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.

  • India has right to Ravi water, says federal law minister

    India has right to Ravi water, says federal law minister

    Federal Minister for Law and Justice, Azam Nazeer Tarar, said on Tuesday that neighbouring India has the right to the waters of the River Ravi according to the Indus Waters Treaty. Pakistan can’t take the matter of India’s “water aggression” to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

    “There is a water treaty between Pakistan and India, and it is an international obligation. The right to water on the River Ravi belongs to India, and we cannot interfere with it. Pakistan has right on the water of the rivers Chanab, Jhelum, and Indus,” the law minister said while addressing in National Assembly (NA) on Tuesday, adding that the Indians have the right to the waters of Ravi, Satluj, and Beas.

    He also stressed that legal issues shouldn’t be politicised.

    He told NA that India wants to exit the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty but is unable to do so due to Pakistan’s disagreements.

  • IHC full court decides to give ‘institutional response’ to interference in judiciary

    IHC full court decides to give ‘institutional response’ to interference in judiciary

    A full court meeting of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has ‘unanimously decided’ to give an “institutional response” to any interference in judicial matters, Geo reported.

    The full court meeting was held with Chief Justice IHC Aamer Farooq in the chair to finalise proposals of suitable response before submission to the Supreme Court in connection with the matter of six IHC judges writing a letter to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) alleging blatant meddling by spy agencies in judicial matters.

    Later, the Supreme Court (SC) initiated suo motu on the letter and also sought a proposal from the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), high courts and the federal government in this regard.

    The Supreme Court order on April 3 read, “They should suggest what should be the institutional response and mechanism to address the issues like the ones raised in the letter [of IHC judges] and ensure that such issues do not arise in future and, if they do, to fix liability and proceed against those responsible.”

    In response, a draft comprising the proposals would be prepared and submitted to the Supreme Court on April 24.

  • Iran ready to share tech expertise with Islamabad, says Iranian President Raisi

    Iran ready to share tech expertise with Islamabad, says Iranian President Raisi

    After visiting Lahore and Karachi, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said that Tehran is ready to share its strengths in industry, science, and technology with Pakistan. He made the remarks during his three-day official visit to Pakistan.

    While speaking at a ceremony in Karachi’s Chief Minister House, he pointed out that despite challenges, Iran made progress in these fields and was prepared to share this knowledge with Pakistan.

    “I am here with a message of peace and prosperity for the Pakistani nation from the people of Iran and its leadership,” he said, adding, “The governments on both sides are willing to remove all obstacles to expanding trade between the two countries and in this regard, several options were discussed [in his recent meetings Pakistani leadership].”

    The Iranian President also said that the trade partnership will make the relationship between the two countries stronger, stressing that no power on earth “can affect the historical ties between the two countries.”

  • Issue of missing person can’t be solved overnight, says law minister

    Issue of missing person can’t be solved overnight, says law minister

    Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said on Tuesday, in a press conference in Islamabad, that missing persons were involved in the Gwadar attack. He highlighted the struggle of the government to resolve the issue, but also emphasised that the problem can’t be resolved overnight.

    He also said that the issue of missing persons in Pakistan is closely linked with terrorism.

    Tarar disclosed that the Supreme Court (SC) has taken notice of the problem and has sent over 10,000 cases to the commission responsible for investigating missing persons. He said they’ve successfully resolved approximately 8,000 of these cases.

    During the press conference, he stressed that the government is aware of its responsibility on the issue and is making efforts to resolve it. He also stated that earlier in 2022, the coalition government formed a committee to handle the issue.

    Under the directive of the Prime Minister, efforts to address missing persons cases have been reignited, he added.

  • PTI claims intelligence agencies rigged by-polls, announce protest

    PTI claims intelligence agencies rigged by-polls, announce protest

    After the recently held by-elections on Sunday, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders alleged that intelligence agencies were involved in rigging polls.

    The party termed April 21 as a “black day” in the history of Pakistan while urging the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to withhold the notifications of results.

    Announcing a series of protests starting from Friday, the PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan, addressing a press conference, said, “[The] day of election is considered an accountability day, and people cast their votes with great zeal. However, on April 21, open and blatant violations of law were observed. The magnitude of the rigging and violation of law has never been observed in the history of Pakistan. Gates of polling stations were closed, and at some polling stations, more votes were polled than the total registered votes.”

    The PTI Chairman, accompanied by other senior members of the party, stated that in one polling station in Gujrat, only 120 votes were cast but three boxes of ballot papers were seen.

    PTI’s Omar Ayub said that pre-poll rigging began with the suspension of the internet. He also showed a letter from the RO of NA-8 Bajaur to the DRO, claiming that the RO alleged that an intelligence official had beaten the staff.

    “We will start protests, along with other parties, next Friday across the country,” said Ayub.

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) won a majority of seats in by-polls held on nearly two dozen national and provincial seats on Sunday.

  • Counter Terrorism eliminates eight terrorists involved in attacks on customs officials in DI Khan

    The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) stated that eight terrorists, who were involved in multiple attacks on custom officials in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s district, Dera Ismail (DI) Khan, have been apprehended and killed.

    The CTD said in its statement that they killed one of the most wanted terrorists, Jahanzaib, during Monday’s operation in DI Khan.

    The eliminated terrorists were also involved in attacks on security forces and target killings.

    “The escape routes of the terrorists were blocked,” the CTD said, adding that there is a fear of the presence of facilitators of terrorists in the local population.

    “Strict action is also being taken against the facilitators,” the agency maintained.

  • Bajwa takes oath on the Holy Quran, says he didn’t have anything to do with Khan’s no-confidence motion

    Bajwa takes oath on the Holy Quran, says he didn’t have anything to do with Khan’s no-confidence motion

    Former Army chief (retd) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa has reportedly ‘sworn’ that he didn’t play any role in the no-trust vote against founder Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan.

    Senior journalist Mujeeb-ur-Rehman Shami revealed this in Geo News’ show ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath’. He also said that he met Bajwa at a wedding, also adding that the former general had a ‘pocket-sized copy of the Quran’.

    Shami also revealed that Bajwa took an oath, with his hand on the Quran, saying that he didn’t ask the government directly or indirectly for a second extension and had nothing to do with the no-confidence motion against Khan. Gen Bajwa also claimed that he had no role in giving permission to Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif to travel to the UK for his medical checkup.

    He added that it was purely Imran Khan’s government’s decision to send Nawaz Sharif to the UK.

    The senior journalist also stated that Bajwa confessed that the Army fully supported Imran Khan’s government.

  • MPA who never won a general election, has never lost a by-election in entire career

    MPA who never won a general election, has never lost a by-election in entire career

    In the recent by-elections, one politician made a unique record as he won the by-poll for the third time on April 21. However, he is the only lawmaker who has never won a general election in his entire life.

    Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) leader Shoaib Siddiqui has become the only politician who won the by-polls for the third time, and he contested three general elections but unfortunately lost them all for his provincial seat.

    Siddiqui has contested every election in the same constituency but on the ticket of a different political party every time. This time, he contested the by-election on the ticket of IPP from PP-149 Lahore. In the February 8 election, IPP head Aleem Khan won the election on provincial seat from PP-149.

    The present PP 149 comprises areas like Garhi Shahu, Empress Road, Basti Syden Shah, some sides touching Dharampura, and parts of the city that pertain to the Walton Board. Earlier, Shoaib Siddiqui won the by-election in 2004 and 2015.

  • IMF raises questions over PM Shehbaz giving huge bonuses to staff

    IMF raises questions over PM Shehbaz giving huge bonuses to staff

    The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has reportedly raised questions on Pakistan’s Prime Minister’s decision to grant huge financial awards to the officers of his office, as reported by Express Tribune.

    The supplementary grants amounted to Rs. 24 billion, which the PM approved, amidst a severe economic crisis.

    The global lending body IMF took up the issue, asking about the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet decisions to approve awards for the PM’s office staff.

    The Express Tribune reported that the IMF questioned the source of funding for these awards.

    IMF’s Resident Representative Esther Perez did not respond to a request for a comment on the matter even after two weeks, according to the news outlet.

    However, despite IMF questioning, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb have not reversed this decision.

  • Rana Sanaullah wants ‘stubborn’ Khan to work together, resolve country’s issues

    Rana Sanaullah wants ‘stubborn’ Khan to work together, resolve country’s issues

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader Rana Sanaullah proposed a ‘reconciliation offer’ to imprisoned PTI founder Imran Khan. He said that together, all parties can steer the country out of crisis.

    On Geo News’ show ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath’, the senior PML-N leader urged the founder of PTI to join the political discussion, stressing that the weak economy ‘can’t handle more political tension’.

    He asked Khan to, “take the matter to a logical conclusion.” The former interior minister said the PTI founder was not even “ready to sit or talk” with anyone.

    Referring to the results of Sunday’s by-polls, the PML-N leader said, “PTI’s supporters and voters did not come out of their homes due to his [Imran Khan] stubbornness.”