Bushra to lodge case against Maryam: Fawad

Bushra Bibi, the wife of former prime minister Imran Khan, has decided to lodge a criminal case against Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz for defamation, Pakistan Tehkreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader Fawad Chaudhry said. Maryam has accused the former first lady of receiving bribes, including a diamond set in return for using her influence during the tenure of the PTI government. The PML-N leader had alleged that Farah Gogi, a close friend of Bushra Bibi, remained actively involved in running the day-to-day affairs of Usman Buzdar-led Punjab government and would also receive bribe for official transfer and postings of the officials. While addressing a news conference here on Tuesday, Fawad said Maryam alleged that Bushra Bibi was taking bribes for getting official documents signed by the authorities during the previous PTI-led government. “She has never participated in any political activity. She was only visited shelter homes,” he remarked. Maryam continued to hurl allegations against her despite the fact that she “is apolitical person”. “Therefore, Bushra Bibi has decided to send a legal notice to Maryam Nawaz for levelling baseless allegations,” he said. “The notice will be followed by the filing of a criminal case.” Firing a broadside at the chief election commissioner, Fawad said, “Sikandar Sultan Raja is a cohort of the incumbent government.” The PTI leader said that one the one hand, they say that there was no money for conducting elections, while on the other, they “purchased a four-kanal land worth more than Rs300 million for the Election Commission of Pakistan office in Sargodha”. Fawad said Senator Ejaz Chaudhry had filed a reference against the CEC but no action was taken, adding that the PTI would be sending a new reference against Raja. Also read: Maryam alleges ex-CJP’s son is ‘selling’ PTI tickets Reacting to Fawad’s presser, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that the PTI should not send notices to Maryam and “not become the patron of the Supreme Court which fools the nation”. Sanaullah said, “Bushra Bibi should appear and answer for her corruption in court, where her husband goes with a bucket on his face. “Take your husband to court with a bucket over his head.” He said, “It is Imran Khan's habit to throw rubbish at the ECP, lawyers, journalists and political opponents and threaten them.” He added that if lawyers speak against him, they are on payroll and if journalists do, they receive envelopes. The interior minister said that PTI should first respond to the envelope of £190 million, which Imran donated to his sponsor. “The entire national treasury was under the target of Imran mafia. Misuse of office, chair and authority is the biggest violation of the Constitution.”

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CBD introduces ‘Blue Roads’ in Lahore

Punjab Central Business District Development Authority (PCBDDA) commonly known as Central Business District Punjab (CBD Punjab), has introduced Blue Road concept in Lahore. The concept aims to modernise the city’s infrastructure and improve the quality of life for its residents. Lahore has become the first city in Pakistan and Asia, to adopt this innovative technology. Blue Roads are designed to offer a sustainable alternative to traditional asphalt roads, incorporating heat observation and energy-conserving features to reduce pollution and promote a healthier environment. These innovative roads utilise a specialised coating that reflects sunlight, reducing the amount of heat absorbed by the road surface. In addition, the reflective coating improves visibility for drivers at night, improving road safety. Punjab CBD CEO Imran Amin said, “We are excited to introduce the Blue Road concept in Pakistan, which has already been implemented successfully in several European and Middle Eastern countries like Netherlands, France and Qatar. This project will not only bring environmental benefits, such as heat observation, energy conservation and reduced pollution but also contribute to our vision of creating a modern, sustainable, and inclusive society in Punjab.” He underscored that the CBD Punjab is committed to delivering projects that enhance the standard of living for its residents. The introduction of the Blue Road concept is just one of many initiatives that the authority is undertaking to modernide the city’s infrastructure and improve the quality of life for its citizens. Published in The Express Tribune, May 2nd, 2023.

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Workshop held on early detection of musculoskeletal issues

The Ayub Teaching Hospital (ATH) on Monday organised a workshop on "Early Detection and Referral of Newborn Musculoskeletal Examination" with an aim to enhance the knowledge and skills of healthcare professionals and enable them to effectively manage musculoskeletal problems in newborns. This initiative was taken with the support of a leading pediatric orthopedic surgeon Dr Salik Kashif, a renowned medical director with extensive experience in musculoskeletal disorders Dr Alamzeb Swati and an Orthopedic Surgeon Dr Muhammad Younas. The workshop covered a range of topics, including early detection and diagnosis of musculoskeletal problems in newborns, appropriate referral and treatment options, and the role of physical therapy in managing these disorders. The workshop also featured a keynote address by the Medical Director of Ayub Teaching Hospital Professor Alamzeb Swati who emphasised the importance of early detection and referral of musculoskeletal disorders in newborns and applauded the efforts of the workshop facilitators in educating healthcare professionals in this field. On the occasion, Dr Muhammad Younas said "we are excited to have hosted such a successful workshop, bringing together healthcare professionals from across the region to enhance their skills and knowledge in the management of musculoskeletal disorders in newborns,” He further said that "the expertise of our esteemed facilitators and the active participation of healthcare professionals made this event a great success. "The workshop was attended by healthcare professionals from various fields, including pediatricians, obstetricians, neonatologists, physical therapists, and several other healthcare professionals. Published in The Express Tribune, May 2nd, 2023.

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Closure of Faizabad Interchange disrupts life

The closure of Faizabad Interchange – the main junction between the twin cities – in connection with May Day rallies impacted daily life in Rawalpindi and Islamabad adversely. According to sources, scores of daily wagers returned home empty-handed due to the closure of business and commercial centres at and around Faizabad. Residents of the twin cities faced severe mobility problems. The city traffic police said that there were reports about likely rallies of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) and other labour organisations entering the federal capital via Faizabad with the likelihood of causing disruption of law and order in Islamabad. Citing the threats, the police placed containers at the interchange, beefing up security measures. The move however badly affected traffic flow and formed long queues of traffic on major thoroughfares. Gridlocks were formed on Murree Road, Rawal Road, Airport Road, IJP Road, Srinagar Highway, Islamabad Expressway, Stadium Road, Syedpur Road, Chongi No 26 and Motorway Chowk due to Faizabad Interchange’s closure. After sealing the Faizabad Interchange, the CTP issued a travel advisory and directed the citizens to use alternative routes to enter Islamabad from Rawalpindi instead of the Faizabad Interchange. Metro bus service remained the only means of direct travel between the twin cities. All business and commercial centres in Faizabad and adjacent areas remained closed due to which wage labourers were unable to find work. Muhammad Khan, a labourer who earns a livelihood by working at Faizabad said that Faizabad is not only the main transit point between the twin cities where major business centres and hotels are located. Labourers work all day long to earn a living for their children, he said and added that it is strange to see that authorities are depriving them of a day’s earnings on the very day that is allocated to highlight the hardships of workers. Sumaira Anjum, a woman who travels from Rawalpindi to Islamabad by public transport said that she earns Rs20,000 per month by working in a private travel agency, to support her family. Due to the closure of the Faizabad Interchange, public transporters dropped off the passengers at Faizabad and charged full fares, she said and added that to reach the office, they changed three more vehicles. Others said the Islamabad administration should have made alternative arrangements to deal with the situation instead of closing the main junction. Later, the PTI and All Pakistan Oil Tankers Contractors Association rallies ended before reaching Faizabad. None of the rallies entered the federal capital from Rawalpindi. A heavy contingent of police was deployed to deal with any untoward situation. After the day-long rallies ended, containers were removed and the Faizabad Interchange was opened for public transport.   Published in The Express Tribune, May 2nd, 2023.

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Be ready to ‘face music if inquiry not up to par’

Federal Minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain on Monday warned the coalition government of taking extreme action if a fair inquiry was not conducted into the raid at his house. In a conversation with The Express Tribune, Salik, who was injured in the “illegal” police action, said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had assured him of a detailed inquiry into the incident and that the findings of it would be shared with him in two to three days. He said someone either from the Punjab or the federal government would have to own the raid. “If we don’t find the inquiry to be satisfactory, we will consider taking an extreme step.” He said the police did not follow any Standard Operating Procedures during the raid as they did not even “have a search warrant”. “The police were chanting slogans against us which means that they had an agenda.” Sources within the PML-Q disclosed that the party is considering parting ways with the government. Senior leaders have suggested to the party chief to resign from ministries instantly, if a public apology was not tendered. Further, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain strongly condemned the procedure adopted in the matter of arresting Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, saying it is “unacceptable”, as the main gate was broken with an armored personnel carrier. In the wee hours of Saturday last week, up to 500 Anti Corruption Establishment and Punjab police officials had conducted a raid at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Central President Elahi’s house and arrested around nine people but could not apprehend him. Also read: Caretaker Punjab CM criticises ACE team for 'storming' Shujaat's house Talking to media persons, Shujaat said that on that night, the police went to Elahi's house and were told that he was at the house of Shujaat. “The police left Elahi's house and ran towards my house.” When the police reached the door of my house, Shujaat said, his two sons were on the other side of the door. The police tried to break the door, as a result of which the glass of the door was broken, but the door was not, but my two sons were injured in the incident. “Chaudhry Salik Hussain received stitches on his hand.” After two hours of trying, he said, the police backed away from the door. Shujaat said that when the policemen were asked in which case all this was being done, they said in the charges, it was written that billions of rupees of commission was paid in road construction contracts in Gujrat. Shujaat said the policemen also said that besides that, billions of rupees was received as kickback from an international firm and that they did not have more details. The PML-Q president said, “Neither I nor my two sons have anything to do with any such matter.” He said that considering the current situation of the country, “I do not want to say something that will worsen the situation at the country level”. “Pakistan is surrounded by many problems. Some people want to create a strange situation in Pakistan by giving a wrong angle to this issue.” He urged the authorities to bring to justice whoever was behind this whole issue. “At present, I have asked my two sons to remain patient in view of the current situation.”

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Be ready to ‘face music if inquiry not up to par’

Federal Minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain on Monday warned the coalition government of taking extreme action if a fair inquiry was not conducted into the raid at his house. In a conversation with The Express Tribune, Salik, who was injured in the “illegal” police action, said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had assured him of a detailed inquiry into the incident and that the findings of it would be shared with him in two to three days. He said someone either from the Punjab or the federal government would have to own the raid. “If we don’t find the inquiry to be satisfactory, we will consider taking an extreme step.” He said the police did not follow any Standard Operating Procedures during the raid as they did not even “have a search warrant”. “The police were chanting slogans against us which means that they had an agenda.” Sources within the PML-Q disclosed that the party is considering parting ways with the government. Senior leaders have suggested to the party chief to resign from ministries instantly, if a public apology was not tendered. Further, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain strongly condemned the procedure adopted in the matter of arresting Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, saying it is “unacceptable”, as the main gate was broken with an armored personnel carrier. In the wee hours of Saturday last week, up to 500 Anti Corruption Establishment and Punjab police officials had conducted a raid at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Central President Elahi’s house and arrested around nine people but could not apprehend him. Also read: Caretaker Punjab CM criticises ACE team for 'storming' Shujaat's house Talking to media persons, Shujaat said that on that night, the police went to Elahi's house and were told that he was at the house of Shujaat. “The police left Elahi's house and ran towards my house.” When the police reached the door of my house, Shujaat said, his two sons were on the other side of the door. The police tried to break the door, as a result of which the glass of the door was broken, but the door was not, but my two sons were injured in the incident. “Chaudhry Salik Hussain received stitches on his hand.” After two hours of trying, he said, the police backed away from the door. Shujaat said that when the policemen were asked in which case all this was being done, they said in the charges, it was written that billions of rupees of commission was paid in road construction contracts in Gujrat. Shujaat said the policemen also said that besides that, billions of rupees was received as kickback from an international firm and that they did not have more details. The PML-Q president said, “Neither I nor my two sons have anything to do with any such matter.” He said that considering the current situation of the country, “I do not want to say something that will worsen the situation at the country level”. “Pakistan is surrounded by many problems. Some people want to create a strange situation in Pakistan by giving a wrong angle to this issue.” He urged the authorities to bring to justice whoever was behind this whole issue. “At present, I have asked my two sons to remain patient in view of the current situation.”

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Govt-PTI to go for final round of talks today

The government and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) negotiators are all set to go for another round of talks -- possibly final -- on Tuesday night to end the months-long political and legal impasse by developing a consensus on simultaneously holding general elections across the country. The other crucial aspect of the talks is to give a constitutional cover to the past and future events as the 90-day constitutional deadline for holding elections of the Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa assemblies, which were dissolved in January by the PTI, has already lapsed. At the moment, the talks have entered into a decisive phase as the PTI has accepted the government’s demand of holding elections of the National Assembly and provincial assemblies – Sindh and Balochistan – at the same time but demanded that the federal ruling alliance should announce the date for the dissolution of the remaining assemblies and work on giving the cover to the constitutional lapses. “Well it depends on the government side now as we have accepted their same-day election demand,” Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry told The Express Tribune when asked how hopeful he was about the talks’ outcome, “now they have to show flexibility on dates and Constitutional amendments”. Surprising as it may seem, the constitutional amendments could also pave the way for PTI lawmakers’ return to the National Assembly as the government would need the PTI’s support for making constitutional changes. Also read: Govt-PTI talks on track Roughly, 124 PTI MNAs had resigned en masse in April 2022 after the then opposition -- now in power – had ousted PTI-led government through a no-confidence motion, alleging the regime-change operation was backed by the U.S -- a stance which PTI abandoned along the way. The PTI’s possible return to the assembly also means that it would take back the position of the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly and chairmanship of the Public Accounts Committee, which is currently being held by the PTI lawmakers who didn’t resign back in April 2022 and decided to sit on the opposition benches. Though the negotiating teams from both the sides have shown optimism and have so far refused to let their differences come in the way of developing a consensus on general elections, there are others throwing spanners in the works since the talks began. For instance, Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz’s (PML-N) senior leader Javed Latif objected on Monday to the ongoing negotiations, saying that talks were not possible with “terrorists” and “those who weaken institutions”. The remarks have come at a time when government and PTI leaders have sat across the table for talks after a year, rekindling the hopes for breaking the ongoing stalemate. Recently, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also said that he did not have high hopes for the talks between the government and PTI and the process of dialogue was just a “waste of time”. On the other hand, the PTI leadership has shown restrain and decided to continue talks even after police raided the residence of PTI President Chaudhry Pervaiz in Lahore the other day. Meanwhile, PTI chief Imran Khan has constantly been exerting pressure on the government by saying that the talks would only move ahead if the government announces to dissolve assembly before May 14 – a date that the Supreme Court has set for holding elections in Punjab. The top court had fixed the date after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) postponed the polls in Punjab to October 8 due to the lack of funds and security after initially announcing to hold polls on April 30. The apex court intervened and lately proposed to the political parties to reach a consensus on holding polls together across the country or else the court would give its decision. Apart from Imran, PTI’s Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi while responding to PML-N leaders’ remarks said that PML-N leaders were creating hindrances in the talks whereas the JUI-F and PDM chief, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, has already opposed talks with PTI. Also read: Sanjrani tries to woo Fazl for govt-PTI talks He said that the government’s negotiating team was given time for seeking opinion of its leadership at their request. Like Imran, Qureshi also hinted at starting a movement for protecting the constitution. In the first two rounds of talks, the government and PTI teams have deliberated upon the current political and constitutional stalemate and tried to resolve the issues by sitting inside the Parliament than taking the matters to the courts and streets. However, PTI leadership has reiterated that it was only holding talks because of the Supreme Court’s proposal and if the government side delays talks then things would once again go back to square one – before courts and outside the parliament. Initially, the third round of talks between the two sides was fixed at 11am on Tuesday but on Monday evening, both sides mutually decided to reschedule the meeting at 9pm on Tuesday night at the Senate Secretariat at Parliament. At the talks, the government side comprised Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique, Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar, Economic Affairs Minister Ayaz Sadiq, Commerce Minister Syed Naveed Qamar, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senator Yousaf Raza Gillani, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s (MQM-P) Kishwar Zehra and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid’s (PML-Q) Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Tariq Bashir Cheema. The PTI is being represented by its Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry and Senator Barrister Ali Zafar. Political observers said that the outcome of the negotiations will have far-reaching implications for Pakistan’s future and its democratic process. Information minister was approached for comments but she didn’t reply.

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