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Tag: Shehbaz Sharif

  • One killed, at least nine injured in Karachi’s Saddar blast

    One killed, at least nine injured in Karachi’s Saddar blast

    One person was killed and at least nine were injured in a blast that rocked the Saddar area of Karachi late Thursday night when a a vehicle of Pakistan Coast Guards was passing by. Sindhudesh Revolutionary Army (SRA), an outlawed nationalist party, claimed the responsibility of the blast through social media. It said that the target was Pakistan Coast Guards.

    According to the initial report submitted to Chief Minister (CM) Sindh Murad Ali Shah by the DIG South, an improvised explosive device (IED) was planted in a bicycle. The blast occurred near the United Bakery.

    According to the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) officials, explosive material was planted in the carrier of the bicycle that was detonated using a time device.

    “The bomb was made locally and about 2 to 2.5-kilogrammes of explosive material was used in it,” said BDS, adding that “ball-bearings were used in the explosive material”.

    Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon has said that those responsible for the incident will not be spared.

    He said there was no threat of a blast at any particular place. Replying to a question, he said that the blast at the University of Karachi was a suicide bomb blast; however, it is too early to comment whether the two had any links.

    Administrator Karachi Murtaza Wahab said that the police and other law enforcement agencies were assessing the situation.

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow after the terror attack.

    https://twitter.com/PMO_PK/status/1524832321492373522

    Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari expressed his sorrow and sent heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased. He directed authorities concerned to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the incident.

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan also condemned the blast and also sent his condolences.

  • PML-N leaders take oath twice, vow issues discussed with Nawaz to remain secret

    PML-N leaders take oath twice, vow issues discussed with Nawaz to remain secret

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders who are currently in London remained tight-lipped about their discussions with the party’s supreme leader Nawaz Sharif.

    It is being said that the PML-N delegation took an oath “not just once but twice” to ensure that the issues that came under discussion before Mian Nawaz Sharif would not be revealed outside under any circumstances, reports Dawn.

    After the meeting, the delegation talked to the media outside Hasan Nawaz’s office. They did not share what policy direction was given by the Nawaz during the meeting at Stanhope House in London and stressed that any decision taken would only be announced after consultation with the government’s coalition partners.

    Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that electronic voting machines (EVMs) will not be used in the next general elections.

    When asked to comment on the DG ISPR’s presser on the army’s role in politics, Rana Sana said, “Our position on this is exactly the same that institutions should not be involved in politics or be dragged into politics. It is very inspiring that courts and other institutions have at this moment played a role that is not political.”

    When asked if former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan would be arrested, the interior minister said there would be no arbitrary arrest, but anyone found involved in illegal activities would be arrested and dealt with an iron hand after all legal requirements are met.

    Meanwhile, federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal said the basic purpose of the visit was to take stock of the real existing situation of the country and seek guidance from Nawaz Sharif as he is the most senior statesman of Pakistan. He said the party wanted to consult him so that in the coming days the government could steer the country out of crises at a fast pace. “Pakistan’s economy is in really bad shape and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has left it in a complete mess.”

    “We will take our partners in confidence on everything that we discussed with Nawaz Sharif. The national leadership will play its role to bring the country out of crises”.

  • FIA terms withdrawal of cases against Shehbaz, Hamza ‘fake news’

    FIA terms withdrawal of cases against Shehbaz, Hamza ‘fake news’

    The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Thursday termed the news story related to the withdrawal of cases against Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif and his son Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Hamza Shehbaz and others as “fake news”.

    In a statement, the FIA said that it had registered the case and it has not been withdrawn. The investigating agency further said that the proceedings are continuing in the court, with the next hearing scheduled for May 14.

    “Hence, it is fake news. FIA may legally proceed against the persons involved in spreading this fake news,” said the FIA spokesperson.

    The FIA said that on April 11, the prosecutor had submitted his opinion-based application in the court regarding a change of the prosecutor wherein he was instructed not to appear on behalf of the prosecution.

    It added that the prosecutor had alleged that the director-general of the FIA, via the investigation officer, had asked him not to appear before the court, adding that “it was not a withdrawal application anyway”.

    “On 11-04-2022, Mr Sanaullah Abbasi was the DG FIA. At the time of submission of the application, the new PM had not yet taken the oath. Tahir Rai was posted as DG FIA on 22-04-2022. This matter pertains to the timing before his arrival in FIA,” said the FIA.

    The agency said that the “change of prosecutor is a routine matter” and added that the government lawyer was also changed several times during the PTI government.

    “It is requested that fake news may not be spread in this matter,” said the FIA spokesperson.

    On the last hearing, the FIA’s special court issued an order that it will indict PM Shehbaz and CM Punjab Hamza.

  • ‘Sub nay aapnay paison se ticket li hai’: Miftah Ismail on tax money for London trip

    ‘Sub nay aapnay paison se ticket li hai’: Miftah Ismail on tax money for London trip

    Finance Minister Miftah Ismail, in a video, has said that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) delegation who is currently in London has gone at their own expense.

    Miftah said, “We all have come at our own expense and bought our airline tickets ourselves. Some of us have come in business class and some via economy and all have bought their own tickets.”

    “This is what Imran Khan does, he lies but we are living at our own expense in the hotel as well. We are not like PTI who move around on the government’s expenses,” said Miftah.

    PML-N’s visit received a lot of backlash from PML-N’s opponents to the general public. The timing of the PM and his top leadership’s visit to London is being questioned, with observers asking why such a trip is necessary when the country is in dire straits.

    The PML-N was criticised that the entire cabinet was going to meet a ‘corrupt and convicted’ person, that too on taxpayers’ money.

  • Khan’s ex-bestie now Shehbaz’s advisor on tourism

    Khan’s ex-bestie now Shehbaz’s advisor on tourism

    A key member of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Jahangir Khan Tareen (JKT) Group, Awn Chaudhry has been appointed as an adviser on sports and tourism to Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif.

    President Arif Alvi approved the appointment of Chaudhry on the advice of PM Shehbaz.

    It has been reported that the newly-elected Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Hamza Shehbaz has also decided to accommodate the JKT group in the provincial cabinet.

    CM Hamza recently met with Jahangir Tareen, who is back in Lahore from London. Tareen congratulated Hamza Shahbaz on being elected as CM.

  • PML-N’s agrees on not holding early elections

    PML-N’s agrees on not holding early elections

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, along with his key cabinet members and party leaders, had a meeting with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif and it has been decided that there will be no early elections and the main focus of the current government should be on providing economic relief to the masses and also taking tough but long-term economic decisions, reports The News.

    Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said that PM Shehbaz and ministers in his delegation presented a full report on Pakistan’s socio-economic and political situation to Nawaz Sharif.

    Aurangzeb further stated that the meeting deliberated upon the IMF conditions and how the people of Pakistan were affected by them.

    Marriyum Aurangzeb said there was nothing surprising in the London meeting.

    “Nawaz Sharif is our Quaid. The meeting between Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif was long overdue. We have inherited today’s Pakistan in a written-off situation and we needed to review the whole situation to formulate a plan. This was a private delegation.”

    When asked about early elections, she said that the current government’s “mandate is till next year and we are here to give relief to the people of Pakistan. It’s the history of Nawaz Sharif to take Pakistan out of economic crisis and if there is one person who can deliver, that’s Shehbaz Sharif. Only the PML-N has the right strategy.”

  • ‘Enjoying free ride on tax money’: PM Shehbaz’s London visit receives criticism

    ‘Enjoying free ride on tax money’: PM Shehbaz’s London visit receives criticism

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif and the senior leadership of the main government party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), have gone to London where they are due to meet with party supremo Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday.

     PM Shehbaz Sharif departed for London via a British Airways flight shortly after midnight. It is expected that he will remain in London for two to three days.

    The 10-member delegation consisting of PM Sharif, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Power Minister Khurram Dastagir, Finance Minister Miftah Ismail, and Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafiq, Attaullah Tarar, among others have gone to London.

    Their visit has received a lot of backlash from PML-N’s opponents to the general public. The timing of the PM and his top leadership’s visit to London is being questioned, with observers asking why such a trip is necessary when the country is in dire straits.

    Former PM Imran Khan said in a jalsa in Jehlum on Tuesday that the entire cabinet was going to meet a ‘corrupt and convicted’ person, that too on taxpayers’ money.

    “This entire cabinet is going to London on your [tax] money — they won’t spend their own money.”

    Later Twitter reacted to the news when Deputy Secretary-General PML-N Attaullah Tarar shared a picture of the delegation visiting London.

    https://twitter.com/imusakaleem/status/1524294481440354304
  • ‘Chowkidaar nahin keh sakta ke neutral hain’: Fawad Chaudhry

    ‘Chowkidaar nahin keh sakta ke neutral hain’: Fawad Chaudhry

    Former Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, while speaking at a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) jalsa in Jhelum, said, “Jub daku is mulk pe hamla karde tou chowkidar yeh nahin keh sakta ke mai neutral hoon” [When thieves attacks the country, the guards of the country cannot say that they are neutral].”

    Chaudhry further said that the people of Jhelum demand from the ‘chowkidaars’ that they fulfill their duty and hold elections.

    After Chaudhry, former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan critisiced PM Shehbaz Sharif, calling him Mir Jafar and saying that he conspired with the Americans to topple his government.

    “Shehbaz Sharif, you are Mir Jafar, you betrayed Sirajud Daula in the same way you conspired with the Americans,” said the PTI chairman.

  • ‘Wasn’t the right time to go for Umrah’: Imran Khan

    ‘Wasn’t the right time to go for Umrah’: Imran Khan

    Addressing a gathering of party leaders in Islamabad, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan said it was not the right time to go for Umrah.

    Khan while apparently taking a jibe at Shehbaz Sharif, also calls out his own party members for going on Umrah in the month of Ramzan, Khan said, “It was not the right time to go to Madina. Your every hour counts.”

    Khan questioned, “I am here, Don’t I want to go?”

    https://twitter.com/zafru1313/status/1523756087488311297?s=20&t=tAeicB_eEm8GzZNOA1Kc2w

    On a separate occasion, the former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan said, “You will be answerable to Allah on the Day of Judgment. He will ask you did you support justice? Did you fight against oppression? Did you jihad against injustices? Did you protest against the imported government?”

    “You can’t say that you are neutral. He [Allah] has not allowed you that,” he stated while adding that only animals can be neutral.

  • Covid rise: PM orders reopening of National Command and Operation Center

    Covid rise: PM orders reopening of National Command and Operation Center

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has ordered the immediate restoration of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) after Pakistan reports its first case of the Covid Omicron sub-variant. The NCOC was disbanded in March after covid cases were on the decline.

    According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s House, the premier took notice of the new variant of Omicron and its growing cases. “He has also sought a report from the National Institute of Health (NIH) over the current Covid-19 situation,” it said.

    https://twitter.com/PMO_PK/status/1523912826787667968?s=20&t=TXvYAouDrl9564PVgoXaQw

    Pakistan detected its first case of Omicron sub-variant on Tuesday.

    “NIH has detected the first case of Omicron sub-variant BA.2.12.1. This new sub-variant is causing an increasing number of cases in different countries.” NIC also advised citizens to take preventive measures.

    NCOC, which was tackling Covid-19 in Pakistan, was shut down on March 31.

    On March 16, NCOC decided to lift all the Covid-19 related restrictions amid the decline in cases.