Current Final

Category: Politics

  • Inclusion of Rs28 billion relief package in upcoming budget: PM Shehbaz

    Inclusion of Rs28 billion relief package in upcoming budget: PM Shehbaz

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif said that the government would include a Rs28 billion package in the upcoming budget to provide relief to the masses. He was addressing the nation yesterday (May 27).

    PM Shehbaz said that aside from the relief package, the government would immediately provide Rs2,000 for around 85 million people to help them fight the effects of inflation.

    “This is aside from the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) monetary assistance they are already getting. This relief package will be included in the next fiscal budget,” the premier said.

    The premier added that he has directed the Utility Stores Corporation (USC) to provide 10kg of wheat to people for Rs400.

    ‘It was you who signed tough deals with IMF, not us’

    Criticising ex-PM Imran Khan and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, PM Shehbaz said it was Khan who struck a deal with the IMF, not the current government.

    “We did not agree to the strict conditions laid forth by the IMF; you burdened the masses with heavy inflation, not us; you buried the country under heavy debts, not us; international institutions said that corruption increased during your tenure, not ours; electricity load shedding was brought back during your tenure and you are responsible for the economy’s suffering.”

    If Imran Khan thinks his “ego” is bigger than the state, then it is his misconception

    PM Shehbaz said if Imran Khan thinks his “ego” is bigger than the state, then it is his misconception as Pakistan will function in line with the Constitution and not upon following the direction of one person.

    Without naming Imran Khan or the PTI directly, he said one man had fabricated an international conspiracy on the basis of foreign correspondence, even though the National Security Committee (NSC) and Pakistan’s ambassador to the US had repeatedly refuted such claims.

    “For his personal political gain, he is harming Pakistan’s diplomatic relations. Pakistan will be governed by the constitution, not one man’s whims,” the PM asserted.

    “Due to the faulty policies of the previous government, our friendly countries are upset. We will restore fraternal relations with them,” he said, adding Pakistan wanted peace in South Asia and urged India to withdraw its Aug 5, 2019 decision on Kashmir and then sit with Pakistan for dialogue to resolve all issues.

    Khan has repeatedly blamed the US for backing the no-confidence motion that leads to his ousting and has refused to accept the newly-elected government.

    Shehbaz added that Khan claimed that the US Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu had threatened Pakistan’s ambassador for removing his government.

    “This person, when Pakistan was progressing under prime minister Nawaz Sharif, staged dharnas. At that time, Chinese President Xi Jinping had to come to Pakistan, but due to [Khan’s] arrogance, the agreement that was scheduled to take place was delayed.”

    The prime minister said that taking up the challenge of coming into power was not easy as the country’s situation was gloomy, and the nation was plagued with hatred during the previous government’s tenure.

    ‘PTI govt announced petroleum subsidy for political gains’

    Explaining the reason for the increase in petroleum prices, Shehbaz said,” From oil-producing countries to developed countries, everyone was gripped with economic turmoil. But for political gains, the previous government announced a petrol subsidy for which there was no room in the national exchequer,” the premier said.

    Govt to provide targeted subsidies to 14 million families, says Miftah Ismail

    Finance Minister Miftah Ismail said that the government would provide targeted subsidies to 14 million deserving families as announced by PM Shehbaz Sharif in his address to the nation.

    Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Miftah shared the criteria for availing of the ‘Sasta Petrol, Sasta Diesel’ relief package.

    “Women, whose household income was less than Rs40,000 per month, could text their Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) numbers on 786 or call that number to receive Rs2,000”, said Miftah.

    “We cannot provide complete relief as we do not have the resources but we will do all we can to dress the wounds [of poor people].”

    Miftah further added: “7.3 million beneficiaries of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) are already getting Rs2000, and the government is planning to add 7 million more people to the database who would receive Rs2,000 in terms of fuel subsidy.”

    Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar tweeted, “The decision to go to IMF should be taken by a government with a fresh mandate.”

    Agreeing with Khokhar, Miftah said, “He is right, the new government will strike a new deal with the IMF after taking a fresh mandate next year, but this is a coalition government and our priority is to steer the country out of economic crisis and maintain an economic stability.”

    “Therefore, we are continuing with the previous IMF programme, which was finalised by the PTI government,” he said.

  • After Saudi Arabia, PM Shehbaz set to visit Turkey

    After Saudi Arabia, PM Shehbaz set to visit Turkey

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif will visit Turkey next week as his first visit to Ankara after assuming office in April.

    The Foreign Office (FO) Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar, in a briefing, said: “The prime minister would be visiting Turkey next week, and we would be sharing with you more details containing elements, specific elements, and engagements envisaged during this visit.”

    Prior to this, PM Shehbaz held two foreign trips to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

    Following his visit, it was announced that Saudi Arabia is finalising the extension of the $3 billion deposit to Pakistan.

    On the other foreign engagements, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari visited Davos, Switzerland, to attend World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting (May 23-26), with Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar and Federal Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman accompanying him.

  • ‘Rana Sanaullah you coward bastard’: PTI’s Gandapur lashes out at interior minister

    ‘Rana Sanaullah you coward bastard’: PTI’s Gandapur lashes out at interior minister

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Ali Amin Gandapur took to Twitter to lash out at Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and said, “Rana sanaullah u coward bastard u brutally attacked innocent Pakistanis and till now charged five firs against me in different police stations.”

    Gandapur further tweeted, “I dare and challenge u to charge fir against me in every police station but be ready for the revenge as I will take u to hell INSHALLAH.”

    Gandapur’s tweet came after the Islamabad Police on Thursday registered a case against senior PTI leaders, including Imran Khan, for the riots that took place in Islamabad during the “Azadi March”.

    Apart from Khan, police also registered cases against PTI leaders Asad Umar, Imran Ismail, Raja Khurram Nawaz, Ali Amin Gandapur, and Ali Nawaz Awan.

  • ‘No deal with establishment, wanted to avoid bloodshed’: Khan reveals reason for ending Azadi March

    ‘No deal with establishment, wanted to avoid bloodshed’: Khan reveals reason for ending Azadi March

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Friday said that the reason for ending the party’s Azadi March was to avoid bloodshed and that no deal with the establishment took place.

    “Our workers asked why we did not stage a sit-in. I am the man who staged a sit-in for 126 days. It was not difficult for me, but by the time I reached I became aware of the extent of the situation […] I knew that day that there would be bloodshed.”

    Khan said the people were “ready” after seeing the “terrorism” carried out by the police. “Everyone was ready to fight, some of our people were so angered by what they saw,” he said, adding that officials were instructed to brutalise protesters.

    “The anger at the time, if I had staged a sit-in that day I can guarantee that there would have been bloodshed,” said Khan, adding that there was a prevailing sense of hatred against police officials.

    “But the police is also ours, it is not their fault,” the PTI chairman said, blaming the government for issuing the directives. If there was violence then it would only have caused chaos in the country, said Khan.

    “I think of this as a jihad. I will stand up against this as long as I am alive,” he said, reiterating that he only cared about the future of the country.

    The PTI chairman again stressed his six-day ultimatum to the government for the announcement of early elections. “If they do not clearly announce a date for the elections or for the dissolution of the assemblies, I will take to the streets again. Let me make it clear, this time we will be prepared.”

    Khan said he had written to Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial asking whether or not the party had the right to stage a peaceful protest in a democracy.

    “This is the fundamental right of a citizen […] I ask our judiciary, do you think we will remain silent [like] sheep and accept all of this? If you think this, it means that we are pushing the country towards treason. If you do not allow people to stage peaceful protests, what other options do they have left?”

    He said that he had written a letter to the CJP to make his position “clear”, reiterating that he would take to the streets again after six days. In six days we will find out whether or not the apex court protects our fundamental rights, he said.

    The manner in which lawyers and women were forced to disembark from a bus and were “beaten”, had anyone seen something like that before, he asked.

    “Which justice system allows this? The entire nation should know who stands for [their] rights and who is carrying out oppression.”

  • Fact Check: Viral image of broken ATM is from Chicago

    Fact Check: Viral image of broken ATM is from Chicago

    Claim: Image shows an ATM machine broken and destroyed by PTI supporters, with money stolen by them from a Transact ATM in Islamabad

    Fact: The image is from Chicago and was taken in 2020

    On May 26, several Twitter users began sharing an image of a broken ATM with a Transact board, destroyed and money removed from the inside, claiming that this was done by PTI supporters who got violent while protesting in Islamabad.

    Coupled with recent images of Islamabad burning and large unmanageable crowds of people attacking the police, this becomes a very believable image. Several PMLN senior leaders have been sharing this image as well.

    However, with a Reverse Image search we discovered that this image has been posted online before. On the website of WTTW News, an article titled “Crain’s Headlines: Mag Mile Tax Proposal Fails”, the picture also clearly shows the name of labels, “Transact” and “7 Eleven”, which is a chain of Japanese convenience stores which has 11,800 stores in the US and none in Pakistan. Trans@ct is a mobile prepaid service offered by 7 Eleven.

    This image couldn’t have possibly been from Pakistan and has been used out of context to imply that PTI supporters in Islamabad violently broke into an ATM and stole money, which even if they did, is definitely not proven by this image.

    Verdict: FALSE

  • ‘First female Muslim PM, first to give birth in office’: NZ PM Jacinda Ardern praises Benazir Bhutto in Harvard Speech

    ‘First female Muslim PM, first to give birth in office’: NZ PM Jacinda Ardern praises Benazir Bhutto in Harvard Speech

    New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern paid homage to former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in an address at Harvard University.

    “In June 1989, the Prime Minister of Pakistan stood on this spot and delivered the commencement address titled ‘Democratic nations must unite‘. She spoke about her journey, the importance of citizenry, representative government, human rights, and democracy,” said Jacinda while talking about Benazir.

    “I met Benazir Bhutto in Geneva in June of 2007. We both attended a conference that drew together progressive parties from around the world. Just seven months, later she was assassinated.”

    “There will be opinions and differing perspectives written about all of us as political leaders. Two things that history will not contest about Benazir Bhutto: she was the first Muslim female Prime Minister elected in an Islamic country, when a woman in power was a rare thing. She was also the first to give birth in office.”

    “The second and only other leader to have given birth in office almost 30 years later was me,” added the New Zealand prime minister.

    During the address she also revealed that her daughter, Neve Te Aroha Ardern Gayford, was born on Benazir’s birthday, i.e. June 21.

    Ardern borrowed words from Benazir Bhutto’s1989 Harvard Commencement address, “We must realise that democracy… can be fragile.”

    “I read those words as I sat in my office in Wellington, New Zealand. A world away from Pakistan. And while the reasons that gave rise for her words then were vastly different, they still ring true.”

    “Democracy can be fragile,” said Ardern.

    “This imperfect but precious way that we organise ourselves, that has been created to give equal voice to the weak and to the strong, that is designed to help drive consensus — it is fragile.”

    “For years it feels as though we have assumed that the fragility of democracy was determined by duration. That somehow the strength of your democracy was like a marriage – the longer you’d been in it, the more likely it was to stick.”

    Federal Minister for Climate Change Senator Sherry Rehman shared the video and wrote, “Thank u Prime Minister Ardern.”

  • PM to address the nation, likely to announce relief package

    PM to address the nation, likely to announce relief package

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif will announce a relief package for the poor in an address to the nation today (Friday).

    According to media reports, PM will explain the government’s decision to remove subsidies on petroleum products and also take the nation into confidence over the prevailing economic situation in Pakistan.

    Last night, the government announced a massive hike of up to Rs30 in the prices of petroleum products for the revival of the $6 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan programme.

    Lambasting the Shehbaz Sharif-led government for the hike in petrol prices, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan said that the nation would “suffer another massive dose of inflation at the hands of this cabal of crooks”.

    Meanwhile, Pakistan Business Council has supported the government’s decision.

  • How much did the PTI’s Azadi March cost the government?

    How much did the PTI’s Azadi March cost the government?

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s ‘Haqiqi Azadi March’ cost the government Rs149 million to maintain law and order in the capital, reports Dawn.

    The amount of Rs149 million was demanded to bear expenses for five days. Rs47,500,000 was sought for hiring 380 containers (each costing Rs125,000 for five days use), Rs1,300,000 for four cranes (each costing Rs65,000 for five days) and Rs1,000,000 for four fork lifters (each for Rs50,000 for five days).

    Likewise, Rs2,798,500 for 100 buses for transportation of the force from outside to the capital (each costing Rs27,985), Rs9794,750 for 350 buses for transportation of the force within capital (Rs27985 each), Rs2,798,500 for 100 buses for transportation of the force back to their respective districts (Rs27,985 each), Rs1,685,000 for 100 trucks for logistics teams, food, water (for five days and each costing Rs16,850), Rs260,000 for 10 water tankers for five days (each costing Rs26,000).

    Moreover, an amount of Rs41,250,000 was also demanded for food charges for 15,000 officials of the capital and other district police for five days, the officers said. To purchase complete anti-riot kits, another amount of Rs35,300,000 was demanded.

    Similarly, Rs4,500,000 were sought for the purchase of miscellaneous items – water, coolers, torches, electricity, etc.

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif while speaking in the National Assembly praised the capital police, Rangers, Frontier Constabulary, and the traffic police along with the capital administration and other departments for their efforts to maintain law and order and for the protection of public and private property.

    He also announced a package for a martyr and injured officials of the Punjab Police.

  • ‘No reappointment or extension’: NA passes bill to amend NAB Laws

    ‘No reappointment or extension’: NA passes bill to amend NAB Laws

    The joint session of Parliament that took place on Thursday passed the National Accountability (Second Amendment) Bill 2021 with a majority in National Assembly (NA).

    The bill will be presented in the Senate today for approval. Once passed from the Upper House, the bill will apply to all cases, being probed by NAB since 1999. The key points of the bill are as follows:

    1- The NAB chairperson’s term has been reduced from four years to three years and will not be eligible for reappointment or an extension.

    2- Consultation for the chairperson of NAB will begin two months prior to the retirement of the previous chairperson.

    3- If the leader of the House and Opposition do not agree on a name for a chairperson, then the matter will go to a parliamentary committee. That too is now time-bound and the committee has 30 days to recommend a name.

    4- A closed inquiry cannot be reopened without permission from the courts and all inquiries by NAB have to now be completed within six months.

    5-People who initiate false or fabricated cases will now be punished with imprisonment of either five years or a fine.

    Federal Minister of Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar presented this bill. Speaking about the NAB law, he said it had been used to influence politicians, adding that “judges had also said that the NAB was used to corner politicians”.

    Supreme Court asks how cabinet members make amendments to law for own benefits

    Following the news of amendments in the NAB law and Election Act taking place in the House, the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) took notice of the situation.

    The apex court inquired how could federal cabinet members make amendments benefitting themselves and directed the government to present the details of the cabinet members whose names have been removed from the Exit Control List (ECL).

    The Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial asked Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Ashtar Ausaf, “At whose behest did the Cabinet amend the rules pertaining to people involved in corruption and defaulters. Did the federal Cabinet approve the amendment in rules?”

    Responding to it, AGP Ausaf said that he would present the minutes of the Cabinet meeting for approval.

    Similarly, SC Justice Mazhar Naqvi was of the view that the cabinet members benefited from the amendment they approved.

    The AGP maintained that he would find out if the members who were on the no-travel list were part of the committee that approved the amendments or not.

    Justice Mazhar also observed how a minister facing allegations could make amendments to benefit himself.

    No electronic voting machines will be used in elections: Assembly passes bill

    The NA also passed the Elections (Amendment) Bill 2022 on Thursday with a majority, seeking to remove the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in the upcoming general elections.

    Parliamentary Affairs Minister Murtaza Javed Abbasi presented the bill, which was only opposed by Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA). The bill is expected to be sent to the Senate today.

    GDA lawmaker Ghous Bakhsh Mehr said that Pakistan should at least try using EVMs. “If not the whole country, then use them in some areas,” he said.

    Under the new bill, two amendments were being made to Sections 94 and 103 of the Election Act:

    1- In Section 94, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) may conduct pilot projects for voting by overseas Pakistanis in by-elections to ascertain the technical efficacy, secrecy, security, and financial feasibility of such voting and shall share the results with the government, which shall, within 15 days from the commencement of a session of a house after the receipt of the report, lay the same before both houses of parliament.

    2- In Section 103, the ECP may conduct pilot projects for the utilisation of EVMs and biometric verification system in the by-elections.

    Azam Nazeer Tarar said that these amendments will ensure free, fair, and transparent elections. He added that ECP had also raised objections to the use of EVMs.

    About the matter of Overseas Pakistanis’ vote, the federal minister said, “Overseas Pakistanis are a precious asset of the country and the government does not believe in snatching their right to vote.”

    Similarly, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) argued that the amendments will not deprive Overseas Pakistanis of their voting right.

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif’s Focal Person on Digital Media Abubakar Umer also issued a clarification via Twitter on the matter. He said, “The overseas Pakistanis voting right remains intact. Only voting through EVM has been discarded due to ECP objections on some technical aspects.”

    The details of the expenses for the upcoming general elections were also presented in the NA session. The elections would cost approximately Rs47.41 billion, of which around Rs15 billion would be for ensuring security.

  • Fact Check: All Confucius Chinese learning centers except NUML are shutting down

    Fact Check: All Confucius Chinese learning centers except NUML are shutting down

    Claim: All Confucius Chinese learning centers have shut down in Pakistan in the wake of the University of Karachi bomb blast in which three Chinese nationals were killed.

    Fact: All Confucius Chinese learning centers except the one in NUML are shutting down as most Chinese educators have gone back to China. Remaining classes for the current session have been shifted online.

    On May 15, right-wing activist and journalist Orya Maqbool Jan with 477.2K followers on Twitter, shared a tweet claiming that all five Confucius centers in Pakistan are being shut down in the aftermath of the University of Karachi bombing by Shari Baloch. The female suicide bomber targeted three Chinese nationals working at the Confucius Institute of the University of Karachi.

    On May 17, The News posted an article quoting Zhang Heqing, the Cultural Counsellor at the Chinese embassy in Islamabad, stating that all centers are operating and that China will continue to increase educational support sent towards Pakistan. After the article in the English daily, social media users started “fact checking” Orya Maqbool Jan, including Naya Daur andUrdu News, using The News’ article to back up their claim that none of the Confucius centers are shutting down.

    Team Current decided to verify this widely spread news and we discovered that except for the Confucius center inside National University of Modern Languages (NUML), Islamabad, all other centers – in Lahore, Faisalabad, Karachi and Bahawalpur, are on their way to shutting down for the foreseeable future.

    We got in touch with Babar Saleem, the accounts officer at the University of Karachi Confucius center, who confirmed on call that outside these five centers the Chinese government had set up a few classes in PItaro as well. But since all Chinese educators have already gone back to China, the current session in these centers have been changed from in person to online and after the current session ends, all activities at the center have been cancelled.

    Verdict: 90% TRUE (since the learning center at NUML will remain open)