Current Final

Category: Politics

  • ‘Jang/Geo journalists forced to deactivate Twitter accounts’

    ‘Jang/Geo journalists forced to deactivate Twitter accounts’

    At least three journalists affiliated with the Jang/Geo Media Group have allegedly been forced to deactivate their Twitter accounts, Urdu News reporter Waseem Abbasi has claimed.

    According to Abbasi, Wajih Sani, Umar Cheema and Azaz Syed “suddenly and suspiciously” deactivated their accounts “amid concerns about increasing censorship in the country”.

    In a subsequent tweet, the journalist claimed that all three were safe and had “only been asked to deactivate their Twitter accounts”. He, however, did not disclose who exactly had “asked” the three journalists to deactivate the accounts.

    With the claim taking over the micro-blogging website by storm, Wajih Sani returned to tweet, “Thank you for all your love. I am perfectly fine.”

    Twitter handles of both Azaz Syed and Umar Cheema, on the other hand, remain deactivated. Meanwhile, it is being speculated that the journalists have been forced to deactivate the accounts by their employer.

    None of the journalists have confirmed or denied it.

  • Murad Saeed promises to take action against Maryam Nawaz for refusing to pay toll tax

    Federal Minister for Postal Services and Communications Murad Saeed has vowed to take action against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz for not paying the Motorway toll tax.

    According to reports, Maryam Nawaz, who was en route Mandi Bahauddin from Lahore, for her rally refused to pay the toll tax on the motorway. As a result, a scuffle broke out between PML-N workers and motorway officials.

    Motorway police claimed that almost 80 vehicles, which were part of Maryam’s entourage, also passed the toll without paying the tax. They added that they let them go because they did not want to create unnecessary chaos. However, the search for those involved has been started.

    Maryam’s attitude angered Murad Saeed, who vowed that he will take stern action against her. He said that Maryam will now have to pay the tax with a fine. The minister asserted that every citizen is equal before the law and discrimination will not be done between the poor and rich.

  • Govt officials ditch Asad Umar at NA finance body meeting

    Govt officials ditch Asad Umar at NA finance body meeting

    Government officials have ditched former finance minister Asad Umar at a session of the National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee on Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs, a private media outlet reported.

    The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNA was appointed chairman of the NA finance body after he was sacked by Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan as the country’s finance minister earlier this year.

    According to reports, Umar on Thursday expressed displeasure over the absence of government officials during a meeting of the parliamentary committee convened by him.

    The committee, in protest, has postponed its approval for the passage of government bills, including the Foreign Exchange Regulation Amendment Bill 2019, Anti-Money Laundering Amendment Bill 2019 and Asset Declaration Ordinance 2019.

    “We are postponing the passage of all government bills,” Umar was quoted as saying. “If the government is not serious about these bills, then they should at least take us [committee members] seriously,” he said.

  • Govt goes after parents paying Rs200,000 or more as kids’ annual school fee

    Govt goes after parents paying Rs200,000 or more as kids’ annual school fee

    Continuing to desperately look for potential taxpayers, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has dispatched letters to parents paying Rs200,000 or more as their children’s annual school fee, The Express Tribune reported.

    Aggressively digging the records of citizens who, at some stage, have come under prominent sections of the Income Tax Ordinance, the FBR has asked the parents to declare their hidden assets and become tax return filers.

    “Data available with the FBR reveals that advance tax under Section 2361 of the Income Tax Ordinance 2001 has been collected from you and deposited in the government treasury, meaning thereby that you are paying an annual fee exceeding Rs200,000 per child (student) to educational institutions,” said the letter sent by the FBR’s Corporate Regional Tax Office (RTO) in Lahore.

    According to Section 2361, every educational institution is required to collect advance income tax at the rate of 5% on the fee paid. The person responsible for preparing monthly, bimonthly or quarterly fee vouchers shall also charge withholding tax in case the fee exceeds Rs200,000 annually.

    “Please note that the FBR intends to register all those persons who are earning taxable income and are liable to file returns under the Income Tax Ordinance 2001, but have failed to do so,” it stated, adding the registration drive also included the persons who were liable to be registered under the Sales Tax Act 1990 or Federal Excise Act 2005.

  • ‘Thai Airways never stopped operating from Pakistan’, Sherry Rehman ridicules Fawad

    ‘Thai Airways never stopped operating from Pakistan’, Sherry Rehman ridicules Fawad

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senator Sherry Rehman has ridiculed Federal Minister for Science & Technology Fawad Chaudhry over his claim regarding Thai Airways’ operations in Pakistan.

    “Thai Airways to start operation from Lahore to Bangkok and beyond with four flights a week starting July 16, 2019,” the minister had tweeted Tuesday.

    While a lot of people praised the “restoration” of Thai Airways’ operations after British Airways, that operated its first flight to the country in eleven years on June 2; some users, including Sherry, pointed out what was wrong with the claim.

    “Err, Thai Airways has been flying from Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi several times a week for over ten years. The Islamabad and Lahore flights were suspended due to [the] closure of air space recently. Islamabad flights have still not resumed,” she tweeted.

    Pakistan closed its airspace following an aerial engagement with the Indian Air Force (IAF) along the Line of Control (LoC) on February 27. On June 28, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) announced that the closure for overflight and transit flights will continue till July 12.

  • ‘Sleeping on floor with just one sheet’; how Rana Sanaullah spent his first night in jail

    ‘Sleeping on floor with just one sheet’; how Rana Sanaullah spent his first night in jail

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and MNA Rana Sanaullah, who was arrested by the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) on Monday, spent his first night in jail sleeping on the floor, a private media outlet has reported.

    Rana was taken into custody by the ANF while on his way to Faisalabad for a party meeting. Being intercepted on the motorway by an ANF team in Sukheki, he was detained for allegedly possessing a huge stash of heroin.

    With an anti-narcotics court sending the PML-N leader and other accused to prison on a 14-day judicial remand Tuesday, a news outlet has revealed how Sanaullah’s first night in jail went.

    According to reports, the lawmaker spent the night sleeping on the floor of Barrack No. 6 at Lahore’s Camp Jail, where he was provided with just a single sheet to sleep on.

    The PML-N leader was shifted to his cell after jail authorities emptied all neighbouring barracks, while the five other accused were kept in the old block of the prison.

    Sanaullah was arrested days after a large-scale crackdown on drug peddlers in Punjab was launched. Latest reports claim the MNA would be given B-class facilities in jail.

    Jail officials say B-class facilities include a newspaper, television, bed, table and chair, besides some other items.

  • 41% people happy over Zardari’s arrest, 31% unaffected: survey

    A recent survey has revealed that 41% of Pakistanis are happy over the arrest of former president Asif Ali Zardari, while the development has left 31% people unaffected.

    As per the details, the Gilani Research Foundation survey, based on a sample size of 1,386 men and women, was conducted in both urban and rural areas of all four provinces of the country from June 15-24.

    Among other answers, just 22% Pakistanis said they were upset, 2% remarked that they did not hear about the matter and 4% commented that they were either not aware or did not wish to respond.

    Former president Zardari was arrested on June 10 by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) officials and is accused of plotting to “misappropriate and launder” money out of the country through fake bank accounts.

    Other allegations against the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman include his use of Omni Group “front men” as associates in crime and receiving millions in cash.

  • PTI MPA seeks ‘corrective surgery and appropriate measures’ for transgender kids

    PTI MPA seeks ‘corrective surgery and appropriate measures’ for transgender kids

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MPA Shahina Karim on Wednesday submitted in the Punjab Assembly a resolution to safeguard the rights of transgender children, ARY News reported.

    “Most of the times during childbirth, the kid is not transgender, but is presumed so,” the resolution read.

    “Such a child can be assigned gender after corrective surgery and appropriate measures so that they too can spend life like a man or a woman,” the resolution stated further.

    The move comes amid rising numbers of transgender persons’ killings across the country. Just last week, a 19-year-old transgender woman was found “riddled with bullets” beside a river bank.

    The teenager’s father and uncle were arrested for her murder.

  • Riches in the corridors of power

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has publicly released the asset details of key politicians in the country.

    According to the documents, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari is revealed to be one of the wealthiest politicians with a net worth of Rs 1.5 billion. On the other hand, Federal Minister for Communications and Postal Services Murad Saeed has the minimum amount of assets. He reportedly only has 36 lakhs cash and 15 tolas of gold to his name.

    Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan owns assets worth Rs108 million. These assets include his Bani Gala residence which he declared was a gift, three foreign currency accounts (Dollar, Euro, Pound), four goats worth Rs 50,000 and 150 acres of agricultural land.

    PM Khan had also shared details of his wife, Bushra Bibi‘s assets which include a 3-kanal house in Bani Gala, 431-kanal land in Pakpattan and 266-kanal in Okara.

    Former president Asif Ali Zardari owns holdings worth Rs660 million. Leader of Opposition Shehbaz Sharif assets amounts to Rs189m.

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Rana Sanaullah own assets worth Rs600m and Rs66m respectively.

    Minister for Railways Shaikh Rasheed has assets worth Rs35m.

  • GRAPHIC CONTENT: Firing at Lahore airport kills two

    GRAPHIC CONTENT: Firing at Lahore airport kills two

    At least two people were killed and another injured when an unknown assailant opened fire at Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport.

    According to the police, the suspect was taken into custody by the Airport Security Forces (ASF). The firing, however, caused panic among people which led to a stampede.

    “The suspect reached the airport in a taxi, while the two deceased had returned home after performing Umra,” reports quoted a police official as saying.

    The incident took place at the arrival/waiting area outside the main airport building. Footage available with The Current shows the deceased man lying on the floor with two women sitting next to the body.

    Heavy contingents of police reached the airport to secure the premises. The entry of vehicles at the airport was also barred as a precaution.

    A debate has sparked over the ASF’s failure to stop the flow of weapons into the airport premises.

    This is a developing story.