PTI News, Updates and Discussion

Imran refuses to tender apology over May 9 riots​

Malik Asad
May 9, 2024

• Says ready to face inquiry into 2014 dharna
• Alvi says those having ‘real power’ should initiate dialogue

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Imran Khan on Wednesday refused to apologise for the May 9 riots and said he is ready to face inquiry into the sit-in that his PTI staged in 2014.

He was speaking to the media after the court proceedings in the £190 million corruption case at Adiala jail. When asked whether he would apologise for the May 9 violent protest, Mr Khan replied in the negative, saying he was under detention at the time and was unaware of those protests.

The ex-premier mentioned that he became aware of the protests when he appeared before the then-chief justice of Pakistan, Umar Ata Bandial.

“I had already condemned those violent protests,” he added.

It may be mentioned that a day earlier, the director general of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) ruled out dialogue with PTI unless the party leadership tendered a public apology over the May 9 protests.

Mr Khan further said that if the establishment is not interested in dialogue, PTI will not pursue it either.
According to the former premier, he wanted dialogue for the sake of Pakistan, not to strike a deal for personal favours.

However, he clarified that he has no issue with the army as his close relatives are serving in the armed forces and bureaucracy.

Mr Khan expressed readiness to face inquiry into the 2014 sit-in and stated that he would gladly appear before the inquiry committee.

He further said that the allegations levelled against him in connection with the 2014 sit-in had proved to be wrong.

Mr Khan stated that the sit-in was staged to protest the 2013 elections, adding that the 2024 elections are also fraudulent, as the former caretaker prime minister has also disclosed information about Form-47.

He claimed that some PML-N leaders had privately conveyed to PTI that elections would not be held until Justice Qazi Faez Isa became the chief justice.

During the court proceedings, accountability judge Nasir Javed Rana recorded the statement of a witness, while the counsel for Mr Khan and Bushra Bibi cross-examined another witness.

The court accepted Mr Khan’s application for his medical check-up and adjourned the proceedings till May 13.

Impartial inquiry

In Lahore, former president Dr Arif Alvi while speaking to the media outside the Punjab Assembly emphasised the need for an impartial investigation into the events of May 9 and urged that the perpetrators be brought to justice.

He said, “The oppressor should seek forgiveness. Forgiveness is the only answer to all disputes.”

He said those who did not know the meaning of democracy were preaching democracy.

He said the evidence, if any, of the May 9 riots should be presented before courts.

“When I was president, [Imran] Khan sahib called for a dialogue,” he added.

He mentioned that Mr Khan always voiced for a peaceful protest and resolution of all disputes through dialogue.

In an obvious reference to the establishment, Dr Alvi said those having real power should initiate the dialogue process.

He said the present government was artificial and completion of its tenure was unlikely.

The former president said he visited the assembly to meet the opposition members. He said it was unfortunate how the parliament was filled with those who won the elections with the help of Form-47.
 

PTI issues show-cause notice to Sher Afzal Marwat for harming party interests, violating discipline​

Nadir Guramani
May 11, 2024

The PTI on Saturday issued a show-cause notice to party maverick Sher Afzal Marwat for violating the party’s code of conduct and policy and hurting its interests.

The development comes after PTI leader Omar Ayub announced on Thursday that Marwat was removed from the party’s core and political committees on the direction of party founder Imran Khan following the maverick’s recent statements about Saudi Arabia.

The notice, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, states that Marwat has “issued irresponsible statements that harmed the party’s reputation and interests despite being given clear instructions by the founder chairman Imran Khan not to violate party’s known and stated position”.

It further told Marwat that he “damaged relations with fellow party members and stakeholders through your actions/words.”

Marwat was ordered to explain himself in writing within three days of the notice as to why disciplinary action should not be taken against him.

“If your reply is unsatisfactory or you do not respond, further action will be taken as per party policy and rules,” the notice reads.

On Wednesday, Marwat had lashed out at senior party figures for what he called depriving him of the coveted position of the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC). He had alleged that Senate opposition leader Shibli Faraz was the one to inform Imran about the Saudi ambassador raising reservations regarding Marwat’s nomination.

He had said that he did not want the chairmanship of a committee over which the Saudi government could exert influence by making demands.

Marwat had also alleged that Ayub and Faraz had misguided Imran on all issues.

The PTI MNA, who is known for causing controversies, has previously accused both the US and Saudi Arabia of conspiring to topple the PTI government. The PTI had publicly distanced itself from his remarks while Marwat had chalked them off as his personal opinion, even as he continued to stick to them.

In February, the PTI had issued a show-cause notice to Marwat over remarks against party leader Barrister Gohar Ali Khan that had triggered a controversy within the party.
 
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PTI’s Omar Ayub hinges talks with return of ‘stolen seats’, quashing Imran’s cases​

Nadir Guramani
May 17, 2024

Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub speaks in an interview on Friday. — DawnNewsTV


Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub speaks in an interview on Friday. — DawnNewsTV

Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub on Friday stated that any talks with “Form-47 parties”, referring to the PPP, PML-N and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), would be dependent on the return of the PTI’s “stolen seats” and the quashing of cases against party founder Imran Khan.

Since the aftermath of the February 8 general elections, the PTI has claimed that the Form 47s of 18 National Assembly seats allegedly won by the party were “falsely changed” by returning officers. The PTI alleges that it was winning “170 seats” according to the Form 45s.

Speaking in an interview with DawnNewsTV programme ‘Doosra Rukh’, Ayub was questioned on which stakeholder the PTI wanted talks with, to which he said: “The three parties — PPP, PML-N and MQM-P — are beneficiaries of Form 47 [manipulation] thus they should step back from that, return our stolen seats to us, quash Imran Khan’s cases and finish military trials of our people and then talks can be held with them.”

Ayub said the party wanted constitutional supremacy but the above three parties had come into power due to “discrepancies in Form 47 and undemocratic discrepancies which we reject”.

He reiterated that the PTI would be willing to hold talks if its “stolen mandate” was returned to it, hinting toward the stepping down of the incumbent government.
 
PTI spokesperson Raoof Hasan has been injured in an attack in Islamabad on Tuesday.

“Very shameful and reprehensible!!” the party said in a post on X. Video footage shared by the party showed Hasan bleeding from the face with anchor Shahid Masood with him.

Read more: https://www.dawn.com/news/1834849
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Thinking ....

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