Tag: PTI

  • ‘Important decisions are made without us knowing’, Fawad loses it during TV interview

    ‘Important decisions are made without us knowing’, Fawad loses it during TV interview

    Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry, who was sacked by Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan as the information minister in April, has broken silence on the alleged rift widening within the government.

    “At times, some important decisions are taken and we don’t even know. I still believe that we have some political weaknesses in decision-making,” he said during an interview to a private media outlet.

    Earlier, sources had informed The Current that tensions are about to reach the boiling point within the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) as a cold war continues between elected and non-elected people in the government.

    Fawad too was replaced by non-elected Firdous Ashiq Awan, who was handed the reins of the Information Ministry in the capacity of special assistant to the PM (SAPM) on information and broadcasting.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    The former information minister, however, wasn’t the only one to be sacked as part of the major cabinet reshuffle. The then finance minister Asad Umar was also replaced by another non-elected member, SAPM for Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh.

    Hinting at the war going on within the ruling party, Fawad said that “non-elected people had the power to change portfolios of ministers”.

    “As I have maintained before, there were too many people trying to manage it [Information Ministry],” he said and added that one can’t do much when so many people are involved.

    “Your real strength is the parliament and the elected people, and you cannot leave them,” Fawad said. “You’re not going to redo the party and hand it over to those who have not even been a councillor.”

  • PM Imran’s nephew, journalist survive gun attack ‘by PTI minister’s goons’

    PM Imran’s nephew, journalist survive gun attack ‘by PTI minister’s goons’

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s nephew and reporter of a private media outlet have escaped in Lahore a gun attack “by the goons of a minister of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)”.

    As per the details, lawyer Hassaan Khan Niazi and journalist Rai Saqib Kharral were attacked in the Gullo Kot area of the provincial capital, where Darul Hikmat (DuH), a Christian education centre, has been illegally occupied by land mafia.

    “At least four shots were fired at us as we reached the charity school to meet the person in charge,” Hassaan Khan told The Current, alleging that the attackers are related to a Punjab minister.

    “Norez, one of the people responsible for the attack, is a provincial minister’s son-in-law,” he said further.

    CM TAKES NOTICE:

    Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar has taken notice of the incident and illegal occupation of the school.

    According to a private media outlet, CM Inspection Team Chairman Malik Asad Khokhar has sought a report from the Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO).

    Owned by the Darul Hikmat Trust, the community school was established in 1986 and houses hostels for both boys and girl, besides multiple lawns as well as a football ground.

    The administrative affairs of the institute are now being run by the minister’s relatives.

    Meanwhile, several deserving students from nearby localities who were studying at the institution have started leaving the school amid the catastrophic situation that’s prevailing there.

    No official version of the incident had been released by the time this report was filed.

  • Imran Khan’s role in Indian elections; dinner with Modi?

    Imran Khan’s role in Indian elections; dinner with Modi?

    An image has been shared multiple times on social media alongside the claim it shows Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi dining with his Pakistani counterpart, Imran Khan.

    The claim is false as PM Imran’s photo has been doctored to make it appear as though Modi is sitting beside him, reported AFP Fact Check, a blog that focuses on fact-checking in response to the multiplication of disinformation online.

    The post’s Hindi language caption translates to English as:
    “The one with the green cap looks a little familiar.”

    Meanwhile, another picture breaking the internet showed Indian National Congress chief Rahul Gandhi in Modi’s place.

    The Hindi language caption of that image translates to
    English as: “Who is this eating chicken biryani beside Miya Imran? Now the
    people will judge. This is Pappu’s condition.”

    Miya is an honorific for Muslim males, while Rahul Gandhi is
    often referred to as “Pappu” – which means “fool” or
    “simpleton” in Hindi – by supporters of the ruling Bharatiya Janata
    Party (BJP).

    A reverse image search on Google found the image was doctored from this photo, which was posted on Twitter on July 5, 2015. The photo shows PM Imran dining with his then-wife Reham Khan.

    Modi’s BJP has been accusing the Congress of playing for Pakistan.
    It has even claimed that Islamabad “wants to fix the polling results in favour
    of Congress”.

    Things, however, took an unexpected turn after PM Imran said
    there was better chance of peace between the neighbouring countries if
    hardliner BJP was elected to power.

    The statement was not very well received by a majority of
    people right before the general polls in world’s largest democracy. Congress said
    Pakistan had “now officially allied” with Modi and voting for him was “a vote
    for Imran Khan”.

    Seeking votes in national defence’s name and aggression towards Pakistan ahead of elections is not new to Indian politicians. The outcome of the 2019 general polls will also give a verdict on Modi’s hyper-Hindu nationalism that raised his nationalist BJP to power in 2014.

  • Three times Punjab Assembly passed rather ‘interesting’ resolutions

    Three times Punjab Assembly passed rather ‘interesting’ resolutions

    A resolution seeking ban on celebrities hosting Ramzan transmissions has been accepted by the Punjab Assembly.

    The resolution, tabled by a Pakistan Rahe Haq Party lawmaker, states the “unfortunate practice afflicts the spirits of millions of Muslims every year”.

    While the internet is divided over the proposed ban, many believe the Punjab Assembly is only keeping up with its tradition of discussing resolutions that “do not even affect the people”.

    Here’s a list of some other interesting provincial house resolutions that don’t really make much sense.

    SUMMONING GOOGLE CEO:

    A resolution filed in December 2018 called for summoning Google Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sundar Pichai for showing Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s photo under “bhikari” (beggar) search.

    APPOINTING ISHAQ DAR IN ASAD UMAR’S PLACE:

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawmakers in April submitted a resolution calling for the reinstatement of Ishaq Dar as minister of finance “on contract”.

    The resolution, reportedly tabled by PML-N MPA Hina Pervez Butt, stated that then Finance Minister Asad Umar was “incompetent to resolve economic issues of the country” and urged the government to accept the “golden chance”.

    It is also mentioned that Dar had recovered the
    value of Pakistani Rupee (PKR) from Rs111 to Rs98 against the United States Dollar (USD) during the tenure of the PML-N.

    ALEEMA KHAN’S ‘SEWING MACHINES’ FOR WOMEN:

    Another resolution submitted in January this year called on the government to “benefit from Aleema Khan’s advice” and provide women across the country with sewing machines.

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s sister Aleema, who is named as the owner of properties in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), had claimed that she bought properties from the money she earned through sewing machines.

    The resolution was tabled by PML-N lawmaker Azma Bokhari.

  • Ayesha Gulalai offers Bilawal to merge his ‘small party’ with PTI-G

    Ayesha Gulalai offers Bilawal to merge his ‘small party’ with PTI-G

    Disgruntled former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNA and PTI-Gulalai (PTI-G) Chairperson Ayesha Gulalai has advised Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chief Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari “to merge his small party with PTI-G”.

    “I would suggest you merge your small party [PPP], which is now limited to Sindh, with PTI-G,” she said in a video message making rounds on the internet.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    Gulalai further said her message was a “free and very sincere advice” to Bilawal.

    The PPP leadership is yet to respond to Gulalai’s offer.