With reports claiming Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar is about to be fired, Prime Minister Imran Khan has also warned his new “Wasim Akram” against poor performance.
CM’s spokesperson Dr Shahbaz Gill, however, has denied all media reports regarding Buzdar’s removal.
To be honest, we also don’t think anyone can ever sack an “under-training” and such an innocent chief minister:
More than a year has passed since the initial launch date of the much-awaited Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) that was to be completed within “six months”; however, the controversy surrounding the project continues to deepen.
Former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) chief minister Pervez Khattak had in October 2017 broke ground on the multi-billion-rupee project aimed at providing comfortable transport facilities to the residents of Peshawar.
Launched with the Asian Development Bank’s assistance, Khattak had announced the 26 km long project would be completed by April 2018, but it was later delayed to May.
However, the Peshawar BRT has lied in limbo ever since its inauguration, as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, while auditing the affairs of Rs29.65 billion Lahore and the Rs28.5 billion Multan metro buses, has failed to finalise the total cost of its own project.
Meanwhile, an investigation into the BRT has revealed that “havoc has been played with public money through faulty planning and designing, negligence in execution of work and poor management of the project”.
According to reports, the government has lastly approved an increase in the project’s cost by 38 per cent, revising from Rs49 billion to Rs66 billion.
The new cost, which still might not be the final one, is 53.46 per cent higher than the total cost of Punjab’s most expensive mass transit project – the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro Bus – that was completed at a cost of Rs44.31 billion.
Soon after Finance Minister Asad Umar “resigned” from Prime Minister Imran Khan’s cabinet, the premier on Thursday fired several ministers for showing unsatisfactory performance in their respective domains.
Among the victims of Thursday’s bloodbath were Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, Interior Minister Shehryar Afridi, Petroleum Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan and Health Minister Amir Mehmood Kiyani.
While the sacked cabinet members were handed new ministries in what is being termed as a major reshuffle, here is what you need to know about the new portfolios of the same old ministers.
Fawad Chaudhry’s Science and Technology Ministry
As the name suggests, the ministry is concerned with science and technology. It is responsible for the country’s science policy, planning, coordination and efforts to initiate technological programmes that can also be aimed at economic development.
Shehryar Afridi’s States and Frontier Regions Ministry
The main responsibility of the ministry is to deal with the issues of tribal areas of Pakistan, the frontier regions and previously Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) that is now a part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
Ghulam Sarwar Khan’s Aviation Ministry
Concerned with matters of aviation, the ministry works in coordination with different organisations, including the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Airport Security Force (ASF), Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and even Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD).
The government has also announced a federal interior minister for the first time, with the portfolio — earlier held by the PM himself — going to Brig (r) Ijaz Ahmed Shah, who was appointed the federal minister for parliamentary affairs just last month.
Yes, a PM can keep ministries to himself. An example is former premier Nawaz Sharif, who kept with him the Foreign Affairs Ministry.
While Shah is known to have experience of tackling threats posed by militant organisations, his appointment has stirred a political controversy as he remained a trusted aide of former military ruler Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf.
Meanwhile, a trio of Special Assistants to the Prime Minister (SAPM) has also been appointed in an apparent attempt to bridge the gap that has surfaced after sacking of federal ministers.
Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has been made the SAPM on Information and Broadcasting Division, Dr Zafarullah Mirza has been assigned the portfolio of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, while Nadeem Babar will serve as the SAPM on Petroleum Division.
The special assistants won’t officially be ministers, but being the most superior in their respective domains, they will be entitled to a minister’s power.
Finance Minister Asad Umar on Thursday announced that he has obtained Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s consent “to not take any cabinet position” after being offered the Energy Ministry instead.
“As part of a cabinet reshuffle, prime minister desired that I take the energy minister portfolio instead of finance. However, I have obtained his consent to not take any cabinet position,” he tweeted.
With Umar’s statement confirming earlier media reports of a possible reshuffle in PM Imran’s cabinet, hundreds of netizens took to Twitter to react to “another U-turn of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government”.
Meanwhile, some highlighted the funnier side of the development.
Some also started guessing how “Patwaris” must be reacting.
As the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led Punjab government boasts reforming the police culture, a rather questionable video, showing cops dragging a protester on the road, has surfaced.
In the undated video making rounds over social media, at least three personnel of Punjab Police can be seen dragging a man to make way for a VIP motorcade.
WATCH VIDEO:
The protester can be heard crying for help as he is dragged to the side of the road, while the cops return to their vehicles and drive away.
The video has widely been shared with the claim that the police brutality victim was “protesting his son’s murder” in front of the convoy of an unknown official when the cops charged.
The official version to the incident will be added to the story as soon as The Current receives it.
In an attempt to bag maximum votes in the ongoing Indian general elections, Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched “Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot Abhinandan Varthaman” for electioneering.
Hailed a hero in India, Wing Commander Abhinandan was captured when his fighter jet was shot down by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in February. He, however, was later released as a peace gesture by Prime Minister Imran Khan.
With the Hindu nationalist BJP campaigning for Lok Sabha polls in national defence’s name, a fake picture of Abhinandan urging Indians to vote for the ruling party is being shared on social media.
The picture has been breaking the internet with a claim that the IAF pilot is supporting the BJP and has voted for Modi.
In the photo, the pilot’s doppelganger — having his trademark handlebar moustache and a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses — can be seen wearing a muffler with the BJP’s electoral symbol.
The Hindi caption of the viral post urges people to vote for the BJP.
Nonetheless, upon examining the picture closely, its falsehood is narrated. Indians too are pointing out the deception of the BJP, while IAF has also reportedly declared the poster as fake.
Minister of State for Interior Shehryar Khan Afridi has said that Prime Minister Imran Khan had a detailed conversation with the late former Iranian president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani over the situation following the suicide attack on Hazara community.
“PM [Imran Khan] had a detailed discussion with Rafsanjani Sahib,” he said while addressing a press conference after meeting the victim families of April 12’s Quetta bombing.
With the statement from the interior minister coming two years after Rafsanjani passed away, Twitterati sprung to action to call out Afridi’s blunder.
Some, however, defended the statement.
PM Imran is set to pay an official two-day visit to Iran on April 21 on the invitation of President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Hassan Rouhani.
According to the Foreign Office, the premier will meet Iranian Supreme Leader Seyed Ali Khamenei, besides holding detailed consultations with President Rouhani.
ICC Cricket World Cup is just around the corner and fans across the world just can’t contain their excitement anymore.
Amid all the fervor, here’s a list of Pakistani cricketing stars who we think would make the greens’ all-time XI.
“Beyond doubt Waqar is an outstanding bowler, probably the finest to emerge from Pakistan since Fazal Mahmood. This is a bowler of brilliance and élan, a bowler as entertaining in his way as any batsman, as enthralling as any spinner, a bowler who could become, as Imran predicted, the greatest of them all.” Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack
“In the pantheon of wrist-spinners he [Qadir] surely ranks near the very top. Facing him or Warne at their best must have been as severe a test of a batsman’s nerve and capacity as any slow bowler has ever represented. But unlike Warne, Qadir was always on the attack. He knew no other way… When it comes to deception, as in the way in which he disguised his googly and various legbreaks, not to mention his flipper, he was a real little sorcerer.” John Woodcock
“He used an eclectic approach to batting – classical betrothed to unorthodox, footwork against spin as quick as a hiccup, and wrists supple yet powerful to brush the field like a Picasso.” Ramiz Raja
“Hanif bestrode the cricket world like a Colossus of Rhodes. His patience was monumental, his judgement unique; fearless of his opponents, he shared his respect for them, both in victory and defeat. In common with many great sporting figures of the 20th century, his legend continues to grow with time.” Khadim Baloch
“He was positive and aggressive in his approach, and the tougher the situation the more he seemed to revel in the challenge. His enthusiasm was extremely infectious, which made him one of the best team men I have ever had the pleasure to play with or against.” Tony Greig
“Zaheer Abbas’ consistency both at first-class level and in Tests was phenomenal. Where his contemporaries struggled he remained calm and calculating, displaying his technique against great spinners of time; and not a bad player of fast bowling.” Qamar Ahmed
“Inzamam was colossal in frame, ability, and attitude. He could play strokes all around the wicket with brute strength or exquisite subtlety. But what made Inzi great was his determination to stand firm as his illustrious colleagues collapsed around him. He was the rock that broke the onslaught of Pakistan’s opponents. A few last stands would have been remarkable. To do it for over a decade was genius.” Kamran Abbasi
“Imran combined thoughtfulness with a natural ability which had always been outstanding. What brought about this transformation, as Imran readily admits, was his appointment to the captaincy of Pakistan. This sense of responsibility turned a fine cavalier into a great cricketer.” Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack
“Few wicketkeepers in Pakistan have been as athletic and yet as unobtrusive as Latif. A dive in front of first slip was often accomplished with the same ease of a regular, standing take; and to spin, he was outstanding and swift. His errors are difficult to remember. His batting, combative and elegant, was vastly underrated.” Osman Samiuddin
“If I ever get a chance to be reborn as a cricketer, I would want to be Wasim Akram.” Allan Border
“Fazal Mahmood was a great human being, always willing to help anyone who sought his advice. He was the doyen of Pakistan bowlers in the formative years and all our wins since we started playing Test cricket were indebted to him. It was just because of his bowling feats that Pakistan achieved the rare honour of beating every country in our early series in the 1950s and 60s.” Hanif Mohammad
The list originally appeared on ESPNcricinfo
Skiers from all over the country participated in the winter sports competitions during the Snow Sports Festival held at the enchanting Arang Kel in Neelum Valley.
Winter Sports Federation of Pakistan Secretary Air Commodore Shahid Nadeem was the chief guest on the occasion.
Athletes of under ten, under 14 and under 16 years of age participated in ski competitions during the festival.
Apart from ski competitions, the budding athletes also participated in snowboarding and ice skating events.
A training camp for local youth was also organised by Azad Jammu and Kashmir Winter Sports Associations with the help of Winter Sports Federation of Pakistan (WSFP).
WSFP not only provided technical support, but also the equipment for these sports.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been handed a boost ahead of the trip to Barcelona with the return of Alexis Sanchez and Nemanja Matic.
Alexis Sanchez and Nemanja Matic have been named in Manchester United’s squad for the Champions League quarter-final second leg against Barcelona on Tuesday.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side travel to Camp Nou looking to overturn a 1-0 deficit from the opening encounter at Old Trafford last week.
Former Barca forward Sanchez has not played since injuring his knee against Southampton on March 2, while Matic’s last outing was in a Premier League game against Watford on March 30.
Matteo Darmian could make his first appearance since January, having been included in Solskjaer’s 22-man group.
Luke Shaw – whose own goal settled the first leg in Barca’s favour – was also named despite the fact he is suspended after picking up a yellow card against LaLiga’s reigning champions last week.