After Pakistanis moral policed the lead cast – namely Esra Bilgiç and Engin Altan Duzyatan – of hit Turkish drama series Diriliş: Ertuğrul and expressed their disappointment over their choice of clothing and living, Ahsan Khan has stepped in to defend the actors and urged Pakistanis to “at least spare the cast”.
In a Twitter update, the actor expressed his anger at the behaviour of the Pakistanis and said “Who the hell are we to do this to them?”
Diriliş: Ertuğrul, which was released in the country in Urdu on Prime Minister Imran Khan’s advice to “help youngsters connect with their roots”, has gone on to become a sensation in the country. As praise pours in for the historical fiction over the internet by both celebrities and the general public, fans have started following the show’s actors on social media.
Amid all the hype, a group of fans, who apparently do not understand the concept of acting, is having a meltdown because actors, who play different characters in the show based in the pre-Ottoman era, are much different in their real lives of the 21st century. These ‘fans’ have left hundreds of unwarranted comments on the Esra’s choice of clothing and have called her out for it.
Meanwhile, Engin who plays Ertugral in the drama series, has received flak for having a dog inside his house which these people believe is ‘haraam‘.
Almost all 371 members of the Punjab Assembly are at risk of contracting the deadly coronavirus as the speaker of the provincial house and senior leader of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML), Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, continues to chair assembly sessions despite coming into contact with Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday.
CORONAVIRUS PATIENT:
As per the details, Mazari tested positive for the novel virus days after he returned from Dubai by a special Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight along with his two cousins just over a week ago. After landing at the Multan airport, they reportedly left for Lahore without being quarantined there.
“As their departure was against the official Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in wake of COVID-19 outbreak, Mazari had told a joint team of the district administration and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) that they would isolate themselves,” sources told The Current, adding that the deputy speaker, however, continued with his routine in Lahore and came into contact with dozens of people, including Elahi, his son Moonis Elahi, as well as property tycoons Syed Rehan Gilani and Syed Salman Gilani.
While Mazari claims he is following all SOPs and has stayed in self-isolation since after returning from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) despite his first test coming out negative, the above picture from days leading to the deputy speaker’s second test that came out positive, as well as an album shared to his social media account on May 4, suggests otherwise.
“He interacted with several people, including his friends, colleagues and Punjab Assembly staffers, until his second test confirmed that he had contracted the virus. All those people he met must have come into contact with hundreds of others,” sources said.
Speaking to The Current, Mazari confirmed all developments while clarifying his position. “I landed in Multan where I was received by the district administration. I told them how I had to rush to Lahore for a very important official meeting and was allowed to do so.”
He said he coordinated with the officials concerned in Lahore and quarantined himself along with his cousins at a local hotel as per government SOPs. “I stayed there until I took the test that came out negative. I shared my reports with the hotel management and government officials concerned, who allowed me to leave.”
“I was congratulated by Pervaiz Elahi Sahib and others over my reports and told to resume discharging my duties… and so I did,” the deputy speaker said, confirming that he went on to attend the meetings this scribe highlighted.
When asked why did he not follow government instructions as per which any international passenger who tests negative “will be advised compulsory self-isolation to complete a 14-day period”, Mazari said he did what he was told to and wasn’t aware of “any changes to the SOPs that have now been made”.
“It wasn’t until the first week of May that I tested positive, which was seven or eight days after my return to the country. Since then, I am in complete isolation and am doing fine.”
He went on to say that he had informed the Punjab Assembly speaker of his infection and advised him to get tested. “I think Chaudhry Sahib has also taken the test. He, undoubtedly, won’t take it lightly and ensure all precautionary measures.”
Mazari also announced that once he has recovered, he will be donating blood plasma to help critical patients fight the virus. “We must take care of ourselves and others. That’s the only way to defeat coronavirus,” he said.
MPAs AT RISK:
While Moonis Elahi is now in Gujrat, his father, who also met Mazari last week, is going on to chair the sessions of the Punjab Assembly for the past four days.
When contacted, Pervaiz Elahi’s close aide, who is also a member of the speaker’s personal staff, Chaudhry Iqbal, confirmed that the speaker had not isolated himself.
To a question, he said that Elahi had come into contact with Mazari but neither had he gone into self-quarantine nor was he planning to do so. “He is chairing a 150-member session of the Punjab Assembly right now.”
It may be noted that as per the SOPs for holding assembly sessions amid the COVID-19 outbreak, only 100 out of 371 MPAs are being allowed to attend the session each day so as to ensure social distancing inside the house where, so far, at least three staffers have tested positive for the virus.
The ratio of 52 and 48 has been set which means that only 52 MPAs from the government and 48 MPAs from the opposition benches can attend the proceedings.
The entry of guests and staff of MPAs is also completely banned while only the minister concerned will answer the questions of lawmakers during the question-hour.
The assembly secretariat has also installed a disinfection tunnel at the entry gate while lawmakers will use masks and gloves to protect themselves from the virus. Only those MPAs will be asked to attend the proceeding who have their questions on the agenda item.
After the coronavirus outbreak, India is also under strict lockdown to control the spread of the virus. Amid all this when people do not follow the social distancing rules, Odisha village panchayat in India has come up with a new idea.
It has hired a Bollywood inspired ghost to keep people stay at their homes.
Apparently, hired by the village panchayat, a sari-clad woman with chalk-white skin roams around at night to ensure that people follow the lockdown. Her payal makes sound ‘chhan chhan’ when she walks. Villagers get scared and retreat as soon as they see her.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HM56Jkm3AWc
On 24 March 2020, the Government of India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi ordered a nationwide lockdown for 21 days. Later the lockdown was extended. India has reported almost 70700 coronavirus cases so far.
The armed forces of the country have sought a 20 per cent increase in the salaries of their personnel for the financial year 2020-2021, which will cost an estimated Rs63.67 billion.
According to a letter forwarded by the Defence Ministry to the Finance Division, a copy of which is available with The Current, the joint staff headquarters, in consultation with the services headquarters, has sought an increase in the salaries of armed forces personnel for being affected due to the current price hike owing to the impact of the devaluation of rupee on consumer price index (CPI), increase in utility bills and the persisting wave of inflation.
In the current financial year 2019-2020, a five per cent increase was granted to the officers up to the rank of brigadier (BPS 17-20) and 10 per cent ad hoc relief was awarded to JCOs/soldiers (BPS 1-16), whereas no increase was given to general officers (BPS 21-22).
Ad hoc relief granted in the pay of the officers has also been marginalised by enhanced income tax slabs due to which officers have to pay additional income tax from existing pay.
Consequently, the pay of officers has actually decreased during the current financial year, the document maintained.
Keeping in view the above mentioned factors, which have affected the fiscal space and livelihood of the armed forces personnel, joint staff headquarters have forwarded a case for the increase in pay duely approved by the chairman joint chief of staff committee to the Defence Ministry for taking up the matter with the Finance Ministry for the revision of pay of armed forces personnel.
The Defence Ministry had also sought that the adhoc relief allowance for the year 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 be merged in the basic pay scale, and proposed a 20 per cent increase in the revised pay scale in the upcoming budget 2020-2021.
Meanwhile, according to a Defence Ministry official, if the proposal of merging of four ad hoc allowances into revised pay scale is allowed along with a 20 per cent raise in salaries and pension of all employees, including civilians and armed forces, it will require Rs150 to Rs200 billion in the next budget.
Model turned actor Amna Ilyas, who won critical acclaim for her role in Baaji, is getting married and she wants Aamir Liaquat to officiate her wedding. The actor made the revelations during her appearance on Liaquat’s game show Jeeway Pakistan.
After announcing that Ilyas has won the game, Liaquat cheekily added that she should now get married.
In response, Amna said, “Haan aap hee parhwayen gay nikkah (You will officiate the marriage).”
When Liaquat asked Amna who her to-be husband is, Amna said that she’ll tell him in due time.
From Aamir’s conversation, it was evident that he knew who Amna’s special someone is because he then asked, “Do you guys work together?” To this Amna said that they do. Amna also shared that their families are on board with everything.
The model was also spotted sporting an engagement ring during her appearance on the show, though she kept switching it around her fingers.
Meanwhile, it is being speculated that Amna’s to-be husband is photographer Ayaz Anis Khan. Amna has always been very low-key about her private life and does not share much about it. Her last film Baaji, in which she shared the screen with Meera and Osman Khalid Butt was a hit. She was set to be part of Haseena Moin’s stage play Ankahi, but due to the coronavirus lockdown, the play was postponed.
Watch from 01:05:30 to see her talk about her upcoming nuptials:
For the first time in their history, the Rawalpindi police have recruited a transgender as a police officer in their squad.
According to details, Reem Sharif, a prominent transgender rights activist in Islamabad will now join the police department as a police officer.
Reem proved that she has all the skills required to become a 14-grade police officer and will now be deployed in Rawalpindi’s women police force. She is expected to begin her duties soon.
Speaking on her appointment, Sharif said, “I am delighted to be in this position. Through this, I will have the option to deal with some of the most pressing issues faced by my transgender community.”
“I knew I needed to live my life and be true to who I was. I need to be honest with myself, and that was coming out as a transgender woman”, she added.
Reem further said, “I don’t consider this position as a career ladder but as a milestone for representing my community. My presence will make it comfortable for the transgender community”.
Meanwhile, the Rawalpindi police station, with the purpose to provide justice to the trans community, who face constant abuse from society, has also made a special desk to provide them with equal rights.
Pakistan is celebrating the 108th birth anniversary of renowned Urdu short story writer Saadat Hasan Manto. His birthday is trending at number one on Twitter and Google even honoured the writer with a doodle.
The doodle was designed by artist Shehzil Malik, who took to social media to share the news. Talking about the late author, Malik said, “I’m a big fan of Manto. He is a hero to me for pushing the envelope in Pakistan through his art (which I try to do and often get in trouble) so this is the perfect assignment! His stories are dark, beautiful, brutal, honest; once you read them, you can’t forget them. He used his words as a mirror to society, to speak truth to power, and would not back down in the face of intimidation.”
Meanwhile, people from Pakistan, as well as India celebrated the acclaimed writer and his words on Twitter.
Today, as I remember Manto and Safia on their birthday, I am sharing how I celebrated it 3 years ago, amidst the shoot. Here is a page from my book, Manto and I, that chronicles the journey of making the film. Some photos with the family; and Manto & Safiahttps://t.co/HEjaNT74kdpic.twitter.com/PIs2Dmo2mr
Google celebrated 108th birthday of Saadat Hasan Manto.Greatest short story writer of Urdu.Subject of two films #Manto one in India one in Pakistan.Elite always hated him public still likes him. pic.twitter.com/pvGDVdzub0
“And It is also possible,that Saadat Hasan dies,but Manto remains alive” ~Saadat Hassan Manto Today is the BirthAnniversary of the most fearless writer and legend “Saadat Hassan Manto”#Mantopic.twitter.com/ZyEv7fkcp7
20ویں صدی کے عظیم افسانہ نگار منٹو کی108ویں سالگرہ۔گوگل کاکیا دلکش ڈوڈل۔11مئی1912،سمبرالہ لدھیانہ پنجاب کےگاؤں پپروڈی کی پیدائش۔کشمیری النسل۔ معاشرے کے خفیہ کالے کرتوتوں کی عریانی کے مجرم۔ فحاشی کے جرم میں چھ بار پرچہ کٹا۔ تین بار تقسیم سے پہلے۔ تین بار آزادی کے بعد پاکستان میں۔ pic.twitter.com/VAsE32MnTd
— Gharidah Farooqi (T.I.) (@GFarooqi) May 11, 2020
Manto is my conscience! The present society disturbs me most of the time. https://t.co/fEB9G9KxLy
Jyoti Studio Compound, near Kennedy Bridge, Grant Road, Bombay. Where Saadat Hasan Manto worked at Ardeshir Irani’s Imperial Film Co & where he wrote his first film, Kisan Kanya (1937), the first indigenously produced Indian colour film.#Manto#indiancinema100yearspic.twitter.com/K7wrD25tkJ
I recollect his stories today from ‘Thanda Gosht’ to ‘Khol dou’ to ‘Toba Tek Singh’. Many of his stories and lines in mind, but today i could only ponder about his following words,
Remembring Saadat Hasan Manto on his birthday. He has inspred me a lot who is known for his writings about the bitter truths of society that no one dared to talk about.
Manto was born in Ludhiana, British India on May 11, 1912. The writer spent his life in Bombay before shifting to Lahore after the Partition. Though he was already an acclaimed name before the Partition, it was his vivid and intense stories on the partition that earned him critical acclaim. Manto produced 20 collections of short stories, five collections of radio dramas, three of essays, two of sketches, one novel and a clutch of film scripts. He wrote about sex, desire, alcoholics, prostitutes which led to him being charged with obscenity six times – thrice in British India before 1947, and thrice in Pakistan after. Despite this, he received the Nishan-e-Imtiaz from the Government of Pakistan.
Some of his most praised works include Thanda Gosht, Khol Do, Toba Tek Singh, Iss Manjdhar Mein and Babu Gopi Nath.
Manto’s life and works have also been adapted into two feature films: one by Sarmad Khoosat and another by Bollywood filmmaker Nandita Das.
Manto passed away on January 18, 1955, in Lahore at the age of 42.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has been elected as the head of the Anti-Corruption Forum of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
An official press release issued by NAB said the anti-graft watchdog was the “role model” not only for Pakistan but also for entire SAARC countries as NAB had been unanimously elected as chairman of the organisation’s Anti-Corruption Forum, which was a great achievement for Pakistan.
NAB’s performance is lauded by SAARC countries, national and international organisations like Transparency International (TI), World Economic Forum (WEF), Pildat and Mishal Pakistan.
In addition, “Pakistan is the only country with whom China has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for eradication of corruption,” the press release said.
From the beginning, NAB has managed to recover Rs328bn and returned the money to affected people, government and private departments without keeping a single rupee of its share, deposited all recoveries in the national exchequer, says the press release.
NAB has established its own research academy for the capacity building of investigation officers (IOs) on modern lines. Moreover, it has also established a forensic science laboratory at its Rawalpindi office for scrutinising of documents, analysing fingerprints and digital data.
NAB has also established an anti-money laundering cell in its headquarters.
With hit Turkish series ‘Diriliş: Ertuğrul’ continuing to grip Pakistan ever since it was released in the country in Urdu on Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s advice to “help youngsters connect with their roots”, the Instagram handle of one of the show’s stars has left many in the country “disappointed”.
As praise pours in for the historical fiction over the internet by both celebrities and general public, fans have started following the show’s actors on social media.
Amid all the hype, a group of fans, who apparently do not understand the concept of acting, is having a meltdown because actors, who play different characters in the show based in the pre-Ottoman era, are much different in their real lives of the 21st century.
Among these characters is Halime Sultan played by Esra Bilgiç, who a couple of weeks ago posted on her Instagram a picture that wasn’t very well-received by her fans in Pakistan.
Some also apologised on behalf of their countrymen:
Meanwhile, owing to the show’s popularity in Pakistan and after hitting millions of YouTube subscribers, the team behind the series has urged fans for more subscriptions in order to hit the world record for “most subscribers on YouTube in a month”.
A meme featuring four men dancing while holding a coffin is going viral on social media. The clip is mostly used when something bad is about to happen. These four men have also become the symbol of the lockdown with the slogan ‘Stay at home or dance with us’.
While you may think that this is either a scene of a movie or is being shot for comedy purposes, but you will not believe that these people actually exist and it actually happens in Ghana, Africa.
These dancing people are called “dancing pallbearers”. They are professional dancers that are hired by the family to turn a funeral into a party. They became famous in 2015 when an African YouTuber ‘Travelin sister’ posted a video of her mother-in-law’s burial in Ghana. Since then the clip has gone viral on social media.
