Tag: Asad Umar

  • ‘No one has done forgery like Khan’: Khawaja Asif reacts to audio leak no. 2

    Defence Minister Khawaja Asif reacted to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s second audio leak in which the leader can be heard directing his party members not to name the United States (US) in the cipher matter.

    The minister, who is currently in London, told the media that it is an “Ideal case” of Article 6 of the Constitution, which deals with high treason.

    “He [Imran Khan] should listen to the clips himself and feel shame on how he has put Pakistan’s integrity at stake in his lust for power,” Asif said, lashing out at Imran.

    “In Pakistan’s 75-year history, no politician has put Pakistan’s security at risk,” said Asif. He admitted that politicians and army officials have done things against each other and made mistakes but no one has done a “forgery” like the PTI leader.

    “In the audio, he is saying do not take America’s name but at the same time is talking against it. I cannot even imagine that a politician can be this shameful,” added the minister.

    Referring to Khan’s alleged insistence in the audio leak on using the word “letter” instead of cipher because “people wouldn’t have understood the word transcript”, Asif said the “PTI chief had underestimated the nation’s collective wisdom and will pay the price.”

    Audio leak:

    In the second audio leak, Imran Khan when he was Prime Minister (PM) is directing his close aides not to take America’s name while talking about the US cipher in public.

    “We don’t have to name the Americans. Under no circumstances do we have to take the name. So, on this issue please, the name of the country should not come out of anyone.”

    In turn, the voice, supposedly belonging to Asad Umar, raised a question: “Are you saying letter deliberately? This is not a letter, it is the meeting’s transcript.”

    On this, Imran Khan says that both the letter and the transcript are “the same thing”. He added that “People wouldn’t have understood the word transcript if you say things like this in your jalsa.”

    In the first audio leak that surfaced a couple of days ago, the PTI chief directed his then-principal secretary Azam Khan that, “We have to play with it [cipher]”.

    On the same day, when the first audio leak came out Khan broke his silence on it and said that he has not played on the cipher yet.

  • ‘Kis mulk se yeh letter aya hai, mai kisi ke moo se sun’na nahi chahta’: Khan

    ‘Kis mulk se yeh letter aya hai, mai kisi ke moo se sun’na nahi chahta’: Khan

    The season of leaks rages on in the country as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman’s part two of the first audio leak on the ‘cipher’ got released on Friday, September 30.

    The latest audio, reportedly featuring PTI’s Imran Khan, Asad Umar and Azam Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi, can be heard below.

    The script of the second audio goes as follows:

    Imran Khan: “Okay Shah Jee [Shah Mahmood Qureshi] tomorrow we will be doing a meeting. Three of us [Imran Khan, Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Asad Umar] and the foreign secretary. In the meeting we will quietly write the minutes of the meeting. Azam is saying we will make the minutes…. and keep a photo copy of it.”

    Azam Khan: “This cipher came on the 8th or 9th March. It came on 8th March.”

    Imran Khan: “But the meeting took place on 7th. By no means will we be taking the name of Americans. So please, no one should take the country’s name on this issue. This is very important for all of you. I don’t want to hear the name of the country from where the letter came from any ones mouth.”

    Asad Umar: “Are you intentionally calling it a letter. This isn’t a letter, it is a transcript of the meeting.”

    Imran Khan: “It is the same thing, whether it be a meeting’s transcript of a letter. People wouldn’t have understood the transcript. You say [things] like this in your jalsa.”

    ‘Is par hi khelna hai’: Imran warns not to reveal United States involvement

    Khan in his first leaked audio, could be heard talking about the alleged foreign conspiracy against him with his then principal secretary Azam Khan.

    Khan discusses how to frame the narrative around the alleged conspiracy that resulted in the ouster of his government. He tells Azam Khan: ‘Iss par hi khelna hai’, without mentioning the name of the United States and they discuss how to form a team on the issue.

    The “cipher” lies at the heart of PTI’s claim that the US plotted with individuals within Pakistan to remove Khan from office. It is based on then-envoy Asad Majeed’s meeting with State Department employee Donald Lu..

    ‘Abhi toh khela hi nahi mai’: Imran Khan responds to new leaked audio

    Khan broke his silence on the leaked audio, and said that he has not played on the cipher yet.

    Khan in the new leaked audio, can be heard talking about the alleged foreign conspiracy against him with his then principal secretary Azam Khan.

    When asked who leaked the audio, Imran blamed Shehbaz Sharif.

    “It is good that the audio got leaked, I would say the cypher should also be leaked. So that everyone should come to know how big was that foreign conspiracy.”

    “Abhi toh khela hi nahi mai,” said Khan. Translation: I have not played with it yet and will play when they expose it.

  • ‘A dark day’: PTI reacts to Maryam Nawaz’s acquittal

    ‘A dark day’: PTI reacts to Maryam Nawaz’s acquittal

    Following the verdict of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) acquitting Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz on Thursday (today), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders have said that today is, “Another dark day in the history of Pakistan”.

    PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry took to Twitter to say that “The country’s institutions have lost the trust of the public”.

    “Beyond any doubt, it is another dark day in the history of Pakistan”, he added.

    Another PTI leader and former Energy Minister Hammad Azhar claimed that “PML-N itself seems to be a bit embarrassed after today’s ruling”.

    In a tweet, PTI Secretary-General Asad Umar made a claim that “Imran Khan’s government was removed so that imported government leaders could get their cases dismissed”.

    The former ruling party leader Babar Awan said, “Jitna bara daku, itni bari kursi“. (The bigger the thief, the bigger the chair). He added, “The jail department would teach lessons about the Sharif family to prisoners so that they can get NRO II as well.”

    The verdict:

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) acquitted Maryam Nawaz and her husband Captain (retd) Safdar in the Avenfield reference, nullifying the conviction handed to them in 2018 by an accountability court.

    After the victory, Maryam said that she was thankful to Allah for making Nawaz and herself proud today. She also took a jibe at PTI Chairman Imran Khan, telling him that he is a “helpless” person now and whether or not he decides to answer for his deeds, history will ensure that he answers for it.

  • Asad Umar defends Tarin’s alleged audio leak, Miftah asks Tarin to quit politics

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General Asad Umar along with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Finance Minister Taimur Jhagra held a press conference following the alleged audio leak between former federal minister Shaukat Tarin and provincial finance ministers.

    Earlier in the day, an audio was leaked in which Tarin allegedly asked Punjab Finance Minister Mohsin Leghari and KP Finance Minister Taimur Jhagra to write letters withdrawing from the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) deal.

    Umar said Tarin had asked both provincial finance ministers to request the federal government to renegotiate the IMF agreement due to the recent floods and the devastation caused both in KP and Punjab.

    “Can anyone say this isn’t good advice?”

    Umar accused the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) of acting against the state’s interest and international commitments by voting and speaking out against legislation related to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and IMF agreement during PTI’s tenure.

    He said that Tarin, as a former finance minister, had every right to “give advice” to Jhagra and Leghari. “There is nothing wrong in Tarin speaking to Jhagra and Leghari on the phone and giving advice.”

    “If Jhagra felt that there was something wrong in it, then he would not have brought himself before the nation,” he added.

    Taking a jibe at the government, Umar posed a question: “Tell me if you are asking money from foreign governments, then why can’t you ask the IMF to give us space this year to use our money for flood-related expenses?”

    ‘Bring Khan to power but not at the cost of Pakistan’: Miftah Ismail

    Finance Minister Miftah Ismail said that Shaukat Tarin should leave politics and “Asad Umar and Taimur Jhagra should be ashamed of themselves”.

    “Imran Khan should ask the nation for forgiveness. Taimur Jhagra should resign and Shaukat Tarin should quit politics. Is this why you do politics?”

    He termed the PTI’s move the “most shameful thing”, saying that the real faces of PTI leaders have now been exposed.

    Referring to the IMF Executive Board meeting, which is set for today (August 29), Miftah said that by the will of God, the country will hear good news tonight after the IMF approves the pending tranche.

    Miftah Ismail also asked PTI supporters to question party Chairman Khan about whether the letter Jhagra wrote was in the state’s interest. “Do support Imran but tell him he is not bigger than Pakistan. Bring him to power but not at the cost of Pakistan.”

    “When they are writing letters against Pakistan’s interest, it is your responsibility to say no. Consider Pakistan’s interest to be sacred. If Pakistan’s interest is not sacred to a person, he is not fit to govern the country.”

  • Imran Khan to hold a telethon to raise funds for flood relief efforts

    Imran Khan to hold a telethon to raise funds for flood relief efforts

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan will be holding a telethon on Monday for the flood-affectees in the country.

    ” Our senior leadership met and we decided I would do [an] international telethon to raise funds for flood affectees on Monday night,” tweeted Khan.

    However, Khan also made clear that his quest for Haqeeqi Azadi will continue alongside his flood relief work.

    Earlier PTI leader Asad Umar tweeted said Khan will hold the telethon Sunday.

    Imran Khan visited the flood-affected areas in DI Khan. He said that he is being pressurised to collect funds but he is not doing so because he wants to be sure how this money will help the affectees.

    “When I take on a project, the first thing I think about is whether I will be able to honestly spend the money on the cause,” said Khan.

    Khan further added that currently he was assessing the damage caused by the floods and once he knows how much money is needed to cover the loss, then he will give people a call to raise funds.

    The PTI Chairman also said that the federal government and the provincial governments in Sindh and Balochistan, respectively, should leave everything and fully dedicate themselves to helping the people who have been affected by the devastating floods.

  • ‘Fragile state of mental & physical health’: PTI reacts to Gill’s physical remand order

    ‘Fragile state of mental & physical health’: PTI reacts to Gill’s physical remand order

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership has strongly reacted to Islamabad district and sessions court’s decision of approving a two-day physical remand of PTI leader Dr Shahbaz Gill. The court was hearing a review plea seeking Gill’s remand in a sedition case.

    Fragile state of mental & physical health because of the torture: Imran Khan

    “He is in a fragile state of mental & physical health because of the torture inflicted on him when he was abducted & taken to undisclosed location & then again at the police station,” tweeted PTI Chairman Imran Khan.

    He said that Gill’s remand is a “part of the conspiracy to target me and PTI by forcibly getting false statements against us similar to what they have been doing against social media activists”.

    Handed to police for torture: Fawad

    PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry criticised the order and said that “judges sending political workers in remand for torture while knowing everything are criminals”.

    “Gill is being sent into police custody for torture instead of interrogation,” said Fawad.

    Fawad said that there is no parallel to the way human rights are being “utterly destroyed” in Pakistan.

    He refused to give a false statement against Imran Khan: Asad Umar

    PTI Secretary General Asad Umar said that the reason behind the insistence on the physical remand of Gill is “more torture”.

    “[I] met Shahbaz Gill in Adiala, [his] spirits are high. Despite the worst torture meted out to him in Islamabad, [Gill] refused to make a false statement against Imran Khan,” tweeted Umar.

    Addressing a press conference, Umar said, “They [coalition government] forcefully want to get a statement by torturing Gill and we want to bring it on the record.”

    “The government leaders should be investigated and questioned too,” he demanded.

    “The police were provided Gill’s physical remand so they could get a statement from him. They are abusing him,” Umar reiterated.

    ‘Laws should be equal for everyone’: Faisal Javed

    Senator Faisal Javed Khan said that the authorities may take action against Gill as he “made a huge mistake”.

    However, he further said that the laws “should be equal for everyone”.

    “We condemn the treatment meted out to Gill and this House should also condemn it,” Javed said in a speech in the Senate.

    Shahbaz Gill was taken into custody on August 9 from Bani Gala Chowk for inciting the public against state institutions.

    Read more: Shahbaz Gill behind bars: Islamabad court approves two-day physical remand, again

    Last Friday (August 12), a district and sessions court in Islamabad hearing a sedition case against Shahbaz Gill rejected the prosecution’s request to extend Gill’s physical remand. Instead, the court had sent him to jail on judicial remand. A plea was then filed by Islamabad Advocate General Jahangir Khan Jadoon in the Islamabad High Court on August 13 challenging the order.

  • ECP verdict: Govt decides to place Imran and other PTI leaders on no-fly list

    ECP verdict: Govt decides to place Imran and other PTI leaders on no-fly list

    After the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) verdict was announced yesterday in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) foreign funding case, the coalition government has reportedly decided to put the names of PTI Chairman Imran Khan and other PTI leaders on the no-fly list to prevent them from leaving the country. The government has also decided to move the Supreme Court (SC) to hear the reference it is going to file in the wake of the ECP verdict.

    The government will put the names of former premier Imran Khan, ex-governors of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Sindh and former chairman of the Utility Stores Corporation (USC) Zulqarnain Ali Khan on the no-fly list, reports The Express Tribune.

    The government will also request Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial to constitute a full court to hear the case, which is yet to be filed, reports Geo News.

    All the government allies were unanimously on board for taking strict legal action in light of the ECP’s verdict.

    PTI to move IHC

    “The PTI will file two different petitions — one contempt of court petition against ECP for violating the Supreme Court and high court’s decisions for not giving verdict against PPP and PML-N together with PTI, whereas the second petition would be filed against the ECP’s decision for having too many loopholes in the verdict,” announced Asad Umar yesterday.

    “People trust Imran Khan and that’s why they sent their money to him when he started the fundraising events. If you block political donations, the only other way is that of powerful people,” he added.

    Just after the decision was announced, PTI leader Fa­­wad Chaudhry said that most of the money was donated by overseas Pakistanis.

    He said that he could not understand why the PML-N, JUI-F and PPP declared overseas Pakistanis as an “enemy”.

    “We consider overseas Pakistanis to be the backbone of Pakistan’s economy and will continue to rely on them for our funding,” said Fawad. About the certificates that were submitted to the ECP by Khan, Fawad said that these certificates were made by the auditors and Khan had just signed them so the responsibility cannot be put on Imran.

    The former premier had personally issued certificates to the ECP in regards to Article 13(2) of the PPO to the effect that PTI “does not receive funds from prohibited sources”, meaning thereby that the PTI is not a foreign-aided political party.

    On Tuesday, the ECP said that PTI received ‘prohibited funds’ from 34 foreign nationals. The PTI was issued a show-cause notice after the unanimous verdict by a three-member bench of the ECP headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja.

  • ‘Certified liar’: Govt attacks Imran Khan, PTI defends

    ‘Certified liar’: Govt attacks Imran Khan, PTI defends

    The ruling coalition attacked Pakistan Thereek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in its verdict on Tuesday unanimously ruled that the PTI did indeed receive prohibited funding and issued a show-cause notice to the party.

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif said that the commission’s verdict on PTI’s prohibited funding case “charge sheets Imran for violating the Constitution”. 

    “Proven yet again that he is a certified liar. Nation should ponder over the implications of his politics funded by foreigners,” tweeted the prime minister.

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz chided Khan for being a “liar and money launderer”.

    “The one who keeps giving lectures about liberating the nation from slavery turned out to be a slave of external powers,” tweeted Maryam.

    “Khan is the only politician of Pakistan who has been proven, in a single judgement with irrefutable evidence, to be a liar, corrupt, a money launderer, and acting on the influence of external forces,” she said.

    In a press conference in Islamabad, senior PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said the judgement has proved the ex-prime minister is the “biggest thief”.

    Defending the ECP decision, PTI leaders insisted that the ECP failed to prove foreign funding against the party.

    In a press conference, Fawad Chaudhry said that overseas Pakistanis raised funds for the PTI and the ECP had acknowledged their narrative that it does not come under “foreign funding”.

    In the next phase, the PTI will prove that the 16 accounts are legal, adding that these accounts are “subsidiary accounts”, said Fawad Chaudhry.

    “No party has the right to hide its funding from the people,” said the PTI leader.

    “Today’s decision is not correct,” Fawad added.

    PTI leader Asad Umar said that the ECP has fulfilled its wish by announcing the verdict in the party’s funding case.

    “The nation wants an answer as to why funding reports of the PPP and PML-N are not being released?” asked the PTI leader.

  • ‘Announcement in six to eight weeks’: Imran directs Punjab MPAs to prepare for general elections

    ‘Announcement in six to eight weeks’: Imran directs Punjab MPAs to prepare for general elections

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Sunday directed party leaders and parliamentarians in Punjab to prepare for the next general elections as they could be announced in six to eight weeks.

    The direction came during separate meetings held at Chief Minister (CM) Punjab Pervaiz Elahi’s office on Sunday.

    Khan congratulated Elahi on the ouster of an ‘unconstitutional and unlawful’ government from Punjab.

    Steps to provide relief to the people of the province were also discussed during the meeting.

    Khan held separate meetings with various party leaders, including provincial chief of the party Dr Yasmin Rashid, former chief Shafqat Mahmood, Mian Mahmood-ur-Rashid, as well as with MPAs from six Punjab divisions.

    Khan has given Dr Yasmin Rashid a two-week ultimatum to reorganise the party in the province.

    Earlier, former Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed said that an “agreement” has been reached and the general elections will be held in October.

    “Instead of by-elections, matters on new elections have been settled. The nation will soon hear about the date for the elections in October, the formation of a new election commission and a caretaker government,” said Rasheed.

    PTI challenges approval of 11 resignations in court

    PTI General Secretary Asad Umar on Monday (August 1) reached the Islamabad High Court where he challenged the approval of the 11 resignations of PTI MNAs.

    “A petition has been submitted in the Islamabad High Court against the election commission accepting the resignations of 11 members of the assembly of their choice,” the PTI leader said on Twitter.

    Umar said that they have approached the court against the acceptance of the 11 resignations. 

    “On April 11, 125 of our people resigned on the floor of the assembly, and on April 13, Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri accepted their resignations,” Umar said.

    Asad Umar said that PTI MNAs resigned en masse but the election commission’s decision to accept the resignation of 11 members and not 125 is illegal.

    Last week, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) de-notified 11 PTI MNAs following the approval of their resignations by National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf.

    According to the ECP, Ali Muhammad Khan, Fazal Muhammad Khan, Shaukat Ali, Fakhar Zaman Khan, Farrukh Habib, Ijaz Ahmad Shah, Jamil Ahmed Khan, Muhammad Akram Cheema, Abdul Shakoor Shad, Shireen Mehrunnisa Mazari, Shandana Gulzar Khan have been de-notified. 

    PTI to file judicial reference against Chief Election Commissioner

    PTI Information Secretary Farrukh Habib issued a statement on July 30 and said the party had prepared to file a disqualification reference in the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) against the CEC Sikander Sultan Raja. He said the CEC met PDM leaders after reserving a judgment in the prohibited funding case.

    “By doing so, the chief election commissioner violated his oath, the code of conduct as well as his constitutional duty,” he added.

    According to media reports, PTI decided to file a judicial reference against CEC Sultan Raja. The decision came during a high-level PTI meeting chaired by Imran Khan, where the party leaders reviewed the coalition government’s recent meeting with the CEC and other ECP members.