Search form

You are here

  • Home
  • Pakistani social media’s greatest hits of 2020


Pakistani social media’s greatest hits of 2020

A combination of photos of the celebrities whose memes went viral in the year 2020 in Pakistan.
Short Url

https://arab.news/pn8wk

Updated 30 December 2020
Follow

Pakistani social media’s greatest hits of 2020

  • Amid the doom and gloom of coronavirus, the Internet has provided Pakistanis some hilarity and positivity
  • Arab News compiles a list of 2020’s funniest and most positive memes and viral posts 
Updated 30 December 2020
Sabah Bano Malik

RAWALPINDI: The year 2020 will join the list of years that are so eventful they are regarded as pivotal in history: long remembered for when more than 1.7 million people globally died in a pandemic.
For Pakistan, too, 2020 was a difficult year, with almost 10,000 people dead and over 475,000 inflicted with the virus.
But among the doom and gloom, the Internet has provided Pakistanis some hilarity and positivity in this difficult time. Below are some of the greatest viral moments of 2020:
That sounds ‘grape’:
In a 10-year-old video that has recently gone viral, the assembly at a school for Pakistani expatriate children in Jeddah is presided over by Sehar Kamran (who would later go on to become a senator in Pakistan). She asks the kids what they would like to do when they grow up. To many of the children’s responses — pilot, soldier, etc. -, Kamran says what sounds like “grape” instead of “great.” The word grape has since entered the cultural lexicon, with people even putting it on birthdays cakes (“24? That’s grape!”), according to Dawn writer Haseeb Asif. Here is a thread of the hilarious clips:

Maria B’s ‘The Scream:’
Veteran fashion designer Maria B found herself at the center of major controversy in the early days of the pandemic when she put out a video calling for support after she and her husband were questioned by authorities, and her husband was taken into custody, for sending a member of their domestic staff home on public transport after he tested positive for COVID-19 — in complete violation of guidelines. The designer’s video, with its lavish backdrop complete with a massive chandelier, was relentlessly mocked on social media for its sense of entitlement and brazen display of elite privilege, and a freeze-frame from the clip has since become a go-to reaction shot by Pakistani social media users. For example:
“My friends when i tell them i’m in love again,” one Twitter user wrote, posting the shot:

Ahmer Naqvi, sports and culture writer, said: “All the active bacteria and virus in my food when I say bismillah before taking a bite.”


Others put Maria B’s distressed image from the video on Edvard Munch’s famous painting “The Scream:

Pakistani Twitter vs. Ishaq Dar:
Former finance minister Ishaq Dar’s interview on BBC HARDtalk went viral, with Twitterati making memes of Dar’s panicked face over being asked tough questions about his assets by host Stephen Sackur.
“When you have out of syllabus questions in exams,” one user said, posting a shot of Dar from the interview:

Another user posted:

Civil war in Karachi:
Hilarity ensued on Pakistan social media in October after misinformation was widely circulated on Indian mainstream and social media claiming a civil war had broken out in the Pakistani city of Karachi. 
Pakistanis turned to the Internet to debunk the rumors and to poke fun at media and social media users in India, a bitter rival and neighbor with whom Pakistan has fought three wars.
One user posted a funny photo and joked that citizens had now joined the civil war and were fighting the Pakistan army:

Other users described life under civil war:
“During the civil war in Karachi today I managed to get in a full day of work, got groceries, went to the gym, went to studio, went to see my girlfriend,” Faisal Rafi wrote. “The civil war was pretty chilled I must say.”

Singer and actor Fakhr-e-Alam tweeted: “Karachi civil war has gotten so bad that my food panda delivery boy had to crawl through mine fields carrying his AK47, RPG & 9mm along with my nihari and Biryani. This thing is getting so serious.”

‘No fear’ Asif Magsi:
Pakistani TikTok user and long jumper Asif Magsi’s videos showing him jumping over motorcycles and lakes went viral on social media in August, prompting the Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) to invite him for training.
When he started out, Magsi told Arab News in an interview, he could jump over five motorcycles parked in a row but can now cross eleven, as seen in a viral video of him shared on various social media platforms. He said he was unaware of long jump records but could cross nearly 25 feet or 7.6 meters. The world record for the long jump is 8.95 meters while the Asian record is 8.33 meters.
“I was not expecting my video made almost a week ago will get so much attention,” Magsi said, adding that he wanted to represent Pakistan at international games. “Now everyone in my family and people in the area are happy.”
Nine-times Olympic gold medallist Carl Lewis took to twitter to appreciate Magsi, saying “with his lack of fear, he has the perfect mindset.”


The 19 in COVID-19:
Pakistani social media users took to Twitter and Facebook in June to poke fun at a bizarre definition of COVID-19 offered by the country’s minister for climate change Zartaj Gul who said the virus was called COVID-1 because it “has 19 points and it is a type of flu that can affect a country in one of the 19 ways … Its severity depends upon the immunity level of people in the country concerned.”
“F-16 is 16-seater,” one Twitter user posted in response:

Another said: “20 players play T20, that’s why it is called T20.”

Teacher encourages students to post questions to NASA, scientists reply:
When Pakistani teacher Aimun Faisal posted her students’ questions to NASA on Twitter in October, never did she imagine scientists and astronauts would respond — and her post would go viral.
The fourth-grade teacher at Karachi’s Cornerstones School asked her students to write down questions about the solar system, of which six selected questions and the names and photos of the students who had asked them were posted by Faisal on Twitter.
“These fourth graders have some questions for you,” said the post, in which NASA astronauts and other scientists were tagged. The tweet went viral.


To Faisal’s surprise and joy, astronauts and scientists replied.
Astronaut Chris Hadfield said to a student called Rayyan who had asked if he ever felt “scared” his space ship would get lost in space: 
“Rayyan — I wasn’t scared we’d get lost. We had the Earth nearby, and used the stars to steer. I felt especially comforted when I flew over home. Here’s a photo I took of Karachi — can you find your school?”

To Haniyah, who asked if it was true that it rained diamonds on Jupiter, Emily Calandrelli, an American science communicator and the host of Xploration Outer Space and Emily’s Wonder Lab, wrote:
“Haniyah -It’s definitely possible!! The same physics and chemistry that creates diamonds here on Earth (putting Carbon under super high heat/pressure) exists on planets like Jupiter, so some scientists hypothesize that it’s raining diamonds there! Wouldn’t it be fun to see that?!”

Topics: Pakistan 2020 Review

Pakistan tops global emerging market rankings in sovereign risk improvement — Bloomberg Intelligence

Updated 28 June 2025
Follow

Pakistan tops global emerging market rankings in sovereign risk improvement — Bloomberg Intelligence

  • Government calls the development ‘a resounding signal’ to investors about Pakistan’s improving economy
  • It attributes the new outlook to economic stabilization, structural reforms and successful IMF engagement
Updated 28 June 2025
Ismail Dilawar

KARACHI: Pakistan has recorded the world’s sharpest decline in sovereign default risk over the past year, topping Bloomberg Intelligence’s Global Emerging Market (EM) Rankings for credit risk improvement, according to new data cited by a senior finance official on Saturday.

The data, published by Bloomberg’s research arm, showed that Pakistan’s credit default swap-implied probability of default fell from 59 percent to 47 percent over the past 12 months, a drop of 11 percentage points. The change marks the biggest reduction among tracked emerging markets, outpacing countries like Argentina, Tunisia and Nigeria, as default risk rose in others such as Egypt, Gabon and Turkiye.

Credit default swaps (CDS) are insurance-like financial contracts that allow investors to hedge against the risk of a government failing to repay its debt. Issued and traded by large financial institutions, these contracts pay out in the event of a default. The higher the cost of a CDS, the greater the perceived risk. Bloomberg Intelligence uses CDS pricing to assess a country’s sovereign risk in its Global EM Rankings.

“Pakistan stands out globally as the most improved economy in terms of reduction in sovereign default risk,” said Khurram Schehzad, adviser to the finance minister, in a social media post. “This is a resounding signal to global investors: Pakistan is not only back on the map— it is moving forward with stability, credibility, and reform at its core,” he added.

Bloomberg Intelligence is a highly regarded financial data and media company widely used by global investors, analysts and institutions.

The improvement in Pakistan’s risk profile comes after the South Asian nation narrowly avoided a sovereign default in 2023. With dwindling reserves and mounting debt repayments, Islamabad secured a short-term bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) with the support of key allies including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and China.

Since then, Pakistan has undertaken a series of IMF-recommended structural reforms and fiscal adjustments aimed at stabilizing the economy.

Credit rating agencies such as Standard & Poor’s and Fitch have acknowledged the progress with improved outlooks, while the government has prioritized timely debt servicing and macroeconomic discipline.

Schehzad attributed the improved outlook to “macroeconomic stabilization, structural reforms, successful IMF engagement and timely debt repayments,” noting that investor confidence had begun to return.

Rains and floods kill 19 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 12 in Punjab as extreme weather hits Pakistan

Updated 27 min 28 sec ago
&
Follow

Rains and floods kill 19 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 12 in Punjab as extreme weather hits Pakistan

  • Authorities in KP call Swat the most affected district where 13 people lost their lives in flash floods
  • The Met Office warns the risk of heavy rains and floods remains high until the middle of the next week
Updated 27 min 28 sec ago
REHMAT MEHSUD & NAIMAT KHAN

PESHAWAR/KARACHI: At least 19 people have been killed and six injured in the past 48 hours in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province while heavy rains claimed another 12 lives in the most populous Punjab province, provincial disaster authorities said on Saturday.

KP’s Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said that a total of 56 houses had been damaged in the region — 50 partially and six completely — while rain-related incidents were reported from various districts including Swat, Abbottabad, Charsadda, Malakand, Shangla, Lower Dir and Torghar.

“In the past 48 hours, rain, strong winds, flash floods and landslides in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province have resulted in the deaths of 19 people and injuries to 6 others,” the PDMA said in a statement.

A rescue worker rows a raft while searching for survivors, after tourists, who were on a picnic, were swept away by overflowing floodwaters in the Swat River, in Swat Valley in Pakistan on June 27, 2025. (REUTERS)

“The most affected district was Swat, where 13 people died and six others were injured,” it added.

The overall casualties in the province included six men, five women and eight children.

Local administrations have been instructed to provide immediate relief to affected families and ensure medical care for the injured.

The ongoing spell of rains, which began on June 25, has also claimed 12 lives in Punjab, the country’s most populous province, and caused delays in railway operations in the southern Sindh province.

“Twelve people died and 39 were injured in various accidents,” the Punjab PDMA said in a statement. “Majority of deaths were caused by the collapse of roofs and walls.”

A youngster rides his bicycle on a street during heavy rainfall, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on June 27, 2025. (AP)

Punjab PDMA chief Irfan Ali Kathia urged citizens to avoid unnecessary travel and not to stay in dilapidated homes during bad weather.

Commuters make their way through a flooded street following heavy rainfall in Hyderabad, in Sindh province on June 27, 2025. (AFP)

The Pakistan Meteorological Department has warned that the risk of heavy rains and possible flash floods will remain high until at least Tuesday.

Babar Raza, a spokesperson for Pakistan Railways, told Arab News the weather had affected the railway signaling system, while the speed of trains had been reduced for safety reasons.

“As a result, some trains are reaching their destinations with a delay of three to four hours,” he said. “No trains have been canceled so far.”

Pakistan, home to over 240 million people, is considered one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change and faces extreme weather events with increasing frequency.

Last month, at least 24 people were killed in severe storms across the country, which has already experienced multiple extreme weather incidents this year, including hailstorms and spring downpours.

Topics: Pakistan Floods 2025 Pakistan Floods pakistan monsoon Monsoon in Pakistan Swat River

Pakistan arrests two for defrauding citizens with fake jobs in Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom

Updated 28 June 2025
Follow

Pakistan arrests two for defrauding citizens with fake jobs in Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom

  • The suspects arrested in the Pakistani city of Multan have been accused of human smuggling
  • The Federal Investigation Agency says both men extorted money and were involved in visa fraud
Updated 28 June 2025
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: Pakistani authorities have arrested two men accused of human smuggling after they defrauded citizens with false promises of jobs in Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom, officials said on Saturday, as the country intensifies its crackdown on trafficking networks following a series of deadly migrant boat disasters.

The arrests, made by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in Multan, come amid Pakistan’s broader campaign to curb human smuggling. The issue has drawn significant attention following recent tragedies in the Mediterranean, including shipwrecks off Greece, Libya and Morocco involving scores of Pakistani nationals.

“The accused, Muhammad Muzammil and Sher Khan, extorted large sums of money from citizens by falsely promising overseas employment opportunities,” the FIA said in a statement. “Muzammil took Rs852,000 [$2,982] from a victim under the pretense of securing a job in Saudi Arabia, while Sher Khan collected Rs2 million [$7,000] by offering fake employment in the UK,” it continued. “Both failed to deliver and went into hiding after collecting the money.”

The statement noted that the suspects were also involved in visa fraud.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has vowed to crack down on the criminal networks exploiting vulnerable people with false hopes of better lives abroad. His administration began focusing on the issue after more than 200 Pakistanis were presumed dead in a shipwreck off Greece among hundreds of other illegal migrants trying to reach European shores.

Earlier this year, over 40 Pakistanis were feared drowned near Morocco’s coast, while the International Organization for Migration said at least 60 migrants, including Pakistanis, were feared dead after a pair of shipwrecks off the coast of Libya in June.

The FIA said on Saturday that both suspects were arrested from separate locations in Multan and have been taken into custody for further investigation. It added that its crackdown on human smugglers remains ongoing.

Topics: Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Multan

Pakistani province probes alleged sale of UNICEF-tagged soap for anti-polio campaign

Updated 35 min 47 sec ago
Follow

Pakistani province probes alleged sale of UNICEF-tagged soap for anti-polio campaign

  • The development comes days after officials seized over 200 UNICEF-tagged soap bars from Peshawar market
  • UNICEF’s communication specialist did not respond to multiple queries seeking a comment on the matter
Updated 35 min 47 sec ago
REHMAT MEHSUD

PESHAWAR: Authorities in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province are probing the alleged sale of soap bars, which were provided by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for the country’s campaign against polio, at a market in Peshawar, officials said on Friday.

The comments came after the seizure of over 200 soap bars at the Faqeerabad market in the provincial capital, which bore the “not-for-sale” marking, according to Additional Assistant Commissioner Azimullah Mehsud.

The local administration acted on a tip-off about UNICEF-tagged soap bars being “diverted” to the open market. A preliminary investigation suggested the consignment originated in the southern Sindh province.

Authorities arrested a shopkeeper on June 25, who was selling these soap bars on Facebook and in the local market in the northwestern Pakistani city.

“According to initial investigations, he [the suspect] told us that they got this supply [of soaps] from Sindh,” Mehsud told Arab News. “The person we have arrested told us he gives this [to people] on Facebook marketplace and said, ‘I’m an Afghan national’.”

This handout photo, released by the Office of the Deputy Commissioner Peshawar, shows Additional Assistant Commissioner Peshawar Azimullah Mehsud with cartons of UNICEF-tagged soap bars allegedly recovered during a raid at the Faqeerabad market in Peshawar, Pakistan on June 25, 2025. (Handout)

Mehsud said the authorities recovered three cartons during the raid, with a total of 216 soap bars. He said the suspect claimed to have additional stock.

“Here people used to buy [a soap bar] from him at a cost of Rs40 or Rs45 and then used to change its packaging at Rs3, and then [they were] being supplied to Jalalabad, Afghanistan and here in Pakistan, I think, including D.I. Khan and many other places,” he said.

“When we contacted him, he [suspect] told us to come tomorrow and he will arrange 3,000 more [soap bars] for us. Then we told the anti-corruption to locate the link to his network.”

This handout photo, released by the Office of the Deputy Commissioner Peshawar, shows UNICEF-tagged soap bars allegedly recovered during a raid at the Faqeerabad market in Peshawar, Pakistan on June 25, 2025. (Handout)

Arab News reached out to UNICEF’s communication specialist, Zia-ur-Rehman, but did not receive a response to its queries seeking comment on the matter.

Polio is a paralyzing disease with no cure, making prevention through vaccination critical. After a significant decline over the past decades, Pakistan witnessed an intense resurgence of the poliovirus in 2024, with 74 cases reported. According to Pakistan’s polio program, the country has reported 13 cases of the virus so far this year.

This handout photo, released by the Office of the Deputy Commissioner Peshawar, shows UNICEF-tagged soap bars allegedly recovered during a raid at the Faqeerabad market in Peshawar, Pakistan on June 25, 2025. (Handout)

The KP anti-corruption department plans to send an open letter to UNICEF and the Sindh provincial administration to further investigate the matter.

Humayun Khan, the Peshawar circle officer of the anti-corruption department, confirmed to Arab News that his department had launched an investigation into the case.

“It [investigation] will go ahead properly with a procedure,” he said. “It will take time.”

Topics: Pakistan Polio Service Polio cases in Pakistan UNICEF Pakistan UNICEF

Suicide attack kills 13 soldiers in Pakistan’s northwest — officials

Updated 28 June 2025
AFP
Follow

Suicide attack kills 13 soldiers in Pakistan’s northwest — officials

  • The attack injured 29 others, including civilians, in North Waziristan district 
  • Hafiz Gul Bahadur group of the Pakistan Taliban claimed the suicide attack
Updated 28 June 2025
AFP

PESHAWAR: A suicide attack claimed by the Pakistani Taliban killed 13 soldiers and wounded 29 people, including civilians, local government officials and police officers told AFP.

“A suicide bomber rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into a military convoy. The blast killed 13 soldiers, injured 10 army personnel and 19 civilians,” said a local government official in North Waziristan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

“The explosion also caused the roofs of two houses to collapse, injuring six children,” a police officer posted in the district told AFP.

The condition of four injured soldiers is critical, an administrative official added.

The attack was claimed by the suicide bomber wing of the Hafiz Gul Bahadur armed group, a faction of the Pakistan Taliban.

Pakistan has witnessed a sharp rise in violence in its regions bordering Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021, with Islamabad accusing its western neighbor of allowing its soil to be used for attacks against Pakistan — a claim the Taliban deny.

Around 290 people, mostly security officials, have been killed in attacks since the start of the year by armed groups fighting the government in both Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, according to an AFP tally.

Topics: militancy in Pakistan KP militancy Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)

Latest updates

Chelsea's Club World Cup travel plan derailed by group-stage slip-up
‘We must help them’: Morocco students get peers back in school
Irish rap group Kneecap set to play at Glastonbury despite criticism from politicians
Pakistan tops global emerging market rankings in sovereign risk improvement — Bloomberg Intelligence
Norris maintains upper hand on Piastri in Austrian GP practice

Search form

Print Edition
Read pdf version Subscribe now
© 2025 SAUDI RESEARCH & PUBLISHING COMPANY, All Rights Reserved And subject to Terms of Use Agreement.