The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is expected to outperform its rivals, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), in Gilgit-Baltistan elections to be held on Nov 15, according to two surveys conducted in the region.
As per Gallup Pakistan and Pulse Consultant, PM Imran Khan is the most popular leader in GB, followed by Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Nawaz Sharif.
Gallup survey says 27% respondents would vote for PTI on the election day, whereas 24% would vote for PPP. Only 14% respondents have supported the PML-N. The survey says 42% respondents have named Imran Khan as their favourite leader, 17% said Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, while 15% said it was Nawaz Sharif. Only 3% named Maryam Nawaz.
Pulse Consultant says 35% of the respondents would likely to vote for PTI, 26% prefer PPP, whereas 14% would choose PML-N on Nov 15. At least 41% named Imran Khan as the most popular leader, 23% said Bilawal while 16% named Nawaz Sharif as the most popular leader, it added.
The two polls also asked the GB people if the elections would be free and fair. To this, 29% voters told Pulse that they believed elections will be transparent; 20% said they will not be transparent.
As per the Gallup survey, 31% said elections would be completely fair, 29% said they would be fair to some extent, 28% said they could not say anything.
The PPP, PML-N and PTI leaders, including Maryam Nawaz and Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari are in Gilgit-Baltistan in an attempt canvass their supporters ahead of the elections in the region. The PML-N and PPP have claimed pre-poll rigging in the polls, whereas the GB election chief commissioner has assured “free and fair” polls.
Senator Taj Muhammad Afridi is the richest member of the Senate with assets worth Rs1.22 billion, as the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) issues details of assets owned by the members of the Senate in 2019-20.
According to details, Taj Muhammad Afridi owns assets worth Rs1.22 billion which also included over Rs160 million worth assets abroad.
Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani owned assets worth Rs106.3 million which included properties in Pakistan worth over Rs50 million, besides owning four vehicles. Deputy Chairman Saleem Mandviwalla owns assets worth Rs67.7 million.
According to details of the assets owned by members of the treasury benches, Federal Minister Azam Swati owns assets worth over Rs810 million, followed by Farogh Naseem, who possesses assets worth Rs400 million.
Information Minister Shibli Faraz has assets up to Rs46.7 million, Leader of the House in Senate Shehzad Waseem owns assets worth over Rs200 million while his wife also possesses assets worth Rs170 million. Senator Faisal Javed holds assets worth Rs10 million, whereas Muzafar Hussain Shah of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-F) owns assets worth Rs30 million.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Chaudhry Tanveer owns agricultural land of Rs36.7 million, non-agricultural land of Rs47.4 million, besides having Rs37.9 million in bank accounts and furniture worth Rs2.5 million.
Mushahidullah Khan possesses plots worth Rs7.5 million, shares of Rs65,000 in stocks and jewellery worth Rs0.8 million. He also owns Rs3.1 million in bank accounts.
Senator Abdul Qayyum owns assets including land worth Rs86.4 million. Senator Pervaiz Rasheed does not own any assets in the country and abroad and only has Rs3.3 million in bank accounts. Senator Raja Zafarul Haq showed only Rs50,000 in the bank accounts without having any property in his name.
PPP Senator Rehman Malik owns foreign assets worth 1.3 million pounds while his wife also possesses 50 tolas of jewellery worth Rs2.7 million.
Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar owns immovable properties worth Rs120 million, besides having shares of Rs5 million in stocks, vehicles worth up to Rs38.4 million and Rs23.4 million in bank accounts.
Raza Rabbani revealed assets worth millions of rupees including Rs15.3 million investments in the business, Rs6.2 million worth gifted property, besides owning millions in bank accounts. He also paid an income tax of Rs1.5 million.
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Senator Sirajul Haq is amongst the poorest Senators as he has inherited 12 kanals of land, investments of Rs361,000 in a business and Rs600,000 in bank accounts.
Senator Talha Mahmood of the JUI-F owns Rs90 million in bank accounts, vehicles worth Rs44.8 million, besides properties worth Rs160 million. He also has investments of Rs27 million and further had other assets worth Rs33 million.
Abdul Ghafoor Haideri of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) has revealed assets worth over Rs6.3 million.
Officials of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Sindh Rangers involved in the “Karachi incident” that was termed by Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan as a “comedy”, have been removed pending further departmental proceedings for acting “overzealously”.
“I believe it is a comedy. When I think about that, I laugh. What is happening? It is unfortunate that all the enemies of Pakistan, including India and Israel, are with them,” the premier had said while referring to the incident wherein Sindh Inspector General (IG) Mushtaq Mahar had allegedly been coerced to issue arrest warrants against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Capt (r) Safdar.
Isn’t it shameful on the part of PM @ImranKhanPTI calling IG Sindh’s abduction as a comedy? Y did major police officer took leave ?
Y is he calling administrative collapse as a comedy ?
The humiliating treatment meted out to the top cop, however, had led to senior officials asking the government for 60 days leave, and chairperson of Sindh’s ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) demanding Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa to hold an inquiry into the incident. The army chief had subsequently ordered Karachi corps commander to conduct an immediate probe into the incident.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that the court of inquiry constituted to redress the grievances of the Sindh IG, on the orders of COAS Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, had been completed.
“The court of inquiry has established that on the night of Oct 18/Oct 19, officers from Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) and ISI sector Headquarters Karachi were considerably seized with the fall out of the desecration of Mazare Quaid [Jinnah’s mausoleum],” read a statement issued by the military’s media wing.
“They were under increasing public pressure to ensure prompt action as per the law. Assessing the response of police authorities against this developing yet volatile situation to be slow and wanting, in a charged environment, the concerned officers decided to act, rather overzealously,” the ISPR statement said.
“They were indeed experienced enough to have acted more prudently and could have avoided creating an unwarranted situation that led to the misunderstanding between the two state institutions.
“Based on the recommendations of the court of inquiry, it has been decided to remove the concerned officers from their current assignments for further departmental proceedings and disposal at GHQ,” the statement added.
‘KARACHI INCIDENT’:
Last month, the ISPR had said the army chief had taken notice of and ordered an immediate inquiry into the “Karachi incident”, Dawn reported.
At the time, the ISPR did not specify which incident it was referring to. However, the statement came minutes after PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari called on Gen Bajwa and ISI Director General (DG) Faiz Hameed to investigate the circumstances surrounding the arrest of the PML-N leader, who was in Karachi for an anti-government rally of the joint opposition.
On October 19, Safdar, who was staying at a hotel with his wife, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz, was arrested for “violating the sanctity of Jinnah’s mausoleum” by raising political slogans at the venue, surrounded by hundreds of party workers.
Following Safdar’s arrest, a purported voice message by PML-N leader and former Sindh governor Muhammad Zubair was shared by a journalist in which Zubair alleged that the IG was kidnapped and forced to register the FIR [First Information Report] against Maryam, her husband Safdar and 200 others for violating the sanctity of the tomb.
In the audio clip circulating on Twitter, Zubair said that Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Murad Ali Shah confirmed to him that police were pressured into making the arrest. “When they [police] refused to do that, Rangers kidnapped [the IGP],” Zubair had said.
Maryam had also alleged that the Sindh police chief was forcibly “taken to the sector commander’s office and asked to sign on the arrest orders”.
The statement by the military’s media wing comes days after PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif said that the inquiry into the “alleged abduction” of the Sindh IG and additional IG, and the “storming of Maryam’s room” had not been made public despite Gen Bajwa’s “personal assurance”.
Despite Gen Bajwa’s personal assurance, result of inquiry into abduction of IG/AIG Sindh & storming of Maryam Nawaz's room hasn’t been made public. Does this nation have the right to know the reasons for delay? The matter wasn’t so complicated to have taken more than few hours.
“Despite Gen Bajwa’s personal assurance, result of inquiry into abduction of IG/AIG Sindh & storming of Maryam Nawaz’s room hasn’t been made public. Does this nation have the right to know the reasons for delay?,” he tweeted.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader Ahsan Iqbal has likened Prime Minister Imran Khan to US President Donald Trump, saying like Trump, Imran was also a “polarising figure” in the politics.
In a tweet, Iqbal said it’s time to get rid of Imran Khan, whose politics is based on “hate” like his American counterpart. “Pakistan will unite again like it was in 2018,” he claimed, referring to the reign of the PML-N government.
پاکستان سے بھی نفرتوں پہ سیاست کرنے والے اور قوم کو تقسیم کرنے والے ٹرمپ جونئیر عمران نیازی کی رخصت کا وقت ہو چکا ہے- متحد ہو گا پاکستان آگے بڑھے گا پاکستان ترقی کا سفر وہیں سے شروع ہو گا جہاں سے 2018 میں توڑا گیا تھا-
The statement by the PML-N leader came amid reports of Democrat Joe Biden’s projected victory in the US elections. The Democrat nominee is in the clear lead, as he needs only 6 votes to win the polls.
Donald Trump has proved to be one of the most polarising presidents in the American history. Not only he played down the coronavirus pandemic in the country that has claimed over 200,000 lives, he has also refused to condemn the white supremacist groups, such as Proud Boys.
According to a USA Today report, “President Trump has undermined Black Lives Matter protesters, calling them ‘thugs’. He has made Asian-Americans the target of hate crimes, calling the deadly coronavirus the ‘Chinese virus’.”
It may be mentioned that an alliance of opposition parties against Imran government is in full swing. These parties have joined hands for oust the prime minister in the wake of inflation and other economic issues.
A lawyer, who is allegedly a supporter of opposition’s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), has submitted an application seeking the registration of a treason case against Federal Science and Technology Minister Fawad Chaudhry over the latter’s Pulwama remarks from last week.
According to reports, the application has been submitted to Civil Lines police station in Lahore by Advocate Rohail Asghar, a picture of whom with PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz has now gone viral over the internet.
Fawad had in a faux pas on the floor of the National Assembly last week mentioned 2019’s Pulwama attack in held Kashmir, which had killed 40 paramilitary troops and brought the two countries to the brink of war.
Speaking of Pakistan’s swift response to its air space being violated by India following the said terrorist attack, Fawad had mistakenly named Pulwama, drawing strong reactions.
While Pakistanis had called out the minister for carelessly making the statement that he went on to clarify later on, Indians, including Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi and several journalists, had added fuel to fire by extensively reporting it.
Meri jaan hear full speech so you will know unlike #Endian definition of #GhussKMarna by using terrorism n Kalbhoshans our #GhussKMarna is when our planes target combat installations,unlike Your security doctrine we do not show Bravery by killing innocents n we condemn terrorism https://t.co/bcAcJUP5DD
In a formal statement, the minister had said that the Indian media “acted with gross irresponsibility by misrepresenting the context of the speech” he delivered during a session of the National Assembly.
Wednesday’s development comes as a series of treason cases between members of the government and opposition continues.
Last week, former National Assembly speaker Ayaz Sadiq had landed in hot water for his remarks regarding Abhinandan’s release by Pakistan soon after he was captured.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is in quandary for taking an anti-establishment stance, as a number of its leaders from Punjab and Balochistan have distanced themselves from the “anti-state” narrative of the party.
Amid these reservations, PML-N leader Abdul Qadir Baloch has also decided to bid goodbye to the Nawaz league for allegedly speaking against the army.
The decision to quit the party was taken after the PML-N leaders refused to invite former chief minister Sanaullah Zehri to the Quetta rally over his feud with Akhtar Mengal, the chief of Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M). However, Qadir said he was leaving the party with “heavy heart” over “anti-army” rhetoric of the PDM leadership.
“I am product of the army and cannot stand by the narrative of disobedience since it would be extremely injurious to the country. I have taken the decision of parting ways with heavy heart,” said the retired general who had served as Corps Commander in Quetta.
This resignation was followed by several leaders of the PML-N going public with their reservations over the rhetoric employed by the PDM leaders against the state institutions of Pakistan.
The statement of Ayaz Sadiq, wherein he said Indian pilot Abhinandan was released by Pakistan because it feared an Indian attack, also irked some PML-N leaders, who decided to disown the statement and the party line.
PML-N MPAs Nishat Daha and Younas Ansari said that their heads hang in shame because of MNA Ayaz Sadiq’s controversial statement.
“The entire nation was hurt by the statements of Nawaz Sharif and Ayaz Sadiq, what they are doing is not good for the country,” Daha added.
Speaking at a press conference in Lahore, Younas Ansari said, “Our family has been in politics for 35 years but I am ashamed at what is happening in the National Assembly. Ayaz Sadiq should be remorseful at his statement.”
The party leaders in Attock district also disagreed with the leadership over its so-called anti-state remarks.
At separate press conferences in different towns of the district on Sunday, PML-N MPA Jehangir Khanzada, former MNA Malik Itabar Khan and former MPA Shahwaiz Khan criticised the recent remarks of Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Ayaz Sadiq.
Khanzada termed Ayaz Sadiq’s statement “anti-state”. “He should not have talked in such a way while speaking in parliament,” the MPA said while highlighting sacrifices rendered by the armed forces.
Itabar Khan said he could not support the “anti-national narrative”, adding that Maryam Nawaz, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Maulana Fazlur Rehman had made statements which did not “serve the interest of the country”.
Shahwaiz Khan, former MPA from Hassanabdal, said he did not support the party leadership’s recent “anti-state” stance and condemned their criticism of state institutions.
PML-N MPA from Shakargarh Allama Ghiyasuddin has also condemned the statements of the opposition parties against the Army. Former PML-N MNA Sardar Mansab Dogar has also announced to quit the party over what he said the “anti-state” statements of the party leadership.
RELEASE OF ABHINANDAN:
Sadiq, a former National Assembly speaker, is under fire for accusing the government of taking the decision to release the India pilot under pressure.
Foreign Minister (FM) Shah Mahmood Qureshi had “begged the opposition to release Abhinandan, otherwise, according to the FM, India would have attacked Pakistan at 9 pm that day,” the lawmaker had said during a session of the National Assembly.
In response, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General (DG) Major General Babar Iftikhar held a press conference to set the record straight about the events surrounding the capture and release of the Indian wing commander.
“Yesterday such a statement was given in which facts were attempted to be twisted surrounding the events that day,” the military spokesperson said during the media briefing.
On Friday, Federal Minister for Information Shibli Faraz hinted at legal action against Ayaz Sadiq for accusing the government of releasing Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman of the Indian Air Force (IAF) under pressure. “What Ayaz Sadiq said is not forgivable,” he tweeted, adding that law will take its course now.
Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General (DG) Major General Babar Iftikhar has set the record straight about the events surrounding February 27 — the day Pakistan downed two Indian Air Force (IAF) planes and captured an Indian pilot, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman.
“Yesterday such a statement was given in which facts were attempted to be twisted surrounding the events that day,” the military spokesperson said during a media briefing that came a day after former National Assembly speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq among other senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) parliamentarians accused the government of taking the decision to release the pilot under pressure.
Foreign Minister (FM) Shah Mahmood Qureshi had “begged the opposition to release Abhinandan, otherwise, according to the FM, India would have attacked Pakistan at 9 pm that day,” they had claimed.
Reacting to the claims that have been made a mountain of by Indian media, Maj Gen Iftikhar said that after the Pulwama incident, on February 26, India violated all international principles and attacked Pakistan. “They not only faced defeat but humiliation all over the world,” Geo News quoted him as saying.
“Our timely response derailed their efforts. Their planes and the explosives they had come to rain down on the Pakistani people, they instead dropped on empty mountains. They left in a panicked state after being confronted by our planes.”
WATCH FULL MEDIA BRIEFING:
He said that in response, the Pakistan Army, in accordance with the people’s wishes, sought to “teach the enemy a lesson”.
“On this decision, all civil and military leadership was on a single page. We responded with full might in the light of day and shot down two planes, along with arresting their pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan [Varthaman],” said the ISPR DG, recalling the events.
He said that the enemy was in such a panicked state that it shot down its own helicopter.
“We gave them a bloody nose and they are still hurting.”
Maj Gen Iftikhar said that Pakistan secured a “clear victory” that day against India. He said not only was India’s hollowed state of preparedness exposed that day but the entire Pakistani nation’s heads were held high.
He said this triumph was not only celebrated in Pakistan but the entire world recognised it. “India held its non-availability of Rafale jets accountable for the defeat,” he added.
The ISPR chief said that the government of Pakistan, in a measured and responsible move, decided to “give peace a chance” and hand over the captured war prisoner Wing Commander Abhinandan over. “The move, which was in accordance with the Geneva Convention, was lauded by the entire world.”
PML-N LEADER’SCLARIFICATION:
Ahead of the military spokesperson’s briefing, Sadiq questioned Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s motives behind delaying a meeting related to Abhinandan on the day of his capture.
He lambasted the Indian media for “distorting” his comments from the National Assembly session a day earlier when he had alleged that the government took the decision to release the IAF pilot under pressure.
“One thing is clear: Abhinandan did not come to Pakistan to distribute sweets; he had attacked Pakistan,” the PML-N leader said.
Ayaz Sadiq says Indian media twisting his statement to NA, says it’s a reality PM Imran Khan asked for NRO for Abhinandan who attacked Pakistan and should not have been returned to India pic.twitter.com/JR6hukAuZp
He noted that PM Imran Khan had convened a meeting of parliamentary leaders pertaining to the Indian pilot but it saw a considerable delay in starting. “The prime minister, through Foreign Minister [Shah Mahmood Qureshi], had said that Abhinandan should be handed over to India immediately.
“What was the reason for a delay in the meeting?” Sadiq asked. “Was he taking dictation from Modi?”
“Did he not consider it appropriate to share with us [the reason for a delay]?” he inquired.
‘GOVT FEARED INDIAN ATTACK’:
Sadiq on Wednesday had said that FM Qureshi “was present in the meeting, which PM Imran had refused to attend”.
“India never attacked Pakistan but the government nonetheless handed over Abhinandan to the Indian authorities,” he had said, adding that it was the PTI government and not the opposition that had passed an ordinance to “facilitate” Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav.
Reacting to his claims, the FM regretted how “responsible people were making irresponsible statements”.
BIG: Pakistan’s Member of Parliament Ayaz Sadiq makes explosive claim, says, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi begged before them to let Wing Cdr. Abhinandan cross back to India or else at 9pm that day India would launch attack on Pakistan. pic.twitter.com/OOjCkj39rY
He said he had not expected the former NA speaker to say Pakistan let go Abhinandan under pressure and that his comments were “contrary to the truth”.
Qureshi explained that in the meeting, the government had taken all parliamentary leaders into confidence regarding the intelligence reports it had received but made no mention of the captured Indian pilot. “Highly irresponsible statements are being issued for political gains,” he lamented while also slamming the opposition for its stance on Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav.
“These people are misleading the nation on the issues of Kulbhushan and Abhinandan,” he had maintained.
Former prime minister (PM) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has claimed that during his time in jail over corruption allegations, he was approached with an offer to form a government.
“I told the messengers to go and talk to party supreme leader Nawaz Sharif instead,” the former premier said while speaking to The News.
Avoiding naming the messenger, Abbasi added that both Nawaz and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) would not be willing to be part of any dialogue leading to the setting up of what he termed “another hybrid government”.
He reiterated his stance for an inter-institution dialogue for the sake of a better future for Pakistan, and added that Nawaz would be ready to be part of a meaningful dialogue with all stakeholders.
Abbasi said that Nawaz Sharif’s recent speeches were not meant to humiliate anyone but to identify the problems and fix them for the sake of a brighter future and in the interest of the people of Pakistan.
To a question, he said that it was his personal view that an inter-institution dialogue was the only way forward for the country.
When asked if Nawaz would agree to such an idea, he responded in the affirmative and said that the PML-N supremo had no personal agenda or grudge with anyone but wanted to address the fundamental wrongs of the system, which could only be corrected through a meaningful dialogue process.
He said that the purpose of the opposition’s current public mobilisation campaigns was to pave the way for a meaningful dialogue process.
He explained that neither Nawaz nor the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) is against institutions; instead, they only refer to the mistakes of certain individuals holding responsible positions.
Once again referring to Nawaz’s recent speeches, he said that although the PML-N supremo had named the army and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chiefs, the purpose was not to humiliate them but to point out what went wrong.
He said that all the stakeholders should sit together for the greater good of the masses instead of focusing on personal issues and grudges.
Regarding the PML-N’s contacts with the establishment, he said that politicians and the establishment have always maintained contacts but after the recent episodes, where such contacts were revealed in a scandalous manner, the trust level for such interactions was dashed. At times, these contacts are made in the best national interest, he said, but the manner in which such meetings were recently portrayed, has compelled the PML-N to stop such interactions.
Abbasi maintained that currently there was no contact between the PML-N and the establishment and such contacts could not be restored before the revival of trust between the two sides.
Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has said that he would himself travel to the United Kingdom (UK) if that is what’s needed to bring former premier Nawaz Sharif back to Pakistan to face the corruption charges against him.
Corruption convict Nawaz, who was last year granted bail and the permission to travel abroad for medical treatment, has been in London for almost a year now. He has time and again been accused by the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of faking health issues to flee the country and avoid accountability.
“I will travel to [the] UK and bring him [Nawaz] back myself if that is what’s needed,” the premier reportedly said in an interview that will air on ARY News tonight at 7 pm.
The statement comes after Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz said that the deposed PM will be in a Pakistan jail by January 15.
Addressing the media, the federal minister maintained that everything was being done to stop the legal process behind the arrest of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo. However, he added that the federal government was doing all in its power to bring Nawaz back.
Faraz said that PM Imran would not leave Nawaz off the hook, and that the government was building diplomatic pressure for the PML-N supreme leader’s return.
Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif is reportedly upset because of a secret meeting of three senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders with party president Shehbaz Sharif on the “request” of a senior representative of the establishment.
According to a local media outlet, Nawaz was reportedly unhappy because he was told that top party leaders Khawaja Asif, Ahsan Iqbal and Rana Tanvir Hussain met Shehbaz while he was in the custody National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on the “request of a senior representative of the establishment”.
However, PML-N Secretary-General Iqbal dismissed the reports, claiming that they had met their party president after duly informing the former premier.
While denying that the establishment arranged their meeting, the PML-N leader said they had only requested the accountability body for the meeting.
