Thursday, 11 August, 2022 I 12 Muharram, 1444 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XIII No 42 I 12 Pages I Islamabad Edition
Imran nIazI can’t befool natIon: Pm Shehbaz ISLAMABAD
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staff report
RIME Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said that Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Imran Khan Niazi could only befool himself, but not the nation. On Twitter handle, he said during the last four months, the entire nation witnessed what kind of remarks were made by the PTI chief about the leadership of Pakistan Armed Forces. He said that the PTI’s social media trolls ran trends packed with hatred against the armed forces, he said and questioned whether the bereaved families of Shuhada would forget all this? Meanwhile, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has reaffirmed the coalition government’s resolve for the betterment and welfare of the minorities and their fullest inclusion in the national life and development. “I will also avail myself of this opportunity to call upon our brothers and sisters from all minority communities to keep playing their role for the promotion of an atmosphere of tolerance and mutual accommodation,” he said in a message on the National Day of Minorities being observed on August 11. The prime minister stressed that it was the only course which led to the achievement of their shared objective of promoting interfaith harmony and peace in our society. “Pakistan belongs to its people without any discrimination of caste, creed, and
PM seeks early report on power projects suspended during past four years ISLAMABAD app
colour,” he added. He said the National Day of Minorities, which was being celebrated on the 11th August every year, served to highlight the contributions that the non-Muslim Pakistani citizens were making to the national development. “This day we express our gratitude to our minority communities for their meritorious services for the uplift of the motherland. The day also reminds us of our constitutional, religious and political responsibility to protect their rights and freedoms,” he added.
The prime minister said Islam was a religion of peace, harmony and tolerance and according to the Holy Quran, there was no compulsion in the matters of religion. He said this Quranic precept coupled with the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) provided a basis for the principle enunciated by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah in his historic address to the nation on August 11, 1948.
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Terrorism has potential to destabilise region, says COAS RAWALPINDI staff report
Lieutenant General Ahmed Jasim Maarij Abdullah Al Zayid, Commander Iraqi Navy called on Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Wednesday. On the occasion, COAS Gen Bajwa said that Pakistan values its brotherly relationship with Iraq and acknowledged sacrifices rendered by Iraqi nation in fighting terrorism. The COAS also said that terrorism is a global threat, which has the potential of destabilising
the region that needs a well coordinated response. During the meeting, matters of mutual interest, regional security issues and measures to further enhance bilateral defence collaboration were discussed. The Iraqi Naval chief acknowledged the professionalism of Pakistan Armed Forces and also offered his condolence on the loss of precious lives during helicopter crash in Balochistan. He appreciated Pakistan’s role in regional stability and also pledged to enhance military cooperation between the two forces.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday asked the inquiry commission for an early submission of the report on the suspension of power projects during the past four years. As per details, while chairing a meeting to review measures for promotion of solar energy in the country, the PM also sought a detailed report on the amount received as fuel price adjustment through the electricity bills. The meeting was briefed in detail on the solar projects as an alternate to costly power projects. It was told that the government will launch solarisation projects of around 14,000 megawatts within the next few months. Out of these, solar projects of around 9000 MW will be executed on priority. Under the initiative, solar systems will not only be provided on reduced prices but also be given tax incentives. PM Shehbaz told the meeting that the people will be provided with solar systems as an alternate to the costly electricity being generated using imported fuel whereas Balochistan must be prioritised during the provision of the systems. He said that the alternate energy policy of Imran Khan’s government introduced in 2020 did not only fail to produce required results but also to attract investment in the sector. He said that said that solarisation will not only reduce the import bill of costly fuel but also help generate low-cost and environment friendly electricity. The prime minister also directed the authorities concerned to carry out comprehensive planning for an early execution of the solar projects.
Rupee continues gains against dollar In view to improving economic fundamentals, the Pakistani rupee kept on appreciating against the dollar on Wednesday. The US dollar today shed Rs2.55 in the interbank and traded at Rs221.49 while the banks were selling the dollar at Rs222.50. The export proceeds have played a vital role in easing the dollar demand along with better-performing macros. The interbank closing rate for rupee is 221.91 against the US dollar, showing an appreciation of 0.96%. news desk
Imran trolled Army highups, martyrs to divert attention from foreign funding: Marriyum ISLAMABAD app
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb on Wednesday said both Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi tasked the Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaf’s (PTI) social media teams to troll the Army top brass and its martyrs for diverting public attention away from its foreign (prohibited) funding which had been proved after eight years. “PTI did trolling of the Army’s martyrs. Bushra Bibi would have asked ‘Arslan Beta (son)’ to run malicious campaign on ‘Shuhda’ (martyrs) when the party foreign funding came under discussion on public platforms. These directives directly came from Bani Gala,” she said while addressing a news conference here. Referring to the PTI’s leader Shehbaz Gill statement in the media, she said Imran Khan was playing a “dangerous game” as call for mutiny in the Army’s rank and file was a red line which nobody would be allowed to cross at any cost. The minister said Imran Khan’s spokesman and chief of staff had started admitting that a script of his in-
terview with ARY news channel was given by the PTI’s chief. “He (Gill) will become an approver in this (sedition) case,” she added. She said those who trolled the Army officers and its martyrs had also got caught and started admitting that the campaign was run on the directives of PTI leadership. The joint investigation team probing a “malicious campaign” against the Army martyrs on social media will soon bring facts before the public to prove who is the architect of this entire saga,” she added. “Enough is enough,” she said while announcing zero tolerance against those who would try to incite division within the state institution, and make efforts to spread chaos and anarchy in the country. She, on the occasion, played some clips of Imran Khan’s interviews with various local and international media channels in which he spewed venom against the state institutions, to assert that the PTI’s chief was a “fascist person” who hell bent upon destroying the country in exchange of the funding re-
ceived by his party from foreign nationals and firms. “These are a few statements of Imran Khan, rest is the history,” she said, adding the current campaign against the Army martyrs reflected his fascism and the “dirty politics” which entirely based on hatred, deception, lies and anarchy. Marriyum said Imran Khan was reaping what he had sown in the politics i.e. hatred and animosity. “No patriot can even think of trolling the Pakistan Army soldiers and officers who sacrificed their lives while carrying out rescue and relief activities in the flood-hit areas,” she remarked. She regretted that Imran Khan could use the KPK’s government helicopter for creating chaos and anarchy in the country, but not to visit the flood-affected areas and people in Balochistan and South Punjab on instructions of his wife who barred him from attending a funeral or a place where deaths occurred. The minister lashed out at Imran Khan for claiming that an “illusionary” media cell of Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz in collaboration with the government was involved in running a
campaign against the state institutions. She said Imran Khan got scared by the reaction came from the families of the Army martyrs and his body language suggested that he was frightened by the decision in the prohibited funding case by the Election Commission of Pakistan. Marriyum said it had been proved
that Imran Khan did receive prohibited funding and spent even donations for the political and personal purposes. Imran Khan tried to sabotage democracy, China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and the national economy in exchange of the foreign funding, she added.
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