Tag: The Current

  • Maryam Nawaz adopts simple lifestyle after becoming CM, says Azma Bukhari

    Maryam Nawaz adopts simple lifestyle after becoming CM, says Azma Bukhari

    Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari said on Wednesday that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has made significant changes in her lifestyle since becoming provincial chief executive. She now wears “normal clothes” and lives a simpler life, Azma added.

    “Maryam [Nawaz] wears normal clothes [whereas] her other clothes are old and date before the [February 8] general elections,” the provincial government spokesperson said while speaking on Geo News’ programme “Geo Pakistan”.

    The minister’s remarks came as it is a first time in the history that a female is a chief minister of Punjab. This also put Maryam Nawaz in the spotlight even more than her role as Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice president.

    However, social media users accused Maryam Nawaz multiple times of wearing expensive clothes and shoes. 

    Responding to the allegations, Bukhari said that CM Punjab likes and mostly wears simple clothes.

    “I didn’t say she doesn’t wear branded clothes, she prefers simple clothes now,” the minister noted.

  • ‘I cannot sleep’; Hafeezullah Niazi tearfully appeals to court for recovery of son Hassan

    ‘I cannot sleep’; Hafeezullah Niazi tearfully appeals to court for recovery of son Hassan

    Journalist Asad Toor wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday that political analyst Hafeezullah Niazi appealed before the Supreme Court’s (SC) six-member bench for the safe recovery of his son, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) activist Hassaan Niazi.

    Hafeezullah Niazi told the apex court, “My son Hassaan Niazi has been missing from military custody since seven to eight days. I’m not even allowed to see him. I don’t know where my son is. Will I be able to sleep at night?”

    Tearfully, he told the court, “You (judges) cannot feel what I feel, I cannot sleep all night.”
    The SC directed Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan to meet Niazi and tackle the matter of the PTI activist.

    Hassaan Niazi is also the nephew of former prime minister and founder of the PTI, Imran Khan. He has been in military custody in link with the May 9 violence in which he was filmed with the Corps Commander Lahore’s uniform, taken from Jinnah House during riots.

  • Iran ready to share tech expertise with Islamabad, says Iranian President Raisi

    Iran ready to share tech expertise with Islamabad, says Iranian President Raisi

    After visiting Lahore and Karachi, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said that Tehran is ready to share its strengths in industry, science, and technology with Pakistan. He made the remarks during his three-day official visit to Pakistan.

    While speaking at a ceremony in Karachi’s Chief Minister House, he pointed out that despite challenges, Iran made progress in these fields and was prepared to share this knowledge with Pakistan.

    “I am here with a message of peace and prosperity for the Pakistani nation from the people of Iran and its leadership,” he said, adding, “The governments on both sides are willing to remove all obstacles to expanding trade between the two countries and in this regard, several options were discussed [in his recent meetings Pakistani leadership].”

    The Iranian President also said that the trade partnership will make the relationship between the two countries stronger, stressing that no power on earth “can affect the historical ties between the two countries.”

  • Bajwa takes oath on the Holy Quran, says he didn’t have anything to do with Khan’s no-confidence motion

    Bajwa takes oath on the Holy Quran, says he didn’t have anything to do with Khan’s no-confidence motion

    Former Army chief (retd) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa has reportedly ‘sworn’ that he didn’t play any role in the no-trust vote against founder Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan.

    Senior journalist Mujeeb-ur-Rehman Shami revealed this in Geo News’ show ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath’. He also said that he met Bajwa at a wedding, also adding that the former general had a ‘pocket-sized copy of the Quran’.

    Shami also revealed that Bajwa took an oath, with his hand on the Quran, saying that he didn’t ask the government directly or indirectly for a second extension and had nothing to do with the no-confidence motion against Khan. Gen Bajwa also claimed that he had no role in giving permission to Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif to travel to the UK for his medical checkup.

    He added that it was purely Imran Khan’s government’s decision to send Nawaz Sharif to the UK.

    The senior journalist also stated that Bajwa confessed that the Army fully supported Imran Khan’s government.

  • MPA who never won a general election, has never lost a by-election in entire career

    MPA who never won a general election, has never lost a by-election in entire career

    In the recent by-elections, one politician made a unique record as he won the by-poll for the third time on April 21. However, he is the only lawmaker who has never won a general election in his entire life.

    Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) leader Shoaib Siddiqui has become the only politician who won the by-polls for the third time, and he contested three general elections but unfortunately lost them all for his provincial seat.

    Siddiqui has contested every election in the same constituency but on the ticket of a different political party every time. This time, he contested the by-election on the ticket of IPP from PP-149 Lahore. In the February 8 election, IPP head Aleem Khan won the election on provincial seat from PP-149.

    The present PP 149 comprises areas like Garhi Shahu, Empress Road, Basti Syden Shah, some sides touching Dharampura, and parts of the city that pertain to the Walton Board. Earlier, Shoaib Siddiqui won the by-election in 2004 and 2015.

  • Pakistan, London aur ab China: Nawaz to get medical checkup on personal visit

    Pakistan, London aur ab China: Nawaz to get medical checkup on personal visit

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif will leave for a “personal visit” to China today, as per Geo News.

    PML-N’s internal sources confirmed that the party head is going to China for a medical checkup.

    Party sources also confirmed to Geo that the former prime minister will also hold meetings on development projects in Punjab, adding that the former premier will meet owners of Chinese companies there.

    Nawaz will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.

    This will be the first international visit of Nawaz Sharif since his return to Pakistan in October last year after spending almost four years in self-imposed exile in London.

  • PIA by June, then all major airports, privatisation will mark 2024

    PIA by June, then all major airports, privatisation will mark 2024

    Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb announced on Saturday that the process of privatization of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will be completed by June this year. Islamabad airport might also be privatized shortly after.

    “The government has no business being in business,” the minister declared at a Saturday afternoon news briefing, explaining the government’s plan to divest from state-owned enterprises (SOEs).

    “We expect the bids for PIA to come in the next two to three weeks, and by the end of June or early July, we can move it to the investors,” he said. “The Islamabad airport would be the next,” he added, “followed by the airports in Karachi and Lahore.”

    The finance minister didn’t respond on a question when asked if Pakistan is selling its skies to prospective buyers.

    Mr Aurangzeb didn’t give an explanation when a journalist asked if the government will keep some shares in PIA after privatisation or sell all its shares.

    The minister wrapped up his visit to Washington DC on Sunday with 62 meetings in a week. During these meetings, he explained decisions, made pledges, and sought understanding from both multilateral and bilateral donors.

  • PML-N claims win on most seats in by-polls

    PML-N claims win on most seats in by-polls

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) workers and supporters celebrated on Sunday as they won most of the seats in the April 21 by-elections as per the unofficial results so far.

    PML-N claimed that, according to unofficial results, the party has won two seats out of the five National Assembly seats, and 10 provincial assembly seats out of 16.

    Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed Sunni Ittehad Council, Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid have won one seat each in the provincial assemblies. 

    Adnan Afzal Chattha from PML-N won the PP-36 Wazirabad seat against Fayyaz Chattha from PTI.

  • Mirpurkhas gets public bus service

    Mirpurkhas gets public bus service

    Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Sharjeel Inam Memon wrote on X that the Sindh government is going to start Peoples Bus Service in MirpurKhas district of Sindh very soon. He also praised chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in his post.

    He wrote on X that “Inshallah from today Peoples Bus Service will start their operation in #Mirpurkhas. This is the vision of Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and President Asif Ali Zardari. CM Murad Ali Shah is also focusing on spreading the service throughout the province. Many more coming soon.”

  • Government approves deployment of Army during by-elections

    On Saturday, the federal government approved the deployment of Army and civil armed forces to maintain the law and order situation during by-polls set to take place in multiple districts tomorrow.

    Pakistan Army and Civil Armed Forces troops will perform duties as a rapid response force, Geo reported on Saturday.