Tag: Politicians

  • ‘Stop spreading rumours’: Farah Khan denies corruption allegations

    ‘Stop spreading rumours’: Farah Khan denies corruption allegations

    Farah Khan has denied the corruption charges against her that surfaced recently after dissenting PTI leader and former Punjab senior minister Abdul Aleem Khan  accused Farah Khan of corruption with the connivance of her “contacts in the power corridors”

    “I outrightly condemn all accusations and rumours with regards to myself and my family. I have neither involved myself in politics nor was I ever in a position to interfere in governmental affairs. “

    “Those who have attempted to tarnish my character must remember their sisters. My husband has already given his statement with regards to our business.”

    “Those who have been linked to me have denounced such allegations. My family has been in a constant state of distress and suffering.”

    “For God’s sake! Please stop spreading rumours and connecting me and my family with such hearsay,” she concluded.

    In a crowded press conference, Abdul Aleem Khan accused Farah Khan of corruption with the connivance of her “contacts in the power corridors”. Reports and rumours started making rounds suggesting that Farah Khan has left for Dubai on Sunday in the wake of the no-confidence motion.

    On the other hand, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz dubbed Farah Khan the “mother of all scandals” and also accused her of receiving huge money for transfers and postings. “I dare to name Farah, a friend of Bushra Bibi who is involved in receiving millions of rupees in transfers and postings and these are directly connected to Banigala (residence of Prime Minister Khan),” said Maryam Nawaz.

    The News investigations reveal that Farah Khan’s fortune increased ever since the premier appointed Usman Buzdar as Chief Minister Punjab. 

  • PM Khan sets record as most followed Pakistani politician on Twitter

    PM Khan sets record as most followed Pakistani politician on Twitter

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan is currently topping the charts among Pakistani politicians in the race of Twitter followers with 15 million.

    This has made him the most followed Pakistan politician. Earlier in 2019, PM Khan had been ranked the fifth most influential world leader on Twitter.

    He had an average of 6K RT (retweet per tweet) ratio on Twitter.

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif has 5.5 million and Vice President Maryam Nawaz has 6.5 million. Pakistan People Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has 4.4 million.

    Meanwhile, former United States (US) President Barack Obama is the most-followed account holder on Twitter with 130.5 million. Indian Prime Minister (PM) has 74.1 million followers, which makes him the second-most followed in the world.

  • ‘May Allah give a good damaad to everyone as he gave to Nawaz Sharif in my form’: Capt Safdar

    ‘May Allah give a good damaad to everyone as he gave to Nawaz Sharif in my form’: Capt Safdar

    

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Captain (Capt) Safdar while conversing with reports was asked what did he give his daughter-in-law Ayesha, to which he said he wished his daughter-in-law good health and well-being.
    

    “Just as Allah has given a good wife to my son, I pray he gives it to all, and may Allah give a good damaad (son-in-law) to all the daughters as Allah has given to Nawaz Sharif in my form,” said Capt Safdar.
    

    Talking about his son Junaid Safdar’s wedding, Capt Safdar said, “If I had sung a song at Junaid’s wedding, then maybe all the fun would have been ruined. I have been singing my wedding song for 30 years, I will sing my son’s wedding song for the next three years.”
    

    Capt Safdar even hinted at Junaid ultimately joining politics and said, “Just as a lawyer’s son is a lawyer, a doctor’s son is a doctor, so he is a politician’s son and will definitely enter politics.”
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    PM Khan takes offence at Nawaz Sharif’s presence at conference
    
			
    PM Khan takes offence at Nawaz Sharif’s presence at conference
    
			
    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan while talking about the Asma Jahangir (AJ) Conference that took place in Lahore last week, pointed out how the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo was allowed to address the event, reports Geo News. 
    

    Speaking at the inauguration ceremony PM Khan further said, “Unfortunately, due to colonialism, Muslims suffered from mental slavery around the world,” he said.
    

    He further added that Pakistan’s youth was confused about it in today’s world and said that the young Pakistanis studied the Western culture and were misled by it.
    

    The premier urged universities to research the disastrous effects that Western culture was having on family life, and spoke out against how pornographic material was widely available on smartphones these days.
    

    PM Khan said, “A seminar happened in Lahore where Supreme Court (SC) judges were invited. But the chief guest there was an absconder, convicted by the very judges present there.”
    

    “This person had escaped abroad after lying,” he said while adding that if our society doesn’t consider corruption an evil, it can’t progress.
    

     However, the AJ Foundation in a press statement clarified the rumours surrounding Sharif’s closing speech.
    

    “Nawaz Sharif, has addressed gatherings previously and it is entirely regrettable not to say embarrassing, that internet cables were disabled to blackout his speech. This act in itself is an indication of the state of freedom of expression in the current regime where Pakistan is ranked as 145 out of 180 countries,” reads the statement.
    

    They also revealed that several prominent members of the ruling party were invited to all three conferences, many of whom spoke at all three conferences, and others declined the invitation.
    

    Furthermore, they argued that the “ruling regime is diverting attention from the real threat to institutions, the state of the economy and freedom of expression in the country” while adding that the platform will not follow vendettas of political parties when inviting speakers and they will remain an open and uncensored platform.
    

    In response to this, Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari termed the foundation’s statement “bizarre” and tweeted, “AJ Foundation claiming that convict Sharif being asked to address the conference did not show a political bias because I [Mazari] had been invited to the first conference to address closing session is absurd. I was invited as Human Rights Minister. I was not and am not a convict or a fugitive.”
    

    

    


    

    

    

     
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    Politicians, civil society unite with journalists, support protest against media authority bill
    
			
    Politicians, civil society unite with journalists, support protest against media authority bill
    
			
    As journalists continue with sit-in outside of the Parliament House, against the government’s proposed Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA), prominent leaders from political parties, student unions, and members of the civil society also joined in to show solidarity. 
    

    The protest began on Sunday and is said to continue until President Dr Arif Alvi’s address to the joint session of parliament on Monday.
    

    Former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Information Sec­retary Marriyum Aurangzeb, and MNA Mohsin Dawar, among others, visited the protest site on Sunday night to extend their support.
    

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president, Shehbaz Sharif speaking on the media authority bill termed it as “black law” and expressed solidarity with journalists. He said the media had fought a war for its freedom and no one could snatch it. 
    

    

    
https://twitter.com/pmln_org/status/1437373043542736902

    

    

    “The government doesn’t have the guts to pass it and we won’t allow it,” added Shehbaz warning the government against passing the “black law” or bear the consequences.
    

    He tweeted in solidarity with the protestors and said, “PTI government is demolishing every institution that represents democracy. We support journalists in their struggle against PMDA.”
    

    

    


    

    

    

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Monday slammed the Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority (PMDA), saying that the proposed bill is an “attack on the freedom of media and judiciary.”
    

    The PPP chairman vowed his party will not let the government get away with snatching livelihoods from the masses. He showed solidarity with journalists who have been attacked, saying that the PPP “will not be satisfied till they [journalists] are not satisfied.”
    

    “Even if they manage to have this black law passed, journalists will [struggle to] have it abolished,” he added.
    

    Bilawal warned the government that if it tried to have the PMDA law passed via force, the PPP will challenge it in the courts. The PPP chairman said he feared the government will try to pass the bill during a joint sitting of the Parliament.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    Bilawal said his party will attend the joint sitting of the Parliament with a two-point agenda; to advocate for the rights of 20,000 government employees who were sacked and to campaign for freedom of speech.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    PPP leaders, Senator Sherry Rehman and Raza Rabbani, visited the protest camp and addressed the protesters.
    

    “We have repealed all the ordinance regarding media censorship, whether it was Ayub Khan or Zia-Ul-Haq. This is why the government won’t bring this on the Parliament floor because we will repeal the PMDA bill and they are scared”
    

    

    


    

    

    

    Marriyum Aurangzeb, along with PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal, also visited the protest site on Monday.
    

    Addressing the protesters, Iqbal criticised the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government for “attacking and attempting to muzzle” the media.
    

    Referring to the PMDA bill, he called it a “conspiracy” and said if the bill was passed, “democracy will die in this country”.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    Maria Wasti thinks Bilawal Bhutto delivers funnier speeches than Maryam Nawaz
    
			
    Maria Wasti thinks Bilawal Bhutto delivers funnier speeches than Maryam Nawaz
    
			
    Pakistani television actress and host Maria Wasti shared a few interesting remarks on political leaders, especially Bilawal Bhutto and Maryam Nawaz.
    

    Wasti was invited to Geo’s game show Jashan-e-Cricket, where the host Shahzad Iqbal asked her that if she likes Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Bilawal Bhutto more than Pakistan Muslim League Noon (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz. The actress said: “Who told you that?” She answered no for both the political leaders.
    

    She added: “I think both are equal. It depends on which of them makes you laugh more. I think we will not get anything from politicians or the government in any way. I’m not very hopeful.”
    

    She then went on to choose Bilawal as the leader with funnier speeches amongst the two. Maria  also gave suggestions to Prime Minister Imran Khan, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and former President Asif Ali Zardari.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    Firdous Ashiq Awan lashes out at talk show host, guests
    
			
    Special Assistant to Chief Minister Punjab on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan lashed out at PPP’s Agha Rafiullah during Geo News Aapas Ki Baat, after which PML-N leader Mian Javed Latif walked out from the show.
    

    The debate started when Dr Awan mentioned PML-N while replying to a question about recent political developments, and Agha Rafiullah interrupted her, which enraged her and she lashed out at him and programme host Muneeb Farooq. Things further escalated when Rafiullah used a derogatory term to refer Firdous Ashiq Awan. The heated debate was beeped out several times when abuses were reportedly exchanged.
    

    She also accused the host of ‘ fixing’ the show saying such things always happen in this show.
    

    

    

    

    

    

    In December last year, PML-N’s Azma Bukhari and Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan had traded barbs in the same show, forcing the host to end the programme. However, their disagreement did not end even after the show, as both politicians almost came to blows on the news channel’s premises.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    Shibli, Fawad meet Shaan to condole Neelo Begum’s demise
    
			
    Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz and Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry met Shaan Shahid on Saturday to condole over his mother, Neelo Begum’s demise.
    

    The ministers offered condolences on the death of actress and offered prayers for her.
    

    

    
https://twitter.com/FawadPTIUpdates/status/1357995312766410752?s=19

    

    

    Taking to Twitter, Shaan thanked Faraz and Chaudhry for visiting him and offering their prayers.  
    

    “Thank you for being a part of us,” wrote Shaan on Twitter. “The connection of the people and their representatives grows stronger when we share each other’s sorrows and joy.”
    

    The actor also tagged Prime Minister Imran Khan, referring to him as a “true leader”, implying that PM Khan had also sent his condolences via the ministers. Earlier, PM Imran had expressed his condolences on social media. 
    

    

    


    

    

    

    Neelo Begum passed away at the age of 80 on January 31. She was suffering from cancer.
    

    Meanwhile, earlier Shaan also penned a heartfelt note for his late mother and wished that his mother has reunited with his father Riaz Shahid in heaven.