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  • Varun Dhawan opens up about crushing on Sania Mirza, reveals special moment with her

    Varun Dhawan opens up about crushing on Sania Mirza, reveals special moment with her

    Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan recently made a revelation about his former feelings for Tennis star Sania Mirza. The Judwaa 2 star stated that he had a huge crush Sania when he was a crew member on an ad film that featured Mirza.

    Varun recalled, “I was working for Mad Productions, Mukul Anand’s team and I was working on an ad that featured Sania Mirza. We had to get 300 shoes. I went to Linking Road and rented 300 shoes. I had this huge crush on Sania Mirza at the time. She asked me for an apple. And I got this apple.”

    He re-enacted the trembling he felt as he gave her mother the apple for Sania, and added, “I was giving her like I said Aunty… apple. Her mother thought I was crack or something. So she asked who told you to bring this apple?’ Luckily Sania came and said I want the apple. I got like ₹5000 for it, to get the shoes, and also maybe the apple.”

    As of today, Varun is married to Natsaha Dalal, whereas Sania Mirza is hitched to Pakistani veteran cricketer Shoaib Malik.

    Who is Natasha Dalal? How she and Varun Dhawan met? This is the complete timeline of their relationship | GQ India
    Shoaib Malik and Sania Mirza officially divorced now? - Daily Times

    The Badlapur star is currently promoting his horror-comedy film Bhediya, helmed by Amar Kaushik.

  • Committee asks PTI’s Murad Saeed to submit Arshad Sharif’s laptop

    Committee asks PTI’s Murad Saeed to submit Arshad Sharif’s laptop

    A fact-finding committee that is currently investigating the murder of senior journalist Arshad Sharif has asked Murad Saeed, leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, (PTI) to provide the slain newsman’s laptop to the committee on November 28.

    Geo News has reported that the fact-finding committee has written to Saeed that, “During the proceedings of the finding team it has come on record that you are in possession of the Apple MacBook of deceased senior journalist Arshad Sharif. Therefore you are requested to provide the device of the deceased enabling the fact-finding team to ascertain the facts.”

    The committee has also requested Saeed to cooperate.

    In his letter to the FIA fact-finding committee written on November 21, Saeed expressed reservations and refused to cooperate.

    ”The mother of Shaheed Arshad Sharif has already expressed her reservations and expressed dissatisfaction over the govt of Pakistan’s handling of the matter”, Saeed wrote.

    However, he said that he is “willing to appear before the judicial commission constituted by the august SC and present all the information he has with respect to the matter.”

    Earlier this month, the fact-finding committee summoned Murad Saeed and ex-member of PTI, Faisal Vawda.

    Saeed also said that he knew who was threatening the slain journalist in Pakistan, forcing him to flee the country.

    On October 23, Sharif was killed by local police in Kenya in what they said was a case of “mistaken identity”.

  • Federal Minister Hina Rabbani likely to attend FIFA World Cup

    Federal Minister Hina Rabbani likely to attend FIFA World Cup

    Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Hina Rabbani Khar, is expected to attend the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup in Qatar in the first week of December.

    According to The News, the dates for her trip are still being finalised. Earlier this week, Ambassador of Qatar in Islamabad Saoud Abdulrahman Al-Thani called on Foreign Minister (FM) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to extend an invitation from his Qatari counterpart to watch the World Cup.

    Pakistan’s Foreign Office had received the invitations before the World Cup started with the inauguration being attended by world leaders, including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.

    According to the newspaper, it is important for Pakistan to show solidarity with a fellow Muslim state which was the first to hold the World Cup and which is being attacked by the West over alleged human rights records.

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif showed solidarity with Qatar in the face of western media onslaught, tweeting, “Unfortunate that Qatar is being subjected to a barrage of propaganda as host of FIFA World Cup. It should be rather commended for wonderful arrangements for the mega event and being a promoter of global peace and development. Pakistan stands in solidarity with HH Emir and the people of Qatar.”

  • Fact check: Google is not suspending Play Store in Pakistan but users won’t be able to buy apps with mobile balance

    Fact check: Google is not suspending Play Store in Pakistan but users won’t be able to buy apps with mobile balance

    Online rumours claiming that Pakistani Android users will be unable to use Google Play Store services are false and misleading, as users will be able to download and use free apps.

    The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) stopped paying $34 million to international tech companies in order to reduce the outflow of dollars, so Android users in Pakistan won’t be able to purchase paid apps through mobile carrier billing.

    Carrier payments, or a method by which mobile users pay for paid apps using their mobile credits, will no longer be available.

    According to details, the SBP has halted payments totaling $34 million to foreign service providers, which would prevent mobile customers in Pakistan from accessing paid services through the Google Play Store.

    Details indicate that the SBP terminated Direct Carrier Billing (DCB). As a result, the payment to foreign service providers, including Google, Amazon, and Meta, has been suspended. It is important to note that Pakistani customers may only pay for applications or paid services with credit or debit cards.

  • PM Shehbaz invites Turkey to be a part of CPEC

    PM Shehbaz invites Turkey to be a part of CPEC

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has invited Turkey to be a part of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), suggesting that it would be a “wonderful joint cooperation”.

    Shehbaz Sharif reached Istanbul, Turkey on Friday for his two-day visit where at the airport he was received by the city’s deputy governor and other senior officials of the Turkish government.

    Inauguration ceremony for the third of four Milgem Corvette ships

    Following this, the Premier spoke at an inauguration ceremony for the third of four Milgem Corvette ships for the Pakistan Navy at the Istanbul Shipyard.

    The premier said the two countries under Erdogan’s leadership have a “great chance” to move forward in this field.

    Regarding the ship’s launch, PM Shehbaz said Turkey and Pakistan are “deeply engaged” in promoting their defense capabilities for peace to ward off aggression. He said the ship’s launch is for defense purposes instead of aggression.

    The prime minister called on Turkey to further collaborate on their defense production capacities to ensure that peace was restored in the world, adding that the globe was facing “great tensions”.

    Invite Turkey to join Pakistan, China in CPEC

    PM Shehbaz also addressed a joint press stakeout along with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and invited Turkey to join the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to bring about regional prosperity, alleviate poverty and empower people through better education and health facilities.

    “I would suggest that let this be a cooperation between China, Pakistan and Turkey. This would be a wonderful joint cooperation. This is how we can meet the challenges of today,” the prime minister remarked.

    He said that he would be “happy” to discuss the matter with the Chinese leadership if Turkey moved ahead with the idea of joining CPEC.

    Pitch to Turkish entrepreneurs

    Addressing a meeting of the Pakistan-Turkey business council in Istanbul on Saturday, he told the investors that his government was resolved to cut down “very expensive” imports of oil and petroleum products, on which $27 billion was spent last year. “We simply can’t afford this.”

    “It’s not just a paper, or a talk, or a feasibility,” he said about the project today. “I, along with my colleagues, I am committed to this philosophy that we shall implement this scheme with in letter and spirit with our own resources, with investment from Turkey, from China, from Saudia Arabia, from Qatar, from the UAE (United Arab Emirates), from the United States of America, from wherever.”

    He assured the investors that the Pakistan government would create a conducive, enabling and friendly environment for them to invest in the project.

    He also asked the Pakistan ambassador in Istanbul to facilitate the Turkish investors in coming to Pakistan.

    ‘Being in Turkey feels like being home’: PM Shehbaz

    Before reaching Turkey, the premier said that he is leaving at the invitation of my brother Erdogan and that being in Turkey feels like being home.

    He tweeted: “Our bilateral ties have entered a new era of strategic partnership under the leadership of President Erdogan. We are on course to unpack the full untapped potential of relationship.”

  • ‘Stop policing’: Sajal Aly, Adnan Siddiqui’s ‘war of words’ gets intense

    ‘Stop policing’: Sajal Aly, Adnan Siddiqui’s ‘war of words’ gets intense

    Actors Adnan Siddiqui and Sajal Ali indulged in a war of words with each other after Adnan expressed his issue with Shehzad Roy’s ‘remixed’ version of the National Anthem.

    On Thursday, the renowned musician Shehzad Roy performed a ‘remixed’ version of the National Anthem at the 21st Lux Style Awards.

    The anthem, which Roy produced to mark the 75th anniversary of Pakistan’s creation, features the lyrics as the original, but some of the more modern instruments used to create the melody were replaced with traditional ones.

    For Siddiqui, the performance was underwhelming to the point that he found the new version disrespectful.

    “It (National Anthem) is always played in the original rendition at matches, tournaments, and other state functions. At a famous award show, artists, however, fiddle with the National symbol and possibly get away with it too. Personally, I find ‘remix’ of the Tarana disrespectful.”

    Star-actor Sajal Ali disagreed with Adnan’s stance and shared her opinion on Instagram. She said the new version of the National Anthem was healing, and that it ‘reflected the values of our Constitution and remained true to the original anthem’.

    “As a Pakistani and an artist, I found the diversity of my country reflected in this rendition of the national anthem beautiful. I found it healing,” Ali said.

    The famous VJ and actor, Anoushey Ashraf, agreed with the Gul-e-Rana actor and said, “I absolutely agree with you. Many countries have different renditions of the original anthem as long as it’s done within the frame of decency and acceptability.”

    She added, “This is just adding more diversity to it to accommodate everyone, it doesn’t change its essence or the feel. Never will.”

    Adnan’s series of posts for Sajal

    Earlier today, the Merey Paas Tum Ho actor responded to the criticism and advised Ali to revisit the post as she had missed his point.

    Taking to his Instagram, he shared a series of stories stating that he was not ‘throwing shade on the “ethnicity” of the artists involved or on anyone’s patriotism.

    In one of the stories, he tagged the actor and reminded her how “there is a protocol to be followed for national symbols, the respect accorded to them much so that the first alphabets of national symbols are written in upper case.”

    “What is next because we are creative and should celebrate diversity? Hoist the National Flag upside down and design our own version of the emblem?” He added.

    The actors have worked together in a Bollywood movie Mom, alongside late Indian actor Sridevi.

  • PTI marches towards Islamabad for ‘Haqeeqi Azadi’

    PTI marches towards Islamabad for ‘Haqeeqi Azadi’

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan said that there is a “threat to his life” but he is coming to Rawalpindi for the nation despite the injury.

    “My nation will come to Pindi for me,” a tweet posted from PTI’s official account quoted Khan as saying.

    Islamabad Police shares traffic update

    PTI leaders tweets on march

  • Will boycott ICC World Cup 2023 in India if it refuses to come to Pakistan for Asia Cup: Ramiz Raja

    Will boycott ICC World Cup 2023 in India if it refuses to come to Pakistan for Asia Cup: Ramiz Raja

    Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Ramiz Raja, has said that Pakistan will boycott the ICC World Cup 2023 if India refuses to visit Pakistan for the upcoming Asia Cup.

    “Who will watch the World Cup in India without Pakistan?” Raja. “We are very clear, if they don’t come to play in the Asia Cup here, we won’t go there for the World Cup,” the PCB chief added.

    Earlier, this year in October, Jay Shah, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president who is also secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), said that the Indian cricket team will not travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup next year.

    “The Asia Cup 2023 will be held at a neutral venue,” Shah told the media after a BCCI annual general meeting. “It’s the government which decides the permission of our team visiting Pakistan so we won’t comment on that but for the 2023 Asia Cup, it is decided that the tournament will be held at a neutral venue.”

    “I am saying this as ACC President. We [India] can’t go there [to Pakistan], they can’t come here. In the past also, the Asia Cup has been played at a neutral venue,” he said.
    Prior to the ICC Cricket World Cup in India, which is slated for October and November 2023, Pakistan will host the 50-over Asia Cup. India last travelled to Pakistan in 2008 for the Asia Cup .

  • Joy for Joyland: SHC dismisses plea seeking ban on film

    Joy for Joyland: SHC dismisses plea seeking ban on film

    The Sindh High Court has dismissed a plea requesting ban on the movie Joyland, Naeem Sahoutara reports for Dawn.

    The petitioner requested a ban on the movie, stating that the movie depicts a relationship between a married man and a transgender woman, and that the plot is against the Constitution and Islamic principles.

    The bench was headed by Chief Justice Ahmed Ali M Shaikh.

    “In our view, where a cinematic work has passed through the censors, who have examined its content and cleared it for release with an appropriate certification, an individual cannot be allowed to trump that decision through a court proceeding based on his conception of morality. Indeed, it is not the function of the Court under Article 199 to make a moral judgment so as to curtail the freedom of speech and expression of a filmmaker, as safeguarded under Article 19 of the Constitution,” stated the detailed order passed by a division bench.

    “On the contrary, the default position of the Court under Article 199 ought to be that of fully safeguarding the fundamental right by giving as expensive an interpretation to Article 19 as possible, and in that event of a restriction being imposed by the Board or any other authority that may be competent in that regard, testing the reasonableness of that restriction stringently, so as to ensure that the same is “reasonable” in the strictest conceivable sense.”

    “Looking to the matter at hand, we are confident that Islam, being the great global religion that it is, is strong enough to withstand a cinematic work portraying a purely fictional account of a relationship humanizing a transgender character, and are equally sanguine that our society is not so weak as to crumble as a consequence,” the order stated.

  • Neymar out of Brazil’s next World Cup match with ankle injury

    Neymar out of Brazil’s next World Cup match with ankle injury

    After suffering an ankle ligament injury in his team’s opening victory over Serbia, Neymar will miss Brazil’s next World Cup match against Switzerland, the team doctor announced on Friday.

    After being replaced during Thursday’s 2-0 victory over Serbia, the Paris Saint-Germain forward was spotted with a swollen ankle.

    he 30-year-old sustained “ligament damage,” according to the Brazilian Football Federation’s (CBF) physician Rodrigo Lasmar.

    Due to an ankle strain, Danilo, the right back for Brazil, will also miss Monday’s game against Switzerland.

    “We will not have these two players for our next match but they continue their treatment with the aim of recovering in time for the rest of the competition,” the doctor said in a video released by the CBF.