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  • Fawad Khan talks about why Pakistani dramas are winning hearts in India

    Fawad Khan talks about why Pakistani dramas are winning hearts in India

    Pakistan’s TV dramas are well-known for telling powerful and realistic stories. They’re loved not just domestically but across the border in India too.

    Fawad Khan, one of the biggest stars in the industry, has a fair idea of why Pakistani dramas are as popular as they are. During an interview with Pinkvilla India, the superstar was asked by the host, “What do you think is the USP of Pakistan dramas that are hitting the right cord over here for the Indian audience?”

    Fawad replied, “We Pakistanis have always used drama as a medium to tell our stories, and that’s taught us the art of storytelling. We’ve learned how to weave a narrative, how to develop characters, and how to engage our audience. It’s a craft we’ve honed over the years, and we’re proud of our expertise in this field.”

    He continued to explain: “When we give something time, and the audience appreciates it, it means we are doing something right, just like Bollywood does in India.”

    The Barzakh actor said, “Indian writers are skilled at presenting their stories in an engaging way through films, owing to their experience in longer narrative formats. This preference for soaps over dramas on television has led to a decline in audience interest compared to previous times.”

  • Azra Mansoor lauds Mawra Hocane for a very special reason

    Azra Mansoor lauds Mawra Hocane for a very special reason

    Senior Pakistani actress Azra Mansoor has praised actress Mawra Hocane for making prayers a priority during filming.

    In a recent interview, Azra addressed misconceptions about actors in showbiz, noting that many people assume that actors aren’t religious. “That’s not true,” she clarified.

    “Not all artists are religious, but many in our industry are very close to their faith.”

    Reflecting on her experience working with Mawra Hocane and Mohib Mirza on the drama ‘Jafa,’ Mansoor shared, “Both actors would take time to pray during shoots.”

    Mansoor expressed her admiration for Hocane in particular, saying, “I was pleased to see Mawra Hocane. When it was prayer time during shoots, she would pray first and then return to filming her scenes.”

    She also spoke about her religious practices, saying, “I work during Ramadan and observe fasts, despite some inappropriate comments directed towards actors. We artists are human too, and humans make mistakes. We’re not perfect.”

  • There are very few single people in Pakistan

    There are very few single people in Pakistan

    The detailed results of Pakistan’s seventh and first digital census have been released, providing insights into the marital status and demographics of the population.

    According to the Institute of Statistics report, 29.75 percent of people in Pakistan are single, while 65.97 percent are married. The report also notes that 3.78 percent of the population are widows.

    In addition, the statistics agency reports that 0.35 percent of the population is divorced and 0.15 percent are separated.

    Furthermore, the census reveals that 79 percent of Pakistan’s population is under 40 years of age. Specifically, 40.56 percent are under 15 years old, and the age group of 15 to 29 years constitutes 26 percent of the population.

    These findings underscore the youthful demographic profile of Pakistan, with a significant proportion of the population being unmarried and under the age of 40.

  • Umair Jaswal’s mysterious post sparks speculation among fans

    Umair Jaswal’s mysterious post sparks speculation among fans

    Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik and actress Sana Javed recently celebrated six months of marriage. Around the same time, singer Umair Jaswal, formerly married to Sana, posted a cryptic quote that caught the attention of many.

    He wrote, “In these six months, either you will have a period where you will offer apologies, or it will be a phase where you will make progress; the decision will be yours.” The mysterious message has led to much speculation about personal growth and relationships on social media.

    Sana and Umair got married in 2020 and separated towards the end of 2023.

    Before marrying Sana, Shoaib was married to Indian tennis star Sania Mirza. The couple has a son named Izhaan Mirza Malik, born in 2018.

  • ICC suffers millions of Dollars loss during T20 World Cup

    ICC suffers millions of Dollars loss during T20 World Cup

    The T20 World Cup 2024, held in America and West Indies, has cost the International Cricket Council (ICC) millions of dollars.

    According to Express, the ICC has suffered a loss of $167 million (more than PKR 46 billion 50 crore) due to poor management and efforts to promote cricket in America.

    Members of the ICC will ask questions in the board meeting on financial and operational matters scheduled in Sri Lanka this month. Important decisions are expected.

    The council has constituted an independent committee which will submit its report.

    Reports say that the managing company requested $20 million from the ICC in addition to the approved budget.

  • Pakistan Railways increases fares for passenger and freight trains

    Pakistan Railways increases fares for passenger and freight trains

    Pakistan Railways has announced an increase in fares for all train services starting Friday, July 19, 2024. This decision, reported by the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), is part of a broader strategy to rationalise fares.

    According to an official notification issued on Thursday, fares for mail, express, intercity, and passenger trains, including outsourced services, will see a 1 per cent hike. Additionally, freight and goods train fares will be increased by 2 per cent.

    The fare adjustment comes amidst Pakistan Railways’ ongoing efforts to improve its financial health. Over the past six months, the railway department, in collaboration with railway police and train staff, has collected over Rs76 million from passengers traveling without tickets.

    Approximately 59,143 ticket-less passengers were identified during this crackdown, with the recovered amounts duly deposited into the department’s official bank account.

    This move aims to enhance revenue generation and ensure the sustainability of Pakistan Railways’ operations while providing better services to its passengers.

  • Four nails, kidney missing from Arshad Sharif’s body: Javeria Siddiqui

    Four nails, kidney missing from Arshad Sharif’s body: Javeria Siddiqui

    Javeria Siddique, the widow of slain journalist Arshad Sharif, recently appeared on a podcast of the Naya Pakistan channel, recounting the harrowing details of Arshad’s ordeal before and after he left Pakistan in 2022.

    She stated that Arshad had been threatened in Pakistan with a “gunshot to the head.”

    Arshad Sharif fled the country in August 2022 to avoid arrest after he was slapped with multiple cases, including sedition charges, over an interview with Shahbaz Gill – a close aide of former Prime Minister Imran Khan – during which Gill passed comments that were perceived as provocation to mutiny.

    He was killed by local police in Kenya two months later, with controversies surrounding his cause of death.

    Javeria described the condition of his body, saying, “There were 18-19 wounds, four of his nails and a kidney was absent, ribs were broken.”

    Journalist Husnain asked her whether his kidney was taken in Kenya, to which, she replied with sorrow, “Whether they [Kenyan authorities] or these [Pakistani] authorities did, how would I know?”

    The Current talked with a medical doctor – who wishes to remain anonymous – currently working at CMH Lahore to inquire about the procedures involved in autopsies. He stated, “In criminal autopsies, it is not unusual to take some organs out of the body for further testing, but those organs are usually put back in. If, for some reason, the organ is kept for testing, then the authorities have to explicitly inform the family members of the deceased person.”

  • Pakistan becomes fifth most populous country

    Pakistan becomes fifth most populous country

    Pakistan has become the fifth most populous country in the world with a population of 241,490,000, according to the detailed results of the seventh and first digital census of Pakistan.

    A report released by the Institute of Statistics reveals that Pakistan has the fastest population growth rate in the region, at 2.55 per cent annually. The country has also emerged as one of the top 30 countries globally with rapid population growth, surpassed in growth rate by only 27 other nations.

    The report projects that if current trends persist, Pakistan’s population will double by 2050. It also highlights that 79 per cent of the population is under 40 years old, making Pakistan the country with the largest youth population in the world.

    Pakistan currently stands at fifth place in global population rankings. Balochistan has the highest population growth rate at 3.2 percent, followed by Sindh at 2.57 percent and Punjab at 2.53 percent. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has the lowest growth rate among provinces, with an annual increase of 2.38 percent.

    According to the report, 51.48 percent of population is male and 48.51 percent is female. Rural areas house 61.12 percent of the population, with only 39 percent residing in urban centres.

    In terms of urbanisation within provinces, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has the lowest urban population at 15 percent, while Sindh and Punjab have higher urbanisation rates of 54 percent and 52 percent respectively. About 31 percent of Balochistan’s population is currently living in cities.

    The report also indicates that 96.35 percent of Pakistan’s population is Muslim, with minorities making up 8.7 percent. Hindus constitute 44 percent of the minority population, while Christians account for 37.63 percent.

  • Gold price surges to record high of Rs254,000 per tola in Pakistan

    Gold price surges to record high of Rs254,000 per tola in Pakistan

    The price of gold in Pakistan soared to a new record on Thursday, with 24-karat gold increasing by Rs4,600 per tola, reaching an unprecedented Rs254,000. This surge aligns with global market trends influenced by economic indicators in the United States.

    The rise in gold prices is driven by signs of slowing inflation in the US, prompting speculation that the Federal Reserve may soon lower interest rates. Historically, high interest rates tend to negatively impact gold prices as the precious metal does not yield interest, making it less attractive to investors compared to interest-bearing assets.

    Notably, the current gold price in Pakistan is Rs4,000 below its actual market value due to a decrease in purchasing power, reflecting broader economic challenges.

    According to the Karachi Sarafa Association, the price of 24-karat gold per 10 grammes has risen by Rs3,944, now standing at Rs217,764 per tola. Similarly, 22-karat gold is now priced at Rs199,617 per 10 grammes.

    Meanwhile, silver prices have remained stable in the domestic market. The price of 24-karat silver is Rs2,900 per tola and Rs2,486 per 10 grammes.

    Globally, spot gold is trading near $2,468 an ounce, having surpassed the previous all-time high set in May. This global uptrend in gold prices is reflected in the domestic market, influencing local prices accordingly.

    The significant rise in gold prices highlights the ongoing economic uncertainties and the impact of international financial trends on the local market. As investors navigate these fluctuations, the gold market continues to be a barometer of economic sentiment.

  • ‘The Clown’ wins the prestigious Satyajit Ray award at the London Indian Film festival

    ‘The Clown’ wins the prestigious Satyajit Ray award at the London Indian Film festival

    The short film ‘The Clown’ has won the prestigious Satyajit Ray Award for Best Short Film at the London Indian Film Festival. Directed by Kamil Chima, it was the only Pakistani entry in the competition, making the win even more special.

    Chima expressed his joy and gratitude on Instagram, saying, “Our little film won a big, big award! The Clown won the Satyajit Ray Award for Best Short Film at the London Indian Film Festival. This was truly a labor of love, and this win is both exciting and humbling. It took a village to make this film.”

    He continued, “I am grateful to the entire crew that helped bring this vision to life and reveal a story about a character that stays hidden in plain sight.”

    Chima also praised his cast: “Muhammad Saeed Cheema and Farheen Raza Jaffry gave stellar debut performances. Sheherzade Peerzada has a magnetic charm, and Adeel Afzal provided a steady hand that helped steer the ship.” He concluded with a heartfelt message, “To all the clowns in my city, more freedom to you!”