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Tag: Karachi

  • Artist missing painting found in Big Bang Entertainment drama: What’s going on?

    Artist missing painting found in Big Bang Entertainment drama: What’s going on?

    Safdar Ali Soomro, a talented artist from Daharki in Ghokti, Sindh, never imagined that his paintings would be featured in the smash hit drama Kabhi Mein Kabhi Tum.

    The trending serial has captured the hearts of viewers both in Pakistan and abroad, with its characters and storyline receiving widespread praise.

    However, an unexpected twist occurred when artist Safdar Ali Soomro recognized his lost paintings hanging in the background in one of the episodes.

    In an exclusive conversation with The Current, Safdar shared the story of his missing artwork. Graduating from the University of Sindh with a focus on fine arts, Safdar created 16 paintings for his thesis, all in blue monochrome, under the theme ‘Innocent Faces.’ These works were displayed at his university’s Benazir Art Gallery, after which he sought exhibitions in Karachi.

    “After the display, I took my paintings to Karachi to explore the market. I had already participated in two or three local exhibitions while I was at the university. I saw an ad on Frere Hall’s social media inviting artists to submit their paintings for an exhibition. I submitted my paintings to their Sadeqain Art Gallery, and they made an entry in their book. I might have received a receipt, but I don’t have it anymore.”

    Before bringing his paintings to Karachi, he had already showcased his work in a few university exhibitions.

    Safdar submitted his paintings to Frere Hall, but to his dismay, he was informed that they had gone missing. Seven years later, in 2024, he was surprised to see his artwork featured in episode 17 of Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum.

    “ I want to say that whoever’s paintings they are, they should get the credit. No third party should take credit for my work. I am the owner of those paintings, and I have proofs and my signature on them,” Soomro added.

    The Current reached out to Big Bang Productions, who clarified that they had nothing to do with the paintings and only paid rent for the scene shot at Frere Hall. The problem now lies at Frere Hall’s doorsteps, with many questions still unanswered.

  • Police collect 1.2 billion rupees in traffic fines from Karachiites

    Police collect 1.2 billion rupees in traffic fines from Karachiites

    Karachi traffic police have extracted Rs1.2 billion from citizens as fines over different traffic violations during the past one year, official data reveals.

    3.5 million worth of tickets issued per day

    Over the past year, from July 1, 2023, to the end of July 2024, over two million Karachiites were issued tickets, and the total fine stood at Rs1,294,886,450—which is around Rs3.5 million per day.

    Fines of 100 million are yet to be paid

    Of the total Rs1.2bn fine amount, citizens have paid Rs1.19bn, while 114,142 traffic rule violators have yet to pay over Rs100m in fines.

    This year alone, from January to July, traffic police issued 992,576 challans, which amount to Rs699,813,650 (over Rs699m).

    While incumbent Sindh Inspector General of Police Ghulam Nabi Memon have time and again made it clear that the traffic police were not a revenue-generating agency, the huge number of fines and challan amount shows that this might not be the case as traffic police is entitled to 30 per cent of the challan’s total amount and the remaining 70 percent goes to the provincial government. This means the traffic cops could get a Rs360m share from the Rs1.2bn amount.

    On the contrary, DIG-Traffic Ahmed Nawaz Cheema said that the traffic police had not been paid their “due amount” for the past four to five years.

    “Of the 30 percent amount, 15 percent is for [cash] rewards for traffic police officers, while the remaining amount is for the procurement of equipment,” he said.

    He said that it was a clear policy of the IGP-Sindh and Karachi police chief Javed Odho that the traffic police should mainly issue challans for moving traffic violations like wrong-way, one-way driving, violation of traffic lights, vehicles without number plates, etc.

    He claimed that, after the IGP’s direction, the traffic challan rate had dropped to one-third of what it was before his fresh stint.

    District-wise details

    District East tops the chart with a fine amounting to Rs240,260,100 (over Rs240m) against 357,374 tickets, followed by District West with a fine worth Rs224,790,700 (over Rs224m) against 309,170 tickets and District Malir Rs207,635,350 (over Rs207m) against 317,310 tickets.

  • Mob surrounds Angeline Malik after car accident

    Mob surrounds Angeline Malik after car accident

    Known for her captivating appearances in several dramas, actress, director, and producer Angeline Malik recently found herself in a difficult situation after a car accident in Karachi. A video of Angelina Malik has gone viral on social media where a crowd can be seen surrounding Malik and her car.
     
    In the video, Angeline Malik can be seen saying, “I’m not running away, give me my phone, I want to call someone.”
    There was no loss of life in the accident, however, Angeline’s car did crash into other vehicles after the video went viral.


    Here is the video:


     
    The incident took place at Seaview on August 28 and went viral on social media, prompting the police to issue a clarification on Friday that the matter was resolved amicably between the actor and the complainant.
     
    On Wednesday night, while the actress was driving her double cabin car on Seaview Road close to Nishan-i-Pakistan, when a tyre burst, says South DIG Syed Asad Raza.
     
    According to the police office, authorities arrived quickly and took control of the situation. He claimed that after both sides were taken to the Darakshan police station, they came to an amicable agreement and the issue was settled.
     
     
    Some colleagues of Angelina Malik from the entertainment industry also spoke in her favour and shared their views on Instagram. Actresses Amar Khan, Ghana Ali, Ayesha Omer, and Rubina Ashraf posted stories on their Instagrams to show their support.


    Here are some stories:

  • Are senior makeup artists leaving TV serials? Waqar Hussain certainly thinks so

    Are senior makeup artists leaving TV serials? Waqar Hussain certainly thinks so

    Makeup artist and actor Waqar Hussain shared his concerns about the industry in a recent interview. Waqar, who has worked for years with the leading celebrities of TV and film, appeared as a guest on Fahad Den’s YouTube channel.

    The host asked, “You’ve practically worked with everyone in the industry. How difficult is it for celebrities to understand that there are limits? That they need to work a certain way and that creative freedom isn’t always given by the agency. Do they understand this, or do they tend to set their own boundaries?”

    Waqar Hussain replied, “Let me tell you, back in the day, the celebrities we had like Meera, Reema, and Resham, and our drama stars like Saniya aapa so many of them we worked with. Never did any artist tell us, This is all you can do today, or you can’t do more than this.”

      
    Waqar Hussain also talked about the current situation in the entertainment industry.
     

    “Unfortunately, now, with the current celebrities, many have their favorite teams they prefer to work with, and that is fine. But I think that unless you do work with different people, you don’t grow. I can just say that I’m not the makeup artist for any star. I’m a makeup artist, and I want to do makeup for everyone. For me, every face is equally precious, whether it’s a junior artist, a senior artist, or a star. I do the work of every face which I can do. I have a lot of passion for my work, and it should be that whenever I apply makeup on someone’s face, the result should be so beautiful.”  

    He went on to say, “Unfortunately, I do have some concerns. Quite often we compromise, and what happens is that everybody has their own favorites. The senior makeup artists tend to get overlooked, and unfortunately, this is the truth here. Some of the senior makeup artists who were quite famous are not working at all in the industry; they’ve started their own salons.” 

     
    Waqar Hussain also worked in the drama Quddusi Sahab Ki Bewah, in which he played the character of Wadood Ahmed. Currently he is running his own salon in Karachi.

  • ‘Next time shooting at that spot, be extra careful’; Amar Khan reveals scary experience on drama set

    ‘Next time shooting at that spot, be extra careful’; Amar Khan reveals scary experience on drama set

    Amar Khan, the talented actress known for her versatility and bold characters, shared a scary and experience she went through.

    Appearing on After Hours with Ushna Shah, Amar was asked, “Do you have any old ghost stories to share?

    Amar indeed had one. “We were shooting at a haveli, or mansion, close to Malir Cantt on the outskirts of Karachi. It was a stunning white haveli with a lot of greenery all around it. There, we shot a few scenes for Bela Pur Ki Dayan. I want to give you a complete visual description of the place. I had to shoot a scene on the roof at 2:00 am in the morning. I was walking barefoot on a stormy and dark night. My hair was blowing in the wind as I was hanging from a cable on the roof. Because I was playing a supernatural character, I didn’t rehearse the scene beforehand. I noticed about twenty dogs running towards the haveli from the road outside as soon as we started shooting.”

    The strange vibes on set made her uneasy.

    “I stopped the scene and told the team I couldn’t continue because I felt like the dogs were seeing something I couldn’t. It was a really weird feeling. I think the place is haunted. There are graves in the lawn, and I used to recite Ayatul Kursi and all four Qul whenever I entered the haveli,” the Dum Mastam actress added.

    As a warning to others, Amar said, “Next time you are going to shoot at that spot, you must extra careful.”

  • Editorial: Let the law deliver justice

    Editorial: Let the law deliver justice

    Everyone is watching the aftermath of the Karsaz accident that took place in Karachi earlier this week, when Natasha Danish’s speeding SUV collided with several vehicles, killing a father and his daughter on a motorbike and injuring five others. Post-accident videos circulating on social media show Natasha being surrounded by a large, irate crowd as security guards protected her and took her into custody. Natasha appeared disoriented. Meanwhile, people called for her death as the two victims lay dead on the road—a scene that could have ended differently without police and rangers.

    While the case is underway in court, people have started their own speculative investigations, suggesting Natasha’s disorientation might be due to alcohol or drugs, and that because she is married into an affluent family, she will get away with it all. On the other hand, her lawyer states she has been undergoing medical treatment for poor mental health for the past five years, describing her as a “psychological patient.”

    Natasha should not have been driving, and the loss of 27-year-old Amna and her father is irreplaceable. But would it have been fair if the mob had taken the law into their own hands?

    While the majority believe Natasha, being an ‘ameerzaadi,’ must pay with her life, the legal nature of the accident remains undecided.

    What does the law say?

    According to the Pakistan Penal Code 1860, anyone committing qatl-i-khata by “rash or negligent driving shall, having regard to the facts and circumstances of the case, in addition to diyat, be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years.”

    Similarly, under Islamic law, the punishment for murder, homicide, or injury depends on qisas or diyat, i.e., corresponding punishment for the crime or monetary compensation for the victims or their legal heirs.

    In this case, it was not pre-meditated murder. No prior connection between the driver and the victims has been established to suggest that Natasha set out to murder Amna and her father. It was a terrible accident, one that took the lives of two valued citizens and Natasha will have to face the law for the crime she has committed.

    Why do people feel the need to enforce the law themselves despite existing rules and regulations? Is this a reflection of growing frustration among the masses, who have repeatedly seen the elite evade justice for crimes? Despite the fact that this case is nothing like the murder of Noor Mukkadam and Shahzeb Khan, Noor who was tortured and murdered by Zahir Jaffer, and Shahzeb who was mercilessly shot by Shahrukh Jatoi, comparisons are continuously – and wrongly – being made on social media.

    Could the comparisons explain why people have reacted so violently to Natasha, who was driving an expensive car and dressed in gym clothes, visibly disoriented? Would the reaction have been different to a ‘modestly dressed’ individual who might have been – and looked – less affluent?

    Until the social and economic divide in our country is addressed, justice will remain questionable. The rich and powerful are often seen as above the law, while others are seen as seekers of elusive justice. Consequently, cries for ‘mob justice’ and demands to ‘hang her in the city center’ in our social media world will persist. Natasha must face the consequences of her actions, whether accidental or not. She must be given a fair trial and be sentenced for her crimes based on her actions but not on her background.

  • Twitter joins Jibran Nasir in calling out Tribune, ARY for deleting stories of Karsaz accident

    Twitter joins Jibran Nasir in calling out Tribune, ARY for deleting stories of Karsaz accident

    Lawyer and political activist Jibran Nasir has called out The Express Tribune and ARY News for deleting articles and news stories from their websites about the Karsaz accident where a woman reportedly from an influential background killed a father and daughter while injuring five others as her SUV ran over them.


    Jibran posted on X (formerly Twitter) “Can @etribune and @ARYNEWSOFFICIAL explain why they have removed the Articles/News Items from their websites about Natasha Danish and the Karsaz Accident. The original news articles show up in Google search but source content has been removed from websites.”


    He went on to lambast both platforms for being influenced by people with money. “Can money buy you complete immunity in Pakistan? You can run over and kill people in broad daylight, and the media will make sure everyone forgets about it. Forget about justice and conviction here you are protected from even getting condemned,” he wrote.


    Fellow netizens joined in and criticised both platforms. Haider Rizvi posted, “Economic interests often prove to be greater killed of the news stories than even life-threatening situations or pressure from the state and other pressure groups.”


    Anas Tipu also posted about Tribune’s deleted articles: “All three stories about Karsaz accident deleted by Express Tribune. They don’t care about press freedom when it comes to rich and elite.”


    Zarish K. posted detailed video and screenshots showing articles by Express Tribune not been found even though they appear in the search. She captioned, “This is a perfect example of how power and wealth can twist the truth, leaving justice in the dust. The elite mafia manage to cover up their wrongdoings, escaping public scrutiny, and keeping themselves above the law. Meanwhile, the innocent and poor suffer in silence.”

    To read more: Woman accused in Karsaz accident remanded to jail

  • Former officer suspected of killing Ali Raza Abidi was close to Gen Faiz: Absar Alam

    Former officer suspected of killing Ali Raza Abidi was close to Gen Faiz: Absar Alam

    Journalist Absar Alam has revealed in the Samaa Podcasts series that a retired officer who is allegedly suspected of being involved in the assassination of ex-MQM leader Syed Ali Raza Abidi in 2018 was very close to former spymaster Gen Faiz Hameed.

    “Many orders were given to kill people; some were executed while some escaped. The details will emerge with time, whether these orders were given by Imran Khan or his boss [Gen Bajwa] or if he followed his own whims,” alleged Absar Alam.

    In 2018, Syed Ali Raza Abidi was shot dead in Karachi’s DHA when two unknown men riding a bike opened fire on Abidi’s car near his home.

    MQM at that time called it a “coldblooded assassination” that was “part of a crackdown on the party by Pakistan’s military establishment.”

    Absar opined that the details coming to light depends upon whether Faiz cab prove if he was given orders and by whom to conduct these activities.

  • 70 injured by Independence Day aerial firing

    70 injured by Independence Day aerial firing

    Aerial firing to celebrate Independence Day has injured 70 people in Karachi.

    The injured persons were taken to hospitals from different areas of Karachi, including Korangi, Gulshan e Iqbal, Mauripur, PIB colony, Jamshed Quarter, Lyari, and Malir, rescue sources told Geo News.
    Firing was also reported in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Nazimabad, Sharifabad, Pak Colony, and Akhtar Colony.

    Women and children were also injured, however , no loss of life has been reported till now.

  • Sindh High Court orders all signboards removed from Karachi

    Sindh High Court orders all signboards removed from Karachi

    The Sindh High Court has ordered the removal of all signboards across Karachi within four weeks.


    The court also warned that contempt of court proceedings will be taken if court orders are not implemented.

    The Court heard a case regarding installing signboards, political banners, and advertisements on government properties and public places. The judge also expressed anger at Mayor Karachi and others for not implementing the Supreme Court’s orders.

    The court also directed the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, Karachi Development Authority, Defence Housing Authority, Cantonment Boards and others to remove the signboards across the city and submit a report by implementing the orders in the light of the Supreme Court order.

    The court said that if the court orders are not implemented within four weeks, contempt of court action will be taken against Mayor Karachi, DG KDA and others.

    The court ordered that cases be filed against those who put up illegal boards and said that anyone who has put up illegal boards should file a report. The banners were removed despite the order, and no cases were filed.

    The petitioner’s lawyer said that the Supreme Court had ordered the removal of signboards on government property. At the same time, the KMC included the installation of signboards on government property in its rules.