Author: Ali Qasim

COKE STUDIO BRINGS BACK THE MAGIC OF LIVE MUSIC

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

Celebrating Pakistan and Music the Coke way, Coca-Cola Pakistan hosted the first ever Coke Studio Live concert in Lahore at the Royal Palm Golf and Country Club featuring a diverse line-up of artists: the dynamic Talal Qureshi, pop sensation Hasan Raheem, the rap duo Young Stunners, popular rap artist Faris Shafi and music icon Atif Aslam.

Coke Studio is known as the Sound of the Nation. The platform has played a key role in taking Pakistani music global. The Foreign Office recognized this role and awarded the platform for being the country’s best cultural export, with over 10.2 million subscribers on YouTube and over 4 billion views on digital platforms.

This year Coke Studio 14 is aiming for a revitalized vibe. 70 per cent of Pakistan’s population is under the age of 35, and with Zulfiqar Jabbar Khan (popularly known as Xulfi) at the helm there is a lot of anticipation around the new sound, fresh stars and a modern outlook that will reflect the voice of the youth.

Fahad Ashraf, VP Coca-Cola Pakistan and Afghanistan said: “The Coke Studio platform has evolved this season. Whereas the values are the same but we are now leaning into the future by including the GenZ sound very deliberately. It is about time that we sync our cords with what the youngsters what. Nostalgia has its place in Season 14 but so does the firepower of a sound never been heard before.”

Celebrating music in line with Coca-Cola’s new global brand philosophy and platform Real Magic, Coke Studio Live attracted a lively youth-oriented audience from all corners of the city and provided families with an opportunity to plan a perfect evening out, organized in line with the NCOC protocols.

Coke Studio Live is an effort to help revitalize the live music culture of the country. Pakistanis are known for their resilient nature, and our music has always reflected our adversity, hope and our ability to come through. The concert comes at a time when the country despite the challenges it faces have an overall optimistic outlook and is on a journey towards economic recovery, sustainable development and post-pandemic normalization. 

Hosted by media personalities Dino Ali and Anoushey Ashraf, in attendance at this concert were various personalities such as HSY, Shammal Qureshi, Meesha Shafi, Abdullah Siddiqui, Zara Shahjahan, Bilal Lashari, Omair Rana, Amna Babar, Zonia Anwaar, Guddu Shani, Sameer Shami and Farhan Ali to name a few, along with members of the esteemed press.

At this concert, Coke Studio also revealed the artists part of its talented roster for Season 14. With producer Xulfi at the helm, the featured artist lineup for the season includes: Abdullah Siddiqui, Abida Parveen, Ali Sethi, Ameer Baksh, Arooj Aftab, Asfar Hussain, Atif Aslam, Butt Brothers, Eva B, Faisal Kapadia, Faris Shafi, Hasan Raheem, Justin Bibis, Kaifi Khalil, Karakoram, Lahore Jazz Ensemble, Meesha Shafi, Momina Mustehsan, Naseebo Lal, Quratulain Baloch, Shaegill, Soch, Talal Qureshi, Talha Anjum, Wahab Bugti, Young Stunners and Zain Zohaib Qawwals.

This season truly epitomizes the passion of Pakistanis, unifying the diverse sounds of the country through a fusion of diverse genres while the videos takes viewers on a journey like never before.Coke Studio also announces two major partnerships for Season 14: The world’s leading music streaming platform Spotify, and Pakistan’s leading high-street brand Khaadi.

Coke Studio’s launch date and more partnerships will be announced later this December 2021.

For more information, visit: https://www.facebook.com/cokestudio/

 

Thaap honored Punjabi writer Nain Sukh for receiving Dhahan International Literature Prize.

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

Thaap organized a special literary evening in honor of Punjabi writer “Nain Sukh” for winning the Dhahan international punjabi literature prize 2021 on the occasion of its 46th Talk. The talk was held at Thaap secreteriat Gulberg on December 17 and was attended by literature lovers and an interested & discriminating audience.
Nain Sukh is the recipient of the Dhahan International Punjabi Literature Prize 2021 and the Masud Khadarposh Award 2015. In local litereay circles, he is considered Pride of Punjab for being the first rceipient of Dhahan International Punjabi Literature Prize from Pakistani Punjab. Pr. Retd. Sajida Haider Vandal, Pervez Vandal and other partcipants acknowleged the contributions of Nain Sukh in promotion of Punjabi literature. 
In the evening, Nain Sukh read his short stories from his award winning book and lively discussion took place with penetrating remarks and questions.  
Nain Sukh has published several Punjabi short stories, poetry, Novel and novelette over the years. Through his work, he has attempted to transform his 28 years of research and observations of Punjab, combining them with historical insights gained from the works of old masters, into works of fiction and poetry. 
Professor Naveed Alam made the introductions and acted as the moderator. He briefed the audience that Nain Sukh’s book, Jogi, Sapp, Trah (The Snake Charmer, Snake and Fright), won the Dhahan Prize for Punjabi literature announced in Canada. The Canada-based prize committee had received 45 entries this year.
While putting light on the short stories, Pr. Naveed Alam shared that Nain Sukh’s award-winning book has many characters from the lower stratum of society, considered outcasts — Dalits who converted to Islam, but could not shake off the stigma attached to their former caste besides weavers, shoemakers, fishers, hairdressers, snake charmers, gypsies and all the subalterns.
During the evening, writer Nain Sukh discussed the reasons that when those belonging to these so-called lower castes realised the dishonour attached to their work and craft, they gradually started quitting it. This culminated into the erasure of history that was preserved in their collective memory, as nobody had recorded it.
 

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy collaborates with Welsh National Opera at Expo 2020 Dubai

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

Two-time Academy Award-winning film-maker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy has announced her collaboration with Welsh National Opera (WNO) for Expo 2020 Dubai’s Al-Wasl Opera, a cultural milestone that celebrates thousands of years of UAE history, its achievements to date and its aspirations for the future. The show will be performed at Dubai Opera for its premiere run from till 19th December 2021.

The series of 7 films will play in the background at various key points, in harmony with the live music, during the performance of Al-Wasl. The films have been produced by SOC Films and directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, in close collaboration with celebrated American composer Mohammed Fairouz and renowned British Director Sir David Willoughby Pountney. An Opera in Three Acts, the performance will feature more than 100 artists and musicians, as well as a production team of 70 professionals, to combine the best global operatic talent, celebrating Expo 2020’s theme, ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’.

Produced in collaboration with Welsh National Opera, composed by Mohammed Fairouz, co-authored and written by Maha Gargash, directed by Sir David Willoughby Pountney and conducted by Justin Brown, Al Wasl translates as ‘the connection’ in English, and is the old name for Dubai. The connection here implies international cooperation, with Al Wasl Opera showing how we must work together to channel Sustainability, one of Expo’s three subthemes.

Mohammed Fairouz, Composer, Al Wasl Opera, said: “Celebrating Expo 2020’s vision of collaboration, Al Wasl Opera brings together many people from a variety of artistic backgrounds in order to create one art form – and there’s nothing more universal than opera and theatre. If people can laugh and cry together, then anything is possible between them.”

Sir David Willoughby Pountney, Director, Al Wasl Opera, said: “The story of Al Wasl begins in the desert, and we created a rather original way of depicting this desert in a metaphorical way. In the middle act, we are in the present, where there is a strong reference to the creation of the Burj Khalifa, and we move on into the future in the final act, where we are in pure fantasyland about what the future may or may not look like, depending on whether we make a commitment to a sustainable tomorrow.”

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Film Director, Al Wasl Opera, said: “We worked closely with Sir David Pountney and Mohammad Fairouz to create films that spoke to the music and choreography of the opera. In telling the story of the UAE and its growth, we also told the story of the men who built it, including the story of a Pakistani worker Adnan and his daughter Eshal. As filmmakers we visualize stories and to be able to do that on an opera stage with the best in the world has truly been an honor.”

Al Wasl Opera will be presented in English, with a runtime of 120 minutes, including one intermission.

Link for more information: https://www.dubaiopera.com/events/al-wasl-opera/

 

Gamers Galaxy announces prize pool for PUBG Mobile Gamers Galaxy Pakistan and Valorant, Registrations Open for esports Festival

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

Gamers Galaxy announces prize pool for PUBG Mobile Gamers Galaxy Pakistan and Valorant, Registrations Open for esports Festival.

 

  • 14,000,000 Crore Pakistani Rupees will be allocated to the PUBG Mobile Gamers Galaxy Pakistan and Valorant tournament from the Grand prize pool of 20,000,000 Crore
  • The online qualifiers will be streamed from the 25th to 28th on twitch.tv/galaxyracerdxb
  • Gamers Galaxy will host the top 16 teams from PUBG Mobile Gamers Galaxy Pakistan and the top 4 teams from Valorant at the LAN event in Islamabad.
  • Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Gamers Galaxy has announced the prize pools for PUBG Mobile Gamers Galaxy Pakistan, the original battle royale mobile game, and Valorant, a free-to-play first-person hero shooter game for PC. The two tournaments, running from 18th December, will be a part of the largest eSports event to take place in the history of Pakistan on 8th and 9th of January at Pak-China Friendship Centre in Islamabad.

    The Valorant and PUBG Mobile Gamers Galaxy Pakistan’s online qualifiers will also be streamed live on www.twitch.tv/galaxyracerdxb from the 25th to 28th of December.

    The first week of registrations has seen a huge success with over 700+ PUBG Mobile Gamers Galaxy Pakistan teams and 30+ Valorant teams.

    The two remaining game titles that will have dedicated tournaments, Tekken 7 and Fifa 22, will be live for registrations soon.

    Earlier this month, it was announced that a musical component will perform as a closing act for Gamers Galaxy. The gaming festival will also feature meet and greets and panels with the country’s most popular content creators, action-packed live entertainment, alongside global toy giants who will hold fun-filled activations and unveil their brand-new line of toys.

    The two-day festival will be free of entry to the public as Galaxy Racer aims to build an ecosystem and pave the way for change in Pakistan. Register now at: https://gamersgalaxy.com.pk.

    Fakhar-e-Alam, CEO of Galaxy Racer Pakistan, said: “Our whole vision with Gamers Galaxy is to ensure that the community in Pakistan gets presented a platform to compete and encourage individuals and teams with amazing talent to aim for the sky and nothing less. Hence why we have made it a free of entry and registration event, our sole purpose is to nurture the talent in Pakistan and create an entire ecosystem and our initiative of HER Galaxy is to give opportunity encourage and nurture Pakistani girls to explore possibilities in the esports universe and compete with the best around the world.”

    The event will also be televised in partnership with Ten Sports for the first time in the country’s history.

    Follow us on Instagram and Twitter to know more.

           

    About Galaxy Racer:

    Galaxy Racer (GXR) was founded in 2019 and is one of the fastest-growing global esports, gaming and lifestyle organizations in the world, with an impressive roster of twelve esports teams under Nigma Galaxy, the competitive esports team division of Galaxy Racer; in esports titles such as Dota 2, League of Legends, CS:GO, Fortnite, Valorant, PUBG Mobile, BGMI and Free Fire.

    GXR values diversity and equal representation in esports, with over 60 male and female esports athletes from over 20 countries, with over 100 content creators across Middle East North Africa (MENA) and Southeast Asia (SEA), amassing over 370 million followers and generating over 2 billion monthly views.

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THE COCA-COLA FOUNDATION PROVIDES FUNDING FOR UNHCR’S HUMANITARIAN ACTIVITIES TO ASSIST DISPLACED AFGHANS

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

The Coca-Cola Foundation, the global philanthropic arm of The Coca-Cola Company, is supporting UNHCR efforts in delivering humanitarian aid for displaced people impacted by the recent conflict in Afghanistan.

A USD 300,000 grant to USA for UNHCR has helped support efforts by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, to assist over 500 families (with an average of 7 members per family) with immediate humanitarian relief, including core relief kits and shelter items to protect Afghan families during the harsh winter season.

“This is a multi-faceted crisis disproportionately affecting women and girls,” said Saadia Madsbjerg, president, The Coca-Cola Foundation. “We hope this grant will be meaningful in providing displaced Afghan families with critical support.” 

UNHCR’s Representative in Pakistan, Noriko Yoshida, welcomed the timely support from The Coca-Cola Foundation. “Having assistance reach displaced people in Afghanistan is saving lives. Many are without shelter, struggling to feed families, unable to cope, and need support urgently”, she added.

Afghanistan is facing a growing economic, humanitarian and food-security crisis endangering millions of Afghans. Almost 80 percent of the Afghans newly displaced by conflict this year have been women and children.

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Shah Rukh Khan makes first digital appearance after Aryan Khan debacle

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan is returning to normalcy after tough few months of his son Aryan Khan’s arrest. The actor was recently spotted in an exclusive video by a car brand, where the actor congratulated the company’s new brand ambassadors. 

The video, that officially released on Wednesday, instantly excited the star’s eager fans who were waiting to see him since months.

Shah Rukh wore a round-neck T-shirt along with a jacket and kept his tied back.

“Finally sir ke dharshan ho hee gaya (Finally, we got a glimpse of Shah Rukh),” a fan tweeted in excitement. “Waiting to see him on the big screen,” added another. 

Take a look:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CXgCYgPPxUM/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

‘Ms Marvel’ was a wonderful experience, says Fawad Khan

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

Fawad Khan recently confirmed that he will be seen in the upcoming Ms Marvel series alongside Iman Vellani and Brie Larson, saying it was a “wonderful experience”.

The Kapoor & Sons star opened up about being a part of the Marvel show while talking to Indian publication Film Companion.

When asked whether he was a part of the show, he simply replied, “Yeah, I am,” before adding, “I can’t deny that or lie about it because they have put out the news themselves.”

Reports of Fawad’s casting first did rounds earlier in June when his name was added to the show’s IMDP page, however, Marvel had not commented.

He stayed mum about any other details but did not shy away from sharing his experience on set, calling it “wonderful”.

“It was good fun. The cast that I worked with, the people that I worked with, it was good fun, but I am sorry, I cannot say anything more than that at this point in time,” he said.

Pakistani-Canadian actor Iman Vellani, who will essay the role of Ms. Marvel aka Kamala Khan, is leading the series with Hollywood superstar Brie Larson also joining the cast as she reprises her role as Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel.

The series will be helmed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Meera Menon, Bilall Fallah and Adil El Arbi.

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Babar, Rizwan break Pakistan’s partnership record against West Indies

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

Pakistan’s opening duo Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan on Thursday added more feathers to their caps by breaking records as batting partners and as individual batters with remarkable performance against West Indies in the third T20I.

Babar Azam scored 79 off 53, while Muhammad Rizwan smashed 87 off 45 as they scored 158 for the first wicket.

The opening stand of 158 was a 6th-century stand between the pair — the most by any batting partners in T20Is. They surpassed Indian batting partners Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul who have the 5th century stands to their credit — both the pair partnered together in 27 innings.

Among these six-century partnerships, three have come while batting second. No other pair has such a record while chasing the target.

During the innings of 87, Mohammad Rizwan also became the first cricketer to score overall 2,000 T20 runs in a calendar year. He had earlier surpassed West Indies Chris Gayle in the list of most T20 runs in a calendar year.

He ended the year with 2,036 runs, smashing 18 half-centuries and a century in T20 cricket this year. Of a total of 2,036 T20 runs, 1,326 were scored in T20Is, also the most by a cricketer in a calendar year.

During the innings, Rizwan smashed three sixes, taking his total T20I 6s tally in 2021 to 42. He set a new record of most sixes in a calendar year, surpassing New Zealand’s Martin Guptill who smashed 41 in the same year.

Rizwan also stormed 119 fours in the year to become the only player to smash over 100 boundaries in a calendar year.

Skipper Babar Azam also smashed a half-century today and became the first player to achieve 20 scores of 50 or more in overall T20 cricket in a calendar year. Babar’s tally also includes three scores in double figures.

Babar finished the year 2021 with 939 runs, standing right behind Rizwan in the list of most runs this year and also in the list of most runs in a calendar year.

Their performance helped Pakistan chase the target of 208 comfortably to register Pakistan’s highest successful chases in T20Is. The score is also the highest ever T20I score at the National Stadium Karachi.

Mushk Kaleem ties the knot in a Nikk-endi

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

Famous Model Mushk Kaleem, who tied the knot with beau Nadir Zia in an intimate Nikkah ceremony followed by a Mehendi event in Karachi. They named their fusion event, Nikkendi.

For their close-knit Nikkah ceremony, the bride wore a Maria B. number and the couple colour-coordinated in traditional whites and made a lovely couple. The duo shared pictures after sealing the deal, looking fully in love, ready to begin the new journey together.

Moreover, for the Mehendi, Mushk opted for a gold embellished deep pink lehenga choli by celebrated designer Ali Xeeshan and Nadir stayed in his white shalwar kurta with gold buttons.

Earlier this month, the model asked everyone to “save the dates” for her wedding. With one event down, the couple will move forward to celebrate their union with a wedding ceremony on December 17 followed by a reception on December 18.

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Imran Abbas announces mother’s demise in a heartbreaking post

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Lahore (NUt-DESK)

Actor Imran Abbas on Wednesday announced the demise of his mother in a heartbreaking Instagram post. The renowned star shared a picture of him kissing his mother’s foot, sharing he has lost his ‘Jannat’ (Paradise). He had lost his father on the same date in 2019.

“Alwida Meri Maa (Farewell, my mother),” he shared, adding, “I won’t be able to kiss these feet anymore. Lost my “Jannat” (paradise) today on December 15, the same date I lost my father two years back. Please recite Surah-e-Fateha for her.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CXgmegkoP9v/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Many shared condolences and sent heartfelt wishes his way. Celebs such as Sajal Aly, Mashal Khan, Sanam Jung and Turkish actor Celel Al took to social media and lent him support.

On Mother’s Day this year, the Tum Kon Piya actor shared the same picture and had written, “May I always keep kissing your feet till I am alive. Happy Mother’s Day to every mother around the world.”

In 2019, on his father’s passing away, Imran had shared that he was going through the darkest time of his life.

Abbas then emphasised how important it was to be grateful to our parents before there was no room left for gratitude. “Please value your parents because there is no one in this whole universe like them. Give them your love and time, that’s all they want, otherwise, we are just left with regrets and remorse,” concluded the star.

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