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  • PEMRA’s notice to anchors was ‘a senseless blunder’, says Imran Khan

    PEMRA’s notice to anchors was ‘a senseless blunder’, says Imran Khan

    A Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) order recently barred television anchors from “giving their opinions” during talk shows and ordered them to limit their role to moderating the programme.

    The order faced severe backlash from media and also from PTI’s own ministers.

    Firdous Ashiq Awan complained about her fellow ministers to the Prime Minister

    Special Assistant to the PM on Media Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan complained to the PM that PTI’s ministers were talking about her as if they were in the opposition and reports said that PM Khan told them off.

    But according to a source, who was present at the meeting and told The Current, PM Khan didn’t tell them off but instead said that the PEMRA order was a “mistake” and was “beywakoofana” (senseless) but it’s better not to talk against it publicly.

    Fawad Chaudhry and another minister said that such orders shouldn’t be passed which have to be taken back.

    Anchor Shahzeb Khanzada also discussed the issue in his programme.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    Firdous Ashiq Awan and PTI ministers have been at odds before and there were rumours that she was going to be replaced.

  • EXCLUSIVE: Sneak peek into Sheheryar Munawar’s diary

    EXCLUSIVE: Sneak peek into Sheheryar Munawar’s diary

    There is more to Sheheryar Munawar than what meets the eye.

    In his exclusive interview with The Current, the actor revealed that he keeps a diary where he not only records his day-to-day activities but also his thoughts and feelings.

    Sheheryar shared what his diary looks like. The Current also had a special mention in the diary. Watch it in this video:

  • VIDEO: ‘Usman Buzdar just got married again,’ claims journalist

    VIDEO: ‘Usman Buzdar just got married again,’ claims journalist

    Senior journalist and analyst Irshad Bhatti has claimed that Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s blue-eyed subordinate, Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Sardar Usman Buzdar, has gotten married for the second time.

    As per the details, journalists on Geo News programme “Report Card” on Tuesday discussed the blunders being made by PM Imran’s team that the premier had constituted himself.

    “If you want to leave PM Imran out of all the criticism, do it. But it wasn’t us who formed his team,” Babar Sattar said.

    “You cannot absolve the premier. The person who made him [Usman Buzdar] Wasim Akram plus, must be held responsible,” he added while citing the example of the Punjab CM, who has retained his position despite severe criticism over poor performance.

    The remarks were followed by Bhatti’s revelation as he congratulated his colleagues over the alleged second marriage of the provincial chief executive. “I congratulate all of you as Buzdar Sahab has gotten married for the second time… and on top of that, stories surrounding his new in-laws are amazing,” he said.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    Bhatti also hinted at the development having something to do with the new house that the Punjab CM just purchased and his back-to-back trips to Khushab. “It’s his right to get married so it doesn’t matter, but the stories that follow, are astonishing.”

    He also alleged corruption on Buzdar’s part and later criticised him for his “inability” to bring out any reforms.

  • Mohib Mirza, Aamina Sheikh separate

    Mohib Mirza, Aamina Sheikh separate

    Following months of speculation, the truth regarding Aamina Sheikh and Mohib Mirza’s divorce have finally been confirmed.

    Speaking on Bol Nights with Ahsan Khan, Mohib confirmed the separation. The couple has been married for more than a decade and have one daughter together, Meissa Mirza.

    When Ahsan Khan asked Mohib how many children he has, replied, “One daughter.”

    When Ahsan asked Mohib if he and Aamina were still together, he replied, “No we are not together.”

    To this, Ahsan clarified that he asked this question because there was a rumour about this so he just wanted to confirm.

  • JUI-F protesters in Ronaldo’s Juventus jersey go viral

    JUI-F protesters in Ronaldo’s Juventus jersey go viral

    As the long-awaited Azadi March of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government continues, an image, showing protesters wearing Juventus jersey, has gone viral over the internet.

    Juventus Football Club, colloquially known as Juve, is an Italian professional football club. Among its star players are Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentinian professional footballer Paulo Dybala.

    While the reason behind the move remains a mystery, netizens wonder if it has something to do with the similarity that colours of the football club’s jersey — black and white — bear with those of the JUI-F’s party flag.

    AZADI MARCH:

    Meanwhile, the religio-political party’s long march on Tuesday reached Lahore via Multan.

    After the caravan arrived in Lahore from where it will head to Rawalpindi, a large crowd of supporters of JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman joined their leader and chanted slogans against the government.

    Addressing his supporters, Fazl said JUI-F was going to Islamabad to announce that the incumbent rulers were fake. “Government should resign before we reach Islamabad,” he said.

  • PM’s aide served show-cause notice over anti-judiciary media talk

    PM’s aide served show-cause notice over anti-judiciary media talk

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday served a show-cause notice to Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (PM) for Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan for her anti-judiciary press conference.

    Awan, while criticising the judiciary for granting former premier Nawaz Sharif bail on medical grounds, had on Tuesday said that the court had been “brought to order during the evening only to provide justice to jailed Nawaz”.

    “This will open a floodgate of similar requests by prisoners suffering from various diseases,” she had said.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    “While maligning the honourable courts [she] went to say that the case of the accused was heard during the evening ‘as a special dispensation’,” read Wednesday’s show-cause notice highlighting Awan’s remarks.

    The IHC observed that Awan “made an attempt to scandalise the court in the eyes of the public, thereby, tried to lower the esteem of the judiciary.” Seeking reason as to why the court should not proceed with contempt of court against the premier’s aide, IHC also summoned her on November 1.

  • Celebrities take #TheCurrent’s phone challenge

    Celebrities take #TheCurrent’s phone challenge

  • ‘PM resigns amid opposition’s protests’, TV channel stuns Pakistanis

    ‘PM resigns amid opposition’s protests’, TV channel stuns Pakistanis

    The report by a private media outlet regarding some prime minister’s (PM) resignation due to pressure from opposition parties on Tuesday left Pakistan stunned as tensions soar among the country’s political quarters.

    Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) has launched its anti-government campaign with plans to enter the federal capital on October 31. With party chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman demanding PM Imran Khan’s resignation, other opposition parties, including the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), have lent their support to the JUI-F.

    While opposition leaders and workers march to Islamabad against the “illegitimate” Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, a news channel on Tuesday evening aired breaking news claiming that “the opposition’s protests had borne fruit as the premier had resigned”.

    With the news leaving audiences stunned across the country as it suggested that PM Imran had stepped down, the media outlet clarified its report.

    It actually pertained to the resignation of Lebanese PM Saad Hariri, who announced his resignation on Tuesday after 13 days of mass protests demanding the departure of the country’s entire political elite.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    Hariri’s sombre televised address was met by cheers from crowds of protesters who have remained mobilised since October 17, crippling the country to press their demands.

    “It has become necessary for us to make a great shock to fix the crisis. I am going to the Baabda Palace to submit the government’s resignation,” said Hariri, who had already stepped down twice from the same post.

    He said his decision comes “in response to the will of many Lebanese who took to the streets to demand change”.

  • DG ISPR defends Neelum Muneer’s item song in ‘Kaaf Kangana’

    Renowned playwright Khalil ur Rehman Qamar’s directorial venture Kaaf Kangana made headlines for all the wrong reasons. The film released last weekend on October 25 and has not opened to good reviews or box office numbers.

    The film has an item song featuring Neelum Munir. The song titled Khabon Main has been composed by Sahir Ali Bagga while Aima Baig has lent her vocals.

    While the song is picturised like any other item song, with leering men and alcohol bottles, the lyrics are what caught our attention.

    The song opens with: “Khwabon main jab main Pakistan gayi re, India main bolay saadi jaan gayi re.”

    The lyrics get more bizarre as the song continues, “Eik toh kam**na mujhe ghar lay gaya, ghar main gaye toh wahaan koi nahi tha. Baaton main aakar baatain maan gayi re. India main bolay saadi jaan gayi re.”

    Following the backlash on the song, Neelum took to social media to defend herself and said that she “did this song only because this movie is a project of ISPR.”

    She added, “Perhaps this is the first and last item song of my life. But you all know that whatever I do, I own it and I do it with pride. Pakistan key liye meri jaan hamesha hazir hey.”

    WATCH: The Current’s review of ‘Kaaf Kangana‘

    Meanwhile, DG ISPR Major General Asif Ghafoor also took to Twitter to defend the item song. Kaaf Kangana has been made in collaboration with ISPR.

    He said that the “item song is by an Indian girl in the movie as per her role.”

    In the same tweet, Gen Asif Ghafoor also addressed the controversy surrounding Humera Arshad’s concert at ISPR GHQ on Kashmir Black Day.

    Watch the song here:

    Read More: Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar says ‘women should rape men if they want equality’

  • VIDEO: Faisal Vawda, Hafiz Hamdullah offer each other ‘halwa puri’ on Azadi March

    VIDEO: Faisal Vawda, Hafiz Hamdullah offer each other ‘halwa puri’ on Azadi March

    Federal Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda has demanded a “halwa puri” breakfast from Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader Hafiz Hamdullah.

    “I have seen videos of Azadi March on social media, wherein JUI-F leaders were feeding naan cholay [chickpeas curry] to their workers,” Vawda said while speaking of the opposition party’s forthcoming long march during a talk show on Geo News Tuesday.

    “I love naan cholay too,” he added.

    Reacting to his comments, JUI-F’s Hamdullah said his workers “were not mummy daddy” and so there was no point in feeding them burgers or Savour Foods. “I would offer you halwa puri with cholay,” he said further.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    JUI-F’s anti-government Azadi March led by party chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman with opposition’s support is scheduled to enter the federal capital on October 31.