Tag: politics latest

  • Four labourers from South Punjab were killed in Turbat Balochistan

    Four labourers from South Punjab were killed in Turbat Balochistan

    Four labourers, along with a police official, have been killed while one has been injured in the Nasirabad area of Turbat, Balochistan, in an attack on a police station by unidentified persons on Tuesday. The authorities have declared the attack terrorist activity.

    All the labourers killed in the attack were from district Muzaffargarh, South Punjab.

    According to police, dead bodies were transferred to the Teaching Hospital in Turbat.

    Caretaker Information Minister Jan Achakzai condemned the incident and said that it was a terrorist attack.

    The killing marks the second incident of targeted attacks on labourers from South Punjab in Balochistan.

    Earlier this month, at least six laborers  from Shujabaad were killed in Turbat city. The labourers were sleeping in an under-construction building when they were attacked.

  • Jail mein Imran Khan ki kaun kaun si khwahish puri hogayi?

    Jail mein Imran Khan ki kaun kaun si khwahish puri hogayi?

    Former Prime Minister and Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, has reportedly had all his desires fulfilled during his time in Adiala Jail, so far.

    A few days ago, the Advocate General of Punjab informed the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that Imran Khan was being provided with facilities under the jail manual. He also talks to his sons who live in the UK via WhatsApp.

    As per sources of Jang newspaper, Imran Khan has been provided with the following: 

    • Space to walk
    • An exercise machine
    • Television
    • Charpoy
    • Mattress
    • Chair
    • Table
    • Newspapers
    • Books
    • Attached bathroom

    It is reported that the exercise machine, weighing approximately 75 kilograms and valued at Rs1 million, is commonly known as a “mini-gym” in the public domain. 

    Additionally, six doctors and three male nurses have been assigned to him.

    In line with the regulations of the central jail, four cells have been allocated for the former PM during the daytime. 

    A “pehra” in jail parlance refers to a set consisting of four cells or silos where four individuals are accommodated. However, for high-profile prisoners, for security reasons, they are kept separate from other inmates. 

    Therefore, a “pehra” comprising four cells was assigned to Imran Khan, which allowed him to have a 40-foot walkway in front of it, meeting his request for more space. Following a court order, the jail administration also removed the inner wall between the cells during noon, granting him permission to walk in the area in front of eight cells.

    Imran Khan also gets Desi Murgh as per his meal requirements.

    The jail authorities facilitate meetings with his family on Tuesdays and meetings with his lawyers on Thursdays. Permission has been granted to Khan’s lawyers to meet Imran Khan on Tuesdays now as well.

  • Imran Khan ‘fears for his safety’ in jail

    Imran Khan ‘fears for his safety’ in jail

    Former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s bail plea was rejected by the Islamabad High Court on Friday in a case involving the leaking of state secrets.

    The court also turned down his petition to cancel the FIR in the cipher case.

    The charges relate to the alleged unauthorized communication of classified information, with potentially severe penalties of death or up to 14 years imprisonment.

    Imran Khan’s defense team argued that the case didn’t align with specific sections of the Official Secrets Act, 1923, and that as a former prime minister, he had constitutional immunity from prosecution.

    However, the prosecution contended that the act applied to all citizens and that his actions had jeopardized national security.

    The court emphasized that the disclosure of the classified document during a political gathering was not within the scope of his duties as prime minister.

    It also noted that only the country’s president and governors possess constitutional immunity while in office, not the prime minister.

    The rejection of Imran Khan’s bail request was due to the seriousness of the allegations and the potential penalties involved.

    Furthermore, concerns were raised about the contested cipher copy remaining in his possession.

    Meanwhile, Imran Khan has expressed fears for his safety, stating concerns that there might be another attempt on his life while he is in jail.

    Police open probe on May 9 events

    An official inquiry into the events of May 9 has been opened by police in three districts of Punjab province against Imran Khan, the chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and Shah Mehmood Qureshi, the deputy chairman of the party.

    The police teams from Kasur and Faisalabad asked specific questions during the initial investigation, but the PTI leaders chose not to answer them.

    Teams from Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, and Kasur police have commenced their interrogations of Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi within Adiala Jail.

    Permission for these interrogations was granted by a court established under the Official Secrets Act.

    The police team from Rawalpindi is expected to return to Adiala Jail in the coming days to interrogate Shah Mehmood Qureshi and the former prime minister.

    Meanwhile, the teams from Faisalabad and Kasur have completed their preliminary investigations, according to jail sources.

    The jail administration has made special arrangements to make these investigations easier.

    As part of ongoing attempts to determine what happened on May 9 and the roles that different people played in those occurrences, investigations are being conducted.

  • Why was Shahid Khaqan Abbasi barred from flying abroad?

    Why was Shahid Khaqan Abbasi barred from flying abroad?

    Former Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi faced a brief hiccup on Friday when he was initially stopped from flying abroad due to his name being on the no-fly list, as per Shahzad Ali of Samaa.

    However, after clarification, he was allowed to proceed with his travel plans to China.

    Mr. Abbasi and his wife were at Islamabad Airport to catch a flight to China when immigration authorities informed him that he was on the stop list based on orders of the Sindh court.

    Consequently, he was told he couldn’t continue his journey and had to return from the airport lounge.

    Eventually, the issue was resolved, and he was permitted to travel.

    When reached for comment, Mr. Abbasi denied any disruption and stated that he had already departed for China.

    Despite attempts to contact the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) immigration authorities for clarification, no response was received.

    Earlier last month, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s son Abdullah Khaqan Abbasi was prevented from leaving the nation at the Islamabad airport by immigration officials.

    On a foreign carrier, flight EK-613, Abdullah Khaqan Abbasi was scheduled to travel for Dubai.

    Due to the fact that Abdullah’s name was on the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) stop list, the FIA immigration officers stopped him.

    Earlier, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s bail had been extended by the Sindh High Court in a case related to an unauthorized appointment at Pakistan State Oil (PSO).

    The court also ordered that Abbasi’s name and those of the other defendants be added to the Exit Control List (ECL).

    The case involved allegations against Abbasi, Arshad Mirza, Imranul Haque, and Yakoob Babar, with the former petroleum secretary also being present during the court hearing.

  • ‘We made a mistake, forgive us’: Khurshid Shah apologises for PPP being part of PDM govt

    ‘We made a mistake, forgive us’: Khurshid Shah apologises for PPP being part of PDM govt

    Senior Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Khurshid Shah has publicly admitted that his party’s decision to join the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) coalition government was a mistake.

    In an interview on Dawn News, Shah sought forgiveness for the move, emphasizing the need for a specific election date.

    “We were there 16 months [in the government]. We made a mistake, forgive us. We committed a mistake,” Shah stated, acknowledging the party’s misstep.

    The PPP leader stated that the past should be left behind and emphasized the need for a specific election date.

    When asked again if the PPP had erred by participating in the previous coalition
    government, Shah reiterated, “I say forgive us, we made a mistake. There, are you content? Now, provide the [election] date.”

    He mentioned that the PPP’s support wasn’t directed at any specific government but rather aimed at upholding democracy and the parliament.

    “We upheld and safeguarded the slogan of ‘vote ko izzat do’ (respect the vote), not the PML-N. Despite that, we say, forgive us, as we were part of the government for 16 months, so please forgive us.

    “It was a mistake, so now announce the elections. What else are we requesting?”

    In response to a query regarding the PPP’s initial congratulatory message to caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar and subsequent accusations of favoritism towards the PML-N, Shah clarified, “The PML-N is part of that [caretaker government], we are not. We could also have joined and secured four ministries, but we realized that by doing so, we might hinder the prospect of timely elections.”

    He further emphasized that the PPP’s primary goal was to ensure elections proceed in accordance with the law and the Constitution.

  • PTI leaders met Maulana Fazlur Rehman in surprise move

    PTI leaders met Maulana Fazlur Rehman in surprise move

    In an unexpected turn of events, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) top leadership, with the approval of PTI chief Imran Khan, met Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Thursday.

    Imran and Fazal were considered arch-foes, targeting each other in the past while addressing political rallies. Maulana Fazlur Rehman was part of coalition government when Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice president Shehbaz Sharif was the prime minister of the country, a political coalition that removed Imran Khan from power.

    Talking to journalists after the meeting in Islamabad, PTI’s senior leader Asad Qaiser said: “Everyone, including the PTI chairman, had approved of this meeting.”

    The former speaker of the National Assembly (NA) also said that, “Today, we came to offer our condolences [over the demise of Fazl’s mother-in-law], this is our culture. We did not discuss politics in the meeting.”

    According to sources in GEO News, the ongoing political situation came under discussion in the hour-long meeting.

    Asad Qaiser, Ali Muhammad Khan, Barrister Muhammad Ali Khan Saif, and Junair Akbar were part of the meeting from PTI’s side.

    After the meeting, the JUI-F chief showed interest in playing a leading role in bringing political stability to the country after discussing things with former senator Muhammad Ali Durrani.

  • Court rejects Khan’s appeal seeking bail, cancellation of FIR in cipher case

    Court rejects Khan’s appeal seeking bail, cancellation of FIR in cipher case

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday has rejected former prime minister Imran Khan’s appeal requesting bail and cancellation of the first information report (FIR) in the cipher case on Friday.

    The verdict, reserved on October 16, was read out by IHC Chief Justice Amir Farooq.

    Khan’s lawyer, Latif Khosa, stated during the last hearing that an FIR against his client should not be registered as the federal cabinet of the former prime minister declassified the cipher.

    Another PTI lawyer, Salman Safdar, said that Section 5 of the Official Secrets Act was not relevant in the cipher case.

    He also mentioned that Section 5 could be applied for sharing sensitive information with foreigners, and this “main ingredient is missing” in the FIR against former prime minister.

    The FIR was registered against PTI’s chairman and the party’s vice chairman, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, for misusing the cipher for their political motives.

  • NAB has ‘no objection’ to revival of Nawaz’s appeals

    NAB has ‘no objection’ to revival of Nawaz’s appeals

    The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has told the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that they have no objection to the reinstatement of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s conviction appeals in the Al-Azizia and Avenfield cases.

    Sharif, who appeared before the IHC, previously sought the restoration of his appeals against the sentences given in the two corruption references.

    NAB informed the division bench, led by Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and comprising Miangul Hasan Aurangzeb, that it held no objections to the revival of Nawaz’s appeals.

    At the outset of the hearing, NAB Prosecutor General Ghulam Qadir Shah said that a reference can only be taken back if it is yet pending a verdict. “We have reviewed these appeals as well as the facts and legalities of both references,” he said.

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) restored PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif’s appeals against his conviction in the Avenfield Apartments and Al-Azizia references.

    The verdict, which was reserved earlier today, was announced by a division bench comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb.

    The bench issued the verdict while hearing Nawaz’s pleas seeking protective bail in the cases and for restoring his appeals against his conviction.

    During the hearing earlier this week, the IHC issued notices to the NAB on Sharif’s request and extended his bail period, as he appeared before the court with surety bonds worth Rs1 million.

    Sharif had been convicted in 2018 in the two corruption cases and had left for London for medical treatment in 2019, returning to Pakistan on October 21 after nearly four years in self-imposed exile.

    Following his appearance before the IHC, the Punjab government invoked Section 401 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) to suspend Sharif’s sentence in the Al-Azizia reference.

    On the same day, the PML-N leader was granted bail from an accountability court in Islamabad in the Toshakhana case against him.

    Sharif’s legal saga has been ongoing since 2018 when he was convicted in the Avenfield case, followed by the Al-Azizia case later that year.

    Despite being granted bail by the IHC in 2019, he remained abroad for medical treatment, leading to his declaration as a proclaimed offender by both the IHC and the accountability court.

    In a judgment in June 2021, the IHC rejected Sharif’s appeals due to his continuous absence from court proceedings.

    The court stated that as Sharif was a fugitive, he had lost his right to present his case before the court, leading to the dismissal of his appeal.

    On October 19, 2023, both the IHC and the accountability court provided Sharif with protective bail until October 24, 2023.

  • Jahangir Tareen ki party mein kaun kaun shaamil?

    Jahangir Tareen ki party mein kaun kaun shaamil?

    Senior politician Andleeb Abbas, along with two other former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) women MPAs joined the ranks of the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) on Tuesday. 

    In a significant show of support, the IPP patron-in-chief Jahangir Khan Tareen met the trio of former women MPAs, where they officially severed ties with PTI and pledged their allegiance to the IPP.

    Flanked by IPP Information Secretary Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, Andleeb Abbas said: “The IPP will make a strong Pakistan. We have a cause to follow, which is above a party and an individual. We have joined the IPP for a cause.”

    Sadia Sohail said: “We are sitting here together for Pakistan. May 9 should not have happened. All institutions should be respected.”

    Sumaira Bokhari said nothing was more important than Pakistan. When asked why they chose to join hands with Tareen and Aleem Khan who [allegedly] represent mafias in the country and their reason to quit the PTI, the trio chose not to respond to any of these queries.

    A group of leaders from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in Balochistan also aligned themselves with the IPP. 

    PML-N Balochistan vice president Jaleel Ahmed Khan Musakhel, and his associates met IPP President Abdul Aleem Khan in Lahore to solidify their transition.

    Expressing his thoughts on the occasion, Aleem Khan said, “We want to see more progress in the small provinces. Apart from Punjab, the key political personalities from the other provinces are also joining the IPP.’’

    “The masses are upset by the traditional politics practiced by the PML-N, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), and PTI,’’ Aleem Khan added.  

    The IPP’s momentum further gained strength as Pashtun Social Community (PSC) Punjab President Muhammad Sher Khan officially announced his decision to join the party on October 17. 

    The development came after Sher Khan held a meeting with IPP General Secretary Mian Khalid Mehmood.

    Khalid Mehmood welcomed Sher Khan by presenting a party scarf to the latter.

  • Vote register karwaayein October 28 tak

    Vote register karwaayein October 28 tak

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday extended the deadline for the voter registration and information update from October 25 to October 28 (Saturday).

    The decision was made during a meeting chaired by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja.

    CEC Raja called upon the general public to utilise this final opportunity to ensure their registration, transfers, exclusions, and vote accuracy by October 28.

    How to register your vote:

    You can submit your application along with a copy of CNIC to the District Election Commissioner (DEC) or Registration Officer or Assistant Registration Officer of the district where you want to get your name enrolled.

    The prescribed Form (Enrolment / Transfer of Vote) is available online at the ECP website or it can be obtained free of cost from the office of the District Election Commissioner or Registration Officer or Assistant Registration Officer or Display Centre Incharge.

    How to check the details of your vote registration:

    Please type your CNIC without Hyphen (-) and spaces on your mobile and send it to 8300.

    After sending an SMS to 8300, an automated response will be generated, furnishing information such as the name of the electoral area, block code, and serial number.

    Each registered voter has the option to verify their details by visiting the District Election Commissioner’s (DEC) office in their respective area, where the complete electoral roll is accessible.

    How to transfer your vote

    There are two ways to transfer your vote:

    1. Visit the NADRA office and renew or modify your CNIC and ensure that the option to transfer your vote either at a temporary or permanent address is marked properly.
    2. Visit the office of the DEC Concerned and submit Form-21 (Click here to download Form-21). You can also submit the same form to the Form Submission Centers at the tehsil level. (Click here to check the list of Form Submission Centres).

    Eligibility to be a voter:

    A person shall be entitled to be enrolled as a voter in an electoral area if he—

    (a) is a citizen of Pakistan;

    (b) is not less than 18 years of age;

    (c) possesses a National Identity Card issued by the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) at any time till the last day fixed for inviting claims, objections and applications for preparation, revision or correction of electoral rolls;

    (d) is not declared by a competent court to be of unsound mind; and

    (e) is or is deemed under section 27 to be resident in the electoral area.

    Explanation: The National Identity Card issued by the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) shall be deemed to be valid for the purpose of registration as a voter or for casting vote in an election, notwithstanding the expiry of its validity period.