Category: Uncategorized

  • Nimra Khan ties the knot

    Nimra Khan ties the knot

    Despite coronavirus and lockdowns, the celebrity wedding season is in full swing. Right before the lockdown, we saw Ahad Raza Mir and Sajal Aly tie the knot. This was followed by a surprise wedding of veteran actors Manzar Sehbai and Samina Ahmed. And right before Ramzan starts actor Nimra Khan has tied the knot.

    Nimra took to social media to make the announcement. Sharing a cute photo of herself with her husband, Nimra thanked everyone for their wishes and asked her fans to pray for her. However, she did not share any further details. It is being reported that Nimra’s husband Raja Iftekhar Azam is a police officer in the United Kingdom and that the marriage was arranged by her parents. She also shared that is planning to settle in London after her marriage.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B_MtusyAFfj/

    Meanwhile, the actor’s manager Waleed Nadeem and her wedding planners KhichiK Studio also shared pictures from her big day and wished her luck for her upcoming journey.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B_Mp4eqJWXA/
    https://www.instagram.com/p/B_ItOKyHQ74/

    In an interview with Samina Peerzada last year, Nimra has opened up about her life and had revealed that she had been involved in a major car accident which left her bedridden. Doctors had told her parents that she wouldn’t make it, and even if she did, she would be in a coma. The actor further revealed how she had sustained severe injuries and was in excruciating pain because of which she had to take a high dosage of medicines which in turn caused her mental distress. Nimra shared that it was after this time that she met someone who made her feel loved and cared for. At that time, the actor had shared no further details about her love life.

    Over the years, Nimra has made a mark in the industry and has proven herself to be a talented actor. She has appeared in several hit dramas including Baaghi, Choti Si Zindagi and Alif Allah aur Insan.

  • Maria B pledges 100,000 masks to battle coronvavirus

    Maria B pledges 100,000 masks to battle coronvavirus

    Following the footsteps of Asim Jofa and Deepak Perwani, who are producing hazmat suits for healthcare workers, Maria B has also announced that her brand is producing 1000 masks a day in both cotton and 25 GSM approved fabric. However, her masks are not for healthcare workers.

    Maria has also pledged 100,000 masks “to distribute to as many people as possible and our LEA’s.”

    “Everyone needs to wear a mask. We will get through this together,” asserted the designer.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B_ANmUapwUd/

    Meanwhile, in a press release, Maria B said, “The brand has always taken steps to help out Pakistan and its people wherever possible. Through our Maria.B Cares initiative we have collaborated with various organisation, government and private sectors in doing what we can, be it fighting against COVID-19, providing rations, healthcare, education or the environment. We do what we can and encourage everyone to join hands and do whatever they can to build a prosperous nation.”

    The press release added that the brand is also working closely with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) by providing them with masks, industrial/pocket sanitizers, PPE suits, gloves, face shields, caps and shoe covers.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B_ANt2NJ5U5/

    Maria B was recently involved in a controversy after she allowed her cook, who had been tested positive for COVID-19, to travel back home on public transport. Her husband had been arrested for criminal negligence and the incident had sparked national outrage.

  • At least 1,300,000 people in KP to lose jobs in 45 days?

    At least 1.3 million people could lose their jobs if a 45-day lockdown is put in place, a report prepared by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government’s Planning and Development Department revealed on Sunday.

    The report warns at least 460,000 people working as daily wagers and street vendors are set to lose their employment with “immediate effect”.

    The report, released on Sunday, highlighted the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the province’s economy.

    Estimating layoffs caused due to the lockdown in place to stop the spread of the pandemic, the report noted that “daily wage workers, paid worker by piece rate or work performed, paid non-family apprentice and street vendors” were highly vulnerable to the economic impact of coronavirus.

    The report also predicted that the growth of KP’s economy would drop from 3.73 per cent in 2019 to 2.9pc this year, while the gross domestic product (GDP) would go down from Rs13,35,942 million to Rs13,16,160m.

    The report also predicted that overall, some 1.3 million jobs could be lost during a 45-day lockdown. The highest losses would be seen in the transportation and storage sectors with a predicted loss of some 359,393 jobs while construction, manufacturing and wholesale sectors would also be highly affected with job losses of some 295,594, 258,664 and 216,252 respectively.

    The number of jobs lost could increase even more if the lockdown was extended, the report warned, estimating that some 2.7m jobs would be lost if the lockdown was extended to a six-month period while some 4.2m jobs would be lost if the lockdown remained in place for a year.

    However, the report observed that there would be “minimal impact” on the province’s agricultural sector.

    REPORT LAYS DOWN MECHANISM TO MITIGATE IMPACT:

    The report titled Coping Strategy: Mitigating Adverse Impact of COVID-19 on the Economy and Job Market in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also laid out the provincial government’s mechanism to deal with the impact.

    According to the report, some 1.5 million families in the province will benefit from the federal government’s Ehsaas Cash Disbursement Programme through which they would get Rs12,000 every month.

    The report voiced apprehension that the COVID-19 pandemic would also “render vulnerable” those people who do not fall under the federal government’s cash distribution programme criteria.

    The government would therefore form a committee at the Village Council level that would identify vulnerable families who would receive Rs6,000 from the government.

    Certain sectors would also be exempted from tax payments, the report said. Construction, wholesale, retail and transport sectors would be eligible to benefit from these tax exemptions.

    The government would also adopt a moratorium on loan payments for three months to “allow business higher liquidity to the most affected small and medium enterprises” while “mark-up due for the quarter ending 31 March would have to be paid by 15 June instead of 15 April”.

    The government would also pay advance salaries to officers from grade 1 to 17 to “sustain demand” if needed.

    The government would also consider deferral of payment of utility bills for three months to help support small businesses and shopkeepers, the report further added.

  • Urdu version of ‘Diriliş: Ertuğrul’ to air on PTV in Ramazan

    Fans of the super hit Turkish historical fiction series Diriliş: Ertuğrul, popularly referred to as the Turkish Game of Thrones, can rejoice because the drama serial will be hitting our TV screens in Urdu on the first of Ramazan.

    Senator Faisal Javed Khan made the announcement on social media. According to Khan’s tweet, the drama will air in the Urdu language every day from the first of Ramazan at 9:10 pm on PTV Home.

    PTV also shared a short promo of the drama on their social media channel.

    PTV got the exclusive rights for dubbing and screening it in Pakistan after Prime Minister Imran Khan suggested that Pakistani viewers should watch the series. Reports suggest that the prime minister is a big fan of the series as it promotes true Islamic values.

    Read more – PM Imran requests PTV to air Turkish drama in Urdu

    Diriliş: Ertuğrul is set in 13th century Anatolia, before the establishment of the Ottoman Empire. It illustrates the struggle of Ertugrul Gazi, the father of Osman I – the founder of the Ottoman dynasty.

    Since its premiere on state-run Turkish TV channel TRT 1 in November 2014, the serial has been telecasted in 60 countries and has a huge fan following across the world.

  • Team of ‘Ishrat Made in China’ tested for COVID-19

    Team of ‘Ishrat Made in China’ tested for COVID-19

    After a long wait and some hitches along the way, the cast and crew of Ishrat Made in China including Sanam Saeed, Shamoon Abbasi, Mohib Mirza and Sara Loren have tested negative for COVID-19. They had returned from Thailand on April 14 on a special flight arranged by the Government of Pakistan after being stranded there for almost two weeks.

    Sanam took to social media to share the results and thank Deputy Commissioner Islamabad for his support and assistance. The actor also cleared the air regarding the issues they had faced upon their arrival back home.

    Read more – Shamoon Abbasi, Sanam Saeed face gross mismanagement as they arrive in Pakistan

    Shamoon also updated his fans about their results.

  • Natasha of Natasha’s Salon shares a body-positive message for new mommies

    Natasha Khalid of Karachi’s renowned Natasha’s Salon shared an endearing message for all mommies out there highlighting body-positivity and the pressure women face after giving birth.

    “I have always been in awe of those women I see that somehow seem to go back to being fit and look like they have it all together right after having a baby,” wrote the makeup artist. “Whilst I always wished them well I also realised the kind of pressure it put on all us women in general, as all of our journeys with our bodies are different and are not meant to be the same.”

    Addressing all those who keep asking her how she looks so put together, Natasha wrote, “I want to tell all the women and mamas messaging me that I have not lost the baby weight, I have a mama belly and am softer all over. My focus right now is my breastfeeding and eating what I love and indulging. And that is okay.”

    She continued, “Having a baby may be one of the hardest things we do as women because alongside the absolute joy is a loss of self, massive hormonal shifts, I am paranoid about protecting my baby all the time, I fight with my husband and mom most days and cry in the shower without fail every day.”

    Along with her message, Natasha shared pictures of her in her “Sunday best, which is no makeup, her husband’s shirt, burp cloth, crumpled pyjamas, oil in her hair, Noor in her hands and a smile on her face.”

    “I don’t have it all together and I don’t have all the answers. I am learning to be a mom alongside my Noor, falling apart most of the time but then getting up and trying again. To everyone who struggles, I feel you and send so much power and love to all mamas and women out there. We are absolutely powerful and incredible in every way, don’t let anyone make you feel any different,” she concluded.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B_KAv05jBJ0/

    Natasha, who is also Nur Jahan’s granddaughter, welcomed her baby daughter in January.

  • We’re on your side, dear minister

    We are all familiar with the adage that journalism is not a crime. Unfortunately, it seems that the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for some reason thinks it is.

    When The Current, with pictorial evidence, reported how unhygienic the conditions at a quarantine facility in Peshawar were, and when a few journalists shared the story on social media, the government did not take it very well. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Health Minister Taimur Khan Jhagra took to Twitter and quote-tweeted journalist Benazir Shah.

    Other than questioning the report, he said:

    Targeting a well-respected journalist for tweeting a story about bad conditions at a quarantine facility in KP came as a surprise to many who had been commending both the KP government and Jhagra for their hard work in the fight against coronavirus. Jhagra could have ignored the story and not responded at all or just acknowledged the unhygienic conditions. If neither, he certainly could have responded without targeting Shah. 

    Jhagra is known to be decent and hardworking unlike many of his colleagues. Thus it came as a surprise when he targetted an accredited journalist, despite being fully aware of how the trolling brigade works. By targeting Shah specifically, he unleashed a troll army that is always ready to attack the media, especially women journalists.

    The notoriety of the ruling party’s troll army is an open secret despite official denial. Twitter trends against the media and renowned journalists have become a norm. Sharing private pictures of journalists taken from their social media accounts is another feather in the cap of these trolls. Any journalist who has attended Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s media briefings in recent days and dared to ask him a tough question, has faced online trolling and vile attacks.

    Jhagra also implied in his Twitter thread regarding The Current’s story that the “privileged” cannot bear 48 hours of discomfort as the quarantine facilities may not be ideal. Well, this wasn’t about privilege. It was about highlighting the unhygienic conditions at a quarantine facility and nothing to do with privilege. Both the privileged and the under-privileged deserve clean quarantine facilities. This problem isn’t limited to Pakistan. In neighbouring India, many such cases of poor and unclean quarantine facilities have been highlighted on social as well as mainstream media.

    We understand that the government has limited resources and it will be difficult to deal with such pressures. We also acknowledge how hard the federal, as well as provincial governments, are working to fight the coronavirus and that mistakes are unavoidable as this is something the world hasn’t seen in recent times.

    We commend the hard work of our public officials, healthcare workers, doctors, policemen, security officials and everyone out there who is working day in and day out to ensure that the people of Pakistan stay safe and healthy during the pandemic. But we will also mention and highlight facts and news so that our readers stay informed. It is not our job to only highlight the positives; we have to report the truth even if the state does not like it. Journalists cannot be bullied by online trolls or campaigns against them. The media is not your enemy; coronavirus is our common enemy. Fight the virus, don’t fight the media without any reason.

    We don’t have rose-tinted glasses on, and red flags are not just flags to us…

  • After Al-Fatah denial, DIG Operations Lahore confirms coronavirus positive employees

    After Al-Fatah denial, DIG Operations Lahore confirms coronavirus positive employees

    Rumours that Al-Fatah’s large department store at Hussain Chowk in Gulberg, Lahore had employees that tested positive for coronavirus was doing the rounds this week. The store was closed and customers were told that the closure was for fumigation and that the rumours were false. Delivery was still open.

    When DIG Operations Lahore was asked on Twitter whether the rumours were true or false, he confirmed that three employees tested positive for coronavirus and that the store was closed.

    Lahoris also alleged that Al Fatah had posted a notice denying the rumours and had deleted the notices today.

    There were notices posted outside the store and people called in to find out what was going on. People who called were told that there was fumigation going on but the news of positive cases was not true.

    The notice, which was saved by twitter users is now circulating on the social media platform with people asking why it was deleted.

    https://twitter.com/nabihameher/status/1251835072459800577?s=21

  • Quiz: Who should be your quarantine partner

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  • Restaurants to remain open in Karachi for takeaway & home delivery services

    Restaurants to remain open in Karachi for takeaway & home delivery services

    Restaurants, hotels and ‘nanbais’ in Karachi have been granted permission to operate from 8 am to 5 pm.

    According to a notification issued by Commissioner Karachi, restaurants will be allowed to offer takeaway and home delivery services. However, dine-in is strictly prohibited.

    The government has also issued a number of SOPs which need to be followed. This includes following the proper procedure to ensure everything is disinfected. Every worker should be checked before entering the workplace.

    Commissioner Karachi has also made wearing face masks mandatory for those going outside their houses.

    “Face masks are mandatory for all people who come out of the houses for a valid reason or are exempted during the lockdown. The mask shall cover the nose, mouth and chin.”

    If symptoms of flu, cough or fever are found, he/she may be referred to the hospital immediately, the notification read.

    Meanwhile some areas of Karachi, where a large number of COVID-19 cases have been reported have been completely sealed by the Sindh government.