President Dr Arif Alvi, Speaker National Assembly Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani have decided to perform Hajj together, Urdu News has reported.
The absence of the three key officials could create a constitutional crisis in the country.
According to the constitution, when the president is not present in the country, the chairman of the senate performs the duties of the acting president. The oath of the Senate Chairman also includes the oath of the Acting President.
If both the President and the Senate Chairman are out of the country, the Speaker of the National Assembly takes over the position of Acting President.
Social media can be a blessing because of how it is able to bring people together regardless of their background. It provides people with an opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals. But we have to admit that the downside of social media -particularly in regard to how women on the internet are openly criticised and trolled- is something that cannot be overlooked. Mahira Khan was attacked online for not wearing a dupatta, and now Naimal Khawar is getting trolled after people assumed the actress had gotten a nose job.
Pakistani women exist in an invisible cage that follows them to their graves. They are a vessel of opinions other people have about them, and have no say in how they choose to live their own lives. Men tend to perceive Pakistani women as their personal nannies, therapists and full time mothers. In the particular case of Naimal Khawar, its amazing how entitled babus on the internet have so much to say about a woman who is financially independent and has a caring and attentive husband and family.
What had led to such a vicious response? The actress had merely posted pictures of herself next to some flowers, which led to some trolls making heinous comments about how her alleged nose job made her face look different.
Like seriously, the comments section really proves how as Pakistanis, misery is the flag we love to wave. We cannot remain happy, therefore we cannot see other people happy.
I’m sorry but did Naimal Khawar personally reach out to you for money even if she had gotten a surgery? Why would you feel so entitled to make such negative comments about a woman’s face? Why do Pakistanis feel that making hideous remarks about women’s bodies passes is acceptable? Naimal Khawar has not survived so many years in a competitive industry solely because of her looks, but because she is a talented person. She owes no one an explanation about how she chooses to live.
Trying to justify your body shaming by using the religion card? Didn’t Islam also tell us to keep our opinions to ourself, and to never open our mouth if we have to make a mean comment about someone? In a country like Pakistan where already 75 per cent people suffer from mental illnesses like depression, could we try to understand that, now more than ever, women need to stop pilling on hate on each other, and help by being a little kind and compassionate?
By the end of the day, we simply have to say that take your rules and restrictions away from the bodies of Pakistani women. Naimal Khawar is her own person. She can decide by herself what she wants with her life, whether she chooses to go under the knife or not. It’s all about what makes her feel more secure in her body. For the rest of us, there are more things to worry about while living in Pakistan rather than taking it out on a woman who has nothing to do with it.
If you’re still having a problem in undestanding how to possibly mind your business and manage not to tear down a happy person, then take a note from Mathira, who manages to keep a classy and cool persona by uplifting people when they need it the most.
Vice Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Shah Mahmood Qureshi has stressed that he was not part of the vandalism that took place on May 9, adding that he is not in favour of violence.
However, I stand where I was, said that PTI leader in a media talk. He said that there are five false cases registered against him in Multan, adding that he was not even in the city at that time.
He has also said that he got arrested and went to Adiala Jail even though the cases are registered in Multan. These false charges adversely affected the administration’s credibility, he opined. The former Foreign Minister also stated that the court has granted him pre-arrest bail, his conscience is satisfied, and his hands are clean.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that as a Foreign Minister, he defended national institutions all over the world and he is not in favour of vandalism and even was not part of any violent protest. He said he did politics of patriotism for 40 years. “I stand where I was,” he stated.
He questioned that how one can damage state property while in solitary confinement.
Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has expressed sorrow over the loss of lives in the immigrant boat disaster that took place off the Greek coast.
The prime minister expressed sympathies with bereaved families and offered condolences. “My thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families who lost their loved ones in the unfortunate ferry disaster in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Greece.”
He further stated that the Pakistani’s Embassy in Athens has identified 12 Pakistanis rescued by the Hellenic Coast Guard.
My thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families who lost their loved ones in the unfortunate ferry disaster in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Greece. Our Embassy in Athens has identified 12 Pakistanis rescued by Hellenic Coast Guard. The Embassy is in contact with…
The boat sank on Wednesday, resulting in the death of at least 78 people, with many Pakistanis feared to be among dead.
104 people have been found alive, with 12 Pakistanis among them, the Foreign Office (FO) confirmed on Saturday.
12 Pakistanis have been identified among survivors of capsized boat off coast of #Greece. At this stage we are unable to verify number & identity of nationals among deceased. @PakinGreece remains in contact with local authorities for identification & recovery of nationals.
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) June 17, 2023
Different media reports suggest that 400 to 750 people were onboard the ill-fated boat.
The federal government and Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) have signed a 12 point agreement on Saturday.
The agreement has been signed to settle matters that led to TLP starting its ‘Pakistan Bachao March’ from Karachi on May 22.
From the government’s side, the agreement was signed by Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and Federal Minister for Religious Affairs, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq.
The government has accepted a multitude of TLP demands including the establishment of a “Counter Blasphemy Wing.”
The agreement also states that Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act will be imposed on accused persons arrested on charges of blasphemy.
TLP has also demanded a reduction in petroleum prices.
The agreement also states that the the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will write a letter to the United States (US) government in three days, demanding the release of Dr Aafia Siddiqui.
.Govt and #TLP sign a 12 point agreement. It also include agreeing to impose additional anti terrorism act clauses to all those who get arrested on the charges of blasphemy. Interior Minister @RanaSanaullahPK and Fed Minister Ayaz Sadiq sign it. pic.twitter.com/nJewUXjut0
In a significant development, China has rolled over a $1 billion loan to Pakistan, bolstering the country’s foreign exchange reserves held by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). This move comes as a much-needed relief for cash-strapped Pakistan, which has been grappling with a severe liquidity crunch and the looming expiration of its International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme.
Pakistan’s Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said that the $1 billion loan from China would be received on Monday. Additionally, negotiations are underway with the Bank of China for a loan amounting to $300 million. Pakistan is also set to benefit from the dollars obtained through its swap agreement with China.
Prior to this infusion of funds, the SBP and commercial banks jointly held foreign exchange reserves amounting to $9.4 billion as of June 9. With the $1 billion loan, the reserves will rise to $10.4 billion, providing some stability to Pakistan’s economic situation.
The IMF has made external financing a prerequisite for Pakistan, emphasising the importance of securing additional funds. In an effort to address its financial challenges, Pakistan had approached China to refinance commercial loans worth $1.3 billion. However, without the revival of the IMF programme, the SBP’s foreign exchange reserves were at risk of plummeting to less than $3 billion.
Despite these positive developments with China, Pakistan is still struggling to secure external financing in a timely manner, primarily due to ongoing political instability. The country’s fragile economy, valued at $350 billion, continues to be in turmoil, with financial woes exacerbating the situation. The delayed agreement with the IMF has further compounded the need for crucial funding to avoid the risk of default.
Negotiations between the Pakistani government and the IMF have been ongoing since the end of January to resume the $1.1 billion loan tranche that has been on hold since November. This loan is part of a larger $6.5 billion Extended Fund Facility agreed upon in 2019. The impending challenge lies in repaying $900 million to multilateral creditors, which includes both principal and mark-up repayments, by the end of June 2023.
Pakistan remains hopeful that these recent developments with China will provide some respite in the face of its economic challenges. However, the government must continue its efforts to secure external financing and navigate through the political instability to ensure long-term stability and growth for the country’s economy.
Former Finance Minister, Miftah Ismail has said that he is not involved in the business of leg pulling but asserted that he speaks the truth. He made the comments while speaking to The News.
The former minister was referring to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s statement in which the Premier said without naming anyone that the people criticising current Finance Minister Ishaq Dar have no place in his party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
Miftah Ismail said he is in Islamabad to meet friends and is also trying to contact former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.
He further added he has no clue about the PM’s statement about Dar’s leg pulling, and he does not know why the PM gave the statement. According to sources of The News, Miftah Ismail and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi have no intentions of parting ways with PML-N.
However, Miftah Ismail served PML-N as Finance Minister in 2017 while Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was Prime Minister at that time.
The Central Secretary Information of Istehkam-e-Pakistan, Firdous Ashiq Awan, has said that the events of May 9 are the reason for the political death of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
In her statement, she said that she was away from politics for almost two years, stressing that it was difficult for her to stand with the PTI chairman Imran Khan and the party’s narrative.The former minister, once one of the most prominent faces of the then-ruling PTI said that when Imran was targeting his political rivals, she was standing by him but when he turned the direction of his cannons towards the armed forces of Pakistan, she became silent.
She further added that there is economic and political instability as well as hatred for each other in the country. She added that doors are always open for PTI victims and Istehkam-e-Pakistan party is working for the stability of Pakistan.
A bill seeking amendments to the Elections Act 2017 was passed by the Senate on Friday. As per the amendment, in cases where the duration of disqualification has not been specifically outlined, a person’s disqualification to run for provincial or central legislatures will not exceed five years.
Any individual who is disqualified by a court ruling shall be excluded for a maximum of five years from the day the judgment is made public. The period of disqualification under Article 62(1)(f) cannot exceed five years.
The Elections (Amendment) Bill 2023 was moved by State Minister Shahadat Awan .
Another key amendment brought forth by the bill is the revision of 57(1) and 58(1)57(1) and 58(1) of the Election Act. The amendments give power to the Election Commission of Pakistan to announce election dates on its own.
The amendments are as follow:
Section 57(1): The commission shall announce the date or dates of the general elections by notification in the official gazette and shall call upon the constituencies to elect their representatives.
Section 58: Notwithstanding anything contained in Section 57, the commission may at any time after the issuance of notification under subsection (1) of that section make such alterations in the election programme announced in that notification for the different stages of the election or may issue a fresh election programme with fresh poll date(s) as may in its opinion to be recorded in writing be necessary for the purposes of this act.
Lahore High Court (LHC) Multan bench on Friday directed all session judges and special courts to complete the identification parade process of suspects involved in May 9 riots within the next 48 hours.
Justice Tariq Saleem Shaikh issued a 13-page decision on the petition of Citizen Muhammad Ramzan, stating that the petitioner has been waiting in jail for identification parade since May 25.
Delay in identification parade is against fundamental human rights, Justice Shaikh further said in the decision, adding that the registrar should send a copy of the decision to all the session judges and IG Punjab.
The court has said that the delay in the identification parade makes the whole process doubtful and it is a violation of basic human rights and fair trial.
On May 9, supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and law enforcement agencies engaged in violent clashes as protests to mark the arrest of former Prime Minister turned into riots.
