Tag: PPP

Karachi’s Korangi witnessed a confrontation between Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) workers and Fixit volunteers over an open manhole after the death of eight-year-old Dilbar Ali, who became the second child to fall to his death due to civic negligence in the port city within a month.

As per the details, volunteers from Fixit – a non-profit organisation highlighting and fixing social, civic and political issues faced by the people – on Monday arrived at the site with a vehicle carrying manhole covers. Their intention was to place a cover on the open sewer where the incident occurred.

Witnesses reported that PPP workers objected to the installation, leading to a dispute between the two groups. The volunteers were reportedly stopped from installing the cover and left the site.

Residents of Korangi described the clash as part of a “politics of manhole covers” where responsibility for civic issues is contested rather than addressed. Several locals also expressed frustration that efforts to secure the area were blocked, especially after multiple fatalities linked to uncovered sewers.

While no official statement has so far been released by the Karachi administration regarding the clash or the installation of manhole covers at the site, Dilbar’s father, in conversation with journalists, blamed civic authorities for his son’s death.

He said the manhole cover had been removed about a month ago for sewer cleaning but was never replaced. The father also appealed to the government to ensure all open manholes in Karachi are covered to prevent further accidents.

It merits a mention that the incident comes just weeks after three-year-old Ibrahim also tragically died in Karachi after falling into an uncovered manhole near NIPA Chowrangi in Gulshan-e-Iqbal.

His body was recovered after a 15-hour search as authorities concerned continued with a blame game or politicisation of the incident.

A National Assembly standing committee on Tuesday turned down a bill seeking to ban the practice of dowry, with members declaring the proposed legislation “impractical.”

Sharmila Faruqui, a member of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), introduced the bill during a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior, which was chaired by MNA Raja Khurram Nawaz.

The proposed law aimed to criminalise dowry and prescribe punishments for violations, while also allowing parents to give gifts voluntarily. However, the committee unanimously rejected the bill, terming it impractical. 

Confirming the development in a post on X (formerly twitter), Faruqui said the discussion during the meeting reflected a mindset that encouraged dowry rather than curbing it.

“Dowry is not culture, it is coercion. The state must side with women instead of normalising a practice that turns them into commodities,” she wrote, adding that choosing dowry meant choosing patriarchy over dignity.

Despite the rejection, the PPP lawmaker said she would continue her efforts to push for a ban on dowry, stating that her struggle was “far from over.”

Separately, in July, the Supreme Court ruled that denying dowry or maintenance to a woman on the basis of infertility was unlawful. In its judgment, Chief Justice Yahya Afridi strongly criticised the practice, describing it as a means of weaponising infertility  or even the suspicion of it against women.

The verdict, issued by a two-member bench headed by the chief justice, noted that such practices often turn courts into spaces where women are subjected to humiliation under the pretext of legal proceedings.

Meanwhile, the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) last year proposed amendments to the Dowry and Bridal Gift Act, recommending tougher penalties for violations, including increasing imprisonment from six months to up to one year.

During its 239th meeting in October, the CII also suggested revising the monetary limits, proposing an increase in the maximum dowry cap from Rs5,000 to two tolas of gold, along with a corresponding rise in allowable wedding expenses.

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has taken legal action in a Karachi court regarding the controversial Indian movie Dhurandhar, claiming unauthorized use of party material and defamation in the official trailer.

A constitutional petition was submitted by PPP member Muhammad Amir in the District and Sessions Court (South) of Karachi. The petition seeks the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against the film’s director, producers, actors, and other production team members involved in the creation and promotion of the trailer.

As stated in the petition, the trailer contains images of the late former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, the PPP flag, and footage from party rallies without proper authorization. The petitioner argues that the visuals were used without permission and in a manner that harms the party’s reputation.

Additionally, the petition claims that the trailer depicts the PPP as supportive of terrorist groups and describes Karachi’s Lyari area as a “terrorist war zone.” It asserts that such portrayal constitutes defamation and presents a distorted image of both the party and the nation.

The petition names several individuals, including director Aditya Dhar, producers Lokesh Dhar and Jyoti Kishore Deshpande, as well as actors Ranveer Singh, Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal, R Madhavan, Sara Arjun, and Rakesh Beni. The cinematographer Vikash Nolcha, editor Shiv Kumar V Panicker, and other unnamed crew members are also listed as complacent. 

The petitioner argues that the trailer incites hatred and contempt against the PPP, its leadership, and its supporters. 

The petition references various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code, such as Sections 499, 500, 502, 504, 505, 153-A, and 109, which pertain to defamation, criminal threats, provocation, and inciting hostility between groups.

Amir mentioned in the petition that he previously filed a written complaint to the station house officer at the Darakhshan police station. He claimed that no case was registered and no legal action was taken, prompting him to seek judicial relief.

The petition requests that the court order police authorities to promptly register an FIR against the listed individuals. It also asks the court to instruct the senior superintendent of police (SSP) South to ensure a fair investigation and to include all responsible parties in the probe related to the film’s trailer.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chief and former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has revealed the reason behind his drastic weight loss.

In conversation with journalists on the sidelines of a special ceremony to confer Field Marshal’s Baton upon Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir, the PPP chairperson revealed that he had made quite some changes to his routine and diet.

“I have quit sugar and carbs and [am] working out regularly,” Bilawal said while responding to Geo’s Shahzad Iqbal, who had among other questions asked the PPP chief if his weight loss was deliberate. 

The former foreign minister’s statement rules out speculations that he was using Ozempic, a prescription medication used primarily to help manage type two diabetes, which also reduces extra weight. 

In January 2025, during his appearance at the wedding of Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Murad Ali Shah’s daughter, the PPP’s chairperson’s physical transformation became instantly noticeable, and since then, his weight loss had become a topic of widespread discussion among netizens. 

Separately, Bilawal said earlier this week that a nuclear war between India and Pakistan will have devastating consequences for the entire region and beyond.

Speaking to the media in Islamabad after receiving an initial briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) before he leads the high-level diplomatic delegation to world capitals to brief foreign leaders on India’s aggression and efforts to destabilise regional peace, Bilawal said they had received an initial briefing at the Foreign Office on the ceasefire, Kashmir, terrorism and the “attack” on the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).

He highlighted that Pakistan is one of the biggest victims of terrorism, cautioning that the “new normal” which India is seeking is not in its favour either.

“We have seen how after a terrorist attack, both countries can come close to a nuclear war,” he added.

He also appreciated the efforts of the Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif during the conflict, saying Pakistan demonstrated a ‘reasonable and rational role’ after India’s baseless accusations.