Tag: politics latest

  • Ijaz Ahmed’s racist rant slammed by cricket fans

    Ijaz Ahmed’s racist rant slammed by cricket fans

    Former Pakistani cricketer Ijaz Ahmad’s criticism of the recent poor performance by the Pakistan cricket team in the T-20 World Cup turned into a racist tirade against Pakhtoon players.

    Talking on the ARY NEWS programme Off The Record on Monday night, Ijaz said, “Almost 80 percent of Pakistan’s cricket team constitutes of players from remote areas or Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Even if the team is made from Sindh, seven to eight players are Pathan. They have neither the education nor the exposure which is why these players cannot handle the pressure.”

    Given the already fragile religious and ethnic fault lines that exist in our nation, the statement from Ijaz Ahmad –who was once a sportsman– revealed a highly irresponsible and discriminatory attitude.

    Netizens were quick to condemn the racist remarks. Meanwhile, the owner of ARY News Salman Iqbal also condemned the racist remarks by Ijaz Ahmad saying that “It is not acceptable.”

  • Not a message of love; Khawaja Asif clarifies PM Shehbaz’s message

    Not a message of love; Khawaja Asif clarifies PM Shehbaz’s message

    After Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated Narendra Modi on being elected as the Prime Minister of India, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif tried to clear the air that there wasn’t a “message of love.”

    “It is just a diplomatic compulsion to congratulate Modi on becoming the Indian PM,” stated Asif speaking on the Geo News programme Capital Talk on Monday.

    He also said that Pakistan would never forget that Modi is a “murderer of Muslims” in India.

    Modi is the second person in India’s political history after Jawaharlal Nehru to serve a third consecutive term as prime minister.

    However, this time Modi’s party did not win an outright majority but with the support of 14 regional parties in his BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

  • After conspiracy allegations, PPP says no hand in dictatorship-style defamation law

    After conspiracy allegations, PPP says no hand in dictatorship-style defamation law

    A day after the highly controversial Punjab defamation bill became law, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Governor Saleem Haider tried to dissociate the party from the legislation, saying the PPP is against the defamation law.

    “I tried to stop the [passage] of the defamation bill as Governor,” he stated while speaking to media in Dubai.

    Interim Punjab Governor Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan signed the bill into law in the absence of Haider while journalists called the move deceiving.

    The Governor, who is currently on leave also added, “I did not sign the bill. However, it will become law automatically after the passing of 15 days.”

    The bill has invited strong criticism from journalists, human rights organisations, and the opposition calling it a “black law.”

    The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) also expressed grave concern over the defamation bill.

  • PPP’s Syed Khursheed Shah raises concerns over federal budget

    PPP’s Syed Khursheed Shah raises concerns over federal budget

    Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) senior leader Syed Khursheed Shah has raised concerns on Sunday over the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) strategy for preparing the federal budget.

    Shah voiced concern that PML-N didn’t invite PPP for engagement and dialogue on the budget.
    “What kind of proposals? What kind of budget? The government did not say anything, nor did they take PPP into confidence,” said the senior politician.
    Shah was also unaware of the allocation of resources to the provinces, and demanded transparency in the privatization process.

    “I don’t know which province is getting what share in giving relief to the people,” he said.

    The former opposition leader stressed that, “PPP has shared the entire burden of the government and was also worried about the accountability the party will face due to the federal budget.

    “The public will ask us what has been done, what we will answer,” Khursheed Shah questioned.

  • Chief Justice Faez Isa wants judges to ride bicycles

    Chief Justice Faez Isa wants judges to ride bicycles

    Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa addressed a climate change conference hosted by the Supreme Court on June 8, calling for adopting environment-friendly measures and a healthy lifestyle to cope with climate change.

    “[Justice] Mansoor Ali Shah talked about hybrid vehicles here, but we must walk. Bicycles can be provided to all judges if they want,” said the CJP.

    Justice Isa pointed out the lack of a solid mechanism to dispose of plastic products worldwide.

    “We failed to understand nature and we need to rebuild the values for environmental protection from our homes. The natural environment can be saved from further destruction by avoiding wastage of resources,” said CJP Isa.

  • PPP’s Manzoor Wassan predicts PM Shehbaz will dissolve NA within next three months

    PPP’s Manzoor Wassan predicts PM Shehbaz will dissolve NA within next three months

    Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Manzoor Wassan predicted on Sunday that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will dissolve the National Assembly (NA) within the next three months, Geo News reported.

    The PPP leader stated that the next “trimester is extremely crucial” as far as the political situation in the country goes.  “Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif may dissolve the National Assembly within the next three months.”

    Wassan also dismissed the claim that President Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Nawaz Sharif will become the Prime Minister of Pakistan.

    The former member of the Sindh Assembly further stated that the political environment is not favorable for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), adding that “Reliefs are given and taken back, so Imran Khan shouldn’t be living in his imaginary world.”

    Wassan’s statement came about after it was rumoured that PPP has not been consulted on the upcoming federal budget for the year 2024-2025.

  • Seven security officials martyred in Lakki Marwat

    Seven security officials martyred in Lakki Marwat

    Seven army officials including a captain embraced martyrdom after an improvised explosive device (IED) targeted their vehicle in Shahab Khel area of district Lakki Marwat on Sunday.

    A statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) read, “An improvised explosive device exploded on the vehicle of security forces in Lakki Marwat District.”

    Officials said the vehicle was on its way to the Kaichi Kamar area when it came under attack near Sultankhel village, an area bordering Punjab’s Mianwali district.

    ISPR’s statement revealed that 26-year-old Captain Muhammad Faraz Ilyas, a resident of Kasur, along with 50-year-old Subedar Major Muhammad Nazir from Skardu, 34-year-old Lance Naik Muhammad Anwar from Ghanchi, 36-year-old Lance Naik Hussain Ali from Ghizer, 33-year-old Sepoy Asadullah from Multan, 27-year-old Sepoy Manzoor Hussain from Gilgit, and 31-year-old Sepoy Rashid Mehmood from district Rawalpindi embraced martyrdom.

    Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi and Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur strongly condemned the cowardly attack on security officials.

  • No political slogans allowed during Hajj, warns Saudi Arabia

    No political slogans allowed during Hajj, warns Saudi Arabia

    Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq al-Rabiyyah, on June 6, warned pilgrims that political slogans are not allowed during Hajj.

    Saudi Minister of Hajj Tawfiq al-Rabiyyah told reporters in Riyadh that, “Hajj is for worship and not for any political slogans, so no one will be allowed to raise political slogans during Hajj,” Geo News reported.

    The Saudi Minister for Hajj said that Hajj is a form of worship, and the Saudi government wants to ensure that Hajj remains the highest manifestation of humility, peace and spirituality.

    Moreover, the official page of news publication ‘Inside The Haramain’ posted the minister’s press conference with the caption, “Hajj is for worship only, not for political slogans.”

    The post further added, “Making Dua for Palestinians especially our brothers in Gaza is not banned, this is completely false. What is banned is raising political slogans, be it from any country or region. ONLY the Dhikr of Allah can be raised in the Two Holy Mosques and Mosques.”

  • PTI’s Zartaj Gul nominated as parliamentary leader

    PTI’s Zartaj Gul nominated as parliamentary leader

    Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) has nominated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Zartaj Gul as a parliamentary leader, Express News reported on Saturday.

     Imran Khan approved the Gul’s name as the parliamentary leader.

    Earlier, the party proposed the names of four leaders, including Zartaj Gul, Sahibzada Mehboob Sultan, Zain Qureshi, and Ahmed Chatha, for the appointment for the National Assembly.

    Chairman PTI Barrister Gohar Khan also confirmed being informed about the nomination of Zartaj Gul as a parliamentary leader.

    SIC’s chief, Hamid Raza, will inform the NA speaker about Gul’s nomination on Monday.

    We interviewed Zartaj Gul when she was climate change minister in PTI’s government. Watch the interview here.

  • Khan appears before in FIA investigation after controversial X post

    Founder Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Imran Khan, after refusing to appear twice before the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) investigation regarding the 1971 Fall of Dhaka controversial tweet case, has finally joined the agency’s probe on June 7, Geo News reports.

    “Every Pakistani should study the Hamood ur Rahman Commission Report and get to know who was the true traitor, General Yahya Khan or Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,” the caption read on the controversial video uploaded by Khan’s X account.

    Previously, Khan refused to appear before the FIA’s investigation team, stating that he would like his legal representation to be there.

    Khan was later interrogated with his lawyers present, Chaudhry Zaheer Abbas and Intezar Hussain Panjutha.

    Another PTI leader Omar Ayub Khan refused to join the probe due to a “busy schedule”, whereas, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Central Secretary Information PTI Raoof Hasan appeared before the investigators on Wednesday.

    Additionally, the Islamabad High Court (IHC), following a petition against the FIA’s notices, also directed the probe agency not to take any adverse action against them, directing the PTI leaders to join the probe.