Tag: PTI

  • Will Shehbaz and Imran sit together for talks? PTI gives green signal

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader Fawad Chaudhry has claimed that party chairman Imran Khan is open to negotiating with the incumbent government.

    He said that Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif and Law Minister Azam Tarar had stressed on holding talks and PTI welcomes these developments.

    “I hope Shehbaz Sharif will invite PTI for talks on the elections schedule. However, we have one proviso: we will not discuss their corruption cases and those have to be out of talks,” said Chaudhry.

    Moreover, Pakistan Bar Council urged all the political parties to set aside their differences and talk in order to solve the disputes which have plunged the country into a constitutional crisis.

    The bar council said that “they are “ready to call/arrange All Parties Conference (APC) and invite all the central leadership of parliamentary parties to reconcile their disputes through dialogue and to hold free, fair and transparent elections to all Assemblies on a mutually agress timeframe.”

    The bar council stressed that the reconciliation process should be held “for the sake of the country as it cannot afford to further linger on prevailing tensions.”

    Last month, in the wake of rising terrorist attacks, PM Shehbaz Sharif called for all parties conference and invited PTI chief Imran Khan as well. However, at the time Khan refused to take part in it.

  • Shor sharaba in Zaman Park: Aitzaz Ahsan’s sisters approach court to complain against Imran

    Shor sharaba in Zaman Park: Aitzaz Ahsan’s sisters approach court to complain against Imran

    Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan’s sisters have approached different forums to complain about “the disruption, road and traffic blockade and loud music at night time”, caused by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan outside his residence in Zaman Park which has affected his neighbours’ sleep, writes Umar Cheema for The News.

    “They started with Imran Khan. On February 14, Dr Shireen Zafarullah and Mrs Nasreen Khalid Chima wrote the first letter to him on February 14 to inform him about ‘huge and unacceptable intrusion into our privacy being caused by the show outside your home.’ Their father, Chaudhry Muhammad Ahsan, constructed the ancestral home in Zaman Park in 1933 well before Imran’s family was allotted the house in Zaman Park after the Partition. Ali, the son of Aitzaz Ahsan, also lives in that house besides the children of sisters of Aitzaz,” reads the article.

    The sisters complained about the constant noise from the loud music which lasts till 4am every night.

    Not getting any response, both sisters filed an application on March 8 against the illegal encroachment outside Imran Khan’s home. The application was addressed to Chief Secretary of Punjab, Inspector General of Police, Lahore Commissioner and SHO of Race Course Police Station. However, no action was taken by the Punjab government.

    Finally, they moved the Lahore High Court, which didn’t entertain the petition either. A one-member bench of Justice Asim Hafeez said they should locate a Justice of Peace to pursue this matter.

    The sisters have also written to the chief justices of the Supreme Court and Lahore High Court to take notice of the problems they are facing in Zaman Park.

  • Lahore High Court extends halt on Zaman Park police operation till tomorrow

    Lahore High Court extends halt on Zaman Park police operation till tomorrow

    The Lahore High Court (LHC) has extended the injunction on the police operation to arrest Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in Zaman Park till tomorrow.

    Yesterday, the court had ordered the police to stop the operation to arrest Imran Khan till 10 am today.

    At the hearing of the petition against the police operation at LHC today, the court said that on Thursday all parties should sit together and find a solution. Stating that we are being dishonored as a nation, the judge said, “Move your rally; for God’s sake, let people live their routine lives.”

    LHC also stopped PTI from holding a rally this Sunday at Iqbal Park (Minar-e-Pakistan) and asked the party to let citizens live their routine lives.

    The party was planning to hold a “historic” public rally at Lahore’s Minar-e-Pakistan on March 19 and PTI Chairman Imran Khan was set to lead it — despite “security threats”.

    PTI workers clashed for nearly 24 hours with the law enforcers trying to get through the party supporters and arrest Khan.
  • Will stop police from arresting Khan if he surrenders, says court

    Will stop police from arresting Khan if he surrenders, says court

    An Islamabad court said on Thursday that it can ask Islamabad police not to arrest Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan if he surrenders himself before the authorities.

    The judge passed the remarks while hearing the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) reference seeking criminal proceedings against Imran for concealing details of Toshakhana gifts.

    At the outset of the hearing, the PTI chief’s lawyer Khawaja Harris read out the IHC’s order on the party’s petition against the arrest warrants.

    In response, the judge said that the trial court has not received the IHC’s order through the official process, but noted that the issue can be resolved quickly and asked where Khan was.

    “Has Imran Khan presented himself before the court?” the judge asked. At this, Harris asked the judge whether it was important for the former prime minister to appear before the court in person.

    “We want Imran Khan to appear before the court. Why isn’t he presenting himself before us? What’s the reason?” he asked, noting that in line with the law, Khan should assist the police and not resist it.

    “Imran Khan created a scene by resisting [arrest],” the judge said, adding that the IHC’s order also mentions that the lower court’s order should not be affected through “illegal actions”.

    The judge remarked that there “would be no issue” if the warrants were bailable, but the warrants issued against Khan were non-bailable. “The arguments you have presented are related to bailable arrest warrants,” the judge told the lawyer.

    Harris then asked the judge whether he wanted to remain stern and keep Khan’s arrest warrants active. At this, the judge remarked that the warrants were issued to ensure Khan’s presence in person.

    The lawyer then added Khan himself has said that he wants to appear before the court and he is not seeking any exemptions.

    You have two options, Harris said, adding that the first option is to suspend the non-bailable warrant by accepting the undertaking request, and the second is to accept the surety and issue a bailable arrest warrant.

    PTI’s lawyers, requesting to suspend the arrest warrants, said that Khan wants to give an undertaking to the court that he will appear in the session court on March 18.

    The judge then said the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) should also be issued a notice. At this, the lawyer said that the court should issue the notice and summon the election commission today.

    Judge Iqbal also asked Khan’s counsel why the situation in Lahore’s Zaman Park was “bad”. “This warrant has become not only the most expensive in Pakistan but the world. The government has spent millions of rupees to follow through on this warrant.”

    Khan’s counsel lamented that whatever is happening at Zaman Park should not have taken place, and at this, the judge said that Khan should have been brought straight to the court.

    “It is not possible that Imran Khan is harassed when he appears before the court. We are a poor country and it is not feasible to spend millions of rupees on a warrant.”

    The judge added that if the PTI chief surrenders himself to the authorities, then he would tell the police to stand down and asked the counsel what could be amended in Khan’s warrants.

    Harris then pleaded that Khan is giving an undertaking and that the court should suspend his warrants. “The warrants were issued in line with the law, then why did [authorities] face resistance? It is the nation’s money. The most you could have done was to hold a peaceful protest.”

    The judge said in criminal cases, suspects appear before the court and once they do, the non-bailable arrest warrants are suspended. “The police can’t sit idle when arrest warrants are issued for March 18.”

    The judge then added that he was issuing a notice to the ECP and adjourned the hearing till 12pm.

  • Met Khan and Bajwa twice, reveals Saqib Nisar

    Met Khan and Bajwa twice, reveals Saqib Nisar

    Former Chief of Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar has revealed details of his meetings with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, former army chief (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa and ex-Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Liteuatant General (retd) Faiz Hameed.

    In an interview, Saqib said that he had only met Imran twice. According to him, the first meeting took place when Khan was Prime Minister (PM) and the second was held after his ouster.

    Justice (retd) Nisar said that in the first meeting, the PTI chief had sought his guidance on NAB cases as they were going in vain. He also claimed that the former prime minister had requested him [Nisar] to suggest a suitable replacement for Shehzad Akbar — the then accountability czar.

    The former CJP claimed that he did not offer any advice to the former prime minister and rather suggested he take decisions on his own.

    On his second meeting, the former CJP said that he had advised the PTI chief not to talk about opening courts at midnight and that he should refrain from criticising the judiciary.

    It is pertinent to mention Nisar has been accused of favouring Khan and giving a verdict against the Sharif family as he disqualified former PM Nawaz Sharif for life.

    About Faiz, he said that he had met him multiple times during his time as the top judge of the country. The first meeting took place on the issue of missing persons and continued meeting him later as well.

    He also disclosed that he had met former army chief General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa twice. “The former army chief had met for the first time to donate while the second meeting was held sometime earlier in Lahore.”

    According to Saqib, he had not discussed General (retd) Bajwa during his meeting with Imran Khan.

  • ‘Tell Khan to give in’: Yasmin Rashid allegedly asks President to intervene and talk to Khan

    ‘Tell Khan to give in’: Yasmin Rashid allegedly asks President to intervene and talk to Khan

    Amidst the clash between police, rangers and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters, a second alleged audio leak of former provincial Health Minister Dr. Yasmin Rashid has surfaced online.

    In the alleged audio, Rashid is in conversation with President Dr Arif Alvi, asking him to intervene in the crisis at Zaman Park.

    The audio leak is transcribed as follows;

    Rashid: Sir, the situation is very bad here.

    Dr Alvi: Yes, absolutely.

    Rashid: Our workers have started throwing Molotov cocktails. Before bloodshed takes place, I think you need to talk to someone and intervene.

    Dr Alvi: I have talked.

    Rashid: You should tell him that you will talk to him and try to sort… to Khan sahab.

    Dr Alvi: I don’t understand what you’re saying.

    Rashid: Sir, the situation right now is that people may die, some policemen will be killed. The situation will worsen so much that the elections will be postponed. This was our purpose.

    Dr Alvi: Okay.

    Rashid: I think what you need to do is, tell him [Khan sahab], that he should give in and fight another day. This is what I think and the rest is up to you. He will not give up.

    Rashid: Petrol bombs were thrown. I am intentionally sitting outside. I had to call people.

    Dr Arif: Let me consult Asad Umar.

    Rashid: I talked with Asad, he asked me not to say anything. We both are sitting outside.

    Dr Alvi: Okay.

    Rashid: I think you should talk with Shah Saab [Shah Mahmood Qureshi]. He is sitting inside with Khan.

    Dr Alvi: Okay.

    Earlier in the day, Rashid in another alleged audio leak told former Federal Minister for Narcotics Ejaz Shah that Khan Sahib has said at that it is time to call all MNAs and MPAs.

  • ‘Go Greta’; Bilawal talks about climate change, Imran’s arrest and IMF on Daily Show

    ‘Go Greta’; Bilawal talks about climate change, Imran’s arrest and IMF on Daily Show

    Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari talked about a host of issues including climate justice, former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s possible arrest and the economic crisis on The Daily Show with Kal Penn.

    When asked about political unrest owing to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s possible arrest, Bilawal said that the former Premier doesn’t believe the country’s laws apply to him.

    “I would never want any politician in my country or any country to go to jail for political reasons. In Khan’s case, he’s under the threat of arrest because of his ego,” the Foreign Minister said. He slammed Imran Khan for the “complete mockery of the judicial system in Pakistan, of rule of law, of the Constitution in Pakistan”.

    Kal Penn asked about tax reform and negotiations with the IMF, to which Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari agreed that the poor were burdened beyond their capacity. “There’s an outsized burden on the bottom of the pyramid,” he said, adding that the IMF should take that into consideration.

    Speaking at length about the climate crisis, Bilawal admitted that he initially thought that switching to solar and wind power would be enough. “I was not the most hyper of climate activist’s,” Bilawal said, stating that his worldview changed overnight after the catastrophic floods of 2022. ” And now, yeah, go Greta,” he said, eliciting applause and laughter from the audience with the remark about Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.

  • ‘Khan sahab keh rahay hain banday le kar foran pohanchain, warna party ticket nahi milna’: Yasmin Rashid’s leaked audio

    Amidst the clash between police, rangers and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters, another alleged audio leak has surfaced online.

    This time around, one can allegedly hear former Health Minister Yasmin Rashid and former Federal Minister for Narcotics Ejaz Shah in conversation about the plausible arrest of PTI Chairman Imran Khan.

    In the alleged audio, Rashid told Shah that Khan Sahib has said at that it is time to call all MNAs and MPAs.

    On hearing this, Shah replied that they were doing it. Rashid then gave Khan’s instructions to the former minister and said that the party head is asking to bring people and reach there.

    According to Rashid, Khan is telling them to come immediately, or he will not give party tickets to those who do not come.

  • ‘Shameful’: Shehzad Ghias, Twitter users criticise Youtuber Mooro for Twitter threat

    On Tuesday police forces were deployed at Imran Khan’s house in Lahore to arrest him for avoiding court hearings under the ongoing Toshakhana case, leading to several clashes between police and protestors.

    Celebrities like Haroon Shahid expressed their support for Imran Khan, however he was criticized on Twitter for mocking a policeman who was injured at the protests. YouTuber Shehzad Ghias shared a screenshot of the tweet on his Twitter account. YouTuber Mooro sent him a threat in reply which sparked backlash.

    Mooro had defended his stance by saying that Ghias had been threatening his friends for a long time and ‘playing the victim’ all along.

    “Here is my position, its not about politics, this man, shehzad has embarassed and has been trolling my friends with his toxic tweets and false allegations over the years while holding a moral high ground and pretending to be victim and innocent its a ploy to gain attention.”

    To which Ghias responded by saying that he had spoken out against Ukhaano, another YouTuber who had harassment and sexual assault allegations against him, which he will stand by.

    “He has blocked me so no clue why he is continuing to tweet about at me. Saw the screenshot of his tweet though. He’s talking about the harassment and assault allegations against Ukhano. I stand by everything I’ve said”

    Twitter users criticized Mooro’s insensitive language and for refusing to condemn a fellow PTI supporter trolling an injured policeman online.

    https://twitter.com/MinahilT6/status/1635766266836267008?s=20

  • ‘Whatever is happening is the result of your actions’; IHC slams Imran’s lawyers

    ‘Whatever is happening is the result of your actions’; IHC slams Imran’s lawyers

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday morning slammed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s legal team as a hearing began on a petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) challenging arrest warrants for the Chairman on security grounds.

    PTI had filed the plea on Tuesday and requested a hearing on the same day. However, the Registrar raised objections because there was no biometric verification on the application.

    IHC Chief Justice Amir Farooq began hearings by asking Imran Khan’s counsel if they had removed the Registrar’s objections. PTI lawyer Khawaja Haris replied that what is happening in Lahore is known.

    “Whatever is happening is a result of your actions,” replied the Chief Justice.

    He also said that the plea is yet to be fixed, and he will hear it once it is fixed for hearing. Khawaja Haris asked the court to fix 12PM for the hearing.

    Meanwhile, Imran Khan tweeted on Wednesday morning that the real intent of arrest was to “abduct and assassinate” him.