Current Final

Category: Politics

  • ‘I have always run a clean business,’ says ‘shocked’ Tareen on damning sugar crisis report by Imran govt

    ‘I have always run a clean business,’ says ‘shocked’ Tareen on damning sugar crisis report by Imran govt

    With the damning inquiry report into the sugar crisis being made public on Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s call, senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Jahangir Tareen has said he is “shocked at the false allegations levelled against him” as he has “always run a clean business”.

    “Audit team of [Tareen-owned] JDW Sugar Mills found some additional information about ‘SATTA’ from interviews as well as forensic analysis of brokers of Punjab,” read the report, adding that during his interview with the investigation team, a broker named Aslam stated that in March 2020 he executed forward trades of around 11,135 trucks worth Rs10,292,219,000 with JDW and Ittehad Sugar Mills.

    Tareen, in response to the report, also said the entire country knew that he “paid full price to sugarcane growers”.

    “I do not maintain two sets of books. I pay all my taxes diligently. I will answer every allegation and be vindicated IA [sic],” he tweeted.

    Earlier, the premier’s aide on accountability, Shahzad Akbar, declared the report public in a press briefing and said that it confirmed PM Imran’s long-held view that businessmen in politics would always put business first.

  • COAS Gen Bajwa ‘takes notice’ of misbehaviour of army colonel’s wife towards police

    COAS Gen Bajwa ‘takes notice’ of misbehaviour of army colonel’s wife towards police

    Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa has reportedly taken notice of the mistreatment of police personnel by a woman claiming to be the wife of an army colonel, a video of which went viral on social media on Wednesday night.

    According to journalist Gharidah Farooqi, Gen Bajwa has ordered “prompt disciplinary action” against the military officer.

    “[The case of the] video of a serving military officer’s wife misbehaving with police at a check post on Hazara Motorway. COAS Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa takes prompt notice. Immediate disciplinary action initiated against the officer concerned,” she tweeted while welcoming the army chief’s decision.

    It was also tweeted by Senator Rehman Malik of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).

    “We must appreciate the prompt notice taken by Gen Qamar Javed Bajawa by ordering disciplinary action against the officer whose family misbehaved with the police,” he said, adding that the development spoke volumes of the army’s accountability system.

    READ: Inflation: Armed forces demand 20 per cent increase in salaries

    On Wednesday night, a viral video showed a woman misbehaving with police officials at a check post on Hazara Motorway in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) after she was stopped for what netizens say were security reasons.

    Claiming to be a colonel’s wife, the woman seemed insulted as she launched verbal attacks against the cops who continued to calm her down. The woman was also seen maneuvering her car at the police personnel until finally driving off after removing the barricade.

    WATCH VIDEO [STRONG LANGUAGE WARNING]:

    As ‘#ColonelKiBiwi’ trends on Twitter in Pakistan, a group of netizens has claimed that the woman’s husband, Lieutenant Colonel Muhammad Farooq Khan, has also had a similar reaction to police officers conducting their job and doing a routine security check.

    READ: From interior to info, health, telecom, power, civil aviation among others: Military men serving Pakistan

    While The Current has not yet been able to independently verify the claim, here’s a video of the woman’s alleged husband.

    Support is pouring in for the cops who were and are mistreated by those who think they are above the law, as people demand an end to the culture.

    Have anything to add to the story? Let The Current know in the comments.

  • NAB to host hi-tea for all its prisoners on Eid

    NAB to host hi-tea for all its prisoners on Eid

    The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) will give “relief” to its prisoners by offering hi-tea on Eid day, a statement issued by the anti-graft watchdog has revealed.

    “Keeping its past tradition alive, the bureau has arranged hi-tea for all detained suspects and they will also be presented bouquets on Eid day,” a NAB spokesperson said Wednesday.

    The bureau said it had decided to present bouquets to all its suspects detained at Kot Lakhpat and Camp jails on judicial remand. It said the bureau was doing so out of a goodwill gesture.

    Opposition leader in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shahbaz, Jang/Geo Media Group editor-in-chief Mir Shakilur Rehman and Lahore Development Authority (LDA) former director general Ahad Cheema are among the prominent NAB suspects on judicial remand.

    Meanwhile, a report in a local English daily has claimed that the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) suspects a serious foul play behind sudden appearance and circulation of a fake draft purported as a government bill that undermined its efforts to fix anomalies in the accountability regime.

    The report quoted a member of the cabinet as saying that the issue of NAB amendments had been pushed to the back burner yet again and now the government would see after Eid what could be done. The PTI government had recently decided to consult all stakeholders, including the opposition parties, to amend NAB law either through an ordinance or if possible by convening a session of parliament to carry out the required legislation.

  • Murad Saeed trolled as Donald Trump ‘follows footsteps of PM Imran’

    Murad Saeed trolled as Donald Trump ‘follows footsteps of PM Imran’

    Federal Minister for Communications Murad Saeed, who had falsely claimed that New York was to follow Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s coronavirus lockdown model, has been trolled by lawyer Reema Omer among others as United States (US) President Donald Trump expressed the desire for his country, worst-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, to reopen.

    The tweet by the lawyer came as Trump, who has been voicing his concerns over the adverse effects of the lockdown on the economy, tweeted, “REOPEN OUR COUNTRY!”

    The tweet by the US president coincided with PM Imran allowing to ease restrictions across Pakistan ahead of Eid to “wisely” provide relief to the labour class, daily wagers and lower-middle strata of the society.

    “Epic trolling,” tweeted senior journalist Abbas Nasir in response to Reema’s dig at the federal minister.

    ‘NEW YORK TO FOLLOW PAKISTAN’S LOCKDOWN MODEL’:

    In a May 11 viral video, Saeed had claimed that the US state of New York was going to follow the “smart lockdown” concept after being inspired by Imran Khan and Pakistan, however, fact checks revealed otherwise. Meanwhile, netizens shared videos and pictures of how the partial lockdown measures were failing even in Pakistan.

    The clip instantly gained popularity on social media and was reported by several Pakistani and international news outlets.

    “If you look at the smart lockdown concept implemented by PM Imran Khan even the governor of New York has quoted Pakistan’s contact tracing and tracking concept and are following it now,” the federal minister is heard saying while speaking at the National Assembly.

    Saeed also reportedly said that the cluster lockdown concept discussed by Khan is being taken forward by his counterpart Boris Johnson in the United Kingdom (UK).

  • Pakistanis for ‘boycotting UAE’ after Turkish journalist highlights Emirates’ relations with India

    Pakistanis for ‘boycotting UAE’ after Turkish journalist highlights Emirates’ relations with India

    Pakistani Twitterati on Wednesday eagerly jumped on the Turkey bandwagon to trend “#BoycottUAE [United Arab Emirates]” after Turkish journalist Ali Keskin asked them to do so while seeking sanctions on the Gulf country over its strengthening relationship with India among other reasons.

    Raising objections apparently over Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi being given UAE’s highest civilian award and the country sending medical supplies to India amid the pandemic, the journalist alleged that Emirates was biased towards India and also silent on the Kashmir issue while Turkey had stood by Pakistan on the same.

    https://twitter.com/alikeskin_tr/status/1262756828284252161
    https://twitter.com/alikeskin_tr/status/1262757376538447879

    This led to a war of words over the micro-blogging website. Reactions to the trend were myriad, with many netizens highlighting Pakistan’s outstanding debts to the UAE and how it has been, along with China, among the main avenues for Pakistan to seek bailouts.

    https://twitter.com/Muhammad_Adil_1/status/1262765905198616576
    https://twitter.com/TheZaiduLeaks/status/1262773114305462277
    https://twitter.com/PTItigresss/status/1262767308193140736

    Indians also reacted to the tweet:

    https://twitter.com/MohitJamwal77/status/1262990675781382152

    It may be noted that the Turkish tweet came amid UAE’s growing support for warlord Khalifa Haftar’s forces after they criticised Turkey’s actions in the Eastern Mediterranean, extending support for Libya’s legitimate government along with countries like Israel and Russia. Pakistani netizens, on the other hand, jumped on the bandwagon agreeing that Pakistan should impose sanctions against UAE when its relations with India were highlighted.

    Pakistan, however, has been a heavy borrower of the UAE, and owes the country $30 billion dollars.

  • Govt to hand over operations and management of Pakistan’s major airports to international firms

    Govt to hand over operations and management of Pakistan’s major airports to international firms

    Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz has announced the federal cabinet’s decision of handing over operations and management of Pakistan’s major airports to international firms, saying that a special committee to prepare a legal framework by June 30 has been formed.

    Briefing journalists about the decisions taken by Tuesday’s federal cabinet meeting under the chairmanship of Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan, the info minister said that country’s major airports will be outsourced to bring them on par with international standards. “The government is looking for some international firm with rich experience of operating and managing airports.”

    He said the cabinet was informed that some firms had already evinced interest in the matter and a legal framework had to be clarified before the tendering process started. “To this effect, a committee, to be headed by Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan, would fast track the process,” he said.

    According to sources, the members of the committee will include Special Assistant to PM on Overseas Pakistanis Zulfiqar Bukhari, the chairperson of the Board of Investment (BoI) and Adviser on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan as well as Adviser on Commerce, Trade and Industry Abdul Razak Dawood.

    About job security of employees working at airports in case of their outsourcing, Faraz said the government, which came to power on the basis of votes of masses, would like to ensure none was deprived of his or her job rather there could be more job opportunities.

  • Coronavirus: Army takes over distribution of protective equipment to ensure transparency

    Coronavirus: Army takes over distribution of protective equipment to ensure transparency

    National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) chief Lieutenant General Muhammad Afzal has said that the army, amid doctors’ complaints regarding the nonavailability of personal protective equipment (PPE), has taken over the distribution of the same and the equipment is now being provided to hospitals with the help of respective corps headquarters.

    “As we had received complaints from some doctors that they were not getting PPE, I requested COAS [Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa] after which it was decided that PPEs will directly be sent to the corps headquarters concerned rather than sharing them with the provincial governments,” Lt Gen Afzal said while addressing a press conference.

    According to Dawn, he added that the information regarding the dispatching of PPEs was, however, duly shared with the provincial governments. “Now the army is distributing the protective gear in the hospitals, and since then we have not received any complain.”

    The NDMA chairperson said the authority had adequate stocks of protective equipment which could cater to the needs of doctors and patients for the next month.

    He said initially Pakistan was dependent on foreign-made equipment but now except ventilators, everything else was being manufactured by local companies. “As a result of the local production of equipment, the cost of normal mask has dropped from Rs50 to Rs10 and N-95 mask is now available for Rs300 against its previous price of Rs2,000.”

    Lt Gen Afzal said so far five tranches of equipment had been sent to provinces and a universal helpline 111-157-157 set up to receive complaints regarding unavailability of PPE and other material being used against the virus.

    He said a quarantine centre established at Haji Camp in the capital was not being utilised as people of the area had demanded that such a centre should be away from populated areas.

  • Afridi promises ending unemployment if he becomes PM

    Afridi promises ending unemployment if he becomes PM

    Former cricket team captain Shahid Khan Afridi has said that he would address the issues of unemployment and education if he became the prime minister of Pakistan.

    During an interaction with journalists, undated footage and pictures of which are doing rounds on social media, Afridi was asked about his plans if handed reins of the country for 10 days.

    The video being recorded during a ceremony held as part of Afridi’s nationwide campaign titled “Taleem Ho Gi Aam, Her Beti Key Naam”, suggests it is from later last year.

    Addressing the ceremony, Afridi said that women were giving birth to children on streets in Sindh, adding that it was 21st century Pakistan where humans and animals were being forced to drink water from the same place.

    Seeking support from the youth, the former captain went on to say that Pakistan was stuck in a swamp of problems and we have to unite and make it an ideal country.

    “More than 20 million children are missing out on education and the goal is to bring them to school,” Afridi said.

    “Our culture and religion are very beautiful,” he said and added that loving humanity was the need of the hour.

    The former cricketer also reportedly highlighted the plight of Muslims in occupied Kashmir.

  • Seven soldiers martyred in Balochistan attacks

    Seven soldiers martyred in Balochistan attacks

    Seven soldiers have been martyred in two separate terror incidents in Balochistan, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Tuesday.

    According to the ISPR statement, terrorists targeted a vehicle of the Frontier Corps (FC) in Mach using improvised explosive devices (IEDs), claiming the lives of six Pakistan Army soldiers.

    The martyred soldiers were identified as Naib Subedar Ihsan Ullah Khan, Naik Zubair Khan, Naik Ijaz Ahmed, Naik Maula Bux, Naik Noor Muhammad and Abdul Jabbar.

    In a separate incident at Kech, another soldier, Sipahi Imdad Ali was martyred in an exchange of fire with militants.

    Just a day ago, another soldier was martyred and three others wounded when an explosive device ripped through a crowded bazaar near Mirali in North Waziristan tribal district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

    On May 9, at least six soldiers, including an Army major, were martyred after a roadside bomb struck a vehicle of the FC in Balochistan, close to the border with Iran. The attack was later claimed by the Balochistan Liberation Army, a Baloch separatist group.

    Balochistan, which shares its border with neighbouring Afghanistan and Iran, is the largest of the country’s four provinces with a population of roughly seven million.

  • Supreme Court orders reopening of shopping malls across Pakistan

    Supreme Court orders reopening of shopping malls across Pakistan

    Despite coronavirus continuing to spread across the country, the Supreme Court (SC), which seems to be at odds with the government over the latter’s handling of the pandemic, has ordered the reopening of shopping malls across the country.

    According to the details, a five-member larger bench of the apex court was hearing a suo motu case regarding measures taken to curb the spread of COVID-19.

    The bench was headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed while Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed were also on the bench.

    During the hearing today, Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed remarked that if the shops are shut down then shopkeepers will ‘die of hunger rather than the coronavirus’.

    CJP Ahmed said that in Karachi, except for five big malls every market has resumed operations.

    Upon which, Commissioner Karachi Iftikhar Shallwani said that a few markets were sealed for not following the Standard Operating Procedures laid out by the government.

    “The sealed markets should be opened and instead of intimidating them (shop owners) make them understand (the situation and SOPs),” remarked the top judge.

    The CJP noted that the SOPs will be ‘better implemented’ at the big shopping malls.

    The apex court also ordered that on the weekends, all the small markets should remain open to public.