Tag: Pakistan

  • In last NA speech, Shehbaz says he’s not happy that leader of a party is in jail

    In last NA speech, Shehbaz says he’s not happy that leader of a party is in jail

    In a poignant last speech on the floor of the National Assembly as Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif said that if the leader of a political party is jailed, “we are not happy about it”.

    “If someone has been distributing sweets [to celebrate], it is not right. This is not a good tradition,” the Premier said, in a thinly veiled reference to political rival, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.

    Khan has been sentenced to three years imprisonment in the Tosha Khana case, and is currently at Attock jail.

    Talking about the severe economic crisis in the country, Shehbaz said that his government faced severe difficulties in its 16-month long tenure.

    He thanked legislators from all parties and both sides, including Mohsin Dawar and Ali Wazir, for showing confidence in him.

    Calling the assembly a “bouquet”, the Prime Minister said that such a bunch of Pakistanis has never been put together before and will never be put together again.

    In a lighter moment, he asked members to thump their desks with more force after he paid tribute to Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf.

    He also singled out Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari for praise, thanking the outgoing Foreign Minister for keeping the coalition together and for his diplomatic prowess.

  • ‘Get me out of Jail’, Imran tells lawyers

    ‘Get me out of Jail’, Imran tells lawyers

    According to the sources of Geo News in Attock jail have said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has told his lawyers to get him out of jail, as he doesn’t want to remain in prison.

    According to a report in geo.tv, Imran Khan was “unhappy and worried” that he was in jail. On the other hand, Imran Khan’s lawyer, Naeem Haider Panjutha, has said in a media talk on Tuesday that Imran Khan’s morale is high.

    “Take me out of here; I don’t want to remain in jail,” the officials quoted Khan as saying during a meeting with his lawyer.

    Following an altercation with the personnel of the Attock district jail, two of Imran Khan’s lawyers have been charged with ripping off a government official’s uniform.

    According to Geo News, a “coded conversation” took place between a jail official and former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

    However, the administration of Attock Jail has decided to investigate the matter of this coded conversation, in which some words were indecipherable.

  • Whose face is on Maryam Nawaz’s new coffee mug?

    Maryam Nawaz has finally ditched the metal glass she would carry around with her, replacing it with a new coffee mug that has a photo right up front on it.

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has uploaded a video on their social media accounts where Maryam Nawaz says that her previous cup was the subject of “many discussions, analysis and TV programs”.

    She then turns a light coloured insulated mug she’s holding towards the camera and says, “Coffee tastes better in the cup I’m using now.”

    She goes on to elaborate that on one side the cup says “Mian day naaray wajjan gay” (Mian’s praise will resound everywhere), a slogan used for her father, PML-N head Mian Nawaz Sharif.

    The other side of the mug features a photo of the former Prime Minister.

    She then turns towards party officials including Azma Bokhari and Talal Chaudhary, instructing them to use the same cups. “I promise you, the coffee tastes better,” she said as the short clip draws to a close.

  • Security guard assaulted over parking tiff, prime suspect still at large

    Security guard assaulted over parking tiff, prime suspect still at large

    A violent confrontation in a car park under the jurisdiction of Lahore’s Defence police station has led to the brutal beating of a security guard.

    According to Dunya News, despite making some arrests, the prime suspect has eluded capture.

    The altercation began after a heated exchange between the security guard and a group of armed men over a parking spot. It escalated quickly, leading the armed individuals to violently assault the guard after stepping out of their vehicle.

    Defence B police station promptly registered a case against five unidentified individuals in connection with the incident. While two suspects, identified as Tanzeel and Adnan, were apprehended, the primary instigator of the violence, Ahmad Mayo, remains at large.

    Mayo was reported to be seated at the front of the vehicle during the altercation and subsequent attack on the security guard.

    Addressing the press, DIG Operations Ali Nasir Rizvi revealed that two SMGs, 29 magazines, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition were seized from the apprehended individuals. Rizvi said that raids to nab the remaining three suspects are going on, stating, “All those involved, including the prime suspect, will be arrested soon.”

  • Govt employees get flat 50% increase in travel allowance

    The current government has announced a 50% increase in the daily travel and mileage allowances for all on-duty government employees. A notification to the same was issued by the Ministry of Finance on Tuesday.

    According to the notification, different calculations will be used for different grades of employees. There is an increase of Rs 7,200 per day for employees in Grade 22 and Rs 6,000 for Grade 21 employees. On the other hand, the employees in Grades 12 to 16 can get an increase of Rs 1320 and Rs 1200 per day for the employees in Grades 5 to 11.

    Additionally, the cost of transportation has increased by 50% to Rs7.5 per kilometer for vehicles and Rs3.75 per kilometre for motorcycles. For personal vehicles or taxis, the per-kilometre mileage allowance has increased by 50% to Rs15, Rs6 for motorcycles, Rs3 for bicycles, and Rs3.75 for public transport.

    The aforementioned daily allowance prices are applicable to certain stations for special rates as announced, including Hyderabad, Karachi, Sukkur, Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Multan, Quetta, Sargodha, Sialkot, Lahore, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Faisalabad, Pesha­war, Gwadar, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Muzaffarabad and Mirpur in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

    Government employees in grades 1–19 can stay in hotels (not five-star ones), motels, public sector corporations, rest houses, and guest houses.

  • Pakistan invites Saudi Arabia to invest in key sectors like agriculture, IT, and energy

    Pakistan invites Saudi Arabia to invest in key sectors like agriculture, IT, and energy

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has extended a warm invitation to companies from Saudi Arabia, encouraging them to explore exciting investment prospects in various sectors such as agriculture, mining, technology, energy, and more.

    This friendly call was made during a meeting with Saudi Arabia’s Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, Waleed Abdulkarim El Khereji, held in Islamabad.

    To boost economic partnerships, PM Shehbaz highlighted the creation of a Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC). This council is designed to simplify and speed up potential investments from countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), with a special focus on enhancing collaborations with Saudi Arabia.

    PM Shehbaz also expressed heartfelt appreciation for Saudi Arabia’s timely financial support, particularly in the aftermath of natural disasters like floods. He acknowledged the Kingdom’s crucial role in helping Pakistan work towards a stable economy.

    He emphasised the importance of the visit by the Saudi delegation, underscoring the shared interest and eagerness on both sides to elevate their long-standing friendly relations to a practical and mutually beneficial economic partnership.

    In a significant earlier announcement, PM Shehbaz revealed plans to auction gifts from the Toshakhana. The funds generated from this auction will be directed towards the well-being of underprivileged individuals, especially those who are orphaned and vulnerable.

  • National Assembly set to dissolve after 5:30PM

    National Assembly set to dissolve after 5:30PM

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is preparing to advice President Arif Alvi to dissolve the National Assembly (NA) today, bringing an end to tumultuous five-year term for the Lower House. Today (Wednesday) might be the last day of the coalition government.

    In order to extend the interim period, which is legally within 90 days if an assembly is dissolved prematurely, the government will dissolve the Lower House of parliament earlier than its legal term, which expires on August 12.

    If the National Assembly gets dissolved prematurely, a caretaker government will be responsible for conducting elections in 90 days.

    According to Article 58 of the constitution, the prime minister can advise the president on the dissolution of the National Assembly, however, if the president doesn’t approve, the assembly is still dissolved within 48 hours.

    “The president shall dissolve the National Assembly if so advised by the prime minister; and the National Assembly shall, unless sooner dissolved, stand dissolved at the expiration of forty-eight hours after the prime minister has so advised,” the article reads.

    PM Shehbaz Sharif, after a joint session of Parliament today at 5:30 p.m., will request President Alvi to dissolve the Parliament. Shehbaz Sharif’s meeting with opposition leader Raja Riaz is scheduled for 4 p.m. today.

  • Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Junior speaks out against killing of endangered Indus River Dolphin

    Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Junior speaks out against killing of endangered Indus River Dolphin

    Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Junior, the grandson of former Pakistani President and Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, has voiced distress over the killing of the endangered Indus River Dolphin. Bhutto Junior, a visual and performance artist and curator known for his advocacy for wildlife and climate justice, highlighted the incident in an emotional video statement on Instagram.

    Recalling a letter written by his aunt, the late former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto following the death of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Bhutto Junior drew attention to his grandfather’s deep bond with the region of Sindh and its environment. The letter described Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto as being akin to the River Indus – “strong and kind”. Bhutto Junior underscored his late grandfather’s efforts to protect the Indus River Dolphin, known locally as ‘Bhulan’, including imposing a hunting ban on the species.

    Expressing deep sorrow, Bhutto Junior relayed the tragic news of a recent incident where an Indus River Dolphin was killed by hunters. He passionately asserted, “If you have killed one dolphin, it’s like you have killed a part of Sindh.” He pleaded with the culprits to refrain from such actions in the future, emphasizing the significance of the creatures and the importance of their preservation.

    The Indus River Dolphin, or ‘Bhulan’, is a unique species of toothed whale endemic to the Indus River Basin in Pakistan and northwestern India. It is the first discovered side-swimming cetacean and is known for navigating and hunting through echolocation. Despite being the national mammal of Pakistan and the state aquatic animal of Punjab, India, its population has significantly declined due to human activities, including entanglement in fishing nets, water poisoning from industrial and agricultural chemicals, irrigation, and dam construction.

    Protecting the remaining sub-populations is critical for the species’ long-term survival.

  • No role in the selection of Judges: University of Hull

    No role in the selection of Judges: University of Hull

    The University of Hull in Manchester has offered a clarification on the participation of Judge Humayun Dilawar in a training programme at their campus, after supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protested against the university.

    PTI activists have been tagging university to record their objection against the inclusion of Judge Dilawar, who convicted Imran Khan in the Tosha Khana case on August 5, sentencing him to three years imprisonment and disqualification.

    PTI supporters demanded that the judge be expelled from the training session.

    However, Judge Dilawar did not, in fact, fly to the UK out of the blue, as revealed by a statement issued by the university in response to the controversy. The statement says that his participation was a result of being chosen by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) for the training.

    Stressing that the university has been organising training sessions on human rights and the rule of law for Pakistani Judges Since 2014, the university said that it has no role in selecting judges for the training.

    “The current cohort has been selected by the Islamabad High Court, the Peshawar High Court, and the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The University has no role in the selection of judges”.

  • Pakistani media, stop obsessing over Sunita Marshall’s religion

    Pakistani media, stop obsessing over Sunita Marshall’s religion

    The country’s media has decided that the average citizen is not raging inflation but whether a fully grown woman has decided to convert from Christianity to Islam or not.

    In an interview with Youtuber and journalist Maliha Rehman, actor Hassan Ahmed, Sunita Marshall’s husband, was asked about how he deals with the negative comments, especially regarding his marriage to the ‘Sar-e-rah’ actress. The actor responded that it is his deepest desire that his wife converts to Islam, but understands that these things do take time. He further went on to say that Sunita will only come towards Islam when she notices the positive inside him.

    But newsflash for the two of you, Sunita isn’t special just because she ‘could’ convert to Islam. She’s a fully grown human being who can dress how she wants and follow what religion she chooses. It is shameful how this is a topic that needs a 10 minute long discussion.

    The discussion arose just a few weeks after Sunita was questioned by controversial Youtuber Nadir Ali about her religious beliefs. She calmly handled the situation saying that it was her choice whether she chooses to remain a Christian or convert to Islam. But the fact remains, Sunita’s religion is not something to debate, and it’s shameful that her husband is commenting on personal matters in the public sphere.

    We were incredibly happy to witness how a flood of celebrities and social media users applauded the ‘Khuda Aur Mohabbat’ actress for bravely handling Ali’s misogynist remarks, but it doesn’t mean she needs to be subjected to this kind of questioning time and time again. This is the Islamic Republic Of Pakistan, where under the law, people from all kinds of faiths are allowed to practice their religion without any fear.

    It’s the year 2023, you have people leaving the country because they’re unable to make a decent living, so obsessing over whether Sunita Marshall will become a Muslim or not is irrelevant. Celebrity tabloids, please do better and let her live without feeling like her religion is in the spotlight all the time.