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.

  • ‘Shehbaz Sharif’s dinner had nothing to do with PDM’: Maryam Nawaz

    ‘Shehbaz Sharif’s dinner had nothing to do with PDM’: Maryam Nawaz

    PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz on Tuesday said her party president Shehbaz Sharif’s dinner had nothing to do with the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM). Shehbaz held a dinner on Monday for Opposition leaders, including those from the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Awami National Party (ANP).

    “He hosted the dinner as the leader of Opposition, as they had to devise a strategy for the budget session,” said Maryam. “Shehbaz Sharif is the Opposition leader [in National Assembly]. He hosted the dinner for parliamentarians. My presence was not needed,” she said when asked about her absence from the dinner.

    Maryam said PDM had not received any response from the PPP regarding the party’s return to the alliance. She said that when the PPP addresses PDM’s concerns, the alliance will deliberate over the matter.

    Meanwhile, PDM Secretary-General Shahid Khaqan Abbasi stated that there was no place for the PPP within the opposition alliance until it restored the trust it had broken.

    Speaking to the media in Islamabad, the PML-N leader said that  the opposition alliance was formed for a particular purpose. “If you are not committed to the movement, then there is no place for you within the PDM.”

    “The PPP can’t just rejoin the movement. They can only do so once they restore their trust in the PDM. The alliance does not have a revolving-door policy that you break its trust, leave the movement and try to come back again when you face difficulties,” added Khaqan.

    “The door is closed. The door will only open when you rebuild trust,” he said.

    Maryam Nawaz’s media talk

  • Punjab to vaccinate students of universities, medical institutions

    Punjab to vaccinate students of universities, medical institutions

    The Punjab government has decided to vaccinate students of medical colleges and universities, to ensure the safety of all and protection from the virus.

    The decision was taken during a meeting chaired by Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid. The government discussed a possible move to vaccinate people employed in 30 other sectors where the dangers of contracting the virus are high. 

    “Strict implementation of SOPs led to reduction in coronavirus tests. As of today, 901 cases emerged across the province. For the first time, less than a thousand cases have been reported across the province,” Dr Yasmin Rashid had said. 

    There is a total of 905,852 confirmed cases of Covid- 19 in the country, with a positivity rate of 4.8 per cent.

  • Protection of Journalists Bill

    Protection of Journalists Bill

    The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI ) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) have both prepared two bills for the protection of journalists in Pakistan.

    The federal cabinet in April approved two bills – the Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Bill, and the Forced or Involuntary Disappearance (Criminal Law Amendment) Bill.

    Meanwhile, the bill for the protection of media persons was presented in the Sindh Assembly by the PPP government. The bill enables the provincial government to take effective steps to ensure that every journalist and media practitioner’s right to life, safety and security as provided under Article 9 of the Constitution are safeguarded.

    The Freedom Network’s annual state of press freedom report released in April 2021 highlighted a dramatic escalation in the climate of intimidation and harassment of journalists and the media in Pakistan.

  • PPP to attend Shehbaz Sharif’s dinner today

    PPP to attend Shehbaz Sharif’s dinner today

    The PPP has decided to attend a dinner being hosted by PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif for members of the opposition parties today (Monday).

    The PPP delegation will reportedly include Opposition leader in the Senate Yousaf Raza Gilani, Raja Pervez Ashraf and Sherry Rehman.

    PPP leader Nayyar Hussain Bukhari said that this was an invitation for opposition leaders and not of the Pakistan Democratic Movement alliance ( PDM). He further added, “Neither does the PDM president nor its secretary-general has the authority to kick PPP out of the alliance.”

    “The differences with PPP could have been resolved over discussions or sit downs instead of sending show-cause notices,” Bukhari added.

    Sources in the PPP said the party’s senior leadership thought attending the dinner would serve in the best interest of the opposition, in giving a tough time to the PTI government in the up coming budget session in the National Assembly, The News had reported.

    As per earlier reports, Shehbaz Sharif invited the opposition leaders for a dinner on Monday, in Islamabad.

    However, PPP and ANP were not invited by the PML-N at an Opposition meeting luncheon in Senate earlier today.

  • Jewish employees at Google urge CEO to support Palestinians

    Jewish employees at Google urge CEO to support Palestinians

    A group of Jewish diaspora wrote a letter to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Google Sundar Pichai and urged him to support the people of Palestine against Israeli military human rights violations.

    The group, Jewish Diaspora in Tech, describes itself as a community of members working in the technology industry.

    In an internal letter sent to the chief, the group said the community is concerned about the latest situation, and we as “Jews do not endorse the views of those who have written to you seeking to garner support for exclusively pro-Israel and pro-Zionist actions.”

    Rockets fired in Israel

    “When we Jews ourselves speak out against the barbarism and oppression of Palestinians by the Zionist regime, that means Palestinians People have been going through a rough time,” read the letter.

    They further objected “to the conflation of Israel with the Jewish people [and] affirmed that anti-Zionism is not antisemitism.”

    Hamas firing rockets towards Israel

    Reportedly, the group that wrote the letter formed last year against pro-Israel attitude in Google’s official employee resource group called Jewglers.

    According to reports, people in “the group were supporting pro-Israel discussions and expressing Zionist views. It is unethical, and having such discussions is creating an unsafe space for others in the group.”

    So far, almost 250 people have signed the letter online that was sent to the chief of Google.

  • Maryam Nawaz: the next Prime Minister?

    In a programme on ARY News, ‘The Reporters’, journalist Sabir Shakir said that PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz will succeed PM Imran Khan as Pakistan’s next prime minister.

    “She [Maryam Nawaz] will become the next prime minister, in my opinion,” he said.

    “She can,” agreed Chaudhry Ghulam Hussain, another senior journalist who has critised PML-N in the past and has spoken in favour of PM Imran Khan over the years.

    Shakir said there will be a ‘break’ in the prime minister’s term, stating that he will lose the next general elections.

    “This is his first innings, he is learning how to play,” said Shakir. “Hence, he will lose first and will then emerge again stronger the next time,” he added.

    Another senior journalist, Arif Hameed Bhatti, said this was PM Imran Khan’s “first and last innings” as the prime minister of the country, adding that Maryam Nawaz can become the country’s next premier.

    Journalist Sami Ibrahim said that ‘politics demands performance’ and that giving lectures like Ibn Khaldun was of no use until rulers did not have any realization of the hardships that masses were facing

    Prominent journalists, who have been known for their pro-Imran Khan views over the past couple of years, think the prime minister will not be able to win the next general elections, making Maryam Nawaz a popular choice for Prime Minister.

  • ‘Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme’ was made in ‘Purana Pakistan’, alleges journalist

    ‘Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme’ was made in ‘Purana Pakistan’, alleges journalist

    Prime Minister Imran Khan inaugurated a low-cost housing colony for labourers and industrial workers on Wednesday.

    The PM said the housing scheme for workers in Peshawar was launched in 2011 but it remained incomplete since then as it was not a priority because it was meant for the poor labourers. He said he wanted to see how much the condition of the poor had improved after the five-year tenure of the PTI government. This new project has now been put under the ‘Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme’.

    However, a report by journalist Izharullah sets the record straight about the origins of the scheme. 

    

    The labour colony in the Regi Lalma area of Peshawar was approved in 2008 during the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) regime. Work on the project began in 2011, with a total of 1,200 flats. However, in 2013, construction of 1,000 additional flats was approved. 
    

    The project was funded by the Workers’ Welfare Board, an organisation working for the welfare of workers, and funding for it was obtained from the Workers’ Welfare Fund set up under the same board.
    

    Addressing the inaugural function, PM Imran Khan said that the government had launched a ‘new Pakistan housing scheme’ under which the working class and the poor would get houses. 
    

    At the time the colony was approved, there was a PPP-Awami National Party coalition government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Work on the labour colony began in April 2011, and was completed in 2020. Some work is still pending though.
    

    These flats were approved for labourers in Hattar, Peshawar, Takht Bai, and Haripur. These projects were later inaugurated in 2013 by the then PPP Provincial Labour Minister Sher Azam Wazir. The old name plates have been removed and the housing scheme has been inaugurated once again. 
    

    Special Assistant to Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhawa, Kamran Bangash, tweeted that about half of the flats were started in 2011, while the rest were started in 2013. “However, due to the Workers Welfare Fund being a federal department, the funds of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were cut off during the Nawaz era,” tweeted Bangash.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    ‘One SHO is enough for Jahangir Tareen’s group’: Faisal Vawda
    
			
    ‘One SHO is enough for Jahangir Tareen’s group’: Faisal Vawda
    
			
    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)  leader Faisal Vawda downplayed the significance of the leaders who support Jahangir Khan Tareen, saying they can be handled by a station house officer (SHO) alone.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    Faisal Vawda criticised Jahangir Tareen on a talk show on ARY News, ‘Off The Record’, saying, “There is no doubt that Jahangir Khan Tareen is an intelligent and successful person. But he is not Imran Khan, for sure.”
    

    The PTI leader said Tareen earned respect thanks to Imran Khan, adding that whatever reputation he had was only because of PM Khan. Giving his own example the leader said he came into power because PM Khan’s name was associated with him. He alone could not have done anything. 
    

    Vawda said no one should lose sight of their standing. He asserted, “Imran Khan is the leader and he will remain so and 50 million Jahangir Tareens, 500 million Faisal Vawdas, and 500 million cabinets put together could not create a single Imran Khan.”
    

    On Tuesday night, Jahangir Khan Tareen hosted a dinner at his residence and announced a ‘group of like-minded people’. The newly formed group has appointed PTI’s Raja Riaz as Parliamentary Leader in the National Assembly while PML-N’s Saeed Akbar Nawani will lead in the Punjab Assembly.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    Schools to reopen in districts with less than 5% covid positivity ratio: NCOC
    
			
    The National Command and Operations Centre on Wednesday allowed the reopening of schools in districts with less than five per cent coronavirus positivity ratio.
    

    The meeting reviewed the ongoing situation of coronavirus in the country. 
    

    

    


    

    

    

    Key decisions
    

    From May 24, outdoor restaurants will be opened daily till 11:59 pm, and takeaway will be allowed 24/7.
    

    The tourism sector will be allowed to operate under strict coronavirus protocols.
    

    Outdoor marriage ceremonies with a limit of 150 individuals will be permitted.
    

    Opening of educational institutions from June 7 (other than those opened from May 24).
    

    Meanwhile cinemas, indoor dining, indoor gyms, amusement parks, shrines, all kinds of festivals, cultural and other events shall remain banned till further notice.
    

    June 1 onwards, several sectors will be allowed to open after a review meeting on May 27.
    

    In addition to this, the NCOC decided all SSC and HSSC exams will be held after June 20, while conducting professional and non-professional exams would take place on a case-to-case basis on recommendations from the Ministry of Education.
    

    The forum decided that wearing masks would remain compulsory.
    

    The NCOC had earlier imposed a lockdown in the country during the Eid holidays in order to stop the spread of the virus amid the deadly third wave.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    Massive dust storm, rain hits parts of Karachi
    
			
    Massive dust storm, rain hits parts of Karachi
    
			
    Various parts of Karachi were hit by a dust storm and received rainfall on Tuesday.
    

     The weather took a sudden turn as dark clouds covered most parts of the city and a dust storm appeared on the horizon.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    Pakistan Meteorological Department’s Director Sardar Sarfaraz has said that ‘thunder cells has developed’ over Karachi due to the sweltering heat.
    

    “Winds are blowing from the northeast. The clouds are forming in the northern part of the city,” he said. Sarfaraz added that the PMD had warned of strong winds when it issued the threat advisory for Cyclone Tauktae a couple of days ago.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    The PMD official also said that the sweltering heat in Karachi will reduce from tomorrow, adding that the dark clouds will no longer be visible in Karachi in a couple of hours. 
    

    

    


    

    

    

    A few dust/thunderstorm-rain accompanied with gusty winds of 30-50 Kmph may occur in Tharparker and Umerkot districts during next 12 hours. Hot and dry weather will continue today in Karachi, Hyderabad, Shaeed- Banzirabad, Badin and Mirpurkhas districts.
    

    Sea Conditions will remain rough till this evening and fishermen of Sindh are advised to avoid going into deep sea. They can resume their activities from tomorrow, the weather alert added.
    

    As is the case many people took to Twitter to share pictures and videos of dust storms rattling electricity poles and causing problems for the masses.
    

    

    
https://twitter.com/waqashussain954/status/1394622517034197001

    

    

    

    


    

    

    

    Twitterati is urging people to stay safe and asking them to take a shade or stay indoors.