Current Final

Category: Politics

  • Four chief secretaries, six IGs, 15 secretaries; six DG Khan, four Lahore commissioners changed under Buzdar rule

    In what appear to be efforts by Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar to prove his mettle as a good administrator amid severe criticism over a number of things, it has emerged that new records were set within the past two and a half years as the provincial chief executive struggled to constitute the best team.

    Soon after the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) came to power in 2018, Buzdar was handed reins of Punjab by Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan despite reservations expressed by several allies of the premier.

    “He will prove to be the best Punjab has ever had,” PM Imran said while defending Buzdar time and again, especially amid criticism aimed at the newcomer over his lack of experience, unpopular decisions, and as the masses drew comparisons between Buzdar and his predecessor, Shehbaz Sharif.

    Two and a half years since his election, it has emerged that CM Buzdar set a new record, but it might not exactly be for what you think or could have expected…

    He became the first provincial chief executive to have made the most number changes to his team in no time, the details of which are as follows:

    FOUR CHIEF SECRETARIES:

    Jawad Rafique Malik (April 2020 – Present)

    Azam Suleman (5 Months 3 Days)

    Yousaf Naseem Khokhar (13 Months 24 Days)

    Akbar Durrani (3 Months & 19 Days)

    SIX INSPECTOR GENERALS (IGs):

    Inam Ghani (September 2020 – Present)

    Shoaib Dastagir (9 Months 10 Days)

    Arif Nawaz (7 Months 11 Days)

    Amjad Javed Saleemi (6 Months 2 Days)

    Tahir Khan (1 Month 4 Days)

    Kaleem Imam (2 Months 28 Days)

    OTHERS:

    Besides over a dozen transfers and postings among secretaries of different Punjab departments, the other prominent officials sent packing included those serving in the provincial capital and CM Buzdar’s hometown Dera Ghazi (DG) Khan.

    DG KHAN CHIEF COMMISSIONERS:

    Dr Irshad Ahmed (Incumbent)

    Tahir Khurshid

    Muddassir Riaz

    Asadullah Faiz

    Naseem Sadiq

    Sajid Zafar

    LAHORE COMMISSIONERS:

    Asif Bilal Lodhi (Second Appointment)

    Mujtaba Paracha

    Saif Anjum

    This, however, isn’t where it all ends.

    According to sources, major changes in Punjab are once again on the cards and Primary and Secondary Health Secretary Capt (r) Muhammad Usman is likely to be made Lahore commissioner soon.

    While the chief secretary and the IG could also be replaced, reports regarding Buzdar’s own dismissal have been rebutted by both Centre and the Punjab CM himself.

    Speaking to Geo News, Buzdar said rumours of his removal went rife every once in a while. “There is no truth to rumours of my removal [as CM Punjab],” he said, adding that the main objective of these rumours was to stop development work in the province.

    He said that the Punjab Assembly and “his leader” — Prime Minister Imran Khan — had complete confidence in his abilities as the province’s chief executive.

    “I am staying here and will continue to serve the people of Punjab,” he said. “We are governing Punjab transparently; not even a single corruption case has been exposed,” he added.


  • PM Imran Khan tests positive for COVID-19

    PM Imran Khan tests positive for COVID-19

    Prime Minister Imran Khan has tested positive for COVID-19.

    Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health, Dr Faisal Sultan announced the news and said that the premier is self-isolating at home.

    Later, senior PTI leader Senator Faisal Javed Khan said that PM Khan is “experiencing mild symptoms” and “will continue to work from home over video calls”.

    PM Khan had received the first dose of his COVID-19 vaccine on March 18. Interacting with the media after receiving his shot, PM had urged everyone to get vaccinated for the virus. It is pertinent to add here that PM Imran is yet to receive the second dose of the vaccine, which will be administered to him after a month.

    The Ministry of National Health Services also clarified that PM Khan was “not fully vaccinated when he contracted the virus”.

    “He only got the first dose and merely two days ago which is too soon for any vaccine to become effective,” asserted the minister, adding: “Anti-bodies develop 2-3 weeks after the second dose of COVID vaccines.”

    Meanwhile, several PTI leaders including Sheikh Rasheed, Usman Buzdar and Hammad Azhar have wished the premier a swift recovery.

    Pakistan has reported 3,876 cases over the past 24 hours — the highest since July 2020.

    Wishing PM Imran Khan a swift recovery.

  • Race for leader of opposition in Senate

    Race for leader of opposition in Senate

    Reports indicate that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) are fighting over the slot of leader of opposition in the Senate. On March 8, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) Information Secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain told the media that it has been decided that the candidate for deputy chairman Senate would be from JUI-F and leader of the opposition in the upper House would be from the PML-N. Yousaf Raza Gillani was the PDM’s joint candidate for Senate chairman.

    Sources say the PPP is now vying for this position as they have reservations over the nomination of newly elected Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar by the PML-N. Tarar is a senior lawyer and is representing two accused police officers in the Benazir Bhutto murder case. When he was asked about these reservations in Geo News programme ‘Capital Talk’, Tarar said that he has his own professional commitments [as a lawyer] and he was representing the two police officers who were being tried for negligence in BB murder case. “These two have no role in the assassination but are being tried for negligence related to washing the crime scene.”

    As per media reports, Sherry Rehman will be PPP’s candidate for leader of opposition but she has denied that she is the candidate for the position.

  • Army chief cites unresolved disputes as reasons behind regional debt, poverty

    Army chief cites unresolved disputes as reasons behind regional debt, poverty

    Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Thursday said unresolved disputes in South Asia were dragging the entire region into debt and poverty, in a veiled reference to the Kashmir issue.

    Addressing a gathering on the final day of the Islamabad Security Dialogue, COAS Bajwa said the national security encompassed more than just matters and affairs related to strengthening the country’s security forces.

    “It included development and human security as well,” he said.

    “We feel it is time to bury the past and move forward,” he said, adding that the onus for meaningful dialogue rested with India.

    “Our neighbour will have to create a conducive environment, particularly in occupied Kashmir.”

    “The world has seen the ravages of the world wars and the Cold War, wherein polarisation and neglect of virtues blighted the future and brought catastrophic consequences for humanity,” he said.

    “Today the leading drivers of change in the world are demography, economy and technology. However, one issue that remains central to this concept is economic security and cooperation. Frayed relations between various powers centres of the globe and boomeranging of competing alliances can bring nothing but another stint of Cold War.”

    Congratulating the National Security Division on organising the dialogue, Gen Bajwa stated that the contemporary concept of national security was not just about protecting countries from an external and internal threat.

    It is also about providing a conducive environment for ensuring human security, national progress and development, he said.

    The army chief’s comments come a a day after Prime Minister Imran Khan said that India would have to make the first move to normalise ties with Pakistan.

    “We are trying, but India would have to take the first step and unless it does that we cannot move ahead,” the prime minister had said while inaugurating the Islamabad Security Dialogue.

  • Maulana tells workers to continue long march preps despite PDM falling out

    Maulana tells workers to continue long march preps despite PDM falling out

    Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has directed the party’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) chapter to continue preparations for the March 26 long march to Islamabad, reports said Thursday.

    A letter was written to the party’s KP leadership on Fazl’s directives, directing the leaders not to slow down the preparations. The letter said the long march has only been postponed until Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) makes its decision on the march.

    Nine of the 11 component parties of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) are ready to participate in the long march while PPP has sought time to make a final decision concerning en masse resignations, the letter said.

    The development comes two days after the opposition alliance announced to postpone the long march after PPP linked its resignations from the legislative assemblies with deposed prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) supreme leader Nawaz Sharif’s return — a condition PML-N termed out of the question.

    “Nine parties [of PDM] were in favour of resignations along with the long march but PPP had expressed some reservations,” Fazl told reporters on Tuesday, adding the PPP would discuss the matter during its upcoming central executive committee (CEC) meeting.

    A day earlier, Fazl held a telephonic conversation with Nawaz and urged him to return to Pakistan, saying with top PML-N leadership living abroad in self-exile, it was difficult to execute decisions taken by the opposition alliance.

    After spending a year in prison, Nawaz, 71, secured a conditional bail in November 2019 to travel to London on the pretext of medical treatment and has since refused to return.

    His party insists that despite being summoned by the courts, which declared him a proclaimed offender in multiple corruption trials, the former premier will only return after the completion of his medical treatment.

  • ‘India has to take the first step’: PM Imran at Islamabad Security Dialogue

    ‘India has to take the first step’: PM Imran at Islamabad Security Dialogue

    Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday launched the first Policy Advisory Portal at the inaugural session of the Islamabad Security Dialogue. The portal has been developed by the National Security Division (NSD) to engage over hundred think tanks and academia in policy making, said the Prime Minister’s Office.

    PM Khan said that when his government came to power, he tried to resolve issues with India.

    “We just have one issue, which is Kashmir,” said the premier, adding that August 5 happened, which “led to a total breakdown between both countries.”

    PM Khan said he hopes that the right of self-determination given to the Kashmiris as per UN Security Council resolution would be given to the Kashmiris.

    “It would benefit India if there is a resolution on the Kashmir issue. If we achieve peace through dialogue, it will change the entire landscape of the region. There is a lot of poverty in India. Our trading and economic ties should be strong, which will increase regional connectivity. It will help India that it can have regional connectivity up to Central Asia. India has to take the first step after August 5, otherwise, we cannot move forward.”

    While inaugurating the Advisory Portal, Prime Imran Khan appreciated the initiative and said that Pakistan has immense young talent in this country.  “This is a step in the right direction”, he said.

    The advisory portal will be a dedicated and integrated platform through which major think tanks and universities working on the subject of comprehensive national security will be able to share policy recommendations directly with the national leadership.

    “The aim of the portal is to bridge the gap between intellectuals and policymakers,” said SAPM on National Security Division and Strategic Policy Planning Dr Moeed Yusuf who conceived the portal. 

    Islamabad Security Dialogue is a two-day international conference. Two sessions of the Islamabad Security Dialogue were held on Wednesday, while three sessions will take place on Thursday. Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa will inaugurate the second day. 

    Being held mostly in a virtual format, the Dialogue is being attended by officials, global and regional experts and media. The main theme of the Islamabad Security Dialogue is Comprehensive Security Framework that will enable the country to unfold its untapped potential in becoming a hub of global and regional development.

    The NSD plans to make the Islamabad Security Dialogue an annual event to parallel the world’s leading security dialogues.

  • Contempt case against ECP possible, warns govt

    Contempt case against ECP possible, warns govt

    Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry has said that the government will begin contempt proceedings against the members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), including the chief election commissioner (CEC) if they do not resign from their posts.

    Addressing a press conference along with Minister for Industries Hammad Azhar on Tuesday, Fawad said that the government is working with the Attorney General of Pakistan and will go for contempt of court proceedings against ECP officials. He warned that the ECP officials should step down themselves or legal options will be exercised.

    Earlier, the government had demanded election commission officials to resign and reconstitute the election body as it “failed to act as a neutral umpire”. 

    Meanwhile, ECP has sent notices to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and its own scrutiny committee to appear before the watchdog on March 22 to explain their stance over keeping secret the foreign funding documents of the ruling party.

  • Is PDM over? Nawaz believes ‘you know why’ PPP isn’t sure about long march, resignations

    Is PDM over? Nawaz believes ‘you know why’ PPP isn’t sure about long march, resignations

    With differences apparently coming to the fore among ranks of the opposition alliance as the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) seems to be stepping back from confrontation, a statement by former prime minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif has raised quite a few eyebrows.

    Talking about the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) Tuesday meeting, Nawaz told reporters in London that the long march “was set to be held on its time”, but the PPP had sought time to discuss the issue of the resignation in its Central Executive Committee (CEC) due to “reasons you already know”.

    He, however, dodged a question pertaining to the possibility of a deal being struck, “a consequence of which could be delays in joint opposition’s anti-govt plans, as sought by the PPP time and again over the past several months”.

    Earlier in the day, PPP Co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari urged the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo to return to Pakistan to strengthen the PDM.

    The two senior leaders spoke during the meeting of the anti-government alliance, wherein the former president told Nawaz that he must be ready to go to jail if they wish to fight against the establishment.

    Zardari said that he remained in jail for 14 years. He urged the PML-N supremo to return to the country at the earliest. He complained that PML-N Senator Ishaq Dar did not come to Pakistan to cast his vote in the Senate election.

    “The struggle against the establishment should be aimed at achieving democratic stability, instead of settling personal scores,” Zardari told the meeting.

    Nawaz, who attended the meeting through video link, was told that he needs to return whether the PDM moves forward with a long march or a no-confidence motion. Zardari further said that Nawaz’s presence was extremely important to secure support from Punjab.

    Speaking to Nawaz about the idea of mass resignations, Zardari maintained that such a move would only help PM Imran Khan and the members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government.

    He further stated that no move would be made to divide the parties of the PDM, emphasising that their war is within the parliament, not from the mountains.

    “When you return to Pakistan, we will hand over our resignations to you,” Zardari added, urging both Sharif and Dar to return.

    Defending her father, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz stressed that her father’s “life is in danger” and questioned how he could return under the circumstances.

    “Does Zardari sahab guarantee that my father’s life will not be in danger in Pakistan?”

    Maryam then reportedly said that she is there “of her own accord”.

    “Just like you are on video link, so is Mian sahab,” she said.

    She said that Nawaz’s life is “threatened under NAB custody” and that he had suffered “two heart attacks while in jail”.

    While the episode has “exposed” cracks within the opposition alliance which analysts say have now been there for a long time, reports claim Zardari later apologised to Maryam.

    “It was never my intent to have you apologise. I merely considered myself a daughter to you and complained as Bakhtawar or Aseefa would,” Maryam reportedly told the former president.

  • NAB strongly reacts to Maryam’s tirade

    NAB strongly reacts to Maryam’s tirade

    Reacting to PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz’ tirade, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has dismissed the same as an attempt to halt ongoing investigation against the Sharif family in Chaudhry Sugar Mills and money laundering cases.

    A day ago, Maryam had questioned who gave the bureau the right to “judge [her] statements”.

    Taking notice of the allegations that came as NAB moved LHC seeking cancellation of Maryam’s bail, the bureau, in a press release, said that the PML-N leader was trying to cause differences among institutions.

    “Statements against NAB and judiciary had been given in the past and attack over NAB Lahore office last year is evidence of it.”

    The bureau claimed that Maryam had “challenged law and order by giving inciteful speeches”, citing the violence that had erupted during her appearance at the NAB Lahore office in August last year.

    “NAB is an independent institution and striving to eliminate corruption from the country without any discrimination.”

    Read more – Maryam Nawaz being threatened, says Nawaz

    It said that after NAB summoned her in a personal capacity, Maryam was “making efforts to create an environment of chaos in the country, besides continuing to give treasonous statements against respectable institutions like NAB, judiciary and law enforcement agencies”.

    The primary purpose of these statements was to create obstacles in, and influence, the investigation of cases related to corruption and money laundering against the Sharif family besides promoting conditions that were detrimental to peace, the handout said.

  • Zardari asks Nawaz Sharif to return to Pakistan

    Zardari asks Nawaz Sharif to return to Pakistan

    Former president Asif Ali Zardari has reportedly asked former prime minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif to return to Pakistan in the ongoing meeting of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).

    According to reports, Zardari asked Sharif to return to Pakistan while discussing the resignations from the assemblies. He also said that “if we have to fight together, then we have to go to jail together as well”.

    “I have spent 14 years in jail,” said Zardari. He also complained about Ishaq Dar not returning to Pakistan for the Senate elections. Zardari asked both Sharif and Dar to return to the country, saying that if they return to the country, then the PPP will submit its resignations to Nawaz Sharif.

    Zardari said that if the opposition resigns from the assemblies now, it will strengthen Prime Minister Imran Khan as well as the establishment.

    Sources say that Maryam Nawaz has said her father’s life is under threat. She asked Asif Zardari to give a guarantee that nothing will happen to Nawaz Sharif upon his return.

    Later, after the meeting, core members of the PDM including Maulana Fazl ur Rahman, Maryam Nawaz and Yousuf Raza Gilani addressed a press conference in which they confirmed Zardari’s request.