Tag: PTI

  • Today’s highlights: Opposition submits no-confidence while PM remains unfazed

    Today’s highlights: Opposition submits no-confidence while PM remains unfazed

    A total of 86 lawmakers from the Opposition parties signed the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on Tuesday in an effort to oust the PM.

    Opposition leaders — Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif, and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman confirmed the submission in a joint press conference.

    The government’s current number of Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) stands at 179 while the Opposition has the support of 162 MNAs but they claim to have 186 members on their side.

    While addressing the conference, Zardari laughed when asked how many Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) assembly members are with him. He sarcastically said, “Naam bhi bata doon?” (Should I reveal the names also?)

    PM Khan remains unfazed

    PM Khan reportedly met with the Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) to discuss legal aspects after the Opposition’s submission of a no-confidence motion against him. Not only this, the premier also had a meeting with YouTubers, in which he made several claims. He said that the army stands with the government, it will never support thieves.

    “After this, nothing will happen against this government till 2028. The Opposition will face a humiliating defeat,” he added.

    PM Khan is all set to visit Karachi tomorrow (Wednesday).

    Will Shehbaz Sharif become the new PM?

    Addressing the ‘Awami March’, former President Zardari hinted that Shehbaz Sharif might become the new PM (if the no-confidence motion is successful). He said, “It is time we bring a Shareef admi to replace the prime minister.”

    Another PPP leader, Naveed Qamar, said that it is likely that Shehbaz Sharif will be the next prime minister.

    CM Buzdar resignation matter

    As per reports, Chief Minister (CM) Punjab Usman Buzdar presented his resignation to the PM but he didn’t accept the resignation and reportedly said that Buzdar will always be CM of Punjab. Buzdar also vowed that even if he is no longer CM, he will always stand by Khan.

    Moreover, there are several media reports which suggest that members within PTI aren’t really happy with Buzdar. Aleem Khan and Jahangir Tareen group said that the only way to move forward in Punjab is minus-Buzdar.

    Awami March reaches Islamabad

    PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s Awami March has reached Islamabad. In an exclusive interview with Hamid Mir on Geo News’ programme Capital Talk, Bilawal said that the capital’s police is blocking its party convoy. “Until the whole caravan is allowed to come with me, we will protest,” he said.

    Tareen-Aleem partnership

    Top leaders of the disgruntled Jahangir Khan Tareen (JKT) group, including PTI’s Aleem Khan, are going to London to meet Tareen.

    On Monday, Aleem Khan formally joined Jahangir Tareen’s group. Aleem said the aim is to “save” the party after “loyalists who had been integral in PTI’s 10-year struggle were sidelined without any reason.”

    In response, PM Khan claimed that Tareen would never support “thieves”.

  • Shehbaz Sharif sends bouquet to Jahangir Tareen

    Shehbaz Sharif sends bouquet to Jahangir Tareen

    Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif has reportedly sent a bouquet to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) disgruntled leader Jahangir Khan Tareen in London and conveyed his best wishes and prayers for Tareen’s speedy recovery, journalist Murtaza Ali Shah has tweeted.

    Tareen, who is currently in London for medical treatment. He was discharged from a private clinic on Saturday.

    It has been reported that PTI’s Aleem Khan, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s close friend, was contacted by PML-N. He has reached Jahangir Tareen’s residence where Tareen is expected to address the meeting through a video link.

    It is pertinent to mention that Tareen had left for London on February 26 after his health deteriorated. But despite being away from home, he has been in touch with his political allies in Pakistan throughout.

    Tareen will stay in the United Kingdom (UK) for around a week more and will travel to Pakistan depending on his doctors’ advice.

  • Suspects involved in Peshawar blast identified: Sheikh Rasheed

    Suspects involved in Peshawar blast identified: Sheikh Rasheed

    Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed, in a video message, has revealed that all three suspects involved in the suicide blast inside an Imam Bargah in Peshawar have been identified by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) police and investigation agencies.

    He said the police and agencies are closing in on the suspects and they would be arrested in the next two to three days.

    Earlier, the minister hinted at the involvement of foreign forces in the attack.

    A suicide bomb attack hit Peshawar resulting in 63 deaths on Friday.

    According to CCTV footage of the attack, a man dressed in a traditional shalwar kameez shot two policemen as he entered the mosque.

    AFP reported that the militant Islamic State group had claimed the suicide bombing. According to reports, the investigators are checking the biometric data of people who had recently entered Pakistan from Afghanistan.

  • ‘Pervaiz Elahi’s sherwani ready, he will soon take oath as CM Punjab’: PPP

    ‘Pervaiz Elahi’s sherwani ready, he will soon take oath as CM Punjab’: PPP

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has said that there is a big surprise in store for Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan. PPP has revealed that Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi would become the chief minister of the province.

    Punjab PPP General Secretary Syed Hassan Murtaza said, “Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi’s sherwani (the dress traditionally worn by politicians on formal occasions) is ready. He will soon take oath as the Punjab chief minister. Just wait for the final announcement.”

    “The government’s allies are in contact with the PPP. The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will soon be dented, like those claiming the government as theirs will not be with it,” said Murtaza.

    Murtaza also dared PM Khan to come into public space without protocol to know his ‘real popularity’ among the people of Punjab.

    The PPP general secretary further added that the future of Imran Khan was bleak, with his allies ready to give him ‘a big surprise’. The PTI was not a party, but a group of people who had gathered for their personal interests, he claimed.

  • No-confidence to be submitted in 48 hours: PDM

    No-confidence to be submitted in 48 hours: PDM

    Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) leader and official spokesman for the Pakistan Demo­cratic Movement (PDM) Hafiz Hamdullah said that the joint Opposition would submit the no-confidence motion in the next 48 hours.

    The development emerged after PDM chief and JUI-F head Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s talks with reporters regarding the no-confidence motion.

    According to Maulana, the Opposition will make a final decision regarding submitting a vote of the no-confidence motion in the next two to three days.

    PDM chief termed the upcoming days “important”. He claimed they have the numbers required for the success of the no-confidence motion. However, he revealed that it has not been decided yet whether they would bring the no-confidence motion against National Assembly (NA) Speaker Asad Qaiser or Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan.

    It is pertinent to mention that in order to bring in-house change against PM Khan, the joint Opposition needs the support of 172 Members of the National Assembly (MNAs). For the no-confidence motion against the NA’s speaker and deputy speaker, the Opposition would need simply a majority in the Lower House.

    Moreover, Maulana said that it seems that the “umpires” [establishment] are neutral. He declared that the Opposition is not seeking any support from the establishment, rather they want them to stop supporting the government.

    An insider told Dawn when the Opposition is 100 per cent about the success rate of the no-confidence motion, only then they will table it. He said it is true that some of the government’s own people are in contact with the Opposition but they still don’t have sufficient numbers.

  • PTI ministers are with us, claims PML-N’s Ahsan Iqbal

    PTI ministers are with us, claims PML-N’s Ahsan Iqbal

    In Geo News‘ Programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath’ Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Ahsan Iqbal claimed that the government’s decision to decrease the petroleum prices is because of their [Opposition] pressure.

    Talking about Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) allies, Iqbal said they [allies] have to decide for themselves. “If someone thinks of blackmailing them [PML-N] in exchange for offering support for the vote of the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan, it wouldn’t work as they [PML-N] have enough support.”

    He, further claimed that the Opposition has support inside of PTI and would successfully sail a no-confidence motion even without the support of PTI allies. According to him, PML-N has strong contacts with 20 Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) of the ruling party including some federal ministers.

    He added that everyone wants PTI to go home. When asked about the date of the no-confidence motion against the PM, the PML-N leader said there are consultations going on right now.

    A day earlier, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan met with the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leadership. The Chaudhrys of Gujrat assured PM Khan that they still supported him and his government and also expressed their lack of trust in the Sharifs who ditched them in the past.

    “We know them all, and do not trust them,” said Chaudhry Shujaat.

    Last week, Pakis­tan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari began his march towards the federal capital against the government.

  • Bilawal, watch old videos of Benazir and learn how long marches happen: Fawad Chaudhry

    Bilawal, watch old videos of Benazir and learn how long marches happen: Fawad Chaudhry

    Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry advised Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari to watch previous videos of his late mother, Benazir Bhutto, to learn how to conduct a long march.

    “Bilawal must go through the videos of previous long marches held by (late) Benazir Bhutto to learn how such rallies are conducted.”

     “We first want them [Opposition] to get tired by holding this march, then we will make our next move,” said Fawad.

    Rejecting the claims of the Opposition, Fawad said that the relief package announced by Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan a day earlier was not an attempt to woo voters ahead of the 2023 general elections.

    “We just made adjustments to our existing budget to facilitate our middle class. Previously, we had given targeted subsidies to extremely poor segment.”

  • ‘PPP is no more a party of Benazir Bhutto’: Shah Mahmood Qureshi

    ‘PPP is no more a party of Benazir Bhutto’: Shah Mahmood Qureshi

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, in an address to media persons and supporters of the party’s ‘Huqooq-i-Sindh March’, said that the Zardari group had ruined Sindh in its 15-year-rule and it is time to get rid of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) government from the province, reports Dawn.

    The minister said that [former Prime Minister] Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was a man of character and his daughter [former PM] Benazir Bhutto was a fine lady, but now Zardari had firmed up his grip on their party.

    “PPP is no more a party of Benazir Bhutto, it has turned into a party of Zardari,” he remarked.

    Qureshi urged people to vote for PTI in the next general elections and claimed that their party successfully ran governments in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Punjab, Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB).

    “We have come to your doorstep with a message from Imran Khan to support PTI in Sindh to bring about real change and brighten the destiny of the province,” he added.

    Qureshi said, “It is pathetic that a sensible minister of Sindh has used uncivilised language against Imran Khan who is a decent person.” He further said that how could a man like Khan be a fraud or corrupt who had developed a charity hospital [Shaukat Khanum] for people.

    Federal Minister Maritime Affairs Syed Ali Haider Zaidi also addressed a large number of marchers at different places along the route. He said, “Sindh government had ruined farmers and growers by creating an artificial crisis of urea in the province.”

    Zaidi, taking a jibe at Zardari, said that he had made record corruption and even the chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) admitted that they had recovered Rs10 billion and still Rs19bn was to be recovered.

  • Shehbaz Sharif thanks those who want him to be PM

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif has said that he is thankful to those who have proposed his name for the slot of prime minister (PM).

     In an interaction with journalists on Friday, Shehbaz Sharif said, “I am thankful to those who have proposed my name for the slot of prime minister… but who says I am taking the office (as premier) for a year or so?”

    “The decision about the new prime minister in the wake of the success of a no-trust move will be finalised by (PML-N Quaid) Nawaz Sharif in consultation with Opposition parties.”

    Shehbaz Sharif, former President Asif Ali Zardari, and Chief of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) Maulana Fazlur Rehman met on Wednesday evening at the residence of the PML-N leader.

    After the meeting, it was reported that Shehbaz Sharif wanted someone from within the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) as the prime minister while the PPP wanted Shehbaz Sharif to be the next prime minister, a proposal that he was reluctant to accept. They claimed that former president Asif Ali Zardari nominated Shehbaz Sharif as the prime minister while Shehbaz named PPP’s Khursheed Shah for the slot.

    The Opposition parties have also started signing the no-confidence motion against PM Imran Khan and the united Opposition claimed the support of 24 members of the ruling party.

  • ‘Get rid of Khan’: Shehbaz meets Zardari to discuss kicking out PM

    ‘Get rid of Khan’: Shehbaz meets Zardari to discuss kicking out PM

    The Opposition has united to oust Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s government.

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari met Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday (February 22).

    The meeting was held at Bilawal House, Lahore. In a joint declaration after the meeting, it was announced that all-out efforts would be made to rid the country of the present government.

    The Opposition expressed concern over unrest and lawlessness in the country, as the ruling party failed to meet the basic needs of the people.

    The PML-N delegation that visited the Bilawal House included Ahsan Iqbal, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Marriyum Aurangzeb and Rana Sanaullah.

    PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) Parliamentary leader Maulana Asad Mehmood, former prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, Raja Pervez Ashraf, former governor Punjab Makhdum Ahmed Mehmood, Rukhsana Bangash, former Chief Minister KP Akram Khan Durrani were also present at the meeting.