Current Final

Tag: Hamid Mir

  • ‘New Prime Minister?’: Who will replace Imran Khan if there is a coup in the party?

    ‘New Prime Minister?’: Who will replace Imran Khan if there is a coup in the party?

    Is Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) pitted against itself? Are there signs of trouble ahead? Fingers are being pointed towards the leader from within the party. Blame and questions are being allegedly hurled at the premier. Something is up in the capital and people have started talking. They’re saying that it is possible that Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan can be replaced as prime minister by someone else in the party itself.

    PM Khan and Defence Minister and former Chief Minister (CM) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Pervez Khattak on Thursday allegedly exchanged bitter words during the parliamentary party meeting chaired by the premier himself.

    Reports of a clash between the premier and the PTI leader spread like wildfire within the media. It was reported that Pervez Khattak during the meeting said, “we have made you the prime minister.”

    “Gas is banned in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, we generate gas and electricity and we are the ones who are suffering,” said Khattak, adding, “We will not be able to get votes if this is your attitude.”

    Khattak told media persons after the meeting that he neither talked harshly to the prime minister nor hurled any threat of not voting for PM Khan.

    “No one spoke harshly, I spoke for my right,” said Khattak.

    The damage had been done and to remove a prime minister, a no-confidence motion has to be brought in Parliament. Some analysts think that the wheels are already in motion.

    The Current reached out to political analysts and senior journalists to ask their opinion as to who could replace PM Khan if the rumours of a change in command were true.

    Senior journalist Hamid Mir shedding light on the recent squabble within the party leadership said, “Imran Khan will remain head of the PTI because the party is registered in his name but the revolt of Khattak may break the party. Khattak can muster support from the Opposition easily.”

    Resident Editor Dawn Fahd Husain terming a coup within PTI an ‘unlikely scenario’ said, “A coup in PTI is an unlikely scenario at this moment. It seems unlikely that the party can coalesce behind any one person except PM Imran Khan.”

    Journalist and Analyst Asma Shirazi talking about the dynamic political milieu in Pakistan said, “Will be too early to guess, things are changing every moment.”

    Analyst Mehmal Sarfraz commenting on the recent rift in the PTI said, “There may be many contenders for the PM slot — as there are in other political parties — but there is no PTI without Imran Khan. I don’t think PM Khan can be replaced. Whoever tries to ‘replace’ him will have to leave the party first.”

    Senior journalist and anchorperson Sabir Shakir responding with a Persian quote said, “ہنوذ دِلی دُور اَست [The heart is still far away].

    Columnist Hafeezullah Niazi while commenting on the verbal altercation between the PTI leaders said, “In case of change within PTI, Pervez Khattak will replace Imran Khan,” adding, “Establishment is already tipping Pervez Khattak to replace Imran Khan as prime minister.”

  • ‘Fifth Floor wala’: Hamid Mir takes a dig at Arnab Goswami ahead of Pak vs India match

    ‘Fifth Floor wala’: Hamid Mir takes a dig at Arnab Goswami ahead of Pak vs India match

    Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir has trolled controversial Indian journalist Arnab Goswami, who is also known for his misreporting.

    Taking to Twitter Mir wrote: “Arrrey… Jasoos Kabootar… and who is this Indian anchor?…. 5th floor wala?”

    The advertisement by Digi Khata, has trolled Indian media citing Indian Media’s misreporting over arresting a Pakistani pigeon 2015 terming it as a Pakistani spy.

    Meanwhile, Goswami was earlier trolled on social media when he lied about the presence of the Pakistan Army officers in Kabul Serena to fight in Panjshir Valley.

    It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan will open their T20 World Cup 2021 campaign against arch-rivals India in Dubai (Sunday) on October 24.

  • President Alvi addresses joint session in NA amid media protest

    President Dr Arif Alvi addressed a joint sitting of parliament on Monday, marking the start of the fourth parliamentary year of the National Assembly amid chaos outside parliament.

    The President of Pakistan congratulated the members of parliament at the start of the new legislative year and expressed hope that democratic values and the “tradition of tolerance” flourish in Pakistan.

    Amid loud protests by the Opposition, President Alvi said: “Despite you making noise, you will have to accept the reality.”

    Dr Alvi briefly discussed the country’s progress and shed light on various topics.

    Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs)

    President Alvi stressed the need to introduce electoral reforms in order to bring transparency to elections in Pakistan.

    Financial Action Task Force (FATF)

    “People paying tax in such large numbers shows complete trust in government policies,” Alvi said, congratulating the government for devising and implementing laws and procedures to address FATF requirements.

    Sexual harassment cases

    Alvi said the government had paid “special attention” to the rights of women.

    “In recent days, incidents of sexual violence against women emerged due to which everyone is sad and I think it is a national responsibility to take steps to curb such incidents,” he said.

    President Alvi added that the government had taken measures to stop such violence and it was also society’s responsibility to play its role. “Making videos while an [harassment] incident is taking place does not suit the Pakistani society, so it will have to protect women so they can wander freely.”

    Corruption

    Because of corruption and wrong priorities, we were not only deprived of progress but also left behind in the world in human development indicators,” Alvi said.

    Health Sector

    He said that “18 million families were benefitting from the health cards so far”.

    “Pakistan is going towards universal health coverage, he added while praising the government’s efforts,” he concluded.

    Kamyab Jawan Programme

    The President noted that the government had set aside Rs260bn through which 12 million families will be given cash income, while Rs100bn had been earmarked for the Kamyab Jawan Programme to give loans to the youth to start businesses.

    Opposition walkout

    During his address, the Opposition kept booing and at last walked out of the session.

    The Opposition also accused the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government and National Assembly (NA) Speaker Asad Qaiser of violating the Constitution by not allowing a debate on the presidential address through­out the third parliamentary year, which ended on August 13.

    Politicians including Shehbaz sharif Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Sherry Rehman, Mian Raza Rabbani and Ahsan Iqbal joined the protest and showed solidarity with the journalists.

    “Thanks to all friends and well-wishers who were sending messages of solidarity the whole night whole day, we just finished a 24 hours protest camp in front of the parliament against threats to media and new proposed law for legalising censorship in Pakistan,” Hamid Mir tweeted, mentioning the end of the protest.

    President Alvi did not mention the journalists’ protest against the Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA).

  • ‘The gun is already placed on their head’: Hamid Mir on being banned by Geo

    ‘The gun is already placed on their head’: Hamid Mir on being banned by Geo

    In an interview with Stephen Sackur on BBC HARDtalk, senior journalist Hamid Mir talked about why he was banned on Geo News, press freedom, censorship under Prime Minister Imran Khan, attacks on journalists, and how he is worried for his own safety in Pakistan.

    Disappointment on being off-air

    Stephen Sackur questioned Hamid Mir as to how disappointed he was with his employers [Geo News] and the Jang group who did not stand by him. Sackur also questioned how Mir felt that he had lost his voice and platform as a journalist because he was suspended from his channel.

    Mir said he was certainly disappointed but did understand the circumstances under which the decision was taken place.

    “Mir Shakil ur Rehman was arrested last year and he remained in the detention of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for more than seven months for a three-decade-old case, which was not a very big case. And I think that he was arrested, he was detained, just because of the freedom he was trying to give us. He got bail from the Supreme Court but his name was placed on the Exit Control List. He cannot leave Pakistan. He is already being held at gunpoint. So, my employers, the gun is already at their head. So when they were asked to ban Hamid Mir, they banned me. So I can understand their problem,” replied Mir.

    Imran Khan is a helpless Prime Minister

    The BBC host asked Mir that in the past he had a friendly relationship with PM Imran Khan so did he ever think that PM Imran personally wanted to see him taken off-air.

    Hamid replied, “It’s a very difficult question for me to respond [to], but I will try to very honestly. Imran Khan stood by me in 2007 when I was banned by General Pervez Musharraf, and yes at that time he was the biggest supporter of media freedom in Pakistan. Yes, I provided him a lot of space on my TV shows because he was in the Opposition, and you can say that I was friendly with him when he was in the Opposition. But when he became PM, I started raising questions. I even met him personally, and I asked him that your government should provide more space to the media because you are the biggest beneficiary of media freedom.”

    “One of my interviews with the former president, Asif Ali Zardari, was banned on my show, on my TV channel and some other Opposition leaders were also banned on different TV channels. So we started criticising Imran Khan and so I think he was not happy with my criticism.

    “The second part of your question is very important. I think that Imran Khan is not directly responsible for imposing a ban on me. And I don’t think he wants me to be off-air. But like past prime ministers, he is not a very powerful prime minister and I think he is helpless and he can’t help me,” said Mir.

    Concerned about my personal security

    Sackur questioned Mir if he feared the toxic environment in Pakistan and how concerned was he about his personal safety in the country after two assassination attempts on him. Mir answered, “Yes, I am very concerned about my personal security for a long time. I asked my family to leave Pakistan and my family left, my daughter and wife have already left. I was also approached by some people who suggested I leave Pakistan. But I decided not to leave.”

    Ready to face imprisonment

    The HARDtalk host asked Hamid Mir if he was ready to face imprisonment for the accusations against him, to which Mir responded, ” Yes, and I am ready to face life imprisonment because if they will be able to convict me at least the whole world will come to know what is going on in Pakistan. The whole world is already aware of what is going on in Pakistan because I am a living example of censorship in Pakistan. Everybody knows what happened to Hamid Mir and why he is banned and everybody knows the names of the people which I have not mentioned, everybody knows who was responsible for imposing a ban on me.”

    “The common Pakistanis are very wise, they are very clever. They know each and everything about what’s going on. But you see, there is no rule of law in Pakistan. And we only want justice, we want that the rule of law should be established in Pakistan. And if a journalist is asking questions, don’t try to silence his voice,” added Mir.

    State of media freedom in Pakistan

    Stephen Sackur questioned Mir whether there was a climate of fear in Pakistan when it comes to journalists or journalism.

    “Yes, definitely, there is a climate of fear in Pakistan. A lot of young journalists, they are very disappointed and look at the state of media freedom in Pakistan. When Mr Imran Khan became prime minister in 2018 Pakistan was ranked at 139 on the World Press Freedom Index. Today, in 2021, when I am talking to you, it is 145. So Pakistan lost six points in the last three years,” said Mir.

    He further added, “According to the International Federation of Journalists, Pakistan is one of the five most dangerous countries for journalists in the whole world. This is not good for Pakistan, for its reputation and credibility in the international community. And yes, there is a climate of fear in Pakistan because Pakistani journalists think journalism is becoming very difficult in this country and this government of Imran Khan [is] now planning some more anti-media laws which is not acceptable to us.”

    Rule of law only solution in Pakistan

    Commenting on the grave danger to democracy in Pakistan, Hamid Mir said, “I think that the rule of law is the solution to all of our problems. That’s why we want a general democracy in Pakistan because the founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah was a democrat and I am a follower of his.”

    “And all those people who are trying to snatch media freedom from us are enemies of Pakistan and are enemies of Muhammad Ali Jinnah,” said Mir.

  • ‘Raiwand’s prime minister’ sent abroad despite conviction: Bilawal

    ‘Raiwand’s prime minister’ sent abroad despite conviction: Bilawal

    Chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, while addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Friday, said, “Raiwand’s prime minister” Nawaz Sharif was sent abroad despite being convicted.

    Bilawal said former president Asif Ali Zardari remains in Pakistan, moving from one doctor to another, despite his children telling him to go abroad and seek treatment.

    “If the president [Zardari] is from Nawabshah, he remains on medical bail despite trumped-up charges,” said chairman PPP.

    “I want to ask the prime minister (PM) what sort of accountability and justice is being implemented in the country? I want to ask the PM what kind of rule of law is there within the country?” Bilawal asked, adding that if the premier’s friends are being alleged of a crime, no action is taken against them.

    “This is revenge and political engineering and their ministers themselves accept it has hurt the economy,” added Bilawal.

    “If the prime minister and his sister are blamed for a crime, nothing happens to them,” Bilawal lashed out.

    However, if a former president from Nawabshah’s sister is blamed for something, then she is dragged to jail from her hospital bed, he said, referring to PPP leader Faryal Talpur.

    The PPP chairman denigrated the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government and questioned its standards of accountability. “This system is a mockery of the Constitution,” said Bilawal.

    “If the Leader of Opposition is from Lahore (Shehbaz Sharif), he is awarded bail, and if the leader of Opposition hails from Sukkur (Khursheed Shah), he is denied the right and treated like a ping-pong ball — back and forth from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) courts to Supreme Court,” Bilawal said.

    The PPP chairman claimed the authorities were repeatedly blackmailing Shah’s children and his wife.

    Bilawal further said that the party would support Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly on the budget despite the inappropriate behaviour of some Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) members.

    “I unconditionally say to Shehbaz Sharif in front of the media that all PPP members will be in your support with regards to parliament and this [upcoming] budget despite tantrums [of some PML-N members].”

    He said that PPP members would come and vote on the day of the budget and now it was up to Shehbaz as the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly to “do his work and stop the government’s budget.”

    Bilawal was responding to a question on whether the PPP had been contacted on the budget issue and whether it would support the Opposition. He responded that despite the “inappropriate behaviour” of the PML-N and other political parties in the Opposition, the PPP had prioritised national issues and the budget over differences between the political parties.

    “So despite their insults, the PPP went to Shehbaz Sharif’s invitation for dinner so we can rid the people of economic difficulties. Unfortunately, our host was publicly insulted after that dinner by some officeholders of the PML-N,” said Bilawal, adding that flinging statements at guests was not a part of “our tradition, values, and culture”.

    The PPP chairman also lashed out at the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), saying it should have offered resignations the same day or the next when the PPP had “supposedly” refused to listen to its demands and set out for its long march.

    “If they still want to do politics of resignations, then they should have given them by now.”

    Hitting out at the prime minister, the PPP chairman said that the statements since the past few weeks on the state of the economy showed that the “prime minister has no connection to the common man”.

    “The prime minister says Pakistan’s difficult time is over. Not sure about the common man but the IMF’s (International Monetary Fund) difficult time is over, for sure,” he said.

    Bilawal Bhutto said the government’s ministers had come around to accept the PPP’s stance on the economy and expressed the hope that Pakistan would escape the “IMF’s grip” in the budget next week.

    Bilawal similarly hit out at an ordinance for the creation of a new media body and said the PPP would continue to oppose it. He added that the recent attacks on journalists such as Asad Ali Toor or pressure being applied to media personnel such as Hamid Mir through petitions had “exposed the government’s weakness and insecurity”.

  • EXCLUSIVE: ‘I did the speech knowing I would lose my job,’ Hamid Mir

    EXCLUSIVE: ‘I did the speech knowing I would lose my job,’ Hamid Mir

    Hamid Mir doesn’t sound like he’s down. On the contrary, the seasoned journalist sounds energised and alive. His phone was dead (or switched off) for the past two days, when The Current tried to reach out to him. Eventually when we got through, he didn’t pause for a second and gave us his version of the event that led to his removal from his flagship show, ‘Capital Talk’ on Geo News.

    “What will Geo probe?” he said when asked that Geo News had stated that they would “check for violation of policy and law” in a speech given by Hamid Mir “that resulted in backlash from different segments of society”.

    “My speech did not air on Geo News, it was not published in the newspaper,” Mir said categorically, “so how is Geo responsible when it never appeared on their television screens?”

    But Mir does admit that the pressure is intense on the management of his channel, which ultimately falls on him. “I am always prepared for pressure,” he says calmly, “I offered to leave the channel on Friday night when I was asked to clarify my statement. I told the management that when I never spoke on your channel, why do I need to issue a clarification? I was then told not to tweet on the issue and also that I should not take part in any other programmes,” Mir explained. “I was going to go on different news channels and said that I am not going to discuss my speech but to discuss the media ordinance. I was asked not to do so and therefore, I didn’t. I did tell them [management] that ‘they’ will ask you to remove me from the programme in a day or so and that’s exactly what happened.”

    When asked what it was about this particular case that drove Mir to give the speech, he said it was because of a man in a wheelchair.

    “When I was about to speak, if you notice in the video, there is a man on my right side sitting on a wheelchair. The man is an old journalist Qaiser Butt and he randomly said, ‘Larki ka bhai ho sakta hai‘ (it can be the girl’s brother) implying that Toor was part of an illicit relationship. That made me angry since Asad was standing right there as well. I got de-tracked and said, ‘larki ki maa bhi ho sakti hai jo General Rani hai‘. But it’s not just that.”

    Mir says the biggest reason for speaking out had been building up for the past three weeks. “In the past two, three weeks, some female colleagues were complaining that they were being threatened and one told me that ‘they’ came to her house. They didn’t cause her any harm but gave her a message.” He added that two female journalists also wanted to file a case but they have restrictions that are different. “Their husbands tell them not to report the cases; they face problems with their in-laws.”

    Mir is hopeful for change this time. “I did the speech knowing I would lose my job and I was prepared for that,” he says. “Right now, as I am speaking with you, I am at a meeting with the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP). Hina Jilani is also here and the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) is going to be releasing a white paper on the new cases that have come up. I can’t tell you, I have been swamped with calls of people that are now finally coming forward with cases and want to raise their voice.”

    “Lots of people are taken off air, but there has never been such a big reaction,” Mir says, explaining that in this particular case, the local and international reaction is bigger than he expected. “I am getting a lot of calls from international networks wanting to cover the story and because of this interest, I believe that some pressure will be put on the political government for accountability.”

    “Lots of ministers are messaging me in private, lending their support,” Mir said. “Perhaps this time, we might see some actual change.”

    Hamid Mir was taken off air on Monday.

  • Hamid Mir will not be hosting ‘Captial Talk’ tonight

    Hamid Mir will not be hosting ‘Captial Talk’ tonight

    Senior Journalist and anchorperson Hamid Mir, who hosts prime time show ‘Capital Talk’ on Geo News, has been taken off air. Many believe Mir has been asked to go on leave because of this speech.

    Mir confirmed the news on Twitter. “Nothing new for me. I was banned twice in the past. Lost jobs twice. Survived assassination attempts but cannot stop raising voice for the rights given in the constitution. This time I’m ready for any consequences and ready to go to any extent because they are threatening my family.”

     Human rights bodies condemned the indefinite ban on Hamid Mir.

    Journalists tweeted in solidarity with Hamid Mir.

    Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry tweeted that it is up to the broadcasters to decide which programme to air. “We have nothing to do with the internal decisions of media organisations. All broadcasters are responsible for making their own policy under Article 19 of the Constitution.”

    Several politicians took to Twitter to condemn this ban.

  • ‘Jootay se bhi baat aagaye jayegi,’ Khaqan Abbasi won’t apologise for threatening Speaker NA

    ‘Jootay se bhi baat aagaye jayegi,’ Khaqan Abbasi won’t apologise for threatening Speaker NA

    Former Prime Minister, Khaqan Abbasi was served a show cause notice on Wednesday for threatening to hit Speaker of the National Assembly, Asad Qaiser with a shoe during an assembly session. During the session Khaqan Abbasi and the Speaker got into an argument over Abbasi’s turn on speaking on the issue of banned TLP’s demand to expel the French Ambassador.

    After the notice to apologise in seven days, Abbasi said that he only seeks forgiveness from Allah and no one else. On Thursday night, on GEO News’ programme Capital Talk, he told anchorperson Hamid Mir that if he wants to speak on the issue, he challenges the Speaker to stop him from speaking. If the Speaker tries to stop him, the same thing would happen again. When Mir stopped him to say that “you have been the Prime Minister, how can you say such a thing? Will you throw a shoe?” Abbasi replied, “It will be worse than throwing a shoe.” He said he is also nominated in two cases.

    He has said that he will respond to the show cause notice but has not stated whether he will apologise or not.

  • Hamid Mir says Khawaja Asif’s arrest proves ‘someone is really scared’

    Hamid Mir says Khawaja Asif’s arrest proves ‘someone is really scared’

    Senior journalist Hamid Mir has said that the arrest if Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Asif showed that someone was “really scared”.

    In a tweet, Mir said Asif presented himself for the arrest “with a smile and he will come back from the jail with a smile on his face”. “His arrest only proves that someone is really scared and worried,” he said, without taking any names.

    On Tuesday, Asif was taken into custody in the backdrop of an ongoing investigation into allegations of him possessing assets beyond known sources of income to the tune of whopping Rs260 million. PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said he was arrested from near PML-N general secretary Ahsan Iqbal’s house.

    Mir had also commented on the arrest yesterday. He had said that the former foreign minister knew he would be arrested and had even made preparations beforehand for what he considered an “eventuality”. “He had prepared a bag as well and would say that the NAB would arrest him soon,” said Mir.

    In Oct this year, Asif had alleged that Prime Minister Imran Khan wanted to harm him and his wife by using his political opponents.

    Speaking on a TV show, the PML-N leader had claimed the prime minister wanted his rivals to hold a protest outside his residence, target him in a road accident, and harass his wife by forcing her out of the vehicle.

    Asif had alleged that the PM desired to get him beaten up or implicate in a narcotics case in order to teach him a lesson. He had said that he wanted to raise these issues in the National Assembly, but he was not allowed by the NA speaker to talk.

  • PPP’s Mustafa, PTI’s Faraz apologise to each other, have coffee after on-air fight

    PPP’s Mustafa, PTI’s Faraz apologise to each other, have coffee after on-air fight

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar and Information Minister Shibli Faraz, who exchanged heated words on Hamid Mir’s Capital Talk, have apologised to each other after the show and even shared a cup of coffee together.

    The lawmakers had coffee together at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf as they tried to make up after the verbal altercation on live TV, The Current has learnt.

    During the TV show, Faraz took offence when Senator Khokhar accused the prime minister of nepotism. Khokhar said PM Imran apparently rewarded Dr Humayun, who had handled his “hair transplant”. “Same goes for certain Mr Gilani, whose restaurants are frequently visited [by PM Imran],” claimed Khokhar.

    However, Faraz cut him off at this, saying that the PPP lawmaker shouldn’t bring up “personal things” during the TV show. “Is it not true,” asked Senator Khokhar. To which, the minister said it wasn’t true at all.

    Mustafa Khokhar also didn’t take lightly to remarks made by the minister, saying he was challenging the minister to take action against him. “You can do whatever you want, I am right here,” said Senator Khokhar, prompting an intervention from the host, Hamid Mir, asking the lawmaker to calm down.

    “I treat you as my elder brother and is this how you are going to treat me,” said Khokar, asking Shibli to take action against him if he was saying something that was wrong. Shibli responded that Khokhar shouldn’t have brought up personal things on live TV.