Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has indicated that the government is likely to extend the new International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme for three years.
“The new tranche of loan is likely to be received from the IMF in a few days, however, we would need another programme,” he said while addressing a session of the Special Investment Facilitation Council’s (SIFC) apex committee attended by civil-military leadership on Thursday.
Shehbaz Sharif also stated that the presence of civil-military leadership, including elected lawmakers, in the session is a clear message of unity, development, and prosperity for the country.
The PM also said that the former coalition government, comprised of 13 political parties, prioritised the country over politics.
“There are major challenges to national economy. The SIFC is an important platform which was primarily establishment to remove hurdles in foreign investments, and it held several meetings during the last eight months.” Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir played vital role in SIFC’s formation, he added.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has decided not to accept the resignation letter of senior PTI leader Hammad Azhar, as per SAMMA
Khan said: “I cannot accept Hammad Azhar’s resignation during the ongoing situation.”
“Currently, we will not accept the resignation from the party posts, nor do we have any intent of doing so.”
Hammad left his party positions including PTI’s Punjab president and general secretary.
“I will continue to work for the PTI as a party worker. I have decided to resign after thinking a lot,” Azhar said.
Hammad Azhar has been declared a proclaimed offender in the May 9 case.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that Pakistan does not want armed conflict with neighbouring Afghanistan, stressing that using force was the last option.
The defence minister, in an interview with Voice of America on Wednesday, stated that Pakistan might block the trade corridor it gave to Afghanistan for trading with India. He added that Pakistan had the right to stop helping Kabul if it didn’t control terrorists against Pakistan who were active in Afghanistan.
“If Afghanistan treats us like an enemy, then why should we give them a trade corridor?” Asif said.
He passed the remarks after Pakistan launched intelligence-based anti-terrorist operations in the border regions in response to several terrorist attacks in Pakistan.
However, Zabiullah Mujahid, the spokesman for the Taliban administration, said in a statement that “The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan does not allow anyone to compromise security by using Afghan territory.”
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar on Wednesday denounced Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan for allegedly masterminding the cipher conspiracy for his own gains. He said that the party hired a lobbying firm for the recent US Congress hearing involving Donald Lu, Assistant Secretary of State.
Testifying before a Congressional panel yesterday, the top US diplomat said: “I wanna be very clear on this point [that] this conspiracy theory is a lie [and] it is a complete falsehood.” The federal information minister condemned PTI for its anti-state narrative, including recent protests that took place outside the headquarters of International Monetary Fund (IMF). He said the sole purpose of the protests were to derail the debt agreement talks currently being finalized.
“The PTI hired lobbyists in the United States for a congress hearing on the so-called regime change conspiracy, but their leader could not evade divine justice,” he said citing a proverb “man proposes and God disposes”.
He pointed out that historically Pakistan had rarely witnessed an instance where a person would jeopardize national interests for his own ego, pointing towards Imran Khan.
PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Khan talked with the media outside the High Court and said that the protests outside the IMF’S headquarters in the US were organized by overseas Pakistanis and that the party did not send anyone from Pakistan to organize it.
The Supreme Court granted bail to five suspects nominated cases pertaining to May 9 riots.
A three-member bench led by Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail and comprising Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Mussarat Hilali on Wednesday took up bail applications of the accused suspects nominated under various laws including the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), 1997 for rioting and vandalizing Hamza Camp in Rawalpindi.
Last year, nationwide protests and riots took place on May 9 after the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan from the premises of Islamabad High Court. Social media feeds were filled with videos showing acts of vandalism all over the country.
During the hearing, Justice Mandokhail asked, “How is carrying out rallies [equivalent to] terrorism?” Justice Mandokhail asked the authorities whether they were aware of the conditions under which Anti-Terrorism Act could be enacted.
“Recently, an incident of terrorism occurred in which officers were martyred [in North Waziristan]. The attack on Peshawar’s Army Public School was an act of terror. The suicide attack on lawyers in Quetta was an act of terror.”
Justice Mandokhail criticized the authorities and asked, “Is carrying out rallies or being a worker of a political party a crime?”
The Judge also emphasized that banning political parties and student unions had gotten the country to this point. The SC later granted bail to the suspects by accepting their bail requests against surety bonds of Rs50,000 each.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has warned the Punjab government as well as the federal government to change their behaviours or he will “send police” to their homes, The News reported on Thursday.
“Stop threatening me, or else we would send police to your homes,” Gandapur said while referring to Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and President Asif Ali Zardari, after Anti-Terrorism Court Judge Malik Ijaz Asif issued non-bailable warrants against him in the alleged May 9 riots case on Tuesday.
Non-bailable arrest warrants are also issued against multiple Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, including Murad Saeed, Shibli Faraz, Shahbaz Gill, and retired Lieutenant Colonel Shabbir Awan.
Warrants were also issued for former PTI leaders Shireen Mazari, Musarrat Jamshed Cheema, and Saad Jamil Abbasi.
Ali Amin Gandapur also said that the first information reports (FIRs) against him are “fake,” adding that it would be difficult for Punjab and the federal government to operate if they do not change their behaviours.
Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) disclosed to the Sindh High Court (SHC) that the nationwide ban on the social media platform X, implemented on February 17, was executed upon directives from the Ministry of Interior, citing intelligence agency reports.
Since February 17, the X website and application have remained predominantly offline, with sporadic service restorations, primarily occurring following statements made by former Rawalpindi commissioner Liaquat Ali Chatta alleging election irregularities.
PTA Chairman Hafeezur Rehman announced his intention to address the disruption of X with the interior ministry during a telephonic conversation with Dawn.com.
Rehman emphasized the need for clarity or accountability regarding the platform’s closure, highlighting that such actions are typically directed by the Interior Ministry.
During a hearing, a two-member SHC bench, comprising Chief Justice Aqeel Ahmad Abbasi and Justice Abdul Mubeen Lakho, consolidated four petitions filed by lawyer Jibran Nasir, journalist Zarrar Khurho, and others concerning internet disruptions at various instances.
In court, the PTA presented a copy of a letter dated February 17 from the Ministry of Interior instructing the telecommunication authority to block social media platform X.
The letter sent by Muhammad Hashim Shah, section officer FIA, to The Chairman PTA stated, “It is, therefore, social media platform i.e. X (formerly Twitter) may be blocked immediately till further orders.”
The PTA further revealed that these orders stemmed from intelligence agency reports.
Expressing dissatisfaction over the interior ministry’s failure to provide a written response, Chief Justice Aqeel Ahmad Abbasi urged Deputy Attorney General Khaleeq Ahmed to submit a “serious response,” prompting the latter to later present a written reply on behalf of the interior ministry. The response stated that services were disrupted on May 9, following orders from all provincial governments, citing concerns for state and citizen security. However, it refrained from commenting on other aspects of the case.
Following the inclusion of the ministry’s response in the case record, the bench adjourned the hearing until April 17, awaiting further proceedings.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif revealed on Shahzeb Khanzada’s show last night that former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Qamar Javed Bajwa threatened him that he would hold a press conference against him after the minister’s criticism about the previous army chief’s policy of rehabilitating Tehreek Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants back into the country.
Khawaja Asif pointed out that when the former army chief previously gave a briefing to the parliament, “A rosy picture was painted that if the Taliban were to return to Pakistan, it would usher in a new era of peace and brotherhood.” He further said “Its not wrong or blasphemous of me to suggest that they return to the same forum and explain.”
Asif said that he did not insult anyone by asking that Bajwa and Gen (ret.) Faiz Hameed be summoned before the national parliament to give a briefing about their flawed policy. He reiterated, “What Pakistan is currently going through is basically a ‘continuity’ of that infamous briefing that the ex-generals gave us.”
When the anchor asked him whether he received any advice from his party to stay away from this topic, he replied that they did not, and it is a matter of principle for him.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan has said that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) did not join the federal government because it will not last long.
The former prime minister spoke to journalists in Adiala jail on Wednesday, stating that the “establishment, caretaker government, and the Election Commission are all one, and everything is based on lies.”
Terming Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja a “liar,” Khan said the CEC is still occupying the office despite five reports issued by election watchdogs on election irregularities.
The founder of PTI also claimed that the new government will not last more than five to six months. However, inflation will increase in the country after signing a new deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Imran Khan, who is currently in Adiala jail, stated that he is mentally ready to stay incarcerated.
Regarding strain ties with the establishment, he responded to a question, saying: “Attempts are under way to create differences between us and the army.”
Hammad Azhar, senior leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), voluntarily resigned from his roles as acting Punjab President and General Secretary on Wednesday, citing legal cases and the challenges the party is currently facing as the reason for the surprise decision.
The politician, who was once a federal minister during the PTI regime, submitted his resignation letter to PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan and Secretary-General Omar Ayub Khan. He said that he’s staying underground because of cases and raids, and he believes the party would benefit more from leadership that’s actively present on the ground.
“It has been an honour, but it would be selfish of me to continue while I am still in hiding and unable to represent the party even on television. In my opinion, at this stage, the party would be best served by a leadership in Punjab that is able to be present on the ground and lead from the front,” he stated in the letter.
Leadership ought to have the opportunity to be on television and directly meet the founding chairman, Imran Khan, Hammad observed, pointing out that he lacks this access and permission.
