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.

  • Fatima Bhutto expresses anger over Biden administration

    Fatima Bhutto has expressed her anger over Joe Biden’s administration for approving the potential sale of $735 million in precision-guided weapons to Israel.

    Sharing the news report of the approval on Twitter, Fatima Bhutto wrote: “The Biden administration has blood on its hands already and they are intent on getting them dirtier and dirtier.”

    As per congressional sources US lawmakers were not expected to object to the deal despite violence between Israel and Palestinian militants Reuters has reported.

    Other people are also expressing their anger over the deal :

    https://twitter.com/sunshine_leb/status/1394290306086998026

    Israeli bombardment of Gaza, a Palestinian terrority, is the worst the world has seen in years. Israeli fighter jets continue to pound central Gaza with bombs, as the death toll of the Palestinians killed in the fighting has reached to 212, 61 among them are children.

  • Malik Riaz, wife, refuse to get tested for coronavirus at the airport, home

    Malik Riaz, wife, refuse to get tested for coronavirus at the airport, home

    Real estate tycoon Malik Riaz, his wife, and another member of his team allegedly refused to undergo Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT) for coronavirus when landing at Lahore airport, violating the instruction of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC).

    In a letter written to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) headquarters in Karachi, Lahore airport chief operating officer and manager Akhtar Mirza said the Bahria Town CEO refused to give samples for the Covid-19 test. The team of airport health staff went to his residence to follow up with a test but Riaz refused to take the test.

    Letter written to the CAA, regarding Malik Riaz refusing to take the Covid test

    Riaz, along with four other people, landed at Lahore Airport from Dubai. After the passengers passed through the immigration process, the CAA duty staff requested Riaz and his fellows to undergo the RAT, which is a rapid diagnostic test that directly detects the presence or absence of the antigen and gives results within few minutes.

    “But they did not respond and rapidly moved towards international arrivals exit gate,” Mirza stated in the letter.

    Riaz, Bina Riaz and Shahid Mahmood Qureshi, “left the airport without [the test] which is an open violation of NCOC instructions and SOPs”, the letter added.

    The CAA management then contacted the government health team and Riaz’s personal staff officer to obtain the RAT samples from the property tycoon’s residence. A two-member team of airport health staff subsequently left for Riaz’s house shortly “but unfortunately once again [he] flatly refused to give samples for the requisite test.”

    The letter was submitted to the airport services director at CAA Karachi headquarters for his “information and further necessary action”.

    After detection of the coronavirus in some passengers arriving in Pakistan and despite them having negative PCR test results, the CAA tightened the rules regarding testing.

  • Gigi Hadid and Mia Khalifa stand up for Palestine: What’s going on?

    Gigi Hadid and Mia Khalifa stand up for Palestine: What’s going on?

    Models Mia Khalifa and Gigi Hadid have taken a stand for Palestine on Twitter and Instagram against Israeli violence in Palestine.

    https://twitter.com/miakhalifa/status/1391778314843344896
    Mia’s tweet was trending in Pakistan Tuesday night
    Gigi Hadid posted about Palestine on her Instagram stories

    RELATED: Mahira Khan, Babar Azam, Maya Ali among others condemn Israeli brutality in Palestine

    Confused about what’s going on in Palestine? Here is the breakdown:

    It started in the early days of Ramzan when Israeli forces tried to block off areas where Muslim worshipers would gather after the evening prayer. After mass protests by Muslims in the area, the blockade was lifted. But that was not the end. Israeli police then tried to hamper the movement of buses carrying Muslim worshipers to the Old City in Jerusalem, where the third holiest mosque in Islam, Al-Aqsa is located. The police said they were trying to find specific people on the buses. But it was seen as an attempt to slow down Muslims from gathering at Al-Aqsa for prayers.

    A man says his prayers while surrounded by Israeli police in the Old City

    Parallel to what was happening in the Old City, fifteen minutes away, in the Palestinian neighbourhood of Al-Jarrah, Israeli settlers were trying to forcibly remove Palestinians from their homes. These homes had been given to the Palestinians in 1948 when Israeli was created, and the area was and has been predominantly Palestinian. A Jewish group is claiming that before the land was given to the Palestinians in 1948, the land belonged to the Jews. With what is being seen as help of the Israeli state, four Palestinian families were forcibly evicted from their homes. Protests erupted in the neighbourhood of Al-Jarrah and 15 minutes away, in the Old City, protests were ongoing against the Israeli state, leading to mass protests in Jerusalem.

    Protests in Al Jarrah

    During the protests, hundreds of Palestinians were wounded after being shot at, beaten and arrested. After seeing the protests in Jerusalem, Palestinians in Gaza also began to protest in solidarity. At least 24 Palestinians were killed in Israeli air raids, according to the Palestinian health ministry, after Hamas launched rockets towards Israel. Nine children were killed in the attack with more than a 100 injured.

    Video of a residential building destroyed by Israel in Gaza

    Meanwhile, in the Old City, Israeli forces stormed the compound where Al-Aqsa mosque is located, and Palestinians were praying and also peacefully protesting. Israeli police fired rubber-coated bullets, tear gas and sound bombs at the Muslim worshippers. More than 180 Palestinians were injured.

    Israeli Jews gather to celebrate trees catching fire near Al-Aqsa Mosque

    As tensions rose between Palestinians and Israelis, a tree in the Al-Aqsa mosque compound was lit on fire. It is unclear how it caught fire but when it did, Israelis came out to their holy site underneath the compound and danced, watching the trees near Al-Aqsa burn.

    In the most recent news, the Israeli high court has postponed a ruling that allowed for forced expulsions of the four Palestinian families in Al-Jarrah, which is a victory for the Palestinians. How long it lasts is still to be seen.

  • Israelis dance as third holiest mosque attacked

    Israelis dance as third holiest mosque attacked

    Israelis were seen dancing and singing in front of the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem while a fire blazed on.

    More than twenty people including nine children and a Hamas commander were killed in Gaza Strip overnight – making it one of the bloodiest days of fighting in several years.

    While Israel continues to bomb Gaza and kill childern, this bloodbath has been the reality of Palestinians under apartheid.

    The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has condemned escalating Israeli aggression and attack on Al-Aqsa Mosque. The meeting of the OIC Permanent Representatives was convened upon the request of the State of Palestine. During the meeting, Pakistan’s permanent representative at the UN also strongly condemned the Israeli aggression.

    Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday strongly condemned the attack on innocent Palestinians by the Israeli forces during the month of Ramzan.

    Last month Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a report on how Israel is an apartheid state.

    The report says: International criminal law has developed two crimes against humanity for situations of systematic discrimination and repression: apartheid and persecution. Crimes against humanity stand among the most odious crimes in international law.

    Tensions in Jerusalem have flared since Israeli riot police attacked Palestinian worshippers on the last Friday of Ramazan in the city’s worst disturbances since 2017.

    Nightly unrest since then at the Al-Aqsa compound has left hundreds of Palestinians wounded, drawing international calls for de-escalation and sharp rebukes from across the Muslim world. Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest site of Islam.

  • PM’s surprise visit to PIMS Hospital’s Covid ward

    PM’s surprise visit to PIMS Hospital’s Covid ward

    Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday night paid a surprise visit to the coronavirus ward of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Islamabad, to review the conditions there. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, PM Khan met with the patients and inquired about their health.

    The premier particularly inquired about the facilities being provided to COVID-19 patients at the hospital, particularly the availability of oxygen and medicines.

    Addressing the staff at the hospital, the PM said that since healthcare workers are the country’s frontline fighters, they should also take care of themselves apart from taking care of the patients.

    The premier also inquired from doctors and the staff if all of them have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

    He said that the third wave of the coronavirus is more lethal than the previous two ones, adding that people should follow the SOPs to protect themselves from the virus

    The virus has so far claimed 19,106 lives in Pakistan, while the number of total cases in the country has reached 864,557.

  • PM to take your calls on May 11

    PM to take your calls on May 11

    Prime Minister Imran Khan will once again take phone calls from Pakistanis on May 11, under the ‘Ap Ka Prime Minister Ap Kai Sath’ [Your Prime Minister With You] initiative. As per details, the PM will personally answer people’s queries.

    The news has been confirmed by Senator Faisal Javed, who said the calls would be broadcast live on television, radio, and social media.

    People who wish to voice their concerns to the PM can dial 051-9224900. He will begin taking calls at 1:30 pm.

    The premier has interacted with the public twice on February 1, 2021 and April 4, 2021.

  • Crown Prince MBS coming to Pakistan after Eid

    Crown Prince MBS coming to Pakistan after Eid

    Prime Minister Imran Khan was warmly welcomed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during his three-day visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Crown Prince is expected to visit Pakistan after Eid.

    In a joint statement issued by Riyadh and Islamabad, the two leaders reaffirmed the importance of the ties between the two countries. All facets of bilateral cooperation, regional and international issues of mutual interest were discussed by the two. Matters of strengthening and enhancing the economy and trade in light of the Kingdom’s 2030 vision and Pakistan’s development priorities emanating from a shift from geo-politics to geo-economics were also highlighted.

    Issues pertaining to the Islamic world were also discussed. The two leaders stressed the need for concerted efforts by the Muslim countries to confront extremism and violence, reject sectarianism, and strive to achieve international peace and security.

    The two sides reaffirmed their full support for all the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, especially, their right to self-determination and establishment of their independent state, in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and relevant UN resolutions

    PM praised the role of Saudi Arabia for the resolution of crisis in Yemen, which aims at achieving peace and security in Yemen as it will result in prosperity and development of the region and its people.

    The Crown Prince acknowledged Pakistan’s facilitative role in the Afghan peace process. The two leaders agreed to continue mutual consultations on the Afghan peace process.

    The recent understanding reached between the military authorities of Pakistan and India regarding ceasefire at the Line of Control (LoC) was welcomed by the Crown Prince. The two sides emphasised the importance of dialogue between Pakistan and India to resolve issues, especially Jammu and Kashmir dispute, to ensure peace and stability in the region.

    Premier congratulated the Saudi government for successfully organising and holding the G20 summit meetings and the positive decisions that resulted from it in economic, developmental, environmental, health, energy and other fields.

    Acknowledging the leading role of the Kingdom in addressing international issues, in particular the challenge posed by climate change, the two leaders welcomed each other’s efforts towards the cause.

    PM Imran appreciated the efforts of the Kingdom and its leadership in serving the Two Holy Mosques, their pilgrims, Umrah performers and visitors despite the challenges posed by the Corona pandemic. He expressed gratitude and offered his best wishes. The Saudi Crown Prince warmly reciprocated with best wishes for health and wellbeing of the Prime Minister, and prayers for the progress and prosperity of the brotherly people of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

  • Five million people follow PM Khan on Instagram

    Five million people follow PM Khan on Instagram

    Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Instagram family grew to a staggering five million followers on Saturday.

    The premier maintains an active social media presence. Which allows his followers to stay up-to-date with his activities. He has become the first Pakistani politician to hit such a large following on Instagram.

    PM Khan’s post on his Instagram account right before amassing 5 million followers was a quote by Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani as saying: “I looked into spiritual works and have not found anything better than giving food to people. Had the world been in my hands, I would not entertain anything except feed the hungry.”

    The post gathered nearly 400 comments and 36,000 likes in an hour of it being shared.

    PM Imran Khan also has 13.6 million followers on Twitter  and has 10.3 million followers on Facebook.

  • Saudi Arabia rolls out the ‘Lavender carpet’ for PM Khan

    Saudi Arabia rolls out the ‘Lavender carpet’ for PM Khan

    Saudi Arabia has announced that it is renouncing red for its dignitary visits – and opting for purple carpets instead. The decision was announced by the Ministry of Culture, which connected the change in ceremonial procedure to the violet-coloured plants currently in bloom across the Asir region in Saudi Arabia.

    The Kingdom said the decision to choose lavender as the new colour for ceremonial carpets better reflects Saudi national identity and the hospitality of the kingdom. The Kingdom further said that lavender is associated with Saudi generosity and hospitality. The pleasant change for ceremonial welcome is one of the many initiatives announced as part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.

    Lavender covers large areas of the country’s desert landscape in spring and the purple hue of the flower has been associated with royalty.

    Prime Minister Imran Khan walked the lavender carpet when he arrived in Saudi Arabia and was received by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

    At the Oscars this year, the Academy too, rolled out a pink carpet instead of red for its guests. It’s a shade that is said to flatter the A-listers. A secret colour, one whose precise specifications the show’s organisers won’t reveal for fear of copycats.

  • ‘PM stands with the working class, not the elite’: Fawad Chaudhry

     Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry defended the prime minister’s remarks about envoys. “PM stands with the working class and not the elite.” PM Khan chastised Pakistani envoys recently over their missions’ indifferent behaviour towards the expat community.

    “If we can’t raise our voices for overseas Pakistanis, we don’t have any right to remain in government,” added Fawad Chaudhry.

    The minister stressed that Pakistan would have to uplift the working class to progress and to strengthen itself as a country. Fawad recalled that the PM had only instructed his ambassadors that the well-being and welfare of the overseas Pakistanis must be a priority.

    The information minister spoke about an incident involving an overseas Pakistani woman, saying that she was being subjected to unjust treatment over the past few years.

    “When she contacted an [Pakistani] embassy, she was told, ‘The police should take action against you for marrying thrice’,” said Chaudhry.

    Chaudhry said the prime minister had, on many occasions in the past, said he was proud of Pakistan’s ambassadors. He said a few embassies had “closed their doors” on overseas Pakistani labourers, adding that action should be taken against those found guilty.