Current Final

Category: Politics

  • ‘World should pay attention to the ongoing atrocities of India’: PM Khan

    ‘World should pay attention to the ongoing atrocities of India’: PM Khan

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan, who is on a four-day visit to China, cited India’s aggressive behaviour and the prevailing Hindutva ideology as a threat to regional peace and a cause of lingering instability of the region.

    The premier’s remarks came in an exclusive session with the heads and representatives of leading Chinese think tanks, universities, and the Pakistan Study Centre in Beijing.

    “The atrocities of India are continuing in Indian-Occupied Kashmir (IoK). The world should pay attention to the ongoing atrocities of India against Kashmiris,” said PM Khan.

    Referring to India’s aggressive behaviour and the prevailing Hindutva ideology, PM Khan said that the country was a threat to regional peace and a cause of lingering instability of the region.

    “In view of myriad global challenges, the world did not need another Cold War. Divisions could result in mounting suffering and prevent common benefits. Pakistan was, therefore, of the belief that the key driver in international politics should be cooperation, rather than confrontation,” said PM Khan.

    In his meeting with NDRC chairman and Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference vice-chairman, the prime minister said the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has a strategic significance for both countries and was delivering tangible benefits. PM Khan noted with satisfaction that CPEC’s early-harvest projects had transformed Pakistan’s economic landscape, thus laying a solid foundation for sustainable economic growth.

    Reaffirming the commitment of two sides to timely completion of CPEC and its high-quality development, the premier said both sides would continue to expedite efforts to achieve Gwadar’s potential as a hub of regional commerce and industry while also prioritising preparatory work on the railway’s Main Line-1 (ML-1) and key energy projects.

    Prime Minister Imran Khan also attended the inauguration of the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022 at the national stadium.

    Chinese President Xi Jinping inaugurated the sports event that brought together around 3,000 athletes from 91 nations to compete across 109 medal games.

  • 46 per cent of Pakistanis think Imran Khan is corrupt: survey

    46 per cent of Pakistanis think Imran Khan is corrupt: survey

    The Quarterly Performance Evaluation Survey (QPES), a Pulse Consultant’s indigenous tracking tool of public perceptions about the government’s performance has released its report.

    According to a question in the report, when responders were asked: “Do you agree with [PM] Imran Khan’s statement of him being a brand and not being corrupt?” a total of 46 per cent didn’t agree with him and only 19 per cent believe the premier.

    65 per cent of responders from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa think that corruption and poor performance in the province led to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) defeat in the local election.

    It is revealed that 77 per cent think that the Murree tragedy was a sudden disaster.

    Further, the survey says that 18 per cent of the country is satisfied with PM Khan and 56 per cent believe PM Khan’s claim that Pakistan is out of the economic crisis. 15 per cent think that inflation will be reduced in the next three months.

    84 per cent of Pakistanis consider inflation as the biggest problem of the country and 99 per cent of Pakistanis say ‘Inflation has increased in past three months.’

  • ‘There will be war’: Sheikh Rasheed says no other way with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan

    ‘There will be war’: Sheikh Rasheed says no other way with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan

    Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed has said that talks with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) cannot move forward, reports Geo Urdu.

    Sheikh Rasheed told the Senate cabinet committee that talks with the banned TTP could not proceed, adding that the conditions imposed by the banned organisation were not acceptable and the ceasefire was broken by the banned organisation itself.

    Rasheed further said that a delegation has gone for talks but there are reports that the talks will not be successful. He also said that there will be a war with the banned TTP and that there is no other way to deal with the banned outfit.

    The interior minister further said that the TTP are present in the border area of ​​Afghanistan, some new groups have also joined them and are also in touch with India and Afghanistan.

    Rasheed said that security forces foiled a major catastrophe that could have occurred in Noshki and Panjgur while terrorists killed in Islamabad belonged to the same banned organisation.

    Rasheed on Thursday, while speaking on Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’, said that there was a link between Baloch militant groups and the banned TTP, as well as other militant groups, to carry out terror attacks in Pakistan.

    Rasheed further revealed, “the banned TTP has started extortion in Peshawar.”

  • VIDEO: Reporter asks Biden’s spokesperson to show ‘evidence’ that Russia is starting a war in Ukraine

    VIDEO: Reporter asks Biden’s spokesperson to show ‘evidence’ that Russia is starting a war in Ukraine

    United States (US) State Department Spokesperson Ned Price was questioned by Associated Press (AP) reporter Matt Lee about the evidence behind US officials’ belief that Russia intended to release an elaborate propaganda video on Ukraine in order to justify beginning a war.

    A heated argument between the two [Price and Lee] can be heard in a video. Lee demanded Price to show the evidence to which he responded by saying that the information came from US intelligence, thus is classified.

    “Okay, well, where is it? Where is this information?” Lee asked. Price responded by asking Lee if he would want a printed-out transcript of the briefing.

    “That’s not evidence, that’s you saying it. I would like to see some proof that shows that the Russians are doing that,” Lee continued the argument.

    Following the press briefing, Price said that he and Lee have had their fair share of sparring sessions. “Nothing but respect for him, which I underscored in a call to him after the briefing,” he added.

    Russia has long resisted Ukraine’s move towards European institutions, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) as it shares a border with Ukraine.

    Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky have denied the news of an invasion. However, the US argued that Russia has no explanation for the troops posted close to Ukraine.

  • ‘Pakistan is our strategic partner’: US responds to Rahul Gandhi’s remarks

    ‘Pakistan is our strategic partner’: US responds to Rahul Gandhi’s remarks

    The United States (US) has responded to Indian National Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s remarks in the Indian parliament, Lok Sabha, that the policies adopted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi have brought Pakistan and China closer.

    The US State Department spokesperson Ned Price refused to “endorse” such a statement on Washington’s behalf and said, “Pakistan is our strategic partner.”

    “I’ll let Pakistanis and the PRC (People’s Republic of China) speak for themselves about their relationship. These remarks will certainly not be endorsed by me,” Price said during a regular press briefing.

    The US said it values its relationship with Pakistan while emphasising that there was no requirement, as far as Washington was concerned, for other countries to choose between the US and China.

    “We’ve made the point all along that it is not a requirement for any country around the world to choose between the United States and China,” Ned Price told reporters when asked if Pakistan and China have become closer because “they feel abandoned” by the US.

    Rahul, while speaking in Lok Sabha on the Motion of Thanks on President’s address during the ongoing Budget Session of Parliament on Wednesday, said, “India’s single most important strategic goal has been to keep China and Pakistan apart but what you have done has only brought them together.”

  • Banned Baloch organisations have the support of ISIS and TTP: Sheikh Rasheed

    Banned Baloch organisations have the support of ISIS and TTP: Sheikh Rasheed

    Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed, while speaking on Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’, said that there was a link between Baloch militant groups and the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), as well as other militant groups, to carry out terror attacks in Pakistan.

    Rasheed further said that the Afghan Taliban acted as a bridge for conversation with TTP.

    “The Taliban tried to converse with TTP and make them understands things but the result turned out differently. Instead of negotiations, we are witnessing an increase in terrorism.”

    Rasheed said, “The banned TTP has begun demanding extortion in Peshawar.” He also said that the TTP may have been involved in the Naushki and Panjgur attacks on security forces.

    The Interior Minister stated that the Baloch Nationalist Army (BNA) was not capable of carrying out the attacks in Naushki and Panjgur, but that TTP could be behind those attacks. He further added that this was his own analysis.

    Sheikh Rasheed said that terrorists have contacts in India and camps in Afghanistan.

    He added that Daesh (ISIS) and other militant organisations are also increasing terrorism in the country.

    When asked by anchorperson Shahzeb Khanzada how the Afghan Taliban were allowing all the contacts between Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and these militant groups, which were posing a threat to the security in Pakistan, Sheikh Rasheed said: “These groups are connected through phones. We have given a high alert. There is a great increase in terrorism and the situation can go to any side.”

    The interior minister said that TTP now has the latest weapons, all of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) weapons are with them. Those weapons are also being sold, smuggled in Afghanistan and coming to Pakistan as well.

    Rasheed said that terrorists enter from Afghanistan to carry out attacks in Pakistan and go back, as happened recently in two major attacks on security forces; terrorists went back to Afghanistan after conducting attacks.

    On February 3, it was reported that two separate terrorist attacks have been successfully repulsed by the Pakistan Army in Balochistan’s Panjgur and Noshki areas.

    In a press release, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said “both attacks have been successfully repulsed while inflicting heavy casualties to terrorists”.

    According to the ISPR, terrorists were in contact with their handlers in Afghanistan. They said that after the Taliban’s takeover, we were told that attacks from the war-torn neighbour will stop but they have increased.

  • Former CJP Gulzar Ahmed will get foolproof security

    Former CJP Gulzar Ahmed will get foolproof security

    The Ministry of Interior has approved the Supreme Court (SC) Registrar’s request of providing foolproof security to former Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed.

    The Registrar’s Office requested foolproof security for the retiring judge at home and throughout his travels in a letter dated January 27.

    “Justice Gulzar Ahmed has dealt with a number of high profile cases of public importance, matters of constitutional and sensitive nature including terrorism, extra-judicial killings, minorities’ issues, enforcement of fundamental rights, restoration of the Karachi Circular Railway and directing removal of encroachments and launching of criminal investigations against officials involved in misconduct,” the letter read.

    “Therefore, to avoid any untoward incident, the Government of Pakistan may take all possible measures to protect the life, liberty and honour of the Hon’ble Chief Justice of Pakistan and his family after his retirement,” it added.

    Read more- Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Gulzar Ahmed retires tomorrow

    Justice Gulzar had taken oath as the CJP in December 2019. He retired on February 1 and was replaced by Justice Umar Ata Bandial who took oath as Pakistan’s 28th Chief Justice of Pakistan on February 2.

  • Counter Terrorism agents arrests two alleged members of ISIS from Khanewal, Punjab

    Counter Terrorism agents arrests two alleged members of ISIS from Khanewal, Punjab

    The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) is claiming that they have arrested two members from ISIS after a raid in Khanewal city, Punjab.

    The spokesperson of the CTD revealed that the suspects were preparing for attacks on the important installations and worship places. The team also recovered banned literature, weapons, and hand grenades.

    Further investigation is still underway.

    A new wave of terrorism is hitting cities across Pakistan from the beginning of the year, 2022 after a ceasefire was unilaterally ended by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

    Last month, terrorists targeted Lahore with a bomb blast at a famous crowded marketplace, New Anarkali. Three people died including one child and several were injured in the attack.

    Recently attacks occurred in Balochistan on a Wednesday evening resulting in four soldiers embracing martyrdom and killing 15 terrorists. Terrorists tried to enter a security forces’ camp from two locations. The banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has reportedly claimed responsibility for the attacks.

    Similarly, an incident occurred on January 28, when 10 soldiers embraced martyrdom after terrorists attacked a security forces’ check-post in Balochistan’s Kech district.

  • AGP wants Punjab’s special medical board to examine Nawaz’s health reports

    AGP wants Punjab’s special medical board to examine Nawaz’s health reports

    The office of the Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) on Thursday requested the Punjab government to place fresh medical reports on the health of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif before a nine-member medical board for examination and further evaluation, reports Dawn.

    The provincial government has been requested to place the document, issued by Dr Fayaz Shawl from Maryland, United States (US), before the nine-member medical board with a request to examine it and evaluate the “known and reported facts and public activities” of Mr Sharif to form an opinion, if any, on this subject, said a one-page letter issued by Secretary Khalid Khan Niazi with the approval of AGP Khalid Javed Khan. The letter has been addressed to Punjab Home Secretary Zafar Nasrullah Khan.

    In its letter to the Punjab government, the AGP’s office explained that the request for placing Nawaz’s health reports before the special medical board was made in view of the January 11 decision of the federal cabinet wherein the AGP’s office had been directed to initiate proceedings for apparent violation of the undertakings given by Nawaz and his younger brother Shehbaz before the Lahore High Court (LHC).

    Earlier this week, Hussain Nawaz, son of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supreme leader Nawaz Sharif, lashed out at the government and said that neither Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan nor his party members have any say when it comes to Nawaz’s health. 

    Hussain while speaking on Geo News‘ programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’, responded to the questions on why the medical reports of Nawaz Sharif are not being sent to Pakistan and why was the family sending a doctor’s opinion and not legitimate reports for the medical boards to examine. “We don’t need it, Dr Shawl is a world-renowned doctor. Whatever he says is enough,” responded Hussain.

  • After lawyers, journalists also resort to violence after alleged rigged election

    After lawyers, journalists also resort to violence after alleged rigged election

    The National Press Club (NPC) elections were held on January 28. The group, ‘Journalist Panel’ swept the National Press Club (NPC) elections held for the year 2022 by securing all 11 executive posts.

    However, opponent panels boycotted the vote count, alleging massive vote fraud, and asked for conducting a vote count under police supervision.

    The election results turned into a violent situation at Islamabad Press Club. The winning journalist panel got into a fight with all other groups.

    All other groups argued that the election was rigged and rigging was the reason the journalists’ panel won.

    In the video, the journalist can be seen creating a ruckus and having a physical fight.

    As per reports, the video of the alleged rigging has come to the surface. It was for the first time that the votes casted were counted in the presence of police in the Islamabad Press Club.

    Apart from a large number of independent contenders, there were four panels in the contest, but the competition was between the Journalist panel and the alliance of three PFUJs and three former Presidents of the Azad Journalist Panel.

    In December 2019, a violent protest by lawyers at Lahore’s Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) occurred, during which three patients lost their lives.