Tag: Prime Minister

  • PPP MNA raises questions about party’s Punjab chapter

    PPP MNA raises questions about party’s Punjab chapter

    Makhdoom Jamiluzzaman, a Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) affiliated Member of the National Assembly (MNA) has expressed disappointment over his party’s performance in Punjab.

    ‘’Bilawal Bhutto Zardari cannot become Prime Minister (PM) with Sindh votes only,” he said at the ceremony at a local hotel on his father’s 85th birth anniversary.

    ‘’Punjab PPP leaders have been holding essential party positions yet failing to help Bilawal. Therefore, they must step down or be removed,’’ he stated.
    Jamiluzzaman, the son of the late PPP stalwart Amin Fahim observed that the same people vote for Chief Minister (CM) Punjab Marium Nawaz and former Prime Minister Imran Khan—but not for Bilawal Bhutto. He questioned his party ‘’Why do these votes not go to Bilawal? Why is the Punjab PPP sleeping? Why are Punjab people holding important positions?”

    He also hinted at leading a delegation to meet party leadership to reactivate PPP in Punjab.

  • ‘I don’t owe apology to anyone’, Khan responds to DG ISPR

    ‘I don’t owe apology to anyone’, Khan responds to DG ISPR

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founding chairman Imran Khan, who is currently in Adiala jail, turned down the military’s demand to apologise for May 9 riots. He also said that his party had no connection with the violent protests that occurred last year.

    “Why should I tender apology, it should be sought from me,” the imprisoned former prime minister said while talking to journalists in Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail on Wednesday.

    The PTI founder was responding to a question related to Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Tuesday’s press conference, wherein he demanded “those involved in the May 9 violent protests to apologise” and shun politics of “anarchy” before holding any dialogue.

    Earlier last year, when Imran Khan was arrested after the May 9 protests, he told the court that people will react again to my arrest. 

    During a long press conference, the military spokesperson stated that they will not dialogue with those who attacked military installations and disrespected the nation’s martyrs.

  • The cipher was classified, copies to be destroyed within six months, Khan kept it knowingly, without authorisation: Investigation agency tells court

    The cipher was classified, copies to be destroyed within six months, Khan kept it knowingly, without authorisation: Investigation agency tells court

    Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) prosecutor Hamid Ali Shah informed Islamabad High Court (IHC) that former Prime Minister Imran Khan was aware of the sensitivity of the diplomatic cipher but he didn’t protect it. The FIA prosecutor also said that Imran Khan not only kept the copy of cipher without permission but also failed to safeguard it.

    He also said that the main purpose of cipher security is to prevent its circulation to unauthorised individuals.

    Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb heard the petitions of founder Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Monday in the cipher case.  

    “The cipher document is stamped as classified, and its copies are mandated to be destroyed after six months,” the FIA prosecutor explained, and added that even after declassification, stringent measures are in place for its disposal.  

    However, the chief justice asked how the accused will present a defence without a lawyer and what the impact of the accused’s statement will be. In response, the FIA prosecutor said that the defence doesn’t need legal representation under Section 342.

  • ‘Mujhay easy na laina’, Gandapur slams federal govt for not paying KP dues

    ‘Mujhay easy na laina’, Gandapur slams federal govt for not paying KP dues

    Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur criticized the federal Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)-led government on Thursday, threatening that people from his province will march towards Islamabad if the Centre does not pay KP’s dues. 

    While speaking at an event in Peshawar, Gandapur said that “They [centre] are making a mistake by denying the rights of the province.” 

    The chief executive of the province said that he will protest against the federal government, and the people of KP will stand by him.

    “Clear the dues of my province as soon as possible, otherwise no body will even thank you,” he told the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif-led government in Islamabad.

    “I will ask the federal government not to take me easy.”

    The KP chief minister believes that his province deserves its fair share, as the province shares its sources with the country.

  • NAB clears Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, others in LNG reference

    NAB clears Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, others in LNG reference

    The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has cleared former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in the Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) reference on Tuesday. The court declared all other suspects innocent in the same reference.

    Abbasi was arrested by NAB in 2019 for allegedly causing a loss of 21 billion rupees to the national exchequer me

    The NAB inquiry revealed that M/S Engro was awarded the LNG terminal at Karachi Port and contracts for LNG regasification by Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL) through non-transparent practices. Both Abbasi and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif faced accusations of misusing their powers in awarding these LNG contracts.

    Despite inquiries and accusations, Abbasi has maintained his innocence, stating that there were no irregularities in the LNG contract and stating the necessity of LNG exports in 2013.

  • Pakistan, London aur ab China: Nawaz to get medical checkup on personal visit

    Pakistan, London aur ab China: Nawaz to get medical checkup on personal visit

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif will leave for a “personal visit” to China today, as per Geo News.

    PML-N’s internal sources confirmed that the party head is going to China for a medical checkup.

    Party sources also confirmed to Geo that the former prime minister will also hold meetings on development projects in Punjab, adding that the former premier will meet owners of Chinese companies there.

    Nawaz will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.

    This will be the first international visit of Nawaz Sharif since his return to Pakistan in October last year after spending almost four years in self-imposed exile in London.

  • Judges were sent letters possibly containing anthrax: CJ Islamabad High Court

    Judges were sent letters possibly containing anthrax: CJ Islamabad High Court

    The Chief Justice of Islamabad High Court (IHC), Aamer Farooq has made the startling revelation on Tuesday afternoon that judges have been sent suspicious letters possibly containing anthrax spores, leading to a delay in the divisional bench’s hearing of the cipher case.

    The letters were sent by Resham, wife of Waqar Hussain. However, the envelopes were not marked by an address.

    The threatening letters prompted the judges to call on the Islamabad Inspector General of police. A team of experts is now present in the vicinity of the court.

    Reportedly, when the letter was opened, it contained a powder which caused intense burning in the eyes. The staff immediately disinfected their hands with sterilising liquid. A crossbones symbol was also stamped inside the letter.

    The powder has been handed over to the Anti Terrorism department for further investigation.

    Anthrax is a potentially fatal disease caused by the Bacillus Anthracis bacteria. It is commonly found in soil and infects domestic DND wild animals. Dangerous levels of exposure to the spores can cause sepsis in humans, inflammation of the spinal cord and even death if internal hemorrhaging begins.

  • PTI demands full court, rejects ‘like-minded’ judges bench

    PTI demands full court, rejects ‘like-minded’ judges bench

    In an echo to past objections, former ruling party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has rejected the constitution of a seven-member bench led by the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) to investigate the six judges’ letter documenting alleged interference by intelligence agencies in judicial matters.

    At a press conference, former Chief Minister of Gligit-Baltistan Khalid Khurshid along with the party’s central information secretary Raoof Hasan declared that PTI would not accept the legitimacy of the seven-member bench terming it “like-minded judges” that was made at the behest of the CJP to get a decision of their choice.

    He demanded that a full court be constituted to investigate the serious allegations levelled by the six IHC judges and the proceedings should be telecast live. Raoof also added that judges should be allowed to tell their stories in a judicial conference as well.

    He lauded ex-CJP Tasadduq Hussain Jillani’s decision to recuse himself from the inquiry commission and congratulated the legal fraternity for their principled stance. He also commented that the IHC judges demonstrated great courage by writing the letter.

  • Tasadduq passes the buck back to the Supreme Court

    Tasadduq passes the buck back to the Supreme Court

    Former Chief Justice Pakistan Tassaduq Hussain Jillani on April 1 recused himself from heading the “inquiry committee” that was approved by the Federal Cabinet regarding the Islamabad High Court judges’ letter.

    Jillani’s letter was written to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif with the subject “One Man Inquiry Commission.”
    Last week, on Tuesday, six judges of IHC wrote an explosive letter to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) alleging blatant interference of intelligence agencies in judicial matters.

    The very next day, calls for investigations began to gain ground which led to CJP Qazi Faez Isa holding a full court meeting of the Supreme Court judges.

    On Thursday, the PM met with CJP and an inquiry commission was made to probe into the matter. The Federal Cabinet approved and appointed Tassaduq Jillani as the commission head on Saturday.

    However, more than 300 lawyers wrote a joint letter to the Supreme Court urging them to take Suo Moto initiative in the judges’ allegations.

    The Supreme Court on Monday took suo motu notice of the IHC judges’ letter while the former CJP Jillani also refused to head the one-man inquiry commission citing that the letter referenced the top court to intervene so it would be “violative of judicial propriety” for him to inquire into a matter which “may fall within the jurisdiction of a constitutional body which is the SJC or the Supreme Court itself”

  • Civil-military leaders decide on action against corruption, smuggling, power theft

    Civil-military leaders decide on action against corruption, smuggling, power theft

    The civil-military leadership of the country has chosen to take tough measures against anyone engaged in illegal activities like corruption, smuggling, power theft, and criminal gangs.

    The decisions were taken in a high-level meeting — with an agenda of “measures against spectrum of illegal activities and criminal mafias” — chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday attended by civil-military leadership in which measures against unlawful activities were discussed.

    General Syed Asim Munir, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), along with federal cabinet members, chief ministers, and other high-ranking government officials, participated in the important meeting.

    The authorities thoroughly explained the actions taken against criminal mafias, smuggling, hoarding, money laundering, power theft, and repatriation of illegal foreigners to the participants.