Current Final

Category: Politics

  • Foreign companies seem uninterested in buying shares of PIA

    Foreign companies seem uninterested in buying shares of PIA

    The privatisation of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has started, but foreign companies do not seem interested in buying most of its shares, The Express Tribune reported on Wednesday.

    Sources claimed that only two companies from Gulf countries sent investment documents by depositing $5,000.

    However, both companies have not submitted applications for tenders yet. The last day to submit applications for tenders for PIA’s privatisation is May 3rd.

    Sources within the Privatisation Commission confirmed that they will probably extend the deadline by a month for submitting applications for PIA tenders.

    Officials responsible for privatisation, including the financial adviser for the national carrier, lack experience in attracting foreign investment.

    Pakistani authorities have not received messages about the process yet.

  • Well aware of our constitutional limits, says COAS Asim Munir

    Well aware of our constitutional limits, says COAS Asim Munir

    Addressing the passing out parade of Pakistan Air Force, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir said that the army is well aware of its constitutional limits but others should be aware of the limitations of freedom of speech.

    Commending the Pakistan Air Force, the Chief remarked, “You are the centre of our hopes, the protector of our skies and the guarantor of regional unity.”

    Offering advise to the passing out batches, he stated that their behaviour will be significant not only for their own personal reasons but for their organisation as well.

    Then General Asim Munir said, “We are well aware of our constitutional limits and expect others to uphold the constitution as well.”

    He quoted Article 19 of Pakistan’s constitution and remarked that the constitution has clearly defined the limits of freedom of speech.

    Article 19: Freedom of speech, etc.


    Article 19 of the Constitution talks about the freedom of speech, freedom of expression and freedom of the press. Every citizen of Pakistan has the right to hold opinions, the right to express them, and the right to speech. The law can abrogate this right only in the interest of the glory of Islam and the integrity, security and defence of Pakistan, to maintain public order, decency and morality, or in relation to contempt of court and/or incitement to an offence.

  • Bilawal Bhutto not in favour of privatising PIA

    Bilawal Bhutto not in favour of privatising PIA

    Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has expressed his opposition to the Shehbaz Sharif-led government’s privatisation policy for Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM).

    The PPP chairman said at a Labour Day event in Karachi that his party will try to convince Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb to revive PIA through a public-private partnership instead of privatising it.

    On the other hand, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) urged the Pakistani government to privatise state-owned enterprises to revive the country’s economy.

    However, the finance minister has laid emphasis many times on the importance of privatising state-owned enterprises, including PIA and PSM, for the betterment of the economy.

    Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also said that it will be an “unconstitutional step” if the federal government privatises PIA.

    Former senator Raza Rabbani further clarified that the government’s agenda of privatisation was “unacceptable” to the PPP.

  • 70 people lost lives in militant attacks in April

    70 people lost lives in militant attacks in April

    Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), an Islamabad-based think-tank, published its monthly security assessment report in which it was revealed that militant attacks claimed 70 lives in April 2024.

    According to the monthly report, Pakistan experienced at least 77 militant attacks during the month of April which resulted in 70 deaths, including 35 civilians and 31 members of security forces.

    Total number of injured people was 67.

    As compared to the previous month, there has been a stark increase in attacks. In March, Pakistan experienced 56 militant attacks.

    This indicates a 38 per cent increase in the number of militant attacks, although there was a nine per cent decline in deaths, with no change in the number of injuries.

  • PTI alleges CJP Isa insincere with judicial ‘interference’ issue

    PTI alleges CJP Isa insincere with judicial ‘interference’ issue

    Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) central information secretary Raoof Hasan, on Wednesday, expressed concern over the conduct of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa during Supreme Court proceedings on the issue of interference by spy agencies in the judiciary.

    PTI demanded that a full court be constituted to hear the matter on a daily basis, and more importantly, that CJP Isa should disassociate himself from the bench.

    Raoof Hasan was accompanied by the former chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan Khalid Khursheed and PTI advocate Abuzar Salman Niazi.

    The secretary information remarked that the six judges of Islamabad High Court (IHC) asked the CJP for help but the Chief Justice referred it to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

    He said one should not forget that the PM and operatives of intelligence agencies were among those implicated in the matter.

  • US reassures Pakistan of its support to end terrorism

    US reassures Pakistan of its support to end terrorism

    The United States (US) has reassured Pakistan once again of its support to end terrorism in the country for the safety of citizens and protection of human rights, Geo reported on Wednesday.

    “We support Pakistan’s efforts to combat terrorism and ensure the safety and security of its citizens in a manner that promotes the rule of law and the protection of human rights,” US State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said in a press briefing.

  • Miftah Ismail cries while remembering treatment meted out to his family by PTI govt

    Miftah Ismail cries while remembering treatment meted out to his family by PTI govt

    Miftah Ismail, former finance minister of Pakistan, got emotional during a talk show on Dawn News when journalist Wasatullah Khan asked him about his feelings after the recent “clean chit” he got from the court in the LNG case.

    Miftah remarked, “Today should have been a happy day but it was a bitter day for me because of memories.”

    Miftah broke down then, getting teary-eyed while saying, “They raided my home and breached my wife’s privacy by opening her closets.”

    “I remember this and I will take Imran Khan to the court,” said Miftah.

    He stated that an inquiry had already been conducted in Sindh in which he was exonerated and even though all the departments were based in Sindh but they opened a new inquiry on Sheikh Rashid’s request in Islamabad.

    He further said, “I will take Irfan Mangi to court who was the DG NAB in Islamabad, Javed Iqbal (DG NAB) and Imran Khan to court.”

  • Six policemen injured in attack in Taunsa

    Six policemen injured in attack in Taunsa

    Six security officials got injured, with one of them in critical condition, after terrorists attacked a police checkpoint in Taunsa Sharif on Wednesday morning.

    The police confirmed that terrorists attacked Hazrat Umar Farooq, also known as Jhangi checkpost, in the Wahova area of Dera Ghazi Khan, near Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

    Following the attack, law enforcement agencies swiftly reached the spot and surrounded the area. They then initiated a search operation to apprehend the perpetrators. The injured officials were promptly transported to the Taunsa Sharif THQ Hospital for medical treatment.

    Chief minister of Punjab Maryam Nawaz condemned the attack and ordered top-notch medical treatment for wounded security officials.

    She also appreciated the efforts of police officials to tackle terrorism in the country.

  • Rana Sanaullah appointed PM Shehbaz’s adviser on political affairs

    Rana Sanaullah appointed PM Shehbaz’s adviser on political affairs

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has appointed Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Punjab President Rana Sanaullah as his adviser on political and public affairs.

    The President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari approved the appointment of Sanaullah as the PM’s advisor.

    Rana Sanaullah served as the interior minister during the previous government but lost his seat in the general elections 2024 in the National Assembly (NA-100) constituency in Faisalabad.

    Sanaullah’s appointment came just after a day Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar was given the additional role of Deputy Prime Minister.

    Sanaullah had recently hinted at the possibility of him taking a role in the federal government, stating that Nawaz Sharif would decide the matter after coming back from his China visit.

  • Sher Afzal Marwat will be new PAC chairman, announces Gohar Khan

    Sher Afzal Marwat will be new PAC chairman, announces Gohar Khan

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has announced the name of party leader Sher Afzal Marwat as the new chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), putting an end to internal conflicts within the party.

    The PTI chairman told journalists in Rawalpindi that “All disputes are over [now] as the party has picked Marwat for the slot.”

    Last week, opposition leader in parliament and PTI member Omar Ayub Khan said that Sher Afzal Marwat should be the chairman of PAC, as PTI’s founder Imran Khan had suggested his name.

    Earlier, PTI senior leader Sardar Latif Khosa announced the name of Hamid Khan as the new chairman of the PAC.

    PTI formed a committee of three party members on Tuesday, including chief minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Ali Amin Gandapur, Shibli Faraz, and Omar Ayub, to hold a dialogue with the military establishment.