Tag: long march

  • ‘Iss ladlay ko bachaya ja raha tha’: Rana Sanaullah claims that Bajwa and Faiz facilitated Khan until November 28

    ‘Iss ladlay ko bachaya ja raha tha’: Rana Sanaullah claims that Bajwa and Faiz facilitated Khan until November 28

    Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has claimed that former army chief General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa and ex-Director General of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed facilitated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan until November 28, a day before Bajwa retired and passed over the command of the army to General Asim Munir.

    Speaking on Geo News programme ‘Naya Pakistan’ on Friday, Sanaullah said, “Iss ladlay ko bachaya ja raha tha” (They were protecting their favourite).

    Declaring that Khan has “gone crazy” after being denied the facilitation which he was previously being provided, “to bring him to the streets”. Backed by this facilitation he wanted to launch a long march and seize Islamabad, Rana Sanaullah said.

    Moreover, he claimed that Imran Khan’s long march was all about the appointment of the new army chief.

    The minister also denied that General Bajwa was going to retire in November. “The date came and he had to retire,” Sanaullah disclosed, hinting that the ex-COAS wanted to continue in his post.

    On February 2, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice-President Maryam Nawaz claimed that her party’s actual rule commenced after November 28 as before this date, the PTI chief’s patrons were still holding powerful positions.

  • ‘Long march mein jaan daalnay ke liye drama keeya gaya’, claims lawyer of person who shot at IK

    ‘Long march mein jaan daalnay ke liye drama keeya gaya’, claims lawyer of person who shot at IK

    Advocate Mian Dawood—the lawyer of Naveed Meher who shot at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan—said that the incident was all planned by the party itself.

    Addressing a press conference on Thursday (today), the lawyer detailed claims about the incident at Wazirabad in which Khan survived an attempted assassination.

    He rejected the Joint Investigation Report (JIT), saying it had “distorted the facts”. He also claimed that PTI worker Moazzam was killed by Imran’s own guard.

    “Long march mein jaan daalnay ke liye drama keeya gaya“, (It was all a drama to revive the long march.), Dawood claimed.

    However, a day earlier, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry, in a presser, said that the forensic test of Imran’s guards’ weapons established that none of them fired even a single shot.

    He added that PTI worker Moazzam was killed by a bullet aimed at the detained shooter. “The assassin had to be killed on the spot but ill-fated Moazzam came in the way,” Chaudhry said.

    However, talking to reporters today, Dawood refuted PTI’s claim saying that the video that showed Imran’s guard firing was not being made part of the case record.

    He claimed that PTI knew about the guard shooting but they kept quiet because otherwise Khan and his guard would have to face murder charges.

    “The purpose of the JIT was to save Imran and his guard. It was an attempt to waste evidence. And they did it. If we connect the dots, Imran’s guard is responsible,” he stated.

    About Chaudhry’s press conference, Dawood raised a question about how the JIT report reached PTI before its submission to the court.

    “JIT prepared the investigation report at Zaman Park after consultation with PTI lawyers,” alleged Mian Dawood.

    “This clearly means that the report has no legal value. If PTI believes that the attack was genuine, then why are they running away from getting the FIR registered,” he questioned.

    On the day of the incident, Naveed was arrested and instantly confessed to committing the crime.

  • PTI marches towards Islamabad for ‘Haqeeqi Azadi’

    PTI marches towards Islamabad for ‘Haqeeqi Azadi’

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan said that there is a “threat to his life” but he is coming to Rawalpindi for the nation despite the injury.

    “My nation will come to Pindi for me,” a tweet posted from PTI’s official account quoted Khan as saying.

    Islamabad Police shares traffic update

    PTI leaders tweets on march

  • ‘Come back to the parliament for Pakistan’s progress’: Sanaullah tells Khan

    ‘Come back to the parliament for Pakistan’s progress’: Sanaullah tells Khan

    Interior Minister Rana Sanullah has asked Imran Khan, the Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to come back to the parliament so that the “country can move forward”.

    “If you don’t do this, you will be responsible for everything including inflation, economic turmoil and political turmoil. Stop being stubborn and come do politics instead,” he asserted at a press conference on Friday in Islamabad.

    Sanaullah also said that when politicians sit together, deadlocks are broken and decisions are changed.

    “I’ve seen my leaders amend their decisions after arguments and discussions,” he remarked, in what was seen as a government effort to offer an olive branch to Imran Khan.

    ‘There is a threat’: Sanaullah advises Khan to postpone long march headed to Rawalpindi on Nov 26

    Sanullah also advised Khan to postpone his party’s long march in Rawalpindi on November 26 (Friday).

    “Imran Khan should have delayed this march but he is stubborn and still wants to come to Rawalpindi.

    “I reviewed a meeting and all intelligence agencies have alerted me that any terrorist outfit can take advantage of this march. There is a threat to Imran himself,” he told the members of the press.

    Khan won’t get an election date from Rawalpindi: Sanaullah

    Sanaullah also stressed that Khan won’t get a date for fresh elections from Rawalpindi, where the General Headquarters of the armed forces is located.

    “I want to tell Imran Khan sahab that there is no purpose for this long march now. You say that you are coming to Rawalpindi for an election date. Imran Khan, you won’t get a date for elections now. The establishment won’t give you an election date […] if someone had to give in to your blackmailing, you would have a date […] but the establishment as an institution is standing firm on the decision that it won’t step out of its constitutional role,” Sanaullah emphasized.

    He further said that if Imran wanted a date for elections he should “become a politician” and meet his political opponents. “Meet Zardari, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Akhtar Mengal, Khalid Magsi, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui […] discuss the elections with them […] you can even meet Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif, they won’t refuse,” he advised the former Prime Minister.

  • Imran Khan can now travel after plaster is removed from his leg

    Imran Khan can now travel after plaster is removed from his leg

    Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, has been given the green signal to travel by his medical team ahead of the Rawalpindi rally scheduled for November 26.

    Khan’s physician, Dr Khalid Niazi, has said that the plaster on Khan’s fractured leg has been removed while the wounds on the upper part of Khan’s lower right limb have almost healed. However, the wounds on the lower part of the leg will take another week to heal completely.

    He added that Khan can now wash his leg and put weight on it as well. The doctors also allowed Khan to travel but with the caveat that he needs to be careful.

    The doctors told the media that they have removed one leg band from the former premier’s injured leg while leaving the other one loose.

    In an address, Imran Khan said he would go to Rawalpindi on November 26 and reveal a new plan for his Haqeeqi Long March movement.

    On November 3, Imran Khan survived an assassination attempt on day seven of PTI’s ‘Haqeeqi Long March’ as his container moved through Punjab’s Wazirabad.

  • ‘Imran Khan to give call to reach Rawalpindi today’: Fawad Chaudhry

    ‘Imran Khan to give call to reach Rawalpindi today’: Fawad Chaudhry

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry has said on Saturday that the “final stage has arrived” when former prime minister Imran Khan will ask his supporters to converge in Rawalpindi.

    “The final stage has arrived. Be prepared. Imran Khan will give a call to people today to reach Rawalpindi,” he tweeted.

    Chaudhry said PTI leaders Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Asad Umar, who are leading separate convoys, will meet at Rawat today from where the marchers would move towards Rawalpindi, located at a distance of 23.8 kilometres when approached via Grant Trunk Road.

    Meanwhile, PTI’s official Twitter account tweeted that Imran Khan will announce the final date of arrival of Real Azadi March at 2 pm in Rawalpindi at Chuck Bailey, Rawat today.

  • ‘Long march mein aanay walay logon se ziada mere mulaazim hain’: Faisal Vawda

    ‘Long march mein aanay walay logon se ziada mere mulaazim hain’: Faisal Vawda

    Former Senator of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Faisal Vawda has said that his party’s ongoing long march is sparsely attended, remarking that, “Long march mein aanay walay logon se ziada mere mulaazim hain,” (I have more employees than the number of people who attend the long march).

    During Samaa News‘ show ‘Nadeem Malik Live’, Vawda criticised his former party members without naming them, calling them “snakes”. He said that these leaders claimed that there would be hundreds of thousands of people participating in the long march. “Jitny log long march main a rahy hain is se zyada toh school ke bachay assembly mei hotay hain,” (More children attend school assembly than the number of people attending the long march).

    Vawda confirmed the meeting between PTI Chief Imran Khan and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Qamar Javed Bajwa at the President’s House.

    “I helped in arranging that meeting. There were misunderstandings between the two parties but the meeting went well.”

    He claimed that PTI is popular among the people right now, however, he raised questions about why the party is carrying out the long march.

    Last month, Vawda had predicted that PTI’s march would be a bloody one. After that, the former ruling party terminated Vawda’s basic membership.

    PTI said that he would not be allowed to hold any party office or represent the party in the media as he had “grossly violated discipline by giving statements against party policies and guidelines”.

  • ‘PM Shehbaz visiting Khan is under discussion’: Rana Sanaullah

    ‘PM Shehbaz visiting Khan is under discussion’: Rana Sanaullah

    Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has once again strongly condemned the assassination attempt on former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan which took place on November 3 in Wazirabad during Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) long march.

    In a press conference, the minister called the incident an act of “religious extremism”. However, he was of the view that “PTI’s attitude towards the incident is also regrettable and condemnable.”

    He revealed that so far four deaths have been reported due to the unfortunate incident, adding that PM Shehbaz Sharif has announced compensation for the people who have lost their lives.

    He said that the federal government has asked the Punjab government to form a Joint Investigation Team (JIT).

    He, further said that “we consider Khan a political opponent and not an enemy, but he [Khan] considers us his enemies.”

    About the accusations made by the PTI chief, implicating Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Rana Sanaullah himself and Major General Faisal Naseer of plotting the assassination attempt, the Interior Minister said that it is “very saddening” that Khan has named people without any investigation or proof.

    Talking about the alleged confession video of the shooter, the minister said that the allegations levelled by him are extremely alarming.

    The minister also hinted at the possibility of PM Shehbaz visiting Imran Khan to inquire about his health.

    “If the environment gets better, PM Shehbaz might visit Khan but right now we have been blamed. So the discussion is under consideration, PM Shehbaz will decide this matter,” he stated.

  • ‘Siyasat mein violence ki koyi jagah nahin,’ Condemnations pour in after assassination attempt on Imran Khan

    ‘Siyasat mein violence ki koyi jagah nahin,’ Condemnations pour in after assassination attempt on Imran Khan

    Former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan narrowly escaped an assassination attempt on Thursday while leading his party’s long march in Wazirabad. The Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was shot in the leg and is currently receiving medical treatment at Shaukat Khanum Hospital, Lahore. According to media reports, one person was killed while seven people sustained injuries.

    Other than Khan, PTI leaders Faisal Javed and Ahmad Chattha were also injured. Following the tragic incident, leaders from across the political spectrum condemned the attack on Khan.

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the firing incident and said that an immediate report of the incident has been sought from Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah.

    In a tweet, he said, “I strongly condemn the firing at Imran Khan’s rally. An immediate report of the incident has been sought from the Interior Minister. We pray for the speedy recovery of Imran and other injured. The federal government will provide all possible support to the Punjab government in the security/investigation of the incident. Violence should have no place in country’s politics.”

    President Dr Arif Alvi took to Twitter to express his concern, saying that “This attack was sad, alarming, deceitful and cowardly”.

    The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) has said that the firing incident during PTI’s long march near Gujranwala is “highly condemnable”.

    “Sincere prayers for precious life lost and speedy recovery and well-being of Imran Khan and all those injured in this unfortunate incident,” the military’s media wing said.

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif also condemned the attack and prayed for Khan’s and other party leaders’ recovery.

    Foreign Minister (FM) Bilawal Bhutto said, “Strongly condemn the attack on Imran Khan. Praying for his swift recovery.”

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)’s Twitter account tweeted that Former President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the firing incident. He said, “I pray to God that Imran Khan recovers soon”.

    PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz also condemned the unfortunate incident.

    Sanaullah’s office’s official account said that on the instructions of PM Shehbaz, a report of the incident was sought from the Chief Secretary and Inspector General of Police (IG) Police Punjab.

    From PML-N leaders, Ahsan Iqbal also came forward to condemn the attack.

    He tweeted, “Thank God Imran Niazi is safe. There is no room for violence in politics. I strongly condemn the incident of firing on Imran Niazi’s container in Wazirabad. The Punjab government should review the security arrangements.”

    Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai wished the PTI chief a full recovery.

    “Attacks on leaders of any political belief or party are always wrong. And violence is never an acceptable protest”, she said in a tweet

  • 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.