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NBP president appears before NAB team investigating Sharifs’ London flats, Dar’s assets

August 21, 2017August 21, 2017 News Desk

National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) President Saeed Ahmed appeared before the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) investigation team in Lahore on Monday to record his statement in the ongoing references against Ishaq Dar’s assets and the Sharifs’ Avenfield properties in London, DawnNews reported. According to bureau sources privy to the matter, a team headed by DG NAB Lahore is carrying out the investigation. Earlier, Ahmed had informed the Supreme Court-appointed Joint Investigation Team (JIT) that he had no knowledge of any account linked with the alleged money laundering. Dar had told the JIT…

‘Nawaz to appoint Shahbaz as PML-N president on Sept 7’

August 21, 2017August 21, 2017 News Desk

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif will be appointed as the president of the ruling PML-N next month, according to sources close to the party. A meeting was held between Nawaz Sharif — who was disqualified after the Panamagate verdict last month from continuing as prime minister of Pakistan and consequently, the head of PML-N — and Shahbaz on Monday at the former’s Model Town residence in Lahore. During the meeting, Nawaz took Shahbaz into confidence regarding his appointment as PML-N president, said party insiders. An announcement to this effect is expected on…

7 police officers kidnapped in Rajanpur by gang members: police

August 20, 2017 News Desk

Seven police officers were kidnapped in Rajanpur’s Rojhan tehsil on Sunday morning allegedly by dacoits with ties to the Attaullah Pat gang. Deputy Superintendent Police (DSP) Bangla Ichha Ramiz Bokhari said the police officers were on boat patrol in the riverine area when they were picked up by gang members who are believed to have hidden in the sugarcane fields surrounding the area. An assistant sub-inspector of the Bangla Iccha police station is among those kidnapped. DSP Rojhan Buzdar told Dawn that search operations are being conducted in the riverine area of…

Nisar set to expose PML-N ‘infighting’

August 20, 2017August 20, 2017 News Desk

ISLAMABAD: Estranged Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) stalwart Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan is set to further embarrass his party leaders at a press conference today (Sunday), where he is expected to spill the beans on critical national issues and matters associated with his role as the country’s interior minister. His spokesperson’s announcement that the former interior minister would address a presser at Islamabad’s Punjab House on Sunday came the same day newspapers reported a spat between former information minister Pervaiz Rashid and the erstwhile senior minister. Mr Rashid had indirectly criticised…

Nisar sees red as Pervaiz Rashid reflects on interior ministry’s ‘failings’

August 19, 2017August 20, 2017 News Desk

KARACHI: A somewhat veiled criticism by senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz politician Pervaiz Rashid of former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan caused the latter to hit back, saying he did not know why “some people have put the burden of all their mistakes and blunders on the ministry of interior and the establishment”. In a TV interview, the first salvo was fired by Mr Rashid who sounded a little upset with the fellow Pindiite, Chaudhry Nisar, on what the interior ministry could and could not have done during Nawaz Sharif’s third…

Not the only one responsible for confrontation between institutions, Nawaz says

August 17, 2017August 17, 2017 News Desk

I am not the only one responsible for preventing a confrontation between institutions, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif said during an interview with BBC Urdu which aired Thursday. Answering a question about worsening relations between different institutions of the state, Sharif said that he was not in favour of taking a collision course but it was everyone’s responsibility to ensure that the need does not arise. His clarification came amidst mounting criticism from opponents that he has been riling up his loyalists against state institutions after his ouster by the Supreme Court.…

Imran Khan lied on Bank of Khyber issue, claims estranged PTI MPA

August 15, 2017August 15, 2017 News Desk

PESHAWAR: Disgruntled Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf lawmaker Ziaullah Afridi claimed on Tuesday that party chief Imran Khan had lied to the public in his Liaquat Bagh rally speech about the issue of illegal appointments in the Bank of Khyber. He added that the PTI chief was trying to protect Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) CM Pervaiz Khattak who was involved in illegal hiring at the bank. He maintained that Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Sirajul Haq also illegally appointed bank employees when he was the K-P finance minister. “PTI Chairman Imran Khan lied to the people at his Liaquat Bagh rally. I challenge him and Sirajul Haq to a…

Nawaz Sharif set to carry on mass contact campaign

August 14, 2017 News Desk

LAHORE: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, camped in his Jati Umra residence to run the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) and the affairs of the federal government, is going over suggestions to hold a series of rallies in the second phase of his public contact campaign after his disqualification under a Supreme Court order. “After getting an overwhelming response of the people during his homecoming from Islamabad, Mian Nawaz Sharif is thinking about holding another round of rallies in his mass contact campaign to ensure respect of their vote,” the ousted…

Chinese vice premier arrives in Islamabad ahead of 70th Independence Day anniversary

August 13, 2017 News Desk

Vice Premier of the State Council of China, Wang Yang, accompanied by a high-level delegation, arrived in Islamabad on Sunday to participate in the 70th Independence Day celebrations of Pakistan. “Vice Premier Wang is undertaking the visit to Pakistan on the directions of President Xi Jinping as a special gesture to participate in the 70th Independence Day celebrations of Pakistan,” said a press release from the Chinese Embassy on Saturday. During his visit, the vice premier will attend an August 14 flag-hoisting ceremony as a special guest and is expected…

This is not a conspiracy, this is naya Pakistan: Imran sends message to Nawaz at Liaquat Bagh rally

August 13, 2017 News Desk

Leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and the Awami Muslim League (AML) are sharing a stage at Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi, where a large number supporters have turned up on the call of Imran Khan and Sheikh Rashid for an “Azadi jalsa”. PTI chief Imran Khan and AML head Sheikh Rashid can be seen on stage along with other leaders, while the ground appears filled to capacity despite a downpour that has been lashing the city since the evening. Khan, addressing the crowd at Liaquat Bagh after six years, praised…

Explosion in Quetta’s Pishin Stop area; at least 10 dead, 14 injured

August 12, 2017 News Desk

An explosion near Quetta’s Pishin Stop on Saturday night claimed 10 lives and left at least 14 injured, DawnNews reported. An emergency has been declared in the city. The blast occurred in a high-security zone near an FC hostel. The nature of the explosion could not be immediately ascertained; however, eyewitnesses said the explosion had occurred near a security forces vehicle. Police and other law enforcement forces rushed to the site of the incident and cordoned off the area. The dead and injured were rushed to Civil Hospital Quetta. The medical superintendent…

NA-120 by-poll: PML-N fields Kulsoom Nawaz for key contest

August 12, 2017 News Desk

LAHORE: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has fielded Kulsoom Nawaz as its candidate for NA-120, a National Assembly seat from Lahore that fell vacant after the disqualification of her husband Nawaz Sharif as prime minister for concealing assets in his nomination papers. Captain (retd) Safdar, Senator Asif Kirmani and others on Friday submitted the nomination papers for Kulsoom Nawaz. Captain (retd) Safdar told media-persons present there that disqualification of the former PM was an attack on the two-nation theory. Source: Express Tribune

PM takes charge of ECC after removing Ishaq Dar as chairman

August 11, 2017 News Desk

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Friday removed Finance Minister Ishaq Dar from his post as chairman of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet, according to a notification issued by the cabinet division and acquired by DawnNews. The newly elected prime minister will serve as the chairman of the ECC after Dar’s removal, the notification added. Dar will remain a member of the committee and will chair meetings of the ECC in case of Abbasi’s absence. Five ministries — railways, power, communications, statistics, water resources, and privatization — have also been…

Senators call for across the board accountability

August 10, 2017 News Desk

ISLAMABAD: Senators representing different parties have called for an across the board accountability system which should include keeping a check on judges and military personnel. On first day of opposition-requisitioned session, senators came down hard on the ruling party particularly former prime minister Nawaz Sharif who was disqualified by the Supreme Court late last month. Senate debated on measures to combat corruption, with focus on offshore companies, across the board accountability and a new accountability mechanism. Taking part in the discussion PPP’s Farhatullah Babar said that a historic opportunity had presented…

Nawaz says people of Pakistan have rejected his disqualification

August 10, 2017 News Desk

ISLAMABAD / RAWALPINDI: Deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who kicked off a defiant procession to Lahore on Wednesday, said the huge turnout at the rally has proved that the people of Pakistan have rejected his disqualification. A five-judge bench of the Supreme Court unanimously ruled last month that Sharif was not Sadiq (truthful) and Ameen (trustworthy) and therefore not qualified to become a member of parliament. Speaking from inside a purpose-built shipping container to a huge crowd at Committee Chowk, Sharif said the people of Rawalpindi have rejected his ouster from…