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  • Here are all the celebrities who were honoured with a Civil Award this year

    Here are all the celebrities who were honoured with a Civil Award this year

    It’s that time of the year when notable Pakistanis are recognised for their contributions in different fields at an investiture ceremony at Aiwan-i-Sadr. Despite rising cases of COVID-19, this year was no different and on March 23, 2021, President Dr Arif Alvi conferred top civil and military honours upon various personalities, including those from the entertainment industry.

    According to Radio Pakistan, President Alvi presented various awards to 88 recipients including six Nishan-e-Imtiaz, three Hilal-e-Imtiaz, 24 Sitara-i- Shuja’at, eight Sitara-e-Imtiaz, 14 President’s Award for Pride of Performance, one Sitara-e-Quaid-e-Azam, one Sitara-e-Khidmat, one Tamgha-i-Pakistan, 22 Tamgha-i-Shuja’at and eight Tamgha-e-Imtiaz.

    Prominent personalities who received the Nishan-e-Imtiaz include Sadiqain Naqvi (Art), Abida Parveen (Singing), Ahmad Faraz (Literature) while Bushra Ansari (Art), Syed Farooq Qaiser (Art) and Sultana Siddiqui (Art) received the Sitara-e-Imtiaz. Maulana Tariq Jameel (Religious Scholar), Muhammad Ali Shehki (Singing), Resham (Acting), Humayun Saeed (Acting) and Ali Zafar (Singing) were conferred the President’s Award for Pride of Performance. Meanwhile, Zaiba Shehaz (Acting) and Faisal Edhi (Public Service) were awarded the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz.  

    Check out the list of celebrities who were honoured at Pakistan Day:

    Bushra Ansari and Sultana Siddiqui (Sitara-e-Imtiaz)

    Imran Quershi (Sitara-e-Imtiaz)

    Abida Parveen (Nishan-e-Imtiaz)
    Resham (Pride of Performance)

    “Allah has turned my dream into a reality,” wrote Resham along side a picture of her with the medal.

    Humayun Saeed Khan (Pride of Performance)

    Ali Zafar (Pride of Performance)

    Sakina Samo (Pride of Performance)

    Maulana Tariq Jameel (Pride of Performance)

  • ‘Apni dukaan pr baith k ehtijaaj kaisay karoo?’: Firdous Ashiq on not getting paid

    Special Assistant to Punjab Chief Minister (CM) on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has revealed that she is not getting paid.

    “How can I protest at my own shop?” she said when suggested to do so by host Muhammad Shoaib during a rather light-hearted interview that aired on Wednesday morning.

    Firdous and the host were seen having quite a day with jet-skiing among other water-related activities in Karachi.

    The government official was also spotted sailing a boat and taking digs at the opposition alliance, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHu2TG4dnkA

    “It has run out of fuel like the PDM,” she could be heard as telling the host when her jet ski stopped working.

    Firdous also spoke about how Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan didn’t have any favourites, she wanted to do parasailing but the winds were too strong, and she has been quite a lot into water sports since forever.

  • COVID-19: Schools in hotspot areas to stay closed till April 11

    COVID-19: Schools in hotspot areas to stay closed till April 11

    Schools located in COVID-19 hotspot areas will remain closed till April 11, Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood has announced.

    Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, after an important meeting of education and health ministers at the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), Mahmood said that the number of active COVID-19 cases have doubled in the last three weeks while the positivity ratio has crossed 8%.

    Mahmood further said the government will discuss this with the Cambridge exams board to see whether CIE examinations can be postponed or not.

    “We have seen that the number of cases in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Kashmir has increased,” said Mahmood, adding: “The number of infections is relatively less in Sindh, Balochistan and Gilgit-Balochistan.”

    Pakistan has reported 637,042 cases and 13,965 deaths so far. 3,301 cases and 30 deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours.

    Number of cases recorded in different provinces in the last 24 hours are:

  • Maryam Nawaz’s statement about father’s struggles sparks off a meme fest

    Maryam Nawaz’s statement about father’s struggles sparks off a meme fest

    Maryam Nawaz Sharif, who has emerged as a strong political leader in the past couple of months, recently talked about the hardships faced by her father, asking everyone to name any other person who has suffered as much as he has.

    Maryam’s statement has given memers an opportunity to treat us with some hilarious memes.

    https://twitter.com/_noor_nama/status/1373922426451591168?s=20
    https://twitter.com/TaimoorGhik/status/1373742864337936385?s=20

  • Gill dismisses report claiming he is ‘earning billions by importing COVID-19 vaccine’

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s aide on political communication, Dr Shahbaz Gill, has rubbished reports claiming that he is earning hefty profits by importing vaccine for COVID-19.

    “Some people are making false claims that I have imported coronavirus vaccine. This news is fake. I have nothing to do with it,” he tweeted, urging people to stop spreading it.

    The government has now allowed Gill’s company to import Russian vaccine with a profit of Rs7,000 on each dose, the report had alleged.

    It went on to claim that Gill’s company had ordered 200,000 Sputnik-V vaccines in the first consignment, keeping a net profit of Rs1.40 billion — with Rs8,500 for every Rs1,550 dose — in one consignment and that too with the permission of the government.

    In another tweet, Gill said the fake WhatsApp forward regarding him cracked him up.

    The news and its dismissal comes days after the government capped the maximum retail price of Russian and Chinese coronavirus vaccine injections imported by the private sector.

    The government has fixed the maximum sale price of Sputnik-V vaccine at Rs8,449 for two doses and China’s Convidecia at Rs4,225 per injection, showed the summary of the National Health Services and Regulations Ministry.

  • Modi writes to Imran with ‘desire for cordial relations with Pakistani people’

    Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said to Prime Minister Imran Khan that “as a neighbouring country, India desires cordial relations with the people of Pakistan”.

    The above was said in Modi’s Pakistan Day message to the premier, wherein he extended his greetings to the people of Pakistan who celebrated the anniversary of the Lahore Resolution across the country.

    The message was conveyed to PM Imran by the Indian High Commission in Islamabad through the Foreign Office (FO).

    “For this, an environment of trust, devoid of terror and hostility, is imperative,” Modi said in the message. He also sent his wishes to the prime minister and the people of Pakistan, who were facing a “difficult time for humanity” due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

    “Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration,” the message concluded.

    Modi’s comments come days after Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, speaking during the Islamabad Security Dialogue, said that lasting peace in the sub-continent will remain elusive until the resolution of the Kashmir issue, stressing that it was time for Pakistan and India to “bury the past and move forward”.

    The army chief had noted that stable Indo-Pak relations were the key to unlocking the potential of South and Central Asia by ensuring connectivity between East and West Asia.

    But this potential has always remained hostage to the disputes and issues between the two “nuclear neighbours”, he said.

    “The Kashmir issue is obviously at the heart of this. It is important to understand that without the resolution of Kashmir dispute through peaceful means, [the] process of sub-continental rapprochement will always remain susceptible to derailment due to politically motivated bellicosity.”

    “We feel it is time to bury the past and move forward,” he said, adding that the onus for meaningful dialogue rested with India. “Our neighbour will have to create a conducive environment, particularly in occupied Kashmir.”

    It is worth mentioning here that recently Bloomberg reported that the government of United Arab Emirates (UAE) was facilitating the development of a four-step “roadmap for peace” between Pakistan and India.

    The report cited the surprise joint statement by directors general of military operations (DGMOs) of Pakistan and India on February 25, that agreed to end Line of Control (LoC) ceasefire violations (CFVs) as the outcome of the talks brokered by the Emirati government months earlier.

    The report also stated that progress on the Pakistan-India “peace” process had been discussed during Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed’s meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during the former’s visit to New Delhi on February 26.

  • ‘Increase the price or it’s going somewhere else’ threatens vaccine importer

    ‘Increase the price or it’s going somewhere else’ threatens vaccine importer

    Rs 8,449 not enough for the vaccine, says the importer of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine and is threatening to “re-export” the 50,000 doses it brought to Pakistan. Officials say that the importer is saying that they can send the vaccine to ‘another country’ if the importer’s desired price is not set by the government.

    “The drug pricing committee of DRAP (Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan had recommended Rs8,449 for two doses of the vaccine, which is not acceptable to the importer,” an anonymous official of the federal government told news network, Geo News .

    RELATED: Fake COVID-19 reports, vaccines being sold on darkweb

    “The government is already under harsh criticism for the price recommended by DRAP’s pricing committee at Rs8,449. It was calculated on the basis of a landing cost of $30 but people are comparing it with the cost of the Russian vaccine in India and criticising the government for fixing higher price as compared to the neighbouring country,” the official stated.

    A representative of AGP Limited, the importer of the vaccine, said that they had the “option of re-exporting” the vaccine shipment or selling it to another country where they can get a much higher price.

    RELATED: ‘Govt does not plan to buy vaccines anytime soon’

    “The government’s price of Rs8,449 is not affordable for us because in addition to landing cost, there is distributor margin, storage and transportation costs, and hospitals and institutions will also take their service charges,” an official of the company clarified, also adding that if the didn’t send the vaccine back, there were ‘other options’ available too.

    “We are going to wait for a couple of days to resolve this issue but it is already over a week now and the shipment is [stored needlessly] at the cold storage. It could have been used by now to vaccinate at least 25,000 people who could afford to get it, as for millions, government’s vaccine is not available,” the official said to Geo News.

    Government officials had earlier said that AGP wants a retail price between Rs. 12,500-13,000 for two doses of their vaccine based on their expenses for procuring and delivering the vaccine but DRAP is unwilling to review its decision, since they say the recommended price of Rs. 8449 is fair.

  • How Much Will Vaccine Cost In Pakistan?

    How Much Will Vaccine Cost In Pakistan?









    *|MC:SUBJECT|*

    Hey, *|MERGE1|*. Its March 23.Rain is expected in most cities of Pakistan, ⛈but it will be sunny and warm in Quetta and Karachi.

    Today is Pakistan Day. The parade that takes place every year has been postponed due to the forecast of “inclement weather and rain” over the next two days. It will now take place on 25th March.

    We take a look back at some parades that took place in Pakistan over the years. ?Happy Pakistan Day!! 

     

    Laila-The Current 

    MORNING MEME
     

    Qazi Faez Isa’s wife VS Fawad Chaudhry

    The wife of Supreme Court (SC) judge Justice Qazi Faez Isa has moved court for a contempt case against Federal Minister Fawad Chaudhry over a tweet by the latter.

    Sarina Isa’s application seeking the case against Fawad comes days after he tweeted that speeches were being made for the past one week, but a reply would result in “concern” or “contempt”.

    The minister had said that those inclined towards politics must contest elections to realise their popularity and acceptability.

    Read On

    Get vaccinated privately for only Rs4,225 per injection

    With the federal cabinet deciding to cap the maximum retail price of Russian and Chinese coronavirus vaccine injections imported by the private sector, the Drug Pricing Committee of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) had proposed the same for two vaccines.

    Sputnik V’s GAM-Covid-Vac solution manufactured by the FSBI NF Gamalaya RCEM of the Russian Health Ministry and Convidecia vaccine manufactured by CanSino Biologics Inc will soon be available for Pakistanis seeking to get privately vaccinated against the deadly virus.

    The government has fixed the maximum sale price of Sputnik V vaccine at Rs8,449 for two doses and China’s Convidecia at Rs4,225 per injection, showed the summary of the National Health Services and Regulations Ministry.

    Read On

    PM Imran’s son graduates from Bristol University in Islamic History‍

    Prime Minister Imran Khan’s younger son, Kasim Khan, has graduated from the University of Bristol in Islamic History.

    Now premier and then cricketing star Imran Khan was married to Jemima Goldsmith, a British socialite turned writer and activist, from 1995 to 2004. She is also a member of the influential Goldschmidt family of England.

    Read On

    Ahsan Khan calls out Priyanka for saying her dad used to ‘sing’ in a mosque?

    Priyanka while speaking to Oprah Winfrey opened up about her religious side and gave an insight into how her life was while growing up.
     
    Talking about her spiritual journey, Priyanka said that she had been influenced by different religions throughout her life, ranging from Hinduism to Christianity and Islam.

    Soon after Priyanka’s comments about her dad “singing” in a mosque went viral on social media, Ahsan Khan among countless others, expressed their shock over the actor’s religiously insensitive comments.

    Read On

    On this day: 23 MarchPakistan Resolution Day 

    Today on this day, the Resolution of Pakistan was passed in 1940. The parade by the armed forces is a common celebration for the event and is celebrated in the memory to commemorate the event when the Muslim League drafted the political resolution at the Minar-e-Pakistan, Lahore.

    Current Baba’s prediction

    Today will be a great day to start something new!

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  • ‘OohLala’: Shahid Afridi launches new range of skincare products

    ‘OohLala’: Shahid Afridi launches new range of skincare products

    Shahid Afridi has become the latest celebrity to jump the bandwagon and launch a range of skincare products. Earlier, Aijaz Aslam, Ayesha Omar, Waseem Badami and Shoaib Malik had launched their own respective skincare lines.

    Announcing the news on social media, Afridi shared that the new line, from the world of Hope Care, is named ‘Ooh Lala‘.

    “Ooh Lala offers premium quality personal care products for both men and women so they feel confident and shine like a star,” added Lala.

    The promotional video for the line features Afridi himself as he uses the different products to groom himself.

    https://twitter.com/SAfridiOfficial/status/1374303652286885890?s=20

    Meanwhile, sharing the promotional video on Instagram, the former captain of the Pakistan Cricket Team said: “I have always believed that whatever I am today is because of my parent’s blessings and the love of my fans. My fans bring meaning to my life.”

    “That’s the reason whatever I do on-the-field or off-the-field, I try to give something to my fans and countrymen,” he added, sharing that the personal care products will give both men and women the confidence to “shine like a star”.

    Besides this new skincare line, Afridi also has a clothing brand ‘Hope Not Out’.

    The Hope Not Out assortment features comfortable and cosy daily wearable denims, sweatshirts, graphic t-shirts, polo shirts and more. The brand’s motto is to make premium quality clothes in Pakistan “while giving back to the community, returning to the roots and help in creating a greater team that provides the perfect platform for people to grow and providing hope for all”.

  • ‘Pakistan, My Home’: Canadian vlogger Rosie Gabrielle expresses love for Pakistan

    ‘Pakistan, My Home’: Canadian vlogger Rosie Gabrielle expresses love for Pakistan

    Canadian vlogger Rosie Gabrielle has shared a special note on the occasion of Pakistan Resolution Day to express her love for her new “home”.

    In a detailed note posted on Instagram, Gabrielle, who earlier converted to Islam said: “Two and a half years ago, I left my home in Canada to embark on a journey of a lifetime. Little did I know then, my trip across Pakistan would forever change me in so many ways.”

    “I didn’t choose to come here, Pakistan chose me,” said Gabrielle, adding: “In 2018, I surrendered to the universe and said ‘Okay God, it’s up to you, where am I going next?’”

    The vlogger then shared that a few days later she got an invitation to visit Pakistan for a short media tour.

    “I’m not much of a ‘Group Traveller’ but took this as a divine invitation for something bigger and made my own trip after,” said Gabrielle. “I had always wanted to explore Pakistan so I gladly accepted. I didn’t know then that this trip would change my life.”

    “All I knew is, I wanted to travel the entire country by bike and document my experiences. I didn’t know at that time if it was even logistically possible, or know much about the country,” said Rosie.

    The vlogger further said that she knew she could “forever make a positive impact for Pakistan by showing the true hearts of the people and land here.”

    “It was my destiny and my calling. I didn’t know how I would, I just knew I would and the will of my heart lead the way,” she shared. “For over two years now I have dedicated my heart, soul and all my energy to promoting peace and a positive change for this nation.”

    Rosie, in her note, also talked about Adeel Amer, a Pakistani travel vlogger, who she recently got married to. The couple tied the knot earlier this month.

    “I not only fell in love with the land [but also] the people. I’m humbly grateful every day for meeting the love of my life Adeel Amer, the most inspiring (this word does not do justice) human I know and finally able to call this beautiful country my HOME,” said Gabrielle.

    Rosie first visited Pakistan in December 2018. She had extensively documented her trip on social media.