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  • Minal Khan says ‘Jalan’ is ‘forever special’

    Minal Khan says ‘Jalan’ is ‘forever special’

    Minal Khan has said that her ongoing drama Jalan, which made headlines for its controversial storyline is ‘forever special’.

    Sharing the poster of the drama on social media, Minal said: “Forever special. Forever grateful.”

    View this post on Instagram

    Forever special❤️ Forever grateful❤️

    A post shared by Minal Khan (@minalkhan.official) on

    In an earlier post, the actor said that she misses playing Nisha.

    Jalan had gained attention for its problematic storyline which followed a woman Nisha flirting and later marrying her own brother-in-law Asfandyar. Minal plays Nisha in the drama, who is a selfish girl and wants everything her sister Misha (Areeba Habib) has. Misha, on the other hand, dotes on her sister and will do anything that will make Nisha happy. Nisha gets engaged to her cousin Ahmer (Fahad Sheikh) who loves her intensely but after her engagement, Misha gets married to the super-rich and handsome Asfandyar (Emmad Irfani).

    Nisha, seeing her sister’s expensive gifts and big house breaks her own engagement with Ahmer, accusing him of physically abusing her and playing the victim in front of Asfandyar to gain his sympathy.

    View this post on Instagram

    I know you all hate Nisha??‍♀️ #Jalan #Feedback☠️

    A post shared by Minal Khan (@minalkhan.official) on

    Meanwhile, Misha finds out she is pregnant but totally oblivious to her sister’s evil plans, invites her into her home to stay for a while. Nisha continues to estrange her sister from Asfand, luring him into liking her and finally succeeding. Asfandyar divorces Misha, who goes into premature labour and delivers a baby boy. Nisha, on the other hand, runs away from home and pushes Asfi to marry her asap. When Misha finds out that her sister is marrying her ex-husband, she lights herself on fire and dies. Nisha does not regret any of her actions and tries to secure her husband’s wealth.

    In September, the drama was banned by PEMRA over ‘immoral content’ but the ban was later suspended by the Sindh High Court (SHC).

    Directed by Aabis Raza, Jalan has been penned by Sidra Sehar Imran and produced by Fahad Mustafa and Dr Ali Kazmi under the banner of Big Bang Productions.

  • PM Imran’s love for wife Bushra, who has ‘great wisdom’, melts hearts

    PM Imran’s love for wife Bushra, who has ‘great wisdom’, melts hearts

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has said he could not have survived without his wife Bushra Bibi who is his soulmate and has great wisdom.

    “I discuss everything with her… the problems I face in the government and dealing with complex situations,” the premier said while speaking to German magazine Der Spiegel.

    “Only a fool doesn’t talk about everything with his wife,” he said.

    It, however, wasn’t the first time PM Imran praised his wife for her wisdom. Upon the completion of Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government’s first 100 days, he had credited her for handling “such a difficult life” with grace.

    In an earlier interview, the premier had said that he plans to stay with his wife Bushra Bibi till last breath. Commenting on his marital life, he had acknowledged his wife to be a blessing from Allah.

    INTERVIEW TO DER SPIEGEL:

    On Friday, the premier also expressed concern over India’s antics in occupied Kashmir and warned that the region was a hotspot that could “flare up at any time”.

    He urged the United States (US) to treat it in an “evenhanded” manner, saying that Washington was under impression that India could limit China’s influence in the region. “But it is a completely flawed premise.”

    “India is a threat to its neighbours… to China, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and to us,” he said and added the extremist government in New Delhi was inspired by the fascist Nazi state from the 20th century.

    In the wide-ranging interview, the premier also spoke of the US presidential election, Afghan peace process, regional and global stability, Islamabad’s ties with Beijing, Pakistan’s COVID-19 response, economic challenges facing the country and the new law prohibiting media to report on the military.

  • Pakistan’s first deaf vlogger to host his own TV show

    Pakistan’s first deaf vlogger to host his own TV show

    Pakistan’s first deaf vlogger Hassan Ahmad is all set to host his own TV show.

    Ahmad, who is also the brand ambassador for Deaftawk, started making videos during the lock down period of this pandemic to educate deaf people regarding the precautionary measures and SOPs of COVID-19 through sign language.

    Hassan shared the exciting news on his social media and revealed that he will be co-hosting the show Ishaaron ki Zuban with his sister on Kay2 every Saturday at 6 pm.

    Sharing the promo, Hassan said: “Super excited to share this wonderful news with ya’ll. I and my sister have initiated this Program named ‘Ishaaron ki Zuban’.”

    He thanked Kay2 for giving them this opportunity.

    “A big shout out and million thanks to Kay2 TV family for providing us this amazing opportunity to work with them to support the deaf community and to promote deaf culture in their own language.”

    “We hope this initiative will pave the way for deaf community to be included in mainstream media and feel heard,” he added.

    The vlogger also make videos on ordering and buying things from home. His videos also have a lot of humor and creativity that everyone encourages and likes the content he creates.

  • Netflix is raising streaming prices…do Pakistanis have to worry?

    Netflix is raising streaming prices…do Pakistanis have to worry?

    Netflix Inc has raised monthly charges in the United States for its standard and premium subscription plans.

    As per details, Netflix increased the cost of its standard subscription by $1 a month to $14, and the price for the premium tier rose by $2 per month to $18. The standard plan, the company’s most popular, enables two streams at the same time, while the premium plan allows for four simultaneous streams. Its basic plan, which allows only one stream at a time, remains unchanged at $9 a month.

    The price increase was the first for US customers since January 2019.

    The move had been widely expected after Netflix raised its prices in Canada earlier this month and then ended free 30-day trials in the US.

    The new prices will take effect starting immediately for new members while current members will be notified that their subscription is going up as it rolls out over the next few months.

    Read more – Every Pakistani girl wants to be ‘Emily in Paris’

    “We understand people have more entertainment choices than ever and we’re committed to delivering an even better experience for our members,” a Netflix spokesperson said in a statement. “We’re updating our prices so that we can continue to offer more variety of TV shows and films.”

    The spokesperson added that Netflix offers “a range of plans so that people can pick a price that works best for their budget.”

    Netflix, the world’s dominant streaming service, enjoyed a boom in subscriptions at the beginning of the year as viewers around the world were told to stay at home to help fight the coronavirus pandemic. The company expects to end 2020 with more than 200 million streaming subscribers around the world, with 73 million of those from the United States and Canada. It is pertinent to add here that after Netflix raised its US prices last year, the streaming service suffered a decline of 130,000 subscribers in the US and Canada from the end of March to the end of June.

    At the same time, it also is facing a growing list of competitors including Walt Disney Co’s Disney+, HBO Max from AT&T Inc and Apple Inc’s Apple TV+.

    Read more – Pakistan to get its own version of Netflix

    What does this mean for Pakistan?

    The question which comes to mind with this news is whether Pakistani audiences will be affected by this price rise. However, for now, prices for South Asian and Pakistani viewers remain unchanged and they will be unaffected by this price hike.

    You can subscribe to Netflix for Rs 950 – Rs 1,500 a month in Pakistan, depending on your plan.

  • ‘Abhinandan’s release’: Banners calling Ayaz Sadiq ‘traitor’ surface in Lahore

    ‘Abhinandan’s release’: Banners calling Ayaz Sadiq ‘traitor’ surface in Lahore

    Days after Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Ayaz Sadiq made a controversial statement about the release of Indian pilot Abhinandan, banners have surfaced in several localities of Lahore calling him a “traitor”.

    The posters displayed on the arterial roads, such as The Mall and Main Boulevard, called Sadiq “Mir Jaffar and Mir Sadiq”, as they featured his photo alongside Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Wing Commander Abhinandan.

    The banners are allegedly put up by the ‘patriotic citizens’ of NA-129 — a constituency where Ayaz Sadiq defeated PTI’s Aleem Khan in 2018 general elections.

    These posters accused Ayaz Sadiq of peddling Indian narrative, as they equated his action to that of Muslim politicians [Mir Jaffar and Mir Sadiq] who joined the East India Company against their India rulers.

    Mir Jaffar played a role in the British conquest of Bengal, while Mir Sadiq was instrumental in the defeat of Mysore.

    RELEASE OF ABHINANDAN:

    Sadiq, a former National Assembly speaker, is under fire for accusing the government of taking the decision to release the India pilot under pressure.

    Foreign Minister (FM) Shah Mahmood Qureshi had “begged the opposition to release Abhinandan, otherwise, according to the FM, India would have attacked Pakistan at 9 pm that day,” the lawmaker had said during a session of the National Assembly.

    In response, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General (DG) Major General Babar Iftikhar held a press conference to set the record straight about the events surrounding the capture and release of the Indian wing commander.

    “Yesterday such a statement was given in which facts were attempted to be twisted surrounding the events that day,” the military spokesperson said during the media briefing.

    On Friday, Federal Minister for Information Shibli Faraz hinted at legal action against Ayaz Sadiq for accusing the government of releasing Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman of the Indian Air Force (IAF) under pressure. “What Ayaz Sadiq said is not forgivable,” he tweeted, adding that law will take its course now.

  • Saudi Arabia angers India over new currency notes

    Saudi Arabia angers India over new currency notes

    India has lodged a protest over the issuance of Saudi Arabia’s new currency notes that do not feature Jammu and Kashmir as a part of India.

    The 20 Riyal bank note was issued by the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority on October 24 to mark the Kingdom’s presidency of the upcoming G20 summit in November. The note, with an image of the world map, has shown Kashmir as separate states and not belonging to any of the rival Asian states of Pakistan and India.

    Anger erupted in India because of the map, even though the country has illegally occupied the territory of Kashmir and there is a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) decree recognising it as an international dispute.

    External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava is reported to have said that New Delhi has raised “serious concerns” about the banknote both at the Saudi Embassy in India, as well as at India’s embassy in Riyadh.

    “We have taken up this gross misrepresentation of India’s external territorial boundaries on an official and legal banknote of Saudi Arabia… we’ve asked the Saudi side to take urgent corrective steps in this regard,” he said.

    Additionally, it was found that the distortion was in the Pakistani map as well.

    The G20 summit is set to be held from November 21-22 this year in Saudi Arabia and India is a part of it. Although the relations between Saudi Arabia and India are seen as healthy, with Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman referring to India’s Narendra Modi as his “elder brother” during a meeting last year, the new developments might create some hurdles.

    Earlier, India put a ban on Qatar-based broadcaster Al Jazeera in 2015 for publishing a map of the country that excluded Kashmir. Also, the country has frequently censored the Economist magazine for showing Kashmir as a disputed region.

  • Canada wants 1.2 million immigrants to accelerate economy

    Canada wants 1.2 million immigrants to accelerate economy

    Canada plans to bring in 1.2 million immigrants over the next three years to fill the gaps in its labour market and boost the economy, hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Speaking to reporters in Ottawa, Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino said the federal government aims to accept 401,000 new permanent residents in 2021, another 411,000 in 2022, and then 421,000 in 2023.

    “Before the pandemic, our government’s goal to drive the economy forward through immigration was ambitious. Now it’s simply vital,” said Mendicino, who tabled the new immigration targets earlier in the day.

    Robert Falconer, a refugee and immigration policy researcher at the University of Calgary School of Public Policy, tweeted Friday that if the government meets its goals, the next three years will be “the highest years on record since 1911”.

    Canada’s immigration system has long been held up as a model, as it has historically brought in skilled workers as well as refugees and individuals seeking to reunite with family members already in the country.

    The country closed its borders to most immigrants in March due to COVID-19. Through August, it had settled 128,425 newcomers, Reuters news agency reported – less than half of the 341,000-person target it had set for 2020.

    The COVID-19 pandemic also has put glaring inequalities and longstanding problems with Canada’s immigration system under increased scrutiny.

    Many asylum seekers and refugees face poor working conditions, while several key industries in Canada, such as healthcare, food processing and farming, rely on workers whose precarious immigration status places them at risk of abuse.

  • Doctor identifies robber who looted him during treatment at Karachi hospital

    Doctor identifies robber who looted him during treatment at Karachi hospital

    A doctor at a Karachi hospital on Thursday identified his patient as a robber who robbed the doctor a few days back in the city. 

    According to reports, an injured person was brought to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH) in Karachi. During treatment, Dr Arif recognised him as the same person who had mugged him along with his partner some days back.

    The hospital’s administration informed the police about his presence and after further inquiry, it was revealed that the accused identified as Kashif had sustained injuries after he escaped arrest during a police encounter in the Bilal Colony area of the New Karachi.

    “We have recovered a 30-bore pistol from his possession and a mobile phone,” said the police, adding that the search for his accomplice is underway.

    The robber has been shifted to a ward after doctors said his condition was stable after initial treatment.

  • Chitral to get its first five-star hotel

    Chitral to get its first five-star hotel

    National Tourism Coordination Board (NTCB) Chairperson Syed Zulfiqar Bukhari has initiated the development work of the first five-star hotel in Chitral.

    The hotel ‘BeJaan’ is being built under the public-private partnership, and will cost $30 million.

    The hotel will have 80 bedrooms, two restaurants, and a hall with a 500-person seating capacity.

    Anwar Aman, an overseas Pakistani who is the sole investor in the project, has named the hotel after his mother ‘BeJaan’.

    The hotel will not only provide state of the art accommodation and dining facilities to tourists but will also create employment opportunities for the locals.

    While addressing the groundbreaking ceremony, NTCB Chairman said that the government has taken numerous measures to facilitate the private sector to actively participate in promoting tourism across the country.

    He added that the PTI government has also formulated a comprehensive plan to project Pakistan as a customised brand all over the world.

    Besides, NTCB is also preparing to launch a dedicated e-portal that will promote Pakistan’s tourist attractions worldwide.

  • PML-N stands by Ayaz Sadiq’s ‘unforgivable offence’

    PML-N stands by Ayaz Sadiq’s ‘unforgivable offence’

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has decided to stand by its party leader Ayaz Sadiq over a controversial statement pertaining to Indian pilot Abhinandan’s release, saying Sadiq was being targetted to settle political scores.

    In separate statements, PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal and Rana Sanaullah defended the former National Assembly speaker and said the government was blowing his remarks out of proportion. The statement came a day after the government spokesperson accused Sadiq of committing an “unforgivable offence”.

    PML-N General Secretary Ahsan Iqbal said that there was nothing illogical about Ayaz’s statement, explaining that “a weak economy translates into a weak defence”. “Accumulative national strength is reliant to an extent on armed forces and to a larger extent on its economic and foreign policy depth.”

    Meanwhile, Sanaullah, who heads the party’s Punjab chapter, said the government’s attempts to link the statement with the Indian narrative were problematic.

    “If Ayaz Sadiq’s choice of words was not right, where was the National Assembly speaker? The government is linking the opposition’s statements with the Indian narrative,” he remarked. The situation will get out of control if things continue in the same manner, he warned.

    Meanwhile, at least two complaints were registered against the PML-N leader for issuing a controversial statement on the floor of the National Assembly. These complaints were lodged at the Civil Lines police station, Lahore, and Secretariat police station, Islamabad.

    The complainants accused the lawmaker of “hurting the sentiments of the nation” and malign Pakistan on a global level.

    Dunya News reported that the complainants were forwarded to the legal departments of the police for consultation and action would be taken accordingly.

    On Friday, Federal Minister for Information Shibli Faraz hinted at legal action against Ayaz Sadiq for accusing the government of releasing Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman of the Indian Air Force (IAF) under pressure. “What Ayaz Sadiq said is not forgivable,” he tweeted, adding that law will take its course now.