Tag: Prime Minister Imran Khan

  • ‘Police took nine-year-old son in raid,’ former PTI MNA

    ‘Police took nine-year-old son in raid,’ former PTI MNA

    In a startling turn of events, Gul Zafar Khan, a former MNA associated with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has accused Bajaur police of raiding his residence in the Gat Kai area of Mamond tehsil on Wednesday night.

    He also claimed that police took his nine-year-old son, who reportedly has special needs.

    Khan took to X(formerly Twitter) to share the distressing incident.

    However, in a statement issued from the office of the district police officer (DPO) on Wednesday night, police confirmed that the raid was conducted on Khan’s house owing to his violation of Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, but said that no one was arrested in the raid as the former MNA was not present in his house.

    A day earlier, Khan had attended a party meeting at the residence of former provincial minister Anwerzeb Khan in connection with the PTI’s convention, to be held a few days later.

    Adding to the complexity of the situation, a police official said that Khan was also wanted by police in a case registered in Upper Dir district a few days ago.

    Meanwhile, police on Wednesday also arrested PTI’s former MNA Gul Dad Khan for violating Section 144 CrPC, police and party sources said.

  • Who is Barrister Gohar Khan?

    Who is Barrister Gohar Khan?

    Barrister Gohar Khan is an advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and appears in all high courts as well.

    He is from Khyber Pukhtunkhwa’s Buner district and was formerly affiliated with Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), contesting on a National Assembly seat from there in 2008 on PPP ticket.

    He joined Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in 2022 in the presence of former Chief Minister Khyber Pukhtunkhwa Pervez Khattak who himself has left PTI to form his own political party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Parliamentarians (PTIP).

    The Barrister is a law graduate from Wolverhampton University, UK with LLM from Washington School of Law, USA. Gohar has been in active law practice with more than 50 reported judgments to his credit on subjects ranging from taxation, commercial, corporate, arbitration, banking, election, etc.

    The new chairman of PTI has civil and criminal trials experience, and even has the honour to appear before the Supreme Judicial Council, Field General Court Martial, and its Court of Appeal.

    His clients include public and private companies and important persons, including Imran Khan.

  • Who will be the chairman of PTI?

    Who will be the chairman of PTI?

    A tumultuous day unfolded within the ranks of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) as conflicting statements emerged regarding Imran Khan’s role in the upcoming intra-party polls.

    Senior Vice President Sher Afzal Khan Marwat asserted on Tuesday that Imran Khan, currently incarcerated in Adiala jail, had decided not to vie for the position of party chairman, citing legal constraints and his disqualification in the Toshakhana case.

    PTI clarified that discussions were still going on about crucial matters related to intra-party elections, emphasizing that no decision had been made regarding Imran Khan’s participation or the nomination of an alternative leader.

    Despite the party’s denial, Marwat stood by his initial statement. He took to X (former Twitter) and said, “Whatever I have said in my media talk about the intra-party election is a correct statement. The decisions were taken by Chairman PTI in the presence of Senator Ali Zafar, Barrister Gohar Umair Niazi and myself. I fail to understand who is behind the contradiction and why the misleading statement was issued. The media are advised to verify my statement with the above persons if you don’t mind.”

    Attempting to shed light on the situation, PTI Senator Ali Zafar appeared on a Geo News show on Tuesday, stating that there was no confusion within the party.

    “Two to three decisions were made together with him. Firstly, he asked what is the legal status of the ECP’s order to hold intra-party elections so I told him that it is illegal and we should appeal so the decision was made to appeal it,” he said.

    Zafar clarified that discussions also revolved around Imran Khan’s potential participation in the elections and the perception that the ECP might hinder the PTI’s symbol of the bat.

    He said finally a decision was reached that, if need be, if there was any concern arose that the ECP would raise an objection if Imran contested the elections, “then it is better than that that we at the moment hold elections in which Imran Khan doesn’t contest and we nominate someone else [for party chairman].”

    Zafar pointed out that a final decision remained to be taken on the above matter after considering all legal aspects, adding that he would announce the “exact decision” of whether Imran would contest the intra-party elections or not tomorrow.

    “If he (Imran) nominates someone else and a final decision is taken then elections will be held,” Zafar said.

    Marwat then appeared in Ary News show 11th hour with Waseem Badami and confirmed that Barrister Gohar’s name has been finalized for the chairmanship.

    While talking about the backlash he faced on social media after his initial statement, he tweeted, “Those maligning me constantly, kindly stop portraying me desperate for leadership! I didn’t come here on motive to conquer politics. It needs alot of courage to fight under these pressure circumstances. Anyone who is loyal to Pakistan, would appreciate efforts I am making. I am standing with Imran Khan and Pakistan in these difficult times because I believe in adversity, all of us must fight back against this oppression and not give up.”

    Former Governor Punjab, Latif Khosa, also entered the debate on Wednesday and said, “We can’t even think about minus Imran Khan. Imran Khan has denied all these claims.”

    The entire fiasco ended when it was officially announced by PTI that Barrister Gohar would be the candidate for chairman in intra-party election.

  • PTI all set to hold intra-party elections

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has given the green light for intra-party polls as general elections loom closer.

    The decision was made during a PTI Core Committee meeting, where the party’s legal team proposed the holding of intra-party elections.

    Intra-party elections will be held on Friday.

    The committee approved the schedule and deliberated on the prevailing political situation, organizational activities, and ongoing cases against party members.

    Barrister Ali Zafar, PTI’s parliamentary leader in the Senate, said the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had earlier declared the party’s intra-party election null and void due to technicalities.

    “To avoid any discrepancies with the ECP, another leader may temporarily stand in for the PTI Chairman during this election,” he said.

    The PTI core committee expressed its commitment to democratic processes within the party and emphasized the importance of upholding democratic values in all aspects of political engagement.

    Previously slated for June 13, 2021, under PTI’s constitutional framework, the intra-party elections faced postponements, drawing a show-cause notice to Imran Khan from the ECP in May 2021 due to the delay.

    The ECP granted PTI an extended deadline, shifting the intra-party elections to June 13, 2022. Yet, the party failed to meet this revised timeline, prolonging the unresolved status of its intra-party polls.

    The commission had issued warnings, citing potential repercussions under the Elections Act, 2017, that could render the party ineligible for future polls if non-compliance persisted.

    What is an Intra-Party election?

    Intra-party elections in Pakistan refer to the process of electing leaders and representatives within a political party. This is distinct from general elections where the public votes for candidates from different parties. Intra-party elections are a key aspect of internal party democracy and governance.

  • We won’t see Imran Khan’s trial in open court

    We won’t see Imran Khan’s trial in open court

    A special court declared on Tuesday that the trial proceedings of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the cipher case will be conducted at Adiala Jail.

    Today, Judge Zulqarnain presided over the hearing at the FJC, where Barrister Salman Safdar appeared as Imran’s counsel while Advocate Ali Bukhari was present as Qureshi’s lawyer. FIA’s prosecutors Shah Khawar and Zulfikar Abbas Naqvi also appeared before the court.

    This decision comes after Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain emphasized the importance of security, prompting the trial to be held within jail premises.

    The court previously ordered that the former prime minister and Shah Mahmood Qureshi be present at Islamabad’s Federal Judicial Complex (FJC) for today’s hearing.

    However, Adiala jail authorities, citing “security risks” in their report, failed to produce Imran Khan, despite the court’s directives.

    The initial orders for a jail trial were issued in the first hearing of the cipher case outside the Adiala jail following the Islamabad High Court’s decision to nullify the August 29 notification for a jail trial.

    Judge Zulqarnain has been conducting the trial within the jail premises due to security concerns since Khan’s indictment last month.

    Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi were booked under the Official Secrets Act 1923 in the cipher case in August.

    The case revolves around a missing diplomatic cable allegedly containing a threat from the United States to topple the PTI government.

    The court’s decision to hold the trial within Adiala Jail, in an open court setting, aims to ensure transparency and accessibility for those interested in the proceedings.

    During the hearing, the jail authorities submitted their report to the court, which Judge Zulqarnain reviewed. The judge then said, “The jail officials are saying that he (Imran) cannot be presented.”

    According to reports by intelligence agencies and the police, the PTI chairman faces threats to life, the report stated. It further said, “It has been informed that the PTI chairman faces security risks of a serious scale”.

    The special court stated that those who wished to attend the court proceedings would not be stopped from doing so and that journalists would also be permitted to witness the case.

    It further said that five family members of each suspect would also be allowed inside the courtroom. The hearing was adjourned till Dec 1 (Friday).

    Both Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi were indicted in the cipher case on October 23, with the trial initially held at Adiala Jail.

    However, the proceedings were deemed “erroneous” by an Islamabad High Court division bench, leading to the initiation of a fresh trial. The court’s decision to approve an open jail trial addresses concerns about transparency and legal protocols.

  • Imran Khan wants 14 kg dumbbells

    Imran Khan wants 14 kg dumbbells

    Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s lawyer Abuzar Salman Niazi revealed that Imran Khan is worried about his biceps while in jail.

    He took to X (formerly Twitter) and said, “A lot of people are asking me whether this is true or not. Let me narrate what actually happened. As I and @BarristrUKNiazi were waiting for khan sb to come and see us on Thursday. As soon as he came, when we asked him if he is facing any problem in Jail. He said I am not affected by anything, even i can sleep on floor. But I can’t comprise on my muscles.”

    He further stated that Khan said his biceps are getting a little out of shape due to the non-availability of dumbbells.

    He explained that he had requested many times for the provision of the same but was denied for no apparent reason.

    Due to security issues, Khan can’t go to Gym like other poisoners.

    He further stated, “All I have asked for is pair of heavy dumbles from my own expense which has been denied. In nutshell, jail has made Khan sab more determined and strong. All machinations of Govt to Pester him are counter productive and making him stronger.”

    The Cases

    The former prime minister is currently being held in Adiala Jail after his arrest from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore on August 5.

    He was moved to the prison on September 26 from Attock Jail where he was initially kept after his arrest.

    Khan was first convicted by a lower court in the Toshakhana case in August and sentenced to three years of imprisonment. The IHC suspended his sentence the same month.

    The Islamabad accountability court issued arrest warrants for PTI Chairman Imran Khan in the Toshakhana and 190 million Al-Qadir Trust cases.

    Khan was arrested in the Al-Qadir Trust case on May 9 for the first time.

    The 190 million (approximately Rs60 billion) settlement case pertains to the money of property tycoon, Malik Riaz, being laundered and caught by the UK authorities during Imran’s government in 2019.

    The UK government had informed the Pakistani authorities regarding the money being caught.

    The former premier is already in prison as he was subsequently booked in the ‘cipher’ case.

    In the cipher case, Khan, along with his close aide and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, has been accused of leaking state secrets.

  • Arrest orders issued for PML-N leader Marriyum Aurangzeb

    Arrest orders issued for PML-N leader Marriyum Aurangzeb

    An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Monday issued arrest orders for Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Marriyum Aurangzeb in a hate speech case, directing authorities to produce the former federal minister in court on December 9.

    ATC Judge Abher Gul Khan issued the arrest warrant for the PML-N leader and ordered the concerned station house officer (SHO) to execute the orders of her arrest.

    The non-bailable arrest warrant was issued against the former information minister for not appearing before the court.

    A terrorism case had been registered against Aurangzeb, PML-N stalwart Mian Javed Latif, state-run Pakistan Television’s Managing Director Sohail Khan and others for allegedly trying to incite hatred by using the religion card against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.

    In the previous hearing, the ATC judge canceled the non-bailable arrest warrant against Latif after he appeared before the court.
    On November 25, Advocate Farhad Ali Shah representing Javed Latif and Marriyum Aurangzeb appeared before the court.

    During the hearing, Judge Khan inquired about the whereabouts of the PML-N leaders and was informed that Latif had appeared while Aurangzeb had not.

    Consequently, the judge issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for the former information minister and directed all suspects named in the case to appear before the court on December 9.

    The case, registered on September 19, 2022, implicated both Aurangzeb and senior PML-N leader Javed Latif for allegedly “using religion to instill and spread hatred” against Imran Khan, the chief of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and former prime minister.

    According to the FIR, the complainant had said Latif accused the PTI chief of “attacking the basic principles of Islam” by “supporting” the Ahmadiyya community during his tenure.

    “When Imran made the Naya Pakistan, units of Qadianis became active in Karachi […] Did Imran not give interviews to the foreign media in which he said that Qadianis will be given religious freedom,” Latif had said.

    The FIR had said Latif made the controversial remarks at the behest of the party leadership as well as Aurangzeb in order to spread religious hatred against Imran.

    The complainant had said he watched another presser by Latif a day later wherein he insisted that he stood by his earlier statement.
    The complainant said, “The world knows Imran Khan for his welfare work. He is a true Muslim, a Prophet (PBUH) lover and a patriotic Pakistani.

    “He (Imran) made Quranic teachings in schools compulsory and also constituted Rehmatullil Alameen Authority. He also made it clear before the world through his speech at the United Nations that we will not tolerate blasphemy at any cost and raised his voice against Islamophobia which is matchless.

    “In his news conference, Latif declared Imran a non-Muslim and deliberately used words to incite his followers to create a law and order situation.”

    The FIR added that the PTI chief’s followers and supporters were enraged by the derogatory remarks of the PML-N leader.
    “Latif made the controversial remarks at the behest of his party leadership as well as Marriyum in order to spread religious hatred against Imran.”

    Complainant Rehman said that he had watched another news conference a day later in which Latif said that he stood by his earlier statement.

    He demanded action be taken against the PML-N leaders and others nominated in the complaint under the law.

  • Imran Khan grilled for nine hours by NAB

    Imran Khan grilled for nine hours by NAB

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan faced intense questioning from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in Adiala jail on Sunday in the £190 million National Crime Agency (NCA) UK and Al-Qadir University Trust cases as per Geo news.

    Sources revealed that four distinct NAB teams conducted separate interrogations spanning over nine hours, delving into various documents and posing a multitude of questions to the former prime minister.

    The initial team, comprised of an assistant director from NAB Rawalpindi and a member of the Combined Investigation Team, spent approximately two-and-a-half hours investigating Khan.

    Subsequently, a two-member team continued the interrogation, focusing on the £190 million and Al-Qadir University Trust cases.

    Imran Khan is slated to appear in different courts in Islamabad on November 28 and 30 for separate cases.

    Judge Abual Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain of the Official Secrets Act special court mandated Khan’s presence on November 28 for the cipher case, while his appeal against the Toshakhana criminal case conviction is scheduled for a hearing on November 30 before an Islamabad High Court(IHC) bench.

    Despite the Islamabad High Court declaring his jail trial null and void, doubts persist regarding Khan’s appearance for an open trial on November 28 and 30.

    The 71-year-old, who has been in jail since August 5 following a three-year conviction in the Toshakhana case, had his sentence suspended by the IHC on August 29.

    However, a trial court subsequently ordered his rearrest in the cipher case and initiated a trial in jail.

    Khan is sceduled to appear in the special court at the Federal Judicial Complex on Tuesday (tomorrow) for a hearing of cipher case.

    The police, administration and other departments concerned would hold a meeting on Monday to finalise the security plan for him, according to Online.

    Sources said the Special Branch of the police and other relevant departments had started collecting classified information which would help them in planning security for the former premier.

    Police sources said there were three routes to bring Imran Khan to the FJC — one is Peshawar Road, the second is Islamabad Expressway and the third is Murree Road.

    According to sources, Peshawar Road would be the preferred option to bring Imran Khan from jail to the Judicial Complex. The Red Zone is likely to be partially sealed on Tuesday besides important installations in and around the area.

    Sources said the judicial complex would be surrounded by the police and paramilitary forces.

    Important points and roads leading to the judicial complex would likely be sealed. Troops are also likely to be deployed near important places of the capital like Faizabad Zero Point, Srinagar Highway and Red Zone.

  • Petition filed for removal of President Arif Alvi

    Petition filed for removal of President Arif Alvi

    A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court against President Arif Alvi for misconduct and failing to carry out his constitutional duties by Ghulam Murtaza under Article 184 section 3.

    The President, Secretary, and the Ministry of Law have been made respondents in the petition.

    In the petition, the Supreme Court has been requested to carry out an inquiry into President Arif Alvi’s conduct, summoning him after investigations, and subsequently removing him from office.

    The petitioner argues that Dr Arif Alvi misused his powers as the president and insulted the office of the president. He states that the president belongs to the entire nation and not just one political party.

    The petitioner alleges that Dr Arif Alvi is guilty of unconstitutional action of having misused his office. He contends that the president neglected his constitutional responsibility, adding that it was the president’s job to give the date for the next general elections, but he failed to do so.

    The petitioner argues that the president was also guilty of illegally dissolving the assembly. He contends that Dr Arif Alvi did not ensure the implementation of the Constitution under Article 5 of the Constitution.

    The petitioner has requested the court to stop Dr Arif Alvi from working as the president and action be taken against him for alleged violations of the constitution and law.

  • Non-bailable arrest warrants issued for Marriyum Aurangzeb

    Non-bailable arrest warrants issued for Marriyum Aurangzeb

    An anti-terrorism court in Lahore issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Marriyum Aurangzeb, former Information Minister and a prominent leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), on Saturday.

    The warrants were issued after Aurangzeb’s repeated absence from hearings of a terrorism case filed against her last year.

    The case, registered on September 19, 2022, implicated both Aurangzeb and senior PML-N leader Javed Latif for allegedly “using religion to instill and spread hatred” against Imran Khan, the chief of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and former prime minister.

    The FIR

    According to the FIR, the complainant had said Latif accused the PTI chief of “attacking the basic principles of Islam” by “supporting” the Ahmadiyya community during his tenure.

    “When Imran made the Naya Pakistan, units of Qadianis became active in Karachi […] Did Imran not give interviews to the foreign media in which he said that Qadianis will be given religious freedom,” Latif had said.

    The FIR had said Latif made the controversial remarks at the behest of the party leadership as well as Aurangzeb in order to spread religious hatred against Imran.

    The complainant had said he watched another presser by Latif a day later wherein he insisted that he stood by his earlier statement.
    The complainant said, “The world knows Imran Khan for his welfare work. He is a true Muslim, a Prophet (PBUH) lover and a patriotic Pakistani.

    “He (Imran) made Quranic teachings in schools compulsory and also constituted Rehmatullil Alameen Authority. He also made it clear before the world through his speech at the United Nations that we will not tolerate blasphemy at any cost and raised his voice against Islamophobia which is matchless.

    “In his news conference, Latif declared Imran a non-Muslim and deliberately used words to incite his followers to create a law and order situation.”

    The FIR added that the PTI chief’s followers and supporters were enraged by the derogatory remarks of the PML-N leader.

    “Latif made the controversial remarks at the behest of his party leadership as well as Marriyum in order to spread religious hatred against Imran.”

    Complainant Rehman said that he had watched another news conference a day later in which Latif said that he stood by his earlier statement.

    He demanded action be taken against the PML-N leaders and others nominated in the complaint under the law.