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Category: National

  • We can respond with weapons too: Gandapur warns in fiery speech

    We can respond with weapons too: Gandapur warns in fiery speech

    Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur gave yet another fiery speech in his first address to the KP Assembly after an unsuccessful party march towards Islamabad saying, “We have fire and ammunition and we can respond with weapons too,” the Premier of the province said. 

    PTI supporters on social media are angry and disappointed with party leaders for abandoning workers in D-Chowk when security forces started their crackdown on November 26.

    Around midnight, the media reported that Gandapur and Imran Khan’s spouse Bushra Bibi, escaped from the capital and went towards Peshawar.

    Since then, PTI has claimed that the security forces opened fire on the protestors leading to multiple fatalities – a claim the government denies.

    “Be wary of that day if we reply to fire with fire and to ammunition with ammunition; if we abandon peace slogans because we have weapons too. We can take our rights that way as well. Listen to this as well, we do not care about powerful chairs that you could scare us with the threat of Governor Raj. I challenge you to impose Governor Rule here and see if you can stay here,” he challenged.

    After Gandapur led the caravan from KP towards Peshawar for its “final call,” rumours quickly spread that the federal government was mulling imposing Governor’s rule in KP.

    Ali Amin Gandapur warned the federal government that PTI cannot be “intimidated” by such actions as tensions grow following the late-night crackdown against protesters in Islamabad.

    “Release Imran Khan as soon as possible or we will respond to bullets with bullets and then you will see what happens, and you will be responsible for whatever happens,” warned CM KP in his address to the provincial assembly. 

    The CM also addressed the soldiers of the Pakistan Army, saying, “You must see your children at home, what would their mother think if this happened to them? Allah bestows rizq to every human being, but what you have done for a job, you will not find peace in this world and in this world! Today I pray to Allah that you [soldiers] may find yourself in such pain and hurt that you become an example in history for Allah’s justice in the world who oppressed the people.”

    “Let it not happen that we start feeling comfort in killing you. Release Imran Khan, otherwise we have a meeting, prepare a strategy, if we don’t get rights, we will kill for them,” concluded Gandapur.

    Gandapur has been heavily criticised by party workers and followers for the perception that he is in touch with the establishment. Party followers tweeted and posted on other social media platforms against Gandapur, dismayed at him leaving party workers on D Chowk while he and Bushra Bibi got passage to safety.

  • PML-N moves resolution in Punjab Assembly to ban PTI

    PML-N moves resolution in Punjab Assembly to ban PTI

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana Muhammad Fayyaz has submitted a resolution in the Punjab Assembly secretariat, seeking a ban on arch-rivals Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

    The resolution demands stringent action against former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s PTI, labelling the party a “disruptive group” operating under the guise of a political party, and calls for those responsible for the November 24 protests to be brought to justice.

    A similar resolution was introduced in the Balochistan Assembly on Thursday, accusing PTI of committing acts of violence and taking on the form of a “political anarchist group”.

    The resolution was moved by Balochistan Minister for Communications and Works Mir Saleem Ahmad Khosa, provincial ministers Mir Sadiq Umrani, Mir Asim Kurd Gelo, Raheela Hamid Khan Durrani, Bakht Mohammad Kakar and parliamentary secretaries against the PTI’s actions during the recent protests.

    The resolution read, “This kind of anarchist agenda of the PTI has badly affected every system and school of thought in the country, including the judiciary, the media and the country’s economy.”

    The opposition in the Balochistan Assembly staged a walkout in protest, decrying the mistreatment of former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party.

    The resolution accused the PTI of orchestrating violent demonstrations, including assault on public and military installations during the May 9 protests last year. It also criticised the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government for allegedly using state resources to challenge federal authority, describing such actions as part of a “non-political agenda.”

    PTI’s recent “do-or-die” protest in the federal capital ended abruptly after a government crackdown that resulted in the apprehendation of 1,151 protesters, including 64 Afghan nationals. Authorities claimed to have confiscated weapons, ball bearings, and spiked clubs from the detained Afghans. 

    Meanwhile, PTI leader Salman Akram Raja alleged that 20 protesters were killed during the demonstrations—a claim that the authorities have denied.

    Earlier, Senator Faisal Vawda, while appearing on the Geo News programme Capital Talk on Wednesday, had claimed that former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s party will be banned.


    Faisal Vawda stated, “Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister [Ali Amin Gandapur] will not be arrested, but Bushra Bibi [Imran Khan’s wife] will.”

    Faisal Vawda also pointed out the absence of PTI’s big names during the recent protest: “Where was Omar Ayub Khan, Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly?”


    He alleged that the former First Lady has a “major role” in bringing founder Imran Khan’s party to a “dead end.”
     

    It should be mentioned here that PTI marched towards Islamabad on the “final call” of party founder Imran Khan.


    PTI demanded the reversal of the recently passed 26th Constitution Amendment, the “stolen mandate,” and the release of all party political prisoners, including Imran Khan.

  • Saturday holiday cancelled to compensate the loss

    Saturday holiday cancelled to compensate the loss

    The Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) has issued a new notification which has officially abolished the Saturday holiday in all federally managed educational institutions.


    The notification was issued on Friday with the subject: “Saturday as working day”.

    It is addressed to all heads of institutions in Islamabad’s schools and colleges in rural and urban areas.


    The decision will come into effect from November 30 (tomorrow), and remain in place till February 1, 2025. 


    It also says that the decision has been taken to compensate for the academic activity disrupted by the closure of schools in recent months.

    Thus, starting from tomorrow, Saturday will be considered a full working day in schools and colleges under the FDE’s jurisdiction.


    Elaborating on the steps taken by FDE, an official said that students’ education had been significantly affected by unforeseen holidays and closures. “The change has been made to ensure students receive the required instructional time and complete their syllabus on schedule,” the notification said.

  • Lahore High Court asks offices, schools to make work-from-home policy

    Lahore High Court asks offices, schools to make work-from-home policy

    During Friday’s hearing of the cases against smog in the provincial capital, the Lahore High Court (LHC) directed the administration to formulate a work-from-home policy for schools and offices.


    Justice Shahid Karim heard petitions against the failure to take effective measures to combat smog.


    Geo News reported that during the hearing, the complainant raised the point of cutting down trees in the Township area of Lahore to build depots for electric buses. There are reports that the trees are cut and sold in the timber market.


    Upon this, the court summoned the Secretary of Transport of Punjab and ordered an investigation into the matter to find out where the trees that were cut actually ended up. “If the matter of cutting trees is true, a case will be registered against those responsible,” the court ordered. 


    On the matter of large amounts of vehicular emissions in the city, the Court said that software should be created to store the vehicle data in the city while noting that the data for checking vehicles should be created after giving a time limit of three months.

    Justice Karim also stressed that things can’t be fixed until the city’s DCs are transferred.

    The court directed the government to make a policy about checking transport that must have the data, and a tag system should be introduced for vehicles as well. 


    The lawyer representing the government, Hassan Ejaz Cheema, said that the work on formulating a policy is underway.

    Moreover, Samaa News reported that the court also criticised the government for lifting all smog-related restrictions in the city. This could result in a relapse, it warned.

    Justice Shahid Karim also suggested opening schools four days a week and letting construction work take place for three days a week. 

    The court also ruled that schools and offices should have a work-from-home policy because the smog is not over yet. It may suddenly return, and ideally, construction work should not even start.

    Later, the court adjourned further hearing on the case until Tuesday, December 3.

    Previously, Justice Shahid Karim of the Lahore High Court issued a three-page order on petitions regarding the smog issue, ruling that schools should provide transport to children after the winter vacations, while the government announced a relaxation of smog restrictions in the city.

  • Imran Khan to get bail within three months, predicts Najam Sethi

    Imran Khan to get bail within three months, predicts Najam Sethi

    Political commentator Najam Sethi has predicted that the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, will get bail within three months.

    Appearing on Samaa News Najam Sethi stated on Thursday that former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan will be in his home in Zaman Park or Bani Gala within the next three months.

    In response to the programme host Ayesha Naz’s question whether Khan would remain under house arrest or not, Najam Sethi stated that “there is no issue of Imran Khan being in house arrest, he will be free.”

    It may be noted here that former PM Imran Khan was arrested on August 5 last year from his residence in Zaman Park, Lahore, shortly after his conviction in the Toshakhana case and has been in jail since then on multiple charges. 

    Imran Khan’s party had orchestrated protests in Pakistan’s heart, Islamabad, which resulted in multiple casualties.

     
    Referring to the PTI’s recent protest march towards the federal capital, Sethi said, “It was his [Imran Khan] last public card; he [Imran Khan] won’t t be able to use the public card for the next three to four months, and [Khan] knows that.”

    Responding to the PTI’s next probable march to the federal capital, Najam Sethi maintained that there would be “no long march for at least one year towards Islamabad.”

    Najam Sethi observed that by the time the grand operation started on Tuesday night, Chief Minister (CM) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Ali Amin Gandapur advised former First Lady Bushra Bibi to leave the federal capital.

    “Bushra Bibi was scared; her guards disappeared, and then she decided to leave the federal capital,” Sethi added.

    Furthermore, Najam Sathi reiterated that the federal government had helped CM KP Ali Amin Gandapur and Imran Khan’s spouse to escape from the scene.

    Earlier, PTI sources told Geo News that prior to the Tuesday night grand operation on PTI demonstrators, the government facilitated Bushra Bibi and Ali Amin Gandapur to escape from Islamabad.

    On Tuesday night (November 26), security forces launched a grand operation at D Chowk to disperse the protestors, leading to multiple casualties.

    Reportedly, prior to the operation, markets in all nearby areas were closed, and streetlights were also turned off; the operation was completed within two and a half hours, leading to the arrest of more than 500 protesters from D-Chowk and its nearby areas.

  • Death toll in Kurram surpasses 100

    Death toll in Kurram surpasses 100

    Clashes in Kurram Agency have claimed more than 100 lives as of Thursday. 

    Despite a ceasefire agreement between the parties, reports suggest that sporadic attacks between tribes have been happening in the border region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

    The clashes entered the second week today as one person was killed in Ghozghari, Upper Kurram, while gunfights continued in Ghozgahri, Matasangar, Maqbal and Kunj Alizai areas.


    A mortar shell also hit the Bassu Camp of Frontier Constabulary (116 Wing) in Upper Kurram, injuring two FC personnel.


    On November 24, a ceasefire agreement was reached between the parties in Kurram after the intervention of government and tribal officials. 

    Information Advisor to the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Barrister Saif, claimed on Sunday that the two sides had agreed to a seven-day ceasefire in addition to returning the hostages and bodies of dead, but local police says that clashes between different tribes have not stopped.


    However, the exchange of prisoners and dead bodies has been completed, according to Dawn.

    Local tribal leaders, including an ex-MNA, handed over the four female and a male hostage to the Kurram Militia in the presence of the wing commander and Lower Kurram Assistant Commissioner. 


    Similarly, one of the warring parties handed over the dead bodies of victims to the district administration, which was later given to the relatives.


    Clashes have been going on intermittently for 8 days. The number of lives claimed so far has reached 110, while the number of injured has surpassed 150.

    According to the district administration, the Peshawar-Parachinar main highway has been closed for the last 8 days after an attack was reported on the convoy of 200 vehicles.

    Initially, 44 deaths were reported, but now the toll has reached 52.

    Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Kurram Javedullah Mehsud says that trade with Afghanistan at the Kharlachi border has also been suspended due to the closure of the main highway.

    Talking to BBC Urdu, Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mehsud says that various steps are underway to establish peace, and a Grand Peace Jirga is being sent to the area for negotiations.

    Additionally, due to the tense situation, internet and mobile phone services have also been suspended, which is why people are facing severe difficulties.

    National Assembly Member from the area, Hameed Hussain, has warned that the conflict would expand across the country if steps were not taken to stop these armed clashes.

  • Three people I know were killed in the PTI protest in Islamabad: Shahid Khaqan Abbasi

    Three people I know were killed in the PTI protest in Islamabad: Shahid Khaqan Abbasi

    In an interesting development, former Prime Minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) member Shahid Khaqan Abbasi while appearing on a Dawn News program, revealed, “I personally know about three people who were killed by bullet injuries in PTI protests, two of whom are from my constituency.”

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) official page on X (formerly Twitter) shared the interview on November 28 as the party claims that security forces opened fire on protestors leading to multiple fatalities – a claim the government wholly denies.

    Abbasi’s revelation however came as a surprise as he criticised the government for the “extreme use of force” on the protestors warning that “one day they would all have to pay for this violence.”

    Journalist Arifa Noor asked Abbasi about the general perception being created by the state highlights the deaths of only security officials in the protests but not any civilians.

    Abbasi replied: “Tell the mother or father of that innocent civilian who lost his life in the protest that your son is alive. Unjust death is martyrdom. I personally know about three people who were killed by bullet injuries in PTI protests, two of whom are from my constituency. Their funeral prayers were offered yesterday.”

    The journalist remained stunned after Abbasi’s revelation and asked whether the families received the dead bodies, Abbasi replied: “Yes, they received the bodies as their funerals were offered. Look, it’s really strange that the government had to fire bullets at night when the area was in complete darkness. Were they attacked? They cannot justify open firing at the protestors in the federal capital, no less.”

    “I could even understand security forces firing at some violent protestors in the daytime. Even that is unjust and unacceptable. For the sake of an argument, I could understand that in the daytime, maybe a violent protestor attacked a security official and they killed that protestor. But they fired the bullets in complete darkness, what was the motive behind this policy? They had shut down electricity in the area deliberately,” remarked Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.


    “After killing the people, the government is doubling down and beating its chest that no one apart from the security officials has been killed. One day, they will have to accept what they’ve done,” said the former PML-N leader.

    It is worth mentioning that during the PTI’s tenure, corruption cases were lodged against then PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in the Pakistan-Qatar LNG deal of 2015. 

    In 2024, NAB withdrew the cases against Abbasi and Miftah Ismail. Abbasi spent 138 days in jail before the first formal charge was brought against him. Miftah Ismail was in jail for 118 days when the first interim charge sheet was filed against all the accused.

  • VIDEO: ‘Salman Akram Raja resigned after Bushra Bibi abused him’

    VIDEO: ‘Salman Akram Raja resigned after Bushra Bibi abused him’

    Journalist Kashif Abbasi has claimed that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Salman Akram Raja resigned after wife of party founder Imran Khan and former first lady, Bushra Bibi, hurled abuses at him among other party leaders.

    Raja had on Thursday afternoon tendered his resignation to party chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan citing “personal reasons”. The party chief had confirmed the receipt of resignation; however, he had said that the same had not yet been accepted.

    During his show later in the day, Abbasi claimed that the resignation came after the former first lady “humiliated and dishonoured” PTI leadership, “calling them bayghairat [shameless] and vultures seven times” in an earlier meeting. She once again used those words for party bigwigs in a meeting following the abrupt end to PTI’s Islamabad protests, the journalist added.

    Claiming this was the reason behind Raja’s resignation as well as discontent among senior leaders of the party, Abbasi also quoted Raja as saying that he was “not accountable to any family member of Imran Khan”.

    Meanwhile, journalist Shahzeb Khanzada claimed that Bushra’s behaviour was also the reason behind Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) Sahibzada Hamid Raza’s resignation from the PTI core and political committees.

    Reports also quoted sources within the PTI as saying that Bushra’s insistence on marching towards D-Chowk was what led to party’s humiliation amid strong resistance from law enforcement. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister (CM) Ali Amin Gandapur did not want to advance past Kulsoom Hospital but the former first lady kept insisting, they said.

    Speaking to a private media outlet, PTI leader Sher Afzal Marwat confirmed the claim. “The KP CM was stressed out as he did not want to proceed beyond the Kulsoom Hospital limit. He was not in favour of marching towards D-Chowk […] He even visited Bushra’s vehicle twice,” he said.

    The developments come following Tuesday night’s grand operation against PTI demonstrators in the federal capital. The crackdown prompted CM Gandapur and the former first lady to fall back and flee to KP where PTI is in power.


    Prior to the operation, the two had led a mammoth convoy to Islamabad, demanding the release of incarcerated party founder Imran Khan. Convoys led by the duo as well as other leaders of the party met with heavy resistance from law enforcement.


    With the three-day protests turning violent, multiple casualties were also reported.


    Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had on late Tuesday night addressed media to announce that the capital city had been cleared of protesters after a join operation by police and Rangers personnel.

  • Majority of federal cabinet members in favour of governor’s rule in KP: report

    Majority of federal cabinet members in favour of governor’s rule in KP: report

    Following violent clashes amid Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) protest march in Islamabad, a majority of federal cabinet members have extended their support to the proposal of imposing Governor’s Rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

    According to Article 232 of the Constitution of Pakistan, powers of the provincial chief executive can be transferred to the governor in an emergency situation, marking the imposition of Governor’s Rule under highly extreme circumstances.

    The president of Pakistan issues the notification in this regard after he is satisfied that there are certain circumstances – such as internal disturbance or war-like situation – which are not under the control of the provincial administration.

    Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan have submitted their opinions regarding the Governor’s Rule in KP, reports said Thursday.

    The government, reports added, was of the view that KP itself created grounds for Governor’s Rule by “launching two attacks on the federal government” with the “help of provincial government’s employees and official machinery”.

    The federal cabinet meeting focused solely on the imposition of Governor’s Rule, reports said and added that the final decision in this regard will be taken after consulting political allies. All stakeholders will also be taken into confidence.

    It merits a mention that government’s allies in the province include the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Awami National Party (ANP) and Qaumi Watan Party (QWP).

    Speculations regarding Governor’s Rule in KP come after PTI’s three-day long march on Islamabad, which ended with multiple casualties due to violent clashes with law enforcement.

    KP Chief Minister (CM) Ali Amin Gandapur led the march along with former first lady and PTI founder Imran Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi.

    Separately, senior PTI leader and former KP minister Shaukat Yousafzai on Thursday blasted his party leadership over mismanagement of the Islamabad march.

    He said that due to the party leadership’s blunders, the hardships of incarcerated party founder Imran Khan were mounting.

    “All the responsibility (for this) lied on the central leadership,” the PTI leader stated in a statement.

    He asked that if the PTI founder gave instruction to hold the sit-in at Sangjani, then why it was ignored. “Strategy in politics is made by looking at the situation,” he added.

  • PTI leaders question Bushra Bibi’s role in party decision-making

    PTI leaders question Bushra Bibi’s role in party decision-making

    The core committee and political committee of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday inquired about the role of party founder Imran Khan’s spouse, Bushra Bibi, in the party’s decision-making process. 

    Former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s party emphasised that decision-making authority should be in the hands of the party’s political leadership and not non-political persons, a party source told The News.

    PTI leadership raised the question of who led the protest towards D Chowk Islamabad when Imran himself had ordered that demonstrations be limited to the Sangjani area. Some members questioned why Imran Khan’s directions were ignored, asking who acted against the PTI founder chairman’s order. 

    However, party sources claimed that in both meetings, no one defended Bushra Bibi.

    Investigative journalist Ansar Abbasi revealed that CM KP Ali Amin Gandapur and Opposition Leader of the National Assembly Omer Ayub Khan conveyed Imran Khan’s message to Bushra Bibi to limit the protest march at Sangjani area; however, she remained adamant about marching towards D Chowk.

    Ansar Abbasi had claimed that following the meeting of Chairman PTI Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and KP’s Advisor of Information and Broadcasting Barrister Saif with party founder Imran Khan at Adiala Jail Rawalpindi, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi provided them with a helicopter to fly to Bushra Bibi and convince her to stop the march.

    However, two PTI leaders were a bit late as the march had already moved to the federal capital.

    On November 21, incarcerated Imran Khan had put demands before the federal government, including his release till Friday (November 22), to postpone his “final call” which the government did not agreed.

    PTI political and core committee on Wednesday condemned the alleged killing of their party demonstrators by the government. They demanded initiating the probe from within the party to identify those responsible for the decision to march to D Chowk, which led to the workers’ deaths.

    In the party meeting, it was also maintained that if the party founder’s direction had been strictly followed, there would have been a sit-in at Sangjani, and it would not only have avoided the killing of party workers but would have also led to the initiation of a formal dialogue between the Prime Minister (PM) Shahbaz Sharif’s led government and PTI.

    It should be mentioned here that following the Tuesday night grand operation against the protestors in the federal capital, multiple casualties were reported.

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leadership claimed that more than twenty party workers had died. However, the government denied such a number of casualties.