Tag: home-politics

  • Naya Pakistan: Communications Ministry generates record revenue of Rs43.32 billion in a year

    Naya Pakistan: Communications Ministry generates record revenue of Rs43.32 billion in a year

    The Ministry of Communications has registered over a 52 per cent increase in its annual revenue during the first year of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported.

    According to the one-year performance report of the PTI issued Monday, the ministry generated record revenue of Rs43.32 billion during the fiscal year 2018-19, as compared to Rs28.64 billion in the fiscal year 2017-18, witnessing an increase of over Rs14 billion.

    The ministry has so far recovered Rs7 billion through audits. In addition, a new system containing facilities such as e-billing, e-tendering and a mobile app has been introduced by the ministry to enhance transparency.

    In the head of accountability, total audit recoveries of Rs7.02 billion were made in 2018-19, whereas no recoveries were made in 2017-18.

    A special audit of delayed projects of the National Highway Authority, including Lyari Expressway, Khuzdar-Shahdadkot Highway(M-8), Gwadar-Turbat-Hoshab Highway (M-8), Lowari Tunnel (N-45) Civil Works, and Kalat-Quetta-Chaman Highway (N-25) was also ordered.

    During past one year, NHA launched an anti-encroachment drive under which 3,347 encroachments were removed and 448.25-kanal land was recaptured. The estimated cost of the vacated land stood at Rs2.503 billion.

  • UAE to give Modi its highest civilian award

    UAE to give Modi its highest civilian award

    At a time when Pakistan seeks Muslim nation’s support to help sort out the Kashmir issue, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is reportedly giving Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi its highest civilian award, Khaleej Times reported.

    According to reports, Modi is set to visit the country on a two-day trip starting August 23, where he will receive “Order of Zayed” for his efforts to enhance bilateral relations between the two countries.

    The award is named after Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding father of the UAE.

    Tensions run high on either side of the border ever since the Modi administration in New Delhi revoked Article 370 of its constitution — robbing Indian occupied Kashmir (IoK) of its autonomy.

    Pakistan has strongly reacted to the move that can pave way for a Muslim genocide in the troubled valley, and reached out to the world to highlight Indian atrocities.

    UAE bestowing upon Modi its highest civil award at such a critical time has left people wondering if the Emirates is declaring its pro-India stance.

  • Imran Khan knew about Modi’s Kashmir move beforehand, alleges Reham Khan

    Reham Khan while giving interview to an India media outlet has alleged a “deal” on Kashmir. Khaleej Times reported.

    “I would say that Kashmir has been sold off. We have always heard that ‘Kashmir Banega Pakistan” she said in the interview that has gone viral on the social media.

    According to Reham, the day article 370 was revoked, one of her team members called her and said “Ma’am, what you said is coming true. I told him please pray that it does not come true.”

    Reham further said “Modi did what he had come with a mandate to do. But the day Imran khan was to give a policy statement (on Kashmir), he said that I knew Modi was going to do this. I knew this when I met him in Bishkek and he was rude to me. I knew this when Pulwama happened”

    “When you already had an idea that this was going to happen, then why did you extend the hand of friendship towards Modi?”

    https://twitter.com/anis_farooqui/status/1163094965096001537

  • Shehbaz Sharif was the best administrator ever: Shahid Afridi

    Shehbaz Sharif was the best administrator ever: Shahid Afridi

    Former cricketing star Shahid Afridi has said that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Shehbaz Sharif was the “best administrator ever”.

    Speaking to a private media outlet, Afridi said that “no one could beat Shehbaz when it came to administrative capabilities”, when asked if incumbent Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar was better than his predecessor.

    Last week, the hashtag “#PunjabMissesShehbazSharif” was among the ones trending on Twitter as several users praised the former Punjab chief executive for the actions he took during his tenure.

    https://twitter.com/fat909746/status/1162809944997015552
    https://twitter.com/UmarChohan1/status/1162727242943881217

    One user even tweeted that Punjab had “betrayed Shehbaz Sharif”.

    Shehbaz was appointed Punjab CM for a second term after the PML-N’s victory in the province in the 2008 general elections. He was elected CM for a second consecutive term in 2013.

    The PML-N chief was succeeded by Usman Buzdar of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) after the 2018 general election.

  • VIDEO: Sheikh Rasheed egged in London

    Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed, who is currently in London to attend Pakistan Achievement Awards, has been egged on the street by an unidentified person.

    According to reports, the incident took place when the minister arrived at the awards venue where a person, wearing a black suit, started throwing eggs at him from within the crowd.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    The culprit then fled the scene and Rasheed has decided to not press any charges for now, reports said.

    The motive behind the incident has not yet been determined.

  • Zardari’s sister seeks iPod, mosquito killer and maid in jail

    Zardari’s sister seeks iPod, mosquito killer and maid in jail

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-chairman and former president Asif Ali Zardari’s sister Faryal Talpur has pleaded with the accountability court for the provision of facilities in her prison cell.

    According to reports, Talpur, who is currently in the custody of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the money laundering case against her and Zardari, has sought facilities including an air-conditioner, television, microwave oven, mosquito killer lamp, torch, iPod and a maid.

    The incarcerated Sindh Assembly lawmaker has sought an iPod for ‘listening to the Quran’, the application filed by her legal team said.

    The PPP MPA was last week shifted to Adiala Jail from Polyclinic. She was under house arrest since June 14 after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) rejected her bail in connection with a case pertaining to alleged money laundering through fake accounts.

    The PPP leader was shifted to the Polyclinic after her condition had deteriorated earlier this month.

    Meanwhile, the court has extended both Faryal and Zardari’s judicial remand till September 5.

  • Pakistan should threaten Saudi Arabia of destroying Ambani’s oil refinery: Zaid Hamid

    Pakistan should threaten Saudi Arabia of destroying Ambani’s oil refinery: Zaid Hamid

    Self-proclaimed defence and security analyst Zaid Hamid has
    suggested the Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan-led government to “threaten
    Saudi Arabia of destroying Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s oil
    refinery” to secure the Kingdom’s support.

    The world is divided as Pakistan and India face-off over
    Kashmir ever since New Delhi abrogated Article 370 of its constitution, robbing
    the disputed territory of its autonomy.

    Hamid’s advice to the government comes after Foreign Minister (FM) Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that the Kingdom might not be standing up in Pakistan’s support since it has hefty investments planned in India.

    Earlier this month, Ambani had announced that his Reliance Industries’ plan to sell 20% stake in its refining and petrochemicals business for $15 billion to Saudi Aramco. The oil refinery has an enterprise value of $75 billion.

    Speaking to a private media outlet, Hamid criticised FM Qureshi
    for “making Pakistan’s position weaker in the diplomatic war against India” and
    suggested the government to threaten the Kingdom of destroying the refinery to
    garner its support.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    He further said that Pakistan should threaten Israel of a nuclear
    attack to put India on a short leash.

    “India took Israel and the United States (US) into
    confidence before moving to annex held Kashmir,” he claimed and added that therefore
    Pakistan should target Israel instead of talking to India.

  • VIDEO: Babar Awan says Fazlur Rehman, Modi ‘not that different’

    VIDEO: Babar Awan says Fazlur Rehman, Modi ‘not that different’

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and former adviser to Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on Parliamentary Affairs, Babar Awan, has said that Jamiat Ulemae Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Indian PM Narendra Modi “speak the same language”.

    “Modi says that he wants to take over Muzaffarabad, while Fazl has announced his plans to do the same with Islamabad,” he said while speaking to media persons Saturday.

    He said that Fazl, who is the former chairperson of the Kashmir Committee, should’ve made headlines for being caught while attempting to cross the Line of Control (LoC) to conquer Kashmir, however, what has been reported is the religiopolitical leader’s threat to the government.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    https://youtu.be/kf34wHh1-3U

    “India is threatening to attack Azad Kashmir and Maulana is threatening to take over Islamabad,” Awan said, adding that there was no difference between Modi and Fazl’s language.

    Taking a jibe at the opposition for its forthcoming All Parties Conference (APC), PM’s former aide also said that considering the votes secured by the parties in the 2018 general election, it was nothing but a “few parties conference”.

  • Video shows Gandapur accusing ex-PM Nawaz of ‘issuing visas to Indian spies’

    Video shows Gandapur accusing ex-PM Nawaz of ‘issuing visas to Indian spies’

    With tensions soaring on both sides of the border as the Kashmir crisis worsens, an old video of Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Ali Amin Gandapur, accusing ex-prime minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif of issuing visas to Indian spies, has resurfaced.

    Fear grips Indian occupied Kashmir (IoK) ever since New Delhi imposed a curfew after scrapping Article 370 of its constitution — robbing the disputed territory of its autonomy. Pakistan has strongly reacted to the moves on all fronts, as it believes the development could lead to the ethnic cleansing of Muslims in the troubled valley.

    Amid tensions running high, an old video of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader has surfaced, wherein Gandapur is accusing Nawaz of “issuing visas to Indian spies and employing them as millworkers”.

    He also accuses the outgoing government of “giving a safe passage” to Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, who continues to remain in the custody of security agencies after the verdict of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

    WATCH VIDEO:

    The video further shows Gandapur’s statements attracting a strong response from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Muhammad Zubair and the anchorperson, who ridicule the federal for his ignorance.

  • PIA earns Rs7-8bn from Hajj operations, 50% less than anticipated figure

    PIA earns Rs7-8bn from Hajj operations, 50% less than anticipated figure

    Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has earned a revenue of Rs7-8 billion from Hajj operations against the anticipated figure of Rs25 billion, The Express Tribune reported.

    According to reports, around 250,000 people went to perform Hajj from Pakistan this year. Out of the total number of pilgrims, PIA flew more than 82,000 pilgrims, which is 20% more than previous year’s 68,000.

    PIA and Saudi Airlines, being major services, covered around 100,000 Pakistani pilgrims, while the remaining pilgrims were carried by Airblue, Etihad, Emirates and others.

    Further details reveal that the Hajj package offered by the government this year cost around Rs400,000 while privately undertaken pilgrimage has no upper limit and can go up to Rs3 million.

    Meanwhile, the ticket prices from Lahore, Islamabad ranged from Rs110,000 to Rs150,000 and tickets from Karachi airport cost between Rs100,000-Rs105,000.