Politics

Shaukat Tarin opposes PM Imran Khan’s public outburst against EU envoys

Published

2 years ago

Farwa

I think PM Imran Khan should not have said in public what he said, says Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin.
PM Imran Khan in a speech had lashed out at EU states for asking Pakistan to vote against Russia at UNGA.
Finance minister says FATF’s move to keep Pakistan on grey-list is a political decision.

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin on Wednesday expressed his opposition to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s public outburst against European Union envoys in a rally in Vehari.

Speaking to the media in Islamabad, Tarin said the PM should not have slammed the EU envoys in front of the public.

The PM in his speech on Sunday had lashed out at the EU states for asking Pakistan to vote against Russia at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and condemn the invasion of Ukraine.

“EU ambassadors wrote a letter to Pakistan, asking us to issue an anti-Russia statement. I ask EU ambassadors did you write that letter to India as well?” PM Imran had said.

“When India broke international law in Kashmir and abrogated Kashmir’s autonomous status, did anyone of you break ties with India, end trade or criticise [New Delhi]?” he continued.

“What are we? Are we your slaves? Do we do what you say?” the premier had stated, inviting criticism from the Opposition.

Responding to a question today about the prime minister’s speech, Tarin said: “I think the prime minister should not have said in public what he said.”

To another query regarding the FATF’s decision to keep Pakistan on the grey-list, he said it is a political decision by the anti-money laundering watchdog.

“Pakistan has complied with 26 of the 27 conditions,” he said.

The finance minister said the government is providing a subsidy of Rs104 billion on petroleum products in order to provide relief to the people.

He said given the soaring prices of petroleum products in the international market, the government has reduced the petroleum levy and brought to zero the sales tax.

Shaukat Tarin said that those using 700 units of electricity per month will be provided with a subsidy of five rupees per unit for the next four months. For this, he said, we will have to give a subsidy of 136 billion rupees.

The minister said negotiations have been held with the IMF over this relief package announced by the prime minister.

“The IMF should not have objections on the package as we are meeting it from our own resources including enhancement in tax revenues. This [relief package] will not increase our fiscal deficit.”

Shaukat Tarin said the government has also given industrial relief package to promote industries in the country. He said the package envisages tax holiday for overseas Pakistanis and incentives for the turnaround of sick industries.

The finance minister said tax exemptions have also been given to the IT sector in order to significantly bolster its exports.

He pointed out that the IT sector grew by 47% last year and currently growing by 70%. He said they are targeting 100% growth in this sector during the next year.

Shaukat Tarin said our trade deficit has also come down but due to heightened political activity, this good news was overshadowed.

Latest News

The IHC upholds Bushra Bibi’s request to be transferred from Bani Gala to Adiala Jail.

Published

11 hours ago

Farwa

Bushra Bibi’s request to be transferred from Bani Gala to Adiala Jail was granted by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday.

The former first lady Bushra Bibi’s application to be transferred from Bani Gala sub-jail to Adiala was heard today.

Details reveal that the Islamabad High Court heard a motion to restore the denied petition about the relocation of Bushra Bibi, the wife of PTI founder, from sub-jail Bani Gala to Adiala.

The application for the reinstatement of appeal was heard by Justice Miagul Hassan Aurangzeb. When state attorney Abdul Rehman entered the courtroom on behalf of the state, Usman Riaz Gill represented the former first lady.

State counsel did not object to the appeal being restored during court proceedings. At the following hearing, the court asked for assistance in determining what conditions must be met for a location to be designated as a sub-jail.

The court also mandated that Bushra Bibi’s medical examination be scheduled. The court subsequently delayed the hearing and gave instructions to fix the appeal for April 22.

Recall that the attorneys for former first lady Bushra Bibi, Barrister Salman Safdar, Usman Riaz Gill, and Khalid Yusuf Chaudhary, had filed an application to restore the dismissed appeal a day ago, but the Islamabad High Court had denied their request to pursue the case.

The petition contended that the traffic gridlock at the Sarina Chowk checkpoint was the reason for the delay in getting to the court.

The attorneys did not purposefully take their time getting to court. They warned that the petitioner would suffer irreversible loss if the petition was not resurrected.

IHC Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb has voiced his displeasure at the absence of attorneys from the court.

According to Judge Aurangzeb, the former first lady would have been imprisoned if Bushra Bibi’s attorneys had prevailed in this case. The attorneys themselves were opposed to Bushra Bibi’s incarceration.

Latest News

oath-taking ceremony for the Balochistan cabinet postponed

Published

11 hours ago

Farwa

The Balochistan cabinet’s oath-taking ceremony, which was supposed to take place at the Governor’s House today (Thursday), has been rescheduled.
The Governor’s House spokeswoman announced that the Balochistan cabinet’s swearing-in event has been postponed. Nevertheless, there was no explanation provided for the ceremony’s postponement.

It is important to note that the 14-member Balochistan cabinet, which consists of two members from the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and six ministers from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was set to take the oath of office today, Thursday.

Latest News

Senior PML-N leaders want the X ban lifted.

Published

11 hours ago

Farwa

A veteran party leader and former railways minister, Khawaja Saad Rafique, claimed the caretaker government’s social media ban didn’t help anyone.

Saad Rafique warned his party’s present government to avoid becoming a laughing stock since politics requires political moves.

“Bans and prohibitions come where dictatorship prevails over democracy,” PML-N veteran Javed Abbasi remarked of the social media ban.

“Can we ban matches factories fearing they ignite fire?” he asked. He said, “We scare of truth and try to keep it under the veil.”

He called the PML-N administration cruel for banning free speech.

The Interior Ministry said the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday that X, formerly Twitter, needed to be banned since it violated Pakistani legislation.

Interior Secretary Khurram Agha reported on the high court’s rulings on the social media ban petition for the ministry.

Social networking site X was down for two months in Pakistan when the hearing took place.