Tag: Imran Khan

  • Key person in Judge Arshad Malik’s scandal speaks up

    Key person in Judge Arshad Malik’s scandal speaks up

    Mian Saleem Raza, a key character in the Judge Arshad Malik’s video sandal, has said that a senior official of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) met him in London in the first week of October 2019 asking him to make a false confessional statement against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif or face financial ruin including being added in the “most wanted terrorists” list, reports The News.

    When the video scandal first came to light, it was alleged by Shahzad Akbar, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s former accountability minister, that it was Raza who had paid Rs.20 million to Mian Tariq to buy a secretly filmed private video of the accountability judge. Raza, however, rejected all allegations of blackmail against him made by the FIA and Shahzad Akbar.

    “I told him I cannot lie about Nawaz Sharif because he had no connection of any kind with Judge Arshad Malik’s video scandals. He threatened that I will meet a very horrible fate and that my whole family will suffer if I didn’t cooperate. He promised that I will pay a big financial price and will be added to the list of terrorists. Every threat he made was executed later on. When the FIA officer kept calling me, I switched off my phone as he was threatening me and causing me stress,” Raza narrated.

    “The same official (who followed me to London) had visited my house in Lahore in 2019 with two other FIA officials on July 7 and 8, after Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s press conference in Model Town with other PML-N leaders. The FIA officials told me they were prepared to organise a meeting with Shahzad Akbar if I agreed to become a witness against Nawaz Sharif,” shared Raza who has not returned to Pakistan since July 2019.

    Raza’s name was added to the “most wanted terrorists” list after one of the main accused Tariq told FIA on October 1, 2019, in an alleged confessional statement that he had sold out the immoral video of the former accountability court judge to Raza for Rs.20 million.

    Raza said that he told the FIA in Lahore that he had visited Nawaz Sharif in Kot Lakhpat jail several times but all meetings were held in the presence of others and the ex-premier never asked him for anything, never gave him any task and never discussed anything about his legal cases.

    “I told the FIA that Nawaz Sharif knew me only as his follower who loved him, visited him in jail and followed him everywhere. The FIA didn’t like this factual statement and asked me to lie and say that he (Nawaz Sharif) had asked me and arranged money to pay to Mian Tariq but I told them this was not true. They told me that I should lie and have a comfortable life or else they will make my life difficult. They were asking me why I met Nawaz Sharif so many times in jail. They were not interested in the truth so I decided to flee from Pakistan to save my life,” he added.

    “Judge Arshad Malik visited my home in Lahore’s Dharam Pura on July 1, 2019, on his own accord with Mian Tariq in his official car but without his security protocol. I didn’t know that Tariq will bring a judge to my house, I found it was Malik after he entered into my house.”

    “Judge Arshad Malik openly told people whom he met that he was regretful and felt guilty that he had convicted Nawaz Sharif. He told the same to me when I met him. He told me that Nawaz Sharif was an innocent man who was wronged to manipulate elections and deprive him of power. Malik told me and others he could not sleep at night after convicting Nawaz Sharif wrongly and felt so guilty in conscience that he wanted to do a press conference to tell the world how he was blackmailed to convict Nawaz Sharif.”

    “Arshad Malik asked to convey his apologies and regrets to Nawaz Sharif during my next visit to jail but I told him that Nawaz Sharif will not like such a thing and I told him that it was not my place to convey such messages as this will upset Nawaz Sharif. He was insisting but I told him I was not in a position to do that. I never passed any message to Nawaz Sharif or anyone in the Sharif family. I had no other role or dealing with him as I had no other means to guide him on what to do. I have no idea how he got introduced to Nasir Butt,” he stated.

    “After the video scandal broke out, Mian Tariq was tortured in custody by the FIA and treated like a terrorist to the extent that half of his body was paralysed. He was tortured until he agreed to make a false statement against me to save his life. He took back his statement against me as soon as he was out on bail and told me that he was tortured to make the confessional statement. He has become a living tragedy and Shahzad Akbar was the one who ordered his torture to make Imran Khan happy,” he added.

    “I had never met any of them before but the FIA and Shahzad Akbar lied that I conspired with them. I had no relation with any videos, payments or anything like that.”

    Raza has called on Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah to look into his case and hold an independent inquiry into the conduct of the FIA against him. “I request Rana Sanaullah and PM Shehbaz Sharif to look into my case and remove my name from the list of most wanted terrorists. I have not committed any crime. I want to visit my country and family as a free man and I need clearance. I have done nothing wrong by not lying about Nawaz Sharif,” he appealed.

    “The FIA didn’t spare my children even in school. I don’t blame the PTI government but I do want to ask Shahzad Akbar why he did this to me. What happened to me and other innocent people in this case is a crime against humanity. My family life and business are ruined just because I refused to lie and implicate Nawaz Sharif,” the former trader from Lahore said.

    Living in London ever since the video scandal, Raza said his own family and friends abandoned him after he got into difficulties and he was treated for depression and mental trauma in London. “I got courage after seeing what happened to Nawaz Sharif and how he had to pay a heavy personal and political price. I will request the government of Pakistan to look into my case and help me get justice,” he concluded.

  • ‘I think our team looks good, we might just win the final’: Imran Khan

    ‘I think our team looks good, we might just win the final’: Imran Khan

    Imran Khan, the chairman of PTI, expressed high hopes for the victory of Pakistan’s cricket team in the Twenty20 World Cup final.

    “I’m confident that Pakistan has a team capable of winning the World Cup InshAllah,” Imran Khan said, speaking at Piers Morgan’s TalkTV show.

    Imran Khan, who was delighted with the Men in Green’s thrilling victory, compared it to the 1992 World Cup, saying, “We overcame New Zealand in the semifinal and then we played England in the final.”

    The victory has brought much-needed encouragement to the Green Shirts, who are now looking forward to the final, Khan stated with a smile. “The entire country is celebrating the success,” he said.

    “I think our team looks good. I think we might just win the final.”

    The group led by Babar Azam prevailed by seven wickets in the semifinals. The Men in Green easily attained the 153-run mark that the Black Caps had set for Pakistan.

    Mohammad Rizwan, the wicketkeeper-batsman, and captain Babar Azam combined for a 105-run partnership. The partnership was broken when New Zealand dismissed Babar for 53 in the 12th over. Pakistan needed to make 47 runs off of 43 balls at that point.

    But the Men In Green had made significant progress by that point. The scoreboard was maintained moving along by Rizwan and Mohammad Haris till the wicketkeeper went out caught at run out at 57.

    The final ball of the 19th over resulted in Haris being caught at short fine leg. Pakistan won the game by seven wickets in the very next over.

  • ‘My eldest son always wanted me out of politics’: Imran Khan

    ‘My eldest son always wanted me out of politics’: Imran Khan

    Imran Khan, the Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and former Prime Minister has said in an interview that his life was in danger and he received immense death threats when he was campaigning against the incumbent government that was “imposed on the nation”.

    Talking to British television presenter Piers Morgan, he said, “I came into politics to fight these two families. When they brought them back through a conspiracy and imposed them on us, I decided that I was not going to sit at home.”

    The former premier again named PM Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and an intelligence officer as the conspirators behind the assassination attempt on him in Wazirabad. He urged Chief Justice (CJ) Umar Ata Bandial to look into the matter.

    Talking about slain journalist Arshad Sharif, he said, “He was hounded out of Pakistan, and the same intelligence officers were involved”.

    Narrating the firing incident, the PTI chief said the firing of shots sounded like firecrackers. “It felt like a burning sensation”, Khan recalled.

    He again claimed that there were two shooters at the scene who attacked him.

    Khan said that it took him two hours after the attack to reach Shaukat Khanum Hospital, Lahore from Wazirabad.

    “I went to the hospital after a two hours drive, and the moment I got there I spoke to my sons and of course to my wife. My wife was remarkable. The fact I was safe, she was relieved but my boys were worried.”

    Imran disclosed that his eldest son [Sulaiman] always differed with his decision to join politics. “He was quite worried when I was shot”, he said.

    “Sulaiman is very sensitive, he always wanted me to out of politics,” Imran said.

    “The moment my legs heal, I am going to be out again,” Khan said, during the interview. He claimed that he could be attacked again.

    “People are so worried in my country, I never had this feeling before because they know the guys who missed this time, they would try again,” Khan added.

    He also said that his party [PTI] is going to sweep elections this time.

    The PTI chief said his remarks about the significance of Pakistan’s ties with the United States (US) had always been clear.

    “It’s a superpower,” Imran said in response to a question. He underlined that it was unthinkable that one would not want to have good ties with the US.

    “I have only one issue. Pakistan-US relationships have been like a transactional master-slave relationship. We degrade ourselves, I think we allow ourselves to be used like a tissue paper,” he stressed.

    He said he wanted a relationship that mirrors the one that the USA has with India.

    Commenting on the election of Rishi Sunak as the first-Indian origin British PM, Imran said he was surprised at his election.

    “I must confess that I never thought that a day would come that Britain would be ready for an Indian-origin PM,” Imran said.

  • Sharif brothers agree on resisting PTI pressure: reports

    Sharif brothers agree on resisting PTI pressure: reports

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif agreed not to succumb under Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) pressure, especially on their Chairman Imran Khan’s key demand of early elections, reports Geo News.

    The Premier, who is currently in London, had a meeting that lasted for over three hours with only Nawaz, Maryam Nawaz, Suleman Sharif, Hasan and Hussain Nawaz and a few other family members present. No one from the party was asked to join the meeting.

    Nawaz told Shehbaz to “continue doing his best to take Pakistan out of the economic crisis” and “not succumb to any kind of pressure”.

    According to the news report, when Shehbaz Sharif was asked if he will be discussing the appointment of the next army chief with his sibling, the PM said: “I have come today to meet my elder brother and my family. I am meeting them and their children after a long time.”

    After the end of the meeting, he was again pressed as to when the next chief of army staff will be appointed but the PM dodged the question, stating instead that the meeting was a family get together with and said: “ my brother, my nieces, my nephews and rest of the family too. We had lunch, gup shup and congratulations to all of you on Pakistan’s (cricket) win.”

    This visit to London is the third such trip since Shehbaz became prime minister in April. Sharif’s visit to London comes two weeks before the end of General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s tenure. The army chief is set to retire on November 29.

    It has been reported that Shehbaz will consult Nawaz on the appointment of the Pakistan army chief.

  • Khan-Bajwa friendship kharab honay lagi when Bajwa told Khan to make Aleem Khan Punjab CM and Khan said no

    Khan-Bajwa friendship kharab honay lagi when Bajwa told Khan to make Aleem Khan Punjab CM and Khan said no

    Former Prime Minister and Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, in an exclusive interview to Dawn, talked about his relationship with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Qamar General Javed Bajwa.

    “The army chief wanted me to appoint Aleem Khan [as CM Punjab] and I wouldn’t. Because not only were there NAB cases against him, he had occupied and sold land worth millions belonging to the government,” Imran Khan said while discussing how his infamously close relationship with the Chief went sour.

    “We always thought they were just allegations. And he defended himself. But when I asked the vice chairman of the LDA [about Aleem], he showed me on a map how Aleem Khan had occupied government land. This was around the end of my second year, and beginning of the third of my government, said Khan while answering a question why did he include Aleem in his party.

    “They were organised, you could get their help, we were on the same page regarding foreign policy. It was just the last six months, the issue of them making deals with these crooks when they should be behind bars,” he added.

    Imran Khan talked about former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who also had a falling out with the establishment. “The army was going after these people before I came to power. 95 per cent of these cases preceded my government. The Nawaz Sharif case, the Avenfield case… he would not have got convicted had the army not provided the two brigadiers in the JITs — that was before me.”

    Admitting that he doesn’t know about the internal politics of the army, Imran emphasized that his relationship with them was “going well”, however, “Later, I discovered there was a big issue going on about the next army chief. I had never ever thought about who the army chief would be in November — why would I care, if it’s on merit? It should be the best person. It matters to the Sharifs and Zardari… but not to me.”

    Imran further said that he was hopeful that the Army would help him when he will try to bring rule of law in the country, adding “NAB was controlled by the army. I couldn’t do anything. They would say, ‘yes there are cases, we are working on it’. But nothing would happen. I discovered that, actually, the establishment controlled NAB and proceeded as it wanted… It was to control politicians by having files about their corruption. They would squeeze someone, but then he would be out on bail.”

    Talking about the allegations that General Faiz Hamid is his man, Khan said, “General Faiz was the only general I knew, because he was working with me as the ISI chief… and I didn’t know anyone else. I told Gen Bajwa ‘I will take your recommendations because I don’t know the other guys’, but at the time my worry was Afghanistan. I feared it would go into civil war. And I felt Americans would blame us and we would be sanctioned. Ashraf Ghani told me there are 300,000 Afghan soldiers and they will be outnumbered. Not just Ashraf Ghani, ISI was telling us there will be civil war [in Afghanistan]. I wanted Gen Faiz to stay till the winter till the transition happened,” he stated.

  • ‘I am captain who brought neutral umpires’: IK on whether he wants military out of politics or not

    ‘I am captain who brought neutral umpires’: IK on whether he wants military out of politics or not

    Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has said that he is the one who in the entire history of the game, brought in a neutral umpire to get fair results.

    Khan was talking on TRT World’s “The Newsmakers” with Andrea Sanke, when the anchor asked, “You want the military out of Pakistan’s politics, or do you want the military on your side in Pakistan’s politics?”

    Khan replied: “Let me say one thing. In the two hundred year history of test cricket, and international cricket, I am the captain who brought the neutral umpires. I am the one who actually brought in the neutral umpires in cricket because we wanted a fair result.”

    “You must understand, for me right now, the most important thing in Pakistan is how do we get out of the quagmire, how do we get out of this situation”, he stated.

    During the interview, Khan again mentioned the names of PM Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and Major General Faisal Naseer as the minds behind the assassination attempt on his life. “We are governed by criminals”, Khan said.

    He reiterated that he wants an independent investigation. “We are a popular party in Punjab but we couldn’t get a case registered against them because the provincial police refused,” he told the host.

    “If they turned out to be innocent in the investigation so it’s fine. At least it’s my right, they almost killed me”, Khan said.

    He claimed that all the investigative agencies in the country are under these three people [Shehbaz, Sanaullah and Faisal Naseer].

    About Naveed, the gunman who shot at the former Prime Minister, Imran Khan said, “After 20 minutes of the incident, a man appears and says that I shot Imran”.

    Khan raised a question: “Who brought him on television? Police are not allowed to do this unless a proper investigation is carried out.”

    Stressing that he was more determined now, Imran Khan said that he was expecting something to happen. “I predicted this four months ago that there was a plot against me,” he said.

    Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former prime minister and a senior leader of the ruling coalition, also spoke with The Newsmakers and called the allegations levelled by Khan tragic. “It is a tragedy that a person of Imran Khan’s stature, who served as the prime minister of the country, would stoop so low to accuse the [sitting] prime minister and intelligence officials of being behind this shooting,” he said.

    Abbasi said the shooting took place in a province that Khan’s PTI party controls and called for an investigation to ascertain the motivation behind this shooting. “The shooter has been arrested and the truth should come out. I think for Imran Khan to speculate and try to gain political points out of this is something that is very much not acceptable,” Abbasi said.

    Imran Khan rejected Abbasi’s statement, saying he does not need popularity gained by accusing others.

    Khan called on the Chief Justice (CJ) of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial to be “more assertive” when it comes to dispensing justice.

    “Justice persists when every person, even the most powerful, is brought under the rule of law. I, as the head of a province, can’t get the three people to be investigated, imagine what the situation will be for the common man,” he said, adding that PTI’s movement for “real struggle” demanded rule of law.

  • Suggestions are being made to govt to let COAS Bajwa continue

    Suggestions are being made to govt to let COAS Bajwa continue

    Suggestions are being made to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the leadership of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) by “certain elements” to convince Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa to continue as the head of the armed forces, reports The News.

    According to the newspaper’s sources, a suggestion was given to the government to give an extension to the incumbent army chief, and dissolve the government so that an interim government could form which would then continue for six to seven months.

    However, it has been reported that the party has said “no” to these options. PM Shehbaz and his senior party leadership insist on completing the term of the present assemblies and holding the next elections in October-November 2023. According to the party, the appointment of the COAS is at the discretion of the Premier and key military appointments would be made as per the law and Constitution.

    It is pertinent to mention that COAS Bajwa is set to retire by the end of November, a time frame that he has reportedly verbally confirmed multiple times.

    It was also reported a few weeks ago that Imran Khan, former Prime Minister and Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has been seeking the continuation of the incumbent army chief until the new elections are called.

    In an interview with Kamran Khan on Dunya News, Khan suggested that COAS Bajwa, be given an extension in his tenure of service.

    Talking about the possibility of appointing a new Army Chief, Khan said, “There can be a provision in relevance to the selection of the new COAS. When the next government comes, they can appoint a new COAS.”

  • PM Shehbaz writes letter to CJ asking to form judicial commission to investigate attack on Imran

    PM Shehbaz writes letter to CJ asking to form judicial commission to investigate attack on Imran

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has written a letter to Chief Justice (CJ) Umar Ata Bandial to request him to form a judicial commission to investigate the attempted assassination on Imran Khan, Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

    The premier said that the investigation of the incident was being “mishandled” and in its aftermath a “derogatory campaign” had been launched against the leadership of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and state institutions.

    Putting forward five questions before the SC, Shehbaz Sharif has asked which law enforcement agencies were responsible to provide security to Imran’s convoy. He also questioned whether security protocols and other SOPs were put in place to secure the convoy and whether these protocols were adhered to. “What are the facts of the incident itself,” the letter says.

    “Whether law enforcement agencies and administrative authorities complied with the prescribed investigation, evidence collection, and handling procedures following the incident,” reads the letter.

    The last questions were: “Whether the investigation into the incident is being deliberately impeded? If yes, by which actors and why? Whether the shooting was a result of a criminal conspiracy hatched to assassinate Imran or the act of a lone shooter? Who are the actors responsible in either scenario?”

    PM’s letter to CJ about Arshad Sharif’s death

    In another letter to the SC, PM Shehbaz — who is currently in Egypt—wrote a letter to CJ Bandial and sought the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the death of slain journalist Arshad Sharif.

    The journalist was killed in a “mistaken identity” case last month in Kenya by local police.

    The Premier suggested the CJ focus on five questions — through which procedure did Arshad Sharif go abroad in August 2022? Who facilitated Sharif’s departure abroad? Was any federal or provincial agency aware of any threat to Sharif? Was any organisation or administration aware of any threat to Sharif? If Sharif’s life was in danger, what steps were taken to save him? What were the circumstances, and reasons under which Sharif went to Kenya from UAE? What is the truth behind the shooting incident in which Sharif died?

    The premier asked the chief justice to form a commission comprising all the justices of the SC. He also assured the apex court that the federal government would provide full support to the commission.

  • IK doesn’t mention intelligence officer name who he holds responsible for assassination attempt

    IK doesn’t mention intelligence officer name who he holds responsible for assassination attempt

    In an interview with CNN’s Becky Anderson, former Prime Minister Imran Khan named two of the three people he has alleged are behind the attack on him, however he surprisingly did not name the third person.

    Talking to Anderson, the Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) said that three bullets were removed from his right leg while some shrapnel was left inside his left leg and that it would take him “four to six weeks” to resume his activities after the assassination attempt in Wazirabad.

    Khan also said that there were two shooters and hinted at the possibility of a third gunman. “There was this guy who fired the first volley … then there was another volley [that] came in over our heads because we were falling,” he added, terming the attack a “planned assassination attempt”.

    He also alleged that a cover-up of the incident was underway, saying that is why he had called for an independent investigation and for three people to resign — who Khan claims are responsible for the attack. Khan then named Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and mentioned a senior intelligence official but surprisingly did not name him during the interview.

    When asked about the source of his pre-emptive information about the attack, Khan referred to his term in power and said he had “connections with intelligence agencies.”

    “How did I get the information? From within the intelligence agencies. Why? Because most people are appalled by what is going on in this country. What is happening in Pakistan is unprecedented,” he told CNN, adding that if his allegations were wrong, then an inquiry would prove them wrong. He questioned that he could, as the intended target of the attack, “not name the people I’m suspicious of planning this attempt on me.”

    The former Premier also alleged that two months ago, an agency produced a video that accused him of blasphemy. He stressed that his opponents had “picked up and ran with” the video while he had said right then at the time that it was a “planned thing”.

  • PTI rejects FIR against Imran Khan’s attempted assassination

    PTI rejects FIR against Imran Khan’s attempted assassination

    A First Report Information (FIR) has been registered against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s attempted assassination in Wazirabad almost a week after the tragic incident.

    The FIR has been lodged at the City Police Station in Wazirabad with sub-inspector Aamir Shahzad as the complainant.

    The prime suspect, Naveed, who was captured at the crime scene, has been nominated in the FIR. The report was registered under various charges including terrorism, murder and attempt to murder with sections 302, 324, 440 and Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 included.

    According to the FIR, Imran Khan and other PTI leaders were headed to Wazirabad from Allahwala Chowk, when at 4pm, the accused, Naveed opened fire from the left side of the container, killing Muazzam son of Nawaz of Bharoki Cheema, who was a participant in the rally. Moreover, the FIR says the gun attack left Imran Khan wounded.

    PTI’s leaders have categorically rejected the FIR, while social media was flooded with the party’s supporters dismissing the report.

    PTI’s Secretary General Asad Umar tweeted, “The reality of the established system in the country came to the public. Not a few individuals, but the whole system was exposed to the nation.”

    PTI’s senior leader Fawad Chaudhry pointed out that the names of Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and Major General Faisal were not mentioned in the FIR and thus the party rejected it.

    PTI leader Shireen Mazari said the FIR was an “attempt at a complete cover up by the three accused through the power of their positions and the state.”

    PTI leader Hammad Azhar also discredited the FIR and said the FIR should be re-named “NRO”.

    The FIR was registered after the Supreme Court (SC) on Monday directed Faisal Shahkar, Inspector General (IG) of Punjab Police, to register it.

    The Chief Justice (CJ), Umar Ata Bandial, warned that the court would take suo motu notice if the FIR of the attack was not registered within 24 hours.