Current Final

Category: Politics

  • Zardari says ‘superpower’ in Pakistan needs a different ‘solution’

    Zardari says ‘superpower’ in Pakistan needs a different ‘solution’

    Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) co-chairman and former president Asif Ali Zardari, while addressing party workers at Zardari House, said that the ‘superpower’ was asking to share some formula but he told them that first this [government] should be sent packing and then talks could be held.

    “I said it is the parliament [in 2018] that this hotchpotch sort of [government] could not last,” said Zardari without taking any names. He further added, “The conditions are such that now they are asking for help. We should make a way, devise a formula. I have told them there is no formula.”

    “Your formulas are the reason that the country is in this state. The answer is pretty straightforward now. Send them packing and then talk with us,” said Zardari.

    “The superpower said to me that they made me the most powerful civilian president. [So I said] I gave all the power to the parliament within three months,” said the former president.

    He said that building Pakistan was easy but they could neither build the country nor listen and understand. But a time would come when they would have to listen, understand and follow our advice, he said without naming anyone.

    “I just need your prayers to have more strength.” He said, “I would make them understand Bhuttoism and make them run.”

    He said people would see that Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari would become prime minister. Zardari said that the PPP had been fighting and would keep fighting.

  • ‘Human rights and women rights are different’: PM Khan

    ‘Human rights and women rights are different’: PM Khan

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan during his address at the 17th extraordinary session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) said that human rights and women’s rights are different.

    “We must understand that when we talk about human rights, every society is different, every society’s idea of human rights and normal rights is different,” said PM Khan.

    “The Pakhtunkhawan province, which borders Afghanistan because the culture is similar because there the Taliban are predominantly the Pashtun movement and there are more Pashtuns on our side of the border,” said the premier, adding, “The city culture is completely different from the rural culture.”

    https://twitter.com/mSaleemJaved/status/1472515320850038785

    “Culture in Kabul was always different to culture in rural areas. Just like in Peshawar it is completely different from the culture to the district adjoining the Afghanistan border,” said the prime minister.

    “I will give you an example. We give stipends to the girl’s child parents to put the girls in school but in tribal districts or districts adjoining Afghanistan, if we are not sensitive to the cultural norms of those people, even with stipends they will not send the girls to school,” said the premier.

    “But if we are sensitive to their cultural norms, without stipends they are willing to send their girls to school,” said PM Khan adding, “So this sensitivity I am afraid when we are talking about human rights and women’s rights we have to be sensitive about this.”

    PM Khan’s words received some criticism online.

  • KP LG polls: PTI loses, Shibli Faraz says party lost because of ‘PTI vs PTI’

    In the first phase of local government elections held in Khyber Pakhtun­khwa (KP), Opposition parties have had a combined lead over the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), according to unofficial results.

    Minister for Science and Technology Shibli Faraz said that the ruling party lost because “PTI was contesting against PTI”.

    “If it was not PTI vs PTI, we would have really won the elections. The results are still being announced. It was a crucial election but our performance has been really good,” said Shibli.

    The PTI is ahead on 15 seats followed by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) 13, Awami National Party (ANP) nine, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) two, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), and the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) one each — which totals up to 26 seats for the Opposition parties as per unofficial and unverified results. Meanwhile, independent candidates are in the lead on 13 seats, reports Dawn.

    In all, 12.668 million voters — seven million male and five and a half million female — were registered for the polls in the 17 KP districts.

    In the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), local government elections were held for the first time in Khyber, Mohmand and Bajaur districts.

  • KP LG polls: JUI-F leader accidentally kills himself with celebratory gunfire

    KP LG polls: JUI-F leader accidentally kills himself with celebratory gunfire

    Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) leader Zakariya Khan accidentally took his own life on Sunday when he fired a gun in celebration of his victory in the local government elections in Khyber district.

    Police said they would thoroughly investigate Zakariya’s death before registering a case. 

    Rocket attacks, firing, and suicide bombings at various locations in Khyber district caused six casualties yesterday while several were injured. 

    Polling stations for women were also attacked in Nowshera and Buner.

  • Ex-GB judge Rana Shamim submits controversial affidavit against former CJP Saqib Nisar in IHC

    Ex-GB judge Rana Shamim submits controversial affidavit against former CJP Saqib Nisar in IHC

    Former Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Judge Rana Shamim on Monday submitted in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) his original affidavit accusing former Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar of conspiring to deny bails to top Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leadership prior to the 2018 general elections.

    Chief Justice IHC Justice Athar Minallah had issued the order after going through the reply submitted by Justice Shamim in which he explained reasons for executing the statement on oath — dated November 10, 2021.

    During today’s hearing, Lateef Afridi, Shamim’s legal counsel, informed the court that the affidavit had been submitted to the IHC and the former judge has been “standing by his statement since the first day”, reports Dawn.

    “The real affidavit was sealed and has now been brought to Pakistan on the court’s order,” said Afridi.

    Justice Minallah said the sealed envelope was in its original condition and had not been opened by the court yet.

    “The attorney general had said the media’s role is secondary. Rana Shamim has admitted that the content published in the newspaper (The News report) is [the same as] in his affidavit. Rana Shamim has cast doubt on all judges of the IHC,” the chief justice said, adding that the court had already made it clear that it did not fear criticism.

    Justice Minallah then turned to Shamim’s counsel and asked him to open the envelope, upon which the counsel said that a new inquiry could be started by opening a sealed envelope.

    “This is an open inquiry. This is our accountability,” the judge said. He added that Shamim had apparently made “a very big statement without any evidence” and given an impression that all IHC judges were “compromised”.

    Afridi said his client maintained that he did not “leak” the affidavit.

    “Can a finger be pointed at any judge of this court? The court will not ask the journalist about the source of his news. This court is hearing many important cases related to fundamental rights,” Justice Minallah remarked.

    The judge called for evidence to be presented regarding the public opinion that was being built, saying the public’s trust in the court should not be eroded.

    “This court will not deviate from the law,” Justice Minallah remarked. He added that the next hearing would be held on Thursday. However, Afridi said he would not be able to attend the hearing on that date.

    Subsequently, Afridi requested the court to adjourn the hearing until after winter vacations were over. However, Justice Minallah observed that the IHC had not issued any notification about vacations.

    The hearing was adjourned till December 28.

  • Shibli Faraz escapes attack on vehicle at Darra Adam Khel

    Shibli Faraz escapes attack on vehicle at Darra Adam Khel

     Minister for Science and Technology Shibli Faraz on Sunday escaped an attack unharmed as he was on his way from his ancestral town of Kohat to Peshawar city.

    Unidentified assailants attacked his car, shattering the windows.

    Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry tweeted moments after the news broke, saying that Faraz had been attacked by gunmen at Darra Adam Khel.

    “Thankfully, he remained safe but unfortunately the driver is seriously injured and has been transported to the hospital.

    “We strongly condemn this incident,” wrote Fawad.

    Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Kohat Tahir Ayub, while speaking to Geo News, said that it wasn’t a firing incident and that the minister’s vehicle was pelted with stones.

    “Shibli Faraz was returning to Peshawar after casting his vote in his constituency,” the DIG said.

    DIG Ayub said that due to the pelting of stones, one police personnel was injured and has since been ruled to be out of danger. The front windscreen of Faraz’s vehicle was damaged, he added.

  • ‘Decision on political alliance with TLP will be made by PM Khan’: Punjab Law Minister

    ‘Decision on political alliance with TLP will be made by PM Khan’: Punjab Law Minister

    Punjab Law Minister Muhammad Basharat Raja says any decision on political alliance with the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) will be made by Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan.

    Raja, while talking to reporters at the Punjab Assembly said, “There is no worth of personal opinion of an individual who is affiliated with a party and is a part of the cabinet. But I can say with clarity that any decision on the subject (TLP) will be made by none other than Prime Minister Imran Khan.”

    Talking about the political strategies, Raja said that the federal government was taking steps to bring back Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif from London where he had gone for his medical treatment in November last year.

  • PM Khan directs spokespersons to highlight Shehbaz Sharif’s money laundering

    PM Khan directs spokespersons to highlight Shehbaz Sharif’s money laundering

    




    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan in a meeting with party spokespersons directed his criticism towards the Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif.
    




    During the meeting, Advisor to PM on Accountability and Interior Barrister Shahzad Akbar said that Shehbaz Sharif is directly involved in the money laundering case, all the evidence has come, now it is the job of the courts.
    




    PM Khan responded that Shehbaz Sharif has robbed money of the people and he has to give an account of every penny.
    




    The premier further said that both Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Shehbaz distributed official positions by taking money. “If they had not done money laundering, the situation in the country would not have been like this.”
    




    PM Khan directed his spokespersons to highlight the issue of money laundering.
    




    Later, Shahzad Akbar during a press conference said, “Shehbaz Sharif is the ringleader of a money laundering gang. He and his son Hamza have been found involved in corruption and money laundering worth Rs16 billion in the Ramzan Sugar Mills case.”
    




     
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    ‘It’s fake news’: Hammad Azhar says govt never promised gas supply three times a day
    
			
    ‘It’s fake news’: Hammad Azhar says govt never promised gas supply three times a day
    
			
    

    Federal Energy Minister Hammad Azhar, while discussing Pakistan’s gas crisis on the Geo News‘ programme ‘Naya Pakistan’, said that the media reports stating that the government had ordered gas supply only three times a day was “fake news”.
    




    “First of all, this fake news [was associated with me] that gas will only be supplied three times a day,” he stated. “I was asked in the Senate about it to which I said the government never made any such commitment simply because it is not possible to do so.”
    




    


    




    The minister said it is not “logistically possible” to cut off gas supply connections in people’s homes numerous times during the day to ensure that gas is available three times a day.
    




    “We did, however, tell the gas companies to try and prioritise gas pressure for domestic consumers three times a day when people prepare breakfast, lunch, and dinner,” he clarified.
    




    Earlier in November, the government decided to provide gas to the residential sector only three times a day for cooking purposes throughout December to March to minimise gas shortages in Pakistan.
    




    “Gas to residential sector shall be provided three times a day for cooking only,” the meeting was informed by the Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Divi­sion), who added that Regasified Liquefied Natural Gas (RLNG) diversion to domestic consumers is to be made bare minimum for stability.
    




    This was all decided by Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCoE) during a meeting presided over by Minister for Planning and Develop­ment Asad Umar. This is part of the Gas Load Management Plan for winter 2021-22, which was presented to the committee.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    PML-N retains PP-206 Khanewal seat
    
			
    PML-N retains PP-206 Khanewal seat
    
			
    

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) retained Khanewal district’s PP-206 constituency.
    




    PML-N’s candidate Rana Muhammad Saleem emerged victorious, according to unofficial results. Saleem bagged 47,649 votes, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf’s (PTI) Noreen Nishat Daha got 34,030 votes, while Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) Syed Wisaq was able to gain 15,059, according to unofficial results from all the 183 polling stations.
    




    The voting count ended at 5pm after polling began at 8am as the seat fell vacant due to the death of PML-N leader Nishat Ahmed Daha. However, his wife Noreen was contesting on PTI’s ticket.
    




    PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz, congratulating the winner, tweeted, “Congratulations to the lions of Khanewal. Nawaz Sharif’s name is enough.”
    




    


    




    Taking to Twitter, Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, President of Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (Pildat), shared a few statistics in relevance to the election in Khanewal.
    




    Mehboob tweeted, “PP206, Khanewal4 is a second by-election in Punjab in a row where PPP vote share significantly went up, from 5.86 per cent in 2018 to 13.53 per cent yesterday.”
    




    


    




    “Winner PMLN vote slightly decreased from 45 to 42.8 per cent. PTI vote slipped significantly from 41.9 to 30.58 per cent. TLP vote went up from 5 to 8.64 per cent.”
    




    PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari too congratulated the party candidate contesting in the elections. Taking to Twitter Bilawal wrote, “Good work south Punjab team #PPP.”