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.

  • ‘Imran Khan was not shot four times, few fragments hit him’, reveals Kamran Shahid

    Senior anchor Kamran Shahid has claimed that former Prime Minister Imran Khan was not shot four times on November 3, 2022, at Wazirabad.

    Reading out the Punjab Forensic Report about the firing incident in which the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief was shot at, Kamran Shahid said that a “few” fragments of bullets hit him.

    “Few fragments of a bullet and a metallic particle hit Imran Khan,” said Shahid.

    Taking about the shooters and bullets, Shahid said that the report states that the accused Naveed shot 12 bullets from his 30 bore pistol and two bullets were shot on the container from SMG riffle.

    Imran Khan was attacked by a gunman as his long march passed through Wazirabad, resulting in four shots in the leg. The PTI and the chairman himself have said that Khan was shot three times.

  • Sharifs mein garrbarr? Maryam Nawaz appointed as PML-N senior vice president ahead of Nawaz’s expected return

    Prime Minister (PM) and President of the Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) Shehbaz Sharif has appointed Maryam Nawaz Sharif as the “Senior Vice President” of the party.

    On Tuesday, a notification regarding the appointment was shared by the Information Minister and PML-N leader Marriyum Aurangzeb. In a tweet, she also said that Maryam Nawaz has been authorised to re-organise the party at all functional tiers/levels as the “Chief Organiser”.

    Finance Minister Ishaq Dar also came forward to congratulate Maryam, saying that PM Shehbaz took the decision in consultation with party supremo Nawaz Sharif.

    Maryam Nawaz, the daughter of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, has been serving as the vice president of the party since 2019.

    In another development, Nawaz Sharif directed his party to start a mass mobilisation campaign for upcoming general elections, reports The News.

    Sharif had issued important instructions to the political team of his party in Lahore and asked them to start preparing for general elections and confront the PTI and its allies.

    Last month, former Speaker of the National Assembly (NA) Ayaz Sadiq claimed that Nawaz would return to Pakistan in January 2023.

    In November 2022, the PML-N-led collation government issued a diplomatic passport to Nawaz Sharif, who has been living in London since 2019 following an illness in jail after then prime minister Imran Khan had permitted him to go abroad for medical treatment.

  • ‘Zero tolerance’; PM warns terrorists

    Amid rising terror attacks, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has said that Pakistan will adopt the policy of zero-tolerance against terrorists.

    From his account on Twitter, the Premier said that the National Security Committee (NSC) has come up with two major decisions, which include adopting a zero-tolerance policy against terrorists and forming a roadmap to revive the economy of Pakistan.

    A day earlier, the second round of the National Security Committee (NSC) meeting reiterated a “zero tolerance” policy for terrorism in the country, according to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

    A press release issued by the PMO after the meeting’s conclusion said the NSC reaffirmed its determination to take on “any and all entities that resort to violence”, adding that any violence would be dealt with the “full force of the state”.

    On December 30, 2022, the forum vowed to respond firmly to resurgent terrorism in the country and declared militants as “enemies of Pakistan”.

    On the other hand, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Monday said that Afghanistan’s soil is being used against Pakistan despite an agreement with the Taliban government.

    During Geo News’ programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’, the minister urged the Taliban to fulfill commitments made in the Doha deal.

    “The Pakistani government is in constant touch with Afghanistan in connection with border violations”, he said.

    Over the past few months, the law and order situation in the country has worsened, with terrorist groups like the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) executing attacks across the country.

  • Balochistan Home Minister heads commission for recovering missing persons

    Balochistan Home Minister heads commission for recovering missing persons

    Balochistan Home Minister Mir Zia Ullah Langau has been appointed as the chairman of a commission that will look into the cases of missing persons.

    The commission will recover and investigate the cases of missing persons, provide legal assistance to the families of missing persons while also looking into the activities of these missing persons against the state.

    Earlier, the Balochistan home ministry formed a parliamentary commission on missing persons on the orders of the Balochistan High Court (BHC).

    It is pertinent to mention that the missing person commission received a total number of 9,133 complaints from the residents of Balochistan alone.

    Apart from this, Supreme Court (SC) was informed that overall 2,207 cases of missing persons are pending as of November 30, 2022.

    Prior to this, former Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Athar Minallah instructed Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif to ensure a resolution to the missing persons’ cases.

    The Premier assured the court that all-out efforts would be made to recover missing persons.

  • ‘Yes, I was a playboy’: Khan recalls odd conversation with Gen (retd) Bajwa

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in an interaction with the media persons at his Zaman Park residence in Lahore, has recounted a conversation he had with General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa, alleging that former army chief called the former prime minister a “playboy”.

    “General (retd) Bajwa called me a playboy, and in reply, I said to him yes, I had been a playboy,” said Khan.

    Khan didn’t share when the exchange took place between the two.

    “Bajwa was stabbing us in the back while also showing sympathy. The set-up he installed is still working in the establishment,” claimed Khan.

    The PTI chairman, without taking the name of the army chief, said: “In Pakistan, establishment is a name given to just one person.”

    The former premier accused General Bajwa of hiring the services of Husain Haqqani, Pakistan’s former ambassador to the United States, for lobbying in DC against him.

    During the same media interaction, Khan also said his wife Bushra Bibi is not like his political opponent Maryam Nawaz because, “she does not wear make-up”.

    He went on with comparing his wife to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Vice-president, stating that his spouse does not wear make-up, but Maryam Nawaz spends plenty of money on cosmetic surgeries.

  • ‘Together we will bounce back as a nation’: PM Shehbaz remembers flood victims on Jan 1

    ‘Together we will bounce back as a nation’: PM Shehbaz remembers flood victims on Jan 1

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif began the first day of the new year by remembering the victims of 2022’s devastating floods.

    On his twitter account, Shehbaz Sharif said, “In 2022, one-third of Pakistan paid the heavy price due to climate change and for no fault of theirs”. He also hoped that Pakistanis as a nation will bounce back.

    President Alvi, in his message, said that the past year saw the loss of life and money due to floods in 2022 but the nation faced the challenges with steadfastness, unity, and determination.

    However, as the new year has arrived, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan pledged that his party will form a strong government through elections in 2023.

    In a series of tweets, mentioning the best and worst times of 2022, Imran Khan shared, “A government with one of the best econ performances was removed through a conspiracy triggered by supreme self-interest, and Pakistan was handed over to a bunch of criminals.”

  • ‘Imran Khan has decided to not to dissolve the Punjab Assembly’: Journalist Kamran Shahid

    ‘Imran Khan has decided to not to dissolve the Punjab Assembly’: Journalist Kamran Shahid

    Senior anchor Kamran Shahid has revealed that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has decided not to dissolve the Punjab Assembly (PA).

    Taking to Twitter, Shahid wrote, “BASED ON MY SOURCES- IMRAN KHAN HAS DECIDED TO NOT TO DISSOLVE THE PUNJAB ASSEMBLY— CH PERVAIZ ILLAHI IS ALSO BEING COMMUNICATED [sic].”

    It is pertinent to mention here that the Opposition staged a walkout of the PA last week as the house passed a resolution against the Punjab governor’s “unconstitutional and illegal” move to de-notify Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi as the provincial chief executive.

    Shahid’s tweet has come about as the political crisis in Punjab rages on, with neither side willing to relent.

    Imran Khan had announced in November at the end of his long march that he will dissolve both the Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa assemblies, where his party holds government. Since then, the dissolution has become a point of discontent within the ruling Punjab coalition, with Pervaiz Elahi reluctant to do away with the legislative before April of 2023.

  • TV channels will be required to air news with sign language interpreters

    TV channels will be required to air news with sign language interpreters

    President Dr Arif Alvi has signed the Access to the Media (Deaf) Persons Act, 2022 into law, under which all private and state-run broadcasters will be required to air news bulletins with sign language interpreters.

    The act will fully come into force six months after the commencement of the bill.

    Once enforced, the government shall not allow broadcasting any news bulletin on the national broadcaster, state or privately run electronic media, private television channels, cable TV, or any other broadcast media without sign language interpreters.

    The bill was moved by Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senator Saleem Mandviwalla who gave a detailed briefing to the committee regarding the bill.

  • Terrorism threats: Five places to remain closed on New Year’s eve

    Terrorism threats: Five places to remain closed on New Year’s eve

    Local authorities have decided to close down five key recreational points ahead of New Year’s Eve in Islamabad as threats of terrorist attacks loom over the capital.

    According to Samaa News, the decision has been taken to prevent large gatherings on New Year’s eve out of fear of terrorism.

    The places include F-9 Park, Centaurus Mall, Safa Mall, Lake View Park, and Faisal Masjid. Residents of the city won’t be allowed to go to these places to welcome 2023.

    The Deputy Commissioner (DC) has directed Assistant Commissioners (ACs) to implement the orders.

    Moreover, to prevent any untoward incident, Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Police have also decided to beef up the security of the federal capital and called in 1,000 Frontier Constabulary (FC) personnel to assist the police at checkposts.

    These decisions have been taken following a suicide car bomb blast in Islamabad on December 23 that left one policeman martyred and 10 injured.

  • ‘Should embrace each other with all their hearts’: Sindh governor calls upon all MQM factions to unite for Karachi

    ‘Should embrace each other with all their hearts’: Sindh governor calls upon all MQM factions to unite for Karachi

    Governor Sindh Kamran Tessori has called upon all the factions of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) to unite on a single platform to resolve the issues of Karachi.

    Talking to Shahzeb Khanzada on Geo News‘ show ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’, Tessori said: “Being the governor of Sindh, I can only request my friends. I cannot force anyone. And I request them because Karachi is a friendly city for everyone but there is no one who is friendly to Karachi.”

    Tessori said that the city of lights had become a city of criminals. “I requested Mustafa Kamal when he visited the Governor’s House. My aim is to develop this city and to facilitate its residents,” he said on the show.

    “Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui is the leader; he leads the MQM and he will be leading the party in the future,” said Tessori, adding that he can’t play a political role but he will request the leaders of PSP, MQM and Farooq Sattar to join hands.

    “I requested my friends that rather than criticising each other they should become workers of this city and serve the people. Upon my request, Mustafa Kamal and Farooq Sattar have agreed. They also agreed on the leadership of Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui. Neither Farooq Sattar nor Mustafa Kamal raised objections to Siddiqui’s leadership. They spoke respectfully. They respect Siddiqui,” the governor said.

    “I have no idea how quickly they will move to make a [unification] decision, but if it were to happen, it would have to be sustainable and based on the will of Karachi’s residents,” he asserted.

    Asking that all factions “embrace eachother with all their hearts”, the Governor said he had asked the other leaders to put aside their egos and work for the betterment of the city and its people.

    He said that he sees no intervention by institutions in political matters. “I took the initiative and there is no intervention of the establishment or institutions [in the unification of MQM factions].”