Current Final

Category: Politics

  • ‘We haven’t given any statement on election dates’, Election Commission

    ‘We haven’t given any statement on election dates’, Election Commission

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday denied issuing any statement regarding the time frame for the next general elections. “It is necessary to clarify that the Election Commission of Pakistan has not issued any statement regarding the election,” ECP tweeted.

    Earlier, a news report published in Dawn quoted an ECP official saying that it is not possible to hold general elections within three months due to a variety of legal and procedural issues.

    “Fresh delimitation of constituencies, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where the number of seats had been increased under the 26th Amendment, and bringing district- and constituency-wise electoral rolls in conformity were the major challenges,” a senior ECP official told Dawn, adding that it will take six months to prepare for the general elections.

    State Minister for Information Farrukh Habib said on Sunday that fresh elections in Pakistan will be held in 90 days after President Arif Alvi dissolved parliament on the advice of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

  • ‘Punish disobedient Imran Khan’: Russia lashes out at US for ‘plotting against Pakistan’

    ‘Punish disobedient Imran Khan’: Russia lashes out at US for ‘plotting against Pakistan’

    Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday declared that Russia is well aware of the events that led to the dissolution of the National Assembly (NA) in Pakistan.

    In a statement, Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Maria Zakharova said, “Immediately after the announcement of the upcoming working visit of Imran Khan to Moscow on February 23-24 this year. The Americans and their Western associates began to exert rude pressure on the Prime Minister, demanding an ultimatum to cancel the trip.”

    “When he nevertheless came to us, United States (US) Deputy Secretary of State for South Asia D Liu [Donald Lu] called the Pakistani ambassador in Washington and demanded that the visit be immediately interrupted, which was also rejected.”

    “According to the Pakistani media, on March 7 this year. in a conversation with Pakistani Ambassador Asad Majeed, a high-ranking American official (presumably the same D Liu) sharply condemned the balanced reaction of the Pakistani leadership to the events in Ukraine and made it clear that partnerships with the United States are possible only if Imran Khan is removed from power.”

    Zakharova further added, “The situation leaves no doubt that the United States decided to punish the ‘disobedient’ Imran Khan: a group of deputies of the same party of the prime minister ‘suddenly’ went over to the Opposition and the question of a no-confidence motion against the head of the incumbent government (Prime Minister) was immediately tabled in the parliament, the vote on which was scheduled for April 3rd.”

    “There is another attempt of shameless US interference in the internal affairs of an independent state for its own selfish purposes. The above facts eloquently testify to this. The Pakistani Prime Minister himself has repeatedly stated that the conspiracy against him was inspired and financed from abroad.”

    “We hope that Pakistani voters will be informed about these circumstances when they come to the elections, which should be held within 90 days after the dissolution of the National Assembly,” read the statement.

    It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan is in a state of political chaos as the no-confidence motion against Khan was dismissed abruptly on Sunday. Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri said that the no-confidence motion, presented on March 8, should be according to the law and the Constitution. “No foreign power shall be allowed to topple an elected government through a conspiracy,” he said, adding that the points raised by the minister were “valid”.

  • ‘You heard from me last week’, US repeats stand on Pakistan political situation

    ‘You heard from me last week’, US repeats stand on Pakistan political situation

    The US State Department on Tuesday once again rejected Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s allegations that the United States of America (USA) has aided and abetted the Pakistani opposition in tabling a no-confidence motion in the National Assembly to topple the PTI government.

    US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said that there is absolutely no truth in that allegations as “you heard from me last week.” “We [US] support the peaceful upholding of constitutional democratic principles in Pakistan.”

    “We do not support one political party over another, we support the broader principles, the principles of rule of law, and equal justice under the law,” he added.

    https://twitter.com/srdmk01/status/1511217262719496192?s=20&t=R0wLwBPb9LZgzPwThVEt8w

    Last week, Washington reacted to the allegations levelled by Imran Khan. White House Communications Director Kate Bedingfield said, “There is absolutely no truth in these allegations.”

    At the time, US Department of State Spokesperson Ned Price also seconded Kate’s statement saying, “We are closely following developments in Pakistan. We respect and support Pakistan’s constitutional process and the rule of law. But when it comes to those allegations, there is no any truth.”

    On March 27, Khan accused the US of interfering in Pakistan’s politics and plotting to oust him through a no-confidence motion in the National Assembly (NA). In a public gathering, he also brandished a ‘threat letter’ [which he claimed is from the US].

    Following this, based on this ‘threat letter’, the deputy speaker Qasim Suri rejected the no-trust motion against the PM. Later, acting on the PM’s advice, President Arif Alvi dissolved the National Assembly.

    This act of the government, however, plunged Pakistan into a constitutional crisis as the matter is being heard by the Supreme Court (SC) currently.

  • #BushraFarahNexus: Who’s Farah Khan, why is she the talk of the net?

    #BushraFarahNexus: Who’s Farah Khan, why is she the talk of the net?

    The #BushraFarahNexus has been trending on Twitter and other social media platforms for the past 24 hours, following a press conference by dissenting PTI leader and former Punjab senior minister Abdul Aleem Khan about the alleged corruption by Farah Khan.

    In a crowded press conference, Abdul Aleem Khan accused Farah Khan of corruption with the connivance of her “contacts in the power corridors”. Reports and rumours started making rounds suggesting that Farah Khan has left for Dubai on Sunday in the wake of the no-confidence motion.

    On the other hand, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz dubbed Farah Khan “mother of all scandals” and also accused her of receiving huge money for transfers and postings. “I dare to name Farah, a friend of Bushra Bibi who is involved in receiving millions of rupees in transfers and postings and these are directly connected to Banigala (residence of Prime Minister Khan),” said Maryam Nawaz.

    Who is Farah Khan?

    She is a close friend of Bushra Bibi.

    She joined PTI four years ago.

    Farah Khan was also present at the Nikkah cermoney of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi.

  • ‘Didn’t show up because of the no-confidence motion against me’: Speaker Asad Qaiser clarifies stance

    ‘Didn’t show up because of the no-confidence motion against me’: Speaker Asad Qaiser clarifies stance

    National Assembly (NA) Secretariat in a statement has refuted all rumours circulating in the media in relevance to Speaker (NA) Asad Qaiser refusing to endorse the assembly dismissal on Sunday, April 3.


    “Qaiser decided not to preside over the meeting due to a no-confidence motion against him”, read the statement.

    Speaker Asad Qaiser had resisted the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership’s script of rejecting the vote of no-confidence against Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan under Article 5 of the Constitution, reports Geo News.

    On the day of voting, Qaiser did not preside over the lower house session. Instead, Deputy Speaker NA Qasim Suri conducted the session.

    Geo reports that sources privy to the matter have revealed that Qaiser reportedly was not ready to give a ruling under Article 5 of the Constitution to reject the no-trust motion against PM. The news outlet further reveals that the premier’s legal team tried hard to pursue Qaiser to foil the trust motion; however, he disagreed and refrained from attending the NA session.

    Qaiser responded with “no comments” on Geo News’ attempt to get his version. “The matter is in the Supreme Court of Pakistan, therefore I cannot talk on this,” he said.

    However, Qaiser tweeted the detailed ruling of the dismissal of the no-trust motion.

    It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan is in a state of political chaos as the no-confidence motion against Khan was dismissed abruptly on Sunday. The move came after Suri termed it “unconstitutional”, saying that it was backed by “foreign powers”.

  • ‘Did National Security Committee declare197 National Assembly members as traitors?’ Bilawal asks ISPR

    ‘Did National Security Committee declare197 National Assembly members as traitors?’ Bilawal asks ISPR

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has demanded a clarification from Director-General (DG) Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Babar Iftikhar, asking if the National Security Committee (NSC) meeting declared 197 Members of the National Assembly (MNA) as traitors.

    Bilawal tweeted, “Will @OfficialDGISPR clarify did NSC meeting declare the 197 members of NA traitors and part of a foreign plot? Can the foreign office or defense ministry produce any official correspondence between 7-27th on foreign sazish.”

    “A plot of this scale would have been uncovered by our own intelligence agencies and other institutions, not just an ambassadors cable?” questioned Bilawal.

    “Imran’s ego is not more important than Pakistan,” said Bilawal hitting at the prime minister.

  • US official Khan named behind ‘foreign conspiracy’ key person in IMF deals last year

    US official Khan named behind ‘foreign conspiracy’ key person in IMF deals last year

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has named Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu as the United States (US) representative who had the a meeting with Pakistan’s Ambassador in the US, which led to the ‘threatening’ diplomatic cable.

    Khan said that the US had sent a threatening message through Pakistan’s Ambassador Asad Majeed Khan. He was quoted as saying that Donald Lu had reportedly in a meeting with Majeed warned that there could be implications if he survived the Opposition’s no-confidence motion tabled against him in the National Assembly.

    We are following developments in Pakistan and we respect and support Pakistan’s constitutional process and the rule of law: Lu

    Indian newspaper, The Hindustan Times, interviewed Lu in Washington this Friday and asked him about reports that he was the US official to warn the Pakistani ambassador of the consequences if Imran Khan stays in power.

    Hindustan Times: “Let me move to the rest of the region and start with Pakistan. Imran Khan seems to suggest that you had a conversation with the Pakistani ambassador in the US and told him that if Imran Khan survives the no-confidence motion, Pakistan is in trouble and the US won’t forgive Pakistan. Any response?”

    Donald Lu said, “We are following developments in Pakistan and we respect and support Pakistan’s constitutional process and the rule of law.”

    The assistant secretary was asked, “Did you have such a conversation?” Lu replied, “That’s all I have for you on that question.”

    Who is Donald Lu?

    Donald Lu became Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs on September 15, 2021. Prior to this assignment, Assistant Secretary Lu served as the US Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic from 2018 to 2021.

    Lu is a Foreign Service Officer with more than 30 years of US government service.

    Samaa News reported, “Donald Lu’s last major interaction with a Pakistani official came in October 2021 when a Pakistani finance ministry delegation was holding talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington.”

    On October 15, Shaukat Tarin and Donald Lu held talks at the Pakistan embassy in Washington and the finance minister assured the US official that the PTI government would live up to its promise of economic reforms.

    Pakistan embassy also issued a statement on the meeting between Donald Lu and Shaukat Tarin.

    Ten days after the March 7 meeting, the date on which the government alleges to have received the threatening communique, Lu attended an event organised by the Pakistan Embassy on March 16 to recognise and appreciate prominent women who are leading in their respective fields.

    He addressed the event along with Representative Sheila Jackson Lee. In his tweet, Ambassador Majeed thanked Lu and Lee for sharing their perspectives.

  • Name your candidate: President asks Khan, Shehbaz to give names for caretaker Prime Minister

    Name your candidate: President asks Khan, Shehbaz to give names for caretaker Prime Minister

    President Dr Arif Alvi has sent letters to Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan and Leader of the Opposition in the outgoing National Assembly and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif to seek suggestions for the appointment of a caretaker PM.

    The letter states that the caretaker PM will be appointed after the mutual consultation of the President, current PM, and Leader of the Opposition.

    The letter also mentions that if consultations fail, both government and the Opposition will nominate one person for the seat to a committee comprising both Govt and the Opposition.

    However, responding to the letter, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari questioned the President, saying that if there is no Assembly, then how can the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition exist name any caretaker prime minister? What would be the status of consultation between them?

    Bilawal also asked the Supreme Court (SC) to stop this ‘coup’.

    A day earlier, Deputy Speaker National Assembly (NA) Qasim Suri dismissed the no-confidence motion against Khan, terming it “unconstitutional”, saying that it was backed by “foreign powers” under Article 5.

    Following this development, Executives [Khan and Alvi] announced the dismissal of the National Assembly under Article 58. However, Imran Khan will remain seated as PM till the appointment of a caretaker PM.

  • 57 dead bodies found in mass grave in Ukraine town

    57 dead bodies were found buried in a mass grave in a town in Ukraine called Bucha. It is situated in the west of the city of Kyiv. The mass grave was found at the back of the church in the town center. Ukrainian troops recaptured the area from Russian forces on Sunday, reports Khaleej Times.

    According to the head of rescue services, Serhii Kaplychnyi, “Here in this long grave, 57 people are buried.” Kaplychnyi is also responsible for organising the recovery of the bodies.

    Some dead bodies were either partially covered by the earth or unburied completely. Some bodies were found in black zip-up bags while some were in civilian clothing.

    Russian forces were accused of a ‘deliberate massacre’ in the town by Ukraine authorities.

    A French media reporter claimed that he saw almost 20 dead bodies in civilian clothing which were scattered across the streets in town. One make dead body identified had his hands behind his back tied with a white piece of cloth.

    Germany also called for new European Union (EU) sanctions against Russia for killing innocent civilians in Bucha and called it a ‘war crime.’ The United Kingdom also called for an investigation of these brutal war crimes committed by Russia.

  • All eyes are on the Supreme Court: What can we expect today?

    With what seems like an uncalled-for use of power, the abrupt dismissal of the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan is being termed an “unconstitutional trump card”. Citizens of Pakistan have serious reservations over how Article 5 has been used as an ‘excuse’ by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government to effectively subvert the constitution.

    Pakistan is in a state of constitutional crisis and all eyes are on the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP). The main question is which way will the SCP direct the future of Pakistan? The two options that seem likely to emerge after the hearing will primarily shape the future politics and state of democracy in Pakistan.

    The Supreme Court of Pakistan is scheduled to hold a hearing on the suo motu notice taken by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial. A five-member Supreme Court bench will hear the case for and against the dismissal of the no-confidence motion yesterday. CJP Bandial will head the session starting at 1pm on Monday.

    If the apex court decides in favour of the Opposition

    If the five-member bench decides in favour of the Opposition, the NA session will reconvene and the Lower House will have to continue with the voting on the no-confidence motion tabled against PM Khan. If Khan loses the majority, he can no longer hold office. And that the apex court will call for a fresh election in a time period of six months.

    If the apex court decides in favour of the government

    If the honourable judges of the Supreme Court decide in favour of the government, then fresh elections will be called in a time of 90-120 days. Meanwhile, it is also being speculated that the apex court will remark that it has nothing to do with the parliament and that what does goes inside the assembly strictly stays within the assembly.

    It is pertinent to mention here that Deputy Speaker of National Assembly Qasim Suri, on Sunday, April 3, dismissed the no-trust motion against Khan, terming it “unconstitutional”, saying that it was backed by “foreign powers”.