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Tag: Prime Minister Imran Khan

  • PM’s aide served show-cause notice over anti-judiciary media talk

    PM’s aide served show-cause notice over anti-judiciary media talk

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday served a show-cause notice to Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (PM) for Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan for her anti-judiciary press conference.

    Awan, while criticising the judiciary for granting former premier Nawaz Sharif bail on medical grounds, had on Tuesday said that the court had been “brought to order during the evening only to provide justice to jailed Nawaz”.

    “This will open a floodgate of similar requests by prisoners suffering from various diseases,” she had said.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    “While maligning the honourable courts [she] went to say that the case of the accused was heard during the evening ‘as a special dispensation’,” read Wednesday’s show-cause notice highlighting Awan’s remarks.

    The IHC observed that Awan “made an attempt to scandalise the court in the eyes of the public, thereby, tried to lower the esteem of the judiciary.” Seeking reason as to why the court should not proceed with contempt of court against the premier’s aide, IHC also summoned her on November 1.

  • ‘Ministers criticised Pemra’s order like they were in opp,’ complains Firdous to PM Imran

    ‘Ministers criticised Pemra’s order like they were in opp,’ complains Firdous to PM Imran

    Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan has complained to Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan that ministers criticised Pemra’s [Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority] order like they were in the opposition.

    During the federal cabinet meeting on Tuesday headed by PM Imran, the minister said that it is humiliating if the government’s own ministers criticise the orders themselves.

    On Firdous’s complaint the Federal Minister for Science and Technology said that, “humiliation happens when the government issues an order and takes it back within a few hours”.

    Fawad Ch also said that, “Decisions are made without anyone having knowledge of it”, adding that you should take everyone into confidence before passing such orders.

    Pemra on Monday had barred television anchors from giving their “opinions” during talk shows and limited their role to “moderator”.

    The authority after receiving massive criticism later backtracked on its decision and issued a statement clarifiying that there is no ban on TV anchors from appearing on talk shows. Pemra said it didn’t mean to restrict freedom of expression as ‘being projected by few’.

  • Gen Bajwa met businessmen with my permission: Imran

    Gen Bajwa met businessmen with my permission: Imran

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has said that Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa met business tycoons “with his permission”.

    Speaking to senior journalists and analysts in Islamabad on Wednesday, the premier acknowledged that inflation and unemployment remain a big problem that his government is trying to resolve.

    “Where there is no rule of law people gravitate towards power. The army chief asked for my permission to meet the businessmen and I saw no harm in it,” journalist Amber Rahim Shamsi quoted him as saying.

    Earlier this month, a delegation of at least 20 businessmen, comprising heads of Pakistan’s leading business houses, had met the army chief to convey their serious concerns about the country’s stagnating economy.

    Complaining to him of the government’s tepid response to the debilitating situation facing the drivers of the economy, they had said the government did not go beyond verbal assurances and that its words did not match its actions.

    As Wednesday’s meeting continued, PM Imran also categorically said that he will not resign under pressure. He made the statement in response to Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s forthcoming ‘Azadi March’.

    Fazl, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief, has threatened to block Islamabad with his anti-government protest starting October 31. The march, which is expected to have hundreds of thousands of participants — mainly religious hardliners from the JUI-F — are expected to enter Islamabad on October 31.

  • ‘No one can remove a constitutional PM,’ COAS reportedly tells Fazl in ‘important’ meeting

    ‘No one can remove a constitutional PM,’ COAS reportedly tells Fazl in ‘important’ meeting

    Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa has been quoted as telling Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman that “there is no possibility of a minus-Imran concept”.

    In an “important” meeting held between the army chief and Fazl ahead of the latter’s Azadi March, a journalist affiliated with a private media outlet quoted the COAS as saying that he stood by the constitution and democracy.

    “We have been doing what the constitution asks for,” the army chief reportedly said.

    Gen Bajwa reminded Fazl that he was a responsible political leader and must be aware that the regional situation is critical. “The situation on the border with India is volatile due to the Kashmir crisis and Afghanistan’s situation is also a source of trouble.”

    The army chief reportedly also referred to Iran-Saudi Arabia affairs and told the JUI-F chief that it was not an appropriate time for staging the protest since the economy had been brought on the right track after herculean efforts within the country and abroad.

    The COAS made it clear that they wouldn’t permit destabilisation at this moment, the anchor claimed. “He [Imran Khan] is a constitutional prime minister (PM) and neither I nor you can minus him,” he quoted Gen Bajwa as saying.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    https://twitter.com/ARYVideos/status/1187042291246080000

    The anchor, who further claimed that Fazl’s meeting with the COAS was “common knowledge” and was held a few days ago, was also among the media persons who called on the premier in Islamabad on Wednesday.

    Speaking to senior journalists during the meeting, PM Imran had said that he wouldn’t resign under pressure from Fazl.

    The JUI-F chief has threatened to block the federal capital with his protest against the “illegitimate” government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). His Azadi March, which is expected to have hundreds of thousands of participants — mainly religious hardliners from the JUI-F — is expected to enter Islamabad on October 31.

  • PTI govt denotifies prosecution team in Gen (r) Musharraf’s high treason case

    PTI govt denotifies prosecution team in Gen (r) Musharraf’s high treason case

    The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government on Thursday denotified the prosecution team in the high treason case against former military ruler Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf.

    According to The Express Tribune, the prosecution team was hired in November 2013, during the tenure of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif.

    The special court — hearing the treason case against Musharraf for violating Article 6 of the constitution — adjourned the hearing without any proceedings on Thursday and was informed that the government had dismissed the prosecution team, reports said.

    The court was told that Reza Bashir — the government lawyer provided to the former dictator — was ill and was unable to attend the previous hearing.

    The three-judge special tribunal also summoned secretary interior on November 19.

    Justice Waqar Ahmed Seth asked the prosecutor if any notification was received, to which prosecutor Tariq Hassan said that he had not been notified.

    “Can the prosecution team be dismissed in this manner?” asked Justice Waqar Ahmed. “I sat all night preparing for this case,” responded the prosecutor.

    The court also asked to be informed under which law the prosecution team was denotified by the government.

    Approving the lawyers’ request, the court gave Reza Bashir one more chance to attend the next hearing on November 19.

    The former army chief, who took power in 1999, is facing a treason trial under Article 6 of the constitution as well as Section 2 of the High Treason Act on a complaint moved by the federal government.

    Article 6 of the constitution deals with matters of “high treason” and states that “any person who abrogates or subverts or suspends or holds in abeyance, or attempts or conspires to abrogate or subvert or suspend or hold in abeyance the constitution by use of force or show of force or by any other unconstitutional means shall be guilty of high treason.”

  • PM Imran prays for Nawaz’s health, seeks update, orders best medical facilities

    PM Imran prays for Nawaz’s health, seeks update, orders best medical facilities

    Expressing good wishes for his recovery, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has sought from the Punjab government a report on the health of jailed ex-PM Nawaz Sharif, who was admitted to Lahore’s Services Hospital on Monday night.

    In a tweet, Special Assistant to PM on Broadcasting and Information Firdous Ashiq Awan said that the premier has directed the officials concerned to provide treatment to Nawaz as per his family’s wishes.

    The health of convicted former PM started improving after initial medical treatment at the Services Hospital.

    He was admitted to the hospital on Monday night after his platelet count dropped to a precariously low level, requiring an emergency response.

    “The physicians have injected three mega units of platelets to Nawaz Sharif, which gradually hiked the cell count to 18,000,” reports quoted a member of the special medical board — constituted for the ex-PM’s treatment — as saying.

  • VIDEO: ‘TikTok girl Hareem Shah spotted at PM Secretariat,’ claims journalist

    VIDEO: ‘TikTok girl Hareem Shah spotted at PM Secretariat,’ claims journalist

    Famous TikTok girl Hareem Shah, who became an internet sensation after her viral videos with influential political leaders took the country by storm, has now been spotted allegedly at the Prime Minister’s (PM) Secretariat.

    A video doing rounds over the internet showed Hareem walking around a conference room as a song plays in the background. She then pulls out a chair and gets seated.

    While journalist Adeel Raja has claimed that the video has been shot at the PM’s Office, The Current has learnt that it was actually recorded at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    Meanwhile, focal person to the PM, Dr Arslan Khalid, has also rubbished the claims.

    Here’s what Twitterati had to say about the episode:

    https://twitter.com/montecristoo37/status/1186772365998460928

    “I am a big Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporter myself and have been affiliated with the party. This is how I got the unique opportunity to meet and make TikTok videos with party leaders,” Hareem had earlier told a private media outlet while explaining how she gets access to significant people of stature and power.

    She has a massive following of over a million and had recently made headlines for her viral video with PTI leader and former Punjab information minister Fayyazul Hasan Chohan.

  • Saudi Arabia denies asking PM Imran to mediate with Iran

    Saudi Arabia denies asking PM Imran to mediate with Iran

    Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir has denied reports of separate mediation efforts with Iran, one particularly led by Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan to reduce tension between the two states, Middle East Eye reported.

    “We are not having any mediation. People come to us with ideas and we give them our response and our response is what we would like the Iranians to do and that is it, and we would like to see actions rather than words,” reports quoted Adel as saying.

    He added that there was compelling evidence that the September attacks on Saudi oil installations were with Iranian-made missiles and “Tehran must stop its rampage across the world”.

    “It [Iran] should behave like a normal country following international laws if it wants to be welcomed,” Adel said.

    Earlier in September, two Saudi Aramco installations were attacked and the Kingdom blamed Iran for it.

    The Saudi foreign minister’s statement comes amid efforts being made by PM Imran to bring both Riyadh and Tehran to the talks table, reportedly on United States (US) President Donald Trump’s suggestion.

    Imran, within the past few weeks, has also visited Saudi Arabia and Iran to push the two nations to bring an end to their long withstanding conflict.

  • Modi cancels Turkey visit after President Erdogan supports Pakistan on Kashmir

    Modi cancels Turkey visit after President Erdogan supports Pakistan on Kashmir

    With Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan openly raising Indian atrocities in Kashmir at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and his country backing Pakistan at the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) meeting in Paris, India has decided to give the cold shoulder to its ties with Turkey.

    According to Khaleej Times, New Delhi has cancelled a two-day official visit to Ankara by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi at the end of this month, which would have been his first stand-alone visit to the country.

    He was to have proceeded to Turkey from Saudi Arabia, where he is going on October 27-28 to attend a mega-investment summit.

    The decision to cancel the visit to Turkey marks a low in relations between New Delhi and Ankara, which have never been very warm. Trade and defence cooperation were among the issues that were to be on the table during Modi’s Ankara visit, which had been agreed to in principle.

    The Ministry of External Affairs was non-committal over the development. “The visit was never finalised so there is no question of cancellation,” reports an official as saying.

    Modi had last visited Turkey during the G20 in Antalya in 2015. He had held a bilateral with Erdogan in Osaka, on the sidelines of the G20 in June this year. The Turkish leader had paid a two-day visit to India in July 2018.

    However, Erdogan’s strong backing of Pakistan’s position on Kashmir and alleging widespread human rights violations by India during his speech at the UNGA last month has not gone down well with India.

    In his speech, Erdogan had raised the issue of UN resolutions on Kashmir and alleged that “eight million people are stuck” in Kashmir due to revocation of special status. He had criticised the international community for failing to pay attention to the Kashmir issue.

    At the end of September, at an event in Turkey to mark the building of a warship for Pakistan, Erdogan also said he would continue to flag the Kashmir issue on the world stage.

    India is known to have cancelled an order for two naval ships it had inked with Turkey, in retaliation of Erdogan’s Kashmir comments.

    At the FATF meeting too, Turkey and Malaysia, along with China, openly backed Pakistan last week, which was invaluable in getting Islamabad a lifeline of four months till February 2020 to “eliminate” money laundering and terrorist financing.

  • Azadi March: Govt’s move to seal twin cities to cost taxpayers over Rs3.3 million a day

    Azadi March: Govt’s move to seal twin cities to cost taxpayers over Rs3.3 million a day

    With the government planning to put in place hundreds of shipping containers to seal the twin cities and block the forthcoming long march of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), reports have revealed that the move will be costing taxpayers millions of rupees a day.

    JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has announced leading an anti-government long march to Islamabad via Rawalpindi with plans of a lockdown. While the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has invited opposition parties for a dialogue to call off the protest, it is also preparing for the worst.

    The capital will likely be sealed from October 31 onwards by either the police or the JUI-F as preparations on both sides for the Azadi March gain momentum. According to Dawn, the Islamabad police have demanded more than 550 shipping containers to intercept the march before it enters the city.

    The containers include 250 for City Zone and 100 each for Saddar, Industrial Area and Rural zones, while the logistics department of the police has ordered a vendor to arrange 450 containers.

    The Rawalpindi police, on the other hand, have prepared a contingency plan under which 120 freight containers will be used to seal the garrison city by blocking all roads leading to Islamabad.

    According to officials, each container being procured for both the cities, costs more than Rs5,000 a day to rent, which puts the total cost of 670 containers at Rs3.3 million (Rs3,350,000) a day.