Imran Khan set to appear in IHC to get bail in multiple cases

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May 9, 2023

ISLAMABAD: PTI Chairman Imran Khan set to appear before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to get bail in two cases related to sedition and attempted murder.

Meanwhile, Imran Khan left his Zaman Park residence to reach the capital.

A two-member bench comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb will hear deposed premier protective bail pleas.

In a circular issued by the IHC Registrar’s Office, it was stated that the pre-arrest bail petitions of former prime minister Imran Khan in two cases would be heard at 2:30pm tomorrow in courtroom No.1.

Special passes would be required for journalists and lawyers to gain entry, while court staff would be exempt from this requirement.

According to the circular, Imran Khan will be permitted to have 15 lawyers accompany him inside the courtroom.

Additionally, ten lawyers from the offices of the Attorney General of Pakistan and Advocate General Islamabad, along with 30 members of the Islamabad High Court Journalists Association (IHCJA), will be allowed entry.

In last hearing, the court granted the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman pre-arrest bails–till May 9 in the aforementioned cases. It ordered the former premier to cooperate with the police in their investigation.

“Don’t be afraid of this security arrangement. Rather feel secure. Don’t give the impression that someone wants to arrest you,” IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq who was leading a division bench told Imran Khan who appeared in the court in a wheelchair.

A day earlier, the bench had given one last chance to Imran to appear in the court in person to get pre-arrest bail, noting that it could not bend rules for the PTI chief just because he is a “privileged” person.

Addressing the former premier, Justice Farooq asked why he was not joining the probe.

Imran’s counsel Barrister Salman Safdar told the bench that the police wanted Imran to appear before seven different investigation officers (IOs) probing the seven terror cases.

“We are ready to give our testimony right now. All the IOs are also present here [in the courtroom]. Why didn’t they get our [Imran’s] statement today?” he proposed.

The CJ noted that Imran could not give his testimony like this on a piece of paper. “Follow the procedure that is in place for giving testimony to police,” he noted.

The bench once again told Imran’s counsel to submit reports of a government hospital if they want to get an exemption from personal appearance in court on medical grounds. A day earlier, the court had noted that a pre-arrest bail could only be awarded if the accused appeared in a court in person.

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Toshakhana case: Court to indict Imran Khan on May 10, rejects both petitions of IK

By

Sara Maqsood

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May 5, 2023

ISLAMABAD: Additional District and Sessions Courts Islamabad Judge Humayun Dilawar on Friday announced the reserved verdict in Toshakhana case against Imran Khan and announced PTI chairman to be indicted on May 10.

The court has summoned the former premier on May10 in person. The court has rejected both applications of the Imran Khan and gave verdict in favour of the ECP lawyers.

Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) lawyers Saad Hassan and Amjad Parvez and Imran Khan’s lawyer Khawaja Haris and Khalid Yusuf while PML-N leader Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha appeared before the court.

Khawaja Haris pleaded a petition has been filed for against the admissibility of the ToshaKhana case. He said petition against the admissibility of the case was filed under the Elections Act.

Khawaja Haris said Sessions court could not directly hear the Toshakhana case.

Earlier, Islamabad district and sessions court adjourned the Toshakhana case hearing again against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supremo Imran Khan till May 5 over Imran’s council absence.

PTI’s lawyer Faisal Chaudhry appeared in the court of Additional Session Judge Humayun Dilawar and requested the court to adjourn the hearing as lead counsel Khawaja Harris was not available.

Faisal also submitted a petition seeking an exemption for Imran Khan in today’s hearing citing security threats.

After hearing arguments, the court approved the exemption plea and summoned arguments on the admissibility of the ECP case on May 5.

PDM led federal government filed a reference against PTI Chairman accused him of not sharing the details of gifts he retained from Toshakhana in his assets declarations.

ECP after investigations had concluded in October last year that the PTI chief filed false statements regarding the gifts.

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Imran demands timely election as country can’t withstand massive street movement

By

Qamar Malik

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May 1, 2023

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan has warned those who defy the Constitution. He expressed gratitude for the participation of people in the Labor Day rally organized by his party in Lahore.

Imran Khan shared scenes from the rally on Twitter, describing the massive response from the masses as a warning to those who are considering defying the Constitution and the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) by not holding elections.

The former premier categorically said that the masses would not tolerate the mafia who is trying to run away from the Constitution.

He also warned that Pakistan is currently not in an economic position to withstand a ‘massive street movement’.

The former ruling party was late on Sunday night granted conditional permission to hold a rally in the provincial capital of Lahore.

A container reached Liberty Chowk for the rally for senior PTI leaders.

A large contingent of police was on duty by placing barriers around Liberty Chowk.

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National Energy Conservation Policy 2023 expected to save up to $8b yearly

By

Sara Maqsood

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May 1, 2023

ISLAMABAD: Authorities in Islamabad aim to reduce the carbon dioxide emission by 35 metric ton and also expected to save $6 billion to $8 billion yearly billion by implementing National Energy Conservation Policy 2023.

National Energy Saving Efficiency and Conversation Policy 2023 has already approved by cabinet committee.

The implementation of the policy will reduce the emission of 35 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually and also expected to save up to 6 and 8 billion dollars.

As per documents, $1.15 billion foreign exchange will be saved in energy, food and water sectors.

As per the policy documents, energy saving devices in commercial, domestic, industrial, agriculture sectors will be identified and people will be asked energy saving fans, air conditioners and motors.

As per documents, energy audit of the commercial buildings will be mandatory for energy saving and use of old appliances will be banned from onwards.

Pakistan can save up to 15 percent of electricity annually while energy information houses will be built at federal and provincial levels.

According to documents, a package will be given to the production of energy saving devices across the country.

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Top 7 movies to hit Pakistani cinemas, this Eid-ul-Fitr

By

Qamar Malik

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April 3, 2023

LAHORE: The Pakistani film industry is set to deliver an exciting lineup of movies on Eid-ul-Fitr 2023, with a diverse range of genres and themes.

Here are some of the most anticipated releases:

‘Money Back Guarantee’ is a comedy film directed by Faisal Qureshi, who is known for his successful television dramas. The movie stars Fawad Khan, Kiran Malik, Wasim Akram, and Shaniera Akram and it promises to be a laugh-out-loud experience for audiences.

‘Huey Tum Ajnabee’ is a romantic drama directed by Hassan Waqas Rana, who has previously directed hit movies like ‘Yalghaar’ and ‘Waar’. The movie stars Ayeza Khan and Osman Khalid Butt, and tells the story of a couple who fall in love despite their different backgrounds.

‘Daadal’ is a social drama directed by Kamran Qureshi, who is known for his critically acclaimed film ‘The System’. The movie stars Sanam Saeed and Adnan Siddiqui, and explores the themes of class, gender, and power dynamics in Pakistani society.

‘Dorr’ is a sports drama directed by Zamir Ahmad Awan, who is known for his award-winning documentary ‘The Pakistani Footballers’. The movie stars Samiya Mumtaz and Ali Ansari, and tells the story of a young girl who dreams of becoming a boxer.

‘Lahore Qalandar’ is a biopic directed by Faisal Saif, who is known for his film ‘Main Hoon Rajinikanth’. The movie stars Shaan Shahid and Mehwish Hayat, and tells the story of the Pakistan Super League team Lahore Qalandars and their journey to success.

Apart from Pakistani movies, the highly anticipated Hollywood movies ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ and ‘Evil Dead Rise’ are also set to release on Eid 2023. ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ stars Keanu Reeves and promises to be an action-packed extravaganza, while ‘Evil Dead Rise’ is a horror film that is set to be a reboot of the popular ‘Evil Dead’ franchise.

Overall, the lineup of movies set to release on Eid 2023 is diverse and promises to have something for everyone. With a mix of established stars and up-and-coming talent, Pakistani cinema is set to continue its upward trajectory and make a mark on the global entertainment industry.

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One killed, 3 hurt due to roof collapse; heavy rains reported in Punjab, KP

By

Asifa Farhat

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April 3, 2023

LAHORE: Punjab has been receiving intermittent rain since last night in various cities including Lahore. One person died and three others injured after the roof of a house collapsed due to rain and four people were buried under the debris in Toba Tek Singh.

Heavy rains were reported in different parts of Punjad including Abbott Road, Shimla Pahari, Lakshmi Chowk, and surrounding areas of Lahore are receiving light rain. While Kahna, Gajju Mata, Nishtar Colony and surrounding areas have also received rain since late night including Gulberg, Ichhra and Wahdat Road.

On the other hand, weather forecasters have predicted more rain during the next 24 hours. Today and tomorrow, the weather will remain cloudy throughout the province, including Lahore, while there is a possibility of rain with strong winds and thunder. Due to the entry of western winds since the night, the cold has increased. Meanwhile, other cities of Punjab, Okara, Renala Khurd and Hujra Shah Moqim received rain with thunder.

In view of the heavy rains, the PDMA has issued an alert to the concerned institutions, expressing the fear of severe damage to crops, especially wheat, due to strong winds and hailstorm.

As soon as it rained in different areas, the power supply was suspended, while the low-lying areas were also flooded due to heavy rain.

On the other hand, the rain that started yesterday in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is still continuing intermittently, along with black clouds in several areas.

The meteorological department said there is a possibility of rain with strong winds and thundershowers at most places icluding Chitral, Buner, Swat, Abbottabad, Swabi, Mardan, Nowshera, Peshawar, Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan.

Heavy rain and hailstorm have also been predicted in some places of the province, so far 3 mm of rain has been recorded in Peshawar, 11 in Buner, 10 in Timergara, 6 in kalaChitral and 1 mm in Kalam.

Rain also continues intermittently in various districts of Peshawar with chances of gusty winds and thunder in most places along with a possibility of hailstorm.

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Musical chairs for Pakistan captaincy begins again

By

Asifa Farhat

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April 3, 2023

LAHORE: Pakistan has recently suffered their first series loss to Afghanistan cricket team in international cricket.

In one of the press conferences during the aforementioned series, Shadab said that “now everyone would have understood the importance of Babar and Rizwan”.

This statement of Shadab didn’t go well with the board, and now there are talks of removing him from the post of vice-captain in limited-overs format.

When contacted in this regard, an official from the board said that the performance of the Pakistan team under the leadership of Shadab was not satisfactory, and some of his decisions were also not timely and correct.Although no final decision has been taken to remove him from the vice-captaincy post, but even if it is done, the reason will be on cricketing grounds.

However, Shadab also did not get the players he wanted as a captain. The selectors did not take his opinion into account while choosing the squad. He was also informed very late about the captaincy transition. Shadab stands the ground that it is not right to blame the defeat solely on him.

According to sources, Shan Masood is not included in the vice-captaincy race. Previously, when he was made vice-captain in the home series against New Zealand, there was a storm; Babar and then chief selector Shahid Afridi did not even play him in the initial matches. Now Shan himself wants to stay away from the captaincy and concentrate on his game.

Imad Wasim is supported by a senior figure in the board, but Babar does not like him. There were differences in the PSL between them. Imad performed well in the series against Afghanistan. The performance of Karachi Kings in the PSL under his leadership was, however, not satisfactory as his team finished fifth among six teams.

Sources further said that Shaheen Shah Afridi is a strong candidate to become the vice-captain. He has made Lahore Qalandars the champion of PSL for two years in a row. The interesting thing is that, at this time, half of the team is swinging the captaincy cycle. The board is being held responsible for forcing Babar Azam to rest and appointing Shan as his deputy without even asking. Babar is not happy with the current situation but is keeping his mouth shut to avoid conflict.

When contacted in this regard, former Test wicketkeeper Rashid Latif said that there is a lot of confusion regarding the captaincy at the moment. PCB should resolve this issue soon. While announcing the squad for New Zealand series, the captain should also be appointed until the World Cup. To a question, he said that the vice-captain has no importance; even if Mickey Arthur is appointed as the VC, it wouldn’t matter.

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Additional holidays for Islamabad schools, colleges on Eid

By

Sara Maqsood

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April 3, 2023

ISLAMABAD: Good news for the students of schools and colleges in the federal capital as they would be enjoying additional holidays this Eid under the revised schedule for the spring break.

The Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) has rescheduled the spring break for all public sector schools and colleges it regulates in the Islamabad Capital Territory.

An official notification issued in this regard stated that all the schools and colleges in Islamabad will remain closed from April 17 to 20 on account of the spring holidays.

It is important to note that Eid is expected on either April 22 or 23 meaning extra holidays for the students as the authorities might consider clubbing spring break with Eid holidays.

The decision was appreciated by the students and teachers alike as they said the spring break will be just before the Eid holidays to their benefit.

President of the Federal Government College Teachers Association Dr Rahima Rehman said that the students and teachers needed some time to relax after a demanding academic session.

“The new spring vacation schedule will provide teachers with a chance to connect with their near and dear ones on Eid in their native towns and maintain a healthy balance between work and home,” the official said.

She also said at the end of an academic session, a break provided teachers with time to reflect on their teaching practices and plan for the upcoming academic session so that they could review student progress, evaluate the effectiveness of teaching strategies and make adjustments to lesson plans and curriculum.

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Supreme Court sends notice to ECP over delay in Punjab polls

By

Tanzeel Ahmed

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March 27, 2023

ISLAMABAD: Issuing notices to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for dragging feet on polls in Punjab, the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) Monday sought guarantees from the government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to bury the hatchet for free, fair, and transparent elections.

These developments came to the fore during the hearing of the plea regarding the date for general elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa today (Monday).

A five-member larger bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, heard the plea. The court also issued notices to governors of two provinces through the chief secretary.

“The court only needs assurance from both sides. The elections should be peaceful, transparent, and fair. If the government and PTI want elections, they have to give assurances,” Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial said.

He added the parties would decide what those assurances would be like not the court.

“The parties should evaluate what is and what isn’t good for the public. Pakistan’s Constitution was not made for only setting up or toppling the governments,” he remarked suggesting it was more than that.

The SC’s top judge said that the Constitution was interpreted while keeping the life and happiness of people in mind.

“The current situation is alarming. Elections can only be held when the conditions are favourable,” he said and insisted that one could not run away from the facts.

The chief justice maintained that the country’s atmosphere had turned poisonous due to political intolerance. “The present political situation is terrible. Politicians are at each other’s throats,” he said.

Justice Bandial asked both the government and the Imran Khan-led party to decide what is best for Pakistan.

Sharing his remarks regarding the ECP, the top judge said that it is merely an institution. “The election commission requires facilitation and support for [conducting] polls.”

Apart from sending notices to all parties mentioned in the PTI’s plea, the apex court has also sent a notice to the governors of both provinces through chief secretaries.

The chief justice remarked that polls are essential for running our governance system. “The election process should be transparent and peaceful. Article 218 calls for transparency of elections.”

Apart from the CJP, the bench included Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Amin-Ud-Din Khan and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail.

The PTI moved the apex court following the ECP decision to postpone the Punjab polls from April 30 to October 8 after financial and security authorities expressed their inability to support the electoral process.

In light of the Supreme Court’s split ruling last month, President Arif Alvi announced the date for the Punjab polls after consulting with the ECP.

Following the ECP’s announcement, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Haji Ghulam Ali also urged the electoral body to also hold the general elections on the same date (October 8) as the Punjab polls given the growing security threats from terror groups operating from the Pakistan-Afghanistan border regions.

Weighing in, Justice Ijazul Hassan said the ECP first said it was unable to fix a date for elections and later it postponed the date (given by the president) in total contradiction to its earlier position.

Justice Munib Akhtar said the Supreme Court’s decision was undersigned by all five judges.

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Imran Khan was offered elections ‘on a plate’: Senator Irfan Siddiqui

By

Sara Maqsood

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March 27, 2023

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Irfan Siddiqui revealed that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan was offered the elections “on a plate” but he squandered the opportunity due to his stubbornness and bullying.

While talking to private television network, Senator Siddiqio said that it was decided that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would resign in May and elections would be held by September 2022.

“It was decided that Shehbaz Sharif would resign in May, but the bullying tactics of Imran Khan forced the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) to revise their plans,” revealed Siddiqui.

“The message was also indirectly conveyed to Imran Khan that the government would be resigning and that elections for the four provincial assemblies and the National Assembly would be held by September 2022,” he said, adding that PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif’s stance on his brother’s resignation was clear.

The senator also said that Nawaz was not in favour of moving the no-confidence motion against Khan despite the widespread public discontentment with his government.

“Instead, Nawaz Sharif believed that if allowed to continue, Imran Khan’s government would ultimately self-destruct under the weight of its own anti-people policies,” he disclosed during an interview.

Furthermore, Senator Siddiqui clarified that while 90% of the revelations attributed to General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa by journalist Shahid Maitla were accurate but the claim that he had written about Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s “farewell speech” was false.

The senator also reiterated that Gen (retd) Bajwa was seeking an extension beyond November 2022 and that some senior PML-N leaders had also advised Nawaz to consider the request. “However, Nawaz Sharif remained steadfast in his belief that there should be no question of even one day’s extension,” he said.

Siddiqui revealed that even in 2019, Nawaz was vehemently against Bajwa’s extension and the associated legislation. “Immense pressure from some PML-N members persuaded him to accept the decision as a temporary measure, but Sharif to this day, considers the extension to have been a wrong decision,” he said.

The senator shared that Maryam Nawaz, like her father, was also opposed to the continuation of the PDM government after the successful no-confidence motion. In fact, he said on several occasions, Maryam expressed her dissatisfaction with the situation, stating “why should we carry this basket of filth on our heads.”

He said the current premier also informed Gen (retd) Bajwa of the decision, and the army conveyed the message to Khan on its own. “Despite being advised by the army that there was no justification for his May 25 long march on Islamabad, Imran Khan announced the long march on May 22 in a press conference in Peshawar,” he said.

Senator Siddiqui said the PTI chief’s aim was to take credit for the new elections by marching on Islamabad and telling the people that he took the date of the new elections by sending the government home. However, he said, when Nawaz Sharif learned of this plan, he stated that there should be no talk of resignation and new elections now, asserting that they would never be bullied by Khan.

“Instead, he challenged Imran Khan to test his strength. From this point on, the situation took a turn,” he said. Siddiqui said elections were offered to Imran Khan on a plate, an opportunity which he squandered due to his stubbornness and bullying.

“While Imran Khan now yearns for elections, he will have to wait a bit longer,” he said, adding that the PTI chairman does not honestly want elections, but desires chaos and anarchy, which only reflects his lack of wisdom, landing him to his current position.

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