Current Final

Category: Politics

  • IT ministry notifies amended social media rules framed under Peca

    IT ministry notifies amended social media rules framed under Peca

    The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication on Thursday notified the amended social media rules that stakeholders and digital rights activists have strongly criticised, reports Javed Hussain for Dawn.

    The rules titled the “Removal and Blocking of Unlawful Online Content (Procedure, Oversight, and Safeguards) Rules, 2021”, have been framed under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca), 2016.

    The rules are as follows:

    Social media companies will have to register with Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) within three months.

    Social media outlets will be required to establish an office in Pakistan “as and when feasible” — instead of nine months as required previously.

    PTA will give 48 hours, instead of 24 hours previously, to a social media company for removing or blocking access to online content.

    Meanwhile, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan recently formed the National Social Media Coordination Working Group (NSMCWG).

    The premier constituted NSMCWG to work on relevant policies related to Social Media, provide input to the government of Pakistan on social media-related issues, and engage with international social media companies in a coherent and coordinated manner.

    Dr Arslan Khalid, focal person to PM on Digital Media, who is also the spokesperson of NSMCWG, said, “Social media is one subject which is being dealt with by many ministries and departments. It was observed that there was weak coordination between the government stakeholders resulting in delays and confusion over some policy matters. This working group will bring all the relevant stakeholders on one platform which will help in better result-oriented engagement with the social media companies.”

    The Working Group consists of Ministry of Information &Technology as the Lead ministry, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Ministry of Law & Justice, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Commerce, Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Digital Media (Spokesperson), Pakistan Telecommunication Authority and Digital Media Wing as permanent members while Chair of NSMWG can include any other ministry/department or Think Tank as a Co-opted member as and when required.

  • Shehbaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz meet US Charge d’ Affaires Angela Aggeler in Lahore

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Maryam Nawaz met with United States (US) Charge d’ Affaires Angela Aggeler at her residence in Jati Umrah, Raiwind, Lahore.

    The official Twitter account of PML-N shared a video of the meeting between senior leaders of PML-N and Aggeler.

    On the arrival of US Charge d’ Affaires Angela Aggeler, she was received by Maryam Nawaz.

    Aggeler met PML-N president and Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly, Shehbaz Sharif. They discussed issues of mutual interest, the regional situation, and peace in the region, especially Afghanistan.

  • PM Khan ‘laughs’ when asked about ‘appointment of DG ISI’

    PM Khan ‘laughs’ when asked about ‘appointment of DG ISI’

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on Thursday convened an emergency meeting of the ruling party’s parliamentary group at Parliament House.

    Journalists questioned PM Khan about the appointment of the Director-General (DG) Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency at Parliament House.

    “Who will be the new DG ISI?”

    PM Khan did not answer the question but laughed in response.

    Prior to this, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-chairperson and former President Asif Ali Zardari, made an appearance before an accountability court in Islamabad today, where journalists questioned him about the appointment of DG ISI and he responded with laughter as well.

    Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry, while talking to reporters at Parliament House, said, “Everyone, at the turn of every hour, is trying to twist the matter to gain some popularity.”

    He said that the process of DG ISI’s appointment has started and will complete soon and that “there’s no dispute between the government and the military”.

    “Everyone is on the same page.”

    Earlier today, Fawad took to Twitter and said the game that a certain section wanted to play on the issue of the appointment has failed.

    “Now it is being said that the prime minister will conduct an interview for the appointment of the new DG ISI. Meetings before such appointments are a normal practice,” he said.

    He added that it is “highly inappropriate” to make such meetings controversial.

  • PM Khan summons emergency PTI parliamentary meeting

    Prime Minister Imran Khan has summoned an emergency meeting of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) parliamentary group at Parliament House today, reports Geo News.

    According to details, PM Khan will take his party members into confidence on important national issues. According to sources, several party members protested on being called for the meeting by the chief whip of the PTI, Malik Aamir Dogar.

    Adviser to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan said that a summary for the joint session had been sent to the president by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.

    All party Members of the National Assembly (MNA) and senators are directed to attend the meeting.

    It is likely that the government’s bill of electoral reforms, including the introduction of electronic voting machines and I-voting facility for overseas Pakistanis, and an ordinance concerning the powers of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) will be tabled today in parliament, as per Geo News.

  • Watch: Zardari reacts to question, ‘Who will be next DG ISI?’

    Watch: Zardari reacts to question, ‘Who will be next DG ISI?’

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-chairperson and former President Asif Ali Zardari, when questioned about the appointment of Director General (DG) Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency, responded with laughter.

    A journalist asked Zardari, “Appointments are being made, a summon has not been issued, what will you say?”

    “My summon?” asked Zardari in response.

    “Who will be the new DG ISI?” asked the journalist.

    Zardari responded by laughing out loud.

    Zardari made an appearance before an accountability court in Islamabad on Thursday and said that the “next turn” to form a government in the country will be that of the PPP.

    Federal Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry on Wednesday tweeted that consultation between Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on the appointment of a new DG ISI had been completed and the process for the appointment had begun.

    According to experts in defence matters, the procedure for the appointment is not mentioned in the Constitution or the Army Act, and all past appointments were made as per traditions under which the army chief proposes three names to the premier who then makes a final decision, reports Dawn.

  • ‘Adopt a black, white way of life with a man who was twice my age and born again Muslim’: Jemima Khan

    ‘Adopt a black, white way of life with a man who was twice my age and born again Muslim’: Jemima Khan

    In an interview with ‘Evening Standard‘, Jemima Goldsmith talks about her life in Pakistan, being married to Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan, her children, her work, and her friendship with Monica Lewinsky.

    Jemima says she saw parallels between her life and Lewinsky’s. “During the interviews, she [Monica Lewinsky] was describing the FBI sting, and I suddenly realised that the same year, in Pakistan, I’d had to leave the country because I’d also been threatened with jail on politically trumped-up charges. I’d been accused of smuggling antiques, one of the few non-bailable offences in Pakistan,” said Jemima, who had been targeted by the Nawaz Sharif government in 1998-99.

    “I realised there were parallels [with Lewinsky], marrying an older, politically powerful man and being used to undermine him. It is not a normal decision, aged 21, with all the freedoms and privileges that we grew up with, to essentially give those up, to go and live in extremely black and white culture,” said Jemima.

    “Adopt a black and white way of life and doctrine, with a man who was twice my age and a born again Muslim,” added Jemima.

    “At that point in my life, I found some reassurance in the prescriptiveness of that culture, that religion, that man. When my sister [India Jane Birley] was asked in an interview why I went there she said, very intelligently, moral certitude.”

    “It was seen as this great amorous adventure and I am not sure that was the whole story. I would say, in retrospect, that moral certainty might have been more of a driving factor,” said Goldsmith on her marriage with PM Khan.

    “I do feel like I have an ability to see things from both points of view in a way that possibly some of my contemporaries, both in Pakistan or here, don’t. I even feel like I am right in the middle of the Islamophobia and anti-Semitism debate because I’ve seen both at firsthand. I’ve got half-Pakistani Muslim children and I was a young girl who was politically targeted because of my Jewish ethnicity. It’s an interesting perspective.”

    Jemima says there are more exciting projects in the pipeline as far as her work is concerned — a political documentary series and a comedy. She nurtures a long-standing ambition to write a book as well.

  • ‘No one can become Nawaz Sharif,’ PTI’s Shahbaz Gill responds to Maryam Nawaz

    Special Assistant to Prime Minister (PM) on Political Communication Dr Shahbaz Gill said that no one can become Nawaz Sharif. “Such people are born this way,” said Gill while responding to Maryam Nawaz’s earlier comments about PM Khan. Maryam Nawaz had said that PM Imran Khan should not try to be Nawaz Sharif.

    “These people are dangerous for the entire nation,” Gill said in a press conference, along with the Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul and Member of the National Assembly (MNA) Maleeka Bokhari.

    While criticising Maryam Nawaz, Gill stated, “No one is safe from Maryam’s shadow, including her father [Nawaz Sharif] and her uncle [Shehbaz Sharif].”

    “If you are talking about magic, tell us what kind of djinns helped you transfer your money abroad, tell us about the witches who helped you build these apartments [in London], which djinns and witches printed dollars for you to buy these apartments,” asked Gill, responding to Maryam’s comments about magic.

  • ‘Do not try to be Nawaz Sharif,’ Maryam Nawaz tells PM Khan

    ‘Do not try to be Nawaz Sharif,’ Maryam Nawaz tells PM Khan

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz said that Prime Minister Imran Khan should not try to be Nawaz Sharif. Maryam was addressing the media after an appearance at the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

    “When Nawaz Sharif came up with the slogan, ‘Vote ko izzat do’ [give respect to the vote], he was an elected prime minister, a constitutional prime minister, he came to power from the votes of the people and he had a long constitutional struggle, which was not for himself,” said Maryam.

    “He [Nawaz Sharif] gave up prime minister office for the respect of the Constitution and people of Pakistan,” she said. “To give respect to vote, you need to go to prison, you need to say that you will not take dictation from anyone.”

    “Imran Khan’s identity is to conspire against the elected prime minister and to hold a 126-day sit-in,” she said. She was referring to the 2014 sit-in by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in Islamabad.

    The PML-N leader went on to say that one does not simply become a lion by cloaking oneself in the creature’s hide.

    Maryam said PM Imran Khan’s identity is confined to “conspiracies” and that he has “nothing to do with the principles of law and democracy”.

    She said that the premier will have to “answer for his conspiracies”. Speaking further about the so-called “conspiracies”, she said that if the use of “magic” has yielded such success, then it should be put to use to alleviate the petrol, diesel, flour crises, reports Geo News.

    “If your magic is so successful, then why don’t you use it for the good of the people?”

    “Go ahead, revoke my bail, arrest me, so that the people can see how fearful you are,” she challenged the government.

  • IHC questions govt’s reluctance over disclosing details of gifts presented to PM Khan

    IHC questions govt’s reluctance over disclosing details of gifts presented to PM Khan

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) questioned the government over its reluctant attitude to disclose details of the gifts presented to Prime Min­ister (PM) Imran Khan since his appointment in 2018, reports Dawn.

    Prior to this, the Pakistan Information Commission (PIC) had directed the Cabinet Division to “provide the requested information about the gifts received by PM Khan”.

    However, the Cabinet Division argued that the matter did not fall under the Right of Access to Information Act, 2017.

    “What is the harm in making it public if some country has given a necklace as a gift?” asked Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb. He said that gifts received by the rulers of a country belonged to the nation and not to them, asking whether public officeholders would even receive those gifts if the public office did not exist.

    Justice Aurangzeb asked: “Why doesn’t the government keep all the gifts in the museum? The government should make details of the gifts in the last 10 years public.”

    He also said that the Centre should inform how many gifts had their valuation done by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). The government representative at the hearing requested time to respond, after which the court adjourned the hearing.

    Earlier in September, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry revealed that Arab rulers who presented gifts to PM Khan “did not want their names to be made public”.

    Tosha­khana is a department established in1974 that stores precious gifts given to the rulers, parliamentarians, bureaucrats, and officials heads by the other governments and foreign dignitaries.

    According to Dawn, it has valuables ranging from bulletproof cars, gold-plated souvenirs, expensive paintings, watches, ornaments, rugs and swords.

  • ‘Little baby boy getting stronger every day’: Bakhtawar Bhutto-Zardari thanks everyone for the love

    ‘Little baby boy getting stronger every day’: Bakhtawar Bhutto-Zardari thanks everyone for the love

    The daughter of the late Benazir Bhutto and former president Asif Ali Zardari, Bakhtawar Bhutto-Zardari on Wednesday took to Twitter and informed her fans and followers with a health update, saying that her little baby boy is currently in a Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) but getting stronger.

    Bakhtawar tweeted, “Thank you for all the love & celebrations welcoming our little baby boy to the world.”

    “He was due Nov 8th but decided his own birthday and surprised us all on Oct 10th – currently in the NICU but getting stronger every day, do keep him in your prayers,” she tweeted. 

    She had posted a picture of a neonatal care unit at a UAE hospital on Instagram on October 12, indicating that the baby was born in the Gulf state.

    Bakhtawar had announced the birth of her son on October 10. 

    “We are happy to announce the birth of our baby boy,” she had written.