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Tag: Imran Khan

  • PM’s meeting with pro-Tareen MPs: Hit or miss?

    PM’s meeting with pro-Tareen MPs: Hit or miss?

    A group of lawmakers supporting Disgruntled Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Jahangir Tareen have met Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan and expressed their concerns regarding all action against Tareen.

    Speaking to reporters after their meeting in Islamabad, PTI MNA from Faislabad Raja Riaz said it was held in a “very cordial” atmosphere and that the premier had assured them that justice will be done “in every condition”.

    He said the prime minister had sought time to look into their concerns that Tareen was being victimised, promising that “all requirements of justice will be met”.

    The PTI group contended that PM’s advisor on Interior Shehzad Akbar was allegedly misusing the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) against Tareen and the mills of Khusro Bakhtiar and Haroon Akhtar were not made part of the investigation, reports said.

    Tareen group presented a charge sheet against Shahzad Akbar to the PM.

    Reports claimed that the prime minister directed Senator Ali Zafar to note all points raised by the Tareen group and said he himself would ensure that justice is done in Tareen’s case.

    Riaz and Nazir Chauhan told the media that prime minister had assured that justice would be done in any case and he would not allow anyone to abuse power.

    Riaz said that the premier has assured the group that he is “personally monitoring” the inquiry against Tareen and will see to it that justice is served.

    “The prime minister has asked for some time and Insha’Allah justice will be served,” the PTI leader added.

    In reply to a question, Riaz said that the group shared their reservations regarding Akbar, after which “the prime minister said he will not allow injustice to be done with anyone and that we should leave it to him and he takes responsibility”.

    Riaz clarified that the prime minister has not “acknowledged” that Akbar has meted out “unfair treatment” to Tareen, but the group has simply shared their concerns and the premier has assured them of looking into it.

    The PTI MNA claimed that the prime minister said: “You are all my allies. Even those who are opposed to me, I wish to tell them, no one will be treated unfairly and justice will be done.”

  • ‘Absolute rubbish’ – Govt reacts to ex-FIA chief’s accusations

    ‘Absolute rubbish’ – Govt reacts to ex-FIA chief’s accusations

    Federal Minister for Law and Justice Farogh Naseem and Adviser to the Prime Minister on Accountability Shahzad Akbar have denied serious allegations levelled by ex-FIA director general (DG) Bashir Memon.

    Reacting to Memon’s statement, wherein he had accused PM Imran among others of framing Justice Qazi Faez Isa and major political player, the premier’s adviser on accountability Akbar vehemently rejected the same.

    He said Memon had committed “slander” and said he had directed his lawyers to initiate legal action against the former head of the FIA.

    “Just seen absolute rubbish uttered by Bashir Memon on Shahzeb show. He was never called for any meeting with PM or myself on QFI (Qazi Faez Isa) issue, and there was no meeting with law minister and him as he claims,” he said in a tweet, “similarly he was never told to start any case against any specific individual. Only case referred to FIA was of sedition by the fed cabinet. I have instructed lawyers in personal capacity to initiate legal action for his slander.”

    Law minister Naseem said all allegations levelled by Memon were false and baseless, adding that he never spoke a word to the former DG FIA about Justice Isa. He also pinpointed that Azam Khan, Shahzad Akbar and Bashir Memon had never showed up at his office, contrary to Memon’s allegations.

    “PM Imran Khan, Azam Khan, or Shahzad Akbar never told me that they had a word about Justice Isa with Bashir Memon,” he added.

  • PM, his accountability aide accused of framing Justice Isa, Shehbaz Sharif

    PM, his accountability aide accused of framing Justice Isa, Shehbaz Sharif

    In a series of explosive revelations, former Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director General (DG) Bashir Memon has stepped forth with rather damning allegations against Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan and his team.

    According to reports, he has claimed being told by the premier’s aide on accountability, Shahzad Akbar, to frame Justice Qazi Faez Isa.

    “When we entered his [Akbar’s] room, we were told that a case was needed against Justice Isa,” reports quoted him as saying.

    Judgeship of Supreme Court’s Justice Isa is hanging in balance over a presidential reference against him for concealing assets of his family. He has challenged the verdict of the apex court on the reference, arguing he could not be held answerable for the same.

    While Memon alleged that the case against Justice Isa was a brainchild of the premier, he also claimed being mocked by PM Imran for not going after Opposition Leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif.

    “He said all he needed to do was to make a phone call to NAB [National Accountability Bureau], and the next day Shehbaz was arrested.”

    Memon also quoted Imran as saying that look at Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s ways and see how things are done there so as to avoid talks about the constitution and law.

  • VIDEO: ‘Army to make sure people wear masks… then what good are you Mr PM?’

    VIDEO: ‘Army to make sure people wear masks… then what good are you Mr PM?’

    Senior analyst Hafeezullah Niazi has trained guns at the government, especially Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan over the decision to deploy army for ensuring COVID-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) are followed.

    “Then what good are you? What good is the police force?,” he asked addressing the premier in response to a question by the host of the talk show he was appearing on.

    The host had asked Niazi if the decision to deploy the army exposed the government’s failure in dealing with anything from natural calamities to law and order situations and enforcement of COVID-19 SOPs in this case.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    It is pertinent to note that the government announced its decision to summon the army as the third wave of the pandemic continues to take toll on Pakistan.

    According to reports, the Interior Ministry has issued a notification allowing the provinces and federal territories to seek the help of the army to enforce SOPs for curbing the spread of the coronavirus.

    In a video message on Sunday, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid said according to the notification, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Kashmir and Islamabad will avail the services of the Pakistan Army for implementation of Covid-19 SOPs “as per their need”. He said Sindh had not opted to be part of the measure for now.

    He added that this was a “big decision” taken because neighbouring India was reporting 350,000 or more Covid cases on a daily basis.

  • Yasir Hussain highlights plight of ‘Ainak Wala Jinn’ cast, importance of royalties

    Yasir Hussain highlights plight of ‘Ainak Wala Jinn’ cast, importance of royalties

    Yasir Hussain has highlighted the plight of Ainak Wala Jinn cast and has requested Prime Minister Imran Khan to help them amidst the ongoing debate on royalties.

    Read more – Faysal Quraishi, Ayesha Omar give a crash course on royalties

    Sharing a photo of PM Khan with Ainak Wala Jinn’s cast, Hussain drew attention towards the financial troubles these icons have had to undergo since the 90s comedy show ended years ago. The purpose was to add onto the nationwide movement backed by showbiz personalities to be paid royalties for their work and serials that are re-run repeatedly.

    Hussain also mentioned how gruesome it has been for the cast to find suitable roles after Ainak Wala Jinn.

    “Did you know that the cast of Ainak Wala Jinn was never cast for any other drama? Some of them died of hunger while others are hardly surviving on charity,” lamented Hussain.

    The actor also reminded the PM how these actors are the sole reason why he could build all the hospitals he has so far.

    “[PM] Imran Khan, these people have supported you from the days when you placed the first brick of your hospital to the beginning of your political journey,” Hussain asserted, adding that our government needs to offer help to veteran artists and have mercy on those who have been part of our showbiz for generations.

    Read more – ‘Govt working to introduce royalty payments for artists’

    Ainak Wala Jinn was one of the biggest serials that children grew up watching on PTV for years. The show continued for four seasons with the same cast as. Be it Zakota Jinn or Bil Batori, the dialogues are still remembered till this date with many in their homes mimicking their favourite characters.

    This is not the first time that Hussain has raised his voice in support of senior artists. He was also among the first Pakistani celebrities, who spoke in support of Naila Jaffery and urged the government to help the ailing actress.

  • Prayers for India: PM Imran, cabinet ministers tweet in solidarity

    On Saturday, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan tweeted:

    “I want to express our solidarity with the people of India as they battle a dangerous wave of COVID-19. Our prayers for a speedy recovery go to all those suffering from the pandemic in our neighbourhood & the world. We must fight this global challenge confronting humanity together.”

    Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry tweeted that in these difficult times, “our prayers are with people of India”.

    Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi expressed support for the people of India in the current wave of COVID-19.

    Apart from PM Imran and cabinet ministers, Pakistanis also expressed their solidarity with India. #PakistanStandsWithIndia trended as number 1 on Twitter.

    Yesterday, Faisal Edhi wrote to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi offering help in tackling COVID-19 in India.

    According to BBC, India has recorded nearly a million infections in three days, with 346,786 new cases overnight into Saturday. [hyperlink

  • Pak Army to help implement coronavirus SOPs, announces PM Imran

    Pak Army to help implement coronavirus SOPs, announces PM Imran

    Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday announced that there will not not be a complete lockdown but in order to control the situation, people must follow SOPs. PM appealed to the nation that if they follow SOPs and wear masks regularly, Pakistan will not have to take any strict measures. PM said that despite suggestions of lockdowns in cities, he has not taken this decision as it affects the poor the most. “Be careful yourself. Otherwise we will have no other option.”

    PM said that the Pakistan Army will assist the police in imposing SOPs.

    Key decisions taken by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC):

    1. Schools in districts with positivity rates above 5% closed until Eid
    2. Markets to close at 6pm. Only shops selling essential goods to operate after 6pm
    3. Outdoor and indoor dining banned during Ramzan
    4. Indoor gyms to be closed
    5. Offices to close at 2pm daily with 50% capacity. Rest of the staff to work from home
  • ‘Satisfied with cool winds blowing from Islamabad’: Tareen

    ‘Satisfied with cool winds blowing from Islamabad’: Tareen

    Jahangir Khan Tareen said on Thursday that he has been given an assurance that Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan will meet his group soon.

    “Now that a cool wind is blowing from Islamabad, we are satisfied,” said Tareen.

    Tareen also claimed he has the support of 40 lawmakers.

    Talking to the media outside a sessions court in Lahore, Tareen said that when the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was in power, the government investigated his business and sent him notices but even the PML-N did not do to him what is being done now. “Even the PML-N did not turn a civil case to a criminal case, which has been done now.”

    Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry told anchorperson Adil Shahzeb that he does not know about any upcoming meeting between Tareen and PM Imran. “Frankly I have not talked to either of the two about this.” Chaudhry added that Tareen played an important role in the formation of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government. “Everyone acknowledged and appreciates Tareen sahab’s role.”

  • ‘Quetta blast was a suicide attack’: Sheikh Rasheed

    Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed said on Thursday that the blast at Serena Hotel in Quetta was a suicide attack. He said this was a foreign attempt to destabilise Pakistan. “Pakistan Army and the people of Pakistan will defeat such designs.” Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed the responsibility for the Quetta blast yesterday. Five people were killed and more than a dozen injured in the deadly attack.

    All law enforcement agencies are on high alert at the instructions of the Interior Ministry. Talking about the attack, Sheikh Rasheed said the suicide bomber stayed inside the car. “C4 explosives weighing between 60 to 70 kilogrammes were used in the attack”. Evidence has been sent for forensic analysis.

    The interior minister also said that social media was misused during the past few days by foreign elements who are behind efforts to destabilise Pakistan. “An estimated 250,000-300,000 social media accounts were created in India.” “These foreign forces cannot see Pakistan prosper and progress,” said the minister. 

    China strongly condemned the terrorist attack. A statement by the Chinese embassy in Pakistan said that Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Nong Rong was leading a delegation on a visit to Quetta on the same day. “When the attack occurred, the Chinese delegation was not in the hotel. Till present, no reports of casualties of Chinese citizens in the attack have been received.”

    Prime Minister Imran Khan tweeted that he is deeply saddened by the loss of innocent lives in the condemnable and cowardly terrorist attack in Quetta yesterday. “Our nation has made great sacrifices in defeating terrorism and we will not to allow this scourge to rise again. We remain alert to all internal and external threats.”

  • Here’s why the Bollywood clip was deleted from PM Khan’s Instagram

    Here’s why the Bollywood clip was deleted from PM Khan’s Instagram

    Prime Minister Imran Khan’s official Instagram account on Tuesday became very interesting after a short clip from the Bollywood movie Inquilaab was posted on it leading to a social media meltdown.

    Through the clip, PM Imran attempted to make a point about how political parties discredit their rival political parties in order to replace them.

    “It is what has been planned against the PTI govt from day one by the corrupt mafias,” read the caption on the clip, which was deleted five hours after it was posted.

    Speaking to BBC Urdu, Focal Person to the Prime Minister on Digital Media Dr Arsalan Khalid said that the clip was posted by a member of PM Khan’s social media team because the scenes “accurately reflected the current situation and the unrest of the opposition.”

    Explaining the reason behind the deletion, Dr Arsalan said that a routine quality control check — that takes place after few hours — led to the deletion of the clip.

    When asked if PM Khan personally makes these posts on social media, Dr Khalid said the premier mostly uses Twitter and that all tweets are posted by him, adding that PM Imran rarely uses Instagram and has a team to manage that.

    Released in 1984, Inquilaab featured Amitabh Bachchan, Sridevi, Utpal Dutt, Kader Khan, Ranjeet and Shakti Kapoor. The film’s official synopsis reads: “A politician helps a jobless man become a police officer and then uses him for his nefarious activities. After his wife finds out he is being used as a pawn, she tries to change his ways.”

    In the clip shared on PM Khan’s account, Kader Khan and Utpal Dutt are seen planning a sinister move against the government.

    “We have the right to form a government. In order to form a government, we need to win the elections. To win the elections, we need votes; in order to get these votes, we need people’s confidence. And how do we get the people’s confidence? We will need to take away people’s confidence from the government. Haha. And how do we do that? We will create an environment where we will make them think that this government is incompetent and inefficient. This way, the people will be forced to get rid of the government and bring another party in its place. For this we need to create chaos. We need riots, killings, dacoities in cities. We need religious disturbance, sectarian conflict, which renders government incapable of thinking and police is unable to do anything to control the crisis. When all this is happening, we will go out and take out rallies addressing crowds and present ourselves and our party as an option to control this mess.”

    Responding to this, someone in the meeting says it is an excellent idea.

    “We need money for this, which is why we have invited rich businessmen here today to raise it.”

    When someone asks if 50 lakhs will be enough, Kader Khan says that for the time being it’s enough but a politician is like a farmer and politics like a crop. If you invest millions, the return will be in billions, if billions, it can go up to trillions.”

    Everyone laughs at the end of the clip.

    Watch the clip here:

    https://youtu.be/57w1DfCObfI