Current Final

Category: Politics

  • ‘Government ready to withdraw media Ordinance under one condition’: Fawad

    ‘Government ready to withdraw media Ordinance under one condition’: Fawad

    Federal Minister of Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said that the government is ready to withdraw the controversial Pakistan Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Ordinance 2022 (PECA).

    “The government has handed over the mandate to Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi. If the media Joint Action Committee (JAC) could get its proposal approved, the government would also accept the recommendations,” said Fawad on HUM News programme, ‘Breaking Point with Malick’.

    “If the Joint Action Committee brings the draft in 90 days, they will amend the PECA Ordinance,” said Fawad.

    On Tuesday, JAC members had called on Elahi at the assembly chambers to discuss their reservations regarding the PECA law. 

    Fully supporting the demands of the JAC, Elahi had demanded immediate withdrawal of the amendment to the PECA Ordinance, The News reported. 

    He said the PECA Ordinance is the government’s “selective treatment of the journalist community and the people of Pakistan”.

    In February, PECA Ordinance was promulgated by President Arif Alvi. Talking exclusively to The Current, Fawad said, “A person who forwards fake news over WhatsApp can be fined and go to jail under the new law.”

    Civil society, political collectives, journalists, and rights activists condemned the new PECA Ordinance.

    Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Athar Minallah said that it seems like no one told the premier that there are laws for contempt other than PECA. “It seems like PM Khan was not assisted correctly over PECA Ordinance,” said Justice Minallah, adding that the law is used against critics here.

  • ‘Putin has no idea what’s coming’: Biden closes all airspace to Russian flights

    ‘Putin has no idea what’s coming’: Biden closes all airspace to Russian flights

    United States (US) President Joe Biden, while addressing a joint session of Congress, announced that the US is closing its airspace to all Russian flights.

    Biden said, “Tonight, I’m announcing that we will join our allies in closing off American airspace to all Russian flights, further isolating Russia and adding an additional squeeze on their economy”, further adding that Putin has no idea what’s coming.

    Biden said the country is imposing “powerful sanctions” on Russia. He repeatedly hit out at Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, saying that Putin alone is to blame for the war.

    During the address, the US President also paid a nod to Kyiv’s ambassador to Washington, Oksana Markarova, who was in attendance.

    The US has shown support to Ukraine after the Russian invasion. However, Biden has made it clear that the country will not send troops to fight Russia in Ukraine.

    Currently, Russia is showing no sign of stopping an assault that has included strikes on the Ukrainian capital i.e Kyiv and Kharkiv. Dozens have been killed and hundreds of thousands have fled the country to seek shelter.

    Earlier this week, both Moscow and Ukraine sat together for talks on the Ukraine-Belarus border with the aim of an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of Russian forces but no decision could be made.

  • PTI ministers are with us, claims PML-N’s Ahsan Iqbal

    PTI ministers are with us, claims PML-N’s Ahsan Iqbal

    In Geo News‘ Programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath’ Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Ahsan Iqbal claimed that the government’s decision to decrease the petroleum prices is because of their [Opposition] pressure.

    Talking about Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) allies, Iqbal said they [allies] have to decide for themselves. “If someone thinks of blackmailing them [PML-N] in exchange for offering support for the vote of the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan, it wouldn’t work as they [PML-N] have enough support.”

    He, further claimed that the Opposition has support inside of PTI and would successfully sail a no-confidence motion even without the support of PTI allies. According to him, PML-N has strong contacts with 20 Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) of the ruling party including some federal ministers.

    He added that everyone wants PTI to go home. When asked about the date of the no-confidence motion against the PM, the PML-N leader said there are consultations going on right now.

    A day earlier, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan met with the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leadership. The Chaudhrys of Gujrat assured PM Khan that they still supported him and his government and also expressed their lack of trust in the Sharifs who ditched them in the past.

    “We know them all, and do not trust them,” said Chaudhry Shujaat.

    Last week, Pakis­tan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari began his march towards the federal capital against the government.

  • PM Khan strongly dislikes Pakistani media: Foreign Policy report

    PM Khan strongly dislikes Pakistani media: Foreign Policy report

    “Pakistan’s government is tightening its control of media with laws and oversight bodies that critics say enhance its power to censor and punish journalists. New laws potentially extend control to social media such as YouTube and Twitter, snuffing out investigative journalism and critical commentary,” says a report published in Foreign Policy (FP) magazine.

    The report says that Prime Minister Imran Khan “has long had deep antipathy for the media and rarely voices support for journalists who are attacked or disappeared for their work”. It adds that Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Asia programme coordinator, Steven Butler, was denied entry to Pakistan in 2019. “Journalists who find outlets abroad to publish their work and provide income are branded foreign agents intent on the destruction of the Pakistani state,” says the FP report.

    “Our society is a democratic society, and people do realise why these journalists are not on air, are not speaking, why their voices are not being heard,” said Asma Shirazi. “These critical voices are a blessing in democracies. But now that they are not there, there is a huge gap. And people know this, they see this, and they know why it is.”

    Self-censorship by journalists is an insidious consequence of the harassment, she said. “But we have been here before. We know how to deal with it—we keep fighting.”

    PECA Ordinance 2022

    In February, the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Amendment (PECA) Ordinance 2022 was promulgated by President Arif Alvi. Talking exclusively to The Current, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said, “A person who forwards fake news over WhatsApp can be fined and go to jail under the new law.”

    Civil society, political collectives, journalists and rights activists condemned the new PECA Ordinance.

    Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Athar Minallah said that it seems like no one told the premier that there are laws for contempt other than PECA. “It seems like PM Khan was not assisted correctly over PECA Ordinance,” said Justice Minallah, adding that the law is used against critics here.

    PM Khan defends PECA Ordinance

    “The PECA law was made in 2016. We are only amending it,” said PM Khan on Monday. He said that “filth” such as child pornography was being shared on social media. He also accused journalists of taking money and blackmail.

    Joint statement by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch

    On Monday, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a joint statement that the government’s amendment to its cybercrimes act “is the latest in a concerted campaign to restrict freedom of expression and stifle dissent”.

    “PECA has been used to silence freedom of expression on the pretext of combating ‘fake news,’ cybercrime, and misinformation,” said Nadia Rahman, acting deputy regional director for South Asia at Amnesty International. “This amendment not only violates the Pakistan Constitution, but also puts anyone who questions the government or other state institutions at further risk. It particularly endangers journalists, human rights defenders, and political opponents who run the risk of prosecution for merely doing their jobs.”

    “The Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act neither protects the public from legitimate cybercrime concerns nor respects fundamental human rights,” said Patricia Gossman, Asia associate director at Human Rights Watch. “The new amendments will further embed violations of basic rights with a thin veneer of legality.”

  • Brig Asad Munir acquitted of false allegations by NAB three years after his death

    Brig Asad Munir acquitted of false allegations by NAB three years after his death

    Brigadier (retd) Asad Munir, who committed suicide after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had decided to file a reference of abuse of office against him back in March 2019, was acquitted of the false allegations three years after his death.

    The late army officer took his life on March 16, 2019, and left a letter addressed to the Chief Justice of Pakistan, pleading his innocence.

    Munir along with Brig (retd) Nusratullah, Ghulam Sarwar Sidhu, and Mohammad Hussain were accused of involvement in alleged corruption in allotting over 400 acres of land for shuttle service in the Diplomatic Enclave, Islamabad, to its contractor Hussain.

    The shuttle service was planned as a security feature in the Diplomatic Enclave for those required to visit different embassies to acquire visas. 

    Even then, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) had rejected the allegation and stated it follows all rules and procedures in the allotment of the land. 

    Munir’s name was put on the Exit Control List (ECL). While pleading his innocence in a letter to the then Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, he wrote that he was being driven to take his own life. Munir committed suicide on March 16, 2019.

    Advocate Imran Shafiq said that the CDA and other departments had thoroughly investigated the case and could not find any shred of evidence to prove that the deceased, Asad Munir, or any other accused Brig (retd) Nusratullah, Ghulam Sarwar Sidhu, and Mohammad had committed any wrongdoing. 

    Munir’s daughter Meena took to Twitter and wrote, “Nab destroyed our family and they should be held accountable.”

    “He lost his life in March 2019 and blamed NAB for torturing, humiliating his honour through a false case.”

    Senior journalist Hamid Mir tweeted, “Those who involved him in a fake case are still alive but they belong to the dead part of this society.”

    Veteran journalist Abbas Nasir tweeted, “Such a travesty to lose such a wonderful man to NAB shenanigans. NAB should be held to account.”

  • ‘Hamaray paas paisa ziada aya hai’: PM Khan reveals reason for slashing petrol, diesel prices

    ‘Hamaray paas paisa ziada aya hai’: PM Khan reveals reason for slashing petrol, diesel prices

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on Wednesday revealed the reason for giving relief to Pakistanis in terms of reduction in electricity charges and petrol prices as the country now has more money.

    Addressing a ceremony to launch the disbursement of interest-free loans for people of low-income groups under the Kamyab Pakistan Programme, the premier said, “This time we collected record tax in Pakistan. And because of this, I reduced the prices of petrol and oil.”

    “Hamaray paas paisa ziada aya hai [We have more money now]. The more tax you will pay, the more I will utilise all of it to uplift the poor in the country. This is my promise to the nation,” said PM Khan.

    Imran Khan regretted that Pakistan in the past could not achieve its due place in the comity of nations because it “did not pursue the ideology for which it was created”. He noted that the “nations that forget their ideology never succeed”.

  • PM Khan and Sharifs fighting over the Chaudhrys of Gujrat?

    PM Khan and Sharifs fighting over the Chaudhrys of Gujrat?

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on Tuesday went to meet the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leadership.

    PM Khan inquired about the health of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain.

    The Chaudhrys of Gujrat assured PM Khan that they still supported him and his government and also expressed their lack of trust in the Sharifs who ditched them in the past. “We know them all, and do not trust them,” said Chaudhry Shujaat.

    “Shehbaz Sharif came to inquire after my health a few days ago and offered the chief ministership (of Punjab) to Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi (in exchange for voting against Imran Khan),” said Hussain to PM Khan according to media reports.

    “However, we know them well and do not trust them. He had offered us the same slot (in the 90s) but backed off after winning the elections. The excuse was that his father did not agree to the proposal. Although he has offered it again, we don’t trust (him) and continue to stand by the government,” Hussain assured PM Khan.

    The Chaudhrys appreciated the government’s decision to slash fuel prices and electricity rates, as well as the industrial package unveiled on Tuesday.

    Khan briefed the hosts about his recent visits to China and Russia.

    PML-Q leader Tariq Bashir Cheema, while speaking on News One programme ‘G for Gharidah’, revealed that the issue of a no-trust move was not discussed in the meeting between PM Khan and the Chaudhry brothers.

    “This is the first time PM Khan visited [Chaudhry brothers] with a delegation. There were 20 people sitting in the meeting. Not once was there any talk about the no-confidence motion,” said Cheema.

    Cheema said that PM Khan discussed his recent trips to Moscow and China, asked about Shujaat Hussain’s health. He added that the recent visits of the Opposition leaders were also discussed.

    Different accounts

    In a report for The News, Ansar Abbasi says the “accounts of the meeting by the three government sources were different from each other while the PML-Q source insisted that the media had been fed the wrong information by a government minister about what was discussed in the meeting”.

    “One of the three government sources said that ‘politics’ was not discussed as such in the meeting … The second government source said that although there was no assurance sought by the PM or given by the Chaudhrys regarding the no-trust move, the body language of the top PML-Q leadership was good and encouraging for the government. This second government source said following an inquiry from the government side, the Chaudhrys also talked about Shehbaz Sharif’s visit … The third PTI [Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf] source, when approached, told this correspondent that Chaudhry Shujaat told Imran Khan to stand firm (dattay rahain). The source quoted the Chaudhrys as having told Shehbaz Sharif that in case of the failure of the no-trust move, Imran Khan would emerge far more powerful. This source claimed that the Chaudhrys had urged Shehbaz Sharif not to embark on such adventures. The third government source further said that the Chaudhrys also said that they were offered the chief ministership but only to announce the dissolution of the Punjab assembly. What will we get out of it, the government source quoted Chaudhry Pervez Elahi as saying.”

  • Bilawal, watch old videos of Benazir and learn how long marches happen: Fawad Chaudhry

    Bilawal, watch old videos of Benazir and learn how long marches happen: Fawad Chaudhry

    Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry advised Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari to watch previous videos of his late mother, Benazir Bhutto, to learn how to conduct a long march.

    “Bilawal must go through the videos of previous long marches held by (late) Benazir Bhutto to learn how such rallies are conducted.”

     “We first want them [Opposition] to get tired by holding this march, then we will make our next move,” said Fawad.

    Rejecting the claims of the Opposition, Fawad said that the relief package announced by Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan a day earlier was not an attempt to woo voters ahead of the 2023 general elections.

    “We just made adjustments to our existing budget to facilitate our middle class. Previously, we had given targeted subsidies to extremely poor segment.”

  • ‘Seems like PM Khan was not assisted correctly over PECA Ordinance’: Justice Minallah

    ‘Seems like PM Khan was not assisted correctly over PECA Ordinance’: Justice Minallah

    During the hearing of a plea challenging the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) PECA Ordinance, 2022, Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Athar Minallah reportedly issued a notice to the attorney-general of Pakistan and directed him to combine this petition with other petitions that are against PECA.

    Justice Minallah said that it seems like no one told the premier that there are laws for contempt other than PECA. He was referring to Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s address yesterday. “It seems like PM Khan was not assisted correctly over PECA Ordinance,” said Justice Minallah, adding that the law is used against critics here.

    The plea was filed by former president of Lahore High Court (LHC) Bar Maqsood Buttar. In the petition, it was argued that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) doesn’t have the authority to deal with a matter between two private parties.

    Previously, the IHC chief called the amendment “draconian in nature”. He said it is even worse than the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) law.

    Last month, President Arif Alvi passed an Ordinance amending PECA 2016, an attempt to make online “defamation” of authorities, including the military and judiciary, a criminal offence with harsh penalties.

    The high court adjourned the hearing till March 10.

  • ‘Meray sawalon ka jawab do’: Shujaat Hussain asks Shehbaz Sharif

    ‘Meray sawalon ka jawab do’: Shujaat Hussain asks Shehbaz Sharif

    Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain is waiting for a response from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif.

    Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) delegation led by Sirajul Haq, visited the residence of the Chaudhrys of Gujrat in Lahore to see Hussain. PML-Q leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi was not present.

    During the meeting, Hussain said, “We asked Shehbaz Sharif some questions during a discussion on the proposed no-confidence movement, but the answers are still awaited,” reports Dawn.

    It was also reported that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the top leadership of PML-Q had a meeting, in which the Chaudhry brothers presented their Charter of Demands to former President Asif Ali Zardari.


    The PML-Q has asked the Opposition for the Chief Ministership in Punjab and stated that no compromise will be made on anything less than that.

    In case of getting Chief Ministership, the PML-Q has assured the success of in-house transformation in Punjab and Centre. The PML-Q has said that it will fully support the Opposition at the Centre.

    In February, Shehbaz went to Chaudhrys residence where the leaders of the two rival parties met each other for a formal political meeting after a gap of about 14 years.

    PM Khan is scheduled to meet the PML-Q leadership during his daylong visit to Lahore today.