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Author: News Desk

  • Turkey, Maldives emerge celebrity pandemic vacation hotspots

    Turkey, Maldives emerge celebrity pandemic vacation hotspots

    If you’re an avid social media user like us, who loves following celebrities, chances are you have seen some of them jetting off to luxury destinations in recent weeks – despite rising coronavirus infection rates and restrictions across the world.

    From Imran Abbas to Sarah Khan to Bollywood stars including Madhuri Dixit, Janhvi Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor, several celebrities have been spotted vacationing in Turkey and Maldives.

    Imran Abbas

    Abbas has been keeping us updated with his whereabouts by sharing photos of himself in Turkey. The actor has also been spotted hanging out with several Turkish actors including Yeşim Ceren Bozoğlu, who essays the role of Hazal Hatun in Kurulus: Osman.

    Last month, Abbas also visited the sets of the popular dramas Diriliş: Ertuğrul and Kuruluş: Osman, where actor Celal Al presented him with a handmade flag from the historical series.

    Meanwhile, the Pakistani actor is also all set to host a Ramzan transmission from Istanbul titled Baraan e Rehmat, which will be co-hosted by Reema Khan from Pakistan.

    Sarah Khan and Falak Shabbir

    Sarah and Falak, who tied the knot during the lockdown, have jetted off to Turkey for what appears to be their honeymoon.

    The couple has been sharing loved up photos with each other giving us all the feels besides a serious case of wanderlust.

    Sumbul Iqbal

    Sumbul Iqbal seems to be having the time of her life in Turkey. The Dulhan star shared some gorgeous clicks of herself with fans on her Instagram.

    Iqbal is giving us major fashion inspo also.

    Sumbul is enjoying her Turkish vacation with sister Kompal Iqbal.

    Aiman Khan and Muneeb Butt

    Power couple Aiman Khan and Muneeb Butt certainly know how to enjoy a getaway and show it too.

    Though the couple was in the country for an ad campaign, they sure struck a balance between work and pleasure.

    The couple also went for a cruise on the Bosphorus.

    Nida Yasir

    Nida was spotted enjoying some family time in Turkey back in February.

    Zara Noor Abbas

    Actress Mariam Mirza and Zara Noor Abbas are recently in Turkey. Mariam Mirza shared pictures, enjoying her holidays with her husband in Turkey and Zara is also having fun there with her freind.

    Fawad Khan

    Recently, Fawad Khan and wife Sadaf were also spotted in Turkey. The photos and videos shared on social media show that they are accompanied by their friends and industry mates.

    This is their first public appearance after the birth of their child. Producer Ammara Hikmat and others shared the snaps on their Instagram stories.

    Madhuri Dixit

    Madhuri Dixit has joined the long list of Bollywood celebrities who went to the Maldives for a family holiday recently.

    The actor has been sharing snippets from her Maldives vacation, which she is enjoying with her husband and sons.

    Dixit’s Maldives itinerary also included thrilling water sports experiences, snorkelling and a date night with husband.

    Janhvi Kapoor

    Janhvi Kapoor is enjoying a vacation in the Maldives with her friends. The actor posted pictures of herself looking absolutely gorgeous in beach wear.

    “Last to get on the Maldives bandwagon but I fully get the hype,” said the actor.

    Dia Mirza

    Dia Mirza, who recently announced that she is expecting, spent the past few days holidaying in the Maldives with her husband Vaibhav Rekhi.

    In fact, Dia announced her pregnancy with a sunset shot from her vacation.

    Shraddha Kapoor

  • ‘Oye Motti’ aims to highlight how women are shamed for their weight

    The latest teaser of Express Entertainment’s Oye Motti ruffled feathers and sparked outrage on social media for mocking and ridiculing plus-size and heavy women, especially when it comes to marriage.

    https://twitter.com/c1rcus_music/status/1380130053351120897?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1380130053351120897%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwow360.pk%2Fdrama-serial-oye-moti-highlights-how-a-womans-weight-is-policed-when-it-comes-to-marriage%2F
    https://twitter.com/7kayhan/status/1380179294924763142?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1380179294924763142%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwow360.pk%2Fdrama-serial-oye-moti-highlights-how-a-womans-weight-is-policed-when-it-comes-to-marriage%2F
    https://twitter.com/hodornm/status/1380251955822465025?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1380251955822465025%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwow360.pk%2Fdrama-serial-oye-moti-highlights-how-a-womans-weight-is-policed-when-it-comes-to-marriage%2F
    https://twitter.com/NoContextDanii/status/1380195975768240133?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1380195975768240133%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwow360.pk%2Fdrama-serial-oye-moti-highlights-how-a-womans-weight-is-policed-when-it-comes-to-marriage%2F
    https://twitter.com/boujiemami__/status/1380279669874900996?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1380279669874900996%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwow360.pk%2Fdrama-serial-oye-moti-highlights-how-a-womans-weight-is-policed-when-it-comes-to-marriage%2F

    Turns out that the series does not aim to mock women but is an honest attempt to shed light on body and fat-shaming and how it affects those at the receiving end of criticism. Each episode has a separate storyline and features different women stuck in different scenarios where they are fat-shamed. However, they manage to overcome whatever hurdle comes their way.

    Read more – Juggun Kazim opens up about being fat-shamed after giving birth

    The latest episode, Episode 9, featuring Tiktoker Kanwal Aftab and Furqan Qureshi is what stirred outrage. It follows a woman’s horrifying experience, whose fiancé, right after their engagement, announces in front of everyone that her bride-to-be must lose 100 kgs within a year else he won’t marry her. The show has been written by Sajjad Haider Zaidi and directed by Muhammad Iftikhar Iffi.

    Aftab, while sharing the teaser of the episode, said that she did this project only for those who have to face body shaming. She urged her followers to stop criticising each other for their weight and let everyone live their life the way they want.

    While the show may have faltered in dealing with the topic sensitively, what’s even more alarming is that the teaser is a reflection of our society. The culture of choosing a bride in drawing rooms continues to dominate the Pakistan rishta scene with women forced to mould themselves physically as well as mentally to meet society’s expectation and fit the role of a perfect bahu.

    Meanwhile, other episodes of the series feature veteran actor Hina Dilpazeer, Maria Wasti, Sabeena Farooq, and Hajra Yamin among others.

  • Rs2.7m price fixed for apartments at Naya Pakistan Apartment project

    Rs2.7m price fixed for apartments at Naya Pakistan Apartment project

    People from the lower-income class can now own home through small instalments, said Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Naya Pakistan Apartment project.

    Praising the courts for allowing the government to implement the foreclosure law, PM Khan said the law has allowed people to own houses on a mortgage.

    “People will only pay installments instead of rent and will become owners of their own homes,” said PM Imran.

    He added that the status quo has adopted the system of bribery and never want Pakistan to change for the better.

    “Pakistan will have to transform itself if it needed to meet the challenges of the 21st century,” asserted the premier.

    PM Khan also appreciated the efforts of the Lahore Development Authority (LDA), saying: “The LDA has brought about a lot of improvements in itself.”

    As per details, the authority will construct 35,000 apartments in different parts of the city under the LDA City Naya Pakistan project.

    Around 4,000 apartments will be constructed during the first phase. Every apartment will cover a 650 square feet area and will have two bedrooms.

    The price for the apartments has been fixed at Rs2.7million each which will be taken in easy installments.

    Earlier, Punjab Minister for Housing and Urban Development Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed said that the Punjab government assigned all development authorities in Lahore and other big cities to build housing units for the low-income people.

    The provincial minister further added that these plans are being replicated in Gujranwala, Multan, Faisalabad, and Rawalpindi to provide homes to the low-income population of the country under PM Imran’s vision.

  • Atif Mian awarded prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship in Economics

    Atif Mian awarded prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship in Economics

    The prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship in Economics has been awarded to Pakistan’s Dr Atif Mian this year.

    Dr Mian is the co-founder and a board member of the Center of Economic Research Pakistan (CERP). He is currently a Professor of Economics, Public Policy, and Finance at the prestigious Princeton University.

    The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation awards the Guggenheim Fellowship to exceptional individuals who have already demonstrated exceptional ability and creativity in academics.

    The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation was established in 1925. It has granted nearly $400 million in Fellowships to over 18,000 individuals.

    Out of 18,000, 125 are Nobel laureates, members of all the national academies, winners of the Pulitzer Prize, Fields Medal, Turing Award, Bancroft Prize, National Book Award, and other internationally recognised honours.

    Dr Mian was appointed as an advisor in the Economic Advisory Council (EAC) by Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan in-add-date, but was removed following backlash and criticism by extremist religious groups on the government for appointing a person from the Ahmadi faith. His removal on September 7, 2018 prompted council members Asim Ijaz Khwaja and Imran Rasul to resign in protest.

  • Pakistan commits to IMF Rs1.27 trillion hike in taxes

    Pakistan commits to IMF Rs1.27 trillion hike in taxes

    Pakistan has committed to increasing Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) taxes by Rs1.272 trillion (almost 2.8 per cent of GDP) and a price increase of Rs4.97 per unit in the remaining three months of the current fiscal year (FY).

    IMF released a document, and it says that the government of Pakistan has agreed to continuous adjustments in electricity tariffs from next year on a monthly, quarterly and annually basis.

    The documents also state that the government would also increase the price of petroleum and oil products (maximum of Rs30).

    The petroleum levy target for the coming year is Rs607bn. The provinces have given an undertaking of Rs570bn cash surplus to the federal government and increase it by Rs729bn next year.

    The government has also set a target of Rs5.963tr (against Rs4.691tr revised target of current FY) in the next year budget for FBR. Additional Rs500bn tax generation through General Sales Tax (GST) and personal income tax reform for FY 2022 budget is also under consideration.

    The government has also given an undertaking to make adjustments in gas tariff and will not consider any tax exemptions or amnesties in the future.

    Also, IMF made detailed audits are a must for the fund allocation to combat COVID-19, which includes contracts and beneficial ownerships of bidding results and medical supplies.

    IMF’s mission chief for Pakistan Ernesto Ramirez Rigo said that despite the hard economic conditions amid COVID-19, critical adjustments in energy tariff are inevitable. The rising circular debt is detrimental to public finance and economic growth.

    He said that these unpleasant changes are necessary and the solution lies in cost recoveries, loss reduction and system improvement.

  • VIDEO: Cher drops trailer of documentary on Kaavan

    VIDEO: Cher drops trailer of documentary on Kaavan

    Kavaan’s journey from being the world’s “the loneliest elephant” to freedom in Cambodia has been captured on camera and will be seen in a documentary by Cher titled Cher and the Loneliest Elephant. It is scheduled to release on Paramount+ on April 22.

    According to details, Cher, through the film will be taking viewers along for “a touching journey about humans, animals, and our connection to all living beings on earth”.

    In Cher and the Loneliest Elephant, the singer travels to Pakistan to rescue Kaavan, an elephant who’s been neglected and living alone for years. The Smithsonian Channel documentary follows Cher as she teams up with animal experts and veterinarians to help transport Kaavan from a shed in Islamabad, where he’s been kept in chains for almost two decades, to a new home in Cambodia.

    “Elephants are just like we are. They’re so family-oriented and so emotional,” says Cher in the trailer.

    Talking about the film, Cher told Entertainment Weekly, “I saw all the people being affected by it all over the world. People want a happy ending. People don’t want to see animals suffer. And I know people are suffering too, but this is a story that can brighten their lives.”

    “I was frightened [to do this], but then I thought, what do you want to do more? You made a promise, and you have to go,” she continued. “I didn’t see any other way to do it. I have a saying on my Twitter, ‘Stand and be counted or sit and be nothing.’ And I wasn’t going to sit and be nothing.”

    The film also features a brand new track by the singer titled Walls to highlight Kavaan’s story.

    https://youtu.be/2NGJwe-rdPk

    Kavaan was first brought to Pakistan in 1985 as a gift from Sri Lanka when he was only a year old. Since then he was living at Marghazar Zoo in Islamabad with his partner Saheli, who died in 2012. After Saheli’s death, Kaavan became alone and was dubbed as the world’s loneliest elephant. He suffered from several health issues and was also mentally distressed. In 2016 he caught the attention of Cher, who along with other animal rights activists fought a long legal battle for his release and transfer.

    He was airlifted from Islamabad to Cambodia in a Russian cargo plane in November 2020.

  • Frieha Altaf receives flak for joking about Meera’s mental health

    Frieha Altaf has landed up in the line of fire after a video of hers joking about Meera’s mental health went viral on social media. Reports of Meera being admitted to a mental facility in the United States were doing the rounds on social media and television for the past couple of days.

    In the video, Frieha could be heard laughing and telling a group of people “Meera ko mental institution main daal diya gaya hai (Meera has been put into a mental institution).”

    The video did not go down well with the public, who called out the former model for her “insensitive” and “callous” remarks.

    https://twitter.com/PropitiousOn3O/status/1380404924480163840
    https://twitter.com/AamnaFasihi/status/1380253124707938308

    Meanwhile, speaking exclusively to The Current, Meera’s manager Hasan said that the actor is doing perfectly fine and is working on a few projects in the States. He said that Meera does know who started this terrible rumour and asserted there is no truth to it.

    However, some reports claim that Meera has been discharged from the mental facility after Captain Naveed paid $50,000 for her ‘bail’.

  • Prince Philip passes away at 99

    Prince Philip passes away at 99

    Queen Elizabeth II’s husband and the longest-serving consort of any British monarch Prince Philip has died at age 99.

    In a statement, Buckingham Palace said: “It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen has announced the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.”

    “His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle,” it added.

    The statement also said that further announcements will be made in due course.

    Philip, who retired from public duties in 2017, had earlier been admitted to hospital on February 16, 2021. He went back home after nearly a month during which he was treated for a pre-existing heart condition and an infection.

    His death comes just months before his 100th birthday in June — an event typically marked in Britain with a congratulatory message from the queen, who is now Britain’s longest-serving monarch.

    The couple, who celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary in November, had been living largely in isolation at Windsor Castle, west of London because their advanced age put them at heightened risk from COVID-19. They received their first vaccinations against the virus in January.

    Officially known as the Duke of Edinburgh, Philip married Prince Elizabeth in 1947, five years before she became Queen and had been by his wife’s side throughout her 69-year reign, the longest in British history. During this time he earned a reputation for a tough, no-nonsense attitude and a propensity for occasional gaffes. He is also credited with playing a key role in modernising the monarchy in the post-World War Two period, and behind the walls of Buckingham Palace being the one key figure the queen could turn to and trust.

    “He has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years,” Elizabeth said in a rare personal tribute to Philip made in a speech marking their 50th wedding anniversary in 1997.

    Read more – ‘We’re not a racist family’: Prince William rejects Meghan’s claims of racism

    The couple had four children, eight grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

  • Fawad Alam turns jilted lover for acting debut

    Fawad Alam turns jilted lover for acting debut

    The trailer of Fawad Alam’s acting debut Khudkash Mohabbat has dropped and fans of the cricketer are excited to see him show his talent on the screen. The series will be available for streaming soon on Urduflix.

    Khudkash Mohabbat marks Alam’s entry into the entertainment industry as an actor. According to a press release, the series is a “touching story of love and loss and the complexity of going after what you want in a world filled with people who won’t let you find your happiness and peace”. It has been directed by Rao Ayaz Shehzad and executively produced by Farhan Gauher.

    Talking about why he decided to foray into the world of acting, Alam while speaking to Independent Urdu, said that he was free the month the opportunity came and did not want to let it go.

    “We’ve been talking about this for two or three years, but I didn’t get a chance,” said Alam. “Now I got the chance and I hope everyone enjoys the series.”

    Sharing details about his character, Alam said that he plays a jilted lover, remarking that love is suicidal.

    “It’s a love story and must be watched,” said Fawad, adding: “When I was offered this role, I instantly said yes to it.”

    Talking about the difference between performing on-field and on-screen, Alam said: “Cricket and acting are two different things. Being a hero is not easy and takes a lot of hard work.”

    “Whether it’s cricket or acting, you have to work hard because both are difficult in their own right. Acting in front of the camera and speaking dialogues written by the scriptwriter and doing what the director tells you to is not an easy task,” he shared.

    Fawad also shared that he aspires to work in a film on the big screen and would go for it if he ever gets the chance.

    On whether he’d like to work with Mehwish Hayat, Maya Ali or Mahira Khan, Fawad said he’d like to work with all three of them together.

    “Whichever of the three heroines will work with me, it will be a source of pride for me because these are well-known names and there will be a lot to learn from them,” said the cricketer.

    Meanwhile, Alam’s colleagues and other members of the Pakistan Cricket Team including Sarfaraz Ahmed and Imam ul Haq have sent him best wishes for his upcoming project.

    https://twitter.com/SarfarazA_54/status/1380149484039012358?s=20
  • ‘Dictator Maryam’ blamed for PDM’s downfall

    ‘Dictator Maryam’ blamed for PDM’s downfall

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice president and key leader of the opposition alliance, Maryam Nawaz has been accused of having a “dictatorial attitude” that has also been cited as the reason behind the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) downfall.

    As per the details, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leaders travelled to Wali Bagh, the residence of Awami National Party (ANP) head Asfandyar Wali on Thursday and held talks with him and other party leaders on the evolving political situation in the country.

    The PPP and ANP are the two parties with which the PDM is having differences ever since ex-premier Yousuf Raza Gilani’s election as the Senate opposition leader — a move deemed as betrayal by other parties of the opposition alliance.

    The ANP has already announced to quit the PDM, saying the show-cause notices over voting for Gilani were an insult to the party.

    Briefing reporters after the meeting, Nayyar Hussain Bukhari and Mian Iftikhar Hussain said the PPP would take the decision of whether or not to quit the PDM at its Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting scheduled later this month.

    They blamed the “dictatorial attitude” of Maryam Nawaz for the disintegration of the alliance.

    “The split in the PDM began with the issuance of the show-cause notice,” Mian Iftikhar Hussain said, adding, it was an insult to ANP and couldn’t be tolerated.

    Meanwhile, Nayyar Hussain Bukhari said the PPP had proposed Maulana Fazlur Rahman as the PDM head but the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief adopted “a step-motherly attitude” towards the PPP. 

    “PPP is not subordinate to any political party.”

    He said that the PPP was ready for the “long march” to Islamabad and wanted to use resignations from the assemblies as the last option.