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Author: News Desk

  • Sanam Jung debunks rumor’s about wearing fat-suit for ‘Pyari Mona’

    Sanam Jung has told iBBC Urdu that she does not wear a fat-suit in her latest drama on Hum TV ‘Pyari Mona’ in which she plays the role of a plus-sized woman.

    In the interview, Jung addressed the backlash the show was receiving that she wore a fat suit in some episodes.

    “When I first went over, they told me that I didn’t have the right look and I had to gain 20kg in order to be perfect for the role. At first I had refused, but then when I started falling in love with Mona then I thought ‘okay we have to do this’. Because we had made a body suit for Mona which was stuffed with cotton and was quite heavy, like a thick blanket. It completely covered me, and I had to shoot in the summers. So we did multiple trials, and when I wore it, my face looked small and my body looked big. Then we decided that I have to eat more for this role. At first I gained five kilos, that was not enough. Then I gained around 7 to 8 kilos, then my director was happy. He said ‘Now you are looking just like Mona!’ I stopped going to the gym because I had to stay in a character as long as the shoots were going on, so I pushed my diet plans to the side. I ate all sorts of food, because my character was even eating on set, and I couldn’t pretend like I was eating and then spit it out from the other side. I really enjoyed the process of becoming Mona.”

    Jung also opened up about the reason why she chose to do ‘Pyaari Mona’, revealing that she had also faced the same struggles that her character did. Originally, Jung had rejected the drama, but when a year later she again offered the role, she decided to do it.

    “This is my story. I have been through it. As in not literally with her family. But with society, and the people, I have gone through all of it. Other than that, I also thought there are so many people who are going through the same issue. So for them, and for myself I have found such an important story to tell… I felt it was an important message because we will keep doing ordinary plays with the boy and girl and they fall in love. But this was a different, message-oriented play. So I read it and I fell in love with Mona.”

    You can watch the full interview here:

  • ‘I have never pressurized Ayeza to spend her own money’: Danish Taimoor

    ‘I have never pressurized Ayeza to spend her own money’: Danish Taimoor

    Actor Danish Taimoor was a guest on “The Talk Talk Show” where among many things, he opened up about his relationship with wife Ayeza Khan , who is also an actor. The two have been married since 2014 and have two children.
    In the interview, Taimoor revealed that he always made sure that the couple’s household expenses would remain his responsibility, and that whatever Ayeza had earned in her career would solely belong to her, leaving her free she to do whatever she liked with it.

    “I do this because even in Islam, this is what we’ve been told to do,” said the actor. “What ever earnings your spouse makes, these are her own and for me to even use Rs1 from it is haram. If its her intention, then she may give it to me if she wishes. But anything regarding grocery or household, I tell her that it is solely my responsiblity,” he categorically said.

    Taimoor also talked about those roles that attracted a lot of public criticism in dramas like Deewangi and Kaisi Teri Khudgarzi. He said that it was not his responsibility to become a teacher, as he was an entertainer:
    “Do not connect these characters with myself…I don’t take responsibility for all of this. I am here to entertain public, otherwise I would have become a teacher.”

    You can watch the complete interview below:

  • Lawyer of F-9 rape survivor says story of suspects killed in late-night encounter is a lie

    Lawyer of F-9 rape survivor says story of suspects killed in late-night encounter is a lie

    Imaan Z Hazir Mazari, the lawyer of the woman who was raped in F- 9 Park, has said that Islamabad Police’s claim of killing the two main suspects in a late-night encounter at a police checkpoint is false.

    She further said that the suspects have been found to be involved in 50-rape cases.

    On Thursday, the Islamabad Police said that the two main suspects in the F-9 Park girl rape case were killed in a late-night encounter at a police checkpoint.

    In a series of tweets, the police had claimed that the suspects opened fire on them. In retaliatory firing, the suspects were injured and later succumbed to their injuries.

    The police said that they were not only involved in the F-9 rape incident but other “serious crimes”. One of the suspects was involved in a deadly mugging, it added.

    ‘Don’t leave home after sunset’: Rapists tell survivor after raping her, give her Rs1000

    On February 4, a woman was allegedly gang-raped by two unidentified armed men in a public park located in Islamabad’s F-9 area.


    According to the First Information Report (FIR), two armed men approached the rape survivor while she was with her male coworker in a park in F-9.


    According to the FIR, the men separated the woman from her colleague and took them to a neighbouring bush at gunpoint. The suspects beat the young woman up after she pleaded with them to let her go and even offered them money in exchange for her safety.

    The rape survivor in the FIR said that after raping her the rapists told her not to leave home after the sunset and also gave her Rs1000.

    She further said that the suspects asked her about her relationship with her colleague and slapped her.

    Islamabad Police in a tweet said that DNA samples of all the suspects are being collected.

  • Fact check: No one died from the leopard attack in Islamabad

    Fact check: No one died from the leopard attack in Islamabad

    Claim: In an unusual incident, a leopard on Thursday was found on the loose in well-known private housing— Defence Housing Authority (DHA) in Islamabad, attacking the people who tried to capture it. The wild animal was captured by the Wildlife Board in the evening.

    However, speculation was rife on social media that one person had died of the leopard attack.

    Fact: To address and clarify the different stories, the Chair of the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board, Rina Khan Satti took to Twitter on Thursday, stating that the leopard injured a total of four people including two members of the wildlife board who suffered minor injuries.

    She also urged the people to stop spreading rumours and stated that both the animal and the injured people are safe.

    Earlier today, Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman also addressed the attack, sharing a video of the leopard.

    For now, the Islamabad Police has opened a criminal investigation against an unknown person for “domesticating” a leopard.

    The animal was being kept as a pet in an unknown person’s home, the police alleged on Friday in a tweet. “The suspect endangered the lives of citizens by keeping dangerous animals,” it said, adding that legal action will be taken after arresting him soon.

  • Latest gas price hike will hit the rich, not the poor: Petroleum Minister

    Latest gas price hike will hit the rich, not the poor: Petroleum Minister

    Minister of State for Petroleum Dr Musadik Malik stated that the latest hike in gas tariff was implemented without imposing a burden on the low-income segment. In a media briefing, he added that the government separated the poor and rich segments to protect low-income individuals from its impact.

    However, Malik admitted that the low-income segment in Pakistan is facing tough times. He also shared that 60 per cent of the Pakistani public will remain unaffected by the gas price hike, and the low-income segment might even see a decrease in their bills.

    Malik agreed with former finance minister Miftah Ismail that Pakistan is experiencing elite capture. He emphasized that Pakistan is different for the high-income and low-income segments, and the gas tariff has mostly increased for the high-income segment.

    During the speech, Malik criticised the developed countries for fancying development and progress, which he believed have put most of the world’s population – nearly 5 billion – at peripheries.

    According to Dawn, the minister said that the development has not been inclusive and countries like Pakistan were paying the price despite having “zero” contribution in carbon emissions and lately, it became the third most affected country from global warming.

    He made these comments after the government raised gas prices in line with the International Monetary Fund’s recommendation. As a result, the weighted average cost of gas has increased by 43 per cent from Rs620 to Rs885 per million British thermal units.

  • Pakistan impresses IMF with speedy implementation of agreed measures

    Pakistan impresses IMF with speedy implementation of agreed measures

    During a press conference at the Parliament House on Thursday, Aisha Ghaus Pasha, the Minister of State for Finance and Revenue, announced that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is not only satisfied with the Pakistani government’s measures to generate an additional Rs170 billion in revenue through the supplementary finance bill, but is also surprised by the speedy implementation of the agreed measures.

    The revenue measures, which were agreed upon with the IMF, have already been put in place. Pasha added that the IMF is also engaged with Pakistan’s friendly countries, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and China, with respect to the country’s external financing needs and will update the Executive Board accordingly.

    The minister further stated that discussions with friendly countries on external financing are ongoing, and progress is being made. Virtual talks with the IMF are expected to be held late Thursday night to discuss the Memorandum of Economic and Financial Policies (MEFP), and the government has submitted further clarification to the draft of the MEFP. Pasha noted that the finalization of the MEFP would not take a long time.

    Pasha had earlier briefed the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and shared that the culture of giving subsidies in Pakistan is an old one that needs to end.

    Senator Mohsin Aziz suggested that instead of increasing taxes on luxury items, a ban should be imposed on their import to prevent smuggling. Pasha explained that the government had first considered a total ban on luxury item imports, but the WTO, the IMF, and other international agencies were against it.

    While agriculture income tax is a provincial matter, Pasha emphasized that the sector needs to contribute to the economy. She also stated that, as part of the austerity measures, a scheme is under consideration to enforce the manufacturing of electric vehicles, and the government is deliberating on the financing mode to bridge the gap. Overall, the government has worked quickly on implementing prior actions and commitments to the IMF program.

  • Sanaullah calls for forensic test of Elahi’s alleged ‘leaked audio’

    Sanaullah calls for forensic test of Elahi’s alleged ‘leaked audio’

    Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Thursday called on Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial to take notice of a recent audio leak purportedly involving former Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi.

    Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Sanaullah called for a forensic test of the leaked phone recording. He also urged the top judge to bring the culprits to justice.

    “If the former Punjab CM is found guilty after the forensic, then the matter should be presented before the judicial committee,” he added.

    In a sensational audio leak that surfaced online on Thursday, Elahi, can allegedly be heard talking to a judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, about Mohammad Khan Bhatti’s case.

    The audio recordings, released in three parts, allegedly feature the voice of Elahi, a close ally of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), talking to three different people.


    In the first part, Pervaiz Elahi is talking to lawyer Jahangir Jhoja in Punjabi, and asks him to ensure that Mohammed Ali Bhatti’s case is put up before the said judge. Bhatti, the former Secretary of Punjab Assembly, considered a close aide of Pervaiz Elahi’s, was arrested from Karachi on February 6 while he was en route to Sindh High Court for protective bail.

    Jhoja allegedly replies to Pervaiz Elahi that they will try to make it happen. Pervaiz Elahi then says, “He is dabang (bold).”


    In the second audio leak, Pervaiz Elahi talks to Abid Zuberi, the President of Supreme Court Bar Association. Elahi again asks him to ensure that the case is put up before the same judge. “Have they filed the case sir,” Zuberi asks, to which Elahi replies in the affirmative, asking Zuberi not to tell anyone.

    Zuberi then says, “Day after tomorrow, Dogar’s case will be heard too, on 14th. [The judge] is part of the bench.” Elahi does not seem to remember who Dogar is, upon which Abid Zuberi reminds him that Ghulam Muhammad Dogar was the CCPO Lahore. “He has been removed but the case still is pending before the court, Sir,” Zuberi says. “I will discuss it,” said Pervez Elahi.

    The third and final audio allegedly is of a phone conversation between Pervaiz Elahi and the judge himself. The former Chief Minister tells the judge that he is coming over to meet him. He also asks if Muhammad Khan is there to which the reply is that he has reached. Elahi then allegedly says that he is coming without protocol and is quite near. He allegedly says that he will offer salam and then depart.

    The audio clip is cut off at this point.

  • ‘The right to love shouldn’t be a privilege’: actor Swara Bhasker marries Muslim political activist

    ‘The right to love shouldn’t be a privilege’: actor Swara Bhasker marries Muslim political activist

    Bollywood actor Swara Bhasker has married political activist Fahad Ahmed on __ in a court wedding. The actress shared pictures of the wedding on her Twitter account, showing the couple with her parents and loved ones.
    She put up a picture of herself signing the papers with her husband and revealed that she had gotten married under the Special Marriage Act.

    “Three cheers for the #SpecialMarriageAct (despite notice period etc.) At least it exists & gives love a chance… The right to love, the right to choose your life partner, the right to marry, the right to agency these should not be a privilege.”

    In another tweet, the actress revealed she had worn her mother’s sari and jewelry for the special occasion.

    “So blessed to be supported and cheered by the love of family and friends like family! Wore my mother’s sari & her jewellery.. made @FahadZirarAhmad wear colour 🙂 and we registered under the #SpecialMarriageAct Now to prep for shehnaii-wala shaadi”

    Bhaskar has also addressed why she opted for a simple wedding despite the recent spate of lavish celebrity weddings like Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani. In an op-ed for The Week, the actress readers that weddings are a promise to remain faithful to each other rather than an opportunity to gain sponsorship or likes on Instagram.

    ‘The social media-fuelled wedding mania has also led to a fundamental shift in our fiscal values. This is a shift that consumer capitalism enabled EMI culture of ‘work hard, spend big’ has already engendered in the millennial generation, but the fantasy wedding craze generates a whole other set of fiscal habits. And, these are not very healthy!’

  • No more Amreeki sazish? Fawad Chaudhry meets Donald Blome

    No more Amreeki sazish? Fawad Chaudhry meets Donald Blome

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senior Vice-President Fawad Chaudhry has confirmed on Twitter that he met with United States (US) Ambassador Donald Blome and other senior American officials.

    Taking to Twitter, Chaudhry wrote, “Had a good meeting with US ambassador and senior officials. The worsening HR [human rights] situation in Pakistan was a particular focus of discussion.”

    Chaudhry said, “The political situation and PTI position on various issues came under discussion. Such meetings are part of mutual desire to have relationship based on equality and well being of people.”

    Last week, PTI Chairman Imran Khan yet again came up with another narrative regarding his version of “regime change”. The former Prime Minister said that former army chief General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa told United States (US) that Khan is anti-America, which resulted in his ouster.

    In an interview with Voice of America, Khan said, “As things unfolded, it wasn’t the US who told Pakistan, it was unfortunately, from what evidences have now come out, it was General Bajwa who actually somehow managed to tell the Americans that I was anti-America and so it was not imported from there actually it was exported from here to there.”

  • Rev up your budget: Atlas Honda hikes motorcycle prices by up to Rs35,000 amid economic crisis

    Rev up your budget: Atlas Honda hikes motorcycle prices by up to Rs35,000 amid economic crisis

    The two-wheeler segment’s largest player in Pakistan, Atlas Honda, has raised motorcycle prices following a significant hike in car prices.

    This marks the company’s second rate hike in February, as they already increased the prices of their motorcycles by an amount ranging between Rs7,400 and Rs30,000 earlier this month.

    The new prices became effective on February 15.

    ModelOld Prices (Rs)New Prices (Rs)Hike (Rs)
    CD 70128,900137,9009,000
    CD 70 Dream137,900147,5009,600
    Pridor170,900181,50010,600
    CG 125194,900205,90011,000
    CG 125 Special Edition230,900243,90013,000
    CB 125 F303,900330,90025,000
    CB 150 F383,900418,90035,000
    CB 150 F SE387,900422,90035,000
    Latest Honda Bike Price Feb 2023

    During the Finance (Supplementary) Bill 2023, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar announced a rise in the general sales tax (GST) rate to 18%, which is expected to lead to price hikes for various industries and sectors.

    Amidst Pakistan’s ongoing economic crisis, the automobile sector has been significantly impacted due to the depletion of foreign exchange reserves and a weakening rupee, leading to issues with opening letters of credit.