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Category: Politics

  • Two govt-controlled depts spied on Jahangir Tareen, monitored his family, his businesses?

    Two govt-controlled depts spied on Jahangir Tareen, monitored his family, his businesses?

    Former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) secretary general Jahangir Khan Tareen was reportedly spied on by two government-controlled departments — neither linked to any defence organisation or the armed forces — after being tasked by his own party to monitor his activities and businesses as well as those of his family.

    While Geo, citing sources, has reported that the departments monitored the same over several weeks, the claims have been categorically denied by the government.  

    Tareen’s residences in Islamabad and Lodhran were allegedly bugged, as were his sugar mills and other business interests. His activities, including meetings with politicians, businessmen and friends, were monitored and phone calls taped, the report said, adding that phone calls of all the members of his family were also allegedly recorded.

    Three weeks ago, a team from the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) had raided the head office of Tareen’s sugar mill and seized office records. It is not clear whether the raid was linked to the bugging operation or not.

    Advisor to the Prime Minister (PM) on Accountability and Interior Shahzad Akbar has, however, rejected the allegations, describing them as “fiction”.

    He said that the allegation that Tareen and his family were spied on was “news” for him. “All concerns of those who were subject of the Sugar Commission inquiry [including Tareen] were raised by them in multiple cases before various high courts as well as the Supreme Court of Pakistan.”

  • Ahead of Maryam’s jalsa, FIRs registered in Gujranwala for violating coronavirus SOPs

    Ahead of Maryam’s jalsa, FIRs registered in Gujranwala for violating coronavirus SOPs

    Over 100 people, including internet service providers, sound system organisers and residents holding corner meetings, have been named in at least seven FIRs [First Information Reports] at different police stations across Gujranwala for violating coronavirus guidelines ahead of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz’s jalsa.

    The daughter of former prime minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif is due to hold a public gathering in the city on October 16 as part of the joint opposition’s anti-government campaign. She is expected to be joined by Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chief Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari as well in what is expected to be a mammoth power show by opposition parties.

    While PM Imran Khan has reportedly given permission to the opposition’s Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) for holding its protest rallies that are expected to feature fiery speeches against the government and security establishment as it puts forward 26 demands, including the resignation of the premier, sources claim that authorities concerned are springing into action in this regard.

    “After Federal Minister Sheikh Rasheed’s warning that the next few months could be critical in terms of internal security and any prominent personal could suffer an attempt on his or her life, coronavirus is being used as a reason to bar the opposition from protesting against the government,” they alleged.

    However, according to the police, the people named in the aforementioned FIRs had not been following coronavirus SOPs, especially social distancing rules.

    “Residents have to submit a request for an NOC [no-objection certificate] before holding gatherings,” a police officer said, adding that Gujranwala’s chief police officer had instructed the police to ensure strict implementation of COVID-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) in the city.

    “The government has been cracking down on restaurants and other public spaces across the country for violation of SOPs since the number of cases in Pakistan spiked again in September,” he said.

    NEW COVID-19 RULES:

    Earlier in the day, it was also reported that the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has said public gatherings should preferably be avoided and those that are held, their duration should not exceed for more than three hours.

    Interestingly, the NCOC made it clear that the guidelines were not for wedding events or sports ones as separate SOPs had been issued for the former and for the latter, will be released soon.

    The NCOC defined a public gathering as an event “where people are assembled on any given space; indoor or outdoor, for some purpose such as cultural events, religious gatherings, sports events, entertainment/cultural events, parties, political gatherings or other similar events”. 

    The following public gatherings will have to follow the newly issued guidelines: 

    • Entertainment/Cultural Gatherings

    • Public gatherings of Unions/Associations or any such group

    • Religious gatherings

    • Political gatherings

    • Family gatherings

    • Civil society group gatherings

    • Sports related gatherings (SOPs to be issued separately)

    • Marriage (being a frequent & obligatory activity) has been excluded from the list and a separate list of SOPs comprising strict restrictions has already been issued for it

    A day earlier, the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) had warned that a second coronavirus wave could hit the country this winter. 

    The PMC warned authorities and the general public about the foreseeable second spike of coronavirus, saying that it is likely to start from educational institutions as it happened in the United States (US), India and Iran.

  • Imran’s national security aide terms Chinese persecution of Muslims a ‘non-issue’

    Imran’s national security aide terms Chinese persecution of Muslims a ‘non-issue’

    Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (PM) on National Security aide Dr Moeed Yusuf has termed the Chinese persecution of Uyghur Muslims a “non-issue”.

    In an interview with Indian media outlet The Wire, Yusuf on Tuesday revealed that India had expressed a “desire for conversation” but said that Pakistan’s agreement to talks would be conditional.

    While his statements and Pakistan’s pre-conditions for the resumption of “meaningful dialogue” with India to resolve all outstanding issues have made headlines, the details less reported are of what he had to say about Chinese persecution of Muslim minority Uyghurs in its Xinjiang region.

    Even though China is facing growing criticism over its crimes against the said minority group, huge numbers of whom are allegedly being held in internment camps, Pakistan has been accused of turning a blind eye towards the same.

    READ: In a first since Kashmir’s 2019 siege, Imran’s national security aide gets interviewed by Indian journalist

    On Tuesday, when asked why PM Imran Khan had never raised his voice for the Uyghur community in China, the SAPM said, “China and Pakistan are friends like no other. We have a completely transparent relationship; virtually everything under the sky, we discuss.

    “Uyghurs is a non-issue […] Our delegations have visited, we’ve seen and we are a 100 per cent satisfied that it’s a non-issue. The West can say what it wants. I am telling you as a responsible official: we know everything we need to know about the Uighurs and everything else in China as they do about us.”

    Thapar quoted an interview PM Imran gave to the Financial Times last year, where the premier had said: “Frankly, I don’t know much about” the Uyghur issue. Yusuf, however, continued to insist that the matter was a non-issue and said that he had briefed the premier about it.

    YUSUF UNDER FIRE:

    Among the many prominent persons who reacted to Yusuf’s remarks was Omar Waraich, who is the South Asia deputy director of global rights group Amnesty International.

    Here’s what he had to say:

    Several others also called Imran’s aide out.

  • In a first since Kashmir’s 2019 siege, Imran’s national security aide gets interviewed by Indian journalist

    In a first since Kashmir’s 2019 siege, Imran’s national security aide gets interviewed by Indian journalist

    In a first, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on National Security Dr Moeed Yusuf has been interviewed by an Indian journalist.

    During his interview with Karan Thapar, Yusuf set five pre-conditions for the resumption of “meaningful dialogue” with India to resolve all outstanding issues, including the longstanding dispute of Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IoK).

    While he said that Pakistan desired peaceful ties with India and wanted to resolve all issues through dialogue, Yusuf asserted that for any meaningful dialogue to take place between the two neighbours, India has to release all political prisoners in Kashmir, end inhuman blockade and restrictions, rescind domicile law that allows non-Kashmiris to settle in the disputed territory, stop human rights abuses and end state terrorism in Pakistan.

    This is the first time Pakistan put forward its pre-conditions for resumption of talks with India since the Modi government revoked the special status of IoK.

    Interestingly, he did not mention the restoration of the special status of Kashmir as one of the pre-conditions for restarting talks with India, which Pakistan has been condemning since August 5, 2019, when New Delhi had revoked Article 370 and 35-A of the Indian Constitution to rob the troubled valley of its autonomy.

    “Pakistan would be ready for dialogue with India if Modi government accepts those preconditions,” Yusuf said and also spoke of the involvement of Indian intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing’s (RAW), in terrorism in Pakistan.

    “Pakistan had evidence that the mastermind of December 2014 APS terrorist attack in Peshawar was in contact with RAW,” he said.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    The SAPM added that India used its missions in one of the neighbouring countries of Pakistan to facilitate and sponsor terrorist attacks at a five-star Hotel in Gwadar, the Chinese Consulate in Karachi and the Pakistan Stock Exchange.

    He maintained that Islamabad, under the leadership of PM Imran Khan, wanted a peaceful neighbourhood but India’s Hindutva policies were obstructing the path to attain regional peace.

  • VIDEO: ‘I don’t eat gulab jamun but couldn’t say no to army chief,’ says Zubair about ‘secret meeting’

    VIDEO: ‘I don’t eat gulab jamun but couldn’t say no to army chief,’ says Zubair about ‘secret meeting’

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader and former Sindh governor, Muhammad Zubair, who has been appointed as party supreme leader Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz’s spokesperson, has revealed further details of his “secret meeting” with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa and shared what dinner with the military bigwig was like.

    In an exclusive interview with The Current, Zubair said that he isn’t a big fan of gulab jamun but that’s what they had for dessert the night he met Gen Bajwa over dinner.

    “I’m not a gulab jamun person but I couldn’t say no to him [Gen Bajwa] since he is a dignitary… he is the COAS,” the former Sindh governor said when asked about the details of his meeting that was also reportedly attended by Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General (DG) Lt Gen Faiz Hameed.

    He said that the first meeting lasted for four hours whereas the second one lasted for three.

    Talking about the kind of food he was served, Zubair said it was Pakistani cuisine. “He knew I’m one for desi food. I think he got it arranged while keeping that in mind,” the PML-N leader said.

    To a question about what did Gen Bajwa have, Zubair said he didn’t remember.

    When asked if Maryam, who, along with her father, has over the past month been making headlines for criticising the military and accusing the security establishment of meddling in political affairs, was upset with him for meeting the army chief, Zubair said she trusts him.

    “She has faith in my decision-making and knows I will always do the right thing for the party.”

    During the wide-ranging interview, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Asad Umar’s brother, among other things, also shared how emotional politics can get when someone from your family belongs to a rival party, and shared his views on the current situation of the economy, as well as what he thinks of Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan.

    WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE:

  • Lt Gen (r) Asim Saleem Bajwa quits PM Imran’s team

    Lt Gen (r) Asim Saleem Bajwa quits PM Imran’s team

    Lt Gen (r) Asim Saleem Bajwa has stepped down as Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s special assistant on information and broadcasting, the former military bigwig has announced in a tweet himself.

    “I requested the honourable PM to relinquish me from the additional portfolio of SAPM [special assistant to prime minister] on info and broadcasting. He very kindly approved my request,” Bajwa stated.

    He will, however, continue to remain the chairman of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Authority.

    The development comes a month after the premier rejected Bajwa’s resignation from the post after the latter categorically rebutted all corruption allegations levelled against him.

    CORRUPTION ALLEGATIONS:

    On August 27, a website known as Fact Focus published a story, claiming that Lt Gen Bajwa’s family had set up 99 companies in four countries, including a pizza franchise with 133 restaurants.

    The website further claimed that Lt Gen (r) Bajwa’s wife was a “shareholder” in at least 86 companies. Of them, 71 were set up in the US, seven in the UAE and four in Canada.

    Defending the businesses and enterprises owned by his brothers in countries abroad, he had said that shameless allegations were levelled against him to tarnish his image.

    Lt Gen Bajwa, in rejoinder to a story published on an “unknown website”, had lamented that the allegations were “false and incorrect”. He had insisted that on the date of filing of his declaration, i.e. June 22, 2020, his spouse was no longer an investor or shareholder in any business of his brothers.

    About the investments abroad, Lt Gen Bajwa had said that since 2002 till June 1, 2020 his wife had only invested $19,492 in his brothers’ companies. He had said that all investments came from his savings over the last 18 years, and no regulations of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) have been broken.

    Concerning the alleged investment of businesses in the pizza chain Papa John’s in the US and DQ, UAE, Lt Gen Bajwa had said that facts and figures were fully documented.

    He had insisted that Bajco Global Management, LLC did not have any ownership interest in any Papa John’s in the USA, DQ, UAE or any real estate.

    READ: ‘Who is this Mr Bajwa you are talking about?’ NAB DG on alleged assets of Lt Gen (r) Asim Bajwa’s family

    “The author further makes a false claim that Bajco owns 99 companies. The author has listed many companies multiple times on his list. There is a total of 27 active companies in the US and two in the UAE,” he had said.

    “For eighteen years, the actual out of pocket cash investment into the said businesses by my brothers and wife has been about US$73,950/-. It is further pointed out that out of US $73,950/-, my wife’s contribution, as stated aforesaid, is US$19,492/-. Thus, the total out of pocket cash contribution of my five brothers, for eighteen years, has been US$54,458.”

    He had added that the cash contributions of $54,458 by his five brothers were fully accounted for and traceable to their sources. He further said that apart from his five brothers and his wife, the businesses have at least 50 other investors. He maintained that any further investments were a result of profits generated from the business, while also mentioning the various qualifications of his five brothers as a source of income.

    “One question that may be underscored is whether three persons who have worked in the US up to the positions of a Vice President in a US Bank, a Controller in a restaurant operating company, and as an operating partner of a restaurant; and two persons having worked as doctors, would not be able to save US$54,458/-,” argued Lt Gen Bajwa.

    Responding to the allegations made about businesses of his children, he said that the company Scion Builders and Estates (Pvt.) Ltd owned by his sons and registered in the SECP had never done any business and same is dormant since inception. He said the same about other businesses owned by his sons, namely Advance Marketing (Pvt.) Ltd, Scion Natura LLC, and Mochi Cordwainers.

    READ: ‘Lt Gen (r) Asim Bajwa to issue clarification on report linking military career to family’s businesses’

    Regarding an allegation about a house owned by his son’s Scion Management Group LLC, he had asserted that the house was only 31,000 and had been bought by his sons through their independent resources in “cheap foreclosure proceedings”.

    “Baseless allegations have been levelled that a business entity of my two brothers by the name of Silkline Enterprises (Pvt.) Ltd has been formed to acquire CPEC contracts. It may be stated that this company has never acquired any CPEC contract. This company is in Rahim Yar Khan and has only provided labour/human resources to industries in Rahim Yar Khan region,” he had added.

    He had said that one of his sons owns a house in the USA but it has been acquired through a mortgage in the manner that 80 per cent of loan/mortgage remains unpaid.

    “This again is a small time-house. All my sons are above 18 years and none are my dependents. Masha’Allah their ages are 33, 32 and 27 years respectively. It shall be noted that my sons completed their business degrees from reputable universities in the United States and have had well-paying jobs,” concluded the retired general.

    PM Imran had expressed satisfaction over the clarification.

  • Sheikh Rasheed foresees ‘assassination of some prominent personality’

    Sheikh Rasheed foresees ‘assassination of some prominent personality’

    Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed has made headlines for reportedly saying that anything can happen over the next four months, including an attempt on his life or that of some other prominent person.

    “Anything can happen within the next four months… February 20 is the date… everything will be sorted…” reports quoted Rasheed as saying.

    “Some terrorist attack could happen, coronavirus could spread again, the [Pakistan] People’s Party (PPP) could break away from the [opposition] alliance, I could get killed or so could some other prominent person,” the minister reportedly said, adding that if something of the sort happens, it could lead to a civil war in the country.

    “Plans to ignite a sectarian fire were foiled when law enforcement acted promptly ahead Chehlum of martyrs of Karbala last week as well,” he said.

    The minister also spoke at length about the possibility of a terrorist attack and how every person’s life was in danger.

    The minister’s statement comes while investigators remain clueless about the perpetrators of the high-profile targeted killing of prominent religious scholar Maulana Adil Khan, who along with his driver, was shot dead in Karachi on Saturday.

    According to police, the scholar was sitting in a Toyota Vigo parked outside Shama Shopping Centre when suspects on motorcycles came up to him and opened fire. He succumbed to the wounds on his way to the hospital.

    While authorities claim foreign powers were at play, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has described it as “an attempt by India to create sectarian conflict across the country”.

    The premier, while strongly condemning the targeted killing of Maulana Adil of Jamia Farooqia in Karachi, said that India is attempting to target religious scholars to fan sectarian rift in the country.

    In a series of tweets on Sunday, he stressed upon the religious scholars from all sects to ensure that people do not fall prey to nefarious Indian designs to destabilise Pakistan by fuelling a sectarian conflict.

    “We have prevented a number of such attempts pre-emptively in the last few months. Our intelligence organisations and law enforcement agencies will nab culprits of this murder also,” he said.

  • PML-N MPA calls boss Nawaz a ‘lota’, says India taking advantage of his speeches

    PML-N MPA calls boss Nawaz a ‘lota’, says India taking advantage of his speeches

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MPA Jalil Sharaqpuri has slammed his boss and party’s supreme leader Nawaz Sharif, calling him a “lota”, saying that “India is taking advantage of his speeches”.

    The lota — a plastic vessel — is used figuratively in Pakistani politics as an insulting term for people who switch parties and loyalties quite frequently.

    Sharaqpuri is among the five PML-N lawmakers from Punjab who earned the ire of the party leadership when they met Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar without obtaining permission.

    “Did Nawaz not change his [loyalties]?” he asked while addressing a press conference, adding, “They are all lotas.”

    “In my opinion, Nawaz’s speeches were inappropriate,” he said, adding that the PML-N supremo, who has over the past month made headlines for his fiery speeches, should speak in the interest of Pakistan.

    Sharaqpuri said that while the party leadership makes decisions, a person should be able to express his reservations against them.

    The lawmaker said that he was a member of the PML-N earlier and had left the party after “ideological differences with Nawaz”, following which he was with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for eight years.

    “In the 2018 elections [PML-N lawmaker] Rana Tanveer asked me to opt for PML-N’s ticket and I agreed on the condition that I be allowed to hold on to my differences with Nawaz,” Sharaqpuri said.

    He added whatever the party, he had come into politics “to serve the country”.

    “For me Pakistan comes before anything or anyone else.”

    Talking about Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan, he said that the premier has Pakistan’s interests at heart. “He raised the slogan of Islam in the United Nations (UN).”

    “If PML-N talks about honouring the vote, then respect should also be accorded to votes given to Imran Khan,” he said.

    Reacting to an event that took place a few days ago, where PML-N workers placed a lota on top of his head, Sharaqpuri demanded PML-N to take action against those involved.

    “I joined PML-N with good intentions, and I am still a part of it,” he said.

  • VIDEO: ‘ISI keeps a check on prime ministers,’ Imran reveals

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has revealed that Pakistan’s premier intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), keeps a check on the country’s chief executives and is the first to know when any government is involved in corruption.

    Addressing a ceremony organised by the Insaf Lawyers Forum (ILF) in Islamabad on Friday, he claimed that ISI’s check on the integrity of PMs was the actual reason behind opposition parties’ clash with the security establishment. Reports quoted Imran as saying that if he too “started laundering money” out of the country, the ISI would find out about it before anyone else “because it is the world’s top agency”.

    “Military is unlike other institutions. They [former ruling parties] manipulated all institutions that were responsible to keep checks and balances, except one. They know the ISI is aware of all their theft. They try to control it and that’s where the conflict starts,” he said.

    Mocking Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo and deposed PM Nawaz Sharif, who, in recent weeks, has levelled serious allegations of political interference against the armed forces, the premier commented on the claim that Nawaz was asked to step down by ex-ISI chief Zaheerul Islam.

    “Why did he [Islam] say that? And why did you [Nawaz] silently hear that? Because Zaheerul Islam knew how much money you had stolen,” PM Imran said and added that Nawaz “fought with every army chief” because he wanted to turn the military into Punjab police.

    Referring to what he termed Nawaz’s “attacks” on the Pakistan Army, he said, “If anyone is going around with India’s agenda, it is the [opposition].” He added that if the Pakistani military was weakened, the country would see similar turbulence as in other Muslim countries such as Libya, Syria and Yemen.

    “We are safe today because of the sacrifices rendered by our armed forces,” the premier stressed.

    Imran said the reason he did not have any “problems” with the army and the military supported every agenda of his government was because of his clean record.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    Furthermore, the PM sent a warning to the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) — an opposition alliance launching anti-government protests next week. “The moment you break the law, you will go straight to jail — and not to a VIP jail, but where the poor are sent,” he said.

    The premier said that all the “employed” opposition politicians had united on one platform because “they consider themselves above the law” and “unanswerable”.

    PM Imran said that the PDM was the latest attempt by the opposition to obtain an NRO-like agreement. He drew parallels between the PDM and the opposition’s attempts to “blackmail” the government over the passage of legislation concerning the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

    “The day they get an NRO would be the downfall of Pakistan,” he added.

    Referring to the opposition’s allegation of the vote having been stolen in the 2018 elections, the premier said he had gotten “the most votes in Pakistan and won from five constituencies.”

    “I am democracy,” he declared.

  • ‘Army chief had nothing to do with election rigging,’ ex-PM says

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) stalwart and former prime minister (PM) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said that Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa had nothing to do with rigging in the 2018 general election, which his colleagues among other opposition leaders allege.

    “I met him [Gen Bajwa] in November 2018 and expressed no reservations regarding rigging because he had nothing to do with it,” Abbasi said while speaking to journalists on Wednesday. He added that the meetings between ex-Sindh governor and PML-N leader Muhammad Zubair with the COAS were being misconstrued.

    Abbasi, who is among the many PML-N leaders booked for sedition over ex-PM Nawaz Sharif’s fiery speeches against the government and state institutions, further said that the government was distributing treason certificates. “It does not matter what ministers say… Imran Khan is the one behind these cases.”

    Lashing out at the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), he also said that PM Imran did not know that sugar was being sold at Rs110 per kg, he did not know that unemployment was on the rise, and was not even aware that CPEC [China-Pakistan Economic Corridor] has been closed.”

    “Can’t believe he [Imran] thinks that people will buy it when he says he has nothing to do with the cases registered against the PM of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and those who served the country, including two former premiers and three former army generals… they have become traiters today.”

    Abbasi maintained that traitors were the ones “who stopped work on CPEC and added to the masses’ miseries”.