Tag: PTI

  • Is Saudi Arabia going to invest $1billion in Balochistan mines?

    Is Saudi Arabia going to invest $1billion in Balochistan mines?

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said on Tuesday that the current visit of Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan to Islamabad will mark the beginning of a fresh era of strategic and commercial partnerships between the two long-standing allies.

    The Saudi foreign minister came to Islamabad for a two-day visit to boost economic cooperation between the two countries and advance investment deals that were agreed upon earlier.

    “The visit is the beginning of a new era of strategic and commercial partnership between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia,” Sharif was quoted as saying in a statement from his office after he met Prince Faisal. “Pakistan wants to further promote cooperation in the fields of trade and investment between the two countries.”

    The PM stated that Pakistan is actively promoting foreign investment and making partnerships mutually beneficial for allies. He added that Islamabad appreciates the Saudi leadership for increasing investment.

    In a statement shared with media on Monday, the Pakistan information ministry said the Saudi delegation would consult with Pakistani officials “on the next stages of investment and implementation issues.”

    The ministry announced that they would discuss Saudi Arabia’s planned investment in the Reko Diq gold and copper mining project during the visit. The development comes after the media reported that Saudi Arabia is likely to invest $1 billion in the mine project in Balochistan.
    The investment will reportedly focus on energy, IT, minerals, defence, and agriculture sectors.

  • PTI-JUI-F dosti on the cards?

    PTI-JUI-F dosti on the cards?

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) have decided to increase their contacts on a party level. The former ruling party has launched a movement against rigging in recent general elections.

    Asad Qaiser, a PTI central leader, also confirmed that he talked on phone with JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and wished him a happy Eid ul Fitr.

    “We exchanged views on the current political situation and the process of forming a government in our telephonic conversation,” Qaiser said in a statement, adding that both sides agreed on increasing party-level contacts.

    The former National Assembly (NA) speaker also spoke about his party’s concerns regarding Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) coalition government with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) after the February 8 polls, calling for an organised public movement, calling it essential.

    The senior politician said that the PTI and the JUI-F have “ideological coordination” regarding the public movement.

  • Ali Haider Zaidi accepts that PTI government relied too much on Gen Faiz

    Ali Haider Zaidi accepts that PTI government relied too much on Gen Faiz

    In a talk show on ARY News, Kashif Abbasi asked senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Ali Haider Zaidi about the biggest mistake of the PTI government in his personal opinion. Zaidi remarked that their handling of political matters was weak.

    When the anchor asked the PTI leader whether there was too much reliance on General Faiz and establishment on convincing other MNAs on passing any bills in the parliament, Zaidi replied, “Imran Khan has accepted this himself, Khan said that we [Khan and establishment] were on very good terms and they used to help us during passing of budgets.”

    He remarked that in hindsight that was the biggest mistake PTI government made during their tenure but at the time it was difficult to comprehend due to the fog of war.

    He also emphasized that in every democratic society, decision-making should be completely political.

    Ali Zaidi said that he’s not coming back to politics until he “clears a lot of things with Imran Khan”. And then he asked the anchor, “Have I ever said anything against Imran Khan? Have I ever tweeted against PTI? Did I say anything against PTI since I’ve been in your program?”

    He blamed the party’s Core Committee for letting his family be vilified online due to their deliberate lies. “My daughter comes home from school and asks what they are saying about us,” he recounted.

    He emphasized that the committee members deliberately lie to get to upper ranks and expose internal party differences in public. He said that he would need to talk these things over with Imran Khan and let him know what these people did to us.

  • Bilawal accuses PTI-led opposition alliance of plotting against Pakistan

    Bilawal accuses PTI-led opposition alliance of plotting against Pakistan

    Former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto took a dig at the PTI-led ‘opposition alliance’, stating that the group is hatching a conspiracy against Pakistan by staging protests on alleged poll rigging.

    The Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman, while addressing a public gathering at Garhi Khuda Bakhsh in Larkana on Sunday in connection with 45th death anniversary of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, made a veiled reference to Imran Khan that he wanted to launch a PNA-II.

    The Pakistan National Alliance (PNA) was a nine-party alliance launched in 1977 against the Zulifqar Ali Bhutto.

    “Many forces did not believe in democracy. They used to hatch conspiracies but President Asif Ali Zardari foiled their designs,” he remarked.

    The six-party alliance, led by PTI, launched the movement against the alleged rigging in the February 8 general elections.

    Bilawal said that some politicians want to play with the fate of country for their “personal ego”, warning that common people would suffer the most if democracy is derailed.

  • PTI to start protest movement from Balochistan, says Omar Ayub Khan

    PTI to start protest movement from Balochistan, says Omar Ayub Khan

    On Friday, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Omar Ayub Khan has announced that the former ruling party, along with a “grand opposition alliance,” would kick off a protest movement in Balochistan with the aim is to oppose alleged election rigging on February 8 and fight for the restoration of the constitution and democracy in the country.

    Earlier this month, PTI announced that it would start a nationwide movement against what they claim is rigging in general elections, starting from April 13. Asad Qaiser spoke to the media in Rawalpindi after meeting Imran Khan in Adiala jail, where he confirmed that the first rally of the protest movement would take place in Pishin district.

    The Khan-founded party believed that the incumbent rulers stole their mandate in the elections and the results were changed in Form 47s to benefit the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

    “Our mission is [upholding] the supremacy of the constitution and law,” Omar said.

    “We want the country to be strong.”

  • Shah Mahmood Qureshi hopeful for justice, says Shehrbano Qureshi

    Shah Mahmood Qureshi hopeful for justice, says Shehrbano Qureshi

    On Thursday, Shehrbano Qureshi, daughter of imprisoned Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, said that her father is hopeful and believes that justice will be served in the country.

    Talking to journalists outside Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail after visiting her father, she states that she met Qureshi last Monday and found him to be in good health.

    “Qureshi is very hopeful and seeing justice being done in the country,” the PTI leader said, adding that the bravery showed by six judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) boosted the courage of her father — who alongside the party founder Imran Khan is facing 10-year jail term in the cipher case.

    She also said that both leaders want to see a strong and stable Pakistan despite facing difficulties.

    Regarding the case against the former foreign minister, Shehrbano said that appeals against Qureshi’s sentences in the cipher case will be heard on April 16.

  • Was Imran allowed to say Eid ki Namaz in jail?

    Was Imran allowed to say Eid ki Namaz in jail?

    Former President Dr Arif Alvi doesn’t think Khan was allowed to say Eid ki Namaz in jail, but even Alvi was confused. The former president first tweeted, alleging that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan was not being allowed to offer Eid namaz in Adiala Jail where he is currently incarcerated.

    On April 9, Dr. Arif Alvi posted that Imran Khan’s ban on Eid prayers reminded him of the British rule. He wrote about a famous leader in India’s freedom struggle when he was sentenced by the occupying authorities.

    He remarked, “He [Indian leader] remained in prison for four years and during that time Eid prayers were not even allowed. Because these oppressive rulers wanted to destroy the leadership of Muslim India, one of the various tactics to weaken their patriotism was to ban Friday and Eid prayers as well.”

    However, when it was reported that Khan was allowed to offer Eid prayers, Alvi modified his statement.

    Alvi wrote “Good sense has prevailed” in a post on X.

    But again, in a twist, Dr Arif Alvi, a few hours later again, condemned authorities that Khan indeed was not allowed to offer Eid prayer quoting Meher Bano Qureshi, a PTI member and incarcerated Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s daughter. According to Meher Bano, both Khan and her father were not allowed to say Eid Namaz, as was confirmed to her by her father. He further stated that another party member Ejaz Chaudhary wasn’t allowed to do so either but “he led the prayer with Omar Cheema in their cell.”

    He then edited his post with deploring fake news by saying, “in these times of falsehood and deceit no news source is trustworthy, except the crowdsourcing of PTI social media.”

  • Imran Khan not being allowed to have medical checkups, says PTI

    Imran Khan not being allowed to have medical checkups, says PTI

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) core committee on Monday strongly condemned jail authorities for not allowing a medical check-up of party founder Imran Khan.

    PTI wants Khan’s physician Dr Asim to examine the former Prime Minister.

    It also urged the court to take quick notice of the matter.

    In the party meeting, the panel also condemned the recent reference filed against the Islamabad High Court Judge Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani.

    It was of the opinion that the reference against the judge was part of the incumbent government’s efforts to pressurise and intimidate judges.

    The saga of ‘toxic letters’ sent to judges, who exposed the interference of spy agencies in the judiciary, was termed as highly regrettable and a part of an organized campaign against the judiciary.

  • Petition filed against IHC judge who wrote the letter alleging interference

    Petition filed against IHC judge who wrote the letter alleging interference

    In a surprising turn of events, a complaint has been filed with the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) against Islamabad High Court (IHC) Senior Puisne Judge Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, seeking his removal over alleged misconduct.

    The complainant, Waqas Malik Advocate, is a former secretary of the IHC Bar Association. He filed the complaint accusing the judge of pursuing an ‘anti-state agenda’ and also collusion with other judges.

    Justice Kayani is one of the six judges on March 27 wrote a scathing letter to SJC alleging deep meddling in judicial affairs by spy agencies.

    The letter had stirred a national controversy and even an inquiry commission was not enough when Justice Tassaduq Jillani refused to head the one-man commission.

    The Supreme Court took Suo Moto notice after Justice Jillani refused to head the commission.

    Coincidentally, the letter by IHC judges was followed by a series of threatening and poison-pen letters sent to judges of the higher judiciary by anonymous individuals.

  • Army releases 20 PTI workers arrested in May 9 riots

    Army releases 20 PTI workers arrested in May 9 riots

    Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir has approved the release of 20 convicts involved in the May 9 riots by granting them a special relaxation.

    The Chief allowed the convicts to go free before Eid-ul-Fitr, leading to their release on April 6 and 7.

    The list released by the Army showed that among those freed, are eight residents of Rawalpindi, three from Lahore, five from Gujranwala, three from Dir, and one from Mardan.

    None of the convicts had completed their sentences and were released only on the orders of COAS.

    Violent clashes and riots had erupted across the country after the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan.

    On December 23, a Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan had allowed the resumption of military trials.

    The released convicts had stayed in custody for various periods up to 10.5 months.