Tag: PDM

  • PDM may give Punjab CM seat to PPP: report

    PDM may give Punjab CM seat to PPP: report

    The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) may give the post of Chief Minister of Punjab to Pakistan People’s Pakistan (PPP) as the party co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari campaigns in Lahore to get the seat, reports Geo News Urdu.

    According to the media outlet, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) President Chaudhry Shujaat has favoured PPP in this matter.

    In case of consensus, the Punjab Assembly (PA) speaker and deputy speaker candidates would be from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

    Zardari has also started considering names for the CM chair, including PPP Punjab parliamentary leader Hasan Murtaza, former Premier Yousuf Raza Gillani’s son Ali Haider Gillani and Usman Mehmood.

    However, the final decision will be made jointly by Zardari, Chaudhry Shujaat and Nawaz Sharif.

    The development comes forth as the no-confidence motion against incumbent CM Pervaiz Elahi gains steam. Elahi, however, remains seemingly ahead in numbers in the provincial assembly with the support of 190 Members of the Provincial Assembly (MPAs).

    Apart from Elahi, a separate no-trust motion was also submitted against PA Speaker Sibtain Khan and Deputy Speaker Wasiq Qayyum Abbasi.

  • Dissolution of assemblies: CM Elahi goes to Rawalpindi ahead of Imran’s date announcement

    Dissolution of assemblies: CM Elahi goes to Rawalpindi ahead of Imran’s date announcement

    Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Pervaiz Elahi on Friday air-dashed to Rawalpindi and returned to Lahore after a brief meeting with an “important personality”.

    CM Elahi traveled to Rawalpindi on Friday evening where he held an important meeting. After returning to Lahore at night, he held consultations with his party leaders and also took Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain into confidence, reports Geo News.

    It is pertinent to mention that the development comes just hours before the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s announcement of the date for the dissolution of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) today.

    According to the media outlet, after the meeting in Rawalpindi, Elahi opposed dissolving the assembly and suggested to Imran Khan not to take the decision in haste.

    Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Moonis Elahi also met Imran Khan before “the Rawalpindi meeting”. He told the PTI leader that the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)-led government can victimise the PTI and PML-Q leadership if the assemblies are dissolved.

    If Elahi doesn’t dissolve the Punjab Assembly, the PTI chief Imran Khan would be left with the option of his party’s lawmakers resigning from the assembly.

    On the other hand, Dawn reports that PML-Q said it would remain PTI’s political ally in the next general election, but demanded 25 to 30 seats across the Gujrat division, parts of south Punjab and Sialkot district.

    Khan will announce the dissolution of both provincial assemblies in the much-awaited video-link address at Liberty Roundabout in Lahore today. CM Elahi and KP CM Mahmood Khan would be personally present in the public congregations.

  • Imran Khan to give date for dissolution of assemblies before December 20: Reports

    Imran Khan to give date for dissolution of assemblies before December 20: Reports

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in a consultative session with lawmakers from Bhakkar, Mianwali, Pakpattan and Sahiwal told them that the provincial assemblies being governed by his party will be dissolved this very month and the date of the dissolution will be made public prior to December 20.

    The PTI earlier gave a deadline of December 20 to the federal coalition government of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) to announce a date for general elections, otherwise, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Punjab assemblies will be dissolved.

    In reply, the ruling coalition has told the PTI chairman to dissolve the assemblies.

    According to the media reports, Khan said that the Pakistan Muslim League-Qauid (PML-Q) is on the same page with the PTI on the issue of Punjab assembly’s dissolution.

    “The PML-Q is a vital ally. We have intimated them of our decision,” Imran Khan said.

    “Our politics is not above the country. This government has destroyed the national economy,” he maintained.

    Earlier, Senior Vice-President of PTI, Fawad Chaudhry, addressing the ruling coalition said, “Leaders of the imported government don’t want polls and they have no idea how to run the country.”

    “If PDM doesn’t bring a formula for holding general elections by December 20, the Punjab and KP assemblies will be dissolved,” Fawad said.

  • Number of Pakistanis who think the country’s economy will become worse reduces by 20 per cent

    Number of Pakistanis who think the country’s economy will become worse reduces by 20 per cent

    About 57 per cent of Pakistanis currently hold the opinion that the country’s economic situation will continue to worsen in the future, down from 77 per cent in September. This is a 20 per cent decrease in the percentage of people who think this would happen.

    This information was provided in the quarterly report of the IPSOS Pakistan study 2022 on Consumers Confidence Survey, which included responses from over a thousand participants. In 2022, the survey was carried out between November 29 and December 4th.

    According to The News, for the first time since the PDM-led government took office, the respondents expressed optimism about the improvement of the nation’s economic and general circumstances.

    According to the survey, the per centage of people who believe that the economy will improve in the future has climbed from 10 per cent to 17 per cent, while the per centage of people who hold a moderate view has gone from 10 per cent to 26 per cent.

    Additionally, the per centage of people who are dissatisfied with the country’s present economic position has decreased from 61 per cent to 55 per cent, while the per centage of people who describe it as stable has climbed from 1 per cent to 4 per cent. In the most recent study, the per centage of people who have a moderate opinion of the economic condition in the nation has climbed by 5 per cent to reach 41.

    The IPSOS survey shows that for the first time since the PDM took office, the per centage of Pakistanis who believe their country is heading in the wrong direction has decreased by 2 per cent to 86 per cent, while the per centage who think it is heading in the right direction has increased by 2 per cent to 14 per cent.

    According to the research report, 74 per cent of Pakistanis thought the country was headed in the right direction during the 2018 elections, but the trend continued to drop following the elections.

  • ‘Both Imran and General (r) Bajwa caused irreparable damage’: Hafiz Hamdullah

    ‘Both Imran and General (r) Bajwa caused irreparable damage’: Hafiz Hamdullah

    Hafiz Hamdullah, the spokesperson of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), has said that both Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and ex-Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa have caused irreparable damage to Pakistan.

    In a statement, he said, “It was ex-army chief Bajwa’s fault that he brought Khan into politics and it was Khan’s fault to give him [Bajwa] an extension. Both of their mistakes caused irreparable damage to Pakistan.”

    He pointed out that Khan is now accusing his mohsin (well-wisher). “Today you are accusing your Mohsin of the double game without any shame.”

    Commenting on the recent statements by PML-Q’s Moonis Elahi and Punjab CM Pervaiz Elahi that the ex-chief had advised his party to back Khan during the no-confidence motion, Hamdullah stated that on the matter of General Bajwa, the father and son duo and Imran Khan are not on the same page.

    Turning his guns towards Elahi, he posed a question. “In the case of General (r) Bajwa, are you with Imran Khan or with Bajwa?”

    

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    ‘October 2023’: PML-N unmoved by Khan’s offer to govt
    
			
    ‘October 2023’: PML-N unmoved by Khan’s offer to govt
    
			
    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) adamant that the next general elections will be held as per schedule in October 2023. 
    

    The Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, has offered the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)-led government to discuss the possibility of early general elections.
    

    However, the olive branch comes with a threat. “Give us a date for elections or we will dissolve Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab assemblies,” Khan said in a video address to the PTI’s Punjab parliamentary party.
    

    Marriyum Aurangzeb, Interior Minister, took to Twitter and wrote, “October 2023” as a response to Khan’s offer.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    Ishaq Dar, Finance Minister, said the government stuck to its stance that elections would be held in Oct 2023.
    

    “We can sit for talks with PTI but on any other issue except snap elections,” he said when asked about PML-N meeting, chaired by the Prime Minister.
    

    He said the coalition government came into power through a constitutional way and it reserved rights to complete its constitutional term [till Oct 2023].
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    ‘Gen (r) Bajwa asked us to support PTI during no-confidence motion’: Moonis Elahi
    
			
    ‘Gen (r) Bajwa asked us to support PTI during no-confidence motion’: Moonis Elahi
    
			
    Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Moonis Elahi has revealed that former army chief General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa had advised his party to back Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) when the no-confidence motion was moved against former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
    

    Elahi further revealed that both PTI and Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) had made offers to PML-Q. However, Gen (retd) Bajwa asked them to support the Imran Khan-led party. “I had an inclination towards PTI, and everyone knows about it. So I discussed it with my father. And then my father said to side with [PTI]. If Bajwa was so bad, why did he ask us to side with PTI at such a crucial junction,” he asked during an interview with Meher Bokhari.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    Moonis then criticized the social media campaign against General Bajwa, stating that, “Certain elements are busy on social media bashing Bajwa sahib without any reason. This is the same Bajwa who changed the course of rivers for the PTI. Back then he [Bajwa] was right, but now he is not. I have a total disagreement with those who are now talking against him.”
    

    

    


    

    

    

    “When he was giving you all-out support, he was right,” the PML-Q leader said, wondering if Bajwa how had the retired military head now become a “traitor” to them.
    

    Moonis said that there was no doubt that the former COAS fully supported PTI, but when he withdrew his support, he had become a bad person. “This is a bad example and I have a disagreement with them on it. He [Bajwa] was never against the PTI.”
    

    “Had he [Bajwa] been against them [PTI] at that juncture, he just had to give a signal, and we would have been sitting with them [PDM],” Moonis said.
    

    The PML-Q leader said when the establishment says that they have nothing to do with politics, he believes that because they have not influenced the Punjab government.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    No decision has been reached so far on COAS appointment: Khawaja Asif
    
			
    No decision has been reached so far on COAS appointment: Khawaja Asif
    
			
    Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has revealed that no decision has been reached by the federal government yet about the appointment of a new Chief of Army Staff (COAS).
    

    According to the defence minister, the selection process for the new army chief will likely begin within the next five to seven days.
    

    Talking in Geo News’ programme “Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath”, the minister said five names will be forwarded and then Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif will pick one of those names. He was of the view that the appointment is quite a simple method as this exercise has been conducted several times in the past too.
    

    The appointment for the COAS position is due to take place in November.
    

    About the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) planned long march, the federal minister said that the government will not be blackmailed by the PTI if the party comes to Islamabad.
    

    The minister also said that no negotiations have taken place with PTI. “A couple of meetings took place because of Imran’s old acquaintances”, he added.
    

    On the contrary, Khan has claimed that negotiations were indeed held. He also warned the government to give a date for early general elections or else he will announce a date for the long march within the current month.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    Discussing the recent by-elections held on the past Sunday, Asif said that if Khan had let his party candidates run from their respective constituencies instead of contesting himself, the results would have been different.
    

    

    

    

    

    		
    

    
	

    

    

    

    

    

    

    During the show, he also hinted towards keeping the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) alliance in place in the next elections.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    ‘September sitamgar hoga’: Sheikh Rasheed announces Khan’s march in Islamabad
    
			
    ‘September sitamgar hoga’: Sheikh Rasheed announces Khan’s march in Islamabad
    
			
    Former interior minister and Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rasheed said on Sunday that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan will give a call to his supporters to march towards Islamabad once the flood situation eases down.
    

    Rasheed took to his Twitter handle and warned: “Sitambar Sitamgar ho ga (September will be cruel)”.
    

    

    

    

    

    		
    

    
	

    

    

    

    

    

    

    The former federal minister pointed out that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has made yet another agreement of Rs608 billion with the government. “First they robbed the treasury and now the people’s pockets”, he said.
    

    “Floods have opened the eyes of the people of Sindh, the floods have destroyed the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) reputation. How will other countries give aid when the people of the country refuse to give money to money launderers?”
    

    He said that the people can not bear the burden of increasing petrol and power prices, yet the “government continues to raise them”.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    In a series of tweets, he said that IMF knows that there is a weak majority of the government and people can come to the streets.
    

    “The time is not far when factories and shops will be closed, people will be on the streets”, he warned again while adding that floods have become a matter of “political point scoring”.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    Rasheed’s statement came a day after Imran Khan warned the government to stop the “persecution” of his party workers otherwise he will again march on Islamabad.
    

    He said the government would have “no place to hide” in the event he comes to Islamabad.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    Floods in Pakistan: Two minor sisters drown in Rajanpur
    
			
    Floods in Pakistan: Two minor sisters drown in Rajanpur
    
			
    Two minor sisters who were residents of Chak Dilbar of Rajanpur’s Rojhan Mazari city drowned on Friday due to floods. They were daughters of Karim Bakhsh Saheeja.
    

    According to official data, the massive floods claimed 34 lives besides washing out three tehsils and 300 villages, causing homelessness to millions in Dera Ghazi Khan (DG Khan) and Rajanpur during the last two weeks.
    

    Read more: Pakistan officially declares flood situation a ‘national emergency’
    

    Punjab Local Government Minister Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed visited DG Khan where he presided over a meeting to review the flood damage and relief activities. He said the Punjab government had declared DG Khan and Rajanpur calamity-hit districts.
    

    It has been reported that many people complained that they failed to encash the cheques of financial aid given by the Chief Minister (CM).
    

    DG Khan Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Anwar Baryar said the problem arose because most people had no bank accounts and the cheques could be encashed only by those with bank accounts. However, he assured that money would be given to the affected people after due process and assistant commissioners had been asked to help them in opening accounts.
    

    Read more: Flood Emergency: Here is how you can help
    

    On Thursday, Chief Secretary (CS) Punjab Kamran Ali Afzal also paid a visit to flood-hit areas of Rajanpur and reviewed the arrangements in relief camps in Rojhan and its suburban areas.
    

    Earlier, Pakistan Meteorological Department (PDM) officials briefed Afzal that as many as 31 relief camps have been set up in Rajanpur and 13 in DG Khan where 3,585 victims are taking shelter.
    

    In a separate incident, four friends lost their lives on Friday in the Sanagai area of ​​Lower Kohistan District after being stuck in the floods for three continuous hours. According to the details, five friends were stuck in flood water and they climbed on a rock to save themselves.