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.

  • Hassaan Niazi is up for contesting elections

    Hassaan Niazi is up for contesting elections

    Hassaan Niazi, prominent leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and ex-prime minister Imran Khan’s nephew, has officially declared his intention to participate in the upcoming general elections.

    The decision was revealed as his mother filed a petition in the Lahore High Court, seeking approval for his nomination papers.

    The petition argued that, with the Election Commission having announced the election schedule, Hassan Niazi remains eligible, having neither faced disqualification nor conviction; he is presently in custody.

    The legal plea urged the court to grant permission for the completion of Hassan Niazi’s nomination paper for the submission process.

    It further proposes a meeting between the court commissioner and Hassan Niazi to facilitate the verification or rejection of the nomination papers.

    The move sets the stage for a potentially dynamic political scenario, with Hassan Niazi’s candidacy poised to shape the unfolding electoral landscape.

    The Case

    A Lahore anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Monday granted the police two-day transit remand of the focal person of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and ex-prime minister Imran Khan’s nephew, Hassaan Niazi.

    The police had produced Niazi in the court seeking his transit remand to take him to Karachi, where he is wanted in connection with sedition charges registered against him.

    The case against Niazi was registered on the complaint of a citizen named Muhammad Iqbal at the Jamshaid Quarters police station.

    According to the first information report (FIR), Niazi was involved in inciting people to revolt against national institutions and attempting to provoke disharmony in a video on social media.

    The statement had allegedly created anger and distress among the masses.

    During the hearing, the prosecution argued that Niazi’s presence was required in Karachi for further legal proceedings.

    Therefore, the court approved the request for a two-day transit remand, allowing the police to take Niazi to Karachi for progress in the case.

  • ‘Judges ligitimise the rule of military dictators,’ Nawaz Sharif

    ‘Judges ligitimise the rule of military dictators,’ Nawaz Sharif

    Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday lashed out at judges for legitimising military dictators and taking action against elected prime ministers.

    “Judges garland the ones (military dictators) who break the constitution, rather they legitimise their rule. When the parliament is dissolved and the prime minister is sent to jail, they (judges) endorse these actions,” Sharif said while addressing ticket aspirants from Faisalabad at the party secretariat in Model Town.

    Sharif specifically pointed to instances where judges allowed military dictators to amend the constitution, attributing such decisions to the current challenges faced by Pakistan.

    He asserted that responsibility for the country’s predicament lies with the nation itself, dismissing external factors such as India, the United States, or Afghanistan.

    Without directly naming him, Sharif indirectly referred to former ISI chief Gen (retd) Faiz Hamid, suggesting interference in the judicial process to deny post-arrest bail to himself and his daughter Maryam Nawaz. He claimed that pressure from certain quarters jeopardized their legal proceedings.

  • Election candidates can submit their nomination papers by tomorrow

    Election candidates can submit their nomination papers by tomorrow

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will start receiving nomination papers from expected candidates tomorrow as the upcoming general elections are set to take place on February 8 next year in the country, The News has reported.

    District Retuning Officers (DROs) and Returning Officers (ROs) will take oaths today as per the Election Act of 2017. After that, the process of receiving nomination papers will start.

    A day earlier, at least 859 ROs completed their training for the upcoming polls while 144 DROs will complete their training today. The training of DROs and ROs was halted on December 14 after the stay order of Lahore High Court (LHC) on a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) petition against the appointment of officers.

    However, the Supreme Court (SC) suspended the LHC order and directed the ECP to release the election schedule as well as restore the training of DROs and ROs.

    Candidates who want to take part in the upcoming general elections can submit their nomination papers to their respective ROs from December 20 to December 22.

  • Government blocks CNICs of 18 PTI leaders

    Government blocks CNICs of 18 PTI leaders

    The caretaker federal government has blocked the CNIC of former minister Hammad Azhar and 18 other leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

    The party leaders are facing legal charges following the May 9 riots. The list of leaders with blocked CNICs consists of Ali Amin Gandapur, Muhammad Aslam Iqbal, Malik Karamat Khokhar, Wasiq Qayyum Abbasi, Jamshed Iqbal Cheema, Zubair Khan Niazi, Malik Nadeem Abbas, and Ghulam Mohiuddin Dewan.

    According to officials, the CNICs have been blocked at the request of the police and will remain suspended until investigation is completed.

    Authorities also said that if PTI leaders do not appear before the court, they will be deprived of their legal rights.

    Earlier On Sunday, PTI conducted its first virtual jalsa through various social media platforms, amid accusations of an alleged ‘internet crackdown’ aimed at stopping the event’s impact,.

    Chairman PTI Barrister Gohar Khan spoke to approximately one million social media users globally, reaching audiences in Asia, Europe, and America.

  • Qasim Suri, Kumar Sanu or Hamid Mir? Who was THAT MAN at PTI virtual jalsa?

    Qasim Suri, Kumar Sanu or Hamid Mir? Who was THAT MAN at PTI virtual jalsa?

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had a virtual jalsa on Sunday night and the internet is in fits after seeing the new look of one central leader.

    Qasim Suri, central senior vice president, member of the core committee of PTI, and the former deputy speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan, made a public appearance after a long time and people can’t accept that he looks like a different man.

    Netizens compared him to Indian singer Kumar Sanu.

    “Kal space mein Qasim Suri Ki Jagah Kumar Sanu Aagae Thy Ghalti Se.”

    Others thought he looked like Geo anchor Hamid Mir.

    “Qasim Suri looking like a Mexican Drug Cartel Kingpin.”

    “If he is Qasim Suri then I am Alexandra Daddario”

    “Looking at Qasim Suri’s pictures, I’m convinced ke jo kaam aurton k liye makeup karta ha mardon ke liye wo kaam Beard krti ha Cutie came from Metaverse”

    https://twitter.com/Burqaa_Avenger/status/1736645635091366209?s=20
  • Watch Khan’s AI version that was live at the virtual jalsa last night

    Watch Khan’s AI version that was live at the virtual jalsa last night

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) held the first-ever virtual jalsa in Pakistan amid a crackdown and unsaid ban on their on-ground jalsas.

    Former Prime Minister and founding chairman of PTI Imran Khan addressed his supporters using an audio clip generated by artificial intelligence (AI) during the virtual jalsa.

    The AI-generated audio, played alongside photographs and videos of Khan, garnered over 1.4 million views on YouTube and drew a live audience of tens of thousands on various social media platforms.

    PTI social media lead, Jibran Ilyas, took to X (former Twitter) and wrote, “Founding Chairman Imran Khan’s speech in AI voice. Can’t stop praising Dr Asma for staying up 36 hours to get this done in time, Nausheen for translations and Intazar Bhai for getting notes from the Legend Imran Khan! #PTIVirtualJalsa.”

    In his address, Khan lamented the restrictions on public rallies imposed on his party, emphasizing the alleged abduction of party members and harassment of their families.

    “Our party is not allowed to hold public rallies,” Khan stated, urging his supporters to actively participate in the upcoming general elections. “Our people are being kidnapped, and their families are being harassed.”

    Officials from Khan’s party revealed that the AI-generated speech was derived from a written version approved by Khan himself while he remains incarcerated. PTI organized the virtual rally in response to Khan’s media blackout.

    Murtaza Solangi, the information minister in Pakistan’s caretaker government tasked with overseeing the elections, did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comments.

    Internet services faced serious disruptions on Sunday night as a large number of people complained about difficulties in accessing social media sites where Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was holding a virtual election rally.

    Users from different parts of the country reported slow internet speed all across the country, especially in Karachi, Lahore, Mir Pur Khas, and Rawalpindi.
    Downdetector confirmed that website versions were down since around 7 pm in the evening.

    Imran Khan, convicted and sentenced to three years on graft charges on Aug. 5, has been entangled in numerous court cases, some of which are conducted behind closed doors in prison.

  • Court grants bail to Fawad Chaudhry in corruption case

    Court grants bail to Fawad Chaudhry in corruption case

    A special court in Rawalpindi granted post-arrest bail to former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry on Sunday in a corruption case.

    The court announced its decision to release the former minister, ordering him to submit a surety bond of Rs200,000.

    Fawad Chaudhry was arrested in November, in a case pertaining to a Rs5 million bribe paid by a citizen in August 2022.

    Following the extension of his physical remand, he was subsequently placed on judicial remand and is currently incarcerated at the Adiala jail.

    While speaking with reporters outside the court, Fawad’s brother, Faisal Chaudhry, said that the ex-minister will take part in the upcoming polls, which are set to take place on February 8, 2024.

    He also said that it has not been decided yet on what party ticket Fawad will contest the election.

    “This decision will come as a surprise,” Faisal said.

    Faisal Chaudhry also said that the conflict between him and his sister-in-law, Hiba Fawad, is a family matter.

    “Hiba is my elder sister. [We] will resolve the domestic matter at home,” he stated.

  • PML-N ticket applicants to submit nomination papers on December 20

    PML-N ticket applicants to submit nomination papers on December 20

    The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Monday asked applicants to submit their nomination papers by December 20 for the forthcoming general elections, which are set to take place on February 8, next year, as per The News.

    Sources within the PML-N told The News that the process of review will be completed on Tuesday this week. He also confirmed that the senior leaders of the party will release the final list of ticket holders for both national and provincial assemblies on Thursday, and tickets will also be issued on the same day.

    Individuals who have submitted their nomination papers will be requested to withdraw. They will be reassigned to other prominent positions, such as the Senate or executive offices, if they do not receive the ticket.

    PML-N head Nawaz Sharif and party president, Shehbaz Sharif, after consultation with senior leaders, will release the list of ticket holders.

    The Sharif brothers are chairing the 12th session of the parliamentary board to access the constituencies. All recommendations from each session were compiled at the end of the huddle.

    The source also told the publication that the announcement about ticket holders was not disclosed because of seat adjustment matter with like-minded parties.

  • PPP’s Sardar Latif Khosa joins PTI

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) aggrieved leader Sardar Latif Khosa has officially joined Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday “on the wish” of former prime minister and founder PTI Imran Khan.

    “I have made the decision not only in the interest of the country and democracy, but also to raise my voice vigorously for the truth,” he said.

    Sardar Khosa announced during a press conference in Lahore that he is joining PTI, expressing hope that the politics of hatred would end.

    Khosa also said that a country’s constitution is supreme, adding that it has all the characteristics of a welfare state.

    “The motherland can become prosperous if we follow the Constitution. The Constitution has a solution for everything if it is implemented in its true spirit,” he said.

    He also mentioned that a barrister (Allama Muhammad Iqbal) came up with the idea of Pakistan, and Muhammad Ali Jinnah completed it.

    “I have dedicated my services to PTI. I am free to join a party of my choosing,” Khosa said, adding that he would not talk about what he lost or gained in the PPP.

  • Who is contesting elections from where?

    Who is contesting elections from where?

    A day after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced the schedule for general elections, political parties are yet to announce lists of candidates.

    Former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif, from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz PML-N, will reportedly contest polls from Lahore.

    Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, another former Prime Minister, who hails from Murree but was elected from Lahore, has opted to not contest the upcoming elections.

    Two ex-PMs from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, and Raja Pervaiz Ashraf will be contesting from Multan and Gujar Khan respectively.

    PML-N Chief Organiser Maryam Nawaz will be contesting from Lahore and Karachi, while PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will be a candidate from Karachi and Larkana.

    Former President and PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari will try his luck from Nawabshah.

    Maulana Fazlur Rehman will be contesting from Dera Ismail Khan.

    Jamat e Islami Ameer Siraj-ul-Haq will contest polls from Peshawar.

    PML-N is expected to finalise the list of all its candidates next week, The News has reported.

    As per sources, PML-N has concluded work on more than 70% of constituencies for choosing candidates and the list of the first batch of ticketholders might be made public tomorrow (Sunday).

    The party’s parliamentary board conducted 10 meetings to finalise candidate names from various areas and is expected to complete the task on Monday (December 18).

    The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F), Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), Awami National Party (ANP), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and regional parties will issue the list of their candidates by the mid of next week.

    They are engaged in seat adjustment with other parties while the fate of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is still hanging in the balance as the ECP gives its verdict on its intra-party elections on Monday.