CMYK Wednesday, 15 January, 2020
NEWS govt places Maryam nawaz on ecl, again ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT
The federal cabinet on Tuesday decided to impose a travel ban on Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz and party leader Javed Latif for their alleged involvement in corrupt practices. The decision to put the name of Maryam Nawaz and Javed Latif on the Exit Control List (ECL) was taken after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) approached the government, fearing the accused might escape the accountability process by travelling abroad. In its request, NAB had stated that Maryam Nawaz was an accused in Chaudhry Sugar Mills case along with her father Nawaz Sharif and that the investigation in the money laundering case was still underway. Interestingly, the cabinet in its Dec 2019 decision had decided to keep Maryam Nawaz on the ECL after she approached the government for permission to go abroad to tend to her ailing father. In her petition, Maryam Nawaz had pleaded that her father Nawaz Sharif’s health deteriorated and he was under medical treatment out of the country. Maryam is currently out on bail in the Chaudhry Mills Case. She, along with the Sharif family was accused of using CSM for money laundering and illegal transfer of its shares. According to NAB, the family took a $15 million loan on the pretext to set up the mill despite the fact that it had already been established before the loan was acquired. Addressing a press conference after the cabinet meeting, PM’s Special Assistant on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said the allied parties of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf were part of the government and would remain so. Speaking about the resignation of an allied minister, she said the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leaders had presented all their concerns to the committee led by Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar, which had been conveyed to the prime minister. The special assistant said Prime Minister Imran Khan had already given a package of Rs162 billion for Karachi and it was now time for its implementation and then transferring its benefits to the grassroots level.
arMy toP brass slaMs 'irresPonsible indian rhetoric' RAWALPINDI
P
STAFF REPORT
AKISTAN Army has condemned the recent provocative statements by Indian military, terming them “irresponsible rhetoric” which could have implications on regional peace and stability. The remarks were made in the 228th Corps Commanders’ Conference presided over by army chief General at the GHQ in Rawalpindi on Tuesday. General Manoj Mukund Naravane – who earlier this month threat-
ened to carry out “preemptive strikes” in Pakistan – said on Saturday that the Indian army would take steps to take control of AJK if the Indian government gave such an order. The forum, the communiqué added, also reviewed geo-strategic, regional and national security environment. Internal security, situation along borders, the Line of Control, Indian Occupied Kashmir as well as the evolving situation in the Middle East with reference to USIran relations following the killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, and Tehran’s retaliatory
PM Imran orders to make names of BISP ‘looters’ public
strikes, also came under discussion. “Pakistan is one of the lead participations with significant contributions towards peace and stability efforts in the region, the military’s media wing quoted the army chief as saying. “We shall continue to play our responsible and positive role towards this end without compromising national security and defence of the motherland at whatever cost.” Pakistan has urged all sides to exercise maximum restraint and avoid taking any further escalatory steps to defuse tensions in the Middle East.
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday directed the authorities concerned to make public the names of government officials who were beneficiaries of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP). “We cannot forgive people who deprived the poor of their rights,” said Prime Minister Imran, adding: “The names of the looters should be made public.” Earlier last week, weeks after the government struck over 800,000 names off Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) database, a report revealed that several high-rank officials of federal and provincial governments were also the beneficiaries of the poverty reduction initiative. According to a private media house, amongst the 820,165 names removed from the list, over 2,000 individuals were working in different government offices. According to details overall 2,543 government officials belonging to Grade-17 till Grade-21 were receiving income support tri-monthly handouts. Some officers were receiving money in the name of their wives and other members of families, which were registered on the list. STAFF REPORT
Afridi, Sanaullah trade barbs during NA session MINISTER CHALLENGES PML-N LEADER TO ‘FACE TRIAL LIKE A MAN’ INSTEAD OF ‘BEATING AROUND THE BUSH’ ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT
Minister for States and Frontier Regions and Narcotics Control Shehryar Afridi and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana Sanaullah had a heated exchange of words over the narcotics case during the session of the National Assembly (NA) when the former challenged the latter to “face the trial like a man” only to be told that no inquiry was conducted in the case. Afridi said that Sanaullah did not want to face the court in the case. Referring to the last sitting of the House where the former Punjab law minister had picked up the Holy Quran and sworn that he was innocent, the minister said, “I have been told that he is carrying around the Holy Quran with him. You should learn to follow the holy book.”
“If you are speaking the truth, go to the courts and fight like a man. Stop beating around the bush,” he said, adding that the incumbent government did not come to power to target or bully opponents. The minister’s speech was interrupted by the PML-N leader’s entry into the house. Seeing that Sanaullah was carrying a file, Afridi said, “I thought you would bring a copy of the Holy Quran today but you have brought a file with you today. Anyway, let us take this matter to a logical conclusion here today. There is a hearing on January 18, let him stand up and say that the trial should be initiated so that the truth can be revealed.” “Don’t run away. This government and ministry will not let you run away. We will take this to the end because this matter concerns my generation and my country,” he said.
PML-N LEADER SAYS NO INQUIRY WAS CONDUCTED AS ANF OFFICIALS WHO ARRESTED HIM WERE ‘CLUELESS’ The minister further said that members from opposition parties commend him for being a “man’s son”. “It’s not me who is the son of a man, it is the people who stand before tyrants. We will take this case to its end. Read my eyes Rana sahib. Initiate the trial so that the truth can come out,” he added. After the conclusion of Afridi’s speech, Sanaullah addressed the house and denied his involvement in the case. “May God curse me if I have ever been in contact with a heroin dealer or tried to influence on behalf of anyone. The ANF officials, who arrested me last year, had no idea about the case being prepared against him,” he said. “I have been accused of having links with an international gang which supply drugs to all over the world after bringing it to Lahore and Faisalabad from Afghanistan. If it is true then why has the government not arrested
Sindh governor denies any deadlock between PTI and GDA KARACHI STAFF REPORT
Sindh Governor Imran Ismail on Tuesday refuted rumors that there is a deadlock between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and its coalition partner, the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA). A PTI delegation reached Kingri House and met with GDA leader Saddaruddin Shah Rashdi — the visit came after the ruling party made several attempts to appease the disgruntled Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan. Addressing a joint press conference with Rashdi later, Ismail refuted rumors that the delegation had come to clear the differences with its coalition partner. The Sindh governor said, “I have not come here to convince anyone,
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rather I just came to eat food.” The governor said that the “GDA was still working with limited resources,” while various projects were underway for the province. The meeting was constructive, the prevailing issues of the
province were discussed, PML-F leader Rashdi said. “The GDA is standing alongside the government and we will continue our struggle to resolve the province’s issues,” he said. “Pir sahab is a very sincere
man and gives good advice as well,” the governor said. PTI-MQM DEADLOCK: Prime Minister Imran Khan contacted MQM-P leader Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui on Monday, assuring the disgruntled coalition partner that his valid demands would be fulfilled. PM Imran Khan approached the MQM-P leader and has summoned him to Islamabad. During the conversation, Siddiqui put forth his reservations in front of the premier, who assured the former that the party’s issues would be addressed. PM Imran spoke on the matter during the media strategy committee session earlier in the day, where he said that the demands of the MQM-P related to the release of funds, development works, and establishment of educational institutions would be met soon.
CMYK
any other member of the gang when I had been in jail for seven months?” asked the PML-N leader. Sanaullah said that the trial of a case can only start after registration of a first information report (FIR) and completion of inquiry. “However, no inquiry has been conducted in the case,” he added. The former Punjab law minister was arrested by the ANF Lahore team in July last year while he was travelling from Faisalabad to Lahore near the Ravi Toll Plaza on the motorway, claiming to have seized 15kg heroin from his vehicle. A special team of the force had also arrested five others, including the driver and security guards of the PML-N leader. Sanaullah, who insists that he has been arrested in a false case and is being politically victimised, was granted bail by the Lahore High Court (LHC) in December.
9 injured in Peshawar hand grenade explosion PESHAWAR STAFF REPORT At least 9 people were injured on Tuesday in an explosion near the Karkhano police checkpost in Peshawar. According to the Hayatabad Medical Complex spokesperson, nine persons injured in the blast were brought to the hospital, of whom five were women. At least one woman is in critical condition, the HMC spokesperson said. Additional Inspector General BDS Shaqat Malik said that a hand grenade was used in the explosion, adding that further investigation into the incident is being carried out. The Karkhano police checkpost is located at the border between Peshawar and Khyber tribal districts. Multiple attacks on security forces have been carried out in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa over the past month. On December 19, a Frontier Corps soldier was martyred in a landmine blast in Landi Kotal while on patrolling duty. Another bomb blast took place on December 16 took place outside the KP Assembly in Peshawar, injuring at least 11 people.