Tag: The Current

  • Court grants bail to journalist Asad Toor in anti-judiciary campaign

    Court grants bail to journalist Asad Toor in anti-judiciary campaign

    Special Judge Central Humayun Dilawar granted bail to vlogger Asad Toor on Saturday in a case pertaining to allegations of running a malicious campaign against the judiciary.

    Ishtiaq Hussain Shah, the special prosecutor for the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), went to court and said the agency doesn’t oppose giving bail to the vlogger.

    The bail was granted against surety bonds worth Rs5,000.

    Separately, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) also declared call-up notices issued to Toor by the FIA against the law.

    IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq issued a seven-page written order regarding the vlogger’s plea against the FIA notices. He stated that the FIR was filed because notices were wrongly issued.

    The judge maintained that the relevant forum can be approached once the FIR is registered, adding that the court cannot order Toor’s release due to the bar on taking suo motu action.

  • Fatima Bhutto becomes mother to baby boy

    Fatima Bhutto becomes mother to baby boy

    Fatima Bhutto, author and the granddaughter of former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, announced the birth of her baby boy on Saturday. She has named her son Mir Murtaza Byra, after her father Mir Murtaza Bhutto.

    The writer shared the good news via her account on X and wrote, “Graham and I are so happy to share the news of the birth of our baby boy.”

    The internationally acclaimed writer also shared an elaborate social media post, revealing the name she picked for her son and explaining her reasons behind the choice.

    “We wanted to give our son a name that would bestow him with courage and kindness as he makes his way through the world. I wanted a name that would act as an inspiration to him in his life but also one that would cloak him in love and strength, a name that he could wear with the knowledge that it was given to him from deep within his mother’s heart and soul to protect him throughout his life, to give him in equal measure both grace and fearlessness, a sense of his homeland and of joy,” she wrote.

    Sharing her feelings regarding the naming her child, Fatima stated: “Every time I thought of what name might do that, I always came back to my beloved father’s name.”

    She also asked her fans and followers to pray for her family during this happy time.

  • Bilawal Bhutto approves names of candidates from Sindh for senate polls

    Bilawal Bhutto approves names of candidates from Sindh for senate polls

    Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), has greenlighted Senate election candidates from Sindh.

    As per details, Kazim Shah, Ashraf Jatoi, and Masroor Ahsan will be the party candidates for the general seats. Meanwhile, Nadeem Bhutto, Sarfraz Rajar, and Dost Ali will also be candidates for general seats.

    Anny Marri and Rubina Qaimkhani will be candidates for female seats.

    Barrister Zamir Ghumro and Sarmad Ali will be the candidates for the technocrat seats.

    However, the PPP and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) will help each other in senate polls. As per the report of SAMAA, PPP will support JUI-F in Balochistan,Bilawal Bhutto approves names of candidates from Sindh for senate polls

  • Sirajul Haq warns against privatising state institutions   

    Sirajul Haq warns against privatising state institutions   

    Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Emir Sirajul Haq has warned against the privatisation of state institutions on Friday, as per SAMMA.

    Sirajul Huq criticised the newly-elected government by saying that “the government is holding talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on more slavery rather than securing the next tranche.”

    “The privatisation of state institutions is unfair to the masses. The country’s economy cannot afford the privatisation,” Haq said.

    He also called on the global community to play a role in the Gaza ceasefire. “No strategy has been formulated in the assembly for the protection of the people of Gaza.”

    “I was of the view that Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif would do something to save the people of Gaza.”

  • Ali Amin Gandapur’s brother to contest NA-44 by-poll

    Ali Amin Gandapur’s brother to contest NA-44 by-poll

    Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister (CM) Ali Amin Gandapur has chosen to allow his brother Faisal Amin Gandapur to run for the National Assembly seat from Dera Ismail Khan, which Ali won in the February 8 general elections.

    The KP’s CM, who also leads the provincial chapter of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), announced that his brother will run in the by-elections for the NA-44 constituency. He is vacating the seat after winning the PK-113 Dera Ismail Khan-III seat.

    Speaking about handing over the coveted KP constituency ticket to his brother in a video statement on Friday, the chief minister said he has conveyed the decision to party founder Imran Khan as well after he inquired where Gandapir plans to “adjust” his brother in the provincial cabinet.

    “He did not know that my brother was yet to contest the elections,” he said.

    The KP CM stated that he won the general elections on February 8 on two seats personally, keeping one and giving up the other.

  • Asif Zardari declares Shehbaz, Gandapur meeting a ‘good beginning’

    Asif Zardari declares Shehbaz, Gandapur meeting a ‘good beginning’

    Newly-elected President Asif Ali Zardari has said on Thursday that the meeting between the prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, and the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Ali Amin Gandapur, is a “good beginning.” 

    Shehbaz Sharif’s government came into power this month after making an alliance with multiple parties, including the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

    However, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is in power in KP, and it also allegedly accused PML-N of stealing PTI’s mandate in general elections. 

    President Zardari has welcomed the interaction between the prime minister and the chief minister.

    “It is high time we start thinking of working towards healing the divisions Pakistan has been going through,” he added.

    “This outreach is a good beginning,” he stated.

  • FIA Cybercrime Wing summons Sher Afzal Marwat over March 9 tweet

    FIA Cybercrime Wing summons Sher Afzal Marwat over March 9 tweet

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and newly-elected MNA Sher Afzal Marwat has been summoned by the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Cybercrime Wing on Friday.

    The agency summoned the politician on March 18 for questioning on a tweet he posted on March 9. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MNA Barrister Aqeel Malik filed a complaint against Marwat in FIA.

    The prominent lawyer has made several posts on X (previously Twitter), but it’s not clear on which specific tweet he has been summoned.

    One of his tweets was about claims of being assassinated by paid assassins at Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s behest.

    “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,” Marwat wrote in his post on the aforementioned date.

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

  • US diplomat Donald Lu to testify on Feb 8 polls before Congress

    US diplomat Donald Lu to testify on Feb 8 polls before Congress

    The Assistant Secretary of the US Department of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Donald Lu, has been asked to appear before a congress panel to testify whether the February 8 polls in Pakistan were fair or not.  

    Lu will testify during a hearing on March 20 as the former prime minister Imran Khan accused him of playing a part in overthrowing his government in 2022.

    The subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia will hold a hearing called “Pakistan After the Elections: Analysing the Future of Democracy in Pakistan and the US-Pakistan Relationship.”

    State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller, during a press briefing on Thursday, responded to a query, saying that any number of State Department officials testify all the time before Congress.

    “We see it as an important part of our jobs to help Congress do its job, both from a policymaking perspective and from an oversight perspective,” said Miller. 

    He stated that the State Department eagerly anticipates engaging in both informal and formal discussions with Congress, as well as the actual testimony provided by officials.

  • PTI instructs leaders to boycott five political talk shows

    PTI instructs leaders to boycott five political talk shows

    PTI’s core committee has barred party leaders from taking part in political talk shows hosted by five news anchors belonging to four different media channels in the country.

    According to a circular issued by PTI’s central media department, party leaders have been instructed to boycott the following anchors and shows:

    Kamran Shahid, Dunya News (Off The Front)

    Adil Shahzeb, Dawn News (Live with Adil Shahzeb)

    Muneeb Farooq, Samaa TV (Mera Sawaal with Muneeb Farooq)

    Shahzab Khanzada, Geo News (Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath)

    Saleem Safi, Geo News (Jirga)

  • PTI paying cost of two wrong decisions: Sher Afzal Marwat

    PTI paying cost of two wrong decisions: Sher Afzal Marwat

    PTI leader Sher Afzal Marwat has said the party is paying the cost of two wrong decisions.

    Speaking on Geo News show Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath, he said the first major mistake was committed when party founder Imran Khan gave instructions for a political alliance with the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Sherani.

    He said the second major mistake was the announcement of the inclusion into the Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen, adding that some people gave a sectarian colour to the issue and gave threatening messages to the PTI leadership.

    Later, Marwat said, the PTI suddenly decided to join the Sunni Ittehad Council.

    “These are two wrong decisions and their culprits should be determined because we lost more than 80 seats due to them.”