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.

  • UN to launch $160m appeal for the flood victims in Pakistan

    UN to launch $160m appeal for the flood victims in Pakistan

    The United Nat­ions (UN) will launch a $160 million Flash Appeal to help millions of people affected by unprecedented monsoon rains in Pakistan that triggered massive floods.

    “A UN Flash Appeal is going to be launched on Tuesday 30 August simultaneously from Geneva and Islamabad,” said Foreign Office Spokesman Asim Iftikhar.

    “As you can see, the scale of the disaster is so huge that it requires urgent cooperation and support from the international community. We are grateful to the UN, IFIs, and a host of our partners and friendly countries who are stepping forward with assistance,” he said.

    UN Flash Appeal is an internationally recognised tool used to quickly secure funds for United Nations Agencies and non‐government organisations (NGOs), to support a government’s response to an emergency.

    The process is undertaken under the leadership of the Resident Coordinator/Humanitarian Coordinator and in line with clear priorities set by the government.

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in his interaction with a group of envoys and diplomats on Friday, August 26, said the government was reaching out to friendly countries, donors, and international financial institutions for their continued cooperation at this difficult time.

  • US Congressman expresses concern over the flood crisis in Pakistan

    US Congressman expresses concern over the flood crisis in Pakistan

    United States (US) Congressman Gregory W. Meeks has expressed sympathies and offered condolences over the loss of hundreds of lives due to the catastrophic situation of floods in Pakistan.

    Meeks, who is chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, held a meeting with Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US Masood Khan.

    During the meeting, Khan thanked Chairman Meeks for expressing solidarity with the flood victims, saying that the country is trying to deal with this natural catastrophe, reports Associated Press of Pakistan (APP).

    Khan also thanked the US for its financial assistance for the Pakistani flood victims and relief activities.

    Earlier, US Secretary Antony Blinken had announced $1 million to build resilience against natural disasters in addition to $100,000 in immediate relief for the flood victims of Pakistan.

    Meeks visited Pakistan in 2020. During the visit, he met Pakistani parliamentary and government leaders and members of civil society.

    On Thursday, the Pakistani government declared the ongoing flood situation in the country a “national emergency”. 

    At least 937 people have died in floods caused by heavy rains in Sindh and Balochistan provinces.

    According to the data issued by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), 234 people have lost their lives to rain and flood-related incidents in Balochistan and 306 people have lost their lives in Sindh. 165 people have lost their lives in Punjab and 185 have lost their lives in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

  • ‘Three crore people have become homeless due to floods’: Ahsan Iqbal

    ‘Three crore people have become homeless due to floods’: Ahsan Iqbal

    Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Ahsan Iqbal said that 55 lakh households were affected, while more than three crore people became homeless due to the devastating floods and rains across Pakistan.

    “A safe analysis suggests that 55 lakh poor households have been affected, while more than three crore people have been displaced due to the floods. We need more than one million tents for these people,” said Iqbal while speaking on Dawn News programme, ‘Live with Adil Shahzeb’.

    At least 151 people lost their lives in rains and flash floods in Punjab, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) says in its report.

    Four more people have died in the rain and flood-related incidents in Balochistan during the last 24 hours, according to PDMA.

    Read more: Here is how you can help flood victims

    A report issued by the PDMA Balochistan said the death toll since June 1 in the rain-destructed province has reached 234. The deceased include 110 men, 55 women and 69 children.

    Federal Minister for Climate Change, Sherry Rehman said that death toll in Pakistan has gone up to 903.

  • ‘Naqal ke liye aqal ki zaroorat hoti hai’: Qasim Suri trolled for sharing fake CNN screenshot

    ‘Naqal ke liye aqal ki zaroorat hoti hai’: Qasim Suri trolled for sharing fake CNN screenshot

    Former National Assembly (NA) Deputy Speaker and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Qasim Suri shared a fake screenshot of CNN covering PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s rally in Haripur on Wednesday.

    “PTI Power Show in Haripur, Massive Crowed,” read the caption shared in the fake CNN screenshot shared by Suri.

    Soon after Suri tweeted the fake CNN screenshot with the caption, “Hunnh aaraam aye?” (Are you satisfied now?), several people pointed out that it was fake.

    CNN journalist Sophia Saifi also replied to Suri’s tweet.

    Suri deleted his tweet after being called out for posting a fake screenshot with wrong spellings of ‘crowd’.

    However, Twitterati did not spare him and soon “crowed” started trending on Twitter.

    https://twitter.com/CorollaViruss/status/1562499608521035776?s=20&t=-qzlJ79cspn3jmGZyRjAUw

    This is not the first time that a PTI leader shared a fake screenshot.

    In April, PTI leader Ali Muhammad Khan went overboard as he shared a photo from the United States (US) National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), claiming that it was from the party’s rally.

    The picture shared by the PTI leader actually shows the lights in the Iberian Peninsula, which falls in Spain and Portugal.

  • Qatar to invest $3 billion in Pakistan following PM Shehbaz Sharif’s official visit

    Qatar to invest $3 billion in Pakistan following PM Shehbaz Sharif’s official visit

    The state-owned investment fund of Qatar plans to invest $3 billion in Pakistan, an official statement from the office of Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani said on Wednesday, August 24.

    The administrative office of Qatar’s emir released the statement as Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif held official talks with Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in Doha after a meeting with the sovereign fund official the day before.

    In the statement, the $450 billion Qatar Investment Authority announced its “aspiration to invest $3 billion in various commercial and investment sectors in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan”.

    The PM thanked the Qatari Emir for his hospitality and the $3 billion investment in Pakistan.

    Shehbaz Sharif is returning to Pakistan today, August 25, after his two-day official visit to Qatar.

  • Electric current was used on my penis and testes, says Gill

    Electric current was used on my penis and testes, says Gill

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shahbaz Gill told journalist Matiullah Jan that electric current was used on his genitals. He was responding to a question on the alleged sexual abuse.

    “Yes, it is true. Electric current was used on my testes and penis. This is the sexual abuse I was talking about. I was tortured as electric current was used on my penis and testes so that I could give a statement against someone,” said Gill.

    Earlier, Gill confirmed that he was sexually assaulted in police custody.

    “Yes, it’s true”, said Gill. His statement came after PTI Chairman Imran Khan claimed that Gill was sexually abused while in police custody.

    Read more: ‘Yes, it’s true’: Shahbaz Gill confirms he was sexually assaulted in police custody

    In a series of tweets Khan said, “All the pictures and videos show clearly Gill was tortured both mentally and physically, including sexual abuse — most too gruesome to relate.”

    Read more: Islamabad court rejects plea to send Gill on physical remand

    It is pertinent to mention here that a district and sessions court in Islamabad on Wednesday, August 24, rejected a request by the Islamabad Police for an extension in the physical remand of Gill.

  • Pakistan strongly condemns another BJP official’s remarks against Holy Prophet (PBUH)

    Pakistan strongly condemns another BJP official’s remarks against Holy Prophet (PBUH)

    Pakistan has strongly condemned the highly provocative and sacrilegious remarks against the Holy Prophet (PBUH) by another official of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

    Indian police had on Tuesday detained BJP leader T. Raja Singh, a lawmaker in the southern state of Telangana, on suspicion of “promoting enmity in the name of religion” after Muslim groups demanded his arrest for his comments about the Holy Prophet (PBUH), reports Dawn.

    “Pakistan condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the highly provocative and sacrilegious remarks made against the Holy Prophet (PBUH), by Raja Singh, a BJP official and a member of the state legislative assembly of the Indian state of Telangana,” a statement issued by the Foreign Office (FO) read.

    “These highly derogatory remarks have gravely hurt the feelings of the people of Pakistan and billions of Muslims around the world.”

    Pakistan demands the Indian government to take immediate and decisive action against the BJP members habitually involved in attacking Islam and targeting the dignity of beloved Prophet (PBUH),” the statement added.

    “The fact is that India is nothing more than an undeclared ‘Hindu Rashtra’ where Muslims are routinely denigrated, dispossessed and marginalised and their religious beliefs are trampled under majoritarian hegemonism.”

    The FO also called out the “deafening silence” of the top BJP leadership on the abhorrent incident, saying it manifestly reflected their approval and complete support to the radical Hindu zealots within and beyond the BJP.

    In June, BJP spokespersons Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal, also passed derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

  • Video: Finland’s PM’s leaked party video, takes drug test due to severe backlash

    Video: Finland’s PM’s leaked party video, takes drug test due to severe backlash

    Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said on August 19 that she had taken a drug test following the publication of video footage that showed her partying with friends, and vowed she had never used illegal drugs.

    Video clips of Marin partying with well-known Finnish influencers and artists began circulating on social media, leading to severe criticism.

    “These videos are private and filmed in a private space. I resent that these became known to the public,” Marin told the media. She said she did not know who leaked them.

    “In recent days, there have been quite grave public accusations that I was in a space where drugs were used, or that I myself used drugs,” Marin told a news conference.

    “I consider these accusations to be very serious and, though I consider the demand for a drug test unjust, for my own legal protection and to clear up any doubts, I have taken a drug test today, the results of which will come in about a week.”

    However, Marin tested negative after a drug test she took following the publication of video footage that showed her partying with friends.

  • Can a ‘power hungry mad man’ trample the law, asks Zardari

    Can a ‘power hungry mad man’ trample the law, asks Zardari

    Former President Asif Ali Zardari said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan is “mad for power” ands said that the judiciary must see “whether this person is above the law”.

    “He is now targeting the judiciary and has threatened a woman judge in Islamabad. The judiciary has to see whether this person is above the law,” said Zardari.

    Zardari said that at the moment, one man’s hunger to be back in power is driving him mad with each passing day.

    “This man is subjecting our army to criticism on a daily basis and the same army is battling terrorists and sacrificing their lives for the country,” the PPP co-chairperson said.

    Zardari called upon the government to establish its writ.

    “Otherwise institutions will continue to be under attack from him,” warned Asif Zardari.

    Addressing a political gathering at Rawalpindi’s Liaquat Bagh on Sunday (August 21), Khan said that according to the reports he had received, the neutrals were responsible for the crackdown against his party.

    Read more: ‘Neutrals ka pressure tha’: Imran Khan blames the establishment for crackdown on PTI

    “On May 25, when the police used violence against us, I was told by insiders that the police were ordered from above, which means that neutrals pressurised them to give PTI workers a thrashing,” said Khan. 

  • Islamabad High Court issues show-cause notice to Khan, summons him on Aug 31

    Islamabad High Court issues show-cause notice to Khan, summons him on Aug 31

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday (August 23) issued a show-cause notice to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and summoned him on August 31 in contempt proceedings for his controversial remarks about Additional District and Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry, who had approved Shahbaz Gill’s physical remand in a sedition case.

    During today’s hearing, Islamabad Advocate General Jahangir Khan Jadoon informed the court that he had filed a miscellaneous application seeking permission to put Imran’s controversial statements against state institutions on record.

    In his application, the advocate general pleaded to the court that he wanted to submit the record of anti-judiciary remarks and speeches made by Imran Khan in the past.

    “I want to put Imran Khan’s video clip on record,” said the applicant.

    “In these circumstances, it is humbly prayed that [the court] allow to display the aforementioned material in this honourable court via USB or other digital gadgets, and consider this material as part of the case,” he said in his application.

    He pleaded with the court to allow the petitioner to play the video showing the anti-judiciary and anti-state institution remarks made by the PTI chairman in the past.

    IHC to initiate contempt proceedings against Imran for controversial remarks regarding sessions judge

    On Monday (August 22), the IHC decided to initiate contempt proceedings against Imran Khan for passing controversial remarks about Judge Zeba Chaudhry.