report in The Express Tribune, Dec 31, 2023Veteran politician and esteemed lawyer Aitzaz Ahsan has made startling predictions regarding PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif, suggesting that the former premier might once again exit the country before the upcoming elections and keep tabs on the results from abroad. Ahsan shared his insights during an interview with a private news channel on Friday. Pointing out that the PML-N supremo “is abroad anyways”, Ahsan speculated on the possibility of…
Globalpoliticsnews
report in The Express Tribune, Dec 31, 2023SHEIKHUPURA: PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif has said that on February 8 the people of Pakistan will have to choose between those who are committed to strengthening the nation and those who attacked their own country on May 9. “These elections are no ordinary elections. You must come to vote with passion. When you cast your vote, you must see what the leader has done in the past,” Shehbaz…
report in The Express Tribune, Dec 31, 2023LAHORE: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif stated on Saturday that the PML-N is now stronger and more united than ever, emphasizing the party’s commitment to rescuing the people of Pakistan amidst current economic challenges. During the PML-N parliamentary board meeting, Nawaz praised his brother Shehbaz Sharif, the party president, for his unwavering commitment to both the party and the people of Pakistan. He credited Shehbaz for successfully addressing…
by Ikram Junaidi in Dawn, December 31st, 2023• Omar Ayub alleges ‘status quo forces’ resorting to underhanded tactics• Barrister Gohar says ECP failed to perform its constitutional dutiesISLAMABAD: The PTI decried on Saturday the rejection of the nomination papers of several of its election candidates, including Murad Saeed and Sahibzada Sibghatullah. PTI’s Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan has branded these rejections as “politically motivated”, accusing the “forces of status quo” of resorting to underhanded tactics…
by Javaidur Rahman in The Nation, Dec 31, 2023ISLAMABAD/LAHORE – The nomination papers of Imran Khan the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) were rejected for National Assembly constituency NA-122 (Lahore) on Saturday. The returning officer concerned rejected the nomination papers while accepting the objections raised about it. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate and former MPA Mian Naseer had challenged the nomination papers of PTI founder in NA-122. He stated that Imran Khan was ineligible due…
by Iftikhar A. Khan in Dawn, December 31st, 2023• Nominations of Imran, Qureshi, other bigwigs rejected; party cries foul; tribunals to decide appeals till Jan 10• GDA leaders Zulfiqar, Fahmida Mirza; Akhtar Mengal, Sheikh Rashid, Alvi’s son, Ayaz Amir face rejection• Nawaz, Shehbaz, Bilawal, Achakzai, Maryam, Khattak, Fazl, Siddiqui, Tareen, Awan, Siraj among those cleared ISLAMABAD: In the initial phase of elections slated for Feb 8, the top leadership of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and…
by Kamran Yusuf in The Express Tribune, Dec 31, 2023ISLAMABAD: At the start of the year, which coincidentally happened to be two months after the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) announced the end of a ceasefire with the Pakistani government, Peshawar’s Red Zone was rocked by a suicide blast that killed hundreds. Although the TTP initially claimed responsibility for the heinous attack and later retracted the statement, the incident set the tone for Pakistan’s relations with…
Editorial in The Nation, Dec31, 2023The recent arson attack on a government higher secondary school for girls in Kotka Mambati Barakzai is a reprehensible act that not only undermines educational infrastructure but also poses a threat to the future of young students. Suspected militants targeted the school, located in Miryan tehsil, on Thursday night, setting ablaze the science lab and valuable equipment. This deliberate destruction reflects a distressing disregard for the importance of education and…
Editorial in The Nation, Dec31, 20232023 was not an ideal year for Pakistan when it comes to the security situation. The year saw an uptick in militancy and terrorism. Aside from multiple major attacks, the armed forces remained engaged in volatile regions, especially in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces. Just recently, a successful intelligence-based operation in North Waziristan neutralised five terrorists involved in multifaceted violent activities. This, coupled with many other similar operations throughout…
By Naveed Hussain in T-magazine, Express Tribune, Dec 31, 2023The recent dramatic uptick in terrorist violence has again shone the spotlight on the safe havens of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terror group in Afghanistan. “Average TTP attacks per month increased from 14.5 in 2020 to 45.8 in 2022 and expanded in geographical scope, reflecting increased operability and improved weaponry acquired when the Afghan government collapsed in August 2021,” according to the Global Conflict Tracker. Official…
Crime and business
edit in The Express Tribune, December 31st, 2023.The escalating crime rates in Karachi have cast a long and ominous shadow over the city’s bustling business community, triggering a cascade of concerns that reverberate far beyond immediate safety issues. The recent surge in criminal activities has emerged as a formidable challenge, prompting business leaders to confront the unsettling reality that their operations are increasingly at the mercy of criminal elements. The targeted killings of traders in…