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Category: Politics

  • ‘I am PM of Pakistan and we stand with Palestine’ – PM Khan on Twitter

    ‘I am PM of Pakistan and we stand with Palestine’ – PM Khan on Twitter

    Bloodshed between Israel and Hamas escalated overnight, with at least 35 Palestine Muslims killed in Gaza and five people killed in Israel in the most intensive aerial exchanges for years.

    https://twitter.com/aqadir97/status/1392337789480431619

    Israel carried out hundreds of air strikes in Gaza into the early hours of Wednesday, and Gazans fired multiple rocket barrages at Tel Aviv and Beersheba in response.

    One multi-story residential building in Gaza collapsed and another was heavily damaged after they were repeatedly hit by Israeli air strikes.

    Prime Minister Khan tweeted in solidarity with Palestine, saying “I am PM Khan and we stand with Palestine”.

    As tensions rise between Palestinians and Israelis, the international media, social media noticed that the coverage of the international press was incredibly one-sided.

    Financial times wrote: “Hamas rocket attacks provoke Israeli retaliation in Gaza.”

    The Economist’s headline for the brutality of Israel on the Palestinians was : “Israel exchanges fire with Hamas as tensions in Jerusalem boil over.”

    BBC reported saying, “Pleas for calm as Israel-Gaza violence erupts”.

    The New York Times read: “After raid on Aqsa Mosque, Rockets From Gaza and Israeli Airstrikes”.

    As tensions rose between Palestinians and Israelis, people voiced their concerns and sympathies on social media.

    U.N. Middle East peace envoy Tor Wennesland tweeted: “Stop the fire immediately. We’re escalating towards a full scale war. Leaders on all sides have to take the responsibility of de-escalation.

    “The cost of war in Gaza is devastating & is being paid by ordinary people. UN is working w/ all sides to restore calm. Stop the violence now,” he said.

    The world reminded the people of Palestine that they are not alone is such devastating times.

    Human Rights Minister in PM Khan cabinet, Shireen Mazari said, “Palestinians prevented from praying in Al Quds mosque & killing of innocent Palestinians in Gaza incl children – & all UN can do is express ‘concern’.”

    ” OIC also needs to move beyond rhetoric on Palestine & Kashmir,” she added.

    However, this has been the heaviest offensive between Israel and Hamas since a 2014 war in Gaza, and prompted international concern that the situation could spiral out of control.

  • Gigi Hadid and Mia Khalifa stand up for Palestine: What’s going on?

    Gigi Hadid and Mia Khalifa stand up for Palestine: What’s going on?

    Models Mia Khalifa and Gigi Hadid have taken a stand for Palestine on Twitter and Instagram against Israeli violence in Palestine.

    https://twitter.com/miakhalifa/status/1391778314843344896
    Mia’s tweet was trending in Pakistan Tuesday night
    Gigi Hadid posted about Palestine on her Instagram stories

    RELATED: Mahira Khan, Babar Azam, Maya Ali among others condemn Israeli brutality in Palestine

    Confused about what’s going on in Palestine? Here is the breakdown:

    It started in the early days of Ramzan when Israeli forces tried to block off areas where Muslim worshipers would gather after the evening prayer. After mass protests by Muslims in the area, the blockade was lifted. But that was not the end. Israeli police then tried to hamper the movement of buses carrying Muslim worshipers to the Old City in Jerusalem, where the third holiest mosque in Islam, Al-Aqsa is located. The police said they were trying to find specific people on the buses. But it was seen as an attempt to slow down Muslims from gathering at Al-Aqsa for prayers.

    A man says his prayers while surrounded by Israeli police in the Old City

    Parallel to what was happening in the Old City, fifteen minutes away, in the Palestinian neighbourhood of Al-Jarrah, Israeli settlers were trying to forcibly remove Palestinians from their homes. These homes had been given to the Palestinians in 1948 when Israeli was created, and the area was and has been predominantly Palestinian. A Jewish group is claiming that before the land was given to the Palestinians in 1948, the land belonged to the Jews. With what is being seen as help of the Israeli state, four Palestinian families were forcibly evicted from their homes. Protests erupted in the neighbourhood of Al-Jarrah and 15 minutes away, in the Old City, protests were ongoing against the Israeli state, leading to mass protests in Jerusalem.

    Protests in Al Jarrah

    During the protests, hundreds of Palestinians were wounded after being shot at, beaten and arrested. After seeing the protests in Jerusalem, Palestinians in Gaza also began to protest in solidarity. At least 24 Palestinians were killed in Israeli air raids, according to the Palestinian health ministry, after Hamas launched rockets towards Israel. Nine children were killed in the attack with more than a 100 injured.

    Video of a residential building destroyed by Israel in Gaza

    Meanwhile, in the Old City, Israeli forces stormed the compound where Al-Aqsa mosque is located, and Palestinians were praying and also peacefully protesting. Israeli police fired rubber-coated bullets, tear gas and sound bombs at the Muslim worshippers. More than 180 Palestinians were injured.

    Israeli Jews gather to celebrate trees catching fire near Al-Aqsa Mosque

    As tensions rose between Palestinians and Israelis, a tree in the Al-Aqsa mosque compound was lit on fire. It is unclear how it caught fire but when it did, Israelis came out to their holy site underneath the compound and danced, watching the trees near Al-Aqsa burn.

    In the most recent news, the Israeli high court has postponed a ruling that allowed for forced expulsions of the four Palestinian families in Al-Jarrah, which is a victory for the Palestinians. How long it lasts is still to be seen.

  • Deal with Amazon will transform Pakistani businesses, says PM Khan

    Deal with Amazon will transform Pakistani businesses, says PM Khan

    Amazon has added Pakistan to its list of seller countries with Pakistanis now able to create accounts using Pakistani credentials and details. PM Khan said that the deal with Amazon will open new prospects for entrepreneurs and businesses in Pakistan. This new avenue will transform Pakistan’s economy as more sellers from the country will be able to sell on the International platform.

    No Talks with India

    Prime Minister Imran Khan has categorically said that Pakistan is not returning to the negotiating table with India till New Delhi reverses its August 5 decision of scrapping Article 370.

    He said this while responding to a question regarding human rights abuses in India and a muted response from the international community during a live Q&A session with the public.

    PM Imran Khan under the programme “Aapka Wazir- e-Azam Aap Kai Sath” took calls from the public over an array of issues that included corruption, inflation, relations with India, problems with the tourism sector, the government’s housing societies, work efficiency of his team and Pakistani embassies abroad.

    Rule of Law

    In response to a question as to why there was no rule of law in Pakistan, the prime minister said the powerful and the weak should both be equal before the law.

    He said it would take time for change to take shape in Pakistan, adding that expecting the country to be reformed overnight would only lead to disappointment. “I can’t turn on a switch and rivers of milk will flow,” he said.

    The prime minister said fighting the status quo and mafias was the only reason he had become a politician in the first place.

    Ill -treatment of Pakistani diplomats

    One caller complained about the ill-treatment meted out to him by a foreign embassy to which the prime minister spoke about his recent public criticism of Pakistani diplomats. Khan praised Pakistan’s embassies, saying that they had rendered great services for Pakistan, especially when it comes to highlighting the Kashmir issue in front of the entire world. Referring to his live conversation with envoys, PM Khan said the “programme should not have been broadcast live” and only excerpts from that session should have been shared.

    Earlier, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi expressed his reservations over the live coverage of the virtual meeting and said, “In-house meetings have norms of their own and their respect is obligatory on all.”

    Sugar scandal

    Replying to another caller on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Jahangir Tareen’s case, PM said: “There won’t be any injustice with anyone, but I promise the masses that I won’t spare the sugar barons. I won’t grant them an NRO.”

    He cited the example of PML-N leader Shehbaz Sharif, saying that he was accused of misappropriating Rs 7 billion. “This is just one case against him; there are many others registered against him [Shehbaz Sharif],” he said, adding that it was just the “tip of the iceberg”.

    Inflation

    The prime minister addressed the inflationary situation in the country and said increased prices of basic commodities bothered him the most. “We have appointed Shaukat Tarin finance minister to slash inflation and increase growth,” added Khan.

    Performance of ministers

    The premier said that several ministers are doing a remarkable job and added, “For those who aren’t, I can only say that we will then have to change the team.”

    Palestine massacre

    Responding to a caller, the prime minister condemned atrocities committed by Israel against unarmed Palestinians, regretting that violence had taken place on the holy night of Ramzan 27 and at Al-Aqsa mosque.

    Follow SOPs to avoid lockdown

    PM once again urged people to follow standard operating procedures (SOPs) to save themselves from the coronavirus and to avoid another countrywide lockdown.

  • Israelis dance as third holiest mosque attacked

    Israelis dance as third holiest mosque attacked

    Israelis were seen dancing and singing in front of the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem while a fire blazed on.

    More than twenty people including nine children and a Hamas commander were killed in Gaza Strip overnight – making it one of the bloodiest days of fighting in several years.

    While Israel continues to bomb Gaza and kill childern, this bloodbath has been the reality of Palestinians under apartheid.

    The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has condemned escalating Israeli aggression and attack on Al-Aqsa Mosque. The meeting of the OIC Permanent Representatives was convened upon the request of the State of Palestine. During the meeting, Pakistan’s permanent representative at the UN also strongly condemned the Israeli aggression.

    Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday strongly condemned the attack on innocent Palestinians by the Israeli forces during the month of Ramzan.

    Last month Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a report on how Israel is an apartheid state.

    The report says: International criminal law has developed two crimes against humanity for situations of systematic discrimination and repression: apartheid and persecution. Crimes against humanity stand among the most odious crimes in international law.

    Tensions in Jerusalem have flared since Israeli riot police attacked Palestinian worshippers on the last Friday of Ramazan in the city’s worst disturbances since 2017.

    Nightly unrest since then at the Al-Aqsa compound has left hundreds of Palestinians wounded, drawing international calls for de-escalation and sharp rebukes from across the Muslim world. Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest site of Islam.

  • PM’s surprise visit to PIMS Hospital’s Covid ward

    PM’s surprise visit to PIMS Hospital’s Covid ward

    Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday night paid a surprise visit to the coronavirus ward of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Islamabad, to review the conditions there. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, PM Khan met with the patients and inquired about their health.

    The premier particularly inquired about the facilities being provided to COVID-19 patients at the hospital, particularly the availability of oxygen and medicines.

    Addressing the staff at the hospital, the PM said that since healthcare workers are the country’s frontline fighters, they should also take care of themselves apart from taking care of the patients.

    The premier also inquired from doctors and the staff if all of them have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

    He said that the third wave of the coronavirus is more lethal than the previous two ones, adding that people should follow the SOPs to protect themselves from the virus

    The virus has so far claimed 19,106 lives in Pakistan, while the number of total cases in the country has reached 864,557.

  • ‘Slander against Yousaf Raza Gilani is completely baseless’

    ‘Slander against Yousaf Raza Gilani is completely baseless’

    Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Political Communication Dr Shahbaz Gill recently accused Yousaf Raza Gilani of using the Senate vehicle as a taxi service.

    Let’s face it, those who were supposed to be the Chairman of the Senate started a taxi service on a government vehicle,” wrote Dr Gill on Twitter.

    “The wage has to be paid in any case, no matter what. This move is such that I don’t even dare to comment on it,” added the SAPM.

    Gill made the accusation after news of Gilani’s allotted Senate car was seen dropping off a person and was primarily termed as giving a pick and drop service and was accused of charging double fare from the passengers.

    Meanwhile, Gilani’s son Kasim Giliani nullified the accusations, saying: “I didn’t want to respond to the baseless slander and dirty, cheap smears however it is important to put the record straight.”

    He clarified the accusations saying, “One driver of the Senate used the Senate car to drop another driver to a (bus stand/taxi stand) without Yousaf Raza Gilani’s permission. This does not concern Yousaf Raza Gilani at all and the Senate can take appropriate action against the employees.”

    “The low level of cheap shots and completely fabricated attacks by the government trolls only exposes the depths of their morality,” added Gilani.

     Senator Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani was elected as leader of the opposition in the Upper House of the parliament on March 26,2021.

  • PM carries the ‘begging bowl’ with him everywhere

    PM carries the ‘begging bowl’ with him everywhere

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Monday chastised Prime Minister Imran Khan, blaming him for not caring about the common man’s problems in Pakistan.

    In a statement, Bilawal held PM Khan responsible for the dreadful economic situation of the country, adding that “every Pakistani is paying the price of Imran Khan’s ‘Change Tsunami’”

    Speaking about PM’s recent trip to Saudi Arabia, Bilawal said it was unfortunate how the same prime minister, who used to talk about not obtaining loans from other countries, was carrying the “begging bowl” with him everywhere in the world.

    “Mr Prime Minister, surely you hold vast experience in collecting donations. However, countries do not run on donations alone,” said the PPP chairperson.

    “If the money we receive from loans continues to get wasted in corruption, the common man will continue to bear the burden of inflation,” he said, adding: “Imran Khan, you should come out of your palace in Bani Gala.”

    “The Chinese government’s hesitancy [in issuing the funds] is in fact an expression of their lack of confidence in the PTI government,” he said, adding that foreign investors were afraid of investing in Pakistan. 

    The PPP chairperson’s criticism comes after the prime minister returned from the Saudi Arabia visit aimed at strengthening ties between the two countries.

  • PM to take your calls on May 11

    PM to take your calls on May 11

    Prime Minister Imran Khan will once again take phone calls from Pakistanis on May 11, under the ‘Ap Ka Prime Minister Ap Kai Sath’ [Your Prime Minister With You] initiative. As per details, the PM will personally answer people’s queries.

    The news has been confirmed by Senator Faisal Javed, who said the calls would be broadcast live on television, radio, and social media.

    People who wish to voice their concerns to the PM can dial 051-9224900. He will begin taking calls at 1:30 pm.

    The premier has interacted with the public twice on February 1, 2021 and April 4, 2021.

  • Shafqat’s disappointment

    Last month, Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood voiced his disappointment at the language used by young students on Twitter and social media. Responding to a question by senior anchorperson Asma Shiraz, Mahmood said: “The kind of language these children are using on Twitter, I think it is a collective failure of the government, teachers and parents. One feels ashamed.” Shafqat Mahmood was being trolled by students online for not postponing their exams. Later, the government did postpone the exams till June 15.

    Lawyer and activist Jibran Nasir, who was leading voices to raise the issue of exams on social media and a vocal critic of Shafqat Mahmood, came to the latter’s defence regarding online abuse. Jibran tweeted: “Dear Students, anyone encouraging you to make nasty comments or insulting tweets to highlight your exam issue doesn’t have your best interest at heart. I’ll repeat don’t hurt your cause or embarrass those supporting you by participating in such trends. Keep it clean & respectful.”

    Unfortunately, online trolling and abuse has become a norm in recent years. Trolls are basically people who attack people online in a vicious and malicious way. There are many studies that observe why trolls behave this way. Dr Mark Griffiths, Professor of Behavioural Addiction at Nottingham Trent University, told the BBC that most people troll others “for either revenge, for attention seeking, for boredom, and for personal amusement”. Then there are paid trolls who are part of political parties and other interest groups. It is their job to silence their critics by attacking them. Politicians, journalists, feminists, activists and many others face vicious online troll attacks in Pakistan and other countries. But this does not make it right. Trolls feel powerful because of the anonymity that social media provides. A lot of trolls do not use their own real names and identities. This makes them feel even more ‘powerful’ and they think they can say anything to anyone, be it celebrities, politicians, journalists, etc. Trolls also think that there are no consequences for such behaviour but this is not completely true either. In some cases, trolls who were identified have lost their jobs, have been expelled from educational institutions and some have even gone to jail for threatening others online.

    Shafqat Mahmood’s disappointment is something that everyone who has faced online trolling can relate to. We hope that young students and other people who think they can say anything and everything to strangers just because it’s an online space will introspect and behave more appropriately, as they would do in an offline space. 

  • Crown Prince MBS coming to Pakistan after Eid

    Crown Prince MBS coming to Pakistan after Eid

    Prime Minister Imran Khan was warmly welcomed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during his three-day visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Crown Prince is expected to visit Pakistan after Eid.

    In a joint statement issued by Riyadh and Islamabad, the two leaders reaffirmed the importance of the ties between the two countries. All facets of bilateral cooperation, regional and international issues of mutual interest were discussed by the two. Matters of strengthening and enhancing the economy and trade in light of the Kingdom’s 2030 vision and Pakistan’s development priorities emanating from a shift from geo-politics to geo-economics were also highlighted.


    Issues pertaining to the Islamic world were also discussed. The two leaders stressed the need for concerted efforts by the Muslim countries to confront extremism and violence, reject sectarianism, and strive to achieve international peace and security.

    The two sides reaffirmed their full support for all the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, especially, their right to self-determination and establishment of their independent state, in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and relevant UN resolutions

    PM praised the role of Saudi Arabia for the resolution of crisis in Yemen, which aims at achieving peace and security in Yemen as it will result in prosperity and development of the region and its people.

    The Crown Prince acknowledged Pakistan’s facilitative role in the Afghan peace process. The two leaders agreed to continue mutual consultations on the Afghan peace process.

    The recent understanding reached between the military authorities of Pakistan and India regarding ceasefire at the Line of Control (LoC) was welcomed by the Crown Prince. The two sides emphasised the importance of dialogue between Pakistan and India to resolve issues, especially Jammu and Kashmir dispute, to ensure peace and stability in the region.

    Premier congratulated the Saudi government for successfully organising and holding the G20 summit meetings and the positive decisions that resulted from it in economic, developmental, environmental, health, energy and other fields.

    Acknowledging the leading role of the Kingdom in addressing international issues, in particular the challenge posed by climate change, the two leaders welcomed each other’s efforts towards the cause.

    PM Imran appreciated the efforts of the Kingdom and its leadership in serving the Two Holy Mosques, their pilgrims, Umrah performers and visitors despite the challenges posed by the Corona pandemic. He expressed gratitude and offered his best wishes. The Saudi Crown Prince warmly reciprocated with best wishes for health and wellbeing of the Prime Minister, and prayers for the progress and prosperity of the brotherly people of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.