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PM Imran Khan says government is ‘stable’ in meeting with Punjab CM, governor

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  • PM Imran Khan to meet PTI parliamentary party in Lahore.
  • PM will discuss political developments with CM Usman Buzdar.
  • Two Tareen group members will also meet PM.
  • PM Imran Khan also holds meeting with Punjab MPAs elected on minority and women’s seats.

LAHORE: Prime Minister Imran Khan told Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and Governor Chaudhry Sarwar that the government is “stable” as they face the threat of a no-confidence motion.

Prime Minister Imran Khan arrived on a day’s visit to Lahore Thursday as the Jahangir Tareen group ramped up the pressure on CM Punjab, demanding his removal amid political uncertainty in the country due to the no-trust motion against the premier.

In the meeting between the three leaders, the prime minister said the most important political matters would take place in Islamabad — given that the National Assembly is situated there.

“A detailed discussion on Punjab’s political situation will be held after due diligence,” the prime minister said during the meeting, where the country’s political situation came under discussion among other matters.

Federal ministers Asad Umar, Shafqat Mahmood, Hammad Azhar, Khusro Bakhtiar, Shah Mahmood Qureshi are with the PM in Lahore.

The prime minister is expected to hold a meeting of the PTI parliamentary party in the provincial capital to seek assurance of the party members and address their grievances ahead of crucial voting on the motion, according to Geo News.

According to reports, the PM will also meet CM Buzdar during his visit to Lahore, who will brief the premier on his contacts and support in the Punjab Assembly.

The PM will also meet Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar and several senior Punjab party leaders, including provincial ministers Samsam Bukhari and Asif Nakai, who are members of the Tareen group.

The Jahangir Tareen group has already announced a boycott of the parliamentary meeting.

Governor Sarwar will brief the prime minister on the latest political developments in the province. They will also hold discussions on the disgruntled Tareen group and other matters related to the government in Punjab.

Tareen group asks Pervaiz Elahi’s support 

The prime minister’s visit came a day after a delegation headed by Tareen Group’s provincial minister Nauman Langrial called on PML-Q leader and Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi at his residence.

The delegation comprised provincial minister Ajmal Cheema, Aun Chaudhry, Lala Tahir Randhawa, Abdul Hayyi Dasti and Imran Shah. During the meeting, detailed consultation was held regarding the prevailing political situation in Punjab. 

Elahi and Tareen Group agreed to continue contacts for the betterment of the province and the people.

Langrial said that Punjab had been destroyed and the group would have to come to the fore in the interest of the people as they had decided to remove Usman Buzdar. 

He called upon Pervaiz Elahi to support the Tareen Group in this regard. He said that he would also call on Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain soon.

PM meets Punjab MPAs

PM Imran Khan also held a meeting with Punjab MPAs elected on minority and women’s seats.

The premier said that female and minority lawmakers in the national and Punjab assemblies play an “important role” in legislation. He added that the PTI considers merit while appointing people on reserved seats.

“In the past, political parties used to appoint people on reserved seats based on nepotism,” claimed PM Imran. He added that when the PTI came to power, it inherited a “bankrupt economy” and the incumbent government’s “successful” policy stabilised it.

The premier told the lawmakers that the country’s economy is on sustainable growth now.

Separately, the premier also held a meeting with provincial ministers Sardar Asif Nakai and Samsam Bukhari.

According to the PM Office, the overall political situation of the country was reviewed during the meeting.

PM Imran also held a meeting with Punjab Finance Minister Hashim Jawan Bakht and Head of Special Monitoring Unit Punjab Faisal Asif to review the development projects in the province.

On the other hand, sources told Geo News that six PML-N lawmakers were present when Prime Minister Imran Khan held a meeting with Punjab MPAs.

Sources privy to the meeting said that the PML-N lawmakers have assured PM Imran Khan of “unwavering support” and assured him of getting support from more lawmakers.

Officials also shared that the PM told the lawmakers that ahead of the vote he will hold the country’s “biggest” rally. The PM also told the lawmakers to focus on Islamabad.

Politics

Bilawal toes father Zardari’s line of political ‘unity’ ahead of polls

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  • PPP chief Bilawal calls for burying politics of hatred, division.
  • Says wants to introduce new style of politics to end rivalries.
  • Zardari not afraid of “forces”, wants son Bilawal to become PM.

Following reports of differences between the top Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leaders, party chairman Bilawal-Bhutto Zardari has called for “burying” politics of hatred and division in line with the vision of his father Asif Ali Zardari’s reconciliatory politics.

“We have to do politics wherein we should think about unity and not of division. The PPP wants to start a new kind of politics in the country,” Bilawal said while addressing a public rally held to mark the PPP’s 56th foundation day in Quetta.

Bilawal said his party wanted to promote a style of politics under which there is no rival party of the PPP.

“PPP is fighting against inflation and poverty due to which people are suffering. The old style of politics is based on hatred, division, and revenge. The country’s youth needs to bury such politics,” the PPP chief added.

The PPP chief apparently lowered his rhetoric against his rivals in his first public interaction since his father Asif Ali Zardari’s interview wherein the top PPP leader termed his son “inexperienced” while expressing displeasure over his tirade against the elder politicians.

The interview broadcast on Geo News last week triggered speculations that there were cracks among the top PPP leadership.

However, the party quickly rejected the rumours, and Bakhtawar Bhutto-Zardari, the daughter of PPP Co-chairman Zardari, put to rest the speculation asking people to not pay heed to the headlines

She also shared an image with her family — including Zardari, Bilawal, and aunt Faryal Talpur. All of them seemed in a happy mood.

In the same gathering, Bilawal also fired a broadside at his political rivals saying that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is now known as the “mehangai [inflation] league” in the country.

“People know that they are showbaz [showmen] of politics,” the PPP chief added.

Bilawal said Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the PML-N wanted to roll back the provincial autonomy granted under the 18th Amendment.

“They want to occupy the resources of the provinces..PPP will not let this conspiracy to succeed.”

Jiyala next PM’

Bilawal also announced giving a surprise to the entire in the February 8, 2024 general elections saying the jiyala [PPP worker] will become the country’s new prime minister.

Addressing the gathering, Zardari called for the support of his son to make him the country’s youngest prime minister.

“We have to teach Bilawal what we know […] we have to train him to make him a leader of the youth.”

The former president also said that some forces are always at play to pull the legs of a leader who wants to take the country forward.

“We are not afraid of such forces. We trust our people.”

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Pakistan

COAS Gen Asim Munir meets Kuwaiti crown prince

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  • PM Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar to meet Kuwaiti crown prince today. 
  • Both army chief and PM are in Kuwait on official visit. 
  • PM Office says multiple MoUs expected to be signed during visit. 

Army chief General Asim Munir on Tuesday met Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah as part of his official visit to the gulf country, reported Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).

The meeting was also attended by Caretaker Law Minister Ahmed Irfan Aslam, Pakistan Ambassador to Kuwait Malik Mohammad Farooq and other members of the delegation.

Meanwhile, PM Kakar has also arrived in Kuwait City after concluding the UAE visit and is expected to meet the crown prince today, the PM Office said on Wednesday.

The premier will also meet his Kuwaiti counterpart Sheikh Ahmed Al-Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.

The PM office said that a number of memorandum of understanding (MoUs) will be signed for mutual cooperation in various sectors including manpower, information technology, minerals and mining, food security, energy and defence.

In UAE, Pakistan signed several MoUs worth multi-billion dollars in a range of areas on Monday to boost economic and strategic cooperation between the two countries, PM Kakar said.

The prime minister said with the signing of the MoUs, the bilateral economic and strategic relations had entered into a new era of bilateral cooperation.

Congratulating the people of Pakistan and the UAE, he said the foundation of friendship with Pakistan which was laid by Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan in the 1970s, had been taken forward by his son Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to a new era.

PM Kakar expressed the hope that the MoUs that were signed by the two countries would turn into tangible projects very soon.

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Politics

Imran Khan’s aide kickstarts PTI funding campaign in Europe

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LONDON: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Zulfi Bukhari has kickstarted a mass mobilisation and fundraising campaign for the party in the United Kingdom and Europe.

Addressing a workers’ convention in High Wycombe in London along with Sahibzada Jahangir, one of the founders of PTI, Zulfi said that the mass mobilisation and fundraising has been started for the elections scheduled for February next year.

“We will take part in elections at any cost. We need funds and effort from the overseas regions. The party needs funds for its legal challenges as well for the election campaign,” he said.

Zulfi said the entire leadership is prepared for the elections and will not be deterred by the arrest threats.

The former cabinet member said he will be going to Pakistan himself as soon as the party leadership directs him, adding that he was prepared to go to jail.

However, it is unlikely that Zulfi will be travelling to Pakistan anytime soon as the caretaker govt has requested Interpol for his arrest. He was in Dubai when the Interpol request was made, he left UAE and since then has not travelled outside London.

Zulfi said he will be personally visiting cities in the United Kingdom and Europe to raise funds.

The PTI leader revealed that the campaign in the UK is scheduled to start shortly and arrangements are in place. He said the PTI Core Committee was meeting daily to discuss affairs of the party to formulate strategies on a daily basis.

Zulfi Bukhari has so far stayed away from PTI UK events but his decision to take part in mobilisation suggests he has been asked by the leadership in Pakistan to engage with the local chapter.

Two weeks ago, he told an audience at the University of London that making Usman Buzdar Punjab’s chief minister was a mistake but Imran Khan did the right thing by not sacking him.

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