Category: PAKISTAN

Overseas Tribune- Latest News from Pakistan and around the world.

Law minister Zahid Hamid resigns as govt reaches agreement with agitating parties

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Zahid Hamid

(Javed Hussain/Dawn) After the weeks-long protest that virtually paralyzed the capital and saw several people losing their lives, the government has finally given in to the demands of protesters camped out at Faizabad Interchange, with Zahid Hamid resigning as the Federal Law Minister. The minister’s resignation came in the aftermath of Saturday’s bot­ched operation against protesters at Faizabad and successful negotiations with leaders of the demonstration, official sources and state broadcaster PTV say. The law minister’s resignation was the chief demand of the agitating parties, who have been staging a 19-day protest…

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Social Media Restored in Pakistan

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Yesterday Most of the Social Media sites including Facebook, YouTube and Twitter were suspended to avoid live coverage of the Faizabad’s security operation against the protesters in the area between Islamabad, the capital city and Rawalpindi. Now all of these blocked sites are restored on the orders of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

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Top civil-mil officials agree on ‘political negotiations’ with Islamabad protesters, no use of force

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Police Shelling during Faizabad Operation

(Dawn News) Top civil and military officials on Sunday decided against the use of force to disperse protesters in Islamabad, opting instead to engage in political negotiations with agitators in the capital, a highly-placed source told DawnNews. There has been no official confirmation of the development. Chief of Army Staff Qamar Jawed Bajwa, who flew in from the United Arab Emirates, attended the over two-hour-long meeting headed by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, along with Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal and Director-General (DG) Inter-Services Intelligence Naveed Mukhtar. The officials decided to engage…

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PML-N top brass mulls Hamid’s resignation

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Zahid Hamid | NA passes Elections (Amendment) Bill 2017 to 'strengthen' Khatm-i-Nabuwwat clauses

(Zulqarnain Haider/Dawn) LAHORE: Top leaders of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), including its chief Nawaz Sharif and Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, sat down on Saturday to weigh all options in dealing with the demands put forward by the protesting Tehreek-i-Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah (TLYRA) party, even the possibility of Federal Law Minister Zahid Hamid’s resignation. Mr Sharif presided over a meeting called at his Jati Umra residence here in Raiwind, which was attended by Mr Abbasi, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Senator…

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Government in Pakistan calls military in Islamabad

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Government in Pakistan calls military in Islamabad

Islamabad (Bureau Report) The government of Pakistan has formally called the military to protect the capital Islamabad and its twin city Rawalpindi. The capital’s administration has penned the letter to summon Pakistan Army as situation keeps on worsening in twin cities amid crackdown against sit-in’s protestors. The decision was taken to fortify security arrangements of sensitive buildings. The letter states that enraged protesters can inflict loss on sensitive public and private buildings situated in twin cities. Also Read:Pakistan: Social Media suspended and Electronic media prevented from live coverage It is…

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Islamabad operation ‘suspended’ as thousands of violent protesters take over streets

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Islamabad operation 'suspended' as thousands of violent protesters take over streets

(DAWN) A crackdown against religious protesters camped out at Islamabad’s Faizabad Interchange was ‘suspended’ on Saturday evening as thousands of protesters took over the streets in the federal capital. The Islamabad police, with the help of Frontier Constabulary (FC) personnel and other law enforcement agencies, launched the operation against protesters earlier today after the last of a long series of deadlines lapsed this morning without response from the agitating parties. The protesters have been camped out at the Faizabad Interchange since November 8. Roughly 8,500 elite police and paramilitary troops in…

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Pakistan: Social Media suspended and Electronic media prevented from live coverage

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Social Media Sites Blocked in Pakistan

Syed Mujtaba Haider, Islamabad: Most of the social media sites including Facebook, YouTube and Twitter have been suspended and electronic media has been directed to avoid live coverage of the Faizabad’s security operation against the protesters in the area between Islamabad, the capital city and Rawalpindi. Also Read:Operation started at Faizabad to Disperse Protesters According to the  reports, immediately after the direction, the most of the channels have gone off air their live coverage from operation site in Islamabad and elsewhere. Also Read:Political motives behind sit-in, ISI tells Supreme Court A…

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New SC bench appointed to hear Hudaibiya Paper Mills case on Nov 28

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supreme court of pakistan

(Haseeb Bhatti/Dawn) The Supreme Court (SC) on Saturday ordered the constitution of a three-member special bench to hear a petition pertaining to the Hudaibiya Paper Mills case on November 28. In an appeal, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has asked the apex court “in the interest of justice, fair play and equity” to set aside a 2014 judgement from the Lahore High Court (LHC) to shut the case. Justice Musheer Alam will head the bench that will review the case’s merits. He will be joined by Justice Qazi Fa’iz Essa…

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Political motives behind sit-in, ISI tells Supreme Court

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Faizabad Operation Current Situation

(Nasir Iqbal/Dawn) ISLAMABAD: The Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), in its report submitted to the Supreme Court, has stated that the protesters blocking the Faizabad interchange have a political agenda to fulfill. “The Tehreek Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah is determined to exploit the situation and gain political mileage to gain support for the next general elections,” said a six-page order issued by a two-judge bench consisting of Justice Mushir Alam and Justice Qazi Faez Isa. The bench had taken suo motu notice of the disturbance to public life due to the ongoing…

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Operation started at Faizabad to Disperse Protesters

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Faizabad Operation

Overseas Tribune, Islamabad Police has started the operation against Tehreek e Labaik Protesters. Frontier Corps and other law enforcement agencies are participating in this operation. Around 8000 officials are started this operation at 7 am today, which was the last deadline given to the protesters to end their protest. Police is using tear gas, but there’s no effective results of tear gas shelling. According to sources, the protesters were well prepared for government’s action as they are armed with clubs and wearing masks. However, TLYR leadership is appealing Police to…

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Quratulain Balouch faces criticism after abusing Imran Khan in her tweet

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Quratulain Balouch

Famous Pakistani singer Quratulain Balouch is facing criticism on Twitter, due to use of abusive language against PTI Chairman Imran Khan. Quratulain Balouch is known for her melodious voice and became famous from Coke Studio. Recently, she used abusive language for Chairman PTI Imran Khan in her tweet. Imran khan has become an asshole https://t.co/afJyCaCyQ6 — Quratulain Balouch (@Quratulainb) November 21, 2017 After tweeting this, QB is now facing harsh words from the followers of Imran Khan. Another attention seeking and cheap publicity stunt. Insafian’s should ignore this GulaLIE part…

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Religious Parties ‘Sit in’ Islamabad & state’s responsibility to bring a mutual consensus.

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Tehreek e Labaik Protest at Faizabad

Islamabad, The capital city of Pakistan is at halt and disrupted for almost two weeks by protesters belonging to Pakistani religious parties including- Tehreek-i-Khatm-i-Nabuwwat, Tehreek-i-Labaik Ya Rasool Allah (TLY) and the Sunni Tehreek Pakistan (ST) — who are calling for sacking of the Law Minister Zahid Hamid and a strict action against those behind the amendment to the ‘Khatm-i-Nabuwwat oath’ in the Elections Act 2017. The protestors are mainly demanding the removal of Federal Law Minister Zahid Hamid and Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah, Asiya Bibi’s execution, dismissal of cases…

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Imran Khan moves SC against ECP’s decision to allow Ayesha Gulalai retain NA seat

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Imran Khan

(Haseeb Bhatti/Dawn) PTI chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday submitted a petition in Supreme Court challenging the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision which allowed MNA Ayesha Gulalai to retain her National Assembly’s membership. Khan in his petition claimed that Gulalai had violated party laws and should be deseated as she had abstained from voting for the PTI’s chosen candidate, Sheikh Rasheed, for the office of prime minister after the ouster of ex-PM Nawaz Sharif. It said that Khan had issued a show-cause notice and gave Gulalai ample time to explain…

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Hafiz Saeed set to be freed after LHC turns down extension in detention order

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Jamaat Dawa Chief Hafiz Saeed

(Idress Sheikh/Dawn) A review board comprising judges of the Lahore High Court on Wednesday refused to extend the detention orders of Jamaatud Dawa’s (JuD) chief Hafiz Mohammad Saeed. His current house arrest is going to expire on Nov 24 (Friday). The review board under the chair of Justice Abdul Sami Khan passed these orders after a senior finance ministry official failed to convince the board that the release of Saeed would bring diplomatic and financial problems to the country. During the last hearing, the government while seeking extension in the detention orders…

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Accountability court declares Ishaq Dar an absconder

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Finance Minister Ishaq Dar

(Mohammad Imran/Dawn) Finance Minister Ishaq Dar was declared an absconder by an accountability court in Islamabad on Tuesday in a corruption reference filed against him by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). During an accountability hearing pertaining to Dar, who is accused of amassing assets of an approximate value of Rs831.7 million — disproportionate to his known sources of income ─ NAB’s investigating officer Nadir Abbass told the court that a NAB team had visited the minister’s residence in Lahore and Islamabad after non-bailable arrest warrants were issued against him. However,…

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