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  • Pakistani stars to keep Eid festivities simple amid pandemic 


Pakistani stars to keep Eid festivities simple amid pandemic 

Pakistani stars to keep Eid festivities simple amid pandemic. (Photo courtesy: Social Media)
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Updated 25 May 2020
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Pakistani stars to keep Eid festivities simple amid pandemic 

  • Most celebrities say they will not be celebrating the occasion or wearing new clothes this year
  • From haleem to biryani, sheer khorma to simple veggies, celebrity palates vary for the occasion
Updated 25 May 2020
Kaukab Jahan

KARACHI: A muted Eid will be celebrated in Pakistan this year as the country records surging cases of coronavirus and a spike in related fatalities. 

On the occasion, Arab News asked some of Pakistan’s most prominent celebrities about their plans for the holiday traditionally considered the most festive of the year, as it arrives at the peak of a health care crisis.

Meera

Meera needs no introduction in the Pakistani world of showbiz and film.

This Eid, the Baaji star said she had made no special arrangements for the occasion.

“In these days, when people are dying of disease, how can we buy new clothes for ourselves? How can we forget those who are in a vulnerable situation because of lockdowns all over the world?” she said.

However, the darling of the Pakistan showbiz industry said she would be promoting the clothes of designers and friends who had sent her outfits as gifts for the festive season.

Ali Zafar

The Teefa In Trouble star and musician told Arab News he would most likely be wearing a kurta gifted by a friend-- designer Asim Jofa.

A fitness enthusiast, Ali said: “I would like to eat some nice vegetables cooked nicely on Eid day.”

So much for the sheer khorma!

Humaima Malick

Humaima Malick-- a big name in Pakistani cinema-- has showed off her talent across the border in Bollywood as well. Her next big venture ‘Maula Jatt’ earlier slated for release this Eid stars Fawad Khan, Hamza Ali Abbasi and Mahira Khan. 

“I look forward to eating sheer khorma or anything sweet, as I have a sweet tooth. I crave dessert always,” the generally media shy Malick told Arab News.

She added she was not celebrating Eid this year, and had made no new clothes for the occasion.

“Year 2020 has been painful and miserable so far,” she said.   

“I am just going to pray and thank God for making me strong and blessed enough to see this Eid through with my health and my loved ones.” 

Faysal Qureshi

“I love to eat biryani or pulao on Eid,” Pakistani actor, producer and TV host told Arab News.

“They are my all-time favorites, but they have a special taste on Eid day!” he added.

Faisal said he wasn’t worried about new clothes this Eid.

“As far as the wearing of new clothes is concerned, I am not making any this year.”

“But something special this year is that many of my designer friends, who often gift me clothes, sent me special packages of clothes to share among others.”

“I have distributed all the suits to the needy. I am not wearing new clothes [this Eid], nor is anyone else in my family,” he said, and added he would be wearing a previously worn matching Shalwar Kameez set along with his four year old son. 

Ahsan Khan

One of Pakistan’s busiest actors, TV hosts and models, Ahsan Khan, said Eid was normally a lavish affair with food at his home, and haleem was his favorite thing to eat on the special occasion.

“I wait for haleem, which has always been part of Eid brunch as a family tradition.”

This Eid, Ahsan said he planned to spend the day at home because of the threat of coronavirus. 

“I am not buying any new clothes this year as we felt it dangerous to go out, although a few designer friends have sent some over as gifts,” Khan said.

Armeena Rana Khan
The UK-based Pakistani actress who rose to fame after playing the lead in film Janaan, said she loves to eat her way on Eid.
’I love kheer and sewiya,” she told Arab News. “In addition to these, I’ll probably whip up a nice dish at home seeing as we won’t be having anyone over this year.”
She said she would be wearing the work of one of Pakistan’s most prominent fashion designers, and a friend of the actor.
“I’ve been sent a beautiful Eid outfit by Ammara Khan this year,” Khan said.

Topics: Eid Al Fitr

At OIC summit, Pakistan expresses concern over Israel’s ‘brutal’ military onslaught in Gaza

Updated 8 sec ago
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At OIC summit, Pakistan expresses concern over Israel’s ‘brutal’ military onslaught in Gaza

  • Pakistan’s Deputy PM Ishaq Dar expresses full support for Palestine’s inclusion as a United Nations member
  • Dar urges OIC member states at Banjul Summit to push for immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Palestine
Updated 8 sec ago
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday expressed his deep concern over Israel’s “brutal military onslaught” in the West Bank and Gaza, state-run media reported, calling for an immediate ceasefire in Palestine.
Dar was speaking at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit being held against a backdrop of widespread anger over Israel’s military actions in Gaza. The Jewish state has killed nearly 35,000 Palestinians and caused massive destruction of hospitals, schools and residential neighborhoods in the densely populated area.
The Pakistani deputy prime minister arrived in Gambia on Wednesday to present his country’s perspective on a wide range of issues, including the war in Gaza and the rights situation in Indian-administered Kashmir.
“Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Sunday expressed Pakistan’s deep concern over Israel’s ongoing brutal military onslaught against the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank,” the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported.
“In the backdrop of the genocide of Palestinians and atrocities of Israeli forces, he urged the OIC Member States to work together for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire.”
Dar also expressed Pakistan’s support for Palestine’s admission as a full member of the UN, demanding the resumption of the process for a two-state solution in the Middle East.
The Pakistani deputy prime minister called for the creation of a viable, contiguous and sovereign state of Palestine based on the pre-1967 borders.
Dar also spoke on an uptick in Islamophobic sentiments and incidents in different parts of the world, particularly since the outset of Israel’s war in Gaza last year in October.
He urged the OIC to formulate a joint strategy to work with global social media platforms to harmonize their content regulation policies for blasphemous, anti-Islamic and Islamophobic content.
“Dar also strongly condemned the surge in anti-Pakistan rhetoric and Islamophobic narratives by India’s political leaders during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections which threatened the regional stability,” the APP said.
He urged the OIC to work collectively to address the existential threat of climate change, which caused catastrophic floods in Pakistan in 2022 that killed over 1,700 people and affected over 33 million in total.
Dar met The Gambia’s president and his counterparts from Turkiye and Azerbaijan to discuss enhancing bilateral trade and economic cooperation, Pakistan’s foreign ministry spokesperson said in a statement.

Topics: OIC Summit

Pakistan to face India on Oct. 6 in women’s T20 World Cup clash 

Updated 05 May 2024
AFP
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Pakistan to face India on Oct. 6 in women’s T20 World Cup clash 

  • ICC Women’s T20 World Cup to run from Oct. 3-20 in Dhaka and Sylhet
  • Pakistan are placed in Group A with Australia, India, New Zealand, Qualifier 1
Updated 05 May 2024
AFP

DHAKA: England will face South Africa in the opening match of the ICC Women’s Twenty20 World Cup to be held in Bangladesh later this year, the International Cricket Council announced on Sunday.
The event will run from October 3 to 20 in the capital Dhaka and the northeastern city of Sylhet, with warm-up matches starting on September 27.
Hosts Bangladesh and the top six teams from the previous edition in South Africa — Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa and the West Indies — qualified automatically for the tournament, with Pakistan joining them as the next best ranked team.
Ireland, the UAE, Sri Lanka and Scotland are in contention for the remaining two places, with the semifinals of the qualifying tournament being held in the UAE.
Six-times winners and current world number one Australia will play in Group A alongside India, New Zealand, Pakistan and a Qualifier 1.
Neighbours and rivals India and Pakistan will face off on October 6.
Group B will feature South Africa, Bangladesh, England, West Indies, and Qualifier 2.
“Over the last six to seven years we have seen women’s cricket grow exponentially,” ICC chief executive officer Geoff Allardice said at the announcement of the fixture list and trophy unveiling in Dhaka.
“This is going to be a very special tournament,” he added.
It will be the ninth edition of the tournament, with Bangladesh previously hosting in 2014.

Topics: Women’s T20 World Cup

From bricks to clicks, Pakistani laborer achieves fame and financial independence via YouTube videos

Updated 05 May 2024
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From bricks to clicks, Pakistani laborer achieves fame and financial independence via YouTube videos

  • Riaz Ali who built homes working as a manual laborer initially began making videos on TikTok
  • 30-year-old made his YouTube channel in 2022 and has since become an online sensation
Updated 05 May 2024
Zulfiqar Kunbhar

SANGHAR: Riaz Ali, 34, would stack brick over brick and bond them with mortar, a thick paste of cement, water and sand, as he built homes and did other manual labor work for years in the southern Pakistani district of Sanghar.

In 2022, he started making engaging video content that included throwing and catching mortar, targeting a tall pole with a motorbike tire and some prank videos, which have not only turned the daily wager into a millionaire but also a digital sensation.

Ali, better known as Riaz Jaan, initially posted videos on TikTok after which a friend advised him to post them on YouTube. He created his YouTube channel in April 2022 which was monetized only nine months later.

He now earns 20 times more than what he used to make two years ago.

“As a laborer, my wage was Rs1,500 [per day]. In a month, I used to earn Rs30,000 or Rs35,000 ($107-$125) as it was an inconsistent livelihood,” he told Arab News on Thursday.

“From YouTube, I earn more than Rs500,000 ($1,795) per month.”

Ali, who has 1.9 million subscribers on YouTube, 439,000 followers on TikTok and 359,000 on Facebook, says his content went viral through YouTube Shorts — vertical videos that have a duration of 60 seconds or less.

“My first earnings on YouTube were Rs800,000 ($2,872). I had never seen such a huge amount of money before. My family and I were so delighted that such a significant sum had come into my hands,” he said.

“After YouTube, my life changed. As they say, when Allah gives, He gives abundantly.”

Ali, who started working as a daily wager in 2010, has left his laboring job since becoming a digital sensation but still makes videos related to his former work.

He has also enabled the sharing of his viral videos on YouTube, helping several other content creators have engagement on their channels.

“There are people from various countries who repost my content and videos on their channels, and their channels have also been monetized,” he said. “I have granted them permission.”

This success has helped Ali buy two residential plots and two buffaloes, send his children to better schools, and take care of his family in a much better way. The 30-year-old has also bought a mobile phone worth Rs500,000, which he uses to create quality video content.

But Ali has not kept his success to himself and has passed his digital skills on to his family, friends and whoever he found willing to learn.

“Besides myself, my brother also has a YouTube channel where he posts labor-related videos. His channel has also been monetized,” he told Arab News.

“Additionally, I have two sons, Ali Ayan and Zeb Zohan, whose channel is also monetized.”

He says neither his brother’s nor his sons’ channels gained traction in the beginning and so, he began posting his content on their channels, which helped them gain momentum. Consequently, both channels were monetized.

The 30-year-old offers free, informal consultancy services to youth, who are interested in establishing their own YouTube channels, in his hometown of Jhol in Sanghar. He says he has around 50 to 60 youngsters, who either have monetized channels or are actively working toward them.

“I guide them all, and they follow my directions,” Ali said.

Ali Raza, a farmer and a friend of Ali, got inspired by seeing his friend earn through YouTube. Raza created his own account on the video-sharing website, where he posts funny videos.

“Since Riaz Jaan is teaching others, I also joined his group. It’s been four months since my YouTube channel has been monetized,” Ali Raza told Arab News.

“I earn between Rs25,000 and Rs30,000 ($89-$107) per month.”

Topics: Pakistani laborer social media TikTok Youtube

Pakistan’s PM Sharif congratulates Sadiq Khan on winning third term as London mayor

Updated 05 May 2024
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Pakistan’s PM Sharif congratulates Sadiq Khan on winning third term as London mayor

  • Sadiq Khan secured historic third term in office as London mayor on Saturday 
  • PM Sharif says Khan’s third victory reflects his dedication to public service 
Updated 05 May 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated London Mayor Sadiq Khan on Sunday for winning a third consecutive term in office, saying the landmark victory reflected the British-Pakistani official’s dedication to public service. 

Khan, 53, who was first elected in May 2016, beat his Conservative rival Susan Hall by more than 276,000 votes, with his win representing a swing of 3.2 percent to the Labour party. He won nine of the 14 constituencies, results showed on Saturday. 

Taking to social media platform X, Sharif offered his heartiest felicitations to Khan for his “hattrick” of victories. 

“As a hard-working British Pakistani, he not only raised the head of his parents high but also made every Pakistani to rejoice his victory with pride,” Sharif wrote.

He offered Khan best wishes for his future success as mayor of London. 

“The prime minister further said that his re-election for the third term also indicated his popularity and his devotion to public welfare,” the Pakistani prime minister wrote. 

Khan, who replaced Boris Johnson as London mayor in 2016 and who has widespread policing and budget powers, has been an increasingly divisive figure in the past few years regardless of the facts for or against, particularly in the suburbs, where he fared worse than in the inner city.

His supporters say he has multiple achievements to his name, such as expanding housebuilding, free school meals for young children, keeping transport costs in check and generally backing London’s minority groups. His critics say he has overseen a crime surge, been anti-car and has unnecessarily allowed pro-Palestinian marches to become a regular feature at weekends.

With inputs from AP

 

Topics: Mayor of London Sadiq Khan Sadiq Khan

Naila Kiani becomes first Pakistani woman to summit world’s fifth-highest mountain

Updated 05 May 2024
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Naila Kiani becomes first Pakistani woman to summit world’s fifth-highest mountain

  • Naila Kiani summitted 6,485-meter high Mount Makalu in Nepal on Sunday morning, says Alpine Club of Pakistan
  • Kiani’s latest achievement makes her first and only Pakistani woman to summit eleven peaks higher than 8,000 meters
Updated 05 May 2024
Nisar Ali

KHAPLU, GILGIT BALTISTAN: Dubai-based mountaineer Naila Kiani has become the first woman from Pakistan to summit Mount Makalu, the fifth-highest mountain in the world, the country’s leading non-governmental organization promoting mountaineering said on Sunday.

Mount Makalu is located in the Mahalangur range of the Nepal Himalayas, southeast of Mount Everest. The imposing mountain stands at 8,485 meters (27,838 feet) high. Kiani’s latest achievement makes her the first and only Pakistani woman to summit eleven peaks higher than 8,000 meters. 

She has previously summited Broad Peak (8,047 meters), Annapurna (8,091 meters), K2 (8,611 meters), Lhotse (8,516 meters), Gasherbrum 1 (8,068 meters), Gasherbrum II (8,035 meters), Nanga Parbat (8,125 meters), Mount Everest (8,849 meters), Manaslu (8,156 meters) and Cho Oyu (8,201 meters). 

“Congratulations, Nail Kiani has summited Makalu,” Karrar Haidri, the secretary general of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, told Arab News over the phone.

“So far out of 14 eight-thousanders, she has completed the 11th peak. She summited the peak at 8:50 am local time,” he added.

The Alpine Club said in a separate statement that Naila was grateful for all the prayers and wishes she had received from people, thanking Sherpa Gelgen Dai from Imagine Nepal, a company that promotes mountain trekking and peak climbing in Nepal. 

“This latest success highlights her exceptional endurance and determination,” the statement said. “She now holds the record as the fastest Pakistani, both male and female, to have summited 11 of the 8,000-meter peaks, accomplished in under 3 years.” 

Kiani is a Pakistani banker living in Dubai and a mother of two. She garnered fame in 2018 after her wedding photos from K2 basecamp were widely shared on social media. The Pakistani climber received the Sitara-e-Imtiaz, Pakistan’s third-highest civilian award, in March this year for climbing Mount Everest. 

“We are proud of the inspiration created by Naila, not only for her daughters and wider family but across the nation from every household,” Khalid Raja, Kiani’s husband, told Arab News over the phone.

Supporting his wife’s expeditions, Raja said it gets challenging for him at times to look after their children when Kiani is away. 

“If Naila completes 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks, then we hope she can reduce the levels of time that she is away from her family and we can build together from there,” he said. 

“Then who knows, maybe I can do a few expeditions of my own.”

Topics: Naila Kiani

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From bricks to clicks, Pakistani laborer achieves fame and financial independence via YouTube videos

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