On Thursday, she sat down with Parishae Adnan — the CEO of fashion house Aamir Adnan who just got back to Pakistan after closing a show during New York Fashion Week — for her show Rise & Shine. One pressing question Khan had for the designer was whether her parents were okay with the way she dressed going to the gym.

Yeah, the internet made quick work of Khan and her views, with Parishae firing a shot herself by posting a reel of the interaction. Her face shows just how uncomfortable she was with the host’s line of questioning.

Khan can be heard asking how Parishae convinced her parents to let her wear what she does and her co-host Zohaib Hassan even makes a remark about her body — the designer responded to that in a separate video.

Others joined in too, with influencer Zoya Zaidi doing an impression of Khan and her questions on the show, constantly shifting her point from parents to society and back.

Another social media creator, Aisha Yousuf, pointed out how there was so much for the hosts to ask Parishae about her work and her journey but they could only seem to focus on what she wore and log kya kahen ge (what will people say)?

Ramsha Waseem, known for her comedic skits, acted like the person who had the most difficult job in this entire situation: Khan’s PR manager who told her to talk about the designer’s “clothes” — the joke being that she meant the clothes the designer makes, not the ones she wears.

Telling her not to accept fault over her comments or apologise, the ‘manager’ said her client should double down and say she was trying to protect society’s morals because “we have enough loud men and misogynistic women who will support you”.

In her caption, she said, “No matter how successful a Pakistani woman becomes, there will always be someone waiting to reduce her to her clothes, her age, her relationships or the choices she makes.”

But while all these other creators were calling out Khan, Yashal Shahid had a more solution-oriented approach which she described as “kambalon se dumbbellon tak (form blankets to dumbbells)”.

She demonstrated her idea to the audience, lifting weights while draped completely in a blanket, because apparently that’s what you need to do nowadays if you don’t want to be asked about your clothes on national television.

Jokes aside, Khan’s questions and the attitude behind them are unfortunate, especially when they come from a woman who has built a career herself.

Treating women differently and focusing on their personal choices rather than celebrating their achievements — which, in this case, was a win for the entire Pakistani fashion industry — will only push us back to a point where women are no longer comfortable being themselves and building themselves up in public.

Quoting a post from the BBC News Punjabi about women in Punjab increasingly using scooters to get around and organising scooter rallies in different cities to promote better mobility for other women, Chaudhry said “Most of the girls are horrible drivers”. He said encouraging them to drive themselves around was akin to “putting their and others’ lives in danger”.

Naturally, X was having absolutely none of his nonsense, with users expressing a mix of shock and disgust at the blatant misogyny.

Netizens asked Chaudhry if he had the numbers to back his claims — or if he was just pushing a TikTok conspiracy.

People asked him if he thought men riding bikes in Pakistan — who generally consider turn signals to be entirely optional —were good drivers.

A couple of users pointed out why it was important for women to be able to drive independently, especially in a place like Pakistan.

Users asked why, if he felt women weren’t great drivers, Chaudhry didn’t advocate for better driving training instead of telling women to stay off the road.

One user, however, had a slightly different suggestion.

The truth is, the former minister’s misogyny ignores the realities women face in Pakistan — both on the road and at home. Being able to drive scooters, especially during organised rallies, gives them a way to prove they can live their lives without patriarchal dependence.

And as the girls interviewed by the BBC will tell you, even when they can drive around, they keep getting stared at, chased and hit by men on bikes who might be more deserving of Chaudhry’s — and everyone else’s — criticism.

In one scene from the film — which is touted as a celebration of the South Asian diaspora in the US — Maya (played by Never Have I Ever’s Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) tells another girl “guys throw themselves at you like you’re the last flight out of Kabul”.

Naturally, netizens were shocked and appalled. Some even had to take a moment to come to terms with what they’d heard.

A lot of the criticism was directed at Hasan Minhaj, the prominent South Asian comedian who produced the film and was one of the screenwriters. There was also some shade cast at director Lena Khan.

Best of the Best is the story of a young girl joining the Bollywood-fusion dance team at her university. Speaking to Variety, Khan said South Asian representation in Hollywood was often limited to nerdy side characters and comic relief. “We can be proud of things that we do as South Asians,” she said.

One user said the whole thing was “distasteful, disgraceful and downright wrong”.

Others said Netflix should acknowledge the offence caused by the joke and apologise to Afghans.

For those in need of a lesson in recent South Asian history, the US withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021, ending nearly two decades of continued military presence in the country.

The climax of the withdrawal came in mid-August, when Kabul fell to the Taliban and evacuation flights operated by foreign forces became a last hope for many thousands of Afghan civilians.

At the time, videos circulated of desperate crowds surrounding and running alongside military aircraft, including one video in which people tried to cling on to a US jet as it took off from Kabul. Several people were seen falling from the aircraft as it climbed and authorities confirmed seven people had died.

The 13th instalment of the hit ARY Digital drama, which aired on Saturday, prompted strong reactions and discussions over hypocrisy from viewers, following a major plot twist.

Here’s a quick recap of what happened: after years of dating, and even briefly living with his long-time girlfriend and childhood sweetheart Zaryab, played by Dur-e-Fishan Saleem, Zamil — a narcissistic man who has rediscovered religion portrayed by Nameer Khan — ends up marrying an unknown woman from a madressah. And he doesn’t even bother letting Zaryab know.

The break-up, however, isn’t the story here. It’s what Zamil tells Zaryab when she finally shows up at his doorstep, looking for answers.

As an understandably emotional Zaryab confronts Zamil about his decision to abruptly end their relationship in such a cruel manner, he tells her she isn’t fit to be the wife of a good Muslim man.

“The time I spent with you was my era of ignorance. I’ve left all that and to move ahead I needed a life partner who’d help me in my religion. Someone who is pious, pure and innocent,” Zamil says.

“I think God has accepted my repentance and given her to me as a result,” he adds, before telling Zaryab she needs to find someone “like herself” if she wants to get married.

Zaryab then asks him if only a man has the right to repent and Zamil, visibly frustrated, dodges the question by listing the qualities he wants in a pious wife and how Zaryab doesn’t fulfil his newfound standards.

After the episode aired, many were left impressed by Saleem’s portrayal of Zaryab, a heartbroken woman who, at one point, was willing to let go of her admission to Harvard University, just to placate and comfort Zamil, who couldn’t get in himself.

At the same time, the blatant hypocrisy in Zamil’s views on religion and marriage didn’t escape the notice of the show’s fans.

One user on X called Dare-e-Nijat a “masterpiece” by writer Umera Ahmed.

“Zamil is basically [a] representation of [the] average Pakistani man: khud jo marzi karo, lekin biwi hamesha naik, shareef aur parda-daar chahiye (doing whatever they feel like, but always want a wife who is pious, virtuous and keeps herself covered up). Hypocrisy is just too real,” the user added.

Another pointed out how the drama highlights the importance of not losing one’s humility when you believe you have found religion.

Another user commented how the episode could serve as an unfortunate reminder for all women who have been in relationships with narcissists.

One user straight up called Zamil a red flag.

Directed by Saqib Khan, Dar-e-Nijaat features an ensemble cast, including Sheheryar Munawar, Romaisa Khan, Sahar Hashmi, Sania Saeed, Saba Hamid and Nadia Afgan.

The development came to light when another digital creator, Muhammad Ahsan, in a reel on Friday, criticised an Instagram account identified as M*.

Images independently viewed the account before writing this piece. It shows a mix of AI-generated content: videos of M appearing to kick and assault deepfakes of male and female celebrities — including actor Hania Aamir, as well as other local and international celebrities — alongside separate videos depicting him dancing with and embracing deepfakes of certain celebrities.

In his reel, Ahsan shows a blurred-out clip posted by M where a deepfake of him is seen hitting a deepfake of actor Hania Aamir.

Ahsan said that this wasn’t the only such clip and there were many others on the account that showed M’s deepfake behaving inappropriately, hitting and degrading other actors, influencers and content creators.

Ahsan also showed comments allegedly posted under these videos of other men cheering M on and saying his videos are a “very good use of AI”, though many comments posted over the past 24 hours reflect growing anger and calls for action to be taken against the digital creator.

Ahsan claimed female celebrities were in danger because of people like M and those who support and condone his behaviour, and asked people to report such content wherever they saw it.

Images reached out to M regarding the comments made about his content, but has yet to receive a response.

In Ahsan’s own comment section, female celebrities expressed their anger and called for action.

Mahira Khan said nobody should be surprised at the prevalence of violence against women in Pakistan if this was the mindset people had when it came to female celebrities.

Kinza Hashmi tagged authorities from Punjab, Sindh and Islamabad to bring the matter to their attention and urge them to act.

Actor Tamkenat Mansoor similarly said making such content should be illegal if it isn’t already and that these videos were symptomatic of a society where men think it is okay to abuse ‘popular’ women. The comment section, she said, “proves that so many of these men are just an opportunity away from violating a woman.”

Actor Zara Tareen called on people who have seen M’s videos to identify him, report him to the authorities and file a complaint with the police so that he can face the consequences of his actions.

Cases like this test the limits of existing law. Pakistan’s Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) doesn’t contain provisions written specifically for AI-generated content, but courts and police have applied existing sections — including Section 20 (online defamation) and Section 21 (modesty/non-consensual images) — to prosecute deepfake cases involving public figures.

The lack of dedicated provisions in PECA dealing with deepfake cases means outcomes vary depending on how specific cases are framed. Last year, the Punjab police registered charges under PECA and the Pakistan Penal Code’s defamation provisions over AI-generated deepfake videos of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.

AI-generated abuse targeting women specifically is a documented, worsening global problem. UN Women estimates that between 16 and 58 per cent of women worldwide have experienced some form of digital abuse, and that 90 to 95 per cent of deepfake videos circulating online are sexualised images of women.

*Name withheld.

But that’s exactly what happened in the 15th and 16th episodes of Hum TV’s hit drama Aap Ki Izzat starring Ahsan Khan and Urwa Hocane in leading roles.

For those unaware, Aap Ki Izzat’s plot revolves around a 14-year marriage that breaks down due to emotional neglect, and the loss of mutual respect.

In the episodes aired on Friday and Saturday, the wife Beena, played by Hocane, finally confronts her husband Tabish, portrayed by Khan, and unleashes years of pent-up pain and anguish.

From calling him out his religious hypocrisy, to pointing out years of emotional neglect and abuse, Beena says it all.

Soon after the episode aired, several fellow celebrities took to social media to laud the performances — Hocane’s in particular, as she portrayed Beena’s vulnerability with diligence and care.

Hocane’s husband, Farhan Saeed, was one of the first to praise his wife’s monologue:

Mawra Hocane also shared her admiration for her sister’s performance:

“Such powerful dialogue delivery yet so subtle and precise,” wrote Sonya Husyn.

Zhalay Sarhadi, Yumna Zaidi, Zara Noor Abbas and Ayesha Omar also shared their admiration for their fellow actors in their Instagram stories:

Beyond the applause, Aap Ki Izzat has done something more important; it has started a conversation. Directed by Saife Hasan and penned by Umera Ahmed, the drama has shed light on the quiet struggles that many couples face behind closed doors, sparking discussions about respect, dignity as well the courage it takes to speak up.

Judging by the praise Aap Ki Izzat is receiving, it’s clear that Hocane and Khan haven’t just delivered powerful performances — they’ve given a voice to stories that too often go unheard.

And in doing so, they’ve reminded us all why storytelling matters.

Well, it’s finally out — and people have really strong feelings about it.

Titled ‘Dil,’ the first song features overnight Pakistani sensations Afusic and Ali Soomro of ‘Pal Pal’ fame and newcomer Zoha Waseem, who shot to viral fame last year with ‘Majboor’.

The heart of ‘Dil’ beats with its catchy catchphrase, “Jeenay ka maza hai Dil de ke (the joy of living is in giving your heart).” The track opens with Afusic appearing seemingly untethered — at one point even floating in the air — while lamenting the experience of falling in love.

In the second half of the song, Waseem mesmerises with her signature soothing vocals, which have the potential to become the next viral hit for Instagram and TikTok reels.

Directed by Kamal Khan, the song delivers an intentionally retro-inspired visual feast. While Nu.WAV is all about showcasing the next generation of artists, the video for ‘Dil’ plays with an ironic contrast — with old-school televisions and purple neon lights. It perfectly showcases the tunes of modern love (and heartbreak) played through a vintage lens.

As expected, the internet had thoughts. Many seemed to be equating Nu.Wav with Coke Studio instead of treating it as a separate platform with a separate sound.

One X user bemoaned that for Pakistanis, everything from cricket to Coke Studio is now ruined.

Another user had a cheeky remark about the Gen-Z spirit of Nu.WAV.

Suffice it to say, ‘Dil’ hasn’t really been able to win the hearts of Coke Studio fans yet.

But Nu.WAV has a lot in store as the inaugural edition features a diverse line-up, including names like Asim Azhar, Hasan Raheem, Maanu, Sabaat Batin, Shae Gill, Young Stunners, Izz Chughtai and Aaryan SDQ, presenting well-known artists with fresh voices who are redefining Pakistan’s current music scene.

The in-store service, which has been live since January, was launched to “help make its footwear more accessible to those living with leg limb difference — by offering customers the option of purchasing only their required shoe,” according to the German-based sportswear company.

The service allows amputees to purchase only one required footwear at half price. However, Adidas has set off a firestorm of criticism online after featuring Shalev Biton, an Israeli soldier who lost his leg during the 2021 onslaught on Gaza, in one of its campaign videos.

Palestinian-American writer and activist Susan Abulhawa pointed out how Israel is responsible for creating the highest number of child amputees per capita in modern history in Gaza.

“I hope good people of the world let Adidas know they made a toxic decision to cheer genocide. May it poison their brand forever,” she wrote.

Many, including Pakistani writer and columnist Fatima Bhutto, called for a boycott of the company.

“More than 5,000 traumatic limb amputations have been estimated since October 2023, as a result of Israeli attacks carried out by soldiers like the one Adidas chose to model for them,” wrote Spanish-Moroccan sports journalist Leyla Hamed.

This isn’t the first time the company has attracted controversy over its connections to Israel. In 2024, Adidas issued an apology to Bella Hadid, the Palestinian-American model, after she threatened legal action over a controversial ad campaign inspired by the 1972 Munich Olympics.

The United Nations reported in July that since the events of October 7, 2023, Israel is responsible for killing at least 20,179 children and injuring 44,143 children in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem.

The star posted a story on Instagram on Tuesday saying she has a seven-month-old baby herself and can’t find words to describe what she felt when she came across the news.

Aziz said the only thing she could think to ask was how anyone can do this to a child.

“Why, how and when did some men in Pakistan become so deeply disturbed that they feel entitled to take their frustrations out on women around them? And now, I have to include infants and toddlers in that sentence too.”

The star said she was “disgusted to my core”.

The incident, which the complainant said happened at his house while his wife had gone out to work, left the little girl injured. The suspect is said to have fled as soon as the complainant’s wife returned home.

Aziz said she couldn’t even begin to talk about sex education when people in Pakistan lacked basic awareness of consent, boundaries, safety and respect.

She said she loved Pakistan; it was her home and she couldn’t imagine living anywhere else in the world, but that did not mean she would stay silent about the country’s problems.

She said she wanted to see a country where her children were protected by a functioning system and not just her vigilance as a mother. “A Pakistan where predators are afraid of the law, not where parents are afraid for their children.

“If my children are not safe here, then what am I supposed to do with all this love for my country?”

Sonya Hussaiyn had a similar outlook on the system when she reacted to the incident, saying “Qayamat (the Day of Judgement) will explain why its arrival was necessary”.

“Shame on the system that continues to fail its people,” Hussaiyn said.

This latest incident comes after a string of violent incidents against girls in Pakistan. Just last week, police in Haripur recovered the body of a five-year-old who had been raped and killed.

Earlier in August, police arrested a teenager suspected of raping a toddler in Karachi.

According to a report from child protection NGO Sahil, 1,914 cases of child abuse were reported across the country between January and June 2026, including as many as 1,015 cases of child sexual abuse, 558 cases of abduction, 101 cases of missing children and 35 cases of child marriages.

On Friday, Mahira Khan posted a message on her Instagram page saying people were murdered every day in Pakistan, “by negligence”, “by power”, “by misogyny” and “by silence”.

Khan asked how many more deaths the country would have to face and “when did it get so bad?” She said she felt sick to her stomach and hopeless to the core in light of recent events and that she “can’t stop crying looking at the news every day”.

The actor said she “can’t even begin to imagine the pain of those who have been directly affected” by a slew of tragedies, but soon all the innocent victims will become “just another hashtag” and “we will all move on”.

This wasn’t just about the fire at Pims and its 14 tiny victims, Khan remembered the mother of the 18-month-old girl in Karachi who was raped and murdered on August 4 and the family of Mir Raza Ali, the 25-year-old Karachi businessman who was found murdered in July.

She also mentioned the parents of Hina Javed, who was found murdered in her Rawalpindi apartment on Aug 20 with signs of torture on her body and the father of a five-year-old girl, whose body was found dumped in a well on Monday after she was raped.

“Who cares who is responsible? How does it even matter, when nobody has ever been held responsible?”

She prayed for a day her children can see a better Pakistan, quoting a line from Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s Hum Dekehenge: “Jab zulm-o-sitam ke koh-e-giraan/Ruii ki tarah urrh jaein gey (When the mountains of tyranny and oppression will blow away like cotton fluff).”

Actor Bushra Ansari also posted a reel on Instagram saying Pakistanis were seeing many tragedies nowadays, including the death of babies at Pims due to “negligence”.

“That happened and the ones going through that grief, who knows what they’re thinking. Someone [lost] a child they had after trying for years, somebody lost twins… it’s a great, unimaginable loss.”

Ansari said she wasn’t here to talk about that, but rather the conduct of Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal, who was “shaking them off”.

“This is not the way to talk to these people,” the actor said.

“For God’s sake, think of how you’re behaving. Nobody’s saying you started the fire. It’s just that there’s an institution under [your ministry]. People will complain about it [to you] and they’re distressed… and you’re scolding them?”

She urged the minister to do the job he gets paid for or “keep your head down and listen to people’s complaints”.

Khaled Anam, another industry veteran, similarly admonished authorities. He said pleading the authorities to take action or fix anything was “akin to playing the flute for a buffalo”.

Anam quoted the late columnist Ardeshir Cowasjee, saying “You cannot shame the shameless” and said it was futile to expect those responsible to accept blame and leave their posts.

“Please don’t expect anything to happen. Committees will be formed, findings published, notices taken and announcements made that ‘Oh, we gave a budget of so many crores.’”

Anam said all his expectations — and those of society — were from God now. He prayed for everyone responsible for the Pims tragedy to be held accountable.

Naimal Khawar said she “angry, furious, scared and heartbroken” after seeing yet another story that “makes me wonder whether our children and women are safe anywhere anymore”.

“How many more mothers have to lose their children? How many more girls have to suffer before enough is enough?” the actor asked in an Instagram story.

Khawar said her heart was “with the families who lost their newborns at Pims, with Hina Javed and with every woman and girl who has faced unimaginable violence”.

Like Anam, she also prayed for God to deliver justice to those who had been wronged.

Visuals of rescue personnel entering the building through broken windows and aggrieved parents crying for children they hadn’t even gotten the chance to name flooded TV screens as an air of intense grief descended over the country.

Celebrities joined the nation in its mourning, with Zhalay Sarhadi sharing a post about a father who had been blessed with a son, only to lose the child in the inferno.

Sarhadi said she had no words to offer except her prayers for the parents who were faced with an unimaginable loss.

Areeba Habib shared a poetic message to the children’s mothers who spent their pregnancies looking out for their unborn kids, only to lose them in a fire. “Some fires begin with a spark. Others begin when someone fails to care,” she wrote.

Mehwish Hayat said she was “struggling to process” the many tragedies hitting Pakistan, adding that the fire at Pims was “yet another heartbreaking reminder of how deeply disturbing things had become”.

She said the hospital where the children died was supposed to be the place they were safest.

Hayat asked how many more women and children had to die before people would get answers, accountability and safety for society’s most vulnerable.

Romaisa Khan struck an even harsher tone, saying the country was “bleeding”. She cited recent cases of murder and rape as further failures of the system.

“Women aren’t safe in their homes. Children aren’t safe. People disappear and are found dead. Even babies aren’t safe inside hospitals. How did we get here?” she asked.

The actor said we couldn’t go on like this, moving on after every loss. She demanded justice and accountability for every woman, child and family failed by the system.

Sharing Khan’s post on his story, music producer Umair mourned the loss of 14 lives “that never even got the chance to begin” and said the deaths should never have happened.

Ushna Shah said she was keeping the bereaved parents close to her heart and called the incident “preventable”.

Mohammed Ahmed said the children who had died on Wednesday would be forgotten soon, just like all the other children who had been killed by the system’s indifference and forgotten after a period of outrage.

“Why is no one ever punished? Why does nobody ask questions? Think of the mothers whose babies burned to death.”

Ahmed implored the authorities to open their eyes and make those responsible face accountability.

Ayesha Omar said Pakistanis were now waking up to horrific news on a daily basis and there was a “systemic failure” in every department. “What is this crazy negligence,” she asked.

She prayed for the families of the young victims to have justice and strength.

Sheheryar Munawar and Bilal Abbas didn’t have any words to express their feelings, sharing broken heart emojis.

A spokesperson from Pims told Dawn on Wednesday that the ward had 15 children in it, one of whom was rescued by a doctor.

In the aftermath of the fire, the federal health secretary has been removed from his post and Health Minister Mustafa Kamal has vowed to bring those responsible to justice with a transparent investigation.

On Monday, police in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Haripur recovered the body of a five-year-old girl who had been missing since August 10. Three teenage suspects have been arrested in connection to the case, one of whom, the police says, confessed to raping the child.

On Thursday, 45-year-old Hina Javed was found murdered in her Rawalpindi apartment with her hands tied behind her back. Her husband and a domestic worker have been arrested. Her father-in-law is not under arrest but is also being investigated.

Naturally, celebrities were quick to ask the question on everyone’s mind: how many more women and girls need to die before something is done?

Actor Ahsan Khan posted a story on how incidents like these keep occurring regularly.

Singer Aima Baig struck a similar tone with her message on how each of the victims was more than just a headline, they were people with loved ones who are now left behind to mourn.

She wished their families “strength to survive the unimaginable”.

Actor Mariyam Nafees posted a video listing the many hashtags relating to cases of violence against women and young girls. She asked what was being done to protect women in Pakistan, if anything.

Actor Nadia Jamil made clear this issue was not new and she had in fact been fighting against it for years now. Calling it an “epidemic in men here” and a “plague that has ruined countless lives”, she said the perpetrators could be the closest people to their victims and nobody was truly safe.

A number of prominent figures called for swift and judicious punishments awarded to murderers and rapists, with actor Zhalay Sarhadi saying it was the “only way to stop these heinous crimes”.

Rapper Talha Yunus asked why that wasn’t the case already, calling for reform and accountability on all fronts. He said the country needed action, not statements of condemnation.

“We need investigations that cannot be manipulated, police officers who are held accountable, prosecutors who actually pursue cases, protection for survivors and a justice system where perpetrators know that they will face consequences,” the rapper said.

Yunus said he was “tired of being angry” and hearing “justice will be served”, only to see people move on.

Actor Sabeena Farooq was of the mind that if justice is not served, it is society’s responsibility to come out onto the streets and demand justice.

“[The victims’] parents can’t live like that. Give them justice, where will they go? Unless you make examples [by punishing rapists and murderers], this will keep happening.”

TV presenter Shaista Lodhi felt it might be time for Pakistan’s women to get up and leave since the situation was so dire and hopeless.

Others, like actor Sarwat Gilani felt it was a collective responsibility of all Pakistanis to keep our children safe. She shared a post calling for people to stop blaming technology for society’s moral decay and start teaching young boys they will be held accountable for their actions.

Actor Ayesha Omar said there was a special burden of responsibility on men — yes, all men — to take a stand against the abuse of women and girls and hold each other accountable.

“All you daughters, wives, sisters and mothers are at risk all the time. Babies and children are being raped and murdered… We have to change this,” she said.

Actor Zara Noor Abbas said, “We are all part of the crime”. She shared a video by journalist Shahzeb Khanzada in which he said everyone who stays silent in the face of abuse is as much to blame.

This is neither the first time Pakistan’s stars have spoken out in rage when it comes to incidents of rape and murder — particularly against children. It isn’t even the first time this month — a child was raped and killed in Karachi on Aug 6, sparking similar reactions.

In June, two cases where children were killed in Karachi and Sargodha and another where a doctor in Quetta was attacked with acid shook the country.

According to a report from child protection NGO Sahil, 1,914 cases of child abuse were reported across the country between January and June 2026, including as many as 1,015 cases of child sexual abuse, 558 cases of abduction, 101 cases of missing children and 35 cases of child marriages.

The government has since challenged the move, but the top court returned its review petition on Thursday citing incomplete paper books.

In the meantime, netizens have been coming up with creative ways to get into the hospital.

There were some who were considering getting admitted themselves with fake illnesses.

Though the impending medical bills for their ‘treatment’ would be a consideration.

Some people are considering taking up new jobs.

Others just want to boogie their way in.

Many netizens are pretty sure they know how the telephone operators at Shifa are operating right now.

The medical staff too.

The Su­p­­­r­eme Court’s Tuesday order directed the government to shift the ex-premier to Shifa hospital for medical examination and treatment by a multidisciplinary medical board.

The court also allowed his personal physician and sister to remain associated with his medical care and directed authorities to facilitate regular family contact.

Naturally, when it was broadcast around the world, Pakistanis who were watching the day’s game against England loved it, taking to X to express their appreciation of the singer.

One fan even said the performance made them cry “happy tears”.

Another knew Pakistan needed someone with a voice like hers. The suggested Wright be made a Pakistani citizen immediately and given a national ID card.

Not everyone was pleased though — some listeners weren’t too sure about the rendition.

A couple of people, who thought Wright’s singing was great, were more worried about how the Green Shirts were going to play.

Of course, Pakistanis had to propose singers who could sing the British anthem when the English next tour Pakistan. Two names were suggested: Aima Baig and Sahir Ali Bagga.

With Pakistan scoring just 171 off their first innings and England giving quick chase to their target — they had 112 runs for two wickets at the end of the first day — we understand some netizens’ anxiety about the game.

The anthem was performed beautifully, let’s hope our boys in green play their best game and do it justice.

Brown, the American musician with a history of violent incidents — including a 2009 conviction for domestic violence against then-girlfriend Rihanna — posted a picture with BTS leader Kim Namjoon and rapper Jung Hoseok on Thursday.

In 2016, Brown was arrested for threatening a woman with a gun at his home in Los Angeles, He was released on bail. In 2018, the singer was accused of co-conspiring with guests at his home who sexually assaulted a woman, although the case was dropped after a settlement was reached.

The next year, he was detained in Paris after a woman accused him of rape. The charges were later dropped and he was released.

In 2022, he was accused of drugging and raping a woman on a yacht in Miami. The woman, identified in legal documents as Jane Doe, said she feared for her life.

Most recently, a Los Angeles jury found Brown liable to pay $12.9 million to his housekeeper’s sister after his dog attacked her.

Netizens were quick to react, with some fans saying their views on the group had changed after its members’ support for a convicted abuser came to light.

One ARMY — a term used by BTS fans to refer to themselves — said they were sexually assaulted themselves and didn’t appreciate artists they looked up to supporting people who abuse women. “I am a woman before I am an ARMY,” she said.

As they are sometimes known to do, a lot of BTS fans ran to their idols’ defence as they faced heat from the internet. Users on X pointed out how dangerous it was for fans to defend artists when their actions hurt others and how it allowed “disgusting men [to] keep thriving and getting away with crimes”.

One user even asked fans who their target audience was with public posts defending the singers, because the stars likely won’t see the tweets themselves. “But your mutuals who have gone through domestic violence or abusive relationships will,” they said.

Some fans argued that celebrities were people too, questioning why it mattered if they went to concert of an artist they liked.

Netizens were quick to dismiss that argument, saying all people had a moral responsibility not to support abuse and domestic violence, and that responsibility fell so much more greatly on celebrities with massive fan followings like BTS.

Some broke down the fallacy of men who stay silent in the face of misogyny but still consider themselves not sexist by virtue of the fact that they themselves did not say the misogynistic things.

Others pointed out the responsibility that comes with having a large platform.

One user even brought up the example of Zara Larsson, who has collaborated with BTS in the past. In a clip shared by the user, Larsson is asked which artist she would never listen to and she replies saying she has many abusers blocked on Spotify before going on to name Brown as an example.

The controversy comes on the heels of a collaboration between the K-pop group and Google’s artificial intelligence (AI) agent Gemini, which also attracted the ire of fans over its disregard for the environmental impacts of AI.

The joint advertisement made with the aim of showcasing “the new possibilities that technology and art can create”, played on the Las Vegas Sphere last week.

Sarwat Gilani posted a video of her husband and kids putting up flags and listening to Vital Signs’ ‘Dil Dil Pakistan’ — arguably the primary anthem for all Independence Day celebrations.

Her message for the holiday hoped that the countless sacrifices people had given for the sake of the country would not go in vain and the people of Pakistan would honour them by building a country where “children feel safe”, “education is a right”, “women are respected” and where “honesty, kindness, tolerance and justice are stronger than hatred and fear”.

Aiman Khan was also feeling the joy of freedom as she posted a video of herself singing along to ‘Dil Dil Pakistan’ on her Instagram account.

Shehzad Roy upped the ante musically with a video of girls from a school run by his Zindagi Trust performing a heartwarming rendition of Mehdi Hassan’s classic ‘Yeh Watan Tumhara Hai’.

Faran Tahir, celebrating Independence Day at home for the first time in 45 years, said he was doing so with “gratitude, pride and hope for all that Pakistan can become”.

Nadia Jamil posted a clip of Independence Day fireworks and said the country was really its people. She hoped those people would work to make a “safe haven” where its children thrive and its people and animals feel safe.

Adnan Siddiqui took a moment to remember the people taking part in Pakistan’s founding 79 years ago who had little apart from their “extraordinary conviction”.

“They built something that could outlast them. It’s on us now to protect it, honour it and evolve it,” he wrote.

Malala Yousafzai’s Independence Day wishes for Pakistan came with an appeal to invest in education. She said her recent interactions with the country’s youth made her excited and hopeful for the future.

Ahsan Khan said Independence Day wasn’t just about raising flags and slogans, it was an opportunity for every Pakistani to look inwards and ask what they had done for their country.

“The most beautiful expression of patriotism is that, wherever we may be, we increase Pakistan’s respect in the world with our successes and our actions,” he wrote.

Celebrations were somewhat tempered this year after the country saw a number of horrific incidents of abuse against women and children in recent months, leading to many being mindful of that in their Independence Day messages.

Merub Ali asked the all important question whether we truly were free when “women are scared to exist freely in their own country” and somehow everyone had accepted that reality as “normal”.

“Don’t get me wrong. I love Pakistan. I love being Pakistani. This is my home… I owe so much of who I am today to this country and maybe that’s exactly why it hurts so much to watch what we’ve allowed it to become,” Ali said.

“I’m incredibly proud to be Pakistani. I’m just heartbroken to be a Pakistani at a time where all of this has started feeling normal.”

Zara Noor Abbas answered that question, saying we weren’t really free and today was actually about acknowledging the sacrifices of our forefathers and the hopes and dreams of the country’s children.

Zhalay Sarhadi sang a soulful version of Nayyara Noor’s ‘Sohni Dharti’ with a note attached saying her “heart is heavy” this year. She prayed for justice, education, tolerance and the protection of the rights of women, children and animals in her country.

Iqra Aziz’s Independence Day wish came with news of death and injuries in Karachi as a result of celebratory gunfire.

Two people were killed in the metropolis and 94 were injured; the practice continues to be a regular occurrence despite a ban being in place.

As the holiday continues, let us know how you’re celebrating and what you think Pakistanis should do for their country as we mark 79 years of independence. Happy Independence Day.

Everyone from Pakistan who saw the post likely had the exact same thought swirling around in their mind: Surely, he doesn’t mean…Mahmood sahab.

So, naturally, someone ventured to confirm.

It was a relief to know we weren’t the only ones thinking of a particular Mahmood. A bunch of people thought the same thing.

One user said Hashmi could have “absolutely rocked as Mehmood saab”. They even added an artistic rendition of him in the role.

Others were less sure, feeling the Indian actor didn’t have what it takes to carry the challenging character.

Jokes aside, Hashmi was referring to Indian media reports saying he had been cast in the lead role for a biopic of Indian filmmaker Mehmood Ali — and not as Mahmood Aslam’s replacement on the extremely long-running sitcom Bulbulay.

We’re really not sure if Hashmi could pull the Bulbulay role off, knowing Aslam has been doing it for almost 17 years now. Maybe they should hire Aslam in the biopic instead…

In an Instagram story shared to her account on Friday, Muneer said every day brought “another horrifying story” and destroyed “another innocent life”. She questioned what had happened to us as a society.

She said the fact that the victim this time was an 18-month-old girl — as per reports — made this incident much more than just “disturbing news”.

“A baby who could not even understand what was happening to her was subjected to unimaginable cruelty,” the actor said.

Muneer asked how many more children had to suffer such a fate before people decided to speak up and how many more innocent lives had to be lost before someone took action.

The actor said we need justice, accountability and stronger protection for our children. “And we need a system where those who commit these horrific crimes know that they will face the full consequences of the law,” she said.

She urged everyone reading her message not to scroll past and go about their lives as they usually would. Instead, she said they should speak up, demand justice and “protect our children”.

Earlier, a number of Pakistani celebrities expressed similar sentiments over the incident. Adnan Siddiqui questioned how depraved people had become that this had become our reality. He said the fact that the victim was just 18 months old and the suspect — a relative of the girl who was arrested on Wednesday — was a teenager, made the ordeal that much more horrific.

Ayesha Omar said the country and society were in “the lowest of lows” and called for people to come together and figure out how to move forward in the aftermath of the tragedy.

According to the FIR registered on the complaint of the girl’s father, the child was taken out by a relative to buy something to eat. When they returned, she was unconscious and taken to a private hospital and then to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, where she died.

The relative — a 17-year-old boy who lived with the family — was arrested on Wednesday on charges of allegedly raping and murdering the child.

Among those calling for justice and accountability was actor Sanam Baloch, who said the news was “devastating” and that “justice must be served”.

Baloch said that being a mother herself, she “can’t even imagine the trauma this family must be going through”. She said the safety of the nation’s children was paramount.

Adnan Siddiqui questioned how depraved people had become that this had become our reality. He said the fact that the victim was just 18-months-old — as per reports — and the suspect was a teenager, made the ordeal that much more horrific. He said he was feeling both “disgusted and heartbroken”.

“There are no words left. Only rage, grief and shame that we have come to this,” said Siddiqui. He prayed for “swift and uncompromising justice for the child and strength for her family”.

Ayesha Omar said the country and society were in “the lowest of lows” and called for people to come together and figure out how to move forward in the aftermath of the tragedy.

“We cannot go on like this anymore,” Omar said.

Srha Asghar said we ought to have some shame as another day brought with it another miserable story. Zhalay Sarhadi, meanwhile, could only plead for God’s mercy in these times.

A number of cases of violence and abuse against children have been reported recently, including two gruesome murders that elicited similar reactions in June.

At the time, Siddiqui said that even animals have an instinct to protect their young and questioned how humans had failed so badly in protecting their own.

Omar said, “The environment all over Pakistan is barbaric,” and that she was “shaken, so, so, so angry and feeling hopeless about this country”.

Both demanded accountability for those responsible for harming children.

Sana posted a picture of the two laughing together on her Instagram account on Sunday with a caption celebrating her team’s win — she plays for Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred, which is partly owned by Bellingham.

Users on X were quick to say the footballer was lucky to be in the presence of Pakistan’s queen (of cricket).

Bellingham himself seemed to have enjoyed the chat, commenting a heart under Sana’s post.

Pakistanis were surprised to see the unusual crossover with two beloved stars from two completely different sports.

Someone brought out the “before GTA 6” gag while they still could — the meme will (hopefully) be put to rest when the game releases in November.

One user knew exactly what they wanted to see — and it wasn’t the footballer.

Bellingham also met — and played a couple of shots with — Pakistani spinner Usman Tariq, leading one user to get a bit jealous over how everyone was living her dream moment with the star.

It was a big day of Pakistani cricket at Edgbaston on Saturday and Sana’s squad even managed to score their first win of the season against their Welsh opponents — Tariq, who plays in Birmingham Phoenix’s men’s squad was not as lucky.

Who knows, maybe they can convince England’s football sweetheart to visit Pakistan sometime and we can all have our fan moments.

From Zara Noor Abbas to Talha Chahour and Mawra Hocane, emotions were high on Instagram.

Adnan Siddiqui shared a picture of Spain hoisting the trophy and said, “No offence to Messi and Argentina fans, but today felt like comparing Wi-Fi to [Dial-up]. And if Argentina had won, Egypt and I would have unfollowed football…. Just for a week.😉”

Zara Noor Abbas was the most excited person out there, sharing a video of herself with an on-screen Lamine Yamal.

We can infer from all her posts that she’s a fan of the young star.

Ushna Shah addressed the elephant in the room — the many, many allegations of rigging and unfair decisions plaguing the World Cup and the Argentinian team.

So did Talha Chahour, who shared a picture of Lionel Messi, calling him “FIFA’s favourite child”.

For Maanu, supporting Spain and supporting Palestine went hand-in-hand. Spain’s government has been a vocal supporter of Palestine, recognising its statehood and pushing to suspend EU ties with Israel.

Maanu wasn’t the only one highlighting Spanish — and young star Lamine Yamal’s — support of Palestine. Chahour also shared a picture of Yamal hoisting the Palestinian flag in Barcelona in May while celebrating FC Barcelona’s 29th La Liga title, as did Mawra Hocane.

“When you stand [on] the wrong side of history, it’s bound to get ‘Messi’,” wrote Zhalay Sarhadi.

Asim Azhar shared his thoughts on the match — that Messi deserved the win, but Argentina did not.

He later shared that he wasn’t a Spain fan (England is his team) but he had the opportunity to visit the country recently and found it to be “so warm, beautiful, inclusive”.

There were many, many stars who celebrated Spain’s win. Maria Unera, Naimal Khawar, Mariyam Nafees and Sana Javed all shared their joy online.

Aijazz Aslam congratulated Spain and spoke about how he switched sides. “I was rooting for Argentina at the start. Messi’s magic always pulls me in but somewhere in the middle of that final, I switched sides. Argentina were pushing and playing rough, and it just didn’t sit right with me,” he wrote.

“Spain kept their composure and played the better, fairer game. Well deserved, Spain. What a final.”

Even Samar Jafri, who has on many, many occasions expressed his support for Messi, had to hand it to Spain.

Other Argentina fans, like Sajal Ali, were feeling down.

There were a lot of celebrations of Messi as an individual player and talk of him handing down the GOAT torch to Yamal.

Zarrar Khan said that seeing Messi cry breaks his heart, even though he’s a Ronaldo fan. “The Argentinian football team in general is despicable in how they play football and how pathetic they are as sportsmen, but the past two World Cups have proved what an insane carry-job Messi has been doing and how magical he is,” he wrote.

“What a player, what a career. It has been a privilege to witness. There will never be anyone like Leo Messi.”

“You are the greatest ever to step onto this field. Thank you for the countless memories. No one will ever come close to the legacy you’ve left behind,” wrote Jafri in a post dedicated to Messi.

Sami Khan shared a picture of Messi and Yamal, saying, “From generation to next…From present GOAT to future GOAT.”

Syed Jibran shared a picture of himself and his son wearing Argentinian and Spanish jerseys, captioning it “the Kid vs The Goat”.

And of course, there were the inevitable jokes about Messi and Yamal’s Unicef photoshoot and baby Yamal going on to defeat Messi.

Which side were you supporting?

Congratulations poured in from the world over, including from Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Information Minister Attaullah Tarar.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif raised a cheer for Spain and for Palestine. The Palestinians, for their part, were also overjoyed at the victory; we assume Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — who was rooting for the Argentines — was not as pleased. Spain has been a vocal supporter of Palestine.

But the reactions to the match started much earlier, with people weirded out by the uniquely American game. The US hosts used the match’s halftime break to put on a show that included the Muppets, BTS and Justin Bieber. That left a lot of European fans scratching their heads.

The play itself drew some reactions, especially the anger shown by Argentine players both during and after the game — Argentina ended the match with four yellow cards and a red for Enzo Fernandez.

Spain’s near-impenetrable defensive wall that kept Argentina away from their goal throughout the match made life much easier for the Spanish keeper — who ended up winning the Golden Glove for his performance through the tournament.

And when the time came to present the victors with their prize, all eyes were on US President Donald Trump — and FIFA President Gianni Infantino — who got booed as they walked onto the pitch. Trump also managed to linger near the celebrating team long enough to make it a bit awkward.

After a World Cup mired in controversy, that’s it for this tournament, we’ll see all you seasonal football fans again in four years.

Obviously, ARMYs — as the group’s fans call themselves — couldn’t believe what they were reading; their bias not only knew about their favourite foods, he also wanted to try them straight from the source!

Of course, many followers immediately set out to do one of the first things any Pakistani does on a special occasion: cook up some biryani and karahi. To be fair, if any occasion calls specifically for it, it’s this one.

Another very Pakistani thing was how ARMYs wasted no time in using V’s statement to assert that biryani — and karahi — belonged to Pakistan alone. We’re not sure he can be considered a definitive source to settle the debate — not that we realised there even was one.

As for the singer, his motivations became clear when netizens looked at some of his other comments from the same day. From promising to visit Türkiye if offered kebabs to asking a Bangladeshi fan what’s good there — we think he was just hungry.

We’ve always said anyone visiting Pakistan can’t be allowed to leave without trying our delicious food. So, if there are any ARMYs reading this, here’s a list of other iconic Pakistani foods for your favourites to try.

Bon appetit!

The pieces were made from a pair of gold medallions discovered in Iran in 1947, which are estimated to be 3,000 years old. They were part of the Ziwiye hoard, a large collection of jewellery, ceramics and other artefacts, parts of which are housed in major museums across the globe.

As with anything over a century old from the region, quite a few questions arose.

Days after the pictures were first shared, people wanted to know how the pieces had made it to a private collection in London. Were they taken out of Iran in a less-than-proper way? Did the people whose culture they represented agree with how they were being used?

And perhaps most importantly, wasn’t it a bit on the nose for Zendaya to be using Iranian cultural heritage to promote an American film about a Greek legend at a time when the US and Iran were on opposite ends of the battlefield?

Some users on X said Zendaya was a repeat offender when it came to insensitivity in fashion after her outfit for another event promoting the film — a white gown from Italian fashion house Schiaparelli — was flown to London via private jet right after it had been shown on the runway at Paris Fashion Week.

Unfortunately, Zendaya is not the first celebrity to appropriate jewellery that mysteriously wound up in Western hands. In January, Margot Robbie promoted her film Wuthering Heights in Los Angeles while wearing the Taj Mahal diamond around her neck.

The diamond had little to do with the film, or its 18th-century setting, but it had everything to do with Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, who had it made for his wife Nur Jahan.

That’s not even the worst case, which might be Cartier’s lending decisions surrounding the Patiala necklace, originally belonging to Maharaja Bhupinder Singh.

As per a report from India Today, the French jewellery house let Emma Chamberlain wear a part of the ornate necklace to the 2022 Met Gala, but refused a request from Diljit Dosanjh to wear it in 2026.

It’s bad enough that they didn’t let an Indian celebrity wear an Indian necklace, but it gets even worse when you realise Dosanjh’s Met Gala look was inspired by the Maharaja who owned it.

At the Nato summit in Ankara, Trump claimed the Islamic Republic of Japan was responsible for launching over 111 missiles at US vessels in recent days.

With their cover blown by Trump’s baffling remarks and their country apparently at war with a global superpower again after an attack on US boats, Japanese people — and others on X — have finally started to open up about what it’s like living in the ‘Islamic republic’.

Cultural insights into the Islamic republic were also shared, especially its animation industry which produces content — which some commentators are calling Hala-nime — to instil moral values in children.

Some users shared what they believe will be updates from the US president on the situation.

People on both sides were calling on their governments to act.

One user said Japan had no need for nukes as they had another nuclear-fuelled super-weapon.

And if any of this caught you by surprise, know that you’re not alone.

With markets tumbling and oil prices rising as war drums, the world waits to see how this conflict will play out.

Cover photo: Reuters

Danish Taimoor, who had been posting about Ronaldo’s successes throughout the tournament, posted a heartfelt farewell to his hero, saying, “I started watching football because of you. I grew up with your matches, celebrated your goals like they were my own, and felt every defeat as if it belonged to me.”

But wait, said a few sharp-eyed users on X. Ronaldo hasn’t been around nearly long enough for Taimoor, whose IMDB says he is 43 years old, to have grown up seeing him on his TV screen. The footballer is two years younger than him.

So, unless Taimoor could see into the future as a child, netizens found the line a bit misleading to say the least.

Memes followed soon after, with users making fun of apparent continuity errors in Taimoor’s message.

A couple of people also found it a bit strange that Taimoor posted a picture of himself instead of his hero to say goodbye.

One user incredulously pointed out the song on Taimoor’s post — ‘Channa Mereya’ by Arijit Singh. 

He wasn’t the only celebrity to wax rhapsodic about the footballer online, but he definitely got the most attention for his tribute.

In a tournament where the host country’s run has been marked by complaints of foreign teams, staff and referees being mistreated and allegations of political pressure to bend the rules of the game, fans around the world are celebrating the result.

In the lead-up to the match, US President Donald Trump had gotten FIFA to overturn a red card given to striker Folarin Balogun. The outcry about the “rigging” was immense and the Belgians were first to say they were playing to keep the game fair.

Fans weren’t too far behind and they brought their meme game with them.

Many people took digs at American sports fans, who only seemed to care about what they insist on calling soccer as long as they were hosting the World Cup. Some even poked fun at themselves.

The loss has also — hopefully — put an end to Americans insisting people call it soccer instead of football. The Devils led the charge on that one too.

With the Belgians having cleared the Round of 16, they now move to the quarter finals where they will face Spain on July 11.

The US exit now leaves defending champs Argentina as the last team from the Western hemisphere. They will be facing Egypt in their Round of 16 draw today (July 7). All teams that have moved on to the quarter finals have so far been from Europe, with one notable exception — Morocco.

The tuition centre was being run in a house in the suburb of Kahna. Construction work was being done on the house when the roof caved in.

Naturally, this inspired an outpouring of grief, with users on X praying for the lost souls and sending messages of strength to their grieving parents.

More than just grief, there was anger at the conditions and negligence that had made this incident possible.

Netizens called for accountability, demanding that those responsible for this incident be punished.

One user asked where children were safe in Pakistan, especially after a series of high-profile incidents of violence against children shook the nation recently.

Another asked what children so young — the youngest victim was five years old — were doing at a tuition centre in the first place. Had our system really failed so badly at educating children that we had to send such little kids to tuition centres after school?

In a statement issued at 7pm on Tuesday, the Lahore Police said rescue efforts had concluded. The statement added that two people, including the house owner, had been taken into custody as part of the initial investigation.

Lahore Deputy Inspector General Operations Faisal Kamran confirmed to Dawn that the other person under arrest was a contractor who had worked on the house.

Roof and building collapses are tragically common in Pakistan, with an incident in Muzaffargarh on Monday killing two young sisters and injuring their cousin. Earlier this month, the roof of an under-construction room collapsed in Faisalabad’s Jaranwala tehsil, claiming the lives of three members of a family.

After the team’s last match, photos of Iran’s Ramin Rezaeian looking devastated while holding the Superior Player of the Match trophy began to trend online, haunting fans, as did a video of him speaking to the media after.

Heartbreak was the dominant emotion online and who can blame them?

Many decried serious issues like lack of accessibility for teams, referees and fans, calling this the most racist World Cup ever.

There was a lot of talk about the problems Iran faced, like not being allowed to stay overnight in the US and having to travel to and from Mexico for games.

Others took issue with Iranian players being asked about things not related to football at all and wondered why the press wasn’t asking players accused of rape of their thoughts on that.

But despite it all, the Iranian team won hearts and people’s respect

Amidst all the heartbreak, there was some humour though. It is X after all.

What are your thoughts on Iran’s elimination from the tournament? Let us know in the comments.

So, in honour of FIFA fever, we’ve created a list of some of the stars the internet is keeping its eyes on during games.

Zidane Iqbal — Iraq

International heartthrob Zidane Iqbal is more than just a part of the Iraqi wonder-team that took the country into the World Cup after 44 years, he’s also the only Pakistani on the pitch.

We know you’re confused, let us explain. Iqbal was born in England to a Pakistani dad and an Iraqi mum. He is eligible to play for any of the three countries and chose to play for Iraq — we love him anyway, he’s one of us.

Erling Haaland — Norway

Six foot five and built like a Viking, Erling Haaland may only be described on the pitch as “a force to be reckoned with”.

Clips of the Norwegian giant chasing down an Iraqi player on the pitch went viral, with the fear in his opponent’s eyes clearly visible.

The Man City striker scored two goals in that game, taking his tally to four and putting him in second place for most goals scored in the tournament so far — right behind Messi.

Alireza Beiranvand — Iran

The most talked about team off the pitch also has the most talked about goalkeeper of the tournament.

Fans are convinced Alireza Beiranvand can block just about anything he puts his mind to, including the Strait of Hormuz if necessary.

He’s also part of a team that’s been doing rounds on social media looking just a little too good, but we’ll get you more on that another time.

Tim Payne — New Zealand

Okay, we’ll admit we haven’t seen any of the Kiwis’ football games, but Tim Payne has become an internet legend after getting a 10,000 per cent boost in his Instagram followers over three weeks.

Payne used to be the “tournament’s least followed player” with 5,000 followers. He now has 5,000,000.

Still, he told FIFA he hadn’t changed from the viral fame and that he was still a “hard-working Kiwi trying to represent our country on the world stage”.

What players are you watching this season? Leave your answers in the comments.