Category: Politics

News stories of Politics, for the topics that matter the most to young professionals and college students, political news reported with a different angle.

  • ‘Yes, it’s true’: Shahbaz Gill confirms he was sexually assaulted in police custody

    ‘Yes, it’s true’: Shahbaz Gill confirms he was sexually assaulted in police custody

    Imran Khan’s chief of staff Shahbaz Gill’s room in Parliament Lodges was raided late Monday.

    The Islamabad police recovered weapons, a satellite phone and foreign currency. A pistol was recovered during the operation; however, Gill refused to take ownership of the weapon.

    “My wallet was usually carried by my driver and the room from where the pistol has been recovered was in use of my guards,” he said. 

    Replying to the questions of journalists, Gill confirmed he was sexually assaulted in police custody. 

    “Yes, it’s true”, said Gill in response to the question about Imran Khan’s statement.

    “I see some changes in my room, my passport wasn’t found at its usual place…this means that somebody came here during the time I was in custody,” he added.

    Read More: Islamabad court approves two-day physical remand of Shahbaz Gill

    Earlier on Monday, a district and sessions court in Islamabad granted a two-day physical remand of Gill after reviewing his medical report. Shahbaz Gill was taken into custody on August 9 from Bani Gala Chowk for inciting the public against state institutions.

    ‘Gill was tortured both mentally and physically, including sexual abuse’: Imran Khan

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman demanded justice for his Chief of Staff Dr Shahbaz Gill and claimed that he was sexually abused while in police custody.

    In a series of tweets Khan said, “All the pictures and videos show clearly Gill was tortured both mentally and physically, including sexual abuse — most too gruesome to relate.”

    “ICT police says it did not inflict any torture. So my question is: Who tortured Gill?” Khan asked.

    The PTI chairman added that there is a general perception in the public at large and in “our minds too as to who could have carried out the gruesome torture”.

    “Remember the public will react. We will leave no stone unturned to find out those responsible and bring them to justice,” he added.

    Rallies in solidarity with Shahbaz Gill

    In a video message, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said that nationwide rallies to show solidarity with Shahbaz Gill will be taken out tomorrow.

    Imran reaches PIMS

    Khan reached Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) to meet Gill.

    Khan barred from meeting Shahbaz

    Imran Khan announced nationwide rallies to show solidarity with Shahbaz Gill, after the former premier claimed his party leader faced “sexual abuse” in police custody.

    “I will lead a rally in Islamabad tomorrow […] and rallies will be held in all divisional headquarters across the country,” the PTI chairman told journalists.

    Khan’s brief presser came after he was barred from meeting Gill at the PIMS hospital in the federal capital.

  • Bilawal Bhutto most vocal MNA during PTI tenure: PILDAT

    Bilawal Bhutto most vocal MNA during PTI tenure: PILDAT

    As the 15th National Assembly concluded its fourth parliamentary year, the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development And Transparency (PILDAT) released analysis of its performance.

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari was the most vocal lawmaker during the fourth year of the current National Assembly before the change in government, with a talk time of one hour and 59 minutes , according to PILDAT.

    PML-N leader Shehbaz Sharif came in second and spoke for one hour and 57 minutes, followed by PML-N’s Khawaja Mohammad Asif who spoke for one hour and 27 minutes.

    During this period in the House of 342 members, 174 (50.88 per cent MNAs) did not speak for a single minute in the Assembly. Out of these 174 non-vocal MNAs, 149 were male and 25 were women MNAs. 84 of these MNAs (22 per cent of the House) belong to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), 48 MNAs are of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and 23 are affiliated with the PPP.

    PILDAT’s comparative analysis looked at the three years and eight months’ period of the National Assembly under former prime minister Imran Khan and also looks how the PTI tenure under Imran Khan as prime minister was different from the same period in the 14th National Assembly.

    Legislative activity witnessed a decrease of 8 per cent in the fourth year of the 15th National Assembly as it passed 55 laws compared to 60 bills passed during the third year of the Assembly. 30 bills were passed during the second year while only 10 bills were passed in the first year.

    However, in a comparison of legislation between four years of 15th and 14th National Assembly, the 15th National Assembly has passed 155 bills in the four-year-period while the 14th National Assembly had passed 125 bills in its first four years.

  • ‘Neutrals ka pressure tha’: Imran Khan blames the establishment for crackdown on PTI

    ‘Neutrals ka pressure tha’: Imran Khan blames the establishment for crackdown on PTI

    Pakistan Tehreek-e- Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan blamed the ‘neutrals’ for the crackdown against his party.

    Addressing a political gathering at Rawalpindi’s Liaquat Bagh on Sunday (August 21), Khan said that according to the reports he had received, the neutrals were responsible for the crackdown against his party.

    “On May 25, when the police used violence against us, I was told by insiders that the police were ordered from above, which means that neutrals pressurised them to give PTI workers a thrashing,” said Khan. 

    “The chief election commissioner is giving every decision against us … [He] is fully trying to disqualify me. I got information from the inside that he [the CEC] was not doing anything on his own but there was pressure of the boot.”

    Khan further accused the authorities of harassing visitors to Bani Gala, his residence in Islamabad, and said the people who came to meet him “received calls from the intelligence agencies” and are asked why did they go there.

    “People who come to visit my home, police outside my house takes off their shoes. Police is not doing all this. They tell us that we have orders from neutrals.”

    “So I ask you, whether you are neutral or not? If you stand with these people [PDM government], will the nation stop thinking of them as thieves? And now that you are standing with them, will they start considering them pious?”

    YouTube blackout

    After Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) imposed a ban on the live telecast of speeches of PTI Chairman Imran Khan after he threatened the police, bureaucracy, and Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Zeba Chaudhry, YouTube services in parts of the country reportedly faced disruptions during Imran Khan’s speech at Rawalpindi’s Liaquat Bagh.

    NetBlocks, which tracks network disruptions and shutdowns, confirmed reports of YouTube being “briefly” blocked on multiple internet providers during Khan’s speech on Sunday.

    “Real-time network data show the disruption in effect on some but not all mobile and fixed-line internet providers in Pakistan during the live-streamed speech. Access was restored after the speech concluded. The study is taken from a sample size of 100 measurements from 14 vantage points across Pakistan,” a statement issued by the watchdog read.

  • ‘Imran Khan hamaari Red Line’: PTI

    ‘Imran Khan hamaari Red Line’: PTI

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan filed a pre-arrest bail application in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday (August 22) to avoid arrest in a terror case filed against him last night.

    However, Khan has been granted a three day transit bail till August 25.

     PTI lawyer Faisal Chaudhry and Babar Awan filed the plea on Khan’s behalf, who maintained in the plea that the former prime minister is ready to appear before the court whenever summoned.

    “There is no chance of fleeing or damaging evidence presented by the prosecution. Imran Khan is also ready to submit money as surety against his bail,” the plea stated.

    A first information report (FIR) was filed against Khan under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) for threatening a judge and two top police officials during his speech on August 20. 

    “Imran Khan hamaari Red Line”

    “Imran Khan hamaari Red Line” [Imran Khan is our red line] started trending on Twitter after reports of Khan’s likely arrest surfaced on Sunday.

    PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry tweeted that he was at Bani Gala with a number of workers at Khan’s residence.

    Ali Amin Gandapur threatened taking over Islamabad, warning the police not to be a “part of this political war anymore”.

    “If Imran Khan is arrested by the imported government we will take over Islamabad,” he warned. “And my message to the police is that don’t be part of this political war anymore, otherwise we will deal [with] you as PDM workers. Let PTI and PDM leadership and workers fight and decide once and for all.”

    Interior Ministry seeks permission for arrest from PM Shehbaz

    According to The News, the interior ministry has sought written permission from PM Office for the arrest of the PTI chairman. Khan will be arrested with the consensus of all parties in the ruling alliance.

    However, Pakistan People’s Party leader and former president Asif Ali Zardari has opposed the arrest of Imran Khan. He believes that the arrest will be politically damaging for the government.

    Read more: PEMRA imposes ban on live telecast of Imran Khan’s speeches

    Earlier, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) imposed a ban on the live telecast of speeches of PTI Chairman Imran Khan after he threatened the police, bureaucracy, and Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Zeba Chaudhry.

  • PEMRA imposes ban on live telecast of Imran Khan’s speeches

    PEMRA imposes ban on live telecast of Imran Khan’s speeches

    The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has imposed a ban with immediate effect on the live telecast of speeches of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Khan after he threatened the police, bureaucracy, and Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Zeba Chaudhry.

    PEMRA issued a six-page notification stating it has been observed that Imran Khan is continuously levelling baseless accusations in his speeches and statements against national institutions and spreading hatred in his speeches.

    According to PEMRA, the ban has been put in place under Section 27 of the PEMRA Ordinance 2002. PEMRA also warned news channels of strict action if the directives were not followed. 

    According to various news reports, the government has lodged a first information report (FIR) against Khan under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) for threatening a judge and two top police officials during his speech yesterday (August 20). 

    Be ready, we will take action against you: Khan

    On August 20, addressing a party rally in the federal capital’s F-9 park to express solidarity with Shahbaz Gill, Khan threatened Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Zeba Chaudhry.

    “Zeba! Be ready, we will take action against you.”

    ADSJ Zeba Chaudhry had approved Gill’s two-day physical remand at the request of the capital police.

    Khan threatened that he would “not spare” Islamabad’s inspector-general (IG), deputy inspector general (DIG).

    “IGP and DIG! We will not spare you.” 

    He further said that if a case can be registered against Gill, then Fazlur Rehman, Nawaz Sharif, and Rana Sanaullah will also face judicial proceedings.

    “They [coalition government] are trying to scare us by torturing Gill,” he said, adding that this is a “decisive moment” for the people of the country.

    We did nothing: Police tells Khan

    Khan again called on the “neutrals” (military establishment) to stand with the nation rather than the “gang of thieves”, in reference to the ruling coalition. He said he wanted to ask the neutrals if they were “really neutral”. He also alleged that the Islamabad police was taking orders for action against his party leaders from ‘someone’.

    “When I asked the police to tell me what did they do to Shahbaz Gill’ they said: ‘We did nothing, we got a boot from behind to follow orders’,” Khan said while announcing to move the Supreme Court against the alleged torture of Gill.

  • Fawad proposes committee with leaders from coalition govt and PTI to probe Gill’s ‘torture’

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry on Saturday (August 20) proposed the formation of a committee comprising Federal Railways and Aviation Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, and PTI leader Dr Shireen Mazari — to investigate the “torture” of Dr Shahbaz Gill.

    “They will also not be blamed for being pro-PTI,” Fawad tweeted.

    “These people have a point of view on torture, which is independent of their parties’ narrative […] hence, they should be given the responsibility of inquiring the events,” he said.

    The PTI has alleged that Gill was tortured in custody and was sexually abused.

    On Friday, Khan said in a series of tweets said, “All the pictures and videos show clearly Gill was tortured both mentally and physically, including sexual abuse — most too gruesome to relate.”

    Talking to media persons outside the capital’s Police Lines Headquarters today, Chaudhry asserted that physical or mental torture won’t be allowed under any circumstances.

    “I personally believe […] and this is not my party’s demand but mine […] that an independent panel should be formed and the torture should be investigated. And then the faces of those who tortured [Gill] and those who passed its orders should be brought forward in public,” he said, requesting the Supreme Court to take notice of the incident.

  • ‘Pervaiz Elahi and Punjab government being controlled through remote control from Bani Gala’: Tarar

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Attaullah Tarar warned the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Punjab government that “all of you” will be arrested if a single PML-N worker is sent behind bars.

    Tarar, who was speaking to the media, warned Chief Minister (CM) Punjab Pervaiz Elahi’s government that they “will face the consequences of the trend of revenge they had set”.

    “Pervaiz Elahi sahib, you and your son (Moonis Elahi) will face the consequences of this new trend that you have set,” warned Tarar, claiming that Moonis had been issuing instructions for action against PML-N leaders despite not having any official authority.

    “Pervaiz Elahi and his Punjab government are being controlled through remote control from Bani Gala. This is his old habit. For God’s sake, stop this, the country has already borne much loss.”

    He also linked the action against his party’s members to the “promotion of an anti-state narrative”, alluding to PTI leader Dr Shahbaz Gill’s remarks against institutions.

    Tarar alleged that CM Elahi had “fully facilitated [former Prime Minister] Imran Khan in promoting this anti-state narrative”, adding that Elahi was “at the forefront of exacting revenge from us”.

    He went on to claim that Elahi and Moonis had directed jail officials not to hand over Gill to Islamabad police even when the court had approved his remand in police custody.

    Court issues arrest warrants for Ata Tarar, 11 other PML-N leaders

    A judicial magistrate Friday, August 19, issued the arrest warrants for a dozen PML-N leaders, including prime minister’s special assistant Atta Tarar, in relation to a ruckus created at the Punjab Assembly.

    A case was registered against the PML-N leaders over the ruckus which took place in April during the chief minister’s election — when Hamza Shehbaz was elected to the top office.

  • ’We never tried to oppress the media’: Imran Khan

    ’We never tried to oppress the media’: Imran Khan

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in his interview with The Guardian spoke at length about media freedom during his time as prime minister, forced disappearance in Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

    ‘We never tried to oppress the media’: Khan

    “In my time, we never tried to oppress the media. The only problem was that sometimes the … security agencies — three or four times we found out that picked someone up and immediately when we found out we would immediately have them released,” said Khan.

    They [security people] were responsible for picking up people: Khan

    “They [security forces] were responsible for picking up people, but according to them they were involved in this insurgency, which was going on in Balochistan and the tribal area bordering Afghanistan. So they would blame that, with some justification, because you could not convict terrorists in the courts because you wouldn’t get witnesses,” said Khan while speaking about forced disappearances and missing persons.

    Eventually Afghan women, the Afghan people, will assert their rights: Imran Khan

    “Eventually Afghan women, the Afghan people, will assert their rights. They are strong people,” he said. “But if you push the Taliban from the outside, knowing their mindset, they will just put up defences. They just hate outside interference,” said Khan about Afghanistan.

  • ‘Name them’: Marriyum challenges Khan to name agencies that briefed him on PPP, PML-N’s corruption

    ‘Name them’: Marriyum challenges Khan to name agencies that briefed him on PPP, PML-N’s corruption

    Minister for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb on Friday challenged Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan to name the agencies and the people working in them who he claimed had briefed him on the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) alleged corruption.

    Addressing a news conference today, the minister said, “Who used to give you these reports? Who used to tell you all these things? Name them.”

    The information minister recalled that Khan had earlier said that the appointment of Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja was done after he was given guarantee of his neutrality.

    “You said the agency had given you guarantees about the CEC […] who had given you the guarantees? What did they say? And why were you receiving guarantees?”

    “Did you ask for those reports? And who from the agencies gave you reports?”

    “Imran Khan sahab, stop this drama and lies. If you have the courage, tell us who from what agency used to give you reports on PPP and PML-N […],” she demanded.

    “You slung mud on other people, and you say the agencies were giving you briefings? Do you have any shame?” she questioned. “You made a joke of such a big country’s democracy. Do you think your sins will be forgiven if you say agencies were giving you briefings? Then take their names.”

    Aurangzeb alleged that after the no-confidence vote, Imran “begged the neutrals to protect him”.

    “But when the institutions played the role of neutrals, which is a line sketched by the Constitution […] you are now, once again, asking them to help you and save your false politics”.

    Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Thursday, August 18, wondered about the role of the ‘establishment’ in curbing corruption, saying he always thought that ‘establishment’ was against corrupt rulers.

    “Why did you let these corrupt leaders imposed upon the country when you yourself [establishment] would say that they are corrupt,” added Khan.

    He also revealed that agencies had informed him about the corruption scandals of incumbent rulers when he was the prime minister. Imran also reiterated that attempts were being made to disqualify him and bring back Nawaz Sharif, who was disqualified for life by the Supreme Court, from London to put both of them in the same position.

  • ‘I’m in trouble’: Gill requests journalists not to take revenge for his past statements

    ‘I’m in trouble’: Gill requests journalists not to take revenge for his past statements

    An Islamabad district and sessions court on Friday (August 19) directed the Islamabad Police to shift Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Dr Shahbaz Gill to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for another medical examination and submit a report on the condition of his health.

    “Shahbaz Gill’s condition is not fine,” the court remarked.

    The court issued the directives as it suspended a plea by police seeking the physical custody of Gill for another eight days.

    Gill was presented before the court early morning. He was escorted by the police to court in a wheelchair from PIMS hospital after being deemed “fit” by a medical board.

    ‘For God’s sake, give me my mask back’: Gill

    Shahbaz Gill accused the police of taking his oxygen mask off and said he was unable to breathe when he was shifted out of the ambulance.

    During the hearing, Gill appealed to the court for his mask to be given back.

    “For God’s sake, give me back my mask,” he said.

    At this, the judge asked him if he intends to stay, to which Gill said he will if his mask is provided to him.

    Later, an oxygen cylinder was also brought to court for Gill.

    ‘Don’t take revenge, I’m in trouble right now’: Gill requests journalists

    Siddique Jan shared Gill’s message on Twitter.

    “Shahbaz Gil sahib has told me to tell all journalists not to take revenge from him for the harsh language he had used against them in the past. He said he is in trouble right now.”

    Gill is pretending to be ill and using this as an excuse: Islamabad Police

    The Islamabad Police said Gill is pretending to be sick and using this as “an excuse”, adding that the medical board had declared him “completely fit”.