Tag: politics latest

  • ‘Trying to update our software’: Khan says reign of terror controlled by other force, not PDM

    ‘Trying to update our software’: Khan says reign of terror controlled by other force, not PDM

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chair­man Imran Khan on Wednesday claimed that the “reign of terror” that his party was going through was not controlled by the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) but by another force that sees itself as above the law.

    In a series of tweets Khan said, “The way we have descended into becoming a banana republic where there is no Rule of Law & only law of the jungle, it is clear that this reign of terror is not controlled by PDM puppets but by another force that sees itself totally above the law.”

    “Our ppl are abducted & afterwards sham FIRs are registered. As bail in one FIR is granted, another FIR pops up. I have over 145 FIRs against me. Its a circus of FIRs. My Bani Gala caretaker, my Zaman Park cook, our social media’s Mashwani, Waqas & my security incharge Ghumman – all abducted & tortured to try & update their software.”

    “Ali Amin got bail in one sham case, & another FIR popped up & now another one with police taking him to Lahore.”

    “Despite his falling ill on the way & being taken to hospital, he was removed from hospital before he had stabilised. Now total fascism prevails.”

  • Moonis bought benami Spanish properties on same day father Pervaiz Elahi became CM

    Chaudhry Moonis Elahi purchased several properties in Spain on the day his father, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, took oath as Chief Minister (CM) Punjab on July 27 last year.

    Writing for The News, Umer Cheema has revealed that this information has been obtained by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) from Spanish authorities.

    Moonis confirmed holding benami properties in Spain, which includes an apartment, a Range Rover and a company among the newly made assets apart from a bank account and previously incorporated companies.

    Moonis admitted to their ownership and said he would declare them in his next year’s tax return. He said it was nothing more than a coincidence that the purchase of properties occurred on the day his father took the oath.

    National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Lahore had written a letter to the authorities in Spain for an ongoing investigation of alleged corruption, looting and ill-gotten properties against the family.

    It has been found that Barcelo hotel in Barcelona is also owned by Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi family, while another multi-story plaza is also said to be owned by Elahi family—with a person named Saqib Tahir appointed as caretaker, reports Samaa News.

    The Canary Islands in Spain are also said to be home to various historic buildings, plazas and orchards, owned by Eahi family.

    Moonis Elahi has recently started a taxi service in Barcelona by obtaining 250 taxi vehicles on bank lease.

    In Spain, Chaudhary Pervez is known as the frontman of the Elahi Family.

  • SC to hear defence ministry’s request to hold simultaneous elections across Pakistan

    SC to hear defence ministry’s request to hold simultaneous elections across Pakistan

    The Supreme Court (SC) will shortly hear a plea by the defence ministry to hold elections across Pakistan simultaneously.

    A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial, comprising of Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar, will take up the plea shortly.

    A day earlier, the ministry requested the apex court to withdraw the order for upcoming elections due to the fear of terrorist attacks on political campaigns.

    The ministry has submitted a sealed petition in the SC, requesting that the elections be held simultaneously across the country after the completion of the term of the National, Balochistan, and Sindh assemblies.

    It may be noted that this is the same bench that announced the April 4 verdict directing the government and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold snap polls in Punjab on May 14.

  • ISI, Military Intelligence chiefs brief SC judges on security situation

    The heads of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Military Intelligence (MI) met with the Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial and two OTHER apex court judges who are hearing a case related to the election in Punjab on May 14 on Monday to update them on the security situation in the country.

    According to news reports, the meeting between the judges, the ISI, and MI chiefs continued for over three hours in the CJP’s chamber.It was reported that the intelligence official gave a briefing to the judges on the security issues confronting the country. However, specific outcomes of the meeting remain undisclosed.

    A three-member SC bench comprising Justice Bandial, Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan had previously ordered that elections in Punjab be held on May 14 and declared the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to hold polls on October 8 as “unconstitutional”.

  • PPP, PML-N ready to befriend PTI

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Monday agreed to engage in delegation-level dialogue with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in a bid to find a way out of the present political crisis in Pakistan, reports Samaa.

    According to the news outlet, Yousaf Raza Gilani, Naveed Qamar and Qamar Zaman Kaira from PPP and Rana Sanaullah, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Khawaja Saad Rafique from PML-N attended a crucial meeting between the two parties.

    Talking to media after the meeting, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that politicians must not shy away from negotiations.

    PPP leader Yousaf Raza Gilani called for dialogue between political parties to resolve the ongoing political crisis.

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has also called a meeting of coalition partners today to evaluate the country’s political situation and Jamat-e-Islami’s negotiation efforts between the government and PTI reports Geo News.

    According to Geo News, the meeting will be held today at 3:30pm at the PM House.

  • Another police operation planned at Zaman Park on Eid, claims Khan

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has informed the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday that he fears the government may launch another “operation” during Eid ul Fitr holidays at his Zaman Park residence in a bid to arrest him.

    “There is risk of bloodshed,” he claimed.

    A two-member bench of the high court recommended that Imran Khan’s petition be placed before a larger bench against the registration of similar cases and disciplinary proceedings against him.

    The bench, comprising of Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh and Justice Farooq Haider, sent the file to the Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court.

    Khan testified in court that despite court orders, the police had previously damaged his home during the Zaman Park operation, adding that the court had ordered the police not to launch an operation in Zaman Park, yet it had happened.

    “Now during the holidays, they will launch an operation. I have credible reports that they will launch an operation. The court must stop them,” Khan urged, adding that the “law of the jungle” prevails where people are first arrested and then they are informed about the accusations.

    “I am just informing you about the threats beforehand,” Khan said and returned to his seat.

  • ‘Election won’t be held on May 14’: Rana Sanaullah

    Contrary to the Supreme Court’s (SC) order to hold elections in Punjab on May 14, federal Minister for Interior, Rana Sanaullah has said that polls will not be held on the said date.

    The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader said that elections would be “held together” throughout the country, under a caretaker setup.

    “If elections are not held in May, then October is not too far away either,” said Sanaullah.

    Calling Khan a “fitna”, Sanaullah said that he had been brought to power through a “conspiracy”. “Their [PTI’s] policies over four years created a crisis for the country.”

    “It was [Imran Khan’s] government that signed the agreement with the IMF, not us. The difficulties are only due to the previous government’s agreement.”

    Sanaullah also said that party supremo Nawaz Sharif would reach the country as soon as electoral preparations begin, adding that he would supervise the party’s election campaign.

    “The PML-N has always taken the country out of the crisis,” he emphasized.

  • ‘Ill-informed, ignorant, wanted to blame Pakistan for Pulwama’: Former Indian Governor on Modi

    ‘Ill-informed, ignorant, wanted to blame Pakistan for Pulwama’: Former Indian Governor on Modi

    Satya Pal Malik, the last governor of the now Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) before it was divided has claimed that Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi is extremely “ill-informed’.

    Malik, who was governor during the Pulwama terror attack of February 2019 and during the scrapping of Article 370 in August the same year, said that Modi is “ignorant” about Kashmir and told him [Malik] not to speak about the Union home ministry’s lapses which led to the killing of dozens of paramilitary troops in India-held Jammu and Kashmir.

    He said removing Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood was a mistake and it should be restored immediately. He said, “Modi mast hain apne mein – to hell with it! This is his attitude.”

    Conversing with acclaimed Indian journalist Karan Thapar, Malik said during the interview with The Wire, that he immediately realised that Modi wanted to use the Pulwama attack to blame Pakis­tan for the benefit of his government and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

    The former Indian governor said, “Mein safely keh sakta hoon Prime Minister ko corruption se bahut nafrat nahin hain” (‘I can safely say the PM has no real problem with corruption’). 

    He further revealed that the attack on the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) convoy in Pulwama was a result of “incompetence” and “carelessness” by the Indian system, specifically the CRPF and the home min­i­­stry. Malik gave details of how the CRPF had asked for aircraft to transport its personnel, but was refused by the home ministry.

    He said all of these lapses were raised by him directly when Modi called him from outside Corbett Park, shortly after the Pulwama attack. He said the prime minister told him to keep quiet about this and not tell anyone.

  • After federal govt, Punjab also gives five days off for Eid

    After federal govt, Punjab also gives five days off for Eid

    The Punjab government on Friday announced that holidays will extend from April 21 to 25 on account of Eid ul Fitr.

    On Thursday, the federal government had also announced a five-day holiday for Eid.

    The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee is set to meet on April 20 for sighting of the Eid ul Fitr crescent moon, a statement from the religious affairs ministry said on Tuesday.

    This year, the holy month of Ramazan started on March 23.

  • Justice Mussarat Hilali unanimously recommended to be appointed as PHC chief justice

    Justice Mussarat Hilali unanimously recommended to be appointed as PHC chief justice

    The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) has unanimously recommended the name of Justice Mussarat Hilali for appointment as the Chief Justice of the Peshawar High Court (PHC).

    JCP has sent its recommendation to the parliamentary committee for approval. The commission unanimously recommended the appointment of Justice Hilali during a meeting with Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial.

    Upon the retirement of PHC Chief Justice Qaiser Rashid Khan, on March 30, the most senior judge of the court, Justice Noorul Amin Khan was appointed as the acting CJ. But his stint lasted only a day.

    After Justice Khan’s retirement on March 31, a day after he took over as the acting CJ, Justice Hilali was appointed as the first woman acting chief justice of the PHC.

    Born in Peshawar on August 08, 1961, Justice Hilali received a degree in law from Khyber Law College, Peshawar University and enrolled as an Advocate of District Courts in 1983, as an Advocate of the High Court in 1988 and as an Advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan in 2006.

    She was also the first female Additional Advocate General of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from November 2001 to March 2004.

    She was elevated to the bench as an additional judge on March 26, 2013, and confirmed as a permanent judge of the Peshawar High Court on March 13, 2014.