Tag: trending

  • ‘Show empathy’: Mia Khalifa defends Malala Yousafzai over response to Palestine genocide

    ‘Show empathy’: Mia Khalifa defends Malala Yousafzai over response to Palestine genocide

    As Israel launches full scale war on Palestine, many celebrities, including prominent faces in Pakistan, have expressed outrage and sent solidarity to the Palestinian people. Among the Pakistani public figures, a few social media users were critical of Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousafzai.

    Former adult star Mia Khalifa defended the activist after a Pakistani twitter user praised Mia on Twitter for vocally sending her support to Palestine, and commented on Malala’s silence on the issue.

    ‘You spoke more than our Noble Peace Prize winner Malala and earned huge respect for this act,” the user wrote.

    To which Mia had responded:

    “I appreciate your sentiment, but I don’t agree with this rhetoric. We need to be more empathetic to people’s traumas and ability to absorb and digest things unfolding in real time. Freezing is a trauma response, feeling overwhelmed is common, and we need to give people time to speak on their own time. Malala is a trailblazer for human rights, she’s an inspiration and a guiding light for many.”

    Many applauded Mia’s empathetic response.

  • Shah Rukh Khan’s security upgraded after extensive death threats

    Shah Rukh Khan’s security upgraded after extensive death threats

    Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan has been provided with Y+ security by the Mumbai Police, including six armed security personnel guarding the actor around the clock.

    The actor filed a complaint with the police and the Maharashtra government after two of his films, ‘Pathaan’ and ‘Jawan’, broke box office records.

    This is not the first time the actor has been given death threats from the underworld. Filmmaker Sanjay Gupta recalled in September that the Bollywood Badshah was subjected to bullying during the 90s from underworld dons, but he continued making films. “Goli marni hai mar do, par tumhaare liye kaam nahi karoonga. Main pathan hoon,” Gupta recalled him saying.

    Shah Rukh Khan is not the only star who has recieved death threats from gangsters. In June, a gangster who went by the name Goldy Brar, who took responsibility for the death of rapper Sidhu Moose Wala, told India Today that he will kill Salman Khan.

    READ MORE: ‘Salman Khan is next’: threat from gangster who claimed to kill Sidhu Moose Wala

    Goldy Brar, who goes by the name Satindeerjeet Singh, revealed that the ‘Tiger’ actor was being targeted for his involvement in the killing of the black buck, a sacred animal in the Bishnoi community.

  • ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’: Celebrities extend support as war rages on in Gaza

    ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’: Celebrities extend support as war rages on in Gaza

    As war rages on in Gaza, celebrities from Pakistan came forth in throngs to extend their solidarity to the Palestinian community, offering prayers to see them free from the oppressive Israeli occupation.

    Celebrities from Pakistan arrived in throngs to extend their solidarity to the Palestinian community, and are praying in their lifetimes to see a free country removed from the oppressive Israeli reign.

    Actress Saba Qamar wrote the rallying cry for Palestinian freedom: “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!”

    Veteran actress Nadia Jamil applauded a clip where the Palestinian representative Husam Zomlot gave an interview to the BBC.

    Actress Armeena Khan lauded the bravery of the Palestinian people who were prepared to fight with all they had for their freedom.

    “The Palestinians, in my opinion are the bravest people on planet earth. Zero support and the entire world against them. My God, I am terrified for the little children about to lose their lives. Sigh..”

    Actress and VJ Anoushay Ashraf prayed that the international community would do more to help the Palestinian cause:

    “Goodness violence begets violence..I wish the world would do more to help Palestinian’s cause so we wouldn’t see such bloodshed.”

    Actress Ushna Shah expressed her disappointment with how many celebrities and politicians she had to unfollow after witnessing their reaction to the ongoing genocide of Palestinians

    “The amount of Hollywood celebrities and propaganda news publications I’ve had to unfollow…” she tweeted.

  • Notices issued to Bajwa and Faiz over ‘controversial’ interviews

    Notices issued to Bajwa and Faiz over ‘controversial’ interviews

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has issued notices to former Army Chief General (retired) Qamar Javed Bajwa and former ISI Chief Lieutenant General (retired) Faiz Hameed over allegations of violating rules by giving interviews after their retirement, where they are accused of misrepresenting events.

    The notices were issued in response to a complaint filed by a private citizen named Atif Ali.

    The petition says that journalists Shahid Maitla and Javed Chaudhry conducted interviews with Bajwa and Faiz for the sake of viewership which had a “negative impact” on society. The petitioner said that he had been taken aback when he saw the articles as they could “pollute” society. It added that the garb of freedom of expression was used for a “criminal act”.

    The petition further alleges that events were misrepresented in the interviews and that the “criminal act” was conducted through connivance between the journalists and the generals.

    The petition says that the interviews portrayed a negative image of the institution and tried to create a rift between it and the people of Pakistan. Copies of the articles have also been attached to the petition.

    In addition to Gen. Bajwa and Lt. Gen. Hameed, notices have also been issued to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) and the Press Association of Pakistan. Two journalists, Shahid Maitla and Javed Chaudhry, who conducted the interviews in question, have also been summoned by the court.

    Islamabad High Court’s Chief Justice, Aamer Farooq, in a written order issued on Monday, expressed dissatisfaction with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for not responding to the petitioner’s repeated requests to file a complaint.

  • Imran Khan objects to treatment in Adiala jail

    Imran Khan objects to treatment in Adiala jail

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s attorney, Salman Safdar, said on Monday that the former Prime Minister has objected to the way he is being treated at Adiala jail.

    Salman Safdar said that Imran Khan has been kept in jail like any other prisoner.

    “The chairman protested that he was provided with a room where it was difficult to live. It is also difficult to move or walk in the cell,” said Safdar. He added that he felt that the PTI chief’s blood pressure was high during today’s hearing.
    “The PTI chief strongly protested during the hearing in the court,” said Safdar.
    Moreover, Imran Khan’s attorney requested that the trial be conducted in an open court so that the public could be aware of it, adding that it is not “right” to conduct the trial in jail.

    On the other hand, Khan’s other lawyer, Sher Afzal Marwat, has said that Imran Khan and PTI’s vice chairman, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, were standing in a “cage” during the hearing. Terrorists are not even presented before court in this manner, the indignant lawyer commented.
    The special court also announced that PTI leaders will be indicted in the cipher case on October 17.

  • Sajal Aly questions Lux Style Awards selection criteria

    Sajal Aly questions Lux Style Awards selection criteria

    The Lux Style Awards were met with criticism this year, with major film and drama actors speaking out against the unfair selection process that only seemed to recognise few of the best projects that came out this year. The production team behind the critically acclaimed film ‘The Legend Of Maula Jatt’ had justified their reason for not sending their nomination for the awards in a statement, that criticised the lack of categories honouring film directors and writers, “disregarding their major and substantial creative contributions, while including one for best playback song doesn’t resonate with our vision for comprehensive film recognition. Therefore, we’ve decided not to make an exception in this case.”

    Read more: Why wasn’t ‘Maula Jatt’ nominated for the Lux Style Awards?

    Several fans expressed their disappointment on Wahaj Ali’s, pointing out that the actor was not nominated despite having submitted his portfolio for the drama series ‘Jo Bichar Gaye’.

    Actress Sajal Aly took to Instagram to call out the selection jury, suggesting ways to improve their criteria so that deserving performances are given due credit. She questioned why several actors who gave excellent performances this year including Zara Noor Abbas for ‘Badshah Begum’ or Ushna Shah for ‘Habs’ weren’t given awards.

    “It is greatly dissapointing to me as an artist that LSA routinely ignores other artists who are doing great work. For example, Mehwish Hayat who was great in London Nahi Jaunga’. Zara Noor Abbas for ‘Badshah Begum’ and Ushna Shah for ‘Habs’. Who exactly are the jury members, do they watch our shows even? Or do they simply choose who is popular? It is one thing not to win an award but to simply be ignored even if you have done great work is heartbreaking!”

    Moving on, the ‘Kuch Ankahi’ actress requested the Lux Style Awards to include categories honouring the technical teams “who create magic for us, us actors and for the audiences who see us.”

    Lastly, the ‘Ye Dil Mera’ actress expressed her disappointment at Wahaj Ali’s snub from the Lux Style Awards, and called for a seperate category honouring supporting actors in films and actors to be set up.

    ‘My third request is: please add a way/caetgory to honor supporting actors. We have great actors who make our plays stronger because of their contributions. Let’s appreciate them please. PS: How could Jo Bichar Gaye not even be nominated?”

    Sajal Aly was not the only actress who expressed her disdain at the jury board, but Farhan Saeed, who was nominated for his performance in drama ‘Mere Humsafar’, but then lost to Arsalan Naseer for ‘Paristaan’, called out the awards in an Instagram post for refusing to honour actors for their hard work.

    “If you had to fix it , it could have been done intelligently at least #LSA2023 ! I don’t say this for myself but for anyone who deserves a fair chance at winning for their hard work at any platform, I say this to encourage ppl who aspire to join our industry! I say this to keep people’s faith in us intact !
    Nevertheless
    Your Love Is The Biggest Award I Have !!
    Congratulations to all the winners!”

  • Jinnah House Trial to be completed in 1.5 months

    Jinnah House Trial to be completed in 1.5 months

    In a recent development, Punjab’s Special Prosecutor, Syed Farhad Ali Shah, revealed that the Home Department has issued a notification to conduct the trial of the May 9 cases within the confines of a jail facility.

    Speaking about the matter, Syed Farhad Ali Shah stated, “The Jinnah House trial is set to be completed within a timeframe of one to one and a half months.” He also confirmed that the challan (charge sheet) has been submitted to the court.

    The notification issued by the Home Department specifies that not only the Jinnah House case but also the arson and siege cases related to Askari Tower and Shadman police station will be conducted within jail premises. The move aims to streamline legal proceedings and enhance security during the trials.

    In a related development, Justice Ali Baqir Najfi of the Lahore High Court (LHC), on Monday, directed Punjab government prosecutors to apprise the court in the Khadijah Shah case after taking directions from the government.

    The petitioner, through a lawyer, pleaded that she was unduly implicated in the May 9 riots incidents and Gulberg police station had illegally involved her in the case against the facts.
    “The Anti-Terrorism Court dismissed the bail by ignoring the facts,” Khadija Shah pleaded via her lawyer in the provincial apex court.

    Earlier, the LHC had conditionally dismissed the registrar’s objections to Khadija Shah’s bail plea, deciding to remove objectionable documents from the application and dismissing the objection itself.

    In another recent development, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) has ordered the release of Sanam Javed Khan, a prominent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) activist, and eight other party members in connection with the Jinnah House attack case. The decision comes after a series of legal proceedings surrounding the incident earlier this year.

    Presiding over the case, ATC Judge Arshad Javed announced the verdict, granting bail to the nine suspects involved in the Jinnah House attack. The court approved their bail pleas, requiring surety bonds worth Rs 0.1 million each, thereby paving the way for their release.

  • Sarwat Gilani announces her pregnancy in the most wholesome way

    Sarwat Gilani announces her pregnancy in the most wholesome way

    This year’s Lux Style Awards were more than just a ceremony celebrating the best of the entertainment industry. We got two sweet surprises that definitely became the highlights of the event.

    Actress Sarwat Gilani showed everyone how to leave a mark even when you’re not nominated, by announcing her pregnancy in a picture with the rest of the ‘Joyland’ cast.

    “Couldn’t think of a better picture to announce our new arrival! Celebrating together the biggest joy of now and the future.”

    Celebrities were as moved by the announcement as social media users, congratulating the actress on her impending bundle of joy.

    Mira Sethi and Frieha Altaf sent their congratulations to the actress.

    Sarwat was not the only celebrity to share her pregnancy announcement, however. Actress Urwa Hocane moved social media to tears when she shared a picture of herself and husband Farhan Saeed along with her visible baby bump, announcing that they were set to become parents for the first time.

    Celebrities like Zara Noor Abbass, Aiman Khan and Minal Khan congratulated Urwa for this wholesome announcement.

  • No restrictions on PTI: caretaker government

    No restrictions on PTI: caretaker government

    Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Murtaza Solangi, has asserted that there are no restrictions on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) contesting the upcoming general elections, emphasizing that announcing a date for polls is not the responsibility of the caretaker government.

    The election will be held on the date announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Solangi said, showing confidence in the ECP as an autonomous body mandated with conducting elections.

    The caretaker minister said that all the registered political parties have equal opportunities, including PTI. “All the parties and their leadership have the freedom to give their point of view on an important issue,” he added.

    “There are no restrictions on PTI as a political party,” said Solangi.

    Commenting on Nawaz Sharif’s homecoming on October 21, the caretaker information minister stressed that the interim setup has nothing to do with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo’s return.

  • ‘Did not draw inspiration from anyone’s work’: Hussain Rehar responds to plagiarism accusations

    ‘Did not draw inspiration from anyone’s work’: Hussain Rehar responds to plagiarism accusations

    Fashion designer Hussain Rehar has responded to allegations of plagiarism by Instagram art page Kook Studio, who alleged that the fashion designer stole their art pieces without giving credit. In a lengthy Instagram statement, the fashion designer wrote that his recent collection ‘Jugnu’ did not draw inspiration from any specific individual’s work.

    “Jugnu, a project in the making for over a year, derives its inspirations from traditional African embroidery designs. While there may be similarities in using the same monochrome palette, these elements are commonly found in various art forms across cultures. In an effort to maintain transparency, we are sharing all relevant images and references.”

    Hussain further wrote that his fashion brand was dedicated to “upholding the principles of artistic expression, cultural appreciation and ethical design practices. We hold the artistic community in high regard and are committed to resolving any misunderstandings in a respectful manner. We encourage open dialogue and look forward to ensuring that our shared passion for creativity continues to thrive.”

    Rehar then shared screenshots of his designs along with the pieces that he had used for inspiration.

    Addressing the backlash after the accusations went viral, Rehar wrote that it had taken a toll on his reputation as well as his mental health.

    “I urge everyone to pause and consider the consequences of reacting to a one-sided story. These comments and criticisms have a real impact on an individual’s life and mental health. I hope we can all strive for a more compassionate and empathetic online environment.”

    An online art store named Kook Studio has accused fashion designer Hussain Rehar of plagiarising their artwork.

    In a video shared by the account, the fashion designer requested the artist to collaborate on a fashion shoot.

    The next few screenshots have suggested that Hussain and the artist had met up to discuss the collaboration, but the fashion designer backed out after finding the artist’s fee too high.

    Then three months later, the designer allegedly plagiarised the same designs he referenced to the artist during their meeting.

    A Twitter user shared the video clip on their account, slamming the way big artists plagarise smaller designers.

    The video has gained traction and many users are expressing solidarity with the artist behind Kook Studio.

    A user wrote: “these big “designers” will suck out the blood of smaller designers by stealing or exploiting their craft. its almost impossible to rise as a designer until or unless you have the tag of a foreign brand with you. get outta this country asap.”

    “fffs man top rated designer stealing work of small artists? who are already under paid? is how the dumbing down of a society begins” another user wrote.

    The Current has reached out to Hussain Rehar for a statement and will update the article as soon as we receive it.