Page 13 - Pakistan Link - June 25, 2021

PAKISTAN JUNE 25, 2021 – PAKISTAN LINK – P13
Pakistan Asks HBO Axios as to Why PM India out to Harm Pakistan

Imran Khan’s Interview Was Censored at FATF Meeting: Qureshi

Islamabad: Pakistan has
asked American TV chan-
nel HBO Axios to explain
why it censored Prime
Minister Imran Khan’s
interview, The News re-

ported Wednesday, citing
a private news channel.
In the interview, the
prime minister expressed
his views on India’s Hin-
dutva ideology. However,
the comments were not
aired.
Following the epi-
sode of censorship, the
Government of Pakistan
has sought an explana-
tion from the American
TV channel regarding the
matter. Sources further said that HBO Axois’ decision to censor the premier’s comments qualify as The ministry said that Pakistan had assured the FATF at the highest level of imple-
Sources further said restricted freedom of expression. The Information Ministry has been instructed to take up the menting the Action Plan. It added that France was Pakistan’s active partner in
that HBO Axois’ deci- matter with the American TV channel implementing the plan by providing guidance and technicl assistance
sion to censor the pre-
mier’s comments qualify fices more than anybody The prime minister Islamabad: Foreign Minister Shah ernment. “However, the govern-

as restricted freedom of else in this war.” He noted Islamophobia in Eu- lavished praise on China, Mahmood Qureshi said on Wednes- ment of Prime Minister Imran Khan

expression. The Informa- that his country is cur- rope saying the country has day India was making attempts to has done its best to get Pakistan out
tion Ministry has been rently hosting three mil- PM Imran Khan supported Pakistan when- misuse the forum of the Financial of the grey list,” he added.
instructed to take up the lion Afghan refugees. highlighted that Islamo- ever needed. Action Task Force (FATF) for politi- In a separate statement on
matter with the American PM Imran Khan said: phobia has increased in When asked to com- cal purposes and doing continuous Wednesday, the Finance Ministry
TV channel. “We only want peace and Europe after 9/11 and ment on the Uighur issue, propaganda against Pakistan. warned against speculation regard-

The interview was don’t want to be part of urged international efforts he said Pakistan and Chi- In a statement, Qureshi said ing the FATF Action Plan, saying

aired on Monday, June 21 any confrontation.” to counter this dangerous na discuss issues behind Pakistan had fulfilled 26 out of 27 that any such attempts could harm
at 3:00 am PST and was “Before leaving Af- trend. closed doors. recommendations of the FATF Ac- global cooperation.

conducted by Jonathan ghanistan, the US must He said that in a tion Plan, therefore, there was no The ministry said that Pakistan

Swan of HBO Axios. find a political solution.” Muslim society, the con- Tackling COVID-19 justification for the country to re- had assured the FATF at the high-

During the interview, The comments from cept of Hijab for women is The premier also main in the grey list. “Pakistan has est level of implementing the Action

the premier also shed light the Pakistani premier to prevent “evil”. shared how a partial lock- fulfilled maximum technical re- Plan. It added that France was Paki-

on the issue of giving Pak- came amid the com- “There is a big differ- down coupled with com- quirements of FATF,” he said. stan’s active partner in implement-

istani military bases to the mencement of the with- ence between our culture prehensive data analysis The statement comes as the ing the plan by providing guidance

US Central Intelligence drawal of foreign troops, and that of the West.” helped Pakistan keep the five-day virtual meeting of the and technical assistance to the

Agency (CIA) and said which will be completed COVID-19 pandemic un- FATF began on June 21 in Paris. country.

that it will “absolutely not” by September, while the Kashmir issue der control. The global financial watchdog will The statement said that Paki-

allow this to happen. peace process is facing Lashing out at the He said there were make public its findings on June stan had implemented the FATF

“There’s no way we’re hurdles due to disputes West’s indifference to- more than 70% informal 25. Qureshi said that Pakistan took Action Plan “effectively and expedi-

going to allow any bases among the Afghan lead- wards the plight of the economy workers and concrete steps to curb money-laun- tiously” in the last two years, add-

or any sort of action from ers. Kashmiris, the premier daily-wage earners and dering and terrorist financing in the ing that Pakistan’s performance had
Pakistani territory into said India has turned the government could not national interest. been praised by the international
Afghanistan. Absolutely Nuclear program Kashmir into an open make a decision to force a He pointed out that Pakistan community. It added that the FATF
not,” the premier had said. Responding to a prison by deploying hun- complete clampdown in “inherited” the problem of FATF decision about Pakistan would be
He said that Pakistan question, the prime min- dreds of troops there. the country. grey-listing from the previous gov- announced on June 25.

has suffered the most due ister stated that the coun- “The Kashmiris are He said the Nation-
to the war against terror- try’s nuclear program is ignored in the West. Why al Command and Op- MQM-P Rejects Provincial
ism. only for self-defence. is this issue not taken up eration Centre (NCOC)
“Over 70,000 Paki- “I am against nuclear there? I think this is hy- performed actively and Budget amid Protest
stanis embraced martyr- weapons, but our nuclear pocrisy,” he said. coordinated with all in-
dom due to US-Afghan arsenal is for defence pur- stitutions to implement

war. We have given sacri- poses,” he said. ‘China is a friend’ SOPs. – The News Karachi: The debate on the Rs1.47- than the whole of Lahore, but not

PML-Q Content with PTI Despite ‘Un-kept Promises’ trillion provincial budget for fiscal even a “single rupee scheme” was al-

located for the locality in the budget.

year 2021-22 that entered its fifth

day on Wednesday was extended for “The then health minster be-
Lahore: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government another day with the consent of trea- longing to MQM had approved

does not seem to annoy its important ally, the Pakistan sury and opposition parties to facili- schemes for establishment of medi-
Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), and has addressed its tate the participation of a maximum cal colleges in Korangi, Hyderabad
reservations regarding provision of development funds number of lawmakers so that they and Mirpurkhas but the same could
for the constituencies of its MNAs. could furnish their suggestions for not be built even after 10 years,” he

“Federal Minister of Planning, Development & development work in their respec- lamented.
Special Initiatives Asad Umar has held a meeting with tive constituencies. He said: “At least 40 per cent of
the PML-Q leadership recently and assured them of pro- The Muttahida Qaumi Move- the amount collected from Karachi

viding development funds for the constituencies of their ment-Pakistan, which had not at- should be spent for the betterment

five MNAs,” a party source told Dawn on Wednesday. tended the debate in the last four of its citizens while the remaining
“Currently we don’t have any more issues with the sittings, staged a strong protest af- 60pc should be given to interior
PTI and we will go along with it,” he said and added al- ter the party’s parliamentary leader parts of Sindh for development.”
though the PTI did not honor all commitments it made Kanwar Naveed Jameel rejected the He said that the provincial gov-
with it (PML-Q) while inking an agreement in 2018, yet proved but not to the point that both parties could join budget saying there was nothing in ernment had decided not to provide
it would remain its ally till 2023 and beyond. hands during the PTI government’s rule. it for the urban regions of the prov- education and other facilities to the
Under the agreement with the PTI, the PML-Q “Hamza, opposition leader in the Punjab Assembly, ince. people of urban areas no matter how
was to be given two ministries each in the Center and met PA Speaker Chaudhry Parvez Elahi for the first time He registered his protest against much tax they pay.

Punjab. The PTI has yet to implement this agreement. in three years on the approval of the elder Sharifs and the provincial government for While rejecting the budget, the

But PML-Q says it has stopped pressing the PTI for the praised his efforts in the construction of new PA build- “ruthlessly ignoring” Karachi, Hy- MQM-P leader said: “This is not

ministries. ing and smooth functioning of the House,” a PML-N derabad, Sukkur, Mirpurkhas and our budget and we request Chief
PML-Q senior leader and Punjab Assembly Speak- leader told Dawn. Nawabshah in the provincial budget. Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah not
er Parvez Elahi’s recent meetings with PPP co-chairman He said animosity between the Sharifs and Ending his party’s four-day to trouble the people of Karachi

Asif Ali Zardari and PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif’s Chaudhrys has lessened after the latter spoke in favor boycott of the budget discus- and Hyderabad or else we would be
son Hamza Shehbaz have sparked speculations that the of allowing former premier Nawaz Sharif to go abroad sion, Kanwar Naveed delivered his compelled to say this assembly is not
party of Chaudhrys of Gujrat is exploring future [alli- for his medical treatment and attending the funeral of speech, emerging as the only law- ours too.”

ance] partners in the backdrop of its (PML-Q) ‘uneasy’ Begum Kulsoom Nawaz. maker restricting himself to the After his speech, the MQM-P
relations with the PTI. “Since the PML-N leadership has decided not to budget among the 77 lawmakers lawmakers started protesting and
“Primarily Mr Elahi’s meetings with Mr Zardari bring a no-confidence motion against Chief Minister who spoke on the budget. gathered in front of the rostrum of

and Hamza were part of a goodwill gesture,” he said and Usman Buzdar, it does not need PML-Q at this moment He said that just one area of the speaker who had to adjourn the
added the PML-Q’s relations with the PML-N had im- PML-Q, P28 Karachi, Liaquatabad, paid more tax house for 10 minutes.
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