Latest news with #Qaiser
Express Tribune
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
PTI's Qaiser acquitted in Azadi March case
A lower court in Islamabad on Thursday acquitted former National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser in a case linked to the 2022 Azadi March. Judicial Magistrate Abbas Shah announced the reserved verdict, approving the acquittal request submitted by Asad Qaiser in the Azadi March case. The case was registered at Kohsar Police Station during the political protests led by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf. Qaiser was among several party leaders accused of violating public order during the march. During the hearing, Qaiser's legal team argued that the charges were politically motivated and lacked sufficient evidence.
Express Tribune
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
'PTI to move reference against four MNAs'
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has decided to file a reference against four National Assembly members (MNAs) who defected to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) after being elected with PTI's support. According to PTI leader Asad Qaiser, the party has finalised its plan to take action against these lawmakers for deviating from the party policy during the voting on the 26th Constitutional Amendment. The reference will be sent to the National Assembly speaker and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). Last year, the four PTI-backed independent members, including Usman Ali, Aurangzeb Khichi, Mubarak Zeb and Zahoor Qureshi voted in favour of the 26th Constitutional Amendment Bill in the National Assembly. The move helped the government clinch 225 votes, surpassing the required 224. The 26th Amendment significantly altered the country's judicial system, including provisions for judicial appointments, the chief justice's tenure and the composition of the judicial commission. "These members won their seats on PTI tickets and have now joined the PML-N. We have asked the party to send a disqualification reference to the Speaker and the ECP. Let's see what action they take," Qaiser said. Earlier, Qaiser had said the PTI-backed independent candidates, who supported the contentious constitutional amendment, betrayed the party and its founder, Imran Khan. "Those who voted [in favour of the bill] have committed treachery against the party and its founder," Qaiser said.
Express Tribune
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
PTI fumes over 'unjust' taxes on ex-FATA
The PTI on Thursday denounced what it called an "unjust" taxation system imposed on the long-neglected former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) without fulfilling the promises of peace, development and complete integration. In a news conference at the Parliament House, PTI leaders warned that the region could not be treated as a revenue source while its people were denied basic services, security and constitutional rights. The senior PTI figures also demanded an immediate release of party founder Imran Khan, linking the alleged suppression of judicial independence to his continued detention. They urged the judiciary to assert its autonomy and called for an end to political victimization. During the news conference, former speaker of the National Assembly and senior PTI leader Asad Qaiser raised critical concerns regarding judicial independence and the "unjust taxation imposed" on FATA. Expressing deep concern over the state of the judiciary, a party statement said, the former NA speaker stated that the judiciary was under undue influence, "demanding the immediate release of judges and their freedom to perform their duties without interference." Qaiser claimed that Imran Khan was being "unlawfully detained" and called for his legal rights to be upheld. "The judiciary must stand firm for its own authority," he said while strongly condemning any alleged interference in judicial matters. Turning to taxation in FATA issue, Qaiser criticized the government for imposing taxes without justification. "Until peace is restored and a level-playing field is established, no taxes should be imposed," he asserted, adding that the people of FATA would willingly pay taxes if the government ensured stability. He also highlighted "the unfulfilled promise of Rs1,000 billion for FATA's development," vowing that PTI would continue to resist this injustice alongside the people of the region. Junaid Akbar, chairman of the Public Accounts Committee and PTI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa President, also condemned the government's neglect of FATA, recalling that Rs100 billion was supposed to be allocated annually for development after the merger. "Instead, the people face extortion and unjust taxes while the wealthy have left the region," he said, calling the taxation policy cruel and unacceptable. PTI leader Atif Khan pointed out the direct impact of FATA's instability on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, arguing that the government was unfairly targeting FATA for revenue collection while failing to curb smuggling. He also criticized the exorbitant electricity bills and the new taxes on solar energy, saying the government had completely mismanaged the energy crisis. MNA Iqbal Khan Afridi highlighted the severe economic struggles of FATA's residents, claiming that petrol was being sold at Rs350 per liter while people struggle to afford basic necessities. He urged the government to engage in dialogue and consider a referendum to address the region's grievances, proposing fair revenue mechanisms instead of blanket taxation on the impoverished population. The PTI leaders reaffirmed their commitment to justice, judicial independence and the rights of FATA's people, demanding Khan's release, the suspension of unjust taxes, fulfillment of development promises and relief for citizens burdened by rising costs.
Business Recorder
24-06-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
PD blocks Rs4.69/unit FCA relief
ISLAMABAD: In a surprise move, the Power Division on Monday blocked a proposed Rs 4.69 per unit relief in Fuel Charges Adjustment (FCA) for K-Electric (KE) consumers for April 2025, citing a new government policy aimed at uniform FCA application across all electricity consumers nationwide. The development came during a public hearing held by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA), chaired by its Chairman Waseem Mukhtar. The hearing was convened to consider KE's request for provisional FCA relief for April 2025. During the proceedings, Additional Secretary (Power Finance) Mehfooz Bhatti—accompanied by CPPA-G representative Naveed Qaiser—requested NEPRA to defer the FCA determination until the federal government's review motion on KE's Multi-Year Tariff (MYT) determination is decided. However, Bhatti did not provide any supporting financial or technical data to justify the request. March FCA: KE seeks Rs5.02 interim negative adjustment The Power Division formally submitted a letter dated June 23, 2025 to NEPRA seeking the deferment, but the letter was not made public. 'We are under an IMF program, and consumers are being burdened,' Bhatti stated. A NEPRA official rebutted the claim, clarifying that FCA is a pass-through item, which does not impose a direct fiscal burden on the government—unlike the Quarterly Tariff Adjustment (QTA). Chairman NEPRA Waseem Mukhtar expressed strong reservations over the Power Division's approach, stating that such a move compromises regulatory transparency and public trust. He questioned whether the request came directly from the federal government or the Power Division. Bhatti clarified that it was the Power Division's initiative, and that formal cabinet approval was still pending. NEPRA Member Legal, Amina Ahmed, further challenged the justification of the deferment and inquired whether CPPA-G would continue subsidizing KE. Qaiser responded that an agreement exists between CPPA-G and KE for the subsidy. To this, Member Ahmed sarcastically noted, 'You also have agreements with others,' hinting at broader inconsistencies in policy enforcement. Chairman Mukhtar underscored that as a public hearing, the process must be transparent and not conducted 'in the dark.' He raised concerns about the long delay associated with the federal review motion, questioning if the FCA for KE would remain unresolved for as long as six months, and how such a substantial negative adjustment would be managed in the interim. Qaiser initially suggested that since a positive FCA of paisa 10 per unit was being charged to DISCO consumers for April, the same adjustment could be applied to KE customers. However, he immediately retracted the suggestion when the Chairman pointed out the contradiction in passing on positive adjustments while withholding negative ones. Qaiser also claimed that a new FCA mechanism summary had been sent by the Power Division to NEPRA. This was contradicted by NEPRA's Mubashar Bhatti, who clarified that NEPRA had only commented on an earlier summary, and no new document had been received. KE CEO Syed Moonis Abdullah Alvi said KE would comply with NEPRA's decision but voiced concern over the abrupt policy shift. 'In the past, KE consumers paid higher FCAs compared to the rest of the country. No one advocated uniformity then,' Alvi said. 'Now that FCA is lower for Karachi, withholding the relief is not only unfair but also undermines confidence in regulatory fairness,' he added. He emphasized that industries and consumers in Karachi were expecting the relief and deserved equal treatment. Following internal deliberations, Chairman Mukhtar announced that NEPRA would reschedule the hearing for next week to allow further examination of the issues raised. In its written communication, the Power Division referred to NEPRA's June 18, 2025 public notice announcing the June 23, 2025 hearing on KE's request for a provisional FCA for April 2025. KE had sought a negative FCA of Rs 4.69/kWh, amounting to Rs 7.173 billion in consumer relief. By contrast, consumers of state-run DISCOs were charged a positive FCA of Rs 0.9306/kWh for the same month, as per NEPRA's June 5, 2025 determination, notified via SRO 1046(I)/2025. The Power Division argued that this significant discrepancy stems from KE's higher reference fuel cost of Rs 15.9947/kWh—provisionally allowed under NEPRA's May 27, 2025 MYT determination covering FY 2023-24 to FY 2029-30. It pointed out that the reference was originally established during the January–March 2023 quarter of the previous MYT and has continued to be used despite the passage of two years. Highlighting the potential implications of this outdated reference, the Power Division stated that both it and CPPA-G have filed review motions to seek a re-determination of the FCA references under the applicable regulatory framework. Proceeding with the FCA decision based on these disputed provisional values, the Division warned, could lead to regulatory inconsistencies, retrospective adjustments, and unequal consumer treatment. 'This could contravene the principles of fairness, transparency, and due process laid out in the Regulation of Generation, Transmission and Distribution of Electric Power Act, 1997 and the NEPRA Tariff (Standards and Procedure) Rules, 1998,' the letter added. The Power Division urged NEPRA to defer KE's FCA decision for April 2025 until the motions are decided and new FCA reference values are formally adopted. The Division said the request was being made in the interest of regulatory consistency, consumer equity, and to prevent premature or potentially unjustified adjustments. NEPRA is now expected to revisit the matter in its next scheduled hearing. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Asad Qaiser acquitted in PTI's ‘Azadi March' case
ISLAMABAD: A local court on Tuesday acquitted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader and former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser from a case registered against him in connection with the party's Azadi March. Judicial Magistrate Azhar Nadeem, while announcing his reserved judgment, acquitted Qaiser from a case registered at the Industrial Area Police Station. Qaiser's counsel, Aysha Khalid, appeared before the court. During the previous hearing, the defence counsel, while arguing before the court, said that Qaiser has no prior criminal record, was not present at the protest site, and no incriminating material was recovered from him. The lawyer further contended that the cases are politically motivated. He requested the court to acquit his client in both cases. The court adjourned hearing of a case registered at Margalla police station and acquitted the PTI leader from a case registered at Industrial Area police station. Meanwhile, an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) issued arrest warrants for PTI workers who failed to appear before in cases registered against them in connection with the PTI November 26 protest. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
