Islamabad, Pakistan – Justice (R) Shakat Aziz Siddiqui, a former Chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), has announced his resignation from the position, citing personal reasons. In a surprise move, he tendered his resignation on November 2024, sparking widespread speculation about the reasons behind his sudden departure.
Speaking at a farewell ceremony in Islamabad, Justice Siddiqui revealed that he had been hesitant to take up the role in the first place, but had eventually accepted it due to pressure from the Minister of Law. He claimed that he had been warned that the organization was on the verge of being shut down, and that he had ultimately decided to take up the challenge to save the institution.
In a candid moment, Justice Siddiqui admitted that he had always found public speaking to be a daunting task, and that he made decisions based on his heart, not his head. He also dismissed allegations leveled against him, saying that he would leave it to God to mete out justice.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced that it will auction off number plates bearing the names of prominent politicians, including former President Asif Ali Zardari and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The move is seen as an attempt to raise funds for the party.
In a separate development, the government has announced that it will ease immigration procedures between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates, with the two countries set to sign a formal agreement soon.
The opposition alliance, the Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Azimat Pakistan, has vowed to continue its struggle for justice, saying that it will not back down from its fundamental rights. In a statement, the party’s General Secretary, Asad Qaiser, said that the government was trying to suppress the voices of the people.
In a related development, the federal minister for finance has acknowledged that the recent spate of animal killings in the Green Town area of Lahore remains a mystery. The minister expressed concern about the high cost of living and energy prices, saying that these were real issues that the government was working to address.
In a shocking incident, a lawyer was shot dead in Islamabad, with the police launching an investigation into the murder.
The Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Barrister Saad Hussain, has condemned the killing of a Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant in North Waziristan, calling the TTP a terrorist organization.
In a separate statement, the federal minister for interior, Tariq Chaudhry, called on the members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly to take action against their provincial government, rather than writing letters to the federal government.
The minister noted that the recent protests in Iran had died down, with normalcy returning to the country. However, the internet services remained suspended.
