The week in rewind – here’s everything you missed (or couldn’t stop talking about)
1. To All the Young Girls Who Are Brown, Muslim & All Set To Rule The World…
To all the young adults we know who are brown, Muslim and have the world’s attention, either because of your talent, or social media standing (one could be because of the other too), I have something to say. You have a stage that allows you to speak up and amplify the voices that belong to you and those that look up to you. You even have the power to shift narratives.
But when you have a world stage, with all eyes on you, remember that it is very easy to play to the crowds. A visual of a brown, Muslim girl, smoking weed, or dressed up as a ‘sex bomb’ your words, not mine, will eventually get you more traction on international media than a brown girl who talks about the children in your village and who might also face death threats for going to school – some risked their lives and some stayed behind. Some have now reached adulthood like you but might never know the inside of a tram in Europe or a walk in the park without looking back to check if they’re safe. Most will not have the world stage that you have, with a social media handle that can send a messageto millions of followers just through one click of the button and one heartfelt post to show you belong – to us!
With immense good fortune and talent, comes immense responsibility. And if yours is the burden of good fortune, responsibility lies just ahead. What we do with that good fortune, how we shape the future, not just ours, but the people around us, is what counts. Every other international magazine today speaks about Malala Yousafzai’s upcoming memoirs as the most personal glimpse ever into her life – about smoking cannabis and dressing up in a pink sleeveless dress that shows her off as a sex bomb – your words, not mine. What they don’t talk about is the resilience of young girls such as you, and from your part of the country, the success stories, the support they get from their families, to allow them to march ahead despite all odds – the unsung heroes among us. These are also young women such as you who defied the trope of the young South Asian brown, Muslim girl whose spirit is suppressed into coercion and her future marked for a life dismissed as a ’has been’ in her own country – what most international media would like us to believe – why, because the story sells?
Read full piece here!
2. Pamaal: It’s 2025, How Can Malika Not Catch The Red Flags In Raza?
While watching Pamaal one wonders if the story is too dated? As in men might still behave like that, 9and we’ve met them), self-absorbed men with a past childhood trauma. But we’ve learnt to read them, right? Are women still not able to spot the red flags? And here we connect that the story is not just about Raza but Malika too. A young girl who has lived her life dreaming of a prince charming, writing about this man, and also visualizing a man she believes is similar to a father she never really met – her impressions of him, possibly coloured by the bits and pieces her mother chose to share, and that also, from the memory of a wife whom, we are told, had to prove her love for her departed husband. Hence, the mystery might lie in the untold story of Malika’s father, who might be totally opposite to what she believes, or, totally similar to what Raza is – and Fate – Pamaal is threading the story with Fate as a major player – Fate brings her to Raza, the man she thinks he is, the man of her dreams, but possibly, her dreams are about to be shattered. Read more here!
3. “They told me my family was dead” – The Ordeal & The Impossible Hope Of Shadi Abu Sido!
In March 2024, Shadi Abu Sido, a Palestinian photojournalist working in Gaza, was arrested during an Israeli military raid on Al-Shifa Hospital. Accused of being an “unlawful combatant,” he was detained without formal charges, a practice allowed under Israel’s administrative detention policy. From that moment, Shadi’s life became a daily struggle for survival – physically, mentally, and emotionally – as he entered a nearly two-year-long ordeal inside Israeli prisons.
The ordeal finally ended in October 2025 when Shadi was released under a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Palestinian factions. The moment he returned to Gaza was nothing short of miraculous. Contrary to the false reports he had been fed during his imprisonment, his family – his wife, children, and parents – were alive. The moment he stepped into his home, all the years of fear, starvation, and psychological torment collided with the sight of life, love, and hope waiting for him.
Check out his full story here!
4. “Ask Mahira”: Mahira Khan Talks About Neelofar With Fans In A Candid Q&A On X
When you hear the name Mahira Khan, what pops into your head first – Humsafar’s Khirad, Sadqay Tumhare’s Shano, the powerful Bol, or maybe the much-anticipated Neelofar? Whatever your answer, one thing’s for sure – Mahira always brings the magic, on-screen and off. And this time, she brought it straight to X, one tweet at a time.
The actor simply tweeted “Ask Mahira,” inviting fans to send in their questions – and as expected, the replies came pouring in. Fans were smart enough to get the scoop about Neelofar, from what was different in this role to when she’ll be back on TV again, with Mahira taking time to respond and giving fans a glimpse into her life beyond the screen.
Warm, witty, and refreshingly candid, Mahira’s answers turned the casual Q&A into a delightful conversation between her and her fans.
Let’s see what the fans asked – and how Mahira responded. Tap here!
5. HBO Max vs Netflix: Here’s What We’re Tuning Into This Weekend!
HBO Max has officially launched in Pakistan, and while that’s big news for streaming lovers, the first reaction is a collective “Wait—what’s new here?” Are they giving us old classics wrapped in a new logo, or do we finally get something fresh enough to pull us away from Netflix’s endless scroll?
Because let’s be honest — despite having Netflix for what feels like forever, I still end up doing the same thing: scrolling for 40 minutes, adding things to “My List,” and watching exactly none of them. Every few months, something drops that finally hooks me (Baby Reindeer, Bridgerton), I binge it in two days, rave about it — and then, back to the same “what should I watch?” spiral.
So, when HBO Max announced its arrival in Pakistan, my first thought was: maybe this will save me from Netflix fatigue. Read more!
6. Shehzad Roy Just Turned Social Media Into a Classroom — and We’re Here for It
In a world where social media often fuels vanity and viral trends, Shehzad Roy is using it for something refreshingly different — purpose. Through his engaging and heartwarming reels with the girls from Zindagi Trust’s adopted SMB Fatima Jinnah School, Roy is doing what few celebrities manage to: spark real conversations. Each video playfully dismantles deep-rooted stereotypes, challenges the rigid mindsets of Pakistani society, and celebrates the confidence of young girls who are redefining what empowerment looks like. It’s social media at its best — not just for likes or laughs, but for lasting change.
Roy’s approach is refreshing because it’s not angry or divisive — it’s clever, creative, and disarmingly simple. He uses humour as his language and empathy as his tool, proving that you don’t always need a protest or a panel discussion to start a movement. Sometimes, all it takes is a 30-second reel, a little honesty, and a willingness to talk about what everyone else avoids. Check out his reels here!
7. 10th HUM Awards — And The Winners Are…
• Best Drama Serial: Zard Patton Ka Bunn
• Best Actor Female (Popular): Sajal Aly for Zard Patton Ka Bunn
• Best Actor Female (Jury): Sajal Ali for Zard Patton Ka Bunn
• Best Actor Male (Popular): Bilal Abbas Khan for Ishq Murshid
• Best Actor Male (Jury): Adnan Siddiqui for Khushbu Mein Basay Khat
• Best On-Screen Couple: Bilal Abbas Khan and Durefishan Saleem for Ishq Murshid
• Best Original Soundtrack (OST): Ishq Murshid
• Best Actor in a Negative Role: Faysal Quraishi for Zulm
• Most Impactful Character: Syed Tanveer Hussain for Zard Patton Ka Bunn
• Global Star Award: Hania Aamir
8. Four Artists, Four Worlds – One Pakistan Idol Stage
After more than a decade, Pakistan Idol is making a comeback — and not the quiet kind. This time, it’s bigger, bolder, and judging by the panel alone, seriously star-studded. Fawad Khan, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Bilal Maqsood, and Zeb Bangash — each from a completely different corner of the music world — are joining forces to find Pakistan’s next big voice.
Because if you’re going to revive an icon, might as well do it in style.
Fawad Khan: The Rockstar We Almost Forgot About
Let’s be honest — most people remember Fawad as the suave leading man from Humsafar, but before all that, he was a rockstar. Literally. Back in the early 2000s, Fawad was the frontman of Entity Paradigm (EP), one of the first Pakistani bands to mix rock with angst and actually pull it off.
Their album Irtiqa had that early-2000s grit — the kind that made you want to wear black wristbands and write cryptic blog posts. And Fawad? He was the poetic rebel with a microphone. Then TV happened, and he became the Fawad Khan — all charm, restraint, and perfect hair.
Bilal Maqsood: The Pop Genius Who Made It All Look Effortless
Bilal Maqsood doesn’t try to be cool — he just is. Half of the legendary duo Strings, his music was the soundtrack to a generation: Duur, Anjaane, Sar Kiye Yeh Pahar, and one of my favorites, Sajni.
While most of us were still figuring out life, Bilal was producing songs that felt like poetry set to melody — polished, heartfelt, timeless. And when Strings ended, he didn’t fade out; he reinvented himself. From solo singles to Urdu nursery rhymes (yes, really), he’s still experimenting and staying relevant.
Zeb Bangash: Soul, Serenity, and the Voice That Travels
There’s something about Zeb Bangash’s voice — it feels like a memory, even when you’re hearing it for the first time. One half of Zeb and Haniya, she turned indie-folk into something deeply personal, then crossed over into Coke Studio and Bollywood without ever losing her softness.
Her sound blends old-school training with effortless modern grace — because yes, she’s classically trained under Ustad Naseeruddin Saami, but she also sings in multiple languages and genres like she’s collecting postcards from everywhere she’s been.
Rahat Fateh Ali Khan: The Maestro Who Needs No Introduction
When Rahat Fateh Ali Khan walks in, everyone else automatically tunes a little lower. His voice carries decades of legacy — trained by his legendary uncle, Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Rahat started performing before most of us could spell ‘qawwali’.
From Afreen Afreen to O Re Piya, his songs have travelled far beyond borders, yet his core has always been rooted in soulful, live performance. There’s discipline, there’s mastery — and there’s that unmistakable Rahat energy when he calls something “bohat khoob.”
That’s all from us for this week – see you again with more stories next week!
