Tag: islamabad

  • Maryam Nawaz calls IK’s long march ‘part-time march’

    Maryam Nawaz calls IK’s long march ‘part-time march’

    Maryam Nawaz, Vice President of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), took a jibe at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s ongoing long march, calling it a “part-time march”.

    “It should be called a part-time long march because he leaves his abode in Lahore after eating lunch and goes out for two or three hours to come back in time for his evening tea. After every 10 miles, he comes back to Lahore,” said the PML-N leader, addressing a press conference in London.

    The PML-N leader said the “part-time” march ends within two hours of starting, and it is still stuck in Lahore despite the passage of five days since it’s commencement. “And now, we are hearing reports that it will take eight to ten more days to reach Islamabad,” she said.

    The daughter of PML-N head, Nawaz Sharif, said that no institution was supporting Imran Khan’s march, however, she said that one or two individuals could be behind it.

    She further alleged that Khan is still searching for people in the establishment who will continue to support him but said that the nation was aware of this. “Your lies are unravelling and your time has ended”, she said, addressing Khan.

    ‘A precious life was lost’: Maryam about deceased journalist Sadaf Naeem

    Maryam sent condolences to the family of deceased journalist Sadaf Naeem who was crushed to death under Imran Khan’s container on October 30.

    Offering condolences. Maryam Nawaz said that the incident forced her to think about the purpose of PTI’s long march.

    “A precious life was lost. A mother of young children passed away while covering the long march. It forced me to ponder over the purpose of the long march,” she said.

    ‘Major scandal’: Maryam Nawaz about Khan’s Toshakhana case

    Regarding the Toshakhana reference, Maryam alleged that another “major scandal” related to the issue is soon coming to light.

    According to her, a British multinational jeweller, Graff, had gifted a diamond set that Imran had paid “Rs20 million for and sold in Dubai for Rs220m”.

    Maryam further said that in total, Khan had looted up to Rs. 50 million from the Toshakhana, which is the property of the nation.

  • PM Shehbaz promises to mend relations with the US

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has promised that the federal government is trying to mend relations with the United States (US).

    Addressing the passing out parade of the Specialised Training Programme (STP) in Islamabad, the Premier said that in the last few years, Pakistan’s relations with friendly countries had suffered. However, he promised that he was making all-out efforts to mend ties.

    He said that he is going to China soon as the northern neighbor, “always stood with Pakistan”.

    The Prime Minister, who just concluded a three-day trip to Saudi Arabia, said that that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud would soon be visiting Pakistan, adding that he has expressed willingness to support development projects in the country.

    “Earlier this year, a team from the Saudi Development Fund visited Pakistan. During a meeting with me, they complained about delays in projects in Pakistan caused by the previous government,” he recalled.

    Shehbaz Sharif said that during his meeting with Prince Salman he had apologised for these delays. “He [Prince Salman] said that the people of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are closely bound together in a relationship. We are like one family and I am ready to do everything. These were his words,” the Prime Minister recounted to the audience.

    Hence, he added, when the crown prince visits Pakistan, “I want all of you to welcome him warmly because he comes from a brotherly country.”

  • Faisal removed: PTI kicks out Faisal Vawda from WhatsApp group

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Faisal Vawda held a press conference on Wednesday in which he made huge claims regarding the death of senior journalist Arshad Sharif and said the party’s upcoming long march to Islamabad would be a “bloody” one with “bodies falling” and deaths of innocent people.

    “Imran Khan’s peaceful march is our right but I am clearly telling you I am seeing blood, deaths and funerals in this march,” said Vawda.

    Shortly after his hard-hitting presser, a show-cause notice was sent to him on the instructions of PTI Chairman Imran Khan and his party membership was suspended.

    The notification, shared by PTI’s Sindh chapter President Ali Zaidi, says, “You have grossly violated discipline by giving statements against party policies and guidelines.”

    “You are not allowed to hold any party office or represent the party in the media,” it added.

    After Vawda’s press conference, Zaidi tweeted: “Interestingly all channels and PTV covered the presser so it’s clear that Imported Government launched him. But he made no sense.”

    PTI senior leader Fawad Chaudhry said, “Frankly, I am surprised and confused at Faisal Vawda’s press conference.” He revealed that the party members didn’t know about the press conference.

    In a tweet, PTI Secretary-General Asad Umar said Vawda’s statement does not represent party policy and views.

    According to ARY journalist Abdul Qadir, PTI also kicked out Vawda from the party’s core committee WhatsApp group.

    Vawda repeatedly said that PTI is his party and he would always remain in PTI.

    Talking about Arshad Sharif’s tragic killing, the PTI leader dismissed the version of the Kenyan police about Arshad being killed in a case of “mistaken identity”.

    “The establishment has no role in this killing,” Vawda said, adding that the establishment had been in contact with Arshad Sharif.

    “Now you will all ask me how do I know all this and why. When Arshad Sharif went from this country, from that day to his last days, I was in contact with him and my phone is available for forensic analysis,” he added.

    He repeatedly said that Sharif’s murder was plotted in Pakistan and claimed to know about the details. Vawda stated that he is ready to share evidence with the Military Intelligence (MI) and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

  • ‘Long March will be dealt with iron hands’: PML-N leaders and ministers react to Khan’s long march

    ‘Long March will be dealt with iron hands’: PML-N leaders and ministers react to Khan’s long march

    After Imran Khan, the Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday announced that his long march will commence from Friday, federal ministers and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders came forward, stating that the government will deal strongly with the marchers who are planning to come to Islamabad.

    Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal said that the long march was announced because Khan wants National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) to escape punishment in the foreign funding and Toshakhana cases.

    PML-N leader and former federal minister Abid Sher Ali said that, “The government will deal with the long march with iron hands. There is no leniency for certified thieves”.

    Meanwhile, PML-N leader and former Prime Minister (PM) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that Khan can do whatever he wants but the government is not going anywhere. “Imran Khan may launch a long march or do as he wishes, the government will remain as it is,” he stressed.

    While speaking on the Geo News’ programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath‘ he said that neither politics nor democracy will survive in the country if a tradition takes hold to overthrow the government through long marches.

    He posed a question: “Why does a long march take place whenever bilateral relations with China get off the ground?” Moreover, he mentioned that the last time when the long march was announced, Chinese President Xi Jinping was set to visit Pakistan.

    It is pertinent to mention here that in 2014, President Xi had to call off his scheduled visit to Pakistan because of the political unrest in the country caused by long march in the federal capital. At the time, the Chinese ambassador had even approached Khan to suspend his protest for a few days in order to allow the visit to take place. However, he refused.

    On October 25, Khan announced his party’s much-awaited long march. The march will begin on Friday, October 28 from Lahore’s Liberty Chowk at 11am.

  • Saudi Arabia to set up $12 billion refinery, petrochemical complex in Pakistan

    Saudi Arabia to set up $12 billion refinery, petrochemical complex in Pakistan

    The government has convinced Saudi Arabia to resume a significant project to build a cutting-edge deep conversion refinery and petrochemical complex in Pakistan.

    A high-ranking team from the kingdom led by Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman will visit Pakistan in the final week of November, when a formal announcement is anticipated in this regard, according to a top official at the Energy Ministry.

    According to Geo, the Pakistani government reportedly made a tremendous effort to convince the kingdom to uphold the memoranda of understanding and invest in Pakistan. Riyadh and Washington are at odds over a reduction in the supply of oil on the world market, and Islamabad has thrown its support behind Riyadh in this dispute.

    Saudi Arabia signed MoUs in February 2019 during Mohammad Bin Salman’s visit to Pakistan for an investment of $21 billion in a number of economic sectors, including the $12 billion deep conversion refinery and petrochemical complex project.

    At this regard, the Saudi oil tycoon Aramco also carried out research, which concluded that building a refinery in Gwadar was not practical. However, the official claimed that it may be erected in Hub, Balochistan, or close to Karachi.

    Later, the insider claimed, when relations between Imran Khan’s administration and Saudi Arabia became tense, the kingdom’s top leaders essentially put $21 billion in MoUs on hold that had been inked in February 2019.

    According to the source, the Ministry of Petroleum is currently updating the draught for the refining policy in order to attract investment for the construction of new refineries.

    In addition to broadening the tax holiday’s application, the government is considering offering investors profitability at 14–15% instead of the 9% that was previously promised in the PTI administration’s plan for policy refinement.

  • High court says Imran Khan is not restricted from contesting in future elections

    High court says Imran Khan is not restricted from contesting in future elections

    After the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) verdict de-seating Imran Khan, Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) approached Islamabad High Court (IHC) to challenge the commission’s decision to disqualify him.

    On Monday, the high court rejected Imran Khan’s request to suspend the ECP order instantly in the Toshakhana reference on the basis of which he had been disqualified.

    However, IHC Chief Justice (CJ) Athar Minallah observed that Khan had not been barred from contesting in future elections, adding that he “won’t face any problems” to contest in the NA-45 (Kurram-I) by-election. The by-election is scheduled to be held on October 30.

    Moreover, CJ said that Khan’s disqualification by the ECP is only to the extent of the seat he was notified on.

    During the hearing today, Khan’s lawyer Barrister Ali Zafar said that his client had been disqualified ahead of the by-election in Kurram and a stay order is needed because the PTI chairman is contesting from the seat.

    The IHC chief justice then observed, “Imran Khan is not disqualified for that election”, adding that he would not face any problems in this regard.

    Justice Minallah also pointed out that the ECP’s detailed judgment is not available yet.

    The chief justice observed that it is normal practice to issue a detailed judgment later.

    “Wait for the [written] verdict. This is a routine matter. The Election Commission is not delaying it,” he stated.

    On October 21, ECP in a consensus verdict, disqualified former Prime Minister Khan and ruled that he is no more a member of the National Assembly (NA) in Toshakhana reference.

    Khan was disqualified under Article 63(1)(p) for misdeclaration.

  • Islamabad police books PTI’s Senator Faisal Javed and others on terrorism charges for protesting after Khan’s disqualification

    Islamabad police books PTI’s Senator Faisal Javed and others on terrorism charges for protesting after Khan’s disqualification

    The Islamabad police have registered cases against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Senator Faisal Javed Khan and others on terrorism charges for protesting against Friday’s Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) verdict which disqualified PTI Chairman Imran Khan.

    A First Information Report (FIR) was registered against PTI leaders on Friday on the complaint of Subinspector Inamullah at Islamabad’s I-9 police station.

    The FIR said police officers in an official vehicle were posted at Faizabad to maintain the law and order and security situation. It said that around 8pm on Friday, a large PTI rally of around 1,000 to 1,200 people carrying sticks and rods started moving towards Faizabad.

    The complaint named PTI leaders Amir Kiani, Wasiq Qayyum Abbasi, Faisal Javed Khan, Raja Rashid Hafeez, Umer Tanveer Butt, Rashid Naseem Abbasi and Raja Majid.

    It added that the demonstrators advanced while running over the police contingent with vehicles with the “intent to kill”.

    It is pertinent to mention that PTI workers across Pakistan came out of the streets protesting against their party chairman’s disqualification, however later at night, Imran Khan called for an end to the protests.

  • No decision has been reached so far on COAS appointment: Khawaja Asif

    No decision has been reached so far on COAS appointment: Khawaja Asif

    Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has revealed that no decision has been reached by the federal government yet about the appointment of a new Chief of Army Staff (COAS).

    According to the defence minister, the selection process for the new army chief will likely begin within the next five to seven days.

    Talking in Geo News’ programme “Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath”, the minister said five names will be forwarded and then Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif will pick one of those names. He was of the view that the appointment is quite a simple method as this exercise has been conducted several times in the past too.

    The appointment for the COAS position is due to take place in November.

    About the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) planned long march, the federal minister said that the government will not be blackmailed by the PTI if the party comes to Islamabad.

    The minister also said that no negotiations have taken place with PTI. “A couple of meetings took place because of Imran’s old acquaintances”, he added.

    On the contrary, Khan has claimed that negotiations were indeed held. He also warned the government to give a date for early general elections or else he will announce a date for the long march within the current month.

    Discussing the recent by-elections held on the past Sunday, Asif said that if Khan had let his party candidates run from their respective constituencies instead of contesting himself, the results would have been different.

    During the show, he also hinted towards keeping the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) alliance in place in the next elections.

  • ‘Misogynistic, bigoted’: Twitter calls out Imran Khan’s ‘mardon mein ghustee hai’ comment

    ‘Misogynistic, bigoted’: Twitter calls out Imran Khan’s ‘mardon mein ghustee hai’ comment

    Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, on Tuesday, passed sexist comments about journalist Gharidah Farooqi, saying: “Woh mardon mei ghussay gi toh aisa hi hoga” (If she will enter into men’s sphere, then this is what will happen).

    During a meeting with the delegation of the National Press Club and the Rawalpindi/Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ), Khan said that “Farooqi goes into the crowd and then says that she is being harassed”.

    Along with these remarks, he stated that he will also ask his party workers to act in right manner.

    Twitter did not take kindly to the former Prime Minister’s remarks.

    https://twitter.com/KhawajaUsmanUk/status/1582499392241946626?s=20&t=ko0ajmHMlYDkl2WbeQbVNg

    ‘Agar ilzaam saabit huva toh mai sahafat chorr doonga’: Saleem Safi challenges IK for calling him a ‘lifafa’

    On the same occasion, Khan alleged that Journalist Saleem Safi is a lifafa (biased) journalist.

    When asked by a journalist that why he [Imran Khan] called journalists lifafa, he responded by saying that he has never called any journalist lifafa except for Saleem Safi.

    Responding to this, Safi challenged Imran Khan to prove himself. The senior journalist said in a statement that a committee consisting of PTI’s Murad Saeed, Shibli Faraz and Fawad Chaudhry should be formed under the leadership of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) president to investigate this matter.

    He said that if he is proved to be a liar, then the punishment of a thief will be his punishment and he will leave journalism and if Imran Khan is proved to be a liar, then he will have to leave politics and apologise.

    He also said that he will get to the end of this matter.

  • Rana Sanaullah warns PTI again after Imran says party is all ready for long march

    Rana Sanaullah warns PTI again after Imran says party is all ready for long march

    Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has warned Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, again that the federal government will respond with “full force” if he announces a long march and enters Islamabad.

    On Monday, the federal minister said that Khan has started the culture of bringing huge crowds out on the streets, but the government knows how to end it.

    Speaking about the by-elections in which PTI won the majority of the seats, Sanauallah said that while the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has “responsibly carried out its job in the by-polls”, Khan was busy “spreading propaganda against the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC).”

    Rana Sanaullah revealed that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif will lead his party’s next election campaign.

    Despite the warning, the PTI chief said the long march will be announced within this month. He told the federal government to announce a date for general elections in a few days or else the long march date will be announced. Imran Khan stressed that all preparations for the long march have been completed.

    Last week, Sanaullah warned Khan about his party’s long march, saying, “Jab yeh long march ke liye aayeinge [Islamabad], iss ko pakar kar ulta kardeinge” (We will hang Khan upside down if he takes his long march into Islamabad).

    The federal minister also said that there is a possibility of Khan and other party leaders being arrested during the long march.