Here’s what’s happening across the border: Pakistan’s stand-up comedian leaves social media after backlash for video on Sindhis; Pakistani 1965 prisoner of war dies
PTI’s actions do not give justice to their promise for austerity measures
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf made several promises about austerity when it was in the opposition. But now that its leader Imran Khan has become prime minister, the reality is increasingly different. The first controversy broke out a few days ago about the PM’s use of an official chopper from his residence Bani Gala on the outskirts of Islamabad to the prime minister office, 15 km away. The PTI justified the use of helicopters by Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Now, Dawn is reporting that Punjab chief minister Usman Buzdar travelled in a private plane with his family on board.
In his first address to the country through a video broadcast on 19 August, Imran Khan initiated an austerity drive that he would implement subsequently apart from a host of other reforms. In a bid to take charge of the country’s economic problems, he also urged his supporters to undertake austerity measures, Dawn earlier reported.
Tuesday’s wasn’t the only instance of Punjab CM Buzdar using a helicopter. On Monday too he used one for his personal tour to Mian Channu in Khanewal district to offer condolences to a friend after his father’s demise. Additionally, he also travelled by a helicopter from Lahore to Islamabad.
Stand-up comedian forced to leave social media after viral video poking fun at Sindhis
Natasha Gul Jilani, a professional dentist who also performs stand-up comedy, had to deactivate her Facebook account and make her Instagram account private after the video of her stand-up, titled ‘Sindhi Encyclopedia’ and poking fun at Sindhis, went viral and received strong backlash.
The outrage over the video went to the extent that people even issued death threats and hate speech against her, reported Dawn.
Jilani said she never received this sort of a violent reaction against her content in the past two years.
The video was posted from the page of The Circus, an online entertainment channel.
Jilani was quoted as saying, “Someone had downloaded the video and posted it on some random page with a very crass caption. I think it actually said ‘Sunny Leone type’ and that kind of incited a whole bandwagon of negative people.”
She put up an apology for the unintentional uproar caused due to the video:
Unconditional apologies for my recent standup bit, didn't mean to hurt my Sindhi Nation's sentiments. #ProudSindhi #JeaySindh
— Natalia Gul Jilani B (@NataliaBaghdadi) August 20, 2018
The Circus too issued an official apology:
Many Sindhis disapproved of the video’s content and accused Jilani of ‘discrimination’ and ‘typecasting’ the community.
Some people, however, came out in her support on social media platforms.
We are with you @NataliaBaghdadi all power to you girl. Only narrow minded bigots will try to malign good humor. Keep it up, no need to apologize to anyone.
— چاچا الیکٹرک (@ChayElectric) August 25, 2018
No need to apologize. She is a Sindhi comedian trying to make some jokes about herself. Don't like the jokes then don't watch it #RightToJokeAboutSelf https://t.co/pvYoiN9nJj
— Ali Gul Pir (@Aligulpir) August 21, 2018
Nothing even remotely objectionable about your stand up on Sindhis. As a Sindhi I found it totally in good humour and just affectionate ribbing. The nation that can't laugh at itself needs to learn how. Don't indulge them/us by apologizing. https://t.co/6aw1aEOnyD
— Fifi Haroon (@fifiharoon) August 21, 2018
The most interesting tweets of the day
Sania Ashiq, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)’s leader from Punjab, tweets the top ten controversies of first ten days of the Imran Khan government.
Naya Pakistan: 10 days, 10 Controversies.
Your so called ‘Tabdeeli’ has started to haunt you. https://t.co/1BmD6g84Fo
— Sania Ashiq (@SaniaaAshiq) August 28, 2018
Former minister for interior and planning Ahsan Iqbal criticises the prime minister for asking recommendations from the public to recover the money stashed outside Pakistan.
Where is your home work Naya Pakistan? For years you have been fooling people by promising that within 90 days you will bring a miracle and now inviting suggestions from public. https://t.co/AbtiH2SrzS
— Ahsan Iqbal (@betterpakistan) August 28, 2018
Pakistan and Turkey have agreed to raise the issue of blasphemous content with the Netherlands government, says Radio Pakistan. Both the countries will air their grievances under the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) banner.
#Pakistan, #Turkey agreed to raise issue of blasphemy with Dutch govt with one voice under OIC's bannerhttps://t.co/dMuvBHyAEz pic.twitter.com/8z9pFyYLq9
— Radio Pakistan (@RadioPakistan) August 28, 2018
The Times of Islamabad tweets that the cabinet division has asked all the ministers and official departments to use Imran Khan’s short name, and not his complete name — Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi.
What is the official name of the Prime Minister of Pakistan? Cabinet division notifies https://t.co/hHSVRnMuKZ
— Times of lsIamabad (@TimesofIslambad) August 28, 2018
Omar R. Quraishi, media consultant to Pakistan Peoples Party’s chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, tweets a clip from Samaa TV‘s debate where information minister Fawad Chaudhry tried to clarify the expenditure on Khan’s helicopter rides.
Evidently, the information minister uses a calculator manufactured by the Farrukh Saleem School of Mathematics and Statistics
Listen to his answer to a question by a news presenter about the cost of the helicopter ride that the PM takes twice a day pic.twitter.com/htkWVx28cP
— omar r quraishi (@omar_quraishi) August 28, 2018
In another tweet, Quraishi shares a clip showing Punjab’s Pakpattan police forcing people to close their shops along the province chief minister’s route.
Police in Pakpattan force shops to close along Punjab CM's route — devotees ejected from Baba Farid's shrine by CM's security and protocol officials pic.twitter.com/aOn0MIo8A4
— omar r quraishi (@omar_quraishi) August 28, 2018
Imran Khan govt taking steps to combat economic challenges facing Pakistan
To deal with Pakistan’ economic woes including debt and scams, the Imran Khan government has begun to take a few steps.
In this direction, Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has suggested the Supreme Court of the country to form a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to probe the $7 million money laundering scam that has seen the possible involvement of some high-profile personalities, The News reported. The probe will now be extended to 400 people for their alleged involvement in the scandal as opposed to the current investigation of 32 people.
Coupled with other set of proposals to raise money as part of the austerity drive, the Imran Khan government is also contemplating privatising official properties, The Express Tribune reported. The government said taxpayers’ money spent on such properties can be better utilised on other much-needed projects. These assets also have the potential to raise considerable amount of money for the national exchequer, said the government.
Pakistan war veteran, who was jailed for 40 years in Indian jail, dies
Several newspapers have stories on the passing away of Sepoy Maqbool Hussain at the Military Hospital in Attock Tuesday. He will be buried with full military honours. Pakistan army chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa sent a message of condolence. In his lifetime, Sepoy Hussain was awarded the Pakistani honour, the Sitara-i-Jurrat.
Why is the Pakistani media taking such notice of a sepoy? Because he was captured after the 1965 war and remained a prisoner of war in an Indian jail for 40 long years before he was released in 2005.
He was captured by Indian army in 1965 war. Indians never informed Pakistan and was presumed killed in action. After 40 years of torture & cutting off his tongue & making him mentally retarded, he was sent back in 2005. He only remembered his army number & reported to his unit… pic.twitter.com/iqmIyfYXeb
— Zaid Hamid (@ZaidZamanHamid) August 28, 2018
That long incarceration in itself violates all kinds of international conventions, especially the ones about basic decency and humanity. No country should treat its prisoners with such shocking apathy. India and Pakistan, especially, must learn this basic lesson.
Imran Khan’s helicopter trips cost far more than what his party claims
The cost of helicopter trips to and from Bani Gala, in Islamabad, by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is far more than what his party claimed, reported The Express Tribune.
Defending the use of helicopters, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said the average per km cost of flying in a helicopter came to around Rs 50-55. However, the actual per nautical cost in a helicopter is approximately Rs 16,000, said the report.
Chaudhry Tuesday clarified that he ‘used Google to calculate’ the per km cost of Khan’s helicopter trip from his official accommodation to his private Bani Gala residence, Geo TV reported.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to be the focal point for Imran Khan’s vision of making Pakistan a hub of tourism
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) is set to play the lead role in fulfilling Imran Khan’s vision to make the country a hub of tourism. The last PTI-led government in KP implemented and completed a record number of tourism projects and schemes in the region, The Nation reported.
Sajjad Hameed, general manager, Tourism Corporation KP (TCKP), said, “Before PTI government in KP, tourism was kept on 30th position in priority list in public sectors departments and corporations in term of funding and now it has attained 8th position, thus showing PTI’s priority for this key sector.”
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa received tremendous financial boost in 2017-2018 after the Annual Development Programme for tourism received Rs 811.7 million, compared to Rs 311.2 million in 2013-14.
Before being elected, Khan claimed that PTI was the only government that had delivered promises in the KP region, The News had reported.
(With inputs from Alind Chauhan, Manisha Mondal and Jyoti Malhotra)