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Saima Noor’s fitness transformation at 58 stuns fans

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Saima Noor

KARACHI: Pakistani film and television star Saima Noor has drawn widespread praise on social media after showcasing her latest fitness transformation, with fans applauding her youthful appearance and energetic workout routine at the age of 58.

Videos circulating online show the veteran actress performing demanding gym exercises, including squats, kettlebell swings and strength-training workouts.

Her stamina and agility have impressed fans, many of whom said she continues to rival much younger actors in terms of fitness.

Additional videos of Saima Noor visiting a beauty salon also went viral, with social media users noting her noticeable weight loss. The clips sparked widespread discussion, with many describing the actress as “evergreen” and praising her commitment to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Some users even joked that her transformation looked so remarkable it appeared to have been created using artificial intelligence, while others credited her discipline and consistency for her youthful appearance.

The renewed attention has also brought back clips from Saima Noor’s earlier interviews, in which she discussed her fitness journey.

The actress said she adopted healthier habits after noticing weight gain, explaining that she follows intermittent fasting, eats balanced meals in moderation and maintains a regular exercise routine.

 She added that mental well-being and a disciplined lifestyle have played a key role in helping her stay fit and energetic.

Fahad Sheikh apologizes to senior actor over on-set joke

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Fahad Sheikh

KARACHI: Pakistani actor Fahad Sheikh has publicly apologized to veteran actor Syed Mohammad Ahmed after facing criticism over a video in which he appeared to mock the senior actor’s baldness during a television shoot.

The controversy began after Syed Mohammad Ahmed shared a video on social media in which, without naming anyone, he spoke about being ridiculed on set because of his appearance.

 The video quickly went viral, prompting fellow actors and social media users to call on the individual involved to issue a public apology.

After online users identified Fahad Sheikh through a circulating behind-the-scenes video, the actor addressed the issue in an Instagram Story.

 He said incomplete stories often create misleading narratives and insisted there had been no intention to insult the veteran actor.

Fahad said he had worked with Syed Mohammad Ahmed on previous projects and that they had always shared a friendly relationship.

He added that the atmosphere on set was like that of a family, where lighthearted banter was common, and said he did not realize the remarks had caused offense.

The actor said he had already apologized to Syed Mohammad Ahmed privately and had no hesitation in apologizing publicly, describing the veteran performer as his senior and someone he deeply respects.

Actress Zainab Raza criticizes Fahad Sheikh over conduct

Actress Zainab Raza has criticized actor Fahad Sheikh, sharing her own experience of working with him after veteran actor Syed Mohammad Ahmed alleged he was mocked on a television drama set.

In a social media comment that has circulated online, Raza said she worked with Fahad Sheikh on a drama project and claimed his behavior often made fellow actors uncomfortable.

She alleged that he frequently made remarks or engaged in conduct under the guise of humor that left others uneasy.

Commenting on the recent controversy involving Syed Mohammad Ahmed, Raza described the alleged treatment of the veteran actor as “regrettable” and “shameful.”

She said she could not imagine anyone behaving in such a manner toward someone of her parents’ age, particularly a respected artist known for his humility and professionalism.

The controversy began after Syed Mohammad Ahmed revealed during a podcast that a younger lead actor had mocked his appearance, baldness and acting during a shoot. Although he did not identify the actor by name, a video later circulated on social media, prompting speculation that Fahad Sheikh was involved.

Several actors, including Syed Jibran, Faisal Quraishi, Shamoon Abbasi and Umair Rana, publicly expressed support for Syed Mohammad Ahmed and called on the junior actor to apologize. Fahad Sheikh later issued a public apology on social media, saying he had not intended to offend the veteran actor and had also apologized to him privately.

Actress Arooba Mirza accuses MPA Saqib Chadhar of sending messages

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Actress Arooba Mirza

KARACHI: Actress Arooba Mirza has accused Punjab Assembly member Saqib Chadhar of sending her unsolicited messages on social media, becoming the latest actress to level allegations against the lawmaker.

Mirza shared screenshots on her Instagram Story that she said showed direct messages sent from an account associated with Chadhar.

The screenshots allegedly include repeated attempts to contact the actress and requests to continue their conversation on Snapchat.

Alongside the screenshots, Mirza wrote, “After Momina Iqbal and Tooba Anwar, now me too,” referring to similar allegations previously made by actresses Momina Iqbal and Tooba Anwar.

The latest claims come after a case was registered against Chadhar under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) following a complaint by Momina Iqbal.

The case is being investigated by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA). Iqbal has alleged she was subjected to prolonged online harassment, cyberbullying, psychological pressure and death threats by an influential political figure.

Separately, actress Tooba Anwar recently alleged that Chadhar had offered her an iPhone as a gift. Chadhar has denied previous allegations and has also initiated legal proceedings related to the controversy.

Iran claims strike destroyed US F-35 Jets in Jordan

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Iran claims

TEHRAN: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed that its latest missile strikes destroyed three U.S. F-35 fighter jets at Al Azraq Air Base in Jordan and damaged additional military assets at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait.

According to Iran’s Fars News Agency, the IRGC said its Aerospace Force targeted maintenance hangars and aircraft facilities at Al Azraq Air Base with ballistic missiles, claiming three F-35 stealth fighters were destroyed and three more sustained significant damage.

The claims have not been independently verified, and there has been no immediate confirmation from US or Jordanian officials.

In a separate statement, the IRGC said it also struck Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait as part of its ongoing Operation Nasr 2, claiming the attack set fire to two drone hangars, an aircraft fuel tank, and destroyed U.S. military helicopters. The reported damage has not been independently confirmed.

Meanwhile, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) condemned the reported Iranian attacks on Jordan and Kuwait, describing them as violations of the two countries’ sovereignty and international law.

GCC Secretary-General Jassim Mohammed Al Budaiwi said the attacks represented a dangerous escalation that threatened regional security and stability. He reaffirmed the bloc’s solidarity with Jordan and Kuwait and pledged support for measures to safeguard their security and sovereignty.

US military leaders divided over strategy for potential conflict with Iran

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US military

WASHINGTON: Senior US military leaders are reportedly divided over the strategy the United States should adopt in a potential military conflict with Iran, according to a US media report.

The report said Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, supports launching a large-scale air campaign against Iran that could last for up to two weeks.

However, Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth are reportedly urging a more restrained approach, arguing that U.S. air defense stockpiles should be preserved rather than committed to an expanded military campaign.

The differing views leave President Donald Trump facing a key decision over whether to escalate military action against Iran or adopt a more limited response.

The reported debate follows Trump’s warning that the United States would respond forcefully to what he described as an Iranian missile attack on a US military base in Jordan.

In media interviews, Trump said U.S. forces intercepted the incoming missiles within minutes and vowed that Iran would face a “very strong” response.

Sindh announces MDCAT 2026 entrance test schedule

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Sindh announces

KARACHI: The Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) 2026 for candidates in Sindh will be held on Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026, under the supervision of Sukkur IBA Testing Services (SIBA).

According to SIBA, examination centers have been established in Karachi, Hyderabad, Jamshoro, Larkana, Sukkur, Mirpur Khas, Shaheed Benazirabad, and Islamabad to facilitate candidates from across the province.

In Karachi, the test will be conducted at NED University, while candidates in Hyderabad will appear at Public School Latifabad. Other designated venues include Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences in Jamshoro, Mir Sher Muhammad Talpur Public School in Mirpur Khas, Police Training School Ground on Wagon Road in Larkana, Quaid-e-Awam University in Shaheed Benazirabad, and Sukkur IBA Public School on Old Airport Road in Sukkur. Sindh-based candidates who selected Islamabad as their examination city will take the test at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA).

SIBA said the three-hour examination will begin as scheduled, and candidates are advised to arrive at their respective centers on time. No candidate will be allowed to leave the examination hall before the test concludes.

Naqvi says new administrative units key to fixing governance

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Naqvi says

ISLAMABAD: Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi called for the creation of new administrative units, saying Pakistan’s current governance system has failed and requires structural reforms to address the country’s longstanding political and economic challenges.

Speaking at Pakistan’s first Economic Summit in Islamabad, Naqvi said the existing system “has collapsed” and would continue to produce the same problems unless fundamental reforms are introduced.

He argued that the country should move toward new administrative units or provinces, adding that the issue should ultimately be decided by the public.

The interior minister said Pakistan’s growing debt burden, governance challenges and demands for merit-based employment from young people require a comprehensive “reset” of the system. He warned that without structural reforms, the country would continue facing the same issues even a decade from now.

Naqvi said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was working long hours to address national issues but described the government’s efforts as largely “firefighting” in the absence of broader institutional reforms. He stressed that all political parties must work together to improve the country’s governance framework.

Speaking informally with reporters later, Naqvi said the efforts of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir would not produce lasting results unless politicians also fixed the country’s governance system.

He added that the field marshal had repeatedly stated he would not allow democracy to be derailed. Naqvi urged the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to work together on reforms, said the current government would complete its constitutional term, and maintained that legal matters involving PTI founder Imran Khan would be decided by the courts.

Bilawal warns federal government against ‘rigging’ AJK elections

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Bilawal warns

MUZAFFARABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari warned the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) that any attempt to manipulate the upcoming Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections would trigger political consequences for the federal government.

Addressing a public rally in Muzaffarabad, Bilawal urged the government to ensure free, fair and transparent elections, saying the PPP would safeguard its electoral mandate.

 He warned that if the party’s mandate was “stolen,” it would challenge the federal government politically.

Bilawal said the people of Kashmir should decide their future through the ballot box, adding that election results must reflect the public’s vote.

He also called for greater representation of Kashmiris in institutions responsible for decisions affecting the region and proposed the formation of a truth commission to address longstanding issues facing Kashmir.

The PPP chairman accused the ruling party of treating the AJK elections as a matter of political survival and claimed that a defeat in the region was being viewed as a threat to its position at the federal level. He said the government would face no political difficulty if the elections were conducted transparently but warned against alleged electoral interference.

Bilawal also criticized the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for what he described as a politics of boycott, urging the party to actively participate in elections and parliamentary politics instead.

 He invited what he called “serious politicians” within PTI to work with the PPP in defending democratic processes and opposing electoral manipulation.

PM orders technical audit of power distribution companies’ billing systems

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PM orders

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed authorities to conduct a technical audit of the billing systems used by Pakistan’s electricity distribution companies (DISCOs) as part of broader efforts to reform the country’s power sector.

During a briefing on the performance of distribution companies, officials informed the prime minister that technical and commercial losses across DISCOs have been declining gradually.

 They said the Islamabad, Lahore and Gujranwala electricity distribution companies recorded the lowest losses during the last fiscal year.

The prime minister instructed officials to establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to evaluate the performance of all distribution companies and said the best-performing DISCO would be recognized with an official award.

Sharif said power sector reforms remain one of the government’s top priorities and stressed that the installation of smart electricity meters nationwide is essential to improving efficiency and transparency.

He also called for stricter measures at every level to eliminate electricity theft completely and directed authorities to prepare village-level solar energy projects to expand access to renewable energy and reduce pressure on the national grid.

Pakistan repays $2.2b in external debt, including $1.4b Chinese loan

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Pakistan repays

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan repaid $2.2 billion in external debt in July, including a $1.4 billion commercial loan from China, as part of efforts to reduce debt-servicing pressure and strengthen the country’s external financial position, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Governor Jameel Ahmad said.

Speaking to reporters after attending a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Finance, Ahmad said Pakistan’s external debt repayment obligations for the current fiscal year have declined from $26.5 billion to $21.5 billion, while about $3.5 billion will be paid in interest.

The SBP governor said the government expects the $1.4 billion Chinese commercial loan to be refinanced by Chinese banks within the next few weeks, although the rollover has not yet been completed.

He added that Pakistan will also require the rollover of about $12 billion in deposits and loans from Saudi Arabia and China during the fiscal year.

Ahmad said the central bank purchased $28 billion from the foreign exchange market over the past three years to build Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves. Of the $2.2 billion repaid in July, $1.4 billion was used to settle the Chinese commercial loan, while the remaining $800 million was allocated to servicing other external liabilities.

The governor said the government’s strategy of managing external repayments while increasing foreign exchange reserves is aimed at easing financing pressures and maintaining macroeconomic stability.