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  • Nabeel Zafar shares story behind Hina Dilpazeer’s ‘Momo’ in Bulbulay

    Nabeel Zafar shares story behind Hina Dilpazeer’s ‘Momo’ in Bulbulay

    Beloved family sitcom ‘Bulbulay’ has captured the hearts of viewers for over 15 years because of its unique humor and memorable characters.

    Celebrating 15 years of Bulbulay, actor and producer Nabeel Zafar appeared as a guest on FHM podcast hosted by Adnan Faisal and shared an exciting story about his on-screen mother rand fellow colleague Hina Dilpazeer, who plays the character of Momo in the show.

    “When I called Hina, we had previously worked together on the telefilm ‘Burns Road Ki Nilofar,’ which was very successful. In that project, we had scenes together and it was a very good telefilm. People knew ‘Burns Road Ki Nilofar’, so I called her and said, ‘Look, you might be two or four years younger than me, but the role is of a mother.’ To which she said, ‘No, no, no, I will do it’.”

    Zafar also reflected on the challenges of keeping the show fresh after so many years. “For 15 years, it’s been the same sitcom. Let me ask you, how do we keep our minds from getting dull while working together for 15 years? We just sit, read, and try to understand it. And then it starts making sense, believe me.”

    “The problem is that you can repeat your old work only in places where your work hasn’t been repeated. So, this is our luck or, in some way, a problem in terms of production, that the channel, ARY, shows the same episode three times a day. We’ve completed over 700 episodes and they keep showing them again and again,” the Sar-e-Rah actor said.

    Bulbulay is written by Ali Imran and Saba Hassan and directed by Rana Rizwan. The cast of Bulbulay includes Mehmood Aslam, Ayesha Omer, Nabeel Zafar and Hina Dilpazeer.

     Earlier, actress Hina Dilpazeer shared a surprising revelation during a recent interview, stating that Bollywood star Anil Kapoor was a fan of her work.

    During her appearance as a guest on the show ‘Zabardast’, where she talked about how a Bollywood actor admired her.

    “Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor, after watching my drama ‘Quddusi Sahab Ki Bewah,’ appreciated my work and invited me for a project. There were talks about an Indian film as well, but due to the political situation between the two countries, I couldn’t take on the project. If another offer comes, I will work there,” she states.

    Hina also described a bitter experience from a private award show, which later turned into a heartwarming moment.

    Narrating the incident, she said, “Once, I was invited abroad with the promise of receiving an award at a show, but the award was later given to someone else.”

    She continued, “I can never forget the humiliation I felt at that moment. But later that night, as everyone was returning with their awards, the hotel lobby was filled with my fans, including mentally and physically challenged children who loved my character ‘Momo.’”

    She further shared, “At that time, I wasn’t wearing ‘Momo’s’ signature glasses, so a child gave me his glasses in fear and hid behind his mother. I wore those glasses and performed as Momo for the children. Seeing the smiles on their faces instantly cooled my anger. I forgave everyone who mistreated me, and asked Allah for forgiveness because maybe He brought me abroad for this purpose.”

  • Pakistani actors have attitude, Indian actors are friendly: Faysal Quraishi

    Pakistani actors have attitude, Indian actors are friendly: Faysal Quraishi

    Actor Faysal Quraishi praised Indian actors and called them friendly in his recent podcast.

    “In India, a major event was held for Salman Khan’s unofficial organisation, Being Human, where actors from Pakistan were also invited, along with Indian actors in attendance,” he recalled.

    “I was surprised to see we were meeting Indian actors. The first meeting was with Sohail Khan and Sunil Shetty, who were gyming, and they started talking to me as if we were childhood friends,” he said.

    “Later, I met with Salman Khan, Chunky Pandey, and Javed Jaffrey – all were all very nice, asking for pictures,” he added.

    “The Indian actors were having a lot of fun. I see a bit of arrogance in our Pakistani actors, while the Indian actors were very friendly, so we were a little surprised because they were very welcoming,” Quraishi believes.

  • Argentine police raid hotel where Liam Payne fell to death

    Argentine police raid hotel where Liam Payne fell to death

    Argentine police raided on Wednesday the Buenos Aires hotel where former One Direction star Liam Payne died after falling from his third-floor balcony, a police source told AFP.

    Police officers from the special investigations and technology divisions were sent to the Casa Sur Hotel by the prosecutor’s office “to seize elements of interest for the investigation,” said a police source who asked not to be identified.

    Television images showed a handful of agents working on computers at the lobby counter.

    The 31-year-old British pop singer was found dead after staff called emergency services twice to report a guest “overwhelmed by drugs and alcohol” was “destroying” a hotel room.

    He had spoken publicly about struggles with substance abuse and coping with fame from an early age.

    Wednesday’s raid came a day after the Argentine prosecutor’s office met with the musician’s father, Geoff Payne, and assured him that his son’s toxicology studies had not been released by that institution.

    US media reported on Monday that Payne had a cocktail of drugs in his system when he died.

    ABC and TMZ said “pink cocaine” — containing methamphetamine, ketamine and MDMA — had been found during a partial autopsy, citing anonymous sources familiar with the preliminary tests.

    The prosecutor’s office said it had not “disclosed any specific technical report outside the exclusive framework of the investigation and the judicial process corresponding to the case.”

    Although there is no stipulated deadline for the results of the toxicological analyses, an official from the Public Prosecutor’s Office told AFP that they could be concluded this week.

    Investigators were examining cell phones, computers, photographs and videos from security cameras, and have taken “numerous witness statements to reconstruct the victim’s final hours and the scene of the events,” the public prosecutor’s office said.

    Post-mortem results indicated that the 31-year-old was alone at the time of the fall and “was going through an episode of substance abuse,” prosecutors have said.

    One of the highest-grossing live acts in the world, One Direction went on indefinite hiatus in 2016. Payne went on to enjoy solo success.

  • ‘Balanced judge’: PTI’s Sher Afzal Marwat all praise for Chief Justice Yahya Afridi

    ‘Balanced judge’: PTI’s Sher Afzal Marwat all praise for Chief Justice Yahya Afridi

    Hours after Yahya Afridi was sworn in as the 30th chief justice of Pakistan (CJP), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and lawmaker Sher Afzal Khan Marwat has praised him for his neutral role and for being balanced.

    Speaking to media in Islamabad, Marwat said that he had appeared before Yahya Afridi for more than 20 years, and he was an “extremely balanced judge”.

    “I offer my congratulations to Yahya Afridi for the CJP role, and PTI was not opposed to his appointment as CJP,” he said.

    “Our only issue was that the principle of seniority should not be violated in the appointment of the apex court’s top judge,” Marwat said while clarifying his party’s concerns over the appointment of the third senior-most judge as the CJP instead of senior-most Justice Mansoor Ali Shah.

    Earlier in the day, Justice Yahya Afridi was sworn in as the new CJP following the retirement of Justice Qazi Faez Isa. Justice Afridi was nominated by a special parliamentary committee formed under the 26th Amendment.

    The committee consisted of 12 members, including eight from the National Assembly and four from the Senate, who nominated Justice Afridi as the next CJP. After President Asif Ali Zardari’s assent, Yahya Afridi was officially appointed as the first CJP under new SC rules.

  • ‘Palestinian films removed due to expired license, not deletion,’ Netflix clarifies

    ‘Palestinian films removed due to expired license, not deletion,’ Netflix clarifies

    Netflix has responded to criticism about the removal of at least 19 films from the ‘Palestine Stories’ collection, explaining that the films are being taken off the platform due to expiring licenses, not deletion.

    “We launched this licensed collection in 2021 for a three-year term, which has now expired. We remain committed to investing in a wide range of films and shows that highlight voices from around the world,” Netflix said in a statement to Deadline.

    The removal has sparked reactions from rights groups and activists, including Freedom Forward, a human rights organization based in San Francisco. The group has issued an open letter and petition calling on Netflix to explain its decision, noting that the removal comes at a difficult time for Palestinians.

    Sunjeev Bery, Freedom Forward’s executive director, urged Netflix to reconsider its decision. “While licensing may be a factor, Netflix should work to maintain global access to Palestinian films, especially given the current situation,” he told Deadline.

    Netflix initially launched the “Palestine Stories” collection in October 2021 with 32 films by Palestinian filmmakers or about Palestinian stories, calling it a “tribute to the creativity and passion of the Arab film industry.” Currently, the Pakistani Netflix library features only two titles from the collection: 200 Meters and Ibrahim: A Fate to Define.

  • How do you beg with a smile? Man confronts Finance Minister in the US

    How do you beg with a smile? Man confronts Finance Minister in the US

    Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has been leading a Pakistani delegation to the annual meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), being held in Washington DC from October 21-26, when he was confronted by Jalil Afridi, infamous for asking irrelevant questions from US State Department official briefing.

    At the Wilson Center, Afridi questioned the finance minister: “When you come to Washington to ask for money, how do you beg with such expensive hotels and big delegations and with such a smile?”

    Afridi further claimed: “Ever since Afghanistan became free [2021], its economy is performing better than Pakistan, especially the rates of dollars are better there than in Pakistan. Why is that?”

    However, his question did not stop there. He also stated: “The justice system in Pakistan is also bad, and just a few days ago, it was the second death anniversary of the killed journalist. [Arshad Sharif]”

    The Finance Minister did not get startled by this line of questioning. Rather, he calmly replied: “I’m not sure if I’m the right person to answer your questions because I certainly do not agree with you that Afghanistan’s economy is doing better than Pakistan’s. So we have a fundamental disagreement, but you’ll have to call the Finance Minister of Afghanistan to ask him what is happening there.”

    Two days ago, Reuters reported that Pakistan is targeting around $1 billion in a formal request for funding from the IMF facility that helps low and middle-income countries mitigate climate risk.

  • Cristiano Ronaldo seeks help from fans to find emotional fan

    Cristiano Ronaldo seeks help from fans to find emotional fan

    Cristiano Ronaldo has reached out to his fans for help in finding the guy who was seen crying with joy at a recent Al-Nassr FC match.

    The emotional moment it happened during the AFC Champions League game between Al-Nassr and Esteghlal on October 22, 2024. The fan, wearing Ronaldo’s jersey, went viral after being spotted in tears, leading Ronaldo to try and arrange a personal meeting with them. The touching video of the fan watching Ronaldo from the stands spread quickly online.

    Ronaldo, known for his strong bond with his fans and appreciation for their support, expressed his wish to meet the fans and thank them personally. This is not the first time Ronaldo has used his platform to connect with a special admirer.

    His social media post generated a huge response, with many users sharing the video and providing information to help locate the fan. Playing for Al-Nassr, Ronaldo showed gratitude for the support and is eager to meet the fans to show his appreciation.

  • Sindh High Court orders MDCAT retake across province

    Sindh High Court orders MDCAT retake across province

    The Sindh High Court has ordered the conduct of the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) in four weeks for admissions in government medical and dental colleges.

    The court ordered a retake after petitions were filed against alleged irregularities in MDCAT.

    The court, while recalling that a committee had been formed on the previous hearing, asked, “Did they [the committee] do any work, or did they sleep at home?”

    The committee chairperson, Shireen Nareju, submitted the report to the court, according to which there was no irregularity in the system.

    Nareju also stated that some students had contacted the committee, contending against the retaking of MDCAT, statements of which were included in the report.

    The Sindh High Court, however, noted that flaws in the examination system were pointed out during the investigation, indicating the system has been compromised at various levels.

    The report stated that about 42 people have been involved in the examination system.

    The court asked Shireen if the paper was leaked, considering that the mechanism had been compromised, to which she claimed that answer keys and questions circulated on WhatsApp.

    The Sindh High Court, therefore, ruled that the MDCAT test should be retaken in one month.

    Read more: MDCAT trends on X as students get swamped with problems

  • Bilal Abbas Khan , Ayeza Khan also part of Fawad Khan’s new show ‘The Prisoner’

    Bilal Abbas Khan , Ayeza Khan also part of Fawad Khan’s new show ‘The Prisoner’

    Bilal Abbas and Ayeza Khan are reportedly joining Fawad Khan in the highly anticipated crime thriller series, The Prisoner, according to IMDB listings. This powerhouse cast bring fresh excitement to the series, which is based on Omar Shahid’s bestselling novel. The novel depicts two daring cops on a covert mission in the 90s to challenge Karachi’s powerful mafia like political party. Created by Parisa Siddiqi and Ahmer Khan, the series is sure to keep viewers on the edge of their seats.

    Fans of Pakistan cinema and thrillers can look forward to The Prisoner delivering a captivating blend of action and drama, with a star-studded cast that promises exceptional storytelling.

    Fans will be excited to see Ayeza Khan and Fawad Khan together as they haven’t worked together since a commercial. In this series ‘The Priosner’ Fawad Khan plays DSP Akbar Khan, Ayeza Khan will play Mehreen Khan, and Bilal Abbas will portray DSP C Constantine D’Souza.

    A fan page of Fawad Khan named Dusty shared the story on his Instagram account:

  • Why is Ahsan Iqbal spamming American Congressmen with same message on X?

    Why is Ahsan Iqbal spamming American Congressmen with same message on X?

    Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal has sent the same reply to multiple United States congressmen on X (formerly Twitter) over the US lawmakers’ demand to release the incarcerated founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan from Adiala Jail.

    Previously, over 60 Democratic lawmakers of the United States House of Representatives called on US President Joe Biden in a letter to use Washington’s leverage with Pakistan to secure the release of incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

    Several congressmen, including Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib and Congressman Greg Casar, posted messages on X in favour of Imran Khan, claiming that they are proud of signing the letter to President Joe Biden for an end to human rights abuses in Pakistan and the release of all political prisoners—including Imran Khan.

    Ahsan Iqbal wrote the same long message to multiple congressmen, claiming that Imran Khan had been facilitating all necessities in Adiala Jail Rawalpindi, while during his reign, Khan was cruel and aggressive towards the opposition.

    “Your tweet has come to me as a surprise because it seems you have heard only one side of the story. Imran Khan is being given far, far more facilities in jail than what he provided to me and other leaders of PMLN during incarceration at his hands in bogus & fictitious cases when he was the Prime Minister.”

    “He orchestrated attacks on the Parliament and Garrisons. I wonder if any politician will be spared in the US if he/she committed these crimes. As regards mistreatment in jail, he is in the same jail cell where he had confined me. So if that was good for me, it should be good for him too,” the Planning and Development Minister said added.

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Taimur Saleem Khan Jhagra, while pointing out the spam message of Ahsan Iqbal, replied in a satirical critique, “full panic mode.”

    One social media user humorously claimed that the Minister of Development and Planning copy-pasted the same message on different tweets.

    Another netizen wrote: “Seems as if they only have one person to tweet in English, so he got a tough job to do.”

    “Baba Jee seems to have completely lost his marbles. Literally spamming the same copy-paste on every post,” another social media user pointed out.