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  • Why Nadeem Baig thinks Humayun Saeed can lead in action films

    Why Nadeem Baig thinks Humayun Saeed can lead in action films

    Director Nadeem Baig is known for openly sharing his thoughts about his favourite actors, and Humayun Saeed is definitely one of them.

    Recently, Baig appeared as a guest on Say It All with Iffat Omar, where he discussed how Humayun Saeed compares to Bollywood’s Khans – Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, and Aamir Khan – in terms of suitability for action roles.

    The host asked, “I heard that you are going to work on an action film with him, should we expect a transformation like Shah Rukh, Aamir, or Salman?”

    Nadeem Baig responded, “I think the disadvantage Shah Rukh and Aamir is their body types. The advantage for Humayun is his personality and physique. If I didn’t know these three people and they were not stars, and they stood in front of me wanting to be cast in my next film, I would physically cast Humayun because he is tall and broad, which suits action characters, much like actors in Hollywood or South Indian films.”

    “Since he was a romantic hero, the trend for romantic leads has faded, and such films have become less accessible for him. So he had to rediscover himself to survive in the action genre. Salman Khan has been the most successful in this transition because his body, face, and eyes suit action roles. I don’t think Aamir Khan suits action, but he does well in drama and other genres. Shah Rukh tries hard to look good in action roles.

    “However, I tell you, if I have the same facilities and budget, and if you see Humayun doing action, he would outshine all of them. I would like him to work out for a year so he can become someone who is physically fit. But he really loves food,” Nadeem Baig added.

    He also talked about how Arsalan Naseer won the Best Actor award, beating Naumaan Ijaz.

    “For instance, in front of Naumaan Ijaz, Arsalan Naseer, who just entered the industry through YouTube, he gets an award for Best Actor. I’m sorry, this surprises me. Actually, such awards don’t exist in Pakistan. There is one award for fashion, and they have to include the film and TV category so that they have good attendance and good faces sitting in the front row. They give five awards each for film and TV. So it’s about the category. You cannot put Sajal Aly and Saba Hamid in the same category, it will be very unfair.”

    Talking about the credibility of the current awards show, he categorically stated:

    “I think the awards that are being given, they hold no value. I’m not saying this lightly, I mean, when something is so public, if you don’t acknowledge it, it diminishes your worth. The awards you give then lose their significance. It’s as if everyone just shows up today and gets one of these social media awards, including Lux, I don’t know what the format is, but when the public is voting, it can be hacked. You can hire 500 people to vote or do something else. At the end of the day, what happens is that you receive a surprise there that leaves you stunned.”

  • Mira Sethi slams trolls for picking on Hiba Bukhari

    Mira Sethi slams trolls for picking on Hiba Bukhari

    Actress Mira Sethi has come out in support of her fellow artist Hiba Bukhari, giving a strong reply to the trolls who were shaming Bukhari for showing her baby bump.

    On Instagram, she shared an story in Hiba’s support who became the center of attention at Hum Awards in London where she showed up in a gown, baby bump proudly on display.

    Earlier, the actress had been silent on rumors of her expecting a child, but later, she not only confirmed it through her YouTube channel but also explained the reason for keeping the news a secret.

    Hiba then became the target of online morality police trolls for choosing an outfit they deemed inappropriate for a pregnant woman.

    Mira Sethi shared a screenshot on her Instagram story where Hiba Bukhari was being criticized : “How is it disrespectful to be pregnant, look attractive, and work?”

    She further wrote, “Hiba Bukhari’s body and her beautiful green dress are her own choice.”

    Mira then praised all women who continue to work with a smile on their face, even in such situations.

    Describing the criticism as unwarranted, she added, “Working while pregnant and showing a baby bump is not disrespectful at all.”

  • Nawaz Sharif slams KP govt over lack of basic facilities

    Nawaz Sharif slams KP govt over lack of basic facilities

    Former Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif has slammed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government for its performance, stating that the province lacks basic facilities.

    Speaking at a ceremony in Lahore, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif compared Punjab government’s performance to the KP government, urging the people to ask their representatives what they have done to serve them.

    Responding to recent protests by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in Punjab, he compared them to Central Asian barbarians and added, “They (PTI) came to Punjab with tear gas so that they could threaten the police and spread chaos.”

    Meanwhile, citing the reason for the government’s effort to present constitutional amendments in parliament this week, journalist Raees Ansari told Geo News that Nawaz Sharif had postponed his visit to America and London.

    He further said that the incumbent government is waiting for the Supreme Court’s verdict regarding the reserved seats before tabling the twenty-sixth amendments in parliament.

  • Land dispute claims seven lives in Sialkot

    Land dispute claims seven lives in Sialkot

    Seven people were gunned down by a rival group over a land dispute in Sialkot on Tuesday. A luxury vehicle going towards Manga Bridge was fired upon indiscriminately by gunmen hiding in the vicinity. Resultantly, a passerby was seriously injured in the attack.

    The victims were identified as 50-year-old Qari Ashfaq, 35-year-old Nisar Ahmed, Muhammad Anwar, Master Shafaat, Nika Masih, Babar and driver Saleem who died on the spot.

    The passenger was identified as 30-year-old Nadeem, a resident of a nearby village.

    The victims were residents of Mari Kalan village, Sheikhupura district.

    The gunmen escaped after the attack.

    Rescue teams found all of the victims dead.

    Initial investigation by the police suggests that the shooting occurred in the Kalrawala Police Station jurisdiction and it was a result of long standing enmity between two groups over a land dispute in Sheikhupura.

    A local report said the deceased belonged to Mari Kalan village in Sheikhupura district and opponents from Maluk village, Pasrur.

    Notably, the boundaries of Sheikhupura district, Sialkot and Gujranwala are separated from Manga bridge.

    The injured person was referred to Lahore by Narowal District Headquarters Hospital in a critical condition.

  • Global Cultural Festival: Azerbaijani artist surprises Pakistanis with rendition of Mast Qalandar

    Global Cultural Festival: Azerbaijani artist surprises Pakistanis with rendition of Mast Qalandar

    An Azerbaijani artist surprised Pakistanis by performing the tune of ‘Mast Qalandar’ at the World Cultural Fair in collaboration with Arts Council Karachi, Geo, and Jang.

    Sahib Pashazadeh, a well-known musician from Azerbaijan, has highly appreciated Pakistani culture and hospitality. He came to Karachi to participate in the ongoing 35-day World Cultural Fair organized by Geo and Jang.

    In a special interview with Geo Digital, Sahib Pashazade described the beauty of Pakistan and the hospitality of the people, saying, “Pakistan is very beautiful, very beautiful! The people here greet guests with a smile. Seeing us, people kept coming out and asking if we needed anything. Can we help you? Because we are also Muslims, people here say in their own way: God bless you, Masha Allah, and thank you very much.”

    He performed Azerbaijan’s traditional music ‘Mugham’ and the famous Pakistani qawwali ‘Mast Qalandar’ for the Pakistani audience during his performance at the music concert event at Karachi Arts Council.

    Talking about the music, he said, “We presented Azerbaijan’s national music, ‘Mugham,’ for the Pakistani audience. Mugham is a long style of music, but we shortened it and also performed the traditional dance ‘Yalalli,’ which was well liked by the audience.”

    He added, “After that, we presented the song ‘Mast Qalandar’ as a special surprise for the Pakistani audience. This is a very famous Pakistani qawwali sung by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan; we know he is a very popular artist.”

    Sahib Pashazade mentioned that he also performed a joint fusion of traditional music from Pakistan and Azerbaijan, which was well received by the audience.

    He said, “Both Pakistan and Azerbaijan are Muslim countries, and both love and respect each other’s culture and people. I felt very happy to be a part of this great cultural festival.”

    Talking about Karachi, Sahib Pashazade said that he had visited Islamabad before, but it was his first time in Karachi.

    He said, “Both the culture and the people here are very interesting, they are hospitable and big hearted people who impressed us a lot.”

    He praised the Pakistani people and culture and hoped for more opportunities in the future to experience the fusion of music and culture between the two countries.

    World Cultural Fair will continue for about a month at the Karachi Arts Council, featuring more than 400 international artists from 40 countries.

  • South Indian film icon Rajinikanth hospitalized

    South Indian film icon Rajinikanth hospitalized

     Legendary tamil actor Rajinikanth, as he is widely known, was hospitalized in Chennai late at night on Monday after experiencing pain in the stomach. 

     The Apollo Hospital in Chennai shared the latest health update of the superstar, saying, “Mr Rajinikanth was admitted to Apollo Hospitals, Greams Road, on 30th September 2024. He had a swelling in the main blood vessel leaving his heart (aorta), which was treated by a non-surgical, transcathether method.     

       “Senior interventional cardiologist Dr. Sai Satish successfully placed a stent in Rajinikanth’s aorta to seal off the swelling during an endovascular repair procedure. His well-wishers and fans can rest assured that the operation went as planned. Rajinikanth is stable and recovering well, and he should be able to return home in two days.”

    The actor, almost worshipped in the South Indian film industry, has numerous fans in India and beyond. His health has raised concerns among his fan base, while political figures and friends have sent best wishes.   

    Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minisiter tweet on X (formerly Twitter) said:  “Hospitalized friend Superstar Mr.  @rajinikanth  I wish them a speedy recovery.”      

     Here are the tweet:

      Tamil actor Kamal Hassna has wished a swift recovery, saying, “I wish my dear friend, Superstar @rajinikanth , who is hospitalized, a speedy recovery.”

    Here are the tweet:

  • Fiery exchange in Supreme Court: PTI worker threatens larger bench

    Fiery exchange in Supreme Court: PTI worker threatens larger bench

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) worker Mustafeen Kazmi has threatened the five members of a larger bench of the Supreme Court amidst the review hearing of Article 63A case.

    During the hearing on Wednesday at the Supreme Court of Pakistan, Mustafeen Kazmi came to the rostrum and declared the larger five-member bench unconstitutional, threatening, “We have 500 workers outside; will see how you give a verdict against them,” Geo News has reported.

    Responding to the misbehaving of PTI worker Kazmi, CJP Qazi Faez Isa directed him to sit down, but he refused. Then, Isa politely directed the police to evacuate this gentleman from the courtroom.

    “What else you can do,” Kazmi responded.

    Addressing PTI lawyer Barrister Ali Zafar, the Chief Justice questioned what is happening in the courtroom: “Ali Zafar Sahab aap ayyein or hamain bay izzat karain, yeh hum hargiz bardasht nahi karaingy, judges sey badtameezi ka yeh tareeqa ab aam hu gaya hai (Ali Zafar, you came here and disrespected us {judges}, we won’t tolerate it, and now it has become the norm to misbehaved with judges).”

    Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail clearly told Zafar that any sympathy they had for him had faded away following his behaviour.

    Ali Zafar responded by stating that the members of the bench forming committee are part of the bench and questioned how they can declare the formation of the bench legal. In response, the Chief Justice remarked that if they consider this point, then members of the committee judges won’t be part of any bench.

    Later, the apex court adjourned the hearing till tomorrow at 11:30 AM.

  • Death toll from Tel Aviv attack rises to seven

    Death toll from Tel Aviv attack rises to seven

    A man wounded in a shooting and stabbing attack in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv has died, the medical centre where he was being treated said Wednesday, bringing the number of fatalities up to seven.

    “The injured person came to us in a critical condition, suffering from multi-system damage, and after doctors fought for his life, they had to pronounce him dead a short while ago,” a statement from Ichilov Medical Centre in Tel Aviv said.

    On Tuesday, Israeli police said six people were killed and 17 others wounded in the attack, which took place near Tel Aviv’s light rail station in Jaffa.

    The attack came as Iran fired a barrage of missiles at Israel, sending hundreds of thousands of Israelis into shelters.

    Police on Wednesday published the two attackers’ names and said they were residents of the Palestinian city of Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

    The attackers “began their killing spree when they entered the carriage of the light train that stopped at the station and fired at the passengers,” police said in a statement on Wednesday.

    The two were armed with an M16 weapon, cartridges and a knife and continued on foot until police “neutralised” them, it added.

    One of the attackers was shot dead, and the other was seriously wounded, it said.

    Overnight, the Israeli security agency and the army arrested several suspects in Hebron and Jerusalem believed to have aided the two attackers.

    Israeli media identified three of the seven victims as Israeli citizens: Shahar Goldman, 30, Inbar Segev Vigder, 33, and Revital Bornstein, 24. A fourth was reportedly a Georgian citizen.

    Palestinian militants have carried out several attacks on Israelis since October 7, when the Islamist group Hamas attacked southern Israel, sparking war in the Gaza Strip.

    Palestinian attacks have since killed at least 26 Israelis, including members of the security forces, Israeli officials say.

    Violence in the West Bank has also surged.

    According to the Palestinian health ministry, Israeli troops and settlers have killed at least 682 people in raids or attacks in the West Bank since October 7.

    Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967, and its forces regularly make incursions into Palestinian communities, which often result in heavy clashes between troops and militants.

  • Mahira says her husband is more romantic than THESE superstars

    Mahira says her husband is more romantic than THESE superstars

    The prestigious 9th HUM Awards 2024 took place at London’s OVO Arena Wembley, showcasing top talent from the entertainment industry. The event featured amazing performances from Atif Aslam, Ramsha Khan, Mahira Khan, Farhan Saeed, Ahmed Ali Butt, and Hania Aamir.

    This was one of Mahira’s first public appearances with her husband Salim Karim, and she took the opportunity to praise her hubby.

    When the host asked her, “Between Shah Rukh Khan, Fawad Khan, Humayun Saeed, or your husband, who is the most romantic hero,” Mahira said, “Shahrukh Khan, Fawad Khan, Humayun Saeed, when they romance me, they need a script, but my husband Salim Karim does not need a script.”

    The audience burst into applause and laughter.

    Mahira later danced to a famous song of her play at the award show, garnering much clapping and rousing praise.

  • Is the milk supply contract in Punjab granted to Fauji Foundation?

    Is the milk supply contract in Punjab granted to Fauji Foundation?

    A recent Geo Fact Check story reveals that the Punjab government has awarded the contract for its nutrition program to a private company instead of the Fauji Foundation, which will provide free milk to school children. The project is worth Rs 27 billion.

    Initially, it was claimed that Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s newly launched school nutrition programme, under which milk cartons will be provided free to children in primary government schools, was given to Fauji Foods Limited.

    Online claims also stated that Fauji Foods Limited will get a profit of Rs 7.1 billion through the deal.

    However, the reality is that the contract for the nutrition project has gone to Metro Pakistan Private Limited and not Fauji Foods Limited, a Punjab government official and a Metro employee confirmed to Geo Fact Check.

    A focal person for the Punjab Education Minister, Fahad Nisar, told Geo Fact Check in a written reply that only Metro Pakistan has been awarded the contract to supply milk packets to children in three districts of the province, including Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffar. Garh and Rajanpur.

    Additionally, he said that the agreement with Metro is valid till May 30, 2025.

    An advertisement for the project was published in May this year, after which four companies were qualified for the bidding process, but only two (Engro Pakistan and Metro Pakistan) submitted their bids.

    Fauji Foods did not even apply for the project.

    The focal person revealed that among the submitted bids, Metro’s was the lowest.

    “The price of Ultra High Temperature (UHT) full cream milk in Dera Ghazi Khan and Muzaffargarh, including fortnightly delivery, is Rs 64 per 175 ml and Rs 63.75 for Rajanpur,” the official told Geo FactCheck.

    Metro Pakistan also confirmed that there is an active agreement between Metro Pakistan and District Education Authorities in Rajanpur, Dera Ghazi Khan and Muzaffargarh.

    It also denied that the contract was a joint venture with any other company. The total value of the contract, including taxes, is five billion rupees.

    Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz announced a Rs. 27 billion plan to provide free milk to young children in the province to combat stunting.

    The project was initially launched in Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffargarh, and Rajanpur, where malnutrition and stunting rates are highest.