Latest news with #KP
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
When Kevin Pietersen ‘flirted' with UK prime minister's wife and did any England player urinate at PM's garden after 2005 Ashes triumph?
It's been 20 years since England won the famous Ashes series at home and the UK media are on the rewind mode. It has thrown up some interesting stories from that triumph. A couple of them relate to the open-bus parade that carried 'drunk' England team for a celebratory function at the then prime minister Tony Blair's residence. The team had celebrated through the night and next morning were on the bus. Stockill, the strength & conditioning coach of England explains the mood on that bus that day. 'When we got to Downing Street [PM's official residence] the boys were half-hammered. We'd had a few on the bus. We get into the garden and there was one table with a tablecloth on it and a jug of water with 12 glasses. I said to someone you might need to up your game on the drinks. Then they rustled out a box of warm Beck's. Hmm you're still not cutting it. Anyway they did finally bring stuff in. It was incredible. It reflected the Prime Minister of the time not being a cricket follower and doing it out of a sense of duty or political points. Imagine if it had been the football team. They would have put on a full spread,' Nigel Stockill told UK's Telegraph. Stockill then zooms into the scene between Pietersen and the PM's wife Cherie Blair. 'KP was chit-chatting. I wouldn't say flirting, but there was a bit going on with Cherie. She was saying 'you boys, behave yourselves' as she was fluttering around the garden. KP went 'Tell me Nige, who the **** is that?'' Kirk Russell, England's physio, sums up that bizarre meeting. 'I reckon Cherie Blair had had a few before we arrived. She was quite flirtatious … It was incredible really. Something you never experience again. I remember getting drenched later that night with champagne in a nightclub. A whole bottle was poured over my head by KP.' In its rewind feature The Telegraph mentions the incident of a England player allegedly urinating that evening in the garden of the official residence of the prime minister, but notes that no one was willing to admit it now. The voices in the story deny such an incident took place. But interestingly a few years ago, Simon Jones, one of the star pacers of that series from England, had talked about it to Cricinfo. 'I apparently peed in the garden at 10 Downing Street. That's what they tell me. Did I do it? It could have been me – but I can't remember. Harmy [Steve Harmison] was playing on the swing and Hoggy [Matthew Hoggard] was climbing a kids' climbing frame. It was hilarious'.
Business Recorder
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
PTI not a Kohistan scam beneficiary, claims advisor
PESHAWAR: Advisor to KP Chief Minister on Finance and Inter-Provincial Coordination Muzzammil Aslam has claimed that the Kohistan corruption case is a non-political corruption case in which no any PTI leader received funds. He said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has been unjustly targeted with hundreds of cases, and if PTI had any involvement in this case, countless more cases would have been made. Aslam said that Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has already said that his government is ready to cooperate and that the funds related to the Kohistan corruption case should be reimbursed to the province. He said the reality is that those who ruled the country for 75 years left loopholes in the system so that things could continue unchecked. Despite provincial autonomy under the 18th Amendment, the federal government has continued to play a role in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's payment disbursement system, and all payments are still cleared through federal checks, he said. Reacting to the ongoing narratives around corruption in Pakistan, he said Pakistan ranks 135th out of 180 on the Corruption Perception Index, a position it has hovered around for decades. The country's judiciary ranks 129 out of 142, and its Human Development Index is 168 out of 193, clearly reflecting the nation's 78-year track record. He questioned who has ruled Pakistan to bring it to this point. He added that the Kohistan scandal has now neared conclusion and the NAB has recovered the funds. He said efforts are being made to divert attention from bigger national scandals by making Khyber Pakhtunkhwa the focus of headlines. He questioned what happened with the recent sugar scandal worth Rs. 250 billion, the wheat import scandal under the caretaker and PDM governments worth Rs. 400 billion, and the NAB NRO involving Rs. 1100 billion under the PDM. He also questioned the whereabouts of Islamabad road development funds, the Rs.1000 billion financial irregularities in Punjab, the Neelum-Jhelum project corruption of Rs. 500 billion, and the status of the Rs. 5000 billion circular debt and IPP cases, as well as the Toshakhana case from 1947 to 2025. Aslam criticized what he called double standards, saying that when a natural disaster hits Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, PTI is labeled as incompetent, but when the same happens in Punjab or under federal rule, praise is published in newspapers. He described this as sycophancy from the 1990s and stated that people have changed — now the youth are in charge, and they are aware of the truth. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
4 days ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Muharram: Governor acknowledges performance of home dept
LAHORE: Governor Punjab Sardar Saleem Haider Khan said that the performance of the Home Department and law enforcement agencies during Muharram-ul-Haram was impressive. "There should be complete freedom for peaceful gatherings and celebrations like Milad within the four walls," he said, adding: "The KPK government should focus on the people of the province instead of protest politics." During a meeting with Secretary Home Punjab Ahmed Javed Qazi, who called on him here at the Governor House Lahore, the governor, while appreciating the performance of the Home Department and law enforcement agencies during Muharram-ul-Haram, said that it is the responsibility of law enforcement agencies to formulate such a policy so that gatherings like milads held within the four walls can be made peaceful. He said that those who spread religious sectarianism should be dealt with strictly. The governor said that people of every religion living in Pakistan have complete freedom to perform their religious rituals. He further said that in the situation of recent heavy rains across the country, Section 144 should be implemented in letter and spirit. He said that the people should protect themselves from flooded places, rivers and streams. The governor also expressed grief and sorrow over the loss of life and property during the rains. He further said that the KP government needs to focus on the people of the province instead of protest politics. Punjab Home Secretary Ahmed Javed Qazi said that the law enforcement agencies are always ready to protect the lives and property of the people of the province and deal with any kind of emergency. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
4 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Discontinuation of ED collection opposed: KP govt urges Power Division to reconsider decision
ISLAMABAD: The federal government's plan to discontinue the collection of Electricity Duty (ED) has hit another roadblock as the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has formally opposed the move, following the earlier objection by the Sindh government. The KP government has urged the Power Division to reconsider the decision in the interest of constitutional propriety, cooperative federalism, and fiscal stability. In response to a letter dated June 30, 2025, from Federal Minister for Power Sardar Awais Khan Leghari, KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur conveyed strong reservations regarding the unilateral discontinuation of ED collection by the Power Division through Distribution Companies (Discos), without prior notice or consultation. Leghari urges chief ministers to scrap electricity duty from bills starting July Gandapur highlighted the constitutional and legal basis for the imposition of Electricity Duty: (i) under Article 157(2)(b) of the Constitution of Pakistan (1973), provincial governments are empowered to levy taxes on electricity consumption within their jurisdictions ;(ii) according to Section 13(2) of the KP Finance Act, 1964, every distribution licensee is obligated to collect and remit Electricity Duty to the provincial government. This duty constitutes a first charge on the amount recoverable for energy supplied, thereby making it a debt owed to the KP government; and (iii) Rule 5(1) of the West Pakistan Electricity Duty Rules, 1964 requires Discos to list Electricity Duty as a separate item on electricity bills and recover it alongside energy charges. He further argued that under Section 38 of the NEPRA Act (1997), provinces are authorized to monitor Discos' compliance regarding billing, metering, and theft cases. The Act also affirms the provincial government's jurisdiction over electricity consumption charges based on the principle of subsidiarity. Gandapur pointed out that under Section 36(2) of the State-Owned Enterprises (SoE) Act, 2023, all previous orders, regulations, and instruments remain in force unless repealed. Thus, the KP Finance Act, 1964 and the Electricity Duty Rules, 1964 continue to hold legal standing. He also referenced Articles 268 and 279 of the Constitution, which provide continuity to existing laws, including taxation statutes, until altered by the appropriate legislature. These protections, he argued, reinforce the provinces' legal right to collect ED. The chief minister emphasized that under Article 154(1) of the Constitution, the Council of Common Interests (CCI) is the designated body to formulate and regulate policies related to electricity and oversee related institutions. Therefore, any decision affecting the power sector must be considered and approved by the CCI, with mandatory consultation from the provinces—a process that was not followed in this case. He noted that three distribution companies—PESCO, HAZECO, and TESCO—operate within KP's jurisdiction and are legally bound to comply with provincial laws, under the principle of lex situs (the law of the place where the property is situated). The ED, he added, must be collected through the billing system as mandated by law, and there exists no alternate mechanism for its recovery. 'The Power Division's unilateral administrative decision, without CCI's approval or consultation with the KP government, is unconstitutional and legally void,' Gandapur asserted. 'This measure may unnecessarily fuel federal-provincial tensions.' The KP government maintains that ED is not a general tax that can be collected through alternative channels, but rather a sector-specific charge that, by law, must be recovered via electricity bills issued by Discos. The provincial government has sought immediate reconsideration of the decision of Power Division, expressing readiness for constructive dialogue, provided the constitutional and legal frameworks are upheld. Earlier, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah also criticized the federal government, accusing Islamabad of imposing a unilateral decision and advising it to 'put its own house in order' before dictating terms to the provinces. Currently, Discos collect an estimated Rs 60 billion annually as Electricity Duty on behalf of the provinces. While the federal government claims the move is intended to provide relief to consumers, provincial governments argue it undermines their constitutional right. Power Minister Sardar Awais Leghari has stated that he will present the collective responses of all provinces to the prime minister before deciding on a future course of action. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Arab News
6 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Pakistan's Imran Khan orders party to stay silent on infighting, focus on protests
ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Imran Khan on Wednesday urged party members to put aside their grievances amid reports of rifts within the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and focus on the ongoing protest movement, reiterating that the time for negotiations with the government 'has passed.' Reports of a rift within the party began to emerge after Ali Amin Gandapur, a close Khan aide and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) chief minister, announced on July 13 that a 90-day 'do-or-die' protest drive against the government is underway. The protest call, however, appeared to contradict an earlier call for a nationwide protest posted on Khan's official X account, set to culminate on August 5. The day marks the second anniversary of the former prime minister's imprisonment on corruption charges. Speculation of conflicts within the party further grew after senior PTI leader and Punjab Chief Organizer Aliya Hamza Malik publicly voiced concerns on X about a lack of clarity around the campaign. Malik questioned the origin of the 90-day plan and asked for details on the party's strategy to secure Khan's release. According to a statement shared from his official X account, Khan told his family and lawyers at Adiala Jail where he is imprisoned, that he and others from the PTI are currently undergoing 'some of the harshest imprisonments.' 'Therefore, I direct every member of the party to put aside all personal grievances,' the statement read. 'Publicly airing internal matters or individual concerns before the media is entirely unacceptable.' Khan instructed his party members, both juniors and seniors, to avoid sharing 'internal differences' on social media, electronic media, print media or other platforms, urging them to 'focus exclusively' on the protest movement. 'If any party official fails to participate in this movement, I will make the final decision about them myself, even from within jail,' he warned. The cricketer-turned-politician directed the PTI leadership to decide about nominations for the party's Senate tickets through 'mutual consultation.' Khan urged his party supporters to continue protesting against the government. 'The time for negotiations has passed,' the statement said. 'What remains now is the time for the nation to rise in protest.' Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar last week dismissed the party's protest call as a 'political gimmick.' 'PTI has lost street power and its credibility, and is heading toward irrelevance,' the minister said. Khan was ousted from the PM's office in a no-confidence vote in April 2022 and jailed in August 2023. Since then, the PTI has repeatedly mobilized street protests, including a large march to Islamabad in November 2024, to demand his release and challenge the legitimacy of the February 2024 general election. The government accuses the PTI of using the protests to incite instability and disrupt efforts at economic recovery. Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari said earlier this week that peaceful protest was a democratic right of every individual. However, she accused the PTI of abusing that right in the past. 'PTI has a history of violence and anarchy,' she told reporters. 'No political party is allowed to attack with weapons as Pakistan is our red line.' Hundreds of PTI supporters were arrested after riots allegedly incited by the party against the military on May 9, 2023. The government also says four soldiers were killed in November protests last year. PTI denies the charges.
