Tag: politics latest

  • Election 2024: Imran Khan excluded from Registered Political Parties List

    Election 2024: Imran Khan excluded from Registered Political Parties List

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) unveiled a revised list on Sunday, featuring 175 officially registered political parties that reflect the diverse landscape of the country’s political arena.

    The founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, is no longer listed as the leader of the party in the updated list, indicating that PTI is now considered a political entity without a designated leader.

    However, the list now includes the group headed by Pervez Khattak, identified as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Parliamentarians (PTIP).

    An important development took place earlier in the week when the party led by Khan lost its electoral symbol, the “bat”, as a result of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) releasing the reserved verdict on the party’s internal elections.

    After hearing arguments from all concerned parties, the ECP initially reserved its decision.

    Following this, Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, leading a five-member bench of the electoral authority, announced the invalidation of the PTI’s intra-party elections.

    After ECP’s verdict, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, who took over as PTI chairman after Imran Khan, will no longer serve as the party’s leader.

  • No ‘bat’ for PTI; ECP takes away party symbol

    No ‘bat’ for PTI; ECP takes away party symbol

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has released its verdict in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) intra-party elections on Friday, declaring that the party will not be given the cricketing ‘bat’ symbol it has contested previous elections with.

    The verdict comes right after a delegation from PTI said that it had been assured by the ECP of a level playing field after the Supreme Court of Pakistan asked the two to hold a meeting.

    The order stated, “So keeping in view, the clear mandate of Elections Act, 2017 read with PTI constitution 2019, and for reasons mentioned hereinabove, it is held that PTI has not complied with our directions rendered therein order dated 23rd November, 2023 and failed to hold intra-party election in accordance with PTI prevailing Constitution, 2019 and Election Act, 2017, and Election Rules, 2017. Therefore, the certificate dated 4″ December. 2023 and Form-65 filed by the alleged Chairman, is hereby regretted and rejected accordingly. The provisions of Section 215 of the Election Act, 2017 are hereby invoked and PTI is hereby declared ineligible to obtain, the Election Symbol, for which they have applied for.”

    PTI held intra-party polls on December 2, with Barrister Gohar Khan taking the Chairman’s seat after approval from party founder Imran Khan. The results of the polls were contested by founding member Akbar S. Babar, who moved the ECP against what he termed “fraudulent” elections.

    ECP had sought a reply from PTI on the polls violating the party constitution. The party itself meanwhile turned to Peshawar High Court in a bid to defuse what it termed as discrimination by ECP.

  • ‘I will not contest the election, even if Imran Khan asks,’ Aleema Khan

    ‘I will not contest the election, even if Imran Khan asks,’ Aleema Khan

    Aleema Khan, the sister of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, has stated that none of his family members will contest the upcoming general elections slated for February 8 next year.

    During a chat with journalists outside the Islamabad High Court on Thursday, she remarked: “I will not contest the election, even if Imran Khan asks (me), I will not participate in the election.”

    Aleema clarified that neither Khan’s sisters nor his wife will contest. “None of us is contesting elections. We only come for the cases of the PTI founder”.

    She emphasized that treating the PTI founder in the same manner as former Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was unwarranted, highlighting the absence of a young generation during Bhutto’s time.

    She alleged that Nawaz Sharif, the leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), had got two umpires, asserting that he was preventing other political players from entering the political arena, stressing that evidence supporting this claim became apparent during the nomination paper submission process, where individuals are allegedly being deprived of their papers.

    She dismissed the cipher case as a mere joke, expressing concern over the rapid pace of the trial and raising the possibility of a death sentence being pronounced by December 30.

    “Our hope for justice is from Allah and justice should also be expected from the Supreme Court, but what is happening is in front of everyone. We are no longer disappointed with the Supreme Court. If you don’t expect anything from the Supreme Court, who will you expect from? If we do not get justice from there, we will definitely get it from Allah,” she remarked.

  • ‘I am more experienced than Barrister Gohar,’ Latif Khosa

    ‘I am more experienced than Barrister Gohar,’ Latif Khosa

    In a recent interview on Geo News’ program ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath,’ senior vice president of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Latif Khosa, took a swipe at the party’s newly appointed chairman Barrister Gohar.

    Khosa expressed confidence in assuming a leadership role after Imran Khan.

    Directing criticism at Barrister Gohar, Khosa stated that the lawyer lacks the experience that he possesses. He emphasized his role as the senior vice president within PTI, positioning himself as a contender for leadership after Imran Khan.

    During the conversation, Khosa emphasized that, unlike the situation with Nawaz Sharif, the judiciary was not biased in favor of PTI.

    He highlighted the trial without jurisdiction in the Toshakhana case, stating that the punishment given was incorrect and could be rectified through a review order.

    Khosa asserted that the subsequent disqualification of Imran Khan by the Election Commission as a consequence of delaying the sentence was rushed, occurring within three days instead of the stipulated 30 days.

    He further stated that the basic rights of Imran Khan were being apprehended by the courts.

    Khosa mentioned that the situation is leading to uncertainty and keeping PTI out of elections means that the elections are not free and fair.

  • ECP lists Imran Khan as Chairman of PTI

    ECP lists Imran Khan as Chairman of PTI

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has released a list of political parties after the issuance of the election schedule, as per The News on Thursday.
    The list comprises of 175 political parties that are going to take part in the upcoming general election, set to take place on February 8 next year.

    According to the list, former Prime Minister Imran Khan is still the chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), despite the fact that Barrister Gohar Khan was recently elected as chairman of PTI.

    The issue of PTI’s intra-party election conducted on December 2, 2023, remains undecided, as the ECP reserved its judgement after hearings.

    Former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is the head of  Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and ex-president Asif Ali Zardari leads the Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP). On the other hand, former foreign minister, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, is a chairman of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).

    Similarly, Khalid Maqbool Siddique is the head of  Muttahida Qaumi Movement- Pakistan (MQM-P), and Abdul Aleem Khan is the president of a newly formed Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP).

  • Imran Khan will contest elections from three constituencies

    Imran Khan will contest elections from three constituencies

    The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) announced on Wednesday that imprisoned founding chairman Imran Khan will contest elections from at least three constituencies on February 8 next year.

    PTI senator Ali Zafar told journalists that the Islamabad High Court (IHC) will soon announce its decision regarding the ToshaKhana case against Imran Khan, as the election schedule has already been released.

    “We want to inform you that Imran Khan will contest elections from at least three constituencies, and we hope that the IHC will announce its judgement soon in the Toshakhana case, as the election schedule has been issued,” he added.

    PTI’s petition requests the temporary halt of the former PM’s conviction in the Toshakhana case.

    The senator also encouraged party workers to submit their nomination papers, stating that the party will prioritise imprisoned workers.

    “Those [workers] who rendered sacrifices for the party, facing cases and braving difficulties will be allotted [party] tickets 100 per cent,” the PTI senator said.

    The PTI leader clarified that the final decision on ticket allocation will be made by the incarcerated party founder.

  • ‘Judges ligitimise the rule of military dictators,’ Nawaz Sharif

    ‘Judges ligitimise the rule of military dictators,’ Nawaz Sharif

    Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday lashed out at judges for legitimising military dictators and taking action against elected prime ministers.

    “Judges garland the ones (military dictators) who break the constitution, rather they legitimise their rule. When the parliament is dissolved and the prime minister is sent to jail, they (judges) endorse these actions,” Sharif said while addressing ticket aspirants from Faisalabad at the party secretariat in Model Town.

    Sharif specifically pointed to instances where judges allowed military dictators to amend the constitution, attributing such decisions to the current challenges faced by Pakistan.

    He asserted that responsibility for the country’s predicament lies with the nation itself, dismissing external factors such as India, the United States, or Afghanistan.

    Without directly naming him, Sharif indirectly referred to former ISI chief Gen (retd) Faiz Hamid, suggesting interference in the judicial process to deny post-arrest bail to himself and his daughter Maryam Nawaz. He claimed that pressure from certain quarters jeopardized their legal proceedings.

  • Nawaz Sharif comes up with a surprise move

    Nawaz Sharif comes up with a surprise move

    Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) head Nawaz Sharif, is set to contest elections from a constituency which is rather a surprise for many.

    Founding Editor of Khorasan Diary, Iftikhar Firdous, stated in a tweet, “PML-N’s supremo Nawaz Sharif will also be contesting elections from Mansehra, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The PMLN flexing its muscle in its once stronghold now lost to PTI while Nawaz’s previous partners from the area have abandoned the party.”

    Mansehra has witnessed a shift in political dynamics with PTI gaining ground in what was once considered the traditional bastion of Nawaz Sharif’s party. The decision to field Nawaz Sharif as a candidate from the area reflects the PML-N’s determination to regain political influence and challenge the current political landscape in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

    The former Prime Minister’s constituency, NA-120 in Lahore, is a pre-partition locality, part of Lahore’s famed ‘old city’, with historic buildings — many of which have since been demolished and made into commercial plazas.

    The constituency also comprises the shrine of Data Darbar, the city’s biggest wholesale market (Shalmi), an electronics market (Hall Road), and the vehicle parts market (Bilal Gunj).

  • Zardari stops party leaders from forming alliance with PTI in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

    Zardari stops party leaders from forming alliance with PTI in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman and former president Asif Ali Zardari met PPP Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) leaders on Sunday to discuss the upcoming general elections and political alliances with like-minded parties.

    During the huddle, the former president also directed the PPP leaders to not form an alliance with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for the forthcoming polls on February 8 next year.

    Asif Zardari said that local leaders of PPP can form alliances with any other political party except the PTI in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

    The former president stayed at the Governor House, while KP Governor Haji Ghulam Ali met him as well.

    Governor Ghulam Ali and Mayor Peshawar Zubair Ali gave a traditional shawl to a PPP co-chairperson as a gift.

    Meanwhile, PPP’s senior leaders also ruled out an election alliance with the PTI in KP. “We never brought under discussion alliance with PTI in our meeting with party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Sunday,” said PPP leader and former MPA Mohammad Ali Shah Bacha.

    The head of the PPP women’s wing, Faryal Talpur, also attended the PPP KP parliamentary board meeting.

    Former Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, former deputy speaker of the National Assembly (NA) Faisal Karim Kundi, Mohammad Ali Shah Bacha, and Rubina Khalid also attended the huddle.

    On the other hand, another PPP leader, Ziaullah Afridi, said that the former president didn’t visit KP. He claimed that he invited Zardari to his son’s wedding, and the former president just accepted it.

  • PPP’s Sardar Latif Khosa joins PTI

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) aggrieved leader Sardar Latif Khosa has officially joined Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday “on the wish” of former prime minister and founder PTI Imran Khan.

    “I have made the decision not only in the interest of the country and democracy, but also to raise my voice vigorously for the truth,” he said.

    Sardar Khosa announced during a press conference in Lahore that he is joining PTI, expressing hope that the politics of hatred would end.

    Khosa also said that a country’s constitution is supreme, adding that it has all the characteristics of a welfare state.

    “The motherland can become prosperous if we follow the Constitution. The Constitution has a solution for everything if it is implemented in its true spirit,” he said.

    He also mentioned that a barrister (Allama Muhammad Iqbal) came up with the idea of Pakistan, and Muhammad Ali Jinnah completed it.

    “I have dedicated my services to PTI. I am free to join a party of my choosing,” Khosa said, adding that he would not talk about what he lost or gained in the PPP.