Tag: Prime Minister Imran Khan

  • Foreign Minister Qureshi likely to be replaced by Shireen Mazari as govt, army mend Riyadh ties: report

    Foreign Minister Qureshi likely to be replaced by Shireen Mazari as govt, army mend Riyadh ties: report

    Rumours regarding the removal of Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, ever since his statement regarding ditching Saudi Arabia for Kashmir’s sake, have gone rife in the federal capital as reports claim he is likely to be replaced by Federal Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari amid Islamabad’s attempts to mend ties with Riyadh.

    Qureshi had earlier this month accused the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) of dilly-dallying on the Kashmir issue in remarks that were seen by Riyadh as an attack on its leadership of the organisation.

    “I am once again respectfully telling OIC that a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) is our expectation. If you cannot convene it, then I’ll be compelled to ask Prime Minister Imran Khan to call a meeting of the Islamic countries that are ready to stand with us on the issue of Kashmir and support the oppressed Kashmiris,” Qureshi had said during an interview.

    Days after his statement, as diplomatic strains occur between Islamabad and Riyadh over the Kashmir issue, it was announced by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) that Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa will be visiting Saudi Arabia to discuss regional security issues and Kashmir dispute with the Saudi leadership.

    “Yes, he [Gen Bajwa] is travelling,” the Pakistan Army spokesperson told the foreign media outlet, adding that the visit was pre-planned and “primarily military affairs oriented”.

    However, reports had said that while the two countries are traditionally close and Saudi Arabia in 2018 gave Pakistan a $3 billion loan and $3.2 billion oil credit facility to help its balance of payments crisis, Riyadh is irked by criticism from Islamabad that Saudi Arabia has been lukewarm on the Kashmir territorial dispute, motivating COAS Bajwa’s fence-building visit Sunday.

    Meanwhile, Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari publicly criticised Qureshi, saying his statements had let down both the Kashmiris and PM Imran.

    While her statement was seen as the first step to replace Qureshi in a bid to pacify the Saudis, it suggests that the Imran Khan government is publicly distancing itself from the actions and statements of the incumbent foreign minister.

    If there is any truth to the claims, it won’t be the first time cash-strapped Pakistan will be prioritising relations with Saudi Arabia, as most recently, Islamabad had also pulled out of a Muslim nations’ forum in Malaysia at the last minute on insistence by Riyadh, which saw the gathering as an attempt to challenge its leadership of the OIC.

    Saudia Arabia had already made Pakistan pay back $1 billion two weeks ago, forcing it to borrow from another close ally, China, and Riyadh is yet to respond to Pakistan’s request to extend the oil credit facility.

  • PM praises Islamabad top cop as capital ‘safer city than London, Paris’

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has lauded Islamabad Inspector General (IG) Muhammad Amir Zulfiqar Khan over the ongoing operation against land grabbers and a significant reduction in crime rate in the federal capital, which was also highlighted by a report of the World Crime Index issued by the international organisation, Numbeo, earlier this year.

    According to a statement from Islamabad police, the crime index decreased to 28.63 per cent in 2020 from 32.88 per cent last year. Islamabad was 232nd on the list earlier while it stands at 301 in the recent ranking of most vulnerable cities to crime in the world.

    Its ranking is far better compared to Sydney, Berlin, Moscow, London, Paris and Shanghai, said the report issued after a survey of 374 cities of the world in January.

    While the top cop had back then said that crime rate decreased in the capital as a result of an effective strategy, he has now briefed the premier on the same, after which he has been tasked to continue full-scale operation against the land mafia involved in land grabbing.

    According to Information Minister Shibli Faraz, the police have retrieved 1,537 acre land from grabbers over Rs450 billion in Islamabad.

    In addition to this, the capital has also witnessed a decline in crime up to 15 per cent.

  • Army chief to visit Saudi Arabia days after govt’s oops-a-daisy moment

    Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa will visit Saudi Arabia on Sunday to discuss regional security issues and Kashmir dispute with the Saudi leadership, as diplomatic strains occur between Islamabad and Riyadh over the Kashmir issue.

    Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director-General (DG) Major General Babar Iftikhar confirmed the visit while talking to a foreign news agency on Thursday.

    “Yes, he [Gen Bajwa] is travelling,” the Pakistan Army spokesperson told the foreign media outlet. He added that the visit is pre-planned and “primarily military affairs oriented”.

    During the visit, General Bajwa will have meetings with top Saudi leadership.

    The two countries are traditionally close and Saudi Arabia in 2018 gave Pakistan a $3 billion loan and $3.2 billion oil credit facility to help its balance of payments crisis. But Riyadh is irked by criticism from Islamabad that Saudi Arabia has been lukewarm on the Kashmir territorial dispute, motivating COAS Bajwa’s fence-building visit on Sunday.

    Pakistan has long pressed the Saudi-led Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) to convene a high-level meeting to highlight alleged Indian violations in the part it controls. But the OIC has only held low-level meetings so far.

    “If you cannot convene it, then I will be compelled to ask Prime Minister Imran Khan to call a meeting of the Islamic countries that are ready to stand with us on the issue of Kashmir and support the oppressed Kashmiris,” Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told local media last week. Qureshi’s remarks angered Riyadh.

    Last year, Islamabad had pulled out of a Muslim nations’ forum in Malaysia at the last minute on insistence by Riyadh, which saw the gathering as an attempt to challenge its leadership of the OIC.

    Saudia Arabia had already made Pakistan pay back $1 billion two weeks ago, forcing it to borrow from another close ally, China, and Riyadh is yet to respond to Pakistan’s request to extend the oil credit facility.

  • Safdar for police case against Imran over ‘assassination attempt’ on wife Maryam

    Safdar for police case against Imran over ‘assassination attempt’ on wife Maryam

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and former prime minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif’s son-in-law, Captain (r) Muhammad Safdar, has approached the police seeking the registration of a case against some 100 people, including Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan, for “attempting to assassinate” his wife and party vice president, Maryam Nawaz.

    As per the details, Safdar has submitted at the Chuhang Police Station in Lahore an application seeking the registration of a first information report (FIR) against the premier, his aide on accountability and interior, Mirza Shahzad Akbar; National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (r) Javed Iqbal among others.

    In the petition, Safdar, who was accompanying Maryam for her NAB appearance, claimed that attempts were made to assassinate Maryam at the behest of the accused.

    “Sensing the seriousness of the situation, I drove away [from the NAB office] to save the life of my wife,” he said.

    The petition comes after PML-N supporters and police on Tuesday engaged in violent clashes outside the anti-graft watchdog’s Lahore office, where Maryam had been summoned to respond in a case of alleged illegal transfer of government land.

    While police and the Punjab government claimed that it was a deliberate attempt on the PML-N leader’s part to create anarchy, Maryam accused NAB and police of attacking the party’s workers and pelting stones at her bulletproof car. 

    According to the police, a case against PML-N leaders, including Maryam and Safdar, and as may as 188 workers has been registered at the Chuhang Police Station on NAB’s application.

    MARYAM ATTACKED WITH LASER GUN’:

    While PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb has said if the police fail to book the accused, the party will move the Lahore High Court (LHC), claims regarding the attempt on Maryam’s life have been added to with party stalwart Rana Sanaullah saying that “a laser gun was used”.

    Speaking to a private media outlet, he said the “hidden agenda behind the clash seemed to be an attempt on Maryam’s life”.

    “How can pelting of stones inflict such damage on a bullet-proof vehicle? I think a laser gun was used from some nearby building,” he said.

    THE CASE AGAINST MARYAM:

    According to Geo, NAB has accused Maryam of receiving 200 acres of what was supposed to be government land in Raiwind. Reports claim that the transfer was made during former Lahore deputy commissioner (DC) Noorul Amin Mengal and former Lahore Development Authority (LDA) director general (DG) Ahad Cheema’s tenure.

    NAB had also summoned Mengal along with the LDA officials of that time with records.

    A tract of land, stretching over 3,568 kanals, was bought by the Sharif family in 2013. The largest part of the property, 1,936 kanals, was transferred to the name of Nawaz and Shehbaz Sharif’s mother, Shamim Bibi. The land that was transferred to Maryam from that tract was 1,440 kanals.

    Maryam’s appearance on Tuesday was postponed after NAB told her to return, keeping in view the law and order situation.

  • KYA BOLA? (Aug 11): ‘Usman Buzdar ki tabdeeli’, ‘Wazire azam k ladlay totay’, ‘National Assembly mein classroom wali harkatein’

    KYA BOLA? (Aug 11): ‘Usman Buzdar ki tabdeeli’, ‘Wazire azam k ladlay totay’, ‘National Assembly mein classroom wali harkatein’

    Following are some snippets that stood out from Urdu newspapers on August 11, 2020, which The Current takes no responsibility for.

    ‘Usman Buzdar Ki Tabdeeli’

    It has been reported by Daily Jang that senior journalist and analyst Suhail Warraich has said, “Imran Khan k paas Usman Buzdar ko tabdeel krnay k ilawa koi option nahi.”

    His remarks come at a time when rumours regarding the removal of Punjab chief minister (CM) have gone rife yet again.

    ‘Wazire Azam K Ladlay Totay‘

    In his column, Suhail Warraich has said, “Special assistant to prime minister mein aksar tadaad inn ladlay toton ki hai jo Tehreek-e-Insaf ki siyasi jad-o-jehad mein shaamil naa thay aur naa he unhon ney koi qurbaani di… iss ka bawajood qaabina ka hisa ban bethay… parlimaan k log faisla saazi mein shareek nahi hain magar yeh ghair muntakhib eham tareen mulki faislon mein shareek hotay hain jo k sarasar ghalat riwayat hai.”

    ‘National Assembly Mein Classroom Wali Harkatein’

    According to Daily Jang, PML-N leader and former National Assembly speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has said all lawmakers must play their role in improving the environment of the assembly. “My grandchildren told me, ‘Aap log jo kuch assembly mein kartay ho, hum school k classroom mein kr sakty hain’.”

  • PM launches historic tree plantation campaign with 3.5 million trees in a day

    PM launches historic tree plantation campaign with 3.5 million trees in a day

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has launched the biggest tree plantation campaign in the history of the country, targeting a plantation of around 3.5 million trees in a day across the country.

    Addressing a ceremony in Islamabad, he thanked all those who had participated in Sunday’s campaign.

    He said that Pakistan is among the top ten countries in the world most affected by climate change. “Our wheat production has fallen over the past two years due to climate change and unprecedented rainfall,” the PM said.

    “If we keep continuing on this path, then some of the areas will become deserts,” he said. “It is our responsibility to make the country green for future generations.”

    “The 3.5 million saplings that we have planted today is just the start. This is a constant, ongoing battle, [but] we are not doing this for us. We are doing it for the coming generations,” he further said.

    “This is just the beginning. he said, promising that trees would be planted in empty spaces across cities,” he added.

    The prime minister also urged women to participate. “The women have to participate the most,” he said.

    He added that the nation also had to focus on cleaning the country’s rivers, in addition to making the country green. “So first we have to make the country green by planting trees, but simultaneously we also have to focus on cleanliness and make our rivers clean once again. Planting trees will also help in cleaning our climate and lessening pollution,” he said.

    Earlier, in a tweet, the premier had invited everyone to join him today in planting trees all over Pakistan. He had also asked the parliamentarians, ministers, chief ministers, and Tiger Force volunteers to participate in the biggest tree planting campaign.

    “The target is 35 lakh trees in a day though we will try to exceed it,” the prime minister had said.

  • Coronavirus in Pakistan: A July-August diary

    Since the beginning of July, there has been a decline in new coronavirus cases and the number of recovered patients has also increased. By the time this report was filed, there were 26,834 active COVID-19 cases in the country.

    While Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan, as well as members of his team and other experts, repeatedly urged people to follow social distancing guidelines and standard operating procedures (SOPs) on Eidul Azha in order to avoid a June-like surge in coronavirus cases in the days to come, people were seen flaunting the same not only over the Eid weekend but also during rallies protesting illegal Indian annexation of held Kashmir on August 5.

    It was reported by Gulf News that the upper class of Karachi completely ignored Sindh government directives by sacrificing animals wherever they wished to despite 500 sites being designated by the provincial administration for the purpose. “Residents in the most expensive and posh neighbourhoods of the city were no exception… officials didn’t make any effort to ensure the people followed the law,” the report said.

    Meanwhile, the Punjab government on August 3 announced to lift the smart lockdown two days ahead of the scheduled date. The government announced to lift all restrictions on the third day of Eid because of a “significant” reduction in coronavirus cases.

    While Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar expressed satisfaction over the observance of SOPs on Eidul Azha, Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar announced on Thursday that restrictions on the hospitality and recreational sectors, put in place nearly five months ago to curb the spread of the coronavirus, would be lifted by August 10.

    Dine-in restaurants, parks, cinemas, tourist spots and salons would be re-opened while marriage halls would remain closed at least until September 15 and the decision to re-open educational institutes would be looked into during the first week of September, he said.

    However, just a day after the announcement, Punjab witnessed a sudden increase in the number of new coronavirus cases. The everyday cases that had on an average dropped to below 100 during the past one month after reaching a new high in June, once again increased to around 300.

    Although some medical experts were not perturbed and declared it a routine surge, others believed that it might be a signal for the beginning of the second wave of the outbreak. Punjab reported 277 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 besides five deaths during the last 24 hours against 235 a day earlier, Dawn reported.

    Besides the lifting of lockdown restrictions for the economy’s sake in July, the surge is also being attributed to the fact that next to none social distancing guidelines were followed during the preparations and hosting of seminars and rallies to mark ‘Youme Istehsal [Exploitation Day]’ on the first anniversary of Narendra Modi-led India’s annexation of occupied Kashmir.

    Even though the coronavirus situation in Pakistan is getting better on paper, how the pandemic turns out over the next few days is subject to the behaviour of the masses and the policies of the government.

  • VIDEO: FM Qureshi says Pakistan ready to ‘ditch’ Saudi Arabia for Kashmir’s sake

    In what appears to be a major foreign policy shift for Pakistan, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has asked Saudi Arabia-led Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to stop dragging feet on the convening of a meeting of its Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) on the Kashmir issue.

    “I am once again respectfully telling OIC that a meeting of the CFM is our expectation. If you cannot convene it, then I’ll be compelled to ask Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan to call a meeting of the Islamic countries that are ready to stand with us on the issue of Kashmir and support the oppressed Kashmiris,” he said while speaking to a private media outlet.

    When asked if Pakistan will “move forward” with or without Saudi Arabia, the foreign minister said, “with or without…”. In response to another question, he said Pakistan could not wait any further.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    According to Dawn, Pakistan has been pushing for the foreign ministers’ meeting of the 57-member bloc of Muslim countries, which is the second-largest intergovernmental body after the United Nations (UN), since India annexed occupied Kashmir in August 2019.

    Qureshi had at an earlier presser explained the importance of CFM for Pakistan. He had then said that it was needed to send a clear message from Ummah on the Kashmir issue.

    Although there has been a meeting of the contact group on Kashmir on the sidelines of UN General Assembly session in New York since last August and OIC’s Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission has made statements on the rights abuses in the occupied valley, but no progress could be made towards the CFM meeting.

    A major reason behind the failure to call the foreign ministers’ meeting has been Saudi Arabia’s reluctance to accept Pakistan’s request for one specifically on Kashmir. Riyadh’s support is crucial for any move at the OIC, which is dominated by Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries.

    Qureshi said Pakistan skipped Kuala Lumpur Summit last December on Saudi request and now Pakistani Muslims, who are ready to lay down their lives for the Kingdom, are demanding of Riyadh to “show leadership on the issue”.

    “We have our own sensitivities. You have to realise this. Gulf countries should understand this,” the foreign minister said, adding that he could no more indulge in diplomatic niceties.

    “We cannot stay silent anymore on the sufferings of the Kashmiris,” he said.

  • Pakistan’s fast bowling culture: Even the PM is a paceman

    To understand the culture of fast bowling in Pakistan, look no further than Imran Khan — once a feared quick, and now the country’s prime minister.

    Not all of Pakistan’s pacemen will fly so high, but Prime Minister Imran’s rise underlines a tradition where speed is king, and the blistering pace is essential for any team.

    As if to reinforce the point, Pakistan have eight quicks in their 20-man squad for the three-Test series against England, starting on Wednesday, ready to unleash their trademark pace and swing.

    They carry the baton passed by predecessors such as Khan, left-arm great Wasim Akram and his destructive partner Waqar Younis, the unassuming Aaqib Javed, and Shoaib Akhtar, the feared “Rawalpindi Express” who is considered the fastest bowler in history.

    The current generation includes the precocious Naseem Shah, still only 17, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Wahab Riaz, and the accurate Mohammad Abbas.

    The production line is so consistent that when one player goes, another is ready to take over — as seen in 2010 when Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif, banned for spot-fixing, were replaced by Junaid Khan, Riaz, Mohammad Irfan, Ehsan Adil and Rahat Ali.

    Even Amir’s decision to retire from Tests at just 27 did not slow Pakistan, as Shaheen became the spearhead and Naseem announced himself with a stunning Test hat-trick.

    But the steady emergence of quicks — left-armers, right-armers, even one who is ambidextrous — raises an obvious question: how does Pakistan keep doing it?

    Former fast bowler Sarfaraz Nawaz, regarded as the pioneer of reverse swing in the 1970s, said the factors included Muslim Pakistan’s meaty diet — unlike mainly vegetarian India, once known for its spinners.

    “We are a nation obsessed with fast bowling,” Nawaz told AFP. “We eat meat which strengthens the body, we love wickets clattering and the batsman shivering so it’s natural that we produce fast bowlers.”

    Nawaz passed on his reverse-swing skills to Khan under whose tutelage Wasim and Waqar became “The Two Ws”, a menacing partnership in the 1980s and 1990s.

    Wasim said he followed Imran’s legacy, and that pace bowling matches the Pakistani mentality.

    “I think it’s the culture [to become a fast bowler], especially this generation of Waqar and I and then Akhtar, we all had a role model in Khan,” he said.

    “Generally, when we talk about cricket it’s mostly about the fast bowlers, they get batsmen caught napping. We are aggressive people in nature and that’s what helps.”

    Wasim often holds camps to train emerging fast bowlers, swelling Pakistan’s ranks.

    “When I came, I always wanted to be a fast bowler and then a crop of fast bowlers came, and now we have Naseem, Shaheen, Mohammad Hasnain and Musa Khan who bowl at 140-150 kph (87-93 mph),” he said.

    However, perhaps the most decisive factor is Pakistan’s legion of tape-ball players, who play in parking lots and disused patches of land using tennis balls wrapped in electrical tape to make them heavier, putting the onus on pace rather than spin.

    Lahore Qalandars, a Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise which has been at the forefront of nurturing fast bowlers in recent years, received more than 350,000 applicants for their talent-hunt programme — nearly half of them tape-ball players, including the ambidextrous pace marvel Yasir Jan.

    “We give them a platform in our development programme and send them to Australia to hone their talent,” said head coach Aaqib Javed.

    According to Wasim, fast-bowling is so deeply ingrained that Pakistan’s stocks will never run out.

    “Many natural resources will dry up, but not Pakistan bowling’s reservoirs,” he said. “Our fast bowling future is secure as they follow footsteps and run-ups.”

    The article originally appeared on AFP.

  • Information Ministry gets six top officials from PTI’s digital media cell, reports claim

    Information Ministry gets six top officials from PTI’s digital media cell, reports claim

    Six members of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) digital media cell have been appointed at top positions in the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, a notification issued on Monday by the Establishment Division confirmed.

    According to the Establishment Division’s notification, one officer would be appointed at the Management Pay-II (MP-II) pay scale and five at the MP-III level. The MP-II and MP-III appointments would be equivalent to Grade-21 and Grade-20 civil servant jobs, it added.

    Imran Haider Ghazali was hired at the MP-II scale, whereas Shahbaz Khan, Muhammad Muzammil Hassan, Usman bin Zaheer, Naeem Ahmed Yasin, and Syeda Dhanak Hashmi at the MP-III scale.

    According to reports, following months of candidate assessments and interviews, Imran Ghazali was appointed the general manager of the Digital Media Wing (DMW).

    This March, the federal cabinet approved a supplementary grant of Rs42.791 million ($256,000) for the creation of a DMW, which aims to ostensibly counter fake news that damages the federal government’s repute among social media users. The DMW is meant to help the government formulate its policies on digital media and be helpful in countering the criticism the government is facing due to inflation and high electricity tariff.

    Sources told Profit that the DMW will work as a strategic unit of the Government of Pakistan to provide results-oriented media content, digital public relations, and will give authentic government updates on digital media. As the general manager of the DMW, Ghazali has been tasked with leading a data-driven, growth-oriented team to further the interests of the State of Pakistan locally and internationally.

    “DMW will also be responsible for curating the digital content for official social media assets of the government,” said a source. “It will also be organising and verifying social media accounts of all federal government ministries and will be enhancing their digital media presence.”

    As the founding member of the PTI’s social media team, Ghazali is credited with creating the online presence of Prime Minister Imran Khan and led social media for the political party during the 2013 elections, while working with Starcom Pakistan. The Publicis agency went on to lead the 2018 media strategy that won PTI the elections on a $4.7 million media budget.

    According to an Information Ministry statement in response to media reports that the appointments had been approved without any competition, the recruitment was done according to a procedure approved by Prime Minister Imran Khan for its ‘Digital Media Wing’ back in April 2020. The latest job vacancies, the ministry added, were also advertised in the newspapers as per law.

    It said a total of 76 applications were received for the position of ‘General Manager’, whereas 67 for the ‘Digital Media Consultant’ vacancy. All in all, some 461 people applied to the jobs across seven MP scales, it added.

    The recruitment in the digital media wing were made by a special selection board after it conducted interviews, the ministry noted, adding that a summary of the selected individuals was approved by the Prime Minister on July 20.

    Those who have been hired would be paid Rs75,000 a month, it said. The candidates for the remaining 16 posts had been shortlisted, it added further.

    Meanwhile, Focal Person to PM on Digital Media Dr Arsla Khalid said all successful candidates were top names from digital media industry.

    He went on to say that no other successful candidate than Imran Ghazali was affiliated with the PTI, and even Ghazali, like others was a professional.

    According to sources, Imran Ghazali has 14 years of experience in the industry. He is also one of the pioneers of social media campaigning in Pakistan with over 120,000 followers on his personal accounts. He has been speaking as a social media strategist at various public events and has been consulting various global organisations on digital media.