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.

  • PDM may give Punjab CM seat to PPP: report

    PDM may give Punjab CM seat to PPP: report

    The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) may give the post of Chief Minister of Punjab to Pakistan People’s Pakistan (PPP) as the party co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari campaigns in Lahore to get the seat, reports Geo News Urdu.

    According to the media outlet, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) President Chaudhry Shujaat has favoured PPP in this matter.

    In case of consensus, the Punjab Assembly (PA) speaker and deputy speaker candidates would be from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

    Zardari has also started considering names for the CM chair, including PPP Punjab parliamentary leader Hasan Murtaza, former Premier Yousuf Raza Gillani’s son Ali Haider Gillani and Usman Mehmood.

    However, the final decision will be made jointly by Zardari, Chaudhry Shujaat and Nawaz Sharif.

    The development comes forth as the no-confidence motion against incumbent CM Pervaiz Elahi gains steam. Elahi, however, remains seemingly ahead in numbers in the provincial assembly with the support of 190 Members of the Provincial Assembly (MPAs).

    Apart from Elahi, a separate no-trust motion was also submitted against PA Speaker Sibtain Khan and Deputy Speaker Wasiq Qayyum Abbasi.

  • Bannu hostage situation: Forces kill the terrorists

    Security forces in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) have managed to free the hostages being held by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) inside the Counter-Terrorism Department’s (CTD) compound in Bannu.

    Defence Minister Khawaja Asif confirmed that “all the terrorists” have been killed.

    During the operation, an exchange of fire left several security men injured.

    The defence minister said that a unit of the army’s Special Service Group (SSG) carried out the operation, in which 10-15 of its commandos were injured while two were martyred.

    Earlier in the day, an operation had been launched to free the hostages held by the militants.

    Hospitals in the vicinity have been put on high alert and mobile services have also been blocked in the area.

    What happened in Bannu?

    On Sunday, militants detained at a facility run by KP police’s CTD in on Sunday took over the department, held interrogators hostage and demanded safe evacuation to Afghanistan.

    After taking over, the militants shot at security personnel inside the facility, injuring a policeman and a soldier. The outlawed TTP claimed responsibility for the incident.

    According to news reports, the militants managed to break out of lockup and held security personnel hostage. After the incident, police and security forces rushed to the spot but failed to free the hostages.

    Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, Special Assistant to KP Chief Minister, said that talks between Pakistani officials and the leadership of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are underway in Afghanistan, however, there is no breakthrough as yet.

    He also confirmed that a security official was killed in the Bannu compound by the militants and said that the government had engaged the militants to avoid casualties.

    The area where CTD is located has been sealed and residents have been asked to stay indoors. Internet services have been suspended in the city.

    Moreover, roads leading to and from Bannu Cantonment have been blocked.

  • ‘Youth ko sabaq seekhna chaahiye’: Twitterati reacts to Imran Khan’s alleged sex audio leak

    ‘Youth ko sabaq seekhna chaahiye’: Twitterati reacts to Imran Khan’s alleged sex audio leak

    The season of audio leaks never really ends in Pakistan. On Monday, December 19, a recording of former Prime Minister Imran Khan allegedly indulging in a graphic conversation of a sexual nature surfaced on social media.

    Khan can be allegedly heard talking to an unidentified woman on the phone call. The brief recording sent Twitterati into a frenzy, spurring a flurry of responses. While many questioned if the audio was fake, others were of the opinion that no one’s privacy could be breached in this manner.

    Here are some of the reactions:

    Maheen Ghani tweeted, “Political differences aside. I stand by IK on this. It’s a despicable invasion of privacy, unwarranted and highly condemnable.”

    A female Twitter user was of the view that audio leaks were a grand corruption of the society and our political system.

    https://twitter.com/AasmaaHaq/status/1605074317024366592?s=20&t=kuRxzIsxvhZO33dbBrz61Q

    Another twitter user said that she always hated Imran Khan but she condemns the violation of his privacy.

    One Tweet said that he prays that the audio is fake and that if in any way it is true then the youth of the country should learn from such incidents.

  • ‘Elahi has lost confidence’: No trust-motion submitted against Punjab CM

    ‘Elahi has lost confidence’: No trust-motion submitted against Punjab CM

    The Opposition in Punjab Assembly (PA) submitted a no-confidence motion against Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi in the late hours of Monday.

    The magic number required to show majority in the assembly is 186 with Elahi seemingly ahead in numbers. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has the support of 180 members while Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) has the backing of its 10 members, taking the government alliance in Punjab to a total of 190 Members of the Provincial Assembly (MPAs).

    Apart from Elahi, a separate no-trust motion was also submitted against PA Speaker Sibtain Khan and Deputy Speaker Wasiq Qayyum Abbasi.

    Legally, a submitted resolution would bar the chief minister from dissolving the assembly until the motion is voted upon.

    Immediately, after the submission of the no-trust motion, Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman directed the chief minister to seek a vote of confidence from the assembly on December 21 (tomorrow).

    In an order, shared by the PML-N on its Twitter handle, the governor said that the chief minister has “lost the confidence of his party president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and members of his own party belonging to the PML-Q.”

    “It is widely known that over the last few weeks serious differences of opinion erupted between two coalition parties of the ruling alliance in the Punjab Assembly i.e. PTI and PML-Q regarding political strategies, dissolution of the assembly, development schemes, and transfers of public officials,” it stated.

    The order also highlighted that the CM had said earlier that he is not going to dissolve the provincial assembly until March 2023 “a position which is completely at odds with the PTI’s public opinion on the issue.”

    The order also referred to CM Elahi’s recent criticism of Imran Khan regarding Khan’s negative comments on ex-Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

    On Saturday, Khan announced December 23 as the date for the dissolution of the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) assemblies. However, with this new development, a delay may be expected now.

  • Bajwa wants to respond to Khan but can’t: Journalist Ansar Abbasi

    Bajwa wants to respond to Khan but can’t: Journalist Ansar Abbasi

    Former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa cannot respond in public to the claims and accusations made against him by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan because of “codal limitations”, writes journalist Ansar Abbasi for Jang.

    The journalist revealed on Monday that it was not General (retd) Bajwa, but Imran Khan who controlled National Accountability Bureau (NAB) when he was the prime minister as he was paranoid about the Opposition and wanted to see them behind bars.

    Khan himself asked the ex-COAS to get a number of his opponents arrested. When Bajwa asked how he could take such a step, Khan gave reference of General Pervez Musharraf and his way of dealing with his political opponents. Upon hearing this, Bajwa reportedly reminded Imran that Musharraf was a dictator. Ansar Abbasi also disclosed that Bajwa told Khan to give him these orders in writing. However, Khan did not do that.

    The former army chief also warned Khan, advising him instead to focus on the economy instead of the Opposition.

    Abbasi has also written that “During his government’s tenure, Imran Khan himself has been heard complaining about the fear of NAB and its negative impact on the economy and civilian bureaucracy. But his urge to fix the opposition did not let him reform NAB.”

    Abbasi however does admit that General (retd) Bajwa is mostly blamed for keenly pursuing what is generally referred to as the “Imran Khan project”.

    He writes that when General (retd) Bajwa will speak, “what he tells will be no different from what former DG FIA Bashir Memon had alleged.” Memon claimed to have been pressurised by Khan to arrest his opponents.

    It is pertinent to mention that since his ouster, Khan has blamed the establishment and criticised them for being “neutral”. However, after General Bajwa retired in November, Khan has taken to criticising him directly. He has taken the name of General (retd) Bajwa on several occasions, saying that the retired army chief is responsible for ousting him.

    Days before retirement, General Bajwa, without taking any name, responded to Khan’s allegations.

    In what seemed like a criticism of Imran Khan, General (retd) Bajwa said that a false narrative was built and a campaign was started against the Pakistan army.

    “Many sectors used very inappropriate and undignified language while making the army the target of severe criticism. To criticise the army is the right of political parties and the people, but they should select their language carefully,” he said.

  • PTI to appear before NA speaker next week to verify resignations

    Lawmakers from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have decided to appear before National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf for the verification of their resignations, reports Geo News.

    The lawmakers are likely to appear either on Wednesday or Thursday.

    The Speaker has yet to take action on the resignations as PTI legislators have failed to get a response after they wrote a letter to him

    On December 15, PTI leader and former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry announced that the party would be seeking time from the National Assembly speaker for the verification of their MPs’ resignations.

    He also denied speculations that the party’s lawmakers are still receiving salaries.

    “Judges should verify the reports that show up on media. The reality is that this is another lie told by the government. The salaries of the resigned members are suspended and no member is getting any salary,” said Fawad.

    A day earlier, the PTI chief announced that both Punjab and KP assemblies will be dissolved on December 23.

  • PM Shehbaz calls for ‘political stability’ as Khan gears up to dissolve assemblies

    PM Shehbaz calls for ‘political stability’ as Khan gears up to dissolve assemblies

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday called for political stability in the country and the slammed the Opposition for “spreading anarchy”.

    In a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) the premier said, “It is required for the sake of loyalty to Pakistan and allegiance that there must be economic stability.”

    PM Shehbaz said that only political stability and an economic charter could “strengthen Pakistan’s national solidarity”.

    “The people who had laid land mines in the economic foundations of the country, are out to do the same in the political foundations of the country,” Shehbaz stated.

    He said that it was “someone’s” desire that Pakistan should be pushed into (financial) default, however, he stressed that that scenario would never happen.

    “The people who had hurt public confidence are now out to dissolve assemblies,” he stressed, claiming that their objective was to create political instability.

    “There is no doubt that economic havoc was brought under an agenda and political instability is a continuity of that action,” he opined.

    “The political miscreants wanted to force the world to not invest in Pakistan by spreading anarchy, besides hampering the efforts for rehabilitation of the flood-affected people,” Shehbaz said.

    His remarks come on the same day as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) gears up to announce the dissolution of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa assemblies. Party chairman Imran Khan is expected to announce his final decision on Saturday evening in Lahore.

  • ‘I am as much part of PPP as Miftah Ismail is of PML-N’: Mustafa Khokhar

    ‘I am as much part of PPP as Miftah Ismail is of PML-N’: Mustafa Khokhar

    Former senator, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, calling the coalition government a “hybrid 2.0” setup announced quitting Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) after differences arose between him and the leadership over his stance on government policies.

    “I am as much part of PPP as Miftah Ismail is of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). Let’s see where I head next from here,” Khokhar said while speaking on Geo News’ programme “Naya Pakistan”.

    “I wish the best for Peoples Party. I feel honoured to serve as a member of the party, but I am no longer a part of it,” he confirmed.

    Khokhar said if the party’s members do not talk about ongoing issues, then it would look like it’s more of a “monarchy than a political party”.

    Criticising the current coalition government, Khokhar said that what happened during Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) tenure when Imran Khan was the Prime Minister, continues to happen in the present government as well.

    “We managed what happened at Sindh House. [Some were out of free will], and some were forced. But whatever happened in [Khan’s] tenure is still happening today,” he lamented.

    Taking a jibe at the incumbent government, Khokhar called it “hybrid 2.0” and noted that it was “resorting to the wrong moves” in Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Azam Swati’s case — who is being transferred from one jail to another over his controversial tweets.

    Khokhar formally resigned as a senator on November 10, stressing that he would try hard to maintain his “independence”.

  • Dissolution of assemblies: CM Elahi goes to Rawalpindi ahead of Imran’s date announcement

    Dissolution of assemblies: CM Elahi goes to Rawalpindi ahead of Imran’s date announcement

    Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Pervaiz Elahi on Friday air-dashed to Rawalpindi and returned to Lahore after a brief meeting with an “important personality”.

    CM Elahi traveled to Rawalpindi on Friday evening where he held an important meeting. After returning to Lahore at night, he held consultations with his party leaders and also took Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain into confidence, reports Geo News.

    It is pertinent to mention that the development comes just hours before the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s announcement of the date for the dissolution of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) today.

    According to the media outlet, after the meeting in Rawalpindi, Elahi opposed dissolving the assembly and suggested to Imran Khan not to take the decision in haste.

    Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Moonis Elahi also met Imran Khan before “the Rawalpindi meeting”. He told the PTI leader that the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)-led government can victimise the PTI and PML-Q leadership if the assemblies are dissolved.

    If Elahi doesn’t dissolve the Punjab Assembly, the PTI chief Imran Khan would be left with the option of his party’s lawmakers resigning from the assembly.

    On the other hand, Dawn reports that PML-Q said it would remain PTI’s political ally in the next general election, but demanded 25 to 30 seats across the Gujrat division, parts of south Punjab and Sialkot district.

    Khan will announce the dissolution of both provincial assemblies in the much-awaited video-link address at Liberty Roundabout in Lahore today. CM Elahi and KP CM Mahmood Khan would be personally present in the public congregations.

  • You won’t be able to guess which Pakistani politicians are on TikTok

    You won’t be able to guess which Pakistani politicians are on TikTok

    TikTok isn’t only popular among the general public but also among Pakistani politicians too. Many leaders from across the political spectrum are now officially present on the video-sharing app.

    Despite being banned several times in the country, TikTok remains one of the most popular social media apps among internet users. It’s no surprise then that our politicians are making their way to the wildly popular app. Any guess, who do we have on the first spot?

    1- President Dr Arif Alvi

    President Dr Arif Alvi has a verified account on TikTok with 10,000 plus followers. The president’s account handle is @dr.arifalvi.

    2- Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari

    Foreign Minister (FM) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has recently joined TikTok and managed to gain 2500 plus followers so far. His account handle is @bbzppp.

    3- Zulfi Bukhari

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Zulfi Bukhari, with a verified account, has 7000 plus followers. He goes by the handle of @sayedzbukhari

    4- Hina Parvez Butt

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA) Hina Parvez Butt has a following of 120,000 plus people. Her account handle is @hinaparvezbutt.

    5- Fayaz ul Hassan Chohan

    PTI’s Fayaz ul Hassan Chohan has more than 130,000 followers on Tiktok. His account handle is @fayazulhassanchohan.

    6- Mian Muhammad Aslam Iqbal

    PTI’s Mian Aslam Iqbal has the most followers among politicians with 180,000 plus TikTokers following him. He uses the handle @mmaslamiqbal on TikTok.

    So, when are you making your account on TikTok?