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.

  • ‘Not liable to answer or provide information to you,’ Khan tells FIA

    ‘Not liable to answer or provide information to you,’ Khan tells FIA

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday (August 17) asked the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to take back the notice sent to him in the prohibited funding case in two days, further stating that he would take legal action against the organisation.

    “Neither am I liable to answer to you nor is it liable on me to provide information to you. If notice is not taken back in two days, then I will take legal action against you,” said Khan to FIA.

    “ECP [Election Commission of Pakistan] did not give a decision but issued a report. ECP cannot order FIA or any other organisation based on this report,” said the PTI chief. He added that the FIA does not have the authority to act under the Political Parties Order 2002.

    “The notice issued is also contrary to the FIA Act. Supreme Court has declared the ECP as an administrative institution in several decisions,” said Khan, adding that the ECP is neither a court nor a tribunal.

    FIA sought records from Khan regarding the total funds provided to PTI by national and international companies, and business firms.

  • Shahbaz Gill’s health found satisfactory in initial medical check-up at PIMS

    Shahbaz Gill’s health found satisfactory in initial medical check-up at PIMS

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shahbaz Gill was shifted to PIMS Hospital late Wednesday night after he complained of difficulty in breathing.

    According to media reports, Gill complained of difficulty in breathing and poor health due to alleged torture after which he was shifted to the jail hospital for a checkup.

    The news report further suggests that Gill’s oxygen saturation level was recorded at 97. For normal people, a pulse oximeter reading for oxygen saturation level is between 95 per cent and 100 per cent. Moreover, a sample for Covid-19 diagnostic testing was also sent to the laboratory.

    The doctors said that Gill’s health condition was found satisfactory in the initial medical examination.

    Read More: Shahbaz Gill behind bars: Islamabad court approves two-day physical remand, again

    Meanwhile, Punjab Home Minister Hashim Dogar said that Gill’s “life is in danger”. He had earlier confirmed that the politician’s health was fine and there was no sign of torture.

    Read More: ‘Fragile state of mental & physical health’: PTI reacts to Gill’s physical remand order

    Earlier yesterday, an Islamabad district and sessions court remanded the senior PTI leader into police custody for 48 hours in its verdict on a review plea seeking his physical remand in the sedition case.

  • Imran Khan’s close aides’ names placed on no-fly list

    The federal government placed the names of two of former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s close aides — Mirza Shahzad Akbar and Ziaul Mustafa Naseem — on the no-fly list pertaining to a private housing scheme at the request of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

    According to media reports, the cabinet removed the 22 names from the Exit Control List (ECL) and added the names of 10 people to it.

    Both Akbar and Naseem are presently in the United Kingdom (UK). According to Dawn, as per practice, if a person whose name is placed on ECL is abroad, he is arrested on his return and handed over to the relevant law-enforcement agency.

    Akbar has served as an adviser on interior and accountability to former PM Khan. He left for Dubai on April 17, from where he flew to London five days later, five days after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) suspended FIA orders placing his name on the stop list.

    Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah accused Akbar and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi of accepting Rs5 billion and hundreds of kanals from a housing developer in return for “providing protection” to the real estate firm in the same case during their term.

    Earlier this month, the coalition government reportedly decided to put the names of Khan and other PTI leaders on the no-fly list to prevent them from leaving the country.

  • We have not invested enough in education, health and infrastructure: PM Shehbaz

    In an interview to The Economist on Pakistan’s Independence Day, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif highlighted the root problems of the economic crisis gripping the nation nowadays.

    Titled “Pakistan’s prime minister on his drive to modernise the country“, PM Shehbaz mainly talked about critical structural flaws that hindered the state’s economy. According to him, the first reason is that Pakistan’s political environment has become increasingly polarised.

    “Instead of debating how to run Pakistan better and rid the country of poverty, political parties have been at each other’s throats,” he pointed out.

    “We have not invested enough in the nuts and bolts of development: education, health and infrastructure. This is in part due to an abysmally low tax take, but it also reflects our priorities in public spending.”

    PM Shehbaz further highlighted the fact that Pakistan has not enjoyed the benefits of globalisation.

    “Today, we hardly make anything that the world wants and our companies remain very comfortable only operating within our borders, often protected by barriers to competition,” he stressed.

    He pointed out that Pakistan’s exports are just 10 per cent. Shehbaz said that where “two out of every three people are below the age of 30 and full of aspirations and where every third person lives on less than $3.20 a day and less than a quarter of our women work outside the home,” it is a moment that merits “serious introspection”.

    ‘Pakistan was one of the biggest victims of state-sponsored terrorism’: PM Shehbaz

    In an interview with Newsweek’s senior foreign policy writer Tom O’Connor, PM Shehbaz said it was no secret that Pakistan was “one of the biggest victims of state-sponsored terrorism that is planned, supported and financed by hostile intelligence agencies”.

    He went on to say that terrorist attacks against Chinese nationals were “aided and abetted by forces inimical to the Pakistan-China strategic partnership”.

    Talking about friction between the US and China, the premier said: “While the Pakistan-China relationship is very special, Pakistan and the US have also maintained a long-standing historic bilateral relationship which covers all issues of mutual interest.”

    He was of the view that the world cannot afford to go back into another “era of Cold War or bloc politics”.

    The premier called for all parties to agree to the “minimum rules of the game in which the welfare of the people remains paramount”.

    “Systematic problems can be fixed through engagement and consultations among all political stakeholders. This course may take time, but is the only way forward for the system to become strong, resilient and efficient.”

     

  • Bushra Bibi has no jewellery: Khan provides asset details to ECP

    Bushra Bibi has no jewellery: Khan provides asset details to ECP

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Monday, August 15, declared his wife Bushra Bibi’s and all his assets in the nomination papers to contest the by-elections from Faisalabad constituency NA-108, reports Geo News.

    Providing details to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Khan revealed that his assets are more than Rs304.2 million.

    According to the news outlet, Khan declared two inherited houses and 228 kanals of land in the Bhakkar district. He also owns a flat and a commercial plot on Constitution Avenue in Islamabad from which he is receiving Rs1.4 million as rent. He has four bank accounts, but no investment in any company. He showed Rs11.22 million cash in hand. Khan has four goats worth Rs0.2 million.

    Declaring his wife Bushra Bibi’s assets, he revealed that she has 698 kanals of land in Pakpattan and Okara. As per the nomination papers, a three-kanal house in Bani Gala is in the name of his wife, and that she has no jewellery.

    Khan declared that he spent Rs48.66 million on the construction of the Zaman Park house, and spent Rs4.9 million on additional constructions in Bani Gala. In the nomination papers, Khan did not mention details of his children.

  • ‘He was stripped naked’: Imran Khan reveals Shahbaz Gill was tortured in custody

    ‘He was stripped naked’: Imran Khan reveals Shahbaz Gill was tortured in custody

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has revealed that his chief of staff Shahbaz Gill was stripped naked and beaten up in custody.

    Gill was arrested for inciting the public against the state institutions.

    ‘He should not have said that,’ Khan on Gill’s remarks

    “Yes, he should not have said what he did. It seems like he is inciting rebellion in the armed forces. It was wrong. We want to see a strong military,” said Khan when asked if he condemns Gill’s remarks.

    “Gill was beaten and asked how many times did General Faiz meet Imran Khan and what does Imran Khan eat,” revealed Khan.

    ‘I am a professor, not a criminal’: Shahbaz Gill

    On August 12, Gill told a court in Islamabad that he is being subjected to extreme torture in custody. He added that he is not permitted to sleep and not even allowed to meet his lawyers. He alleged that no medical examination was conducted as claimed by the authorities. The Islamabad Police had earlier claimed that Gill underwent medical examination at the Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and the medical report revealed that he was not tortured.

    Shahbaz Gill was taken into custody on August 9 from Bani Gala Chowk for inciting the public against state institutions.

    Read more- ’Aqal hai tumhaaray mein,’ CM Punjab Pervaiz Elahi to Shahbaz Gill

    ‘PTI stands with Gill’: Fawad Chaudhry

    Fawad Chaudhry said recently the party is standing with Gill, adding that PTI chief Imran Khan had also raised the issue during Saturday’s rally in Lahore.

    He went on to say that the current government had also used indiscriminate force against children, women and unarmed citizens. “The same is happening with Shahbaz Gill.”

    “This is the policy of Rana Sanaullah which is being practiced in the country,” he added.

    He further claimed that the government wants to recover Gill’s mobile phone and wants custody of him so that they can torture him again. He went on to say that Gill made the controversial comments on Muharram 10 when mobile phone services were suspended.

    “The phone call was made via landline and you have that number. The statement was broadcast live on ARY News and you have that too,” he said.

    He went on to say that the current government had also used indiscriminate force against children, women and unarmed citizens. “The same is happening with Shahbaz Gill.”

    “This is the policy of Rana Sanaullah which is being practiced in the country,” he added.

    He further claimed that the government wants to recover Gill’s mobile phone and wants custody of him so that they can torture him again. He went on to say that Gill made the controversial comments on Muharram 10 when mobile phone services were suspended.

    “The phone call was made via landline and you have that number. The statement was broadcast live on ARY News and you have that too,” he said.

    High court adjourned hearing over his physical remand extension

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has issued a notice to senior PTI leader Shahbaz Gill and adjourned the hearing on the matter of an extension in Gill’s physical remand today (August 15).

    The court adjourned the hearing after seeking a reply from Gill by tomorrow (Tuesday, August 16).

    On August 13, a judicial magistrate rejected the police’s request to extend Gill’s physical remand and sent him to jail on judicial remand. The same day, the prosecution filed an appeal in a sessions court, which was also dismissed. Subsequently, the government filed a petition in the IHC for Gill’s physical custody, arguing that the ongoing investigation against him and collection of evidence could not be completed without it.

    While hearing arguments from the prosecution today, Acting IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq questioned why authorities are seeking PTI leader Shahbaz Gill’s physical custody.

    “You are saying that an extension in the suspect’s physical remand is necessary? What will you do after getting the extension?” Justice Farooq questioned.

    The prosecution maintained that the ongoing investigation against Gill and the collection of evidence cannot be completed without an extension of his remand in police custody.

    Islamabad Advocate General Jadoon informed the judge of the lower courts’ decisions regarding the PTI leader’s physical remand. He added that the government had taken “serious notice” of Gill’s comments on television that “targeted the country’s institutions” and registered a case against him.

    Court seeks Shahbaz Gill’s bail plea matter

    Shahbaz Gill filed a petition before an Islamabad district and sessions judge seeking post-arrest bail on Sunday, August 14, in the sedition case against him.

    On Monday, the court sought arguments on the bail plea. Gill’s lawyer Faisal Chaudhry requested the court to issue a verdict on the plea, maintaining that his arguments are ready.

    At this, the judge responded that a similar case is under trial in the IHC as well. Faisal answered that the matter under trial in the IHC is related to the order of the judicial magistrate and, therefore, this court can hear the case regardless of the case in the high court.

    During the hearing, Gill’s lawyer stated, “It is a declared law that no one can be kept in jail for a single minute without reason.”

    At this, the court directed the investigation officer to appear in court with records at 11am. It also ordered the lawyer to submit a power of attorney on Gill’s behalf, and sought arguments from the parties upon resumption of the hearing at 11am.

    However, the hearing was further adjourned till 2pm. Meanwhile, the prosecution has requested the court to keep the case adjourned.

  • PM Shehbaz expresses grief over tragic Motorway accident

    The collision between a passenger bus and an oil tanker left at least 20 people dead and six others injured on the Multan-Sukkur Motorway (M-5) at Jalalpur Peerwala interchange in the early hours of Tuesday, August 16. The ill-fated bus left from Lahore for Karachi at 9pm.

    Following the incident, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief over the incident and prayed for the deceased and their families.

    “I am saddened by the loss of 20 precious lives in the accident. My prayers are with the bereaved families,” he tweeted.

    Multan Commissioner Amir Khattak confirmed the development on Twitter. According to him, the tragic accident had taken place around 4am. He also shared photographs of the scene.

    However, a statement issued by Rescue 1122’s provincial monitoring centre in Lahore said the accident took place at 2:20am.

    A Motorway Police spokesperson revealed that the tanker was carrying thousands of litres of petrol. He added that the apparent cause of the accident was the bus driver falling asleep, reports Dawn.

    According to the Motorway Police, both vehicles the oil tanker and the bus caught fire soon after the collision. The officers of the Motorway Police immediately reached the spot after the accident took place. Local police and Rescue 1122 teams also reached the spot.

    The police added that the fire was so intense and terrifying that it was visible from a distance. At least nine passengers were safely rescued from the burning bus.

    According to the bus company sources, there were two drivers aboard the bus. All staff was to be changed in Sukkur. There were a total of 24 passengers on board. Two passengers were going to Hyderabad, while the others were en route to Karachi.

    Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Pervaiz Elahi demanded a report on the incident from the Multan commissioner. He also expressed grief over the loss of lives.

  • Punjab govt withdraws Sharif family’s security

    Punjab govt withdraws Sharif family’s security

    The Punjab police have withdrawn the security of the Sharif family except for Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif after the directives issued by the province’s Home Minister Colonel (retd) Muhammad Hashim.

    Muhammad Hashim said that PM Shehbaz will continue to get police security at the houses declared by him.

    “More than 500 policemen were deployed for the security of the Sharif family,” the police said, adding that security has also been withdrawn from Attaullah Tarar and other Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders.

    Previously, security was deployed outside the Jati Umrah and Model Town residences of the Sharif family.

    Earlier, the Punjab Police raided Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) Attaullah Tarar’s old residence in Lahore. However, he was not present at his home and no one was arrested.

  • Miftah Ismail commended for his ‘bold and clear’ comments on violence against religious minorities

    Miftah Ismail commended for his ‘bold and clear’ comments on violence against religious minorities

    Speaking on Geo News’ programme “Naya Pakistan”, Finance Minister (FM) Miftah Ismail on Sunday said that most Pakistanis are driven by emotions and not rationality.

    “How many people spoke up for a Christian couple burnt alive in an industrial kiln? A few days ago, an Ahmadi was killed but not many people raised their voices. People are scared.”

    Read more: Ahmadi man allegedly murdered for not chanting slogans in praise of Khadim Rizvi

    A 62-year-old member of the Ahmadi community named Naseer Ahmad was stabbed to death in Chenab Nagar on August 12, for allegedly refusing to chant slogans in praise of Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) founder Khadim Hussain Rizvi.

    https://twitter.com/SAMRIReports/status/1559108747502538753?s=20&t=1PbwDx-IqmjAnhPaRqTy-A

    Miftah went on to say that we don’t value education and that we are an emotionally driven country. “We are an emotional country that does not give much precedence to rationality and thinking.”

    “We don’t own Nobel laureate, Dr Abdus Salam, because he was an Ahmadi. Our daughter, Malala [Yousafzai] won a Nobel Prize and we find all kinds of faults in the world and associate them with her,” said Miftah.

    The minister also said that our country lacks the basic awareness required for a country to progress because we don’t give preference to education.

    Twitterati reacted to Miftah’s comments about minority rights.

  • PM Shehbaz, Saudi Crown Prince agree on mutual cooperation in investment, energy, and trade

    PM Shehbaz, Saudi Crown Prince agree on mutual cooperation in investment, energy, and trade

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman exchanged views to enhance bilateral cooperation between the two countries during a telephonic conversation.

    Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have agreed to intensify mutual cooperation in the fields of investment, energy, and trade, Radio Pakistan reported.

    According to a Financial Times report, the IMF and Saudi Arabia have also discussed the possibility of Islamabad being able to borrow up to $2.8 billion against Riyadh’s quota of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) at the Fund after Saudi Arabia’s decision to renew $3 billion deposit at the State Bank of Pakistan.

    “Once finalised, Pakistan’s extent of borrowing from the IMF during the present financial year (July to June) will increase by $2.8bn. This will be a very important gesture,” read the report.

    On the occasion of the 75th Independence Day of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman congratulated the Pakistani nation.