Five Pakistani films that will hit cinemas on Eid Al-Adha this year

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Updated 01 July 2023
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Five Pakistani films that will hit cinemas on Eid Al-Adha this year

  • The films explore diverse various genres including animation, horrow, comedy and romance
  • The movies have been directed by both emerging and reknowned directors of Pakistan's film industry

KARACHI: Movie buffs in Pakistan will have a variety of movie options this Eid Al-Adha as local cinemas gear up for the release of multiple Pakistani films during the festive season. 

Here are five films releasing in cinemas across Pakistan over the Eid holidays:




A still from the trailer of upcoming Pakistani stereoscopic 3D animated feature film "Allahyar and the 100 Flowers of God." (Photo courtesy: @3rdWorldStudios/YouTube)

Allahyar and the 100 Flowers of God

Pakistan’s first stereoscopic 3D animated film, Allahyar and the 100 Flowers of God, is a sequel to the critically acclaimed animated film, Allahyar and the Legend of Markhor (2018).

“The theme for this one is the environment, keeping in trend with the prequel that explored the theme of wildlife conservation,” writer, director, and producer Uzair Zaheer Khan told Arab News in an interview earlier this year.

According to Khan, the upcoming film focuses on climate change and clean renewable energy while stressing the importance of trees and forests for a better, greener future.

The movie follows the life of Allahyar, a young boy from Pakistan’s northern areas, who travels to a new world with his best friend to rescue his father from a race of ruthless wood-poaching robots. 

The ensemble cast for the voiceover includes Humayun Saeed, Ali Zafar, Iqra Aziz and Bushra Ansari, among others.




Mehwish Hayat and Wahaj Ali in a still from Nadeem Baig's film Aik Sau Taeeswan in "Teri Meri Kahaniyaan" releasing on Eid ul Adha 2023. (Photo: See Prime)

Teri Meri Kahaniyaan

Teri Meri Kahaniyaan is a multi-director anthology feature film that features an ensemble cast including Wahaj Ali, Mehwish Hayat, and Sheheryar Munawar. The movie comprises three separate storylines exploring the theme of romance. The three films, Aik Sau Taeeswan, Jin Mahal, and Pasoori, are directed by Nadeem Baig, Nabeel Qureshi, and Marina Khan, respectively.

Combining three films together, Qureshi said, was an "experiment".

"It's a horror comedy. It's different. It's an experiment with an unusual treatment which I hope people find interesting ... It is intriguing to combine three films as one. If this works, other [filmmakers] would also like to follow suit,” Qureshi told Arab News.

“I am very hopeful as the three films are very different from each other. In two hours, people will like at least one of the films as opposed to being disappointed by two-hour-long films at the end."

He added that all three films had a different cast and it would be interesting to get their respective fans watch the film.

“Every time Nadeem [Baig] and I have a face-off. But this time, we are coming together for one film so that's an interesting element."

In a press statement, fellow director Baig said, “With Teri Meri Kahaniyaan, we have worked towards a first-of-its-kind anthology with such varying directors and performers. This film will undoubtedly be a creative masterpiece enjoyed by all."




Shahroz Sabzwari and Syra Yousuf in a still from their upcoming film "Babylicious". (Photo courtesy: YouTube/babyliciousmovie)

Babylicious

Featuring former real-life celebrity couple Shahroz Sabzwari and Syra Yousuf, Babylicious, in the words of its writer, director, and co-producer Essa Khan, is a “fun, date movie set in a super affluent Pakistani neverland where college students drive fancy new cars, have top brand wardrobes and lavish weddings.”

“If you really want to feel happy and sad at the same time, watch Babylicious,” Sabzwari, who plays the role of college student Omar told Arab News in an interview earlier this month

“If you want to cry a little and then get excited and jump on your seat, then watch Babylicious. Otherwise, you can watch other films also.”

Yousuf, who plays the role of Omar’s college sweetheart Sabiha, said, “Babylicious portrays romance in an old school manner and is very different than what love means in today’s time.”

The movie had been in the works since 2017 but faced several delays and was shot in Karachi, Nawabshah, and Bahrain over the span of five years.




Actor Ibad Alam Sher as Haris in a still from Madaari releasing on Eid ul Adha 2023. (Photo courtesy: Kumail Syed)

Madaari

Madaari, according to co-writer, director, and co-producer Seraj Us Salikin, is a “crime drama” set in Karachi in 2008.  

“It explores the dichotomy of the justice system in the gritty city of Karachi in a way we have never seen in Pakistani cinema,” he told Arab News.  

The film, said Salikin, follows the life of Haris who hasn't had an easy life since his father was murdered in a political rift. “The only luck he gets is at his father's killer's office. What would he choose? Revenge or a better life?" Salikin said.

Shooting for Madaari started in 2019 but came to a halt due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The second spell began in 2021. The reason it is releasing now, said Salikin, was because it was an independent film, and “self-financing” took longer to execute.

The film features talented theatre actors, including Ibad Alam Sher, Paras Masroor, Hammad Siddiq, Ahmer Hussain, and Tanveer Gill. It has been co-written by Ali Rizvi who also co-produced it, in addition to Salikin and Ammar Alee Danish.




Zach, who plays the lead role in the film, in a still from VIP releasing on Eid ul Adha 2023 (Photo: Xpose Films)

VIP

“VIP addresses social issues in a very light and comedic way that is relatable for every common man who faces them on a daily basis. There is romance as well as a special surprise for children,” director Rana Kamran told Arab News.

Kamran, who is making his feature film debut as a director with VIP, said the film is a “pure family package with a beautiful story":

“It will mesmerize the audience [on Eid] with its cinematography, magical acting by experienced actors, and soulful music.”

The ensemble cast includes fresh onscreen couple Zach and Namra Shahid, Mohammed Ehteshamuddin, Saleem Mairaj, Saife Hassan, Gul e Rana, and Danish Nawaz, among others.
 


Pakistan unveils ‘fastest’ EV charging station in Islamabad 

Updated 26 March 2025
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Pakistan unveils ‘fastest’ EV charging station in Islamabad 

  • 120KW EV charging station can recharge electric vehicles within 30-60 minutes
  • Government approved national EV policy in 2019, setting target of 30 percent EVs by 2030

ISLAMABAD: Power Minister Sardar Awais Leghari has inaugurated the country’s fastest Electric Vehicle (EV) charging station in Islamabad, the state broadcaster reported this week, as Pakistan moves to enact reforms of the energy sector designed to boost demand.

The government approved the National Electric Vehicles Policy (NEVP) in 2019, setting a target of 30 percent EVs by 2030. 

“EVs are the future of Pakistan and the government is committed to promoting green energy,” Radio Pakistan quoted Leghari as saying on Tuesday as he inaugurated a 120kW EV charging station, which enables faster charging than standard residential chargers (3-7 kW), allowing EVs to recharge typically within 30-60 minutes.

Leghari also said the cost of electric charging units had been reduced from Rs71 to Rs39 [$0.14], which was expected to lower transportation expenses, positively impacting goods delivery and essential commodity prices.

Earlier this year, Pakistan announced a 45 percent reduction in power tariffs for electric vehicle charging stations. The government is also planning financing schemes for e-bikes and the conversion of two and three-wheeled petrol vehicles.

According to a report submitted to the government by power ministry adviser Ammar Habib Khan and seen by Reuters, there are currently more than 30 million two- and three-wheeled vehicles in Pakistan, which consume more than $5 billion worth of petroleum annually. The ministry plans to convert 1 million two-wheelers to electric bikes in a first phase, at an estimated net cost of 40,000 rupees per bike, according to the report, saving around $165 million in fuel import costs annually.

BYD Pakistan, a partnership between China’s BYD and Pakistani car group Mega Motors, told Reuters in September that up to 50 percent of all vehicles bought in Pakistan by 2030 will be electrified in some form in line with global targets.

In January, China’s ADM Group revealed plans to invest $250 million in setting up an electric vehicle manufacturing plant in Pakistan.


Punjab set to launch Pakistan’s first carbon credit project at Lahore dumping site

Updated 26 March 2025
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Punjab set to launch Pakistan’s first carbon credit project at Lahore dumping site

  • Mehmood Booti dumpsite near Lahore’s Ring Road has amassed 13 million tons of waste, causing environmental hazards
  • Official says project includes capturing methane, treating waste and transforming site into urban forest and solar park

ISLAMABAD: The government in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province is set to launch the country’s first-ever carbon credit project “soon” at a decades-old dumping site in Lahore, aiming to reduce pollution and mitigate climate risks, an official confirmed on Wednesday.

The Mehmood Booti dumpsite, a 42.98-acre landfill near Lahore’s Ring Road area, has been accumulating waste since 1997. Over the years, it has amassed 13 million tons of waste, leading to severe environmental hazards including toxic groundwater contamination, hazardous air pollution, and methane emissions. 

Lahore, the capital of Pakistan’s eastern province of Punjab, has repeatedly ranked among the world’s most polluted cities in international air quality indices, with smog causing severe health issues for residents every winter. 

Carbon credit projects are initiatives that reduce, remove or prevent the emission of greenhouse gases. These projects generate carbon credits, which can be sold to companies or individuals looking to offset their carbon footprint.

“RUDA [Ravi Urban Development Authority] is taking a historic step toward environmental sustainability by rehabilitating the Mehmood Booti dumpsite,” Alishba Tajwar, deputy director of communication and environment at RUDA, told Arab News.

“And is all set to launch Pakistan’s First-Ever Carbon Credit Project at the site very soon after testing as most of the work has been completed.”

The official said the rehabilitation project included initiatives such as capturing methane, leachate treatment [which treats leachate, a contaminated liquid that drains from landfills or waste sites] and transforming the site into an urban forest and solar park.

“This project not only addresses severe environmental challenges posed by the 13 million tons of waste accumulated over decades but also introduces innovative solutions to repurpose waste into hydrogen energy,” Tajwar said. 

Pakistan is among the countries most at risk from climate change, as per the Global Climate Risk Index. Extreme weather events like floods, droughts, cyclones, torrential rainstorms, and heat waves have been occurring more frequently and with greater intensity across the country in recent years. 

She said the initiative aims to reduce pollution, cut carbon emissions by one million tons over 15 years and align Pakistan with global sustainability goals.

She said methane emissions from the dumpsite will be captured and converted into usable energy, adding that the carbon credit mechanism in the rehabilitation project followed a structured process that enables monetization of emission reductions through global carbon markets.

The RUDA official said this project represented a Rs5 billion ($17.86 million) investment, making it one of Pakistan’s most ambitious environmental initiatives.

“With an expected issuance of 100,000 tons of carbon credits per year, it will generate Rs2 billion ($7.14 million) in revenue annually, reinforcing Pakistan’s climate finance strategy,” Tajwar said. 

She said captured methane will either be converted into energy or flared using advanced gas recovery technology, significantly lowering greenhouse gas emissions.

Tajwar said the project involved collecting solid waste, treating it to extract usable gases and converting those gases into hydrogen.

“This hydrogen can then be utilized for various energy needs, including electricity generation, industrial uses, and even fuel for hydrogen-powered vehicles,” she explained. 

‘POSITIVE IMPACT’

Environmental experts termed this initiative as a much-needed step to reduce pollution and address environmental challenges faced by Lahore residents.

Asif Mahmood, a Lahore-based environment expert, said this was an environmentally friendly project initially proposed by the interim government in 2023 to transform the site into a solar park.

“In 2019, dangerous methane gas clouds were observed emerging from the site, affecting not only the surrounding area but also the entire city,” he told Arab News.

Mahmood said rehabilitation work at the site had already made a noticeable difference, with one of the most evident improvements being the elimination of the foul odor that previously affected surrounding areas for several kilometers.

Asif Ali Sial, a Lahore-based environment lawyer, said the project will have a positive impact by providing relief to the city’s residents from solid waste pollution.

“A series of garbage piles at the site has been causing significant harm to residents and the environment,” he said. 

“Therefore, this project will have a positive impact on the city’s surroundings and overall environmental quality.”


Pakistani stocks, currency appreciate in response to Islamabad-IMF staff-level agreement 

Updated 54 min 22 sec ago
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Pakistani stocks, currency appreciate in response to Islamabad-IMF staff-level agreement 

  • IMF on Tuesday announced reaching staff-level agreement with Islamabad on first review under Extended Fund Facility
  • Stocks close at 117,772 points, gaining 1 percent while the rupee inches 0.1 percent up to close at Rs280.2 against the greenback 

KARACHI: Pakistan’s stocks and currency markets on Wednesday reacted positively to Islamabad’s staff-level agreement (SLA) with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), with financial analysts noting that the agreement has eased market sentiments.

The IMF announced on Tuesday it had reached a staff-level agreement on the first review under Pakistan’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and on a new arrangement under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF). 

Subject to approval from the IMF’s Executive Board, the SLA will ensure “Pakistan will have access to about $1.0 billion (SDR 760 million) under the EFF, bringing total disbursements under the program to about $2.0 billion,” the global lender said. 
The benchmark KSE-100 Index at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) rallied to an intraday high of 118,220 points on Wednesday, gaining 1.4 percent or 1,588 points from the previous close. The stocks closed at 117,772 points with a 1 percent total increase. 
“Definitely, the IMF agreement on Pakistan’s first review and climate financing was a major trigger for the market,” Sana Tawfik, the head of research at Arif Habib Ltd. brokerage company, told Arab News.

The current IMF review is critical for debt-ridden Pakistan, which has been grappling with a balance of payment crisis and has so far recorded a $691 million surplus this year in eight months till February, compared with its $1.7 billion deficit a year earlier. 

Pakistan is carrying out IMF-backed structural reforms and expects to expand its economy by 3.6 percent this fiscal year.

“We are committed to structural reforms for sustainable long-term growth and prosperity,” Pakistan’s finance adviser Khurram Schehzad told Arab News. 

Pakistan’s stock index rose 89 percent to 78,445 points in FY24, according to data from the Pakistan Stock Exchange.

Tawfik said she expected the index to increase to a record 123,000 points by June this year, once Pakistan receives the IMF’s first tranche under review.

“The overall market sentiments are IMF-driven,” Tawfik noted.

STABLE RUPEE OUTLOOK

Pakistan’s national currency also appreciated on Wednesday, inching 0.1 percent up to close at Rs280.2 against the US dollar in the interbank market. 

After depreciating about 0.7 percent this year since July, the rupee has stabilized in the range of Rs280-281 against the dollar.

“The rupee would have taken a hit had this agreement not been made,” Owais ul Haq, a foreign exchange dealer at Arif Habib Ltd., told Arab News. 

Haq said he expected the rupee to remain stable at the Rs280-281 mark, adding that anything below this rate would hurt exporters.

A healthy inflow of remittances stabilizes the supply of dollars in the country, helping the rupee stay stable against the greenback.

Pakistan expects to receive more than $35 billion in remittances this year through June, as overseas Pakistan remitted a record $1.3 billion in February, primarily due to “seasonal factors” such as Ramadan and Eid.

“I see a stable outlook for the rupee going forward,” Haq said. 

Muhammad Zafar Paracha, secretary general at the Exchange Companies Association of Pakistan, agreed the IMF agreement would help the rupee stay stable against the dollar.

“The investors were feeling a bit jittery, but this IMF agreement has eased market sentiments,” he said. 

“The rupee has shown some appreciation in the interbank and open market and will strengthen more in the days to come,” he added. 

Addressing the federal cabinet on Wednesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan’s agreement with the IMF would help it ensure long-term economic stability.

Sharif noted that Pakistan was able to increase its tax-to-GDP ratio to 10.6 percent, exceeding the IMF’s target of 10.2 percent. 

“This is the highest tax collection ratio in the last four years,” he said.

The prime minister said that the IMF required his government to collect Rs12.9 trillion in taxes this year but then agreed to revise its target to Rs12.1 trillion rupees.

Pakistani authorities fixed the tax collection target to Rs12.33 trillion and were able to increase collection by 26 percent, he said, describing it as a “quantum jump.”


Pakistan says seeking investment and technical support from China, not aid

Updated 26 March 2025
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Pakistan says seeking investment and technical support from China, not aid

  • Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb is in China for four-day Boao Forum for Asia economic conference
  • Aurangzeb highlights agriculture, information and technology as important sectors for bilateral collaboration 

KARACHI: Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said on Wednesday that Islamabad was seeking investment and technical assistance from China rather than just aid, identifying agriculture, information and technology as important sectors for bilateral collaboration. 

Aurangzeb is currently attending the four-day Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2025 in China. The forum, often referred to as the “Asian Davos,” is a high-level platform where leaders from government, business and academia across Asia and other continents gather to discuss pressing global and regional issues. 

China is a major ally and investor in Pakistan that has pledged over $65 billion in investment in road, infrastructure and development projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a part of the Belt and Road Initiative that is a massive China-led infrastructure project that aims to stretch around the globe.

“We are grateful [to China] on the financing side but going forward, we now want investment from China not aid,” Aurangzeb told the China Global Television Network (CGTN) at the sidelines of the conference. “Secondly, we want technical support and assistance.”

The finance minister said China could immensely help Pakistan in boosting its agriculture, information and technology sectors. 

Aurangzeb praised China for taking strides in green projects, saying that Pakistan would try its best to learn from its neighboring country on how to tackle the climate change crisis. 

“The way Beijing’s pollution was eliminated in record time, we have the same problem in Lahore,” he said. “So there are various sectors where we are working with China and will continue to do so.”

During his address at the conference earlier on Wednesday, Aurangzeb proposed the formation of a global coalition of developing nations to collectively advocate for fair trade and better representation in international financial institutions, criticizing the global economy as unequal. 

“Developing countries must unite to demand fair trade principles and improved representation in global financial institutions,” Aurangzeb said, according to a finance ministry statement. 

China’s help for Pakistan is crucial at this stage, given the 241-million-strong country has been grappling with a macroeconomic crisis that has adversely impacted its foreign reserves, weakened its national currency and caused a balance of payments crisis. 

The country has undertaken some economic reforms in recent months which seem to have yielded fruit as its inflation has gone down and its foreign reserves have increased. 

Pakistan has increasingly sought to attract international investment from China, Central Asian states and Middle Eastern allies such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia as it seeks to reduce its dependency on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for financial bailout packages. 

It formed the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) in 2023 to fast-track decisions related to foreign investment in mining and minerals, agriculture, livestock, tourism and other priority sectors. 


Pakistan to restore train services from Quetta this week after deadly hijacking

Updated 26 March 2025
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Pakistan to restore train services from Quetta this week after deadly hijacking

  • 31 soldiers, staff and civilians killed as BLA separatists hijacked Jaffar Express train in Balochistan earlier this month
  • BLA is largest and strongest of several ethnic Baloch groups fighting for decades to win independence for Balochistan

QUETTA: Pakistan Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi said on Wednesday train operations from Quetta Railway station in the southwestern Balochistan province would be fully restored from Mar. 28 while Jaffar Express, the victim of a deadly hijacking by militants earlier this month, would resume services to Peshawar from tomorrow, Thursday. 

The separatist Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the Mar. 12 attack on the Jaffar Express, during which they blew up train tracks and held passengers hostage in a day-long standoff with security services in a remote mountain pass. The death toll included 31 soldiers, staff and civilians.

Addressing a news conference in Quetta, Abbasi said Jaffar Express would depart for the northwestern city of Peshawar tomorrow, Thursday, but full-scale train services from Quetta would be restored on Mar. 28.

“Although we don’t have enough strength of Railway Police Forces, many stations require fencing and other security equipment,” he told reporters, admitting that railways facilities in the province faced security challenges. 

“We are recruiting 500 soldiers in the Pakistan Railway Police and 70 percent of the recruitment would be for Balochistan,” the minister added. “We have planned new security strategies with the frontier corps and other law enforcing agencies.” 

He also announced a special Eid train from Quetta Railway station with fool-proof security for passengers. 

“We are very much optimistic about better security to the railway’s passengers in Balochistan,” Abbasi said.

“We have repaired all damaged carriages of the attacked Jaffar Express, and new rack of carriages would be included in the train operations from Balochistan.” 

The BLA is the largest and strongest of several ethnic Baloch insurgent groups which have been fighting for decades to win independence for the mineral-rich province, home to major China-led projects including a port and gold and copper mines.