Legendary shoe designer Professor Jimmy Choo was honoured in Lahore during his debut visit to the city, where he attended a grand evening hosted by entrepreneur and academician Professor Sarwar Khawaja and his wife, Faiza Khawaja, of SK Hub.
This exclusive gathering, held in collaboration with the Jimmy Choo Academy, brought together artists, visionaries, and industry leaders to celebrate creativity and innovation.
Professor Choo, the globally renowned co-founder of Jimmy Choo Ltd, has revolutionized high fashion with his exquisite handmade designs, worn by celebrities, royalty, and dignitaries worldwide.
His visit to Pakistan, scheduled from February 19-22, 2025, marks a significant milestone for the country’s fashion industry, offering local designers and entrepreneurs a unique opportunity to engage with the global icon and gain insights into craftsmanship and fashion entrepreneurship.
Beyond the event, Professor Choo’s itinerary includes visits to historic landmarks, meetings with industry leaders, creative professionals, diplomats, and the media. A private dinner reception hosted by Professor Sarwar Khawaja will also provide a platform for meaningful interactions between Pakistani and international celebrities and dignitaries.
Awam Pakistan President and former Prime Minister (PM) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Thursday made a controversial statement, saying that the Chief Justice of Pakistan’s (CJP) status is lower than that of a peon today.
Speaking on a private media outlet, Abbasi, while criticising the recently passed 26th Constitutional Amendment, said, “Chief Justice’s status is lower than that of a peon today.”
“You [Shahid Khaqan Abbasi) are making a bold claim; I’m not sure whether I [the program host] will be able to air this,” the political talk show host reacted to the ex-PM’s statement.
“Take it on air, I’m ready to say something even bigger than this,” the former Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) leader said. The host warned Abbasi that he could face contempt from the courts for such remarks. “Go ahead,” Abbasi responded.
Abbasi explained that the Supreme Court is meant for constitutional matters; however, the incumbent government has established a bench where they appoint the judges themselves.
Dubbing the 26th Constitutional Amendment destruction of the judiciary, Abbasi claimed that the amendment would cause so much damage to the country that it would not be calculated.
He claimed that the individual who had introduced the amendment bill in the Senate had not even read the bill, asking why the bill was passed in the wee hours on October 20, 2024.
Following the 26th Constitutional Amendment, the most senior judge to be appointed as the CJP was ruled out. The top judge was “appointed on the recommendation of the Special Parliamentary Committee from amongst the three most senior,” SC judges, as per the amendment.
The Special Parliamentary Committee, consisting of 12 members, including eight from the National Assembly and four members from the Senate, is responsible for sending the name of the nominee to the prime minister, who then forwards the same to the president for appointment, said the amendment.
Following the amendment, the Shehbaz Sharif-led government appointed the third most senior judge, Yahya Afridi, as the country’s top judge in October 2024.
The TV host, citing government claims that interest rates have dropped and textile exports have significantly surged, prompted Abbasi to recount that 16 deportees were sitting in a flight when he was coming from Turkiye to Sharjah. “All of the deportees were Pakistanis. They were doctors, engineers and IT experts,” he said, alluding to the unemployment crisis in the country.
“The incumbent government is unelected, and people have no trust in it,” he firmly stated.
A unique advertisement showcasing Chief Minister (CM) Punjab Maryam Nawaz’s one-year performance as provincial executive has sparked debate online.
The advertisement appeared on the internet on Friday, showing Pakistan’s female cricket team in hot water. Just when defeat seems inevitable, the team’s all-round captain player named Maryam rescues the team while playing a winning knock.
“We have to win the match, send the captain to the ground; she can change the game,” the coach asks another player after Pakistan loses its fifth wicket.
The skipper, named Maryam, enters the ground with the crowd erupting in excitement, waving posters that read, “We need a century.”
On the very first ball, Maryam hits a massive six out of the stadium. A farmer who was standing beside a green tractor in his fields picks up the ball. This depicts CM Punjab’s November 2024 relaunch of the green tractor scheme for farmers after a hiatus of 12 years.
The captain hits another six, landing the ball near the mobile healthcare van, referring to Maryam Nawaz’s multiple recently launched healthcare projects, including Clinics on Wheel, Air Ambulances and Field Hospitals.
The next six lands near a street sweeper, referring to CM Punjab’s ‘Suthra Punjab Program’ across the province, which was launched in July 2024. Captain’s match-winning six also lands out of the park with a student catching the ball while wearing a graduation gown. Multiple students were seen in the ad busy working on the CM Punjab’s laptop, referring to the Laptop Scheme for students across the province.
The ad concluded with the commentator praising Maryam’s inning, saying, “Maryam has saved the game.”
Choosing cricket-style advertising to showcase CM Punjab’s performance in one year has started a row on the internet.
Mocking the CM’s cricket-style advertisement, prominent journalist Mansoor Ali Khan on his YouTube channel on Saturday (today) stated that Nawaz’s team did not know about media handling, viewing the jailed ex-premier Imran Khan’s achievement for Pakistan in cricket.
Internet users were also quick to react to the advertisement. One user took to X (formerly Twitter), alleging, “Maryam Nawaz’s new gift for the people of Punjab—an advertisement paid for with their own money! Why is she so eager to become the captain?”
Another user, while pointing out several flaws in the advertisement, stated that CM Punjab’s team can’t even make a proper advertisement. “Three players sitting next to each other. Where is game sense,” asked another user.
“Wicket out hunay par empire ungli oper nahi krta, ad banany sey pehly homework tu kr lete (the umpire doesn’t raise his finger on a wicket out—at least do your homework before making an ad,” mocked another user.
Thursday’s rain showers in Lahore have resulted in multiple videos surfacing online, showing that the green paint of Punjab government’s Bike Lane on Ferozpur Road has washed away, turning the track into a slippery hazard.
It can be seen in a video that the Bike Lane turned black from green, with one person heard saying that the road has lost almost 70 percent of its green colour. “Green colour has gone into drains,” the man filming the video can be heard saying.
Last month, dedicated lanes for cyclists and motorcyclists were introduced on Lahore’s Ferozpur Road, painted green and orange. As per media reports, the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) had spent over Rs110 million on the paint alone.
On the directives of Chief Minister (CM) Punjab Maryam Nawaz, LDA had started constructing the 10-kilometre (KM) dedicated biker lane from Canal Road to Lahore Bridge on Ferozepur Road. The 12-foot-wide lanes are separated by curbs and green paint, promising better traffic flow and biker safety.
Orange and green colours were used to improve the visibility during the test run of the biker lane on Ferozpur Road.
Multiple videos showing the green Bike Lane returning back to its tarmac colour have emerged online, with internet users demanding that the contractor be held accountable.
Politician Moonis Elahi took to X (formerly Twitter) to share a picture of the eroded painted on Friday, writing, “Millions of rupees in publicity, billions of rupees in lime! The first rain in Lahore washed away all the dirt and artificial paint from the […] exhibition bike lane.”
“The paint on Lahore’s Motorcycle Green Line faded away after the first rain. Even the cheapest paint doesn’t wash off after just one rain. It seems like the contractor used lime instead of paint, which couldn’t even withstand a single downpour,” a social media user said while lambasting the road contractor.
Another user quipped that the first rain had washed away the magician’s green paint, and now motorcyclists are wandering the streets in search of their Green Line.
“Just a few days ago, the green and red bikers’ lane was painted at a cost of millions, hailed as a revolutionary project. But after just one rain, the colours have faded away. Public tax money is being lost to corruption, yet anyone who dares to question it,” lamented another user.
The federal government’s Civil Service Reform Committee is set to end the Central Superior Service (CSS) examinations, paving the way for cluster based exams, a report by investigative journalist Ansar Abbasi has revealed.
A source within the committee told the senior journalist that a cluster based system of examinations will be recommended to the federal cabinet, emphasising specialists over generalists in the country’s bureaucracy.
The committee is finalising reforms in compensations and pensions of civil servants. After one last pending meeting, the recommendations will be presented to the government.
The cluster based system will ensure the admission of qualified professionals for specific technical roles.
The CSS exam, currently conducted by the Federal Public Service Commission, relies on a uniform set of exams where passing individuals are sent to serve in different departments without any specific consideration of their academic background.
Sher Afzal Marwat, who was recently expelled from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has accused Shahbaz Gill, a former special assistant to prime minister (SAPM) and close ally of party founder Imran Khan, of stealing the former PM’s mobile phones and handing them over to ex-spymaster General (r) Faiz Hamid.
The former PTI leader was referring to the incident of theft first reported in May 2022 when, interestingly, Gill had told media that Khan’s mobile phones were stolen during the party’s Sialkot rally soon after Khan’s ouster from government.
“When an investigation was launched into Khan’s missing phones, an investigation team claimed that Shahbaz Gill, who was his chief of staff at the time, stole the phones and handed them over to Faiz,” Marwat said in conversation with a private media outlet.
He claimed that after learning about the theft, Khan removed Gill from the post and never met him again.
When the talk-show host contested Marwat’s claim, clarifying that these were just “accusations”, the former PTI leader said that Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) chief Sahibzada Hamid Raza as well as PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja were witnesses of the same, including Khan’s directives to remove Gill from the party’s political committee.
“Khan sent a message to him [Shahbaz Gill] two and a half months ago… either focus on vlogging or remain in the political committee,” Marwat revealed, adding that Gill was accustomed to disclosing all the committee’s secret conversations through his vlogs.
He went on to claim that Khan ordered Gill’s removal after he refused to abandon vlogging, but no action was taken. “Raja retained Gill in the PTI core and political committees.”
Reacting to the claims, Gill mocked the TV host and Marwat, calling the latter a “clown”.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Gill shared the video clip from the talk show and wrote, “General Faiz [former ISI chief] is with your masters, take both phones. Keep one for yourself […] and yes, make sure to get their chargers from General Faiz’s house. Otherwise, you’ll be begging for it from the workers.”
It merits a mention that Marwat has been making headlines since after being expelled from the PTI. “Further to the Show Cause Notice issued to Mr Sher Afzal Marwat and his subsequent reply, the party has considered his reply and also his actions subject to the Show Cause notice,” read a party notification.
Reacting to the expulsion, Marwat had expressed deep disappointment, emphasising his unwavering loyalty to PTI and Imran Khan’s leadership.
He said that the decision appeared to be influenced by individuals who never accepted him within the party but reassured his supporters that he had never been involved in personal disputes or internal factionalism.
Instead, he always stood by the vision of Khan, prioritising the party’s unity over personal conflicts. He acknowledged the difficulties faced by Imran Khan, including limited access to information and the presence of certain individuals whose actions were detrimental to the party’s interests.
Despite this, Marwat said, he was hopeful that the party’s workers, who had stood by him, would continue to support justice in the future.
In a firm stance, he said that while he would accept PTI’s decision with dignity if the party did not reconsider, he would never beg for mercy. He strongly urged PTI leaders and workers to speak up against injustice and to remain united, particularly when facing difficult times.
Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey is notoriously hard to please. So when the world’s most famous chef says Pakistan has “some of the best food” in the world, you better believe that our cuisine has arrived on the global map.
Maryam Ishtiaq, a participant on Next Level Chef, has shared a video of Gordon and herself interacting on the show on her Instagram.
She tells Ramsey that she’s making tandoori chicken and then adds that she has a Pakistani background.
“Pakistan, beautiful. And some of the best food in Pakistan,” Ramsey replies to her while tasting a cream and chilli concoction that she’s making.
Later in the clip, Gordon Ramsey and another judge try Maryam’s tandoori chicken. A female judge praises the “home-made yogurt” for freshness while Ramsey says, “The chicken is delicious. That Pakistani foundation you grew up with is evident here and it’s strong. Well done.”
Maryam shared the clip on her Instagram account with the caption: “Spoiler When @gordangram says Pakistan has some of the best food, you better believe it! We are going to the drafts baby!!”
At the end of the clip, a teary eyed Maryam tells the camera that representing Pakistan is something she always wanted to do.
A lift at Lahore’s Mayo Hospital collapsed on Thursday, injuring eight people, according to media reports.
The incident occurred in the hospital’s orthopaedic ward, where a total of 12 individuals were inside the lift at the time of the accident. Notably, the lift had been inaugurated just six months ago. Among the injured were hospital staff members, including three nurses who sustained leg fractures.
Additionally, two students were also among the injured. All victims were immediately shifted to the emergency ward for medical attention.
The injured individuals have been identified as 40-year-old staff nurse Rubina Zaidi, 46-year-old Shazia Munir, 50-year-old Ashtar Rauf, 30-year-old Iram Shehzadi, 54-year-old Farhana Jabeen, 34-year-old Maryam Ramzan, 57-year-old Noreen Ameen, 50-year-old Samina Iqbal, 43-year-old Najma Parveen, 22-year-old Sonia Mumtaz, and 50-year-old Abida Parveen.
Following the collapse, the lift was completely shut down. Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique has taken notice of the incident and has directed MS Professor Faisal Masood to conduct an immediate investigation.
Some time ago, a three-story under-construction building at Lahore’s Services Hospital also collapsed.
The structure, which was undergoing renovation, suddenly caved in following a short circuit in electricity wires. Fortunately, no casualties were reported. Upon receiving news of the incident, police and rescue teams promptly arrived at the site. However, as the block was under construction and vacant, no injuries or fatalities were reported.
Member National Assembly (MNA) and recently expelled former member of PTI, Sher Afzal Marwat has claimed that he has recovered hidden cameras from his office and even his cap was bugged.
In an inclusive interview with a digital media outlet, Marwat stated on Wednesday, “We have removed cameras four to five times [from office]. If it were to be searched again, at least one camera might be discovered. A device was also found in the cap I used to wear.”
On being asked about accusations that he and Chief Minister (CM) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Ali Amin Gandapur are close to the establishment, the maverick leader dismissed the allegations, saying, “It is the same as if I accuse you [the interviewer] of being close to the establishment.”
“I believe that after Imran Khan, Ali Amin has the most cases registered against him,” Marwat said, alleging that during custody, Gandapur’s toenails were removed and his hair was cut.
When asked who he believes is responsible for the November 26 protest crackdown against demonstrators in Islamabad, Marwat blamed Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi along with the establishment.
Asked if Gandapur can be replaced as CM KP, given that Junaid Akbar was recently appointed as the province’s party president, Marwat said that Gandapur arranged all the rallies that they had staged in the past and lamented that all political parties, including Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), hate him owing to his association with PTI.
He reiterated that the ex-Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, with the assistance of former Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar, wrongfully removed PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif from power in 2017.
When informed that Imran Khan has opposing opinions about Sharif’s removal, Marwat responded, “I am a lawyer; my opinion will always be with the law.”
He was then asked if he would resign from parliament if Imran Khan demanded it. The KP firebrand said that he had announced earlier that he would resign as parliamentarian if Imran Khan asked for it.
Last week, PTI issued the notification of Marwat’s expulsion on X (formerly Twitter), which reads, “Further to the Show Cause Notice issued to Mr Sher Afzal Marwat and his subsequent reply, the party has considered his reply and also his actions subject to the Show Cause notice.”
“Taking both these aspects into consideration and on the instructions of Founding Chairman Imran Khan, Mr. Sher Afzal Marwat is being expelled from the party with immediate effect.”
Marwat concluded by saying, “I’m fed up with this kind of politics; maybe I won’t even stay in Pakistan.”
Travel writer and content creator Kate Woodley has often posted videos praising Pakistan on her Instagram account kateacrossborderss. She has made videos about the scenery, the hiking and the food. But now she has posted a more personal video, about being in a relationship with a Pakistani man and the challenges the weak green passport poses for them.
Taking to her Instagram account, she posted a video of herself walking hand in hand with a Pakistani man who’s identity isn’t visible.
In the caption she wrote: “I’m currently with a wonderful Pakistani guy whose passport ranks 91/197. Its not great.”
She went on to write that the two will be restricted to being together in Pakistan and USA for the next three years. “For somebody who normally visits 10-20 countries a year, that’s a little tricky.”
She said that her boyfriend is coming to visit her family in the UK but added that she hates that this is a thing in their relationship and a topic in daily conversation.
Asking her followers whether the hassle was worth it, she went on to stress that he was “one of the best” people and said: “I am not going to walk away from that easily.”
The Henley Passport Index ranks Pakistan at 103 for weakness. Passport Index puts the country at 92. In either of the rankings, Pakistani passports fare quite poorly. That means that holders of the Pakistani passport need visas to visit the vast majority of countries in the world.
Singapore has the strongest passport in the world, with access to 193 countries without needing a visa. Japan comes in at number two.
Afghanistan is the weakest passport in the world. Syria and Iraq are also considered weak passports.
