Politics

PTI suspends membership of Khurram Hameed Rokhri

Published

7 months ago

Farwa

PTI suspends basic membership of Khurram Hameed Rokhri.
PTI leaders had distanced themselves from Rokhri
Rokhri revealed details of meetings with army officer.

ISLAMABAD: PTI Friday suspended the membership of party’s estranged leader Major (retd) Khurram Hameed Rokhri after he debunked party chief Imran Khan’s allegation against a senior army officer.

“After consultation with higher party leadership, basic party membership of Major (R) Khurram Hameed Khan Rokhart has been terminated,” PTI’s Mianwali President Saleem Gul Khan said in a notification.

Providing the reason for his termination, Khan said he violated party policy and spoke on media against the party’s version without prior permission.

“From now onwards, he is no more in PTI,” he said, as he advised media personnel to not consider him as a party leader and directed government officers and officials to not entertain him.

PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry earlier in the day claimed that Rokhri was not a member of the party and asked: “Who is this?”. But despite his claim of Rokhri not being a party leader, a notification has been issued of his suspension.

What did Rokhri say?

A day earlier, PTI leader Major (retd) Rokhri debunked allegations against a senior army officer, saying he was a man of principles.

Speaking during Geo News’ programme “Capital Talk”, Rokhari said the officer was two-course junior to him and knew him the way Hamid Mir knows about fellow journalist Saleem Safi.

He said a bunch of sycophants surrounding “poor” Khan had brought him to this juncture, adding he does not pay heed to those sincere to him, including his sisters.

Narrating details, he said at a meeting at Bani Gala, it was said the general officer was tasked with crushing Imran Khan’s narrative and the PTI.

However, Rokhri said that he interjected in the meeting and told the PTI leadership that the officer was a thorough professional and a man of principles who would not sell his conscience and honour to please anyone.

Rokhri said Salman Ahmad briefed Imran Khan on his views about the officer, adding PTI chief asked Salman to direct Rokhri to confront the officer. Rokhri said he, as desired by Imran, met the officer.

Rokhri said that when he asked the officer if he had been tasked with crushing the PTI, he responded: “What are you talking about; don’t you know me? I was posted (to this office) on Gen Sarfraz’s martyrdom day. Imran is the leader of the country’s largest political party and a hero. Why would I go against him? If some people are telling Imran things like this, tell him there is nothing like this.”

‘Stop calling names’

The PTI leader said he conveyed what the officer said to Imran, adding that on his suggestion, the officer was also willing to meet the PTI chief.

Rokhri said he met the officer again, who said: “You people should continue with your struggle. If any obstruction comes from our side, we would (be answerable). You people should stop calling names to generals and martyrs.”

The PTI leader also told Mir that he met the officer for a third time, along with Salman as Imran’s spokesperson. He added that the meetings with the officer took place after Shahbaz Gill’s incident.

Rokhri said that when Salman asked for yet another meeting, he suggested that the PTI chief meet the officer.

“The PTI sent me the conditions for talks, which I forwarded to the persons being named. They agreed to meet but suggested a place other than theirs or ours.”

Rokhri added that Salman later called him to Islamabad for meeting with Imran, but he could not meet the PTI chief despite a long wait. He was called again, according to Rokhri, but he could not meet the party chief. He added that he refused to meet when he was called for the third time after the attack on Imran.

He said he wanted to normalise the situation but refused, telling them (PTI leaders) that he would not be part of the game they had started. He quipped: “Hasn’t Alvi Sahib arranged the meeting?”

The PTI leader said he spoke the truth about the general officer on a TV channel, but the abusive brigade started targeting him. He added that Faisal Vawda was also sincerely trying to defuse the situation, but the “abusive brigade” went after him.

Rokhri also questioned the narrative the party is building in the long march, adding that the PTI chief’s strength was the people’s votes, not a mob which could help him form the government.

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.