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.

  • What’s the price tag on security, protocol for judges?

    What’s the price tag on security, protocol for judges?

    Journalist Absar Alam on his show Mere Sawal yesterday revealed the details of perks and privileges used by Pakistan’s judiciary, even though it is 130th out of 142 countries in the Rule of Law index by the World Justice Project (WJP).

    Absar stated that this week, a standing committee of the National Assembly revealed some details about the cars and security used by the judiciary.

    Before delving into the details, Absar recalled former CJP Saqib Nisar’s April 2018 order suspending the security of all VIPs, remarking, “Whoever is afraid of anything, they should leave the country.”

    Absar continued, “But now there are 34 security cars for judges, 409 security personnel in just Islamabad costing about 3 crores and 68 lacs each month”

    “6 cars and 79 security individuals for bureaucrats; likewise, there are 4 cars and 41 security people for ministers,” stated Absar.

    The journalist pointed out that the planned vacations taken by the judiciary of Pakistan are a colonial legacy when the British judiciary couldn’t bear the harsh weather of the Indian subcontinent. However, it still continues to this day by the honourable judiciary of Pakistan.

  • PTI office raid revealed Gen Faiz’s role in facilitating PTI, alleges Omar Cheema

    PTI office raid revealed Gen Faiz’s role in facilitating PTI, alleges Omar Cheema

    Journalist Omar Cheema revealed last night on his YouTube channel, Omar Cheema Exclusive, that when authorities raided the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretariat last month, they found evidence of former spymaster Lt Gen (retd) Faiz’s “role in facilitating PTI.”

    On July 13, former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lieutenant General (retd) Faiz Hamid was taken into custody by the army over allegations of land grabbing and snatching valuables from the owner of a private housing society

    Omar alleged, “Gen Faiz was connected to PTI leadership and trained them to bypass intelligence agencies’ supervision because he was the inside man.”

    The journalist further claimed, “The problem that the army is facing is the involvement of its own people with PTI. And the leader of all these internal dissenters is Gen Faiz.”

    He stated that the founder of PTI, Imran Khan, was getting some facilities in jail that nobody could explain until now.

    Cheema claimed that the Top City Case in which Gen Faiz was found guilty was just for optics, while the real reason was his cooperation with PTI and Imran Khan.

    “This is a big setback for Imran Khan because his biggest supporter has been arrested,” said Cheema.

    He said this indicates where the relationship between the army and the PTI is going.

  • Imran warns of protests if Chief Justice Pakistan given extension

    Imran warns of protests if Chief Justice Pakistan given extension

    Chairman Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan has warned of a nationwide protest if the government attempts to extend the tenure of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faiz Isa.

    The former Prime Minister has said that protests will be held if the CJP-led bench fails to implement the verdict on reserved seats.
    The former premier alleged that the CJP and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) worked together, with the military supporting them, while talking to the media in Adiala jail.

    Mr Khan further said: “All these things have been witnessed in Pakistan as well. Before elections, a crackdown was launched against the PTI on the pretext of May 9 violence”, while terming the situation in Pakistan worse than Bangladesh.

  • ‘Waade, tarle, minnaten,’ What did Gen Faiz do to become the next Army Chief?

    ‘Waade, tarle, minnaten,’ What did Gen Faiz do to become the next Army Chief?

    The arrest of former spy master General (retd) Faiz Hameed came as a surprising development on Monday evening, taking most analysts by surprise. Geo’s Shahzeb Khanzada asked the Defence Minister of Pakistan, Khawaja Asif, whether Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hamid sent messages to Mian Nawaz Sharif about his ambitions of becoming the army chief. In reply, Asif revealed, “He offered numerous assurances to Mian sb and was constantly sending messages in a bid to gain power.”

    “I cannot even tell you what kind of promises and oaths he undertook to assure them [Nawaz Sharif] – all in the lust of power and ambition,” said Asif.

    Asif lamented that when “people become blind in a bid to get power, it always ends badly,” referring to the detention of the former spymaster and court martial proceedings against him for misuse of authority.

    “They [General Bajwa & General Faiz] resisted till the last moment when the government appointed General Asim Munir. General Bajwa presented many options for the next COAS while General Faiz was campaigning for himself. Bajwa had abandoned Faiz in the last days,” revealed the defence minister.

    Khawaja Asif also stated that Faiz Hameed was involved in political events following his retirement in 2022.

    “Knowing him a little bit, he never refrains from muddling the waters. Especially [in Faiz’s case] a person who has exercised unlimited power and he has to take the back seat,” he said.

    “We can say he [Faiz] had the role of strategic adviser in the May 9 events. I can’t say that with certainty but the events and circumstances are pointing towards him,” he added.

  • Regime change ‘America’ ki sazish hai, Shiekh Hasina

    Regime change ‘America’ ki sazish hai, Shiekh Hasina

    Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister (PM) Shiekh Hasina has accused the US of being involved in the regime change in Bangladesh.
    According to NDTV, before leaving the country, Hasina wanted to address the nation but couldn’t because protestors stormed her official residence.

    Hasina shared details of her undelivered speech with close associates in India.
    A letter accessed by NDTV reveals, “I resigned so that I did not have to see the procession of dead bodies. They wanted to come to power over the dead bodies of students, but I did not allow it’’.
    Hasina wrote that she could have remained in power if she had “surrendered the sovereignty of Saint Martin Island and allowed America to hold sway over the Bay of Bengal.”

    “I beseech the people of my land, please do not be manipulated by radicals.”

    It also further added: “Maybe if I had stayed in the country, more lives would have been lost. I have removed myself. You were my strength and did not want me, so I left. I have lost, but the people of Bangladesh have won, the people for whom my father and my family died’’.

  • Audit report reveals illegal hiring in PTA causing over Rs45 million loss

    Audit report reveals illegal hiring in PTA causing over Rs45 million loss

    The Auditor General of Pakistan’s annual audit report for 2023-2024 has revealed significant irregularities in the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), leading to a loss of over Rs 45million, Samaa reported.

    The report stated that illegal recruitment in the PTA during financial year 2022-23, including two assistant directors and one IT officer, took place without the presence of any relevant job posts.

    Generally, government job vacancies appear as advertisements in the newspapers but most recruitments in the PTA did not adhere to established criteria.

    The audit report highlighted that the PTA has paid Rs 45.9 million in salaries and perks to these alleged illegal recruitments.

  • Students ‘inciting violence’ can face cancellation of their identity cards, passports

    Students ‘inciting violence’ can face cancellation of their identity cards, passports

    The Interior Ministry has announced that strict measures will be taken against students involved in or promoting violent activities, including their names being added to the Fourth Schedule.

    According to Section 11EE of the ATA, the Fourth Schedule is to include “any person who is an activist, office-bearer or an associate of an organisation kept under observation … or proscribed … or … affiliated with any group or organisation suspected to be involved in terrorism or sectarianism.”

    If an individual’s name is added to the Fourth Schedule, many of his/her constitutional rights are suspended, such as the cancellation of the identity cards and passports, prohibition from leaving their city, and denial of character certificates from any educational institution.

    The notification issued by the Interior Ministry emphasised that departments should be ready for action against potential troublemakers, The News reported.

    Last week, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) announced that it would launch a movement for the restoration of the Constitution and revival of the student unions in the country.

  • ‘Interviews have begun for technocratic setup,’ Sheikh Rasheed claims

    ‘Interviews have begun for technocratic setup,’ Sheikh Rasheed claims

    Former Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed has claimed that a technocratic setup may take over by September 20 this year because “interviews have begun.”

    Rasheed, while talking to the media outside Adiala Jail, lamented, “It has been two years and 14 cases have been filed against me, but I’ve received no challans yet.”

    The former Interior Minister described his feelings saying, “They said I’ve lost 40kg weight. I never thought the Gate No 4 people would pick me up. The police took our women’s jewellery, my watches and shoes too.”

    He requested the people with whom he had a “decades long relation” and the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir to declare amnesty.

    Sheikh Rasheed further stated, “August 31 is significant; the government is packing its bags. Technocratic government can come by September 20, and whatever happens, it will be bad.”

  • Government to introduce 5-year economic plan under supervision of British economist Stefan Dercon

    Government to introduce 5-year economic plan under supervision of British economist Stefan Dercon

    A five-year economic plan for the development of Pakistan’s struggling economy has been prepared under the supervision of Belgian-British economist Stefan Dercon. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is likely to launch it on August 14.

    Geo News reported that the proposed economic plan has been named the Stefan Dercon plan. It contains target of 6 percent annual economic growth target by 2028.

    The ambitious plan also emphasises on structural reforms to take the export target to $60 billion by 2028.

    The proposed plan prioritises the promotion of private investment and the increase in exports. The successful implementation of reforms is estimated to create one million employment opportunities annually.

    According to the Dercon Plan, the proposed plan’s results would be fairly visible by 2028, one year after the IMF programme ends.

    “The failure of structural reforms for growth in Pakistan is not due to a lack of ideas, but a lack of political will to implement these reforms,” warns the draft report.

    It also warns that Pakistan won’t get chances like this; therefore, the opportunity must not be wasted.

  • Political stability cannot be achieved with rigged elections, says Shahid Khaqan Abbasi

    Political stability cannot be achieved with rigged elections, says Shahid Khaqan Abbasi

    The Awam Pakistan (AP) party convener, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, has stated that political stability cannot be achieved in a country with rigged elections.

    “Every system in the world has been tried in this country, and now it’s time to turn to the Constitution,” the former Prime Minister said during the launch of the ‘Foundation and Vision Document’ event for the (AP) manifesto.

    “The country doesn’t function because no one adheres to their oaths,” he opined.
    While talking about the economy, he noted, “The state of the economy today is the same as it was ten years ago.”
    Abbasi mentioned that Independent Power Producers (IPPs) might be an issue, but the real problem is the economy’s failure.
    Former finance minister Miftah Ismail was also present at the event. He said the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award should be reviewed.

    “The government is providing Rs 109 billion to cover the losses of the railways. We bear these losses because the railways operate for the benefit of its employees and officers, not for the public,” he added