Pakistan interior minister denies attending anti-China function in US

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani actor Fawad Khan will mark his Bollywood comeback with the upcoming film “Abir Gulaal” on May 9, as per a teaser of the flick released this week. 

The movie features Indian actress Vaani Kapoor in the lead role alongside Khan. Abir Gulaal has been directed by filmmaker Aarti S. Bagdi and produced by “Indian Stories” and “A Richer Lens” in association with Aarjay Pictures. 

Producers of the flick include Vivek B. Agrawal, who has been involved with stellar Indian hits such as “Queen,” “Udta Punjab,” “Sacred Games,” and Avantika Hari and Rakesh Sippy.

“The wait is over!” Kapoor wrote in an Instagram post alongside the teaser on April 1. “Bringing love back to the big screen with Abir Gulaal and Fawad Khan. See you in cinemas on 9th May!“

(please embed Vaani Kapoor Instagram post here)

The teaser of the movie features Khan sitting behind the steering wheel of a car, crooning an iconic Bollywood song with Kapoor in the passenger seat beside him while it rains outside.

“This heartwarming tale unfolds in the picturesque streets of London, weaving a love story filled with unexpected turns, tender moments, and pure magic,” the film’s synopsis states. 

“Audiences can expect a delightful blend of laughter, tender moments, and the undeniable chemistry between Fawad Khan and Vaani Kapoor.”

Khan enjoys heartthrob status in both Pakistan and India. He has played the lead in Bollywood hits “Khoobsurat” (2014) and “Kapoor & Sons” (2016). He also starred in “Ms. Marvel” (2022) and “The Legend of Maula Jatt” (2022), Pakistan’s biggest hit of all time.

Khan’s impressive run in Bollywood came to a halt due to an unofficial ban on Pakistani artists by Indian producers in 2016 as tensions between both neighboring countries escalated. Pakistan has also banned the screening of Indian movies after ties with New Delhi reached a new low in 2019 over the disputed Kashmir region.

However, in 2023, the Bombay High Court dismissed a petition seeking to officially ban Pakistani artists from working in India. 

“Arts, music, sports, culture, dance, and so on are the activities which rise above nationalities, cultures, and nations and truly bring about peace, tranquility, unity, and harmony in nation and between nations,” the court had said in its ruling.

The movie, however, has already earned the ire of India’s conservative politician Raj Thackeray.

A few hours after the teaser released, Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) party opposed the film’s release in Maharashtra. 

“We only learned about this film’s release today when the makers announced it,” MNS spokesperson Ameya Khopkar told Dainik Bhaskar, a Hindi-language newspaper, on Tuesday. 

“But we are making it clear that we will not allow this film to release in Maharashtra because it features a Pakistani actor. Under no circumstances will we permit such films to be released in the state,” he added. 

Previously, the Indian release of Khan’s Maula Jatt film was paused after a right-wing fringe group objected to it.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s state broadcaster on Wednesday warned Afghan Citizen Card holders and “illegal foreigners” of strict legal action as the deadline for them to return to their countries voluntarily expired this week.

Islamabad last month announced a deadline of Mar. 31 for Afghans in Pakistan holding ACCs, a certain immigration document, to leave the country. The move was part of Pakistan’s larger drive to expel what it says are illegal immigrants from the country. 

Pakistani authorities maintain Afghan nationals have been involved in militant attacks and organized crime, accusations Kabul denies. Islamabad’s decision to hasten the expulsion of Afghans holding ACCs has coincided with the Eid Al-Fitr celebrations, casting a shadow over the religious holiday for thousands of Afghan families. 

“Strict legal action will be initiated against the illegal foreigners and Afghan Citizen Card holders as the deadline given to them to leave the country has expired,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan said. 

It added that the process of repatriation of Afghan nationals to their country is continuing. 

“As of now, the total number of returnees stands at around 886,000,” the state broadcaster said.

ACCs were issued by Pakistani authorities and are held by 800,000 Afghans, according to the United Nations. A government official told AFP on condition of anonymity that the Mar. 31 deadline has been extended until the beginning of next week due to Eid holidays. However, no official confirmation of the extension was announced. 

More than 1.3 million Afghans who hold Proof of Registration (PoR) cards from the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, are also to be moved outside the capital Islamabad and the neighboring city of Rawalpindi. 

The UN says nearly three million Afghans live in Pakistan, many having fled there over decades of war in their country and after the return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan.

Pakistan kicked off its deportation drive in 2023 amid a surge in violence by armed groups like the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), whose leaders Islamabad claims are based in Afghanistan, a charge rejected by the Taliban administration.

The move has further soured Islamabad’s ties with Kabul. Afghanistan’s Refugees Minister Mawlavi Abdul Kabir on Tuesday requested Pakistan to halt the deportations and allow Afghans to return to their country voluntarily. 

“He emphasized the importance of humane treatment for refugees, especially in light of reports of mistreatment of Afghans by border nations, including instances where individuals holding legal visas were also deported,” Afghan state news agency Bakhtar said. 

International rights groups have also urged Islamabad to halt the deportations, warning that some returning Afghans could face threats under Taliban rule.

Pakistan insists it is carrying out the deportation campaign in a humane manner, saying it respects the dignity of all Afghan nationals.