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Category: Politics

  • Shahid Khaqan Abbasi confirms Gen Bajwa wanted an extension

    Shahid Khaqan Abbasi confirms Gen Bajwa wanted an extension

    Former Prime Minister and leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has confirmed that former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa did indeed ask for an extension from the incumbent government.

    Talking on Geo News’ programme ‘Capital Talk’, Abbasi told senior journalist Hamid Mir that he met former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Bajwa twice in November 2022. “I met him twice. He knows what I said,” the PML-N leader said in reply to Mir asking him if he was campaigning for an extension for the former army head.

    “I can say that other than Nawaz Sharif, I was the one man who was openly against giving an extension,” he categorically said, adding that he even told his party to leave the government if it was being pressurised to grant the extension.

    He said that in 2018, one year before General Bajwa got an extension in his tenure of service, he told the COAS that he will destroy his own reputation and mar the image of the institution he represents. “I said the same thing in 2022, that this extension will completely destroy the country’s systems,” he stated.

    Hamid Mir then said, “So this means he was trying to get an extension.”

    “He absolutely was,” Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said in reply, adding that General Bajwa had sent a “clear message” for an extension.

    When asked whether his government was threatened with a martial law, the PML-N leader said that he has no knowledge of such a threat. “But, a lot of people from a lot of parties were in favour of this,” he said, emphasizing that only one man was very clear about not granting an extension. “That was Nawaz Sharif,” he said.

    The host asked Shahid Khaqan Abbasi if he used to meet General Bajwa and then fly to London to talk to his party head Nawaz Sharif. “Yes I did. It was done in the country’s interest,” he replied. Elaborating further, he said that he was outside the country when he received “suspicious” news and then went to party supremo Nawaz Sharif. “I met General Bajwa with Nawaz Sharif’s permission. Then I went back and told Mian Sb what happened, gave my option and came back.”

    He clarified that he told the army head that a smooth transition of command was his biggest responsibility and will be his legacy. “I repeated this to him again and again. He is now part of history. It is not appropriate to discuss this now,” he concluded.

  • Shehbaz Sharif to leave today for two-day visit to Turkiye

    Shehbaz Sharif to leave today for two-day visit to Turkiye

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will leave for a two-day visit to Turkiye on Thursday to convey his “heartfelt condolences” over the loss of life in the massive earthquake that struck the country on February 6.

    The Foreign Office has confirmed in a press release that the Prime Minister will meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and offer condolences on the staggering loss of life on behalf of the Pakistani people.

    He will also visit southern Turkey, which took the brunt of the damage of the 7.8 magnitude earthquake and it’s massive aftershocks. The Premier is scheduled to meet earthquake survivors and the rescue and relief teams that Pakistan has sent to aid in the area.

    On Thursday morning Shehbaz Sharif posted a message on Twitter, stating that he will convey a message of solidarity and support for the Turkish people. “True to the spirit of one nation living in two states, we consider their loss as ours.”

    Continuing in another tweet, the Prime Minister wrote, “Natural disasters as the earthquake in Türkiye & Syria are beyond the capacity of any single government to handle. No country, howsoever resourceful, can deal with devastation of this magnitude. It is time the world came forward & extended support to the suffering humanity.”

    The Pakistani government has already sent a 51-memver rescue team to Turkey along with relief goods.

  • Ministers decide to give up salaries amid economic crisis

    Ministers decide to give up salaries amid economic crisis

    A total of 12 federal ministers and three state ministers have decided to give up their salaries and work on voluntary basis due to the worsening economic crisis in the country.

    The ministers themselves proposed to Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif that they will work without pay. The Premier has approved the request and appreciated their concern for the nation.

    This will be the very first time that such a large number of cabinet members will be serving without getting paid.

    It has also been reported that the Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) have decided to donate one-month salary each to the earthquake victims in Turkiye and Syria.

  • Islamabad ATC rejects Imran’s bail in ECP protest case

    Islamabad ATC rejects Imran’s bail in ECP protest case

    An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Islamabad has rejected Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s request for an extension in his interim bail. The plea was made in a case pertaining to a protest outside the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) following its decision in the Toshakhana case.

    During today’s hearing, Imran’s lawyer Babar Awan told the court that Imran tried to travel to Islamabad but could not.

    Awan highlighted that the additional sessions judge had granted interim bail to the PTI chief till February 27.

    Awan requested the court to extend the bail, adding that Khan had tried to come but could not travel.

    Islamabad ATC orders Imran Khan to appear in person today

    An Islamabad Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Wednesday ordered Khan to appear in person before the judge by 1:30pm today.

    During the hearing today, ATC judge Raja Jawad Abbas Hassan rejected his request for exemption from appearance on medical grounds.

    “Imran Khan should appear in court by 1:30pm,” he ordered.

    Earlier, an Islamabad banking court also refused Imran’s exemption request in the prohibited funding case against his party and instructed him to appear before the judge in person today.

    “Imran Khan should appear in the court before 3:30pm today,” Special Judge Banking Court Rakhshanda Shaheen said.

    “If he fails to do so, the law will take its course,” she added.

    At the previous hearing, the court had granted the PTI chief a last opportunity to appear on February 15.

    Khan has been in Zaman Park, his Lahore residence, since he was shot on November 3, in Wazirabad, while leading a protest march towards Islamabad.

  • Govt to present Finance Bill 2023 today to fulfil IMF conditions

    Govt to present Finance Bill 2023 today to fulfil IMF conditions

    The federal government has been forced to head to parliament after President Arif Alvi ‘adv­ised’ Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday to take parliament into confidence over the Rs 170 billion in new taxes that are being levied.

    As per the agenda, the National Assembly will meet at 3:30pm and Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar will present the Finance Supplementary Bill, 2023 in the lower house.

    A session of the Senate has also been summoned at 4:30pm to move the bill there as well so the document can be sent to President Dr Arif Alvi immediately for assent.

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who didn’t attend the last session, will be present during today’s meeting.

    The governm­ent had initially planned to introduce “tax and non-tax mea­­sures” to generate funds to the tune of Rs 170 billion. However, in a last-minute change, it decided to drop proposals pertaining to non-tax measures, particularly the flood levy to the tune of Rs 100 billion.

    In a late-night development, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) issued SRO178 to enhance a federal excise duty on locally manufactured cigarettes which would generate up to Rs 60 billion in taxes on tobacco products.

    The government will generate Rs 55 billion more through a 1 per cent increase in GST – from 17pc to 18pc. The remaining Rs 55 billion will be collected through an increase in excise duty on airlines tickets, sugary drinks and an increase in withholding tax rates.

    Dar had called on President Alvi to apprise him about the talks with the IMF for the revival of the programme.

    The government decided to approach the Parliament after President Dr Arif Alvi gave the government a cold shoulder on bringing the mini-budget via an ordinance in his meeting with Dar.

    “The president advised that it would be more appropriate to take parliament into confidence on this important subject, and that a session be called immediately so that the bill is enacted without delay,” a statement issued by the President House said after the meeting.

  • Bilawal says Imran can talk to terrorists but not lawmakers, urges politicians to unite

    Bilawal says Imran can talk to terrorists but not lawmakers, urges politicians to unite

    Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Monday urged all political parties to come to a single page to overcome the crises that the country is facing right now.

    Bilawal claimed that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s and his party’s inability to take matters seriously was damaging not only for the Opposition but also for the entire country and democracy.

    “He [PTI chief Imran Khan] says that he can sit with terrorists for talks but not with parliamentarians,” said Bilawal.

    “We [all political parties] will have to unite on a minimum common agenda to rid the nation of crisis,” the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairman said while addressing the inaugural event of his party’s initiative to celebrate 2023 as the Golden Jubilee Year of the Constitution.

    “If all political parties agree on a Code of Conduct, we can overcome the crisis and chart a path to progress,” he added.

    “But if every party decides it will neither play nor allow others to play, the nation will be the ultimate loser,” warned Bilawal.

    Emphasizing that this is the last chance for political parties to save the country, Bilawal said that if they failed to do so, history won’t be kind to them.

    Speaking to Dawn, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said, “I won’t rule out the possibility of my party’s participation in any dialogue proposed by Bilawal. But I advise him not to become a part of the government’s ‘unconstitutional’ acts”.

    Fawad further said that the establishment and all political parties must sit together and give some space to each other.

  • Member National Assembly Ali Wazir finally released from prison after more than two years

    Member National Assembly Ali Wazir finally released from prison after more than two years

    Member of National Assembly (MNA) and Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) leader Ali Wazir has been released from Central Jail Karachi today (Tuesday) after more than two years behind bars.

    Wazir was transferred to Central Jail Karachi on 31 December 2020 on sedition charges for delivering hate speeches.

    In November, Peshawar High Court’s Bannu Bench granted bail to Wazir in one sedition case.

    Earlier, Wazir also claimed that his life was in danger. He was admitted to Karachi’s Jinnah Postgraduate and Medical Centre, where he claimed that he was attacked twice.

  • PTI’s Shaukat Tarin booked for allegedly sabotaging IMF deal

    Former Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin has been booked in a sedition case by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for allegedly sabotaging negotiations between Pakistan and International Monetary Fund (IMF).

    The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader landed in the center of controversy in August last year when telephonic conversations between him and two provincial finance ministers surfaced. A voice, allegedly Tarin’s, was heard telling Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) finance minister Taimur Jhagra and Punjab finance minister Mohsin Leghari, both of the PTI, to tell the coalition government in the centre and the IMF that they would not be able to commit to a provincial budget surplus in light of the monsoon floods.

    The leaked audio came to light when the international lender’s executive board was scheduled to consider Pakistan’s request of releasing the $1.2 billion tranche under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF).

    On Monday, the coalition government also allowed the FIA to arrest the former finance minister after the agency sought the interior ministry’s nod to detain him.

    PTI lawmakers protested in Senate against the possible arrest of Tarin on the same day.

    Interestingly, senior leader of arch-rivals Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, lent support to Tarin, stating that there should be a trial and he shouldn’t be arrested.

    He pointed out that many arrests took place when Imran Khan was PM and that now the incumbent government shouldn’t follow in his footsteps.

  • Will be happiest to leave govt as soon as elections are held, says CM Mohsin Naqvi

    Will be happiest to leave govt as soon as elections are held, says CM Mohsin Naqvi

    Caretaker Chief Minister (CM) of Punjab, Mohsin Naqvi, has said that he doesn’t wish to prolong his tenure as head of government in the province.

    Talking to journalists, he said that he would be happiest to leave the government as soon as the elections are held. He clarified that the election date is the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) job, and his government is ready to conduct free and fair elections in the province.

    About the ever-growing danger of terrorism in Punjab, the caretaker CM said the government is boosting the capabilities of the already efficient Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) in the province.

    It is pertinent to mention Mohsin has been under fire lately by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for what they allege is a failure to set a date for by-polls in Punjab.

  • BBC India office raided by tax official after airing documentary on Modi

    BBC India office raided by tax official after airing documentary on Modi

    Indian tax authorities raided BBC’s New Delhi offices on Tuesday, weeks after it aired a documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s role in the deadly riots of 2002 in the western state of Gujarat.

    A BBC employee based in the office told AFP that the tax raid was in progress and that officials were “confiscating all phones”.

    Police were at the BBC’s office in the centre of the capital to prevent people from entering or leaving, an AFP journalist at the scene reported.

    “A government procedure is happening inside the office,” an official said, declining to disclose which department he was from.

    Last month, the broadcaster aired a two-part documentary alleging that the then-Chief Minister Modi ordered police to turn a blind eye to the riots. The violence left at least 1,000 people dead, most of them minority Muslims.

    Government adviser Kanchan Gupta had slammed the documentary as “hostile propaganda and anti-India garbage”.

    Earlier, the Indian foreign ministry dismissed the news as “propaganda”.

    According to the documentary, the inquiry team assessed that Modi had prevented the police from acting to stop the violence targeted against Muslims, stating that he had specifically ordered law-enforcing authorities not to intervene. The documentary also features a former top UK diplomat who says that the violence had been planned by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP)

    Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson for the foreign ministry, has termed the BBC documentary a “propaganda piece”.

    India’s government blocked videos and tweets sharing links to the documentary soon after its release, calling it “hostile propaganda and anti-India garbage”.