Current Final

Category: Politics

  • Pakistan’s coronavirus positivity rate back up at 3 per cent

    Pakistan’s coronavirus positivity rate passed the three per cent mark Wednesday morning for the first time in the last 20 days. 

    The country recorded a positivity rate of 3.27 per cent. The last time the positivity rate was 3 per cent was in June.

    According to the latest statistics by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), 46,287 Covid-19 tests were conducted across the country in the last 24 hours, out of which 1,517 people tested positive for the virus.

    The NCOC had warned of strict restrictions as it has observed violation of coronavirus SOPs in several sectors following the relaxation of curbs.

  • #ArrestUsmanMirza: Twitter reacts to disturbing viral video

    #ArrestUsmanMirza: Twitter reacts to disturbing viral video

    A video went viral on social media last night where a man, Usman Mirza, was seen torturing, harassing, and assaulting a young couple in Islamabad along with his accomplices. Mirza was arrested after the video went viral in which he can also be seen stripping a woman. His accomplices have also been arrested.

    Pakistani Twitter was outraged at the horrific video. One Twitter user pointed out that it took the video to go viral on social media for the man to be arrested months after the incident.

    Another Twitter user said that “absolutely nothing offers women safety”.

    https://twitter.com/khoonsurat_/status/1412510709808873477

    Daanika Kamal said it does not matter where you are or who you are with. “Imagine living with an underlying sense of threat or fear all the time.”

    https://twitter.com/daanistan/status/1412509786537668608

    One Twitter user asked: “Why does the victims trauma need to be trended before they even blink in that direction?”

    Journalist Absa Komal asked when will we understand that rape is a “crime of power”.

    Lawyer Benazir Jatoi said that she can say with confidence that “EVERY Pakistani woman has faced some form of sexual harassment &/or violence”.

    Women’s rights activist Nayab Jan tweeted that all enablers should feel ashamed. “Those who question victims, their clothing, timing, character, morality.”

  • Man arrested for blackmailing and assaulting couple in Islamabad

    Man arrested for blackmailing and assaulting couple in Islamabad

    Police arrested Usman Mirza in Islamabad after a disturbing video went viral on social media where he could be seen torturing and assaulting a couple. He was also seen stripping a woman in the video.

    The video sparked outrage across Pakistani Twitter, with #ArrestUsmanMirza appearing in the top trends.

    The incident took place within Golra police station limits at an apartment building in sector E-11/2. The case was registered on the complaint of a sub-inspector.

    “The video of the incident went viral on social media. In the video, five to six men can be seen keeping the victims in custody under gunpoint. The accused also stripped the man and the woman naked while threatening them,” the FIR said, adding that the suspects indulged in “vulgar acts”.

    Islamabad Deputy Commissioner said that the culprit had been arrested after police efforts. “His accomplices are also being arrested. It is once again requested to please delete the videos which show the victims,” he said.

    Later, the deputy commissioner said that all the suspects had been arrested.

    Mirza reportedly threatened the young man and woman when some people tried to stop him.

    Mirza is reportedly a property dealer.

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNA Maleeka Bokhari tweeted that the Islamabad IG is leading the investigation.

    “I have received numerous messages of women feeling unsafe and angry. The State is here to protect you & will not spare such barbarians,” Bokhari wrote.

    Journalist Reem Khurshid asked people not to post or reshare the video. She tweeted, “The young woman and man were subjected to a horrific assault. “Don’t compound their trauma by circulating images of what is likely one of the worst moments of their lives.”

    https://twitter.com/ReemKhurshid/status/1412506174268846087

    “The fear in eyes of the victim in the video reflects pervasive fear faced by women in our society,” said activist Ammar Ali Jan.

  • ‘Do I look like a terrorist to you,’ Nadeem Malik responds to FIA

    ‘Do I look like a terrorist to you,’ Nadeem Malik responds to FIA

    The Counter-Terrorism Wing of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has summoned SAMAA TV’s senior anchorperson Nadeem Malik and asked him to disclose his sources in the Judge Arshad Malik video leak scandal case.

    Nadeem Malik has said that he will not appear. “The notice has been issued by the terrorism wing. Do I look like a terrorist to you?”

    The notice demands that Malik reveal his sources. “There is no law across the globe that can force a journalist to quote their sources,” the anchorperson said.

    On April 28, Nadeem Malik during his show ‘Nadeem Malik Live’ said that he had a chance to meet with two members of the FIA team that was investigating the video leak scandal against late accountability court judge Arshad Malik.

    “It could be perceived from what they [members of the FIA team] told me that there was a video of Judge Arshad Malik. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was banking on Judge Malik granting bail to Nawaz Sharif. He had contacts with the PML-N, so there were assurances,” the anchorperson said.

    “The other party, which I would not name, as many people can understand, they got their hands on that 30-year-old video of Judge Malik. It was an objectionable video that was recorded 30 years ago when Judge Malik was posted in Multan. There were other people too and the whole video is there.”

    According to the anchorperson, the late judge was called to a place at Constitution Avenue and was told that the video would be made public if a ‘favourable’ verdict was not given in cases against Nawaz Sharif.

    The judge gave the verdict and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif was disqualified.

    “The PML-N got their hands on the same video and Judge Arshad Malik came to meet Nawaz Sharif and apologised, saying he couldn’t do anything as they had his video,” Nadeem Malik said.

    “They [PML-N leaders] told him that they have the same video too, and, while Judge Malik was narrating the events, he was recorded once again. It was recorded by Nasir Sahib who has gone to London.”

    The FIA is handling the case through its Counter-Terrorism Wing at its headquarters in Islamabad. It had told Nadeem Malik to appear on June 6, along with documents and evidence to support what he said on his show.

    “Please refer to your Nadeem Malik Live Programme on SAMAA NEWS dated 28-04-2021 revealed that you have important information which can be relevant for the agency to further investigate the above mentioned and to link some relevant persons with this case,” the notice says.

    Civil society and journalists condemned the notice.

  • Maryam Nawaz believes the govt has recognised Israel, as PTI fails to deny reports

    Maryam Nawaz believes the govt has recognised Israel, as PTI fails to deny reports

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz on Tuesday said she believed the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has recognised Israel as “it is not presenting a denial” to reports and statements emphasising Pakistan’s reported acceptance of Israel.

    Maryam stressed the government should inform the nation of its decision on Israel. “It’s not your personal decision, it’s something that is linked to 220 million people of Pakistan.”

    Commenting on the Afghanistan situation, the PML-N leader asked the government to bring its own house in order first.

    “Your foreign policy should not alter in view of a changing political landscape. It should not be based on your political standing,” said Maryam, calling for a unified stance on issues.

    Responding to a question on whether the PML-N had entered a deal with the government, Maryam said, “Why do you people call everything a deal. This is an inappropriate question. Why will there be any deal? Are we mad to have a deal with those we are [fighting] against?” she questioned.

    Maryam further added, “PML-N is in the strongest position in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and if free and fair polls are held, then our party will win the election with an overwhelming majority.” She added that people had lost trust in the present system in view of “obvious rigging in the past elections”.

    The PML-N vice-president said the current approach of the government would take Balochistan further away. “I believe grievances of people of the province should be addressed,” she remarked.

    When asked for her point of view on Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s statement that Shehbaz Sharif should generally refrain from making emotional remarks in public and that his [Shehbaz Sharif’s] statement was taken out of context, Maryam replied that she agrees with Khaqan that Shehbaz’s statement was taken out of context.

  • Reporters Without Borders calls PM Khan a predator, Marriyum Aurangzeb agrees

    Reporters Without Borders calls PM Khan a predator, Marriyum Aurangzeb agrees

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) information secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb has claimed that the latest report of the Reporters Without Borders also known as Reporters Sans Frontiers (RSF), is a charge-sheet against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, reports Dawn.

    Reporters Without Borders categorically calls Prime Minister Imran Khan a ‘predator since taking oath’. The report has been published under the caption “RSF’s 2021: Press freedom predators gallery – old tyrants, two women and a European.”

    In a statement on Monday, Marriyum Aurangzeb said Imran Khan’s alleged “authoritarian attitude” and character was destroying Pakistan’s image abroad.

    “The report says that the PTI government is worse than military dictatorships in Pakistan when it comes to press freedom. The Human Rights Watch, Pakistan Press Freedom Report, and Freedom Network Report had already declared the Imran government as the worst media gagging administration in the history of the country,” said Aurangzeb.

    Aurangzeb said the latest report of the Reporters Without Borders had exposed the “predatory behaviour” of the government. She said the actions by the PTI government had not only reflected negatively on Pakistan’s journalism but also adversely affected the country’s position when it came to Financial Action Task Force and the GSP Plus status by the European Union.

    “It mentions that journalists are harassed, abducted, and assaulted for crossing the red lines defined by the state. The report also pointed out that freedom of expression on social media is also being curbed through new dark and draconian laws,” she said while quoting from the report.

    Meanwhile, Focal Person to the Prime Minister on Digital Media Dr Arslan Khalid took to Twitter and called the RSF report a “typical propaganda”.

    Arslan further added that it was comical that the RSF was talking about free speech and yet calling people trolls who “dare to disagree with journalists”.

    Reporters Without Borders has published a gallery of grim portraits on its official website. It includes 37 heads of state or government who crack down massively on press freedom. Some of these “predators of press freedom” have been operating for more than two decades while others have just joined the blacklist, which for the first time includes two women and a European predator.

    19 of these predators rule countries that are coloured red on the RSF’s press freedom map, meaning their situation is classified as “bad” for journalism, and 16 rule countries coloured black, meaning the situation is “very bad.” The average age of the predators is 66. More than a third (13) of these tyrants come from the Asia-Pacific region, says the report.

    Besides Prime Minister Imran Khan, the RSF list includes Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Chinese President Xi Jingping, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Tajik President Emamoli Rakhmon, Sri Lanka’s President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, King of Bahrain Hamed bin Isa Al Khalifa and Supreme Leader of North Korea Kim Jong-un.

  • ‘Stop making trends on Twitter, focus on your studies’: Shafqat Mahmood advises students

    Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood has advised Pakistani students to stop making trends on Twitter against exams and focus on the preparation for the upcoming exams.

    Speaking on Dawn News programme ‘Live with Adil Shahzeb’ Mahmood said that exams have already started in Sindh and will also commence in Punjab from Friday so there is no possibility of papers being postponed or cancelled.

    “I would advise the students to stop spending time on Twitter to make trends and that it is better to focus on their education. There is still time left for exam preparation,” says Mahmood.

    When asked about Pakistani students waiting to return to China, Mahmood said he has discussed the issue with the Chinese envoy and hoped that it will be solved soon.

    “Every country is dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic in its own way. We all know that China is a big country and there is a risk of the virus spreading there, so the Chinese government enforced the strictest restrictions and imposed a lockdown.”

    Earlier Mahmood had said that board exams for students of classes nine and 10 would be held only for elective subjects and mathematics while exams for students of classes 11 and 12 would be held for elective subjects only.

  • ‘Considering talking to insurgents’: PM Imran

    Prime Minister Imran Khan, while addressing an event in Gwadar, said that he is considering “talking to insurgents” in Balochistan, adding that the government would never have had to worry about the insurgency in the province if attention had been paid to its development.

    “It may be that they had grievances in the old times and may have been used by other countries … India may have used them to spread chaos but the situation [now] is not the same,” added the premier.

    The premier said that he had always thought that when the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) came to power, the government would pay attention to Balochistan because when the province progressed and there was peace, Balochistan’s people would “understand that Pakistan is also theirs”. PM said that then the people of Balochistan would say that they should also fight for Pakistan because it thinks of their basic needs and problems.

    PM Imran Khan during his one-day visit to Gwadar inaugurated Gwadar Free Zone, Expo Centre, Agriculture Industrial Park, and three factories.

  • The establishment does not have a choice, says Shahid Khaqan Abbasi

    Talking to Samaa News reporter, Naeem Ashraf Butt, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that for the first time in the history of Pakistan, the establishment does not have a choice. The problem is that there is a deal but no one is ready to take it, added Khaqan.

    When asked if the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) wanted to be a choice, Khaqan said: “No, we do not want to be a choice. We will not come into power through any deal.”

    When asked about Shehbaz Sharif’s interview with Kamran Khan and his stance that if he has to hold Nawaz Sharif’s feet for national interest, he would do so, Khaqan said: “We generally refrain from making such remarks in public.” Everyone has a way of expressing themselves, added Khaqan.

    “Shehbaz Sharif respects his brother like a father; what happens between the two brothers should be left to them,” said Khaqan.

  • Send domestic violence bill to Islamic council, suggests PM’s aide

    Send domestic violence bill to Islamic council, suggests PM’s aide

    Adviser to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan has written a letter to Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser suggesting that the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Bill 2021 should be sent to the Council of Islamic Ideology to check if the proposed law is or is not “repugnant to the Injunctions of Islam”.

    Journalist Ansar Abbasi shared the news on Twitter and congratulated Prime Minister Imran Khan for this step.

    Speaking on Geo News programme ‘Naya Pakistan’, Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari had asked, “Can someone tell me which clause in the bill is against our religion?”

    “This law is not only for women but men can also file a case using it,” Mazari added.

    Senate passed two key government bills related to human rights last month, which include the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Bill 2021 and the Islamabad Capital Territory Senior Citizens Bill 2021.

    Analyst Ansar Abbasi took to his Twitter account to oppose the bill.