News

K-P political crisis: Imran warns ‘blackmailing’ MPAs he’ll dissolve assembly

Apr 05 2014
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune
ISLAMABAD: The simmering political crisis in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa reached a tipping point on Friday when Imran Khan, chief of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), gave a loud and clear warning to a group of disgruntled legislators of his party. He said that he would rather dissolve the provincial legislature and call fresh elections than caving in to the ‘forward bloc’s blackmailing’.

The warning came hours after 14 PTI legislators handed their resignations from the assembly membership to the deputy speaker, Imtiaz Shahid.

Govt, Taliban committees to meet today

Apr 05 2014
Pakistan
Source: 
The News International

ISLAMABAD: The committees formed by the government and Taliban will meet today (Saturday) and finalise the time and venue for the second meeting with the Taliban Shura.

Taliban liaison committee member, Professor Ibrahim told Geo News that the Taliban committee would be meeting members of government committee here today. He said that matters relating to the next phase of direct talks with Taliban would be discussed.

Maulana Yousuf Shah said that the issues relating to release of prisoners and other matters would also come under discussion in the meeting.

A thorn in the side: PTI pressure group refuses to meet CM

Apr 04 2014
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune

PESHAWAR: The provincial leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf which is struggling to cope with increasing divides within its ranks in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa suffered another setback on Thursday when its disgruntled members refused to meet Chief Minister Pervez Khattak.

According to insiders, some PTI MPAs tried to set up a meeting between the disgruntled members and CM Pervez Khattak, however, the group members declined, saying they only wanted to talk to party chief Imran Khan.

Talking peace: Religious parties demand release of non-combatants

Apr 04 2014
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune
PESHAWAR: A conference organised by the provincial chapter of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) on Thursday asked the government and the Taliban to release all non-combatants, women and children to make ground for furthering peace talks and to extend the ceasefire agreement.

A declaration read out by JI provincial information secretary Israrullah Khan hailed peace talks and condemned those forces who want to sabotage them. The statement also called upon the government to expedite its efforts to achieve peace in the wake of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Threatening protests: Jirga demands referendum on Hazara province by April 12

Apr 04 2014
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune

ABBOTABAD: An Awami Jirga comprising representatives of several political parties threatened widespread protests if the promise of Hazara province was not fulfilled before April 12, or at least a referendum announced in this regard.

Organised by Hazara Hurriyat Conference, the jirga was held on Wednesday night and attended by officials from Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ), Hazara Awami Ittehad, Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Hazara Qaumi Mahaz, All Pakistan Employees Coordination Council (APECC), and All Traders Association Abbottabad.

Out of the loop: FATA MNAs to decide future course today

Apr 04 2014
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune

GHALLANI: After boycotting the National Assembly proceedings on Wednesday over the federal government’s perceived disregard for their input, lawmakers belonging to the tribal areas will meet today (Friday) to discuss their next step.

National Assembly members (MNAs) from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) claim the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government has not taken them into confidence with regard to the ongoing peace talks with the Taliban, especially as they represent the people of Fata.

Time for change: UNDP to help G-B enhance local government

Apr 04 2014
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune
GILGIT: Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) Assembly will get technical assistance from United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in forming legislation for local government.

A select committee of G-B, headed by regional Law Minister Ali Madad Sher, has sought UNDP’s support in accordance with constitutional provisions, provincial perspectives and best practices.

In search of peace: Sunni and Shia elders hold jirga at DC’s office

Apr 03 2014
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune
HANGU: In a bid to help restore peace and end sectarian violence in the district, a jirga of Sunni and Shia elders was convened at the deputy commissioner’s office on Wednesday.

Malik Farman, Zaheer Hussain, Rahmat Hussain and Maulana Abdul Sattar, Rahim Umar and Noor Khan represented the two sects at the office of Deputy Commissioner Syed Ahmad Jan and discussed multiple issues regarding law and order.

Spanner in the works: LG minister skeptical about holding polls this year

Apr 03 2014
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune

PESHAWAR: Provincial Minister for Local Government and Rural Development Inayatullah Khan feels the apex court’s decision regarding fresh delimitation has created confusion.

Khan told The Express Tribune they respect the Supreme Court’s verdict but carrying out delimitation again would take a lot of time and it would be impossible for the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to complete the process within a year. The apex court has ordered the provinces to hold the local government (LG) polls by November 15 this year.

Women caucus: ‘Amendments to Child Marriage Act on the cards’

Apr 01 2014
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune
LAHORE: “The law of inheritance for women was always there and it is unfortunate that we need a new law for its implementation,” women caucus convener Uzma Bukhari said on Monday.

She was addressing an interface with civil society organisations organised by Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD).

“Women can now register inherited properties under their name by paying Rs500 stamp duty. Heavy stamp duty had prevented them from doing so in the past,” she said.

@SirajOfficial: Meet the man leading the Jamaat

Apr 01 2014
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune

q is the second JI chief to be elected from K-P after Qazi Hussain Ahmed who led the party for about 22 years after taking over from Mian Tufail Muhammad in 1987. Like Qazi, Haq has taken charge of the party at a comparatively younger age. Qazi was just 49, while Hasan was 65 when he took over in 2009.

Qazi was one of the party’s longest serving chiefs of the party and Siraj is likely to follow his trajectory, as he has yet to encounter any headstrong contenders for leadership in the near future.

What we know about Haq

PPP, MQM forming alliance to thwart peace talks: Taliban sources

Apr 01 2014
Pakistan
Source: 
The News International

KARACHI: Taliban sources have claimed that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) in Sindh are engaged in making alliance in a bid to thwart peace talks.

The Taliban sources said that during their one-month ceasefire Sindh government continued to arrest Taliban activists and tortured them in prison.

 

Source/Fuente: http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-143135-PPP,-MQM-forming-alliance-to-th...

PML-N deliberates on removing Musharraf from ECL

Apr 01 2014
Pakistan
Source: 
The News International

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif chaired a meeting of the top leadership of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) which deliberated on whether former military ruler General (retd) Pervez Muharraf should be allowed to travel abroad.

The meeting failed to reach a decision on the issue and Prime Minister Sharif has summoned the leaders to deliberate again on Tuesday.

Chaudhry Nisar, Khawaja Asif, Parvez Rashid, Sardar Mehtab Abbasi and Ahsan Iqbal were among the PML-N leaders who attended the meeting.

Govt, Taliban committee review talks progress

Mar 29 2014
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune

ISLAMABAD: The government and Taliban negotiating teams in their meeting in Islamabad on Saturday reviewed the progress in the recently held direct dialogue between the government team and Taliban Shura, Radio Pakistan reported.

Later talking to newsmen, Maulana Samiul Haq, member of the Taliban-nominated team, said that the agenda for further talks with Taliban Shura would be set during the next few days in addition to determining the venue and date of that meeting.

LG polls: Court seeks replies from AJK top officials

Mar 29 2014
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune
MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Kashmir High Court Friday issued notices to top government officials for not conducting local bodies’ elections in the state for the last over 20 years.

The court directed the region’s Chief Secretary Khyzer Hayat Gondal and Secretary Local Government Muhammad Sadiq Dar to submit their responses on the issue till May 7.

The court issued the orders on a petition filed by senior lawyer Sajjad Ahmed Khan against the government for not conducting the local government (LG) elections since 1991 in the region.

Talks underway as govt committee reaches North Waziristan to meet TTP Shura

Mar 26 2014
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune

PESHAWAR: The peace negotiations began as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) intermediaries and the government negotiators reached North Waziristan to meet the TTP Shura on Wednesday, Express News reported.

They travelled to Miranshah via a helicopter from Peshawar and then proceeded to an undisclosed location to meet the TTP Shura. The meeting has previously been postponed twicedue to bad weather.

Merry(age): Civil society seeks increase in minimum age for girls

Mar 26 2014
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune
ISLAMABAD: Recent remarks by a religious body about child marriages law may hinder progress on pending bills at the federal and provincial levels about increasing minimum marriageable age for girls, according to The Child Rights Movement (CRM).

In its press statement issued here on Tuesday, the CRM urged the federal and provincial governments to implement the Child Marriages Restraint (CMR) Act 1929 and increase the minimum marriageable age for girls.

Election tribunal declares result of PP-136 Narowal null and void

Mar 26 2014
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune

LAHORE: An election tribunal on Wednesday declared the result of the PP-136 constituency in Narowal null and void, Express News reported.

Colonel (retd) Shujah Ahmad Khan of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had won the seat with 47,475 votes while independent candidate Muhammad Wakeel Khan Manj was the runner-up with 31,423 votes.

Manj had accused the winning candidate of rigging the votes.

Today, the election tribunal nullified the result stating that ballot papers and counter files were missing from the record.

Illegal appointment: Contempt notice issued to AJK assembly speaker

Mar 26 2014
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune
MUZAFFARABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir High Court (AJKHC) Tuesday issued a contempt of court notice to assembly speaker for violating court order in an illegal appointment and promotion case.

Chief Justice Ghulam Mustafa Mughal issued contempt notice to AJK Legislative Assembly (AJKLA) Speaker Ghulam Sadiq Khan for promoting his son and appointing his nephew in the assembly secretariat in violation of the court order.

Pages