News stories of Politics, for the topics that matter the most to young professionals and college students, political news reported with a different angle.
Nobel Peace Prize laureate and education activist Malala Yousafzai, during a conversation withDawn News programme, ‘Live with Adil Shahzeb’, said, “I wrote a letter to the prime minister about women’s rights in Afghanistan but so far have not received any response.”
Anchorperson Adil Shahzeb questioned Malala on girls’ education, a cause she has been advocating and supporting for years. Malala expressed her worry over the situation in Afghanistan.
“The current temporary restriction on girls’ education [in Afghanistan] shouldn’t turn out to be as long as in their (Taliban’s) first tenure [in the government], when the ban stretched for five years,” she said, adding that she feared something similar. “We don’t want a repeat of their previous rule.”
When asked about Pakistan’s role for girls’ education in Afghanistan, she said “I am very much hopeful that Prime Minister Imran Khan would … champion [the cause],” she said, urging him to push the Taliban to ensure female education and women’s rights in Afghanistan.
Speaking about the Taliban in general, the Nobel laureate said, “One should not differentiate between the good and bad [Taliban] as their thinking is the same — of repression [and] forcing their own laws,” further adding, “I do not see any justice system in their governance, but Islam is based on [the principles of] justice,” she said.
Inspector General of Punjab Police (IGP) Rao Sardar Ali on Wednesday called the situation alarming, saying it was a matter of serious concern that the violent protesters of the banned Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) were armed with weapons and opened straight fire on police, reports Dawn.
“We will not bow down and let the proscribed organisation play havoc,” said Sardar Rao.
“A banned organisation is dictating the government to devise the country’s foreign policy as per its (TLP) wishes forgetting that it was the sole domain of state authorities,” the IGP said.
“The TLP is a proscribed organisation and its armed men fired straight shots at police besides carrying out violent attacks,” he said.
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry on Tuesday in a hard-hitting press conference on TLP’s ongoing protests, said, “No one has the guts to blackmail the state.”
Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed said on Wednesday that the Rangers were being called in Punjab for 60 days to maintain law and order in the province.
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry in a hard-hitting press conference on Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan’s (TLP) ongoing protests, said, “No one has the guts to blackmail the state.”
“In today’s cabinet meeting, it was decided that such activities will not be tolerated. We will not tolerate those who challenge the writ of the state,” he said, adding that the Pakistani state had defeated major terrorist organisation such as Al Qaeda.
“No one should make the mistake of thinking that the state is weak. Those who made this mistake later realised they were wrong.”
“No one has the guts to blackmail the state. We have acted in a restrained manner and not once used power. This is a matter of respect for our country and the safety of every citizen,” added Fawad.
Warning the people spreading fake news on the matter, Fawad said, “We will come hard on you. And this will not be tolerated.”
The minister’s remarks came as fresh violence erupted between law enforcers and TLP supporters near Sadhoke in Punjab’s Gujranwala district on Wednesday. At least four policemen were martyred and dozens injured.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that the government will not allow anyone to take the law into their hands, reports Geo News.
“The government will not allow violence for political purposes,” PM Khan.
“The government and the state are on one page regarding the protests, the protesters will be dealt with severely if they try to enter Islamabad,” said the premier.
On the other hand, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said, “If Imran Khan’s sit-in was legitimate when the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was in the Opposition, then why isn’t TLP’s long march justified.”
Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan’s (TLP) leader Syed Sarwar Shah Saifi on Wednesday said, “Sheikh Rasheed lied yesterday that matters have been resolved. He also lied about contact [with us] at 8 pm — from them till now no government official, including Sheikh, has contacted [us],” reports Dawn.
In a statement issued by the group’s central committee, TLP said, “Let the entire nation see the malicious intent of the government.”
TLP said its activists would now march onto Islamabad because their demands have not been met by the government.
Saifi said, “Are these claimants of the state of Madina unable to respond to France? Have they become so enslaved to the Jews and the Christians?”
“Don’t lie to the nation. No negotiations are being done with us. The government is not sincere in negotiations but if more blood is shed now, revenge will be taken,” the statement said.
Saifi said the demands would increase if more blood was spilt and the nation would be “rid of this dishonest, lying and hypocritical government”. He said it would be better if the agreement was abided by and TLP chief Saad Hussain Rizvi was released so the group could go back.
“We accept all other conditions of the banned TLP. They promised us that they will open all blocked roads but we are waiting for them to open the routes,” said Rasheed, adding that the only issue between the government and TLP is the French ambassador matter. “Otherwise we don’t have any reservations with their conditions.”
“TLP’s demand of expelling the French Ambassy and Ambassador has a lot of complications attached to it. We are the largest nuclear force in the Islamic world. The world is conspiring to sanction us,” said Rasheed.
The Punjab Assembly unanimously passed a resolution to include ‘finality of Prophethood’ in the Nikkahnama ( Marriage Certificate), reports Geo News.
The resolution was jointly tabled by Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid’s (PML-Q) Khadija Omar, Bismillah Chaudhry, and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Maulana Ilyas Chinioti.
Besides this, the University of Lahore (UOL) Amendment Bill, Rashid Latif University were introduced in the Assembly to the concerned committees.
Saudi Arabia has agreed to revive its financial support to Pakistan, including about $3 billion in safe deposits and $1.2bn to $1.5bn worth of oil supplies on deferred payments, reports Dawn.
The news was first broken by Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry. The minister took to Twitter and wrote, “Saudi Arabia announcement support Pakistan with 3 billion US dollar as deposit in Pakistan central bank and also financing refined petroleum product with 1. 2 billion us dollars during the year.”
Breaking news Saudi Arabia announcement support Pakistan with 3 billion US dollar as deposit in Pakistan central bank and also financing refined petroleum prodcut with 1. 2 billion us dollars during the year https://t.co/z2izW1avIThttps://t.co/z2izW1avIT
Energy Minister of Pakistan, Hammad Azhar confirmed the news and tweeted, “The Saudi Development Fund has generously announced for Pakistan an oil deferred payments facility of $1.2bn/annum and a $3 bn deposit with SBP. This will help ease pressures on our trade & forex accounts as a result of the global commodities price surge.”
The Saudi Development Fund has generously announced for Pakistan an oil deferred payments facility of $1.2bn/annum and a $3 bn deposit with SBP. This will help ease pressures on our trade & forex accounts as a result of global commodities price surge.
Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan thanked Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman for supporting Pakistan with the deposit in the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and extending the oil facility on deferred payment.
I want to thank HRH Prince Mohammad bin Salman for supporting Pak with $3 bn as deposit in Pak’s central bank & financing refined petroleum product with $1.2 bn. KSA has always been there for Pak in our difficult times incl now when world confronts rising commodity prices.
The facility is expected to help Pakistan convince the International Monetary Fund (IMF) about its financing plan.
The news came after PM Khan’s three visit to Saudi Arabia, where he went to attend the launch ceremony of the Middle East Green Initiative (MGI) Summit in the capital Riyadh.
Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed, while speaking at a press conference about the banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan’s (TLP), said: “We cannot expel the French ambassador as demanded by the TLP.”
“We accept all other conditions of the banned TLP. They promised us that they will open all blocked roads but we are waiting for them to open the routes,” said Rasheed, adding that the only issue between the government and TLP is the French ambassador matter. “Otherwise we don’t have any reservations with their conditions.”
“TLP’s demand of expelling the French Ambassy and Ambassador has a lot of complications attached to it. We are the largest nuclear force in the Islamic world. The world is conspiring to sanction us,” said Rasheed.
“Our economic conditions are in front of you. France leads Europe and all European countries are standing with France,” added the minister.
He said the government is “waiting for them to stick to their word”.
Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan issued a notification on October 26 for the appointment of a new director-general (DG) of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency. Lt Gen Nadeem Ahmed Anjum has been appointed as the new DG ISI and will take charge on November 20.
Notification for the appointment of the General Officers
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa called on Prime Minister Imran Khan today.
The meeting was part of the ongoing consultation process between the premier and army chief about the timing of change of command in ISI and selection of the new DG ISI.
Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa called on Prime Minister @ImranKhanPTI today.
The meeting was part of the ongoing consultation process between the Prime Minister and Chief of Army Staff about the timing of change of command in ISI and selection of the new DG ISI.
During this process, a list of officers was received from the Ministry of Defence. Prime Minister interviewed all the nominees. A final round of consultation was held between the Prime Minister and Chief of Army Staff today.
After this detailed consultative process, the name of Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum was approved as the new DG ISI.
The designated DG ISI shall assume charge on November 20.
October 12: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry on Tuesday confirmed the meeting between PM Khan and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, and said, “PM Khan is the authority in appointing the DG ISI,” further adding that “all legal methods will be adopted in the appointment of the new director-general”.
However, rumours started circulating that PM Khan wanted Lt Gen Faiz Hameed to continue serving as the spymaster for some time due to the critical situation in neighbouring Afghanistan.
October 14: PM Khan convened an emergency meeting of the ruling party’s parliamentary group at Parliament House. Journalists questioned PM Khan about the appointment of the DG ISI. PM Khan did not answer the questions but laughed in response.
Prior to this, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-chairperson and former President Asif Ali Zardari, made an appearance before an accountability court in Islamabad today, where journalists questioned him about the appointment of DG ISI and he responded with laughter as well.
October 15: Fawad told the media that the notification regarding the appointment of the new DG ISI would be issued in two to three days.
News started circulating that PM Khan would take interviews of the potential candidates for the appointment of the new DG ISI and that a new summary with names of candidates for the position of ISI chief had been sent to the Prime Minister. Fawad denied the news and said, “Prime Minister Imran Khan will just meet all candidates (for the slot of DG ISI).”
October 19: Fawad said, “All the matters have been resolved” and announced that the notification of the new DG ISI would be issued this week.
“It [Opposition] is thinking that there are some differences between the government and security institutions but its euphoria is gradually fading,” said Fawad.
A Palestinian woman on Monday resisted Israeli police trying to push her from her son’s tombstone, located at the Al-Yusufiye cemetery in East Jerusalem, as she tried to hug it, reports Anadolu Agency.
In the video, Alaa Nababta can be seen throwing her body on the ground near her son’s grave and crying.
Palestinian mother is forcibly pulled from her son’s grave by Israeli occupation forces while trying to protect it from being bulldozed. Israel has been demolishing Muslim graves to build a park in Al Yusufiye Cemetery, in occupied East Jerusalem pic.twitter.com/UX63KzpPDc
“You will only exhume my son over my dead body,” she told the Israeli police who were unable to stop her from reaching her son’s grave.
Nababta while talking to Anadolu Agency said that the Israeli authorities are after Palestinians in the city “whether they are alive or dead.”
“Here is our cemetery, where else do we bury them?” asked Nababta.
She added: “Every day we come here fearing that the grave will be bulldozed.”
“As a mother, what do you think my feelings will be when I watch them try to raze my son’s grave? Pain, pain, and heartbreak.”
On Monday, the Israeli municipality crews in Jerusalem and the Israeli Nature Authority, to establish a Jewish national park, renewed razing a part of the Al-Yusufiye cemetery, located near the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Dozens of Palestinians whose family members have been buried in the area for centuries arrived in the cemetery, fearing that the graves of their relatives will be razed.
Inflation in Pakistan has broken a 70-year record in the last three years, with food prices doubling, while the prices of ghee, oil, sugar, flour, and poultry have reached historic levels, reports The News.
According to the Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS) report, electricity rates have increased by 57 per cent from Rs 4.06 per unit to at least Rs 6.38 per unit, from October 2018 to October 2021.
“By the first quarter of October, the price of an 11.67 kg cylinder of LPG had gone up by 51 per cent from Rs1,536 to Rs 2,322. Similarly, the price of petrol had gone up by 49 per cent in three years from Rs 93.80 per litre to Rs138.73 per litre,” says the report.
“The price of edible ghee increased by 108 per cent to Rs 356 per kg.”
“Sugar has increased by 83 per cent in three years and the price of sugar sold at Rs 54 per kg exceeded Rs100,” according to the report.
“The price of a 20 kg bag of flour has gone up by 52 per cent to Rs1,196 in three years.”
“The price of chicken remained at Rs 252 per kg from October 2018 to October 2021, however, chicken meat is being sold at Rs 400 per kg in the markets.”
“The cost of chicken eggs has also increased by 47 per cent to Rs170 per dozen.”
