Tag: PML-N

  • ‘Nation stands with PM Khan, Opposition can’t harm him’, claims Asad Umar

    ‘Nation stands with PM Khan, Opposition can’t harm him’, claims Asad Umar

    Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar dismissed the news of factionalism within the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and said no one could be Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s substitute within the party.

    While talking to Geo News’  programme “Naya Pakistan”, Umar stated that 99 per cent of the PTI’s vote bank belongs to PM Khan.

    “I reiterate that the nation stands with Imran Khan and this is the only reason that the Opposition has been unable to harm him,” he said while referring to Opposition claims that allied parties are not with the government.

    The federal minister also seconded his party fellow Fawad Chaudhry’s statement about Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) members being “hell-bent on removing Nawaz Sharif from their party”.

    Despite inflation and new taxes that have been imposed, Asad Umar claimed that the country’s economy is progressing.

  • Interior Minister questioned on rising terrorism, didn’t brief parliament for nine months

    Interior Minister questioned on rising terrorism, didn’t brief parliament for nine months

    The Opposition senators questioned the Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed over the recent terrorist attacks in Islamabad and Lahore in today’s Senate session.

    Earlier this week, in a gun attack, a police officer was killed in the capital and the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility. Lahore was attacked on Thursday which claimed the lives of three civilians.

    Senator Raza Rabbani said that Baloch Nationalist Army (BNA) had claimed responsibility for one of the attacks while Rasheed said the TTP was behind it. The senator demanded that the minister be summoned to clear the confusion, reports Dawn.

    Several other senators including Pakistan Muslim-League’s (PML-N) sought a reply. One of them said that “he had not seen the interior minister in the House for any briefing during the last nine months.”

    Rasheed made a briefing and said that there are “special motives” behind the killing of the cop in Islamabad. However, about the Lahore tragedy, the minister stated that an investigation is underway. 

    Upon the Oppostion’s insistence of seeking an explanation from the government. Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani told the minister to brief the upper house in this regard and the steps taken by the government on Monday (January 24).

    After the capital incident, the minister had warned of more terrorist-related attacks. Previously in the past month, two terrorists allegedly belonging to the banned outfit TTP were arrested in Karachi.

  • Court allows PML-N’s Khawaja Asif to cross-examine PM Khan

    Court allows PML-N’s Khawaja Asif to cross-examine PM Khan

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has allowed Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Khawaja Asif to cross-examine Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan with reference to the premier’s defamation case against him.

    During the hearing, headed by IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah, the civil court directed to conclude the proceedings within two months, states Dawn.

    Barrister Haider Rasool, the counsel for Asif argued that since 2012 his client had sought adjournment 28 times while the court adjourned the proceedings on PM’s request on nearly 50 occasions.

    The court observed that it was the defendant’s [Khawaja] right to cross-examine the PM.

    Earlier this year, the high court had sought a reply from the premier.

    Back in 2012, the premier had filed the defamation suit against Asif for recovery of Rs10 billion as the latter at a press conference levelled allegations about misappropriation of funds and money laundering through the Shaukat Khanam funds.

  • ‘They [PML-N] are mafias, always influence courts’: PM Khan

    ‘They [PML-N] are mafias, always influence courts’: PM Khan

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on Thursday, lashing out at the Opposition, said that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) are known for “using unfair tactics” to influence courts.

    While referring to the affidavit case of the former chief judge of Gilgit-Baltistan Rana Shamim, the prime minister said the PML-N generated the controversy of the affidavit to pressurise the court which was hearing the case of its leaders Shehbaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz.

    “They [PML-N leaders] are mafias and they always influence courts when they feel that they are about to decide their cases,” said the premier.

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Faisal Javed informed the media that PM Khan had said that the Sharif family had again been exposed for trying to pressure the judiciary, reports The Express Tribune.


    “The PML-N has pressured courts in the past as well for making decisions in its favour. Everyone knows that the PML-N has a history of pressuring the judiciary” the senator quoted the prime minister as saying.

    “The Sharif family is fighting for its survival while we [PTI] are fighting the nation’s war,” said Javed.

    Talking to a group of spokespersons, the premier urged his spokespersons to vehemently counter “controversies” being created by Opposition leaders, especially in the media, reports Dawn.

  • Forward bloc in PML-N: Will Nawaz Sharif be replaced by another party member?

    Forward bloc in PML-N: Will Nawaz Sharif be replaced by another party member?

    Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry has claimed that four Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders were “hell-bent on removing the party supremo Nawaz Sharif from the party.”

    Addressing a gathering in Lahore, Fawad said that there is a “rat race going on among senior PML-N members as to who would lead the party next,” adding that, “four top-most party leaders want to remove PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif in a bid to take over the party’s leadership.”

    The federal minister even claimed that the four members he was referring to “even went out to meet someone and confessed that since Nawaz had treated the country in a bad manner, they should instead be given a chance to lead the party.”

    When asked for names Fawad said that their names will soon be out and that the four of them sit in the front row.

    Energy Minister Hammad Azhar took to Twitter and asked the PML-N leadership to show courage and come forward with their ambitions.

    “It is a good thing that there are four members in the Noon League who have the courage to consider themselves more qualified and entitled to lead than the Sharif family,” said Hammad.

    “However, they should express this commitment openly, not behind closed doors. Will you spend your whole life in fear?” tweeted Hammad.

    Confirming what Fawad had said, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s Special Assistant on Capital Development Authority (CDA), Ali Nawaz Awan, while speaking on Geo News programme, ‘Captial Talk’ said, “The entire city is talking about [replacement of Nawaz Sharif.]”

    I will name two members [out of the four hinted by Fawad] Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Khawaja Asif,” said Awan.

    Prior to this, Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed had hinted on a minus Sharif leadership and said, “They [Opposition] want that the hand [protecting] Imran Khan should be on their head as well,” adding, ” this hand can be on their [Opposition] neck but never on their head.” Rasheed’s words hint towards the establishment.

    “I would like to say a historical sentence that all four Sharif’s are minus from the politics of Pakistan,” said Rasheed.

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Faisal Vawda, while speaking on ARY News programme, ‘Off the Record’ was questioned about the four names who wanted to replace Nawaz Sharif.
    “Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Ayaz Sadiq, Ahsan Iqbal, and Miftah Ismail are the names who wish to replace Nawaz,” said Vawda.

    Anchorperson Kashif Abbasi asked Vawda as to where did the above-mentioned people go and whom did they meet? Vawda said, “Any door can be knocked, one can go and meet anyone.

  • PML-N questions extension debate of army chief tenure by PM Khan

    PML-N questions extension debate of army chief tenure by PM Khan

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Ahsan Iqbal slammed Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan over talking about the extension of the Chief of Army Staff’s (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s extension, arguing that it is an “unconstitutional and political tactic”.

    Abbasi said that the Constitution of Pakistan was clear on the army chief’s appointment, saying: “The Constitution that we’ve read says the army chief gets appointed for three years. There has never been a debate on the extension of the army chief’s tenure.”

    Last week, PM Khan, in a programme said he had so far not thought about the extension of COAS as November [the appointment month of COAS] is far away.

    Similarly, PML-N Secretary-General Ahsan Iqbal condemned the act and said that the government is “trying to play a dangerous political card on the matter of the army chief’s appointment.”

    “A new military chief is appointed during the last three months of the incumbent’s tenure, therefore, talking about the extension before time is just a political tactic,” he added.

    General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s tenure was extended for three years by PM in August 2019, just three months before he was set to retire.

  • PFUJ demands apology from Maryam Nawaz and Pervaiz Rashid for abusing journalists

    PFUJ demands apology from Maryam Nawaz and Pervaiz Rashid for abusing journalists

    The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has demanded an apology from Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz’s (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz and leader Pervaiz Rashid for using abusive language against senior journalists and anchorpersons.

    Earlier this week, the audio was leaked in which both of them [Maryam and Rashid] used derogatory language for the Geo News programme “Report Card” analysts.

    The union President Shahzada Zulfiqar and Secretary-General Nasir Zaidi said the leaked audio was alarming as it showed the mindset of political leadership against media and independent journalists.

    Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors have also condemned the language used and views expressed by Nawaz and Rashid.

    A committee comprising experienced editors and directors news has reportedly requested the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to show leniency and drop the allegations against senior journalist Ansar Abbasi in former Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Judge (CJ) Rana Shamim’s affidavit case.

  • ‘Legal action will be taken against you if Nawaz doesn’t return’: Fawad warns Shehbaz

    ‘Legal action will be taken against you if Nawaz doesn’t return’: Fawad warns Shehbaz

    The Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said that either Shehbaz Sharif asks Nawaz Sharif to return to Pakistan or legal action will be taken against him [Shehbaz] for providing a fake affidavit.

    In a press conference, the minister said that Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has directed the Attorney-General of Pakistan (AGP) to ensure Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif is brought back to Pakistan.

    Following Fawad’s statement claimed that the PML-N secretary-general Ahsan Iqbal Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI)-led government is suffering from “Nawaz phobia.”

    “The government holds cabinet meetings only to discuss Nawaz Sharif, which shows that it is suffering from Nawaz Sharif phobia,” he said.

    Meanwhile, PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said that “Nawaz Sharif had gone abroad for treatment after seeking permission from the country’s judiciary.”

    “Issuing statement against Nawaz and Shahbaz on a daily basis shows how panicked the government is,” Marriyum said.

    She went on to say that instead of telling the attorney general to ensure Nawaz’s return to Pakistan, the government should direct him to take action against those who steal wheat, sugar, electricity, gas, and medicines.

  • Are PTI’s MNAs joining PML-N? Shahid Khaqan responds

    While talking about Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) members, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi claimed that once their ‘support’ ends they will come out.

    In Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’ on Monday, Khaqan shed light on whether PTI’s Members of National Assembly (MNAs) are joining PML-N. According to him, time will tell.

    “They are afraid of calls and they will appear after they seize receiving the telephone calls as they know they have no political future with the ruling PTI”, he said while recalling the latest joint sitting, saying only 190 members showed up, but when the telephone calls started, all the members came.

    Answering about the passing of mini-budget in the House, he said that the party will try its best to be present in full numbers and according to him, the government tries to get bills passed through “browbeating”.

    Abbasi, who is the secretary-general of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) ruled out the possibility of any deal for a way into the power corridors.

    “We do not want a share in power nor do we seek interests. We can have negotiations while staying within the purview of the Constitution. We have nothing to give. What can we give to anyone?” he added.

    When asked about the proposed names for the post of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman by the Opposition. Khaqan didn’t give a clear answer and laughed it off.

  • ‘Will see you soon in Pak’: Nawaz Sharif hints yet again at coming back

    ‘Will see you soon in Pak’: Nawaz Sharif hints yet again at coming back

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif has hinted at coming back to Pakistan.

    The PML-N leader while addressing a conference with party workers and leaders said, “Thank you all very much, see you soon in Pakistan.”

    Senior party leaders have hinted at the same stance as that of their leader Nawaz Sharif. Former Speaker National Assembly (NA) Ayaz Sadiq on Thursday said that Nawaz Sharif will return to Pakistan soon.

    Ayaz Sadiq said that the opponents of PML-N are afraid that Shehbaz Sharif might not leave for London. He went on to say that he has not seen any man more cowardly than PM Imran Khan in politics.

    He mentioned that the premier’s ‘good governance’ has turned into bad governance while Nawaz Sharif has left all his matters to Allah.

    PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah while talking to the media said, “The decision of Nawaz Sharif’s return before the election will be his own and he will come back whenever he wants.”

    “The party wants Nawaz Sharif to be assured of justice and the party has decided that he should not return unless he is assured of justice,” said Rana Sanaullah.