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Tag: PTI

  • PTI’s Falak Javed ‘missing’ after arrest for defaming govt, state institutions on social media

    PTI’s Falak Javed ‘missing’ after arrest for defaming govt, state institutions on social media

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) activist Sanam Javed’s sister and social media personality Falak Javed Khan has been arrested for defaming government officials and state institutions, it emerged Wednesday.

    “Social media activist Falak Javed Khan has been arrested. We strongly condemn this illegal arrest,” read a post on PTI’s X (formerly Twitter) account.

    Sanam, in a statement on X, also said that her sister was “abducted”, describing Falak as “a staunch supporter of former prime minister (PM) Imran Khan and a fearless voice for many in Pakistan”.

    She further said that shortly after Falak’s arrest, journalist Hassan Ayub shared a picture of her in custody, however, since then, she had been “missing” and no one knows what has happened to her or where she is being held.

    “We urge everyone to raise their voice for Falak Javed. Her life is in serious danger. We strongly condemn this unlawful abduction and demand justice and her immediate release,” Sanam added.

    Earlier, Ayub had in a post on X said that Falak used social media for “illegal activities” and made “false allegations against government personalities and state institutions” in violation of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA).

    “Police investigation is ongoing so that the facts come to light. The law is equal for everyone and they will have to answer for their actions,” he said.

    Authorities concerned are yet to issue any statement regarding the arrest.

  • PTI distances itself from petition seeking conjugal rights for jailed Imran Khan, wife

    PTI distances itself from petition seeking conjugal rights for jailed Imran Khan, wife

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has condemned and dissociated itself from a petition for conjugal rights recently filed in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in the name of incarcerated former premier Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi.

    “PTI, with deep regret and grave concern, clarifies that the petition filed in the Islamabad High Court under the names of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his respected wife, Bushra Bibi, regarding ‘Conjugal Rights’ has no connection whatsoever with Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi, their family, PTI, or their legal team,” said the PTI central information department in a statement issued on Friday.

    The statement further noted that the petition was filed by an individual named Shahid Yaqoob, who has no association with Imran Khan, his family, or any member of PTI. 

    In the statement, PTI declared the act “utterly deplorable, obscene, and vile,” adding that the party considers it not only morally unacceptable but also lacking any political or legal basis.

    “PTI strongly condemns such activities and requests the public and media not to associate any unverified claims in this matter with PTI or its leadership.”

    The statement concluded by clarifying that the defence of the rights and dignity of Imran Khan and his wife is being undertaken by PTI and their legal team, and “this shameful and condemnable act by an unrelated party is disgraceful”.

    The petition was filed on Friday under Article 199 of the Constitution by Yaqoob, a resident of Islamabad and a supporter of Khan, in the IHC, seeking permission for the founder of PTI and Bushra Bibi to exercise their conjugal rights while confined in Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi.

    In the petition, Yaqoob argued that denying conjugal rights violates constitutional protections, international conventions, and previous court rulings. The plea referred to the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (Nelson Mandela Rules), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the European Convention on Human Rights, all of which safeguard the right to family life.

    The petitioner also cited a 2010 notification issued by the Sindh Home Department, following Supreme Court directions, which allowed convicted prisoners to have conjugal visits every three months.

    It further relied on the Federal Shariat Court’s landmark judgement that recognised conjugal rights for prisoners as a fundamental entitlement and requested the IHC to order the implementation of SC and Federal Shariat Court directives.

  • ‘They will be kidnapped’: Imran Khan refuses to tell who runs his social media account

    ‘They will be kidnapped’: Imran Khan refuses to tell who runs his social media account

    Incarcerated founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan has refused to name those who operate his social media accounts before a special three-member team from the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), a leading English outlet reported on Tuesday.

    Additional Director Ayaz Khan, along with two Sub-Inspectors (SI), namely Muneeb Zafar and Muhammad Waseem Khan, were among the team which visited Adiala Jail to question Imran Khan about posts and the operation of his X (formerly Twitter) and other social media accounts.

    “If I tell, they [operators] will be kidnapped,” the outlet quoted Khan as saying.

    When investigators pressed the former premier, he became agitated, at one point attempting to leave the room. Accusing the lead investigator of personal bias, he stated that the additional director had filed “cipher” and fake-account cases against him in the past.

    “I don’t even want to see Ayaz Khan, his conscience is dead,” Khan told investigators.


     
    Investigators also asked directly whether foreign nationals, or Jibran Ilyas, were involved or whether agencies such as the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), or Mossad were operating the accounts.

    Citing the transcript, the outlet said that Khan ruled out the allegations, maintaining, “My accounts are not run by Jibran Ilyas. Jibran Ilyas is the most patriotic […] and you know who is with Mossad.”

    Jibran Ilyas was born in Pakistan but shifted to the United States (US), Chicago, in his teens. He is a cybersecurity expert working on data breaches for Google and teaches digital forensics at Northwestern University. 

    Ilyas began volunteering for Khan’s party in 2011 and became its social media lead in 2022, coordinating its digital strategy from Chicago.

    Inquiring about how messages from the jail reach the outside world, the investigators asked, “Who takes your [Imran Khan’s] message out of jail?”

    Khan responded that there is no special courier, adding that he is in long periods of solitary confinement, is not allowed to meet political leadership, and that when someone does meet him, he simply sends the message on to the social-media team.

    The outlet quoted sources as further reporting that when Khan was told his sister Aleema Khan, during the investigation, named Ilyas as his account handler, he said: “Aleema has nothing to do with politics.”

    On being asked whether the social-media output was intended to stir unrest, Khan told investigators he was not spreading unrest, adding his posts criticise the government’s tribal-district operations and that “for 20 years I have warned against becoming part of other powers’ wars.”

    He concluded by saying that party leaders repost his messages out of fear of bearing the consequences themselves.

  • ‘Can a son not walk his mother?’: PTI rubbishes govt claim regarding Imran Khan’s nephew

    ‘Can a son not walk his mother?’: PTI rubbishes govt claim regarding Imran Khan’s nephew

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has alleged that the Punjab government misused a video to falsely link incarcerated former Prime Minister’s nephew, Shahrez Khan, to the May 9, 2023 riots.

    According to PTI, the clip, aired on PTV News and shared on its X account, does not show the attack on the Lahore corps commander’s residence. The party claims that it is actually from a party event in Kahna on September 21, 2024, featuring Shahrez with his mother Aleema Khan and leaders Khadija Shah and Shayan Bashir.

    PTI leader Shayan Bashir said the party had official permission for the Kahna event and that Shahrez was only driving his mother there because no driver was available. He added that police had restricted vehicle access, forcing participants to walk. Bashir also confirmed Shahrez’s arrest after meeting him at a Lahore Cantt police station.

    Sources privy to inside information also confirmed to The Current that Shahrez had only walked his mother to the jalsa venue, retierating that he had no political affiliations.

    “How does walking his mother make him political? Shahrez has never been interested, or even wants to be, in politics but can a son not walk his mother to where she needs to go?” they questioned.

    On August 21, officers in plainclothes reportedly picked up Shahrez from Aleema Khan’s Canal Road home while he was preparing to leave for an athletics championship. The next day, his younger brother Shershah was detained outside the house. Both remain in police custody.

    Earlier, Lahore police stated that Shahrez had been arrested in connection with the May 9 riots, claiming his name was added to the Jinnah House case in September 2023 through supplementary statements. PTI’s Secretary General Salman Akram Raja rejected the claim, saying Shahrez was not involved in politics. He alleged that men without warrants forcibly entered the house and took him away.

    Aleema Khan’s lawyer, Rana Mudassir, characterised the arrests as abductions, pointing out that neither brother was implicated in any case at the time of their arrests. He indicated that the legal team intended to seek relief from the Lahore High Court.

    Family sources also exclusively told The Current that Shahrez was not even in Lahore on the day of the May 9 riots.

  • CM Gandapur reiterates resolve for Imran Khan’s ‘honourable release’

    CM Gandapur reiterates resolve for Imran Khan’s ‘honourable release’

    Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Friday vowed to do whatever it takes for the “honourable release” of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, describing himself as “a rebel against the system” which, he alleged, had “unjustly imprisoned” the party leader.

    Speaking at a public gathering in Paharpur Sports Stadium after leading a massive rally from Al-Amin House, the chief minister said the Constitution and law gave them the right to reclaim their mandate, and that they were prepared to “take bullets on the chest” in their struggle.

    Hundreds of vehicles participated in the protest, which was part of the PTI’s August 14 protest movement. Supporters greeted the rally at several points along the way.

    During his address, Gandapur accused the state of engaging in “oppression” since May 9, 2023, claiming that despite being arrested and subjected to violence, PTI supporters have remained steadfast in their support of the party. “We will not commit suicide, we will fight. Those who shoot at us will face the same,” he declared.

    He criticised the state for waging “war against its own people” and stressed that peace was essential for development. “If people have taken up arms, the state also bears responsibility,” he remarked, adding that while terrorism must be eradicated, the government should avoid oppressing citizens.

    The chief minister also underscored the cultural ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan, calling for improved relations, and announced that Paharpur would be granted district status.

  • My sons won’t participate in politics, protests: Imran Khan

    My sons won’t participate in politics, protests: Imran Khan

    Incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former prime minister Imran Khan has stated that his sons, Sulaiman Khan and Kasim Khan, will not participate in protests or politics.

    According to reports, Khan spoke with his sons on a phone call that lasted at least 90 minutes and confirmed that they would visit Pakistan to meet him.

    Speaking to the media on Saturday, Khan also said that his access to newspapers has been restored.

    Meanwhile, speaking to the media outside Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, Khan’s sister Aleema Khan dismissed speculation that he had stopped his sons from visiting Pakistan.

    She claimed that both have lost their National Identity Cards for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP), which has led to the delay in their visit to Pakistan.

    “They have applied for NICOP reissuance and visas. Surprisingly, the embassy claims no such applications have been received. I have the tracking numbers of their applications,” she said.

  • Imran Khan’s son says he is ‘very hopeful’ of his father’s release after meeting with Trump aide

    Imran Khan’s son says he is ‘very hopeful’ of his father’s release after meeting with Trump aide

    Kasim Khan, one of the two sons of the incarcerated founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan, on Tuesday claimed that he is “very hopeful” that his father will be released following a meeting with United States (US) President Donald Trump’s Envoy for Special Missions, Richard Grenell.

    “He was very kind to spend some time with us … I can’t give details on what we spoke about, but I am very hopeful from that,” he said in an interview with Real America’s Voice (RAV).

    On July 22, Grenell, took to X (formerly Twitter) to share a photo where he’s meeting Imran Khan’s sons, advising them to “stay strong”.

    He welcomed his “friends” in California, writing, “I loved hanging out with you [Suleman Khan and Kasim Khan] today.” Donald Trump aide added, “There are millions of people around the world who are sick of political prosecutions. You are not alone. #freeimrankhan.”

    When asked to give names of allies his father has in Pakistan or around the globe, who can help secure Imran Khan’s release, Kasim replied that they are looking “America at the moment”, given that a lot of people there have expressed concern over his father’s incarceration.

    Separately, the party’s Central Secretary for Information Sheikh Waqas Akram on Tuesday denied media reports suggesting that Imran Khan advised his sons against travelling to Pakistan, calling such claims factually incorrect and taken out of context.

    “The news circulating in the media regarding Imran Khan’s children is completely false. Khan has not at all prevented his children from coming to Pakistan,” said Akram in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

    “There should be no doubt that Imran Khan’s children will come to Pakistan; only the date remains to be decided,” he said, adding that Imran Khan’s sons had already informed their father of their plans and did not seek his permission.

    This comes after some media outlets, quoting sources present during a hearing at Adiala Jail, reported that Imran Khan had stated his sons would not be coming to Pakistan to join the protest scheduled for August 5.

    Imran, imprisoned since August 5 2023, is serving a 14-year sentence at Adiala Jail Rawalpindi in the £190 million corruption case and also faces pending trials under the Anti-Terrorism Act related to the May 9, 2023, protests.

  • Punjab opposition leader, PTI MNA disqualified after conviction in May 9 cases

    Punjab opposition leader, PTI MNA disqualified after conviction in May 9 cases

    Days after Punjab Assembly (PA) Opposition Leader Malik Ahmed Khan Bachar and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Member National Assembly (MNA) Mohammad Ahmed Chattha were convicted in a vandalism case related to May 9 riots, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has disqualified them from holding their seats.

    According to the notification issued by the ECP on Monday, an anti-terrorism court found both lawmakers guilty and sentenced them to 10 years in prison.

    “As a consequence, Chattha, MNA from NA-66 Wazirabad and, Ahmad Khan, MPA from PP-87 Mianwali-lll, have become disqualified under Article 63(1)(h) of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan for being members of National Assembly and Provincial Assembly of Punjab respectively,” read the notification.

    Resultantly, the electoral watchdog stated, notification to the extent of Ahmed Chattha and Ahmad Khan as returned candidates is recalled with immediate effect.

    The case was registered in Mianwali over vandalism and riots related to the protests triggered by the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan in a corruption case on May 9, 2023.

    Meanwhile, Senator Ejaz Chaudhry, who was awarded a 10-year imprisonment by the ATC, has also been disqualified, said a separate notification issued by the ECP.

    The commission stated that following his conviction, Chaudhry no longer meets the criteria to remain a senator under Article 63(1)(h) of the Constitution.

    Last week, Yasmin Rashid, Mian Mehmood ur Rasheed and Ex-Punjab Governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema, were among the PTI leaders who were handed a 10-year rigorous imprisonment by ATC in Lahore each in connection with the May 9 violence case


    Meanwhile, the court acquitted former foreign minister and PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the same case, who, according to his defence, was in Karachi on the day of the alleged incident. Others acquitted in the same case include Hamza Azeem Pahat, Rana Tanveer, and Aizaz Rafiq.

    The May 9 cases are linked to violent protests that erupted across the country following the arrest of Imran Khan from the premises of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in a graft case. The unrest included attacks on public property and military installations, such as the Corps Commander House in Lahore, also known as Jinnah House.

     
    While multiple PTI leaders and workers were released on bail after their arrests, many still remain behind bars.

  • PTI rift deepens as Salman Raja publicly loses it over viral tweet

    PTI rift deepens as Salman Raja publicly loses it over viral tweet

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General Salman Akram Raja has criticised PTI Punjab Chief Organiser Aliya Hamza Malik over her recent post on X (formerly Twitter) about the party’s press conference in Lahore.

    Speaking to the media outside the Adiala jail in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, Raja furiously said that Aliya Hamza should not have posted about the party’s conference on social media. He alleged that the controversy stemmed from ‘stupidity and conspiracy’, adding that those who didn’t attend the event did so voluntarily, downplaying the invitation issue. 

    Questioning the motive behind the step taken by Aliya Hamza, Raja warned that similar posts by party members would not be tolerated in the future.

    He clarified that attending the press conference was not mandatory and said he only went because Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur was present, adding that it wouldn’t have looked appropriate for the CM to hold a solo presser.

    When asked whether Aliya Hamza was being removed from her party position, he denied it, but stressed that members must focus on their responsibilities and avoid unnecessary actions like posting tweets.

    “Alya Hamza’s job is to mobilise Punjab … not to tweet,” he said.

    “We will run a movement under the orders of the [party] founder,” he added.

    He also said that those who made mistakes should apologise, and that further communication on the matter was not required.

    On July 13, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), the PTI Punjab chief organiser posted a sarcastic and taunting tweet against the PTI leadership, raising several questions.

    “According to some information that has reached me, I’ve apparently been very busy for the past two days, so busy, in fact, that even I wasn’t aware of it! Would someone care to shed some light on this?” she wrote.

    Taking a jibe at the July 12 presser held by PTI senior leaders, including Gandapur, where they gave a 90-day ultimatum for PTI founder Imran Khan’s release, Aliya Hamza asked, “Has any strategy been announced yesterday or today for the release of Prime Minister Khan. Where and how will the movement begin? Where did the 90-day plan come from, in comparison to August 5?”

    “If any of you have come across this information, please guide me too! The focus and the target must be solely the release of Prime Minister Khan. There is only one slogan! (sic),” she concluded.

  • PTI expels five MNAs for voting in favour of 26th Amendment

    PTI expels five MNAs for voting in favour of 26th Amendment

    The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has formally expelled five of its National Assembly members for defying party directives and voting in favour of the 26th Constitutional Amendment Bill in August last year.

    The expulsions of PTI MNAs were confirmed through formal notifications issued on July 12 by PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan. 

    The lawmakers Aurangzeb Khan Khichi (NA-159, Vehari IV), Zahoor Elahi (NA-146, Khanewal III), Usman Ali (NA-142, Sahiwal II), Mubarak Zeb (NA-8, Bajaur), and Muhammad Ilyas Chaudhry (NA-62, Gujrat I) were elected on PTI tickets and, according to the party, had pledged to uphold its parliamentary position.

    “[During] the PTI … parliamentary party meeting held on September 2, 2024 [in] Islamabad, … it was unanimously resolved that [the] PTI parliamentary party will not support the proposed amendments [to] the Constitution and will oppose the bill when it is moved in the National Assembly or is put to voting at any stage,” said the notice.

    “You voted in favour of the bill and, therefore, you violated the directions and instructions of the PTI parliamentary party [that] were binding on you as a parliamentarian, especially when you had won the election with support of [the] PTI and had taken oath that you would follow instructions of [the] PTI and that you would stand loyal to the party.”

    Two of the notices, addressed to Khichi and Zeb, noted that they had defected and joined the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N). The remaining three notices highlighted that the recipients were sitting on treasury benches and “attended meetings of that [ruling] party”.

    The notice added, “Thus, you having voted in favour of the 26th Constitutional (Amendment) Act, 2024, have violated the party’s instructions and directions which were binding on you.”

    The notice reads that five MNAs have “violated” their “commitment, oath and loyalty to the party”, adding, “You have acted contrary to the instructions of the party … and joined another parliamentary party in the National Assembly. You are therefore expelled from the party (PTI) forthwith. Needless to add that you also stand disqualified on account of [the] aforesaid conduct.”

    The Constitution (Twenty-sixth Amendment) Act, 2024, also referred to as the Constitutional Package, is legislation that sets the Chief Justice of Pakistan’s (CJP) tenure to three years and authorises the prime minister to appoint the next CJP from among the three most senior Supreme Court (SC) judges.

    The legislation was invoked in October last year when Justice Yahya Afridi, third in the Supreme Court’s seniority list (excluding the then chief justice), was appointed as the 30th CJP, bypassing Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, the then most senior judge in the apex court.