Current Final

Category: Politics

  • Farah Gogi might become approver against Imran and Bushra

    Farah Gogi might become approver against Imran and Bushra

    According to the sources of The News, former First Lady Bushra Bibi’s close friend Farah Gogi is going to provide evidence against former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife.

    According Murtaza Ali Shah’s report for The News, Farah Gogi has been in contact with Pakistani authorities and has been cooperating with them for nearly a month now.

    On the other hand, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership has told Farah Gogi and her husband Ahsan Jameel Gujjar not to cooperate with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and other legal institutions.

    According to trusted sources, Farah Gogi has also shared important information with the Pakistani authorities.

    The sources stated that Farah Gogi was asked to leave the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the first week of May after the Pakistani government informed the Gulf state that she was a wanted individual and had engaged in corrupt activities while living in Dubai.

    Farah Gogi started a conversation with the Pakistani authorities after reaching Italy, as she has been blacklisted, which means she is unable to enter the UAE because of the cases filed against her.

    According to Pakistani investigators, Farah is involved in selling a Graff watch set, gifted to then-Premier Imran Khan by the Saudi crown prince Mohammad Bin Salman, to Dubai-based businessman Umar Farooq Zahoor for $2 million.

    She has also been named in cases related to bribes for postings and transfers during Usman Buzdar’s tenure as Chief Minister of Punjab. Allegations have been made that the bribes were funneled through Farah Gogi to Bushra Bibi and Imran Khan.

    Azhar Siddique, who is currently in the UK, has been aiding Farah Gogi with her legal issues. He told Murtaza Ali Shah that he was in contact with Farah Gogi and her husband, but he was unaware of their whereabouts. He has also said, “All allegations against Farah Gogi are politically motivated and false. She has done nothing wrong. There is no case against her”.

    Azhar Siddique has also said that he has no knowledge if Farah Gogi is in contact with Pakistani authorities or negotiating with them.

  • Imran Khan gets relief from the court in lawyer’s murder case

    Imran Khan gets relief from the court in lawyer’s murder case

    Imran Khan, Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), had received respite on Monday when the Supreme Court (SC) restricted the police from arresting the former prime minister until August 9 in connection with the Quetta murder of senior lawyer Abdul Razzaq Shar.

    The Supreme Court heard a petition on Monday against the former prime minister’s nomination in the case involving Shar’s killing via gunshot in Quetta.

    On June 6, Advocate Shar was assassinated by unknown individuals on three motorcycles when he was going to the Balochistan High Court (BHC).

    Ataullah Tarar, the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM), claimed that the targeted murder was connected to a treason case Shar was bringing forth against Imran under Article 6 of the Constitution. He has also said that Imran Khan is “directly responsible” for the murder of a famous lawyer.

    A three-judge panel made up of Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi and Justice Mussarat Hilali ordered Imran Khan  to appear before the court on August 9.

  • PPP denies consensus reached on caretaker Prime Minister as PML-N sticks to Ishaq Dar

    PPP denies consensus reached on caretaker Prime Minister as PML-N sticks to Ishaq Dar

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has on Monday denied that the ruling coalition has reached agreement on who will become interim Prime Minister as reports of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) nominating Finance Minister Ishaq Dar gain traction.

    Minister for Climate Change, Sherry Rehman, held a press conference today to categorically deny that a consensus has been reached after media reports surfaced last night that PPP has agreed to Dar’s nomination.

    “Someone has been crowned as caretaker Prime Minister based on fake news,” Rehman said in a thinly veiled reference to rumors about Ishaq Dar. “We want a level playing field for everyone,” she pointedly said, adding that no name has as yet been suggested to PPP.

    She also stated that her party is forming a committee of three members to make decisions about the caretaker setup.

    News reports about Dar, the father-in-law of the younger daughter of PML-N head Nawaz Sharif, set off frenzied criticism among political analysts and commentators. Dar is a close ally of Nawaz Sharif’s, raising concerns about his neutrality as a caretaker Prime Minister.

    The news was first reported by Express Tribune’s Shehbaz Rana, while The News’ Azaz Syed tweeted last night that PPP had agreed to Dar’s nomination.

  • PML-N wants Ishaq Dar as interim PM, PPP disagrees

    PML-N wants Ishaq Dar as interim PM, PPP disagrees

    PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif wants to see his loyalist Ishaq Dar as the interim prime minister, multiple media reports have said. On the other hand, the second largest party in the ruling coalition, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), has as yet not agreed on Dar’s nomination.

    According to sources within the PPP, a “man from the Sharif family” is not suitable for the caretaker setup, Dawn has reported.

    On Sunday, PML-N initiated efforts to take all stakeholders on board, including the military establishment, and assuage the concerns of the PPP leadership.

    Both the major political parties, PML-N and PPP, in the ruling alliance agree that the caretaker prime minister should be a politician. The ruling party will announce a name for caretaker prime minister after consulting all the stakeholders.

    On the other hand, PPP Information Secretary and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister, Faisal Karim Kundi, said no meeting was held between the two parties on Sunday.
    In a statement to ARY News, the PPP denied agreeing on Ishaq Dar becoming the caretaker prime minister, stating that no such agreement had been reached between the two parties.

  • PML-N, PPP top leaders arrive in Dubai to again discuss caretaker setup

    PML-N, PPP top leaders arrive in Dubai to again discuss caretaker setup

    Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz arrived in Dubai to meet the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) top leaders to discuss the upcoming caretaker government in the country after the dissolution of the National Assembly.

    PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari arrived Friday night at Dubai’s Al-Maktoum airport in a private plane after taking off from Karachi.

    The heads of the two parties will consult with each other on who will be the caretaker prime minister in the interim government after the dissolution of assemblies in the country.

    Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman will be consulted in the matter of the upcoming caretaker setup as well. Maulana is in Karachi now and will travel to Dubai next week.

  • Police arrest couple in DIG Jamal’s death inquiry

    Police arrest couple in DIG Jamal’s death inquiry

    Lahore police have arrested a man and his wife for questioning in Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Shariq Jamal’s death inquiry.  

    The police officer was found dead in mysterious circumstances at an apartment on Saturday morning. At the time, conflicting media reports said that the policeman was found dead at his residence, while others said his body was found in an apartment in DHA.

    According to media reports, a couple shifted him to a private hospital in DHA.

    However, after further investigation by the police, it came to light that DIG was at the couple’s flat.

    The husband and wife revealed that the DIG was with them, and they brought him to the hospital after his health took a turn for the worse.

    According to the details, DIG was brought to the hospital at 1:30 a.m. and declared dead on arrival.

    The police confirmed that Shariq Jamal was not at his residence but at an apartment in Lahore, and he had shifted to the hospital from there.

    The authorities have decided to investigate the matter, transferring the body of the DIG to Jinnah Hospital for a postmortem.

  • Ishaq Dar, Khwaja Asif in the committee formed by PM to hold consultations for caretaker setup

    Ishaq Dar, Khwaja Asif in the committee formed by PM to hold consultations for caretaker setup

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has formed a five-member committee of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to hold consultations with allies on the upcoming caretaker setup in the country, Geo News has reported

    The provincial assemblies of Sindh and Baluchistan will also be dissolved next month, in August, along with the National Assembly.

    Ishaq Dar, Ahsan Iqbal, Khawaja Saad Rafiq, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Khawaja Muhammad Asif are members of the committee tasked with consulting with allies on the upcoming caretaker setup.

    According to sources in PML-N, the panel will start its work right away. PM Shehbaz has also advised other parties to form such panels, as it will be helpful in the matter of caretaker setup.

    According to multiple sources, one of the major parties in the ruling alliance wants the caretaker PM of its choice.

    Interestingly, the government is not consulting political forces outside the parliament.

    Earlier, the vice president (VC) of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Shah Mehmood Qureshi, had complained that PTI has not been kept in the loop in the matter of the caretaker setup.

  • Supreme Court will intervene if martial law-like situation happens

    Supreme Court will intervene if martial law-like situation happens

    If a martial law-like situation arises, then the Supreme Court will intervene, the apex court has said during a hearing on petitions against the trials of civilians in military courts.

    Chief Justice Umar Atta Bandial said that the present case is not related to the death penalty.

    Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan describes the procedure of military trials in court.

    A six-member larger bench headed by the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Umar Atta Bandial, is hearing the case. Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, and Justice Ayesha Malik are part of the larger bench.

    The AGP said in his arguments that incidents like May 9 have never happened in the history. He also mentioned that the faces of the people involved in May 9 riots are very clear.

    The Attorney General said that the court should adjourn further hearing for a month. In response, the chief justice said that the court will consult with each other and inform him about the next hearing date.

    Journalist Hasnaat Malik tweeted after the hearing, “So final fate of civilian’s trial in military courts will be decided during next CJP era. CJP Bandial wants stay in commencement of civilians trials till his retirement. He also made it clear that there is no martial law in the country”.

  • Azam Khan appears before NAB in £190 million case

    Azam Khan appears before NAB in £190 million case

    Former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s former principal secretary Azam Khan appeared before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) today (July 21) in Rawalpindi in a case related to a settlement worth £190 million between property tycoon Malik Riaz and Imran Khan, when the latter was in power. NAB had issued a notice to Azam Khan to appear today, Geo News has reported.

    Azam Khan recorded his statement and answered the questions asked by NAB’s joint investigation team (JIT). Azam Khan confirmed that he is an eyewitness to all that transpired and said that everything, including the dubious transaction, took place under the instructions of former PM Imran Khan. Azam revealed that former federal minister Shehzad Akbar also played a role in the £190 million settlement.

    Earlier on Wednesday, Azam Khan had recorded a statement before a magistrate that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief’s “cypher drama” was a pre-planned conspiracy.

  • Fawad Chaudhry apologises to ECP in contempt case

    Fawad Chaudhry apologises to ECP in contempt case

    Former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry, now associated with the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), has rendered an apology to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in a contempt case filed against him, Geo News has reported.

    The case against Fawad Chaudhry was initiated last year in August, for using inappropriate language against the ECP and Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja.

    The ECP, a constitutional body, issued notices to Fawad Chaudhry and other members of the PTI, including Imran Khan and Asad Umar, for using foul language against the CEC and ECP.

    A four-member commission headed by the CEC heard the contempt case against Fawad Chaudhry and others on Thursday.

    Fawad Chaudhry appeared before the ECP and apologised to the commission. He further requested it to withdraw the show-cause notice issued to him.

    Fawad Chaudhry said that whatever he said at that time was the party’s narrative.

    “It was the party’s position that I described. I respect institutions, including the ECP,” the former information minister said.

    The ECP asked him to submit a written apology, adjourning the hearing till August 1.