Tag: Pakistan

  • Fawad Khan to play British chef in new film with Vaani Kapoor

    Fawad Khan to play British chef in new film with Vaani Kapoor

    Superstar Fawad Khan will star with Bollywood actress Vaani Kapoor in a new film. While the film’s title hasn’t been announced yet, some details about Khan’s role and the shooting schedule have been shared.

    Reports say Khan will play a British chef in the film, which will be his first Bollywood role since 2016. The movie, directed by Aarti Bagdi, will be filmed in London and Dubai.

    Pre-production is almost done, and filming is expected to start soon. Fans are excited to see Khan and Kapoor together on screen.

    Khan first made waves in Bollywood with his 2014 film ‘Khoobsurat,’ where he starred with Sonam Kapoor. His star continued to rise with roles in ‘Kapoor & Sons’ and ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil.’

    His return to Bollywood is generating a lot of buzz, and fans are eagerly waiting for more details about the film.

  • Will there be tax on graves in Punjab?

    Will there be tax on graves in Punjab?

    In a bid to clear the air around tax being imposed on graves in Punjab, the government has said that no ‘grave tax’ has been levied in Punjab and no proposal for such a tax is under consideration.

    Recently, a widely shared clip from Samaa News in 2019 resurfaced, which claimed that the government is imposing a tax for about 1500 rupees on the graves of adults and children in the budget for the next year.

    Asia Gul, Special Secretary for Local Government and Community Development in Lahore, told Geo Fact Check that the news is “fake”.

    “The local government department has neither initiated any such proposal nor has the government approved any such proposal,” she said.

    Aslam Nadeem, director of administration and finance at the Punjab Shahr Khumshan Authority, who is responsible for establishing model cemeteries across the province, also confirmed that he has not seen any such proposal and was unaware of any tax on graves in the province.

    The Punjab budget for 2024-25 also has no mention of a tax on graves.

  • Vawda alleges Faiz Hameed had evidence of Khan’s involvement in May 9

    Vawda alleges Faiz Hameed had evidence of Khan’s involvement in May 9

    Senator Faisal Vawda has alleged that former Prime Minister Imran Khan, citing evidence provided by former director general Inter-Services Intelligence Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed, was responsible for creating political instability due to his direct involvement in the May 9 violence last year, Express Tribune reported.

    “Some time ago, I revealed that Imran Khan’s close associate, Faiz Hameed, provided evidence of Khan’s involvement in the May 9 vandalism,” stated Vawda.

    He further said, “This was not Faiz Hameed’s suggestion; however, Imran Khan was part of the entire scheme.”

    The senator clarified that the government doesn’t face any threats from a technocrat government or martial law but rather from the ongoing power struggle within the PML-N.

    He opined that the government should renegotiate electricity agreements with IPPs, saying, “These political parties were responsible for the agreements that ensure payments to IPPs regardless of power supply. Such contracts involve kickbacks.”

  • All passport problems to be resolved by September

    All passport problems to be resolved by September

    Director General (DG) Passport and Immigration Mustafa Jamal Qazi has announced that all passport-related issues will be fully resolved by September.

    During a briefing to the National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior, DG Passport mentioned that there have been complaints regarding delays in passport printing due to inactive machinery. Approval has been granted to procure e-passport machinery, and six new printers will also be installed for passport printing.

    DG Passport assured that steps are being taken to control the delay in the passport printing process, with a commitment to resolving all passport-related issues by September.

    He further stated that additional counters have been established in passport offices. The existing passport system, which is 20 years old, currently has 20 printers, out of which only 13 are operational. The issue of lamination papers, affected by the dollar rate, has been addressed.

  • Hamas announces ‘national unity’ deal with Palestinian rivals

    Hamas announces ‘national unity’ deal with Palestinian rivals

    Hamas announced Tuesday it had signed an agreement in Beijing with other Palestinian organizations, including rivals Fatah, to work together for “national unity”, with China describing it as a deal to rule Gaza together once the war ends.

    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who hosted senior Hamas official Musa Abu Marzuk, Fatah envoy Mahmud al-Aloul and emissaries from 12 other Palestinian groups, said they had agreed to set up an “interim national reconciliation government” to govern post-war Gaza. “Today we sign an agreement for national unity and we say that the path to completing this journey is national unity. We are committed to national unity and we call for it,”

    Abu Marzuk said after meeting Wang and the other envoys. The announcement comes more than nine months into the genocide.

    Israel’s retaliatory military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 39,000 people, also mostly civilians, according to data from the health ministry in Gaza.

    The relentless fighting has plunged Gaza into a severe humanitarian crisis. China has sought to play a mediator role in the conflict, which has been rendered even more complex due to the intense rivalry between Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, and Fatah, which partially governs the occupied West Bank.

    Israel has vowed to keep fighting until it destroys Hamas, and world powers, including key Israeli backer the United States, have scrambled to imagine scenarios for the governance of Gaza once the war ends. As Tuesday’s meeting wrapped up in Beijing, Wang said the groups had committed to “reconciliation”.

    “The most prominent highlight is the agreement to form an interim national reconciliation government around the governance of post-war Gaza,” Wang said following the signing of the “Beijing Declaration” by the factions in the Chinese capital.

    “Reconciliation is an internal matter for the Palestinian factions, but at the same time, it cannot be achieved without the support of the international community,” Wang said. China, he added, was keen to “play a constructive role in safeguarding peace and stability in the Middle East”. Beijing, Wang said, called for a “comprehensive, lasting and sustainable ceasefire”, as well as efforts to promote Palestinian self-governance and full recognition of a Palestinian state at the UN.

    Hamas and Fatah have been bitter rivals since Hamas fighters ejected Fatah from the Gaza Strip after deadly clashes that followed Hamas’s resounding victory in a 2006 election.

    Fatah controls the Palestinian Authority, which has partial administrative control in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Several reconciliation bids have failed, but calls have grown since October 7, with violence also soaring in the West Bank, where Fatah is based.

    China hosted Fatah and Hamas in April, but a meeting scheduled for June was postponed. China has historically been sympathetic to the Palestinian cause and supportive of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

  • SBP to introduce digital currency in Pakistan with technical support from IMF, World Bank

    SBP to introduce digital currency in Pakistan with technical support from IMF, World Bank

    In a media briefing held today in Karachi, Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Salimullah, announced that the central bank is currently evaluating the introduction of a digital currency.

    This project is being pursued with technical support from the World Bank, in collaboration with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

    Salimullah highlighted that efforts are underway to link Pakistan with 60 countries, including those in the Middle East, to enhance remittance flows.

    Looking ahead, the governor revealed that the Raast payment system will be integrated with the Arab Monetary Fund’s cross-border payment platform, Buna, by next year.

    Buna facilitates secure, cost-effective, and transparent transactions for financial institutions and central banks across the Arab region and beyond, enabling payments in both Arab and major international currencies.

    The integration with Buna is expected to provide 60 million Pakistanis living abroad with the capability to transfer funds instantly and at minimal costs, significantly boosting economic and financial connectivity.

  • ‘Pray to be wealthy’; Naumaan Ijaz defends lavish Ambani wedding

    ‘Pray to be wealthy’; Naumaan Ijaz defends lavish Ambani wedding

    Veteran Pakistani actor Nauman Ijaz has responded strongly to critics of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant’s lavish wedding.

    Nauman took to Instagram to defend Mukesh Ambani and his family. Sharing a smiling picture of himself, the actor addressed the critics directly. “I don’t understand why people are criticizing Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant’s wedding,” Ijaz wrote.

    He urged people to stop criticizing the wedding, saying that it is the Ambani family’s money, happiness, and life, and they should be allowed to enjoy it.
    Ijaz advised critics to ignore the wedding if they cannot be happy for the Ambanis. He stressed that giving negative opinions is not appropriate.

    The actor also suggested that critics should “pray to become wealthy enough to afford such a wedding.”

  • Fiza Ali gives tough love to teen seeking relationship advice on live show

    Fiza Ali gives tough love to teen seeking relationship advice on live show

    Fiza Ali is known for being outspoken but did she recently cross lines with a girl who asked her for advice?

    During a live show, the television host got angry at a young caller who asked for love advice. This heated exchange is now trending on social media.
    The viral video shows a teenaged girl calling into Fiza’s show, sharing that she has feelings for a boy and asking for advice and a spiritual solution to win his love.

    The 18-year-old caller said that although she has strong feelings for the boy, he doesn’t show any interest in her.

    Fiza Ali, clearly frustrated, asked the girl her age and then lost her temper.

    Turning to the religious scholar on the show, she questioned the moral values of society and why such issues need to be discussed. The scholar responded that proper upbringing is crucial and parents must pay more attention.

    Fiza did not hold back, calling the girl shameless for bringing up such a topic on live television.

    “There should be a limit to shamelessness,” she said, adding that the girl’s parents should be embarrassed.

    After calming down, Fiza advised the girl to focus on her education and make her parents proud instead of getting into a relationship.
    She also emphasized the importance of being a good role model for younger siblings.

    The intense moment has sparked a conversation online, with people divided over Fiza’s reaction and the girl’s request for advice.

  • How did therapy help Sonya Hussyn heal her bond with her father?

    How did therapy help Sonya Hussyn heal her bond with her father?

     
    Actress and model Sonya Hussyn has captivated audiences with her talent and beauty, but her journey to stardom was not without its challenges.
    During an interview with ‘Zarbardast’, Sonya Hussyn was asked by the host, Wasi Shah, “Any regrets in life?”
     
    Talking about her hard childhood and her strained relationship with her father, Sonya Hussyn said, “I didn’t realize the impact of my parents’ troubled marriage on my relationship with my dad until much later. Growing up, their problems affected my bond with him, and our relationship was always rocky. It wasn’t until I got into a relationship years later that my ex pointed out that I was seeking the protection and comfort that a girl typically finds in her father. It was a psychological phenomenon that I didn’t understand at the time, but it’s very common. I had to seek help to work through it.”
     
    “I decided to tell my father I loved him as an adult, and it was a really touching moment for both of us. He cried a lot, and I could see the depth of his feelings.” Hussyn added.
     
    Talking about her reconciliation with her father, Sonya said that since then, she has been trying to make up for lost time and strengthen the bond as much as possible. “Although my father isn’t very expressive, he shows his pride and support for me and my accomplishments in his own ways, and that means the world to me.”

  • Time for nation to stand against ‘digital terrorists’, says DG ISPR

    Time for nation to stand against ‘digital terrorists’, says DG ISPR

    Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) addressed a press conference today, stating that the entire nation needs to stand up against “digital terrorists.”

    “Digital terrorism is being carried out on social media. The army is standing up against terrorists and digital terrorists. The time has come for the entire nation to stand up against them,” he stated.

    He underscored that critical national issues were being politicized in the country, referring to Azm-e-Istehkam as an example.

    “Azm-e-Istehkam is a comprehensive and integrated counter-terrorism campaign, not a military operation per se as it is being presented,” the DG ISPR said during a press conference in Rawalpindi.

    He further said, “Azm-e-Istehkam is not a military operation. Why is Azm-e-Istehkam being made controversial? There’s a strong lobby which wants the objectives of Azm-e-Istehkam not to be fulfilled. It is being politicized.”

    Meanwhile, the military spokesman also dismissed rumours that the establishment had no role in the recent Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan’s (TLP) protest: “There’s so much fake news that people keep saying whatever they want to. Since the protesters cleared the area peacefully, it was being claimed that there’s ‘someone’s hand’ behind it.”