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.

  • Had an excellent relationship with Nawaz Sharif: Former Afghan President hopes for good ties with Pakistan

    Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai has expressed his hope for a cordial relationship with Pakistan under the administration of the newly-elected Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif.

    In an interview with BBC, Karzai said, “I can tell you that when I was in the last year of my office, I had an excellent relationship with Mian Nawaz Sharif, the then Prime Minister of Pakistan, who I found to be very willing to engage fruitfully with Afghanistan. I hope that Shehbaz Sharif [Nawaz’s brother] would follow the same path.”

    “Afghan people would respond to them very very positively. We do wish a good relationship with Pakistan.”

    Responding to the airstrikes [allegedly made by Pakistan] in bordering Khost province, the former president condemned the airstrikes and termed it clear violations of Afghan sovereignty.

    He called the recent attacks on Afghan education institutions as an “attack against Afghanistan’s efforts for educating its young, its peace and movement towards stability and progress.” Hamid Karzai emphasised the need for allowing girls above sixth grade to return to school.

    Hamid Karzai has served as the President of Afghanistan from 2001 to 2014. He still lives in the country under the the rule of Taliban who gained power in August 2021.

  • Ilhan Omar visit to Pakistan not govt-sponsored: US State Department

    Ilhan Omar visit to Pakistan not govt-sponsored: US State Department

    US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price on Friday declared that Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, who is currently on her maiden visit to Pakistan, was not visiting the country on US government-sponsored travel.

    The senior official made the statement during a press briefing today in response to a question from a journalist.

    “As you are well aware that Imran Khan is still blaming US for his ouster from PM’s office while he’s also asking his supporters to keep protesting outside the White House. But yesterday Congresswoman Ilhan Omar met with Mr. Khan in Islamabad. It was kind of an hour-long meeting. Close associates of Mr. Khan claimed that United States trying to clear the air with Mr. Khan. Is it true that Ilhan Omar is representing Biden government there in Islamabad,” the journalist had asked.

    “Well, as I understand it, Representative Omar is not visiting Pakistan on US government-sponsored travel, so I’d need to refer you to her office for questions on her travel,” Price replied.

    Omar, who made history as one of the first two Muslim women elected to the US Congress, arrived in Islamabad earlier this week on a visit to Pakistan. The Congresswoman will stay in Pakistan till April 24.

    She met a host of important figures including President Dr Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Foreign Office officials, as well as PTI Chairman Imran Khan.

    According to official sources, the Congresswoman was also flown to the Line of Control (LoC) in the Chakothi sector, where she was briefed on the situation before and after the fresh understanding between the Pakistani and Indian armies to respect the 2003 ceasefire agreement.

    Some residents, who had been affected by Indian shelling prior to the ceasefire, had also gathered there and shared their tales of horror with the visitors.

    According to PTI’s Shireen Mazari, Omar had discussed Islamophobia and other related issues in the meeting with Khan at the PTI chairman’s Bani Gala residence.

    Politicians and social media users immediately questioned the PTI chairman about the meeting with the American legislator and reminded him of his criticism of US officials meeting opposition figures. Newly elected Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah led the charge by asking Khan if his meeting with Omar was “a conspiracy or interference”.

    Mazari, subsequently, fired back at the critics by saying that Omar was not a part of the US administration.

  • Fawad Ch’s sexist remarks about Hina Rabbani Khar draw reaction on Twitter

    Fawad Ch’s sexist remarks about Hina Rabbani Khar draw reaction on Twitter

    Former minister for information and broadcasting, and former minister for science and technology Fawad Chaudhry recently made some very sexist remarks about Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar. Social media users, regardless of political allegiance, rose to the occasion and defended her against his blatant sexism and misogyny.

    On April 19, Fawad Ch posted an old interview from Khar’s last appointment as foreign minister which was in 2011. She was not only the youngest person but also the first woman to have held the position in Pakistan’s history. In his tweet, Chaudhry insulted her intelligence and credibility, attaching it to her “Birkens”.

    “When you appoint a low IQ women whose only claim to fame is her Berkin bags and expensive eye shades such blunders ll become a norm, hope will get rid of this lot sooner than later #ImportedGovernmentNamzanzoor [sic],” he tweeted.

    The former minister faced immediate backlash from netizens regardless of their political affiliation — some social media users specifically mentioned that they were PTI supporters and did not endorse these claims, calling them “unbecoming” and “unacceptable.” On the contrary, the users called Khar “articulate” and “one of the best foreign ministers our county has had”, asking Chaudhry to apologise.

    Several users found it necessary to remind Chaudhry of former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s “chewing non-responsiveness” and “unnecessary sniggering” when he was called out for anti-Semitism following a comment he made about Israel having “deep pockets” during his interview with CNN.

  • Life threats: PM Shehbaz orders foolproof security for Imran Khan

    Life threats: PM Shehbaz orders foolproof security for Imran Khan

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday directed Interior Ministry to ensure foolproof security of former prime minister and PTI chairman Imran Khan.

    The Prime Minister issued the directives through twitter in view of the reported security threats to the life of former prime minister Imran Khan.

    On the directives of PM Shehbaz Sharif, the Interior Ministry issued a letter to the authorities concerned to ensure foolproof security of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

    The Interior Ministry sent an urgent letter to the Home Secretaries of the four provinces, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan, asking to take strict security measures for PTI chief Imran Khan.

    Deputy Commissioner Lahore Wednesday wrote a letter to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership regarding the security threats ahead of public rally at Minar-e-Pakistan.

    Amid security threats, Imran Khan was advised to address the public rally via video link, the DC stated in a letter penned to the PTI leadership.

    The same directive was issued to the Inspector General Police and the Chief Commissioner of Islamabad.

    PM Shehbaz Sharif also directed Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah to personally monitor the situation and ensure the implementation of the orders.

    The letter instructed about putting in place foolproof security arrangements for Imran Khan during public rallies and other events.

    The letter also stressed the deployment of a bomb disposal squad outside the residence of the former prime minister in Bani Gala.

    It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will hold a public rally at Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore. Imran Khan will address the public rally.

    On Tuesday, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan asked the masses if they want an independent Pakistan then they must come to Minar-e-Pakistan to attend PTI’s protest rally on Thursday (April 21).

  • US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar meets PM Shehbaz and Khan: Who is she?

    Democratic United States (US) Congresswoman Ilhan Abdullah Omar landed in Islamabad on Thursday for her first ever visit to Pakistan.

    Omar met Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif and President Arif Alvi. It has been reported that during the meeting with the premier, Pakistan-US bilateral relations as well as regional situations were discussed.

    She also met the former PM Imran Khan and expressed her admiration on his work against Islamophobia globally.

    During her four-day-tour, she will explore Lahore and Azad Jammu and Kashmir to have a greater understanding of Pakistan’s cultural, social, political, and economic potential, the PM’s Office said.

    The visit has come at a time when the former PM was voted out after a series of allegations against the US.

    After living in a refugee camp for four years before applying for asylum in US, Ilhan Omar became first Somali American and one of the first two Muslim women elected to Congress in 2018.

    She became a US citizen in 2000 at the age of 17 and in 2016 won a seat in the Minnesota House. In 2019, Omar assumed the office as the Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from the 60B district.

    Born in 1982, Omar grew up in a middle-class family. Half of Omar’s childhood saw the affects of Somalia’s civil war. When she was 8, her family fled the country and ended up living in a refugee camp in Kenya for four years. When she arrived, Omar couldn’t speak English.

    She is the first hijabi woman to legislate from the House floor. Omar’s arrival in Congress resulted in the lifting of a 181-year-old ban on head coverings on the House floor.

    According to several American websites, her decision to wear the hijab was influenced by the 9/11 terrorist attacks, as she wanted to signify her cultural identity.

    Omar has always supported Kashmiris in the Indian Occupied Kashmir.

    In 2019, right after the annexation of Kashmir by Indian PM Narendra Modi, in a tweet, she said, “We should be calling for an immediate restoration of communication; respect for human rights, democratic norms, and religious freedom; and de-escalation in Kashmir.” She also urged international forums to take action.

  • ‘Every gift belongs to the office, not to be taken home’: High Court

    ‘Every gift belongs to the office, not to be taken home’: High Court

    The Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb has ordered to take Toshakhana gifts [state gifts] back from the officials who took them home and asked Deputy Attorney General Arshad Kayani to put the gifts on display.

    “People come and go but the Office of the Prime Minister remains at the same place. Every gift given [to the head of the state/government officials] belongs to their office, not to be taken home,” Justice Miangul Hassan remarked.

    The directives were issued during hearing of two petitions on the Toshakhana gifts matter, one by a citizen who demanded that the details should be put forward and the other by the Cabinet Division challenging that.

    The Justice directed to make a policy to ensure that the gifts received by the head of the state will only be deposited in the treasury. He also objected that the policy to pay a certain percentage of the gift’s value and take it home shouldn’t have been there.

    “There is no stay on the Pakistan Information Commission’s (PIC) order. The Cabinet Division is bound to provide information,” he observed. The case was adjourned for two weeks.

    However, the cabinet division challenged the PIC order in the high court, claiming that it is “illegal, without lawful authority”. The former government was of the view that the revelations of details of these gifts can affect Pakistan’s relations with the countries which have given the gifts.

    Earlier this week, an investigation by news organisation Fact Focus revealed that former PM Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi kept all 112 presents worth Rs142.02 million from the Toshakhana of Pakistan.

  • Unavailability of head judge: LHC puts off plea seeking removal of Nawaz’s name from ECL

    Unavailability of head judge: LHC puts off plea seeking removal of Nawaz’s name from ECL

    The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday adjourned a petition seeking removal of Nawaz Sharif’s name from the exit control list (ECL) due to the absence of head judge of the divisional bench.

    According to ARY News, the division bench hearing the petition seeking removal of the name of Nawaz Sharif from ECL was disbanded after absence of Justice Shahbaz Ali. The LHC registrar office cancelled the cause list due unavailability of the head judge of the bench.

    It is to be recalled that the Islamabad High Court (IHC) declared former prime minister Nawaz Sharif as a proclaimed offender in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia references in December 2020.

    The IHC divisional bench declared the PML-N supremo as a fugitive over his failure to appear in the court despite being summoned repeatedly. The court issued show-cause notices to the guarantors of the former premier.

    It is to be mentioned here that the PML-N supreme leader has been declared a proclaimed offender in two other cases, including the Toshakhana reference and illegal land allotment case.

  • PML-N disbands Information Ministry’s Digital Media Wing for ‘opposition hate speech’

    PML-N disbands Information Ministry’s Digital Media Wing for ‘opposition hate speech’

    The new PML-N government has decided to close the Digital Media Wing (DMW), which was formed by the previous PTI administration to publicise official information on social media platforms.

    In her first press conference as minister for information and broadcasting, Marriyum Aurangzeb, on April 19, said the PTI-established DMW was made up of its own workers and bot accounts who targeted the opposition and national institutions.

    The information ministry has established a cyber wing to disseminate the government’s accomplishments and publicise its strategic plan on social media platforms.

    Furthermore, she stated that the cyber wing needed to be more innovative and up to date with changing trends, as well as keep up with offices such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in order to maintain Pakistan’s good image abroad.

    The closure has split industry experts, with the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) welcoming the decision to disband the controversial Digital Media Wing.

    The HRCP has been rejecting the DMW, claiming that it is pursuing the PTI’s agenda against political rivals, and there have been allegations that state resources are being used to advance the party agenda, including trolling media persons.

    Read more: FIA picks up 24 over social media campaign against Pak Army

    Even so, a social media rights activist applauded the decision to transfer the DMW’s responsibilities to the information ministry’s cyber wing, claiming that it would strengthen checks on any misuse of digital media platforms by state entities.

    The PTI established the DMW shortly after taking power in 2018. It was the reincarnation of the Press Information Department’s Social Media Wing (PID).

  • Twitter reacts to only five women in Shehbaz’s cabinet

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif’s cabinet members took oath on Tuesday. In the new setup, the cabinet has 31 federal ministers, three ministers of state and three advisers in the first phase, as has been said by the coalition government.

    As usual, the federal cabinet includes less ratio of females. The list includes:

    Marriyum Aurangzeb – Minister for Information

    Shazia Atta Marri- Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme

    Hina Rabbani Khar- Minister for Foreign Affairs,

    Dr Aisha Ghaus Pasha- Adviser to PM on Finance

    Sherry Rehman- Minister of state for Climate change

    Following the oath-taking, social media users criticise the induction of only five females in the new federal cabinet.

    https://twitter.com/meinhiburihun/status/1516276827769212931?s=20&t=RsZ9tvKjcuEwfqKS0mnnYA

    https://twitter.com/jawismm/status/1516345385631035398?s=20&t=RsZ9tvKjcuEwfqKS0mnnYA

  • Fact check: Did Judge Nasira Iqbal write a statement in favour of Imran Khan?

    Fact check: Did Judge Nasira Iqbal write a statement in favour of Imran Khan?

    Claim: Justice (R) Nasira Iqbal made a statement in favor of Imran Khan, validating his conspiracy theory

    Fact: It was a doctored statement that Nasira Iqbal denied having ever made

    A message attributed to Justice (retd) Nasira Javed Iqbal is being widely shared on Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp.

    “I will tell you what crime you committed Dear IK. I have been asking why IK had to be removed immediately rather than wait for 16 months to complete the term. So here is the answer,” says the message, which then goes on to state that there was a conspiracy to oust Khan because he was taking measures that would have made Pakistan “come out of slavery” and thus the United States (US) was left with no choice but to remove him from power.

    When asked by anchorperson Abdullah Sultan on Geo News if the message being circulated was indeed written by her or reflect her views, Justice Nasira denied this and said it was a fake message being falsely attributed to her.

    “I am not on social media. I don’t subscribe to Facebook. I have not given any statement. I don’t like giving political statements in any case. I don’t know who these troublemakers are who have put out something in my name. And why do they use Allam Iqbal’s name? This is quite inappropriate. Whether Imran Khan is right or wrong does not concern me,” said Justice Nasira Javed Iqbal.

    Verdict: FALSE