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.

  • ‘Will not join politics after [the] two-year bar nor afterwards’: Gen Faiz Hameed

    ‘Will not join politics after [the] two-year bar nor afterwards’: Gen Faiz Hameed

    Former Director-General (DG) of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), General (retd) Faiz Hameed clarified that all speculations about his joining politics or leading the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) were false. “I will not join politics after two-year bar nor afterward,” he categorically said, reports The News.

    On Thursday, a video of the former spy chief went viral on social media, showing the General attending a gathering in his native village Latifal in Chakwal. An unidentied person, addressing the gathering, praised the retired general for his services in the military and for all he did for the development of the area. The speaker requested the retired Faiz Hameed to join politics and play a role in the development of the country.

    “We will be with you throughout, and we practically want you to join politics and serve the people like you did when you were in service. We want that once you join politics, people should know that you are back and are helping the people way more than they can imagine,” said the unknown man in the video. The retired General, who is seated on a sofa, smiles back.

    Lt Gen (retd) Faiz had retired from service after General Asim Munir took command of the Pakistan Army as the chief of army staff.

    The former DG ISI had requested early retirement after the prime minister had approved Gen Asim Munir and Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza’s elevation to the four-star rank.

    His application for early retirement was approved on December 2 after the Defence Ministry forwarded his request to the premier.

  • ‘Osama bin Laden is dead, but the butcher of Gujarat lives, and he is the PM of India’: Bilawal Bhutto tells Indian Minister

    ‘Osama bin Laden is dead, but the butcher of Gujarat lives, and he is the PM of India’: Bilawal Bhutto tells Indian Minister

    Foreign Minister (FM) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari slammed Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi in response to his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar’s accusations about Pakistan perpetuating terrorism and sheltering Osama bin Laden.

    “I would like to remind Mr Jaishankar that Osama bin Laden is dead, but the butcher of Gujarat lives, and he is the prime minister (of India),” said Bilawal at a press conference in New York on Thursday.

    “He (Narendra Modi) was banned from entering this country (the United States). These are the prime minister and foreign minister of RSS, which draws inspiration from Hitler’s SS,” he added.

    “In India, who perpetuates terrorism? Is it Pakistan? Ask the people of Gujrat; they will say it is their prime minister. Ask the people of Kashmir; they will say the butcher of Gujrat is now the butcher of Kashmir. I am not talking about some imaginary past; I am talking about today. They are not even attempting to wash the blood of the people of Gujrat from their hands for their own election campaign. Prime Minister Modi and his government have used their power to pardon the men who raped Muslims in Gujrat. The prime minister of India freed those rapists and terrorists.”

    “The Indian government does not believe in Gandhi’s ideology, but rather in the doctrines of his assassin,” said Bilawal.

    https://twitter.com/IbrarAMir3/status/1603491220566728727?s=20&t=RDyV6PKM20nB5RI-D5977w

    Jaishankar remarks on Pakistan came after State Minister Hina Rabbani Khar said that India is a “rogue state” that projects itself as greatest victim of terrorism but is the perpetrator of it. Jaishankr said that Khar’s remarks reminded him of the then US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s visit to Islamabad more than a decade ago when she reminded Pakistan that “if you have snakes in your backyard, you cannot expect them to bite only your neighbours”.

    He claimed that Pakistan was “not great at listening to good advice … and now look what’s happening there. Today, it’s the epicentre of terrorism … and has its fingerprints over a lot of activities in the region and beyond”.

    Urging Pakistan not to blame others, the Indian minister asked: “How long Pakistan intends to practice [terrorism] and hide it by taking that debate elsewhere? Please clean up your act. Please try to be a good neighbour.”

    “We have lost far more lives to terrorism than India did,” said Bhutto-Zardari while pointing out that “India has been playing in the space” that has made it “very easy” to bracket Muslims with terrorism. “India has very skilfully blurred this line, making like us all are terrorists who are actually victims.”

    The Pakistani foreign minister noted that India has continuously perpetuated this philosophy, not just for Pakistan but Muslims in India too.

    The foreign minister said that Pakistan is proud of its achievements in the war against terrorism, as the country has taken concrete steps in connection with the National Action Plan for counterterrorism.

    He said that the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) endorsed Pakistan’s measures taken to stem terror financing. Bilawal also said that it is wrong to blame the Muslim world for terrorism as terrorism doesn’t belong to any religion or region.

    He pointed out that terrorism has mainly targeted Muslims since 2001. Also, there were incidents where Chinese citizens were targeted in Karachi, he said.

    Highlighting the post-flood situation in Pakistan, the foreign minister said some areas of Balochistan and Sindh are still waterlogged. The massive flooding adversely impacted health, education and basic infrastructure.

    Assistance from the international community is crucial for Pakistan in coping with the challenge of rehabilitation and reconstruction of the victims, he asserted.

  • Sahafi baradari rejects offer of housing society, accuses govt of bribing them for not reporting on RUDA

    Sahafi baradari rejects offer of housing society, accuses govt of bribing them for not reporting on RUDA

    Pakistani journalist community has come forward to reject the Punjab government’s offer of a journalists’ housing society to be built in the Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA).

    On Wednesday, Pervaiz Elahi, the Chief Minister (CM) of Punjab, allocated 700 kanals of land for the construction of a journalists’ housing society in RUDA.

    Taking to Twitter, Elahi said, “Another promise to the journalist community has been fulfilled. Ravi Urban Development Authority has allotted 700 kanals of land for Journalist Colony Phase 2 in its first phase.”

    He, further said that providing a roof for journalists is his top priority. “Plots were given to journalists in the previous period and still the promise of giving plots has been fulfilled,” he added.

    Right after the decision, Twitter was filled with tweets by journalists and human rights activists, jointly rejecting the scheme. They accused the government of bribing them with public money.

    Why are people against the allocation?

    The Ravi Urban Development Authority allegedly forcibly acquired farmland from farmers, destroying crops on hundreds of acres in the Ferozewala area.

    The farmers and landowners who have been victims of the project, accused the former premier Imran Khan of pushing the Pervaiz Elahi-led Punjab government to use force and arms for taking illegal possession of their land.

    In August 2020, the then prime minister Imran Khan laid the foundation stone of the controversial real estate project.

  • Which Netflix movie does Imran Khan want us all to watch?

    Which Netflix movie does Imran Khan want us all to watch?

    If you’ve been wondering what to watch next on Netflix, don’t worry, Imran Khan has you covered. We have been given a solid movie recommendation, and that too from a former Prime Minister.

    On Wednesday, Imran Khan, the Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), recommended a Netflix movie to his supporters. During a televised speech, he asked his followers to watch the film to understand how officers investigating Salman Shehbaz’s money laundering case died.

    Although Khan did not name the movie, he said it was about a serial-killing nurse who murdered people via insulin injections.

    The movie is ‘The Good Nurse ‘ and it was released on Netflix on October 26, 2022. The film stars Hollywood A-listers Jessica Chastain and Eddie Redmayne. It is based on the real life story of serial killer Charles Cullen, a male nurse, who killed 29 people during his 16 year medical career before his arrest in 2003, mostly through injected insulin.

    Cullen, who is currently incarcerated at the State Penitentiary in New Jersey, was eventually handed down 11 consecutive life sentences.

    The Good Nurse holds a 76 per cent review aggregator score on Rotten Tomatoes and has generally received praise for the lead actors.

    It’s not everyday that a former Prime Minister recommends a movie. We might as well watch to see if it’s worth the hype.

  • From ‘Pinky Peerni’ to ‘Hum qabrain khodain ge agar hamaray gharon tak gaye’: PTI, PML-N’s heated debate on talk show

    From ‘Pinky Peerni’ to ‘Hum qabrain khodain ge agar hamaray gharon tak gaye’: PTI, PML-N’s heated debate on talk show

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Usman Dar and Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) Attaullah Tarar got into a heated debate during Dunya News programme, ‘On the Front with Kamran Shahid’.

    As the discussion veered towards corruption, Usman Dar said that he does not have prove the corruption allegations against his leader, PTI Chairman Imran Khan, as he is an honest man unlike Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and PML-N’s supremo Nawaz Sharif.

    The debate then turned quite heated when Tarar called the former First Lady, Bushra Bibi, “Pinky Peerni”. Dar called out Tarar for referring to the former First Lady as Pinky Peerni.

    “Have some shame, my brother, have some shame. Don’t act like this and [call her pinky peerni]. If I start taking on homes/families, I will not spare any person from PML-N. Don’t go to my leaders family. Don’t commit this mistake,” said Dar.

    Kamran Shahid, the host of the programme interjected and with a smile on his face, said, “He has blackmailed you [Tarar].”

    “I cannot tell you the background of Maryam Nawaz on the talk show, come and meet me privately, I will tell you everything. Are you listening to me,” asked Dar, continuing in the same vein.

    Kamran Shahid interjected yet again and said that the past and present of Maryam Nawaz is not relevant, however, the question here is on corruption. “Neither of you should say such things,” he admonished.

    Dar kept speaking while Shahid was talking and said, “I will beat you in your own house. Never even think about any of this. That woman does not do politics; she observes pardah [veil]. You guys don’t have any argument; that’s why you enter people’s homes.”

    Tarar reiterated that he took Bushra Bibi’s name because her name was present in the documents presented by the Prime Minister’s Office.

    In response, Dar said, “Bring the lists which have the name of late Kalsoom Nawaz [wife of Nawaz Shairf].”

    Tarar said someone observing or not observing pardahh shouldn’t be part of the debate.

    “If you guys go into our houses, we will start digging graves in this country,” replied Usman Dar, adding that Tarar should have addressed Bushra Bibi as First Lady.

  • Toshakhana case: Court summons Imran Khan to appear in person on Jan 9

    Toshakhana case: Court summons Imran Khan to appear in person on Jan 9

    A district and sessions court in Islamabad has summoned Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan to appear in person before the court on January 9 (Monday) and issued a notice to him in this regard.

    The court has admitted the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) plea against Khan in the Toshakana case.

    On December 12, the court reserved its verdict after a plea filed by ECP.

    Last month, ECP, in a consensus verdict in the Toshakana reference, disqualified the former prime minister and ruled that the PTI chief was no more a member of the National Assembly.

    The ECP stated that the PTI chief had submitted a false affidavit and was found involved in corrupt practices under Article 63(1)(p).

  • Arshad Sharif’s murder ‘planned and targeted assassination’, says fact finding team report

    Arshad Sharif’s murder ‘planned and targeted assassination’, says fact finding team report

    The fact-finding team (FFT) probing the murder of journalist Arshad Sharif has concluded that his killing was a case of planned and targeted assassination.

    The finding was disclosed in the report of the two-member fact team (FFT) from a committee comprising of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director Dr Athar Wahood and Intelligence Bureau Deputy Director General Omer Shahid Hamid.

    In its 592-page report, the team learned that Arshad Sharif, who had been compelled to leave UAE and seek refuge in Kenya, wanted to return to the Emirates but found his way back blocked, losing his life in the African country.

    The report stated that some of the FIRs which compelled Arshad Sharif to leave Pakistan were filed at the behest and under pressure of the ISI according to the policemen who filed them.

    The report said per testimonies provided by his former colleagues and employer, Arshad Sharif had been forced out of UAE after he reportedly met with UAE security officials in his hotel lobby in mid August.

    Arshad Sharif had left the UAE even though he had a valid visa for the country.

    Arshad Sharif FFT reportDownload

    The FFT report further said that his departure from UAE came after consultations with the Dubai based team of his employer.

    The report stated that Waqar – who sponsored and hosted the journalist – was connected to Kenya’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) and other international agencies and law enforcement organisations.

    It further said that the fact that Waqar handed over Sharif’s personal cell phone and iPad to a NIS officer, rather than to the police, ‘established’ his link with the NIS.

    “His linkage with national and international agencies provides a scope of possibilities of transnational characters in this case,” the report states.

    The narrations presented by Khurram, who drove the vehicle prior to Sharif’s murder, regarding the sequence of events and the crime scene, were contrary to logic and facts, and that there were no penetration marks of a bullet on Sharif’s car seat, the report points out. It also highlights that the Kenyan police quickly declared the killing a case of “mistaken identity” without investigation. The post-mortem report in Pakistan identified that four fingernails of the slain journalist’s left hand were missing, giving rise to speculation that Sharif had been tortured before his death, says the report but adds that while the Kenyan post-mortem did mention “fingernails” taken as DNA samples, it did not mention how many fingernails were taken.

    “Keeping in view the apparent differences in the two post-mortem reports, there is no concrete evidence to establish that Arshad Sharif was tortured before the killing,” the report said.

  • ‘No country has used terrorism better’; Hina Rabbani Khar slams India as ‘rogue state’

    ‘No country has used terrorism better’; Hina Rabbani Khar slams India as ‘rogue state’

    Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Hina Rabbani Khar, has said that India is a “rogue state” that projects itself as greatest victim of terrorism but is the perpetrator of it.

    During a press conference in Islamabad, Khar said that India’s objective was to undermine Pakistan’s peace and security through terrorism, saying, “No country had used terrorism better than India”.

    Khar’s presser came a day after Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that India’s footprints are seen in all terror activities carried out in Pakistan and New Delhi’s activities have gone “beyond that of an enemy state” just to hide its atrocities in occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

    The state minister said that it was important for everyone who speaks of “justice and the universality of the value system to call a spade a spade”.

    “This particular effort is to bring to the attention of the world and to expect them and really encourage them to see things based on evidence as they are,” said Khar. 

    Khar told the press that Foreign Secretary Asad Majeed Khan had called members of the diplomatic corps in Islamabad and shared Pakistan’s dossier on the 2021 Johar Town blast — that claimed six lives.

    Around 17 others sustained injuries in the blast in Johar Town, Lahore, in June 2021. The explosion took place in a residential area near Allah Hu Boulevard, police said.

    “This dossier has detailed evidence of how India has been found to be fully behind this incident that led to the loss of life,” Khar said on the Johar Town blast.

    The state minister reminded New Delhi that it cannot have islands of excellence in a sea of depravity. 

    “When you try and harm your region, you actually end up harming yourself,” she added. She said that Lahore, the Samjhota incident, and the Khulbushan Yadav evidence all point out that New Delhi plays as a victim of terrorism and gains sympathy.

    “This dossier, as you already know, has details and evidence of how India is fully behind this particular incident which led to the loss of lives. And we do not blame one country or the other the next day, unlike our neighbors. We waited till we had strong hard evidence to be making the case we are making today,” stated the minister.

    “I don’t think I need to remind anyone that India has had a role in destabilising its neighbouring countries and weaken their economies to try and pursue its hegemonic designs in the region,” she said, citing China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and Balochistan as two examples of India’s designs.

    The minister also reminded India that there could not be “islands of excellence in a sea of depravity”, stressing that when the country will try and harm the region, they actually end up harming themselves.

    “India’s unabated slip into the abyss of terrorism is being clouded by this growing India, emerging India narrative,” emphasised Khar.

  • ‘Company CEO more respected than us’: BNP, JUI-F not happy with PM Shehbaz led govt

    ‘Company CEO more respected than us’: BNP, JUI-F not happy with PM Shehbaz led govt

    Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-Mengal) — boycotted a federal cabinet meeting over a controversial bill regarding the revival of the Reko Diq copper and gold mine project in Balochistan.

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif formed a cabinet committee to address the grievances of JUI-F and BNP-M while assuring them that an amendment bill would soon be tabled in the parliament after consulting the two allies.

    Both JUI-F and BNP-Mengal were of the view that the recently passed Reko Diq related bill — the Foreign Investment (Promotion and Protection) Bill, 2022, in the Senate, was against the rights of the people of Balochistan and that both parties had not been taken on board during the preparation of the bill.

    Chairman BNP Akhtar Mengal has signalled that he may separate his party from the incumbent Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)-led government at the centre.

    Discussing his reservations during Geo News programme “Capital Talk”, the BNP-M leader said that the coalition government, instead of taking allies into confidence, takes investors into confidence. “More importance is given to companies instead of the parliament. We will have to think about the basis of our unity,” he warned.

    Expressing his displeasure, Mengal said that a CEO of a company is respected more than the allies. He added that his province was “looted” by everyone. “The resources change people’s lives, but it is Balochistan’s misfortune that the way the resources were discovered there, they became a disaster for the people,” he said.

    During the programme, another ally of the government Jamaat-e-Islami-Fazl’s (JUI-F) Senator Kamran Murtaza said that the Foreign Investment Bill has been passed forcefully and with deceit which is a threat to Pakistan.

  • India behind Johar Town bomb blast in Lahore: Rana Sanaullah

    India behind Johar Town bomb blast in Lahore: Rana Sanaullah

    Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has revealed that India was behind the Johar Town blast in Lahore— a powerful blast in 2021 near the residence of Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed, which resulted in three deaths.

    He held a joint press conference on Tuesday with Punjab Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) Additional Inspector General Imran Mehmood, during which he said that there is “clear evidence” of India carrying out terrorist activities in Pakistan.

    The minister further added that India’s footprints are seen in all terror activities carried out in Pakistan and New Delhi’s activities have gone “beyond that of an enemy state” just to hide its atrocities in Indian-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

    He said that Pakistan will raise this matter before the world. The minister also mentioned that the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had support from the foreign intelligence agency of India, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), to carry out terrorist activities in Pakistan.

    Mehmood also briefly explained who were the culprits behind the Johar Town blast.

    He said that in the initial 24 hours, CTD arrested three terrorists. However, Sami ul Haq — the main handler of RAW-sponsored terror activities in Pakistan — was arrested a year later in April when he was trying to enter Pakistan via Balochistan

    According to Mehmood, his Red Warrants were issued through Interpol. Mehmood added that his brother-in-law, Uzair Akbar, assisted Sami in terror activities and his Red Warrants were issued as well. CTD also got information about Naveed Akhtar — who did the surveillance and selected the target.

    “We also found out that close to a million dollars of terror financing was done through India to spread terrorism in Pakistan through different channels,” he revealed, adding that all the arrested persons have been sentenced to death three times by the court.

    Prior to this, days after the incident, the then information minister Fawad Chaudhry and National Security Adviser Dr Moeed Yusuf said that the mastermind of the attack was “an Indian citizen and he is associated with RAW”.