Tag: Hammad Azhar

  • PTI leaders troll govt for past criticism of Donald Trump while celebrating his win

    PTI leaders troll govt for past criticism of Donald Trump while celebrating his win

    As the Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump swept the polls in the United States on Wednesday, messages of congratulations poured in from across the world. However, unbeknownst to the American public and the President-elect himself, it also created a storm of memes, taunts, and jokes within the Pakistani political sphere, with PTI leaders trolling government leaders for their past critical remarks on Donald Trump.

    PTI leaders and supporters claimed that Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal deleted his past tweets critical of the next President of the United States. It should be noted that Ahsan Iqbal has not deleted his old tweets criticising Trump. However, the official page of the ruling party PML-N has indeed deleted its post from 2021 in which Maryam Nawaz compared Trump and Khan.

    It must be emphasised that PTI blamed the US for conspiring against its government when Imran Khan was ousted from power through a no-confidence motion in 2022. Founder PTI Imran Khan, in an infamous rally, waved a page in front of a charged crowd, which was allegedly the cypher sent to Islamabad by Pakistan’s ambassador in Washington.

    The Intercept, a US-based news website, in August 2023 published what it claimed to be the “cypher” that hinted the US administration wanted to remove Khan from power. 

    However, later, Khan and his party changed their narratives multiple times while the American-Pakistani community continuously lobbied among US politicians for pressurising Pakistan government to release Imran Khan. 

    PTI leader Hammad Azhar, who has been in hiding for over a year, posted on X, “Congratulations to @realDonaldTrumpfor winning the US election. Donald was falsely framed, victimised and survived an assassination attempt. It’s the same story as Imran Khan in Pakistan only difference is that our mandate was brazenly stolen. But IK will also be successful soon IA as the people’s power cannot be suppressed for long.”

    He also tweeted, “PMLN leaders including Maryam Nawaz, Ahsan Iqbal & others went public in their hate remarks for @realDonaldTrump. Now they are on a delete spree. Unfortunately the ,establishment of Pakistan imposed puppets on us that are not trained in the basics of diplomacy or intl relations.”

    French Statesman Charles de Gaulle once said: “Since a politician never believes what he says, he is quite surprised to be taken at his word.” 


    Since Pakistani politics or its players never cease to amaze, one social media user pointed out Hammad’s tweet from 2016 in which he criticised the former US President himself writing, “Rise of Trump like politicians, protectionist barriers, UK leaving EU, radical Islam; peoples of the world are moving away from each other.”

    Another PTI leader, Ali Muhammad Khan, held a press conference saying, “It is hoped that the new US President Donald Trump will realise the mistake that it was wrong to expel Imran Khan on behalf of the Joe Biden government.”

    However, the former deputy speaker and another prominent PTI leader who is currently in the United States, Qasim Khan Suri, took to X to blame the Democratic Party for Khan’s fall from power instead of blaming the United States.

    Suri posted his speech from 2022 when he was the deputy assembly speaker, in which he blamed the United States for conspiring against Khan due to his alleged “independent foreign policy, economy and the sanctity of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).” Yet, the caption Suri wrote was in clear contrast with the contents of the video, writing, “The crushing defeat of the US Democratic Party, which played an important role in bringing down the government of Imran Khan, in the US presidential election made local facilitators sleepless, many of them immediately issued statements to change their father.”

    Suri also took to X to post a viral clip of Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif criticising and comparing Khan with Trump while tagging Trump family members as if complaining.

    Meanwhile, Imran Khan’s official account also posted a congratulatory message to Donald Trump for his landslide victory in the US elections.

    Former President Arif Alvi also took to X to congratulate Trump while comparing his political struggles with Khan, including the assassination attempt on both leaders. “On behalf of the people of my country, and as the 13th President of Pakistan, I would like to congratulate you on your resounding victory to ‘Make America Great Again’. We look forward to continued cooperation as democratic nations. Indeed, your victory must have sent shivers down the spine of dictators and aspiring dictators of the world,” wrote Alvi.

  • Hammad Azhar remains adamant about quitting PTI even after Omar Ayub rejects resignation

    Hammad Azhar remains adamant about quitting PTI even after Omar Ayub rejects resignation

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Hammad Azhar yesterday resigned from his party position—president of PTI’s Punjab chapter—due to “lack of access” to Imran Khan. The party’s Secretary General, Omar Ayub, rejected Azhar’s resignation.

    “Hammad Azhar, you have worked tirelessly for the party and PM (sic) Imran Khan, sahib. Resignation not accepted,” Ayub wrote on X.

    However, Hammad remained adamant in his initial decision, quoting Ayub’s tweet, writing, “I am humbled by your confidence in me. But it is my firm decision not to continue under circumstances where I have zero authority but complete responsibility.”

    Hammad yesterday expressed his grievances, including not being consulted in decisions taken within PTI’s Punjab organisation. He said, “most of these decisions were based on lobbying” instead of merit.

    He recalled Chaudhry Asghar’s removal as PTI’s Lahore president as an example of “lobbying”, saying that the lobbyists succeeded by giving Khan the “wrong facts.”

  • PTI’s Barrister Gohar didn’t accept Hammad Azhar’s resignation

    PTI’s Barrister Gohar didn’t accept Hammad Azhar’s resignation

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has decided not to accept the resignation letter of senior PTI leader Hammad Azhar, as per SAMMA

    Khan said: “I cannot accept Hammad Azhar’s resignation during the ongoing situation.”

    “Currently, we will not accept the resignation from the party posts, nor do we have any intent of doing so.”

    Hammad left his party positions including PTI’s Punjab president and general secretary.

    “I will continue to work for the PTI as a party worker. I have decided to resign after thinking a lot,” Azhar said.

    Hammad Azhar has been declared a proclaimed offender in the May 9 case.

  • Hammad Azhar resigns from PTI Punjab President post

    Hammad Azhar resigns from PTI Punjab President post

    Hammad Azhar, senior leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), voluntarily resigned from his roles as acting Punjab President and General Secretary on Wednesday, citing legal cases and the challenges the party is currently facing as the reason for the surprise decision.

    The politician, who was once a federal minister during the PTI regime, submitted his resignation letter to PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan and Secretary-General Omar Ayub Khan. He said that he’s staying underground because of cases and raids, and he believes the party would benefit more from leadership that’s actively present on the ground.

    “It has been an honour, but it would be selfish of me to continue while I am still in hiding and unable to represent the party even on television. In my opinion, at this stage, the party would be best served by a leadership in Punjab that is able to be present on the ground and lead from the front,” he stated in the letter.

    Leadership ought to have the opportunity to be on television and directly meet the founding chairman, Imran Khan, Hammad observed, pointing out that he lacks this access and permission.

  • Murad Saeed is not contesting elections this year

    Murad Saeed is not contesting elections this year

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Murad Saeed withdrew from the general elections 2024 on Thursday.

    During the hearing of the petition filed against his nomination papers in the Peshawar High Court (PHC), Murad Saeed’s lawyer told the court that he had returned the ticket and he was not participating in the elections.

    The Peshawar High Court bench, comprising Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim, Justice Aijaz Anwar, and Justice Sahibzada Asadullah, entertained a plea regarding the rejection of Murad Saeed’s nomination papers and subsequently rendered its decision.

    However, it was revealed during the proceedings that the petitioner had withdrawn the application, informing the court that the ticket had been voluntarily returned.

    On Wednesday, the bench reserved its decision on the petition against the rejection of the PTI leader’s nomination papers.

    Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim remarked in yesterday’s hearing regarding what the law says when a person is declared a fugitive and does not surrender before the law.

    When a person does not appear in front of the law, how can the papers be approved, he will be elected again and legislate, he asked.

    The Advocate General said in his arguments that when a person becomes a fugitive, he loses some basic rights and he has no right to vote or contest election.

    The court stated in its remarks that, “It will then be used as a weapon to prevent anyone from the election”.

    While reserving the decision on Murad Saeed’s appeal, the court declared the documents of Shehram Tarkai and Atif Khan to be correct in this regard.

    A three-member bench of PHC upheld the decision of the Election Tribunal and rejected the petitions against the approval of Shahram Tarkai and Atif Khan’s papers.

  • What is going on in PTI as leaders clash publicly?

    What is going on in PTI as leaders clash publicly?

    In a surprising turn of events within the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), party founding chief Imran Khan has reportedly instructed senior vice chairman Sher Afzal Marwat to suspend all political activities in Sindh.

    Disagreements between Marwat and other party leaders, including Raoof Hasan and Barrister Hamid Khan, have escalated, leading to a temporary halt in political engagements.

    Hamid Khan endorsed the statements of Raoof Hasan.

    https://twitter.com/BrHamidKhan/status/1747182074191360492?s=20

    The directive from Imran Khan came a day after Marwat initially announced the suspension of the election campaign in Sindh, citing an alleged “attack” by party leaders Raoof Hasan and Hamid Khan.

    “Keeping in view the statements against me by sick-minded people like Hamid Khan and Rauf Hassan, I am calling off my campaign in Sindh,” said Marwat.

    However, conflicting statements emerged later after Marwat declared his intention to continue the polls campaign.

    “Workers are right and I will continue campaigning for PTI in Sindh. I will not be distracted,” wrote Marwat.

    In a social media post, he expressed his determination to continue campaigning for PTI in Sindh, urging party activists to confront what he referred to as “satanic forces” independently.

    The internal strife unfolded after Marwat launched the PTI’s election drive in Sindh but later called it off due to statements against him by party leaders.

    The controversy intensified as Marwat accused President Arif Alvi of being a “wrong number” and alleged a conspiracy against the party.

    In response, Hasan and Hamid disowned Marwat’s statements, asserting that he did not represent the party’s position and had no official post within PTI.

    Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, chairman of PTI, addressed the media, emphasizing the party’s commitment to democratic values and calling for unity among party members. Despite internal disagreements, he expressed confidence in Marwat’s candidacy for the upcoming elections from Lakki Marwat.

    The ongoing disputes raise questions about Marwat’s purported meetings with Imran Khan in jail, with conflicting statements from PTI leaders.

    While Hasan claimed no political leader was allowed to meet Imran, Gohar Ali Khan affirmed Marwat’s continued affiliation with the party.

    As PTI works towards finalizing its candidate list for the February 8 elections, the internal conflicts underscore the challenges inherent in the democratic process. PTI members are urged to set aside personal differences for the party’s success in the upcoming polls.

  • PMLN says Peshawar High Court’s decision regarding PTI’s ‘Bat’ symbol is ‘pre-poll rigging’

    PMLN says Peshawar High Court’s decision regarding PTI’s ‘Bat’ symbol is ‘pre-poll rigging’

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has labeled the Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) recent decision about the iconic bat symbol of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) as “pre-poll rigging”.

    Last week, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) nullified PTI’s internal elections and revoked their bat symbol. However, on Tuesday, the PHC suspended the ECP’s declaration, prompting strong reactions from PML-N leaders.

    “Keeping in view the urgency, that a political party has been denuded of its symbol, meaning hearby that aspirants from the general public who were willing to vote for the petitioners’ party were divested of their right to vote as per their choice,” Justice Kamran Hayat Miankhel ruled.

    PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif, while addressing an event in Karachi on Thursday, called the PHC’s order “an attack” on the election commission’s authority.

    “How can the Peshawar High Court give an order that affects Pakistan? There are candidates, who are in some way, related to the judge. I believe that the judge should have recused himself from the bench based on his relationship,” he said.

    The scales of justice, the former prime minister said, were being titled for a “ladla” (blue-eyed boy). “The kind of decisions that are being issued are concerning for us. We expect justice from the judiciary.”

    Reacting to the PHC verdict, PML-N senior leader Rana Sanaullah accused the court of engaging in “pre-poll rigging and attack on the ECP,” asserting that the ruling violated the Election Act 2017. Sanaullah claimed that the judge’s cousin, a PTI candidate, influenced the decision.

    PML-N Senior Vice-President Maryam Nawaz condemned the PHC ruling, describing it as an attack on the constitutional powers of the ECP.

    “The [PHC] judge gave relief to his cousin’s party.”
    In her statement, PML-N Senior Vice-President Maryam Nawaz blasted the PHC ruling and termed the single bench verdict tantamount to an attack on the ECP’s constitutional powers.
    “Fake and fraudulent intra-party elections [of PTI] have been declared ‘halal’. The ruling is the victory of the selection but not the election.”
    Firing a fresh salvo at the incarcerated PTI founder, Maryam, who is also the party’s chief organiser, said: “Those who seek a level-playing field are not ready to give the same to anybody within their party.”

    Reacting to the PHC ruling, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman told journalists in Islamabad that an atmosphere of “judicial martial law” was created in the country.

    In a separate development, the ECP filed an appeal in the Supreme Court against the PHC’s ruling on the appointment of a returning officer for a provincial assembly constituency. The ECP questioned whether the high court’s order interfered with its constitutional and statutory duties, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the election process.

    The PHC’s decision to suspend the appointment of a returning officer has sparked legal challenges, with the ECP urging the Supreme Court to set aside the order for the sake of justice and the electoral process.

  • ‘Those who have dissociated from PTI through press conferences will not be granted election tickets,’ Barrister Gohar Khan

    ‘Those who have dissociated from PTI through press conferences will not be granted election tickets,’ Barrister Gohar Khan

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan made a significant announcement on Wednesday, stating that PTI leaders who have dissociated from the party through press conferences will not be granted election tickets.

    Speaking to the media outside Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, Barrister Gohar emphasized the party’s firm decision not to award tickets to individuals involved in such public disassociations, regardless of the number of people involved.

    Highlighting the directives of PTI founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan, Barrister Gohar mentioned, “Imran Khan has instructed the party to gear up for general elections 2024.”

    In response to the recent Supreme Court order on senior PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the PTI chairman emphasized the Election Commission’s responsibility to ensure its implementation.

    He revealed that the commission had requested the party to submit an application concerning Qureshi and other incidents where PTI leaders and activists were targeted.

    Barrister Gohar informed the media about the Peshawar High Court (PHC) order and urged the Election Commission to upload the certificate of PTI’s intra-party elections, assuring that the commission would conduct an investigation. He asserted that if a party’s election symbol is revoked, it is equivalent to its dissolution, and only the Supreme Court holds the authority to make such decisions.

    Earlier on December 26, PTI Punjab Acting President Hammad Azhar commented on the issue, stating that the fate of PTI leaders who held press conferences and parted ways with the party would be decided by Imran Khan on a case-to-case basis.

    Azhar mentioned that many individuals who had dissociated through press conferences wished to return to the party, and Imran Khan would personally decide on their return.

    He also demanded release of all political workers, “Stop turning the criminal justice system into a joke. Release all political prisoners. My colleagues have languished in jails for more than 7 months despite being innocent. I myself have been falsely nominated as an accused in dozens of Fake FIRs despite being not present on any single incident mentioned (one overly imaginative mind even listed me as chucking petrol bombs on mall road). End this madness and release all. Stop rearresting ppl after bail. Stop booking ppl in fake cases after arbitrarily arresting them for holding political association with PTI. Let the people of Pakistan decide who will govern them.”

  • Government blocks CNICs of 18 PTI leaders

    Government blocks CNICs of 18 PTI leaders

    The caretaker federal government has blocked the CNIC of former minister Hammad Azhar and 18 other leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

    The party leaders are facing legal charges following the May 9 riots. The list of leaders with blocked CNICs consists of Ali Amin Gandapur, Muhammad Aslam Iqbal, Malik Karamat Khokhar, Wasiq Qayyum Abbasi, Jamshed Iqbal Cheema, Zubair Khan Niazi, Malik Nadeem Abbas, and Ghulam Mohiuddin Dewan.

    According to officials, the CNICs have been blocked at the request of the police and will remain suspended until investigation is completed.

    Authorities also said that if PTI leaders do not appear before the court, they will be deprived of their legal rights.

    Earlier On Sunday, PTI conducted its first virtual jalsa through various social media platforms, amid accusations of an alleged ‘internet crackdown’ aimed at stopping the event’s impact,.

    Chairman PTI Barrister Gohar Khan spoke to approximately one million social media users globally, reaching audiences in Asia, Europe, and America.

  • Hammad Azhar, Murad Saeed among PTI leaders declared ‘Ishtehari’

    Hammad Azhar, Murad Saeed among PTI leaders declared ‘Ishtehari’

    An anti-terrorism court has declared several leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) proclaimed offenders (POs) in three cases related to the May 9 riots.

    The decision was made by Judge Abher Gul Khan in response to separate applications filed by the investigating officers (IOs) of the cases.

    The IOs reported that despite strenuous efforts, the suspects, fearing arrest, had gone into hiding, making their apprehension challenging. Non-bailable arrest warrants had previously been issued against them, but the suspects failed to surrender to the law, prompting the police to request the court to declare them POs.

    Those declared POs in two cases of torching police vehicles near Jinnah House and Sher Pao Bridge are Hammad Azhar, Murad Saeed, Farrukh Habib, Azam Swati, Mian Aslam Iqbal, Hamid Raza, Karamat Khokhar, Khalid Gujjar, Sajjad Ahmad and Zubair Khan Niazi.

    In the third case, which pertains to burning the PML-N office in Model Town, Fawad Chaudhry, Hammad Azhar, Jamshed Iqbal Cheema and his wife Musarrat Cheema, Zubair Khan Niazi, Ghulam Abbas, Farhat Abbas and Hamid Raza had been declared POs.

    The judge also directed the IOs to submit details regarding moveable and immovable assets of the suspects so that proceedings for the attachment of their properties under section 88 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) could be started.

    It is noteworthy that several of these PTI leaders have already been declared POs in other cases related to the May 9 protests, including the attacks on Jinnah House and Askari Tower.

    Hamza Shehbaz wants an exemption

    In a separate legal development, an accountability court issued a notice to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on an application submitted by former chief minister Hamza Shehbaz. Hamza sought permanent exemption from personal appearance in the trial proceedings of the Ramzan Sugar Mills reference.

    Appearing before the court with his lawyer, Hamza Shehbaz’s application prompted the court to direct a NAB prosecutor to submit a reply by January 12. The NAB had reopened the reference, initially closed under defunct amendments to the National Accountability Ordinance 1999, following a Supreme Court decision that struck down those amendments.

    In the Ramzan Sugar Mills reference, NAB alleged that Shehbaz Sharif, then chief minister, and his son Hamza, in abetment and connivance, caused a loss of Rs213 million to the national exchequer by misusing their authority. The allegations revolve around the construction of a drain in Chiniot district primarily for the use of Ramzan Sugar Mills owned by Hamza and his brother Suleman.