Conditions
Former President General (r.) Pervez Musharraf expressed his desire to return to Pakistan, but, according to Daily Dunya (11 June 2018), added that he needed a passport to be able to travel – and assurances that he would not be arrested. He stated that he was concerned about the approach taken by the apex court.
Impostors?
Daily Dunya (11 June 2018) reported that as Eid approached, fake police operatives began to loot simple citizens. The police had been receiving complaints that these impostors had been depriving citizens of their money under the guise of security searches.
Backhanded
Daily Jang (11 June 2018) quoted Barrister Zafarullah as saying that Nawaz Sharif had always avoided raising the Sita White issue against Imran Khan, but that the latter did not live up to Islamic principles. The Barrister asked how a person could ever be ‘Sadiq’ (truthful) if they did not own up to their child.
SMQ’s assessment
According to Daily Dunya (12 June 2018), Shah Mehmood Qureshi of the PTI expressed his view that the competition in Punjab would be between PML-N and PTI. He considered PPP out of the game (khel se out). In his view, the arrow would not leave the bow, and the lion (sher) had become a goat (bakri) too.
On lotas
Abid Sher Ali of the PML-N, according to Daily Dunya (12 June 2018), expressed his view that the lotas of the PTI had messed up politics in Pakistan (siyasat mein gundd dala). He went on to state that the party had become Lota Insaf by now.
Sheikh Rasheed approves
Sheikh Rasheed, according to Daily Dunya (12 June 2018) urged Chaudhry Nisar to speak out against the PML-N, since he knew secrets (raz). He went on to state that he was pleased to see his former friend (sabqa dost) begin a new political life.
Busted?
Daily Jang (12 June 2018) reported that India was claiming that yet another pigeon (kabootar) was a Pakistani agent. Having been caught by police near the border with Pakistan, the pigeon was due to be subjected to X-ray scans so as to determine whether or not it had any spying devices on it.
Fearless
Imran Khan was quoted by Daily Jang (13 June 2018) as saying that no book publication or scandal could cause harm to his party. He went on to express his view that Iftikhar Chaudhry had helped Nawaz Sharif win the elections in 2013, and hoped to be appointed president, but on being denied this reward, backed off from the PML-N.
Pilgrims
Daily Jang (13 June 2018) reported that Imran Khan, in his drawn out 13-hour journey to Saudi Arabia, chartered a private jet. The cost, according to the report, was some 8 lac (800,000) rupees per hour.
Siraj’s struggle
Daily Express (16 June 2018) quoted Siraj-ul-Haq of the Jamaat-e-Islami as saying that a system of unbelief (kufr) was in place in the country – in the courts, the politics and the economy. The education system, too, according to him, was being run according to the views of Lord Macaulay. For Siraj-ul-Haq, it was the international establishment backed by Satanic (Ibleesi) forces who were trying to keep this system in place through their pawns (mohray). He further stated that liberal and secular forces were trying to remove the Islamic provisions of the constitution and make it a purely secular one, and that the nation will have to remain alert to these conspiracies.
Not his cup of tea?
Daily Express (16 June 2018) reported that former President General (r.) Pervez Musharraf was considering the pros and cons of returning to Pakistan. He was quoted as asking whether he would now go and sit in Assemblies after he had remained President of the country and also Chief of Army Staff for ten years.