Politics

Amid reports of division, PTI decides to dissolve Punjab Assembly first

Published

6 months ago

Farwa

Imran Khan meets MPs from PTI’s Rawalpindi Division.
PTI insists early election solution to economic crisis.
KP assembly will be dissolved after Punjab.

LAHORE: While there are reports of difference of opinion among the lawmakers, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Monday decided that it would dissolve the Punjab Assembly in the first phase, while the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly would be dissolved afterwards.

Sources privy to the matter reported that the decision about the dissolution of provincial assemblies and resignations from the National Assembly was made in a meeting chaired by PTI Chairman Imran Khan with the lawmakers from Rawalpindi Division.

Initially, the Punjab Assembly would be dissolved, the meeting decided as the party members are divided upon the plan and are urging to delay the dissolution of assemblies.

PTI Secretary General Asad Umar had earlier admitted that some members are against the party’s move and asked to delay it.

Chief Minister Pervez Elahi had also reportedly conveyed the PML-Q’s opinion on the issue to Imran Khan, advising him to be very careful in this regard before taking a final decision.

However, the PTI is adamant and warned the government to give an election date by December 20 or else they will dissolve the assemblies but the government has refused to budge.

The meeting with the Rawalpindi members on Monday, the sources added, also endorsed the plan to convert the nationwide protest movement into an electoral campaign.

They said that it was resolved in the meeting that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly would be dissolved in the second phase.

“All the members from Rawalpindi have confirmed that they would quit the National Assembly.”

The lawmakers said that the country was going through the worst economic crisis, adding that transparent snap elections were the only way to get out of the quagmire.

Imran Khan’s video address

Meanwhile, in a video address on Monday, Imran Khan said that the only solution to the ongoing “alarming” economic condition was holding early elections in the country.

“This might be the biggest economic crisis that this country has ever witnessed […] the media houses that had to inform the people about the ongoing economic crisis aren’t doing their job,” Khan said.

The ex-prime minister said he was not only addressing the nation, but he was also speaking to the institutions as economic deterioration would affect the entire country.

Khan said when the PTI government rolled out the National Security Policy (NSP), it mentioned that despite former soviet union’s armed forces being the strongest in the world, it could not save the state from collapse due to the economic condition.

The ex-premier said the judiciary should play its role as they will also “be answerable” if the economy further worsens. “Also, I am surprised at the business community’s silence.”

Khan said that amid the ongoing crisis, small and large-scale businesses were the most affected. He added that exports were also declining gradually.

“The business community should ask why aren’t the overseas Pakistanis sending remittances. In our tenure, remittances, textile exports, tax collection, all were at a record high,” he said.

Politics

May 9 arsonists also attacked police on March 8 outside Zaman Park: Mohsin Naqvi

Published

3 hours ago

Farwa

Naqvi says “propaganda” being done on arrest of female PTI workers.
Caretaker CM says 2-year-old videos were shared on social media.
Punjab IG says police ready to appear before the judicial commission.

LAHORE: Caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Tuesday shared that those who attacked the police in Zaman Park on March 8 were also involved in the rioting that took place on May 9 after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s arrest.

On March 8, the PTI chief planned to launch a rally in Lahore but things turned sour when the interim government-imposed Section 144 within the provincial capital. Following this, there was a clash between the police and PTI workers.

However, today CM Naqvi said that the same people that had clashed with the police on March 8 were also involved in the May 9 rioting.

On the “propaganda” being done regarding the arrest of female PTI workers, the caretaker chief executive claimed that 2-year-old videos were being shared on social media.

He also said that 32 women were arrested related to the attack on military installations in Punjab. However, 21 of those have already been released while only 11 are on judicial remand.

CM Naqvi added that nearly 500 women were involved in the May 9 incidents but the interim government avoided their arrest.

Meanwhile, Inspector General of Punjab (IGP) Police Dr Usman Anwar, while clearing the air on the arrest of female PTI workers, said that the police have videos of people getting arrested on the spot.

He further added that those involved in the May 9 mayhem uploaded videos themselves.

“Various agencies verified with their own camera system. These lists [of people involved] are complete, and action is being taken,” the police chief said.

He also slammed the PTI for claiming he had sent his men to torch the important installations. “Whoever wants to form a judicial commission can form it we are ready to go before any judicial commission.”

Politics

PTI’s Shehryar Afridi re-arrested upon release from Adiala jail

Published

3 hours ago

Farwa

“Afridi was released on completion of his ‘house arrest’ period.”
Police officials take the PTI leader to an undisclosed location.
Shehryar Afridi along with his wife was picked up on May 16.

Amid the ongoing crackdown against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in connection with the May 9 attacks on the civil and military installations, the party’s leader and former state minister Shehryar Afridi was re-arrested shortly after being released from Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail on Tuesday.

Afridi along with his wife was picked up on May 16 from his residence in Islamabad under Section 3 of Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance 1960, which enables the government to arrest persons “acting in any manner prejudicial to public safety”. His wife, however, was released later on the orders of the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

Soon after his release from the jail, police officials again took him into custody and transported him to an undisclosed location.

According to the jail administration, Afridi was released on completion of his “house arrest” period under the MPO.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Rawalpindi deputy commissioner has extended Afridi’s house arrest under MPO for another 15 days.

The duo was apprehended after violent protests, triggered by the arrest of PTI chairman Imran Khan from the IHC in the Al-Qadir Trust case, erupted almost across the country.

During the days-long protests, which ended only after Khan’s release, enraged PTI workers allegedly attacked private and public properties, including military installations — the Lahore Corps Commander’s House or Jinnah House and the General Headquarters (GHQ) entrance. At least eight people lost their lives during the violent protests.

Politics

ATC declares Zaman Park search warrant ‘ineffective’

Published

3 hours ago

Farwa

One-time search warrants are not for forever, judge says.
PTI chief Khan had moved ATC against search warrants.
He claimed LEAs secured warrants with “malicious intent”.

LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore Tuesday declared a police search warrant for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s Zaman Park residence “ineffective”.

ATC Judge Abhar Gul Khan, while announcing the reserved verdict on the PTI chief’s plea, said one-time search warrants are not for forever.

The PTI chief had moved the court three days back against the search warrants, naming the state, commissioner of Lahore, DIG operations Lahore, SSP operations Lahore, and others as respondents.

In the plea, the PTI chief claimed that law enforcement personnel secured the warrants with “malicious intent”.

“It is most respectfully prayed that the search warrant relating to petitioner’s house situated at Zaman Park, Lahore may kindly be set-aside /cancelled/recalled being illegal, unlawful, inappropriate which lacks the requisite legal parameters for a valid warrant in the interest of justice and fair play,” he said in the plea.

Urging the court to take strict action against the respondents, Khan asked the court to deal with them severely for “their unlawful and illegal misuse of authority under the pretext of the search warrant”.

The authorities had secured the search warrants claiming that they wanted to arrest the “terrorists” present inside the PTI chief’s residence. However, when they arrived there on May 19, Khan refused to allow a search operation at his residence.

The hearing

At the outset of the hearing, the judge asked the commissioner what was the reason behind the law enforcers’ action at Zaman Park. The commissioner said his men went here to remove encroachments.

But, he noted, they had not followed up on the search warrants so far.

The judge asked the investigating officer whether he still needed the search warrants. At this, he said that he would respond to the court’s question after consulting his colleagues.

The court, after hearing arguments, had reserved the verdict.