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Imran challenges Toshakhana verdict

Imran Khan asked the IHC to declare, find and hold the ECP order against the settled principles of law in Article 63 of the Constitution.

PTI chairman Imran Khan Saturday moved the Islamabad High Court, challenging the order of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) that disqualified him in the Toshakhana case, Pakistan media reported.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman asked the IHC to declare, find and hold the ECP order against the settled principles of law in Article 63 of the Constitution, according to reported Geo News.

He further requested the IHC to say that ECP should not have exercised the jurisdiction to decide any questions of ‘corrupt practice or disqualification’ under Section 137, read with Section 232 of the Election Act, and further read with Rule 137 of the Election Rules, 2017.

The reference itself is incompetent, illegal, unlawful and without lawful authority, mala-fide and devoid of force and in the circumstance of the instant case declare it null and void in the interest of justice, Imran further asked the court to say as per Geo News.

Imran Khan also requested to suspend the operation of the order and restrain further proceedings till the final disposal of the petition.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), on Friday, in its verdict in the Toshakhana case, disqualified Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief and former Prime Minister Imran Khan and ruled that he is no more a Member of the National Assembly.

After the ruling came on Friday, clashes erupted between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers and police leading to violent unrest in the country.

Imran Khan at PTI Azadi March(twitter)

Based on this, the Islamabad Police, booked several PTI leaders after protests broke out across the country in wake of Imran Khan’s disqualification by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), reported Dawn on Saturday.

The complaint has been registered against PTI senator Faisal Javed Khan and six other leaders Amir Kiani, Wasiq Qayyum Abbasi, Faisal Javed Khan, Raja Rashid Hafeez, Umer Tanveer Butt, Rashid Naseem Abbasi, Raja Majid on “terrorism charges”.

As per the police, they were leading the “unlawful gathering” and were informed through a loudspeaker to disperse immediately.

As per the FIR, police had received information that a possible decision can come against the PTI chief. Several officers were present at Faizabad to maintain law, order and security in the area. But around 8 pm, a large PTI rally of around 1000-1200 people started moving towards Faizabad carrying rods and sticks.

The FIR alleged that those leading the group incited the demonstrators, after which they started pelting stones at the police, Frontier Constabulary (FC) and administration leaving several police officers injured.

The demonstrators further advanced with the “intent to kill”. They made the announcement that they don’t accept any law and would reach the Election Commission of Pakistan at any cost.

The crowd attacked the police force, disturbed the law and order situation, set fire to trees, damaged official property, injured police officers and spread “fear and harassment” among the public, the FIR stated as per Dawn.

The FIR further requested the appointment of an investigation officer for the case.

Former Prime Minister Imran Khan and Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa

Earlier on Friday, in the Toshakhana case hearing, Imran Khan’s counsel Ali Zafar admitted that his client had sold at least four presents he had received during 2018-19.

“The gifts were sold for Rs 58 million and their receipts were enclosed with the income tax returns filed by my client,” the lawyer apprised the ECP.

Meanwhile, in August, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) filed the reference claiming that Khan had paid for only some items that he took home from the ‘Toshakhana’, but most items that he took from the government treasure house were done so without paying for them.

In the reference, it was alleged that Khan did not disclose the gifts he took and concealed the information in his statements, reported Geo news.

Reportedly, gifts received by government officials are to be reported immediately, to enable their value to be assessed. Only after an assessment is conducted can the recipient take away the gift, if he wants to keep it, after depositing a specific amount.

These gifts either remain deposited in the Toshakhana or can be auctioned and the money acquired through it is to be deposited into the national treasury.

Last month, the former Pakistan Prime Minister sold three expensive watches from the government treasure house collectively worth more than 154 million Pakistani rupees (PKR) to a local watch dealer, media reports said.

Imran Khan reportedly earned millions of rupees from these jewel-class watches gifted to him by foreign dignitaries, The News International newspaper reported. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Imran approaches SC, seeks probe into audio leaks

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Toshakhana verdict hanging over Imran like sword of Damocles

Imran Khan Pic credits Instagram

The main question in the matter is whether a lawmaker could be disqualified on account of concealment of assets in his annual return….reports Asian Lite News

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is set to announce its verdict on Friday in the Toshakhana (gift depository) reference, seeking the disqualification of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The election supervisor has issued notices to all the parties for this purpose to be present at its secretariat in Islamabad either personally or through their lawyers, The Express Tribune reported.

The main question in the matter is whether a lawmaker could be disqualified on account of concealment of assets in his annual return.

The Commission also sought “foolproof security” from the district administration, asking it to deploy police inside and outside its premises for the full day to “avoid any untoward incident”.

The ECP had reserved the verdict in the case on September 19.

Pic credits Twitter

Toshakhana, a department under the administrative control of the Cabinet Division, stores precious gifts given to the head of states, MPs, bureaucrats and officials by heads of other governments, states and foreign dignitaries, The Express Tribune reported.

According to Toshakhana rules, gifts and other such material received by persons to whom these rules apply shall be reported to the Cabinet Division.

The reference had been moved by the Pakistan Democratic Movement against the PTI chief on August 4 for not “sharing the details” of the Toshakhana gifts and proceeds from their alleged sale.

Despite the Pakistan Information Commission (PIC) ordering it to do so, the PTI, while in government, had been reluctant to disclose the details of the gifts presented to Khan since he took office in 2018.

It claimed that it would jeopardise international relations.

ALSO READ: Imran approaches SC, seeks probe into audio leaks

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Imran approaches SC, seeks probe into audio leaks

The former prime minister has also urged the Supreme Court to hold the officials behind the audio leaks accountable…report Asian Lite News

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan on Thursday filed a plea in the Supreme Court to form a commission to investigate the audio leaks at Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s house.

While praying before the court, Khan said, “Declare that the impugned actions, in particular, the illegal surveillance of the PMO and PMH and the release of the surveillance data, especially through the audio leaks, are unconstitutional and in violation of the law,” according to Geo News.

The PTI Chief also appealed to the apex court to supervise the investigation so that it “completes its task in a satisfactory manner” and the “illegal surveillance is put to a permanent end”. He also seeks that the probe identifies, retrieves, secures and then if necessary destroys the audio files.

Shehbaz Sharif.(photo:instagram)

The former prime minister has also urged the Supreme Court to hold the officials behind the audio leaks accountable, Geo news reported.

Recently, in October, another purported audio leak of Sharif surfaced on social media days after the coalition government directed a high-level investigation into the alleged hacking and leak of sensitive audio conversations, reported The News International.

In the latest audio, the prime minister purportedly talks about appointing special assistants from the ruling coalition with an unknown person, says a news report.

The unidentified man could be heard talking about the Pakistan Peoples Party, asking for posts of the PM’s key aides.

The voice believed to be of PM Shehbaz could be heard, saying, “No, it is not like that, Bilawal Bhutto spoke to me in this regard.” Another voice then said, “We have to adjust Zafar Mahmood and Jahanzeb Sahib also…I will tell you a final number today.”

He added that Muttahida Qaumi Movement member, Malik Ahmed, was reminded that he played a pivotal role in making the deal with the two parties… “I am sending you his portfolio; he belongs to Karachi.”

Earlier, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan said that the audio leaks are a serious breach of national security as they call into question the entire security of the Prime Minister’s Office and House.

He added that his secure line at his residence was also bugged as the PM. He announced that the PTI intends to go to court to establish the authenticity of leaks and then form a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to investigate which intelligence agency is responsible for the bugging and who is leaking out the audio many of which, he said, are edited or doctored, reported The News International.

The former premier said that this is critical because sensitive security issues are and have been illegally recorded and subsequently hacked, implying confidentiality of Pakistan’s national security has been exposed globally.

A series of audio clips have been leaked, featuring Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz and former PM Imran Khan, which sparked widespread criticism from the opposition and raised questions about the cyber security of the PM’s official residence and the office.

Two audio recordings featuring Imran Khan surfaced and in one of them he was heard talking about ‘buying’ MNAs and in the second one, the former PM was using a “US cypher” to brand those who would vote against him in April’s confidence vote as traitors, Dawn reported.

In the second audio, PTI leaders Shireen Mazari, Asad Umar and Khan said the cypher, which he has used to further a foreign conspiracy narrative behind his ouster, had a global impact and urged his close aides to brand those who would vote against him in the confidence vote as Mir Jafar and Mir Sadiq, according to Dawn. (ANI)

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My life is under threat: Imran

This is not the first time that the PTI chairman has claimed that his life is under threat, as after his ouster from the Prime Minister’s Office…reports Asian Lite News

Four persons are planning to have me killed and if something happens to me, then their names will be released, former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan warned on Friday, the media reported.

In an address to a ‘jalsa’ in Mianwali, the PTI chairman — who is embroiled in the recent audio leaks controversy — said: “The tape, which includes the names of four people, will be released if something happens to me”, The News reported.

This is not the first time that the PTI chairman has claimed that his life is under threat, as after his ouster from the Prime Minister’s Office, Khan and his party’s leaders have time and again stated that plans were being hatched to assassinate him.

In light of the threats to him, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had also ordered to beef up the security given to his predecessor, following which nearly 100 police personnel were provided to keep Khan safe.

Without providing the names of the people planning to have him killed, Khan told the ‘jalsa’ that if he were to be assassinated, then the people behind the plot will claim that a “religious fanatic has killed me”, The News reported.

“The people making plans against me will fail,” the PTI chairman said, who has been at loggerheads with the incumbent government and plans to hold a long march seeking to oust the rulers from office.

Hinting that his party workers and leaders would not heed the government’s threats of putting them behind bars and thwarting his “Azadi March”, Khan said: “We are planning to start a ‘fill the jail campaign’.”

ALSO READ: Imran Khan is biggest liar on Earth: Shehbaz Sharif

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Imran Khan is biggest liar on Earth: Shehbaz Sharif

Shehbaz Sharif.(photo:instagram)

Sharif said the leaked audios were “an irrefutable endorsement that he [Khan] is the biggest liar on the face of the earth…reports Asian Lite News

Pakistan’s Prime Pinister, Shehbaz Sharif, has accused the former premier Imran Khan of being the “the biggest liar on the face of the earth” and injecting poison into society to “dangerously polarise the electorate” after he was toppled from power earlier this year, The Guardian reported.

Speaking in his first interview from Pakistan since he took over as Prime Minister in April, Sharif, 70, spoke unsparingly of the “damage” that Khan, the former cricket superstar who ruled Pakistan from 2018, had done to the country in both domestic and foreign affairs.

Sharif, who is the younger brother of the former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and part of one of Pakistan’s most powerful political dynasties, called Khan “a liar and a cheat” whose policies had left the economy in ruins, The Guardian reported.

Imran Khan.(PHOTO:INSTAGRAM)

He accused Khan, who ran on an anti-corruption manifesto, of conducting the country’s affairs to suit his own personal agenda “in a manner which can be only described as the most inexperienced, self-centred, egotistical, immature politician in the history of this country.”

Sharif said the leaked audios were “an irrefutable endorsement that he [Khan] is the biggest liar on the face of the earth. I’m not saying this with a sense of glee but a sense of embarrassment and concern. My country’s image has been been damaged hugely by these lies told out of mean personal interest.”

Sharif, who has always worked with the military establishment, acknowledged that he faced significant challenges ruling Pakistan while Khan was mobilising on the streets. Several of the economic decisions made by Sharif’s government, such as raising fuel taxes, have proved very unpopular.

“Never before was I concerned about our country’s future,” said Sharif. “Imran Khan has injected infinite amount of poison in this society and made it hugely polarised as never before…he is distorting facts and creating hate,” The Guardian reported.

ALSO READ: UN hikes Pakistan flood aid appeal

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Arrest warrant against Imran over threatening judge

The former Prime Minister is facing contempt charges for his controversial remarks against Zeba Chaudhry…reports Asian Lite News

A magistrate of Islamabad’s Margalla police station has issued an arrest warrant against PTI chief Imran Khan, media reports said on Saturday.

The area magistrate issued the arrest warrant in the case registered on August 20 against Khan for his remarks on Additional District and Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry, Geo News reported.

The FIR includes four sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), including 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 189 (threat of injury to public servant), and 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant).

The former Prime Minister is facing contempt charges for his controversial remarks against Zeba Chaudhry, Geo News reported. The court has issued the warrant for Khan’s non-appearance in court.

Following the issuance of the warrant, PTI leader Asad Umar warned the government not to arrest Khan, saying that it will “regret” the decision.

Meanwhile, former Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said the issuance of a warrant in such a “weak” case was pointless.

“A circus has been created in the media by issuing warrants over pointless legal clauses and a foolish case which was not needed,” he wrote on Twitter, Geo News reported.

Refuting all claims that Khan has left his residence for an unidentified location, Senator Shibli Faraz shared a picture of the PTI chief feeding his dogs at his residence.

ALSO READ: Imran’s another futile bid to subdue PoJK

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Imran features in leaked audio on ‘US conspiracy’ cypher

Imran Khan.(PHOTO:INSTAGRAM)


Khan allegedly told Azam in the audio, the date of which cannot be ascertained at the moment, that “let’s just play” with the cypher and not mention America’s name…reports Asian Lite News

As the audios of high-profile personalities continue to get leaked, a sound bite of former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan allegedly telling his then-principal secretary Azam Khan to “play” with the US cypher has come to the fore, Pakistani media reported.

In the audio allegedly featuring Khan, a man can be heard talking about the cypher which Khan, time and again, has claimed mentions the “threat” to remove his government, Geo News reported.

Khan allegedly told Azam in the audio, the date of which cannot be ascertained at the moment, that “let’s just play” with the cypher and not mention America’s name.

In response, Azam tells Khan a scheme of how to use the cypher to forward PTI’s political agenda, and in that, he also suggests using Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood so the matter can be highlighted at a “bureaucratic level”, the media outlet reported.

The development comes after audio leaks of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, federal ministers, and PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz surfaced last week.

PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry responded to the development, saying that “the new leaks only confirm the attempt to hide the US cable from the (then) Prime Minister (Imran Khan)”.

PTI leader Hammad Azhar said when Imran Khan was the prime minister, his government was removed following the “exact same script as was given in the cypher”.

PML-N senior leader Pervez Rasheed said the audio proves that it was no one other than Khan who was involved in a “conspiracy” against Pakistan.

Rasheed reprimanded PTI for misleading Pakistanis, undermining their confidence in national security, and ruining Pakistan’s relations with the United States,Geo News reported.

‘Good that it got leaked’

After the alleged conversation between a former country’s Prime Minister Imran Khan and Principal Secretary Azam Khan about the “US conspiracy” went viral, the PTI chief on Wednesday said that the “cypher should also be leaked so that everyone would come to know how big that conspiracy was.”

“It is good that the audio got leaked, I would say the cypher should also be leaked so that everyone should come to know how big was that foreign conspiracy,” Imran Khan told reporters today, as per The News International.

Khan alleged that Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of leaking that audio when asked who did this, as per the publication.

It is to be noted that after those controversial audio leaks, Imran Khan on Monday said that Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja should resign “if he had any shame,” media reports said.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan claimed that the audio leak is proof that the CEC, Sultan Raja, is in cahoots with the Sharif family and his alleged involvement in corruption, reported Pakistani local media The Express Tribune. (IANS/ANI)

ALSO READ: Imran demands Shehbaz’s resignation over audio leaks

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Imran demands Shehbaz’s resignation over audio leaks

The PTI claimed that the government was trying to purchase the (stolen) data from a hacker to secure it..reports Asian Lite News

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday demanded that Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif should resign over the audio leaks, media reports said.

He warned that more leaks were coming, which would prove collusion between the government and the Election Commission to disqualify him, Samaa TV reported.

Addressing a ceremony at GC College in Lahore on Monday afternoon, he said that the audio leaks showed how the Prime Ninister was crafting a means to circumvent the ban on trade with India, which his administration had imposed to import machinery from India for his niece Maryam Nawaz’s son-in-law, Samaa TV reported.

Moreover, he said that the ruling government was planning to set up a grid station for a housing society by Maryam’s son-in-law and use taxpayer money to pay for the Rs 700 million station.

The PTI claimed that the government was trying to purchase the (stolen) data from a hacker to secure it, Geo News reported.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said earlier that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered an investigation into the audio leaks allegedly from PM House that features government officials.

Security at PM House was called into question by the PTI � the biggest opposition party � after purported audio clips featuring government officials surfaced last week.

In a press conference, PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry, quoting the alleged hacker, said that they have not yet leaked an “explosive” audio.

“To date, the PM Office has not released a statement on the audio leaks. There are reports that the government is in talks with the hacker to secure the data,” the PTI leader said, Geo News reported.

The former federal minister claimed that audio of 340 hours was leaked and no one batted an eye despite the PTI government equipping relevant authorities with the latest technology.

“Pakistan’s Prime Minister’s Office is not safe when it comes to cybersecurity and we condemn this. An investigation should be launched into the matter,” he demanded.

ALSO READ: His legs were trembling in Putin’s presence, Imran mocks Shehbaz

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His legs were trembling in Putin’s presence, Imran mocks Shehbaz

Khan criticised Sharif for his recent foreign trips following flood devastations in the country…reports Asian Lite News

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan mocked his successor Shehbaz Sharif, saying that the latter felt intimidated in the presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin at the recently-concluded Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Uzbekistan.

Addressing a public gathering in Chakwal on Monday, Khan took a jibe at the premier claiming that his legs were trembling in the presence of Putin during their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 22nd SCO Summit, Geo News reported.

Khan criticised Sharif for his recent foreign trips following flood devastations in the country and said: “Look at Shehbaz’s insensitivity. He is visiting (countries) abroad during such conditions. What battle is he going to win aboard while the country has been flooded?”

Nitpicking the premier for his conversation with the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the PTI Chairman said: “I have not seen any prime minister talk like the way Shehbaz did with the UN Secretary-General. He was asking him for money.”

He further revealed that Guterres knows that 60 per cent of Sharif’s cabinet is released on bail.

“On what basis would he (Secretary-Ggeneral) give you money as he knows that corruption cases are registered against the premier?” Khan queried.

The former premier also pointed his guns at Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari denouncing him for leaving the country during a time of crisis.

“Bilawal also went abroad. They have been imposed (on us) because he will listen to their orders,” Khan added.

ALSO READ: Pak minister slams Imran for row over Army chief appointment

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Pak minister slams Imran for row over Army chief appointment

Pakistani Army chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwa

The defence minister said appointment of Army Chief will be made in November as per schedule, reports Asian Lite News

Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has warned former premier Imran Khan to stop the pursuit of making the appointment of the new army chief controversial as it “will embolden India”, adding that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will instate him in accordance with the provisions of the constitution.

Shelving Khan’s demand of postponing the appointment of the army chief till August, Asif said he will not let the former Prime Minister put the country at stake and appease India, Samaa TV reported.

“The appointment will be made in November as per schedule,” he said during a presser.

He also remarked that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief is rewarding India by promoting political uncertainty in the country, Samaa TV reported.

Earlier in the press conference, Asif termed the Sharif’s visit to Samarkand for the SCO Summit as “extremely successful”.

Former Prime Minister Imran Khan and Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa

He said the premier met with the heads of 10 countries during the two-day visit who promised to extend support to the flood-stricken people of Pakistan.

The Prime Minister represented Pakistan in the Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO on Thursday and Friday.

Asif said the meetings with Chinese, Russian, Iranian, and Turkish heads of state were the highlight of Sharif’s visit.

“All these countries promised assistance to Pakistan,” he maintained.

The Defence Minister also announced that the premier will visit Beijing in the first week of November at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

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