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  • VIDEO: PTI members wrestle each other in Sindh Assembly

    VIDEO: PTI members wrestle each other in Sindh Assembly

    Just a day before the Senate Elections, lawmakers from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) decided to wrestle each other in the Sindh Assembly creating havoc.

    As per details, PTI’s disgruntled MPAs – Aslam Abro, Shehryar Shar and Karim Bakhsh Gabol – were beaten up by their own party members during a session of the Sindh Assembly.

    The three MPAs had earlier said that they will not vote for PTI candidates in the Senate polls. The fighting match that ensued can be seen in the tweets shared by journalists Murtaza Ali Shah and Gharidah Farooqi.

    https://twitter.com/MurtazaViews/status/1366702520467415042

    Later, a video of PPP MPA Sharmila Faruqi running out of the assembly emerged and the lawmaker clarified that she was running to get security.

    When asked about this incident by journalists outside the Sindh Assembly, PTI’s Haleem Adil Sheikh started shouting at them.

    He said that he is very sad that today, some senior journalists are posing as PPP workers and also called them lifafa sahaafi (journalists who take money). He also raised slogans against journalists.

    Responding to Sheikh’s comments, senior journalist Asma Shirazi asked why is it that whenever tough questions are asked, PTI members resort to attacks on journalists.

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

    Prime Minister Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi made a rare public appearance and visited a Panah Gah (shelter home) in Lahore to inspect the facilities given to the people residing there.

    Pictures and videos of her ‘surprise visit’ were shared on PM Khan’s official Instagram account with the caption: “Bushra Begum paying a surprise visit to see if the needy in Panah Gah are being looked after.”

    “The staff, the cleanliness and the arrangements were good but she was not happy with the quality of the food. We will now ensure the quality of food is improved,” added the statement.

    During the visit, while responding to a reporter about her contribution as the “woman behind Imran Khan’s successes”, Bushra Bibi said: “Behind every successful man, there’s his wife, right? Isn’t that right? Then?”

    Read more – PM Imran’s love for wife Bushra, who has ‘great wisdom’, melts hearts

    Later, talking to the media, she also praised the PTI government saying: “[The] government has given shelter to people sleeping under the open sky.”

    “Funds will be provided on a priority basis for the necessary repairs to shelter buildings,” she added.

  • Khashoggi: Pakistan in solidarity with KSA while world demands holding MBS accountable

    Khashoggi: Pakistan in solidarity with KSA while world demands holding MBS accountable

    While rest of the world demands that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman be held accountable for journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s murder, Pakistan has said it stands in solidarity with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

    “We have noted that the Saudi government termed Jamal Khashoggi’s murder as an ‘abhorrent crime’ and a ‘flagrant violation of the Kingdom’s laws and values’,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement after public release of the US Administration’s declassified intelligence report, containing its “assessment” on the killing of Khashoggi.

    The Saudi government has further underlined that it took all possible measures within its legal system to ensure that the individuals responsible were properly investigated, convicted and sentenced and that justice was served, the Pakistani statement maintained.

    “Pakistan recognises Saudi efforts in this regard and expresses solidarity with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” said the press release.

    It added that Pakistan underscores adherence to the rule of law, respect for national sovereignty, and protection and promotion of human rights by all states, in accordance with their respective constitutional frameworks and international obligations.

  • Secret ballot for Senate to continue, rules Supreme Court

    Secret ballot for Senate to continue, rules Supreme Court

    Announcing its verdict on a presidential reference seeking legal opinion on the holding of Senate election through an open vote, the Supreme Court on Monday said polls for the Upper House will be held through a secret ballot.

    The 4-1 majority opinion was announced by a five-judge larger bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed.

    The reference was forwarded to the apex court in January after Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed his desire to curtail the practice of horsetrading in Senate elections by introducing an open-ballot system.

    READ: Open ballot in Senate polls: What do legal experts have to say?

    Following almost two months of proceedings, the court had on Thursday reserved its verdict, announcing to issue it on Monday (today).

    In a short order issued today, the court observed elections to the House are held in accordance with the law and the Constitution, saying it “is the responsibility of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to protect the polls from the menace of corruption”.

    While the order cited Article 226 of the Constitution to support its argument, the judges said the Parliament can decide if it feels the need to end the secrecy of the voting process.

    A detailed verdict is expected to be issued shortly.

  • Abhinandan sees no reason for Pak-India hostilities to continue in unseen video

    Indian Air Force (IAF) Wing Commander Abhinandan — who was briefly captured after his aircraft was shot down by a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) pilot — has said he saw “no reason for us to continue with any kind of hostilities”.

    “I see no reason for us to continue with any kind of hostilities,” Abhinandan said in a video message. “I do not know what we should do to achieve peace but I only know that there should be peace,” he added.

    During the video, Abhinandan said that neither he nor the Pakistanis know “what is happening to a Kashmiri”. “We must think with calm heads,” said the pilot.

    “I saw both countries when I was coming down on a parachute, and I could not differentiate between the two countries from above,” the pilot said, adding that he sees no differences between the two countries.

    “When I fell down I did not know whether I was in Pakistan or my own country India. To me, both countries looked the same, the people looked the same as well,” the pilot said in the video.

    Speaking about his crash, he said he was badly injured when he was ejected from the plane. The pilot said that he was badly injured when he ejected from his aircraft and once he landed he was not able to move. He added that after landing, he tried finding out which country he was in.

    “When it looked to me that I was not in my country, I tried running,” says the Indian pilot, adding that a “charged” crowd tried capturing him as well but he was saved by the Pakistan Army.

  • ‘Wake up and clap’: PM seeks applause over plan to save Rs6,000 billion

    ‘Wake up and clap’: PM seeks applause over plan to save Rs6,000 billion

    Prime Minister Imran Khan, during an address in Lahore, took a jibe at the audience, comprising federal and provincial ministers, over their lacklustre, rather sleepy, response to his speech.

    Speaking about his government’s project to control the unplanned growth of Lahore, the PM said Central Business District (CBD) project at the Walton Airport site would help create much-needed wealth to pay off foreign loans.

    https://twitter.com/ReemKhurshid/status/1365272068095438852

    By shifting the Walton Airport from the centre of the city, the prime minister said, some much-needed Rs6,000 billion would be generated.

    The PM excepted clapping at his plan to save Rs6,000 billion, but the lawmakers and the cabinet members remained non-responsive to the PM’s potential super-saving plan. This prompted PM Imran to complain that the lawmakers did not even acknowledge such a mega project to generate wealth, asking whether they were up all night.

    The venue later continued resounding with applause as the prime minister narrated achievements of his government.

  • ‘Tea is fantastic’: Pakistan Twitter has not forgotten Abhinandan

    On Feb 27, 2019, Pakistan shot down an Indian plane and captured its pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan and Twitter hasn’t forgotten it. The retaliation was in response to Balakot strikes that India conducted in Pakistan to destroy an alleged terror camp in Balakot, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

    To mark the downing of the Indian plane, Pakistan had announced to celebrate ‘Surprise Day’ on February 27 as a tribute to the retaliatory attack by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) after India’s Balakot airstrike.

    On Feb 27, 2019, the PAF carried out Operation Swift Retort and shot down two Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter aircraft and dropped bombs within the compounds of Indian military facilities in occupied Kashmir – as a warning to the country’s belligerent neighbour.

    The Pakistani military had lived up to its promise to ‘surprise’ India in wake of any misadventure, saying that ‘uncalled-for aggression’ from the Indian military  ‘would not go unpunished.

    PM Imran Khan also congratulated the entire nation on the second anniversary of Pakistan’s response to India’s military adventure.

    MEMES GALORE:

    The capture of the pilot and his subsequent video released by Pakistan has become a butt of many a joke: ‘Tea is fantastic’ most famous among them. Abhinandan was freed by Pakistan on March 1 as a peace gesture, but he has left many meme trends in his wake.

    So today, Twitter is buzzing with Abhinandan-related trend again. ‘HappySurpriseDayIndia’, ‘WorldsBiggestTeaParty’, ‘Abhinandan’, and BalakotAirstrikes topped Twitter on the second anniversary of India’s defeat in the dog fight.

    https://twitter.com/Quratulain_abru/status/1365403958920044553
  • VIDEO: PTI, PPP lawmakers quarrel in Sindh Assembly

    VIDEO: PTI, PPP lawmakers quarrel in Sindh Assembly

    The session of the Sindh Assembly witnessed a heated spat between the lawmakers after a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MPA said that there was a “dog rule” in the province.

    Khurram Sher Zaman made these remarks in reference to the death of a two-year-old girl in Jamshoro, CM Murad Ali Shah’s constituency, who passed away due to the unavailability of the anti-rabies vaccine in the province. “It looks as if nowadays the dog rules in Sindh,” the PTI leader said, requesting the speaker to recite a prayer for a two-year-old girl.

    At this, PPP lawmaker Mukesh Kumar asked him to mind his language. This was the start of a spat between the lawmakers that later blew out of proportion.

    Speaker Durrani said that this was no manner to behave in the house. “Please go and fight outside the house if you are interested in violence”, he added and warning that the session would be adjourned if the MPAs failed to behave.

    “Please ask Chawla, who is at the helm of the excise and taxation ministry, to close the illegal wine shops in the province,” said Zaman. This once again created another uproar in the assembly. Chawla retorted: “You should stop the supply of tainted food in your restaurant.”

    On Thursday, the session was marred by uproar and chaos as members of both the ruling Pakistan People’s Party and opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf exchanged heated arguments and chanted slogans against each other.

  • Sri Lanka reverses ‘anti-Muslim’ cremation order after PM Imran’s visit

    Sri Lanka reverses ‘anti-Muslim’ cremation order after PM Imran’s visit

    Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday welcomed the Sri Lankan government’s decision to allow the burial of COVID-19 victims.

    The Sri Lankan government rolled back the ban days after Imran’s visit to Colombo.

    On February 10, Prime Minister Imran had lauded his Sri Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa’s announcement that burials would be allowed. A day later, however, Rajapaksa backtracked and said there would be no change in the cremation-only policy.

    The ban had sparked protests by Muslims who bury their dead in accordance with Islamic customs. The Muslim community in Sri Lanka had held a protest prior to Prime Minister Imran’s visit, where they carried a mock janazah or coffin.

    “Respect Prime Minister’s statement and allow burials,” one banner at the protest read.

    On February 25, a day after Prime Minister Imran concluded his two-day official visit to Colombo, the Sri Lankan government issued a notification saying that the order has been amended to allow both burial and cremation of people who died due to coronavirus.

    “I thank the Sri Lankan leadership & welcome the Sri Lankan govt’s official notification allowing the burial option for those dying of Covid 19,” PM Imran said in a tweet posted today.

    BAN ON BURIALS:

    The Sri Lankan government had imposed a ban on burials in April amid concerns — which experts say are baseless — by influential Buddhist monks that burying bodies could contaminate groundwater and spread the virus.

    The World Health Organisation has said there is no such risk, recommending both burial and cremation of virus victims.

    Traditionally, Muslims bury their dead facing Makkah. Sri Lanka’s majority Buddhists, who are strong backers of the current government, are typically cremated, as are Hindus.

    In December, the Sri Lankan authorities ordered the forced cremation of at least 19 Muslim Covid-19 victims, including a baby, after their families refused to claim their bodies from a hospital morgue.

    This stoked dismay and anger among the Muslim community, moderates and abroad, with the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation repeatedly expressing concern.

  • VIDEO: KP locals make ‘drug dealers’ parade on donkeys

    VIDEO: KP locals make ‘drug dealers’ parade on donkeys

    The citizens of Bar Qambar Khel, an area of the Khyber tribal district, Tirah shaved the heads of the drug dealers and then made them parade on donkeys in a bid to punish them.

    Local residents asked the two accused, identified as Qudrat and Wadan Khan, to appear before the Aman Committee and explain why were they selling ice to local youngsters.

    “The two didn’t appear before the committee, neither confessed to their crime of selling drugs. So they were arrested after repeated warnings,” a local elder told The Express Tribune. He said the heads of drug sellers were shaved and their faces painted black after which they were mounted on donkeys and paraded in the attendance of many people.

    According to residents, the entire incident happened in the presence of police but they did not intervene and remained silent spectators.

    They said that the Bar Qambar Khel Aman Committee many times contacted the local police and asked them to deal with the drug dealers in the area but they did not pay any attention. When the police failed to do their job, the locals were forced to take law into their own hands.

    SHO Javed confirmed the incident and said that the police has started a crackdown against those involved.

    Locals of the area think that one police station is not enough to control a large area bordering Afghanistan.

    “The area is large and the terrain is a difficult one. There is no infrastructure like schools, government offices, or hospitals or enough police stations that could actively patrol and check everything. The writ of government is weak due to lack of administered mechanism,” said a local elder.