Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry, while speaking to the media outside the Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday, lost his cool and called journalist Matiullah Jan “kiraye ka aadmi [ a hired man]. The statement of the former minister came as he was questioned about First Lady Bushra Bibi’s friend Farah Khan.
Here is what happened.
Fawad Chaudhry: “I will take questions later … Commando Saab one minute …. Statement of facts has been submitted by Prime Minister…”
Matiullah can be heard speaking in the background, “Where did Farah Khan go? Why did she run away from the country?”
Fawad Chaudhry: “I will talk first, and then you will speak.”
Matiullah kept asking his questions and that’s when Fawad called him out and said, “Kiraye pay aatay hain is tarha kay loug, [People like him are hired].”
Matiullah got angry at being called ” a hired man” and then said that it was actually Fawad who is a ‘kiraye ka tattu,” [a hired fool] and that’s when the heated argument geared up.
Fawad and Matiullah abusing each other
Though other journalists tried to settle the matter, both Fawad and Matiullah hurled continuous derogatory remarks and abusive words at each other.
Fawad was asked to apologise but refused. His refusal to offer an apology ended up with journalists announcing that they are boycotting media talks of all PTI leaders.
While reacting to Aurat March’s statement in which the forum strongly condemned the constitutional crisis in Pakistan and the dissolution of the National Assembly (NA), Federal Minister Shireen Mazari dropped a controversial tweet.
A day earlier in a tweet, the Aurat March criticised Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan, saying: “We condemn the political circus that has been kicked off due to the fragile masculine ego of a person who has sabotaged democratic processes just to save the perception of his individuality and to stage a dirty manoeuvre for his comeback to power.”
We condemn the political circus that has erupted due to the fragile masculine ego of a person who has sabotaged democratic processes just to save the perception of his individuality and to stage a dirty manoeuvre for his comeback to power.#NoConfidenceMotion#AuratMarch2022pic.twitter.com/Y4xccTJI6T
— Aurat March – عورت مارچ (@AuratMarchKHI) April 3, 2022
The statement clearly didn’t sit well with Mazari. She replied in disagreement, saying that “This [statement] shows Aurat March has little to do with genuine issues faced by women in Pakistan and more with politics and political agendas. Since many here have NGOs funded from abroad this statement, while condemnable, is not surprising. Fact is the US sought regime change and we do not accept it.”
This shows Aurat March has little to do with genuine issues faced by women in Pak & more with politics & political agendas. Since many here have NGOs funded from abroad this statement while condemnable is not surprising. Fact is the US sought regime change & we do not accept it https://t.co/7GwhsyPYWg
Indirectly hinting at Mazari, Aurat March Lahore released a brief statement, saying, “We cannot be asked to stay in our lane when the politics of this country deeply impact us.”
Aurat March Lahore believes that the feminist movement is not apolitical. We are just as impacted by the political machinations in assemblies and courtrooms as the rest of the country, and we have as much of a right to comment on it.#AsalInsaaf#AuratMarch2022#AuratMarchpic.twitter.com/giRbSVZT84
The statement reads, “Aurat March does not accept funds from, partner with, or endorse any political party, NGO or corporation. We reject the idea that activism should be apolitical.”
“We will continue to engage with politics, not only because it has a tangible impact on our lives, safety and wellbeing but because we are unafraid to stand up to institutions of political power,” the statement further reads.
PTI dissident Abdul Aleem Khan on Monday criticised Prime Minister Imran Khan and accused him of not being “sincere to the nation”.
Once a close aide of the PTI chairman, Aleem has grown disillusioned over the past few years and recently took a position against the party by deciding to support the joint opposition in the Punjab Assembly.
Talking to the media in Lahore today, he said he regretted dedicating 10 years of his life to the party. “I have supported the PTI with great loyalty, hard work and kept my ego aside. We thought there would be a Naya Pakistan in the face of Imran Khan,” he said.
“I’m sad that the person I spent 10 years of my life for is not sincere with the nation.”
Aleem criticised the premier over a number of issues ranging from the National Accountability Bureau “hounding” him to his insistence on retaining Usman Buzdar as the chief minister and then the nomination of PML-Q leader Pervez Elahi as the new Punjab CM.
Aleem rued that he had been branded a “traitor to the PTI” as he called out his critics and claimed that no one in the party had sacrificed more than him.
In a similar vein, he issued a challenge to the prime minister to bring forth any evidence of corruption against him, for which he said he was imprisoned for six months.
“Why wasn’t a reference made against me? What proof do you have? Bring it in front of the nation and tell them that these were Aleem Khan’s misdoings and corruption … I promise that if I turn out to be lying then I will shoot myself.” he said.
The PTI dissident levelled a number of allegations against Buzdar as well, saying that he was involved in bribery over transfers and postings in Punjab. He also accused Farah Khan, an associate of the first lady, of being complicit in these transfers.
He said any investigation would uncover who she (Farah) was forwarding the money of her alleged corruption while responding to a question about whether the first lady was also involved in supporting Farah.
Aleem criticised the prime minister for Sunday’s dissolution of the National Assembly as well, questioning what had stopped him from doing so before. He said that the premier could not dissolve the assemblies once a no-confidence resolution was submitted against him.
Actor Haroon Shahid took to his twitter handle to call out Aleem for his shocking remarks against Imran Khan.
#surprise@abdul_aleemkhan I remember working for you when I used to work at a digital media agency and we were running your social media pages. Bohat si baatain Hain waisay WhatsApp par meray paas pic.twitter.com/h5zYbjMhOe
The Verna hero stated that he has many proofs against Aleem since the time he was working for the politician’s digital company, which he might spill to the media.
I think it would only make the workers and supporters more charged up if Khan Saab publicly expresses regret for all the people who had to vote for the likes of Amir Liaqat, Aleem Khan, Noor Alam etc. because electable politics was the need of the hour. I had to vote for Aleem https://t.co/tHj5IbUDIT
The Qayamat actor also express his regret on voting for Aleem in the past because of the PTI factor.
In April 2021, the Amanat star lauded the efforts of Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar for keeping the city of Lahore well-maintained.
“On a drive this morning I realized how well Lahore is maintained,” wrote the Qayamat actor on social media. “Yes, there was a phase when there were issues with the waste management but this morning was a pleasant surprise to see horticulture, waste management, and traffic police all doing their job well.”
“Well done Buzdar,” he added.
Haroon further said: “I’ve started to realise that Buzdar and his team have been working without many PR antics and their work is now showing.”
“There’s a whole PR cell working against him both from within and outside but frankly he’s slowly defying them with his work,” he added.
I’ve started to realize that Buzdar and his team have been working without many PR antics and their work is now showing. There’s a whole PR cell working against him both from within and outside but frankly he’s slowly defying them with his work.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday denied issuing any statement regarding the time frame for the next general elections. “It is necessary to clarify that the Election Commission of Pakistan has not issued any statement regarding the election,” ECP tweeted.
الیکشن کمیشن آف پاکستان
اسلام آباد 5 اپریل 2022 ضروری وضاحت
ضروری وضاحت کی جاتی ہے کہ الیکشن کمیشن آف پاکستان نے الیکشن سے متعلق کوئی بیان جاری نہیں کیا ھے۔۔۔
— Election Commission of Pakistan (OFFICIAL) (@ECP_Pakistan) April 5, 2022
Earlier, a news report published in Dawn quoted an ECP official saying that it is not possible to hold general elections within three months due to a variety of legal and procedural issues.
“Fresh delimitation of constituencies, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where the number of seats had been increased under the 26th Amendment, and bringing district- and constituency-wise electoral rolls in conformity were the major challenges,” a senior ECP official told Dawn, adding that it will take six months to prepare for the general elections.
State Minister for Information Farrukh Habib said on Sunday that fresh elections in Pakistan will be held in 90 days after President Arif Alvi dissolved parliament on the advice of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The #BushraFarahNexus has been trending on Twitter and other social media platforms for the past 24 hours, following a press conference by dissenting PTI leader and former Punjab senior minister Abdul Aleem Khan about the alleged corruption by Farah Khan.
In a crowded press conference, Abdul Aleem Khan accused Farah Khan of corruption with the connivance of her “contacts in the power corridors”. Reports and rumours started making rounds suggesting that Farah Khan has left for Dubai on Sunday in the wake of the no-confidence motion.
On the other hand, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz dubbed Farah Khan “mother of all scandals” and also accused her of receiving huge money for transfers and postings. “I dare to name Farah, a friend of Bushra Bibi who is involved in receiving millions of rupees in transfers and postings and these are directly connected to Banigala (residence of Prime Minister Khan),” said Maryam Nawaz.
Who is Farah Khan?
She is a close friend of Bushra Bibi.
She joined PTI four years ago.
Farah Khan was also present at the Nikkah cermoney of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi.
Senior actress Atiqa Odho has commented on social media, defending her contemporary Bushra Ansari after she received backlash for dancing on the ‘Mehendi’ ceremony of Sultana Siddiqui’s grandson.
The Humsafar actress took to Instagram to post her take on the debate.
Several celebrities graced the pre-wedding ceremony of Shahmir Shunaid, the grandson of Sultana Siddiqui. Bushra Ansari along with Azaan Sami Khan performed on a quirky dance number on the dance floor.
This was Bushra’s first public appearance after her sister Sumbul Shahid’s tragic demise. The Mera Naseeb star received backlash for her antics on the ceremony. The veteran actress took to Instagram to share her response on the backlash from netizens. “I was in a deep grief from last 3 months and that loss is going to be in our hearts till our last breathe. Two days ago it was a family dholki and all my friends were there insisting me to get out of the stress and my sadness.”
She continued by mentioning, “So this is a cheap weapon of telling elders that you are old and you have no right to be happy, why not ? I don’t understand why young kids feel insecure of older people,” the actress stated further. I m not answerable to any faceless troll because they never leave any one even after wearing hijab, so stop hurting people it’s also not allowed in Islam.”
Bushra can be seen currently in ARY Digital’s Pardes co-starring Sarmad Khoosat and Shaista Lodhi. Atiqa was last seen in Farooq Rind’s Pyar Ke Sadqay.
Pakistan’s exports increased by 17.3 per cent in March 2021 to $2.773 billion, up from $2.365 billion in March 2021 and 25 per cent in the last nine months.
The Prime Minister’s Adviser on Commerce and Investment, Abdul Razak Dawood, said that exports increased by 25 per cent to $23.332 billion in the July-March fiscal year 2021-2022, compared to $18.688 billion in the same period last year, implying a $4.644 billion upsurge.
On the other hand, according to preliminary data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), exports fell 2 per cent on a month-on-month (MoM) basis to $2.77 billion in March 2022, down from $2.82 billion in February 2022.
Dawood said in a tweet, “We are glad to share that Pakistan’s exports for Mar-2022 grew by 17.3 per cent to $2.773 billion as compared to $2.365 billion Mar-2021. For Jul-Mar 2022, our exports grew by 25 per cent to $23.332 billion as compared to $18.688 billion in Jul-Mar 2021. This is an increase $4.644 billion”.
While talking about the target for exports he added that “We expect to achieve our yearly target. The import figures would be shared when finalised by the PBS. We would like to congratulate our exporters for maintaining the momentum of exports under these testing times in the global market”.
Pakistan’s current account deficit (CAD) decreased by 78.46 per cent to $545 million in February from $2.531 billion in January, owing primarily to a steep drop in imports.
Surprisingly, the CAD crossed the $12 billion level in the first eight months of FY22, showing no signs of improvement in the external account. The CAD was only $34 million in February 2021.
President Dr Arif Alvi has sent letters to Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan and Leader of the Opposition in the outgoing National Assembly and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif to seek suggestions for the appointment of a caretaker PM.
3 اپریل کو قومی اسمبلی کے تحلیل کیے جانے کے پیش نظر صدر مملکت ڈاکٹر عارف علوی کا وزیر اعظم عمران خان اور قائد حزب اختلاف میاں محمد شہباز شریف کو نگراں وزیر اعظم کے لیے موزوں شخص کی تجویز کے لیے خط pic.twitter.com/XXSHNcRrC4
— The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) April 4, 2022
The letter states that the caretaker PM will be appointed after the mutual consultation of the President, current PM, and Leader of the Opposition.
The letter also mentions that if consultations fail, both government and the Opposition will nominate one person for the seat to a committee comprising both Govt and the Opposition.
However, responding to the letter, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari questioned the President, saying that if there is no Assembly, then how can the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition exist name any caretaker prime minister? What would be the status of consultation between them?
Bilawal also asked the Supreme Court (SC) to stop this ‘coup’.
A day earlier, Deputy Speaker National Assembly (NA) Qasim Suri dismissed the no-confidence motion against Khan, terming it “unconstitutional”, saying that it was backed by “foreign powers” under Article 5.
Following this development, Executives [Khan and Alvi] announced the dismissal of the National Assembly under Article 58. However, Imran Khan will remain seated as PM till the appointment of a caretaker PM.
Mr. Imran Ahmad Khan Niazi, shall continue as Prime Minister till the appointment of caretaker Prime Minister under Article 224 A (4) of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
— The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) April 3, 2022
With what seems like an uncalled-for use of power, the abrupt dismissal of the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan is being termed an “unconstitutional trump card”. Citizens of Pakistan have serious reservations over how Article 5 has been used as an ‘excuse’ by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government to effectively subvert the constitution.
Pakistan is in a state of constitutional crisis and all eyes are on the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP). The main question is which way will the SCP direct the future of Pakistan? The two options that seem likely to emerge after the hearing will primarily shape the future politics and state of democracy in Pakistan.
The Supreme Court of Pakistan is scheduled to hold a hearing on the suo motu notice taken by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial. A five-member Supreme Court bench will hear the case for and against the dismissal of the no-confidence motion yesterday. CJP Bandial will head the session starting at 1pm on Monday.
If the apex court decides in favour of the Opposition
If the five-member bench decides in favour of the Opposition, the NA session will reconvene and the Lower House will have to continue with the voting on the no-confidence motion tabled against PM Khan. If Khan loses the majority, he can no longer hold office. And that the apex court will call for a fresh election in a time period of six months.
If the apex court decides in favour of the government
If the honourable judges of the Supreme Court decide in favour of the government, then fresh elections will be called in a time of 90-120 days. Meanwhile, it is also being speculated that the apex court will remark that it has nothing to do with the parliament and that what does goes inside the assembly strictly stays within the assembly.
It is pertinent to mention here that Deputy Speaker of National Assembly Qasim Suri, on Sunday, April 3, dismissed the no-trust motion against Khan, terming it “unconstitutional”, saying that it was backed by “foreign powers”.
On Sunday, a man from Gujranwala, Punjab, named Ateeq burned his wife alive for not giving birth to a son, reports ARY. The incident took place in the Kot Shekju area of Gujranwala. He had three daugthers.
The man’s sister-in-law allegedly supported him in the crime. According to authorities, after killing his wife, Ateeq fled the scene with his three daughters.
Meanwhile, the deceased woman’s body has been taken to a nearby hospital for a post-mortem examination. In addition, the police have filed a murder charge against Ateeq under section 302 of Pakistan’s penal code.
