Category: Politics

News stories of Politics, for the topics that matter the most to young professionals and college students, political news reported with a different angle.

  • Pakistan’s IMF loan programme at risk as IMF requirements remain unfulfilled

    Pakistan’s IMF loan programme at risk as IMF requirements remain unfulfilled

    Pakistan’s seven billion dollar loan programme has fallen into jeopardy as the country fails to fulfil the requirements of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), journalist Shahbaz Rana revealed on October 31.

    Rana said that IMF had directed the Pakistan government to collect around PKR 13,000 billion in taxes for the ongoing fiscal year.

    Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has failed to collect the targeted tax for the first quarter (July to September), leaving PKR 90 Billion tax shortfalls despite securing advance taxes from several companies, he added.

    As per the IMF’s direction, the Pakistani government was only able to collect 10 lac rupees from the traders for the first quarter of the year instead of the IMF-described target of PKR 10 billion rupees.

    Chief Minister (CM) Punjab Maryam Nawaz’s subsidizing in the province has been directly or indirectly impacting the IMF loan programme, Shahbaz Rana maintained.

    Earlier, the Punjab CM had announced a 14 rupees electricity unit subsidy for two months in the province by cutting the development budget.

    Journalists also observed that during the ongoing second quarter (October to December), the government might again fail to collect the targeted tax and may face a PKR 300-350 billion shortfall.

    The government will face more than PKR 400 Billion tax shortfall in the first six months of the three-year loan programme, which will definitely impact the IMF programme’s longevity, Rana predicted.

    All provinces failed to achieve a total cash surplus budget of PKR 342 Billion, achieving PKR 160 Billion for the first quarter.

    Furthermore, the IMF again urged Pakistan to allow a further devaluation of the rupee, despite Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar’s belief that the currency has already been devalued by at least 16 per cent, Rana concluded.

  • KP govt willing to bid for loss-making PIA

    KP govt willing to bid for loss-making PIA

    Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government, in a letter to the federal government, has shown interest in participating in the bidding process for the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).

    “On behalf of the chief minister/ chairman and the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, we would like to express our earnest interest in participating in the bidding process for the sale of PIA,” Vice Chairman Hassan Masood Kunwar of KP Board of Investment and Trade (KP-BOIT) stated in a letter addressed to Federal Minister for Privatisation Aleem Khan.

    KP government said that they were prepared to offer a bid that would surpass the current highest offer of PKR 10 Billion by Blue World City consortium, ensuring a strong and competitive position within the PIA bidding process.

    It may be noted that PIA has a debt load of around Rs800 billion ($2.9 billion), and the government has tried to bail it out multiple times in recent years.

    “We respectfully request that the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s proposal be considered as a viable option to retain the national flag carrier within a provincial government structure, preserving PIA’s legacy and aligning with the public’s interest in maintaining national assets,” the provincial government’s letter stated further.

    The development comes a day after Blue World City’s PKR 10 billion ($36 million) bid for PIA’s 60 per cent shares, which was much lower than the federal government’s fixed PKR 85 billion ($305 million) demand. Other bidder’s withdrew at the last moment, making Blue World City the sole bidder.

    After submitting the bid on Thursday, Seham Raza, the chief operating officer (COO) of Blue World City, said that the consortium placed the bids for the sake of the national carrier, and it did not care about its poor financial numbers or business model.

    Among companies that withdrew at the last moment were Arif Habib Corporation Limited, Fly Jinnah, Younus Brothers, Holdings Private Limited, Pak Ethanol Private and Air Blue.

    According to senior journalist Shahbaz Rana, the interested parties requested the federal government to exempt them from paying the 18 per cent General Sale Tax (GST), which was declined, leading the companies to withdraw from the bidding process.

    The companies also disagreed to the government’s demand for the successful bidder to retain the airline’s 7,300 existing employees for two to three years.

  • Imran Khan will be taken into military custody in coming days: Nusrat Javed

    Imran Khan will be taken into military custody in coming days: Nusrat Javed

    Senior analyst Nusrat Javed, while talking on WE News, recently predicted that the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, will be taken into “military custody” in the coming days.

    “I am informing you that those for whom Qazi Faiz Isa is being humiliated are going to be taken into military custody in a few days,” claimed Nusrat Javed.

    He also stated, “The Target of Tehreek-e-Insaf supporters is not only Qazi Faiz Isa, but the entire judiciary; whoever gives decisions against them, they will humiliate and disgrace them.”

    According to Javed, the message has been clearly conveyed to the judiciary. When the host of the show asked Javed whether what happened to former Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa was immoral, he replied, “Leave what happened to him in London. When Qazi went to get a donut with his family, was he not humiliated? After that old video went viral, did that donut shop not become a landmark for people?”

    Javed then asked a rhetorical question directed at PTI supporters: why don’t they treat ex-CJP Saqib Nisar the same way.
    “Saqib Nisar roams around Lahore freely. The travesty of justice in his era was unheard of. What did he do to constitutional avenue? Has anyone asked him while he’s roaming around in Pakistan or abroad? Has anyone ever asked him in public where the dam he was campaigning for is,” asked Nusrat.

    Earlier this week, a large group of PTI supporters and leaders gathered near Chancery Lane outside London’s Middle Temple to protest against former Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa.

    Dozens of PTI supporters and party leaders, such as Sayed Zulfi Bukhari, Sahibzada Jahangir and former MNA Maleeka Bokhari, made speeches outside the venue.

    Later, videos emerged of some infamous PTI supporters waiting for Isa’s car to come out of the building while hurling abuses at him.

    Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said the vehicles of the former CJP and the Pakistan High Commissioner in London were “attacked”, condemning the incident.

    In a statement posted on X, he ordered the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) to take immediate steps to identify the attackers through footage and take legal action against them.

    The statement added that further action would be taken through an FIR to block their identity cards and cancel passports.

    It further said that the attackers’ citizenship will be revoked immediately.

    “We cannot remain silent on this incident,” Naqvi said in the statement, questioning why there was no security provided to the ex-CJP amid threats.

  • Zulfi Bukhari dragged Imran Khan into Oxford University chancellorship candidacy for self-interest: Rubina Khanum

    Zulfi Bukhari dragged Imran Khan into Oxford University chancellorship candidacy for self-interest: Rubina Khanum

    Rubina Khanum, sister of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Imran Khan, lambasted Zulfi Bukhari over his recent role in marketing Khan’s campaign for the election of Oxford University Chancellor.

    In a viral video, Rubina Khanum stated that Bukhari, former Special Assistant to Khan, is not educated and that he believes having an Oxford University Chancellor from Pakistan is a big deal.

    “Zulfi Bukhari had dragged Imran Khan into the chancellor candidacy race for self-interest,” she said.

    “Imran Khan is in jail; what interest does he have in becoming Oxford University’s chancellor?” Rubina Khanum questioned.

    Zulfi Bukhari, a close aide of the PTI, had been active in campaigning for the incarcerated party founder Imran Khan for the Oxford University Chancellorship until Khan was blocked by the university administration.

    On October 16, former PM Imran Khan was expelled from the Oxford chancellorship race.

    Citing the reason for Khan’s ineligibility to run for the Chancellorship election, journalist Murtaza Ali Shah, two weeks ago, disclosed that a convicted person cannot become the University chancellor since he has been convicted in the Tosha Khana case.

    “A chancellor candidate shouldn’t be a member of a legislative assembly. Although currently, Imran Khan is not a lawmaker, there is the possibility of his premiership in future, on which the University has reservations,” he maintained.

    Following the expulsion of Khan’s candidacy from the Oxford University Chancellor race, Zulfi Bukhari alleged that the Pakistani government had pressured the university administration to remove Khan from the race.

    “The Oxford University made a very narrow-minded and pressured decision to block Imran Khan. The decision came as a big disappointment because Pakistan wanted Imran Khan to run in the Oxford University chancellor election. People from India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and many other Islamic countries wanted Imran Khan to take part,” Bukhari told a private news channel.

    The first round of the Oxford University Chancellor elections has been completed, and the top five candidates have advanced to the second round.

    The second round of voting will begin on November 18, and the new Chancellor will be officially announced on November 25. The new Chancellor will hold the position for a decade.

  • US immigration officials ask Pakistani traveller about Imran Khan’s release

    US immigration officials ask Pakistani traveller about Imran Khan’s release

    A claim is circulating on social media that immigration officers at New York airport asked about the release of Imran Khan, the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), from jail. Khan’s followers interpret this as “evidence” that “Imran Khan has gained worldwide fame.”

    Zubair Ali Khan, a YouTuber, claimed that when he landed in New York to cover the United States elections, an immigration officer at the airport asked him about the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan from jail. The officer’s inquiry led him to think that “Imran Khan has become Pakistan’s international identity.”

    He posted on X (formerly Twitter): “At New York Airport after the immigration officer finished my interview and came to see me off, the Immigration officer asked me, When will Imran Khan be released from jail?

    “In amazement, I asked, Are you Asian? The Immigration officer responded, No, I’m Spanish, then he asked, are protests still happening in support of Imran Khan in Islamabad, or is there peace now? Standing at the door, I was quite surprised by this conversation. I told him that things are now calm in Islamabad. Laughingly, I said that when Trump wins the election, Imran Khan will also be released. The immigration officer, while saying goodbye to me, shook my hand warmly and stated, God bless Imran Khan.”

    The program host, Adil Nizami, made a similar claim on October 27, asserting that when he arrived at New York airport for U.S. election coverage, immigration officers asked him about the release of Imran Khan.

    Social media users lambasted Zubair Ali Khan and Adil Nizami for their made-up claims, which they attributed to immigration officers.

    One social media user, Dr Ayoub Chaudhry, commented on X: “This does not happen in America, brother; they have written questions, each of which must be answered and all conversations are recorded. If immigration officers ask even one unnecessary thing, departmental action is initiated against them. Imran Khan is famous, and there is no doubt about it, but what is the need to fool people by telling false stories?”

    Former Ambassador to the United States, Hussain Haqqani, made a sarcastic comment: “A few days ago, another journalist told a similar story. However, their immigration officer did not come to let them out. The next reporter would claim that the immigration officer offered to drop him off at the hotel.”

    Here are some hilarious reactions:

  • Did Tribune delete a story about German Ambassador’s letter to COAS Asim Munir?

    Did Tribune delete a story about German Ambassador’s letter to COAS Asim Munir?

    In a surprising development, The Express Tribune’s website has deleted an article by journalist Shahbaz Rana about the German Ambassador’s letter to Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Asim Munir urging his intervention over the termination of an IPP deal.

    Although the article is still available in print and e-newspaper, it cannot be found anywhere on the website. Netizens wondered about the sudden disappearance of the article while also archiving it on social media.

    Shahbaz Rana revealed in the story that German Ambassador Alfred Grannas wrote to the army chief after German investor Siemens was allegedly forced to agree to a settlement for shutting down a 450 MW power plant. However, the government maintains that the agreement was a mutually negotiated settlement rather than a coerced decision.

    Rana wrote: “Siemens holds a 26 percent stake in Rousch Pakistan Power Limited, one of the five power plants whose contracts were terminated this month in an effort to reduce electricity costs by 60 paisa per unit. Germany, however, hasn’t accepted this termination but is willing to end the contract if Pakistan meets at least six conditions.”

    The German ambassador, in his letter to the COAS, stated that the “unusual manner in which these negotiations continue to be conducted is already damaging the trust of German enterprises and investors.”

    The German investor has proposed six conditions for an amicable resolution. First is the guarantee from the Ministry of Finance and the State Bank of Pakistan to ensure all settlement funds, currency transfers, historic and future dividends be transferred to German bank accounts. Secondly, the German investor seeks the resolution of a sales tax dispute with FBR and the withdrawal of all pending legal proceedings against the plant.

    Thirdly, it proposed that after the handover, Siemens seeks release from any ongoing maintenance or preservation obligations for the complex.
    Fourthly, an amendment in the indemnification clause in the settlement agreement should be made to include protection for all board directors.
    Fifth, board members and shareholders must be indemnified, defended, and held harmless from and against any claims or taxes related to the project and its termination. Lastly, an immediate transfer of Rs. 3.1 billion in dividend arrears to Germany as a gesture of good faith.

    It should be noted that the Rousch power plant contract has been renegotiated three times since 2000, each time resulting in less than guaranteed dividend payments to investors and shareholders.

  • Five schoolchildren among 7 killed in Mastung blast

    Five schoolchildren among 7 killed in Mastung blast

    Seven people, including five schoolchildren, a police officer and a passerby, were killed in a blast on Friday morning near Civil Hospital Chowk in Mastung, Balochistan.

    “So far, seven individuals have been martyred, including five school students, and 17 others have sustained injuries,” Kalat Division Commissioner Naeem Bazai confirmed to the press.

    According to the commissioner, the blast occurred at around 8:35 am near a high school for girls at Mastung Civil Hospital Chowk.

    “It appears that an IED [improvised explosive device] attached to a motorcycle was detonated near a police mobile,” he said.

    Mastung District Police Officer (DPO) Miandad Umrani said the explosion damaged a police van and multiple auto-rickshaws present near the site of the attack.

    District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ) Medical Superintendent Nisar Ahmad Baloch told a private media outlet that 30 injured, mostly schoolchildren, were currently being treated at the DHQ as well as Nawab Hospital in Mastung.

    Meanwhile, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif and Balochistan Chief Minister (CM) Sarfraz Bugti have condemned the blast.

    “We will avenge the murder of innocent children and people. The menace of terrorism can only be fought with unity,” CM Bugti wrote.

  • ‘You are not my boss’; Marwat hits back at Salman Akram Raja, then deletes post

    ‘You are not my boss’; Marwat hits back at Salman Akram Raja, then deletes post

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders are once again airing their dirty laundry in public view; this time, the brawl is between Secretary General Salman Akram Raja and maverick Sher Afzal Marwat.

    It all started when Sher Afzal Marwat, while talking to Matiullah Jan, stated that he did not vote for Hamid Khan group in the recent Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) elections.

    “I did not want to vote for Hamid Khan’s candidates in the SCBA, neither did I want to vote for the other group’s candidates, so I did not vote,” said Marwat.

    Matiullah Jan, with a surprising reaction, asked Marwat whether his action put PTI at a disadvantage.

    He replied: “How did I put PTI at a disadvantage? Hamid Khan passes some statements or other arguments against me. He should be thankful that I did not campaign against his candidates; otherwise, I could uld have had 30-40 votes. Nobody came to me to ask for any votes.”

    A day later, Secretary General PTI Salman Akram Raja told reporters, “Sher Afzal Marwat must control himself, we are giving him a chance, if he wants to play a role in party, if he does not show discipline, we will take action.”

    In a since-deleted post on X, Marwat wrote: “I am very saddened by the statement issued by Mr Salman Akram Raja adv against me. I was willing to work with you, but neither you are my boss nor do you have any authority to control me. Please bear in mind for all times I am only answerable to Khan sb and Chairman Barrister Gohar. Nobody else matters. Thank you.”

    Marwat the Maverick has seen his star wane after constant battles within the party forced him to leave the centre stage. The media’s darling, Marwat, landed in hot water with his colleagues over his outspokenness in the early part of this year.

    In his recent attack on PTI, Marwat alleged last week that the KP government, led by Ali Amin Gandapur, did not want Imran Khan to be released from jail. A day later, he said Ali’s actions could pave the way for Governor Raj in the province.

    This isn’t the first time that the PTI leaders have been witnessed fighting with each other. Last month when, PTI’s Hammad Azhar insisted that the protest be held despite the SCO starting on the same day. Gandapur replied: “You are in hiding yourself yet you are telling party members to come out and protest.” He then pointed his guns towards PTI Punjab. “I came to Islamabad twice [to protest] but PTI Punjab leadership could not be found anywhere.”

  • Did KP CM Ali Amin Gandapur just announce a ‘bloody revolution’?

    Did KP CM Ali Amin Gandapur just announce a ‘bloody revolution’?

    A video showing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister (CM) Ali Amin Gandapur addressing a charged crowd has gone viral, sparking concerns over his words hinting at a bloody revolution.

    “This time before we leave, we will tell our families that if we do not return, perform our funeral prayers,” Gandapur said while speaking at a ceremony in KP.

    “We have understood that here, one does not get their rights through decency, respect, or according to the law […] the blood within us is red, the colour that symbolises a revolution. When the colour of blood is red… it tells us that problems won’t be solved without bringing a revolution,” he warned, adding that the time for a “decisive battle” had arrived.

    CM Gandapur further said that when people asked for their rights as per the Constitution, they were thrown into jail and subjected to oppression or fake FIRs [First Information Reports] were filed against them.

    The KP CM also announced the restoration of student unions in the province, saying, “We will provide full opportunities for students to emerge through student unions, which could enable them to raise their voices.”

    Earlier, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), led by CM Gandapur, recorded at least two major protests at Islamabad’s D Chowk. Another massive protest rally was held in Lahore as well.

    The demonstration was against the ruling coalition’s proposed 26th Constitutional Amendment and sought the release of PTI founder Imran Khan from jail.

  • Donald Trump’s election as president to facilitate Imran Khan’s release?

    Donald Trump’s election as president to facilitate Imran Khan’s release?

    United States (US) Department of State spokesperson Mathew Miller has reacted to widespread claims regarding the release of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan if Donald Trump is elected as the country’s president.

    Responding to a journalist’s question during a press briefing, Miller reiterated the State Department’s stance regarding ongoing legal proceedings against the former Pakistani prime minister. “As we have said many times, legal proceedings against the former prime minister are a matter for the Pakistani courts to decide,” he said, adding that the claims were baseless.

    When asked about the alleged involvement of the US in the ouster of Khan’s government in 2022, Miller said, “The allegations that the US played any role in his removal from office are false.”

    The State Department spokesperson also reacted to the social media campaign against members of the US Congress for writing a letter to President Joe Biden, seeking release of the incarcerated former premier of Pakistan.

    “I can tell you, we don’t know who is behind it, but if people have issues that they want engage with regarding US officials, whether they be executive branch officials or officials from the US Congress, they should engage on the merits of those issues and not by talking about people’s religion or sexual orientation.”

    “We write today to urge you to use the United States’ substantial leverage with Pakistan’s government to secure the release of political prisoners, including former Prime Minister Khan, and curtail widespread human rights abuses,” US lawmakers had stated in the letter to Biden earlier this month.

    The letter had come as the PTI continues to lobby within and without the country for Imran Khan’s release.

    ‘Imran Khan to be released soon’

    Meanwhile, PTI leader and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister (CM) Ali Amin Gandapur has expressed confidence that the PTI founder will soon be released from jail.

    “Neither we believe in deals nor will we opt for any. We derive our confidence from the fact that all cases against PTI founder Imran Khan are fake and politically motivated. Except for a couple, almost all big cases against Khan have been overturned by courts,” Gandapur said while talking to media on Wednesday.

    Dispelling the impression that the PTI was against any person or institution, the KP CM said the party was “only against policies and wanted them fixed”.

    CM Gandapur also said that PTI’s struggle for its rights was not only peaceful but also within the parameters of law and the Constitution. “What we want is a thorough and transparent probe into the February 8 elections and May 9 incidents,” he said, adding that such an investigation was essential for strong and sustainable democracy.