Blog

  • Pakistan Civil Awards: List of all the recipients

    Pakistan Civil Awards: List of all the recipients

    On the occasion of Independence Day, President Arif Alvi conferred Pakistani citizens as well as foreign nationals for showing excellence and courage in their respective fields and for the martyrs of Covid-19, reports APP.

    The investiture ceremony for these civil awards will take place on Pakistan Day, March 23, 2024.

    Here’s a complete list of the recipients:
    NISHAN-I-IMTIAZ
    • Mr. Muhammad Hafeez Qureshi (Late) Nuclear Science
    • Mr. Iftikhar Arif Literature (Poetry / Writing)
    • Mr. Islahuddin Siddiqui Sports (Hockey)
    • Syed Qaim Ali Shah Public Service
    • Raja Zafar Ul Haq Public Service
    • Dr. Shamshad Akhtar Public Service
    • Air Marshal (R) Najib Akhtar Public Service

    HILAL-I-PAKISTAN

    • HRH Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud Services to Pakistan
    • Mr. He Lifeng Services to Pakistan

    HILAL-I-SHUJAAT

    • Mr. Mushtaq Ahmed Sukhera Gallantry

    HILAL-I-IMTIAZ

    • Brig. Syed Sarfraz Ali (Late) Strategic Planning & Development
    • Prof. Dr. Shahid Mahmood Baig Science
    • Prof. Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed Education
    • Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan Education
    • Prof. Dr. Muhammad Umar Education/ Medical Sciences
    • Mr. Rahat Ali Khan Arts (Qawwali/ Singing)
    • Mr. Mohammad Ahmed Shah Arts (Culture)
    • Mr. Mehmood Ahmed Tahir Bhatti Film Direction & Fashion Designing
    • Mr. Muhammad Anwar Masood Literature (Poetry)
    • Mr. Zahid Malik (Late) Journalism
    • Dr. Muhammad Amjad Saqib Social Services
    • Mr. Ahmed Irfan Public Service
    • Raja Naeem Akbar Public Service
    • Lt. Gen. (R) Muhammad Akram Khan Public Service
    • Brig. Atif Rafique Public Service
    • Dr. Muhammad Jehanzeb Khan Public Service
    • Syed Tariq Fatemi Public Service
    • Mr. Tariq Bajwa Public Service
    • Mr. Tariq Mahmood Pasha Public Service
    • Mr. Shahid Khan Public Service
    • Mr. Sibtain F. Haleem Public Service
    • Capt. (R) Zahid Saeed Public Service
    • Mr. Zahid Zaman Public Service
    • Mufti Abdul Shakoor (late) Public Service (Religious Scholar)
    • Syed Babar Ali Philanthropy
    • Prof. Dr. Adil Najam Education

    HILAL-I-QUAID-I-AZAM

    • Mr. Luo Zhaohui Services to Pakistan
    • Mr. Ning Jizhe Services to Pakistan
    • Mr. Nong Rong Services to Pakistan
    • Mr. Sha Zukang Services to Pakistan
    • H.H. Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nayan Services to Pakistan
    • Dr. Muhammad Al Jasser Services to Pakistan
    • Mr. Jin Liqun Services to Pakistan
    • Mr. Sultan Bin Abdul Rehman Al-Marshad Services to Pakistan
    • Mr. Oktay Memis Services to Pakistan
    • Mr. Khalifa Bin Jassim Al-Kuwari Services to Pakistan
    • Mr. Najy Benhassine Services to Pakistan
    • Mr. Young Ye Services to Pakistan
    • Julien Harneis Services to Pakistan
    • Mr. Knut Ostby Services to Pakistan
    • Mr. Philippe Steinmetz Services to Pakistan
    • Dr. Sebastian Paust Services to Pakistan
    • Michal Rossman Services to Pakistan
    • Joe Moyer Services to Pakistan

    SITARA-I-PAKISTAN

    • H.E. Engineer Talal Bin Abdullah Al-Otaibi Services to Pakistan

    SITARA-I-SHUJAAT

    • Mr. Tariq Mahmood Gallantry
    • Mr. Muhammad Aamir Naseem Gallantry
    • Mr. Majid Saleem Malik Gallantry
    • Mr. Akhtar Hayat Khan Gallantry
    • Lt. Cdr. (R) Muqaddas Haider Gallantry
    • Mr. Muhammad Younas (Shaheed) Gallantry
    • Mr. Nizam Ullah (Shaheed) Gallantry
    • Mr. Rahat Saleem (Shaheed) Gallantry
    • Mr. Ghulam Abbas (Shaheed) Gallantry
    • Mr. Abdul Latif (Shaheed) Gallantry
    • Mr. Saeed Ahmed (Shaheed) Gallantry
    • Mr. Ajmal Masih (Late) Gallantry
    • Mr. Muhammad Ramzan (Shaheed) Gallantry
    • Mr. Shams Ullah (Shaheed) Gallantry
    • Mr. Muhammad Sohrab (Shaheed) Gallantry
    • Mr. Asad Ullah Khan (Shaheed) Gallantry
    • Mr. Israr Muhammad Gallantry
    • Mr. Zia Ullah Khan (Shaheed) Gallantry
    • Mir Zubair Mahmood Gallantry
    • Mr. Muhammad Adnan Gallantry

    SITARA-I-IMTIAZ

    • Mr. Castaldo Fabio Massimo Services to Pakistan
    • Meer Behrose Regi Services to Pakistan
    • Dr. Jamshed Iqbal Science
    • Prof. Dr. Amjad Siraj Memon Science
    • Dr. Abid Mehmood Science (Agriculture Research)
    • Dr. Sumeera Ikram Science (Chemistry)
    • Dr. Muhammad Sarwar Metallurgical Engineering &
      Material Science
    • Syed Raza Akhlaq Engineering
    • Dr. Abdul Manan Engineering (Aero Space)
    • Dr. Muhammad Nzar Guidance, Navigation &
      Trajectory Design
    • Mr. Naveed Maqbul Nuclear Safety
    • Prof. Dr. Mahmood Ayyaz Education
    • Ms. Shama Hafeez Education
    • Prof. Dr. Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta Education
    • Prof. Dr. Sohail Nadeem Education
    • Prof. Dr. Muhammad Farooque Hassan Education
    • Qari Hafiz Buzurg Shah Al Azhari Arts (Qira’at)
    • Ms. Malika Junaid Arts (Architecture)
    • Mr. Bilal Lashari Arts (Direction, Cinematography,
      Script writing)
    • Mr. Satish Anand Art (Film Production/ Distribution)
    • Mr. Abdul Karim Baryalai Arts (Literature)
    • Mr. Javed Bashir Ahmad Arts (Singing)
    • Mr. Faakhir Mehmood Arts (Singing)
    • Ms. Shabnam Arts (Singing)
    • Mr. Wasif Nagi Journalism
    • Ms. Naila Kiani Sports (Mountaineering)
    • Ms. Saira Furqan Social Services
    • Mr. Farhan Faruqui Social Services
    • Dr. Amanullah Kassim Machiyara Public Service
    • Mr. Aziz Memon Public Service (Humanitarian &
      Community Services)
    • Mr. Abdul Quddoos Bizenjo Public Service
    • Dr. Syed Kaleem Imam Public Service
    • Mr. Lal Jan Jaffar Public Service
    • Mr. Muhammad Noor Miskanzi (late) Public Service
      Mr. Sher Baz Khan Public Service
    • Dr. Rashid Bajwa Public Service
    • Ms. Ismat Jabeen Afridi Public Service
    • Mr. Shuaib A. Malik Public Service
    • Mr. Mervyn Francis Lobo Public Service
    • Mr. Waqar Ahmed Chouhan Public Service
    • Mr. Mohsin Hassan Butt Public Service
    • Mirza Ikhtiar Baig Public Service
    • Dr. Nadeem Jan Public Service
    • Mr. Fahad Haroon Public Service
    • Mr. Naeem Uz Zafar Public Service
    • Mr. Muhammad Sarwar Gondal Public Service
    • Khawaja Zaka ud Din (late) Public Service
    • Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora Public Service
    • Mr. Arif Habib Public Service
    • Mr. Muhammad Nadeem Javaid Public Service
    • Mr. Jameel Ahmed Public Service
    • Dr. Muhammad Sohail Rajput Public Service
    • Mr. Asim Ahmed Public Service
    • Mr. Ali Tahir Public Service
    • Mr. Kazim Niaz Public Service
    • Mr. Sualeh Ahmed Faruqui Public Service
    • Mr. Duraid Qureshi Public Service
    • Lt. Col. Khalid Mahmood (Retd) Public Service
    • Mr. Muhammad Raghib Hussain Public Service
    • Prof. Mufti Munib ur Rehman Public Service (Religious Scholar)
    • Mr. Saleem Bukhari Journalism

    PRESIDENT’S AWARD FOR PRIDE OF PERFORMANCE

    • Dr. Muhammad Afzal Environmental Biotechnology
    • Prof. Dr. Faisal Shafait Science
    • Mr. Shakeel Ahmed Science (Physics)
    • Mr. Waseem Azhar Nuclear Engineering
    • Mr. Asim Mahmood Qureshi Engineering
      (Metallurgy & Materials Science)
    • Mr. Muhammad Tariq Chemical Engineering
    • Mr. Abrar Ali Engineering (Mechanical)
    • Mr. Shahid Bashir Engineering
    • Dr. Rizwan Asghar Computer Engineering
    • Dr. Nasir Mohy-ud-din Embedded Computer & IC Design
    • Dr. Syed Bilal Hussain Shah Aerodynamics
    • Dr. Naveed Iqbal Khan Durrani Aerospace Engineering
    • Dr. Muhammad Asad Strategic Communication Systems
    • Dr. Saqlain Akhtar Engineering (Aerospace)
    • Mr. Saleem Ud Din Engineering (Electrical)
    • Dr. Imtnan-Ul-Haque Qazi Engineering
      (Space Sciences & Technology)
    • Mr. Muhammad Imran Zafar Structural Engineering
    • Prof. Dr. Bushra Mirza Education
    • Dr. Umer Shahbaz Education
    • Dr. Kashif Kifayat Education
    • Dr. Naveed Arshad Education
    • Prof. Bilquis Shabbir Education (Medical Sciences)
    • Dr. Amjad Mehboob Medicine
    • Mr. Muhammad Khalil (late) Arts (Karakul cap making)
    • Mr. Muhammad Riaz Arts (Lacquer art)
    • Ms. Shakar Bibi Arts (Balochi embroidery)
    • Mr. Gulab Khel Arts (Rubab playing)
    • Ms. Shazia Manzoor Arts (Singing)
    • Ms. Dhai Bai alias Mai Dhai Arts (Singing)
    • Mr. Hamayoon Khan Arts (Singing)
    • Mr. Inayat Hussain Bhatti (late) Arts (Film Acting, Production,
      Direction, Script Writing)
    • Mr. Zulfiqar Ali Attre Arts (Music Composing)
    • Mr. Ajab Gul Arts (Acting / Direction)
    • Mr. Ishrat Abass Arts (Drama/Theater/ Radio/
      Actor)
    • Mr. Shakir Zeb Arts (Music Direction)
    • Mr. Abdul Jabbar Gull Arts (Sculpturing)
    • Mr. Qadir Bux Mithoo Arts (Comedy)
    • Mr. Mehboob Ali Arts (Artist & Designer, Woodcut
      Print Specialist)
    • Ms. Mussarrat Kalanchvi Arts (Urdu / Saraiki Fiction & Play
      Writing)
    • Mr. Adnan Siddiqui Arts (Acting, Host, Production)
    • Ms. Zubaida (Naghma) Arts (Film Artist)
    • Mr. Hassan Askari Arts (Film Direction /Writing)
    • Mr. Mashkoor Raza Arts (Painting)
    • Ms. Sheema Karmani Arts
      (Classical Dancing/ Choreography)
    • Mr. Naseer Baig Mirza Arts
      (Comparing, Writing, Producer)
    • Mr. Ajab Khan Arts (Calligraphy & Painting)
    • Mr. Baqir Abbas Arts (Flute playing)
    • Ms. Farha Mehmood Rana Arts
    • Mr. Noor Din Alias Chacha Noora Arts (Shoe Making)
    • Mr. Ghulam Hussain Anjum Literature (Poetry/Writing)
    • Mr. Nazeer Qaiser Literature (Poetry/Writing)
    • Mr. Afzal Ahmad Syed (Syed Afzal Ahmad) Literature (Poetry/Writing)
    • Mr. Hisam-ud-Din Aseer Mengal Literature (Poetry/Writing)
    • Mr. Hameed Razi (Abdul Hameed Razi) Literature (Writing)
    • Mr. Ahmad Hussain Mujahid Literature (Poetry/Writing)
    • Mr. Ghulam Abbas Alias Abbas Tabish Literature (Poetry)
    • Mr. Khalid Masood Khan Literature
      (Writing, Poetry & Columnist)
    • Ms. Farkhanda Bokhari (Late) Literature (Poetry & Writing)
    • Mr. Muhammad Ilyas Literature (Writing)
    • Dr. Nasrullah Khan Nasir Literature (Poetry / Research)
    • Mr. Shakeel Jazib (Rana Shakeel Asghar) Literature (Poetry)
    • Mr. Ghulam Muhammad Arif Najmi Journalism (Photography)
    • Mr. Suhail Sarwar Warraich Journalism
    • Mr. Salman Ghani Journalism
    • Ms. Ifrah Wali Sports (Skiing)
    • Mr. Muhammad Sharif Tahir Sports (Wrestling)
    • Mr. Zaman Anwar Sports (Wrestling)
    • Mr. Shajar Abbas Sports (Athletics)
    • Dr. Maryam Verzgani Public Service
    • Dr. Muhammad Atif Ikram Public Service

    SITARA-I-QUAID-I-AZAM

    • Dr. Huseinef. Kavazovie Services to Pakistan
    • Ms. Salma Salman Zahid Services to Pakistan
    • Mr. Piotr Opalinski Services to Pakistan

    SITARA-I-KHIDMAT

    • Mr. Nasruddin Rupani Services to Pakistan
    • Ms. Samantha Power Services to Pakistan
    • Mr. Alexander N. Green Services to Pakistan
    • Mr. Asif Rangoonwala Services to Pakistan

    TAMGHA-I-SHUJAAT

    • Syed Amer Akhtar Gallantry
    • Mr. Farman Ullah Gallantry
    • Mr. Muhammad Bilal Riaz Burki Gallantry
    • Mr. Azmat Ali Shah Gallantry
    • Mr. Mujeeb Ullah Gallantry
    • Mr. Abdul Malik Bhutto (Shaheed) Gallantry
    • Capt. I Wahid Mehmood Gallantry
    • Mr. Abdul Malik Kamangar (Shaheed) Gallantry
    • Mr. Deen Muhammad (Shaheed) Gallantry
    • Mr. Jatoi Khan Pitafi (Shaheed) Gallantry
    • Mr. Muhammad Saleem (Shaheed) Gallantry
    • Mr. Muhammad Arshad Khan Jadoon (Shaheed) Gallantry
    • Mr. Muhammad Adnan Gallantry
    • Mr. Mishkat Ullah Gallantry
    • Mr. Ashfaq Ahmad Gallantry
    • Mr. Mujeeb Ullah Shah Gallantry
    • Mr. Shahid Iqbal Gallantry
    • Syed Adeel Hussain Gallantry
    • Mr. Khaliq Dad Gallantry
    • Mr. Khalid Baqi Gallantry
    • Mr. Umar Khalid Gallantry
    • Mr. Abdul Nasir Gallantry
      Mr. Muhammad Usman Gallantry
    • Mr. Mumtaz Akhtar Social Services
    • Mr. Muhammad Balach Nosherwani (Shaheed) Public Service

    TAMGHA-I-IMTIAZ

    • Mr. Zubair Imam Malik Philanthropy
    • Mr. Abdul Hafeez Khan Philanthropy
    • Mr. Asad Ullah Khalid Gallantry
    • Dr. Mohammad Al-Arabi Bouazizi Services to Pakistan
    • Dr. Mukhayo Abdurakhmonova Services to Pakistan
    • Dr. Javaid Ahmed Sheikh Services to Pakistan
    • Mr. Salman Ilyas Khan Services to Pakistan
    • Dr. Shaukat Saeed Science (Materials Chemistry)
    • Prof. Dr. Sardar Khan Science (Environmental Science)
    • Prof. Dr. Abdul Naeem Khan Science (Chemistry)
    • Dr. Haider Abbas Science
    • Mr. Abdul Aleem Haider Science (Physics)
    • Dr. Muhammad Usman Akram Engineering
    • Dr. Tahir Masood Engineering
    • Dr. Salman Raza Naqvi Engineering
    • Dr. Hammad Omer Engineering
    • Mr. Murli Dhar Engineering
      (Architect)
    • Syed Sabahat Hussain Mechanical Engineering
    • Mr. Muhammad Amin Warraich Project Management
    • Mr. Asif Iqbal Mechanical Engineering
    • Dr. Manzoor Ikram Science (Physics)
    • Dr. Muhammad Zamurad Shah Electrical Engineering
    • Dr. Rashid Ahmad Bhatti Electrical Engineering
    • Dr. Nasir Mehmood Mechanical Engineering
    • Dr. Nadia Jamil Genetics
    • Dr. Sajid Yaqub Engineering (Mechanical)
    • Mr. Imran Sarwar Satellite Communications
    • Dr. Muhammad Imran Afzal Engineering (Mechanical)
    • Prof. Dr. Muhammad Yar Education (Chemistry)
    • Prof. Dr. Aamer Saeed Bhatti Education (Chemistry)
    • Prof. Dr. Shahid Munir Education
    • Dr. Waseem Azhar (USA) Education
    • Dr. Talat Mehmood (Germany) Education
    • Dr. Muhammad Ajmal Sawand (Shaheed) Education
      (I.T.& Higher Management)
    • Prof. Dr. Zia ul Haq Education
    • Prof. Dr. Mushtaq Ahmad Education
    • Dr. Hassan Imran Afridi Education
    • Mr. Anwar Amjad Education
    • Dr. Syed Mehmood Raza Education
    • Dr. Shagufta Jabeen Medicine
    • Prof Sajjad Naseer Education
    • Ms. Kanwal Amin Education
    • Dr. Shahid Hamid Medicine
    • Dr. Rashid Siddiqui Medicine
    • Dr. Shaukat Yousaf Khan Medicine
    • Mr. Muhammad Arshad Chohan Medicine
    • Prof. Rizwan Taj Medicine
      (Psychiatry, Medical Education)
    • Dr. Nadeem Qamar Medicine (Cardiologist)
    • Prof. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Afridi Medicine (Psychiatry)
    • Dr. Umraz Khan Medicine (Plastic Surgery)
    • Mr. Khalid Waheed Medicine
    • Dr. Rizwan Jamil Rahman Medicine
    • Prof. Dr. Irfan Manzoor Bakhshi Medicine
    • Mr. Moquit Usman Medicine
    • Dr. Ghulam Abbas Medicine
    • Prof. Dr. Ali Raza Hashmi Medicine
    • Dr. Yasir Arafat Gabol Medicine
    • Dr. Awais Ahmed Lakhair Medicine
    • Qari Waseem Ullah Amin Arts (Qira’at)
    • Mr. Muhammad Shahbaz Qamar Arts (Naat Khawani)
    • Ms. Sajal Ali Arts (Acting)
    • Syeda Mehrbano Kazim (Alias Juggan Kazim) Arts (Anchoring /Acting)
    • Mr. Abdul Batin Farooqi Arts (Acting)
    • Mr. Almas Khan Khalil Arts (Folk Pashto Singing)
    • Mr. Fazal Wahab Dard Arts (Singing)
    • Ustad Rustam Fateh Ali Khan Arts (Classical Singing)
    • Mr. Imran Aziz Mian Arts (Qawwali)
    • Mr. Arbab Khan Khoso Arts (Alghoza Playing)
    • Mr. Jehanzeb Malik Arts (Painting)
    • Mr. Jamil Ahmed Baloch Arts (Painting, Sculpturing)
    • Mr. Gulraiz Ghouri Arts (Photography)
    • Prof. Dr. Gul Rahim Khan Arts (Archaeology & Numismatics)
    • Dr. Asma Ibrahim Arts (Archeology)
    • Syed Ghalib Baqar Arts (Painting)
    • Mr. Ghulam Abbas Khaskheli Arts (Egg Shell Painting)
    • Mr. Mushtaque Ali Lashari Arts (Painting)
    • Mr. Bandah Ali Arts (Folk Artist/ Painting
    • Mr. Rahmatullah Khan Arts (Photography)
    • Dr. Khalid Bin Shaheen Acting / Production
    • Mr. Shahzad Rafique Arts (Film Direction)
    • Mr. Khan Shahnawaz Malhi Arts (Painting)
    • Mr. Muhammad Waseem Arts (Calligraphy)
    • Mr. A.S Rind Arts (Painting / Calligraphy)
    • Ms. Fizza Ali Meerza Arts (Production / Screen Writing)
    • Mr. Amjad Sheikh Arts (Film Production/ Distribution)
    • Mr. Abdul Wasay Chaudhary Arts (Film/Drama Acting)
    • Mr. Farooq Hassan Arts (Host)
    • Mr. Misbah Uddin Qazi Arts (Visual Arts)
    • Dr. Aqeel Abbas Jafri Literature (Poetry & Linguistics)
    • Mr. Ali Dost Aajiz Literature (Poetry / Writing)
    • Mr. Anwer Sen Roy Literature (Poetry / Writing)
    • Dr. Mushtaq Ali Leghari Literature (Poetry / Writing)
    • Mr. Shams ul Qamar (Late) Literature (Poetry / Writing)
    • Dr. Muhammad Ismail Literature (Writing)
    • Prof. Dr. Abdul Saboor Baloch Literature (Writing)
    • Mr. Ahmed Ataullah Literature (Poetry)
    • Mr. Aziz Ijaz Literature (Poetry)
    • Mr. Ghulam Qadir Buzdar (Late) Literature (Poetry)
    • Mr. Muhammad Salim Shahzad Literature
    • Mr. Amjad Aziz Malik Journalism
    • Mr. Fahad Saleem Malik Journalism (Media / Technology)
    • Syed Naqi Haider Naqvi Journalism
    • Ms. Shama Junejo Journalism
    • Mr. Waqar Satti Journalism
    • Mr. Farooq Adil Journalism
    • Mr. Fahad Hussain Journalism
    • Mr. Iftikhar Ahmed Journalism
    • Mr. Usman Tajwar Sports (Boxing)
    • Ms. Ushna Sohail Sports (Lawn Tennis)
    • Mr. Danish Atlas Sports (Squash)
    • Ms. Farzana Shoaib Social Services
    • Syed FerozAlam Shah Social Services
    • Ms. Fadia Kashif Social Services
    • Molana Muhammad Maaz Religious Scholar
    • Moulana Khabeer Azad Religious Scholar
    • Lt. Col. Syed Maozzam Ali (Retd) Public Service
    • Syeda Arooba Bilal Hussain Gillani Public Service
    • Dr. Muhammad Salim Habib Public Service
    • Dr. Syed Saif ur Rehman Public Service
    • Mr. Fazal Karim Dadabhoy Public Service
    • Syed Zafar Abbas Jafri Public Service
    • Dr. Muhammad Quraish Khan Public Service
    • Mr. Abdul Rauf Baloch Public Service
    • Mr. Bashir Ahmed Bangulzai Public Service
    • Mr. Muhammad Imtiaz Buzdar Public Service
    • Mr. Amjad Hussain Public Service
    • Mr. Irfan Saleem Public Service
    • Mr. Saqib Sultan Al Mehmood Public Service
    • Mr. Ijaz Shafi Gillani Public Service
    • Mr. Musaddaq Zulqarnain Public Service
    • Mr. Muhammad Asif Jameel Public Service
    • Syed Murtaza Ali Shah Public Service
    • Mr. Muhammad Mushtaq Public Service
    • Mr. Farooq Mehboob Public Service
    • Ms. Aisha Khan Public Service
    • Mr. Basharat Mehmood Shehzad Public Service
    • Syed Rizwan Mahboob Public Service
    • Mr. Ali Tauqeer Shaikh Public Service
    • Mr. Afaq Ahmed Qureshi Public Service
    • Dr. Inayat Hussain Public Service
    • Mr. Hamed Yaqoob Sheikh Public Service
    • Mr. Rashid Mahmood Langrial Public Service
    • Mr. Zulfiqar Younas Public Service
    • Mr. Tanvir Butt Public Service
    • Mr. Asim Iftikhar Ahmad Public Service
    • Mr. Bilal Siddique Kamyana Public Service
    • Mr. Shamim Ashraf Khawaja Public Service
    • Mrs. Abida Malik Public Service
    • Mr. Zubair Ali Public Service
    • Haji Masood Parekh Public Service
    • Mr. Maqsood Ahmad Public Service
      (Heritage Management)
    • Ms. Sarah Ahmad Public Service (Child Protection)
    • Dr. Mimpal Singh Public Service (Inter-faith harmony)
    • Dr. Saud Anwar Services to Pakistan
    • Dr. Rizwana Chaudhary Health (Gynecologist)

    TAMGHA-I-KHIDMAT

    • Prof. Muhammad Amjad Shad Services to Pakistan
    • Ms. Aziza Shimmi Kidwai Services to Pakistan
    • Mr. Muhammad Irfan Siddiqui Services to Pakistan
    • Mr. Karamat Ullah Chaudhry Services to Pakistan

    LIST OF COVID-19 MARTYRS, TAMGHA-I-IMTIAZ

    • Ms. Rabia Tayyab (Late) Health
    • Mr. Akram Qureshi (Late) Health
    • Mr. Ijaz Ahsan (Late) Health
    • Ms. Sana Fatima (Late) Health
    • Mr. Salman Tahir (Late) Health
    • Mr. Ali Nazir (Late) Health
    • Mr. Munawar Javed Mian (Late) Health
    • Mr. Salman Ali Iftikhar (Late) Health
    • Mr. Tanveer Akram Bhatti (Late) Health
    • Mr. Mussadiq Hussain (Late) Health
    • Mr. Asif Rao (Late) Health
    • Syed Asma Ahsan (Late) Health
    • Mr. Javed Iqbal (Late) Health
    • Mr. Irshad Nabi (Late) Health
    • Mr. Gulzar Ahmed Chaudhry (Late) Health
    • Mr. Ghulam Hussain (Late) Health
    • Mr. Qamar Khalil (Late) Health
    • Mr. Khalid Masood (Late) Health
    • Mr. Sikandar Saleh (Late) Health
    • Mr. Musharaf Iqbal (Late) Health
    • Mr. Riaz ul Islam (Late) Health
    • Prof. Khalid Chaudhry (Late) Health
    • Nimreen Health
    • Hafiz Salman (Late) Health
    • Mr. Basit Ghafoor (Late) Health
    • Mr. Abdul Qadir Shah (Late) Health
    • Mr. Naeem Akhtar (Late) Health
    • Hafiz Maqsood (Late) Health
    • Mr. Zia ul Hasan (Late) Health
    • Ms. Ghazala Shaheen (Late) Health
    • Mr. Rahat Maqsood (Late) Health
    • Mr. Ejaz Khawaja (Late) Health
    • Mr. Umer Daraz (Late) Health
    • Mr. Waseem Mushtaq (Late) Health
    • Mr. Bashir (Late) Health
    • Mr. Asif Khan Ghori (Late) Health
    • Mr. Muhammad Saleem (Late) Health
    • Mr. Hussain Amad (Late) Health
    • Syed Nasir Ali (Late) Health
    • Mr. Falak Shair Baloch (Late) Health
    • Mr. Mushtaq (Late) Health
    • Mr. Khalid Mahmood Akram (Late) Health
    • Mr. Anwar Solehri (Late) Health
    • Dr. Mustafa Kamal Pasha (Late) Health
    • Mr. Naqaish Sadiq (Late) Health
    • Mr. Azizuddin (Late) Health
    • Mr. Muhammad Muzammil Abbas (Late) Health
    • Mr. Muhammad Fayyaz Ahmed (Late) Health
    • Mr. Aslam Parvaiz Bhatti (Late) Health
    • Dr. Hassan Naeem Chaudhry (Late) Health
    • Mr. Sarwar Bilal (Late) Health
    • Brig.(R) Zafar Ahmed Malik (Late) Health
    • Mr. Masood Amjad Chughtai (Late) Health
    • Mrs. Dr. M. B. Jamil (Late) Health
    • Dr. Zia Ullah (Late) Health
    • Brig. (R) Shaheen Moin (Late) Health
    • Dr. Shahid Hameed (Late) Health
    • Mr. Shahid Ghashkoori (Late) Health
    • Mr. Afzal Rathore (Late) Health
    • Mr. Javed Rehman Malik (Late) Health
    • Mr. Shahid Mansoor Nizami (Late) Health
    • Dr. Muhammad Shafiq (Late) Health
    • Mr. Arshad Iqbal Bhuta (Late) Health
    • Mr. Iftikhar Hussain Khokhar (Late) Health
    • Dr. Zafar Ali Chaudhry (Late) Health
    • Mr. Manzoor Hussain (Late) Health
    • Mr. Umar Farooq Burki (Late) Health
    • Dr. Safdar Nawaz Malik (Late) Health
    • Mr. Manzoor Ahmed (Late) Health
    • Dr. Zafar Chaudhry (Late) Health
    • Mr. AQ Javed Iqbal (Late) Health
    • Zanoon (Late) Health
    • Mr. Ahmed Saeed (Late) Health
    • Mr. Muhammad Khalid Iqbal (Late) Health
    • Mr. Muhammad Ahmed (Late) Health
    • Dr. Ghulam Raza Baluch (Late) Health
    • Mr. Sohail Anjum (Late) Health
    • Mr. Samra Ali (Late) Health
    • Dr. Ghulam Mustafa (Late) Health
    • Dr. Muhammad Asif (Late) Health
    • Dr Bashir s/o Ch Rasheed Ahmad (Late) Health
    • Mr. Abdul Qadir Soomro (Late) Health
    • Mr. Zahoor Shaikh (Late) Health
    • Mr. Shafquat ullah Shaikh (Late) Health
    • Mr. Younus Channa (Late) Health
    • Mr. Wilayat Ali Gopang (Late) Health
    • Syed Fasihuddin (Late) Health
    • Mr. Aftab Memon (Late) Health
    • Mr. Abduss Salam (Late) Health
    • Mr. Muhammad Ishaq Malik (Late) Health
    • Ms. Zubaida Sattar (Late) Health
    • Mr. Furqanul Haq (Late) Health
    • Mr. Tahir Almani (Late) Health
    • Mr. Muhammad Nawaz Gohati (Late) Health
    • Mr. Umer Yousuf (Late) Health
    • Mr. Asad (Late) Health
    • Mr. Abdul Ghafoor Dahar (Late) Health
    • Mr. Abdul Latif Yusfani (Late) Health
    • Mr. Zaheer Sheikh (Late) Health
    • Mr. Noshad (Late) Health
    • Mr. Naeem (Late) Health
    • Mr. Shams Siyal (Late) Health
    • Ms. Irum (Late) Health
    • Mr. Ghulam Mustafa Shaikh (Late) Health
    • Mr. A. Razzaq Qamber (Late) Health
    • Dr. Yunis Soomro (Late) Health
    • Mr. Muhammad Adnan (Late) Health
    • Mr. Umer Adnan (Late) Health
    • Mr. Asif Abbas (Late) Health
    • Mr. Abdul Qadir Memon (Late) Health
    • Mr. Qurban Ali Soomro (Late) Health
    • Mr. Razia Shabir Memon (Late) Health
    • Mr. Muhammad Usman (Late) Health
    • Ms. Shagufta Asif (Late) Health
    • Syed Waqar Ahmed (Late) Health
    • Dr. Nizam-ul-Hasan (Late) Health
    • Mr. Nizamuddin Rajput (Late) Health
    • Mr. Rasheed Chaudhry (Late) Health
    • Mr. Khalid Khan (Late) Health
    • Mr. Shahab Yameen (Late) Health
    • Mr. Shamsuddin Bhatti (Late) Health
    • Mr. Waris Poonjani (Late) Health
    • Mr. Rizwan Rasheed (Late) Health
    • Mr. Yousuf Panja (Late) Health
    • Mr. Tahir Amin Chaudhry (Late) Health
    • Mr. Waseemuddin (Late) Health
    • Mr. Abdul Sattar Korai (Late) Health
    • Mr. Tajammul Hussain (Late) Health
    • Dr. Muhammad Sarwar (Late) Health
    • Dr. Qazi Irshad (Late) Health
    • Dr. Anjum Saleem (Late) Health
    • Dr. Arshad Mahmood (Late) Health
    • Mr. Ashok Kumar (Late) Health
    • Mr. Abdul Khalique Domki (Late) Health
    • Dr. Muhammad Saleh Soomro (Late) Health
    • Mr. Aslam Shah (Late) Health
    • Mr. Abdus Sattar Phulpoto (Late) Health
    • Mr. Ismail Lakho (Late) Health
    • Mr. Zulfiqar Bhurgri (Late) Health
    • Mr. Dur Muhammad Brohi (Late) Health
    • Mr. Mujahid Humail (Late) Health
    • Mr. Nazim Panjwani (Late) Health
    • Dr. Asadullah Khan (Late) Health
    • Dr. Sheema Hasan (Late) Health
    • Mr. Khurram Shehzad (Late) Health
    • Mr. Akbar Ghanghro (Late) Health
    • Mr. Nisar Ahmed Memon (Late) Health
    • Syed Iftekhar Ali Asim (Late) Health
    • Mr. Iqbal Noori (Late) Health
    • Mr. Firoz Ahmed Qasmi (Late) Health
    • Mr. Javed Ahmed Lohar (Late) Health
    • Mir Muhammad Shaikh (Late) Health
    • Mr. Nisar Shah (Late) Health
    • Ms. Farzana Memon (Late) Health
    • Mr. Muhammad Aman (Late) Health
    • Mr. Asif Bhatti (Late) Health
    • Ms. Nasreen Mughal (Late) Health
    • Ms. Mahnoor Farzand (Late) Health
    • Mr. Liaquat Ali Khan (Late) Health
    • Mr. Sajid Ali Mirza (Late) Health
    • Mr. Fawad Rauf (Late) Health
    • Mr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh (Late) Health
    • Mr. Aziz Ahmed Qureshi (Late) Health
    • Mr. Asim Ghouri (Late) Health
    • Ms. Fatima Shafi (Late) Health
    • Dr. Salahuddin Ahmed Shaikh (Late) Health
    • Ms. Bushra Asma (Late) Health
    • Mr. Rehmatullah Mangi (Late) Health
    • Mr. Muhammad Javed (Late) Health
    • Mr. Phag Chand Singh (Late) Health
    • Mr. Abbas Tariq (Late) Health
    • Mr. Fazle Mabood (Late) Health
    • Mr. Naseer Haider Ghazi (Late) Health
    • Mr. Gul Marjan Barki (Late) Health
    • Mr. Muhammad Azam Khan (Late) Health
    • Mr. Khanzada Shinwari (Late) Health
    • Mr. Aurangzeb Khattak (Late) Health
    • Mr. Shah Alam (Late) Health
    • Mr. Mujahid Akbar Khan (Late) Health
    • Mr. Hayat Ali (Late) Health
    • Mr. Abdul Qayyum Mehsud (Late) Health
    • Ms. Mehreen Mardan (Late) Health
    • Mr. Waheed Khan (Late) Health
    • Mr. Hidayatullah Wazir (Late) Health
    • Mr. Faisal Qureshi (Late) Health
    • Mr. Saif ur Rehman (Late) Health
    • Mr. Sibtain Anwar (Late) Health
    • Mr. Ruhullah Jan (Late) Health
    • Mr. Tariq (Late) Health
    • Mr. Riaz Shahid (Late) Health
    • Mr. Dost Muhammad (Late) Health
    • Mr. Rehman Gul Khattak (Late) Health
    • Mr. Shams ul Hassan (Late) Health
    • Mr. Sultan Zeb (Late) Health
    • Adnan Haleem (Late) Health
    • Mr. Mohammad Bashir (Late) Health
    • Mr. Javed Iqbal (Late) Health
    • Raja Asif (Late) Health
    • Mr. Muhammad Farooq (Late) Health
    • Dr. Anwar Ali Shah (Late) Health
    • Mr. Iqrar Hussain Zaidi (Late) Health
    • Ms. Alia Sarfraz (Late) Health
    • Dr. Zeb un Nisa (Late) Health
    • Syed Athar Ghani (Late) Health
    • Dr. Almas Begum Afridi (Late) Health
    • Dr. Hassan Shahzad (Late) Health
    • Mr. Mumtaz (Late) Health
    • Mr. Muzaffar Saeed (Late) Health
    • Mr. Mohsin (Late) Health
    • Khola Jabeen (Late) Health
    • Mr. Fahad Liaquat (Late) Health
    • Khola Safdar Ali Shah (Late) Health
    • Ms. Anila Naseer (Late) Health
    • Mr. Izzat Khan (Late) Health
    • Mr. Saddam Dilawar Khan (Late) Health
    • Mr. Muhammad Taufiq (Late) Health
    • Dr. Hakeem Shah (Late) Health
    • Maj. Javed Iqbal (Late) Health
    • Prof. Dr. Ilyas Saeedi (Late) Health
    • Mr. Abdul Kabeer (Late) Health
    • Mr. Mohammad Ali (Late) Health
    • Mr. Fazal Raheem (Late) Health
    • Ms. Alia Mukhtiar (Late) Health
    • Mr. Ehsan ul Haque (Late) Health
    • Dr. Zahir Shah (Late) Health
    • Mr. Muhammad iqbal (Late) Health
    • Mr. Naeem Agha (Late) Health
    • Mr. Muhammad Zubair Khan (Late) Health
    • Mr. Muhammad Aslam Mengal (Late) Health
    • Mr. Shah Wali (Late) Health
    • Mr. Muhammad Hanif Khilji (Late) Health
    • Mr. Zaheer Alam (Late) Health
    • Mr. Junaid Ayub Gichki (Late) Health
    • Mr. Ghulam Ali (Late) Health
    • Mr. Usama Riaz (Late) Health
    • Mr. Akhlaq (Late) Health
    • Dr. Sadiq Hussain (Late) Health
    • Dr. Rizwan Abid (Late) Health
    • Dr. Sohail Khan Raja (Late) Health
    • Dr. Manzoor Ahmed (Late) Health
    • Mr. Noman Ahmed (Late) Health
    • Mr. Arif (Late) Health
    • Mr. Zafar Iqbal (Late) Health
    • Ms. Sadaf Jameel (Late) Health
    • Ms. Yasmeen (Late) Health
    • Musarrat Dilbar (Late) Health
    • Mr. Ashraf Gul (Late) Health
    • Mr. Shakir (Late) Health
    • Ms. Ambreen Khalid (Late) Health
    • Mr. Akhtar Hussain (Late) Health
    • Ms. Robina (Late) Health
    • Haji Dilawar Khan (Late) Health
    • Haji Munawar Khan (Late) Health
    • Haji Munir Khan (Late) Health
    • Mr. Gul Waseem (Late) Health
    • Mr. Muhammad Arif Khan (Late) Health
    • Mr. Akbar Hussain (Late) Health
    • Mr. Umer Jalal (Late) Health
    • Mr. Shafiullah (Late) Health
    • Sister Ruth Lewis (Late) Health
    • Mr. Inamullah (Late) Health
    • Mr. Murtjez Shah (Late) Health
    • Ms. Surraya (Late) Health
    • Mr. Khan Afzal Lala (Late) Health
    • Mr. Raheel Aslam (Late) Health
    • Sister Zaib un Nisa (Late) Health
    • Ms. Rubina Shaheen (Late) Health
    • Ms. Fahmeeda Ali (Late) Health
    • Ms. Sana Sadiq (Late) Health
    • Mr. Gulshan Shakir (Late) Health
    • Mr. Noman Khanzada (Late) Health
    • Ms. Sana Riaz (Late) Health
    • Miss. Parveen Kousar (Late) Health
    • Mr. Izhar (Late) Health
    • Mr. Manzoor Ahmed (Late) Health
    • Mr. Zubair (Late) Health
    • Mr. Muhammad Tughlaq (Late) Health
    • Mr. Allah Ditta (Late) Health
    • Mr. Javid Iqbal (Late) Health
    • Mr. Razzaq Ahmed (Late) Health
    • Mr. Muhammad Azam (Late) Health
    • Mr. Abdul Sattar (Late) Health
    • Mr. Abdul Sattar (Late) Health
    • Mr. Mumtaz khan (Late) Health
    • Ms. Nazia (Late) Health
    • Mr. Khair Gul (Late) Health
    • Mr. Muhammad Shaukat (Late) Health
    • Mr. Muhammad Shah (Late) Health
    • Mr. Siraj Muhammad (Late) Health
    • Mrs. Khalida Parveen (Late) Health
    • Mrs. Parveen Akhtar (Late) Health
    • Mr. Muhammad Asif (Late) Health
    • Mr. Kashif (Late) Health
    • Mst. Nasreen Dur Muhammad (Late) Health
    • Mst. Khadija Ejaz (Late) Health
    • Rebecca Patras (Late) Health
    • Mr. Nazar Hussain (Late) Health
    • Mst. Nargis Bano (Late) Health
    • Mst. Fareeha Bashir (Late) Health

  • Dalit author slams ‘Made In Heaven’ creators for stealing ideas without credit

    Dalit author slams ‘Made In Heaven’ creators for stealing ideas without credit

    Warning: spoilers

    The second season of the critically acclaimed Amazon series ‘Made In Heaven’ came back on screen after a four year break, exploring darker topics like domestic violence, colorism, and transphobia. However, the show has been accused of plagiarising content. Social media users are demanding that show runners Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti give credit to a Dalit author.

    The episode ‘The Heart Skips A Beat’ received critical acclaim for featuring a Dalit woman getting married in to a Buddhist man in an inter-caste ceremony. However, many who watched the episode observed the close resemblance between the female protagonist, Pallavi Menke, a Dalit author who writes a book ‘Coming Out’ narrating her experiences as a Dalit- to the real life author Yashica Dutt, who had written the same book. Dutt has taken to Instagram to address the controversy.

    On her Instagram post, Yashica shared a picture of the Dalit wedding, calling the depiction a triumph, but also demanded that show creators stop stealing the works of minority communities and to formally give her credit for her work.

    “Before I came out as Dalit in 2016, there was no vocabulary to identify the process of revealing your Dalitness after hiding it for years and owning it with pride either. Today, in 2023, there is both. Dalit directors like Neeraj Ghaywan have revolutionised our cinematic language by showcasing unapologetic Dalits in Bollywood, a tradition that has an even longer history in Southern cinema,” wrote the author.

    “;The Heart Skipped a Beat’, the fifth episode of Prime Video’s Made in Heaven is no less than a cinematic triumph, when it comes to showcasing what it truly looks like for a Dalit woman to take her power back in this casteist society.”

    Addressing the issue, Dutt wrote it was empowering to witness a woman on the popular series speak about how her grandmother used to scrub toilets, and asserts her self before her partner. But she did not see the director giving her credit.

    “The scene where the Dalit author, who is from Columbia, has written a book about ‘coming out’ and talks about her grandmother ‘manually cleaning toilets’, asserts her selfhood with her life partner-to-be, gave me chills. It was surreal to see a version of my life on screen that was not, but yet was still me. But soon the heartbreak set in. They were my words, but my name was nowhere… The ideas I cultivated, that are my life’s work, that I continue to receive immense hate for just speaking, were taken without permission or credit.”

    “Dalit’s have a long history of being taken from, erased, ignored, obliterated from our own stories. Dalit women in particular are the easiest to take from , what’s the worth in their labor they’ve created anyway. It’s for everybody to claim.

    Except this time, I’m reclaiming my work, my worth and my contribution to the discourse and history, defying the order of what’s expected of me as a woman who is supposed to fine tune the ‘register of her rage’.”

  • Death by celebration

    Death by celebration

    In Pakistan, it is a common practice to come out on the roads in groups to celebrate sports wins, new years, and of course, Independence Day. It is also often customary to celebrate these feats by firing guns into the air and lighting up firecrackers. 

    But flirting with danger has its consequences that many innocent people fall victim to every year.

    Ten years back, in 2013, aerial firing resulted in the death of at least one person and more than 30 were wounded in Karachi. Jinnah Hospital alone received 33 wounded people, one of whom died shortly after. 

    In 2018, three people were killed and more than 35 were injured including children and women. Apart from aerial firing, a 22-year-old man was struck by firecrackers in Nazimabad.

    In 2022, one man died while 23 were wounded in Karachi.

    This year, as the public celebrated the 76th year of Independence, two people were killed and 85 were injured as a result of aerial firing carried out in Karachi.

    According to Jamshed Quarters Station House Officer (SHO) Gul Baig, a 25-year-old woman was crossing the People’s Chowrangi on a motorbike with her family when a stray bullet hit her. Simultaneously, a seven-month-old baby was also hit at People’s Square.

    Baghdadi SHO Ghulam Yasin said that a man sleeping on the roof of his house in Lyari’s Aath Chowk passed away as a random bullet hit him.

    A police surgeon, Dr Summaiya Syed has claimed that Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) and Abbasi Shaheed Hospital received 32 injured people each. These cases include a critical case of a head injury, children, teenagers, and women.

    What Does the Law Say?

    As per statements issued by City police and Central district police, eight people in total have been arrested in Kalakot, Kharadar, and Liaquatabad Bridge whereas seven pistols have been seized. The culprits have been charged with attempted murder, possessing illegal weapons and aerial firing.

    Under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), the district administration can issue a ban on an activity “for a specific period of time”. Such a ban is often enforced by the police and any violation of the ban can be tried under section 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code which carries “a maximum penalty of six months in prison or fine or both”.

    Similarly, cases of aerial firing can be registered under Section 337 (H) (II) of the Pakistan Penal Code for a negligent act of endangering lives. 

    337-H. (2) states: 

    Whoever does any act so rashly or negligently as to endanger human life or the

    personal safety of other, shall be punished with imprisonment of either-description for a

    term which may extend to three months, or with fine, or with both.

  • Doctors conduct plastic surgery on child abuse survivor Rizwana

    Doctors conduct plastic surgery on child abuse survivor Rizwana

    Trigger warning: domestic violence, child abuse

    Teenage domestic helper Rizwana has received plastic surgery from doctors on her face, while her head injuries were disinfected during the procedure, ARY has reported. Hospital sources say the procedure was three hours long, while the possibility two or three more plastic surgeries in the future cannot be ruled out.

    “She was shifted to the ward after applying bandage on her wounds,” the doctors said.

    The horrifying case shocked Pakistan when the teenage domestic helper was tortured and abused while working at a civil judge’s home in Islamabad, after she was accused of stealing jewelry. The family has revealed the girl was not paid a single penny by the family for the extensive workload she was doing.

    Since the case went viral, actress and children rights activist Nadia Jamil spoke out publicly against employing children for domestic labor, leading a campaign to get the perpetuators arrested, while prominent celebrities like Mahira Khan, Wahaj Ali and Hamza Ali Abbasi have also lend their voice.

    Jamil shared an update yesterday that Rizwana had opened her eyes, but was still in casts.

  • Tesla introduces cheaper Model S, Model X variants with reduced ranges

    Tesla has unveiled more affordable versions of its Model S sedan and Model X SUV in the United States. These new “standard range” models are priced at $78,490 (PKR 22.4 million) and $88,490 (PKR 25.3 million), respectively, marking a roughly 10 per cent reduction from the previous lowest-priced options. The company aims to boost sales by focusing on cost reduction.

    The new models will be available for delivery between September and October 2023. They come with a standard “pearly white” exterior and an all-black interior, while other colour choices will come at an additional cost.

    The updated Model S offers a driving range of up to 320 miles (515 km), which is lower than the existing basic and performance versions, which provide up to 405 miles and 396 miles of range, respectively. Similarly, the new Model X SUV boasts a range of up to 269 miles, falling short of the basic and performance versions that offer up to 348 miles and 333 miles of range, respectively.

    Tesla’s focus on price cuts and cost efficiency is evident in its consistent efforts to reduce prices in various markets. By doing so, the company aims to remain competitive and navigate economic uncertainties. In China, the company has recently lowered prices for its Model Y long-range and performance variants.

    This strategic move coincides with Tesla’s upcoming releases, including the long-anticipated Cybertruck and the completion of a manufacturing plant in Mexico. The latter is dedicated to producing a mass-market electric vehicle, which will serve as the foundation for a robotaxi.

    Although the Model S and Model X are some of Tesla’s earliest offerings, introduced in 2012, they have maintained premium pricing compared to the more budget-friendly Model 3 sedan and Model Y crossover. In the second quarter of this year, Tesla delivered 19,225 Model X and S vehicles, an increase from 16,162 vehicles delivered during the same period last year.

  • Alia Bhatt reveals when she met Ranbir Kapoor for the first time

    Alia Bhatt reveals when she met Ranbir Kapoor for the first time

    Bollywood actors Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor are considered one of the hottest celebrity couples within the industry, and now the actress has revealed details of her first meeting with her husband, with whom she shares daughter Raha.

    Bhatt is currently promoting her Netflix film ‘Heart Of Stone’ where she stars along with Gal Gadot and Jamie Dornan. During an interview with Netflix, the ‘Gangubai’ actress said that at her audition for the 2005 film ‘Black’, she met Ranbir, who was working as a film assistant.

    Although Alia didn’t get the role, the two met again in 2012 during ‘Student Of The Year’ which was directed by Karan Johar, where Ranbir visited on set. During an episode of ‘Koffee With Karan’, actor Ranveer Singh took everyone by surprise when he revealed the son of Rishi Kapoor had dropped by during the film shooting, and joked with Karan about whether he should marry Alia or not.

  • ECP bans entry, exit polls by media in code of conduct

    ECP bans entry, exit polls by media in code of conduct

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has banned entry and exit polls by national and international media during general elections according to its code of conduct for national media, international media, and observers.

    According to the code of conduct, the ban is applicable to print & electronic media and any journalist, newspaper, and channel on their official accounts on digital media, and other social media influencers also forbidding them to conduct any kind of surveys at any polling station or constituency which may influence the voters’ free choice of casting votes.

    An entrance poll translates into asking voters whom they are planning to vote for or a similar set of questions. In the same manner, an exit poll is taking opinions of voters regarding their voting pattern after they come out of the polling station.

    While addressing the issues regarding the content, ECP further states that “the content on print & electronic media, any media person, newspaper, channel operating official accounts on digital media and social media influencers shall not include any aspect which might be construed as personal attack on candidates or political parties on the basis of gender, religion, sect, caste, baradari etc.”

    The code bounds media houses to provide details of expenditures made by any political party that runs a paid advertisement on their platform. In addition to that, it further states, “The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Press Information Department (PID), Cyber Wing and Digital Media Wing of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MoIB) shall monitor the coverage given to political parties and candidates for their election campaigns through electronic channels, print and social media. The above authorities shall submit to the commission details of payments made by the political parties and candidates within 10 days after poll day.”

    The code of conduct also advises the journalists or print, electronic and digital media, social media influencers, and media houses that throughout the election period they shall launch Civic and Voter Education programs which must be inclusive, especially targeting marginalized groups such as women, transgenders, youth, minorities, and differently-abled persons to maximize voter turnout and ensure their participation in the electoral process.

    To ensure impartiality, the code of conduct for international media states that, “International Observers and Media persons shall select areas for election observation and reporting in consultation with Election Commission of Pakistan for their security and safety. However, International Observers and media persons shall choose the area to ensure balanced observation /reporting. “

    It also restricts Individual observers from making any personal comments about his/her observation or conclusion on the election process to the media, also obligating them to share their findings, methodology, recommendations, and reports with the Election Commission of Pakistan.

  • Microsoft retires Cortana assistant from Windows 11, shifts focus to AI tools

    Microsoft has rolled out a new update for Windows 11, and as part of this update, they have removed the standalone Cortana app from the operating system. This means that Cortana, the virtual assistant, will no longer be available as a separate app on Windows 11. Microsoft confirmed this change on a support page and mentioned that Cortana will also be removed from Teams mobile, Teams display, and Teams Rooms sometime in the coming fall. However, Cortana will still be available in Outlook Mobile.

    Cortana was introduced in 2014 as a virtual assistant to compete with Apple’s Siri on the iPhone. It was named after the character from the Halo video game series. Over time, Cortana was expanded to Windows 10, mobile devices, and the Xbox One. Recently, Microsoft has been gradually phasing out support for Cortana. It was removed from the Xbox dashboard in 2019, and its apps for Android and iOS were discontinued in 2021.

    Despite this move away from Cortana, Microsoft has been focusing on AI advancements. One notable development is Windows Copilot, a new AI-powered assistant that the company is working on. This showcases Microsoft’s commitment to AI tools even as they retire Cortana.

  • Petrol price likely to increase by Rs15 per litre after August 16

    Petrol price likely to increase by Rs15 per litre after August 16

    Starting August 16, petroleum products are expected to undergo a notable price hike. In particular, the price of petrol is projected to rise by Rs15 per litre, while diesel will likely see a steeper increase of Rs20 per litre.

    This surge in prices is attributed to a rise in global commodity rates. Recent reports indicate that the cost of crude oil has climbed by $5 per barrel, going from $86 to $91 per barrel. This increase is largely due to the elevated prices of petroleum products on the global market. Additionally, a separate premium charge of $2 per barrel has been applied to crude oil.

    Simultaneously, the international prices for both diesel and gasoline have also experienced a $5 surge, climbing from $97 per barrel to $102 per barrel.

    Should these prices remain unchanged, the anticipated effect on Pakistan’s fuel market would translate to a Rs15 per litre hike for petrol and a more substantial Rs20 per litre increase for diesel.

    In the context of the previous fortnightly review conducted by the outgoing government, a significant Rs19 per litre escalation in petrol and diesel prices had been announced. This decision was justified as being in alignment with the demands of the International Monetary Fund.

  • Wardah Noor is trying to end poverty, one empowered youth at a time

    Khudkaar, now known as xWave, started when Wardah Noor, 23, visited far-flung areas of district Layyah during a ration drive in the lockdown period. She observed how laborers were distraught while their economic conditions worsened day by day. That urged her to start something sustainable in case such circumstances arise again and “people have something to eat at home.” She decided to take a gap year from her university and work on the idea for a couple of months.

    She was enrolled in B.A. LLB from LUMS at the time. The first half of Wardah’s gap year was consumed in traveling across Pakistan including KP and Sindh, visiting different institutes in Karachi, and residing in Islamabad for some time to see what is happening in other cities. That’s when she learned that skills training and development is something that might result into sustainability. In the second half, she started crowdfunding; her friends who were running other social ventures donated laptops, furniture, books and, “that’s how we started in Layyah.”

    “During crowdfunding, we asked people that a minimum of Rs100 and a maximum of whatever they can pledge for a year. We used to meet our monthly expenditures, and for furniture, different people donated different things,” she said. She started the venture in a room at her home where they initially made a computer lab and, in another section, women were taught stitching.

    She was able to secure The Spark Fund- Global Fund for Children through which they managed the finances for next year. Till now they are crowdfunding and simultaneously applying for grants. Recently they have started enrolling wealthy students who pay a certain amount of fee which helps in covering a small part of expenditure. She believes that this venture has given a direction to her life.

    “This has given me a purpose which gives me satisfaction too. I have the energy to get up every morning and work on this idea. I initiated another startup during my gap year. I prepared a curriculum for overseas Pakistanis to give them Urdu tuition and I taught people the Urdu language because it is not their first language,” she added.

    She explains that this helped her in saving money, but it distracted her from her focus. She eventually took a decision at the start of this year, ending the Urdu tuition startup and giving all her energies to enhance xWave. The salary she has started drawing from xWave after a donor’s funding is 5 times less than what she was earning from her Urdu startup, but this gives her satisfaction, and she is determined to live and die for the cause. What gives her energy, and an adrenaline rush is knowing the success stories of her students and fellows.

    Shazia Gull, a 23-year-old young woman, hailing from Layyah couldn’t continue her studies due to personal reasons. She used to stay at home and got to know about this center through her cousin. She secured admission there and started learning illustration and 2D animation. She had no source of earnings prior to this.

    She says, “I am working on multiple projects, I have a full-time job at xWave, and earning a good amount of money. I am instructing about teaching-related courses at Coursera to enhance my skills and earn more.”

    Another student of xWave, Muhammad Zain Abbas, also a resident of Layyah, got to know about this institute through his college teacher. He joined last year to learn video editing. “I made my account on Fiver a year ago and I have earned 150 dollars so far. I bought a decently working mobile phone as it was important for my work and I am hopeful that I will earn around 5000 dollars per month in the future,” he said.

    According to data released by the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication (MoITT), 2022 saw a growth of 2.74% as the remittance inflows stood at $397.328 Million as compared to 396.243 Million in 2021. There were around 3 Million freelancers in Pakistan in 2022, as per the report released by MoITT, which have possibly increased in 2023.

    Pakistani freelancers earn an average of $20 per hour, and the majority of freelancers in Pakistan are under the age of 30. The most popular payment gateway for freelancers in Pakistan is Payoneer.
    The global freelance industry is valued at $3.5 Billion, and the Pakistan industry accounts for 9% of the global market.

    According to data released by Payoneer and Upwork, women make up 47% of the freelance market in Pakistan, which is more than the 35% global average.

    40% of freelancers in Pakistan are from Punjab, 29.5% from Sindh, 14.7% from KPK, 10.5% from Balochistan, and 5.3% from Azad Kashmir.

    Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, and Rawalpindi collectively account for 88% of Pakistan’s freelancing industry.

    Wardah Noor is an inspiration for young Pakistanis, and she advises others to dream big.

    “Keep struggling, you have unlimited opportunities and endless avenues to learn from. Don’t look for shortcuts to be rich overnight; learn as many skills as you can consistently. You can achieve anything in your life,” she says.