Tag: politics latest

  • ‘We must show our sovereignty’: Ishaq Dar on US legislators’ resolution into election rigging

    ‘We must show our sovereignty’: Ishaq Dar on US legislators’ resolution into election rigging

    On Thursday, Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar stated that Pakistan should respond tit-for-tat to the recent US House of Representative resolution demanding a probe into the February 8 elections.

    “In response to them, we will also bring about a resolution. We must show our sovereignty, we must show our unity, we must show that we mean business. This [resolution] makes no sense,” exclaimed the senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader addressing the floor of the National Assembly today.

    Earlier this week, the US House of Representatives, in an overwhelming majority, voted to demand an investigation into the rigging allegations of Pakistan’s general elections this year.

    The move triggered a strong response from Islamabad, with the Foreign Office saying it “stems from an incomplete understanding of the political situation and electoral process in Pakistan”.

  • Arrested TTP commander reveals collusion between TTP and BLA with the help of Indian RAW

    Arrested TTP commander reveals collusion between TTP and BLA with the help of Indian RAW

    Balochistan Home Minister Ziaullah Langau on Wednesday stated that Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) have been working together to carry out terrorist attacks in Pakistan with Indian support.

    Security forces have recently apprehended two key militant commanders – TTP’s Nasrullah alias Maulvi Mansoor and Idrees alias Irshad.

    “Confession footage” was also recorded in which Nasrullah alias Maulvi Mansoor in which he went into details about a January 2024 plan according to which BLA would help him cross the Pak-Afghan border via Spin Boldak town.

    “Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud and Mufti Muzahim said we and our friends [RAW] have three objectives in establishing a foothold in Balochistan,” he said.

    The three objectives were, “Sabotaging CPEC projects, including targeting Chinese citizens; carrying out kidnapping for ransom to play up the matter of enforced disappearances so that intelligence agencies can be defamed; and spreading anarchy and frustration among the people by fomenting terrorist activities in Balochistan.”

  • Cracks in PTI? 21 leaders disgruntled with PTI leadership

    Cracks in PTI? 21 leaders disgruntled with PTI leadership

    Divisions in Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have gotten stronger as 21 members have hinted at making a forward block over party’s inability to secure founder PTI Imran Khan’s release from prison, Geo News reported on Wednesday.

    The dissenting group also “conveyed a message” to Chairman PTI Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan to start serious efforts to free the incarcerated former Prime Minister.

    The problem emerged when several PTI leaders refused to attend the parliamentary party’s session earlier this week.

    The 27 lawmakers were in favour of stepping down from the assembly, while 21 considered forming a forward block, according to Geo News.

    PTI leader Shandana Gulzar has told Geo News, “Resignations would be a better option if we cannot take the PTI founder out of jail.”

  • I’m very sorry, says Faisal Vawda to court

    I’m very sorry, says Faisal Vawda to court

    Senator Faisal Vawda has tendered an unconditional apology to the Supreme Court on Wednesday in a contempt case.

    In his reply to the show cause notice issued by the Supreme Court, Vawda said, “In light of Islamic teachings, I apologise sincerely and unconditionally [and] leave myself at the mercy of the court.”

    Last month, the Supreme Court took suo-moto notice of the senator’s critical press conference against judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

    “Stop targeting the institutions, enough is enough. If there is any interference by institutions, then provide evidence and we will stand together [against it] […] give evidence and we will stand beside you,” exclaimed the Senator in the presser, addressing IHC judges.

    Vawda was referring to the infamous letter written by six Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) alleging blatant interference of spy agencies in judicial affairs.

    The court had also issued a show-cause notice to Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) Deputy Convener Mustafa Kamal.

    During the last hearing on June 5, the court rejected Kamal’s request to accept his apology in the contempt suo motu case, whereas Vawda had refused to apologise for his remarks against judges altogether.

  • Khan was wrong, should’ve kept in touch with the military: Fawad Chaudhry

    Khan was wrong, should’ve kept in touch with the military: Fawad Chaudhry

    In an interview with VOA Urdu on Wednesday, Former Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry stated that he made the “mistake of cutting ties with the establishment on Imran Khan’s advice.”

    When asked whether he was still in contact with the army, he replied laughing, “They beat us senselessly, what contacts are going to exist now?”

    The former federal minister further stated, “We made a big mistake acting on Khan’s advice to cut all contacts with them [establishment]; if we had continued our correspondence, then there would have been no miscommunications.”

    Chaudhry then elaborated, “There was someone who was telling Imran Khan that they [establishment] are going to kill him. Likewise, there was someone telling them [establishment] they Imran Khan is going to end you.”

    Fawad Chaudhry stated that, “When people like us stopped the contact with establishment; our misunderstandings increased.”

  • US supports Pakistan’s Operation Azm-e-Istehkam

    US supports Pakistan’s Operation Azm-e-Istehkam

    United States State Department on Wednesday said that the US supports “Pakistan’s efforts to combat terrorism” after the federal government of Pakistan approved a new anti-terrorism Operation Azm-e-Istehkam.

    Earlier this week, the Prime Minister’s Office clarified that no internal dislocation of people would occur due to this operation as in previous Operations like Zarb-e-Azb and that “only intelligence-based operations would be carried out against terrorists.”

    State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller, when asked about the new operation and the US reaction to its announcement, said: “We support Pakistan’s efforts to combat terrorism and ensure the safety and security of its citizens in a manner that promotes the rule of law and protection of human rights.”

    “Pakistani people have suffered tremendously from terrorist attacks. No country should have to suffer such acts of terror,” he said, adding that the US and Pakistan have a shared interest in combating threats to regional security.

    Opposition parties in Pakistan include Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam Fazl (JUI-F), Awami National Party (ANP), and others have voiced concerns over the military operation.

  • Zartaj Gul to be removed from ECL: IHC

    Zartaj Gul to be removed from ECL: IHC

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has ordered on Wednesday that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) lawmaker Zartaj Gul’s name be removed from Exit Control List (ECL).

    Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri heard a petition filed by Zartaj Gul to remove her name from ECL.

    The Assistant Attorney General (AAG) and the PTI leader showed up before the court for the hearing.

    The court ordered the AAG to remove the MNA’s name from the ECL and present a report within a week.

  • Timeline of military operations in Pakistan

    Timeline of military operations in Pakistan

    Ever since the War on Terror began, Pakistan has had to conduct multiple military operations to battle with militancy.

    In 2007, the first battle was fought in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Swat district between Pakistani security forces and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

    Parvez Musharraf was the army chief at that time. Following the failure of talks between army and TTP, Musharraf gave the go-ahead to start a military operation named Rah-e-Haq in KP’s Swat district.

    By mid-2007, an organization founded by Sunni Islamist cleric and militant Sufi Mohammad Khan, Tehrik-e-Nifaz-e-Shariah-Mohammadi, had taken over the majority of the district. 

    In November 2007, military forces started an operation to eradicate terrorist elements from Sawat Valley.

    In 2009, the security situation in Swat again became worse when Mullah Fazlullah appeared on the scene. The army started an operation called Rah-e-Rast, which lasted for three months.  

    According to the details of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), during Operation Rah-e-Rast, the army killed 2635 militants, detained 254, and wounded 454 others.

    The tenure of former army chief Gen (r) Ashfaq Parvez Kayani was full of military operations in tribal areas of the country as the armed forces conducted a military operation named Rah-e-Nijat in 2009 in South Waziristan.

      
    The aim of the operation was to wipe out TTP, including eliminating TTP chief Baitullah Mehsud from the area.

    Operation Zarb-e-Azb was launched on June 15, 2014, under the leadership of former army chief Gen Raheel Sharif against multiple militant organization including TTP, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, al-Qaeda, Jundallah and Lashkar-e-Islam in North Waziristan.

    Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad started in 2017. At that time, Nawaz Sharif was the Prime Minister and General Qamar Javed Bajwa was the army chief. The operation’s purpose was to root out terrorism from the entire country.

    Now, the Apex Committee on National Action Plan on June 22, 2024, approved a new operation with the name of ‘Azm-e-Istehkam’.

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said today that operation Azm-e-Istehkam will be implemented in different areas of Balochistan and KP.

    The purpose of ‘Azm-e-Istehkam’ operation is to strengthen the government’s writ in certain areas.

  • ‘Budget by babus, of babus, for babus,’ says Bilawal in NA speech

    ‘Budget by babus, of babus, for babus,’ says Bilawal in NA speech

    Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Tuesday emphasised the need for a national consensus over a “Charter of Economy” to solve the country’s financial problems.

    In his speech, Bhutto criticised the “babus”, euphemism for the bureaucracy, for not knowing the ground realities of the country.

    “Without political input, the budget will be by the babus, for the babus and of the babus. And we want to end this tradition,” said the PPP chairman.

    The PPP, which is the main ally of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), continued to raise objections for not taking it into confidence regarding the federal budget.

    The party initially boycotted the session on the economic budget, but both parties have since held several rounds of talks.

    Bilawal further said, “A politician would never suggest taxing milk or stationary in a country with a 40 percent stunting rate and 26 million out-of-school children, but this would be a “babu’s” suggestion.”

    The head of PPP also said the abolishment of anti-corruption body National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is necessary because “NAB and the economy cannot go together.”

  • I was in jail for more than a year; those whispering about deals should keep their mouths shut: Pervaiz Elahi

    I was in jail for more than a year; those whispering about deals should keep their mouths shut: Pervaiz Elahi

    President Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has re-affirmed his support for Imran Khan, saying, “Those who talk about deals or leeway should keep their mouths shut.”

    Chaudhry talked with the media for the first time since he got out of jail, saying, “I spent more than a year in jail; I broke five ribs when I fell there. Allah saved my life for a purpose.”

    The former Chief Minister of Punjab stated, “I made no deal or dialogue involving me. Chaudhry Shujaat and his family regularly met with me in Camp Jail Lahore. If I wanted to make a deal, I would have done so back then.”

    Pervaiz Elahi further clarified that neither he nor Imran Khan have stepped back from their narrative.