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.

  • Which family has more legislators in assembly? Bhutto-Zardaris or Sharifs?

    Which family has more legislators in assembly? Bhutto-Zardaris or Sharifs?

    After Aseefa Bhutto Zardari won the by-election on NA-207 unopposed, the Zardaris now hold the record for having the most number of legislators from a political family in Pakistan.

    With President Asif Ali Zardari’s daughter Aseefa’s election in the National Assembly (MNA) from Shaheed Benazirabad (former Nawabshah-I) constituency, the Zardari family has broken the record of the Sharif family as it now has the most number of members from the same family in the Pakistan’s parliamentary history, explains a report by Geo’s Maqsood Awan.

    Asif Ali Zardari himself is the country’s president, his daughter Aseefa, son Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and brother-in-law Munawar Ali Talpur are MNAs, while both sisters Faryal Talpur and Azra Pechuho are members of the provincial assembly in Sindh.

    On the other hand, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s elder brother Mian Nawaz Sharif, and his son Hamza Shehbaz Sharif have been elected MNAs, while his niece Maryam Nawaz Sharif is the chief minister of Punjab. Meanwhile, members of the extended family, Bilal Yasin and Ishaq Dar are serving as Punjab Food Minister and Minster of Foreign Affairs respectively.

    As a result, in terms of having the greatest number of immediate family members elected as MNAs or MPAs, the Zardari family stands first, while the Sharifs are the second.

  • ‘You’re asking the cat who drank the cream’; Fawad Chaudhry jokes about PM’s inquiry commission

    ‘You’re asking the cat who drank the cream’; Fawad Chaudhry jokes about PM’s inquiry commission

    Former federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry has quipped that the commission to investigate the six judges’ letter is akin to “asking a cat to investigate who has drank the milk.”

    Chaudhry had been detained by authorities on graft charges since November 2023. His office page on X, formerly Twitter, posted the video of him being presented to the court for a hearing where he gave the humorous remarks about the inquiry commission.

    On Tuesday, six judges of Islamabad High Court (IHC) wrote an explosive letter to Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) alleging egregious meddling by the executive, including spy agencies, in judicial affairs. Following this, the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa.

    It was decided that the PM would constitute an inquiry commission headed by a retired judge to probe into the allegations levelled against intelligence agencies.

  • Email kholo! SIFC to officials

    Email kholo! SIFC to officials

    The Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) has ordered all the focal persons of ministries to regularly check and respond to their emails after it was revealed that no one responded to UAE companies interested in investing in renewable energy projects in Pakistan.

    The event unfolded when the Foreign Office (FO) of Pakistan noted that when its ambassador to UAE held a meeting with Abu Dhabi Development Holding Company (ADQ) focal person to receive an update on the seven bilateral investment MoUs signed with UAE in November 2023.

    It was then revealed that the ADQ had tried to establish contacts with the concerned focal persons through formal channels of communication – emails. However, they received no reply in over a month and despite reminders, they await our response.

    Considering the recent developments, SIFC has requested all focal persons to establish official communication channels with a proper record keeping mechanisms in place. Email is regarded as the official means of communication while WhatsApp is treated as an informal tool.

  • Civil-military leaders decide on action against corruption, smuggling, power theft

    Civil-military leaders decide on action against corruption, smuggling, power theft

    The civil-military leadership of the country has chosen to take tough measures against anyone engaged in illegal activities like corruption, smuggling, power theft, and criminal gangs.

    The decisions were taken in a high-level meeting — with an agenda of “measures against spectrum of illegal activities and criminal mafias” — chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday attended by civil-military leadership in which measures against unlawful activities were discussed.

    General Syed Asim Munir, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), along with federal cabinet members, chief ministers, and other high-ranking government officials, participated in the important meeting.

    The authorities thoroughly explained the actions taken against criminal mafias, smuggling, hoarding, money laundering, power theft, and repatriation of illegal foreigners to the participants.

  • Didn’t call him, but wrote a letter: Biden tells Shehbaz they need to work together

    Didn’t call him, but wrote a letter: Biden tells Shehbaz they need to work together

    United States President Joe Biden, wrote a letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday in which he emphasised that Washington will “continue to stand with Pakistan” in confronting “most pressing global and regional challenges”.

    While Biden did not call the PM, this letter is the first official diplomatic correspondence between the two states. This holds significance for Pakistan because relations between the two nations have been tense ever since former Prime Minister Imran Khan publicly accused the US of launching a conspiracy in a bid to remove him in 2022.

    “The enduring partnership between our nations remains critical to ensuring the security of our people — and people around the world —and the United States will continue to stand with Pakistan to tackle the most pressing global and regional challenges of our time,” the letter read.
    Biden also talked about the US-Pakistan Green Alliance framework, the two countries would collaborate and strengthen their climate resilience and supporting Pakistan’s development from floods of 2022.

    “Together, we will continue to forge a strong partnership between our nations and close bond between our people,” the letter concluded.

  • PM includes Dar in CCI instead of Aurangzeb

    PM includes Dar in CCI instead of Aurangzeb

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reconstituted the Council of Common Interests (CCI) on Friday, notably replacing Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb with Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.

    The PM is heading the CCI which constitutes the chief ministers of all four provinces. Interestingly, this is the first time in the history of the council that a Foreign Minister of Pakistan has been included in the CCI.

    Business Recorder article reported that it would be normal if a Finance Minister isn’t included in the CCI because historically it has happened. However, energy and planning ministers were mostly included because they deal with provincial matters.

    The presence of the Finance Minister and the Law Minister in the CCI is very important as these two portfolios are required to respond to numerous queries raised by the provinces during the meeting.

    A similar pattern could be observed as PM Shehbaz gave Ishaq Dar the control of Cabinet Committee on Privatisation (CCoP) as well instead of including Aurangzeb earlier this month.

  • Chinese company lays off 2000 workers on Tarbela dam project

    Chinese company lays off 2000 workers on Tarbela dam project

    A Chinese company working on the Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project has suspended work indefinitely after the Shangla attack which took the lives of five Chinese nationals on Tuesday.

    The company laid off 2000 Pakistani workers that were employed for the hydro-project. The suspension notice was issued by administration of Power Construction Corporation of China.

    The Chinese engineers were targeted by a suicide bomber while they were travelling in a bus on the Karakoram Highway in the Bisham area. As of now, no terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

    The notification cited “security reasons” for laying off the major workforce for an indefinite period of time.

    Dawn news contacted the general secretary of the Awami Labour Union at the Tarbela project Aslam Adil and he confirmed that under labour laws, the workers who lost their jobs would continue to receive half of their salaries until they are called back.

    He further stated that this event won’t cause a “long delay” in the project, expected to be completed by 2026.

  • Former caretaker PM Anwaarul Haq Kakar becomes senator again

    Former caretaker PM Anwaarul Haq Kakar becomes senator again

    Former caretaker prime minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar was elected a senator again on Thursday.

    According to the details, the unopposed election phase for seven senators from Balochistan has concluded. Following this, the returning officer has issued notifications to the successful senators who won without any opposition.

    Ahmad Khan Ghilzai (JUI-F), Aimal Wali Khan (ANP) were also elected as senators.

  • Chinese military offers help to Pakistan in fight against terrorism

    Chinese military offers help to Pakistan in fight against terrorism

    After the recent terrorist attack targeting Chinese nationals near Besham in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Chinese military has offered assistance to Pakistan in dealing with various security challenges including terrorism.

    Five Chinese and one Pakistani were killed in the attack in Shangla on Tuesday.

    China’s Ministry of National Defence spokesperson Colonel Wu Qian said: “The Chinese military is willing to work with Pakistani side to continuously enhance our capability of tackling various security risks and challenges especially our ability to responding to terrorist attacks and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability.”

    Pakistan and China are all-weather strategic partners and have supported each other through thick and thin, he said. Both are “iron-clad brothers,” he responded to a question regarding PLA participation of the PLA tri-services contingent in the Pakistan Day military parade in Islamabad on March 23.

    Meanwhile, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir reacted to the Shangla terrorist attack by stating that the military “shall not leave any stone unturned to ensure that every foreign citizen, especially the Chinese nationals — contributing to the prosperity of Pakistan — is safe and secure in the country”.

  • CJP throws weight behind commission to probe Judges’ letter

    CJP throws weight behind commission to probe Judges’ letter

    Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa on Thursday said that any “interference by the Executive in the affairs and judicial workings of Judges will not be tolerated”.

    The statement came through a widely anticipated press release by the Supreme Court after the CJP met with the Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif yesterday regarding the six judges’ letter alleging meddling by spy agencies in judicial matters.

    The press release stated “under no circumstances can independence of judiciary be allowed to compromise,” adding that the CJP and the Senior Puisne Judge believed that an independent judiciary is a “foundational pillar which upholds the rule of law” and fosters a strong democracy.

    It added that a proposal was made to constitute an inquiry commission under the Pakistan Commissions of Inquiry Act, 2017 and it would be headed by a retired judge of “impeccable integrity” to probe into the allegations.

    The PM will undertake a Federal Cabinet meeting today to seek approval for the constitution of the said commission. The PM also assured the judges that his office will be taking strong measures to ensure judiciary’s independence.