Tag: Pakistan

  • Amar Khan wants Lollywood to create more female-centered, commercially successful films

    Amar Khan wants Lollywood to create more female-centered, commercially successful films

    Looking back at the year 2022, Pakistani cinema produced commercially and critically successful films like Kamli, Joyland and of course, Maula Jatt. This year was the start of listening to voices that didn’t just circle around men. Now actress Amar Khan has expressed hope that the conversation keeps going on, while the industry releases more movies that champion women voices and don’t revolve around male-centered notions.
    Yesterday on Twitter, the actress shared a post applauding the success of Bollywood movie “Gangubai Kathiawari” which has surpassed all other productions to become the number 1 movie at the Indian box office. The post applauded director and writer Sanjay Leela Bhansali for breaking the stereotype that women-led movies don’t become instant hits, and that movies infused with emotional dialogues rather than intense action scenes wouldn’t interest anyone.

    Amar Khan wrote that she hoped Pakistan would follow the same footsteps as its neighbor and soon start creating more films that were female-centered and also commercially successful.
    “Rab kare 2023 mein koi aik adh bhansali border k is paar bhi janam le.Warna we have never made a female oriented commercially succesful film.They continue to be male centric!!”

  • SBP to start issuing new banknotes with Governor Jameel Ahmad’s signature from today

    SBP to start issuing new banknotes with Governor Jameel Ahmad’s signature from today

    The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) will start issuing new banknotes on December 29, 2022.

    The new SBP Banking Services Corporation banknotes will include the signature of the new governor, Jameel Ahmad.

    Banknotes containing the signatures of his predecessors will also remain legal tender.

    Earlier, the SBP stated that banknotes of the old design, large-sized banknotes with denominations of Rs10, Rs50, Rs100, and Rs1,000 could be exchanged from the SBP till December 31, 2022.

    The federal government extended the deadline for exchanging old designed large-size banknotes in Notification F.No.2(1)IF-III/2010 until December 23, 2021.

    In a statement, State Bank stated that December 31, 2022, was the “last and final deadline for exchange of such banknotes, upon expiry of which, these banknotes shall no longer be exchangeable from the counters of the SBP Banking Services Corporation (BSC) and thus will lose their value.”

  • Activists speak out after actor Muneeb Butt is cast as transgender commissioner in ARY serial

    Activists speak out after actor Muneeb Butt is cast as transgender commissioner in ARY serial

    Actor Muneeb Butt had announced on social media two days ago that he would be playing the first ever transgender Assistant Commissioner in an ARY television serial. Butt had written in the post that this was a role that would break stereotypes in our society.

    However, transgender activists were furious about this casting choice and responded by pointing out that the role would have been more empowering had a transgender person been cast.

    Transgender activists on Twitter shared that there were many trans people who were unemployed and who deserved good, authentic representation on public platforms, hence it was unnecessary to hire a man to play this role.

    Another trans user called this decision ‘dangerous’ because the entertainment will keep on capitalising on transgender issues, rather than employ members of the trans community and bring them to the table.

    https://twitter.com/zakraaaaa/status/1608000325528522752?s=20&t=kGchs1t9Ok_hQE8mbJUakA

    So hopefully, our industry should be mindful about writing stories about minorities and be sure to invite members of said community while giving them the chance to tell these stories themselves without speaking over them. One of the foremost essential demands made by the transgender community is to be granted equal opportunity and rights as anyone else in Pakistan, and we can assure that by allowing them to tell their own stories without censoring them.

  • Covid is back: Pakistan resumes screening at airports

    Covid is back: Pakistan resumes screening at airports

    Federal health officials stated on Wednesday that they will tighten up monitoring systems at all entry ports of the country while monitoring arriving passengers amid growing concerns of coronavirus (Covid-19) spreading in the country, Samaa has reported.

    An official of the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination said tBF.7 Omicron variant is a cause for concern.

    He said that relevant authorities had received instructions to make sure that travellers from foreign nations pass through thermal scanners at airports all over Pakistan.
    According to government figures, 90% of the population has already received a Covid-19 vaccination.

    He said that instructions have been given to ensure that hospitals had an appropriate supply of ventilators, oxygen tanks and antiviral medications.

  • ‘Establishment neither approached PML-N nor PTI for technocratic setup’: Rana Sanaullah

    ‘Establishment neither approached PML-N nor PTI for technocratic setup’: Rana Sanaullah

    Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has said the that establishment neither approached the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) nor the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in connection with a rumored technocratic setup that might be installed to govern the country.

    “Imran Khan makes up fresh stories every other day, however, no message regarding the technocratic setup was conveyed,” he stated.

    He said that the institution has pledged to the nation that it will remain apolitical. “From now on, whatever happens will be in line with the Constitution,” Sanaullah categorically said.

    Speaking to senior journalists in Lahore, Imran had stressed, “I don’t see elections happening now. There is hearsay about a technocratic government being brought forward,” he had told the media personnel in an informal talk.

    PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry had addressed the rumors, calling any such plan a “joke”. The former minister had said, “It is a joke to form a technocratic government for two and a half years after wrapping up this government and sending it home. Experimenting and playing jokes with Pakistan should come to an end now.”

    “You will bring ‘imported technocrats’ from the United States if the Shehbaz Sharif-led government is not functioning,” he added. “The solution to the country’s problems is holding elections.”

  • Pak vs NZ: PCB announces free tickets for second test

    Pak vs NZ: PCB announces free tickets for second test

    The executive committee of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to waive off entry fee for the second Test match between Pakistan and New Zealand, set to begin on January 2, 2023. A PCB official confirmed the news to GEO News.

    “Free entry for Karachiites in all stands during the second Test, except two VIP ticketed stands. Entry will be on a first come first serve basis,” the official said.

    The cricket board has gotten in touch with educational institutions, orphanages, and nursing homes to invite them to watch the second test.
    The ongoing Test between Pakistan and New Zealand has attracted a limited number of spectators to the stadium.

  • Plans of long-term caretaker govt in pipeline, claims journalist

    Plans of long-term caretaker govt in pipeline, claims journalist

    News anchor Meher Bokhari in her programme ‘Program Hum Meher Bokhari Kay Sath’ on Hum News has claimed that a crucial meeting has taken place where plans of installing a long caretaker government in Pakistan have been discussed.

    She said that considering the worsening economic conditions in the country, the caretaker government can be in place for six months or even two years, emphasising that the situation has slipped out of politicians’ hands.

    During her show, she pointed out that the incumbent government has failed to steer the country out of the economic crisis, despite making promises to do so. Moreover, she said that since the takeover of the coalition government, the dollar value rose exponentially, plunging the country into economic disaster.

    She highlighted Pakistan’s failure to get the next International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) tranche and the reluctance of friendly countries to help Pakistan.

    Reacting to the journalist’s claims, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader Fawad Chaudhry termed it a “stupidity”, stressing that the “country’s crisis is more political than economic”.

    In a tweet, he said that these are “schemes” to keep Imran Khan out of politics but are not in Pakistan’s favour. Terming general elections as the only solution to the country’s problems, he added that PTI will resist the move of forming a technocrat government.

    However, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday assured the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) that the country will not default but admitted that the economy is in a “tight position”.

    “It’s been three months since I took charge. We hear every day that we will default. How will there be a default? There is no chance that Pakistan will default,” the finance minister said.

    It should be noted that the financial situation in the country is perilous with inflation at the highest levels in recent years. A day earlier, the price of gold rose by Rs4,500 to a fresh all-time high of Rs182,700 per tola. The price of gold has increased by more than Rs20,000 per tola since the beginning of December.

  • Flour prices hit record high in Punjab due to inter-provincial smuggling

    Flour prices hit record high in Punjab due to inter-provincial smuggling

    Owing to increased smuggling of wheat and subsidised flour bags to other provinces, the price of flour in the Punjabi capital increased by Rs5 per kilogramme to Rs140. 

    Smuggling has exacerbated Punjab’s flour problem, increasing open-market prices to an all-time high. According to sources, the subsidised flour bags were being smuggled into Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkwa at a cost of Rs2,400 each bag.

    Prices for 10-kg and 20-kg flour sacks in Lahore have risen to Rs1,400 and Rs2,800, respectively, while Chakki flour has risen to Rs140 per kilogramme, according to Dunya News.

    Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the local administration in Jhang stopped an attempt to smuggle flour bags from a local flour factory, seizing nearly 1,000 20 kg bags from a truck.

    According to wheat dealers, the open market price of wheat has risen to Rs4,700 per 40 kg. Furthermore, the rate for a commercial unit of power from 6 pm to 10 pm has risen to a staggering Rs70 to Rs80, severely hurting the economics of grain trading.

    Lahore Atta Chakki Owners Association has requested the government to immediately prohibit the inter-provincial movement of wheat and its products in order to halt the ongoing rise in wheat prices.

  • Heavy fog across Punjab disrupts air and road travel, info number provided

    Heavy fog across Punjab disrupts air and road travel, info number provided

    Heavy fog in cities across Punjab including Lahore, Faisalabad and Sialkot has disrupted air and road travel. According to Pakistan International Airways (PIA), four international flights had to be diverted to Islamabad because of foggy weather.
    According to a representative from Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and Pakistan International Airways (PIA) four flights including PK-248 from Dammam to Lahore, PK-224 from Dubai to Faisalabad, PK-716 from Madina to Lahore via Karachi and PK-244 from Dammam to Sialkot had to be shifted to Islamabad after intense fog reduced visibility. The representative further explained that visibility at Multan Airport was poor till 2 pm, while at Lahore’s Alama Iqbal Airport fog had not reduced until 4 pm.
    The representative advised travelers to double check with their airlines for flight updates by either visiting the website www.caapakistan.com.pk or call the numbers 114, 0800 00114 and 111 222 114.

    Reports are also stating that railway networks are facing difficulties in Punjab as intense fog reduces visibility. A representative from Pakistan Railways Administration said that trains were traveling at low speed to take safety measures and prevent accidents.
    Due to these precautions, trains are late by six or seven hours to arrive at their destination. The Karakoram Express was late by up to six hours, while Karachi, Alama Iqbal and Khyber Mail Express arrived late at their destination by five hours

  • A wedding photo shoot at King Edward Medical College divides social media

    A wedding photo shoot at King Edward Medical College divides social media

    Two days ago, a tweet criticizing a photographer for photographing a wedding shoot on the grounds of King Edward Medical College went viral on the bird app. The tweep shared a clip of Instagram photographer @naumanclicks showing the couple walking around campus. He shared in a post that students weren’t allowed to roam around grounds or visit the library after 5 pm, terming it unfair that these liberites are granted to outsiders

    In the next tweet, the user continued to criticize the wedding industry for reducing the value and sanctity of historical buildings, as well as the contributions to medical history that colleges like King Edward and Punjab University had provided to Pakistan.

    The post ended with the user sharing an update of a letter that notified students about King Edward administration being aware of the video of the wedding photoshoot, stating that a committee would look into the incident.

    However, social media users were quick to jump in, defending the photographer and the married couple, by pointing out that the blame should entirely fall on the administration for permitting the photo shoot.

    Others had pointed out that university grounds were regularly used for filming movies or wedding photo shoots, and rather than criticizing the couple, the user should have expressed criticism towards the institution for barring students from going out after 5 pm.

    So I think that the lesson we can take from this is to live and let live? Let’s not be selfish and gate keep people from celebrating a happy moment in their lives.