ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad administration on Monday refused to give permission to both the Pakistani government and the opposition to hold rallies in the capital’s Red Zone, with regard to a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan, Pakistani media reported.
An alliance of opposition parties filed the motion on March 8, saying PM Khan had lost his parliamentary majority after over a dozen defections from his party. The opposition accuses PM Khan of mismanaging the economy and foreign policy, and poorly governing the country.
The National Assembly of Pakistan will meet on Friday to take up the no-confidence motion.
Both sides promised to gather hundreds of thousands of supporters in the federal capital’s Red Zone, a heavily protected area and home to major government offices and foreign embassies, raising fears of violence.
But the two sides have been denied the permission to rally their supporters to the sensitive area, the Express Tribune newspaper reported.
“The ICT administration is of the opinion that since both the government and the opposition were seeking the same venue, there was a possibility of a clash between the participants,” the report read.
“It also said that holding rallies in the Red Zone would also create security concerns.”
Ali Nawaz Awan, a member of PM Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, said they have now decided to hold the March 27 public gathering at the Parade Ground as it would prove to be the best venue for the number of people attending the rally.
“Islamabad administration has been submitted a request for the change of venue,” Awan said on Twitter.
Earlier, an alliance of opposition parties, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), announced a joint public meeting at the Constitution Avenue in Islamabad on March 23.
The opposition alliance later changed the date to March 25 in view of a meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers and the Pakistan Day parade.
Pakistan is hosting the two-day OIC foreign ministers conference on March 22-23.
Pakistan government, opposition denied permission to hold rallies in Islamabad’s Red Zone
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Pakistan government, opposition denied permission to hold rallies in Islamabad’s Red Zone
- Islamabad administration feared violence after both sides promised to gather supporters in the same vicinity
- The rallies have been announced with regard to a no-confidence motion filed against Prime Minister Imran Khan
Pakistan deputy PM rejects accusations Imran Khan supporters were shot dead in protests
- Khan’s party shares death certificates allegedly of three supporters which says they were killed by gunshots
- Ishaq Dar urges PTI to provide “graves” and “dead bodies” to prove claims, accuses protesters of being violent
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar this week denied allegations the government had shot dead Imran Khan’s supporters in recent protests, as the former premier’s party alleged three of them were shot dead by law enforcers.
The PTI says at least 20 of its supporters were killed in this week’s clashes with law enforcers as thousands of Khan supporters marched toward Pakistan’s federal capital demanding Khan’s release from prison. The government rejects this and says four paramilitary personnel and a cop were killed by protesters.
On Saturday, the party shared the death certificates of three of its alleged supporters, Sardar Ali, Anees Shahzad Satii and Malik Mubeen, which said they were killed by gunshots. The certificates were prepared by the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and Federal Government Services Hospital in Islamabad.
“Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday strongly refuted allegations of state brutality and indiscriminate firing by law enforcement authorities during recent clashes with protesters,” the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan reported.
Dar described claims that Khan supporters suffered gunshot wounds and were subjected to unwarranted violence as “malicious” and “absolutely false,” urging them to provide evidence such as “graves and dead bodies” to substantiate the accusations.
The deputy premier said protesters came to the capital armed with heavy ammunition and tear gas canisters.
“The mob was determined to create chaos and ready to kill,” he was quoted as saying by the APP. “Our security and law enforcement agencies exercised maximum restraint with patience despite deaths within their ranks.”
The protest was called off after security forces raided the D-Chowk protest site in complete darkness soon after midnight on Wednesday, firing rubber bullets and tear gas, according to police and government officials who deny using live ammunition during the operation.
Rawalpindi police said this week that over 170 cops were injured in the protests and that police have arrested over 1,150 for clashing with law enforcers.
Pakistan to lock horns with Zimbabwe in first T20I in Bulawayo today
- Pakistan beat Zimbabwe in a three-match ODI series 2-1 last month
- Salman Agha to lead Pakistan as Pakistan rest regular skipper Rizwan
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will lock horns with Zimbabwe in the first of a three-match T20I series in Bulawayo today, Sunday, state-run media said, after completing a 2-1 ODI series victory over the hosts this week.
After losing the first ODI against Zimbabwe last month, Pakistan beat the hosts by convincing margins in the second and third ODIs in Bulawayo.
Skipper Salman Agha will lead his side in the T20 fixture against Zimbabwe on Sunday, with the next two matches to follow on Dec. 3 and 5.
“The first T20I match between Pakistan and Zimbabwe will start at 1:30 p.m. local time on Sunday,” the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said in a statement on Saturday.
Pakistan announced late Friday that they were adding Saim Ayub, Aamer Jamal and Abrar Ahmed from the ODI squad into the T20I series following impressive showings over the past week.
The green shirts have rested Babar Azam, Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi from the tour while white-ball captain Mohammad Rizwan is also not part of the T20Is, with Agha taking his place as captain.
The match is scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m. Pakistan Standard Time.
Pakistan hikes petrol price by Rs3.72 per liter for next fortnight
- Government increases price after variations in petroleum products’ prices in international market, says Finance Division
- Pakistan revises petroleum prices every fortnight, which is also a key factor in increasing or reducing inflation in the country
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has increased the price of petrol for the next fortnight by Rs3.72 per liter due to varying prices of petroleum products in the international market, the Finance Division said this week.
Pakistan revises petroleum prices every fortnight. Petrol is mostly used in private transport, small vehicles, rickshaws and two-wheelers in Pakistan while any increase in the price of diesel is considered highly inflationary as it is mostly used to power heavy transport vehicles and particularly adds to the prices of vegetables and other eatables.
The price of petrol has increased from Rs248.38 per liter to Rs252.10 per liter after the Rs3.72 hike, the Finance Division said.
“The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has worked out the consumer prices of petroleum products, based on the price variation in the international market,” it said on Saturday.
According to the notification, the price of high-speed diesel has seen an increase of Rs3.29 per liter, raising its price to Rs258.43 per liter.
Meanwhile, the price of kerosene oil has been reduced by Rs. 0.62 per liter, which means it is now being sold for Rs164.98. The price of light diesel oil has also seen a reduction of Rs0.48 per liter, lowering it to Rs151.73.
Fuel prices in energy-starved Pakistan are instrumental in contributing to inflation. The South Asian country saw inflation reach a record high of 38 percent in May 2023.
Pakistan’s finance ministry said this week that inflation, which was clocked at 7.2 percent in October, is expected to slow to 5.8-6.8 percent in November.
Over 50 heritage automobiles draw crowds at vintage car show in Pakistan’s Peshawar
- The event, organized by KP’s Culture and Tourism Authority, has attracted car enthusiasts and families
- The top tourism official promises more effort in future events, plans to expand them to historical sites
PESHAWAR: Over 50 heritage automobiles from 1935 to 1980 were displayed at the 15th Vintage and Classic Car Show at the Peshawar Services Club on Saturday, drawing car enthusiasts and their families to attend the event.
The show, arranged by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority (KPCTA) in collaboration with Classic Land Rover, featured prized vehicles from Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Faisalabad, Peshawar and other cities.
Visitors were also immersed in local culture through captivating performances of the traditional Khattak dance, known for its energetic movements and sword displays, and the soulful melodies of the rubab, a centuries-old stringed instrument native to the region.
“More effort will be made to organize similar events,” KPCTA Director General Tashfeen Haider said, according to an official statement. “The exhibitions would be expanded to historical sites in the future.”
Vehicles on display included iconic brands like Mercedes, Jaguar, Ford, Chevrolet, Mini, Land Rover, Mustang, Porsche, vintage Vespa motorcycles and more.
Haider said the show aimed to promote Peshawar as a hub of culture and tourism.
Participants and attendees praised the organizers for bringing such an event to Peshawar.
“The goal of the rally and car show is to send a message of peace from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and to make Peshawar once again a city of flowers and joy,” the KPCTA official said, referring to KP’s provincial capital that witnessed militant violence for over two decades.
The official statement informed the participants of the show would drive their vintage vehicles to Swabi after the Peshawar exhibition to join the 12th Indus River Cross Jeep Race at the historic Hund point at the Indus River after passing through the Balahissar Fort.
Subsequently, they will continue through Faisalabad, Rahim Yar Khan, Moro and the Thar Desert before reaching Karachi.
Pakistan telecom regulator delays ban on unregistered VPNs after deadline passes — media
- Crackdown on VPNs can impact businesses that rely on unrestricted Internet access
- PTA has not given a new deadline, says only 25,000 VPNs have so far been registered
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s telecom regulator has decided not to block unregistered Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) despite an earlier deadline expiring on November 30, media reported on Saturday.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) had asked businesses, freelancers and information technology (IT) companies to register their VPNs by the end of November to ensure compliance with government regulations.
While the original deadline ended on Saturday, officials say there will be an extension, though it remains unclear what the new deadline will be.
“VPNs are not being blocked starting today, and the decision to extend the registration period is with the Ministry of Interior,” PTA Chairman Major General (Retd) Hafeez Rehman told Independent Urdu.
Another PTA official, speaking to the same publication, said blocking VPNs was not a viable idea for now.
In recent years, Pakistan has implemented measures to control online content, including social media restrictions, drawing criticism from digital rights activists, who argue that such policies suppress free speech and hinder access to information.
In February 2024, following the general elections, Pakistani authorities imposed a nationwide restriction on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, citing national security concerns.
The move coincided with widespread concerns about alleged electoral fraud and vote manipulation.
The recent crackdown on VPNs has also impacted businesses, particularly in the IT sector, which rely on unrestricted Internet access.
The PTA chairman clarified on Saturday that VPNs were still operational, emphasizing the authority’s awareness of the IT industry’s reliance on them.
“So far, 25,000 VPNs have been registered, and those registered will continue to work,” he said.
