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Tag: Shahid Khaqan Abbasi

  • Shahid Khaqan Abbasi confirms Gen Bajwa wanted an extension

    Shahid Khaqan Abbasi confirms Gen Bajwa wanted an extension

    Former Prime Minister and leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has confirmed that former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa did indeed ask for an extension from the incumbent government.

    Talking on Geo News’ programme ‘Capital Talk’, Abbasi told senior journalist Hamid Mir that he met former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Bajwa twice in November 2022. “I met him twice. He knows what I said,” the PML-N leader said in reply to Mir asking him if he was campaigning for an extension for the former army head.

    “I can say that other than Nawaz Sharif, I was the one man who was openly against giving an extension,” he categorically said, adding that he even told his party to leave the government if it was being pressurised to grant the extension.

    He said that in 2018, one year before General Bajwa got an extension in his tenure of service, he told the COAS that he will destroy his own reputation and mar the image of the institution he represents. “I said the same thing in 2022, that this extension will completely destroy the country’s systems,” he stated.

    Hamid Mir then said, “So this means he was trying to get an extension.”

    “He absolutely was,” Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said in reply, adding that General Bajwa had sent a “clear message” for an extension.

    When asked whether his government was threatened with a martial law, the PML-N leader said that he has no knowledge of such a threat. “But, a lot of people from a lot of parties were in favour of this,” he said, emphasizing that only one man was very clear about not granting an extension. “That was Nawaz Sharif,” he said.

    The host asked Shahid Khaqan Abbasi if he used to meet General Bajwa and then fly to London to talk to his party head Nawaz Sharif. “Yes I did. It was done in the country’s interest,” he replied. Elaborating further, he said that he was outside the country when he received “suspicious” news and then went to party supremo Nawaz Sharif. “I met General Bajwa with Nawaz Sharif’s permission. Then I went back and told Mian Sb what happened, gave my option and came back.”

    He clarified that he told the army head that a smooth transition of command was his biggest responsibility and will be his legacy. “I repeated this to him again and again. He is now part of history. It is not appropriate to discuss this now,” he concluded.

  • 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.

  • Maryam Nawaz stops Safdar from speaking on behalf of party

    Maryam Nawaz stops Safdar from speaking on behalf of party

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz has reportedly stopped her husband—Captain (retired) Safdar—from delivering any ‘policy statement’ after he criticised the party’s leadership in an exclusive interview with ARY News.

    According to media reports, the senior vice president made it clear that no party leader, including her husband, should give any statement that goes against the party’s policy.

    She also warned the party that strict action would be taken against those who deviate from the directives.

    ‘Don’t see Maryam Nawaz becoming PM in near future’: Capt Safdar

    Earlier, Safdar said that he doesn’t see his wife becoming the Prime Minister (PM) of Pakistan in the near future.

    He said, “I don’t see Maryam Nawaz becoming PM in near future”, adding that if PM Shehbaz Sharif gets elected in 2025, the country will prosper.

    He said the ‘vote ko izzat do‘ narrative of the party was buried on the day when PML-N decided to vote in parliament in favour of an extension to the former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Qamar Javed Bajwa. Safdar said he thinks whoever voted for Qamar Javed Bajwa’s extension except for Pervaiz Rasheed, are “criminals”.

    Replying to a question about Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) dissident leaders, Safdar said the parliamentarians should not change their loyalties. “It is not right to win elections on PTI’s tickets and later change your loyalties for power,” he maintained.

    Safdar was of the view that elections in Punjab and KP shouldn’t be held now and went on to say to hold general elections in 2025 after the recovery of the economy.

    In a turn of events, he also regretted his personal attacks on his party rival, Imran Khan, and said that political rivalry should remain political, not personal.

    Talking about PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi—who recently resigned from his position as the party’s vice president after Maryam’s elevation— Safdar said that Shahid doesn’t need a position and praised him.

    On January 3, Maryam was appointed as the party’s “Chief Organiser” and “Senior Vice President”. Later, she returned to the country to take charge of her new responsibilities after a three-month absence.

  • Five years jail and arrest without warrant for criticising army and judiciary in new draft bill: Dawn

    Five years jail and arrest without warrant for criticising army and judiciary in new draft bill: Dawn

    A bill has reportedly been prepared by the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) led government where up to a five-year imprisonment sentence can be given to “whoever scandalises or ridicules the Pakistan Army and judiciary through any medium”, reports Riazul Haq for Dawn.

    It is to be noted that the bill is to amend the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC)

    The newspaper has reported that the summary and the bill will be forwarded to the federal cabinet soon.

    It says that whoever makes, publishes, circulates any statement or disseminates information, through any medium, with an intention to ridicule or scandalise the judiciary, the armed forces or any of their members will be found guilty. And the punishment may extend to five years or with a fine which may go as high up as Rs 1 million or both.

    Moreover, it says that the offender will be arrested without a warrant and the offence will be non-bailable and non-compoundable and can only be challenged in a sessions court.

    Dawn also reached out to PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi who said that he had not seen the draft but there had to be “some limit” to defaming someone.

    “Everywhere in the world there is a defamation law and this does not happen that anyone comes up willy-nilly and says whatever they want,” he was quoted saying by Dawn.

    However, later he denied his comments in a tweet as reported by Dawn, and said that he “simply cannot lend support to any draconian legislation”.

    “I believe that Pakistan needs defamation laws with financial recourse to protect everyone from unsubstantiated accusations,” he explained.

    PML-N’s Rohail Asghar also made it clear that no such laws should be passed by the government as he believed that there should be space for criticism.

  • Shahid Khaqan resigns, says my leader is ONLY Nawaz and Shehbaz

    Shahid Khaqan resigns, says my leader is ONLY Nawaz and Shehbaz

    Former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has resigned from his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) post, spokesperson for Nawaz Sharif Mohammad Zubair confirmed the development.

    “He [Shahid Khan Abbasi] is a big leader, and quitting the post will not affect him,” Zubair told the media. He also added that Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb had also confirmed the resignation.

    Zubair said that he doesn’t want to “wash dirty laundry” in public, adding that Miftah Ismail is still with PML-N.

    “He is a very senior leader and a former prime minister. The party needs his experience.”

    It was reported in The News on Wednesday that Abbasi decided to step down after Maryam Nawaz was elevated as the party’s chief organiser and senior vice president by Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif, who is also the President of PML-N.

    According to media reports, Abbasi said that he had made it clear to Nawaz Sharif three years back that it would not be possible for him to continue with Maryam Nawaz if she was elevated to party’s top office.

    To a query, he said he had not talked to Maryam Nawaz ever since her return from London. “I am happy that her surgery has been successful,” he said.

    On January 30, Abbasi had said that he believed Maryam Nawaz will be able to organise the party. Speaking on Dawn News, Abbasi was asked if he accepted Maryam Nawaz as his leader. The former premier responded by saying that his leader is Nawaz Sharif, and after him, Shehbaz Sharif is the president of PML-N. “Apart from this, I don’t say a yes or no to anyone else.”

    However, Abbasi’s spokesperson said that the news of Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s resignation is “baseless”. “He did not leave the party in difficult circumstances; why will he leave today?” the spokesperson asked.

    As per reports, former PM Abbasi was unhappy with the decision being taken without consulting other party members, adding Abbasi tendered his resignation a day after Maryam Nawaz’s appointment.

    Earlier this month, Maryam was promoted as the PML-N’s senior vice-president and was also asked to reorganize the party which has faced a series of electoral defeats in 2022.

    It was also reported that Abbasi said, “Maryam Nawaz is appointed senior vice president and in this situation, there’s no reason for me to work as party’s SVP.”

    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    ‘Rethink and reimagine Pakistan’: Politicians, bureaucrats call for political consensus
    
			
    

    Former Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar has announced that he along with a group of politicians and bureaucrats, will be organising a series of seminars across Pakistan aimed at bringing about a “political consensus for restructuring the governance structures of Pakistan”.
    




    Former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former Finance Minister Miftah Ismail, Fawad Hasan Fawad, Asad Ali Shah, Haji Lashkari Raisini, Mir Humayun Kurd, Khawaja Mohammad Hoti, along with others, will be part of this effort to create political consensus.
    




    Khokhar tweeted, “In a nonpartisan effort, I have been talking to friends & colleagues about the current economic, political and social crisis of Pakistan which are now striking at the core foundations of the state and the society.”
    




    


    




    “At the same time individual and collective rights are under severe stress causing a widespread dissatisfaction of people across the regional and ethnic divides in Pakistan. These trying times require us to “rethink” or “reimagine” Pakistan.”
    




    


    




    Talking to The News, Khokar said, “From political uncertainty to economic meltdown to polarisation in society that has reached dangerous levels of intolerance, Pakistan is not facing just one crisis but multiple crises at the same time. Today we are at a juncture where we are actually at a ‘naazuk morr’ — a phrase that we always hear but only when powerful quarters don’t want something to be talked about”.
    




    Ismail too took to Twitter and said, ” I and many other colleagues are trying to bring about a national consensus on major issues. Thus we are starting with holding seminars across Pakistan.”
    




    


    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    ‘Imran se mil ke dosti ka ailaan kareinge’: Gen Faiz convinced Modi to visit Pakistan in 2021, claims Javed Chaudhry
    
			
    

    Journalist Javed Chaudhry continues with bringing inside details of the working of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led government in his column. In the fourth part of the series published today, Chaudhry alleges that in 2020 the establishment had convinced Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi to visit Pakistan, and former Bahawalpur corps commander Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed played a significant role in arranging the proposed trip.
    




    The journalist writes that in this regard Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed, who was then the head of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) met Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and both agreed upon Modi visiting Pakistan on April 9, 2021.
    




    All the details of the trip had been planned out. Modi would have first visited the Hinglaj Mata Mandir in Balochistan and on his way back home he would have met Imran Khan who was Prime Minister. Chaudhry said that it was planned that “Modi would shake hands with Khan and declare peace between the two countries and opening of trade”.
    




    Continuing with the sensational claims, the journalist writes that both leaders would announce that there will be no interference or terrorist activities from both countries. At the time, Modi was of the view that both countries would sit together after 20 years to decide about the future of India-occupied Kashmir.
    




    However, this tour was cancelled because Khan—on the advice of his foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi—backed out. Chaudhry writes that Qureshi scared Khan by telling him it would give a perception to the masses that he [Khan] has compromised on Kashmir.
    




    Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed helped Khan in confidence motion
    




    According to the journalist, the establishment helped Khan throughout the confidence motion that Imran voluntarily announced he will take, right after Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) candidate Yousaf Raza Gillani defeated PTI’s Hafeez Sheikh in the senate elections. Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed ensured full numbers for PTI so Khan could win the motion. Calls and visits were made to ensure that disgruntled MNAs voted in favour of Khan.
    




    Moreover, the journalist writes that as per his sources, Khan advised showing leniency towards former President and co-chairman of PPP, Asif Ali Zardari, from National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the court.
    




    LNG deal was ruined by Khan
    




    In the column, another detailed passage says that former army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa admits that former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz signed the best LNG deal with Qatar to ensure supplies for Pakistan during winters but it was ruined by Imran Khan.
    




    Chaudhry said that then-Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Petroleum, Nadeem Babar, asked for just three gas shipments from Qatar despite a one-time generous offer to take ‘as much as required’ amidst a looming gas crisis at home, so he could sell his own furnace oil.
    




    In another episode, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) caught a ship loaded with cheaply bought Iranian petrol. It was for none other than Babar. According to him, Khan was informed about it but chose to stay quiet.
    




    Also, prior to Nadeem’s appointment, Khan was warned by the establishment but he didnt listen.
    




    Babar isn’t in the country anymore but Pakistan is still paying the price of his decisions to serve his own interests, all because Imran wanted to retain him as his aide, writes Chaudhry in his column.
    




    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    ‘Agar mulk chalana hai toh NAB ko khatam karey’: Shahid Khaqan Abbasi
    
			
    ‘Agar mulk chalana hai toh NAB ko khatam karey’: Shahid Khaqan Abbasi
    
			
    

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and former Prime Minister (PM) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has demanded the abolishment of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), blaming the watchdog institution for the ongoing crisis in the country.
    




    While speaking outside an accountability court in Islamabad after attending a hearing in the LNG case, he said, “Agar mulk chalana hai toh is idaray [NAB] ko khatam karain (If you want the country to progress, this institution [NAB] should be abolished).
    




    He said the “so-called” accountability was aimed at defaming only politicians. “The so-called process of accountability operates just to ridicule politicians,” he added.
    




    Lambasting ex-chairman of NAB, Javed Iqbal, the former premier said that he should confess who told him to register false cases.
    




    It is pertinent to mention that PML-N has repeatedly criticised NAB and said that false cases were made against party leaders.
    




    In August, the National Assembly passed the National Accountability (Second Amendment) Bill, 2022, which sought to exclude private transactions from the scope of NAB.
    




    Under the amended bill, the pecuniary jurisdiction of NAB had been fixed to only take action against mega scandals. Furthermore, it had been proposed that supplementary references can only be filed with the permission of the court to expedite the proceedings of the court within one year.
    




    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    ‘I am captain who brought neutral umpires’: IK on whether he wants military out of politics or not
    
			
    ‘I am captain who brought neutral umpires’: IK on whether he wants military out of politics or not
    
			
    

    Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has said that he is the one who in the entire history of the game, brought in a neutral umpire to get fair results.
    




    Khan was talking on TRT World’s “The Newsmakers” with Andrea Sanke, when the anchor asked, “You want the military out of Pakistan’s politics, or do you want the military on your side in Pakistan’s politics?”
    




    Khan replied: “Let me say one thing. In the two hundred year history of test cricket, and international cricket, I am the captain who brought the neutral umpires. I am the one who actually brought in the neutral umpires in cricket because we wanted a fair result.”
    




    “You must understand, for me right now, the most important thing in Pakistan is how do we get out of the quagmire, how do we get out of this situation”, he stated.
    




    


    




    During the interview, Khan again mentioned the names of PM Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and Major General Faisal Naseer as the minds behind the assassination attempt on his life. “We are governed by criminals”, Khan said.
    




    He reiterated that he wants an independent investigation. “We are a popular party in Punjab but we couldn’t get a case registered against them because the provincial police refused,” he told the host.
    




    “If they turned out to be innocent in the investigation so it’s fine. At least it’s my right, they almost killed me”, Khan said.
    




    He claimed that all the investigative agencies in the country are under these three people [Shehbaz, Sanaullah and Faisal Naseer].
    




    About Naveed, the gunman who shot at the former Prime Minister, Imran Khan said, “After 20 minutes of the incident, a man appears and says that I shot Imran”.
    




    Khan raised a question: “Who brought him on television? Police are not allowed to do this unless a proper investigation is carried out.”
    




    Stressing that he was more determined now, Imran Khan said that he was expecting something to happen. “I predicted this four months ago that there was a plot against me,” he said.
    




    Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former prime minister and a senior leader of the ruling coalition, also spoke with The Newsmakers and called the allegations levelled by Khan tragic. “It is a tragedy that a person of Imran Khan’s stature, who served as the prime minister of the country, would stoop so low to accuse the [sitting] prime minister and intelligence officials of being behind this shooting,” he said.
    




    Abbasi said the shooting took place in a province that Khan’s PTI party controls and called for an investigation to ascertain the motivation behind this shooting. “The shooter has been arrested and the truth should come out. I think for Imran Khan to speculate and try to gain political points out of this is something that is very much not acceptable,” Abbasi said.
    




    Imran Khan rejected Abbasi’s statement, saying he does not need popularity gained by accusing others.
    




    Khan called on the Chief Justice (CJ) of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial to be “more assertive” when it comes to dispensing justice.
    




    “Justice persists when every person, even the most powerful, is brought under the rule of law. I, as the head of a province, can’t get the three people to be investigated, imagine what the situation will be for the common man,” he said, adding that PTI’s movement for “real struggle” demanded rule of law.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    Govt not going anywhere; Shahid Khaqan Abbasi dismisses threat of long march
    
			
    Govt not going anywhere; Shahid Khaqan Abbasi dismisses threat of long march
    
			
    

    Former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said that the coalition government will not fall as a result of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s long march.
    




    “Imran Khan may launch a long march or do as he wishes, the government will remain as it is,” said Khaqan while speaking at Geo News programme Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath while referring to the PTI Chairman who announced that the long march will commence from Friday.
    




    


    




    On Tuesday, Khan announced that his long march will commence from Lahore’s Liberty Chowk on October 28. After the announcement, federal ministers and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders came forward, stating that the government will deal firmly with the marchers who are planning to come to the capital city.
    




    Federal Minister for Planning, Ahsan Iqbal, said that the long march was announced because Khan wants National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) to escape punishment in the foreign funding and Toshakhana cases.