Former Member of Parliament, Sadaqat Ali Abbasi, has announced that he is not part of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) anymore in a controversial interview with Adil Shahzeb, aired on DAWN News. He held PTI Chairman Imran Khan responsible for the events of May 9, when PTI supporters attacked state installations.
Abbasi said that during a meeting held on May 4, Imran Khan planned a rally for May 6 near military installations in Rawalpindi.
“He wanted to send a message that if I’m arrested, then the party’s target would be military installations,” the former PTI leader said, adding that Khan repeatedly stressed that the PTI’s “actual war was against the establishment”.
“I announce that I am leaving the PTI, the office of the PTI’s North Punjab president, and politics,” the former member of the National Assembly (MNA) said during the interview.
“I also fear the law […] there are a lot of FIRs registered against me. I do have the pressure of facing cases in court. There is no other pressure on me,” the ex-PTI leader said.
Sadaqat Abbasi had been “missing” for a month when he appeared at DAWN for the interview.
Abbasi was seen in a video circulating on social media, breaking down in tears as he hugs his mother after returning home.
He met his family when the anti-terrorism court approved his pre-arrest bail until October 10.
“Due to the narrative that has been built […] I cannot continue as a PTI member. I have no plans of staying in politics anymore,” Abbasi said.
In a recent development, Punjab’s Special Prosecutor, Syed Farhad Ali Shah, revealed that the Home Department has issued a notification to conduct the trial of the May 9 cases within the confines of a jail facility.
Speaking about the matter, Syed Farhad Ali Shah stated, “The Jinnah House trial is set to be completed within a timeframe of one to one and a half months.” He also confirmed that the challan (charge sheet) has been submitted to the court.
The notification issued by the Home Department specifies that not only the Jinnah House case but also the arson and siege cases related to Askari Tower and Shadman police station will be conducted within jail premises. The move aims to streamline legal proceedings and enhance security during the trials.
In a related development, Justice Ali Baqir Najfi of the Lahore High Court (LHC), on Monday, directed Punjab government prosecutors to apprise the court in the Khadijah Shah case after taking directions from the government.
The petitioner, through a lawyer, pleaded that she was unduly implicated in the May 9 riots incidents and Gulberg police station had illegally involved her in the case against the facts. “The Anti-Terrorism Court dismissed the bail by ignoring the facts,” Khadija Shah pleaded via her lawyer in the provincial apex court.
Earlier, the LHC had conditionally dismissed the registrar’s objections to Khadija Shah’s bail plea, deciding to remove objectionable documents from the application and dismissing the objection itself.
In another recent development, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) has ordered the release of Sanam Javed Khan, a prominent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) activist, and eight other party members in connection with the Jinnah House attack case. The decision comes after a series of legal proceedings surrounding the incident earlier this year.
Presiding over the case, ATC Judge Arshad Javed announced the verdict, granting bail to the nine suspects involved in the Jinnah House attack. The court approved their bail pleas, requiring surety bonds worth Rs 0.1 million each, thereby paving the way for their release.
Kamran Shahid, the anchor of On the Front on Dunya News, filmed a highly anticipated interview at his ancestral ‘Haveli’, airing it on Wednesday night.
Usman Dar, one of the stalwarts of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the former head of PTI’s Tiger Force, an organization comprising young volunteers, appeared on the show to talk about who was the mastermind behind the May 9 riots. On the said day, after PTI Chairman Imran Khan was arrested from Islamabad High Court, protests broke out throughout the country, leading to armed clashes between them and law enforcement agencies. Jinnah House in Lahore, GHQ building in Rawalpindi, airbases and other state installations, along with monuments honouring martyred military men, Askari Tower, Military Library, residences of the armed forces officers, army selection center, petrol pumps, were attacked or set ablaze.
Dar reappeared in public after 147 days to announce on the show that not only was he leaving PTI but also bidding farewell to politics forever. Dar started off by mentioning that he had been missing his passionate arguments with Kamran Shahid on his programs, moving on to say he joined PTI because he genuinely believed that Imran Khan was a leader who could provide a platform for “clean politics.”
Dar termed the aftermath of May 9 for PTI workers an “earthquake”, stating that the day did not unfold incidentally but happened after a significant build-up. After the PTI government was removed, there were two types of mindsets in the party, Dar revealed. Murad Saeed, Azam Swati, and Hammad Azhar were the ones who believed in the politics of collision while Asad Umar, Omar Ayub, Ali Muhammad Khan, Shafqat Mahmood, and Dar himself believed in the politics of reconciliation.
“Those who believed in the collision were convinced that this confrontation would generate results. Unfortunately, Imran Khan supported that group more. He is anyways more of a leading from the front type, and he likes front liners,” said Dar, unveiling what went on in Zaman Park, where Imran Khan was bunkered down.
He further stated that the beliefs of the collision group prevailed more within the party and Imran Khan supported this policy. He also explained how workers from Punjab and KPK were called on and off to Lahore to provide Imran Khan with a ‘human shield’ to avoid arrest. Duties, timing, and days were divided among leaders and workers to stop something as “unique” as Imran Khan’s arrest.
Dar stated that workers had a feeling that they had to save Imran Khan at all costs. Imran Khan was supporting the anti-state narrative that was being developed among workers. “Imran Khan started with General Bajwa and then on to [Chief of Army Staff] Asim Munir. I believe any Army Chief would leave, like today General Asim Munir is there instead of General Bajwa but the institution remains there,” he said.
He also explained that the long march organised by PTI in November 2022 was to oppose General Asim Munir’s appointment. “I think Imran Khan had some information from within the institution that probably the long march would hinder the appointment of General Asim Munir,” Dar said, confirming what many political pundits had suspected since long.
Dar also said that he’ll appear in court to state all this under oath if he has to.
After May 9, the lives of PTI workers have changed entirely and their families are suffering, the Sialkot based Dar observed. Finally, he said he is disappointed in Imran Khan.
Caretaker Prime Minister (PM) of Pakistan, Anwaarul Haq Kakar, has said that free and fair elections can be held in the country without Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan who is currently incarcerated in Attock jail in the cipher case.
“Free and fair elections can take place without [Imran] Khan or hundreds of members of his party who are jailed because they engaged in unlawful activities, including vandalism and arson,” said PM Kakar in an interview on Friday with TheAssociated Press.
PM Kakar dismissed the possibility that the military establishment would manipulate the results to ensure that PTI doesn’t win as “absolutely absurd”.
Earlier, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced that elections would be held by the end of January next year.
Kakar said that once the ECP sets an exact election date, the caretaker government “will provide all the assistance, financial, security or other related requirements”.
Imran Khan faces multiple charges in court including May 9 riots when PTI workers clashed with police. Some of the PTI workers were involved in the violent protests and attacks on military installations in different cities of the country.
PM Kakar also said that the arrested PTI workers are involved in violent protests, attacks on military installations, and other illegal activities.
“Thousands of PTI activists who did not engage in unlawful activities can partake in the upcoming elections,” he added.
The Punjab police have pressed charges of ‘criminal conspiracy’ against Imran Khan, the Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), and all other suspects in May 9 cases across the province. Official sources have disclosed to Dawn that a total of 50 cases were registered, encompassing charges under anti-terrorism and other relevant laws. Among these, 14 cases were filed in various police stations in Lahore and Rawalpindi, while nine were recorded in Sargodha, seven in Sheikhupura, five in Faisalabad, and one in Gujranwala.
Moreover, the Punjab police have recently added offenses under sections 121 (waging or attempting to wage war or aiding such efforts against Pakistan), 131 (abetting mutiny or attempting to influence a soldier, sailor, or airman from their duty), and 146 (rioting) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) to the FIRs.
Dr. Anoosh Masood Chaudhry, Lahore SSP (Investigation), while talking to the media, revealed that the police have also incorporated certain offenses/sections, including 34 and 120b of the PPC, into the May 9 cases.
Section 34 reads: “Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention. When a criminal act is done by several persons, in furtherance of the common intention of all, each such person is liable for that act in the same manner as if it were done by him alone.”
Section 120b states: “Whoever is a party to a criminal conspiracy to commit an offence punishable with death, imprisonment for life or rigorous imprisonment for a term of two years or upwards, shall, where no express provision is made in this Code for the punishment of such a conspiracy, be punished in the same manner as if he had abetted such offence.”
As per the Lahore police’s investigation, Dr. Chaudhry stated that there appears to be substantial evidence confirming incitement to mutiny and the planning of vandalism on May 9.
Responding to a question regarding Imran Khan’s presence at the crime scene, she emphasized that it is immaterial whether he was physically there or not, as evidence suggests that he incited the suspects to carry out violent attacks on sensitive installations of the Pakistan Army.
Dr. Chaudhry further noted that the prosecution and police are awaiting final reports from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) concerning videos and other evidence related to the planners and perpetrators of the May 9 incidents. She assured that all objections raised by the prosecution have been addressed, and the challans for the May 9 cases will be submitted to the courts of law after receiving reports from the FIA and Pemra.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Chairman of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), has criticized the establishment for “making puppets” in a conversation with members of the media.
“The people of Pakistan have warned you that stop conducting such experiments on us. Let the people make their own decisions,” he said, calling it a message for those who make, search for or impose puppets on the country.
“If the people of Pakistan choose Mian Shehbaz Sharif sahib or Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif sahib then we should all accept it. If the people choose PPP, then all should accept it. And maybe I may not like this, but if the people choose PTI, then we will have to accept it,” he stated on Friday in Karachi.
The former Foreign Minister asked Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to conduct polls as soon as possible and within the 90 days constitutional limit.
“Through its performance, the PPP has always proven that it does people-friendly politics and governance. And that is why the PPP still says that elections should be held as soon as possible, according to the Constitution and within 90 days so that we can win the polls and serve the people of the country and take them out of these difficult economic times,” the PPP head stated.
In response to a question, Bilawal said that his father, ex-president Asif Ali Zardari, had spent the longest time behind bars.
“And today we are hearing that those politicians who have to go through this ordeal are facing difficulties,” he said about Imran Khan, the Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
“We are trying to tell them that ghabrana nahi hai (do not worry). It is time for you and politicians like you to learn. You are being given experience and training and you are now being made a politician.”
An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore has allowed Lahore police to interrogate and arrest Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in the Jinnah House attack case.
Imran Khan is already in Attock district jail to serve a three-year sentence in the Tosha Khana case.
After Imran Khan was arrested on May 9 in the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust case, protests started across the country, with violent clashes between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters and law enforcement agencies. Eight people died in the riots, while several others were injured. The rioting led to the ransacking of several state buildings and installations, including Jinnah House in Lahore and the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi.
Protesters accused of attacking military installations will be tried under the Army Act.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP) requested permission in an application to ATC to interrogate and arrest Imran Khan in the case pertaining to May 9 riots. On Wednesday, ATC Lahore approved the application submitted by the IGP.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has on Wednesday ordered the immediate release of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Shandana Gulzar and Shehryar Afridi after suspending their arrest warrants under Maintenance of Public Order (MPO).
The IHC had previously ordered that both Shandana Gulzar and Shehryar Afridi be presented in court.
IHC conducted a hearing against the detention of both the leaders under the MPO on Tuesday.
Afridi’s lawyer Sheer Afzal Marwat told the court that, “This is the seventh MPO order passed against Afridi, and the accused has been in jail for 90 days.”
IHC judge Justice Babar Sattar asked, “Before this, which MPO order was passed by the deputy commissioner?”. The order against Shehryar Afridi was then read aloud by the counsel. The lawyer told the court, “Arrests were made in seven cases, but his client was later released on bail. Seven MPO orders issued against Shehryar Afridi so far have been declared illegal by courts.”
The court further asked, “Where the MPO has not been issued?” To this question, the lawyer told the court that MPO orders have not been issued in Balochistan and Sindh.
Justice Babar Sattar remarked, “If you have to keep a citizen in custody, you will have to provide reasons.”
The court restricted Shehryar Afridi from speaking on media or social media until the trial ends.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and Imran Khan’s nephew Hassan Niazi got arrested in Abbotaabad late on Sunday night. Hassan Niazi’s father, political analyst Hafeez Ullah Niazi, confirmed the arrest in a tweet. Sources have told Daily Pakistan that Hassan Niazi, who is also a lawyer, got arrested from his friend’s house in Abbotabad. Hassan Niazi had been in hiding since May 9, to avoid arrest. In footage recorded outside Lahore’s Corps Commander’s House, aka Jinnah House, Hassan Niazi could be seen holding the Corp Commander’s uniform that he had stolen from inside the premises.
Two of Imran Khan’s sisters and Hassan Niazi were named as declared offenders in a case involving the attack on the Jinnah House by a court last month. Hafeez Ullah Niazi, Hassan’s father, has said in a tweet that he “hopes no law would be violated.”
Following Imran Khan’s arrest from the Islamabad High Court on May 9, a mob of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters set fire to and vandalised the Corps Commander House in Lahore. The house, originally a property of Quaid-e-Azam, is also known as Jinnah House.
Hassan Niazi has been handed over to Quetta Police by Abbottabad Police. Lahore police have also written a letter to the Ministry of Interior Quetta office to bring the accused to Lahore in light of the cases against him regarding the May 9 incidents.
According to the details provided by ARY News, Hassan Niazi’s case has now been forwarded to the military court. However, police have said that Hassan Niazi was transferred from Quetta to Rawalpindi to face the military trial.
The court directed the IG, CCPO, and SHO to present Hassan Niazi before the court if they had him.
Hassan’s father, Hafeezullah Niazi, had requested the Lahore High Court to seek the release of his son. It is mentioned in the petition that Hassan Niazi should be presented before the court.
Once one of the most important members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pervez Khattak has on Wednesday been thrown out of the party for failing to respond to a show-cause notice issued on June 21.
Khattak, who became a powerful Chief Minister and the President of the party in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP), had been asked in the show cause notice to explain why he was asking workers to quit the party.
A termination letter was sent to Khattak by PTI General Secretary Omar Ayub Khan while a copy of the same was also posted on the party’s social media handles.
“Your membership from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has been terminated with immediate effect,” said the letter.
Khattak himself had resigned from the post of KP party president after May 9 riots.
