Latest news with #Toor
Mint
3 days ago
- Business
- Mint
Pakistan punishes parrot sellers for selling birds to a journalist they don't like: No, this is not a joke
Rozi Khan from Karachi found his bank account blocked. The bank said it was linked to his dealings with journalist Asad Ali Toor, who had bought parrots from him. Khan was left confused and upset. The 29-year-old bird seller learnt the account was closed by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). 'Why would they suspend my account for dealing with a customer who just happens to be a journalist?' wondered Khan while speaking to Al Jazeera. But, he is not the only one. In cities like Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Sargodha in Pakistan, bird sellers face the same problem. Their bank accounts are being closed after they sell birds to Toor. Nadeem Nasir, a 60-year-old businessman from Lahore, learned that his account had been shut. He last sold parrots to Toor in early 2024 but received no warning. 'It was only after I managed to get in touch with some FIA officials through my contacts that they asked me about my relationship with Toor. That's when I realised what had happened,' he told the publication. Asad Ali Toor is a journalist and YouTuber from Islamabad. The 40-year-old is known for speaking openly against the government, courts and Pakistan Army. The FIA blocked bank accounts linked to Toor, including those of his family. 'I only found out about the account suspension after my cousin told me his account had been frozen due to transactions with me,' Toor told the publication. 'As I looked into it, I discovered that my own account along with those of my family and even my bird sellers had been locked without any prior warning or notification from the bank or the FIA,' he added. He has 3.35 lakh YouTube subscribers and over 3.55 lakh followers on X (formerly Twitter). In 2021, unknown men attacked him at home. He believes they were from military intelligence. He was arrested again in 2024 for posting 'anti-state' content online. The YouTuber stayed in jail for 18 days. Recently, his YouTube channel was listed among 27 channels to be banned for similar reasons. A court later cancelled the suspension. Toor is known for his love for birds. He spends over 50,000 Pakistani rupees ( ₹ 15,000) each month to care for his parrots. He pays for this hobby using money earned from his online work. For over a month, Toor had no access to his bank money, and he depended on friends for help. In May, a court told the FIA to restore his account. The FIA claimed they were checking for 'anti-state income' and money laundering. However, according to the court, Toor's rights were denied. His account has now been restored, but his family's accounts remain blocked.
News18
3 days ago
- Business
- News18
Only In Pakistan: Journalist Criticises Government But Parrot Sellers Pay The Price
Last Updated: The issue first surfaced in April when 29-year-old parrot seller Rozi Khan, based in Karachi, discovered his bank account had been shut down Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has frozen the bank accounts of prominent independent journalist Asad Ali Toor and multiple bird sellers nationwide over transactions connected to parrot sales. The issue first surfaced in April when 29-year-old parrot seller Rozi Khan, based in Karachi, discovered his bank account had been shut down. After completing a routine sale in Islamabad, he tried to withdraw money but received an 'Invalid bank account" message at the ATM. His bank manager later informed him that the account was frozen on 10 April under an FIA directive, Pakistan-based The Friday Times reported. 'I sell birds to all sorts of people," Rozi told the outlet. 'I had no idea that selling parrots to a journalist could lead to this." The freezes are not limited to Rozi. Sellers in Lahore, Sargodha, Rawalpindi, and other cities have also found their accounts blocked after trading with Toor. One such seller, 60-year-old businessman Nadeem Nasir from Lahore, said that his account was frozen without warning after a cheque unexpectedly bounced, Al Jazeera reported. When he contacted FIA officials, they questioned him about Asad Ali Toor. 'I have known Asad for the last five years and have developed good relations with him," Nasir said. 'But the last time he purchased parrots from me was in 2023 and early 2024. Since then, there has been no business transaction between us." Asad Ali Toor is a well-known YouTuber and outspoken critic of the government, boasting over 335,000 subscribers. He has a noted passion for rare parrots and reportedly spends over Rs 50,000 per month on their care. While Toor's bank accounts, along with those of his parents, brother, and cousin, were frozen, sellers who have dealt with him also suffered similar restrictions. Toor learned of the bank freeze after a cousin alerted him. 'It's not just me," he said. 'Even people who sold me birds are being punished. It's absurd." Neither the FIA nor other Pakistani authorities have publicly commented on the matter or announced any formal charges related to the freezes. Notably, Toor's YouTube channel was targeted for suspension earlier this year, along with 26 others, for 'anti-state" content — though a sessions court reversed that suspension two days later. view comments Location : Pakistan Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Calgary Herald
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Calgary Herald
South Asian musical acts ready to take the Confluence stage tonight
A voice erupts from a speaker beside a stage on Friday afternoon: 'Let's go!' Article content Except there's nobody, save for workers in neon vests toiling away at erecting barricades at the grounds of the Confluence Historic Site & Parkland, previously known as Fort Calgary. Article content Article content Cushions lay strewn behind the barricades. Poles with curtains beat against the wind. A forklift carries logs to a tent as a few men give directions to other workers. Soon, these arrangements will come alive in the next few hours, for an event that is the first of its kind. Article content Article content Dubbed the Stampede Mela — the latter of which stands for a fair in Hindi — the festival will feature a range of South Asian voices who will give a taste of their culture in different art forms. Article content 'With all the moving parts, it's definitely stressful, right?' said Jas Toor, the co-organizer of the festival. 'Because you've got to make sure that when people come here, they have a good time.' Article content Article content The event boasts a variety of artists, ranging from Chani and Moga, known for their traditional Punjabi music, to South Asian rapper AR Paisley; to DJ Intense, who has worked with big names in the Bollywood industry; to a mentalist with the stage name Anmol Magic. Article content Despite taking up such a responsibility for the first time, Toor knew a section of the market craved a cultural festival. He discovered that unexpectedly, when he and his co-organizer Amar Duhra hosted an indoor party featuring a few artists last year as part of a promotion for a cannabis company. Article content Article content The cannabis company never took off, but Toor said he was pleasantly surprised to see the nightclub party surpass his expectations by nearly three times the expected attendance. Article content 'It was pretty crazy in there,' Toor said. 'That's when we realized we can't really do this indoors.' Article content According to the 2021 census, the South Asian population in Calgary is 141,000, a number that has reportedly grown as the city received an influx of migrants in 2023. With more than a million visitors to Stampede, a significant portion comprises South Asian people, who Toor said are starved of an event that celebrates their culture.
Global News
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Global News
‘Cultures mixed together': South Asian music festival filling gap during Stampede
For those who don't necessarily want to kick up their cowboy boots at the Calgary Stampede, there's Stampede Mela. It bills itself as the largest 18+ South Asian music festival in North America and begins Friday at Fort Calgary, not far from the midway ferris wheel of the Stampede itself. 'Probably about four or five years ago, we actually decided that we wanted to do something in the South Asian music space in Calgary because Stampede has become quite a big music festival scene,' organizer Amar Duhra said in an interview. 'Our goal was to bring some representation from the South Asian community. 'We want to bring a more multicultural approach to the Stampede instead of the usual rodeo-style country music.' Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We want to bring a more multicultural approach to the Stampede instead of the usual rodeo-style country music." 5:11 A look back at the history of the Calgary Stampede Duhra came up with the concept with friend Jas Toor. Story continues below advertisement The pair held an indoor festival last year with a few bands and 2,000 people attending. This year, it is outdoors. There are 22 artists and the goal is 5,000 attendees. About 3,000 tickets have already been sold. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'The city's demographics has a very large South Asian population and there's really no product for those type of people or other types of population at all really,' said Toor. 'It kind of just snowballed over the course of months and grew a lot bigger than we really anticipated.' Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "It kind of just snowballed over the course of months and grew a lot bigger than we really anticipated." There won't be violins or steel guitars at Mela. The music is bhangra, originating from the Punjab region. It relies on a heavy beat from a double-sided drum called a dhol. As it has progressed, it has been remixed with hip hop, known as folk hop, and rap music. 'A lot of the stuff is done electronically now,' Duhra said. 'Drum and bass sounds are really, really heavy in Indian music.' 2:08 Beating the heat at the Calgary Stampede About half the visitors are from Calgary's South Asian community. Others attending are coming to Calgary from Edmonton, Vancouver, California, Seattle and Miami. Story continues below advertisement Duhra said the festival is not meant to take away from the Calgary Stampede. He and Toor grew up in Calgary and are proud of the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth – it's just meant to fill a void. 'For us, it's not a competition in the sense that we're trying to steal people from other shows,' he said. 'Actually, we're just very proud of our culture. 'We're very proud from where we come from. We know that there's a big population there and we want it to be represented.' Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We're very proud from where we come from. We know that there's a big population there and we want it to be represented." Toor fully expects that there will be plenty of attendees dressed in cowboy hats and boots, but that instead of pancakes, they should expect something more traditional, such as samosas. 'I don't think you could divorce the actual point of what happens during Stampede with everything that goes on at that time. I think it's a good thing to have the cultures mixed together.' 2:24 Residents living near Cowboys Music Festival upset over late night noise Most of the acts are Canadian. Sultaan, a Punjabi musician known to be a big contributor to Punjabi rap music, is from Moose Jaw, Sask. Story continues below advertisement Other acts include Chani Nattan, Ar Paisley, Inderpal Moga, BK, OG Ghuman, Intense, Big Ghuman, Mohitveer, Jay Trak, Bhalwaan, HRJXT, G Funk, A4, Gmafia, Signature By SB, Cheema, 4MXN, Shally Rehal, Gav, Yuvy, Kanda Music, Indus, and DJ Jazzy Hans.
Hamilton Spectator
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
‘Cultures mixed together': South Asian music festival filling gap during Stampede
CALGARY - For those who don't necessarily want to kick up their cowboy boots at the Calgary Stampede, there's Stampede Mela. It bills itself as the largest 18+ South Asian music festival in North America and begins Friday at Fort Calgary, not far from the midway ferris wheel of the Stampede itself. 'Probably about four or five years ago, we actually decided that we wanted to do something in the South Asian music space in Calgary because Stampede has become quite a big music festival scene,' organizer Amar Duhra said in an interview. 'Our goal was to bring some representation from the South Asian community. 'We want to bring a more multicultural approach to the Stampede instead of the usual rodeo-style country music.' Duhra came up with the concept with friend Jas Toor. The pair held an indoor festival last year with a few bands and 2,000 people attending. This year, it is outdoors. There are 22 artists and the goal is 5,000 attendees. About 3,000 tickets have already been sold. 'The city's demographics has a very large South Asian population and there's really no product for those type of people or other types of population at all really,' said Toor. 'It kind of just snowballed over the course of months and grew a lot bigger than we really anticipated.' There won't be violins or steel guitars at Mela. The music is bhangra, originating from the Punjab region. It relies on a heavy beat from a double-sided drum called a dhol. As it has progressed, it has been remixed with hip hop, known as folk hop, and rap music. 'A lot of the stuff is done electronically now,' Duhra said. 'Drum and bass sounds are really, really heavy in Indian music.' About half the visitors are from Calgary's South Asian community. Others attending are coming to Calgary from Edmonton, Vancouver, California, Seattle and Miami. Duhra said the festival is not meant to take away from the Calgary Stampede. He and Toor grew up in Calgary and are proud of the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth — it's just meant to fill a void. 'For us, it's not a competition in the sense that we're trying to steal people from other shows,' he said. 'Actually, we're just very proud of our culture. 'We're very proud from where we come from. We know that there's a big population there and we want it to be represented.' Toor fully expects that there will be plenty of attendees dressed in cowboy hats and boots, but that instead of pancakes, they should expect something more traditional, such as samosas. 'I don't think you could divorce the actual point of what happens during Stampede with everything that goes on at that time. I think it's a good thing to have the cultures mixed together.' Most of the acts are Canadian. Sultaan, a Punjabi musician known to be a big contributor to Punjabi rap music, is from Moose Jaw, Sask. Other acts include Chani Nattan, Ar Paisley, Inderpal Moga, BK, OG Ghuman, Intense, Big Ghuman, Mohitveer, Jay Trak, Bhalwaan, HRJXT, G Funk, A4, Gmafia, Signature By SB, Cheema, 4MXN, Shally Rehal, Gav, Yuvy, Kanda Music, Indus, and DJ Jazzy Hans. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 10, 2025.
