PTI and JUI Oppose Operation Azm e Istehkam in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), expressing concern over the deteriorating law and order situation. On Sunday, both parties declared that military operations in the restive areas are not the solution to militancy. Instead, they urged political parties to play their role in restoring peace. The agreement came during a meeting between JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and former National Assembly (NA) speaker and PTI leader Asad Qaiser in Islamabad. PTI and JUI-F agreed on the need for a strong opposition presence in the NA to address these issues. To further their collaboration, PTI…
Author: Muhammad Idrees
Balochistan Budget 2024-25 was presented on Friday by the PPP-led coalition government amidst an opposition boycott. The budget for the upcoming fiscal year amounts to Rs955.6 billion, with development expenditures projected at Rs321.2 billion and a projected cash surplus of Rs25.4 billion. Revenue and Expenditures Finance Minister Mir Shoaib Ahmed Nosherwani tabled the Balochistan Budget 2024-25, which is over 36% larger than the previous year’s estimate of Rs701.4 billion. This increase is primarily due to a projected 39% rise in federal tax divisible pool receipts, expected to reach Rs647 billion from Rs464.7 billion under the current National Finance Commission (NFC)…
Afghan artists have been granted a temporary reprieve from deportation by the Peshawar High Court. On Thursday, the court issued a stay order, halting the deportation of several Afghan artists and transgender individuals. The bench, comprising Justice Ijaz Anwar and Justice Wiqar Ahmad, declared that police and law-enforcement agencies should not take any “adverse action” against these Afghan nationals, who fear persecution if returned to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. The stay order came during the hearing of two petitions. One petition was filed by Hashmatullah Omed, Rafi Hanif, and Hameed Shahdai on behalf of 157 musicians and singers. The other petition was…
Taliban criticize UN report ahead of Doha meeting, labeling it an attempt to tarnish perceptions before the international conference. Zabihullah Mujahid, the chief Taliban spokesman, stressed the need for constructive and positive engagement between their government and the international community. His comments followed a report by Richard Bennett, the U.N. special rapporteur, who accused the Taliban of intensifying violations of women’s and girls’ rights. Bennett presented his report to the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva, demanding accountability for those responsible for human rights abuses in Afghanistan. Mujahid stated, “Some members of the United Nations, particularly the report by Richard…
Afghan immigrants are at the center of discussions between Germany and Uzbekistan. They aim to facilitate deportations from Germany to Afghanistan without direct consultations with the Taliban, as reported by Der Spiegel. A delegation from Germany’s interior ministry traveled to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in late May. They proposed that Afghan deportation candidates be brought to Tashkent first. From there, they would be flown to Kabul via private airline KamAir. Earlier this month, Germany’s interior minister Nancy Faeser mentioned that Germany is considering deporting Afghan immigrants who pose security threats. This follows a deadly stabbing of a police officer, leading to calls…
In Islamabad, Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Parliamentarians and former Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mahmood Khan, met with Chairman People’s Party, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. Bilawal Bhutto and Mahmood Khan discussed the federal government’s neglect of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Mahmood Khan highlighted the withdrawal of 91 development projects worth billions of rupees from the PSDP program. This province, affected by terrorism, natural disasters, poverty, and unemployment, needs support. Mahmood Khan asked Bilawal Bhutto to speak to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Bilawal Bhutto agreed with Mahmood Khan’s stance. He acknowledged the sacrifices made by the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. These sacrifices, according to Bilawal,…
The Health Status Report of Afghan Refugees in KP details the current health status of Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan. For over four decades, Pakistan has hosted Afghan refugees, providing essential social services. The nation accommodates 1.28 million registered Afghan refugees and nearly one million unregistered Afghan nationals. Over time, Pakistan’s collaboration with Afghanistan, the UN, and international partners has shifted from basic care to strengthening the public health system. Afghan refugees now have equal access to healthcare services on par with Pakistani nationals. However, the unique vulnerabilities, high poverty levels, and low education among refugees necessitate specific health measures.…
ISLAMABAD — The United Nations has urged the Taliban to attend a Taliban Conference later this month. This move aims to bring much-needed global attention back to the crisis in Afghanistan. Malick Ceesay, head of the UNAMA Pakistan-based liaison office, highlighted the shift in international focus due to the Ukraine war and Gaza hostilities. “That’s a concern for the United Nations. We don’t want Afghanistan to be forgotten,” Ceesay stated at a meeting hosted by the Center for Research and Security Studies in Islamabad. The two-day Taliban Conference of special envoys on Afghanistan will start in Doha, Qatar, on June…
Deprivation of 91 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa projects from the federal budget is causing terrorism resurgence, alleged Asad Qaiser, former National Assembly speaker, on Monday. Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, the PTI leader claimed that these projects included health, education, energy, and other crucial sectors. “We were promised an additional 3% of the NFC award due to the Fata merger, but even that hasn’t been fulfilled. Each year, we are supposed to receive Rs100 billion, but the funds are not released,” Qaiser stated. Flanked by KP Assembly members and other party leaders, Qaiser argued that KP is being deprived of…
Trade with Afghanistan is crucial for the region, said Awami National Party (ANP) leader Mian Iftikhar Hussain on Friday. He called for opening all trade and travel routes with Afghanistan. In his statement, he urged Islamabad to revisit its foreign policy and take steps to improve relations with neighbors. Hussain emphasized the richness of Pakhtuns’ land in natural resources. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he noted, produces natural gas and generates cheap electricity from water. He demanded that Pakhtuns should have control over these resources, advocating for provincial autonomy. The ANP leader also called for actions to restore lasting peace in Pakhtun regions.…