Actor Feroze Khan has supported designer Maria B’s stance on the ban of the feature film Joyland. He compared her mindset to a Rolls Royce with a 100-year road life. The Khaani star dissed several celebrities who are supporting the film and termed them as “rotten scooties”.
Khan tweeted, “Maria B’s mindset – Is like Rolls Royce 100-year road life while “other” you know who are like those rotten scooties. Push push no move, you dirty.” He also asked for the film’s ban earlier in an Instagram story.
An order dated Nov. 11 from Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting says that the country’s censor board had granted a censor certificate to the film on Aug. 17. But it has since reversed the decision.
“Written complaints were received that the film contains highly objectionable material which does not conform with the social values and moral standards of our society and is clearly repugnant to the norms of ‘decency and morality as laid down in Section 9 of the Motion Picture Ordinance, 1979,” the order states. “Now, therefore, in the exercise of the powers conferred by Section 9(2) (a) of the said Ordinance and after conducting a comprehensive inquiry, the Federal Government declares the feature film titled ‘Joyland’ as an uncertified film for the whole of Pakistan in the cinemas which fall under the jurisdiction of CBFC with immediate effect.”
“Joyland” was due to release in Pakistan on Nov. 18.
Saim and his team members are raising their voices against the ban imposed by the government. Terming the ban a “grave injustice,” Sadiq, in an Instagram post, says that the ban is “absolutely unconstitutional and illegal” and has urged the country’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to review the decision.
Apart from the movie’s team, several A-list celebrities condemned the ban and extended support to the team.
#ReleaseJoyland ! There is no reason not to. Be proud of the work that our artists create not afraid! Give your own people the respect they get in foreign lands. Support us, stand by us and we as Pakistani artists will make this country proud! https://t.co/6jQizg0Xbx
The Punjab government has again reconstituted the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) which was formed to investigate the November 3rd assassination attempt on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.
The team’s head has also been changed after the government appointed Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Lahore Ghulam Mehmood Dogar as its head. This is the third time that the JIT has been reconstituted, while its head has been changed for the second time.
On Tuesday, Dogar paid a visit to Khan’s residence in Lahore. According to media reports, the CCPO Lahore was appointed on Imran Khan’s suggestion.
Punjab government has issued a notification in this regard informing the appointment of Regional Police Officer (RPO) Dera Ghazi Khan Syed Khurram as a member of the JIT, along with Assistant Inspector General of the province’s investigation branch, Ehsanullah Chauhan.
On November 9, a committee of the Punjab cabinet decided to establish a JIT to probe the attack.
Mohammad Naveed, the suspect arrested by police right after the firing incident, has confessed to the crime. However, his insistence that he was operating alone has not been accepted by Imran Khan and his party.
As details of the sale of Toshakhana gifts come to light, senior journalist Shahzeb Khanzada has raised 10 questions that he wants former Prime Minister Imran Khan to answer.
After Khanzada’s sensational interview with Dubai-based businessman Umar Farooq Zahoor, who claimed to have bought the state gifts from Farah Khan, Imran Khan wrote, “Enough is enough,” and said that he would sue Geo and the journalist in Pakistan, UAE and United Kingdom.
Shahzeb Khanzada then appeared on Geo News‘ and told Imran Khan and his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) that all stories are aired on the channel after due diligence and he was ready to accept the PTI chief’s challenge.
Speaking over the phone with Geo News, Khanzada said, “We always run a story after complete investigation. It isn’t our responsibility to find out to whom the gifts were sold; Imran Khan’s responsibility is to tell the people.”
Thank you Khan sb for taking the legal route for once. My program is available for you to give your version but I’m happy to reply to you in the court as well. In the meanwhile, please answer these questions that you have been running away from since 2019pic.twitter.com/JhckEoG1a5https://t.co/wrEn0I7NPj
The journalist asked if Khan believes that Zahoor was a “fraudster”, then why does he have the gifts? “If [Khan] did not sell the gifts to him, then whom did he sell them to?”
Khanzada said that every time he hosts a show about PTI, he makes sure that the party’s leaders are invited, but they never accept the invite.
“We will face the PTI chairman in any court he wants to go to,” Khanzada reiterated.
Khanzada asked that Khan answer 11 essential questions:
1. Why were the gifts sold via Farah Gogi for $2 million dollars?
2. If Imran Khan did not sell them, how did they reach Umar Farooq?
3. If the gifts were not sold to Umar Farooq Zahoor, then who were they sold?
4. Was the money brought to Pakistan after the gifts were sold?
5. If the money was brought to Pakistan, where is the banking transaction?
6. If the money was not brought to Pakistan, where is this massive amount of cash?
7. Why were the transactions shown at nearly Rs. 60 million in papers and not at Rs. 280 million?
8. Did Imran Khan evade filing taxes on the sale or did he hide the money trail by not disclosing these transactions?
9. In 2019, the gifts were priced at over Rs. 1 billion. Why were the gifts bought from Toshakhana by only paying slightly over Rs. 20 million?
10. Why was the national exchequer dealt damages of more than Rs.1 billion?
11. Why does Imran Khan choose to defend Farah Khan himself?
Imran Khan, Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has finally addressed the sensational revelations that came to light on Tuesday about the alleged sale of state gifts given to him when he was the Prime Minister.
Taking to his twitter account, Imran Khan wrote, “Enough is enough,” about Geo News‘ Shahzeb Khanzada’s interview with Dubai-based businessman Umar Farooq Zahoor. The millionaire revealed on the show that he had purchased the watch and other items gifted by Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman to Imran Khan.
“Yesterday Geo & Khanzada supported by Handlers slandered me through a baseless story cooked up by a known fraudster & internationally wanted criminal. I have spoken to my lawyers & I plan to sue Geo, Khanzada & the fraudster not only in Pak but also in UK & UAE [sic],” tweeted Khan.
Zahoor claimed in the Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’, that the PTI government had sold the expensive Graff wristwatch for $2 million in cash, worth approximately Rs280m at the time of sale in 2019.
Zahoor claimed that he had bought the watch through former accountability minister Shahzad Akbar and Farah Khan, a close aide of Imran’s wife Bushra Bibi.
The Dubai-based businessman also claimed that Farah wanted to sell the watch for $4-5 million “but after negotiations, I purchased it for $2 million”. The payment, he added, was made in cash on Farah’s insistence.
جیسےہی میں نےتحائف خریدےتوشہزاداکبر آئے دن فرمائشیں کرنےلگے کہ کسی کو ہوٹل بک کروادیں، کسی کو شاپنگ کے پیسے دیدیں، کسی کا ٹکٹ کرادیں۔ پھر میں نے تنگ آکر فرمائشیں پوری کرنے سے منع کردیا تو وہ ناراض ہوگئے اور دھمکیاں دینا شروع کردیں۔ عمرفاروق ظہور 2/3
The claims evoked outcry from PTI leaders, including Akbar, who denied Zahoor’s allegations.
In a press conference alongside PTI leader Zulfi Bukhari, PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry said the party has decided to initiate legal proceedings against Zahoor as his claims were baseless.
“In 2018, the Saudi crown prince gifted a watch to Imran Khan and the controversy over the watch’s price has been going on for a while now,” the former federal minister said.
Chaudhry said the watch was priced at Rs100 million, and in line with the law regulating Toshakhana, Khan sold it for more than Rs50 million in the market and filed capital gain tax on it.
Divulging the details of Toshakahana’s procedures for purchase, the PTI leader said when the gifts given to state officials arrive in Pakistan, they are deposited into Toshakhana.
عمر فاروق نے بتایا کہ میری نکڑ والی دکان والے نے بتایا کہ اس گھڑی کی قیمت 5 ملین ڈالر ہے لیکن مین نے بیس ڈالر میں خرید لی:) اس کے بعد میں نے میر ابراھیم کو فون کیا کہ بھائ جان میں نے عمران خان کی گھڑی کے لی انھوں نے فون پر مجھے پپی دی اور رات کو میں خانزادہ کے پروگرام پر بیٹھ گیا
“The law states that 20% of the gift’s value should be deposited in the national exchequer. We amended the law and made it 50%,” he said.
Defending the former prime minister, Chaudhry said the gift items were not sold to the Dubai-based businessman and Bushra Bibi’s friend had no role in their sale.
“The watch was not sold to anyone named Umar Zahoor. The watch was not handed over to Farah for sale and she has no role in it,” he said, as he levelled allegations against the millionaire.
Musician Arooj Aftab, the first Pakistani to win a Grammy, has been nominated for the second time in the Best Global Music Performance category for her song Udhero Na with Anoushka Shankar.
Taking it to Instagram on Wednesday, Aftab shared the announcement via The New York Times list of full nominations.
In another post, Aftab said, “Oh my God! ‘Udhero Na’ has been nominated for a Grammy. Congratulations to me and to Anoushka Shankar, Maeve Gilchrist, and Nadje Noordhuis. Four badass women come together, play a song that I wrote when I was 15 and it’s getting its flowers. So, I’m very emotional and I’m very glad and I’m really really, just, I don’t even know. I’m in this hall of a ship, we’re about to perform in about 20 minutes or so. I don’t know how I’m going to do that but this is great. So, thank you.”
Several celebrities congratulated Aftab for her consecutive achievements.
Actor Ushna Shah commented under her video asking if the nominated song ‘Udhero Na’ is from back in the day and if this means ‘Bolo Na’ will be re-release for a third consecutive Grammy in the future. “Bring ’em all home, superstar!” she wrote.
The post also received comments from transgender rights activist Dr Mehrub Moiz Awan, pianist Meritxell Neddermann, Spanish singer Marta Sánchez and more.
Actor Sarwat Gilani dropped by in the comment section and wrote, “you go girl” to cheer her on. American singer Jessica Betts, Devonté Hynes, also known as Blood Orange, singer-songwriter Rachel Eckroth, Indian actor Priyanka Bose, singer Priya Darshini, Never Have I Ever actor Poorna Jagannathan and others also commented.
A fact-finding committee set up by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to investigate the murder of senior journalist and anchorperson Arshad Sharif has Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Murad Saeed and ex-member of the party, Faisal Vawda.
The two politicians have been directed to appear before the committee next week on November 21.
The FIA has said that since both politicians have claimed to have known about the threats that Sharif was facing, it is important that they provide all the details they know to the authorities. The agency sent notices to the two leaders to appear before FIA headquarters with evidence.
Faisal Vawda has claimed he knew who was behind Sharif’s murder. During a press conference, he also claimed that he was in contact with Sharif and stated that he will share evidence with the Military Intelligence (MI) and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
Subsequently, his party membership was revoked. PTI said that he would not be allowed to hold any party office or represent the party in the media as he had “grossly violated discipline by giving statements against party policies and guidelines”.
Saeed has also said that he knew who was threatening the slain journalist in Pakistan, forcing him to flee the country.
One of the most renowned football clubs in the world—Liverpool F.C.—has been approached by Indian billionaire businessman Mukesh Ambani with a takeover bid, according to several media reports.
Ambani is the eighth richest man in the world with a net worth of more than $90 billion. He is the chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries Ltd and is an avid sports fan. Currently, he is the owner of the Indian Premier League (IPL) team Mumbai Indians, and is the founder of the Indian Super League (ISL).
Fenway Sports Group (FSG) purchased the membership of the football club in 2010 and the group is now reportedly preparing to sell it for £4 billion.
The current owner’s decision to sell the club comes after Liverpool’s poor start to the domestic season.
Though cricket continues to be the most followed sport in India, football is now slowly catching up.
However, the news is not officially confirmed as it has been not verified by the billionaire’s company yet.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif—who is currently in London— reportedly wants to come back to Pakistan soon as his return date is being discussed within trusted circles, reports Samaa News.
According to the media outlet, Nawaz said that the public in Pakistan is facing financial problems, not political ones. About the general elections, he was of the view that they will be held at the designated time.
Moreover, he claimed that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s long march has failed. Sharif said that his party [PML-N] is against the politics of revenge and hatred.
Last week, Nawaz was visited by his brother Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif in Britain and conducted several meetings with him. It was widely reported that the two brothers were holding consultations on who should be the next head of the armed forces.
The PML-N supremo was granted an eight-week bail on medical grounds in October 2019, and, he was allowed to travel to London for treatment for four weeks. However, Nawaz has not returned since then.
After giving Bollywood a hit film with the Katrina Kaif starrer Sooryavanshi in November 2021, all of his films- Bachchhan Pandey, Samrat Prithviraj Raksha Bandhan and Ram Setu, turned out to be flops. He is also trolled for being a selfish actor who just takes away all the money from producers and just does an average job in each film.
His flops have sent the filmmakers in dismay. This has also resulted in his replacement from the sequels of his films.
Now budding superstar Kartik Aaryan has replaced him in the next edition of his cult film franchise Hera Pheri. He even replaced Akshay in Bhool Bhulaiya‘s sequel last year.
Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal, and Suniel Shetty became one of the most loved comedy trios after Hera Pheri and Phir Hera Pheri were released decades ago. Soon the film became a cult. As the third installment is in the making, Paresh Rawal now reveals that Kartik Aaryan has come on board.
Producer Firoz Nadiadwala recently confirmed that he is planning to bring back the comedy films franchises. The much-awaited Hera Pheri 3 that fans have been demanding for so long is finally seeing the light of day. Amidst this, speculations were rife that Kumar has backed out and the new actor will be Kartik.
A Twitter user, seemingly a fan of Akshay Kumar, tagged Paresh Rawal and asked whether the reports of Kartik Aaryan joining the cast of Hera Pheri 3 is true. The veteran actor confirmed it by replying, “Yes it’s true.”
Akshay Kumar attended the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit on Sunday. He broke his silence on the controversial matter as he said, “Hera Phera has been a part of me and I have good memories about it. Mujhe bhi dukh hota hai ki itne saalon se woh film bani nahi matlab uske aage ka part 3. (I am also upset that this film has still not been made, the third part.) We have to dismantle things. We have to start thinking in a different way.”
In a rare scenario, Akshay Kumar revealed why he made an exit from Hera Pheri 3. He revealed, “The film was offered to me and I was told about it. But the screenplay, script and everything, I was not satisfied, not happy with it. I have to do what people want to see and that is why I backed out, I took a step behind. For me, it’s a part of me, my life, my journey, in a huge way. Mujhe bhi bahut dukh ho raha hai. Main khud bhi bahut dukhi hun iss baat se ki main kar nahi paa raha hun (I am also very upset. I am very upset with teh fact that I won’t be doing it) because I’m not happy with how things have shaped up. That’s why I backed out”
Just not that, Akki also got emotional with a heavy heart as he expressed gratitude towards his fans who demanded his return as Raju.
“Kal hi ki baat hai, mai dekh raha tha that ‘No Raju No Hera Pheri’. As much as hurt they are, I myself am hurt. It’s a very sad thing but at the same time, unhone is baat ko trend karaya, thank you very much. Mai bata nahi sakta, mere fans jo hai wo, unki pagal pan ki intehaan toh bohot upar tak hai. Bohot pyaar karte hai mujhe wo log. I apologize to them that I won’t be doing Hera Pheri,” Akshay Kumar concluded.
After Paresh’s confirmation, Akshay’s fans started a troll fest on Twitter.
Earlier this year, Akshay opened up about his consecutive failures.
Kumar said, “If my films are not working, it is our fault, it is my fault. I have to make the changes, I have to understand what the audience wants. I want to make changes, I want to dismantle my way of working and think what kind of films I should be doing. Nobody else is to be blamed but me.”
Akshay also replied to a question where he was asked if releasing a film directly on OTT is a safe route amid back-to-back failures, as his Cuttputlli will be directly arriving on Disney+ Hotstar. The Raksha Bandhan actor said, “It is not safe, that also requires people to say if they like the trailer or not. Nothing is safe, it is not our safety net. Even here (on OTT) people are watching, the media is watching it, the critics are watching it, the audience is watching it, they give feedback whether they like it or not. So, there’s nothing like creating a safe space, you have to work hard, period.”
Meanwhile, Akshay’s Cuttputlli is releasing on Disney+ Hotstar on 2nd September 2022.
Actor and model Mareeha Safdar recently became the runner-up of ARY’s reality show, Tamasha. The stunning model flew to Turkey to spend time with her then-partner Ulas Gokcek after spending 43 days in the Tamasha house.
She took to her Instagram stories to share her special moments with the man of her dreams.
Latest Development
As of November 2022, the duo has parted ways and even unfollowed each other on social media. The two have also deleted all their pictures together.
Safdar is now enthusiastic about becoming a mainstream name in Pakistani showbiz.
While Mareeha was in the Tamasha house, Gokcek shared photos from their engagement. Safdar was dressed elegantly in pistachio green whereas Ulas looked decent in a tuxedo.
The two often indulge in PDA-filled conversations on Instagram.
The Houseful 3 star recently interacted with him through a live chat on the reality show and introduced him to her co-contestants as her fiance.