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Category: Politics

  • Swat blasphemy lynching; ‘Whoever kills is a murderer’ says religious scholar Assim Alhakeem

    Swat blasphemy lynching; ‘Whoever kills is a murderer’ says religious scholar Assim Alhakeem

    Religious extremism and mob vigilantism across the country are on the rise. With the recent instance of the mob lynching of a man accused of blasphemy in Swat, a Twitter user asked renowned Saudi cleric Assim Alhakeem whether killing a person who has committed blasphemy is allowed in Islam.

    The religious scholar replied, “This is prohibited and whoever does this is a murderer and must be executed by the Muslim ruler if the heirs of the victim demands a life for a life.”

    On Thursday night, a violent mob invaded the police station in Swat where the suspect had been taken into custody, assaulting him till he died, then burned his body in the Madyan area of Swat district.

  • PTI demands court martial for Gen Bajwa

    PTI demands court martial for Gen Bajwa

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has demanded on Friday that former army chief Gen (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa should be held accountable for violating his oath.

    PTI made the demand after former Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Muhammad Zubair claimed that Bajwa was in contact with PML-N president Nawaz Sharif two months before the ouster of incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

    Zubair said on Kashif Abbasi’s show that Nawaz Sharif and the former army chief met multiple times in London.

    Following Zubair’s revelations, PTI demanded that the former army chief should be court-martialled for “dragging the military into politics, tainting its reputation, and putting national security at risk.”

    PTI said in its press release that “Jati Umra elites” are responsible for every conspiracy against the constitution, law and democracy in the country.

    The party allegedly blamed Bajwa by saing “Gen (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa is a national criminal in every respect as he put the institution of army, country, Constitution and democracy at stake for his personal interest.”

  • Dr. Sania Nishtar’s dual roles as Senator and CEO

    Dr. Sania Nishtar’s dual roles as Senator and CEO

    Dr Sania Nishtar, elected as a senator in 2021 on a PTI ticket, recently took to X (formerly Twitter) to share a picture of her shaking hands with French President Emmanuel Macron, thanking him for co-hosting the launch of her organisation Gavi’s investment event.

    Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance is an international organisation created in 2000 to improve access to new and underused vaccines for children living in the world’s poorest countries. Sania Nishtar was appointed its CEO in 2024.

    The mission statement on its official website reads, “AS PART OF ITS MISSION TO SAVE LIVES AND PROTECT PEOPLE’S HEALTH BY INCREASING EQUITABLE AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF VACCINES, GAVI HAS HELPED VACCINATE MORE THAN 1 BILLION CHILDREN IN 78 LOWER-INCOME COUNTRIES, PREVENTING MORE THAN 17.3 MILLION FUTURE DEATHS.”

    However, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Anny Marri quoted her tweet with strong criticism that Nishtar is a serving senator while also serving the interests of her own company.

    She wrote, “Pakistan’s senator so diligently serving Gavi’s interests as their CEO! Guess serving an international pay master while being a member of Pakistan’s upper house seems just fine to her. But maybe she can sometimes deign to attend the Senate from where she gets paid every month?!”

    Furthermore, an X user asked Marri whether Nishtar had resigned, to which the PPP senator replied, “No, no. Not only did she not resign, she’s getting paid by Senate every month. To be free of the burden of conscience – must be a great feeling. Seems these guys have a monopoly over it.”

  • NAB closes half of major corruption cases against politicians

    NAB closes half of major corruption cases against politicians

    The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has eliminated almost half of the 179 major corruption cases against famous politicians in the country.

    Multiple politicians, including Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Firdous Ashiq Awan, Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, Nawab Aslam Khan Raisani, and others, were facing corruption charges.

    A case related to assets beyond known means against President Asif Ali Zardari is also included in the list, but authorities acquitted him in that case.

    NAB also acquitted several individuals in major corruption cases, including former HBL head Yunus Habib, Husain Haqqani, Senator Sehar Kamran, and others.

    On the directions of the Supreme Court (SC), NAB shared details on its website in 2015, stating that almost 179 corruption cases were submitted to the apex court.

    Almost nine years later, the details in these cases showed three inquiries, four investigations, 85 undecided cases, and 87 cases closed by April 30, 2024.

    NAB closed the inquiry in July 2023 against president Pakistan Muslim League –Nawaz (PML-N) Nawaz Sharif and his brother Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in a case related to abuse of power to construct a road from Raiwind to the Sharif family residence.

    In 2017, NAB closed the investigation against Nawaz Sharif in a case regarding illegal appointments in Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

  • Meher Bano Qureshi has emotional birthday message for father ‘Qaidi 805’

    Meher Bano Qureshi has emotional birthday message for father ‘Qaidi 805’

    Meher Bano Qureshi, a member of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the daughter of incarcerated senior party leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi, took to X (formerly Twitter) to emotionally wish her father on his birthday on Saturday.

    Shah Mahmood Qureshi is currently imprisoned in Adiala Jail for cases related to May 9 event; however, the Islamabad High Court acquitted him in the Cipher case earlier this month.

    Meher Bano wrote to her father, “Happy Birthday Baba @SMQureshiPTI ♥ Not a day goes by that we don’t miss you. We thank you for your sacrifice. It is because of you that we hold our heads high and it is because of you that we will never give up fighting for our Pakistan. Inshallah this too shall pass and every single prisoner of conscience will return home to their families soon. Love you & miss you.”

    Earlier this week, Zain Qureshi, who is the son of Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that he expects his father would be released from prison after Eid ul Azha.

    “This is my second Eid without my father. He has offered the greatest sacrifice.” I’m hoping he’ll be released from jail after Eid,” Zain told journalists in Multan following Eid prayers.

  • Mohsin Naqvi slammed for enjoying Waheed kabab while law and order deteriorates

    Mohsin Naqvi slammed for enjoying Waheed kabab while law and order deteriorates

    Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has been harshly criticised by social media for posting a Tweet about Karachi’s famous Waheed Kabab while the law and order situation deteriorates across the country.

    On Friday afternoon, Naqvi took to X (formerly Twitter) to write: “Just had an extraordinary dinner at Waheed’s on Burns Road, Karachi! The dhaaga kebabs were simply divine. A huge thank you to Minister Ali Hassan for the fantastic company and making the evening memorable.”

    He also added a photo of himself at the famous food vendor.

    The tweet was flooded with quote RTs and replies reminding him of incidents that had happened in quick succession.

    Digital rights activist Usama Khilji wrote:
    “People being lynched to death from police custody – police arresting people for qurbani on Eid – and the tone deaf interior minister of Pakistan is posting about how he enjoyed divine kababs in Karachi. Resign @MohsinnaqviC42 if you can’t do your job.”

    Economist Uzair Younus didn’t mince his words either, writing, “Part-time interior minister having a meal while an entire community in the country was prevented from celebrating Eid.

    A man was also lynched over a blasphemy allegation.

    To top it off, part-time PCB chairman oversaw a catastrophic World Cup campaign for men’s cricket team.”

    Other netizens also asked him to do his job.

    In a post, one of the X users wrote, “You are Interior Minister and internal peace and security is your responsibility. Just wanted to remind you that”.

  • PML-N is in government due to PPP, says Hassan Murtaza

    PML-N is in government due to PPP, says Hassan Murtaza

    Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) central Punjab’s General Secretary Hassan Mutaza said on Friday that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is in power due to the support of his party, adding that 45 PPP MNAs are the government’s lifeline.

    In a video statement, the PPP leader addressed Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif: “If it were not for the PPP, you wouldn’t have been in the Prime Minister’s House; rather, you would have been in Adiala jail.”

    By minusing PPP, all of PML-N will land in jail, Murtaza said.

    Earlier, PML-N leader Hanif Abbasi said in an interview that it is compulsory for PPP to be an ally of government, but not for his party.

    However, Hassan Murtaza said that Hanif Abbasi should stop doing politics of hate and urged people within the PML-N to discourage people like Hanif Abbasi.

  • After ex-COAS Bajwa, PTI begging ‘someone else’ now for relief: Khawaja Asif

    After ex-COAS Bajwa, PTI begging ‘someone else’ now for relief: Khawaja Asif

    Defence Minister Khawaja Asif took Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to the cleaners saying that PTI is “begging someone else” for relief because previously that “someone” was former Army Chief General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa.

    Asif alleged that Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) leader Aun Chaudhry hid former Prime Minister Imran Khan in the car’s trunk to take him to General (retd) Amjad Awan’s house.

    Asif also claimed that Imran Khan tried everything to seek relief falling short of holding General Bajwa’s feet.

    The Defence Minister’s hard-hitting statement came in response to PTI Secretary-General Omar Ayub Khan’s criticism of the government’s new economic budget.

  • Section 144 imposed in Punjab as PTI calls for protest

    Section 144 imposed in Punjab as PTI calls for protest

    The Punjab government has imposed Section 144 across the province for seven days, citing security reasons.

    The decision came after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) called for a nationwide protest at 2PM today to “protect the sanctity of the vote.”

    The orders issued by the Home Department said that Section 144 will remain enforced throughout the province from June 21 to 27.

    Furthermore, it also said that due to the current situation of public order and security threats in the province, any public gathering of people can be a soft target of terrorists and miscreants, which can be a serious threat to law and order.

  • Abhi to party shoroo honi hai; Miftah Ismail’s new party is ready for launch

    Abhi to party shoroo honi hai; Miftah Ismail’s new party is ready for launch

    Former Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Miftah Ismail has unveiled the launch date of his new party, Awam Pakistan (AP), confirming that former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will be the party’s first chairperson.

    The ex-finance minister told Geo News on the phone that the Awam Pakistan party will be launched next month, and Abbasi will lead it. A ceremony will be held on July 6 in Islamabad.

    Explaining the party’s manifesto, the senior politician said that the aim of Awam Pakistan is to change the entire governance system of the country as the party believe in democracy and people’s will, adding that multiple politicians are in contact with him to join the party.

    Several politicians, including former PML-N leaders Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan Abbasi, Javed Abbasi, Syed Zaeem Hussain Qadri, Rana Zahid Tauseef, Zahid Binnouri, and Sardar Anwar Soomro, will be part of the Awaam Pakistan party.