Tag: PPP

  • PPP agrees to vote for federal budget

    PPP agrees to vote for federal budget

    Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) have agreed on the annual budget being presented in Parliament today, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

    PPP had earlier expressed concerns about the budget, but the publication stated that the party will vote for it to extend its support to PML-N.

    PPP leader Nayyar Bukhari had said the party has yet to decide whether to vote in favor of the budget.

    The matter is now reportedly settled between the top leadership of both parties.  “Despite protest and speeches in the parliament, the PPP will support the passage of the budget,” sources confirmed to ARY.

    However, PML-N has assured PPP of adding some of their proposals to the budget.  

  • How was the performance of 100 days of National Assembly? FAFEN reports details

    How was the performance of 100 days of National Assembly? FAFEN reports details

    The Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) has released a report on the National Assembly’s performance of the first 100 days.

    The report underlines that the legislative process was slow in the first 100 days of the National Assembly. The delay in the formation of standing committees also affected performance.

    In total, the House held 23 meetings covering 66 hours and 33 minutes, 159 (51 per cent) of the existing 310 members of the House actively participated in the meetings, the average attendance of members in the House was 231, the highest was 302 and the lowest was 176.

    The report stated that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attended only two out of 23 sessions of the National Assembly, which is 10 percent, while in the past, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif attended 26 percent and Imran Khan 29 percent of the sessions.

  • PM Shehbaz invites PPP to join extended cabinet

    PM Shehbaz invites PPP to join extended cabinet

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has decided to extend the federal cabinet after the budget and invited Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) once again to join the cabinet, The News reported on Wednesday.

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior political leaders and members of allied parties will be included in the extended cabinet.

    Shehbaz Sharif has started working on enlisting new cabinet members, inviting PPP to join the government to work together for the betterment of the country.

    PML-N has given the task to its senior leader, Ahsan Iqbal. He as already talked to Chief Minister Balochistan, Sarfraz Bugti and PPP’s trusted leader Qamar Zaman Kaira.

    After the elections, PPP decided against becoming part of the cabinet.

    However, the party does hold constitutional and parliamentary posts.

  • PPP promises to make efforts in withdrawal of Punjab defamation law

    PPP promises to make efforts in withdrawal of Punjab defamation law

    Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Central Punjab General Secretary Syed Hassan Murtaza said on Monday that his party will play its role in the “withdrawal” of the controversial Defamation Bill, 2024.

    Murtaza told journalists in Lahore, “PPP was neither taken on board regarding the Punjab defamation law nor budget preparations, adding that the party’s legal team will work on the controversial legislation and will try to convince the provincial government to withdraw the bill.

    Murtaza expressed concerns about the controversial legislation: “PPP was never willing to be part of that legislation.”

    The provincial government planned the foreign visit of Governor Punjab before presenting the controversial bill in the assembly, he clarified, telling journalists about this.

  • After conspiracy allegations, PPP says no hand in dictatorship-style defamation law

    After conspiracy allegations, PPP says no hand in dictatorship-style defamation law

    A day after the highly controversial Punjab defamation bill became law, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Governor Saleem Haider tried to dissociate the party from the legislation, saying the PPP is against the defamation law.

    “I tried to stop the [passage] of the defamation bill as Governor,” he stated while speaking to media in Dubai.

    Interim Punjab Governor Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan signed the bill into law in the absence of Haider while journalists called the move deceiving.

    The Governor, who is currently on leave also added, “I did not sign the bill. However, it will become law automatically after the passing of 15 days.”

    The bill has invited strong criticism from journalists, human rights organisations, and the opposition calling it a “black law.”

    The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) also expressed grave concern over the defamation bill.

  • Governor Punjab urges provincial government to review defamation bill 2024  

    Governor Punjab urges provincial government to review defamation bill 2024  

    Punjab Governor Sardar Salim Khan has called on the provincial government on Thursday to review the controversial Defamation Bill 2024 that the Punjab Assembly approved recently.

    While talking on the Geo News programme Capital Talk, the Governor said that the recently approved bill is not the final word and the provincial government needs to reconsider it.

    He also urged the Punjab government to remove objectionable clauses from the bill.

    Khan stated that he is ready to sit with all stakeholders to solve the issues regarding the bill, as it has sparked a storm in the entire country.

    On Monday, the Punjab Assembly passed the Punjab Defamation Bill 2024 amid a strong and noisy protest by the opposition after it was tabled by Punjab’s Finance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mujtaba Mian Shuja-ur-Rehman despite media bodies’ requests to defer the legislation.

    As per the constitution, the governor can send this bill back to the Punjab Assembly for reconsideration, and if the provincial government approves it again, it becomes law after a specific period of time, even if the governor doesn’t approve it.

  • PPP distances itself from PML-N’s defamation bill 2024

    PPP distances itself from PML-N’s defamation bill 2024

    Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Wednesday decided to distance itself from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on the defamation bill 2024, SAMAA has reported.

    PPP leader Ali Haider Gillani has said that “The PPP was not taken on board over the defamation bill. The PPP has never wanted to become a part of the defamation bill.”

    Gilani said that party lawmakers were absent during the bill’s approval.

    “It was the directive of the party leadership for the lawmakers to remain absent during the bill’s approval,” said Gilani.

    Earlier, a few days ago, the Punjab government had proposed the defamation bill 2024 in the Punjab Assembly, which was criticised by masses across the country.

    Punjab Information Minister, Azma Bukhari, said on Wednesday, while addressing a press conference, that “Now, nobody will be allowed to insult others on social media. The affected person can file an application through the tribunal. The defamation case will have to wrap up within 180 days.”

    “Three proceedings will be held in 21 days,” she said.

    She said, “There is a dire need to end the process of hurling allegations against each other.”

  • Grand dialogue needed to solve country’s problems, says Rana Sanaullah

    Grand dialogue needed to solve country’s problems, says Rana Sanaullah

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana Sanaullah said on Sunday that PML-N is committed to solving all political issues through dialogue, adding that the party is prepared for a comprehensive discussion with all political leaders, Express Tribune reported.

    The PML-N leader also said that we need a thorough discussion with all political parties to create a good and productive political environment for the progress of the country.

    “Unconditional talks were the only way to move forward and address critical challenges,”  he said.

    The Prime Minister’s adviser on political and public affairs maintained that the federal government is trying to convince the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) to join the federal cabinet.

    “In my personal assessment, the PPP will join the cabinet,” Rana Sana added.

    Responding to a question, Sanaullah stated that Nawaz Sharif was likely be elected as the president of the party in the upcoming general council meeting, scheduled for May 28.

  • Big blow to ruling coalition as 27 reserved seats lost in Punjab

    Big blow to ruling coalition as 27 reserved seats lost in Punjab

    The ruling coalition government in Punjab led by PML-N on Friday lost dozens of reserved seats in the provincial assembly when the speaker suspended 24 women and three minority MPAs elected on reserved seats and barred them from joining the house proceedings.

    Most of the suspended members of parliament belonged to PML-N, two to PPP and one each to PML-Q and IPP.

    Speaker Malik Mohammad Ahmed Khan took the decision after the Supreme Court suspended the decision of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) of allocating the reserved seats of SIC to other parties.

    Opposition lawmaker Rana Aftab of PTI-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), during the house proceedings, had raised this issue and then on Friday, the speaker read out the Supreme Court order and gave the ruling that Rana Aftab’s point of order was lawful and suspended the 27 members immediately.

  • Sardar Saleem Hiader takes oath as new governor of Punjab

    Sardar Saleem Hiader takes oath as new governor of Punjab

    Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Sardar Saleem Haider has taken oath as the new Governor of Punjab on Friday at the Governor’s House.

    Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan, Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court (LHC), administered the oath to newly appointed Governor.

    Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Governor Faisal Karim Kundi attended the swearing-in ceremony.

    Last week, president Asif Ali Zardari gave approval for the appointment of Saleem Haider, Faisal Karim Kundi, and Jaffar Khan Mandokhail as governors of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and Balochistan, respectively.