Latest news with #Sanaullah
Express Tribune
31-05-2025
- Express Tribune
Man held for alleging robbery by cops
Dozens of men aged from 25 to 75 arrested in connection of pedophile activities in France. PHOTO: PEXELS Faisalabad police have arrested a driver who falsely alleged that police personnel had robbed him of a truck load with livestock. An investigation has been launched after the authorities uncovered an insurance fraud behind the allegation. The incident occurred near Aminpur Bangla, where driver Sanaullah called Rescue 15, claiming that armed men in police uniform had hijacked his truck carrying cattle and abandoned him in a sugarcane field. SHO Shaqeeb Raza Butt grew suspicious during initial inquiries. During interrogation, Sanaullah confessed that the robbery had been staged to claim insurance money and offered Rs400,000 in bribe to the police officer to drop the case. The Sandal Bar police station SHO registered a case against the driver for making a false helpline call and attempted bribery. The Iqbal Town SP said the investigation had begun after social media posts about police's involvement in the truck robbery.
News18
02-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
Pakistan's Top Diplomat Says Open To Neutral Probe Into Pahalgam Attack
Last Updated: Sources revealed that during the last instance when India agreed to a similar probe, Pakistan neither submitted a final report nor issued any formal communication Pakistani Prime Minister's Political Advisor Rana Sanaullah on Friday said that Islamabad is open to impartial investigation into the Pahalgam terror attack, warning India that its aggressive conduct may push the region towards instability. The Resistance Front (TRF), a shadow group of the Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), claimed responsibility for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, prompting India to downgrade its diplomatic ties with Pakistan on all fronts. 'We are ready for a neutral inquiry into the Pahalgam incident," Sanaullah told ARY News, adding that Pakistan would also accept a joint investigation or even a third-party special expert-led probe into the matter. The Pakistani diplomat further questioned India's reporting of the Pahalgam incident, calling it suspicious and inconsistent, and emphasised that the truth must emerge regarding who orchestrated the 'heinous act." Meanwhile, well-placed sources revealed that during the last instance when India agreed to a similar probe, Pakistan neither submitted a final report nor issued any formal communication, suggesting that India may be reluctant to agree to a probe into the Pahalgam incident. 'The Government of Pakistan had constituted a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) on February 25, 2016, under Section 19(I) of its Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, to investigate an attack on Pathankot Air Force base, in furtherance to a FIR registered at Police Station Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), Gujranwala in Pakistan. But the findings of the JIT were never shared with the Government of India," said sources, citing officials. Sanaullah also criticised India's bold move of suspending the Indus Waters Treaty immediately after the incident. 'India's actions appear premeditated and aimed at achieving political gains," he said, adding that India has failed to suppress the freedom movement in Kashmir despite its massive military deployment. India announced a series of punitive measures against Pakistan, including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. Additionally, New Delhi ordered the closure of the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari, halted the issuance of visas to Pakistani citizens, and decided to reduce the presence of senior officials at the High Commission. 'Pakistan's Role Not Proven' Another diplomat, Saeed Sheikh, Pakistani Ambassador to the US, said that India has not yet presented any kind of evidence to Pakistan or the international community to prove Islamabad's involvement in the Pahalgam incident. 'India cannot shift the burden of its oppressive policies, electoral compulsions or administrative failures onto Pakistan," he said. He further added that if the presence of thousands of troops cannot ensure peace in Jammu and Kashmir then it should be a moment of reflection for India. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said during a public event in Bihar that Kashmir saw massive growth in recent years, with the surge in tourism and opportunities for the youth. He noted that the Pahalgam attack was a desperate attempt by the enemies of the nation to derail the region's progress. 'I assure the victims' families that they will get justice. The conspirators and perpetrators of this attack will face the toughest response," PM Modi remarked. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from geopolitics to diplomacy and global trends. Stay informed with the latest world news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published:
Express Tribune
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Centre, Sindh set for water talks
Listen to article The federal government agreed on Sunday to open dialogue with the Sindh government to address the deepening controversy over a proposed canal project on Indus river that sharply divided allies in the ruling coalition. Amid rising political tensions over the controversial canal project, the Centre and Sindh kicked off talks when Adviser to Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah and Sindh's Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon talked by the telephone in a bid to ease the rift, and find a common ground. Both sides agreed that the issue should be resolved through consultation rather than confrontation. Sana said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif had instructed that the Centre should take Sindh's concerns seriously and begin dialogue. On February 15, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Asim Munir had inaugurated an ambitious agriculture initiative to irrigate barren land in Punjab's Cholistan area. The PPP - a major ally of the PML-N in the federal government - has been expressing serious reservations over the plan to draw six new canals from the Indus river to meet the irrigation needs of the Green Pakistan Initiative (GPI) in the Cholistan desert. Sanaullah reportedly said that no province's share of water could be unlawfully diverted, adding that the federal government believed in just and equitable distribution of resources. He also said that the issue shouldn't be politicised, stressing that dialogue was the only way forward. A day ago, Sanaullah said that his party held deep respect for the leadership of the PPP, and that no injustice was possible in the presence of the 1991 Water Accord and the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) Act of 1992, which governed the inter-provincial water sharing. The prime minister' political adviser clarified that no province's water could be diverted to another, as there were constitutional mechanisms and laws in place to ensure fairness in the distribution in the precious resource. Meanwhile, Sindh's senior minister welcomed the federal government's willingness to hold talks, saying that the PPP and the people of Sindh had serious reservations over the canals project. He added that the party's stance was firmly grounded in the 1991 water agreement. He reaffirmed Sindh's opposition to "unconstitutional diversion of its water". Political temperature rose sharply when PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari issued a stark warning to the federal government during a public rally in Hyderabad on April 18. "The PPP is demanding that the federal government immediately stop the controversial canals project and accept our objections," he declared, warning that failure to do so would result in the PPP abandoning the PML-N government. Time and again, the PPP Parliamentarians has threatened to topple the PML-N government as both the parties had entered into a contract before forming the federal government back in February 2024 after a split mandate in the general elections. Though the PPPP didn't become a part of the federal cabinet, both sides had divided key constitutional offices between them. Bilawal's warning has come despite an assurance given by Deputy Prime MInister Ishaq Dar in the National Assembly on April 11 that not a single drop of Sindh's water share would be taken by any other province. "Everything will be discussed and settled before taking any step." PML-N, PPPP meet in Lahore Meanwhile, a joint meeting of the PML-N and PPP coordination committee was held at the Governor House in Lahore to iron out differences. The meeting, attended by senior leaders from both parties including Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar – via a video link, Rana Sanaullah, Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan, and PPP leaders Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Nadeem Afzal Chan, and Syed Hassan Murtaza, focused largely on PPP's grievances. After the meeting, Murtaza and Khan acknowledged the sensitivities surrounding the water issue. As far as water's distribution is concerned, Khan said, Irsa has already decided that matter, saying all parties agreed on Irsa's document. In this 'sacrosanct' document, Khan said all the parties have agreed to 107 million acre feet of water distribution. Due to some climate issues, Khan said that the available water right now was around 10 million acre feet less than the total capacity, adding that because of the shortage of water voices were also being raised in Punjab. As far as the issue of water distribution was concerned, Khan continued, both sides would not discuss the issues from a political standpoint, rather, on the basis on data. He said Sindh had every right to "jealously guard" its share of water just like Punjab or any other province. He recalled that the Kalabagh dam project was also shelved because of the political differences. "The people of Pakistan are very intelligent when it comes to discussing such issues." On canals, he added, "The reservations must be addressed and both sides should understand each other's technical position." PPP's Hassan Murtaza stressed that while both parties had agreed to continue working together for the sake of national stability, the PPP still had serious concernsnot just over the canals, but also over wheat procurement, local governance, and the plight of farmers. "Sugarcane growers haven't been paid by mills yet," he said, pointing to broader governance challenges in Punjab. According to party insiders, the PPP raised objections not just about water but also regarding developmental funds and administrative transparency in Punjab, pressing the PML-N to take corrective action. The PML-N reportedly asked for a week to address these concerns and gave assurances that issues would be settled down.
Express Tribune
20-04-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Centre feels the heat as canals issue boils up
Listen to article As tensions rise over the controversial canal projects and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) sharpens its stance, PML-N President Nawaz Sharif and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have instructed party leaders to initiate dialogue with the coalition partner to address concerns. In a statement issued on Saturday, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political and Public Affairs Rana Sanaullah said the party leadership has directed members to resolve the matter through consultation with the PPP. He stressed that the PML-N remains firmly committed to the fair and equitable distribution of water and other resources among all federating units. "PPP is part of the federal government. When holding constitutional offices, it is even more important to speak with a sense of responsibility," he stressed. Sanaullah said that his party holds deep respect for the leadership of PPP, and that no injustice is possible in the presence of the 1991 Water Accord and the IRSA Act of 1992, which govern inter-provincial water sharing. He clarified that no province's water can be diverted to another, as there are constitutional mechanisms and laws in place to ensure fairness in distribution. "The country has proper procedures to guarantee this," he said. The adviser cautioned against politicising the issue of water, urging that such matters should be resolved through discussions at the table rather than public confrontation. "We believe the strength of the federation lies in the strength of its constituent units, and we intend to continue this approach as we have in the past," he said. Sanaullah said that as a party with a firm belief in the constitution and democracy, the PML-N would never compromise on the rights of the provinces and their people. "Dialogue and consultation are the only viable solutions to all problems," he added. Sanaullah's statement comes a day after PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari threatened to pull the plug on his party's parliamentary backing of the "stubborn" and "tone-deaf" federal government. Bilawal fired a warning shot at the ruling ally's bows, demanding immediate scrapping of the controversial canals project or the PPP will abandon the government, leaving it stranded and severing all ties. "The PPP is demanding that the federal government should immediately stop the controversial canals project and accept our objections, otherwise the PPP won't go along with you," he cautioned at his party's public meeting in Hyderabad on Friday evening. Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Saturday said that the controversial canal project would die down before the 2025-26 federal budget. The CM was responding to questions from journalists in Sindh's Saeedabad area when he claimed that the project would be shelved or halted before the federal budget. "Sindh's people know that only PPP can stop this project," he said, adding that approval of this canal was given by Irsa during the tenure of the caretaker government. "President Asif Zardari made it clear in his address to the joint session of parliament that he could not support canals; thus, all conspiracies failed," Murad added. "The April 18 public meeting in Hyderabad division was larger than the previous rally staged by the party at the same ground." Murad announced that a public gathering would be held in Sukkur on April 25, followed by gatherings in other divisional headquarters. "The party will hold public rallies against the canals in Shaheed Benazirabad, Mirpurkhas and Karachi," the CM was quoted as saying.
Express Tribune
18-04-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
PM urged to intervene in Hajj quota case
In November last year, the government announced that 179,210 Pakistani pilgrims would perform Hajj in 2025. Under the Hajj Policy, the Hajj quota was divided with a ratio of 50:50 between the government and private Hajj schemes with 89,605 seats reserved for each. However, in a statement issued on Thursday, the Ministry of Religious Affairs spokesperson, Umar Batt, announced that only 23,620 pilgrims from Pakistan will be able to perform Hajj in 2025 under the Private Hajj Scheme Prior to the announcement, the ministry's secretary informed the Senate committee that around 67,000 people enrolled under private scheme seemed unlikely to be able to perform Hajj this year. At a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Religious Affairs, both the Ministry of Religious Affairs and the president of the private Hajj operator's association gave detailed briefings. The association's president, Sanaullah, told the committee that the federal cabinet approved the Hajj Policy 2025 after a delay of over two months due to which private Hajj tour operators could not submit their applications on time. He said the funds of 67,000 pilgrims — 680 million riyals — had already been transferred to Saudi Arabia, and due to the limited time remaining, further arrangements were not possible. He demanded that a high-level committee be sent to Saudi Arabia, urging that the prime minister intervene in the matter. The Senate committee unanimously decided to write a letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif requesting a meeting so that he may speak with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
