Tag: PTI

  • Peshawar attack: Death toll reaches 100

    Peshawar attack: Death toll reaches 100

    The outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) took responsibility for Monday’s suicide bombing that claimed 100 lives and left more than 200 people injured, reports Geo News. However, now TTP claimed that it had nothing to do with the bombing.

    The bomb blast ripped through a mosque in Peshawar’s Police Lines area around 1:40 pm, right as people lined up to offer zuhr prayers. It has been reported that the suicide bomber was standing in the first row at the mosque when he exploded the bomb.

    According to Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Peshawar Muhammad Ijaz Khan, a number of people are still stuck under the rubble after the roof collapsed. He also said between 300 to 400 police officials were present in the area at the time of the blast.

    Earlier, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, while talking to Geo News, revealed that the roof fell due to the intensity of the blast, adding that the hospitals have been overwhelmed.

    He said that even though they receive threats, people cannot be stopped from entering a mosque.

    Condemnations by the politicians

    After the attack made waves across the country, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif condemned the brutal suicide blast. He said that the brutal murder of Muslims went against everything that was taught by Islam.

    Shehbaz added that they will form a policy to more effectively counter rising terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

    Similarly, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan strongly condemned the “terrorist suicide attack” and expressed sympathies with the families of the victims.

    Foreign Minister (FM) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, condemning the incident, said that strict action will be taken against the terrorists, their backers and facilitators.

    Meanwhile, Caretaker Chief Minister (CM) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Muhammad Azam Khan imposed a medical emergency in all hospitals of Peshawar. The interim CM also instructed rescue organisations to speed up relief activities.

  • ECP declares Shujaat PML-Q president

    ECP declares Shujaat PML-Q president

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has restored Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain as the President of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) setting aside his removal as the head of the party by his cousin, former Chief Minister (CM) of Punjab, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi.

    The commission also stated that the PML-Q’s Central Working Committee’s (CWC) decision to remove Shujaat as party chief was illegal, declaring it null and void.

    On January 16, PML-Q’s CWC removed Shujaat as the party chief. His brother, Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain was given the command of the PML-Q.

    The step was taken by the committee after Shujaat had suspended the basic membership of the-then CM Elahi — for his statement about a possible merger with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

    After the ouster of PTI’s chief Imran Khan from power, rifts within PML-Q widened as the party got divided into two camps over the issue of joining hands with the PTI and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)

    Elahi, his son Moonis Elahi and the majority of party leaders sided with the PTI while Chaudhry Shujaat, Salik Hussain and Tariq Bashir Cheema supported the PML-N.

  • ‘Unconditional apology on TV, print and social media’: PPP sends Rs10 bn legal notice to Khan

    ‘Unconditional apology on TV, print and social media’: PPP sends Rs10 bn legal notice to Khan

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has sent a legal notice to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan for levelling “baseless allegations” against former President Asif Ali Zardari.

    “You are…. called upon to render unconditional apology from our client, on television, print and social media, within 14 (fourteen) days from the receipt of this notice, failing whereof, our client shall be constrained to institute appropriate legal proceedings against you, civil as well as criminal, before the competent courts of law and forums of Pakistan as well as of England, including but not limited to Suit for Damages for Rs.10,000,000,000/- (Rupees ten billion Only) at your risk as to cost and consequences,” said the notice.

    The notice contends that the PTI chief through his “baseless accusations” tried to create a link between Zardari and terrorist organisations “blindly disregarding the fact that our client and his party has remained the victim of terrorism”.

    The notice also reads that the PTI chief through his “defamatory actions” caused “severe agony, mental stress and loss of reputation” to the PPP co-chairperson.

    Imran Khan had alleged on Friday, January 27, in a televised speech, that Zardari was plotting and financing an assassination attempt for which the ex-president had hired terrorists.

    Khan had claimed that four people orchestrated a plan “behind closed doors” to assassinate him.

    “I got to know about it and then I recorded a video explaining the attack. In a public rally, I announced that I would release the video if something happened to me. They stepped back after this,” said Khan.

    Without naming anyone again, Khan said that another plan was made to have me killed by a religious extremist — hinting towards the November 3, 2022, Wazirabad attack, where he was shot in the legs and is still recovering from his injuries.

    “Now, there’s a Plan C. Asif Zardari is behind it. He has amassed a lot of money through corruption, invested that money with terrorists and hired a militant organisation.”

  • Khan lashes out at govt on fuel hike

    Khan lashes out at govt on fuel hike

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan lashed out at the incumbent government for Sunday’s surprise hike in petroleum prices.

    In a tweet, he said, “Total mismanagement of our economy by a corrupt and incompetent imported govt has crushed masses and salaried class with the latest hike in petrol and diesel prices”.

    Moreover, he claimed that 35 per cent “unprecedented inflation” is expected with Rs 200 billion mini-budget.

    Earlier in the day, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar announced that the federal government has decided to hike the prices of petrol and diesel by Rs 35 per litre.

    The decision came days before International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) officials are scheduled to visit Pakistan to discuss the stalled ninth review of the country’s current funding programme.

  • Dar vs Khan: Ishaq challenges IK to live debate on economy

    Dar vs Khan: Ishaq challenges IK to live debate on economy

    Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, in a televised address on Friday, strongly criticised Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s economic policies and challenged him to hold a “live debate” with him on the economic crisis.

    The finance czar started by saying that the incumbent government sacrificed politics for the sake of the country.

    Taking a jibe at Khan’s address in which he narrated his economic successes, Dar said that the speech was “full of lies” and that he quoted wrong figures.

    “You [Khan] can hold a live debate and bring the economic survey and State Bank documents,” he said, asking the PTI chief to not mislead the public by quoting ‘wrong figures’.

    Speaking about Imran’s claims of creating 55 million jobs, the finance minister argued that the economic survey from the PTI setup showed that only 33 million jobs were created.

    Accusing Khan of creating the ongoing economic crisis, he said that inflation rate was 8.6 per cent under the former Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government, which spiked to double digits during the PTI era.

    Shedding light on International Monetary Fund (IMF), Dar said when Imran realised he was being ousted, he disowned all the agreements and left behind landmines, adding that Pakistan had only completed one IMF programme in its history which was under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif.

    Dar also claimed that during their previous tenure international rating agencies predicted Pakistan would join G20 by 2030.

  • ‘Sorry’: Elahi apologises for remarks against Fawad Chaudhry

    ‘Sorry’: Elahi apologises for remarks against Fawad Chaudhry

    Pakistan Muslim League Quaid (PML-Q) leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on Thursday apologised for criticizing Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senior Vice-President Fawad Chaudhry who was arrested on Tuesday morning.

    Elahi took to Twitter to apologise for his comments, stating that he has old ties with Fawad’s family. He added that his remarks hurt the sentiments of Fawad’s family for which he is sorry.

    Elahi took a jibe on Thursday at the close aide of the PTI chief Imran Khan. Talking about Chaudhry’s recent arrest, he said it would have been better had he been arrested earlier.

    Addressing an event, Elahi said: “Imran Khan’s close aides struck at the roots of PTI. One out of four or five people, who are close to Khan, has been arrested. Things would have been better had he been arrested earlier. Moonis takes good thing about him but well I speak the truth.”

    Elahi also said that had his government been allowed to continue for a full year, the politics of their archrivals, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, would have been buried.

  • ECP asks finance ministry for additional Rs14 billion for elections

    ECP asks finance ministry for additional Rs14 billion for elections

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has requested the Ministry of Finance for more money for elections on vacant seats in National Assembly (NA), and by-elections in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

    According to the electoral body, the expenses of general elections have increased from Rs 47 billion to Rs 61 billion, incurring the need for an additional amount of Rs 14 billion.

    ECP has also proposed April 9 to 13 for the elections in Punjab and April 15 to 17 for elections in KP and asked the Governors of both provinces to select a date within the given timeline.

    The KP Assembly was dissolved on January 18 while the Punjab Assembly was dissolved on January 14 on the directives of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan whose party was in majority in both provinces.

    In Punjab, Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi was sworn in as the caretaker Chief Minister (CM) on January 22, while Mohammad Azam Khan has taken oath as the KP chief executive on January 21.

  • Govt to disclose Toshkhana gifts publicly

    Govt to disclose Toshkhana gifts publicly

    The federal government has decided to publicly disclose the details and records of gifts received and deposited in the Toshakhana over the past two decades.

    The decision was taken in a cabinet meeting after the government faced backlash for it’s reluctance to disclose the list of gifts.

    The Toshakhana was established in 1978. All public officeholders, including parliamentarians and bureaucrats, are bound to report the gifts they have received from foreign dignitaries to the Cabinet Division, whereafter they are to be deposited at the Toshakhana.

    Earlier, the incumbent government told Lahore High Court (LHC) that public disclosure of Toshakhana details could cause unnecessary media hype and could be potentially damaging to Pakistan’s foreign relations.

    Former Prime Minister (PM) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has been accused of not sharing details of the state gifts which he received during his tenure as the head of government.

    Last year, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) also disqualified the PTI chief as Member of the National Assembly (MNA) in the Toshkhana case.

  • PTI decides to take back resignations of remaining MNAs: Asad Umar

    PTI decides to take back resignations of remaining MNAs: Asad Umar

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary-General Asad Umar has said on Monday that 44 party lawmakers have decided to withdraw their resignations from the National Assembly (NA).

    Taking to Twitter, Umar announced that the remaining 44 MNAs of the party, whose resignations are yet to be accepted, have decided to take back their decision to leave the national assembly.

    “An email has been sent to the speaker,” said the PTI leader in his tweet. He also shared the names of the MNAs who have withdrawn their resignations.

    Meanwhile, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said 45 lawmakers had decided to withdraw their resignations so that the party could take back the post of the leader of the Opposition and parliamentary party leader.

    He added that the aim of the move was to get rid of the “fake” NA opposition leader and prevent “turncoats” from voting for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in a vote of confidence.

    Following the announcement, the PTI lawmakers staged a sit-in outside the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) headquarters after being barred from entering the speaker’s house.

    However, authorities restricted the MNAs from entering the building by placing barbed wires on the road leading to the ECP.

    The development comes about after the National Assembly Speaker Pervez Ashraf, in a surprise move accepted the resignations of 69 MNAs during the previous week.

  • Imran cites British PM Rishi Sunak fine for not wearing seatbelt as ‘rule of law’

    Imran cites British PM Rishi Sunak fine for not wearing seatbelt as ‘rule of law’

    British Prime Minister (PM) Rishi Sunak was fined by the police on Friday for not wearing a seatbelt in the car while filming a social media video.

    Lancashire Police announced on Twitter that they have issued Sunak “with a conditional offer of fixed penalty”.

    In the video that went viral on Thursday, the seatbeltless Conservative leader speaks from the back seat of a moving car about his policies for boosting growth during a trip to Lancashire in England’s north.

    According to BBC, passengers caught failing to wear a seat belt when one is available can be fined £100 (PKR 28,475).

    Reacting to the news, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former PM Imran Khan highlighted the rule of law in Britain.

    In a tweet, Khan said, “This is rule of law where no one is above it; this differentiates prosperous nations from poor ones.”

    “No NROs, no qabza GPS, no custodial torture for tweeting the truth about the powerful because the justice system protects the weak. Justice was the bedrock of Riyasat e Madina,” he added

    However, Sunak apologised afterward and called it a “brief error of judgement”.

    It is the second time Sunak has received a fixed penalty notice while in being in the government.

    Last April, he was fined along with the-then PM Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie for breaking Covid lockdown rules by attending a gathering in Downing Street in June 2020.