Current Final

Category: Politics

  • Pemra issues show-cause notice to News One for airing ‘derogatory’ remarks about Murad Saeed

    Pemra issues show-cause notice to News One for airing ‘derogatory’ remarks about Murad Saeed

    The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) on Friday issued a show-cause notice to News One for airing “derogatory/demeaning remarks” about federal Minister for Communications Murad Saeed “without any editorial check” in a programme.

    On Thursday, News One aired a show, ‘G for Gharidah’, at 10:05pm in which anchorperson Gharidah Farooqi questioned the decision of Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan to award appreciation certificate to Murad Saeed as the top minister in his team for his outstanding performance.

    Gharida asked the panelists on her show: “The Prime Minister seems satisfied with Murad Saeed. He is in the top position, what could be the reason?”

    Analyst Mohsin Baig responded, “The reason [for Murad Saeed being at the top place] is written in Reham Khan’s book. I don’t really know about the projects.”

    Senior journalist and analyst Iftikhar Ahmed said, “You took the name of the person on the top position,” Gharida interjected and said, “Murad Saeed Saab,” Ahmed continued, “Yes, everyone is aware of his [Murad Saeed’s] performance and the accusations against him.”

    Journalist and analyst Tariq Mehmood said, “Two people are serious in this, one Imran Khan Sahib, second Murad Saeed Sahib. We shouldn’t be so serious about this. One conducted the ceremony, second came on the first place,” adding, “Some things are self-explanatory, Pemra will be keeping a close eye, don’t make us say all the things. A book has been mentioned.”

    “He [Murad Saeed] is a very hardworking minister and very close to the prime minister. Once again he has proved through his performance and left everyone behind,” said Mehmood.

    Senior defence analyst General (retired) Amjad Shoaib said, “I have not read the book that was being discussed. However, I will agree with Mohsin Baig’s analysis, which he just made.”

    Twitterati started a debate with trends against the host of the show. Some questioned why was Gharidah Farooqi the subject of criticism as she had not said anything but just asked a question.

    However, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf official Twitter handle shared a clip of the show and wrote, “Extremely shameful on Ghareeda Farooqi’s part to lead a program with such derogatory language.”

    Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) condemned “PEMRA for taking News One off-air on cable networks without following due process“.

    Several political parties condemned News One being taken off-air.

  • ‘Islamophobia has taken a most lethal form in India’: Noam Chomsky

    ‘Islamophobia has taken a most lethal form in India’: Noam Chomsky

    Renowned Scholar and Professor Noam Chomsky, in a video message to a webinar organised by the Indian American Muslim Council, said that India has turned its community of Indian Muslims into a “persecuted minority”.

    He further said, “The pathology of Islamophobia is growing throughout the West, it is taking its most lethal form in India.”

    Referring to the violence in Indian-occupied Kashmir (IoK), the famed activist stated that the situation is painful in particular not because of what is happening but because of what is not happening.

    During the webinar on “Worsening Hate Speech and Violence in India,” Chomsky compared the brutal situation of IoK to Israeli forces occupying Palestine and blamed Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s right-wing Hindu nationalist regime for it.

    Several other personalities who took part in webinar condemned the barbarous acts by Indian authorities.

    Angana Chatterji, an Indian anthropologist took a jibe Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and stated, “Hindu spiritual leaders are involved in [the] ethnic cleansing of Muslims.”

    According to an Indian author, Annapurna Menon, the situation in IoK is even more dire, where the journalists routinely face police questioning, ban on reporting, suspension of internet services and financial constraints in line with BJP’s recent ‘media policy’.

  • Biden faces backlash for keeping $3.5 billion for 9/11 victims from Afghan assets

    United States (US) President Joe Biden has signed an executive order to release and split the Afghan assets worth $7 billion between humanitarian aid for war-torn Afghanistan and a fund for September 11 attacks victims, reports Associated Press (AP).

    In a statement, Washington said, “The order is designed to provide a path for the funds to reach the people of Afghanistan while keeping them out of the hands of the Taliban and malicious actors.”

    Half of the frozen assets worth $3.5 billion would go to trust funds for distribution through humanitarian groups for Afghan relief and basic needs. However, the other $3.5 billion would stay in the US and remain “subject to ongoing litigation by US victims of terrorism” as still, 9/11 victims’ relatives have ongoing lawsuits.

    Moreover, the Biden administration states that the procedure for the release of Afghan assets will take months.

    Afghanistan has more than $9 billion in reserves, including just over $7 billion in reserves held in the US. The rest is largely in Germany, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Switzerland. The amount is largely derived from donations by the US and other nations to Afghanistan. 

    In response, Taliban spokesman Mohammad Naeem lashed out at the US. He tweeted, “The theft and seizure of money frozen by the United States of the Afghan people represent the lowest level of the human and moral decay of a country and a nation.”

    Twitterati criticised Biden’s decision and urged the US to release the funds to prevent famine in Afghanistan. Presently, the country is facing a major humanitarian crisis.

    It is pertinent to mention that Afghanistan’s economy is on the verge of collapse. The United Nations (UN) has said 96 per cent of Afghans could fall into poverty in 2022.

  • PDM to table no-trust motion against the government

    PDM to table no-trust motion against the government

    Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) president Maulana Fazlur Rehman announced on Friday that the Opposition alliance has decided to move a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan and would contact the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government’s allies in the Centre for this purpose.

    “All parties in the PDM have agreed on bringing a no-confidence motion against these illegitimate rulers and contacting the government’s allies in this regard,” said Maulana.

    “[We will ask government allies] to have mercy on this country and nation, considering their impoverished condition,” he added. “[We will tell them] that remaining an ally of such a government is not politically and economically beneficial for the country.”

    When asked why the PDM announced the decision to bring about a no-confidence motion against the government without completing the “homework”, Fazl said that the Opposition should be allowed to make preparations first.

    “The PDM has announced the no-confidence motion at this stage because we have a firm intention of doing so. Without preparations, we cannot give a date, so let us do our work,” he said.

    Answering a question about the planned long march, he said that it will take place as per the schedule, while the PDM’s steering committee will chalk out a plan for this purpose.

    When a reporter asked Fazl what the PDM will do if the government’s allied parties refuse to cooperate, he said: “In that case, we will hold talks with them once again and try to convince them.”

    He added that the PDM will “not contact any PTI member,” adding that if they contact the anti-government alliance themselves, there could be any reason for that.

    “We are neither going to bribe anyone nor lure them [to join us] by offering any seats [political incentives],” Fazl maintained.

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif said that the citizens of Pakistan are protesting against inflation and the ensuing poverty.

    “Who else would come forward to rid them of this tyrant government if not us?”

    Reacting to PDM’s announcement of bringing about a no-confidence motion against the PTI government, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said that the move will serve as a “victory for democracy”.

    Taking to Twitter, he wrote: “It is a victory for democracy that most Opposition parties now agree to bring a no-confidence motion against the government. The PM has lost the confidence of the people, it is about time he lost the confidence of Parliament.”

  • Shah Mahmood Qureshi ka dil toot gaya, doesn’t like being placed at 11th spot

    Shah Mahmood Qureshi ka dil toot gaya, doesn’t like being placed at 11th spot

     Foreign Minister (FM) Shah Mahmood Qureshi has questioned the performance evaluation criteria of federal ministries.

    Qureshi, who is also the vice president of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), wrote a letter to Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Establishment Arbab Shahzad, expressing serious reservations over placing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the 11th spot.

    In his letter, Qureshi expressed reservations over both the performance of ministers and the distribution of certificates among them.

    Letter written by FM Qureshi
    Letter written by FM Qureshi

    The foreign minister wrote that in the first quarter set in the nine-month performance agreement, the Foreign Ministry achieved 22 out of the 26 targets assigned. Out of the remaining four, one of the targets was completed 99 per cent, and the reasons for delaying the remaining three projects were mentioned in a letter written on Oct 27, 2021, he stated in the document that is also being widely shared on social media.

    The minister claimed that the performance of his ministry in achieving targets in the first quarter – first three months of the fiscal year — remained by 70 per cent, while that of the rest of the ministries was 62 per cent. In the second quarter, the ministry achieved 18 targets out of 24. He raised questions and said no written guidelines were issued for the third quarter.

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Thursday, taking a jibe at Qureshi, said that Imran Khan had committed a ‘great injustice’ to Multan for not conferring a certificate on Qureshi while distributing performance certificates.

    Earlier this week, Prime Minister Imran Khan awarded appreciation certificates to the “top 10 best performing federal ministries” under his government, with the communications ministry, planning ministry, and poverty alleviation division getting top honours of first, second and third respectively.

  • Pakistan declared hybrid regime, ranks 104 out of 167: Democracy Index

    Pakistan declared hybrid regime, ranks 104 out of 167: Democracy Index

    Global democracy continued its decline in 2021, according to the latest edition of the Democracy Index, for The Economist Intelligence (EIU).

    The annual survey, which rates the state of democracy across 167 countries on the basis of five measures—electoral process and pluralism, the functioning of government, political participation, democratic political culture, and civil liberties—finds that more than a third of the world’s population lives under the authoritarian rule while just 6.4 percent enjoy full democracy.

    According to The Economist’s new intelligence index, Democracy Index 2021, Pakistan ranks 104th out of 167, and Pakistan’s overall score in 2021 is 4.31. India is 46th while Bangladesh is 75th. Norway ranks first in the index, followed by Norway, and Afghanistan ranks 167th.

    Democracy in Pakistan is declining compared to 2016 and previous years. Pakistan was included in the list of countries with a hybrid system because there is neither complete democracy nor dictatorship. Only three countries in Asia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, have full democracy.

    Poor democracies in 10 Asian countries, hybrids in six countries, and dictatorships in seven countries. The report also mentions the negative effects of code, measures such as lockdowns and travel restrictions, hindering civil liberties in developed democracies and dictatorial regimes. The situation of democracy in 167 countries of the world was reviewed.

    According to this, only 21 countries in the world including Norway, New Zealand, Finland, and the UK have full democracy.
    In addition, 34 countries, including Pakistan, Turkey, Nigeria, and Bangladesh, where the electoral process is not transparent, while civil society and the rule of law are very weak. These countries are considered hybrid democracies. One-third of the world’s population, including Afghanistan, Myanmar, and North Korea, face authoritarian regimes or dictatorships, and the index ranks 59 countries without democracy.

  • PTI decides to bring resolution against Shehbaz Sharif in NA

    PTI decides to bring resolution against Shehbaz Sharif in NA

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has reportedly decided to bring a resolution against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif in the National Assembly (NA), reports Geo News.

    Minister of State for Information and Broadcas­ting Farrukh Habib will present the resolution in the Lower House. Geo News’ sources state that Sharif will not be allowed to address the House till the final decision of his money-laundering case.

    It is to be noted that both PML-N and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leadership are meeting with other Members of National Assembly (MNAs) and political party leaders to bring a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan.

    A few days ago, Sharif met the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) delegation.

    




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    US becomes friendly when in need, later abandons Pakistan: PM Khan
    
			
    US becomes friendly when in need, later abandons Pakistan: PM Khan
    
			
    

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan said that the United States (US) has also been “a good friend of Pakistan” but it hasn’t been an “all-weather friend” like China.
    




    In an interview with Dr Eric Li, Director of the Advisory Committee of the China Institute of Fudan University, PM Khan said: “There have been times when the US has been very friendly but then when they think Pakistan is not of use to them, then we get abandoned. Then they again sort of become friendly.” PM said that Pakistan became a frontline state against the Soviets in Afghanistan, Pakistan became a friend of the US, and “they even helped us and they were good to us”. He added that the moment the Soviets left, “they slapped sanctions on Pakistan”. 
    




    “Ten years later when 9/11 happened, they [the US] again became very good to us but then when they could not win against Afghanistan, then we [Pakistan] were blamed for this debacle,” said PM Khan.
    




    PM Imran Khan said that with China, our relationship has been consistent for seven decades regardless of the government in power. “It’s a people-to-people friendship.”
    




    


    




    “When you have no clear aims why you invaded a country, it is going to be a failure. Anyone who thinks of controlling the Afghan people has not read their history,” said PM Khan when asked about the situation after the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan. He added that the whole mission of the US in Afghanistan was “based on a false premise”.
    




    On Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis, PM said, “If Afghanistan descends into chaos because of the sanctions, as its 75 percent economy depends on foreign aid, this will be the biggest manmade human disaster.”
    




    
https://twitter.com/appcsocialmedia/status/1491987521630355456

    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    Avenfield trust deed can’t be called forged, says Islamabad High Court
    
			
    Avenfield trust deed can’t be called forged, says Islamabad High Court
    
			
    

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday observed that the Avenfield trust deed involving Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz and her brother Hussain Nawaz can’t be called forged or fake.
    




    A two-judge bench comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani heard the appeals of Maryam Nawaz and her husband Captain (retd) Muhammad Safdar against their conviction in the Avenfield properties reference.
    




    The court observed that since both Maryam and Hussain never disowned the Avenfield trust deed, it could not be a forgery.
    




    “The trust deed can be termed back-dated or that the font used in the said document was different, but this cannot be called forgery,” said Justice Farooq.
    




    The IHC judge made the observation when the bench was informed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) that they had proved forgery in the trust deed. The IHC stated that a lack of evidence would result in a different verdict.
    




    It mentioned that if the father made the property illegally and gave it to the son, would the daughter be found guilty? The court said that the petitioner should just prove that NAB could not prove the case, nothing else is required.
    




    Maryam Nawaz’s counsel, Irfan Qadir, said that NAB did not complete the basic details of the case, the actual value, and source of the assets were not mentioned in advance. Also, it does not meet the requirements of Section 9-A of the NAB Ordinance. If the court wants, it can give bail to Maryam Nawaz.
    




    NAB prosecutor Sardar Mazhar mentioned that Maryam Nawaz claimed to be the trustee of the property.
    




    “NAB has proved through evidence that Maryam was their beneficial owner and forgery in the trust deed, which was confirmed by the trust deed deposited in the Supreme Court before the Joint Investigation Team (JIT).”
    




    The court directed all the parties to look into the case papers and adjourned the hearing till February 17.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    Khan admits failure, awards only 10 favourite ministers: Bilawal
    
			
    Khan admits failure, awards only 10 favourite ministers: Bilawal
    
			
    

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said on Thursday said that Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan had himself admitted failure of his entire cabinet by awarding ‘best performance’ certificates to only 10 ‘blue-eyed’ federal ministers.
    




    Taking a jibe at Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Bilawal said that Imran Khan had committed a ‘great injustice’ to Multan for not conferring a certificate on Qureshi while distributing performance certificates.
    




    He said PM Imran had given a certificate to the minister who halted the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project and also conferred a certificate on another who had promised to create a Seraiki province in 90 days. He gave another certificate to a minister who was removed from one ministry but now held the planning portfolio for “planning the sugar, gas, petrol, medicine and fertiliser crises in the country”.
    




    PM Khan on Thursday awarded appreciation certificates to the “top 10 best performing federal ministries” under his government, with the communications ministry, planning ministry, and poverty alleviation division getting top honours of first, second and third respectively.
    




    “When I came [into power], I had very revolutionary ideas to bring sudden changes but I realised our system doesn’t have the capability to absorb sudden shocks [and only by] incentivising will we bring positive changes in our bureaucracy and ministries,” said PM Khan.
    




    The premier further said that the government and ministries had not given the desired results. “The biggest problem is that there has been no connection between the government and the interest of the country,” he added.
    




    “Are our ministries performing how to stabilise the country through increasing exports and how the condition of the people can be improved, how poverty can be eliminated?” he asked.