Tag: Wasim Akram

  • Celebrities ‘honoured’ to be part govt’s special advisory board on Kashmir

    Chairman of the Special Committee of the Parliament on Kashmir Shehryar Afridi has announced the formation of a special advisory board, that will work in liaison with the entertainment industry in Jammu and Kashmir towards internationally promoting the rich and diverse cultural heritage of the valley and its people. The aim of the board is to highlight the plight of the Kashmiris under decades of Indian oppression.

    According to a press release, the due to be notified board will be a “creative alliance of some of Pakistan’s top media personalities from the country’s television, cinematic and sporting spheres as well as in equal ratio some of J&K’s finest academics, thinkers and artists, and will be aimed at propagating Kashmir’s cultural richness both at home and abroad.”

    The initiative is in line with Pakistan’s long-standing position, which is to promote the freedom of the Kashmiris from Indian oppression.

    Actors and celebrities who have been invited to be part of the board include Humayun Saeed, Saba Qamar, Fahad Mustafa, Atif Aslam, Anwar Maqsood, Shaan Shahid, Ali Azmat, Yousaf Salahuddin, Saira Kazmi, Rahat Fateh Ali, Hadiqa Kiani, Shehzad Roy, Humaima Malick, Yousaf Salahuddin, Shaniera Akram, Adnan Siddiqui, Bilal Ashraf, Samina Peerzada and Shafqat Amanat Ali.

    Film Producers Jerjees Seja, Momina Duraid and Ammara Hikmat have been chosen for the advisory role, while directors Syed Noor, Nadeem Baig and Bilal Lashari are also part of the list.

    Meanwhile, sportspersons including Aisam ul Haq, Jahangir Khan, Jansher Khan, Maria Toorpakai, Wasim Akram, Sana Mir and Karishma Ali have been also been invited to join.

    In a tweet, Adnan Siddiqui said that the invitation to join the board was a “matter of great honour and immense pride for him”.

    Shaan said that everyone must support every initiative taken for Kashmir.

    “No political point scoring should be done on issues that are of immediate attention,” added the actor.

    The Legend of Maula Jatt’s producer Ammara Hikmat also said that she was honoured to be part of the board.

  • Wasim Akram thinks Pakistan should take inspiration from Turkey

    Wasim Akram thinks Pakistan should take inspiration from Turkey

    Sultan of Swing Wasim Akram, who was recently vacationing in Turkey, says that Pakistan should take inspiration and model itself on Turkey.

    “If Pakistan should model itself on any country, it should be Turkey,” said the former left-arm pacer who was vowed by the Turkish people’s “hospitality, food and their ability to welcome the world”.

    “Pakistan has so many untapped resources, InshAllah we will get there one day,” added Akram in his tweet.

    Wasim, his wife Shaniera and their daughter Aiyla have been having a great time on their first trip to Turkey. They have been keeping their fans updated with pictures and videos from there.

    The former cricketer also referred to Istanbul as a “mesmerising city”.

    Wasim enjoying the delights of Istanbul

    Turkey appears to be Pakistanis favourite vacation spot this season. Several Pakistani celebrities including Komal Aziz Khan, Imran Abbas and Kinza Hashmi have also been spotted there.

  • Polished Man: Why are male celebrities painting their nails?

    A plethora of male celebrities from Wasim Akram to Humayun Saeed have shared pictures of themselves with one nail polished a different colour prompting fans and followers to question the reason behind this.

    Shaniera Akram, who spearheaded the movement in Pakistan, has explained that ‘The Polished Man’ aims to raise awareness about child abuse. Posting photos of some of most prominent faces in Pakistan, Shaniera wrote: “Some of the toughest men Pakistan has ever produced are showing their softer side and coloring one nail to represent the millions of children who suffer every day at the hand of an adult. Our Pakistani heroes say ‘We WILL NOT tolerate child abuse in our country’.”

    She further explained that though the ‘Polished Man’ campaign has been around for years, 2020 has witnessed the highest level of child abuse in Pakistan.

    Shaniera also encouraged men to start participating in the campaign.

    WHAT IS POLISHED MAN?

    YGAP is a foundation that started in 2008 by a team of young and enthusiastic volunteers and has since matured into a high impact international organisation driven by its work. They support local entrepreneurs who have shown the drive, talent and conviction to create change in their own communities through social impact ventures. They have started raising money for child abuse as one billion children have experienced violence in the last year alone – that’s half the world’s children. They’ve raised $ 530,743 donations so far and are still counting.

    WHY NAIL POLISH?
    YGAP’s cofounder Elliot Costello came up with the idea for Polished Man after a visit to campaign beneficiary Hagar International in Cambodia. One evening, he met a young girl named Thea, who drew a heart on Elliot’s palm, and then painted all of his nails blue.
    Later, Elliot learnt how Thea came to be in Hagar’s care – she was physically and sexually assaulted for two years by her orphanage’s director. Elliot made the decision then and there to paint one nail to remember Thea. When he later learned of the extent of child violence, the Polished Man movement was born.

  • Wasim Akram’s message for trolls is winning the internet

    Wasim Akram’s message for trolls is winning the internet

    Sultan of Swing Wasim Akram has a fine sense of humour and his latest video addressed to social media trolls is proof of that.

    Akram, who has been keeping fans updated with his daily workouts, posted a video in which he is saying: “This is to motivate you. Our goal is to live a healthy life. That’s the idea. I’ll be 55 soon, so why not? Sometimes it’s an effort, but you got to do it.”

    “You know, people sometimes abuse you on Facebook and Instagram. For them, I have a message: Batameezi sirf buzdil log kartay hain (only cowards are ill-mannered). This [your words] only shows your background. I feel for your elders.”

    He continued: “Some people also criticised me for not wearing a shirt while in the pool because I’m a Muslim.”

    “Ghalti hogayi payen, next time three-piece suit. Woh bhi nahi pasand tey ghagra pa lawan ga,” joked the former cricketer.

    He concluded by saying: “[You] don’t think before speaking or writing. Classic.”

    Social media users couldn’t get enough of Akram’s video and took to Twitter to appreciate it. Check out some of the reactions below:

    Shaniera Akram added to her husband’s joke by posting a picture of Shoaib Malik standing in the pool in a three-piece suit.

  • Shahid Afridi, Feroze Khan, Fatima Bhutto lash out at Sindh Govt over Karachi floods

    Shahid Afridi, Feroze Khan, Fatima Bhutto lash out at Sindh Govt over Karachi floods

    With rains lashing Karachi, as many as 19 people died in various rain-related incidents in the port city on Thursday, taking the tally of deaths during the three-day monsoon spell in the city to 30.

    Meteorological officials said downpours in August have shattered the 90-year-old record for the city. Some 484mm (19 inches) of rain has fallen this month so far, 130mm on Thursday alone, they said.

    According to data released by the Met Office, Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Faisal Base recorded 130 millimetres of rain while Nazimabad has recorded 105.6mm since Thursday morning. Mausamiyat received 74.3mm of rain, while Saadi Town recorded 72mm. About 98.5mm of rain was recorded in PAF Masroor Base, Surjani received 73mm while Kemari recorded 82.5mm.

    Many major arteries witnessed severe traffic jams. Power was suspended in several areas as a precautionary measure, a K-Electric spokesperson said. Karachi Commissioner Muhammad Suhail Rajput urged people not to leave their homes during the spell which, according to a Met Office prediction, is expected to continue for another two days.

    Videos and photos making rounds on social media showed submerged cars and motorcycles and water entering houses and buildings, wreaking havoc in the provincial capital.

    Given the devastation in Karachi, several celebrities and notable personalities including Feroze Khan, Shahid Afridi, Fatima Bhutto, Ayesha Omar, Samina Peerzada and Ali Safina have lashed out at the Sindh Government for being incompetent and “destroying” the city.

    Feroze expressed his outrage by hitting out at PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and demanding answers from him and his government.

    When a Twitter user asked him to hold the PTI government accountable as well, Khan said that they “have literally just come in and I at least can’t expect them to over night work everything around”.

    Former captain Shahid Afridi expressed his disappointment with the management and those in charge of the city.

    “Who will save Karachi,” questioned the cricketer. It is pertinent to mention here that Afridi’s foundation Shahid Afridi Foundation has stepped up to help those affected by the flooding in the city.

    https://twitter.com/SAfridiOfficial/status/1298310388656664576?s=20

    Fatima Bhutto, Ayesha Omar, Gohar Rasheed, Yasir Hussain, Ali Safina and Samina Peerzada also expressed outrage over the government’s negligence.

    Meanwhile, other celebrities including Humayun Saeed, Wasim Akram, Shaniera Akram, Farhan Saeed, Ali Rehman Khan, Ali Zafar, Bilal Ashraf, Hira Mani and Maya Ali sent prayers for the city and those affected by the catastrophic rains.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CEZdlVontM-/

    Ayeza Khan shared a dua that can be recited while it is raining.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CEYrLLKhTmV/
  • Does CM Buzdar consider himself Sher Shah Suri or Wasim Akram? Here’s what he has to say…

    Does CM Buzdar consider himself Sher Shah Suri or Wasim Akram? Here’s what he has to say…

    Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Sardar Usman Buzdar, when asked during an interview if he considers himself Wasim Akram or Sher Shah Suri, has said people can see for themselves what he is.

    Buzdar was called “Wasim Akram Plus” by Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan when he anointed him, and Suri Empire founder “Sher Shah Suri” by his colleague and Punjab Information Minister Fayazul Hasan Chohan amid criticism over “inability to run the province” and “not being the right choice”.

    Speaking to Geo, the provincial chief executive of Punjab also said those spreading rumours about his expulsion from the office want to destabilise the province and the country at large.

    Dismissing the same, he said he enjoys full trust of Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan, which some people do not like at all.

    When asked why he seems to avoid the media so much, he said that liking for him still existed in the media.

    Replying to a question about the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), he said that fixing anybody on political grounds was quite an inappropriate act.

    CM Buzdar also said that the government was not bothered by the opposition even if it took to streets.

  • Pakistan’s fast bowling culture: Even the PM is a paceman

    To understand the culture of fast bowling in Pakistan, look no further than Imran Khan — once a feared quick, and now the country’s prime minister.

    Not all of Pakistan’s pacemen will fly so high, but Prime Minister Imran’s rise underlines a tradition where speed is king, and the blistering pace is essential for any team.

    As if to reinforce the point, Pakistan have eight quicks in their 20-man squad for the three-Test series against England, starting on Wednesday, ready to unleash their trademark pace and swing.

    They carry the baton passed by predecessors such as Khan, left-arm great Wasim Akram and his destructive partner Waqar Younis, the unassuming Aaqib Javed, and Shoaib Akhtar, the feared “Rawalpindi Express” who is considered the fastest bowler in history.

    The current generation includes the precocious Naseem Shah, still only 17, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Wahab Riaz, and the accurate Mohammad Abbas.

    The production line is so consistent that when one player goes, another is ready to take over — as seen in 2010 when Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif, banned for spot-fixing, were replaced by Junaid Khan, Riaz, Mohammad Irfan, Ehsan Adil and Rahat Ali.

    Even Amir’s decision to retire from Tests at just 27 did not slow Pakistan, as Shaheen became the spearhead and Naseem announced himself with a stunning Test hat-trick.

    But the steady emergence of quicks — left-armers, right-armers, even one who is ambidextrous — raises an obvious question: how does Pakistan keep doing it?

    Former fast bowler Sarfaraz Nawaz, regarded as the pioneer of reverse swing in the 1970s, said the factors included Muslim Pakistan’s meaty diet — unlike mainly vegetarian India, once known for its spinners.

    “We are a nation obsessed with fast bowling,” Nawaz told AFP. “We eat meat which strengthens the body, we love wickets clattering and the batsman shivering so it’s natural that we produce fast bowlers.”

    Nawaz passed on his reverse-swing skills to Khan under whose tutelage Wasim and Waqar became “The Two Ws”, a menacing partnership in the 1980s and 1990s.

    Wasim said he followed Imran’s legacy, and that pace bowling matches the Pakistani mentality.

    “I think it’s the culture [to become a fast bowler], especially this generation of Waqar and I and then Akhtar, we all had a role model in Khan,” he said.

    “Generally, when we talk about cricket it’s mostly about the fast bowlers, they get batsmen caught napping. We are aggressive people in nature and that’s what helps.”

    Wasim often holds camps to train emerging fast bowlers, swelling Pakistan’s ranks.

    “When I came, I always wanted to be a fast bowler and then a crop of fast bowlers came, and now we have Naseem, Shaheen, Mohammad Hasnain and Musa Khan who bowl at 140-150 kph (87-93 mph),” he said.

    However, perhaps the most decisive factor is Pakistan’s legion of tape-ball players, who play in parking lots and disused patches of land using tennis balls wrapped in electrical tape to make them heavier, putting the onus on pace rather than spin.

    Lahore Qalandars, a Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise which has been at the forefront of nurturing fast bowlers in recent years, received more than 350,000 applicants for their talent-hunt programme — nearly half of them tape-ball players, including the ambidextrous pace marvel Yasir Jan.

    “We give them a platform in our development programme and send them to Australia to hone their talent,” said head coach Aaqib Javed.

    According to Wasim, fast-bowling is so deeply ingrained that Pakistan’s stocks will never run out.

    “Many natural resources will dry up, but not Pakistan bowling’s reservoirs,” he said. “Our fast bowling future is secure as they follow footsteps and run-ups.”

    The article originally appeared on AFP.

  • Wasim Akram beats lockdown blues by making pizza

    Wasim Akram beats lockdown blues by making pizza

    The coronavirus induced lockdown has brought out our inner chef and we’ve all turned to the kitchen for some food and comfort. Wasim Akram is the latest celebrity to take to the kitchen to satisfy his cravings, specifically his pizza cravings.

    Wasim’s wife, Shaniera shared pictures of the former cricketer making pizza from scratch, including the dough. Wasim topped his pizza with some mushrooms, rocket leaves and olives.

    Shaniera also shared that Wasim did not clean up after his cooking experiment but that ‘men who cook are hot’.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B-ymhaIDM7W/

    Shaniera has been regularly sharing updates of her family spending time together in quarantine.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B-j6LKADDsi/
    https://www.instagram.com/p/B-rd-TwDYUZ/
    https://www.instagram.com/p/B-UXAchD6LP/
  • Shoaib Akhtar pokes fun at Saqlain Mushtaq after his daughter gives him a makeover

    Shoaib Akhtar pokes fun at Saqlain Mushtaq after his daughter gives him a makeover

    Legendary British-Pakistani cricketer Saqlain Mushtaq recently got a makeover from his young daughter and the proud dad was not afraid to post a video of himself showing off his daughter’s makeup skills.

    Saqlain’s daughter had not only used turquoise eyeshadow and pink lipstick on her dad but also made him into a redhead with a wig.

    Showing off his look, Mushtaq in the video said, “She is a makeup artist. We are in quarantine. A couple of years back, she did my makeup and I put it up on Twitter and you guys really liked it. And today she forcefully said to me she wants to play with me again and she brought all my new get up and did my makeup and my new wig, my new get up. Are you happy? She is very happy and we all are very happy. Stay at home, stay safe, look beautiful and enjoy with your loved ones.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B-pt_bRH1S7/

    Most Twitter users lauded Saqlain for being a good sport.

    Meanwhile Shoaib Akhtar decided to poke fun at Mushtaq, as well as Wasim Akram who was also recently spotted sporting a wig.

    “Look what Quarantine has done to some people. Sigh,” joked Akhtar.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B-rGigVnLRi/

    However, our national bhabhi, Shaniera Akram was quick to hit back at Akhtar. Shaniera posted a funny picture of Akhtar, adding that this was taken before quarantine.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B-rkM80jR9Q/

    Earlier, Shaniera had also posted a video of Wasim getting his hair done by their daughter Aiyla.

    Are girl dads the best?

  • Wasim Akram is getting a biopic

    Wasim Akram is getting a biopic

    Sultan of Swing Wasim Akram’s life is being made into a movie.

    The film titled Akram: An Era was announced at the opening ceremony of the fifth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) at the National Stadium in Karachi.

    According to the press release, the film will go on floors at the end of this year. The cast and release date has not yet been locked.

    Akram: An Era will be produced under the banners of 502 Productions and Pomelo Films with Executive Producers Adeel Niazi and Arsalan H. Shah steering the project. Niazi will also be directing the film.

    Sharing his thoughts on the film, Akram said, “The fact that films are being made on cricket and, more importantly, sports stars is not only a good sign for the film industry but for the sport as well. Movies are a unique portal to engage a whole new generation, I am looking forward to participating in the production and cannot wait to see how this pans out.”

    https://twitter.com/wasimakramlive/status/1230498484035506181?s=20

    The movie is said to not only highlight Wasim Akram’s many accomplishments but also shed light on his personal life and endeavours outside the stadium.

    Akram: An Era is currently in its preliminary stages of pre-filming and the production house will be commencing with auditions and screen tests soon after PSL 2020.

    Previously, a film was made on the life of Shahid Afridi. The film starred Humayun Saeed and Hamza Ali Abbasi in key roles.