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.

  • PM Shehbaz talks with Palestinian President in Arabic

    PM Shehbaz talks with Palestinian President in Arabic

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif—who is currently in Kazakhstan—interacted with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Arabic at the sidelines of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) Summit.

    In the brief talk, PM Shehbaz said that he is extremely grateful for the country’s help during the flood crisis in Pakistan. To which the Palestinian president said, “Pakistan is our home and Pakistanis are our brothers and sisters”.

    The PM also assured Abbas that Pakistan will continue to raise its voice in the support of Palestine.

    The video is gaining attention, leaving viewers amazed at the Prime Minister’s proficiency in Arabic.

    Earlier, The Current reached out to PM’s Focal Person on Digital Media, Muhammad Abubakar Umer, to confirm exactly how many languages can the premier speak.

    He said that the premier is fluent in German, Arabic and English along with Punjabi and Urdu. According to him, PM Shehbaz can speak basic level Turkish, Chinese, Russian, Pashtu and Sindhi.

    The focal person revealed that PM Shehbaz learned Arabic formally while in exile during former President General Pervez Musharraf’s era. To our surprise, we also got to know that the premier holds a diploma in Arabic.

    Exclusive: You will not believe how many languages PM Shehbaz Sharif can speak

    PM Shehbaz has been the talk of the town since a video went viral in which he can be heard speaking in German with a family.

    In the video, shared by the Government of Pakistan, the PM was talking to a German family in their own language. The family was rescued during floods in Swat. Twitter was stunned at the Premier’s fluency in the language.

    After the video went viral, social media started speculation that Shehbaz Sharif might know more languages.

    According to Abubakar, PM Shehbaz knows a total of ten languages.

    “He learned Chinese and Turkish during his tenure as Chief Minister (CM) Punjab from 2013 to 2018 as at the time he had to engage with Chinese and Turkish officials for China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC),” said Abubakar.

    He learned German and Russian during the 1970s and 80s for his business dealings. “At the time, he was not in government”, said Abubakar.

    Abubakar also revealed that before going to any foreign country PM Shehbaz hires an instructor who informs him about the cultural aspects of the country, how people greet each other and what social norms are appreciated there.

  • PM Shehbaz offers to talk to India but onus on New Delhi to take steps for ‘meaningful engagement’

    PM Shehbaz offers to talk to India but onus on New Delhi to take steps for ‘meaningful engagement’

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif said on Thursday he was “absolutely willing and ready” to engage with India for the sake of regional peace and prosperity, but the onus was on New Delhi to take necessary measures for “meaningful engagement“.

    While addressing the 6th summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia in Kazakhstan, the premier said, “I am absolutely ready and willing to have a serious dialogue and discussion with our counterparts, Indians, provided that they show sincerity of purpose and they show that they are ready to discuss issues that have really kept us at a distance over decades.”

    PM Sharif stressed that the people deserved that resources be diverted to their education and health.

    I want to leave behind a legacy of peace and progress

    “I want to leave behind a legacy of peace and progress for the prosperity of the coming generations of our region,” he said.

    “Pakistan’s first priority at the moment is to revive rapid and equitable economy,” he stated, regretting that issues that have kept the two countries apart had hampered the promotion of bilateral trade and investment.

    “This has to come to a stop,” he stressed, “but the onus remains on India to take the necessary steps for meaningful and result oriented-engagement.

    PM on Kashmir

    PM Sharif highlighted India’s unabated atrocities in Jammu and Kashmir for the last seven decades where Kashmiris faced the continued denial of their right to self-determination.

    He urged other countries to take notice of India’s “Bullet over ballot” policy as it blatantly quashed the United Nations Security Council’s resolution on holding a plebiscite in Kashmir.

    “India has become a threat to its minorities, neighbours and the entire region,” he said.

    Prosperous and stable Afghanistan is not only in the interest of Pakistan but also for the international community

    On Afghanistan, he said four decades of conflict took not only a heavy toll on the country but also upon Pakistan.

    Pakistan, he said, suffered immense damage to its peace and security with serious consequences in the shape of 80,000 casualties and billions of dollars in financial losses.

    The prime minister expressed satisfaction that after immense sacrifices, Pakistan was now able to control extremism and terrorism on its soil while managing to host four million Afghan refugees.

    “A prosperous and stable Afghanistan is not only in the interest of Pakistan, but also for the international community,” he said.

  • ‘PPP is asking for share’: Another Shehbaz Sharif audio leak

    ‘PPP is asking for share’: Another Shehbaz Sharif audio leak

    Another audio leak of Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has surfaced in which he can allegedly be heard talking about the appointment of a Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) with an unknown person.

    The unknown person is allegedly telling the premier that Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is asking for their “shares” for SAPM as well. PM Shehbaz then asks to share a document adding that “It’s not just PPP but others as well”.

    Context of the audio:

    In the transcript, we have written the unidentified person as “person”.

    Person: [Federal Minister For Economic Affairs of Pakistan] Ayaz Sadiq is saying PPP is asking for shares for SAPM as well.

    PM Shehbaz: Yes, Bilawal had spoken to me about it.

    Person: We have to appoint Zafar Mehmood and Jahanzaib. I will tell you the final number today.

    PM Shehbaz: Share the document, it’s not just People’s Party (PPP) but other parties as well.

    Person: Then Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) will also ask for it. MQM is naming Malik Ahmed Ali, saying that he had a critical role in this deal

    PM Shehbaz: Who?

    Person: Sir, he hails from Karachi.

    PM Shehbaz has formed a high-power investigation committee to probe the issue, particularly the leaks that involved the PM House.

    Earlier this week, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that the matter of the audio leaks is not related to an agency, but a few people, who have been identified. He added that these people were from among the staff of the PM House.

    Last month, PM Shehbaz and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders’ audios got leaked. The party didn’t deny the authenticity of the audio leaks. In one of the audio leaks, PM Shehbaz and an unidentified person talks about a power plant to be imported from India for PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz’s son-in-law.

  • PTI Senator Azam Swati arrested for tweeting against Gen Bajwa

    PTI Senator Azam Swati arrested for tweeting against Gen Bajwa

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Azam Swati was arrested in the early hours of Thursday morning for tweeting against Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

    Swati tweeted, “Mr Bajwa congratulations to you and few with you. Your plan is really working and all criminals are getting free at cost of this country. With these thugs getting free, you have legitimised corruption. How you predict now the future of this country (sic).”

    Speaking to reporters outside a sessions court later in the day, Swati said that he was arrested for “taking one name — of Bajwa — and that is the violation”.

    When asked who arrested him, he said it was the FIA. When pressed about the case, he alleged he was tortured by “agencies”. “A parliamentarian has been unclothed,” he said. “I am telling the nation.”

    Swati’s tweet came after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz were acquitted in a high-profile money laundering case yesterday.

    The first information report registered at the FIA’s Cyber Crime Reporting Centre in Islamabad, mentions that Swati tweeted with “Malafide intentions & ulterior motives” against “State Institutes of The Islamic Republic of Pakistan and its Senior Government Functionaries including Chief of The Army Staff of Pakistan Army”, reports Dawn.

    The FIR adds that such “Intimidating tweet/s of blaming and naming through Twitter account i.e., @AzamKhanSwatiPK, is a mischievous act of subversion to create a rift between personnel/s of The Armed Forces and an attempt to harm the State of Pakistan”.

    Through the aforementioned tweet, the criminal complaint says, the accused “undermined the Judicial System of the country and also attempted to seduce Army Personnel/s from their allegiance to their duties as subordinates.

    “This is calculated attempt to create hatred in the mind of people and Army Personnel/s against COAS and Pakistan Army and also created distrust towards Judicial System. In such intimidating Tweet/s, the accused Muhammad Azam Khan Swati has attempted to provoke general public and Personnel/s of Armed Forces by trying to create a feeling of ill-will among pillars of the State,” it said.

    It alleges Swati violated privacy and intimidated state institutions, by using false information, “Which is likely to incite, any officer, soldier, sailor, or Airman in the Army, Navy or Air Force of Pakistan to mutiny or otherwise disregard or fail in his duty as such and is also likely to cause fear or alarm in the public and may induce / incite anyone to commit an offence against the State or the State Institution/s or public tranquillity”.

  • Former Governor Omar Cheema is new Punjab Home Advisor

    The name of former Governor of Punjab, Omar Sarfraz Cheema, has been approved by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan for the slot of adviser to the Chief Minister (CM) Punjab on home affairs.

    This decision came about after the resignation of Punjab Home Minister Hashim Dogar, who reportedly left his post after differences with Imran Khan.

    Punjab Home Minister resigns as IK reportedly not happy with him

    Punjab Home Minister Hashim Dogar has stepped down from his office, citing personal commitments and health issues.

    On Tuesday, Dogar shared his resignation on Twitter with a caption saying: “Today I have resigned from my post due to my personal reasons. Inshallah, I will continue to work as a regular worker of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).”

    His resignation states: “It was a great pleasure to have served as Minister for Home and Prison Department under your able command. I feel regretted to inform you that I shall not be able to continue due to my personal commitments and some health issues.”

    “I was and will always be available to serve you and my party chairman for times to come”, he added.

    However, Journalist Hamid Mir, on Geo News’ programme “Capital Talk”, claimed that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan called Dogar and asked for his resignation. Reportedly, he was not happy with the provincial minister.

    “Imran was told that Dogar belongs to the unit of a senior officer of the establishment and often meets him”, he said.

    Mir claimed that the PTI chairman had been getting information about Dogar. It is yet to be proved whether the information was correct or not.

    Earlier, Dogar said, “If Imran Khan announces a long march then the Punjab government will not become part of it. We will not facilitate the participants of the long march but security will be provided”.

    He also said that government resources will not be used and called Khan’s long march a “political matter”.

    On the contrary, reacting to Dogar’s statement, Chief Minister (CM) Punjab Pervaiz Elahi said, “That is, as such, no matter”.

  • PM Shehbaz, Hamza acquitted in money laundering case

    PM Shehbaz, Hamza acquitted in money laundering case

    A special court in Lahore on Wednesday acquitted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his son, Hamza Shehbaz, in a Rs. 16 billion money laundering case.

    During Tuesday’s hearing, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) told the court that no direct transaction had been made in the bank accounts of PM Shehbaz and his son from benami accounts [hidden accounts].

    Reacting to the verdict, the PM thanked the Almighty for this day in a tweet. “Despite the worst practices, use of state force and holding institutions hostage, we stand successfully before the court, the law and the people,” he wrote.

    In the previous hearing, Special Court Judge Ejaz Awan asked about the number of bank accounts owned by the Malik Maqsood — also known as Maqsood Chaprasi.

    FIA prosecutor Farooq Bajwa responded that the late Maqsood had eight bank accounts to his name.

    The prosecutor further stated that no money was either directly deposited or withdrawn from the accounts of the suspects, including Shehbaz and Hamza.

    The judge asked what evidence was there to substantiate that the entire money dealing was being done at Hamza’s behest. In response, FIA’s prosecutor said the agency does not have “any evidence” linking him to money laundering.

    FIA had booked Shehbaz and his two sons, Hamza and Suleman, in November 2020 under Sections 419, 420, 468, 471, 34 and 109 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, read with Section 3/4 of Anti-Money Laundering Act.

    The FIA had in December 2021 submitted the challan against Shehbaz and Hamza to a special court for their alleged involvement in laundering an amount of Rs16bn in the sugar scam case.

    “The investigation team has detected 28 benami accounts of the Shehbaz family through which money laundering of Rs16.3bn was committed during 2008-18. The FIA examined the money trail of 17,000 credit transactions,” said an FIA report submitted to the court.

    The amount was kept in “hidden accounts” and given to Shehbaz in a personal capacity, the report added.

  • PM Shehbaz arrives in Kazakhstan to attend CICA summit

    PM Shehbaz arrives in Kazakhstan to attend CICA summit

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Kazakhstan on Wednesday to attend the two-day 6th Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA).

    Before leaving, Shehbaz Sharif tweeted, “I believe CICA is capable of shaping a new configuration of economic cooperation & security in Asia through greater connectivity.”

    “As the world faces the prospect of a recession fuelled by increase in the energy & food prices, there is a greater need to promote engagement & understanding to form win-win partnerships. Climate induced disasters call for synergized efforts for mutually beneficial outcomes,” he added.

    PM Shehbaz would address the plenary meeting of the forum on Thursday (tomorrow) during the two-day summit starting today, a statement issued by the Foreign Office said on Tuesday.

    In his speech, the premier will elaborate upon the significance of CICA as a unique forum for promoting interaction, understanding and collaboration amongst countries across Asia to address common challenges, the statement said.

    It added that PM Shehbaz would also highlight Pakistan’s perspective on regional and global issues.

    “On the sidelines of the summit, the prime minister will hold bilateral meetings with leaders of various CICA member states aimed at fostering greater cooperation, particularly in the fields of trade, investment and energy,” the statement read.

  • Court grants protective bail to Imran Khan after FIA booked him in prohibited funding case

    Court grants protective bail to Imran Khan after FIA booked him in prohibited funding case

    Islamabad High Court (IHC) has granted protective bail to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday after Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had booked him in a prohibited funding case.

    The bail petition, submitted by Imran’s lawyer Salman Safdar, stated that FIA ​​registered a case under the Foreign Exchange Act and that the court should grant protective bail so that Imran could appear in court.

    According to the high court’s orders, Imran was granted bail until October 18 for a bond of Rs5,000. The IHC also barred the FIA from arresting him.

    Khan also appeared before the court after IHC Chief Justice (CJ) Athar Minallah summoned him. The PTI chief was brought in amid tight security.

    Khan’s lawyer Salman Safdar informed the court that they fear that Imran Khan would be arrested in the new prohibited funding case.

    Upon this, the court barred the Islamabad administration from “harassing” Khan.

    “Imran Khan shouldn’t be arrested until he appears in court”, IHC remarked.

    After granting bail, the court adjourned the case till Tuesday.

    A day earlier, FIA booked Khan and other PTI leaders in a case pertaining to their party allegedly receiving prohibited funding.

  • DG ISPR and 11 others promoted to lieutenant general

    DG ISPR and 11 others promoted to lieutenant general

    Director General (DG) Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Major General Babar Iftikhar, has been promoted to the rank of lieutenant general, the ISPR announced on Tuesday (today).

    Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar is presently serving as the ISPR Director General, a post he has held since January 2020.

    Major General Inam Haider Malik, Major General Fayyaz Hussain Shah, Major General Nauman Zakria, Major General Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, Major General Ayman Bilal Safdar, Major General Ahsan Gulrez, Major General Syed Aamer Raza, Major General Shahid Imtiaz, Major General Muhammad Munir Afsar, Major General Yousaf Jamal, and Major General Kashif Nazir have also been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General.

    In August, Lt Gen Faiz Hameed was appointed the Corps Commander, Bahawalpur. Lt Gen Sardar Hassan Azhar Hayat replaced him as the new Corps Commander, Peshawar.

    The same month, Lt Gen Asif Ghafoor was appointed as the Commander XII Corps (Quetta), replacing Lt Gen Sarfraz Ali, who was martyred in a helicopter crash during flood relief operations in Balochistan.

  • FIA books Imran Khan and others in ‘prohibited funding’ case

    FIA books Imran Khan and others in ‘prohibited funding’ case

    The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has booked Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and other party leaders in a case pertaining to their party allegedly receiving prohibited funding.

    The case was filed by the state through FIA’s Corporate Banking Circle in Islamabad.

    In the First Information Report (FIR), the federal agency alleged that Abraaj Group transferred $2,100,000 to PTI account. In addition, the FIR states that the party received more financing from two bank accounts of Wotan Cricket Club.

    The complaint named Imran Khan, Sardar Azhar Tariq Khan, Saifullah Khan Nyazee, Syed Yunus Ali Raza, Aamer Mehmood Kiani, Tariq Rahim Sheikh, Tariq Shafi, Faisal Maqbool Shaikh, Hamid Zaman and Manzoor Ahmad Chaudhary as signatories/beneficiaries of the PTI account in question.

    The FIR alleged the branch’s operations manager had also failed to report these illegal transactions to the concerned authorities.

    In August, the ECP issued its verdict in the prohibited funding case — previously referred to as the foreign funding case — against the PTI, which stated that the party did indeed receive prohibited funding.

    The ECP said that the party, in violation of the Constitution, had received funds from 34 foreign entities. The party received funds from the United States, Australia, and the UAE. The ECP added that 13 unidentified accounts also surfaced during the probe in the PTI funding case.