Tag: horse trading

  • ‘Khan has confessed his involvement in horse trading in audio leak’: PM Shehbaz

    ‘Khan has confessed his involvement in horse trading in audio leak’: PM Shehbaz

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s involvement in horse trading has been confirmed in the alleged audio leak that surfaced a day earlier.

    “Imran Khan has confessed that he was involved in horse trading in the audio,” said PM Shehbaz while lambasting Khan for accusing his opponents of getting an NRO.

    The premier said that no one is above the law, adding that his family suffered the worst cruelty and yet have been appearing before the court.

    “Did any court summon Imran Khan?” he asked.

    “Pakistan’s prime minister was bidding [for people] in the PM house,” PM Shehbaz said outside Special Central Court in Lahore.

    “He had set up a market to buy and sell, and consciences were being sold. Could there be a bigger crime than this by a sitting PM?” the prime minister questioned, referring to the recent audio leaks in which Imran can be allegedly heard talking about buying “five” MNA’s.

    Terming Khan the world’s worst fraud, Shehbaz Sharif asked why the then NAB chairman did not take notice of the £190 million robbery.

    He accused the PTI chairman of hatching a conspiracy against the nation and asked where did he get the money to buy the conscience of five lawmakers?

    “Imran Niazi now you have to answer the nation,” the PM declared.

  • ‘You have to spoon-feed people’: Imran Khan in another explosive audio leak

    ‘You have to spoon-feed people’: Imran Khan in another explosive audio leak

    Another alleged audio of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has been leaked on Friday, purportedly featuring him and his former ministers Asad Umar and Shireen Mazari discussing the United States (US) cipher once again.

    Context of the audio:

    Asad Umar: Another point is, in hindsight, that whatever we are doing now should have been done at least ten days ago.

    Imran Khan: The impact of this letter is far-reaching and it has reached all over the world, more than we expected.

    Shireen Mazari: The Chinese have issued an official statement, condemning US intervention in the internal affairs of Pakistan.

    Imran Khan: The public is with us and we must ensure that the pressure must be at such a height that whoever goes to the assembly for voting must be branded for life and you have to brand them as Mir Jafar and Mir Sadiq. You have to spoon-feed people as their minds are currently fertile grounds.

    Both the former ministers can be heard agreeing with their party chief. Earlier in the day, another audio clip leaked that suggested Khan was involved in horse trading during his tenure at the country’s highest office.

    It is pertinent to mention here that this alleged audio leak is part three of PTI’s audio leak series regarding the US cipher.

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

    The PTI chief also told his then-principal secretary Azam Khan that, “We have to play with it [cipher]”.

    ‘Making a few moves of my own which we cannot make public’: Khan’s new audio leak

    Another alleged audio of former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan was released on Friday, purportedly featuring the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief talking about horse-trading in parliament.

    In the audio recording, a voice believed to be Imran’s says: “You have a misunderstanding that now the number game is complete […] don’t think this is over.”

    The voice in the audio, allegedly of the PTI chairman, can be heard strategising on horse-trading in parliament.

    It is being suggested that the recording is from before the vote of no-confidence against Khan.

    Context of audio:

    Imran Khan: You are greatly mistaken that the number game is now complete.

    Imran Khan: It’s not like that…don’t think that it’s over because 48 hours from now is a long time.

    Imran Khan: Big things are happening. I am making some moves of my own which we cannot make public.

    Imran Khan: I am buying five, I have five. [We need] to give the message that the five are very important.

    Imran Khan: And tell him if he secures five more and it turns to 10, the game will be in our hand.

    Imran Khan: The nation is alarmed right now.

    Imran Khan: Across the board people want us to win in any way possible, so no one needs to worry if this is right or wrong – whatever the tactic.

    Imran Khan: Even if someone breaks one, it will have a big impact.

    The audio clip released on Friday is the third such leak featuring the PTI chairman. Last week, an audio clip purportedly revealed a conversation between Imran and then principal secretary Azam Khan about the cipher — shared by Asad Majeed, the then envoy to the US — which Imran has used to peddle his foreign conspiracy narrative.

    PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry on Friday did not disavow the contents of the latest audio clip but said that “Everyone knows where and how the audios are being made”.

    In a tweet, the former minister asked: “By joining together voices such as these will you prove NRO 2 to be valid?”

  • ‘Take your obsession with proof to court’: Bakhtawar Bhutto blasts Khan for allegations against Zardari

    ‘Take your obsession with proof to court’: Bakhtawar Bhutto blasts Khan for allegations against Zardari

    Bakhtawar Bhutto-Zardari, the daughter of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari, hit back at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan for levelling allegations against her father.

    Bakhtawar took to Twitter and warned Khan: “Why don’t you take your obsession with proof to the court, otherwise you will be hearing from our lawyers for defamation and lies.”

    “Still not over the absolutely no phone call? Why don’t you take your obsession with proof to the court,” wrote Bakhtawar, adding that she pities Khan as he has never read the Constitution and that nothing can save the PTI chairman “for committing treason”.

    On July 20, Khan alleged that Asif Ali Zardari was the “main architect” behind horse-trading in Lahore, adding that the former president has secured an “NRO for his corruption and purchases people with looted wealth”.

    READ MORE: PTI rejects ECP decision to defer Sindh local body elections, plans to challenge it

    Khan further claimed that after his government was toppled with stolen money from Sindh and NRO 2 achieved, “certified criminal Asif Zardari in cahoots with the Sharif mafia was now seeking to steal people’s mandate in Punjab by trying to purchase MPAs”.

  • PTI rejects ECP decision to defer Sindh local body elections, plans to challenge it

    PTI rejects ECP decision to defer Sindh local body elections, plans to challenge it

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has rejected the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to postpone the Sindh local body elections and plans to challenge it in court.

    PTI leader Ali Zaidi said the party condemns ECP’s decision, adding that the electoral body was already controversial. “The ECP decision will be challenged in the Sindh High Court,” he said.

    The ECP announced the postponement of polls owing to Muharram and rainy weather.

    PTI leadership decides to stick around in Lahore till the election of Punjab CM

    Later, PTI Chairman Imran Khan postponed his Karachi visit ahead of Punjab’s chief minister election tomorrow, July 22.

    “Before the postponement of polls in Sindh, a PTI spokesman insisted that it was the party’s consensus decision that Khan should focus more on Punjab, and because of this he couldn’t spare two days — July 21 and 22 — for Karachi and Hyderabad,” reports Dawn.

    Lahore seeing a repetition of Sindh House horse-trading: Imran Khan

    On July 20, Khan claimed that horse-trading was happening in Lahore with MPAs being offered Rs500 million to switch their loyalty.

    “Today, Lahore is seeing a repetition of the Sindh House horse-trading episode that happened in Islamabad, with up to Rs500 million being offered to buy MPAs,” tweeted the PTI chairman. He alleged that PPP Co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari was the “main architect” behind this, adding that the former president has secured an “NRO for his corruption and purchases people with looted wealth”.

    “This is not only an attack on our democracy but also on the moral fabric of our society. Had Supreme Court taken action and debarred these turncoats for life, it would have acted as a deterrent,” claimed the PTI chairman.

    Khan further claimed that after his government was “toppled with stolen money from Sindh and NRO 2 achieved, certified criminal Asif Zardari in cahoots with Sharif mafia now seeking to steal Punjab people’s mandate by trying to purchase MPAs”.

    “Want to ask the Honourable Supreme Court: are they not cogniscant of the damage being wreaked? Isn’t destruction of our democracy, Constitution and nation’s morality a fit case for Suo Moto action? Are the ‘neutrals’ not realising how our beloved country is literally being destroyed on all fronts by the Imported government brought in through US regime change conspiracy?”

    PTI to move Supreme Court against horse-trading: Fawad Chaudhry

    On the other hand, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said that the party will move the Supreme Court against horse-trading.

    “We want Rana Sanaullah, Zardari, and Ataullah Tarar to get arrested and the court to conduct an immediate inquiry into the matter,” he added.

  • Fawad Chaudhry says govt to file reference in SC for interpretation of Article 63 (A)

    Fawad Chaudhry says govt to file reference in SC for interpretation of Article 63 (A)

    Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said on Friday that the government would file a reference in the Supreme Court, asking it to interpret Article 63 (A) of the Constitution.

    The minister took to Twitter and in a series of tweets said, “The Supreme Court will be asked about the legal status of the vote of party members when they are clearly involved in horse-trading and changed their loyalties in exchange for money.”

    Fawad said that the government would seek the apex court’s guidance on whether a person, who shifts loyalty for monetary benefit, should be ineligible for lifetime to become a lawmaker or whether they could contest polls again and be elected to parliament.

    “The Supreme Court will be requested to hear the case on a daily basis,” he said.

    Fawad’s words come a day after several Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers, who were staying at the Sindh House in Islamabad, revealed that they were in the Opposition camp now.

    Article 65-A

    According to Article 63 (A) of the Constitution, a parliamentarian can be disqualified on grounds of defection if he “votes or abstains from voting in the House contrary to any direction issued by the parliamentary party to which he belongs, in relation to election of the prime minister or chief minister; or a vote of confidence or a vote of no-confidence; or a money bill or a Constitution (amendment) bill”.

    The article says that the party head has to declare in writing that the MNA concerned has defected but before making the declaration, the party head will “provide such member with an opportunity to show cause as to why such declaration may not be made against him”.

    After giving the member a chance to explain their reasons, the party head will forward the declaration to the speaker, who will forward it to the chief election commissioner (CEC). The CEC will then have 30 days to confirm the declaration. If confirmed by the CEC, the member “shall cease to be a member of the House and his seat shall become vacant”.

    The government has already indicated that it will use Article 63 (A) to “crush” the no-confidence motion against PM Imran.

  • ‘If horse-trading takes place, then I will be responsible for it’: Shehbaz Sharif

    Opposition Leader in the National Assembly and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif rubbished claims of horse-trading in the build-up to the no-confidence motion session and said when politicians were “being loaded on to a private aircraft, then what was that all about”.

    Shehbaz said that if the allegations of horse-trading turned out to be true, then he would apologise to the nation and step down from office. “If horse-trading takes place, then I will be responsible for it.”

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan took to Twitter and also hinted at horse-trading. Congratulating Pakistan Captain Baber Azam, the premier tweeted, “Unfortunately I could not watch this match as I am fighting on another front against match fixing where huge amounts of money are being used to lure my players!”

    Shehbaz’s comments came during an interview on Geo News’ programme “Capital Talk”. Speaking about the PTI’s plan to hold a rally before the no-confidence motion, the Opposition leader said that the government was “warning” lawmakers against voting in favour of the no-confidence motion.

    “They (government) are warning them of violence, but we do not plan on resorting to violence. They want to clash with the constitution and the law,” he said.

    “The national government minus PTI should be formed for the next five years,” said Shehbaz to anchorperson Hamid Mir.

    Mentioning that it was his personal idea of forming such a government, Shehbaz said that the new leadership that comes into power should work with all the dedication to uplift Pakistan.

    Both the government and the Opposition are set to hold massive rallies in Islamabad — with the government’s gathering scheduled for March 27, while the Opposition’s long march will take place after March 25.

  • ‘NA speaker has right to disqualify any PTI MNA who will vote for other party’: Sheikh Rasheed

    ‘NA speaker has right to disqualify any PTI MNA who will vote for other party’: Sheikh Rasheed

    Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed on Thursday said National Assembly (NA) Speaker Asad Qaiser has the right to disqualify any Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Members of National Assembly (MNA) who “crossed floor” (to vote against your party) in the lower house and that “no one can challenge that”.

    According to the federal minister, all political parties gave this right to the Speaker in the 18th Amendment in an effort to stop horse-trading.

    “Let them [Opposition] fulfil their desire. Imran Khan is on his way towards winning. The Speaker has the right to disqualify any ruling party MNA who disrespects the votes they got due to IK,” he said.

    Talking to the media, the minister said the no-confidence move would be a “moment of satisfaction” for the premier. He also termed the week from March 23 to 30 as important.

    In a tweet, Rasheed urged PTI supporters to be present at Islamabad’s D-Chowk on the day of the vote to celebrate a “day of thanksgiving” for the PM’s success.

    Speaking on ARY News, Supreme Court lawyer Faisal Hussain gave a detailed analysis on the no-confidence motion and the government’s options.

    After submission of the no-confidence motion against PM Imran Khan, the government has come up with a strategy of not showing up on the D-Day. Asad Umar said that it is the Opposition’s job to show that they have the support of 172 MNAs and therefore government lawmakers would not attend the no-confidence vote.

    Talking to 92 News, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said the Speaker will not count the votes of PTI members who vote against the PM.

    https://twitter.com/FawadPTIUpdates/status/1501629055359143944
  • PPP, PML-N finalise names for Senate elections

    PPP, PML-N finalise names for Senate elections

    The Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) have announced their candidates for the upcoming Senate elections on March 3, with both parties along with other Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) parties agreeing to propose ex-prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani as a joint candidate from Islamabad.

    According to reports, the PDM has also decided to name Farhatullah Babar as joint nominee on a Khyber Pakhtunkhwa seat.

    PML-N CANDIDATES:

    The list of the PML-N nominees against the general seats includes the name of PML-N parliamentary leader in the house Mushahidullah Khan, Pervaiz Rasheed and Professor Sajid Mir.

    The party has named former PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s sister, Saadia Abbasi, as a nominee for a reserved seat for women while Azam Tarar will contest on the seat reserved for technocrats.

    PML-N’s KP chapter will later nominate the party’s candidates for the Senate from the province.

    PPP NOMINEES:

    Eight PPP senators are set to retire on March 11. But three of them — PPP Parliamentary Leader Sherry Rehman, Senate Deputy Chairman Saleem Mandviwalla and Farooq H Naek — are contesting the elections for this term as well.

    Former senator Taj Haider is also among the nominees. Former senator Farhatullah Babar and former PM Gilani are among the proposed joint PDM candidates from KP and Islamabad, respectively.

  • ‘Horse-trading video’: Ex-CM Khattak, Asad Qaiser exempted from probe

    ‘Horse-trading video’: Ex-CM Khattak, Asad Qaiser exempted from probe

    The committee set up by the prime minister to investigate horse-trading during the Senate election in 2018 — following a leaked video of lawmakers taking money — will not probe Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak and National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser because allegations against the duo are levelled by “liars”.

    This was stated by Science and Technology Minister Fawad Chaudhry while speaking to a local media outlet. According to Fawad, those who levelled allegations — Ubaidullah Mayar and Zahid Durrani-– have “sold their conscience”.

    Fawad is part of the three-member committee alongside Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari and PM’s accountability aide Shahzad Akbar that would fix the responsibility in this case.

    “The PTI leaders will not be probed on the basis of allegations levelled by those who sold their conscience as their accusations are not worthy,” the federal minister quoted by The News as saying. The committee would investigate as to who was the beneficiary of these bribes.

    ‘LEAKED VIDEO’:

    On Tuesday, the video first released by ARY News showed lawmakers belonging to the now ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) counting bundles of cash and then stashing the same in a bag.

    The video showed how, during the critical period, loyalties were switched by PTI’s 20 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa lawmakers, all of whom were reportedly expelled by the party’s central leadership after an investigation. The money was dished out in Feb-March 2018, it was reported.

    A day after the video was leaked to the media, ex-PTI MPA Ubaidullah Mayar admitted to taking Rs10 million in bribe ahead of the elections in 2018 on the “directives of then chief minister Pervaiz Khattak”.

    Mayar had said the PTI government had paid Rs10 million to all the MPAs and then recorded it on camera without their knowledge. He said the video was shot at the residence of then KP Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser — the custodian of the National Assembly now.

    Khattak and Qaiser paid “us money and asked to vote for their candidates”. “At that time, Pervez Khattak had formed a committee of 17 MPAs and asked us to vote for them, paid us the money, and promised to give us party’s tickets,” he alleged

    Both Khattak and Qaiser had denied these allegations.

    It may be noted that the damning video comes at a time when Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan expresses aims to hold Senate elections through open ballot in 2021 in a bid to eliminate horse-trading. Defending his party’s move to hold the elections through open ballot, the premier had last week spoken of bribes paid to buy loyalties, revealing that he himself had been offered some.

    On February 6, President Dr Arif Alvi signed Elections (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 that will pave way for the organisation of Senate elections through open ballot. But the Supreme Court is hearing a presidential reference in this regard and is expected to announce its decision on the secret ballot soon.

  • Ex-CM Khattak, NA speaker tried to buy votes, says former MPA from leaked video

    A former member of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Ubaidullah Mayar has admitted to taking Rs10 million in bribe ahead of the Senate elections in 2018 on the “directives of then chief minister Pervaiz Khattak”.

    A day earlier, a video of lawmakers had emerged wherein the MPs were seen taking loads of cash to sell their votes in the election that were held in March 2018.

    In a response to this video, Mayar said the PTI government had paid Rs10 million to all the MPAs and then recorded it on camera secretly. He said the video was shot at the residence of then KP Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser — the custodian of the National Assembly now.

    Khattak and Qaiser paid “us money and asked to vote for their candidates”. “At that time, Pervez Khattak had formed a committee of 17 MPAs and asked us to vote for them, paid us the money, and promised to give us party’s tickets,” he alleged in a conversation with Geo.

    He said that he even went to the [Peshawar] High Court in relation to the matter, adding that he “stands by [his] statement and is “not afraid of anyone.”

    Responding to a question regarding two people from another party who could be seen taking money in the video, Mayar said that “Pervez Khattak had promised to make them ministers if they joined the PTI”, adding that the “promise was later fulfilled”. He said that he was asked to return the money on the suspicion that he did not vote for PTI’s candidate.

    After the allegations of horse-trading, Mayar was expelled from the PTI by party chairman Imran Khan. He had then joined the Pakistan People’s Party.

    QAISER, KHATTAK REJECT ALLEGATIONS:

    In response to the allegation, NA Speaker Asad Qaiser said that the video was not shot at Speaker House in Peshawar.

    In 2019, Imran Khan had told [the party] about several PTI MPAs selling their votes for money, he said, adding that the entire party had decided to take action against the lawmakers involved in the controversy. “Statements like these are only an attempt to divert action from the actual issue,” he said, referring to the statement by Mayar. 

    In a press conference on Wednesday, former CM Khattak also rubbished the claims made by Mayar. He said the house where the dealing took place was not the Speaker House. “It’s a house somewhere in Islamabad and I was not present at the scene,” he said, distancing himself from the controversy.

    ‘LEAKED VIDEO’:

    On Tuesday, the video first released by ARY News showed lawmakers belonging to the now ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) counting bundles of cash and then stashing the same in a bag.

    The video showed how, during the critical period, loyalties were switched by PTI’s 20 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa lawmakers, all of whom were reportedly expelled by the party’s central leadership after an investigation. The money was dished out in Feb-March 2018, it was reported.

    It may be noted that the damning video comes at a time when Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan expresses aims to hold Senate elections through open ballot in 2021 in a bid to eliminate horse-trading. Defending his party’s move to hold the elections through open ballot, the premier had last week spoken of bribes paid to buy loyalties, revealing that he himself had been offered some.

    He had further revealed that 20 members of the KP Assembly belonging to the PTI, likely the ones from the video, were paid Rs50 million each during the last Senate polls to vote in favour of certain candidates.

    On February 6, President Dr Arif Alvi signed Elections (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 that will pave way for the organisation of Senate elections through open ballot.