Tag: shahzeb Khanzada

  • Exclusive: Shahzeb Khanzada writes crime drama starring Saba Qamar, Faysal Quraishi

    Exclusive: Shahzeb Khanzada writes crime drama starring Saba Qamar, Faysal Quraishi

     Renowned journalist Shahzeb Khanzada is stepping into the entertainment world with his first ever scripted project.  

     The ace journalist, known for hosting Geo’s flagship Aaj Shazeb Khanzada Kay Saath, has penned a crime drama that promises suspense and intrigue.


     
     Known for his hard-hitting news coverage and sharp insights, Shahzeb is now exploring the art of storytelling in the world of television dramas. 

    Shahzeb’s first ever yet to be titled crime thriller is being produced by 7th Sky Entertainment and directed by Wajahat Hussain Syed. Sources confirms that Saba Qamar and Faysal Quraishi have joined the cast.


      
    The highly anticipated drama is set to air soon on Geo Entertainment, and viewers can’t wait to witness Shahzeb Khanzada’s thrilling debut in the entertainment industry. 


     
    Fans of Khanzada’s investigative reporting can now expect the same intensity and depth in his dramatic storytelling. 

    Wajahat Hussain Syed has directed popular dramas such as, Do Bol, Ishq Jalebi, Khuda Aur Mohabbat 3, Chaudhry and Sons, Khaie, and most recent Faraar.

  • Geo Anchors fight it out for News Anchor Muhammad Junaid’s love

    Geo Anchors fight it out for News Anchor Muhammad Junaid’s love

    Geo News Anchors Hamid Mir and Shahzeb Khanzada are in awe of News Anchorperson Muhammad Junaid for his reporting of election results during Geo’s election transmission.

    It all started with Managing Director of GEO News, Azhar Abbas who posted on Twitter, “There is a reason why Junaid is so good in Marathons, whether it’s running or marathon transmissions (almost three hours non-stop announcing results).

    Shahzaeb Khanzada retweeted this response by writing “230 minutes and counting.. no break, no mistake, no fumble and only he knows how he manages to breathe in between.”

    Didn’t end there as Hamid Mir went a step ahead with the appreciation and tweeted, “Our marathon runner news anchor Junaid created a record by speaking non-stop on Geo News since last three hours without any fumble. He is announcing results of #Election2024 with full speed and energy.”

    Investigative Journalist Fakhar Durrani also posted an appreciation note stating “hats off to you.”

  • Who said NO to a civil award this year?

    Who said NO to a civil award this year?

    On June 18, Dawn News’, Snaullah Khan tweeted that a senior anchor has refused the presidential award being offered by the government, stating that it goes against his professional responsibilities. He then asked his followers to guess, the name of the TV host, including Kamran Khan, Hamid Mir, Sohail Warraich, Nadeem Malik, Shahzeb Khanzada, Saleem Safi, Chauhdary Ghulam Hussain in his list of probables.

    On August 13, Sanaullah mentioned while quoting his previous tweet that he has been following the process of awarding of civil honours for a long time and has observed that a lot of journalists use their connections to be nominated for the award, but Geo’s Shahzeb Khanzada refused the prestigious award after it was offered to him, stating that it might impact his neutrality.

    Sources told The Current that Shahzeb Khanzada was informed about his name being recommended for the civil awards back in May. He politely declined, saying he doesn’t want his impartiality to be questioned as he is a professional and would like his work to remain professional and unbiased.

    Khanzada’s fellow journalists are applauding him on the decision.

    Dunya’s Ajmal Jami called Khanzada’s refusal “commendable”.

    Journalist Asad Ali Toor stated in a tweet that he is proud of Shahzeb Khanzada.

    Editor Investigation at Hum News, Zahid Gishkori, commended Khanzada’s decision while mentioning that something similar was done by his executive former editor Zia ud Din.

    Journalist and Columnist Shahnila Ammar Sikandar mentioned that journalist Talat Hussain also refused to take Pride of Performance award during Nawaz Sharif’s government.

  • ‘Siyaasatdaan khud masaail hal karein’:COAS ‘rejected’ Khan’s request for meeting

    Despite Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders continuous claim that thier Chairperson Imran Khan is not seeking a meeting with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir, anchorperson Shahzeb Khanzada reported that the former prime minister had indeed sent a message to the army chief.

    Speaking on Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath’, the host said that General Asim, in a meeting with the top 10 businessmen of the country, said that PTI chief Imran Khan sent him a message seeking a meeting.

    Khanzada further said that Gen Asim replied that it was not his job as army chief to meet politicians.

    “General Asim asserted that the army would neither interfere in politics nor would play any role in it,” said Khanzada. The army chief maintained that he would not interfere in political matters and the political leadership itself should resolve its issues.

    Speaking in the programme, senior anchorperson Hamid Mir said President Arif Alvi had tried to arrange a meeting between Gen Asim and Imran Khan.

    The army chief told the president that he wants to stay away from politics, Mir added.

  • ‘Can we talk my Lord?’; Saqib Nisar denies, then confirms Khan contacted him

    ‘Can we talk my Lord?’; Saqib Nisar denies, then confirms Khan contacted him

    Former Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar has given contradictory statements about communicating with former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan.

    Nisar told journalist and anchorperson Adil Shahzeb of Dawn News that he had had no contact with Khan. However, he agreed that he had been in touch with former spymaster General (retd) Faiz Hameed.

    Adil Shahzeb, while speaking on Geo News program ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’, said that he talked to Nisar at 10AM on March 6 and the ex-CJP asked if he would lobby for Imran Khan as if his character was any less than the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief. “Are my capabilities and intelligence levels any less than Imran Khan’s that I would lobby for him?” Saqib Nisar was quoted as saying by the journalist.

    It was shocking for me, Adil said on the show.

    However, while talking to journalist Zahid Gishkori of Samma News, the former CJP confirmed that he had, in fact, spoken to Imran Khan.

    Gishkori tweeted the supposed conversation between Nisar and Khan.

    “Can we talk my Lord? Which time is convenient to talk?” read Khan’s text sent to Nisar some two weeks ago, as per Gishkori. It was 8PM when Justice Saqib Nisar responded, “You’re welcome.” 

    Gishkori while speaking on Shahzeb Khanzada’s show, said that Khan asked for Nisar’s help in the court cases filed against him, to which the former CJP responded: “I can’t help you”.

    “It is a difficult time for me,” Khan reportedly said, at which the ex-CJP reiterated that he wouldn’t be able to help the PTI chief out. 

    “I advised him that you are a former Premier and are targeting institutions and that he shouldn’t weaken institutions with unnecessary criticism,” the former CJP was quoted as saying by Gishkori.  

    The CJP also reportedly warned Khan about trouble if he continued with his ways.

  • ‘Should embrace each other with all their hearts’: Sindh governor calls upon all MQM factions to unite for Karachi

    ‘Should embrace each other with all their hearts’: Sindh governor calls upon all MQM factions to unite for Karachi

    Governor Sindh Kamran Tessori has called upon all the factions of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) to unite on a single platform to resolve the issues of Karachi.

    Talking to Shahzeb Khanzada on Geo News‘ show ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’, Tessori said: “Being the governor of Sindh, I can only request my friends. I cannot force anyone. And I request them because Karachi is a friendly city for everyone but there is no one who is friendly to Karachi.”

    Tessori said that the city of lights had become a city of criminals. “I requested Mustafa Kamal when he visited the Governor’s House. My aim is to develop this city and to facilitate its residents,” he said on the show.

    “Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui is the leader; he leads the MQM and he will be leading the party in the future,” said Tessori, adding that he can’t play a political role but he will request the leaders of PSP, MQM and Farooq Sattar to join hands.

    “I requested my friends that rather than criticising each other they should become workers of this city and serve the people. Upon my request, Mustafa Kamal and Farooq Sattar have agreed. They also agreed on the leadership of Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui. Neither Farooq Sattar nor Mustafa Kamal raised objections to Siddiqui’s leadership. They spoke respectfully. They respect Siddiqui,” the governor said.

    “I have no idea how quickly they will move to make a [unification] decision, but if it were to happen, it would have to be sustainable and based on the will of Karachi’s residents,” he asserted.

    Asking that all factions “embrace eachother with all their hearts”, the Governor said he had asked the other leaders to put aside their egos and work for the betterment of the city and its people.

    He said that he sees no intervention by institutions in political matters. “I took the initiative and there is no intervention of the establishment or institutions [in the unification of MQM factions].”

  • Responding to Khan, Shahzeb Khanzada has 11 questions

    Responding to Khan, Shahzeb Khanzada has 11 questions

    As details of the sale of Toshakhana gifts come to light, senior journalist Shahzeb Khanzada has raised 10 questions that he wants former Prime Minister Imran Khan to answer.

    After Khanzada’s sensational interview with Dubai-based businessman Umar Farooq Zahoor, who claimed to have bought the state gifts from Farah Khan, Imran Khan wrote, “Enough is enough,” and said that he would sue Geo and the journalist in Pakistan, UAE and United Kingdom.

    Shahzeb Khanzada then appeared on Geo News‘ and told Imran Khan and his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) that all stories are aired on the channel after due diligence and he was ready to accept the PTI chief’s challenge.

    Speaking over the phone with Geo News, Khanzada said, “We always run a story after complete investigation. It isn’t our responsibility to find out to whom the gifts were sold; Imran Khan’s responsibility is to tell the people.”

    The journalist asked if Khan believes that Zahoor was a “fraudster”, then why does he have the gifts? “If [Khan] did not sell the gifts to him, then whom did he sell them to?”

    Khanzada said that every time he hosts a show about PTI, he makes sure that the party’s leaders are invited, but they never accept the invite.

    “We will face the PTI chairman in any court he wants to go to,” Khanzada reiterated.

    Khanzada asked that Khan answer 11 essential questions:

    1. Why were the gifts sold via Farah Gogi for $2 million dollars?

    2. If Imran Khan did not sell them, how did they reach Umar Farooq?

    3. If the gifts were not sold to Umar Farooq Zahoor, then who were they sold?

    4. Was the money brought to Pakistan after the gifts were sold?

    5. If the money was brought to Pakistan, where is the banking transaction?

    6. If the money was not brought to Pakistan, where is this massive amount of cash?

    7. Why were the transactions shown at nearly Rs. 60 million in papers and not at Rs. 280 million?

    8. Did Imran Khan evade filing taxes on the sale or did he hide the money trail by not disclosing these transactions?

    9. In 2019, the gifts were priced at over Rs. 1 billion. Why were the gifts bought from Toshakhana by only paying slightly over Rs. 20 million?

    10. Why was the national exchequer dealt damages of more than Rs.1 billion?

    11. Why does Imran Khan choose to defend Farah Khan himself?

  • ‘Geo & Khanzada supported by Handlers slandered me’: Khan on Toshakhana gifts

    ‘Geo & Khanzada supported by Handlers slandered me’: Khan on Toshakhana gifts

    Imran Khan, Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has finally addressed the sensational revelations that came to light on Tuesday about the alleged sale of state gifts given to him when he was the Prime Minister.

    Taking to his twitter account, Imran Khan wrote, “Enough is enough,” about Geo News‘ Shahzeb Khanzada’s interview with Dubai-based businessman Umar Farooq Zahoor. The millionaire revealed on the show that he had purchased the watch and other items gifted by Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman to Imran Khan.

    “Yesterday Geo & Khanzada supported by Handlers slandered me through a baseless story cooked up by a known fraudster & internationally wanted criminal. I have spoken to my lawyers & I plan to sue Geo, Khanzada & the fraudster not only in Pak but also in UK & UAE [sic],” tweeted Khan.

    Zahoor claimed in the Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’, that the PTI government had sold the expensive Graff wristwatch for $2 million in cash, worth approximately Rs280m at the time of sale in 2019.

    Zahoor claimed that he had bought the watch through former accoun­ta­bility minister Shahzad Akbar and Farah Khan, a close aide of Imran’s wife Bushra Bibi.

    The Dubai-based businessman also claimed that Farah wanted to sell the watch for $4-5 million “but after negotiations, I purchased it for $2 million”. The payment, he added, was made in cash on Farah’s insistence.

    The claims evoked outcry from PTI leaders, including Akbar, who denied Zahoor’s allegations.

    In a press conference alongside PTI leader Zulfi Bukhari, PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry said the party has decided to initiate legal proceedings against Zahoor as his claims were baseless.

    “In 2018, the Saudi crown prince gifted a watch to Imran Khan and the controversy over the watch’s price has been going on for a while now,” the former federal minister said.

    Chaudhry said the watch was priced at Rs100 million, and in line with the law regulating Toshakhana, Khan sold it for more than Rs50 million in the market and filed capital gain tax on it.

    Divulging the details of Toshakahana’s procedures for purchase, the PTI leader said when the gifts given to state officials arrive in Pakistan, they are deposited into Toshakhana.

    “The law states that 20% of the gift’s value should be deposited in the national exchequer. We amended the law and made it 50%,” he said.

    Defending the former prime minister, Chaudhry said the gift items were not sold to the Dubai-based businessman and Bushra Bibi’s friend had no role in their sale.

    “The watch was not sold to anyone named Umar Zahoor. The watch was not handed over to Farah for sale and she has no role in it,” he said, as he levelled allegations against the millionaire.

  • ‘Workers ko kaha hai ke Imran Khan ko dekh kar gharri chor, Toshakhana chor ke naray lagaayein’: Rana Sanaullah

    Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has said that he has instructed his party workers to “chant slogans of gharri chor (watch stealer) and Toshakhana chor,” whenever they see Imran Khan, Chairman of their rival party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

    During an appearance on Geo News’ programme “Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath,” the federal minister said: “He is the biggest thief, the most corrupt. Mei nay apnay workers ko kaha hai yeh [Imran Khan] aap ko jahan bhi nazar aye, gharri chor aur Toshkhana chor ke narey is ke khilaf lagaye jain.” (I have told my workers that whenever they see him [Imran Khan], they should chant ‘watch thief’ and ‘Toshkhana thief’ slogans against him.)

    On Thursday, Khan was heckled with gharri chor chants within the vicinity of the civil courts in the provincial capital of Punjab.

    The federal minister was of the view that Khan should feel pain when such slogans are raised against him. “He only knows the politics of hate as he calls his opponents thieves and continues his loose talk against them”, said Sanaullah.

    He also hinted towards the possibility of negotiations between the government and PTI over the election date. He said both parties could find a middle way.

    Moreover, Sanaullah claimed that Imran Khan wants to be the establishment’s ladla (favourite) again, however, he added that the establishment won’t agree to it.

    About the long march, the minister said, “Imran Khan has no popularity, it is all propaganda”. He also warned that PTI will face difficulties if they try to enter secure areas.

  • Shahzeb Khanzada calls out Maryam Nawaz for her ‘fascist’ tweet, says she needs to apologise

    Shahzeb Khanzada calls out Maryam Nawaz for her ‘fascist’ tweet, says she needs to apologise

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz’s insensitive tweet about senior journalist Arshad Sharif made headlines with people from both sides of the political divide condemning the content.

    “I don’t feel good re-tweeting this but this is a lesson for mankind that we must all imbibe,” the PML-N leader wrote in a tweet along with a photo of Arshad Sharif’s coffin at the airport.

    The original tweet, retweeted by Maryam, claimed that the anchorperson used to say Nawaz Sharif had sent her late mother back home in a parcel, adding that Arshad Sharif used to make fun of other people’s death and now his time had come.

    https://twitter.com/MaryamNSharif/status/1584836576080990208?s=20&t=8K-rN6nu7wepgsk3p-A1fw

    Twitter was ablaze with not just the public but many renowned journalists condemning the act by the PML-N leader.

    After several hours, Maryam deleted her tweet and apologised on Twitter.

    Her tweet said, “My tweet was not aimed at mocking someone but about learning our lessons from the past. I am undoing the tweet and apologise for the hurt it may have caused to the aggrieved which never was my intention. May no one ever have to go through this pain. Prayers for the bereaved family.”

    Geo News’ anchorperson Shahzeb Khanzada was one of those who condemned the tweet and said that it is full of vengefulness and fascism.

    He further called out the PML-N leader and said that she needs to delete the tweet and apologise because she has hurt Arshad’s family who is still waiting for the arrival of his body.

    Senior journalist Hamid Mir also corrected Maryam Nawaz by posting an old tweet of Arshad’s in which the slain journalist had wished Kulsoom Nawaz recovery when she was ill.