Tag: Top News

  • Hollywood has built an image of my country that I certainly don’t recognise: Mehwish Hayat

    Hollywood has built an image of my country that I certainly don’t recognise: Mehwish Hayat

    Mehwish Hayat makes Pakistan proud once again. The actor has received the Pride of Performance award from Norway’s Prime Minister Madam Erna Solberg for doing films which are based on women empowerment and for spreading the message of peace on multiple national and international platforms.

    Mehwish shared the video of herself receiving the award from Norway’s PM on Twitter. The host of the event gave her a stellar introduction and said that they are “proud to have her here in Norway.”

    Taking to the podium, Mehwish thanked the Norway PM and government for bestowing her the honour before speaking about films and regional peace.

    “It is fitting that we are here in Oslo this evening, the home of the Nobel Peace Prize,” Mehwish began. “Peace is something that unfortunately my country Pakistan has not known since its inception. We have been embroiled in one conflict or another for as long as I can remember. For us in Pakistan, peace has become a relative state of mind,” Mehwish said.

    She continued, “Even as I speak today, we are yet again in another conflict with our neighbours over Kashmir, which literally blew up last week.”

    Mehwish remarked that as an actor she could very easily just do her films and forget about the rest.

    “Cinema is a very powerful tool. It has the ability to change people’s mind, behaviour and attitude. I sincerely believe that Hollywood films and programs vilifying my country and portraying us as terrorists has had a profound effect on the psyche of the West. It has greatly influenced what people think of Pakistan.”

    Naming a few films, she commented that “Hollywood has built an image of my country that I certainly don’t recognise.”

    “A country branded a terrorist, we have lost over 70,000 lives and billions since 2001. That is more than any other country. But where is that being shown?” Mehwish questioned, adding that these films which portray a negative image of Muslims have fueled Islamaphobia.

    Mehwish then took on Bollywood. She said that it is one of the largest film industries in the world and they had the power to bring us [Pakistan and India] together.

    “But what do they do?” Mehwish said, “They make countless films showing Pakistanis as the villains. I have lost count of the number of films in the last year where Pakistan has been shown in bad light.”

    She said that she understands that one has to appear patriotic but if “we want some peace in the future, we as artists need to see beyond nationalism and take a stance.”

    She said that she believes that through films, we can present a more “nuanced picture” of the country. Mehwish said, “there is more to us than gun-breeding terrorists and subjugated women.”

    Mehwish then addressed India directly and said that they need to decide whether their nationalism is more important or a peaceful future is. She finished off her speech with a quote from Prime Minister Imran Khan, which was met with huge applause.

    “If they [India] are willing to take one step forward [towards peace], we are willing to take ten steps.”

  • QUIZ: Which Pakistani Flick Should You Watch on Eid?

    QUIZ: Which Pakistani Flick Should You Watch on Eid?

  • Priyanka Chopra’s response to a Pakistani woman on war infuriates people

    Priyanka Chopra’s response to a Pakistani woman on war infuriates people

    When a Pakistani woman confronted Priyanka Chopra at a beauty event in Los Angeles for warmongering, the actor did not have the wisest of response. In fact, her response came across as crass, callous and unbecoming of someone who is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.

    As Chopra was taking questions at BeautyCon, the Pakistani woman Ayesha Malik, called the Bollywood star a hypocrite for “encouraging nuclear war against Pakistan.”

    “So it was kind of hard hearing you talk about humanity because as your neighbour, a Pakistani, I know you’re a bit of a hypocrite,” Malik can be heard saying in the video posted on Twitter. “You tweeted on February 26, ‘Jai Hind #IndianArmedForces.’”

    Malik continued, “You are a UNICEF ambassador for peace and you’re encouraging nuclear war against Pakistan. There’s no winner in this. As a Pakistani, millions of people like me have supported you in your business of Bollywood and you wanted nuclear war.”

    However, the microphone was taken away from Malik before she could make any further comments.

    Priyanka started off her response by saying “Whenever you’re done venting … got it, done? Okay, cool.”

    She then said, “So, I have many, many friends from Pakistan and I am from India, and war is not something that I am really fond of but I am patriotic. So, I’m sorry if I hurt sentiments to people who do love me and have loved me, but I think that all of us have a sort of middle ground that we all have to walk, just like you probably do as well.”

    “The way you came at me right now?” Chopra remarked. “Girl, don’t yell. We’re all here for love. Don’t yell. Don’t embarrass yourself. But we all walk that middle ground, but thank you for your enthusiasm and your question and your voice.”

    Priyanka’s response and comments did not impress anyone and people were mostly infuriated with her condescending tone and attitude.

    Ayesha later took to Twitter to share her side of the story.

    In case you missed it, Priyanka in a tweet on February 26, cheered an announcement from India that it had launched airstrikes in Pakistan.

    The airstrikes escalated tensions between the two countries and everyone was fearing war. Tensions between the two continues are currently high again after India suspended Article 370 which granted Indian occupied Kashmir a special status.

    Meanwhile, Pakistanis have taken to Twitter to express their anger and disgust at Priyanka.

  • The Five-Hour Goat

    The Five-Hour Goat

    In 1996, farmers in the United States asked that the label of goat meat be changed to mutton since people were confusing it with sheep meat. That’s how underrated the goat was – and still is – in the United States. To promote the great goat in Europe, certain cities celebrate the month of October as Goatober. But the goat is still second, third, fourth-best to other animals. Even though it’s lower in fat than chicken and has more protein than beef. Basically, it’s pretty darn special but underrated.

    In the Middle East, special takes time but minimal effort. An age-old way to cook goat meat, a method that involves underground ovens and whole goats, still practiced in Arab countries, especially Jordan and Palestine. A skinned goat, with its head intact, is made to sit on a bed of potatoes and vegetables on a large silver platter and slowly lowered into the ground, into an oven with hot coals.

    The Goat is skinned and lowered into an underground oven with hot coals

    The oven is then closed with a lid and covered with the earth. Five hours later, it is slowly raised out, its meat divinely falling off the bone, its eyes, small black dots. In Jordanian and Palestinian culture, its tradition for the guest of honor to get the first bite of the goat tongue.

    Five hours later

    With a steaming goat, proudly displayed in the middle of the dining table, the host breaks open the jaws of the goat, rips out the tongue and tears out a piece. It is then presented to the guest of honor who has to eat it, with pleasure. Tradition also states that if the host presents a guest with the black eye of the goat, he is declaring enmity and showing his disdain towards the guest.   

     In the modern version, using a goat leg, make cuts in the leg and stuff the grooves with garlic cloves. In meat, you can never have enough garlic so use as many as you can fit in. Rub salt and pepper.  Using a large, oven safe pot, put the leg in with carrots, whole garlic heads, onions and potatoes. Add as much as six potatoes, three large onions cut in portions like the aloos in a biryani. Cook it in the oven on low heat, around 190 C for five hours. Keep checking to see if it’s drying out, and if it is, add water or better yet, add vegetable or chicken broth. Cook it until the meat fall off the bone. Tongue and black eye optional.

  • Locals claim that ‘djinns’ caused women to drown in Indus

    Locals claim that ‘djinns’ caused women to drown in Indus

    Five women drowned in the River Indus near Gilgit on Thursday. While local residents in Jaglot managed to recover the bodies of two women, the search for the remaining three is underway.

    According to the police, the women were washing clothes alongside the river when one of them slipped on the wet bank. The other four women, in their efforts to pull her out, were carried away by the current.

    However, locals and relatives of the women claim that “djinns” are behind the tragedy.

    Speaking to the media, a local man said that everyone in the family knew that one of the women was “possessed by a djinn.” and it was the djinn “who forced her to jump into the river.”

    The man further went onto say that people in the area were of the view that the women wouldn’t have died without any role of supernatural forces.

    Even at the funeral prayers of the two women, local clerics asked people to recite more verses from the Holy Quran to seek God’s forgiveness and save themselves from paranormal forces and the wrath of the djinns.

    Meanwhile, police officials dismissed the superstitions and said that “there is no such thing in the law.”

    Belief in supernatural powers is a common concept in Gilgit-Baltistan where families often seek help from Aamils (exorcists) in matters relating to health, marriage, etc.

  • Hamza Ali Abbasi is an ‘ISI agent’: Indian media claims

    Hamza Ali Abbasi is an ‘ISI agent’: Indian media claims

    Hamza Ali Abbasi’s stance on current affairs, especially regarding Kashmir, appears to have caused quite a stir across the border, so much so that the actor has been labelled an “ISI stooge” by Indian media outlets.

    Republic TV in a clip posted to Twitter said that Kashmiris are welcoming Article 370 while “a desperate ISI is using its stooges to spread fake news on Kashmir.” They went onto say that the television channel has identified multiple verified handles which are being used for information warfare. The media outlet called out Twitter for being biased and asked them to remove these handles.

    One of those “stooges” was Hamza who has been accused of trying to “destabilise the peace and calm in Jammu and Kashmir and create disaffection within the boundaries of India.” Pictures of Hamza with Hafiz Saeed were used as a backdrop to the conversation.

    Apart from being an actor, Hamza was also referred to as a “communal aide of Prime Minister Imran Khan”

    But here’s what Hamza had tweeted on Kashmir and Article 370.

    What’s even more interesting is that the Indian media claims that they have silenced the “fake news handlers” by exposing them, when in reality, the reason Hamza is not active on Twitter is because he has gone for Hajj.

    Meanwhile, the Indian media also accused Zaid Hamid of being a “convicted criminal.” Along with that, he was also called “an assault rifle-happy former Pak Army veteran-turned ‘security analyst’.”

  • Tips to stay healthy this Eid

    Tips to stay healthy this Eid

    Eid ul Azha is just around the corner and everyone is gearing up for the four days of meaty dawats. But there always is a risk of overeating which can cause uneasiness and nausea. Here are a few tips that can help you maintain your health and stomach this Eid.

    Avoid fried meat

    Try to consume meat which has boiled or grilled and avoid taking it in fried form as this increases the calories and leaves you feeling heavy. Barbequed tikkas and kebabs are an excellent choice of food on Eid.

    Go for a light walk

    Dieticians and doctors suggest eating your last meal 2 hours before sleeping. After some time, you can go for a long walk for almost 30 minutes to make sure that the food is digested. So you can go to bed feeling light and healthy.

    Take green tea after your meals

    Take a cup of green tea after every heavy meal. Green tea can helps to increase the metabolism rate. You can also take tea but without sugar.

    No fizzy drinks

    While it may seem a great idea to have fizzy drinks with your meal for digestion, the reality is the opposite. Fizzy drinks are full of sugar and do more harm to your body than good. Rather than having a soft drink, have a glass of lassi with mint leaves in it for better digestion. Buttermilk will not only improve the digestion process but will also make you feel fuller so you eat less.

    Add veggies to your meat

    Veggies are packed with vital nutrients and fiber which would make you feel full so that you can abide yourself by eating less high calorie and fats. Eat your meat with a side of vegetables or start your meal with a bowl of salad or stir fry veggies because then your belly would ask for very little malai boti or nihari.

  • Gandapur announces heading to LoC, leading from front if war breaks out

    Gandapur announces heading to LoC, leading from front if war breaks out

    As tensions soar on either side of the border, Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Ali Amin Khan Gandapur has announced heading to the Line of Control (LoC) and leading from the front if a war breaks out.

    Heavy troop movements reportedly continue along the LoC in both Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and the Indian occupied Kashmir (IoK) after India revoked Article 370 of its constitution last Monday.

    The move that snatched away the disputed territory’s autonomy, can lead to the ethnic cleansing of Muslims and ultimately result in the transformation of the region into majority-Hindu.

    READ: Articles 370 and 35A explained

    Speaking to a private media outlet, Gandapur on Friday eulogised those who had laid their lives for the Kashmir cause and said that if India imposed war, he would be in the forefront in fighting the occupying forces.

    “The entire nation stands in solidarity with Kashmir and if needs be, I will head to the LoC to fight the war,” the minister added.

    In an earlier statement, Gandapur had said that Kashmir was the country’s jugular vein and every Pakistani was ready to fight for it till death. He had further said that the country’s armed forces were ready to befittingly respond to any Indian misadventures.

  • PEMRA directs TV channels to not air Eid special shows

    PEMRA directs TV channels to not air Eid special shows

    The Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has requested news channels to not air pre-recorded or live special programmes on Eid-ul-Azha in solidarity with Kashmir.

    According to details, the electronic media regulator has said that airing of festive segments “may hurt sentiments of not only our nation but also of the Kashmiri brethren”. Hence the day will be “celebrated with simplicity as a religious event.”

    PEMRA told media outlets that August 14 will also be observed in “solidarity day with brave Kashmiris”.

    Meanwhile, August 15 will be observed as black day and the national flag will fly at half-mast. Media outlets have been requested to “turn their logos black and white throughout the day on August 15, 2019” to highlight Indian atrocities in Indian occupied Kashmir.

    On August 8, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has reiterated that no Indian movie will be screened in Pakistani cinemas. News channels had also been directed not to invite any Indian celebrity, politician, journalist, and analysts in their talk show for any kind of “comments” or “analysis”.

  • Indian guy dumps BMW in river after father refuses to buy Jaguar

    Indian guy dumps BMW in river after father refuses to buy Jaguar

    The son of a landlord in Haryana, India pushed his brand new BMW car into a river after his father rejected his request of buying a new Jaguar car.

    As per reports, the boy also made a video of himself pushing the high-end BMW car into the river and later posted the video on social media. The car got stuck in the middle of the river due to a patch of tall grass.

    Later, the youth was seen trying to get the car out of the river with the help of local divers. Local police have registered a case in the matter.

    It seems like the car is either a BMW 3-Series or a 5-Series meaning the cost of the drowned BMW is no less than 35 Lakh Indian Rupees which translates to more than 70 lakh Pakistani Rupees.