Tag: Shafqat Mahmood

  • ‘Azadi March’: Anti-Terrorism Court grants interim bail to Shafqat Mahmood, Hammad Azhar, Yasmin Rashid

    ‘Azadi March’: Anti-Terrorism Court grants interim bail to Shafqat Mahmood, Hammad Azhar, Yasmin Rashid

    An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore on Friday approved interim bails of top leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in Punjab after it issued non-bailable arrest warrants for them over alleged vandalism and damage of property on May 25, during the Azadi March.

    The ATC had issued non-bailable arrest warrants for the PTI leaders earlier. According to the court order issued Thursday, investigating officer Muhammad Saleem had requested the issuance of non-bailable arrest warrants for PTI leaders Mian Akram Usman, Muhammad Zubair Khan Niazi, Imtiaz Mehmood Sheikh, Mian Mehmood ur Rasheed, Mian Shafqat Mahmood, Malik Nadeem Abbas, Murad Raas, Mian Aslam Iqbal, Yasir Gilani, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Hammad Azhar, Andleeb Abbas, and Ijaz Chaudhry.

    PTI leaders whose warrants had been issued reached out to the court for interim bails. The court, after accepting their pleas, directed each of the petitioners to submit Rs100,000 as the surety against bails.

    Former energy minister Hammad Azhar said that Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz want to make this country a “police fascist state”.

    “A criminal [lady] issues directives from PM House to include sections pertaining to terrorism. I ask: where are the law and Constitution?”

    Hammad warned that the country would become a “police fascist state” if the law and Constitution don’t raise their voice today.

    “All these people standing with me are respectable citizens of society. They are not terrorists,” said Hammad.

    Last month, the Punjab Police had registered a total of 42 criminal cases against PTI’s senior leaders and workers for alleged agitation in the aftermath of the Azadi March held on May 25.

    However, PTI Chairman Imran Khan admitted that during the Azadi March, PTI protesters were carrying weapons with them. 

    “Our people had pistols on them too. I was afraid that the country will now face riots,” Khan told anchorperson Moeed Pirzada while speaking on 92 News‘ political talk show ‘Hard Talk’.

  • PTI offers Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid Lahore mayor candidature

    PTI offers Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid Lahore mayor candidature

    The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has offered Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid to contest the all-important Lahore Mayor elections in the local government elections expected to be held in May this year, reports Dawn.

    Rashid has not given her consent upfront as she wanted to discuss the ways to contest the upcoming election.

    The news outlet further states that Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar has recommended Dr Rashid as the mayor candidate to Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan.

    Dawn states that the premier had assigned the task to Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood to convince Dr Rashid to become Lahore Mayor candidate.

  • ECP releases list of 150 lawmakers for not filing asset details

    ECP releases list of 150 lawmakers for not filing asset details

    The membership of 150 lawmakers from across the country, including some cabinet members, has been suspended by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for not filing their statements of assets.

    The ECP on Monday released a list of MNAs, senators, and MPAs of the four provincial assemblies who failed to file their statements of assets and liabilities, as well as those of their spouses and dependents, for the fiscal year that ended on June 30, 2021. These statements have to be filed every year by Dec 31.

    In the 100-member Senate, the membership of three lawmakers has been suspended, including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Dr Musadik Malik, Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) Dr Sikandar Mandhro, and Balochistan Awami Party’s (BAP) Prince Ahmed Umer Ahmedzai.

    Among the MNAs who have been suspended as members of the lower house are cabinet members Farrukh Habib, Noor ul Haq Qadri, Hammad Azhar, Shafqat Mahmood, and Dr Fehmida Mirza.

    The prominent MNAs who failed to fulfill their constitutional obligation are former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Dr Aamir Liaquat Hussain, Ghulam Bibi Bharwana, Rana Mohammad Qasim Noon and Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui.

  • Examinations will be held on time despite new covid variant: Shafqat Mahmood

    Examinations will be held on time despite new covid variant: Shafqat Mahmood

    Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood said on Monday that the government has no plans to suspend educational activities. He said that examinations will be taken on time and the full curriculum will be covered in it, reports Geo.

    When he was asked about the policy of the education department regarding precautionary measures against the Omicron variant, the federal minister said, “I don’t know about the new variant of coronavirus in detail, but the government wants to continue educational activities.”

    The new variant named Omicron, which was first discovered in South Africa is spreading drastically into various parts of Europe including Canada and Australia. On Saturday, Pakistan imposed a complete ban on direct/indirect inbound flights from six African countries and Hong Kong.

    Moreover, while talking about the smog situation in Lahore, Shafqat Mahmood said it will decrease by the closure of private and government schools thrice a week.

  • Election Commission sends notice to Fawad Chaudhry and Azam Swati for controversial comments

    Election Commission sends notice to Fawad Chaudhry and Azam Swati for controversial comments

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has sent a notice to Federal Minister for Railways Azam Khan Swati and Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry.

    The ECP has decided to ask for proof from Swati as the latter accused the institution [ECP] of taking bribes and being on the payroll of ‘someone’.

    Last week, Swati said that the ECP was responsible for destroying Pakistan’s democracy and for rigging all elections. Swati added that such institutions should be “set on fire”. 

    Meanwhile, Fawad Chaudhry in a press conference said, “The ECP seems to be acting as a mouthpiece of the Opposition, so much so that it seems to have become the headquarters for Opposition parties”.

    https://twitter.com/FawadPTIUpdates/status/1436319497338621955

    The minister said that the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) should “either take a look at his behaviour or join politics”.

    “You better not become a tool used by small political parties,” Chaudhry told the chief election commissioner.

    https://twitter.com/FawadPTIUpdates/status/1436322520362258440

    Fawad Chaudhry responding to the notice tweeted, “If a notice comes, will give a detailed answer.”

    In March, seeking to disband the election watchdog, the ruling party had called on the CEC to resign for “failing to hold the Senate elections in a transparent manner”.

    Federal Minister Shafqat Mahmood said, “To ensure transparent elections are held is the responsibility of the election commission. This responsibility was not fulfilled,” he said. “The election commission failed to act as a neutral umpire hence it should resign,” added Mahmood.

    On the other hand, the ECP has given dates to the politicians from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf’s (PTI) and Pakistan Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) leaders’ pending cases, which are due tomorrow (Wednesday) i.e. September 15.

    Those who have been called by the ECP from PTI include Senator Faisal Vawda who has a total of three cases, MNA Farrukh Habib and Mian Asif Mehmood. From PPP, Qadir Ali Mandokhel and Nawabzada Ghazanfar Ali Gul among others have also been asked to appear.

  • All students will be declared ‘pass’ in board exams, confirms Shafqat Mahmood

    A decision has been made to pass all the students in board exams. The decision was made during the meeting of Inter-Provincial Education Ministers Conference (IPEMC) which was chaired by federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood, Dawn has reported.

    Speaking to Dawn, Shafqat Mahmood confirmed the decision and said 33 per cent marks would be awarded in each subject, which a student was unable to clear.

    “Education ministers of the country, including Sindh, participated in the meeting (physically and online) and took decisions,” the education minister added.

    Shafqat Mahmood further requested students to fully focus on their studies, adding, “There would be no reduced syllabus this academic session.”

    According to Dawn, the IPMEC has decided that the academic session would start in the country from August every year while board exams would be conducted in May-June instead of March-April.

    Federal Minister for Development Planning and Special Initiatives Asad Umar has said that the government is reopening schools in five districts of Punjab and one district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from September 16.

  • ‘Stop making trends on Twitter, focus on your studies’: Shafqat Mahmood advises students

    Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood has advised Pakistani students to stop making trends on Twitter against exams and focus on the preparation for the upcoming exams.

    Speaking on Dawn News programme ‘Live with Adil Shahzeb’ Mahmood said that exams have already started in Sindh and will also commence in Punjab from Friday so there is no possibility of papers being postponed or cancelled.

    “I would advise the students to stop spending time on Twitter to make trends and that it is better to focus on their education. There is still time left for exam preparation,” says Mahmood.

    When asked about Pakistani students waiting to return to China, Mahmood said he has discussed the issue with the Chinese envoy and hoped that it will be solved soon.

    “Every country is dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic in its own way. We all know that China is a big country and there is a risk of the virus spreading there, so the Chinese government enforced the strictest restrictions and imposed a lockdown.”

    Earlier Mahmood had said that board exams for students of classes nine and 10 would be held only for elective subjects and mathematics while exams for students of classes 11 and 12 would be held for elective subjects only.

  • ‘Justice hoga to sabka hoga’: Asim Azhar demands justice from PM Imran Khan

    ‘Justice hoga to sabka hoga’: Asim Azhar demands justice from PM Imran Khan

    Asim Azhar has once again raised his voice for the protesting students who are appealing to the government to call off the sit-in exams amidst pandemic woes.

    Taking to Twitter, the Tum Tum singer said: “All students are equal, Chaahay board ya Cambridge. Justice ho ga tou sabka ho ga, InshaAllah!“

    In another tweet, he also shared the hashtag #ImranKhanStudentKiSunLo and tagged the Prime Minister.

    Islamabad police on Thursday temporarily detained a dozen students and used force to end a protest against holding in-person examinations for grade 9th to 12th which are scheduled to begin later this month.

    Students had started gathering outside the Higher Education Commission (HEC) office on Thursday morning and also appealed for Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood’s resignation.

  • ‘Maryam Nawaz group wishes for chaos to ensue’: Shafqat Mahmood

    ‘Maryam Nawaz group wishes for chaos to ensue’: Shafqat Mahmood

    Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood on Wednesday blamed the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) for the ruckus in the National Assembly.

    Speaking on Geo News’ programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath’, Mahmood said there is a group within the PML-N that is “perhaps aligned with Maryam Nawaz Sahiba that wishes for chaos to ensue”.

    He claimed that when Minister for Finance Shaukat Tarin was presenting the budget in parliament, the Opposition came close to the prime minister and said words like ‘Donkey Raja’.

    Mahmood said that the Opposition itself asked for a committee to be formed to investigate the ongoing ruckus but when they were asked by the Speaker to turn in their members’ names, “they refused to do so”.

    “Then, when Shehbaz Sharif’s speech began, a member of the PML-N threw a bottle in MNA Akram Cheema’s direction and he was wounded. He was left all bloodied.”

    Speaking of the Opposition’s decision to bring a no-confidence motion, Mahmood said that they will soon “run away from the move”.

    Meanwhile, PML-N’s Rana Sanaullah said that both Speaker and Deputy Speaker are custodians of the House. It is very important that both the treasury benches and the Opposition need to have confidence in them.

    Sanaullah said that no-confidence motion against both the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker signals a trust deficit. “They have lost the confidence of the parliament.”

    He also accused the prime minister of “conspiring to diminish respect for the parliament”.

  • ‘Board exams to be held after July 10,’ says Shafqat Mahmood

    ‘Board exams to be held after July 10,’ says Shafqat Mahmood

    Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood said on Wednesday that board exams for students of classes nine and 10 would be held only for elective subjects and mathematics while exams for students of classes 11 and 12 would be held for elective subjects only.

    Mahmood’s press conference came after he chaired a meeting of provincial education ministers and officials from education departments.

    Mahmood said that the issue of resolving the complaint of non-completion of courses by the students was discussed in today’s meeting. “Several months ago, we reduced the curriculum by 40 per cent to make it easier for teachers and students to prepare,” said the minister.

    “It has been decided in the meeting of inter-provincial education ministers that the ninth, 10th, 11th, and 12th examinations will start after July 10,” stated Mahmood. He further added that in this regard, the 10th and 12h examinations will be held first.

    “This decision is taken as students have different streams and directions so they will sit in exams related to their particular subject of interest,” he said.

    “We have also asked boards to keep some gap between the exams,” he said, as he explained the government had taken several steps to ease the process on the students as the educational institutions could not complete the course work.

    Mahmood said that the 10th and 12th classes are currently underway. “We have decided to open schools and colleges for the ninth and 11th classes so that they can prepare,” said the minister. “If we do not conduct the exams, then students will not even employ minimum efforts to study,” said the federal minister.

    “No student will be awarded grades without attempting examinations this year,” the education minister added.

    Mahmood further stated that the teachers conducting the board examinations need to be fully vaccinated.

    “There will be no review of the decision to take the exams. Children must prepare for their examination. We have been very lenient with the legitimate demands of the students,” concluded Mahmood.