Tag: politics latest

  • Is Mohsin Naqvi going to leave Interior Ministry?

    Is Mohsin Naqvi going to leave Interior Ministry?

    Azaz Syed, a senior journalist at The News, invited reporter Asif Bashir Chaudhry on his YouTube show.

    Asif claimed that according to his sources, Interior Minister of Pakistan Mohsin Naqvi might be leaving the ministry portfolio.

    Journalist Asif Bashir Chaudhry said some other sources have also confirmed, “Rana Sanaullah’s name is being seriously considered for this [Interior Minister].”

    Chaudhry stated, “Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) and coalition parties have objected to the fact that despite being the interior minister of the country, he [Mohsin Naqvi] does not defend party’s policies.”

    Asif further explained, “The job of the interior minister is to defend, explain, elaborate, and discuss the government policy decisions which is not happening at the moment.”

    Journalist Asif Bashir also stated that some friendly countries have also objected to Naqvi’s conduct with them.

    Azaz Syed said he thinks there is a very low probability of this happening although he credited his story.

  • Islamabad High Court wants missing Kashmiri poet recovered in next four days

    Islamabad High Court wants missing Kashmiri poet recovered in next four days

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has directed the government on Tuesday to safely recover Kashmiri poet Ahmad Farhad.

    During the hearing, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani accepted Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan’s request to adjourn the hearing for the next four days and give time to the government to utilise resources for Farhad’s recovery.

    Justice Kayani asked the investigative officer about developments in the case. The officer told the court that he went to the spy agency’s office, but the sector commander was not there.

  • Past military leadership considered surrendering Kashmir and missile Program, mulled recognizing Israel: Mushahid Hussain

    Past military leadership considered surrendering Kashmir and missile Program, mulled recognizing Israel: Mushahid Hussain

    Mushahid Hussain Syed, a veteran politician and serving senator from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), recently appeared on a talk show at 92 News channel and alleged that past military high command “was willing to compromise on Pakistan’s missile program, give up Kashmir along with recognition of Israel.”

    When he was asked by the journalist Irshad Ahmad Arif whether relations between Pakistan and China are well, the senator said, “No, because Pakistan’s previous military establishment sent mixed signals despite Chinese support at every international forum, it was playing a double game with China and the US.”

    Hussain stated that the US had clearly given out a statement in its national security strategy in 2022 that India was its strategic partner in this region and China was its enemy.

    According to the senator, “If they [US] consider the Chinese their enemy then how could we play a double game with China despite their consistent support throughout our history?”

    The PML-N leader said that the Chinese are not “children” and they know what Pakistan did to them.

  • PTI’s spokesperson Raoof Hassan attacked by unknown people in Islamabad

    PTI’s spokesperson Raoof Hassan attacked by unknown people in Islamabad

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) central spokesperson, Raoof Hassan, was attacked on Tuesday by transgender people in Sitara Market, Islamabad.

    “Extremely shameful and deplorable,” the party said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter, adding: “Central Information Secretary Raoof Hasan attacked by unknown persons outside the office of a private channel.”

    It is not known why Hassan was attacked.

    In another statement, PTU said that if the spokesperson of the “largest party” is not safe and can be attacked in the capital city, then “what can we make of the safety of others? ”

    The attackers used a sharp instrument to injure Raoof Hassan and escaped easily after the incident.

    On the other hand, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and information minister Attaullah Tarar condemned the attack and urged a thorough investigation into the incident.

  • Government to end solar net-metering & introduce gross-metering

    Government to end solar net-metering & introduce gross-metering

    The government has briefed the International Monetary Fund (IMF) about plans to change the country’s solar power policy, Geo News has reported.

    According to the government, almost 1938 MW of electricity in the system through roof-top solar system under net metering mode.

    Because of this revenue loss of Rs100 billion in the system has been shifted to consumers by passing a hike of tariff to Rs1.90 per unit on those who have not installed solar systems on their roofs.

    The government intends to introduce gross metering instead of net metering.

    The tariff would be reduced to Rs7.5 to 11 per unit instead of Rs21. They will be provided electricity from the national grid at Rs60 per unit during night or peak hours.

    However, under this new policy, a buyback tariff from solar consumers would be brought down to Rs7.5-11 per unit due to a significant decline in solar panel prices and the government would sell them electricity from the national grid at Rs60 per unit during night time or peak hours.

  • Chaudhry Parvez Elahi released from Kot Lakhpat jail after months

    Chaudhry Parvez Elahi released from Kot Lakhpat jail after months

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) president Chaudhry Parvez Elahi was released on Tuesday after being detained in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail for months, Geo has reported.

    The development comes after the Lahore High Court (LHC) approved the bail of the senior politician in the Punjab Assembly illegal recruitment case. Justice Sultan Tanvir of the LHC announced the decision on Elahi’s bail request.

    After the release, the PTI president reached his residence in Lahore.

    Parvez Elahi was arrested after May 9 events, when authorities cracked down on the opposition party.

    Earlier last year, on May 9, violent protests erupted after the arrest of PTI founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

    The protesters attacked public and private properties, including military installations, in multiple cities across the country. In prominent locations, General Headquarters (GHQ) Rawalpindi and Jinnah House Lahore are included, where violent protesters attacked.

    However, the PTI president said that the people of Gujarat “had to suffer a lot of abuse and cruelty”. He also stated that PTI’s mandate was stolen in his home city. “We will not talk to [Chaudhry] Shujaat sahib’s children until our mandate is given back to us.”

    “I was, am, and will stand with the founder of PTI,” he added.

  • Court rejects plea seeking Khan’s disqualification in Tyrian White case

    Court rejects plea seeking Khan’s disqualification in Tyrian White case

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has dismissed a plea seeking Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s disqualification in the Tyrian White case.

    A new IHC bench heard the petition filed against Imran Khan for not revealing his alleged daughter in the nomination papers for contesting the 2018 general elections.

    Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Justice Arbab Mohammad Tahir, and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz heard the case today.

    The Tyrian White case was pending since May 2023, when IHC chief justice Aamer Farooq dissolved the three-member bench hearing the petition.

    Earlier, IHC CJ Aamer Farooq, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, and Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir were hearing the case and had reserved the verdict on March 30 last year.

    However, Justice Kayani and Justice Tahir wrote an opinion rejecting the petition’s validity and posted it on the IHC’s website, but it was later taken down.

    On the other hand, during today’s hearing, the court said that the petition against Imran Khan’s disqualification had already been rejected by the bench.

    “The majority decision has already been issued,” remarked the court.

  • London plan included Imran Khan, Tahir-ul-Qadri and others in 2014, says journalist Murtaza Shah

    London plan included Imran Khan, Tahir-ul-Qadri and others in 2014, says journalist Murtaza Shah

    Geo News journalist Murtaza Ali Shah on Monday spoke on the channel’s ‘Report Card’ about the “London Plan” in 2014 which included the collusion of founder Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri and Imran Khan.

    Shah recounted that a friend had invited him to his house for dinner and when he went, “Imran Khan, Tahir-ul-Qadri, journalist Mubasher Lucman, some members of Chaudhary family [PML-Q] and two officials were present in that room.”

    Shah stated that the situation got awkward for all because they were afraid “I might break this story.”

    “I received a call from a mutual friend present there 20 minutes after I left that place and he told me that I mustn’t do a story because I already know the precarious condition of Geo News channel due to severe restrictions put on it after Hamid Mir was shot,” said Murtaza.

    Murtaza said that he was warned that there would be more severe consequences for Geo News if he broke the story.

    Murtaza said it is true that “Mubashar Lucman played the key role between Qadri and Khan because at that point there was no common ground between them.”

  • Shehbaz Government cracks down on wheat scandal, leaves Caretakers unscathed

    Shehbaz Government cracks down on wheat scandal, leaves Caretakers unscathed

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday ordered the suspension of four senior officers of the Ministry of National Food Security for “poor planning and negligence” regarding the wheat scandal.

    Interestingly, no action has been taken against the previous caretaker setup or its key officials under whom the wheat scandal took place originally.

    Earlier, PM Shehbaz had given Secretary Cabinet Division Kamran Ali Afzal the task of investigating the import of wheat last year despite a “bumper crop”, which has led to excess wheat stock leaving Balochistan and Punjab governments unable to purchase the crop from the farmers.

    The stock surplus has, so far, been attributed to the decision of the caretaker government — led by former caretaker prime minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar — allowing the import of 2,758,226 226 metric tonnes of wheat worth Rs225.783 billion till February 2024.

    Geo News reported that the Ministry of National Food Security had apprised PM Shehbaz’s cabinet that 28.18 million tonnes of wheat was produced last year and the caretaker government decided to import 2.45 million tonnes more.

    The government allowed for relevant action to be taken against federal Secretary of National Food Security Muhammad Asif and also ordered the suspension of former Director General Plant Protection AD Abid, Food Security Commissioner Dr Wasim and Director Sohail and Punjab Director of Food Security Imtiaz Gopang.

  • Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani says either rule of law or rule of agencies can take place

    Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani says either rule of law or rule of agencies can take place

    Islamabad High Court (IHC) senior judge Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani on Monday strongly criticised intelligence agencies due to their alleged role in forced abductions.

    “The country will either be run as per the law or the whims of agencies,” Justice Kayani said.

    The Court held a hearing regarding the recovery of Kashmiri poet Ahmed Farhad Shah, abducted from his home last week. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) had called on authorities for his immediate release.

    A petition was filed by Shah’s wife in the IHC last Wednesday, requesting that he be found and produced before the court and to identify, investigate and prosecute those responsible for his disappearance.

    In a notable development, the petitioner filed a separate plea on Saturday to withdraw the main petition after officials from Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) contacted Shah’s wife and assured her that the poet would be released on Saturday night.

    Petitioner’s legal representation include Advocates Imaan Zainab Mazari and Hadi Ali Chatha. Mazari said that she received a Whatsapp call from Shah’s number on May 17 asking them to withdraw their petition but since he did not return back, “So we are not withdrawing the application.”

    “I want the man (Shah) from the ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence). You should inform the DG (director general) ISI [Nadeem Anjum] that the man should be produced at any cost. Remove the label from yourself that you abduct [people],” said the judge to SSP Zafar.

    Justice Kayani went on to say “The sector commander [ISI] is not living on the moon, what is his status?”

    Judge asked the defence ministry official whether any of his relatives were ever abducted to which he said no, to which the judge said: “That’s why you don’t understand. Ask the feelings of those whose [relatives] are abducted.”

    When AAG Duggal requested an extension of the hearing because “the ISI has said they do not have him,” the judge replied, “They send messages on one hand and now they are saying we don’t have him.”