Tag: Prime Minister Imran Khan

  • Faisalabad man refuses to marry daughter into family that praised PM Imran

    Faisalabad man refuses to marry daughter into family that praised PM Imran

    A man in Faisalabad rejected a marriage proposal for his daughter after the other side praised Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan, an undated Urdu newspaper clipping claimed.

    According to the report, the man, namely Hameed of Mamu Kanjan town in Tandlianwala, lost his temper when his potential son-in-law’s family praised the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and PM Imran.

    Done of inflation, Hameed lost his cool when Kamalia’s Ramzan and his wife praised the Imran-led PTI as the two families met to discuss the kids’ engagement, the report said.

    “He [Hameed] kicked the guests out of his house and refused to forge relations with them,” read the clipping.

    A massive loyalty shift has been reported among the supporters of the now ruling PTI as the opposition continues to support people against the government’s economic policies.

    Pakistan’s inflation rate, which was until recently at a record high, was 10.58% for 2019, a 5.5% increase from 2018.

    The premier claimed on Sunday that inflation had currently declined from the level of 2018 when the PTI came to power.

    “The government’s efforts are coming to fruition as both the consumer price index and core inflation had touched lower than the time of government’s formation,” he tweeted.

    “More good news on the economic front. Consumer price index and core inflation are both now lower than when our government was formed,” he said.

    Planning Minister Asad Umar also said on Twitter that inflation during January was down to 5.7% while core inflation was at 5.4%.

    “In July 2018, prior to the PTI government’s formation, CPI [consumer price index] was 5.8% and core inflation was 7.6%,” the minister said in his tweet.

    However, the Economic Survey 2019-20 released by the government as part of the current fiscal year’s budget documents and the current official data of the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) depict a contrary picture about food inflation as the prices of essential items have gone up to between 50% and over 80% in the retail market as compared to prices in 2017-18.

  • PM reveals he was offered money ahead of Senate election

    PM reveals he was offered money ahead of Senate election

    Defending his party’s move to hold the upcoming election of the upper house of the parliament through open ballot, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has spoken of bribes paid to buy loyalties, revealing that he himself had been offered some.

    “Money goes to the very top,” the premier said while speaking to media on Friday.

    According to Dawn, PM Imran claimed that 20 members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly belonging to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) were paid Rs50 million each during the last Senate poll to vote in favour of certain candidates.

    Saying that the parties opposing the amendment aimed at curbing corruption would stand exposed, he added the PTI had expelled the 20 members after they were found guilty of horse-trading by an investigation committee.

    “We also know who is raising money to buy loyalties this time,” he said, without naming anyone.

    He termed the practice “betrayal” with Pakistan because the Senate had a particular “status and role” since it represented the provinces in the federation.

    The premier said it reflected poorly on the kind of people who came to the Senate through money and questioned the ability of such lawmakers to represent their respective provinces. “Apart from that, what kind of democracy is this where legislators sell their vote by taking money?” he asked.

    Acknowledging that his government did not have a two-thirds majority in the lower house, the premier said the ruling party would still try to present the amendment for open ballot in the Senate elections to curb horse-trading.

  • PM thinks election every five years is a ‘tragedy’

    PM thinks election every five years is a ‘tragedy’

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has said that no nation could move forward without long-term planning and it was tragic that governments in Pakistan could not do so due to the general election being held every five years.

    According to The News, the premier, while addressing a function in connection with documentary-drama ‘Paani Ke Pankh‘ on Thursday, termed the 10 years of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) governments from 2008 through 2018 the “decade of darkness, marred by massive corruption, political expediency and inefficiency”.

    “When criminals become country heads, then no country can develop. So, one has to have faith in oneself. There are talented Pakistanis in every field outside Pakistan. The country’s system has to be fixed,” he said.

    “It takes a little time; people should not worry that the change has not come yet. It takes time to change the mindset. It’s tragic that in our country elections are held every five years due to which we do not have a long-term plan,” he continued.

    He said dams were built with a long-term plan and cited China as a country that is becoming the world’s fastest growing economic power and superpower because of long-term planning.

    “When we visited China, they told us what they were going to do in the next 10 to 20 years. No nation can move forward unless it has a long-term plan and thinks ahead. Unfortunately, we have a period of five years. We try to accomplish everything in five years, spend billions of rupees on advertisements and then fight elections on it,” he pointed out.

    Imran believed that this handicap had done a lot of damage to Pakistan.

  • PTI’s Pakistan more corrupt than PML-N’s Pakistan for second consecutive year: Transparency International

    PTI’s Pakistan more corrupt than PML-N’s Pakistan for second consecutive year: Transparency International

    Transparency International (TI) — a Berlin-based international non-governmental organisation combating global corruption — on Thursday released a new report, according to which, the country under the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, for the second consecutive year, has witnessed more corruption than it did in the outgoing year of the former ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

    According to TI’s global report on the 2020 Corruption Perception Index (CPI), while Pakistan’s ranking and CPI score in 2019 dropped from 117 to 120 and from 33 to 32, respectively, the ranking has now fallen down to 123 and CPI score to 31 in 2020.

    The report comes at a time when the Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan-led government boasts of the success of its promised accountability drive against opposition lawmakers and government officials. The same has time and again been termed as “political victimisation” by those on the radar of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

    Before the second consecutive drop, Pakistan witnessed a slight improvement in the 2018 CPI, scoring a point higher than in 2017 but remaining unchanged in the rankings. The country scored 33 out of 100 on the index — one point better than its score of 32 in 2017 and 2016. Its ranking, however, remained unchanged at 117 out of 180 countries, in 2018.

    TI’s annual report on CPI is formulated on the basis of input from 13 international agencies. In the case of Pakistan, however, the assessment of eight agencies is taken into account. These include the World Economic Forum Executive Opinion Survey; the World Bank Country Policy and Institutional Assessment; the World Justice Project Rule of Law Index; the Bertelsmann Stiftung Transformation Index; the Economist Intelligence Unit Country Risk Service; the Global Insight Country Risk Ratings; the IMD World Competitiveness Center World Competitiveness Yearbook Executive Opinion Survey; and the Varieties of Democracy project’s findings.

    Pakistan in the last 11 years had improved its index score from 23 in 2010 to 33 in 2018. However, never in the said time period had Pakistan been assessed to have performed negatively when compared to the previous year, which has now happened twice.

  • GDP growth in 2021: Pakistan likely at par with Nigeria at 1.5%; India at 11.5%, China at 8.1%

    GDP growth in 2021: Pakistan likely at par with Nigeria at 1.5%; India at 11.5%, China at 8.1%

    The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has raised its forecast for global economic growth in 2021 but warned that there was still “extraordinary uncertainty” about the outlook.

    According to the latest World Economic Outlook forecast, the IMF projects global growth at 5.5%, which is higher than their previous forecast in October. Global growth will moderate to 4.2% growth in 2022, the IMF said.

    As per the forecast, Pakistan’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the ongoing year will stand at 1.5% that it shares with Nigeria, while neighbouring India and China are likely to stand at staggering 11.5% and 8.1%, respectively.

    GDP is the total monetary or market value of all the finished goods and services produced within a country’s borders in a specific time period. As a broad measure of overall domestic production, it functions as a comprehensive scorecard of a given country’s economic health.

    Malaysia’s growth is likely to stand at 7%, Turkey: 6%, Spain: 5.9%, France: 5.5%, the United States (US) 5.1%, Indonesia: 4.8%, the United Kingdom (UK): 4.5%, Mexico: 4.3%, Brazil: 3.6%, Canada: 3.6%, Germany: 3.5%, Japan: 3.1%, Russia: 3%, Italy: 3%, while the GDP growth of Saudi Arabia has been predicted to stand at 2.6%.

    The upgrade for this year reflects the positive effects from the start to vaccinations in some countries, additional fiscal support in the US and Japan, and at least a partial return to business and consumer normality as the health crisis wanes.

    “Much now depends on the outcome of this race between a mutating virus and vaccines to end the pandemic, and on the ability of policies to provide effective support until that happens,” said IMF chief economist Gita Gopinath in a blog post accompanying the updated forecast.

    The global economy contracted by 3.5% in 2020, the worst peacetime contraction since the Great Depression of the 1930s, the agency said.

    Close to 90 million people are expected to enter extreme poverty in 2020 and 2021, reversing the trends of the past two decades, the IMF said.

    Altogether, the COVID-19 pandemic will cost the global economy $22 trillion over 2020-2025 relative to pre-pandemic projected levels.

  • ‘Saudi crown prince desperate for patchup with Pakistan while Imran, Gen Bajwa may have moved on,’ claims journalist

    ‘Saudi crown prince desperate for patchup with Pakistan while Imran, Gen Bajwa may have moved on,’ claims journalist

    Anchor Usama Ghazi, among other journalists with a presence on YouTube, has claimed that Saudi Arabia is desperate to improve ties with Pakistan as it needs to get closer to the new Biden administration in the United States (US); however, it seems that the civil and military leadership in Pakistan may have moved on.

    Islamabad recently returned $1 billion to Riyadh as the second instalment of a $3 billion soft loan, as the country reached out to Beijing for a commercial loan to help it offset pressure to repay the last $1 billion in January.

    “Now that Pakistan will no longer be under Saudi pressure but the Kingdom will be fearing missing out on a lot under a new US government; it is trying to improve relations with Pakistan that have suffered blows over the past few months,” Ghazi said in a YouTube video, citing Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s closeness with former US president Donald Trump as a major reason.

    He went on to claim that a new world was being formed with Pakistan, China, Russia, Turkey and even Iran if Biden’s US removes Trump-imposed sanctions on the country.

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    “Saudi Arabia is regretting not outrightly supporting Pakistan on the Kashmir issue against India and seeking back the loan […] but now the ball is in Pakistan’s court,” he said and added that leadership in Pakistan was no longer under any burden. “They have appointed Bilal Akbar as the new envoy [to Saudi Arabia] and Gen (r) Raheel Sharif is already there.”

    While the journalist also mentioned the under-construction Iran–Pakistan gas pipeline and what impact would it have in the new world, it is relevant to note that Ghazi is not the only one to have come forward with such claims regarding alleged Saudi desperation for better ties with Pakistan.

    Senior journalist Irshad Bhatti had earlier claimed that the Saudi government has refused to let former convicted PM Nawaz Sharif, leading to speculations if it was an attempt to appease the Pakistani government.

  • Govt of Pakistan’s official Instagram following one ‘мαиσ вєℓι ??’ besides president, PM, ministers

    Govt of Pakistan’s official Instagram following one ‘мαиσ вєℓι ??’ besides president, PM, ministers

    In what appears to be a rather confusing episode, it has emerged that the official Instagram account of the Pakistani government is following an account titled ‘мαиσ вєℓι ??’, purportedly run by one Maham, among the total 14 accounts it follows, including President Arif Alvi, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan and his teammates.

    While it is not yet confirm who the handler of the account is or why it is followed by the government of Pakistan, netizens seem to be having a field day coming up with theories as to why does the official government handle follows it.

    Among other users followed by the official account are:

    President Arif Alvi

    PM Imran Khan

    Information Minister Shibli Faraz

    Radio Pakistan

    PM’s ex-information aide Asim Saleem Bajwa

    Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad

    Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi

    Foreign Office of Pakistan

    PM’s aide in capacity of Minister of State Zulfi Bukhari

    Ministry of Overseas and Human Resource Development

    Kashmir Committee Chairperson Shehryar Afridi

    PM’s aide on Youth Affairs Usman Dar

    The complete list can be viewed here.

    UPDATE: Later in the day, The Current was informed by sources that someone from the government’s social media team had accidentally followed the account.

    They further said that the Instagram account had now been unfollowed.

  • Opposition concerned over ex-SC judge heading Broadsheet scandal investigation panel

    Opposition concerned over ex-SC judge heading Broadsheet scandal investigation panel

    Two of the country’s major opposition parties, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), have expressed reservations on the investigation panel that is to be headed by former Supreme Court (SC) justice, Azmat Saeed, to investigate the Broadsheet scandal.

    Speaking to a private media outlet on Thursday, senior PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal pointed out that the former SC judge was part of the bench in the Panama Papers case that disqualified then prime minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif.

    “He was later invited by PM Imran Khan to join the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital’s Board of Governors after his retirement.”

    Ahsan also pointed out that during the Musharraf regime, when the asset recovery agreement was signed with Broadsheet, Justice Azmat was part of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

    Meanwhile, PPP Secretary General Nayyer Bukhari said the PTI’s dishonesty had been exposed by the nomination of committee head. “It seems that the government wants to put all the blame on the previous governments.”

    Bukhari said the PPP has reservations on the committee, adding, “it is a sensitive matter which should be investigated in a transparent manner.”

    According to the Supreme Court’s website, Justice Azmat was the anti-graft watchdog’s deputy prosecutor general in Islamabad in the year 2000 for a period of one year and was later appointed NAB special prosecutor in 2001 to prosecute cases before accountability courts at Attock Fort and in Rawalpindi.

    However, it is not clear if the former judge had played a role, if any, in the formulation and signing of the asset recovery agreement and/or its eventual termination.

    It was reported earlier on Thursday that Azmat will lead the inquiry commission to examine the circumstances relating to the Broadsheet agreement and subsequent arbitration proceedings that resulted in substantial loss to the national exchequer.

    The announcement was made by Information Minister Shibli Faraz.

    Science and Technology Minister Fawad Chaudhry also said that “PM Imran Khan has appointed Justice (r) Azmat Saeed as head of the Broadsheet inquiry committee”, adding that the remaining members of the committee would be appointed with Justice (r) Azmat’s consultation.

  • Has Elon Musk trolled Pakistan for ‘no electricity’ while PM plans to meet Tesla executives?

    Has Elon Musk trolled Pakistan for ‘no electricity’ while PM plans to meet Tesla executives?

    With multiple media outlets reporting that Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan will be meeting Tesla executives to discuss investment opportunities in the Pakistani Electric Vehicle (EV) market, the screenshot of a tweet by Tesla Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Elon Musk “mocking” Pakistan has started doing the rounds on social media.

    Tesla Inc is an American EV and clean energy company based in California. Its current products include electric cars, battery energy storage from home to grid-scale, solar panels and solar roof tiles, as well as other related products and services.

    PM Imran is reportedly due to meet Tesla executives as Pakistan announces its plans to promote EVs and India gears up to welcome the Musk-run company.

    However, the news of the premier’s meeting was followed by a screenshot of the tweet wherein Musk had purportedly taken a dig at Pakistan’s power shortage vows.

    “First bring electricity,” read the tweet that seems to be nothing more than a meme since it could not be found on Musk’s Twitter handle.

    As for the PM’s reported plans of meeting Tesla executives, the news came from renowned journalist Sabir Shakir via a video clip shared on Javed Afridi’s social media page.

    In the video, Shakir states that Afridi, who is a key stakeholder in MG Pakistan, has already had a couple of meetings with the officials at Tesla Motors. He said that the world’s largest and most prolific EV maker had already expressed interest in investing in the Pakistani automotive market.

    Pakistan’s new EV policy was introduced by the government late last year, wherein it had announced a number of benefits and incentives for both interested investors in the local EV sector and potential buyers.

    Reports say Afridi has been at the forefront of campaigning for EVs to be made the norm in Pakistan. Additionally, MG is also set to introduce the ZS EV in Pakistan, reportedly in the first quarter of 2021.

  • HRCP concerned over govt’s decision of asking private sector to import COVID-19 vaccine

    HRCP concerned over govt’s decision of asking private sector to import COVID-19 vaccine

    The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has expressed serious concern over the federal government’s decision to ask provinces and the private sector to import the coronavirus vaccine.

    As per the details, with the Cabinet Committee on Procurement of COVID-19 Vaccine briefing Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on efforts being made to engage more pharmaceutical companies for procurement, HRCP has said that the government’s decision in this regard was not the right step.

    “It is the responsibility of the federal government to provide vaccines at heavily subsidised rates to the poor masses which form a majority of the country’s population,” read a statement by the rights watchdog.

    “The people of lower-income groups are struggling hard to survive the unprecedented economic crisis unleashed by misplaced priorities and pro-rich policies of the federal government. The foreign aid received and funding allocated for fighting the pandemic must be used transparently and spent on vaccinating the citizens,” the HRCP said.

    It also expressed concern after reports appearing in the electronic and social media that some of the agents in Karachi had started pre-booking of AstraZeneca vaccine for Rs 20,000 per dose.

    Earlier, the PM was informed that two vaccines had been registered for emergency use and efforts for fast-track registration of more vaccines were under way.

    He was also told that that the vaccine would be available within the first quarter of the current year.