ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s main opposition parties will launch anti-government protests today, Friday, aimed to build pressure on the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan to call early general elections.
Opposition parties recently formed an alliance — the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) — which will address public gatherings across the country in the next several weeks. The first rally will be held in the city of Gujranwala today, followed by rallied in Karachi on October 18 and Quetta on October 25.
The government has formally announced that the opposition alliance can hold its gatherings at specufically designated spots. Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz said the government had allowed the rallies as “protest is the right of every political party.”
In a huddle at the residence of PDM chairman Maulana Fazlur Rehman in Islamabad on Thursday, the opposition pledged to go ahead with its planned rallies.
“This government is the product of election rigging, and it has badly failed to deliver,” Mian Iftikhar Hussain, PDM information-secretary, told the media after the meeting.
PM Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf ruling party came to power in August 2018 after defeating all major opposition parties. The opposition alliance has, however, said the party won a rigged election, which the government denies.
“We are out on the streets for transparent elections, and our program is completely peaceful,” Hussain said, adding that all segments of society, including health workers, teachers and even government employees, were protesting against the government’s policies.
“Who voted for you [PTI government] when people from all walks of life are protesting against you?” Hussain said.
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, ex-premier and senior leader of the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party, said former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who heads the PMLN, would also address the gathering through a video link.
Convicted in 2018 in corruption cases, Sharif is currently in London on medical bail, though local courts have issued his arrest warrants and directed the government to bring him back to face corruption cases.
Pakistani opposition to launch anti-government protests today
https://arab.news/6vyy4
Pakistani opposition to launch anti-government protests today
- Opposition parties recently formed the Pakistan Democratic Movement to build pressure on the government to call early elections
- First public rally in Gujranwala today, followed by gatherings later this month in Karachi and Quetta
Two Pakistani men indicted in $10 million Medicare fraud scheme in Chicago
- Prosecutors say defendants billed Medicare and private insurers for nonexistent services
- Authorities say millions of dollars in proceeds were laundered and transferred to Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Two Pakistani nationals have been indicted in Chicago for allegedly participating in a $10 million health care fraud scheme that targeted Medicare and private insurers, the US Justice Department said on Thursday.
A federal grand jury charged Burhan Mirza, 31, who resided in Pakistan, and Kashif Iqbal, 48, who lived in Texas, with submitting fraudulent claims for medical services and equipment that were never provided, according to an indictment filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
Medicare is the US federal health insurance program primarily serving Americans aged 65 and older, as well as certain younger people with disabilities.
“Rooting out fraud is a priority for this Justice Department, and these defendants allegedly billed millions of dollars from Medicare and laundered the proceeds to Pakistan,” Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement.
“These alleged criminals stole from a program designed to provide health care benefits to American seniors and the disabled, not line the pockets of foreign fraudsters,” he added. “We will not tolerate these schemes that divert taxpayer dollars to criminals.”
Prosecutors said that in 2023 and 2024, the defendants and their alleged co-conspirators used nominee-owned laboratories and durable medical equipment providers to bill Medicare and private health benefit programs for nonexistent services.
According to the indictment, Mirza obtained identifying information of individuals, providers and insurers without their knowledge and used it to support fraudulent claims submitted on behalf of shell companies. Iqbal was allegedly linked to several durable medical equipment providers that filed false claims and is accused of laundering proceeds and coordinating transfers of funds to Pakistan.
Mirza faces 12 counts of health care fraud and five counts of money laundering. Iqbal is charged with 12 counts of health care fraud, six counts of money laundering and one count of making a false statement to US law enforcement. Arraignments have not yet been scheduled.
Three additional defendants, including an Indian, previously charged in the investigation, have pleaded guilty to federal health care fraud charges and are awaiting sentencing.
An indictment contains allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
