Tag: PML-N

  • PTI’s Fawad spotted in PPP leader’s car with another friend from PML-N

    PTI’s Fawad spotted in PPP leader’s car with another friend from PML-N

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and Federal Minister for Science & Technology Fawad Chaudhry has been spotted in the car of a Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader along with one belonging to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), leaving supporters wondering if “a deal has been struck”.

    According to the details, Fawad on Sunday evening was spotted getting on the car of PPP senator and party chief Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s spokesperson Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar. PML-N Senator Musadik Malik and two others also accompanied Fawad and Mustafa as the latter drove to a five-star hotel.

    With Fawad, who has never shied away from training guns at the two major opposition parties — the PML-N and PPP — accompanying the two leaders belonging to the ruling party’s arch rivals, it wasn’t later when speculation ran rife that a deal had been struck between the three largest political parties of the country and there lied no disputes among them whatsoever.

    Amid all rumours, The Current went an extra mile to investigate and figured out that the three leaders had only decided to accompany each other for a cup of tea following “Where is Pakistan heading in the next 10 years” — their session at the recently-concluded two-day Afkare Taza ThinkFest 2020 in Lahore.

    Their bond also dates back to a private media outlet’s show “Khabar K Peechy” where the three represented their respective political parties.

  • Extension almost here for Gen Bajwa as PTI, PML-N, PPP join hands in NA

    Extension almost here for Gen Bajwa as PTI, PML-N, PPP join hands in NA

    In a first, both the government and major opposition parties on Tuesday joined hands to approve in the National Assembly all three bills formalising the tenure of the three services chiefs, including Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

    According to Geo News, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan made a rare appearance in the Lower House of the parliament as the assembly voted on three bills that will formalise the tenures of the army, navy and air force chiefs.

    Before the voting started, Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak took the floor to request the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) that it take back amendments it had suggested to the bills, saying he was making the request “keeping in mind the regional and national situation”.

    Naveed Qamar, who spoke on behalf of the PPP in response to Khattak’s request, said that the amendments had been suggested to improve the bills but, after being approached by a government delegation and consulting with the rest of the opposition, the party had decided to withdraw them.

    With voting commencing shortly after the dialogue, Speaker Asad Qaiser asked legislators to express their assent or dissent. The bills were voted on clause by clause.

    Some opposition lawmakers, including those from Jamaate Islami (JI), the Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), walked out in protest over the bills. They had earlier announced they would not be supporting the bills on principle. All the major parties had, however, lent near unquestioning assent to the same.

    After voting on the bills concluded, the National Assembly session was adjourned till 4 pm on Wednesday.

    The bills will now be sent for approval to the Senate Standing Committee on Defence before they are voted on in the Senate, and become law once signed by the president.

  • Saad Rafique injured after fire breaks out in jail

    Saad Rafique injured after fire breaks out in jail

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Saad Rafique has sustained minor injuries after a small fire broke out in Lahore Camp Jail’s National Accountability Bureau (NAB) barracks, The News reported.

    According to reports, the fire broke out due to short circuit in an electric heater outside the room of former prime minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif’s aide Fawad Hassan Fawad, causing panic among prisoners.

    Due to a lack of jail staff, Rafique started banging the bars of his cell and sustained a minor head injury when his head hit against the bar. The jail doctor gave him first-aid after which he was shifted back to the barracks.

    The fire was extinguished by the jail administration after switching off the main power supply in the meantime.

    According to Jail Superintendent Asadullah Warraich, it was a “small fire” that was put off by the staff and the PML-N leader got injured “because he panicked”.

  • PML-N takes U-Turn on Gen Bajwa’s extension: report

    PML-N takes U-Turn on Gen Bajwa’s extension: report

    Contrary to earlier claims, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has reportedly decided to unconditionally back the amendments made to the Army Act by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf  (PTI) government to facilitate the extension service of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

    According to Geo News, the decision was made after a meeting of PML-N parliamentary members received a message from the party leadership on Thursday, advising the party to fully back the amendment bill when it is tabled in the parliament by the government. 

    “The PML-N leadership reportedly does not want the position of COAS to become controversial, and has thus decided to support the PTI government in a bid to amend the Army Act under the directions of a verdict of the Supreme Court (SC) in this regard,” the report said.

    A day earlier, the federal cabinet had in an emergency meeting accorded its approval to amendments to the Army Act under which the premier will be empowered to extend the tenure of all services chiefs.

    The bill pertaining to the amendment will be tabled in the National Assembly on Friday and the amendment has been prepared as per the guidelines enumerated in the SC’s verdict.

    The top court had in November 2019 told the government to legislate on an extension in the COAS’s services within six months, allowing Gen Bajwa to stay in office until then, after briefly suspending the notification of the extension in his tenure.

    With the government going into action to ensure an extension for the army chief but lacking the numbers in the parliament for necessary legislation, the PML-N had earlier warned the PTI, saying it would not be easy if the hostile attitude of the Imran Khan-led government towards the opposition continued.

  • ANF handled Sanaullah case poorly, caused embarrassment to govt: PTI ministers

    Pakistan Tehreeke Insaf (PTI) ministers criticised the Anti-Narcotics force (ANF) for poorly handling the drugs possesion case against former law minister Rana Sanaullah, which became a huge embarrasment for the government, The Express Tribune reported.

    According to the details, Director General (DG) ANF Major General Muhammad Arif was briefing the federal cabinet about the case against Sanaullah on Tuesday where he faced tough questions from the ministers.

    Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari asked why the arrest was not videotaped as “it is a norm to record video of every case these days”.

    Minister for Housing Tariq Bashir Cheema also reportedly asked for video evidence and proof of the offence and reminded his colleagues that “hollow swearing does not matter if there is no evidence in such cases”.

    Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry said that the PTI government faced embarrasment due to the “mishandling” of the drugs possession case against PML-N leader.

    Agreeing to Fawad Ch the communications minister Murad Saeed, also blamed the agency for mishandling the case which provided the opposition parties an opportunity to criticise the government.

    The ANF chief while responding to the criticism said, “The ANF is an independent institution and will continue its work in accordance with the law,” adding that the agency took action on the basis of evidence only.

    “We have irrefutable proof against Rana Sanaullah. A strong case has been prepared and everything will come to the light once the trial starts,” said Maj Gen Arif.

    The agency’s chief later briefed the prime minister (PM) Imran Khan seperately in the presence of Shaharyar Afridi, Minister for Narcotics Control, about some secret aspects of the case. PM Imran after briefing directed the ANF to proceed the case according to the law.

    The PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah was earlier arrested in July by ANF after alleged recovery of a sizeable quantity of drugs from his car. He was later granted bail on December 24 by the Lahore High Court (LHC).

    The court in its detailed verdict questioned why formal documentary proceedings of drugs’ seizure were not conducted at the time of arrest, and why ANF sent a sample of only 20 grams of the heroin recovered from Sanaullah’s car for testing when the seized quantity was a much higher 15 kilogrammes.

  • 2019: High profile political arrests

    2019: High profile political arrests

    Soon after the Pakistan Tehreeke Insaf (PTI) came into power several politicians, mostly from the opposition and one from the ruling party, walked in and out of prison on charges of corruption, money laundering among others, Geo News reported.

    The majority of the politicians, and bureaucrats, arrested this year, have now managed to secure a bail bond from courts, many are still behind bars.

    Here are some of the high-profile arrests of this year.

    Maryam Nawaz

    The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had on August 8 arrested Pakistan Muslim League–Nawaz (PML-N) Vice-President Maryam Nawaz Sharif in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills (CSM) case on accusations of involvement in money laundering.

    The anti-graft watchdog alleged that Maryam was involved in money laundering with the help of some foreigners between 1992-93 when her father Nawaz Sharif was the prime minister (PM).

    Maryam was granted bail by Lahore High Court (LHC) on November 4 after she had filed a bail peition on September 30, seeking post-arrest bail in the money laundering case.

    The PML-N leader is also fighting to get her name off the Exit Control List (ECL) to visit her ailing father in London, undergoing medical treatment after LHC granted him exemption to leave the country.

    Rana Sanaullah

    The senior leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Rana Sanaullah was arrested by the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) on July 1after alleged recovery of a large stash of drugs from his car.

    Minister for Narcotics Control Shehryar Khan Afridi had repeatedly claimed to have substantial evidence against Sanaullah and footages of the drugs recovered from Rana’s car. Yet, after almost six months, the prosecution failed to provid any such evidence to the court. 

    Later on December 22, the anti-narcotics court extended the former law minister’s remand by 14 days, however, the LHC on December 24 granted bail to Sanaullah in the narcotics possession case.

     Asif Ali Zardari

    Former president Asif Ali Zardari was arrested in July by the NAB, in connection to a money laundering case. NAB accused him of setting up fake bank accounts and illegally tranfering billions of rupees out of Pakistan. The accountability watchdog insists that Zardari has was acquired the money through kickbacks and bribes.

    However on December 11, the PPP’s president was granted bail by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on medical grounds.

    Shahid Khaqan Abbasi

    NAB on July 18 arrested former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on accusations of illegally awarding a contract for an Liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal while he was serving as the petroleum minister in the then PM Nawaz’s cabinet. 

    The accountability bureau claimed that the PML-N government rented out a terminal of the Engro Group for 15 years at a cost of Rs27 million per day. Khaqan’s name was later placed on ECL in April as well.

    Miftah Ismail

    Former finance minister Miftah Ismail was cuffed on August 7 by Pakistan’s anti-graft watchdog, after IHC rejected his pre-arrest bail.

    The PML-N leader was arrested in connection with an inquiry regarding the illegal awarding of LNG Terminal-1 to Engro Energy Terminal. Miftah’s remand was later extended from 16 to 20 days in December.

    He, however, was granted bail by the IHC on December 23.

    Hamza Shahbaz

    Opposition leader in the Punjab Assembly, Hamza Shahbaz, was arrested by NAB on June 11 in the Ramzan Sugar Mills (RSM) money laundering case and for allegedly owning assets beyond his means. 

    The accountability court on September 4 sent Hamza to Lahore’s Camp Jail on judicial remand after rejecting NAB’s appeal seeking an extension in his remand.

    Hamza’s case hearing couldn’t take place on December 20 due to a strike by lawyers and has been adjourned till January 3, 2020. He remains in the custody of jail authorities.

    Aleem Khan

    Aleem Khan — Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) stalwart — was arrested on February 6 by accountability bureau in cases pertaining to owning assets beyond his known sources of income and alleged offshore companies. Aleem, at the time of his arrest was serving as Punjab’s local government minister from which he resigned soon after his arrest.

    He was granted bail on May 15 by LHC against surety bonds worth Rs10 million, however he is still fighting the legal battle of a case regarding the illegal acquisition of Capital Development Authority (CDA) land.

    Ahsan Iqbal

    PML-N stalwart Ahsan Iqbal was arrested on December 23 by NAB as he appeared before the court in relation to a corruption case.

    NAB’s spokesperson after the arrest had said that the authority has cuffed Ahsan Iqbal in relation to the Narowal Sports City Complex case. An accountability court on December 24 granted a 13-day remand of PML-n leader in connection with the sports city corruption case.

    Faryal Talpur

    PPP’s senior leader and a member of National Assembly, Faryal Talpur, was arrested by NAB on June 14. She along with her brother, Asif Ali Zardari, was accused of laundering money through fake bank accounts. The anti-graft body is probing four cases where the former president and his sister are the prime accused. 

    The cases are about transactions worth hundreds of millions of rupees to both the leaders’ private companies, allegedly, by using fake bank accounts. Talpur was also granted bail by IHC on December 17 against surety bonds worth Rs10 million.

    Khursheed Shah

    NAB had arrested senior leader of PPP Khursheed Shah on September 18, accusing of allotting himself an amnesty plot illegally from a cooperative society in Sukkur. Nab also accuse Shah of acquiring assets worth some Rs700 million in the names of his frontmen through illegally acquired money.

    An anti-graft court on December 17 granted bail to the Khursheed against surety bonds worth Rs5 million. The NAB later approached the Sindh HIgh COurt and urged it to nullify Shah’s bail as it was “against the law”. On December 23, the SHC suspended PPP leader’s bail in the corruption case.

  • Nawaz ready to support COAS’s extension legislation, but has conditions: report

    Former prime minister (PM) has agreed to lend support for the legislation in army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa’s extension matter, but with a condition, The Express Tribune reported.

    According to the details, former premier is flexible to supporting the Pakistan Tehreeke Insaf (PTI) government legislation to fix the army chief’s tenure but has reservations on giving a legal cover to giving extension to an army chief.

    The government reportedly before filing a review petition against the Supreme Court’s verdict in Gen Bajwa’s extension case tried to gain support of the opposition parties, including Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), for required legislation.

    “The government had approached us through intermediaries”, reports quoted unknown officials from two opposition parties belonging to the PPP and the PML-N.

    But after failing to gather ‘desirable support’ from them, the government after nearly a month decided to file review petition in the apex court.

    Reports also reveal that a senior legal advisor of the PML-N has said that most party lawmakers believe that by supporting the ruling government on the extension issue could potentially harm the party’s own narrative which it has adopted since the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif as PM on July 28, 2017.

    He furhter alleged that the government stage-managed the arrest of PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal and denied Maryam Nawaz permission to fly abroad to London after its failure to bend the PML-N and secure ‘unconditional support’ for the extension legislation.

    On the other hand, the PPP has reportedly set certain preconditions for supporting the legislation, which include proposed legislation on the NAB [National Accountability Bureau] law, the appointment of chief election commissioner, and elections reforms.

    On November 28, the Supreme Court had allowed the federal government to grant a six-month conditional extension to Chief of Army Staff (COAS). SC also directed the government to bring necessary legislation within six months’ time.

  • Rana Sanaullah case: Afridi says he has ‘footage, not video’

    State Minister for Narcotics Control Shehryar Afridi on Wednesday said that following the arrest of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana Sanaullah, he had “used the word footage in his press conferences and not video”.

    The minister’s implication that there is a difference between “video” and “footage” came as he addressed a press conference following brutal trolling by people over his tall claims regarding evidence in the case against the PML-N leader who was granted bail by the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday.

    Earlier, the minister had repeatedly defended the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) by claiming to have “pictures and video record” of Sanaullah’s arrest during which drugs were recovered from his vehicle. He had also said that the PML-N leader’s car “was monitored for three weeks before he was arrested”.

    Speaking to journalists a day after the PML-N lawmaker’s bail, Afridi said there was a lot of talk in the media about video evidence, and clarified that he had “always used the word footage and not video”.

    The minister also alleged that Sanaullah’s legal team was adopting delaying tactics in the drugs trafficking case and defended the decision to book the PML-N leader.

    “After the bail a perception was created in the media that Rana Sanaullah was innocent,” he said, adding that the PML-N MPA had only been granted relief and not been acquitted by the court.

    “This is a season of bails,” commented the minister, insisting that the ANF was a professional force.

    Afridi also clarified that he did not speak about the issue earlier as he was out of the country.

  • Govt may challenge Musharraf’s death penalty verdict: Babar Awan

    Govt may challenge Musharraf’s death penalty verdict: Babar Awan

    Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader and promi­nent lawyer Babar Awan has claimed that the government was examining the option of challenging the conviction of former military ruler Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf, Dawn reported.

    According to the details, Babar during a press conference said that if it deemed appropriate, the PTI government could file an appeal while the convict could also challenge the decision of the special court.

    He also rejected the argument that the government being the complainant in the high treason case could not file an appeal.

    Awan recalled that former premier Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shahbaz Sharif had been disqualified on a federal government complaint and the government went in appeal after the change of regime, adding that the treason case against Musharraf had been filed by the former prime minister (PM) with the consultation of his brother, but they both were silent on the conviction.

    The PTI leader cited the case of slain PM Benazir Bhutto who had been convicted while she was abroad, saying that an appeal on her behalf was taken up by the then Chief Justice Irshad Hasan Khan who held that the appeal of a person convicted in absentia could be heard in his/her absence.

    Babar said that the appeal had been taken up and the judgement set aside.

    He also insisted that nobody should think of a clash between institutions as the government of PM Imran had a resolve to run the institutions within their constitutional and legal framework preserving their honour and dignity.

    A special court trying the ex-preisdent last week sentenced him to death for imposing a state of emergency on November 3, 2007, adding that it had found him guilty of high treason in accordance with Article 6 of the Constitution of Pakistan.

  • Musharraf’s exit: ‘PML-N was powerless after Raheel Sharif’s recommendation’

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Pervaiz Rashid has said that former military ruler General (r) Pervez Musharraf, who was recently sentenced to death in abstentia for treason, “was allowed to go abroad for medical treatment on the recommendation of then army chief Raheel Sharif”, and the government stood “powerless”.

    “We [the PML-N government] didn’t have the power to stop him,” said the former information minister, who was sacked in 2016 following the Dawn Leaks fiasco that revealed the details of a high level civil-military meeting discussing the issue of Pakistan’s banned outfits.

    Speaking to a private media outlet, Rasheed has also claimed that Gen (r) Raheel Sharif wanted an extension in his tenure as the army chief, but the then government of prime minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif refused it.

    However, a former army general rejected Rasheed’s claims that the PML-N had turned down Gen (r) Raheel’s request for an extension in his tenure. “In fact, the PML-N government had offered to give Gen (r) Raheel a promotion by making him a field marshal,” Lt Gen (r) Amjad Shoaib said while speaking to the TV channel.

    He added that Shehbaz Sharif and then interior minister Chaudhry Nisar wanted to give Gen (r) Raheel an extension in his tenure as the army chief. Shoaib said that Raheel had announced 10 months before his retirement that he would not take extension.

    “Raheel Sharif had an offer from Saudi Arabia,” the former military official said.

    In 2015, Saudi Arabia announced that it would form a new Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition force. Gen (r) Raheel Sharif was appointed the alliance’s chief in January 2017, months after his retirement as the army chief.