Leader of the National Democratic Movement (NDM), Mohsin Dawar, has sustained severe injuries in a gunfire attack.
Party officials claimed that police officials targeted Dawar as he entered a government compound along with a group of people, protesting delays in result.
He was sitting outside the RO office for two nights and decided to enter the office today after three days of delay.
Dawar has been a member of the National Assembly from August 2018 until August 2023.
Former Member National Assembly and Pashtun Tahafuz Movement leader Mohsin Dawar has shared via a tweet on X that “Taliban have taken over polling stations in Tappi, N. Waziristan in my constituency NA-40”.
Taliban have taken over polling stations in Tappi, N. Waziristan in my constituency NA-40. Three of our female polling agents escaped a blast in the morning. I had conveyed my concerns about the security situation in Tappi to the DRO which were ignored. ECP has to take notice. pic.twitter.com/4chQUNivB6
— Mohsin Dawar (@mjdawar) February 8, 2024
He went on to share that “three of our female polling agents escaped a blast in the morning. I had conveyed my concerns about the security situation in Tappi to the DRO which were ignored. ECP has to take notice.”
NA-40 same constituency where women are being barred from voting. Journalist Iftikhar Firdous also posted that an unidentified man has been recorded, taking away an entire ballot box. Voting as resumed but women are not being allowed to vote.
Women being barred to vote from NA-40 Miranshah, North Waziristan, an unidentified man picks away an entire ballot box. After the government has stepped in the voting has begun again but women are not being allowed to vote. pic.twitter.com/IclAdQdtju
— Iftikhar Firdous (@IftikharFirdous) February 8, 2024
National Democratic Movement (NDM) chairman Mohsin Dawar’s convoy has been attacked by unknown gunmen in North Waziristan on Wednesday afternoon.
The former MNA survived the attack as he was travelling in a bulletproof car.
Unknown gunmen opened fire on the car of the former MNA and partner of the former coalition government of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).
Mohsin Dawar was campaigning in his constituency for general elections, set to take place on February 8.
Police have confirmed that Mohsin Dawar is safe and has been shifted to a nearby safe place.
Police have started search operation in the area.
Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has released the latest “most wanted terrorists” list, which shockingly includes the name of a prominent tribal journalist and author, Ihsanur Rehman Dawar.
The counter-terrorism department on Tuesday placed the name of Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) assistant director Ihsanur Rehman Dawar on the list of most wanted fugitives announcing a bounty of Rs1 million for information leading to his arrest.
Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has released a latest “most wanted terrorists” list. The list includes a name of a prominent tribal journalist and author, Ihsan Dawar. What a …..Joke pic.twitter.com/0Yjvz6canA
— Ihsanullah Tipu Mehsud (@IhsanTipu) November 21, 2023
Mr Dawar, a former journalist and an author, is part of the list along with over 150 other proclaimed offenders. The profile shared by the CTD has incorrectly named him Ihsanullah Khan.
Dawar expressed shock at the inclusion, stating that he has been residing in Peshawar since 2011 and has no criminal record.
Dawar asserts that his father’s name, home address, and picture are correctly identified as per Dawn.
“This is how our institutions are working. They have ruined my reputation,” Dawar lamented, vehemently denying any connections to militants within his family.
The CTD in Pakhtunkhwa has included the name of a well known senior journalist and spokesman of PDMA for merged districts Ihsan Dawar in the list of its “most wanted terrorists”. This is ridiculous beyond words. This is a prime example of just how dysfunctional their system is. https://t.co/aPqmRKmQTr
— Mohsin Dawar (@mjdawar) November 21, 2023
The CTD, in a statement, insisted that Ihsanullah Khan was nominated in an FIR for attacking an army picket in North Waziristan in 2019, leading to his proclamation as a wanted offender.
The department justified the Rs1 million bounty, claiming it was recommended by the district police officer and duly notified by the home department.
The Miramshah Press Club criticized the CTD’s move, describing Dawar as an “honorary member” and denouncing the reward for his arrest.
The case in question involves a 2019 firing incident at the Khar Kamar checkpost, which resulted in casualties. Dawar was declared a proclaimed offender, but lawmakers Ali Wazir and Mohsin Dawar were acquitted in 2020.
The CTD’s most-wanted list, however, has raised eyebrows, with several inaccuracies noted.
– The Counter-Terrorism Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has issued a list comprising 152 individuals deemed as the most wanted in the state.
– Umar Mukaram Khorasani, is among those named.
– The collective bounty on the heads of the individuals listed amounts to 23 crore… pic.twitter.com/ANRfhncY2W
— Eagle Eye (@zarrar_11PK) November 21, 2023
The inclusion of surrendered TTP spokesperson Ihsanullah Ihsan, and individuals previously reported dead in Afghanistan, such as Omar Mukarram Khurasani, has underscored concerns about the authenticity and verification of information within the CTD’s records.
Some of the individuals on the wanted list include Jalaluddin, Muhammad Asif Khan, Asif Siddiqui, Muhammad Fayyaz, Inam Qari, Altaf Hussain, Muhammad Rizwan, Shehkar Din Bhatti, Wajid Khan, Niaz Muhammad, Naqab Khan, Kaleem Khan, Zarif Saeed, Yasir Ilyas and Muhammad Kashif.
According to the fresh list, Said Qadar of Mardan carries the highest reward of Rs8 million while Zahid Qadar of the same district carries Rs7 million head money.
In October this year, to combat militancy effectively, the CTD launched an aggressive initiative aimed at apprehending 135 of the most-wanted terrorists, announcing bounties on their heads.
The CTD unveiled a comprehensive list containing the names and photographs of the 135 most-wanted terrorists. This initiative, designed to combat militancy, also included the unprecedented inclusion of a female suspect in the K-P province.
The alleged female terrorist, known as Quratulain, is believed to be the wife of Iqbal, also known as Bali Khiyara, who was a prominent commander of a terrorist group in DI Khan. Iqbal’s life came to an end in a recent encounter with the CTD.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will go on his first foreign trip to Saudi Arabia on April 27. He will be accompanied by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz and Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
PM Shehbaz will call upon Saudi Prince Muhammad Bin Salman. The Pakistani delegation will also perform Umrah during the trip, reports The News.
Member National Assembly Mohsin Dawar was supposed to accompany PM Sharif on his trip to Saudi but will most likely miss the trip as his name is on the Exit Control List (ECL). For being in the ‘anti-state category’, the names of Mohsin Dawar and Ali Wazir were not removed from the ECL as per the new policy.
The new government removed the names of PM Shehbaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister-elect Hamza Shehbaz, PML-N head Mian Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz from the Exit Control List (ECL) under a new policy, reported Azaz Syed for Geo News.
Senior anchorperson Saleem Safi asked federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar why Dawar’s name has not been removed from the ECL when the Sharif family removed their own names. Tarar said that it is due to two categories of cases: one that deals with anti-terrorism, anti-state cases and narcotics while the other category is banking offences, misuse of authority, loans, etc. He added that now they will have to amend the Act and also take rules to the cabinet again.
“I believe that when someone is an elected member of parliament and represents millions of people, there should be no travel ban for him/her. As a firm believer in human rights, I think this law is wrong and only should be applicable on extreme cases. But nobody should be placed on ECP indefinitely,” said Law Minister Azam Tarar.
READ MORE: Maryam Nawaz moves court to get her passport back to travel
Last week, Maryam Nawaz filed a plea before the Lahore High Court (LHC) to get her passport back in order to travel travel to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah in Ramzan. She also said that she wants to travel to London to visit her ailing father, Mian Nawaz Sharif.
“I want to go to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah but cannot because my passport is surrendered at the LHC,” read Maryam’s plea.
Pakistan People’s Pakistan (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari is expected to meet Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif in London, reports Geo News.
As per the news outlet’s sources, Bilawal will discuss the inclusion of Balochistan National Party (BNP) and Moshin Dawar in the federal cabinet with Nawaz Sharif during his visit to the UK. PPP Secretary-General Farhatullah Babar told The News, “The main purpose of meeting Nawaz Sharif is to congratulate him on the coalition government and discuss the current political situation.”
However, according to Journalist Saleem Safi, “Bilawal is giving a false impression that he is going to London for the sake of allies. He is going to beg for the governorship of Punjab, more ministries and to make Zardari President.”
As per the media outlet’s sources, there is no deadlock between PPP and PML-N on the issue of the Foreign Ministry. There is an understanding between the PPP and the PML-N that Bilawal would take over as the Foreign Minister (FM). There are speculations that there are some issues in the coalition government that’s why Bilawal did not take oath as FM despite attending the cabinet oath-taking ceremony on Tuesday.
Earlier, it was reported that Asif Ali Zardari and other PPP leaders are not in favour of Bilawal joining the cabinet.
Recently, PPP Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar has excused from taking oath as minister of state for personal reasons and said he wants to focus on the upcoming general elections.
Hundreds of Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) workers staged a sit-in outside of Sindh Assembly to demand the release of their leader and Member of National Assembly (MNA) Ali Wazir, reports Dawn News.
Initially, Deputy Commissioner (DC)-South Irshad Ali Sodhar and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP)-South Rai Ijaz Ahmed tried to prevent the group from marching but eventually allowed the rally to proceed towards the assembly building where it was turned into a sit-in.
PTM founder and head Manzoor Pashteen said, “The government calls itself a democratic one but we are not being allowed to exercise our democratic rights.”
Pashteen said that the protest and sit-in would continue till the release of Wazir.
PTM leader Hidayatullah criticised the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) for arresting PTM leaders in false cases. He argued when Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) leaders and workers have been released, why are PTM leaders including MNA Wazir are not being released.
MNA Wazir and MNA Mohsin Dawar, as well as Pashteen, have been booked for committing sedition by inciting the people to wage a war against the state by delivering provocative speeches against security forces at a rally held in Sohrab Goth on December 6, 2020.
As journalists continue with sit-in outside of the Parliament House, against the government’s proposed Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA), prominent leaders from political parties, student unions, and members of the civil society also joined in to show solidarity.
The protest began on Sunday and is said to continue until President Dr Arif Alvi’s address to the joint session of parliament on Monday.
Former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Information Secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb, and MNA Mohsin Dawar, among others, visited the protest site on Sunday night to extend their support.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president, Shehbaz Sharif speaking on the media authority bill termed it as “black law” and expressed solidarity with journalists. He said the media had fought a war for its freedom and no one could snatch it.
“The government doesn’t have the guts to pass it and we won’t allow it,” added Shehbaz warning the government against passing the “black law” or bear the consequences.
He tweeted in solidarity with the protestors and said, “PTI government is demolishing every institution that represents democracy. We support journalists in their struggle against PMDA.”
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Monday slammed the Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority (PMDA), saying that the proposed bill is an “attack on the freedom of media and judiciary.”
The PPP chairman vowed his party will not let the government get away with snatching livelihoods from the masses. He showed solidarity with journalists who have been attacked, saying that the PPP “will not be satisfied till they [journalists] are not satisfied.”
“Even if they manage to have this black law passed, journalists will [struggle to] have it abolished,” he added.
Bilawal warned the government that if it tried to have the PMDA law passed via force, the PPP will challenge it in the courts. The PPP chairman said he feared the government will try to pass the bill during a joint sitting of the Parliament.
Bilawal said his party will attend the joint sitting of the Parliament with a two-point agenda; to advocate for the rights of 20,000 government employees who were sacked and to campaign for freedom of speech.
PPP leaders, Senator Sherry Rehman and Raza Rabbani, visited the protest camp and addressed the protesters.
“We have repealed all the ordinance regarding media censorship, whether it was Ayub Khan or Zia-Ul-Haq. This is why the government won’t bring this on the Parliament floor because we will repeal the PMDA bill and they are scared”
Marriyum Aurangzeb, along with PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal, also visited the protest site on Monday.
Addressing the protesters, Iqbal criticised the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government for “attacking and attempting to muzzle” the media.
Referring to the PMDA bill, he called it a “conspiracy” and said if the bill was passed, “democracy will die in this country”.
Member National Assembly (MNA) Mohsin Dawar on Wednesday launched a new political party called the National Democratic Movement (NDM). The new party includes some members of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM).
NDM’s central organising committee was announced at its first formal meeting in Peshawar. Mohsin Dawar will be the central organiser, Muzamil Shah general secretary and Jamila Gilani information secretary. Abdullah Nangyal, Ibrahim Khan, Haroon Bazai, Anwar Sulemankhel, Aijaz Aslam and Tariq Wazir Khan are also part of the central organising committee.
NDM’s first press conference was attended by former senator Afrasiab Khattak, former MNA Bushra Gohar and several others. The manifesto of the new political party was also unveiled at the launch. It says that the party’s basic principle is the promotion of a secular federal democratic parliamentary system, among other things. It also states that the NDM believes in upholding civilian constitutional supremacy.
Talking to The Current, Mohsin Dawar said the NDM will speak for the oppressed and the marginalised from every part of Pakistan. “We believe in supremacy of parliament and we believe in providing space to the youth to lead this movement. We want to steer the country towards equality and progress and will also resist growing militarisation, which is dominating every sphere.”
Speaker National Assembly (NA) Asad Qaiser summoned a session of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security on July1. Army chief and heads of security institutions participated in the meeting. Politicians and legislators were given an in-depth briefing on Kashmir, Afghanistan, and internal security challenges.
Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Mohsin Dawar, Yousaf Raza Gillani, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar and many others were part of the in-camera briefing.
However, Prime Minister Imran Khan did not attend the meeting. Government spokespersons said that PM Khan was going to attend the meeting but Speaker Asad Qaiser conveyed to him that Shehbaz Sharif would not attend the briefing if Khan attended it. However, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders have denied this. But NA Secretariat spokesperson also clarified that PM Imran Khan was always willing to attend the meeting but the only reason for not attending the meeting was reservations conveyed to the Assembly secretariat by some Opposition leaders.
First of all, why did the Opposition ask the PM not to attend the meeting? Some say that the message by Shehbaz Sharif was miscommunicated. Well, the PML-N should clarify what message was conveyed, if any, and why.
Sharif wanted to sign a Charter of Economy in order to improve Pakistan’s economy so why would he not allow PM Khan to attend such a meeting. Prime Minister Imran Khan does not need Mr Sharif’s permission or anyone else’s to attend an important parliamentary meeting.
Secondly, even if Shehbaz Sharif had sent this message, why did the prime minister give in? This meeting was extremely important in light of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and its consequences for Pakistan. All political leadership should have been there, including the PM, so as to come to a national consensus on these security issues. When has the prime minister ever listened to the Opposition before that he chose to finally pay heed to them now?
Thirdly, Speaker NA Asad Qaiser was the convenor of the meeting. Why did he discourage the prime minister from attending such an important and sensitive meeting.
Our leadership should not let their political differences come in the way when it comes to national security issues. Such differences should be limited to electoral politics, not on issues that have an impact on the future of the country. We hope that the next time there is such a meeting, or when issues related to the country’s future are discussed, all leaders would sit on the same table and build a national consensus.