Current Final

Category: Politics

  • ‘Imran will lead the nation from jail’: PTI Core Committee

    ‘Imran will lead the nation from jail’: PTI Core Committee

    Former ruling party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has declared its intention to participate in the upcoming general elections across all constituencies in the country.

    The decision was made following a key meeting of the party’s core committee.

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had previously confirmed that the general elections will take place on February 8, 2024, after the Supreme Court’s instructions.

    The announcement followed consultations with President Arif Alvi in response to the apex court’s directives.

    The Imran Khan-led party, in its statement, reiterated its determination to take part in electoral politics, adding that “Coercion and fascism will not deter [PTI] from contesting the elections.”

    Addressing former prime minister and party chairman Imran Khan’s incarceration, the statement said: “The PTI chairman will lead the nation after being released [from Adiala jail]”.

    “If the chairman is kept incarcerated, [then] he will lead the nation from the jail,” it added.

    As per Imran Khan’s instructions, the party is set to actively engage in the national and provincial assembly elections, undeterred by any form of coercion or suppression, the core committee affirmed.

    The committee paid glowing tributes to the party chairman for demonstrating “unparalleled courage, resilience, and determination”.

    Imran Khan stands as an embodiment of struggle, resistance, maturity, determination, and perseverance in the pursuit of genuine liberation for the nation, the committee noted, highlighting the chairman’s “unwavering resolve” despite his nearly 100-day “unjust incarceration”.

    Members of the committee highlighted that Imran Khan’s “bravery and unwavering commitment” to not compromise on the true freedom of the nation serve as a wellspring of inspiration for the 240 million Pakistanis.

    The PTI also plans to release a ‘White Paper’ outlining the alleged failures of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and the caretaker government, which, they claim, have contributed to the country’s economic crisis.

    Notably, the PTI has voiced concerns about the lack of a level playing field in the upcoming elections, a sentiment echoed by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). Both parties have alleged biased treatment favoring the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

    Meanwhile, as political parties gear up for the elections, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the leader of the PML-N, has directed party members to begin their preparations for the upcoming polls during a recent meeting in Lahore.

  • ‘I walked to my home, spent a week in silence, biggest moment of my life’: Trump claims Khan was delighted about Iran operative death

    ‘I walked to my home, spent a week in silence, biggest moment of my life’: Trump claims Khan was delighted about Iran operative death

    Former American President Donald Trump is revealing about the killing of Iran’s master operative General Qassem Soleimani in 2020 just before COVID took over the world.

    Trump said that former Prime Minister Imran Khan ‘rejoiced’ at the killing.

    “There was a Khan, a great cricket player, he became the head of Pakistan, he said it was the single biggest thing I can ever remember happening in my life when Soleimani was killed,” Trump said.

    He further claimed that Khan said, “I left my office, I walked to my home, I stayed in my home in solitude for one week, It was the biggest event that ever happened to me. He was the biggest cricket player. That’s like being a great NFL player or a great baseball player. He was said to be just about the best handsome guy. He became the boss, Pakistan.”

    Trump was addressing a campaign rally in Houston, Texas, a city with a large Pakistani diaspora population.

    However, Trump’s claim of Imran Khan going into seclusion seems to be untrue. Journalist Omar Warraich pointed out in a X thread that Khan addressed a rally in his hometown Mianwali, the very next day and did not mention Soleimani’s assassination in the speech.

    Trump’s claim that Imran Khan walked from his office, the Prime Minister Secretariat, to his home, Bani Gala, also seems to be untrue. It has never been reported that Khan ever walked home, a distance of roughly 15 kilometers.

    The United States assassinated Qasem Soleimani with a drone strike in Baghdad on January 3, 2020. Soleimani was an Iranian general, the country’s most powerful commander, widely considered to be the most important person in Iran after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei.

    Soleimani was the leader of the Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force, a pivotal figure in managing Iran’s campaign to drive U.S. forces out of Iraq, and built up Iran’s network of proxy armies across the Middle East. Washington accused Soleimani of masterminding attacks by Iranian-aligned militias on U.S. forces in the region.

  • Bilawal Bhutto predicts the next PM will not be from Lahore

    Bilawal Bhutto predicts the next PM will not be from Lahore

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said on Monday that the next prime minister will not be from Lahore, a pointed reference to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), one of the strongest parties in the city.

    The former foreign minister told members of the media that PPP will take part in elections “on its own” and on the basis of its manifesto.

    “We won’t look towards anyone [else] and [will rely] on public’s [support] for [success in elections],” Bilawal said, adding: “[Although] anyone can be a candidate for the prime minister, the final decision is that of the people.”

    Terming PPP’s win in Sunday’s local government by-polls “a trailer”, Bilawal said that, “The people proved [by voting] that they are with the PPP.”

    “February 8 will be the day of victory for the manifesto of [Zulfikar Ali] Bhutto Shaheed and Benazir Bhutto,” he added.

    Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced last week that general elections will take place on February 8, 2024.

    The ECP announced polls date after consulting with President Arif Alvi.

  • What is olive harvesting season in Palestine?

    You have probably come across posts about the olive harvest season in Palestine. But do you know what it is?

    A festive season in Palestine, olive harvest falls every year in the months of October and November.

    In 2021, Al Jazeera reported that about 80,000 to 100,000 Palestinian families financially depend upon the olive harvest which includes more than 15 percent women.

    Palestine Trade Center (PalTrade) reported that the olive sector was worth $160m and $191m.

    But over the years, strict Israeli control, settler attacks and a poor capitulation due to harsh climate has affected the festivity.

    ‘The olive season in Palestine is much more than an economic practice, it’s a palpable example of one of Palestine’s many “cultural ecosystem services.”’, writes Dr. Yara Dahdal, projects manager at Nature Palestine Society in a blog post.

    Cultural ecosystem services, as Dr. Dahdal explains, are the “intangible benefits that people gain from ecosystems through recreation, tourism, intellectual development, spiritual enrichment, reflection, and creative and aesthetic experiences”.

    These have “positive impacts on human health and social ties, and solid cultural connections to identity. In this sense, the olive harvesting season in Palestine is an integrated socio-ecological system, extending its benefits beyond the total number of tons of harvested olives each year”, she adds.

    History

    As Palestine has been harvesting olives for thousands of years, olives became a symbol of their resilience against Israeli occupation.

    In 2008, the United Nations revealed that almost half of all cultivated land in the occupied West Bank and Gaza is planted with approximately 10 million olive trees.

    Whereas in 2019, Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics reported that about 177,000 tonnes of olives were pressed, producing 39,600 tonnes of olive oil – roughly 30,000 litres (7,925 gallons).

    Jenin, Tubas and Northern Valleys produced the highest quantity of olive oil, followed by Tulkarm and Gaza.

    Israeli attacks

    A 2012 study published by The Applied Research Institute Jerusalem (ARIJ) revealed that Israeli authorities have uprooted 800,000 Palestinian olive trees in the West Bank since 1967.

    Data by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) revealed that in a single year alone (August 2020 – August 2021), more than 9,300 trees were wrecked in the West Bank.

    In addition to the destruction, Palestinian farmers in the West Bank need Israeli permits to access their land in restricted areas near illegal Israeli settlements.

    Israeli settlements are Jewish communities built illegally on Palestinian land. Today, between 600,000 and 750,000 Israeli settlers live in at least 250 illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.

    In most cases, Palestinian farmers are, in fact, prohibited to access most of their land close to settlements.

  • Seven water facilities ‘directly hit’ in Gaza: What we know about day 31

    In the month that has passed since Israel declared war on Gaza following the Hamas attacks in Israel on October 7, almost 9,800 Palestinians have been killed.

    200 people in Gaza killed in a night

    Palestinian Health Ministry revealed that last night’s Israeli air raids killed more than 200 people.

    Palestinian activist Saleh al-Jafarawi shared a video from one of the areas attacked by Israel.

    450 Hamas positions targeted, Israel claims

    Since October 7, Israel has claimed to have hit about 450 Hamas targets which include fighters, military compounds, observation posts, antitank missile launch posts and tunnels.

    According to Al Jazeera, the army has also claimed to have tracked down an opening to Hamas’s tunnels close to the Sheikh Hamad Hospital in Gaza.

    And while schools and hospitals have been targeted by Israel on assertion that Hamas is using these facilities and civilian infrastructure as a means to defend its underground operations, Hamas has, time and again, denied the claims.

    Thousands of civilian casualties have resulted in the attacks on UN-run facilities, refugee camps, schools, mosques and churches, resulting in the killing of civilians.

    Joint statement by humanitarian organisations

    The heads of 18 humanitarian organisations, including the UN, have issued a rare joint statement calling for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” in Israel and Palestine.

    “Enough is enough,” the statement said. “This must stop now.”

    The letter signed by the heads of the 18 organisations is known by Inter-Agency Standing Committee.

    175 medical staff killed since October 7

    Palestinian Health Minister Mai al-Kaila has reported that since October 7, 175 medical personnel and 34 civil defence workers have been killed in the Gaza Strip.

    Additionally, 16 out of 36 hospitals and 51 out of 72 clinics are no longer in service after they have either been attacked by Israel or they are out of fuel and medicine to keep the centres running.

    70 Palestinians arrested in occupied West Bank

    At least 70 Palestinians have reportedly been arrested during raids in the occupied West Bank, according to the Palestinian Prisoner’s Commission and the Prisoner’s Society.

    Since October 7, more than 2,000 people have been arrested including 49 women and 17 journalists.

    Water facilities destroyed

    The UN relief agency has revealed that seven water facilities in the Gaza Strip were “directly hit and sustained major damage” on Saturday and Sunday.

    Credits: Al Jazeera

  • ‘The sun of February 8 will rise with the message of Bilawal’s victory’: Asif Zardari

    ‘The sun of February 8 will rise with the message of Bilawal’s victory’: Asif Zardari

    Former President Asif Ali Zardari said on Monday that he believes his son, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, will win the next election.

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and President Arif Alvi recently decided that the election will take place on February 8, 2024.

    In an official statement issued today, Zardari welcomed the announcement of the election date and said: “The sun of February 8 will rise with the message of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s victory.”

    “A few days of the public’s difficulties are left. The PPP will bring an end to the people’s ordeals,” he added.

    The former president went on to express his gratitude to the public for the party’s victory in by-elections held in Karachi’s nine local government constituencies.

    “Sindh’s heart, Karachi, also raised the slogan of ‘Jiye Bhutto’,” Zardari said while terming Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab and Deputy Mayor Salman Abdullah Murad’s wins a “special message for the opponents”.

    “Every party worker may become the ambassador of Benazir Bhutto shaheed and start the electoral campaign,” he added.

    In another statement, Bilawal also congratulated the Karachi by-election winners and said, “The public has given its verdict. Now, God-willing, the PPP’s victory on February 8 is also written on the wall.”

    Before the election, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had been arguing a lot.

    The PPP says the PML-N is secretly working with the current interim government. On the other hand, the PPP has said it is ready to work with the former ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party because they want the election to be fair for everyone.

    This shift in alliances and strategies underscores the dynamic and ever-evolving landscape of Pakistani politics, as the country gears up for a pivotal moment in its democratic journey.

  • Terrorists attack police station in Dera Ismail Khan

    Terrorists attack police station in Dera Ismail Khan

    Suspected terrorists attacked a police station on Monday in Dera Ismail Khan, the third terrorist attack in the district since Friday. The militants attacked the Gul Imam police station in Tank area. 

    One police official was injured as a result of attack.

    Police Constable Waheed Gul was injured in the exchange of firing. He was then urgently shifted to District Headquarters Hospital in Tank.

    With reinforcement personnel,District Police Officer (DPO) Tank Iftikhar Ali Shah reached the spot immediately, and then a search operation was started to wipe out militants.

    On Sunday evening, another policeman was injured in a terrorist attack on a checkpost in the Roori area of the Kulachi tehsil.

    Earlier, At least six people were killed and 20 injured after a blast in Dera Ismail Khan targeting a police van on Friday.

  • Nawaz Sharif directs party leaders to start election campaign

    Nawaz Sharif directs party leaders to start election campaign

    Former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) head Nawaz Sharif instructed party leaders to start preparations for the upcoming general election, due to take place on February 8 next year.

    Nawaz Sharif directed party leaders in a meeting to begin preparations for elections. PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif and party’s vice president, Maryam Nawaz, attended the huddle.

    Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Ahsan Iqbal, PML-N Election Cell Chairman Senator Ishaq Dar and Central Information Secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb also attended the meeting. 

    PML-N tweeted from its official X (previously Twitter) account that PML-N has entered a new phase of its election campaign as Nawaz Sharif has started meeting with party leaders.

    PML-N leaders discussed and planned further political activities for general election next year in February.

    The PML-N supremo told party leaders that they eill start development work from where we left off.

    This was the first meeting Nawaz Sharif held with party leaders at the central secretariat in Lahore after his return to the country.

    Khawja Asif has said that Nawaz Sharif will himself also contest next election.

  • Superintendent Adiala jail served notice on creating hinderance for Imran Khan

    A notice has been served to the superintendent of Adiala Jail on November 6 for not allowing phone conversations between Imran Khan and his sons, as per Geo News.

    The legal counsel of Chairman PTI, Shiraz Ranjha, filed a petition in the Special Court of the Official Secrets Act.

    He alleged contempt of court on the part of the Adiala Jail superintendent for not allowing a phone conversation between Chairman PTI’s sons and their father.

    The petition claimed that despite court orders, the superintendent of Adiala Jail did not facilitate the conversation.

    The petition further requested that action be taken against the superintendent of Adiala Jail for not adhering to the court’s orders and that the jail authorities be directed to enable the phone conversation between Imran Khan and his sons.

    Justice Abual Hasanat heard the petition filed by Chairman PTI and issued a notice to the superintendent of Adiala Jail, demanding a response by November 8.

  • Political parties should take path of dialogue for better Pakistan, says Raja Pervaiz Ashraf

    Political parties should take path of dialogue for better Pakistan, says Raja Pervaiz Ashraf

    Former Speaker of the National Assembly (NA) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, called on all political parties and stakeholders to take a path of dialogue for the betterment of the country.

    The senior leader was speaking  on Nadir Gurmani’s show “Dusra Rukh” where he was also questioned about the 2017 Faizabad sit-in.

    Responding to the question, the former NA speaker said, “I want to say that we have to look at the outcome of whatever has been happening. Even after 75 to 76 years, we have not been able to stand on our own feet. So we have to think about whether we remain stuck in the past or if there is something which we should take a step towards.” 

    Ashraf suggested moving forward by saying that there is not a lot of distance between the past and present.

    “I still think, and I have said so many times before […] to do consultation and sit everyone down [and] open a dialogue. Intra-political party dialogue should be opened,” he insisted.

    On the question of holding the former army chief accountable, the PPP leader said, “Okay, then keep on harping and whining about it. You won’t be able to move forward one inch. This practice is not right where after every two or three years you open an issue of the past. Nations which have progressed are forward-looking people.”