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.

  • Malala’s picture in Punjab textbook causes uproar

    The Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board (PCTB) confiscated an Oxford University Press (OUP) social studies book for grade 7 on Monday for including Malala Yousufzai’s picture alongside that of 1965 war hero Maj Aziz Bhatti Shaheed in a list of significant personalities, Dawn News has reported.

    Malala’s picture was published on page 33 of the book among other personalities, which includes, Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, national poet Allama Iqbal, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Liaqat Ali Khan, legendary philanthropist Abdul Sattar Edhi, Begum Raana Liaquat Ali Khan, Nishan-e-Haider recipient Major Aziz Bhatti Shaheed.

    The book has already been distributed in various educational institutes across Pakistan.

    As per Dawn News’ sources, police and other agencies were conducting raids on shops across the city late at night to confiscate copies of the book for publishing Malala’s picture besides that of Aziz Bhatti.

    A team of officials conducted a raid at OUP office located in Gulberg, Lahore, and confiscated the entire stock of the book that had Malala’s picture in it, giving the reason that the book had not been issued a No-Objection Certificate (NOC).

    One of the publishers, while talking to Dawn, said, “The Oxford University Press has published the book despite not being issued the NOC.”

    https://twitter.com/arshdchaudhary/status/1414586420233134083?s=21

  • Afghan Taliban want China’s friendship, say will not interfere in Chinese affairs

    After seizing about one-third of Afghanistan’s districts, the Taliban this week swept through the northeastern Badakhshan province, reaching the mountainous border with China’s Xinjiang region, reports The Wall Street Journal.

    These days, the Taliban go out of their way to ease China’s concerns, eager to secure Beijing’s acquiescence to their rule.

    “The Taliban want to show China goodwill,” said Qian Feng, head of research at the National Strategy Institute of Tsinghua University in Beijing. “They hope that China can play a more important role, especially after America pulls out its troops.”

    With the American military withdrawal nearly complete, China is also becoming increasingly powerful in the Central Asian states that border Afghanistan to the north.

    “We care about the oppression of Muslims, be it in Palestine, in Myanmar, or in China, and we care about the oppression of non-Muslims anywhere in the world. But what we are not going to do is interfere in China’s internal affairs,” said a senior Taliban official in Doha, Qatar.

    Another official, Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen, pointed out that the Islamist group pledged in the February 2020 Doha deal with Washington to not let the country’s territory be used against other nations and to not accept any refugees or exiles outside the framework of international migration law.

    “We will not allow anyone whether it is an individual or an entity — to use the soil of Afghanistan against the United States, its allies, or any other country, and that includes China,” Shaheen said.

    While caring about the plight of the Uyghurs of Xinjiang, the Taliban will seek to help their fellow Muslims through political dialogue with Beijing, he added. “We do not know the details. But if we have the details, we will show our concern,” he said. “If there are some problems with the Muslims, of course, we will talk with the Chinese government.”

  • NAB Karachi recommends registering reference against Hafeez Shaikh

    NAB Karachi recommends registering reference against Hafeez Shaikh

    National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Karachi on Monday recommended the NAB headquarters to register references against former finance minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, former Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Abdullah Yousuf, and others in a case related to alleged abuse of power.

    Shaikh and Yousuf are accused of causing a loss of $11.125 million to the national kitty while being in power, reports ARY News.

    The decision to recommend reference against Abdul Hafeez Shaikh and Abdullah Yousuf was taken in a regional board meeting of NAB Sindh. It was recommended that the registration of the two corruption references and the transformation of two complaints into inquiries.

    Shaikh is facing alleged corruption charges in a case pertaining to illegal payment of US$10 million from the national exchequer during his previous tenure as the finance minister.

  • Memes: Where has Nawaz Sharif ‘been’?

    Memes: Where has Nawaz Sharif ‘been’?

    A photoshopped picture of Nawaz Sharif, which was allegedly tweeted by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice president Maryam Nawaz, has led to a meme fest on social media. The tweet has now been deleted.

    Special Assistant to Prime Minister Imran Khan, Dr Shahbaz Gill, shared a screenshot of the deleted tweet that was a combo photo of Maryam and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, reports Dawn.

    The picture on the left shows Maryam, who is leading the party’s election campaign in Azad Kashmir, standing at a picturesque spot in Keran, Neelam Valley and the picture on the right shows her father Nawaz — who has been in the UK since November 2019 — standing at the same exact spot. The tweet reads: “Ties with Kashmir are very old”.

    Twitterati is using the screenshot to create funny memes by inserting Nawaz into far-fetched scenarios.

    Memes with Nawaz in space to his screenshot in Money Heist left everyone laughing.

    So where all has Nawaz ‘been’?

    https://twitter.com/Ch_danishh/status/1414466077929742339
    https://twitter.com/FaisiMalik_/status/1414478684350726145

    Nawaz Sharif also made an appearance in the Euro 2020 final.

    Nawaz was also seen present in a meeting between PM Khan and Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

    A special appearance in PM Imran Khan’s oath-taking ceremony.

    https://twitter.com/ChTanveerashraf/status/1414479664391806981

    Cricket match with the King of memes himself.

    https://twitter.com/Alisaifch150/status/1414471293135642626
  • VIDEO: Gun-touting man caught in Islamabad

    VIDEO: Gun-touting man caught in Islamabad

    A man wielding a gun was arrested from outside the Parliament House in Islamabad on Monday.

    Footage shows the man walking on the main road, waving a pistol in one hand and what seemed like a knife in the other. Several security officials appeared to surround him.

    Police said the arrested man was shifted to Secretariat Police Station and a pistol was confiscated from him.

    After arresting the suspect, police said the initial investigation revealed he is a 45-year-old man who lives in Rawalpindi’s Chakri area. 

    Police say the suspect is suffering from mental illness.

    Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said during a press conference that the weapon confiscated from the man had no bullets inside.

  • Bilawal not going to Washington during his visit to US

    Bilawal not going to Washington during his visit to US

    Pakistan People’s Party Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari will not visit Washington during his seven-day trip to the United States (US), clarified a top party leader on Monday. According to Geo News, Bilawal arrived in New York today after he departed for the US on Sunday. The news of his visit gave rise to the allegations from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) that the PPP leader was seeking a “backdoor deal” from Washington. 

    However, the PPP said that “puppet rulers” are afraid of Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s upcoming visit to the US and as a result, were spreading unnecessary rumours.

    After landing in New York, the PPP chairperson refused to speak to the media, saying he is on a “personal visit” to the US. 

    “When I come here next, in September, I will then speak to the press,” he said. 

    “Bilawal Bhutto will not go to Washington during his visit,” clarified PPP-USA President Khalid Awan. 

    Earlier this month, Special Assistant to Prime Minister Imran Khan, Dr Shahbaz Gill, said that Bilawal Bhutto will be taking his curriculum vitae (CV) to Washington.

    “He [Bilawal Bhutto] will say we are ready to do anything to come into power,” said Gill at a press conference in Karachi. “We will not allow such a deal and will not let Bilawal go the United States with any petitions.”

  • Twitter calls out PML-N’s Hina Butt for blaming the victims

    Twitter calls out PML-N’s Hina Butt for blaming the victims

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Hina Pervaiz Butt took to Twitter to comment on the Usman Mirza case. She ended up blaming the victims instead in a now-deleted tweet. In a harrowing video that went viral on social media, Mirza was seen torturing, harassing, and assaulting a young couple in Islamabad along with his accomplices.

    Hina Butt tweeted, “Why do young people go out and become victims of people like Usman Mirza?” She added that we also need to educate our children on why they become targets when they go out.

    Twitterati reacted to Butt’s tweet and called her out for blaming the victim.

    Natasha Kundi, a writer wrote, “According to her [Hina] young people go out and deliberately become victims …. so basically young people shouldn’t go out!”

    Lawyer Reema Omer said Butt’s take was no different from CCPO Lahore’s comments. She tweeted, “Why can’t we focus on criminal acts of the perpetrators instead of lecturing victims?”

    Singer and UNODC Goodwill Ambassador, Shehzad Roy, tweeted, “It is true that the oppressor should be severely punished, but it is very inappropriate to criticise the oppressed.” Roy further said that it is akin to blaming victims of a robbery by saying that the locks were not strong enough so it is their fault.

    A Twitter user showing his disapproval with PML-N’s leader’s statement compared her stance with CCPO Lahore Umar Sheikh’s comments in the Motorway rape case where he had blamed the victim.

    Journalist Zeb Aslam tweeted, “There is next-to-no difference between this and IK’s statement linking “modesty” and rape…a point that I hope both PMLN and PTI supporters can appreciate before leaping to defend their chosen leader.”

    After the backlash, Hina Butt deleted her tweet.

  • Operating trains not the functions of Pakistan Railways: Azam Swati

    Operating trains not the functions of Pakistan Railways: Azam Swati

    Railways Minister Azam Khan Swati has said that operating passenger and freight trains are not the functions of the Pakistan Railways since it has no capacity to provide better services, adding that it is actually the function of the private sector, reports Dawn.

    Speaking at the Rawalpindi Railway Station during the inauguration of the Sir Syed Express train, the minister said that Sir Syed Express was being “outsourced” as a “better rate” had been achieved through tendering.

    After outsourcing Sir Syed Express, more passenger trains, as well as freight trains, would be outsourced, he added.

    Swati said that with the outsourcing of the train, one chapter of the mission he had undertaken on the instructions of Prime Minister Imran Khan would be completed.

    Pakistan would build railways for Uzbekistan, he said, adding that Prime Minister Khan would visit the Central Asian country soon.

    Swati expressed his regret at two train accidents that had occurred during his tenure and pledged that the officials responsible for these accidents would be punished.

  • Court directs judicial officers to avoid using social media

    Court directs judicial officers to avoid using social media

    The Lahore High Court (LHC) has issued a code of conduct for judicial officers across Punjab, directing them to avoid using social media, reports Dawn.

    The instructions come days after Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti took oath as the 51st LHC chief justice.

    The court has taken notice of those displaying misconduct and asked officials to adhere to the given instructions.

    “A judicial officer is supposed to lead a reserved social life, therefore, he should avoid using Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and such other social media applications,” the order said.

    It also barred judicial officers from being included in “unofficial WhatsApp groups” and other “social media modes”, along with sharing of “privileged” information. The use of mobile phones during court hours, apart from during intervals, was also prohibited.

    “Keeping and displaying a blue light on an official or private vehicle of any judicial officer, or putting green plates on private vehicles shall also amount to misconduct and shall be strictly dealt with.”

    It added that judicial officers were bound to strictly observe punctuality and wear an official uniform.

    The court warned that if a judicial officer is found violating the instructions issued, strict disciplinary action will be taken and the misconduct would also be added to their personal file, which will be considered during the time of their promotion.

  • ‘Girl had come to take her exams’: SSP Islamabad on the Usman Mirza case

    Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Investigation Atta-ur-Rehman has shared details about the girl and the boy who were harassed by Usman Mirza and other culprits. He shared the details in TV programme, ‘Mad-e-Muqabil’ with anchorpersons Rauf Klasra and Amir Mateen.

    The police officer said that they traced the couple and reached out to them for investigation and assured them that the state, media and people are with them and asked them to cooperate, after which the couple recorded their statement.

    He further shared that the girl was from Lahore, and she came to Islamabad to give an exam, and the boy present in the video was her fiance who helped her with the accommodation by asking his friend for his apartment for a day.

    Usman Mirza and gang showed up at the apartment when the boy stepped out to buy groceries and harassed the girl. The police say they will try to take the case to its logical conclusion.

    SSP, while answering a question, said that Usman Mirza was allegedly drunk and he was armed, which is why it was difficult for anyone to rescue the couple.

    The incident happened in November last year probably, shared SSP Atta-ur-Rehman, adding that the couple got married later with the consent of both families.

    A video went viral on social media recently in which Usman Mirza was seen torturing, harassing, and assaulting a young couple in Islamabad along with his accomplices. Mirza was arrested after the video went viral. His accomplices have also been arrested.