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  • Zafraan – Iranian cuisine at its finest

    Zafraan – Iranian cuisine at its finest

    With COVID-19 lockdowns, restaurants across the city (and country) have remained closed for over 3 months now. As a hard-core foodie, I have been missing going out to try out different yet delicious cuisines. This prompted me to look up some home-based food delivery outlets in the city and that’s when I came across a mother-daughter startup. What intrigued me was their Iranian cuisine, something which my husband and I always enjoy eating. And lo and behold I just discovered a gem.

    Read more – The quest for the perfect French Toast in Lahore

    Born in Tehran, in the heart of Iran, Elham learned the craft of Afghani and Iranian cuisine from a generation of exceptional cooks whilst spending a majority of her pre-marriage life in the Middle East. After moving to Karachi back in 1992, she won the hearts of many of her family and friends with her authentic Iranian food. When the lockdown was imposed and everyone went into quarantine, Elham discovered that she had a lot of free time on her hands now, allowing her to work on an idea that had been lingering on her and her daughter Mahum’s minds for a while. Free time along with the wish to be financially independent, gave Elham and Mahum the motivation to use their free time to do something productive. That’s when Zafraan came into being with the vision to spread the joys of Iranian flavours to the people of Pakistan.

    Zafraan’s menu is simple yet authentic and prices very reasonable. They offer home delivery, which is a blessing in the current situation, and pay special attention to hygiene and taste.

    Let’s begin with Chullu Kebabs which literally means ‘rice and kebab’ in Persian. It is the national dish of Iran and also the most popular. These legendary kebabs are a fan favourite and Zafraan’s ace of spade. The dish consists of buttery saffron rice and top quality minced beef kebabs served with grilled tomato and tomato sauce. The tenderness of the kebabs along with a combination of tomato sauce and buttery rice bring together an abundance of flavour that pays a rich tribute to the culture of Iran.

    Chelow Kebabs

    Next up, we have the Afghani Aush sometimes spelt ‘Aash’ meaning ‘noodle’ in Afghani. Aush is comfort food at its best. It’s a noodle soup consisting of tomato-based broth, filled with chicken chunks and mixed herbs and spices. The flavour is distinct and nothing like any other soup served in Pakistan.

    Afghani Aush

    Then comes the classic Zereshk Pulao, also known as “jewelled rice” because of the red barberries in it. The dish is balanced with a hint of sweetness for the perfect taste. The rice is served with Persian chicken gravy. This dish is exotic and simple at the same time and a must-try if you are a fan of any type of rice and chicken gravy.

    Zereshk Pulao

    Last but not least is my favourite Khoresh Gheymeh, which is mutton and split pea stew – a traditional and popular Iranian stew – topped with fried potatoes and served with aromatic white rice. If this doesn’t tickle your taste buds, I would be quite surprised.

    Khoresh Gheymeh

    Though quarantine and lockdowns have snatched the livelihoods of so many across Pakistan, the silver lining is where courageous women like Elham and Mahum have started their own business with an intent to not only serve classic, authentic Irani/ Afghani food but also the desire to be financially independent.

  • Twitter calls ‘Chhota Bheem’ gold-digger as he marries rani Indumati over long time BFF Chutki

    Twitter calls ‘Chhota Bheem’ gold-digger as he marries rani Indumati over long time BFF Chutki

    Chhota Bheem is one of the most popular cartoon series that was once very popular in Pakistan also. People who have watched the series would be well aware of the main characters of Chota bheem, Chutki and the Princess Indumatti. News is doing the rounds on social media that ‘Chhota Bheem’ married Princess Indumati, and ditched best friend and laddoo supplier – Chutki.

    In the show, it was often seen Bheem sidelined his best friend Chutki whenever Princess Indumati, walks into the frame. People started making memes and called Bheem ‘Dhokebaaz’ for ditching Chutki.

    https://twitter.com/Hijabezahra6/status/1268275805056049154?s=20
    https://twitter.com/Jaydevmishra16/status/1268454921231269888?s=20
    https://twitter.com/itslarayx/status/1268285831892078597?s=20
    https://twitter.com/Qaafirana_/status/1268171354106445825?s=20

    After the memes started circulating on social media, an official statement was released on Chhota Bheem’s Facebook page in which makers Green Gold Animation clarified that it is fake news.

  • Girl climbs rooftop to get better signals to attend online classes

    Girl climbs rooftop to get better signals to attend online classes

    A girl in Kerala, India broke the internet for her tireless dedication to studies against all odds. Namitha who is taking online classes during lockdown could only found find manageable signal strength for mobile data on the rooftop. She climbed the rooftop to get better signals to attend her online classes.

    As per reports, Namitha is a student of fifth semester BA English. Namitha Narayana was seeking better connectivity at her home near Kottakkal, Kerala, to attend online classes. Due to poor signal in her room, she climbed up and sat on the tiled rooftop of her house to study without a disturbance.

    Explaining why she chose the rooftop space for study, Namitha said, “We tried all places in my house, including verandas and roofs. And finally, I got fairly good signal strength on the top of our two-storey house.”

    After the pictures did rounds on social media the technical staff of the company came to her home and installed a better internet connection.

    “I am happy I can now learn from the comforts of my house,” said Namitha.

    Her elder sister Nayana too praised the positive response from the network operators and how quickly they worked it out.

    Syed Abid Husain Thangal, MLA of Kottakkal reached out to the family and said, “Namitha’s photo studying from the rooftop has become a symbol of the state’s connectivity. She is also a symbol of the perseverance displayed by the state’s student community. By setting herself an example, Namitha has become an inspiration for others.”

  • VIDEO: Life-size statue of Ertuğrul erected in Lahore

    VIDEO: Life-size statue of Ertuğrul erected in Lahore

    As fever of hit Turkish series ‘Diriliş: Ertuğrul’ continues to grip Pakistanis ever since it was first aired by PTV on Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s directions, a statue of Ertuğrul, father of Osman I — the founder of the Ottoman dynasty –, has been erected in Lahore.

    According to a report by Independent Urdu, the statue has been installed in the provincial capital of Punjab’s Maraghzar Colony near Thokar Niaz Baig to honour the Muslim hero.

    The statue made of fibre and iron was brought in from Kamalia city of Toba Tek Singh district and other similar sculptures will be erected in other parts of the colony as well, the report said.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    https://twitter.com/nailainayat/status/1268644498877427713?s=09

    Speaking to the media outlet, secretary general of the colony said that they were even planning to name the square, where the statue was installed, after Ertuğrul.

    According to Ottoman tradition, Ertuğrul was the son of Suleyman Shah, leader of the Kayı tribe of Oghuz Turks, who fled from western Central Asia to Anatolia to escape the Mongol conquests, but he may instead have been the son of a Gündüz Alp.

    The hit Turkish historical fiction ‘Diriliş: Ertuğrul’ that revolves around the life of a group of Turkic nomads in the pre-Ottoman era, has led to Ertuğrul — the protagonist of the series — being hailed a hero by Pakistanis.

  • Murdered minor housemaid’s torture was recorded on cell phones

    Murdered minor housemaid’s torture was recorded on cell phones

    A minor housemaid, who was beaten to death in Rawalpindi, was reportedly often tortured and the incidents filmed.

    Officials investigating the case said that they have managed to obtain access of Hasan Siddiqui and his wife Umme Kulsoom’s mobile phones, adding that they recovered some videos from the devices that showed the minor, Zahra bibi, being tortured.

    As per reports, officials also found an image of the minor domestic worker locked up in a large birdcage, allegedly as a punishment.

    Officers said that they have not gained any evidence so far which proves that the couple had recorded the videos. However, he said that they are still looking into the data obtained from the cellphones and there is a chance they could come across data which could be important for the case.

    The victim’s father and the couple had an agreement for her services. An amount of Rs80,000 had been paid to Zahra’s father for her services for eight months. Further, both parties had agreed that if the victim serves for longer, her family will pay more.

  • Jemima lauds Pakistani-British cab driver for dealing with a racist sensibly

    Jemima lauds Pakistani-British cab driver for dealing with a racist sensibly

    Jemima Goldsmith gave a shoutout to a Pakistani-British cab driver who tackled a racist sensibly.

    A video which has gone viral on social media shows a British passenger abusing the cab driver for his ethnicity.

    “Who do you think you are?” says the passenger. “You think you’re something special? Pakistan! But I’ll tell you what? No wonder the Indians are bombing you!”

    Throughout the exchange, the driver kept searching his bag as if looking for a change and responded calmly, “I don’t think about who I am. Have fun.”

    Soon the video was widely circulated on social media and caught Jemima’s attention, who lauded the driver for “keeping his cool”.

    Later, it was revealed that the West Midlands Police arrested the man for his actions. Another user also shared the alleged response of the cab driver to the arrest.

    Mr Mustafa is being made the first honorary ambassador of the West Midlands Taxi Drivers’ Association (WMTDA) for the way he handled the incident in Birmingham. The father-of-four had spent the last few weeks shuttling vital Covid-19 samples for the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation trust during the pandemic.

  • Man arrested for killing over 100 rare ibex in Gilgit-Baltistan

    Man arrested for killing over 100 rare ibex in Gilgit-Baltistan

    The Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) wildlife department has arrested a man for killing more than 100 Himalayan ibex in the region.

    Read more – Rare striped hyena rescued in DI Khan

    According to a report in The Express Tribune, the culprit Mohammad Essa was arrested while he was on his way home in the Hoper village of district Nagar. A wildlife official said that Essa’s car was raided on a tip-off and about 30 kg of meat was discovered in the vehicle.

    The accused was arrested immediately and during an investigation, it was revealed that he used to supply meat to some government officials and other influential people to oblige them.

    An official statement said that the culprit was presented before a forest magistrate/DFO Gibran Haider on Wednesday where he confessed to killing over 100 ibex. The magistrate sentenced him to one-year imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs140,000 under the Wildlife Act 1975.

    Read more – Spanish hunter pays $83,500 to kill season’s third markhor in Gilgit

    The arrest sent waves of shock in the region, where trophy hunting was believed to have discouraged illegal hunting of such precious wild species. The long-horned animal is one of the 18 rare species for which a hunting permit is officially allowed in G-B under the trophy hunting programme. Last year the hunting fee was about Rs110,000.

    The Himalayan ibex is native to the Karakoram, Hindukush and Himalayan mountain ranges of Gilgit-Baltistan.

    Man arrested for dragging dog in Karachi

    Meanwhile, a man was arrested in Karachi for dragging a dog with his car. According to ACF Animal Rescue, the incident took place on Siraj-ud-Daula Road, near Alamgir Masjid in Karachi. When some people behind the car tried to stop the car and save the dog, the person behind the wheel just drove faster.

    The dog was dragged along until he died.

    A video of the incident went viral on social media, sparking public outrage following which the authorities took immediate notice and sprang into action.

    https://twitter.com/ACFAnimalRescue/status/1268294835968061452?s=20
    https://twitter.com/amnaappi/status/1268287579268538369?s=20

    A case has also been registered against the culprit.

  • Public parks in Lahore reopen after 75-day closure

    A large number of people in Lahore have visited various public parks of the city after they were opened for the general public today.

    As per reports, the public parks of the city have been opened after 75-day closure amid coronavirus outbreak in the city.

    The people adopted the standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued by the provincial government to curb the virus spread.

    On Thursday, the Punjab government had decided to reopen public parks in the provincial capital Lahore from May 5 (today).

    The Director-General of Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA), Muzaffar Khan Sial, had announced that the provincial government decided to reopen public parks in Lahore. The parks will be open from 6 am to 9 pm.

    Sial had added that the parks will be reopened under the standard operating procedures (SOPs) finalised by the provincial health department. The citizens will only be allowed to enter into the parks after wearing face masks and gloves.

    DG PHA urged the citizens to strictly follow precautionary measures and social distancing while visiting the public parks.

  • Bangladeshi man walks 2,000 KM to stop his Pakistani sweetheart from getting married

    Bangladeshi man walks 2,000 KM to stop his Pakistani sweetheart from getting married

    A Bangladeshi national walked up to 2,000 kilometres amid coronavirus lockdown to see his social media friend in Karachi who was getting married to another man. He first crossed the India-Bangladesh border illegally and then found his way to Attari, Amritsar.

    Then he tried to cross the India-Pakistan border but was arrested by an Indian Border Security Force (BSF) officer.

    Identified as Nayan Mian, the 26-year-old is a resident of Shariatpur, a district in the Dhaka division of central Bangladesh. When he was arrested, he only had a mobile phone with a Bangladeshi SIM card and some Indian currency notes.

    Mian did not cross the border with bad intent, but he just wanted to meet his Pakistani friend who was getting married to another man.

    Read more – Second wife pours hot water on husband over third marriage

    During the investigation, it was revealed that the girl’s family shared ties with his family. However, they were separated after his parents shifted to Bangladesh in 1971. A few years ago, he reached her on social media and fell in love with her.

    “The girl is my cousin and we were connected through social media. We used to talk through video calls, but had been out of touch for 10 to 15 days. She had accepted my marriage proposal and that’s why I intended to visit her. I heard that many stranded Pakistanis were being repatriated these days, so I thought of taking a chance,” he said.

    Mian told the police that he first reached Kolkata, then passed through Agra, New Delhi, and then came to Punjab, mostly on foot.

  • Khadijah Shah responds to backlash on Élan’s ‘racist’ lawn campaign

    Khadijah Shah responds to backlash on Élan’s ‘racist’ lawn campaign

    Lawn campaigns are a big deal in Pakistan and all designers go above and beyond to come up with eye-catching ones. However, some times, the campaigns come under fire for being controversial. This year, Élan was on the receiving end of backlash and criticism for being racist because it featured an African model, which people thought was being used as a prop.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B_XoflYg6zv/
    https://www.instagram.com/p/B9zU1JWg4gA/

    Following social media outrage, Élan’s creative head and CEO Khadijah Shah took to social media to explain the campaign and the concept behind it.

    “It’s heartening to see that we stand against racism and cultural misappropriation, but at the same time we must know what these terms mean,” wrote the designer on social media. Shah then proceeded to define the terms ‘cultural appropriation’ and ‘racism’ and explained how they do not apply to Élan’s campaign.

    https://twitter.com/khadijah_shah/status/1267821795219959815?s=20
    https://twitter.com/khadijah_shah/status/1267824733665427461?s=20
    https://twitter.com/khadijah_shah/status/1267826504194420738?s=20

    Khadijah then requested everyone criticising the campaign not to disrespect their friends from Lamu by passing insensitive comments.

    https://twitter.com/khadijah_shah/status/1267830078727061513?s=20

    She also explained why donkeys were part of some of the pictures.

    “As for those finding the image with the donkeys offensive; donkeys are beloved in Lamu,” wrote Khadijah. “They are taken care of and the only mode of transportation. In our country not only do we treat donkeys badly we also use it as a term to insult others.”

    https://twitter.com/khadijah_shah/status/1267841731468427265?s=20

    Read more – Khadijah Shah receives a signed ‘Thank you note’ from Kate Middleton

    The designer also shared that the brand has featured both male and female models in their previous campaigns and there has never been any such criticism.

    https://twitter.com/khadijah_shah/status/1267845940628652032?s=20

    Meanwhile, model Mushk Kaleem, who featured in the campaign, said that beauty, equality, love and acceptance have no skin tones.

    “This Élan’s campaign is so close to my heart and with its launch, it is extremely sad to see all the negativity that is pouring in,” wrote Mushk.

    “Posing alongside me, in this stunning campaign is my beautiful friend, who I had an excellent time working with, and who I also learnt a lot from – Gabriel Fords.”

    “Unfortunately, many people are speaking about how the male model is being used as a prop or an accessory. Why is that so?” she questioned.

    Kaleem added, “This campaign is a celebration and a declaration of love, of equality, of acceptance, of tolerance – of cultures and heritages without any borders and boundaries.”

    “Gabriel Fords, who is as much a vital part of this campaign as I am, is not a prop or an accessory. This entire shoot screams inclusivity. It is about bridging cultures, about educating people about the normalcy of an interracial love.”

    “I’m very proud to be part of this campaign,” concluded the model.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CA7SBxppzzD/

    Earlier in 2018, Sana Safinaz had come under fire for its racist representation of the Masai Mara people. They later issued a clarification and said that their campaign aimed to celebrate the beautiful Masai culture.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BgFp1tzng2o/?utm_source=ig_embed