Tag: Asif Ali Zardari

  • Imran Khan ko Shah Mahmood se khatra hai, PPP leaders

    Imran Khan ko Shah Mahmood se khatra hai, PPP leaders

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leaders have questioned the loyalty of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senior Vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi to party Chairman Imran Khan.

    Saeed Ghani has said that Quershi should never forget his past before criticising Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari. Qureshi was part of the PPP and a foreign minister during the party’s tenure.

    Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon said that Shah Mahmood Qureshi has changed political parties according to circumstances, alleging that PPP caught him red-handed while hatching a conspiracy.

    “The biggest threat to PTI chief Imran Khan is from Shah Mahmood Qureshi,” Memon said.

    Qureshi joined PTI in 2011, one of the first big names to do so.

    Earlier, Qureshi held a press conference and criticised the PPP leadership.

    Speaking to the media in Karachi, the former foreign minister asked PPP to clear its stance on whether they are standing with the Constitution or abrogating it.

  • Relief for workers as Punjab govt raises minimum wage to Rs32,000 per month

    Relief for workers as Punjab govt raises minimum wage to Rs32,000 per month

    The Punjab government has announced an increase in the minimum wage for unskilled workers from Rs25,000 to Rs32,000 per month, providing some relief to workers during a period of skyrocketing inflation.

    This increase of Rs7,000 was made official through a notification issued by the interim government on Thursday. It is worth noting that in April of last year, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif announced a minimum wage increase for government employees to Rs25,000 and a 10 per cent increase in civil and military pensions for retired employees.

    Following this announcement, the Punjab government set the minimum wage at Rs25,000. On January 31, 2023, Asif Ali Zardari, the former president and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-chairperson, proposed to the coalition government that the minimum wage should be raised to Rs35,000.

    Zardari emphasised that the government should take responsibility for providing relief to workers and take far-reaching measures to address the problems faced by the masses.

  • Nawaz gets a Mercedes, Zardari BMWs: New list of Toshakhana gifts reveals what previous govts kept for themselves

    On Sunday, the government officially released long-awaited records regarding the gifts received by public office holders from foreign governments and dignitaries since 2002.

    The Toshakhana, established in 1974, is a department under the administrative control of the Cabinet Division and is responsible for the storage of precious gifts given to rulers, parliamentarians, bureaucrats, and officials by heads of other governments and states, as well as foreign dignitaries.

    As per the Toshakhana rules, gifts, presents, and other such materials received by persons to whom these rules apply must be reported to the Cabinet Division.

    The department has been in the news in recent months due to the proceedings against former Prime Minister Imran Khan for “not sharing details” of Toshakhana gifts. The Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, announced last month the government’s plan to release the entire record to the public. In addition, officials have been barred from retaining gifts worth more than $300.

    Below are some of the noteworthy gifts kept by political leaders over the years from the Toshakhana:

    Nawaz Sharif

    Nawaz Sharif, the three-time former Prime Minister and PML-N chief, has retained several expensive items over the years. In April 2008, he kept a Mercedes Benz worth Rs4.2 million after paying Rs636,888 for it. In November 2013, he retained a Rolex wristwatch valued at Rs1.18 million after paying a total of Rs243,000 for it and some other items.

    In January 2015, he kept a Piaget wristwatch worth Rs1 million after paying Rs240,000 for it and a box of perfumes. In January 2016, he retained a Christopher Claret watch (Rs2 million), a ring (Rs19.5 million), and a pair of cufflinks (Rs16 million) after paying a total of Rs7.6 million for them and some other items.

    In February 2016, he kept a Dela Cour watch (Rs3.2 million), a ring (Rs8 million), and a pair of cufflinks (Rs5 million) after paying Rs3.2 million for them.

    In October 2016, he retained two Rolex watches, one worth Rs1.2 million and the other Rs850,000, after paying Rs469,000 for them and some other items. In March 2017, his son Hussain Nawaz retained a Rolex watch worth Rs940,000 after paying Rs186,000 for it.

    In May 2017, Nawaz retained a Rolex wristwatch worth Rs4 million after paying Rs808,000 for it.

    Additionally, in January 2016, Nawaz’s wife Kulsoom Nawaz retained a bracelet worth Rs12.7 million and a necklace and earring valued at Rs41.6 million after paying Rs10.8 million for them. In March 2017, Nawaz retained a diamond necklace worth Rs1 million after paying Rs207,560 for it and a table watch.

    Imran Khan

    In September 2018, Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister and Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), retained several items from the Toshakhana including a Graff wristwatch (Rs85 million), a pair of cufflinks (Rs5.6 million), a pen (Rs1.5 million), and a ring (Rs8.75 million) by paying Rs20 million for them.

    In the following month of October 2018, he retained a Rolex watch, valued at Rs3.8 million, by paying Rs754,000 for it. He then retained another Rolex watch (Rs1.5m) in the same month by paying Rs294,000 for it. In November 2018, Imran retained another Rolex wristwatch (Rs900,000) by paying a total of Rs338,600 for it along with other items. In October 2019, he retained a boxed watch, assessed at Rs1.9m, by paying Rs935,000 for it.

    In September 2020, Imran retained another Rolex watch, assessed at Rs4.4 million, along with other gifts by paying Rs2.4 million for them. In the same month, his wife Bushra Bibi retained a necklace (Rs10m), bracelet (Rs2.4m), ring (Rs2.8m), and a pair of earrings (Rs1.85 million) by paying Rs9 million for them.

    Asif Ali Zardari

    In January 2009, former President and co-chairperson of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Asif Ali Zardari, retained a BMW car (Rs57.8 million) and a Toyota Lexus (Rs50 million) after paying a total of Rs16.1 million for them. Additionally, he retained another BMW car (Rs27.3 million) after paying Rs4 million.

    In March 2011, Zardari retained a wristwatch (Rs1 million) after paying Rs158,250 for it and other items. Later, in June 2011, he retained a Corum wristwatch (Rs1.25 million) after paying Rs189,219 for it and other items. In October 2011, Zardari retained another Cartier wristwatch (Rs1m) after paying Rs321,000 for it and a gun.

    Arif Alvi

    In October 2019, Samina Alvi, the wife of President Dr Arif Alvi, retained a necklace valued at Rs1.19 million after making a payment of Rs865,000 for it, along with other items in a jewellery box.

    In February 2022, President Dr Arif Alvi retained a Rolex wristwatch valued at Rs2.5 million, after making a payment of Rs1.2 million for it.

    Raja Pervaiz

    In November 2012, former prime minister and National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf retained a Graff wristwatch, which was assessed at Rs890,000. He paid a total of Rs218,000 for the wristwatch and other items.

    Shahid Khaqan Abbasi

    In October 2017, ex-premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi retained a Hublot wristwatch (Rs15 million), a pair of cufflinks (Rs1.2 million), a pen (Rs1.5 million), a ring (Rs3 million), and prayer beads (Rs1.85 million) after paying Rs4.5 million for them. His wife, Sameena Shahid, also retained a jewellery set (Rs99 million) after paying Rs19.99 million for it.

    In November 2017, Abbasi retained a Rolex watch boxset (Rs23 million) after paying Rs4.59 million for it. In April 2018, he retained a Rolex wristwatch (Rs25 million) after paying a total of Rs5.27 million for it and other items.

    Pervez Musharraf

    As per the official record, it was revealed that the total value of the gifts presented to the former military ruler, Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf, in 2004 amounted to more than Rs6.5 million. Among these gifts, a watch gifted to Musharraf in 2005 was worth Rs500,000. Numerous other precious items such as watches, jewelry boxes, and various other gifts were also presented to the former president, who retained them after paying the required amount.

    In 2003, Musharraf’s wife, Sehba Musharraf, received a jewelry box worth over Rs2.6 million. Additionally, on April 6, 2006, she received gifts worth Rs1.65 million, while on August 1, 2007, the value of her received gifts stood at Rs3.4 million. On April 3, 2007, she was presented with gifts worth over Rs10 million, and on January 31, 2007, Musharraf himself received gifts valued at Rs1.4 million.

    Shaukat Aziz

    In 2005, former Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz received a watch worth Rs850,000, which was later auctioned off for Rs355,000. Aziz had kept several other gifts by claiming their value to be below Rs10,000. On September 27, 2007, he received another watch worth Rs1.35 million.

    On December 20, 2006, Aziz received gifts worth Rs3.7 million, which he chose to retain. However, during 2006, he returned several other gifts to the Toshakhana. On June 2, 2006, he received a watch worth Rs1.35 million. On January 7, 2007, the former premier received gifts valued at Rs1.8 million. On February 24, 2010, he received a watch worth Rs1.2 million but returned it to the Toshakhana.

    Yousuf Raza Gillani

    In December 2009, former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gillani’s wife, Fauzia Gillani, retained a jewellery set (Rs2 million) after paying Rs326,043 for it.

  • ‘I don’t think PML-N can clean sweep in elections’: Miftah Ismail

    ‘I don’t think PML-N can clean sweep in elections’: Miftah Ismail

    Former Finance Minister Miftah Ismail has cast doubts over his party’s ability to sweep the upcoming general elections. In an interview with Geo News, the disgruntled Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader said that he believed whether Pakistanis have Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari or martial law, nothing will improve the system until “we make systemic changes”.

    Talking about the upcoming general elections, Miftah said that he doesn’t see any party sweeping the elections; however, the PML-N leader was sure that he “absolutely does not see PML-N sweeping the elections.”

    Miftah said that any political party be it PML-N, PPP or PTI needs to talk to the people of Pakistan asking them about their real problems and needs.

    “When you hear the leaders today, you hear them say that I want to be the prime minister, there is one leader who is more into I, me and myself than others but it is all about them,” he said.

    “Nobody is talking about the people of Pakistan. What about the 60 per cent of people who earn Rs40,000 a month? What about the young people who cannot find jobs? What about the people living in rural areas? What about an average Pakistani child failing in science and mathematics,” he asked.

    Declaring that nobody is talking about real solutions, Miftah Ismail slammed politics as “just a fight for power, nothing else.”

    There are no new ideas and absolutely no competence, he maintained.

  • Bazi lay gaya Khan: 61 per cent Pakistanis positively rate PTI chief

    Bazi lay gaya Khan: 61 per cent Pakistanis positively rate PTI chief

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan is “positively rated” among 61 per cent of Pakistanis, whereas only 36 per cent have a “good opinion” about Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif.

     According to a survey titled Public Pulse Report published by Gallup Pakistan, around 2,000 respondents participated in providing data for the survery.

    According to the report, Khan received a positive rating from 61 per cent of the population while 37 per cent rated him negatively.

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif was rated negatively by 65 per cent of Pakistanis while 32 per cent gave him a positive rating. However, people from Punjab rated him better as compared to other provinces.

    As for Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, 36 per cent rated the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairman positively while 57 per cent gave him a negative rating. Of all the provinces, he got most positive ratings from Sindh.

    PML-N Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz, however, was rated negatively by 61 per cent while 34 per cent gave her a positive rating.

    Former president Asif Ali Zardari was rated negatively by 67 per cent while 27 per cent rated him positively.

  • ‘Bilawal jawan admi hai, usay ghussa barri jaldi aajata hai’: Zardari about son’s threat to leave ministries

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari while talking about his son, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, said that he is a young man and easily gets angry.

    “Bilawal is a young man; he gets angry quickly. I am used to showing patience for 67 years. He is Oxford returned; he does not believe in such things. He says a promise was made to me [by the federal government]; where is the money? Either you shouldn’t have made the promise, now that you have, you should fulfill it,” said Zardari when talking about his son’s statement that PPP can leave ministries if promises made to flood victims were not fulfilled.

    Addressing a ceremony at the inauguration of Seed Subsidy programme for flood-affected farmers in Karachi on Sunday, March 5, Bilawal said, “Prime Minister [Shehbaz Sharif] and the federal government made promises for the flood victims, and those promises and announcements need to be fulfilled. I will be talking to the premier; we [will] take up this issue in the National Assembly.”

    “Wherever these promises were made need to fulfilled, otherwise it will be very difficult for us [PPP] to continue working in the ministry,” added Bilawal.

  • Maryam Nawaz stops Safdar from speaking on behalf of party

    Maryam Nawaz stops Safdar from speaking on behalf of party

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz has reportedly stopped her husband—Captain (retired) Safdar—from delivering any ‘policy statement’ after he criticised the party’s leadership in an exclusive interview with ARY News.

    According to media reports, the senior vice president made it clear that no party leader, including her husband, should give any statement that goes against the party’s policy.

    She also warned the party that strict action would be taken against those who deviate from the directives.

    ‘Don’t see Maryam Nawaz becoming PM in near future’: Capt Safdar

    Earlier, Safdar said that he doesn’t see his wife becoming the Prime Minister (PM) of Pakistan in the near future.

    He said, “I don’t see Maryam Nawaz becoming PM in near future”, adding that if PM Shehbaz Sharif gets elected in 2025, the country will prosper.

    He said the ‘vote ko izzat do‘ narrative of the party was buried on the day when PML-N decided to vote in parliament in favour of an extension to the former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Qamar Javed Bajwa. Safdar said he thinks whoever voted for Qamar Javed Bajwa’s extension except for Pervaiz Rasheed, are “criminals”.

    Replying to a question about Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) dissident leaders, Safdar said the parliamentarians should not change their loyalties. “It is not right to win elections on PTI’s tickets and later change your loyalties for power,” he maintained.

    Safdar was of the view that elections in Punjab and KP shouldn’t be held now and went on to say to hold general elections in 2025 after the recovery of the economy.

    In a turn of events, he also regretted his personal attacks on his party rival, Imran Khan, and said that political rivalry should remain political, not personal.

    Talking about PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi—who recently resigned from his position as the party’s vice president after Maryam’s elevation— Safdar said that Shahid doesn’t need a position and praised him.

    On January 3, Maryam was appointed as the party’s “Chief Organiser” and “Senior Vice President”. Later, she returned to the country to take charge of her new responsibilities after a three-month absence.

  • Sheikh Rasheed booked in another case for speaking against Bilawal

    Sheikh Rasheed booked in another case for speaking against Bilawal

    Awami Muslim League (AML) Chief and Former Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed has been booked in another case in Karachi for allegedly using inappropriate language against Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.

    On Thursday, Rasheed was handed over on a two-day physical remand for accusing former President Asif Ali Zardari of plotting an assassination attempt on Imran Khan, the chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

    In the early hours of February 2, Rasheed was arrested from his home in Islamabad.

    Islamabad court grants 2-day physical remand of Sheikh Rasheed

    An Islamabad court on Thursday granted police two-day physical remand of Ahmed, hours after the politicians was arrested in connection with remarks he made against Zardari.

    ‘My crime is that I’m standing with Khan’: Rasheed arrested for levelling allegations against Zardari

    Rasheed was arrested late last night after Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Rawalpindi Division President Raja Inayat Ur Rehman filed a case against him in Islamabad’s Aabpara Police Station for alleging that Zardari was hatching a plot to assassinate the Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan.

    The FIR said that Rasheed’s allegations were designed to get PTI and the PPP to fight each other, disrupting the country’s peace.

    Three sections — 120B (criminal conspiracy), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups), and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) — have been added to the FIR.

    Talking to the media after his arrest, Rasheed said he feared for his life.

    “My crime is that I’m standing with Imran Khan,” he said at the Polyclinic hospital in Islamabad, where he was taken for a medical checkup.

    “I have been a minister 16 times. Never for a single time, I have been charged with corruption in these ministries,” he added.

    Rasheed alleged that Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah is behind his arrest.

    Former Prime Minister Imran Khan condemned the arrest of his close aide and blamed the interim Punjab government — Moshin Naqvi — of being biased.

    “Question is can Pak afford a street movement which we are being pushed towards at a time when Imported Govt has bankrupted us?” he asked.

    Khan in January alleged that Zardari was hatching as well as financing a plot to assassinate him, for which the ex-president had hired “terrorists”.

    “…there’s a Plan C. Asif Zardari is behind it. He has amassed a lot of money through corruption and he has invested that money in terrorists and hired a militant organisation,” the PTI chief had alleged. However, the PPP strongly denied the claim and served a legal notice to Khan.

  • ‘He cannot make accusations every time his wife has a dream’: Bilawal roars at Khan for accusations on his father

    ‘He cannot make accusations every time his wife has a dream’: Bilawal roars at Khan for accusations on his father

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari took Imran Khan, Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), to task for the allegations he made against Asif Ali Zardari.

    Tweeting from his official account, the foreign minister minced no words while responding to Imran Khan’s statement that former President Asif Ali Zardari was plotting to assassinate him.

    Bilawal wrote that after terrorist outfits called him and his party out by name in direct threats, Imran Khan has now made false accusations against his father.

    “These statements increase threats to my father, my family and my party. We take them seriously given our history,” tweeted Bilawal, whose mother, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, was killed in a terrorist attack in 2007.

    “We are exploring legal responses to Imran latest defamatory and dangerous accusations. In the past he threatened my father that he was ‘in the crosshairs of his gun’. His and his associates history as both sympathisers and facilitators of terrorists are well documented”, said Bilawal.

    “Imran must realize every time his wife has a dream he cannot just come on tv and make accusations about people. Her dreams won’t stand up in court,” said Bilawal taking a jibe at the former First Lady, Bushra Bibi.

    “His latest accusation that my family has any association to a terrorist organization or that we would employ them to cause him harm not only defies logic but exposes us all to an increased threat.”

    Stating that PPP will challenge Imran, Bilawal said that populist fiction cannot be allowed to dominate our discourse, poison our politics and damage our democracy. “We will not tolerate being victims of terrorist and put up with propaganda from their political front men.”

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif tweeted, “Imran Niazi’s baseless & dangerous allegations against former President Asif Ali Zardari are not only irresponsible but also conform to a pattern of conspiracy theories meant to spread venom against his political opponents.”

    “Such nonsensical rhetoric is an attempt to remain politically relevant. The whole nation knows how he has used politics of hatred to divide the society for the sake of power.”

    Adviser to the Prime Minister, Qamar Zaman Kaira, also responded to Imran Khan’s accusations, stating that PPP will not let Imran Khan off the hook for alleging that former Asif Ali Zardari plotted to kill him.

    Imran Khan had alleged on Friday in a televised speech that PPP Co-Chairman Zardari was plotting and financing an assassination attempt for which the ex-president had hired terrorists.

    Kaira, a PPP stalwart, rejected the allegations as “atrocious”. He said that the allegations had gone beyond lies, promising that PPP won’t spare Imran Khan.

    “A former prime minister talks about his alleged assassination plan. The court should order an investigation. If his allegations are genuine, then those responsible should be brought to the book. If the allegations are proven untrue, Imran should be punished,” said Kaira while speaking on Geo News programme Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada kay Sath.

    PPP leader Kasim Gillani also spoke up tweeting, “The absolutely vile, slanderous and defamatory allegations by Imran Khan against President Asif Zardari will be responded to robustly and legally.”

    Khan had claimed that four people orchestrated a plan “behind closed doors” to assassinate him.

    “I got to know about it and then I recorded a video explaining the attack. In a public rally, I announced that I would release the video if something happened to me. They stepped back after this,” said Khan.

    Without naming anyone again, Khan said that another plan was made to have me killed by a religious extremist — hinting towards the November 3, 2022, Wazirabad attack, where he was shot in the legs and is still recovering from the injuries.

    “Now, there’s a Plan C. Asif Zardari is behind it. He has amassed a lot of money through corruption, invested that money with terrorists and hired a militant organisation.”

  • ‘Naye army chief ke saath koyi relationship nahin hai’: Imran Khan

    ‘Naye army chief ke saath koyi relationship nahin hai’: Imran Khan

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan said on Wednesday that his party currently has no relationship with the new military leadership.

    The reporter from BBC asked that there is a general opinion that the government cannot take any economic decision due to political instability. Some observers claim that Tehreek-e-Insaaf’s campaign is adding to this instability.

    Imran Khan’s responded by saying, “Someone should ask him why he overthrew our government by plotting.” He claimed that his government had the best economic performance in the past 17 years. “What mistake were we making that they brought down (our) government together with an army chief? After that, it was not handled by them.”

    Imran Khan revealed that he and Shaukat Tarin, the then finance minister, together told General Bajwa that if you create political instability, to succeed in this conspiracy, no one will be able to manage the economy. “And that’s what happened,” Imran said.

    “It was not handled by them. The market quickly lost faith in him. They were taking their NRO-2. Chaos began to arise in the country. So just ask (any) business personality today. Is it because of us? As soon as they arrived, they realised that they did not have a road map. What General Bajwa has done together with them, even an enemy would not have done to Pakistan.”

    The former Prime Minister alleged that rhe current government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had come into power through horse-trading. He remarked that coalition rulers have kept themselves above the law and ended corruption cases that they were booked in years back. “Shehbaz Sharif, Nawaz Sharif, Asif Zardari, and Maryam Nawaz — all of their cases have been forgiven.”

    He said that in a bid to move towards free and fair elections, his party “sacrificed” two assemblies — Khyber Pakhtunkwa (KP) and Punjab. “Now this government will be forced into holding elections in April,” he predicted.