Tag: Shireen Mazari

  • ‘Don’t bypass me’: IK warns party members against meeting the establishment without his knowledge

    ‘Don’t bypass me’: IK warns party members against meeting the establishment without his knowledge

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has warned his party members to not “bypass” him to meet the establishment.

    His remarks came during the PTI core committee meeting, in which he said that he is aware that some PTI members are in contact with the establishment and issued the warning that no one should bypass him.

    It has been reported that Imran Khan was visibly angry at the meeting, lashing out at the unnamed party members.

    He instructed his party members to clearly inform and get approval from him before establishing any contact.

    The PTI chairman directed core committee members to tweet according to PTI policy. He gave charge of implementing party policy to senior leader and former minister Shireen Mazari.

    “People are more active in the campaign against the government than party’s bodies,” Imran Khan said adding that there is a possibility that people may outpace the efforts of PTI bodies.

    He instructed core committee members to play an effective role in the upcoming long march in Islamabad.

  • ‘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.

  • Kashmiri freedom fighter Syed Ali Shah Geelani honoured on first death anniversary

    Kashmiri freedom fighter Syed Ali Shah Geelani honoured on first death anniversary

    People living on both sides of the border and across the globe are observing the first death anniversary of veteran Kashmiri separatist leader and former chief of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

    Marking one year since the great freedom fighter’s passing, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif said that Geelani “still remains as relevant to the freedom struggle today as he was in life”.

    In a tweet, the premier said, “Syed Ali Geelani personified the very essence of Kashmiris’ struggle. Frail in body but firm in resolve, he powered the resistance movement with belief in the idea of freedom from Indian yoke.”

    Foreign Minister (FM) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said today he has joined the Kashmiri people “in paying rich tribute to the bravest and most ardent advocate of Kashmir’s freedom struggle”.

    “Geelani sb’s memory will continue to inspire Kashmiris in their quest for a future free from Indian occupation”, he added.

    Earlier in the day, Director General (DG) Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) also took to Twitter to pay tribute to the veteran Kashmiri separatist leader.

    “Pakistan nation pays tribute to brave Syed Ali Shah Geelani for epic resistance and fight against worst Indian oppression/atrocities in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu Kashmir (IIOJK). His lifelong struggle for right to self-determination as per aspirations of people of Kashmir and UN resolutions shall always inspire generations to come,” the tweet said.

    Former Human Rights Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shireen Mazari said, “Today is the death anniversary of Syed Ali Shah Geelani, a symbol of Kashmiri’s struggle against India’s illegal occupation of IIOJK. His suffering along with ongoing persecution and torture of Kashmiri leaders by fascist Modi govt should be remembered before imported govt opens trade with India.”

    The government of Pakistan gave a Nishan-e-Pakistan to Geelani to honour his struggle for the freedom of IIOJK. He was placed on house arrest after August 5, 2019 when the Indian government revocated the special constitutional status of Kashmir. He passed away while still confined to his home.

  • ‘Absolutely no truth,’ PTI denies Imran Khan had a video call with US envoy

    ‘Absolutely no truth,’ PTI denies Imran Khan had a video call with US envoy

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan allegedly contacted United States (US) Ambassador Donald Blome via a video call. The alleged video call took place on August 4 (Thursday) around 1:45 pm to 2:15 pm, reports Muhammad Saleh Zaafir for The News.

    However, Shireen Mazari denied these reports and said this is “part of vilification campaign” planned against Imran Khan.

    During the alleged conversation between the US envoy and PTI chief, Khan expressed reservations about the US policy against his then-government in the Centre, reports Khalid Azim Chaudhry for Samaa News. In response, the ambassador said that he has been in the office for only two months. However, he assured Khan that he would convey the message to the Biden administration.

    The video call allegedly took place after the meeting between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister (CM) Mahmood Khan and Donald Blome last week in Peshawar. Blome visited the provincial capital to hand over ambulances to the government. Mahmood Khan reportedly arranged a call between his party chief and the US official.

    Absolutely no truth: Shireen Mazari

    Former federal minister and PTI leader Shireen Mazari denied that there has been any contact between Khan and Blome.

    “There is absolutely no truth in Imran Khan having had any conversation on cell/video link with US envoy Blome. It is part of a vilification campaign planned against IK by an Imported govt terrified of IK politically. We expect more such fake claims and evidence will follow,” tweeted Shireen Mazari.

    “We do not comment on what transpires during private diplomatic meetings like the one between Ambassador Blome and the KP chief minister,” said US Embassy spokesman Nick Hersh.

    Khan blamed the US for his ouster and accused the Biden administration for the success of the vote of no-confidence against him.

  • ‘Voice-recorder found in my bedroom,’ Shireen Mazari

    ‘Voice-recorder found in my bedroom,’ Shireen Mazari

    Former Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari claimed that the staff at her Islamabad residence had discovered a “voice-recorder” in her bedroom a day earlier.

    “I was at Bani Gala yesterday when I received a call from my domestic staff that a device was found attached underneath a coffee table in my bedroom,” said Mazari.

    “The question that arises is: who installed it? That too in my bedroom. Which agency [installed this device]? We have our doubts regarding who is behind it. But I want to highlight that this is a violation of the Constitution.”

    Mazari said she initially thought the device in question was a USB. But upon further investigation, it was discovered that it was a “voice-recorder”.

    “What are they trying to find out?”

    “What more do you want to achieve? Fake cases have been lodged against us. Our mobile phones have been tapped. The law and the Constitution have been turned into a joke.”

    “But I will stand up against this and file a constitutional petition in the Islamabad High Court. They have infringed on my right to privacy and protection,” said Mazari.

    Last month, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Dr Shahbaz Gill said that a Bani Gala staffer was caught installing a spy device in PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s bedroom.

  • Imran Khan’s upcoming alleged audio leak: PTI says if it happens, they will not sit quietly

    Imran Khan’s upcoming alleged audio leak: PTI says if it happens, they will not sit quietly

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s conversation with his former Principal Secretary Azam Khan at the time when he was Prime Minister of Pakistan (PM) can be leaked, writes journalist Ansar Abbasi for Daily Jang.

    Following this, Focal Person on Digital Media to Khan Dr Arslan Khalid took to Twitter and said, “Recording thousands of calls, editing voices, making custom phone calls and then spreading them through your envelopes, is all that’s left now.”

    PTI’s Babar Awan termed this act as treason and said, “First Bushra Imran’s fake audio and now Imran Khan’s. Is it a joke that someone can tap the call of the PM of a nuclear country or use it for media trial by tampering and editing?”

    Journalist Mansoor Ali Khan shared an old interview of Khan when he was in power. In the video clip, Khan can be heard defending Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) for recording calls.

    According to Khan, ISI knows who is he talking to over the telephone. He further said that they should know because they are responsible for the security of the PM.

    Addressing a press conference, both former federal ministers and PTI leaders Shireen Mazari and Fawad Chaudhry condemned Khan’s and Bushra Bibi’s leaked audios.

    Talking about Khan’s audio, Mazari said phone tapping of a PM’s secure line is illegal as only an intelligence agency can do that. She urged that Supreme Court (SC) take suo moto of the situation as it is a violation of SC order.

    In the verdict issued in the late 1990s, the top court had said that an individual’s privacy under Article 14 was not just restricted to physical boundaries of home or work but also extended to public places.

    Taking Ansar Abbasi’s name, she further said it is a clear violation of the Constitution. Mazari said that if such audio is leaked, it will be a violation of the Official Secrets Act as the conversation between a PM and his principal secretary.

    “If a journalist leaks this, they are not only violating Article 14, they will also be in violation of the Official Secrets Act. Beware, we will not sit quietly if this happens,” she added.

    Commenting upon the leaked audio of Bushra Bibi, the former minister said that “no substantial” conversation was there and “the actual problem here is of phone tapping”.

    “One wonders how much did the US help in tapping the phones?” Mazari posed a question. She said that the “neutrals and the government” could not find evidence of corruption against Khan that’s why they are leaking audios. She further claimed that they are diverting the public from real problems such as inflation, loadshedding, etc.

    Meanwhile, speaking on Geo News’ programme ‘Naya Pakistan’, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said that if PTI claims that Bushra Bibi’s audio leak is fake, they can get its forensics done from a third party.

    On Saturday, an alleged audio of Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi was leaked in which she is instructing Arslan Khalid to make a statement against Khan’s opponents and run a campaign to ‘prove them, traitors’.

  • ‘Altaf Hussain is Nelson Mandela’: Fawad Ch responds to Farogh Naseem’s remarks about Khan

    ‘Altaf Hussain is Nelson Mandela’: Fawad Ch responds to Farogh Naseem’s remarks about Khan

    Former law minister Farogh Naseem revealed that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan was the one who ordered filing a reference against Supreme Court (SC) judge Justice Qazi Faez Isa.

    “It was Imran Khan himself who had ordered filing a reference against Justice Qazi Faez Isa,” Farogh claimed on Geo News programme, ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’.

    The former law minister was responding to Khan’s admission that filing a presidential reference for the removal of Justice Qazi Faez Isa was a mistake and that he had been misguided by relevant officials about the facts of the case.

    Naseem further stated that a reference against Justice Isa was filed because of a report by the Asset Recovery Unit (ARU), which was headed by Shahzad Akbar back then.

    “This is total nonsense. Around seven in the morning, I got a call from Imran Khan sahib, Naeem ul Haq was alive at the time. He [Khan] asked that since the eradication of corruption was the PTI government’s agenda, therefore the reference should be filed immediately.”

    “Let’s assume for a minute that I was behind filing the reference, but the decision-maker was Imran Khan sahib and the president of Pakistan. They now want to attract Hamid Khan, who was once Justice Isa’s lawyer.”

    Responding to Naseem’s allegations against Khan, former Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry tweeted, “Altaf Hussain is Nelson Mandela :)”

    Farogh Naseem also revealed that former Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari wished to be defence and foreign minister when PTI was in power.

    Earlier, senior lawyer and former PTI leader Hamid Khan said that Khan confessed to committing blunders that cost PTI politically.

    Hamid said that Khan admitted that he was misled on Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s issue, adding that he had told Khan that the reference was a mistake because the judge was an honest man.

  • PTI’s Asad Umar responds to DG ISPR’s recent interview

    PTI’s Asad Umar responds to DG ISPR’s recent interview

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) General-Secretary Asad Umar in a press conference along with former Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari demanded the formation of a judicial commission on the alleged “foreign conspiracy” to oust former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan from power.

    Umar said that it would be better for the army and the country if the Inter-services Public Relations (ISPR) Director-General (DG) Major-General Babar Iftikhar doesn’t find it necessary to interpret political affairs again and again.

    Umar said Khan will again write to Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial to constitute a judicial panel and hold a transparent inquiry into the matter.

    “It was a clear threat. It was written that if the no-confidence motion fails, Pakistan would have to pay the price and if Imran Khan is shown the door, then Pakistan will be forgiven.”

    He said that it is the people’s right to know the facts and who was behind the move.

    Umar said that the party still wants this to be investigated by a judicial panel and an open hearing conducted.

    “[The] DG ISPR is right in saying that some of the military leadership representatives actually said that they cannot see any evidence of a conspiracy. Most of the civilian leadership said there was a conspiracy,” Umar said.

    Ever since Imran Khan said ‘absolutely not’ to the air bases, the conspiracy started: Mazari

    Meanwhile, Mazari said, “Ever since Imran Khan said ‘absolutely not’ to the air bases, the conspiracy started.”

    Mazari asked why the US diplomats met PTI MNA Noor Alam Khan.

    “We are compiling a list of who the US envoy met in Pakistan. Why did the ambassador meet Raja Riaz? Was it to discuss foreign affairs?”

    Military’s opinion on national security issues is not final word: Asad Umar

    Umar on Tuesday while speaking on Hum News political talk show with anchorperson Meher Bokhari said, “At the outset, you were asking me a question that since it is a matter of national security so the army has a final word on the issue, [but] with due respect, I don’t agree with this.”

    Umar’s comments were relevant to DG ISPR’s statement that no conspiracy was hatched to oust Khan. He said that the military leadership was present in the National Security Council (NSC) meeting and the participants were clearly briefed by the intelligence agencies.

    “[They were] briefed that there was no conspiracy or evidence of any kind [against the then government], nothing like that happened. Participants were told in detail that there was no evidence of any conspiracy,” said the DG ISPR.

  • ‘Govt backed by establishment took repressive measures against us’: Shireen Mazari writes letter to the UN

    ‘Govt backed by establishment took repressive measures against us’: Shireen Mazari writes letter to the UN

    Former Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari has written a letter to the United Nations (UN) to hold an “independent and impartial investigation” into the “state excesses and human rights violations” during Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Azadi March, held on May 25.

    In the letter, Mazari told the UN officials that Pakistan has been engulfed in a “political crisis” since former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan was ousted.

    The letter stated that the government “backed by the establishment” had taken “repressive measures” against the “Azadi March”.

    Mazari has requested the UN officials to “take urgent notice of the issues raised as they not only threatened democracy in Pakistan but also the lives of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, his party leadership…and intervene on these with the government of Pakistan”.

    Demands of PTI in letter

    The PTI in its letter also put forward five demands to the UN:

    Demand an independent and impartial investigation into these state excesses and human rights violations.

    Demand that the government immediately cease harassment of PTI workers and leaders.

    Demand the release of all political workers and cease lodging politically-motivated FIRs against workers and leaders of the PTI.

    Stop media censorship, which is in violation of basic democratic norms and of the ICCPR to which Pakistan is a party.

    Stop denying the right to peaceful protest through repressive measures and blocking access to protest sites.

  • ‘Arrest, sexism, political victimisation’: Keep women out of your politics

    ‘Arrest, sexism, political victimisation’: Keep women out of your politics

    Politics in Pakistan hits a new low every day. This past week, the nation witnessed two incidents that again prove how women in politics are seen as soft targets to settle political scores. Be it misogyny, sexist remarks targeted harassment or political victimisation — we have seen how women face the brunt of most of these attacks.

    Case one: Former Prime Minister Imran Khan passed sexist and controversial remarks about Maryam Nawaz at a political rally in Multan on Friday. Khan said: “I was sent the video of Maryam’s speech in which she took my name so many times with such jazba and junoon that I want to tell her to be careful, your husband might get upset at you taking my name so often.” Khan’s misogynistic remarks about his political rival were uncalled for, and not what was expected from a national leader. One would have thought that a man who is almost 70-year-old, whose first wife has had to deal with perpetual harassment to this date, whose second wife faces a plethora of abuse on a regular basis, and whose current wife has not been spared either, would spare women. Yet he made these comments about Maryam Nawaz while addressing thousands of people looking to him as the future of the country. What message is being sent to our younger generation? That it is okay to sexualise women, that it is okay to mainstream misogyny? Where will it stop is what one wonders.

    Case two: Punjab’s anti-corruption department took former human rights minister Shireen Mazari into custody in Islamabad yesterday. A video clip shows female police officers manhandling Mazari after she refused to step out of her car. The way that she was harassed and manhandled and the timing make it look like a clear case of political victimisation.

    Pakistan at the moment is facing a national crisis. The new coalition government is finding it hard to stay afloat, the country needs a financial boost from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to survive economically. Serious decisions are to be made for the betterment of the country but what are the male politicians doing instead? Demeaning, silencing, and mocking strong women to put them down. Arresting Mazari because she is a vocal critic while demeaning Maryam because she is giving a tough time to her opponents.

    One can criticise anyone’s politics but in the case of women politicians, resorting to personal attacks is unwarranted. Mazari has faced such attacks from the likes of Khawaja Asif and others. Maryam was threatened with violence by Gandapur during the previous government.

    No one is above the law but abuse of power can never be condoned, regardless of who it targets or from where it emanates. Khan must apologise for his remarks about Maryam Nawaz. Such misogyny needs to stop against women. The government has released Mazari but she has been arbitrarily arrested because of the whims of a few men. It is high time that men keep women out of their politics. They cannot scare women into quitting.