Popular Pakistani YouTubers Nimra and Asad got married in 2020, taking their internet fame to the next level. Fans liked their wedding photos and enjoyed watching their videos on YouTube. But now, Asad has a message for his viewers about his videos taking a radically different line.
Asad shared a video online where he explained why he won’t be featuring his family in videos anymore. “Many people were asking me why I stopped sharing family content and why I don’t show my wife on social media. I want to tell you that I made this decision quite quickly. We often chase after money and worldly desires without thinking about Allah and Islamic teachings. I read something about people who won’t be forgiven, including those who are disrespectful to parents, those who dress up like the other gender, and those who show their wives to the world. After reading that, I decided to stop sharing family content. I will still do vlogging, and you will see me and Azlan. I will post good content but won’t show other family members.” Here is the link to the video:
Electoral symbols are allocated by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to political parties and independent candidates participating in general elections.
Major political parties in the country have established electoral symbols, including a bat for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), an arrow for Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), and a tiger for Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
All the electoral symbols appear on the ballot paper, giving the voters the choice to stamp the symbol of their choice. The ballot paper also has names, but 40% of the country’s 241 million population is illiterate, so symbols can be easier to identify.
Thousands of candidates participate in elections, as do dozens of political parties and millions of voters. A single ballot paper offers voters a wide range of choices.
How does the ECP allot electoral symbols?
According to Section 216, political parties can submit an application to the election commission to apply for electoral symbols.
Registered political parties can claim the same election symbol as allocated to them in the previous polls.
On the other hand, an independent candidate can apply for allotment of an election symbol from the symbol list published by the ECP.
If the two independent candidates want the same electoral symbol, then priority will be given to the candidate who has previously taken part in elections.
In the world of entertainment, movies are a way to tell stories, represent cultures, and express art. But sometimes, a movie can cause problems when it goes too far and includes content that is offensive. Recently, a Bollywood movie called ‘Fighter’ landed in controversy after Pakistani celebrities strongly reacted to what they thought was anti-Pakistani element.
The film has been accused of showing Pakistan in a negative light and promoting harmful stereotypes.
At one point in the movie, Hrithik Roshan says, “We are the owners, Pakistan has occupied Kashmir. (maalik hum Hain)”
Actors like Zara Noor Abbas took to social media to express anger.
Actor Asad Siddiqui vented on Instagram by saying, “It’s the same old story! Aren’t you guys tired of selling false stuff? Grow up! The world is moving forward, and you’re still promoting this cheap story of hatred. You could have promoted peace instead.” He suggested checking facts that everyone knows, mentioning the incident where a MiG-21 was shot and the pilot was captured but released after a cup of tea.
Hira Khan, another showbiz star, also brought up the ‘tea’ incident, saying, “It’s sad that big superstars need to criticize Pakistan to make their movies work. I feel sorry for you guys.”
Adnan Siddiqui took to X to state, “Once celebrated for love, Bollywood now crafts hate-filled narratives, portraying us as villains. Despite our love for your films, it’s disheartening. Art transcends boundaries; let’s use it to promote love and peace. Two nations, victims of politics, deserve better.”
Once celebrated for love, Bollywood now crafts hate-filled narratives, portraying us as villains. Despite our love for your films, it’s disheartening. Art transcends boundaries; let’s use it to promote love and peace. Two nations, victims of politics, deserve better.
Hania Aamir, who is liked by people from both sides of the border, shared on her Instagram Story, “It’s really sad and unfortunate to find out that there are artists today who know how influential cinema is but still go ahead and create differences between the two countries. I feel sorry for the artists who believe in using their art to bring people together. It’s not good. Let art be free.”
The controversy around ‘Fighter’ arose from its trailer, which revealed that the movie revolves around an attack on Indian air forces in Pulwama. It references real events like the Pulwama attack and India’s actions in Balakot.
A French girl of Pakistani origin named Nargis has been accused of disguising herself as a boy to marry girls to take them abroad. She was arrested in Mirpur city of Azad Kashmir on charges of trafficking girls abroad on the pretext of marriage.
According to Geo News, one victim’s family had filed an application with the police, on which a case was registered and an arrest was made.
During the investigation, it was revealed that Nargis had created a fake identity in the name of Shaaban. Dressed up as a man, she would come to Kashmir to find relationships, get married, prepare travel documents, and send the bride abroad and sell her.
This time when Nargis reached Pakistan, the victim’s family recognized her and immediately filed a complaint with the police.
In a request registered with the police by the victim’s family, Nargis came to Pakistan as a boy and married their daughter. After the marriage, the daughter got a visa and sent her to France via Dubai, where it was learned that the son-in-law was not a boy but a girl. She was tortured by a gang who attempted to sell her in several locations. The family barely evacuated their daughter to safety in France.
According to the police, the suspect is a French citizen of Pakistani origin and belongs to Jhelum.
However, according to District Headquarters Hospital Mirpur, a medical report has proved that Nargis is a girl and not a boy.
In December 2023, Pakistan’s current account exhibited a noteworthy surplus of $397 million, a stark departure from the $15 million deficit recorded in November, as reported by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Wednesday.
This surplus is attributed to heightened exports and remittances, coupled with a marginal decline in imports. Notably, there was a substantial improvement compared to the $365 million deficit posted in December 2022.
According to SBP data, exports (goods and services) surged to $3.526 billion in December 2023, marking a 14 per cent increase from $3.089 billion in December 2022. Concurrently, remittances rose to $2.38 billion, a 13 per cent marginal increase from the same period last year.
Conversely, total imports saw a 2 per cent decrease, totaling $4.97 billion in December 2023, compared to $4.98 billion in the corresponding period last year.
In the cumulative period of July–December FY24, Pakistan experienced a current account deficit of $831 million, a substantial reduction from the $3.63 billion deficit recorded during the same months in FY23—a remarkable decline of over $2.8 billion, or 77 per cent.
The SBP, in its recent Monetary Policy Committee meeting on December 12, highlighted a significant improvement in the current account balance, with the deficit narrowing by 65.9 per cent year-on-year to $1.1 billion during July-October FY24.
The current account’s pivotal role is underscored by its impact on Pakistan’s economy, which is heavily reliant on imports.
A widening deficit exerts pressure on the exchange rate and depletes official foreign exchange reserves, making these recent developments crucial for the nation’s economic outlook.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) showed concern that the upcoming polls could be delayed in the case of changing candidates’ symbols, despite the fact that symbols have already been allocated to them.
Pakistan’s general elections have already been postponed for several months, while some major figures are calling for additional delays for a variety of reasons. On the other hand, the Supreme Court has instructed officials to guarantee that elections are held on February 8.
In a statement, ECP said that the election symbols have already been allotted to election candidates, but politicians are “having them changed through various forums”.
“It should be noted that after the allotment of the election symbols, the election commission has ordered the printing of ballot papers to the three printing corporations and the printing work has started,” the statement said.
According to Geo News, if the high court allows independent candidates to change their electoral symbols, the ECP will postpone general polls in those specific constituencies.
The official version was along the lines as the ECP said: “If the process of changing the election symbols continues, then on the one hand, there is a fear of delay in the election because the ballot papers will have to be reprinted, for which the time is already limited, and on the other hand, the special paper ballot papers will be wasted.”
A fight between a mother-in-law and a daughter-in-law reached the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
The Chief Justice of Pakistan rejected the appeal of the mother-in-law, reports Geo News.
Sabiha Khanum filed an appeal against the order of the __ High Court to give 10 tolas of gold to her former daughter-in-law Sadia, which was heard by a three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faiz Isa.
During the hearing, the Chief Justice asked why there were women on both sides in the case, specifically inquiring how the mother-in-law was related to this case. On this, lawyer Zulfikar Naqvi told the court that thecdispute is between the mother-in-law and her forner daughter-in-law over 10 tolas of gold.
The Chief Justice asked if the daughter-in-law was divorced, how much was the dowry. On this, Zulfiqar Naqvi, the mother-in-law’s lawyer, said that she was divorced and had three children, and the dowry was Rs 2,000.
Justice Qazi Faiz then said, “What is the problem in giving 10 tolas of gold to a mother of three children.”
Later, the court dismissed the appeal of Sabiha Khanum, sending the saas disappointed back home.
Lollywood queen Reema Khan has shone on Pakistani screens for many years. However the superstar never acted in a Bollywood film, not even when many actors from here were starring in Indian projects.
Now, the actress has shared that she got offers to act in Bollywood, but she chose not to and preferred working in her own country. In a recent episode of GEO comedy show Hansna Mana Hai, a fan asked if her co-star Meera got an offer from Bollywood. Reema explained, “I attended the Bharat Awards ceremony, and I was offered films. However, I believe Meera has a lot of talent. I’ve seen her work in the past, and I didn’t like her working style.”
Reema said, “After observing how they work, I feel it’s better to have your own small place than being in a grand palace where you feel ashamed.” When asked about the respect she receives in India, she mentioned, “Certainly, many people in India respect us, but just like there are supportive groups, there are also those who don’t want Pakistani artists there. They don’t want Pakistanis in the Indian industry.”
Reema added, “There are many people in India who warmly welcome Pakistanis, but these specific groups have a significant influence.”
A stone-hearted father killed his newborn in Madhya Pradesh in India, reportedly because he desired a daughter.
The man named Anil Yuki already had two sons and was desirous of a daughter, police have said.
Anil was intoxicated when he beat his wife in a drunken state, snatched the 12-day-old newborn from her, and strangled him to death, as per media reports.
The police said that there were marks on the neck of the newborn. As soon as the incident was reported, the police arrested Anil and took the baby’s body, registering a case.
During the investigation, Anil confessed to his crime and said that he wanted a daughter but a son was born for the third time, upon which he became upset and killed the child in a fit of rage.
Sajal Ali might be a superstar but she still has the same feelings and emotions as the rest of us.
In an interview, Ali opened up about the topic, saying that she feels a lot of emotions in real life, just like when she acts. “I think I am as emotional in real life as I am when acting. People might think I’ve become stronger, but I’m still very much the same.”
For Ali, emotions are really important for her work. She said, “If I were to get rid of my feelings, I wouldn’t be able to act,” explaining that she experiences not just sadness and tears, but a whole range that helps her do well in her roles.
But there’s more to Sajal Ali than just serious roles. When asked about her sense of humor, she replied with a mischievous grin. “My sense of humor is excellent and those close to me know it well.” She mentioned that her playful side often goes unnoticed by the public, and people might only see one side of her in the roles she plays.
