01 FRONT PAGE (11-11-2022)_Layout 1 11/11/2022 2:01 AM Page 1
Friday, 11 november, 2022 I 15 Rabi us sani, 1444 I Rs 15.00 | vol XIII no 132 I 12 Pages I Lahore edition
Amid politicAl heAt, ShArif fAmily tAkeS key deciSionS in london huddle g
NO PML-N LeADeR INvITeD TO SHARIF FAMILY MeeTING
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NAWAz SHARIF GeTS DIPLOMATIC PASSPORT LONDON
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stAff report
N an interesting development, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif attended a family huddle held to deliberate upon key decisions over a host of issues including the appointment of new army chief. According to various sources, the meeting held at the Avenfield flats following arrival of Shehbaz Sharif from egypt where he attended the COP27 climate conference. It has been reported that Shehbaz would consult Nawaz on the appointment of the Pakistan army chief. A source told this scribe that Nawaz, Shahbaz,
Maryam, Suleman Sharif, Hasan and Hussain Nawaz and rest of the family members were present. No one from the party was asked to join the meeting. The sources said that the meeting also discussed the situation arising following recent events in Pakistan including the Corps Commanders’ conference and the failed attempt at the life of PTI chief Imran Khan. “It was a family meeting with my brother, my nieces and my nephews and rest of the family joined too. We had lunch, gup shup and congratulations to all of you on Pakistan’s win,” Shehbaz Sharif told media following the meeting. This visit to London is the third such trip since
Imran urges CJP to ‘save nation’ as PTI long march resumes in Wazirabad ISLAMABAD stAff report
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairperson Imran Khan, addressing supporters as the party’s long march resumed from Wazirabad a week after he was attacked, said that the “plan” to assassinate him was first formulated in September which Imran said he had “unearthed in a public rally on September 24”. According to Imran Khan, all eyes are on the top court now as the nation has “lost trust” in the institutions, saying that Pakistan is becoming a banana republic. “You [Supreme Court’s chief justice] have to save the country. The nation has lost trust in institutions. You have to fix this as the country doesn’t work without institutions,” he added. The former prime minister, who was removed from power through a vote of no confidence in the National Assembly in April this year, said that it is unimaginable in western countries what is happening in Pakistan these days. “When will the country’s law give protection,” Imran said. The PTI chief also said it was a miracle that so many people survived the attack. Doubling down on earlier claims, Imran held a senior military officer, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah responsible for the attack and said they had used “religious extremism” as a “cover to shunt off the blame”. “For anyone harboring any doubts,” Imran added, “you can tell that he had been told to say this when the attacker claimed he had done this alone”.
“The forensic [report] of the container has shown that there were two types of bullet, meaning there were two shooters,” he added, “so the whole plan they had was that [just like] Salman Taseer was killed by a religious extremist and the matter is sorted”. Imran also hailed Ibtesam – the young man whose quick thinking had saved the former prime minister – for his “heroic effort”. He also announced again that the party will “take lifetime responsibility” for the children of the victim who lost his life during the attack. “Our march will not end,” vowed Imran as he reiterated his commitment to the establishment of justice. Continuing his criticism, the PTI chief said that the senior military officer was behind “what they have done to us, to the journalists, and what they did to Arshad Sharif and what they did to Azam Swati”. “I am the former primer prime minister, the chief of the largest party of Pakistan and I have not been able to register my FIR” because the military officer’s name was mentioned, said Imran. “He is such a man who is above Pakistani law. DG ISPR says ‘it’ll be a disrespect to our military’; the military will be disrespected when it fails to take action on the matter,” said Imran. PTI suPPoRTeRs ConveRge In WazIRabad: As thousands of former prime minister Imran Khan’s supporters are expected to resume their protest march on the capital city Thursday in a bid to seek snap elections, a demand his successor, Shahbaz Sharif, rejects.
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Cabinet approves Rs59bn for development schemes of ruling MPs ISLAMABAD AhmAd AhmAdAni
The federal cabinet has approved a Rs 59 billion and 43 crore development package for the constituencies of incumbent parliamentarians ahead of the country’s next general elections. According to sources, a hefty sum of money will be spent on development schemes in the constituencies of members of parliament of the ruling coalition prior to the next general election which are expected to be held in October 2023. With the PDM government on the ropes because of the country’s dire economic straits and massive protests from the Pakistan Tehreek Insaf (PTI) demanding fresh elections, lawmakers from the treasury benches have been worried about what they will have to show for themselves in their constituencies. This concern is exacerbated by the fact that while the PTI was in power, parliamentarians belonging to PDM faced delays in the disbursement of development funds for their constituencies. The summary has been approved by the
federal cabinet through circulation for ratification of release of funds for the execution of development schemes of the members of parliament, despite the funds not being available in the federal budget for the ongoing financial year. The funds are currently being arranged through the surrendered funds of Pakistan’s four provinces from last year. The sources added that the federal secretary for the cabinet division has granted approval to surrender the funds of provinces to the finance division. The surrendered funds are made up of the working capital and surplus funds kept for investment by the provincial governments. Documents available with Profit’s have shown that Punjab has surrendered Rs 35 billion and 27 crore, Sindh Rs 13 billion and 70 crore, Balochistan Rs 04 billion and 89 crore and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Rs 05 billion and 57 crore. The money is likely to be spent by parliamentarians for the execution of development schemes in their constituencies.
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Shahbaz became prime minister in April. Sharif’s visit to London comes two weeks before the end of Pakistan Army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa’s tenure. The army chief is set to retire on November 29. naWaz shaRIF geTs dIPLoMaTIC PassPoRT: Meanwhile, the Federal government on Thursday issued a diplomatic passport to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The passport was issued after clearance from the Foreign Ministry, sources said. According to details, the federal government has issued a diplomatic passport to Pakistan Muslim League leader (PML-N) Nawaz Sharif. The passport, issued after Foreign Ministry clearance, will be valid for five years. The passport has been sent to Nawaz Sharif via Passport and Immigration office. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government suspended the PML-N leader’s passport after he was declared an absconder by the court. The PMLN leader was issued a regular passport earlier.