Considered a “senior leader” of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Javed Latif has passed sexist comments against former First Lady and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi.
In an apparent reference to Khan and his wife, he said, “The 72-year-old boy is saying that my 75-year-old wife was alone in the house in Zaman Park. The chaadar and the sanctity of the four walls have been violated.” He continued, “If she was alone in the presence of 200 terrorists, Should she be surrounded by 4000 or 5000 armed people for him to her consider safe?”
His comments came under fire on Twitter where a lot of social media users not only condemned the politician’s statement but also called him out in harsh words.
72 سالہ لڑکا کہہ رہا ہے کہ میری 75 سالہ بیوی زمان پارک گھر میں اکیلی تھیں چادر اور چار دیواری کا تقدس پامال کیا گیا ہے.اگر 200 تربیت یافتہ دہشتگردوں کے حصار میں بھی اس کی بیوی اکیلی تھی تو کیا اس کے ارد گرد 4,5 ہزار مسلح لوگ ہوں تو یہ اسے محفوظ سمجھے گا؟ وفاقی وزیر میاں جاویدلطیف pic.twitter.com/o3MfUfSUVa
Aurat March Karachi issued a statement, quote tweeting the clip. “We strongly condemn such sexist remarks against Bushra Bibi by a government representative,” stated the feminist group. “It is disgusting that political parties have normalised sexist attacks on women from opponent groups.”
“That this statement is coming from the party of Maryam Nawaz, who herself remains a victim of sexist slurs is all the more concerning,” continued the official statement.
“We demand the government and all political parties stop this misogynist tradition which targets women due to their gender. Such practice should lead to strict punitive action by [the] government as well as Election Commission.”
We strongly condemn such sexist remarks against Bushra Bibi by a government representative. It is disgusting that political parties have normalised sexist attacks on women from opponent groups. That this statement is coming from the party of Maryam Nawaz, who herself remains a.. https://t.co/nAdByipieg
— Aurat March – عورت مارچ (@AuratMarchKHI) March 20, 2023
This is not the first time that a politician sitting in a media gathering has used this kind of language for a woman.
The Current strongly condemns the PML-N leader’s remarks. This should stop NOW!
Former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has voiced concerns over the Indian team travelling to Pakistan for the upcoming Asia Cup.
Pakistan and India have locked horns over Asia Cup with Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) threatening Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that they will not travel to the host country for Asia Cup amid security reasons.
BCCI has proposed to Asian Cricket Council (ACC) to select a neutral venue for the tournament but PCB has stuck to its guns, stating that that they will also boycott travelling to India for the upcoming World Cup.
Former off-spinner Harbhajan Singh expressed his views on the matter in a recent interview, where he cited the current political crisis in Pakistan as reason enough for India to not go.
He was of the view that going to play in the neighboring country would not be safe for the Indian team, stating that the relationships between the two countries were not as good now as they were when both teams played a series last time.
He also referred to former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s repeated assertions about threats to his life as proof enough that Pakistan was not safe.
“I think India will not go to Pakistan and play the Asia Cup. Why is the situation not good? Something new is happening every day, even their former Prime Minister Imran Khan is not safe in Pakistan. In such a situation, why would the Indian team go to Pakistan and play in the Asia Cup,” he said.
There is no clarity about the venue of the Asia Cup marquee tournament as yet.
We are quite used to the stereotypical narrative that the best time to find success and wealth, especially love, is in your youth. Most of our dramas keep catering to the misogynist mindset that any woman who is 21 or older is too old to get married or live her life any more.
Very rarely do we see public figures debunk these misconceptions beautifully by teaching us that even in older age, you can keep on living your life and even find your soulmate. And there is no one who is aging with grace and celebrating life like Manzar Sehbai and Samina Ahmed are. The two thespians got married in 2020 when they were both in their seventies, and continue to prove that age is just a number.
Sehbai has moved social media to tears with the gorgeous birthday wish he sent his wife Samina, on his Instagram page and on Twitter, where he called her the most “courageous, loving and most caring of all the women I came across in my life.”
Happy birthday to my beloved wife. The woman i adore and love the most on this planet and beyond….She is simply unique in her own way….It has never been easy for her but she never ever gave up. She is the most courageous…loving and caring of all the women i came across in pic.twitter.com/NK7I0YiwGB
But this isn’t the only time Sehbai proved there is no one who loves his wife more than him. Countless times on social media he has championed Ahmed’s beauty and powerful career and we’re providing you with a tear-jerking journey of what a healthy relationship looks like.
Warning: keep tissues nearby.
Like this time when Sehbai praised Ahmed for her role as the nani in the critically acclaimed ‘Ms. Marvel’ series.
Or this sentimental moment when at a talk show with Neo News, Sehbai recalled the moment when they were planning to get married but the thought that struck them was “what will other people think?” To which Sehbai responded:
“I said whatever they want to say, they can go to hell. This is about me and you, we’re making this decision. People will keep talking as they will.”
Or basically every moment he has celebrated her life’s achievements like when Ahmed received the Lifetime Achievement Award and he said she “deserves much more than that.”
In an unfortunate incident, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Atif Munsif Khan, hailing from Basti Sher Khan, lost his life when a rival group opened fire on his vehicle near Havelian’s Langra village which caused the car’s fuel tank to explode.
Atif was the son of former provincial minister Munsif Khan Jadoon.
He was elected the Havelian tehsil nazim as an independent candidate in the 2022 municipal elections. After winning the election, he joined the Imran Khan-led PTI.
Nine others also died in the attack.
According to Dawn, the District Police Officer (DPO) refuted media reports claiming that the car had been targeted by a “rocket attack”.
Surprisingly, the DPO said that a first information report (FIR) has not yet been registered.
After the news, the PTI leaders extended condolences and demand an immediate inquiry into the matter.
تحریک انصاف کے رہنما و تحصیل ناظم حویلیاں عاطف منصف خان پر حملے کی شدید مذمت کرتاہوں۔واقعہ میں عاطف منصف خان اور ساتھیوں کی شہادت پر افسوس ہوا۔ شہداء کے درجات کی بلندی کیلئے دعاگو ہوں۔لواحقین کے غم میں برابر شریک ہے۔ سیاسی رہنما پر حملہ انتہائی افسوس ناک ہے۔
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has written a letter to Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial on Tuesday, claiming that the events of Saturday — when his house was raided by the Punjab Police while he was at Islamabad Judicial Complex for his court hearing in the Toshakhana case — were evidence that a plot to assassinate him was afoot.
“With no security provided to me and with one assassination plot already attempted against my life in Wazirabad, I have been placing my life at risk every time I have to make a court appearance,” wrote Khan.
Imran Khan, in his letter, stated that his life is risk so he has been consistently requesting for video link facility from courts for multiple court appearances.
اسلام آباد میں عدالتی پیشی کے دوران قتل اور اہلیہ کی تنہا موجودگی میں زمان پارک کی رہائشگاہ پر حملے کا معاملہ
“When we arrived in Islamabad and were moving towards the judicial complex, we were trapped on all sides by containers to block my arrival at the complex and before the magistrate to deliberately try and create a false situation of no show”.
“To provoke the mass of people gathered in support, the police and Rangers resorted to tear gas and baton charge against ordinary unarmed citizens and the PTI leadership accompanying me. What was worse was the police stationed on the roof of the complex started hurling stones into the crowds (videos are all available). When I was halfway through the gate of the complex the police attacked the workers around my car without any provocation.”
Khan added that while PTI lawyers were not allowed inside the complex and “beaten back from the door”, about 20 or more unknown (Namaloom) people — who were neither wearing any uniforms nor had any identity displayed — were allowed inside. “This was clearly done to allow them to assassinate me.”
“While I was facing all this in Islamabad, my house was assaulted in Zaman Park by the Punjab police in complete violation of the orders passed by the Honourable Lahore High Court.”
Khan talking about his wife, Bushra Bibi — a very private, non-political person — was alone in the house at that time with a couple of domestic staff members, wrote: “The breaking of my gate and illegal entry by a group of armed police was also a clear violation of the Islamic principle of sanctity of chadar and chardiwari.”
He concluded his letter with the request of a “proper investigation” be conducted into these events.
However, after blaming namaloom afrad [unknown people] Khan deleted a tweet from his Twitter account, where he had posted a video of a man alleged to be a PTI worker, whom he mistook for being one of the people present there to attack him.
Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial praised the video link facility in the court, stressing that citizens should use it. The facility provides ease to citizens so that they can appear before the court virtually.
Addressing a ceremony at the Supreme Court Quetta Registry, he urged the lawyers present there to avail the facility as it is “useful”.
He said that he is aware that going back and forth for hearings by road has become quite expensive. “I am sorry even airplane ticket has become unaffordable”, he added.
جہاز کا ٹکٹ تو اب استطاعت سے باہر ہے، وکلاء کو ویڈیو لنک کا استعمال کرنا چاہیے، چیف جسٹس عمر عطا بندیال pic.twitter.com/2KwI8juJe6
He said Supreme Court (SC) has only 5-6 benches and when thousands of cases are filed before them, it becomes very difficult to deal with urgent cases.
According to him, the apex court jots down cases and gives preference to liberty cases and criminals who have been imprisoned for years.
The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) on Monday called for strict action against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
According to an official statement, the decision was made during a six-hour meeting of the PDM, heads of coalition parties with Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif in the chair.
The meeting also decided to take action against those involved in maligning state institutions, including the armed forces and judiciary, through a “smear campaign”.
“The meeting strongly condemned attacks on police and Rangers, who were obeying court orders, and called it an enmity against the state,” the statement said.
“All evidences and proofs are available, under which stern action will be taken against those involved in the unrest,” it added.
PDM strongly condemned the attacks on the police and Rangers personnel who were complying with the court’s orders on the direction of the PTI chairman and termed it “unacceptable”.
Expressing solidarity with officers and jawans, the meeting resolved that strict action should be taken against the law-breaking elements as per the law. The session also termed the attacks on the law enforcers as enmity with the state which cannot be tolerated.
“The entire nation witnessed that the PTI is not a political party but a group of trained militants,” the declaration read, adding that given the evidence and proof, it has been decided to take action as per the law.
When Sar-e-Rah aired its fourth episode, the story shifted to the struggles of an intersex boy who struggled to get love and acceptance from his family, and was determined to work hard and make his father proud. A significant moment in this episode which had caused social media users to declare it as the best television series of the decade, was an interaction between father and son when he explained to his child that it was okay to embrace gender fluidity.
I wasn’t expecting this but what an INCREDIBLE message by Nabeel Zafar! He beautifully talked about gender differences to his son, something which should’ve been taught WAY before but we couldn’t, all because of extremist elements in the society.pic.twitter.com/kKCRTopdGB
However, fashion designer Maria B had criticized the episode for encouraging acceptance of the transgender community, and called the actors who had taken part in the show ‘sell outs’ who were contributing to the destruction of Pakistan.
In an interview with Maliha Rehman, actor Muneeb Butt addressed the criticism of the episode being ‘anti-Islamic’ by calling it wrong and entirely taken out of context.
“I was disappointed to listen to her accusation because we are not anti-Islamic, we are Muslim, as well as the writers who wrote this script. We have a problem that we are quick to label other people as having agendas, or we distribute certificates that they’re anti- Muslim or taking an anti-Islamic stance. We think that we’re right, and the other people around them are wrong…When I read this drama, I was analyzing that there is nothing insensitive being spoken, clashing with my Islamic beliefs, and I didn’t think it was contradicting any Islamic value.”
Butt addressed the scene which was slammed by B and other right wing critics as promoting ‘vulgarity’, by explaining that these critics had not taken into account the back story of these characters to understand the scene properly:
“You should listen to the context behind this clip. If you watch a clip and judge an entire drama from this, then you’re completely wrong. No one can predict an entire drama from just a clip, because you don’t remember what happened before it. Before this, the father had seen his son dancing like a woman and wearing makeup, and his mother was forcing him to do this. The dad simply asked him did he want to do all of this in the bathroom, to which the son responded yes he does. The father is silent for a minute, then again asks ‘Beta, if you like doing this then tell me. I won’t feel bad at all.’ Then the son says ‘Baba, I don’t want to do this.’ It’s after that the father gently explains to him that right now his son is young but when he grows up that’s when you will learn to understand the feelings inside your body. He wasn’t saying that it’s your choice if you want to become a girl or a boy. The father was trying to make his son understand that the feelings your body is trying to tell you, whether you’re a male or female, that is something you will decide on your own. Right now it’s not necessary for you to figure out these things, you have to focus on your studies. This is the entire context, and it was beautiful how the father was encouraging his son to keep moving forward and study hard.”
Given the entire context, Butt slammed critics for labeling him and the rest of the ‘Sar-e-Rah’ crew, saying it could have placed his life in danger.
While social media overflowed with different takes on Sarang’s character, Butt had chosen to remain silent and did not address the allegations on social media. Butt explained that he had planned to write a note as soon as episode 6 came out, when Sarang gives a speech at a convocation.
Butt revealed that the wife of a prominent actor had reached out to him when this episode had aired, and had sent him an audio note which said some things that proved she wasn’t happy with the drama.
“It was her right to say all of these things because we make shows for the public. It’s their right to tell us about their opinions about our dramas, but for that you need to watch the complete episode to understand the context rather than judging it from a small video clip.”
Yesterday, an Instagram post from a user named Ali Hamid has been going viral on social media because it accused actors Aiman Muneeb and Minal Khan of exploiting workers, delaying salaries and unprofessional behavior at their organization ‘Aiman Minal Closet’.
The user had written that he had worked at the organization for a year and during his time he witnessed how employees were exploited and over-worked, but were not provided with a salary:
“They never paid me on time. Despite being such big names. They never pay their employees and whenever you message Maaz (their brother) about salary, he’d say he’ll transfer it the next week but you never really get the salary.
They owe me my six months salary and there are many employees who didn’t get their salary but didn’t do anything out of respect.
They treat their employees like slaves and disrespect them all the time but never pay them. They’re earning millions from their brand but when it comes to paying their employees, they take a back seat.”
However, the organization has responded to the allegations by clarifying that Muneeb and Khan were not innvolved in the daily operations of the company:
“Aiman Khan and Minal Khan are NOT involved in the daily operations of the company, it’s owned by Maaz Khan; hence they cannot and should not be held responsible for any human resource related issue.”
Furthermore, the statement called the allegations an attempted “smear campaign” to malign the reputation of the actors, and will be dealt with through a legal procedure.
“The recent allegations by certain individuals who were ex-employees of the brand are trying to malign the reputation of Aiman Khan and Minal Khan via a planned smear campaign ; which will be responded legally.”
Dr M. Suresh Kumar who is currently serving as the Charge d’Affaires at the Indian Embassy in Islamabad, has arrived in Lahore for the first time since his appointment two years ago. Jang reported that the diplomat had breakfast with senior journalists, where he revealed an interesting tibit about food prices in the capital. He was recently purchasing groceries and was shocked to find out that the price of onions was Rs 300/kg, when in New Delhi it was Rs 20/kg.
Dr Kumar also addressed the matter of improving business ties between India and Pakistan, by saying that Pakistani businessmen are refused a business visa in India because of the fact that there are no business ties between the two countries. To which Pakistani businessmen asked how will business ties between both countries improve if they aren’t given a visa. To which Dr Kumar responded its like asking which came first- the chicken or the egg?
To answer another question, Dr Kumar said that Gujranwala is the city of wrestlers, and felt that there should be wrestlying and kabadi competitions between the two countries.
Dr Kumar also said that he will talk to the higher authorities in New Delhi to send an invitation to a delegation of journalists from Pakistan to visit India.
Jang also reported about a conversation with a senior official from the foreign office in New Delhi who remarked that after the restoration of relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran in the region, efforts should be made to improve the relation between Islamabad and New Delhi.
