Malakand’s Deputy Inspector General of police (DIG) confirmed on Tuesday that attackers killed six people, including five Chinese nationals, when they targeted the foreigners’ vehicle in Shangla’s Besham city.
The attackers crashed their vehicle, loaded with explosives, into the car carrying the Chinese nationals, as reported by the DIG.
The DIG also said that the driver sustained injuries and was transferred to the local hospital.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Senator Talha Mahmood has joined the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Tuesday, announcing his joining at a press conference in Islamabad.
Talha Mahmood said that Pakistan is going through a crisis, and the PPP always tried to do better for the country.
While shedding light on his tenure, he said that he had been a member of the Ministry of Interior’s cabinet committee for nine years, and was elected as the chairman of the Senate’s largest committee, the Standing Committee on Finance, in 2021 for three years.
On the other hand, PPP leader Faisal Karim Kundi has said that the party will strengthen after the inclusion of Senator Talha Mahmood. He also said multiple politicians from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) are in contact with the PPP to join the party.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana Sanaullah strongly criticised the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) for its attitude towards the coalition government in the centre.
“The attitude of the PPP will remain the same throughout the tenure of the government. Look at their reaction to the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) chairman [appointment] issue,” Sanaullah said while speaking on Geo News’ programme Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath.
“It is clear; they will have their own position on everything. An impression is coming from allies to have the same attitude. However, we will try to move forward,” he added.
His remarks came after the PPP strongly objected to the decision of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to appoint Zafar Mahmood, a retired grade 22 federal government officer.
The PPP declared the appointment of Zafar Mahmood for a three-year tenure under the IRSA ordinance against the constitution.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Sher Afzal Marwat has denied reports of heated words exchanged between party members during a meeting of the core committee.
The politician declared reports about a heated argument with Karachi based party leader Shamim Naqvi and others as “false and malicious.”
“The debate in a party meeting ought not to be construed as differences in the party,” he wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Marwat reiterated that the party is “united” and its members will “continue to work together like a rock.”
On Monday, Marwat and Niazullah Niazi had a heated argument during the party meeting. Allegations and counter-allegations about the ‘batsman’ (PTI-Nazriyati) supposedly sparked the disagreement.
Gullu Butt, the notorious man who was caught wielding a baton and damaging property during the violent police action in Model Town in 2014, passed away in Lahore on Sunday, according to his family.
Shahid Aziz, also known as Gullu Butt, had been dealing with a long-term illness for the last four to five months.
Back on June 17, 2014, during a confrontation between protesting workers of Dr. Tahirul Qadri and a large police presence outside the Minhajul Quran Secretariat in Model Town, Butt was accused of causing chaos.
He allegedly obstructed public servants from performing their duties and damaged private vehicles using sticks. The police did not intervene to stop Butt’s actions; instead, they watched silently and even seemed to assist him.
Gullu Butt became infamous overnight, leading to PTI leader Imran Khan referencing to him many times.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has demanded on Monday that the European Union (EU) publish a report on the February 8 general elections.
“The EU report on the elections should be made public,” PTI spokesperson Raoof Hasan said while addressing a press conference in Islamabad.
Hasan confirmed that the EU delegation visited Pakistan before the elections and gave its report on the general elections directly to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
“The EU report is very sensitive and important,” he added. The party has repeatedly complained about alleged widespread rigging and manipulation of election results in last month’s general elections, stating that its mandate was’stolen’.
The former ruling party’s founder, Imran Khan, had also written to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), calling on the global lender to hold an audit of the election results before approving any new loan for Islamabad—aa demand excused by the Washington-based lender, citing its “narrow mandate on economic issues” and saying that it does not comment on domestic political developments.
A police officer was transferred on Sunday for stopping the car of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA) Malik Waheed Awan.
Sub-inspector Yasir and other officials halted Waheed’s vehicle with tinted windows while the MPA was inside the car.
A video showing the conversation between the PML-N leader and police personnel surfaced online, where the politician can be heard saying, “I am Malik Waheed, not just an ordinary MPA.”
Awan demanded an on-camera apology from the policeman. However, Sub-Inspector (SI) Yasir and officials apologised to MPA Malik Waheed. Later, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Operations Ali Nasir Rizvi transferred sub-inspector Yasir to the judicial wing.
In a video statement, Malik Waheed stated that he had come to thank the trader’s community in the constituency after winning the election, but the police deliberately stopped his vehicle.
The PML-N leader added that he is a police-friendly person and salutes the police.
Former prime minister of Pakistan Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said on Sunday that he didn’t ever seen former Army Chief General (R) Qamar Javed Bajwa and former Director General (DG) Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt. General (R) Faiz Hameed breach the constitution.
Any wrongdoing should be addressed in a proper way, the former Prime Minister said on Samaa TV’s show “
Do Tok with Kiran Naz. He also talked about different domestic issues and Pakistan’s relationship with other countries.
Abbasi criticised the debate about Muhammad Aurangzeb’s selection as Finance Minister in the federal cabinet, emphasising the significance of competence rather than just party membership.
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi also advocated for accountability and said that the establishment of a truth commission is necessary to keep the facts transparent.
Abbasi also emphasised that the Prime Minister should chair the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) to ensure quick and effective decision-making in economic affairs.
Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has stated that Pakistan will think about re-establishing trade relations with India, suspended since August 2019, when the Narendra Modi-led government ended the special status of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
“Pakistani businessmen want trade with India to resume,” the foreign minister said while addressing the media at the Pakistan High Commission in London at the end of his visit to the UK and Europe on Saturday.
In August 2019, the Modi-led government unilaterally changed the special status of the occupied valley, causing Pakistan to downgrade its ties with India.
In February 2021, despite the strained relationship between the two neighbours, Pakistan and India both agreed to renew the 2003 ceasefire agreement along the Line of Control (LoC). Pakistan has connected its choice to improve relations with India to the reinstatement of the special status of the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
Recently, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Shehbaz Sharif on becoming of prime minister of Pakistan.
“Congratulations to [Shehbaz Sharif] on being sworn in as the prime minister of Pakistan,” Modi wrote in a brief message on X, formerly Twitter.
PPP’s top leadership has prevented its provincial chapter from attempting to persuade Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to form a non-political alliance in the upcoming Senate election.
PPP Punjab chapter suggested forming an electoral alliance with PTI for women and technocrat seats in Punjab.
The PTI proposed it to the special committee of the PPP after receiving a conditional offer. They asked the PPP to vote for Yasmin Rashid.
Sources told SAMMA that in return, the PPP offered to support Faiza Malik in women’s seats.
PPP instructed the party leadership in Punjab to form an alliance with the political allies Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) instead of PTI.