The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has issued notices to former Army Chief General (retired) Qamar Javed Bajwa and former ISI Chief Lieutenant General (retired) Faiz Hameed over allegations of violating rules by giving interviews after their retirement, where they are accused of misrepresenting events.
The notices were issued in response to a complaint filed by a private citizen named Atif Ali.
The petition says that journalists Shahid Maitla and Javed Chaudhry conducted interviews with Bajwa and Faiz for the sake of viewership which had a “negative impact” on society. The petitioner said that he had been taken aback when he saw the articles as they could “pollute” society. It added that the garb of freedom of expression was used for a “criminal act”.
The petition further alleges that events were misrepresented in the interviews and that the “criminal act” was conducted through connivance between the journalists and the generals.
The petition says that the interviews portrayed a negative image of the institution and tried to create a rift between it and the people of Pakistan. Copies of the articles have also been attached to the petition.
In addition to Gen. Bajwa and Lt. Gen. Hameed, notices have also been issued to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) and the Press Association of Pakistan. Two journalists, Shahid Maitla and Javed Chaudhry, who conducted the interviews in question, have also been summoned by the court.
Islamabad High Court’s Chief Justice, Aamer Farooq, in a written order issued on Monday, expressed dissatisfaction with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for not responding to the petitioner’s repeated requests to file a complaint.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s attorney, Salman Safdar, said on Monday that the former Prime Minister has objected to the way he is being treated at Adiala jail.
Salman Safdar said that Imran Khan has been kept in jail like any other prisoner.
“The chairman protested that he was provided with a room where it was difficult to live. It is also difficult to move or walk in the cell,” said Safdar. He added that he felt that the PTI chief’s blood pressure was high during today’s hearing. “The PTI chief strongly protested during the hearing in the court,” said Safdar. Moreover, Imran Khan’s attorney requested that the trial be conducted in an open court so that the public could be aware of it, adding that it is not “right” to conduct the trial in jail.
On the other hand, Khan’s other lawyer, Sher Afzal Marwat, has said that Imran Khan and PTI’s vice chairman, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, were standing in a “cage” during the hearing. Terrorists are not even presented before court in this manner, the indignant lawyer commented. The special court also announced that PTI leaders will be indicted in the cipher case on October 17.
In a recent development, Punjab’s Special Prosecutor, Syed Farhad Ali Shah, revealed that the Home Department has issued a notification to conduct the trial of the May 9 cases within the confines of a jail facility.
Speaking about the matter, Syed Farhad Ali Shah stated, “The Jinnah House trial is set to be completed within a timeframe of one to one and a half months.” He also confirmed that the challan (charge sheet) has been submitted to the court.
The notification issued by the Home Department specifies that not only the Jinnah House case but also the arson and siege cases related to Askari Tower and Shadman police station will be conducted within jail premises. The move aims to streamline legal proceedings and enhance security during the trials.
In a related development, Justice Ali Baqir Najfi of the Lahore High Court (LHC), on Monday, directed Punjab government prosecutors to apprise the court in the Khadijah Shah case after taking directions from the government.
The petitioner, through a lawyer, pleaded that she was unduly implicated in the May 9 riots incidents and Gulberg police station had illegally involved her in the case against the facts. “The Anti-Terrorism Court dismissed the bail by ignoring the facts,” Khadija Shah pleaded via her lawyer in the provincial apex court.
Earlier, the LHC had conditionally dismissed the registrar’s objections to Khadija Shah’s bail plea, deciding to remove objectionable documents from the application and dismissing the objection itself.
In another recent development, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) has ordered the release of Sanam Javed Khan, a prominent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) activist, and eight other party members in connection with the Jinnah House attack case. The decision comes after a series of legal proceedings surrounding the incident earlier this year.
Presiding over the case, ATC Judge Arshad Javed announced the verdict, granting bail to the nine suspects involved in the Jinnah House attack. The court approved their bail pleas, requiring surety bonds worth Rs 0.1 million each, thereby paving the way for their release.
Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Murtaza Solangi, has asserted that there are no restrictions on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) contesting the upcoming general elections, emphasizing that announcing a date for polls is not the responsibility of the caretaker government.
The election will be held on the date announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Solangi said, showing confidence in the ECP as an autonomous body mandated with conducting elections.
The caretaker minister said that all the registered political parties have equal opportunities, including PTI. “All the parties and their leadership have the freedom to give their point of view on an important issue,” he added.
“There are no restrictions on PTI as a political party,” said Solangi.
Commenting on Nawaz Sharif’s homecoming on October 21, the caretaker information minister stressed that the interim setup has nothing to do with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo’s return.
Imran Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, has approached the Islamabad High Court seeking protection for her husband and expressing concerns about his safety in jail. She has requested permission for homemade food for Imran Khan, while his legal team has claimed that his life is in danger.
The IHC has issued notices to respondents in Bushra Bibi’s case and is considering her request to provide homecooked food to Imran Khan. The court has adjourned the hearing until next week.
Imran Khan, the Chairman of PTI, has taken his case to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in an effort to suspend a trial court’s verdict in the Toshakhana case. This move comes after the IHC previously suspended his three-year sentence in the same case about a month ago.
In August, a trial court in Islamabad found Imran Khan guilty of “corrupt practices” related to concealing details of state gifts and sentenced him to three years in prison. While Additional District and Sessions Judge Humayun Dilawar had ordered the capital police chief to arrest Imran, he was instead arrested by the Punjab police, who took him to the Attock district jail. The Supreme Court later acknowledged “procedural defects” in Imran’s conviction by the trial court, suspending his sentence.
Following the suspension of his Toshakhana case sentence, Imran Khan was detained in the cipher case and has been in judicial remand, which was extended until October 10. Recently, he was moved to Adiala jail from Attock jail under the IHC’s directives.
Imran Khan, represented by senior lawyer Sardar Latif Khosa, has filed a petition with the IHC seeking the rectification of the order that suspended the Toshakhana case verdict. The petition requests the suspension of the order until the final appeal decision and also seeks permission to make the state a respondent in the appeal.
The petition argues that the IHC has the authority to suspend the impugned order and sentence under the relevant sections of the Criminal Procedure Code. It highlights an omission in recording the counsel’s request for suspension of the trial court verdict, which has affected Imran Khan’s rights, including his disqualification from elections by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
The petition further alleges mala fide intentions on the part of the ECP in disqualifying Imran Khan and mentions attempts to remove him from the leadership of PTI and prevent him from participating in general elections.
In a related development, the Special Court (Official Secrets Act) handling the cipher case against Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi is expected to indict both leaders on October 9. The case involves the disclosure of classified diplomatic information.
During the trial behind bars, the prosecution requested in-camera proceedings, but the judge ruled that the trial would commence after framing charges against the suspects and that proceedings were already being conducted inside Adiala Jail. The IHC rejected the FIA’s request for an in-camera hearing of their post-arrest bail petitions in the cipher case.
Today is Imran Khan’s 71st birthday and as much as PTI followers are missing his birthday celebrations, we miss him the most when we are cutting birthday cake, waiting to eat it all by ourselves.
Of course, he is the one who we miss today as ICC World Cup is starting. Many are drawing parallels with 1992 when Pakistan Won the World Cup under Imran’s captaincy.
All pet lovers know that Khan is indeed a pet lover and he used to spend a significant time with his dogs.
For me, another cute memory is him having a fun time with Pervez Khattak in a chair lift.
For all the right reasons, we can’t forget his romantic and protective side for his wife, Bushra Bibi.
Nothing can be said about Imran Khan without mentioning Jemima, his first wife. For a few years, they did give a lot of young couples a happy ideal marriage to emulate.
Kamran Shahid, the anchor of On the Front on Dunya News, filmed a highly anticipated interview at his ancestral ‘Haveli’, airing it on Wednesday night.
Usman Dar, one of the stalwarts of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the former head of PTI’s Tiger Force, an organization comprising young volunteers, appeared on the show to talk about who was the mastermind behind the May 9 riots. On the said day, after PTI Chairman Imran Khan was arrested from Islamabad High Court, protests broke out throughout the country, leading to armed clashes between them and law enforcement agencies. Jinnah House in Lahore, GHQ building in Rawalpindi, airbases and other state installations, along with monuments honouring martyred military men, Askari Tower, Military Library, residences of the armed forces officers, army selection center, petrol pumps, were attacked or set ablaze.
Dar reappeared in public after 147 days to announce on the show that not only was he leaving PTI but also bidding farewell to politics forever. Dar started off by mentioning that he had been missing his passionate arguments with Kamran Shahid on his programs, moving on to say he joined PTI because he genuinely believed that Imran Khan was a leader who could provide a platform for “clean politics.”
Dar termed the aftermath of May 9 for PTI workers an “earthquake”, stating that the day did not unfold incidentally but happened after a significant build-up. After the PTI government was removed, there were two types of mindsets in the party, Dar revealed. Murad Saeed, Azam Swati, and Hammad Azhar were the ones who believed in the politics of collision while Asad Umar, Omar Ayub, Ali Muhammad Khan, Shafqat Mahmood, and Dar himself believed in the politics of reconciliation.
“Those who believed in the collision were convinced that this confrontation would generate results. Unfortunately, Imran Khan supported that group more. He is anyways more of a leading from the front type, and he likes front liners,” said Dar, unveiling what went on in Zaman Park, where Imran Khan was bunkered down.
He further stated that the beliefs of the collision group prevailed more within the party and Imran Khan supported this policy. He also explained how workers from Punjab and KPK were called on and off to Lahore to provide Imran Khan with a ‘human shield’ to avoid arrest. Duties, timing, and days were divided among leaders and workers to stop something as “unique” as Imran Khan’s arrest.
Dar stated that workers had a feeling that they had to save Imran Khan at all costs. Imran Khan was supporting the anti-state narrative that was being developed among workers. “Imran Khan started with General Bajwa and then on to [Chief of Army Staff] Asim Munir. I believe any Army Chief would leave, like today General Asim Munir is there instead of General Bajwa but the institution remains there,” he said.
He also explained that the long march organised by PTI in November 2022 was to oppose General Asim Munir’s appointment. “I think Imran Khan had some information from within the institution that probably the long march would hinder the appointment of General Asim Munir,” Dar said, confirming what many political pundits had suspected since long.
Dar also said that he’ll appear in court to state all this under oath if he has to.
After May 9, the lives of PTI workers have changed entirely and their families are suffering, the Sialkot based Dar observed. Finally, he said he is disappointed in Imran Khan.
Imran Khan, the Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and former Prime Minister, has voiced his profound disappointment and discontentment with President Dr. Arif Alvi for not yet announcing the date for upcoming elections, his sister Aleema Khan has said while talking to the press after a court appearance in Lahore.
Aleema Khan, who has been implicated in the May 9 riots case, appeared before an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Wednesday, where her’s and former Finance Minister Asad Umar’s interim bails were extended until October 16. The judge instructed their legal representatives to present final arguments in the Jinnah House attack case.
Aleema Khan later told the media that Imran Khan was disappointed with President Alvi’s perceived failure to fulfill his constitutional obligation of announcing an election date, especially during a critical time for the nation.
Imran Khan is disappointed at the role and character of president Arif Alvi: Aleema Khan pic.twitter.com/0KzaszDyhs
The issue of the election date has been a subject of contention in recent times. The PTI’s core committee issued a strong statement last month, reminding President Alvi of his constitutional responsibilities and urging him to promptly announce the election date. The committee asserted that failure to do so would amount to a violation of the Constitution and the basic democratic rights of the people.
The core committee argued that announcing the election date would bring an end to political uncertainty and chaos that had gripped the country since the “regime change conspiracy” in April 2022.
After the court hearing, Aleema Khan addressed the media and expressed concerns about her brother’s deteriorating health. She mentioned that Imran Khan had lost a significant amount of weight and highlighted the lack of opportunities for him to exercise or even take a walk. She also expressed apprehensions about potential efforts to prolong Imran Khan’s detention in the cipher case.
It’s worth noting that the caretaker government has emphasized that only the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has the authority to make such an announcement. Initially, President Alvi had invited Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja in an attempt to get him to agree on a date. However, Raja declined the request, asserting that only the ECP possessed the authority to announce the date, citing amendments made in the ECP Act of 2017.
Before the amendment to Section 57(1) of the act, Raja had explained that the president was required to consult the ECP before appointing an election date. However, after the amendment, the commission was empowered to announce the date or dates for the general election, he noted.
Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi met Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) head Nawaz Sharif in London, emphasizing that he has maintained a 35-year relationship with the party, and these ties go beyond political considerations.
The two-hour-long meeting happened a few days after Abbasi announced that there was a need for a new political party in Pakistan, claiming that the existing parties, including PMLN, PTI, and PPP, had failed.
While talking to media after the meeting, Khaqan Abbasi dispelled rumors about forming a new political party, saying: “I only talked about forming the new party, but I did not make one.”
He said: “There is a dire need to compensate for the injustices that happened with Nawaz Sharif. I have had an association with Nawaz Sharif since the last 35 years. I and Nawaz Sharif exchanged views on the country’s political situation.”
When asked if he discussed Re-Imagining Pakistan or the new party with Nawaz, Shahid Abbasi said he discussed every matter with him and “gave my opinion”.
“Nawaz Sharif is the senior-most politician of Pakistan today. He understands things like no one else. I believe he should take the whole nation forward with him and forget a lot of things that have happened in the past. We discussed everything that we needed to and we have done so always. There are things we agree on and something we disagree on,” he told The News.
A senior PMLN source said Khaqan Abbasi had been breaking party discipline for many months, and it was clear he had moved on from the party. The source said that Abbasi had made it clear he wants to launch a new party or be part of it when it is formed. “It’s just a matter of time before this party is launched by Shahid Khaqan, Miftah Ismail and Mustafa Khokhar as a new force. The fate it will meet is another matter.”
The former premier said Nawaz Sharif’s court-related matters – including Iqama disqualification – should have been settled before his departure to Pakistan. He said Nawaz Sharif was victimized by the courts and deserves justice.
Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi met Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) head Nawaz Sharif in London, emphasizing that he has maintained a 35-year relationship with the party, and these ties go beyond political considerations.
After the two-hour-long meeting, Shahid Khaqan talked to the media outside Nawaz’s residence. During the conversation, PTI supporters started raising slogans against him.
While a reporter from Samaa was trying to interview Abbasi, PTI supporters came near them in a car and started chanting, “Kaun Bachaye Ga Pakistan, Imran Khan, Imran Khan”. Abbasi responded with a simple “Khuda Hafiz”.
This would’ve been fine, but then the Samaa reporter started shooing the PTI supporters off, eventually swearing at them. Watch the video to see what happened.
