Tag: PTI

  • Kaala coat in Karachi; PTI favours lawyers for general elections  

    Kaala coat in Karachi; PTI favours lawyers for general elections  

    Pakistan Teheek-e-Insaf (PTI) has issued tickets to more than a dozen lawyers in Karachi to contest on national and Sindh assemblies in the upcoming general elections set to take place on February 8, 2024.

    PTI counsels are taking part in polls on seven National Assembly (NA) seats and four provincial assembly seats in Karachi. There are a total of 22 NA seats and 47 provincial assembly seats all over the city.

    Advocate Zahoor Uddin, who is the Insaf Lawyers Forum Karachi president, is contesting from NA-237 (East-III), Shujaat Ali Khan NA-243 (Keamari-II), Khalid Mehmood NA-231 (Malir-III), Advocate Haris Meo NA-233 (Korangi-II), Attaullah Khan NA-245 (West-II), Barrister Fayaz NA-247 (Central-I) and Barrister Uzair Ghauri from NA-249 (Central-III).

    Ashraf Samoo PS-89 (Malir-VI), Barrister Ali Tahir PS-101 (East-V), Advocate Ali Palh PS-103 (East-VII) and Rana Imran PS-123 (Central-II) are contesting elections for provincial assembly seats.

    Prominent PTI lawyers, including Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Latif Khosa, Salman Akram Raja, Shoaib Shaheen, and Sher Afzal Marwat, are also contesting elections in different cities of the country.

    “Lawyers supported and stood by the PTI in its testing times and handled the cases of party leaders, including Imran Khan. They truly deserved [party tickets],” PTI leader Khurram Sher Zaman said, talking to The News.

  • FACTCHECK: Did Umair Jaswal really say, ‘Mera aur Khawar Maneka ka gham aik jaisa hai’?

    FACTCHECK: Did Umair Jaswal really say, ‘Mera aur Khawar Maneka ka gham aik jaisa hai’?

    On Sunday, Neo News posted an article with the title “Mera aur Khawar Maneka ka gham aik jaisa hai: Umair Jaswal”. Later, they deleted the article as singer-cum-actor Umair Jaswal explained that a fake X account with his identity appeared on social media after his former wife Sana Javed married cricketer Shoaib Malik.

    Umair Jaswal also confirmed in his Instagram stories that multiple posts were going viral on social media from unverified and fake accounts.

    The tweets from a fake account with the name @ImairJs were going viral. In one of the tweets, the poster, pretending to be Jaswal, compared himself with the former husband of former first lady Khawar Maneka.

    The famous singer also confirmed that his X (previously Twitter) account has a different user name, @umairjaswal.

    On Saturday, famous cricketer Shoaib Malik posted photos of his wedding with actress Sana Javed.

    Since Sana and Malik had worked together in the past, when the cricketer acted as a model and walked on the ramps, fans believed the earlier images were from one of those photoshoots. However, confirmation of their marriage came from family sources and Malik’s social media post.

  • Nearly 18,000 election candidates set to participate in February 8 polls: ECP

    Nearly 18,000 election candidates set to participate in February 8 polls: ECP

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has confirmed that 18,000 candidates are going to contest for national and provincial assembly seats in the upcoming general elections set to take place on February 8.

    ECP released its final list of candidates on Sunday.

    According to the ECP, 11,785 candidates will take part as independent candidates in the polls, and 6,031 will compete under the banner of their respective political parties.

    On the other hand, some well-known politicians, including founder Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, and Asfandyar Wali, are out of the race for multiple reasons.

    After having been denied their preferred election symbol after its intra-party elections were found to be contrary to its own constitution and relevant laws, PTI has fielded its candidates as independents, and each one of them has been allotted a different symbol.

    On the other hand, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif is contesting the elections from NA-15, Mansehra, and NA-130. The former prime minister and Nawaz’s brother, Shehbaz Sharif, is taking part in polls from NA-123, Kasur, and NA-132, Lahore.

  • ‘Judge who is affected by criticism on social media violates his oath’: Justice Athar Minallah

    ‘Judge who is affected by criticism on social media violates his oath’: Justice Athar Minallah

    Supreme Court Justice Athar Minallah, addressed a seminar on the significance of freedom of expression on Saturday, shedding light on its historical context and impact on Pakistan’s trajectory.

    The seminar, a part of the second law bridge workshop on superior court reporting, provided a platform for Justice Minallah to share his insights on the intersection of freedom of expression and judicial independence.

    Expressing his concern over the potential influence of social media on judicial decision-making, Justice Minallah asserted the importance of maintaining judicial independence, stating that any judge swayed by social media violates his/her oath and called upon fellow jurists to remain resolute in upholding justice despite external pressures.

    Addressing the delicate balance between constructive criticism and trust in the judiciary, Justice Minallah emphasized that critics should retain faith in the legal system, considering it a litmus test for its strength.

    He welcomed constructive criticism while underscoring the need to strike a balance in fostering trust in the judiciary.

    Reflecting on the challenges of freedom of speech in the country, the Chief Justice traced the roots of censorship to historical actions following Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s speech on August 11, 1947. He stressed the necessity of balancing freedom of expression with responsible reporting to navigate these challenges.

    Sharing a personal anecdote from his early days as a judge, Justice Minallah recounted a case involving a 16-year-old accused of displaying a banner against a senior apex court judge.

    He highlighted the importance of judiciously addressing such incidents and cautioned against making blanket judgments without thorough investigations.

    “When the matter of the 18th constitutional amendment was raised, many forces were against it. A reporter asked me, what will the Supreme Court do about the 18th Amendment. I replied ‘In my opinion, the SC should not interfere in the constitutional amendment’,” he said.

    The apex court judge said he had said he would resign if the 18th amendment was annulled and the next day news was published that “Athar Minallah has threatened the court”.

    Citing former Ugandan president and the modern world history’s most brutal dictator, Idi Amin, Justice Minallah said, “A society is ruined, if someone gags freedom of expression like Idi Amin.”

  • PTI’s “Baingan Campaign” is ruling Twitter like no other

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has always remained ahead of others when it comes to the use of social media in Pakistan’s political landscape. As for elections 2024, the party has not been given one symbol, in fact, candidates have different symbols now. Making the best of bad circumstances, the party has come up with entertaining campaigns that are enthralling Twitter (now X).

    Baingan (desi name for eggplant) is ruling the internet, surpassing all levels of creativity with this campaign. The symbol has been allotted to Alamgir Khan in Karachi and Amir Mughal from Islamabad. The constituency of the former is NA 236 and that of the latter is NA 46.

    The chant they have invented is “Ab zulm ka badla baingan se, ab sitam ka badla baingan se.”

    The candidates have designed posters of an eggplant in varying ways. Alamgir Khan shared a video of an Indian animated film of a farmer and his wife getting rich by cultivating eggplant in their farm. That has people in fits.

    Alamgir also posted a funny video from a Bollywood film where he showed how the opposition (previously PDM) was seen beaten up by PTI.

    Amir Mughal also posted about how baingan will be seen everywhere as he posted a picture of a baingan being placed among flowers.

    An internet user even used a clip of the army chief along with ex-Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to promote Baingan.

    Another user showed his appreciation for baingan by making it a part of his salad with PTI engraved in it.

    Netizens used a clip of the Pakistani drama where a mother was telling her daughter about the benefits of baingan from making the skin glow to bone strength.

    Arsalan Khan, a twitter user, incorporated all the symbols including vegetables in a video of a man relating his recipe of making eggplants.

    A user even shared the picture of a baingan and rhymed his chant as, Baingan stands tall, a symbol for all.

    Twitter is enjoying the new trend of #voteforbaingan as a user commented: “I bet they’re regretting giving him the baingan symbol. This is hilarious.”

    A user even tagged Alamgir Khan and said he better has a feast of dishes having baingan at his constituency.

  • Latif Khosa no more part of Imran Khan’s legal team

    Latif Khosa no more part of Imran Khan’s legal team

    In a significant development, former Prime Minister and founding chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, has made changes to his legal team handling National Accountability Bureau (NAB) cases, expressing dissatisfaction during consultations last week.

    As per We News, Imran Khan voiced uncertainty about the effectiveness of his current legal team and directed Barrister Ali Zafar and Sikander Zulqarnain to take charge of NAB cases.

    Particularly raising concerns about the performance of senior lawyer Latif Khosa in handling NAB cases, Khan remarked that he was not confident in the actions taken by the legal team and specifically questioned Khosa’s preparedness in dealing with legal matters.

    Journalist Murtaza Ali Shah took to X (former Twitter) and wrote, “Imran Khan has removed Latif Khosa from his legal team saying he appears before judges without doing proper homework. Imran Khan accepts his legal team was not prepared, behind the loss of BAT symbol. The video below explains.”

    It is worth noting that on Friday, proceedings related to a £190 million NAB reference were postponed until January 24. The action related to the individual case was halted until the mentioned date.

    Imran Khan’s decision to replace his legal team has led to the postponement of the proceedings, with the court granting time for the new legal team, consisting of Barrister Ali Zafar and Sikander Zulqarnain, to prepare for the upcoming hearings. The next hearing is expected to feature appearances by Barrister Ali Zafar, Sikander Zulqarnain, and Osman Gul on behalf of Imran Khan and his wife Bushra BiBi.

  • Imran Khan’s message to the nation from Adiala Jail

    Imran Khan’s message to the nation from Adiala Jail

    In a message to the nation released from Adiala Jail, the Founder Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, talked passionately about the upcoming general elections, highlighting the significance of February 8 as a day that symbolizes the dichotomy between freedom and slavery.

    Expressing confidence in the resilience of the nation, Khan stated, “I believe that my people stand united with the cause of freedom. Through their votes, they will safeguard Pakistan’s liberty.”

    Drawing attention to electoral manipulation on February 8, the Chairman voiced concern that a faction seeks to shackle the nation in chains of slavery.

    He pointed out that under what he calls the London Plan, a certified criminal was brought back to the country unjustly, wreaking havoc on the judicial system and trampling on the principles of justice and the constitution.

    Khan emphasized that efforts to manipulate the electoral process and undermine the rule of law have jeopardized the nation’s democratic foundations.

    Khan lamented that despite snatching the ‘bat’ from PTI to accommodate rivals, worst rigging is happening.

    Acknowledging the resilience and courage displayed by mothers, sisters, daughters, and party workers in facing injustice, the Chairman pledged to defeat all criminals within the bounds of the law and constitution, with the support of Allah and the nation.

    From his jail cell, the Chairman asserted that, with the blessings of Allah and the support of the people, all these criminals would be defeated, maintaining the integrity of the legal system.

    He urged citizens to exercise their right to vote on February 8, endorsing the movement for governance by law, supremacy of the constitution, and the restoration of democracy.

    The former Premier cautioned against unconstitutional forces attempting to subjugate the nation, warning that if these anti-constitutional powers succeed on February 8, they will establish a regime of theft and plunge the country further into turmoil.

    He called upon the people to exercise their voting power on February 8, making a decisive choice between freedom and slavery.

    “I want every individual in the nation to prepare, cast their votes, and ensure the protection of their votes, securing Pakistan’s path to constitutional governance on February 8,” Khan said.

  • PTI starting election campaign on January 20

    PTI starting election campaign on January 20

    Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, confirmed that the party is going to start its election campaign on January 20 (Saturday).

    Other major political parties, including the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), have already started their countrywide election campaigns.

    PTI came into power and formed a federal government in 2018 but was ousted in April 2022 via a no-confidence move.

    The founder of PTI, Imran Khan, was imprisoned in May last year, and he is currently in Adiala jail. PTI’s electoral symbol of a cricket bat was taken away this month, a big setback for the party.

    “The PTI will begin its full-fledged election campaign on Saturday. […] workers should bear hardships till then and await victory on February 8. You are advised to focus on the election campaign,” Gohar said on Thursday while engaging with reporters in Rawalpindi.

    Barrister Gohar Khan also said that PTI has not decided on all candidates for the National Assembly (NA). He confirmed that all candidates will be finalised by Friday night, and the party will issue the list of all candidates tomorrow.

  • ‘Anybody but Dar’; Bilawal on next finance minister

    ‘Anybody but Dar’; Bilawal on next finance minister

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari told in Absa Komal of Dawn News in an interview, “I think the whole nation has a unanimous consensus that anybody but (Ishaq) Dar (should be the finance minister).”

    The former Foreign Minister also criticised his political rivals and said that the Sharifs are vengeful and not capable of dealing with the economic crisis.

    “They [PML-N leaders] aren’t the one to forgive. They harbour animosity, seek revenge, and balance scores at the right time. They only know the politics of revenge. This is their history.” He singled out Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) head Nawaz Sharif for changing the then finance minister Miftah Ismail during the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government.

    The PPP chairman predicted that independent candidates will play a vital role in the upcoming polls set to take place on February 8, 2024.

    “A huge number of independent candidates are contesting elections this year. Not only PTI leaders, but even those who are electable and have a political history, or those who failed to get tickets from PTI or PML-N, are contesting.”

  • PTV Sports shuts broadcast as fan shows Imran Khan poster during Pak-New Zealand match

    PTV Sports shuts broadcast as fan shows Imran Khan poster during Pak-New Zealand match

    PTV Sports shut down their broadcast for a few seconds when a fan showed a poster of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in the stadium during the match between Pakistan and New Zealand.

    Pakistani media regulators have banned speeches and press conferences of Imran Khan, accusing him of attacking national institutes.

    Here are the reactions of social media users: