Tag: The Current

  • Donald Lu expresses concerns over Feb 8 election irregularities

    Donald Lu expresses concerns over Feb 8 election irregularities

    Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu has pointed out irregularities in the Feb 8 polls and said that the United States (US) is committed to making Pakistani democratic institutions stronger, Geo reported on Wednesday.

    Lu will attend a Congressional panel hearing about Pakistan today.

    The hearing titled ‘Pakistan after the Elections: Examining the Future of Democracy in Pakistan and the US-Pakistan Relationship,’ has been announced by the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee, where the assistant secretary will be a key witness.

    Donald Lu submitted his testimony on Tuesday to the Subcommittee, in which he pointed out a number of issues between the two countries and how US policy will look in Pakistan in the future.

    He mentioned that the State Department had issued a clear statement the day after the general elections in Pakistan last month, noting undue restrictions on the freedoms of expression, association, and peaceful assembly.

    He also said that the State Department issued a statement on the next day of polls last month, and it was clearly mentioned in the statement that there were restrictions on freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly.

  • Parvez Elahi suffers bone injury after slipping in Adiala washroom

    Parvez Elahi suffers bone injury after slipping in Adiala washroom

    The former chief minister of Punjab and president of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, suffered a bone injury after falling in the Adiala jail washroom on Monday.

    The deputy superintendent of Adiala Jail brought forward a medical report to an anti-corruption court during a hearing about illegal recruitments in the Punjab Assembly.

    The deputy superintendent informed the judge that the former chief minister fell in the washroom yesterday (March 17), resulting in a fracture.

    The court has postponed the hearing of the indictment against Elahi and others until April 4 due to his absence in court.

    Parvez Elahi has been detained in multiple cases for several months.

  • Hassan, Hussain Nawaz are free from all cases

    Hassan, Hussain Nawaz are free from all cases

    The Accountability Court in Islamabad has taken a significant step in the cases involving Hassan and Hussain Nawaz, sons of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

    The court has acquitted them in the Flagship, Al-Azizia, and Avenfield cases, which are being handled by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

    Earlier, the court also suspended the perpetual arrest warrants after the voluntary appearance of the brothers before the court after reaching Lahore on March 13.

    They were received by their father, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, at his residence, Jati Umrah.

    In addition to suspending the arrest warrants, the court also granted bail to Hassan and Hussain Nawaz. As part of the bail conditions, each of them had to provide bail bonds worth Rs50,000.

    Both suspects made their appearances in court to mark their attendance. The court has summoned the NAB for the following day regarding the bail applications of the brothers. Furthermore, the court has approved their request to appoint a pleader, and they have chosen Rana Muhammad Irfan for the task.

    This decision from the accountability court comes after seven years, ever since the warrants for the brothers were issued, declaring them absconders.

  • Former ISI chief Faiz Hameed’s brother sent to Adiala jail

    Former ISI chief Faiz Hameed’s brother sent to Adiala jail

    Najaf Hameed, the brother of former ISI chief retired Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed has been sent to Adiala jail in Rawalpindi on a 14-day judicial remand in a corruption case on Monday by a local court in Rawalpindi.

    The development comes after the suspect went to Senior Civil Judge Waqar Hussain Gondal’s court to ask for pre-arrest bail because a special anti-corruption court rejected his request for bail after he was arrested.

    Najaf is accused of acquiring wealth beyond his source of income.

    In his order, the senior civil judge stated: “Investigation officer/case officer has requested to send the above accused to the judicial lockup.”

    “Record reflects that offences allegedly levelled against the accused are non-bailable in nature. Therefore, as per the request of I.O./C.O. accused person is sent to judicial lock up and be produced along with report [challan] under Section 173 Cr.P.C before the concerned court on April 1, 2024,” read the order.

    Earlier,  Najaf Hameed was arrested after a Rawalpindi court rejected his plea on Monday in a corruption case.

  • Sher Afzal Marwat denies Maryam Nawaz tried to assassinate him

    Sher Afzal Marwat denies Maryam Nawaz tried to assassinate him

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Sher Afzal Marwat has taken a u-turn and told the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) that Chief Minister (CM) of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz, didn’t plan his assassination. The News reported on Tuesday. 

    The PTI leader was summoned by the agency for questioning about a tweet on X, in which Marwat accused Maryam Nawaz of plotting his assassination.

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Barrister Aqeel Malik had filed a complaint against Marwat.

    Marwat told the FIA: “I didn’t name Maryam Nawaz as mastermind of the assassination plot but MNA Naseem Ali, who has concrete evidences about the plot, informed me.” 

    He also asked the FIA to summon MNA Naseem Ali for further investigation.

    On March 9, Marwat on X wrote: “It is imperative to publicly acknowledge that ‘Maryam Nawaz Sharif’ poses a threat to my life, as she has orchestrated an ‘assassination attempt against me,’ which can take place at any time.” 

    He added: “An amount of $100,000 has been allocated by Maryam Nawaz Sharif to these assassins for the “execution of my murder.”

  • Nawaz Sharif criticises increase in gas, power rates under IMF pressure

    Nawaz Sharif criticises increase in gas, power rates under IMF pressure

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif criticised the increase in rates of electricity and gas prices after directives from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to do so.

    The former prime minister raised concerns regarding the increase in rates of gas and power during a meeting with the Punjab government. The Chief Minister (CM) of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz, was also present in the meeting.

    The leader of the PML-N commented on high inflation, questioning how much more the nation could endure. He urged authorities to solve the issue of costly electricity for small farmers by giving them solar panels.

    Senior provincial minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Information Minister Azma Bukhari, Transport Minister Bilal Akbar, MPA Sania Ashiq, provincial chief secretary, Planning and Development Board chairman, Transport secretary, and other officials concerned were also present at the meeting.

    The PML-N supremo also said that small farmers should be rewarded for their hard work and should be saved from the exploitation of big farmers.

  • General (retd) Faiz Hameed’s brother arrested in bribery case

    General (retd) Faiz Hameed’s brother arrested in bribery case

    Former spymaster Faiz Hameed’s brother Najaf Hameed was arrested after a Rawalpindi court rejected his plea on Monday in a bribery case.

    The anti-corruption authorities arrested Najaf Hameed and went to Chakwal as instructed by the court.

    It is pertinent to mention that Hameed secured protective bail from the court after he was booked in a bribery case.

    In April 2023, the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) initiated an investigation against Najaf Hameed for assets beyond means and out-of-turn promotion.

    The anti-graft body sent a letter to the deputy commissioner of Rawalpindi and the DC of Chakwal, asking them to provide the land ownership records of Najaf Hameed.

    On February 13, he was suspended from the post of Naib Tehsildar in Chakwal over alleged misconduct.

  • Faisal Vawda to join MQM-P?

    Faisal Vawda to join MQM-P?

    The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) has expressed willingness to let former federal minister Faisal Vawda join the party before the Senate elections take place on April 2.

    “We had invited Vawda to join [MQM-P] in the past […] I pray that he joins the party’s ranks,” MQM-P leader Rauf Siddiqui said while speaking with journalists in Karachi.

    MQM-P head Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, who is also a candidate for senate polls, said that the party has fielded a total of eight candidates for the upper house.

    However, Faisal Vawda has confirmed that he is still an “independent” political leader.

    “I’m still independent,” Vawda said during a press conference in Karachi, adding that he would consider joining a political party when it’s in “season,”  as independent candidates are currently trending.

    Vawda expressed doubt about the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) securing power in Islamabad.

  • Aseefa Bhutto may be joining National Assembly soon

    Aseefa Bhutto may be joining National Assembly soon

    Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Aseefa Bhutto Zardari has filed her nomination papers on Sunday to contest by-elections on the National Assembly (NA) seat vacated by her father. Aseefa Bhutto will take part in the polls from NA-207 as the PPP’s co-chairman, Asif Ali Zardari, left his seat after being elected president of Pakistan.

    The returning officer also confirmed that Assefa Bhutto submitted her nomination papers, stating that by-polls in Shaheed Benazirabad-1 will be held on April 21.

    On her X (previously Twitter) account, the youngest daughter of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto shared pictures of herself filing nomination papers.

    She was accompanied by her aunt, Azra Fazal Pechuho. Party workers showered rose petals on her when she stepped out of the RO’s office.

    Asif Ali Zardari was elected on March 10 as the 14th president of Pakistan.

    The population of the constituency stands at 959,756 with 496,037 registered voters — of which 268,522 are male and 227,515 female voters.

    Earlier, in the February 8 general elections, Zardari secured victory in NA-207 Shaheed Benazirabad-I constituency as he defeated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-backed (PTI) Sardar Sher Muhammad Rind by a huge margin.

  • Maryam Nawaz’s iftar with prisoners in Kot Lakhpat Jail sparks debate

    Maryam Nawaz’s iftar with prisoners in Kot Lakhpat Jail sparks debate

    The newly-elected Chief Minister of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz, broke her fast on Sunday with prisoners of the central jail in Lahore in Kot Lakhpath. She visited the prisoners in jail, after having been imprisoned there herself in the past.

    Videos released by her party showed her taking iftar with prisoners, giving them gifts and clothes, and providing Rs 15,000 in monetary assistance. 

    People on X (previously Twitter) appreciated that Maryam Nawaz extended her support to prisoners in jail. However, some people are also criticising the iftar as a publicity venture, stating that putting up banners of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in jail is wrong.

    A video shared by Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb showed the CM Maryam visiting different sections of the jail and planting a tree in the garden on the occasion. Besides meeting the prison officials, Maryam also spoke to the prisoners and asked about their issues and problems.

    Biryani, samosas, pakoras, fruits, and other savoury items were included in Iftar’s menu.

    Earlier, Maryam Nawaz inaugurated a 20-bed hospital for drug addicts inside the prison.