Latest news with #AfzalKhan
Express Tribune
25-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Hania Aamir honoured in UK Parliament for her contribution to Pakistani entertainment
Listen to article Pakistan's leading actress Hania Aamir has been honoured with a Recognition Award at the UK Parliament, in celebration of her contributions to the entertainment industry and her growing influence on global audiences. The award ceremony was hosted by British Member of Parliament Afzal Khan in the Jubilee Room of the House of Commons on Monday. Hania Aamir addressed the gathering with heartfelt thanks. 'It is an absolute honour to be here and it means a lot to me,' she said. 'I hope we continue to entertain people through our work and make Pakistan proud.' Hania Aamir also expressed solidarity with her peers, noting the strength of the Pakistani community and her hope that they 'continue to stand by and support each other, in whichever way we can.' She went on to thank women in the entertainment industry who paved the way for the next generation. 'I will do everything in my capacity to make it easier for others to come,' she added. Hania Aamir has become one of Pakistan's most prominent female stars in recent years, gaining significant popularity at home and abroad. Reports also suggest Hania is set to make her Indian film debut in Sardaar Ji 3, a Punjabi-language film starring Diljit Dosanjh and Neeru Bajwa. Earlier, Senior Pakistani actress Bushra Ansari was honoured with the prestigious Award of Recognition at a ceremony in the UK Parliament for her contributions to the entertainment industry and her social advocacy. Mahira Khan and Fahad Mustafa were also honoured by the UK Parliament for their contributions to Pakistan's entertainment industry.
Express Tribune
19-02-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Kashmir Solidarity Conference held in Italy
Tehreek-e-Kashmir (TeK) Europe successfully concluded its two-week Kashmir Solidarity Campaign with a grand Kashmir Solidarity Conference in Brescia, Italy. The event was organized to express unwavering support for the people of Illegally Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) in their ongoing struggle for the right to self-determination and to condemn the atrocities committed by Indian forces. This conference marked the largest Kashmir solidarity gathering in Europe, bringing together Pakistani and Kashmiri communities from various cities across Italy. A procession led by TeK branch presidents entered the venue, symbolizing their unity and commitment to the Kashmir cause. Babar Warriach, President of TeK Europe Italy, and Waseem Raja, Secretary General of TeK Europe Italy, warmly welcomed all attendees. The event was graced by several high-profile dignitaries, including Afzal Khan, Member of the UK Parliament; Fahim Kayani , President of Tehreek-e-Kashmir UK and All Parties Kashmir Alliance UK; Ahmed Waleed, Assistant Consul General of Milan; Waqar Khan, Community Welfare Attaché and Shamim Shawl, APHC CEC member. Afzal Khan MP, the chief guest, lauded TeK leadership for successfully uniting various political parties on a single platform in support of Kashmir. He urged people to actively engage in politics by joining political parties and contesting elections as councillors, MPs, and MEPs. He emphasized that political representation provides a crucial opportunity to effectively advocate against injustices in Kashmir and around the world. Afzal Khan MP also highlighted the significant role of Kashmiri women in the freedom struggle against Indian occupation. He called on the global feminist movement to address the plight of Kashmiri women, particularly the "half widows" a term for women whose husbands have been forcibly disappeared, leaving them in a state of uncertainty about their fate. Fahim Kayani, President of Tehreek-e-Kashmir UK and All Parties Kashmir Alliance UK, strongly criticized Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him the political face of the RSSa Hindu nationalist organization that, he stated, idealized Hitler in its literature. He asserted that the abrogation of Article 370 was part of Modi's agenda for a "Greater India." Kayani further highlighted a statement made by the Indian Consul General in New York, in which he suggested that India should adopt Israel's model of displacing Palestinians through illegal settlements to alter the region's demographic structure. Kayani warned that India is replicating this strategy in Kashmir, violating the Fourth Geneva Convention and international law. He urged the global community to take immediate action to stop India's demographic terrorism in Kashmir.
Middle East Eye
13-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Middle East Eye
British Muslim creators 'herded' into Prevent funding, says Equi think tank
A major report by a new think tank has found that British Muslims are important "cultural producers" - but that Muslim creatives are often "herded" into receiving counter-extremism related funding. Equi, which describes itself as a "think tank that was born out of the UK Muslim community", launched its report on "UK Arts and Culture and the role of British Muslims" in parliament on Wednesday. The packed event was hosted by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on British Muslims. It featured talks by the APPG's co-chair Labour MP Sarah Owen, its vice-chair Labour MP Afzal Khan and former Conservative Party chair Baroness Sayeeda Warsi. Professor Javed Khan, Equi's managing director, told parliamentarians and civil society figures at the launch that the think tank is "seeing engagement" from the Labour government, including ministers and special advisers. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters "It doesn't mean anything until serious change happens," he added. "The government needs to be faith literate in its policy development. Our report is about articulating why." The report, authored by Dr Muhammad Gulbar Khan, argues that British Muslims are "transitioning from cultural consumers to cultural producers in a global marketplace in which the global halal food and Muslim lifestyle market is at least $3.7 trillion". "The British Muslim cultural sector brings influences, connections, histories and a cultural capital that understands and intersects across large parts of our world," it argues. Singer Yusuf Islam, formerly known as Cat Stevens, wrote in the foreword that Muslim cultural activities face challenges "such as severe funding cuts and reductions in arts funding, which threaten cultural institutions". Sarah Owen MP, co-chair of the APPG on British Muslims, addresses the launch (Supplied) Significantly, the report warns that Muslim creatives are often "herded" into receiving funding from the contentious Prevent counter-extremism programme which "often toxifies, devalues and limits artistic intent". "Artists who receive Prevent funding often feel uncertain about the limits imposed on their creative expression," the report finds. It urges the government to "repurpose funding to eliminate negative perceptions", to create a working group to support Muslim creatives and to ensure that they "can exercise their artistic freedom without fear of censure". 'Driver of winning hearts and minds' Bafta-winning British-Palestinian filmmaker Farah Nabulsi addressed the event, which featured a screening of trailers for her films The Teacher and The Present, both set in the occupied West Bank. Nabulsi told the crowd that although The Teacher, released in 2023, won several international awards, she was unable to find a British distributor for it, with some saying they liked the film but feared the potential backlash if they distributed it. Sarah Owen, a Labour MP and co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims, told MEE: "It was a privilege to host an insightful event in parliament highlighting the significant contributions British Muslims make to the arts and culture sector. 'The government needs to be faith literate in its policy development' - Professor Javed Khan, Equi "Beyond arts and culture, British Muslim communities positively impact society through their contributions in healthcare, education, business, the charity sector, and much more - efforts that are often overlooked and underrepresented." Equi's Professor Javed Khan told MEE: "It was great to see such a fantastic turnout today of parliamentarians from across the houses [of parliament], stakeholders and community leaders at Equi's parliamentary launch, hosted by the APPG on British Muslims. "Our groundbreaking report emphasised a critical reality: arts and culture should not be an afterthought," he added. "They are the fundamental driver of winning hearts and minds. "We must continue to work together to ensure policymakers, industry leaders, and creatives alike recognise that supporting British Muslim artists is not about representation alone, but about unlocking a flourishing of talent, innovation and economic growth that strengthens the UK as a whole."
