Tag: trending

  • Robina Khan claims assault on Nabila Salon makeup artist was justified: Mushk Kaleem, models slam attack as ‘disgusting’

    Robina Khan claims assault on Nabila Salon makeup artist was justified: Mushk Kaleem, models slam attack as ‘disgusting’

    On Sunday night, several prominent models like Mushk Kaleem, Ifrah Humayun, Javeriya Haif came forward to condemn the brutality inflicted upon a makeup artist working with Nabila Salon, Bryan William. Model Mushk Kaleem was the first person to break the news, and said that model Robina Khan had her husband assault Bryan on set, because he had refused to carry her personal belongings during the shoot, describing it as something that “appalled” her.

    “Imagine, you’re shooting in peace, and someone’s husband and his goons bring weapons with them, and start physically assaulting someone while you’re shooting. Appalled. Baffled. Disgusted. I hope this model’s name comes out. I hope no designer,/ model/ photographer ever works with her. Also hoping the Nabila team takes corrective measures and protects its employees.”

    Several other models soon came forward to express their solidarity with the makeup artist, and demanded that Robina Khan is banned from working with prominent designers or photographers.

    ‘I know the MUA myself!” wrote Ifrah Humayun. “This act is not acceptable at any cost! This woman needs to be banned and be told that she cannot fuck around with people if she has a coward man and armed people around her.”

    Nabila Salon released a short statement on their Instagram page, where they wrote the brand would work with professionals who value the dignity and safety of their employees.

    Other makeup artists have also come forward to express their solidarity with Bryan, as the instagram user makeupwithshainal wrote:

    “We makeup artists are not your servants. If we kindly refuse to hold your personal belongings may it be a piece of jewellery or anything please accept our request because if that item is mis placed, we get the first accusation saying that we stole it etc as we are the first people to see and deal with models…We are not your servants so please deal with us in a respectful manner.”

    Robina Khan, the model who had led the assault on the makeup artist, has released a statement, alleging that the assault was justified because the makeup artist in question called her a “do takay ki model.”

    ‘The argument started when I requested a makeup artist to carry my phone when I was ready for my shot on shot today. He blatantly said that he was not going to do that and that ‘do takay’ ki model like me should take care of her own stuff and also swore at me, that made me so upset so I in turn swore at him.”

    “I am sure no respectable husband would tolerate anyone abusing at his wife for no reason and when he arrived to pick me, he asked who misbehaved with me and this makeup artist in question very rudely said it was him and what was his problem. My husband got flared up because of this makeup artist’s condescending behavior and slapped him as he said no one has the right to misbehave with his wife this way.”

  • Son gifts mom dolls that she wanted as a kid

    Son gifts mom dolls that she wanted as a kid

    A video of a woman’s reaction to her birthday present from her son has left people emotional. The woman received several dolls from her son – the ones she always wanted as a kid.

    The video was posted on the Instagram page GoodNews Movement along with a sweet caption. “Healing the inner child: She had dreamed of owning these dolls since she was a child. For her birthday, her son fulfilled that dream,” it reads.

    The video opens to show the woman picking her dolls one by one and gently lining them on a table, tears rolling down her eyes while opening her gifts.

    Since being posted, the clip has accumulated close to eight lac views and counting. Additionally, the video has been shared over 40,000 times. People posted varied comments while reacting to the video.

  • ‘Happy that a Pakistani won’: Saroj Devi, Neeraj Chopra’s mother

    ‘Happy that a Pakistani won’: Saroj Devi, Neeraj Chopra’s mother

    Neeraj Chopra’s historic gold and Arshad Nadeem’s record achievement as the first Pakistani to secure a medal in the World Athletics Championship are milestones in their respective careers.

    When a journalist asked Chopra’s mother about his win over Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, trying to give an India vs Pakistan narrative to the historic moment, her answer was all love and has gone viral on social media.

    “Look, all have come to play in the field. One or the other will definitely win. So there is no question of being from Pakistan or Haryana,” she said.

    “It is a matter of happiness. Even if that Pakistani had won, there would’ve been great happiness,” she added.

    While Neeraj and Nadeem engage in fierce competition on the field, both young athletes share a profound camaraderie beyond the arena. Beyond the thrill of rivalry, their off-field friendship has been evident through mutual appreciation and support on various occasions. The heartwarming connection serves as a poignant reminder of how the spirit of sportsmanship can not only bridge the gap between nations but also serve as a potent tool in minimizing conflicts.

    In February 2016, the two competed against each other for the first time in the South Asian Games at Guwahati. While Chopra won the gold with a throw of 82.23, Nadeem took the bronze with 78.33 m. The second time the duo faced each other was at the Asian Junior Championships in Vietnam, where Chopra won the silver with a throw of 77.60 m and Nadeem claimed the bronze with 73.40. The India-Pakistan rivalry was seen at the World U-20 Championship in Poland, where Nadeem missed out on qualifying for the final with a throw of 67.17 to finish at the 15th spot. Chopra won that U-20 world title with 86.48, setting a new world U-20 record.

  • More than 60 government officials close to PPP added to stop list

    More than 60 government officials close to PPP added to stop list

    The names of more than 60 Sindh government officials close to the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) have been out on the stop list, Azaz Syed has reported for The News. The name of Mukesh Chawla, a PPP leader and former provincial minister, is also on the list.

    According to the report, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is conducting an investigation against Sindh PPP leader Mukesh Chawla, asking that he be added to the stop list.

    These officials will be investigated by NAB Karachi, Azaz Syed has said.

    On the other hand, according to a report filed by Hasnaat Malik in The Express Tribune, the gap between PPP and the security establishment has grown after the dissolution of Sindh Assembly.
    PPP was unhappy to see that government officials on prominent posts were being transferred during the caretaker government, the report said.

  • ‘I asked is this related to the motorway incident’: Hadiqa Kiani on motorway rape survivor statement

    ‘I asked is this related to the motorway incident’: Hadiqa Kiani on motorway rape survivor statement

    Intense backlash rose on Monday when journalist Fereeha Idress revealed how the drama ‘Hadsa’ was similar to the horrific motorway rape crime, stressing that the survivor was traumatised after seeing her ordeal being depicted online without her consent. Now actress Hadiqa Kiani has responded to the backlash with a lengthy statement where she clarified that initially while reading the script, she had found a lot of similarities between the crime and the storyline, but agreed to do the project after several discussions with the writer.

    “When I was asked to do the role of Taskeen for Hadsa my first question was ‘Is this related to the motorway incident?’ ‘Is this based off the true incident?’ – I made it clear that I would not do the project if it was based off anyone’s story. The team behind the project explicitly told me ‘No’. After many conversations with the team and only after reading the script I understood that Hadsa was not related to or based off on the motorway story.”

    The ‘Janaan’ singer then shared how necessary she felt it was to do a project like Hadsa which was about how rape was a reality of the world that we live in.

    “These are the realities of the world we live in. I have sadly been exposed to so many stories like this one but I can say that Hadsa is not based off on any one’s story, but based off on a sickly common part of our reality.”

    While we appreciate the fact that Hadiqa recognised the reason behind the backlash and came forward to give her side of the story in, the reality remains that the team behind ‘Hadsa’ should have done a better job in executing such a sensitive topic. If the actress had felt in the beginning while reading the script that it was quite similar to the 2020 crime, it should have been her duty right away to step away from a project that was profitting off from the misery and trauma of a survivor, or even chosen to consult her to keep them in the loop.

    Also, ‘Hadsa’ team should have consulted with experts about depicting sensitive topics- such as calling rape a “misfortune”‘, or displaying acts of violence and sexual abuse so graphically, so that rape and sexual abuse survivors are not forced to relive their trauma.

    Actress Hadiqa Kiani is starring in a new drama series ‘Hadsa’ which depicts the life of a headstrong woman, who is raped while travelling with her son on an empty highway. Many users since the drama began airing, pointed out how the drama’s storyline was similar to the horrifying motorway rape case of 2021, when a woman travelling on motorway with her two children was assaulted and raped by two men infront of her two children. The drama is written by Zanjabeel Asim Shah, and directed by Wajahat Rauf, and stars Aly Khan, Romaisa Khan, Khaqan Shahnawaz.

    Journalist Fereeha Idress, who reported the account of the anonymous survivor, has now taken to X, formerly Twitter, to slam the makers behind ‘Hadsa’ for violating the privacy of the lone survivor, who revealed that the makers, nor the star-studded cast and crew, had approached her for consent on making a drama about a horrifying ordeal she had undergone.

    In a lengthy statement, Fereeha said the survivor, Z, had tried to keep her and her family’s identity protected, after undergoing the trauma, but was once more triggered by the depictions in the show.

    “They have made a drama on my life,” Fereeha tweeted Z told her. “As if I am nothing, no one asked me, it’s same, they are showing the same things, oh my God! Why didn’t I die before reliving this again? You know , I didn’t sleep after the incident for many many nights and it’s all back now, I haven’t slept a wink since I saw this terrible, horrendous depiction of the most terrible moments of my life which I so want to forget. It’s unbearable, I start shivering every day at 5 pm because I know the drama is coming at 7 pm. Why are they doing this to me?”.

    The journalist slammed the creators for forcing the survivor to re-live the trauma and not taking into consideration the ordeal she, her loved ones, including the children had gone through. Rather than allowing her to heal and tell the incident on her own choice, they made a drama out of it.-

    “The moment the drama episode goes on air, all comments start talking about motorway incident. Can’t they let me forget about this? They have followed my life. Isn’t this harassment? How they traced things in my life when I was so clear of keeping everything so private? My in laws must be watching it, my brother in law, my mother, my neighbours, oh my God! No one even cared to ask me? I am not dead yet! Do they want me dead? Can’t I just forget about this and move on?”

    In the next tweet, Fereeha wrote that Z, the survivor, was in extreme distress, speaking to the journalist on the phone. The drama had forced her to re-live the ordeal all over again.

    “My question is when everyone knew I never wanted to come in the limelight, why was I thrown into it again and again? So many known people, celebrities, politicians etc wanted to come and meet me or talk to me post incident, but I always declined because I wanted my privacy and didn’t want anything else but the culprits punished. Is it all about making money? Does no one care what I am going through by this triggered trauma? What my kids and husband will be going through? Do they even know how I am spending my life? Everyday is a struggle. I am being thick skinned and staying alive only for my children. They didn’t even care for my children. Do you know my kids have not forgotten..”

    Z requested the journalist to get the drama stopped, so that she would stopped being approached by public figures or being recognised as the ‘motorway wali’.

    “Can you pls get this drama stopped? Can Pak pls help me stop this? It’s like whole world is watching my misery and pain as I am reliving it. Pls tell them to make this once I am dead, I am alive right now or did they think I would have died? And pls not even after my death as I have children, they can make this after we have all died”

    There has been no response from the makers behind the drama, or from the lead star Hadiqa Kiani and the rest of the actors on this accusation.

    This is not the first time Pakistani dramas have been accused of ripping of the trials and ordeals of survivors, without taking consent from the family members or giving them a portion of the profits earned. Previously, it was Bhaagi, starring Saba Qamar, which was accused for depicting the life of the social media star Qandeel Baloch, without the consent of her family members. As Nighat Dad tweeted the father of the murdered star, Azeem Baba, was informed by other villagers that a drama was made on his daughter’s life.

  • No country has raised concerns regarding polls delay, says Foreign Office

    Following reports of senior diplomats expressing reservations regarding the delay in polls in Pakistan, while mentioning that it could have negative effects on Pakistan’s relationships with democratic nations, the Foreign Office said it has not yet received any such communication from any capital, sources told The News.

    If a country raises any doubts and concerns, the authorities can address them, the Foreign Office said.

    If elections are delayed beyond February next year, then that might invoke serious consequences for the country. “Frankly, if elections are delayed beyond February, it will be extremely difficult for us to maintain the same level of bilateral engagement with Pakistan as we are doing now,” a source told Express Tribune.

    It is believed that in case of delay in elections, western countries, might revisit their cooperation with Pakistan. This could negatively impact Pakistan’s engagement with US-led financial institutions, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
    Not only Western countries want timely elections but they also want a level playing field for all the political parties. “This is something we will be keeping a close eye on,” said another diplomatic source, referring to media restrictions and crackdown against certain political parties.

    Meanwhile, FO Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch clarified that she has no knowledge of any messages from any capital on this matter, as the positions of Pakistan and other countries on the issue are already known.

    The sources revealed that the government is well aware of the European Union’s (EU) stance and the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) perspective on the matter. If parliamentary elections are deferred without valid reasons, the Generalised System of Preferences Plus (GSP+) trade facility could come under scrutiny.

    It has been reported that United States Ambassador to Pakistan, Donald Blome, and some other senior Western diplomats had held meetings with high-ranking officials in Pakistan, including caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar and Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja.

    These meetings were aimed at gaining first-hand assessments of the situation. It is understood that these countries have closely followed the developments in Pakistan regarding election preparations and maintained communication with relevant parties to emphasise the preservation of a democratic environment.

    The sources noted that Pakistan has adequately briefed important capitals on the post-dissolution developments in national and provincial legislatures. The government has assured these capitals that the action will strictly adhere to the Constitution and law. The restriction to hold elections within 90 days following assembly dissolution, as stipulated in the Constitution, has been communicated.

    The sources highlighted that the ECP had recently clarified that there are no intentions to delay elections once the delimitation process concludes. Speculation arose that updating electoral rolls based on new delimitations could lead to further delays.

    The electoral body dismissed the concerns, explaining that updating electoral rolls and delimitation can proceed concurrently, as this is not an uncommon practice and would not cause any delay in elections. The ECP has already set December 14 as the deadline for completing the constituency delimitation process, and the enrollment of new voters will also be completed by this deadline.

  • ‘Hadsa’ writer Zanjabeel Asim Shah refutes allegations from motorway rape survivor

    ‘Hadsa’ writer Zanjabeel Asim Shah refutes allegations from motorway rape survivor

    After Hadiqa Kiani, the writer behind the controversial drama ‘Hadsa’ has come forward to address allegations that the script is based on the horrific motorway rape case, in which a woman was gang-raped in 2020 in front of her young children. Episode 5 of the drama shows the female lead, Taskeen, and her son driving down a highway at night when their car suddenly stops. Soon after, a group of men arrive who subject the female lead to torture and rape. Journalist Fereeha Idrees called the story a serious violation of privacy, and demanded that PEMRA shut down the show for exploiting a survivor’s trauma for ratings, without her or her family’s approval.

    Now, in a conversation with BBC Urdu, the writer has denied these allegations, pointing out that every woman, regardless of her background, can suffer from rape:

    “The similarity is just a coincidence. Every woman who goes through this incident, whether she is rich or poor, or whether she comes from an educated family or not, will get affected. Our dramas speak about our sufferings and our situations.”

    ‘When you fight this war, you’re also getting your catharsis,” he said.

    Zanjabeel went on to discuss writing on other topics like child sexual abuse and said that sometimes, drama scripts can bear resemblance to real life cases.

    “I have shown a young son who was getting married. We often say that a woman is going out alone, but she would still be helpless even if her husband went with her.”

    Since the allegations by Idrees went viral, on X, formerly Twitter, the hashtag #banhadsa began trending, with social media users criticing the cast and crew behind for violating the privacy of the rape survivor, and called for PEMRA to ban the drama. To which, Zanjabeel had responded:

    “PEMRA had banned my drama ‘Pyaar Ke Sadqaay’ too. But does this mean girls are not abused inside their homes? PEMRA had annoyed even Bee Gul so much over her drama ‘Darr Si Jaati Hai’. If they keep doing this, then should we only make dramas about saas-bahu conflicts? If we can’t make dramas about sensitive topics, then should we only make romance dramas,” he asked.

    Hadiqa Kiani released a statement on her social media account, saying that when she first read the script there were similarities with the motorway rape case, but after discussions with the writer and team, she understood that the drama was entirely different.

    Her statement was slammed by social media users, who demanded that she stop gaslighting survivors of rape and trauma.

  • Miley dedicates song to Sinead O’Connor, ending dispute with late singer

    Miley dedicates song to Sinead O’Connor, ending dispute with late singer

    Pop star Miley Cyrus has dedicated her song ‘Wonder Woman’ to Sinead O’Connor during an ABC concert special ‘Endless Summer Vacation: Continued (Backyard Sessions), ending a decade long dispute with the late Irish singer.

    In 2013, the two songstresses engaged in a public clash when Miley’s ‘Wrecking Ball’ video came out. O’Connor wrote an open letter to Miley advising her not to “obscure your talent by allowing yourself to be pimped” by the industry. “None of the men ogling you give a s*** about you either, do not be fooled,” she wrote.

    In response, Miley shared a list of tweets by the late singer, and compared her to the actress Amanda Bynes, who was publicly struggling with her mental health at the same time. O’Connor had been open about mental health struggles, especially the time she spent in psychiatric hospitals. The late singer slammed Cyrus for the response, writing:

    “You have posted today tweets of mine which are two years old, which were posted by me when I was unwell and seeking help so as to make them look like they are recent… In doing so you mock myself and Amanda Bynes for having suffered with mental health issues and for having sought help. I mean really really… who advises you?”

    Now, in the concert special, the former ‘Hannah Montana’ star reflected on the feud, confessing that she wasn’t prepared to be publicly humiliated by another woman, especially one who had been in her position before- but also apologised because she wasn’t aware of Sinead’s fragile mental health state:

    “I was expecting there to be controversy and backlash, but I don’t think I expected other women to put me down or turn on me, especially women that had been in my position before,” said the ‘Flowers’ singer. “This is when I’d received an open letter from Sinead O’Connor, and I had no idea about the fragile mental state that she was in, and I was also only 20 years old, so I could really only wrap my head around mental illness so much. All that I saw was that another woman had told me that this idea was not my idea.”

    “Our younger childhood triggers and traumas come up in weird and odd ways, and I think I’d just been judged for so long for my own choices that I was just exhausted, and I was in this place where I finally was making my own choices and my own decisions, and to have that taken away from me deeply upset me,” she continued. “God bless Sinead O’Connor, for real, in all seriousness.”

  • With ‘Midsummer Chaos’ Season Two returning, here are some meme-worthy moments from Season One

    With ‘Midsummer Chaos’ Season Two returning, here are some meme-worthy moments from Season One

    After a hilarious season one, Ahmed Sarym has announced that his web series ‘Midsummer Chaos’ is set to return once more on September 9 for the second season. This time, the show will feature a whole new cast. The short series revolves around the lives of teenagers in high school dealing with mental health, depression, parental relationships and social media influence. The trailer for the second season released online yesterday and already has 1.9k likes on YouTube.

    But since some of y’all might need to recall all of the hilarious moments from the previous season before sitting down to binge a new one, you must remember how the internet broke when the series was released in 2021

    We’ll take charge and share some of our favorite moments from the previous season, which featured actors like Khushhal Khan, Meher Bano and Mamia Shahjaffer.

    1 Episode One will remain iconic in Pakistani pop culture history because of the hilarious phadda between Harris and Sameer.

    2. Gossip girl but set in Islamabad’s upper class circles.

    3. Everyone, even your five year old brother, was quoting ‘Alyna I love you’ after this episode.

    4. This entire dance sequence in the end of episode 2 was memed to infinity the second the internet got a hold of it.

  • Toshakhana case: Bushra Bibi gets bail till September 12

    Toshakhana case: Bushra Bibi gets bail till September 12

    An accountability court has granted bail to former First Lady Bushra Bibi until September 12 in the Toshakhana case, in exchange for surety bonds of Rs500,000.

    Bushra Bibi has been accused of keeping a locket, chain, earrings, two rings, and a bracelet from Toshakhana state gifts.

    According to a report in Samma News, she is also accused of keeping a gold and diamond necklace and bracelet, as well as gold and diamond ring, earrings, and bracelet.

    According to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), the gifts were not given to the Toshakhana for fair price calculation.