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Category: Politics

  • ‘The emotions of Indian Muslim were with Pak team’: Twitter reacts to Sheikh Rasheed’s comments about T20 match

    ‘The emotions of Indian Muslim were with Pak team’: Twitter reacts to Sheikh Rasheed’s comments about T20 match

    Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed in a video message congratulated the Men in Green for winning a historic match against India in the T20 World Cup match.

    Sheikh started by congratulating the team and said, “I salute the Pakistani team for playing with such bravery and valour against the Indian team.”

    “Pakistan has proved itself in the Islamic world. The Muslims all over the world including the Indian Muslims had their emotions with the Pakistan team,” said Rasheed.

    Raseed’s video received a lot of criticism as he declared ‘the victory of the Pakistani team as a victory of Islam’. Twitter slammed Sheikh Rasheed for bringing religion into sports.

    Journalist Amber Shamsi tweeted, “By giving a religious colour in such a way, it is an insult to the minority community living in Pakistan and has put Muslim players in the Indian team in more danger, like Mohammad Shami.”

    Lawyer Reema Omer tweeted, “What a dangerous, divisive statement by the Interior Minister, esp. when the one Muslim player in the Indian team is being subjected to vicious abuse, his loyalty to India being questioned because of his religion.”

    Indian author, Rahul Easwar tweeted, “It’s unfortunate of a senior leader like you to say Non-Facts like emotions of Indian Muslims were with Pakistan. Pls understand the damage that can create to 99.99% of Indian Muslims who were cheering our motherland”

    A Twitter user wrote, “As a Pakistani citizen, I strongly condemn the statement of Home Minister @ShkhRasheed to winning the cricket match as the winner of the Islamic world and his statement is to spread religious hatred and push the country towards anarchy.”

    Another person tweeted, “Absurd statement by a person who unfortunately is holding such an important office; this wasn’t the success of Muslim Ummah, it’s only related to Pakistan. Pak has millions of non-muslims including some great sportsmen who have been part of many victories in past.”

  • Black day to be observed tomorrow in solidarity with Kashmir

    Black day to be observed tomorrow in solidarity with Kashmir

    Pakistan will observe a black day tomorrow (October 27), to express solidarity with the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

    Shehryar Afridi, the chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir, presided over an in-camera meeting to discuss preparations for the observance of the Black Day on October 27. Pakistan will protest the Indian security forces’ forceful and illegal occupation of the valley.

    Each year, October 27th is observed as a ‘Kashmir Black Day’ to mark the protest and resentment of Kashmiris around the world in commemorating the forced occupation by Indian security forces of the Jammu & Kashmir valley.

    Read more- PM Imran Khan to address UNGA on Kashmir, Afghanistan issues today

    An analytical report released by Kashmir Media Service said that October 27 is the darkest day in the history of Jammu and Kashmir. Radio Pakistan has reported.that on this day in 1947 India forcibly occupied the territory by landing its troops in Srinagar against the will of the Kashmiri people.

  • Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina likely to visit Pakistan for the first time

    Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina likely to visit Pakistan for the first time

    Prime Minister (PM) of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina had written to PM Imran Khan to accept Khan’s invitation to visit Pakistan, which was extended last July, reported Dawn on Monday.

    Hasina also invited Khan to visit Bangladesh. According to the media outlet, no dates have been set yet for the Bangladeshi PM’s trip to Pakistan.

    The Pakistani side has proposed to Bangladesh to prepare a road map for the PM’s historical trip.

    Sheikh Hasina met with Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh Imran Ahmed Siddiqui in the capital Dhaka where she reiterated her government’s desire for stronger trade ties and economic collaboration with Pakistan.

    The Foreign Office of Pakistan said that the high commissioner conveyed Khan’s message of goodwill and friendship to Hasina and the people of Bangladesh and presented her a photo album of late PM Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s [PM Hasina’s father] visit to Pakistan to attend the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in 1974.

  • After three policemen dead, Sheikh Rasheed finds ‘TLP leader Saad Rizvi more cooperative than others’

    Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed, while speaking at a press conference about the banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan’s (TLP) protests in the country, stated that he found the party’s leader Saad Hussain Rizvi “more cooperative” than others, reports Geo News.

    He said the government has reached an understanding, and negotiations with the banned organisation are going well. In the press conference, he shared an agreement between the government and the TLP which will be presented in the National Assembly (NA) as per the minister.

    He further clarified that the government was not interested in a confrontation with any organisation while mentioning that “no one should damage public property as well.”

    According to the interior minister, he wants to conclude the matter once and for all because something new happens every six months and people face difficulties, reported Dawn.

    According to Rasheed, the government will guard the commitment made to the banned organisation.

    Regarding Rizvi’s release, the minister said, “A lot of other people insist on freeing him right now. Decisions cannot be taken right now. There is a legal process that we will follow. We will talk to the Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan [who is currently in Saudi Arabia] after his return tomorrow.”

    He further said the premier had instructed his principal secretary before leaving for the visit to ask the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to unfreeze the accounts of TLP madrassah and to allow them to open new ones.

    Furthermore, he disclosed that he had requested to not be included in the government’s negotiating committee because as per him [Rasheed] “it is not the work of the interior ministry but the Punjab government”, but the idea was rejected on the insistence of Saad Rizvi and another TLP leader, Ghulam Ghaus Baghdadi.

    Earlier, the federal government announced that the cases against the TLP workers would be withdrawn by Wednesday (Oct 27) and assured them that the authorities would also oversee the charges imposed under the fourth schedule.

    Under the Fourth Schedule, the suspects of terrorism and sectarianism are placed under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

    In a tweet, Rasheed said, “We have released 350 TLP workers up to now.”

    Because of last week’s protest in Lahore, three policemen were martyred in clashes with TLP while the banned organisation had claimed that their 500 workers were injured.

  • Jam Kamal Khan resigns as Balochistan chief minister

    Jam Kamal Khan resigns as Balochistan chief minister

    Chief Minister (CM) Balochistan Jam Kamal Khan tendered his resignation to Governor Balochistan Syed Zahoor Ahmad Agha, which was confirmed on Sunday.

    Governor Syed Zahoor Ahmad Agha accepted his resignation soon after Jam Kamal sent it to him, reports Dawn.

    Taking to Twitter, Kamal wrote, “And after many thoughts and reasoning and not let Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) put further cracks in us. I put my resignation with a consensus.”

    Earlier, Kamal lay the blame for any loss in Balochistan’s development squarely on the PDM, the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), some Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) members, and a “few mafias” and suggested that Prime Minister Imran Khan take a good look at “his people”.

    CM Khan also said that the prime minister should tell certain federal members to not “fiddle” with Balochistan’s internal matters and give some “space to the PTI’s provincial hierarchy” so that it can play its role at the provincial level in Balochistan.

    Jam Kamal Khan is the fourth chief minister who has resigned to avoid a no-trust motion.

  • Maryam Nawaz criticises PM Khan for watching the Pak vs Ind T20 match

    Maryam Nawaz criticises PM Khan for watching the Pak vs Ind T20 match

    As the world celebrated the historic victory of the Men in Green, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice president Maryam Nawaz did not let go of a chance to criticise Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan for watching the Pakistan and India T20 World Cup match.

    PM Khan shared a picture on Twitter watching the match along with various other government figures and ministers, saying that the “entire nation was proud of the Pakistan team.”

    Maryam Nawaz, tweeting the photo PM Khan tweeted, wrote, “God! People in the country are dying of hunger, inflation, and incompetence, and look at them!”

    PM Khan is currently in Saudi Arabia for a three-day visit. The premier performed Umrah along with his accompanying delegation.

    The prime minister is visiting Saudi Arabia to attend the launch of the Middle East Green Initiative (MGI) Summit being held in Riyadh, at the invitation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz.

  • ‘I have not resigned’: Jam Kamal denies rumours of resignation

    ‘I have not resigned’: Jam Kamal denies rumours of resignation

    Chief Minister (CM) of Balochistan Jam Kamal Khan took to Twitter to clarify that the news of his resignation was not true. “I have not resigned and such rumors may not spread.”

    People on Twitter were sharing news of Jam Kamal’s resignation.

    On October 20, a no-trust motion against Jam Kamal was tabled in the provincial assembly as several lawmakers sought to oust the provincial chief from office.

    Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) spokesperson Abdul Rehman Khetran presented the no-confidence motion before the assembly. Of the 65 lawmakers present in the assembly, 33 backed the vote of no confidence against CM Kamal.

    Kamal on Friday night said that out of the 41 members of the Balochistan Assembly, 80 per cent stand with him in opposition to the no-confidence motion moved against him two days back.

    Taking to Twitter, CM Kamal said 80 per cent of coalition lawmakers in the provincial assembly — including from BAP, PTI, ANP, ADP, JWP, PPP, Azad, and BNP-A — support him.

  • PM Khan leaves for three-day visit to Saudi Arabia

    PM Khan leaves for three-day visit to Saudi Arabia

    Prime Minister Imran Khan has left for a three-day visit to Saudia Arabia to attend the launch ceremony of the Middle East Green Initiative (MGI) Summit in the capital Riyadh, announced the Foreign Office (FO) of Pakistan, reports Dawn.

    The Prime Minister Office (PMO) said in a tweet that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia had extended the invitation to the premier could attend the event’s launching ceremony.

    The PMO office, in a series of tweets, briefly told about the event that would be taking place in Saudi Arabia.

    At the MGI event, the prime minister will share his perspective on the challenges faced by developing countries due to climate change, PMO statement said.

    The MGI Summit is the “first of its kind” in the Middle East. The PMO office said that during the visit, the premier would also have bilateral interactions with the Saudi leadership, with a particular focus on advancing economic and trade relations, creating more opportunities for the Pakistani workforce.

    The two sides will also exchange views on regional and international issues of interest.

    PM Khan will also participate in an event for the promotion of investment in Pakistan and interact with leading investors and businessmen from Saudi Arabia and the Pakistani diaspora, read the official statement.

    “Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have long-standing and historic fraternal relations, rooted deep in common faith, shared history and mutual support,” the PMO said, noting that Saudi Arabia was home to more than two million Pakistanis who were contributing towards the progress and prosperity of both the countries.

    “The visit of the prime minister will carry forward the positive momentum of cooperation between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia,” the statement concluded.

  • Pakistan denies reports of ‘agreement’ with US to use airspace for military operations in Afghanistan

    Pakistan denies reports of ‘agreement’ with US to use airspace for military operations in Afghanistan

    In a statement by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the spokesperson stated that “no such understanding was in place”. The statement said that Pakistan and the United States (US) have longstanding cooperation on regional security and counter-terrorism and the two sides remain engaged in regular consultations.

    However, a report published in CNN suggested that the US administration has informed that the country is nearing an agreement with Pakistan to use its airspace to conduct military and intelligence operations in Afghanistan.

    The report cites three sources familiar with the details of a classified briefing with members of the American Congress, held on Friday. It states that Pakistan had expressed the desire to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the US government in exchange for assistance with its own counter-terrorism efforts and help in managing the relationship with its neighbour India.

    However, negotiations between both countries are ongoing and nothing has yet been finalised.

    The US military currently uses Pakistan’s airspace as part of ongoing intelligence-gathering efforts, but there is no formal agreement and without it, the US has the risk of Pakistan refusing entry to US military aircraft and drones to Afghanistan.

    One source said that an agreement was discussed when US officials visited Pakistan, but it’s not yet clear what Pakistan wants or how much the US would be willing to give in return.

    Prior to this revelation, in an interview, Prime Minister (PM) of Pakistan Imran Khan said that Pakistan would absolutely not allow the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to use bases on its soil for cross-border counter-terrorism missions after American forces withdraw from Afghanistan.

    Moreover, National Security Adviser (NSA) Moeed Yusuf said that Pakistan has not given a chance to the US to demand airbases after withdrawal from Afghanistan, and categorically said, “Pakistan’s position is that it cannot provide airbases to the US.”

    The US withdrew its troops from Afghanistan on August 31.

  • PM Khan calls back Sheikh Rasheed to deal with security situation in the country

    PM Khan calls back Sheikh Rasheed to deal with security situation in the country

    Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed returned to Pakistan Saturday morning after he was called back by Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan to deal with the ongoing security situation in the country.

    The minister had gone to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to watch the Pakistan-India T20 World Cup match to be held on Sunday. Rasheed had said that PM Khan had approved his request for a two-day holiday to watch the game live in the UAE.

    However, the premier urged the interior minister to return to the country to tackle the law and order situation in Pakistan. The minister arrived in Islamabad via the Airblue flight PA-213 from Sharjah today.