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Category: Politics

  • Yeh Dosti, hum chorein gay? PM Khan calls ex-friend Jahangir Tareen

    Yeh Dosti, hum chorein gay? PM Khan calls ex-friend Jahangir Tareen

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has contacted disgruntled Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Jahangir Tareen after the politician left Pakistan for the United Kingdom, said Foreign Minister (FM) Shah Mahmood Qureshi, reports Geo News.

    “The prime minister was informed that Jahangir Tareen was unwell,” Qureshi said.

    Qureshi said PM Khan had called the PTI leader to inquire about his health as he left for London for a medical check-up.

    It was earlier reported that Tareen spent a week in a private hospital in Lahore and would spend a week in London.

    PM Khan is scheduled to meet Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid’s (PML-Q) Chaudhry brothers during his daylong visit to Lahore today.

  • Russia and Ukraine talks begin after Putin puts nuclear forces on alert

    Russia and Ukraine talks begin after Putin puts nuclear forces on alert

    After five days of Russian aggression, Moscow and Ukraine have begun high-level talks on the Ukraine-Belarus border with the aim of an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of Russian forces, reports Al Jazeera.

    The Ukrainian military claimed that the pace of Russia’s assault has slowed. However, a day earlier Russian President Vladimir Putin put the country’s nuclear forces on high alert.

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called the next 24 hours “crucial” for the country. He has also indicated that he sees little prospect of any meaningful dialogue.

    He said he was not confident that any progress would be made. “Let’s try, so that no citizen of Ukraine would have any doubt that I, as president, tried to stop the war when there was even a chance,” he stated.

    Ukraine’s health ministry stated that 352 Ukrainian civilians have been killed so far, including 14 children. Moreover, tens of thousands of Ukrainians have fled to Romania and other neighbouring countries to seek shelter.

    Earlier, Zelensky had asked the European Union (EU) to admit Ukraine as a member state. As a result, multiple European countries are offering military aid to Kyiv.

    Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member states are also stepping up their support for Ukraine by “providing Kyiv with air-defence missiles and anti-tank weapons.”

  • Pakistan, India resume talks on water dispute again, this time in Islamabad

    Pakistan, India resume talks on water dispute again, this time in Islamabad

    Pakistan and India will resume talks on the water dispute again from March 1 till March 4. The talks will be held in Islamabad to resolve the issue between the two countries.

    The Indian delegation comprising of ten members will arrive at Wagah Border on Monday and the sessions will be held at the 117th session of the Permanent Indus Commission (PIC), reports The Express Tribune.

    The Indian delegation will be presided by the Indian Commissioner for Indus Water Pradeep Saxena. The Pakistan delegation will be headed by the Indus Water Commissioner Commissioner Mehr Ali Shah.

    While talking about the dispute, Shah mentioned that Pakistan objects to several projects of India which are in progress. The Pakistan delegation will raise the issue regarding projects on Occupied Kashmir, River Chenab, and River Indus.

    According to the Indus Water Treaty, which was signed in 1960, Pakistan and India have to hold discussions at least once a year.

    The talk was last held in March 2021 in New Delhi, India which concluded that frequent meetings will be held to resolve the water dispute.

    Pakistan had also requested India to share designs of the projects. India replied that data would be shared according to the requirements written in the treaty.

  • ‘PPP is no more a party of Benazir Bhutto’: Shah Mahmood Qureshi

    ‘PPP is no more a party of Benazir Bhutto’: Shah Mahmood Qureshi

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, in an address to media persons and supporters of the party’s ‘Huqooq-i-Sindh March’, said that the Zardari group had ruined Sindh in its 15-year-rule and it is time to get rid of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) government from the province, reports Dawn.

    The minister said that [former Prime Minister] Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was a man of character and his daughter [former PM] Benazir Bhutto was a fine lady, but now Zardari had firmed up his grip on their party.

    “PPP is no more a party of Benazir Bhutto, it has turned into a party of Zardari,” he remarked.

    Qureshi urged people to vote for PTI in the next general elections and claimed that their party successfully ran governments in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Punjab, Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB).

    “We have come to your doorstep with a message from Imran Khan to support PTI in Sindh to bring about real change and brighten the destiny of the province,” he added.

    Qureshi said, “It is pathetic that a sensible minister of Sindh has used uncivilised language against Imran Khan who is a decent person.” He further said that how could a man like Khan be a fraud or corrupt who had developed a charity hospital [Shaukat Khanum] for people.

    Federal Minister Maritime Affairs Syed Ali Haider Zaidi also addressed a large number of marchers at different places along the route. He said, “Sindh government had ruined farmers and growers by creating an artificial crisis of urea in the province.”

    Zaidi, taking a jibe at Zardari, said that he had made record corruption and even the chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) admitted that they had recovered Rs10 billion and still Rs19bn was to be recovered.

  • Tonight at 6pm: PM Khan aap se dil ki baat khul kar kareinge

    Tonight at 6pm: PM Khan aap se dil ki baat khul kar kareinge

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan will be making a “big announcement” in an address to the nation today (Monday), said Foreign Minister (FM) Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

    Qureshi said, “I think he is going to make a very big announcement,” further advising people to “be ready” since the prime minister will “open his heart and talk frankly”.

    The minister further shared that the PM will address the nation at 6pm today.

    Taking to Twitter, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said that the premier will take the nation into confidence over Pakistan’s economy and the global challenges the country faces amid the ongoing Ukraine crisis.

    Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Defence Pervez Khattak on Sunday said, “The prime minister will address the nation and announce Rs10 reduction in petroleum prices, and a Rs5 cut per unit in the electricity rates, along with several other measures.”

  • PM Khan’s former wife’s ‘dirty propaganda’, Murad Saeed serves legal notice to Reham

    PM Khan’s former wife’s ‘dirty propaganda’, Murad Saeed serves legal notice to Reham

    Federal Minister for Com­munications Murad Saeed on Sunday served a legal notice to Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s former wife, Reham Khan.

    Saeed has said that Reham has hurled false allegations against him and done dirty propaganda in her book, “Reham Khan (memoir)“.

    Saeed asked for an unconditional apology from Reham within 14 days; otherwise, a defamation suit of Rs1 billion will be filed against her, reports Dawn.

    “Tender apology within 14 days from this notice otherwise the court will be requested for her stern punishment and Rs1 billion damages,” said the official announcement.

    The news outlet also reports that the minister did not mention the name of Reham Khan while addressing her in the press release.

    “Your book was used as a reference for launching malicious propaganda and false allegations,” read the press release.

    Last week, Murad Saeed, during a meeting held in the presence of the premier, said that he would file a lawsuit against Reham in London for writing “offensive content” against the prime minister. “Posting false content should be stopped,” he added.

    However, PM Khan advised Saeed “not to worry about such matters and focus on his performance as the Opposition is worried these days.”

  • Pakistan embassy warns stranded nationals in Poland not to go anywhere else

    Pakistan embassy warns stranded nationals in Poland not to go anywhere else

    The Pakistan embassy has given a serious warning to stranded Pakistani nationals who were transported to Poland from Ukraine. This warning was given after 15 Pakistanis were arrested while trying to flee to Germany on Saturday, reports Samaa News.

    The embassy said that they would stop evacuation if Pakistanis did not follow said rules and regulations. Poland has given 15 days visas on a humanitarian basis to all Pakistanis who were evacuated from Ukraine.

    They have to return back to Pakistan after their visa expiration. They are also strictly not allowed to leave Poland during this duration.

    The embassy said that whoever tries to enter another country from Poland would face serious consequences.

    Pakistan Embassy has updated the evacuation details on their Twitter. Until now, 411 Pakistanis have been evacuated from Ukraine. Some people are on their way to Lviv from Kharkiv, Poltava, and Kyiv.

    The evacuation process has been delayed due to a rush of people wanting to escape the country.

    The embassy has requested all nationals to stay in contact with the authorities “for smooth evacuation as soon as possible.” 

  • ‘Islamabad kaamp raha hai,’ Bilawal Bhutto kicks off long march to remove PM Khan

    ‘Islamabad kaamp raha hai,’ Bilawal Bhutto kicks off long march to remove PM Khan

    Pakis­tan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Sunday began to march towards the federal capital.

    “You [people of the country] have heralded a war and let me tell you that Islamabad is trembling,” he said to the crowd.

    Chairman Bilawal said that Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan asks people not to worry due to price-hike, unemployment, poverty, and crises of gas, water, and fertiliser. Now, the time has come for the PM to start worrying.

    “The puppet is frightened of the Jiyalas so he has sent a few of his ministers to defend him but this selected party is a coterie of political orphans,” said an official statement released by the party.

    “Imran Khan has lost the confidence of the people and it is about time that he loses the confidence of the parliament too. The no-confidence motion will expose who is with the people and who is with the selected Imran Khan. We believe that the people will be victorious.”

    “This storm of public anger against Niazi and his government is just the beginning of what lies ahead. From now onwards for the next 10 days, people from across the country would send him messages of their sentiments and make a countdown. It’s a beginning. It’s a beginning of an end. It’s the beginning of a new era. It’s a beginning of a realization [prevailing] among the masses that how their dreams were snatched over the last three years and their hopes were stolen in the name of change.”

    PPP released a charter of demands, “Why We March”.

    “We march to realise your dreams, aspirations, dignity, self-respect, and prosperity. We fight to heal the wounds inflicted by this regime, heal our society, heal our country. The people of Pakistan shall not be enslaved, they will not be defeated.”

     The PPP caravan would cover 2,000kms and pass through 35 cities to reach Islamabad on March 10.

  • ‘I am here’: Ukrainian President Zelensky tells citizens during Russian invasion

    ‘I am here’: Ukrainian President Zelensky tells citizens during Russian invasion

    Street fighting has reportedly broken out in Kyiv, as the Russian troops have reached the capital after less than three days of fighting, reports Al Jazeera.

    Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said that Ukrainian forces have been able to mount a strong defence against the Russians.

    In the early hours of Saturday, Zelensky released a video outside his office in the capital city. He said, “I am here. We will not lay down the weapons. We will defend our state. This is our land our country, our children and we will defend all of that.”

    The Ukrainian president has turned down an offer by the United States (US) government to evacuate the country. “I need ammunition, not a ride,” he remarked.

    Ukrainians have been advised to take shelter. Around100,000 people are believed to have left their homes.

    US officials believe Russian President Vladimir Putin is determined to overthrow Ukraine’s government and replace it with a regime of his own. The Biden administration has also imposed sanctions on Russia.

    On February 23, Putin allowed Russian forces to invade Ukraine.

    Zelensky, in a tweet, called for Ukraine to be granted European Union (EU) membership. He said he had discussed “further effective assistance” as well as “the heroic struggle of Ukrainians for their free future” with European Council President Charles Michel.

  • ‘Making Pervaiz Elahi chief minister is not our priority’: Nawaz Sharif’s spokesperson

    ‘Making Pervaiz Elahi chief minister is not our priority’: Nawaz Sharif’s spokesperson

    Mohammad Zubair, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and spokesperson for party supremo Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz, said that it could not be the PML-N’s priority to hand over the Chief Minister (CM) seat to Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi in Punjab.

    Speaking on Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’, Zubair said, “There are still many things that have yet to be agreed upon.”

    “Discussing the option of handing over CM Punjab portfolio to Pervaiz Elahi doesn’t mean that the PML-N leadership has decided on this,” said Zubair.

    “Ousting the incumbent government is in the interest of the country and we [Opposition] are completely agreed on it,” said the PML-N spokesperson.

    Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has said that in the meetings with former President Asif Ali Zardari, Chief of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) Maulana Fazlur Rehman, and Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif, several things were discussed and shall be revealed at the right time.

    Shujaat also said that poor people would stop trusting politicians if they were just busy in political meetings. Economic conditions should be given utmost importance.

    Earlier it was reported that the Chaudhry brothers presented their Charter of Demands to 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.