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.

  • Man caught installing spy device in Khan’s bedroom

    Man caught installing spy device in Khan’s bedroom

    Staff at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s Bani Gala residence on Saturday night caught a man red-handed while installing a spy device in his bedroom.

    ARY News reported that an employee of Bani Gala was paid to install a device in the former prime minister’s bedroom. However, the spying attempt was foiled after another employee informed the security team about the installation of the device.

    PTI leader and the chief of staff of the former premier, Dr Shahbaz Gill, handed over the suspect, an employee of Bani Gala, to the police.

    Shahbaz Gill claimed, “An employee – who cleans the former premier’s room – was paid to install a spy device,” terming the act ‘ heinous and unfortunate’.

    “Our people are being threatened to get information. Such shameful acts should be avoided,” he added. The PTI leader further said that the ‘arrested’ employee has made several revelations – which he refused to share at the moment.

    Many from PTI have been asserting that Imran Khan’s life is in danger. “In this regard, we have informed all relevant agencies, including the government,” Gill said.

    However, Islamabad police said that a media person had handed over the alleged spy to the police but the suspect was not able to speak properly.

    “The suspect could not be identified as he cannot speak properly. It has been decided that a medical test will be conducted on him to ascertain his physical and mental condition. The suspect was kept in Bani Gala house for a day. The person who handed over the suspect to the police has not provided any evidence or proof of spying. Police are investigating the matter and will soon reach the conclusion,” said the police.

  • ‘Below my dignity to respond to such a liar’: Ex-brigadier to Imran Khan

    ‘Below my dignity to respond to such a liar’: Ex-brigadier to Imran Khan

    Former Director-General (DG) of the Anti-Corruption Establishment, Punjab, Brigadier (retd) Muzaffar Ali Ranjha responded to the allegations made by former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan that Ranjha manipulated the 2013 general elections in favour of Nawaz Sharif.

    In an interview with Lahore Rang, the retired brigadier called Khan a compulsive liar, saying: “These are baseless allegations from a liar. But since he has publicly made these allegations, I am compelled to respond.”

    “He [Imran Khan] is a morally, financially, intellectually, and socially corrupt person. I am a respectable person. It’s below my dignity to respond to such a pathological liar,” he added.

    While replying to the question that why is Khan bringing up this issue, Ranjha said that he believes that Khan has lost his mind after losing power.

    “This man [Khan] has never been in favour of the armed forces. He only flirted with the military. Now, since the military has detached itself from politics, he is randomly hurling allegations.”

    “If he [Imran] opens his mouth again, then I’ll go to a public forum and spill the beans”, Ranjha said, adding that Imran should know that he knows everything about him as he has also served as an intelligence officer.

    During the interview, Ranjha offered Imran to agree to the formation of a commission that should investigate the vote-manipulation charges.

    The former DG also challenged Khan to contest elections against him.

    It is pertinent to mention that Ranjha was removed from his office by the Punjab interim government just before the 2018 elections.

  • Mumbai attacks’ alleged mastermind arrested by FIA

    The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested suspect Sajid Mir with the help of law enforcement agencies, in the investigation of the Mumbai attacks, reports Wajahat S. Khan for Nikkie Asia.

    “According to the FBI, Mir allegedly served as the chief planner of the [Mumbai] attacks, directing preparations and reconnaissance, and was one of the Pakistan-based controllers during the attacks,” writes Wajahat.

    The deputy foreign minister, Hina Rabbani Khar, told Nikkei Asia that she would not comment on this particular case. Senior police officials and investigators from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), also did not comment on the arrest but did not deny it.

    The United States (US) Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had placed Mir on its most-wanted criminal list. It offered a $5 million reward for information leading to his arrest.

    Mir is allegedly the mastermind behind the Mumbai attacks. Rumours of his death had persisted for a long time.

  • ‘Tough decisions’: PM Shehbaz announces 10 per cent super tax on large-scale industries

    ‘Tough decisions’: PM Shehbaz announces 10 per cent super tax on large-scale industries

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif announced that the coalition government plans to impose a 10 per cent super tax on large-scale industries, and that “tough decisions” have been taken to protect the economy in budget 2022-23.

    Addressing the nation, PM Shehbaz announced the imposition of a 10 per cent super tax on cement, steel, sugar, oil and gas, fertiliser, banking, textile, chemical, beverage, and automobile industries, adding that it it has been done to save the common man from taxes.

    PM said that people whose annual income exceeds Rs150 million will be subject to one per cent tax; for Rs200 million, two per cent; Rs250 million three per cent; and Rs300 million will be taxed four per cent of their income.

    PM Shehbaz said the steps taken in the budget were designed to ease the burden on the poor. “And the classes who are blessed, today, this nation is demanding of them to also work hard, to come forward and to make Pakistan prosperous, progressive and with its head held high,” he added.

    The premier called on the wealthy to distribute some of their wealth and “relive the memory of Ansar-i-Madina”. “This is your responsibility, and the nation demands it of you,” he said.

  • ‘No report of attack on Khan’: Rana Sanaullah

    ‘No report of attack on Khan’: Rana Sanaullah

    Federal Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Thursday denied claims of an attack against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.

    “When big leaders are attacked, the whole country suffers. Imran Khan has the same security as when he was the prime minister,” said Sanaullah.

    In an interview on Samaa TV programme ‘Nadeem Malik Live’, Rana said: “When we looked into it, there was no truth in these claims.”

    However, the minister reiterated that Imran should be arrested and prosecuted for his “extremist views and violence-mongering”.

    Sanaullah said there was no possibility of discussion with the proscribed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on the withdrawal of the military from tribal areas near the Afghan border, and reversal of the Fata merger, explaining that such demands were against the Constitution.

    Sanaullah insisted that the civil and military leadership were on the same page that the TTP militants would not be allowed to take up arms. “Otherwise, we won’t shy away from a fight”.

    “The military leadership assured us that we have the capacity and the power to sort these issues out effectively,” the minister added.

    To a question about the appointment of the next army chief, the interior minister said a decision in this regard will be taken in October.

    Earlier this week, the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD)’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) wing has issued a warning that terrorists are planning the assassination of Khan.

  • US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar submits resolution against India

    US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar submits resolution against India

    United States (US) Congresswoman Ilhan Omar has submitted a resolution in the House of Representatives on Tuesday in which she condemned the human rights abuses in India.

    The resolution said that the House has expressed grave concern about the “worsening treatment” of religious minorities in India and called on US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to designate India as a “country of particular concern” under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998.

    The resolution includes two reports i.e. a report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) and a Report on International Religious Freedom 2021 by the US State Department which was published on June 2, 2022.

    The resolution highlighted that the USCIRF had called for designating India as a country of particular concern for three consecutive years.

    According to the resolution, the report mentioned cases of the Indian government’s “repression of religious minority leaders and voices for religious pluralism in India, including the Jesuit human rights defender Father Stan Swamy and the Muslim human rights advocate Khurram Parvez”.

    According to the resolution, the report said: “Many of the incidents [on minorties] were violent, unprovoked, and/or encouraged or incited by government officials.”

    The resolution said that in the International Religious Freedom 2021 report by State Department there are numerous examples of violence and threats of violence against religious minorities, particularly Muslims and Christians, in India throughout 2021.

    It added that while presenting the report, Blinken himself said that “In India, the world’s largest democracy and home to a great diversity of faiths, we’ve seen rising attacks on people and places of worship.”

    In April, Omar made a visit to Pakistan’s part of Kashmir. She said the issue should get more attention from the US which prompted an angry response from India. The congresswoman has always highlighted the Kashmir issue on several platforms.

  • ‘All pending cases would have been solved by December 2022’: former special assistant to Khan

    Former Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Accountability Brigadier (Retd) Musaddiq Abbasi said that all the pending cases of politicians would have been solved by December 2022. Abbasi was SAPM to Imran Khan.

    Speaking on Express News‘ political programme‘ Kal Tak‘ with anchorperson Javed Chaudhry, the former special assistant revealed that he was working to make amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure (CRPC) 1898 so that all the cases could be streamlined. According to him, when he took over the office as SAPM, he discussed it with Khan and he agreed.

    Moreover, talking about pending cases of Nawaz Sharif and other politicians, he clarified that all the cases would have been decided either in their favour or against them.

    On the show, Abbasi who is also the former National Accountability Bureau (NAB) director-general, talked about the recent amendments to NAB law. He said that the bureau is almost closed. It is pertinent to mention that the incumbent government through the new amendments has limited the powers of NAB.

    Abbasi also termed the allegations by Energy Minister Khurram Dastgir’s revelations as baseless. Dastagir alleged that in November when a new army chief would have been appointed by Imran Khan, the new chief would have violated the Constitution and would have helped Imran Khan make false cases against his opponents in order to disqualify them.

    Earlier, Dastgir said, “This is based on information. Imran Khan and his followers would have stayed in power for 15 years. The entire Opposition would have been disqualified. He [Imran Khan] was of the point of view that he will remove everyone and will not spare anyone.”

    Replying to Dastagir, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Asad Umar said that he believes that Dastagir is lying but is still waiting for Director General (DG) Inter-Services Public Relations’ (ISPR) statement because these are very serious allegations and the military spokesperson should respond to them.

  • MNA Ali Wazir says he isn’t safe in the hospital, attacked twice

    MNA Ali Wazir says he isn’t safe in the hospital, attacked twice

    Member of National Assembly (MNA) Ali Wazir from South Waziristan has claimed that his life is in danger. Ali Wazir is associated with the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM). He was admitted to Karachi’s Jinnah Postgraduate and Medical Centre on Tuesday, where he was attacked twice according to Wazir. He made this statement while addressing PTM workers outside the hospital.

    In a video, he claimed that he was attacked twice in the hospital, and said he feels unsafe in the hospital. Wazir demanded to be sent back to prison.

    “I should be taken to Islamabad to attend the budget session [in the NA], raise the problems of my constituency,” Wazir said in the video.

    The National Assembly has issued production orders for his release so he could join the ongoing budget session.

    People on social media are reacting to Ali Wazir’s mistreatment:

    Read more- MNA Ali Wazir granted bail ahead of no-confidence motion vote against PM Khan

    He was earlier released from Karachi’s central prison on parole to participate in the no-trust vote against former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan.

  • ‘Establishment is a political player in Pakistan’: Fawad Chaudhry

    ‘Establishment is a political player in Pakistan’: Fawad Chaudhry

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry said that the neutral (military) establishment in Pakistan is a political player. He asked how it can be neutral, as it is either on ‘this’ side or ‘that’.

    “They are political players in Pakistan. They have to decide for themselves. The military and the judiciary have been political players in Pakistan’s 75-year history,” said Fawad.

    Speaking on ARY news programme, ‘Off The Record’, Fawad said, “The monopoly on information, which belonged to the intelligence agencies previously, has been ended by social media now. The military and judiciary are powerful institutions, we can’t dictate them. Therefore, now they have to make this decision whether to keep on moving this way or adopt the path of modern institutions.”

    https://twitter.com/FawadPTIUpdates/status/1539655765908066304?s=20&t=9no6LbXJEsbbmC-zlDEqcw

    Talking about neutrals and neutrality, Fawad said that there is a context to being neutral.

    On the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) amendments, Fawad said the neutrals let the NAB laws to be amended. “If this is how the institutions have to remain neutral, then it will be a disaster.”

    https://twitter.com/FawadPTIUpdates/status/1539647626517155842?s=20&t=9no6LbXJEsbbmC-zlDEqcw

    Fawad said that even he was shocked that Shehbaz Sharif was being considered to become prime minister of Pakistan.

    During a seminar on “Regime Change Conspiracy and Pakistan’s Destabilization” on June 22, Imran Khan said, “People ask me if I knew about it, then why didn’t I do anything? Well, I never imagined that they would appoint Shehbaz Sharif as the prime minister.”

  • ‘IMF programme will be revived soon’: Miftah Ismail

    ‘IMF programme will be revived soon’: Miftah Ismail

    Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) evolved a broader agreement on the budget 2022-23 to revise upward the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) target and slash down the expenditures to achieve a revenue surplus in the next fiscal year.

    Federal Minister for Revenue and Finance Miftah Ismail had already indicated the revival of the agreement with IMF within a day or two.

    “I am very hopeful that the IMF programme will be revived soon,” said the finance minister. “Pakistan and the IMF locked the budget details and achieved substantial progress on finalising budgetary targets for 2022-23.”

    “Now the Memorandum of Economic and Financial Policies (MEFP) will be shared by the IMF soon,” the minister said.

    “Discussions between the IMF staff and the authorities on policies to strengthen macroeconomic stability in the coming year continue, and important progress has been made over the FY23 budget,” Esther Perez Ruiz, the IMF’s resident representative in Islamabad, told Reuters.

    Miftah said that the government would target raising 96 billion rupees from privatisation in 2022/23. In the current fiscal year, the government did not raise any funds from privatisation.