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  • ‘Mera Jism Meri Marzi’ doesn’t mean I want to rip off my clothes, says Mahira Khan

    ‘Mera Jism Meri Marzi’ doesn’t mean I want to rip off my clothes, says Mahira Khan

    Mahira Khan, in a recent interview, opened up and revealed why she attends the Aurat March every year and what are the three things she finds attractive in a man.

    Read more – We can’t show a woman being assaulted and falling in love with the same man, says Mahira Khan

    “I think it is necessary for me [to go to Aurat March] because I think when I do something, no matter how small it is, it leaves an impact,” said the actor. “So when I go to Aurat March, what I’m actually trying to say is ‘Look, if you like me and if you think what I say means something if you think I that I’m on the right side of history, or whatever you think of me, this is also what I believe in, this is why I’m here.’”

    “Honestly, mere Aurat March jaane se itna ziada kuch nae hota siwaye iske ke it creates an impact,” added Mahira.

    Mahira also shared her thoughts on the Mera Jism Meri Marzi slogan saying: “It [the slogan] doesn’t mean that I want to rip off my clothes. It means that I’m a whole person. This is my body, and if you are looking at me and I’m not feeling comfortable about it, I have the right to say that don’t look at me. Or if you are trying to touch me I can report you, because yeh mera jism hai, aur yeh meri marzi hai [it’s my body, and I have complete right over it].”

    During the interview, Mahira also shared that while growing up her parents gave her the freedom to make her own judgments.

    Meanwhile, answering a question about three things she finds attractive in a man, Mahira said: “I find both men and women attractive when they are at complete peace with themselves.”

    “Secondly, I love sense of humour”, shared Mahira. “I like someone who makes me laugh and if someone is not making me laugh then I make them laugh.”

    “Thirdly I like it when a man truly respects a woman,” added the actor.

    Though Mahira keeps her personal life tightly under wraps, designer Hassan Sheheryar Yasin, in a quarantine live session accidentally revealed the name of Mahira’s beau and cajoled her into opening up about him.

    When HSY asked Mahira how she feels when she looks into his eyes, Mahira said: “There’s a line in Humsafar, which I thought was beautiful, where Ashar says to Khirad, ‘Pata nahi tum mujhe kis naiki kay badlay main milli ho.’ I think the same about him. I must have done something good in my life.”

    Meanwhile, Mahira has recently ventured into production with a web series titled Baarwan Khiladi. The actor has set up a production house Soulfry Films with her friend and producer Nina Kashif. Baarwan Khiladi will be their first project together.

  • Omair Rana responds to PEMRA’s notice on ‘Dil Na Umeed Toh Nahi’

    Omair Rana responds to PEMRA’s notice on ‘Dil Na Umeed Toh Nahi’

    Omair Rana, who plays a key role in TV One’s Dil Na Umeed Toh Nahi, has responded to the notice issued by the Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to the makers of Dil Na Umeed Toh Nahi directing them to review the drama’s content and modify it according to the regulatory body’s guidelines.

    In a series of tweets, the actor appreciated the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) efforts to combat human trafficking in Pakistan and said: “Our humble effort is to help them with their honourable cause by educating the masses of our everyday actions that feed the menace that is the modern slave trade.”

    Rana further said that all evil is ugly and invited PEMRA “to do what is right, not popular”.

    “Join us in this jihad and help us make our beloved Pakistan, pak (clean) of such vile elements in our society,” he added.

    Founder of the Kashf Foundation Roshaneh Zafar, who has produced the show, responding to PEMRA’s notice said: “Indeed evil is ugly and reality has to be faced so we can do something about changing it.”

    Zafar also shared a news report which highlighted widespread child labour in Islamabad and said: “This why we need shows like Dil Na Umeed Toh Nahi to raise awareness on issues like human trafficking, child labour and human bondage.”

    “Realisation is the first step towards redressal and resolution,” she added.

    According to the Federal Investigation Agency, human trafficking is the third-largest source of organised crime revenue in Pakistan. Furthermore, statistics from the US Department of State on Pakistan provincial police reported identifying 19,954 trafficking victims in 2019, with the majority of victims recorded as women and children.

    Featuring Yumna Zaidi, Yasra Rizvi, Wahaj Ali, Nadia Afgan, Naumaan Ijaz and Samiya Mumtaz besides Rana in the lead, Dil Na Umeed Toh Nahi is a harrowing tale of child abuse and human trafficking in Pakistan. The drama has been written by Amna Mufti and directed by Kashif Nisar and is a Kashf Foundation Presentation.

    Six episodes of the drama have aired so far. According to a press release issued earlier, Dil Na Umeed Toh Nahi will “bring some of the most heinous and deeply sensitive issues to light – while showing how humanity can still prevail in even the most insurmountable of situations.

    The press release further said: “With three parallel stories on prostitution, human trafficking, and child abuse, the drama exposes the lowest ebb of our society.”

    Yumna, in an earlier interview, while talking about the drama had said: “The story is based on multiple causes. It has three major tracks: human trafficking, child abuse and a young girl who wants to become a cricketer. As far as my track is concerned, it is about women trafficking. Parents from slums sell their young daughters. The drama explores where these girls end up and what kind of a life they spend. And, if any of them dreams big, how does she manage to pursue that.”

    Earlier, PEMRA had also banned ARY Digital’s Jalan for going against the “social and moral ethics of Pakistani society” and had also directed the makers of Fitoor to check for “inappropriate dialogues and content” in the drama.

  • Food wars begin after Pooja Bhatt says Karachi has the best biryani

    The Biryani war does not seem to be settling down anytime soon and Pooja Bhatt has sparked a new one on social media after she commented that Karachi has the best biryani in South Asia.

    It all started when a Twitter user Sameer Chishty tweeted: “Truth. Karachi is the undisputed food champion of Pakistan. Don’t bother coming at me on this.”

    Replying to his tweet, Faisal Rafi, a Pakistani producer, added: “Of South Asia, I dare say.”

    Responding to Rafi’s tweet, Bollywood actor Pooja Bhatt said: “I second that.”

    Bhatt’s tweet sparked a food war on social media with users jumping in to list their city’s best food.

    https://twitter.com/KehRahaHai/status/1364491955565133824?s=20

    https://twitter.com/ZaryaabKhan24/status/1364580577370775560?s=20
    https://twitter.com/HaroonSidd/status/1364863990443241475?s=20
  • VIDEO: Chris Gayle ties a shalwar in two minutes

    VIDEO: Chris Gayle ties a shalwar in two minutes

    West Indian Cricketer Chris Gayle, renowned for his jolly and fun-loving personality, recently took the ‘Shalwar Challenge’ in a video shared by the official accounts of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

    https://twitter.com/thePSLt20/status/1364914438109876225?s=20

    Though the legendary cricketer accepted the challenge, he was surprised by the width of the shalwar’s waistband.

    “What? Whose waist is this?” questioned Gayle upon seeing the shalwar.

    As he puts the drawstring in the shalwar, he continues to express his shock at the width of its waistband.

    “This person eats too much,” remarks Gayle. “I don’t know what this person has been eating. [Is this] extra large? It’s gotta be a joke.”

    He goes on to say that the person for whom the shalwar was stitched should “stay away from meat,” and “should be a proper vegan”.

    The clip also shows some funny bloopers wherein the Universe Boss could be seen struggling to wear the shalwar and getting help from other people.

    At the end of the video, Gayle wears the shalwar, without pulling the drawstring, and bursts into laughter.

    Read more – Quetta Gladiators’ Ben Cutting and PSL presenter Erin Holland tie the knot

    Earlier, the 41-year-old cricketer who was excited to be in Pakistan for the first time in 15 years, said that he’s eager to score runs for his new PSL franchise, Quetta Gladiators, and show the fans what he is and what they missed in all these years. After scoring 68 runs off just 44 deliveries against Lahore Qalandars, he also treated audiences to his googly dance.

    Later Quetta Gladiators also shared Gayle’s famous googly dance on their social media platforms.

  • VIDEO: PTI, PPP lawmakers quarrel in Sindh Assembly

    VIDEO: PTI, PPP lawmakers quarrel in Sindh Assembly

    The session of the Sindh Assembly witnessed a heated spat between the lawmakers after a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MPA said that there was a “dog rule” in the province.

    Khurram Sher Zaman made these remarks in reference to the death of a two-year-old girl in Jamshoro, CM Murad Ali Shah’s constituency, who passed away due to the unavailability of the anti-rabies vaccine in the province. “It looks as if nowadays the dog rules in Sindh,” the PTI leader said, requesting the speaker to recite a prayer for a two-year-old girl.

    At this, PPP lawmaker Mukesh Kumar asked him to mind his language. This was the start of a spat between the lawmakers that later blew out of proportion.

    Speaker Durrani said that this was no manner to behave in the house. “Please go and fight outside the house if you are interested in violence”, he added and warning that the session would be adjourned if the MPAs failed to behave.

    “Please ask Chawla, who is at the helm of the excise and taxation ministry, to close the illegal wine shops in the province,” said Zaman. This once again created another uproar in the assembly. Chawla retorted: “You should stop the supply of tainted food in your restaurant.”

    On Thursday, the session was marred by uproar and chaos as members of both the ruling Pakistan People’s Party and opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf exchanged heated arguments and chanted slogans against each other.

  • Sri Lanka reverses ‘anti-Muslim’ cremation order after PM Imran’s visit

    Sri Lanka reverses ‘anti-Muslim’ cremation order after PM Imran’s visit

    Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday welcomed the Sri Lankan government’s decision to allow the burial of COVID-19 victims.

    The Sri Lankan government rolled back the ban days after Imran’s visit to Colombo.

    On February 10, Prime Minister Imran had lauded his Sri Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa’s announcement that burials would be allowed. A day later, however, Rajapaksa backtracked and said there would be no change in the cremation-only policy.

    The ban had sparked protests by Muslims who bury their dead in accordance with Islamic customs. The Muslim community in Sri Lanka had held a protest prior to Prime Minister Imran’s visit, where they carried a mock janazah or coffin.

    “Respect Prime Minister’s statement and allow burials,” one banner at the protest read.

    On February 25, a day after Prime Minister Imran concluded his two-day official visit to Colombo, the Sri Lankan government issued a notification saying that the order has been amended to allow both burial and cremation of people who died due to coronavirus.

    “I thank the Sri Lankan leadership & welcome the Sri Lankan govt’s official notification allowing the burial option for those dying of Covid 19,” PM Imran said in a tweet posted today.

    BAN ON BURIALS:

    The Sri Lankan government had imposed a ban on burials in April amid concerns — which experts say are baseless — by influential Buddhist monks that burying bodies could contaminate groundwater and spread the virus.

    The World Health Organisation has said there is no such risk, recommending both burial and cremation of virus victims.

    Traditionally, Muslims bury their dead facing Makkah. Sri Lanka’s majority Buddhists, who are strong backers of the current government, are typically cremated, as are Hindus.

    In December, the Sri Lankan authorities ordered the forced cremation of at least 19 Muslim Covid-19 victims, including a baby, after their families refused to claim their bodies from a hospital morgue.

    This stoked dismay and anger among the Muslim community, moderates and abroad, with the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation repeatedly expressing concern.

  • VIDEO: KP locals make ‘drug dealers’ parade on donkeys

    VIDEO: KP locals make ‘drug dealers’ parade on donkeys

    The citizens of Bar Qambar Khel, an area of the Khyber tribal district, Tirah shaved the heads of the drug dealers and then made them parade on donkeys in a bid to punish them.

    Local residents asked the two accused, identified as Qudrat and Wadan Khan, to appear before the Aman Committee and explain why were they selling ice to local youngsters.

    “The two didn’t appear before the committee, neither confessed to their crime of selling drugs. So they were arrested after repeated warnings,” a local elder told The Express Tribune. He said the heads of drug sellers were shaved and their faces painted black after which they were mounted on donkeys and paraded in the attendance of many people.

    According to residents, the entire incident happened in the presence of police but they did not intervene and remained silent spectators.

    They said that the Bar Qambar Khel Aman Committee many times contacted the local police and asked them to deal with the drug dealers in the area but they did not pay any attention. When the police failed to do their job, the locals were forced to take law into their own hands.

    SHO Javed confirmed the incident and said that the police has started a crackdown against those involved.

    Locals of the area think that one police station is not enough to control a large area bordering Afghanistan.

    “The area is large and the terrain is a difficult one. There is no infrastructure like schools, government offices, or hospitals or enough police stations that could actively patrol and check everything. The writ of government is weak due to lack of administered mechanism,” said a local elder.

  • Naimal Khawar shares a glimpse of her ‘whole world’

    Naimal Khawar shares a glimpse of her ‘whole world’

    We have to admit, the Abbasis’ family photos featuring baby Mustafa always brighten up our social media feeds.

    Read more – Humayun Saeed, baby Mustafa Abbasi all smiles as they meet each other for the first time

    Recently, Naimal Khawar shared a super cute picture of Hamza and Mustafa with the caption: “My whole world.”

    Later, Hamza also posted a family selfie with the caption: “All gratitude is for Allah.”

    Hamza’s colleagues and fellow actors including Sajal Aly and Mahira Khan left love for the Abbasis under Naimal’s post.

    Earlier, Naimal had posted a picture of herself with her horse with the caption: “Back with my main man.”

  • Despite ‘serious progress’, Pakistan fails to exit FATF grey list

    Despite ‘serious progress’, Pakistan fails to exit FATF grey list

    Pakistan was retained in the “grey list” of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), which examined its efforts to counter terror financing and money laundering. The decision was taken at the meeting of the multilateral watchdog on Thursday.

    “Pakistan should continue to work on implementing the three remaining items in its action plan to address its strategically important deficiencies, namely by: demonstrating that TF investigations and prosecutions target persons and entities acting on behalf or at the direction of designated persons or entities; demonstrating that TF prosecutions result in effective, proportionate and dissuasive sanctions and demonstrating effective implementation of targeted financial sanctions against all 1267 and 1373 designated terrorists, specifically those acting for or on their behalf,” the FATF said in a statement.

    The anti-terror financing organisation noted that Islamabad has largely addressed 24 of the 27 action items and gave Islamabad time till June 2021 to complete the full action plan.

    FATF president Marcus Pleyer said that Pakistan has made “significant progress” but “some serious deficiencies remain” and all these deficiencies are “in the realm of terror financing”. Pleyer added that Pakistan “remains under increased monitoring”.

    Reacting to the FATF decision, Federal Minister Hammad Azhar said Pakistan had completed “almost 90 per cent” of its current FATF action plan with 24 out of 27 items rated as ‘largely addressed’ and the remaining three items ‘partially addressed’.

    “FATF has acknowledged Pakistan’s high-level political commitment since 2018 that led to significant progress. It was also noted by FATF member countries that Pakistan is subject to perhaps the most challenging & comprehensive action plan ever given to any country,” he tweeted, saying the country was also subject to dual evaluation processes of FATF with differing timelines.

    MOROCCO, SENEGAL ON GREY LIST:

    The FATF during its plenary kept North Korea and Iran as the only two countries on its blacklist but added four new places to its watch list for increased monitoring, according to Pleyer.

    The countries added to the grey list are Morocco, Burkina Faso, Senegal and the Cayman Islands.

    With the four additions, the list now has 19 countries and territories that FATF said were only partially fulfilling international rules for fighting terrorism financing and money laundering.

  • AI shocks experts by writing passing college paper in 20 minutes

    Artificial Intelligence (AI) has delivered results in many areas like medicine, defence, law enforcement, and education. But AI has shocked the researchers by producing an award-winning research paper.

    According to the reports, an online educational research provider performed a trail to analyse the capacity of the deep learning language prediction model known as GPT-3.

    A panel of professors was asked to create writing prompts. The prompts were then assigned to a group comprising of graduate and undergraduate level writers, apart from the GPT-3 model.

    The experts concluded that the AI writing capability closely mimics human writing in terms of syntax, grammar and word frequency.

    “Even without being augmented by human interference, GPT-3’s assignments received more or less the same feedback as the human writers,” said the report.

    Moreover, the deep learning tool completed the assignment in less time, i.e., between three and 20 minutes. Whereas it took human to complete the assignment in three days.

    The report expresses doubt about AI’s capacity to take over in this particular area. Despite its revolutionary output, GPT-3 will not earn college degrees on its own anytime soon.

    When put up against human writers, GPT-3 secured some passing grades but failed to nail creative writing.