Tag: Pakistan

  • SIFC ditches CM Gandapur and he’s not happy about it

    SIFC ditches CM Gandapur and he’s not happy about it

    The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has strongly criticised the federal government for not inviting KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur to the upcoming apex committee session of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC).

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif summoned the SIFC’s session at 11:45 am on May 25. KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur was not invited to the meeting.

    Chief Ministers of all other provinces have been invited to the SIFC meeting except Gandapur.

    KP government’s spokesperson Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif condemned the federal government, saying that the “Form 47 government of Shehbaz Sharif” showed bias towards the province.

    Earlier this month, CM Gandapur had come down hard on the federal government, warning of a strong reaction if the Centre failed to give an exact timeframe for resolving the province’s core issues.

  • Journalist Nasrullah Gadani dies days after gunshot wounds

    Journalist Nasrullah Gadani dies days after gunshot wounds

    Nasrullah Gadani, a local journalist of Ghotki who was injured in an assassination attempt four days ago, has died in a private hospital in Karachi on Friday.

    After getting shot thrice on Tuesday, he was transferred to Sheikh Zayed Hospital in Rahim Yar Khan.

    Journalists have expressed anger while people blocked the National Highway in front of the SSP office in protest against the assignation attempt on the journalist.

    According to Geo news, demonstrators chanted slogans against the police.

    Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Syed Murad Ali Shah and Chairman of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari have expressed sorrow over the tragic demise of Gadani.

  • Maulana urges PTI to revamp anti-government campaign

    Maulana urges PTI to revamp anti-government campaign

    Jamiat Ulma-e-Islam – Fazal (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said that he will join the opposition alliance only when the fresh movement against the government starts on a new platform. The development came during a consultative meeting between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders and JUI-F members on Wednesday.

    As per the report of The Express Tribune, Maulana demanded support from the PTI, specifically from its founding chairman and former prime minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, for his party.

    The JUI-F chief also demanded from PTI during Wednesday’s meeting that PTI form a committee with the authority to negotiate for the protest movement.

    Maulana has also asked the PTI delegation to discuss the “authorised” committee with Imran Khan and present the names of the committee members.

    However, a PTI insider told The Express Tribune that the party delegation will meet Maulana Fazlur Rehman again next week to discuss further about re-launching the protest movement against the government.

  • Governor Punjab urges provincial government to review defamation bill 2024  

    Governor Punjab urges provincial government to review defamation bill 2024  

    Punjab Governor Sardar Salim Khan has called on the provincial government on Thursday to review the controversial Defamation Bill 2024 that the Punjab Assembly approved recently.

    While talking on the Geo News programme Capital Talk, the Governor said that the recently approved bill is not the final word and the provincial government needs to reconsider it.

    He also urged the Punjab government to remove objectionable clauses from the bill.

    Khan stated that he is ready to sit with all stakeholders to solve the issues regarding the bill, as it has sparked a storm in the entire country.

    On Monday, the Punjab Assembly passed the Punjab Defamation Bill 2024 amid a strong and noisy protest by the opposition after it was tabled by Punjab’s Finance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mujtaba Mian Shuja-ur-Rehman despite media bodies’ requests to defer the legislation.

    As per the constitution, the governor can send this bill back to the Punjab Assembly for reconsideration, and if the provincial government approves it again, it becomes law after a specific period of time, even if the governor doesn’t approve it.

  • UAE allocates $10 billion to expand investment in Pakistan

    UAE allocates $10 billion to expand investment in Pakistan

    The Prime Minister’s office announced on Thursday that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has allocated $10 billion to expand investment in Pakistan as the financially challenged country seeks foreign aid to maintain economic stability.

    The development came after yesterday’s meeting between UAE president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and PM Shehbaz Sharif in Abu Dhabi, during the Pakistani Premier’s day-long visit to the UAE.

    The decision has been taken “to strengthen the Pakistani economy, support it, and enhance cooperation between the two countries”, UAE’s WAM news agency reported.

    In a statement, the government said: “President of the UAE, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, made a commitment of investing US $10 billion in multiple sectors in Pakistan.”

    The government led by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is actively seeking investment from brotherly countries to deal with inflation and enhance the country’s financial stability.

  • ‘I refused anti-state roles’; Sajid Hasan on Bollywood offers

    ‘I refused anti-state roles’; Sajid Hasan on Bollywood offers

    Veteran actor Sajid Hasan was invited as a guest on Ahmed Ali Butt’s podcast ‘Excuse Me’.

    During the recording, Sajid discussed his relationship with Sahira and Rahat Kazmi on the ground-breaking series ‘Dhoop Kinare’, which was a major turning point in his career.

    He also discussed declining parts that would have encouraged an anti-Indian attitude.
    Speaking about the reasons behind his dislike of actors portraying anti-state roles, he said, “I’m disappointed with Tiger 3, which I’m currently watching, as it contains harmful stereotypes and biased content against Pakistan. I strongly dislike this approach and believe it’s unfair to actors. Even when I was new to the industry and faced pressure to play such roles, I’ve always rejected them. I believe our relationships with people from other countries should be respectful and positive, even if we disagree with their views. Moreover, I urge Pakistanis to appreciate the freedom we have, which was fought for by Quaid E Azam, and recognize the value of living without oppression, as I personally experienced suffocation during my time in India.”

  • CDA demolishes PTI central secretariat in Islamabad over ‘violation’

    CDA demolishes PTI central secretariat in Islamabad over ‘violation’

    The Capital Development Authority (CDA) in a Thursday late-night raid demolished a portion of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Central Secretariat in Islamabad over a “violation of building rules”.

    According to CDA, an anti-encroachment operation was launched around 11:30 PM last night and lasted around an hour.

    The CDA stated illegal construction was incorporated into the building and an additional floor was also constructed on the plot in violation of the building rules.

    As the operation was underway last night, PTI leadership called upon its workers to immediately arrive at the location, stating that the government’s actions were “illegal”.

    The CDA claimed it had sent reminders to the party previously, however, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan shot down the claims and said that they did not receive any orders from the CDA.

    PTI leadership strongly condemned the actions by the CDA and even drew parallels to the onslaught taking place in Gaza by Israel.

  • Suzuki eyes biogas plant in Karachi to strengthen its presence in Pakistan

    Suzuki eyes biogas plant in Karachi to strengthen its presence in Pakistan

    Suzuki Motor Corporation is poised to bolster its footprint in Pakistan with plans to establish a biogas plant in Karachi.

    This strategic move was articulated by Kenichi Ayukawa, the Global Vice President of Suzuki Motor Corporation, during a high-level meeting held in Islamabad on Thursday. The meeting convened Ayukawa and Rana Tanveer Hussain, the Federal Minister for Industries and Production.

    Hailing the delegation, Minister Hussain underscored the pivotal role of the automotive industry in Pakistan’s economic landscape. He highlighted its substantial contributions spanning employment generation, economic expansion, technology infusion, and industrial advancement.

    Notably, the government is steadfast in its commitment to fortifying the local automotive sector, extending tax exemptions and other inducements to automakers, and investing in research and development initiatives.

    Furthermore, to foster the adoption of cutting-edge technologies, incentives are being extended for Electric Vehicles (EVs) and Hybrids, encompassing duty-free import privileges for plant and machinery essential for establishing EV manufacturing facilities.

    This proactive stance has already yielded tangible results, with 43 companies securing manufacturing certificates for the local production of EV 2/3 wheelers.

    Suzuki’s envisaged biogas plant in Karachi aligns with the broader strategy to enhance sustainability and operational efficiency while contributing to the nation’s energy diversification efforts.

    This development signals a promising trajectory for Suzuki’s endeavors in Pakistan, reflecting a shared commitment to economic prosperity and environmental stewardship.

  • Prisoner allegedly raped by jail inmates in Adiala

    Prisoner allegedly raped by jail inmates in Adiala

    A prisoner in Adiala jail has allegedly been gang-raped by fellow inmates, Geo’s Shabbir Ahmad Dar has reported.

    The victim told the police that he was gang raped on May 18 at 11 o’clock in the night when two inmates forced themselves upon him together.

    The police says a case has been registered at the Sadar Baruni police station on the complaint of the victim.

  • PM Shehbaz arrives in UAE on important visit

    PM Shehbaz arrives in UAE on important visit

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has reached the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on a one-day-long visit to hold discussions with President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan regarding the shared interests of both countries.

    The vice president and Chairman of the Presidential Court of the UAE, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, received PM Shehbaz at the airport. Multiple individuals, including Pakistani Ambassador to the UAE Faisal Niaz Tirmizi and UAE Ambassador to Pakistan Hamad Obaid, were also present at the airport.

    This is Shehbaz Sharif’s first visit to the UAE after becoming prime minister of the country. Top federal ministers, including Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ataullah Tarar, and Special Assistant to Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi, are accompanying Shehbaz on his visit