and the government this year is paying about 80 percent of the price for 500 farmers, he noted.
“For those who can’t afford it, bigger farmers are willing to rent out the machines. In the future, more service providers will come up to rent them out,” Afzal said.
One drawback to the machines, he noted, is the need to mount them on the back of a tractor — and not just any tractor will do.
“It requires a large, 85-horsepower tractor,” he noted, something most rice farmers in Pakistan do not have.
Bhandara, the farmer in Pakpattan, said the subsidised machines also are only available in certain districts around Lahore, in the so-called smog “red zone.”
“The subsidised machines should be made available to rice farmers in South Punjab and Sindh as well, otherwise they are too expensive for most farmers,” he said.
Despite the limitations, the Happy Seeder has proven so popular that the government has had 10 applicants for each of its 500 machines, according to Aslam, the climate change adviser.
He said authorities are using a lottery system to decide who gets the subsidised equipment.
The government has plans to expand the Happy Seeder program next year and cover the whole of the Punjab rice belt by 2023, Aslam noted.
In the meantime, he added, it is already working on a technology upgrade.
“The agriculture extension department has developed a prototype to combine the two shredder [and] seeder machines into one ‘Pak Seeder’, which will be even more effective and efficient” — plus 30 percent cheaper, he said.
Morning subscriber! Today is Tuesday, 8th December 2020, and Peshawar, Quetta, and Islamabad will have the first rain of December. Speaking of Islamabad, do you know that the city’s Margalla hills, derived its name from a 2000-year-old Chinese tradition related to a dragon/serpent king. Originally the hills were called Mar-i-Qilla, meaning Fort of the serpent kings.
Morning Meme
Maryam Nawaz was hit by a stick during Lahore rally
PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz was hit by a stick at a rally in Lahore last night, after which she left the stage. Before her speech, she was warmly welcomed by the crowd, about which she tweeted “Lahori sirf phool nahin paisay bhi phenktay hain.” Later, during her speech aik Lahori nay unpe phooloun k sath sath stick bhi phenk di.
Actor Zainab Jamil quits acting for religion
Zainab Jamil nay yeh announce kiya hai that she will quit acting and modeling to learn more about Islam. “I proudly announce that I won’t be continuing my career as actor and model”, wrote the model-turned-actor on social media. “Allah has chosen me to become a student of the Holy Quran and Hadees and learn more about our deen, Islam,” she added.
Kher, iskay saath hee yeh sunay mien aaraha hai k Aamir Liaquat’s second wife, Tuba Amir is doing a special Cameo appearance in drama serial Bharaas.
Yeh tou hum jantay hee hain kay PM Imran Khan used to call mobile phones a necessary part of ‘digital Pakistan’, par aab lagta hai kay he has changed his opinion.
In a recent interview with actor Hamza Ali Abbasi, the PM has held mobile phones responsible for the decadence in society. He said the government cannot curb sex crimes on its own, as society’s help is necessary to create awareness.
A cup of tea served to ex-PM Nawaz Sharif disturbed him during his address via video-link at a PML-N event. “Jab tumhain pata tha kay main taqreer kr raha houn, tou kyun rakhi?,” the clearly perturbed three-time prime minister said in the footage.
Adviser to PM on Political Communication Shahbaz Gill believes it’s “nothing but parchee during the speech.” Read on the full story to find out how PML-N leader Hina Parvez Butt hit back at Gill.
Your friends are angry at you because apnay phir hangout plan cancel krdia, under the fear of corona-monster. But don’t feel bad, aik mashoor kahawat hai k kids make Hunza plans, adults make Malaysia plans but legends cancel all the plans.
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Prime Minister Imran Khan has announced holding by-elections on vacant seats if joint opposition’s lawmakers step down as part of anti-government protests.
“The government will hold by-elections if they leave the assemblies. If the opposition is confident, then so am I,” he said while speaking to senior journalists on Tuesday.
The premier was referring to threats by opposition parties to resign from the parliament as part of the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s protests against the government.
While a decision in this regard is yet to be taken by the opposition parties, it is being said that mass resignations could lead to a full fledged general election.
Speaking to journalists, PM Imran also said he was aware of the fact that the opposition has support from abroad.
“Some countries do not want to see Pakistan progress. Muslim countries around the globe have been destabilised under a well-conceived conspiracy, which is being replicated in Pakistan,” he alleged.
The premier said that whenever the government sat down with the opposition, their leaders brought up their cases. “The opposition wants to disband NAB so that their cases can be disposed of.”
PM Imran also admitted that his biggest mistake was not going to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) earlier. He said that the IMF wants to raise electricity prices but the government is not in favor of it.
Breakdancing was one of four new sports along with skateboarding, surfing and sport climbing to get the Olympic green light on Monday for inclusion at the 2024 Paris Games.
The four sports were included as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) executive board met to confirm the Paris 2024 programme.
Skateboarding, sport climbing and surfing have already been added to the programme for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which will take place in 2021 after being postponed by a year because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The introduction of breaking was “one of the results of the Olympic Agenda 2020,” Bach said. “We had a clear priority to introduce sports (that are) particularly popular among the younger generation and taking into consideration the urbanisation of sport.”
Breaking will make its Olympic Games debut, building on the success of the sport at the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018.pic.twitter.com/ZthK3ZRxIv
Breakdancing, which grew up alongside hip hop in the South Bronx of New York in the 1970s and is officially known in sport terms as “breaking”, appeared at the 2018 Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires, in the form of head-to-head “battles”.
Russia’s Sergei Chernyshev, competing under the nickname Bumblebee, won the first breakdancing gold medal for boys in that event, while Japan’s Ramu Kawai won the girls’ title.
“Today is a historic occasion not only for b-boys and b-girls but for all dancers around the world,” said Shawn Tay, president of the World Dance Sport Federation (WDSF).
“The WDSF could not be prouder to have breaking included at Paris 2024… It was a true team effort to get to this moment and we will redouble our efforts in the lead-up to the Olympic Games to make sure the breaking competition at Paris 2024 will be unforgettable.”
Wasim Akram on Tuesday emphasised on the mental well-being of cricketers going through tough isolation, calling authorities to ensure there are measures that can counter the implications of quarantine restrictions.
Akram, while speaking to media outlets, maintained that it is never easy for an individual to spend two weeks in isolation, adding that such circumstances can have serious implications on one’s mental health.
“It is imperative to look after players’ mental well-being in this scenario in order to keep them positive and motivated for the game. There’s a serious need to have a regular psychologist with teams when they travel to new environments,” said the legendary fast bowler.
“I’m sure seniors like Waqar Younis and Misbah would have spoken to players in New Zealand to keep them motivated during isolation period,” added Akram.
Calling for a uniform policy worldwide, the former cricketer said that it is never easy for anyone to move from one isolation to another.
“I think ICC should talk to governments in this regard,” he shared.
Green shirts were kept in strictly managed isolation in New Zealand for the last 14 days before the isolation period ended today (Tuesday). The team has been in a biosecure bubble since summer, playing back-to-back cricket.
The short teaser gives a glimpse into the drama’s plot and reveals that Dunk will highlight the issue of harassment at educational institutes. Professor Humayun (Ejaz) is accused of harassment by Amal (Javed) and he denies any wrongdoing. It appears that Haider (Bilal) will help Amal get justice.
Besides Bilal, Naumaan and Sana, the lead cast also includes Yasra Rizvi and Fahad Sheikh.
While most fans praised the teaser and expressed their anticipation, others called it out for being problematic.
#BilalAbbasKhan ‘s script slection can nvr go wrong! He brings social awareness through all of his dramas! Weather its about mental health, rape, fake SM acc, fake allegations over men n much more! @bilalabbas_khan glad he is not choosing saas bahu kinda scripts! #dunk#dunkdrama
#Dunk teaser is straight from the headlines, cast etc looks very promising if the director can keep up the tension .. Fascinated to see which way the story will go Will Humayun be the victim or the villain ? & what will be the social media reaction? https://t.co/nPC5hSSquN
this is like..4th Sana Javed drama that directly or indirectly deals with topic of sexual harassment. this time it looks like she has progressed from being a victim of it to possibly lying about to it to get someone into trouble. Behan ne poora career bana diya hai ek hi topic se
I, too, would like to know whose face was smeared with black paint or who was attacked by a mob or who beaten with a shoe or whose house was attacked or who was fired from their jobs when allegations of sexual harassment surfaced against them.
The federal government has completed the plan for the COVID-19 vaccination drive. Vaccines will be distributed in three phases with the first phase expected to start from March 2021.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of National Health Sajid Hussain Shah told The Current that in the first phase, vaccines will be provided to 0.5 million frontline essential health workers while in the second phase, it will be given to the population over 65 years of age.
The remaining population will be given COVID-19 vaccines in the third phase. During the third phase, the number of people to get the vaccination will depend on the available quantity of COVID-19 vaccines.
Earlier, a special cabinet committee led by Federal Minister Asad Umar, had been formed for the procurement of the COVID-19 vaccine.
The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) had approved the ‘Vaccine Administration Plan’, the comprehensive strategy prepared by the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) of the health ministry.
Yet another proud moment for Pakistan as Mahira Khan, Aiman Khan and Atif Aslam have made it to the inaugural Forbes Asia’s 100 Digital Stars list. The list highlights celebrities from across the Asia Pacific region who have taken the digital world by storm, according to a press release.
Writing about Mahira, who earlier also featured on BBC’s ‘100 women of 2020’, Forbes said: “The star of Pakistani musical Superstar will return to the screen this year in action drama The Legend of Maula Jatt, Pakistan’s most expensive film to date. Khan uses her social media presence—nearly 7 million Instagram followers and over 4 million on Facebook—to raise awareness about mental health issues, violence against women and breast cancer.”
Similarly, while writing about Aiman, the magazine said: “With nearly 8 million followers, Khan is the most-followed Pakistani celebrity on Instagram. She and twin sister Minal run the clothing site Aiman Minal Closet, with 249,000 Instagram followers. Last year she was nominated for Best Actress at Pakistan’s Hum Awards for roles in TV shows Ishq Tamasha and Baandi.”
“Released in May, his song Asma-ul-Husna recites Allah’s 99 names to encourage hope during the pandemic and has over 22 million views on YouTube. Aslam urged his 20 million Facebook followers to stay home to curb the spread of the coronavirus,” read Atif’s write-up.
Other prominent celebrities who featured on the list and are popular in Pakistan include South Korean band BTS, Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Jacqueline Fernandez, Ranveer Singh, Hrithik Roshan, Margot Robbie, Chris Hemsworth, Hugh Jackman, Akshay Kumar, Alia Bhatt, Madhuri Dixit, Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma.
In a statement, Forbes also explained how they chose those featured on the list.
“To determine the finalists, Forbes Asia evaluated the candidates’ combined social media reach and engagement. Their recent work, impact and advocacy, brand endorsements and business endeavours, and their recognition profile on a local, regional and global level were also considered. Only those active in film, music, and TV were eligible,” said the publication.
About Forbes Asia’s 100 Digital Stars list
Forbes Asia’s 100 Digital Stars list features 100 singers, bands, film and TV stars with a strong social media presence. With millions of followers across popular platforms, these celebrities have maintained their relevance and popularity in this challenging period by leveraging on the power of social media. Many have also used their influence to support worthy causes, especially those with a Covid-19 focus.
“The inaugural Forbes Asia’s 100 Digital Stars list couldn’t have come at a more relevant time. Artists rely on social media platforms to connect and communicate with fans, especially in the absence of live entertainment due to Covid-19 restrictions around the region,” said Rana Wehbe Watson, editor of the list. “The 100 celebrities highlighted on the list range in age from 20 to 78, proving that social media influence is a cross-generational phenomenon.”
