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Tag: Imran Khan

  • ‘There has never been truth to foreign conspiracy’: US on Khan’s allegations

    ‘There has never been truth to foreign conspiracy’: US on Khan’s allegations

    The United States (US) has once again reiterated that there has never been any truth to former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s allegations of Washington DC orchestrating a regime change conspiracy to oust his government.

    “As we’ve previously said, there has — there is not and there has never been truth to these allegations, but I don’t have anything additional to offer,” US State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said in reply to a question during a press briefing on Wednesday.

    Patel was asked about Imran Khan’s recent interview in which he has said that he no longer “blames the US” for engineering the Vote of No-Confidence that resulted in his government’s ouster, and wants “dignified” ties with the country if he comes back to power.

    “The US values our longstanding cooperation with Pakistan and has always viewed a prosperous and democratic Pakistan as critical to US interests. That remains unchanged,” said Patel.

    “We support peaceful upholding of democratic, constitutional, and legal principles. And ultimately, we will not let propaganda, misinformation and disinformation get in the way of any bilateral relationship, including our valued bilateral partner with Pakistan.”

    Read More: ‘It is over, I want good relations especially with the US’: Khan on his removal

    Referring to the alleged conspiracy which the former Prime Minister has insisted upon since April of this year, Khan said that “it was over”, in an interview with the Financial Times.

    “As far as I’m concerned, it’s over; it’s behind me. The Pakistan I want to lead must have good relationships with everyone, especially the United States,” he said.

  • Head of team investigating attack on Imran Khan changed once again

    Head of team investigating attack on Imran Khan changed once again

    The Punjab government has again reconstituted the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) which was formed to investigate the November 3rd assassination attempt on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.

    The team’s head has also been changed after the government appointed Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Lahore Ghulam Mehmood Dogar as its head. This is the third time that the JIT has been reconstituted, while its head has been changed for the second time.

    On Tuesday, Dogar paid a visit to Khan’s residence in Lahore. According to media reports, the CCPO Lahore was appointed on Imran Khan’s suggestion.

    Punjab government has issued a notification in this regard informing the appointment of Regional Police Officer (RPO) Dera Ghazi Khan Syed Khurram as a member of the JIT, along with Assistant Inspector General of the province’s investigation branch, Ehsanullah Chauhan.

    On November 9, a committee of the Punjab cabinet decided to establish a JIT to probe the attack.

    Mohammad Naveed, the suspect arrested by police right after the firing incident, has confessed to the crime. However, his insistence that he was operating alone has not been accepted by Imran Khan and his party.

  • Responding to Khan, Shahzeb Khanzada has 11 questions

    Responding to Khan, Shahzeb Khanzada has 11 questions

    As details of the sale of Toshakhana gifts come to light, senior journalist Shahzeb Khanzada has raised 10 questions that he wants former Prime Minister Imran Khan to answer.

    After Khanzada’s sensational interview with Dubai-based businessman Umar Farooq Zahoor, who claimed to have bought the state gifts from Farah Khan, Imran Khan wrote, “Enough is enough,” and said that he would sue Geo and the journalist in Pakistan, UAE and United Kingdom.

    Shahzeb Khanzada then appeared on Geo News‘ and told Imran Khan and his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) that all stories are aired on the channel after due diligence and he was ready to accept the PTI chief’s challenge.

    Speaking over the phone with Geo News, Khanzada said, “We always run a story after complete investigation. It isn’t our responsibility to find out to whom the gifts were sold; Imran Khan’s responsibility is to tell the people.”


    The journalist asked if Khan believes that Zahoor was a “fraudster”, then why does he have the gifts? “If [Khan] did not sell the gifts to him, then whom did he sell them to?”

    Khanzada said that every time he hosts a show about PTI, he makes sure that the party’s leaders are invited, but they never accept the invite.

    “We will face the PTI chairman in any court he wants to go to,” Khanzada reiterated.

    Khanzada asked that Khan answer 11 essential questions:

    1. Why were the gifts sold via Farah Gogi for $2 million dollars?

    2. If Imran Khan did not sell them, how did they reach Umar Farooq?

    3. If the gifts were not sold to Umar Farooq Zahoor, then who were they sold?

    4. Was the money brought to Pakistan after the gifts were sold?

    5. If the money was brought to Pakistan, where is the banking transaction?

    6. If the money was not brought to Pakistan, where is this massive amount of cash?

    7. Why were the transactions shown at nearly Rs. 60 million in papers and not at Rs. 280 million?

    8. Did Imran Khan evade filing taxes on the sale or did he hide the money trail by not disclosing these transactions?

    9. In 2019, the gifts were priced at over Rs. 1 billion. Why were the gifts bought from Toshakhana by only paying slightly over Rs. 20 million?

    10. Why was the national exchequer dealt damages of more than Rs.1 billion?

    11. Why does Imran Khan choose to defend Farah Khan himself?

  • ‘Geo & Khanzada supported by Handlers slandered me’: Khan on Toshakhana gifts

    ‘Geo & Khanzada supported by Handlers slandered me’: Khan on Toshakhana gifts

    Imran Khan, Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has finally addressed the sensational revelations that came to light on Tuesday about the alleged sale of state gifts given to him when he was the Prime Minister.

    Taking to his twitter account, Imran Khan wrote, “Enough is enough,” about Geo News‘ Shahzeb Khanzada’s interview with Dubai-based businessman Umar Farooq Zahoor. The millionaire revealed on the show that he had purchased the watch and other items gifted by Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman to Imran Khan.

    “Yesterday Geo & Khanzada supported by Handlers slandered me through a baseless story cooked up by a known fraudster & internationally wanted criminal. I have spoken to my lawyers & I plan to sue Geo, Khanzada & the fraudster not only in Pak but also in UK & UAE [sic],” tweeted Khan.

    Zahoor claimed in the Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’, that the PTI government had sold the expensive Graff wristwatch for $2 million in cash, worth approximately Rs280m at the time of sale in 2019.

    Zahoor claimed that he had bought the watch through former accoun­ta­bility minister Shahzad Akbar and Farah Khan, a close aide of Imran’s wife Bushra Bibi.

    The Dubai-based businessman also claimed that Farah wanted to sell the watch for $4-5 million “but after negotiations, I purchased it for $2 million”. The payment, he added, was made in cash on Farah’s insistence.

    The claims evoked outcry from PTI leaders, including Akbar, who denied Zahoor’s allegations.

    In a press conference alongside PTI leader Zulfi Bukhari, PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry said the party has decided to initiate legal proceedings against Zahoor as his claims were baseless.

    “In 2018, the Saudi crown prince gifted a watch to Imran Khan and the controversy over the watch’s price has been going on for a while now,” the former federal minister said.

    Chaudhry said the watch was priced at Rs100 million, and in line with the law regulating Toshakhana, Khan sold it for more than Rs50 million in the market and filed capital gain tax on it.

    Divulging the details of Toshakahana’s procedures for purchase, the PTI leader said when the gifts given to state officials arrive in Pakistan, they are deposited into Toshakhana.

    “The law states that 20% of the gift’s value should be deposited in the national exchequer. We amended the law and made it 50%,” he said.

    Defending the former prime minister, Chaudhry said the gift items were not sold to the Dubai-based businessman and Bushra Bibi’s friend had no role in their sale.

    “The watch was not sold to anyone named Umar Zahoor. The watch was not handed over to Farah for sale and she has no role in it,” he said, as he levelled allegations against the millionaire.

  • Khan agrees that PM Shehbaz can appoint constitutionally but has reservations morally

    Khan agrees that PM Shehbaz can appoint constitutionally but has reservations morally

    Imran Khan, the Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has acknowledged that Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has the constitutional right to appoint the army chief but questioned if he can “morally” appoint the right person.

    Alleging that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was working on an agenda against the PTI, the former Prime Minister said, “Not only is it close to the Pakistan Muslim Leauge-Nawaz (PML-N) but also the handlers. Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja passed decisions against us eight times and all of them were rejected by the judiciary.”

    Addressing his party’s Long March via video link, Imran Khan said about the CEC, “How could he pass judgments on us when he has been repeatedly giving decisions against us.”

    Khan, once again, called on the Chief Justice of Pakistan, saying that the nation was looking to him for justice in “three landmark cases”: Arshad Sharif’s murder, Azam Swati’s custodial torture, and the Wazirabad FIR issue.

    “CJP, we are looking towards you because we don’t have
    hope from anywhere else,” he said, adding that it was high time the courts became assertive and stood with the people of Pakistan.

  • Nawaz Sharif returning soon?

    Nawaz Sharif returning soon?

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif—who is currently in London— reportedly wants to come back to Pakistan soon as his return date is being discussed within trusted circles, reports Samaa News.

    According to the media outlet, Nawaz said that the public in Pakistan is facing financial problems, not political ones. About the general elections, he was of the view that they will be held at the designated time.

    Moreover, he claimed that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s long march has failed. Sharif said that his party [PML-N] is against the politics of revenge and hatred.

    Last week, Nawaz was visited by his brother Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif in Britain and conducted several meetings with him. It was widely reported that the two brothers were holding consultations on who should be the next head of the armed forces.

    The PML-N supremo was granted an eight-week bail on medical grounds in October 2019, and, he was allowed to travel to London for treatment for four weeks. However, Nawaz has not returned since then.

  • PTI submits petition to Supreme Court to look into attack on Imran Khan

    PTI submits petition to Supreme Court to look into attack on Imran Khan

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has on Monday approached five registries of the Supreme Court (SC) in different cities across the country to seek the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the assassination attack on PTI chief Imran Khan in Wazirabad, the secret recording of PTI Senator Azam Swati and his wife and the killing of senior journalist Arshad Sharif in Kenya.

    In the plea filed in the Lahore registry, former Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar is the applicant.

    The petition about the assassination attempt on Imran Khan maintains that following the incident, another “grave injustice” continues to fester as the police have “refused to register the FIR according to the request submitted by the complainant”.

    After the former Prime Minister was shot at during his party’s Long March, an First Information Report (FIR) was not registered. Imran Khan had nominated PM Shehbaz Sharif, Federal Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah and Major-General Faisal Naseer as the conspirators behind the firing incident. However, later, on the SC’s orders, an FIR was registered by the Punjab police on November 8. PTI rejected the report as it did not contain the names of the people whom Khan wanted to nominate.

    The petition also sought the formation of a judicial commission into the “illegal private video recording” of Senator Azam Swati and his wife which was allegedly recorded while they were staying at an official rest house in Quetta.

    Additionally, the party has also raised the matter of slain journalist Sharif’s murder with the court. The petition said it is crucial that an independent commission inquires about the circumstance that compelled Sharif to flee the country and eventually end up in Kenya.

    In a press conference after submitting the petition to the SC’s Lahore Registry, PTI Vice President Shah Mahmood Qureshi also made an announcement regarding the petitions.

    He hoped that the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), Umar Ata Bandial, would consider his party’s pleas.

    In Karachi, PTI leaders Ali Zaidi and Imran Ismail along with other party members reached the SC registry to file the petition. Meanwhile, former National Assembly deputy speaker Qasim Suri and others moved the plea in Quetta.

    Earlier, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif had also written letters to the CJ to form judicial commissions on two issues — the attack on Khan and Arshad Sharif’s murder.

  • ‘It is over, I want good relations especially with the US’: Khan on his removal

    ‘It is over, I want good relations especially with the US’: Khan on his removal

    Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, has said that he no longer “blames the United States (US)” for engineering the Vote of No Confidence that resulted in his government’s ouster, and wants “dignified” ties with the country if he comes back to power.

    Referring to the alleged conspiracy which the former Prime Minister has insisted upon since April of this year, Khan said that “it was over”, in an interview with the Financial Times.

    “As far as I’m concerned, it’s over; it’s behind me. The Pakistan I want to lead must have good relationships with everyone, especially the United States,” he said.

    “Our relationship with the US has been as of a master-servant relationship, or a master-slave relationship, and we’ve been used like a hired gun. But for that I blame my own governments more than the US,” the former premier added.

    The former prime minister also termed his visit to Moscow on the eve of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia as “embarrassing”. He, however, added that trip was organised months in advance.

    About the role of the military, he said the army could play a “constructive role” in his future plans for Pakistan.

    The former premier asserted that there should “be a balance” in civil-military ties as “you cannot have an elected government which has responsibility given by the people, while the authority lies somewhere else”.

  • Imran Khan’s security increased after assassination attempt

    Imran Khan’s security increased after assassination attempt

    Former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s security has been increased after an assassination attempt last week in Wazirabad.

    During the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) long march, Khan was shot at leaving the party chairman and other leaders injured, while one bystander lost his life.

    As part of increased security arrangements, concrete blocks have been placed around Khan’s Zaman Park residence, reports Dawn.

    Police check-posts have also been set up at the entry and exit points of Zaman Park and a record of visitors to the locality is also being maintained by the Punjab government.

    A special contingent of commandos from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) also reached Zaman Park on Friday to take charge of his security, while the number of local police personnel has been increased with the inclusion of policewomen, to frisk the women visitors coming to inquire after the PTI chairman.

  • All eyes on the COAS appointment as Gen Bajwa and President Alvi arrive in Lahore

    All eyes on the COAS appointment as Gen Bajwa and President Alvi arrive in Lahore

    President Dr Arif Alvi and Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa were in Lahore on Friday night as speculations ran rife on who will be appointed the new army chief. It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman is also in Lahore, recuperating from surgeries at his home in Zaman Park.

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif will soon return from London after consulting his elder brother and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz supremo Nawaz Sharif on the political quagmire in the country and the appointment of a new army chief.

    According to news reports, President Alvi has emerged as the leading figure in the army’s ongoing “backchannel talks” with PTI. He has already facilitated at least one direct meeting between Gen Bajwa and Khan at the Presidency.

    In an interview on Geo News’ programme “Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath”, PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira — whose party also holds an important position in the ruling alliance — said merit would determine who becomes the next army chief.

    “The [government] will appoint the next army chief from among the top-five senior generals,” Kaira said and mentioned that PM Shehbaz would return to Pakistan and deliberate over the matter with members of the government and PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

    Lashing out at Khan, Kaira said the person against whom Khan had reservations was the same man with whom he spent four years in power.

    Earlier this week, PM Shehbaz and Nawaz Sharif agreed not to succumb to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) pressure, especially on Khan’s key demand for early elections.

    The Premier had a meeting that lasted for over three hours with his elder brother. Reportedly, Nawaz told Shehbaz to “continue doing his best to take Pakistan out of the economic crisis” and “not succumb to any kind of pressure”.

    Meanwhile, Khan has also reiterated his stance on appointing the army chief on “merit” and criticised PM Shehbaz for consulting Nawaz on this all-important appointment.

    During an address to participants of his party’s long march in Gujrat via video link, Khan said: “Whoever fits the merit, should be appointed the army chief.”

    “Nawaz Sharif always brings up the man who is beneficial for him,” Khan said referring to the appointment’s decision. The statement was in stark contrast to Khan’s stance of just a day earlier, as reported by Dawn, when he told journalists that, “They [government] can appoint whoever they want.”