Blog

  • President Arif Alvi, actor Riz Ahmed hit out at Akshay Kumar’s ‘Sooryavanshi’ for Islamophobic content

    Journalist Rana Ayyub highlighted the ‘Islamophobic’ elements in Bollywood’s Sooryavanshi in her article for Washington post. The acclaimed journalist tweeted about the same, reinstating that, “yet another exercise in criminal Islamophobia that seeks to normalise Narendra Modi’s anti-Muslim agenda. She claimed that it “feeds into the Muslim as terrorist narrative.”

    Starring Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif in the lead, it also features Ranveer Singh and Ajay Devgn. The film has already raked in over INR 150 crores at the Box-office.

    Pakistan’s President Arif Alvi expressed his disappointment on the same.

    He added, “The first step in liquidating a people is to erase its memory. Destroy its books, its culture, destroy its history.”

    Hollywood actor Rizwan Ahmed who recently shunned Hollywood for stereotyping Muslims, used the ‘disgusted’ emoji for the film.

    Earlier, Riz called out English films for their misrepresentation of Muslims, “The game right now is messed up. The game right now is rigged,” Ahmed said in a new interview with news outlet Muslim. “Muslims are either not on screen or they are [and] they’re the bad guys. They’re perpetrators or victims of violence. We’re either invisible or we’re villainized, cause the stories we tell about our community affect the laws that get passed, the people that get attacked, the people that get invaded.”

  • Mohammad Rizwan praises young boy for making an ‘incredible’ sketch

    Mohammad Rizwan praises young boy for making an ‘incredible’ sketch

    Pakistan’s wicket keeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan has praised a boy from Gilgit Baltistan who made a sketch of him. While sharing the sketch on his own Instagram, the cricketer said that it is “incredible”.

    “Farhan Ali Macholvi, this is incredible. Thank you so much for your love & support. You are the pride of our Gilgit-Baltistan,” he wrote.

    The cricketer further said that the children are the assets of this nation and they will make Pakistan strong.

    “I strongly believe that our real assets are children. They will build a strong Pakistan. May you keep doing what you love.”

    The sketch shows Rizwan in the team’s green jersey, waving at fans, as he walks by with a bat tucked under his arm, helmet in hand.

    The 29-year-old cricketer won hearts of Pakistani fans with his prolific performance at the T20 World Cup 2021. He scored 281 runs in his six innings at the tournament while scoring a half century in his first ICC semi-final of his career.

    Rizwan became the first player in the history of the game to score 1,000 T20I runs in a calendar year.

  • Joint session of Parliament today, govt confident about getting bills passed

    The government appears confident of getting all its bills passed in the much-awaited joint session of Parliament on Wednesday (today).

    The joint session has been summoned by President Arif Alvi today at 12pm.

    The government is looking forward to passing more than two dozen bills including the ones on electoral reforms and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) ordinances.

    In response, the joint Opposition will resist the government and stop it from legislating what they call “black laws”.

    According to party position, the number of Opposition members in the 440-member joint house comes to 219 against 221 treasury members.

    It may be recalled that the government had previously postponed the joint sitting after its allies, the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement- Pakistan (MQM-P), expressed their reservations over the proposed electoral reforms bills regarding the use of the electronic voting machine (EVM) and the introduction of i-voting for overseas Pakistanis in the next election.

  • Former CJ’s son throws father under the bus, makes shocking revelations

    Former CJ’s son throws father under the bus, makes shocking revelations

    Allegations against the Former Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar by Former Chief Justice (CJ) of Gilgit-Baltistan Justice (retd) Rana Shamim regarding Nisar’s direction to a high court judge not to release Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz on bail at any cost before the 2018 general elections surfaced on November 15.

     Rana Mohammad Shamim’s son and Supreme Court advocate Ahmed Hassan Rana appeared in Geo News programme, ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’ last night to discuss the allegations as his father’s son and lawyer.

    In a truly bizarre interview, Advocate Rana refused to answer any questions on his father’s behalf saying that he himself was serving as the Punjab assistant advocate general at the time of Nawaz’s arrest in 2018 and also met the PML-N leader in jail.

    While describing his relation with his father, Rana said he has to go play snooker at 10 pm, and his wife will ask for permission on his behalf at 09:45 pm from his father. He also questioned the host, asking if Shahzeb has to take permission from his father if he has to go out late at night. To which the anchor said no, he does not ask for permission from his father.

    He continued by adding that “I expressed my anger to my father when he asked me how I would take a date for a hearing”. Shahzeb further asked Rana if he asked his father about the affidavit, to which he said, “Aap mujhe aur sharminda krne chahte hain?” [Do you want to embarrass me further?] adding that I will only speak on what has been told to me by father. He then called his father on live television, asking if his father wanted to comment, to which his father replied, “No comments”.

    Shahzeb asked Rana if he knows when his father last met Nawaz Sharif. To which Rana said he did not even know about the affidavit. However, he said that as per his knowledge, his father went to England before the Covid-19 pandemic began and thats when his father met Nawaz Sharif, adding that his father had direct contact with Nawaz.He also said that his father has served as a lawyer of the Former Prime Minister in the past. Rana, during the show, mentioned several times that his father and Nawaz Sharif were friends.

    Read more- Ex-CJ GB’s son asked for permission to play ‘video’ in Saqib Nisar case

    Shahzeb further asked why his father stayed quiet for four years and only spoke three days before the hearing of Maryam Nawaz Sharif and if it was because he wants Nawaz Sharif to get relief, considering his personal relationship with Nawaz. Rana did not give any clear answer to the question.

    Rana also read a text he received from his father during the show, which read, “According to my knowledge the affidavit statement was never handed over to any journalist, it may have leaked from notary public office.”

    He also added, that his father would appear before the IHC on November 26.

  • ‘Shouted slogans, threw stones, and set fire’: Muslim ex-FM home attacked in India

    ‘Shouted slogans, threw stones, and set fire’: Muslim ex-FM home attacked in India

    Hindu extremists have attacked and set fire to the home of a former Indian foreign minister (FM), police say, in the latest incident of religious violence. Critics say religious violence has increased under Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, reports Al-Jazeera.

    Salman Khurshid, a Muslim from the Opposition Congress party, published a book in which he compared the kind of Hindu nationalism that has grown under Modi to “extremist groups” such as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/ISIS).

    A mob of about 20 people from an extremist local Hindu group massed outside Khurshid’s house near the northern city of Nainital on Monday.

    “They shouted slogans, threw stones, broke several windows, ransacked [the entry] and set fire [to a door],” said a local police chief Jagdish Chandra.

    Khurshid posted images of the aftermath of the attack on social media, and wrote, “Shame is too ineffective a word.”

    “I hoped to open these doors to my friends who have left this calling card. Am I still wrong to say this cannot be Hinduism?” he added.

    Activists say that religious minorities in Hindu-majority India have faced increased levels of discrimination and violence since Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in 2014.

  • ‘Don’t like him at all, lacks tameez and acting skills’: Hira Tareen blasts Yasir Hussain

    ‘Don’t like him at all, lacks tameez and acting skills’: Hira Tareen blasts Yasir Hussain

    Celebrity couple Ali Safina and Hira Tareen, who tied the knot back in 2013, made an appearance on Time Out on Ahsan Khan.

    Ali Safina Biography – Age – Education – Wife in 2021 | Biography, Education, Wife

    The Khaas star declared her dislikeness for actor and writer Yasir Hussain.

    On being asked about a celebrity who’s acting skills she doesn’t like, Ali answered for his wife and took Mahira Khan’s name. However Hira was quick to add that no, its actually a male celebrity whom she dislikes.

    She mentioned that she doesn’t like Yasir’s acting skills at all, adding that he lacks basic manners (tameez), “Its about how you talk to people”.

    The Jhooti actor recently shared a post and added a note that he will leak the movies on cable if they are not released in cinemas anytime soon. 

    Speaking of the digital era, the duo strongly believe that social media is starting to have a strong impact on the industry. “There will come a time when our actors will be girls who’ve risen on TikTok or other social media apps,” Safina said.

    Tareen thought that time is already here and Hania Aamir is a strong example of this.”

    Hania Amir Joins The #RasodeMeKaunTha Meme Bandwagon With A Hilarious Post - HNH Style

    The Qaraar star shared, “There was that shooting that happened at the production house in which a security guard opened fire on our engineer and seven others were injured as well. That was all over the news. A lack of security, late payments and dishonesty. No target oriented work which would mean that if you reach a certain target, this is the level you’ll achieve or be promoted. Actors or artists are investing their own money into social media. They’re getting their own pictures taken, putting in their own efforts to get them published and posted. If I put in this much effort in any other industry, I’d reach such heights in my career.”

  • ‘The problem I have with Shahid [Afridi]…’, Shoaib Akhtar tells all

    ‘The problem I have with Shahid [Afridi]…’, Shoaib Akhtar tells all

    In a video posted by Shoaib Akhtar on Twitter, he revealed the problems he has with Boom Boom Shahid Afridi.

    Narrating his lists of problems, Akhtar said, “The only problem I have with Shahid is, he is way better looking than I am.”

    https://twitter.com/shoaib100mph/status/1460570177213550592?s=21

    “He hits the ball far better than I can, the problem is he is more famous than I am,” added Akhtar.

    Akhtar further said, “Another biggest problem I have with him [Shahid], is his hair. He has more hair than I have.”

    On Tuesday, Shahid Afridi thanked Shoaib Akhtar and said that he liked the “lot of truth” that Shoaib had spoken about in one of their recent meet-ups.

    Afridi said he was pleased to see Akhtar and complimented him for looking “fit” as he retweeted a tweet by Akhtar.

    “Buhut Shukria Shoaibi! Aapke moun se itna sara sach buhut acha laga. And great to see you, my friend, you look fit hope your knees continue to support you,” wrote Afridi.

    Akhtar’s post, retweeted by Afridi, was a video that the fast bowler had shared earlier on Tuesday.

  • Video: Ranbir Kapoor reveals his favourite songs of Mahira Khan and Farhan Saeed

    Video: Ranbir Kapoor reveals his favourite songs of Mahira Khan and Farhan Saeed

    Bollywood star Ranbir Kapoor opened up about his favourite songs of two Pakistani stars. The Sanju star stated that he likes Farhan Saeed’s Thori Dair Aur from the film Half Girlfriend.

    For Mahira, the Raajneeti actor mentioned that he loves Zaalima from Raees.

    Earlier while promoting Jagga Jasoos with Katrina Kaif he praised Mahira Khan’s beauty.

    Mahira Khan Finally Opens Up About Her Controversial Pictures with Ranbir Kapoor - WOW 360

    Ranbir also appreciated Fawad Khan after working with him, “He’s someone who I admire and I also connected to him as a friend. I would love to do a film with him where we can share screen space for a longer time.” 

    Ae Dil Hai Mushkil' co-stars Ranbir, Fawad sport identical beards

    The Brahmastra hero was interviewed by Shaista Lodhi in 2010, in which he praised Pakistan and its entertainment industry.

  • Pakistan to host 2025 Champions Trophy as ICC announces 8 tournaments, Ramiz cheers

    Pakistan to host 2025 Champions Trophy as ICC announces 8 tournaments, Ramiz cheers

    Pakistan will host the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025, which means that the Pakistan cricket team will defend its title in its own home ground. Pakistan won the last Champions Trophy in 2017.

    The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday confirmed the 14 host countries of the ICC men’s white ball events from 2024-2031. Eleven Full Members and three Associate Members have been selected to host two ICC Men’s Cricket World Cups, four ICC Men’s T20 World Cups and two ICC Men’s Champions Trophy events.

    The USA and Namibia will host an ICC World Cup event for the first time. While Australia, Bangladesh, England, Ireland, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies and Zimbabwe have previously staged major events and will do so again over the next decade.

    The hosts were selected via a competitive bidding process overseen by a Board sub-committee chaired by Martin Snedden along with Sourav Ganguly and Ricky Skerritt. The ICC Board accepted the recommendations of the committee who conducted a thorough review of each bid along with the ICC management. A similar process to identify the hosts for ICC Women’s and U19s events for the next cycle will be undertaken early next year.

    Reacting to the development, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ramiz Raja said, “It’s a matter of great pride and delight that Pakistan will be hosting ICC Champions Trophy 2025.”

    ICC Chair Greg Barclay said: “We are delighted to have concluded this competitive bidding process for the first time for ICC events. To have 14 Members hosting 8 events is a reflection of the truly global nature of our sport and I’d like to thank every Member that submitted a bid and offer our congratulations to the successful bidders.”

    “It is fantastic to be returning to so many previous hosts, but what is really exciting about this process is the countries who will stage ICC events for the first time including the USA which is a strategic growth market for us. This gives us the opportunity to deepen our connection with fans in traditional cricket nations and also reach new fans around the world.”

    2024 T20 World Cup: USA and West Indies

    2025 Champions Trophy: Pakistan

    2026 T20 World Cup: India and Sri Lanka

    2027 ODI World Cup: Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa

    2028 T20 World Cup: Australia and New Zealand

    2029 Champions Trophy: India

    2030 T20 World Cup: England, Ireland and Scotland

    2031 ODI World Cup: India and Bangladesh

    It should be noted that Pakistan is set to host Australia in 2022 and England will be visiting Pakistan next year with additional two T20Is that will be played in Pakistan after England’s chief Tom Harrison visited Pakistan.

  • ‘The word ‘Paki’ was used constantly’: Azeem Rafiq tells MPs of racism at Yorkshire

    ‘The word ‘Paki’ was used constantly’: Azeem Rafiq tells MPs of racism at Yorkshire

    English cricketer Azeem Rafiq has told MPs that racist terms were “used constantly” across his two spells at Yorkshire and no one in the leadership challenged them.

    Rafiq first alleged racial harassment and bullying against the county and accused them of institutional racism in September last year, with the club launching an investigation soon afterwards. However, their handling of it has been heavily criticised. They finally published summary findings of the investigation in September this year and, while the investigation found there was “no question” Rafiq had been subjected to racial harassment and bullying, no individuals faced disciplinary action.

    Rafiq told the digital, culture, media and sport committee on Tuesday: “Pretty early on at the club, I joined a dressing room full of my heroes, Michael Vaughan, Matthew Hoggard, part of the 2005 Ashes team. And it was just the most surreal moment for me.

    “Pretty early on, me and other people from an Asian background … there were comments such as ‘you’ll sit over there near the toilets’, ‘elephant washers’. The word ‘Paki’ was used constantly. And there just seemed to be an acceptance in the institution from the leaders and no one ever stamped it out.”

    Rafiq added: “All I wanted to do is play cricket and play for England and live my dream and live my family’s dream. In my first spell, I don’t really think I quite realised what it was. I think I was in denial.”

    While talking in a presser, he said: “I should never ever get treated the way I was treated. When I spoke, I should have been listened to. The game as a whole has a problem, with listening to the victim. There is no yeah buts to racism and there is no two-sides when it comes to racism.”

    Rafiq said the problem at Yorkshire was replicated “up and down the country”.

    Former England batter Ballance admitted using a “racial slur” towards Rafiq in a lengthy statement issued earlier this month, apologising but framing it as part of a long and deep friendship.

    Rafiq also alleged former England batter Alex Hales was involved.

    He said: “Gary and Alex Hales got really close to each other when they played for England together. I wasn’t present in that dressing room, but what I understand (is) that Alex went on to name his dog ‘Kevin’ because it was black. It’s disgusting how much of a joke it was.”