Tag: London

  • ‘Nawaz won’t come back, we will bring him back’: Fawad Chaudhry

    ‘Nawaz won’t come back, we will bring him back’: Fawad Chaudhry

    Federal Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed has said that Nawaz Sharif’s arrival to Pakistan has been hyped for no reason. It does not make any difference whether he comes or not.

    “We have prevented the mafia group from establishing a foothold in any city,” he said.

    “We will contest the next elections with full force under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan,” he added.

    Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry on Tuesday said that the government will bring Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif back after the finalisation of an agreement with the United Kingdom (UK) government and ruled out the possibility of Nawaz’s voluntary return to the country.

    “We will bring back the PML-N leader and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif because he himself will never return,” said Fawad.

    “We have been addressing the legal lacunas relating to the matter for the last two years. Rest assured, he will not return, but we will bring him back,” Fawad said emphatically.

    Fawad emphasised that the opposition was not capable of toppling the government, as it required leadership which they did not have.

    “They are only issuing statements to appease their workers. Everybody knows that Imran Khan gave them [the] toughest time while in [the] Opposition,” he noted.

  • ‘Nawaz Sharif satisfied with script’: Is Nawaz Sharif coming back to Pakistan in 2022?

    ‘Nawaz Sharif satisfied with script’: Is Nawaz Sharif coming back to Pakistan in 2022?

    Speculations are rife that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif is returning to Pakistan.

    Senior journalist Saleem Safi took to Twitter and hinted at Nawaz Sharif’s return from London. Safi tweeted, “Mian Nawaz Sharif is planning to come back to Pakistan in January. According to the plan, he will go to jail on his return. Then he will appeal the courts for relief and removal of previous sentences.”

    “The transfer of DG NAB Lahore is linked to this chain of events while Nawaz Sharif is satisfied with the script,” tweeted Safi.

    Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry, without taking any names, took a jibe at the return of Nawaz.

    The minister tweeted, “Those who wait for deals to return home will always be dwarfs in politics.”

    “The PML-N should get ready to polish the boots, but the only difference is no one is putting the foot forward to get the boots polished,” tweeted Fawad.

    Fawad further said, “You are a reminder of the dark age of Pakistan. The direction of the winds is not on your side anymore. When there is light, the darkness disappears and this is what happened in Pakistan.”

    Special Assistant to Prime Minister Dr Shahbaz Gill tweeted, “Nawaz Sharif’s visa extension in the United Kingdom (UK) has been rejected – currently on appeal but he knows visa will be rejected and he will be deported. This is being presented as a political decision – cowards are never brave.”

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan during a meeting of the party spokespersons held in Islamabad on Friday questioned how a plan could be hatched to bring PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif back to the country.

    Talking about the Opposition parties, the premier said there have been rumours of ending former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s sentence. “How can the sentence of a convicted person be overturned?”

    The premier recalled that the court had disqualified Nawaz in the Panama Leaks case, and to date, he was unable to provide a money trail for his assets.

  • PM Khan lashes out at plan to make a ‘convicted person’ prime minister

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan during a meeting of the party spokespersons held in Islamabad, questioned how a plan could be hatched to bring Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif back to the country.

    Talking about the Opposition parties, the premier said there have been rumours of ending former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s sentence. “How can the sentence of a convicted person be overturned?”

    The premier recalled that the court had disqualified Nawaz in the Panama Leaks case, and to date, he was unable to provide a money trail for his assets.

    “How can a convicted person become the prime minister after having his sentence revoked?” he questioned, according to sources privy to the matter.

    The PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif, while addressing a conference with party workers and leaders, yet again hinted at coming back to Pakistan and said, “Thank you all very much, see you soon in Pakistan.”

    Senior PML-N party leaders have also hinted at the same stance as that of their leader Nawaz Sharif.

    The PML-N supremo, who was diagnosed with an immune system disorder, left Pakistan for London in November 2019.

  • UK oath commissioner claims Rana Shamim’s affidavit authentic, ready to appear in Pak court

    United Kingdom (UK) oath commissioner Charles Guthrie, who authenticated the affidavit of former Chief Judge (CJ) Gilgit Baltistan Rana Mohammad Shamim, has claimed the affidavit’s authenticity, reports Murtaza Ali Shah for Geo News.

    In an exclusive interview, the commissioner revealed that when CJ Rana Shamim came to him for signature, he [Shamim] was in his senses and under no pressure. The commissioner also said he is ready to appear before at any legal forum, including the Islamabad High Court (IHC), for confirmation.

    While confirming the authenticity, Guthrie said that the affidavit published in The News with the redaction of a key name was genuine and it’s the same affidavit that carries the stamp of his firm London Notary Public and the name and signature of the London oath commissioner.

    Commenting on Shamim, Guthrie said, “The former CJ is a highly educated, intelligent man. I think he was one of the most senior judges in Pakistan in his time. He confirmed to me that yes he understood exactly what he was swearing by in his oath. I saw him alone at the time he made that oath with me”.

    Guthrie provides services to the Pakistan High Commission in London and verifies papers for the Pakistan Foreign Office (FO) and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). Back in 2017, he attested all Panama related papers.

    Furthermore, Guthrie — while saying that he was aware of the controversy caused in Pakistan — stated: “I am independent and neutral. I am a non-political person. So, if the Pakistan High Commission asks me to certify true and genuine papers, I will certify them if they are true and genuine. I have done that in the past. If a person comes to me to make an oath or statement of truth, I will make him produce proper proof of identity and to see they have a proper capacity to make a statement of truth on oath.”

    “I know it’s high news in Pakistan. I will generally refuse to say anything about it other than to state what happened that the person making it was identified to me.”

    Talking with Murtaza, Guthrie also disclosed the standard procedure of signing the papers in England. “The person has to produce proof of identity. They have to produce, for example, either a passport or a national ID card or photo driving license and I will be satisfied they are genuinely the person they are. That’s exactly what happened here. The person [CJ Shamim] produced his passport and I believe it was a national identity card as well. He made the statement of oath independently, alone with me.”

    During this report, it was revealed that at least three people attempted to pay Charles Guthrie for verification of documents and then tried to obtain the story as if the affidavit was fake. However, it didn’t work as Guthrie stuck to his legal and factual position. According to the UK commissioner, he has received lots of inquiries since the affidavit of Justice Shamim was made public.

    This interview came after the former CJ appeared before IHC and said that the affidavit he had signed accusing former Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar was leaked.

  • Maryam Nawaz’s lawyer requests court date change, clash with Junaid Valima date

    Maryam Nawaz’s lawyer requests court date change, clash with Junaid Valima date

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz’s lawyer Azam Nazir Tarar requested the accountability court of Islamabad to shift his client, Maryam Nawaz’s court hearing date as it clashes with her son’s wedding reception. The judge has been requested to change the next hearing on some other date.

    Maryam Nawaz and Captain Safdar’s son Junaid Safdar’s Valima ceremony is to be held in Lahore on December 17, reports Geo News.

    Junaid Safdar tied the knot on August 22 with Ayesha Saif, daughter of Saif-ur-Rehman, a long-term ally of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, in London. The photos and videos of the Nikkah ceremony went viral on social media, leaving netizens in praise of the couple and Junaid’s singing skills.

    Maryam Nawaz and her husband could not attend the ceremony held in London as their name is on the Exit Control List (ECL), which restrains her from leaving Pakistan till the verdict of the court cases against her is announced.

  • ARY UK apologises to Ishaq Dar on air over fabricated allegations

    ARY UK apologises to Ishaq Dar on air over fabricated allegations

    A private channel New Vision TV, the broadcaster of ARY UK, has issued an apology on air to the former finance minister Ishaq Dar, who is currently residing in London.

    In an apology aired by ARY UK, the channel said, “We unconditionally apologise to Ishaq Dar for the significant distress, upset and embarrassment which these broadcasts have caused him.”

    “Dar never managed the Financial Monitoring Unit (FMU), never impeded its work, nor did he do anything to protect anybody in any case including the alleged Chaudhry Sugar Mills case”.

    According to Dawn, the defamatory remarks were made in two news shows which were aired in 2019. A transcript of the Special Minister Prime Minister on Accountability and Interior Shahzad Akbar’s claims on the show that Dar did not allow the FMU to function.  It was also alleged that Dar had taken these steps to protect individuals involved in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills money laundering case.

    Sources told Dawn that Dar issued proceedings against the channel in July 2020 and later served a claim in the UK High Court. In 2021, ARY UK made an offer for amends — a procedure in which a defendant in an action for defamation may make a written offer to publish an apology and pay damages. Acceptance of such an offer terminates defamation proceedings and parties settle the matter between themselves.

    Dar along with a restriction and an apology had claimed damages for libel of around 200,000 pounds.

    In a statement shared with Dawn, the former minister said, “I have never been involved in corruption or any unlawful activity and never used any influence against any institution. The allegations made by the pro-government media house and Shahzad Akbar were aimed at damaging my reputation but Allah SWT has been most kind and the TV channel has accepted in the UK judicial process that the allegations were fabricated, false and untrue. The TV channel has accepted that I was maligned and nothing wrong has been done by me.”

  • Reham Khan loses defamation case to Zulfi Bukhari, pays £50,000

    Prime Minister Imran Khan’s former wife Reham Khan has lost to former Special Assistant Sayed Zulfi Bukhari in a defamation case and has reportedly paid £50,000 as a contribution towards Bukhari’s costs and damages, reported Murtaza Ali Shah for Geo News.

    In a statement attached with the court order, which she agreed to publish, Reham withdrew all allegations and rendered a full and unconditional apology.

    Khan posted her apology on Twitter, in which she wrote, “On 6 and 7 December 2019, I published a video on my YouTube Channel, my Facebook page, and on my Twitter account in which I asserted that Sayed Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari, more commonly known as Zulfi Bukhari, was involved in a corrupt plan with the Prime Minister of Pakistan to sell or acquire the Roosevelt Hotel in New York at an undervalue for his benefit.”

    “These allegations were false and untrue. Zulfi Bukhari, as I now understand, was not involved in any corrupt plan PM Khan to sell or acquire the Roosevelt,” she added.

    https://twitter.com/RehamKhan1/status/1448797012728688644?s=20

    Reham also posted her apology video on her youtube channel.

    https://youtu.be/_1ecyzzXcmc

    Zulfi, in a tweet, while reacting to Reham’s video said, “TRUTH ALWAYS WINS!”

    In the settlement agreed between the two parties, Reham agreed that she will tweet the apology and clarification and pin it to her Twitter account for at least three consecutive days.

    Reacting to the development, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said, “Reham being a liar was proved once again. She is actually a habitual liar.”

  • VIDEO: Former fast bowler Sarfaraz Nawaz facing difficulty walking due to bone disease

    VIDEO: Former fast bowler Sarfaraz Nawaz facing difficulty walking due to bone disease

    Former Test cricketer Sarfaraz Nawaz is suffering from a bone disease due to which he is having difficulty in walking for the past few months, reports Geo News.

    In a 44-seconds video shared on Twitter, the London-based cricketer-turned-politician can be seen walking down the street using a walker.

    As per details, Nawaz has been living in Tooting, London, for many years with his family.

    In 2019, the former Test bowler was admitted to a hospital in London due to a heart problem.

    Nawaz played 55 Tests for Pakistan and took 177 wickets. He also played 45 One-Day Internationals and picked 63 wickets besides taking 1,005 first-class wickets.

    Nawaz is best known for his nine for 86 against Australia at Melbourne in 1979, which included a spell of seven wickets for just one run off 33 balls.

    Following his retirement from the game, Nawaz became a commentator and later joined politics.

  • Scholarships for Pakistanis at Oxford University

    The British High Commission of Pakistan in London launched the Oxford Pakistan Programme (OPP), which includes graduate scholarships, visiting fellowships, and special lectures.

    Founded by two Oxford alumni, Haroon Zaman and Talha Pirzada, this initiative aims to provide opportunities for bright students, academic and research scholarships for Pakistanis, reports Saama.

    The head of the programme and Associate Professor at the University of Oxford Adeel Malik said in a tweet, “Oxford Pakistan Programme will generate scholarship opportunities for Pakistani students & consolidate Pakistan-related academic activities.”

    An annual Sir Allama Muhammad Iqbal lecture on Eastern Philosophy has been announced under the OPP. The lecture will be delivered by a leading global intellectual every year.

    Pakistanis in the United Kingdom (UK) have pledged over £500,000 for this programme.

    The event launch of OPP was attended by a large number of Oxonians, senior Oxford academicians, scholars, and writers, including Malala Yousafzai.

    Malala has also announced an additional scholarship under the OPP, which will allow one Pakistani girl from an underdeveloped background to study at Oxford every year.

  • ‘Fake govt, fake vaccination certificates,’ Maryam Nawaz reacts to Nawaz Sharif’s ‘vaccination’ in Lahore

    “Just like this fake government, its vaccination record and entry data for vaccines is also fake,” said Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz when asked about the issue of fake vaccination data for Nawaz Sharif uploaded by National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) portal. Maryam said she is concerned that the wrong entry of vaccination data can be an international embarrassment for Pakistan.

    Maryam was talking to the media after she appeared before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in a case against her conviction in Avenfield reference.

    Nawaz Sharif, who is currently in London for medical treatment, has received first dose of Sinovac vaccine in Lahore as per the data uploaded on NADRA portal. As per reports, this false information was entered using Nawaz Sharif’s CNIC at Government Kot Khawaja Saeed Hospital.