Current Final

Category: Politics

  • PML-N wins PP-84 Khushab by-poll

    PML-N wins PP-84 Khushab by-poll

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Moazzam Sher Kallu has won the PP-84 Khushab by-election with a significant margin. Kallu came out on top with 73,081 votes and retained the seat that was vacated after the death of PML-N lawmaker Malik Muhammad Waris Kallu in March.

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Ali Hussain Baloch was the runner-up with 62,903 votes. Kallu’s margin of victory is 10,178 votes.

    PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif congratulated the public and winning candidate Moazzam Sher Kallu. “The people of Khushab have rejected the wheat and sugar thieves,” Sharif was quoted

    Maryam Nawaz celebrated the Khushab victory on Twitter. She said “people in every city have declared Nawaz Sharif’s victory” and derided those who wanted to “minus Nawaz Sharif”.

    “Look at the works of Allah! Only Nawaz Sharif is left [standing], while everyone else has been cut out,” added Maryam.

    A total of eight candidates stood in the race. Besides the PML-N and PTI candidates, PPP’s Ghulam Habib Ahmed was in the running, as well the banned TLP’s Asghar Ali. The independents included Amjad Raza, Aurangzeb, Imran Haider Khan, and Ilyas Khan Azad.

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said in a statement that “no untoward situation of law and order has been reported at the polling station”.

    Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari congratulated the President PML-N Shehbaz Sharif, for the win in PP-84 by-polls.

  • PM chastises envoys for indifferent attitude towards expats

    PM chastises envoys for indifferent attitude towards expats

    Prime Minister Imran Khan virtually addressed Pakistani ambassadors and high commissioners from across the globe on Wednesday.

    PM tweeted that he told all Pakistani missions abroad that their priority “must be the welfare and well-being of our greatest asset, overseas Pakistanis”.

    “Overseas Pakistanis are precious assets of the country,” the premier said, adding that it is unfortunate that Pakistani ambassadors do not treat them well.

     He read out complaints received on Citizens Portal and condemned the “callousness and insensitivity” displayed by embassy workers.

    “Expats face unnecessary delays and complications in availing routine services,” PM Imran said. He further added that complain resolution of the embassy is mostly firefighting and lacks a passion to solve these issues. “The job of embassies is to serve their citizens.”

    PM had recently recalled Pakistan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Raja Ali Ejaz and six staff members after reports of their alleged mistreatment of the Pakistani expat community surfaced. The Foreign Office said there is zero tolerance for any lapse in public service delivery. “The feedback provided by Pakistani expats living in Saudi Arabia was shocking,” said PM. He added that an indifferent attitude towards the expat community is “unforgivable”.

    PM Imran in particular acknowledged the services of labour working abroad in tough conditions . “These workers deserve our utmost respect and the government will not spare anyone misbehaving with them.”

    Former diplomats react to PM’s comments

    Former Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua tweeted she was deeply dismayed at the unwarranted criticism of the foreign ministry.

    Former Foreign Secretary and Ambassador of Pakistan to the US Jalil Abbas Jilani does not completely agree with PM Imran. In a tweet, the former diplomat said that he wished the PM was properly briefed about working of Missions. “Services like attestation of degrees, marriage certificates, licenses etc are referred to HEC, Interior or Provincial govts for verification. You don’t get timely response. Hence delays. Blaming envoys unfair.”

    Jilani also said that the foreign service of Pakistan suffers from “decades of neglect, political paralysis and resource constraints”.

    Jilani and Janjua were not the only former diplomats to be irked by PM’s comments. Former Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir also tweeted that PM’s ire and critique of the foreign ministry and envoys is misplaced.

  • No truth in rumours, exams to be held as per schedule: Shafqat Mahmood

    Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood has rubbished all rumours about the cancellation of exams.

    The minister tweeted that the students of grade 9 and 11 will sit for their exams as per the scheduled timetable given by their respective boards.

    Mahmood added that there was no truth to the rumours circulating regarding the cancellation of the exams.

    Last month, Mahmood and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan had announced that as per the suggestion of the National Command and Operation Centre, all board exams had been postponed till June 15.

    “Exams of 9, 10, 11 and 12, which were supposed to begin from the end of May, have been delayed further,” the minister said. “No board exams will be held till mid-June (June 15).”

    Mahmood added that another meeting of the NCOC will decide in the third week of May whether these exams will be postponed further or not.

  • PM likely to take your phone calls again on May 11

    Prime Minister Imran Khan is likely to restart his initiative of taking phone calls from the masses and giving them his response from May 11. The initiative is expected to restart when he returns from Saudi Arabia.

    Khan is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia from May 7 to May 9. The issue of the release of Pakistani prisoners who are suffering in Saudi Arabia’s jails is likely to be highlighted by the PM.

    This is the third telethon series to be done by PM Khan. He launched the event on March 28, which was a telethon for the Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme and also took calls from the general public on April 4th.

    “It is the practical implementation of the promise made by the prime minister to the masses in his victory speech that he would be answerable before the people,” a PTI leader said.

  • ‘Eye on idle, ray-ban wearing models’ – Firdous says she supports women empowerment

    ‘Eye on idle, ray-ban wearing models’ – Firdous says she supports women empowerment

    Special Assistant to Punjab’s Chief Minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has said that she is a supporter of women empowerment and has always encouraged women to work. “I being a woman acknowledge the challenges women face in the world,” she said.

    However, while speaking so staunchly on women’s rights, she negated her own stance by saying that she was “also aware of the tactics women pull these days”.

    “I have my eye on the ones that are idle and wear ray-bans and only do modelling,” she told a Lahore News reporter.

    Previously a video of her insulting Assistant Commissioner (AC) Sialkot Sonia Sadaf, went viral on the social media. She was seen shouting at the AC, telling her that Sadaf was getting paid for her work and it was her duty to keep a check on things. She also asked the AC which ‘shameless person’ appointed her.

  • Govt will complete its term: CM Punjab

    Chief Minister (CM) Punjab Usman Buzdar on Wednesday said that the government will definitely complete five years and the next general elections will be held in 2023. Talking to Punjab cabinet members and Punjab Assembly parliamentarians, CM Punjab said that Punjab is significantly ahead of all other provinces. Buzdar said that the politics of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) is over. He added that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government is spending money on backward areas as well, and not just Lahore. “People only want development and prosperity, the PTI government is pursuing equal development of every city,” added Buzdar.

    CM Punjab’s statement comes a day after analyst Sabir Shakir’s video went viral on social media where Shakir claims that the government will not complete its tenure and new elections will be held soon.

    PML-N’s Marriyum Aurangzeb said that this (new election) is the need of the hour. The country is facing high inflation and the people are suffering under the governance of PTI, She said.

  • Woman gives birth inside a polling station in Khushab

    Woman gives birth inside a polling station in Khushab

    Polling is in full swing in the PP-84 Khushab constituency, where the seat fell vacant after the death of the PML-N MPA on March 12 from COVID-19.

    Khushab’s by-election saw something interesting today when a woman gave birth in a polling station located at the constituency. The child was born at the Mith Tiwana Rural Health Centre, which has been turned into a polling station for the by-poll.

    The newborn’s father, Salamat, said he was overjoyed over the birth of his child. “I am very happy at the birth of my child on the election day. Insha’Allah we will name the child after giving some though to it. Whichever name we think is suitable,” he added. 

    The baby born is the first child to the family.

    Residents of Khushab are exercising the right to vote for their preferred candidate in to the PP-84 Punjab Assembly seat. PTI’s Sardar Ali Hussain Khan Baloch and PML-N’s Malik Moazzam Sher Kallu are the top contenders.

  • EXCLUSIVE: A lookback at Fawad Chaudhry’s shocking fitness routine

    EXCLUSIVE: A lookback at Fawad Chaudhry’s shocking fitness routine

    “It was like training someone who was utterly determined to be the best and he did get there.” This is what the owner of the gym Eleven, Waleed Saigol had to say about the time when Minister of Information Fawad Chaudhry used to regularly attend his gym in Lahore.

    Traveling when fit

    “Fawad Chaudhry was the focal point of people’s attention at the gym,” Waleed added, “and we really miss him and wish he would come back. When he first came it was difficult for him to walk at pace on the treadmill and at the height of his training, he was boxing like he was beating the opposition.”

    The Current reached out to Fawad after a video of him boxing like a champion went viral on social media.

    https://youtu.be/Nz9O9DFKOBs
    watch the viral boxing video

    “It was all because of Waleed Saigol’s perseverance that I managed to get to where I did,” the minister said, “I really want to get back on schedule. I’ve gained 15 KGs in three years and it’s terrible.”

    Hiking and timing the workout

    It’s no wonder that Fawad doesn’t have the time to be regular at the gym. After heading the ministry of science and technology and managing to take it from a defunct ministry to a cool one, he then was re-appointed as the Minister for Information. He remembers his workout days fondly and says he can’t wait to get back to the gym.

    Fitness days

    “The bigger issue is sleep,” Fawad told us, “I don’t get enough sleep and because of that my exercise routine is suffering.”

    It isn’t just the Information Minister who can’t focus on his fitness goals. A report in February stated that Prime Minister Imran Khan was also gaining weight because of the workload.

  • ‘Complete ban on tourism’ – NCOC’s Eid regulations

    ‘Complete ban on tourism’ – NCOC’s Eid regulations

    The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has announced a complete ban on tourism, for both locals and outsiders. The ban shall be observed from May 8-16, the week leading up to and including Eid holidays.

    All tourist resorts, formal and informal picnic spots, public parks, shopping malls; all hotels and restaurants in/around tourist/ picnic spots to remain closed.

    All travel nodes leading to tourist/picnic spots both in Northern areas and in South to remain closed. Locals, especially people belonging to Gilgit Baltistan and AJK will be allowed to travel back home.

    The NCOC will form monitoring teams at federal, provincial, and district levels to ensure the implementation of coronavirus SOPs.

    All business and shops to remain closed during this time period, with exceptions like food outlets, grocery stores, paramedics, petrol pumps and bakeries etc.

    On Monday, Pakistan witnessed a total death toll of 161 individuals, due to Covid-19. The country has recorded a total of 837,523 confirmed Covid cases, with current positivity rate of 8.9%.

  • How electoral reforms will affect you

    How electoral reforms will affect you

    Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry on Tuesday said the federal cabinet had approved two ordinances pertaining to the reforms in the country’s electoral system. The said electoral reforms consist of four parts; electronic voting machines (EVMs), e-voting for overseas Pakistanis, use of biometric authentication, and legislation,” the minister informed.

    https://twitter.com/FawadPTIUpdates/status/1389548245496500229

    Out of the approved ordinances, one is in relevance to the electronic voting, whereas the other aims to facilitate overseas Pakistani voters. The ordinance authorizes the Election Commission to use the EVM machine. However, Fawad Chaudhry added, PML-N and PPP are reluctant on providing this EVM facility to the overseas Pakistanis.

    He emphasized that the government has fulfilled its responsibility regarding legislation on the subject. “Technological work is to be done on biometric and e-voting,” Fawad added.

    Fawad said that after the ordinance, it is up to the ECP to include overseas Pakistanis in the voting process.

    The move comes after PPP’s NA-249 by-election victory, which was declared a “stolen” election by the PML-N.

    It also comes after PM extended an invitation to Opposition parties to sit down with the government and work on electoral reforms so elections can be made fair and transparent for all.