Former Prime Minister Imran Khan has praised the building speed of controversial land tycoon Malik Riaz, during a televised address to his followers.
Explaining the Al-Qadir university case to his followers on Wednesday, in which the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman and his wife Bushra Bibi have been accused of accepting land in return for giving Riaz £190 pounds of state money, Imran Khan called the property baron, “the biggest builder in Pakistan.”
Pointing out that Malik Riaz was already involved in Ravi City and a less-cost housing scheme, Imran Khan gave the reason for selecting the property tycoon for Al-Qadir university, a project for which Riaz gave them land and became a patron.
“I asked Malik Riaz to do this project only because he is speedy and is the biggest builder of Pakistan,” he stated.
“The work it took us 15 years to finish at NUML, Malik Riaz has finished at Al-Qadir in three years,” said Imran Khan, repeating once again that he is “the biggest builder”.
The former Premier also revealed that it was Malik Riaz who offered to “sponsor” the entire project.
Khan and his wife are both facing a probe at the National Accountability Bureau for giving Riaz £190 million, handed over by Riaz to British authorities after an investigation into “dirty money”, which were returned by United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency to Pakistan.
‘Tumhare Husn Kay Naam’, the new drama serial on Green TV is a timeless love-story woven in threads of melancholic romance, philosophy and nostalgia. Salma (played by Qamar) and Sikandar (played by Abbas), the main leads, epitomize true love as a condition that defies all man-made social divisions and differences. Gear up for a classic romance story bound to stir an ocean of emotions within you.
In the first episode we see that Salma’s mother doesn’t like her daughter’s avoid painting and singing but her father supports her.
Salma is hit by a ball by Sikander at her university, leading him to worry that he may be expelled. He is poor but he loves the arts and wants to become an architect.
He apologizes to Salma, and the two become closer.
The serial breaks the heart with an amazing story, that triumphs with the brilliant direction of Saqib Khan and spectacular performances by Saba Qamar and Imran Abbas.
The episode also got positive reviews from social media.
Shah Rukh Khan’s 1994 blockbuster film ‘Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa’ is regarded as one of the best Bollywood rom-coms, and among the many classics that have cemented the Bollywood Badshah’s legacy.
Recently, actress Suchitra Krishnamoorthi, who played the female lead Anna, revealed in an interview that during filming, Khan’s wife Gauri visited the sets. The actress gushed about how Shah Rukh was loving and devoted to his wife, and noted that it was his vulnerability that the director, Kundan Shah, utilised in the film which made it the cult classic it is today.
“We were witnessing it on the set with Gauri. The way he was with Gauri, he used to be like she is made of rose petals, you know the way he used to treat her. It was just so beautiful,” she said.
Recalling her time shooting the film, Suchitra revealed that the Bollywood Badshah was completely reserved, and was especially very shy around women:
“Shah Rukh was very reserved. I used to hang out with Gauri. He used to be quite shy and quiet with me. I think he was shy with women.”
Shah Rukh and Gauri married in October 1991, facing some hurdles because Khan was a Muslim while his wife was from a Hindu family. In a recently resurfaced interview that went viral on the internet, Shah Ruhk chuckled about how he played a prank on Gauri’s family by making them think he would make his wife change her religion after marriage.
“I remember, when their whole family, old fashioned people, I respect them all and respect their beliefs but at that time, in that old-fashioned reception, all of them were sitting there when I came in at 1:15, whispering “Hmmm.. He’s a Muslim boy. Hmm.. Will he change the girl’s name? Will she (Gauri) become a Muslim,” Shah Rukh was seen saying in the video.
“Then, I said ‘OK Gauri, put on your ‘burqa’ and let’s recite the namaaz now’. The whole family stared at us wondering if I had changed her religion already. So I told them, ‘From now on she will wear a burqa all the time, she won’t ever leave the house and her name will be changed to Ayesha and she will be like this’.”
Shah Rukh certainly proved that everything could change but he will remain the king of wit, but what was incredibly moving about this clip is how he declares that all religions must be respected, but it shouldn’t come in the way of love.
“I had a lot of fun, but the lesson in all of this was that one should respect religions, but it should not come in the way of love. But it was a great wedding and it’s still going on strong,” SRK concluded.
From the moment it graced our screens, ‘Kuch Ankahi’- with its story of three sisters dealing with marriage pressure, workplace harassment, taking on a challenging careers- seared itself on the Pakistani entertainment industry as a cultural milestone that told a gorgeous story about the bond of sisterhood.
Only 26 episodes long, ‘Kuch Ankahi’ won our hearts with its flawless story telling and brave portrayal of issues that today’s political climate would have prevented them from doing so.
With the final episode coming up on Saturday, our hearts are heavy as we will no longer have to look forward to Shamoo Begum and Agha Jaan kay jhagray, Alia and Salman’s cat and mouse chase and the wholesome love between the three sisters. Let’s look back at the five moments where ‘Kuch Ankahi’ truly proved that it was a masterclass in good story telling.
1 The men in the drama won our hearts.
At a time when dramas today think a hit series needs a man slapping a woman or a girl being forcibly married without her consent, ‘Kuch Ankahi’ set the bar higher by proving that what audiences want is not violence, but well-written characters that are supportive of the women around them. The bond that the father Agha Jaan had with his daughters, and how he kept taking their side regardless of what society told him, moved us to tears. His defence of youngest daughter Tanya and her passion to become a filmmaker, or backing Samiya if she wanted to back out of her marriage at the last minute.
kuch ankahi keeps on getting better, first showed men doing chores, now them knowing how to sew button?? like damn yess, these are basic life skills, and has nothing to w gender.#kuchankahipic.twitter.com/4vowCbv2VD
2. When the show made a breakthrough by supporting Joyland
In a scene in episode four that takes place in Tanya’s room, Aliya stands behind her wall of posters, among which is Saim Sadiq’s film ‘Joyland’, a love story between a transgender woman and a man. It was a small, but powerful display of support towards Pakistani filmmakers.
Was shocked at first. Turned out this is #kuchankahi by @nadeembaigg starring Sajal, Mira Sethi &many more amazing people so it all made sense then.This is the sweetest and smartest way to show support to your fellow artists. Thank you team !🤍✨ @KashfFoundation#joylandpic.twitter.com/w0h53BQL1G
3 The nikkah scene that defended the right to divorce clause and urged for women to be aware of their rights in the marriage contract
The nikkah scene from episode 11 received praise on Twitter when Sofia phupoo (played by actress Vaneeza Ahmed) passionately urged the molvi sahab to not cut out the clauses from the nikkah where the woman writes down her demands, highlighting that these are essential for a woman’s safety in marriage, as Islam has rightfully granted them.
Kudos to team Kuch Ankahi for such an excellent drama & raising awareness for this issue in particular. The right of divorce is a clause in Nikah form that everyone including girl’s family are are upon ignoring. It protects a woman in marriage,specially in our patriarchal culture pic.twitter.com/bi0qRrwhuS
With the story of Deepak, the son of the family’s Hindu house helper, the drama dwelled into the growing issue of child abuse, as he is raped by the tailor he works with. Later, when Sofia phupho and the family learn about the crime, they take in Deepak as a family member and enroll him in a good school so that he regains his confidence in a safe environment.
5 Neha and her dream to become a tiktok star
Any woman on screen who isn’t a gharelo good girl married off at the age of 20, is either an awaragard or too bold for society or someone who meets a tragic end. Especially so for women who are obsessed with using social media apps like TikTok . But ‘Kuch Ankahi’ debunks this mindset with the wholesome story of Neha, the daughter of a Hindu working class family, who loves using TikTok. However , she fears her father will beat her if her videos are found. But as the story progresses, Neha finds new-found courage with the support of Taniya to keep making videos, and soon she gets a job as an actress, with her father completely supporting her choice.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) forward bloc leader Gul Bar Khan has been elected as the new Chief Minister of Giglit-Baltistan (GB) on Thrusday.
Gul Bar received 19 votes out of 20 members present in the assembly. He got elected unopposed after the other three opponents withdrew their nomination papers.
Haji Gul Bar Khan had the support of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).
It should be noted that former Chief Minister Khalid Khursheed of the PTI got unqualified in a fake degree case. After his disqualification, the number of members of the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly has reduced to 32.
Two persons were killed within the premises of a local court in Lahore on Thursday, Dawn has reported.
According to police, the two slain were identified as Sughra Bibi and Muhammad Amin. The victims were present at the court for a hearing when they were shot dead.
The Punjab Inspector General has instructed the police to catch the suspects as soon as possible and also find out their motive, however, the suspects turned themselves in after the incident and the weapons used in the crime were also found.
They have been taken to the SP City Office for further investigation. They are being interrogated to determine if anyone else was involved, said police.
After the migrant boat disaster that occurred off the coast of Greece earlier in June, claiming the lives of over 300 Pakistani immigrants, around 40-50 Pakistanis that were initially waiting in Libya to set sail for Italy are now returning home.
According to reports by Dawn, these illegal immigrants had paid at least PKR 2.5 million each to different human traffickers and their agents, in order to reach Europe via sea travel. However, last month’s horrific tragedy has prompted many to return home to Pakistan.
Upon their return, complaints were lodged against the human traffickers in order to reclaim the astronomical amounts paid. According to the Station House officer of Gujrat Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) police station, Irtaza Ansar Warraich, 125 cases have been filed in the last four weeks in connection to the boat tragedy. Of these complainants, those recently returning from Libya are also included.
Most of the returning immigrants are residents of Gujrat and Mandi Bahauddin, as reported by a local senior official of the FIA in a conversation with Dawn.
According to one of the last total 12 Pakistani nationals who survived the boat tragedy, Usman Siddique, there is allegedly 20,000 illegal immigrants who are at human trafficker safe houses in Libya, waiting for their turn to travel to Europe.
Officer Warraich also told Dawn that, since the boat disaster, at least 35 suspects involved in illegal human trafficking have been arrested, including notorious trafficker Muhammad Saleem Suniara.
Suniara had nine cases registered against him in FIA’s Gujrat circle alone. He is also accused of sending money via hundi to his brother Asif Suniara, who is the main person accused in the migrant boat tragedy.
According to Aaj News, Asif is allegedly hiding in Libya currently and still operating safe houses containing migrants waiting to be moved to Europe.
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has received a substantial deposit of $1.2 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), offering a glimmer of hope to the economically strained nation that has been on the verge of default for an extended period.
This deposit follows the approval by the IMF’s executive board, during a late-night session, of a nine-month programme under a $3 billion Stand-By Agreement (SBA). The agreement, reached after arduous negotiations over fiscal discipline lasting eight months, marks a significant milestone for Pakistan.
Last month, Pakistan successfully reached a staff-level agreement with the IMF, securing a short-term pact that exceeded expectations in terms of funding for the country, which is home to 230 million people. This achievement is of particular importance given the acute balance of payments crisis that Pakistan faced, with its central bank reserves barely sufficient to cover a month’s worth of controlled imports.
During a televised address from Islamabad, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar expressed that Pakistan will receive the remaining balance of the agreed amount following two reviews. The first review is scheduled for November, while the second review will take place in February.
These reviews are crucial milestones that need to be met to ensure the disbursement of the funds by the IMF, thus supporting Pakistan’s pursuit of economic stability.
In response to the aftermath of natural disasters in Chile, an animal shelter called Refugio Animal Cascada, located near Santiago, is providing refuge and rehabilitation for wildlife impacted by the events.
With a history spanning two decades, the shelter has recently seen an influx of new residents due to a series of wildfires, droughts, and heavy rains.
Reuters has reported that Chile’s central regions experienced severe weather conditions, including heavy rainfall and floods, leading to evacuations and further distress for the wildlife. Earlier this year, devastating wildfires ravaged Chilean forests, displacing numerous woodland animals and leaving destruction in their wake.
Activists responded by treating injuries, including burns, sustained by animals like the small nocturnal marsupials known as monitos del monte and pudus, the world’s smallest deer.
The escalating global environmental crisis, characterized by the loss of biodiversity and native wildlife, prompted Chilean Environment Minister Maisa Rojas to express concern during her visit to inaugurate a new unit at the shelter.
She emphasized the vulnerability of the country’s wildlife, stating that it is at risk.
The shelter’s primary objective is to rehabilitate these animals and ultimately release them back into their natural habitats.
A parliamentary committee has sped up work on election reforms by examining 73 rectification proposals presented before it, The News has reported.
The parliamentary panel has decided to finalise the suggestions by next week and will get the reforms to the election act approved by both houses of parliament before the National Assembly’s tenure ends in August.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has also said that the tenure of the National Assembly will end in August this year.
An in-camera meeting of the Parliamentary Committee headed by its chairman and the Economic Affairs Minister, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, was held to finalize recommendations.
Law Minister Azam Tarar, Dr. Fehmida Mirza, Commerce Minister Naveed Qamar, Senator Taj Haider, MNA Afzal Dhandla, Senator Manzoor Ahmed, Senator Kamran Murtaza, and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) secretary attended the meeting.
Ayyaz Sadiq said, while talking to the media, that there is no proposal to ban any political party, and the parliamentary committee’s job is to make electoral reforms.
“We will review the contentious issues on Thursday besides drafting the agreed-upon proposals. The controversial issues that need further discussion will be examined on Monday,” he said.
Sadiq also mentioned that effective proposals will be taken into consideration for transparent elections.
