Tag: Imran Khan

  • ‘Kapray istari karne ke liye frying pan bhi nahin deeya,’ Asad Umar jokes after being released from jail

    ‘Kapray istari karne ke liye frying pan bhi nahin deeya,’ Asad Umar jokes after being released from jail

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Asad Umar has been released from Rajanpur District Jail after he voluntarily got arrested as part of his party’s Jail Bharo Tehreek (voluntary arrest movement).

    After the release, Umar praised party workers for participating in the movement.

    In another tweet, he took a jibe at Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice-President Maryam Nawaz, joking that jail officials did not provide him with a frying pan to iron his clothes.

    Several other prominent leaders also got released from jail including Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Senator Azam Swati and Zulfi Bukhari.

    Swati, after being released from Raheem Yar Khan district jail, said that “political engineering should stop now”. 

    PTI’s Zulfi Bukhari and Fayyaz ul Hassan Chauhan were released from Sargodha jail, while former Punjab Governor Umar Sarfaraz Cheema, Azam Khan Niazi, Sadaqat Abbasi, Ejaz Khan and others were also among the released PTI workers.

    The movement had been announced by PTI Chairman Imran Khan in the wake of the coalition government’s spree of arrests of key PTI leaders. However, after the Supreme Court’s verdict about the elections, the PTI chief called off the movement.

    LHC orders release of arrested PTI leaders during Jail Bharo Tehreek

    Earlier, Lahore High Court (LHC) ordered the release of the arrested leaders of PTI during Jail Bharo Tehreek.

    Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh issued the order on the application of Fawad Chaudhry. The court suspended the detention orders of Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Asad Umar and other party leaders..

    The court also asked the parties, including the Punjab government, to respond on March 7.

    It is pertinent to mention here, that PTI leaders Shah Mahmood, Asad Umar and other leaders and activists were arrested from Lahore and transferred to other jails in the province.

  • Ali Haider Zaidi says will leave PTI if it allies with Zardari

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Sindh President Ali Haider Zaidi said that he will leave his party and politics altogether if Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman and former President Asif Ali Zardari allies with the party.

    In a wide-ranging podcast with Shehzad Ghias Shaikh, the former minister said, “Mei chordoga PTI, mei polticis bhi chordoga“(I will leave PTI, I will even leave politics).

    Zaidi said that saying Karachi is being ruled by Zardari’s “mafia”.

    When asked why PTI did not deliver on its promises to Karachi when Imran Khan was in power, the PTI leader was of the view that circumstances were different at the time, however, he admitted that the party could’ve done more.

    He also added that “Imran Khan is a figure whom everybody wants to be close with.”

    Answering Shehzad’s question about why Imran Khan didn’t visit the victims’ families of the 2020 PIA plane crash in Karachi, Zaidi said that he was overburned at the time.

    It is pertinent to mention that very few visits have been made by the-then prime minister Imran Khan to Karachi.

    Earlier this year, PTI suffered a major setback in Sindh local body elections when PTI Karachi Chapter President and Sindh Assembly lawmaker Khurram Sher Zaman suffered defeat in UC XI of Sadar Town for his nomination for Karachi mayor slot to the PPP candidate.

  • ‘Army Chief apna dushman samajhte hain, abb koyi baat karne ko tayyar nahin’: Khan’s shikwa with establishment

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has offered the establishment that he is willing to talk to them and clearly stated that he doesn’t have any enmity against the institution.

    Talking to journalists in Lahore on Friday, Khan claimed: “Aisy lagta hai Army Chief mujhe apna dushman samajhte hain, abb koyi baat karne ko tayyar nahin toh mei kya karon” (It seems like the Army Chief considers me his enemy, what should I do if no one is ready to talk with me).

    “COAS should himself find a corruption case against me”, he said, challenging the incumbent government to prove corruption charges against him and his wife Bushra bibi.

    The PTI supremo was of the view that Pakistan’s establishment “does not understand politics.”

    ‘Bajwa ne meri qamar mei chaaqu mara’: Imran Khan still naraz with ex-army chief

    Continuing his grievances with the former head of the army, the former prime minister alleged, “General retired former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Qamar Javed Bajwa ne meri qamar mei chaaqu mara” (Bajwa stabbed me in the back).

    He claimed Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman is still in touch with him. PTI supremo said Bajwa spoke against Russia in a speech and he should be court-martialed for that.

    He also revealed he decided not to fly to Islamabad at the eleventh hour after he got the news that the government wanted to arrest him from the airport and take him to Balochistan.

    Stating that he feels danger from those who are supposed to protect him, Imran Khan said that there is a recorded video of him about the threat to his life.

  • Ishaq Dar denies reports of financial emergency amidst economic turmoil

    Ishaq Dar denies reports of financial emergency amidst economic turmoil

    On Friday, Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Ishaq Dar denied reports suggesting Pakistan should impose a financial emergency, amidst constant criticism over the current economic turmoil. He berated Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for spreading “fake news” about Pakistan heading towards default. Dar blamed the previous PTI government for pushing the nation of 220 million people on the brink of default, claiming that it was the coalition government that saved the country by prioritising the state over politics.

    Dar recalled that when the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) ousted Khan through a no-confidence motion, the leaders of the coalition government had decided to keep aside all political interests in the wider interest of the state. He stated that the PTI leaders have been calling him out since the rupee plunged to a historic low of Rs285.09 a day earlier while February’s inflation hit nearly a 50-year high of 31.5 per cent.

    Expressing his surprise and concerns over Khan’s continuous criticism of the coalition government, he said: “I am unable to understate whether he (Khan) has a problem in his leg or brain.” Instead of protecting the national interest, PTI’s leadership tried to sabotage the International Monetary Fund (IMF) deal, Dar said. “Khan’s attitude is selfish.”

    According to Geo, Dar reiterated that Pakistan has neither defaulted in the past nor will it default in the future. Referring to Khan’s remarks about default, the finance minister said that the PTI chairman’s statements adversely affect the country’s financial markets. He, however, admitted that the State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) reserves fell below $3 billion. It should be noted that the liquid foreign reserves held by the country stand at around $9 billion as of February 24 while the net reserves held by commercial banks stand at around $5.5 billion.

    The finance minister revealed that China has renewed a facility under which Pakistan expected an additional inflow of $500 million in the “next few days”. He highlighted the PDM-led government’s economic achievements, stating that the foreign exchange reserves held by the SBP climbed to $3.8 billion from $2.8 billion recorded last month. He maintained that the government returned $6.5 billion of foreign debt during the current fiscal year.

    Dar drew a comparison between the economic performance of nearly four years of PTI and almost 11 months of PDM-led government. He shared numeric data to prove that Khan and Co. did everything to “destroy the country,” but the numbers show who is sincere with the country. Dar argued that the opposition — the PTI — has not really improved Pakistan’s standing. However, Pakistan will escape the economic quagmire, he said, adding that the country is making repayments to bilateral and multilateral lenders and has made payments beyond its capacity.

  • ‘Sit down!’: Maryam and Khan continue Twitter phaddah

    ‘Sit down!’: Maryam and Khan continue Twitter phaddah

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice-President Maryam Nawaz and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan continued their Twitter spat over the depreciation of the rupee against the dollar on Thursday.

    Calling out the Pakistan Democratic Movemnet (PDM)-led government for slaughtering the rupee and blaming the “regime change conspiracy” narrative imposed on Pakistanis by former army chief General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa, Khan tweeted, “Rupee slaughtered — lost over 62% or 110/$ in 11 months of PDM. This has increased public debt alone Rs 14.3 trn [trillion] & historic 75 yr high inflation 31.5%.”

    He added that Pakistanis are “paying [a] heavy price of regime change conspiracy where a bunch of criminals have been foisted upon nation by ex COAS”.

    Responding to Khan’s statement, Maryam snapped back at him dismissing his party for its three-year-long “incompetence”.

    “Mighty audacious of u to criticize those who’re undoing yr mess created through yr ruthless plunder, incompetence, misplaced priorities, cruel deal that you struck with IMF & then its breach that plunged the country into economic turmoil,” Maryam tweeted.

    Maryam then told Khan “So sit down!” in her tweet.

    “And let’s not forget to thank all those for this mayhem who handpicked and fed you for four years, as well as the remnants of their influence in the judiciary that you are now banking on,” the PML-N leader tweeted adding that it won’t be allowed again.

    “Won’t let that happen Insha’Allah,” Maryam added.

    The two indulged in a Twitter spat after the rupee plunged by nearly Rs19 against the US dollar today ahead of the central bank’s monetary policy review and amid concerns over a stalled International Monetary Fund (IMF) deal.

    Lat week, Maryam hit back at Khan on Twitter after he called her a spoilt brat in a tweet.

    “Shameless & calculated attacks on SC judges by PDM & spoilt brat Maryam, nurtured on corruption money, have one purpose only – to run away from elections even by violating Constitution,” tweeted Khan.

    Responding to Khan’s accusations, Maryam tweeted, “Oh, how the mighty have fallen! Your squeals are not amiss as you have been the king of conspiracies,thriving & surviving on them with the help of your Godfather Faiz & his vestiges.”

  • PTI’s Jail Bharo Tehreek ends; election campaign begins from March 4

    PTI’s Jail Bharo Tehreek ends; election campaign begins from March 4

    After Supreme Court (SC) passed its verdict in the suo Moto case of election dates in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday announced that his party would end its “Jail Bharo Tehreek (voluntary arrest movement)” and launch its election campaign on March 4 (Saturday).

    About the top court’s decision that elections will be held within 90 days, Khan praised the judiciary and said the nation stood with the court.

    However, he expressed fears that elections may not be held in 90 days, claiming that Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar tried to divide the judiciary.

    Slamming the federal minister’s views on the verdict, the PTI chief said: “His views on the Supreme Court verdict are shameful.”

    Khan added that since his government’s removal in April 2022, his party has won 30 by-polls out of 37.

    It is pertinent to mention that the elections in both provinces have been the core demand of PTI and the apex court’s verdict has been welcomed by the former ruling party.

  • ‘Feel embarassed’: Khan reacts to Amjad Shoaib’s photo in lock up

    ‘Feel embarassed’: Khan reacts to Amjad Shoaib’s photo in lock up

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has said that he felt “embarrassed as a Pakistani to witness the depths” the country has “sunk to” due to the “imported regime of a cabal of crooks and their handlers”.

    His comments came in reference to a photograph of defence analyst Lieutenant General (retd) Amjad Shoaib in a police cell, which went viral on social media platforms.

    “In desperation to cling to power and muzzle all dissenting voices, they have jailed a respected, patriotic Pakistani on sedition charges,” tweeted the PTI chief. 

    Shoaib was arrested by Islamabad police after a first information report (FIR) was registered against him on February 25 at Islamabad’s Ramna Police Station.

    According to the FIR, filed on the complaint of Islamabad Magistrate Owais Khan, the former army officer incited people to revolt against institutions and attempted to provoke disharmony and anarchy and create a law and order situation in the country through controversial statements he made on a TV show.

    In the complaint, Magistrate Khan said that the retired general — in an interview on BOL TV’s show ‘Imran Khan Bol Kay Saath’ aired on Saturday — passed statements that “incited government officials and Opposition from performing their government and legal duties”.

  • ‘Inka leader toh ghar baitha huva hai’: Justice Nasira Iqbal slams Jail Bharro Tehreek

    Justice (R) Nasira Iqbal has criticised the ongoing Jail Bharro Tehreek (voluntary arrest movement) initiated by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), saying that she is unable to understand the purpose behind it.

    Justice Nasir, mother to incarcerated PTI leader Waleed Iqbal, was asked by Voice.pk whether she will file bail for her son, said: “Did I ask him to go? I told him that this act is not appropriate”.

    Not mincing her words when it came to PTI Chairman Imran Khan, Justice Nasira said, “Jo leader in ka bana huva hai, woh toh ghar betha huva hai bail before arrest li huvi ha” (Their leader is sitting at home and has obtained bail before arrest).

    She quoted Gandhi as an example, stating that he was an actual leader who gave his arrest first. She said that while Imran himself is at home, he has asked others to present themselves for arrest.

    The judge was of the view that instead of the movement, they all should be focusing on campaigning for elections. She predicted that elections are going to take place in the next 40 days.

    She also talked about the other PTI leaders who are being kept in different jails. She said that at first, they all were in Kot Lakhpat Jail, however, later they were transferred because of space constraints.

  • Non-bailable warrants issued for Imran Khan Toshakhana case; bail granted in prohibited funding, terrorism cases

    Non-bailable warrants issued for Imran Khan Toshakhana case; bail granted in prohibited funding, terrorism cases

    An Islamabad court has issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan in the Toshakhana case.

    The district and sessions court heard the Toshakhana case where Khan’s lawyer Ali Bukhari and Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) lawyer Saad Hasan were present in court. The hearing of the case was conducted by judge Zafar Iqbal.

    Khan’s lawyer informed the court that PTI chief will not be able to appear in the court today. Bukhari requested the court to adjourn the hearing for five days. The court had repeatedly asked Khan to appear at the hearing. However, Khan failed to do so, citing his injured leg and security reasons.

    The Election Comission of Pakistan’s (ECP) counsel opposed the request, saying the PTI chief did not want to appear before the court. “It is not the court’s concern how far the party head is travelling from to reach the court.”

    He pointed out that Imran could also appear before that court if he was coming to the judicial complex.

    The PTI lawyer said his client could come to the court when he was free of the other two cases within the judicial operational timings.

    “He should also come here as indictment is pending. Once indicted, he can head to the other courts,” the judge responded.

    Khan arrived at Islamabad’s judicial complex on Tuesday afternoon to attend two separate hearings of prohibited funding and terrorism cases filed against him.

    Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) Judge Raja Jawad Abbas approved Khan’s interim bail until March 9 in the terrorism case, while banking court Judge Rakhshinda Shaheen confirmed bail for the PTI chief in the prohibited funding case.

    Khan was required to appear in person in four different cases in Islamabad courts today. The foreign funding case is in a banking court and the terrorism case is in an anti-terrorism court located inside the judicial complex, while Toshakhana and attempted murder cases will be heard at a sessions’ court in F-8 Kacheri.

    A large number of PTI workers entered the judicial complex with Khan’s entourage, knocking down its gate and creating chaos as the former Prime Minister’s car arrived at the Complex.

    Security arrangements at Sector G-11 of the Judicial Complex were disrupted as PTI workers removed all barriers. Meanwhile, security has also been tightened at the F-8 kachehri.

    Islamabad Police also took to Twitter and said, “A suspicious person was identified in the crowd. The man was wearing a camouflage jacket and a black cap and was near Imran Khan’s car. People are requested not to form a crowd. Otherwise tear gas can be used.”

    The banking court postponed the proceedings scheduled for all the cases against Khan, citing security concerns. 

    The court had summoned the PTI chief to appear before it today in the prohibited funding case.

    An anti-terrorism court granted interim bail to the PTI chair in the terrorism case filed against him after countrywide protests following his disqualification in the Toshakhana reference.

    ATC judge Raja Jawad heard the case and granted bail till March 9.

  • Govts spent Rs65m on foreign tours in one year, Rs57m on vehicles

    Govts spent Rs65m on foreign tours in one year, Rs57m on vehicles

    The National Assembly (NA) was informed on Monday that an amount of Rs65.21 million (Rs6,521,1504) was spent on the foreign visits of federal ministers, state ministers, and advisors and special assistants to the PM from January 1, 2022 to December 2022. 

    In response to a question asked by Ghous Bux Mahar of the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), the lower house was informed about the amount spent on the foreign visits.

    According to the report published in The News, “The list presented by the Cabinet Division, Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Abdul Qadir Patel tops the list with expenditure of Rs10.42 million (Rs10,420,163) incurred on his foreign visits, while Rs3.78 million was spent on Minister for Board of Investment Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Rs4.91 million (Rs49,14,459) on the foreign visits of Minister for Climate Change Senator Sherry Rehman, Rs1.84 million (Rs1,846,632) on the foreign visits of Minister for Communication Maulana Asad Mehmood, Rs5.89 million (Rs5,893. 142) on the foreign visits of Commerce Minister Syed Naveed Qamar, Rs9.35 lakh on the foreign visits of ex-minister for defense production Zubaida Jalal, Rs2.5 million (Rs2,586,321) on the foreign visits of Minister for Defense Production Israr Tareen, Rs3.167 million (Rs3,167,951) on the foreign visits of Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Rs2.60 million (Rs2,604,456) on the foreign visits of Khurram Dastgir, Rs3.5 million (Rs3,500,222) on the foreign visits of Minister of State for Energy (Petroleum Division) Dr Musadik Malik, Rs1.5 million (Rs1,529,964) on the foreign visits of ex-minister for economic affairs Omar Ayub Khan, Rs9.12 lakh on the foreign visits of ex-minister for federal education and professional training Shafqat Mehmood, Rs178,401 on the foreign visits of federal minister for federal education and professional training Rana Tanveer Hussain, Rs912,239 on the foreign visits of ex-finance minister senator Shaukat Tarin, Rs4.59 million (Rs4,569, 160) on the foreign visits of ex-finance minister Miftah Ismael, Rs2.45 million (Rs2,451,289) on the foreign visits of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Rs4.096 million (Rs4,096, 290) on the foreign visits of Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Aisha Ghaus, Rs1.54 million (Rs1,541.475) on the foreign visits of Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Ehsan-ur-Rehman Mazari, Rs619,157 on the foreign visits of Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Rs1.8 million (Rs1.849,433) on the foreign visits of Minister for Information Technology Syed Aminul Haq, Rs818,646 on the foreign visits of Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar, Rs805,954 on the foreign visits of Minister for Maritimes Affairs Senator Faisal Sabzwari, Rs3.117 million (Rs3,117,488) on the foreign visits of Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Sajid Hussain Turi, Rs1.58 million (Rs1,587,652) on the foreign visits of Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Justice Shazia Marri and Rs791,256 on the foreign visits of Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Mufti Abdul Shakoor.”

    “Similarly, Rs39,850 was spent on the visits of ex-advisor to the PM on national security Moeed Yousaf to Kabul and Rs19,296 on China visit. Ex-Advisor to the PM on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood spent Rs466.285 and Rs481,854 on visits to Dubai.”

    “An amount of Rs328,332 was spent on the foreign visits of ex-SAPM on social protection and poverty alleviation Dr Sania Nishtar to Dubai, Rs195,309 on the foreign visit of ex-SAPM on climate change Malik Amin Aslam to Saudi Arabia, Rs457,383 on the foreign visit of ex-SAPM on tourism coordination Azam Jamil to Dubai and Rs1,437,139 on the visit of SAPM on poverty alleviation Faisal Karim Kundi to Egypt and Rs1,333,960 on visit to Istanbul.”

    “It was informed that Rs57.36 million (Rs573,260,000) had been spent on the purchase of eight new vehicles for the protocol squad of foreign guests.”

    “In a written reply to a question by Sikandar Ali Rahoupoto, the National Assembly was informed that the vehicles include one 29 seater Toyota VIP Coaster (Model 2022) costing Rs17,154,000, 14 seater Toyota high roof van (Model 2022) costing Rs10,772,000 and six 1800cc Toyota Corolla Cars (Model 2022) coting Rs29,400,000.”