Tag: Shehbaz Sharif

RT India deleted and later issued a clarification about an X post regarding Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin during an international forum in Turkmenistan, after the claims we’re exposed as false. 

The controversy began when RT India posted a video claiming to show Prime Minister Sharif waiting for almost forty minutes to see President Putin before joining the Russian leader and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a meeting. The post claimed Sharif remained in the meeting for approximately 10 minutes before leaving.

The tweet was later deleted, with RT India issuing a clarification on X (Formerly twitter) stating:

“We deleted an earlier post about Pakistani Prime Minister Sharif waiting to meet Vladimir Putin at the Peace and Trust Forum in Turkmenistan. The post may have been a misrepresentation of the events.”

The incident occurred on the International Forum dedicated to the International Year of Peace and Trust in Ashgabat, which brought together several global leaders, including Putin, Erdogan, and Sharif.

Reports state that after their delegations exiled the room, Presidents Putin and Erdogan were holding talks in a restricted format. 

Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported that Prime Minister Sharif later joined the meeting, having initially expected a separate discussion with President Putin in another room.

Pakistani media reported that Sharif interacted with both leaders and discussed issues of bilateral and regional importance. During the visit, the prime minister also met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Following the forum, Prime Minister Sharif posted on X about his meeting with President Erdogan, describing him as a “time-tested and trusted friend of Pakistan.” He said the two leaders reaffirmed cooperation in trade, energy, defense, connectivity, and investment, and exchanged views on regional and global developments, including Gaza and Afghanistan.

The RT India post triggered reactions from several Pakistani political figures and commentators on X. Many accounts that are sympathetic to PTI used the now-deleted false news to score political points. 

Former accountability adviser Mirza Shahzad Akbar wrote: 

“From an orderly PM to an international gate crasher….”

PTI leader Dr Shehbaz Gill posted: “What a shameful and mannerless man, unfortunately representing our great Pakistan. The Pakistani nation deserves better leadership. Shahbaz Sharif has always been socially backward. Being the middle brother among siblings, often ignored by parents, may lead him to such silly acts.”

RT India’s clarification acknowledged that its initial post may not have accurately reflected the sequence of events.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday reaffirmed their commitment to the country’s sovereignty as the nation celebrated Pakistan’s 78th Independence Anniversary.

In messages of renewed unity and resilience, the leaders paid tribute to the sacrifices of the nation’s founders and martyrs, emphasising that in May this year, confrontation with India had reinforced the sanctity of Pakistan’s freedom and the resolve to safeguard it.

President Zardari said that the nation had recently reaffirmed its strength, resolve and unity in the face of external aggression. 

“Our success in Marka-e-Haq and Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos is a landmark moment in our history. It was a demonstration of unshakable national will, professional excellence and united purpose. Faced with unjustified Indian aggression, Pakistan responded with clarity, courage and restraint. The world witnessed a nation that is peace-loving, but fully capable of defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said in a statement.

“This victory has given our people a sense of renewed confidence. It has lifted the morale of the people, restored faith in our institutions and enhanced Pakistan’s stature on the global stage. Today, the world sees Pakistan as a country that seeks peace but does not bow to coercion.”

The president said that the moment was about more than just military success as it was also a reminder of what the nation could achieve when “united, focused and committed to a common goal”.

“Let us now channel this spirit into our economic revival, educational reform, technological advancement, institutional development and environmental resilience. The same discipline, courage and clarity that led to our recent success against India can lead us toward victory in eradicating poverty, creating opportunities for our people, and building a just and inclusive society,” he said.

Expressing solidarity with the people of Indian-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, he stated that their courage and struggle for justice and their right to self-determination remained close to the nation’s hearts. “Pakistan will continue to extend its unwavering diplomatic, moral and political support until their right to self-determination is realised.”

“Let this Independence Day be a turning point in our history. Let us rise beyond our divisions and stand together for a Pakistan that is built on justice, equality, faith, and service to all. May Allah be our guide and supporter. Ameen!” he concluded.

Meanwhile, PM Shehbaz called upon all political forces and citizens to unite in the spirit of 1947 and together build a strong and prosperous Pakistan for generations to come.

“I extend my heartfelt felicitations to the nation on completion of 78 years of independence of Pakistan. I pay tribute to Father of the Nation, Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and the Thinker of Pakistan, Allama Muhammad Iqbal, who along with other resolute leaders and workers of the Independence Movement united the nation under one vision, one mission and one goal [sic],” the premier said in a post on X.

“The past 78 years tell a tale of resilience, strong faith and a hope of a bright future when as a nation, we braved several difficult challenges,” he added, linking the country’s endurance to its military success earlier this year. 

“Pakistan’s historic victory in Marka-e-Haq during the four-day war imposed by India has not only reinforced the sanctity of our freedom, but has also instilled a renewed sense of ambition and national spirit in the hearts of our people, magnifying the pride and fervour of this Independence Day.”

Praising the armed forces for reviving their past glory, he said that the forces “shattered the false pride of enemy by acting as a Bunyan-um-Marsoos – a solid fortified wall” and paid tribute to martyrs “who sacrificed their lives for the sake of our freedom”.

Calling it “not merely a military conquest, but also the victory of the validation of the Two-Nation Theory”, PM Shehbaz vowed to “stand vigilant to defend and safeguard our national interests including water resources”.

Major General (Retd) Zafar Ullah Khan has been appointed as the Director General (DG) of the Cannabis Control and Regulatory Authority (CCRA).

The Cabinet Secretariat Establishment Division issued a notification dated January 29, which read, “The Prime Minister [Shehbaz Sharif] has been pleased to approve the appointment of Major General (Retd) as Director General Cannabis Control and Regulatory Authority (CCRA) under Cabinet Division.”

As per the notification, Zafar Ullah Khan, Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Military), was appointed under Section 7(1) of the CCRA Act, 2024, which reads, “There shall be a Director General of the authority who shall be appointed by the Prime Minister at such remuneration and on such terms and conditions as may be prescribed by regulations.”

CCRA is the regulatory body responsible for overseeing the cultivation, processing, and sale of cannabis products in Pakistan. The authority is responsible for the issuance of licenses, setting standards, and enforcement of regulations to ensure the industry’s compliance with international conventions and national laws.

The authority was established in March 2024 after an ordinance was officially promulgated by then-President Arif Alvi.  

In September 2024, the National Assembly (NA) passed the CCRA Bill 2024 to regulate cannabis cultivation and the sale of its extracts for medicinal use.

According to the text of the bill, cannabis was defined as “resin (charas) that is, the separated resin, whether crude or purified, obtained from the cannabis plant or leaves of the cannabis plant and also includes concentrated preparation and resin known as hashish oil or liquid hashish.”

Cannabis was further defined as “the flowering or fruiting tops of the cannabis plant excluding the seed and leaves when not accompanied by the tops from which the resin has not been extracted, by whatever name they may be designated or known, and include all forms known as bhang, siddhi or ganja.”

Earlier, the federal government had removed DG Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Ahmed Jahangir and reassigned him as an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the Establishment Division.

“With the approval of the Federal Government, Mr Ahmad Ishaque Jehangir, a BS-21 Officer of [the] Police Service of Pakistan, presently serving as Director General, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), under [the] Interior Division, is transferred and posted as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in Establishment Division, with immediate effect and until further orders,” a notification read.

Geo News, while citing sources, reported that the failure of several FIA officials and other authorities concerned with stopping the cases of human trafficking led to Jahangir’s dismissal.

The United States (US) State Department has published the annual accounting list of 2023 wherein the list of gifts received by President Joe Biden, First Lady Jill Biden and US intelligence officials from multiple countries, including Pakistan, has been revealed.

According to the list, Pakistani officials presented four gifts to US federal government members in 2023. Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif, on October 20, 2022, gifted President Biden a rug in a velvet case, valued at $525.

Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US Masood Khan, on September 9, 2023, gifted a traditional rug worth $600 to Biden’s aide and Senior Director for South Asia Eileen Laubacher. 

Former Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) Director General (DG) Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum, on February 23, 2023, gifted a handcrafted table to US Senator Mark R Warner, which was priced at $120. On the same day, the then ISI chief also gifted a handcrafted table worth $152 to US Senator Jack Reed.

Meanwhile, Indian PM Narendra Modi topped the list by giving the most expensive present – a 7.5-carat diamond – costing $20,000 dollars, to First Lady Jill Biden.

India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval gifted US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan two distinct items – a silver Jaguar statue in January 2023 worth $485 and a wooden elephant sculpture worth $638 in July 2023.

The report also revealed that the Indian premier’s diamond was retained for official use in the White House’s East Wing while other gifts to the president and first lady were sent to the archives.

According to the document, Ukrainian Ambassador to the US Oksana Markarova gifted Jill a flower brooch valued at $14,063.

It merits a mention that gift-giving is a major part of foreign relations, which is viewed as a sign of respect and friendship between nations.

As part of tradition, several employees of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) also received lavish gifts including luxury watches, perfume and jewellery. The gifts were priced at a total of over $132,000.

However, nearly all gifts to CIA employees were destroyed under US government’s strict rules about what officials can do with gifts to avoid apparent or actual bribery from foreign governments.

Under law, federal employees are not allowed to accept gifts over a certain value “unless refusal of the gift would cause offence or embarrassment or would otherwise adversely affect the foreign relations of the US”.