Tag: topnews

  • Sindh government allots 52,000 acres for corporate farming, Geo reports

    Sindh government allots 52,000 acres for corporate farming, Geo reports

    The interim Sindh government has alloted 52,000 acres of state land for corporate cultural farming, disclose official documents.

    As per a report filed by Geo’s Benazir Shah and Rasheed Memon, the caretaker government of Sindh gave ultimate approval last week to allot 52,713 acres of state land for the project, out of which 28,000 acres will be rendered in Khairpur, 10,000 in Mithi, 9,305 in Dadu, 3,408 in Sujawal, 1,000 acres in Thatta, and 1,000 in Badin.

    The land is being allotted under the authority of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC). SIFC is a top military body that was established in June this year to attract foreign investment in the country.

    According to state documents seen by Geo.tv, earlier this year, the chief secretary of Sindh issued a directive to the provincial Land Utilisation Department and the Board of Revenue to explain the availability of land in the province.

    The documents even recommend that the land be leased out to the Pakistani army, insisting that the latter had “well-trained manpower” for the job.

    The minutes of a cabinet meeting in Sindh on December 1st imply that the interim government in Sindh is considering leasing state-owned land to a private company affiliated with the Pakistan military.

    The agenda read: “…approval of a joint venture agreement for the corporate agro-farming initiative in Sindh between the Land Utilization Department and Green Corporate Initiative Pvt Ltd”.

  • London sy Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif ka mask naak sy neechay kyun?

    London sy Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif ka mask naak sy neechay kyun?

    Former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) head Nawaz Sharif has come back to Pakistan from a four year-long stay in United Kingdom, but he has brought a constant with him. And that is his mask, which is always worn in a manner that leaves his nose uncovered.

    Here are some pictures of Nawaz Sharif wearing a mask on his chin.

    In the picture above, the PML-N supremo is talking to journalists in front of Avenfield House in London.

    Nawaz Sharif can be seen in this picture sitting next to his grandson, Junaid Safdar, at his nikah ceremony in London.

    In this above picture, Nawar Sharif can be seen wearing a mask on his chin while visiting a factory in the UK with former finance minister Ishaq Dar.

    Here, Nawaz Sharif is in Jeddah, and his nose is still not covered with a mask.

    In this picture, the former prime minister can be seen with his daughter and PML-N’s senior vice president, Maryam Nawaz, performing Umrah while his mask is still underneath his nose.

    In this picture, Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shehbaz Sharif are together at their Avenfield House in London.

    In this above picture, the PML-N head reaches Pakistan after almost four year, on October 21.

    Oh, surprisingly, Nawaz Sharif can wear a mask properly, as seen in this rare picture taken in London.

  • ‘Nawaz Sharif responsible for May 9 riots,’ Imran Khan

    ‘Nawaz Sharif responsible for May 9 riots,’ Imran Khan

    Former Prime Minister Imran Khan, currently under arrest, has said that he will ask the court to summon General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa, former Army Chief, in connection with the cipher case. Imran Khan shared this information during an informal conversation with journalists at Adiala Jail.

    Imran Khan explained the circumstances of his arrest, stating that it was all part of London’s plan. He drew a parallel with Nawaz Sharif, stating that after the London plan, Nawaz Sharif returned to Pakistan. He further claimed that Nawaz Sharif is responsible for 9 May incidents.

    Journalist Azaz Syed posted in a tweet that, “Imran Khan while talking to reporters in the jail (during the jail trial) said that I will summon Gen Bajwa to the court , he (Bajwa) did all on the directions of Donald Lu , I will also bring US Embassy officials and Gen Bajwa in doc (as witness).He said that Donald Lu took the cypher to Gen Bajwa, it was meant for Bajwa. “They wanted to remove me. They are trying to do with me what they did with Sheikh Mujib,” Imran reportedly said. He added that he can give in writing that his party will win the elections.

    Imran Khan, also the former Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), alleged that General Bajwa had acted on the instructions of US diplomat Donald Lu, asserting that he would ensure that General Bajwa faced the court for his actions.

    Responding to a question, Imran Khan emphasized that he had not engaged in any negotiations for a deal, declaring his readiness to submit a written statement affirming that PTI would emerge victorious in the elections.

    He further stated that he has faced no difficulties in jail and considers incarceration a form of worship.

    In response to queries about PTI leaders leaving the party, Imran Khan expressed gratitude for those departing, considering it a positive development.

    It’s important to note that a special court, established under the Secret Act, has set December 12 as the date to formally charge Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the Safdar case. The case involves the alleged altercation with law enforcement at the Quaid’s mausoleum during Maryam Nawaz’s rally.

    Former prime minister Imran Khan has claimed that neither he met anyone in jail nor did somebody negotiate with him. He also stressed that the PTI will win the elections.

    Khan made these remarks while answering a reporter’s question, in his first interaction with the media since being imprisoned, about whether someone held negotiations with him.

    Recalling the events of May 9, the former PTI chairman said Dr Yasmin Rashid can be clearly seen asking people not to go inside the Lahore Corps Commander House. He added that CCTV footage could be seen to check who led the miscreants inside.  

    Furthermore, Khan said false accusations had been made through Khawar Maneka, adding that these were morally corrupt people. 

    “I can say on oath that I saw Bushra Bibi on the day of the marriage,” he insisted.

    Imran Khan said he wanted to convey a message that the “kaptaan” was ready to fight till his last breath. He further alleged that the so-called London Plan was meant to bring back PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, jail all PTI officials and finish the party.

    “I am making it clear to you today that the PTI will win the elections,” the former PTI chief said, adding that looking at the situation, it was feared they would run away from elections.

    He further commented on the economy, saying that growth has dropped from 6.17 to zero. “People are not mad; they know what these people have done.”

    On the other hand, Shah Mahmood Qureshi told a reporter he did not need any office within the party. The former minister was responding to a journalist’s statement that Barrister Gohar Ali Khan had been made the PTI chairman.

    “I stood by Khan yesterday; I am standing today and will continue to do so in the future,” Qureshi asserted. He added that he was at a stage where he did not need a position.

    He further urged the supporters of the former PTI chairman to go out of their houses and cast their votes. He added that he was in the hearts of Imran Khan and the people of the PTI.

  • ‘Fine line between enforced disappearances and self-disappearance’, says Sarfraz Bugti

    ‘Fine line between enforced disappearances and self-disappearance’, says Sarfraz Bugti

    Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti, while addressing the issue of missing persons in Pakistan, stated that the assemblies in the country represent “legitimate voices” for separatists expressing their perspectives.

    During an interview with DawnNewsTV program Doosra Rukh, Bugti delved into the complexities of missing persons cases, shedding light on the challenges faced in resolving them.

    Bugti’s comments come against the backdrop of an ongoing missing persons case being heard by the Islamabad High Court.

    On November 29, the court issued a warning that a case might be filed against the caretaker prime minister and others if they did not facilitate the reunion of missing Baloch students with their families.

    He also emphasized the delicate nature of the missing person issue, stating, “We have a commission on this matter, and it has resolved around 85 per cent of cases.”

    The commission was established in 2011 to trace missing persons and fix responsibility on the individuals or organizations responsible for it.

    In the interview aired on Friday, Minister Bugti pointed out the fine line between “enforced disappearances and self-disappearance”, highlighting that the commission had encountered cases with surprising details.

    “There were cases wherein people left their homes after a domestic dispute, and it transpired weeks later that they had left home themselves.”

    He also noted instances where individuals lost their lives in “encounters” with security forces.

    Minister added, “Then there are cases in which suspects are absconders required by a court, and their families submit pleas claiming their family member as missing to avoid court [action].”

    He remarked that such cases had been reported and documented.

  • Armed forces ready to defend the motherland from challenges: Gen Asim Munir

    Armed forces ready to defend the motherland from challenges: Gen Asim Munir

    Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir said on Saturday that the armed forces are ready to face any challenges or threats faced by Pakistan and are fully prepared to respond back to enemies of the country.

    According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the COAS was in Khairpur Tamewali to witness the field exercise of the Bahawalpur Corps.

    “We are cognisant of the challenges and with the support of the nation we are prepared to thwart any nefarious designs of the enemies of Pakistan”, COAS emphasised.

    “Pakistan Army is fully prepared to defend the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Pakistan against all odds. Pakistan Armed Forces are focused on defending the frontiers of the motherland against the full spectrum of threats and with the support of the nation, Armed Forces will defeat the enemies of Pakistan, InshaAllah,” said the army chief during his visit. 

    COAS Munir received a briefing on the field exercise, which focuses on advancing professional skills across different levels and refining battlefield procedures to address future challenges in an operational environment.

  • Intra-Party Polls: Barrister Gohar Khan elected new PTI chairman

    Intra-Party Polls: Barrister Gohar Khan elected new PTI chairman

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chose Barrister Gohar Ali Khan as the new party chairman on Saturday after former Prime Minister Imran Khan nominated him to contest for the top position.

    PTI’s chief election commissioner announced the results, saying that Barrister Gohar Khan got elected unopposed after today’s intra-party elections.

    Niazullah Niaz said that Umar Ayub got elected as PTI’s central general secretary. On the other hand, Ali Amin Gandapur and Dr Yasmin Rashid were chosen as the party’s provincial presidents in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, respectively.

    As per the guidelines of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), PTI was scheduled to hold its intra-party elections today, adding “finishing touches” to its preparations.

    The primary polling centre is established at Rano Garhi near the Motorway Toll Plaza in Peshawar, and Ali Zaman, the Presiding Officer for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has arrived at the location.

    Zaman said while talking to Geo News that the PTI Chief Election Commissioner, Niazullah Niazi, has arrived at the centre. He also said that the number of registered voters is more than 20 million for the polls.

    “The vote can be cast through an online app and ballot paper at the election centre in Peshawar,” Zaman told Geo News.

    Zaman said all candidates will be elected unopposed.

  • Corruption reference filed against Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi

    Corruption reference filed against Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi

    The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has filed a corruption reference against former Prime Minister Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi, and other suspects in the £190 million settlement case.

    The reference was submitted by NAB’s Deputy Prosecutor General Muzafar Abbasi and investigative officer Umar Nadeem in an accountability court in Islamabad, with the registrar’s office currently examining the document.

    Besides former Prime Minister Imran Khan and former First Lady Bushra Bibi, the reference names several other suspects, including Pakistan Tehreek-I-Insaf (PTI) leaders Zulfi Bukhari, Shahzad Akbar, lawyer Barrister Zia-ul-Mustafa Nazeer, and three others, totaling eight individuals.

    The filing of the reference comes days after the federal cabinet gave the go-ahead to conduct the jail trial of the PTI chairman in corruption cases.

    According to The News, the cabinet summary, moved by the Ministry of Law and Justice, was approved via circulation.

    The anti-graft watchdog had requested the ministry to allow the trial to be held in Adiala jail considering the law and order situation.
    The ministry had already issued a notification on the trial of the PTI chairman in the £190 million National Crime Agency (NCA), UK, and Toshakhana case in prison.

    According to the notification issued by the ministry on Nov 28, the concerned accountability court will sit at and conduct the trial of the suspects in the Central Prison, Adiala.

    “The federal government is pleased to accord approval that the accountability court concerned shall sit and conduct the trial of the accused (PTI chairman and former PM) and others in Central Prison, Adiala, with reference to the case regarding misuse of authority/ illegal sale of gifted state assets, etc. under Section 16(b) of NAB Ordinance, 1999,” the notification said.

    The case

    The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman, Imran Khan, along with his wife Bushra Bibi and other PTI leaders, is currently embroiled in a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) inquiry linked to a settlement between the PTI government and a prominent property tycoon, Malik Riaz. The case involves allegations of corruption amounting to billions of rupees and reportedly resulted in a loss of £190 million to the national exchequer.

    Adjustment of Funds:

    Imran Khan and other accused are charged with adjusting Rs50 billion (£190 million at the time) sent by Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) to the Pakistani government. This fund adjustment is said to be part of an agreement with Malik Riaz.

    Undue Benefit and Land Acquisition:

    Khan and Bushra are accused of receiving undue benefits, including over 458 kanals of land at Mouza Bakrala, Sohawa. This land was allegedly obtained to establish Al Qadir University.

    Seizure of Assets in the UK:

    During the PTI government, the NCA seized assets worth £190 million from Malik Riaz in Britain. The NCA stated that these assets would be passed to the government of Pakistan.

    Approval of Settlement:

    Then-Prime Minister Imran Khan sought approval for the settlement with the UK crime agency from his cabinet on December 3, 2019, without disclosing the details of the confidential agreement. It was decided that the money would be submitted to the Supreme Court on behalf of Malik Riaz.

    Establishment of Al-Qadir Trust:

    Subsequently, the Al-Qadir Trust was established in Islamabad a few weeks after the PTI-led government approved the agreement with Malik Riaz. Notable figures such as Zulfi Bukhari, Babar Awan, Bushra Bibi, and her close friend Farah Khan were appointed as members of the trust.

    Land Transfer and Trust Ownership:

    Two to three months after the cabinet’s approval, Malik Riaz transferred 458 canals of land to Zulfi Bukhari, a close aide of the PTI chief, who later transferred it to the trust. Bukhari and Awan eventually opted out as trustees, and the trust is now registered in the names of Khan, Bushra Bibi, and Farah.

    NAB Investigation:

    NAB officials were initially probing the alleged misuse of powers in the recovery of “dirty money” received from the UK crime agency. Following the emergence of “irrefutable evidence,” the inquiry was converted into a full-fledged investigation.

  • Rifts in PTI over ‘selection’ of new Chairman

    Rifts in PTI over ‘selection’ of new Chairman

    In a dramatic turn of events within the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), founding member and dissenter Akbar S. Babar has raised concerns over the nomination of Barrister Gohar Ali Khan for the party chairman’s position.

    Accusing the move of being more of a “selection than an election,” Babar, who previously filed the foreign funding case against the PTI, expressed doubts about the transparency and credibility of the intra-party election process.

    He said, “This must be a first that elections for the party’s central leadership have been announced without its electoral college in place as the electoral college of PTI’s central leadership is an elected provincial leadership which does not exist.”

    According to Babar, the prolonged intra-party election process, initiated during the COVID-19 pandemic with a one-year extension granted by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), has failed to live up to the party’s commitment to transparent and fair elections.

    Babar proposed that the Commission should appoint ‘obervers’ to monitor the PTI intra-party elections as it is already discussing the matter.

    Babar, who served as the party’s central information secretary and vice-president in the past, claimed that it appears that the PTI has learnt hardly any lesson from its past history of holding rigged intra-party elections.

    The decision to nominate Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, described as a ‘newcomer,’ has sparked internal discord within the party.

    Some party leaders drew parallels between this nomination and the controversial appointment of Usman Buzdar as the Punjab chief minister, a move that faced criticism for its perceived lack of merit.

    The selection of Barrister Gohar Ali Khan over other loyalists within the party, such as Ali Muhammad Khan, Senator Humayun Mohmand, and Advocate Hamid Khan, has raised eyebrows among insiders.

    One party leader, speaking anonymously to Dawn, voiced apprehensions about Khan’s association with PPP leader Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, considering it an unwise move given the sensitive nature of the party chairman position.

    “Unfortunately, Imran Khan has again done an experiment, just like Usman Buzdar, who left him when his difficult time started. The position of the party chairman is very sensitive and it could be used against the party,” he feared.

  • FIR to be lodged against Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar and Sarfraz Bugti : Islamabad High Court

    FIR to be lodged against Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar and Sarfraz Bugti : Islamabad High Court

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has issued a directive to the federal government, ordering the recovery of all missing Baloch students.

    During a hearing related to the implementation of recommendations from the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani warned that a case will be registered against the caretaker prime minister if the recovery of the students is not ensured.

    Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan told the court that 22 Baloch students had been recovered and reached home while 28 Baloch students were still missing and efforts will be made to recover all the missing persons.

    Referring to the missing persons, the senior judge wondered: “Are such things take place in a civilised society? Every missing person who is recovered says I don’t want to pursue the case.”

    If the missing persons are not recovered, the IHC judge said he will order the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar and interim Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti.

    “I am stating this in very clear words.”

    The judge’s warning follows the non-appearance of the caretaker prime minister, who failed to attend the court hearing on November 29 as summoned by the IHC. The caretaker PM cited foreign trips as the reason for his absence, indicating that he is currently on an official visit to the Middle East.

    Justice Kayani also held the defense secretary and the interior secretary responsible for the recovery of the Baloch students if it didn’t take place. He urged the authorities to present the missing persons in court, even if they are labeled as terrorists.

    The hearing of the case has been adjourned until January 10.

  • ‘Police took nine-year-old son in raid,’ former PTI MNA

    ‘Police took nine-year-old son in raid,’ former PTI MNA

    In a startling turn of events, Gul Zafar Khan, a former MNA associated with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has accused Bajaur police of raiding his residence in the Gat Kai area of Mamond tehsil on Wednesday night.

    He also claimed that police took his nine-year-old son, who reportedly has special needs.

    Khan took to X(formerly Twitter) to share the distressing incident.

    However, in a statement issued from the office of the district police officer (DPO) on Wednesday night, police confirmed that the raid was conducted on Khan’s house owing to his violation of Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, but said that no one was arrested in the raid as the former MNA was not present in his house.

    A day earlier, Khan had attended a party meeting at the residence of former provincial minister Anwerzeb Khan in connection with the PTI’s convention, to be held a few days later.

    Adding to the complexity of the situation, a police official said that Khan was also wanted by police in a case registered in Upper Dir district a few days ago.

    Meanwhile, police on Wednesday also arrested PTI’s former MNA Gul Dad Khan for violating Section 144 CrPC, police and party sources said.