Tag: politics-stories

  • VIDEO: ‘Peas being sold for Rs5/kg,’ claims Imran govt

    VIDEO: ‘Peas being sold for Rs5/kg,’ claims Imran govt

    As rising vegetable prices spell misery for people under the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) for Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has claimed that peas are being sold in the market for only Rs5 per kilogram (kg).

    “Another grower, [Federal Minister for Aviation] Ghulam Sarwar Khan Sahab has told [me] that 20kg pea bags are being sold at the rate of Rs5/kg,” she said while addressing a press conference.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    Statement from PM Imran Khan’s aide, who seems to be totally unaware of the persisting sky-high vegetable prices in the country, made headlines a day after the premier’s finance adviser, Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, told reporters that tomatoes were being sold for as low as Rs17 per kg across Karachi.

    “In Karachi, in the sabzi mandi (produce market), tomatoes are being sold for Rs17 per kg”.

    When some of the reporters present at the scene told him that tomatoes were, in fact, being sold at Rs240 per kg, he refuted saying “people were lying”.

    “That’s what is being run on the television,” Imran’s adviser noted, to which one of the reporters said, “But on the TV, it says tomatoes are being sold for Rs240 a kg.”

    Another journalist responded with a fresh personal story, “Sir, I myself bought tomatoes for Rs300 a kg.”

    “Oh but I am agreeing that prices of many commodities need to be controlled. Agriculture [industry] has seasonality,” the PM’s adviser explained, as someone from behind persistently tried to stop the person holding the phone from recording the video.

  • 10,000 jailed inmates like Nawaz, want bail

    10,000 jailed inmates like Nawaz, want bail

    After news of Nawaz Sharif’s relief from the court spread across the country, the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday referred a petition filed for the release of 10,000 sick inmates, like Nawaz Sharif, to Punjab chief secretary.

    Kot Lakhpat jail Lahore, where Nawaz was jailed

    The court asked the chief secretary to decide the plea after hearing the position of the petitioner. The petitioner had submitted that more than 10,000 ailing inmates were in different jails across the country and adequate health facilities and resources were not given to them .

    RELATED: Meat-lover Nawaz unhappy with ‘tasteless’ vegetarian meals in jail: report

    He also stated that since the constitution was equal for all, there should be no special service for Nawaz and if there was, other patients also have the same rights.

  • Azadi March Police Official slits his own throat

    Azadi March Police Official slits his own throat

    A policeman on duty at the Azadi march in Islamabad, slit his own throat with a blade when he was not given permission to go see his sick daughter in Swat.

    Head Constable Khan reportedly attempted to kill himself after his leave was rejected. He had gotten news that his daughter was seriously ill and asked his commanding officer for leave. The officer denied the leave and reportedly told Khan off for asking for leave during such a difficult time in the capital but Khan said that if he was in Swat with his daughter, he could get her the medical help she needed. He asked for leave again but was rejected once again and told that he could not go back to Swat until the Azadi March was over.

    RELATED: Azadi March: Police unhappy with govt over improper food, living conditions

    Upset, Khan went to the bathroom and slit his throat with a shaving blade. His roommates broke into the washroom after hearing him and and rushed him to the hospital. Express Tribune sources claim that although he has been operated on, his condition is still serious.

    A police probe has been initiated to investigate the issue.

    Khan was part of a police team that was called in from Swat to help monitor the Azadi March in Islamabad.

  • Abhinandan back in Pakistan?

    Abhinandan back in Pakistan?

    A life-size statue of Abhinandan, the Indian pilot captured by Pakistan after the Pulwama incident, has been placed in the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Museum.

    Abhinandan’s ammunition, blueprints, uniform have also been placed in the museum.

    The statue stands in a gallery named Operation Swift Retort.

    The move has led to severe criticism from the Indian media.

    Abhinandan’s MiG-21 jet was shot down by a Pakistani fighter after the Balakot attack.

    Meanwhile, visitors are excited to take selfies with the statue and the display.

  • No conditions: Nawaz decides not to leave the country

    No conditions: Nawaz decides not to leave the country

    After the government announced earlier that former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif would be allowed to leave the country on ‘conditional permission’, Nawaz has refused to leave Pakistan.

    Sources claim that a one-and-a-half hour meeting took place between Nawaz and his brother Shahbaz Sharif at Nawaz’s residence where he took this decision.

    Analysts say the only course of action for the Sharifs is to take the case to court but that might take time. Since Nawaz’s doctors have stated that he is in immediate danger and needs to be treated abroad, going to court might be a difficult decision for the family.

    Nawaz’s departure is now unconfirmed and Geo News sources are claiming that an air ambulance has not been called for transporting Nawaz, as previously claimed by the media.

    On the other hand, the cabinet committee will officially announce tomorrow if Nawaz’s name has been taken off the exit control list. The decision will be announced at 10 am Wednesday morning.

  • ‘Will allow Maryam to travel abroad as well if she gets ill,’ says Interior minister

    ‘Will allow Maryam to travel abroad as well if she gets ill,’ says Interior minister

    Interior Minister Ijaz Shah has said that even Maryam Nawaz would be allowed to travel abroad if she was unwell, Geo News reported.

    According to the details, the minister said that there was no difference of opinion in the cabinet over the issue of removing former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s name from the Exit Control List (ECL).

    “Nawaz Sharif is being allowed to go abroad on humanitarian grounds,” Shah said, adding that according to the doctors, former Prime Minister’s health was in critical condition and his treatment was not possible in Pakistan.

    “Nawaz is not going out of the country on a permanent basis. He will return after recovering from illness,” Shah said, dispelling the notion that the PML-N leader was being given relief under a deal.

    He added that all the ministers were in favour of allowing Nawaz to go abroad for treatment.

    Commenting on the ongoing Azadi March, Shah said, “We are giving Maulana Fazlur Rehman so many facilities that he will forget his demand for the prime minister’s resignation.”

    The minister, however, conceded that the JUI-F chief was not going to leave Islamabad anytime soon. “We have given him water, electricity and medical support,” he said, adding that Maulana Fazl had grown fond of Islamabad.

  • Hafeez Sheikh claims tomatoes being sold at Rs17 per Kg

    Hafeez Sheikh claims tomatoes being sold at Rs17 per Kg

    Advisor to Prime Minister (PM) on Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs Abdul Hafeez Sheikh has claimed that tomatoes are being sold at Rs17 per kilogramme, Pakistan Today reported.

    However, the fruit is being sold at as much as Rs320 per kilogramme in the market as reported by citizens who bought groceries from multiple locations in the city on Monday morning.

    Hafeez Sheikh also advised people to buy tomatoes only from the sabzi mandi if they did not wish to splurge on the basic food item.

    When some of the reporters present at the scene told him that tomatoes were, in fact, being sold at Rs240 per kilo, he refuted their comment, saying people were lying.

    Watch Video:

    A journalist said: “Which sabzi mandi, sir?” To which, Dr Sheikh responded: “You go and check it out yourself!”

    Another journalist added: “Is it the sabzi mandi of Islamabad that you’re talking about?”

    Immediately, then, the adviser looked directly at the camera, muttering under his breath, “oh this again,” and everyone behind him laughed.

    “That’s what is being run on the TV,” Dr Sheikh noted, to which one of the reporters said: “But on the TV, it says tomatoes are being sold for Rs240 a kilo.”

    A journalist responded with a fresh personal story: “Sir, I myself bought tomatoes for Rs300 a kilo.”

    “Oh but I am agreeing that prices of many commodities need to be controlled. Agriculture [industry] has seasonality,” the PM’s adviser explained, as someone from behind persistently tries to stop the person holding the phone from recording the video of Dr Sheikh’s comments.

    “There are storage facilities for many things, especially fresh produce, but we don’t have them in our country, so we need to come up with solutions for such problems”, the advisor added.

    Then there’s this thing that if you increase the capacity, then it’s natural that you’d predict beforehand about which things experience seasonal shortage, and, therefore, you can order it prior and store and there would be additional storage cost,” Dr Shiekh said.

    Vendors and hawkers claim that the high prices are not their fault since wholesale prices have shot up significantly.

  • Eat Locust Biryani, says Sindh Minister after Locusts invade Karachi

    Eat Locust Biryani, says Sindh Minister after Locusts invade Karachi

    Can’t beat them, eat them, says Sindh Minister of Agriculture, Ismail Rahu.

    In an interview, Rahu said that the locusts have come all the way to Karachi and citizens must take advantage of their presence by eating them.

    https://twitter.com/zoekhan/status/1193929176035811334?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenews.com.pk%2Flatest%2F553824-invasion-of-grasshoppers-continues-in-karachi

    He said that delicious biryani and karahi can be made using locust meat. They can even be barbequed.

    WATCH: locusts invade Karachi

    Conflicting statements as reports state that the locusts entered Karachi through Malir and damaged crops of vegetables but the minister claimed that the insects do not damage crops.

    The Sindh Government is planning to fumigate the area where the locusts have been seen and the minister has asked people to remain calm since the locusts do not harm humans.

  • Is PM Imran really related to Indian Punjab CM Amarinder Singh?

    Is PM Imran really related to Indian Punjab CM Amarinder Singh?

    Local media reports are headlining that Prime Minister Imran Khan and Indian Punjab’s Chief Minister Amarinder Singh share family ties. But while the two certainly do share history, they are not related.

    According to an official statement issued by Singh’s office, PM Imran and Singh on their five-minute bus ride on the inauguration of the Kartarpur Corridor discovered a ‘special connect’ between their two families even though they had not met each other before and neither did the two know each other personally.

    Read more: Sikhs demand Nobel prize for Imran over Kartarpur opening

    The statement read, “During his conversation with [PM] Imran, Captain Amarinder told the latter that his uncle, Jahangir Khan had played for Patiala, along with Mohd Nisar, Lala Amarnath, fast bowler Amar Singh and the two Ali batsmen (Wazir Ali and Amir Ali).

    “These seven players were part of the team captained by Captain Amarinder’s father, Maharaja Yadvinder Singh (the ruler of the erstwhile Patiala state) in 1934-35, for India and for Patiala.”

    Jahangir was married to PM Imran’s maternal aunt, Mubarak, and was a cricketer during the British Raj era.

    The Congress leader’s office said that the bus ride lasted less than five minutes, but, thanks to cricket, it was enough to break the ice between the two leaders.

    Read more: Sunny Deol praises Pakistan, says he received a lot of love

    The Punjab chief minister was part of the group of over 550 Indian pilgrims who were the first Indians to enter Pakistan through the Kartarpur Corridor.

    Singh shared the bus ride with the premier after he was received by PM Imran and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi at the Zero Point of the International Border of the Kartarpur corridor.

  • VIDEO: PM Imran body shames Firdous Ashiq Awan

    VIDEO: PM Imran body shames Firdous Ashiq Awan

    Prime Minister Imran Khan body-shamed his special assistant for Information and broadcasting, Firdous Ashiq Awan.

    In a video doing the rounds on social media, PM Imran can be seen travelling with a group of government officials including Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq and Punjab Governor Muhammad Sarwar.

    Video shows PM saying “ Bayth jayain. Koi casuality na nah ho jaye”

    While Firdaus Ashiq Awan did not respond but merely smiled. Other members on the shuttle service started laughing.