Tag: President Arif Alvi

  • President, PM extend their wishes to the Christian community on Christmas

    President, PM extend their wishes to the Christian community on Christmas

    President of Pakistan Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan have greeted the christian community on the occasion of Christmas.

    President and Prime Minister in separate messages, have assured that the government will continue to safeguard rights and privileges of all minorities living in the country, Radio Pakistan has reported.

    They also commended sincere and invaluable services rendered by the Christian community in the fields of defence, education, health as well as economic development of the country.

    They said that the government will empower the minorities to use their abilities for national development

  • Universal Children’s Day: President, PM share messages

    Universal Children’s Day: President, PM share messages

    World Children’s Day is being celebrated today around the world. President Dr. Arif Alvi on the occasion of Children’s day has said that the government Is striving to ensure that every child receives quality education and healthcare and none of them is discriminated on the basis of his or her ethnicity, religion or gender, Radio Pakistan has reported.

    He further said the government remains committed to protecting every child from poverty, violence, and abuse.

    Prime Minister Imran Khan in a separate message said the government is determined to ensure that every child’s rights, including development, education, healthcare, participation, dignity and security are upheld.

    PM Khan said that in order to ensure protection of children’s rights, the government established “National Commission of the Rights of Child” and the “Zainab Alert Response and Recovery Agency”.

    He said that Child Protection Institutes are being established and various legislations are being introduced to eliminate child labour.

    Thirty buildings across Pakistan will be turned blue to mark Children’s Day. The initiative has been taken by UNICEF Pakistan in collaboration with Ministry of Human Rights of Pakistan. Pakistan has set a world record in the number of buildings turning blue on November 20 since 2019. Since 2018, buildings, monuments and landmarks across the world have turned blue to mark World Children’s Day as part of a global initiative led by UNICEF.

    As per social research company, Pulse Consultant, there are 92 million children in Pakistan below the age of 14 years. There are 26.5 million children within the age group of 1 to 4 years, and 26.7 million within the age group of 5 to 8 years

  • ‘Kaptaan bhaag gaya’: Opposition criticises govt for postponing joint Parliament session

    ‘Kaptaan bhaag gaya’: Opposition criticises govt for postponing joint Parliament session

    Opposition Leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari termed the government’s decision of postponing the joint Parliament session as their victory.

    “Imran Niazi should resign after it was clearly exposed that he had lost the trust of his members and allies,” said Shehbaz.

    “The hasty convening of the joint meeting and then the hasty adjournment shows the seriousness of the government that had made sensitive and serious issues like legislation a child’s play,” he said.

    “Those claiming to compete on the field have fled the field,” he said. Shehbaz Sharif said that the postponement of the joint session of the Parliament proves that the government has confirmed its defeat on the legislation of “black laws.”

    Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said on Wednesday that the government postponed the Parliament’s joint session as it had “foreseen its defeat”.

    Taking to Twitter, Bilawal said “Kaptaan bhag gaya” (the captain ran away), sharing President Arif Alvi’s notification for the postponement of the session.

    “Yet another victory for the United Opposition in the Parliament today. Government ran away from joint sessions when they saw they would be defeated yet again. Kaptaan Bagh[sic] gaya,” tweeted Bilawal.

    Federal Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry took to Twitter and announced that the joint parliamentary session, which was earlier called by President Dr Arif Alvi on Thursday (November 11) has been postponed.

  • Authority to remove NAB chairman taken back from SJC, given to president

    Authority to remove NAB chairman taken back from SJC, given to president

    The power to remove the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman from office has been withdrawn from the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) and given to the president, as per the National Accountability (Third Amendment) Ordinance, 2021, which has been approved by President Arif Alvi, reports Geo News.

    The NAB chairman’s tenure, as per the new ordinance, will be of four years. The criteria for the removal of a NAB chairman will be the same as the one for the removal of a Supreme Court judge, according to the new Ordinance.

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif criticised the new Ordinance and said that the government had spared no efforts to push the Opposition to the wall. He claimed that the government had introduced a new NAB ordinance to give itself National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO).

  • President Alvi takes notice of prescribing ‘unnecessary medications’

    President Alvi takes notice of prescribing ‘unnecessary medications’

    President of Pakistan Dr Arif Alvi has reportedly taken notice of the unnecessary sale of medicines.

    He asked about the priority of doctors, whether it was the sale of medicines or the health of their patients. 

    Vice-Chancellor of Health Services Academy Dr Shehzad Ali Khan said that the president shared a prescription on which a total of 21 medicines were written.

    Drug Regulatory Authority Of Pakistan (DRAP) officials also believe that it has been observed how in a single prescription, an average of 25 to 30 medicines are prescribed. President Alvi has asked for a plan to control the unnecessary sale of medicines by October 21.

  • ‘Unilateral decision to offer amnesty to TTP an insult to victims of terrorism’: Bilawal Bhutto

    ‘Unilateral decision to offer amnesty to TTP an insult to victims of terrorism’: Bilawal Bhutto

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Friday took to Twitter to express his disapproval of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government for offering to pardon Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) members if they renounce violence and respect the nation’s Constitution.

    Bilawal tweeted, “The unilateral decision to offer amnesty to terrorist groups within Pakistan is an insult to the thousands of victims of terrorism.”

    “Imran’s policy of appeasement to religious fascism within Pakistan as well as on our eastern & western borders will haunt us in-times to come,” added Bilawal.

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader, Khurram Dastgir Khan, while speaking on Dawn News programme “News Eye”, said, “It is shameful and reprehensible of the President and the Foreign Minister to hint at a general amnesty for the TTP.”

    “Terrorists in Pakistan have martyred children, women, the elderly, young and our soldiers. We cannot forget this,” said Dastgir.

    Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in an interview with The Independent said that the government would be “open to giving” a pardon to members of the banned TTP if they promise not to get involved in terrorism and follow the Constitution of Pakistan.

    The minister’s comments came after President Arif Alvi said, if anyone wants to leave the ideology of the banned TTP and work as per the Constitution of Pakistan, the government may consider a general amnesty.

  • ‘Pakistan open to pardoning banned TTP’: Shah Mahmood Qureshi

    ‘Pakistan open to pardoning banned TTP’: Shah Mahmood Qureshi

    Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in an interview with The Independent has said that the government would be “open to giving” a pardon to members of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) if they promise not to get involved in terrorism and follow the Constitution of Pakistan.

    Qureshi said Pakistan was concerned about the reports of TTP figures being released from prisons in the wake of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.

    “If those guys come and start creating problems for us over here, it will affect innocent lives and we don’t want that,” he said while referring to the TTP.

    Qureshi added, “If [the TTP] are willing to mend fences and not take the law into their hands and not get involved in terrorist activities and they submit and surrender to the writ of the government and the Constitution of Pakistan, we are even open to giving them a pardon.”

    “But as long as they do not come and start undertaking terrorist activities [in Pakistan]. That is our concern,” the minister stressed.

    The minister’s comments come days after President Arif Alvi while speaking on Dawn News programme, ‘Khabar se Khabar’, said, if anyone wants to leave the ideology of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and work as per the Constitution of Pakistan, the government may consider a general amnesty.

  • Defence Day: Pakistani leaders pay tribute to martyrs

    Defence Day: Pakistani leaders pay tribute to martyrs

    Pakistan paid a befitting tribute to the country’s armed forces, as it observed Defence Day with traditional spirit and enthusiasm.

    This year’s Defence and Martyrs’ Day theme is “Our martyrs our pride, a salute to all the relatives belonging to Ghazis and Shaheeds.”

    The day began with a 31-gun salute in Islamabad and a 21-gun salute in the provincial capitals.

    In his message on Defence Day, President Arif Alvi vowed that Pakistan would never compromise its integrity.

    “Today we are actively fighting a hybrid war being waged against us. I commend the security agencies for their relentless efforts towards exposing the enemy carrying out covert activities,” he added.

    “We stand by the people of Kashmir in their just struggle for the right to self-determination guaranteed under the UN Security Council resolutions,” said the president.

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan also paid tribute to the brave soldiers of the Pakistan Army. “The Armed Forces must fight the enemy with unparalleled fearlessness in the world. Our brave officers, soldiers, pilots, and sailors have proved to the world that they are always ready to defend every inch of the homeland. Even if they have to pay a price for it.”

    Stressing the need for peace, PM Khan wrote, “On this occasion, I want to make it clear once again that our desire for peace should never be seen as our weakness, but should be answered in the same positive way for the prosperity and betterment of the people of the region.”

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif took to Twitter and said, “Today the people & armed forces of Pakistan came together to defend their motherland against the Indian military aggression.”

    “We will always remember the sacrifices of our brave soldiers!”

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said that the sacrifices of the martyrs, the unwavering determination of the soldiers, and the invincible unity of the people of Pakistan is our strength and the guarantee of our bright future.

    Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry, paying a tribute to the families of our martyrs, tweeted, “Today, in the names of martyrs.”

    Minister for Human Rights, Shireen Mazari tweeted, “Today is a day to remember & pay our respects to our martyrs esp the soldiers for whom there’s not to reason why and the families they leave behind.”

    PPP leader Sherry Rehman tweeted, “On this #DefenceDay, we pay tribute to our valiant heroes who sacrificed their lives to protect our country and people. We forever owe their families a forever debt.”

  • ‘Ready with my boat’: President Alvi eager to save Islamabad after floods

    ‘Ready with my boat’: President Alvi eager to save Islamabad after floods

    After the heavy downpour in the capital leading to urban flooding, President Arif Alvi extended his concern for the people of Islamabad.

    Taking to Twitter, Alvi tweeted, “I am confident that Islamabad’s administration are doing their job well but if need be, I am ready with my boat.”

    He was responding to a tweet where Alvi can be seen rowing a boat in Karachi in 2017 when he was an MNA.

    Twitterati extended support to the president.

    A Twitter user wrote, “He is following the steps of Ex-Chief Minister (CM) of Punjab.

    Our President is also a ‘memer’.

    Following two deaths and widespread flooding in the federal capital, Islamabad Commissioner Amir Ahmed has ordered a probe in this regard.

    Meanwhile, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) said all officers and employees have been asked to remain on high alert for the next week in light of the heavy downpour.

  • Did President Alvi call Noor Mukadam’s murder an ‘isolated incident’?

    President of Pakistan Dr Arif Alvi took to Twitter yesterday to condemn the video of a man who forced a Hindu worker of the Thar coal project to mock and hurl abuse at his religious deities.

    Three tweets were sent from the official handle of the President of Pakistan to condemn the act, but one of his tweets was taken out of context by many social media users.

    “Our society should remain alert. Such isolated ugly incidents are used to give a bad name to the country. I condemn it and I assure all citizens that we in Riasat-e-Madina cannot and will not allow this to happen.”

    This tweet was widely shared by social media users in the context of Noor Mukadam’s case and in the context of rising violence against women in the country.

    Have a look at some of the tweets:

    https://twitter.com/sunstrawberryy/status/1420156234376826883
    https://twitter.com/icarusdress/status/1420130497854943236
    https://twitter.com/peshuntzero/status/1420103357725880320
    https://twitter.com/its_AN1/status/1420133764680851457

    President Alvi then took to his personal Twitter account to clarify the context of the tweet.

    The man was arrested by the Sindh police from District Badin.

    Spokesperson Sindh government Murtaza Wahab tweeted that he had been arrested:

    President of Pakistan’s Twitter handle tweeted that the man was arrested after President Alvi took notice of the incident.