Tag: politics latest

  • TRIGGER WARNING- ‘If rape is imminent, then enjoy it’: PPP’s Nabil Gabol’s disgusting remarks once again get slammed on social media

    Trigger warning: rape jokes, kidnapping, assault, sexual harassment

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) politician Nabil Gabol has proved that one can be a legislator in the highest offices and yet resort to making extremely offensive, misogynist jokes whenever they can.

    Twitter users have decried PPP for claiming that they are a progressive party, but providing important positions to men like Gabol who make misogynist and degrading comments about women on public platforms. A clip from a YouTube podcast, The Pakistan Experience with host Shehzad Ghias, is going viral on Twitter where Gabol was a guest and where he said: “When rape is imminent, then just enjoy it.”

    To which activists like Soul Sister’s Founder Kanwal Ahmed responded with “Gross”.

    Journalist Zebunnisa Burki shared the clip on her Twitter page and lamented the fact that men in powerful positions are never held accountable for talking about women in a vulgar manner like he has.

    Founder of ‘Digital Rights Foundation’ and lawyer Nighat Dad criticized Gabol on her Twitter account for casually using rape as a punchline because of the way it malign’s the struggles of survivors of sexual violence, and especially called for politicians to be held accountable for their words because they hold positions of power and influence.

    Dad also shared a clip from Gabol’s previous interview with Youtuber Nadir Ali which took place in 2022, where the politician was seen making sexually suggestive comments about women politicians.

    In the same interview, a user shared a clip of Gabol openly claiming that he kidnaps girls and takes them under his possession.

    Recently, Gabol had given an interview to Nadir Ali, where a Twitter users shamed him for his sexual comments about the TikTok star Ayesha, and for asking for her number.

    Writer and columnist Fatima Bhutto shared the clip from Gabol’s interview with Ghias, and in the caption she condemned his comments for exposing the ‘criminal mindset of the Sindh government.”

    Bakhtawar Bhutto, the sister of PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, condemned Gabol on Monday morning in a tweet.

    His (repulsive) rhetoric belongs to his individual only & is in noway a representation of our party. Incase it wasn’t already abundantly obvious- we absolutely & unequivocally stand for the rights & protection of women. Misogyny has no space in our religion nor our party.”

    However, users demanded that Gabol be removed from the party, calling the tweet a tone-deaf response to criticism.

    Minister of Climate Change Sherry Rehman has responded to the controversy in a tweet saying that strict action was underway.

  • Nadra confirms data theft of Army Chief’s family

    Nadra confirms data theft of Army Chief’s family

    In a news report published on Sunday in The News, it was stated that the National Database Registration Authority (NADRA) is set to finalise an inquiry identifying those behind a data leak involving the incumbent Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir’s family.

    Journalist Azaz Syed wrote that NADRA has issued a detailed statement confirming the data theft of Army Chief’s family, according to the same news outlet.

    According to the report, “Nadra finalises probe into illegal access to COAS family’s data, dated April 02, 2023, it is to clarify that the subject probe into illegal access to COAS family’s data is a continuation of Nadra’s stringent measures to protect the citizens’ data from unauthorised access, when he sought help from premier security agency upon assumption of charge as chairman Nadra in June 2021.”

    Multiple users of different organisations had accessed General Asim Munir’s data before he was appointed COAS. Other than Nadra, nine institutions, including law enforcement agencies, banks and housing authorities, accessed the COAS’s family data.

    About the ongoing inquiry, COAS’s family data was accessed in absence of Nadra Chairman Tariq Malik, who was on ex-Pakistan leave (on official assignment) in November 2022.

    Last November, illegally-accessed information was reportedly used in an attempt to block the appointment of the current army chief.

    In October 2022, five senior Lieutenant-Generals were contending for the position of Pakistan’s new army chief. During this time, a junior data entry operator at NADRA, Farooq Ahmed, allegedly accessed the data of a female family member of Gen Munir and collected the family’s details and identity card numbers.

    This data was later used in the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Integrated Border Management System (IBMS) to track international travel destinations the family had travelled to.

    The prime minister had an investigation launched into the data leak.

    As regards to the ongoing probe into the COAS family’s data, the NADRA chairman ordered the inquiry which is in the closing phase. Culprits, from DGs to the data entry operators, have been identified.

  • PDM moot meets today to discuss future strategy for the government

    PDM moot meets today to discuss future strategy for the government

    Leaders of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) will meet today to discuss future strategy for the government.

    Chairing the meeting from via a video link, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif will discuss the “overall political situation of the country” while Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar will brief the members on legal issues, Radio Pakistan said.

    The current political situation, the upcoming elections in line with the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision, and the SC proceedings, as well as the role of the CJP and the top court, will all be under discussion.

    Earlier, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo, Nawaz Sharif, had spoken out against the decision to disqualify him as prime minister, stating that it hurt the future of the country.

    Speaking at a press conference in London on Friday evening, Nawaz said, “I appeal to my people, open your eyes. This is a cruel joke. In 2017, weren’t you happy? You had full stomachs, your families were content. After 2017, what was the situation?”

    Hitting out at the judiciary, Nawaz criticised incumbent Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial and former CJP Saqib Nisar and said there was consensus “among all” that a full court should hear the elections case.

  • ‘Are all decisions and benches only for Imran Khan?’: Nawaz raises questions on judiciary

    ‘Are all decisions and benches only for Imran Khan?’: Nawaz raises questions on judiciary

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo, Nawaz Sharif, has spoken out against the decision to disqualify him as prime minister, stating that it hurt the future of the country.

    Speaking at a press conference in London on Friday evening, Nawaz said, “I appeal to my people, open your eyes. This is a cruel joke. In 2017, weren’t you happy? You had full stomachs, your families were content. After 2017, what was the situation?”

    Hitting out at the judiciary, Nawaz criticised incumbent Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial and former-CJP Saqib Nisar and said there was consensus “among all” that a full court should hear the elections case.

    “Then why this zid [stubbornness]? Why the insistence that only three judges will be on the bench? This is a national issue, not the issue of one truck, cart or of vacating a plot. Why just these three judges?” he questioned.

    “All political parties have said this, the government wants this, bar associations want this, parliament has expressed its will and even passed its bill. It is now with the president… parliament is the country’s major institution, its sanctity should be respected,” he elaborated.

    Justice Bandial has been criticised for forming what critics have called a “like-minded bench” to hear major cases, ignoring senior judges, most notably Justice Qazi Faez Isa.

    “For one man, you [the judges] are giving decisions? Have you ever taken a suo motu on things said by Justice Shaukat Siddiqi? Or what ex-COAS Gen Bajwa said? Doesn’t this warrant a suo motu that Nawaz Sharif was treated unjustly,” Nawaz Sharif asked, who was disqualified for life by a Supreme Court bench.

    “Are all decisions and benches for Imran Khan?” questioned the former Prime Minister, adding “I also heard that the chief justice had tears in his eyes, if these are from fear of God then that is welcome news. I cannot say more.”

    Furthermore, Nawaz called for a full court to be formed to hear a petition by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) against the delay in Punjab elections.

  • ‘One-man show tabaahi ka baayis banega’: Maryam Nawaz criticises CJP Bandial for facilitating PTI

    ‘One-man show tabaahi ka baayis banega’: Maryam Nawaz criticises CJP Bandial for facilitating PTI

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz took to Twitter and without naming Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial criticised him, stating that “one man show will lead to disaster.”

    In a thinly veiled jibe at the crisis in the apex court, Maryam wrote, “A person whose own brothers judges mistrust him, raise questions, the decision given by him will have no legal or moral status.”

    “It is the responsibility of the entire nation to prevent the House of Justice from becoming the House of Tehreek-e-Insaaf on behalf of a few facilitators. A one-man show will lead to disaster.”

    It is pertinent to mention here that Maryam Nawaz’s tweet comes at a time when the SC judges have recused themselves from hearing the PTI’s petition against the Election Commission of Pakistan’s decision to delay polls in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

    The initial five-member bench comprising CJP Bandial, Justice Ahsan, Justice Akhtar, Justice Amin-Ud-Din Khan, and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail held three hearings on the matter from Monday till Wednesday. 

    Another three-member bench was formed today after two of the five judges of the original five-member larger bench recused themselves.

  • Donald Trump becomes first US president to face criminal charges

    Donald Trump becomes first US president to face criminal charges

    A New York grand jury on Thursday indicted former United States (US) President Donald Trump, over hush money payments made to a porn star.

    Trump became the first ever former US president to face criminal charges.

    The 76-year-old Republican denies all wrongdoing in connection with the payments made ahead of the election that sent him to the White House.

    The former US president survived two impeachment threats and kept prosecutors at bay over charges ranging from the US Capitol riot to missing classified files — only to land in court over a sex scandal involving Stormy Daniels, a 44-year-old adult movie actress.

    Calling his indictment a “political persecution and election interference,” Trump believed that it would backfire on his successor, President Joe Biden, state prosecutors and his Democrat opponents.

    On March 18, Trump had declared he expected to be arrested within days over the payment to Daniels – who received $130,000 weeks before the election that brought Trump to power, to stop her from going public about a tryst she claims they had a decade earlier.

    In predicting his indictment, Trump also issued a call for demonstrations and dark warnings that it could lead to “potential death & destruction” that “could be catastrophic for our Country.”

    Trump, who is seen as the frontrunner for Republican nomination in the 2024 election, has branded all of the investigations political persecution.

    Trump staged his first presidential campaign rally in Texas on Saturday, addressing several thousand supporters — far fewer than the 15,000 he had expected — in the city of Waco, Texas.

    “The innocence of people makes no difference whatsoever to these radical left maniacs,” said Trump.

  • ‘Mera bhi dil hai’, Chief Justice Bandial ki ankhon mein aansoo aa gaye

    ‘Mera bhi dil hai’, Chief Justice Bandial ki ankhon mein aansoo aa gaye

     Now at three members — resumed hearing the PTI’s petition against the Election Commission of Pakistan’s decision to delay polls in Punjab on Friday.

     The Supreme Court on Friday rejected the government’s request to form a full court on the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa election delay case. 

    A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, comprising Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar, rejected the request put forward by Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan on behalf of the government. 

    During the hearing it was reported that CJP Bandial got teary eyed and said that he too has a heart and emotions.

    SC bench dobaara toot gaya; After Justice Amin, Justice Mandokhail recuses from hearing election delay case

    Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, who was part of the four-member bench hearing the case against the delay of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) elections, has excused himself from hearings on Friday morning, adding to the turmoil gripping the Supreme Court.

    Justice Mandokhail said that Justice Amin-ud-Din excused himself from hearing the case. After Justice Amin’s decision, the order was awaited. “I received the court order yesterday at home. I have written a separate note on the order, Attorney General, please read the dissenting note,” said Justice Mandokhail.

    The Attorney General read the dissenting note of Justice Jamal Mandokhail, in which it was said that he was a member of the bench; he was not consulted while writing the judgment. “I think I am a misfit in the bench,” the justice wrote in his note.

    A four-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial was to hear Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) plea against the delay in elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Punjab today.

    Initially, a five-member larger bench of the top court was hearing the case.

    The original bench comprised CJP Bandial, Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Amin-Ud-Din Khan, and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail.

    However, on Thursday the bench was dissolved after Justice Khan recused himself from the case after a Supreme Court order halted proceedings under Article 184(3).

    After the dissolution of the bench, Supreme Court announced that the bench would continue hearing the case without Justice Khan.

    Taking to Twitter, the PTI Chairman Imran Khan said, “Whether it’s a 5 mbr SC bench or Full Bench, it makes no difference to us bec all we want to know is if elections will be held within the 90 days’ constitutional provision.”

    “Before we dissolved our two provincial assemblies, I consulted our top constitutional lawyers, all of whom were clear that the 90-day constitutional provision on holding elections was inviolable.”

    “Now Imported Govt of crooks, their handlers & a compromised ECP are making a complete mockery of Constitution. By cherry picking which Articles of Constitution they will abide by, they are threatening the very foundation of Pakistan, which is the Constitution & Rule of Law. So petrified are they of elections & so desperate to whitewash their convicted ldrs that they are prepared to destroy the Constitution & any semblance of Rule of Law.”

  • PM Shehbaz orders withdrawal of review petitions against Justice Isa

    PM Shehbaz orders withdrawal of review petitions against Justice Isa

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday directed Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar to withdraw the curative review reference filed against Justice Qazi Faez Isa of the Supreme Court.

    “On my direction, the government has decided to withdraw the Curative Review Petition against senior most Judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Qazi Faez Isa,” tweeted the PM.  

    In a tweet posted today, the PM said that the curative review was based on “ill-will and meant to harass and intimidate the honourable Judge at the behest of Imran Niazi”.

    Separately, in a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) today, PM Shehbaz said that Justice Isa and his family were “harassed and defamed” in the name of the reference.

    “This was not a reference, but a vendetta by Imran Khan Niazi, a vindictive person, against a fair-minded judge who followed the path of the Constitution and the law,” the statement quoted the PM as saying.

    “Imran Niazi misused the constitutional office of the president for this criminal act and President Arif Alvi became an instrument in the attack on the judiciary and an accomplice to a lie.”

  • ‘Larger bench toot gya’: Justice Amin-Ud-Din recuses from hearing delay in elections case

    ‘Larger bench toot gya’: Justice Amin-Ud-Din recuses from hearing delay in elections case

    The Supreme Court was set to resume the hearing of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) plea against the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to defer the elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at 11:30 but the hearing was delayed following Justice Amin-Ud-Din’s recusal.

    At the outset of today’s hearing, when the five-member bench came to the courtroom, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial said Justice Amin wanted to say something.

    “I recuse myself from the instant case in light of SC order issued by Justice Qazi Faez Isa,” the judge stated. 

    The original bench comprised CJP Bandial, Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Aminuddin, and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail.

    Justice Amin-Ud-Din concurred with Justice Isa while Justice Shahid Waheed dissented with the majority order of 2-1 in a suo moto case regarding the grant of 20 marks to Hafiz-e-Quran students while seeking admission to MBBS/BDS Degree under Regulation 9(9) of the MBBS and BDS (Admissions, House Job and Internship) Regulations, 2018.

  • Lahore High Court strikes down sedition law

    Lahore High Court strikes down sedition law

    Justice Shahid Karim of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday annulled Section 124-A, of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), dealing with sedition.

    The order of the court came on a set of petitions filed by citizens challenging sedition laws on grounds that the government used it against its opponents.

    It was stated in the petition that the Constitution of Pakistan gives every citizen the right to freedom of expression but still, Section 124-A is imposed for making speeches against the rulers.

    According to the petitioners, Section 124-A of sedition is being used for political purposes and should be struck down.

    What is Section 124-A of PPC?

    The law states: “Whoever by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise, brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards, the Federal or Provincial Government established by law shall be punished with imprisonment for life to which fine may be added, or with imprisonment which may extend to three years, to which fine may be added, or with fine.”