pakistan

Nawaz Sharif: Pakistan’s three-time PM due home from exile

Sharif, 73, did not complete any of his three terms as prime minister

Published

7 months ago

October 19, 2023

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Nawaz Sharif: Pakistan's three-time PM due home from exile

Nawaz Sharif, whose three terms as prime minister of Pakistan were marred by corruption allegations and standoffs with the military, is expected to return home on Saturday from self-imposed exile.

Following are some facts about the veteran politician:

– Sharif, 73, did not complete any of his three terms as prime minister in 1990-93, 1997-99, and 2013-17. He was removed as premier by a military-backed president in 1993, ousted in a coup in 1999, and disqualified by a court in 2017.

– Sharif was born to a family of industrialists, made his money in steel manufacturing and grew the family-run Ittefaq Group.

– He entered politics in the late 1970s and was picked as finance minister of Punjab in 1981.

– He was known to have close ties with the generals, impressing them with policies that spurred economic growth in Punjab, and was groomed by military dictator Ziaul Haq. With the generals’ backing, he became the chief minister of Pakistan’s most populous and prosperous province in 1985.

– In 1990, Sharif won a general election and became prime minister for the first time, succeeding Pakistan’s first female prime minister, Benazir Bhutto, whose government was dismissed by the then president on charges of corruption.

– In 1993, Sharif ran afoul of the then-president who dismissed his government on charges of nepotism and corruption. The Supreme Court later restored his rule but Sharif and the president failed to reconcile and both resigned.

– In a 1997 general election, Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) rode to victory and he became prime minister for a second time.

– Pakistan conducted its first test of a nuclear weapon in May 1998 under Sharif’s leadership, in response to arch-rival India which conducted its second nuclear weapon test just days before.

– Sharif was also prime minister when Indian and Pakistani forces battled, between May and July 1999, in Kargil, in the disputed Kashmir region.

– He fell out with the then army commander, General Pervez Musharraf, in late 1999 and was ousted in a military coup. He was later sentenced to life imprisonment and went into exile in Saudi Arabia. He returned to Pakistan in 2007.

– Sharif fought a bitter contest with rival Imran Khan, the former cricket hero turned politician, in a 2013 general elections and won, becoming prime minister for a third time.

– Attempting to normalise relations with India, Sharif launched trade talks in 2014. The following year, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Pakistani city of Lahore to meet Sharif.

– In 2017, Sharif was removed as prime minister through a court verdict following a corruption investigation related to the Panama papers revelations. In July 2018, Pakistan’s anti-graft court sentenced him to 10 years in prison for corruption.

– In December 2018, Sharif was convicted on graft charges in a separate case and sentenced to seven years in prison. He denied any wrongdoing and said the charges were politically motivated.

– Sharif was released on medical bail in October 2019 and left Pakistan weeks later but he remained active in politics from London, where he has been based.

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Former PM Raja Parvez Ashraf raises concerns over IMF bailout conditions

Published

5 hours ago

May 3, 2024

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Former PM Raja Parvez Ashraf raises concerns over IMF bailout conditions

Former prime minister Raja Parvez Ashraf has raised concerns about the potential conditions of the new IMF bailout package for Pakistan.

In a statement issued on Friday, the PPP Central Punjab President suggested that the government should brief parliament on the IMF package, with the finance minister providing lawmakers with details on new taxes and approved austerity measures during an in-camera session.

Ashraf underscored that instead of privatising Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and other vital institutions, state-owned enterprises should be managed through public-private partnerships.

The former PM strongly opposed the idea of imposing taxes on pensioners, deeming it unacceptable. He urged the Finance Ministry to seek an alternative solution.

Raja Parvez Ashraf also highlighted the potential for enhanced harmony between the Centre and the provinces through the full implementation of the 18th Amendment.

He also proposed the abolition of unnecessary ministries to alleviate the financial burden on the federation.

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pakistan

Pakistan slams Indian atrocities against minorities, Kashmiris at UN

Published

5 hours ago

May 3, 2024

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Pakistan slams Indian atrocities against minorities, Kashmiris at UN

Pakistan addressed the UN General Assembly on Thursday, asserting that India was targeting Indian Muslims, Christians and Muslims in occupied Kashmir, and urged an end to their harsh suppression.

Ambassador Munir Akram stated during a debate on ‘Culture of Peace’ that since the BJP-RSS government took office in 2014, hate, oppression and violence against India’s 200 million Muslims, as well as other minorities like Christians and the ‘lower-caste’ Dalits, became rampant and systematic, driven by the ideology of Hindutva.

The envoy emphasised that unless Hindutva fascism was opposed and the impunity of the BJP-RSS ended, wider violence and conflict in South Asia would remain a real and present danger.

Despite efforts to promote a “Culture of Peace,” Akram noted a rise in hate, violence and war worldwide, with over 300 conflicts raging across the globe.

Highlighting Pakistan’s efforts to combat Islamophobia, Akram expressed deep concern at the officially sanctioned manifestations of Islamophobia in India, citing the Citizenship Law and National Registry list designed to exclude Muslims from citizenship.

The envoy warned of the spread of Hindutva extremism, which he said turbo-charged repression in occupied Jammu and Kashmir. He called for urgent resolution of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with UN resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.

Akram also highlighted India’s belligerence towards Pakistan, citing threats from Indian officials to “take over” Azad Kashmir and dangerous military doctrines adopted by India.

He accused India of financing and sponsoring terrorist groups to disrupt the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and highlighted Pakistan’s concerns over India’s campaign of targeted assassinations, even beyond its borders.

Akram emphasised the urgent need for the international community to address these issues and reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to peace and stability in the region.

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pakistan

NA Secretariat accepts inclusion of independent members in SIC

Published

1 day ago

May 2, 2024

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NA Secretariat accepts inclusion of independent members in SIC

he National Assembly Secretariat has accepted the inclusion of independent members (PTI-backed MNAs) in the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), Dunya News reported.

The National Assembly Secretariat has released a list of 83 members of Sunni Ittehad Council on its official website after the approval of NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq.

After the inclusion of independent members, Sunni Ittehad Council has become second largest party in the lower house of the parliament with 83 members.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had sent a notification regarding the inclusion of independent members in the SIC to the National Assembly Secretariat.

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