Tag: Pakistan Tehreek e insaf

  • Govt successful in negotiating with TLP, maintain secrecy over details

    Govt successful in negotiating with TLP, maintain secrecy over details

    Officials from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government on Sunday claimed that they had reached an ‘agreement’ with the proscribed Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) in order to end the nearly two-week-long protests.

    The government’s negotiating team members Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Mohammad Khan, along with Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman were present at the press conference.

    “The government of Pakistan and the TLP held detailed negotiations in an environment of mutual trust and an agreement has been reached between the two sides,” said Mufti Muneeb.

    The details of the negotiations have yet not been made public, Mufti Muneeb said its details would be made public at an ‘appropriate time’. He, however, said its ‘positive results’ would be visible to the nation next week or during the next 10 days.

  • PM Imran Khan meets Lt Gen Nadeem Ahmed Anjum

    PM Imran Khan meets Lt Gen Nadeem Ahmed Anjum

    Corps Commander Karachi Lieutenant General (Lt Gen) Nadeem Ahmed Anjum met Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan, who is expected to formally approve the appointment of new director-general (DG) Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency within a few days, reports The News.

    A source told The News that there is no official word available about this important meeting. However, while confirming it, the source hinted that the notification for the appointment of Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum as the next DG ISI is expected in the coming few days. The source expected it on Friday.

    On October 14, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) parliamentary group had an emergency meeting at Parliament House where PM Khan assured the party leaders that the issue of the appointment of the new ISI chief has been amicably settled by him and Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa and that the government will complete its five-year term.

    Later, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry told the media that the notification regarding the appointment of the new DG ISI would be issued in two to three days.

  • Fawad Chaudhry says PM Khan will meet all candidates for DG ISI slot

    Fawad Chaudhry says PM Khan will meet all candidates for DG ISI slot

    Following the emergency meeting of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) parliamentary group at Parliament House yesterday, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry told the media that the notification regarding the appointment of new director-general (DG) Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency would be issued in two to three days, reports Dawn.

    Fawad denied that the premier would take interviews of the potential candidates but said: “Prime Minister Imran Khan will just meet all candidates (for the slot of DG ISI)”.

    No such interviews have been taken in the past by any prime minister. Rather the official who is selected as head of the ISI pays a goodwill visit to the prime minister after his appointment.

    However, during the parliamentary meeting, PM Khan assured the party leaders that the issue of the appointment of the new ISI chief has been amicably settled by him and Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa and that the government will complete its five-year term.

    Prior to the party meeting, Fawad Chaudhry while talking to reporters at Parliament House, said, “Everyone, at the turn of every hour, is trying to twist the matter to gain some popularity.”

  • ‘PML-N has seven concealed accounts, PPP has 12 hidden accounts from ECP’: Farrukh Habib

    ‘PML-N has seven concealed accounts, PPP has 12 hidden accounts from ECP’: Farrukh Habib

    The Elec­tion Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday allowed the ruling Pakistan Tehre­ek-e-Insaf (PTI) to inspect documents related to foreign funding cases against the Opposition parties, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), reports Dawn.

    Minister of State for Information and Broadcas­ting Farrukh Habib, while talking to the media, said that the PML-N had concealed seven accounts while the PPP had hidden 12 accounts from the ECP. 

    “We will bring to light the fake accounts of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz,” the minister said.

    “Now we would not let them run away,” claimed the minister. “Both the parties used to take money from mafias,” he alleged. He also accused the PML-N of using party accounts for “money laundering”.

  • ‘Reduce intake of sugar and bread,’ Ali Amin Gandapur’s response to rising inflation

    ‘Reduce intake of sugar and bread,’ Ali Amin Gandapur’s response to rising inflation

    Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Ali Amin Gandapur, while addressing a gathering in Azad Kashmir said, “Today we say that sugar has become expensive. Can’t we sacrifice a little and reduce the quantity of sugar in our tea and eat less bread?”

    He was referring to the rising inflation in the country.

    “Have we become so selfish that we can not sacrifice a little for our nation? If there is nine per cent inflation, I eat 100 bites of bread, can’t I eat nine fewer bites of the bread and give this sacrifice for my nation?”

    “Now we need to make a decision. Whether we want freedom and a tax-free nation for our children, not the kind where we worry that we have to pay back to America and not be fearful of drone attacks,” said Gandapur.

  • Government decides to give extension to NAB chairman

    The government has decided to give an extension to National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal and a draft ordinance has been prepared, Ayaz Akbar Yousafzai reports for Geo News.

    Law Minister Dr Farogh Naseem, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Dr Babar Awan, and Adviser on Interior and Accountability Mirza Shahzad Akbar suggested changes in the law.

    According to sources privy to the matter, more than one amendment has been proposed.

    Geo reports that Prime Minister Imran Khan will chair a meeting today (Tuesday), in which a final approval will be given to the proposal drafted in consultation with federal ministers.

    The tenure of a NAB chairman cannot be extended under section 6(b) of the NAB Ordinance 1999.

    Earlier, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari tweeted that the PPP will forcefully oppose the illegal extension in the tenure of Chairman NAB.

  • Fact check: Is Junaid Safdar’s name in Pandora Papers?

    Fact check: Is Junaid Safdar’s name in Pandora Papers?

    Claim: PMLN Leader Maryam Nawaz’s son Junaid Safdar’s name came up in the Pandora Papers.

    Fact:

    Following the revelations in the Pandora Papers, featuring names of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) ministers as well as Opposition members, some channels shared the news that Junaid Safdar, who is the son of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz, also has five offshore companies registered in his name.

    As per reports, the government-run channel, Pakistan Television Network (PTV), aired the news of Junaid Safdar’s offshore companies.

    Prime Minister Imran Khan’s aide, Dr Shahbaz Gill, shared an image of PTV News with his tweet about Junaid Safdar’s offshore companies.

    Shahbaz Gill, while speaking on ARY News programme ‘Sawal Yeh Hai’, backed the news stating that PTV broke the news of Maryam Nawaz’s son owning offshore companies. “It is not possible that when it comes to theft or hiding information, we don’t see Maryam Baji’s [Maryam Nawaz’s] name there. Her son’s three to five companies have also been uncovered.”

    Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry also took to Twitter and tweeted, “The latest information is that there are five offshore companies in the name of Junaid Safdar, son of Maryam Nawaz. How much money does this family need?”

    Chaudhry also claimed the same in Nadia Mirza’s programme on Dawn News.

    In response to the news, which was shared by a section of the media quoting state-run PTV, Maryam Nawaz issued a statement saying that if the TV channel that ran the news does not apologise immediately, she will take them to court and file a defamation lawsuit.

    Responding to a suggestion by someone to seek legal action in the UK, she said that if the UK desk aired it, the family will sue them there too.

    However, Aoun Sahi from PTV — in response to senior journalist Nasim Zehra — refuted the claims of the news of Junaid Safdar being run on the channel and tweeted, “PTV hasn’t run the story. It’s photoshopped ma’am.”

    Umar Cheema and Fakhar Durrani, the two journalists from The News who participated in the Pandora Papers investigation from Pakistan, were asked by Geo News about Junaid Safdar’s name in the Pandora Papers. They both said they did not come across Junaid Safdar’s name during their investigation.

    “We checked the names of each member of the Sharif family,” Durrani said.

    Umar Cheema also tweeted that a Twitter account by the name of ‘PandoraLeaks’ is fake. The account tweeted: “Our research has found out that Junaid Safdar, grandson of former PM Nawaz Shareef has 3 shell and 2 offshore companies in Seychelles and Virgin Islands.”

    The account has since been deleted.

    The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), which has been investigating international finance and tax havens, has released a detailed list of public figures with offshore companies called the ‘Pandora Papers’ as part of their new investigation.

    VERDICT: FAKE

  • Arnab Goswami’s lie about Pak army backfires, becomes Twitter meme

    Arnab Goswami’s lie about Pak army backfires, becomes Twitter meme

    Indian journalist Arnab Goswami was once again caught spreading fake news about Pakistan but was called out for it by his Pakistani guest. Goswami lied about the presence of the Pakistan Army officers in Kabul Serena to fight in Panjshir Valley.

    Goswami claimed that the Pakistan Army officers were staying on the fifth floor of the Serena Hotel in Kabul but did not know that Kabul Serena only has two floors above ground level.

    In his programme ‘The Debate’ on Republic World TV last week, Goswami had invited an Indian analyst as well as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) spokesperson Abdul Samad Yaqoob, to represent Pakistan, in a discussion on what the channel termed a “big split” within the Taliban.

    Goswami addressed Yaqoob and said: “You go and check today … on the fifth floor of the Serena Hotel, I am telling you, please check, the fifth floor of the Serena Hotel in Kabul, how many Pakistani army officers are there?”

    “I am giving you. [Do] you want more details? I’ll tell you which room, or is this enough? [On the] fifth floor of the Serena Hotel, Kabul, how many Pakistani officers are there. Okay? I can also tell you what they ordered for dinner, so don’t question my intelligence sources.”

    Yaqoob countered Goswami’s claims and said, “What I got to know from my sources [is that] Serena has only two floors. There are no third, fourth or fifth floors.”

    The Indian anchor had no logical answer and sought to draw attention away from his faux pas. 

    Netizens from around the world called out Goswami for making false claims, making him a Twitter meme once again.

    A Twitter user from India wrote, “Dear #ArnabGoswami this is Sarena hotel Kabul I am still unable to find out [the] fifth floor?”

    https://twitter.com/Dilsedesh/status/1439528467465322498

    Indian journalist, Kanishka Raj Singh tweeted, “Finding information on the fifth floor of a building that has only two floors requires great journalism and brilliant sourcing.”

    Journalist Om Thanvi tweeted, “According-to-sources journalism and its own laughter!”

    Chinese journalist Shen Shiwei too exposed Goswami’s claims by sharing images of the hotel.

    One user rotated a picture of the hotel and mused that Goswami was perhaps counting its floors vertically.

    PTI spokesperson too tweeted a picture with “Arnab’s Intelligence Source” as its caption.

  • ‘Unilateral decision to offer amnesty to TTP an insult to victims of terrorism’: Bilawal Bhutto

    ‘Unilateral decision to offer amnesty to TTP an insult to victims of terrorism’: Bilawal Bhutto

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Friday took to Twitter to express his disapproval of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government for offering to pardon Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) members if they renounce violence and respect the nation’s Constitution.

    Bilawal tweeted, “The unilateral decision to offer amnesty to terrorist groups within Pakistan is an insult to the thousands of victims of terrorism.”

    “Imran’s policy of appeasement to religious fascism within Pakistan as well as on our eastern & western borders will haunt us in-times to come,” added Bilawal.

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader, Khurram Dastgir Khan, while speaking on Dawn News programme “News Eye”, said, “It is shameful and reprehensible of the President and the Foreign Minister to hint at a general amnesty for the TTP.”

    “Terrorists in Pakistan have martyred children, women, the elderly, young and our soldiers. We cannot forget this,” said Dastgir.

    Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in an interview with The Independent said that the government would be “open to giving” a pardon to members of the banned TTP if they promise not to get involved in terrorism and follow the Constitution of Pakistan.

    The minister’s comments came after President Arif Alvi said, if anyone wants to leave the ideology of the banned TTP and work as per the Constitution of Pakistan, the government may consider a general amnesty.

  • PTI leads in Cantonment Board polls, PML-N in second place

    PTI leads in Cantonment Board polls, PML-N in second place

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) emerged as the biggest winner in the Cantonment Board elections held across Pakistan on Sunday, reports Radio Pakistan.

    According to the unofficial results, PTI got 58 seats, while the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) scored 51. Independent candidates claimed 49 seats.

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has managed to win 14 seats and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) got 10 seats. Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) won five seats while Balochistan Awami Party (BNP) got two seats.

    Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry in a tweet said the Cantonment Board election results show that the Opposition has left with no standing following a crushing defeat.

    Reacting to the ruling party’s victory, federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar said: “Cantonment elections once again show the PTI not only as the largest party but also the only national party.”

    PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif called party leaders and congratulated them on their success in the cantonment polls.

    Province wise results:

    PTI won the most number of seats in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) — 18 — followed by 28 in Punjab, 14 in Sindh, and three in Balochistan.

    PML-N won big in Punjab, bagging 51 seats, managing only five in KP, three in Sindh, and none in Balochistan. In Lahore, the PML-N bagged 15 of 19 wards.

    PPP was surprisingly unable to defeat PTI in Sindh, instead of tying with them for 14 seats. The remaining three seats were won in KP, meaning none were won in either Punjab or Balochistan.

    Independent candidates scored big in Punjab, bagging 32 seats. They secured nine in KP, seven in Sindh, and four in Balochistan.

    MQM won all of its 10 seats in Sindh, whereas JI won five in Sindh and two in Punjab.

    ANP won two seats in KP, whereas BAP won two in Balochistan.