'Mahabharat', 'Chandrakanta' star Pankaj Dheer dies at 68
Mumbai (PTI):Television star Pankaj Dheer, known for playing Karna in B R Chopra's "Mahabharat" and king Shivdutt in fantasy drama "Chandrakanta", has died at the age of 68 following a battle with cancer.
"He passed away due to cancer this morning. He had been in and out of hospital in the past months," producer and friend Ashoke Pandit told PTI.
The cremation will be held later in the day.
Dheer, who hailed from Punjab, started out as an actor in the 1980s, featuring in minor roles in many movies.
His big break came in 1988 when he was cast as Karna in the small screen adaptation of Hindu epic "Mahabharata". After that, his popularity peaked and he starred in many movies such as "Sadak", "Sanam Bewafa" and "Aashik Awara".
From 1994 to 1996, Dheer starred in TV series "Chandrakanta", loosely based on author Devaki Nandan Khatri's 1888 novel of the same name. He essayed the popular role of Shivdutt, the king of fictional kingdom of Chunargarh.
Some of his notable movies also include Bobby Deol's "Soldier", Shah Rukh Khan's "Baadshah", Akshay Kumar's "Andaz", and Ajay Devgn's "Zameen" and "Tarzan'.
In the late 2000s, Dheer appeared in many daily soaps "Teen Bahuraaniyaan", "Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat" and "Sasural Simar Ka".
Dheer is survived by wife Anita Dheer and son Nikitin Dheer, who is also an actor.
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Pak, Afghan forces trade fire along Chaman border: Report
Islamabad (PTI): A heavy exchange of fire between Pakistani and Afghan forces was reported from the key Chaman border, according to a media report on Saturday.
Injuries were reported from the district hospital, but no fatalities occurred, the Dawn newspaper reported.
Officials from both sides accused each other of instigating the flare-up late on Friday night across the border in the Balochistan province.
While Pakistani officials said that Afghan forces had fired mortar shells on the Badani area, Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid claimed it was Pakistan that launched an attack on Spin Boldak, alleging that their forces were responding.
Pakistan's official sources told Dawn that Pakistani forces retaliated against the Afghan aggression and returned fire.
There were also reports of fighting on the Chaman-Kandahar highway, but these could not be immediately verified.
A senior official in Quetta confirmed on condition of anonymity that the exchange of fire started around 10 pm and continued until late at night.
The medical superintendent of Chaman district hospital said that three injured, including a woman, were brought to the medical facility.
There was neither any official word from the Inter-Services Public Relations -- Pakistan Army's media wing -- nor from the Foreign Office.
The Chaman border crossing, also known as Friendship Gate, connects Balochistan province to Afghanistan’s Kandahar.
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have deteriorated amidst regular allegations by Pakistan regarding the failure of the Afghan regime to deny safe havens to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan terrorists.
The two countries had agreed on a ceasefire following tensions last month, but the Foreign Office said last month that technically there was no truce as it was contingent on the Afghan Taliban stopping terrorist attacks in Pakistan, which they had failed to do.
