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Tag: Pakistan

  • ‘I will impose Article 6 on you after coming to power’, Imran Khan’s threat to ECP

    ‘I will impose Article 6 on you after coming to power’, Imran Khan’s threat to ECP

    The inside story of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s trial in Adiala Jail, in the case of insulting the Election Commission (ECP), and Chief Election Commissioner, has come to light.⁠

    According to the sources who talked to GEO News, PTI founder Imran Khan became very angry during the indictment. Sources claimed that the former prime minister made a serious threat to members of the ECP during the hearing.

    Threatening the four members of ECP, Khan said, “I know your faces and names. I will impose Article 6 on you when I’ll come into power.”

    A hearing of the case against the PTI founder and former PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry proceeded on Thursday in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail. According to the charge sheet, Imran Khan and Fawad Chaudhry launched a planned derogatory campaign against the Election Commission in 2022.

  • Iffat Omar issues challenge to Khalil Ur Rehman Qamar

    Iffat Omar issues challenge to Khalil Ur Rehman Qamar

    Pakistani actress and former supermodel Iffat Umar dared problematic television writer Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar to back up his words in a challenge. During a recent TV appearance, she shared her thoughts on different subjects including Qamar, describing him as narrow-minded and bitter, choosing not to discuss him further.


    “I have never said anything about Khalil ur Rehman Qamar’s personality, I disagree with him only that he insulted a woman sitting on national television and this disagreement is not only because he insulted a woman. If he had done this to a man, I would have reacted the same way because you cannot abuse someone on national television.”

    She added: “If he has the courage, he should come forward and prove that I am a bad woman (‘Do Number Aurat’).”

    Here is the link to the video which is doing rounds on Facebook:

  • Finally, some good news for PTI

    Finally, some good news for PTI

    Several Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) aspirants, along with their allies, re-entered the electoral fray on Thursday following successful appeals against the rejection of their nomination papers by Returning Officers (ROs) during the scrutiny process last week.

    The appellate tribunals, responsible for reviewing appeals against ROs’ decisions, swung into action a day after the deadline for filing appeals expired.

    Rulings were issued on many appeals, while notices were dispatched to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and other relevant parties for further cases.

    Numerous PTI candidates, facing rejection of their nomination papers, took up the challenge against RO decisions. Simultaneously, objections were raised against the acceptance of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif’s papers in Karachi.

    According to the election schedule, nomination papers were accepted until December 22, scrutinized by December 30, and the appeal window extended until January 3. The tribunals are expected to conclude all appeals by January 10.

    Among those approved by the appellate tribunals are PTI Central Vice President Firdous Shamim Naqvi for NA-236, Karachi, and party ally Sheikh Rashid and his nephew Sheikh Rashid Shafiq for NA 56 and 57, Rawalpindi. Additionally, several other candidates from various parties, including Ijazul Haq and Punjab Assembly Speaker Sabatin Khan, received the green light to contest elections.

    Firdous Shamim Naqvi took to Twitter (former X) and wrote, “Jibran, Andaleeb and Shiraz, the team that batted for me to get my nomination cleared by the tribunal. My thanks to all those who prayed for my success. I hope to contest with your support and bat for Pakistan. Inshallah we will all succeed on the 8th of February 24.”

    In Rawalpindi, two election tribunals continued hearings on Thursday, deciding a total of 26 appeals—approving 20 and rejecting six. Notably, the tribunals accepted appeals from prominent figures such as PTI founder Imran Khan, former Punjab chief minister Parvez Elahi, and former minister Fawad Chaudhary, prompting notices to the ECP and relevant returning officers.

    Justice Chaudhry Abdul Aziz, a tribunal judge, emphasized the need to adhere to the Constitution and the law during appeal hearings, discouraging the discussion of political matters in court.

    In Islamabad, an appellate tribunal issued notices on appeals from 51 candidates whose nomination papers were rejected, including PTI’s Ilyas Mehrban, Aamir Mughal, Shiraz Kayani, and Zubair Farooq. Tribunal Judge Arbab Muhammad Tahir also sought responses on the appeal against the acceptance of the transgender candidate Nayab Ali’s nomination papers for NA-46 and NA-47.

    Meanwhile, in Karachi, the appellate tribunal at the Sindh High Court accepted the nomination papers of PTI Central Vice President Firdous Naqvi for NA-236, Karachi, declaring objections to his papers as “illegal.”

    The election process is currently undergoing a thorough review, with various candidates and parties actively participating in the appeal process to ensure fair representation in the upcoming elections. The tribunals are expected to play a crucial role in shaping the final candidate list for the upcoming polls.

  • Ayeza Khan and Danish Taimoor are having the best Dubai vacation

    Ayeza Khan and Danish Taimoor are having the best Dubai vacation

    Who doesn’t want to go to Dubai for a fun-filled vacation? The food is chef’s kiss, the shopping is divine and the water parks are among the best in the world.

    Celebrity couple Ayeza Khan and Danish Taimoor, along with their two kids, Hoorain and Rayan, are taking time off in Dubai and if the pictures are anything to go by, the family is having a absolute blast.

    The couple has delighted fans by sharing stunning pictures and Instagram stories from their stay at the Atlantis, the luxury hotel and resort. Ayeza Khan’s social media updates showcase the vibrant city while also giving a peek into the close-knit family’s and happy life.


    Here are some pictures:

  • Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s nomination papers approved from Sindh’s Umarkot  

    Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s nomination papers approved from Sindh’s Umarkot  

    The nomination papers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) vice president Shah Mahmood Qureshi were approved on Friday, enabling him to contest general elections on February 8.

    An election tribunal approved the nomination papers of the PTI senior leader for the NA-214 constituency in Sindh’s Umarkot city. Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s son Zain Qureshi’s nomination papers were also approved from the same constituency.

    Numerous prominent political figures, such as Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Balochistan National Party (BNP) head Akhtar Mengal, and Firdous Shamim Naqvi, have successfully obtained relief from election tribunals, as their nomination papers have been approved for the upcoming general elections scheduled for February 8, 2024.

    Various election tribunals have given their approval to the nomination papers of Sheikh Rashid, Akhtar Mengal, and PML-Zia chief Ijazul Haq and allowed them to take part in the forthcoming general election, set to take place on February 8, 2024.

    Sheikh Rashid’s nomination papers were approved from NA-56 and NA-57 constituencies while Mengal’s nomination papers were accepted from NA-264 Quetta.

    A tribunal consisting of Justice Hashim Khan Kakar and Justice Amir Nawaz Rana has overturned the returning officer’s decision to reject Mengal’s nomination papers due to the possession of a Dubai work permit (Aqama). The leader of BNP contested the rejection of his nomination papers with the representation of his counsel, Advocate Sajid Tareen.

    On the other hand, a tribunal approved the nomination papers of PML-Zia’s chief, Ijazul Haq, and allowed him to contest the election from NA-55.

  • Sania Mirza, son Izhaan start 2024 with playful makeover

    Sania Mirza, son Izhaan start 2024 with playful makeover

    A new year is upon us and we all will try to start it with new resolutions or even new looks.
    Indian tennis star Sania Mirza shared photos of her son, Izhaan Mirza Malik’s new look for 2024 on her latest Instagram post. She also wished everyone a happy New Year. The 37-year-old athlete regularly posts on Instagram to share moments from her personal and professional life, keeping her fans entertained.

    Her latest post contains two pictures with Izhaan, captioned: “New year, new us”.

    In one picture, Sania is holding her son who is wearing a funny wig and a fake mustache. Another photo in the post is a selfie taken in the car, showing both the mother and son wearing sunglasses.

  • Imran Khan casts doubt on election legitimacy in an article written from jail

    Imran Khan casts doubt on election legitimacy in an article written from jail

    In a recent article for The Economist, Imran Khan, the founder and former chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), currently incarcerated, has expressed apprehensions about the legitimacy of the upcoming elections in Pakistan.

    Khan argues that the caretaker governments in place at both the federal and provincial levels are constitutionally illegal due to their failure to hold elections within 90 days of dissolving parliamentary assemblies.

    While the public is anticipating elections on February 8, Khan, who has faced various challenges since a vote of no confidence in April 2022, raises skepticism about the electoral process.

    He points to the election commission’s actions, which he claims include defying the Supreme Court, rejecting PTI nominations, hindering internal party elections, and initiating contempt cases against PTI leaders for criticizing the commission.

    “The country’s election commission has been tainted by its bizarre actions. Not only has it defied the top court but it has also rejected my Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party’s nominations for first-choice candidates, hindered the party’s internal elections and launched contempt cases against me and other PTI leaders for simply criticising the commission,” he wrote.

    Khan contends that since his government’s removal, orchestrated by what he terms as “the establishment”—comprising the army, security agencies, and civil bureaucracy—the playing field for PTI has been anything but level. He alleges external interference, specifically from the United States, citing a State Department message urging his removal from the prime minister’s seat.

    Despite subsequent protests and electoral victories in by-elections, Khan argues that the administration that replaced his government led to economic downturns, inflation, and currency devaluation within 18 months. He emphasizes the contrast between PTI’s governance, which garnered international praise, and the subsequent administration’s economic performance.

    Khan claims that various measures have been taken to sideline him politically, including assassination attempts, abductions of party members, and legal harassment. Despite facing nearly 200 legal cases and being denied a normal trial, Khan states that PTI remains popular, with a 66 per cent approval rating, according to a recent poll.

    The former prime minister also raises concerns about the return of Nawaz Sharif, a convicted former prime minister, speculating that Sharif may have struck a deal with the establishment for support in the upcoming elections.

    Khan, who remains incarcerated on charges including treason, expresses doubt about the fairness of the electoral process, claiming that PTI is being denied its basic right to campaign.

    He concludes by advocating for fair and free elections, “The only viable way forward for Pakistan is fair and free elections, which would bring back political stability and rule of law, as well as ushering in desperately needed reforms by a democratic government with a popular mandate. There is no other way for Pakistan to disentangle itself from the crises confronting it. Unfortunately, with democracy under siege, we are heading in the opposite direction on all these fronts.”

    The Economist added an Editor’s Note stating, “The Pakistani government and the U.S. State Department deny Khan’s allegations of American interference, and Khan faces charges under the Official Secrets Act.”

  • Spain police investigate suspected poisoning of 47 cats

    Spain police investigate suspected poisoning of 47 cats

    Spanish police said Thursday they had opened an investigation into the suspected poisoning of nearly 50 street cats that could see the perpetrators serving several years’ jail time under a new animal welfare law.

    The incident occurred in La Carlota village just outside the southern city of Cordoba, with local residents discovering the bodies of at least 10 cats on December 31 at the local dump where the colony was based.

    They alerted the animal rights party PACMA which on Tuesday filed a complaint with the Guardia Civil police over “the mass poisoning of a 47-strong feline colony”.

    “Some of the animals were found inside nearby containers while others were lying in the street with only one survivor, a young male cat which is in very poor state,” said the complaint, a copy of which was seen by AFP.

    The rest of the cats had disappeared, with a PACMA spokeswoman saying they were believed to have died in the nearby woods after the poison took hold.

    In response, officers from the Guardia Civil’s nature protection service Seprona were dispatched to the scene on Wednesday to investigate, a spokesman for the force said.

    “They are looking into whether the deaths were due to poisoning or from other causes. And if there was a crime, to identify the culprits,” he added.

    Under terms of a new law that came into force in September, anyone found guilty of cruelty leading to an animal’s death could face up to three years behind bars, up from a previous penalty of 18 months.

    In a separate operation, police said Thursday they had smashed a ring which allegedly imported puppies from Hungary and Slovakia and then sold them in Spain with forged documents.

    Officers arrested eight people and rescued over 100 animals during four searches they carried out as part of the operation, a police statement said.

  • Faiz Hameed denies ‘conspiracy’ against government in Faizabad commission case

    Faiz Hameed denies ‘conspiracy’ against government in Faizabad commission case

    Former Director General of Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI), General (retd) Faiz Hameed, recorded his statement before the Faizabad sit-in commission on Thursday. The former spymaster denied allegations that he conspired against the government.

    Faiz Hameed was called three times by the committee investigating the 2017 sit-in organised by Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP), but the former DG ISI did not do so.

    After that, the commission sent him a questionnaire, to which he responded that he held negotiations with TLP on the directions of the government.

    Sources told Geo News that the commission called the former spymaster on January 2, but he did not appear before the panel.

    Earlier last year, the panel summoned him in the second week of December and then on December 29th.

    In November last year, the caretaker federal government constituted the inquiry commission for the implementation of the Supreme Court’s 2019 Faizabad verdict.

  • How many registered religious minority voters are in Pakistan?

    How many registered religious minority voters are in Pakistan?

    As per the recent province-wise religion report of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), there are 30 lac, 78 thousand, 3 hundred and 6 voters from religious minorities in Pakistan.

    Out of 40 thousand 781 minority voters in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 3516 are Bahai, 220 Buddist, 28080 Christian, 4209 Hindu, 723 Parsi, 1149 Ahmadi, and 2884 Sikh.

    In former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) there are 3539 religious minority voters out of which 400 are Bahai, 41 Buddist, 1446 Christian, 669 Hindu, 16 Parsi, 23 Ahmadi, and 944 Sikh.

    For 12 lac 59 thousand 303 minority voters in Punjab, 18102 are Bahai, 786 Buddist, 1057071 Christian, 73456 Hindu, 262 Parsi, 108538 Ahmadi, and 1088 Sikh.

    In Sindh, there are 16 lac 80 thousand 582 minority voters, out of which 7269 are Bahai, 495 Buddist, 228552 Christian, 1423276 Hindu, 2787 Parsi, 16668 Ahmadi, and 1535 Sikh.

    Balochistan has 44 thousand 930 minority voters, out of which 1387 are Bahai, 1387 Buddist, 18702 Christian, 18702 Hindu, 265 Parsi, 549 Ahmadi, and 272 Sikh.

    In the Federal Capital, there are 44 thousand 783 minority voters, out of which 242 are Bahai, 41 Buddist, 40518 Christian, 276 Hindu, 16 Parsi, 3677 Ahmadi, and 13 Sikh.

    Although elections are not happening in Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir in February 2024, ECP did share detailed data of these areas too.

    Out of 653 minority voters in Gilgit Baltistan, 472 are Bahai, 5 Buddist, 147 Christian, 8 Hindu, 16 Ahmadi, 5 Sikh, and none from the Parsi community.

    Azad Jammu and Kashmir has 3735 minority voters out of which 1083 are Bahai, 23 Buddist, 987 Christian, 45 Hindu, 13 Parsi, 1580 Ahmadi, and 4 Sikh.

    As Pakistan gears up for nationwide parliamentary elections in February 2024, a significant portion of the population, the Ahmadiyya community, faces disenfranchisement due to discriminatory provisions in the electoral law.

    Current electoral regulations in Pakistan effectively exclude Ahmadis from the voting process based on their religious beliefs.

    To register as voters, members of the Ahmadiyya community are compelled to either renounce their faith or accept placement in a distinct electoral list categorizing them as “non-Muslim.”

    However, self-identification as Muslim is a fundamental tenet of Ahmadiyya religious belief.

    This exclusionary practice has resulted in the denial of voting rights for Ahmadis, who comprise over 500,000 individuals in Pakistan.

    Despite their significant numbers, Ahmadis find themselves unable to participate in local, provincial, and national elections.

    It is noteworthy that in 2002, Pakistan discontinued an electoral system that segregated Muslims and non-Muslims into separate categories for registration and voting.

    However, discriminatory measures persist, particularly affecting the Ahmadiyya community’s ability to exercise their

    The government also created a separate category for Ahmadis. Since then, all Pakistani citizens have voted according to a single electoral list except the Ahmadis, who vote on a separate list.