Tag: PML-N

  • Exclusive: Junaid Safdar reveals his honeymoon plans

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz and Captain (R) Safdar’s son, Junaid Safdar’s wedding is surely the talk of the town these days. The wedding reception will be held on December 14 in Islamabad and the Valima in Lahore on December 17.

    We approached Junaid and got to know some exclusive details regarding his wedding, views on his mamu’s [Hamza Shehbaz] singing and the honeymoon.

    When asked if is he going to sing at his wedding, he replied: “I have nothing planned in particular. It really depends on how the event proceeds. It was quite spontaneous during the Nikkah as well. Singing is something quite personal to me but because the nikkah was a strictly family affair.” He revealed that he sang a few lines from one of his favourites on his Nikkah.

    Hamza Shehbaz’s singing videos from one of Junaid’s pre-wedding events became a social media hit. When we asked Junaid if he thinks his uncle sings better than him, he clearly said he has no doubt about it, adding that “I cannot possibly attempt to tackle the songs he sings so effortlessly.”

    As the wedding is just around the corner, we asked if he is planning to go back to London after the Valima? Junaid answered it with a ‘yes’. He said, “This event would be incomplete without Abujan’s [Nawaz Sharif] blessings, and the blessings of Hassan and Hussain Mamu, my Khala [Asma], and Ali Dar Khalo.”

    While talking about his wedding, Junaid clearly seemed really excited about it. He said that this event is a breeze for the family after a long spell of turmoil.

    He talked about the recent tragic events in his family that have happened in the past few years. He said, “Political turmoil is a recurrent theme and therefore, insignificant when compared to personal, family turmoil. I am talking about personal, family turmoil here. My grandmother’s fight against cancer. The passing of my grandmother whilst my mother, grandfather and father were in prison. The passing of my great grandmother. The smiles have now returned Alhamdulillah and it’s a heartwarming sight.”

    Talking about his honeymoon plans, he disclosed that plans were initially finalised. However, they are now pending as the couple is waiting for further covid-related information.

    Dulha Junaid is set to get married to Ayesha Saif, daughter of former politician Saif-ur-Rehman. The couple got nikkahfied in August this year in London.

  • NA-133 by-election: PML-N’s Shaista Pervaiz defeats PPP’s Aslam Gill

    NA-133 by-election: PML-N’s Shaista Pervaiz defeats PPP’s Aslam Gill

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Shaista Pervaiz Malik, wife of late Malik Pervaiz won the National Assembly (NA)-133 constituency on Sunday against Pakistan People Party’s (PPP) opponent Aslam Gill.

    The PML-N won the seat for the fourth time since 2008, although by a smaller margin this time.

    The results showed Gill was defeated by a margin of 14,498 votes. Shaista Malik secured 46,811 votes while Gill’s votes were 32,313.

    In 2018 elections, Pervaiz Malik secured 89,699 votes, which means PML-N got 42,888 fewer votes this time. However, PPP’s Gill got 26,728 more votes now as compared to the 2018 polls when he obtained only 5,585.

    President Of the Pakistan Institute Of Legislative Development And Transparency (PILDAT) Ahmed Bilal Mehboob shared the turnout of the constituency’s elections in a tweet.

    Meanwhile, despite PPP’s defeat in the election, the party’s Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari congratulated his party and he tweeted, “Congratulations to PPP Punjab for a fantastic performance in Lahore by-election. PPP went from 5,000 votes to 32,000+. While Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lost more than 50% of its votes”, adding that they hope to form the government in Punjab and centre in the general election.

    PML-N president and Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly, Shehbaz Sharif dedicated this victory to Late Pervaiz Malik and said, “We bow our heads before Allah in all humility for this election win today.”

  • Maryam Nawaz’s lawyer requests court date change, clash with Junaid Valima date

    Maryam Nawaz’s lawyer requests court date change, clash with Junaid Valima date

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz’s lawyer Azam Nazir Tarar requested the accountability court of Islamabad to shift his client, Maryam Nawaz’s court hearing date as it clashes with her son’s wedding reception. The judge has been requested to change the next hearing on some other date.

    Maryam Nawaz and Captain Safdar’s son Junaid Safdar’s Valima ceremony is to be held in Lahore on December 17, reports Geo News.

    Junaid Safdar tied the knot on August 22 with Ayesha Saif, daughter of Saif-ur-Rehman, a long-term ally of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, in London. The photos and videos of the Nikkah ceremony went viral on social media, leaving netizens in praise of the couple and Junaid’s singing skills.

    Maryam Nawaz and her husband could not attend the ceremony held in London as their name is on the Exit Control List (ECL), which restrains her from leaving Pakistan till the verdict of the court cases against her is announced.

  • ‘Who pressured you to sentence Nawaz Sharif and said that Khan needs to be in power?’: Maryam asks ex-CJP Nisar

    ‘Who pressured you to sentence Nawaz Sharif and said that Khan needs to be in power?’: Maryam asks ex-CJP Nisar

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz, in a heated press conference in Islamabad, called upon former Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar and asked him to come forth and tell the nation the truth.

    “Come forth, tell the nation who pressurised you?” Maryam Nawaz

    “Whether today or tomorrow, you will have to tell the nation the truth. There is still time. Come forth, tell the nation who pressured you to sentence Nawaz Sharif if it was unwarranted? Who pressured you to sentence Maryam Nawaz, if it was without merit. And who told you that [Prime Minister (PM)] Imran Khan needs to be brought to power?”

    “If Nawaz didn’t deserve the punishment, then why did you play with the justice system? You were sitting in the highest forum and why could you not refuse orders to convict Nawaz Sharif?”

    Maryam also asked Nisar why he allowed himself to be “forced to take an unconstitutional and illegal [step]”.

    “You will have to answer all this,” said Maryam.

    “After the TV channel said that [Nisar’s] audio had been pieced together to create the clip, Nisar too stepped forth to agree. So the TV channel deserves thanks,” Maryam Nawaz

    Addressing the media coverage regarding the leaked audio, without naming the channel, Maryam said that earlier Nisar denied any connection with the clip and said that it is not him who can be heard in the audio.

    “After the TV channel said that his [Nisar’s] audio had been pieced together from two of his previous speeches to create the alleged audio, he [Nisar] too stepped forth to agree,” said Maryam, adding, “So the TV channel that led to his [Nisar’s] admission of his voice being part of the clip deserves some thanks.”

    Addressing the TV channel directly, Maryam questioned the choice of the channel to omit specific bits from the audio clip that are the “real crux of the matter”.

    She also added that those words are the “charge sheet against Saqib Nisar” and demanded to know which speech those bits are from then.

    “So the bits that you like are his voice and the parts that you do not, are not his voice?” she asked.

    “Audio clips and videos may be material, but Justice Siddiqui is very much alive, he must be inquired about his allegations,” Maryam Nawaz

    “Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui also made a startling statement, while [former accountability judge] Arshad Malik was punished for speaking the truth,” Maryam said, adding that although the two judges had been punished, “nobody dared to come forward to provide justice to Nawaz Sharif.”

    She demanded that the parties involved in the Justice Siddiqui scandal be summoned in court, made to stand in the witness box and a sworn testimony be taken from them.

    Maryam said that audio clips and videos may be material that one can be skeptical about “but Justice Siddiqui is very much alive and he must be inquired about his allegations”.

    “Fifth testimony in favour of Nawaz Sharif”: Maryam Nawaz

    “You (Nisar) will have to give its answer to the people. Leave the audio, leave [the former top] Gilgit-Baltistan judge’s affidavit, and the statements of former judges and FIA’s Bashir Memon. This is the fifth testimony in favour of Nawaz Sharif. Will the nation forget these testimonies? Can you deny that an elected prime minister (Nawaz Sharif) was removed from power unjustly?”

    She continued: “There is no proof against me and I was [sentenced to prison] for seven years. Now National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has no evidence to furnish in the IHC (Islamabad High Court).”

    She said it was “ridiculous” that Nisar was not saying anything in his defence, while government ministers were defending the ex-CJP “haphazardly”.

    “Imran Khan never called a meeting to discuss inflation, but after the audio leak he called a meeting,” Maryam Nawaz

    “[PM] Imran Khan never called a meeting to discuss inflation, but after the audio leak he called a meeting asking his party men to discuss the PML-N tenure in public,” she alleged, saying the ministers and the premier were actually saving themselves “because they know they will suffer badly once Saqib Nisar is proved guilty”.

    “Saqib Nisar get a forensic audit conducted, face the law and build a dam from the money he gets after winning the case,” Maryam Nawaz

    “I want Saqib Nisar to get a forensic audit conducted, face the law and build a dam from the money he gets after winning the case,” she said, calling upon the judiciary “not to bear the burden of someone whose truth is now out”.

    Stressing politicians’ responsibility to protect the prestige of the judiciary, the PML-N leader stated: “Judiciary is bigger than these individuals. We don’t want to take matters beyond a certain point [and] the judiciary should clear its name itself.”

    She then quoted former chief justice Asif Saeed Khosa as writing in the Panama Papers case judgment that “Behind every great fortune, there is a crime,” and said: “The crime and conspiracy that took place before the 2018 elections are also exposed before everyone now.”

  • ‘Highlight previous history of PML-N as to how the party attacked judiciary’: PM Khan directs party spokespersons

    ‘Highlight previous history of PML-N as to how the party attacked judiciary’: PM Khan directs party spokespersons

    During a meeting with his spokespersons, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on Monday said the alleged audio leak of former Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar was devised by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). He instructed his spokespersons to highlight the previous history of the PML-N as to how the party had attacked the judiciary and maligned judges, reports Dawn.

    “But their [PML-N] bad tactics will not work this time,” he added.

    “The government stands by the state institutions,” said PM Khan.

    Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry on Tuesday said that the PML-N should come out of “leaks, fake videos, and games” and clarify allegations against them on the basis of merit.

    Taking to Twitter, Fawad wrote: “Nawaz & Co, come out of fake videos, leaks, and games and answer the allegations levelled against you on the basis of merit.”

    “These dramas have completely flopped. If you do not wish to be imprisoned, then you should return the nation’s wealth,” said Fawad, adding, ” This is a simple solution, which they are complicating as a way out.”

    The minister’s comments come in relevance to the leaked audio of an alleged conversation claiming that CJP Nisar was the person who passed on the directions of handing down conviction to PML-N supremo Mian Nawaz Sharif and his daughter, Maryam Nawaz only because the “institutions” wanted the former prime minister penalised in order to bring ahead Imran Khan. Ahmed Noorani reported this for FactFocus.

  • ECP not sure about use of EVMs, PTI’s Faisal Javed says system can be activated within a month

    ECP not sure about use of EVMs, PTI’s Faisal Javed says system can be activated within a month

    The Elec­tion Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday seemed unsure about using electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the next polls.

    The observation from the ECP came during a meeting of the members of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Law and Justice.

    During the meeting, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MNA Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha said the bill introduced electronic voting without omitting the condition of manual voting, which meant that at present the Elections Act allowed both electronic and manual voting in elections, reports Dawn.

    He said the proposed EVM lacked a biometric verification facility and it would rely on manual verification. As a result, “someone can cast vote on the computerised national identity card of a dead man”, he added.

    On the other hand, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Faisal Javed Khan on Thursday said that the EVM “system can be activated within a month”.

    The senator’s statement came during Geo News’ programme “Capital Talk” while advocating the use of EVMs in the next general elections. He said that the EVMs are “just a one-time expense”.

    “There will be no more expenditure in the future,” said Faisal Javed.

  • ‘Nawaz can only come back to Pakistan in a coffin just like his ancestors’: PTI’s Ghulam Sarwar

    Federal Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan said that former Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif can only come back to Pakistan in a coffin.

    While responding to a question that there are speculations about Nawaz’s return to Pakistan, Ghulam Sarwar commented, “If Nawaz comes back alive, he would go straight to jail. He can only come back in a coffin just like his ancestors.”

    The former PM has been in London since 2019 for his medical treatment.

    Commenting on the recent Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) and the government’s negotiations, Ghulam Sarwar stated that this deal is in the best of public interest and their security.

    Recently, the Punjab government removed TLP Chief Saad Hussain Rizvi’s name from the Fourth Schedule — a list of proscribed individuals who are suspected of terrorism or sectarianism under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), 1997.

  • ‘Kaptaan bhaag gaya’: Opposition criticises govt for postponing joint Parliament session

    ‘Kaptaan bhaag gaya’: Opposition criticises govt for postponing joint Parliament session

    Opposition Leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari termed the government’s decision of postponing the joint Parliament session as their victory.

    “Imran Niazi should resign after it was clearly exposed that he had lost the trust of his members and allies,” said Shehbaz.

    “The hasty convening of the joint meeting and then the hasty adjournment shows the seriousness of the government that had made sensitive and serious issues like legislation a child’s play,” he said.

    “Those claiming to compete on the field have fled the field,” he said. Shehbaz Sharif said that the postponement of the joint session of the Parliament proves that the government has confirmed its defeat on the legislation of “black laws.”

    Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said on Wednesday that the government postponed the Parliament’s joint session as it had “foreseen its defeat”.

    Taking to Twitter, Bilawal said “Kaptaan bhag gaya” (the captain ran away), sharing President Arif Alvi’s notification for the postponement of the session.

    “Yet another victory for the United Opposition in the Parliament today. Government ran away from joint sessions when they saw they would be defeated yet again. Kaptaan Bagh[sic] gaya,” tweeted Bilawal.

    Federal Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry took to Twitter and announced that the joint parliamentary session, which was earlier called by President Dr Arif Alvi on Thursday (November 11) has been postponed.

  • Shehbaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz meet US Charge d’ Affaires Angela Aggeler in Lahore

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Maryam Nawaz met with United States (US) Charge d’ Affaires Angela Aggeler at her residence in Jati Umrah, Raiwind, Lahore.

    The official Twitter account of PML-N shared a video of the meeting between senior leaders of PML-N and Aggeler.

    On the arrival of US Charge d’ Affaires Angela Aggeler, she was received by Maryam Nawaz.

    Aggeler met PML-N president and Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly, Shehbaz Sharif. They discussed issues of mutual interest, the regional situation, and peace in the region, especially Afghanistan.