On Pakistan’s 77th Independence Day, the country’s patriotic spirit was reflected in the messages shared by celebrities across social media.
As the country celebrated its eventful history and achievements, different people from the entertainment industry took the opportunity to express their pride in their nation.
Here are some stories and messages shared by the celebrities:
On Tuesday, DIG Karachi-South Asad Raza took notice of actress Nimra Khan’s viral video where she claimed to have stopped an attempt to kidnap her.
The DIG asked SSP South to provide a report on the incident. Nimra Khan said that three armed men tried to kidnap her while she was waiting for her car outside a hotel in Karachi’s Defence area.
Recalling the scary event, Nimra shared that the men tried to force her into their vehicle at gunpoint. She resisted, but the people around did not help her.
In her video, she said, “The armed men could have shot me, but I managed to stop a passing car.” With help from the family inside the car and hotel staff, she escaped.
She expressed her frustration, saying, “If women aren’t safe in Pakistan, should we really be celebrating Pakistan Day? Can anyone confidently say that their sister, wife, daughter, or mother is safe in Pakistan? The answer, sadly, is no.”
Police officials said that Nimra has not yet reported the incident to the police. They stated that they will start their investigation once she does.
Indian cricketer Hardik Pandya has started dating British singer Jasmine Walia just days after his divorce from his wife, Nataša Stanković, media reports have said.
According to Indian media, Hardik and Jasmine are vacationing together in Greece.
The rumours started when fans noticed that both of them were sharing similar pictures from the same place on social media. Both have also started following each other on Instagram.
Jasmine is an icon in the music industry and is quite famous. She was born in England to parents of Indian origin.
The four- year marriage between Hardik Pandya and Natasa ended in divorce in July last month. Both are parents to a four-year-old son.
Investigative journalist Umer Cheema and talk show host Muneeb Farooq have revealed startling details of former spymaster Lieutenant General (retd) Faiz Hameed’s links with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
Cheema said that there is evidence that the General was connected with PTI even after his retirement.
He further claimed that senior leaders of PTI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) conveyed messages from Peshawar to Bani Gala when Faiz Hameed was the Corp Commander of the city on Geo News’ Shahzaib Khanzada talk show.
Muneeb Farooq recounted that in a sitting of powerful army officials, former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Qamar Javed Bajwa said, “I dropped Gen Faiz Hameed’s name for the Position of (COAS) and insisted on not making Lieutenant Gen Asim Munir’s Army Chief.”
He also said that if General Asim Muneer became army chief, Faiz Hameed would undoubtedly face a field court martial trial as there is clear evidence of his involvement in mutiny attempts.
Muneeb also said that Faiz Hameed had a direct connection with PTI after his retirement, and the 9th May riots were the second attempt against incumbent Army Chief Asim Munir.
“If Faiz Hameed proves guilty of sedition, he could be persecuted at an extreme level,” predicted Cheema
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Wednesday that he will give the nation “good news” regarding reduced electricity costs and a new economic reform plan.
“Today, there is inflation. People are worried about electricity bills and other problems. However, if not all is good in the country, not all is bad,” said the PM.
“Our primary focus is on reducing power prices to provide relief to domestic consumers, agriculture, industry, exports, and business sectors. This is essential to navigate the current economic challenges. The competitiveness of our exports is directly linked to affordable electricity,” stated the premiere in an address to newly appointed officials of power distribution companies (DISCOS) on Tuesday.
He highlighted that the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) was committed to lowering energy costs, which have placed a significant burden on the debt-ridden nation.
He pointed out DISCOS’s inefficiencies and corruption, which have led to power theft costing around Rs 500 billion annually.
“This is your greatest challenge. The government has deliberated on how to improve the system. You must give your best,” the PM stated, stressing that DISCOS officials’ appointments have been made on merit.
Renowned Indian actress Sonam Bajwa has extended congratulations to Pakistani javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem for winning a gold medal at the Paris Olympics.
Arshad Nadeem made history by claiming the gold medal in the men’s javelin throw final, marking Pakistan’s first individual Olympic gold in 40 years. He set a new Olympic record with a throw of 92.97 meters. India’s Neeraj Chopra took the silver medal in the same event.
Sonam used Punjabi to say, “Wadhaiyan, Mubarakan,” conveying that he truly deserved this victory.
In his Instagram post celebrating the win, Nadeem thanked Allah and expressed gratitude to his nation and parents for their support.
Arshad Nadeem’s achievement is a significant milestone, as the last gold medal for Pakistan was won by the hockey team in the 1984 Olympics.
The second Test match between Pakistan and Bangladesh will be played in Karachi without spectators.
According to a statement issued by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the second Test match between Pakistan and Bangladesh will be played from (August 30 to September 3). Construction work at the National Stadium in Karachi to prepare for the Champions Trophy 2025, is going on. Keeping the safety of spectators in mind, the Board has decided that fans will not be allowed in the stadium.
The Board has also suspended the sale of tickets for the Karachi Test, with the money to be refunded.
PCB is currently focused on hosting the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and upgrading the stadium, as it is Pakistan’s first major tournament since 1996.
President Asif Ali Zardari has approved a grant of honour to bestow 101 national and international individuals for contributions to the country at a ceremony on 23 March 2025.
Former Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto will be awarded posthumous Nishan e Pakistan, the nation’s highest civil award for outstanding public service.
Arshad Nadeem, gold medalist at the Paris Olympics 2024, will receive the second-highest civilian award, Hilal e Imtiaz. Murad Sadpara, who died at Broad Peak Hill after a daring rescue operation, will be bestowed with Sitara e Imtiaz in the sports category.
Nasir Kazmi, famous poet, will also get the Nishan e Imtiaz award in the literature category.
The President has also approved a Sitara e Shujat award to Deputy Commissioner Panjgur, Zakir Hussain Baloch, who was killed in District Mastung.
Founder Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan has suggested that a judicial commission be formed if Gen Faiz’s arrest is related to May 9 events.
His lawyer, Intezar Panjutha, addressed the media on Tuesday after holding a meeting with Khan.
In an unprecedented move, the country’s former spymaster, Lt-Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed, was detained by military authorities and court martial proceedings were initiated against him on charges of corruption, misuse of authority and violating the Pakistan Army Act as announced by the ISPR on Monday.
PTI has been unusually quiet on the entire matter, with Khan saying that it is an ‘internal matter’ of the Army distancing his party from it.
Panjutha also stated that Khan believed it was time for the CJP Isa to step back, emphasising that PTI’s three seats were stolen and given to PML-N on Monday.
Pakistan’s first Ghibli style animated film, The Glassworker, will be screened at the Hiroshima Animation Festival in Japan on Saturday August 17, 2024. Among thousands of entries from 97 countries and regions across the world, it is going to compete in the ‘Feature Competition’ category.
This is an achievement that showcases Pakistan’s animation talent on the global stage. The Glassworker promises a heartwarming and visually stunning experience.
The film, directed by Usman Riaz and Mairam Riaz Paracha and produced by Geo Films, was released on July 26, 2024 in Pakistan. It has now crossed the 30 million milestone at the box office.