Politics

PDM rejects Supreme Court-sanctioned talks with PTI over election date

Published

1 month ago

Farwa

“There will be no need for any negotiations [with PTI],” says PDM chief.
“Should I appear in front of the bench on which there is no confidence?”
“We accept justice, we will not accept your hammer,” Maulana Fazlur says.

Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Thursday rejected the possibility of holding negotiations with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan despite the directives issued by the Supreme Court a day earlier.

Speaking at a press conference, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) leader said: “Inshallah there will be no need for any negotiations [with Imran Khan ].”

During the presser, Fazl took a hardline against both the possibility of any negotiations with PTI and the Supreme Court.

Accusing the apex court of being partial to the PTI chief, the PDM head said: “If the Supreme Court can show flexibility towards Imran Khan, then why can’t they show flexibility towards us?”

Earlier today, the top court directed the embattled ruling and the opposition political parties to immediately create a consensus on the date of elections and update the three-member bench by 4pm. However, the head of the ruling coalition party held the presser by 4:30pm.

It is pertinent to mention here that PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry, ahead of appearing before the bench once again, had confirmed that the PDM had not yet contacted the Imran Khan-led party for talks.

In the hard-hitting conference, the PDM chief slammed the court of being partial in the matter.

He asked: “Is this a court or a panchayat?”

Maulana Fazl said: “The court wants us to agree on a date for the elections. According to the Constitution, it is mandatory to hold elections within 90 days, but if Imran Khan agrees on a date, then it is right.”

He added, “The court should clarify its position on the matter.”

The JUI-F chief declared that the apex court should abide by the rules set by parliament. “The authority under which the court is pressuring us is no longer its authority.

Parliament has no confidence in the bench, he added. “More than one resolution has been passed and the Attorney General has informed them that we have no confidence in the bench.”

“Should I appear in front of the bench on which there is no confidence?” he demanded.

Discussing the apex court’s role in the election fiasco in the country, the PDM chief called the SC’s behaviour as “oppressive”.

“We are not ready to accept this oppression of the court,” he said. “We call this entire process a non-political process.”

He demanded to know how long people would have to continue being misled and blackmailed by these things.

He further said: “There was a time when it was said to talk under the shadow of a gun. Today, we are being forced to negotiate in front of the hammer.”

“We accept justice, we will not accept your hammer,” he said.

“Bilawal Bhutto visited me yesterday to offer his condolences on the death of Mufti Abdul Shakoor,” the JI leader said.

He further added that he had met Bilawal in person and had spoken to PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on the phone, adding that he had also held telephonic conversations with PML-N leadership and ministers.

The PDM chief said that if the apex court tried to impose decisions by force, they would turn to the “people’s court.”

If they are willing to be such biased parties, he said, they should come into politics. “Then we will know how much water they are in.”

Maulana Fazl then lambasted the PTI chief and said, “Imran Khan is facing four/five cases in various courts and he may be disqualified soon.”

“He should tell us about his performance during his three-and-a-half years in power.”

Lamenting on the state of the country and the debilitating economic crisis, he said the nation is stuck in a swamp.

“The State Bank has gone to IMF, which has the power to fluctuate prices,“ he said.

Claiming that strong legislation alone could provide people relief, the PDM chief said: “It is no longer in your power to increase or decrease the value of the rupee.”

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.