Category: National

The Current is a trusted source for national breaking news, analysis, exclusive interviews, headlines, and videos.

  • Senate elections on March 3: ECP

    Senate elections on March 3: ECP

    Amid a controversy surrounding the Senate elections over the secret ballot, the Election Commission of Pakistan has announced to hold the polls on the upper house seats on March 3.

    According to the ECP, the last date for filing of nomination papers is February 13, followed by a scrutiny process for the nominations. The last date for filing of appeals against acceptance or rejection of papers is February 18, said a notification issued by the ECP.

    The date for disposal of appeals is Feb 19-20, whereas candidates can withdraw their applications by Feb 22 a day after issuance of the revised list of the contestants. The polling will start at 9am and end at 5pm on March 3.

    The Senate elections will be held on 48 seats: two in Islamabad (National Assembly); 11 in Punjab; 11 in Sindh; 12 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; and 12 in Balochistan.

    On February 6, President Dr Arif Alvi signed Elections (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 that will pave way for the organisation of Senate elections through open ballot. The opposition, however, has reservations on the move and vowed to oppose it.

    On the other hand, a presidential reference filed by the government in the Supreme Court seeking guidance on the Senate voting procedure is being heard to decide whether the government needs an amendment to end the secret ballot.

    Yesterday, the SC had said that Article 226 allows secret ballot. The article reads: “All elections under the constitution, other than those of the prime minister and the chief minister, shall be by secret ballot.”

  • ‘Books, not money’: PPP leader says leaked video is ‘edited’

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Mohammad Ali Bacha, who is also seen in one of the videos where money was being dished out ahead of the Senate polls, has said that the video is edited.

    In a news beeper to Geo News, Bacha said that the stack of money could possibly be books instead of currency notes. When news anchor Wajih Sani probed Bacha about stack of notes in front of him in the video, Bacha said: “Paison ki gaddiaan nahi hai,” (these are not stacks of notes). He told Sani that they should check the closeup of the alleged notes, which could possibly be books or something else.

    In Shahzeb Khanzada’s program, Bacha said that he is not in the videos where money is being given and being taken by people. When asked by Khanzada that there is money lying in front of him in the video where he is smoking a cigarette and what is the money doing in front of him, Bacha says that the video is doctored. “If you see the video, there are doors with glasses in the background. People can see in and out of the room. Why would someone pay money where others can see them?” Bacha said that the money was not in front of him but on his ‘side’, which may be edited.

    Shahzeb Khanzada then asks him if he was not distributing money, then how could the PPP get two senators elected when they had only 6 MPAs. He said that those PTI MPAs who were upset with their own party voted for PPP. Bacha said why has these videos been made viral now after 3 years, why not when they were made.

  • ‘Rs50 to Rs70 crores’: PM goes on to reveal corruption surrounding Senate polls

    ‘Rs50 to Rs70 crores’: PM goes on to reveal corruption surrounding Senate polls

    Continuing his tirade against secrecy in polls for the upper house of the parliament while his party also campaigns for election through open ballot, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has gone on to reveal further details of corrupt practices surrounding the vote.

    Speaking to journalists in Kallar Syedan, the premier said the rate for a single Senate vote in Balochistan ranged between Rs50 to 70 crores (Rs500 to Rs700 million), which was unfortunate.

    “The market of corruption in politics is on the rise, but no other party is willing to change it,” he said, regretting that in the past, people became senators by buying votes from members of national and provincial assembly votes.

    “Those involved in such extravagance will later recover by minting money from the public exchequer,” he said.

    PM Imran said that vote-purchase in Senate elections for the past 30 years was a big question mark over the credibility of politicians who supported a corrupt system and “traded conscience in the name of democracy”.

    “A big question lies ahead, whether to go for Senate polls with the old corrupt system or to act transparently instead,” he said in response to queries regarding the leaked videos showing politicians buying and selling votes before the 2018 Senate elections.

    The PM said that corrupt practices were revealed to him after he and his party members received offers from multiple sides for vote-selling before the 2018 Senate elections.

    He recalled that he was approached by different people for money and offered funds for Shaukat Khanum Hospital as another mode of bribe.

    “What kind of democracy is this where votes are sold? This is nothing, but a blot on democracy.”

    He recalled that he ousted 20 from his party who took money for votes in the last Senate elections, adding some of them also invoked the jurisdiction of the court against the action.

    He dismissed the allegations of the opposition for being in knowledge about the video way earlier, saying had he known about it, he would have presented it before the court.

    Training guns at the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), he said the opposition alliance’s aim was to protect their corruption and ill-gotten money.

    To a question on Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who advised Imran to learn politics from him, he said the JUI-F chief himself was the one who most benefited from secret ballot.

  • Ex-PTI MPA, who was seen receiving money in leaked video, swore on Quran that he didn’t

    An old but viral video has shown former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) lawmaker Sardar Idrees swearing on the Holy Quran that he didn’t receive any money to sell his Senate vote.

    On Tuesday, a leaked video recorded ahead of the 2018 Senate elections had purportedly shown Idress and a number of other colleagues of his receiving what were reported to be bribes for their votes for the upper house of the parliament.

    “I deny these allegations of receiving Rs4 crores (40 million) and swear that I voted as per the list given to me by the chief minister,” Idrees could be heard as saying in the video of a press conference he reportedly held after his expulsion from the now ruling PTI over said accusations.

    As per the details of the episode, the video first released by ARY News showed lawmakers belonging to the PTI counting bundles of cash and then stashing the same in a bag.

    The video showed how, during the critical period, loyalties were switched by PTI’s 20 KP lawmakers, all of whom were reportedly expelled by the party’s central leadership after an investigation. The money was dished out in Feb-March 2018, it was reported.

    It may be noted that the damning video comes at a time when Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan expresses aims to hold Senate elections through open ballot in 2021 in a bid to eliminate horse-trading. Defending his party’s move to hold the elections through open ballot, the premier had last week spoken of bribes paid to buy loyalties, revealing that he himself had been offered some.

    He had further revealed that 20 members of the KP Assembly belonging to the PTI, likely the ones from the video, were paid Rs50 million each during the last Senate polls to vote in favour of certain candidates.

    On February 6, President Dr Arif Alvi signed Elections (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 that will pave way for the organisation of Senate elections through open ballot.

  • 1st century murals discovered from Buddhist site in Swat

    1st century murals discovered from Buddhist site in Swat

    Intact murals dating back to the 1st century have been discovered from a Buddhist site in Swat, Dawn News has reported.

    Saqib Raza, who was leading the team of archaeologists on the site, while speaking about the murals said: “We have discovered some rare fresco paintings belonging to the first century from the Abbasahib-China Buddhist site in Barikot during our recent exactions. The paintings are in different poses including namaskar pose. Six of them are visible and intact.”

    Director of Archaeology and Museums Dr Abdul Samad while speaking to the publication referred to the discovery of the murals as a landmark achievement, adding “there is no other example here in Gandhara of finding intact paintings”.

    He further shared that rare Kharosthi script inscriptions and coins were also discovered by the archaeologists in the area.

    According to Director of Italian Archaeological Mission Prof Luca M Olivieri, the discovery is really important because it provides evidence of a painting school at Swat and Gandhara “whose traces have unfortunately faded away”.

    Earlier, a Hindu temple, believed to be 1,300 years ago, was discovered at a mountain in Swat district. Researchers from Shah Abdul Latif University’s Department of Archaeology also found traces of a third-century settlement in Brahmanabad, Sindh.

  • ‘Inhumane’: SC says ‘mentally-ill’ death row prisoners cannot be executed

    ‘Inhumane’: SC says ‘mentally-ill’ death row prisoners cannot be executed

    The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday commuted the death sentences of three “mentally-ill” prisoners to life imprisonment, saying executing a person who doesn’t understand the rationale behind their punishment is “inhumane” and doesn’t meet the ends of justice.

    The apex court announced this verdict on a point whether or not mentally ill death-row prisoners can be executed. The pleas were filed on the behalf of Kanizan Bibi, Imdad Ali and Ghulam Abbas who have spent 30, 18 and 14 years on death row, respectively, while exhibiting acute symptoms of mental illness, reported Dawn.

    A five-judge bench, headed by Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik, comprising Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel and Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah gave this verdict at SC’s Lahore registry.

    In its verdict, the apex court that not every mental illness shall automatically qualify for an exemption from carrying out the capital sentence.

    “This exemption will be applicable only in that case where a medical board, consisting of mental health professionals, certifies after a thorough examination and evaluation that the condemned prisoner no longer has higher mental functions to appreciate the rationale behind the sentence of death awarded to them,” the judgement stated.

    “It is with the developing nature of medical science that scope of these terms may also evolve. Therefore, we are of the view that a limited definition of the terms ‘mental disorder’ or ‘mental illness’ should be avoided, and the provincial legislatures may […] consider to appropriately amend the relevant provisions of mental health laws to cater for medically recognised mental and behavioral disorders as notified by the World Health Organisation.”

    The top court also barred the use of “stigmatic labels”, like “unsound mind”, “lunatic” and “insane” to refer to the prisoners who suffer from mental disorders.

    “Latest legislations all over the world do not use such terms. Therefore, we consider it appropriate to direct that the terms ‘unsoundness of mind’ and ‘unsound mind’ occurring in Pakistan Penal Code, the Criminal Code of Procedure and the Prison Rules be substituted with term ‘mental disorder’ or ‘mental illness’.

    “The term ‘lunatic’ wherever it occurs shall also be substituted appropriately,” the judgement stated.

  • Horse-trading: KP law minister resigns over leaked video

    Horse-trading: KP law minister resigns over leaked video

    Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Law Minister Sultan Mohammad Khan stepped down from his post on Tuesday hours after a leaked video, purportedly recorded in Feb 2018, showed him taking money ahead of the Senate polls.

    After the video made it to the mainstream media, KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan tweeted that he had asked the law minister to resign over his appearance in the video along with other lawmakers.

    Subsequently, the provincial minister quit the cabinet, saying he felt “it was his moral duty and obligation to withdraw from the cabinet and offer my resignation”. He also expressed the hope that “justice will be done” and that he would be able to clear his name.

    ‘LEAKED VIDEO’:

    On Tuesday, the video first released by ARY News showed lawmakers belonging to the now ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) counting bundles of cash and then stashing the same in a bag.

    The video showed how, during the critical period, loyalties were switched by PTI’s 20 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa lawmakers, all of whom were reportedly expelled by the party’s central leadership after an investigation. The money was dished out in Feb-March 2018, it was reported.

    It may be noted that the damning video comes at a time when Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan expresses aims to hold Senate elections through open ballot in 2021 in a bid to eliminate horse-trading. Defending his party’s move to hold the elections through open ballot, the premier had last week spoken of bribes paid to buy loyalties, revealing that he himself had been offered some.

    He had further revealed that 20 members of the KP Assembly belonging to the PTI, likely the ones from the video, were paid Rs50 million each during the last Senate polls to vote in favour of certain candidates.

    On February 6, President Dr Arif Alvi signed Elections (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 that will pave way for the organisation of Senate elections through open ballot.

  • VIDEO: Man attacks Municipal Officer with cow dung in Sanghar

    VIDEO: Man attacks Municipal Officer with cow dung in Sanghar

    An angry citizen of Sanghar threw a bag of cow dung on the personal assistant to the chief municipal officer of the city.

    As per reports, the man complained that there were huge heaps of trash lying in different areas of the city and the government did not pay any attention to the problem.

    “These people should get a taste of their own medicine,” said the man.

    After the attack, PA Noor Muhammad Nizami hit the man and refused to work until the man was arrested.

    “We will not work until an FIR is registered against him,” said Nizami.

    “I was sitting in my office working when a group of people suddenly entered my office and threw this dirt on me,” stated Muhammad, adding that the attackers gripped him by the collar of his shirt.

    A case has been registered against four men.

  • 1,000 bricks in 27 minutes: KP’s Neelofar Shirazi aims to set new record

    1,000 bricks in 27 minutes: KP’s Neelofar Shirazi aims to set new record

    In a bid to set a new brick smashing record in the Guinness Book of Records, Neelofar Shirazi smashed 1,000 bricks in 27 minutes at Islamabad’s multi-purpose sports stadium on Sunday. Shirazi had smashed 150 bricks last year so she decided to go for 1,000 now.

    As per details, it took Shirazi only 27 minutes to smash 1,000 bricks. The 32-year girl from Battagram, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa won a cash prize of PKR 50,000 for her attempt.

    The organiser of the event, Imtiaz Ahmed said it was an honour to showcase Neelofar’s talent as she has made Pakistan proud.

    No one in the world has broken 1,000 bricks in a row.

    “We shall send the complete video recording of the event to the Guinness Book team so that they could include her name as the world record holder in the brick-breaking category,” he said.

    Later, while speaking to Gulf News Neelofar said: “My mother and members of the family, my coach Master Chen, friends and sponsors of the event are all here to support me and their presence is quite reassuring.”

    “In my childhood, I used to be a shy girl and always cried when someone bullied me,” she shared. “Whenever in class or playground someone intimidated me, I became so upset that I spent hours crying and rubbing my eyes and I did this so often that it affected my eyesight.”

    Also Watch: Sunday Superstar ft. Kulsoom Hazara

    Shirazi added that she wants to set a world record of breaking eight blocks with a single strike. At present, she is practicing five.

    Commenting on Pakistani women, Neelofar said that women of our country have great potential to make their mark in the world, we only need to support and acknowledge their talent.

  • Porsche Pakistan CEO ‘runs off’ with Rs80 crores in booked orders

    Porsche Pakistan CEO ‘runs off’ with Rs80 crores in booked orders

    The chief executive officer (CEO) of Porsche Pakistan in Lahore has been accused of running off with nearly a billion rupees after conning people in the name of advance booking for high-end cars, whereas the company has termed these claims “false”.

    According to the police, while victims of the scam have registered complaints against Abuzar Bokhari in different police stations across the city, the department has informed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), seeking their help in informing Interpol.

    Help from the international criminal police organisation is being sought for Bokhari’s extradition from England where he allegedly flew off to a few days ago.

    Police further say that Bokhari collected Rs800 million (Rs 80 crores) from people in the name of car registrations and fled to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after which he went to England and has not returned since.

    While Bokhari is the founder and CEO of Lahore-based, and Pakistan’s only, Porsche dealership based in Lahore, media reports say he started off with two partners but continued alone with the venture when Porsche formally entered the Pakistani market.

    Porsche’s presence in Pakistan was provisionally launched in 2006 and then formally launched in 2008. Since then, it has been running its operations rather successfully and has grown significantly.

    However, the luxury carmaker has now reportedly removed its official website page on Pakistan.

    “Porsche official website removes page on Pakistan which has details of its Pakistan representative Abuzar Bokhari — accused of leaving the country with Rs800 million in booked orders — here is a screenshot of the cached version of the page,” journalist Omar Quraishi tweeted.

    ‘ALLEGATIONS ARE FALSE’:

    In a statement, Porsche Pakistan said the said claims are false. It said that its CEO doesn’t owe car booking money to anyone and all the registration money was received in the account of Performance Automotive Pvt Ltd (Porsche Pakistan) on behalf of Porsche AG as their appointed representative.

    It said Porsche AG was refusing delivery of the vehicles to Pakistani customers for two years.

    A lull in supply is due to attempts to discredit Porche Pakistan by a ‘controversia;’ business group.

    The statement said Porsche Pakistan was in a legal battle with Porsche AG for this “illegal” refusal on all legal forums.

    The statement alleged that the delay was due to Porsche Middle East and Africa FZE’s alleged understanding with a rival local party it called “an influential and controversial business group” that seeks to get hold of Porsche distribution rights in Pakistan.

    The company concluded, “Porsche Pakistan and its legal team are fully available for any concerned parties or investigative authorities for any information or clarification they may require.