Tag: trending

  • Arrest warrants issued for Imran Khan over threatening remarks against Judge Zeba Chaudhry

    Arrest warrants issued for Imran Khan over threatening remarks against Judge Zeba Chaudhry

    Arrest warrants for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan have been issued in Islamabad in a case pertaining to his threatening remarks regarding Additional District and Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry at an August 20 public rally in Islamabad.

    A magistrate of Islamabad’s Margalla Police Station has issued an arrest warrant for PTI Chief Imran Khan.

    The FIR includes four sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), including 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 189 (threat of injury to public servant), and 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant).

    Khan is facing contempt of court charges for his controversial remarks against Zeba Chaudhary.

    Khan submitted an affidavit to IHC in contempt of court case against him, saying he had realised he “Might have crossed a line” in his controversial remarks regarding Additional District and Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry.

    However, it is pertinent to mention that, for the third time now, Khan has avoided tendering an unconditional apology to the court.

    The affidavit says: “Imran Khan realised that during these proceedings before the Honourable Court, he might have crossed a red line while making a public speech on August 20, 2022.”

    According to the document, it was never his intention “To threaten the honourable judge of the district court and there was no intention behind the statement to take any action other than a legal action.”

    He said he wanted to assure the IHC that he was willing to explain and clarify before Judge Chaudhry that “Neither he nor his party seeks/sought any action“ against her and he was willing apologise to her “If she got an impression that the deponent (Imran) had crossed a line”.

    Khan assured the IHC that he would “Never do anything in future” that would hurt the dignity of any court and the judiciary, especially the lower judiciary.

  • ‘Willing to apologise’: Khan again avoided unconditional apology for his controversial remarks against female judge

    ‘Willing to apologise’: Khan again avoided unconditional apology for his controversial remarks against female judge

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan submitted an affidavit to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in a contempt of court case against him, saying he had realised he “Might have crossed a line” in his controversial remarks regarding Additional District and Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry.

    However, it is pertinent to mention that, for the third time now, Khan has avoided tendering an unconditional apology to the court.

    The affidavit says: “Imran Khan realised that during these proceedings before the Honourable Court, he might have crossed a red line while making a public speech on August 20, 2022.”

    According to the document, it was never his intention “To threaten the honourable judge of the district court and there was no intention behind the statement to take any action other than a legal action.”

    He said he wanted to assure the IHC that he was willing to explain and clarify before Judge Chaudhry that “Neither he nor his party seeks/sought any action“ against her and he was willing apologise to her “If she got an impression that the deponent (Imran) had crossed a line”.

    Khan assured the IHC that he would “Never do anything in future” that would hurt the dignity of any court and the judiciary, especially the lower judiciary.

    The next hearing of the case is scheduled for October 3, when IHC will review Khan’s response.

    Prior to this, Khan went to the court of Zeba Chaudhry to apologise for his remarks against her at a public rally. She was on leave at the time.

    Earlier this month, the high court decided to frame charges against Khan in a contempt of court case registered against him for his controversial remarks about Zeba.

    However, after many delays, Khan apologised to the high court, saying, “Mai khaatoon judge se zaati taur pe maafi maangta hoon”, (I personally apologise to the female judge).

    Following this, the high court remarked that it would not be appropriate to conduct contempt proceedings against Khan.

    In August, Khan addressed a party rally to express solidarity with then-arrested PTI’s Shahbaz Gill and threatened Chaudhry. He said, “Zeba! Be ready, we will take action against you”.

  • ‘Is meeting mei mein majood tha’: Imran Khan’s former aide confirms that Khan insisted on not naming US

    ‘Is meeting mei mein majood tha’: Imran Khan’s former aide confirms that Khan insisted on not naming US

    Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan’s former aide Maulana Tahir Ashrafi confirmed the authenticity of the latest audio leak of Khan and his party members discussing cipher in a meeting.

    While on the Geo News’ programme Jirga, Ashrafi, referring to the second audio leak, said, “Mei meeting mei mein majood tha”. (I was present in the meeting too)

    Ashrafi was a special representative to the former PM on religious harmony.

    Ashrafi also confirmed that the former PM told the participants of the meeting that they would call it a letter instead of cipher, reports Geo News.

    The former PM said he would not like anyone to name the US while talking about the regime change conspiracy, but then he himself named the US impulsively, Ashrafi remarked.

    The former aide also added that Khan’s five cabinet members should tell on oath if they were sure of the US regime change conspiracy against their government.

    How could a Grade-22 officer dare say he would change the cipher, asked Ashrafi.

    Ashrafi also revealed that Khan said he had a “terrific thing”, and he would play with it.

    What is in the audio leaks?

    In the first audio leak, Khan can be heard telling his then principal secretary Azam Khan about cipher, “Khelna hai is ke uper” (We will play on this)

    In the second audio leak, Imran Khan directed his close aides not to take America’s name while talking about the US cipher in public. He also insisted on using the word “letter” instead of cipher, because according to him “People wouldn’t have understood the word transcript if you say things like this in your jalsa.”

  • PM Shehbaz audio leaks: PTI Supreme Court pohanch gayi

    PM Shehbaz audio leaks: PTI Supreme Court pohanch gayi

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) moved Supreme Court (SC) on Saturday to investigate the matter of Prime Minister (PM) House audio leaks of PM Shehbaz Sharif and his party members including some federal ministers.

    The former ruling party has requested the top court to seek criminal charges against PM Shehbaz and his team for hatching a “criminal conspiracy”.

    One of the many audio leaks allegedly concerns a conversation between PM Shehbaz, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Law Minister Azam Tarar, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, and former National Assembly (NA) speaker Ayaz Sadiq about the resignations of PTI MNAs. The audio is said to be a recording of a cabinet meeting.

    Party leaders can be allegedly heard discussing whose resignations from PTI will be accepted. Moreover, the leaders can be heard saying that the final decision will be taken by PML-N Supremo Nawaz Sharif who is in London.

    “The incumbent prime minister and his cabinet members can be heard discussing a heinous strategy to outplay the petitioner from the parliamentary politics in a most illegal, unlawful and objectionable manner,” the PTI said in the petition about the audio leak.

    The petition said that the entire discussion revolves around a “criminal strategy/conspiracy” to affect and target the party through piecemeal acceptance of the resignations tendered by PTI’s MNAs on April 11.

    The party said that PM Shehbaz, Information Minister Maryum Aurangzeb and Rana Sanaullah have admitted the existence of audio leaks.

    The PTI claimed that the PM and his cabinet members with the aid of incumbent NA Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf violated their oath and utterly disregarded the law and constitution.

    A total of six audios featuring PM and his party leader have been leaked while two audio leaks featuring Imran Khan and his party members have come to light.

  • ‘No one has done forgery like Khan’: Khawaja Asif reacts to audio leak no. 2

    Defence Minister Khawaja Asif reacted to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s second audio leak in which the leader can be heard directing his party members not to name the United States (US) in the cipher matter.

    The minister, who is currently in London, told the media that it is an “Ideal case” of Article 6 of the Constitution, which deals with high treason.

    “He [Imran Khan] should listen to the clips himself and feel shame on how he has put Pakistan’s integrity at stake in his lust for power,” Asif said, lashing out at Imran.

    “In Pakistan’s 75-year history, no politician has put Pakistan’s security at risk,” said Asif. He admitted that politicians and army officials have done things against each other and made mistakes but no one has done a “forgery” like the PTI leader.

    “In the audio, he is saying do not take America’s name but at the same time is talking against it. I cannot even imagine that a politician can be this shameful,” added the minister.

    Referring to Khan’s alleged insistence in the audio leak on using the word “letter” instead of cipher because “people wouldn’t have understood the word transcript”, Asif said the “PTI chief had underestimated the nation’s collective wisdom and will pay the price.”

    Audio leak:

    In the second audio leak, Imran Khan when he was Prime Minister (PM) is directing his close aides not to take America’s name while talking about the US cipher in public.

    “We don’t have to name the Americans. Under no circumstances do we have to take the name. So, on this issue please, the name of the country should not come out of anyone.”

    In turn, the voice, supposedly belonging to Asad Umar, raised a question: “Are you saying letter deliberately? This is not a letter, it is the meeting’s transcript.”

    On this, Imran Khan says that both the letter and the transcript are “the same thing”. He added that “People wouldn’t have understood the word transcript if you say things like this in your jalsa.”

    In the first audio leak that surfaced a couple of days ago, the PTI chief directed his then-principal secretary Azam Khan that, “We have to play with it [cipher]”.

    On the same day, when the first audio leak came out Khan broke his silence on it and said that he has not played on the cipher yet.

  • Imran asks ‘neutrals’ who is responsible for PMO audio leaks?

    Imran asks ‘neutrals’ who is responsible for PMO audio leaks?

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Friday asked the “neutrals” — the term he uses for the military establishment — who was responsible for the security breach at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

    “I ask them [neutrals] that the audio leaks of the Prime Minister Office […] if the security of the Prime Minister Office has been breached […] this means that our enemies have our sensitive information,” Imran said in a speech at Edwardes College in Peshawar today. “Who is responsible for this,” he asked.

    “I ask the protectors today […] if robbers are looting a house, can the guards say that they are neutral? What will the residents say? That the house is being looted but the guards say they are neutral,” Imran said, claiming that Pakistan, too, was being “looted” today.

    Responding to Khan, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz said, ““The massive security breach you have done sitting in the PMO with your secretary and followers, even the biggest enemies of Pakistan couldn’t compete with it,” she tweeted.

    “A foreign-funded evil mind has been playing with the destiny of the country for the past four years and has the nerve to do that same today,” Maryam added.

    Khan’s comments come in relevance to his audio leaks related to the cipher and the foreign conspiracy.

  • Rs16 billion money laundering case: PM Shehbaz appears before court, terms case as ‘fake’

    Rs16 billion money laundering case: PM Shehbaz appears before court, terms case as ‘fake’

    A special court in Lahore adjourned the hearing till October 8 in a Rs16 billion money laundering case filed by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) against Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif and his son, Hamza Shehbaz.

    The court also directed the lawyer to submit additional details on the acquittal plea by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders.

    In the hearing which took place on Friday (today), PM’s son Hamza Shehbaz did not appear before the court as he had sought exemption on medical grounds. However, PM Shehbaz appeared before the court but later sought exemption as he had “important” matters to attend to.

    PM’s lawyer Amjad Pervaiz told the court that the first information report (FIR) registered against his clients mentioned they were involved in money laundering worth Rs25 billion from 2008-2018 through fake companies. However, he said, “During this 10-year span, PM Shehbaz was neither the director nor a shareholder of those companies.”

    PM Shehbaz also spoke before the court, stating that the money laundering case against him is “fake”.

    He claimed that when he was Chief Minister (CM) for 20 years he had made decisions that “hurt” his family’s sugar business. “I was requested to provide subsidy to sugar mills, but I refused. I refused as the amount (that would be used for subsidy) belonged to the poor people in Punjab,” he declared to the court.

    Later, he sought an exemption from the court which was granted to him. After Shehbaz left, the court went on a break.

    Once the hearing resumed, the lawyer presented his arguments again. Then, the court adjourned the hearing till October 8 and asked him to continue deliberations at the next hearing.

    In 2021, the FIA submitted a challan against Shehbaz and Hamza to the special court for their alleged involvement in laundering Rs16 billion in a sugar scam.

    The report added that the amount was kept in “hidden accounts” and “given to Shehbaz in a personal capacity”.

    At the time, FIA had said that the amount of Rs16 billion has nothing to do with the sugar business of Shehbaz’s family. The money allegedly received from the accounts of low-wage employees was transferred outside Pakistan, ultimately destined for the beneficial use of his family members.

  • Mahira Khan set to be Will Smith’s leading lady in Hollywood debut

    Mahira Khan set to be Will Smith’s leading lady in Hollywood debut

    Two-time Oscar-winning filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is all set to make her narrative feature directorial debut with Brilliance. The upcoming film will be a Paramount Pictures adaptation of the Marcus Sakey novel.

    On the other hand, Hollywood star Will Smith will be producing the film under the banner of his company Westbrook Studios. Though the official announcement regarding the star cast is not made, it is being reported that that superstar Mahira Khan is in final talks to join the film.

    https://twitter.com/FilmUpdates/status/1575460011706286080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1575460011706286080%7Ctwgr%5E476817c227a1e942955c4a34f6f6879a228f1f29%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fd-36297767593164264713.ampproject.net%2F2209072154000%2Fframe.html

     In a report, describing the premise of the film, the publication stated, “if 1% of the world’s children were born with powerful gifts, how would society adapt to them? The Brilliance novel trilogy is set in a future where non-neurotypical people — demonized by society as “twists” or “abnorms” — are threatening the status quo of the “normal” population with their unique gifts.” Talking about Obaid-Chinoy, she is best known for directing Saving Face and A Girl in the River, The Price of Forgiveness and most recently Ms Marvel. Meanwhile, Smith will next star in Emancipation. In the upcoming Apple film, the star will be seen playing a hunted runaway enslaved man who struggles for freedom in the dangerous swamps of Louisiana. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the fact-based thriller’s release date is not announced yet.

  • ‘Absolutely no truth in regime change’: US Ambassador says would work with whatever government Pakistanis elect

    ‘Absolutely no truth in regime change’: US Ambassador says would work with whatever government Pakistanis elect

    United States (US) Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome, in an interview with The News, said there is “absolutely no truth” in the allegations of regime change in Pakistan and said that he is “very much hopeful that the countries can get past this and get back to important work”.

    He said, “We want to see an independent, prosperous and strong Pakistan. That’s what we believe is in our interest and in the interest of the region. As for the allegations, there is absolutely no truth in that. We have spoken to them, myself, and in Washington.”

    To a question by the newspaper about the possibility of Imran Khan coming into power again, and the US reaction to it, the US ambassador said that his country “Would work with whatever government the Pakistani people select”.

    On the matter of Imran Khan’s demand to hold an inquiry into the cipher issue, the ambassador was of the view that it is not his position to talk about whether the inquiry should be made or not. During the interview, Bloom revealed that he had not met Imran Khan.

    The ambassador said it’s important to clarify that the US, in no way, asks Pakistan or any other country to “Choose a single economic partner, bloc or anything else like that”.

    Furthermore, Blome credited the government for securing the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) deal and termed it a “significant accomplishment”.

    Talking about Pakistan’s debt, the ambassador said that Pakistan does not have an enormous amount of debt with the US in particular. “So, the Paris Club debt is a relatively small amount. It is how the US would be working with Pakistan to defer payments,” he stated.

    However, he reiterated that US wants to help Pakistan to navigate through this very difficult period

    Blome also dismissed any talk about his country using Pakistan air bases.

    ‘We want to build and reset these relations back to normal: PM Shehbaz Sharif

    At the US embassy, where Bloom was also present, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif expressed hope to reset US-Pakistan relations.

    “I want to say this very sincerely today that we want to build and reset these relations back to normal on the basis of trust, respect, and mutual understanding,” he declared.

    On Thursday (September 29) a diplomatic reception was held at the US embassy in Islamabad to commemorate the 75 years of relations between Pakistan and the US.

    “As I said, there will be a lot of what your [US] side will want to say but as long as we renew this friendship with sincere and serious dialogue, I can assure you that nothing will go wrong,” Shehbaz Sharif said.

    The Pakistani premier stressed that it is time for the two countries to move forward and find ways to warm up the relationship to the same degree as it was in the past.

    The prime minister also recalled that during his visit to New York, he met US President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken who assured him of support for the flood-affected people.

  • ‘Kis mulk se yeh letter aya hai, mai kisi ke moo se sun’na nahi chahta’: Khan

    ‘Kis mulk se yeh letter aya hai, mai kisi ke moo se sun’na nahi chahta’: Khan

    The season of leaks rages on in the country as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman’s part two of the first audio leak on the ‘cipher’ got released on Friday, September 30.

    The latest audio, reportedly featuring PTI’s Imran Khan, Asad Umar and Azam Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi, can be heard below.

    The script of the second audio goes as follows:

    Imran Khan: “Okay Shah Jee [Shah Mahmood Qureshi] tomorrow we will be doing a meeting. Three of us [Imran Khan, Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Asad Umar] and the foreign secretary. In the meeting we will quietly write the minutes of the meeting. Azam is saying we will make the minutes…. and keep a photo copy of it.”

    Azam Khan: “This cipher came on the 8th or 9th March. It came on 8th March.”

    Imran Khan: “But the meeting took place on 7th. By no means will we be taking the name of Americans. So please, no one should take the country’s name on this issue. This is very important for all of you. I don’t want to hear the name of the country from where the letter came from any ones mouth.”

    Asad Umar: “Are you intentionally calling it a letter. This isn’t a letter, it is a transcript of the meeting.”

    Imran Khan: “It is the same thing, whether it be a meeting’s transcript of a letter. People wouldn’t have understood the transcript. You say [things] like this in your jalsa.”

    ‘Is par hi khelna hai’: Imran warns not to reveal United States involvement

    Khan in his first leaked audio, could be heard talking about the alleged foreign conspiracy against him with his then principal secretary Azam Khan.

    Khan discusses how to frame the narrative around the alleged conspiracy that resulted in the ouster of his government. He tells Azam Khan: ‘Iss par hi khelna hai’, without mentioning the name of the United States and they discuss how to form a team on the issue.

    The “cipher” lies at the heart of PTI’s claim that the US plotted with individuals within Pakistan to remove Khan from office. It is based on then-envoy Asad Majeed’s meeting with State Department employee Donald Lu..

    ‘Abhi toh khela hi nahi mai’: Imran Khan responds to new leaked audio

    Khan broke his silence on the leaked audio, and said that he has not played on the cipher yet.

    Khan in the new leaked audio, can be heard talking about the alleged foreign conspiracy against him with his then principal secretary Azam Khan.

    When asked who leaked the audio, Imran blamed Shehbaz Sharif.

    “It is good that the audio got leaked, I would say the cypher should also be leaked. So that everyone should come to know how big was that foreign conspiracy.”

    “Abhi toh khela hi nahi mai,” said Khan. Translation: I have not played with it yet and will play when they expose it.