Ali Zafar to compose music for new film

July 22, 2010: Ali Zafar at a heated press conference in Karachi. File photo

Pop-singer-cum film star Ali Zafar has written lyrics and is also composing music for his upcoming film ‘London Paris New York. This will be the third film of Pakistani artist in India.
The London Paris New York will follow the commercially successful Mera Brother Ki Dulhan. Prior to this, Ali Zafar has provided his vocals for several Indian films but this will be his first venture into song writing and composition.

Read more »

Pak-China ties to be beefed up: Meng-Jianzhu

Chinese Vice Prime Minister Meng- Jianzhu has said his country is proud of its friendly ties with Pakistan which will be further bolstered up.

He said this while talking to media men here in Islamabad on Monday after his meeting with Interior Minister Rehman Malik.
The Chinese vice Prime Minister was accorded warm welcome when he arrived Chaklala Air Base. He later met with Interior Minister Rehman Malik. The two exchanged views in depth on ways and means to further strengthen Sino-Pak relations, situation arising out of allegations levelled by US against Pakistan, war against terrorism and other matters of mutual interest.
The Chinese Vice Prime Minister said, “We are celebrating 2011 as year of friendship following the completion of 60 years of friendship of China and Pakistan. “I have come to Pakistan to further beef up ties”, he maintained.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik said China had supported Pakistan at every critical juncture of its history. “We are grateful to it”, he remarked. Sino-Pak friendship is higher than Himalayas and it is inseparable”, he remarked. Responding to a question with reference to US threats to Pakistan he said it is not time to talk of US threats but it is time to further consolidate ties with China.

Read more »

Amn Committee man released: Over 100 picked up in Rangers’ Lyari operation

out another search operation in the Lyari area and picked up more than 100 suspects, including a key figure of the People’s Amn Committee, who was released shortly after his detention.
A heavy contingent of paramilitary soldiers arrived in Lyari in the small hours of Sunday.
They cordoned off the entry and exit points of the Kalakot, Cheel Chowk, Singhu Lane, Gabol Park, Chakiwara, Afshani Mohallah, Eidu Lane and Meeranaka areas and went from house to house in search of illicit weapons and wanted criminals.
The Rangers’ operation in Lyari lasted for about eight hours.
Besides taking into custody scores of suspects, the Rangers also picked up Zafar Baloch, a former general secretary of the Pakistan People’s Party’s district South and central figure of the People’s Amn Committee.
However, sources said that the Rangers released Zafar Baloch soon after his detention. The move was quickly condemned by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, which also raised serious concerns over the ongoing operation against terrorists due to the
release of Mr Baloch.
The sources said that several other detained persons were also released by the Rangers after initial questioning. They said an alleged character of the Lyari gang warfare, Rashid alias Rekha, was also taken into custody during the Rangers’ operation in Lyari. He was wanted by the police for his alleged involvement in several criminal cases, they added.
However, no relevant official of Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, was available to confirm the number of arrests, seizure of arms and ammunition or the reasons behind the release of Zafar Baloch.
The Rangers managed to enter the Lyari area on Aug 28 to launch its first so-called successful targeted operation. However,
the Rangers’ move drew strong criticism from former home minister Dr Zulfikar Mirza, who held a press conference to announce his resignation from the party office, as a senior minister in the Sindh cabinet and as a member of the Sindh Assembly. Mr Baloch had also tendered his resignation as the PPP’s District South general secretary on the same day in protest against the Rangers’ operation in Lyari. Meanwhile, police conducted a search operation in the Burnes Road area early on Sunday and rounded up some five suspects.
Sources said the police moved into streets 5 and 6 of Burnes Road and conducted a house-to-house search in the apartments and houses there.
The detained suspects were taken to an undisclosed location for questioning.

Read more »

Facebook to be blocked in Pakistan

The Lahore High Court has directed Pakistani authorities to block access to all websites, including Facebook, that are involved in "spreading religious hatred" and to submit a compliance report by October 6.

In an order issued yesterday, Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed directed the Information

Technology Ministry to "deny access to all websites in Pakistan involved in spreading religious hatred".

However, the judge directed the ministry that access to Google or other search engines should not be denied. He directed the authorities to submit a report on the implementation of the court’s order by October 6.

The judge issued the order in response to a petition seeking a permanent ban on US-based Facebook for hosting a competition on blasphemous caricatures of Prophet Mohammed.

Lawyer Muhammad Azhar Siddique, who had filed the petition, said Islamic values were being insulted in the name of access to information and this was hurting the feeling of billions of Muslims across the world.

Despite an earlier order of the High Court, the Information Technology Ministry had not blocked websites spreading religious hatred, Siddique claimed.

Siddique also asked the court to direct the federal government to stop the display of material considered blasphemous by any religion or insulting to the Prophet Mohammed on all websites in Pakistan.

He said the government should be directed to establish a permanent authority with legal status, which could monitor such "objectionable activities" across the world.

Pakistani authorities had briefly barred access to Facebook last year on the orders of the Lahore High Court.

Read more »

Talking Mausam with father-son, Pankaj-Shahid

Waiting five hours to interview the father-son duo of Pankaj Kapur and Shahid Kapoor didn't seem so bad when they finally turned up, smiled and shared their lives.

"This is just our 25th interview of the day, so please be nice to us," Shahid said with a wink.

As they get ready for their first film together, Mausam -- directed by Pankaj and starring Shahid -- they look back on an eventful journey in filmdom. Sonil Dedhia takes notes.
Mausam shows the journey of two people over 10 years. Shahid has completed almost the same time in the film industry. How do you look back at his career?
Pankaj Kapur: For me, as a father, when I look back at Shahid's career, it's absolutely wonderful where he has reached today and I am very proud of that. The areas of concern have been diminishing in the last four or five years because I feel the choice of films he has made and the kind of filmmakers he has worked with will make him an intelligent actor. Also, the kind of performances he has given in these films makes me see him emerging as an actor-star who can handle himself well in the industry. I also expect him to reach greater heights in times to come.

Shahid Kapoor: I think dad is being very kind. Yes, I have discovered myself as an actor in the last four or five years. I am enjoying this phase and I love what I am doing. I am happy that people are appreciating my work and thus I am able to develop a relation with my audience. My fans have been kind to me as they have allowed me to make mistakes, which I think is inevitable. I am doing the work that I enjoy.

Read more »