The Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan — who was contesting from seven constituencies — won the by-elections in six of eight National Assembly (NA) seats across Pakistan on Sunday.
The PTI chief won seats in Peshawar, Mardan, Charsadda, Faisalabad, and Nankana Sahib after beating the ruling coalition’s candidates, but faced defeat at the hands of Pakistan Poeple’s Party’s (PPP) Abdul Hakeem Baloch and Musa Ali Gillani. PPP managed to clinch two — NA-157 Multan and NA-237 Karachi — which were bagged by the PTI in the 2018 general elections.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM-P) and the Awami National Party (ANP), could not manage to grab any NA seat.
Details of National Assembly seats
The constituencies where polling took place included NA-22 Mardan-III, NA-24 Charsadda-II, NA-31 Peshawar-V, NA-108 Faisalabad-VIII, NA-118 Nankana Sahib-II, NA 157 Multan-IV, NA-237 Malir-II, NA-239 Korangi, Karachi-I.
NA-22 Mardan-III:
Imran Khan bagged 76,681 votes while the JUI-F’s nominee Muhammad Qasim got 68,181 votes, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said, adding that the voter turnout was 32.9per cent in Mardan.
NA-24 Charsadda-II
The PTI chief got a total of 78589 votes against Awami National Party (ANP) Aimal Wali Khan’s 68,356 votes. Khan won the contest by 10,233 votes.
NA-31 Peshawar-V
Khan bagged 57,824 to defeat his rival in Peshawar’s NA-31 by-election, according to unofficial results, with ANP’s Haji Ghulam Ahmad Bilour securing 32,253 votes — allowing the PTI chairman to win by more than 25,000 votes. In Peshawar, the turnout was recorded at 20.28 per cent.
NA-108 Faisalabad-VIII
In Faisalabad (NA-108), Imran Khan won after securing 99,841 votes against PML-N leader Abid Sher Ali, who got 75,266 votes.
NA-118 Nankana Sahib-II
Khan also won Nankana Sahib (NA-118 ) after getting 90,180 votes against PML-N nominee Shezra Mansab Ali Khan Kharal, who got 78,024 votes.
NA-239 Korangi, Karachi-I
The PTI chief also won Karachi’s NA-239 by-polls with 50,014 votes, according to unofficial results, as the party retained the seat in Korangi. Khan defeated MQM-P’s Nayyar Raza in an easy contest.
NA-237 Malir-II
In Karachi, PPP won the Malir constituency (NA-237), with its candidate Abdul Hakim Baloch securing 32,567 against Imran Khan’s 22,493.
NA 157 Multan-IV
In Multan (NA-157), former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani’s son Ali Musa Gillani managed to defeat Meher Bano, daughter of former foreign minister and PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi, and grabbed the seat for the PPP with a wide margin. Musa Gillani secured 107,327 votes while Meher Bano Qureshi got 82,141. This was the only NA seat where Imran Khan did not contest the by-poll.
Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif Thursday called out Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, terming him the “biggest fraudster”.
“I can swear to God he [Khan] is a fraudster and has tried to create rifts in important institutions of Pakistan,” he said while addressing a press conference.
“I’m finally saying this today that the entire Opposition has been vindicated by God. And Imran Khan — who lies day and night — is a fraudster […] he had isolated the nation and played with it. He attacked the army and tried to create divisions,” the Premier said, mincing no words.
Shehbaz stated that the government wanted to show Imran’s “true face” to the nation. “The decision will be taken by you through the vote,” he reminded the public.
Recalling the no-confidence motion
Narrating the incidents that happened during the time of the no-confidence motion back in April, the premier said, “Let’s go back to April 3 when voting was to be held on the no-confidence motion and everybody knows the incidents that took place on that day. But I just want to narrate what exactly happened on that day.”
“I just want to tell you what happened that day. Before the voting [of the no-trust vote], the information minister at that time (Fawad Chaudhry) stood up and read a statement saying that a conspiracy was devised against the government […] its links were with a foreign power and the Opposition has brought about this motion.”
“On this, Suri sahab refused to allow the voting process to take place without even taking the Opposition into confidence,” PM Shehbaz went on to say, adding that the “hues and cries of the Opposition were ignored.”
Within no time, Imran came on television and announced the dissolution of National Assembly (NA). “Twenty minutes later, the president approved the summary.”
This was the basis of the conspiracy that Imran has been playing along with for the past five months and wasting the nation’s time, PM Shehbaz said. “Due to this game, Pakistan’s relations with the biggest powers of the world have been compromised,” he insisted.
He recalled that “baseless allegations” were levelled at several government leaders during this time. “You can say whatever you want, but calling someone a traitor […] there is no bigger conspiracy than it.
“On the floor of the NA, I said that if God forbid this conspiracy was proved against me or the coalition, then the nation has the right to hang me.”
Taking a jibe at President Dr Arif Alvi, the premier said that the president who takes days and weeks to approve summaries, including the one regarding the appointment of governor Punjab, passed the summary regarding the dissolution of assemblies within 20 minutes.
‘Cipher can’t be decoded’
The premier said that the cipher — which Imran claims contains details of a foreign conspiracy to oust him from power — can’t be decoded by the government.
“If it is, then all the cables from all embassies can be leaked or stolen,” he reasoned.
“Imran himself doesn’t know where it is.But his audio leaks have proven that there were four people behind the so-called conspiracy. What other evidence do you need,” he demanded.
The PM also revealed that the cabinet had decided to probe the audio leaks, adding that an investigation into the matter had already begun. “We will tell the nation [the findings] with complete transparency.”
Audio leaks have revealed Khan’s truth
Referring to the recent audio leaks, the premier said, “He can be heard saying that this is a game […] they can be heard saying that minutes of the meeting should be made up according to their wish.
“The country’s honour was sabotaged in such a manner that no such example is found in history […] this is nothing less than treason,” Shehbaz said, claiming that Imran played a “serious game with the country”.
“Tell me, is there any doubt after this that who was behind the conspiracy,” he asked.
Shehbaz said that two days after the PMO audio leaks, an ambassador from a friendly country came to meet him at the Prime Minister’s Office. “I had a discussion with him after which he highlighted that now no one would feel safe talking at the PMO.”
This, he continued, was not just a huge loss for the government but a loss that the nation would have to bear for decades to come.
Khan tried to divide the armed forces of Pakistan
PM Shehbaz also alleged that Khan tried to divide the armed forces of Pakistan.
“The army has rendered great and unparalleled sacrifices,” he said.
Indirectly referring to a business deal worth £190 million, the premier termed it the “biggest robbery in the history of the country”.
“A million pounds means around Rs5 billion have been robbed,” he added.
‘Army chief’s appointment as per Constitution’
The prime minister asserted that the appointment of the next army chief in November,will be done as per the Constitution.
“It [the appointment] has a process in the law and Constitution and the decision will be taken according to that.”
Country will be destroyed if Khan comes to power again
PM Shehbaz warned that if Khan once again comes into power, the “country will be destroyed”. The premier further added that the PTI chief has time and again defamed Pakistan.
“Is telling lies, committing frauds, and hatching conspiracies his [Khan’s] patriotism and leadership?” he asked, adding that a person who says he is perfect dies his own death.
“I am a sinner but I will never lie to the nation,” he said, adding that if he lies, the nation can hold him accountable.
‘Mian he will bring prosperity along with him’
Shedding light on Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif’s return, he said: “When Mian will come, he will bring prosperity along with him.”
After former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan was ousted through a no-confidence motion, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Members of National Assembly (MNAs) tendered their resignations together.
Months have passed but the party’s MNAs still have not evacuated the residences given to them by the government at the parliamentary lodges. It has been reported that not even one MNA has vacated the place.
Including the lodges, 42 side rooms are also in use by the MNAs.
When the magistrate was informed, he expressed disappointment and contacted the court in this matter.
Additionally, 29 PTI members were still enjoying privileges as Members of the Punjab Assembly (MPAs) despite tendering their resignations, reported Dawn earlier in the month.
According to the news outlet, salaries are being transferred to PTI members’ accounts as their resignations have not yet been formally accepted. Therefore, members are still enjoying the perks.
Former National Assembly (NA) Deputy Speaker and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Qasim Suri shared a fake screenshot of CNN covering PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s rally in Haripur on Wednesday.
“PTI Power Show in Haripur, Massive Crowed,” read the caption shared in the fake CNN screenshot shared by Suri.
Soon after Suri tweeted the fake CNN screenshot with the caption, “Hunnh aaraam aye?” (Are you satisfied now?), several people pointed out that it was fake.
CNN journalist Sophia Saifi also replied to Suri’s tweet.
Suri deleted his tweet after being called out for posting a fake screenshot with wrong spellings of ‘crowd’.
However, Twitterati did not spare him and soon “crowed” started trending on Twitter.
Heard huge CROWED accompanied Khan sb to the court. Is that right?
This is not the first time that a PTI leader shared a fake screenshot.
In April, PTI leader Ali Muhammad Khan went overboard as he shared a photo from the United States (US) National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), claiming that it was from the party’s rally.
The picture shared by the PTI leader actually shows the lights in the Iberian Peninsula, which falls in Spain and Portugal.
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari was the most vocal lawmaker during the fourth year of the current National Assembly before the change in government, with a talk time of one hour and 59 minutes , according to PILDAT.
PML-N leader Shehbaz Sharif came in second and spoke for one hour and 57 minutes, followed by PML-N’s Khawaja Mohammad Asif who spoke for one hour and 27 minutes.
During this period in the House of 342 members, 174 (50.88 per cent MNAs) did not speak for a single minute in the Assembly. Out of these 174 non-vocal MNAs, 149 were male and 25 were women MNAs. 84 of these MNAs (22 per cent of the House) belong to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), 48 MNAs are of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and 23 are affiliated with the PPP.
PILDAT’s comparative analysis looked at the three years and eight months’ period of the National Assembly under former prime minister Imran Khan and also looks how the PTI tenure under Imran Khan as prime minister was different from the same period in the 14th National Assembly.
— احمد بلال محبوبAhmedBilalMehboob (@ABMPildat) August 22, 2022
Legislative activity witnessed a decrease of 8 per cent in the fourth year of the 15th National Assembly as it passed 55 laws compared to 60 bills passed during the third year of the Assembly. 30 bills were passed during the second year while only 10 bills were passed in the first year.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan is set to create a record in the country’s history by contesting the by-elections from nine National Assembly (NA) constituencies.
Imran Khan will run from Mardan, Charsadda, Peshawar, Kurram, Faisalabad, Nankana, Malir, Korangi, and Karachi South constituencies, i.e. NA-22, NA-24, NA-31, NA-45, NA-108, NA-118, NA-237, NA-239, and NA-246.
Khan will file his nomination papers today (Saturday) for the three constituencies from Karachi.
Speaking at a press conference, PTI leader Ali Zaidi said, “The by-elections will once again prove the love of Karachi and its people for Imran Khan.”
“The PTI will launch an aggressive election campaign and we are very much hopeful that Khan sahib would also visit Karachi very soon,” he added.
These nine seats were declared vacant after NA Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf accepted the resignations of PTI MNAs.
By-elections in nine constituencies will take place on September 25.
Imran Khan to contest by-elections on 9 vacant NA seats
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan will be contesting by-elections on all nine National Assembly (NA) constituencies that had fallen vacant after NA Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf accepted 11 resignations of PTI members under Article 64(1) of the Constitution of Pakistan.
The announcement that Khan will contest from all nine constituencies was made on PTI’s official Twitter account.
During the 2018 general elections, the PTI chairman contested elections from five constituencies and won all of them.
Election schedule for nine vacant National Assembly seats announced
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on August 5, announced that it will be holding by-elections in nine constituencies of the NA on September 25.
According to the ECP notification, the elections are to be held in NA-22 Mardan -III, NA-24 Charsadda-II, NA-31 Peshawar-V, NA-45 Kurram-I, NA 108 Faisalabad- VIII, NA-118 Nanakana Sahib-II, NA-237 Malir-II, NA-239 Korangi Karachi-I, NA-246 Karachi South-I.
After Imran Khan was ousted through a vote of no-confidence, 123 PTI lawmakers resigned en masse from the National Assembly.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice President Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s daughter Meher Bano Qureshi is contesting the upcoming by-polls for a National Assembly (NA) seat vacated by her brother Zain Qureshi.
She will contest the election from NA-157, Multan. Addressing a press conference, Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that they had filed nomination papers after the approval of PTI Chairman Imran Khan.
“Meher Bano has a sense of the next generation. If we want to get our country out of this difficult situation, then mothers and daughters have to play a role because a mother has more sense of what will be the future of her child.”
Meher Bano said that she has been working with the social media team of PTI since 2018.
“My father has chosen me to keep Imran Khan’s narrative alive, contrary to tradition.”
However, in Multan, PTI workers came to protest against their own party’s candidate, Meher Bano Qureshi, outside the Election Commission office and raised slogans of disapproval for dynastic politics. They argued that Mahmood couldn’t find anyone within the party for the candidacy.
“First Mahmood gave a party ticket to his son, now her to his daughter,” they complained.
A local PTI member, Engineer Waseem, who was also a part of the protest, said that if the party does not give him a ticket, then he would contest the election as an independent candidate.
ملتان,پی ٹی آئی کارکن انجینئر وسیم کا ساتھیوں کے ہمراہ وائس چیئرمین شاہ محمود قریشی کے خلاف احتجاج
ملتان,این اے 157 میں شاہ محمود قریشی اپنی بیٹی مہر بانو قریشی کو امیدوار کھڑا کر کے موروثی سیاست کو فروغ دے رہے ہیں, انجینئر وسیم pic.twitter.com/Kb2nq3ido4
People on social media are expressing their disappointment over PTI continuing with the tradition of dynastic politics.
Father Shah Mehmood Qureshi already in NA and brother Zain first in NA (now PA) certainly @PTIofficial is proving to be no different from parties @ImranKhanPTI accuse of dynasty politics https://t.co/JVE3OcMxtm
They say that Imran Khan is against hereditary politics, on the other hand, after Shah Mahmood Qureshi's son was made MPA, now his daughter was given a party ticket. Wow!#PTI
This should be Stop PTI is doing the same as PPP&PMLN I was against them and also this one. Tickets should be given to PTI Worker who worked for years rather than Shah Mahmood Qureshi Family. Shah Mahmood is destroying the stance of PTI on Dynasty Politics. pic.twitter.com/eZUl5WvK6O
One thing not related to the topic but I must mention it . The ticket of National Assembly given to the daughter of Shah Mahmood Qureshi daughter is pure nepotism and a example of family dynastic politics which IK has been a strong critic
Reacting to the backlash, Meher Bano tweeted: “I have come across so many spreading fake news, doctored images and posters and attributing false statements to me. I wonder if it would have been different had I been a man. Anyhow, happy to work hard and prove myself.”
Since announcing my candidacy for by-election in #NA157, I have come across so many spreading fakes news, doctored images and posters and attributing false statements to me. I wonder if it would have been different had I been a man.Anyhow, happy to work hard & prove myself✌️
Shah Mahmood’s son Zain Qureshi won PP-217 in the Punjab by-polls held on July 17. After becoming a member of the Punjab Assembly, he vacated his NA seat. His sister will now contest the election for the NA seat vacated by him.
PTI Chairman Imran Khan himself has condemned and attacked the Pakistan Muslim-League (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) for dynastic politics on multiple occasions.
Shameful how the feudal mindset of dynastic-controlled political parties allows their ldrs 2 usurp public property for its personal needs.
PTI Chairman Imran Khan sharing interesting facts on how his coalition party in Punjab “PMLQ” that also has successfully brought its CM with mere 10 MPAs in the Punjab Assembly has seen the downfall because of their dynastic politics.
National Assembly (NA) Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf accepted 11 resignations of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) members under Article 64(1) of the Constitution of Pakistan.
The announcement was made on the official Twitter handle of the National Assembly on Thursday.
اسپیکر قومی اسمبلی @RPAPPP نے پی ٹی آئی کے 11 مستعفی ممبران قومی اسمبلی کے استعفے قبول کر لیے۔
قومی اسمبلی سیکرٹریٹ کی جانب سے استعفوں کے نوٹیفیکیشن جاری۔
اسپیکر قومی اسمبلی نے استعفے آئین پاکستان کی آرٹیکل 64 کی شق (1) کے تحت تفویص اختیارات کو بروئے کار لاتے ہوئے منظور کیے۔ https://t.co/oOOxPuqyyb
— National Assembly 🇵🇰 (@NAofPakistan) July 28, 2022
The PTI leaders had tendered their resignations together after former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government was ousted through a no-confidence motion.
According to the notification, the NA speaker has accepted the resignations of the following PTI members:
1. Ali Muhammad Khan — NA-11, Mardan-III
2. Fazal Muhammad Khan — NA-24, Charsadda-II
3. Shaukat Ali — NA-31, Peshawar-V
4. Fakhar Zaman Khan — NA-45, Kurram-I
5. Farrukh Habib — NA-108, Faisalabad-VIII
6.Ijaz Ahmad Shah — NA-118, Nankana Sahib-II
7. Jamil Ahmed Khan — NA-237, Malir-II
8. Muhammad Akram Cheema — NA-239, Korangi Karachi-I
9. Abdul Shakoor Shad — NA-246, Karachi South-I
10. Shireen Mehrunnisa Mazari — Reserved Seat for Women (Punjab)
11. Shandana Gulzar Khan — Reserved Seat for Women (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa)
Official documents revealed that several members of Pakistan Tehreek-e-federal Insaf’s cabinet enjoyed gains in their fortunes during their term in parliament and as ministers, despite being elected on pledges of fighting corruption.
According toSAMAA TV, Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad, Omar Ayub Khan, Azam Khan Swati, Khusro Bakhtiar, Faisal Vawda, Shafqat Mehmood, Fehmida Mirza, Zubaida Jalal, Mahboob Sultan, and Tariq Cheema are among the listed former ministers.
Since select ministers received notices to explain their excessive wealth, the majority blamed weak wealth and asset declaration regulations, which did not contribute to increases in the valuation of assets overtime or the amalgamation of entities.
An inquiry into assets spontaneously declared before the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and Pakistan’s tax authorities — primarily the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) — by cabinet members who worked under former Prime Minister Imran Khan disclosed that plenty of of them saw a tremendous upsurge in their riches, with growth proportions primarily in the triple digits.
As per the official record, the ECP sent notices to at least six former ministers while they were still in government in 2019 and 2020, requesting them to clarify their wealth-related issues.
From 2014 to 2019, former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who has been a staple of the parliament for more than a decade and served twice in the federal cabinet in two different governments, had a 241 per cent growth in his wealth.
He and his wife held assets worth only Rs72.5 million in 2014, according to asset declarations he submitted to the ECP and the FBR. In the following three years, his assets nearly quadrupled, reaching Rs278.3 million, a 283.86 per cent increase over his wealth in 2014. Qureshi’s fortune dropped dramatically to Rs184.2 million in 2018, the year he returned to the Treasury benches, albeit with a new party, the PTI. However, while in power, it soon increased to Rs247.1 million in 2019, a rise of 240.82 per cent since 2014.
When questioned, Qureshi recounted how the worth of his assets had evolved over the years.
“The reason for the increase in assets was that during 2015-16, my wife received her share from the sale of property situated in Lahore, which had been gifted by her mother, and shares from sale proceeds of inherited property worth Rs169.6 million and Rs22.6 million,” he claimed. In October 2017, duplicates of sale deeds were handed to the ECP, according to the former minister.
“The ECP raised this observation too,” he said regarding the increase in his wealth, adding, “I and my dependent family members are all filers with the FBR”.
Sheikh Rashid, the former interior minister, watched his fortune increase by nearly 278.68 per cent between 2014 and 2019.
The financial disclosures for 2014 revealed that he only had Rs39.4 million in assets. Earnings climbed by Rs0.4 million to Rs39.8 million. His holdings steadily expanded over the next two years, reaching Rs44.7 million in 2016 and Rs46.7 million in 2017.
Conversely, in 2018, the time he was elected to power, his assets boosted by Rs100 million to Rs149.2 million. In 2019, there was no movement in reported assets. After inquired why his assets had suddenly changed, Rashid said that the discrepancy was due to an advance payment he had obtained for reselling a portion of land in 2018.
“I received Rs100 million as advance after making a deal of land to be sold last year, [2021],” he said, adding, “There is no such increase in my assets”. The former interior minister stated that the rise in his declarations submitted with the FBR and the ECP had been properly disclosed.
Between 2014 and 2019, the fortune of former federal minister of water Omar Ayub and his wife jumped by 203 per cent.
As per Ayub’s filings to the ECP and FBR in 2014, he and his wife held assets worth Rs461.8 million. This comprised Rs132 million in assets held by his wife and Rs329 million in assets owned by the minister. This value had risen to Rs1.4 billion by 2019. Surprisingly, while his wife’s holdings increased slightly to Rs201 million, Ayub’s assets increased to Rs1.2 billion. Each has debts worth only Rs26.3 million, according to the disclosures.
As a result, the ECP expressed concerns about Ayub’s and his family’s unexpected surge in wealth.
“It was explained to the ECP in 2019 that it [increase in wealth] is because of group formation having no cash involvement,” Ayub said, confirming that the top poll body had issued him a notice on this subject. Ayub claimed that he owned shares in Nova Synpac Ltd. and NovaGene Pharmaceuticals Ltd., which increased in value by approximately Rs1.071 billion.
“My assets have decreased (excluding this group formation) since I took an oath as a minister because I resigned from my group,” he claimed, adding that the increase was due to the consolidation of all of his businesses under the group.
“This cannot be reflected in a declaration, which is always a reflection of statements submitted to the FBR and there cannot be any difference [between them] otherwise it would have been challenged there,” he explained.
Azam Swati, the former federal railways minister, saw his fortune grow by 202 per cent from Rs823.2 million in 2015 to about Rs2.04 billion in 2019. He reported that his liabilities increased from Rs417 million in 2015 to Rs811 million in 2019.
“[Your] figures are wrong due to incomplete information being furnished before ECP by members and cabinet members owing to faulty legal requirements mentioned in ECP Act 2017,” he explained.
He further said that his situation was slightly unusual. “In Pakistan, I have no income and no business.” I am confident that our FBR wealth statement [filed] will be compared to ECP in 2019 [asset declarations],” he remarked, worried that the statistics may contain a few errors.
“ECP has no efficiency and capability to audit assets and liabilities,” he disclosed, adding, “We were making mistakes filing combined [wife and husband together]”.
“Now we have corrected the mistake and filed separately because the wife is not dependent,” Swati told SAMAA TV.
Khusro Bakhtiar, the former federal commerce minister, saw his fortune rise by 127.8% from Rs109.3 million in 2013 to Rs249 million in 2019. In 2014, he had assets of Rs130 million, which more than doubled to Rs278 million in 2015, shrank to just Rs196 million in 2016, and then surged again in the next three years.
“Increase in assets were mainly comprised of [various] sources during the year 2014 to 2019,” he told SAMAA TV, detailing that these sources included savings from agricultural income, proceeds from the sale of land worth Rs40 million, other sources which contributed Rs20 million.
Bakhtiar also claimed that he actually paid Rs27.5 million in agricultural taxes from 2017 to 2020, and that he owed Rs60 million in 2016.
Former federal minister for education Shafqat Mahmood and his family had a 308 per cent growth in asset valuation between 2013 and 2019, making them one of the most successful federal ministers in terms of percentage increases. According to Mehmood’s filings, his and his family’s assets were valued at just Rs37 million in 2013, but had grown to Rs151 million by 2019.
“My assets have not changed since 2013 onwards,” Mehmood asserted, explaining “The change that you see is the cost re-evaluation from purchase price to market price”. The ex-minister further said that he has 360 kanals of hereditary land, a few more plots, and automobiles that he never assessed.
“There will, of course, be some variation regarding bank accounts. There will also be a slight difference in detail offered to FBR and ECP with regards to bank accounts,” he maintained. He went on to say that in his previous disclosure, he had combined the amounts in all of his bank accounts to present a single total.
“My wife is a distinct taxpayer because she works, but I have included her assets as well”, he explained.
Fehmida Mirza, the former federal minister for interprovincial coordination, had a similar scenario, with her net worth rising from Rs65 million in 2013 to Rs164 million in 2019.
“I did not see any rise in my assets and wealth at all,” she told SAMAA TV. She did, although, reveal that she had sold some property in Pakistan in order to purchase a home in the United Kingdom.
“This new increase in my assets has already been declared with the FBR and the ECP,” she stated.
Contrary to the PTI’s cabinet’s millionaire members, one of the “weakest” members of the federal cabinet, former federal minister Zubaida Jalal and her husband, had a 1,189 per cent growth in their fortune in a short period of time. Their riches increased from Rs9 million to Rs116 million in 2019.
Jalal, on the other hand, described the quick spike in wealth as the outcome of changes in declaration requirements.
“There is no big difference in my assets’ declaration” she asserted while speaking to SAMAA TV. The value of immovable assets was not mentioned in data provided in past elections, she said, noting that the ECP declaration requirements changed over time.
“[We are] required to mention values of assets in the asset declaration for this time,” she stated. She explained that the variations in asset values were attributable to market forces working on enterprises.
“Ups and downs will keep happening [in mining operations and business],” she said, as she reminded that her husband owns the National Coal Mining Company since the 1960s.
Former state minister Mahboob Sultan was one among the ministers who saw only double-digit asset growth. Only 81 per cent of his assets increased from Rs126 million in 2018 to Rs227.2 million in 2019. It’s worth noting, however, that his growth of nearly Rs100 million occurred while he was in the cabinet of ministers.
Tariq Cheema, the former federal minister for housing and infrastructure, showed the smallest growth in his wealth, going from Rs73 million in 2014 to Rs112 million in 2019. He did not, however, assess the value of his inherited assets and report them to the electoral or tax authorities.
Former federal minister Faisal Vawda and his family witnessed their fortune increase by 25 per cent from Rs507 million in 2017 to Rs630 million in 2019. He was among the most controversial cabinet ministers who were eventually dismissed by the ECP.
Despite multiple requests from SAMAA TV, neither Sultan, Cheema, Vawda, nor an ECP official have commented on inquiries regarding their wealth.
Foreign Minister (FM) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Thursday revealed that the night before the no-confidence motion, a message was sent to him to agree on early elections, otherwise martial law would be imposed.
“A day before no-confidence, I was threatened by the previous government to agree to hold immediate elections or martial law can be imposed,” said Bilawal in the National Assembly session, adding that the threat was sent through a former minister.
"جمہوری طریقے سے عدم اعتماد کا مقابلہ کرنے کے بجائے سابق وزیراعظم نے بھاگتے بھاگتے آئین توڑا کر جمہوریت پر جو حملہ کیا وہ عوام کے سامنے ہے۔” چیئرمین پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی اور وزیر خارجہ بلاول بھٹو زرداری@BBhuttoZardari 1/3 pic.twitter.com/QwNBwS3T7c
“جو شخص 30 سال سے کرپشن اور احتساب کی رٹ لگا رہا تھا، وہ 4 سال کے اقتدار میں ایک چور کو سزا نہیں دلوا سکا اور ٹرانپیرنسی انٹرنیشنل رپورٹ کے مطابق خود تاریخ کا سب سے بڑا چور نکالا۔”
“The situation in Pakistan is at a crisis point; there should be no two views about it. Every institution of ours had been made controversial due to a selected man. The harm that Imran Khan and his former government have caused to the constitution, democracy, and institutions is before everyone. The former PM abrogated the constitution and attacked democracy. Former PM, deputy speaker, and the President on the nights of April 3rd, April 9th, and 10th till today are abrogating the constitution and refusing to follow it. How can this National Assembly, the Parliament ignore such an attack? Our constitution has been torn like a piece of paper in the past as well,” said Bilawal.
“I am saying that we should take the attack seriously, and make a commission to investigate who was involved in this unconstitutional and undemocratic attack. As far as April 3rd is concerned, the Supreme Court clearly termed it unconstitutional in its decision. The people of Pakistan expect accountability of the former government abrogating the constitution while trying to escape a democratic process,” said the FM.
Bilawal further said, “Since this attack was ignored, the former PM thinks that he is a sacred cow and is roaming in the country while making attacks that are against the national interest and our national standing. This political instability is harming our economy. He thinks he is invincible since it was ignored that a government was formed through the worst-rigged elections.”
“We are not the undemocratic forces that used to call for accountability and elections, we do not believe in political engineering,” said Bilawal. The FM said that they had already demanded reforms. “We are democratic forces and we want transparent elections. Our demand earlier too was that we will carry out electoral reforms first, this is the clear policy of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).”
Giving a policy statement on Kashmir, the Foreign Minister said that India has been occupying Kashmir illegally since 1948. India changed the status of Illegally Occupied Kashmir (IOK) and India continues to violate the United Nations, Geneva Conventions.
Bilawal said that efforts were being made to convert the majority into a minority in occupied Kashmir. “We reject the report of the Delimitation Commission in Occupied Kashmir. The Indian government wants to stifle the voice of Muslims in Occupied Kashmir with new demarcations,” said Bilawal Bhutto.
