Tag: KP

  • PTI decides to head to Islamabad, again

    PTI decides to head to Islamabad, again

    Days after being forced to retreat to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) amid dozens of casualties at the protest march, the Parliamentary Committee of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has decided to head back to Islamabad with “full preparations”.

     

    As per the details, KP Chief Minister (CM) Ali Amin Gandapur chaired a meeting of the party’s parliamentary committee at the CM House with Members of Provincial Assembly (MPAs) and Members of National Assembly (MNAs) in attendance.

     

    During the meeting, the party’s lawmakers expressed confidence in CM Gandapur and discussed law enforcement’s violence against PTI workers in the federal capital. They also put forth their suggestions for the future.

     

    The parliamentary committee expressed displeasure over the party’s central leadership and questioned why was it absent when “law enforcement opened fire at D-Chowk”.

     

    Despite the government repeatedly denying claims regarding the use of lethal rounds, the PTI leadership maintains that dozens of its supporters were killed after security forces opened fire during Tuesday night’s grand clearance operation.

     

    The KP CM had on Friday night also issued threats to the federal government, saying, “We are coming back to Islamabad, and a decision has been made regarding this.”

     

    “We will fight for our rights, and if we do not receive justice, we will respond in the same manner… our children have been martyred,” he said on the floor of the KP Assembly.

     

    Gandapur also responded to the claims regarding the imposition of Governor’s Rule in the province. “We are not interested in power and positions. We cannot be intimidated by such threats. Try us,” he added.

     

    Earlier, Adviser to PM on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah had stated that the federal cabinet, in its meeting, discussed the option of imposing Governor’s Rule in KP.

     

    He said the matter came up for consideration as KP’s resources were being used to “stage violent protests” in Islamabad.

     

    While a majority of federal cabinet members supported the proposal, consensus could not be reached with allies of the ruling PML-N.

     

    Awami National Party (ANP) chief Aimal Wali Khan, while addressing a press conference along with KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Friday, said that Governor’s Rule in KP was not the solution to the ongoing crises.

     

    Governor Kundi himself also opposed Governor’s Rule, but added that he had only heard about it on the news.

     

    Kundi also reacted to a recently-tabled resolution in the Punjab Assembly, which sought a ban on the PTI. “The events of May 9 and November 24 provide enough justification for a ban. PTI has been a disruptive force in the province for years.”

  • FACT CHECK: Helicopter carrying high-level govt delegation WAS NOT attacked in KP

    FACT CHECK: Helicopter carrying high-level govt delegation WAS NOT attacked in KP

    Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Law Minister Aftab Alam has rejected reports that a helicopter carrying a high-level delegation of the provincial government was attacked while travelling from Peshawar to Kurram district.

     

    Reports had earlier in the day claimed that a helicopter carrying KP law minister, chief secretary and inspector general of police was attacked while heading to Kurram to sort the security situation in the wake of Thursday’s deadly attack on passenger vans.

     

    “No incident of firing at helicopter took place and entire delegation is completely safe,” Aftab Alam told Geo News.

     

    Over 40 people, including three women, were killed in an attack when assailants opened fire on a passenger vans in Ochat area of Kurram district.

     

    The attackers targeted the convoy travelling from Parachinar to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s capital, Peshawar.

     

    The incident led to countrywide protests against the government’s failure to protect the people of the area amid serious security concerns. It also led to worsening of the conflict between two rival tribes Alizai and Bagan.

     

    Another 18 people were killed in overnight clashes on Friday night.

     

    Fake reports regarding the attack on a government helicopter came as Kurram Deputy Commissioner (DC) Javedullah Mehsud said efforts were being made to re-establish peace in the area.

     

    DC Mehsud and Sajid Hussain Turi, a former PPP MNA from Kurram, confirmed that a high-level meeting was underway in the district for peace efforts.

  • Another 18 killed as deadly clashes continue in Kurram

    Another 18 killed as deadly clashes continue in Kurram

    A day after 44 people were killed in firing on a convoy in Ochat area of Lower Kurram, at least 18 others have died with 30 injured in overnight clashes in Kurram district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).


    The incident on Thursday occurred when heavily armed militants targeted a 200-vehicle convoy, which was en route under escort from Parachinar to Peshawar. No group claimed responsibility for the attack.

     

    Meanwhile, Kurram Deputy Commissioner (DC) Javedullah Mehsud said efforts were being made to re-establish peace in the area, reiterating yesterday’s statement. DC Mehsud and Sajid Hussain Turi, a former PPP MNA from Kurram, confirmed that a high-level meeting was underway in the district for peace efforts.


    Turi, one of the meeting’s participants, said KP Inspector General (IG) Akhtar Hayat Khan Gandapur, Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry and government spokesperson Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif were also attending the meeting.


    He lamented that the security provided to the convoy that was attacked was less than the required amount.


    DC Mehsud said officials of security forces and local administration were attending the meeting convened at the DC Conference Hall.


    “With the help of local elders, forces and the administration, peace will be established as soon as possible,” the official said. According to reports, the two tribes involved in the dispute are Alizai and Bagan.


    Sajid Kazmi, a leader of Majlis-i-Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM), demanded the formation of a joint investigation team (JIT) to investigate the attack.


    Speculation also surrounds the involvement of the banned terrorist group Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which has recently been active in Lower Kurram, prompting fears among the residents.

     

    But government officials attributed the incident to the ongoing land dispute, ruling out sectarian motives.
    Businesses, educational institutions and markets remained closed across Parachinar and surrounding areas on Friday.


    An administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that mobile signals across the Kurram district had been shut down, describing the situation as “extremely tense”.


    The official also said a curfew had been “imposed on the main road connecting Upper and Lower Kurram”.


    Thousands of people participated in a sit-in in Parachinar, where protesters criticised the government’s failure to protect civilians. Hundreds also demonstrated in Lahore and Karachi, demanding that the violence be stopped for once and for all.


    Previous clashes in July and September of this year had claimed dozens of lives and were resolved only after ceasefires were brokered.

  • 38 individuals dead in Kurram gun attack

    38 individuals dead in Kurram gun attack

    38 people, including three women, were killed in an attack when assaulters opened fire on a passenger bus in the Ochat area of the Kurram district on Thursday.

     

    The attacker targeted the convoy, which was travelling from Parachinar to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s capital, Peshawar, as per the police officials.

     

    Ahmady Shama Station House Officer (SHO) Kaleem Shah confirmed to Dawn that 38 people were killed, including three women, and 11 were injured.

     

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    Interior Minister, while speaking to media outside Islamabad High Court (IHC), stated, “This past week has been difficult and upsetting; now 38 people have been martyred in Kurram.”

     

    President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the attack and expressed condolences to the families of the dead.

     

    “Attacking innocent passengers is a cowardly and inhumane act,” Pakistan Peoples Party media cell quoted President Zardari, adding that those responsible for the incident must be punished, and he directed that timely medical aid be provided to the injured.

     

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    The Kurram attack has been seen as the most lethal attack of the decade in Pakistan’s history, according to reports.

     

    Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur also condemned the attack and directed the Chief Secretary, provincial law minister and the area’s Member National Assembly and Member Provincial Assembly MPA to visit the Kurram district immediately.

     

    “The provincial government, police and all relevant institutions are making serious efforts to improve the law and order situation in the area,” he said.

     

    Kurram Deputy Commissioner (DC) Javedullah Mehsud told AFP that “Two separate convoys of members of the Shia community … were targeted by the terrorists in the Kurram district.”

     

    “Both convoys consisted of around 40 vehicles travelling under police escort,” DC Mehsud added.

     

    Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif condemned the attack, saying, “The enemies of the peace of the country attacked the convoy of innocent citizens which is tantamount to brutality. All attempts of anti-national elements to destroy the peace of the beloved country will be thwarted.”

     

    Earlier, around 24 people were killed and 46 injured on November 9 in a bomb blast at Quetta Railway Station.

     

    The banned and militant outfit Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) had claimed responsibility for the explosion.

     

    In another attack on November 1, nine people, including five school-going children, were killed, and 29 were injured in a blast near girl’s schools in Mastung, a Balochistan district.

  • Federal orders bureaucracy against use of KP govt resources for Nov 24 protest

    Federal orders bureaucracy against use of KP govt resources for Nov 24 protest

    Fearing that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) might use state machinery for its upcoming protest, the Interior Ministry has ordered Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry to ensure that state resources were not used.


    In a letter to the KP chief secretary, the ministry said the provincial government must not utilise “state machinery, equipment, officials or finances” for political protests.

     

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    The development comes a day after the ministry also approved deployment of both the Frontier Constabulary (FC) and Rangers in Islamabad to deal with any law and order situation due to the PTI’s Nov 24 march on the federal capital.


    The federal government has already imposed section 144 in the capital city for two months.


    Last week, PTI founder and former prime minister (PM) Imran Khan had issued the “final and decisive call” for countrywide demonstrations on November 24.

     

    The PTI demands revocation of the recently-passed 26th Constitutional Amendment, “restoration of democracy”, the return of “public’s mandate” in light of irregularities in the 2024 General Election, and the release of all political prisoners, including party founder Imran Khan.


    Meanwhile, police have reportedly launched a crackdown on PTI leadership and workers, arresting at least 30 activists so far.


    The development came despite Imran Khan’s permission for the party leadership to negotiate with the government and establishment.


    Imran’s lawyer and PTI leader Faisal Chaudhry, while speaking to journalists outside Adiala Jail, said that if the talks between the government and opposition leadership remain successful, then there “won’t be a protest but celebration”.


    “If negotiations make progress by tomorrow (Thursday), then it is fine… if the talks do not progress, then we will definitely protest,” Faisal quoted incarcerated Khan as saying.

     

    Previously, former PM Khan was arrested on August 5 last year from his residence in Zaman Park, Lahore, shortly after his conviction in the Toshakhana case and has been in jail since then on multiple charges.

     

    Currently, he is held in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail under high security and with B-class facilities due to his status as a former premier.

     

    It may be noted here that incarcerated PM Imran Khan is facing several cases, including the £190 million reference (Al Qadir Trust case).

    However, the Founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, has been granted bail in the ToshaKhana case 2.

    Islamabad High Court (IHC) judge Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb on Wednesday granted bail to party founder Imran Khan in ToshaKhana case two.


    However, the party founder was reportedly not released as he has been in judicial remand in multiple cases in Lahore.

     

  • ‘If people voted on basis of performance, PTI wouldn’t have won KP’

    ‘If people voted on basis of performance, PTI wouldn’t have won KP’

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Sher Afzal Marwat has once again criticised his party leadership over unsatisfactory performance in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) where it is currently in power for the third consecutive term.


    Addressing a workers’ convention in Abbottabad, the PTI leader pointed out the lack of facilities in the province and said that had people voted on the basis of performance, PTI would never have come to power again.


    Marwat also highlighted the persisting security situation, backwardness and lack of infrastructure in KP. “We cannot label backwardness as progress nor can we term deception as the truth.”


    “The people of KP have voted for PTI three times in a row and now it is the PTI’s turn to deliver for the people of the province,” Marwat stressed. He also suggested that party leadership must accept past mistakes and realise that party performance was not up to the mark in KP.


    Marwat, who is known for his candid and brut remarks, even against his own party, often faces backlashes for his statements both within and without the PTI.


    In May, Marwat was kicked out of PTI’s core and political committees on the direction of party founder Imran Khan following his remarks about Saudi Arabia. Marwat, in an interview, had alleged that Saudia Arabia was behind Khan’s ouster from power.


    In August, PTI’s official handle on X, formerly Twitter, announced the cancellation of Marwat’s basic party membership for a “gross violation/ breach” of discipline.


    While the notification had gone viral, PTI chief Barrister Gohar Ali Khan had termed it “fake”.


    “The notification regarding the cancellation of Sher Afzal Marwat’s membership is fake. It’s not possible,” Gohar had said, hinting at possible differences within the party leadership over Marwat’s fate.


    The notification also claimed that Marwat had been directed to “restrict himself and his statements to within the limitation as outlined in the letter. A committee was also set up to monitor his statements, media appearances and tweets.”


    The recent-most controversy surrounding Marwat also involved PTI leader Salman Akram Raja.
    “Sher Afzal Marwat must control himself. We are giving him a chance if he wants to play a role in the party. If he does not show discipline, we will take action,” Raja had said.


    Marwat, on the other hand, claims that his relation with PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan remains “strong as ever”.

  • Bushra Bibi officially enters politics: reports

    Bushra Bibi officially enters politics: reports

    Bushra Bibi, wife of the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan, has made an official entry into politics by chairing the party leadership meeting on November 13 in Peshawar, PTI sources revealed to Geo News.

     

    Chief Minister (CM) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Ali Amin Gandapur is reportedly assisting the former first lady in political matters, noting that the message has been conveyed to “Punjab and KP leaderships to obey the direction of Bushra Bibi” regarding the November 24 protest.

     

    Sources further claim that Bushra Bibi has been playing a crucial role in the political matters of the party since November 1, adding that she summoned the party parliament member to discuss the strategy for the November 24 protest in Islamabad. 

     

    However, Barrister Saif, KP’s Information and Broadcasting Minister, while appearing on Geo News programme Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath on Thursday, rejected that Bushra Bibi had chaired the party meeting in Peshawar.

     

    He claimed that Bushra Bibi had indeed met with the party’s senior leadership, but “she had not participated in the party formal meeting.”

     

    “Bushra Bibi does not hold any party position, so she cannot participate in the meetings,” the Minister added.

     

    Barrister Saif also asserted that Bibi’s “input will be limited to prayers” with regard to her involvement in the party’s upcoming November 24 rally in Islamabad.

     

    Barrister Saif, while responding to widespread claims that senior party leadership is showing reservation on the protest date, stated: “The party founder has given the final call for the November 24 protest.” 

     

    “If party leaders have reservations about the protest date, it would be their opinion, but the protest will happen on the same date that the party founder has given,” he clarified.

     

    Imran Khan, founder of PTI, announced the “final call” for a protest in Islamabad on November 24, from Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi on Wednesday.

  • KP govt suspends 800 protesting teachers

    KP govt suspends 800 protesting teachers

    With protests for increase in teachers’ salaries and other incentives continuing on the fifth day, the district education officer (DEO) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Karak has suspended 800 primary school teachers.

     

    Teachers have been protesting since Tuesday outside Peshawar’s Jinnah Park and have been firm in continuing their strikes until the fulfilment of their demands. They have also demanded that the government decides against privatisation of primary schools in the province.

     

    “We don’t want to go on strike or protest, but we have no other options left,” All Teachers Association (ATA) Haripur President Akhtar Nawaz told media outlets on Friday.

     

    “The demand for upgradation of teachers’ pay scale was accepted during the previous government led by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf [PTI], but it has not been implemented yet,” Nawaz complained.

     

    He said they were also demanding the provincial government awarded permanent status to teachers selected on the basis of a contract in 2022.

     

    President of the All Primary Schools Teachers Association (APSTA) Azizullah Khan stated, “On the pretext of pension reforms, the provincial government has cut down several allowances from the pension, which we were previously entitled to.”

     

    Earlier, KP Financial Advisor Muzammil Aslam had warned protesting teachers by saying that those involved in the protest would face pay cuts.

     

    Responding to teachers’ demand for pay scale upgradation, he said that it was impossible to upgrade the status of 175,000 teachers at the same time.

  • KP govt decides to cut teachers’ salaries involved in protest

    KP govt decides to cut teachers’ salaries involved in protest

    The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has announced salary cuts for those involved in the protest as the teachers’ protest enters its fourth day.

     

     

    KP Financial Advisor Muzammil Aslam told Geo News that teachers’ salaries will be deducted based on their absences from school.

     

     

    He maintained that while teachers could participate in the protest, they first needed to make sure to attend their classes, warning them that teachers involved in the protest might face pension issues in the future.

     

     

    On the contrary, Azizullah Khan, president of the All-Primary Teachers Association (APTA), speaking to The News, asserted that teachers want their status to be upgraded.

     

     

    Addressing the teachers’ demand for upgradation, KP’s financial advisorr said that it’s impossible to upgrade the 175,000 teachers’ status at the same time.

     

     

    Meanwhile, KP Education Minister Faisal Khan Tarakai said the government had recently accepted the teachers’ demands and is now ready to listen to their concerns again.

     

     

    He also urged the teachers to end the protest and asserted that closing schools was not the correct approach.

  • KP govt willing to bid for loss-making PIA

    KP govt willing to bid for loss-making PIA

    Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government, in a letter to the federal government, has shown interest in participating in the bidding process for the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).

    “On behalf of the chief minister/ chairman and the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, we would like to express our earnest interest in participating in the bidding process for the sale of PIA,” Vice Chairman Hassan Masood Kunwar of KP Board of Investment and Trade (KP-BOIT) stated in a letter addressed to Federal Minister for Privatisation Aleem Khan.

    KP government said that they were prepared to offer a bid that would surpass the current highest offer of PKR 10 Billion by Blue World City consortium, ensuring a strong and competitive position within the PIA bidding process.

    It may be noted that PIA has a debt load of around Rs800 billion ($2.9 billion), and the government has tried to bail it out multiple times in recent years.

    “We respectfully request that the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s proposal be considered as a viable option to retain the national flag carrier within a provincial government structure, preserving PIA’s legacy and aligning with the public’s interest in maintaining national assets,” the provincial government’s letter stated further.

    The development comes a day after Blue World City’s PKR 10 billion ($36 million) bid for PIA’s 60 per cent shares, which was much lower than the federal government’s fixed PKR 85 billion ($305 million) demand. Other bidder’s withdrew at the last moment, making Blue World City the sole bidder.

    After submitting the bid on Thursday, Seham Raza, the chief operating officer (COO) of Blue World City, said that the consortium placed the bids for the sake of the national carrier, and it did not care about its poor financial numbers or business model.

    Among companies that withdrew at the last moment were Arif Habib Corporation Limited, Fly Jinnah, Younus Brothers, Holdings Private Limited, Pak Ethanol Private and Air Blue.

    According to senior journalist Shahbaz Rana, the interested parties requested the federal government to exempt them from paying the 18 per cent General Sale Tax (GST), which was declined, leading the companies to withdraw from the bidding process.

    The companies also disagreed to the government’s demand for the successful bidder to retain the airline’s 7,300 existing employees for two to three years.