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  • Meray Paas Tum Ho twist: Will Mehwish ask Danish to take her back?

    Well, obviously, with the entry of Shahwar’s (Adnan Siddiqui) wife, Maham (Savera Nadeem) Shahwar and Mehwish (Ayeza Khan) were not going to get married. Maham enters the scene, sends the moulvi sahib packing, Shahwar to jail and kicks Mehwish out of the house. Her role is complete. She has taken back her money, dismissed her dirtbag husband and gotten rid of the woman he was having an affair with.

    Maham takes control

    All in one episode.

    Oh, and Danish (Humayun Saeed) tells Hania (Hira Mani) that his son Roomi, wants him to marry her. So that’s out in the open now too.

    Hania finds out that Roomi wants her to marry his father

    Mehwish after getting thrown out of Maham’s house, goes back to her old home, realizing what she has lost. She wanders around, homeless and unsure about what to do. She goes to see her son at school, who meets her nicely, but tells her that he can’t tell his friends she’s his mother.

    She meets her son in school who tells her that he doesn’t want her coming around. He’ll talk to her on the phone

    She goes to meet Shahwar in jail who tells her to leave, because Maham would have a fit if she found out. All those promises, gone. He says to her that they had a good time when they were together. Mehwish can’t believe it. Her life as she knows it, is over.

    Shahwar, yelling for the guards to take away this woman he doesn’t know

    Adnan Siddiqui does a brilliant job in this episode of being the totally disengaged, uninterested, in-it-for-the-good-times guy we all knew he was. He looks through Mehwish like she is nothing – at one point screaming for the police to take her away. He says he doesn’t know who she is – and for a minute you might think, has he gone mad? No, he is just making sure he gets out of jail and Mehwish, means absolutely nothing to him anymore.

    Mehwish ends up in a park, crying on a bench. In a very strange scene, a little girl tells her mother that look, that lady (Mehwish) is crying just like you. Who this lady is and why she’s crying, no one knows.

    Girl watches Mehwish cry in the park

    The only plausible reason to keep this scene in the episode is to show that Mehwish, the once rich and almost married beauty is now worse off than someone sitting in a bench on a park, crying. So realistic is the scene, that one realizes that Mehwish, who always had perfectly manicured nails in the series, now has broken, dirty ones. The attention to detail in this drama is intensely perfect.

    Danish goes on to partner with his friend in his stock market firm and obviously is going to end up making a lot of money, that also because he bought shares in Shahwar’s company (oh the irony).

    Mehwish is going to want Danish back. The teaser for episode 19 proves as much. And in a deep twist, the roles of Shahwar and Maham come to an end. Now comes the face off between Mehwish and Hania for Danish.

    Danish’s face in the teaser when he realizes that Mehwish has called him, crying

    Hania will most likely not back down, and Mehwish will want the love that she lost. But who will Danish choose? The women he loved with all his heart, who broke it but is still the mother of his child? Or the girl who would most likely never do him wrong, will cherish him, but is in fact, terribly boring? In this delicious episode the series takes a twist. And it will now all be about who is team Mehwish and who is team Hania.

  • Fashion brand ‘Generation’ responds to backlash on ‘elitist advertisement’

    Fashion brand ‘Generation’ responds to backlash on ‘elitist advertisement’

    Fashion brand Generation is typically known to be progressive – their campaigns are usually centred on creating awareness on social issues and are focused on inclusivity. Be it breast cancer awareness, hiring plus sized, dark-skinned or older women as models, Generation has usually been lauded for its initiatives.

    However, the brand landed in a social media controversy after some users called them out for using “underprivileged girls as photo props” for a recent shoot.

    https://twitter.com/FatimahFSM/status/1205489382356127755?s=20

    As these tweets began to gain traction lawyer Waqqas Mir clarified that the photos were not from Generation’s shoot but were actually from a shoot of a separate magazine.

    https://twitter.com/wordoflaw/status/1205764806596317185?s=20

    Users still had questions.

    https://twitter.com/FatimahFSM/status/1205783558524149760?s=20

    Later, Generation themselves took to social media to clarify that the shoot was done by magazine Libas Now “merely to promote Alif Laila, a colourful bus turned into a children’s library.”

    https://twitter.com/GENERATION_PK/status/1205811498574106631?s=20
    https://twitter.com/GENERATION_PK/status/1205811500654436352?s=20
  • Gen Bajwa’s extension: ‘Supreme Court can’t tell us what to do,’ says Fawad

    Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry has said that the Supreme Court (SC) “does not have the authority to dictate the parliament on what matters to legislate on and how”.

    The apex court, in its November 28 verdict, had allowed the federal government to grant a six-month extension to Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, directing the government to legislate on the army chief’s tenure and extension during the said time.

    Speaking to Voice of America (VOA), Fawad questioned the judiciary’s “authority to direct the parliament on legislative matters”. “The SC’s orders have a lot of legal defects and shortcomings. It almost eliminates Article 243.”

    Article 243 of the constitution pertains to the command of armed forces — that the federal government should have their control.

    “The SC cannot tell the parliament that ‘you can legislate on this but cannot legislate on that’ or ‘you can or cannot extend the duration’,” Fawad said, adding that in the constitutions of 1956 and 1962, the duration of the army chief’s tenure was ascertained.

    “But after many debates and arguments, it was taken out of the constitution of 1973, and there was a reason for that because the parliament wanted the prime minister (PM) to be empowered.”

    WATCH VIDEO:

    “If you assign a specific amount of term to the army chief then how would you remove him before the expiration of his term, if need be. Therefore, the SC’s verdict has a lot of flaws and it needs to be corrected.”

    The minister maintained that the federal cabinet was awaiting the release of the detailed verdict of the apex court, after which the government would decide how to proceed forward. “The decision to file a review petition still has to be finalised,” he clarified.

    When asked about the differences between the government and the opposition, and how they could hinder efforts aimed at the smooth passage of any legislation in the parliament, the Fawad said “all political players in the country were on the same page on the matter since the army chief was apolitical”.

  • VIDEO: ‘I’m ISPR DG’s nephew; friend of PM, Gen Bajwa,’ man threatens Motorway Police

    VIDEO: ‘I’m ISPR DG’s nephew; friend of PM, Gen Bajwa,’ man threatens Motorway Police

    A video of an unknown man misbehaving with motorway police is making rounds on the internet, claiming that he is the nephew of Major General Asif Ghafoor, the Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

    The video shows that the guy is misbehaving with police officials when they asked him to move his vehicle on the side of the road. The man while replying to officials demand said, “I am a son of an MNA and Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan and army chief are my friends”.

    He also said that he is a captain and all these officials will get dismissed.

    The person also insisted the police officials to dial a number.

  • ‘Traveller by Condè Nast’ ranks Pakistan as number one travel destination for 2020

    ‘Traveller by Condè Nast’ ranks Pakistan as number one travel destination for 2020

    One of the world’s best travel portals, Traveller by Condè Nast, has rated Pakistan as the number one holiday destination for 2020.

    The list is compiled by CN Traveller’s “well-travelled editors for the places they’re most excited about – in this instance not just for the next 12 months, but heading into a new decade.”

    According to the authors, Pakistan is “the adventure traveller’s must-visit” destination.

    Writing about the country, the award-winning magazine said, “Thwarted by tales of terrorism and Taliban rule, Pakistan’s tourism industry has been stymied for the past two decades. But ancient valleys, relaxed visa restrictions and a high-profile royal visit in the offing mean this remarkable country is finally getting the focus it deserves.”

    It further read, “Because this is a place of exquisite landscapes, where green spaces are overlooked by towering mountains. In fact, Pakistan has more peaks taller than 22,965ft than China and Nepal combined, making it an almost magnetic spot for adventure travellers and intrepid hikers.”

    “Visitors can follow in Michael Palin’s steps while traversing the 12,250ft Shandur Pass, home to the world’s highest polo field, or meet with the Kalash people of the Hindu Kush, famed for their cowrie-shell headdresses and brighter-than-bright embroidery. In Lahore, the sight of 100,000 worshippers crammed into the sandstone 17th-century Badshahi Mosque will leave you breathless, while Mughal-era architectural masterpieces stand resplendent on bustling street corners.”

    Founder and CEO of adventure-tour operator Wild Frontiers Jonny Bealby said that Pakistan’s improving tourism was because of “a focus on security measures and the election of Imran Khan, who has vowed to increase international tourist numbers.”

    Meanwhile, the royal visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge has also boosted Pakistan’s image as a popular tourist destination.

    It is pertinent to mention here that the PTI government is making strong efforts to boost tourism in the country that will not only spread the soft image of Pakistan but also it will also bring the revenue into the country – the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor is proof of that.

    Other destinations that featured on the list include Kyoto (Japan), Rijeka (Croatia), Panam, Rabat (Morocco) British Virgin Islands, Frisian Islands, Denmark, Qingdao (China), Lebanon, Portland (Maine, US), Dakar (Senegal), Egadi Islands (Sicily), Paris (France), Siargao (Philippines), Galway (Ireland), Kangaroo Island (Australia), Salvador (Brazil), Armenia (Kyrgyzstan) and Plymouth (UK).

    Previously, UK publication The Independent also wrote that travel experts are recommending Pakistan as a must-visit destination for 2020.

    “The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s visit to Pakistan this autumn put the country back into the spotlight. Plus, it’s now easier to get there from London, thanks to new direct British Airways flights to Pakistan’s capital Islamabad,” read The Independent’s article.

  • VIDEO: Peshawar woman booked for aerial firing

    VIDEO: Peshawar woman booked for aerial firing

    A woman in Peshawar has been booked for aerial firing on Friday, after her videos went viral on social media, The Express Tribune reported.

    According to the details, an FIR [First information report] has been registered against Saba Jaffer, who is a resident of Hayatabad – an upscale neighbourhood of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) provincial capital.

    The police after the videos went viral, took notice of the incident by filing a complaint against the suspect.

    The authorities are conducting raids to get hold of the Saba as the investigation in the matter is underway.

    Watch Video:

  • LHC directs lawyers to seek public’s apology over PIC attack

    The Lahore High Court (LHC) has directed the lawyers involved in Punjab Institute of Cadiology (PIC) to seek public’s apology and correct their ranks, The News International reported.

    According to the details, a two-member bench, headed by Justice Ali Baqar Najfi, took up the petition seeking cancellation of FIRs [FIrst Information Report] registered against lawyers and their immediate release.

    Justice Najfi during the hearing said that it seemed the law of jungle is prevailing in Pakistan, as lawyers attacked the PIC, adding that no society could exist long under law of jungle.

    The court asked Azam Nazir Tarar, a Member Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), who appeared in the court on behalf of lawyers as to how lawyers dared storm a hospital?

    “What would be your reaction if such invasion of bar council’s office takes place?”, the judge asked, adding that it had not happened even in war times. “Black sheep are present among lawyers and they should be kicked out”, the judge remarked.

    Petitioner’s lawyer said that the entire lawyer community felt regret over the PIC incident and condemned the incident soon after it happened. Justice Najfi asked Azam Tarar could you present a single justification of attack on a hospital and said that the lawyers should seek public apology and correct their ranks.

    The judge added that the court was hearing the case with heavy heart and pain.

    Justice Anwarul Haq Punhun who is the other member of the bench, asked whether any bar council had shown willingness to take action against the delinquent lawyers.

    To this, Azam said that the bar council was going to take action against them and their practice licences would be suspended.

    However, Justice Najfi said that apparently lawyers were aggressor, adding that the arrested lawyers would have to seek bail from the trial court.

    “The judges had taken oath to do justice in accordance with the Constitution and law of the land, he added.

    The court then adjounred the hearing and directed provincial law officer to furnish record of cases and details of arrested lawyers by Dec 16.

  • World Bank to grant loan to Pakistan for Khyber Pass Economic Corridor

    World Bank to grant loan to Pakistan for Khyber Pass Economic Corridor

    The World Bank has allocated a loan of $406.6 million to Pakistan for the development of the Khyber Pass Economic Corridor (KPEC) Project.

    As per reports, Minister for Economic Affairs Hammad Azhar supervised the signing ceremony of the KPEC at the division.

    According to the Economic Affairs Division, the project will construct a 48 km long 4-Lane, dual high-speed carriageway from Peshawar to Torkham. This project will boost economic development and improve areas adjoining expressway falling in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

    The government is also planning to develop special economic zones around the corridor.

    The Khyber Pass has long been one of the most important trade routes and strategic military locations. Settled in the mountains, Khyber Pass divides Pakistan and Afghanistan forming the bridge between Central and South Asia.

  • Season’s first markhor hunted in Skardu

    Season’s first markhor hunted in Skardu

    Italian hunter Carlo Pasco has hunted the season’s first Markhor trophy in Skardu town.

    According to reports, Pasco successfully hunted a flared-horned markhor in Skardu.

    The hunter had paid a permit fee of $85,000 to hunt a markhor in the region.

    Late last month, it was reported that the wildlife department of Gilgit Baltistan has auctioned four licenses for hunting the markhor, the official national animal of Pakistan after the Ministry of Climate Change agreed to the licenses, including for trophy hunting of the much in demand flare-horned Astore markhor, a large goat species native to Pakistan.

    Each license was sold for over $80,000, of which 80 percent will go to the villages where the hunt takes place for developing their infrastructure.

  • Demand for Ayeza Khan’s nikkah dress from ‘Meray Paas Tum Ho’ skyrockets after iconic scene

    Demand for Ayeza Khan’s nikkah dress from ‘Meray Paas Tum Ho’ skyrockets after iconic scene

    Meray Paas Tum Ho is the biggest drama on air these days. Each episode receives millions of views within hours of being uploaded on Youtube and sparks debate on almost all social media channels.

    The latest episode saw Mehwish and Shehwar finally about the tie the knot when Shehwar’s first wife, Maham, played by Savera Nadeem slaps a dramatic entry.

    While the slap itself created waves, turns out Ayeza’s ivory and hot pink outfit, by designer Zainab Chottani also was a big hit.

    According to Samaa News, the designer has been receiving tonnes of queries about the dress, which has already become a bestseller.

    “I have received an influx of queries about the bridal dress,” the designer said, adding, “Since we are overbooked till April 2020, people are pre-booking the same dress for their weddings in June and July.”

    Speaking about how the outfit ended up in the scene, Zainab shared: “They wanted to shoot the pre-wedding sequel in our studio when Mehwish goes for wedding shopping. Later they borrowed the dress for the scene.”

    There was a even a bit of argument over the price of the dress – while the designers insisted on quoting Rs 3 lakhs, Chottani refused, saying it was too low a price for the Rs 795,000 (7 lakhs 95 thousand). The two then agreed to mention Rs 6 and a half lakhs.

    Meray Paas Tum Ho has been directed by Nadeem Baig and written by Khalil ur Rahman Qamar. The drama also starrers Humayun Saeed, Adnan Siddiqui and Hira Mani.