ISLAMABAD: Pakistani filmmaker Iram Parveen Bilal, who made history last week as the first director of a feature film from the South Asia nation to be invited to the glamorous Cannes Film Festival, said she wished to “keep the hope alive” for other Pakistanis wanting to make their mark at international cinema events.
Last year, Pakistan’s best known film actress Mahira Khan made her debut at Cannes. Before her, the only other Pakistani artist to attend the festival was Adnan Siddiqui who took the film ‘A Mighty Heart’ to the event in 2008 with Hollywood bigwigs Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.
Now Bilal has made it to the festival as part of the prestigious Cinefondation L’Atelier program that picks 15 directors with “particularly promising projects” for a seven-day intensive fast track finance program. The program has a 93 percent financing and distribution success rate.
“It is surreal, it is the world’s biggest stage for cinema,” Bilal told Arab News in an interview, answering a question about what it felt like to attend Cannes. “I’m humbled and really honored to be included in a prestigious official selection of the festival. To be honest, I’m still a bit numb and processing it.”
But then she added: “If you’re honest and rooted as an artist, the magic will come. That’s the magic we all strive to create.”
Bilal’s project ‘Wakhri,’ the Urdu word for ‘different,’ is about an accidental social media star “who learns the harsh cost of wearing masks in the real world.”
“The film deals with themes like hypocrisy, trolling and the ultimate empowerment of self,” Bilal said.
Bilal has been directing films for over 10 years. Her first feature film ‘Josh’ was the very first Pakistani film to land on streaming giant Netflix and is also part of the permanent selection in the US Library of Congress.
Born to academic parents, and an environmental sciences engineer herself, she is the first in her family to deviate from the scientific path into the “wild west of the entertainment industry.”
The Cinefondation L’Atelier program, of which Bilal’s Wakhri is a part, has a 93 percent financing and distribution success rate, the filmmaker said.
“The general manager of the program watched my work at the Locarno Film Festival’s film library and had been tracking me,” Bilal said. The GM then met Abid Merchant, Wakhri’s producer, and the pair were invited to apply to the program.
In addition to being a part of the Cinefondation L’Atelier group, Bilal also spoke at Cannes on a ‘Storytellers and the Creative Process’ panel where she got to engage with early career filmmakers and students and spoke about her approach to filmmaking.
Cannes has recently come under fire for its under-representation of women filmmakers and directors, but Bilal said she tried to ignore the “depressing” statistics.
“I just focus on possibilities and on realizing that I have been fortunate enough to be a trail blazer and perhaps, even in this case, we can somehow go against the odds and achieve something very unexpected,” the Pakistani director said.
“It is humbling and I hope my participation will open doors for many more to come from our country.”
Bilal said Pakistan had so much filmmaking talent but little to no access.
“It has taken me years of building my work and a network to get to this point. I hope this leverages for people coming up the ranks right behind me,” the filmmaker said. “I take representing Pakistan very seriously. If we are as professional and committed as we can be, we keep the hope alive for others coming behind us as well.”
‘The magic will come’: First Pakistani filmmaker at Cannes hopes to light the way for others
‘The magic will come’: First Pakistani filmmaker at Cannes hopes to light the way for others
- Iram Parveen Bilal is part of the Cinefondation’s Atelier program which picks 15 directors with “particularly promising” projects
- ‘Wakhri’ is about the accidental social media star “who learns the harsh cost of wearing masks in the real world,” Bilal says
‘Meet with Ghalib’: Urdu festival in Dubai to bring iconic poet to life via hologram
- Two-day Urdu festival “Jashn-e-Rekhta” will be held from Feb. 1-2 at Dubai’s Zabeel Park
- Mirza Ghalib (1797-1869) is considered by experts, critics as the greatest Urdu poet of all time
ISLAMABAD: Jashn-e-Rekhta, an annual festival celebrating the Urdu language, will bring to life celebrated poet Mirza Asadullah Baig Khan during its 2025 edition in Dubai via a life-sized hologram next month, the organizer said on Wednesday, offering an enthralling experience for millions of fans of the poet in the subcontinent.
Khan was born on Dec. 27, 1797, in India’s Agra city and was a well-known poet in the Persian and Urdu languages. Referred to popularly simply as “Ghalib,” he remains one of the most popular and influential masters of the Urdu language in both India and Pakistan long after his death in 1869. His poetry is characterized by sadness, the result of a tragic life that saw him orphaned at an early age and losing all seven of his children in their infancy.
Jashn-e-Rekhta is an annual event organized by Rekhta International Cultural Events since 2015. It celebrates Urdu and is dedicated to its language, literature and culture. The two-day festival will be held in Dubai from Feb.1-2 at the iconic Zabeel Park.
The event will bring together around 100 artists, poets and performers from India, Pakistan and other countries. Along with Ghalib’s hologram, another standout feature is the “Dial-e-Poet,” an artificial intelligence (AI) powered rotary phone booth that allows attendees to listen to the voices of iconic poets such as Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Jaun Elia and Ahmed Faraz.
“We will have a hologram display where a real life-size holographic image of Ghalib will appear and we, in fact, are calling it meet with Mirza Ghalib, as he actually narrates his two-and-half-minute speech,” Satish Gupta, the head of programs and festivals at Rekhta told Arab News over the phone from Dubai.
“It will be like he is attending the festival himself just to give his followers a feeling of actually meeting him.”
Gupta described the festival as “more than just an event,” calling it a celebration of Urdu’s beauty and its power to bridge cultures and bring people together.
The “Dial-A-Poet” experience features vintage rotary phones where visitors can dial specific numbers assigned to five iconic poets, including Rahat Indori, Ahmed Faraz and Faiz Ahmed Faiz, he said.
“Using advanced AI voice cloning, the phones play pre-recorded recitations of the poets’ works, offering a one-way interaction that brings their timeless poetry to life in an innovative and immersive way,” Gupta said.
He said the festival will feature around 10 to 12 programs featuring over 95 artists, lead performers and their teams.
“The lineup includes groups, bands and dance troupes from India, Pakistan and a Sufi qawwali group from Bali, Indonesia,” he added.
Gupta said the festival’s first day will showcase the debut performance of a women’s qawwali group presenting the essence of spiritual music.
“This will be followed by Piyush Mishra’s Ballimaaraan, exploring the cultural ties between Delhi and Lahore through music and Shafqat Amanat Ali’s Maah-e-Tamaam, offering a soulful and rhythmic musical journey,” he said.
The second day of the festival will feature a panel discussion on Urdu in films. Participants include prominent Pakistani actors Saba Qamar, Imran Abbas and Adeel Hashmi, Gupta said.
This will be followed by a session involving famed Indian poet, lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar and Pakistani screenwriter Zehra Nigah, who will discuss the connection between films and Urdu literature.
“Arfa Sayeda Zehra and Samina Peerzada will explore Urdu as a language of love and friendship, while Ali Sethi’s musical performance, Shaam Dhale, will conclude the festival on a romantic note,” he said.
In addition to the performances, visitors can enjoy the “Aiwan-e-Zaiqa Food Festival” highlighting South Asian and Middle Eastern cuisines, or explore the Rekhta Bazaar featuring books, handicrafts and merchandise that celebrate Urdu’s artistic heritage, Gupta said.
Saudi Arabia says SFD could contribute over $100 million to Pakistan’s mining infrastructure
- The Kingdom is hosting a three-day Future Minerals Forum summit from Jan. 14-16 in Saudi capital
- Saudi minister Bandar Alkhorayef says Manara Minerals looking at investing in Pakistan’s Reko Diq mine
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Mining Minister Bandar Alkhorayef told Reuters on Wednesday that mining company Manara Minerals was looking at investing in Pakistan’s Reko Diq mine, saying that the Saudi Development Fund could contribute over $100 million to Pakistan’s mining infrastructure.
Executives from Manara visited Pakistan in May last year for talks about buying a stake in the Reko Diq mine, considered one of the world’s largest underdeveloped copper-gold areas by global mining company Barrick Gold, which owns the project jointly with Pakistan.
Manara, a joint venture between state-controlled miner Ma’aden and the $925 billion Public Investment Fund (PIF), was set up as part of the kingdom’s efforts to diversify its economy away from oil, including by buying minority stakes in assets overseas.
“Part of what we are looking at is how we can help Pakistan also in some infrastructure,” Alkhorayef said in an interview on the sidelines of the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh.
“Without that infrastructure the economics of the deal are not attractive, so through the Saudi Development Fund we are thinking about how we can finance it.”
He also spoke about Saudi Arabian state oil giant Aramco’s project to extract lithium, saying it is “promising, but not yet commercially viable.”
Aramco has partnered with the King Abdullah University for Science and Technology (KAUST) for the pilot, Bandar Alkhorayef said.
Lithium Infinity, also known as Lihytech, a start-up launched out of KAUST, is leading the extraction project with cooperation from Saudi mining company Ma’aden and Aramco.
Lithium is a key component in the batteries of electric cars, laptops, and smartphones. Reuters previously reported that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates’ national oil companies planned to extract the mineral from oil runoffs.
Pakistan’s army, foreign office reject Indian army chief’s ‘epicenter of terrorism’ allegations
- India’s army chief this week accused Pakistan of being involved in infiltration attempts by “terrorists” in India
- Pakistan’s army says statement “contrary to facts,” attempt to divert attention from “brutality” in Indian-held Kashmir
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s army and foreign office on Wednesday rejected Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi’s recent statement in which he referred to Pakistan as the “epicenter of terrorism,” dismissing his remarks as an attempt to deflect the world’s attention from alleged brutalities in disputed Kashmir by New Delhi.
In a statement on India’s Army Day on Monday, Gen. Dwivedi accused Pakistan of “orchestrating” infiltration attempts in India, describing Pakistan as the “epicenter of terrorism.” He said 60 percent of the “terrorists” India eliminated last year were of Pakistan origin.
Nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan have fought two out of three wars over the disputed Himalayan Kashmir valley. Both claim the territory in full but administer only parts of it. India accuses Pakistan of arming militants in the Kashmir territory under its control, allegations that Islamabad has denied. Pakistan, on the other hand, accuses India of repressing the rights of Kashmiris in India and denying them the right of self-determination.
“Insinuating Pakistan as the epicenter of terrorism by the Indian Army Chief, is not only contrary to facts, but also an exercise in futility to beat the dead horse of India’s default position — blaming Pakistan for indigenous reaction to state-sponsored brutality,” a statement from the army’s media wing said.
The Inter-Services Public Relations, the army’s media wing, said Dwivedi’s remarks were a case of “extreme duplicity” aimed to diverting the world’s attention from India’s “brutality” in the region of Kashmir under its control.
The army said that such repression has only strengthened the resolve of Kashmiris for their right of self-determination, which is enshrined in the UN Security Council Resolutions.
“Instead of trying to conjure up a non-existent terror infrastructure in Pakistan, it would be wise not to indulge in self-delusion, and appreciate the ground reality,” the army said. “Pakistan takes strong exception to such baseless and unfounded statements.”
In a separate statement earlier on Wednesday, the foreign office rejected Gen. Dwivedi’s “baseless accusations and unfounded assertions.”
“Pakistan also underscores that provocative statements of this nature are counterproductive to regional peace and stability,” the foreign office said.
Political tensions between the two countries have remained high since 2019 when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi withdrew Jammu and Kashmir’s special autonomy in 2019 and split the former state into two federal territories.
Pakistan described the move as unilateral and illegal, saying it was aimed at tightening India’s grip on the Muslim-majority region. Islamabad suspended trade with New Delhi and downgraded diplomatic ties with its neighbor following the decision.
Saudi aid agency KSrelief distributes over 2,000 food parcels in Pakistan
- Food parcels in flood-affected Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa regions, benefiting 13,159 people
- Latest initiative forms part of this year’s Food Security Support Project in Pakistan by KSrelief
RIYADH: The Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief has distributed 2,028 food parcels in Pakistan’s flood-affected Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa regions, benefiting 13,159 people, the Saudi Press Agency reported recently.
Sunday’s initiative forms part of this year’s Food Security Support Project in Pakistan.
The aid reflects the Kingdom’s ongoing humanitarian efforts through KSrelief to assist needy individuals in Pakistan.
Pakistan to cut tariff for electric vehicle charging stations by 45%
- The government aims for 30% of vehicles to run on electricity by 2030
- It has announced a 15-day registration process for charging stations
KARACHI: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has decided a 45 percent reduction in electricity tariffs for electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, cutting rates from Rs71.10 per unit to Rs39.70 per unit, said Pakistan’s Energy Minister Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari on Wednesday.
Pakistan has actively promoted EV adoption to combat environmental challenges, reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels and improve urban air quality. Under its Electric Vehicle Policy 2019-2024, the government aims for 30 percent of vehicles to run on electricity by 2030.
However, inadequate charging infrastructure, frequent power outages and the high cost of EVs have hindered progress.
“Today, the prime minister has decided that including taxes, we were charging a tariff of Rs71.10 [$0.26] to these charging stations,” Leghari told reporters in Islamabad. “What the distribution companies used to charge them, we are reducing it approximately by 45 percent and announcing a tariff of Rs39.70 [$0.18] today.”
Leghari said that there were no charging stations for motorbikes, three-wheelers and rickshaws in Pakistani neighborhood.
“And the reason for that absence is the high cost of electricity,” he added. “And the absence of laws and regulations on the basis of which this business can start.”
A statement issued by the power division said the country’s first-ever regulations for establishing EV charging stations and battery swapping points was being implemented under the National Energy Conservation Authority, with an official gazette notification issued.
It highlighted the economic benefits of these measures, saying that switching motorcycles to electric technology at an average cost of Rs50,000 could save $6 billion annually on fuel.
Similarly, electrifying three-wheeled rickshaws could significantly reduce urban travel costs and help combat air pollution.
The reduced EV charging costs are also expected to lower transportation expenses, positively impacting goods delivery and essential commodity prices.
The government has decided to support these initiatives through a one-window registration process for setting up charging stations and battery points, allowing approvals within 15 days.
Registration fees have been set at Rs50,000 to encourage local and foreign investment.
Prime Minister Sharif, while presiding over a meeting in Islamabad, also praised the power division’s policy on electric vehicles, describing it as “highly encouraging.”
He emphasized that the adoption of electric vehicles would reduce foreign exchange expenditure on petrol and diesel imports while providing an environmentally friendly mode of transportation.
The PM also directed the relevant authorities to actively promote the government’s policy on electric vehicles.
