Story Highlights
Panama Leaks
Since the Panama papers leaks last week, the prime minister and his family have been under immense pressure and criticism from opposition parties and media. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif along with his family has left for London, citing health issue and medical examination while opposition parties are holding meetings and chalking out strategies as to how to keep government under pressure. According to media sources prime minister’s stay in London has been extended as doctors have confirmed ‘blockage’ in one of his heart arteries.
Meanwhile consultative meeting of the senior leadership of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vowed not to be deterred by the spate of allegations against the prime minister. The prime minister has also directed his cabinet to focus on early completion of ongoing development projects across of the country. A meeting attended by cabinet members and chaired by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar agreed to take the nation and the political stakeholders on board about the conspiracies
Meanwhile Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf (PTI) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) have announced to launch a joint campaign against the Sharifs over their involvement in the offshore investment scandal. The two parties reached the consensus that Panama leaks should be probed by a fully powered commission comprising prominent law experts.
Rajanpur Operation
Operation by Punjab Police against notorious criminal gang, Chotu gang, in Kacha area of District Rajanpur has entered its second week. Around 1,600 policemen from seven districts of Punjab are taking part in operation Zarb-e-Aahan. However, Pakistan army has been called in as the police failed to achieve the given targets as Chotu gang killed ten policemen and captured 24 others during operation.
According to media reports the area is thickly forested which is hindering the advancement. More than 100 gangsters are associated with the Chottu gang which has 54 cases of murders, dacoities and kidnapping registered against it in police stations across South Punjab. Chottu, the gang leader also carries a huge bounty on his head. However media reports quoted Punjab police spokesperson Nabila Ghazanfar as saying that police had achieved a major success by killing ten members of the gang. The operation was intensified when criminals killed another four policemen and handed over the bodies to the authorities with a threat to kill 24 others still in their custody.
According to media reports the Chotoo gang’s ringleader was demanding safe passage for himself, his family and some loyal accomplices to proceed to Dubai in return of safe release of the captive policemen.
Pak – India
Pakistan has once again expressed the continuation of talks with India while rejecting reports that peace process was suspended. Foreign Office spokesman Nafees Zakaria said that Pakistan is engaged with Delhi, rejecting media reports quoting Pakistan’s High Commissioner in India Abdul Basit as having said that the peace process was “suspended”.
Last December, the two countries had agreed to restart the peace dialogue, which was named Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue. It was agreed that the foreign secretaries would meet to decide the schedule and other details of the first round of talks. However, the plan was halted after the Pathankot attack and the two countries have not been able to schedule the foreign secretaries’ meeting since. The spokesman also expressed “deep concern” over the Indian security forces’ crackdown on protesters in Handwara in India-held Kashmir which has resulted in four casualties.
On the other hand Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif has said that the Indian spy agency, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), are trying to destabilise Pakistan after many countries of the world have appreciated the true potential of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). He also vowed that Pakistan would not allow anyone to create impediments and disorder in any part of the country.
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