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.

  • Court rejects Khan’s bail petition in May 9 cases

    Court rejects Khan’s bail petition in May 9 cases

    An anti-terrorism court has turned down the bail petition of incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan in three cases related to the May 9 violent protests, GEO News reported on Tuesday.

    Judge Khalid Arshad of Lahore ATC announced the reserved verdict after hearing Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) founder bail pleas in the May 9 violent protest cases.

    The riots occurred last year after Imran Khan was arrested in a corruption case.

    Several PTI supporters attacked multiple state buildings, including Jinnah House Lahore and GHQ Pakistan Army Rawalpindi.

    The incarcerated former Prime Minister was ousted from office through a no-confidence motion in April 2022, and currently, he is in Adiala jail facing corruption and terrorism cases.  
     
    Imran Khan also secured relief in multiple cases, including a £190 million reference and the Toshakhan case. However, he will remain behind bars due to his conviction in the Iddat case.

  • Nobody has whined as much as Qaidi no 804 on facing cases: Bilawal Bhutto

    Nobody has whined as much as Qaidi no 804 on facing cases: Bilawal Bhutto

    Chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari addressed a press conference yesterday in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Governor House, criticising former Prime Minister Imran Khan for “whining so much” about his incarceration.

    “Shouldn’t the law be the same for everyone in the country? Who was that person who used to say, ‘If NAB files a case against me, I’ll fight it myself,’” said Bilawal, referring to Imran Khan.

    “When he’s [Khan] in power, he tries to catch everyone, but when you [Khan] yourself are caught [in legal cases], then you make so much of a hue and cry that we can hear your cries from the USA to Pakistan,” remarked the PPP Chairman.

    Bhutto argued that there isn’t a politician in Pakistan, from Union Council members to prominent political party leaders, that haven’t faced legal cases but “Nobody has whined as much as your Qaidi 804.”

  • Arshad Sharif’s killing not a result of mistaken identity: Kenyan High Court

    Arshad Sharif’s killing not a result of mistaken identity: Kenyan High Court

    A High Court in Kenya has ordered payment of Rs. 2 crore 17 lakh as damages to the family of slain Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif, while also declaring his assassination unconstitutional and illegal. It emphasized that his killing was not a case of mistaken identity and held those government institutions named in the petition responsible.

    The court also ordered relevant departments to initiate criminal proceedings against the two police officers involved in the shooting, ruling on the petition filed by the journalist’s wife.

    The court also found that the victim’s rights were violated by the failure of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) to prosecute two police officers for the fatal shooting. It ordered them to conclude the investigation and charge both officers, along with paying ten million local currency in interest until full payment to the petitioner.

    In 2022, Pakistani anchor and journalist Arshad Sharif was killed in Kenya on October 23. Subsequently, Kenyan police admitted that Arshad Sharif’s car was mistakenly hit by police bullets.

    Officials stated that the involved policemen were initially detained but later reinstated. Following this, Arshad Sharif’s wife Jawaria Siddique filed a petition against the involved police officers in the Kenyan court.

  • No WhatsApp call; court rejects Imran Khan’s petition to talk to his sons

    No WhatsApp call; court rejects Imran Khan’s petition to talk to his sons

    A Rawalpindi court has rejected incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s petition for weekly WhatsApp call with his sons, as reported by ARY News on Monday.

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan had submitted a plea to talk with his sons on WhatsApp once a week.

    However, jail authorities didn’t allow Khan to talk to his sons, explaining that they can’t allow prisoners to speak with their relatives via WhatsApp.

    A court, established under the Official Secret Act, had previously allowed former Prime Minister to talk to his sons on the phone twice a month.

  • Court orders removal of Parvez Elahi’s name from no-fly list

    Court orders removal of Parvez Elahi’s name from no-fly list

    The Lahore High Court (LHC) has granted significant relief to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) President Parvez Elahi by directing the removal of his name from the Passport Control List (PCL), as reported by ARY News on Monday.

    Justice Shams Mahmood Mirza of the LHC issued the verdict in response to a filed petition. Justice Mirza also instructed the removal of the names of Elahi’s son, Rasikh Elahi, and daughter-in-law, Zara Elahi, from the PCL.

    Earlier, Parvez Elahi had submitted a plea requesting the removal of his name from the PCL to facilitate his international travel.

    On May 21, Parvez Elahi was released from jail after spending a year behind bars.

    Following his release, the veteran politician stated, “I am thankful to Allah for giving me the courage to remain steadfast. I am also grateful to the judges who upheld the truth and supported me.”

  • Pakistani scientist Dr. Mehmood Khan receives Saudi citizenship under Vision 2030

    Pakistani scientist Dr. Mehmood Khan receives Saudi citizenship under Vision 2030

    The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has granted Saudi citizenship to Pakistani scientist Dr. Mehmood Khan. A royal decree was issued under Vision 2030 to confer nationality upon scientists, medical doctors, researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs, and distinguished talents with unique expertise and specialization in their respective fields.

    Dr. Khan currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Hevolution Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing aging-related treatments, accelerating drug development timelines, and improving access to therapeutics that extend human lifespans.

    Saudi Arabia initiated Vision 2030 to attract and retain exceptional global talent, thereby enhancing the country’s economic and social development.

  • Shah Mahmood Qureshi transferred to Kot Lakhpat jail

    Shah Mahmood Qureshi transferred to Kot Lakhpat jail

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi was relocated from Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi to Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore, as reported by ARY News.

    The former foreign minister will appear before the anti-terrorism court at the Lahore prison.

    Shah Mahmood Qureshi is currently in jail in connection with the May 9 cases, and the police have interrogated the incarcerated former foreign minister.

    Earlier, the court remanded him into judicial custody for his alleged involvement in the May 9 riots.

  • PTI’s Omar Ayub escapes arrest in Islamabad

    PTI’s Omar Ayub escapes arrest in Islamabad

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General Omar Ayub evaded arrest when his residence in the F-10 Sector was raided by Islamabad police, along with Mianwali police, on Sunday following the issuance of his warrants by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Sargodha.

    Following the incident, Mianwali police clarified that their assistant sub-inspector (ASI) had not gone to Ayub’s residence with the intention of arresting the opposition leader. Instead, he was there to serve the bailable warrants.

    Ayub went into hiding after successfully escaping the raid and criticized the authorities for being so “desperate” to arrest him.

    The PTI leader took to X (formerly Twitter) to lash out at the government, saying, “The federal government, Punjab government, and agencies must be very desperate to arrest the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly.”

    PTI spokesperson Raoof Hasan spoke to Dawn, stating, “Some of the policemen were in uniform while some were in plainclothes… fortunately, the PTI secretary general was not at home.”

  • No room for your second or third wife at Islamabad Club

    No room for your second or third wife at Islamabad Club

    In an interesting development, the Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Divisions debated diverse topics this week, including the Cabinet Division’s luxuries, restrictions on the entry of its members’ second wives into the Islamabad Club, and Chahat Fateh Ali Khan’s charisma.

    The committee was informed that the Cabinet Division had 18 bullet-proof vehicles and six helicopters, an aviation squadron, Toshakhana gifts as well as the power to declare national public holidays.

    Saleem Mandviwala pointed out the apparent unfair rule by an Islamabad Club, which doesn’t recognise a member’s second or third wife and hence doesn’t allow them to enter the premises. The committee recognised the “significance” of the issue because Islam permits men to have four marriages.

    The members were informed about the government’s changes in the procedure for giving away civil awards.

    “For civil awards, it is evaluated now that the recipient has done more than usual work in his or her field,” the Cabinet Division special secretary told the committee. “Singers are also considered for awards based on the views of their YouTube videos,” he added.

    Reacting to this, Committee member Aamir Chishti asked the Secretary whether famous internet personality Chahat Fatteh Ali Khan’s song ‘Bado Badi’ would be considered for an award – given its number of views on YouTube.

    In a hilarious moment, Aamir Chishti then turned to the committee chair, Rana Mahmoodul Hasan and asked him if he had heard the song, to which he replied, “I have. It gave me a headache.”

  • Nawaz Sharif to resume political activities after Muharram

    Nawaz Sharif to resume political activities after Muharram

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Nawaz Sharif has decided to restart political activities after the holy month of Muharram. Party insiders confirmed that the former Prime Minister is set to travel across the country to strengthen his political presence.

    Sharif will initially visit multiple districts in Punjab to mobilize the party at the district level and revive the party at grassroot level to support it in upcoming political challenges.

    Beyond Punjab, the former Prime Minister will also visit Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Kashmir and other provinces of the country. Leaders of PML-N, including Rana Sanaullah and Anusha Rahman, will schedule Nawaz Sharif’s visits