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.

  • US launches drone attack, killing ‘ISIS-K planner’ in Afghanistan

    US launches drone attack, killing ‘ISIS-K planner’ in Afghanistan

    The United States announced it carried out a drone attack in eastern Afghanistan against a “planner” of an Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant- Khorasan (ISIL/ISIS-K) group, after the attack outside Kabul’s airport that killed at least 175 Afghans and 13 US troops.

    “US military forces conducted an over-the-horizon counterterrorism operation today against an ISIS-K planner,” Captain Bill Urban, spokesperson for the US Central Command, said in a statement.

    “The unmanned airstrike occurred in the Nangarhar province of Afghanistan. Initial indications are that we killed the target. We know of no civilian casualties,” read the statement.

    The announcement did not identify the targeted individual but indicated that this could be the first of many counter-attack at the ISIS-K targets for Thursday’s terrorist attacks at the Kabul airport.

    The ISIS group had claimed responsibility for the attack, the group’s Amaq News Agency said on its Telegram channel.

    US President Joe Biden vowed to retaliate against Thursday’s attack in Kabul, saying that he will hunt down those responsible and make them pay.

    Biden confirmed in a speech from the White House that the bombings were carried out by the Islamic State in Khorasan Province, ISKP (ISIS-K), ISIL’s affiliate in Afghanistan.

    “To those who carried out this attack, as well as anyone who wishes America harm, know this: We will not forgive; we will not forget,” Biden said.

    “We will hunt you down and make you pay. I will defend our interests in our people with every measure at my command.”

  • Maryam Nawaz remembers her ‘rukhsati’, shares favourite pictures from Junaid’s wedding

    Maryam Nawaz remembers her ‘rukhsati’, shares favourite pictures from Junaid’s wedding

    PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz has shared her favourite photos from her son Junaid Safdar’s Nikkah in London and remembered her rukhsati.

    Maryam did not attend the ceremony in person but she attended it through a video call. She was one of the first people to share photos from the wedding on Sunday.

    She has now shared a collage of a photo of her daughter-in-law Ayesha Saif and one from her own wedding 29 years ago. Both of them have one person in common: Maryam’s father, Nawaz Sharif.

    She called the photo of Nawaz Sharif showing affection to Ayesha Saif her “favourite”.

    Earlier, Maryam took to Instagram to wish her son and daughter-in-law for a “blissful married life.”

    Junaid and Ayesha tied the knot at The Lanesborough in London. Photos of the venue had gone viral.

  • Taliban will not let Afghan soil be used against any other country: DG ISPR

    Taliban will not let Afghan soil be used against any other country: DG ISPR

    Director General (DG) Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Maj-Gen Babar Iftikhar on Friday, during a press conference in Rawalpindi, said that the Taliban have said they will not let Afghan soil be used against any other country and “we have to take them at their word”.

    The military spokesperson said Pakistan had already taken the necessary measures to guard the border and ensure security in the country, as the situation in war-torn Afghanistan moves at a rapid pace.

    Maj-Gen Iftikhar elaborated that Pakistan had reached out to Afghanistan on multiple occasions to formalise border mechanisms, as it was felt that was the answer to the instability existing along the Pak-Afghan border.

    “The political and military leadership in Pakistan had the foresight that something like this (Taliban takeover in Afghanistan) could happen. So, despite whatever has happened on that side (Afghanistan), the situation on the Pak-Afghan border is normal and under control.”

    “This does not mean nothing can happen but we are prepared and won’t be caught unaware,” he added.

    Pakistan had apprehensions that the situation would unfold in the way that it did and there could be a “spillover”, which is why it took the steps it did, he elaborated.

    So far, 113 flights — both military and commercial — have landed in Pakistan from Afghanistan, he added.

    “While we were involved in this war on terror during the last two decades, we have had three major escalations on the eastern border. At the peak of this period, there were more than 90 terrorist incidents taking place in a year in Pakistan.”

    “After two decades, we can say we have fought off the menace of terrorism very well with the whole-of-nation approach. All these operations are the epitome of insurmountable spirit and supreme sacrifice of the whole nation’s efforts.”

    Responding to another question, DG ISPR said there was no military-to-military contact with other countries for now. However, reports of India using wild animals to attack and conduct surveillance along the Line of Control (LoC) were “concerning”, he said.

    “I hope the world holds them responsible for stooping so low. We are aware of those surveillance means and taking our measures to counter that.”

    Replying to another question, he said that while there was “always a fear of a civil war” taking place in Afghanistan, the situation is volatile and nothing can be said about it as of now.

    “However, right now, there is no civil war in Afghanistan,” he said.

    He said that Pakistan is “hoping for the best” in terms of normalisation of the situation in Afghanistan but would not like to “speculate anything”.

  • At least 15 killed in fire at chemical factory in Karachi

    At least 15 workers of a chemical factory lost their lives after a fire broke out at a factory in Karachi’s Mehran Town on Friday, police and rescue officials told Dawn.

    Talking to Dawn, Korangi SSP Shah Jehan said that so far 15 bodies had been recovered from the factory.

    He said that the police had been informed that there were 25 people still stuck in the building, and feared that they may not have survived.

    According to a spokesman for the Pakistan Rangers (Sindh), the area had been cordoned off and Rangers officials were busy in relief efforts with rescue teams.

    The spokesperson said that the fire had started at a chemical factory in Mehran Town, adding that the fire was now under control and rescue efforts were underway.

    Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) Additional Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed said that 13 bodies had been shifted to the hospital so far.

    According to police officials, an Edhi volunteer, Saddam, 30, also sustained injuries while trying to extinguish the fire. The injured were also rushed to JPMC.

    Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah took notice of the incident and ordered the Karachi commissioner and the labour department to make a report. “How did the incident occur and what safety precautions were being taken,” he questioned.
    He also directed officials to provide the best possible medical aid to the injured and support to the families of the deceased.

  • Music to be banned in public in Afghanistan: Taliban

    Music to be banned in public in Afghanistan: Taliban

    In an interview with The New York Times, Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid confirmed that music in public will once again be banned in Afghanistan following the group’s rapid takeover of the country in recent weeks.

    He also addressed the issue of music in public, which was banned during the Taliban’s previous stint in power between 1996 and 2001, suggesting it will soon be prohibited.

    “Music is forbidden in Islam,” Mujahid said.

    “But we’re hoping that we can persuade people not to do such things, instead of pressuring them,” he said.

    Cassette tapes were destroyed and strung up on trees, according to The Associated Press.

    An exception was made for some vocal religious pieces, however. Afghan radio and TV stations have been playing only Islamic songs amid the Taliban takeover of the country.

  • ‘We will hunt you down and make you pay’: Biden reacts to 85 killed in Kabul blasts

    ‘We will hunt you down and make you pay’: Biden reacts to 85 killed in Kabul blasts

    Two suicide bombers and gunmen attacked crowds of Afghans at Kabul’s airport, transforming a scene of desperation into one of horror for those fleeing the Taliban takeover.

    At least 85 people were killed and dozens of others were wounded in the blasts on Thursday.

    Among the dead were 72 civilians and 13 United States (US) service members.

    One of the bombers struck Afghans standing knee-deep in a wastewater canal, throwing bodies into the fetid water.

    The second blast was at or near Baron Hotel, where many people, including Afghans, Britons, and Americans, were told to gather in recent days before heading to the airport for evacuation.

    The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL /ISIS) group, has claimed responsibility for the attack, the group’s Amaq News Agency said on its Telegram channel.

    US President Joe Biden vowed to retaliate against Thursday’s attack in Kabul, saying that he will hunt down those responsible and make them pay.

    Biden confirmed in a speech from the White House that the bombings were carried out by the Islamic State in Khorasan Province, ISKP (ISIS-K), ISIL’s affiliate in Afghanistan.

    “To those who carried out this attack, as well as anyone who wishes America harm, know this: We will not forgive; we will not forget,” Biden said.

    “We will hunt you down and make you pay. I will defend our interests in our people with every measure at my command.”

    Biden added that the US will continue the evacuations of American citizens and US allies despite the attack. “We will not be deterred by terrorists; we will not let them stop our mission. We will continue the evacuations,” he said.

  • PM Khan briefs nation on three years of Naya Pakistan

    PM Khan briefs nation on three years of Naya Pakistan

    Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday presented a charter of his party’s performance so far at the Jinnah Convention Centre in Islamabad.

    Talking about his career as a cricketer, PM Khan explained how his life as a sportsman, “where there are standing ovations one moment and curses the next”, prepared him for a life of struggles.

    “Until you go through struggles, you cannot do anything big,” the prime minister said. “No leader became big with a shortcut. Quaid-e-Azam was a big leader. He struggled in his life and people will always remember him [for that].”

    Mentioning Pakistan’s clash with India in the aftermath of the Pulwama incident, PM Khan thanked the army for effortlessly protecting the people of Pakistan.

    “I appreciate our army and air force. As they (Indian fighter jets) came into our territory and launched an offensive, we realised the [power] of our army,” said the premier.

    The premier blamed a “mafia” for defaming state institutions. “I also criticised the army in the past,” he said. “Judiciary and army also make mistakes but it doesn’t mean we should [expect] them to topple the democratic government.”

    “We know the Indian lobby is trying hard to defame Pakistan Army. They are implying that the Taliban won because of Pakistan Army.”

    “The NCOC (National Command and Operation Center) team comprising Asad Umar and Dr Faisal [Sultan] took great decisions and we survived the worst of Covid.”

    “In our tenure, Punjab’s anti-corruption has recovered Rs450bn so far,” he claimed. “NAB (National Accountability Bureau), in its 18 years before we came to power, had recovered Rs290bn and in the last three years, they recovered Rs519bn. All hue and cry are because of this reason.”

    The premier reminded his audience of the efforts made to “empower women” in rural areas and stressed the need to educate women, adding that “this is what we are trying to do”.

    “We are also working on inheritance laws to ensure women get their due share in the property,” he added.

  • PTI presents three years’ performance charter

    PTI presents three years’ performance charter

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) released the party’s performance since it came into power three years ago. The party under its manifesto of ‘Justice, humanity, and selflessness’ claims to have served the people of Pakistan.

    Diplomacy:

    From prioritising economic diplomacy to highlighting Kashmir’s cause on all international forums, Pakistan witnessed an increase in its global and regional relevance in the past three years.

    PTI in its past three years has been countering Islamophobia. The party has been a long-term facilitator of the peace process in Afghanistan.

    The party claims to be aggressively active in exposing the Hindutva Agenda.

    Ehsaas programme:

    The Ehsaas programme has emerged as the largest social protection programme in history by benefiting almost half of the country’s population. ‘Ehsaas Emergency Cash’ has been declared as the third largest social protection programme in the world.

    The World Bank has listed the Ehsaas Emergency Cash programme among the top four social protection interventions globally in terms of the number of people covered. The programme distributed cash among 15 million underprivileged families after they suffered financially due to Covid-19 related lockdowns.

    Education:

    As per PTI’s claims, the government has done revolutionary initiatives for the education sector.

    A uniform education system has been introduced in the country under the Prime Minister’s auspices. The Single National Curriculum (SNC) has been approved and made functional in the country for students from Grade 1 through 5. One system of Education for all, in terms of curriculum, medium of instruction, and a common platform of assessment so that all children have fair and equal opportunities when it comes to receiving a high-quality education.

    Climate Change:

    In the climate change battle, Pakistan has emerged as an inspiration to the world over the course of the last three years. Pakistan has devised peculiar strategies to deal with environmental challenges.

    Under the supervision of the Ministry of Climate Change, the PTI government has been devoted to protecting the environment. From working on ‘Pakistan Clean Air Program’ to ‘Sustainable Forest Management’, PTI praised itself for the work it has done in this department.

    Pakistan launched a number of initiatives including a landmark “10-Billion Tree Tsunami” project that earned global acclaim.

    Reformation:

    Completing its three years in power, PTI claims to have done tremendous work for the restoration of green belts of ICT, Anti-Encroachment Drive, enhanced capacity of Panah Gahs, online token tax payment, and claim that they are some of the major achievements of the Interior Ministry.

    Digital Pakistan:

    Taking credit for the digital transformation of state media project, initiated by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, in view of the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan for a Digital Pakistan, PTI states to have done landmark work towards the digitalisation and modernisation of state media.

    Electoral reforms:

    Electoral reforms, electronic voting, and the voting process for overseas Pakistanis have been major projects spearheaded by PTI. The party has successfully launched electronic voting to aid the process of having smooth and transparent elections.

    To promote transparency and prevent fraud in the elections, the government has developed a model of the electronic voting machine and submitted it for testing.

    The government states that it has done historic work to address the problems of overseas Pakistanis.

    Covid-19:

    Shining through its three years, PTI’s Ministry of Science and Technology helped manufacturing of agricultural and police drones, locally manufactured ventilators, PPAs, sanitisers, diagnostic kits, and biomedical equipment for Covid-19 protection.

    National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) led by Federal Planning Minister Asad Umar did a commendable job combating the deadly virus. Covid-19 exposed the terrible state of the health sector but NCOC managed to prop up systems on a war-footing to cope with the emergency.

  • Russian President Vladimir Putin calls PM Imran Khan

    Russian President Vladimir Putin calls PM Imran Khan

    Prime Minister Imran Khan received a telephone call from Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday (August 25).

    The two leaders exchanged views on the evolving situation in Afghanistan and bilateral relations.

    PM Khan stressed that a peaceful, secure, and stable Afghanistan was vitally important for Pakistan and regional stability. Besides ensuring safety, security, and protection of rights of Afghans, an inclusive political settlement was the best way forward.

    PM Khan also underscored that the international community must stay positively engaged in support of the people of Afghanistan, to help address humanitarian needs and ensure economic sustenance.

    PM Khan said highlighted the importance of coordinated approaches in addressing the evolving situation and noted that Pakistan attached high importance to the role of the Troika Plus format.

    PM Khan expressed satisfaction at the upward trajectory of Pakistan-Russia relations, with increased high-level exchanges and growing cooperation in diverse fields.

    He reiterated Pakistan’s resolve to strengthen trade relations as well as bilateral collaboration in the energy sector, including the early realisation of the Pakistan Stream Gas Pipeline Project.

    The two leaders agreed to closely cooperate within the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) for promoting regional peace and security.

    PM Khan reiterated his invitation to President Putin to visit Pakistan.

  • “Human Rights Watch’s statement based on gossip”, Pakistan challenges report on media bill

    “Human Rights Watch’s statement based on gossip”, Pakistan challenges report on media bill

    Pakistan responded to a dispatch by the Human Rights Watch (HRW) Associate Asia Director, Patricia Gossman, on the proposed media bill. Pakistan condemned the claims of the organisation and termed the statement “factually incorrect”.

    “The statement of Human Rights Watch is factually incorrect as there is no plan to introduce the regulatory body through an ordinance,” read the letter from Pakistan’s Embassy in Washington DC.

    The letter further added, “HRW is misled and its statement is based on hearsay and gossip.”

    “In the public interest, like other developed countries, we need to introduce holistic policy responses to the challenges of fake news, disinformation, hate speech, abusive content, privacy issues, copyright violations on the emerging information communication technologies.”

    The letter further states, “Hence, as per global best practices and independent regulatory body – Pakistan Media Development Authority is under consideration for addressing challenges and requirements for convergent media of the 21st century to make Pakistan a major global center for multimedia information and content services.”

    Patricia Gossman took to Twitter and wrote, “Wow. You have identified no inaccuracies in our article and you have failed to provide a draft of the law. What are you hiding?”

    https://twitter.com/pagossman/status/1430426802049196036

    Meanwhile, in its statement, HRW said, “The government claims an ordinance setting up the Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA) would replace the ‘fractured’ regulatory environment and fragmented media regulations currently in place. The proposed PMDA would bring all media in Pakistan – print, television, radio, films, and digital media – under one regulator.”

    The proposed law would also increase government control by allowing government officials to be appointed to key positions.

    With journalists under relentless attack for doing their jobs, the Pakistan government needs to stop trying to control reporters and instead start protecting media freedom, added HRW.