If you’re confused — and we were too — let us explain.

On Wednesday, user @croww_things posted what appeared to be an essay, or an article, or some kind of manifesto onto the site — the reason we can’t tell what it was is that it was written entirely in Crow.

What we can tell is that the statement was fairly contentious, because it attracted a community note in what appeared to be Parrot.

Some people, however, felt this was a disguise and that someone else was actually trying to discredit the crow.

Sparrow, for their part, didn’t immediately deny the rumour and actually thanked whoever put up the community note.

Or maybe they did deny it; we honestly can’t tell.

A raven had some shade to cast on the crow.

Wolf just wanted some peace and quiet to rest.

Thankfully, this being peak spooky season, one user was able to come up with a solution to the problem.

This dog also had something to say — we don’t speak Dog either; can someone please help translate?

Basically, we need someone to tell us what’s going on.

The attacker, identified as Ghulam Mustafa, was tracked down and arrested with the help of data from dozens of Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA) cameras.

Surveillance footage captured the suspect pulling his motorcycle directly in front of the young woman’s scooty on the busy road before launching a vicious physical assault in full view of passersby. Initial police reports indicate the woman sustained severe facial trauma, including a fractured nasal bone, during the attack.

While the violence itself is deeply disturbing — the attacker dragging the woman by her hair and beating her mercilessly — netizens reserved their strongest reactions for the onlookers who didn’t intervene sooner.

One user on X called out the onlookers who stood by without doing anything, saying the “men who were just standing there should be ashamed”. “[Is] their masculinity only for women?”

“A man beats a random girl for no reason for 6-7 secs, multiple men standing a foot away yet no one bothers to stop him,” commented another, highlighting how many argue that men are supposed to be “protectors”, yet no man stepped forward to protect the woman being attacked.

One person pointed out the lasting psychological toll of the attack, saying the woman is likely to lose her confidence for a long time.

“Imagine just going out on your scooty as a girl in this country and coming home with a broken nose because aik admi ko rasta nahi mil raha tha (a man couldn’t get through traffic) so he decided to beat you up,” wrote another.

According to one user, even if the attacker believed he was targeting a man, that still does not justify nor excuse the attack.

“When there’s no fear of punishment, such incidents will keep happening,” they wrote.

While the suspect now faces a criminal case, the incident is bound to leave a scar far deeper than the victim’s fractured nose. It’s no secret that it’s difficult to navigate public spaces as a woman in Pakistan, and as a woman driver it’s doubly difficult.

It wasn’t long ago that former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry openly suggested women shouldn’t drive scooters because “girls are horrible drivers”. That kind of rhetoric has consequences. It shapes how society views women on the road and, in worse cases, it has the tendency to lend legitimacy to the toxic mindset of a man who thinks he can ruthlessly beat up a woman for not giving him way.

The modified Tesla Roadster — and yes, it’s still called that even when airborne — has thrusters pushing out “ultra high-pressure air” to propel the vehicle into the air. During a demonstration, it was also seen doing a flip and landing after flying off a ramp.

It’s possible that Musk has finally found us a way to escape rush hour traffic on University Road — with advance apologies to all the motorcyclists and pedestrians who will get pelted with debris getting kicked up by the jets. Netizens were quick to find other ways the car could come in handy.

One user suggested one of the first cars should go to Indian director Rohit Shetty, to sustainably satisfy his desire to flip cars.

Another pointed out that Musk hadn’t done anything special and Bollywood had been launching cars off the ground for years.

There were some genuine concerns raised, like who would be crazy enough to insure a car for which the inventor said “success is not guaranteed” but that “it will probably work”.

Someone was concerned about what traffic might look like in the age of flying cars.

But in the face of all the naysayers, there were some who were just happy to see their favourite video game come to life.

To be honest, we’re not sold on the idea. Can you imagine a time when you don’t need to look both ways before crossing the road and instead need to look up too? If you’re looking for ways to get around — especially with skyrocketing fuel prices — go read our list of inexpensive commute options here.

Now that episodes 7 and 8 have aired on Wednesday and Thursday, the drama has everyone firmly in its thrall, with netizens unable to stop talking about it.

The performances — especially Wahaj Ali’s portrayal of Baala’s grief and Mahira Khan’s conflicted Bilqees Bano aka Billo — are being called career-defining, but there’s a lot more to the story than the actors. It’s the drama’s uncompromising look at casteism and honour that has sparked a deeper discussion online.

Baala’s wife, Zarina, played by Amar Khan has raked in overwhelming praise.

Some called her a “breakout star”.

While others empathised with her character on a deeper level.

The story has turned brutal in the last two episodes. Episode 7 ended with the railway crossing shootout, where Baala’s brother Aslam (Achi) is killed and Baala’s world falls apart. Episode 8 then shows his transformation into the hardened Baala Gujrati, a man shaped by loss and tied to the gangster Phajja, played masterfully by Sohail Ahmed.

Ali’s shift from raw grief — a brother unable to perform the last rites — to cold resolve has left viewers stunned.

This user said Baala’s character was written for Ali.

Mahira’s controversial Billo has viewers confused, as she has the ability to be both the victim and the oppressor.

What makes the show more than melodrama is how it handles caste. The divide between Shah (sovereign or master) and Miraasi (generational musicians) drives every betrayal. Billo’s in-laws use her past not for morality, but to protect their bloodline. Baala spends his whole life trying to escape the shackles of his lineage. Fans of the show can’t stop raving about these details.

Some compared the story to Emily Brontë’s classic Wuthering Heights, as it involves elements of class-based discrimination and unrequited love.

Viewers also pointed out how religious piety is used to humiliate rather than forgive — as seen when Billo, a faithful wife and obedient daughter-in-law, is kicked out of her own home by her father-in-law over a ‘mistake’ (falling for Baala) made when she was a teenager.

Some fans pointed out how revenge, blinded by hate, can turn fatal quickly and Mitti De Baway has depicted it well.

In the end, Mitti De Baway is more than just a revenge story — it holds up a mirror to society and asks hard questions about caste, honour and hypocrisy. With strong performances, directed by Syed Wajahat Hussain, and bold writing by Faiza Iftikhar, the drama has started a conversation that is clearly not dying down anytime soon.

The stills, released as part of the magazine’s December 2026 issue, confirm that the finale jumps 17 years ahead of Part Two.

Of course, we see Zendaya’s Chani back in her stillsuit in the Arrakis desert, a return to the world she once called home.

We also see Timothée Chalamet, who plays Paul Atreides, and Anya Taylor-Joy, who plays his psychic sister Alia, together — with the latter wearing a full white head and body covering.

Netizens couldn’t help but notice that Taylor-Joy’s outfit bears a striking resemblance to traditional Muslim women’s garb. Meanwhile, Chalamet’s shaved head and clothes reminded people of how some Muslim men dress after returning from Hajj.

One user on X joked, “Me and my wife after iftar waiting for her to finish namaz so we can have chai.”

This netizen is getting Pakistani director vibes.

So is this one.

Another remarked it looked like a “standard jummah photo in a Pakistani household”.

One said, “Mashallah Anya sister,” because it really does look like a form of a hijab.

The latest reaction is not the first time Taylor-Joy’s Dune wardrobe has sparked jokes online. In February 2024, her outfit for the Dune: Part Two premiere in London — a flowing white gown that covered her from head to toe — drew a very different kind of reaction.

Many Muslim fans pointed out that while the actor was being praised by the mainstream media for her unique look, the very same modest styles worn by Muslim women — hijabs, niqabs and burqas — are often met with suspicion or worse.

Some critics even argued the moment was a textbook case of appropriation: white celebrities being celebrated for wearing what women of colour and religious minorities are penalised for.

Some also pointed out that Frank Herbert’s original Dune novel was heavily influenced by Islamic history and culture, yet the films have largely removed those influences, while only keeping the visuals.

So while netizens are currently poking fun at Alia’s all-white look, the bigger conversation about the movies’ departure from the source material is far from new.

But then someone says something which makes your dil ki tarkan faster and if you think we made a mistake there, let us present our lead offender of the evening: US-based comedian Hasan Minhaj.

In an interview last week, he said he likes to order daal with extra “dharka”.

Yeah, we were confused too, we thought we’d misheard the guy, but then he doubled down: “D-H-A-R-K-A, dharka, it’s the fried onions you put on the top,” he told Food & Wine magazine.

We actually don’t have words, so we’re just going to let the comments from under the post do the talking for us.

One user wondered what it must be like to be the waiter who had to decipher what Minhaj was talking about when he asked for dharka, especially with no context.

Another was nicer about the whole thing, saying it was sweet of the California-based comedian to try and connect with his culture like this. They explained that tadka was, in fact, tempering, not just fried onions.

Others said they wanted Minhaj’s confidence, even comparing him to someone — or something — else that kept making mistakes with huge amounts of unearned confidence.

One comedian from India even challenged Minhaj’s desi credentials saying he might as well be white if he’s having ‘dharka’ with his daal.

We don’t know about onions, but this person in the comments was right when they said something definitely got fried.

This other user was asking the right question: Do the aunties know yet?

Seeing how everyone thinks he needs to fix his ways, we hope Minhaj has learnt his lesson. If he has and he’s ever in Karachi, we’d love to take him out for some daal with extra tadka.

The incident occurred at Al-Khair School in the city’s Afridi Abad neighbourhood.

Several Pakistani celebrities took to social media to express their grief and offer their condolences to the families of the victims.

Actor Dananeer Mobeen, who has roots both in Islamabad and Peshawar, shared the heartbreaking news on her Instagram story, saying, “Peshawar bleeds again.”

Actor Danish Taimoor offered his condolences to the families in a heartfelt note on Instagram.

“No words can describe the pain of losing innocent children in such a tragic incident. My heart goes out to all the families who have lost their loved ones. I can’t even imagine the pain and grief they must be going through,” he wrote.

Cricket star Shaheen Shah Afridi called the roof collapse “very tragic”. He also offered prayers for the deceased and condolences to the grieving families.

Actor Nadia Afgan called the incident “incredibly sad”.

What makes this accident even harder to bear is that it is not an isolated one. It comes barely a month after a similar tragedy occurred at a school in Karachi. In fact, these two structural collapses at educational institutions are just two of many that Pakistan has witnessed over the past year.

According to a statement from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the accused took Rs550,000 to secure employment for Aijaz’s brother and over Rs7 million for her education. Police say the money came from the family selling land and jewellery.

Hearing the story, Pakistanis online took a moment to think about what has gone wrong in our society. Some said lack of hope results in victims of crime not even imagining getting justice in this country.

Others called for action against scammers and fraudulent admission agents like the one accused of taking Aijaz’s money.

Users brought up how students like Aijaz — whose father was a shopkeeper — faced difficulties navigating the foreign admissions process, especially because they had little to no help from their universities. This, they said, pushed them into the hands of predatory agents and consultants.

One user on Instagram, quoting a story posted by actor Mani asking why young people wanted to leave Pakistan, asked why people would want to stay.

Another on X said the fact that there was nothing to stay for, coupled with the shrinking availability of routes out, created a “market in hope”.

After the case gained national attention, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has taken notice of Aijaz’s death and directed the police to apprehend the accused. Minister of State for Interior and Narcotics Control Tallal Chaudhry reached out to the FIA with similar instructions.

The news of his arrest prompted a wave of reactions across Indian and Pakistani social media, which couldn’t help but draw comparisons between the situations of the Indian actor and PTI founder Imran Khan, who has been imprisoned since August 2023.

The Bollywood star seemed to take the arrest in his stride as he took a selfie from inside the police van and posted it on Instagram with the caption: “Apparently I’m going for a drive.”

Within minutes of the news breaking, social media erupted — not over the charges, but over the headline. Many jokingly pointed out the commonality in the names of the two prominent personalities from India and Pakistan.

Even the Bollywood actor seemed to be in on the joke in his Instagram comments.

From now on, if you’re chanting “Release Imran Khan”, you’ve got to specify the country, like this user from X did.

As did this netizen from Pakistan.

This user just wants both of them out.

Others pulled in yet another Imran Khan — the Pakistani singer-songwriter and rapper, who shot to global fame with his song ‘Amplifier’ — into the meme fest.

This user is wondering if the singer — who was born in the Netherlands — should be worried.

The Indian actor’s arrest also spawned a flood of memes, many of them linked to his debut movie Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na.

For some context: in the movie, the main character, Jai Singh Rathore (played by Imran Khan the actor), has to complete three conditions to prove he is a true ‘warrior’ from his father’s side of the family and one of those conditions is that he should get arrested.

This user used a scene from the movie, showing Bollywood actors Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah (who played Jai’s parents), to draw the parallel between reel and real life.

In the movie, Jai also has a long-standing (fr)enmity with the local police officer (played by Indian actor Paresh Rawal). This X user made sure to remind people of that.

Later, Jai heroically rides on a horse after leaving prison, so, of course, this user made use of it.

In a fresh wave of protests, the Indian youth-led CJP is demanding the resignation of the chief election commissioner over allegations of manipulating voters’ lists.

The demonstrations, centred in New Delhi, have expanded to other cities like Bengaluru and Mumbai. Indian authorities have responded by detaining protesters, shutting down major railway lines and even temporarily suspending mobile internet in parts of the capital.

The protests have also drawn support from Bollywood, with actor Imran Khan among several people detained in Mumbai on Saturday, while actors Vijay Varma and Huma Qureshi have also publicly expressed solidarity with the protesters.

The Amazon founder recently claimed that artificial intelligence (AI) could generate enough productivity gains to allow people to support a family on a three-day workweek or permit a household to live comfortably on a single income.

Speaking to Fox News on Wednesday, Bezos put forward the seemingly contrary claim that AI, rather than contributing to mass unemployment, would instead create a labour shortage because people simply wouldn’t need to work as much to make ends meet.

“Some people will also decide, you know what? I can support my family by working three days a week,” he said.

“That’s what productivity in the economy means. It’s going to actually be difficult to hire people because the productivity in the economy is going to make it so that if people don’t want to work two jobs, they won’t have to,” he continued.

The tech billionaire, who at one point was also the richest man on the planet, offered up this gem at a moment when the future of thousands of workers employed by his own company appears quite fraught.

While Bezos was busy painting a pretty picture of a utopian future where people (which people, exactly?) wouldn’t have to work too much, his own company slashed about 1,000 white collar jobs this past week, according to Reuters — a continuation of the cuts that have rendered 30,000 employees jobless since last year.

Ironically, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy took home $40.1 million in 2024, a 37 per cent wage hike compared to the previous year.

Bezos hasn’t explicitly stated these cuts are related to technology-related changes. He instead attributed his company’s layoffs to ‘over-hiring’ during the pandemic rather than the technology he now champions.

Amazon is just one of many companies in tech restructuring their employee roster, with AI becoming a favoured justification for these efforts. AI has been cited in more than 180,000 corporate layoffs in the United States since May 2023, with over 112,000 occurring in 2026 by itself.

And blue collar jobs are as much at risk as white collar jobs. Certain industries have seen line workers being compensated a token amount to allow AI to record their day-to-day actions so that their workflows can be used to train specialised AI models that will eventually make their jobs redundant. It’s already happening in Pakistan and India.

Unsurprisingly, the internet’s reaction to Bezos’s three-day workweek prophecy was less than charitable.

Netizens pointed out the dramatic difference between a billionaire’s thought experiment and the lived reality of workers being automated out of their livelihoods.

Some noted that a three-day week might not exactly be a choice granted by prosperity, but rather all the work employers have left for humans to do.

Others observed that Bezos’ own warehouse and delivery staff have long fought for fair wages and humane conditions, making his uncharacteristic concern for work-life balance ring somewhat hollow.

One user on X referenced Amazon’s tightly monitored warehouse shifts, where even bathroom breaks are reportedly tracked.

Someone pointed out the foolish optimism in hoping for a three-day workweek, rightly noting that employers are more likely to use AI to pressure employees to raise output while continually suppressing wages.

Another pointed out how, if employers wished to compensate workers adequately, they would already be doing it.

This user used the example of Amazon workers’ financial struggles to caution against believing Bezos’ claims.

This one wants people to know that billionaires always want ‘just a little bit more’ from their employees before they ‘give back’.

And this meme sums up all the questions we have about Bezos’ unfortunate claims.

The irony is sharpest when you consider how Amazon treats the workers it already has.

In 2024, an 18-month Senate investigation found the company prioritised speed over worker safety and manipulated injury records to make its warehouses appear safer than they actually are.

Granted, technology has reshaped work before, but productivity alone doesn’t guarantee that everyone benefits.

Without a fairer way of sharing the gains, we could end up with an economy that produces enormous wealth while many people struggle to get by. While some may be able to take four days off a week, others — especially daily wagers — may struggle to find jobs even if they are willing to work seven days a week.

And until that changes, the three-day workweek will remain the carrot in the billionaire’s hand even as he pushes to make his workforce redundant in the name of cost-savings.

Artists from all walks of life have been trying to push back, but it’s an ongoing uphill battle. Now things have reached a point where even Pope Leo XIV is weighing in.

On Friday, in a post on X, the pontiff urged the public to recognise the threat AI poses to artists and culture.

“In this era of artificial intelligence, it is becoming urgent to distinguish human art from what machines produce,” the pope wrote.

“There is an ontological difference, even before an aesthetic one, between art and what a machine can generate through statistical calculation based on millions of images created by others. Algorithms lack the spark of humanity. For this reason, the Church wishes to renew an alliance with artists and cultural institutions to safeguard our humanity,” he added.

While the pope has spoken out against AI before, this is the first time he has called on the Church to formally ally with artists against it.

Netizens, meanwhile, seized the moment to show off their creativity — with humour, and hopefully without the aid of AI.

This user on X is ready for the “crusade on AI”.

One user tried to paraphrase the message, in case anybody has doubts.

This one’s ready to “launch” if the pope says so.

When an X user asked the pope if their usage of AI to illustrate their children’s books makes them bad, they got a definitive reply:

Jokes aside, the content of the pope’s words carries real weight. He isn’t simply dismissing AI as a gimmick; he’s raising a deeper question about what makes human expression distinct and if that difference is worth protecting.

For artists who have spent years watching their work being fed into training models, recognition from one of the world’s most influential figures may feel like a small but meaningful victory.

No, we’re not kidding.

The Indian Army’s Chinar Corps — a formation tasked with providing security in India-occupied Kashmir — announced on Wednesday that they had eliminated Mohammad Asif, a former Pakistani special forces soldier.

Lo and behold, Lt Gen Chaudhry held a press conference the next day with a very special guest: retired Havaldar Mohammad Asif of the elite Special Services Group.

Naturally, netizens applauded the military spokesperson for owning the narrative, refuting propaganda and having some fun at the same time.

Asif, who also seemed to find the situation a bit funny, said he had received calls the night before telling him he had been martyred at the hands of Indian forces.

Users on X felt there was a little bit of Bollywood movie magic in the Indian claims, with a number of them believing the entire operation was done to give filmmaker Aditya Dhar a script for a third Dhurandhar film.

One user even joked that this was all the work of artificial intelligence.

One theory was that Asif had a secret “evil twin” who had been taken out by Indian forces.

One post even captioned a picture of Lt Gen Chaudhry and his guest as a “press conference from heaven”.

Unfortunately, as ridiculous as it is for India to have falsely claimed to have killed — and subsequently recovered the body of — a former Pakistani soldier, it is not surprising in the slightest.

In 2021, Indian authorities took another ‘Pakistani asset’ into custody — a balloon resembling an aircraft from Pakistan’s national airline.

And in 2015 and 2016, Indian police arrested two ‘Pakistani agents’ for espionage — the agents in question being pigeons who had made the grave mistake of crossing the border.

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.