Blog

  • Arooj Aftab to perform alongside Dua Lipa, SZA

    Arooj Aftab to perform alongside Dua Lipa, SZA

    The accolades don’t stop pouring in for Pakistani Grammy winning singer Arooj Aftab.
    The ‘Mohabbat’ crooner will perform at the famous Glastonbury Festival in London this June. Aftab, known for her soulful singing and mixing classical and modern music, shared the news on her Instagram account.
    “UK make plans! We are back at Glastonbury, June 2024.”
    Aftab also posted the exciting line-up on the carousel, promising performances from both classic and new artists including PJ Harvey and Cyndi Lauper.

    Female artists will headline two out of three slots at Britain’s Glastonbury Festival in June for the first time, with Dua Lipa and SZA joining rock-band Coldplay, organizers announced on Thursday.
    Country pop star Shania Twain will perform in the Sunday afternoon “legend” slot. British-Albanian Dua Lipa, known for hits like New Rules and One Kiss, will debut on the Pyramid Stage shortly after releasing her third album, Radical Optimism.

    Coldplay, veterans at Worthy Farm, will headline for a record fifth time. The inclusion of US R&B star SZA is a surprise in the lineup. The 34-year-old’s acclaimed album SOS won a Grammy last month, and her single Kill Bill has been on the British charts for months.
    The festival, which sold out in under an hour when tickets were released in November, faced criticism last year for an all-male top billing.
    Earlier this year, Aftab missed out on double Grammy wins after not winning in the two categories she was nominated for. The Mohabbat singer received nominations for Global Music Performance and Best Jazz Alternate Album.

    Aftab’s album Love in Exile got nominated for Best Jazz Alternate Album, and Shadow Forces got recognized for new vocal or instrumental global music. It’s important to mention that Aftab became the first Pakistani artist to win music’s top honors in 2022.

  • Ali Amin Gandapur’s brother to contest NA-44 by-poll

    Ali Amin Gandapur’s brother to contest NA-44 by-poll

    Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister (CM) Ali Amin Gandapur has chosen to allow his brother Faisal Amin Gandapur to run for the National Assembly seat from Dera Ismail Khan, which Ali won in the February 8 general elections.

    The KP’s CM, who also leads the provincial chapter of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), announced that his brother will run in the by-elections for the NA-44 constituency. He is vacating the seat after winning the PK-113 Dera Ismail Khan-III seat.

    Speaking about handing over the coveted KP constituency ticket to his brother in a video statement on Friday, the chief minister said he has conveyed the decision to party founder Imran Khan as well after he inquired where Gandapir plans to “adjust” his brother in the provincial cabinet.

    “He did not know that my brother was yet to contest the elections,” he said.

    The KP CM stated that he won the general elections on February 8 on two seats personally, keeping one and giving up the other.

  • ‘Hijab a choice, not a compulsion’; Drama Umm-e-Ayesha earns applause for hijab discussion

    ‘Hijab a choice, not a compulsion’; Drama Umm-e-Ayesha earns applause for hijab discussion

    ‘Umm-e-Ayesha’, a Ramadan drama series on Geo Television, has been receiving praise since its premiere on the first day of Ramadan. The show, airing daily at 6 PM, follows the story of Ayesha, portrayed by Nimra Khan.
    In a particular scene that has gone viral on Facebook, Ayesha chooses to prioritize her hijab over a job opportunity. Fans appreciated the well-executed scene, praising Nimra Khan’s acting alongside Mohsin Ali Gillani.

    Many are commending the drama makers for delivering a meaningful message during Ramadan. Fans admire Ayesha’s courage in standing firm on her principles and not compromising on wearing the hijab.
    Some social media users argue that in Pakistan, an Islamic country, wearing the hijab should not be controversial. However, others note that not all girls may feel comfortable wearing the hijab.
    Overall, the drama has sparked discussions about the importance of respecting individual choices and has garnered praise for its portrayal of hijab values.

  • Asif Zardari declares Shehbaz, Gandapur meeting a ‘good beginning’

    Asif Zardari declares Shehbaz, Gandapur meeting a ‘good beginning’

    Newly-elected President Asif Ali Zardari has said on Thursday that the meeting between the prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, and the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Ali Amin Gandapur, is a “good beginning.” 

    Shehbaz Sharif’s government came into power this month after making an alliance with multiple parties, including the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

    However, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is in power in KP, and it also allegedly accused PML-N of stealing PTI’s mandate in general elections. 

    President Zardari has welcomed the interaction between the prime minister and the chief minister.

    “It is high time we start thinking of working towards healing the divisions Pakistan has been going through,” he added.

    “This outreach is a good beginning,” he stated.

  • Amitabh Bachchan rushed to hospital after sudden illness

    Amitabh Bachchan rushed to hospital after sudden illness

    Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan has been taken to the hospital after he suddenly felt unwell.
    Indian media reported that Amitabh Bachchan is now in Kokilaben Hospital in Mumbai. Some reports state also that the 81-year-old legend of Indian cinema has already had heart surgery at Kokilaben Hospital.
    According to reports Amitabh Bachchan was seen with his son Abhishek Bachchan last night at the Indian Street Premier League (ISPL) in Thane, Maharashtra, celebrating after making it to the finals of the Indian Street Premier League (ISPL), according to the reports.

  • 22 flights cancelled as passengers decrease in Ramzan

    22 flights cancelled as passengers decrease in Ramzan

    Due to operational issues of various airlines, 22 flights across the country including eight domestic flights of Quetta have been cancelled today.

    According to PIA spokesperson, as reported by Geo news, the flights had to be cancelled due to not meeting the minimum load of the required number of passengers.

    Aviation reported that today alone, PIA cancelled six flights from Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore to Quetta. PK 310, 311 from Karachi, PK 322, 323 from Lahore and PK from Islamabad to Quetta. K 325, 326 will not be operated today.

    PIA’s Karachi-Gwadar PK-503, 504 flights have also been cancelled.

    Five flights from Karachi to Islamabad, three flights between Karachi to Lahore, two flights of PIA from Islamabad to Sukkur have been cancelled.

  • Mishi Khan’s tip to nutritionists: Make healthy eating wallet-friendly

    Mishi Khan’s tip to nutritionists: Make healthy eating wallet-friendly

    Mishi Khan has had it with hefty price tags on healthy foods. The TV host and former star spoke about nutritionists on TV giving advice for Ramadan. Taking to Instagram, she said in a video, “I heard some nutritionists on Ramadan shows telling people what to eat and what not to eat. They say things like cereals and milk, but can everyone buy that? How can a person afford cereal in such inflation? People are barely surviving and running their kitchens. Many are hardly managing one meal; people are living in big families of six people or more. I don’t understand how they come up with such unrealistic ideas. Are you guys unaware of the inflation? You are advising poor people to take cereal, fluids, and other expensive items.”

  • PCB offers $2 million annually to Shane Watson to coach men’s cricket team

    PCB offers $2 million annually to Shane Watson to coach men’s cricket team

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has offered $2,000,000 to former Australian cricketer Shane Watson to become the highest paid coach in the history of Pakistan cricket.

    According to Geo News reports, Shane Watson has been offered an annual salary of $2 million.

    However, the report quoted sources close to Shane Watson claiming that he may not accept the offer because he does not want to be away from his family for a long time.

    Mike Hesson and Darren Sammy are among the main candidates to coach the Pakistan Men’s Cricket Team, in case Watson refuses. Mike Hesson and Darren Sammy are currently serving as the head coaches for Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi respectively.

    PCB is also mulling the possibility of appointing local coaches along with foreign consultants to fill the vacancy in time for the T20I series against New Zealand in April.

    Mickey Arthur, Grant Bradburn and Andrew Puttick resigned from their respective positions in January this year.

  • Anzela Abbasi is quitting acting

    Anzela Abbasi is quitting acting

    Anzela Abbasi is from one of the most talented families in entertainment. Her dad Shamoon Abbasi and mom Javeria Abbasi are big stars, and her aunt Anoushay Abbasi is also a famous actress. She herself tried acting, doing a few projects, but later she decided to focus more on modeling.

    Anzela hasn’t acted for a while, and people haven’t seen her on TV lately. But now, she’s getting ready to begin a music career. In an interview, she said she’s always dreamed of doing music, and now she’s finally following that dream. She explained why she left dramas and acting.

    Anzela explained that she’s not trying to change anything, it’s just that people don’t know her well. Being different doesn’t mean she’s bad, she said, acknowledging that her uniqueness can be hard for some to understand, but she’s okay with it.

    “Acting runs in the family, and I pursued it once I became an adult. While it was nice, it didn’t fully satisfy my artistic side. Pakistani dramas, for those who have watched them, often revolve around typical household issues and portray women in a derogatory manner. It didn’t resonate with the person I am. People started seeing me as just another actress from dramas, but in reality, I’m not. I’m a simple, soft-spoken person, and because I don’t do anything extravagant, I was labeled as plain and simple. I’m not like that. People who watch my dramas are surprised to see me speaking English on my Instagram because they have a different perception of me.”

  • Plastic currency coming soon in Pakistan?

    Plastic currency coming soon in Pakistan?

    Negotiations between Pakistan and the IMF mission for the next instalment of a vital loan will continue to proceed today.

    According to sources quoted by Geo news, IMF officials will be briefed on FBR reforms, tax collection and other issues, as well as more immediate measures to increase tax collection in the current financial year.

    Sources say that State Bank officials will brief the IMF delegation on the plan to issue new plastic notes to prevent fake currency.

    Such currency notes are being used in Far Eastern countries and Switzerland.

    The IMF will also be briefed on reports issued under the United Nations Anti-Corruption Convention.

    The IMF had set a condition for Pakistan to prepare a report from experts on the efficiency of anti-corruption institutions.

    This condition has to be implemented by the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Law.

    The IMF will also be briefed on improving the efficiency of government institutions and privatisation.