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Tag: PTI

  • CM Mohsin Naqvi says PTI worker died in car accident

    Interim Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Mohsin Naqvi and Punjab Inspector General (IG) Dr Usman Anwar on Saturday jointly addressed the press conference, presenting their case that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) worker Ali Bilal lost his life in a car accident and not due to custodial torture by the Punjab police.

    Both of them claimed that PTI leadership had known the truth yet accused the Punjab government of Bilal’s death.

    CM Naqvi said that the Vice president of the PTI in Central Punjab Raja Shakeel informed PTI leader Yasmin Rashid that Bilal was hit by a car. Later, Rashid also informed the party about it at Zaman Park.

    He added that all the evidence will first be taken to Bilal’s family. He claimed that the PTI worker’s father was also offered money to stick to torture allegations.

    Naqvi asserted that the government will financially help the family.

    “I am accused of murder, is it that easy to level murder accusations on someone?” he asked, adding that the PTI is openly asking to file an FIR for the murder.

    Naqvi said he would have answered the accusations “in a different manner” had he not been in CM’s position.

    Addressing the presser, Punjab IG said that the people who brought Bilal to the hospital have been arrested and will be presented before a court.

    “Action will be taken if evidence of police torture is found,” the IG said.

    During the press briefing, confessional video statements of the two suspects, who are currently under police custody, were also played.

    On March 8, PTI workers were picked up by the police when a clash took place just before a scheduled election rally.

    Later, the party leadership claimed that Bilal was tortured and killed while in police custody. Bilal’s postmortem report, issued by the Mayo Hospital, says the victim suffered “massive blunt trauma”, while a fracture to his skull and subsequent bleeding has been cited as the cause of death. The report also noted damage to his liver, spleen and testes, which led to profuse bleeding.

  • Khan dedicates song to Ali Bilal, calls out elite for being cruel, ruthless and corrupt

    Khan dedicates song to Ali Bilal, calls out elite for being cruel, ruthless and corrupt

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has dedicated a song to party worker Ali Bilal, who was killed during Wednesday’s standoff at Zaman Park.

    Taking to Twitter, Khan wrote, “Dedicating this song to Shaheed Ali Bilal, known affectionately as Zille Shah. He loved his country in a very special way.”

    “His violent death through custodial torture shows the depths to which the corrupt, ruthless & cruel ruling elite has sunk,” wrote Khan.

    The song is an Indian song titled “Teri Mitti,” an ode to the sacrifices a soldier makes for his homeland. Wahab Bugti, known for his song Kana Yari from Coke Studio, has sung the version shared by the PTI chief.

    PTI has claimed that Punjab police killed Ali Bilal in custody in Lahore.

    Taking to Twitter, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry tweeted, “According to Insaf Lawyers Wing, Ali Bilal Shaheed’s father has been kidnapped yesterday after the funeral and he and his family members are in police custody. And now we will see a video which will say that we forgave Mohsin Naqvi [sitting interim Chief Minister Punjab] and the police, but this country will not forgive them.”

    Bilal’s autopsy report revealed 26 injuries and that grave physical violence was the cause of death.

    Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz has condemned the death of Ali Bilal.

    Maryam extended her condolences to the deceased’s family, saying, “Aik siyaasi kaarkun ki jaan gayi, mujhe is cheez ka behaad afsos hai aur dili afsos hai” (I feel grief that a political worker lost his life).

  • After Imran Khan, Maryam Nawaz too recommends ‘The Forty Rules of Love’

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz has revealed her favourite books, writers, poets and thinkers in a recent interview.

    In an interview with a web channel, Maryam Nawaz said that her favourite reading genre is Fiction and History. She went on to name her favourite writers who’s books she enjoyed reading while she was incarcerated.

    “A few fiction writers are close to reality; I read them a lot, like Paulo Coelho. I really like his Alchemist and Warrior of Light. Elif Shafak is another writer whom I enjoy reading. One of my most favourite books is The Forty Rules of Love. There is a book called, The Seat of the Soul and Twilight in Delhi; I have really enjoyed reading them,” said Maryam.

    She stated that she preferred books with a historical background.

    Moving on to poetry, Maryam said she loves reading the work of Irish poet Seamus Heaney, especially his work on freedom. Recalling her time in jail, Maryam said that was the first time she could read Urdu novels and poetry.

    “One has a lot of time in jail, so I miss how I used to read there. I read the work of Ahmad Faraz, Sahir Ludhianvi, Parveen Shakir and Amjad Islam Amjad. Apart from this, I have enjoyed reading the work of thinkers and even implemented their philosophies in my life. I have really enjoyed the work of Francis Bacon and Friedrich Nietzsche.”

  • ‘Dili afsos hai’: Maryam Nawaz condemns death of PTI worker in Lahore

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz has condemned the death of Ali Bilal, a worker and supporter of rival party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) who lost his life allegedly at the hands of police on Wednesday when a clash took place in Lahore.

    Maryam extended her condolences to the deceased’s family, saying, “Aik siyaasi kaarkun ki jaan gayi, mujhe is cheez ka behaad afsos hai aur dili afsos hai” (I feel grief that a political worker lost his life).

    The PML-N leader also said that whatever has happened should be investigated.

    On Wednesday, on the call of PTI Chief Imran Khan, PTI workers came out on the roads, resulting in a clash between PTI workers and Lahore police at Zaman Park. PTI leaders claim that the administration is to blame for Ali Bilal’s death.

    During the interview with Adil Shahzeb, Maryam also said that now that ex-Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Faiz Hameed has confessed, the establishment should take notice of his statement.

    “General Faiz will be held accountable by the institution itself,” she said.

  • LHC suspends PEMRA order banning Imran Khan’s speeches

    LHC suspends PEMRA order banning Imran Khan’s speeches

    The Lahore High Court (LHC) has suspended an order of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) which banned the broadcast of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan’s speeches on TV.

    Justice Shams Mehmood Mirza announced the suspension of the order in a verdict he had reserved earlier today.

    Khan’s lawyer informed the court that an earlier ban imposed by PEMRA was also suspended by the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

    The ban was imposed after Khan lashed out at former army chief General (retired) Qamar Javed Bajwa for what he called “protecting incumbent rulers in their corruption cases”.

    PEMRA again bans IK’s speeches on TV after he lashed out at Bajwa

    On March 6, PEMRA imposed a ban on the broadcast of speeches, talks or public addresses of Khan and barred news television channels from airing them.

    It is pertinent to mention that this is the third ban on Khan’s speeches and press talks on all satellite TV channels.

    Meanwhile, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) condemned PEMRA’s ban and demanded it to be lifted immediately.

    Earlier in the day, the PTI chief dodged arrest as Islamabad Police showed up at his Zaman Park residence in Lahore with a court summons to take him into custody for his persistent absences from Toshakhana court hearings.

    However, when the police reached Khan’s residence, they were met by a large number of PTI workers, who gathered outside his residence on Fawad Chaudhry’s call. 

    The police were informed that the PTI chief was “unavailable”. With PTI workers outnumbering the police contingent, and despite the Islamabad Police chief earlier saying that they won’t go back empty-handed, the arrest could not be made. Eventually, the Islamabad Police left Imran’s residence.

    Later, in the evening Khan addressed its supporters from his Zaman Park residence where he said that there is no security risk, adding that “they” wanted to “remove” him.

    He also said that he was being dragged into courts in fake cases while demanding that he should be allowed to attend the hearing of the Toshakhana case via video link.

    Khan, reportedly also moved Islamabad sessions court seeking cancellation of his non-bailable arrest warrant in the Toshakhana case.

  • Record of Toshakhana gifts will be posted online soon, promises Khawaja Asif

    Record of Toshakhana gifts will be posted online soon, promises Khawaja Asif

    The federal cabinet under the supervision of Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has decided to make the details of state gifts received over the past two decades available to the public soon.

    Defence Minister Khawaja Asif announced the development on his Twitter account where he revealed that the declassification of Toshakhana records has been allowed by the cabinet, adding that the record would be posted soon on the website of the cabinet division.

    Last year in June, PM Shehbaz Sharif constituted a ministerial committee to redesign Toshakhana policy.

    Toshakhana has been at the center of a political storm since 2021 when former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan was accused of hiding details of the gifts he received during his tenure. A case and an investigation pertaining to the same are currently going on.

    However, responding to the controversy Khan said that the gifts were given to him, therefore it was his choice to keep them or not.

    Last year, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) also disqualified the PTI chief as Member of the National Assembly (MNA) in the Toshkhana case.

    Recently, non-bailable arrest warrants were issued for Khan in the Toshkahana case because of his continued absences from Toshakhana court hearings. Last week, Islamabad Police reached Zaman Park to arrest the PTI chief, however, he managed to evade it.

    Later, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) suspended the arrest warrant but directed Khan to appear before the trial court by March 13 or face the proceedings of declaring him a proclaimed offender.

  • ‘As a woman, it is insulting that I have to take Imran Khan’s name’: Maryam Nawaz

    ‘As a woman, it is insulting that I have to take Imran Khan’s name’: Maryam Nawaz

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz has said that she, too, has faced harassment even though she hails from a privileged background and has a powerful father.

    Addressing a PML-N women workers convention in Lahore on International Woman’s Day, Maryam said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and his party has always targeted her with “personal attacks” when she says something political.

    “They talk about my marriage. My wedding was done with alot of love and festivities by my parents and grandparents. And I am still married to the same person. I don’t want to attack anyone personally,” said Maryam.

    “As a woman, it is insulting that I have to take Imran Khan’s name. Due to the current situation in the country, I have to take his name. Being a woman, I have said this many times, I would never let a person like Imran Khan inside my house,” said Maryam, adding that when Imran is asked about politics, he never gives a political answer. Instead, he, in his jalsa says, “Maryam Nawaz, you say my name so many times, be careful; your husband might get angry with you.”

    Khan in May last year made misogynistic remarks about Maryam Nawaz.

    “In that speech, she took my name with such passion that I would like to tell her: Maryam, please be careful, your husband may get upset because you were constantly repeating my name,” said IK during the speech.

    “I am like a daughter to him [Imran Khan], and now because of the fear of arrest, he has become old and is 72 years old, but when it comes to slurs and personally attacking me, where does his old age go?” questioned Maryam.

  • Establishment ki zaroorat nahi, jiskay sath awam ho usay besaakhion ki zaroorat nahi’: Khan

    Establishment ki zaroorat nahi, jiskay sath awam ho usay besaakhion ki zaroorat nahi’: Khan

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman (PTI) Imran Khan has said that he only wants free and fair elections for which he is ready to talk to anyone, however, he does not require “crutches”.

    Talking to BBC, Khan said that he was asked if the establishment was ready for talks, will he do so. He responded by saying that he is a political worker and is ready to work, however, he will not to talk to thieves.

    The question popped up after multiple sources disclosed that Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir told a group of businessmen that Imran Khan had wanted to meet him but had refused. Imran said that he did not need the establishment.

    He further added that the people of Pakistan are with PTI so he doesn’t require crutches to seek help or support.

    Talking about the new establishment, Khan said that he hoped the changed establishment would do things differently, but nothing changed, infact, matters had become more difficult and serious.

    Talking about elections, Khan said that the caretaker government’s job is to hold elections. If elections are to be held, he asked, how can they take place without campaigns and rallies?

  • PTI rally, Aurat March in limbo after Section 144 imposed in Lahore

    PTI rally, Aurat March in limbo after Section 144 imposed in Lahore

    Ahead of a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) rally and the Aurat March scheduled to take place on Wednesday, the caretaker government of Punjab has imposed Section 144 in Lahore.

    In a notice released by the Home Department, it was said that rallies and protests are taking place on a daily basis in the provincial capital, disrupting traffic and posing security threats.

    The notice, issued by Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Shakeel Ahmed, also said that terrorist activities in such gatherings have led to the martyrdom of civilians and policemen alike.

    “Hence, in the context of the prevailing overall security situation in the wake of the recent wave of terrorism and latest threat alerts, it has been necessary to impose Section 144 of Cr.P.C, 1898 on holding of all kinds of assemblies, gatherings, sits-in, rallies, processions, demonstrations, jalsas, dharnas, protests and such like other activities across the district Lahore to avert any untoward incident,” the notification read.

    PTI was scheduled to begin it’s election campaign with a rally led by Imran Khan passing through various spots in the city before culminating at Data Darbar.

    Meanwhile, Aurat March was scheduled to begin from NADRA office near Shimla Pahari.

  • ‘Siyaasatdaan khud masaail hal karein’:COAS ‘rejected’ Khan’s request for meeting

    Despite Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders continuous claim that thier Chairperson Imran Khan is not seeking a meeting with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir, anchorperson Shahzeb Khanzada reported that the former prime minister had indeed sent a message to the army chief.

    Speaking on Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath’, the host said that General Asim, in a meeting with the top 10 businessmen of the country, said that PTI chief Imran Khan sent him a message seeking a meeting.

    Khanzada further said that Gen Asim replied that it was not his job as army chief to meet politicians.

    “General Asim asserted that the army would neither interfere in politics nor would play any role in it,” said Khanzada. The army chief maintained that he would not interfere in political matters and the political leadership itself should resolve its issues.

    Speaking in the programme, senior anchorperson Hamid Mir said President Arif Alvi had tried to arrange a meeting between Gen Asim and Imran Khan.

    The army chief told the president that he wants to stay away from politics, Mir added.