Category: Politics

  • When is Nawaz coming back? PML-N sources announce a date

    When is Nawaz coming back? PML-N sources announce a date

    As former Prime Minister Imran Khan remains incarcerated at Attock Jail, the matter of the return to Pakistan of another former Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, remains unclear with no official announcements as yet.

    However, SAMAA News has reported that the official date may finally have been decided.

    There is a strategy in place for Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif’s long-anticipated return from London. Nawaz Sharif will reach Lahore from London on a passenger plane on October 15, SAMMAA has reported. PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif will also meet Nawaz in this regard today.


    PML-N sources said that Nawaz Sharif has assigned his central leadership with arranging his reception.

    According to sources who talked to the news outlet, former assembly members and organisation executives have been told to gather as many individuals as possible for the party head’s reception.

    Maryam Nawaz, the PML-N’s chief organiser, is in charge of reception-related matters.

    Earlier, it was reported that Nawaz will return to Pakistan by mid-September; however, the party’s plans changed in the last few days after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced that elections will not take place within 90 days.

  • Action taken against those who attacked Ahmaddiya place of worship

    Action taken against those who attacked Ahmaddiya place of worship

    Journalist Arshad Yousafzai took to X (formerly twitter) on Monday to share a video where a charged mob can be seen vandalizing The Ahmadiyya Hall, a place of worship for the Ahmaddiya community in Karachi. The mob was breaking the minarets of the building in Saddar, just a few streets away from Preedy Police Station. Around two hours after the post, Mayor Karachi, Murtaza Wahab announced that action has been taken and three people have been arrested.

    The constitution of Pakistan and Pakistan Penal Code ensures that all citizens have the right to practice their religion in peace. Interim Prime minister Anwaar ul Haq Kakar also offered assurances after the Jaranwala incident that all minorities, including Ahmedis, will be protected by the state.

    X user Samrina Hashmi reminded everyone how targeting anyone’s place of worship goes against constitution and religion.

    Fahad Desmukh wrote how the same building was attacked a few months ago.

    ShaRzyeea talked about her childhood memories linked to this place, “So many of my childhood memories are in this place that is connection and safety.”

    https://twitter.com/TeiNTeesDus/status/1698673568547246209?s=20
  • Who met the president in Aiwan-e-Sadr?

    Who met the president in Aiwan-e-Sadr?

    Political commentators and analysts are speculating about an alleged meeting held at the Aiwan-e-Sadr (Presidency) on Friday.

    According to the sources of The News, two important personalities met President Alvi in Aiwan-e-Sadr. The meeting was held on the fourth floor of the Aiwan-e-Sadr, with the premises being off-limits for everyone, including staff.

    No statement has been issued by the President’s House to confirm or deny the meeting.

    Earlier, Kamran Yousaf reported in his vlog that Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief General Nadeem Ahmad Anjum was also part of the meeting. Yousaf had earlier given the news that President Alvi was all set to announce elections dates for November.

    On the other hand, senior journalist Umar Cheema also confirmed that two generals were part of the meeting in Aiwan-e-Sadr. However,
    he did not give any names.

    According to some political pundits, President Arif Alvi will announce the date of the upcoming elections in the next 72 hours.

    President Arif Alvi’s tenure is going to complete on September 8. There is still no confirmation from the President House whether he will go home after completing his tenure as president or continue till a new president is sworn in.

    As per the Constitution, the president may continue in his office until the arrival of a new president.

    As yet, no formal announcement of a date for the polls has been announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

    The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on Sunday asked the ECP to release the schedule of the general elections.

    The HRCP said that the uncertainty surrounding the elections should end and new delimitations should not be used as an excuse to further delay the general polls.

    “The law of the land says that the Election Commission of Pakistan has to decide [the date of the elections],” said caretaker Prime Minister (PM) Anwaar ul Haq Kakar in an interview with senior anchorperson Saleem Safi in his programme ‘Jirga’ on Geo News.

  • Judge hearing Imran’s plea in cipher case goes on leave

    Judge hearing Imran’s plea in cipher case goes on leave

    Special Court Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain, who’s hearing the cipher case against former Prime Minister Imran Khan, has gone on leave until September 8.

    PTI’s lawyers, Babar Awan, Salman Safdar, and Naeem Haider Panjotha, reached the courtroom on Monday where staff told them that the Judge was on leave as his wife is unwell.

    Attorney Salman Safdar requested court staff to fix the next hearing for Thursday.

    However, the PTI’s legal team reached the courtroom of Judge Raja Javad and requested him to hear the case.

    Judge Raja Javad replied that he could not hear the bail plea as he is not a duty judge.

    “There is no notification of the duty judge under the Official Secrets Act. If the Islamabad High Court can mark it, only then I can hear it,” Judge Abbas remarked. “I can hear cases of 24 courts as a duty judge but not to the extent of the Official Secrets Act.”

  • Trade with India not possible without solving Kashmir issue, says PM Kakar

    Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has said that trade between Pakistan and India is not possible without solving the Kashmir issue, adding that Pakistan would act as a “willing partner” in case India initiates resolution of the Kashmir dispute.

    Relations between India and Pakistan have become tense since the Dehli administration divided Kashmir into two federally administered territories in August 2019, ending the special status the occupied region enjoyed.

    The Himalayan region, where Muslims are in the majority, has been a cause of conflict between Pakistan and India since the liberation of both countries from British rule. Both neighbouring countries rule parts of the Himalayan territory, fighting two wars to occupy the whole region.

    Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar said while talking to Geo’s Saleem Safi that under the current situation, trade is not possible between Delhi and Islamabad.

    “Kashmir is at the core, but when we say Kashmir is at the core, it does not mean that we want to keep fighting with India all the time,” the Pakistan prime minister said.

  • DC Peshawar issues detention orders of 11 PTM activists

    DC Peshawar issues detention orders of 11 PTM activists

    The district administration of Peshawar has issued orders to detain 11 activists of the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO), on allegations of provoking the public against the government’s policies and the armed forces of the country.

    According to the detention order, SSP operations wrote a letter to the deputy commissioner stating that the Gulberg police station SHO provided a list of the PTM activists who provoked the public against the Pakistan Army and other institutions of Pakistan.

    The latter, issued by the SSP operations, informed the district administration that the individuals on the list pose a risk to the stability and peace of the country. They violated the writ of the government and the law and order situation in the area. 

    “The activities of the said individuals are against the law, and there is apprehension that they may continue their activities in the future,” the detention orders issued by the deputy commissioner said, adding that the administration considered the activities prejudicial to public safety and might create a law and order situation in the district.

  • Imaan Mazari gets bail in terrorism case

    Imaan Mazari gets bail in terrorism case

    Human rights activist and lawyer Imaan Mazari has been granted bail on Saturday by an Islamabad anti-terrorism court in a new terrorism case.

    The bail has been granted three days after she was handed over to the Islamabad Police on physical remand in connection with a criminal complaint brought against her at the Barakahu police station in the federal capital.

    The decision was made by ATC Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain, who granted bail to the arrested attorney with a Rs 10,000 surety bond.

    Imaan and Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) leader Ali Wazir’s bails in a sedition case relating to contentious statement against state institutions were quickly allowed by an ATC judge. Imaan was then detained in a new terror case from outside the Adiala jail in Rawalpindi.

  • Imran Khan hires UK lawyer to represent him in international courts

    Imran Khan hires UK lawyer to represent him in international courts

    Imran Khan, the chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has retained the services of British attorney Geoffrey Robertson KC to represent him in international courts.
    The announcement has been made at a time when the former prime minister, who was removed from power in April of last year after a vote of no confidence, is still detained in the Attock District jail after being found guilty on August 5 in the Toshakhana case.


    The PTI leader was found guilty for failing to disclose state gifts he received while in government; as a result, he received a three-year prison sentence and a Rs. 100,000 fine, excluding him from running in future elections.


    The news regarding the UK attorney was made public by PTI on Friday via a post on its official X (formerly Twitter) account, announcing its decision to hire the renowned lawyer, who has previously worked with high-profile people including Salman Rushdie and WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
    “PTI Chairman, Former Prime Minister @ImranKhanPTI has appointed the eminent Human Rights Barrister Geoffrey Robertson KC of @DoughtyStreet Chambers to advise and represent him in international courts in relation to unlawful detention and human rights abuses,” the post on X read.

  • Interim PM Kakar cancels trip to Kenya

    Interim PM Kakar cancels trip to Kenya

    Interim Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has cancelled a three-day official trip to Kenya, scheduled to start on September 4 (Monday), The News has reported.
    According to the Foreign Office, PM Karar was invited by President William Samoei Ruto to travel to Nairobi, Kenya, from September 4 to 6, where he would attend the Africa Climate Summit.
    The publication claimed that the prime minister decided to cancel the trip after weighing the advantages and disadvantages of the prevailing atmosphere in the country.

    Kakar’s trip to the African country would have been his first foreign sojourn since taking oath of office as interim Prime Minister of Pakistan. Interim Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani, caretaker cabinet members, advisers, and special assistants would have accompanied the PM on the visit.
    It was previously reported that the trip to Kenya was related to the strategy the previous government had developed to promote bilateral relations with African countries.

  • President Alvi wants elections in November

    President Alvi wants elections in November

    President Arif Alvi will likely defy the opinion of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the law ministry as he is reportedly contemplating announcing the date for the next general elections, sources familiar with the development have said, reported Kamran Yousaf for The Express Tribune.

    It is expected that the president will write another letter to the ECP, suggesting a date in November for the elections. The sources said that President Alvi was in conversation with his legal team and was advised that an act of parliament could not override the provisions of the Constitution and that parliament might have amended the Election Act 2017 but the Constitution was clear that polls would have to take place within 90 days.

    “Based on that opinion, the president will communicate the election date to the Election Commission soon,” a source revealed.

    Previously, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja decided that he would not meet President Dr. Arif Alvi for a discussion on fixing the date for the general elections. After a recent amendment to existing laws, fixing the date for the election is at the discretion of the ECP.

    The CEC called a meeting of the commission last week to talk to its members about the matter of fixing the date before taking a formal position. It is not the ECP’s responsibility, according to the law, to consult with the president on this matter. “The law is very clear about it. The President has cited the wrong article for this purpose.”

    Alvi had invited Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, for a meeting on August 23 or 24, to fix an appropriate date for holding the general elections.