Tag: Yousaf Raza Gillani

  • Toshakhana luxury car case: Nawaz wants to be declared not guilty

    Toshakhana luxury car case: Nawaz wants to be declared not guilty

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif asked an accountability court on Tuesday to drop charges against him in the Toshakhana reference.

    Nawaz Sharif’s lawyer Rana Muhammad Arif Khan filed the petition. President Asif Ali Zardari and former Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani are also accused in the same case.
    The prosecutor representing the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) stated in court that he would forward the application to NAB headquarters.

    After that, the court issued a notice on Nawaz’s plea for May 23 and adjourned the hearing till June 3.
    Earlier this month, NAB cleared the PML-N leader of any wrongdoing in a case about him getting a luxury car from the Toshakhana (gift repository).

  • NAB clears Nawaz Sharif in Toshakhana reference

    NAB clears Nawaz Sharif in Toshakhana reference

    The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has cleared Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif of any wrongdoing in the Toshakhana vehicle reference.

    The anti-graft body has requested the accountability court to clear the former prime minister of any charges. The court directed NAB to include PML-N leaders in the investigation.

    The court may acquit Nawaz Sharif from the Toshakhana reference, as the watchdog stated in its report submitted before the court today, highlighting that the car in question was not a part of the Toshakhana at the time of purchase by the former prime minister.

    The anti-corruption body found that the Saudi government gave a car to then-Prime Minister Nawaz in 1997, which he deposited in Toshakhana.

    The report stated that in 2008, then prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani offered Nawaz Sharif to buy the same car.

    Therefore, the PML-N head didn’t buy the car from Toshakhana. Instead, he bought it from the federal transport pool. According to the NAB report, Nawaz Sharif didn’t use a fake account to buy a car.

  • PPP’s Yousaf Raza Gillani elected Senate chairman ‘unopposed’

    PPP’s Yousaf Raza Gillani elected Senate chairman ‘unopposed’

    Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Saidal Nasir Khan were elected as Senate chairman and deputy chairman respectively on Tuesday.

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senators continuously protested throughout the oath taking session.

    No other senator submitted his nomination papers against Gillani and Saidal Nasir Khan for the important posts.

    Earlier today, 41 newly-elected senators took oath as PTI members protested on the floor of the house, terming the process of election of chairman and deputy chairman as “unconstitutional” due to an “incomplete house”.

    President Asif Ali Zardari had called a session of the upper house for the oath-taking ceremony and the election of the Senate chairman and deputy chairman.

  • Voting in progress on six senate seats

    Voting in progress on six senate seats

    Polling for six vacant senate seats from Sindh, Balochistan, and Islamabad is underway on Thursday, scheduled to continue till 4:00 pm.

    Lawmakers can’t hold dual membership, so these six seats became vacant under Article 223 of the Constitution.

    Sub-section 4 of article states: “Subject to clause (2), if a member of either House or of a Provincial Assembly becomes a candidate for a second seat, which, in accordance with clause (1), he may not hold concurrently with his first seat, then his first seat shall become vacant as soon as he is elected to the second seat.”

    However, in Sindh, two major opposition parties, including the Muttahid Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and Jamat-e-Islami (JI), have boycotted senate elections in Sindh, Geo has confirmed.

    Polling to fill two general seats in the upper house in Sindh is underway, where Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Jam Saifullah Khan Dharejo and Muhammad Aslam Abro are contesting against Nazeerullah and Shazia Sohail of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).

    Meanwhile, a total of seven candidates have been in the running for three general seats of the Senate from Balochistan on which the by-polls are underway.

    These candidates are Syed Mahmood Shah (Independent), Abdul Shakoor Khan (Independent), Abdul Qudoos (PPP), Kauda Babar (Balochistan Awami Party), Muhammad Mobeen Khilji (Balochistan Awami Party), Mir Hair Bayar Khan Domki (Independent) and Mir Dostain Khan Domki (PML-N).

    On the other hand, the National Assembly (NA) will elect only one senator, and former Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani is a joint candidate of the ruling coalition of six parties on the seat, with SIC’s Ilyas Mehrban contesting against him.

  • ‘The sun of February 8 will rise with the message of Bilawal’s victory’: Asif Zardari

    ‘The sun of February 8 will rise with the message of Bilawal’s victory’: Asif Zardari

    Former President Asif Ali Zardari said on Monday that he believes his son, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, will win the next election.

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and President Arif Alvi recently decided that the election will take place on February 8, 2024.

    In an official statement issued today, Zardari welcomed the announcement of the election date and said: “The sun of February 8 will rise with the message of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s victory.”

    “A few days of the public’s difficulties are left. The PPP will bring an end to the people’s ordeals,” he added.

    The former president went on to express his gratitude to the public for the party’s victory in by-elections held in Karachi’s nine local government constituencies.

    “Sindh’s heart, Karachi, also raised the slogan of ‘Jiye Bhutto’,” Zardari said while terming Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab and Deputy Mayor Salman Abdullah Murad’s wins a “special message for the opponents”.

    “Every party worker may become the ambassador of Benazir Bhutto shaheed and start the electoral campaign,” he added.

    In another statement, Bilawal also congratulated the Karachi by-election winners and said, “The public has given its verdict. Now, God-willing, the PPP’s victory on February 8 is also written on the wall.”

    Before the election, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had been arguing a lot.

    The PPP says the PML-N is secretly working with the current interim government. On the other hand, the PPP has said it is ready to work with the former ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party because they want the election to be fair for everyone.

    This shift in alliances and strategies underscores the dynamic and ever-evolving landscape of Pakistani politics, as the country gears up for a pivotal moment in its democratic journey.

  • Bilawal Bhutto ki mulaqaatein, Kya ho rahi hain baatein

    Bilawal Bhutto ki mulaqaatein, Kya ho rahi hain baatein

    Chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari met his party leaders on Tuesday in Islamabad to deliberate on the current political landscape of the country.

    In a notable development, Robina Shaheen Wattoo, a former member of the Assembly representing Okara, officially joined PPP. Her inclusion was warmly embraced by Bhutto-Zardari, marking an important addition to the party.

    On the occasion, former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf were present.

    The meeting delved into the intricate political dynamics of Punjab, with a particular focus on the situation in Okara.

    Several prominent PPP leaders including Sardar Omar Goraya, Nadeem Afzal Chan, Muhammad Ali Shah Bacha, and Shazi Khan were present in the meeting.

    Focused on dissecting the current political climate of the nation, the discussions centred on navigating Pakistan’s complex political situation.

  • ‘Kaptaan dar gaya, bhaag gaya’: Bilawal takes jibe at IK over PTI member withdrawal from by-election

    ‘Kaptaan dar gaya, bhaag gaya’: Bilawal takes jibe at IK over PTI member withdrawal from by-election

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson and the incumbent Foreign Minister (FM) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari took a jibe at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.

    Reacting to the PTI candidate Shakoor Shad’s resignation for NA-246, the PPP chairperson said, “IK running away from by-elections. Kaptaan dar gaya, Kaptaan bhagaya”. (Imran Khan is scared, he has run away.)

    Bhutto took to Twitter and termed the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) postponement act as “special treatment” for Khan.

    In his tweet, Bilawal asked, “How long will Khan remain a favourite”, adding that PPP candidates from Multan and Karachi are frustrated by the sudden postponement of the by-elections in constituencies of Sindh and Punjab.

    Replying to him, PTI’s Meher Bano Qureshi accused Bhutto’s party of the postponement.

    “We aren’t the ones running away. Let’s go to the polls on the 11th as scheduled. Your government put in a request for the postponement. Maybe check with the allies before tweeting”, she said. Qureshi is contesting the by-elections from NA-157, Multan.

    PPP’s Syed Ali Musa Gillani also took to Twitter to express his reservation over the postponement. He said, “We are all set for the election on Sunday. This decision of ECP will not be acceptable. It is against the constitution. The people of the constituency must not be deprived of their representation. Polling staff has been nominated stations finalised.”

    “We will challenge if any notification is issued in this regard, delaying the election last minute”, he added.

    Gillani, son of former Prime Minister (PM) Yousaf Raza Gillani, is contesting against Meher Bano Qureshi, the daughter of former Foreign Minister (FM) Shah Mahmood Qureshi, on NA-157 in Multan.

    Earlier, the ECP announced its decision to postpone the by-election in 13 constituencies. The by-elections were set to be held on September 11, September 25, and October 2.

    By-elections on nine seats of the National Assembly were scheduled to be held on September 25, with Imran Khan contesting on all of them as PTI’s candidate.

    ECP has said that the decision to postpone the by-elections had been taken after getting feedback from the Ministry of Interior according to which Pakistan Army, Rangers, and the Frontier Corps are engaged in relief work for the flood-affected people, maintaining internal security, and thwarting out terrorist activities in the country.

  • FBR data 2019: CM Buzdar paid Rs2,000 tax, PPP’s Yousuf Raza Gillani paid zero tax

    FBR data 2019: CM Buzdar paid Rs2,000 tax, PPP’s Yousuf Raza Gillani paid zero tax

    The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) released its 2019 tax directory for parliamentarians. According to the document, the directory complied tax returns filed manually and electronically till January 3, reports Dawn.

    Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin said that special efforts were made by FBR to make the directory more informative “which will help not only in educating taxpayers but also in encouraging compliance with tax laws as a national duty.”

    According to the data, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan paid Rs98 lakh. Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly (NA) Shehbaz Sharif paid Rs82 lakh while Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari paid Rs5 lakhs 30 thousand.

    Former president Asif Ali Zardari paid Rs22 lakhs. Finance minister, Shaukat Tarin paid Rs2 crore 66 lakhs while former PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi paid Rs49 lakhs.

    Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Murad Ali Shah paid Rs11 lakhs while Punjab CM Usman Buzdar paid a minimal Rs2,000.

    Current Balochistan CM Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo Rs11 lakhs and his predecessor Jam Kamal Khan paid Rs11 lakhs 80,000. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM Mahmood Khan paid Rs66,258.

    Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi paid Rs9 lakhs while Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar paid Rs43 lakhs. Energy Minister Hammad Azhar paid Rs 1 crore 80 lakhs.

    Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) Senator Faisal Subzwari, Punjab Education Minister Murad Raas, and Punjab Prisons Minister Fayyazul Hassan Chohan were among several lawmakers that paid Rs2,000.

    Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Yousuf Raza Gillani and PML-N’s Azma Zahid Bokhari did not pay anything in taxes.

  • National security briefing

    National security briefing

    Speaker National Assembly (NA) Asad Qaiser summoned a session of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security on July1. Army chief and heads of security institutions participated in the meeting. Politicians and legislators were given an in-depth briefing on Kashmir, Afghanistan, and internal security challenges.

    Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Mohsin Dawar, Yousaf Raza Gillani, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar and many others were part of the in-camera briefing.

    However, Prime Minister Imran Khan did not attend the meeting. Government spokespersons said that PM Khan was going to attend the meeting but Speaker Asad Qaiser conveyed to him that Shehbaz Sharif would not attend the briefing if Khan attended it. However, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders have denied this. But NA Secretariat spokesperson also clarified that PM Imran Khan was always willing to attend the meeting but the only reason for not attending the meeting was reservations conveyed to the Assembly secretariat by some Opposition leaders.

    First of all, why did the Opposition ask the PM not to attend the meeting? Some say that the message by Shehbaz Sharif was miscommunicated. Well, the PML-N should clarify what message was conveyed, if any, and why.

    Sharif wanted to sign a Charter of Economy in order to improve Pakistan’s economy so why would he not allow PM Khan to attend such a meeting. Prime Minister Imran Khan does not need Mr Sharif’s permission or anyone else’s to attend an important parliamentary meeting.

    Secondly, even if Shehbaz Sharif had sent this message, why did the prime minister give in? This meeting was extremely important in light of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and its consequences for Pakistan. All political leadership should have been there, including the PM, so as to come to a national consensus on these security issues. When has the prime minister ever listened to the Opposition before that he chose to finally pay heed to them now?

    Thirdly, Speaker NA Asad Qaiser was the convenor of the meeting. Why did he discourage the prime minister from attending such an important and sensitive meeting.

    Our leadership should not let their political differences come in the way when it comes to national security issues. Such differences should be limited to electoral politics, not on issues that have an impact on the future of the country. We hope that the next time there is such a meeting, or when issues related to the country’s future are discussed, all leaders would sit on the same table and build a national consensus.

  • ‘Slander against Yousaf Raza Gilani is completely baseless’

    ‘Slander against Yousaf Raza Gilani is completely baseless’

    Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Political Communication Dr Shahbaz Gill recently accused Yousaf Raza Gilani of using the Senate vehicle as a taxi service.

    Let’s face it, those who were supposed to be the Chairman of the Senate started a taxi service on a government vehicle,” wrote Dr Gill on Twitter.

    “The wage has to be paid in any case, no matter what. This move is such that I don’t even dare to comment on it,” added the SAPM.

    Gill made the accusation after news of Gilani’s allotted Senate car was seen dropping off a person and was primarily termed as giving a pick and drop service and was accused of charging double fare from the passengers.

    Meanwhile, Gilani’s son Kasim Giliani nullified the accusations, saying: “I didn’t want to respond to the baseless slander and dirty, cheap smears however it is important to put the record straight.”

    He clarified the accusations saying, “One driver of the Senate used the Senate car to drop another driver to a (bus stand/taxi stand) without Yousaf Raza Gilani’s permission. This does not concern Yousaf Raza Gilani at all and the Senate can take appropriate action against the employees.”

    “The low level of cheap shots and completely fabricated attacks by the government trolls only exposes the depths of their morality,” added Gilani.

     Senator Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani was elected as leader of the opposition in the Upper House of the parliament on March 26,2021.