Tag: PTI ministers

  • Hammad Azhar, Murad Saeed among PTI leaders declared ‘Ishtehari’

    Hammad Azhar, Murad Saeed among PTI leaders declared ‘Ishtehari’

    An anti-terrorism court has declared several leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) proclaimed offenders (POs) in three cases related to the May 9 riots.

    The decision was made by Judge Abher Gul Khan in response to separate applications filed by the investigating officers (IOs) of the cases.

    The IOs reported that despite strenuous efforts, the suspects, fearing arrest, had gone into hiding, making their apprehension challenging. Non-bailable arrest warrants had previously been issued against them, but the suspects failed to surrender to the law, prompting the police to request the court to declare them POs.

    Those declared POs in two cases of torching police vehicles near Jinnah House and Sher Pao Bridge are Hammad Azhar, Murad Saeed, Farrukh Habib, Azam Swati, Mian Aslam Iqbal, Hamid Raza, Karamat Khokhar, Khalid Gujjar, Sajjad Ahmad and Zubair Khan Niazi.

    In the third case, which pertains to burning the PML-N office in Model Town, Fawad Chaudhry, Hammad Azhar, Jamshed Iqbal Cheema and his wife Musarrat Cheema, Zubair Khan Niazi, Ghulam Abbas, Farhat Abbas and Hamid Raza had been declared POs.

    The judge also directed the IOs to submit details regarding moveable and immovable assets of the suspects so that proceedings for the attachment of their properties under section 88 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) could be started.

    It is noteworthy that several of these PTI leaders have already been declared POs in other cases related to the May 9 protests, including the attacks on Jinnah House and Askari Tower.

    Hamza Shehbaz wants an exemption

    In a separate legal development, an accountability court issued a notice to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on an application submitted by former chief minister Hamza Shehbaz. Hamza sought permanent exemption from personal appearance in the trial proceedings of the Ramzan Sugar Mills reference.

    Appearing before the court with his lawyer, Hamza Shehbaz’s application prompted the court to direct a NAB prosecutor to submit a reply by January 12. The NAB had reopened the reference, initially closed under defunct amendments to the National Accountability Ordinance 1999, following a Supreme Court decision that struck down those amendments.

    In the Ramzan Sugar Mills reference, NAB alleged that Shehbaz Sharif, then chief minister, and his son Hamza, in abetment and connivance, caused a loss of Rs213 million to the national exchequer by misusing their authority. The allegations revolve around the construction of a drain in Chiniot district primarily for the use of Ramzan Sugar Mills owned by Hamza and his brother Suleman.

  • Murad Saeed successfully escapes arrest

    Murad Saeed successfully escapes arrest

    A police raid on a residence in Peshawar’s Defence Housing Authority (DHA) narrowly missed apprehending former federal minister and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader, Murad Saeed, as confirmed by authorities on Sunday.

    While Saeed managed to slip away, law enforcement officials disclosed that they had successfully detained some of his close associates, including a relative and personal staff members.

    Superintendent of Police (SP) Warsak, Arshad Khan, has revealed that Murad Saeed was purportedly harbored in a residence located in Nasir Bagh, where he received assistance in his escape.

    It was further reported that the relatives of Murad Saeed not only obstructed the police operation but also verbally abused the officers involved in the raid. Shockingly, Saeed managed to flee just minutes before the police’s arrival.

    The trigger for the raid was a tip-off received by the Nasir Bagh police station, suggesting Saeed’s presence at the house of his relative in DHA. The Superintendent of Police (SP) Warsak division, Arshad Khan, confirmed the intelligence and subsequent action taken by the police team.

    The First Information Report (FIR) filed after the incident highlighted Saeed’s alleged involvement in multiple cases, including a violation of Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorist Act. The report also accused the individuals present at the scene, including women, of obstructing the police’s efforts, allowing Saeed an opportunity to flee.

    Additionally, the FIR detailed the recovery of firearms and ammunition from the vehicles seized during the operation. Notably, the owner of the house, Ilyas, along with Mohammad Arsalan, Azizur Rehman, and two women, who were identified as relatives of the former federal minister, faced charges under various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code and the Arms Act, including 506, 353, 186, 216, 148, 149, and 15.

    It is pertinent to mention that there are ongoing cases against Murad Saeed related to incidents that occurred on May 9 and 10. The situation surrounding this case continues to evolve as authorities investigate the circumstances surrounding the alleged escape of the prominent PTI leader.

  • Fawad Chaudhry criticises PTI’s provincial governments for disappointing workers

    Fawad Chaudhry criticises PTI’s provincial governments for disappointing workers

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry criticised the party’s own provincial governments in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for “disappointing party workers” and “not responding befittingly” to the attempted arrest of PTI Chairman Imran Khan, May 25 crackdown, arrest and alleged torture of Shahbaz Gill and other political workers.

    “Let me make it clear to our provincial governments that people did not vote for you so that you become ministers. Be it the attempt to arrest Imran Khan, the events of May 25 or the arrest and torture of Shahbaz Gill and [other] political workers, you have disappointed the workers. Those ruling Islamabad have become goons,” tweeted Fawad.

    Turning his criticism to his own party, Fawad Chaudhry wondered why there has not been any response from the PTI’s provincial governments to the federal government’s “witch-hunt” of Imran Khan.

  • PTI’s Noor Alam wants PM Khan on the Exit Control List, party wants explanation

    PTI’s Noor Alam wants PM Khan on the Exit Control List, party wants explanation

    The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Monday has decided to issue a show-cause notice to one of its members of the National Assembly (NA) Noor Alam Khan and has ordered him to explain why he criticised the current government.

    Federal Defence Minister Pervez Khattak issued a show-cause notice to Noor Alam to clarify his position. 

    Noor Alam had lashed out at the PTI-led government and criticised its policies. The MNA during a session in NA while pointing towards the front rows of the treasury benches, where Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan also sits as leader of the house,  said, “Members who occupy the first three rows are the main culprits of the chaos in the country, so put their names on Exit Control List (ECL) and Pakistan will survive.”  

    “Kindly get out of your aircraft, your land cruisers, and BMWs and see the [miserable] condition of the people,” said Alam, without naming anyone from the government. His words got te attention of the leadership, hence being served the show cause notice.

    Noor Khan taking to Twitter questioned the cause of the notice and said, “I came to know through media that Mr Pervez Khattak has issued show-cause Notice 1st only Imrankhan can issue show-cause notice to me.”

    Alam further tweeted, “I still demand that all 3 front rows names should be in ECL.”

    Speaking during Geo News’ programme “Jirga”, the MNA had said that Pervez Khattak has “no right to issue a show-cause notice to him” as he is “not the chairman of the party”, adding that he had not broken any code of conduct of the party.

    The ruling party’s MNA said that he will raise his voice against inflation and unemployment even if it is considered a “violation”.

    “I don’t care how many show-cause notices are issued against me,” he said.

    Noor further said that he is an elected representative and will highlight issues that he deems important as it is his responsibility.

  • Finance minister says no option but to ask for IMF’s help, NA passes mini-budget

    Finance minister says no option but to ask for IMF’s help, NA passes mini-budget

    The National Assembly (NA) on Thursday passed the Finance (Supplementary) Bill, 2021, termed widely as a “mini-budget”, despite vociferous protests by the Opposition over rejection of their proposed amendments and disagreement over the vote count. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led coalition government bulldozed 16 pieces of legislation.

    The approval of the supplementary finance bill was necessary to ensure Pakistan’s sixth review of the $6 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFE) gets cleared by the IMF’s Executive Board which is scheduled to meet later this month to decide the disbursement of the $1-billion tranche.

    The prime minister, who generally only attends parliamentary sittings at crucial junctures, remained in the house for most of the session’s duration, which lasted until midnight.

    Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and former president Asif Zardari also remained in the assembly for most of the session. They initially left the house after the first vote on the amendment but rushed back to their seats when the speaker ordered another physical vote on the opposition’s demand.

    In the amended bill, the government rolled back its plan to impose additional sales taxes on children’s formula milk, bread, and small cars. It also withdrew the proposal to impose taxes on laptops and computers.

    The government’s amendments to the proposed bill were approved by the NA. The changes include:

    No general sales tax will be imposed on a 200-gram carton of milk.

    A 17 per cent GST will be imposed on formula milk worth Rs500.

    Tax on imported vehicles has been increased from 5 per cent to 12.5 per cent.

    The federal excise duty on all imported vehicles will remain unchanged.

    A 2.5 per cent duty will be charged on locally manufactured 1,300 cc vehicles, which was previously around 5 per cent.

    Duty on locally manufactured 1,300 to 2,000cc cars was also reduced to 5 per cent from 10 per cent.

    A 10 per cent duty will be imposed on locally manufactured cars greater than 2,100 cc.

    No sales tax will be imposed on iodised salt and red chilies.

    Opposition members made an attempt to disrupt proceedings by pointing out quorum, but the chair hastily called for presentation of the bills one after the other, reports Dawn.

    The Opposition also protested the non-laying of Senate recommendations on the finance bill before the house for consideration, with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Ahsan Iqbal terming it an “insult to the Senate”.

    “If you suspend the rules and bulldoze the bill in the darkness of the night, your name will go down in history among those who conspired to sell the country’s economic sovereignty,” he said.

    “Why are we giving an impression that we are doing it on gunpoint,” asked PPP’s Syed Naveed Qamar.

    Bilawal termed the SBP Bill a threat to national security and questioned why the government was making it binding to have only one bank account for defence expenditures. By doing so, he said they were providing an opportunity to world powers to scrutinise the country’s defence budget and its nuclear programme which, he added, could be the next target.

    “Your prime minister has been installed to destroy Pakistan politically and economically,” said Asad Mehmood of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F).

    Shedding light on the criticism regarding the supplementary bill being the “International Monetary Fund (IMF) bill”, Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin said that during the previous government’s tenure, 13 agreements were signed with the Fund.

    “They [the Opposition] are saying that IMF has destroyed the economy of Pakistan, while they went to the IMF in their tenures as well,” he said.

    Tarin further said that the PTI government is being accused of “mortgaging country’s sovereignty”; however, the government was forced to approach the IMF.

    “We had no other option but to ask for IMF’s help,” he reiterated.

    However, Defence Minister Pervez Khattak seemed to lose his patience with the process and, at one point, asked the speaker to ignore the opposition and “bulldoze” the bills through.

  • ECP accepts apologies of PTI’s Azam Swati, Fawad Chaudhry for their disrespectful comments

    ECP accepts apologies of PTI’s Azam Swati, Fawad Chaudhry for their disrespectful comments

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has reportedly accepted the apologies of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Minister for Railways Azam Swati and Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry for their remarks against the election body.

    Swati said that the ECP was responsible for destroying Pakistan’s democracy and it should be set on fire. On the other hand, Chaudhry labelled ECP as the mouthpiece of the Opposition. Both ministers later apologised.

    Swati appeared before the ECP, where he was pardoned and warned to exercise caution in the future.

    While questioning his absence from earlier hearings, the ECP inquired, “You are a busy man, why didn’t you appear in previous hearings?”

    Upon this, Swati remarked that he has always advocated for the independence of the ECP.

    “All the institutions are yours; it is not appropriate to talk bad about them,” the ECP remarked.

    Swati expressed gratitude to the ECP for accepting his apology and stated that the commission will make sound judgments regarding Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

    In September, the ECP had sent notices to the ministers. In November, Chaudhry appeared before the ECP and apologised. Swati did not show up at that time.

  • ‘I am requesting Khan Saab to see how his ministers are making money’: PTI MNA

    ‘I am requesting Khan Saab to see how his ministers are making money’: PTI MNA

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNA Noor Alam Khan heavily criticised his government while speaking on Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’. Alam said, “I have to raise the voice for the people of Pakistan. I don’t care about the political seats, they are temporary.”

    Noor Alam Khan further said that he made certain promises to the people of Pakistan. He reiterated the party manifesto of providing sufficient gas, combating load shedding, and said that people voted for the party for the promises it had made in the past.

    Talking about competence, Noor Khan said, “You have to deliver, people will reject you if you don’t perform. The people who vote for us require good performance and if we don’t deliver, we are the ones to blame. I am sorry if it’s our incompetence, then we will blame Noor Alam, Shahzeb, or some institution for the shortcomings but not ourselves.”

    “The fault and blame will always be directed towards the government, we are the ones who make the policy. [Government] is the provider. Do not pat the ones who curse others and say you did well, pat the ones who serve your people,” said Noor Khan.

    “[PM] Imran Khan should look at the people on his right and left to know about their assets and how they grew their assets,” said the PTI MNA.

    “If he closes his eyes [and condones what is happening around him], it will not set the affairs in order. He will have to solve the problems of inflation, power outages, and gas shortage.”

    “The people around PM Khan report ‘all is good’ to him. But, all is not well today,” he stressed, urging the PM to shove away those who are corrupt.

    “Who says there is no corruption in the country at present? You can deceive [the] masses once or twice. However, when it is the third time, people will reject you,” said Noor Khan.

    “If I vote and forget the people, will I blame others? No one in the party speaks clearly. Everyone is scared.”

    “I am requesting Khan Saab to look around and see how his ministers are making money and assets. How did a person shift from car to land cruiser to later a helicopter? How did one person make additional houses and sugar mills?” questioned Noor Alam.

    Replying to a query about the party tickets, Noor Alam said the PTI did not take anyone on board for tickets and doled them out to the members of the family. “So, what happened [in the LG elections] was an evident outcome,” he said.

    Commenting on a way out for the PTI from its absolute defeat in the LG elections, the PTI leader said the PTI-led government will have to push down the prices of commodities and utilities.

  • PTI’s Ali Zaidi criticises Sindh govt, offers to take over Karachi Zoo

    PTI’s Ali Zaidi criticises Sindh govt, offers to take over Karachi Zoo

    Minister for Maritime Affairs, Ali Haider Zaidi, took to Twitter to express his frustration with the Sindh government over the tragic death of a rare white lion at the Karachi Zoo.

    Karachi Zoo is pathetic. Sindh government has destroyed it as their whole system is marred by corruption,” tweeted Zaidi.

    He further expressed that if the local government is incompetent to administrate the zoo, then the Maritime Affairs Ministry can take over it under one of its port foundations and turn it into top habitat for wildlife.

    Earlier the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) dismissed Khalid Hashmi, the senior director of the Karachi Zoological Garden, from his position. He was replaced by Mansoor Qazi on Thursday, reports Samaa News.

    The proclamation was issued by the Metropolitan Commissioner, Afzal Zaidi. It is reported that Qazi holds the position for the second time.

  • ‘Reduce intake of sugar and bread,’ Ali Amin Gandapur’s response to rising inflation

    ‘Reduce intake of sugar and bread,’ Ali Amin Gandapur’s response to rising inflation

    Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Ali Amin Gandapur, while addressing a gathering in Azad Kashmir said, “Today we say that sugar has become expensive. Can’t we sacrifice a little and reduce the quantity of sugar in our tea and eat less bread?”

    He was referring to the rising inflation in the country.

    “Have we become so selfish that we can not sacrifice a little for our nation? If there is nine per cent inflation, I eat 100 bites of bread, can’t I eat nine fewer bites of the bread and give this sacrifice for my nation?”

    “Now we need to make a decision. Whether we want freedom and a tax-free nation for our children, not the kind where we worry that we have to pay back to America and not be fearful of drone attacks,” said Gandapur.

  • Roads for a truck driver

    Roads for a truck driver

    I am from a country where public transport has been in shambles since the time of dinosaurs. The sitting prime minister of my country won the elections by practically convincing the people that building roads and public transport was not important. So you can well imagine moving around the cities would be some sort of hell for most of us. Being a vehicle owner myself and driving for the past 15 years, I cannot explain the amount of hate I have for driving. But I was always fascinated by the traffic post-midnight that consisted mostly of trucks. It was a different time. A different world altogether. A big giant never-ending trucks, on to a long journey, a journey not particularly entertained by what you call “human companionship”. Probably it is the very lack of human interaction that made truck driving a very fascinating world for me. I couldn’t explore it the way I wanted to because I am a woman stuck in a country where being a woman is your first crime. The rest of the crimes follow automatically but are all committed by others. Despite never truly knowing what it’s like to be a truck driver or their problems, I continued to be fascinated by the expansive and isolated journeys, the tuck shops, tarkay wali chai, and desi breakfast on a chorpoi at some deserted dhaba. Romantic, no?

    This romantic trance was however broken by the movie “Milestone”. A ‘daish-drohi’ (traitor) like myself indulged in Indian cinema at the recommendation of a very dear friend. I didn’t know what I was getting into. “Milestone” reintroduced me to the word ‘melancholy’ in a way that no other tragedy of my life had. I didn’t realise I had that many feelings that I simply refused to acknowledge or feel. I often felt that even the abyss I looked into didn’t reciprocate and I kind of felt unwanted even by the abyss. Till I watched “Milestone”. This movie saw through me like no other thing or person. 

    Ghalib, the protagonist of “Milestone”, plays the role of a truck driver. In the quietest opening scenes of the movie, the resignation in the face of Ghalib, the expansive emptiness of his eyes, and his lingering backache, everything got me hooked to the movie in the first few minutes. Ghalib’s story slowly unrolls and makes the audience acquainted with his loneliness, not only in his personal life but professionally too. His loneliness has been depicted brilliantly through the vast emptiness of the roads, his empty apartment, and his lonely driving duties at night accompanied by nothing but melancholy. The film drops hints here and there about the circumstances of his wife’s death but mostly remains focused on Ghalib’s long journey to nowhere. But even those hints suggest that he blames his aloofness, which made his relationship bitter and then nonexistent. The feeling of homelessness that instills in the opening scenes remains with you throughout the movie. 

    Ghalib, a man of few words, can be witnessed getting further worn down in the movie as a young recruit threatens Ghalib’s job. The young intern was zealous about perfecting the art of truck driving but Ghalib was desperate to save the only enduring relationship he had, which was his relationship with the truck. A lot of people would comment on the commodification of labour class or discuss how capitalism traps you, especially when it comes to the labour class but for me, Ghalib saying: “I do this job because it is who I am. My misery lies in the fact that this is all I am,” was a punch in the gut. This was his entirety of life, a long road, a never-ending journey, the misery of being who he was, and the lingering feeling of being disposable. 

    Director Ivan Ayer has encapsulated the predicament faced by the labour class with so much melancholy. The attention to detail and the long uninterrupted scenes with fewer words keep you going as you explore layers and layers of emotions such as despair, paranoia, and loneliness. Ivan has done a tremendous job in portraying the diminishing value of human life by walking the audience through the protagonist’s life. 

    You might wonder if my fascination ended with the life of truck drivers? I don’t think so. I might never be able to romanticise it again but I have to say that the loneliness it offered was at the same frequency as mine. And I couldn’t thank Ivan enough for making this absolute masterpiece and giving such deep projection to the intricate emotions.