Current Final

Category: Politics

  • PTI trolls Maryam Nawaz’s singing at her son’s festivities, Twitterati react

    Focal person to Chief Minister (CM) Punjab Usman Buzdar shared Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz’s singing video and Twitter suggests that he mocked her for it.

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) social representative Azhar Mashwani took to Twitter and said, “The Sharif family can make a lot of success in video and sound production field. Not bad.”

    https://twitter.com/MashwaniAzhar/status/1468075682890665984?s=20

    Upon his criticism, Twitter users fired back at Mashwani. Human Rights Activist and Lawyer Jibran Nisar said, “Punjab has developed so much, milk canals are flowing, rations are being distributed free of cost, rule of law prevails, no fake encounters, no sit-ins, no violence, so the bored CM’s focal person is commenting on the marriage.”

    https://twitter.com/manzurhussain/status/1468120805527719940?s=20
  • ‘Thank you Malala for all that you do,’ US State Department

    ‘Thank you Malala for all that you do,’ US State Department

    Malala Yousafzai met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday.

    “Afghanistan right now is the only country where girls do not have access to secondary education. They are prohibited from learning,” said Malala, who works with female Afghan activists, while standing alongside US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

    Blinken in a tweet wrote, “We discussed the role of girls’ education and how investing in women and girls creates a brighter future. Thank you, Malala, for all that you do.”

    Malala also read a letter from an Afghan girl to US President Biden during a meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The letter was written by a 15-year-old Afghan girl named Sotodah. “This is the message of Afghan girls right now: we want to see a world where all girls can have access to safe and quality education,” she said while presenting the letter.

    “We hope that the United States, together with the UN, will take immediate actions to ensure that girls are allowed to go back to their schools as soon as possible,” Yousafzai noted before a private meeting with the secretary.

  • ‘Highly irresponsible and immoral’: Sheikh Rasheed calls out PDM for holding march on Pakistan Day

    ‘Highly irresponsible and immoral’: Sheikh Rasheed calls out PDM for holding march on Pakistan Day

    Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed called out the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) for announcing a long march on March 23, Pakistan Day, as an “extremely irresponsible and immoral” move.

    PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman announced that the Opposition alliance will hold an “anti-inflation march” in Islamabad on March 23.

    “The federal capital is put on high alert for preparations of the parade. Even some roads are barricaded two to three days in advance,” added Sheikh Rasheed.

  • NA-133 by-election: PML-N’s Shaista Pervaiz defeats PPP’s Aslam Gill

    NA-133 by-election: PML-N’s Shaista Pervaiz defeats PPP’s Aslam Gill

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Shaista Pervaiz Malik, wife of late Malik Pervaiz won the National Assembly (NA)-133 constituency on Sunday against Pakistan People Party’s (PPP) opponent Aslam Gill.

    The PML-N won the seat for the fourth time since 2008, although by a smaller margin this time.

    The results showed Gill was defeated by a margin of 14,498 votes. Shaista Malik secured 46,811 votes while Gill’s votes were 32,313.

    In 2018 elections, Pervaiz Malik secured 89,699 votes, which means PML-N got 42,888 fewer votes this time. However, PPP’s Gill got 26,728 more votes now as compared to the 2018 polls when he obtained only 5,585.

    President Of the Pakistan Institute Of Legislative Development And Transparency (PILDAT) Ahmed Bilal Mehboob shared the turnout of the constituency’s elections in a tweet.

    Meanwhile, despite PPP’s defeat in the election, the party’s Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari congratulated his party and he tweeted, “Congratulations to PPP Punjab for a fantastic performance in Lahore by-election. PPP went from 5,000 votes to 32,000+. While Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lost more than 50% of its votes”, adding that they hope to form the government in Punjab and centre in the general election.

    PML-N president and Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly, Shehbaz Sharif dedicated this victory to Late Pervaiz Malik and said, “We bow our heads before Allah in all humility for this election win today.”

  • ‘Local government elections can’t be held with EVMs, says Shibli Faraz

    Federal Minister for Science and Technology Shibli Faraz has said that electronic voting machines (EVMs) are not designed for the type of local government elections we have in Pakistan.

    Shibli said that the EVMs could be used only for direct elections of nazims of tehsils and districts for which there is only one panel of contestants.

    Faraz said that in our local government elections there are multiple panels for different types of seats.

    On the other hand, the Election Commission demanded that it wanted to see the new draft Local Government Amendment Act by the Punjab government to hold the coming LG polls under Electronic Voting Machines. 

    Earlier, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Punjab President Rana Sanaullah said that if the government tries to hold the upcoming elections using EVMs he will burn them.

  • Sri Lankan manager Priyantha Kumara’s remains transferred from Lahore to Colombo

    Sri Lankan manager Priyantha Kumara’s remains transferred from Lahore to Colombo

    The last remains of Priyantha Kumara, the Sri Lankan national working in Pakistan who was lynched to death by a mob in Sialkot, have been transferred from Lahore to Colmbo by Sri Lankan Airlines.

    Special Assitant to Prime Minister and Chairman Pakistan Ulema Council Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi, along with provisional minister of human rights and other government officials, were present at the airport.

    Priyantha Kumara was tortured to death on Friday by a mob after being accused of blasphemy. Prime Minister Imran Khan has condemned the incident and has said that justice will be served.

  • ‘Murders happen when young people get emotional’: Pervez Khattak says govt shouldn’t be blamed for Sialkot lynching

    ‘Murders happen when young people get emotional’: Pervez Khattak says govt shouldn’t be blamed for Sialkot lynching

    Defence Minister Pervez Khattak, while talking to the media in Peshawar, said that the horrific lynching of a Sri Lankan man at the hands of a mob in Sialkot should not be linked to the government, adding even “murders take place” when young people get emotional.

    A reporter questioned Khattak that the Sialkot killing had taken place after the government lifted the ban on the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), and asked Khattak whether the government was considering an “effective crackdown” against such groups.

    “You know the reasons [behind this incident] too. When children … grow up, they become spirited and do things out of emotions. This does not mean ‘this was the result of that action’,” responded Khattak, adding that in Sialkot some young men had gathered and accused Priyantha Kumara [Sri Lankan factory manager] of disrespecting Islam.

    Khattak said he too could do something wrong in a state of heightened emotions and added that such incidents did not mean “Pakistan is going towards destruction”.

    A reporter asked the minister whether he was attributing the murders of nine policemen by TLP protesters as well as that of Kumara to “emotions”.

    Reiterating his argument, Khattak said boys entering adulthood are “ready to do anything” and learn with age how to control their emotions. “So this happens among kids, fights take place and even murders. [Does] this mean it is the government’s fault?”

    “Why don’t you change this mindset? Your anchors should come on TV and make the children understand their religion. You only take advertisements and earn money,” added Khattak.

    Twitterati reacted to Khattak’s comments.

    Journalist Nasim Zehra tweeted, “Either he should apologise & withdraw this statement or he should resign from his post … it’s minds like his that mislead, that poison the young and the innocent..watch his disservice to both Islam and to Pak.”

    Journalist Saadia Afzal tweeted, “We are where we are because of such sorry state of affairs. This is our defence minister shamelessly justifying the incident. He should be sacked immediately.”

    Another person tweeted, “Oversimplify, justify and dehumanise!”

    https://twitter.com/zehrakamal/status/1467639479108190209

  • Fawad lauds Opposition’s Ahsan Iqbal, Mustafa Khokhar for calling out Fazlur Rehman

    Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry lauded Opposition members for calling out Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on his statement regarding the Sialkot lynching incident. 

    While referring to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Ahsan Iqbal and Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar’s tweets criticising Fazl’s comments, Fawad said, “The way everyone condemned the incident is commendable,” adding that he hoped the 220 million people of Pakistan, who hold moderate views, would come forward and condemn the incident.

    https://twitter.com/FawadPTIUpdates/status/1467434900743757831?s=20

    After the horrific lynching of a Sri Lankan national Priyantha Kumara Diyawadana, Maulana tweeted, “The incident in Sialkot is reprehensible and shameful. There should be a comprehensive investigation. However, if the state does not take action against those accused of blasphemy, then such incidents will continue to happen.”

    He went on to say that in the past, there had been a similar backlash against “government-sponsored fugitives accused of blasphemy”.

    Ahsan Iqbal said, “Respectfully Maulana Sahab, such incidents should be unconditionally condemned – Islam does not allow such fanaticism and illegal killings by mobs in any case.”

    Similarly, Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar took to Twitter and wrote: “Maulana Fazlur Rehman Sahib is a respectable figure but, on this occasion, he should have condemned the Sialkot tragedy by taking a stand in blunt and clear words instead of using ifs and buts.”

    Priyantha was working as a manager at a private factory. He was lynched on Friday by a mob after being accused of alleged blasphemy.

  • ‘PTI’s Ejaz Chaudhry meeting Saad Rizvi was absurd,’says Fawad

    Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry termed the meeting of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Ejaz Chaudhry with Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) chief Saad Husain Rizvi as ‘absurd’.

    While speaking on Aaj News’ political news programme ‘Rubaroo with Shaukat Paracha’, Chaudhry questioned: “I think the manner in which Ejaz Chaudhry Sahib [met] the TLP [leadership] was an absurd act. Why didn’t [he] visit the homes of the policemen who were martyred.”

    “Till the time the state doesn’t stand with its martyrs who else will be their [support],” added Fawad.

    “How can there be consensus? People will only fear for [their lives here],” said Fawad.

    Senator Ejaz had met TLP chief Rizvi last month as a “gesture of goodwill” and to congratulate him on his release from jail. Pictures of Senator Ejaz hugging and presenting a bouquet to Mr Rizvi were widely shared on social media.

  • ‘Women are not property,’ Taliban ban forced marriages

    The Taliban issued a decree that bans forced marriages in Afghanistan on Friday, saying women should not be considered “property” and must consent to marriage, reports Al Jazeera.

    It was annouced by Taliban Chief Hibatullah Akhunzada. The international community, which has frozen billions of dollars in funds for Afghanistan, has made women’s and human rights a key element of any future engagement with Afghanistan.

    The decree said, “Both women and men should be equal. No one can force women to marry by coercion or pressure.”

    However, it didn’t mention a minimum age for marriage, which previously was set at 16-years-old.

    The Taliban also allowed a window to re-marry after 17 weeks of her husband’s death. Moreover, the Taliban leadership has ordered Afghan courts to treat women fairly, especially widows seeking inheritance as next of kin.

    The development was hailed on social media by some social media users while most of them shared their concerns.

    https://twitter.com/Nedahalim/status/1466926067323523073?s=20

    During the Taliban’s previous rule from 1996 to 2001, it banned women from leaving the house without a male relative, full face and head covering and girls were made compulsory and restricted from getting education.

    However, now they claim that they have changed but many women, advocates and officials remain skeptical.