Tag: politics latest

  • Five terrorists killed in an intelligence-based operation: ISPR

    Five terrorists killed in an intelligence-based operation: ISPR

    Security forces confirmed on Friday that an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Tank district resulted in the elimination of five terrorists, as reported by the army’s media wing.

    A press release from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) stated that a military operation was carried out in the Mullazai area of Tank based on reported terrorist presence.

    During the operation, intense fire exchange took place between the troops and terrorists. As a result, five terrorists were “sent to hell”, the ISPR said.

    It stated that the terrorists who were killed continued to be actively engaged in various terrorist activities, including targeting law enforcement agencies, extortion, and the deliberate killing of innocent civilians.

    “A cache of weapons, ammunition and explosives was also recovered during the operation,” said the military’s media wing.

    The statement additionally mentioned that the sanitisation operation aims to eradicate any remaining terrorists in the area, reflecting the unwavering commitment of Pakistan’s security forces to eliminate the threat of terrorism from the country.

    A day before, General Syed Asim Munir, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), emphasised that the presence of illegal foreigners was having a significant impact on Pakistan’s security and economy.

  • Farah Gogi declared proclaimed offender in £190 million scandal case

    Farah Gogi declared proclaimed offender in £190 million scandal case

    The names of the suspects in the £190 million scandal case were published as proclaimed offenders by an Accountability Court of Islamabad on Friday, SAMMA has reported. 

    The names of individuals allegedly involved in the corruption case, including former Accountability Adviser Shahzad Akbar, ex-Special Assistant Zulfi Bukhari, Zia Al Mustafa, and Farah Gogi, were displayed on Friday outside the Judicial Complex as proclaimed offenders. Farah Gogi is currently not in Pakistan, having successfully evaded authorities till now.

    The Accountability Court asked individuals facing charges in the said case to appear before the court on January 6.

    Judge Muhammad Basheer of the Accountability Court ordered to publish the names of suspects involved in the £190 million scandal. Former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, are also suaoects in the same case.

    According to the order issued by Judge Muhammad Bashir, the investigation officer of the case, Mian Umar Nadeem, stressed that the arrest warrants for Shahzad Akbar, Zia-ul-Mustafi Naseem, Zulfi Bukhari, Ahmed Riaz, Farhat Shahzad, and others implicated in the reference should be strictly implemented.

  • ECP likely to announce election schedule on December 14

    ECP likely to announce election schedule on December 14

    As a result of the rise in political temperature in country, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is going to announce the schedule for upcoming general election on December 14, as per a report in The News.

    Political parties are making political alliances with multiple stakeholders to win the polls on February 8.

    ECP recently released the final list of delimitations, which was the only obstacle to the announcement of  election. Now the final step is the appointment of district returning officers, returning officers and assistant officers according to the Elections Act 2017.

    According to Sections 50 and 51 of the Elections Act, a district returning officer is appointed for each district or a specified area and a returning officer for each constituency for elections to an assembly.

    The provincial election commissioner and election commission secretariat have designed lists of government officers for election duty. Their appointment will follow the election-related training.

    Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja also confirmed that ECP is ready to provide voters with complete security, privacy, and transparency in the entire election process.

  • Former Army Chief willing to appear as witness in cipher case: The News

    Former Army Chief willing to appear as witness in cipher case: The News

    Former army chief General (r) Qamar Javed Bajwa can surprise founder and former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan, as he is “willing to appear” as a witness in the cipher case, The News has reported.

    During the last hearing in cipher case, Imran Khan said while speaking to journalists, “I will include General Bajwa and US Embassy officials as witnesses in the case.”

    A source from The News confirmed that the former army chief also showed willingness to appear as a witness. However, he will require permission from military authorities.

    The former prime minister is currently in Adiala jail and facing charges under the Official Secrets Act, 1923. A special court is hearing the cipher case against Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

    Imran had alleged that “General Bajwa did everything on Donald Lu’s directives”. 

    This accusation does not match the statements given by witnesses, including the former secretary of foreign affairs and Pakistan’s former ambassador to the US. Pakistan’s former ambassador to the US was in contact with Donald Lu, and their communication’s result was a cable that was sent to the foreign ministry, which is a normal thing.

    Imran Khan had also claimed that the cipher was a conspiracy against him to remove him from the office.

    The National Security Committee (NSC) deliberated over the cipher twice, once when Imran Khan was the prime minister of Pakistan and later in the tenure of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif.

    The NSC found no evidence of conspiracy on both occasions against Imran Khan in the cipher.

  • Return of illegal foreigners to their country beneficial for Pakistan, says Gen. Asim Munir

    Return of illegal foreigners to their country beneficial for Pakistan, says Gen. Asim Munir

    Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir said on Thursday that the presence of illegal foreigners in the country is “seriously affecting” its security and economy, adding that the decision to send illegal foreigners to their home country is beneficial for Pakistan.

    According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the army chief passed the remarks during a visit to Peshawar, where he briefly explained the security situation, ongoing counter-terrorism operations, and the return of undocumented foreign nationals.

    “Decision to repatriate them has been taken by the government in the interest of Pakistan,” General Asim said, as quoted by the military’s media wing.

    The army chief also mentioned that all the illegal immigrants are being sent to their home country in a “humane and dignified manner.”

    According to the Interior Ministry, almost 255,029 illegal foreigners have left for Afghanistan from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

    On his visit to Peshawar, Gen. Munir interacted with soldiers and officers, and he said while addressing them that “The nation takes pride and acknowledges the accomplishments of its Armed Forces. Pakistan is destined to succeed and the Pakistan Army will continue to undertake its selfless and sacred duty of safeguarding every inch of the motherland till the last drop of blood, InshaAllah.”

  • SC to hear reference asking Zulkiqar Bhutto’s execution be declared judicial murder

    SC to hear reference asking Zulkiqar Bhutto’s execution be declared judicial murder

    On December 12, a larger bench of the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, comprising nine members, is scheduled to hear on the presidential reference regarding the reconsideration of the judgment on Bhutto’s death sentence.

    It has been decided to schedule a presidential reference hearing to declare the execution of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) founder and former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto as judicial murder.

    According to sources, the presidential reference regarding Zulfiqar Bhutto’s execution is likely to be scheduled for hearing next week.

    According to the sources of Geo News, a larger bench will hear the presidential reference related to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

    Sources also said that the presidential reference will be heard under the chairmanship of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faiz Isa.

    It should be remembered that in 2011, the PPP government, through the then President Asif Ali Zardari, filed a reference in the Supreme Court (SC) regarding the execution of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.

    Now, after a long gap of almost 11 years, the reference is going to be fixed for hearing again.

  • Toshakhana Case: Court rejects Imran Khan’s withdrawal petition

    Toshakhana Case: Court rejects Imran Khan’s withdrawal petition

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday rejected the plea of former prime minister Imran Khan to withdraw his petition challenging the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision on his disqualification in the Toshakhana case.

    On October 28, 2022, the former Pakistan. Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief filed a plea against his disqualification by the electoral body. He filed another petition on January 18, 2023, to withdraw his appeal against ECP.

    Imran Khan requested the withdrawal of his plea from IHC as the matter is pending before Lahore High Court (LHC).

    Justice Aamer Farooq announced the verdict, reserved on September 13, today, after hearing the arguments of all parties.

    The ECP disqualified Imran Khan on October 21, 2022, under Article 63(1)(p). The electoral watchdog said in its verdict that the PTI founder is not a member of the National Assembly anymore, and he is disqualified for making “false statements and incorrect declaration”.

    The decision of Khan’s disqualification was taken by the five members’ bench, and the ECP stated that Imran was found involved in corrupt practices, including submitting a false affidavit.

  • Sarfraz Bugti refuses to provide details of 14 bombing attacks by Afghans

    Sarfraz Bugti refuses to provide details of 14 bombing attacks by Afghans

    Caretaker government officials are not providing any information to support their claim that Afghan nationals were involved in 14 out of 24 suicide bombing attacks in Pakistan in 2023, Geo has reported.

    Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti disclosed on October 3 that from January until October, Pakistan has witnessed 24 suicide bombing attacks.

    “Of those 24 bombings, 14 have been carried out by Afghan nationals,” he added. “Afghan people attacked us. This includes the Peshawar mosque bombings and the one in Qilla Saifullah and Hangu, amongst others.”

    Sarfraz Bugti also claimed that the government has all the essential proof.

    “Afghan nationals are involved in the attacks on us. We have evidence. We have evidence of everything,” he stated.

    Sarfraz Bugti repeated his claim in multiple interviews with both international and Pakistani news channels.

    The interim government used these metrics to order all undocumented immigrants, as well as 1.73 million Afghan nationals, to leave the country or face deportation.

    Earlier last week, Sarfraz Bugti told Dawn TV that almost 400,000 Afghans have left Pakistan so far.

    Last month, Geo Fact Check reached out to the interior minister and asked for evidence of the involvement of Afghan nationals in suicide bombing attacks, but the interior minister hasn’t responded back until now.

  • PEMRA nay laga dee TV channels pay aik aur pabandi

    PEMRA nay laga dee TV channels pay aik aur pabandi

    Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has barred television channels from airing anything that casts doubt on the electoral process.

    The notification, issued on November 3, states, “All the satellite TV channel licensees were directed vide this office directives dated 3* November, 2023 to strictly comply with the PEMRA’s Code of Conduct 2015 and ensure that no speculative, doubtful and false information/content with reference to electoral process or conduct of General Elections is aired, broadcasted or televised in any manner, whatsoever, which may subsequently hamper smooth conduct of the General Elections 2024.”

    It further says that all the licensees, while airing their transmission before General Elections 2024, must be mindful of the fact that no such content/discussion / comment is aired which may create doubts or an impression in the minds of the public about the polls or may sabotage elections through any negative/false news, information or report aired on any satellite TV channel, inadvertently.

    Anchor Person Mohammad Malick took to X (former Twitter) and wrote, “Has Pemra gone absolutely bonkers? media barred from even discussing the possibility of flawed election process by EC. All media outlets & journo orgs must outrightly reject this ridiculous ‘unholy commandment’. this is brazen censorship and must be resisted.”

    Secretary General South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA) Imtiaz Alam said, “Indeed, Election Commission of Pakistan should be respected, but it must earn respect by ensuring even-playing field fo all and transparently conducting electoral process. However, PEMRA order must be rejected. Media must critically evaluate the conduct of elections and ECP.”

  • Sindh government allots 52,000 acres for corporate farming, Geo reports

    Sindh government allots 52,000 acres for corporate farming, Geo reports

    The interim Sindh government has alloted 52,000 acres of state land for corporate cultural farming, disclose official documents.

    As per a report filed by Geo’s Benazir Shah and Rasheed Memon, the caretaker government of Sindh gave ultimate approval last week to allot 52,713 acres of state land for the project, out of which 28,000 acres will be rendered in Khairpur, 10,000 in Mithi, 9,305 in Dadu, 3,408 in Sujawal, 1,000 acres in Thatta, and 1,000 in Badin.

    The land is being allotted under the authority of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC). SIFC is a top military body that was established in June this year to attract foreign investment in the country.

    According to state documents seen by Geo.tv, earlier this year, the chief secretary of Sindh issued a directive to the provincial Land Utilisation Department and the Board of Revenue to explain the availability of land in the province.

    The documents even recommend that the land be leased out to the Pakistani army, insisting that the latter had “well-trained manpower” for the job.

    The minutes of a cabinet meeting in Sindh on December 1st imply that the interim government in Sindh is considering leasing state-owned land to a private company affiliated with the Pakistan military.

    The agenda read: “…approval of a joint venture agreement for the corporate agro-farming initiative in Sindh between the Land Utilization Department and Green Corporate Initiative Pvt Ltd”.