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Tag: PTI

  • ‘Charge sheet against three-member bench’: Nawaz asks parliament to file reference against SC judges

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif, urged the parliament to file a reference of misconduct against Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar following the recent Punjab polls verdict which he claims has “virtually disabled” the legislature and made it “redundant.”

    Calling the verdict a reflection of a “one-man show” in the judiciary, Nawaz argued that one individual should not be allowed to hold multiple functions, such as the prime minister, defence minister, Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), and above all, parliament.

    Nawaz said the verdict aimed to benefit one pampered person [Imran Khan] while immobilising the state.

    “This is a pity,” Nawaz said, adding: “This is the result of over 70 years of mismanagement and corruption in our political system. It is time for us to re-evaluate the way we run our country.”

    “It is a symptom of the larger problem plaguing our political system,” he stated.

    “For over 70 years, we have witnessed mismanagement and corruption that has eroded the trust of the people in their government. Punjab was earlier handed over to the PTI chief by declaring the MPAs disqualified and denying them the right to vote in the chief minister election.”

    Questioning the rejection of the demand to constitute a full court, Nawaz said, “What was the hurdle behind forming a full-court bench? This decision is a charge sheet against you. Why this insistence on a three-member bench? Daal mein kuch kaala hai, this decision could only have come from this bench.”

    The former prime minister also questioned why a suo moto notice was not taken in his case, stressing that the decision against him was incorrect and should have been reviewed by a constituted bench.

    Talking about how Nawaz was labelled “godfather” and part of the “Sicilian mafia” when he was the prime minister, he recalled an incident where Justice Azmat Saeed remarked in a case about the promotion of a government official that ‘the PM should know there is plenty of room in Adiala jail’.

    He appealed that the nation should wake up as certain people “are destroying Pakistan”.

  • Khan talks about his plan to return to power to TIME magazine

    Khan talks about his plan to return to power to TIME magazine

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has made it to the cover page of the American magazine TIME.

    The former prime minister in an exclusive interview with Charlie Campbell spoke extensively about his plan to return to power.

    Writing about the crackdown of the government against his party, the police raids and the assassination attempt of November 2022, the magazine wrote: “The state appears to flirt with the idea. Police raids on Khan’s home in the Punjab province capital of Lahore in early March left him choking on tear gas, he says, as supporters brandishing sticks battled police in riot gear before makeshift barricades of sandbags and iron rods. This sort of crackdown has never taken place in Pakistan, says Khan.”

    Imran Khan tells Campbell that political stability in Pakistan comes through elections. But, the magazine adds, from the U.S. perspective, he may be far from the ideal choice to helm an “impoverished, insurgency-racked Islamic state”. But is he the only person that can hold the country together, the magazine asks.

    “Never has one man scared the establishment … as much as right now. They worry about how to keep me out; the people how to get me back in,” Khan tells Campbell.

    Talking about Khan’s relentless taunting of the United States, Campbell wrote, “To journalists and supporters, he[Khan] has accused the U.S. of imposing a ‘master-slave’ relationship on Pakistan and of using it like ’tissue paper.’ To TIME, he insists that ‘criticizing U.S. foreign policy does not make you anti-American.’ Still, by 2022, the generals no longer had his back. The common perception among Pakistan watchers is that Khan’s fleeting political success was owed to a Faustian pact with the nation’s military and extremist groups that shepherded his election victory and he is now reaping the whirlwind.”

    Khan presented a step-by-step plan to get Pakistan back on track, which Campbell pointed out was thin on details. After the elections, Khan says that a “completely new social contract” is required to enshrine power in political institutions rather than the military. If the army chief “didn’t think corruption was that big a deal, then nothing happened,” Khan complained while talking with TIME. “I was helpless.”

    However, the path to this utopia remains murky, the news outlet pointed out. Asked how he plans to turn his much trumpeted Islamic Welfare State ideal into a reality, Khan talks about Medina under the Prophet and the social conscience of Northern Europeans. “Scandinavia is probably far closer to the Islamic ideal than any of the Muslim countries.”

    Campbell further wrote that Khan still claims that the crisis in Pakistan can be solved by elections, despite his broken relationship with the military. “The same people who tried to kill me are still sitting in power,” Khan says. “And they are petrified that if I got back [in] they would be held accountable. So they’re more dangerous.”

  • ‘We can be like Turkiye or become another Myanmar’: Khan chooses to stand with constitution

    ‘We can be like Turkiye or become another Myanmar’: Khan chooses to stand with constitution

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has said that Pakistan is at a turning point.

    “Today we stand at a turning point in our Constitutional history where we can be like Turkiye or become another Myanmar,” tweeted Khan.

    The PTI leader went on to say, “Everyone must choose whether they stand, as PTI does, with Constitution, Rule of Law & democracy; or with a corrupt mafia, law of the jungle & fascism.”

  • Imran Khan ko Shah Mahmood se khatra hai, PPP leaders

    Imran Khan ko Shah Mahmood se khatra hai, PPP leaders

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leaders have questioned the loyalty of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senior Vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi to party Chairman Imran Khan.

    Saeed Ghani has said that Quershi should never forget his past before criticising Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari. Qureshi was part of the PPP and a foreign minister during the party’s tenure.

    Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon said that Shah Mahmood Qureshi has changed political parties according to circumstances, alleging that PPP caught him red-handed while hatching a conspiracy.

    “The biggest threat to PTI chief Imran Khan is from Shah Mahmood Qureshi,” Memon said.

    Qureshi joined PTI in 2011, one of the first big names to do so.

    Earlier, Qureshi held a press conference and criticised the PPP leadership.

    Speaking to the media in Karachi, the former foreign minister asked PPP to clear its stance on whether they are standing with the Constitution or abrogating it.

  • ‘Mai in logon ke sath nahi bethoonga, meri team bethegi’: Khan refuses to sit with govt for talks

    ‘Mai in logon ke sath nahi bethoonga, meri team bethegi’: Khan refuses to sit with govt for talks

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has said that he will not sit with the government for dialogue, asserting that if any talks are held, his team will participate instead of him.

    “I will not sit with the government. And if any dialogues are held on the issue of elections alone, my team, not me, will participate,” said the PTI chief.

    “The dialogues should only be held on elections alone. However, I will not sit with those to whom I use to call thieves and corrupt,” he clarified. “And if the talks don’t go towards holding elections, then there is no benefit of dialogues,” he added.

    Khan had hoped that after former Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa retired, there will be some change in the treatment given to his party, however, he claimed that matters have become even more difficult than they were before.

    “We were hoping that when Gen Bajwa leaves, and there is change of command there would be some change. However, we have seen no change. Everything is the same, or I should say that the policies have intensified,” said Khan in an interview to news website Urdu.com on Sunday.

    Khan said that he was not in contact with the establishment. He further said if talks are held on elections alone, his party will talk to anyone. When asked if the establishment has something personal against Khan, he said that he can’t say much about this but he knows one thing for sure that Gen (retd) Bajwa caused a lot of oppression on PTI. “We used to ask the police they would say that we have orders from higher ups,” he stated.

    Talking about forced disappearances, Khan said that he knew who was responsible for taking away PTI social media activist Azhar Mashwani.

    “We knew who took Azhar Mashwani. It was neither police who was involved nor FIA. We know which agency was behind it,” said Khan.

    “There are actually scared. They only want my complete blackout. They have banned me on media and now they’re after my social media presence,” said Khan.

  • Jalsa attend karein Khan ka magar reply sirf Bilawal ko, Humza Yousaf ignores Imran after becoming Scotland’s leader

    Humza Yousaf has made history by becoming Scotland’s first Muslim First Minister.

    Yousaf has ignited considerable curiosity in Pakistan as to his roots and political inclinations.

    Digging deep, we found a very old tweet of Humza and it seems like he had been an admirer of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan. In 2012, the newly-elected Scotland leader attended Khan’s jalsa and met him.

    He wrote: “Great rally amazing energy at Imran Khan rally and very good meeting with him afterward.”

    Recently, when Imran congratulated Humza on being elected, Scotland’s First Minister ignored the tweet, however, he replied to current Foreign Minister (FM) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari instead.

    The minister wished him well saying, “Wishing you all the best for your term in Bute House and looking forward for strong partnership in the domains of trade, investment, culture and education.”

    In response, Humza mentioned that “Pakistan will always have a special place in his heart”.

    “Scotland’s relationship with Pakistan is a friendship that has blossomed through many generations, I look forward to it growing stronger, ” he added.

  • ‘Are all decisions and benches only for Imran Khan?’: Nawaz raises questions on judiciary

    ‘Are all decisions and benches only for Imran Khan?’: Nawaz raises questions on judiciary

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo, Nawaz Sharif, has spoken out against the decision to disqualify him as prime minister, stating that it hurt the future of the country.

    Speaking at a press conference in London on Friday evening, Nawaz said, “I appeal to my people, open your eyes. This is a cruel joke. In 2017, weren’t you happy? You had full stomachs, your families were content. After 2017, what was the situation?”

    Hitting out at the judiciary, Nawaz criticised incumbent Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial and former-CJP Saqib Nisar and said there was consensus “among all” that a full court should hear the elections case.

    “Then why this zid [stubbornness]? Why the insistence that only three judges will be on the bench? This is a national issue, not the issue of one truck, cart or of vacating a plot. Why just these three judges?” he questioned.

    “All political parties have said this, the government wants this, bar associations want this, parliament has expressed its will and even passed its bill. It is now with the president… parliament is the country’s major institution, its sanctity should be respected,” he elaborated.

    Justice Bandial has been criticised for forming what critics have called a “like-minded bench” to hear major cases, ignoring senior judges, most notably Justice Qazi Faez Isa.

    “For one man, you [the judges] are giving decisions? Have you ever taken a suo motu on things said by Justice Shaukat Siddiqi? Or what ex-COAS Gen Bajwa said? Doesn’t this warrant a suo motu that Nawaz Sharif was treated unjustly,” Nawaz Sharif asked, who was disqualified for life by a Supreme Court bench.

    “Are all decisions and benches for Imran Khan?” questioned the former Prime Minister, adding “I also heard that the chief justice had tears in his eyes, if these are from fear of God then that is welcome news. I cannot say more.”

    Furthermore, Nawaz called for a full court to be formed to hear a petition by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) against the delay in Punjab elections.

  • ‘One-man show tabaahi ka baayis banega’: Maryam Nawaz criticises CJP Bandial for facilitating PTI

    ‘One-man show tabaahi ka baayis banega’: Maryam Nawaz criticises CJP Bandial for facilitating PTI

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz took to Twitter and without naming Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial criticised him, stating that “one man show will lead to disaster.”

    In a thinly veiled jibe at the crisis in the apex court, Maryam wrote, “A person whose own brothers judges mistrust him, raise questions, the decision given by him will have no legal or moral status.”

    “It is the responsibility of the entire nation to prevent the House of Justice from becoming the House of Tehreek-e-Insaaf on behalf of a few facilitators. A one-man show will lead to disaster.”

    It is pertinent to mention here that Maryam Nawaz’s tweet comes at a time when the SC judges have recused themselves from hearing the PTI’s petition against the Election Commission of Pakistan’s decision to delay polls in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

    The initial five-member bench comprising CJP Bandial, Justice Ahsan, Justice Akhtar, Justice Amin-Ud-Din Khan, and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail held three hearings on the matter from Monday till Wednesday. 

    Another three-member bench was formed today after two of the five judges of the original five-member larger bench recused themselves.

  • ‘Mera bhi dil hai’, Chief Justice Bandial ki ankhon mein aansoo aa gaye

    ‘Mera bhi dil hai’, Chief Justice Bandial ki ankhon mein aansoo aa gaye

     Now at three members — resumed hearing the PTI’s petition against the Election Commission of Pakistan’s decision to delay polls in Punjab on Friday.

     The Supreme Court on Friday rejected the government’s request to form a full court on the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa election delay case. 

    A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, comprising Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar, rejected the request put forward by Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan on behalf of the government. 

    During the hearing it was reported that CJP Bandial got teary eyed and said that he too has a heart and emotions.

    SC bench dobaara toot gaya; After Justice Amin, Justice Mandokhail recuses from hearing election delay case

    Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, who was part of the four-member bench hearing the case against the delay of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) elections, has excused himself from hearings on Friday morning, adding to the turmoil gripping the Supreme Court.

    Justice Mandokhail said that Justice Amin-ud-Din excused himself from hearing the case. After Justice Amin’s decision, the order was awaited. “I received the court order yesterday at home. I have written a separate note on the order, Attorney General, please read the dissenting note,” said Justice Mandokhail.

    The Attorney General read the dissenting note of Justice Jamal Mandokhail, in which it was said that he was a member of the bench; he was not consulted while writing the judgment. “I think I am a misfit in the bench,” the justice wrote in his note.

    A four-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial was to hear Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) plea against the delay in elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Punjab today.

    Initially, a five-member larger bench of the top court was hearing the case.

    The original bench comprised CJP Bandial, Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Amin-Ud-Din Khan, and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail.

    However, on Thursday the bench was dissolved after Justice Khan recused himself from the case after a Supreme Court order halted proceedings under Article 184(3).

    After the dissolution of the bench, Supreme Court announced that the bench would continue hearing the case without Justice Khan.

    Taking to Twitter, the PTI Chairman Imran Khan said, “Whether it’s a 5 mbr SC bench or Full Bench, it makes no difference to us bec all we want to know is if elections will be held within the 90 days’ constitutional provision.”

    “Before we dissolved our two provincial assemblies, I consulted our top constitutional lawyers, all of whom were clear that the 90-day constitutional provision on holding elections was inviolable.”

    “Now Imported Govt of crooks, their handlers & a compromised ECP are making a complete mockery of Constitution. By cherry picking which Articles of Constitution they will abide by, they are threatening the very foundation of Pakistan, which is the Constitution & Rule of Law. So petrified are they of elections & so desperate to whitewash their convicted ldrs that they are prepared to destroy the Constitution & any semblance of Rule of Law.”

  • PM Shehbaz orders withdrawal of review petitions against Justice Isa

    PM Shehbaz orders withdrawal of review petitions against Justice Isa

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday directed Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar to withdraw the curative review reference filed against Justice Qazi Faez Isa of the Supreme Court.

    “On my direction, the government has decided to withdraw the Curative Review Petition against senior most Judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Qazi Faez Isa,” tweeted the PM.  

    In a tweet posted today, the PM said that the curative review was based on “ill-will and meant to harass and intimidate the honourable Judge at the behest of Imran Niazi”.

    Separately, in a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) today, PM Shehbaz said that Justice Isa and his family were “harassed and defamed” in the name of the reference.

    “This was not a reference, but a vendetta by Imran Khan Niazi, a vindictive person, against a fair-minded judge who followed the path of the Constitution and the law,” the statement quoted the PM as saying.

    “Imran Niazi misused the constitutional office of the president for this criminal act and President Arif Alvi became an instrument in the attack on the judiciary and an accomplice to a lie.”