Current Final

Tag: PTI

  • ‘Spy cameras’ discovered in polling booth ahead of Senate chairman polls

    Senators Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Dr Musadik Malik of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) have stated that they found spy cameras in the polling booth in Senate on the day of the Senate Chairman election.

    The opposition alliance has fielded Yousaf Raza Gilani as the joint candidate for Senate chairman while the government has fielded Sadiq Sanjrani.

    Senator Khokhar and Dr Musadik, in a series of tweets, posted pictures of cameras they found.

    https://twitter.com/DrMusadikMalik/status/1370235911255031808

    Responding to these tweets, Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry said that those cameras were “in all likelihood CCTV” cameras and not spy cameras.

    Senator Khokhar thanked Chaudhry for the lead and said “we will check for those too”.

    A few minutes later, Senator Khokhar tweeted he found a similar screw that the minister had mentioned and thanked Chaudhry for the lead. In response to this, Fawad wished Senator Mustafa good luck.

    Senator Khokhar questioned why a screw was there.

    Senator Musadik Malik also tweeted the same.

    https://twitter.com/DrMusadikMalik/status/1370270961136713728

    A video available with The Current shows the whole saga of uncovering the screw:

    https://twitter.com/TheCurrentPK/status/1370276132986179587

    Meanwhile, the government accused the opposition of planting those cameras.

    Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar tweeted that credible sources in Senate staff have disclosed that Sadiq Sanjrani left the Senate building at 5:30am in the morning.

    Fawad Chaudhry tweeted that Secretary Senate should form a committee to investigate the cameragate before Dr Musadik and Mustafa Nawaz destroy the entire wiring system in the Senate.

    Meanwhile, Twitter has dubbed the duo of Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar and Dr Musadik Malik as Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson.

    While those behind the installation of cameras are still unknown, it is worth mentioning that the elections for Senate chairman and deputy chairman are critical for both the government and opposition.

    Later, in a press conference Senator Mustafa and Dr Malik, detailed the events that transpired in the Senate as they discovered the hidden cameras.

    https://youtu.be/JIssfV4EJNc

  • Race for Deputy Chairman Senate

    Prime Minister Imran Khan has nominated Mirza Mohammad Afridi as the PTI government’s candidate for the post of Deputy Chairman Senate, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz has announced.

    “Prime Minister Imran Khan has nominated Senator Mirza Mohammad Afridi for Deputy Chairman Slot giving representation to ex-FATA PTI member,” wrote the Minister.

    Earlier, Defence Minister Pervez Khattak had offered the position of deputy chairman Senate to JUI-F’s Abdul Ghafoor Haideri. JUI-F had subsequently rejected the government’s offer.

    A day before the elections of Chairman Senate, PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz has alleged that their senators are being called and asked not to vote for PDM candidate.

    “Our senators are being called and asked not to vote for PDM candidate. Some of them have recorded the evidence,” wrote Maryam on social media.

    Meanwhile, the government has announced the candidature of Sadiq Sanjrani as its nominee for Senate chairman while the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) has nominated Yousuf Raza Gilani as its joint candidate for the position.

  • Pakistanis appreciate PM Imran for ‘Koi Bhooka Nahi Soye Ga’ programme

    Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday launched the ‘Koi Bhooka Nahi Soye Ga (No one will sleep hungry)’ program under the administration of Ehsaas Programme and Bait-ul-Maal. Under the scheme, free meals will be distributed among the poor through food trucks in all major cities of Pakistan.

    As per details, freshly cooked food will be distributed twice a day, among 1000-1500 people on daily bases in portable food trucks. Initially, the food trucks will operate in Islamabad and Rawalpindi only, with daily wage workers the main beneficiary of the programme.

    Speaking at the launch, PM Khan expressed his desire to spread the programme in every city of the country. The premier added that the launch of this food drive is a step forward towards a welfare state.

    “I always feel happy to see that deserving people are given shelter and food with honour and dignity at various Panahgahs established across Pakistan,” said PM Imran.

    VIDEO: Bushra Bibi makes rare public appearance, visits Panah Gah in Lahore

    He also announced to launch a subsidy programme under which direct money will be transferred to 30 million deserving families.

    The scheme is being highly appreciated by Pakistanis on social media. Check out some reactions below:

    https://twitter.com/MuhammadMobinK4/status/1369694559643566085
  • Senate chairman vote: ‘Govt will do whatever is necessary to win this time’

    Senate chairman vote: ‘Govt will do whatever is necessary to win this time’

    Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz has said that the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will do whatever is necessary to ensure the victory of Sadiq Sanjrani in the Senate chairman election.


    Speaking in Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’ as the country heads towards another critical vote following the government’s defeat at the hands of opposition alliance for Yousuf Raza Gilani’s election, the minister said the government would do whatever is required to win the Senate chairman slot.


    While responding to media reports about the government’s offer to JUI-F, Faraz said no formal offer has been made to Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri for the post of Senate deputy chairman, and neither it is possible.


    “The JUI-F is just raising the matter to gain importance,” he said.


    “Abdul Ghafoor Haideri came to meet us and we informally discussed these things while having food in the library,” he said, adding that the government also goes to Opposition senators for seeking votes in the Senate elections.

    To a question whether the Senate chairman would be elected by seeking votes, using power or using money, Faraz said the opposition always violates rules and uses money.
    “We are ready this time. It can’t happen that we play Sharif Sharif [morally] and do everything according to law. We would do everything necessary for winning,” Shibli said.


    WATCH VIDEO:


    He added that it was not possible that the government remains unmoved, while the opposition uses every tactic for its benefit, which was witnessed in the Senate elections.
    Faraz said the government would not play “nicely” and would make every effort for the success of its candidate.


    “It’s not happening that the opposition is allowed to even touch the ball in a football game with hand, while the government just plays with the foot. Love begets love and vice versa,” he said.


    The minister, however, made it clear that he was not talking about using money in the Senate election.

  • PM Imran wishes Women’s Day to Bushra Bibi, shares pictures of mother and wife

    Prime minister Imran Khan celebrated Women’s Day by sharing pictures of the two important women in his life.

    Posting pictures of his late mother Shaukat Khanum and wife Bushra Bibi, PM Khan wrote: “Happy Women’s Day.”

    Imran Khan was the only son of his mother. In 1985 he lost her to cancer and in 1994 set up Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital Lahore in memory of her.

    Meanwhile, PM Khan married Bushra Bibi in 2018, a few months before his party won the elections. Earlier, PM Imran had said that he could not have survived without his wife Bushra Bibi who is his soulmate and has great wisdom, adding that he discusses everything with her.

  • Withdrawn PTI candidate Abdul Qadir welcomed to party by PM Khan

    Newly elected Senator from Balochistan, Abdul Qadir, joined Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday. Qadir was elected as an independent candidate with the support of Balochistan Awami Party (BAP). Defence Minister Pervez Khattak and Saifullah Nyazee were also part of the meeting.

    It should be noted that PTI had withdrawn the party ticket awarded to business tycoon Abdul Qadir in Balochistan for the Senate election after strong opposition from the PTI provincial leadership and zonal heads. PTI awarded its Senate ticket to Syed Zahoor Agha. Later, when Abdul Qadir contested the Senate election as an independent candidate with the joint support of BAP and the government, PTI’s Zahoor Agha withdrew his nomination papers.

  • Government offers Senate deputy chairmanship to JUI-F

    The PTI government has offered the post of Senate deputy chairman to Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F). Defence Minister Pervez Khattak says he offered the position of deputy chairman Senate to JUI-F’s Abdul Ghafoor Haideri. 


    JUI-F, led by Maulana Fazlur Rehman, is part of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM). Reports indicate that PDM will offer deputy chairman slot to JUI-F and Leader of Opposition in Senate to the PML-N. However, these decisions have not been officially announced. PDM has officially nominated Yousaf Raza Gilani as its joint candidate for Senate chairman. Haideri said that he cannot predict who will become Senate Chairman on March 12. He also said that he has not been informed about PDM’s decision about candidates for the slot of deputy chairman.

    Maulana Ghafoor Haideri told the media that he condemns the government ministers’ discussion about this issue. “We don’t accept this government so there is absolutely no standing of any offer from this government,” Haideri added.

  • ‘Will quit post if allegations over number of votes secured by PM proved’: Asad Qaiser

    ‘Will quit post if allegations over number of votes secured by PM proved’: Asad Qaiser

    Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser has said that he will resign if the opposition’s allegations regarding the number of votes Prime Minister Imran Khan secured in the vote of confidence turn out to be true.

    Qaiser said that he is willing to challenge that not even a single vote was wrong. “Without my vote and [Faisal] Vawda’s, the numbers were 178.”

    Speaker National Assembly also said that we need to strengthen democracy and lead to stability. 

    PM Khan won a crucial vote of confidence on Saturday.

  • ECP rejects PTI petition seeking stop on Gilani notification

    ECP rejects PTI petition seeking stop on Gilani notification

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has rejected a petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) seeking to stop the notification of newly-elected Senator Yousaf Raza Gilani.

    According to reports, the election watchdog sought amendments to the petition.

    Last Wednesday, Gilani, who was fielded as a joint candidate of the 11-party Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) on a technocrat seat from Islamabad, defeated Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Sheikh in Senate elections in a major setback to the government. He received 169 votes to the latter’s 164.

    On Saturday, three PTI leaders — Farrukh Habib, Maleeka Bokhari, and Kanwal Shauzab — approached the election commission to halt the issuance of the victory notification for Gilani until a probe into a contentious video, showing the former prime minister’s son Ali Haider Gilani explaining to MPs how to waste their votes, is completed.

    In another petition filed on Monday, the trio sought an early hearing of the case which was earlier scheduled for March 11 — a day before the election for the office of Senate chairman.

    “The matter is extremely important as a senator elected with corrupt practices is now aspiring to become the chairman of Senate,” the petition said.

    “It is a matter of utmost importance, which will have far-reaching consequences.”

    “The election of Yousuf Raza Gilani has been a rare incident in the national political history,” the request further said.

    “Hopefully, the election commission will hear the matter urgently, as it heard the issue related to [the] by-election in NA-75, Daska.”

    “The issuance of the notification should be stopped till the action on the video scandal is completed,” the petition said.

    The video, which had emerged hours before legislators across the country were set to go to Senate elections, showed Ali Gilani explaining to MPs how to cancel their votes. In a press conference, Ali Gilani accepted that he was in the leaked video, but denied he was engaging in a deal to buy votes for his father.

    A separate video clip showed Sindh Local Government Minister Nasir Hussain Shah assuring four MPs of getting paid “over and above” the agreed amount and also resolve all issues from the provincial government.

    The person, who was seen finalising the deal, told Shah that all the four were “sold” and, in return, Shah also assured the legislators that all the tasks of his “brothers” were now his own responsibility.

  • PDM nominates Gilani as joint candidate for Senate chairman

    PDM nominates Gilani as joint candidate for Senate chairman

    Yousaf Raza Gilani, who defeated Minister for Finance Hafeez Sheikh in the recent Senate polls, has been nominated by the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) as its joint candidate for Senate chairman. PDM decided this today in a meeting chaired by Maulana Fazlur Rehman. The elections for Senate chairman will be held on March 12 and will be done through secret balloting.

    On the other hand, the government has announced the candidature of Sadiq Sanjrani as its nominee for Senate chairman.

    After Gilani’s surprise win in the Senate, PM Khan sought a vote of confidence in the National Assembly and won on Saturday. Needing the support of 172 MPs in the 342-seat House to retain its confidence, the prime minister secured 178 votes.

    In August 2019, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani survived a no-confidence move tabled against him by the joint opposition. The opposition’s no-trust motion against Sanjrani failed to receive the 53 votes required for his removal even though at the start of the session, 64 senators had stood up in support of the motion.