Tag: politics latest

  • Vawda refuses to offer unconditional apology in contempt case

    Vawda refuses to offer unconditional apology in contempt case

    Senator Faisal Vawda has refused to render an unconditional apology to the Supreme Court in the contempt of court case, saying that his remarks were not different from others.

    In his defence, Vawda submitted transcripts of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Jamiat Ulema e Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Raoof Hasan’s speeches wherein they had passed hard-hitting statements against the judiciary.

    Vawda strongly criticised the judiciary over six Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges’ letter to SJC alleging intelligence agencies’ interference in judicial matters and also alleged dual nationality of Justice Babar Sattar of IHC.

    On May 15, the senator, in a press briefing, asked the court to show restraint in the contempt of court proceedings over his anti-judiciary remarks.

    He also asked the Supreme Court to withdraw the contempt charges against him, saying that the purpose behind the controversial press briefing was the country’s well-being.

  • IHC orders CDA to de-seal PTI office in Islamabad

    IHC orders CDA to de-seal PTI office in Islamabad

    Providing yet another relief to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) Tuesday has ordered the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to de-seal the party’s Central Secretariat.

    Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz said in a six-page written order, “CDA may take action strictly by the law in case of any non-conformity or violation of the applicable laws.”

    Furthermore, the order stated that the CDA had issued a show-cause notice to the previous owner in 2022 and 2023 but without providing an explanation.

    It also said that the CDA did not issue a prior notice to the PTI before sealing its office, a claim supported by the party leaders.

    PTI moved the IHC seeking its order to de-seal its central secretariat in Islamabad after the CDA had demolished a portion of the building.

  • Major cases against Imran Khan and how they turned out

    What are the major cases against Imran Khan and how did they turn out?

    Khan was collectively given sentences of 30 years in the Cypher Case, Toshakhana reference case and the Iddat case.

    CYPHER CASE

    In January 2024, Imran Khan was sentenced to ten years by a special court, established under the Official Secrets Act, in the cypher case. On June 3, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) reversed the decision and found PTI founder Imran Khan not guilty in the cypher case.

    The allegation against Khan in the case was that he had not returned the cypher to the relevant ministry.

    TOSHAKHANA REFERENCE

    On 31 January 2024, the court convicted and sentenced Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi to 14 years in prison in the Toshakhana case and ordered them to pay a fine of about 1.5 billion rupees. In April 2024, IHC suspended this sentence however they were not released as they were convicted in other cases as well.

    The Toshakhaana case was about selling gifts he was given in his capacity as prime minister without declaring proceeds for tax purposes.

    IDDAT CASE

    On 3 February 2024, a trial court sentenced Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi to seven years in prison for marrying during Bushra Bibi’s Iddat period. The court also imposed a fine of Rs0.5 million on each of them. However, an appeal was filed and is ongoing.

    AL-QADIR TRUST CASE

    Khan was also implicated in the Al-Qadir Trust case when he was arrested on May 9, 2023. An Islamabad accountability court on May 29 granted PTI Chairman Imran Khan bail in the Al-Qadir Trust case till June 19 against surety bonds worth Rs500,000.

    The Al-Qadir Trust case alleges that the PTI chief and his wife, Bushra Bibi, obtained billions of rupees and land worth hundreds of kanals from real estate tycoon Malik Riaz. This was given in return for Khan legalising Rs50 billion that was returned to the country by the UK during the previous PTI government.

  • ‘Kabhi ek se zyada drink nahin pi’; Behroze Sabzwari alleges that Khan drinks alcohol  

    ‘Kabhi ek se zyada drink nahin pi’; Behroze Sabzwari alleges that Khan drinks alcohol  

    Renowned Pakistani actor Behroze Sabzwari recently appeared on a podcast with Adnan Faisal on his YouTube channel FHM Pakistan in which he candidly talked about his relationship with former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

    Sabzwari defended Chairman PTI Imran Khan’s character by stating, “I’ve shared a drink with him [Imran Khan] on numerous occasions, and he has never consumed more than one.”

    The actor decried the “fake allegations” of cocaine usage by Khan and said, “Write this down that 804 [Imran Khan] will win because he’s honest.”

    Sabzwari criticised those who allege that Imran Khan does drugs because they want to “slander his reputation.”

    The clip has gone viral since Monday night, with many PTI supporters calling it a “fake” video while fans of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) are delighted by its contents.

  • US responds to Khan’s acquittal in cipher case

    US responds to Khan’s acquittal in cipher case

    The United States of America has reacted to the acquittal of founder Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan and the party’s vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the cipher case.

    US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller responded to a question about the case while addressing a press conference, saying that “The allegations against Imran Khan will be decided by Pakistan’s courts under their own laws.” 

    A day earlier, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) acquitted the former Prime Minister and the former foreign minister in the cipher case. Both had been accused of leaking state secrets in public after Imran Khan, then the Prime Minister, took a diplomatic cable to a rally and narrated the contents for the public.

    IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Auranzeb heard the case and announced the short verdict.

    What is ciphergate?  

    The issue first came to light less than a month before Imran Khan’s removal from the prime minister’s office on March 27, 2022, when the PTI founder waved a letter addressing a public rally, claiming that it’s a cypher sent from a country that wanted Khan removed, later revealed to be the United States.

    The former prime minister claimed, while addressing the public, that the letter was the reason for his ouster as Prime Minister.

    Initially, Khan didn’t reveal the name of the country, but after a few days, he blamed the United States for plotting against him. The convicted former prime minister alleged that Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Affairs Donald Lu was responsible for his removal.

    Since then, Imran and his party have blamed other people and forces for his removal, including former COAS General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa, Nawaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari and Saudi Arabia.

  • ‘Irresponsible statement’ Justice Munib Akhtar, CJP Isa trade verbal blows

    ‘Irresponsible statement’ Justice Munib Akhtar, CJP Isa trade verbal blows

    Monday’s hearing of the case pertaining to Sunni Ittehad Council’s reserved seats turned into a salvo of verbal blows in the Supreme Court.

    A slightly heated exchange of words took place between the Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa and Justice Munib Akhtar.

    During the hearing, Justice Akhtar remarked, “There is no logic in the Election Commission’s orders because, on one hand, it says SIC did not contest elections and therefore did not win any seats but on the other hand it is a parliamentary party as well.”

    Meanwhile, other judges also passed remarks to which CJP Qazi Faez Isa stopped the petitioner’s lawyer Faisal Siddiqui from answering the questions of the judges.

    Here Justice Munib intervened and said, “This is an unfair statement, every judge of the full court has the right to ask questions.”

  • Imran Riaz not allowed to go abroad despite court orders

    Imran Riaz not allowed to go abroad despite court orders

    YouTuber Imran Riaz was allegedly stopped by immigration authorities at Islamabad International Airport and not allowed to perform Hajj because his name was on Exit Control List (ECL).

    In a video shared on social media, Riaz could be seen talking with an immigration official grabbing a paper and saying, “According to this, my name should be removed from Exit Control List (ECL) and Passport Control List (PCL) and if the Judge has ordered this then this list should have been updated.”

    The officer agreed with him and said, “Either the list should be updated or you require a one-time special permission to fly abroad.”

    On May 29, the YouTuber shared on social media that his name was removed from the no-fly list on the orders of the Islamabad High Court and he would go to perform Hajj.

    On June 3, Riaz wrote on X that despite the court orders his name wasn’t removed from ECL and PCL.

  • IHC transfers Iddat case to another court

    IHC transfers Iddat case to another court

    Islamabad High Court (IHC) has transferred the Iddat case against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi to a district and session court in Islamabad after approving the request application of Judge Shahrukh Arjumand. 

    Judge Arjumand wrote a letter to the IHC registrar, stating that he is not comfortable announcing the verdict in the Iddat case as Bhusra Bibi’s former husband Khawar Manika had raised concerns.

    The judge also complained in the written letter that Khawar Manek and his lawyers disrupted the hearing multiple times. 

    Now the additional district and session judge, Muhammad Afzal Majuka will hear the Iddat case against the former prime minister and his wife.

    Earlier on May 29, the PTI lawyers attacked Khawar Maneka as he exited the district court premises after attending the hearing in the Iddat case.

  • Imran Khan angry at PTI leaders for disowning controversial 1971 post: Asad Toor

    Imran Khan angry at PTI leaders for disowning controversial 1971 post: Asad Toor

    Journalist Asad Toor recently revealed on his YouTube channel that the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan got angry at party leaders because they did not support PTI’s social media team over the controversial Fall of Dhaka post.

    “If you cannot fight, then leave the party,” exclaimed Khan to party members who visited him in Adiala Jail, Toor said.

    “You guys are not fighting but our social media team is, and nobody will disown them. Do not speak ill of them,” Imran reportedly told his party members.

    Earlier this week, Khan’s social media account uploaded a video regarding the 1971 Fall of Dhaka and drew a reference between Mujeeb ur Rehman and Imran Khan. It also called the military actions atrocities.

    PTI leaders scrambled to try and do some damage control by disassociating Imran Khan from the post, claiming he had no control over his social media.

  • PTI wants CJP Faez Isa to distance himself from cases against Imran Khan, PTI

    PTI wants CJP Faez Isa to distance himself from cases against Imran Khan, PTI

    The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has called upon the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa to distance himself from cases proceeding against PTI founder Imran Khan and his party workers.

    The PTI core committee expressed concerns on the proceedings, alleging that CJP Isa is biassed against Imran Khan and demanding that the Judge should recuse himself from the cases.

    The party alleged that CJP Isa’s hearing of their cases had a “negative impact” on a fair trial.

    The Supreme Court (SC) is scheduled to hear Sunni Ittehad Council’s reserved seats case on June 3. CJP Isa is leading the bench. Justice Musarrat Hilali will not hear the case due to illness.

    Three judges, including Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, and Justice Athar Minallah, suspended the verdict of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and Peshawar High Court (PHC) regarding the allocation of reserved seats to other political parties.