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Tag: PTI

  • Sanaullah calls for forensic test of Elahi’s alleged ‘leaked audio’

    Sanaullah calls for forensic test of Elahi’s alleged ‘leaked audio’

    Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Thursday called on Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial to take notice of a recent audio leak purportedly involving former Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi.

    Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Sanaullah called for a forensic test of the leaked phone recording. He also urged the top judge to bring the culprits to justice.

    “If the former Punjab CM is found guilty after the forensic, then the matter should be presented before the judicial committee,” he added.

    In a sensational audio leak that surfaced online on Thursday, Elahi, can allegedly be heard talking to a judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, about Mohammad Khan Bhatti’s case.

    The audio recordings, released in three parts, allegedly feature the voice of Elahi, a close ally of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), talking to three different people.


    In the first part, Pervaiz Elahi is talking to lawyer Jahangir Jhoja in Punjabi, and asks him to ensure that Mohammed Ali Bhatti’s case is put up before the said judge. Bhatti, the former Secretary of Punjab Assembly, considered a close aide of Pervaiz Elahi’s, was arrested from Karachi on February 6 while he was en route to Sindh High Court for protective bail.

    Jhoja allegedly replies to Pervaiz Elahi that they will try to make it happen. Pervaiz Elahi then says, “He is dabang (bold).”


    In the second audio leak, Pervaiz Elahi talks to Abid Zuberi, the President of Supreme Court Bar Association. Elahi again asks him to ensure that the case is put up before the same judge. “Have they filed the case sir,” Zuberi asks, to which Elahi replies in the affirmative, asking Zuberi not to tell anyone.

    Zuberi then says, “Day after tomorrow, Dogar’s case will be heard too, on 14th. [The judge] is part of the bench.” Elahi does not seem to remember who Dogar is, upon which Abid Zuberi reminds him that Ghulam Muhammad Dogar was the CCPO Lahore. “He has been removed but the case still is pending before the court, Sir,” Zuberi says. “I will discuss it,” said Pervez Elahi.

    The third and final audio allegedly is of a phone conversation between Pervaiz Elahi and the judge himself. The former Chief Minister tells the judge that he is coming over to meet him. He also asks if Muhammad Khan is there to which the reply is that he has reached. Elahi then allegedly says that he is coming without protocol and is quite near. He allegedly says that he will offer salam and then depart.

    The audio clip is cut off at this point.

  • No more Amreeki sazish? Fawad Chaudhry meets Donald Blome

    No more Amreeki sazish? Fawad Chaudhry meets Donald Blome

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senior Vice-President Fawad Chaudhry has confirmed on Twitter that he met with United States (US) Ambassador Donald Blome and other senior American officials.

    Taking to Twitter, Chaudhry wrote, “Had a good meeting with US ambassador and senior officials. The worsening HR [human rights] situation in Pakistan was a particular focus of discussion.”

    Chaudhry said, “The political situation and PTI position on various issues came under discussion. Such meetings are part of mutual desire to have relationship based on equality and well being of people.”

    Last week, PTI Chairman Imran Khan yet again came up with another narrative regarding his version of “regime change”. The former Prime Minister said that former army chief General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa told United States (US) that Khan is anti-America, which resulted in his ouster.

    In an interview with Voice of America, Khan said, “As things unfolded, it wasn’t the US who told Pakistan, it was unfortunately, from what evidences have now come out, it was General Bajwa who actually somehow managed to tell the Americans that I was anti-America and so it was not imported from there actually it was exported from here to there.”

  • Ishaq Dar presents mini-budget in National Assembly to meet IMF conditions

    Ishaq Dar presents mini-budget in National Assembly to meet IMF conditions

    A crucial tax amendment bill to fulfil the conditions of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to revive a stalled loan programme that the country needs to stave off default was presented in both houses of parliament on Wednesday.

    Finance Minister Ishaq Dar introduced the Finance (Supplementary) Bill 2023 first in the National Assembly and then in the Senate.

    The Pakistani government approved a proposal last night to increase the general sales tax (GST) rate from 17 to 18 per cent and to raise the Federal Excise Duty (FED) on cigarettes. The aim is to generate an additional Rs115 billion out of Rs170 billion, which was agreed upon by Pakistan in accordance with the IMF conditions.

    Through the implementation of the “mini-budget,” led by the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)-led government, the country intends to reduce the budget deficit and enhance its tax collection efforts to meet the conditions set by the IMF, a Washington-based lender.

    The National Assembly will not be referring the bill to the Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue for further review, while the Senate has sent the legislation to the relevant committee. Officials at the Ministry of Finance have stated that they anticipate the bill to be passed by Thursday morning, which will allow for the receipt of funds not only from the IMF but also from other multilateral and bilateral sources.

    Last week, Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) were unable to reach an agreement, and the visiting IMF delegation left Islamabad after 10 days of talks. However, negotiations are set to continue. The Pakistani economy, valued at $350 billion, is in dire need of financial assistance as it grapples with a severe economic crisis.

    In an effort to appease the IMF, the government initially intended to implement the fiscal measure via an ordinance. However, President Dr Arif Alvi recommended that the administration obtain the parliament’s approval instead.

    During his address to the lower house, Finance Minister Dar highlighted the unprecedented crises the nation is currently facing due to the “substandard” policies of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government. In contrast, the country had experienced economic growth during the previous government led by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), during which the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) had increased by $112 billion.

    “The PML-N always tries to take fewer loans. Foreign investment had also increased during PML-N’s tenure. In contrast, during the PTI’s government, the loans hit record highs, and a common man’s income also plunged.”

    According to Geo, the finance minister stated that in addition to the challenges that the current government is confronting as a result of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) policies, the country suffered losses exceeding $8 billion due to last year’s floods.

    “But, we should always prefer the state over politics,” he reiterated — the mantra that PDM leaders have time and again propagate as they face an uphill task on the economic front.

    This is a developing story…

  • Islamabad ATC rejects Imran’s bail in ECP protest case

    Islamabad ATC rejects Imran’s bail in ECP protest case

    An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Islamabad has rejected Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s request for an extension in his interim bail. The plea was made in a case pertaining to a protest outside the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) following its decision in the Toshakhana case.

    During today’s hearing, Imran’s lawyer Babar Awan told the court that Imran tried to travel to Islamabad but could not.

    Awan highlighted that the additional sessions judge had granted interim bail to the PTI chief till February 27.

    Awan requested the court to extend the bail, adding that Khan had tried to come but could not travel.

    Islamabad ATC orders Imran Khan to appear in person today

    An Islamabad Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Wednesday ordered Khan to appear in person before the judge by 1:30pm today.

    During the hearing today, ATC judge Raja Jawad Abbas Hassan rejected his request for exemption from appearance on medical grounds.

    “Imran Khan should appear in court by 1:30pm,” he ordered.

    Earlier, an Islamabad banking court also refused Imran’s exemption request in the prohibited funding case against his party and instructed him to appear before the judge in person today.

    “Imran Khan should appear in the court before 3:30pm today,” Special Judge Banking Court Rakhshanda Shaheen said.

    “If he fails to do so, the law will take its course,” she added.

    At the previous hearing, the court had granted the PTI chief a last opportunity to appear on February 15.

    Khan has been in Zaman Park, his Lahore residence, since he was shot on November 3, in Wazirabad, while leading a protest march towards Islamabad.

  • PTI’s Shaukat Tarin booked for allegedly sabotaging IMF deal

    Former Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin has been booked in a sedition case by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for allegedly sabotaging negotiations between Pakistan and International Monetary Fund (IMF).

    The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader landed in the center of controversy in August last year when telephonic conversations between him and two provincial finance ministers surfaced. A voice, allegedly Tarin’s, was heard telling Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) finance minister Taimur Jhagra and Punjab finance minister Mohsin Leghari, both of the PTI, to tell the coalition government in the centre and the IMF that they would not be able to commit to a provincial budget surplus in light of the monsoon floods.

    The leaked audio came to light when the international lender’s executive board was scheduled to consider Pakistan’s request of releasing the $1.2 billion tranche under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF).

    On Monday, the coalition government also allowed the FIA to arrest the former finance minister after the agency sought the interior ministry’s nod to detain him.

    PTI lawmakers protested in Senate against the possible arrest of Tarin on the same day.

    Interestingly, senior leader of arch-rivals Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, lent support to Tarin, stating that there should be a trial and he shouldn’t be arrested.

    He pointed out that many arrests took place when Imran Khan was PM and that now the incumbent government shouldn’t follow in his footsteps.

  • Will be happiest to leave govt as soon as elections are held, says CM Mohsin Naqvi

    Will be happiest to leave govt as soon as elections are held, says CM Mohsin Naqvi

    Caretaker Chief Minister (CM) of Punjab, Mohsin Naqvi, has said that he doesn’t wish to prolong his tenure as head of government in the province.

    Talking to journalists, he said that he would be happiest to leave the government as soon as the elections are held. He clarified that the election date is the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) job, and his government is ready to conduct free and fair elections in the province.

    About the ever-growing danger of terrorism in Punjab, the caretaker CM said the government is boosting the capabilities of the already efficient Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) in the province.

    It is pertinent to mention Mohsin has been under fire lately by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for what they allege is a failure to set a date for by-polls in Punjab.

  • Another U-turn? Khan claims ‘conspiracy’ to remove him was ‘exported’ from Pakistan to US

    Another U-turn? Khan claims ‘conspiracy’ to remove him was ‘exported’ from Pakistan to US

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has yet again come up with another narrative regarding his version of “regime change”. The former Prime Minister has now said that former army chief General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa told United States (US) that Khan is anti-America, which resulted in his ouster.

    In an interview with Voice of America, aired on Saturday, Khan said, “As things unfolded, it wasn’t the US who told Pakistan, it was unfortunately, from what evidences have now come out, it was General Bajwa who actually somehow managed to tell the Americans that I was anti-America and so it was not imported from there actually it was exported from here to there.”

    The former premier was of the view that “International relationships shouldn’t be based on personal egos, they should be based on the interest of the people of your own country”, adding that it is in the interest of Pakistanis to have good relations with US.

    Talking about his relationship with Bajwa, Khan said that his government and the military were on the “same page”, which meant that “we had the organised strength of Pakistan army to help us”.

    However, Imran contended that Gen Bajwa “favoured some of the biggest crooks in the country” and didn’t think about corruption as a big problem.

    “He wanted us to work with them. What that meant [was] giving them immunity from their corruption cases,” he claimed, adding that Gen Bajwa has a “very close” relationship with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

    In response to another question, Imran said that he was sure that the new military leadership had realised that the “experiment of regime change” has gone wrong.

    Addressing the worsening law and order situation, he blamed the “negligence” of Pakistan’s security forces and intelligence agencies for the rising incidents of terrorism in the country.

    Reacting to the disclosure, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif said, “Imran Niazi’s antics & somersaults continue to disappoint the nation. The only constant is his desperation to get back into power even if it involves plunging the country into a protracted period of instability. His politics is based on lies which are getting exposed by the day.”

  • ‘Have never asked Gen Faiz any favour’: Tarin can’t believe Bajwa’s claims

    ‘Have never asked Gen Faiz any favour’: Tarin can’t believe Bajwa’s claims

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shaukat Tarin has said that he can’t believe the quotes about him being attributed to former army head, General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa.

    Clarifying his position, Tarin said that he had only asked the then-Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lt General (retd) Faiz Hameed to have his cases heard on merit by the courts.

    Tarin was reacting to the accounts attributed to General Bajwa in a column written by Javed Chaudhry.

    In the piece, Javed Chaudhary quoted Gen (retd) Bajwa as saying, “We kept trying to convince the prime minister [Imran Khan] against appointing Tarin as finance minister. I told the PM that Tarin, who failed to run his bank, will ruin the economy. The premier disagreed.”

    “National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had a Rs 8 billion case against Tarin. The PM asked us to have these cases dismissed…. and Gen Faiz Hameed got these cases scrapped from NAB,” the column cited Gen (retd) Bajwa as stating.

    In response to these assertions, Tarin said he could not “believe” that the former Chief could say such things about him.

    “On March 31, 2022, General sahib had declared me a hero when I finalised the Reko Diq deal,” he said.

    While sharing details about his cases, the former finance minister stated: “My case should have been disposed of on merit. Faiz never told me that he would get my case dismissed, nor did I ever ask him for any favour. I had also told the prime minister [Imran Khan] that I would not accept this job [finance ministry] unless my cases are finished.”

    “The columnist wrote that the former army chief had my NAB cases dismissed through [Lt Gen (retd)] Faiz Hameed. The former army chief’s comments are against the truth and ridiculous.”

  • Gen Bajwa ‘denies’ Javed Chaudhry’s assertion that he called Imran Khan dangerous for Pakistan

    Gen Bajwa ‘denies’ Javed Chaudhry’s assertion that he called Imran Khan dangerous for Pakistan

    Former retired Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa has denied calling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan “dangerous for Pakistan”.

    Javed Chaudhry, in a column published in Express News, had written that he questioned Bajwa how his decision of not saving Khan’s government was right. Chaudhry then quotes Bajwa’s response, “Our reading was that they [PTI] were dangerous for Pakistan. If they stayed [in power] the country would not be able to function.”

    Senoir journalist Mansoor Ali Khan in his vlog discussed Gen Bajwa’s denial. Mansoor, quoting the retired army chief, said that he got a call from him [Gen Bajwa] where he told Mansoor that he had not said anything of the kind to Javed Chaudhry. “Gen Bajwa said he has never said such a thing to Chaudhry and never had any understanding of the sort Chaudhry has written about,” said Mansoor.

    He further stated that Gen Bajwa has directly denied this one statement written in the column. However, Mansoor did say that the other information mentioned in the column by Chaudhry is almost 99 per cent accurate.

    Gen Bajwa has also sent his point of view to Javed Chaudhry so that the columnist may rectify his words.

  • When will provincial assemblies elections take place?

    It’s been almost a month now since the dissolution of the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) assemblies, however, no consensus on the election dates has been reached so far.

    It is to be noted that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had recommended that the elections be held between April 9 and 17.

    On January 27, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) approached the Lahore High Court (LHC), seeking an order for the Punjab governor to immediately announce the date for elections in the province.

    Later, the high court directed Punjab Governor Muhammad Baligur Rehman and the ECP — to submit their replies to the court by Feb 10.

    In his reply, the Governor stated that he had not created any obstacle for the ECP to announce the election date.

    “If the governor did not dissolve the assembly on the so-called advice of the chief minister, then it is not the responsibility of the governor to give the date for the polls,” he said.

    No security forces avaible for elections

    Another hindrance in holding the election has come forth now as the government has said that it wouldn’t be able to provide full security during elections due to unavailability of personnel.

    Earlier this week, ECP had written to the federal government, seeking the deployment of troops of civil armed forces for the conduct of general and by-elections in various constituencies of the national and provincial assemblies.

    However, the interior ministry, headed by Rana Sanaullah, informed the ECP that the armed forces would not be able to perform security duties during the provincial assembly elections in Punjab and KP as well as by-elections on 64 National Assembly seats as it was busy conducting census and counter-terror operations.

    According to the ministry, both the armed and civil forces are overwhelmed with work on dealing with the threat of terrorism in the country. In addition, the troops are also required to undertake widespread deployment to achieve secure conduct of the census.