Tag: Kashif Abbasi

  • Bilawal predicts a ‘coalition government’, addresses rumoured rift with father

    Bilawal predicts a ‘coalition government’, addresses rumoured rift with father

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto on Monday predicted the formation of a coalition government after the upcoming election set to take place on February 8, 2024.

    In an interview with Kashif Abbasi of ARY News, the former Foreign Minister said: “Whether it is led by PML-N [Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz] or any other party, the next government will be a coalition [regime].”

    Last year, in November, PPP Co-Chairman Asif Zardari also anticipated the formation of a “national unity government” after elections. He believed that no single party will be able to get a two-thirds majority in the upcoming polls.

    When asked by Abbasi about the rumoured rift with his father, Bilawal Bhutto said that he is not angry and has no disagreements with his father. “I am not contesting elections against Zardari Sahib,” he said, smiling.

    The former foreign minister also said that every father including politicians, train their sons, stressing that he will never speak against his father.

    “The PPP and my father himself nominated me as a candidate for the slot of prime minister,” Bilawal added.

    He also said that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif will take revenge on those who ousted him from government, if he returns to power.

  • ‘Took big risk by going into the bathroom with a Pathan’: Fawad’s comments land him in trouble

    ‘Took big risk by going into the bathroom with a Pathan’: Fawad’s comments land him in trouble

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry made a racist comment about Pathans on a television programme on Wednesday, inviting the ire of social media.

    During an interview on ARY News with Kashif Abbasi, Fawad was asked if Bashir Memon used abusive language during a meeting headed by then Prime Minister Imran Khan. Chaudhry Bashir Memon admitted that then-principle secretary, Azam Khan took him into the bathroom to “make him understand”.

    Taking a jab at Memon, the PTI leader said, “He took a big risk by going into the bathroom with a Pathan.”

    Reacting to Fawad’s remarks social media users expressed disgust over his racist comments.

  • ARY News taken off air, CEO, journalists booked, head of news arrested

    ARY News taken off air, CEO, journalists booked, head of news arrested

    Karachi police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against ARY Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Salman Iqbal in connection with the controversial remarks made by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Dr Shahbaz Gill during a news transmission.

    The police have also arrested Ammad Yousuf, the head of news and Senior Executive Vice President of ARY News.

    The FIR said that a clip of a news bulletin, aired on August 8 by ARY News, had gone viral on social media, in which Gill had made “hateful remarks” against the Pakistan Army. Producer Adeel Raja, Yousaf, and anchorpersons Arshad Sharif and Khawar Ghumman have also been nominated in the case registered on August 8.

    Meanwhile, ARY News reported that Yousaf was arrested in Karachi late on Tuesday night (August 9). Yousaf was arrested without a warrant from his residence located in Karachi’s DHA.

    “Police officers along with plain-clothed persons forcibly entered the house of Ammad Yousaf. The raiding team diverted the CCTV cameras of Yousaf’s house, and jumped into the house from the top of the main entrance,” reported ARY News.

    Arshad Sharif flies to Dubai

    After Yousaf got arrested, anchorperson Arshad Sharif left the country after his name was nominated in the FIR.

    ARY News distances itself from Shahbaz Gill’s statement about army

    ARY News and Salman Iqbal distanced themselves from Gill’s statement.

    In a statement read out by ARY’s senior anchorperson Kashif Abbasi on his show, ‘Off the Record’, said that Salman Iqbal and the management condemns Shahbaz Gill’s statement.

    Pemra issues show-cause notice to ARY News for airing ‘hateful, seditious’ content against govt

    The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) on Monday issued a show-cause notice to ARY News for airing what it called “false, hateful and seditious” content based on “absolute disinformation with a clear and present threat to national security by instigating rebellion within the armed forces”.

    Prior to the issuance of the notice, ARY News went off air in many parts of the country on Monday (August 8).

  • Maryam Nawaz removes ARY mic from news conference, Kashif Abbasi asks where PML-N’s press freedom slogan has gone now?

    Maryam Nawaz removes ARY mic from news conference, Kashif Abbasi asks where PML-N’s press freedom slogan has gone now?

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz before starting her press conference in Lahore on Tuesday, removed ARY News’ mic from the table, accusing the media house of propaganda against state institutes and PML-N.

    “Whoever is here from ARY, I completely respect you, but there is no way a media house can run a campaign against state institutes or start working on someone else’s agenda,” she added.

    Senior journalist and anchorperson Kashif Abbasi of ARY News took to Twitter and said that ARY News has been removed from cables across Pakistan. It is being reported that ARY has been taken down in parts of Pakistan following the orders of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to the cable operators.

    Abbasi blamed Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz and Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb as the main reason for the orders. Abbasi tweeted, “Ary removed from cables across pakistan.Maryam nawaz ne jalsa main ary pe tanqeed shuru ker aur ab Marium ne channel band ker dia.opposition main jamhooriat ka dard hai ke sone nahin deta.hukoomat main asliyat Nazar aati in sab ki.” [Maryam Nawaz criticised ARY during her jalsa and Marriyum Aurangzeb later shut down the channel. When they’re in Opposition, they want democracy but when in power, their reality is exposed.]

    The Current reached out to Kashif Abbasi, who asked the sitting government why they shut down ARY News.

    Abbasi said, “A news channel covers both the Opposition and the government, which is what ARY is doing. Covering the Opposition is not an issue, and there is nothing new in this. But how can you shut down a news channel on the basis of the coverage it is providing? When they are in Opposition, they represent themselves as being the biggest democrats and supporters of press freedom. Where has their press freedom gone now? All I want to know from the sitting government is why have they shut down the channel.”

    Nayatel, which is an internet service and streaming platform, has moved ARY from channel 7 to channel 66.

    “All licensed operators of Pakistan have shifted the position of ARY News channel. It’s available at 66 positions on Nayatel’s Basic Cable TV,” tweeted Nayatel.

    Following the shutdown of ARY News, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry tweeted that ARY News has been taken off the air in various areas, adding that the fascist government thinks censorship will succeed in the 21st century.

  • Eight out of 20 test positive for coronavirus at ARY office

    The founder and CEO of ARY Digital Network, Salman Iqbal, has tweeted that eight out of 20 random test results at ARY’s Islamabad office came positive for coronavirus, following which the channel has closed the office and all of its staff will be tested.

    ARY anchor Sabir Shakir has tweeted that three staff members tested positive after they went to Faisal Edhi’s home and other three after going to a mosque that has been sealed. Most of the affectees were field reporters or staff.

    Related: ARY’s Kashif Abbasi’s interview with The Current in the Islamabad office

    Some of ARY’s most popular shows, including Off the Record with Kashif Abbasi is based in Islamabad as well as Arshad Sharif’s programme.

    Pakistan currently has almost 13,700 cases and more than 250 people have died. There has been a spike in cases this past week and 92 health professionals in Pakistan have tested positive for the virus.

    ARY’s head office is in Karachi.

  • VIDEO: Fawad calls out Firdous on ‘illiterate’ remarks regarding Buzdar

    VIDEO: Fawad calls out Firdous on ‘illiterate’ remarks regarding Buzdar

    In what appears to prove the rumoured rift between certain leaders of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry has called out Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) for Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan for her “illiterate” remarks regarding Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar.

    The SAPM had said that those criticising CM Buzdar were criticising Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan and it would be “the premier’s failure if the provincial chief executive of Punjab failed”.

    “Why?” Fawad said while quoting Awan on a private media outlet’s talkshow Monday night. “I’d say it is an illiterate comment,” he said, to which the anchor asked if the minister was sure about what he was saying regarding a colleague.

    “Whoever says such a thing… it’d be a dumb thing to say,” Fawad maintained, adding that Buzdar was to held accountable for his performance and PM Imran for his own.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    To this, the anchor said that the premier was accountable for both his performance and that of CM Buzdar.

    Continuing to train guns at the Punjab CM, Fawad urged Buzdar to step aside, and said the federal government could not deliver effectively without the support of the provinces.

    Raising questions over the performance of the Punjab government, the minister said that they had made promises with the people of change and accountability and good governance ahead of general election, but unfortunately nothing had changed in Punjab.

    He maintained that around 62 per cent of the total budget went to provinces but they were not delivering appropriately. Fawad added that the federal government was doing whatever it could for the masses.

  • Kashif Abbasi hosts show after PEMRA lifts 60-day ban within 24 hours

    Kashif Abbasi hosts show after PEMRA lifts 60-day ban within 24 hours

    Anchor Kashif Abbasi has hosted his show “Off The Record” after the 60-day ban imposed by the Pakistan Electronic Media Authority (PEMRA) was lifted within 24 hours of its imposition, following the submission of a written reply by Ary News.

    On Wednesday, the media watchdog had issued a notification banning Abbasi for 60 days for “acting unprofessionally” and “not intervening” when Federal Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda produced a boot to put down political opponents during Abbasi’s show.

    The ban was roundly condemned by the Association of Electronic  Media Editors and News Directors (AEMEND), which called for the ban to be lifted immediately. 

    Vawda had earlier this week appeared on the talk show along with Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Qamar Zaman Kaira and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) representative Javed Abbasi. He had caught the guests by surprise by suddenly placing a black boot on the table they were sitting around.

    He was mocking the opposition parties for their “unconditional” support for the Army Act amendment bill, saying the parties were “lying down to kiss the boot”.

    PEMRA, in its notification, had said the content aired live during the programme appeared to be a “willful attempt to debase and demean a state institution by dragging it unnecessarily in a debate”.

    “Therefore, in view of the aforementioned reasons the competent authority decides that in the exercise of delegated powers of the authority, the broadcast or rebroadcast of the programme is prohibited with immediate effect for 60 days starting from January 6, 2020.”

    The media regulatory authority further said Abbasi was also banned from appearing on television for 60 days. During the ban, he was not to conduct his show or appear on the television channel he was associated with or any other television channel as a guest/analyst or expert.

    In case of non-compliance by the TV channel, the authority said it would proceed under PEMRA laws, which may result in suspension/revocation of the satellite TV channel license conferred to the television channel.

    Amid protests by the journalist community, ARY reportedly approached PEMRA with its right to reply and was subsequently allowed to continue with the programme with Abbasi in his chair.

  • Kashif Abbasi’s program banned because of Faisal Vawda’s boot

    Kashif Abbasi’s program banned because of Faisal Vawda’s boot

    ARY News’ prime time anchor Kashif Abbasi has been banned from hosting his program and appearing on any other channel for 60 days by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA).

    The PEMRA notice was sent to the anchor, the channel and posted on Twitter, saying that the program in which PTI’s Faisal Vawda brought a military boot and put it on the table to ridicule the PML-N and PPP, was an “attempt to debase a state institution”.

    PEMRA ORDER PAGE ONE

    PEMRA said that Vawda’s actions were “derogatory” and “extremely frivolous” and he “performed a very unethical act” when starting his argument on the program.

    PEMRA added that Kashif was “quite unprofessional who actually did not intervene or stopped that unethical act,” and claimed that Kashif, “kept smiling/cherishing such occurence.”

    PEMRA ORDER PAGE TWO

    READ MORE: ‘#PTIDisrespectsArmy‘: Military unhappy with Vawda over shoe stunt?

    The ban comes after an uproar on social media and television after Faisal Vawda brought the boot to the program. The Current did a poll on it’s Instagram account and this is what more than 430 people voted on:

    The Current Poll

    Haven’t seen the video yet?

    WATCH THE VIDEO HERE: Faisal Vawda puts military boot on the table in a talk show

    Haven’t seen The Current Life’s interview with Kashif Abbasi, which was done five minutes before he went live (And in which Faisal Vawda was also a guest)? Watch it here:

  • VIDEO: Faisal Vawda puts military boot on the table in a talk show

    VIDEO: Faisal Vawda puts military boot on the table in a talk show

    Federal Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda on Tuesday suddenly pulled out a military boot on ARY News‘ talk show ‘Off the Record’ hosted by Kashif Abbasi. Vawda then put the boot on the table and said that these parties have honoured the ‘boot’ (Aap ne Boot ko izzat di hai).

    He further said that he will now bring this boot to every talk show. Vawda then went on to talk about the Sharifs and how they have licked boots to save themselves.

    The other two guests, PML-N’s Javed Abbasi and PPP’s Qamar Zaman Kaira, took umbrage and walked out of the talk show.

    Watch video: