The week in rewind – here’s everything you missed (or couldn’t stop talking about).
1. Saudi Arabia–Pakistan Defence Pact: What You Should Know
Saudi Arabia and nuclear-armed Pakistan have formally signed a mutual defence pact, a move that cements their decades-long security partnership and signals a deepening strategic alignment. According to a joint statement published by state media in both countries, the agreement commits Riyadh and Islamabad to treat any attack on one as an attack on both, effectively binding their security fates together. The pact aims to “strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression” while expanding cooperation across all areas of defence.
The signing took place in Riyadh, where Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif discussed ways to broaden the “strategic partnership” between the two “brotherly countries.” Both leaders also exchanged views on regional and international developments, emphasizing their shared interest in stability and peace.
Read more about the pact here!
2. Nominations Announced For 10th HUM Awards Viewers’ Choice Categories
Mark your calendars for October 11, 2025, when the glitz and glamour will take over the NRG Arena in Houston, TX. It promises a night full of unforgettable performances and dazzling outfits, all while celebrating the best of Pakistani television. With the Viewers’ Choice categories now open and voting lines live, the excitement is building. Who will take home the coveted trophies this year?
Take a look at the nominations here!
3. Suspended For A Punchline: What Jimmy Kimmel’s Exit Says About America
In his Monday monologue, Kimmel accused Donald Trump’s MAGA movement of “desperately trying to score political points” from Kirk’s murder, suggesting that conservatives were working hard to shift blame before details about the shooter had even emerged. He sharpened the criticism further, mocking Trump’s public response to the killing: “This is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he called a friend. This is how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish.”
The comments quickly spiraled. By Tuesday night, Kimmel was still doubling down, accusing Trump of “fanning the flames” of division while mocking Vice President JD Vance’s guest-host appearance on Kirk’s podcast. But ABC’s corporate partners were already under pressure. Nexstar, which owns 23 ABC affiliates, announced it would no longer air Kimmel’s show, calling his remarks “offensive and insensitive.” Within hours, ABC followed by suspending the show indefinitely.
4. The Reality Of Gender Apartheid In Afghanistan
When the world hears “Afghanistan” today it thinks of images that flash across news tickers — rubble after earthquakes, Taliban decrees, shuttered schools and assumes those images are discrete. But the truth is more insidious: the very policies that the Taliban have imposed since 2021 have turned ordinary disasters into gendered death sentences, and transformed everyday existence for Afghan women into a daily negotiation with laws that deny dignity, opportunity and, increasingly, life itself.
Disasters make these structural problems visible in the starkest terms. The earthquakes that ripped through eastern Afghanistan in late August and early September 2025 killed thousands, flattened homes and wrecked clinics. In the immediate aftermath, the calculus of rescue — who can reach whom, who can treat whom, whether a woman can be carried out of rubble by a male rescuer — was not decided by logistics alone but by the political architecture the Taliban have put in place. Aid agencies pressed for unfettered humanitarian access; donors urged exemptions for female staff. Yet even when ambulances, tents, and supplies arrived, the social code surrounding gendered labor and mobility rendered boxes of aid unusable for half the population.
Read more here!
5. Beyond Introvert and Extrovert: The Rise of the Otrovert
The term comes from psychiatrist Dr. Rami Kaminski, who coined it after spotting a curious pattern in his patients — and in himself. While introverts recharge alone and extroverts thrive in groups, otroverts play by different rules. They’re not defined by how much energy they gain or lose in social situations, but by one core thing: their lack of attachment to groups.
In other words, an otrovert can be the life of the party, have tons of friends, and even enjoy socializing — yet still feel like they don’t belong anywhere.
6. Robert Redford – A Star Who Refused To Be Just A Star
Robert Redford’s passing at 89 marks the end of an era — not just for Hollywood, but for American culture. Tributes have poured in remembering the golden boy of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Way We Were, the rugged heartthrob whose tousled hair and piercing gaze defined a generation of cinematic leading men.
But to remember Redford only as a star is to miss the deeper story. His legacy stretched well beyond stardom: as an architect of independent cinema, a tireless environmentalist, and even a style icon whose presence shaped what “American cool” looked like for half a century.
7. Aabeer Gulaal Review From Across the Border
Catching Fawad Khan in cinema with all the drama that went with it, was a prize indeed. From warm, cozy pullovers that oozed charm, to tailored jackets, a smile that could melt the north pole and dialogues that simply dripped seductive, Fawad Khan had found Aabeer in every turn of the head, intense tone, locked gaze and aura that made one sink deeper into that cinema seat and take it all in – the actor reminded us why he did what he did for a living, and for fear of adding to the refrain, why wasn’t he doing more of it?
Let’s not forget that Vaani Kapoor certainly added to the onscreen chemistry, and though one might argue that Fawad Khan has been paired better, (the man can romance with a stone and we’d still be watching), I feel the vibe was there, perhaps not with the same intensity – cheeky, flirtatious, grooving with the dance numbers and her lead man, these two could have made Aabeer Gulaal the romcom movie of 2025. Add to that the dreamy locations; from city feels to scenic countryside, the songs that added the charm to the backdrops, and the wardrobe that flaunted colorful vintage, Gen Z casual-chic and everything in between, to make this a romance to remember. Aabeer had it in him to tease a smile, a waltz, a throwback to the love stories in the 80s. Gulaal had it in her to be that determined young girl who needed to fix her relationship with her dad, grow up but still keep the mood, meet the man who’d finally allow her to live in her skin and move to the beat, all of it, from vintage Bollywood medleys to rainy coffee evenings – the scene was set in every frame to light up the story, even if a tad cliched, and give us a hit in the feels that romance starved Indian Pakistani cinema audiences were all too ready to feel.
Catch up full review here!
8. Umer Shah, Brother Of Ahmad Shah, Passed Away
The entertainment world is mourning the tragic loss of Umer Shah, the younger brother of child star Ahmad Shah, who passed away early Monday morning after a cardiovascular arrest. According to family accounts, Umer experienced severe vomiting, which led to aspiration – a condition where the vomit entered his airways. This caused serious breathing difficulties and ultimately triggered a cardiac arrest. Despite efforts, he could not be revived.
The shocking incident reportedly took place around the time of Fajr prayers, leaving his family and friends devastated. Umer was known to audiences through his charming appearances alongside his brother on television shows such as Jeeto Pakistan and Shan-e-Ramzan. His innocence and playful spirit had made him a favorite among viewers, and his untimely passing has sent ripples of grief across the entertainment community.
9. The India-Pakistan Handshake Controversy: Sportsmanship Or Statement?
India’s players, led by captain Suryakumar Yadav, chose not to take part in the customary handshake with their Pakistani counterparts. Instead, they returned to their dressing room, shutting the door as the Pakistani side waited on the field. What might have been seen as a small ritual in most other games quickly turned into a storm, drawing in politics, public sentiment, and the long-running tensions between the two nations.
Pakistan’s cricket board immediately reacted. Team manager Naveed Akram Cheema lodged a formal protest with the match referee, calling the behaviour “unsporting” and “against the spirit of the game.” PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi went further, posting on X that it was “utterly disappointing to witness the lack of sportsmanship. Dragging politics into cricket is not only unnecessary but damaging to the game we all love.” The PCB has also written to the Asian Cricket Council to take up the matter.
Read more about the incident here!
That’s all from us for this week – see you again with more stories next week!
