Category: Entertainment

The body of model and actress Humaira Asghar has been handed over to her family almost four days after she was found dead in her apartment in Karachi. Her relatives have now left with her remains for Lahore.

SSP South Mahzoor Ali told the media that the family wanted to take Humaira’s body to Lahore, adding that they did not express any immediate doubts or suspicions about her death.

Humaira’s brother and other relatives first reached the SSP South office in Karachi and then went to the rescue service mortuary to complete the process of claiming her remains. Her younger brother Naveed Asghar told journalists, “Humaira was my younger sister. If a body is in police custody, then legal requirements must be completed.”

Naveed added, “We have been in touch with a welfare organization and the police since three days. We have now received my sister Humaira’s body.”

It may be recalled that on July 8, Humaira Asghar’s body was found in a flat in Defence Phase 6, Karachi. She had been living alone in this rented apartment for the past seven years after moving to Karachi from Lahore in 2018.

According to SSP South Mahzoor Ali, Humaira had not been paying rent since 2024. The owner of the flat had filed a case with the Clifton Cantonment Board, and when the bailiff arrived to vacate the premises, he found the door locked. After repeated knocks went unanswered, the door was broken open and Humaira’s body was found lying on the floor inside her room.

Digital investigations and circumstantial evidence has pointed towards the actress having died at some point in September or October 2024.

The long-neglected ancestral homes of Bollywood legends Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor in Peshawar’s historic Qissa Khwani Bazaar are finally set to be preserved and restored, as part of a major cultural heritage plan announced by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government.

Approved under the World Bank-funded Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Integrated Tourism Development (KITE) project, the province will spend a total of Rs1.04 billion on conserving heritage sites and promoting heritage tourism. Chief Minister Sardar Ali Amin Khan Gandapur approved the wide-ranging projects during a high-level meeting this week.

A sum of Rs33.8 million has been allocated for the restoration of Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor’s ancestral homes. Despite being declared heritage properties, these historic houses have remained in a state of disrepair for decades, drawing criticism from activists and the local community. 

Dilip Kumar, born as Yusuf Khan in 1922, and Raj Kapoor, born in 1924, spent their early childhoods in Peshawar before moving to India after Partition. Both went on to become icons of South Asian cinema and always spoke fondly of their roots.

The larger plan includes Rs295 million for upgrading museums across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, focusing on better display systems, conservation labs, visitor facilities and security measures to protect valuable artefacts and improve the educational experience.

Several key archaeological sites will also benefit. The Baho Dheri site in Swabi District has been allocated Rs45 million, while Rs40 million will go towards conservation at Ranigat in Buner District, another major Gandharan site. The UNESCO World Heritage-listed Takht Bhai Buddhist monastery in Mardan will receive Rs30 million for preservation and infrastructure improvements.

Development of the Guli Bagh site in Mansehra District has been approved with a budget of Rs35 million. In Dera Ismail Khan, Koh-e-Sulaiman will receive Rs155 million and the Sheikh Badin archaeological site has been allocated Rs190 million for preservation work.

Additionally, Rs220.59 million will be spent on strengthening security and protective infrastructure at major heritage and archaeological sites across the province to prevent encroachment, vandalism and unauthorised access.

Officials believe these long-awaited steps will not only protect priceless cultural landmarks but also help boost heritage tourism, generating economic activity and opportunities for local communities.

Filmmaker Jamshed Mahmood Raza, widely known as Jami, has been granted interim bail by the Sindh High Court, just days after being sentenced to two years in jail for defamation.

His lawyer confirmed the news on Thursday and said that an appeal against the conviction has already been filed. Jami has been ordered to submit a surety of Rs50,000 along with personal recognition bonds.

Jami’s legal team argued in the appeal that the trial court wrongly shifted the burden of proof upon the appellant [Jami], contrary to settled principles of criminal law and natural justice, where the entire onus lay upon the prosecution to prove the alleged offence beyond reasonable doubt.

They further claimed that the evidence on record is unreliable and highly contradictory, and the prosecution has failed to establish the offence beyond reasonable doubt.

The appeal requests the court to suspend the sentence and overturn the decision after hearing the arguments.

Earlier this week, a Karachi additional sessions court sentenced Jami to two years in prison and imposed a fine of Rs10,000 under Section 500 of the Pakistan Penal Code for allegedly defaming fellow filmmaker Sohail Javed in 2019.

The case was based on a letter that Jami read out at the Lahooti Melo festival in Jamshoro, which focused on the #MeToo movement. The letter was written by an anonymous sexual assault survivor and shared experiences of being abused by a famous person in the entertainment industry. Jami also posted the letter on his Facebook page.

Though the letter did not name anyone directly, Sohail Javed claimed that several details in the letter led people to believe it was about him. He alleged that Jami “did nothing to stop the speculation or deny the accusation.”

Javed said the letter contained “specific references” like “he was a music video and TVC director,” “he was a panellist at a festival in Hyderabad,” and “he introduced his 23 or 24-year-old son to me, who worked in the same profession as mine.”

He added that descriptions of personal stories shared by the alleged predator [that] led people to believe that [Javed] is the subject of the accusation. According to Javed, this caused “irreparable damage” to his reputation.

A day after actor and model Humaira Asghar’s family refused to accept her remains for burial arrangements, Sindh government’s Culture Department has offered to take responsibility for the same, citing the contributions of the late actress to the country’s arts and culture.

Humaira’s months-old corpse was earlier this week discovered at her rented apartment in Karachi’s Defence area. Investigation and medical examination suggested that the actor passed away around October last year and her body remained undiscovered for around nine months until her landlord attempted to have the apartment vacated with the help of law enforcement over non-payment of rent.

As the news spread like wildfire, it was reported that Humaira’s legal heirs, including her parents, had refused to accept the remains, saying that they had severed ties with her a long time ago.

With several people offering to accept the remains to perform the late model’s last rites, a Sindh government letter has revealed that the provincial culture department, on the directives of the minister, has also offered to take responsibility for Humaira’s burial arrangements with respect and in a dignified manner.

“I am directed to refer to the subject cited above and to state that Minister, Culture, Tourism, Antiquities & Archives Department, has taken notice of the sad demise of the actress Humaira Asghar and has expressed his deep sorrow for her death. Further he is very much aggrieved for non-cooperation from her legal heirs to take over the custody of the body for burial,” read the letter to Karachi South’s deputy inspector general of police dated July 10.

It added that in light of this situation, and considering her contributions to the arts and culture of the country, the Culture Department, Government of Sindh is willing to take responsibility for her burial arrangements with respect and in dignified manner.

While the remains are for now in law enforcement’s custody, Humaira’s sister, amid widespread outrage, has also reportedly contacted authorities for the same to be handed over to the family.

Pakistani actress and model Humaira Asghar Ali, who was found dead in her Karachi apartment earlier this week, is now believed to have died around nine months ago.

According to media reports, digital records, forensic evidence and accounts from people who worked with her suggest her death went unnoticed for months.

Humaira Asghar Ali’s decomposed body was discovered when a court bailiff arrived to vacate her rented flat in Defence Housing Authority’s Ittehad Commercial area on Tuesday after the landlord filed a complaint over unpaid rent. 

When repeated knocks went unanswered, the bailiff broke the door open and found the 32-year-old actor’s remains lying on the floor in a room, hidden away for months.

Initially, Karachi Police Surgeon Dr. Summaiya Syed estimated that Humaira had been dead for at least a month, based on the body’s advanced stage of decomposition. But investigators now say evidence points to her death occurring in October 2024.

Her last Facebook post was shared on September 11, 2024, and her final Instagram update was on September 30. Deputy Inspector General Syed Asad Raza confirmed that Humaira’s phone records show her last dialled call was made in October 2024. After that, her phone remained inactive.

Investigators also found that her apartment’s electricity had been disconnected since October last year due to unpaid bills. The flat’s water pipes were dry and rusted, expired food was found in the kitchen and there were no candles or backup lights. 

Adding to the timeline, stylist Danish Maqsood, who had worked with Humaira on a photoshoot, told a private media outlet that his last conversation with her was in October 2024 about the shoot. He said she seemed happy and praised the project. Later, when his team sent her a collaboration request to post the photoshoot on social media, she did not respond or approve it. They tried calling her and messaging on WhatsApp but never got any reply.

Danish said that growing concerned, he reached out to some social media publications to report her disappearance but was told it might not be serious. Despite posting notices on two different platforms, he said there was no real response from the industry.

“There were rusted jars, dry pipes and no signs of electricity or candles in her flat,” an investigator said. “One neighbor returned to the vacant apartment on the same floor in February but by then the smell had faded because the balcony door had been left open.”

Police Surgeon Syed, who revisited the scene with senior officers, said multiple surface samples were collected for testing. Two mobile phones found at the scene are being analyzed.

Humaira Asghar Ali rose to fame after winning Veet Miss Super Model in 2014 and was known for her appearance in the reality show Tamasha Ghar in 2022. She acted in popular dramas including Just Married, Ehsaan Faramosh, Guru and Chal Dil Mere, and appeared in the films Jalaibee in 2015 and Love Vaccine in 2021.

Police efforts to locate her family revealed that Humaira’s father had severed ties with her nearly two years ago and initially refused to come to Karachi to claim her body. 

But now reports revealted that her family will arrive from Lahore today to receive her body.

The family of actor Humaira Asghar Ali, who was found dead in her apartment in Karachi’s Defence Housing Authority (DHA) Phase VI on Tuesday, will arrive from Lahore today to claim her body.

According to police officials, Humaira’s body was discovered in her flat in Ittehad Commercial, after a local court ordered the police to vacate the apartment due to unpaid rent. DIG South Syed Asad Raza confirmed that police knocked on the door at around 3:15 pm but received no response. They then broke the lock and found her body inside, already in an advanced stage of decomposition.

The Crime Scene Unit collected evidence from the flat, and her body was shifted to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for legal formalities. 

Dr Summaiya Syed, police surgeon, confirmed that the body was badly decomposed and the exact cause of death could not be determined immediately. She estimated that Humaira had died at least two weeks before she was found.

SSP South Mehzor Ali said Humaira had been living alone in the flat for about seven years. She rented it in 2018 but had not paid rent since October 2024. The Clifton Cantonment Board filed a case on behalf of the landlord, leading to the court-ordered eviction. When the bailiff arrived and found the door locked, it was broken open, and Humaira’s body was found lying on the floor in a room. 

Police efforts to locate her family revealed that Humaira’s father had severed ties with her nearly two years ago. He initially refused to come to Karachi to claim her body. Police tracked her phone number through the landlord and managed to reach her father and brother, but later lost contact with them. They are now expected to arrive in Karachi today.

Humaira Asghar Ali was known for her role in the ARY reality show Tamasha Ghar and her performance in the 2015 film Jalaibee. 

She had reportedly been living alone for years. Two mobile phones recovered from her apartment are being analyzed as part of the investigation. Police say they will register a case if any evidence of foul play is found, regardless of whether the family pursues the matter. The autopsy and toxicology reports are awaited as investigations continue into how she died.

Actress Sarwat Gilani is in no mood to hold back on her opinion about toxic male television characters. 

In a recent appearance on the Let’s Be Real show, the outspoken star called out fellow actor Feroze Khan for consistently portraying violent and toxic characters in drama serials, accusing him of promoting harmful behavior on national airwaves. 

Sarwat didn’t mince her words. She said, “In his dramas, mostly, he has been shown beating up the woman and treating her cruelly. The same woman later ends up falling in love with him. This toxic behaviour is glorified on national television.”

She believes these repeated storylines send the wrong message to viewers, especially in a society where such portrayals can normalize abuse and manipulation.

“Feroze Khan, you’re encouraging toxicity on national television, and then you have a problem with someone taking your story and presenting it on various platforms,” she remarked, pointing towards the larger cultural consequences of glorifying abusive behavior.

Sarwat also brought up the controversial moment when Feroze Khan leaked the personal phone numbers of several female celebrities, including herself, during his public divorce battle.

“There used to be an actor, but now you don’t see him much. Feroze Khan. He had leaked the phone numbers of five or six people. I was there. Sharmeen, Mera Sethi, and me. These types of characters they used to do. Slapping, kicking, shoes, talking disrespectfully. Zero values. And in the end, the girl falls in love with him. This is the problem,” she added.

She emphasized the responsibility that actors, writers, and producers carry when creating content for a wide audience. Dramas like Khaani and Ishqiya, where Feroze plays emotionally abusive and aggressive men, have been both popular and controversial, admired for their performances, yet heavily criticized for romanticizing toxic masculinity.

Sarwat wrapped up her thoughts by sharing a powerful statement made by a police officer she once heard, “Incidents like these should not discourage our daughters, but we should discourage our boys, that they should have a better environment, better upbringing, and better set of values.”

Hania Aamir is truly the most adorable actress both on and off screen and if you need proof then you don’t have to look further than her new Instagram post  of exclusive glimpses from the set of Sardaar Ji 3.

Hania posted photos and videos from the shoot with the caption “Chaliye fir cinema” giving fans a glimpse into her exciting cinematic journey.

In one particularly delightful video, Hania can be seen trying her best to pronounce a Punjabi dialogue: “Inaya kuttay agy sity ga.” Her effort and playful struggle left fans gushing.

From her radiant smile to her charming Punjabi accent, everything about Hania’s BTS content had fans flooding the comments section with love, “What a beautiful memory and an unforgettable cinematic debut!”

“Post BTS with Diljit Dosanjh, please!”

“Mainu pehle ni pta si koi Punjabi enni pyaari v bol sakda ❤”

“Her Punjabi accent = pure serotonin boost Kitni pyaari lagti ho bolte hue!”

“My heart was touched by your performance in the song ‘Hania Sohni Lagdi’. It’s one of my all-time favourites “

Fans also praised her dedication to the project, “Hania worked very hard on this film, and that’s why the film has done so well in collections. Hard work and dedication paid off.❤ loveee youuu”

Sardaar Ji 3, part of the hit Punjabi comedy franchise, stars Diljit Dosanjh as the beloved Sardaar Ji and marks Hania Aamir’s big Punjabi film debut. Directed by Rohit Jugraj and backed by White Hill Studios and Rhythm Boyz Entertainment, the film blends romance, comedy, and light supernatural elements, with veterans like Jaswinder Bhalla and BN Sharma adding to the charm.

Despite the unfortunate ban on its release in India following the April 22 Pahalgam attack, the film is making waves globally. The producers, with support from Diljit, chose not to release the film in India out of respect for public sentiment. But that hasn’t stopped it from becoming a massive success overseas.

In just one week, Sardaar Ji 3 has earned ₹33.6 crore (PKR 109.87 crore) and is well on track to cross the ₹50 crore (PKR 163.5 crore) milestone. Audiences across the US, Canada, UK, and Pakistan are calling it a “joyful cross-border triumph.”