Renowned Indian sculptor Manjit Singh Gill has paid homage to Pakistan’s legendary singer Shaukat Ali with a big sculpture. Ali passed away on April 2 in Lahore.
According to a report in the Indian Express, Gill’s artwork was installed at a park in Ghal Kalan village. The report added that India’s Punjab also grieved Ali’s death.
Speaking to the publication, Ali’s son Imran Ali said that the singer was battling liver cirrhosis for more than a year and was being treated for it.
“He had recovered but four months back [but] his condition deteriorated again and his liver stopped working completely,” said Imran.
Ali sang his first song Pagdi Utaar Chora in 1962 and received a silver jubilee award for it.
Meanwhile, Gill is renowned for his statues worldwide. Previously, he made a sculpture of philanthropist and humanitarian Abdul Sattar Edhi and Punjabi poet Bashir Husain Najmi, more popularly known as Baba Najmi.
Hey, *|MERGE1|*. It is April 4th. The Ministry of Science and Technology has announced that Ramzan will begin from April 14 so we only have 10 days left. Coming Ramzan feels similar to the last one; we were in lockdown then and we are in lockdown again, but as the vaccination process is speeding up, we can see light at the end of the tunnel.
This Ramzan along with religious obligations, I’m also going to focus on my own character development and work on my toxic traits, especially those that affect others, and ahem, also eat less fried items. What are your goals for this Ramzan? ?
It will by sunny and breezy in most cities of Pakistan, with a sandstorm expected in Quetta. ?
Happy Sunday!
Laila-The Current
MORNING MEME
No plan to privatise PIA
The National Assembly (NA) was informed on Friday that there is no plan to privatise any of the assets of national flag carrier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan said this during the question hour while speaking on the floor of the House.
He said that the present government is very keen to make the national flag carrier self-reliant and a profitable entity. Efforts are underway to improve the financial health of the airline by reducing its losses through various means. He also said that loss-making routes have been closed and flights on profitable routes have been added, which has resulted in reduction of losses.
Incumbent government fails to control inflation ahead of Ramzan
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) witnessed a new round of inflation (increase in prices of goods and services) up to 9.1 per cent from 8.7 per cent in February.
Inflation took place primarily due to price increase in food items, clothing and footwear, say the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
Non-food items also witnessed a price hike due to higher energy rates in Pakistan. Due to the shortage of production, at the beginning of the current Fiscal Year (FY), inflation stood at 9.3pc in July that eased down to 8.2pc.
While all of this becomes super hard to understand, it basically means we can’t afford what we could. We’re all becoming more vegetable lovers now since meat is so expensive. Right?
If 2021 could not get any stranger, metal objects fell from the sky in Karachi.
I just hope it has nothing to do with the aliens. According to details, eyewitnesses said that heavy objects fell at three different areas in Pak Colony and the Site area. A grave at Mayo Shah Cemetery and roofs of three houses were damaged by the metal pieces.
Authorities have sent the heavy iron objects for an analysis and the situation will be clear after they have been investigated.
Malaika Zahid, a teenage boxer from Balochistan, fought against all odds to chase her dreams. Malaika is the recipient of many national awards. Listen to this week’s Sunday Superstar’s story to know how she convinced her mother and other relatives, through her determination and hard work.
The Duke of Hastings will not be returning for ‘Bridgerton’ Season 2
THIS broke our hearts! Regé-Jean Page will not return for the second season of record-breaking Regency romance Bridgerton, Netflix said Friday, prompting howls of despair from fans of the dashing Duke of Hastings.
On this day: 4 April ZULFIKAR ALI BHUTTO’S EXECUTION
On this day, 38 years ago in 1979, former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was executed after being deposed in a military coup by his appointed army chief Zia-ul-Haq. He was hanged before dawn at the Rawalpindi jail for the alleged murder of a political foe.
Current Baba’s prediction
An unexpected gift could arrive today
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To meet the ever-growing demand for new and fresh content, Netflix has started bringing in pre-streaming platforms and classic films, giving older people a chance to revisit their teenage years and youngsters a glimpse into how films were before the smartphone took over. This week Amanda Bynes and Colin Firth’s What a Girl Wants hit Netflix and the film is already trending on number seven in Pakistan.
The premise of What a Girl Wants is as simple. A young teenager Daphne (Bynes) living in New York with her single mother, on her 17th birthday decides that she is done waiting for her father to come, so she decides to fly across the Atlantic to London to find her father Lord Henry Dashwood (Firth). Her parents had been pulled apart before her birth by external forces and Henry had no idea that he had fathered a child. Naturally, when Daphne turns up on his doorstep, he is shocked and turns her away – more so at the behest of his evil fiancée Glynis – but Daphne’s grandmother takes her in. Over the course of the film, the father-daughter get to know each other, realising how similar they actually are. And as Henry put it, they both have the same eyes.
What a Girl Wants is warm, fuzzy and strikes all the right chords. The film will instantly make you want to give your father a hug and cherish your relationship with him. It has all the qualities of a feel-good movie but the cherry on top is Firth’s performance. The English actor may be more popular for his role as Mr Darcy in Bridget Jones Diary or as King George VI in The King’s Speech, but his performance in What a Girl Wants will tug at your heartstrings.
Firth is perfect as Lord Dashwood, a man who put forward his duties above his own feelings. He is endearing yet aristocratic at the same time and looks like an absolute dream. The way Firth plays with the character as it evolves is noteworthy. My favourite scene has to be the one on which he speeds away in an “indecorous” fashion with Daphne on a motorbike in a bid to evade the paparazzi.
Firth also shares great chemistry with Bynes which is also one of the reasons why the film manages to keep audiences entertained throughout the film.
What a Girl Wants is easy, charming and will give you a good laugh during this dark, pandemic-striken time.
As many as 22 Indian police and paramilitary forces personnel were killed and 30 others wounded in a gun battle with Maoist rebels in a central Indian state, police said on Sunday, in the deadliest ambush of its kind in four years, reported AFP. ‘ Some 2,000 security personnel were on the hunt for a Maoist rebel leader in the Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh state on Saturday when they were ambushed.
“So far it is confirmed that 22 security personnel were killed,” Chhattisgarh police’s Additional Director General (ADG) Ashok Juneja said of the almost three-hour battle in the Maoist rebel stronghold.
The injured personnel were admitted to two government-run hospitals in Bijapur and Chhattisgarh’s capital city Raipur.
More than a dozen others remained missing, he said, adding that an unknown number of Maoists were also killed in the encounter.
Juneja said the rebels looted weapons, ammunition, uniforms and shoes from the security forces who were killed.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that the “sacrifices of the brave martyrs will never be forgotten”, while Home Minister Amit Shah wrote on Twitter that India would “continue our fight against these enemies of peace & progress.”
My thoughts are with the families of those martyred while fighting Maoists in Chhattisgarh. The sacrifices of the brave martyrs will never be forgotten. May the injured recover at the earliest.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel wrote on Facebook on Sunday that Shah had assured him of “all the necessary help” from the national government against the militants.
The toll was the worst for Indian security forces battling the far-left guerillas since 2017 when 25 police commandos were killed in the attack.
Seventeen police from a commando patrol were killed in an attack by more than 300 armed rebels in Chhattisgarh in March last year.
Sixteen commandos were also killed in the western state of Maharashtra in the lead-up to India’s election in 2019, in a bomb attack that was blamed on the Maoists.
The Maoists, also known as Naxals, have waged an armed insurgency against the government for decades.
Leaders of the hardline leftist militant group say they are fighting on behalf of the poorest, who have not benefited from a long economic boom in Asia’s third-largest economy.
Yesterday there were 3,568 Covid-19 patients in critical care in Pakistan, tweeted Asad Umar.
“This is the highest number since covid started.”
The Sindh government has also decided to suspend physical classes till grade 8 of all schools — public and private— for 15 days starting from April 6.
Last month, Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood had announced that all educational institutions will remain closed till April 11 in all districts where corona positivity and infectivity rate was high. According to a report in Dawn, a total of 19,367 under-18 children have tested positive for the coronavirus in Punjab so far. A large number of recent cases amongst minors and teenagers have contracted the UK-variant in the past three months.
The third wave of coronavirus in Pakistan is turning out to be extremely dangerous. It is indeed spreading like wildfire across the country. NCOC recently banned wedding functions — both indoor and outdoor — from April 5 onwards in areas with a three-day rolling average of an 8 per cent positivity ratio. Many cities now have a high positivity rate. The UK government has now banned entry of passengers from Pakistan from April 9.
The government’s vaccination programme for people above the age of 50 has been launched across the country. The Punjab government has launched a mobile vaccination service for senior citizens aged above 80 years and for differently-abled persons aged above 50 in four cities. Media reports say that while the government’s vaccination programme is going on smoothly, around 1,400 doses of the vaccine donated by China have either been administered to people out of turn or have went missing from three state-run hospitals in Lahore. Hopefully, such scams will stop now that private vaccines are also for sale.
Privately-imported Russian vaccine Sputnik V is now available in a few cities in the country, including Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. The cost of the vaccine has been fixed at Rs 12,268 for two doses. Some facilities are charging an additional amount to administer the vaccine. Those who are above the age of 18 can get the private vaccine if they can afford it. We hope that those who can afford it will get the vaccine and others who qualify for the government’s vaccine programme will also get vaccinated at the earliest.
The pandemic is not going anywhere anytime soon. Despite this, we have seen how people are flouting SOPs. Markets are crowded with people who are not wearing masks and that is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to SOPs violations. This can be dangerous. We must all act in a responsible manner and continue to follow SOPs — even after being vaccinated. This is the least that we can do.
A woman on Sunday asked Prime Minister Imran Khan the question that many have only been desiring too amid harsh economic conditions.
“Ghabrana nahi hai [do not panic],” the premier has time and again said since taking reins of the country, promising the nation of better days if they stay strong during the journey to “Naya Pakistan”.
However, people have been, for a long time now, being taking digs at the government and dragging the very popular phrase through the mud as they lose faith in the incumbent government’s ability to bring change.
“The situation is worsening by the minute. Inflation is out of control. Should we run our households or pay for our kids’ education?” a woman asked PM Imran on live call during an interactive session with the public.
She went on to say that Ramzan was just around the corner and rupee was also strengthening against the dollar but the people had been provider no relief.
“Please fulfil your promises or allow us to panic,” she said, leaving the premier cracking.
Seemingly controlling his laughter, PM Imran, in response, said that controlling inflation was the topmost priority of the government.
Addressing the caller by her name, he said, “Ambreen, you need not be frightened [over inflation] because the government is working towards tackling this problem.”
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When asked by another caller what the government plans to do in the light of rising incidents of rape and sexual violence, especially against children, he said there were some fights that governments and legislation alone couldn’t win and needed the society’s help.
He said it was important for societies to protect themselves against vulgarity and the situation was much worse than what made its way to media. He said when he went to the UK, during the ’70s to play cricket, the “sex, drugs and rock n roll” culture was taking off.
The premier added nowadays, divorce rates “have gone up by as much as 70% due to vulgarity in that society”.
He said the whole concept of modesty in Islam has a purpose to it which is to “keep temptation in check”.
The premier spoke about how Bollywood followed the trends of Hollywood and now, the “same is happening there”, explaining why he brought the show Ertugrul to Pakistani screens.
Earlier, he said prices of vegetables and other food items were on the rise as the farmers who supplied them wanted their products to be sold at high prices in the market.
“The middlemen are making a lot of money from this,” he said.
The PM said his government was working towards an ingenuous solution through which they are aiming to connect the primary producers of these items to the final consumers.
He said the masses will see the positive effects of the rupee strengthening against the US dollar, adding that the local currency’s performance had already led to a decline in prices of diesel.
The premier spoke against “hoarders and mafias”, saying they were responsible for the hoarding of necessary food items in the country.
“For the first time, we are going after mafias in Pakistan,” he said. “The FIA completed its inquiry for the first time to bring to everyone’s knowledge how a few people hoard basic food items so their prices skyrocket and they make profits out of it,” he said.
He also revealed the government was working towards revolutionising the agriculture sector so Pakistan is self-sufficient in basic food items and other products.
During the broadcast, the premier also spoke of his government’s determination to root out corruption, shared details of upcoming education and health sector reforms, besides lashing out at the opposition.
Speaking to a local magazine, Zaidi shared that before her divorce, she requested her husband to leave their house as their children were growing up but he refused because the other woman had told him to end things with her first. Zaidi has two children – a daughter and a son.
“I don’t understand why women cry after divorce for a person who is leaving them,” said Zaidi. “Crying is for when your husband passes away and you are in shock. I always wished that my house would not break or my husband should not divorce me. And even if he has no relations with me, his relationship with the children should not be bad so that it does not affect them.”
She shared that after being in a relationship with the other woman for two years, her husband forcibly divorced her at the behest of his second wife.
“I told him to do whatever you want but do not break our family as our children are growing but the other lady made sure to end our family,” said Ismat.
The actor went on to say that when her husband divorced her, her in-laws stepped in to support her.
“After the divorce, my husband wanted me to leave the house but my in-laws were very supportive. They said no one will leave the house and no extra person will enter this house. She will live here because we brought her,” said Ismat, adding that she was married for 23 years.
“After my divorce, I have been really strong because my in-laws were really supportive and they even kept me in their house.”
She shared that because of their support, she started working in the television industry right after her divorce and has been working since.
Zaidi has been part of several super hit dramas including Mann Mayal, Beti, Meri Guriya, Deewangi, Meherposh and most recently Fitoor.
For anyone who follows the sport, the most embarrassing sight is when a player from their team is caught in match-fixing. Having the opportunity to step on the field and serve your country at a national or international level is a massive privilege and fixing games in exchange for a few bucks is indicative of demeaning of that privilege. The menace of match-fixing has dealt many jolts to Pakistan cricket over the course of its history. Following the 2010 infamous Lord’s spot-fixing scandal, one of the lowest points in Pakistan cricket when it hit rock bottom, the Pakistan Cricket Board enacted a zero-tolerance policy against corruption. However, the return of disgraced opener Sharjeel Khan in the T20 squad for the tour of South Africa and Zimbabwe, has exposed fault-lines in that “zero tolerance” policy.
The left-handed batsman, who was suspended for five years with two-and-a-half of them suspended, deliberately played two dot balls against Hasan Ali in the opening match of the 2017 edition of the PSL. Although the two dot balls Sharjeel played had negligible impact on result of the game as Brad Haddin propelled Islamabad United to a 7-wicket win over Peshawar Zalmi, the opener’s return has stirred up the debate whether match-fixers deserve a second chance after they have served punishment.
While on one hand some argue that everyone deserves a second chance and imposing a life ban will deprive them of bread and butter, others taker the view that there is no acceptable justification of actions that bring discredit to the country and that PCB needs to throw a book at match-fixers to deter other players from fixing matches in the future. There is no doubt that Sharjeel, who scored 200 runs in five matches at an impressive strike rate of 170.9, has been in a very good nick of late and can fill the void of someone who can score at a quick pace on top of the order. However, his return to the side has some serious potential ramifications.
When Amir returned to the team after serving his ban, it didn’t go down well with several players of the team who expressed displeasure over his selection and refused to train alongside him in the nets. Sharjeel’s return may have the same impact which in turn can create needless dissension within the team’s ranks. More than anything else, it would send a wrong message to those players who are endeavoring to serve their country with honesty that disgraced players are getting the nod ahead of them. No player in the team, irrespective of how many landmarks he has achieved in his career, transcends the team and should be severely punished if his actions bring discredit to the country and damage the integrity of the sport.
Here’s some food for thought: If PCB’s anti-corruption policies which it enacted after the Lord’s spot-fixing setback were coherent enough, it would have wiped out corrupt players and deterred other players from rigging games in the future. However, this has not proved to be the case which reinforces the point that PCB’s anti-corruption policies need to be more stringent and effective.
I am unaware of how much say a coach has in team selection but Misbah, who has been a constant critic of bringing disgraced players back into the fold, pivoting from asking a life ban on match-fixers to not voicing his disapproval at Sharjeel’s selection is mind-boggling. During his tenure as the captain, Misbah took over a downtrodden Test team sabotaged by the Lord’s spot-fixing scandal and catapulted it to the top of the rankings with his astute leadership. With him at the helm right now, this is PCB’s best chance to rethink their corruption policies and keep corrupt players at arm’s length from other members of the team. If not Misbah, then who? If not now, then when?
Atif Aslam, Adnan Sami Khan, Shaan and Asim Raza among others have expressed their grief over the demise of legendary Pakistani folk singer Shaukat Ali, who passed away on Friday in Lahore.
“Deeply saddened to learn about the demise of Shaukat Ali Khan,” said Aslam. “His immense contribution to traditional folk music stands unparalleled.”
“My heartfelt condolences to his family. May Allah forgive him and grant patience to his loved ones,” he added.
Deeply saddened to learn about the demise of Shaukat Ali Khan Sb. His immense contribution to traditional folk music stands unparalleled. My heartfelt condolences to his family. May Allah forgive him and grant patience to his loved ones.#AtifAslam#Aadeez#ShaukatAliKhan
Adnan Sami Khan also extended his grievances, saying: “I’m extremely saddened to learn that the legendary folk singer of Pakistan, Shaukat Ali Sahib has passed away.”
“His contribution to music is priceless and he had an incredible voice,” said Sami, remembering the maestro.
I’m extremely saddened to learn that the Legendary Folk Singer of Pakistan, Shaukat Ali Sahib has passed away. His contribution to music is priceless & he had an incredible voice!!
“Saddened to learn about the loss of legendary folk singer Shaukat Ali Sahab,” said Zafar, sharing the musician’s classic song Kadi Tey Has Bol. “Deepest condolences to the family.”
Saddened to learn about the loss of legendary folk singer Shaukat Ali Sahab. Deepest condolences to the family. May his soul rest in peace. Kadi Ty Has Bol – Shaukat Ali | EMI Pakistan Originals https://t.co/68PjDsEO90
Shaan also remembered the legendary singer, saying: “Rest in peace Shaukat Ali Sb.”
“Indeed you have served this nation with all your love, talent and hard work,” added the Pakistani superstar. “Your contributions will always be remembered by all of us.”
Rest in peace shukat Ali Sb indeed you have served this nation with all your love , talent and hard work . Your contributions will always be remembered by all of us May ALLAH bless your soul ♥️ pic.twitter.com/ufAlnsNZrp
Other celebrities and notable personalities who remembered Ali include Yasir Hussain, Asim Raza, Muhammad Basharat Raja, Naz Baloch, Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan and Faisal Javed Khan.
معروف گلوکار شوکت علی کے انتقال کی خبر سن کر بہت دکھ ہوا (اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّا اِلَیْہِ رَاجِعُوْن)۔ شوکت علی نے اپنے فن خصوصا پرجوش ملی نغموں سے پاکستان کا نام روشن کیا۔ پروردگار مرحوم کو جنت الفردوس میں جگہ دے اور غمزدہ خاندان کو صبر جمیل عطا فرمائے۔ آمین۔
— Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan (@Dr_FirdousAwan) April 2, 2021
Sad demise of legendary folk singer Shaukat Ali, he will be always remembered for his patriotic songs. pic.twitter.com/FZRmEoLa6N
Saddened to hear of Legendary Shaukat Ali sb’s passing. He played a vital role in instilling affection for the country in hearts of everyone and in motivating & encouraging soldiers’ morale and rallied the nation. May ALLAH rest his soul in peace. Ameenhttps://t.co/fHOqV010ik
— Faisal Javed Khan (@FaisalJavedKhan) April 2, 2021
Deeply saddened by the death of renowned singer Shaukat Ali. His artistic life is a memorable chapter of the country’s history, his songs & folk singing will always be remembered. May Allah forgive him & give patience to the family. Ameen!
— Muhammad Basharat Raja (@RajaBasharatLAW) April 2, 2021
Make-up Artist Natasha Khalid recently opened up about juggling a career with motherhood, giving her followers an insight into what her typical day looks like.
“I’m routinely asked in comments and DMs about how it is I juggle everything I do so perfectly while looking good ‘all the time’,” said Natasha posting a picture of herself with her baby in her PJs. “My husband took this picture of me on an average night and this is my reality 99% of the time.”
The makeup artist continued: “Juggling baby duties while meeting deadlines, running masterclasses/student corrections, planning YouTube shoots, reworking Instagram/Facebook content while also planning home/baby schedules/duties is gruelling most days and I tend to get most of my work done at night once Noor sleeps as that is when I can quiet my mind to focus.”
“I tend to predominantly be in oversized pyjamas with a curly top knot and no makeup,” said Natasha further, adding: “In most of what I juggle and do, my time takes a major hit.”
Natasha said that the reason why she shares these snippets is “because it’s so easy to believe looking at a certain angle that we see on social media that people may have it ‘together’ or may not ‘struggle at all’.”
“What seems seamless is due to perfect lighting/filters but is all an illusion,” added Natasha. “Being a working woman and a wife/Mama and your own person is a full-time job and to me, this picture right here is what is ‘imperfectly perfect.”
“For all those women who follow me and find themselves in the same boat, remember this is reality and the rest of it is fun but always a curated illusion,” said the makeup artist.
Mahira Khan, who is single mother, commented on Natasha’s post saying: “I want a baby, [in] my arms.”
Other mothers also thanked Natasha in the comments section for sharing her experience and giving them confidence and support.
Last year, after giving birth Natasha shared an endearing message for all new mothers out there highlighting body positivity and the pressure women face after giving birth.
