Current Final

Tag: Pakistan

  • No luxury cars, no five-star hotels, federal cabinet’s perks and salaries cut amid economic crisis

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has announced major cuts in perks and facilities that were being given to the federal cabinet as the economic crisis worsens.

    Addressing a press conference on Wednesday in Islamabad, the Premier, flanked by members of the federal cabinet, said that ministers, state ministers and special advisers had decided “willingly” to forego their salaries and perks. He said that all ministers would now pay their own telephone, electricity, water and gas bills.

    The premier further said that federal ministers would also travel in economy class and will not stay in five-star hotels during foreign trips.

    He asserted that no cabinet member or government officer will use a luxury car, adding that “Until June 2024, there will be a complete ban on purchasing all types of new cars.”

    The head of government also said that “to conserve gas and electricity, advice for opening offices at 7:30am during summer has been accepted.”

    Shehbaz Sharif said that it has also been decided that government employees will not be allotted more than one plot, saying that this would be implemented from tomorrow.

    He said that in terms of food, only a single dish would be allowed at government events.

    Talking about the Toshakhana, the premier said that the federal cabinet has decided that no one will be allowed to retain state gifts worth more than $300 (approx. Rs70,000). He also added that the government has decided to make the Toshakhana record public.

    Responding to a question from a reporter, PM Shehbaz said that the measures would save Rs200 billion annually.

    He said that matters with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are at the “last stage” and hoped that everything will go well.

    The development has taken place while Pakistan is eyeing a staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) this week as the country reels under a foreign reserve shortage.

    Earlier this week, the National Assembly passed the IMF-dictated Finance (Supplementary) Bill 2023, seeking to impose an additional Rs170 billion in taxes.

  • ‘Why order investgation on hearsay’; Justice Faiz Isa says cipher investigation is govt’s job

    ‘Why order investgation on hearsay’; Justice Faiz Isa says cipher investigation is govt’s job

    The Supreme Court on Wednesday has rejected all three pleas seeking an investigation into a cipher — presented by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)- endorsing objections raised by the apex court’s registrar.

    Justice Qazi Faiz Isa heard the in-chamber appeals filed by the PTI against the registrar’s objections to the petitions seeking an investigation into the cipher — the cable from the United States of America, allegedly threatening that Imran Khan’s government should be overthrown.

    Asking if dealing with foreign affairs the court’s job, the judge said, “Did Imran Khan make any decision to investigate the matter as the prime minister?”

    He added: “Imran Khan had all the powers to have an investigation conducted. All authorities are under the prime minister.”

    He asked what the court could do in the cipher matter.

    “How can we order an investigation based on hearsay? We do not believe in speculations,” Justice Isa stated.

     “Why do you bring such cases before us? We already have so much on our plate,” the judge asked the petitioners.

    Categorically stating that he will not interfere in state matters, Justice Isa dismissed the three appeals and upheld the registrar’s objections.  

    “How can the judiciary interfere in government affairs? I will not interfere in state matters and neither will allow the government to interfere in judicial matters,” said Justice Isa.

    The judge observed that the Parliament is right beside the Supreme Court, telling the petitioners to “go ask them Parliament” to give them the “authority to intervene into state matters.”

  • ‘Biased’; Rana Sanaullah calls out two Supreme Court judges for conduct towards PML-N

    ‘Biased’; Rana Sanaullah calls out two Supreme Court judges for conduct towards PML-N

    Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Wednesday objected to the impartiality of two Supreme Court judges, terming their conduct “biased” towards Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

    In a series of tweets, Sanaullah naming Justice Ejaz ul Hassan and Justice Mazahir Ali Akbar Naqvi, alleged that they “have a biased attitude towards the PML-N”.

    The minister, while naming both the justices, said one was a supervising judge in the case against Nawaz Sharif and the party doesn’t expect justice.

    He also mentioned a purported audio leak related to the second judge, saying that it had raised questions on his impartiality.

    “Both judges have given verdicts in dozens of cases against Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif. Panama, party leadership, Pakpattan allotment case, Ramzan sugar mills cases are included in the list,” the minister added.

    “The legal team of PML-N will ask the two judges to recuse themselves from the benches hearing the cases of Nawaz Sharif and other leaders of the party,” Sanaullah stated, adding that the two judges will be asked not to hear cases of the PML-N.

  • PTI’s ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’ begins today

    PTI’s ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’ begins today

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has announced that the party’s ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek (court arrest movement)’ is set to start today.

    Taking to Twitter, Khan shared two main reasons behind starting the Jail Bharo Tehreek.

    “One, it is a peaceful, non-violent protest against the attack on our constitutionally-guaranteed fundamental rights. We are facing sham FIRs and NAB cases, custodial torture, attacks on journalists and social media people,” wrote Khan.

    Khan went on to say that the second reason is the economic meltdown brought on by a “cabal of crooks who have money laundered billions in looted wealth and gotten NROs for themselves while crushing the people, especially, the poor and the middle class, under the burden of spiralling inflation and rising unemployment.” 

    The former prime minister also released a video message, urging his followers to “fill up prisons and shatter the idols of fear”.

    In the first phase of the movement, the party’s senior leaders — Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Asad Umar — will voluntarily surrender themselves to the authorities on Tuesday.

    It is unclear what offense party leaders and followers are expected to commit to initiate arrest proceedings.

  • No, Pakistan did not cheat Turkey in the name of relief material?

    No, Pakistan did not cheat Turkey in the name of relief material?

    Senior journalist Shahid Masood has apologised for the disinformation that he passed on his show.

    The anchor had claimed on the aid sent by Pakistan to his show, ‘Live with Dr.Shahid Masood’ on GNN that the aid Islamabad had sent to Ankara after this month’s devastating earthquake, had infact been sent by Turkey when floods hit Pakistan in 2022.

    Soon after, the story went viral on social media, eventually landing on Indian news channels and websites, running propaganda against Pakistan.

    Masood has now tendered an apology for stating incorrect facts on his show.

    Masood said that as his show is live, he received a text from a Turkish number and said the words on-air. However, he apologised for the incorrect news he said on-air.

  • NAB summons Khan and wife on March 9 in Toshakhana case

    NAB summons Khan and wife on March 9 in Toshakhana case

    The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has summoned Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi on March 9 in connection with the Toshakhana reference.

    The anti-graft watchdog’s Rawalpindi branch summoned the PTI chief hours after NAB Chairman Aftab Sultan tendered his resignation after reportedly refusing to “toe the line”.

    In its notice to Khan, NAB wrote: “The competent authority has taken cognizance of an offence allegedly committed by the accused persons under the provisions of NAO, 1999.”

    The questions on gifts included in the notice are on six Rolex watches and an iPhone given by the Chief of Staff of the Qatari Armed Forces.

    On November 19, NAB had taken notice of the alleged non-disclosure of the actual value of gifts received by the former prime minister, his wife, and other cabinet members.

  • ‘If we lose one Hindu girl, we should trap 10 Muslim girls’: Indian politician urges men to fight ‘love jihad’

    ‘If we lose one Hindu girl, we should trap 10 Muslim girls’: Indian politician urges men to fight ‘love jihad’

    Indian politician Pramod Muthalik has urged young Hindu men to lure “10 Muslim girls if we lose one Hindu girl” through what he called “love jihad”.

    Muthalik, the chief of the Hindu nationalist party Sri Ram Sena, alleged that thousands of Hindu girls were being “exploited in the name of love jihad”, the belief that Muslims are seeking to deceive Hindu women through marriage and convert them to Islam.

    “We are aware of the situation. I would like to invite the youth here. If we lose one Hindu girl, we should trap 10 Muslim girls. If you do so, Sri Ram Sena will take responsibility for you and provide every kind of security and employment,” said Muthalik, as quoted in The Indian Express.

    “Our girls are exploited in love jihad. Across the country, thousands of girls are cheated in the name of love. We should warn them,” the politician further said.

    “I am not saying this because elections are around the corner. My statements have always been in the interest of Hindus,” the report quoted him as saying.

    The Indian Express added that Muthalik’s comments have been widely criticised, with “love jihad” considered to be a baseless conspiracy theory that courts have rejected.

  • ECP to consult with AGP on Alvi’s election date

    ECP to consult with AGP on Alvi’s election date

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday held a meeting to review the situation evolving after President Arif Alvi’s unilateral announcement of a date for elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

    ECP decided to consult Attorney General for Pakistan and other legal experts in this regard.

    The meeting was called to after the president announced April 9 as the date for the polls of provincial assemblies.

    On Monday, Alvi exercising his power under Section 57 (1) of the Elections Act, 2017, announced the election date and further asked the ECP to issue an election programme in accordance with Section 57 (2) of the Act.

    Alvi’s move was rejected by federal ministers who were of the view that the president had abrogated the Constitution and he had no right to announce the date.

    The ECP stated that “the commission has been and will continue to make decisions without any pressure according to the Constitution and law”.

    It added that the electoral watchdog is always ready to conduct an election within 90 days as per the Constitution and law, but nowhere in the Constitution, it is written that the commission will give the date for the election.

  • Military, civilian leadership has put full stop on Khan’s appeasement policy on terrorists: Bilawal

    Military, civilian leadership has put full stop on Khan’s appeasement policy on terrorists: Bilawal

    Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has said that negotiating with those people who don’t accept Pakistan and its constitution is not in favour of the country or it’s people.

    In an interview with German broadcaster DW Urdu, the foreign minister said that the previous government was asking the interim Afghan government to facilitate reconciliation with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and had plans to resettle the militants in Pakistan.

    “Every Pakistani was saying that terrorists who were involved in heinous attacks such as the Army Public School massacre could never be our friends”, said Bilawal.

    Earlier in an interview with CNBC, Bilawal said, “Unfortunately, following the fall of Kabul, the government that preceded ours started negotiating with these very same terrorist groups and without preconditions such as disarming.”

    The foreign minister said that the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) coalition government and military leadership have “put a full stop to the policy of appeasement”.

    Citing the porous border with Afghanistan, the Foreign Minister said that the new government doesn’t have the capacity to man it.

    “We are confident that we’ll be able to take on the terrorist groups that are functioning within Pakistan,” he said.

    Discussing Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, Bilawal said that if he strives to pursue a democratic path and commits to play a constitutional role, he can have a future, adding that Khan’s ouster through a vote of no-confidence motion was the first time parliament removed a prime minister in a democratic way.

    However, since his ouster, Khan has been asking the army for help in getting back to power, the foreign minister alleged.

     “If the military says it wants to change its controversial conduct constitutionally, it should be welcomed.”

    While responding to a question regarding the statement about Pakistan’s bankruptcy made by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Bilawal said: “He was talking in a political context at a political gathering and he was referring to the harsh economic times rather than speaking technically. He was talking in the overall context of the country.”

  • National Assembly passes mini-budget to meet IMF targets

    National Assembly passes mini-budget to meet IMF targets

    The National Assembly of Pakistan passed the Finance (Supplementary) Bill, 2023, aimed at amending certain laws relating to taxes and duties. The bill is intended to generate an additional Rs170 billion within the next four and a half months, to fulfill the last prior actions agreed upon with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

    Pakistan’s reserves have fallen to a critically low level of $2.9 billion, which experts believe is sufficient for only 16 to 17 days of imports. The completion of the ninth review of a $7 billion loan programme with the IMF would lead to a disbursement of $1.2 billion, as well as unlock inflows from friendly countries.

    The Finance Minister, Ishaq Dar, introduced the bill to the National Assembly on February 15, and the formal debate started on it after moving a motion by Commerce Minister Syed Naveed Qamar on February 17. In his concluding speech during the NA session, Dar said the new taxes proposed in the bill would not affect the poor segments of society, as most of the new taxes are being imposed on luxury items that they don’t use.

    The government has also proposed an increase of Rs40 billion in the budget of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) to help the poor cope with rising inflation.

    The Finance Bill aims to increase the general sales tax (GST) rate from 17 per cent to 18 per cent, with an increase to 25 per cent on luxury items. The bill proposes to raise the federal excise duty (FED) on cigarettes, and aerated and sugary drinks. GST on 33 categories of goods covering 860 tariff lines, including high-end mobile phones, imported food, decoration items, and other luxury goods, will increase from 17 per cent to 25 per cent, however, the raise will be notified through another notification.

    The excise duty on cement has been raised from Rs1.5 to Rs2 per kilogram, a measure expected to generate an additional Rs6 billion. An excise tax of 10 per cent has been proposed on non-aerated drinks like juices, including mango and orange, to raise an additional tax of Rs4 billion.

    The finance bill also proposed a 10 per cent withholding tax on functions and gatherings held in marriage halls, marquees, hotels, restaurants, commercial lawns, clubs, community places, or other places, expected to raise Rs1 billion to Rs2 billion from this tax. The excise duty on carbonated or aerated drinks has been raised to 20 per cent from 13 per cent to generate an additional Rs10 billion for the government.

    The proposed increase in excise duty on business, first, and club-class air tickets will raise an additional Rs10 billion for the government, with a tax rate of 20 per cent (or Rs50,000, whichever is higher) proposed on the value of air tickets.