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  • Meet this Pakistani caregiver of visually impaired, paralysed Indian friend

    Meet this Pakistani caregiver of visually impaired, paralysed Indian friend

    United Arab Emirates (UAE) based Pakistani Muhammad Asad has been playing the role of a caregiver to an Indian, namely Tomichan Puthuparambil Thomas, who is visually impaired and partially paralysed.

    According to Khaleej Times, Thomas has been in the UAE for the past eight years and the two have been roommates for almost four years now.

    After facing heavy losses in his small scale business and getting entangled in a civil case, Thomas, who is from Kerala, suffered two strokes that left him not only partially paralysed but visually impaired too.

    “I came to Dubai eight years ago, after working for thirty years in Saudi Arabia where I had some small businesses,” Thomas told the media outlet.

    “Initially, I took up a job in a company but since they were not paying salary on time, I started some business which also didn’t do well and since I was unable to pay the rent for my shop, I got entangled in some legal case and even went to jail for six months.”

    “This was the most stressful time for me and I suffered two strokes and was completely bed-ridden. I could not even go to the toilet on my own. And this is when Asad came to my rescue as my guardian angel,” he added.

    In the beginning, Thomas would not share his pain or problems with Asad but the latter started helping him with his bathroom trips besides offering him food.

    Asad addresses Thomas as “uncle”.

    “While others in the room would be busy chatting on phone or cracking jokes, I would notice uncle sitting silently on his bunk bed and crying at times. I tried asking him his issues but he wouldn’t open up so I started helping him with his daily chores,” Asad said.

    “Also, uncle somehow reminds me of my father, who passed away a few years back, and my heart ached to see him suffer. It is basic humanity to help people around you and my parents always taught me to help anyone and everyone.”

    Asad works as a crane operator and has night shifts. But he takes care of all the arrangements to make sure that Thomas is comfortable even in his absence.

  • VIDEO: Firdous, Azma come to blows after on-air fight

    VIDEO: Firdous, Azma come to blows after on-air fight

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Azma Bukhari and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) spokesperson Firdous Ashiq Awan had traded barbs at a Geo News show earlier this week, forcing the host to end the programme.

    However, their disagreement did not end even after the show, as both politicians almost came to blows on the news channel’s premises. The PML-N leader can be heard saying that she would slap Firdous for using abusive language towards her.

    A person present at the scene of the brawl told The Current that things got uglier when Firdous was about to hit Azma. However, the staffers intervened to placate the CM’s aide and the Punjab lawmaker.

    The fight between the politicians started after Azma took a jab at PTI leader Ali Amin Gandapur for making sexist remarks against PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz in a rally in Gilgit-Baltistan last week. This didn’t go down well with Firdous, who criticised the PML-N for being corrupt among other things.

    The politicians also accused the rival parties of stealing people’s mandate and kept on arguing even after the show ended.

    Responding to Azma Bukhari’s allegations, Firdous — who was appointed as chief minister’s information aide last week — said Nawaz Sharif was in cahoots with the military establishment in past. She gave examples of IJI [Islami Jamhoori Ittehad] — an alliance funded by the powers-that-be against then PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto in the late ’80s.

    The CM’s aide also referred to a Supreme Court judgement in the Asghar Khan case. She asked how did Nawaz Sharif become the prime minister for three times?

    Responding to claims that Imran Khan was a ‘selected’ prime minister, Firdous said Nawaz had become the PM after going through the same process — getting a two-third majority in parliament.

    “Whose mandate did he steal to become the PM?” Firdous asked Azma, saying they didn’t question the results when their party had won the elections.

  • ‘Marry three widows and I’ll get you a fourth wife… one 16yo, two eight-year-olds or four four-year-olds’

    ‘Marry three widows and I’ll get you a fourth wife… one 16yo, two eight-year-olds or four four-year-olds’

    Renowned religious leader Mufti Tariq Masood has come under fire over a sermon wherein he is endorsing child marriages and paedophilia, guaranteeing his followers a minor bride as their fourth wife if they marry three widows or divorcees.

    “Change my name if I don’t get you a fourth and virgin wife after you marry three widows or divorcees,” he was heard as saying in an undated video doing the rounds on social media.

    https://twitter.com/Shehzad89/status/1327342661620129792

    “Mufti Tariq Masood will find you a 16-year-old or two eight-year-olds or four four year-olds,” he tells his followers after which they, as well as the cleric himself, start laughing.

    The video surfaces as Pakistan reports over 90 rape cases within a single month, most of which involved minors.

    The latest case that shook the entire nation remains that of a four-year-old who, along with her mother, was repeatedly subjected to sexual assault in the Kashmore district of Sindh.

    The minor girl is currently admitted to a hospital battling for her life.

    Meanwhile, here’s what Twitterati have to say about Mufti Tariq’s statement:

    https://twitter.com/nishaa_z/status/1327358024663638022

    Have something to add to the story? Let The Current know in the comments.

  • PM wants to ‘kiss forehead’ of Kashmore ASI over exemplary courage in arrest of rapist

    PM wants to ‘kiss forehead’ of Kashmore ASI over exemplary courage in arrest of rapist

    Prime Minister Imran Khan has called Kashmore police senior superintendent police and assistant sub-inspector and lauded their action in the recovery of a 4-year-old minor held by an alleged rapist.

    In a tweet, the prime minister said that he spoke to ASI Mohammad Bux Buriro to appreciate him and daughter’s “exemplary initiative & courage in the arrest of Kashmore rapist”. He said he wanted to kiss his forehead and embrace him for his courageous action.

    The premier said the nation was proud of the father-daughter duo, adding the ASI through his actions enhanced the prestige of the provincial police. “Next week we are bringing a stringent, holistic anti-rape ordinance closing all loopholes,” the PM added.

    The Kashmore police had nabbed Rafique Malik — who was later killed in an alleged shootout — for allegedly raping a woman and her daughter hailing from Karachi. Malik had allegedly promised the woman a job at a toll plaza in Kashmore, and raped her when she visited him a week later, looking for work.

    The woman approached the Kashmore police, accusing the suspect of sexual assault. She said the suspect handed her over to another man, Khairullah Bugti, after the assault, who also raped her and took her daughter hostage.

    “The woman told police that the suspect held her minor daughter hostage, saying he would only let her go when she brought him another woman from Karachi,” reported Dawn newspaper.

    In order to nab the alleged rapist, the Kashmore police came up with a plan, wherein the ASI agreed to use his minor daughter as bait to make the arrest. The police successfully arrested Malik, who then led them to the address of Bugti.

    During a raid at Bugti’s hideout, Malik was killed in an alleged shootout between the police team and Bugti. “As soon as the accused Rafique Malik along with police reached at the spot, the co-accused Khairullah started firing in which Malik died and co-accused [was] arrested with weapons,” the Larkana DIG quoted by Dawn said.

  • Shocking facts about Iqra Aziz that you didn’t know

    Shocking facts about Iqra Aziz that you didn’t know

    Our very own Chanda from Suno Chanda, Iqra Aziz is one of the most versatile actresses among the new generation. She has worked on numerous drama projects until now and almost all of them have been super hits. She knows how to own the character and play it the way it should be.

    She has been nominated for several awards and has already won seven. She is currently nominated in the Best Actress category at the Lux Style Awards 2020 for Ranjha Ranjha Kardi.

    If you are a die-hard Iqra fan, or just like her for who she is, here are some less known facts about her that make her all the more appealing.

    Iqra’s Debut Performance

    Iqra started her career with modeling and commercials. She still does commercials but her priority is dramas.

    Iqra made her debut in 2014 in a drama serial Kissay Apna Kahein in a supporting role alongside Arij Fatyma and Danish Taimoor. The surprising thing is that Iqra was only 17 years old when she played this role.

    She was later cast in a leading role in drama serial Muqaddas opposite Noor Hassan. It was written by Adeel Razzak, directed by Ali Masud Saeed and produced by MD Productions. The drama aired on Hum Tv. It proved to be her “breakthrough” drama and she received Hum Award for Best Television Sensation Female.

    Iqra’s mother was Karachi’s first female Careem driver

    Iqra was born on November 24, 1997 and belongs to a Sindhi family. Her family includes her mother and sister Sidra Aziz, and herself. Her mother raised the two girls as a single parent. Iqra’s mother is one of the best examples of women empowerment in Pakistan as she struggled hard for her children and was the first female Careem driver in Karachi.

    Iqra and her mother

    Iqra once revealed in an interview that they went through a financial crisis but her mother made it through by struggling for her family with dignity and pride. She also shared in another interview that her mother wanted a son and was disappointed at her birth.

    Iqra didn’t meet her father until she was three

    Iqra didn’t have a clue who her father was until she was three. Her father worked in Saudi Arabia and came back home when she was three years old. Unfortunately, he died of a heart attack when Iqra was only twelve. She frequently talks about the time spent with her dad and misses the nine years they spent together.

    She couldn’t complete her studies

    Iqra couldn’t complete her graduation and holds an unfinished Bachelors of Commerce Degree from the University of Karachi. She is, however, looking to complete her education as soon as possible, when she gets a break from acting and modeling.

    Her Engagement with Yasir Hussain

    For those who don’t know, Iqra and Yasir had a very public engagement at the 18th Lux Style Awards. Hussain went down on one knee at the event and proposed to her. Some say that the proposal was planned and Iqra knew that he was going to propose. The couple formally tied the knot on December 28, 2019.

    Iqra has a YouTube Channel

    Iqra has a YouTube Channel. Her initial two videos introducing the channel — titled ‘I AM NOT BORING!!‘, comprised of a montage of photographs with a cutie named Mogambo, and “You Me and Youtube”.

  • Owner reportedly demands Rs 2 billion for Kapoor Haveli

    Owner reportedly demands Rs 2 billion for Kapoor Haveli

    Hajji Ali Qadir, who owns the historical Kapoor Haveli in Qissa Khawani Bazaar Peshawar, has said that he would take the authorities to court if they did not pay him at least two billion rupees for the mansion.

    Speaking to AFP, Qadir said he has told the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government that building is “an antique and the price for an antique is multiplied 10 times.”

    “We will get more money if we build a plaza here,” he added.

    On the other hand, the province’s archaeology department has said it will use legal powers to purchase the Kapoor Haveli as well as Dilip Kumar’s house if needed.

    In September, the KP archeological department announced that it had allotted Rs 50 million for the renovation and restoration of 15 historical sites in the province including the Kapoor Haveli and Dilip Kumar’s house located in Peshawar’s historical Qissa Khwani Bazaar.

    “This is our cultural heritage and we take pride in preserving it. We are very proud that Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor were from Peshawar,” said KP Director of Archaeology and Museums Abdul Samad.

    It is pertinent to mention here that while Kumar’s residence was declared a protected heritage by the Directorate of Archaeology and Tourism in 2013 and later a protected monument, under the Antiquity Act 1997, the Kapoor Haveli was reported to have been converted into a museum in 2012. Despite the special status awarded to the buildings, little to no attention was paid to them and the former residences of the Bollywood stars currently stand in dilapidated conditions. Officials have often cited a lack of resources and funds and legalities surrounding buildings’ ownership as the reason behind their dismal condition.

    Read more – Dilip Kumar’s wife says ‘MashaAllah’ to Pakistan’s efforts to conserve Kumar’s KP home

    Once an architectural wonder, the family home of Kapoor, who died aged 63 in 1988, is influenced by Mughal empire, Central Asian and British colonial design, featuring ornately carved doors and balconies and gothic-style windows. On the other hand, Kumar lived in a simpler home down a small lane in a busy market.

    Rishi Kapoor and Randhir Kapoor outside the Kapoor Haveli in 1990

    In 2019, Rishi had requested the Government of Pakistan to preserve his ancestral home and convert it into a museum. He wished to visit the place before he passed away.

    Minister of Foreign Affairs Shah Mahmood Qureshi, at that time, had said, “There was a call from Rishi Kapoor. He requested that his family’s home in Peshawar should be made into a museum or some sort of institution. We have accepted his request.”

    Peshawar suffered a huge knock-back to its cultural standing after becoming a hotbed of Islamist extremist violence from the 1980s onwards, bringing an end to the golden era of Pashto-language cinema in the region, known as Pollywood.

    Militant groups, including the Pakistani Taliban, bombed at least three cinemas and more than 100 music shops before a military crackdown near the border with Afghanistan in 2015 resulted in drastic improvements in security.

    As the city revives, more than 1,800 heritage buildings with traditional features have been identified for preservation by the province’s archaeology team, but impoverished Pakistan will need years to arrange the finances required to their purchase and restoration.

    “If a proper archaeological survey was conducted, we would discover a cultural site almost every kilometre,” said archaeological director Samad about the province.

  • ‘Meray Paas Tum Ho’ is very close to our hearts, says Humayun Saeed

    ‘Meray Paas Tum Ho’ is very close to our hearts, says Humayun Saeed

    2020’s super hit drama serial Meray Paas Tum Ho, which broke viewership records in the country, has been nominated in five categories in the 19th edition of the Lux Style Awards (LSAs).

    Thanking Lux for the nominations, Humayun, who has also been nominated in the Best Actor category, said that the project was a very special one.

    “This project is very close to all our hearts not only because it broke all viewership records in the history of Pakistani television but because it was able to truly entertain audiences across the world,” said Humayun in the caption.

    He also gave a big shout-out to all those who were part of the project including his production house Six Sigma Plus, ARY Digital as well as the entire cast and crew of the drama.

    “It always feels great to be recognised so the biggest thank you to all of you, the viewers, for all your love and continuous support,” concluded the actor.

    Starring Humayun Saeed, Ayeza Khan, Adnan Siddiqui and Hira Mani in the lead Meray Paas Tum Ho went onto becoming television’s highest-rated dramas of all time. The final episode of the drama was also aired in cinemas where it broke box-office records. At the same time, the drama also drew the irk of some viewers who criticised it for promoting misogyny and sexism.

  • Fashion face-off during the G-B Elections

    Fashion face-off during the G-B Elections

    With Gilgit-Baltistan going to elections this Saturday (November 15), the region has emerged as a hotspot with politicians from the ruling party and opposition arriving in the area for the ongoing election campaign. Over a dozen political and religious parties, including the country’s three major parties — Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), PML-N, and PPP — are contesting the polls.

    Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) has a rich, beautiful, and unique cultural heritage manifested in local traditions, music, and dress. Use of caps and ceremonial headdresses is a part of their tradition. The most commonly used caps are ‘khoi’ (a tuft of feathers or a flower on it) and ‘Iraghi’ (cap with a jewel). Politicians visiting Gilgit for the election campaign made sure that they carry those traditional accessories.

    There is no doubt that in recent times, our politicians have become more fashion savvy. With GB elections underway, we have compiled a list of politicians who impressed everyone with their fashion sense and style during the campaign.

    Prime Minister Imran Khan

    Starting with Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan. PM Khan, who was known to be a style icon during his cricketing time and is still one for many, during his visit elegantly carried a blue blazer with a white shalwar kameez.

    Maryam Nawaz

    Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz Sharif has been making waves with her outfits ever since she landed in G-B. She has been accesorizing her looks with Gilgit-Baltistani caps and shawls, adding a traditional touch to her outfits.

    Maryam also wore a beautiful Iraghi cap with the traditional piece of the jewel called ‘silsila’.

    Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari is not far behind when it comes to making cool fashion choices. The politician has been spotted wearing a number of cool sweaters and jackets along with the Baltistani cap.

    Sherry Rehman

    A diva in the truest sense, PPP Senator Sherry Rehman, also shared a selfie of herself wearing the khoi cap. She completed her look with a pair of reflectors and did not forget to wear her mask!

    Zulfi Bokhari

    One of South Asia’s Five Best-Dressed Men, Zulfi Bokhari made a style statement in a navy blue shalwar kurta and khoi.

    Hina Pervaiz Butt

    And how can we leave behind PML-N’s fashionable MPA Hina Butt.

  • Princess Diana makes a dramatic debut in the latest season of ‘The Crown’

    More than two decades after her death, Princess Diana’s ill-fated entry into the British royal family is the main storyline in the long-awaited fourth season of the hit Netflix drama The Crown.

    https://twitter.com/TheCrownNetflix/status/1321814107943772162

    Emma Corrin, a 24-year-old actress little known until now, immerses herself in the role of the young Diana, capturing her soft voice and timid gaze from under a heavy fringe.

    But the actress admitted in an interview with The Sunday Times that she felt a “huge amount of pressure” to pull off the role in the new season, which starts on Sunday.

    Diana is shown as a naive teenager who quickly becomes lonely in the role of Prince Charles’ fiancee and rollerskates around Buckingham Palace to pass the time. Even before their unhappy marriage, she begins cycles of bulimia: binge-eating and then purging herself of food.

    Diana Spencer had just turned 20 when the couple married in 1981, while Charles was 32. As heir to the throne, since reaching his 30s, he had faced pressure to marry to ensure succession.

    Despite having doubts, he agreed to propose to Diana but did not sever ties with his long-time lover, Camilla Parker-Bowles. Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris in 1997 and Charles subsequently married Parker-Bowles in 2005.

    While the previous series depicted Charles as a sensitive and misunderstood boy, as Diana’s husband he is seen as cold and unfaithful, complaining to Camilla that she is “so weak, so fragile”.

    The breakup of their marriage due to infidelities and Diana’s confessional television interview was scandalous at the time and is making headlines even today.

    The BBC has pledged to hold an independent investigation into how its journalist Martin Bashir persuaded Diana to take part in the sensational interview in 1995. Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer, claims Bashir showed faked documents to persuade Diana to take part in the interview, where she famously complained “there were three of us in this marriage so it was a bit crowded.”

    The love triangle is one of the main storylines in the fourth season, which covers the late 1970s and the 1980s.

    The scriptwriters also dramatise a notorious incident that year in which a 33-year-old man, Michael Hagan — frustrated at being unemployed and separated from his wife — broke into Buckingham Palace and entered the queen’s bedroom.

    The queen, who kept her legendary sang-froid, is again played by Olivia Colman, the British actress who won an Oscar for The Favourite in 2019. In the fifth series, she will hand over the role of the older queen to 64-year-old Imelda Staunton, known for playing the cruel Dolores Umbridge in the Harry Potter films.

    The US actress Gillian Anderson plays Margaret Thatcher, the imperious first woman to head the British government, in a season dominated by strong female roles.

    Read more – Netflix Originals you can watch with your parents

    A critical and popular success, The Crown was first broadcast in 2016 and has won numerous awards, including three Golden Globes and 10 Emmy Awards.

    A total of 73 million people have watched at least one episode of the series, Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s joint chief executive and chief content officer, said in January.

  • PM claims to have intelligence on Nawaz’s ‘treason’

    PM claims to have intelligence on Nawaz’s ‘treason’

    Prime Minister Imran Khan has claimed to have intelligence on Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supreme leader Nawaz Sharif, alleging that former ambassador to the United States (US) Hussain Haqqani was “running Nawaz’s communication strategy”.

    Speaking to a private media outlet on Thursday, the premier was referring to the former PM’s recent speeches in public meetings of his party and the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) during which he had accused the army establishment of orchestrating his ouster.

    Nawaz had gone on to name the Army and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chiefs and said that there was “a state above the state”.

    Reacting to his political rival’s statements, Imran on Thursday accused Nawaz of trying to create rifts within the armed forces by encouraging army personnel to “rebel against” the military leadership.

    “When they say that the [military leadership] is bad and the rest of the army is good; is army a democratic party that would move a no-confidence motion? You [Nawaz] are telling the army to launch a coup, to rebel [against the leadership]. Can there be a bigger [form of] treason?”

    When asked if the government would take up a treason case against Nawaz, the premier did not give a clear answer and said, “Treason cases are hard to prove.”

    He said that he had information on Nawaz’s activities but added that “court cases cannot be filed on agencies’ reports”.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    “A person who is sitting outside in a Mayfair luxury flat bought with stolen money is telling the army [personnel] to rebel. He is also trying to drive a wedge in the judiciary by taking the name of one judge saying he is good while another, who was a chief justice and gave the Panama judgement against him, was a bad judge.”

    “Imran Khan is a Bollywood villain but Nawaz is a democrat. The person who grew up in Ziaul Haq’s lap is a democrat today, while Imran Khan who started his party from scratch, who mobilised people to come to power is an army puppet!”

    “Nawaz Sharif suits India, not Imran Khan.”