Tag: Prime Minister Imran Khan

  • ‘Being raised in the lap of Jews…still continues,’ Jemima Khan lashes out at Maryam Nawaz

    ‘Being raised in the lap of Jews…still continues,’ Jemima Khan lashes out at Maryam Nawaz

    In a series of comments against the children of leaders, Jemima Khan spoke out against PML-N’s Maryam Nawaz for saying that her children were “being raised in the lap of the Jews”. She said that she left Pakistan 17 years ago, “after a decade of antisemitic attacks by the media and politicians (and weekly death threats and protests outside my house). But still it continues”.

    Her comments came after Maryam Nawaz lashed out at PM Khan for mentioning her son. Commenting on Nawaz Sharif’s grandson Junaid Safdar’s pictures of playing a polo match in London, PM Khan said, “This grandson who is playing polo in Britain […] I’ve met so many Kashmiris in London and Manchester, ask them what kind of person can play polo there.”

    “You need a lot of money to keep a horse and play polo. So tell us where this dear grandson got this money from. It’s your [the people’s] money!” he told the crowd.

    The next day, Maryam addressed his comments about her son in her speech and said, “[Junaid] is now the polo team captain and is increasing Pakistan’s respect [abroad]. [Imran] says ‘that grandson’ is going abroad and playing polo, he doesn’t even spare children,” she jibed. “He says, ‘where did he get the money to play polo’.

    “I didn’t want to bring children into it, but the way you’re talking, you’re going to get a befitting reply,” she said.

    “He’s Nawaz Sharif’s grandson, not Goldsmith’s. He’s Nawaz Sharif’s grandson, he’s not being raised in the lap of Jews,” added Maryam.

    Jemima’s reply to Maryam came after referring to an article on how politicians need to keep children out of politics.

  • Indian government spying on PM Khan through his phone: Report

    Indian government spying on PM Khan through his phone: Report

    The Indian government targeted Prime Minister Imran Khan’s phone for surveillance, reports The Guardian. Analysis of the more than 1,000 mostly Indian phone numbers selected for potential targeting by using Pegasus spyware strongly indicates intelligence agencies within the Indian government were behind the selection.

    Among other numbers identified by the Pegasus Project, the client identified two numbers registered to or once known to have been used by PM Imran Khan. The records also included numbers of known priorities of India’s security agencies, including Kashmiri separatist leaders, Pakistani diplomats, Chinese journalists, Sikh activists, and business people who have known to be the subject of police investigations.

    Narendra Modi’s political rival and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was twice selected as a potential surveillance target in the leaked phone number data, making him one of the dozens of Indian politicians, journalists, activists, and government critics whose numbers were identified as possible targets for the Israeli company’s government clients.

    The phone numbers of over 40 Indian journalists appeared on a leaked list of potential targets for surveillance, and forensic tests have confirmed that some of them were successfully snooped upon by an unidentified agency using Israel’s Pegasus spyware, reported The Wire.

    Forensic tests conducted as part of this project on a small cross-section of phones associated with these numbers revealed clear signs of targeting by Pegasus spyware in 37 phones, of which 10 are Indian.

    Indian ministers, government officials, and Opposition leaders also figure in the list of people whose phones may have been compromised by the spyware, claimed The Wire.

  • Govt to amend NAB laws, PM Khan confirms

    Govt to amend NAB laws, PM Khan confirms

    Prime Minister Imran Khan Thursday assured the Pakistani business community in Tashkent that his government was working on changing the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) laws relating to bureaucrats and businessmen. 

    The prime minister told the entrepreneurs that the present government was committed to removing obstructions in the way of various businesses and industries, including the pharmaceutical industry.

    The premier said the government is facing difficulty in finding quality Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) for government institutions as such experts mostly remain unwilling due to fear of NAB.

    He said that with a change in the NAB law, the government will get quality people from bureaucrats and the business communities. That is why, he said, the NAB law regarding bureaucracy and businessmen is being changed.

    The prime minister’s statement about the amendment in NAB laws comes days after Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin told Geo News in ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’ that the civil bureaucracy is scared of the anti-graft body and the government is working to change the NAB laws.

    “The NAB law will change in a few weeks. The bureaucracy is not working at all because of the NAB,” said Tarin.

    NAB rejected the Finance Minister’s claim. In a statement, NAB said that bureaucrats should not fear the anti-graft watchdog if they are carrying out their jobs in line with the Constitution, as it slammed the “constant propaganda” against the accountability bureau.

    The aim behind the propaganda is to “discredit NAB and discourage the bureaucracy” from doing its job, the anti-graft body said, adding: “Bureaucracy is the backbone of any country; NAB respects the bureaucracy and values ​​its services.”

    “Corruption is the root of all evils. If the bureaucracy acts in accordance with the Constitution, it does not need to be afraid of NAB,” it added.

  • ‘I know  probably more history of Uzbekistan than most people in Uzbekistan’: PM Khan

    ‘I know probably more history of Uzbekistan than most people in Uzbekistan’: PM Khan

    Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday, while speaking to the Pakistan-Uzbekistan Business Forum, said: ” I am a student of history. So I know probably more history of Uzbekistan than most people in Uzbekistan.”

    Twitterati reacted to PM’s comments.

    Zebunnisa Burki wrote, “Our best student of history, making us proud [Clapping emoji inserted ]”

    A Twitter user tweeted, “I know probably more history of humans than humans.”

    Another Twitter user said, “Dear PM you never disappoint us. I love this confidence. Carry on.”

    Another account shared the same video and tweeted: “[PM Khan] knows West better than [the] West. But [PM] doesn’t know about [the] Mafia people sitting in his government.

  • PM Khan assures Chinese counterpart about thorough investigation in Dasu incident

    PM Khan assures Chinese counterpart about thorough investigation in Dasu incident

    Prime Minister Imran Khan has assured Chinese Premier Li Keqiang of making every effort into the Dasu bus incident, in which 12 people were killed, including nine Chinese nationals, reports Geo News.

    In a telephonic conversation, PM Khan offered his condolences over the death of the Chinese nationals.

    “All efforts will be made to investigate the incident,” PM said.

    He further added that the security and protection of Chinese citizens in Pakistan is the government’s top priority.

    Beijing, meanwhile, reacted sharply to the incident by postponing a meeting of the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) scheduled for Friday. The meeting was to be held through a video link, reported Dawn.

    CPEC Authority Chairman Lt Gen (retd) Asim Bajwa announced the postponement of the meeting on Twitter. “JCC-10 meeting on #CPEC which was scheduled to be held on 16th July 21, has been postponed to a later date after Eid. The fresh date will be shared as finalized. Meanwhile, preparations continue,” he said.

    On Thursday, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry took to Twitter and said, “Initial investigations into Dassu incident have now confirmed traces of explosives, terrorism cannot be ruled out,” contradicting the statement by his party’s Foreign Minister.

    “Prime Minister Imran Khan is personally supervising all developments, in this regard Govt is in close coordination with the Chinese embassy we are committed to fighting the menace of terrorism together,” tweeted Fawad.

    Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, on behalf of the government and the people of Pakistan, had expressed sincere condolences to the Chinese side over the heavy Chinese casualties. He said that the preliminary investigation shows that the incident was “an accident and no background of terrorist attacks has been found”.

  • PM Khan informed about a serious rift in his cabinet

    PM Khan informed about a serious rift in his cabinet

    Serious disagreements between cabinet members have led to problems at the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum. Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has been informed about the current rift, reports The News.

    Important facts were brought to light in Geo News Programme, ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’. According to reports, the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum is worried about the interference of Asad Umar and Ali Zaidi.

    Asad Umar, Minister of Planning Commission and Special Initiatives heads the Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCOE), and Ali Zaidi, Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, is its member.

    Reportedly, Special Assistant to PM Khan Tabish Gauhar has lodged a complaint with the premier, pleading that the two cabinet members were interfering in the affairs of the Ministry of Energy.

    Sources say that Hammad and Tabish are in favour of using the full capacity of the existing terminals. However, they are being pressured in the cabinet to sign the Sui South gas pipeline agreement with the new terminals rather than the old Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) terminals.

    Asad Umar gave a tough time to the Energy Ministry for arranging LNG at a higher cost and for the dry docking of the Floating Storage Regasification Unit (FSRU) at the Engro Terminal. 

    The decisions forced the country to face a gas-electricity crisis, subjected the government to the wrath of the Opposition, and triggered a backlash from the masses.

    In the CCOE meeting, Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin, along with Umar and Zaidi, objected to the delayed dry-docking from June 29 to July 5 and why it wasn’t done earlier in 2019. Tarin wanted an inquiry in this regard and ordered Railway Minister Azam Swati to lead the inquiry. Sources have revealed that Tabish was trying to put an end to the inquiry.

    However, Gauhar is currently not attending the CCOE meetings. Sources said that despite protests from Gauhar, the inquiry will go ahead since it is part of the written procedures of the CCOE and has been ratified by the federal government.

    
    
  • US has never asked for military bases within Pakistan,’ says senior western diplomat

    US has never asked for military bases within Pakistan,’ says senior western diplomat

    The United States (US) has “at no stage or at any level even asked” Pakistan for military bases, as its forces depart from Afghanistan, a senior western diplomat has said, reports The News.

    “Nobody in the entire US administration asked for bases, and yet there is so much focus on the issue in Pakistan,” said the official, who was speaking on condition of anonymity because he is not authorised to speak publicly on the subject.

    “The recurring debate and the hashtag ‘Absolutely Not’ campaign in Pakistan has left everyone scratching their heads in Washington,” he said.

    Prime Minister Imran Khan in an interview with Jonathan Swan of HBO Axios, in June, reiterated Pakistan’s stance on the use of military bases and categorically stated that Islamabad will not allow it.

    The prime minister was again asked by the US media for his comments on giving access to the CIA to military bases.

    “Will you allow the American government to have the CIA here in Pakistan to conduct cross-border counter-terrorism missions against Al-Qaeda, ISIS, and the Taliban?” Swan asked the premier.

    “Absolutely not,” PM Khan responded.

    Foreign Minister (FM) Shah Mahmood Qureshi had said earlier that Pakistan wants a stable Afghanistan, but there are some elements who do not want peace in the region.

    The FM had categorically stated that Pakistan has refused to give military bases to the US and added that he had told all the political parties in a briefing that they have no such intention.

    “Search for bases could be their wish. There’s no question of giving them bases, we have to see our interest.”

  • Memes: Where has Nawaz Sharif ‘been’?

    Memes: Where has Nawaz Sharif ‘been’?

    A photoshopped picture of Nawaz Sharif, which was allegedly tweeted by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice president Maryam Nawaz, has led to a meme fest on social media. The tweet has now been deleted.

    Special Assistant to Prime Minister Imran Khan, Dr Shahbaz Gill, shared a screenshot of the deleted tweet that was a combo photo of Maryam and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, reports Dawn.

    The picture on the left shows Maryam, who is leading the party’s election campaign in Azad Kashmir, standing at a picturesque spot in Keran, Neelam Valley and the picture on the right shows her father Nawaz — who has been in the UK since November 2019 — standing at the same exact spot. The tweet reads: “Ties with Kashmir are very old”.

    Twitterati is using the screenshot to create funny memes by inserting Nawaz into far-fetched scenarios.

    Memes with Nawaz in space to his screenshot in Money Heist left everyone laughing.

    So where all has Nawaz ‘been’?

    https://twitter.com/Ch_danishh/status/1414466077929742339
    https://twitter.com/FaisiMalik_/status/1414478684350726145

    Nawaz Sharif also made an appearance in the Euro 2020 final.

    Nawaz was also seen present in a meeting between PM Khan and Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

    A special appearance in PM Imran Khan’s oath-taking ceremony.

    https://twitter.com/ChTanveerashraf/status/1414479664391806981

    Cricket match with the King of memes himself.

    https://twitter.com/Alisaifch150/status/1414471293135642626
  • Operating trains not the functions of Pakistan Railways: Azam Swati

    Operating trains not the functions of Pakistan Railways: Azam Swati

    Railways Minister Azam Khan Swati has said that operating passenger and freight trains are not the functions of the Pakistan Railways since it has no capacity to provide better services, adding that it is actually the function of the private sector, reports Dawn.

    Speaking at the Rawalpindi Railway Station during the inauguration of the Sir Syed Express train, the minister said that Sir Syed Express was being “outsourced” as a “better rate” had been achieved through tendering.

    After outsourcing Sir Syed Express, more passenger trains, as well as freight trains, would be outsourced, he added.

    Swati said that with the outsourcing of the train, one chapter of the mission he had undertaken on the instructions of Prime Minister Imran Khan would be completed.

    Pakistan would build railways for Uzbekistan, he said, adding that Prime Minister Khan would visit the Central Asian country soon.

    Swati expressed his regret at two train accidents that had occurred during his tenure and pledged that the officials responsible for these accidents would be punished.

  • Usman Mirza Case: IG Islamabad briefs PM Khan

    Usman Mirza Case: IG Islamabad briefs PM Khan

     Inspector-General (IG) of Police Islamabad, Qazi Jameel-ur-Rehman, had a meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday and briefed him on the ongoing investigation regarding sexual assault and harassment of a couple by Usman Mirza and his accomplices.

    The IGP is personally monitoring the case after the arrest of Usman Mirza to ensure criminal action, a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office said.

    “The premier was informed that all scientific methods are being used to collect more evidence. The IGP also informed the prime minister about the law and order situation in Islamabad,” the statement said.

    Prime Minister had earlier taken notice of the case and telephoned IG Islamabad and sought details of the incident from him.

    “The police should use all their energies to bring all the accused to justice and share the report with the PM Office,” he added.

    Referring to the suspects, Usman Mirza and his accomplices, PM Khan said such people don’t deserve any concessions.

    Earlier this week, police arrested four people after a video of them holding a couple at gunpoint, forcing them to strip and then beating them up went viral on social media.