ISLAMABAD: Meesha Shafi has been ordered to not speak publicly or make statements about Ali Zafar.
In April of this year, the singer and actor went on Twitter to share her own #MeToo story naming fellow entertainer Zafar as the aggressor. In a note to her followers, Shafi alleged that on more than one occasion Zafar has physically violated her and sexually harassed her.
#MeToo became a wildfire movement after the exposure of former Hollywood titan Harvey Weinstein, when a tell-all piece by a number of his accusers empowered more than 60 women working in Hollywood to come forward with their own tales.
Shafi in her statement accused Zafar of repeatedly behaving inappropriately with her and said that her speaking up was because women are often too afraid or discouraged from doing so.
“Today, I speak up because my conscience does not allow me to be silent any more. If this can happen to someone like me, an established artist, it can happen to any young woman, and that concerns me gravely.”
Zafar responded within hours, refuting her claims and filing a lawsuit demanding she apologize, take back her defamatory comments, and pay R1 billion ($8,230,000).
He tweeted: “Silence is absolutely not an option. I categorically deny any and all claims of harassment lodged against me by Ms. Shafi. I intend to take this through the courts of law and to address this professionally and seriously rather than to lodge any allegations here, contesting personal vendettas on social media and in turn disrespecting the movement, my family, the industry and my fans. Ultimately I am a strong believer that the truth always prevails.”
The defamation suit began proceedings today in a district and session court in Lahore where the presiding judge, Additional District Judge Ahmed Shazad, granted a stay order against Shafi so up until the case is tried she cannot make public accusations or statements about Zafar in a public forum.
Neither party has yet commented publicly on the decision.
Meesha Shafi stopped from making statements about Ali Zafar
Meesha Shafi stopped from making statements about Ali Zafar
- Meesha Shafi accuses Ali Zafar of physical sexual harassment on multiple occasions in a long post on her official Twitter page in support of the #MeToo movement.
- Ali Zafar immediately denies all claims and files a defamation suit with R1 billion ($8,230,000) damages sought.
Pakistan contacting UAE to extradite real estate tycoon accused of graft— state media
- State media alleges Malik Riaz Hussain has illegally occupied lands owned by state, private persons
- Hussain, who is co-accused in land graft case involving former PM Imran Khan, denies wrongdoing
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s government is reaching out to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to extradite real estate tycoon Malik Riaz Hussain, the co-accused and proclaimed offender in a land graft case involving former prime minister Imran Khan, on charges of building housing societies on lands he does not legally own, state-run media reported on Tuesday.
Hussain, currently residing in the UAE, is one of Pakistan’s richest and most powerful businessmen and biggest private employers. He is known for being the chairman of Bahria Town Limited, which calls itself Asia’s largest private estate developer.
The development takes place after a Pakistani court last Friday sentenced Khan to 14 years in prison and his wife, Bushra Khan, to seven years in jail. Both were accused of receiving land as a gift from Hussain during Khan’s premiership from 2018 to 2022 in exchange for illegal favors.
Khan says he and his wife were merely trustees and did not benefit from the land transaction. Hussain has also denied being involved in any wrongdoing related to the case.
“The Government of Pakistan is reaching out to the Government of United Arab Emirates for the extradition of Malik Riaz through legal channels,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported.
Radio Pakistan said Pakistan’s anti-corruption watchdog is conducting an inquiry against Hussain and his accomplices for fraud, deceptive practices and cheating the public at large.
It said the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has credible information that Hussain and his accomplices not only illegally possessed and occupied state-owned land but also land belonging to private persons in Karachi, Takht Parri, Rawalpindi and New Murree areas.
The state broadcaster said Hussain is developing housing societies on these lands
without obtaining regulatory permissions, accusing him of committing fraud against the state and public amounting to billions of rupees.
It mentioned that Riaz has recently launched a project to construct luxury apartments in Dubai, warning the public against investing in it.
“The general public at large is hereby advised and warned to refrain from investing in the stated project,” it said.
“If the general public at large invests in the stated project, their actions would tantamount to money laundering, for which they may face criminal and legal proceedings.”
Hussain has not responded to the latest allegations against him. However, in May 2024, the real estate tycoon took to social media platform X to condemn a raid by NAB at his company’s offices in Pakistan.
Hussain vowed not to give in to “bullying.” The post, however, was a cryptic one as the real estate developer did not state specifically who was pressurizing him.
Pakistan says it has agreed $1 billion loan with two Middle Eastern banks
- Loans are short-term with 6 to 7 percent interest rate, says Muhammad Aurangzeb
- Pakistan aims to boost finances after securing $7 billion IMF bailout in September
DAVOS, Switzerland: Pakistan has agreed terms for a $1 billion loan with two Middle Eastern banks at a 6%-7% interest rate, its Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb told Reuters on Tuesday, as the South Asian country looks for more financing.
“With two institutions we have now gone forward in signing up the term sheet — one bilateral and one for trade (finance),” Aurangzeb said during an interview on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos.
The loans were short-term — or up to one year, Aurangzeb added.
Pakistan aims to boost its finances after securing a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout in September 2024, with the first review set for late February.
“We have the first formal review of the EFF coming through toward (the) end of February,” Aurangzeb said. “I do think we are in good stead for that review.”
IMF extended fund facilities (EFFs) provide financial assistance to countries facing serious medium-term balance of payments problems resulting from structural weaknesses that require time to address.
Pakistan invites Cambodian businesses to invest in agriculture, tourism, textile sectors
- Commerce Minister Jam Kamal attends inaugural Pakistan-Cambodia Joint Trade Committee in Phnom Penh
- Pakistan and Cambodia’s bilateral trade of goods and services valued at $45.5 million, says commerce ministry
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan on Tuesday invited Cambodian businesses to explore investment opportunities in the country’s agriculture, textiles, pharmaceuticals and tourism sectors, his ministry said, as Islamabad eyes foreign investment to ward off a prolonged economic crisis.
The development took place as both sides took part in the inaugural session of the Pakistan-Cambodia Joint Trade Committee (JTC) in Phnom Penh.
Khan arrived in Cambodia on Jan. 19 for a three-day official visit to the country to engage in bilateral trade talks amid Islamabad’s push to seek closer trade ties as it targets sustainable economic growth.
“Pakistan’s Minister for Commerce highlighted Pakistan’s strategic location, growing economy and investment-friendly policies, inviting Cambodian businesses to explore opportunities in agriculture, textiles, pharmaceuticals and tourism,” Pakistan’s Commerce Ministry said.
The minister stressed Pakistan’s efforts to improve ease of doing business and its potential as a gateway to key markets in South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East.
The ministry further said Khan and Cambodian Commerce Minister Cham Nimul discussed mutual interests such as trade, health, banking, agriculture, aviation and customs.
She appreciated the first JTC meeting between the two sides and expressed interest in visiting Pakistan for the second JTC meeting after Khan extended her a formal invitation.
Nimul called for exploring joint ventures to leverage regional opportunities, highlighting Cambodia’s market access within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region, Pakistan’s commerce ministry said.
“Both countries also expressed interest in MoUs for aviation, banking, and customs cooperation,” the statement said.
“With bilateral trade currently valued at $45.5 million, both sides acknowledged significant untapped potential and committed to building stronger ties.”
The ministry said both sides will appoint focal persons to expedite negotiations for signing MoUs aimed at enhancing cooperation.
Additionally, Pakistan and Cambodia also agreed to share trade-related information, organize trade delegations and facilitate their respective business communities.
Pakistan invites global stakeholders to invest in priority sectors during WEF summit
- Pakistan’s finance minister is in Davos to attend annual WEF summit from Jan. 20-24
- Invites global investors to invest in agriculture, IT, mining, minerals and energy sectors
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Tuesday invited global investors and stakeholders to invest in Pakistan’s priority sectors during the ongoing World Economic Forum (WEF) summit in Davos.
Aurangzeb is in the Swiss city to attend the WEF’s annual summit from Jan. 20-24 where the world’s top business and political leaders are meeting to address key global and regional challenges.
Pakistan, which has struggled with a prolonged economic crisis for the past two years, is struggling to bring about an economic revival. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s coalition government has vowed to do that by privatizing state-owned enterprises, reducing interest rates, slashing inflation and increasing exports to achieve a 6 percent growth rate in the coming years.
“Global stakeholders are invited to support Pakistan’s journey by investing in priority sectors such as agriculture, IT, renewable energy, mining and minerals, textiles and apparels, pharmaceuticals, while capitalizing on Special Economic Zones (SEZs),” Aurangzeb wrote in an article for the WEF.
The minister said Pakistan is addressing structural inefficiencies in revenue collection, energy and SOEs.
“Rightsizing the federal government, reforming SOEs, and fostering export-led growth will strengthen internal revenue streams and reduce reliance on international funding programs,” he added.
He said Pakistan was on a path to economic recovery, noting that inflation had dropped to 4.1 percent, and foreign exchange reserves now provide over two months of import coverage.
The Pakistani finance minister said the current account had recorded a surplus for three consecutive months while the country’s goods exports have risen by 7.1 percent,
“Pakistan’s global default risk has dropped by 93 percent, signaling renewed faith in the country’s fiscal stability,” he said.
“Local and foreign investors, including global giants like Aramco, BYD and Samsung, are contributing to this economic revival, reflecting Pakistan’s potential as a lucrative investment hub.”
The minister said the cornerstone of Pakistan’s economic transformation is visionary leadership and political will.
“With a remarkable workforce, abundant natural resources, and immense production potential, Pakistan is poised to soar to new heights – contributing to regional stability and global economic progress,” he said.
Aurangzeb’s activities at the forum would include taking part in panel discussions on the rising global debt burden on developing economies.
He will also take part as a panelist in a discussion on the revolutionary impact of new technologies, especially Artificial Intelligence and automation, in promoting trade and investment, the finance ministry said this week.
It said the minister will also give interviews to selected international media representatives during the summit.
Lawmakers in Pakistan’s Punjab impose total ban on kite flying over safety concerns
- Measure comes days ahead of decades-old Basant festival which features kite flying
- Those breaching the law could face up to 3-5 years in prison, pay heavy fines of $7,200
LAHORE, Pakistan: Lawmakers in Pakistan’s most populous Punjab province on Tuesday passed a law permanently banning kite flying.
The measure, which includes enhanced prison terms and heavy fines on kite fliers and kite manufacturers, comes ahead of the decades-old festival of Basant.
A ban on kite flying was initially imposed in 2005 in Lahore, the capital of the province, when at least 11 bystanders were fatally cut by wire or string made from metal or coated with glass during competitions.
The ban was extended beyond Lahore to other cities and under the latest legislation it will come into effect across the province ahead of the Basant festival, whose centerpiece is kite flying to welcome spring.
Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman, a lawmaker from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League party, moved the bill in the Punjab Assembly on Tuesday, which was passed with a majority vote. Those breaching the law could face a prison sentence of between three to five years and a fine of up to 2 million rupees ($7,200).
Manufacturers of kites and strings could also face custodial sentences of up to seven years and a fine of five million rupees ($18,000), Rehman said. He said the new law was needed to save the lives of innocent people.
The centuries-old Basant festival traditionally culminates with thousands of kites soaring into the sky. Basant means “yellow” in the Hindi language, a reference to the fields of blooming yellow flowers as spring approaches.
