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Category: Politics

  • Memes: Where has Nawaz Sharif ‘been’?

    Memes: Where has Nawaz Sharif ‘been’?

    A photoshopped picture of Nawaz Sharif, which was allegedly tweeted by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice president Maryam Nawaz, has led to a meme fest on social media. The tweet has now been deleted.

    Special Assistant to Prime Minister Imran Khan, Dr Shahbaz Gill, shared a screenshot of the deleted tweet that was a combo photo of Maryam and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, reports Dawn.

    The picture on the left shows Maryam, who is leading the party’s election campaign in Azad Kashmir, standing at a picturesque spot in Keran, Neelam Valley and the picture on the right shows her father Nawaz — who has been in the UK since November 2019 — standing at the same exact spot. The tweet reads: “Ties with Kashmir are very old”.

    Twitterati is using the screenshot to create funny memes by inserting Nawaz into far-fetched scenarios.

    Memes with Nawaz in space to his screenshot in Money Heist left everyone laughing.

    So where all has Nawaz ‘been’?

    https://twitter.com/Ch_danishh/status/1414466077929742339
    https://twitter.com/FaisiMalik_/status/1414478684350726145

    Nawaz Sharif also made an appearance in the Euro 2020 final.

    Nawaz was also seen present in a meeting between PM Khan and Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

    A special appearance in PM Imran Khan’s oath-taking ceremony.

    https://twitter.com/ChTanveerashraf/status/1414479664391806981

    Cricket match with the King of memes himself.

    https://twitter.com/Alisaifch150/status/1414471293135642626
  • VIDEO: Gun-touting man caught in Islamabad

    VIDEO: Gun-touting man caught in Islamabad

    A man wielding a gun was arrested from outside the Parliament House in Islamabad on Monday.

    Footage shows the man walking on the main road, waving a pistol in one hand and what seemed like a knife in the other. Several security officials appeared to surround him.

    Police said the arrested man was shifted to Secretariat Police Station and a pistol was confiscated from him.

    After arresting the suspect, police said the initial investigation revealed he is a 45-year-old man who lives in Rawalpindi’s Chakri area. 

    Police say the suspect is suffering from mental illness.

    Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said during a press conference that the weapon confiscated from the man had no bullets inside.

  • Bilawal not going to Washington during his visit to US

    Bilawal not going to Washington during his visit to US

    Pakistan People’s Party Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari will not visit Washington during his seven-day trip to the United States (US), clarified a top party leader on Monday. According to Geo News, Bilawal arrived in New York today after he departed for the US on Sunday. The news of his visit gave rise to the allegations from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) that the PPP leader was seeking a “backdoor deal” from Washington. 

    However, the PPP said that “puppet rulers” are afraid of Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s upcoming visit to the US and as a result, were spreading unnecessary rumours.

    After landing in New York, the PPP chairperson refused to speak to the media, saying he is on a “personal visit” to the US. 

    “When I come here next, in September, I will then speak to the press,” he said. 

    “Bilawal Bhutto will not go to Washington during his visit,” clarified PPP-USA President Khalid Awan. 

    Earlier this month, Special Assistant to Prime Minister Imran Khan, Dr Shahbaz Gill, said that Bilawal Bhutto will be taking his curriculum vitae (CV) to Washington.

    “He [Bilawal Bhutto] will say we are ready to do anything to come into power,” said Gill at a press conference in Karachi. “We will not allow such a deal and will not let Bilawal go the United States with any petitions.”

  • ‘Pakistan cannot dictate to us’: Afghan Taliban spokesperson

    ‘Pakistan cannot dictate to us’: Afghan Taliban spokesperson

    The spokesperson for the Tehreek-e-Taliban Afghanistan Suhail Shaheen, while talking on Geo News’ programme ‘Jirga’ said that Pakistan “cannot dictate to us or impose its views on us”.

    Shaheen gave these remarks to senior journalist Saleem Safi. He further added that Pakistan is welcome to help the Taliban arrive at a settlement in Afghanistan.

    In the context of reports that the Afghan Taliban are not willing to listen to Pakistan, the spokesperson said: “We want brotherly relations. They are neighbours, a Muslim country, and we have shared values — historical, religious and cultural.”

    “They can help us in the peace process but can’t dictate to us or impose their views. And this is against international principles,” he added.

    Speaking of the Taliban’s demand for an Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Shaheen said that having an emirate is “a legitimate right of the people of Afghanistan”.

    “We say nothing about other governments. They should not impose their view,” he said, reiterating, “This is not in accordance with international principles either.”

    On whether the Taliban accept the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) or consider them opponents after the TTP emir swore loyalty to Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Haibatullah Akhunzada, Shaheen said: “I do not know of the TTP emir swearing allegiance [to our leader] but I will tell you the policy of the Islamic Emirate.”

    “We will not allow the use of Afghan soil, neither by an individual nor by any group. I have said this in many interviews and I think our position is clear and known to all.”

  • Twitter calls out PML-N’s Hina Butt for blaming the victims

    Twitter calls out PML-N’s Hina Butt for blaming the victims

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Hina Pervaiz Butt took to Twitter to comment on the Usman Mirza case. She ended up blaming the victims instead in a now-deleted tweet. In a harrowing video that went viral on social media, Mirza was seen torturing, harassing, and assaulting a young couple in Islamabad along with his accomplices.

    Hina Butt tweeted, “Why do young people go out and become victims of people like Usman Mirza?” She added that we also need to educate our children on why they become targets when they go out.

    Twitterati reacted to Butt’s tweet and called her out for blaming the victim.

    Natasha Kundi, a writer wrote, “According to her [Hina] young people go out and deliberately become victims …. so basically young people shouldn’t go out!”

    Lawyer Reema Omer said Butt’s take was no different from CCPO Lahore’s comments. She tweeted, “Why can’t we focus on criminal acts of the perpetrators instead of lecturing victims?”

    Singer and UNODC Goodwill Ambassador, Shehzad Roy, tweeted, “It is true that the oppressor should be severely punished, but it is very inappropriate to criticise the oppressed.” Roy further said that it is akin to blaming victims of a robbery by saying that the locks were not strong enough so it is their fault.

    A Twitter user showing his disapproval with PML-N’s leader’s statement compared her stance with CCPO Lahore Umar Sheikh’s comments in the Motorway rape case where he had blamed the victim.

    Journalist Zeb Aslam tweeted, “There is next-to-no difference between this and IK’s statement linking “modesty” and rape…a point that I hope both PMLN and PTI supporters can appreciate before leaping to defend their chosen leader.”

    After the backlash, Hina Butt deleted her tweet.

  • ‘I will sort you out’: PML-N’s Attaullah Tarar threatens PTI’s Shahbaz Gill

    ‘I will sort you out’: PML-N’s Attaullah Tarar threatens PTI’s Shahbaz Gill

    Twitter witnessed another political spat as Special Assistant to Prime Minister Imran Khan Dr Shahbaz Gill said that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto are using derogatory language against Prime Minister Imran Khan.

    “Now they [Oppostion] will be paid back in the same coin”, tweeted Gill.

    The Deputy Secretary-General of PMLN, Attaullah Tarar, threatened PM’s aide in response and said, “Enough is enough.”

    Taking a jibe at Gill, Tarar added, “You are doing politics today thanks to flattery and abuse.” And in a rather threatening tone wrote, “I will sort you.”

  • Operating trains not the functions of Pakistan Railways: Azam Swati

    Operating trains not the functions of Pakistan Railways: Azam Swati

    Railways Minister Azam Khan Swati has said that operating passenger and freight trains are not the functions of the Pakistan Railways since it has no capacity to provide better services, adding that it is actually the function of the private sector, reports Dawn.

    Speaking at the Rawalpindi Railway Station during the inauguration of the Sir Syed Express train, the minister said that Sir Syed Express was being “outsourced” as a “better rate” had been achieved through tendering.

    After outsourcing Sir Syed Express, more passenger trains, as well as freight trains, would be outsourced, he added.

    Swati said that with the outsourcing of the train, one chapter of the mission he had undertaken on the instructions of Prime Minister Imran Khan would be completed.

    Pakistan would build railways for Uzbekistan, he said, adding that Prime Minister Khan would visit the Central Asian country soon.

    Swati expressed his regret at two train accidents that had occurred during his tenure and pledged that the officials responsible for these accidents would be punished.

  • Covid positivity rate nearing 4 per cent in Pakistan

    Covid positivity rate nearing 4 per cent in Pakistan

    Pakistan’s positivity rate is closing in on 4 per cent, with the current positivity rate at 3.79 per cent.

    Daily coronavirus caseload stayed over 1,500 for the fourth consecutive day after the country reported 1,828 new cases Saturday morning.

    The latest data issued by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Saturday morning shows that 48,134 tests were conducted on July 9, out of which 1,828 people tested positive for coronavirus.

    Federal Minister for Planning Asad Umar Friday said there are clear early signs of the fourth Covid-19 wave starting in Pakistan due to poor compliance of SOPs and the spread of the Delta variant.

    The NCOC chief said that he had warned two weeks back that the government’s artificial intelligence models are showing possible emergence of the fourth wave in July.

  • Usman Mirza Case: IG Islamabad briefs PM Khan

    Usman Mirza Case: IG Islamabad briefs PM Khan

     Inspector-General (IG) of Police Islamabad, Qazi Jameel-ur-Rehman, had a meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday and briefed him on the ongoing investigation regarding sexual assault and harassment of a couple by Usman Mirza and his accomplices.

    The IGP is personally monitoring the case after the arrest of Usman Mirza to ensure criminal action, a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office said.

    “The premier was informed that all scientific methods are being used to collect more evidence. The IGP also informed the prime minister about the law and order situation in Islamabad,” the statement said.

    Prime Minister had earlier taken notice of the case and telephoned IG Islamabad and sought details of the incident from him.

    “The police should use all their energies to bring all the accused to justice and share the report with the PM Office,” he added.

    Referring to the suspects, Usman Mirza and his accomplices, PM Khan said such people don’t deserve any concessions.

    Earlier this week, police arrested four people after a video of them holding a couple at gunpoint, forcing them to strip and then beating them up went viral on social media.

  • Court directs judicial officers to avoid using social media

    Court directs judicial officers to avoid using social media

    The Lahore High Court (LHC) has issued a code of conduct for judicial officers across Punjab, directing them to avoid using social media, reports Dawn.

    The instructions come days after Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti took oath as the 51st LHC chief justice.

    The court has taken notice of those displaying misconduct and asked officials to adhere to the given instructions.

    “A judicial officer is supposed to lead a reserved social life, therefore, he should avoid using Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and such other social media applications,” the order said.

    It also barred judicial officers from being included in “unofficial WhatsApp groups” and other “social media modes”, along with sharing of “privileged” information. The use of mobile phones during court hours, apart from during intervals, was also prohibited.

    “Keeping and displaying a blue light on an official or private vehicle of any judicial officer, or putting green plates on private vehicles shall also amount to misconduct and shall be strictly dealt with.”

    It added that judicial officers were bound to strictly observe punctuality and wear an official uniform.

    The court warned that if a judicial officer is found violating the instructions issued, strict disciplinary action will be taken and the misconduct would also be added to their personal file, which will be considered during the time of their promotion.