Hello, my chronically online friends!

It’s the beginning of a new week, which means we’re rounding up the biggest moments from social media — from Bollywood actor Akshaye Khanna taking over X as Lyari-based mobster Rehman Dakait, to outrage over authorities using water cannons against PTI supporters protesting outside Adiala Jail, and a hero emerging after tragedy struck in Australia. Here’s everything we debated, raged about, criticised and celebrated online this past week.

The week started with a viral video of former prime minister Imran Khan’s sisters stumbling among other protesters after authorities used water cannons to disperse the PTI supporters staging a sit-in on a freezing night outside Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail. A clip showing Imran’s sister Uzma Khanum losing her balance amid intense water spray sparked an uproar on social media. Aleema, however, taking serious inspo from her jailed brother, told her drenched participants of the sit-in, “Kids, ghabrana nahin hai (don’t panic) … it’s just water, don’t panic because of water.”

The week won’t be complete without mentioning Bollywood star Akshaye Khanna and India’s latest propaganda offering, Dhurandhar. Yes, we know: the neighbouring country’s narrative of jingoistic spy-thrillers is done to death; however, Khanna’s portrayal (and his dance moves!) as the notorious gangster from Lyari, Rehman Dakait, has been much-talked-about on all social media platforms. The 50-year-old’s ‘aura’ in the said viral clip is evident, sure, but to no one’s surprise, the film itself poses a rather troublesome narrative of Karachi’s Lyari.

In an attempt to address the problematic trope, Pakistan announced its own film to counter India’s nonsensical claims in Aditya Dhar’s directorial. Titled Mera Lyari, the upcoming project is set to star Ayesha Omar, Dananeer, Samiya Mumtaz, Nayyar Ejaz, Trinette Lucas, Paras Masroor, Adnan Shah Tipu and Shoaib Khan. It’s set to be written and directed by Abu Aleeha of Taxali Gate and Javed Iqbal: The Untold Story of a Serial Killer, and executive produced by Omar.

Another major event of the week was Pakistan’s arguably biggest awards. The stars descended on the 24th Lux Style Awards red carpet — sans the style (WHERE HAVE ALL THE DIVAS GONE?). While the star power was visibly missing from one of Pakistani entertainment’s biggest nights, the gossip wasn’t! Many on X pointed out how actor Khaqan Shahnawaz ‘jokingly’ humiliated his fiancée, Sabeena Syed’s nomination for Digital Beauty Influencer of the Year category for the night.

“She really thought she was going to win,” the My Dear Cinderella actor posted on Instagram. Hira Faisal ended up bagging the award, and netizens aren’t letting Khaqan’s ‘ill-tasted’ jibe slide. “Sabeena, girl, run!” “Blink twice if you need help” were some of the comments on social media. The couple, to their credit, explained the ‘joke’. In a video shared on Instagram, Sabeena admitted it was actually she who suggested the caption. “I just really thought it was funny,” she said as she chuckled in the video. “That’s just my humour.” Mocking your own achievement for the laughs in the big 2025? Big yikes.

‘SALAM ALAIKUM!’ said an excited Cardi B as she took the stage in Saudi Arabia over the weekend. The American rapper, who was headlining Riyadh’s MDLBEAST Soundstorm festival, shared a series of videos on her social media accounts where she heaped praises on the Kingdom. “Everything is brand new, honey. This country looks like it was just opened up yesterday,” the ‘Up’ rapper said in one of many clips she shared.

Donning a striking and rather modest hot pink, custom-made Gaurav Gupta outfit, Cardi B stepped away from her usual bold ensemble for her gig in Riyadh. Another clip of the rapper performing a non-explicit version of No Limit has taken over social media, as well as snippets from her time in Riyadh, where she can be seen donning an abaya and exploring the city’s lavish shopping malls. Cardi B having the time of her life in Saudi Arabia was defo not on our 2025 bingo cards.

The week ended as a hero was born after tackling one of the gunmen who went on a killing spree at Sydney’s Bondi Beach. The viral clip on X showed Ahmad al Ahmad taking down one of the shooters responsible for the death of 15 people at the Hanukkah gathering in Australia’s worst incident of gun violence since 1996.

Hailed a hero for his efforts to disarm the gunman, the 43-year-old fruit seller has been lauded by world leaders, including Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and US President Donald Trump.

And that wraps up the last week. I’ll be back next week with more news, since social media rarely has an off day.