Tag: pervaiz elahi

  • PM Shehbaz expresses grief over tragic Motorway accident

    The collision between a passenger bus and an oil tanker left at least 20 people dead and six others injured on the Multan-Sukkur Motorway (M-5) at Jalalpur Peerwala interchange in the early hours of Tuesday, August 16. The ill-fated bus left from Lahore for Karachi at 9pm.

    Following the incident, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief over the incident and prayed for the deceased and their families.

    “I am saddened by the loss of 20 precious lives in the accident. My prayers are with the bereaved families,” he tweeted.

    Multan Commissioner Amir Khattak confirmed the development on Twitter. According to him, the tragic accident had taken place around 4am. He also shared photographs of the scene.

    However, a statement issued by Rescue 1122’s provincial monitoring centre in Lahore said the accident took place at 2:20am.

    A Motorway Police spokesperson revealed that the tanker was carrying thousands of litres of petrol. He added that the apparent cause of the accident was the bus driver falling asleep, reports Dawn.

    According to the Motorway Police, both vehicles the oil tanker and the bus caught fire soon after the collision. The officers of the Motorway Police immediately reached the spot after the accident took place. Local police and Rescue 1122 teams also reached the spot.

    The police added that the fire was so intense and terrifying that it was visible from a distance. At least nine passengers were safely rescued from the burning bus.

    According to the bus company sources, there were two drivers aboard the bus. All staff was to be changed in Sukkur. There were a total of 24 passengers on board. Two passengers were going to Hyderabad, while the others were en route to Karachi.

    Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Pervaiz Elahi demanded a report on the incident from the Multan commissioner. He also expressed grief over the loss of lives.

  • Hamza Shehbaz files petition to review SC’s verdict declaring Elahi as CM

    Hamza Shehbaz files petition to review SC’s verdict declaring Elahi as CM

    Former Chief Minister (CM) Punjab Hamza Shehbaz has filed a review petition in the Supreme Court (SC) against the apex court’s July 26 verdict, which declared Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi as the Punjab CM.

    Hamza filed the petition through his lawyer Mansoor Awan in which it has been requested that the SC should review the decision of declaring Pervaiz Elahi as the CM of Punjab and the ruling of former Punjab Assembly (PA) Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari should be declared constitutional.

    The review petition stated that the court in its order had “failed” to appreciate that when a justice signs a judgement, then to the extent that judgement is not expressly controverted in the separate opinion, that justice remains bound by the judgement he has put a signature to, whereas the order makes the inverse and counter-intuitive inference because other aspects were covered in the separately rendered decision.

    The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader further demanded that a full court be constituted to decide the matters involving the interpretation and application of Article 63-A of the Constitution in this regard.

    Earlier, a three-member bench of the SC declared Mazari’s ruling in the Punjab Chief Minister election “illegal” and ruled that Pervaiz Elahi will be the new CM of the province.

  • Chaudhry Shujaat to remain PML-Q’s president: ECP

    Chaudhry Shujaat to remain PML-Q’s president: ECP

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has said that former Prime Minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain would remain the Pakistan Muslim League -Quaid’s (PML-Q) president and Tariq Bashir Cheema its secretary-general.

    A four-member bench headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja heard Chaudhry Shujaat’s plea. During today’s proceedings, CEC Raja said the ECP is issuing notices to the parties in the case — PML-Q leader and Shujaat’s cousin, Pervaiz Elahi, and Punjab Secretary-General Kamil Ali Agha and both — Shujaat and Cheema — would retain their positions till the next hearing. The CEC adjourned the proceedings till August 16.

    Read more: ‘Stop making a mockery of family’: Chaudhry Shujaat asks Pervaiz Elahi to return home

    PML-Q’s Central Working Committee (CWC) unanimously decided to remove Hussain and Cheema from their party positions in July. Talking about the removal of Shujaat as PML-Q chief, Kamil Ali Agha said, “It has become necessary to isolate Chaudhry Shujaat to save the party from destruction.” He also said that due to a conspiracy hatched by Salik Hussain and Cheema, a letter was used to ask PML-Q MPAs to vote for the PML-N, damaging the party’s reputation.

  • ‘Stop making a mockery of family’: Chaudhry Shujaat asks Pervaiz Elahi to return home

    ‘Stop making a mockery of family’: Chaudhry Shujaat asks Pervaiz Elahi to return home

    Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on Monday asked Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi to return home.

    “At our residence, my room is on one side, while the other side belongs to Pervaiz Elahi,” the former premier said during a press conference on Monday.

    They are trying to divide the family

    “They are trying to divide our family,” he said while speaking about the ongoing conflict within the party. Shujaat advised Elahi to “stop making a mockery of our family”.

    Regarding his sons and their involvement in political matters, the PML-Q leader — who was recently removed from his party position following the letter controversy during the CM’s election — said: “Attempts are being made to defame my sons, they have taken all decisions after consulting me and I am proud of them.”

    He further added that those who levelled allegations against him and his sons have no standing.

    Shujaat blamed the politicians after Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa intervened in the economic matters of the country by contacting United States officials and requesting an early dispersal of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) funds.

    “Why was there a need for the army chief to interfere?” Shujaat questioned.

    It is impossible to remove Shujaat from his party head position

    Federal Minister Tariq Bashir Cheema said that he will only leave his position when Shujaat asks him to do so.

    “It is impossible to remove Shujaat from his party head position,” Cheema said, referring to the unanimous decision taken by the PML-Q central working committee to remove Shujaat and Cheema from their party positions.

    “Shujaat is the founder of the party and provincial offices have no authority to remove him,” he maintained, adding that this is not how parties work.

  • ‘Announcement in six to eight weeks’: Imran directs Punjab MPAs to prepare for general elections

    ‘Announcement in six to eight weeks’: Imran directs Punjab MPAs to prepare for general elections

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Sunday directed party leaders and parliamentarians in Punjab to prepare for the next general elections as they could be announced in six to eight weeks.

    The direction came during separate meetings held at Chief Minister (CM) Punjab Pervaiz Elahi’s office on Sunday.

    Khan congratulated Elahi on the ouster of an ‘unconstitutional and unlawful’ government from Punjab.

    Steps to provide relief to the people of the province were also discussed during the meeting.

    Khan held separate meetings with various party leaders, including provincial chief of the party Dr Yasmin Rashid, former chief Shafqat Mahmood, Mian Mahmood-ur-Rashid, as well as with MPAs from six Punjab divisions.

    Khan has given Dr Yasmin Rashid a two-week ultimatum to reorganise the party in the province.

    Earlier, former Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed said that an “agreement” has been reached and the general elections will be held in October.

    “Instead of by-elections, matters on new elections have been settled. The nation will soon hear about the date for the elections in October, the formation of a new election commission and a caretaker government,” said Rasheed.

    PTI challenges approval of 11 resignations in court

    PTI General Secretary Asad Umar on Monday (August 1) reached the Islamabad High Court where he challenged the approval of the 11 resignations of PTI MNAs.

    “A petition has been submitted in the Islamabad High Court against the election commission accepting the resignations of 11 members of the assembly of their choice,” the PTI leader said on Twitter.

    Umar said that they have approached the court against the acceptance of the 11 resignations. 

    “On April 11, 125 of our people resigned on the floor of the assembly, and on April 13, Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri accepted their resignations,” Umar said.

    Asad Umar said that PTI MNAs resigned en masse but the election commission’s decision to accept the resignation of 11 members and not 125 is illegal.

    Last week, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) de-notified 11 PTI MNAs following the approval of their resignations by National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf.

    According to the ECP, Ali Muhammad Khan, Fazal Muhammad Khan, Shaukat Ali, Fakhar Zaman Khan, Farrukh Habib, Ijaz Ahmad Shah, Jamil Ahmed Khan, Muhammad Akram Cheema, Abdul Shakoor Shad, Shireen Mehrunnisa Mazari, Shandana Gulzar Khan have been de-notified. 

    PTI to file judicial reference against Chief Election Commissioner

    PTI Information Secretary Farrukh Habib issued a statement on July 30 and said the party had prepared to file a disqualification reference in the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) against the CEC Sikander Sultan Raja. He said the CEC met PDM leaders after reserving a judgment in the prohibited funding case.

    “By doing so, the chief election commissioner violated his oath, the code of conduct as well as his constitutional duty,” he added.

    According to media reports, PTI decided to file a judicial reference against CEC Sultan Raja. The decision came during a high-level PTI meeting chaired by Imran Khan, where the party leaders reviewed the coalition government’s recent meeting with the CEC and other ECP members.

  • The real story behind Imran Khan sitting on CM Punjab seat

    The real story behind Imran Khan sitting on CM Punjab seat

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan met Chief Minister (CM) Punjab Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and former federal minister Moonis Elahi at the Chief Minister’s Office on Sunday in Lahore and discussed matters of mutual interest, the political situation, the administrative affairs of Punjab, and the law and order situation.

    A picture of their meeting was shared by Moonis Elahi on social media where Khan can be seen sitting on the CM’s seat while the chief minister sat opposite him. The picture went viral and was widely criticised by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders.

    “No self-respecting, dignified man would sit on someone else’s official seat/chair but this man is hungry for power,” tweeted Defence Minister Khawaja Asif.

    “

    “Rude Tosha Fitna Khan sits on the chair of Chief Minister of Punjab,” tweeted PML-N leader Saad Rafique.

    The real story

    However, senior journalist Hamid Mir explained the real reason why Khan was sitting on the CM seat.

    Hamid Mir said that when Khan reached Elahi’s office to congratulate him, Pervaiz Elahi asked the PTI chairman to sit on the CM seat but Khan replied that it is Elahi’s seat.

    Moonis Elahi said to the PTI chairman that they got this seat because of him, so he should sit on it. After Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and Moonis Elahi’s insistence, finally Imran Khan sat on the chair of the Punjab Chief Minister.

    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain to appear before Supreme Court tomorrow: sources
    
			
    Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain to appear before Supreme Court tomorrow: sources
    
			
    Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain will appear before the Supreme Court (SC) on Monday (tomorrow) over the matter of his letter to Punjab Assembly (PA) Deputy Speaker Dost Mohammad Mazari on the day of the Punjab Chief Minister (CM) election (July 22), sources have revealed according to Geo News.
    

    According to media reports, he has left for the capital.
    

    It is pertinent to mention that after reading Shujaat’s letter to the House, Mazari dismissed the 10 votes of PML-Q cast in favour of Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, which led to his [Elahi] defeat in the CM election against Hamza Shehbaz.
    

    Following the election, a plea was filed by Elahi challenging Mazari’s ruling. On Saturday, the apex court heard it and said that incumbent CM Hamza Shehbaz will work as a trustee CM till Monday and adjourned the hearing.
    

    ‘Hamza Shehbaz will work as trustee CM till Monday’: Supreme Court
    

    In a plea filed by Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi challenging Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Dost Mohammad Mazari’s ruling, the Supreme Court (SC) has said that incumbent Chief Minister (CM) Hamza Shehbaz will work as a trustee CM till Monday and adjourned the hearing.
    

    The judges also remarked that the deputy speaker’s ruling appeared to be illegal. Earlier today, a three-bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial heard Elahi’s plea after last night’s Punjab CM election.
    

    The court has also made it clear that Hamza will work in accordance with the law and the Constitution until then. According to the top court, Hamza is not allowed to use his power as CM in any way that would benefit him personally.
    

    

    

    

    

    		
    

    
	

    

    

    

    

    

    

    Outside the court, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PT) leader Farrukh Habib told reporters that the government’s side had no responses or credible arguments to present.
    

    He said the case has become very “simple and clear” and after today’s hearing, Elahi would be the “legal and constitutional” chief minister once the court verdict comes. He said Hamza is restored only as a “trustee” chief minister so that the province’s governance is not impacted and his oath today has been withheld.
    

    Earlier today, CJP directed Dost Mazari to appear before the court so that he could explain his position. However, he did not show up. Irfan Qadir, Mazari’s lawyer, asked the court for more time and said he wanted to submit a written response. The court granted him time till Monday.
    

    It is pertinent to mention that Elahi had the support of 10 PML-Q MPAs apart from PTI. However, a day before the CM Punjab election, a meeting took place between Shujaat and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, which turned the tables in Hamza’s favour. On the day of the election, Shujaat directed his MPAs to vote in favour of Hamza.
    

    However, the lawmakers cast votes in favour of Elahi but Mazari dismissed their votes. Later both PTI and PML-Q challenged Mazari’s ruling as they were of the view that it is unconstitutional.
    

    SC summons Punjab Deputy Speaker Mazari at 2pm on Elahi’s petition
    

    The Supreme Court (SC) on Saturday summoned Punjab Assembly (PA) Deputy Speaker Dost Mohammad Mazari at 2pm in connection with a petition filed by Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi challenging his ruling during the chief minister’s run-off election held on July 22.
    

    A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justices Ijazul Ahsan and Munib Akhtar, directed Mazari to submit the complete record of yesterday’s election to the court.
    

    Elahi’s counsel Barrister Ali Zafar informed the court that in the run-off election yesterday, Hamza secured 179 votes against his client’s 186.
    

    The SC’s opinion in the May order, Zafar said, states that the parliamentary party can give directions to lawmakers on whom to vote for, and the PML-Q’s parliamentary party decided to back Elahi, but despite that, Mazari dismissed 10 PML-Q votes.
    

    “They ignored the parliamentary party’s decision,” Zafar said.
    

    At this, the chief justice said that all the relevant parties — deputy speaker, chief minister, and Punjab attorney-general — should be issued notices so they can provide their version.
    

    “We wish to hear from the deputy speaker personally. Only the deputy speaker can tell us which paragraph he was referring to,” Justice Bandial said.
    

    Elahi files a petition against the deputy speaker’s ruling
    

    In his petition, Elahi requested the court to hold the deputy speaker’s ruling leading to Hamza’s re-election as “bogus and false”.
    

    “Hamza Shehbaz may kindly be declared disqualified as the Punjab chief minister/ member of the provincial assembly,” the petition read.
    

    It requested the court to declare the deputy speaker’s decision to discard the votes of 10 PML-Q lawmakers on grounds of Article 63-A of the Constitution as “unconstitutional”.
    

    What happened in Punjab on July 22?
    

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) candidate Hamza Shehbaz on July 22 retained the post of the Punjab chief minister after a three-vote victory against the PTI’s candidate, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi.
    

    Dost Mazari, citing the Supreme Court’s opinion on Article 63-A of the Constitution, rejected 10 votes cast by PML-Q members in favour of Elahi “against the party line”.
    

    As a result, Hamza received 179 votes, while Elahi, who was backed by the PTI, managed to bag 176 votes.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    ‘Elahi will remain my candidate for CM slot,’ reveals Chaudhry Shujaat
    
			
    ‘Elahi will remain my candidate for CM slot,’ reveals Chaudhry Shujaat
    
			
    Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) Chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has come forward and clarified why he backed out at the last moment and opposed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief Minister (CM) slot nominee — his cousin and party leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi.
    

    The PML-Q chief said that he could not support “anyone who criticised state institutions”, adding that he has had relations with institutions for the last 30 to 40 years, which is why Pervaiz Elahi could not be PTI’s candidate.
    

    The PML-Q leader said that there is stability in Pakistan until there are institutions. He is of the view that using abusive language against institutions cannot be tolerated as institutions consider the integrity of the country their duty.
    

    He also clarified that Elahi “was, is and would remain” his candidate for the office of the chief minister, however, he [Shujaat] could not allow him to become “the nominee of PTI”.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    In a series of tweets, Hussain made these revelations. According to PML-Q leader and Elahi’s son Moonis, the Twitter account does indeed belong to the PML-Q chief and is operated by his son, Chaudhry Salik Hussain.
    

    In his tweets, Shujaat Hussain suggested that “all political leaders’ personal interests should be subordinate to national interests so that the country could come out of this quagmire”.
    

    Moonis Elahi also claimed that Shujaat was under “immense pressure” and that’s why refused to support Pervaiz Elahi as a candidate for Imran Khan. Talking to the media, Moonis said he had gone to see Shujaat Hussain and asked whether he had written the letter to which he replied that he did.
    

    According to Moonis, Shujaat told him that he has instructed the PML-Q MPAs not to vote for anyone in the chief minister’s election.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    Ruling coalition demands full court bench in Punjab CM case
    
			
    Ruling coalition demands full court bench in Punjab CM case
    
			
    The ruling coalition has demanded that a full court bench should hear the petitions filed in reference to the election of the Punjab chief minister (CM) election.
    

    In a statement, the coalition parties said it will be fair that a full court bench comprising all the honourable judges of the Supreme Court should review the hear Supreme Court Bar Association’s (SCBA) review request, the present petition, and other related applications together, and schedule them for hearing together and issue a single ruling because these are matters of national, political and constitutional importance.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    Criticising Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, the joint statement said that he wants to move Pakistan’s democracy and right to governance towards “default”, “just as he did with the economy”.
    

    “Imran Khan’s attitude and thoughts are like a ‘termite’ eating away at  Pakistan […] but the ruling coalition reiterates its commitment that there will be no compromise on the constitution, democracy, and people’s right to rule,” they said.
    

    They added that the coalition parties will move forward on every forum together and they will “fight against the darkness of fascism”.
    

    ‘Enough is enough. Don’t expect us to follow one-sided decisions, says Maryam Nawaz
    

    Reacting to the events of last night, PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz said that she disapproved of how things were unfolding said that the party will not accept “one-sided” decisions by the Supreme Court of Pakistan,
    

    “Amid pressure due to bullying, threats, misbehaviour and abuses, if the house of justice makes specific decisions via the same bench and negates itself, negate its own decisions, puts its weight behind a single side then do not expect us to bow our heads before such one-sided decisions. Enough is Enough!” tweeted the PML-N leader.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    The PML-N leader said that the current political chaos and instability started with the Supreme Court’s court decision on Article 63A, adding that it made an “arbitrary interpretation” of the constitution to not count the MPAs that voted voluntarily. 
    

    

    


    

    

    

    “With utmost respect, I request that a full bench be constituted”: Atta Tarar
    

    PML-N leader Ataullah Tarar demanded that since this is a matter related to the interpretation of the Constitution, a full bench should hear the petition.
    

    The PML-N leader said that court hearings related to constitutional matters that have taken place recently — since the no-confidence motion against ex-prime minister Imran Khan — warrant a full bench.
    

    “Therefore, with the utmost respect, I request that a full bench be constituted to hear this case as well,” the PML-N leader said.
    

    ‘How long will State institutions continue to allow this? We are not far from Sri Lanka moment’: Imran Khan
    

    PTI Chairman Imran Khan, in a series of tweets, said that Pakistan was “not far” from defaulting and the state would soon depict a likeness to Sri Lanka, which has defaulted on its external debt.
    

    Khan said in just over three months — from the time he was ousted from power — the “Zardari-Sharifs mafia” has “brought the country to its knees”, politically and economically.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    Khan alleged they had done so “to simply save their illegally accumulated wealth amassed over 30 years of plundering Pakistan”.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    ‘Stole people’s mandate, thumb impressions taken on blank paper,’ PTI lashes out after Elahi’s defeat
    
			
    ‘Stole people’s mandate, thumb impressions taken on blank paper,’ PTI lashes out after Elahi’s defeat
    
			
    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders lashed out at Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain for directing his Members of Provincial Assembly (MPAs) to vote for Hamza Shehbaz instead of his cousin and party leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi in the run-off election for the Punjab chief minister. 
    

    PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said that Shujaat’s ability to make decisions is “limited due to his illness”, adding that his thumb impressions “were taken on a blank paper”.
    

    Talking to journalists, Chaudhry also took a jibe at Deputy Speaker Punjab Assembly Dost Mazari, and said that Mazari stole the people’s mandate, adding that he violated the Constitution.
    

    

    

    

    

    		
    

    
	

    

    

    

    

    

    

    He said that now the PTI has approached Supreme Court (SC) in this regard. 
    

    About Zardari, Fawad said that Pakistan cannot bear the brunt of the “politics of Zardari”.
    

    Apart from Fawad, other PTI leaders also lashed out following yesterday’s defeat.
    

    Talking to Twitter, PTI leader Shafqat Mahmood termed Mazari’s ruling as “shameful denial of peoples verdict”.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    Meanwhile, Hammad Azhar said that Chaudhry Shujaat is the most dislikable figure among the masses.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    Shah Mahmood Qureshi was of the view that yesterday’s incident is “equivalent to suppressing the voice of the people”.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    It is pertinent to mention that Elahi had the support of 10 PML-Q MPAs apart from PTI. However, a day before the CM Punjab election, a meeting took place between Shujaat and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, which turned the tables in Hamza’s favour. On the day of the election, Shujaat directed his MPAs to vote in favour of Hamza.
    

    However, the lawmakers cast votes in favour of Elahi but Mazari dismissed their votes.