In a breakthrough that could end the political uncertainty in Pakistan, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and the Pakistan Peoples Party have agreed on a power-sharing deal to form a new coalition government after intense negotiations following a fractured poll verdict.
"The proof of the pudding is in the eating," Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on Sunday, emphasizing that he would love to see what Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will do to improve ties with India.
Officially confirming Sharif's deportation hours after he landed in Islamabad from London after a seven-year exile, Interior Minister Aftab Khan Sherpao said "It is in the supreme interest of the country".
Shahbaz was allegedly involved in the corruption of Rs14 billion Ashiana Housing project and Rs 4 billion Punjab Saaf Pani Company scams.
Gen Sharif had earlier promised to bow out at the end of his term in November this year.
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today said that the nation wants good relations with all countries, particularly its neighbours, a day after a military court's order to execute Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav spiked Indo-Pak tensions.
Pakistan's main opposition leader Nawaz Sharif along with his brother Shahbaz was placed under house arrest on the eve of a major anti-government sit-in outside Parliament on Monday in Islamabad, plunging the country into a deeper political turmoil.
The former Prime Minister, who is the chief of main opposition PML-N party, is currently on a three-day visit to southern Sindh province where he made the remarks during an interaction with the media in Karachi on Monday.
Shahbaz, the president of PML-N party, dashed to Islamabad on Saturday for a day-long visit, during which he held separate meetings with Brigadier (retired) Niaz Ahmad, a close aide of Musharraf, Saudi Ambassador Ali Awadhi Al Asseri and Wajahat Latif, former chief of the Federal Investigation Agency.
Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has said that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had been asked by an 'eminent personality' to honour his commitment of not returning to the country before the end of his ten-year exile.
The two political rivals set aside their differences to hold marathon talks in Islamabad on Monday night on the issue of participating in the polls, which both said would not be free and fair under the prevailing circumstances.
Pakistan's main opposition leader Nawaz Sharif on Saturday said that the government should hold talks with the Taliban as part of its efforts to tackle the menace of terrorism. "If Washington says it is prepared to talk to the Taliban who are willing to listen, then a similar initiative should also come from Islamabad. We should not only see what decision they (the Western countries) will make about our fate. We should decide our own fate," said Sharif.
The result is a big blow to the military establishment, revealing the limits of 'political engineering'. It reflected the anger of the electorate, especially its younger voters, who have spoken decisively against the persistent harassment and victimisation of Imran Khan's political party, asserts Rana Banerji, who headed the Pakistan desk at RA&W.
While Sharif and his daughter, Maryam, have been sent to jail on corruption charges, a designated terrorist, Saeed, is not only free but actively seeks votes for the elections while targeting India and the United States.
India should share any concrete evidence of Pakistani links to the Mumbai terror attacks so that the two countries can resolve the issue with seriousness, opposition Pakistan Muslim League-N chief Nawaz Sharif said on Tuesday.India has not blamed Pakistan government for the attacks in Mumbai, Sharif told reporters after a meeting in Islamabad with Indian High Commissioner Satyabrata Pal.
'Outrage will take place sooner than later, because it's not only that their mandate has been stolen, but the most important issue right now is the sinking economy in Pakistan.' 'Inflation is 26%-27%. It is backbreaking inflation.' 'Food, energy, education, health, which are the primary things that every family requires, is going beyond the reach of the masses.'
Former Pakistani premier Nawaz Sharif on Saturday said President Pervez Musharraf must be held accountable for all his actions as thousands of protestors gathered near Parliament in Islamabad to demand the restoration of judges sacked by the embattled ex-military ruler.
Among the political parties, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) emerged as the largest party, winning 227 seats, followed by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) with 160 seats.
Khan said the events of May 9, 2023, in which military installations were targeted, were in fact a part of the "London Plan"- the sole purpose of which was to "eliminate Pakistan's largest political force, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf".
Pakistan Muslim League-N chief Nawaz Sharif has asked Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to take the issue of India's alleged involvement in fanning insurgency in Balochistan to the United Nations."We were told in the meeting that it was confirmed that India was involved in the Balochistan unrest. It is unfortunate that India is interfering in fomenting unrest in Pakistan," Sharif said.
Saeed accused Rajnath Singh of being "responsible for the killings of innocent Kashmiris".
At the conference, they were seated across the horse-shoe-shaped table.
According to jail officials, Nawaz, Maryam and Safdar will be released on Wednesday if the order is received prior to the expiration of lock-up time.
Bhutto had earlier said that her party would contest the polls 'under protest', while Sharif has backed the All Parties Democratic Movement's decision to boycott the polls.
In a U-turn, former Premier Nawaz Sharif, who last week indicated that the lone captured Mumbai attacker Ajmal Amir Iman was a Pakistani, has said India should provide evidence for Islamabad to take action or else it should avoid creating tensions through 'fake allegations'.
"Because of the political stature of Syed Ali Geelani, Prime Minister Sharif invited him to visit Pakistan and exchange views on the current situation in Kashmir," Foreign Office spokesman Qazi Khalilullah told reporters in Islamabad.
The Pakistan Muslim League-N chief said his party will not accept any national unity government headed by Musharraf.
The Islamabad high court on Monday barred cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan's planned lockdown of the capital this week and ordered it to hold a sit-in at the designated place in the Pakistani capital instead, as authorities arrested at least 1,500 party activists in a crackdown.
sharif's deportation was one of the rare occasion when Saudi Arabia and the royal family had been openly criticised, when traditionally they have been accorded great respect, bordering sometimes on reverence.
Pakistan's apex court said it was ready to appoint a probe commission headed by a judge and armed with powers of the Supreme Court.
'Fears in Washington began to intensify when it was realised that subsequent Pakistani and Indian attacks on major military facilities -- which were significant in terms of geographic scope and intensity -- could rapidly take both sides to where neither actually wanted to go.' 'The US objective was to stop the fighting as soon as possible. Everything else was secondary.'
Imran called on Modi not to talk about stopping water and surgical strikes, saying Pakistan is united and standing behind its army against any aggression.
Sharif, who recently assumed office for a record third term with a pledge to cut unnecessary expenses, gave directions to officials to cut the staff of the Prime Minister's Office by one-third so that administrative expenses can be curtailed.
Sharif said Kashmiris were fighting for their right of self-determination and Pakistan would continue to support them.
The two were convicted on July 6 in the Avenfield properties case linked to the Sharif family's ownership of four luxury flats in London.
Pakistan PM called on the international community to ask India to provide access for treatment of victims.
Thousands of anti-government protesters led by opposition leader Imran Khan on Saturday reached Islamabad with an aim of ousting Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
The Panama verdict will decide how Pakistan handles its leadership problems.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday invited India to engage in a "comprehensive, sustained and result-oriented" dialogue with Pakistan to resolve the Kashmir issue.
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