Arshad Nadeem, Pakistan’s only hope for a Gold medal at the Paris Olympics, is all set to take on Indian Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra.
Neeraj Chopra has always been a problematic opponent for Arshad, with a perfect record of 9-0. However, it’s important to note that Arshad won the 2022 Commonwealth Games gold in Birmingham with a massive throw of 90.18 meters, which is better than Neeraj’s personal best at any javelin event.
Fans will have to wait two days to find out, as both arc rivals will compete on August 6th in the qualifying rounds. The event will start at 1:20 PM (PST), with Group B starting at 2:50 PM (PST). If both qualify, they will go for the medals in the final on August 8th, which begins at 11:25 PM (PST).
Arshad Nadeem made history in the last Olympics by reaching an Olympic athletics final but finished fifth. This time, he could be Neeraj Chopra’s biggest competitor.
Born in a poor village some 300 kilometres from Algiers, boxer Imane Khelif had to overcome obstacles in a conservative country where women are considered unfit for the sport.
With braided hair and a powerful 1.79 metre (5 foot 9 inch) physique, the 25-year-old is the object of a Paris Olympic Games gender controversy.
With smiles and a soft voice, Imane told her story on television channel Canal Algerie one month before the start of the games.
“Our village was around 10 kilometres from the centre (of Tiaret, 280 kilometres southwest of Algiers). I moved from the village to the city. From the city to the capital. From the capital to abroad,” she said.
From a family of limited means, she spoke of the difficulty of her life in “a village of conservative people” in Tiaret’s semi-desert surroundings.
“I came from a conservative family. Boxing is not a widely-practised sport by women, especially in Algeria. It was difficult.”
Already a strong athlete, she played football with the boys in her village of Biban Mesbah — but beating boys in matches brought on fights where she fought back with punches.
These fights lead her to boxing.
In an interview with UNICEF, she said she used to sell scrap metal and her mother sold homemade couscous to pay for bus tickets to Tiaret.
Imane’s father at first did not approve of her decision to pursue boxing, but he eventually became one of her biggest fans.
The 49-year-old unemployed welder told AFP that his daughter is “an example of the Algerian woman, a heroine of Algeria”.
He hailed “her strong will to work and to train”, in an interview with AFP on Friday.
In 2022, Imane told the Algerian news agency APS that she had considered giving up boxing “because my family did not accept the idea, and because of how society looked at me, considering that I was doing something wrong.”
But “all these barriers made me even stronger and were an extra motivation to achieve my dreams.”
She also expressed her determination in an interview on the UNICEF website, where she said her “dream is to win a gold medal”.
“If I win, mothers and fathers will be able to see how far their children can go,” she said. “I want to inspire girls and children in Algeria.”
Imane’s international career took off with her participation in the lightweight category in the 2020 summer Olympic Games in Tokyo — postponed to 2021 — where she won fifth place after losing in the quarter finals to Ireland’s Kellie Harlington.
“Everything changed for the better, especially as my country’s flag flew and its hymn played in many countries throughout the world”, she explained.
In 2023, she made it to the semi-finals of the women’s amateur boxing world championships in New Delhi, India.
However, she was disqualified following unspecified gender eligibility testing by the International Boxing Association, which is not recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
After her match against Italian opponent Angela Carini this week in the Paris Games — whom she beat in less than a minute — Imane was targeted by online harassment and racism, where far-right publications insinuated that she was “a man fighting women”.
Her father has dismissed aspersions about her gender, saying she is “a strong and courageous girl.”
And the IOC has supported her participation, amid the furore over Khelif and another woman boxer also disqualified from last year’s world championships.
“All of the competitors respect the eligibility rules for the competitions,” said Mark Adams, IOC spokesman, adding that it had “established that these are women.”
Pak Suzuki Motor Company Limited (PSMC) has commenced exporting vehicles to Bangladesh and Afghanistan, thanks to the facilitation efforts of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC).
The announcement was made by PSMC’s CEO, Hiroshi Kawamura, during the inauguration of the new Suzuki Vendor Cluster Area.
Since 1997, Pak Suzuki has been exporting vehicles and auto parts, including software and motorcycle accessories, to Japan. This recent expansion underscores the competitive quality of Pakistani-made vehicles on the global stage.
During the inauguration, Minister for Industries & Production, Rana Tanveer Hussain, highlighted that the new Suzuki Vendor Cluster Area aims to broaden Pak Suzuki’s network of local suppliers. This initiative is expected to enhance operational efficiency and reduce costs through improved localised supply chain management.
In related news, the Pakistan Credit Rating Agency Limited (PACRA) has affirmed Pak Suzuki’s credit ratings, maintaining its long-term rating at “AA-” and its short-term rating at “A1” with a stable outlook.
PACRA attributes these ratings to Pak Suzuki’s strong business profile and its significant standing among leading auto OEMs in Pakistan. The ratings are further bolstered by the support from Suzuki Motor Corporation, Japan (SMC-Japan), which provides extensive backing to the company.
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif reached the semi-finals of the Paris Olympics, defeating Hungarian Luca Hamori, who had shared insulting posts about Imane before the fight.
In the women’s 66 kg category, Imane faced Hungary’s Luca Hamori and defeated her by 5-0.
The Algerian boxer made headlines when her opponent Angela Carini of Italy refused to fight her in the first round after just 46 seconds, saying that Iman did not meet the standards of a woman and that she was scared for her life. Later, Angela apologised for her behaviour.
Actor, Afzal Khan, also known as Jan Rambo, has many complaints against the government, stating that for his 32 years of service in entertainment industry, he has not received the recognition he deserves.
Recently, Khan, and his wife, Sahiba, appeared as guests on ‘Subh Ka Samaa Madeha Kay Sath.’
During the interview, the host, Madeha Rizvi, asked, “Afzaal bhai, do you have any grievances with the industry?”
Afzal Khan replied, “Yes, I do, despite acting in almost 200 films, including “The Donkey King,” which was dubbed in multiple languages and gained international recognition, I still feel undervalued.” While talking about awards and honors in the industry, he said, “If awards were given on merit, it would be a matter of pride.”
Afzal Khan also spoke about his mother-in-law, Nishoo Begum, who, he said, also did not receive the recognition she deserved. “If she didn’t get her due recognition, what chance do I have?” he asked.
A mentally challenged person in Rawalpindi was tied to a pole and assaulted by several people, including a traffic warden. As the video went viral, police took action and arrested four people, including the warden.
The incident took place in the Race Course area. Police said that the traffic warden also beat up the victim, promising that departmental action will be taken against him. Raids are going on to arrest the other suspects.
A case has been registered against the suspects in the Race Course police station.
Samaa show ‘Mukalma,’ hosted by Ayesha Jahanzeb, controversial screenwriter Khalil ul Rehman Qamar and his co-writer Sahil Adeem faced backlash after an online clash on misogynistic views on women’s rights.
In one of the episodes that went viral, audience member Azba Abdullah, who is also an employee of Samaa, confronted Adeem about his claim that 95 percent of women in Pakistan are uneducated. The exchange escalated when she demanded an apology from him for calling girls “jahil.”
Adeem responded by citing religious text, leading to a heated argument in which Qamar jumped in, hijacking the debate by being disrespectful to Azba. The host eventually calmed the situation down and moved on to another guest.
Following this incident, rumors circulated that Samaa TV had fired Azba. The Current spoke exclusively to her to get her side of the story.
Here’s what she had to say about the incident:
“The show was not planned at all. I was on the show because it was running late, and many audience members had already left, so the office staff filled in.”
Azba went on to narrate that they were told that the show would be about women’s rights. “When Adeem called girls ‘Jahil,’ I simply asked him to apologize to all women. In response, he started quoting Quranic verses, which was irrelevant to the discussion. This led to Khalil ul Rehman Qamar becoming disrespectful. The video that surfaced is heavily edited because Khalil ul Rehman Qamar used abusive language towards me, which was cut out. No action was taken against me; in fact, the issue reached higher management, and they decided to cancel the show. I have not been pressured or terminated; these rumors are baseless,” she added.
He explained that the purpose of the show was to facilitate face-to-face debates, similar to how people post their stories on Instagram.
“However, people got so heated during these debates that they turned into controversies,” he added.
The team had planned many topics for future discussions, such as religion and education, which could have led to even more controversies, Asim pointed out.
Gold prices in Pakistan experienced a decline on Saturday, following a rise in the previous session, reflecting a downward trend in international markets.
In the local market, the price of gold per tola fell to Rs256,800, marking a decrease of Rs500.
The All-Pakistan Gems and Jewellers Sarafa Association (APGJSA) reported that the price of 10 grammes of gold dropped by Rs429, bringing it to Rs220,165.
On Friday, gold prices had surged by Rs2,400 per tola, reaching a record high of Rs257,300.
Globally, gold prices also fell on Saturday. The APGJSA noted that the international price stood at $2,443 per ounce, which included a $20 premium, after experiencing a $15 decrease during the day.
In contrast, silver prices remained unchanged, holding steady at Rs2,900 per tola.
Shailja Kejriwal, the chief creative officer at Zee Entertainment’s Zindagi channel, is on a mission to unite Indian and Pakistani artists and writers. In a recent interview with Press Trust of India, Kejriwal expressed her desire to see more collaborations between talents from both countries, despite the challenges posed by political tensions.
Shailja Kejriwal said, “My ultimate desire, I don’t know whether it will happen or not, is that we collaborate… writers and artists from both sides should be on a set together. I am trying to follow that path. Hopefully, we will be able to do something because we flourish more if we are open and inclusive.”
It has been a journey of one step forward, two steps back for the producer who was instrumental in making Pakistani actors like Fawad Khan, Sanam Saeed, and Mahira Khan household names in India by showcasing dramas such as Zindagi Gulzar Hai and Humsafar through the Zindagi platform launched in 2014.
The channel Zindagi, led by Kejriwal, has successfully produced a number of projects with Pakistani actors and directors. Popular series like Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam, Churails, Mrs. & Mr. Shameem, and the new web series Barzakh starring Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed are among the noteworthy productions. The channel has aired iconic Pakistani dramas like ‘Thakan’, Shukk, Pyarey Afzal, Meri Beti, Mere Harjai, and Main Bushra.
Kejriwal highlighted her commitment
“I felt my work would be incomplete if I didn’t play a role in bringing these artists back. My ambition extends beyond just pan India. My dream is to unite South Asians and Asians through collaboration,” Shailja added.
In 2020, The Current won the Google News Initiative (GNI) Innovation Challenge, becoming the only media organization in Pakistan to achieve this highly regarded position within just a year of its launch.
Four years down the road, we continue to grow alongside the ever-evolving news consumption habits of youth in the digital age.
But that’s not all.
In 2021, The Current opened the doors of its digital newsroom to the youth of Pakistan by starting a membership program called ‘Aap Ki Awaaz,’ which provides aspiring journalists with a platform to gain practical experience in digital media and prepare them for responsible information communication for tomorrow.
Having collaborated with the University of Central Punjab and Punjab University, The Current has worked with 120 students, conducting workshops featuring Pakistan’s renowned journalists and digital personalities. Above all, we have provided them with a space to unleash their creativity.
So far, Aap Ki Awaaz has published more than 50 blogs written by these students.
In 2024, 12 of our young members joined The Current’s coverage of Pakistan’s general election, tagging along with our reporters, monitoring election results, writing real-time stories, participating in live podcasts, and gaining firsthand experience of this major political event.
And oh! About a year ago, we launched our newsletter, which now has more than 1,500 subscribers and an open rate of 28 percent (which is growing!).
The Google News Initiative covered our work and the work we plan to do. Join us, support us by becoming a member or subscribing to our free newsletter so we continue to help our community and our country.
