Losses
Daily Express (21 January 2019) reported that in India, properties belonging to Dr. Zakir Naik worth upwards of 16 crore Indian rupees (160 million) had been seized by the authorities. This brings the value of his property seized in India so far to some 50 crore (500 million).
Flexible
Afghan president Ashraf Ghani was quoted by Daily Express (21 January 2019) as saying that if the Afghan Taliban wanted Pakistan to represent them in talks, then the Afghan government was willing to negotiate with the Pakistani one.
Parting?
Daily Dunya (22 January 2019) reported that PML-Q leaders at an event at the home of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain noted that it would become difficult to continue alongside the government of PM Imran Khan if he retained his current attitude (rawaiya). They also stated that they would lay the responsibility for conditions worsening on the PM and his inability to make a team.
According to Sheikh Rasheed…
Sheikh Rasheed, according to Daily Express (22 January 2019), expressed his view that the military had given PM Imran Khan a “free hand” to clean the political dirt (“Fauj ne Imran ko siyasi gundd saaf karnay ke liay free hand de diya”).
Role model
Daily Dunya (23 January 2019) reported on the decision by Tahir-ul-Qadri to not participate in elections. He was quoted as saying that neither he nor any individual from his family would contest elections, but that he would only provide leadership to the Awami Tehreek. He hoped that the leaders of other parties would also present such a role model for leadership.
Scary state of affairs
Daily Jang (23 January 2019) quoted veteran PPP leader Raza Rabbani as saying that the state was supposed to be maternal, but that this one has become a she-demon (Riyasat tou ma jaisi hoti hai magar ye tou Da’in bann gaii hai).
On dignity
Daily Jang (25 January 2019) reported that Finance Minister Asad Umar expressed satisfaction with foreign assistance coming to Pakistan, saying that the foreign financing gap had been addressed due to the help of friendly countries who had never before come to our aid in this manner. He further stated that Pakistan would now go to the IMF on better conditions and that the country would not bow before anyone or accept dictation.
Fiction?
Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, according to Daily Jang (26 January 2019), claimed that he had not referred to Murad Ali Shah as a drowning fox, but had merely related that tale (Murad Ali Shah ko doobti loomri nahin kahaa, sirf qissa sunaya).
Winds of change
CM Punjab Usman Buzdar was quoted by Daily Jang (26 January 2019) as saying that the police would have to improve its way of dealing with the public, and that it was necessary for the people to see change in the police-stations (awam ko thaanon mein tabdeeli nazar aani chahiye).
Zero tolerance policy?
The PTI’s Naeem-ul-Haq, according to Daily Express (27 January 2019), stated that if Shehbaz Sharif would not stop being abusive (agar woh aa kar gaaliaan de saktay hein), then he would have to go to jail.