Tag: Imran Khan

  • ‘Disappointing’, Pak Army says Khan should not ‘scandalise’ Army Chief selection

    ‘Disappointing’, Pak Army says Khan should not ‘scandalise’ Army Chief selection

    Pakistani Army expressing extreme displeasure over Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s recent statement against the establishment and said that the institution was “aghast” over it.

    “Pakistan Army is aghast at the defamatory and uncalled for statement about the senior leadership of Pakistan Army by Chairman PTI during a political rally at Faisalabad. Regrettably, an attempt has been made to discredit and undermine senior leadership of Pakistan Army at a time when the institution is laying lives for the security and safety of the people of Pakistan every day,” said the military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

    “Senior politicians trying to stir controversies on appointment of COAS of Pakistan Army, the procedure for which is well defined in the constitution, is most unfortunate and disappointing. Senior leadership of Army has decades long impeccable meritorious service to prove its patriotic and professional credentials beyond any doubt,” read the statement.

    “Politicising the senior leadership of Pakistan Army and scandalizing the process of selection of COAS is neither in the interest of the state of Pakistan nor of the institution. Pakistan Army reiterates its commitment to uphold the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.”

    Khan on Sunday, September 4, alleged that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif and Zardari wanted to appoint their favourite as COAS because if a “strong and patriotic army chief” came, they would be questioned about their corruption.

    ‘Hamari fauj taggri hai’: Shehbaz, Zardari, Shujaat react to Khan’s anti-military remarks

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) Co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari, and veteran politician Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain have slammed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan for his remarks on the incoming Chief of Army Staff (COAS).

    Criticising the federal government on delaying elections, Imran Khan said that the government is buying time to “appoint an army chief of their own choice.”

    Questioning the incumbent , Khan asked “Why are they [government] afraid of fresh elections”? He said that it was because they knew that they would be eliminated in transparent elections.

    “The army chief of this country should be on merit. The one who is on merit should become the next army chief,” said Khan.

    Reactions of Shehbaz, Zardari and Shujaat over Khan’s remarks

    Reacting to Khan’s statement, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif tweeted that Niazi’s despicable utterances to “malign institutions” are touching new levels every day.

    “He is now indulging in direct mud-slinging & poisonous allegations against Armed Forces & its leadership. His nefarious agenda is clearly to disrupt & undermine Pakistan,” tweeted the premier.

    PPP Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari said that they will not allow the institutions and generals to become controversial for Khan’s lust for power.

    “Today everyone has come to know who the man and the beast are. This person [Imran Khan] has taken a contract from somewhere to weaken this country which cannot happen in our lifetime,” tweeted Zardari.

    Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain reacting to Khan’s statement said, “In Pakistan every General is a patriot. From a soldier to general no one needs a certificate of patriotism from anyone. The country will not allow any one to involve the establishment in their jalsa for their own politics.”

    Shujaat concluded by saying that the Pakistan army is strong.

  • ‘September sitamgar hoga’: Sheikh Rasheed announces Khan’s march in Islamabad

    ‘September sitamgar hoga’: Sheikh Rasheed announces Khan’s march in Islamabad

    Former interior minister and Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rasheed said on Sunday that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan will give a call to his supporters to march towards Islamabad once the flood situation eases down.

    Rasheed took to his Twitter handle and warned: “Sitambar Sitamgar ho ga (September will be cruel)”.

    The former federal minister pointed out that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has made yet another agreement of Rs608 billion with the government. “First they robbed the treasury and now the people’s pockets”, he said.

    “Floods have opened the eyes of the people of Sindh, the floods have destroyed the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) reputation. How will other countries give aid when the people of the country refuse to give money to money launderers?”

    He said that the people can not bear the burden of increasing petrol and power prices, yet the “government continues to raise them”.

    In a series of tweets, he said that IMF knows that there is a weak majority of the government and people can come to the streets.

    “The time is not far when factories and shops will be closed, people will be on the streets”, he warned again while adding that floods have become a matter of “political point scoring”.

    Rasheed’s statement came a day after Imran Khan warned the government to stop the “persecution” of his party workers otherwise he will again march on Islamabad.

    He said the government would have “no place to hide” in the event he comes to Islamabad.

  • ‘Pehaly insan bano, phir siyasatdan bano!’: Bilawal on Khan for holding public rallies

    Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari berated former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan for holding public rallies as the aftermath of severe flooding keeps on unfolding across the country.

    “Pakistan is facing the biggest disaster in our history. One-third of our country is underwater! One-seventh of our citizens are affected, 35 million people. The former PM is holding concerts in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa & Punjab,” tweeted Bilawal, directing his anger towards Khan who addressed a public gathering in Gujrat, on September 2.

    The chief ministers of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are busy organising concerts of the former prime minister instead of helping flood victims, accused Bilawal.

    Calling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) behaviour “shameful”, Bilawal said, “Pehaly insan bano, phir siyasatdan bano! [First, become a human being, then become a politician].”

    Addressing a public rally in Gujrat, Khan warned the government against political victimisation of PTI activists. “If this continues, PTI will come to Islamabad, and there will be no place left for them to hide,” the former Premier said.

    Khan has repeatedly said that the PTI’s movement for Haqeeqi Azadi will continue alongside its flood relief work. In his recent speeches, Khan has made it clear that his struggle against ‘thieves’ will continue whether come what may.

    Pakistan is in the throes of devastating floods which have wreaked havoc across all four provinces. The scale of devastation has been estimated to be upwards of $10 billion.

  • Court fixes contempt case against former Chief Judge Rana Shamim

    Court fixes contempt case against former Chief Judge Rana Shamim

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has fixed a contempt case against former Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) Chief Judge (CJ), Dr Rana Muhammad Shamim, on September 5.

    Shamim allegedly signed an affidavit that incriminates former Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar.

    The affidavit contained allegations that Saqib Nisar 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.

    The authenticity of the affidavit, which surfaced in one of Pakistan’s leading newspapers in November 2021, has been in question.

    Journalist Ansar Abbasi who published this investigative report has also been called in for contempt of court.

    Earlier in January, IHC indicted Rana Shamim for allegations that he levelled against Saqib.

    At the time, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah deferred the framing of charges against the media personnel who were also named in the case, including journalist Abbasi and Jang Group owner Mir Shakeel-ur-Rehman.

  • ‘Govt has 13 months but I may not have that much time’: Miftah Ismail

    ‘Govt has 13 months but I may not have that much time’: Miftah Ismail

    Finance Minister Miftah Ismail on Friday, September 2, said that the government has 13 months more of its tenure but he may not have that much time left.

    Addressing a seminar in Karachi, the Finance Minister said, “The government has 13 months but I may not have that much time,” said Ismail, hinting at the increasing criticism and dissatisfaction that his party has expressed over his performance.

    In recent times, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif has shown dissatisfaction in how Miftah is handling the country’s economy.

    ‘Misleading and incorrect’: Nawaz Sharif reacts to reports that he is ‘dissatisfied with Shehbaz’

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif has distanced himself from statements attributed to him regarding his brother and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. He said that they are “misleading and incorrect”.

    “I remain hopeful that the sincere and tireless efforts by SS under the most challenging circumstances will bear fruit and he will steer the country out of the mess created by Imran Khan,” tweeted Nawaz Sharif.

    Nawaz Sharif’s tweet came after senior analyst Suhail Warraich revealed that he is not satisfied with the performance of his brother Shehbaz Sharif or Finance Minister Miftah Ismail. Warraich said Nawaz wants Shehbaz to review his policies.

    “Nawaz had already said that they should not take over the government and go towards elections. It seems like he [Nawaz Sharif] has made up his mind that he wants the economic policies reviewed, and he would want Ishaq Dar to manage it. He [Nawaz Sharif] does not trust Miftah Sahib,” said Warraich on Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’.

    “Mian Sahab repeatedly kept telling me to go and meet Shehbaz Sharif and ask him what are these policies and that he [Shehbaz Shairf] needs to review his policies,” said Warraich.

    Warraich said that Nawaz is not happy with PML-N’s present narrative.

    Warraich further revealed that Nawaz’s next narrative will be directed against the judiciary, not the army. He said Nawaz will write a letter to the Supreme Court of Pakistan to complain about the delay in hearing of his cases.

    The senior analyst said that Nawaz Sharif believes that like Quaid-e-Azam, cases should be faced without being jailed, and added the former premier is of the view that he should return once the jail issue is resolved.

    “Nawaz believes Imran is a fascist who needs to be dealt with first, while matters of democracy can be taken care of later,” Warraich added.

    Suhail Warraich recently met Nawaz Sharif in London.

    This is not the first time Nawaz Sharif has reacted to his brother’s policies and government. Earlier this month, PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz tweeted that Nawaz Sharif was unhappy with the government for increasing petrol prices.

    Read more: ‘I am an easy target’: Miftah Ismail reacts to criticism after another petroleum hike

    “Mian Sahib strongly opposed this decision and even said that I cannot burden the people with one more penny. And if there is any compulsion of the government, I am not involved in this decision and he left the meeting,” tweeted Maryam.

  • ‘A bigger enemy of Pakistan than Imran has not been born’: PM Shehbaz

    ‘A bigger enemy of Pakistan than Imran has not been born’: PM Shehbaz

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif did not mince his words when talking about Pakistan Tehreek-e-insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.

    “Thank God Pakistan was saved from default. Imran Khan wanted Pakistan to become Sri Lanka. Look at his real face,” said the PM on Thursday. He stated that after the crucial International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme restarted for Pakistan, the country was able to stand back on its feet.

    “I was sitting in a meeting when the minister of finance gave me the news [of the IMF bailout package], so I told him in front of everyone that Pakistan was saved from default,” he said.

    “But at least we were saved from a default which is what Imran Khan wanted. A man who gets letters written just so that the IMF programme could fail […] tell me, is there a worse way to show hatred with the country?”

    Shehbaz Sharif was referring to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Finance Minister Taimur Khan Jagra’s letter to the finance division, asserting that it had proven PTI chief’s intention to sabotage the country’s fate.

    Shehbaz went on to say that only thinks about himself and said, “Imran Khan kay sur par main sawar hon, aur uski apni main sawar hai tu Pakistan ka kya banay ga? [What will become of Pakistan if he only keeps thinking of himself?]”

    The premier further said that a bigger liar, cheater, deceiver and enemy of Pakistan than Imran Khan had never been born.

    The prime minister said that when he was in the opposition, Imran Khan conspired to send his members to jail, but they did not create a fuss. “Now everyone should look at Khan’s language.”

    PM Shehbaz said that the exemption for fuel adjustment charges (FAC) in August’s billing will apply to consumers who use under 300 units of electricity.

  • Court to hear Gill’s plea for bail on Sept 5

    Court to hear Gill’s plea for bail on Sept 5

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s Chief of Staff Dr Shahbaz Gill approached Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday, September 2, after failed efforts to get bail from a trial court in a sedition case filed against him.

    Gill requested that he should be released on bail, stating that senior doctors at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) performed a medical examination on August 17 and the medical board found “evidence of physical torture”. 

    The court has fixed a hearing on September 5.

    Shahbaz Gill’s bail plea dismissed in sedition case

    A district and sessions court in Islamabad dismissed the post-arrest bail petition of Gill on Tuesday (August 30).

    Additional District and Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal pronounced the reserved verdict.

    Shahbaz Gill was taken into custody on August 9 from Bani Gala Chowk for inciting the public against state institutions.

    There have been claims of torture and sexual abuse by Gill during his detention.

    PTI leader Shireen Mazari said that the rejection of Gill’s plea was “shameful”.

    She alleged that the “state is hellbent on torturing Gill to try and get to IK”.

    Islamabad court rejects plea to send Gill on physical remand

    A district and sessions court in Islamabad rejected a request by the Islamabad Police for an extension in the physical remand of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shahbaz Gill on August 24. He is under custody in a sedition case.

    Another case has also been registered against Gill over possession of an illegal weapon.

    Read More: ‘Yes, it’s true’: Shahbaz Gill confirms he was sexually assaulted in police custody

    The prosecution sought an extension in Gill’s physical remand, which was strongly opposed by PTI’s lawyers. After hearing the arguments, the court sent Gill on judicial remand.

    Islamabad court approves two-day physical remand of Shahbaz Gill

    A district and sessions court on Monday (August 22) granted a two-day physical remand of PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s chief of staff, Shahbaz Gill, to the Islamabad Police in a sedition case.

    Gill was presented in court today after he was discharged from the Pakistan Institute Of Medical Sciences (PIMS) hospital, where he was admitted last week.

    During the hearing, the judge asked about his medical report and remarked that the decision to grant an extension in remand will be taken after reviewing the report.

    Gill told the court: “I was fed forcefully; 10-12 people shaved me; they lied to me about my bail.”

    Earlier, a video of Gill surfaced on the internet where he can he heard saying that he is eating in protest.

    PTI lawyer Babar Awan told the court that Gill has been in custody for 14 days and that it was enough time for the police to investigate him.

    However, the prosecution disagreed and demanded that more time was needed for the probe. The prosecutor requested the court to extend Gill’s remand.

  • ‘Mujhe itna dewaar say mat lagain ke mai sari qaum ke samnay unki shaklain rakh doon’: Imran Khan

    ‘Mujhe itna dewaar say mat lagain ke mai sari qaum ke samnay unki shaklain rakh doon’: Imran Khan

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan warned his opponents against pushing him against the wall.

    “I have been tolerating all this for the last four months. The more you try to intimidate me, the more I will fight back,” said Khan while addressing a gathering in Sargodha, on September 1.

    “Mujhe itna dewaar say mat lagain ke main sari qoum ke samnay unki shaklain rakh don jinho nay apnay mufaad ke liye mulk ko mushkil main dala [Don’t push me against the wall otherwise I will expose all those faces to the nation who have put the country in trouble for their interest]”, warned Khan.

    Talking about his public support, the former Prime Minister said that he can shut down the federal capital whenever he wants.

    “My nation is standing by me. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf is spread all over, from Gilgit Baltistan to Khyber Pakthunwkan. We’re in Punjab and Azad Kashmir. Whenever I want, I can shut down Islamabad,” he said.

    “I am telling you again, don’t push me that much. The more you will try to put pressure, scare me and file FIRs, I will fight back more strongly,” he told his opponents.

    Khan further alleged that conspiracied were hatched to sideline him. “It was decided in closed door meetings to side line me. I thank God I got to know about their plans. I have made a tape and recorded the names of four people who hatched the conspiracy against me. If any thing happens to me I know my country will not spare them,” he told the crowd.

    Responding to Imran Khan’s speech, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that when one loses power they talk in a similar manner as does Imran Khan.

    “He [Imran Khan] must try and block Islamabad. You have provincial governments, you must spend your time making the lives of people better there, rather than claiming to shut down the capital. This is not the way democracy works,” rebuked the former Premier.

    “It is the people who will push Imran Khan to the wall for all the lies he has been telling,” said Khaqan.

  • Govt spends Rs20 million per month on Khan’s security: IG Islamabad

    In a meeting of the Senate Standing Com­mittee on Interior chaired by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Senator Mohsin Aziz, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Isla­mabad Dr Akbar Nasir Khan revealed that 266 personnel have been deployed for PTI Chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s security, which costs the government Rs20 million per month.

    The meeting took place on Wednesday, in which IGP Islamabad also admitted that there are reports of threats to Khan’s life.

    IGP Nasir provided these details in the form of a report sought by Committee Chairman Mohsin Aziz, who took a suo moto notice on reports of withdrawal of Khan’s security.

    He was asked about the reasons for the withdrawal of Khan’s security and revoking of private security companies’ licenses that were deployed for his protection. In reply, the IGP said that besides the two private security companies, 266 personnel from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) police, Frontier Consta­bulary and Rangers have been deployed for PTI Chairman’s security.

    He added that the said licenses were revoked by the Interior Ministry, however, they are still performing security duties.

    Chairman Committee Aziz observed that Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah was invited eight times for this meeting, but he did not come to attend the meeting once.

    Senator Shahadat Awan remarked that instead of calling a meeting, the committee chairman could have directly asked the IGP about the issue.

    “An hour-long meeting costs Rs15 lakh from the national exchequer”, he pointed out.

    Federal Minister of Law and Justice, Azam Nazeer Tarar, said that despite concerns for flood victims, Imran Khan’s rallies were being held and abuses were being hurled. “This forum is not for discussing such matters,” he said.

    On Thursday, Imran Khan’s counsel, Babar Awan, informed the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) that Khan’s life is under threat.

    “IGP and Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Operations will be responsible if something happens to my client,” warned Babar.