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Category: Lifestyle

  • Pakistani origin doctor wipes away $650,000 debt of 200 cancer patients in US

    Pakistani origin doctor wipes away $650,000 debt of 200 cancer patients in US

    A doctor of Pakistani origin in the United States of America Dr Omar Atiq waived of $650,000 in debt for nearly 200 of his patients with cancer. Dr Atiq, an oncologist who founded a cancer treatment centre in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, sent out a holiday greeting to patients before Christmas, announcing that their outstanding payments would be cleared.

    “I hope this note finds you well. The Arkansas Cancer Clinic was proud to serve you as a patient. Although various health insurers pay most of the bills for [the] majority of patients, even the deductibles and co-pays can be burdensome,” the card read.

    “The clinic has decided to forego all balances owed to the clinic by its patients. Happy Holidays.”

    As per details, Dr Atiq’s clinic provided cancer treatments including chemotherapy, radiation therapy and diagnostics. It was closed in late February due to staff shortage.

    The outstanding amount was nearly $650,000 (Rs 104,645,320). However, the clinic worked with a billing company to cancel the debt.

    “We thought there was not a better time to do this than during a pandemic that has decimated homes, people’s lives and businesses and all sorts of stuff,” said Dr Atiq. “We just thought we could do it, and we wanted to, so we went ahead and did it.”

    “Being sick is hard, having cancer is harder, and having cancer in this pandemic is devastating. I am just a regular physician—a regular person that they have in the neighbourhood—just so happens to be me standing here. The ones struggling couldn’t pay, so we thought we could just write off the debt.”

    “It is really fate,” he said, referring to the decision to move. “We have been very grateful. This has been home for a long time. We are grateful for the opportunity for what has happened to our lives here.”

    Atiq said he was happy to give his patients a bit of relief.

    “I love them, I care for them and I am glad I was able to do a little bit at this point for them,” he added.

    The Arkansas Medical Society President said his clinic, in part, amassed the outstanding debt because “we have never refused to see a patient.”

    “Not for lack of health insurance or funds nor for any other reason,” he said. “I’ve always considered it a high honor and privilege to be someone’s physician—more important than anything else.”

  • Did a Saudi billionaire really marry her Pakistani driver?

    Did a Saudi billionaire really marry her Pakistani driver?

    Social media is abuzz with the ‘news’ of a marriage between an alleged Saudi billionaire, Sahoo bint Abdullah Al-Mahboob, and her driver who hails from Pakistan.

    The video of the wedding wherein the couple could be seen exchanging rings has garnered thousands of views on social media. Some news websites also featured the story, without checking the veracity of the claims, using this video that’s undated.

    https://twitter.com/hassanjutt25/status/1344921036169633796

    However, a quick Google search shows that Sahoo bint Abdullah Al-Mahboob, who apparently owns hotels in Mecca and Madina as per the rumours, is not a real person. The viral post also claimed that her net worth was $8bn and that she also owned properties in France and other countries.

    Her name doesn’t show up anywhere except the news sites and the Youtube videos that were circulating the news of the marriage. Also, there were no reports of the wedding in the Saudi press about a purported marriage between a driver and a billionaire.

  • Memes comparing white vs brown things are lit

    Memes comparing white vs brown things are lit

    Memes are some of the best things to see on your social media feeds. Several meme trends are successful in tickling our funny bones and this time memers are comparing white vs brown things that are not only funny but also relatable.

    Check out some of the funniest ones below:

    https://twitter.com/m_j_bajwa/status/1345031151589744641?s=20

  • Nine artists who may make it big in 2021

    Art is something we all love but few have the eye to determine which artist might be the next big thing. On a popular Pakistani Lifestyle Instagram account called Bhindifries, an NCA graduate and miniature artist, Ayesha Jatoi lists her favourite artists for 2021. Jatoi decided to reflect on 2020 not by the grief it gave, but by the potential for 2021. Jatoi’s recommended top nine Pakistani artists to look out for are:

    1. Fazal Rizwi:

    Like Jatoi, Rizwi is also an NCA graduate. This Karachi based artist blames his love for art to lead him to explore the dimensions of the sea and internal turmoil. Rizwi believes that the two main reasons for mental conflict are your soul and your family. That’s primarily why he bases his artworks on conceptual minimalism.

    2. Mahrukh Bajwa:

    Since this list has quite a few candidates from NCA, Bajwa is another one of them. This lady’s large charcoal sketches convey the unbiased observations of the outside world from the perspective of the mind.

    3. Alyssa Mumtaz:

    Mumtaz is an American Muslim whose mixed media art highlights the importance of ordinary objects in a unique way as her tools can range from a mere string or colour pigment to gold or silver.

    4. Faraz Aamer:

    Another NCA candidate with an extraordinary mastery in artist books, he tries to use his artistic expertise to highlight human conditioning due to societal influences.

    5. Lujane Pagganwala:

    A graduate of Indus Valley, Pagganwala shifts her focus from paper to sculpture, to bring her thoughts to life.

    6. Sahyr Sayed:

    Another NCA graduate and sculptor who efficiently uses miniature sculpting to make sure that the viewer is not devoid of any details. Her work featuring woman empowerment was appreciated on forums like Dawn Newspaper.

    7. Maryam Atiq:

    She employs the use of collage paintings to grip the attentions of the admirer.

    8. Ayesha Sultana:

    A BNU graduate with a Bangladeshi origin, Sultana is a minimalist who uses her artwork to transcend international boundaries.

    9. Kainat Jillani:

    Last but not the least, Jillani is a mixed media painter who has everything in her toolbox to create magic.

    Credit : @bhindifries

  • IKEA might not really be coming to Pakistan

    Pakistan’s ambassador to Germany, Dr Mohammad Faisal, on Thursday tweeted claiming that IKEA, a multinational conglomerate that designs and sells ready-to-assemble furniture, is coming to Pakistan.

    But soon after the news was announced in the media, the ambassador deleted his tweet and did not reply to queries sent to him regarding the development either.

    To add to the surprise, Profit reported, relevant ministries in the country were also unaware of the development. Officials at Board of Investment (BoI), the premier investment promotion agency of Pakistan working under the administrative control of the Prime Minister’s Office, mandated to promote and facilitate both local and foreign investment was also unaware of the development.

    The official claimed that there was no development, not even at the initial stage, regarding investment by IKEA.

    Similarly, the Ministry of Commerce, and officials at both the offices of adviser to prime minister on commerce and investment as well as secretary commerce were also unaware about the development.

    The official spokesperson at Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) said that no application for the registration of the company was received by the commission.

    However, SECP’s website shows the registration of a company IKEA TRADING (HONG KONG) LIMITED in 2006, at CRO Karachi. As per the SECP’s record, another firm in the name of IKEA SUPPLY AG SWITZERLAND was registered in Karachi in 2015.

  • The best books of 2020

    The best books of 2020

    There is no doubt that more books were read this year by people who love them. Finally having the ability to say that they’re going to stay in, for bookworms it was the year where they did what they love most. One of our favourite Pakistani accounts for the best book finds is The Writing Room run by Mariam Tareen. She lists her favourite books of the year, ones that should not be missed by book enthusiasts everywhere.

    Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

    Between the World and Me is written as a letter by Ta-Nehisi Coates to his teenage son. Coates’s prose is charged with emotion, fear, honesty, and poise as he attempts to share with his son what he knows about being a black man in America. His love for his son jumps up from every page, but also fear on his behalf. Coates does not wish to protect or shield his young son from hard truths about the world they live in and the responsibilities that come with discovering them. 

    The Far Field by Madhuri Vijay

    The Far Field – a sharp, nuanced, and engrossing novel – shows us the uncomfortable distance between the comfort of the privileged and the lives of the oppressed. 

    The Shapeless Unease by Samantha Harvey

    A short, luminous and inventive examination of novelist Samantha Harvey’s year-long struggle with insomnia – the “blankness and blackness; the yawning expanse of a night awake.”

    Daughters of the Sun by Ira Mukhoty

    What a fantastic book! A parallel history of 200 years of Mughal rule that has been tragically absent from our history books: that of the women of the Empire.

    We Need New Stories by Nesrine Malik

    Award-winning Guardian journalist Nesrine Malik was born in Sudan and moved to the UK in 2013. The book reads less like journalism and more like a history/social science study, which I loved (but it’s also why it took me a while to read it). With the sharpness of a surgeon, she dissects each of the toxic myths of our time with clinical precision to expose the truth.

    Grief is the Thing with Feathers by Max Porter

    It’s about loss and grief and “moving on”, about how a grief-stricken father and his two boys mourn the unbearable loss of their mother, and the crow who comes to help them. “I won’t leave you until you don’t need me any more.”

    The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

    It tells the story of a man remembering events from when he was a 7 year old boy. It explores childhood and memory, the darkest moments from our childhoods, the ones that still feel warm and others that still hurt, the ones that left scars, both visible and invisible. But it’s very convincingly disguised as a children’s book.

    Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall


    If you consider yourself a feminist, read this book. It’s addressed to white feminists in America but is essential reading for all of us.

    The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

    The Graveyard Book rounds off my Neil Gaiman hat-trick this October. I loved this book. I found myself wishing I had read it sooner. I think if I had read it as a kid, it would have made my childhood better in some way, and I would have remembered it in a way you can only remember things you read as a child.

    Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

    The novel centres on a family of Ghanian immigrants in America. It’s a novel about Big Themes like addiction, faith, family, science, immigration, and racism, but it doesn’t feel like Gyasi set down a checklist of themes to write about (as it sometimes does in many “novels of our time”.)

    This is the Story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett

    I’ve loved Ann Patchett’s writing for a long time and really enjoyed reading this essay collection about writing and life, especially the essay “The Getaway Car: A Practical Memoir about Writing and Life”, where she writes about the distance between having an idea for a novel in your head a and trying to get it onto the page.

    99 Nights in Logar by Jamil Jan Kochai

    “99 Nights in Logar” is Jamil Jan Kochai’s debut novel, and it is a unique book. I’ve never read a book in English where non-English words were not italicized. Toshaks, pakols, dusmals. Sadaqah. Rakah. Astaghfirullah. They’re written without hinting at foreignness. Pashto, Arabic and English are not foreign in the mind of the narrator, and that’s all that matters. There is an entire chapter towards the end of the novel in untranslated Pashto.

    Less by Andrew Sean Greer

    The book, written in crisp, vivid, screenplay-prose, is about running away from your problems. 

  • 2020 rewind: News that brought a smile to our faces

    2020 rewind: News that brought a smile to our faces

    2020 has pretty much been all about COVID-19 and the pandemic. The year has perhaps been one of the most challenging ones in recent times and has been difficult for everyone. As the year nears its end, The Current decided to look back and reflect upon some happy moments which brought a smile to our faces.

    Kaavan’s Relocation to Cambodia

    After spending years chained in Islamabad Zoo, the world’s former ‘loneliest elephant’ Kaavan was relocated to a local sanctuary in Cambodia where he will spend the rest of his days in the open and among his own. Kaavan’s freedom was assisted by American singer Cher, who came to Pakistan to personally see Kaavan off. She also welcomed the elephant in Cambodia with a very cute nameplate.

    As per the latest details, Kaavan has found new friends in Cambodia and has been spotted enjoying himself at his new home.

    Kavaan’s case and relocation also paved the way for other animals to be relieved of their plight. A few weeks after he left, two brown Himalayan bears at the Islamabad Zoo Suzie and Babloo were sent to a sanctuary in Jordan where they will be rehabilitated and nursed to health. Following their departure, the Islamabad Zoo was shut down.

    Tough anti-rape law

    The federal cabinet approved tough new anti-rape law under which special courts will be established to speed up rape trials and convicted rapists and perpetrators will be chemically castrated. It also prohibits the disclosure of the identity of rape victims and will create a national sex offenders’ register.

    Increased exports

    Pakistan’s exports for the month of November passed the $2 billion mark amid a resurgence of economic activity after the coronavirus lockdown. As per reports, Pakistan’s move to loosen pandemic restrictions early has helped the nation’s exports emerge stronger than its South Asian peers including India and Bangladesh.

    Construction of Hindu Temple

    The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) approved the construction of a new temple for minority Hindus, ruling that Islamic law allows minorities a place of worship. The CII also allowed the government to hand over the temple site as well as its adjoining Dharamshala (community centre) in Saidpur village of Islamabad to the Hindu community “so that it can offer religious rites as per their beliefs”. Many people including celebrities like Hamza Ali Abbasi lauded the initiative.

    Mahira Khan, Dr Sania Nishtar among BBC’s ‘100 women of 2020’

    Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection Dr Sania Nishtar and Mahira Khan were listed among BBC’s ‘100 women of 2020‘. According to the publication, the list included “100 inspiring and influential women from around the world for 2020”.

    “This year 100 Women is highlighting those who are leading change and making a difference during these turbulent times,” said the publication.

    While Mahira was lauded for her outspoken views against sexual violence, refusal to endorse skin-lightening creams and supporting the fight against racism, Dr Nishtar was honoured for “spearheading the transformative Ehsaas Poverty Alleviation programme, which has improved the livelihoods of millions of Pakistanis by providing mobile banking and savings accounts, and other basic resources.”

    It is pertinent to add here that Mahira was also part of the inaugural Forbes Asia’s 100 Digital Stars list, along with Aiman Khan and Atif Aslam. The list highlighted celebrities from across the Asia Pacific region who have taken the digital world by storm.

    Have more good news to share? Let us know in the comments.

  • International furniture brand ‘IKEA’ is coming to Pakistan

    IKEA, a multinational conglomerate that designs and sells ready-to-assemble furniture, is ready to launch its operations in Pakistan, Pakistan’s ambassador to Germany Dr Mohammad Faisal has announced.

    Dr Faisal said that he recently met with an official of IKEA, Dieter Mettke who will lead the launching of IKEA’s operations in Pakistan.

    “Met Dieter Mettke IKEA Deutschland. He is going to Pakistan to be in charge of Ikea operations,” Ambassador Faisal had written in a now-deleted tweet. “We look forward to Ikea opening up stores in major cities of Pakistan.”

    Read more – In a first, Hugo Boss places sportswear order with Pakistan

    Founded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kamprad, IKEA is one of the world’s largest furniture retailer since 2008. It has 271 stores in Europe, 65 in North America, 14 in the Middle East, 11 in Oceania, 2 in Africa and 82 in Asia. In August 2018, IKEA launched its sore in India. IKEA opened its first store in 1958 in Älmhult, Sweden.

  • Did you know Pierre Cardin also designed uniforms for PIA?

    Legendary French fashion designer Pierre Cardin passed away at the age of 98 on Tuesday at a hospital in Neuilly in western Paris.

    Confirming the news, his family in a statement said: “It is a day of great sadness for all our family. Pierre Cardin is no more. Italian by birth, Pierre Cardin never forgot his origins while bringing unconditional love to France.”

    Despite coming from a lower middle-class background, Cardin managed to make big name for himself in the fashion industry, particularly in the 1960s and ’70s, when he upended traditional fashion with his futuristic, avant-garde looks. He became known for his visionary creations, shaking up fashion with bubble dresses and geometrical designs.

    During that time, Cardin also made contributions to the Pakistani fashion industry and designed uniforms for Pakistan International Airline’s (PIA) staff. According to the website history of PIA, uniforms designed by Cardin were the official uniform of PIA’s staff from 1966 to 1975.

    “In 1966, Pierre Cardin, the renowned French fashion designer, came up with the legendary fawn colour uniform for summer and moss green uniform for winter,” reads a post on the website. “The uniform consisted of a short, easy fitting “A” line tunic, slim-line trousers and imaginatively moulded dupatta that not only covered heads but also turned heads.”

    “The uniform became an instant hit and the slim-line trousers were dubbed as ‘PIA Pajamas’. Fashion-conscious young ladies, all across Pakistan, copied Cardin’s design eagerly,” it adds.

  • 8 Pakistani women among world’s ‘100 outstanding nurses and midwives’

    Eight women from Pakistan have been listed among the World’s 100 outstanding Nurses and Midwives.

    To acknowledge the work of nurses and midwives amidst a global pandemic, the World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Nursing Now, International Council of Nurses (ICN), International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), and Women in Global Health (WGH), have compiled a list of World’s 100 Outstanding Nurses and Midwives.

    The list features the achievements and contributions of nurses and midwives from 43 countries and across six global regions.

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also congratulated the women on being recognised for their work.

    Here are the details of five of the eight women who made it to the list :

    Rozina Karmaliani, Board & Management – Midwife Nurse

    Dr Rozina Karmaliani is a Professor and Interim Dean at the School of Nursing and Midwifery and joint faculty with the Department of Community Health Sciences at Aga Khan University (AKU). Dr Rozina Karmaliani has spent decades working to inspire and empower others. Her efforts are currently focused on improving adolescent health, the development and strengthening of research capacities, and the integration of research into education and practice.

    Samina Vertejee, Community Hero – Nurse

    Samina Vertejee is an Assistant Professor at Aga Khan University School of Nursing and Midwifery (AKUSONAM). She brings together her practical and academic expertise to effect policy change for the care of older people. Recognising the gap in knowledge needed to properly care for Pakistan’s ageing population, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic due to their unique vulnerabilities, Vertejee has taken up the challenge at the policy level to improve the welfare of the country’s growing number of older people.

    Saima Sachwani, Human Capital Development: Midwife Nurse

    Ms Sachwani is an Assistant Professor and Section Head of the Public Health Stream, Aga Khan University School of Nursing and Midwifery (AKUSONAM). As a determined public health advocate and educator, her current focus is on creating awareness about the role of nurses in helping achieve universal health coverage. She was the first in Pakistan to introduce simulation into the community health nursing curriculum, with a lasting positive impact on teaching.

    Yasmin Nadeem Parpio, Community Hero: Nurse

    Yasmin Nadeem Parpio is an Assistant Professor at Aga Khan University School of Nursing and Midwifery (AKUSONAM). Yasmin works tirelessly to strengthen nursing curricula and to optimise the learning experiences of nursing students. She is currently undertaking a PhD on the subject of how building social skills among adolescents can reduce stress and improve resilience and quality of life. She also works on a voluntary basis with the local geriatric population, arranging regular educational sessions and working on yearly activity plans, and has established a peer support group.

    Marina Baig, Innovation, Science & Health: MidwifeNurse

    Marina Baig is a senior instructor at the Aga Khan University (AKU) School of Nursing and Midwifery. Her work on the use of mobile health (mHealth) technology to improve antenatal care coverage and skilled delivery in rural settings is exemplary and could serve as an innovative strategy in improving maternal health outcomes. Her contributions in developing an interactive e-book on women-centred reproductive health care focused on family planning and post-abortion care has been recognised as another key development in midwifery education in Pakistan.