Weekly News Round-Up (11th – 17th December)

This week in the news, find out how Skardu airport will create opportunities for locals, how Fawad Khan is all set to conquer Hollywood, two upcoming films that have us excited for 2022 and more! Read on to find out all the news you’ve missed this week.
Skardu Airport Will Potentially Create Opportunities For Locals
PM Imran Khan inaugurated #SkarduInternationalAirport & the strategic #JaglotSkardu road to boost tourism & economic growth in GB. Skardu airport is located at an altitude of over 7,000 ft. It is nestled in Karakoram & Himalayan peaks & is among world’s highest altitude airports pic.twitter.com/DArYcwEc5M
— Faisal Javed Khan (@FaisalJavedKhan) December 16, 2021
The Skardu airport will now be welcoming international flights as well along with domestic flights after its status was elevated on 2nd December. The news has locals excited, especially after Prime Minister, Imran Khan predicted that the airport will encourage overseas and domestic tourism and help the local economy by creating jobs and new opportunities. “Tourism can become a big asset of Pakistan,” he said, adding that if Switzerland could generate $70 billion from tourism then Pakistan could also generate substantial income from tourism all year long. “We can make at least $30-$40 billion from tourism just in GB,” he said. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the National Highway Authority said the road was a gift for the locals by the democratic government. He added that the 167-kilometre road is the “main strategic road” that connects GB with the Karakoram Highway at Jaglot.
Pak vs WI ODI Postponed As Players Test Positive For Covid
Update: Pakistan-West Indies ODIs postponed, rescheduled for early June 2022. #PAKvWI
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) December 16, 2021
Details in the link below:https://t.co/uIM99o3m7H
PCB and CWI issued a joint statement earlier this week after various payers in the West Indies cricket team tested possible for Covid, raising the total number of positive cases to nine since their arrival in Karachi on December 9. The statement read, “On Thursday morning and as part of the PCB COVID-19 Protocols, Rapid Antigen tests were conducted… All 21 members of the West Indies touring party returned negative test results… However, taking into consideration both the teams’ welfare as well as limited resources in the West Indies side for the ODIs, it has been agreed that the series… will be postponed and rescheduled for early June 2022. This will provide the West Indies with an equal opportunity to field their best available players for the World Cup qualification matches… Those who have tested positive will complete their isolation in Karachi before their travel arrangements are finalised to allow them to rejoin their families in time for Christmas celebrations.”
Fawad Khan Set To Conquer Hollywood!
Pakistani actor Fawad Khan confirms his casting in #MsMarvel in a new interview with Film Companion!
— Ms. Marvel UK⚡️ (@MsMarvelUK) December 16, 2021
🎥: https://t.co/UP55KEXbl9 pic.twitter.com/LNop3Eq9qR
Fawad Khan will once again be gracing our screens in the upcoming Ms Marvel series on Disney+Hotstar. Though Fawad Khan hasn’t disclosed the dynamics of his role yet, he expressed that it was ‘good fun’ acting alongside the multi-talented cast – which includes Iman Vellani, Saagar Shaikh, Zenobia Shroff and more. Ms Marvel is set to be released in 2022 and it will tell the story of Kamala Khan, a Pakistani-American Muslim superheroine. Kamala will be Marvel’s first Muslim character with her own comic book franchise and the series will also chronicle her parents’ migration from India to Pakistan during 1947.
‘Zindagi Tamasha’ Greenlit For 18th March 2022
After a two-year struggle to air the film due to TLP protests declaring the film as being blasphemous, ‘Zindagi Tamasha’ is going to be released in Pakistan on the 18th of March 2022. This announcement comes after the Senate Committee for Human Rights dismissed all the objections raised against the film and approved it in July 2020. According to its YpuTube description, ‘Zindagi Tamasha’ is an intimate portrait of a family as well as a scorching political commentary on the little gods on this earth who police private passions. The film has already won numerous awards internationally such as at the Busan International Film Festival 2019 as the first Pakistani film to win the Kim Jiseok Award. Directed by Sarmad Khoosat, written by Nirmal Bano and starring Arif Hassan, Samiya Mumtaz, Eman Suleman and Ali Kureshi. The news of the film’s upcoming release made headlines and has cinephiles eager for its national premiere and release.
‘Ishrat Made In China’, Pakistan’s Next Big Comedic Hit?
‘Ishrat Made in China’ is Mohib Mirza’s directorial debut. Shot in Thailand, the film had been delayed for two years because of the pandemic. However, it is now all set to release early next year in 2022. The film is an action comedy that’s said to be a spin-off of Mirza’s satirical show ‘Ishrat Baji’ (2006). Mirza will be playing Ishrat himself and the cast members include his costar from ‘Bachaana’ Sanam Saeed, Sara Loren, Ali Kazmi and Shamoon Abbasi, Shabbir Jan, Imam Syed, Salman Saqib (Mani) and Mustafa Chaudhry. Moreoevr, according to various news sources, HSY will also be starring in the film and this will be his first role on the silver screen. Mohib Mirza has also confessed to designing a role specifically for HSY and we can’t wait to see him work his magic!