Current Final

Category: Politics

  • ‘We are friends of Afghanistan, not spokesmen for any particular group’: PPP’s Sherry Rehman lashes out at PM Khan

    ‘We are friends of Afghanistan, not spokesmen for any particular group’: PPP’s Sherry Rehman lashes out at PM Khan

    Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) leader Senator Sherry Rehman has said that Pakistan faces a serious threat after the hurried pullout of United States (US) forces from Afghanistan.

    Sherry Rehman, lashing out at Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan, said, “We are friends of Afghanistan, not spokesmen for any particular group. We should not make decisions that hurt the country. The PM mentions sacrifice. Yes, that is correct, but why make fun of that sacrifice by saying we will give amnesty to outfits like Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) that have martyred not just our twice elected PM Benazir Bhutto but also the children of Army Public School and many of our brave soldiers.”

    She said that national unity was missing and said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government was busy in their war narrative. The government is ignoring the Constitution and the parliament.

    “If we even try to help Pakistan, we are told our leaders are corrupt. How is that helping Pakistan? Our president Asif Ali Zardari also wrote op-eds in The Washington Post. He defended the whole of Pakistan, not just his party. Read the op-eds and see how parliament was conducted to unite in moments of danger.”

    “You need to pay attention to what’s going on in the Pakistan Senate, not just the US Senate. The PM of this country needs to respect the sanctity of the parliament and come here and discuss the situation instead of playing the blame game and disrupting unity. Is this how you defend the country?” she questioned.

    “While it is important to engage with all countries with self-respect, particularly angry superpowers like the US that itself is in turmoil over its 20 years occupation of Afghanistan, what are we doing to empower our own selves? Instead of trying to unite the parliament around a bipartisan foreign policy, the parliament has never met on the Afghan transition, the humanitarian crisis there, and the response. All over the world, joint meetings are being held in Afghanistan but Pakistan’s government is in a state of denial over dealing with the parliament”, said Senator Sherry Rehman.

  • ‘Anti-Pakistan bill moved in US Senate to build pressure on President Biden’: Shah Mahmood

    Reacting to the proposed bill moved in the United States (US) Senate, evaluating Pakistan’s alleged role in Afghanistan before and after the fall of Kabul to the Taliban, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that the Republicans submitted the bill to build pressure on US President Joe Biden.

    Qureshi, while speaking on Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath’, said, “The anti-Biden administration in Congress views it [Afghanistan debacle] as a major opportunity to mount pressure on Biden. Pakistan cooperated with the US at every step.”

    “Besides India, some forces want to target and destabilise Pakistan and put the whole burden of the Afghan situation on Pakistan.”

    He said that in view of new realities, it is time to build new strategies. He also said that in the near future, a high-profile US personality will visit Pakistan.

    American senators have proposed a bill in the US Senate, demanding a deeper investigation into the Taliban’s victory in Afghanistan and sanctions on the group as well as those who assisted them in driving out the Ashraf Ghani-led regime.

  • ‘No perfume, no attractive clothes, boots shouldn’t make sound’: Taliban sets conditions for Afghan women

    ‘No perfume, no attractive clothes, boots shouldn’t make sound’: Taliban sets conditions for Afghan women

    “[There are] some special conditions that exist only for women. One is that the colour of their dress should not be very attractive. So that it does not attract people’s attention,” said a member of the Taliban on Afghanistan’s TOLO News, as per the subtitles of a video being circulated on social media.

    The Taliban member further says, “The second condition for women is that she should not smell good and should not use perfume when she leaves her home.”

    “The third condition is she should not wear long boots and that the boots should not make a sound,” read the subtitles.

    “Wearing long boots that make sound seems like an announcement,” he said.

    “I have said this every time, everywhere, the sound that a boot makes, what does that mean?”

    “The sound is an announcement for young men by the women. Hey young men, wake up, we just left the house with make-up. You are sleeping and are not looking at us,” he added.

    “It is a kind of announcements and these sort of boots are made to incite young men towards bad actions by women.”

  • Video: ‘International sadiq, ameen’, Shehbaz gives high-five to Maryam Nawaz

    Video: ‘International sadiq, ameen’, Shehbaz gives high-five to Maryam Nawaz

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif and his niece Maryam Nawaz share a light-hearted moment.

    In the video, Shehbaz can be seen sitting in the front seat of a car with the door open. Maryam walks up to him and says: “Congratulations uncle. Allah has made you an international sadiq (honest) and ameen ( trustworthy).”

    Shehbaz laughs and the two then high-five.

    Maryam’s comments come after a United Kingdom (UK) court ordered to unfreeze Shehbaz Sharif and his family’s bank accounts for lack of evidence of corruption and money laundering.

    UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) had conducted a 17-month long probe in which it examined Shehbaz Sharif’s financial transactions over the past 20 years. It said that no evidence of money laundering or criminal activities against the PML-N president or his family was found.

  • PM Khan assures ulema that no law against Islamic guidelines will be made in his rule

    PM Khan assures ulema that no law against Islamic guidelines will be made in his rule

    Prime Minister Imran Khan during his meeting with Islamic scholars in Karachi said the controversial government bills — including one apparently addressing the issue of domestic violence and another drafted to check forced conversions — will not be enacted as they have provisions that are ‘in direct conflict with the teachings of Islam’, Ansar Abbasi reports for The News.

    Prime Minister assured the religious scholars that no such law would be enacted during his rule. The premier requested the ulema to keep him informed about any such activities so that he could intervene in time and ensure that no policy or law which conflicts with Islam is made.

    “Some non-governmental organisations are working hard to get such laws and policies legislated that promote westernisation and seriously hurt our family system and socio-religious values,” said PM Khan.

    The premier pointed out that the spread of indecency and obscenity through social media seriously threatens our family system, which must be protected.

    PM Khan also talked about the Turkish drama ‘Diriliş: Ertuğrul’
    and said that he made PTV air it. He said that it became instantly popular and broke all records.

    The premier said earlier he was being told that producing indecent and vulgar dramas and films was the only choice to make them sell and earn money. He, however, said that the Turkish drama, which shows Islamic history and has no indecent and vulgar parts, has negated this excuse of depending on vulgarity for successful productions.

    Domestic Violence Bill, is a bill that will establish an effective system of protection, relief, and rehabilitation of women, children, elders, and any vulnerable person against domestic violence.

    Forced Religious Bill, is a bill where no person shall convert or attempt to convert or abet the conversation of, either directly or otherwise, any person from one religion to another by use of force, allurement, or any fraudulent means.

  • ‘Spent millions of rupees to defame me, NAB-Niazi nexus is a fixed match’: Shehbaz Sharif

    Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif, in a press conference, said that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Niazi [Imran Khan] nexus is a fixed match and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is also working on the government’s directions.

    Talking about UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) recent decision to unfreeze Sharif’s and his family account, he stated, “I was sent to jail twice during the last three years. The government failed to prove corruption against me and my children so they approached the agency.”

    He claimed that the PTI-led government has been levelling fake allegations against him and his family for last over three years and said that the rulers had only wasted the nation’s time. “Those who are pretending themselves to be Sadiq and Ameen spent millions of rupees to defame me” he added.

    According to him, the UK agency had asked the court that they wanted to end investigations and the UK court approved the request, as per Geo.

    Earlier, the UK court had ordered the unfreezing of bank accounts for lack of evidence of corruption and money laundering.

    Defamation case against Daily Mail

    About the defamation case against UK’s newspaper, he clarified that he lodged a defamation case against the Daily Mail and asked it to provide evidence against him. But the Daily Mail is yet to submit evidence in the case.

    In 2019, renowned media law firm Carter-Ruck sued British newspaper The Mail on Sunday, online news site Mail Online and its journalist David Rose on behalf of Shehbaz Sharif for publishing a “politically motivated” article. 

  • ‘Reality of alleged video a matter between Muhammad Zubair and Allah’: Maryam Nawaz

    ‘Reality of alleged video a matter between Muhammad Zubair and Allah’: Maryam Nawaz


    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice president Maryam Nawaz, in a statement, said that the PML-N leader Muhammad Zubair has been receiving threats for a long time, reports Geo News.

    “What the reality of the alleged video is, is a matter of Muhammad Zubair and Allah but Muhammad Zubair will remain my spokesperson,” says Maryam Nawaz.

    Earlier this week, Muhammad Zubair’s leaked video, where he is allegedly seen in compromising acts with women, went viral on social media.

    The former governor of Sindh has categorically denied the video and termed it to be a “new low in politics” along with claiming that the video is “fake and doctored”.

    “Whoever is behind this has done an extremely poor and shameful act. I have served my country with honesty, integrity and commitment. Will continue to raise my voice for betterment of Pakistan,” Zubair wrote on Twitter.

    https://twitter.com/Real_MZubair/status/1442237405432463364
  • ‘Ongoing negotiations between US and Pak for airspace’: US General

    ‘Ongoing negotiations between US and Pak for airspace’: US General

    The United States Central Command (Centcom) Chief, General Frank McKenzie said that the United States (US) and Pakistan were involved in ongoing negotiations over the use of a vital air corridor to access Afghanistan, reports Dawn.

    “Over the last 20 years we’ve been able to use what we call the air boulevard to go in over western Pakistan and that’s become something that’s vital to us, as well as certain landlines of communication,” he said.

    “And we’ll be working with the Pakistanis in the days and weeks ahead to look at what that relationship is going to look like in the future.”

    “We estimated an accelerated withdrawal would increase risks of regional instability, the security of Pakistan, and its nuclear arsenals,” Chairman of the Joint Chief General Mark Milley told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

    “We need to fully examine the role of Pakistan sanctuary,” the general said.

    “I believe Pakistan’s relationship with the Taliban is going to become significantly more complicated as a result of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan,” said General McKenzie.

    However, in June, Prime Minister Imran Khan said, Pakistan will “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.

  • Environmental activist Greta Thunberg mocks world leaders for being ‘blah, blah, blah’ on climate action

    Environmental activist Greta Thunberg mocks world leaders for being ‘blah, blah, blah’ on climate action

    Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg mocked and criticised world leaders — including US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister (PM) Boris Johnson — over their promises to address the climate emergency, dismissing them as “blah, blah, blah”.

    While addressing the Youth4Climate summit in Milan, she said, “When I say climate change, what do you think of? I think jobs. Green jobs. Green jobs,” referring to Biden’s speeches on the climate crisis.

    Referring to a speech by French President Emmanuel Macron, she said, “We must find a smooth transition towards a low carbon economy. There is no Planet B. There is no Planet Blah. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.”

    She quoted statements by Boris Johnson: “This is not some expensive, politically correct, green act of bunny hugging”, and PM Narendra Modi’s: “Fighting climate change calls for innovation, cooperation and willpower” but said that science did not lie.

    “Build back better. Blah, blah, blah. Green economy. Blah blah blah. Net zero by 2050. Blah, blah, blah. This is all we hear from our so-called leaders. Words that sound great but so far have not led to action. Our hopes and ambitions drown in their empty promises,” she added.

    https://twitter.com/GretaThunberg/status/1442860615941468161?s=20

    Climate justice activist Vanessa Nakate from Uganda, Thunberg and hundreds of other young people from across the world attended the summit. The event was held two days before dozens of ministers gather in Milan for a meeting before the COP26 climate talks in Glasgow at the end of October, reports CNN.

    Greta is an 18-year-old young environmental activist who became famous in 2018 when she skipped school for a strike against climate change.

  • Captain Safdar on ‘video leaks’, urges people with films ‘to own it’

    Captain Safdar on ‘video leaks’, urges people with films ‘to own it’

    Journalist Gharidah Farooqi shared a video of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader, Captain Safdar, on Twitter, where Safdar is seen commenting on ‘video leaks’.

    The date of the video is unclear but talking to The Current, Farooqi said, “even if old, it’s most relevant today”.

    In the video, Captain Safdar said, “Don’t be scared people, films [compromising videos] will not do anything.”

    “A film has been made on everyone once in their life. Say it with courage, yes there is a film, own it and ask [them to] bring it on, and then everyone will sit calmly,” said Safdar.

    Earlier this week, PML-N leader Muhammad Zubair’s leaked video, where he is allegedly seen in compromising acts with women, went viral on social media.

    The former governor of Sindh categorically denied the video and termed it to be a “new low in politics” along with claiming that the video is “fake and doctored”.