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  • Kareena Kapoor spills the beans on Karisma’s first crush

    Kareena Kapoor spills the beans on Karisma’s first crush

    Bollywood star Kareena Kapoor has revealed that her sister, former actress Karisma Kapoor’s first crush was a Bollywood A-lister.

    Actresses Kareena Kapoor and Karisma Kapoor will appear together for the first time on Netflix’s “The Great Indian Couple Show”, and the trailer for the show has been shared on Indian media’s social media pages.

    During the show, Karisma and Kareena will talk about their careers, cherished moments, and personal lives.

    Host Kapil Sharma asked Kareena Kapoor who Karisma’s first crush was. To this, Kareena, also known as Bebo, revealed that she thinks it was Salman Khan.

    Upon hearing Kareena’s answer, Karisma looked at her sister in surprise, causing Kareena to laugh nervously.

    Karisma Kapoor and Salman Khan worked together in many films in the 90s, including hits like Judwaa, Andaz Apna Apna, Biwi No. 1, Dulhan Hum Le Jayenge, Chal Mere Bhai, and Hum Saath Saath Hain.

    Karisma and Salman were one of the most loved duos of the 90s, delivering many superhit songs and they remain good friends to this day.

    Kareena Kapoor admitted during the show that regarding her relationship with Saif Ali Khan, she said, “I told Saif that I love him, and he tattooed my name on his hand at my request because I told him to do it if he loved me.”

  • Sheema Kermani’s stunning performance brings Fehmida Riaz’s poem to life at World Cultural Festival

    Sheema Kermani’s stunning performance brings Fehmida Riaz’s poem to life at World Cultural Festival

    World Culture Festival in collaboration with Arts Council of Pakistan, Jang and Geo continues in full swing in Karachi.

    The sixteenth day of the festival included an evening of classical dance titled The Sound of Tinkling Bells, attended by the Consul General of Russia, Andrey Viktorovich Fedorov.

    Renowned dancer Sheema Kirmani started the performance with well-known poet Fahmida Riaz’s poem “Come Compatriots Dance” and enthralled the audience with other performances along with the group.

    A large number of classical dance enthusiasts watched the performances and applauded them.

    World Culture Festival Karachi will continue till November 2 at the Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi, in which various programs are organized daily.

  • How an Indian billionaire changed Nazia and Zoheb lives

    How an Indian billionaire changed Nazia and Zoheb lives

    Pop royalty Nazia Hassan and Zoheb Hassan ruled the radio in the 1980s, not just in Pakistan but in India too. But their eventful musical journey may have looked quite different if not for a simple phone call from a famous Indian billionaire.

    Zoheb Hassan shared this amazing story on his Instagram, remembering how the late Ratan Tata, who passed away at the age of 86 on October 09,2024 reached out to them and offered them a chance to create their iconic album, Young Tarang.

    Zoheb wrote, “Nazia and Zoheb you have a telephone call from some gentleman by the name of Mr. Ratan”, my mother said while handing Nazia the phone. “My name is Ratan and I am starting a music company by the name of CBS India. I would like you and Zoheb to record an album for us if possible.”

    Excitedly, Nazia asked her mother if Mr. Ratan could come over to discuss the project the project. They set a meeting for Friday, and the family eagerly waited for his arrival. When he came, he was tallm well dressed, and spoke kindly.

    Ratan Tata said, “If you guys agree then let’s make it happen. I will get someone to get in touch with you regarding the agreement. Make sure you get a lawyer and your parents to look at the agreement. If you don’t agree with anything speak to me directly.”

    With Ratan’s support, Nazia and Zoheb created Young Tarang, which features some of the first music videos in India and South Asia. During this time, MTV was just starting in the USA, and the network even reached out to express how amazed they were by the album.

    “The rest is history and we produced the YoungTarang album with possibly the first music videos India and SouthAsia had ever seen. This was around the time MTV had just launched in usa . MTV called us and said they had never seen anything like this and asked if we had done anything in English. Doordarshan played the music videos in India and the album outsold even #DiscoDewane”, Zoheb added.

    Reflecting on an unforgettable encounter with a true gentleman, Zoheb Hassan shared his memories of meeting Mr. Ratan Tata during the launch of their iconic album.

    Zoheb wrote, “When we finally met Mr. Ratan Tata on the launch of the album at TheTajHotel in Mumbai we were then told by the MD of CBS India who this great man was. Until then we had no idea who Mr.Ratan was. After the launch of the album he invited Nazia and I to his residence for dinner. We thought he probably lived in a palace. When we reached we were taken aback that the most powerful industrialist lived in such a humble abode. A small 2 bed flat sparsely decorated. We met his sister, one servant and an alsatian whom he loved dearly.”

    “It was a simple dinner with a great man which to this day I will never forget.
    A true gentleman and an icon of the business world. RIP” Hassan concluded.

    Ratan Tata was India’s most recognized business leader and he also took over the family empire in 1991, riding the wave of the radical free-market reforms India had just unleashed that year.

    Tata is also known for his philanthropic work, contributing to education, healthcare, and rural development initiatives in India

  • The cost of unrest: PTI protests could deter foreign investments at SCO summit

    The cost of unrest: PTI protests could deter foreign investments at SCO summit

    As Islamabad ramps up security efforts for eight high profile delegations attending the SCO summit 2024, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has thrown a spanner in the works. While whispers of multibillion dollar international investments deals can be heard amongst lawmakers in Islamabad, murmurs about a potential PTI march on the SCO summit are also raising concerns.

    With world leaders slightly shaken by the recent BLA attacks that claimed the lives of two Chinese engineers in Karachi, economic negotiations are progressing relatively unhindered. However, a possible large scale mobilization of PTI protestors poses a severe threat to the economy and businesses.

    This is because foreign investors are likely to perceive Pakistan as a suboptimal destination for their investments due to political instability. This pullback of investor funds will come at a cost to the Pakistani economy in terms of a loss of potential FDI – A loss that cash strapped Pakistan cannot afford to bear.

    As such, in preparation of wide scale protests and possible riots, the government has imposed section 144 until the conclusion of the SCO summit to deter the gathering of dissidents and rioters. This move is a way to portray a politically stable picture of Pakistan so that the multibillion dollar deals with Saudi Arabia and China are not at risk.

    The projects for which Pakistan wants to secure investments include the Reko Diq mining operation and the completion of the M1 railway from Karachi to Peshawar. If investors sense danger from large rallies and protests, Pakistan will lose out – big time.

    There will be no clear winners if PTI protests break out while the SCO summit is in session. Perhaps it would be best if a moratorium of hostilities is observed between the government and opposition. Will PTI temporarily put its differences aside for the interest of the nation or will political interest prevail?

  • PTI’s Ali Muhammad Khan urges party to call off protest for SCO summit

    PTI’s Ali Muhammad Khan urges party to call off protest for SCO summit

    Ali Muhammad Khan, a central leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has expressed opposition to his party’s call for a protest at D-Chowk during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, which is to be held in Islamabad on October 15 and 16.

    “In my personal opinion, there should not be a protest during the SCO meeting. However, if we are continually pushed against the wall, then we will have no option left,” he told Rahman Azhar on Express News’ program Center Stage.

    On the other hand, the PTI political committee announced a protest at D-Chowk in Islamabad on October 15 last night.

    The meeting was held without the presence of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Chief Minister Ali Ameen Gandapur, yet the Secretary of Information Sheikh Waqas Akram, in a statement, confirmed that a large-scale protest will be held at D-Chowk on October 15.

    He instructed all organisational heads, from the central committee to the regional level, to prepare for the protest.

    Additionally, the party has rescheduled protests across the Punjab province in the wake of the D-Chowk demonstration, emphasising that this protest is against the “illegitimate rulers”.

    It was claimed in the recent party meeting that PTI founder Imran Khan, currently imprisoned in Adiala Jail, is being subjected to a new wave of brutality.

    Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, while visiting Police Line Headquarters, addressed the media and slammed PTI as a “chaos-monger”.

    “The Islamabad police foiled the fanatic group’s deadly plan,” Shehbaz asserted. “In 2014, these chaos-mongers rioted day and night for seven months at D-Chowk, forcing the government to postpone the visit of our close friend, Chinese President Xi Jinping,” he said, alluding to PTI’s 2014 sit-in.

  • US expands sanctions against Iran’s oil industry over Israel strikes

    US expands sanctions against Iran’s oil industry over Israel strikes

    The United States hit Iran’s oil and petrochemicals sectors with new sanctions Friday in response to Tehran’s October 1 attack against Israel, designating dozens of new companies and firms.

    The US Treasury Department said it was going after Iran’s so-called “shadow fleet” of ships involved in selling Iranian oil in circumvention of existing sanctions, designating 10 companies and 17 vessels as “blocked property” over their involvement in shipments of Iranian petroleum and petrochemical products.

    The State Department also announced it was slapping sanctions on six other firms and six ships for “knowingly engaging in a significant transaction for the purchase, acquisition, sale, transport, or marketing of petroleum or petroleum products from Iran.”

    “Today’s sanctions target Iranian efforts to channel revenues from its energy industry to finance deadly and disruptive activity — including development of its nuclear program, the proliferation of ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement.

    The sanctions form part of the US response to Iran’s attack, in which it launched some 200 ballistic missiles against Israel in retaliation for the killing of Tehran-backed militant leaders and a general from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.

    Israel has said its response to Iran’s second direct attack against its territory this year would be “deadly, precise, and surprising.”

    US President Joe Biden told reporters last week that Israel should consider “other alternatives than striking oil fields,” amid reports it was planning to do so.

    His national security advisor Jake Sullivan said Friday that sanctions had been announced after the president had consulted with America’s allies and partners.

    “These measures will help further deny Iran financial resources used to support its missile programs and provide support for terrorist groups that threaten the United States, its allies, and partners,” Sullivan said in a statement.

    Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington had made clear after the October 1 attack that Tehran would face consequences.

    “To that end, we are taking steps today to disrupt the flow of revenue the Iranian regime uses to fund its nuclear program and missile development, support terrorist proxies and partners, and perpetuate conflict throughout the Middle East,” he said in a statement.

  • PTI announces protest on the same day as SCO summit will take place

    PTI announces protest on the same day as SCO summit will take place

    As the country prepares to host the SCO summit, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced holding yet another protest in Islamabad’s D-Chowk on the same day the summit is scheduled – October 15.

    The announcement came a few days after the PTI held a protest in D-Chowk, with the government turning the twin cities into a curfew-like situation, including suspending cellular networks.

    The federal government had also announced a three-day public holiday in Islamabad and Rawalpindi from October 14 to 16 for the smooth conduction of the SCO summit.

    Last week, the government also deployed armed forces under Article 245, citing the upcoming SCO summit for increased security in the country.

    Defence Minister Khawaja Asif strongly condemned the PTI’s decision to hold a protest on the exact date as the SCO summit will be taking place.

    He also reiterated that the authorities would not let anyone take the country hostage.

  • CJP Isa refuses farewell dinner because it will cost approximately two million rupees

    CJP Isa refuses farewell dinner because it will cost approximately two million rupees

    The Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa has declined a farewell dinner, a tradition for every outgoing Chief Justice, saying that he cannot accept the event because it will cost approximately “two million rupees” funded by public money.

    As per the tradition, the Supreme Court’s registrar’s office sent a note to the Chief Justice regarding the reception planned for his retirement on October 25.

    The CJP underscored that such an event in his honour was unnecessary, making this the first time in the Supreme Court’s history that no farewell reception has been held for a retiring judge.

    Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, the next senior judge, will become the next Chief Justice, although the government has yet to notify him.

    A full court reference has also been scheduled for October 25, where Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa will officially step down, according to an official letter issued by the court’s registrar to Supreme Court Bar Association President Shahzad Shaukat yesterday.

  • PCB considering three names for the new Test captain

    PCB considering three names for the new Test captain

    Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is considering three names for the new Test captain after continuous defeats under the leadership of Shan Masood.

    He is the only captain of Pakistan to face defeat in the first six matches.

    The national team could not get a single victory under the Shan Masood. Australia whitewashed Pakistan in a three-match Test series; then we lost to Bangladesh by 2-0, and now to England in the opening Test.

    The Board is considering potential candidates like Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, and Salman Ali Agha to replace Shan.

    An important meeting of the PCB’s selection committee and the team’s head coaches is expected today, in which new names will be considered for the leadership role.

    Masood was appointed Test captain on November 15, 2023, and was to lead the team until the end of the current Test Championship cycle.

    Earlier, the board announced the new selection committee for the national team.

    The captain and head coach has been removed from the new selection committee of the national team; Aleem Dar, Aqib Javed, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali and Hasan Cheema are included in the new selection committee. All five members will be voting members.

    The non-voting members include Azhar Mehmood, Bilal Afzal, Nadeem Khan, and Usman Wahla.

  • Cement Rate Today in Pakistan: The Pressing Need for Affordable Solutions

    Cement Rate Today in Pakistan: The Pressing Need for Affordable Solutions

    As of October 2024, the cement rate today in Pakistan has maintained its ever-constant variations owing to supply chain disruptions and high raw material costs. A 50-kg cement bag retails for an average price of between PKR 1,100 and PKR 1,400, subject to the area and brand. The prices are expected to be higher in urban centers like Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad because of the sprawling demand and transport rates.

    Also, most current flat cement rates in Pakistan are boosted by a surge in construction activity, with much more infrastructure and housing construction. The growing markets for this construction can be attributed to more price-distorted projects, namely government construction projects and the growth of the private housing market. To make matters worse, the expensive oil and inflation experienced by the economy have equally pushed the prices of cement production higher, making its selling prices rise in recent months.

    The industry predicts prices will rise in the upcoming years unless supply chains are improved or input costs are decreased. Pakistani cement companies work to meet the country’s economic challenges and current demand. Cement consumption in Pakistan has surged economically. But its cheap rate helps complete construction projects without breaking the budget.

    Here is the list of the latest 53 Grade cement prices of different cement-producing companies in Pakistan.

    Serial No Brands Price per 50kg bag
    1 Flaying Pakistan Rate RS. 1,445-1,455
    2 Cherat Cement Rate RS. 1,460-1,470
    3 Power Cement Rate RS. 1,460-1,470
    4 Paidar Cement Rate RS. 1,460-1,470
    5 Falcon Cement Rate RS. 1,460-1,470
    6 Kohat Cement Rate RS. 1,465-1,475
    7 Lucky Cement Rate RS. 1,465-1,475
    8 Askari Cement Rate RS. 1,465-1,475
    9 BestWay Cement Rate RS. 1,475-1,485
    10 Maple Leaf Cement Rate RS. 1,475-1,485

    Here is the list of the white cement prices of different cement-producing companies in Pakistan.

    Serial No Brands Price per 50kg bag
    1 Maple Leaf White Cement RS. 2150-2250
    2 Kohat White RS. 2050-2100
    This data is collected from jbms.pk.