Page 3 - Pakistan Government

Thousands protest against rising terrorism in northwest Pakistan

Thousands of tribesmen in Pakistan's northwest took to the streets to protest against rising incidents of terrorism and kidnapping in the country's tribal districts bordering Afghanistan while demanding immediate restoration of peace in the region. Over 5,000 tribesmen took out a rally on Friday in Wana, the headquarters of the South Waziristan tribal district, against the growing unrest, terrorism, and kidnappings in their areas. The protest comes amidst rising terrorist attacks in the country, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces that are believed to have been carried out by the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) group based in Afghanistan. Pushtoon nationalist and leader of Pushtoon Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) Manzoor Pushteen addressed the protesters carrying placards and banners. The protesters demanded the restoration of peace and harmony in the tribal districts. All the shops and markets were closed in Wana bazaar as a protest against the surge in unr

Pakistan to seek over $16 bn for flood rehabilitation at UN conference

Pakistan is likely to seek over USD 16 billion at a UN conference next week for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the areas devastated by last year's catastrophic floods which caused the country a loss of about USD 30 billion, officials said on Thursday. The flood triggered by unprecedented monsoon rains killed at least 1,739 people while affecting over 33 million. At one time, one third of Pakistan territory was under water. The "International Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan" is being held in Geneva on January 9 and co-hosted by the Government of Pakistan and the United Nations to seek funding for the flood victims, according to Foreign Office spokeswoman Mumtaz Zahra Baloch. She said that the Conference will be co-chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. "The programme will feature a high-level opening segment, where leaders will make supportive statements," she said at her weekly media briefing here. Officials of the ..

Pakistan plans to shut malls, markets early in a bid to save power

Khawaja Asif told journalists the Cabinet-approved measures to shut markets, including restaurants, aimed to save the cash-strapped country about 62 billion Pakistani rupees ($273 million)

Pakistan braces for economic meltdown exposure without IMF umbrella

At the moment, Pakistan's shrinking foreign exchange reserves and inflation remain as the two most challenging and key factors for the government

Pakistan govt invites Imran Khan's party for 'unconditional negotiations'

The Pakistan government on Saturday invited Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party for holding unconditional talks, saying negotiations are part of the political process and complex problems are resolved when two sides hear each other out. Addressing a joint press conference with Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique said the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party should sit down and negotiate with the government to resolve the impasse over holding early general elections. At the same time, they said that threats and talks cannot go together. The development comes after PTI chief Khan on Friday warned that he would dissolve the assemblies in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces ruled by his party if the federal government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif did not sit down for talks and announce dates for the general elections. The federal government led by Prime Minister Sharif is opposed to holding elections now. The term of the

Pakistani Taliban ends months-long cease-fire with govt, vows new attacks

The Pakistani Taliban on Monday ended a months-long ceasefire with the government in Islamabad, ordering its fighters to resume attacks across the country, where scores of deadly attacks have been blamed on the insurgent group. In a statement, the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan said it decided to end the five-month-old cease-fire after Pakistan's army stepped up operations against them in former northwestern tribal areas and elsewhere in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan. Pakistan and the TTP had agreed to an indefinite cease-fire in May after talks in Afghanistan's capital. There was no immediate comment from the government or the military. The Pakistani Taliban are a separate group but are allies of the Afghanistan Taliban, who seized power in Afghanistan more than a year ago as the US and NATO troops were in the final stages of their pullout. The Taliban takeover in Afghanistan emboldened TTP, whose top leaders and fighters are hiding in ...

Pak govt seek constitutional amendment to empower PM to retain army chief

The planned amendment of the Pakistan Army Act (PAA) 1952 would empower the prime minister to retain an incumbent Army chief with a simple notification rather than through a complex process

It's behind me: Imran Khan takes a U-turn on US conspiracy claim

Imran Khan has said he wants to mend relations with the US if re-elected and no longer blames it for his removal as Pakistan prime minister, apparently taking a U-turn after accusing Washington of engineering his ouster by supporting the then Opposition's no-confidence motion. Khan, 70, who was ousted in April in a no-confidence vote had been claiming that he was the result of a conspiracy between prime minister Shehbaz Sharif and the US, a top security partner to Pakistan that has provided the country with billions of dollars in military aid. He had been claiming that the Opposition's no-confidence motion against him was the result of a foreign conspiracy because of his independent foreign policy on Islamabad's ties with countries like China and Russia and funds were being channelled from abroad to oust him from power. In an interview with the Financial Times following an assassination attempt this month, Khan said he no longer blamed the US and wants a dignified relationship if ..

Assassination attempt on Imran a lone-wolf attack; no conspiracy: Pak media

As per the CTD forensic team, the report said, eight bullets hit the container-top, six bullet holes were found, whereas two bullets brushed aside the container wall

Imran Khan rejects police report into shooting, says current PM not named

Police in the Punjab province, where the attack took place Thursday, registered a complaint, known as First Information Report. Khan's party rejected it since it doesn't name current PM Shehbaz Sharif

Zardari calls for impartial investigation over attack on Imran Khan

'I would like to reiterate my unequivocal condemnation of this attack. There must be a free, fair and impartial investigation'

Pakistan make it to T20 WC semifinals with five-wicket win over Bangladesh

Pakistan qualified for the semifinals of the T20 World Cup after defeating Bangladesh by five wickets here on Sunday. In their high-stake last Super 12 match, Pakistan rode on Shaheen Afridi's four for 22, his career-best T20I figures, to first restrict Bangladesh to 127 for eight and then chased down the target in 11 balls to spare. Opting to bat, Bangladesh opener Najmul Hossain Shanto made 54, while Afif Hossain remained unbeaten on 24. Later, Pakistan chased down the target with consummate ease, reaching 128 for five in 18.1 overs. Mohammad Rizwan made a run-a-ball 32, while Mohammad Haris scored an 18-ball 31. Nasum Ahmed (1/14) was the best bowler for Bangladesh. Pakistan join India from Group 2 in the semifinals. Brief Scores: Bangladesh: 127 for 8 in 20 overs (Najmul Hossain Shanto 54; Shaheen Afridi 4/22, Shadab Khan 2/30). Pakistan: 128 for 5 in 18.1 overs (Mohammad Rizwan 32, Mohammad Haris 31; Nasum Ahmed 1/14).

Imran Khan the demolisher

There has always been a risk-taking edge to Imran Khan. Like him or hate him, it had to be someone like him to finally threaten to demolish the Establishment

Imran Khan addresses nation, says he knew about the assassination plot

I already knew about their plan to attack me but I will continue to call out the corrupt who are stealing people's money, said Khan in his address to the nation a day after he was shot in the leg

Pak drops ISI representative from team probing journalist's death in Kenya

The Pakistan government on Wednesday reconstituted a panel probing the killing of senior journalist Arshad Sharif in Kenya by dropping an ISI representative from the team, days after he was shot dead by the Nairobi police. Sharif, 49, a former reporter and TV anchor with ARY TV, and known for his proximity to former prime minister Imran Khan, had fled to Kenya after he was booked on charges of sedition and peddling anti-state narrative by Pakistan's security agencies earlier this year. The journalist was shot dead at a police checkpoint at an hour's distance from Nairobi on Sunday night. The Kenyan police later said it was a case of mistaken identity during a search for a similar car involved in a child abduction case. On Wednesday, the Interior Ministry removed a representative of the Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) from the list of officials who will be part of the team that will ascertain facts in the killing of Sharif from the Kenyan Police and relevant authorities. The minist

Imran Khan found guilty of corrupt practices by Pak EC; disqualified

The four-member bench headed by Pak CEC Sikander Sultan Raja unanimously disqualified Khan for five years as the chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and a member of the national assembly

Pakistan issues nationwide alert amid heightened risk of terror attacks

The Pakistan government has issued a nationwide alert to authorities to maintain "extreme vigilance" amid a heightened risk of terrorist attacks by the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) after peace talks with the dreaded terror group have stalled, a media report said on Thursday. The federal government said it had learnt that the TTP high command met recently in Paktika, Afghanistan, to discuss the deadlock in peace talks and the fate of the negotiations with the Pakistani government after the killing of TTP commanders Omar Khalid Khorasani and Aftab Parkay. The letter urged all authorities in four provinces to heighten security and exercise enhanced vigilance to avoid any untoward incident, the Ministry of Interior said in a statement, instructing forces that targeted search and strike missions be carried out wherever militant activity is reported. In a letter circulated last month, the Ministry of Interior warned that more than year-long peace negotiations between the TTP and the .

Pakistan government's Twitter account withheld in India for the 2nd time

The Twitter account of the Pakistan government has been withheld in India. This is reportedly the second such incident in recent months.

Floods left behind an 'ocean of human suffering': Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif

"Pakistan has never seen a more stark and devastating example of the impact of global warming," Sharif said about the disaster.

Pak PM Shehbaz to consult brother Nawaz on Army chief's appointment: Report

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will decide on the appointment of the next Army chief after discussing the matter with former premier Nawaz Sharif in London, according to a media report. Nawaz Sharif, the elder brother of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has been living in London since November 2019 when he was allowed to go there for medical treatment but never returned. He served thrice as the prime minister of Pakistan and appointed at least four Army chiefs. Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, 61, would retire on November 29. The prime minister, who arrived in London on Saturday arrived to attend the state funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth II, will also meet Nawaz Sharif during his stay in the city and discuss the appointment of the next Army chief with him, The Express Tribune newspaper reported. The Prime Minister would make the decision on the appointment of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) after discussing the matter with PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, the newspaper