Pakistani writer Mohammed Hanif has announced that he would no longer attend a Goethe Institute conference being held in Hamburg, Germany, after Mohammed El-Kurd, a Palestinian writer and poet, was disinvited. The conference is to be held from June 23 to 26.
“Withdrawing from @goerheinstut’s Hamburg conference where they first invited and then disinvited Palestinian journalist and poet Mohammed El Kurd. Reason is even more offensive. Apparently Kurd is not respectful enough towards Israel. How do you say bugger off in German?,” wrote Hanif.
Withdrawing from @goerheinstut’s Hamburg conference where they first invited and then disinvited Palestinian journalist and poet Mohammed El Kurd. Reason is even more offensive. Apparently Kurd is not respectful enough towards Israel. How do you say bugger off in German? 1/3
“Mohammed El Kurd’s house was taken over by settlers when he was elven. Kurd and his sister Muna have been protesting since they were children. Haven’t read much Goethe but I don’t think he wanted the world to be respectful towards a ruthless apartheid regime,” Hanif wrote in another tweet.
Mohammed El Kurd’s house was taken over by settlers when he was elven. Kurd and his sister Muna have been protesting since they were children. Haven’t read much Goethe but I don’t think he wanted the world to be respectful towards a ruthless apartheid regime.2/2
Hanif was invited to talk about the Dynamics of Right Wing Structures.
I was supposed to speak about Dynamics of Right Wing Structures. While doing a survey of such structures around the world, may be @goetheinstitut should have a good look at itself. Can you really have such a conversation after silencing a key witness like Mohammed El Kurd? 3/3
Goeth Institute on June 17 tweeted that El-Kurd was “not an appropriate speaker for this forum: in previous posts on social media, he had made several comments about Israel in a way the Goethe-Institut does not find acceptable”.
After some consideration, the Goethe-Institut decided that Mohammed El-Kurd was not an appropriate speaker for this forum: in previous posts on social media, he had made several comments about Israel in a way the Goethe-Institut does not find acceptable – (3/6)
Kurd is an internationally acclaimed award-winning writer from Jerusalem-occupied Palestine. His work has been featured in numerous international outlets and he is currently the Palestine correspondent for The Nation. RIFQA, his debut collection of poetry, was published by Haymarket Books.
Kurd has been quite vocal about Israeli occupation and atrocities in Palestine.
Actor Anzela Abbasi took to her instagram handle to shut trolls for criticising her vacation pictures with aunt Anoushay Abbasi. The duo shared pictorial and video posts on social media from their Dubai getaway which received backlash.
Now Anzela has reacted to it by saying that there is nothing to be shocked about their viral pictures and videos.
Anoushay recently celebrated her birthday in Karachi with her close friends. The Galati diva took to her Instagram account to share pictures from the birthday party.
“Birthday with the homies!,” she captioned the post.
Actor Iqra Aziz has opened up about her childhood spent playing on the streets of Saddar in a close-knit neighbourhood, as well as her struggles growing up with the burden of a strained relationship with her late father in an interview with a digital magazine.
On being asked if she had any apprehensions when it comes to motherhood, the Raqeeb Se star reflected, “As far as the fear is concerned, I wasn’t really scared. I had always wanted to get married and I always wanted to have a baby. I have always loved kids. I would always be around them and take care of other people’s babies. In fact, [Yasir and I] were left waiting since Kabir was a little late.”
Speaking about being a working mother, Iqra stressed the importance of being practical. Explaining how she has had to make some tough choices to ensure her son’s well being, Iqra shared, “I am a very practical person… I harden my heart and keep my emotional side under control. You always want to keep your child in your arms and cuddle them. I have Kabir’s cot in my room. I want to hug him while I sleep, but then I have to stop myself. I think it’s important for him to have his own bed.”
Elaborating on how society may judge her for her decisions, Iqra asserted the necessity of her actions, “People would probably question what kind of mother I am. There are a lot of judgments passed around… I have to raise my child according to my routine.”
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Sharing how her mother is her greatest support, the Ranjha Ranjha Kardi actor added, “I’m blessed to have a mother who tells me that I don’t need to feel guilty. You always have that mom guilt when you leave your kid somewhere and go to work… I started working after Kabir was barely one month old. My mother told me I don’t need to be hard on myself because this is the career that I have worked so hard for and that she’s there to help… Your child will learn what it means to be independent from you. You’re a role model.”
When asked whether motherhood has affected the kinds of roles she opts for, Iqra stressed how her personal life and career exist in completely separate realms. She explained, “My personal life, my husband or my child, they don’t come in between me and my work. They don’t affect who I am as an actor. That is a separate part of my life. My target with regards to the kinds of scripts I pick mainly has to do with whether they relay a certain type of message that betters the lives of the audience, the kind that aren’t just about weeping daughters-in-law. They have to be strong characters.”
Speaking about strength, Iqra also opened up about her mental health struggles, and the strength and mental clarity gained through therapy. The actor reflected on her difficult childhood, sharing that she started therapy at the age of 14, which led to her mind opening up in ways she had not previously imagined. She shared, “I went to therapy because I had a rough childhood. I was three years old when my father came back to Karachi from Saudi Arabia. I had never seen him. I used to believe my taya was my father. When he came back, it was very tough for me to trust him. He was strict as well, I only got nine years with him, so not much could be done then. I was 12 when I lost him. I was 14 or 15 when I started therapy.”
The actor shared that her childhood growing up in Saddar with the freedom to roam the streets led to her developing street smarts that have helped her in her career as well. She shared, “I grew up going out into the streets in Ramazan and playing on rides because the area is so busy. I have spent my life there, and my mother and grandmother had also lived their whole lives in the area. We lived there for over 30 years. Everyone knew us… I am so thankful that I got to live that life. I have seen that phase. I know how to be street smart and I know how to deal with people. I know how to conduct myself when I go out into the crowd.”
Iqra added, “Being shy is something else, but when [I’m] given the platform to say something, I am nervous but I can do it. It gives me that confidence.”
When asked whether she’s ever felt camera-shy, Iqra recalled the first and only time she did. The Qurban divarecalled, “The first time I did a TVC, my sister went with me and it was a stop-motion ad. I was alone and I had to give expressions in front of the camera… I saw that there were so many people around me and they would all have their eyes on me, so I got anxious and started crying. I was 14 at the time, and I told my sister I couldn’t do it. She encouraged me to keep going and I did. After that, there was no turning back.”
Earlier in her interview with BBC she got candid about growing in a three bedroom flat.
When the Suno Chanda star appeared on HSY’s chat show, she revealed that her mother was the first female Uber driver in Pakistan.
Actor Zoya Nasir has opened up on her divorce in a chat with an online magazine.
Despite growing up as the daughter of Nasir Adeeb, the scriptwriter known mostly for creating the universe of Maula Jutt, Zoya wasn’t allowed to pursue acting as a career. She eventually repressed her passion and joined Sabs, the beauty salon, as a junior partner and became a full-time beautician.
Zoya talked about the backlash she faced over her weight and the challenges of defeating the persistent nepotism and lobbying in the industry. The starlet also talked about her divorce and advocated for young girls to have a career and an independent outlook at life before marriage.
“While I don’t want to get into details, it’s important to share that I was 19 when I got married. He was 8 years older than me. I was so young, even for my age, that I didn’t know how to take a stand for myself or how to greet people as a bahu,” Zoya recalled, highlighting the struggles of teen marriages.
“I wasn’t a partner in my marriage, I was a kid, given responsibilities. My world was so small at the time that I’d succumbed to anything they’d ask of me. I never reflected on who I was as a person, I just became how people wanted me to. I’d accept mistakes even when I wasn’t at fault. When I got divorced, my family realised that it wasn’t the right move for anyone that young. I needed to broaden my horizon.” She went on to urge elders everywhere, “Do not marry teen girls. Let them see the real world and know themselves. Otherwise, they’ll spend their lives being inferior to people all the time.
Zoya was engaged to vlogger Christian Betzmann too but called it off earlier last year because of his problematic statements against Palestine and Pakistan.
The 35-year-old also narrated how her salon was hired to do hair and makeup for a channel’s film festival, which eventually led to her venture into the realm of acting. “It was then that Sonya (Khan) jee and Salman Iqbal saw me mimicking and thought I was cut out for it. In that moment, all my repressed dreams of acting reappeared and suddenly I figured, I’m an adult now, I don’t need my family’s approval to do this, so I said yes. We had a few meetings, they offered me a lead role in Hania and now I’m here.”
While Zoya is grateful she was cast in a lead role alongside actor Junaid Khan in the 2019 drama, she wouldn’t advise the move for newcomers in the industry. “I wish I didn’t start like that. I made a mistake. I didn’t know anything at that time. Now that I’ve worked with Farhan Saeed, Hadiqa Kiani, Bilal Abbas, I’ve seen how they do their homework. They know everything from lights to production and of course, their character. I’ve learnt so much that I can see my mistakes in the serial,” she admitted.
“I wouldn’t recommend a lead role to anyone as a newcomer in this world. Even if you have contacts, don’t take them. Work as a side character with notable actors, that way the pressure eases and you learn enough to stand out when you get a lead role,” added Zoya.
Despite her convincing talent, Zoya has had her fair share of challenges too, including harsh criticism about her appearance. But the Deewangi actor isn’t bothered by people spreading negativity around her. “People have often said that I do not have the face of a heroine, that I don’t look the part. I ask you to define a lead actor. Define a heroine. Can a fat, [not fair] girl not have a story to tell or is it not worth listening to? I never take offence to the statement because the definition of a lead actor is flawed here.”
Sharing incidents from when she had to take a stand against the industry embedding stereotypes, she narrated, “I went to the US for some work and came back tanned while I was working on this serial. The show makers gave a horrific reaction. They told me they’d offer me whitening injections on the house but will not tolerate the “dark, ugly” colour. It was insane. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I refused straight away.”
Zoya also lost a project while standing up for her beliefs. “I had signed a web series where I had to play a girl who is under any illusion that she’s beautiful but in she isn’t. The producer asked me to put on a black foundation. I refused and said I’ll wash my face if you do this because dark skin doesn’t equal to ugly. He told me that it was either his way or the highway. I took the highway and walked out.”
Another challenge that the actor faced was the prevailing system of lobbies. “My inspiration is Hiba Bukhari. She didn’t come from a lobby and yet took over the industry with her talent. I want to be able to defeat the lobby too. I wish to go beyond the tag of nepotism and prove my acting, because honestly if you know someone in the industry and ask them for a lead role, you get it easily. There are fewer (female) actors than male ones.”
But irrespective of the challenges, the Zebaish actor is grateful to be at a phase where she can choose projects according to her liking. Overwhelmed with the love she gets from fans, she shared that once a lady thought of her as Hania (from her debut drama) and gave her duas at a hospital. “I had a panic attack and was taken to the hospital. An old lady thought of me as Hania and gave me prayers for my recovery. That moment still stays with me.”
Earlier she appeared on Neo TV’s show G Sarkar, in which the Zebaish star reveled that her mother was abducted for thrice when she was a sitting MPA. She continued by adding that the kidnappers used to take her to a barren area and leave her there.
The Dobara diva confessed that she feels scared to travel on motorway because of her mothers frequent abductions.
Zoya also shared a disturbing encounter with criminals in Karachi, she said that when she was coming back from a shoot, gunpoint robbers stopped her car and she got so afraid that she ran out of the car screaming, and due to her screaming the muggers went away.
Earlier, Zoya Nasir clapped back to a troll on Instagram for criticising her choice of dressing. A netizen commented unpleasant remarks about her choice of dressing in her birthday picture.
On the work front, Zoya was last seen in ARY’s Meray Apnay.
Chupke Chupke fame actor Hira Soomro took to her Instagram handle to share her stance on the on-going Sana Javed controversy.
The young star stated that there is a division of status amongst celebrities and that is needed to be considered during professional collaborations.
She also cited Bollywood star Kareena Kapoor’s example and said that even she will not share her space with a newcomer.
It is to be noted that the behavior of Pakistani film and drama actress Sana Javed has been called inappropriate by other personalities of the industry, while several posts made by other artists on social media also went viral.
Model Fareeha Sheikh wrote a 4 page long note against Sana Javed on her Instagram account after which there were queues of posts against Sana’s negative attitude.
In her post, Fareeha Sheikh termed Sana Javed as unserious and said that “she is not the only victim of Sana Javed’s bad behavior but there are many others like her.”
Talking about the incident that happened to her, Fareeha Sheikh said that Sana Javed does not like to see any other artist in front of her and she needs special protocol, she looks down on others.
Make-up artist Ikram Gohar has also said about the incident that happened to him: Not knowing how to do it, Sana Javed stopped him from using the bathroom of his house for 4 hours, forcing him to go to a nearby restaurant and use the bathroom.
Actor Hira Mani has penned down an emotional note for her father who passed away in September 2021. The Kashf star turned singer is currently in quarantine. Hira announced three days ago that she has tested positive for Covid’19.
“Nahee samney ye alag baat hae Mere pass hai tu mere pass hai mere saath hae .”
“Jab bhe main beemar houti thi abbu mere pass houtay thay !! Lekin abbu mujhay bohat strong bana kay gaye hain !!! Alhumdulilah… app Mera sub kuch hain abbu ❤️”
Mere abbu ko app sub apni duaon main yaad rakhyega Allah kay pass hain sukoon main hain main jaanti hun ❤️”
The Nikkah ceremony of the duo was held in Karachi on Friday. The Inteha-e-Ishq pair took to their Instagram to share photographs from the dreamy ceremony.
Actor Areeba Habib tied the knot in an intimate nikah ceremony on (December 31). The actor took to her instagram to share pictures from her big day. The bride looked radiant in traditional red Jora. The actor termed her look as “dream look.”
Have a look at the pictures from her dreamy wedding:
Host and actor Nida Yasir is currently vacationing with her son in United States. She took to her Instagram stories to share pictures from her winter vacation with her youngest son Balaj Nawaz.
The Nadaaniyaan star made sure to give her fans and followers a sneak peek into her travel diaries.
Have a look at the pictures:
Earlier, this year in June the internet was flooded with pictures of Nida and Yasir Nawaz’s Turkey vacation.
Google has honoured legendary comedian Moin Akhtar on his 71st birth anniversary with a doodle.
The veteran artist got fame from Radio Pakistan along with names like Bushra Ansari and Anwer Maqsood. He used to work in plays for radio. Angan-Terha was one of his most popular drama. Loose Talk was a milestone in his career where he featured in over 400 hundred episodes playing different characters.
Akhtar was awarded the Sitara-i-Imtiaz and Pride of Performance Award in 1996. He died from a heart attack on April 22, 2011, in Karachi.
People on social media are also remembering the legendary artist on his birth anniversary:
Surprised but loved seeing Moin Akhtar`s doodle on Google Pakistan`s main page. I want to reshare a short story about someone who I really admired as an artist and human being. Back in 2011, I was interning at Haleeb Foods and one day when I sat in my car to leave, I got text pic.twitter.com/rrt67ACRVi
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