Current Final

Category: Politics

  • Imran Khan or Shehbaz Sharif: Social media divided over who to thank for unchanged fuel prices

    Imran Khan or Shehbaz Sharif: Social media divided over who to thank for unchanged fuel prices

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has rejected the proposal of the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) to increase the prices of petroleum products.

    The announcement was made on Twitter by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Economy account.

    OGRA had proposed an increase in the price of diesel by Rs51.32 per liter (35.7%), petrol Rs21.30 per liter (14.2%), kerosene oil Rs36.03 per liter (28.7%) and light diesel oil (LDO) Rs38.89 per liter (39.9%).

    PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz shared the news report of PM rejecting the summary and wrote: “Well Done Shehbaz Shairf.

    PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, while talking to media said that petroleum prices will remain unchanged. He added that the previous PTI-led government made a mistake by subsidising petroleum goods, which he claimed will harm the country’s economy.

    On the other hand. social media users — including journalists and PTI leaders — are saying this is due to the policies of the pervious government, and are thanking Imran Khan.

    In addition, some are concerned about the decision of not increasing the fuel prices.

  • Around 100 Palestinians injured as Israeli forces raid Al-Aqsa mosque

    Around 100 Palestinians injured as Israeli forces raid Al-Aqsa mosque

    Nearly 100 Palestinians suffered injuries when the Israeli security forces raided the Al-Aqsa mosque compound on Friday, according to Al Jazeera.

    Al Jazeera reported that the Islamic endowment that runs the site said Israeli Police entered in force before dawn on Friday, as thousands of worshippers were gathered at the mosque for early morning prayers.

    “90 injured were transferred to Jerusalem hospitals and dozens of other injuries were treated in the field,” a Palestinian Red Crescent official told a French news agency, adding that they were due to rubber bullets, sound grenades, or assault.

    The Israeli raid is likely to incite violence as a large number of worshipers are expected today for Friday prayers with “videos circulating online showed Palestinians throwing rocks and police firing tear gas and stun grenades”.

  • PML-N protests outside my home remind me of being ‘back in 90s Lahore’: Jemima

    PML-N protests outside my home remind me of being ‘back in 90s Lahore’: Jemima

    Former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s ex-wife Jemima Goldsmith shared a poster by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Abid Sher Ali, for calling a protest outside her home in London on Sunday, April 17.

    “Protests outside my house, targeting my children, antisemitic abuse on social media. It’s almost like I’m back in 90s Lahore,” tweeted Jemima.

    Reacting to the protest, Journalist Hamid Mir said, “PTI must stop protesting outside the house of Nawaz Sharif in London and PML-N should not do the same outside the house of Jemima Khan those who live in glass houses should not throw stones at others.”

    Jemima replied: “The difference is that I have got nothing to do with Pakistani politics and neither have my children. They are low-key private individuals who are not even on social media.”

    As per reports, PML-N has decided to protest outside the home of the Goldsmiths in London on Sunday. Party representatives in the United Kingdom (UK) say that since Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters protest outside the home of Nawaz Sharif, they will also protest outside the home of Jemima where Khan’s sons and daughter live.

    Abid Sher Ali dropped an unwarranted tweet: “There will be a protest outside the house of Imran Niazi’s ex-wife in London on Sunday. So that his children also know how mean their father is.”

    He also replied to Goldsmith’s reaction, saying: “There is only one person responsible for this: Imran Khan. He has ordered attacks and protests outside homes of his political opponents, he incites hate, homophobia and terrorism on daily basis. Our protest will be peaceful and non-violent. Condemn Imran Khan.”

    Goldsmith and Khan parted ways in 2004.

  • ‘Kya jurm huva agar gharri baich di’: Fawad Chaudhry admits to allegations on Khan selling Toshakhana gifts

    ‘Kya jurm huva agar gharri baich di’: Fawad Chaudhry admits to allegations on Khan selling Toshakhana gifts

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has revealed that former premier Imran Khan took gifts worth Rs140 million from Toshakhana and sold them in Dubai. Sharif made these claims during a meeting with senior journalists at PM House on Friday, reports Ayaz Akbar Yousafzai for The News.

    “I can confirm that Imran Khan took gifts from Toshakhana and sold them in Dubai for Rs140 million. Valuable gifts include diamond jewellery, bracelets, watches and sets,” revealed PM Shehbaz.

    Former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry said that Shehbaz Sharif is confused and cannot fathom how to level allegations against PM Khan so he has resorted to “throwing dirt at Imran Khan”.

    Fawad Chaudhry claimed that Khan bought a watch from the government of Pakistan, which he had received from a foreign country, and sold it.

    “What is the offence if the [then] prime minister sold the watch he bought from the government? It doesn’t matter if the watch is worth Rs50 million or 100 million […] if it is mine and I sold it, there shouldn’t be any objection,” said Chaudhry.

    The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government had been reluctant to share details about gifts retained from Toshakhana, leading to speculations.

    According to official Cabinet Secretariat statistics from the past 10 years, officials and public office holders of PTI paid highest amount for subsidised Toshakhana gifts in the fiscal year 2018-2019.

    Toshakhana is a word of Persian origin that literally translates into “treasure-house”. In Mughal ruled India, Toshakhana was a place where princes stored gifts and emblems of honour that they received for their posterity, whereas in modern times, it is where gifts received from foreign dignitaries or countries are kept.

    READ MORE: PTI govt to auction gifts, including golden gun, Rs1.7 crores watch, Rs1.4 crores diamond set

  • ‘Breath of fresh air’: Opposition reacts to DG ISPR’s press conference

    ‘Breath of fresh air’: Opposition reacts to DG ISPR’s press conference

    Director-General (DG) Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Babar Iftikhar’s presser on Thursday is being appreciated by the Opposition after weeks of political drama.

    Reacting to DG ISPR declaring that the word “conspiracy” had not been used in the statement issued after the March 31 meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari termed the news conference of the military spokesman a “breath of fresh air for democracy”.

    “It is [the] responsibility not only of every institution but every Pakistani to support democracy, constitution, and rule of law,” tweeted Bilawal.

    “Parliament , Judiciary & establishment transition from controversial to constitutional roles will not be easy. The answer to all of Pakistans problems is democracy, democracy and more democracy. If we continue on this path no power on earth can stop Pakistan’s progress,” said Bilawal.

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz tweeted, “It is time to make you accountable for your condemnable efforts […] to play with the national security in a bid to save [your] regime.”

    “Face accountability, do not run away like always because this nation won’t let you this time,” said Maryam. Her words were directed at former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan.

    “You played a dangerous game to cling to power and used the NSC forum for your conspiracy plot. You built a fake narrative of absolutely not for the bases that were never demanded. You begged the establishment for an NRO and lied that they gave you those options,” tweeted Maryam.

    Addressing a press conference on the recently held 79th Formation Commanders’ Conference, the DG ISPR said he cannot discuss what was discussed in the NSC meeting, but noted that the word “conspiracy” was not used.

    DG ISPR said that the establishment did not put forth options before Khan. He, however, said that during the deadlock, Prime Minister’s Office contacted the military leadership to resolve the matter.

    “The political parties were not ready for talks with each other to end the deadlock at that time,” he said. “The army chief and DG ISI visited the PM’s Office at their request to play the role of mediator.”

  • Fact check: Was Khan’s Peshawar jalsa visible from space?

    Fact check: Was Khan’s Peshawar jalsa visible from space?

    Claim: Imran Khan’s jalsa in Peshawar was visible from space as shown in a photography taken by NASA

    Fact:

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s Peshawar jalsa was massive. Visuals and videos from the jalsa are doing the rounds on social media. However, PTI leader Ali Muhammad Khan went overboard as he shared a photo from the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), claiming that it was from the party’s rally.

    Ali M Khan shared three pictures on Twitter after the rally, and among them was a picture from NASA, which was a snap captured from the International Space Station.

    Screenshot of Ali Muhamamd Khan’s tweet

    The picture shared by the PTI leader actually shows the lights in the Iberian Peninsula, which falls in Spain and Portugal. This picture was taken by NASA and published on their website in 2014.

    “One of the Expedition 40 crew members aboard the International Space Station recorded this early evening photo of the entire Iberian Peninsula on July 26, 2014,” the NASA post read.

    VERDICT: FALSE

  • Imran Khan says ‘mistake’ made when filing a presidential reference against SC judge Faez Isa

    During a meeting with the Insaf Lawyers Forum (ILF), former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan accepted his mistake of filing a presidential reference for the removal of Supreme Court (SC) judge Justice Qazi Faez Isa, reports Hasnaat Malik for The Express Tribune.

    As per the news outlet, several attendees of the meeting have said that Khan thinks that the then relevant officials had misguided his government and Khan himself was not interested in pursuing the reference against Justice Faez Isa. Former Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Khalid Jawed Khan had convinced him that Justice Isa was an honest judge and he was misled in this case.

    A senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawyer said that Khan believed that one section within the judiciary was annoyed because of this reference case.

    In 2020, Khan accused Justice Faez of concealing assets and filed a reference against him. Justice Isa then asked the Supreme Court that a full bench be constituted, a plea that was accepted by then Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Asif Saeed Khosa and after a months-long trial, in November a full bench of the apex court dismissed the petition against him.

    The purpose of the meeting with ILF was to discuss PTI’s social media activists who were being harassed by law enforcement agencies.

    PTI Secretary Asad Umar has announced that a petition will be filed against these unlawful and illegal raids and harassment of the party workers in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) today (Thursday).

  • What did the new first lady do during PM’s Karachi visit?

    The newly-appointed Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif went to Karachi on a daylong visit on Wednesday where he paid a visit to the mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad and met Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Murad Ali Shah. 

    The First Lady of Pakistan Tehmina Durrani also accompanied the PM on his maiden visit. Durrani shared a picture of herself at Abdul Sattar Edhi’s grave in Karachi.

    In a tweet, she said, “While PM Shehbaz Sharif paid his respects at Founder of the Nation’s Mazar, I went with Saba and Saad Edhi to salute Abdul Sattar Edhi for his relentless lifelong efforts two actualize The Quaid dream for Pakistan: A Social Welfare State. The directions are on his gravestone.”

    She then visited Abdul Sattar Edhi’s wife Bilquise Edhi who is currently hospitalised. She shared a picture with a caption: “Today Bilquise and I wept a river in her hospital room. She cried for Edhi sb and I cried for her. She is so unwell! And when she called me the first lady I squirmed. Indeed no first lady can match up to the greatness of Edhi’s Bilquise.”

    Durrani is a philanthropist, human rights activist, artist and celebrated author of four books. She married Shehbaz Sharif in 2003.

  • Names of PPP MNA, MPA removed from charge sheet in Nazim Jokhio murder case

    Names of PPP MNA, MPA removed from charge sheet in Nazim Jokhio murder case

    The names of 13 accused persons including Pakistan People’s Party MNA Jam Abdul Karim and his brother MPA Jam Owais, were removed from the charge sheet of Nazim Jokhio murder case submitted in the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) .

    The charge sheet was submitted in the trial court following instructions by the Sindh High Court. The investigation officer had informed the high court that the charge sheet of the case was pending with prosecutor general office for the past couple of months due to its scrutiny.

    The names of others accused excluded from the charge sheet included Mohammad Saleem, Dodo Khan, Mohammad Soomar, Abdul Razzak, Jamal Ahmed, Mohammad Miraj, Mohammad Khan, Mohammad Ishaque, Ahmed Khan, Atta Mohammad and Zahid Ali.

    On November 3 last year, the tortured dead body of Nazim Jokhio was found at the farmhouse of PPP MPA Jam Awais’ in Malir area of Karachi, a day after he filmed a group of foreigners hunting the endangered houbara bustard in his Achar Salaar village in Thatta. According to Nazim Jokhio’s brother, Nazim had broadcast a live stream on social media of a hunting expedition involving foreign guests of PPP MPA Jam Awais, after which Jam Awais called Nazim to the house where he was allegedly murdered.

  • PM Shehbaz announces ‘free metro service’ for Islamabad in Ramzan

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has announced ‘free metro service’ for the citizens of Islamabad during the month of Ramzan.

    “Prime Minister has ordered free metro service for the citizens of the capital during the month of Ramadan. He expressed dismay over delays in the project terming it severe negligence as 16 billion rupees have been spent on the project so far,” tweeted PM Office.

    https://twitter.com/PMO_PK/status/1514484230981521408

    He paid a visit to the Peshawar Morr Metro Bus Station at 7am to assess the project’s progress on the ground. He also ordered to operationalise Metro Bus Service from Peshawar Road to Airpot.

    Shehbaz Sharif took oath as the 23rd Prime Minister of Pakistan on April 11.