English – Page 28 – OVERSEAS TRIBUNE

Nawaz Sharif ignores warnings, takes to GT Road today

August 9, 2017 News Desk

ISLAMABAD: Despite concerns about his security, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was adamant that he will leave for Lahore via the historic Grand Trunk (GT) Road on Wednesday morning. “I will not wait for the situation to calm down because I have every right to go home,” he told reporters at the Punjab House on Tuesday, referring to the recent bombing in Lahore and the heightened security threats there. Reports suggested that his brother Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal and his predecessor Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan were among several…

Kulsoom, Maryam top list of PML-N nominees for NA-120

August 8, 2017 News Desk

LAHORE: Though ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif is yet to make a final decision about the PML-N candidate for NA-120, Lahore-III, the party officials say former first lady Begum Kulsoom Nawaz or her daughter Maryam Nawaz are also being considered for the ticket. “In the internal party discussions so far names of Begum Kulsoom and Ms Maryam have emerged as first and second priority, respectively, as PML-N candidates for the seat (that) fell vacant after disqualification of the prime minister,” a party official told Dawn here on Monday. He, however, quoted Mr…

Iran regards Pakistan’s security as its own: Rouhani

August 8, 2017 News Desk

KARACHI: Iran regards Pakistan’s security as its own security, President Hassan Rouhani said on Monday, stressing that the two countries have the potential for combating terrorism and ensuring regional security. During a meeting with Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani in Tehran, the Iranian president said terrorism posed a major threat to the region and security was currently the most important issue. “All regional countries must cooperate with each other to fight and eliminate terrorism,” Mr Rouhani said, according to Iran’s Press TV. Iran and Pakistan were strategically important to one another,…

Azadi Train to begin journey of Pakistan on August 12

August 7, 2017 News Desk

ISLAMABAD (PR) Azadi train preparations are underway at Rawalpindi Carriage Factory, where more than 100 laborers are working to finalize models of different cultural heritages of Pakistan. On August 12 Azadi Train will be inaugurated for celebrating 70th Anniversary of Pakistan.It will start its journey from Margalla Railway Station. It will portray genesis of Pakistan, our past and bright future besides highlighting cultural diversity of the provinces and different regions of the country. PNCA will arrange 36 folk artists i.e. singers and musicians including puppeteers to accompany the Azadi Train…

Ousted PM gets two SPs in deviation from procedure

August 7, 2017 News Desk

LAHORE: The federal government has appointed a senior police official serving in BS-18 as security officer for ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif, in a deviation from the standard practice. According to the standard operating procedure mentioned in the ‘Blue Book’, only the sitting prime minister and the president are entitled to the services of a BS-18 officer of the rank of superintendent of police (SP). However, the government has allowed Mr Sharif to avail this privilege. A notification issued by the Establishment Division on Aug 4 said: “Muhammad Zeshan Reza,…

‘Shahbaz made to miss golden opportunity’

August 6, 2017 News Desk

LAHORE: A number of PML-N leaders in Punjab believe that Nawaz Sharif has ‘smartly deprived’ his younger brother of an opportunity to become prime minister in this tenure of the party and at the same time shattered the dreams of his nephew (Hamza) to take up the reins in Punjab. According to them, Shahabaz has missed or made to miss a “golden opportunity” to succeed his elder brother as there is no guarantee he will make it to Islamabad to don the premier’s cap in 2018 in case the PML-N wins the…

Nawaz is attempting to undermine SC by travelling to Lahore in a cavalcade on GT Road: Imran Khan

August 6, 2017 News Desk

“Nawaz Sharif’s plan to travel to Lahore in a cavalcade on GT Road is a deliberate attempt to continue undermining the Supreme Court of Pakistan by calling into question its decision on the Panama case,” said Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan in a statement shared on Twitter on Sunday. The earlier plan of Nawaz returning to Lahore on Sunday through the motorway was put off until Wednesday. Punjab Information Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman had said that the decision to change the programme had been taken on “public pressure”, adding that the journey…

Will soon reveal the reason to not join federal cabinet: Nisar

August 5, 2017 News Desk

Former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, while speaking in a jalsa in his constituency on Friday, said he will soon reveal the reason he did not join Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s cabinet. Nisar’s portfolio has been transferred to Ahsan Iqbal in Prime Minister Abbasi’s cabinet, which took oath today (Friday). Reports of Nisar’s misgivings with other PML-N leaders had emerged last month, following which he had announced he would hold a press conference to clear the air. He finally spoke last week, after postponing the talk twice, to…

Pakistan urges comprehensive political plan for Afghan peace

August 4, 2017 News Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday hoped that the ongoing US review would result in a comprehensive political strategy to promote reconciliation and peace in Afghanistan and the region amid reports that the Trump Administration is in a fix to evolve a workable plan. As the US administration is finalising its plan for Afghanistan and South Asia, a US delegation led by Ambassador Alice G Wells, Acting Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs, held talks with Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua at the Foreign Office. The US delegation is currently on tour…

Eight killed in rain related incidents in Islamabad, K-P

August 4, 2017 News Desk

PESHAWAR: Heavy downpour on Wednesday flooded parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhawa (K-P), upper Punjab and the federal capital, killing at least eight people and injuring dozens. With these casualties, the total death toll in Pakistan due to current monsoon rains rose to 105. Three children reportedly died in Islamabad after roof of a house collapsed at the Allah Ditta Brick Kiln near Benazir Chowk at the capital’s Tarnol area. In another related incident, a girl was killed and four other members of her family sustained injuries in the suburbs of Jhelum on Wednesday.…

New cabinet takes oath: Khawaja Asif foreign minister, Ahsan Iqbal interior minister

August 4, 2017 News Desk

Members of the new cabinet took oath at a ceremony organised at the Presidency in Islamabad on Friday morning. President Mamnoon Hussain administered the oath to 44 members of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s cabinet comprising mostly old faces but with some reshuffled portfolios. The cabinet comprises 28 federal ministers and 18 state ministers. The names of the cabinet members and their portfolios were finalised by PM Abbasi after six-hour-long consultations with his predecessor Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif in Murree on Thursday. Khawaja Muhammad Asif, earlier the defence…

Karachi’s influential prisoners are living the dream

August 4, 2017 News Desk

KARACHI: Suspected murderers, rapists and terrorists are inmates of the Central Jail, Karachi. Or, they are supposed to be. Around 40 convicted and under-trial prisoners have been living a life of luxury at various public and private hospitals in blatant violation of prison department laws. Infamous convicts, like the murderers of university student Shahzeb Khan and A-Level student Suleman Lashari, have been living in private wards of hospitals that they have turned into their homes away from home. Some prisoners have even been ‘admitted’ to private hospitals for months at…

Asma Jahangir censures SC

August 4, 2017 News Desk

ISLAMABAD: Rights activist and lawyer Asma Jahangir has questioned the role of the Supreme Court in the Panamagate case, and its recent verdict disqualifying the ex-prime minister from his office. Speaking at a meet the press programme on Thursday, the former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) censured the apex court’s judgment in the case. “I do not support Nawaz Sharif and I have never voted for the PML-N, but I support the rule of law and the principles. And I think voices should be raised when the highest…

Former AGP’s conviction suspended

August 4, 2017 News Desk

ISLAMABAD: The sacked auditor general of Pakistan (AGP) Akhtar Buland Rana, who was convicted of concealing his Canadian nationality, was released on bail on Thursday. Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Faizan Haider Gillani suspended the verdict of senior civil judge Mohammad Shabbir and issued notice to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for September 19. The ADSJ released the AGP on Rs200,000 surety bonds. A senior civil judge had convicted Mr Rana under section 6(c) of the Passport Act 1974 for concealing his Canadian nationality and awarded him six-months of…

Corps commander, governor pledge to ensure durable peace in Karachi

August 4, 2017 News Desk

Corps commander Karachi meets governer sindh

KARACHI: The military establishment on Thursday hinted that the Karachi operation, which is going to complete four years next month, was not going to end anytime soon as the new corps commander of the city in a meeting with the Sindh governor vowed to continue the exercise “till its logical end”. During a meeting at Governor House Governor Mohammed Zubair and Corps Commander Karachi Lt-Gen Shahid Baig Mirza discussed efforts that were afoot to make peace in the city sustainable and lasting, after the sacrifices of many security and law…