Tag: imran khan

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Big blow to Imran as EC moves to strip PTI chairmanship

Serving a notice to Khan to appear before the ECP on December 13, the Commission has decided to start proceedings into the case….reports HAMZA AMEER

After disqualifying former Prime Minister Imran Khan in the Toshakhana case for making “false statements and incorrect declaration”, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is now gearing up to remove him as chairman of his political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Serving a notice to Khan to appear before the ECP on December 13, the Commission has decided to start proceedings into the case.

In light of Article 63 (1)(p) of the Constitution of Pakistan, that led to declaring Khan guilty of false statements and incorrect declarations in the Toshakhana case, the ECP maintains that the former premier cannot hold the position of his political party as well.

The development was also confirmed by the PTI, which insisted that “law does not place any bar on a convict from becoming an office-bearer of a political party”.

Members of PTI’s legal team referred to Section 5 (1) of the Political Parties Order (PPO) 2002, which states that “every citizen shall have the right to form or be a member of a political party or be otherwise associated with a political party of take part in political activities of be elected as an office-bearer of a political party: provided that a person shall not be appointed or serve as an office-bearer of a political party if he is not qualified to be, or is disqualified from being, elected or chosen as a member of the Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) under Article 63 of the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan or under any other law for the time being in forced”.

In 2018, the Supreme Court had ruled that any citizen disqualified under Article 62 and 63 of the Constitution could not head a political party as well.

This was the verdict that paved the way to remove former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from being President of his political party Pakistan Muslim League�Nawaz (PML-N) after he was ousted by the top court on corruption charges.

Now, with the ECP using the same reference to remove Khan, legal challenges seem to be towering over the PTI chair with eminent threats of his ouster from the political race during the next general elections.

ALSO READ: Pak President warns Imran not to attack military

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Imran’s dream varsity fails to attract students

In its first year, Al-Qadir gave admissions to 41 students, while in the second year, only 60 students were enrolled by it….reports Asian Lite News

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s dream university, Al-Qadir Institute, has only enrolled 100 students two years after its establishment, a media report said on Monday.

The PTI Chairman’s varsity, established in 2021 in Sohawa, Jhelum, has still not been recognised as a university by the Punjab
government, The News reported.

In its first year, Al-Qadir gave admissions to 41 students, while in the second year, only 60 students were enrolled by it.

The institute charges fees from its students despite being registered as a trust. All sorts of expenses of Al-Qadir Trust are being taken care of by a big businessman, as per their agreement, which was reported earlier in The News.

One of the trustees of Al-Qadir Institute, Arif Nazir Butt shared that Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC) has not yet granted degree-awarding status to Al-Qadir Institute, and the institute is still affiliated with the Government College University, offering only two programmes, Management Sciences and Islamic Studies.

“The process is in its final stages and soon degree-awarding status will be granted to us,” claimed Arif.

Amjadur Rehman, who is In-charge of Al-Qadir Institute, admitted that the institute had so far enrolled only 100 students.

“In the first batch, we enrolled 40 students, and 60 more were enrolled in the second batch; 20 in Islamic Studies and 40 in Management Sciences,” he explained.

When questioned if they charge fees from students, Amjad said that only 10 per cent of the total students are charged fees.

Explaining further, Amjad said: “Fee is charged so that students remain motivated towards studies and the institution itself becomes independent. Al-Qadir Institute wants independence from donations.”

Initially, the top businessman had donated 458 kanals of land to Al-Qadir Institute which, according to the stamp paper, was valued at 244 million PKR in 2019.

The land was transferred first to Zulfi Bukhari, who later transferred it to the trust after its creation in January 2021. The land is located in Mouza Bakrala, Tehsil Sohawa, district Jhelum.

The acknowledgment agreement of the donated land was signed between Bushra Khan (on behalf of Al-Qadir University) and the donor, while Imran Khan (chairman of Al Qadir University) was holding the Prime Minister’s Office, The News reported.

From January 2021 to December 2021, the trust received donations of 180 million PKR. From July 2020 to June 2021, the total income of the trust was 101 million pkr, whereas the total expenditure including salaries of the staff and workers was around 8.58 million PKR only.

More importantly, the former premier had registered the trust for the Al-Qadir University Project on December 26, 2019, within a few weeks of his cabinet decision regarding a housing society, which later became the donor for the university, The News reported.

The NCA England closed an investigation against the CEO of the housing society and around �140 million were repatriated to Pakistan from the top businessman’s account abroad.

ALSO READ: Shehbaz accuses Imran for undermining Pakistan’s foundations

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We will return to power even without campaigning: Imran

Imran Khan

The former Prime Minister maintained that a “government with a clear majority needs to come so it can take bold decisions”…reports Asian Lite News

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairperson Imran Khan said on Tuesday that his party will return to power and will “not even need to campaign” due to the current situation in the country, according to a media report.

Addressing a seminar, the PTI chief said free and fair elections are needed immediately to lift the country out of the ongoing economic turmoil in order to restore stability and confidence, Express Tribune reported.

“The more the government delays elections, the more beneficial it will be for the PTI and we will not even need to campaign due to the current situation of the country,” he said.

The former Prime Minister maintained that a “government with a clear majority needs to come so it can take bold decisions”, Express Tribune reported.

Lashing out at the incumbent government’s performance, Khan said that any new government will need to take “hard steps” to correct the country’s course, Dawn reported.

“It’s not easy to bring the powerful within the ambit of the law,” he said.

Khan also said that Pakistan needs to focus on how to attract investment inflows into the country and investors should be specially incentivised.

He said that government amnesties should only be provided to those who invest in the country’s industries, Dawn reported.

Khan claimed that he still does not understand what those allegedly behind his government’s ouster were seeking when Pakistan had come out of multiple crises.

“When we found out about the conspiracy [to remove my government], I sent Shaukat Tarin to tell the neutrals that the economy would be impacted because of the political destabilisation,” he said.

Khan subsequently criticised the Sharif and Zardari families, asking why they were “brought in to handle the country’s affairs”, pointing to the track record of their governments in the 90s, Dawn reported.

ALSO READ: Imran Struggles To Mend Fences With Pak Army

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Imran Struggles To Mend Fences With Pak Army

Imran Khan’s open blame-game against the military institutions and name calling Gen Bajwa for “illegitimately” ousting his government in April this year has crossed all “red-lines” and rendered him an ‘enemy’ of Rawalpindi … writes Dr Sakariya Kareem

It appears that former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s campaign against the ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) coalition government and the powerful military establishment is losing heat. Many analysts are suggesting that Khan has finally understood that he will not have any role in electing the country’s new army chief. The only choice left for him is to mend ties with the security establishment as the new Chief of Army Staff takes the charge later this month. However, it seems unlikely because Khan has crossed all “redlines” by openly attacking the Pakistan Army and Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leaders are claiming that neither Imran Khan nor PTI-backed President of Pakistan Arif Alvi will show any “resistance or create any hurdle” in the appointment of the new army chief by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Khan has himself said that he had no doubts about the intentions of candidates for the slot of army chief. These efforts seem desperate and may not bring any relief for Imran Khan in the coming months. On the other hand, in an apparent sycophantic attempt, the ruling PDM coalition is considering amending the Pakistan Army Act, 1952 in a way that would empower the appointing authority — i.e. the prime minister — to retain any candidate through a “simple notification, rather than having to go through a complex, constitutional process.

Imran Khan.(Photo:Imran Khan/Instagram)

The PDM government is seeing an opening to improve ties with the military establishment under the new chief. Moreover, Imran Khan’s open blame game against the military institutions and name-calling Gen Bajwa for “illegitimately” ousting his government in April this year has crossed all “red-lines” and rendered him an ‘enemy’ of Rawalpindi. There are reports that some top PTI leaders are considering leaving the party after the assassination attempt on Imran Khan, which was seen as a ‘consequence’ of not following the “orders”. Therefore, it is not surprising that a ‘dissident’ PTI member Ahmad Hassan Dehar presented a resolution in the National Assembly to pay tribute to the services of the Pakistan Army. Whereas the ruling coalition leaders used the occasion to blame Imran Khan for “criticising the state institutions”.

In a recent interview to local journalists, Khan claimed that the establishment exercises “absolute authority” in Pakistan compared to civilian setups. For instance, Gen Bajwa wanted PTI leader Aleem Khan to become Punjab’s Chief Minister and not Usman Buzdar, which created rifts between Khan and the military establishment. He further claimed that Gen Bajwa wanted Pakistan to “vote against the Russian invasion of Ukraine” at the United Nations while Khan’s PTI government was of the view that abstaining would be a “better option”.

 It is noteworthy that Khan is sharing all these ‘confidential’ details after the assassination attempt on him and a few weeks before Gen Bajwa’s retirement on November 29.

Many analysts are suggesting that Imran Khan has nothing more to lose now. There will not be general elections in Pakistan before July 2023 and the new army chief will be extremely wary of Khan and his party. Furthermore, the whole Khan-Bajwa episode has put a serious question mark on the army establishment’s strategy of raising a ‘third’ political front in Pakistan. The ‘hybrid’ regime experiment went terribly wrong and has proven very costly to the establishment’s image. Going forward, the future army chiefs in Pakistan will be extremely cautious in picking the country’s civilian leadership, likely relying on the known political stooges, fearing a repeat of the Imran Khan episode.

Therefore, the task at hand for the establishment is to weaken Imran Khan and stop him from participating in future elections. In a recent development, Dubai-based Pakistani businessman Umar Zahoor claimed that he purchased gifts from Pakistan’s state depository or Toshakhana, including a USD 2 million worth Graff wristwatch gifted to Imran Khan by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman. 

According to Pakistan’s law, any gift received from dignitaries of a foreign state must be put in the Toshakhana. Last month, the Election Commission of Pakistan barred Imran Khan from running for political office for five years, after the government agency ruled that he misled officials about gifts he received from foreign leaders while in power.

Khan has claimed that these allegations are part of a “campaign to malign him”. He has decided to sue Geo News and businessman Zahoor in courts in London and the UAE for their “character assassination”, saying he had “no hope in Pakistan’s justice system”.

These allegations will create more legal hurdles for Imran Khan and stop him from participating in elections, rendering him politically useless. In the media interview, Khan conceded that he had differences with the military establishment on the issue of the “anti-corruption drive” against his political opponents. Ironically, Khan is now getting implicated in a corruption case himself, which can be seen as a ‘well-planned’ strategy to hit him where it hurts the most. Consequently, the road ahead for Khan seems rough and full of potholes. He is fully aware that the establishment is unhappy with him, and the recent assassination bid could be a signal of what more is coming his way.

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Islamabad HC says Imran’s life under threat as per intel reports

Imran Khan.(Photo:Imran Khan/Instagram)

Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Aamer Farooq made the remarks after a report was presented in court detailing looming threats to the PTI chairman during the long march…reports Asian Lite News

Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Aamer Farooq said intelligence reports have revealed that there were fears of an attack on former Prime Minister Imran Khan, adding that “the government and the state have the responsibility to look into this aspect”.

He made the remarks after a report was presented in court detailing looming threats to the PTI chairman during the long march, Dawn reported.

The IHC took up a petition pertaining to the inconvenience caused by the PTI protest on Friday.

At one point during the hearing, the Chief Justice said: “Lodging a protest is the right of political and non-political entities, but the rights of citizens should not be violated in its wake.”

The hearing has been adjourned till November 22.

ALSO READ: Imran wants US to have a dignified relationship with Pakistan

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“They can pick whoever they want”: Imran shift stance over army chief appointment

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When asked whether he had demanded that the appointment of a new chief be made in consultation with him and/or his party, Khan said: “No… they can appoint whoever they want.”…reports Asian Lite News

After repeatedly calling for a consultative process before picking the new army chief of Pakistan, former Prime Minister Imran Khan now does not see any problem if the appointment is made by the incumbent Shehbaz Sharif-led government, the media reported.

In an interaction with journalists, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman offered a fresh take on the issue of appointing a new chief of army staff, reports Dawn news.

When asked whether he had demanded that the appointment of a new chief be made in consultation with him and/or his party, Khan said: “No… they can appoint whoever they want.”

Earlier, in several public meetings and remarks made over the course of the past several months, Khan had declared that “the Sharifs and the Zardaris” were unfit to make the appointment to the top military slot on the basis that “thieves cannot be allowed to appoint the next army chief”, Dawn reported.

But when a journalist asked the PTI chief on Tuesday whether incumbent army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa was being given an extension, he responded with: “This is a billion-dollar question.”

Shehbaz Sharif.(photo:instagram)

Khan also revealed that his relations with the military establishment became strained on the issue of “accountability”, adding that the premier should be empowered if the country was to run smoothly.

“I had no issue with the army. Problems only cropped up on accountability matters. However, the army can play a positive role. I believe if the country is to run smoothly, then the Prime Minister should also be given power along with the management,” Dawn news quoted Khan as saying.

He was of the opinion that a coalition government had to make many compromises.

“The Prime Minister can be blackmailed in a coalition… a two-third majority gives strength to the premier,” he added.

Talking to Dawn, a senior PTI leader also confirmed the impression that relations between Khan and the military leadership soured during the PTI government when the latter advised the Prime Minister to shift focus from accountability of opposition leaders to fixing the economy.

“Not budging from his stance, Imran Khan invited trouble,” he added.

ALSO READ: Pakistani Prez calls for global efforts to fight climate change

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Imran to be back in action in 2 to 3 days

Imran Khan.(Photo:Imran Khan/Instagram)

The former Pakistan Prime Minister suffered gun shot injuries in leg on Thursday when he was leading the anti-government long march toward Islamabad…reports Asian Lite News

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan will return to the political stage within two to three days, party leader Hammad Azhar said.

Talking to mediapersons at the Shaukat Khanum Hospital in Lahore, where Imran is being treated for the leg injury, Azhar said the party would continue its peaceful protest against the “attempted assassination” of Imran Khan.

The former Pakistan Prime Minister suffered gun shot injuries in leg on Thursday when he was leading the anti-government long march toward Islamabad, Geo TV reported.

Family of Moazzam Gondal, the youth who lost his life during the attack on Imran Khan, will get a total of Rs 15 million, Azhar claimed, adding that the party will bear all the expenses of Moazzam’s children.

Hammad Azhar said that the PTI has given Rs 5 million to the children of Moazzam and the Punjab province government also will give another Rs 5 million to the bereaved family in a day or two.

In a televised address from the hospital, Imran had alleged, “Three people – including Rana Sanaullah, Shehbaz Sharif, and a major in the army – made a plan to assassinate me after they saw that the number of people in my long march was exponentially increasing.”

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed the concerned authorities to take action against Imran Khan and his associates for levelling allegations against the armed forces.

ALSO READ: Imran’s attacker is a drug addict, probe reveals

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Shehbaz urges Chief Justice to probe Imran’s allegations

Shehbaz Sharif

Shehbaz Sharif wrote a letter to the Supreme Court to constitute a full-court bench to investigate the allegations and also the investigation of the Arshad Sharif murder case.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday slammed Imran Khan for undermining national institutions and requested the Chief Justice of Pakistan to form a full court commission to investigate his allegations.

“Imran Niazi habitually uses baseless allegations and lies to spread anarchy. Government has decided to request the Chief Justice of Pakistan to form a full court commission to investigate his allegations. Let the people see through his game plan to undermine national institutions,” Shehbaz Sharif tweeted.

Shehbaz Sharif wrote a letter to the Supreme Court to constitute a full-court bench to investigate the allegations made by the PTI Chief Imran Khan and also the investigation of the Arshad Sharif murder case, ARY News reported.

He made these remarks while addressing a press conference in Lahore. This comes two days after Imran Khan was shot during his long march. Shehbaz wished Imran and others injured a speedy recovery however did not fall short of attacking him for Imran Khan’s “false and cheap conspiracies.”

Imran Khan. (Photo:Imran Khan/Instagram)

PM Shehbaz also urged the PTI chief to present evidence to support his allegations. “The attack is condemnable, however, when the nation is being pushed towards devastation by false narratives it is my responsibility that I play a positive role to protect the people,” Shehbaz said.

During the presser, Shehbaz Sharif played a video which showed Imran Khan making statements about the armed forces since 2011. In a strong statement, Shehbaz Sharif said that if Imran Khan succeeds in proving that he was behind the attack during his Haqeeqi march, then he would resign from his Prime Ministerial post immediately.

“Imran Khan’s tales are full of contradictions. I cannot, for even a moment, waste my time thinking that this man — who was granted a new life by Allah — is lying day and night. Today, he is attacking the Pakistan army in a way an enemy would do,” the PM said.

Condemning the PTI government, Shehbaz Sharif said, “He damaged institutions, the economy, and foreign relations. I have certain secrets regarding the country’s foreign relations buried in my heart which, if I share, would leave you shocked. But I will not talk about it because I am faithful. I will not sacrifice Pakistan’s interest for personal gains,” reported ARY News. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Pakistan Army asks govt to take legal action against Imran Khan

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Pakistan Army asks govt to take legal action against Imran Khan

Pak's DG ISPR Major General Babar Iftikhar (https://www.facebook.com/DGISPRofficial1)

Imran Khan alleged that three people — Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and a senior officer of the Pakistan Army — were involved in plotting his assassination bid on Thursday, reports Asian Lite News

 The Pakistan Army has reacted strongly to allegations made by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan against the institution and requested the federal government to initiate legal action against those responsible for defaming the institution and its officials without any evidence.

On Friday, Khan alleged that three people — Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and a senior officer of the Pakistan Army — were involved in plotting his assassination bid on Thursday, The News reported.

A statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the army’s media wing, said: “Keeping this in view, the government of Pakistan has been requested to investigate the matter and initiate legal action against those responsible for defamation and false accusations against the institution and its officials without any evidence whatsoever.”

The statement said that no one would be allowed to defame the institution or its soldiers with impunity.

“Baseless and irresponsible allegations by chairman PTI against the institution and particularly a senior army officer are absolutely unacceptable and uncalled-for,” it added.

The military’s media wing said the Pakistan Army prides itself on being an extremely professional and well-disciplined organisation with a robust and highly effective internal accountability system applicable across-the-board for unlawful acts, if any, committed by uniformed personnel, The News reported.

“However, if the honour, safety and prestige of its rank and file are being tarnished by vested interests through frivolous allegations, the institution will safeguard its officers and soldiers no matter what.”

It added that the “baseless allegations hurled at the institution/ officials are highly regrettable and strongly condemned. No one will be allowed to defame the institution or its soldiers with impunity”.

ALSO READ: Four people plotted to kill me, claims Imran

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Protests erupt after assassination attempt on Imran Khan

Protests erupt across Pakistan after attack on Imran Khan

Following the gun attack, protests erupted in different cities across the country against the assassination attempt on Khan during the long march…reports Asian Lite News

Protests erupted in multiple cities across the country after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and other PTI leaders were injured in a gun attack during PTIs long march in Gujranwala, media reports said on Thursday.

Imran Khan and other PTI leaders were injured after a man opened fire near the PTI reception camp at the Allahwala Chowk during the party’s long march, ARY News reported.

Following the gun attack, protests erupted in different cities across the country against the assassination attempt on Khan during the long march, the report said.

PTI workers started demonstrations in 17 localities in Karachi against the gun attack on Khan’s container. The outrageous party workers blocked roads in north Karachi’s Power House Chowrangi, whereas a large number of PTI supporters lodged a protest on Korangi Road.

Police contingents rushed to the protest venues and started negotiations with the protesters to clear the roads. Huge traffic jams were witnessed in different areas as protests broke out on many arterial roads in Karachi.

The PTI workers also held a protest demonstration at Lahore’s Liberty Chowk. Another protest was organised at Murree Road.

In Faisalabad, a large number of protesters gathered outside Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah’s residence.

‘Imran suspects three people’

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary-General Asad Umar said on Thursday that party Chairman Imran Khan suspects three people — Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, and a senior military officer — were behind the assassination attempt on him, according to a media report.

“Imran Khan has said that he had the information beforehand that these people might be involved in the assassination attempt on him,” Umar said in a video statement alongside party leader Mian Aslam Iqbal, Geo News reported.

Umar, quoting the PTI chairman, demanded that all three people – the premier, the minister, and the senior military officer – should be removed from their office, the report said.

The PTI leader added that Khan has warned that if these officials are not removed from their office, the party would hold countrywide protests as Pakistan cannot run in this manner anymore.

“If the demands are not met, all the party workers are awaiting Khan’s call, and when he does give that call, protests will take place across the country,” Umar said.

Meanwhile, Sharif has condemned the firing incident in Gujranwala and directed Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah to seek an immediate report from the inspector-general of police and chief secretary of Punjab.

Protests erupted in multiple cities across the country after Khan and other PTI leaders were injured in a gun attack during PTI’s long march in Gujranwala.

Khan and other PTI leaders were injured after a man opened fire near the PTI reception camp at the Allahwala Chowk during the party’s long march, ARY News reported.

Following the gun attack, protests erupted in different cities across the country against the assassination attempt on Khan, the report said.

PTI workers started demonstrations in 17 localities in Karachi against the gun attack. The outrageous party workers blocked roads in north Karachi’s Power House Chowrangi, whereas a large number of PTI supporters lodged a protest on Korangi Road.

ALSO READ: Pakistan: Imran Khan shot and injured at long march