Tag: topnews

  • ‘Gen Faiz Hameed may face trial under official Secrets Act,’ claims Absar Alam

    ‘Gen Faiz Hameed may face trial under official Secrets Act,’ claims Absar Alam

    Former Chairman Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) Absar Alam has revealed details about the possibility of an official Secrets Act trial of former spymaster General (retd) Faiz Hameed.

    Absar claimed on a Samaa podcast that data containing information about journalists, politicians, bureaucrats, judges, army generals, and intelligence agencies’ sensitive information had been recovered by the Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) during a raid from General (retd) Faiz Hameed’s house.

    Alam revealed that Gen Faiz was in constant contact with the Chief Minister (CM) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Ali Amin Gandapur, and Faiz controlled the KP province before May 9.

    He added, “On May 9, allegedly, a decision was made by the Faiz network with trained attackers to assault a sensitive building full of sophisticated weapons, which ultimately failed.”

    “Which serving employees constantly leaked information about the Corp Commander meeting?” Absar questioned.

    “Faiz did mutiny for personal gain on May 9,” he concluded.

  • Mohsin Naqvi faces criticism after Pakistan’s defeat by Bangladesh

    Mohsin Naqvi faces criticism after Pakistan’s defeat by Bangladesh

    The Federal Interior Minister and Chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Mohsin Naqvi came under fire in both houses of parliament after the country lost badly to Bangladesh in a two-match Test series in Rawalpindi.

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Barrister Syed Ali Zafar stated, “There is only one reason for the disaster, and that is when you appoint an incompetent head of an institution. Not only the institution is destroyed, but all the work done by the institution is spoiled.”

    Meanwhile, Senator Saifullah Abro lashed out at Naqvi over his earlier statement about Balochistan in which he said that a single SHO could deal with terrorism in the province.

    “If it is so, then we may acquire services of 40 SHOs to handle four provinces, AJK, GB, and 36 ministries.”

    The Senator also wondered why the federal capital was shut down if the Pakistani team performed like it did.

    Senator Manzoor Ahmad reminded the House that the nation expects much more from players who are paid Rs4 to 6 million in monthly salaries besides other incentives, and called for Naqvi’s resignation.

    “The issue raised is of the entire nation. The talk here has been about his role as an administrator and a professional but not as a senator. It is a matter of the nation’s prestige. Unfortunately, youngsters have stopped watching cricket as they are so disappointed with the team’s performance,” remarked Senator Irfan Siddiqui.

    Meanwhile, Imran Khan’s X account chided Naqvi in a long post, saying, “He [Mohsin Naqvi] was given this position by none other than the “Big Boss” himself, and now he has annihilated cricket. The Pakistan Cricket Team suffered a whitewash at the hands of Bangladesh. What can be a worse defeat than that?”

  • Supreme Court upholds NAB amendments, rejects Imran Khan’s appeal

    Supreme Court upholds NAB amendments, rejects Imran Khan’s appeal

    The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Friday approved the intra-court appeal, upholding amendments in the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO).

    A five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa announced the 5-0 majority verdict and remarked that respondent former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan and other parties failed to prove NAO amendments unconstitutional.

    The apex court noted that the CJP and other judges “cannot be the gatekeepers of the parliament.”

    A larger apex court bench stressed, “whenever possible, the Supreme Court should strive to maintain legislation” enacted by the parliament.

    In 2022, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) led government made several amendments to NAO’s laws, including limiting the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) jurisdiction to investigate over Rs 500 million cases and restricting the tenure of the NAB chairman to three years.

    Imran Khan then moved the apex court, calling the amendments “legitimise corruption.”

    In September 2023, a Supreme Court bench led by the then CJP Umar Ata Bandial, ruled 2-1 to restore corruption cases, declaring Khan’s plea legitimate, which the provincials and federal government challenged.

  • ‘Militants will be dealt with an iron hand,’ DG ISPR

    ‘Militants will be dealt with an iron hand,’ DG ISPR

    Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry has said that militants will be dealt with an iron hand.

    During a press conference at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, the DG said, “There is no area where terrorists are active,” ruling out the presence of a no-go area in the country.

    He further said that factions that attempts to create a rift between Pakistan and Afghanistan, two brotherly nations, are “living in an imaginary world.”

    Commenting on former spymaster General Faiz Hameed’s military trial, Chaudhry remarked that if an individual from the Pakistan Army “works for personal gain or promotes a specific agenda,” the law will take its course.

    He clarified that no one is exempt from the law, and action will be taken against anyone who does not abide law.

    “Pakistan Army is neither against nor in favour of any political party,” he added.

    Speaking about security operations nationwide, Chaudhry claimed that security forces and Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) carried out 32,173 Intelligence-Based Operations (IBOs) against terrorists in the first eight months of the ongoing year.

  • Imran Khan lambasts Pakistan cricket team

    Imran Khan lambasts Pakistan cricket team

    Founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan has called Bangladesh’s whitewash of Pakistan cricket team the worst defeat and questioned the factors that destroyed national cricket within three years.

    Speaking to journalists at Adiala jail, Khan remarked, “Cricket is a technical game. The Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) should be a professional in cricket; Ramiz Raja, former Chairman of PCB, was not my relative but a non-amateur.”

    He explained that the Supreme Court of Pakistan is the last institution representing the country’s integrity; any effort to destroy the apex court will be turned into a nationwide protest movement.

    Talking about the military, he added, “The institution belongs to everyone, not just the army chief.”

    He pointed out that Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif, incumbent Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif, and President Asif Ali Zardari’s high-profile cases are frozen due to the pending Nationals Accountability Bureau (NAB) ruling.

  • Austerity? Sindh govt approves purchase of 138 double-cabin vehicles for Assistant Commissioners

    Austerity? Sindh govt approves purchase of 138 double-cabin vehicles for Assistant Commissioners

    The Sindh government on Wednesday approved the procurement of 138 luxurious double-cabin vehicles for its Assistant Commissioners as the country struggles to secure another IMF loan.

    The federal and provincial governments have made bold claims about reducing bloated government expenditures amid the so-called austerity drive.

    Around two billion rupees will be spent on the procurement of the vehicles, as Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah approved the summary before leaving for the United States on a week-long visit.

    Chief Minister House Spokesperson Rasheed Channa told Dawn that the government purchased the vehicles after 12 years, as the last procurement was made in 2012.

    “It is a necessary expenditure as vehicles are needed for official duties in the province, especially in rural areas,” the spokesperson explained.

    Provincial president of PTI, Haleem Adil Sheikh, strongly condemned the move, saying that hundreds of families are on the streets due to floods, but the Sindh government is taking “royal decisions.”

  • Nawaz Sharif seeks unconditional dialogue with PTI, says Rana Sanaullah

    Nawaz Sharif seeks unconditional dialogue with PTI, says Rana Sanaullah

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s Advisor on Political and Public Affairs Rana Sanaullah said that Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif wants unconditional dialogue with all parties, including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

    Earlier, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had denied reports of receiving direction from former PM Nawaz Sharif to initiate talks with all parties, along with PTI.

    According to Associated Press Pakistan (APP), Sanaullah stated on a local news channel, “We have also maintained the same stance before the PTI lawmakers in the National Assembly.”

    Emphasizing that Shehbaz shook hands with everyone two weeks ago, offering unconditional talks, Sanaullah advised the PTI to reverse its “stubborn attitude” to make talks productive.

    Responding to Chief Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) Mahmood Khan Achakzai’s negotiation offer, Sanaullah said that PML-N believes in democracy and negotiation to curb political issues.

  • False claims link bailed Mahal Baloch to BLA suicide attacker

    False claims link bailed Mahal Baloch to BLA suicide attacker

    A series of violent attacks took place on August 26 in Balochistan, including a suicide attack by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) in Lasbela.

    The BLA identified one of the bombers as Mahal Baloch in the attack on the Frontier Corps (FC) camp.

    On social media, people linked her to a recently bailed woman named Mahal Baloch, who was alleged to have possessed a suicide jacket.

    Geo Fact Check has reported that these claims are false.

    The confusion stems from two Baloch women having the same names.

    Imran Baloch, the lawyer for the bailed Mahal Baloch, told Geo Fact Check that his client is from Turbat and is alive, while the suicide attacker was from Gwadar, a coastal area of Balochistan.

    Baloch, a 30-year-old widow with two children, was charged with carrying a suicide jacket, which she vehemently denied, according to Imran.

    On May 10, 2023, she was granted bail by the two-judge bench of the Balochistan High Court.

    Moreover, the lawyer has revealed pictures of the two women, proving that they have no resemblance and are, thus two different people.

    On August 26, the Majeed Brigade, a faction of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), carried out multiple attacks, resulting in seventy-three casualties.

  • Senate Committee approves bill mandating three-year imprisonment for unapproved protests in Islamabad

    Senate Committee approves bill mandating three-year imprisonment for unapproved protests in Islamabad

    The Senate Standing Committee of Interior, presided by Senator Faisal Saleem Rahman, has approved a bill pertaining to rallies in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad.

    The bill reads that protests will occur in the Islamabad-connected area of Sangjani or other specified areas where the government referred. Without permission, protest organisers and participants will be punished with three years of imprisonment.

    Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) Senator Irfan Siddiqui debated the bill, saying it is intended to legalise protests in Islamabad and will be implemented only in the capital territory.

    He further said that containers are still on Islamabad roads, creating trouble for people. He emphasised that the government needed to allocate a designated place for protests.

    Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri clarified that the bill’s purpose is not to target any political party.

    Senator Saifullah Abro said that according to the Pakistan constitution, every citizen has the right to peaceful protest.

  • IHC registrar objects to Imran Khan’s petition against potential military trial

    IHC registrar objects to Imran Khan’s petition against potential military trial

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) registrar office has objected to former Pakistan Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s petition to bar his potential military trial in connection with the May 9 riots cases.

    The IHC registrar objected to the petition, stating that the petitioner could only seek relief while referring to a specific First Information Report (FIR). The court also highlighted the absence of any document and an order that should be attached to the petition.

    The IHC registrar further objected to how a petition could be filed with a high court while the matter of military trials is sub judice in the Supreme Court; registering cases in Punjab is impossible for a federal court to hear.

    Earlier, the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) filed a plea under Article 199 of the constitution.

    Imran Khan’s counsel, Intezar Panjutha, questioned, “How can the leader of a popular political party be taken to a military court?”