Senate Committee rebukes FBR official over failure…

  Zoe Saldaña has built an impressive career in Hollywood, achieving milestones that only a small number of actors can claim. From becoming an Academy Award winner to appearing in some of the world’s most successful film franchises, the actress has established herself as one of the industry’s most recognisable stars. However, Saldaña now appears ready to explore a completely different side of filmmaking by considering a move into directing. During an appearance at the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland, Saldaña spoke about her desire to eventually take control behind the camera. Addressing the festival audience, the actress said she believed there would come a point when simply watching other directors work would no longer be enough for her. Saldaña joked that after observing directors for so long, she might eventually feel compelled to take over the camera herself. Her comments reflected her growing interest in expanding her creative role within the film industry and exploring storytelling from a director’s perspective. The actress also expressed confidence in her own instincts, particularly when discussing women and their ability to recognise what they believe is right. With a humorous tone, she suggested that women often feel confident in their opinions because they are correct a significant amount of the time. For Saldaña, directing could provide an opportunity to test those instincts and prove what she can accomplish outside her established acting career. Her remarks came as she was being honoured at the prestigious Locarno Film Festival. Saldaña received a Special Honorary Pardo at the event, recognising her contribution to cinema and her successful career across a wide range of projects. During her appearance, the actress also reflected on her childhood and the experience of growing up between different cultures. Born in the Dominican Republic, Saldaña said her background and experiences of feeling like an outsider have played an important role in shaping the way she approaches acting and develops her characters. She recalled the challenges of being separated from a New York environment where she had been exposed to people from different backgrounds and cultures. According to Saldaña, living in a diverse environment allowed her to encounter different perspectives and understand the world beyond a single cultural identity. She later moved to a much smaller and more culturally homogeneous island, an experience she described as difficult during her formative years. The transition brought significant challenges, particularly because she encountered a society with a more unified religious and cultural identity. Despite the difficulties, Saldaña believes those experiences ultimately became valuable to her as an actor. She explained that the challenges of growing up between different cultural environments helped her develop a broader understanding of people and identities. That perspective, she suggested, became particularly useful when portraying some of her most famous characters, including Neytiri in the Avatar franchise and Gamora in the Guardians of the Galaxy films. For Saldaña, growing up between cultures provided both struggles and opportunities for personal development. She believes being exposed to different ways of life enriched her understanding of human experiences and gave her additional emotional depth as a performer. Now, after years of success in front of the camera, Saldaña appears interested in turning those experiences into a new creative challenge. Her potential move into directing could mark an important new chapter in her career, allowing her to bring her perspective, cultural experiences and storytelling instincts to filmmaking from behind the camera.

  A Karachi Additional District and Sessions Court has granted interim bail to Abdullah, the brother of the business partner of young trader Mir Raza Ali, in connection with the businessman’s murder case. The court approved Abdullah’s interim pre-arrest bail until September 1, providing him temporary protection from arrest while the investigation into the case continues. Abdullah had approached the court seeking bail before arrest after being allegedly linked to the investigation surrounding Mir Raza Ali’s death. During the hearing, the court also issued notices to the investigating officer and the complainant in the case. The judge directed the applicant to submit surety bonds worth Rs100,000 as part of the conditions attached to the interim bail. According to Abdullah’s lawyer, there was no basis for treating his client as a suspect in the murder. The lawyer informed the court that Abdullah had a business-related connection with Mir Raza and used to supply chocolates to him. The defence further explained that Abdullah had spoken to Mir Raza by telephone on the night when the young trader left his home. According to the lawyer, the phone conversation took place at around 3:30am. The lawyer argued that the late-night phone call should be viewed in the context of their regular business dealings rather than being treated as evidence of involvement in the alleged crime. The defence also accused the police of harassing Abdullah during the investigation. His lawyer told the court that law-enforcement officials were repeatedly troubling the applicant despite the absence of any established evidence connecting him directly to the murder. The lawyer maintained that communication between Abdullah and Mir Raza at around the same time was not unusual. He explained that after completing his work, Mir Raza would generally speak with the applicant around that time. The defence therefore requested the court to provide Abdullah with protection from arrest while the authorities continued investigating the circumstances surrounding Mir Raza Ali’s death. After hearing the arguments, the court granted interim bail until September 1 and directed the relevant parties, including the investigating officer and complainant, to respond to the bail application. The applicant was also ordered to submit the required surety bonds. The court’s decision does not amount to a final determination regarding Abdullah’s involvement in the case. The interim bail merely prevents his immediate arrest while the matter is considered further by the court. The murder investigation remains ongoing, and the police are expected to examine the circumstances surrounding Mir Raza’s death, including his final movements, communications and interactions with people connected to him. The late-night telephone conversation between Mir Raza and Abdullah is among the details that investigators may consider while establishing a timeline of events. However, the defence has maintained that the conversation was consistent with their normal business-related communication. The case has attracted attention because of the young trader’s death and the subsequent investigation into people associated with him. Abdullah’s decision to seek pre-arrest bail indicates that he feared possible arrest during the investigation. The court’s issuance of notices to the investigating officer and complainant means that the prosecution and police will have an opportunity to present their position regarding the allegations and the bail request. For now, Abdullah remains protected by the interim bail order until September 1, subject to the conditions imposed by the court. Further proceedings are expected to determine the next legal steps in the case and whether the investigating authorities have sufficient evidence to proceed against him.