Islamabad: Pakistani actor, director, and screenwriter Shamoon Abbasi is all set to play the role of an Indian pilot captured by Pakistan in February, local media has reported.
The announcement comes just days after Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi said he would produce a movie on Indian airstrikes in the Pakistani town of Balakot on February 26.
Indian pilot Abhinandan Varthaman’s MiG-21 jet was shot down by a Pakistani fighter during a clash over Kashmir following the Balakot strike, as two weeks of growing tensions between the two countries erupted into open hostilities in February.
The plane crashed on the Pakistani side of the de facto border that separates the two sides of Kashmir, a Himalayan region that has been a source of hostility between the two countries since independence from Britain in 1947.
Pakistan ultimately returned the pilot to India. Video clips released by the Pakistan army showing the pilot conversing with Pakistani officers over a cup of tea went viral, turning him into a social media sensation and a hero in his homeland.
“After India announced that a film was under works on the botched Balakot strike and the captured IAF pilot Abhinandan, Pakistan too has announced a film to counter it's neighbor’s attempt,” popular Pakistani entertainment website Oye Yeah reported this week. ” While India’s project will be a serious film in three languages, veteran Pakistani writer Khalil ur Rehman has announced that his project will be a comedy titled Abhinandan Come On.”
The website said Shamoon Abbasi had confirmed to it that he would be playing the role of Abhinandan in the film.
Shamoon Abbasi to play Indian fighter pilot Abhinandan in upcoming comedy
Shamoon Abbasi to play Indian fighter pilot Abhinandan in upcoming comedy
- Indian pilot’s MiG-21 jet was shot down by Pakistan during a clash over Kashmir in February
- Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi also making film on Indian airstrikes in Pakistani town of Balakot this year
Pakistan announces plan to develop Port Qasim into climate-resilient industrial complex
- Port Qasim handles 51% of Pakistan’s sea trade, facilitates Islamabad’s trade with Central Asian states
- Maritime affairs ministry says 833 industrial units currently operational at Port Qasim, with 40 under construction
KARACHI: Pakistan’s Maritime Affairs Ministry announced on Monday that it aims to develop Port Qasim into a climate-resilient industrial complex, saying the move would create jobs, usher in investment and ensure sustainable development for the country.
According to its website, Port Qasim is one of the largest contributors to Pakistan’s economy, handling 51 percent of the country’s sea trade. The port also connects directly to Pakistan’s national highway and motorway network, facilitating trade between Afghanistan and the Central Asian Republics.
Pakistan has recently attempted to upgrade its port infrastructure to handle higher trade volumes and improve connectivity between sea lanes and landlocked Central Asian states, leveraging its geographic position at the crossroads of South and Central Asia.
Maritime Affairs Minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry chaired a meeting to discuss projects related to Port Qasim, the ministry said in a statement.
“During the meeting, a long-term plan for a climate-resilient industrial complex at Port Qasim was announced,” the statement said.
Chaudhry said Port Qasim would be developed into a global industrial and logistics hub, adding that it will become a “key gateway” for Pakistan’s national economy.
Officials briefed the minister that the development project for the port would cover an area of more than 14,000 acres. The port’s industrial complex has been divided into three distinct zones, with the eastern one designated for heavy industry and export-oriented units, and the northwestern zone for the promotion of value-added industries and port services.
The southwestern zone of the complex has been earmarked for special industrial and commercial activities, the ministry said.
Chaudhry said 833 industrial units are currently operational at the port while 40 are under construction. He also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to modernizing port infrastructure and improving road and rail connectivity.
“Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said the Port Qasim Industrial Complex will emerge as a hub for employment generation, investment, and sustainable development,” the statement said.
Pakistan seeks to upgrade streamline port operations and enhance trade relations with regional countries as it seeks to escape a prolonged macroeconomic crisis that has put a strain on its resources and triggered a balance of payments crisis in the country over the past few years.
