Humayun Saeed: Pushing The Boundaries with Yalghaar

[Pakistan, Thursday 29th October 2015]: Humayun Saeed, the most bankable film artist and commercial figure of Pakistan, will be seen moving outside his comfort zone to tackle the sensitive issue of terrorism in his upcoming movie Yalghaar. The actor will be seen as the antagonist in the epic war drama, which is being directed and produced by Hassan Waqas Rana and said to be one of the biggest movies coming out in 2016.

Humayun plays a strong role – that of a militant with several aspects to the character. This is going to be the first time that he will be seen portraying such an intense character, and is confident that this will prove to be a break away from his usual roles. While Humayun was enthusiastic about stepping into unexplored territory with this movie, the preparations for this complex role turned out to be an arduous task. He met with real life captured and arrested militants, to understand their mindset and mannerisms.

Humayun is currently in Islamabad to shoot his parts of the movie. The first promo of Yalghaar was launched a couple of months ago, and created a lot of buzz for its excellent production quality and intriguing storyline. The movie is slated to release at some point early next year.

Speaking further about his role in Yalghaar, Humayun states, “It is a very different role from what I have done in the past. The audience will definitely be surprised. I feel that it is the right time for me to experiment and explore my horizons. My character in Yalghaar is very well written and has various aspects to it. I feel it is the strongest character of the movie, and I cannot wait to see how the audience reacts to it”.

7 Unique Restaurants Around The World

1. Ice Restaurant (Dubai)
The Dubai Ice restaurant stands out with its outstanding ice ambiance. Items such as benches, chairs, plates and even the ice bar is perfectly designed and sculpted from ice. The ice cold (literally) restaurant is luxurious and beautiful. To make sure the ice doesn’t melt, the restaurant has hired resources from Canada-based Ice culture Inc.

2. A380 Sky Kitchen (Taiwan)
The A380 In-Flight Kitchen in Taiwan is designed as a Jet Air Plane. When eating here, it feels like you are sitting on a flight and having a delicious meal. The interesting flight experience restaurant also has baggage compartments, blue seats and flight attendants at your service.

3. Ithaa Undersea Restaurant (Maldives)
Ithaa is located 5 meters below sea level at the Hilton Maldives Resort. It is the world’s first undersea restaurant that offers plenty of culinary options and a perfect surrounding of transparent acrylic tunnel. Initially, one might feel a little terrified with fish swimming around while eating, but I can guarantee you the restaurants beauty will captivate you and get rid of the fear in a short time!

4. Dinner in the Sky (multiple locations)
Dinner in the sky is especially unique because the table and chairs are suspended at a height of 50 meters above the ground. The hotel is designed by professionals, and carefully placed as customer safety is a top priority. Once everyone is seated (on ground) the restaurant flies up, and once in the air you can eat and enjoy your meal!

5. Yellow Tree House, New Zealand
Thanks to the Yellow Tree House restaurant, all fantasies about eating in a tree house come true. The ravishing restaurant is built around a redwood tree forest in New Zealand. The place was designed specifically as a part of the marketing campaign of area’s yellow pages, but is now available for private parties only.

6. Hajime Restaurant, Bangkok
Hajime Restaurant in Bangkok is a robot-run restaurant. The owners have invested millions of dollars in purchasing and retaining those adorable Autobots. They roam around you, entertain you and serve you the delectable Japanese delicacies.

7.The Rock – Zanzibar, Tanzania
The restaurant is situated on a rock in Tanzania. It is considered as an extremely beautiful and calm eating experience, where you get served with mouth-watering food in the middle of the sea and on top of a rock.

If you are planning your vacations to traverse the beauty of Pakistan, then don’t miss the chance of getting delighted with the savory delicacies of Sindh and KPK.

Biography of Ms. Sana Salman

“The new era brings forth a woman who wants it all; home, family and a successful career. Multi-tasking with household chores and professional deadlines has become the norm for the new woman. Women not only want to take over the world but want to look good doing it.”

– Sana Salman 

Sana Salman, a young passionate Pakistani entrepreneur, armed with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration  and a penchant for fashion, ventured into the fashion and corporate world by launching her company “Apex Events & Designers Fashion Lounge (DFL)” in 2010.

Seeing the demand for Asian designers in Doha, she set out to introduce her clothing brand which was a mix of urban, eastern chic couture and western glamour, in an effort to cater to the needs of ‘today’s modern woman’. Later Sana created the Designers Fashion Lounge (DFL) which serves as a platform for other local and international designers to stock their collections. This multi-brand concept gave birth to the idea of International Fashion Festival (IFF) which was termed as one of the biggest fashion event of Doha.

International Fashion Festival (IFF) aims to bring high-end fashion labels to the Qatari market by providing a platform for top local and international designers to showcase and exhibit their collections. On March 19 & 20, 2015, DFL & Apex Events organized IFF – Season 1 in Doha in collaboration with top designers from the Middle East and Pakistan, with the support of many local sponsors including Commercial Bank of Qatar, the Royal Plaza mall, Intergroup Shipping and Logistics, Qatari Business Women Association and Ms. Jawaher Al Kuwari, (member of executive committee of the business women forum under the umbrella of Qatar chambers & the founder and the managing director of Jo La Mode boutique as strategic partner), to promote fashion and culture in Qatar.

The event showcased top Qatari designers namely Rivaage by Fatima AlRumaihi, Noblesse Couture, Muna Saad, Me Lamode by Sheika Mariam Ali Al Obaidly, Jo LaMode Boutique by Jawaher Al Kuwari among others. Present along with them were top designers from Asia including Adnan Pardesy, Asim Jofa, Braahtii by Huma Nassr, Embellished by Sadaf Amir, Goal by Fozia Hammad, Hamna Amir, Rana Noman, Rani Emaan, Shazia’a Bridal Gallery, Umar Sayeed, Umsha by Uzma Babar. IFF also brought to its platform supermodel Fouzia Aman, Cybil Chowdhry and Rizwaan Ali along with famous film star Fawad Khan who has established his talent over the past years not only in Pakistan but also in Bollywood. IFF successfully introduced and hosted the first ever Asian and Qatari brands fashion show and exhibition in Doha and was very well received by the audience in attendance. After the success of Season 1, preparations are underway for IFF – Season 2 which is scheduled to take place in March 2016.

Sana Salman and Apex Events have set big plans for the citizens of Doha and Qatar to promote Asian culture to the market. One of them includes organizing the biggest Asian Musical Concert in Doha, Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s Live performance in 2016. Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali is one of the leading singers from Asia who has performed at the grandest platforms of the world including the Noble Peace Prize Award in Oslo,Norway 2014, London Film Festival March 2012 and has won many accolades on international platforms including the Best International Act at the British Asian Music Awards at Wembley arena October 2012. Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali will be performing live on 29th January 2016 at “Asia Town (West end Park)” in Doha to an audience of 15,000.

Apex Events also aims to provide upcoming and budding designers with consultancy services, management resources and assist them in organizing exhibitions, fashion shows, cultural shows and help brands develop their marketing strategies.
 

Fun Facts about Punjab

Punjab translates to ‘five waters’, the Bea, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej .It is the largest province of Pakistan with a population of over 101 million .Punjab has the highest literary rate in Pakistan, at 79.21% .

Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) is one of Pakistan’s leading colleges and is located in Punjab’s capital city, Lahore . Seven Languages are spoken in Punjab; Punjabi (Majhi, Saraiki, Hindko), Urdu, English, Sindhi, Arab, Balochi and Pashto .

The Badshahi Mosque and Shalimar Garden from the reign of the Mughals from 1524-1739 are located in Lahore, Punjab . Punjab is divided into thirty six districts covering 79,284 square miles .Khewra Salt Mine is the world’s second largest salt mine and it is located in Islamabad, Punjab .

Travel Apps

Modern technology has advanced rapidly over the following decade, making routine tasks easier to perform. This is possible through our smartphones, which offer their customers with a vast variety of applications to choose from. Mobile Applications are efficient, and can help you quickly solve any problem at hand.

When travelling, you have a limited amount of time and knowledge about the areas you’re visiting, making travel apps very useful. Trip Advisor is an American travel website, which was founded in 2000. The App includes travel- related content, personal reviews; tips and pictures, which can help you, plan out and organize the days of your vacation.

Google Maps is a desktop web mapping service developed by Google. It offers satellite imagery, 360° panoramic views of streets, real-time traffic conditions, and route planning for traveling by foot, car, bicycle or public transportation. If you’re lost, Google Maps will help you find your way, so don’t worry!

Saadia Asad’s Winter Collection

Designer Saadia Asad is a famous name in Pakistan’s fashion designing industry. The use of high quality fabric and beautifully tailored designs have given Saadia Asad a whip hand in the fashion industry. Designer Saadia Asad has launched her latest winter collection of kurtis for women . The 2015 and 2016 winter collection is now in stores . The kurtis are best for this winter season . The designs are fresh and latest .

Here is a sneak peek at her latest winter collection 2015 .

Affordable tablets to use when one travels

Travelling is most exciting when you are accompanied by travel gadgets that can help entertain you during long layovers, flights, and simply be a guide for sight seeing. Below is a list of some affordable hi-tech tablets that can be your perfect travel partner.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 7.0 T-230 :

Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 7.0 was launched in May 2014. Tit has a 7.0 inch display, 800 x 1280 pixels resolution, 1.5 GB RAM and is powered by Android OS. It costsPKR 15,500only.

Huawei Media Pad 7- Youth Series :

The Huwaei media tablets are well designed with a 7.0 inch display, Android 4.3, 4GB RAM and Quad Core. The Huawei tablet is sold at a very affordable price of will bring innovation at your fingertips within an amazing price range of PKR 12,500 – PKR 16,000.

Acer Iconia Series :

Acer Iconia is a series of a different range of tablets – the more expensive it is the better the feautres provided. The price band for these tablets ranges from PKR 12,500 to PKR 69,900.

LG Pad 7.0 :

LG Pad 7.0 series will reinvigorate your senses with its crystal clear resolution and high definition color display. The LG tablet has 8GB storage space, 1 GB RAM, Android 4.4 OS,5 MP camera and offers many more exciting features at a price of PKR 17,000 PKR.

QMobile QTab Q850 7.85″ :

QMobileQTab Q850 is known for its technology and great features. The tablet comes with 8 GB storage, 1GB RAM, Android 4.2, 5 MP camera and Dual Sim. Now you can cherish all those happy moments of your journey, at an amazing price of PKR16,500.

To make full use of these hi tech gadgets, download Jovago app and book hotel online anywhere anytime!

Marine Life of Pakistan

Mugger Crocodile
The Mugger Crocodile, ‘water monster’, is commonly referred to as the Indus Crocodile. It is the national reptile of Pakistan, found on the Makran Coast and the Delta Marshlands of Sindh. These crocodiles are dark grey, tan or brown in colour!

Sea Turtles

Along the shores of the Balochistan and Sindh beaches, five endangered sea turtle species are still surviving. They are the Green Sea turtles, Hawksbill turtles, Loggerhead turtles, Olive Ridley turtles and Leatherback turtles.

Yellow-Bellied Sea Snakes
The yellow belly sea snake is formally known as Pelamis Platura. The colours of the snake are variably, but are commonly yellow and brown. The venom is highly potent and can cause muscular paralysis.

Bhulan Dolphin
The Bhulan Dolphin is also known as the Indus River Dolphin. The species are close to extinction and only populate 690 km of the Indus River. The species have elongated beaks and protruding front teeth.

Rainbow Trout
Rainbow trout weighs between 1-20 pounds. The fish are either of a blue-green colour or an olive green colour or a silvery colour. The fish have a distinct red stripe from their gills to their tails.

Red Tail Butterfly Fish
The fish is 18cm long, shaded brown with light scales. Its face is black and white striped where as the tip of its tail is bright red and black.

Faisalabad-The Manchester of Pakistan

The city of Faisalabad is located in the province of Punjab. Formerly, the town was known as Lyallpur, and today it is known as Faisalabad. Faisalabad is recognized as the Manchester of Pakistan, for being the trade center of the country and is also the third most populated city in Pakistan.

According to a world back report released in 2010, Faisalabad is famous for being one of the best places to do business. It is home to several industries, universities, historical landmarks and amusement spots. Faisalabad is also renowned for its production of cotton, wheat, sugarcane and fruits. Lastly, another reason why Faisalabad is famous is because of its affiliation with renowned figures such as Arfa Karim,Rameez Raja and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.

Jovago’s Top 3 :

Clock Tower :

The Faisalabad Clock Tower known as GhantaGhar -is an ancient monument in the city. It was built in 1903 by the British, and has been well kept making it one of the most beautiful, ancient monuments in Faisalabad. The clock tower is an enormous red brick structure, placed at the center of eight local markets of the town. From the top of the tower, you can view the whole city – it is completely endearing.

Lyall Monument :

The Lyall Monument is located in the Jinnah Garden in Faisalabad. The landmark was built in memory of Sir James Lyall, who founded the city during the colonial era. It is a white cemented structure that resembles the church tower and reflects the historical traces of the city.

Gatwala Wildlife Park :

The Gatwala Wildlife Park is a huge wildlife park situated in the Gatwala town in Faisalabad. The main attractions in the park are the green fields, rides for children, flowing canals, bamboo grooves, forestry, cafeteria and two lakes. These lakes are famous for being home to crocodiles and boating adventure.

Tips :

Restaurants :

Faisalabad is best-known for its delicious and traditional Punjabi cuisine. When in Faisalabad don’t forget to have the specials such as Lamb Chops, Shami Kebabs, DahiBhale, Paya Curry, Roghni Naan and the soothing taste of Doodh Patti Tea.

Shopping :

Finding a perfect shopping bazaar in Faisalabad is very easy as the city is renowned for its textile industries. Faislabadi fashion is quite traditional, where ShalwarKameez is the common attire forfemales accompanied by Bangles and Parandas. You can also find several brand outlets located near local markets and enormous shopping malls.

Hotels :

To book a hotel in Faisalabad visit the Jovago.com site and find amazing deals at the cheapest prices. Your perfect stay one click away!

Money :

Pakistan Rupees, All International Credit Cards (Visa/MasterCard) are accepted by the ATM.

Exchange Rate :

http://www.xe.com/currency/pkr-pakistani-rupeexchange Rate

Country Code :

+92 41

Airport :

Faisalabad International Airport is located on Jhand Road; 10 km south west from the city center.

SAMBA BANK SELECTS IBM INFRASTRUCTURE TO RUN TEMENOS T-24 CORE BANKING SOLUTION

InfoTech Pvt Ltd, a leading Systems Integrator and Technology solutions company, along with IBM Pakistan, one of the largest IT Solutions providers, take immense pride in announcing an agreement signed with SAMBA Bank Limited to incorporate IBM Hardware and Software Solutions to host their Core Banking System, Temenos (T24).

SAMBA Bank Limited, a subsidiary of Samba Financial Group of Saudi Arabia decided to host their core banking solution on complete IBM middleware stack with IBM DB2 Database which shall enable Samba Bank to integrate their front end and back end systems seamlessly. The Bank also selected IBM POWER8-based servers, based on the first open server platform and the first processor designed for Big Data, IBM storage and industry’s most advanced IBM Flash Systems which will allow them to build highly efficient and flexible performance optimized system.

Speaking on the occasion, the President & CEO of Samba Bank, Mr. ShahidSattar stated that “This strategic alliance with IBM& InfoTech will enable Samba Bank to provide maximum up time to its branch network with the best of breed technology to run the core banking application along with faster time to market.”

To mark the occasion, Naseer A. Akhtar, CEO InfoTech Pvt Ltd remarked, “SAMBA Bank has taken a vital step to ensure a strengthened core banking infrastructure, allowing improvement for customers, support and profitability initiatives. InfoTech has a rich history and experience with the banking industry and we work tirelessly with them to define and implement a technology roadmap that best delivers their strategic goals.”

To mark the occasion IBM’s Country General Manager Humayun Bashir said “We are proud to be partnering with SAMBA Bank for this initiative where the Bank will notice a fair reduction in data processing time and shall be able to draw key insights faster,” He further added that “IBM is the supplier of infrastructure, resiliency and managed services to 80% of Pakistani Banks and we are proud to be partnering with Samba Bank for this key initiative.”

Pakistan’s Influential Poets

Muhammad Iqbal

Sir Muhammad Iqbal is commonly known as Allama Iqbal. He was born on the 9th of November 1877, and passed away on 21st April 1938. He was a poet, a philosopher and a politician who influenced the Pakistan Movement. King George V knighted him, giving him the title of ‘Sir’. His famous works are Asrar-e-Khudi, Rumuz-e-Bekhudi, Payam-e-Mashriq, Zabur-e-Ajam, and Javed Nama.

Faiz Ahmad Faiz

Faiz Ahmad Faiz was born on the 13th of February 1911 and passed away on the 20th of November 1984.He was an influential and revolutionary poet, who was nominated four times for the Nobel Prize for literature. He was a notable member of the Progressive Writers’ Movement (PWM), and was awarded with MBE in 1946, the Nigar Awards in 1953, the Lenin Peace Prize in 1963, Nishan-e-Imtiaz in 1990 and the Avicenna Prize in 2006. His famous works are Naqsh-e-Faryadi, Dast-e-Sabah and Zindan-nama.

Parveen Shakir

Parveen Shahkir was born on the 24th of November 1952 and passed away on the 26th of December 1994. She was a poet and a teacher, who published her first volume of poetry, Khushbu (Fragrance) in 1976. She continued to write poetry, and the following volumes have been compiled to form Mah-e-Tamam [Full Moon] with the exception of Kaf-e-Aina. Parveen Shahkir was awarded with the Pride of Performance, for her contributions to Pakistani literature.

Abu Al-Asar Hafeez Jullundhuri

Abu Al-Asar was born on the 14th of January 1900 and passed away on the 21st of December 1982. He was an Urdu poet who wrote the lyrics for the National Anthem of Pakistan. His other famous works are Shahnama-e-Islam and the Hymn of Kashmir. He received the Pride of Performance Award and Hilal-e-Imtiaz.

Zehra Nigah

Zehra Nigah is an Urdu poet and scriptwriter from Pakistan who was born on the 14th of May 1937. She has written several television serials, including Pinjar. Zehra has published only two volumes of poetry, Shaam ka Pehla Taara (The First Star of the Evening) and Waraq (Page). She was also honored with the Pride of Performance award.

Pakistani Road Snacks

Here is a sneak preview of famous Pakistani Road Snacks :-

Samosa

Samosas are a triangular fried pastry, stuffed with spiced potatoes, minced meat and vegetables. They are served with either mint sauce or, green chili chutney.

Nimco

Nimco outlets are located nationwide, and their products are sold throughout Pakistan. Offering their customers with portable savory snacks that perfectly embody classic Pakistani flavors.

Pakora
Pakoras are fried fritters, consisting of vegetables or meat coated with chickpea batter. They are enjoyed with a tamarind chutney or ketchup.

Bun Kebab
The Bun Kebab is a burger, with a seasoned patty and a bread bun. The patty can be made from potatoes, chicken or beef. It is dipped into an egg batter or served with an omelette, and flavored with ground spices, lentils and cumin.

Chaat
Chaat is a staple savory snack, and comes in many forms. A Pakistani favourite is the Bhala Papri chaat that is served with tamarind chutney and yoghurt.

Jalebi
To create the perfect Jalebi, deep-fry flour in a pretzel like shape and soak it in sugar syrup. This delicacy is the best when served warm.

Fun Facts about Sindh

The capital city of Sindh is Karachi, the commercial hub of Pakistan and one of the largest populated cities in the world.Sindh is the second largest province in Pakistan, with a population of over 40 million people.Sindh acquired is name from the Arabic word for the Indus River, Sindh. There is an ancient saying “Just as Egypt is the gift of Nile, Sindh is the gift of the Indus”

The Sindhi culture is embodied by the craftsmanship of its people, and the handicrafts they create. Ever since the Indus Valley Civilization, Sindh has maintained a reputation for producing exquisite textiles, detailed pottery, leather work, embroidered carpets etc.

The Indus Valley Civilization which dates back to 3300 BCE flourished on the basins of the Indus river.Sindh is an agrarian economy and its principal crops are wheat, rice, cotton, oilseeds, sugarcane, and fruits.Pakistan’s biggest international airport is situated in Sindh and is widely known as the Quaid-e-Azam International airport.

Sindh is known as Bab-ul-Islam (Gateway to Islam in the Indo-Pakistan subcontinent). At least 80 percent of the Sindhi’s are Muslim.Sindh’s three main barrages are the Sukkur barrage, Kotri barrage, and Guddu barrage.