Current Final

Category: National

  • Are Jahangir Tareen and Imran Khan back together?

    Are Jahangir Tareen and Imran Khan back together?

    Following the sugar inquiry commission report last year, the friendship between Jahangir Khan Tareen (JKT) and Imran Khan ended, with JKT leaving for London and then later returning. Although Imran Khan has not publicly talked about his relationship with his old friend and former Secretary General of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), it seems like they are calling each other again and are about to meet up.

    PTI MNA Raja Riaz, who is part of what is called the ‘Jahangir Tareen group’, has revealed that the two ex-friends had spoken to each other.

    Raja Riaz told Geo News that the JKT group was going to meet for iftar today (Wednesday) but it was postponed after they were told they were going to be meeting with the PM, and their issues would be resolved during that meeting. Riaz also said that it wasn’t confirmed whether JKT would be attending. “An iftar dinner scheduled to be held at Tareen’s residence has been postponed after we were told the prime minister will meet the PTI lawmakers.”

    “We are confident that most of the issues will be resolved during the meeting,” he said.

    There was confusion over whether JKT would be meeting the PM as well (along with the group of PTI lawmakers known as the JKT group), but JKT told the Express Tribune, “We have been assured that the premier is ready to meet us. However, [I want to make it clear that] we will only meet the prime minister and not a governmental committee…during the meeting, we will present our grievances with regard to the sugar inquiry commission and the FIA’s [Federal Investigation Agency] cases [filed against the JDW group owned by Tareen].”

    Raja Riaz also said on Shahzeb Khanzada’s programme that they are of the view that JKT was being unfairly targeted and he said that “hopefully we will get a big relief when the prime minister comes to know about the facts.”

    Last week, more than 30 lawmakers were known to have sided with JKT, some that were willing to resign, and had met with JKT in the public showing up at a dinner at JKT’s place in Lahore. After the public show of support by the PTI lawmakers, PM Khan had contacted JKT.

  • WHO praises Pakistan’s COVID-19 vaccination arrangements

    WHO praises Pakistan’s COVID-19 vaccination arrangements

    World Health Organisation (WHO) representative in Pakistan Dr Palitha Mahipala on Wednesday praised Pakistan’s efforts for coronavirus vaccination.

    “I appreciate efforts of the Government of Pakistan for rolling out COVID-19 vaccination including vaccination of foreigners in the National Vaccine Deployment Plan and making excellent arrangements at the vaccination centres across Pakistan, with COVID-19 Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in place.”

    Pakistan started the COVID-19 vaccination drive of people in the age group 50-59 today (April 21). Registrations for those 50 and above commenced on March 30. Those who haven’t registered can send their CNIC number to 1166 to register or can register online.

    Read more – Here’s where you can find COVID-19 vaccine in Karachi, Lahore

    Pakistan is likely to receive two million doses of COVID-19 vaccine from China by April 24.

    As per reports, the country will receive the vaccination batch on April 21 (today) and out of those two million doses, 1.5 million would be purchased from China while 500,000 doses would be gifted to Pakistan from the neighbouring country.

  • PTV, PTV Sports to turn HD, says Fawad Chaudhry

    Fawad Chaudhry, who was reappointed Minister for Information and Broadcasting in a recent cabinet shuffle, has shared his plans on what he plans to do under his ministry.

    “The process that started in 2018 to initiate reforms in the Information Ministry is being resumed,” said Chaudhry in a tweet, adding that the project to make Pakistan Television HD will be completed by June 1.

    In addition to this, work on making PTV Sports HD is also in progress.

    Chaudhry further said an English channel will be launched soon and that reforms to digitize the Associate Press of Pakistan (APP) are underway.

    Chaudhry further said that the revival of the film and drama industry is his ministry’s “first priority” and that production work on the biographies of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and Tipu Sultan is under process.

    Young film and drama makers will be given loans up to 5 crore under ‘Nujawan Program’ to facilitate the revival of the industry.

    “Journalists associated with print and electronic media will be provided with personal houses under Prime Minister’s housing project, and health cards will be also provided,” said Fawad, assuring to resolve the non-payment of salaries issues of journalists.

    The Minister also extended his support toward Digital Media saying that “we will give them full support.”

    Meanwhile, Fawad also said that a digital recording of the National Anthem is under process.

  • ‘Ban on TLP will be reversed’: Ali Muhammad Khan

    Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan has said that Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed said in a meeting that after following a process, the ban on Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) and Saad Rizvi will be reversed. This comes after the government’s announcement that the ban on TLP will remain intact.

    Talking to anchorperson Adil Shahzeb, Ali Muhammad Khan said that there will be a due legal process in order to reverse the ban on the recently proscribed TLP. When asked about the ban specifically by Adil Shahzeb, he said that it will take some time but will be done eventually. “It cannot be done suddenly. Today we ban it, and tomorrow the ban is lifted is not possible. It will take some time.”

    Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed announced on April 14 that the government has taken the decision to ban TLP under Section 11(B) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

  • PM Khan posts Bollywood clip to target Opposition, deletes post

    PM Khan posts Bollywood clip to target Opposition, deletes post

    Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday posted something very interesting on his official Instagram account. Sharing a clip from the Bollywood movie ‘Inquilaab’, which was released in 1984, PM Imran made a point about political parties discrediting their rival political parties in order to replace them.

    ‘It is what has been planned against the PTI govt from day one by the corrupt mafias’, read the caption of the clip posted by the premier. He later deleted the clip from his Instagram account.

    In the clip, Kader Khan and Utpal Dutt are seen planning a sinister move against the government. “We have the right to form a government…In order to form a government, we need to win the elections; to win the elections, we need votes; in order to get these votes, we need people’s confidence. And how do we get the people’s confidence? We will need to take away people’s confidence from the government. Haha. And how do we do that? We will create an environment where we will make them think that this government is incompetent and inefficient. This way the people will be forced to get rid of the government and bring another party in its place. For this we need to create chaos. We need riots, killings, dacoities in cities. We need religious disturbance, sectarian conflict, which renders government incapable of thinking and police is unable to do anything to control the crisis. When all this is happening, we will go out and take out rallies addressing crowds and present ourselves and our party as an option to control this mess.” To this, someone in the party meeting says it is an excellent idea. “We need money for this, which is why we have invited rich businessmen here today to raise it.” Will 50 lakhs be enough, asks one man. To which Kader Khan says that for the time being it’s enough but a politician is like a farmer and politics like a crop. If you invest millions, the return will be in billions, if billions, it can go up to trillions.” Everyone laughs at the end of the clip.

    Watch the video here:

    https://youtu.be/57w1DfCObfI

    The Bollywood film starred Amitabh Bachchan and Sridevi.

    When Twitter caught on to the posting of the clip, this is what they had to say.

  • VIDEO: Senior Journalist Absar Alam attacked

    VIDEO: Senior Journalist Absar Alam attacked

    Senior journalist and former chairman Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) Absar Alam has been shot in Islamabad, according to a tweet by journalist Gharidah Farooqi.

    Absar recorded a video on his way to the hospital after being shot. He says he was shot in the stomach and is heading to the hospital and he will not lose hope.

    Reports state he was walking in the F-11 park near his home. Doctors are operating on him and his condition is said to be stable.

    PML-N’s Maryam Nawaz tweeted about the incident.

    PPP’s Sherry Rehman has also tweeted her support for the journalist.

    Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry condemned the attack on Absar Alam. He tweeted that the police has been ordered to initiate an inquiry.

    PML-N chief Mian Nawaz Sharif also condemned the attack on Absar Alam.

  • Confusion over Saad Rizvi’s release

    After the successful negotiations between the government and the banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) on Tuesday morning after sehri, rumours of TLP chief Saad Hussain Rizvi’s release from Kot Lakhpat Jail started doing the rounds on the media as well as social media. Public relations officer of the Punjab prisons department, Attiq Ahmed, confirmed Rizvi’s release to Dawn. Some other media outlets reported the same.

    Punjab’s provincial Minister for Prisons Fayyaz-ul-Hassan Chohan, however, denied these reports. In a statement released to the media, Chohan said that this is not true. He said that Rizvi’s release can only be done after proper procedures are followed.

    Banned TLP sources also denied Rizvi’s release. They say that documentation is being processed in this regard.

    Saad Rizvi was arrested on April 12 after he planned protests following the April 20 deadline. His arrest was a pre-emptive measure in order to maintain law and order. Protests erupted across the country after Rizvi’s arrest. TLP has demanded that Rizvi be released.

  • ‘I will throw a shoe at you’: Khaqan Abbasi threatens Asad Qaiser

    ‘I will throw a shoe at you’: Khaqan Abbasi threatens Asad Qaiser

    The National Assembly was set to debate the resolution on TLP demand regarding the expulsion of the French Ambassador today and Speaker Asad Qaiser was presiding on the session. After PTI’s Ali Muhammad Khan spoke, former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi rose and exchanged heated words with the Speaker over not being given a turn to speak before someone else. Asad Qaiser said, “You always behave like this,” to Khaqan Abbasi to which Abbasi responded, “I will take off my shoe and throw it at you.” Qaiser told him to remain in his limits and told him to fix his language.

    Watch the video here:

    https://twitter.com/aryvideos/status/1384469807073005569?s=21

    The resolution came after a series of meetings with the TLP and the government. The banned TLP had held the country hostage with violent protests that led to the killing of four police officers and left 800 police officers injured.

    The opposition parties criticised the government over its method of dealing with the TLP and the Pakistan People’s Party boycotted today’s session.

  • PPP to boycott, PDM to attend NA session today

    Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed has said that the government will present a resolution in the National Assembly (NA) for the expulsion of the French envoy. This comes in the wake of the successful negotiations between the banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) and the government earlier today.

    The next NA session was scheduled for Thursday (April 22) but it was changed. NA session was called today at 3pm to facilitate the resolution.


    https://twitter.com/NAofPakistan/status/1384373152218849280

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari tweeted that the agreement with the banned TLP was not brought to the NA. Government took action against it on the streets and then banned TLP. Bilawal said that the prime minister did not take the NA into confidence at any stage so if the government did not take parliament into confidence, it is the prime minister’s mess. “Clean up or go home,” tweeted Bilawal.

    Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and its member parties, including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz are attending the NA session. Sources say they will also support the resolution.

    Three demands in the resolution ask for a debate on the expulsion of the French ambassador. It also asks that the European Union (EU), especially France, should be told about the sensitivity of this issue. Discussions should be held with all Muslim countries so as to raise it on international forums. The resolution also says that foreign relations will only be decided by the state and not an individual, group or party through any illegal pressure tactics.

    The resolution presented before the NA today has been approved for debate. PML-N’s Shahid Khaqan Abbasi asks for one hour to go over the motion with his party.

    This is a developing story

  • NA to debate sending French Ambassador back

    NA to debate sending French Ambassador back

    Initial reports coming in after Sehri on Tuesday suggest that negotiations between the government and the banned TLP have been successful.

    Reports indicate that all cases against TLP workers will be withdrawn. The decision to ban TLP will reviewed and may be taken back. A resolution seeking the expulsion of the French ambassador will be tabled in parliament. Some reports say it will be through a private member and not the government.

    Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed in a video message announced that a resolution on the expulsion of the French ambassador from Pakistan will be presented in the National Assembly. He also added that the cases registered against TLP workers under the Fourth Schedule will also be withdrawn.

    Meanwhile, as per the official Twitter account of The National Assembly of Pakistan, the session of the National Assembly which was scheduled for Thursday (April 22), will take place today at 3 pm after the government’s negotiations with Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan.

    TLP has decided to call off the dharna as per media reports.

    This is a developing story.