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Pakistani social media’s greatest hits of 2020

A combination of photos of the celebrities whose memes went viral in the year 2020 in Pakistan.
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Updated 30 December 2020
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Pakistani social media’s greatest hits of 2020

  • Amid the doom and gloom of coronavirus, the Internet has provided Pakistanis some hilarity and positivity
  • Arab News compiles a list of 2020’s funniest and most positive memes and viral posts 
Updated 30 December 2020
Sabah Bano Malik

RAWALPINDI: The year 2020 will join the list of years that are so eventful they are regarded as pivotal in history: long remembered for when more than 1.7 million people globally died in a pandemic.
For Pakistan, too, 2020 was a difficult year, with almost 10,000 people dead and over 475,000 inflicted with the virus.
But among the doom and gloom, the Internet has provided Pakistanis some hilarity and positivity in this difficult time. Below are some of the greatest viral moments of 2020:
That sounds ‘grape’:
In a 10-year-old video that has recently gone viral, the assembly at a school for Pakistani expatriate children in Jeddah is presided over by Sehar Kamran (who would later go on to become a senator in Pakistan). She asks the kids what they would like to do when they grow up. To many of the children’s responses — pilot, soldier, etc. -, Kamran says what sounds like “grape” instead of “great.” The word grape has since entered the cultural lexicon, with people even putting it on birthdays cakes (“24? That’s grape!”), according to Dawn writer Haseeb Asif. Here is a thread of the hilarious clips:

Maria B’s ‘The Scream:’
Veteran fashion designer Maria B found herself at the center of major controversy in the early days of the pandemic when she put out a video calling for support after she and her husband were questioned by authorities, and her husband was taken into custody, for sending a member of their domestic staff home on public transport after he tested positive for COVID-19 — in complete violation of guidelines. The designer’s video, with its lavish backdrop complete with a massive chandelier, was relentlessly mocked on social media for its sense of entitlement and brazen display of elite privilege, and a freeze-frame from the clip has since become a go-to reaction shot by Pakistani social media users. For example:
“My friends when i tell them i’m in love again,” one Twitter user wrote, posting the shot:

Ahmer Naqvi, sports and culture writer, said: “All the active bacteria and virus in my food when I say bismillah before taking a bite.”


Others put Maria B’s distressed image from the video on Edvard Munch’s famous painting “The Scream:

Pakistani Twitter vs. Ishaq Dar:
Former finance minister Ishaq Dar’s interview on BBC HARDtalk went viral, with Twitterati making memes of Dar’s panicked face over being asked tough questions about his assets by host Stephen Sackur.
“When you have out of syllabus questions in exams,” one user said, posting a shot of Dar from the interview:

Another user posted:

Civil war in Karachi:
Hilarity ensued on Pakistan social media in October after misinformation was widely circulated on Indian mainstream and social media claiming a civil war had broken out in the Pakistani city of Karachi. 
Pakistanis turned to the Internet to debunk the rumors and to poke fun at media and social media users in India, a bitter rival and neighbor with whom Pakistan has fought three wars.
One user posted a funny photo and joked that citizens had now joined the civil war and were fighting the Pakistan army:

Other users described life under civil war:
“During the civil war in Karachi today I managed to get in a full day of work, got groceries, went to the gym, went to studio, went to see my girlfriend,” Faisal Rafi wrote. “The civil war was pretty chilled I must say.”

Singer and actor Fakhr-e-Alam tweeted: “Karachi civil war has gotten so bad that my food panda delivery boy had to crawl through mine fields carrying his AK47, RPG & 9mm along with my nihari and Biryani. This thing is getting so serious.”

‘No fear’ Asif Magsi:
Pakistani TikTok user and long jumper Asif Magsi’s videos showing him jumping over motorcycles and lakes went viral on social media in August, prompting the Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) to invite him for training.
When he started out, Magsi told Arab News in an interview, he could jump over five motorcycles parked in a row but can now cross eleven, as seen in a viral video of him shared on various social media platforms. He said he was unaware of long jump records but could cross nearly 25 feet or 7.6 meters. The world record for the long jump is 8.95 meters while the Asian record is 8.33 meters.
“I was not expecting my video made almost a week ago will get so much attention,” Magsi said, adding that he wanted to represent Pakistan at international games. “Now everyone in my family and people in the area are happy.”
Nine-times Olympic gold medallist Carl Lewis took to twitter to appreciate Magsi, saying “with his lack of fear, he has the perfect mindset.”


The 19 in COVID-19:
Pakistani social media users took to Twitter and Facebook in June to poke fun at a bizarre definition of COVID-19 offered by the country’s minister for climate change Zartaj Gul who said the virus was called COVID-1 because it “has 19 points and it is a type of flu that can affect a country in one of the 19 ways … Its severity depends upon the immunity level of people in the country concerned.”
“F-16 is 16-seater,” one Twitter user posted in response:

Another said: “20 players play T20, that’s why it is called T20.”

Teacher encourages students to post questions to NASA, scientists reply:
When Pakistani teacher Aimun Faisal posted her students’ questions to NASA on Twitter in October, never did she imagine scientists and astronauts would respond — and her post would go viral.
The fourth-grade teacher at Karachi’s Cornerstones School asked her students to write down questions about the solar system, of which six selected questions and the names and photos of the students who had asked them were posted by Faisal on Twitter.
“These fourth graders have some questions for you,” said the post, in which NASA astronauts and other scientists were tagged. The tweet went viral.


To Faisal’s surprise and joy, astronauts and scientists replied.
Astronaut Chris Hadfield said to a student called Rayyan who had asked if he ever felt “scared” his space ship would get lost in space: 
“Rayyan — I wasn’t scared we’d get lost. We had the Earth nearby, and used the stars to steer. I felt especially comforted when I flew over home. Here’s a photo I took of Karachi — can you find your school?”

To Haniyah, who asked if it was true that it rained diamonds on Jupiter, Emily Calandrelli, an American science communicator and the host of Xploration Outer Space and Emily’s Wonder Lab, wrote:
“Haniyah -It’s definitely possible!! The same physics and chemistry that creates diamonds here on Earth (putting Carbon under super high heat/pressure) exists on planets like Jupiter, so some scientists hypothesize that it’s raining diamonds there! Wouldn’t it be fun to see that?!”

Topics: Pakistan 2020 Review

Pakistani’s Bioniks fits first prosthetic limb on Gaza child survivor Sidra

Updated 03 July 2025
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Pakistani’s Bioniks fits first prosthetic limb on Gaza child survivor Sidra

  • Pakistani startup provides arm to young girl through Jordan partnership as part of Gaza amputee support mission
  • Founded in Karachi, Bioniks specializes in low-cost, customizable prosthetics using 3D printing and smart sensors
Updated 03 July 2025
Hasaan Ali Khan

KARACHI: Pakistani health-tech Bioniks has successfully fitted its first prosthetic limb in Gaza for a young girl injured in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, the firm said on social media on Thursday, marking the start of its broader effort to support amputees in the besieged territory.

The company said the fitting was made possible through its partnership with Mafaz, Bioniks’ official collaborator in Jordan. The recipient, Sidra, lost her arm during the war and now becomes the first beneficiary of Bioniks’ long-term humanitarian initiative aimed at war victims in Gaza.

“This marks the beginning of Bioniks’ mission to support amputees in Gaza,” the company said in a statement posted to X on Thursday, adding that Sidra’s journey “reflects the resilience of so many in Gaza.”

Bioniks said it hopes to give survivors “mobility, confidence, hope, dignity, and independence ... in a place where conflict has taken so much.”

Bioniks did not specify how many Gaza patients it plans to support or the timeline for future fittings but said its mission will be sustained and scaled in coordination with regional partners.

Founded in Karachi, Bioniks specializes in low-cost, customizable prosthetics using 3D printing and smart sensors. It has gained international recognition for its work with children and war survivors across Pakistan, and has begun expanding its outreach to conflict zones in the region.

The latest war in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas carried out a cross-border attack on Israeli communities, killing around 1,200 people and seizing 251 hostages according to Israeli tallies. Israel has since been carrying out a devastating air and ground assault on Gaza, whose health ministry says the offensive has killed over 56,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, and tens of thousands more have been injured. The fighting has displaced nearly 80 percent of the population and decimated the strip’s already fragile health infrastructure.

Aid organizations have widely reported a growing number of amputations, especially among children, due to Israeli airstrikes and the collapse of trauma care. UNICEF estimates that between 3,000 and 4,000 children in Gaza have had one or more limbs amputated. The besieged enclave is now home to more child amputees per inhabitant than anywhere else in the world.

Bioniks said its goal is to reach more children and adults in Gaza with personalized prosthetic limbs and follow-up care.

“Bioniks believes that no one should be left behind when it comes to mobility and dignity,” the company said in the press release. “Through this initiative, our goal is to reach more children and adults affected by war with customized prosthetic limbs and long-term care.”

The company has previously worked with Pakistani hospitals and rehabilitation centers to provide smart prosthetics to underprivileged children and adults, often using crowd-funding and donor support to cover costs.

Topics: Pakistan BIONIKS Gaza Palestinne Prosthetic limbs

Pakistan central bank reserves rise to $14.51 billion, surpass IMF target

Updated 03 July 2025
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Pakistan central bank reserves rise to $14.51 billion, surpass IMF target

  • Forex reserves surge by over $5 billion in FY25, import cover and debt metrics improve
  • Reserves bolstered by exports, remittances, and investment and not new borrowing
Updated 03 July 2025
Ismail Dilawar

KARACHI: Pakistan’s central bank foreign exchange reserves rose to $14.51 billion by the end of June, an increase of $5.12 billion over the previous fiscal year, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) said on Wednesday, marking a key milestone as the country closed out its 2024-25 financial year.

The new figure exceeds the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) June 2025 reserves target under Pakistan’s ongoing $7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF), and reflects a significant turnaround in the country’s external account after years of balance-of-payments stress.

Pakistan’s forex reserves stood at $9.39 billion at the end of FY24, and have now climbed to their highest level since early 2018. The increase also pushes Pakistan’s import cover — a key indicator of external sector strength — to 2.5 months, up from 1.7 months a year ago and less than one month during the 2022-23 crisis period.

The rise in reserves was driven largely by non-debt inflows, including improved exports, growth in IT services, higher foreign direct investment, and record remittances from overseas Pakistanis, according to government finance adviser Khurram Schehzad.

“Reserves rising. Debt falling. Stability strengthening,” Schehzad posted on X, formerly Twitter, noting that the central bank’s reserves now exceed the IMF’s end-June target.

He added that the debt-to-GDP ratio has declined from 75 percent in FY23 to an estimated 69 percent in FY25, reflecting improved macroeconomic management.

Pakistan entered FY25 facing a challenging external financing outlook, with over $20 billion in debt repayments due during the year. However, a combination of improved current account discipline, fiscal consolidation, and bilateral inflows helped ease pressure on the rupee and shore up confidence in the central bank’s position.

Pakistan’s economy grew an estimated 2.4 percent in FY25, up from 0.3 percent in the previous fiscal year, as inflation cooled and the rupee stabilized after a steep depreciation cycle in 2022-23. The IMF has encouraged Pakistan to maintain exchange rate flexibility and strengthen domestic revenue collection in order to ensure macroeconomic resilience.

The improvement in external buffers is likely to boost investor sentiment at a time when the government is stepping up efforts to attract foreign direct investment and privatize state-owned enterprises.

Further inflows, particularly from Gulf countries and China, are expected in the first half of FY26, which could help Pakistan meet its gross financing needs without resorting to expensive commercial borrowing.

Despite the progress, risks remain. Pakistan’s external debt servicing burden remains high, and its ability to maintain reserve adequacy will depend on continued inflows and fiscal discipline.

Still, the end-June reserve level marks a notable turnaround from just two years ago when Pakistan was on the brink of default and foreign reserves had fallen below $4 billion, barely enough for three weeks of imports.

With reserves now exceeding $14.5 billion, the country has gained critical breathing space to manage its external obligations and restore market confidence.

Topics: Pakistan State Bank of Pakistan Pakistan's central bank reserves Pakistan's economy

From Riyadh to Rawalpindi: How Pakistani women are redefining the abaya

Updated 03 July 2025
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From Riyadh to Rawalpindi: How Pakistani women are redefining the abaya

  • Gulf trends reshape local styles as designers blend Middle Eastern cuts with Pakistani preferences and flair
  • Young women are turning abayas into personal statements, helped by social media and global fashion cues
Updated 03 July 2025
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: In Pakistan, the abaya is undergoing a quiet but striking transformation. Long associated with uniform modesty and religious conservatism, this traditional black cloak worn by many Muslim women is now being reimagined by a new generation — one that blends cultural heritage with bold personal expression, often inspired by the glitz and fluidity of Gulf fashion capitals.

Originally worn across the Arabian Peninsula, the abaya has deep roots in Bedouin dress and later became a symbol of modesty under Islamic influence. In Pakistan, it gained prominence in the 1980s and 1990s, a period marked by rising religiosity, increased migration to Gulf countries, and the influence of satellite television beaming in images of Arab fashion.

For decades, black reigned supreme: functional, symbolic, and widely accepted.

But today, the abaya has become more than a religious garment. It is now a medium of fashion, expression and cultural exchange.

“The Middle East has turned abayas into a fashion trend,” said Nimra Saleem, a designer who is preparing to launch a dedicated abaya brand. 

“The Gulf states introduce new cuts, designs, colors, and fabrics every year. So, the cuts of my abayas, the inspiration was taken from Saudi Arabia itself, and I made such cuts that are not available in Pakistan yet.”

Nimra Saleem, a designer, is making sketches in Islamabad, Pakistan, on June 26, 2025. (AN Photo)

Saleem grew up in Saudi Arabia and returned to Pakistan six years ago to pursue a degree in textile design at the National College of Arts in Rawalpindi. Her thesis focused on women migrating from the Gulf, and she explored how Arabic aesthetics could merge with Pakistani tastes. Now, the abaya brand she plans to launch will reflect this evolving sensibility, she hopes. 

“Initially, abayas here were limited to plain black, but now people are using them as a form of self-expression, wearing them in vibrant colors, pairing them with colorful hijabs, and choosing fabrics like georgette and silk. Printed abayas are also becoming more popular.” 

To accommodate Pakistan’s climate while staying true to Gulf-inspired styles, Saleem uses lightweight fabrics similar to those worn in the Middle East.

“These abayas can be worn in Pakistan too because they’re very weather friendly,” she said.

SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCE

The cultural pull of the Gulf, particularly from style hubs like Dubai and Jeddah, continues to influence aesthetics across South Asia, especially among upwardly mobile urban Pakistanis. Social media has only amplified that impact, offering a steady stream of Gulf fashion influencers and modestwear labels that are increasingly global in reach.

For designers like Abdul Rahman, a boutique owner in Rawalpindi with a strong social media following, the shift in tastes is undeniable.

“Over the past five years, trends have changed,” he said. “We design abayas according to customer choice, some like party wear, some need casual wear, and some prefer normal embroidery.”

Rahman’s business, which once catered mostly to domestic buyers, now processes online orders from across the globe.

“We get a lot of orders from South Africa, the United Kingdom, and UAE because abayas there are costly,” he explained.

His store offers options ranging from Rs3,000 ($11) to Rs20,000 ($71), making Pakistani-made garments more affordable for diaspora communities seeking modestwear.

This intersection of modesty and style also resonates with many young women in Pakistan, who say the abaya is no longer seen as restrictive, but adaptable.

“The time is changing, and people are understanding that it’s not about the black color,” said Areeba Faisal, a university student in Islamabad. “It’s about modesty and how you carry yourself.”

While she personally favors black abayas for most occasions, she appreciates the variety now available.

“On some occasions, I prefer to wear this kind of stuff— colored and embroidered abayas,” she said. “Islam does not mandate wearing a specific type of gown, nor does it require it to be black or free of embellishments.”

Another student, Humaira Javeed, echoed that view. “Everything evolves with time— including clothing. Abayas are no exception,” she said.

She prefers light colors, such as skin tones or pastels, but still sees black as modern and versatile. For her, wearing an abaya is more cultural than religious, and there’s space within tradition for creativity.

“It’s not something to be stigmatized in any way,” she added.

Indeed, the new wave of abaya culture in Pakistan reflects broader conversations about identity and modernity in the Muslim world.

In places like Saudi Arabia and the UAE, where strict dress codes once mandated uniform black cloaks, fashion-forward abayas now come in soft hues, adorned with intricate embroidery, pleats, lace, and avant-garde silhouettes. 

These trends are finding fertile ground in Pakistan, where decades of exposure to Gulf culture through migration, media, and remittances have reshaped everything from food to fashion.

“Girls expressing themselves through abayas inspired me to create pieces that prove modesty can be just as fashionable and trend-aware,” said Saleem. “You can be modest, and you can still be in trend.”

Topics: Pakistan Saudi Ties Pakistan abaya

Blast claimed by Daesh kills four in northwest Pakistan

Updated 03 July 2025
AFP
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Blast claimed by Daesh kills four in northwest Pakistan

  • Officials were traveling in a car in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province when attack happened in a market in Bajaur city
  • Around 300 people, mostly security officials, have been killed in attacks in KP and Balochistan provinces since start of year
Updated 03 July 2025
AFP

PESHAWAR: An explosion in northwest Pakistan killed at least four local government officials and police Wednesday, an officer told AFP, in an attack claimed by a branch of the Daesh group.

“One senior government official, along with another government official and two police officers, were killed in the attack. Eleven people were wounded,” said Waqas Rafiq, a senior police official stationed in Bajaur, a city near the border with Afghanistan.

The officials were traveling in a car in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province when “the attack happened in a market in Bajaur city,” Rafiq added.

Hours later the IS-K group of Daesh claimed to have detonated an explosives-laden moped that targeted the vehicle in which the officials were traveling.

The deadly blast came four days after 16 soldiers were killed in the same province in an attack claimed by the Pakistan Taliban, a group which is very active in the area.

Around 300 people, mostly security officials, have been killed in attacks since the start of the year by armed groups fighting the government in both Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces, according to an AFP tally.

Last year was the deadliest in a decade for Pakistan, with a surge in attacks that killed more than 1,600 people, according to Islamabad-based analysis group the Center for Research and Security Studies.

Pakistan has witnessed a sharp rise in violence in its regions bordering Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021, with Islamabad accusing its western neighbor of allowing its soil to be used for attacks against Pakistan — a claim the Taliban denies.

Topics: Daesh Blast Pakistan

Pakistan eyes global models to expand SME finance, tackle low credit access

Updated 03 July 2025
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Pakistan eyes global models to expand SME finance, tackle low credit access

  • Minister stresses SMEs’ role in GDP, employment at international development forum
  • Government says reforms to boost lending, cut red tape and spur sustainable growth
Updated 03 July 2025
Ismail Dilawar

KARACHI: Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb this week stressed on the importance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) for the country’s economy, highlighting his government’s policy to increase their lending portfolio to enhance their contributions to employment, exports and the national GDP. 

Pakistan’s finance czar was speaking at a high-level panel discussion titled “Scaling up SME Finance” on Wednesday, hosted at the International Business Forum on the sidelines of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) in Sevilla, Spain.

The minister underscored the importance of SMEs to Pakistan’s economy, noting that these enterprises account for approximately 40 percent of the country’s GDP, 25 percent of exports and nearly 78 percent of non-agricultural employment.

However, Aurangzeb noted that despite their contributions, SMEs access to formal finance remains “disproportionately low,” with a small percentage of private-sector lending currently directed toward them, the finance ministry said. He said the government is actively working through the central bank to encourage commercial banks to expand their SME lending portfolios.

“This expansion is expected to enhance the contribution of SMEs to GDP, exports, employment, youth and women’s digital empowerment, and overall financial inclusion, laying the foundation for sustained and inclusive economic growth,” the finance ministry said. 

The minister said the government’s parallel efforts are underway to strengthen the institutional capacity of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) so it can extend market linkages, provide regulatory relief, enhance advisory services and lead capacity-building initiatives.

“Deregulation efforts, such as reducing reliance on NOCs and increasing e-inspections, are also being introduced to reduce compliance burdens for SMEs,” the finance ministry added. 

Aurangzeb expressed his desire to learn from successful models across other emerging markets and fostering partnerships that promote technology-driven, climate-compliant, and socially inclusive SME development. 

Pakistan’s government has increasingly spoken about achieving sustainable economic growth and moving the country away from his usual “boom and bust” cycle. 

The government has attempted to pursue this through financial reforms, signing trade and business agreements with regional allies worth billions of dollars and enhancing its exports. 
 

Topics: Pakistan Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) Muhammad Aurangzeb

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From Riyadh to Rawalpindi: How Pakistani women are redefining the abaya

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