Tag: politics latest

  • KP government rises up to help Punjab farmers

    KP government rises up to help Punjab farmers

    Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Friday started the process of buying wheat from Punjabi farmers at the rate of Rs 3900 per 40 kgs as the wheat crisis ensues in Punjab, according to Geo News.

    An official from the Food Department told Geo that the KP government intends to buy up to 2 lac 86 thousand ton wheat crop till June 30 from Punjab farmers at the rate of Rs 3900 Kg.

    KP government has also bought 14 thousand tons of wheat from its own province’s farmers. According to official sources, up to 500,000 tons of crop can be stocked.

    The government is currently buying crops from KP cities like Peshawar, Kohat and Haripur, Geo News reported.

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had earlier ordered an inquiry committee to investigate the import of wheat last year under caretaker setup despite abundant harvest.

    Farmers in Punjab have staged protests because the government is not buying wheat crops from them at the agreed-upon rates.

  • Punjab government announces summer vacations for schools

    Punjab government announces summer vacations for schools

    The Punjab government has announced the dates of annual summer vacations in public and private schools in the province, Geo reported on Friday.

    As per the notification issued by the government, vacations will be observed from June 1 to August 14 in the entire province.

    Similarly, Punjab government has also reduced school timings due to scorching temperature in multiple cities of the country.

    According to the new timings, schools will open at 7am and close at 11:30am from Monday to Thursday; however, on Friday school will open at 7am to close at 10:30am.

    The Pakistan Meteorological Department has warned that a heatwave is expected to hit most parts of the country, especially Punjab and Sindh, starting May 21, due to high pressure in the upper atmosphere.

  • Sharjeel Memon says big plan behind Imran Khan still being ‘laadla’

    Sharjeel Memon says big plan behind Imran Khan still being ‘laadla’

    Sindh Minister Sharjeel Memon recently stated during a press conference that the founder Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan is still a “laadla” (favourite) due to rapid speed of multiple case hearings.

    “I’m saying this very openly that there is a big plan behind the scenes,” said the PPP member.

    Memon also alleged that “Israel financially supported Khan in his election campaign and Israel is also campaigning about alleged human rights abuse in Pakistan.”

    The PPP member was of the view that in the past President Asif Ali Zardari’s cases did not get quick hearings as Khan’s do.

    He criticised the former Prime Minister for being a “small-minded person” and also stated that CM KP Ali Amin Gandapur should apologise for his wrong attitude with the Governor of KP.

  • ‘Wife owns properties not only in Dubai but in UK as well,’ reveals Mohsin Naqvi

    ‘Wife owns properties not only in Dubai but in UK as well,’ reveals Mohsin Naqvi

    Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has said on Thursday that he and his wife declared their properties a decade ago. Naqvi, a media baron who became Punjab’s caretaker Chief Minister and now also holds the coveted position of Chairman, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), stressed that there is nothing new in the “Dubai unlocked” project. 

    Naqvi revealed that his wife not only owns properties in Dubai but also in the United Kingdom (UK).

    He gave a detailed response to the Dubai leaks in a press conference in Lahore after the leaked property records named several prominent personalities in Pakistan, including government officials, politicians, military generals, and other individuals.

    He also said that it is necessary for the national media to report about major developments, but portraying that someone owned property with illegal means is wrong.
    The former caretaker chief minister of Punjab also stated that he was not in any official position 10 to 12 years ago, but he had properties at that time as well.

  • Supreme Court to hear Suo Moto against Faisal Vawda today

    Supreme Court to hear Suo Moto against Faisal Vawda today

    The Supreme Court, on 17 May, will hear the suo moto case against independent Senator Faisal Vawda for his verbal attack against judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

    The case will be heard by a three-member bench led by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa and comprising Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Irfan Saadat Khan.

    Earlier, Vawda held a press conference in which he strongly criticised the IHC judges who penned the explosive letter a few weeks back to the Supreme Judicial Council alleging interference of intelligence agencies in judicial affairs.

    Faisal Vawda said that institutions are being attacked.

    “Stop targeting the institutions, enough is enough. If there is any interference by institutions, then provide evidence and we will stand together [against it],” said Vawda.

    IHC also responded to the Senator’s remarks saying that the rules do not dictate that a High Court judge needs to renounce foreign residency or citizenship.

  • IHC bans entry of intelligence officials within court premises

    IHC bans entry of intelligence officials within court premises

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on May 16 prohibited the entry of spy agency officials within the court’s premises.

    Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri gave the ruling which was confirmed by a police official at the court.

    The development followed the release of an explosive letter penned to the Supreme Judicial Council by six judges if IHC on March 27, alleging the interference of intelligence agencies in judicial matters.

    The six judges of the IHC who wrote the letter were Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Justice Babar Sattar, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz.

  • Exclusive: ‘He avoided eye contact with me’: what happened when Shafaat copied Shehbaz?

    Exclusive: ‘He avoided eye contact with me’: what happened when Shafaat copied Shehbaz?

    A light-hearted moment occurred between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and comedian Shafaat Ali during a ceremony at Prime Minister House in Islamabad.

    The Prime Minister gave a cheerful invite to Shafaat by recounting an anecdote of his past interaction with the comedian. The PM said: “Mr Shafaat has been compassionate with us today because I had a past experience with his performance and said to myself, ‘Ye main kidhar phass gya hun?’”

    The audience thoroughly enjoyed the PM’s remarks about Shafaat.

    PM Shehbaz requested the comedian to mimic him in front of the people present, which surprised many present since a sitting PM has rarely done that.

    The Current talked with the talented Shafaat Ali to get the details of his fun interaction with the PM.

    “When I went on stage, he was initially so nervous that he avoided eye contact with me. Then I made a comment on Javed Latif and everyone just exploded with laughter,” Shafaat told The Current.

    We asked Shafaat if the PM expected him to do a mimicry of the Prime Minister. “What he [PM Shehbaz] did at the end of his speech was not expected. It’s probably the first time ever that a head of state has asked an artist to imitate him in front of a live audience.”

    Shafaat remarked that he was “genuinely impressed with the PM’s cool,” given that it was a spontaneous interaction with Sharif at the end of the ceremony.

    Social media reacted positively to this event.

  • Pakistan’s total debt skyrockets to Rs 81 trillion

    Pakistan’s total debt skyrockets to Rs 81 trillion

    Bad news for Pakistanis as the country’s total debt and liabilities increased to a record of nearly Rs 81 trillion in the past year.

    Pakistan is currently going through a severe and difficult economic crisis as it tries to increase revenue generation and reduce all its debts, however, no silver lining yet.

    The collective debt and liabilities are approximately 15 percent of the nation’s GDP, higher than the statutory limit defined in the Fiscal Responsibility and Debt Limitation Act.

    The reason for such a stark increase in the debt is due to a lack of major foreign investment in the country even though Pakistan secured yet another IMF bailout package.

    Austerity measures have so far remained theoretical as the government has failed to cut off unnecessary expenses of the bloated government. For instance, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif earlier approved grants to provide awards to officers of the Prime Minister’s Office and Defence Production.

    Meanwhile, additional funds have also been allocated for the renovation of the PM’s Office and for providing subsidies to Azad Jammu & Kashmir.

  • Who leaked Khan’s image from Supreme Court?

    Who leaked Khan’s image from Supreme Court?

    The Supreme Court (SC) has started an investigation after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) released an image of former Prime Minister Imran Khan from today’s hearing in the National Accountability Bruea (NAB) amendments case.

    The picture appears to have been snapped during today’s hearing when the former Prime Minister appeared before SC via video link in the case related to changes in NAB laws.

    The bench comprises Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, Justice Aminuddin Khan, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Athar Minallah, and Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi.

    Imran Khan is currently in Adiala jail on multiple sentences.

    The photo is the first image taken after Imran’s arrest from Zaman Park in Toshakhana reference last year.

    The image released by PTI showed that Imran Khan is sitting on the chair wearing a blue shirt with the sleeves folded.

  • ‘I will become prime minister or president if people vote for me’, says Fazlur Rehman

    Jamiat Ulma-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman refused the allegations that he was offered the seat of the Prime Minister of the country. He stated that he will become PM only with the votes of people.

    “I will become the prime minister or president if the people vote for me,” Fazl said while speaking to journalists in Multan, adding that he was never presented with such an offer.

    He was surprised by the fact that someone will offer him the top position.

    The senior politician who was the head of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) formed against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, said that Pakistan will continuously move towards “slavery” if citizens don’t safeguard their votes.

    He also said that the current government is fragile, as the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is part of the government but not  part of Shehbaz’s cabinet.