Tag: Arif Alvi

  • ‘Media Martial Law’, Journalists sit in protest against proposed media authority bill

    ‘Media Martial Law’, Journalists sit in protest against proposed media authority bill

    Pakistani journalists are protesting in front of the Parliament House against the proposed Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA), which aims to muzzle media freedom. The on-going protest started on Sunday. Journalists marched from the National Press Club to the Parliament House and stayed overnight.

    They said the sit-in would continue till President Dr Arif Alvi’s address to the joint session of parliament, which is scheduled to assemble on Monday.

    DETAILS OF THE PROTEST

    Renowned journalists including Mazhar Abbas, Hamid Mir, Fahd Husain, Kashif Abbasi, Saleem Safi, Asma Shirazi, Gharidah Farooqi Imtiaz Alam, and Afzal Butt are participating in the protest, headed by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ).

    PFUJ general secretary Nasir Zaidi, while talking to Voicepk.net said, “Prior to this, we struggled against every law to control the press in the eras of dictators, and we will struggle against such laws even today.”

    Senior journalist Afzal Butt said, “Many attempts had been made in the past to silence the media by dictators, but journalists successfully fought for their rights and this time too, the journalist community would protect freedom of the press.”

    Journalist Imtiaz Alam stated that, “The government through the PMDA was trying to impose ‘media martial law’. “as per Dawn.

    Journalists and politicians are criticising the government. “Parliamentary reporters have banned from sitting in the press gallery of Parliament for joint session,” tweeted PPP’s Senator Sherry Rehman.

    SUPPORT BY JOURNALISTS

    Other journalists have expressed their concerns and showed solidarity with fellow journalists on social media accounts.

    https://twitter.com/zburki/status/1436954006820118537

    INTERNATIONAL CONDEMNATION

    Pakistani journalists in Britain also condemned the Pakistan government’s plans to establish the PMDA.

    “The officials of the High Commission called journalists individually and asked them not to hold the protest outside the High Commission premises and also issued threats of serious consequences for organising the protest,” wrote Murtaza Ali Shah for Geo News.

    “The journalists particularly singled out the current information minister [Fawad Chaudhry] for first playing his role in the economic murder of journalists and now pushing through a black law to completely finish the private media which provides thousands of jobs to media workers,” he added.

  • ‘TTP may be considered for general amnesty, provided they follow constitution of Pakistan’: Arif Alvi

    ‘TTP may be considered for general amnesty, provided they follow constitution of Pakistan’: Arif Alvi

    President Dr Arif Alvi has said that if anyone wants to leave the ideology of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and work as per the Constitution of Pakistan, the government may consider a general amnesty.

    Speaking on Dawn News programme, ‘Khabar se Khabar’, President Alvi said, “The TTP is a threat to us. We have been told that they will stay with them [Afghan Taliban] but do nothing against Pakistan.”

    “It’s one step, Pakistan will consider general amnesty, if anyone surrenders,” further added Alvi.

    Earlier, Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid had said in an interview that TTP is not a problem of Afghanistan but of Pakistan, so it is Pakistan’s job to formulate a strategy in this regard.

    “If TTP believes in our followers and our Amir-ul-Mominin, then they [TTP] will have to follow them as well,” added Mujahid.

    The detailed interview of the president is yet to be aired on Dawn News. A short teaser of the show was aired by the channel on Wednesday.

    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    Youm-e-Istehsal Kashmir: Pakistan highlights Indian oppression in IOK
    
			
    Youm-e-Istehsal Kashmir: Pakistan highlights Indian oppression in IOK
    
			
    Pakistan is observing Youm-e-Istehsal Kashmir today to express solidarity with the people of Kashmir, as August 5 marks two years of Indian Occupied Kashmir’s (IOK) military siege by the Modi regime in India.
    

    Prime Minister Imran Khan, in a series of tweets, said: “Today marks two years since India’s unilateral and illegal actions of 5 Aug 2019 in IIOJK. In these two years, the world has witnessed unprecedented oppression in IIOJK (Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir) by Indian Occupation forces. It is also witnessing Indian efforts to force demographic change and destroy Kashmiri identity.”
    

    

    


    

    

    

    PM Khan further said that the government and the people of Pakistan salute their Kashmiri brothers and sisters for their “sacrifices in their determined & legitimate struggle” for their inalienable rights.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    The Inter-Services Public Relation (ISPR), the military’s media wing, quoted Cheif of Army Staff (COAS) Qamar Javed Bajwa as saying that the “continuation of an inhuman military siege, machinations to bring demographic changes and gross violations of human rights and international laws are perpetuating humanitarian and security crises in IIOJ&K” that imperil regional security.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    Speaking to a rally arranged to salute the bravery and courage of Kashmiri brothers and sisters in Islamabad, President Arif Alvi said no Pakistani will rest until occupied Kashmir, under Indian military siege is liberated. 
    

    “Pakistan will liberate occupied Kashmir,” he said. “Let me warn India that Pakistan is a strong nation.”
    

    President Arif Alvi addressing a rally in Islamabad. -Radio Pakistan
    

    Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said Pakistan will continue to support oppressed Kashmiris. 
    

    Events have been arranged in order to call out India’s unilateral, illegal actions against the Kashmiri people. Solidarity walks of one mile have been planned in all the main cities, including the federal capital. 
    

     A one-minute silence was observed across the country while traffic was also halted for a minute, and sirens were sounded.
    

    

    Two years ago, on August 5, 2019, the Narendra Modi government revoked the special status of the people of Kasmir. The Indian government rushed through a presidential decree and abolished Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, which gave a measure of autonomy to the Muslim-majority Occupied Kashmir.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    Did President Alvi call Noor Mukadam’s murder an ‘isolated incident’?
    
			
    President of Pakistan Dr Arif Alvi took to Twitter yesterday to condemn the video of a man who forced a Hindu worker of the Thar coal project to mock and hurl abuse at his religious deities.
    

    Three tweets were sent from the official handle of the President of Pakistan to condemn the act, but one of his tweets was taken out of context by many social media users.
    

    “Our society should remain alert. Such isolated ugly incidents are used to give a bad name to the country. I condemn it and I assure all citizens that we in Riasat-e-Madina cannot and will not allow this to happen.”
    

    This tweet was widely shared by social media users in the context of Noor Mukadam’s case and in the context of rising violence against women in the country.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    Have a look at some of the tweets:
    

    

    
https://twitter.com/sunstrawberryy/status/1420156234376826883

    

    

    

    
https://twitter.com/icarusdress/status/1420130497854943236

    

    

    

    
https://twitter.com/peshuntzero/status/1420103357725880320

    

    

    

    
https://twitter.com/its_AN1/status/1420133764680851457

    

    

    President Alvi then took to his personal Twitter account to clarify the context of the tweet.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    The man was arrested by the Sindh police from District Badin.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    Spokesperson Sindh government Murtaza Wahab tweeted that he had been arrested:
    

    

    


    

    

    

    President of Pakistan’s Twitter handle tweeted that the man was arrested after President Alvi took notice of the incident.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    19-year-old Shehroze Kashif sets world record by scaling K2
    
			
    A 19-year-old Pakistani, Shehroze Kashif, has made a world record by scaling the world’s second-highest mountain, K2. Kashif has become the youngest mountaineer in the world to summit K2.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    Following his feat, President Arif Alvi lauded the young man and congratulated him on his achievement.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    Former cricketer, Imran Nazir also took to Twitter to congratulate Kashif.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    Earlier this year, Shehroze Kashif became the youngest Pakistani to scale the world’s largest mountain above the seal level, Mount Everest.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    President Alvi stresses that Pakistan is not against Jews or Christians
    
			
    President Alvi stresses that Pakistan is not against Jews or Christians
    
			
    President Arif Alvi on Tuesday, in an address to the Second Conference of Parliamentary Assembly of the Economic Cooperation Organization (PAECO) countries, stressed that Pakistan is against genocide, not against Jews or Christians.
    

    “We are against genocide. We are not against Jews or Christians, but against all oppressors of humanity,” said Alvi.
    

    Alvi further added that Pakistan’s stance on Israel’s violations of human rights was “not anti-Semitic, but anti-Zionist.”
    

    “We will raise our voices against anyone who resorts to oppression,” the president said.
    

    He also said that labelling the freedom movement of Palestinians and Kashmiris as “terrorism” by Israel and India was an act of viewing the countries through the “prism of prejudice”.
    

    The president expressed confidence that the Muslim world would join hands in giving the world a strong message on Islamophobia.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    President Alvi calls for sports to be promoted across Pakistan
    
			
    President Alvi calls for sports to be promoted across Pakistan
    
			
    President Dr Arif Alvi has urged the need to promote mega sports events in the country to attract young talent and project Pakistan’s soft image in the world.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    President Alvi highlighted the importance of sports while talking to the management of the Kashmir Premier League (KPL), which called on him at the Aiwan-e-Sadr in Islamabad on Friday.
    

    The president praised the upcoming league and said it would provide a quality platform to Kashmiri youth to display their cricket talent, besides promoting Kashmir’s beautiful landscapes and culture at a global level.
    

    Read more – President Alvi shares his list of 10 must-read books
    

    President Alvi assured the delegation that his office will extend all possible support for highlighting the event at national and international levels.
    

    Chairman Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir Affairs Shehryar Afridi, President KPL Arif Malik, CEO KPL Chaudhary Shahzad Akhtar, members of senior management of KPL, franchise owners and senior officials of the government were among those who attended the meeting.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    Dr Arif Alvi, wife open up on personal life, marriage
    
			
    President Dr Arif Alvi and First Lady Mrs Samina Arif Alvi recently opened up on their personal life, relationship dynamics and revealed how they got married. 
    

    Appearing on Nida Yasir’s show, Dr Alvi and Mrs Samina shared that they are second cousins. When Yasir, in her typical style, asked if their marriage was an arranged or love, the president said that it was a “mix,” adding that they have an age difference of five years. 
    

    President Alvi also shared that he would write letters to his wife after their marriage. 
    

    Talking about their relationship dynamics, President Alvi and his wife shared that they joke around with each other at home but no one takes any offence. President Alvi said that he feels that Samina has a better sense of humour than him.
    

    “There are times when she objects to what I would wear and I’d ask her if I had ever criticised what she wore,” joked President Alvi to which Samina added that he never really listens to her.
    

    

    “We’ve been married for almost 50 years now and I have never asked her to change the way she dresses,” said the president to which Samina responded: “That’s because I always dress well.”
    

    Read more – Pakistani dramas are depressing, says First Lady Samina Alvi
    

    The couple have one son and three daughters together, all of who are married. 
    

    Talking about their children, the duo said that while Samina did the personal grooming of the children, President Alvi looked after their studies.
    

    “It was from Grade 9 to 12 that I taught them,” said Dr Alvi, adding: “Samina was the one who groomed them otherwise.”
    

    “It was a big task to help our son with the studies,” said Samina. “I think because sons are the troublemakers. Daughters, on the other hand, are timider. They listen to whatever you tell them.”
    

    “We tried to make our children understand the importance of education to a point that the only thing they thought about was education,” said President Alvi. “That wasn’t what we wanted so we started focusing on other aspects as well. Even after our daughters were married, all they could think about was studying. I told them there was more to life than studying, raise your kids.”
    

    

    Meanwhile, President Alvi also gave viewers a glimpse into his childhood saying that growing up he was a very naughty child, according to his elder. He said that he deeply misses his school days adding that his father was very strict and he was very close to his mother.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    Humayun Saeed ‘overwhelmed beyond words’ with Pride of Performance award
    
			
    Humayun Saeed ‘overwhelmed beyond words’ with Pride of Performance award
    
			
    Humayun Saeed is “overwhelmed beyond words” after receiving the Pride of Performance award from President Dr Arif Alvi for his contribution to the Drama and Film industries of Pakistan.
    

    Sharing a picture of himself with his medal on Instagram, Saeed said: “Extremely very grateful and humbled by all the messages of love and adulation I have been receiving. Thank you so much my beloved fans, friends and family for your constant support and encouragement.”
    

    

    “The Pride of Performance is my most special accolade for it is a recognition by the State,” said Humayun. “I have always firmly believed that being Pakistani is my only true identity and have tried my utmost best to make Pakistan proud.”
    

    “Any award that Pakistan gives to me thus will always remain closest to my heart,” he added. 
    

    Humayun also promised to work even and do everything in his capacity to “serve our beloved country.” 
    

    “I once again, in all humility, thank each and every one of you for your love. I am overwhelmed beyond words.”
    

    


    

     
    

    Many of Humayun’s friends and colleagues including Mahira Khan, Adnan Siddiqui, Ahmed Ali Butt, Sajal Aly, Vasay Chaudhary and Shaan Shahid congratulated the super-hit actor-director-producer for receiving the ‘deserving award.’ 
    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    


    

    

    

    

    


    

    

    

    

    


    

    

    

    

    


    

    

    

    

    


    

    

    

    

    


    

    

    

    

    


    

    

    

    Meanwhile, several other notable Pakistanis were also recognised for their contributions in different fields at the investiture ceremony at Aiwan-e-Sadr.
    

    President Alvi presented various awards to 88 recipients including six Nishan-e-Imtiaz, three Hilal-e-Imtiaz, 24 Sitara-e- Shuja’at, eight Sitara-e-Imtiaz, 14 President’s Award for Pride of Performance, one Sitara-e-Quaid-e-Azam, one Sitara-e-Khidmat, one Tamgha-e-Pakistan, 22 Tamgha-e-Shuja’at and eight Tamgha-e-Imtiaz.
    

    Prominent personalities who received the Nishan-e-Imtiaz include Sadiqain Naqvi (Art), Abida Parveen (Singing), Ahmad Faraz (Literature) while Bushra Ansari (Art), Syed Farooq Qaiser (Art) and Sultana Siddiqui (Art) received the Sitara-e-Imtiaz. Maulana Tariq Jameel (Religious Scholar), Muhammad Ali Shehki (Singing), Resham (Acting), Humayun Saeed (Acting) and Ali Zafar (Singing) were conferred the President’s Award for Pride of Performance. Meanwhile, Zaiba Shehaz (Acting) and Faisal Edhi (Public Service) were awarded the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz.