Tag: Imran Khan

  • High court accepts former judge’s apology for accusing Saqib Nisar of favouring Imran Khan

    High court accepts former judge’s apology for accusing Saqib Nisar of favouring Imran Khan

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday accepted the unconditional apology of former Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) Chief Justice (CJ) Rana Muhammad Shamim.

    Earlier, Shamim submitted an apology to the high court because of his own controversial affidavit that incriminates former Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar of favouring Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.

    IHC Chief Justice (CJ) Athar Minallah expressed satisfaction over the apology by Rana Shamim.

    Justice Minallah remarked that the effect of Shamim’s affidavit has died down with the unconditional apology . He said that, “there is no case against him unless he backtracks from what he has stated in the apology”.

    The court also exempted the former judge from personally appearing at the next hearing on September 29.

    Former judge Rana Shamim apologises to court for accusing Saqib Nisar of favouring Imran Khan

    Last week, Rana Muhammad Shamim submitted an unconditional apology to IHC and completely disowned a controversial affidavit associated with him.

    The first unconditional apology was submitted to the Court on September 12, 2022. However, at the time he stood by his allegations against former CJP Saqib Nisar. Then again on Friday (September 16), he submitted an unconditional apology, disowning his own ‘controversial’ affidavit and withdrew from its contents.

    The affidavit contained allegations that Saqib Nisar had attempted to influence a case against former Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif and his daughter, Maryam Nawaz, in an attempt to bring Imran Khan into power.

    In the apology submitted on Friday, the former CJ said, “I tender an unconditional apology for an affidavit which was neither correct nor required.”

    Expressing his regret over the “grave mistake”, the judge said it should never have happened.

    “I place myself at the mercy of this honourable court,” he added.

    He, further said that the affidavit was due to his “glaring misunderstanding and unintentional mistake”.

    “Hence, I withdraw from the contents of the said affidavit. I profusely apologise for the wrong and unnecessary affidavit”, he added.

    “I, while suffering through the extreme stress of loss of my close family members in such quick succession, realised the importance of writing down the incident in my knowledge as soon as possible, as per my beloved late wife’s will; therefore, I chose to do so during my transit stay in London,” he wrote.

    Earlier, this month the high court fixed a contempt case against Shamim, on September 5.

  • High Court orders that terror charges against Imran Khan be dropped

    High Court orders that terror charges against Imran Khan be dropped

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has ordered government authorities to drop terror charges against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in a case pertaining to alleged threats made against police officials and a female judge.

    Khan was booked in a case under the section of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) for threatening remarks against Additional Sessional Judge Zeba Chaudhry and officials of the Islamabad Police during a rally in Islamabad on August 20.

    Earlier, PTI approached the high court to grant Khan transit bail, but at the time the court had directed the former premier to approach an ATC since it was a terror case.

    On September 14, Khan appeared before Islamabad Police’s Joint Investigation Team (JIT) for questioning in connection with a terrorism case registered against him.

    Talking about the case there, he said, “This is a joke in front of the entire world. Why? Because everyone knows me, there have been headlines across the world that an FIR (first information report) has been registered against Imran Khan on terrorism charges.”

    Last week, an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) extended Khan’s interim pre-arrest bail till September 20 in the terrorism case.

    It is pertinent to mention that the PTI chairman, since the registration of the case, has repeatedly been granted bail by the court.

  • ‘Don’t bypass me’: IK warns party members against meeting the establishment without his knowledge

    ‘Don’t bypass me’: IK warns party members against meeting the establishment without his knowledge

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has warned his party members to not “bypass” him to meet the establishment.

    His remarks came during the PTI core committee meeting, in which he said that he is aware that some PTI members are in contact with the establishment and issued the warning that no one should bypass him.

    It has been reported that Imran Khan was visibly angry at the meeting, lashing out at the unnamed party members.

    He instructed his party members to clearly inform and get approval from him before establishing any contact.

    The PTI chairman directed core committee members to tweet according to PTI policy. He gave charge of implementing party policy to senior leader and former minister Shireen Mazari.

    “People are more active in the campaign against the government than party’s bodies,” Imran Khan said adding that there is a possibility that people may outpace the efforts of PTI bodies.

    He instructed core committee members to play an effective role in the upcoming long march in Islamabad.

  • PML-N’s Marriyum Aurangzeb, Javed Latif booked in terror case

    PML-N’s Marriyum Aurangzeb, Javed Latif booked in terror case

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders, Federal Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb and PML-N central leader Javed Latif, have been booked in terror cases in Punjab.

    The two have been accused of allegedly “using religion to instill and spread hatred” against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief and former prime minister Imran Khan.

    Punjab Home Minister Hashim Dogar shared on Twitter the First Information Report (FIR) filed against the PML-N leaders.

    Pakistan Television Managing Director Sohail Khan and controller programme Rashid Baig have also been nominated in the case. The complaint said that a press conference in which Imran Khan was accused, was shown on national television.

    Taking to Twitter, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said, “Using religion card against PML-N and other opponents is as bad by any PTI follower as it is for others.”

    “We demand not to use religious hatred campaigns against our leadership or opponents,” tweeted Fawad.

    Latif had accused the PTI chief of “attacking the basic principles of Islam” by “supporting” the Ahmediyya community during his tenure.

    “When Imran made Naya Pakistan, units of Qadianis became active in Karachi […] Did Imran not give interviews to the foreign media in which he said that Qadianis will be given religious freedom,” Latif had asked.

  • ‘Workers should await a final call in September’: Fawad Chaudhry

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry has said that party organisations across the country have been ordered to come out and protest against rising inflation.

    Chaudhry said, “If the government doesn’t move towards elections, then wait for a final call in these two weeks as consultation continues. We think workers should await a final call in September.”

    “General elections will take place, whether the government wants them or not. The ultimate arbiter is the nation and until it doesn’t get the right to make political decisions, the PTI won’t step back from its struggle,” he warned.

    Chaudhry further said that any technocrat or interim government had no room in the Constitution and such a setup would in effect be considered a martial law.

    “Everything that has to happen will happen this month,” said Chaudhry.

    Two days prior to Chaudhry’s statement, PTI Chairman Imran Khan, in an address to the nation once again demanded early elections, warning that PTI’s patience was wearing thin.

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    “If we want to save the country from discord and chaos, free and fair elections need to be announced immediately,” he said.

    “Our patience won’t last long if you continue like this, we will have to give a call to the nation,” said Khan, addressing the government.

    “If there is no political stability, the economy won’t stabilise. So I want to tell my people today that we need to have elections quickly to save Pakistan from this quagmire,” the former Prime Minister insisted, adding that it was his fear that there will be no economic progress without political stability.

  • Trouble for IK as ECP imposes fine on him for holding jalsa in Peshawar

    Trouble for IK as ECP imposes fine on him for holding jalsa in Peshawar

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has imposed a fine of Rs.50,000 on Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister (CM) Mahmood Khan, and other party leaders.

    The fine was imposed on them for violating the code of conduct issued for the upcoming by-elections by participating in a rally in Peshawar despite the commission’s warning.

    On September 6, PTI held a rally in the provincial capital Immediately after Imran’s arrival on stage, YouTube’s access in the country appeared blocked or greatly slowed down.

    Following the violation, District Monitoring Officer (DMO), Peshawar, Shahabuddin, had served notices to Khan, the Chief Minister and others, seeking an explanation. They appeared before the DMO and submitted written replies.

    However, the DMO deemed the reply unsatisfactory and imposed a fine of Rs50,000 on each of the leaders, directing them to deposit the fine to the state exchequer by September 18.

    It is pertinent to mention that a day before the Peshawar rally, the DMO had asked PTI not to attend the rally and warned of legal action.

    Another PTI rally is scheduled to be held in Charsadda on September 17 and for that, the commission sent letters to the KP governor and chief minister asking them not to attend it.

    This is not the first time that a fine has been imposed on PTI leaders. In March, ECP slapped a fine of Rs50,000 on Imran Khan, CM Mahmood Khan, Shah Mahmood Qureshi and others for violating the code of conduct as they all attended a public gathering in Swat on March 16 ahead of the no-confidence motion.

  • ‘Fitna’: Maryam Nawaz slams Imran for ‘using religion’ for personal benefits

    ‘Fitna’: Maryam Nawaz slams Imran for ‘using religion’ for personal benefits

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice-President Maryam Nawaz has said that religion should not be used for political benefits and blasted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan for allegedly using faith for political gain.

    “Using religion for personal motives is very bad. I have suffered this and I am a victim”, she said while talking to members of the media.

    “I think religion is a personal matter but it does not remain a personal matter when you say in rallies that ‘voting for PML-N is a sin and voting for me [Imran] is righteous and if my party members switch loyalties then it’s shirk’,” she stated, referring to a recent controversy speech given by Imran Khan at a rally.

    “Shirk’s definition is associating partners with God. Are you changing the entire dictionary and the meaning of religion for your disgusting politics,” she asked the former Prime Minister.

    Shirk is considered to be one of the most heinous sins in Islam.

    At a rally, Khan had said that “people who vote for PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif will be siding with a convict and are on the wrong side. This also means that you will go against Allah’s orders.”

    At one point, he also said that those who defected from his party [PTI] committed shirk.

    “I think all institutions, whether the judiciary or army or politicians or government, should acknowledge he [Khan] is a fitna (chaotic miscreant) who was launched for destruction and from whom no one is safe.”

    Maryam said that she is not in favour of fuel or electricity price increases.

    “I will request the government to focus on it. I don’t support this decision and it should be corrected. However, it will take time to stabilise the economy after what Imran Khan did,” she said, adding that PM Shehbaz Sharif has saved the country from default and slowly the economy will begin to revive.

    Moreover, the PML-N vice president asked Khan to dissolve the provincial assemblies of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) if he wants fresh general elections.

  • ‘Our patience won’t last long’: Imran Khan wants early elections

    ‘Our patience won’t last long’: Imran Khan wants early elections

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, in an address to the nation has once again demanded early elections, warning that PTI’s patience was wearing thin.

    “If we want to save the country from discord and chaos, free and fair elections need to be announced immediately,” he said.

    “Our patience won’t last long if you continue like this, we will have to give a call to the nation,” said Khan, addressing the government.

    “If there is no political stability, the economy won’t stabilise. So I want to tell my people today that we need to have elections quickly to save Pakistan from this quagmire,” the former Prime Minister insisted, adding that it was his fear that there will be no economic progress without political stability.

    “The incumbent government does not have any credibility, both inside and outside Pakistan, especially in the financial markets,” alleged Khan, mentioning that the prices of fuel and electricity across Pakistan had reached an all-time high and warned that they would further increase in the near future.

    Unemployment is increasing, inflation is rising, and businesses are closing down, Imran said. “The danger I am seeing right now […] Our credit rating has fallen to negative […] do you know what this means? They think Pakistan doesn’t have the ability to repay and due to this, the cost of loans will increase,”‘ he warned.

  • Court grants bail PTI’s Shahbaz Gill

    Court grants bail PTI’s Shahbaz Gill

    Islamabad High Court (IHC) has granted bail to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shahbaz Gill in the sedition case filed against him.

    IHC Chief Justice (CJ) Athar Minallah directed the authorities to release Gill on bail after hearing arguments from all of the parties in the case. The court also directed Gill to submit Rs500,000 as surety against his bail.

    Last week, Gill approached the high court after his failure to get bail from a trial court despite continuous efforts.

    Following his bail, Gill tweeted on his official handle.

    It is pertinent to mention that Shahbaz Gill was taken into custody on August 9 from Bani Gala Chowk for inciting the public against state institutions.

    Shahbaz Gill behind bars: Islamabad court approves two-day physical remand, again

    An Islamabad district and sessions court on Wednesday (August 17) approved a two-day physical remand of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Dr Shahbaz Gill in police custody. The court was hearing a review plea seeking Gill’s remand in a sedition case.

    Last Friday (August 12), a district and sessions court in Islamabad hearing a sedition case against Shahbaz Gill rejected the prosecution’s request to extend Gill’s physical remand. Instead, the court had sent him to jail on judicial remand. A plea was then filed by Islamabad Advocate General Jahangir Khan Jadoon in the Islamabad High Court on August 13 challenging the order.

    Shahbaz Gill told the court on August 12 that he was being subjected to extreme torture in custody.

    “I am a professor, not a criminal,” said Gill, adding that he was not permitted to sleep and not even allowed to meet his lawyers.

    ‘He was stripped naked’: Imran Khan

    PTI Chairman Imran Khan recently revealed that his chief of staff Shahbaz Gill was stripped naked and beaten up in custody.

    This is political victimisation: Shahbaz Gill

    Gill was presented in a court earlier today after the completion of two-day physical remand.

    He said that his arrest was political victimisation.

    “No honourable Pakistani will ever say anything against the Pakistan Army,” added Gill.

    Gill denied reports that he admitted his guilt or that he made the statement on Imran Khan’s instructions.

    “No. Not at all. I did not say any such thing.”

    Two-day physical remand

    A court in Islamabad on Wednesday (August 10) approved a two-day physical remand of Gill in a sedition case. The police had been directed to produce Gill before the court on August 12 (Friday), while the investigating officer was told to get the PTI leader medically examined.

    Gill, who is PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s chief of staff, was taken into custody on August 9 from Bani Gala Chowk for inciting the public against state institutions.

    ‘Not ashamed’ says Gill

    While talking to the media, Gill said he was not “ashamed” of the statement that he made on the private television channel.

    “There was nothing in my statement that I am ashamed of [….] my statement was of a person who loves his armed forces,” said Gill.

    The PTI leader said he did not attempt to provoke anyone and that he was only pointing toward bureaucrats who were involved in “wrongdoings”.

    Shahbaz Gill arrested for ‘inciting members of state institutions’

    Dr Shahbaz Gill was arrested for inciting the public against the state institutions, a spokesperson of the Islamabad Police clarified.

    “Shahbaz Gill has been arrested for making statements against the state institutions and inciting the people to rebellion,” said a police spokesperson.

    A case has been registered against Gill at the Bani Gala Police Station, said the spokesperson. Besides other charges, clauses relating to inciting people against the state institutions and their heads were added to the First Information Report (FIR).

    Gill served in Imran Khan’s cabinet as a Special Assistant to the Prime Minister till April 10, 2022

    ’Abduction not an arrest’: Imran Khan

    PTI Chairman Imran Khan termed the arrest as an abduction.

    “This is an abduction not an arrest. Can such shameful acts take place in any democracy? Political workers treated as enemies. And all to make us accept a foreign backed government of crooks,” tweeted PTI Chairman Imran Khan.

    Khan shared a video in which Shahbaz Gill’s assistant said, “I wasn’t unlocking the car so after moving it to the side, they also subjected me to violence — look at my neck — and after that, he [Gill] was also handcuffed and they broke the car windows with Kalashnikovs,” adding that Gill was “dragged around as well and there were around eight to 10 cars”.

    CCTV footage of arrest

    The CCTV footage of Gill’s arrest has surfaced and it contradicts the claims made by PTI leadership after Gill’s arrest.

    Claims of Gill’s driver

    In a video, Gill’s driver claimed that they were manhandled by those who came to arrest Shahbaz Gill.

    “Around 15 to 20 cars with black mirrors were there. They did not show us any warrant or any paper. They broke the car windows with Kalashnikovs as if there was a terrorist sitting in the car. I sat silently, they kicked him [Shahbaz Gill] and then handcuffed him. They treated us like we had murdered someone. Then they stopped me and hit my neck with the Kalashnikov. They asked me to give his [Gill’s] phone, they were asking about the data. There was no number plate on the cars. All were in private cars.”

    In another video shared by PTI Chairman Imran Khan, the driver also showed his wounds.

    What does the CCTV footage reveal?

    The CCTV footage shows that the security personnel gather around Gill’s car and signal him to come out of the car.

    It can be seen that Gill doesn’t comply with the order. Later, a security official breaks the window of the car with his gun.

    Gill comes out of the car and is seen walking up to the police vehicle himself and sitting in the car.

    After Gill is taken away, his driver can be seen parking the vehicle by the roadside.

    PTI leaders react to Gill’s arrest

    Fawad Chaudhry, in a tweet, stated that Gill was picked up from Bani Gala Chowk by unidentified personnel in cars with missing number plates.

    Earlier, Murad Saeed said that Shahbaz Gill has been taken into custody from Islamabad.

    “The imported government is in panic,” Murad Saeed said in a statement on social media.

    PTI’s official Twitter account shared a video of Gill’s vehicle showing broken glasses.

    On Twitter, PTI further demanded the immediate release of Gill. The statement said: “After the ban on ARY yesterday, they’ve today arrested Gill. Pakistan is living under a fascist imported government, that doesn’t care about the human rights of the people of Pakistan. We strongly demand the immediate release of Dr Gill.”

    Former human rights minister Shireen Mazari said Gill’s abduction and ARY being taken off air was part of the “grand design of US regime change conspiracy and its abettors”.

    A day ago, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) had issued a show-cause notice to ARY News for airing comments by Gill and said they were “highly hateful and seditious” remarks tantamount to “incite armed forces towards revolt”.

    The notice went on to say that Gill was invited via a telephonic call for his comments and during which he alleged that the government was trying to provoke the lower and middle tier of the army against the PTI.

    Gill had said that the government leaders, including PML-N leader Javed Latif, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and former National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, had lambasted the army in the past “and they were at the government positions now”.

  • ‘Terror case against me is a joke’: Imran Khan

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday appeared before Islamabad Police’s Joint Investigation Team (JIT) for questioning in connection with a terrorism case registered against him.

    Earlier this week, the Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) had extended the ex-premier’s bail till September 20 and instructed him to become a part of the investigation.

    “I was quiet because of the economic conditions of the country; there was flooding[…] so we decided to protest peacefully,” the PTI chief stated while talking to the media, warning that if he gave the call “The government won’t able to tolerate it”.

    “You will not be able to bear the day I give a call, because people are already cursing you […] you go out and public curses you […] PPP in Sindh is hiding,” he said while addressing the government.

    “This is an imported government, robbers have been imposed on us through a conspiracy,” he said, adding that “free and fair” elections were the only way forward for the country.

    “This is a joke in front of the entire world. Why? Because everyone knows me, there have been headlines across the world that an FIR (first information report) has been registered against Imran Khan on terrorism charges,” he stated while talking about the allegations he faces.

    The world knows the definition of terrorism charges, he pointed out. “If you are slapping terrorism charges on me for saying that we will take legal action against the custodial torture [of incarcerated PTI leader Shahbaz Gill], then the entire world is laughing at you.”

    “They are trying to crush my party,” Khan said and warned that the government could not withstand his protest call.

    He maintained that his party may hold negotiations with the government but only on the topic of free and fair elections.

    He lashed out at the coalition government over its alleged failure in controlling the economic crisis and said, “Pakistan is following in the footprints of Sri Lanka.”

    He maintained that free and fair elections are the only solution to the economic crisis. He also criticised the government for doing politics amid floods and harassing his party’s donors.