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.

  • ‘Army has nothing to do with politics’: DG ISPR

    ‘Army has nothing to do with politics’: DG ISPR

    Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General (DG) Major General Babar Iftikhar on Thursday categorically stated that the Pakistan Army has nothing to do with politics.

    “I had clearly stated in my last press conference that the army has nothing to do with politics,” said General Iftikhar, adding, “It is this way and it will remain this way.”

    He also requested that there “be no unnecessary speculations about this now”.

    DG ISPR on Thursday briefed the media on an Indian “high-speed flying object” that fell in Mian Channu, Khanewal district on Wednesday night.

    “It was a supersonic flying object, most probably a missile, but it was certainly unarmed,” he said.

    “On March 9, at 6:43pm, a high-speed flying object was picked up inside the Indian territory by Air Defence Operations Centre of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). From its initial course, the object suddenly manoeuvred towards Pakistani territory and violated Pakistan’s air space, ultimately falling near Mian Channu at 6:50pm.”

    “When it fell, it damaged civilian properties,” he said, adding that no loss of life was reported.

    “It is important to highlight that the flight path of this object endangered many international and domestic passenger flights — both in Indian and Pakistani air space — as well as human life and property on the ground. Whatever caused this incident to happen, it is for the Indians to explain. It, nevertheless, shows their disregard for aviation safety and reflects very poorly on their technological prowess and procedural efficiency,” he said, adding that this could have resulted in a major aviation disaster.

  • Maulana Parliament Lodges showdown: What happened in Islamabad last night?

    Maulana Parliament Lodges showdown: What happened in Islamabad last night?

    On Thursday (March 10), a heavy contingent of the police raided the Parliament Lodges to expel members of the Ansarul Islam — a volunteer force of the Jamat-e-Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) — who were invited to provide security to Opposition lawmakers.

    At least four legislators and more than a dozen Ansarul Islam volunteers were arrested during the operation. As per reports, MNA Maulana Jamaluddin, Salahuddin Ayubi, and spokesperson Mufti Abdullah were also arrested.

    After the release of JUI-F workers and lawmakers, Maulana Fazlur Rehman directed party workers to open the highways they had earlier blocked in protest against the police operation. He had set a deadline of 9am for the government to release arrested parliamentarians and party workers.

    In an audio message shared on Twitter, Maulana Fazl said there was “no need” to block the roads now since all parliamentarians and workers have been released.

    Addressing a press conference after the police action, Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed had said the Opposition was bringing “mobs” into parliament, adding that “no one is allowed to keep private militia”.

    The federal minister had said the government conducted “five-hour long talks with the Opposition” as Pakistan was not a “banana state”.

    “I have directed all chief secretaries and inspector generals to take those into custody who attempt to take the law into their hands.”

    Rasheed warned that no one should take the law into their hands, otherwise action would be taken

    Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry took to Twitter and said, “The Jamiat goons apologised by holding their ears and left. They are part of a specific mafia group that is working for their own interests.”

    Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Political Communication Dr Shahbaz Gill said that Maulana Fazl had been “making calls all night and asking for forgiveness and for his workers to be released so he could have some honour left”.

    Opposition Leader and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif said that raiding the residence of members of parliament was dictatorship and fascism.

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said that the attack on parliamentarians cannot be tolerated. “This police attack is proof that Imran Khan is panicking,” Bilawal said, “Imran Khan, enough is enough,” he warned.

    The incident happened just days after the Opposition filed a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan.

  • Israeli President visits Turkey to mend ties, Turkey calls it a ‘turning point’

    Israeli President Isaac Herzog met with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday for a one-day rare visit to Turkey in an effort to mend fractured ties between the two countries.

    Erdogan described the Israeli president’s visit as “historic” and “a turning point” in Turkish-Israeli relations. He said the country is ready to cooperate with Israel in the energy sector, revealing that the Turkish foreign and energy ministers will soon visit Israel.

    In a statement in Hebrew, Herzog said it is a great honour for both countries to lay the foundations of developing friendly relations between them.

    It is pertinent to mention that Ankara has close ties with Hamas. Despite the rare visit, Turkey has ruled out abandoning its commitment to supporting Palestinian statehood.

    Talking about Palestine, Erdogan said, “I underlined the importance we attach to the historical status of Jerusalem and the preservation of the religious identity and sanctity of Masjid Aqsa.” In response, the Israeli president said, “We must agree in advance that we will not agree on everything, that is the nature of relations with a past as rich as ours.”

    This is the first visit of the Israeli president to Ankara since 2007. In 2018, Ankara recalled its diplomats and ordered Israel’s envoy out of the country.

    The visit was made after Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s interview in which he called Israel a “potential ally” of the Kingdom.

    In 2020, two Gulf countries— Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates normalised ties with Israel.

  • Pakistan apologises to North Korea Embassy after police-conducted raid

    Pakistan’s Interior Minister, Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad has officially made an apology to North Korea after Islamabad police conducted a raid on the embassy on Monday evening.

    During a press conference on Thursday, Sheikh Rasheed said that incident happened due to some misunderstanding.

    He said, “We have apologised [to the North Korean mission, the incident had] happened out of misunderstanding.”

    According to Geo, the embassy has issued a letter to the Foreign Office and Inspector General of Police-Islamabad in which it stated that the police entered the embassy premises around 5 pm on Monday from the back door. They also threatened and harassed the staff. Police searched the storeroom at gunpoint when staff tried to stop them.

    The letter read, “The mission staff reminded them that premises are the embassy exercising the inviolable sovereign territory of DPR Korea and asked them to immediately stop this brutal act against the embassy.”

    According to the letter, the police also damaged property.

    Foreign Office spokesperson said in response, “They have also been informed that they cannot perform such a raid next time without having clearance from the Foreign Office.”

    Islamabad police spokesperson also apologised for the violation of the Vienna convention and will question the security personnel who were involved in the incident.

    He said, “We apologise for entering the embassy.” Police raided the North Korean embassy after receiving reports of having a large number of alcohol bottles on their premises.

  • PPP says viral BBZ meme video ‘kaampein taang rahi hain’ is edited

    PPP says viral BBZ meme video ‘kaampein taang rahi hain’ is edited

    Amidst all political chaos and unrest since the Opposition has submitted the no-confidence motion, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari is making headlines not just for his strong stance against Prime Minister (PM) Imran but for his slip of the tongue.

    Bilawal was speaking at a rally in Islamabad on Tuesday night to mark the end of a 10-day Awami March. “I am shaking Islamabad. Islamabad may kaampein taang rahi hai [Shivers are legging in Islamabad],” he said. He meant to say taangein kaamp rahein hain, but his slip of tongue led to a meme fest.

    However, PPP says that the video is morphed.

    https://twitter.com/sanjaysadhwani2/status/1501433117059567621?s=21

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on Wednesday delivered a fiery speech in Karachi against the Opposition. Taking a jibe at the PPP chairperson, PM Khan said, ” I request to you Zardari, for god’s sake teach your son Urdu.”

    Journalist Shahzad Iqbal, speaking on Geo News’ programme “Report Card” said, “If speaking good Urdu is the criteria for becoming a great politician or prime minister, then MQM’s Syed Amin-ul-Haque would have been the prime minister and Imran Khan would be his special assistant or advisor.”

    Meanwhile, here’s a look at some of the memes of Bilawal’s slip of tongue.

  • After Sindh, it’s time to win Punjab

    After Sindh, it’s time to win Punjab

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan will visit Lahore today as the Jahangir Khan Tareen (JKT) group builds pressure on Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar, demanding his removal from office, reports Geo News.

    The premier has called a meeting of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) parliamentary party in the provincial capital to seek assurance of the party members and address their grievances ahead of voting on the no-confidence motion.

    On Wednesday, CM Buzdar held back-to-back meetings in his office with provincial ministers and lawmakers, including those also present at the lunch hosted on Monday by former Punjab minister Aleem Khan ahead of his meeting with the Jahangir Tareen group.

    A six-member delegation of the Tareen group, led by provincial minister Nauman Langrial, discussed with Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi a possible no-confidence motion in the house and sought guidance whether the disgruntled members could submit such a motion or not. The group also sought the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid’s (PML-Q) support to remove the Buzdar government.

    Elahi and Tareen Group agreed to continue contacts for the betterment of the province and the people.

  • Junagadh state fated to get independence from India: Nawab Jahangir Khan

    Junagadh state fated to get independence from India: Nawab Jahangir Khan

    Nawab of Junagadh state, Nawab Jahangir Khan, and Dewan of Junagadh Shahibzada Ahmed Ali have said that the Junagadh state is fated to get independence from India.

    They addressed the students of the National University of Modern Languages (NUML) of Rawalpindi Campus on Tuesday, reports The Express Tribune.

    They also warned India that the princely state, Junagadh was and would continue a part of Pakistan.

    They dubbed the slogan of United India as the “biggest fraud”. They also appreciated and thanked Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan for including the state in the political map of Pakistan in 2020.

    They also suggested that the Junagadh issue be included in the educational curriculum to highlight the plight of the state.

    They claimed that the Hindu population of the state is also in favour of acceding with Pakistan.

    They also discussed during the session that India has occupied the land of Junagadh illegally despite the Muslim ruler’s agreement for annexation with Pakistan before partition.

  • ‘Remarks not helpful’: UK cancels big meetings with Pakistan to protest Khan’s stance on Russia

    ‘Remarks not helpful’: UK cancels big meetings with Pakistan to protest Khan’s stance on Russia

    Both the United Kingdom (UK) and Pakistan administrations have learned that the diplomatic relations at this point of time have cooled off to the extent that the UK government has cancelled two important visits after Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan met Russian President Vladimir Putin on the day Russia started assault of Ukraine and then PM’s blistering speech five days ago in which the prime minister said Western diplomats were treating Pakistan like slaves by pushing for tougher stance on Russia, reports Murtaza Ali Shah for The News.

    Pakistan’s National Security Adviser (NSA) Moeed Yousuf’s official visit to the United Kingdom for a meeting with UK’s National Security Adviser Sir Stephen Lovegrove was cancelled by the UK government to protest against Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to Russia, both Pakistani and the UK sources confirmed to The News.

    This week, a high-powered delegation of the UK administration was supposed to visit Pakistan for talks on various issues but that visit has been called off, said the UK government source to The News, who confirmed that the message was conveyed to Pakistan.

    The source shared that tensions are so heightened that the UK government called over UK’s High Commissioner to Pakistan Christian Turner for a briefing in relation to the new situation, including the UK-Pakistan relations. The source said Turner has briefed his government policy makers during the London briefings where the UK’s aid to Pakistan came under discussion too and a new policy in this regard will be announced soon.

    The UK government source shared that PM Imran Khan’s public condemnation of the European nations have caused unease amongst the countries, especially Britain, which has often supported Pakistan at various international forums.

    READ MORE: ‘Kya hum aap ke ghulaam hain?’ PM Khan slams EU ambassadors based in Pakistan

    The Pakistani source shared that Pakistan has decided to follow an independent foreign policy and PM Khan’s visit to Russia and his latest public statements are a reflection of Pakistan’s new approach. The source said Pakistan is not against any country and has the right to follow its own policies.

    On Sunday, PM Khan questioned European Union (EU) envoys in Pakistan for their letter asking Islamabad to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

    “Are we your slaves that you think we will do whatever you ask us to do?”

    PM should not have reacted publicly against EU, says Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin

    Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin on Wednesday said PM Khan should not have reacted “publicly” against the European Union in his recent speech where he lashed out at the bloc’s ambassadors for their “undiplomatic” statement asking Pakistan to condemn Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

  • PM Khan to visit Karachi today to meet MQM leadership

    PM Khan to visit Karachi today to meet MQM leadership

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan will visit Karachi today to meet its Sindh ally, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P).

    It is also being reported that PM Khan will attend a ceremony of the government’s Ehsaas Programme at National Stadium and meet PTI’s Sindh MPAs at Governor House.

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had also contacted Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) for scheduling a meeting of the party president with the premier.

    However, the president of the PML-F, Pir Pagara, would not be able to meet the premier due to his illness and other pre-planned engagements in his hometown.

    On Tuesday, PM Khan spent a rather busy day in the capital.

    Soon after the Opposition submitted its no-confidence motion in the National Assembly Secretariat, the PM met a number of digital journalists and stated confidently he was going nowhere.

    PM Khan told digital journalists he was confident his old friend, Jahangir Tareen, would never join the Opposition’s camp. “I know he will never join these thieves.”

    He also said there were “multiple foreign hands” backing the Opposition, adding that he was completely prepared to handle the political situation. “A captain doesn’t reveal his strategy all at once.”

    The premier said those who did not want an independent foreign policy were supporting the Opposition. He reiterated that the Pakistan Army would never support “these thieves” [Opposition leaders]. “The Opposition does not have the support of the people so they say the establishment is with us.”

    He remarked: “What will happen if the no-trust move does not succeed? A mind game is being played, and I am the master of mind games.”

     

  • Today’s highlights: Opposition submits no-confidence while PM remains unfazed

    Today’s highlights: Opposition submits no-confidence while PM remains unfazed

    A total of 86 lawmakers from the Opposition parties signed the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on Tuesday in an effort to oust the PM.

    Opposition leaders — Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif, and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman confirmed the submission in a joint press conference.

    The government’s current number of Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) stands at 179 while the Opposition has the support of 162 MNAs but they claim to have 186 members on their side.

    While addressing the conference, Zardari laughed when asked how many Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) assembly members are with him. He sarcastically said, “Naam bhi bata doon?” (Should I reveal the names also?)

    PM Khan remains unfazed

    PM Khan reportedly met with the Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) to discuss legal aspects after the Opposition’s submission of a no-confidence motion against him. Not only this, the premier also had a meeting with YouTubers, in which he made several claims. He said that the army stands with the government, it will never support thieves.

    “After this, nothing will happen against this government till 2028. The Opposition will face a humiliating defeat,” he added.

    PM Khan is all set to visit Karachi tomorrow (Wednesday).

    Will Shehbaz Sharif become the new PM?

    Addressing the ‘Awami March’, former President Zardari hinted that Shehbaz Sharif might become the new PM (if the no-confidence motion is successful). He said, “It is time we bring a Shareef admi to replace the prime minister.”

    Another PPP leader, Naveed Qamar, said that it is likely that Shehbaz Sharif will be the next prime minister.

    CM Buzdar resignation matter

    As per reports, Chief Minister (CM) Punjab Usman Buzdar presented his resignation to the PM but he didn’t accept the resignation and reportedly said that Buzdar will always be CM of Punjab. Buzdar also vowed that even if he is no longer CM, he will always stand by Khan.

    Moreover, there are several media reports which suggest that members within PTI aren’t really happy with Buzdar. Aleem Khan and Jahangir Tareen group said that the only way to move forward in Punjab is minus-Buzdar.

    Awami March reaches Islamabad

    PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s Awami March has reached Islamabad. In an exclusive interview with Hamid Mir on Geo News’ programme Capital Talk, Bilawal said that the capital’s police is blocking its party convoy. “Until the whole caravan is allowed to come with me, we will protest,” he said.

    Tareen-Aleem partnership

    Top leaders of the disgruntled Jahangir Khan Tareen (JKT) group, including PTI’s Aleem Khan, are going to London to meet Tareen.

    On Monday, Aleem Khan formally joined Jahangir Tareen’s group. Aleem said the aim is to “save” the party after “loyalists who had been integral in PTI’s 10-year struggle were sidelined without any reason.”

    In response, PM Khan claimed that Tareen would never support “thieves”.