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.

  • ‘Overseas Pakistanis ki maujain’: Cabinet approves separate judicial system for expats

    ‘Overseas Pakistanis ki maujain’: Cabinet approves separate judicial system for expats

    Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry, while addressing a press conference after the cabinet meeting, said that Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has approved a separate judicial system for Overseas Pakistanis.

    Fawad shared that the cabinet has approved the formulation of a separate judicial system for the expats for summary trial.

    The minister further said that the implementation of the laws will come in accordance with PM Khan’s vision to facilitate overseas Pakistanis, who are a precious asset of the country.

    The federal minister further revealed that a similar judicial system will also be established in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, where PTI is in power.

    Fawad said that the administrative issues of courts should be dealt with in line with the view of the government.

    “Pakistan is facing an administrative crisis due to stay orders given by the courts,” said Fawad, adding that lawsuits are “cheaper in Pakistan than in the world”.

  • Gun blazing Journalist Mohsin Baig attacks FIA officials, resists arrest over remarks on PTI’s Murad Saeed

    Gun blazing Journalist Mohsin Baig attacks FIA officials, resists arrest over remarks on PTI’s Murad Saeed

    The Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) cybercrime wing and the police arrested Daily Jinnah and Online news agency Editor Mohsin Jamil Baig on Wednesday.

    According to details, the FIA Cybercrime wing raided the journalist’s house in the federal capital along with the police and took him into custody, confirmed Baig’s son.

    Baig’s son told Geo News that FIA officials in plainclothes came to the house earlier today and arrested his father.

    “Initially, we thought that they (FIA personnel) are thieves and opened fire in the air but later they introduce themselves as law enforcers. We also asked them to show arrest warrants but they didn’t have any. Meanwhile, a police party also came to our house.”

    It is pertinent to mention that Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) issued a show-cause notice to News One for airing “derogatory/demeaning remarks” about federal Minister for Communications Murad Saeed “without any editorial check” in a programme, ‘G for Gharidah’. Baig was part of the panelists on the show.

    The panelists were discussing the premier’s awarding of certificates to the top ten ministries over their performance in which Saeed’s ministry was awarded the first rank.

    Baig is blamed for initiating a debate on a television show with obscene references towards Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan and Murad Saeed.

    Anchorperson Gharida Farooqi asked the panelists on her show: “The Prime Minister seems satisfied with Murad Saeed. He is in the top position, what could be the reason?”

    Analyst Mohsin Baig responded, “The reason [for Murad Saeed being at the top place] is written in Reham Khan’s book. I don’t really know about the projects.”

    Meanwhile, it is being reported that Mohsin Baig was arrested after Murad Saeed filed a complaint against him.

    Renowned journalist Hamid Mir shared pictures of Baig’s house in the morning when the police and FIA officials surrounded his home in Islamabad, adding that Baig’s “arrest is a sign of weakness not strength of @ImranKhanPTI”.

    Journalist Hamza Salam tweeted, “Without any warrants or due cause, former PTI supporter #MohsinBaig has been arrested by FIA Cyber Crime reflecting the panic of the government in the wake of criticism.”

    Journalist Munizae Jahangir said, “We condemn the government for using law enforcement agencies to attack journalists in this manner.”

  • Govt drops petrol bomb, average car’s 35 litres now costs Rs 5,600 per litre

    Govt drops petrol bomb, average car’s 35 litres now costs Rs 5,600 per litre

    The government has increased the price of petrol by Rs12.03/litre, diesel Rs9.53/litre, kerosene Rs10.08/litre and light diesel oil (LDO) by 9.43/litre. The new rates will be effective from today (February 16) and will be revised at the end of the month.

    As per the press release issued by the Government of Pakistan’s Finance Division, the prime minister has considered the recommendation to increase the prices of petroleum products in line with changes in the international oil prices.

    The previous price of petrol was Rs147.83 per litre.

    According to Reuters, oil prices jumped to a seven-year high on Monday when the United States (US) warned that Russia could soon invade Ukraine.

    Russia is one of the world’s largest oil and gas producers, and fears that Russia could invade Ukraine have driven the rally in oil closer to $100 per barrel, a level not seen since 2014.

    Last month, PM Imran Khan rejected the summary of increasing prices of petroleum products in the public interest.

  • PM Khan says his five-year term will be successful if he ends poverty

    PM Khan says his five-year term will be successful if he ends poverty

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on Tuesday launched Raast person-to-person payment system for instant digital transactions.

    PM Khan, while addressing the audience, said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) got a second chance in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) because the party ended poverty in the province.

    “After five years, we were given a chance again in a province which provides a second chance to no one. A report of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) suggested that KP ended poverty the fastest,” said the premier, adding that we were given votes again because we ended poverty.

    “I will consider myself successful by the end of 2023 when my tenure is evaluated if I have ended poverty and lifted the poor,” said PM Khan.

    Sharing features of Raast, the premier said it would create ease for the common man, especially those who were afraid of going to banks because now they would be able to transfer money instantly through their mobile phones.

    In addition, the digital payment system would bring people into the formal economy, he said. “A country progresses when the saving rate increases, we have amongst the lowest,” he said, adding that people would have to become part of the formal economy if the country was to progress and the tax to GDP (gross domestic product) ratio would have to be increased.

    PM Imran said the government was reaching more people to bring them into the tax net, warning defaulters, “We are about to reach you because we are getting data very quickly.”

    Raast is part of Prime Minister Imran’s Digital Pakistan vision to include the poor segments of society in the formal economy. It has been developed by the SBP in collaboration with Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Karandaaz, Pakistan.

  • Petrol price likely to go up by Rs13 today, price at Rs160 per litre

    Petrol price likely to go up by Rs13 today, price at Rs160 per litre

    Petroleum prices are expected to increase across Pakistan from today (Tuesday) in the wake of Russia-Ukraine hostilities, reports Geo News.

    The price of petrol and fuel are likely to increase by Rs13 per litre and diesel by Rs18 per litre. The current price of petrol is Rs147.83 per litre, the price of High-Speed Diesel (HSD) stands at Rs144.62 and Light Diesel Oil (LDO) at Rs114.54 per litre.

    According to Reuters, oil prices jumped to a seven-year high on Monday when the United States (US) warned that Russia could soon invade Ukraine.

    Russia is one of the world’s largest oil and gas producers, and fear that Russia could invade Ukraine has driven the rally in oil closer to $100 per barrel, a level not seen since 2014.

    However, no official notification by the government has been released yet.

    Last month, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan rejected the summary of increasing prices of petroleum products in the public interest.

  • Supreme Court orders ECP to decide schedule for KP LG polls’ second phase today

    Supreme Court orders ECP to decide schedule for KP LG polls’ second phase today

    The Supreme Court (SC) has ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to take a decision by Tuesday (today) on the second phase of local government (LG) elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

    Initially, the second phase of LG polls in 18 districts of KP was to be held in the last week of January, but it was rescheduled by the ECP through a Dec 30, 2021 order on applications filed by local MNAs and MPAs.

    On Jan 20 this year, the ECP issued a notification announcing the holding of the second phase of LG elections in KP on March 27.

    But on February 1, the Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) Abbottabad bench had, in a verbal order, postponed the elections after accepting petitions of residents of five districts of KP on the grounds that these districts were expected to remain under snow in the last week of March due to heavy snow accumulation and, therefore, it would not be possible to set up polling stations.

    During Monday’s hearing, KP Advocate General Shumail Butt opposed the new election schedule, saying the ECP had not consulted the province before issuing the new election date. 

  • ‘I know India much more than rest of my own countrymen’: PM Khan

    ‘I know India much more than rest of my own countrymen’: PM Khan

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on Sunday said that no one in Pakistan knows India better than him. PM Khan was talking to CNN’s Fareed Zakaria about Pakistan’s relations with India.

    “I understand and know India much more than the rest of my own countrymen or probably all over the world,” said PM Imran Khan, adding that he has many friends in India.

    Racist RSS ideology has taken over India: PM Imran Khan

    “The moment my government came into power, the first thing I did was reach out to India. I told them [PM Narendra Modi] if he took one step forward, I would take two. Our only issue is Kashmir, and we should solve it like good neighbours on the dialogue table,” said PM Khan.

    “Unfortunately Fareed, there is a tragedy unfolding in India. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) ideology has taken over India. We are in this day of information technology. All we have to do is Google who are the founding fathers of RSS,” said the premier.

    “It’s a racist ideology which has taken over India. It’s an ideology that assassinated the great Gandhi. It’s very difficult to come to terms with the ideology,” said the prime minister.

    “We have made no headways. But my worry is Fareed that what is going on in India is much more damaging for India than for Pakistan,” added PM Khan.

    The only option the world has right now is to engage with the Taliban for things to move forward: PM Khan

     The premier further talked about Pakistan’s diplomatic relations with the new Taliban government in Afghanistan and the current state of the war on terror.

    PM Khan said that sooner or later, the Taliban will have to be recognised by the world as it is about the well-being and future of about 40 million Afghans.

    “Forty million people in Afghanistan are in dire straits because of the ongoing situation in the country,” the premier said, adding that the people of the United States (US) should understand that disliking the Taliban government is one thing but thinking about the welfare of the Afghans is another as they are facing “extreme difficulties”.

    “Afghanistan is on the verge of experiencing the worst humanitarian crisis,” PM Imran Khan said. “Considering the circumstances, is there any other alternative to the Taliban in Afghanistan? No, there isn’t.”

    “Therefore, the only alternative we have is to work with the Taliban government [for the sake of the Afghans] because turning the Taliban away would only lead to chaos in the country,” PM Imran Khan reiterated. 

    He went on to say that the US’ War on Terror (WoT) backfired and increased the number of terrorists worldwide, adding that because of the war, there had been extensive casualties in Pakistan as more than 80,000 Pakistani citizens lost their lives during the war.

    “Pakistan had to bear the brunt of the war in Afghanistan by witnessing numerous suicide attacks,” he said. “The US must reconsider its policy on carrying out drone attacks.”

    The situation in Xinjiang is not what the western media portrays: Premier

    When asked about China’s treatment of Uyghur Muslims, PM Khan said that Pakistan’s ambassador to China Moin ul Haq had visited Xinjiang and said that the situation over there is “not what the western media portrays”.

    The premier said that a comparison of Pakistan’s condemnation of India committing genocide of innocent people in occupied Kashmir and the issue of Xinjiang is not fair.

    “Occupied Kashmir is a disputed territory between Pakistan and India and India is ruled by an RSS ideology,” the premier said. “Until the Kashmir issue is resolved, the fear of war between the two nuclear powers will remain intact.”

  • Iran’s interior minister arrives in Pakistan

    Iranian Interior Minister Dr Ahmad Vahidi has arrived in Islamabad today (Monday), where he was received by his Pakistani counterpart, Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed.

    During the meeting between the two ministers, both sides also discussed suggestions to overcome terrorism and about the formation of a stable Afghanistan.

    Dr Ahmad has come for a day along with his nine-member delegation. He will meet Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan and other officials to discuss the issues of prisoner swap and Pakistan-Iran border management, reports Radio Pakistan.

    Last week, Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Nayef arrived in Pakistan on a day-long visit.

    The visit by the Iranian interior minister follows a string of militant attacks in Balochistan, which shares a long and porous border with Iran. 

  • Large mob lynches man over alleged blasphemy, PM Khan condemns

    Large mob lynches man over alleged blasphemy, PM Khan condemns

    A man was brutally tortured and killed by a violent mob when accused of allegedly burning pages of the Holy Quran in a village in Khanewal, Punjab on Saturday.

    The incident took place in a village called Mian Channu after Maghrib prayers. Thousands of people gathered after the announcement was made that a man had torn some of the pages of the Holy Quran and set them on fire in a mosque.

    People were not ready to tho listen to the mentally handicapped man who reportedly claimed innocence. People hanged him on a tree and then threw stones and bricks until he took his last breath.

    Local police came to the spot after receiving a call from a villager. They reached to arrest suspects but villagers started stoning them when they tried to release the man. The violent mob grabbed him from police’s custody and continued beating him.

    The victim’s elder brother revealed that the victim had been mentally ill for about 17 to18 years and was living with another brother in Karachi. He also had remained hospitalised for treatment but he could not recover. His wife also divorced him because of his illness. He had two sons and a daughter.

    He further added, “He went to buy some cigarettes and did not turn up till evening and they later learned that he was killed on blasphemy charges.”

    While talking to Dawn News, he claimed that neighbours also knew about his mental condition. He said that the violent mob stoned his brother to death in the presence of police and they did not protect his brother from the mob. He also complained that his brother’s fingers were missing after the frightful incident.

    Police claimed that they have arrested 85 suspects after they conducted more than 120 raids on Sunday.

    The police have registered two First Investigation Reports (FIR) for alleged blasphemy under Section 295-B of Pakistan Penal Code and the second one related to the lynching under Sections 302, 353, 186, 148, 149 of the PPC and Section 7A of Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

    Also Read: Sri Lankan factory manager tortured to death in Sialkot over alleged blasphemy

    Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Religious Harmony, Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi soon after arriving at Khanewal Circuit House, condemned the incident and said no one should take the law into their hands.

    He emphasised that there are laws to protect religion and against blasphemy. Such matters should be reported to the police and let them proceed under the law.

    Prime Minister, Imran Khan condemned the tragic incident on his Twitter. He ordered a detailed report from the Punjab police chief. He directed authorities to take strict against the perpetrators of the lynching incident.

    Human Rights Minister, Shireen Mazari also condemned the incident and asked the Punjab government to take strict action against the assailants involved.

    Netizens also criticised Mazari for not taking enough efforts to prevent such tragic incidents. They are saying that tweets are not enough to stop such brutality.

    Some users questioned the appreciation award which was given to Shireen Mazari by Prime Minister Imran Khan last week, and how it wasn’t well deserved.

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also strongly condemned the incident.

    “The tragedy of Mian Channu has once again humiliated the entire nation,” he said.

    The deceased victim was buried in Mian Channu on Sunday.

  • PTI says strict legal action will be taken against those who spread false news about Bushra Bibi

    PTI says strict legal action will be taken against those who spread false news about Bushra Bibi

    First lady Bushra Bibi’s friend Farah Khan refuted “rumours” that Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s wife was staying with her in Lahore after fighting with the premier.

    A few days ago, a journalist had claimed that Bushra Bibi had “gotten into a fight with PM Khan” and had left Bani Gala for Lahore to stay at her friend, Farah Khan’s house. The rumour soon started spreading on social media and WhatsApp groups.

    Speaking with Geo News, Farah Khan said, “I am surprised how someone made this up because Bushra Bibi has not visited Lahore in a long time.”

    “The first lady is still in Bani Gala with her husband and they have not had any fights,” she added.

    Farah Khan said that people’s personal lives should not be dragged into politics and condemned the “fake propaganda” spread about the first lady.

    Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) Imran Khan on Political Communication Dr Shahbaz Gill said that the government has approached the country’s courts against a journalist who issued “insulting and fabricated” statements about First Lady Bushra Bibi.

    Gill said that “strict legal action will be taken against those who spread false news about the first lady”.

    Gill also confirmed that both Bushra Bibi and Prime Minister Imran Khan are currently in Islamabad and that the rumours of a separation are completely baseless.