Celebrities

Talha Anjum Renews Call to Bring Pakistani Sailors Home After Months in Captivity

More than three months after the hijacking of the cargo vessel MT Honour 25, rapper Talha Anjum has once again turned public attention to the fate of the Pakistani sailors still being held hostage off the coast of Somalia, accusing the government and the media of failing the families who continue to wait for their loved ones’ return.

In an Instagram Story shared on Thursday, the rapper expressed frustration over what he described as the state’s inability to protect its citizens, whether inside Pakistan or overseas.

“The Pakistani government cannot protect its citizens, whether it’s at home or in another country,” Anjum wrote, while lamenting that the hostage crisis had gradually disappeared from the national conversation.

He also criticized the lack of sustained public attention surrounding the case, saying the affected families had been left to struggle in silence.

“The media forgot about these families and sadly, so did the people of Pakistan,” he added, urging people not to let the issue fade from memory.

Anjum was joined by music producer and longtime collaborator Umair Tahir, popularly known simply as Umair, who also used social media to call for the safe return of everyone aboard the hijacked vessel. In his post shared early Friday, Umair appealed for the rescue of all 17 crew members who were on MT Honour 25 when it was seized by pirates near the Somali coast.

The vessel was hijacked in April, triggering widespread concern across Pakistan and prompting repeated demands for authorities to intensify efforts to secure the release of the hostages. Of the crew members, 10 are Pakistani nationals whose families have spent months waiting for concrete updates.

Anjum has remained one of the most vocal public figures on the issue since the incident first unfolded. Shortly after the hijacking, he revealed that one of the Pakistani sailors was someone he knew personally, describing him as “like a brother.” At the time, the rapper said he felt ashamed by what he called the government’s lack of urgency and criticized what he described as a tendency to push such crises “under the rug.” He urged officials to act swiftly and bring the sailors home.

Earlier in June, Anjum pressed authorities to take stronger action, this time calling on Pakistan’s Foreign Office to establish a dedicated helpline staffed around the clock for the families of the hostages. He argued that relatives deserved timely and transparent information rather than occasional official statements saying the government remained in contact with Somali maritime authorities.

As concern over the hostages continues, several well-known Pakistani celebrities have also lent their voices to the campaign. Actors Mahira Khan, Sabeena Farooq, and Bushra Ansari have all publicly appealed for greater attention to the sailors’ plight, urging authorities to prioritize their safe return.

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Firdous Jamal Takes U-Turn on Shah Rukh Khan Statement

Firdous Jamal is a senior Pakistani television and film actor known for his dramas like Pyare Afzal, Khuda Aur Mohabbat, Waris, Manchalay Ka Sauda, Dehleez, Dhoop Deewar, Takmeel, Kaanch Kay Par, Anna, Nashaib, and many others. The senior actor often makes headlines for his controversial remarks about legendary actors.

Firdous Jamal recently appeared in an interview with the Click 10 Official YouTube channel, where he retracted his previous statement about Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan.

Firdous Jamal said, “I didn’t say anything against Shah Rukh Khan. I admire him; he’s a great actor and an extension of Dilip Kumar. Every actor has a school of thought. I belong to the Dilip Kumar school of thought. Actors like Shah Rukh Khan are different. Different actors take inspiration from different people, while I take inspiration from actors like Dilip Kumar, Muhammad Ali, Agha Talish, and Alauddin. An actor’s beginning and foundation involve learning from others. Man is a mimicry artist; from Adam till now, we have been copying and learning everything. It’s not a bad thing. Learning is a great skill; it’s not a negative thing. It’s the nature of man. Also, Mahira Khan is not my issue. Don’t make her my issue. Neither is she my wife nor a family member, so why are you dragging her into it? It’s good that people like her.”

Firdous Jamal had previously said that Shah Rukh Khan was not a good actor and that comparing the two did not make sense. He had criticized SRK’s pronunciation and diction and said that his physique was also not up to the mark. According to Firdous Jamal, Shah Rukh Khan is a far bigger star than he is an actor

Celebrities

Pakistani celebrities demand justice for toddler raped, murdered in Karachi

Pakistani celebrities have condemned the rape and murder of an 18-month-old child in Karachi’s Qayyumabad, calling for swift justice, stronger child protection measures and greater awareness of risks children may face from people within their homes and families.

From Frieha Altaf to Adnan Siddiqui and Sanam Baloch, several public figures shared messages of grief and outrage, urging authorities to ensure accountability while highlighting the need for increased vigilance to safeguard children.

Actor and host Frieha Altaf questioned the country’s unrelenting crime rate, saying “none of this is new news.” “I’m sick to my stomach. An 18-month-old child gets raped and murdered by a relative in Qayyumabad, Karachi. A truly heinous crime committed,” she wrote. She warned that many cases of child sexual abuse involve people known to the victim.

“Sadly, parents trust friends, neighbours, domestic staff with their young sons and daughters. The biggest percentage of child sexual abuse comes from people you know and trust! As a survivor of this abuse, and the goodwill ambassador of Sahil NGO, I urge all parents to take more care with such decisions. Also, if your child tells you of any such incident or inappropriate touching, please believe them. Children don’t lie!” she added.

Actor Adnan Siddiqui also shared his reaction on Instagram.

“How depraved have we become? An 18-month-old baby. Eighteen months. The accused is reportedly just 17. That doesn’t lessen the horror; it deepens it. Feeling disgusted and heartbroken. There are no words left. Only rage, grief and shame that we have come to this.”

He concluded by praying for “swift and uncompromising justice” for the child and strength for the grieving family.

PHOTO: adnansid1/Instagram

Screengrab: adnansid1/Instagram

Several other celebrities, including Aiman Khan, Mariyam Nafees, Ahsan Khan, Srha Asghar, Zhalay Sarhadi and Ayesha Omar, also shared messages expressing grief and demanding justice.

Celebrities

Rubina Ashraf Breaks Her Silence On The Reality Of Postpartum Depression

Rubina Ashraf is a veteran Pakistani television actress, director, and producer who has been a prominent figure in the entertainment industry since the 1980s. Her hit dramas include Pas-e-Aaina, Tapish, Kasak, Do Bol, Khuda Aur Muhabbat 3, Iqtidar, and others. She also directed the acclaimed serial Ruswai. In her personal life, Rubina is married to Tariq Mirza, and together they have two children: a son and a daughter, Nawal Tariq and Minna Tariq, who also followed in her mother’s footsteps and entered the showbiz industry as an actress.

Today, Rubina Ashraf was a guest on Good Morning Pakistan. During the show, she opened up about the reality of postpartum depression in women after pregnancy.

Talking about it, Rubina Ashraf said, “As a society and as a social setup, we need to understand that pregnancy, postpartum, and pregnancy blues are real. No one knew about these things because there was no concept of them. The story ran for years that it is the job of every woman to give birth to children and that it is something normal, no matter how difficult it was for them or how they individually dealt with it. But now, people need to understand that when a girl is pregnant, her skin, body, and everything else is changing. Despite the happiness, she can suffer from anxiety, which is very real. If she is not taken care of and looked after, she can go into a really bad state of depression. The support and compassion of a husband are important from pregnancy to postpartum because it is a difficult time for a woman. You need care because it can become impossible for you to manage multiple tasks during pregnancy.”