Tag: Pakistan People's Party

  • TRIGGER WARNING- ‘If rape is imminent, then enjoy it’: PPP’s Nabil Gabol’s disgusting remarks once again get slammed on social media

    Trigger warning: rape jokes, kidnapping, assault, sexual harassment

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) politician Nabil Gabol has proved that one can be a legislator in the highest offices and yet resort to making extremely offensive, misogynist jokes whenever they can.

    Twitter users have decried PPP for claiming that they are a progressive party, but providing important positions to men like Gabol who make misogynist and degrading comments about women on public platforms. A clip from a YouTube podcast, The Pakistan Experience with host Shehzad Ghias, is going viral on Twitter where Gabol was a guest and where he said: “When rape is imminent, then just enjoy it.”

    To which activists like Soul Sister’s Founder Kanwal Ahmed responded with “Gross”.

    Journalist Zebunnisa Burki shared the clip on her Twitter page and lamented the fact that men in powerful positions are never held accountable for talking about women in a vulgar manner like he has.

    Founder of ‘Digital Rights Foundation’ and lawyer Nighat Dad criticized Gabol on her Twitter account for casually using rape as a punchline because of the way it malign’s the struggles of survivors of sexual violence, and especially called for politicians to be held accountable for their words because they hold positions of power and influence.

    Dad also shared a clip from Gabol’s previous interview with Youtuber Nadir Ali which took place in 2022, where the politician was seen making sexually suggestive comments about women politicians.

    In the same interview, a user shared a clip of Gabol openly claiming that he kidnaps girls and takes them under his possession.

    Recently, Gabol had given an interview to Nadir Ali, where a Twitter users shamed him for his sexual comments about the TikTok star Ayesha, and for asking for her number.

    Writer and columnist Fatima Bhutto shared the clip from Gabol’s interview with Ghias, and in the caption she condemned his comments for exposing the ‘criminal mindset of the Sindh government.”

    Bakhtawar Bhutto, the sister of PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, condemned Gabol on Monday morning in a tweet.

    His (repulsive) rhetoric belongs to his individual only & is in noway a representation of our party. Incase it wasn’t already abundantly obvious- we absolutely & unequivocally stand for the rights & protection of women. Misogyny has no space in our religion nor our party.”

    However, users demanded that Gabol be removed from the party, calling the tweet a tone-deaf response to criticism.

    Minister of Climate Change Sherry Rehman has responded to the controversy in a tweet saying that strict action was underway.

  • Govt ministers come forward to aid elephant Noor Jehan, address poor facilities at Karachi Zoo

    Social media got together to raise its voice for Noor Jehan, one of the elephants at Karachi Zoo, who was suffering from a joint and bone disease which had left her hind legs completely paralyzed. Pictures of the distressed elephant emerged on Twitter, prompting animal rights activists to demand that the government help with proper treatment and for her to be sent to an elephant sanctuary.

    Government officials have responded with Salman Sufi, Head of Prime Minister of Pakistan’s Strategic Reforms, and Sindh Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah pledging to provide immediate medical aid, as well as monitor reports of poor facilities at Karachi Zoo.

    Sufi shared a screenshot of Noor Jehan’s medical test on Twitter, writing that Karachi administration was keeping in touch with Four Paws, a global animal welfare organization that focuses on improving the living conditions of animals.

    “Thank you to everyone who keeps raising voice for #NoorJehan Her tests are being conducted regularly and so is the checkup. Karachi administration has assured of their cooperation with four paws. Team from Punjab wildlife is also arriving this week. We will keep pursuing.”

    The Current reached out to Sufi to ask how Noor Jehan is being provided with medical treatment and his response was:

    “Four Paws have been invited to assess the elephant and Wildlife Punjab has also been sent to assist them. Safari Park Karachi special room is also being constructed for her and regular tests are also being conducted.”

    When asked about whether the government is taking action on reports of negligence, especially food supply because of which many animals and birds were reportedly left to starve, Sufi said:

    “We are monitoring those reports and have requested the Karachi administration. Government of Sindh is actively pursuing this issue as well.”

    In regards to the vocal call by activists to shift Noor Jehan to an elephant sanctuary, Sufi responded that they would be following the doctor’s orders on what is best for the elephant.

    Nasir Hussain Shah visited Karachi Zoo on Monday, where he stated that an inquiry regarding the reports that food supply for animals had been cut off had been initiated and revealed that no such issues were found. He said that a team of doctors is arriving from Vienna. The government is in contact with them to provide the elephant with all the resources she needs.

    Yesterday, The News reported that Sindh Governor Muhammad Kamran Khan Tessori made a visit to Karachi Zoo, where he told reporters that allegations regarding political support to the zoo staff was false, and action shall be taken against anyone found guilty for spreading this rumor. Moreover, Tessori also revealed that the government was holding an inquiry over the treatment and care of Noor Jehan.

  • ‘I don’t think PML-N can clean sweep in elections’: Miftah Ismail

    ‘I don’t think PML-N can clean sweep in elections’: Miftah Ismail

    Former Finance Minister Miftah Ismail has cast doubts over his party’s ability to sweep the upcoming general elections. In an interview with Geo News, the disgruntled Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader said that he believed whether Pakistanis have Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari or martial law, nothing will improve the system until “we make systemic changes”.

    Talking about the upcoming general elections, Miftah said that he doesn’t see any party sweeping the elections; however, the PML-N leader was sure that he “absolutely does not see PML-N sweeping the elections.”

    Miftah said that any political party be it PML-N, PPP or PTI needs to talk to the people of Pakistan asking them about their real problems and needs.

    “When you hear the leaders today, you hear them say that I want to be the prime minister, there is one leader who is more into I, me and myself than others but it is all about them,” he said.

    “Nobody is talking about the people of Pakistan. What about the 60 per cent of people who earn Rs40,000 a month? What about the young people who cannot find jobs? What about the people living in rural areas? What about an average Pakistani child failing in science and mathematics,” he asked.

    Declaring that nobody is talking about real solutions, Miftah Ismail slammed politics as “just a fight for power, nothing else.”

    There are no new ideas and absolutely no competence, he maintained.

  • ‘I was forced into politics at a young age, I did not choose it’: Bilawal to CNN

    ‘I was forced into politics at a young age, I did not choose it’: Bilawal to CNN

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said on Wednesday that he was forced into politics at a young age. “I didn’t choose this life, it chose me,” said Bilawal in interview with CNN’s Becky Anderson.

    When Anderson posed a question regarding dynastic politics, Bilawal said,” Absolutely, dynasties exist and it would be unfair to criticise the former Secretary of State and presidential candidate Hilary Clinton for being involved in politics because her husband was involved in politics, etc. You can criticise nepotism and dynastic politics as much as you want but whoever the people of Pakistan decide, that should matter by the end of the day.”

    “As far as myself is concerned, my grandfather was hanged by a military dictator, my mother was assassinated by terrorists and I was forced into Pakistani politics at a young age. I did not choose this life, it chose me,” he added.

    Answering a question about being the foreign minister under a PM that is not from his own party, Bilawal said that it would be difficult for the party to stomach, being the second-largest member of the coalition. “However, we do have to work together to address Pakistan’s problems.

    Talking about former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s demand for early elections, Bilawal said: “We absolutely want free and fair elections but in order for them to take place, we must legislate when it comes to the electoral reforms. As everybody knows, the 2018 elections that Khan used to come to power have been widely seen and condemned not only nationally but internationally as rigged and compromised elections that resulted in three years of an autocratic dictatorial rule through the office of Imran Khan. He not only robbed our media of media freedoms but robbed average Pakistanis of their democratic rights that they just recently started to enjoy.”

    “It is a big victory for democracy that we are moving towards electoral reforms and free and fair elections. We are not a selected government like Mr Khan’s but a government that is truly representative of the people of Pakistan and can decide their fate.”

  • ‘Bilawal dil ka jaani hai’: Sheikh Rasheed

    ‘Bilawal dil ka jaani hai’: Sheikh Rasheed

    “Bilawal dil ka jaani hai,” said Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed about Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.

    Speaking about the Opposition’s long march towards the federal capital, the minister said that they are coming here to do “Duma Dum Mast Qalandar“.

    “They [Opposition] are coming since the last four months. Let them come. If anything happens, the loss will be of the Opposition. Imran Khan has finished his four years, he has one year left and he will work through that one year,” said Rasheed, adding that the Opposition has only created confusion in the past four years.

    The reporter asked Rasheed that Bilawal’s Awami March pulled a large crowd and Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman too has street power, to which Rasheed interjected and said that he provided more security to Bilawal than the people attending his ‘Awami March’.

    Rasheed again reiterated the fact that Prime Minister Imran Khan is going nowhere. On being asked about the governance in Punjab, Rasheed said, “I don’t do Punjab politics.”

    The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is set to hold a ‘public meeting’ at D-Chowk on March 27.

    Meanwhile, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Monday called the entire nation to march towards the federal capital on March 23 for an anti-government long march.

  • Step down in five days, Bilawal warns Khan

    Step down in five days, Bilawal warns Khan

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has given an ultimatum to Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan. The PPP leader said that the prime minister himself should decide about his fate within five days, otherwise “we will decide his fate”.

    “I want free and fair elections immediately. The PM has only two options: resign or face no-confidence move,” Bilawal told a charged crowd as he makes his way towards the federal capital.

    “Imran Khan’s presence is harmful to the country and the people, and the democratic process of a no-trust move has been adopted to remove him from the office,” said the PPP leader.

    “The people have shown their lack of confidence in this government. Now, it is time for the parliamentarians to show it too,” he added.

    “This is the last chance for the coalition partners to withdraw their support for the Imran Khan-led regime and absolve themselves of their three years of sin they had committed by supporting this incompetent and selected regime.”

    Bilawal reiterated, “It was because of the pressure of the march that the government had to bring the prices down.”

  • ‘Islamabad kaamp raha hai,’ Bilawal Bhutto kicks off long march to remove PM Khan

    ‘Islamabad kaamp raha hai,’ Bilawal Bhutto kicks off long march to remove PM Khan

    Pakis­tan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Sunday began to march towards the federal capital.

    “You [people of the country] have heralded a war and let me tell you that Islamabad is trembling,” he said to the crowd.

    Chairman Bilawal said that Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan asks people not to worry due to price-hike, unemployment, poverty, and crises of gas, water, and fertiliser. Now, the time has come for the PM to start worrying.

    “The puppet is frightened of the Jiyalas so he has sent a few of his ministers to defend him but this selected party is a coterie of political orphans,” said an official statement released by the party.

    “Imran Khan has lost the confidence of the people and it is about time that he loses the confidence of the parliament too. The no-confidence motion will expose who is with the people and who is with the selected Imran Khan. We believe that the people will be victorious.”

    “This storm of public anger against Niazi and his government is just the beginning of what lies ahead. From now onwards for the next 10 days, people from across the country would send him messages of their sentiments and make a countdown. It’s a beginning. It’s a beginning of an end. It’s the beginning of a new era. It’s a beginning of a realization [prevailing] among the masses that how their dreams were snatched over the last three years and their hopes were stolen in the name of change.”

    PPP released a charter of demands, “Why We March”.

    “We march to realise your dreams, aspirations, dignity, self-respect, and prosperity. We fight to heal the wounds inflicted by this regime, heal our society, heal our country. The people of Pakistan shall not be enslaved, they will not be defeated.”

     The PPP caravan would cover 2,000kms and pass through 35 cities to reach Islamabad on March 10.

  • Senior PPP leader Rehman Malik passes away

    Senior PPP leader Rehman Malik passes away

    Senior politician and former Interior Minister Rehman Malik passed away at the age of 70.

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) senator was hospitalised in Islamabad due to Covid-19-related complications and his lungs had been severely affected.

    Riaz Ahmad Turi, Malik’s spokesperson, confirmed his death.

     PPP Senator Sehar Kamran had announced on Twitter earlier this month that Malik’s condition had deteriorated because of which he was put on a ventilator. 

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan office tweeted, “May Allah Almighty forgive the deceased and grant patience to the mourners.”

    PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said, “When terrorism was on the rise in the country, it was Rehman Malik who played a pivotal role in eradicating terrorism.”

    PPP Co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari paid tribute to Malik, saying he was a “hardworking and capable interior minister”.

    He added that Malik’s services to the country were unforgettable and the PPP leadership and workers shared in his family’s grief.

    Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed expressed his grief and extended condolences to the departed’s family.

    Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry tweeted, “Hudaibiya case was investigated under Rehman Malik’s leadership. Although justice has not been done yet, this investigation showed such modern methods of corruption that people were amazed.”

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Ahsan Iqbal tweeted, “I am deeply saddened by the demise of former Interior Minister Rehman Malik.”

    Rehman had a long career as a politician and held many portfolios, including his term as interior minister from 2008 to 2013.

    He was also a recipient of the Sitara-i-Shujaat for his services in the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the Nishan-i-Imtiaz.

  • PPP announces party’s long march schedule towards the capital

    PPP announces party’s long march schedule towards the capital

    Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) on Tuesday announced the schedule of the party’s long march, which is set to take place on February 27.

    PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari will start the long march from Karachi and will reach the capital in 10 days.

    According to the schedule, the long march will start from Karachi’s Mazar-e-Quaid on February 27.

    The marchers’ will reach Multan on March 3, where they will be hosted by former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani.

    The march will reach Lahore on March 6 . The last stop of the march will be Islamabad on March 8.

    The PPP, however, has not disclosed the final venue where the participants will stay after reaching the capital from all over the country.

    PPP office-bearer, on condition of anonymity, told Dawn that the leadership would decide the duration of the stay in Islamabad after seeing the response of the masses and assessing the situation. However, he said, many party leaders believed that the past history showed that indefinite sit-ins staged by political parties had never remained successful.

  • Large mob lynches man over alleged blasphemy, PM Khan condemns

    Large mob lynches man over alleged blasphemy, PM Khan condemns

    A man was brutally tortured and killed by a violent mob when accused of allegedly burning pages of the Holy Quran in a village in Khanewal, Punjab on Saturday.

    The incident took place in a village called Mian Channu after Maghrib prayers. Thousands of people gathered after the announcement was made that a man had torn some of the pages of the Holy Quran and set them on fire in a mosque.

    People were not ready to tho listen to the mentally handicapped man who reportedly claimed innocence. People hanged him on a tree and then threw stones and bricks until he took his last breath.

    Local police came to the spot after receiving a call from a villager. They reached to arrest suspects but villagers started stoning them when they tried to release the man. The violent mob grabbed him from police’s custody and continued beating him.

    The victim’s elder brother revealed that the victim had been mentally ill for about 17 to18 years and was living with another brother in Karachi. He also had remained hospitalised for treatment but he could not recover. His wife also divorced him because of his illness. He had two sons and a daughter.

    He further added, “He went to buy some cigarettes and did not turn up till evening and they later learned that he was killed on blasphemy charges.”

    While talking to Dawn News, he claimed that neighbours also knew about his mental condition. He said that the violent mob stoned his brother to death in the presence of police and they did not protect his brother from the mob. He also complained that his brother’s fingers were missing after the frightful incident.

    Police claimed that they have arrested 85 suspects after they conducted more than 120 raids on Sunday.

    The police have registered two First Investigation Reports (FIR) for alleged blasphemy under Section 295-B of Pakistan Penal Code and the second one related to the lynching under Sections 302, 353, 186, 148, 149 of the PPC and Section 7A of Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

    Also Read: Sri Lankan factory manager tortured to death in Sialkot over alleged blasphemy

    Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Religious Harmony, Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi soon after arriving at Khanewal Circuit House, condemned the incident and said no one should take the law into their hands.

    He emphasised that there are laws to protect religion and against blasphemy. Such matters should be reported to the police and let them proceed under the law.

    Prime Minister, Imran Khan condemned the tragic incident on his Twitter. He ordered a detailed report from the Punjab police chief. He directed authorities to take strict against the perpetrators of the lynching incident.

    Human Rights Minister, Shireen Mazari also condemned the incident and asked the Punjab government to take strict action against the assailants involved.

    Netizens also criticised Mazari for not taking enough efforts to prevent such tragic incidents. They are saying that tweets are not enough to stop such brutality.

    Some users questioned the appreciation award which was given to Shireen Mazari by Prime Minister Imran Khan last week, and how it wasn’t well deserved.

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also strongly condemned the incident.

    “The tragedy of Mian Channu has once again humiliated the entire nation,” he said.

    The deceased victim was buried in Mian Channu on Sunday.