Following the immense backlash on social media, The Arts Council of Pakistan has modified their upcoming panel on feminism and have added three women to it.
According to an updated shared by Chairperson Electronic Media and Aesthetic Committee Uzma Alkarim, the panel of speakers now includes two women: senior journalist Quatrina Hosain and senior politician Mehtab Akbar Rashidi. Meanwhile the title of the talk has also been changed to Understanding Feminism. Meanwhile, Uzma, another female, will act as moderator. Filmmaker Nabeel Qureshi (Actor-in-Law, Load Wedding) has been removed from the speaker’s list.
Hello all, We are now re-framing the event and including a more diverse group of speakers. Requesting all of you to attend as your participation will add value to the conversation around understanding “feminism” together. pic.twitter.com/CYbv4NApp1
On Monday, a poster for a panel discussion hosted by The Arts Council of Pakistan started circulating on social media. The panel discussion titled Feminism: The Other Perspective featured five speakers and interestingly they were all men. The men on the panel included Duraid Qureshi, Jibran Nasir, Mohsin Sayeed, Muaaz Ahsan and Nabeel Qureshi.
Needless to say the panel given the topic of conversation received immense backlash from the public who took to express their frustration on Twitter.
sir @MJibranNasir why are you on this manel? shouldnt you make space for women and other non binary bodies to talk?
Jibran Nasir was first to respond to the controversy.
Erum the title of the panel is misleading and I’ve requested the organizers to change it. I was informed the panel is about men talking to other men about rethinking masculinity and why as men we need feminism. It wasn’t to explain feminism or talk about women issues as men.
Perhaps the title miscommunicates the intent. Panel is about men speaking to other men about why views on masculinity need to change, how as men we must support women around us and why men need feminism. Im a vocal critic of manels. But this is about men speaking to other men
Uzma had also issued a statement and explanation on the matter.
Hello all, as a female it feels great that we have strong feminists around us. My idea was simple that as electronic media build opinions; what do the Male decision makers of EM think and perceive about feminism. (The other Perspective) But it hurts the sentiments of many 1/2
so now I am adding the female speaker in the panel. Requesting all of you to attend .. will share the new invite by eve.. mark the date as your participation will add value to understand the meaning of feminism more clearly. 22nd nov. 4-6 pm at arts council auditorium II 2/2
The federal government is reportedly contemplating imposing a complete ban on the use of social media by government servants during work hours.
According to reports in the local media, this suggestion was put forth by the National Information Technology Board (NITB) officials during a meeting of National Assembly (NA) standing committee on Information and Technology.
Reports stated that not only would the use of social media applications or pages including Facebook and Whatsapp be banned during the office timings but officials would also be barred from bringing storage devices-USBs- to the offices. This recommendation was put forth to address concerns related to data theft. Recently, a spate of leaked notifications from government offices has sparked anger in power circles.
It has even led to the circulation of fake notifications on social media to discredit a particular governmental agency or official. The technology board has urged the government to act against this threat.
The committee was informed that a new local social network, modeled on WhatsApp, would be introduced into government offices to streamline communications.
E-offices will be established at every ministry, which will be interconnected.
“Any official information would be shared on the server after prior approval of the federal authorities.”
Moreso, it was recommended that government employees be barred from indulging in any part-time businesses.
Meanwhile, the board also advised that a separate authority be set up to combat the spread of fake news across the country.
Two Indian nationals were arrested by the Pakistani police for illegally entering the country last week.
Prashant Maidam, a software engineer from Hyderabad, and Durmi Lal, a farmer from Madhya Pradesh, were arrested in the Cholistan desert area in Bahawalpur on November 14th as per an FIR.
The Bahawalpur police registered an FIR against them under the Pakistan (Control of Entry) Act.
They had crossed the border without any identification papers and proper documents, such as a valid visa and passport, police sources told The Hindu.
Police sources said Prashant told them that he was in love with a woman in Turkey and was going there through Pakistan and Afghanistan. Prashant was reportedly on foot and following Google Maps route.
Bahawalpur Judicial Magistrate Yazman asked the local police to travel to Multan and hand over the two Indians to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). Bahawalpur police sources said that the two Indian nationals were thoroughly investigated and were sent back from Multan as the FIA doesn’t think this case falls under its jurisdiction.
The two are now back in the custody of the Bahawalpur police.
“Prashant is lucky he was arrested here. We don’t know what would have happened if he had gone to Afghanistan via Pakistan,” said one police officer.
Police sources said the two will most likely be repatriated after due process is followed. The Indian High Commission will have to get in touch with the police and initiate the process of repatriation.
Karachiites have another beautiful spot for a picnic that has a waterfall and a lake and also offers boating. The Safari Park administration opened the newly built ‘Kashmir Point’ to provide a pleasant atmosphere to visitors.
As per reports, KMC authorities had planned to set up a
particularly beautiful, pleasant and calm spot at a hilly site of the park. A 200-feet waterfall is created from which the water flows down
into a lake spanning 4 acres. It also offers a boating facility to visitors.
“We have upgraded the lake at all points and built beautiful
fences around it,” the Safari Park director said.
Flying birds in the park make the scene quite attractive. People can visit the point and the boating costs for Rs100. The
boating facility is available from 11 am to 9 pm with proper lighting in the
evenings.
Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar inaugurated the Kashmir Point on
Sunday. He urged the people to visit the place as it’s a good initiative and a
great addition to the recreational park in the city.
Harris, a student at the University of Karachi, and his father were shot dead by their neighbour for using his wifi without his permission.
According to reports, the suspect identified as Qasim is currently in police custody. He was arrested by the police after a raid was conducted in the Shah Latif area of Karachi.
Speaking to the media, SSP Malir revealed that “investigation with accused is underway.”
The victims Farooq and his younger son, Haris were threatened by Qasim over alleged theft of his WiFi password and internet service.
Relatives of the deceased said that a case was registered against Qasim for giving life threats to Adnan who is another son of Farooq and brother of the murdered Haris. After the case was registered, Qasim had gone into hiding.
No matter how low-key you are, lipstick is one product that almost every girl carries in her handbag. A lot of us think that applying lipstick is easy but…it’s NOT! Many of us make these five common mistakes. Read on to find out what they are and how to avoid them.
Hello, chapped lips
Applying lipstick on chapped lips make your lip colour look patchy and it gives an uneven finish. Keep yourself hydrated and always use a lip balm or oil to keep your lips smooth.
We recommend CoNatural’s lip balms for chapped lips. They have three different flavours: lavender, peppermint and sweet orange. They are also easy on the pocket.
Exfoliate your lips
Don’t forget to exfoliate your regularly. It is as important as using face scrubs. A good lip scrub will get rid of dead skin on your lips.
We recommend Scoop O Scrub’s lip scrubs. We love ‘Very Very Strawberry’ lip scrub but they have other flavours as well. They are not that expensive either.
You
are wearing the wrong shade
A lipstick shade is as important as your foundation. Your lip colour should suit your skin tone as a wrong shade will spoil your look.
Too
much lipstick
Do not apply too much lipstick. If you do, it will not just smear on glasses or clothes but even your teeth will have lipstick all over them. Blot lipstick with a tissue paper after applying it.
Remove
lipstick
Properly remove your lipstick before going to bed. It is as important as brushing your teeth and removing makeup from your face. If you don’t remove it properly, it will make your lips rough and dry.
The Daachi Exhibition is being held in Lahore this weekend at the Model Town Community Centre. The exhibition showcases arts and crafts from across Pakistan “aimed to empower our local talent and reinvigorate our love for our country and culture.”
Exhibition timings are 10 am-8 pm and the entry ticket is Rs 250 per person.
Here are a few other things to keep in mind also:
The Current attended the ongoing exhibition and here are our top picks:
Indoor plants from Grey Scale Pk – Rs 5000
The pots were brilliantly creative.
Colourful trays by Custom Creation – Rs 4500/-
Love these beautiful and intricately designed trays.
An air traffic controller from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in Pakistan on Thursday saved a plane flying from the Jaipur, India to Muscat in Oman by guiding it during an emergency.
According to the details, the air plane, carrying 150 passengers, was flying over the Karachi region when it was caught in the middle of a weather pattern with lots of lightning that could have resulted in a major tragedy.
Following the lightning strikes, the plane dropped down from
an altitude of 36,000 feet to 34,000 feet almost immediately and the pilot
initiated emergency protocol and broadcast ‘Mayday’ to nearby stations.
The air traffic controller from Pakistan responded to the
call of the captain of the Indian plane and directed it through the dense air
traffic in the vicinity for the remainder of the journey in Pakistani airspace.
Sources in the aviation authority have said that the
aircraft had encountered abnormal weather conditions near the Chor area of the
southern province of Sindh, Pakistan.
It is pertinent to mention that at least 18 people were
killed earlier in freak accidents as lightning struck various parts of Sindh.
Islamabad has, for more than a month, restricted access of Pakistani airspace to Indian planes as its protest to the curfew in held Kashmir. Recent requests by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to travel over Pakistani airspace have been rejected twice.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has decided to take a mini-break for the first time since he assumed office.
According to reports, the PM has suspended his official and party engagements for two days, (Saturday and Sunday) and will be spending the weekend with his family members at his Bani Gala residence in Islamabad.
The PM will take a break from his work and no government official or party members will meet the premier, neither will he chair any meeting this weekend. PM Imran often chairs Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) meetings at his Bani Gala residence on the weekends as well as receives the party leaders and government officials there.
Considering that PM Imran is taking the weekend off, here are five things The Current recommends he does to make the most of his time off:
Sleep – Is a weekend off really a weekend off unless you sleep at least 16 hours?
Skype with his sons who are in London
Catch up on Pakistani dramas – He must binge-watch Meray Paas Tum Ho and Alif, which starres his fav actor Hamza Ali Abbasi. After all they are creating quite a stir.
Eat – We’ve heard that the PM is quite fond of haleem. The cooks in Banigala should get going on making his fav dish.
Reading – What better way to spend the weekend morning soaking up the winter sun and reading That Will Never Work by Marc Randolph.
Just a month after Prince William and Kate Middleton’s tour of Pakistan, the country is all set for another royal visit.
Queen Máxima of the Netherlands will be coming to Pakistan on November 25 for a three-day visit as the special advocate to the UN Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development.
According to a statement issued by the Pakistan Embassy of the Netherlands, the Dutch royal will discuss the progress of financial services to improve the economic situation of Pakistan.
During her visit, the queen will hold talks with international development partners, representatives of the fintech sector, State Bank Governor Reza Baqir, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance Abdul Hafeez Shaikh and NADRA Chairman Usman Mubin.
The Dutch queen is also expected to meet President Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Queen Máxima will also be present at the launch of the Micropayments Gateway, a central bank initiative to reduce the cost of small payments in order to stimulate digital payments, in particular for people in poverty situations.
In Lahore, Queen Máxima will visit a number of projects that focus on digital financial services that, among other things, contribute to the development of entrepreneurs.
“Since 2009, Queen Máxima, as a UN special advocate, has been committed to making financial services accessible to all, including low-income groups and small and medium-sized businesses, and thus increasing their chances of economic and social development,” the statement said.
Who is Queen Máxima of the Netherlands?
Queen Maxima of the Netherlands is the wife of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands. An Argentinian born, the Queen attained a degree in Economics from the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina followed by a master’s degree in the US. She has worked in the finance industry for over a decade including her position as the vice president of institutional sales in Latin America for HSBC and Deutsche Bank’s Brussels branch.
King Willem-Alexander & Queen Maxima with Prince Charles, Prince William and Kate Middleton at the Royal Ascot
On April 30, 2013, Maxima became the first queen consort of the Netherlands since Emma of Waldeck and Pyrmont in the late 1800s.
According to The Sun, Maxima met Willem-Alexander during a spring fair in Spain in April 1999. In later interviews, the pair explained that at first the prince simply introduced himself as Alexander, so she didn’t know he was a prince until later.
After the fair, they agreed to meet again in New York where Maxima was working, which is when their relationship began. The couple tied the knot in February 2002 in a civil ceremony.
The couple have three daughters. The Queen is well-known for her fashion statements.
