Tag: Imran Khan

  • ‘Kya Imran Khan ne hum se poocha jab army chief ko extension deni thi?’ Shehbaz lambasts Khan

    ‘Kya Imran Khan ne hum se poocha jab army chief ko extension deni thi?’ Shehbaz lambasts Khan

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday, September 27, stressed that the appointment of the new army chief will be through “law and constitution” and that “everyone is going to follow it”.

    “They want to bring their own army chief… they are afraid that if a strong and patriotic army chief is appointed then he would ask them about the looted wealth,” the PTI chief had said about the government at a rally in Faisalabad earlier this month.

    Imran had also called out the incumbent government for consulting an “absconder” and “convict” — former Prime Minister and PML-N Supremo Nawaz Sharif — for the crucial decision, claiming that it was against the Constitution.

    At the press conference today, Shehbaz asked, “Did Imran Khan consult us before giving an extension to the army chief?”

    He also said that he didn’t see anything wrong in consulting Nawaz. “What’s the point of criticising my talks with Nawaz? He is my leader and I discussed Pakistan’s issues with him,” he asserted.

    The premier termed the audio leaks between key figures in the coalition government a “very serious lapse” as he announced that a high-level committee would be constituted to probe the matter.

    Shehbaz said the “audio leaks” scandal was a critical matter and he was in the process of forming a high-level committee to probe into it.

    “Who is going to visit the Pakistani prime minister from overseas now?” the PM questioned. “This scandal has put the prestige of a 220 million-strong nation at stake.”

    “I am taking notice of this and a committee will be formed and reach the depth of this matter,” PM Shehbaz said.

    Audio recordings of conversations between key government figures — including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz and some members of the federal cabinet — discussing governance matters privately surfaced over the weekend, prompting concerns over the security of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

    Sharif said that previously several audios relating to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan were leaked but no questions were raised on that. “Have you heard the conversation about diamonds? About the piece of land that was given to them as a gift? You don’t talk about it but you are discussing this matter,” said the PM.

    “Imran Niazi brutally used his force to target opponents,” he reminded the media.

    “He called [ex-FIA DG] Bashir Memon to his office and asked him to file cases against his rivals. This is on record. Did I amend the policy, there is no question about it. You must do justice. I will apologise to the nation if I did something wrong.”

    “Imran also sold Toshakhana gifts, why aren’t those audios being leaked. The audios on the increase in sugar prices should surface […] this is a billion-rupee scam.”

    “Imran said he will form a commission. Was anyone caught, was anyone punished? Billions of dollars from Pakistan were wasted,” the prime minister pointed out, claiming that Imran’s “corruption is a long saga”.

    Shehbaz said that Imran did not spare any opportunity of “Dividing the army and institutions”, highlighting that the PTI chief was creating polarisation which could take the country towards destruction.

    “This is an alarm bell. This man is a risk to the country,” he concluded.

  • ‘Donald Lu kisko paigham de raha tha?’ Khan asks crowd as they answer ‘neutrals, neutrals’

    ‘Donald Lu kisko paigham de raha tha?’ Khan asks crowd as they answer ‘neutrals, neutrals’

    The crowd attending a speech by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan at Government College (GC) burst out into chants of “neutrals” when the former Prime Minister talked about how he was removed from power. Neutrals is an euphemism for the military establishment.

    Khan questioned the crowd, “Who did the United States (US) diplomat Donald Lu ask to remove me from power?”

    The crowd in response started chanting, “neutrals, neutrals”.

    Khan once again asked them to repeat what they were chanting.

    The response was still the same and the PTI chairman appreciated them by saying “You have passed the first test.”

    After Khan’s address, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz took to Twitter and condemned the Vice-Chancellor of GC University for desecrating an educational institution by organising a jalsa on the premises.

    “Using a seat of learning for political hate-mongering is a crime that should not go unpunished,” tweeted Maryam, adding, “Strict action must be taken against Vice Chancellor Government College Uni for desecrating an educational institution by lending it to a Fitna & organising his jalsa on the premises.”

  • Khan claims more audio leaks of Maryam Nawaz are on the way

    Khan claims more audio leaks of Maryam Nawaz are on the way

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan reacting to the audio leaks of Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif and other Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders including Vice-president Maryam Nawaz, has said that Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja should resign from his post.

    Addressing students at Government College University in Lahore on Monday, Khan said that the audio leaks had made it clear that CEC Raja was a “Servant of the Sharif household”.

    After the audio leaks, the CEC should resign if he has even an ounce of shame, said Khan. “But he doesn’t [have any shame], so we will have to make him resign,” he told the students gathered there to listen to him.

    Khan also alleged that the CEC had blocked the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) on the instructions of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari.

    “I kept on trying to introduce EVMs for three years […] But this man, on the instructions of Nawaz and Zardari, who rely on false votes, did not allow EVMs,” he claimed.

    He continued that in the coming days, there would be more “episodes” in audio leaks saga.

    “I am hearing that a [recording] will surface where Maryam will tell abba jee [Nawaz] that the election commission has said they will disqualify Imran Khan in the Toshakhana case and that there is no need to worry,” he said.

    “This is the [state of the] election commission.”

    Earlier today, PTI’s Fawad Chaudhry had termed the slew of audio recordings a “major security lapse” and demanded a “thorough investigation” to expose those responsible.

    He said that the PM Office is unsafe from cyber attacks, adding audio files up to 340 hours were leaked but no institution was aware of it.

    “We [PTI] spent a lot of money to provide the latest equipment to agencies.”

    He claimed that the government is in talks with hackers and purchasing data that was put up for sale on the dark web.

    “The hacker has said that the explosive audio is yet to be released,” Fawad said.

    On Saturday, September 24, alleged audios of PM Shehbaz and other Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders leaked online.

    In one of the audio clips, PML-N Vice-president Maryam Nawaz allegedly can be heard complaining to her uncle [PM Shehbaz] about Finance Minister Miftah Ismail.

    The second clip allegedly concerns a conversation between PM Shehbaz, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Law Minister Azam Tarar, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and former National Assembly (NA) speaker Ayaz Sadiq about the resignations of PTI MNAs. The audio is said to be a recording of a cabinet meeting.

    Party leaders can be allegedly heard discussing whose resignations from PTI will be accepted. Moreover, the leaders can be heard saying that the final decision will be taken by PML-N Supremo Nawaz Sharif who is in London.

  • ‘Mujrimon ki aiyashiaan hui vi hain, choron ki eid hui vi hai’: Imran Khan on Ishaq Dar’s possible return to Pakistan

    ‘Mujrimon ki aiyashiaan hui vi hain, choron ki eid hui vi hai’: Imran Khan on Ishaq Dar’s possible return to Pakistan

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan while speaking on Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Ishaq Dar’s possible return to Pakistan said that the criminals are having a great time and theives are enjoying Eid.

    “Mujrimon ki aiyashiaan hui vi hain, choron ki eid hui vi hai [Criminals are having a great time, and the thieves are enjoying Eid]. There corruption cases are slowly being forgiven,” said Khan while speaking to journalist Abbas Shabbir.

    “This is the reason these thieves [came into power], ” said Khan.

    When asked that there is news circulating that PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif is returning to Pakistan, Khan said, “Nawaz Sharif ka bara acha istaqbal hoga [Nawaz Sharif will receive a rousing welcome.]

    An accountability court on Friday, September 23, suspended the arrest warrant issued against Dar and dismissed orders for arrest upon his arrival in Pakistan.

    Accountability court judge Mohammad Bashir issued the orders, stating that once Dar returns to Pakistan, the court will decide whether it should revoke his arrest orders permanently or not.

    “We will consider permanently suspending Dar’s arrest warrants once he appears before the court in person,” the judge added.

  • ‘Imran Khan insists that armed forces should bring him back into power’: Bilawal

    ‘Imran Khan insists that armed forces should bring him back into power’: Bilawal

    Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has said that former Prime Minister Imran Khan insists that the armed forces should bring him back to power.

    “He [Imran Khan] doesn’t say how dare you remove me through a democratic means. He insists that the army, armed forces and intelligence agency should intervene to bring him back into power,” said Bilawal while speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York.

    “If they do not, they are in the wrong. For anyone who understands the history of Pakistan and watched our turbulent history, and our struggle for democracy, they will understand how dangerous it is for us,” said the foreign minister.

    https://twitter.com/tayyabbalochpk/status/1573032882272374784?s=20&t=dyU7fSBcsBBikBNy7aH7rg

    It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan’s parliament voted out Imran Khan in a no-confidence motion on April 9, capping a month-long political crisis that gripped the nation of 220 million.

    It is the first time a Pakistani prime minister has ever been ousted by a no-confidence motion put forward by the Opposition.

    Since then, Imran Khan and his party have become more popular but have criticized the security establishment in thinly veiled words, critiquing their “neutrality”.

  • ‘Use of teargas shells, rubber bullets will be considered’: Rana Sanaullah ahead of PTI’s long march

    ‘Use of teargas shells, rubber bullets will be considered’: Rana Sanaullah ahead of PTI’s long march

    Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah talked about the long march call given by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.

    The minister said that “it is not possible to talk to a person like Imran Khan, Khan has to prepare but we are fully prepared”, reports Geo Urdu.

    On the question about controlling the participants of the possible PTI sit-in, Sanaullah said that modern methods would be adopted to fire teargas shells and rubber bullets on the protesters and the use of drones would also be considered.

    When asked what if the provincial governments in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) where PTI is in power refused to provide police forces when Islamabad police asked for it. Sanaullah said that the government would take action against them in line with the Constitution.

    Rana also said that the red zone was sealed as a precaution, but warned that when PTI approach Islamabad, the red zone would be sealed again.

    However, Imran Khan warned the minister said that “he should be worried” because the PTI will be marching towards Islamabad with “full preparation” this time.

    “We promise you that you will not be able to hide in Islamabad,” Khan told Sanaullah, adding that he will make a decision on Saturday about giving a call to the public to take to the streets.

    Islamabad asks for more police forces to deal with a possible PTI protest

    Islamabad’s red zone has been sealed with containers and Section 144 has been imposed ahead of a possible Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest in the federal capital.

    The city administration reportedly plans to dig trenches and place hundreds of containers at the entrances of Islamabad to prevent PTI supporters from entering the city.

    Moreover, Islamabad police have asked for 30,000 personnel of police, paratroopers, and the Frontier Corps (FC) force from the provinces — 20,000 from Punjab, 4,000 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and 6,000 personnel of the Rangers and the FC force.

    However, the provincial governments of Punjab and KP have not yet decided how to respond to the Islamabad request, reports Geo News.

    According to the Islamabad police, “Some people from Punjab have set out for the federal capital to get their political demands”.

    Entry to D-Chowk has been restricted and barbed wires and shipping containers are placed in the area.

    Earlier, PTI Chairman Imran Khan warned the government to stop the “persecution” of his party workers otherwise he would again march on Islamabad.

    He had directed the party leaders to start preparations for a long march to Islamabad. He also asked party workers to wait for the Islamabad call. The final date is yet to be announced.

    In May, PTI leaders and thousands of supporters reached Islamabad where a six-day deadline was given to the government for announcing elections and dissolving assemblies. That long march ended a day after it started.

  • ‘Mai maafi maangta hoon agar meri taraf se koyi line cross huvi hai’: Imran Khan

    ‘Mai maafi maangta hoon agar meri taraf se koyi line cross huvi hai’: Imran Khan

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has told the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that he apologizes if he crossed any line.

    Speaking to the court, Khan said, “Mai khaatoon judge se zaati taur pe maafi maangta hoon,” (I personally apologize to the female judge).

    “I assure the court that I will not do something like this in the future,” he added.

    Khan was attending proceedings of a contempt of court case today (Thursday), for his controversial remarks about Additional District and Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry during a rally in Islamabad on August 20. The former Prime Minister said that he will personally apologise to the the female judge.

    The IHC was expected to formally indict him today.

    Following this, the IHC CJ remarked that it would not be appropriate to conduct contempt proceedings. The court decided to not indict the PTI chief after he agreed to apologise to Judge Chaudhry and the hearing was subsequently adjourned.

    The court also directed the PTI chief to submit an affidavit.

    As he made his way inside the court along with party leaders Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Asad Umar and Shibli Faraz, Imran was surrounded by reporters asking questions. However, he chose to stay silent when asked whether or not he would tender an unconditional apology, answering only with a smile.

    On a lighter note, he remarked that he would become an “expert” due to the sheer number of cases registered against him.

    The IHC in a circular had stated that the proceedings of the case will start at 2:30pm, during which a larger bench of the IHC will frame the charges against Khan.

    “A 15-member legal team of Imran Khan, 15 law officers from the office of the attorney-general and advocate-general will be allowed to enter the courtroom,” read the circular.

    “Imran Khan’s response was unsatisfactory,” said IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah, in the last hearing.

    Justice Minal­lah observed that Khan’s replies to the court’s show-cause notice appeared to be “Justifying contempt of the judiciary” and showed “No remorse or regret”.

  • OMG we’re back again: IK to launch anti-govt movement from Saturday

    OMG we’re back again: IK to launch anti-govt movement from Saturday

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has announced the continuation of his Haqeeqi Azaadi Movement from Saturday (September 24).

    Addressing the All Pakistan Lawyers Convention in Lahore, Khan urged party workers and supporters to get ready for his call.

    The former prime minister’s announcement has come after the federal government tightened security around the Red Zone areas of Islamabad.

    Earlier in the day, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said a protest is a democratic right and it can be held at F-9 Park. However, he warned of dealing with protesters with an iron hand if they tried to move towards the D-Chowk.

    Earlier, the PTI chairman Imran Khan warned the government to stop the “persecution” of his party workers otherwise he would again march on Islamabad.

    He directed party leaders to start preparations for a long march to Islamabad. He also asked party workers to wait for the Islamabad call.

    In May, PTI leaders and thousands of supporters reached Islamabad where a six-day deadline was given to the government for announcing elections and dissolving assemblies. That long march ended a day after it started.

  • Imran Khan might be in trouble

    Imran Khan might be in trouble

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan will be formally charged with contempt of court on Thursday, September 22, after he failed to submit an unconditional apology in contempt of court proceedings against him for passing controversial remarks against Additional District and Sessions Judge, Zeba Chaudhry.

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) in a circular stated that the proceedings of the case will start at 2:30pm, during which a larger bench of the IHC will frame the charges against Khan.

    “A 15-member legal team of Imran Khan, 15 law officers from the office of the attorney-general and advocate-general will be allowed to enter the courtroom,” read the circular.

    “[The] Islamabad administration and police will make security arrangements to maintain decorum in court,” it added.

    “Imran Khan’s response was unsatisfactory,” said IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah, in the last hearing.

    Justice Minal­lah observed that Khan’s replies to the court’s show-cause notice appeared to be “Justifying contempt of the judiciary” and showed “No remorse or regret”.

    Expressing his disappointment in the response given by Khan to the court, which was the second of its kind, the court asked: “Even after the court’s input on the matter, this is the response submitted?”

    “It seems you want to fight this case […] and do not realise that the case against you is extremely seriously,” noted Justice Minallah.

    Declaring subordinate judiciary a ‘red line’, IHC CJ Minallah warned the PTI chairman that threatening a district judge is a more serious offence than threatsning a Supreme Court justice.

  • Fawad Chaudhry wants civil-military dosti, says let’s agree on rules of game

    Fawad Chaudhry wants civil-military dosti, says let’s agree on rules of game

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry took to Twitter to extend a hand of friendship between the civil and military forces.

    Chaudhry suggested that “Power should be transferred to the people of Pakistan.”

    “I call upon political parties and establishment let’s rewrite political framework Let’s agree on rules of game. Present system has failed Pak, we need to look up for fair rules,” tweeted Chaudhry.

    Chaudhry’s tweet comes after PTI Chairman Imran Khan instigated the public to revolt against ones who are making “threatening calls.”

    “Those who call you from unknown numbers and threaten you, you threaten them back. Who ever tries to scare you, scare them back,” said Khan.

    “I am asking Pakistanis to break the fear of idols, those threatening you by calling from unknown numbers and frightening you, threat and scare them in return,” said Khan.

    He claimed that since ‘Mr X and Mr Y’ have been issuing threats to people, they should be on the receiving end of their own medicine.

    “Frighten people by calling them from unknown numbers, and threaten them with inflicting harm,” he stated.

    Although the former Prime Minister has stopped short of naming the individuals he alleges are behind removing his government and threatening people, it is widely believed that he is talking about the security establishment of the country. At various times in his interviews and speeches, Imran Khan has referred to “neutrals”, “Mir Jaffar”, “Mir Sadiq”, “Mr. X” and “Mr. Y”.