Author: News Desk

  • ‘Worked with Fahad & Usman, still not married’; Hareem Farooq on marriage

    ‘Worked with Fahad & Usman, still not married’; Hareem Farooq on marriage

    Renowned actress Hareem Farooq lightheartedly expressed her frustration over the constant interrogation about why she still hasn’t married.

    During her appearance on Nida Yasir’s Ramadan show, Hareem shared, “Everywhere I go, people ask me about marriage. There’s talk of it on Fahad Mustafa’s show, and now the same topic in Nida Yasir’s programme.”

    In response, Nida Yasir explained that their TV channel is like a family, and marriage discussions naturally come up on their programmes. She added, “Whoever comes on my show starts getting marriage proposals!”

    Hareem playfully responded, “I’ve been on this show before, worked with Fahad Mustafa and Usman Mukhtar, but despite all that, I’m still not married!” She further joked, “People say if you go to Fahad’s show or work with Usman Mukhtar, you get married—but that formula isn’t working for me!”

    On a more serious note, she revealed that her parents also ask about her marriage at least once a year, saying, “They’ve been asking for years, but nothing has worked out so far.”

    She humorously shared that whenever a marriage proposal arrives, her parents react strongly, saying, “How dare the boy send a proposal?” She explained, “They want to take care of me and arrange my marriage themselves, which is why they react this way.”

    Despite all the ongoing discussions, Hareem optimistically concluded, “Considering how often I’m being asked, I feel like I might get married now!”

  • Army chief stresses unity to safeguard Pakistan; says no movement greater than national security

    Army chief stresses unity to safeguard Pakistan; says no movement greater than national security

    Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir, while addressing a high-level in-camera meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS) on Tuesday, vowed to uproot terrorism.

    The Army chief said, “Today is a message that we will not only defeat them [terrorists] but also their facilitators.”

    Emphasising the adoption of a unified narrative to safeguard Pakistan, he stressed rising above political and personal interests. 

    Declaring the fight against terrorism a battle for the nation’s survival and the future of generations, the army chief said, “All elements of national power must operate in unison to achieve lasting stability.”

    General Munir stated that no agenda, movement, or individual is greater than national security, adding, “If this country exists, so do we; therefore, nothing is more important to us than its security.”

    The Army chief, while blaming the “soft state” for the loss of innocent lives, inquired for how long they [armed forces] would fill the “gaps of governance” with martyrs’ blood. “We need better governance […] we should make Pakistan a hard state,” he said.

    As per the media report, at the conclusion of the crucial meeting, upon the request of the Speaker of the National Assembly, Ayaz Sadiq, the Army Chief led a prayer.

    The in-camera session occurred in Islamabad on Tuesday amid a sharp uptick in terrorist activities in Pakistan, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, including the major terror attack at Jaffar Express last week carried out by the banned outfit Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) militants.

    The high-level meeting was attended by Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif, COAS Munir, Director General Inter-Services Intelligence (DG ISI) Lieutenant General Asim Malik, chief ministers of all four provinces, including Ali Amin Gandapur, and other top officials.

    However, several key figures, including Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) members, skipped the high-level huddle.

    According to the declaration issued at the conclusion of the crucial session, the meeting stressed the need for consensus and unified political commitment to combat terrorism with full force.

    “The committee emphasised strategic and unified political commitment to counter the terror threat with the full might of the state,” added the statement.

  • ‘Our Little Miracle’; Saboor Ali and Ali Ansari welcome baby girl

    ‘Our Little Miracle’; Saboor Ali and Ali Ansari welcome baby girl

    Renowned actors and celebrity couple Saboor Ali and Ali Ansari have been blessed with a baby girl.

    Sharing the joyful news on Instagram, Saboor posted heartwarming pictures with her husband and newborn daughter, which are rapidly going viral on social media.

    In the caption, she expressed her emotions, writing: “Our little miracle, our biggest blessing. It’s incredible that the smallest hand can leave the biggest impact.”

    Revealing her daughter’s name, she added, “Welcome to the world, Serena Ali. Magic awaits you.”

    Fans and fellow celebrities have flooded social media with congratulatory messages and best wishes for the couple.

  • Sikander Bakht urges PCB to suspend Mohammad Rizwan’s central contract

    Sikander Bakht urges PCB to suspend Mohammad Rizwan’s central contract

    Former Pakistan Test cricketer Sikander Bakht has urged PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi to take strict action against Mohammad Rizwan and call for his central contract to be suspended.

    Speaking on a private TV channel, the former fast bowler stated, “Mohammad Rizwan is an employee of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and receives a salary of PKR 6 million per month. Therefore, he should be obligated to participate in PCB-organised tournaments.”

    Bakht emphasised that the PCB must take control of the situation and ensure that contracted players are available for board-sanctioned events. He said, “If you are playing club cricket but refusing to participate in a PCB tournament, it means you are disrespecting the board.”

    The ex-cricketer further insisted that PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi needs to take a firm stance on the matter. “This should not be happening. Mohsin Naqvi must act strictly. He needs to change his approach, investigate what is going on, and enforce discipline. The PCB should suspend their central contracts,” he said.

    Rizwan has already been under fire following Pakistan’s poor performance in the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy. The national team was eliminated in the group stage, leading to heavy criticism of the players. Additionally, Rizwan was dropped from Pakistan’s T20I squad for the ongoing five-match series against New Zealand.

  • ‘Ali Amin Gandapur condemned May 9 incident in yesterday’s in-camera session,’ claims Vawda

    ‘Ali Amin Gandapur condemned May 9 incident in yesterday’s in-camera session,’ claims Vawda

    Senator Faisal Vawda has claimed that Chief Minister (CM) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Ali Amin Gandapur condemned the May 9 incident during an in-camera session of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS) on Tuesday.

    Appearing on a private news outlet the same day, Vawda, who attended the in-camera session, quoted Gandapur as saying, “Ap un ko sazain dain, wo gumrah ho gaye thy (punish them [rioters] as they had been misguided).”

    At least 10 people lost their lives, and over a hundred others sustained injuries in the violent protests on May 9 and May 10. Approximately 40 public buildings and military installations were attacked by rioters. These included the Lahore Corps Commander’s House (Jinnah House), Askari Tower in Lahore, General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, the ISI Office in Faisalabad, FC Fort in Chakdara, the Radio Pakistan building in Peshawar, the Toll Plaza at Swat Motorway, and the Mianwali Air Base.

    On terrorism’s resurgence in KP, former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Faisal Vawda further quoted Gandapur as saying, “The KP police stand firm, shoulder to shoulder with the Pakistan army,” which it didn’t before.

    Declaring CM KP’s statement in the session as “positive and optimistic,” Vawda emphasised that Gandapur’s approach deserves appreciation.

    On the same day, prominent journalist Azaz Syed, speaking on the YouTube channel Talk SHOCK, made similar claims about Gandapur. He maintained that CM KP supported the state policy regarding terrorism in the session. “As the chief executive of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he [Ali Amin Gandapur] spoke positively and talked about engagement [with the state],” the journalist added.

    The in-camera meeting was held on Tuesday as Pakistan grapples with a resurgence of terrorism, particularly in KP and Balochistan, with security forces and law enforcement agencies facing increasingly frequent attacks.

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir, Director General Inter-Services Intelligence (DG ISI) Lieutenant General Asim Malik, chief ministers of all four provinces, including Gandapur, and other top officials attended the in-camera session of PCNS in Islamabad.

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) did not attend the session. PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, while speaking at a press conference in Islamabad hours before the session, said that their party would skip it until they were given access to the party founder in jail.

    Separately, Imran Khan’s counsel, Faisal Chaudhry, claimed to have held a detailed meeting with the party founder in Adiala Jail. According to him, Khan described the boycott of the PCNS meeting as the right decision.

    “He questioned what kind of consensus the government hopes to achieve by sidelining the country’s largest political party,” Chaudhry said.

  • ‘It hurts’; Alizeh Shah breaks silence on trolling after refusing to forgive Zarnish Khan

    ‘It hurts’; Alizeh Shah breaks silence on trolling after refusing to forgive Zarnish Khan

    Alizeh Shah has spoken out about the relentless criticism she faced hours after rejecting Zarnish Khan’s apology.


    Taking to Instagram, Alizeh shared an emotional note, saying, “I wish people knew how heavy this all feels. No matter how much I try to be strong, the constant criticism, the endless judgment—it hurts.”

    She expressed disappointment in the entertainment industry for isolating her, adding, “No one deserves to be picked apart for every little thing they do. If only people realized how much pain their words cause, maybe they’d choose kindness instead.”


    Alizeh also thanked her supporters, saying, “To those who stood by me with love and support, you have no idea how much that means to me. And to those who only see flaws in me, I just hope life is kinder to you than you have been to me.”

    Her statement follows her refusal to forgive Zarnish Khan for calling her “the rudest actor” in a 2022 interview. 

    Despite Khan privately reaching out to apologize, Alizeh firmly responded, “It won’t fix the damage you did. I DO NOT forgive you.”

  • A race against time: 6-year-old Asad fights to save his sight

    A race against time: 6-year-old Asad fights to save his sight

    Six-year-old Asad Ullah spends his days in a hospital ward, clutching a faded stuffed toy and humming songs from his favorite cartoons. But behind his bright smile lies a painful reality: Asad is fighting retinoblastoma, a rare and aggressive eye cancer that has already stolen his right eye. Now, as he undergoes chemotherapy at Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital’s Centre for Eye Cancer, the goal is to save his remaining eye and protect his future from permanent darkness.

    Asad’s story began in Domel, a small town of district Attock, where his family first noticed a faint, unsettling glow in his right eye. Struggling with poverty and unaware of the gravity of his symptoms, they could not access specialized care in time. By the time they reached Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital, surgeons had no choice but to remove the right eye to stop the cancer’s spread. Now the hospital’s team is pouring every resource into shielding his left eye from the same fate.

    Asad is receiving chemotherapy for his eye tumor. Chemo sessions leave him weak and nauseous, but Asad greets nurses with a grin and doodles abstracts during brief respites. His mother, Saima, wipes away tears as she speaks about his son.

    “He asks when he can go back home and play with his friends.” she says.

    “Losing his other eye would mean losing everything—school, play, independence,”

    Saima whispers, her voice trembling. “We live moment to moment, trusting the doctors and God.

    For now, Asad’s world revolves around hospital corridors and his mother’s lullabies. But with each chemotherapy cycle, hope flickers brighter. The Centre for Eye Cancer, known for its advanced ocular oncology (eye cancer) program and world-class free eye cancer treatment, has become his family’s last hope. The family clings to the belief that his remaining eye will heal, that his dreams will outlast the darkness threatening to engulf his future.

    The Centre for Eye Cancer at Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital in Rawalpindi stands as Pakistan’s only exclusive facility dedicated to eye cancer offering free, world-class cancer care to all patients, irrespective of socioeconomic status. As a pioneer in the field, the Centre combines cutting-edge technology and specialized expertise to deliver life-saving treatments without compromising on quality or accessibility.

    Beyond this life-saving initiative, Al-Shifa Trust operates the largest network of tertiary eye care hospitals in Pakistan and aims to eliminate preventable blindness. Since 1991, Al-Shifa Trust has treated over 29 million patients. Monthly, over 80,000 underprivileged patients receive free eye care at Al-Shifa Trust. Join us in our mission to eliminate preventable blindness and support free eye care for the underprivileged.

    To learn more about Al-Shifa Trust, visit http://www.alshifaeye.org

  • FFC signs MoUs with leading banks to enable Rs1 billion in clean farmer financing

    FFC signs MoUs with leading banks to enable Rs1 billion in clean farmer financing

    Fauji Fertilizer Company (FFC) has partnered with four leading banks to provide clean financing of up to Rs. 500,000 for farmers registered with its Sona Centers, ensuring greater financial inclusion and agricultural growth.

    The signing ceremony at Serena Hotel, Islamabad, was attended by Chairman of the Board of FFC, Lt. Gen Anwar Ali Hyder (R), MD & CEO FFC, Mr. Jahangir Piracha along with Mr. Zafar Masud, President & CEO Bank of Punjab; Mr. Atif Aslam Bajwa, President Bank Alfalah, Mr. Zia Ijaz, President & CEO, Askari Bank Limited and Mr. Altaf Hussain Saqib, Head of Commercial Banking at Faysal Bank.

    The initiative echoed the importance of collaborating with FFC to extend financial support to the backbone of Pakistan’s economy—the farmers. They reaffirmed their commitment to bridging the gap between financial institutions and the agricultural sector, making credit facilities more accessible and farmer-friendly.

    Under this agreement, farmers will gain access to hassle-free credit, allowing them to invest in quality inputs and improve their agricultural outputs. 

    This collaboration marks a milestone in agricultural finance, reinforcing FFC’s commitment to farmer empowerment, financial inclusion, and sustainable agricultural development.

  • Government announces Eid holidays

    Government announces Eid holidays

    A press release purportedly issued by the Government of Pakistan regarding public holidays for Eid ul Fitr 2025 is making rounds on social media. 

    According to the document, the government has declared March 31 (Monday) to April 2 (Wednesday), 2025, as public holidays for the festive occasion.

    The notice comes two days after another unverified  notification showed a week long bonanza of holidays, extending from Monday to Friday. 

    The new press release claims that the Prime Minister has approved the three-day break in continuation of the Cabinet Division’s previous circular on public and optional holidays for the year 2025. 

    Eid ul Fitr is one of the most significant religious celebrations for Muslims around the world, marking the end of the holy month of Ramzan. Every year, the government announces official holidays to allow citizens to observe the holy occasion with their families.

  • Farhan Saeed’s take on Farshi Shalwar trend, a unique wish goes viral

    Farhan Saeed’s take on Farshi Shalwar trend, a unique wish goes viral

    Renowned actor and singer Farhan Saeed has shared his thoughts on the ongoing Farshi Shalwar trend, sharing an unusual wish that has caught everyone’s attention.

    Currently, Farshi Shalwar has taken over Pakistan’s fashion scene, with both the general public and celebrities embracing the trend. Clothing brands are rolling out new designs, and their popularity has even extended to men’s fashion—Fahad Mustafa being a prime example.

    Joining the social media conversation on this viral trend, Farhan Saeed shared his unique take through an Instagram story. He wrote: “I wish that along with Farshi Shalwar, Farshi Attitude (humble behavior) would also become a trend.”

    His statement quickly sparked discussions, with many agreeing that fashion trends should also promote positive social behaviour.

    Pakistanis can’t get enough of Farshi Shalwar this season. The floor-grazing, wide-legged silhouette has become an Eid staple, dominating social media feeds, celebrity wardrobes, and even prime-time game shows.

    Makeup artist Sara Ali recently credited the trend’s revival to Sadaf Kanwal’s brand. However, netizens weren’t entirely convinced. Some argued that designer Hussain Rehar brought it back with his bold designs and vibrant hues, while others pointed to actress Anmol Baloch, who sported the look in the drama Iqtidar.

    Amid the debate, Ayeza Khan subtly weighed in with an Instagram post: “This is my 77th Farshi Shalwar of the season, and I’m still loving it.”

    Now, that’s some serious dedication!

    While Farshi Shalwars is trending today, it has a rich history in South Asia. The style originated during the Mughal era when women wore lavishly flared pants designed to glide along the floor (with “Farsh” meaning “floor” in Persian). At the time, they symbolised luxury and sophistication, typically paired with embroidered kameezes and dupattas. Now, centuries later, they’ve made a grand comeback—blending regal elegance with modern silhouettes.