The first rally of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) turned out to be “resounding success” for the joint opposition that claimed over 50,000 people took to streets against the government on Friday.
The gathering held in Gujranwala — the stronghold of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) — was attended by the PML-N workers in thousands, followed by the members the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), who made their presence felt.
The flags belonging to the Awami National Party (ANP), National Party (NP) and Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) dotted the venue; however, their participation paled compared to the three aforementioned major parties.
By 6 pm, the venue was jam-packed and the tailback affected all the roads leading to Jinnah Stadium — a fact that corroborates the opposition’s claims.
The day, however, belonged to the PML-N, whose supporters thronged the venue in thousands to record their protest against the government. Maryam Nawaz led a massive rally from Lahore to the city, where all national and provincial seats are held by her party, and her father Nawaz Sharif made a hard-hitting speech that showed he was in no mood for reconciliation.
The PPP also managed to rally its supporters who followed their chairperson Bilawal-Bhutto Zardari to Gujranwala from Lala Musa in a caravan, whereas Maulana Fazlur Rehman, with his white and black JUI-F flags, entered the venue with a bang.
But the government downplayed the PDM jalsa, as its ministers pointed out lack of coordination among the opposition parties and also claimed that the number of the participants was no more than 18,000, as per Radio Pakistan.
COVID-19 GUIDELINES FLOUTED:
The massive gathering also blatantly flouted the anti-coronavirus measures, especially at a time when the second wave is in the offing. It is understandable that social distancing was not possible in a small stadium, but face masks — an effective precautionary measure — were also conveniently ignored.
Out of the party leaders, only some were covering their faces, but they too removed them once they started addressing the gathering. PML-N’s Maryam Nawaz and JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman and his party leaders did not wear masks at all.
As for the crowd, a negligent number of people bothered to wear face masks as a measure to contain the spread of COVID-19.
In a comment on the state of anti-coronavirus measures at the venue, a Dawn report said, “It was both sad and comical to watch the policemen insisting that people [who were not wearing masks] enter the stadium via the so-called senitising gates that were fitted with sprinklers spraying some kind of miracle water on those who walked through.”
Over 100 people, including internet service providers, sound system organisers and residents holding corner meetings, have been named in at least seven FIRs [First Information Reports] at different police stations across Gujranwala for violating coronavirus guidelines ahead of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz’s jalsa.
The daughter of former prime minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif is due to hold a public gathering in the city on October 16 as part of the joint opposition’s anti-government campaign. She is expected to be joined by Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chief Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari as well in what is expected to be a mammoth power show by opposition parties.
While PM Imran Khan has reportedly given permission to the opposition’s Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) for holding its protest rallies that are expected to feature fiery speeches against the government and security establishment as it puts forward 26 demands, including the resignation of the premier, sources claim that authorities concerned are springing into action in this regard.
“After Federal Minister Sheikh Rasheed’s warning that the next few months could be critical in terms of internal security and any prominent personal could suffer an attempt on his or her life, coronavirus is being used as a reason to bar the opposition from protesting against the government,” they alleged.
However, according to the police, the people named in the aforementioned FIRs had not been following coronavirus SOPs, especially social distancing rules.
“Residents have to submit a request for an NOC [no-objection certificate] before holding gatherings,” a police officer said, adding that Gujranwala’s chief police officer had instructed the police to ensure strict implementation of COVID-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) in the city.
“The government has been cracking down on restaurants and other public spaces across the country for violation of SOPs since the number of cases in Pakistan spiked again in September,” he said.
NEW COVID-19 RULES:
Earlier in the day, it was also reported that the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has said public gatherings should preferably be avoided and those that are held, their duration should not exceed for more than three hours.
Interestingly, the NCOC made it clear that the guidelines were not for wedding events or sports ones as separate SOPs had been issued for the former and for the latter, will be released soon.
The NCOC defined a public gathering as an event “where people are assembled on any given space; indoor or outdoor, for some purpose such as cultural events, religious gatherings, sports events, entertainment/cultural events, parties, political gatherings or other similar events”.
The following public gatherings will have to follow the newly issued guidelines:
• Entertainment/Cultural Gatherings
• Public gatherings of Unions/Associations or any such group
• Religious gatherings
• Political gatherings
• Family gatherings
• Civil society group gatherings
• Sports related gatherings (SOPs to be issued separately)
• Marriage (being a frequent & obligatory activity) has been excluded from the list and a separate list of SOPs comprising strict restrictions has already been issued for it
A day earlier, the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) had warned that a second coronavirus wave could hit the country this winter.
The PMC warned authorities and the general public about the foreseeable second spike of coronavirus, saying that it is likely to start from educational institutions as it happened in the United States (US), India and Iran.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader and former Sindh governor, Muhammad Zubair, who has been appointed as party supreme leader Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz’s spokesperson, has revealed further details of his “secret meeting” with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa and shared what dinner with the military bigwig was like.
In an exclusive interview with The Current, Zubair said that he isn’t a big fan of gulab jamun but that’s what they had for dessert the night he met Gen Bajwa over dinner.
“I’m not a gulab jamun person but I couldn’t say no to him [Gen Bajwa] since he is a dignitary… he is the COAS,” the former Sindh governor said when asked about the details of his meeting that was also reportedly attended by Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General (DG) Lt Gen Faiz Hameed.
He said that the first meeting lasted for four hours whereas the second one lasted for three.
Talking about the kind of food he was served, Zubair said it was Pakistani cuisine. “He knew I’m one for desi food. I think he got it arranged while keeping that in mind,” the PML-N leader said.
To a question about what did Gen Bajwa have, Zubair said he didn’t remember.
When asked if Maryam, who, along with her father, has over the past month been making headlines for criticising the military and accusing the security establishment of meddling in political affairs, was upset with him for meeting the army chief, Zubair said she trusts him.
“She has faith in my decision-making and knows I will always do the right thing for the party.”
During the wide-ranging interview, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Asad Umar’s brother, among other things, also shared how emotional politics can get when someone from your family belongs to a rival party, and shared his views on the current situation of the economy, as well as what he thinks of Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MPA Jalil Sharaqpuri has slammed his boss and party’s supreme leader Nawaz Sharif, calling him a “lota”, saying that “India is taking advantage of his speeches”.
The lota — a plastic vessel — is used figuratively in Pakistani politics as an insulting term for people who switch parties and loyalties quite frequently.
Sharaqpuri is among the five PML-N lawmakers from Punjab who earned the ire of the party leadership when they met Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar without obtaining permission.
“Did Nawaz not change his [loyalties]?” he asked while addressing a press conference, adding, “They are all lotas.”
“In my opinion, Nawaz’s speeches were inappropriate,” he said, adding that the PML-N supremo, who has over the past month made headlines for his fiery speeches, should speak in the interest of Pakistan.
Sharaqpuri said that while the party leadership makes decisions, a person should be able to express his reservations against them.
The lawmaker said that he was a member of the PML-N earlier and had left the party after “ideological differences with Nawaz”, following which he was with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for eight years.
“In the 2018 elections [PML-N lawmaker] Rana Tanveer asked me to opt for PML-N’s ticket and I agreed on the condition that I be allowed to hold on to my differences with Nawaz,” Sharaqpuri said.
He added whatever the party, he had come into politics “to serve the country”.
“For me Pakistan comes before anything or anyone else.”
Talking about Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan, he said that the premier has Pakistan’s interests at heart. “He raised the slogan of Islam in the United Nations (UN).”
“If PML-N talks about honouring the vote, then respect should also be accorded to votes given to Imran Khan,” he said.
Reacting to an event that took place a few days ago, where PML-N workers placed a lota on top of his head, Sharaqpuri demanded PML-N to take action against those involved.
“I joined PML-N with good intentions, and I am still a part of it,” he said.
Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has revealed that Pakistan’s premier intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), keeps a check on the country’s chief executives and is the first to know when any government is involved in corruption.
Addressing a ceremony organised by the Insaf Lawyers Forum (ILF) in Islamabad on Friday, he claimed that ISI’s check on the integrity of PMs was the actual reason behind opposition parties’ clash with the security establishment. Reports quoted Imran as saying that if he too “started laundering money” out of the country, the ISI would find out about it before anyone else “because it is the world’s top agency”.
“Military is unlike other institutions. They [former ruling parties] manipulated all institutions that were responsible to keep checks and balances, except one. They know the ISI is aware of all their theft. They try to control it and that’s where the conflict starts,” he said.
“Why did he [Islam] say that? And why did you [Nawaz] silently hear that? Because Zaheerul Islam knew how much money you had stolen,” PM Imran said and added that Nawaz “fought with every army chief” because he wanted to turn the military into Punjab police.
Referring to what he termed Nawaz’s “attacks” on the Pakistan Army, he said, “If anyone is going around with India’s agenda, it is the [opposition].” He added that if the Pakistani military was weakened, the country would see similar turbulence as in other Muslim countries such as Libya, Syria and Yemen.
“We are safe today because of the sacrifices rendered by our armed forces,” the premier stressed.
Imran said the reason he did not have any “problems” with the army and the military supported every agenda of his government was because of his clean record.
WATCH VIDEO:
Furthermore, the PM sent a warning to the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) — an opposition alliance launching anti-government protests next week. “The moment you break the law, you will go straight to jail — and not to a VIP jail, but where the poor are sent,” he said.
The premier said that all the “employed” opposition politicians had united on one platform because “they consider themselves above the law” and “unanswerable”.
PM Imran said that the PDM was the latest attempt by the opposition to obtain an NRO-like agreement. He drew parallels between the PDM and the opposition’s attempts to “blackmail” the government over the passage of legislation concerning the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
“The day they get an NRO would be the downfall of Pakistan,” he added.
Referring to the opposition’s allegation of the vote having been stolen in the 2018 elections, the premier said he had gotten “the most votes in Pakistan and won from five constituencies.”
Former Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) chief Bashir Memon has claimed during his tenure, the “highest office” had ordered him to file a terrorism case against members of the social media cell of the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Maryam Nawaz, after a picture of First Lady Bushra Bibi was found circulating on social media.
Memon, a career civil servant of the Police Service of Pakistan (PSP) cadre, resigned from service in November last year, days before he was supposed to retire, in protest against being posted out close to retirement.
Memon had resigned the same day the government, while booting him out of office, appointed incumbent FIA director general Wajid Zia, also a PSP, in his pace.
In an interview with journalist Matiullah Jan, the first part of which was uploaded on the latter’s YouTube channel on Monday, Memon said: “There was a picture on social media, regarding which they [said] that a terrorism case should be filed.”
“It was a picture of the first lady [uploaded] on social media. How is this terrorism? There is a definition of terrorism in law. It was a normal picture, how was that terrorism,” he questioned.
It merits a mention here that the first lady clads a burqa and strictly adheres to face veiling. She also keeps out of the public eye and has rarely accompanied the prime minister on his domestic and international visits.
During the interview, then Jan asked Memon to name the authority who gave him the order, he said that he was summoned by the “highest office in Pakistan”.
When the host wondered if Prime Minister Imran Khan had attended the meeting Memon was summoned for, Memon refused to take names. “I said the highest office,” he reiterated.
“[They told me] to take action on this against [Maryam Nawaz’s] social media cell. I didn’t say that this couldn’t be done. I said, under which law? Because we have to work according to the law.”
He claimed that the government’s “expectations” which it had from the FIA “are [now] being fulfilled”.
In response to another question, Memon declared that the government expected the FIA to “do exactly what NAB [National Accountability Bureau] has done [with the opposition leaders]”.
“Especially regarding his [Nawaz Sharif’s] son-in-law captain Safdar […] just what NAB is doing with him,” he said.
Memon also said that the authorities wanted FIA to pursue corruption cases against PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif, his sons and his entire family including his relatives. The members of the Sharif family are being investigated in several cases of graft and abuse of authority.
The anti-graft agency arrested Shahbaz last week after the Lahore High Court rejected his bail petition in a money laundering case which also involves his family members. The agency accuses him of having laundered billions of rupees of black money during his tenure as the chief executive of Punjab.
When asked why he refused to pursue those cases, Memon said: “There were two reasons. One, I didn’t have the inquiries. Second, this was the mandate of the provincial anti-corruption [unit].”
The former FIA chief recalled that he was sent to Lahore where a meeting was convened by Punjab chief secretary Akbar Durrani and attended by all secretaries as well. Memon added that he was provided with the record of the case he had been asked to take up.
“End of the day, I told them that all of this is the mandate of provincial anti-corruption [unit]. They can do this, we cannot. Because FIA is a law enforcement agency. A law enforcement agency will [handle issues related to] law. We will remain within our mandate. We can’t go and jump around, in my opinion,” Memon said.
Memon said that the cases that were first referred to FIA were later transferred to the NAB. He said that the reason behind referring the cases to FIA first may have been that “they (authorities) feel that we are more competent”.
“However, I always said that this is what the law says and this is what it doesn’t. We have to work according to the law,” he told Jan. He further said that after NAB picked up the cases which were initially being probed by FIA, he was “relieved of that pressure”.
“Regarding NAB cases, whenever I hear the remarks and the verdicts that are given […] I say that God wanted to protect my dignity. In this age, all you care about is your respect,” he said.
He also talked about a “peculiar case” against PML-N leader Khawaja Asif, in which it was alleged that the latter was working for a company in Dubai while he was defence and foreign minister. The former FIA official said that it was suggested that a treason case against Asif should be lodged over the allegation.
“I’m not saying that [this is not possible]. But we need evidence for that,” he said and added that there was no available evidence when he was told to file the case. When asked who told him that such a case should be filed, he said it was said during a cabinet meeting and was included in the minutes.
“Cabinet had asked to carry out an inquiry. We did that but could not find evidence,” he explained.
He also mentioned a meeting, which was also attended by the prime minister, in which officials of government regretted that Karachi Electric was “ruined”. Memon said that FIA had proven that K-Electric had to return Rs87 billion to Sui Southern Gas Limited and that the money should be recovered.
“In his (prime minister’s) opinion, FIA did wrong by conducting this investigation [against KE]. That this investigation should not have been conducted,” Memon claimed.
No official from the government has so far commented on Memon’s claims.
Deposed prime minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif, three former army generals, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister (PM) Raja Farooq Haider, as well as over a dozen other Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) loyalists, have been booked for “conspiring against the state and its institutions”.
As per the details, a First Information Report (FIR), a copy of which is available with The Current, was on Monday registered against the PML-N supreme leader among others at Shahdara police station in Lahore, in which sections 120 A and B, 121 A and B, 123 A and B and 124 A and B have been imposed, among other provisions.
مبشر بھائ، ناموں کی فہرست ایک بار غور سے دیکھئے۔۔تین سابقہ جنرل بھی درخواست کے مطابق غداری کے مرتکب ہوے ہیں۔۔ گل واقعی ودھ گئی ہے۔۔!!! https://t.co/lwLOPZNp9k
The text of the FIR stated that Nawaz had conspired against Pakistan’s prestigious institutions by making provocative speeches while being in London. The purpose of those speeches was to declare Pakistan a “state of hooligans”, the FIR claimed.
Among some prominent PML-N leaders nominated in the FIR were Maryam Nawaz, former PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Ahsan Iqbal, Muhammad Zubair, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Saira Afzal Tarrar and others, The Express Tribune reported.
The three former generals are Lt Gen (r) Abdul Qadir Baloch, Lt Gen (r) Abdul Qayyum and Lt Gen (r) Salahuddin Tirmizi.
A day earlier, Captain (r) Muhammad Safdar — the son-in-law of the PML-N supremo — was booked under sedition charges for “provoking the people against the state and its institutions”.
While the PML-N has strongly reacted to the FIR, saying that it shows the government has been left “baffled”, the AJK premier says his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi “must be feeling elated”.
Indian PM NarendraModi must b feeling elated coz almost entire Pakistan has become his “agent”-thanks to the small-minded bigots who’ve least realisation of the repercussions of their parish-pump & hate-filled politics.
As an anti-India Kashmiri, I’m worried about my future now.
— Raja Muhammad Farooq Haider Khan (@farooq_pm) October 4, 2020
“As an anti-India Kashmiri, I’m worried about my future now,” he tweeted.
Former accountability court judge Arshad Malik on Saturday challenged his removal from service in the Lahore High Court (LHC).
An administration committee of the high court approved in July “removal from service” of the now-former judge on charges of misconduct after a year-long inquiry into the video scandal that broke last July, sending ripples through political and legal circles.
Malik challenged his removal and contended that the rules and regulations for the dismissal were not met, the management committee had prepared a report contrary to the facts and that misconduct was not committed.
He requested that the decision be reconsidered.
Moreover, a three-member tribunal has been constituted to take up the dismissal of the former judge.
Justice Muhammad Tariq Abbasi has been appointed as the chairman of the tribunal whereas, Justice Masood Naqvi and Justice Sajid Sethi have been appointed as members.
Following the approval of LHC Chief Justice Qasim Khan, a notification was issued to form a tribunal to hear the service appeals of the judges of the lower judiciary.
Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) on Thursday barred television channels from airing the speeches of the absconding accused and proclaimed offenders.
The regulatory body in a handout barred to broadcast the speeches and interviews of proclaimed offenders and absconders on national television. PEMRA also barred the broadcast of any sort of debate on the possible outcome of the undergoing trials.
The decision has come after the speeches of the absconding three-time prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supreme leader Nawaz Sharif were broadcast on the national television and the government demanded the authorities to take notice of it.
“A lot more might follow,” he said during an informal conversation with journalists in London.
In October 2019, PEMRA directed all satellite television channels licensees to form an in-house committee to ensure compliance with the Electronic Media Code of Conduct, 2015.
The directives issued by PEMRA said that TV channels should ensure deployment of effective time delay mechanism and an impartial and independent Monitoring Committee or Editorial Board be constituted, as required under clause 17 of Electronic Media (Programs and Advertisement) Code of Conduct 2015, Radio Pakistan reported.
The news channels’ owners have been asked not to allow their platform to be used by anyone to mislead the public through disinformation conjecturing and speculations.
PEMRA warned the media owners that licencees shall be held responsible for any biased, unfair analysis or propaganda against the judiciary and state institutions by their employees.
It also advised media channels to invite participants with due care, having credibility as fair and unbiased analysts with requisite knowledge and expertise on the subject matter.
In yet another provoking, strong-worded address, deposed prime minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif has said that the people of Pakistan have been “enslaved by their own”.
In his second virtual address in less than two weeks, Nawaz said he has been informed that “someone else” was running the parliament houses, in lieu of its members.
“People tell me that someone else is running the parliament. Other people come and give directions about the day’s agenda and voting on bills etc,” he said while addressing the central executive committee of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) almost two weeks after marking his return to the political ring with a fiery speech to a gathering of the opposition parties, taking the military establishment head-on.
Nawaz has been residing in London since November last year on the pretext of medical treatment.
In another video shared by PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz, the former premier said that a colonel could be seen hiding his face during the hearing of a case against him by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
میرے نیب کے مقدمات کی سماعت کے دوران ایک کرنل منہ چھپاتا ہوا باہر نکل رہا تھا، اگر اتنا اچھا کام کر کہ نکلا تھا تو منہ چھپا کر کیوں جارہا تھا؟ pic.twitter.com/CCPCgpvRXT
“What was the reason behind hiding his face? You were being insincere that is why you hid your face,” he said.
The speech comes days after Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed rocked the domestic political landscape by revealing the closet meetings between the military leadership and the opposition parties.
Shortly after, chief military spokesperson Major General Babar Iftikhar further jolted the anti-establishment image of the PML-N as he disclosed former Sindh governor Muhammad Zubair, a close aide to Nawaz, twice reached out to Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa to discuss the political and legal woes of the Sharif family.
Nawaz, in a separate statement released by the party, also said he was saddened by the arrest of his brother and National Assembly Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif.
پاکستان مسلم لیگ (ن) کے قائد سابق وزیر محمد نوازشریف کا پارٹی کی ’سی۔ای۔سی‘ سے خطاب
“However, our spirits will not be dampened by what is happening,” he said, adding that the party would double its efforts. “We are proud that our party workers are facing the current situation with courage. There is no example in the history of the treatment meted out to our children,” he said.
He added that Shehbaz has shown unparalleled strength and courage during these times and paid tribute to his brother for serving the nation with honesty. “He worked day and night to set up power plants in Punjab.”
Nawaz also paid tribute to the efforts of government officers who played a role in addressing the energy shortage. Commending his brother on his resilience, he said Shehbaz never bowed down in the face of difficulty.
“Shehbaz has played a role in strengthening our narrative. I am proud of my brother who has sent an example of being loyal and committed to one’s ideology,” he said.
