Tag: Imran Khan

  • ‘No infrastructure’: Hafeez questions PM Khan over no focus on sports

    ‘No infrastructure’: Hafeez questions PM Khan over no focus on sports

    Former captain of Pakistan cricket team Mohammad Hafeez has some reservations with Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government over no clear sports policies for athletes in the country.

    Talking to Cricket Pakistan, the former cricketer said that it is a big question mark on “sportsman” Imran Khan that there are no special arrangments for sports in Pakistan by him.

    “Personally, I am disappointed with the current government,” Hafeez said.

    “No infrastructure has been set where sportsperson in our country can excel. This is a huge setback for me. I know our prime minister is a sportsman and if there is no focus on sports in his tenure, then this is a huge question mark,” Hafeez added.

    The 41-year-old cricketer further talked about Khan’s decison to shut down departmental cricket while he also praised the former head coach Misbah-ul-Haq and Test player Azhar Ali for raising the matter.

    “I am proud of them. They took a big step and sincerely raised concern for others. Pakistan is not yet a welfare state and departments were catering to many players, they were fulfilling financial needs. No alternative has been found yet either.”

    Meanwhile, Hafeez urged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) not to call back players from franchise leagues as they receive huge contracts and calling them back damage their reputation.

    “Calling back players from leagues put a dent on a player’s portfolio. Recently, Pakistan players were called back from BBL. I want PCB to revisit this process. When players get NOC, he must play completely as his and Pakistan’s reputation is at stake.” Hafeez emphasised as he has been called back from leagues midway on many occasions in the recent past.

    Hafeez also lauded skipper Babar Azam for brilliantly leading the national team.

    The cricketer also cleared the air about his clashes with the board. “There was no rift with anyone but yes, I had some principle stances on which I don’t compromise. I stood tall against the things and raised my voice. People were unhappy with it and they took some decisions which were felt that my relationships were not on good terms with higher authorities.”

    Hafeez recently announced his retirement from cricket and said that he had planned to announce it after the 2020 World Cup but it got delayed due to Covid and then he announced it after playing the T20 World Cup in 2021.

    Hafeez said that he will happily serve Pakistan cricket in the future in any capacity but won’t run after money as a job-seeker in the cricket board.

    He concluded by hailing Shaheen Shah’s growth as a pacer and is looking forward to playing under him for Lahore Qalandars in the seventh edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), starting from January 27 at the National Stadium Karachi.

  • ‘We want to engage’: Fawad Chaudhry offers conditional friendship to the Opposition

    ‘We want to engage’: Fawad Chaudhry offers conditional friendship to the Opposition

    The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership on Tuesday appeared to want to befriend the Opposition and want to reconcile amidst tensions.

    Informa­tion and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Chaudhry, while addressing a press conference after the federal cabinet meeting, said, “We want to engage the opposition on important national issues like electoral and judicial reforms and the appointment of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman.”

    Accompanied with Energy Minister Hammad Azhar, Chaudhry said that the National Assembly (NA) Speaker Asad Qaisar and the Prime Minister (PM) himself had invited the Opposition to negotiate on these three issues.

    However, Fawad said that despite constant efforts to engage the Opposition on the government’s reform agenda, they were only interested in formulating conspiracies and trying to topple the government.

    It is pertinent to state here that the Opposition has shown interest in talks with the government, provided the premier himself participated in the talks.

    Fawad categorically said that PM Khan would not sit with any Opposition leader, including Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif.

  • Pak business community gives widow of Sri Lankan national Priyantha Kumara aid, PM Khan appreciates

    Pak business community gives widow of Sri Lankan national Priyantha Kumara aid, PM Khan appreciates

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has appreciated the efforts of the Sialkot business community and Rajco Industries to provide aid to the widow of Priyantha Kumara who was beaten to death and burnt by a mob in Sialkot on the basis of blasphemy.

    In a tweet, PM said, “I want to appreciate the Sialkot business community for transferring $100,000 to the account of Priyantha Kumara’s widow and Rajco Industries for transferring monthly salary of $ 1667 to her account – which they will do for 10 yrs.”

    Kumara’s family including his wife and children reside in his hometown in Sri Lanka. He used to work in Rajco Industries as a general manager and had been living in Pakistan since 2010.

    Rajco Industries reportedly has sent the financial aid of $100,000 (Rs17.6m) and the salary of $1,667 (Rs293,260) for the month of December 2021 to Kumara’s window.

    Last month, media reports had said that the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) raised the amount of $100,000. The chamber President Mian Imran Akbar said they are taking appropriate steps to prevent such incidents in the future. He also ensured the safety and security of foreign employees and businessmen.

    Following this, Special Assistant to PM Dr Shahbaz Gill tweeted: “The funds and salary are committed by Rajco Industries for next 10 years and announced by Honourable Prime Minister of Pakistan have been transferred to the account of Widow of deceased Sri Lankan Manager Mr Priyanatha Khumara in Sri Lanka”.

  • ‘Khattak did good things’, PM Khan all praise for Khattak days after fight

    ‘Khattak did good things’, PM Khan all praise for Khattak days after fight

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan praised Defence Minister Pervez Khattak while addressing the inaugural ceremony of establishing a special technology zone in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) Haripur on Monday.

    The premier’s remarks come days after a verbal squabble between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership, Khattak, and PM Khan himself.

    “When Pervez Khattak was chief minister of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa he did a lot of good things like [launching] health card scheme,” the premier remarked.

    PM Imran Khan lauded Khattak and said that his decisions resulted in the development of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa which would have “long-lasting effects and time will prove it,”

    Talking about the initiative taken by the PTI-led government for the health sector, known as the “Naya Pakistan Sehat Card”, the premier said that Khattak was the one who had come up with the idea in 2013.

    Last week, PM Khan and Khattak had an exchange of bitter words during a parliamentary party meeting chaired by the premier himself.

    It was reported that Pervez Khattak said in the meeting that, “we have made you the prime minister.”

    “Gas is banned in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, we generate gas and electricity and we are the ones who are suffering,” said Khattak, adding, “We will not be able to get votes if this is your attitude.”

    Khattak told media persons after the meeting that he neither talked harshly to the prime minister nor hurled any threat of not voting for PM Khan.

    “No one spoke harshly, I spoke for my right,” said Khattak.

  • PTI’s Noor Alam wants PM Khan on the Exit Control List, party wants explanation

    PTI’s Noor Alam wants PM Khan on the Exit Control List, party wants explanation

    The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Monday has decided to issue a show-cause notice to one of its members of the National Assembly (NA) Noor Alam Khan and has ordered him to explain why he criticised the current government.

    Federal Defence Minister Pervez Khattak issued a show-cause notice to Noor Alam to clarify his position. 

    Noor Alam had lashed out at the PTI-led government and criticised its policies. The MNA during a session in NA while pointing towards the front rows of the treasury benches, where Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan also sits as leader of the house,  said, “Members who occupy the first three rows are the main culprits of the chaos in the country, so put their names on Exit Control List (ECL) and Pakistan will survive.”  

    “Kindly get out of your aircraft, your land cruisers, and BMWs and see the [miserable] condition of the people,” said Alam, without naming anyone from the government. His words got te attention of the leadership, hence being served the show cause notice.

    Noor Khan taking to Twitter questioned the cause of the notice and said, “I came to know through media that Mr Pervez Khattak has issued show-cause Notice 1st only Imrankhan can issue show-cause notice to me.”

    Alam further tweeted, “I still demand that all 3 front rows names should be in ECL.”

    Speaking during Geo News’ programme “Jirga”, the MNA had said that Pervez Khattak has “no right to issue a show-cause notice to him” as he is “not the chairman of the party”, adding that he had not broken any code of conduct of the party.

    The ruling party’s MNA said that he will raise his voice against inflation and unemployment even if it is considered a “violation”.

    “I don’t care how many show-cause notices are issued against me,” he said.

    Noor further said that he is an elected representative and will highlight issues that he deems important as it is his responsibility.

  • PM Khan writes about spirit of Riyasat-e-Madina, Twitter thinks govt selling ‘religious card’

    PM Khan writes about spirit of Riyasat-e-Madina, Twitter thinks govt selling ‘religious card’

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan considers his government’s initiative [Ehsaas programme, health card scheme and establishment of the National  Rahmat-tulil-Aalameen Authority (NRA)] as their biggest initiative to transform Pakistan into a true Madina-like state.

    PM Khan in an article: “Spirit of Riyasat-i-Madina: Transforming Pakistan” which he had written for various newspapers. He said, “We have embarked on the road to the welfare state with some great initiatives. Despite tight financial means, we allocated an unprecedented amount of money to our initiatives such as the Ehsaas Programme which was a social safety and poverty alleviation programme necessary for the vulnerable groups in society.”

    While talking about the Ehsaas scholarship program he said that the initiative would ensure that unprivileged, talented students would get a chance to pursue an education.

    Moreover, in this piece, PM Khan wrote that the most urgent of all challenges facing the country was the struggle to establish the rule of law. “Over the last 75 years of Pakistan’s history. The country had suffered from elite capture, where the powerful and crooked politicians, cartels and mafias had become accustomed to being above the law in order to protect their privileges gained through a corrupt system.”

    The premier while giving examples of China, Japan and South Korea said if one looked at the world, one could easily witness that the most successful states also had the most robust application of the rule of law.

    “In Pakistan, not adhering to the rule of law has led to siphoning off of billions of US dollars which has imposed collective poverty on our public”, PM added.

    The article has come at a time when the government is already facing severe criticism due to unprecedented inflation. After the article, Twitter is flooded with mixed reactions. Some say the government is trying to sell religious cards while others are showing support.

    https://twitter.com/FaryalFKhan/status/1482999447084998657?s=20

  • PTI MNA demands top cabinet members including PM be placed on Exit Control List

    PTI MNA demands top cabinet members including PM be placed on Exit Control List

    After Defence Minister Pervez Khattak, another Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader is targeting the government on the floor of the National Assembly(NA) for “ignoring” Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and demanded that top cabinet members’ — including the Prime Miniter (PM) Imran Khan himself — be placed on the Exit Control List (ECL), reports Dawn.

    Pointing towards the front rows of the treasury benches, where Prime Minister Khan also sits as leader of the house, PTI MNA Noor Alam Khan said, “Members who occupy the first three rows are the main culprits of the chaos in the country, so put their names on ECL and Pakistan will survive.”

    “Kindly get out of your aircraft, your land cruisers, and BMWs and see the [miserable] condition of the people,” said Alam, without naming anyone from the government.

    “It seems that Peshawar is not a district of this country, but Mianwali and Swat are,” said Alam comparing his hometown to the prime minister’s constituency.

    In December 2021, Noor Alam Khan heavily criticised his government while speaking on Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’. Alam said, “I have to raise the voice for the people of Pakistan. I don’t care about the political seats, they are temporary.”

    Talking about competence, Noor Khan said, “You have to deliver, people will reject you if you don’t perform. The people who vote for us require good performance and if we don’t deliver, we are the ones to blame. I am sorry if it’s our incompetence, then we will blame Noor Alam, Shahzeb, or some institution for the shortcomings but not ourselves.”

    “[PM] Imran Khan should look at the people on his right and left to know about their assets and how they grew their assets,” said the PTI MNA.

    “If he closes his eyes [and condones what is happening around him], it will not set the affairs in order. He will have to solve the problems of inflation, power outages, and gas shortage.”

    “[PM] Imran Khan should look at the people on his right and left to know about their assets and how they grew their assets,” said the PTI MNA.

    “If he closes his eyes [and condones what is happening around him], it will not set the affairs in order. He will have to solve the problems of inflation, power outages, and gas shortage.”

  • Hand protecting Imran Khan can be on Opposition’s neck but never in their support, says Sheikh Rasheed

    Hand protecting Imran Khan can be on Opposition’s neck but never in their support, says Sheikh Rasheed

    Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed during a press conference, while taking a jibe at the Opposition, said, “They [Opposition] want that the hand [protecting] Imran Khan should be on their head as well,” adding, ” this hand can be on their [Opposition] neck but never on their head.” Rasheed’s words hint towards the establishment.

    Talking to the journalists, Rasheed said, “If the Opposition goes to International Monetary Fund (IMF) its halal but if Imran Khan does the same its considered haram.”

    “These people went 23 times to the IMF. This time around, the conditions of IMF were pretty tough, hence we were not left with any option but to go to IMF,” said Rasheed.

    Addressing the Opposition, Rasheed said that the Opposition is planning two different long marches toward the capital. He said that the government will provide them the way to continue their march but the Opposition should keep in mind the importance of March 23 and the respect one gives to the country on [the Resolution Day of Pakistan].

    “Important personalities from Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) are coming to Pakistan on March 23 and all eyes from India will be directed towards Pakistan as well,” said Rasheed.

    Accusing the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders of corruption, Raseed said, ” Shehbaz Sharif is more corrupt than Nawaz Sharif,” adding, “I am saying this based on my own knowledge.”

    “I would like to say a historical sentence that all four Sharif’s are minus from the politics of Pakistan,” said Rasheed.

  • Finance minister says no option but to ask for IMF’s help, NA passes mini-budget

    Finance minister says no option but to ask for IMF’s help, NA passes mini-budget

    The National Assembly (NA) on Thursday passed the Finance (Supplementary) Bill, 2021, termed widely as a “mini-budget”, despite vociferous protests by the Opposition over rejection of their proposed amendments and disagreement over the vote count. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led coalition government bulldozed 16 pieces of legislation.

    The approval of the supplementary finance bill was necessary to ensure Pakistan’s sixth review of the $6 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFE) gets cleared by the IMF’s Executive Board which is scheduled to meet later this month to decide the disbursement of the $1-billion tranche.

    The prime minister, who generally only attends parliamentary sittings at crucial junctures, remained in the house for most of the session’s duration, which lasted until midnight.

    Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and former president Asif Zardari also remained in the assembly for most of the session. They initially left the house after the first vote on the amendment but rushed back to their seats when the speaker ordered another physical vote on the opposition’s demand.

    In the amended bill, the government rolled back its plan to impose additional sales taxes on children’s formula milk, bread, and small cars. It also withdrew the proposal to impose taxes on laptops and computers.

    The government’s amendments to the proposed bill were approved by the NA. The changes include:

    No general sales tax will be imposed on a 200-gram carton of milk.

    A 17 per cent GST will be imposed on formula milk worth Rs500.

    Tax on imported vehicles has been increased from 5 per cent to 12.5 per cent.

    The federal excise duty on all imported vehicles will remain unchanged.

    A 2.5 per cent duty will be charged on locally manufactured 1,300 cc vehicles, which was previously around 5 per cent.

    Duty on locally manufactured 1,300 to 2,000cc cars was also reduced to 5 per cent from 10 per cent.

    A 10 per cent duty will be imposed on locally manufactured cars greater than 2,100 cc.

    No sales tax will be imposed on iodised salt and red chilies.

    Opposition members made an attempt to disrupt proceedings by pointing out quorum, but the chair hastily called for presentation of the bills one after the other, reports Dawn.

    The Opposition also protested the non-laying of Senate recommendations on the finance bill before the house for consideration, with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Ahsan Iqbal terming it an “insult to the Senate”.

    “If you suspend the rules and bulldoze the bill in the darkness of the night, your name will go down in history among those who conspired to sell the country’s economic sovereignty,” he said.

    “Why are we giving an impression that we are doing it on gunpoint,” asked PPP’s Syed Naveed Qamar.

    Bilawal termed the SBP Bill a threat to national security and questioned why the government was making it binding to have only one bank account for defence expenditures. By doing so, he said they were providing an opportunity to world powers to scrutinise the country’s defence budget and its nuclear programme which, he added, could be the next target.

    “Your prime minister has been installed to destroy Pakistan politically and economically,” said Asad Mehmood of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F).

    Shedding light on the criticism regarding the supplementary bill being the “International Monetary Fund (IMF) bill”, Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin said that during the previous government’s tenure, 13 agreements were signed with the Fund.

    “They [the Opposition] are saying that IMF has destroyed the economy of Pakistan, while they went to the IMF in their tenures as well,” he said.

    Tarin further said that the PTI government is being accused of “mortgaging country’s sovereignty”; however, the government was forced to approach the IMF.

    “We had no other option but to ask for IMF’s help,” he reiterated.

    However, Defence Minister Pervez Khattak seemed to lose his patience with the process and, at one point, asked the speaker to ignore the opposition and “bulldoze” the bills through.

  • ‘New Prime Minister?’: Who will replace Imran Khan if there is a coup in the party?

    ‘New Prime Minister?’: Who will replace Imran Khan if there is a coup in the party?

    Is Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) pitted against itself? Are there signs of trouble ahead? Fingers are being pointed towards the leader from within the party. Blame and questions are being allegedly hurled at the premier. Something is up in the capital and people have started talking. They’re saying that it is possible that Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan can be replaced as prime minister by someone else in the party itself.

    PM Khan and Defence Minister and former Chief Minister (CM) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Pervez Khattak on Thursday allegedly exchanged bitter words during the parliamentary party meeting chaired by the premier himself.

    Reports of a clash between the premier and the PTI leader spread like wildfire within the media. It was reported that Pervez Khattak during the meeting said, “we have made you the prime minister.”

    “Gas is banned in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, we generate gas and electricity and we are the ones who are suffering,” said Khattak, adding, “We will not be able to get votes if this is your attitude.”

    Khattak told media persons after the meeting that he neither talked harshly to the prime minister nor hurled any threat of not voting for PM Khan.

    “No one spoke harshly, I spoke for my right,” said Khattak.

    The damage had been done and to remove a prime minister, a no-confidence motion has to be brought in Parliament. Some analysts think that the wheels are already in motion.

    The Current reached out to political analysts and senior journalists to ask their opinion as to who could replace PM Khan if the rumours of a change in command were true.

    Senior journalist Hamid Mir shedding light on the recent squabble within the party leadership said, “Imran Khan will remain head of the PTI because the party is registered in his name but the revolt of Khattak may break the party. Khattak can muster support from the Opposition easily.”

    Resident Editor Dawn Fahd Husain terming a coup within PTI an ‘unlikely scenario’ said, “A coup in PTI is an unlikely scenario at this moment. It seems unlikely that the party can coalesce behind any one person except PM Imran Khan.”

    Journalist and Analyst Asma Shirazi talking about the dynamic political milieu in Pakistan said, “Will be too early to guess, things are changing every moment.”

    Analyst Mehmal Sarfraz commenting on the recent rift in the PTI said, “There may be many contenders for the PM slot — as there are in other political parties — but there is no PTI without Imran Khan. I don’t think PM Khan can be replaced. Whoever tries to ‘replace’ him will have to leave the party first.”

    Senior journalist and anchorperson Sabir Shakir responding with a Persian quote said, “ہنوذ دِلی دُور اَست [The heart is still far away].

    Columnist Hafeezullah Niazi while commenting on the verbal altercation between the PTI leaders said, “In case of change within PTI, Pervez Khattak will replace Imran Khan,” adding, “Establishment is already tipping Pervez Khattak to replace Imran Khan as prime minister.”