Sharing
According to Daily Express (15 January 2018), the PPP’s Qamar Zaman Kaira stated that the PPP would participate fully in the upcoming dharna protest against the government, and that Asif Ali Zardari and Imran Khan will be on the same container.
Deadly dairy
The Punjab Food Authority, according to Daily Jang (15 January 2018) had recently seized 40,000 litres of milk unfit for consumption in various districts across the province. The milk had been mixed with various toxic chemicals which act as thickeners.
Contention
Daily Express (16 January 2018) reported that a woman from Lahore had asked the district and sessions court to arrange for the release of her husband from his parents’ home, where she claimed he was being held against his will. The husband, meanwhile, had taken the position in court that he was at his parents’ house by his own choice, and that his wife wanted to make him live with his in-laws (ghar damaad banana chahti hai).
Apprehensions
Daily Jang (17 January 2018) informed its readers that PTI leaders were concerned that party chief Imran Khan’s participation in the dharna protest alongside Tahir-ul-Qadri and Asif Ali Zardari could jeopardise the party’s vote-bank in Punjab.
War of words
Two leaders of the PML-N, former ministers Pervaiz Rashid and Chaudhry Nisar had an exchange of barbs. According to Daily Jang (17 January 2018), the former accused the latter of hypocrisy and the latter. Nisar shot back, accusing Rashid of lying and of using flattery in the party.
Ayesha Gulalai versus everyone?
Ayesha Gulalai, according to Daily Dunya (18 January 2018), expressed her view that Asif Ali Zardari was the daku (bandit) of Sindh and Imran Khan of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. She accused them along with Tahir-ul-Qadri of being responsible for destruction in the country, and went on to suggest that they were no different from the Taliban.
Maulana’s warning
Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri of the JUI-F, Deputy Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan, was quoted by Daily Dunya (20 January 2018) as saying that conspiracies to make the country la-deen (religion-less) were at their height but that the people and his party would face them determinedly.
Resignation postponed
Daily Dunya (20 January 2018) reported that Sheikh Rasheed had promised to resign from the National Assembly but two days later set off for Dubai – as did Imran Khan. When asked about his assurance, Sheikh Rasheed stated that he was ill from pneumonia and that he would see to his own resignation and that of Imran Khan after returning.
Curses from Dubai
Daily Dunya (21 January 2018) reported that Sheikh Rasheed, in Dubai, had expressed his view that he would curse (laanat) the National Assembly – not just once but millions of times. He promised to return to his constituency and resign with the proper fanfare (shan-o-shaukat).
Safdar takes on TuQ
Captain (R.) Safdar, according to Daily Dunya (21 January 2018), took the view that Tahir-ul-Qadri repeatedly showed up to get in the view of Pakistan’s progress (taraqi). He further stated that the people of Lahore had rejected the ‘imported maulvi’ and his negative politics.
Beyond ‘laanat’
Daily Dunya (21 January 2018) quoted Imran Khan as saying that the people in the National Assembly were providing protection to thieves, and that he used a soft word like ‘laanat’ (curse) for them. He added that he had stronger words but that he deliberately chose not to use them.