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Shaukat Tarin booked for ‘scuttling potential deal with IMF’

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Shaukat Tarin

The cyber crime wing of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Monday registered a case against former federal finance minister Shaukat Tarin. 

A case has been registered against Mr Tarin over alleged viral audio on social media under the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act (PICA) on the complaint of Arshad Mehmood. The case was registered against Mr Tarin under provisions of sedition and provocation. 

According to the FIR, in the alleged audio leak that had surfaced on the internet, Taimur Saleem Jhagra and Shaukat Tarin were having a conversation with Mohsin Laghari.

“The surplus budget shouldn’t be returned to the federal government,” Tarin was telling Laghari.

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On Sunday, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah allowed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to arrest former finance czar Shaukat Tarin after the completion of an inquiry against him in the audio leak case. 

On Saturday, the agency requested permission from the interior ministry to initiate legal proceedings against Mr Tarin and his detention, claiming that Shaukat Tarin’s conversation was an attempt to derail the IMF deal and he wanted to harm the country’s security and national interests.

Earlier, audio of PTI leader Shaukat Tarin surfaced in which he allegedly asked the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa finance ministers to backtrack from the IMF commitments in order to pressurise the federal government.

Also read: Imran to announce ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’ in few days 

In alleged audio, Shaukat Tarin said they needed to backtrack from Rs750 billion commitments and tell the lender that the commitment Punjab made was pre-floods and now the province “cannot honour it”. 

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The PTI leader told the finance minister to draft a letter and send it to him for vetting so it could be sent to the federal government and later on to the IMF representative in Pakistan.

At Tarin’s request, Laghari asked whether Pakistan would suffer if Punjab withdraws from the deal.

“Well, frankly isn’t the state already suffering because of the way they are treating your chairman [Khan] and everybody else? IMF will definitely ask them: where will you get the money from now?” Tarin responded.

Don’t miss: Sanaullah vows to ensure security of foreign nationals

He further said the Centre was sending PTI leaders to jail and filing terrorism case. Tarin said this could not go on further and the party could not bear being “mistreated” and not respond. “We cannot be blackmailed”.

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Addressing a presser in Karachi, the interior minister took a jibe at deposed premier Imran Khan, saying that after his ouster he and his stalwarts had been campaigning through false accusations to spread chaos in the country, adding that Shaukat Tarin played a similar role and tried hard to hurt Pakistan under Khan’s guidelines. He added that the FIA had sought permission to arrest him which the government had given and he should be punished for it so no one ever dares to do something like this again

Rana Sanaullah further said that despite its shady tactics, the PTI was unable to derail the IMF agreement.

“Imran Khan is a ‘political terrorist’ but due to our efforts the country would remain “safe from terrorists, including political terrorists like him,” he said.

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Govt wants more women in police department: Maryam Nawaz

Govt wants more women in police department: Maryam Nawaz

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Govt wants more women in police department: Maryam Nawaz

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has said government wants to increase number of women in the police department.

Maryam, while addressing the passing-out parade ceremony at Chung Police Training College, said, “I salute you all. I am happy the first Sword of Honour has been awarded to a female police officer. I am proud of you. I was waiting for this event since taking oath as chief minister, she said.

“When I wore the police uniform for the first time, I realised it is a big responsibility,” said the chief minister and added she was happy to see 530 women passing out.

She said she happy to see women police officers performing duties.

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“When I wore the uniform for the first time today, I felt it was a big responsibility. I am proud of women serving in police department,” said CM Maryam.

She said there were 7,000 women police personnel serving in Punjab. “I want to increase women participation in Punjab police. Lady cops are superhuman. Women are soft hearted so they forgive.

However, there should be no tenderness in your heart for the oppressor,” said the chief minister and asked the lady police officers to take pity on the oppressed and hold the oppressor accountable for his misdeeds.

“THERE IS NO REVENGE IN MY HEART”

Maryam said there was no feelings of revenge in her heart. “If, being the chief minister, I decide something against someone, I do it with a heavy heart,” she said.

“To be a chief minister is not an easy task. I had to make hectic efforts reach this place,” she said.
She paid glowing tribute to her father Nawaz Sharif and uncle Shehbaz Sharif.

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PASSING OUT PARADE

Earlier, a passing out parade was held at Chung Police Training College. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz attended the ceremony as a special guest.

Maryam inspected the parade dressed in police uniform. She also distributed prizes to police officers who exhibited excellent performance.

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Supreme Court reinstates Balochistan Assembly speaker, annuls ECP’s decision

Supreme Court reinstates Balochistan Assembly speaker, annuls ECP’s decision

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Supreme Court reinstates Balochistan Assembly speaker, annuls ECP's decision

The Supreme Court on Thursday annulled the decision of Election Commission (ECP) and reinstated Balochistan Assembly Speaker Abdul Khaliq Achakzai.

A three-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan, also annulled the ECP’s order of re-polling at 12 polling stations of PB 51 Chaman.

Justice Khan asked the ECP counsel under which regulation the commission ordered re-election at 12 polling stations?

Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar remarked that the ECP considered only 12 polling stations but ignored others.

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Justice Khan remarked that the ECP had neither conducted an inquiry nor followed any rules. The DG Law submitted that the ECP took into account those 12 polling stations regarding which it had received plea. There was high voter turnout in these 12 polling stations.

Justice Mazhar said that the ECP should have taken into account the entire constituency. Had the ECP performed according to rules, people would not have had to come to court.

The court referred the case back to the ECP after consulting the parties and ordered the commission to decide the issue within 10 days.

It may be remembered that the ECP had ordered re-polling on the application of Khaliq’s opposing candidate Asghar Khan Achakzai and withdrew the notification of his success. PML-N’s candidate Khaliq challenged the ECP decision. 

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Govt, Opp prepare power-sharing framework for NA committees

Govt, Opp prepare power-sharing framework for NA committees

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Govt, Opp prepare power-sharing framework for NA committees

The government and opposition on Thursday prepared a power-sharing formula for formation of National Assembly committees, after which the negotiations entered the final stage.

The government alliance will get chairmanship of 26 committees of the National Assembly while opposition will have chairmanship of 11 committees.

Similarly, the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee will be from the opposition and the chairman of the Kashmir Committee will be appointed from the government side.

The speaker will be the chairman of the National Assembly House Business Advisory Committee.

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According to the framework, standing committees will have 13 members and Public Accounts Committee will have 16 members from the government alliance.

Likewise, Kashmir Committee will have 15 members while House Business Advisory will have 18 members from the coalition government.

The number of opposition members in the standing committees of the National Assembly, Public Accounts Committee and Kashmir Committee will be 7-7.

Apart from this, the chairman of 14 committees of the National Assembly will be from the Muslim League-N, while PPP will get chairmanship of eight committees.

MQM will get chairmanships of two committees. Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) will get one chairmanship each.

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10 committees will be chaired by independent members supported by PTI while one committee will be chaired by JUI.

Out of the 20 members of the standing committees, 14 members will be appointed from the government side and six from the opposition parties.

Each standing committee will have seven members from PML-N, four from PPP and one member each from PML-Q and MQM.

In the standing committee, five independent members of PTI and one member of JUI will be given membership as committee members.

Of the 23 members of the Public Accounts Committee, 16 MPs will be included from the government and seven from the opposition.
About 22 members of the Privileges Committee, 15 members will be included from the government and seven from the opposition side. Of 16 members in the government assurances committee, 11 will be from the government and five from the opposition.

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In the 22-member Kashmir Committee, the government’s quota will be 15 while the opposition will contribute with seven members. Of the 26 members of the House Business Advisory Committee, 18 will be from the government and eight from the opposition.

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