Tag: Nawaz Sharif

  • Asad Umar accuses govt of wasting eight months in starting Sukkur-Hyderabad motorway project

    Asad Umar accuses govt of wasting eight months in starting Sukkur-Hyderabad motorway project

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif inaugurated the 306-kilometre Sukkur-Hyderabad M6 motorway on Monday. The Rs307 billion project is expected to bring economic benefits in terms of saving significant travel time.

    During the ceremony, the premier said, “I ask Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to keep an eye on the entire project so that quality is maintained and the project is completed in a timely manner.”

    The premier also said that the project should be completed within 30 months. He also said that it is being completed under a public-private partnership agreement.

    He credited his brother and former PM Nawaz Sharif for laying the foundation of constructing motorways in the country. Moreover, he pointed out that this project was unnecessarily delayed by the previous government.

    It is pertinent to mention that the project was announced by the then PM Imran Khan last year, and is being described as the biggest project in the development package announced by him.

    Ahead of the PM’s address, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader and former planning minister Asad Umar congratulated the people of Sindh for the start of work on the motorway but highlighted the delay of this project by the incumbent government.

    Taking to Twitter, he said Public Private Partnership Board gave approval for the project on 31st March 2022. “Before this, the contractor was also selected. Now after wasting 8 months, the imported government is starting work,” he wrote.

  • Nawaz Sharif will return to Pakistan in January 2023, says Ayaz Sadiq

    Nawaz Sharif will return to Pakistan in January 2023, says Ayaz Sadiq

    Ayaz Sadiq, former Speaker of the National Assembly and senior leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), has claimed that the party supremo, Nawaz Sharif, will return to Pakistan in January 2023.

    The PML-N leader made the claim while speaking on Geo News’ programme ‘Capital Talk’ while talking about his party head, who has been living in London in self-exile for the past almost four years.

    Nawaz will allocate tickets to candidates for the next general elections, Ayaz Sadiq said, adding that polls would be held in the country in 2023.

    “It seems that the assemblies would be dissolved between March-June 2023,” he predicted.

    The PML-N supremo had left for London in November 2019 following an illness in jail after then prime minister Imran Khan had permitted him to go abroad for medical treatment.

  • Nawaz Sharif to return back to Pakistan anytime now: reports

    Nawaz Sharif to return back to Pakistan anytime now: reports

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif has finalized plans to return home to Pakistan before the next general elections.

    According to media reports, Nawaz Sharif has instructed his party that if Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan dissolves the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assemblies, new elections should be held in both provinces within 90 days as per the constitution, while Nawaz himself will head the election campaign of these provincial elections.

    The former Prime Minister has also completed consultations about his return with his lawyers. His legal team will begin pursuing reviews of his convictions in courts immediately after his arrival.

    Media reports also suggest that it has been decided at the highest level that Nawaz Sharif will no longer keep himself away from domestic politics and will directly lead his party and supporters in the next election.

  • Sharif family concludes 10-day European tour, returns back to London

    Sharif family concludes 10-day European tour, returns back to London

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif and his daughter, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz, have returned to London with their family after concluding their tour of Europe.

    According to Geo News, Nawaz, Maryam, and their family returned from Geneva and landed at Heathrow Airport. They left London for the tour on November 20.

    It was reported that the Sharif family will visit five European countries during their 10 days trip.

    Three years after her passport was confiscated, Maryam Nawaz travelled to London in October to spend time with her father and the rest of her family.

  • Nawaz, Maryam leave with family for European trip

    Nawaz, Maryam leave with family for European trip

    Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, her brother Hussain Nawaz and her son Junaid Safdar have reached an unspecified European country on Sunday night, reports Geo News.

    The Sharif family will visit five European countries in the next ten days.

    Three years after her passport was confiscated, Maryam Nawaz travelled to London in October to spend time with her father and the rest of her family.

    According to media reports, Nawaz Sharif wants to return to Pakistan soon while his trusted circle discusses a possible return date for the former Prime Minister.

    He has been living in London since 2015 when he was granted an eight-week bail on medical grounds and was allowed to travel to London for treatment for four weeks.

  • Nawaz Sharif returning soon?

    Nawaz Sharif returning soon?

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif—who is currently in London— reportedly wants to come back to Pakistan soon as his return date is being discussed within trusted circles, reports Samaa News.

    According to the media outlet, Nawaz said that the public in Pakistan is facing financial problems, not political ones. About the general elections, he was of the view that they will be held at the designated time.

    Moreover, he claimed that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s long march has failed. Sharif said that his party [PML-N] is against the politics of revenge and hatred.

    Last week, Nawaz was visited by his brother Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif in Britain and conducted several meetings with him. It was widely reported that the two brothers were holding consultations on who should be the next head of the armed forces.

    The PML-N supremo was granted an eight-week bail on medical grounds in October 2019, and, he was allowed to travel to London for treatment for four weeks. However, Nawaz has not returned since then.

  • Khawaja Asif says PM Shehbaz didn’t consult Nawaz on COAS appointment

    Khawaja Asif says PM Shehbaz didn’t consult Nawaz on COAS appointment

    Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that no decision regarding the appointment of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) has been made as yet.

    When asked if Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif was not being consulted on the matter, the minister said: “Consultations have not yet taken place on the army chief’s appointment. These are just newspaper reports”, reports Geo News.

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has just returned home from Britain after having several meetings with his brother Nawaz. It was being widely reported that the two brothers were holding consultations on who should be the next head of the armed forces.

    Speaking with journalists outside the National Assembly, Khwaja Asif said: “The prime minister has discretion regarding the appointment of the COAS; therefore, he will make the decision on the appointment.”

    Responding to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s interview with Financial Times where he said he “no longer blamed the US” and wants “dignified” ties with the country if he comes back to power, Asif sarcastically asked if this was the first time Khan was taking back his words.

    “He turns away from everything, how many things have been said in the last four years? Has Imran Khan stood by anything he says,” the minister asked.

  • All eyes on the COAS appointment as Gen Bajwa and President Alvi arrive in Lahore

    All eyes on the COAS appointment as Gen Bajwa and President Alvi arrive in Lahore

    President Dr Arif Alvi and Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa were in Lahore on Friday night as speculations ran rife on who will be appointed the new army chief. It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman is also in Lahore, recuperating from surgeries at his home in Zaman Park.

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif will soon return from London after consulting his elder brother and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz supremo Nawaz Sharif on the political quagmire in the country and the appointment of a new army chief.

    According to news reports, President Alvi has emerged as the leading figure in the army’s ongoing “backchannel talks” with PTI. He has already facilitated at least one direct meeting between Gen Bajwa and Khan at the Presidency.

    In an interview on Geo News’ programme “Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath”, PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira — whose party also holds an important position in the ruling alliance — said merit would determine who becomes the next army chief.

    “The [government] will appoint the next army chief from among the top-five senior generals,” Kaira said and mentioned that PM Shehbaz would return to Pakistan and deliberate over the matter with members of the government and PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

    Lashing out at Khan, Kaira said the person against whom Khan had reservations was the same man with whom he spent four years in power.

    Earlier this week, PM Shehbaz and Nawaz Sharif agreed not to succumb to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) pressure, especially on Khan’s key demand for early elections.

    The Premier had a meeting that lasted for over three hours with his elder brother. Reportedly, Nawaz told Shehbaz to “continue doing his best to take Pakistan out of the economic crisis” and “not succumb to any kind of pressure”.

    Meanwhile, Khan has also reiterated his stance on appointing the army chief on “merit” and criticised PM Shehbaz for consulting Nawaz on this all-important appointment.

    During an address to participants of his party’s long march in Gujrat via video link, Khan said: “Whoever fits the merit, should be appointed the army chief.”

    “Nawaz Sharif always brings up the man who is beneficial for him,” Khan said referring to the appointment’s decision. The statement was in stark contrast to Khan’s stance of just a day earlier, as reported by Dawn, when he told journalists that, “They [government] can appoint whoever they want.”

  • Sharif brothers agree on resisting PTI pressure: reports

    Sharif brothers agree on resisting PTI pressure: reports

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif agreed not to succumb under Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) pressure, especially on their Chairman Imran Khan’s key demand of early elections, reports Geo News.

    The Premier, who is currently in London, had a meeting that lasted for over three hours with only Nawaz, Maryam Nawaz, Suleman Sharif, Hasan and Hussain Nawaz and a few other family members present. No one from the party was asked to join the meeting.

    Nawaz told Shehbaz to “continue doing his best to take Pakistan out of the economic crisis” and “not succumb to any kind of pressure”.

    According to the news report, when Shehbaz Sharif was asked if he will be discussing the appointment of the next army chief with his sibling, the PM said: “I have come today to meet my elder brother and my family. I am meeting them and their children after a long time.”

    After the end of the meeting, he was again pressed as to when the next chief of army staff will be appointed but the PM dodged the question, stating instead that the meeting was a family get together with and said: “ my brother, my nieces, my nephews and rest of the family too. We had lunch, gup shup and congratulations to all of you on Pakistan’s (cricket) win.”

    This visit to London is the third such trip since Shehbaz became prime minister in April. Sharif’s visit to London comes two weeks before the end of General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s tenure. The army chief is set to retire on November 29.

    It has been reported that Shehbaz will consult Nawaz on the appointment of the Pakistan army chief.

  • ‘Siyasat mein violence ki koyi jagah nahin,’ Condemnations pour in after assassination attempt on Imran Khan

    ‘Siyasat mein violence ki koyi jagah nahin,’ Condemnations pour in after assassination attempt on Imran Khan

    Former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan narrowly escaped an assassination attempt on Thursday while leading his party’s long march in Wazirabad. The Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was shot in the leg and is currently receiving medical treatment at Shaukat Khanum Hospital, Lahore. According to media reports, one person was killed while seven people sustained injuries.

    Other than Khan, PTI leaders Faisal Javed and Ahmad Chattha were also injured. Following the tragic incident, leaders from across the political spectrum condemned the attack on Khan.

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the firing incident and said that an immediate report of the incident has been sought from Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah.

    In a tweet, he said, “I strongly condemn the firing at Imran Khan’s rally. An immediate report of the incident has been sought from the Interior Minister. We pray for the speedy recovery of Imran and other injured. The federal government will provide all possible support to the Punjab government in the security/investigation of the incident. Violence should have no place in country’s politics.”

    President Dr Arif Alvi took to Twitter to express his concern, saying that “This attack was sad, alarming, deceitful and cowardly”.

    The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) has said that the firing incident during PTI’s long march near Gujranwala is “highly condemnable”.

    “Sincere prayers for precious life lost and speedy recovery and well-being of Imran Khan and all those injured in this unfortunate incident,” the military’s media wing said.

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif also condemned the attack and prayed for Khan’s and other party leaders’ recovery.

    Foreign Minister (FM) Bilawal Bhutto said, “Strongly condemn the attack on Imran Khan. Praying for his swift recovery.”

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)’s Twitter account tweeted that Former President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the firing incident. He said, “I pray to God that Imran Khan recovers soon”.

    PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz also condemned the unfortunate incident.

    Sanaullah’s office’s official account said that on the instructions of PM Shehbaz, a report of the incident was sought from the Chief Secretary and Inspector General of Police (IG) Police Punjab.

    From PML-N leaders, Ahsan Iqbal also came forward to condemn the attack.

    He tweeted, “Thank God Imran Niazi is safe. There is no room for violence in politics. I strongly condemn the incident of firing on Imran Niazi’s container in Wazirabad. The Punjab government should review the security arrangements.”

    Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai wished the PTI chief a full recovery.

    “Attacks on leaders of any political belief or party are always wrong. And violence is never an acceptable protest”, she said in a tweet