Author: Ali Qasim

‘My running days are over’: Shoaib Akhtar going for total knee replacement

Posted on by Ali Qasim

LAHORE (NUT-SPORTS)

Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, who is well-known across the globe as “Rawalpindi Express” for his running speed, will no longer be able to run.

Taking to Instagram, the former cricketer revealed that his “running days are over” as he is going for a “total knee replacement in Australia Melbourne very soon.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CWixN3bMn2w/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=e938b19a-aaef-4d94-8a20-b9152d37179f

Akhtar also uploaded a picture of himself along with the news. Within minutes of uploading, the post started getting responses from fans and followers who prayed for his swift recovery and wished him good luck with the surgery. 

“Those knees did wonders! May Allah grant you a speedy recovery,” one of his fans wrote. 

“Really sad but hope for speedy recovery boss,” another follower chimed in.

“Really sad for you champ and for your TKR surgery,” a third commentator posted, using a crying emoji.

It is worth noting that the pacing legend holds the record for bowling the fastest ball at 161.3 kph and it is next to impossible to bowl at a speed of 219kph.

He is considered one of the fastest bowlers in cricket’s history along with Australia’s Brett Lee. 

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Junaid Khan is efforting to bring Amazon to Pakistan

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Laohre (NUT-DESK)

Pakistan actor, singer and model Junaid Khan is in vacationing in US these days. After sharing beautiful family pictures of boys days out from Brooklyn bridge New York, he shared another interesting post on his social media pages.

 

Check more details about his latest post below.

Met the honourable Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States of America Mr. Asad Majeed Khan and his wife at their residence in Washington DC for lunch today.
A wonderful family doing volumes for the Pakistani community out there and a fine gentleman who feels for Pakistan and is always willing to go the distance for our people in the US. Discussed family, politics and his recent effort to bring Amazon to Pakistan.
Thank you for having me over. It surely was an honour.
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IG Punjab honors the citizen for his Honesty.

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

Inspector General of Police Punjab Rao Sardar Ali Khan has said that citizens who have attribute of honesty and spirit of service to people are real assets and heroes of our society. He said that honest man is honored by Allah and Adeel Ashraf’s honesty is a role model for whole nation.  Rao Sardar Ali Khan invited Adeel Ashraf, who had returned Rs 3 million rupees found in shopping bag in Khayali at Gujranwala to its original.

Upon this act of honesty, Adeel Ashraf was invited to Central police office. He was offered tea and an appreciation certificate by Rao Sardar Ali Khan.  IG Punjab also rewarded Adeel Ashraf out of his own pocket.  He said that co-operation between police and citizens is essential for betterment of society and police should encourage citizens to do good deeds.

Adeel Ashraf had found Rs 3 million rupees  in a shopping bag on the road a few days ago, which he handed over to  police and  police delivered it safely to real  owner.  Adeel Ashraf thanked IG Punjab for encouragement and said that he was sure that police would return full amount to the said citizen, so he handed over the money to police

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Ajoka theatre set to revive the theatre scene at Lahore Arts Council!

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

After almost 2 years, Lahore is ready for its first stage performance, by Ajoka Institute’s “Art of Acting” students. Ajoka’s two acclaimed short plays entitled “Sharam Di Gal” & “Dhee Raniay” will be performed on Friday November 12th at 7 PM, at Alhamra Hall 3, Lahore Arts Council Mall road.

These short plays were originally performed over 25 years ago, and unfortunately, still remain relevant today. Women continue to face the same challenges they faced over two decades ago and a collective awareness is the need of the hour.

Ajoka Institute’s director Nirvaan Nadeem has directed both the plays. He told that aspiring actors from Ajoka’s acting class have put in lot of hard work and exercises for their maiden appearance on the stage. All the actors are very excited for this special performance and regularly practicing their roles in rehearsal sessions.

Ajoka Executive Director Shahid Nadeem shared that “Sharam Di Gal” & “Dhee Raniay” are evergreen plays, which were originally directed by Ajoka’s founding director Madeeha Gauhar. Both the plays highlight important social issues in an interesting way providing a socially meaningful entertainment.

The programme includes screenings and certificate distribution to the acting students. The event is being held in collaboration with Lahore Arts Council.

 

T20 World Cup: Aggressive England to tackle formidable New Zealand in first semi-final today

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

England and New Zealand will clash with each other today (Wednesday) in the first semi-final of the ICC T20 World Cup, at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi.

Eoin Morgan’s England will head into today’s Twenty20 World Cup clash as favourites against New Zealand, two years after both sides clashed in a dramatic 50-over final.

England have lost opening batsman Jason Roy and pace bowler Tymal Mills but they sealed a final-four place with four wins in five Super 12 games.

Roy collapsed on the pitch with a calf injury in England’s final group match that they lost to South Africa and was later ruled out of the tournament and replaced by James Vince.

England’s aggressive brand of cricket got them past West Indies, Bangladesh, Australia and Sri Lanka with clinical ease to finish as group leaders ahead of the Aussies.

But the Kiwis are no pushovers and who better than England to appreciate the Black Caps’ worth after they needed a super over to edge out Kane Williamson’s side when the 2019 ODI World Cup final finished in a tie.

“If England and New Zealand provide a fraction of the drama they did on a glorious afternoon at Lord’s in July 2019, then the T20 World Cup might get the spark it desperately craves this week,” former England captain Mike Atherton wrote in The Times.

New Zealand matched England’s 241 courtesy of Ben Stokes’ unbeaten 84 at the end of 50 overs and then their 15 in the super over before England were declared winners on boundary count.

England have reached the final four of the T20 World Cup without star performers Stokes and Jofra Archer and Roy’s departure adds to their woes ahead of today’s game in Abu Dhabi.

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‘Squid Game’ returning for a second season, confirms director Hwang Dong-hyuk

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

The director of Squid Game, the dystopic South Korean TV series on Netflix, expressed confidence that the wildly popular show will return for a second season.

“We are in the talks for Season Two,” writer-director Hwang Dong-hyuk said in an interview on Monday. “It’s all in my head. I have the basic storyline, the broad plan, so we’re in the brainstorming stages.

“I’m going to go ahead and say there will be a second season, but as for when, I cannot tell you now,” Hwang added.

“He will come back, he will come back and do something about this world,” the director said, referring to protagonist Seong Gi-hun, played by actor Lee Jung-Jae.

Hwang, Lee and others involved in the show, one of Netflix’s biggest hits ever, attended a special Hollywood screening on Monday to celebrate its success.

Squid Game, in which debt-ridden people compete in a deadly game for a fortune, has inspired Halloween costumes and themed protests at the United Nations global climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland, among other things.

“It feels so surreal,” Hwang said of his creation’s impact. “It’s almost like I myself am living in a fantastical world.”

“I just can’t believe this is happening,” actor Lee said. “I did not know or ever imagined it would make it this big. I didn’t ever think we would get this much love, so being here and standing in front of you, everything, I just feel so grateful.”

The series’ success echoes that of 2020 Oscar winner Parasite, which also showed the gap between rich and poor in South Korea.

Actor Park Hae-soo, who plays a contestant named Cho Sang-woo, said, “Everybody actually has that rage, but I think the Koreans are really able to express that honestly.”

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Trailer reveal: ‘Khel Khel Mein’ highlights human cost of 1971 war

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

The trailer for Sajal Aly and Bilal Abbas Khan-starrer Khel Khel Mein is finally here, delving into the heart of the 1971 war and the subsequent birth of Bangladesh following the split between East and West Pakistan.

The trailer opens with a flashback to the moment of the split, with a turban-clad man announcing, “Your country has been broken apart. You are no longer in Pakistan, but in Bangladesh.” The announcement is met with a sob from a young man, who then falls to his knees in despair.

According to the trailer, the film follows a group of students, led by Sajal’s character, who wish to put on a theatrical performance on the fall of Dhaka at a competition being held in the same city.

The decision is met with backlash from faculty who do not wish to provoke unnecessary “controversy”. The trailer then follows the trials and tribulations the students, particularly Sajal’s character, undergo in order to put on the play in Bangladesh, which includes hostile attitudes from those on the other side on the border as well as friction from those at home.

The trailer ends with a voiceover from Sajal and Bilal, “Aik jaisa hi pyaar nikle ga, dil ki lelein talaashiyan donoun. Aik ghalti hui, kisi se bhi, maang lete hain, maafiyaan donoun. [The love you find will be the same in both of our hearts. A mistake was made, by one or the other, let us both ask for forgiveness].”

The story appears to centre the people at the heart of the conflict, placing the responsibility of the split between East and West Pakistan on external factors. Judging from the trailer, Khel Khel Mein appears to employ a non-linear narrative, with flashbacks from the past constituting a large part of the film.

The fact that Nabeel Qureshi and Fizza Ali Meerza have come forward with Khel Khel Mein is highly appreicated.”

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Malala Yousafzai gets married in small ceremony, terms it ‘precious day’

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai has tied the nuptial knot during a small ceremony in Birmingham, the education activist revealed on Twitter Tuesday.

Taking to the microblogging website, the education activist wrote: “Today marks a precious day in my life. Asser and I tied the knot to be partners for life. We celebrated a small nikkah ceremony at home in Birmingham with our families. Please send us your prayers. We are excited to walk together for the journey ahead.”

Malala also posted four photos from the nikkah ceremony in which she could be seen posing alongside her newlywed husband, Asser, as well as her parents, Ziauddin Yousafzai and Toor Pekai Yousafzai.

For her big day, Malala wore a melon-pink outfit adorned with gold embroidery. Her nikkah pictures were captured by her friend, Malin Fezehai, who is a photographer and visual journalist.

Congratulations pour in

Taking to Twitter, her father said the occasion was “beyond words”. 

“Toor Pekai and I are overwhelmed with joy and gratitude. Alhamdulillah,” he added.

PPP leader Aseefa Bhutto Zardari felicitated Malala and hoped that the newly-wedded couple find every joy together.

“May your journey be blessed at every turn. Sending you love & duas,” she said.

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Asim Azhar receives a gift at Sharjah Cricket Stadium

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

Singer Asim Azhar has shared a video with Shoaib Malik from the stadium. He was in awe of Shoaib’s personality and was all praise for him.

“What a player, what a human!” Asim wrote. “Love you, Shoaib bhai.”

Asim hoped Pakistan would bring the cup home.

The video shows Asim engaging in a brief conversation from the stands with Shoaib after the game. When Shoaib congratulates Asim on his latest PISA award (Best Original Soundtrack for Ishqiya), Asim responds by saying that there could be no “bigger award” than Shoaib’s praise for him.

Asim even received a gift from fast bowler Shadab Khan.

Bubble ki dooriaaan 😅 well played my bro @76Shadabkhan and thank you for this gift ♥️ pic.twitter.com/BqW62xwy4F

— Asim Azhar (@AsimAzharr) November 7, 2021

What’s better than meeting your favourite players and that too after they have delivered a spectacular performance?

Shoaib Malik is all over social media for scoring the fastest 50 in the continuing edition of the T20 World Cup on Sunday. The all-rounder, who smashed 54 off 18 balls, now shares the record with India’s KL Rahul.

Soon after Pakistan emerged victorious against Scotland, photos and videos from the Sharjah Cricket Stadium made it to social media. Sania Mirza in the stands with their son Izhaan is being lauded for applauding Shoaib’s performance despite India being knocked out from the tournament after second game of the day (New Zealand vs Afghanistan). India were banking on Afghanistan to help them stay in the tournament but couldn’t book the semi-final berth.

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Eternals banned in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

Marvel’s latest release Eternals will not be screened in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar, according to reports by several international news websites.

Eternals was set to hit the screen across the Gulf States on November 11, but it was removed from the websites after Disney refused to make the proposed edits.

The controversy surrounds Marvel Cinematic Universe’s same-gender couple, Phastos (played by Brian Tyree Henry) and his on-screen spouse Ben (Haaz Sleiman). Disney was reportedly requested to remove an intimate scene involving the two characters.

Eternals is, however, still listed among the movies that are going to be released in the UAE. Eternals has been directed by Chloe Zhao and features an ensemble cast of Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, Richard Madden, Gemma Chan, Lia McHugh, Kit Harington, Don Lee, among others. 

Angelina remarked that she is “sad” for the audiences in the countries where Eternals has been banned, but added that she is proud of Marvel for refusing to edit the proposed scenes out.

Eternals stars Kumail Nanjiani as well who is the first Pakistani actor to play a superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.The movie had its world premiere in Los Angeles on October 18 and was released on November 5.

In August, Akshay Kumar’s spy thriller BellBottom was banned across Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar for content “not fit for exhibition”. It was inspired by the hijackings of Indian Airlines flights in the 1980s during Indira Gandhi’s tenure as prime minister. 

The objection was that the movie showed Akshay’s character Bell Bottom (an Indian agent) as the hero of the entire episode while the UAE defence minister was kept in the dark by Indian officials. The authorities were reportedly irked by the “distortion of facts”.

 BellBottom starred Lara Dutta as Indira Gandhi and featured Vaani Kapoor opposite Akshay.   

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