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.
Senior leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Latif Khan Khosa claimed on Geo talk show Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath that the PTI core committee is dissatisfied with the Punjab leadership due to its inactivity.
He said, “The incumbent government is so afraid of the PTI rally that they are using the argument of law and order to besiege the area and enforce Section 144.”
Commenting on PTI leader Hammad Azhar’s statement about marching towards Adiala Jail, Khosa said, “It was a non-serious and political statement.”
He further stated, “Imran Khan doesn’t want any unrest in the country, which is why Khan postponed the August 22 rally that was scheduled for Islamabad.”
“The committee will oversee and monitor the rally on September 8, headed by the Punjab leadership, and report to Imran Khan,” he added, commenting on the core committee’s role in the Islamabad rally.
Aun Ali Khosa, a digital content creator and singer, was abducted by unknown persons on August 14. Five days later, Khosa returned home. His song Bil Bill Pakistan criticized the government for massive increase in electricity bills.
A Twitter thread posted by Marwah Khan highlighted the troubling incident but in reference to Pakistani music. She tweeted, “A guy singing mere “Bill Bill Pakistan” was abducted in 2024.
Here is a thread of Shehzad Roy taking advantage of post Musharraf democratisation with unhinged bangers and timeless tracks.”
In a country where music often turns to be the voice of resistance, one name has stood out loud and clear, all these years- Shehzad Roy, a man who chose his art to revolt against the status quo, to raise his voice for the need to bring reforms in some of the most crucial areas of Pakistani society.
Singer and activist, Shehzad Roy is a man who used his art to rebel against the status quo and raise awareness of the need for reforms in some of the most significant areas of Pakistani society. In a nation where music frequently becomes the voice of opposition, Roy’s name has stood out loud and clear over the years.
In an exclusive conversation with The Current, Roy reflected on his music’s evolution, starting with his album ‘Laga Reh’ and songs like ‘Apay Ullu’ and ‘Qismat Apne Haath Mein.’
Talking about Laga Reh, Roy said, “The political music that I converted was when I started to end the occupation of government schools. It all started in 2006-07 when we were fixing Fatima Jinnah Government School in Karachi, Garden West, which is an institution today because of which so many policies have changed. I kept going there and started writing all this. Because a school is just like mini Pakistan, a government school, where you have the occupation mafia, drug mafia, exploiting religion, exploiting culture, a whole teacher mafia, so all kinds of mafia you have there, that’s Mini Pakistan. When you turn around a government school properly, it’s like turning around Mini Pakistan. So from there I started writing songs. So when Laga Reh Hai album came out, especially Laga Reh, before that, I started writing songs.”
Roy’s political music portfolio started growing during this time of activism in education and identified with the struggle and hopes of Pakistanis.
“So before Laga Reh, Wasu and I had our song Apnay Ullu, which reflects Pakistan’s history. Then we have Qismat Apne Haath Mein which was obviously a bullshit song,” Roy added.
Shehzad talked about how his political songs and school reform efforts have led to major changes.
“Whatever political songs I have sung, because of the songs or when I was reforming the government schools, removing the qabza. And now the qabza have ended in Karachi schools. Generally it is contagious and it has an impact on the whole of Sindh and the whole country. When we were trying to implement the curriculum of sexual abuse, which is not taught in the best private schools, there many articles were published against me. Some people said that this is against our religion, although how to save children from sexual abuse is instructed by our religion. So that curriculum was implemented. Scholars approved that saving children from sexual abuse is in accordance with the Quran and Sunnah.”
The Laga Reh singer also discussed the threats he faced due to his activism and music.
“So, there were multiple types of threats. I have never focused on anyone when I write my songs. I have never written against a person, a political party or an institution. I have always kept a philosophical argument. And they say that 50 percent of knowledge is in asking the right question. So I have tried to raise that question, which we can all answer in our own way. I have never given a sweeping statement that so-and-so is bad and this is good.”
Shehzad Roy also discussed the controversy that surrounded his song ‘Waja,’ which was shot in Balochistan.
“The song Waja, which we shot in Balochistan, we told a lot of positive things in it, but in it, the guy who sings in Baloch language, is saying that the state should never make its people cry. It should not fight its people. There was controversy over that as well. I don’t know why I said that Balochistan is developing. Although I gave both points of view. But because he was speaking in Baloch language, people may have not understood what was said,” Shehzad Roy added.
Geo Fact Check has debunked social media posts that claimed that Bangladeshi citizens have been granted visa-free entry to Pakistan after Sheikh Hasina’s government was toppled.
Geo reported that officials from the Interior Ministry and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting confirmed that Bangladeshi citizens could not enter Pakistan visa-free.
The Interior Ministry’s Director General of Media, Qadir Yar Tiwana, clarified that Minister of Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar has announced a new visa policy for many countries.
The revised policy states that only citizens of Gulf countries will be granted visa-free entry and will require only a passport to arrive at Pakistan.
Tiwana said, “Bangladeshi citizens will now need to apply for a visa on arrival and will receive an electronic visa within 24 hours.”
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said on August 27 that Pakistan will invite Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Islamabad.
Commenting on the invitation to the Indian Premier, the Defence Minister said, “Yes, certainly there should be no doubt about it.”
Asif said that the host country has no right to choose which country’s head of state to invite, and SCO does not allow such moves.
He said, “Ministry External Affairs (MEA) hasn’t commented on Indian media speculation of Modi refusing to attend the regional summit.”
The SCO is a strategic partner of the United Nations (UN) on political affairs, peace, and security issues.
Commenting on Iran’s final notice to Pakistan on the gas pipeline delay project, Asif remarked, “The project should be completed; it suits Pakistan economically.”
“Iran is our neighbour country, and if we need oil, gas or other mineral resources, then the neighbourly countries are economically beneficial,” he concluded
Actress and model Maya Ali continues to capture hearts with her on-screen and off-screen performances. Currently, Maya is in the UK, where she’s spending quality time with her family.
Having fun along with her mother, brother, sister-in-law, and adorable niece, Maya shared pictures of the holiday on her Instagram with the caption, “Always grateful… . ”.
The Yunhi actress has completed the shooting of her upcoming drama ‘Sun Mere Dil’, written by controversial writer Khalil Ur Rehman Qamar and directed by Haseeb Hassan.
Here are some comments from fans who adored her looks:
Lahore’s local theatre is bringing the inspiring journey of Pakistan’s Olympic gold medalist, Arshad Nadeem, to the stage with the play ‘Achu Nezebaaz’.
Since its debut on August 23, the play has received acclaim for portraying Nadeem’s journey from a small-town enthusiast to an Olympic champion.
The role of Arshad Nadeem is masterfully played by the talented theatre artist Saqi Khan.
The production, which has been well-received by audiences, is produced by Muhammad Yusuf and directed and written by Dr. Ajmal Malik.
Arshad Nadeem made history at the Paris Olympics 2024 this month by winning an Olympic gold medal and setting a new Olympic record with a 92.9-meter javelin throw, ending a 29-year wait for Pakistan’s gold in the sport.
Interior Minister Mohsin Raza Naqvi has claimed that extensive operations are not required to fight against militants and that they can be dealt with by a Station House Officer (SHO).
Later, however, when a journalist questioned his statement, he clarified that it was “symbolic.
Responding to the inquiry of militants challenging the state, Naqvi said, “Militants assaulted secretly and conspiringly.”
He asserted that there is no science required to counter these militants; “they are terrorists, and our civil armed forces, armed forces, and police know how to combat them”.
“Balochistan incident is unbearable, and our hearts are aggrieved,” he added.
Chief Minister Balochistan Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti remarked, “Terrorists find an inch of the road out of four thousand kilometre road and kill innocents.”
“Militants attack the softest target after finding the weakest place,” he stated.
Iran has sent a final notice to Pakistan before approaching the Paris Arbitration Court (PAC) regarding the delay in the gas pipeline project even after the extended 180-day deadline, a government official told The News.
In 2009, a Gas Sales Purchase Agreement (GSPA) was signed under French law. The project was delayed for ten years due to United States sanctions. However, the French arbitration court does not accept the US embargos.
The agreement read, “The Inter-State Gas Systems (ISGS) of Pakistan and the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) inked the revised contract in September 2019, and under that contract, Iran would not approach any international court if there was a delay in the construction of the pipeline. However, Pakistan would erect its pipeline by 2024, after which it would have an intake of 750 million cubic feet of gas from Iran daily.”
Under the French GSPA, if Iran does not exercise its right to move the arbitration court till September 2024, it will lose its battle for legal rights against Pakistan.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has predicted heavy rainfall in Karachi, and city police have been alerted.
Chief Meteorologist Sardar Sarfaraz said, “The system is intense, moving westward and southwestward. As of now, there is no indication that it’s going to lose its severity and is expected to bring about a very heavy to hefty fall in lower Sindh,”
He said, “Karachi is also expected to receive heavy rains, though not of the same intensity,”
Sarfraz said that the torrential rain in areas of Thatta, Sujawal, Badin, Tando Allah Yar, Tando Muhammad Khan, and Tharparker could increase from 400mm to 500mm.
He added that Metropolice might record 150mm to 200mm of rain.
Additional Inspector General of Police (AIG) Karachi Javed Alam Odho instructed police to provide alternate traffic routes in areas with more water accumulation.
