Tag: Shahid Khaqan Abbasi

  • ‘Worst assembly’: PML-N’s Shahid Khaqan slams govt

    ‘Worst assembly’: PML-N’s Shahid Khaqan slams govt

    Former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said in his farewell speech on Wednesday that the outgoing National Assembly was the worst because it did not provide relief to the public.

    The former Prime Minister, a stalwart of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), said that not a single legislation was passed by the Lower House in its five years. “You seek record of five years’ legislation and you will see all the government bills were not meant to provide relief to people,” he said, stressing that it was a matter of shame for all.

    He pointed out that the people have lost faith in the government, emphasizing that such matters cannot be fixed by legislation but with actions. He blamed everyone for the economic crisis in the country, adding that it would take at least ten years to fix the economy.

    People say that all members of the assembly are corrupt and we show that they are correct,” Abbasi said, pointing out that parliamentarians were surrounding the Interior Minister to get his signature for licenses.

  • Khaqan, Bhootani in running for caretaker PM post

    Khaqan, Bhootani in running for caretaker PM post

    The names of independent lawmaker from Balochistan Aslam Bhootani and former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi are also in the running for the post of caretaker PM, Geo News has reported.

    According to the report, coalition partners are currently having a Zoom meeting to share their views about the upcoming caretaker setup, as the tenure of this government is coming to an end.

    According to media reports, aome other names that are being considered include Ishaq Dar, Gohar Ejaz, Dr. Shamshad Akhtar, Dr. Hafeez Pasha, and former Chief Justice Tassaduq Jilani.

    Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto, and other senior leaders are in the Zoom meeting.

    Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) leaders have had several meetings about the upcoming caretaker setup, but no final decision has been made.

    Earlier, at a dinner hosted for allies, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif revealed that the National Assembly will be dissolved on August 9, three days before the end of its tenure.

  • ‘Ask Javed Sahib,’ Khaqan Abbasi says doesn’t know when Nawaz will return, hints at staying away from politics

    ‘Ask Javed Sahib,’ Khaqan Abbasi says doesn’t know when Nawaz will return, hints at staying away from politics

    Former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said in an interview with ARY News that he is not going to take part in the upcoming general elections.

    “I don’t want to be a part of such a system, perhaps I will work better outside of it,” Abbasi said. “It is my personal assessment that current politics won’t resolve national issues,” he added.

    “This reality seems to me, at least my contesting the election won’t bring any solution,” the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader said.

    “I would not contest an election if all stakeholders would not sit together. What will I will do by contesting election in the absence of thinking to resolve the national problems,” he questioned.

    The PML-N leader said that no party can be fragmented, and we should also learn from past experiences.

    On a question about his theory party head Nawaz Sharif’s return to Pakistan, the former prime minister said that “This is Javed Latif’s department, contact him”. “I also used to ask Javed Sahib about the date of Nawaz Sharif’s return,” he said. “This department remained with Ayaz Sadiq for some time, but now Javed Latif is fully in charge”, he added.

  • Khaqan Abbasi thinks it’s ‘ethically wrong’ for PM to engage Farogh Nasim

    Khaqan Abbasi thinks it’s ‘ethically wrong’ for PM to engage Farogh Nasim

    Former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said in a TV show that he is not aware of the appointment of former law minister Barrister Farogh Naseem as a lawyer for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

    He further said on Sawal Yeh Hai that he doesn’t know who makes the appointment, but firmly declared that it is ethically wrong to engage a person as a lawyer if he has been accused by the same government.

    Farogh Naseem, a law minister in the previous government, will represent Shehbaz Sharif in a case pertaining to civilian trials in military courts.
    The Premier has chosen Naseem to be his attorney in the matter. Following the arrest of their party chairman, angry protestors from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) vandalised army installations, prompting the government to decide to try civilians under army laws.

    Special Assistant to PM Shehbaz, Malik Ahmad Khan, also said that he has disagreement with the political position of Farogh Naseem.

  • Not involved in leg pulling business, says Miftah Ismail

    Not involved in leg pulling business, says Miftah Ismail

    Former Finance Minister, Miftah Ismail has said that he is not involved in the business of leg pulling but asserted that he speaks the truth. He made the comments while speaking to The News.

    The former minister was referring to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s statement in which the Premier said without naming anyone that the people criticising current Finance Minister Ishaq Dar have no place in his party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

    Miftah Ismail said he is in Islamabad to meet friends and is also trying to contact former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

    He further added he has no clue about the PM’s statement about Dar’s leg pulling, and he does not know why the PM gave the statement. According to sources of The News, Miftah Ismail and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi have no intentions of parting ways with PML-N.

    However, Miftah Ismail served PML-N as Finance Minister in 2017 while Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was Prime Minister at that time.

  • ‘Mere aziz hum watno’: Shahid Khaqan says today’s situation is complete script for martial law

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader and seasoned politician Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has warned of the possibility of martial law in Pakistan, citing political polarisation and economic crisis.

    Speaking on Dawn News‘ English show ‘Spotlight’, Khaqan said that the country “has never witnessed a more severe economic and political situation before. In much less severe circumstances the military has taken over.”

    The former Prime Minister (PM) hoped that the military isn’t considering taking over Pakistan, however, he said that “when they are left with no choice then the old famous speech, ‘mere aiziz hum watno’, if you read the situation today it’s a complete script for a speech like that.”

    He clarified that if the army were to take over, it would make things worse instead of doing any good.

    “When the system fails, when there is no interaction between the institutions, and when there is a conflict between them, then martial law always remains a possibility”, he said.

    He stressed the importance of dialogue and strong leadership but stated that the environment has become so toxic that even the parliament doesn’t discuss national issues.

    According to him, elections are not the kind of solution they used to be in the past.

    Pointing out that dialogues were supposed to have a purpose, Abbasi stated if they benefited only one political party, they would defeat their purpose. “If the intent is just to decide a date for the elections or the political benefits of one, it’s not a proper dialogue.”

    “Dialogue in media is all about abusing each other”, said the politician.

    According to him, it is unfortunate that his own party isn’t ready for dialogue. He said that he fears today that even the “youth has become delusional with this whole system” adding that Pakistanis themselves don’t recognise the potential of their country.

    At the last, he again stressed the responsibility of leadership, and that they should try to step in.

  • ‘Aik do ghariyaan theen, mere betay ne le li’: Shahid Khaqan about his Toshakhana gifts

    ‘Aik do ghariyaan theen, mere betay ne le li’: Shahid Khaqan about his Toshakhana gifts

    Former Prime Minister (PM) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said that his son bought watches from Toshakhana which he had received from foreign dignitaries when he was the PM.

    In an interview with a web channel, Abbasi said that he doesn’t wear watches, adding that “aik do ghariyaan theen, mere betay ne le li” (There were some watches, which my son bought).

    He said that gifts are given to the military secretary, not to the prime minister, which are then deposited in the Toshakhana.

    Shahid Khaqan said that later the military secretary writes to the official that such a thing has been gifted, quoting the price if the PM wants to buy it for personal use. If you don’t buy them, they auction the gifts.

    The former premier said that his son took some watches from Toshakhana after paying the amount they asked for it. He added that he left the rest of the gifts in Toshakhana.

    The debate on Toshakhana started when former PM Imran Khan was accused of acquiring gifts without giving their full payment and selling them for profit.

  • Who would be Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s pick for Finance Minister? Not Ishaq Dar

    Former Prime Minister (PM) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said that if he had been the premier of the country, his finance minister would have been Miftah Ismail and not Ishaq Dar.

    In an interview with a web channel, Abbasi said that Miftah Ismail had fulfilled the responsibility given to him by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif after the coalition government took charge.

    Abbasi was asked if the current Finance Minister, Ishaq Dar, was running the country’s economy satisfactorily. Abbasi responded by saying that history will decide the success of Ishaq Dar.

    “Whatever responsibility the Prime Minister gave to Miftah Ismail, he did it. Ministers work on the authority of the Prime Minister. He decided that Ishaq Dar should be the one to lead the finance ministry, so he brought him in. Now it is the responsibility of the Premier and the Finance Minister to play their part in fixing the country’s economy. Only history will tell how far they will succeed,” said Abbasi.

    It is pertinent to mention that Miftah resigned from the position of finance minister in September last year after Ishaq Dar returned from London and took over.

  • ‘Get Khan’s blood test done, if he is not addicted to cocaine and ice, I will resign’: Rana Sanaullah

    ‘Get Khan’s blood test done, if he is not addicted to cocaine and ice, I will resign’: Rana Sanaullah

    Interior Minister Rana Sanullah has said that he has every intention of arresting Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, but is bound by permission from the government and Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif to do the same.

    Speaking on Geo News’s programme, ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’, Rana said,” Get Imran Khan’s blood test done, if he is not addicted to cocaine and ice, I will resign.”

    Talking about elections, Sanaullah said that Khan wants to create anarchy in the country. He went on to say that Khan repeatedly claimed that he will block the roads and a sea of people would come out but he failed to do so. Sanaullah further added that this time he will be dealt with rather strictly.

    On the other hand, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader and former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi opposed putting Khan behind the bars immediately.

    “Even if Imran Khan has done something, I’m not in favour of putting anyone in jail,” the former Premier said while speaking with journalists in Islamabad.

    Commenting on the ongoing cases against the PTI chief, Abbasi said: “After completing this matter, punish Imran Khan if he has done anything.”

    Abbasi added that Khan has committed several wrongs and admitted the mistakes himself. “Imran Khan has himself spoken without any limits. I’m not referring to hearsay, but talking about his own confessions.”

  • Shahid Khaqan Abbasi confirms Gen Bajwa wanted an extension

    Shahid Khaqan Abbasi confirms Gen Bajwa wanted an extension

    Former Prime Minister and leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has confirmed that former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa did indeed ask for an extension from the incumbent government.

    Talking on Geo News’ programme ‘Capital Talk’, Abbasi told senior journalist Hamid Mir that he met former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Bajwa twice in November 2022. “I met him twice. He knows what I said,” the PML-N leader said in reply to Mir asking him if he was campaigning for an extension for the former army head.

    “I can say that other than Nawaz Sharif, I was the one man who was openly against giving an extension,” he categorically said, adding that he even told his party to leave the government if it was being pressurised to grant the extension.

    He said that in 2018, one year before General Bajwa got an extension in his tenure of service, he told the COAS that he will destroy his own reputation and mar the image of the institution he represents. “I said the same thing in 2022, that this extension will completely destroy the country’s systems,” he stated.

    Hamid Mir then said, “So this means he was trying to get an extension.”

    “He absolutely was,” Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said in reply, adding that General Bajwa had sent a “clear message” for an extension.

    When asked whether his government was threatened with a martial law, the PML-N leader said that he has no knowledge of such a threat. “But, a lot of people from a lot of parties were in favour of this,” he said, emphasizing that only one man was very clear about not granting an extension. “That was Nawaz Sharif,” he said.

    The host asked Shahid Khaqan Abbasi if he used to meet General Bajwa and then fly to London to talk to his party head Nawaz Sharif. “Yes I did. It was done in the country’s interest,” he replied. Elaborating further, he said that he was outside the country when he received “suspicious” news and then went to party supremo Nawaz Sharif. “I met General Bajwa with Nawaz Sharif’s permission. Then I went back and told Mian Sb what happened, gave my option and came back.”

    He clarified that he told the army head that a smooth transition of command was his biggest responsibility and will be his legacy. “I repeated this to him again and again. He is now part of history. It is not appropriate to discuss this now,” he concluded.