Singer-songwriter Bilal Maqsood released the second volume of nursery rhymes from his children’s puppet show Pakkay Dost on YouTube on Tuesday.

After launching the first volume in 2023, Maqsood’s vibrant visuals and engaging storytelling won widespread acclaim, sparking a renewed love for Urdu and enriching the lives of countless young viewers.

Actor Sajal Ali praised Maqsood’s work on social media, writing, “Bilal Maqsood, you are doing a great job!” She commended the show for reigniting interest in the Urdu language among youth. “Urdu is a beautiful language and it’s high time we stop running away from it,” she said. Ali emphasized the importance of embracing our mother tongue: “It was always cool! Let’s own it, celebrate it, and make it even cooler!”

On Wednesday, Maqsood took to Instagram to promote the new episodes, sharing, “I make Pakkay Dost for kids. I have always longed to create quality content for children and finally got the chance after Strings ended. I believe the entertainment industry has neglected children for the past two decades.”

As a father, Maqsood observed, “Our kids are growing up on foreign content, which we can’t always control. While we can’t restrict their screen time completely, we can introduce them to shows that teach good values, ensure safety, and help them stay connected to their culture and language.”

Explaining his choice of language, Maqsood said, “I created Pakkay Dost to make Urdu cool. Kids and parents often avoid Urdu—I wanted to change that. I urge all parents and teachers to ensure children around them watch Pakkay Dost.”

The show continues to captivate young audiences through colorful visuals and playful storytelling, nurturing both a love for Urdu and important life lessons. Parents and educators have praised Pakkay Dost for offering content that entertains while instilling cultural and linguistic pride.

In January, Maqsood announced a partnership with ConnectHear to make Pakkay Dost accessible to hearing-impaired children by incorporating sign language interpretation.

“We are very excited to partner with ConnectHear,” said Maqsood. “Our mission is to bring joy, learning, and cultural enrichment to children and create a brighter childhood for everyone. This collaboration helps make Pakkay Dost truly inclusive.”

ConnectHear CTO and Co-Founder Arhum Ishtiaq echoed this sentiment: “At ConnectHear, we believe in building a world where no one is left behind. This alliance with Pakkay Dost bridges the gap in children’s education and entertainment for the Deaf community. We’re not just adding sign language—we’re adding joy, imagination, and inclusion to every deaf child’s life.”

Also Read: Sajal Aly & Ameer Gilani Reunite On-Screen Again

Hamza Ali Abbasi is a renowned Pakistani actor known for his powerful performances in hit dramas like Pyare Afzal, Mann Mayal, and Alif. A part from his acting, Hamza gained immense attention for his sudden shift towards religious awakening, following his marriage to actress Naimal Khawar. He announced stepping away from mainstream media to focus on spreading Islamic teachings. However, he often finds himself in the spotlight for his controversial takes on Islamic ideology.

Recently, a podcast clip of Hamza Ali Abbasi has gone viral in which he discusses the concept of hijab in Islam. In the clip, Hamza says, “Is covering the head compulsory? No, it’s not compulsory. Only once in Surah Ahzab I read that it was instructed to the Prophet’s family and wives to cover their head, and all the other Muslim women are exempted from it.”

Hamza Ali Abbasi’s controversial statement has sparked heated debates online, with many strongly condemning his extremely false interpretation. A social media user wrote, “He is an unfortunate man! He has his own false interpretations of Islam. Sad to see such mature people becoming victims of liberal ideas. One fan said, “Oh Brother, don’t instruct your wife to take Hijab but don’t make other Muslim women rebellious by such wrong interpretations”. Many quoted Quranic verse which says, “Surah Al-Ahzab (33:59): O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their Hijab (outer garments) over themselves. That is more likely that they will be recognized and not abused” . A fan gave a reality check to Hamza Ali Abbasi, saying, “There is no significance to his words in matters of religion. He belongs to the field of TV and films, so he should stick to that. He is not someone who belongs to the domain of religion”

A resurfaced interview clip shows actor Sami Khan recalling the day Alizeh Shah and Minsa Malik got into an altercation on the set of their drama Muhabbat Ki Akhri Kahani.

In the video shared by 365 Entertainment, Khan says he was on an important phone call in the makeup room when a visibly nervous actress entered and said, “I did what I understood. I don’t know.”

Khan responded, “What happened? Is everything okay?” Before he could understand the situation, another actress entered the room. According to Khan, “They exchanged a few words—words I won’t repeat—and then she threw a shoe at the first actress.”

Khan walked out of the room while still on the call and immediately asked the staff what had happened. He says the staff told him one actress had slapped the other first, escalating the confrontation.

Describing the incident as a misunderstanding, Khan explained, “Nothing like that had happened during the shoot, and even if someone had a complaint, slapping isn’t the right way to handle it.”

He praised the actress who got slapped, saying, “I appreciate her for continuing the shoot. She could’ve walked off set, but she didn’t.”

In recent days, Alizeh Shah has publicly shared her version of events through Instagram stories and videos. She accused industry insiders of running a smear campaign to damage her reputation and claimed that people mistreated her on set and then blamed her after the incident.

Addressing the altercation with Minsa Malik, Alizeh alleged, “Minsa slapped me first, and I threw a shoe in response.” She said Sami Khan witnessed the entire incident.

She also accused the production team of pressuring her not to file an FIR, adding, “The next morning, they created a scandal, falsely accusing me of tearing Minsa’s clothes and starting the fight.”

This resurfaced interview adds new context to the controversy, reigniting debate over professionalism and accountability in the entertainment industry.

Also Read: “Being Famous and Being an Actor Are Not the Same,” Says Sami Khan