Current Final

Category: Politics

  • ECP sends notice for removal of Imran Khan as chairman of PTI: reports

    ECP sends notice for removal of Imran Khan as chairman of PTI: reports

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has formally initiated proceedings against former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan following his disqualification in the Toshakhana reference, reports Samaa News.

    According to media reports, the election body has sent a notice for the removal of Imran Khan as the chairman of PTI.

    The former prime minister was disqualified from his Mianwali seat in the Toshakhana reference.

    “The respondent has intentionally and deliberately violated the provisions contained Section 137,167 and 173 of the Elections Act, 2017, who has made false Statement and incorrect declaration before the Commission in the statement of assets and liabilities filed by him for the year 2020-21. Hence, attracts disqualification under Article 63(1)(p) of the Constitution read with section 137 and 173 of the Elections Act,2017,” –– the verdict read.

  • ‘Both Imran and General (r) Bajwa caused irreparable damage’: Hafiz Hamdullah

    ‘Both Imran and General (r) Bajwa caused irreparable damage’: Hafiz Hamdullah

    Hafiz Hamdullah, the spokesperson of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), has said that both Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and ex-Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa have caused irreparable damage to Pakistan.

    In a statement, he said, “It was ex-army chief Bajwa’s fault that he brought Khan into politics and it was Khan’s fault to give him [Bajwa] an extension. Both of their mistakes caused irreparable damage to Pakistan.”

    He pointed out that Khan is now accusing his mohsin (well-wisher). “Today you are accusing your Mohsin of the double game without any shame.”

    Commenting on the recent statements by PML-Q’s Moonis Elahi and Punjab CM Pervaiz Elahi that the ex-chief had advised his party to back Khan during the no-confidence motion, Hamdullah stated that on the matter of General Bajwa, the father and son duo and Imran Khan are not on the same page.

    Turning his guns towards Elahi, he posed a question. “In the case of General (r) Bajwa, are you with Imran Khan or with Bajwa?”

    




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    Nawaz Sharif to return back to Pakistan anytime now: reports
    
			
    Nawaz Sharif to return back to Pakistan anytime now: reports
    
			
    

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif has finalized plans to return home to Pakistan before the next general elections.
    




    According to media reports, Nawaz Sharif has instructed his party that if Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan dissolves the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assemblies, new elections should be held in both provinces within 90 days as per the constitution, while Nawaz himself will head the election campaign of these provincial elections.
    




    The former Prime Minister has also completed consultations about his return with his lawyers. His legal team will begin pursuing reviews of his convictions in courts immediately after his arrival.
    




    Media reports also suggest that it has been decided at the highest level that Nawaz Sharif will no longer keep himself away from domestic politics and will directly lead his party and supporters in the next election.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    ‘Agar mulk chalana hai toh NAB ko khatam karey’: Shahid Khaqan Abbasi
    
			
    ‘Agar mulk chalana hai toh NAB ko khatam karey’: Shahid Khaqan Abbasi
    
			
    

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and former Prime Minister (PM) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has demanded the abolishment of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), blaming the watchdog institution for the ongoing crisis in the country.
    




    While speaking outside an accountability court in Islamabad after attending a hearing in the LNG case, he said, “Agar mulk chalana hai toh is idaray [NAB] ko khatam karain (If you want the country to progress, this institution [NAB] should be abolished).
    




    He said the “so-called” accountability was aimed at defaming only politicians. “The so-called process of accountability operates just to ridicule politicians,” he added.
    




    Lambasting ex-chairman of NAB, Javed Iqbal, the former premier said that he should confess who told him to register false cases.
    




    It is pertinent to mention that PML-N has repeatedly criticised NAB and said that false cases were made against party leaders.
    




    In August, the National Assembly passed the National Accountability (Second Amendment) Bill, 2022, which sought to exclude private transactions from the scope of NAB.
    




    Under the amended bill, the pecuniary jurisdiction of NAB had been fixed to only take action against mega scandals. Furthermore, it had been proposed that supplementary references can only be filed with the permission of the court to expedite the proceedings of the court within one year.
    




    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    Punjab Assembly to stay intact till March says CM Elahi
    
			
    Punjab Assembly to stay intact till March says CM Elahi
    
			
    

    Chief Minister of Punjab Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has said that the Punjab Assembly will not be dissolved for the next four months, increasing confusion over the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) plan to dissolve provincial assemblies.
    




    In an interview with a private TV channel, Elahi said, “One should do their homework till March. We have reservations about the Chief Election Commissioner. So we need to look into that. We will also see how the Opposition behaves. So yes, the assembly stays intact till March.”
    




    


    




    The Punjab Chief Minister said that both Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) made offers to Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q); however, the party supported the former on the advice of the former Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General (retd) Bajwa.
    




    Elahi said that he received offers from both camps — PTI and PDM — but in line with the advice of the former army chief, his party preferred to choose Khan.
    




    The chief minister maintained that his son Moonis Elahi also suggested that they should side with the PTI.
    




    Commenting on his past experiences with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, CM Elahi said that there were always apprehensions about the Sharifs “lying” to them.
    




    “I was with the Sharifs for 18 years, they always lied to us. I would [often] say the Sharifs won’t let me do anything for the province,” he said recalling his discussions with the “institution” on whom to support during the Vote of No Confidence.
    




    “When we discussed this with the institution, they suggested thinking about what was better for us. We consult the institution when such a situation arises,” Elahi said, adding that the institution told them that choosing PTI was a “respectable and better option”.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    Gen (r) Bajwa watches Pak vs England Test in Pindi
    
			
    Gen (r) Bajwa watches Pak vs England Test in Pindi
    
			
    

    The former Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General (retired) Qamar Javed Bajwa, watched the fourth day of the first Test series between Pakistan and England on Sunday in Rawalpindi.
    




    The recently retired COAS handed over the military’s command to General Asim Munir earlier this week, marking the end of his six-year extended tenure.
    




    Having taken a 78-run lead in the runfest, England declared their second innings on 264-7 to set Pakistan an improbable victory target of 343 with four sessions to go.
    




    Harry Brook (87), Joe Root (73), and Zak Crawley (50) scored half-centuries for the visitors. While, the Shaheens: Naseem Shah, Mohammad Ali, and Zahir Mahmood claimed two wickets each for Pakistan.
    




    A day earlier, Pakistan skipper Babar Azam became the seventh batsman to smash a century.
    




    Last week, the Ben Stokes-led England cricket team finally embarked on their historic Test tour of Pakistan for the first time since 2005.
    




    Twitterati shared pictures of the ex-army chief at the Pindi cricket stadium.
    




    


    




    
https://twitter.com/ShahSheraz3/status/1599392299212935168?s=20&t=yS86XL7K0W9eLwsJf33ECg

    




    


    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    ‘We will be dissolving the assemblies this month’: Imran Khan
    
			
    ‘We will be dissolving the assemblies this month’: Imran Khan
    
			
    

    Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan asked his party members to get ready for elections as Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) assemblies will be dissolved this month
    




    In an address to the Parliamentary Party of KP, Imran asked party workers to prepare for elections and begin campaigning in their constituencies. “Whether they [the government] come towards elections or not, we will be dissolving the assemblies this month and moving towards elections.”
    




    He reiterated that PTI is only ready to talk to the coalition leader on elections, warning that he will otherwise dissolve the assemblies in the provinces where his party was in power.
    




    He also said that Chief Minister (CM) Punjab Pervaiz Elahi had given him the go-ahead to dissolve the assembly. “He has said he is standing with me and would dissolve assemblies on my call,” he emphasized.
    




    Moreover, Imran warned that “if something happens to [PTI senator] Azam Swati, we will go after everyone responsible for arresting him”.
    




    Imran further said that the people who took Swati to Quetta had turned Pakistan’s justice system into a “joke”.
    




    “I am once again saying this with great respect to the judiciary, if you won’t protect the rights [of people] then who will,” he asked senior judges.
    




    Imran then instructed all his party members and supporters to come out to protest against Swati’s arrest.
    




    On Saturday, the government turned down Khan’s invitation to parleys for early elections, arguing threats and talks could not go together.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    Asad Qaiser says giving extension to Gen (r) Bajwa was ‘mistake’
    
			
    Asad Qaiser says giving extension to Gen (r) Bajwa was ‘mistake’
    
			
    

    Former Speaker of the National Assembly, Asad Qaiser, has said that the then-Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government’s decision to extend the tenure of ex-chief of army staff (COAS) retired General Qamar Javed Bajwa in 2019 was “wrong”.
    




    When asked about background discussions leading to the extension, Qaiser responded: “It was the wrong decision, no matter why or how it was taken.”
    




    While making a candid admission that they [PTI] “regret the mistake”, Qaiser said, “Everyone [in the party ranks] is realising that it was a mistake to grant him (Bajwa) an extension.
    




    Gen (r) Bajwa was appointed as the army chief by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in November 2016. In 2019, then-premier Imran Khan approved an extension in his tenure as COAS for another term — just three months before he was due to retire.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    Pakistan engaged in severe violations of religious freedom: US
    
			
    Pakistan engaged in severe violations of religious freedom: US
    
			
    

    The United States (US) has placed Pakistan on a list of countries that are “engaged in or tolerated particularly severe violations of religious freedom” during 2022.
    




    US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced this on Friday and said, “Around the world, governments and non-state actors harass, threaten, jail, and even kill individuals on account of their beliefs.”
    




    He noted that the US will not stand by in the face of these abuses.
    




    Apart from Pakistan, the US has placed China, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and others. However, Algeria, the Central African Republic, Comoros, and Vietnam are on the Special Watch List for engaging in, or tolerating, severe violations of religious freedom.
    




    This is not the first time that Pakistan is on the list of religious freedom violators.
    




    The Trump administration first placed Pakistan on this list in December 2018 and retained it in 2020 as well. The Biden administration, which came to office in January last year, retained the old list with some changes, but kept Pakistan on it.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    ‘October 2023’: PML-N unmoved by Khan’s offer to govt
    
			
    ‘October 2023’: PML-N unmoved by Khan’s offer to govt
    
			
    

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) adamant that the next general elections will be held as per schedule in October 2023. 
    




    The Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, has offered the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)-led government to discuss the possibility of early general elections.
    




    However, the olive branch comes with a threat. “Give us a date for elections or we will dissolve Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab assemblies,” Khan said in a video address to the PTI’s Punjab parliamentary party.
    




    Marriyum Aurangzeb, Interior Minister, took to Twitter and wrote, “October 2023” as a response to Khan’s offer.
    




    


    




    Ishaq Dar, Finance Minister, said the government stuck to its stance that elections would be held in Oct 2023.
    




    “We can sit for talks with PTI but on any other issue except snap elections,” he said when asked about PML-N meeting, chaired by the Prime Minister.
    




    He said the coalition government came into power through a constitutional way and it reserved rights to complete its constitutional term [till Oct 2023].