Polling is underway, across the country, on 21 national assembly and provincial assembly seats amidst the suspension of cellular and internet services in “specific districts” of Punjab and Balochistan in order to maintain law and order situation during the electoral process.
This is the fist major by-poll since February 8 general elections in the country. The polling started at 8am and will end at 5pm today without any delays.
The elections are being held on five NA seats, 12 Punjab Assembly seats, two each in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan Assemblies and one in Sindh Assembly.
The PTA said the decision had been taken on the directives of the interior ministry to “safeguard the integrity and security of the electoral process”.
It should be noted that cellular and internet services were suspended throughout the country during the February 8 elections as well.
And access to social media website X, formerly Twitter, has also been blocked since February 17 this year.
On Saturday, the federal government approved the deployment of Army and civil armed forces to maintain the law and order situation during by-polls set to take place in multiple districts tomorrow.
Pakistan Army and Civil Armed Forces troops will perform duties as a rapid response force, Geo reported on Saturday.
On April 17, social media was in an uproar with the news of Advisor to the Chief Minister (CM) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) Mashal Yousafzai requesting the government for luxury cars worth more than Rs 27 million on provincial government’s expenditure.
Social media users were quick to criticise the move as the government is implementing austerity measures due to poor economic environment.
Geo News reported on the issue, led by their Peshawar reporter Nadia Saboohi who sent Yousafzai messages on whatsapp to ask about her version. Soon after Geo reported on the story, Yousafzai alleged in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that Saboohi tried to extort money from her and when Yousafzai refused to give in, ‘propaganda’ was done against her.
The Current spoke with Saboohi to find out what happened.
“I had access to the document detailing the request for luxury cars, but since there are many fake documents on social media, I waited to get a confirmation from the relevant authorities about the authenticity of the document,” Saboohi said over the phone. “After the document was authenticated by proper authorities, I reached out to advisor sahiba for an explanation and her point of view.”
Interestingly, according to the document, Yousafzai had asked for a Toyota Fortuner for herself, listed at a price of over Rs. 1.7 crore and a KIA Sportage for her secretary worth Rs. 73 lakhs.
DOCUMENT
Saboohi remarked that she simply asked the advisor for her perspective, saying that she also asked if the move was wise in such a difficult economic climate, adding that “Even advisor sahiba’s own department has not paid seven to eight hundred employees their salaries.”
Saboohi also pointed out that the Chief Minister of KP Ali Amin Gandapur, implemented an austerity program and no government official is allowed to get any new cars or go abroad for medical treatment.
“In the beginning of our conversation, advisor sahiba flatly denied the existence of any such summary,” Saboohi recalled, “When she was sent the document, she changed her statement and said, ‘This summary is from March 29 and I stopped it.’”
When Geo News broke the story, it went viral, generating immense backlash against Yousafzai. The advisor then tweeted that she had taken back the request for luxury cars.
TWEET
But the issue did not die down. Yousafzai took to X again and criticised the journalist and posted a serious allegation on X against Saboohi.
‘You’re taking money from the ‘boys’ and Muazzam Butt,” read Yousafzai’s tweet.
She also posted screenshots of the conversation she had with the journalist and revealed Saboohi’s phone number to the public. However, in the screenshots posted in her tweet, there is no evidence that Saboohi had extorted money from the advisor.
Yousafzai later deleted the tweet.
Deleted Tweet
“I made it clear to advisor sahiba that, being a journalist, I have no interest in taking sides,” Saboohi said. “I also told her that I have no personal grudge against you but the story was important to break because given the tough socio-economic environment the people of KP are facing, people deserved to know that luxury vehicles might be purchased using taxpayers’ money.”
According to Saboohi, Yousafza has issues within her own party, specifically with senior advocate Muazzam Butt in Insaf Lawyers Forum. Butt was also mentioned in the tweet against Saboohi, as someone who Yousafzai alleged, was paying off the journalist. Yousafzai said to Saboohi, “Because Muazzam was unable to become the advocate general so he started propaganda against me with your help.”
Saboohi said that it was her job as a journalist to report stories about the government in KP and the CM had said that he wanted news outlets to openly report and criticise his government’s actions if needed. In return, “[Yousafzai] released my contact information on social media just because she didn’t approve of my story”.
KP GOVERNMENT’S RESPONSE
“The CM house rejected the summary when it was sent to them as told by the CM social media wing representative Yar Muhammad Niazi,” revealed Saboohi. Niazi told her that the document might have been circulated but it was always going to be rejected.
Saboohi also pointed out that the advisor neither holds the authority to send such a document nor put a stop to it because the ministry belongs to CM.
“The spokesperson of KPK government, Barrister Saif, said that the document was given by Yousafzai in her individual capacity, when I asked him about the issue,” Saboohi said, “after which I asked him if that meant that any common person can request the government to buy them cars? Because this was an official government document”.
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT
Khyber Union of Journalists Peshawar Press Club condemned the advisor for making unsubstantiated remarks and sharing the female journalist’s information on social media.
According to Saboohi, a Jirga in her community has also vowed to support her, adding that, “anyone is welcome to prove these kinds of allegations in her entire 26 years of career.”
Peshawar Press Club had given Yousafzai 24 hours to delete the tweet or provide evidence of her claims. Yousafzai has since deleted that tweet.
When asked about problems she’s faced due to her contact information being publicised by the KPK official, Saboohi remarked, “I am facing a lot of harassment and threats due to this and she [Yousafzai] is responsible for this.”
SOCIAL MEDIA RESPONSE
Interestingly, PTI supporters on X are also criticising the advisor on her tweet.
The Current has reached out to Yousafzai for her version of the story and a comment and have not heard back yet.
Local police have confirmed on Thursday that a firing incident in the Dera Ismail Khan district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) claimed the lives of six people, including five customs officers.
Police officials stated that unknown attackers targeted the officers at Sago Road in Daraban tehsil of the district.
Five customs officers and one passer-by were killed in the firing incident, police added.
Attackers armed with weapons hid in bushes, then attacked the vehicle and quickly escaped on motorcycles without being stopped.
Due to the attack, the driver of the customs vehicle lost control and collided with another vehicle, resulting in the death of the citizen.
The bodies of the six individuals were shifted to the district headquarters hospital (DHQ).
Police officials cordoned off the area of the incident, and investigations have started.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur strongly condemned the incident, expressing regret over the deaths
Iranian state media has stated that the country’s air defence systems brought down three drones over the central city of Isfahan.
According to latest development, the Iranian news agency Tasnim has cited “informed sources” as saying that “there are no reports of an attack from abroad against Isfahan or any other part of Iran”.
Separately, an Iranian analyst argued on state television that mini-drones were flown by “infiltrators from inside” the country, according to Al Jazeera.
The International Atomic Energy Agency says it can confirm that there has been no damage to Iran’s nuclear sites.
Meanwhile, US media, citing senior US officials, also reported that Israeli missiles had hit an Iranian site.
Iranian air defence systems were activated and flights across several areas including Tehran and Isfahan were suspended.
Regional tensions rose following Iran’s retaliatory strike on Israel after an attack on its diplomatic premises in Syria.
There are fears of all-out confrontation after Iran had been warning Israel that it would respond strongly to any aggression.
A terrorist attack targeted Japanese citizens after their vehicle was attacked by a suicide bomber in Karachi’s Landhi area. The foreign nationals remained safe while two terrorists involved in the barbaric attack were killed, according to the police.
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) East Azfar Mahesar told Dawn that the incident took place near Murtaza Chorangi in Landhi, adding that the five foreign nations were travelling in a Hiace van.
“All five Japanese remained safe. However, the private security guard with them was injured,” he said, adding that one terrorist was killed.
“The Japanese nationals were on the way to Export Processing Zone from their residence in Zamzama, Clifton,” he said.
There was another suicide bomber who was there for ‘backup’. He was gunned down by the Sharafi Goth police party patrolling the area.
Some users on X (formerly Twitter) pointed out that the Japanese nationals might have been mistaken as Chinese since terrorists in Pakistan have been increasingly targeting Chinese nationals, most recently in Shangla where five Chinese nationals lost their lives.
“No one has claimed responsibility so far,” the DIG said, adding that the vehicle carrying the Japanese nationals was bullet-proof.
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb held a high-level meeting with the United States State Department Assistant Secretary Donald Lu at World Bank headquarters in Washington to discuss financial reforms that Pakistan is planning to implement.
The meeting was held in the background of the Finance Minister’s visit to Washington in order to finalize talks about the latest International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout package.
Aurangzeb and the US official focused on upgrading economic partnerships, with emphasis on alternate energy, agriculture, climate resilience and technology.
Aurangzeb was positive about the investment opportunities by America in information technology, renewables, agriculture and minerals extraction.
He also pledged close collaboration with the US International Development Finance Corporation and Exim Bank for mutual development.
Aurangzeb has been conducting high-level meetings with top officials in the US on the sidelines.
The US State Department has supported Pakistan’s initiatives against terrorism and called on Taliban leaders to stop terrorists from using Afghanistan’s land.
In a conversation with Geo News, a State Department spokesperson 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.”
The spokesperson said that Pakistan suffers a lot due to terrorism, adding that no country should suffer this much due to terrorism.
“We urge the Taliban to ensure that Afghan soil is not used to support terrorist groups, movement of terrorists, or acts of terrorism.
“We have been very clear that we will judge the Taliban by what they do, not what they say. The Taliban wantsl international legitimacy. This requires the Taliban to meet their commitments to the international community,” the official said.
The US state spokesperson also said that the only concern of the US was to make sure that Afghanistan is not a secure and comfortable place for terrorists who want to harm the US, its partners, and allies.
The official added, “We are in regular communication with Pakistani leaders as a part of our partnership on counterterrorism issues. We continue to discuss Afghanistan in detail, including through our annual counterterrorism dialogue and other bilateral consultations.”
Shandana Gulzar, a senior member and elected MNA of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), recently appeared on a talk show with Hamid Mir and claimed that a foreign ambassador advised her to quit the party.
She stated that this matter is directly concerned with the 2022 vote of no confidence brought against former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Shandana said, “I was called by many people including an ambassador of a Western country who asked me to think about my future and leave Khan because our party [PTI] is ending.”
The MNA replied to the ambassador that the reason why she’s not quitting PTI is because it is a matter of “honour” for her.
Gulzar further emphasized that the entire process of VONC was “stupid” and “botched up”. And that it could have been done with finesse and elegance rather than being so clumsy.
An X user @DanMir_musings posted an old video of Shandana where she claimed that she was not told explicitly to quit PTI and Imran Khan. The user wrote, “Shandana Gulzar has already backtracked on this lie of hers that she was called by an embassy after VONC motion and was told to leave PTI and Imran.”
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has cleared Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif of any wrongdoing in the Toshakhana vehicle reference.
The anti-graft body has requested the accountability court to clear the former prime minister of any charges. The court directed NAB to include PML-N leaders in the investigation.
The court may acquit Nawaz Sharif from the Toshakhana reference, as the watchdog stated in its report submitted before the court today, highlighting that the car in question was not a part of the Toshakhana at the time of purchase by the former prime minister.
The anti-corruption body found that the Saudi government gave a car to then-Prime Minister Nawaz in 1997, which he deposited in Toshakhana.
The report stated that in 2008, then prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani offered Nawaz Sharif to buy the same car.
Therefore, the PML-N head didn’t buy the car from Toshakhana. Instead, he bought it from the federal transport pool. According to the NAB report, Nawaz Sharif didn’t use a fake account to buy a car.
