Tag: PTI

  • Khan files new plea ahead of court hearing in contempt case

    Khan files new plea ahead of court hearing in contempt case

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) is scheduled to resume hearing on Thursday the contempt of court case against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan for threatening a female District and Sessions Judge, Zeba Chaudhry

    A five-member bench headed by IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah will hear the case at 2:30 pm. The PTI chairman will appear before the court in person amid strict security.

    Hours before the proceeding, Khan filed a new plea at the high court. He argued that the high court cannot exercise suo moto jurisdiction as per the Constitution. The arguments on the inadmissibility of the contempt case should be kept on record.

    “The written arguments will also be explained in the oral arguments during the course of the proceedings,” read the plea.

    A day earlier to the proceedings, Khan submitted a fresh response to the contempt of court case, in which in he expressed deep regret for his words.

    In a 19-page-long document, Khan told the court that it should discharge the notice based on his explanation and follow the Islamic principles of forgiveness.

    “That the purpose of the contempt law is not to punish anyone but to uphold the majesty of law. The respondent [Khan] believes in the rule of law and supremacy of the Constitution,” the response said.

    “The respondent takes this opportunity to express his deep regrets over his unintentional utterances during the course of his speech at a rally which was taken out in response to the shocking news of the physical torture of Shahbaz Gill.”

    However, the submitted reply fell short of offering an unconditional apology.

    IHC on August 31 had directed the former prime minister to resubmit his response, giving him seven days to hand in the new draft. During the proceedings, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah had said he was “disappointed” by the written response submitted by Khan. He asked him to review it and submit it once more.

  • ‘Enough is enough’: Khan to reply to ‘PDM crooks’ at 5pm today

    ‘Enough is enough’: Khan to reply to ‘PDM crooks’ at 5pm today

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has said that he has had enough of the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) “cabal of crooks” who are trying to launch propaganda against him.

    Khan on September 4, alleged that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif and Zardari wanted to appoint their favourite as Chief of Army Staff (COAS) because if a “strong and patriotic army chief” was appointed, they would be questioned about their corruption.

    In a tweet, the PTI chairman said, “Am following intense propaganda launched by PDM cabal of crooks against me.This stems from their being petrified of PTI’s soaring popularity.”

    “Today in Peshawar jalsa I will give proper reply to all those who have deliberately been distorting my words to malign me. Enough is enough,” said Khan.

    Pakistani Army on Monday, August 5, expressed extreme displeasure over Khan’s recent statement against the establishment and said that the institution was “aghast” over it.

    Read more: ‘Disappointing’, Pak Army says Khan should not ‘scandalise’ Army Chief selection

    “Pakistan Army is aghast at the defamatory and uncalled for statement about the senior leadership of Pakistan Army by Chairman PTI during a political rally at Faisalabad. Regrettably, an attempt has been made to discredit and undermine senior leadership of Pakistan Army at a time when the institution is laying lives for the security and safety of the people of Pakistan every day,” said the military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

  • ‘Imran Khan apne bayaan ki khud wazahat karein ke in ka kya maqsad tha’: President Alvi

    ‘Imran Khan apne bayaan ki khud wazahat karein ke in ka kya maqsad tha’: President Alvi

    President of Pakistan, Dr Arif Alvi has said that the chairman of his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan “apne bayaan ki khud wazahat karey ke in ka kya maqsad tha”. (Imran Khan should himself clarify what he meant.)

    While talking to media at Governor House in Peshawar, Alvi stressed that all soldiers including the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) are patriots. He said that Pakistan Army is busy in helping flood affectees of the country and no one can doubt their patriotism.

    “Including the incumbent government, every institution is patriotic”, the President added.

    Alvi claimed that he is trying to clear all the misunderstandings between the stakeholders.

    Addressing a jalsa in Faislabad on Sunday, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan alleged that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif and Pakistan People’s Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari wanted to appoint their favourite as COAS because if a “strong and patriotic army chief” was appointed, they would be questioned about their corruption.

    “The army chief of this country should be appointed on merit. The one who is on merit should become the next army chief,” said Khan.

    It is pertinent to mention that Khan drew fire from government leaders over his remarks about the appointment of the next chief of army staff. PTI leaders have been trying to clarify their chairman’s remarks.

    Former Human Rights Minister and PTI leader Shireen Mazari called Nawaz and Zardari “criminals”. She said, “Chairman PTI’s statement was about merit & merit in the selection of COAS cannot be made by two criminals whose only priority is to save their billions stashed abroad and who have zero credibility. Remember DawnLeaks & Memogate?”

    Fawad Chaudhry denied the fact that Khan called the army unpatriotic.

    He said, “As far as I remember, Imran Khan did not mention unpatriotic, every general and Pakistani citizen is a patriot. Imran Khan talked about appointment on merit. Anyway, this is a political matter, not a judicial one. Commenting on the topic is inappropriate.”

    Irked by Imran Khan’s recent remarks about the appointment of a new COAS, the Chief Justice (CJ) of Islamabad High Court (IHC) Athar Minallah minced no words.

    “Did you hear Imran Khan’s speech from yesterday,” the Chief Justice asked the former prime minister’s lawyer on Monday. “Do political leaders deliver such speeches? Will everything be put at stake just for the sake of “game of thrones?” The honourable judge asked during the hearing of a petition filed by the PTI against a ban imposed by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) on the live telecast of the speeches of Khan.

    Pakistani Army also expressed extreme displeasure over Imran Khan’s recent statement against the establishment and said that the institution was “aghast” over it.

  • Govt spends Rs20 million per month on Khan’s security: IG Islamabad

    In a meeting of the Senate Standing Com­mittee on Interior chaired by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Senator Mohsin Aziz, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Isla­mabad Dr Akbar Nasir Khan revealed that 266 personnel have been deployed for PTI Chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s security, which costs the government Rs20 million per month.

    The meeting took place on Wednesday, in which IGP Islamabad also admitted that there are reports of threats to Khan’s life.

    IGP Nasir provided these details in the form of a report sought by Committee Chairman Mohsin Aziz, who took a suo moto notice on reports of withdrawal of Khan’s security.

    He was asked about the reasons for the withdrawal of Khan’s security and revoking of private security companies’ licenses that were deployed for his protection. In reply, the IGP said that besides the two private security companies, 266 personnel from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) police, Frontier Consta­bulary and Rangers have been deployed for PTI Chairman’s security.

    He added that the said licenses were revoked by the Interior Ministry, however, they are still performing security duties.

    Chairman Committee Aziz observed that Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah was invited eight times for this meeting, but he did not come to attend the meeting once.

    Senator Shahadat Awan remarked that instead of calling a meeting, the committee chairman could have directly asked the IGP about the issue.

    “An hour-long meeting costs Rs15 lakh from the national exchequer”, he pointed out.

    Federal Minister of Law and Justice, Azam Nazeer Tarar, said that despite concerns for flood victims, Imran Khan’s rallies were being held and abuses were being hurled. “This forum is not for discussing such matters,” he said.

    On Thursday, Imran Khan’s counsel, Babar Awan, informed the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) that Khan’s life is under threat.

    “IGP and Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Operations will be responsible if something happens to my client,” warned Babar.

  • Aap Imran Khan ko hataayeinge, kaisay khud reh paayeinge, asks Fawad

    Aap Imran Khan ko hataayeinge, kaisay khud reh paayeinge, asks Fawad

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry has said that if Imran Khan in any way gets disqualified, then those those who make this decision should think how will they survive.

    “It is for those who can disqualify Imran, not for the PTI, to think that how would they survive (in their positions) if they oust Imran Khan,” said Chaudhry on HUM News.

    “Pakistan is at the edge of revolution. If a judgement is given against Imran Khan Sahib, the people of Pakistan will decide the fate,” said Chaudhry.

    Fawad said that when Bhutto was ousted out of power, he was not at the peak of his popularity. But on the contrary, massive public support is with Imran Khan today.

    Speaking on another political programme aired on Dunya News, Chaudhry said that he found a commonality in the cases of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Yusuf Raza Gilani and Nawaz Sharif, as all these leaders had lost their popularity among the masses when they were ousted.

    “Imran Khan is at the pinnacle of his popularity. No one can afford that politics in Pakistan runs without him,” said Chaudhry. When the anchorperson asked Fawad if he means that the courts cannot penalise a popular leader, Fawad said they could not punish (a popular leader) in political cases. His comments were in relevance to the contempt of court case against Khan.

    The anchorperson told Fawad that the courts had convicted popular leaders like Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Talal Chaudhry and Nehal Hashmi, Fawad advised the anchor against comparing Imran Khan with the likes of Talal or Nehal.

  • Toshakhana case: ECP directs Khan to submit reply by Sept 7

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) directed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Monday to submit his reply in the Toshakhana case against him by September 7.

    Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, the counsel for the PTI chairman, appeared before an ECP bench headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja and appealed for some more time to file a reply.

    He said that Khan’s lead counsel Barrister Ali Zafar is in Lahore, which is why he was unable to consult with him regarding the case. He assured the ECP bench of submitting a reply at the next hearing.

    The CEC observed that since everything was part of the record, it must not take so much time to submit a reply.

    However, the bench granted a week’s time to the PTI chief and the hearing was adjourned till September 7.

    Earlier this month, National Assembly (NA) Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf sent a reference to the ECP seeking Imran Khan’s disqualification. In the reference, it was stated that Khan did not declare the gifts taken from Toshakhana in his assets and the detail of the amount he had received by selling those state gifts.

    In April, an investigation by news organisation Fact Focus revealed that Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi kept all 112 presents worth Rs142.02 million from the Toshakhana of Pakistan.

  • Imran Khan’s fund raising telethon secures Rs5 billion in pledges

    Imran Khan’s fund raising telethon secures Rs5 billion in pledges

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan held an international telethon for the flood-affected. In three hours, Khan collected Rs5 billion in pledges.

    Khan said entire Pakistan had been affected by the floods due to relentless rains. “More than 1,000 people have died due to devastating floods and the damages are expected to cross Rs1,000 billion,” he said.

    “The sole solution to prevent the catastrophes caused by a flood is to construct dams.”

     Read more: IK back on live TV: High Court suspends ban on IK’s speeches

    Khan also said that he is struggling for real independence besides assisting the flood victims across the country. 

    The PTI chairman took Twitter and thanked the people of Pakistan, and expats for donating so generously.

  • Asad Umar defends Tarin’s alleged audio leak, Miftah asks Tarin to quit politics

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General Asad Umar along with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Finance Minister Taimur Jhagra held a press conference following the alleged audio leak between former federal minister Shaukat Tarin and provincial finance ministers.

    Earlier in the day, an audio was leaked in which Tarin allegedly asked Punjab Finance Minister Mohsin Leghari and KP Finance Minister Taimur Jhagra to write letters withdrawing from the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) deal.

    Umar said Tarin had asked both provincial finance ministers to request the federal government to renegotiate the IMF agreement due to the recent floods and the devastation caused both in KP and Punjab.

    “Can anyone say this isn’t good advice?”

    Umar accused the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) of acting against the state’s interest and international commitments by voting and speaking out against legislation related to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and IMF agreement during PTI’s tenure.

    He said that Tarin, as a former finance minister, had every right to “give advice” to Jhagra and Leghari. “There is nothing wrong in Tarin speaking to Jhagra and Leghari on the phone and giving advice.”

    “If Jhagra felt that there was something wrong in it, then he would not have brought himself before the nation,” he added.

    Taking a jibe at the government, Umar posed a question: “Tell me if you are asking money from foreign governments, then why can’t you ask the IMF to give us space this year to use our money for flood-related expenses?”

    ‘Bring Khan to power but not at the cost of Pakistan’: Miftah Ismail

    Finance Minister Miftah Ismail said that Shaukat Tarin should leave politics and “Asad Umar and Taimur Jhagra should be ashamed of themselves”.

    “Imran Khan should ask the nation for forgiveness. Taimur Jhagra should resign and Shaukat Tarin should quit politics. Is this why you do politics?”

    He termed the PTI’s move the “most shameful thing”, saying that the real faces of PTI leaders have now been exposed.

    Referring to the IMF Executive Board meeting, which is set for today (August 29), Miftah said that by the will of God, the country will hear good news tonight after the IMF approves the pending tranche.

    Miftah Ismail also asked PTI supporters to question party Chairman Khan about whether the letter Jhagra wrote was in the state’s interest. “Do support Imran but tell him he is not bigger than Pakistan. Bring him to power but not at the cost of Pakistan.”

    “When they are writing letters against Pakistan’s interest, it is your responsibility to say no. Consider Pakistan’s interest to be sacred. If Pakistan’s interest is not sacred to a person, he is not fit to govern the country.”

  • IK back on live TV: High Court suspends ban on IK’s speeches

    IK back on live TV: High Court suspends ban on IK’s speeches

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday (August 29) suspended the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority’s (PEMRA) recent notification that banned television channels from airing Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s live speeches.

    IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah suspended the notification till September 5 after hearing the arguments and issued notices to the regulatory authority and Attorney-General of Pakistan Ashtar Ausaf Ali.

    The IHC chief justice said that PEMRA “does not have the authority” to issue such notifications.

    Justice Minallah asked Imran’s counsel if he defended Imran’s comments.

    “Can judges be threatened like this,” he asked, recalling the human rights violations that took place in the last three years.

    “I am saying this with a heavy heart that judges should not have been threatened. It is disappointing that the [incumbent] government is doing exactly what happened in the last three years,” he said.

    Justice Minallah pointed out that a woman judge was threatened. “Did your leader not say that he won’t spare her? If they had said something like this about me, it would have been fine […] But a woman judge?”

    The PEMRA ban was issued on August 21 after Imran Khan threatened Additional District and Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry, DIG and IG Islamabad.

    Imran Khan is set to host a telethon today (August 29) to appeal for funds for the flood affectees.