Pakistan must aim for self-reliance, rather than pleasing other nations: PM Khan

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday said that Pakistan must always aim to be self reliant and not be afraid to have lofty dreams.

"People talk about projecting a soft image for Pakistan. What does a soft image even mean? [...] Will the world begin to think very highly of us then?" said the premier.

He said that Pakistan must not fall for this misconception. "This is having an inferiority complex. When a country loses self-confidence, it begins to think of how to please others," the prime minister said.

He was addressing a gathering in Islamabad held to showcase a docu-drama "Paani ke pankh" that highlights the importance of Pakistan harnessing its hydropower capabilities.

"We must never think of doing something that the West wants. Like when Musharraf spoke of 'enlightened moderation'. [...] No one knew what it was. People thought the more they look like people from the West, the more they will seem moderate," PM Imran Khan said, adding that a nation only does such things when it lacks confidence.

He said that Pakistan need only project one image — that it is an independent nation, one that is standing on its own feet, has confidence, and believes in its future and does not rely on any other nation. "It is only then that the world respects such a nation."

PM Imran Khan said it was a major mistake to take part in "someone else's war", referring to Pakistan supporting the US post 9/11 in the fight against terrorism.

"We fell under pressure and took part in their war [...] First we took part in the [Soviet-Afghan War] in the 80s and glorified the mujahideen [...] And then after 9/11, we labelled them terrorists and at their bidding began fighting them," said the premier, adding that of course Pakistan then "suffered".

"So what lesson have we learnt from the past? We have to strengthen the nation and make it stand on its own feet. We have to ready the nation to pay taxes, without which we won't be able to educate our citizens, take care of their health or improve the infrastructure," the prime minister continued.

He said it is the nation that has to pay taxes "so we don't beg for grants elsewhere". "As our mindset begins to change, believe me I say this as a man who has seen the world, Pakistan's tremendous potential will begin to unlock."

The prime minister said the country is blessed with countless bounties, saying that "we undersell ourselves and lack belief".

"The day we have the confidence we can compete against any other country, the nation will reach great heights."

PM Imran Khan also spoke of previous governments, saying that they "only thought of their own election campaigns instead of planning ahead" for resources.

"They thought of their elections instead of making dams."

The prime minister said it is owing to the past government's mismanagement that electricity rates are high. The past deals were such that whether or not there is power utilisation, payments had to be made, he said.

He characterised the 2008-2018 period as the "decade of darkness".

The prime minister said the secret to China's progress is long-term planning.

PM Imran Khan said that in Pakistan, after 50 years two new dams are being built, whereas this should have been an activity that took place "from time to time".

"Had we built dams timely, we would have a 70,000 MW electricity generation capacity," he said.

Criticising the Opposition for saying that the incumbent government had gathered more debt for Pakistan, he reminded them that when PTI came into power, the country had a debt of Rs25,000 billion. Of the Rs11,000 settled, Rs6,000 went in the way of interest payments, he said.

He went on to say that due to a rupee depreciation, the debt rose by Rs3,000bn.

PM Imran added that of a Rs2,000bn goal in tax collection, there was a deficit of Rs800 bn because of the coronavirus pandemic.

source https://www.suchtv.pk/pakistan/general/item/104157-pakistan-must-aim-for-self-reliance-rather-than-pleasing-other-nations-pm-khan.html

Govt unveils proposed constitutional reforms for Senate elections

The PTI government has vowed to "pay whatever price needs to paid" to ensure that the upcoming Senate elections are transparent and no vote-buying takes place by introducing amendments to three articles of the Constitution, government officials said on Thursday.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad alongside PM's aide on parliamentary affairs Dr Babar Awan, Information Minister Shibli Faraz emphasised that the government was willing to "pay whatever price needs to be paid" to introduce the amendments, saying the government's purpose for the move was to ensure transparent and fair elections.

Faraz recalled how the PTI government had expelled several members of the provincial assembly (MPAs) from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after it emerged they had sold their votes during the 2018 Senate elections.

"We removed 20 sitting MPAs from our government in KP because there was a doubt that they used their vote incorrectly and some transactions happened that were unacceptable. Only the PTI and Prime Minister Imran Khan could have removed sitting MPAs. We have not seen such an example in the past or in the present".

He said the government was ready to "make all required legal efforts" to ensure that the 2021 Senate elections were free and transparent. He termed it an opportunity for the opposition parties to cooperate and "make [the efforts] successful".

The information minister pointed out that the concept of open ballots was also present in the Charter of Democracy — an agreement signed between the PPP and the PML-N in 2006 — and said that it was "time for implementation".

Speaking after Faraz, the PM's adviser Dr Babar Awan said that the government has readied a "package to bring three reforms in the Constitution" after great efforts and several meetings with Prime Minister Imran.

He said the government had received information that "rates have been set" for buying votes in the Senate election, saying the amendments would be a test case for "all political elites of Pakistan in the parliament".

Every party wanted transparent elections but no one had the "courage" to introduce constitutional reforms for it, Awan said, adding it was because it "suited an incumbent government to buy votes to increase its seats".

The government's proposed amendments:

Replace 'single transferable vote' in Article 59(2) of the Constitution with 'open vote'

Changing Article 63(1)(c) to allow Pakistanis with dual nationalities to contest elections

Include the word Senate in Article 226 of the Constitution

Awan said the premier stressed during the latest meeting that he was "not concerned whether [the PTI's] seats in the government increase or decrease", instead his concern was accountability.

Sharing details of the bill the government plans to introduce in parliament at the start of next week, the PM's aide said that the first amendment would replace 'single transferable vote' in Article 59(2) of the Constitution with 'open vote'. Thus, the Senate voting process would no longer remain secret, he added.

Secondly, Article 63(1)(c) which is related to disqualifications for membership of parliament would be amended to allow overseas Pakistanis and Pakistanis with dual nationalities to contest elections.

"Overseas Pakistanis work across oceans and their earnings are Pakistan's biggest assets but nothing has been done for them. After this, all overseas Pakistanis, despite dual nationality, will be able to stand for elections."

However, they would be required to renounce their citizenship of the foreign country before taking the oath of office, he clarified. If the person loses the election, this condition will not be applicable.

He congratulated overseas Pakistanis, saying the government was going to parliament next week to "open the way for them".

Thirdly, he said, the government would amend Article 226 of the Constitution to include the word Senate in it so elections could be held through open ballot.

Awan said that "traders have started setting rates for the first time in Punjab" for the Senate elections, adding that previously, it had only happened in smaller provinces.

Awan said the constitutional amendment bill was a "test case" for political parties and would identify their stance on holding transparent elections.

Referring to the PML-N and PPP's Charter of Democracy, he said that Article 23 of the charter stated: "To prevent corruption and floor-crossing, all votes for the Senate and other indirect seats will be [held through] open and identified ballots".

When the bill is moved in the parliament, it would "identify those who want to buy votes", he said, claiming that the opposition parties would not support it.

Talking about the the presidential reference regarding Senate elections, which is being heard in the Supreme Court, he said that the parties who had "run away from it have [actually] run away from their agenda and charter. They have run away only to either make money or put money."

Headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed, a five-judge Supreme Court bench, which is hearing the presidential reference seeking the court’s opinion whether the condition of secret ballot under Article 226 of the Cons­titution applies to the Senate elections or not, had solicited synopsis from each province, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and individuals interested in the matter.

Awan termed the proposed amendments a "national slogan" and an "agenda for the entire democracy".

He invited the opposition to participate in the legislative process related to the amendments, saying "parliament is the place we can make Senate elections, free, fair and transparent".

source https://www.suchtv.pk/pakistan/general/item/104156-govt-unveils-proposed-constitutional-reforms-for-senate-elections.html

Supreme court dismisses appeal, acquits Daniel Pearl murder case accused

The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed the appeal of the Sindh government and acquitted the accused of the 2002 murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl.

A bench of the apex court headed by Justice Mushir Alam announced a brief verdict over the appeal of the Sindh government against the Sindh High Court’s April 2020 decision.

In the majority verdict a member of the bench wrote his note of dissent.

Four convicts of the murder case, British national Ahmed Omer Saeed Shaikh, co-accused Fahad Naseem, Salman Saqib and Sheikh Adil had moved the Sindh High Court (SHC) in 2002 challenging their convictions handed down by the Hyderabad Anti-Terrorism Court after finding them guilty of abducting and killing American Journalist Daniel Pearl.

The high court overturned the verdict of the ATC and acquitted convicts on April 02, 2020.

The 38-year-old South Asia bureau chief of The Wall Street Journal, Daniel Pearl, was researching for a story on religious extremists in January 2002 in Karachi, when he was abducted and slain.

Earlier, the government of Sindh submitted sensitive information in a sealed envelope to the court.

Advocate General Sindh said that the main accused Ahmed Omer Saeed have links with the outlawed banned groups. “There is evidence but we could not prove it before the court,” Sindh’s counsel said.

source https://www.suchtv.pk/pakistan/general/item/104150-supreme-court-dismisses-appeal-acquits-daniel-pearl-murder-case-accused.html

Governor Sindh issues clarification on protocol video

After the emergence of the video of protocol given to one of the vehicles of the Governor House Sindh, Governor Imran Ismail has clarified that the pet was travelling along with his family members and the police mobile was not accompanying them for protocol instead it was there to protect his family.

In his clarification statement, Governor Imran Ismail said that the video is based on the lie and added that his daughter and wife were travelling in the car and that was not a protocol but the security of his family.

He termed the move of recording such videos as “frivolous” and alleged that the person who made the video is part of a corrupt government.

The governor came under fire after a video of a dog riding in a Sindh Governor House four-wheel vehicle went viral on social media a day earlier.

source https://www.suchtv.pk/pakistan/general/item/104149-governor-sindh-issues-clarification-on-protocol-video.html

ATC sends accused to jail, seeks challan in usama muder case

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Thursday sent five accused to Adiala Jail on judicial remand in the Osama Satti murder case.

The arrested cops were presented before the court of Judge Raja Jawad Abbas as he resumed hearing.
Sending the accused to jail, the court directed the jail authorities to present them before it on next hearing on Feb 10. The judge directed the investigation officer of the case to submit a challan.

The accused include Muddasir, Shakeel, Mohammad Mustafa, Saeed Ahmed and Iftikhar Ahmed.

On Jan 2, the five Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) personnel were taken into custody for indiscriminately gunning down 22-year-old Osama in the Sector G-10 area on Srignagar Highway within the jurisdiction of Ramna police station in the federal capital.

source https://www.suchtv.pk/pakistan/general/item/104147-atc-sends-accused-to-jail-seeks-challan-in-usama-muder-case.html

Pakistan records 64 fresh corona deaths in last 24 Hrs

Pakistan has recorded 64 more coronavirus-related deaths in past 24 hours, surging the overall death toll to 11,514, on Thursday.

According to the latest statistics of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), the COVID-19 has claimed 64 more lives and 1,910 fresh infections were reported.
In the past 24 hours, as many as 2,371 patients have recovered from the virus in a day and 2,147 patients are still in critical condition.

The total count of active cases is 33,295.

According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), with fresh inclusion of the infections in the country the national tally of cases now currently stands at 539,387.

A total of 40,821 tests were conducted across the country during this period. Overall 494,578 people have recovered from the deadly disease so far while 7,804,935 samples have been tested thus far.

Earlier on Wednesday, Federal Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar had announced that Pakistan will launch its COVID-19 vaccination drive next week, starting with front-line health workers.

source https://www.suchtv.pk/pakistan/general/item/104145-pakistan-records-64-fresh-corona-deaths-in-last-24-hrs.html

Biden's nominee Antony Blinken confirmed as secretary of state

The U.S. Senate on Tuesday confirmed President Joe Biden’s nominee, veteran diplomat Antony Blinken, to serve as secretary of state.

The 100-member Senate backed Blinken 78-22, meaning he could be sworn in as the nation’s top diplomat later in the day. A simple majority was needed in the Democratic-controlled chamber for his confirmation.

Blinken is a longtime Biden confidant who has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate before, most recently to serve as No. 2 at the State Department during former Democratic President Barack Obama’s administration, when Biden was vice president.

At his confirmation before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last week, Blinken pledged to work more closely with allies after former President Donald Trump’s “America First” approach to foreign affairs. Blinken said he would work to revitalise damaged American diplomacy and build a united front to counter the challenges posed by Russia, China and Iran.

The 100-member Senate is divided 50-50 but controlled by Biden’s fellow Democrats because Vice President Kamala Harris can break any tie.

All of the votes against Blinken’s confirmation came from Republicans.

Blinken’s confirmation hearing went smoothly, with both Democrats and Republicans offering praise. Blinken was a committee staff director - when Biden, who spent decades in the Senate, was chairman - before he joined the Obama administration.

source https://www.suchtv.pk/world/item/104135-biden-s-nominee-antony-blinken-confirmed-as-secretary-of-state.html

YouTube suspends Trump indefinitely, stops Giuliani from monetising clips

YouTube has suspended Donald Trump indefinitely from the platform and said it will also prevent the former president's lawyer Rudy Giuliani from being able to monetise his clips, United States media reported.

It comes a week after the social media giant confirmed it would extend a ban on Trump's channel — which has just under three million subscribers — joining other social media platforms in banning his accounts following the deadly January 6 Capitol riot.

The Google-owned firm has faced some criticism over its slow response following the violence in Washington, as well as the proliferation of conspiracy theories on the platform.

“In light of concerns about the ongoing potential for violence, the Donald J Trump channel will remain suspended,” a YouTube spokesperson told Politico.

The company said separately that Giuliani's account would be barred from the Partner Program — which allows creators to make money off their videos — after repeatedly violating its policy against posting misleading information about the US election.

The 76-year-old has posted videos titled “The Biden Crime Family's Payoff Scheme” and “Election Theft of the Century” to his channel, which has around 600,000 subscribers.

The ban on making money off his clips comes as the former New York mayor faces a $1.3 billion lawsuit from Dominion Voting Systems after alleging on social media that the firm had engaged in election fraud.

According to YouTube, Giuliani will be able to appeal the decision in 30 days — providing the underlying issues have been fixed.

source https://www.suchtv.pk/world/item/104134-youtube-suspends-trump-indefinitely-stops-giuliani-from-monetising-clips.html

NCOC unveils strategy to administer Covid vaccine across country

The National Command and Control Centre (NCOC) on Wednesday unveiled a comprehensive plan to administer the vaccine for the Covid-19 across the country to curb the pandemic's spread.

The plan has been adopted after taking all the provinces and other stakeholders onboard, a meeting of NCOC held today in Islamabad in this regard was apprised. It added that the strategy has been evolved in light of the established international regulations and health guidelines.

The session was chaired by Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Asad Umar, accompanied by National Coordinator NCOC Lieutenant General Hamood-uz-Zaman Khan and Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mehmood.

The provincial health minister of Sindh and chief secretaries of all federating units joined the meeting via video link.

The purpose of the strategy is to administer the vaccines through a coordinated system in a safe and healthy environment. In this regard, it said, National Immunisation Managment System (NIMS) will be run by the National Vaccine Administration and Coordination Cell (NVACC).

In additition to Adult Vaccine Centres (AVC), the attendees were apprised, the provincial and district administrations, PVACC and DVACC respectively, and coordination cells have been established to aid in the efforts.

The meeting was informed that the NIMS is fully digital, aimed at limiting the human error, and it will impart the information relating to the AVCs and appointments for vaccinations to the masses automatically.

The forum was apprised that vaccination centres have been established across the country, while the training of staff and other arrangements have been completed to begin the inoculation.

Vaccination process

Once informed about the vaccination, the masses as well as the frontline healthcare workers will have to send an SMS to 1166 or visit the NIMS website for registration.

Afterwards, a PIN code will be sent to the applicant while an AVC will be designated to them based on their present address. Once the vaccine is made available, the applicants will receive further details.

Prior to the vaccination, the system will authenticate the Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) number of the applicant.

Once confirmed by the NIMS, the vaccine will be administered to the masses. The details will be viewable through a real-time dashboard of the system.

Educational institutes

The meeting was told that after consultation with all the stakeholders, it has been decided to reopen the universities as well as the primary and middle classes across the country from February 1.

Further, the educational institutions in four major cities including Karachi, Hyderabad, Lahore, Peshawar will be ensuring 50 percent strength of the students on alternative basis.

source https://www.suchtv.pk/pakistan/general/item/104133-ncoc-unveils-strategy-to-administer-covid-vaccine-across-country.html

Biden, Putin hold first telephonic conversation

US President Joe Biden and Russian leader Vladimir Putin held their first conversation as counterparts on Tuesday in a phone call that underscored troubled relations and the delicate balance between the former Cold War foes.

According to the White House, Biden raised concerns about the arrest of opposition figure Alexei Navalny, Russia’s alleged involvement in a massive cyber-espionage campaign and reports of Russian bounties on American troops in Afghanistan. The Kremlin, meanwhile, focused on Putin’s response to Biden’s proposal to extend the last remaining US-Russia arms control treaty.

While the readouts from the two capitals emphasised different elements, they both suggested that US-Russia relations will be guided, at least at the beginning of the Biden administration, by a desire to do no harm but also no urgency to repair existing damage.

The two presidents agreed to have their teams work urgently to complete a five-year extension of the New START nuclear weapons treaty that expires next month. Former President Donald Trump’s administration had withdrawn from two arms control treaties with Russia and had been prepared to let New START lapse.

Unlike his immediate predecessors — including Trump, who was enamoured of Putin and frequently undercut his own administration’s tough stance on Russia — Biden has not held out hope for a “reset” in relations. Instead he has indicated he wants to manage differences without necessarily resolving them or improving ties.

And with a heavy domestic agenda and looming decisions needed on Iran and China, a direct confrontation with Russia is not likely something Biden seeks.

Although the leaders agreed to work together to extend New START before it expires on February 5 and to look at other areas of potential strategic cooperation, the White House said Biden was firm on US support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, while Russia is supporting separatists in the country’s east.

Biden also raised the SolarWinds cyberhack, which has been attributed to Russia, reports of Russian bounties on American soldiers in Afghanistan, interference in the 2020 US election, the poisoning of Navalny and the weekend crackdown on Navalny’s supporters.

“President Biden made clear that the United States will act firmly in defence of its national interests in response to actions by Russia that harm us or our allies,” the White House said. Biden told Putin in the phone call that the US would defend itself and take action, which could include further sanctions, to ensure Moscow does not act with impunity, officials said.

Moscow had reached out last week to request the call, according to US officials familiar with the matter but not authorised to discuss it publicly. Biden agreed, but he wanted first to prepare with his staff and speak with European allies, including the leaders of Britain, France and Germany, which he did.

Before he spoke to Putin, Biden also called Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg to pledge US commitment to the decades-old alliance founded as a bulwark against Russian aggression.

The Kremlin’s readout of the call did not address the most contentious issues between the countries, though it said the leaders also discussed other “acute issues on the bilateral and international agenda”.

It described the talk as “frank and businesslike” — often a diplomatic way of referring to tense discussions. It also said Putin congratulated Biden on becoming president and “noted that normalisation of ties between Russia and the United States would serve the interests of both countries”.

Among the issues the Kremlin said were discussed were the coronavirus pandemic, the Iran nuclear agreement, Ukraine and issues related to trade and the economy.

The call came as Putin considers the aftermath of pro-Navalny protests that took place in more than 100 Russian cities over the weekend. Biden’s team has already reacted strongly to the crackdown on the protests, in which more than 3,700 people were arrested across Russia, including more than 1,400 in Moscow. More protests are planned for the coming weekend.

Navalny, an anti-corruption campaigner and Putin’s best-known critic, was arrested on January 17 as he returned to Russia from Germany, where he had spent nearly five months recovering from nerve-agent poisoning that he blames on the Kremlin. Biden has previously condemned the use of chemical weapons.

Russian authorities deny the accusations.

Just from the public accounts, Biden’s discussion with Putin appeared diametrically opposed to Trump’s relationship with the Russian president.

Trump had seemed to seek Putin’s approval, frequently casting doubt on Russian interference in the 2016 elections, including when he stood next to Putin at their 2018 summit in Helsinki. He also downplayed Russia’s involvement in the hack of federal government agencies last year and the allegations that Russia offered the Taliban bounties.

Still, despite that conciliatory approach, Trump’s administration toed a tough line against Moscow, imposing sanctions on the country, Russian companies and business leaders for issues including Ukraine, energy supplies and attacks on dissidents.

Biden, in his call with Putin, broke sharply with Trump by declaring that he knew that Russia attempted to interfere with both the 2016 and 2020 US elections.

source https://www.suchtv.pk/world/item/104131-biden-putin-hold-first-telephonic-conversation.html

PML-N will contest Senate elections and stop PTI from obtaining two-thirds majority: Ahsan

PML-N leader and former interior minister Ahsan Iqbal said Wednesday that the party will contest the upcoming Senate elections to deter the PTI from obtaining a two-thirds majority in the parliament.

Speaking to media outside an accountability court, the PML-N stalwart said that his party did not believe in "leaving the field open for the PTI". Iqbal said that if the PML-N did not contest elections, then the ruling party will obtain a two-thirds majority and "change the face of the Constitution."

"[PML-N] will take part in Senate elections and will stop the PTI from obtaining a two-thirds majority," he said, adding that if the PTI manages to secure the majority, it could do away with the 18th Amendment and impose a presidential system of governance in the country.

"They [PTI] can take the country towards a presidential system," he said. "We will take part in the Senate [elections] as the Pakistan Democratic Movement's (PDM) central point is to stop the government's conspiracies."

He said that the PDM had obtained success in its endeavours against the government, alleging that the prime minister's panicked state was proof of that.

Iqbal warned that a "decisive long march" will sweep away the government when the time comes. "Every minister of the PTI is involved in the worse form of corruption," he said. "Be it the sugar, wheat or utility store corruption. Each minister, on the one hand, talks about honesty and on the other hand, is busy looting the country."

The former interior minister said that NAB was a "one-eyed body", adding that it was looking the other way when it came to the ruling party's corruption.

Iqbal rubbished a minister's claims that he had embezzled Rs70bn from CPEC projects, adding that whatever money that contractors had received from Chinese companies, had been paid directly to the contractors.

"It is due to these irresponsible statements that the CPEC has become controversial around the world," he said.

Iqbal said that the PTI government had taken more loans so far than the PML-N government had during its five-year tenure, adding that the incumbent government still had not carried out any development projects for the masses.

Senate elections:

In March 2021, 52 seats will be up for grabs, including 12 seats from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, 11 from Punjab and Sindh, four from the newly-merged Federally Administered Tribal Areas and two from Islamabad

Some prominent names who will be bidding farewell to the Senate next year include Shibli Faraz, the federal minister for information and broadcasting, Usman Khan Kakar, Mohsin Aziz, Pervez Rashid, Mushahidullah Khan, Raja Zafar ul Haq, Ayesha Raza Farooq, Sardar Yaqoob Nasir, Raheela Magsi, Kalsoom Parveen, Sherry Rehman, Rehman Malik, Farooq Naek, Saleem Mandiwala, Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif and Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, amongst others.

source https://www.suchtv.pk/pakistan/general/item/104130-pml-n-will-contest-senate-elections-and-stop-pti-from-obtaining-two-thirds-majority-ahsan.html

Maryam Nawaz refutes rumours of rifts within PDM, says alliance has 'exemplary coordination'

PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz on Wednesday refuted speculation of internal rifts within the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), saying that the alliance had "exemplary coordination".

Speaking to media from the Khokhar brothers' residence, the PML-N leader said that the government's wish to see the Opposition's alliance fall victim to internal rifts would yield nothing.

"Even if there is a disagreement on any matter within the PDM, it is resolved in an amicable manner," she said. Maryam urged PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari to present his suggestion on bringing about an in-house change with other members of the PDM.

The PML-N vice president criticised Prime Minister Imran Khan, saying that she had credible information that the premier used to personally monitor and seek updates on the operation against the Khokhar brothers.

Maryam praised Saiful Malook Khokhar and MNA Malik Afzal Khokhar, referring to them as "companions of Nawaz Sharif", adding that she had arrived at their residence after receiving directives from the PML-N supremo. She said that the purpose of her visit was to give the message that the party stood behind the Khokhar brothers.

Turning her guns towards the PTI government, the PML-N vice president said that corruption allegations against it were being exposed each day. "A day will come when we will learn the whole truth [of the government's alleged corruption]," she said.

She referred to the PTI as a "one-man show", saying that the party will be destroyed when PM Imran Khan weakens politically.

"You should focus on yourself rather than on the PML-N," Maryam said, referring to the PTI.

Answering a question about the Broadsheet case, Maryam referred to it as a "fraudsheet".

She lashed out at Justice (retd) Azmat Saeed, who is heading the inquiry commission to probe the Broadsheet case, saying that he was the founder of the "WhatsApp JIT".

Maryam said that Justice (retd) Azmat Saeed was involved in conspiracies against the elected government of the PML-N, adding that he was an employee of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) when the Broadsheet agreement was signed.

source https://www.suchtv.pk/pakistan/general/item/104129-maryam-nawaz-refutes-rumours-of-rifts-within-pdm-says-alliance-has-exemplary-coordination.html

Fawad Alam scores first century on home soil

Middle-order batsman Fawad Alam scored a fighting century on Wednesday — first on home soil — on the second day of the opening Test against South Africa in Karachi.

This is Fawad's third Test century which he scored in the 14th innings of his career.

Alam was holding fort on 63 as Pakistan reached 178 for six at tea, trailing South Africa's first innings total by 42 runs.

Playing his first Test at home, Alam was rock-solid as he added 94 with former skipper Azhar Ali for the fifth wicket, leaving South Africa without a scalp in the first session.

The other batsman at the crease was Faheem Ashraf, who was yet to score.

South Africa's pace and spin attack toiled hard after the hosts resumed on a precarious 33 for four.

Pakistan added 71 in the first session before spinner Keshav Maharaj broke through by dismissing Azhar, caught behind by Quinton de Kock.

Azhar struck four boundaries in his 151-ball knock.

Wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan and Alam added another 55 for the sixth wicket before the former was caught at slip off paceman Lungi Ngidi.

It was a hard going for South Africa in the first session.

Kagiso Rabada, who took two wickets for just eight runs late Tuesday, looked threatening in his six-over spell, but Azhar and Alam batted cautiously to take Pakistan past 100.

source https://www.suchtv.pk/sports/item/104127-fawad-alam-scores-first-century-on-home-soil.html