Tag: Imran Khan

  • PTI agrees not to speak against state, institutions and judiciary in rally today

    PTI agrees not to speak against state, institutions and judiciary in rally today

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has been allowed to stage an election rally in Lahore with certain caveats attached to the permission.

    According to media reports, a meeting was held at the direction of Punjab caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Raza Naqvi where the permission was discussed. PTI leadership submitted an affidavit, assuring the city administration of its full cooperation with them, police and security officials.

    The party also assured the authorities that they would not give speeches against state institutions and the judiciary. The PTI would be responsible if public property is demanded during the rally, read the affidavit.

    According to PTI Lahore Chapter President Imtiaz Shaikh, a rally will be taken out from Zaman Park to Data Darbar at 2pm today.

    “Imran Khan will lead the rally,” he confirmed.

    This would be the first rally that Khan would lead in more than four months.

  • ‘Aik do ghariyaan theen, mere betay ne le li’: Shahid Khaqan about his Toshakhana gifts

    ‘Aik do ghariyaan theen, mere betay ne le li’: Shahid Khaqan about his Toshakhana gifts

    Former Prime Minister (PM) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said that his son bought watches from Toshakhana which he had received from foreign dignitaries when he was the PM.

    In an interview with a web channel, Abbasi said that he doesn’t wear watches, adding that “aik do ghariyaan theen, mere betay ne le li” (There were some watches, which my son bought).

    He said that gifts are given to the military secretary, not to the prime minister, which are then deposited in the Toshakhana.

    Shahid Khaqan said that later the military secretary writes to the official that such a thing has been gifted, quoting the price if the PM wants to buy it for personal use. If you don’t buy them, they auction the gifts.

    The former premier said that his son took some watches from Toshakhana after paying the amount they asked for it. He added that he left the rest of the gifts in Toshakhana.

    The debate on Toshakhana started when former PM Imran Khan was accused of acquiring gifts without giving their full payment and selling them for profit.

  • CM Mohsin Naqvi says PTI worker died in car accident

    CM Mohsin Naqvi says PTI worker died in car accident

    Interim Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Mohsin Naqvi and Punjab Inspector General (IG) Dr Usman Anwar on Saturday jointly addressed the press conference, presenting their case that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) worker Ali Bilal lost his life in a car accident and not due to custodial torture by the Punjab police.

    Both of them claimed that PTI leadership had known the truth yet accused the Punjab government of Bilal’s death.

    CM Naqvi said that the Vice president of the PTI in Central Punjab Raja Shakeel informed PTI leader Yasmin Rashid that Bilal was hit by a car. Later, Rashid also informed the party about it at Zaman Park.

    He added that all the evidence will first be taken to Bilal’s family. He claimed that the PTI worker’s father was also offered money to stick to torture allegations.

    Naqvi asserted that the government will financially help the family.

    “I am accused of murder, is it that easy to level murder accusations on someone?” he asked, adding that the PTI is openly asking to file an FIR for the murder.

    Naqvi said he would have answered the accusations “in a different manner” had he not been in CM’s position.

    Addressing the presser, Punjab IG said that the people who brought Bilal to the hospital have been arrested and will be presented before a court.

    “Action will be taken if evidence of police torture is found,” the IG said.

    During the press briefing, confessional video statements of the two suspects, who are currently under police custody, were also played.

    On March 8, PTI workers were picked up by the police when a clash took place just before a scheduled election rally.

    Later, the party leadership claimed that Bilal was tortured and killed while in police custody. Bilal’s postmortem report, issued by the Mayo Hospital, says the victim suffered “massive blunt trauma”, while a fracture to his skull and subsequent bleeding has been cited as the cause of death. The report also noted damage to his liver, spleen and testes, which led to profuse bleeding.

  • ‘I don’t think PML-N can clean sweep in elections’: Miftah Ismail

    ‘I don’t think PML-N can clean sweep in elections’: Miftah Ismail

    Former Finance Minister Miftah Ismail has cast doubts over his party’s ability to sweep the upcoming general elections. In an interview with Geo News, the disgruntled Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader said that he believed whether Pakistanis have Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari or martial law, nothing will improve the system until “we make systemic changes”.

    Talking about the upcoming general elections, Miftah said that he doesn’t see any party sweeping the elections; however, the PML-N leader was sure that he “absolutely does not see PML-N sweeping the elections.”

    Miftah said that any political party be it PML-N, PPP or PTI needs to talk to the people of Pakistan asking them about their real problems and needs.

    “When you hear the leaders today, you hear them say that I want to be the prime minister, there is one leader who is more into I, me and myself than others but it is all about them,” he said.

    “Nobody is talking about the people of Pakistan. What about the 60 per cent of people who earn Rs40,000 a month? What about the young people who cannot find jobs? What about the people living in rural areas? What about an average Pakistani child failing in science and mathematics,” he asked.

    Declaring that nobody is talking about real solutions, Miftah Ismail slammed politics as “just a fight for power, nothing else.”

    There are no new ideas and absolutely no competence, he maintained.

  • Khan dedicates song to Ali Bilal, calls out elite for being cruel, ruthless and corrupt

    Khan dedicates song to Ali Bilal, calls out elite for being cruel, ruthless and corrupt

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has dedicated a song to party worker Ali Bilal, who was killed during Wednesday’s standoff at Zaman Park.

    Taking to Twitter, Khan wrote, “Dedicating this song to Shaheed Ali Bilal, known affectionately as Zille Shah. He loved his country in a very special way.”

    “His violent death through custodial torture shows the depths to which the corrupt, ruthless & cruel ruling elite has sunk,” wrote Khan.

    The song is an Indian song titled “Teri Mitti,” an ode to the sacrifices a soldier makes for his homeland. Wahab Bugti, known for his song Kana Yari from Coke Studio, has sung the version shared by the PTI chief.

    PTI has claimed that Punjab police killed Ali Bilal in custody in Lahore.

    Taking to Twitter, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry tweeted, “According to Insaf Lawyers Wing, Ali Bilal Shaheed’s father has been kidnapped yesterday after the funeral and he and his family members are in police custody. And now we will see a video which will say that we forgave Mohsin Naqvi [sitting interim Chief Minister Punjab] and the police, but this country will not forgive them.”

    Bilal’s autopsy report revealed 26 injuries and that grave physical violence was the cause of death.

    Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz has condemned the death of Ali Bilal.

    Maryam extended her condolences to the deceased’s family, saying, “Aik siyaasi kaarkun ki jaan gayi, mujhe is cheez ka behaad afsos hai aur dili afsos hai” (I feel grief that a political worker lost his life).

  • After Imran Khan, Maryam Nawaz too recommends ‘The Forty Rules of Love’

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz has revealed her favourite books, writers, poets and thinkers in a recent interview.

    In an interview with a web channel, Maryam Nawaz said that her favourite reading genre is Fiction and History. She went on to name her favourite writers who’s books she enjoyed reading while she was incarcerated.

    “A few fiction writers are close to reality; I read them a lot, like Paulo Coelho. I really like his Alchemist and Warrior of Light. Elif Shafak is another writer whom I enjoy reading. One of my most favourite books is The Forty Rules of Love. There is a book called, The Seat of the Soul and Twilight in Delhi; I have really enjoyed reading them,” said Maryam.

    She stated that she preferred books with a historical background.

    Moving on to poetry, Maryam said she loves reading the work of Irish poet Seamus Heaney, especially his work on freedom. Recalling her time in jail, Maryam said that was the first time she could read Urdu novels and poetry.

    “One has a lot of time in jail, so I miss how I used to read there. I read the work of Ahmad Faraz, Sahir Ludhianvi, Parveen Shakir and Amjad Islam Amjad. Apart from this, I have enjoyed reading the work of thinkers and even implemented their philosophies in my life. I have really enjoyed the work of Francis Bacon and Friedrich Nietzsche.”

  • ‘Dili afsos hai’: Maryam Nawaz condemns death of PTI worker in Lahore

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz has condemned the death of Ali Bilal, a worker and supporter of rival party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) who lost his life allegedly at the hands of police on Wednesday when a clash took place in Lahore.

    Maryam extended her condolences to the deceased’s family, saying, “Aik siyaasi kaarkun ki jaan gayi, mujhe is cheez ka behaad afsos hai aur dili afsos hai” (I feel grief that a political worker lost his life).

    The PML-N leader also said that whatever has happened should be investigated.

    On Wednesday, on the call of PTI Chief Imran Khan, PTI workers came out on the roads, resulting in a clash between PTI workers and Lahore police at Zaman Park. PTI leaders claim that the administration is to blame for Ali Bilal’s death.

    During the interview with Adil Shahzeb, Maryam also said that now that ex-Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Faiz Hameed has confessed, the establishment should take notice of his statement.

    “General Faiz will be held accountable by the institution itself,” she said.

  • LHC suspends PEMRA order banning Imran Khan’s speeches

    LHC suspends PEMRA order banning Imran Khan’s speeches

    The Lahore High Court (LHC) has suspended an order of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) which banned the broadcast of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan’s speeches on TV.

    Justice Shams Mehmood Mirza announced the suspension of the order in a verdict he had reserved earlier today.

    Khan’s lawyer informed the court that an earlier ban imposed by PEMRA was also suspended by the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

    The ban was imposed after Khan lashed out at former army chief General (retired) Qamar Javed Bajwa for what he called “protecting incumbent rulers in their corruption cases”.

    PEMRA again bans IK’s speeches on TV after he lashed out at Bajwa

    On March 6, PEMRA imposed a ban on the broadcast of speeches, talks or public addresses of Khan and barred news television channels from airing them.

    It is pertinent to mention that this is the third ban on Khan’s speeches and press talks on all satellite TV channels.

    Meanwhile, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) condemned PEMRA’s ban and demanded it to be lifted immediately.

    Earlier in the day, the PTI chief dodged arrest as Islamabad Police showed up at his Zaman Park residence in Lahore with a court summons to take him into custody for his persistent absences from Toshakhana court hearings.

    However, when the police reached Khan’s residence, they were met by a large number of PTI workers, who gathered outside his residence on Fawad Chaudhry’s call. 

    The police were informed that the PTI chief was “unavailable”. With PTI workers outnumbering the police contingent, and despite the Islamabad Police chief earlier saying that they won’t go back empty-handed, the arrest could not be made. Eventually, the Islamabad Police left Imran’s residence.

    Later, in the evening Khan addressed its supporters from his Zaman Park residence where he said that there is no security risk, adding that “they” wanted to “remove” him.

    He also said that he was being dragged into courts in fake cases while demanding that he should be allowed to attend the hearing of the Toshakhana case via video link.

    Khan, reportedly also moved Islamabad sessions court seeking cancellation of his non-bailable arrest warrant in the Toshakhana case.

  • ‘As a woman, it is insulting that I have to take Imran Khan’s name’: Maryam Nawaz

    ‘As a woman, it is insulting that I have to take Imran Khan’s name’: Maryam Nawaz

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz has said that she, too, has faced harassment even though she hails from a privileged background and has a powerful father.

    Addressing a PML-N women workers convention in Lahore on International Woman’s Day, Maryam said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and his party has always targeted her with “personal attacks” when she says something political.

    “They talk about my marriage. My wedding was done with alot of love and festivities by my parents and grandparents. And I am still married to the same person. I don’t want to attack anyone personally,” said Maryam.

    “As a woman, it is insulting that I have to take Imran Khan’s name. Due to the current situation in the country, I have to take his name. Being a woman, I have said this many times, I would never let a person like Imran Khan inside my house,” said Maryam, adding that when Imran is asked about politics, he never gives a political answer. Instead, he, in his jalsa says, “Maryam Nawaz, you say my name so many times, be careful; your husband might get angry with you.”

    Khan in May last year made misogynistic remarks about Maryam Nawaz.

    “In that speech, she took my name with such passion that I would like to tell her: Maryam, please be careful, your husband may get upset because you were constantly repeating my name,” said IK during the speech.

    “I am like a daughter to him [Imran Khan], and now because of the fear of arrest, he has become old and is 72 years old, but when it comes to slurs and personally attacking me, where does his old age go?” questioned Maryam.

  • Establishment ki zaroorat nahi, jiskay sath awam ho usay besaakhion ki zaroorat nahi’: Khan

    Establishment ki zaroorat nahi, jiskay sath awam ho usay besaakhion ki zaroorat nahi’: Khan

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman (PTI) Imran Khan has said that he only wants free and fair elections for which he is ready to talk to anyone, however, he does not require “crutches”.

    Talking to BBC, Khan said that he was asked if the establishment was ready for talks, will he do so. He responded by saying that he is a political worker and is ready to work, however, he will not to talk to thieves.

    The question popped up after multiple sources disclosed that Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir told a group of businessmen that Imran Khan had wanted to meet him but had refused. Imran said that he did not need the establishment.

    He further added that the people of Pakistan are with PTI so he doesn’t require crutches to seek help or support.

    Talking about the new establishment, Khan said that he hoped the changed establishment would do things differently, but nothing changed, infact, matters had become more difficult and serious.

    Talking about elections, Khan said that the caretaker government’s job is to hold elections. If elections are to be held, he asked, how can they take place without campaigns and rallies?