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Pakistani-American billionaire businessman Shahid Khan has said that Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan is “the best thing to happen to Pakistan”.
“I think he is greater than life and the best thing that has happened to Pakistan in at least my lifetime,” he said in a video doing rounds over the internet.
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Pakistani-American Businessman , Shahid Khan is all praises for Prime Minister Imran Khan!
Earlier, Khan called on PM Imran at Pakistan House in Washington.
According to reports, expressing pleasure to have met the premier, he said that the future of the country seemed bright and in safe hands under PM Imran’s leadership.
Owner of Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL) and Fulham FC, Khan, as of May 2019, has a net worth of $6.8 billion. He is ranked 65th in the Forbes 400 list of richest Americans, and is overall the 224th wealthiest person in the world.
He is also the richest person of Pakistani origin.
Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has hinted at a possible prisoner swap of Dr Shakil Afridi and Dr Aafia Siddiqui with the United States (US).
Afridi, a Pakistani physician, is in authority’s custody for helping the US in running a fake hepatitis vaccine programme in Abbottabad to confirm Osama bin Laden’s presence by obtaining DNA samples.
Aafia, on the other hand, is a Pakistani neuroscientist convicted of multiple felonies and is locked up in a US prison.
When asked about jailed Afridi during an interview with Fox News on Monday, the premier said that in Pakistan, he is considered a spy and it is a very emotive issue. “The way it [Osama bin Laden operation] was conducted, it really embarrassed Pakistan at a time when we were an ally of the US in its war on terror.”
Osama bin Laden, founder and first leader of Al-Qaeda, was killed in Abbottabad on May 2, 2011, by US Navy SEALs in an operation Pakistani authorities “were unaware of”.
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“You are the prime minister, you can make a decision can’t you,” Fox News anchor Bret Baier asked.
“There are some decisions in a democracy that even a premier finds difficult to make, because we do have an opposition,” PM Imran said, adding that it, however, was something that could be negotiated.
“We also have someone in a US prison, a frail woman called Aafia Siddiqui and we could negotiate a swap.” “The talks have not started yet, but we know that US wants Afridi and we can negotiate,” he added.
A video of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MPA Haleem Adil Sheikh, wherein he is proudly presenting the party’s “sariyay [iron rod] wala seth“, went viral over the internet on Saturday.
The video shows Adil using the term to refer to his colleague and Sindh Human Rights Focal Person Mir Iftikhar Ahmed Khan Lund.
Earlier this month, Lund’s appointment by the Human Rights Ministry had sparked a debate on social media since he is accused of violating his driver by inserting an iron rod into his rectum.
“The poor don’t matter to them…” Adil says while criticising an unnamed entity in the video breaking the internet. “The thing is if they learn their lesson with batons… it’s good… [else] we have sariyay wala seth with us now,” he says as he holds Lund’s hand and the entire room breaks into laughter.
WATCH VIDEO:
PTI leader Haleem Adil Sheikh introducing the party’s leader in Ghotki and ‘human rights adviser’ Iftikhar Lund as “Sarye (iron rod) Wala Seth”. Iftikhar Lund faces charges of torturing his employee by shoving an iron rod into his rectum. Video via Rab Nawaz Baloch pic.twitter.com/5CA7g1HefO
According to a Human Rights Ministry notification dated July 10, Minister Shireen Mazari appointed Lund as a focal person on the issues of human rights in Sindh.
“He shall assist the office of the federal minister on the issues of human rights while keeping liaison with relevant stakeholders,” the notification read.
While the appointment is “purely voluntary without the ministry bearing any expenses”, the news took the internet by storm owing to the gross violation allegedly committed by Lund in April.
THE ASSAULT:
As per the details, a van driver named Allah Rakhio was allegedly assaulted and meted out inhumane punishment in Sindh’s Ghotki district on the orders of his employer, Lund, and his three relatives.
According to the victim’s son, Zahid Hussain Rakhio, his father had a disagreement with Shafiq Lund, following which he was called to Iftikhar’s residence where he was mercilessly beaten up by Shafiq, Rafiq Lund and Mumtaz Ali Lund in Iftikhar’s presence.
Injured Rakhio called Hussain, who took him to the hospital, where he received eight stitches on his private parts. A video of Rakhio lying on his back on a stretcher and narrating his ordeal was also widely shared over the internet.
FIR AGAINST LUND:
A First Information Report (FIR) against Iftikhar, Mumtaz, Shafiq and Rafiq on the victim’s complaint was filed at the Khanpur Mahar police station.
The FIR was filed under sections 324 (attempt to commit qatle amd), 355 (assault or criminal force with intent to dishonour a person), 147 (punishment for rioting) and 143 (punishment for being a member of unlawful assembly).
Hussain claims that police have not yet made any arrests and are trying to brush the incident under the carpet, while party sources say the issue was resolved in an out of court settlement as the driver forgave Lund and his accomplices.
This will be the first time that PM Imran travels on a commercial plane for an official visit as previously he used a charter jet for state visits to countries including the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Malaysia.
Earlier it was also reported that the premier is planning to not stay at some lavish hotel to save money as part of his government’s austerity drive that continues ever since the PTI rose to power.
The premier, since assuming office last year, has been pushing for austerity measures to save taxpayers’ money and reduce the burden on the national exchequer.
Despite the steps taken by PM Imran in this regard, the austerity drive has faced multiple setbacks over the past 10 months owing to the apparent reluctance of the lawmakers in cutting down expenses.
VISIT TO US:
In his maiden visit to the US, the premier will travel from July 21-23 on the invitation of President Donald Trump in a bid to mend the strained ties between the two countries.
Both the leaders will discuss a range of issues, including counterterrorism, defence, energy and trade, with the goal of creating the conditions for a peaceful South Asia and an enduring partnership between the two countries.
“The visit will focus on strengthening cooperation to bring peace, stability and economic prosperity to a region that has seen far too much conflict,” the Foreign Office (FO) said in a statement.
PM Imran will also be meeting prominent members of the US Congress, corporate leaders and opinion makers as well as overseas Pakistani.
“Super cute… Hina on hands and guns in hands… on duty Pakistani girls… [sic],” he wrote while tweeting the image that has now gone viral. Hamid also wondered if the commando had recently gotten married.
The image has been receiving mixed reaction on Twitter.
The Elite Force of Punjab Police specialises in counter-terrorist operations and VIP security duties. It is known for acting against serious crimes and performing high-risk operations that can’t be carried out by the regular police.
According to information released by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) in 2010, women first became part of the police force in the subcontinent in 1939 when seven female constables and a head constable were inducted to contain female agitators of a farmers’ movement in Punjab.
There was no significant change in numbers until 1952 when 25 constables, two head constables and an assistant superintendant were recruited.
Inclusion of women to Pakistan’s anti-terror squads was initiated in the 1990s. With women joining the force in large numbers over the years, the trend has continued since.
In October 2001, less than a month after the 9/11 attacks, the first women-only anti-terror squad was established in the country.
Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) Secretary General Khurram Nawaz Gandapur has shared the video of a simulation from popular video game Grand Theft Auto (GTA) V, assuming it to be real.
Tweeting the video which showed a plane miraculously avoiding colliding with an oil tanker as it descended on the runway, Gandapur wrote, “Narrow escape of an aircraft which could have ended in a great disaster. Miraculous save by the pilot’s presence of mind.”
The clip had originally been shared to Youtube on June 20 by The UiGamer, who has amassed millions of views with clearly labelled videos of plane stunts on GTA V.
While Khurram mistook the animated video for a real-life clip, Twitterati did not and most of them were quick to troll anyone who thought it was actually a “miraculous save”.
How difficult is it to know that this was a clip from the game GTA5? Heard of Grand Theft Auto V??? Even Khurram Nawaz Gandapur, who is secretary-general of Pakistan Awami Tehreek party did this same mistake. God!
This isn’t the worst that happens daily in that city. There’s heists everyday, there’s a bunch of gangs, drugs all over the city, destruction, murders. This is a calm day.
Wow man, I have a hanger right across from there. It has 2 smaller choppers with homing missiles and machine guns. I also have a larger chopper with carpet bombing capabilities.
“As if our politicians are super intelligent,” one said while suggesting in a joke the United States (US) might sell virtual fighter jets to Pakistan instead of F-16s. “These innocuous mistakes are what we live for,” another wrote.
The list by GFP relies on more than 50 factors to assign the 137 countries included in the survey an individual Power Index (PI) score, based upon their conventional war-making capability across land, sea and air.
According to the 2019 GFP Index, Pakistan’s armed forces have been ranked the 15th most powerful in the world, beating Israel and other countries, including oil-rich Saudi Arabia.
The ranking also includes factors concerning the respective states’ economic muscle and geographical characteristics. The report details Pakistan’s present military strength at 654,000 army personnel, 786 jet aircraft and 2,200 operational tanks.
In addition, Pakistan’s naval capacity stands at a total of 197 vessels.
Israel’s armed forces, on the other hand, have been ranked 17th, with a total of 170,000 military personnel, 506 warplanes and 2,760 tanks. Its naval strength stands at 65 assets.
The ranking comes amid a flare in tensions between Pakistan and Israel, owing to alleged Israeli involvement in the failed February 26 airstrikes by India in Balakot.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MPA Tahir Jamil, his sons Afaq and Saad, as well as his wife Bano, have been booked for allegedly raping their 14-year-old maid in Faisalabad, SAMAA reported.
According to reports, the case was registered by the victim’s father under sections 376 (rape) and 377B (unnatural offences) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and Section 34 (unauthorised custody) of the Punjab Destitute and Neglected Children Act (PDNCA), 2004.
According to the victim’s father, the girl was working at Jamil’s Faisalabad residence in Al Masoom Town for the past six months.
The girl returned home on Tuesday and told her family that she had been raped twice by Jamil a few months ago, while Afaq and Saad also molested her. According to the victim, Jamil’s wife Bano beat her up as well.
She also claimed being threatened by the family in case she informed anyone of her ordeal, while her father has said he was pressurised against registering a case.
The medico-legal officer has been unable to confirm the rape owing to the passage of time. No arrests have so far been made.
PUNISHMENT:
Section 376 is punishable by death or a 10 to 25-year jail sentence besides a fine. Section 377B is punishable by up to life imprisonment.
PDNCA’s Section 34, on the other hand, is punishable by a jail term between three months and five years and a fine between Rs10,000 and Rs100,000.
After being criticised for discrimination towards Christians, Pakistan Army has removed the “Christian-only” clause in its call for applications for sanitary workers.
The move was pointed out by activist and former Punjab Chief Minister’s Strategic Reforms Unit director general (DG) Salman Sufi. Taking to Twitter, he thanked Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) DG Major General Asif Ghafoor.
“Great news. Thanks to @OfficialDGISPR [Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor] for removing the ‘Christian-only clause in the call for application for sanitary workers, paving the way to ensure Pakistani Christians aren’t labeled as just for sanitary jobs,” he wrote.
Great news. Thanks to @OfficialDGISPR for removing the *Christian only* clause in call for application for Sanitary workers paving way to ensure Christian Pakistanis are not labeled as just for sanitary jobs.
— Salman Sufi (Get New Covid Booster Today) (@SalmanSufi7) June 27, 2019
“We are grateful that this clerical error was addressed as usually Christians are [stereotyped] as sanitary workers so it is considered a norm and we wanted that changed,” Sufi told a private media outlet.
Earlier, activists had taken to social media to urge the ISPR chief that the discriminatory clause is removed from the call. It specified that only Christians could apply for the posts of sanitation workers in the army’s Mujahid Force.
Vacancies for the posts of drivers, sepoys and tradesmen were also mentioned, but had no such religious criteria.
Honorable @OfficialDGISPR, Pak Christians have a great deal of love and respect for our armed forces. Even though a good number of Christians are working as janitors, tagging them with janitorial work badly reflects on us. We have high expectations from you. kindly intervene!!! pic.twitter.com/qkGKFptuQm
I fail to understand as to why sanitary workers jobs are allocated for #Christians only? Why not for all? What if such jobs are for only Muslims in UK, USA or elsewhere in the West?
According to SAMAA, a report by the World Watch Monitor says that minority representation in sanitation work in Pakistan is above 80%. According to the report, 824 of 935 sanitation workers in the Peshawar Municipal Corporation (PMC) are Christian.
About 6,000 out of 7,894 sanitation workers in the Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) are Christians and so are 768 of 978 workers in the Quetta Municipal Corporation (QMC).
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has retired record foreign loans worth $9.5 billion during the current fiscal year, which according to Minister of State for Revenue Hammad Azhar, had never been done by any government in a single year.
On point of personal explanation in the National Assembly, Azhar said that during the first year of PTI government, external debts increased by $2.7 billion whereas, in the last year of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government, foreign loans surged by over $7 billion.
WATCH VIDEO:
حکومت پاکستان نے اس سال ریکارڈ 9.5 ارب ڈالر قرض واپس کیا یے – حماد اظہر https://t.co/NhgurEZ3XS
Responding to the opposition’s claim of obtaining domestic loans worth Rs7,000 billion or Rs 10,000 billion during PTI’s first year in power, he further said the figures were highly exaggerated.
The minister added that previous governments were responsible for the current economic situation of the country, while the Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan-led government was taking the economy towards stability.
