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Tag: Punjab

  • ‘Not afraid’; PML-N ready to rock n poll

    ‘Not afraid’; PML-N ready to rock n poll

    The Punjab Assembly is soon to be dissolved and it seems like Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is ready for polls despite Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) recent political victory in the province.

    Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah while talking to the media said the party is ready for the polls which will be held within 90 days after the dissolution and they will fully participate in the campaign.

    He termed the dissolution of assemblies undemocratic. He said earlier the democratic process was derailed with the imposition of martial laws, and now a political dictator is trying to derail it.

    The minister said that the National Assembly, as well as Sindh and Balochistan assemblies, would remain intact until August this year.

    Similarly, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said the Punjab chief minister’s summary about the dissolution of the assembly would be treated as per law. He said the PML-N is not afraid of elections.

    Meanwhile, Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique met Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif at his residence and discussed political issues.

    It has also been reported that a telephonic conversation between Shehbaz and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif took place and Nawaz asked PM Shehbaz to direct Punjab Governor Baligur Rehman to tackle political matters in the province.

    On Thursday, Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi signed a summary for the dissolution of the Punjab Assembly. A day later, PTI’s Fawad Chaudhry said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has prepared a summary for the dissolution of the provincial assembly.

  • Khan wants PML-Q to merge with PTI

    Khan wants PML-Q to merge with PTI

    In a meeting with journalists yesterday, PTI Chairman Imran Khan said that the PML-Q should merge with the PTI but discussions have yet to take place on this.


    Looking relaxed and quite confident after pulling off Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi’s vote of confidence in the Punjab Assembly and the dissolution of the Punjab Assembly, Khan praised Moonis Elahi and said he stood by the PTI despite pressure by powerful quarters. “Moonis is a forward-looking young man and he could see PTI’s political future and was able to convince the older leadership of his party.”

    Khan also praised Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi for having withstood threats and other pressure. He said that even his own members had a lot of offers, especially women MPAs, but they refused and stood by their party when it came to the vote of confidence.


    Khan said that fighting with the establishment is madness. On reconciliation with the army, Khan said that it is possible and he is willing to forgive the establishment and move on, whether it is the case of Azam Khan Swati or Shahbaz Gill or other things that took place since the vote of no-confidence against him because he genuinely believes that the military is the most organised institution and has the resources to stop smuggling of dollars, help in the crackdown against corruption and other things.

    Khan recalled the army’s assistance and work during the Covid pandemic, in polio vaccination campaigns and in controlling locusts. He also said that the military establishment only needs direction by the leaders. Their role can be very positive when they move in the right direction. To a question by this reporter on whether the military would get more space to meddle in politics if more role is given to it, he said that it cannot end overnight but leaders have to make sure that a direction is set on how to use the military to establish rule of law. Per him, only the military can take the country out of the current quagmire if it works with all political stakeholders.


    Khan said that the military can establish rule of law and no institution should be above the law. He said that he was not willing to sit with the PDM because they are looters who want an NRO, which basically means they want to be above the law. He said they have no stakes in the country as their assets are stashed abroad, which is why they can also be pressurised by outside powers.


    Talking about Balochistan and former FATA, Khan said he believed in political solutions and not military solutions.


    On being asked (by this reporter) about the crackdown against the media during the PTI’s tenure, Khan said he had nothing to do with it. “I have always taken the legal route when I have had problems with the media. I have a lot of tolerance for media criticism.”


    The PTI chairman was very confident that after the dissolution of the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies, the PDM would be left with no choice but to go for general elections. Khan believes that the current establishment will not support the government given the economic crisis. “If this government continues till August, Pakistan will be worse off than even Sri Lanka.”


    Khan said that whatever economic growth was achieved during the PTI tenure had all been undone by the PDM in less than a year.

  • CM should always have the support of majority in house: Court

    A five-member bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday (today) heard Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi’s plea challenging Governor Balighur Rehman’s orders to de-notify him as CM.

    During the hearing, Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh remarked that the governor can ask a chief minister to take a vote of confidence from the assembly.

    While Elahi’s lawyer Barrister Ali Zafar responded that his client became the chief minister by taking votes in the assembly, Justice Hafeez said that the chief minister should always have the support of the majority of the lawmakers (186 members) in the house.

    At one point, Justice Sheikh said that if a consensus could not be reached between the governor and the chief minister, then the case would be heard on “merit”.

    “The matter has now prolonged beyond a reasonable time,” he remarked, adding that the court would have to look at assembly dissolution, violation of the governor’s orders, and the way forward.

    In the late hours of December 22, Rehman denotified Elahi as CM. At the time, the governor had said that since the chief minister had refrained from taking a vote of confidence at the appo­i­nted day and time, he ceased to hold office.

    Subsequently, Elahi approached the court, saying the move was “unconstitutional, unlawful and of no legal effect”.

    LHC later reinstated Elahi as the chief minister after he assured the court that he would not dissolve the Punjab Assembly until the next hearing, which was held today.

    This a developing story.

  • Flour price may increase to Rs200 per kilogramme soon

    Flour price may increase to Rs200 per kilogramme soon

    The pirce of “chakki” flour in Rawalpindi and Islamabad has soared to Rs170 per kilogramme due to the country’s escalating inflation.

    The price of “chakki atta” (chakki flour), which was formerly sold at Rs150 per kilogramme, has suddenly increased to Rs170 per kilogramme. The new pricing is applicable as of Sunday, according to the price list published by the Rawalpindi Islamabad Chakki Atta Association and displayed at chakkis.

    Unfortunately, the administrations of the twin cities have not made any announcements. Nazakat Shah, president of the association, and Ali Raza, general secretary, have both signed the price list.

    According to The News, chakki owners in Rawalpindi claim that the association informed them that the price of flour may rise to Rs200 per kilogramme in the near future.

    An owner claimed that he only received 10 bags of wheat, each weighing 50 kilogrammes, with condolences from wholesalers that they would have to restrict the product and that things would only get harder as time goes on.

    The price of rice has also increased by Rs50 per kilogramme in less than a week, in a similar manner. The best rice can be found for between Rs340 and Rs380 per kilogramme.

  • ‘I will not do it’: Punjab CM refuses to take vote of confidence

    ‘I will not do it’: Punjab CM refuses to take vote of confidence

    Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi Thursday ruled out following Governor Baligh-ur-Rehman’s orders for taking a vote of confidence and termed the directions “illegal”.

    “I don’t accept the governor’s letter for the vote of confidence. If I take the vote of confidence, then it means that I am accepting the letter,” he told the media.

    “The governor wants me to follow his illegal order, but I will not do it,” the chief minister said, as the ruling coalition in Punjab scrambles to ensure he maintains his seat.

    Lahore High Court (LHC) reinstated Elahi as CM Punjab following his de-notification by the governor.

    The court reinstated Elahi on December 23 and adjourned the next hearing till January 11. Although it restricted the CM from dissolving the assembly, the court said its order would not stop Elahi from taking a vote of confidence.

    It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry had told media on January 4, that the ruling coalition would go for a vote of confidence before January 11, the day when an LHC bench resumes hearing into a petition by Pervaiz Elahi challenging the governor’s move.

  • Gold price hits new all-time high of Rs187,200 per tola

    Gold price hits new all-time high of Rs187,200 per tola

    For the first time in Pakistan’s history, the price of gold passed Rs187,000 per tola.

    On Monday, the price of 24-carat gold per tola increased by Rs3,300, reaching an all-time high of Rs187,200 compared to the last trading day’s sale of Rs183,900.

    According to the All-Pakistan Sarafa Gems and Jewellers Association (APSGJA), the price of gold increased by Rs3,300 per tola and Rs2,829 per 10 grammes, respectively, to settle at Rs187,200 and Rs160,494.

    From Rs126,000 per tola on December 31, 2021, the yellow metal has increased by Rs57,900, or 45.95 per cent .

    According to the group, the price of gold in Pakistan has been “overcost” by Rs6,500 per tola when compared to pricing in Dubai. This indicates that the price of gold in Pakistan is currently higher than it is on the global market.

    The discrepancy between the official price of gold and the price it is being sold for is growing. The official price in the Sarafa market, as announced by the association, is Rs187,200 per tola. But the price at which it is being sold is reportedly higher.

    According to Geo, due to the rupee’s depreciation against the US dollar during the present cycle, financial experts and goldsmiths predict that the price of gold may increase to Rs200,000 per tola.

  • Police Rescue 15 helpline received more than 27 million calls in 2022: report

    Police Rescue 15 helpline received more than 27 million calls in 2022: report

    The Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA) has released its annual performance report for 2022.

    The 15 Emergency Helpline received 2,73,61,000 calls, 32,80,141 cases involving grave concerns, and cases for further action were generated by the dispatch control centre. 1,65,25,000 calls were surprisingly deemed irrelevant.

    Police investigators and the Court of Law received 2,004 pieces of audio and video evidence from the Electronic Data Analysis Center.

    According to The News, police in Lahore reported 2,34,000 suspicious observations from PSCA’s Operations and Monitoring Center. In addition to recovering 1,230 motorcycles, 30 vehicles, and 27 auto rickshaws and returning them to their owners, the PSCA Lost & Found centre assisted in the recovery of 109 missing people. 3,736 social media pages were reported to LEAs by the Media Management Center.

    Additionally, 2,790 campaign messages about road safety, effective use of the 15 emergency helplines, and other topics were carried on official social media pages and radio by MMC, PSCA WebTV, and Radio Safe City 88.6. PSCA is committed to extending its assistance and collaboration to LEAs and any other parties in need as needed. 15 helplines are available for residents to call in case of an emergency or to report criminal activities in the city.

    The Safe Cities Authority was crucial to the orderly execution of Ashura, international cricket, and other security tasks in Pakistan this year. This fiscal year, the Safe Cities Authority is attempting to create contemporary centres in Nankana Sahib, Sheikhupura, Sialkot, and Rawalpindi in addition to Lahore and Kasur.

  • Politics edition: Five things Pakistanis don’t want to see in 2023

    Politics edition: Five things Pakistanis don’t want to see in 2023

    In 2022, we collectively experienced episodes that turned Pakistan upside down. Many incidents shook the entire nation, some of them worth condemnation. Significant happenings shook the world of politics, from Prime Minister Imran Khan getting removed through a no-confidence motion to the ugly fight between Pervaiz Elahi and Hamza Shehbaz for Punjab’s Chief Minister (CM) seat.

    After a year full of constitutional crises in Pakistan, we hope that we don’t witness another year full of drama.

    Another Prime Minister not completing his constitutional term

    For the first time in the history of Pakistan, a sitting prime minister was removed through a no-confidence motion. In April, PM Imran Khan was removed after being the head of government for more than three years. In the 75-year-long history of Pakistan, not a single Premier stayed for their full term. We hope that next time when the public chooses their leader, he or she gets to keep their promise and serve their full term.

    Politicians not getting harassed

    Right after the formation of a new government, in April, a group of Pakistani pilgrims accosted, heckled and chanted slogans against incumbent PM Shehbaz and his entourage at the Masjid-e-Nabwi in Madina during their three-day visit to Saudi Arabia. Such incidents continued happening throughout the year. Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb was heckled at a coffee shop in London. Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal was harassed by PTI supporters at a restaurant while Finance Minister Ishaq Dar was heckled by unidentified people in Washington DC. It was observed that a particular party was being targeted. Whether these incidents happened because of a false narrative or not, no one has the right to harass someone.

    Not making public figures a target of gun

    This year, we also saw how some of our public figures remain targeted. In the second half of the year, two unfortunate incidents took place. On October 23, senior anchorperson Arshad Sharif was shot dead near Nairobi, Kenya, by the local police. The local law enforcing authorities termed the killing, calling it a case of ‘mistaken identity’. However, some termed it an assassination. Till now, authorities are unable to find the real culprits. Almost a week later, on November 3, Imran Khan survived an assassination attempt on day seven of PTI’s ‘Haqeeqi Long March’ as his container moved through Punjab’s Wazirabad. Salman Taseer, Benazir Bhutto Shaheed, Shahbaz Bhatti; how many assassinations do we have to witness?

    No more constitutional crisis

    We saw legislators getting into a brawl in Punjab Assembly over the CM seat. The beginning of summer wasn’t good for Pakistan as in April a scuffle between treasury and opposition benches in Punjab Assembly took place, resulting in PML-Q leader and Punjab Assembly Speaker Pervaiz Elahi getting injured. The same day, PML-N’s nominee Hamza Shehbaz was elected as CM, however, later the Supreme Court struck down Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari’s ruling on the election. Later, Pervaiz Elahi took over the CM seat, however, he doesn’t enjoy a great majority in the Assembly.

    Terrorism wave in Pakistan

    Just when we thought that terrorism has finally ended, attacks started escalating. Currently, the capital is on high alert because of extreme threats. In late November, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) said that they had called off a ceasefire with the federal government and ordered its militants to stage terrorist attacks across the country. On December 23, a suicide bomb shocked the residents of Islamabad— which is considered one of the safest cities in Pakistan. After dealing with terrorism for decades, Pakistanis dont want to start living again in fear.

  • Flour prices hit record high in Punjab due to inter-provincial smuggling

    Flour prices hit record high in Punjab due to inter-provincial smuggling

    Owing to increased smuggling of wheat and subsidised flour bags to other provinces, the price of flour in the Punjabi capital increased by Rs5 per kilogramme to Rs140. 

    Smuggling has exacerbated Punjab’s flour problem, increasing open-market prices to an all-time high. According to sources, the subsidised flour bags were being smuggled into Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkwa at a cost of Rs2,400 each bag.

    Prices for 10-kg and 20-kg flour sacks in Lahore have risen to Rs1,400 and Rs2,800, respectively, while Chakki flour has risen to Rs140 per kilogramme, according to Dunya News.

    Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the local administration in Jhang stopped an attempt to smuggle flour bags from a local flour factory, seizing nearly 1,000 20 kg bags from a truck.

    According to wheat dealers, the open market price of wheat has risen to Rs4,700 per 40 kg. Furthermore, the rate for a commercial unit of power from 6 pm to 10 pm has risen to a staggering Rs70 to Rs80, severely hurting the economics of grain trading.

    Lahore Atta Chakki Owners Association has requested the government to immediately prohibit the inter-provincial movement of wheat and its products in order to halt the ongoing rise in wheat prices.

  • LHC extends winter vacations for Lahore’s schools and colleges due to smog

    LHC extends winter vacations for Lahore’s schools and colleges due to smog

    Due to rising smog, the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday ordered the government to extend the winter break for all schools and colleges in the capital of Punjab by one week.

    The order was given by the high court as it heard a petition calling for action to reduce smog in the city. It stated that the government was in charge of implementing preventative measures after the smog.

    The Provincial Disaster Management Authority’s (PDMA) director general has also been called before the LHC for the next hearing.

    The change occurs while Lahore consistently ranks first among the top 10 most polluted cities in the world.

    All public and private schools in the province will be closed from December 24 to December 31 due to the earlier announcement made by the Punjab School Education Department. The reopening day for the schools was January 2, 2023. Now, on January 9, schools and universities will reopen.

    As low-grade diesel emissions, smoke from seasonal agricultural burnoff, and colder winter temperatures combine to form stagnant clouds of smog, air pollution has gotten worse in Pakistan recently.