Tag: PM Shehbaz

  • PM Shehbaz set to visit Saudi Arabia for two days  

    PM Shehbaz set to visit Saudi Arabia for two days  

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif will depart for a two-day trip to Saudi Arabia for Umrah on Saturday night. During his stay in Jeddah, he will also meet his Saudi Arabian counterpart, The News reported on Friday.

    The Premier will discuss various projects during a meeting with Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

    Shehbaz Sharif will also invite MbS to visit Pakistan soon.

    During his stay in Saudi Arabia, both countries will finalise multiple development projects, and continue bilateral cooperation in various sectors, including agriculture. 

    The sources of The News claimed that Saudi Arabia will also invest $1 billion in the Reko Diq project.

    The schedule for PM Shehbaz’s visit will be finalised on Friday (today), said the sources.

  • PM Shehbaz reviews security situation of Chinese citizens in high-level meeting

    PM Shehbaz reviews security situation of Chinese citizens in high-level meeting

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a high-level meeting on Wednesday to review the security situation of foreign nationals, particularly Chinese citizens.

    After a suicide attack on Chinese engineers in Shangla on Tuesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for a high-level security meeting to assess and improve security measures for foreigners, especially focusing on Chinese residents in Pakistan.

    PM Shehbaz also reviewed the overall situation of the country, however, the main focus was on the security of Chinese nationals.

    Federal ministers, heads of security agencies, inspector general of police, and other relevant authorities also participated in the meeting.

    All the participants in the meeting condemned the suicide attack on Chinese engineers in Shangla.

  • PM Shehbaz says Pakistan needs another IMF programme

    PM Shehbaz says Pakistan needs another IMF programme

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that Pakistan needs another International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme for economic stability. Recognizing the programme’s ‘limitations’, however, he said that alongside the loan, his government will focus on the country’s growth, provide job opportunities and address inflation.

    “We have to do another IMF programme. It won’t work out without one. Rome was not built overnight,” the Prime Minister said addressing the Tax Excellence Awards in Islamabad today.

    The premier stressed the importance of collaboration between federal and provincial governments to facilitate the private sector of the country. He said it is the government’s responsibility to foster a conducive environment for business, and not its job to conduct business. The Prime Minister also stated that the FBR will be totally restructured through complete digitalization.

    He said that leading exporters and taxpayers are the heroes of Pakistan and said, “Those who are being given awards today will be given blue passports as honourary ambassadors of Pakistan.”

  • PPP and PMLN want timely elections

    PPP and PMLN want timely elections

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif has emphasized the importance of conducting the scheduled general elections on February 8 next year.

    Speaking to reporters after his appearance before an accountability court in Lahore regarding the Ramzan Sugar Mills reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Shehbaz said, “[Holding the elections on time] is the requirement of law and democracy.”

    The NAB reference alleges that Shehbaz, the former chief minister of Punjab, misused his authority by utilizing public funds to construct a bridge to benefit mills owned by his sons.

    Despite the legal challenges, Shehbaz expressed confidence in the PML-N’s upcoming election campaign, announcing that party leader Nawaz Sharif will unveil the manifesto during the electoral activities.

    Addressing concerns raised by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) regarding equal opportunities in the polls, Shehbaz cited, “I went to court today and this is called the level-playing field and Nawaz Sharif will also produce himself in an Islamabad court today.”

    Shehbaz also delved into recent events, including the May 9 incidents and the subsequent arrest of Imran Khan in the Al-Qadir Trust case. “A conspiracy to overthrow the army was hatched on May 9 and any democratic government will not tolerate treason,” he stressed.

    During the court hearing, Shehbaz clarified the charges against him, referring to his summoning in the clean water case and subsequent arrest in the Ashiana reference

    “I will not discuss the merits of the case, my lawyer will do it,” he told the court, adding that the court gave him justice in the Ashiana case.

    “After that, NAB arrested me in the sewer case. I was told that I had issued a directive for the construction of a drain which was built by an MPA,” he said.

    The PML-N president told the court that they have installed thousands of clean water projects during his tenure.

    Shehbaz said that he transferred their inherited sugar mill to his son and the government did not give subsidies to sugar mills in his tenure.

    PPP hopeful about timely elections

    Meanwhile, PPP expressed optimism that Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa would ensure the timely holding of the next general elections on February 8.

    “We are hopeful that Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa will not let the elections be delayed,” PPP leader Faisal Karim Kundi told in a press conference.

    Echoing concerns about a level playing field previously voiced by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Kundi asserted that PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari is poised to become the next prime minister.

    Mr Kundi claimed that PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari will be the next prime minister of the country and he would announce the party’s future line of action about the next elections at a public meeting in Quetta on Nov 30 on the occasion of the 56th foundation day of the PPP.

    “Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Asif Ali Zardari will both address the public meeting,” he said, adding that Bilawal’s sister Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari would conduct the election campaign of his brother.

    Additionally, PPP leader Syed Nayyar Hussain Bukhari was appointed as the secretary general of Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP).

    Before Mr Bukhari’s appointment, seasoned party leader Farhatullah Babar was serving as the secretary general of the party’s parliamentary chapter.

  • PMLN, PPP ki dosti? MQMP k sath PMLN elections mein? What is happening?

    PMLN, PPP ki dosti? MQMP k sath PMLN elections mein? What is happening?

    Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari have agreed to collaborate for the betterment of the country during a recent telephonic conversation, Geo news has revealed.

    The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) expressed their commitment to jointly tackle crucial issues affecting the nation.

    Zardari reportedly extended congratulations to Sharif on his return to Pakistan on October 21 after spending four years in self-imposed exile in London.

    Both leaders underscored the significance of the participation of all stakeholders in the collective effort to steer the country towards stability and progress, according to reliable sources.

    Acknowledging the pressing concern of inflation, the leaders also discussed plans to alleviate the burden on the public. In light of their discussion, it is anticipated that a high-level meeting will soon be convened to deliberate on crucial matters.

    The timing of their conversation coincided with the directive given to their respective party workers to gear up for the forthcoming general elections scheduled for February 8.

    Notably, the PPP and the PML-N were previously coalition partners in the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)-led government, which came into power following the removal of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

    However, while the news of the conversation has been making rounds, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari downplayed its significance, emphasizing that the PPP remains open to collaborating with all political parties.

    Contradicting earlier reports, PPP Central Information Secretary Faisal Karim Kundi denied any direct communication between Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari, urging the public to verify the authenticity of such claims before spreading them.

    He took to X (former Twitter) and said, “I would like to clarify that the news of Mr. Mian Nawaz Sharif contacting President Asif Ali Zardari is false and holds no truth. We urge everyone to verify information before spreading it.”

    In related developments, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) on Tuesday announced that they would be jointly contesting the upcoming general elections scheduled to take place on February 8, 2024.

    The development comes following a meeting of an MQM-P delegation led by Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Farooq Sattar, and Syed Mustafa Kamal with the PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif in Lahore at the party’s Model Town secretariat.

    Later, speaking to the media, senior PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique said, “It has been decided that both parties will contest February 8 polls jointly”.

    Amidst escalating political activities, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and President Arif Alvi have reached an agreement to hold the general elections on February 8, adhering to the Supreme Court’s directives following a case regarding the delay of elections.

    Following the electoral alliance between the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari has said that he welcomes his opponent’s intention to stand in elections.

    “We will stand against our opponents that are coming in elections and we welcome them,” Zardari said while addressing party works in Ghotki’s Khangarh. 

    The former president was of the view that when people who oppose each other contest elections then the competition among them delivers the “best results”. 

  • 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.

  • Bye bye National Assembly; Lower House to be dissolved on August 9

    At a dinner hosted for allies, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has revealed that the National Assembly will be dissolved on August 9, three days before the end of its tenure, DAWN has reported.

    The dinner, held at the Prime Minister House on Thursday, was in honour of the parties that were allies in the ruling coalition.

    If the National Assembly is dissolved before the end of its tenure, general elections will be held in 90 days.

    Shehbaz Sharif informed his guests that a final round of consultation with other members of the ruling alliance on Friday to finalize the caretaker setup.

    A source has revealed to DAWN that Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) head and current Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari held a long meeting with the Prime Minister on Thursday to discuss the interim setup.

    The reception was attended by Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, Speaker National Assembly Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, PPP leaders Yousuf Raza Gilani, MQM Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, JUI-F leader Asad Mehmood, Balochistan Awami Party leaders Khalid Magsi and Senator Ahmed Khan, Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) Chairman Shahzain Bugti, Aslam Bhootani, Mohsin Dawar and others.

  • Ishaq Dar, Khwaja Asif in the committee formed by PM to hold consultations for caretaker setup

    Ishaq Dar, Khwaja Asif in the committee formed by PM to hold consultations for caretaker setup

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has formed a five-member committee of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to hold consultations with allies on the upcoming caretaker setup in the country, Geo News has reported

    The provincial assemblies of Sindh and Baluchistan will also be dissolved next month, in August, along with the National Assembly.

    Ishaq Dar, Ahsan Iqbal, Khawaja Saad Rafiq, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Khawaja Muhammad Asif are members of the committee tasked with consulting with allies on the upcoming caretaker setup.

    According to sources in PML-N, the panel will start its work right away. PM Shehbaz has also advised other parties to form such panels, as it will be helpful in the matter of caretaker setup.

    According to multiple sources, one of the major parties in the ruling alliance wants the caretaker PM of its choice.

    Interestingly, the government is not consulting political forces outside the parliament.

    Earlier, the vice president (VC) of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Shah Mehmood Qureshi, had complained that PTI has not been kept in the loop in the matter of the caretaker setup.

  • Not being asked about election-related decisions: MQM complains to Shehbaz

    Not being asked about election-related decisions: MQM complains to Shehbaz

    A delegation of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday and complained that the MQM was not being taken on board on important national issues.

    PM Shehbaz met an MQM delegation to discuss the process for the formation of a caretaker setup in the country, reported The News.

    MQM Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui was heading the delegation, while Federal Minister for Information Technology Aminul Haq, Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori, Dr Farooq Sattar, and Mustafa Kamal were other members of MQM in the delegation. Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique and Minister for Economic Affairs Sardar Ayaz Sadiq were also present in the meeting.

    In the meeting with the PM, the MQM delegation complained that the two major coalition partners planned the dissolution of assemblies. MQM was an important ally in the ruling coalition, but it was not being consulted on crucial issues.

    According to sources, MQM said that the next general elections should be held on the basis of the new census and not the 2017 census results. The delegation also demanded notification of the census results.

    The MQM leaders proposed the name of a former commissioner Karachi, Shoaib Siddiqui, as the Sindh caretaker chief minister. However, the decision will be taken after consultation between the leader of the House and the leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly.

  • Wall collapse claims 11 lives amid heavy monsoon rains in Islamabad

    Wall collapse claims 11 lives amid heavy monsoon rains in Islamabad

    Islamabad’s Peshawar Road witnessed a devastating incident after heavy monsoon rains led to the collapse of a building’s wall, resulting in the unfortunate deaths of at least 11 individuals on Wednesday, reports Dawn.

    Rescue and police officials said six others were injured in the incident. The bodies of the deceased, believed to be laborers, were recovered from the rubble with the assistance of machinery.

    The bodies were taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), while the injured individuals, one of whom was discharged after receiving first aid, were also brought to the hospital for treatment.

    Heavy rainfall in Islamabad and Rawalpindi has caused waterlogging in low-lying areas, causing disruptions and posing hazards to residents.

    According to an official statement by Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon, the collapse occurred when the building’s wall fell onto a tent that the laborers had set up. Efforts were underway to rescue any individuals still trapped in the debris.

    As per details, the laborers were involved in the construction of an underpass on the Grand Trunk Road in the city, as instructed by the National Highway Authority (NHA). However, the NHA issued an official statement denying reports that the collapsed wall was part of the underpass structure.

    The NHA asserted that the underpass walls and construction site were safe and secure, expressing sorrow over the incident and offering prayers for the deceased and their families.

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has also expressed deep grief and sorrow over the incident and extended prayers for the departed souls. He directed the district administration to remain vigilant in light of the heavy rains.