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No ‘relationship’ with new military leadership now: Imran Khan

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  • PTI “sacrificed” two assemblies for polls, Khan says.
  • He claims incumbent govt in power via horse-trading.
  • Transparent polls crucial to steer out of economic crisis.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan said on Wednesday that his party currently had no contact with the new military leadership.

The deposed prime minister, speaking during an interview with BBC Urdu, denies links with army chief General Syed Asim Munir and claimed that the general elections will take place in April 2023. 

Blaming former army chief Gen (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa for “helping the government in ruling the country”, the PTI chief predicted that the government will now be “forced to hold general elections this April”.

“When they came into power, they ended their corruption cases worth Rs1,100 billion,” he said.

Censuring the incumbent government for the economic crisis in the country, the former premier said that Pakistan’s economic conditions were never like this, emphasising that fair and transparent polls are the only solution to these problems.

“The current government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has come into power through horse-trading,” claimed the PTI chief.

The PTI chief added that the coalition rulers have kept themselves above the law and ended the corruption cases that they were booked in years back. “Shehbaz Sharif, Nawaz Sharif, Asif Zardari, and Maryam Nawaz — all of their cases have been forgiven.”

He said that in a bid to move towards free and fair elections, his party “sacrificed” two assemblies — Khyber Pakhtunkwa and Punjab. “Now this government will be forced into holding elections in April.”

‘Sri Lanka-like situation’

Explaining the reason behind the ongoing economic crisis, the ex-PM said that no investor or businessperson trusts the incumbent government and neither do foreign investors.

“Pakistan has been plunged into a quagmire. To save the country from a Sri Lanka-like situation, we need free and fair elections,” the PTI chairman said.

Khan said he feared another economic crisis was in the offing as the foreign exchange reserves had depleted to $4 billion and commodities of the same value were stuck at the ports because of the shortage of dollars.

“The prices of commodities are rising, unemployment is increasing, and industries are shutting down,” the PTI chief said.

Pakistan’s economy has crumbled alongside a simmering political crisis, with the rupee plummeting and inflation at decades-high levels, while devastating floods and a major shortage of energy have piled on further pressure.

The South Asian nation’s enormous national debt — currently $274 billion, or nearly 90% of gross domestic product — and the endless effort to service it makes Pakistan particularly vulnerable to economic shocks.

Establishment’s role in Punjab

Shedding light on the political situation in Punjab, the former prime minister said that the establishment tried to make Parvez Elahi the chief minister with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) backing.

“Elahi was loyal to us, we had to return the favour and now they will be merged in PTI and become a part of us,” the former premier said.

He further added that “someone should ask them why had they brought down our government through a foreign conspiracy?”

Khan went on to say that the economy under our government was performing very well in 17 years. What were we doing wrong that our government was brought down?”

The former premier maintained that after ousting PTI from power, now they are unable to maintain the economy, adding that “Gen Bajwa was told that if this conspiracy becomes successful then the economy could not be sustained.”

They could not maintain the economic condition and the market immediately lost confidence in the incumbents, the former premier added.

After assuming power, they realised that they did not have any road map for ameliorating the economic conditions of Pakistan.

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Reaction to the PTI protest call by Fazlur Rehman

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Maulana Fazlur Rehman, speaking on a private television station, said that the PTI is always coming to the streets, which really lessens the impact of a protest.

He also suggested to the PTI leadership that rather than carrying on with the agitation, it should finally put a hard hand down, which would be the final nail in the coffin.

He continued, citing the JUI protests as an example, saying, “We had a strong grip over our protesters and workers, so neither road was closed nor any property damage occurred during protests.”

The PTI has the right to protest, but Maulana Fazlur Rehman described the party’s agitation strategy as insufficient, stating that it is currently being “exposed which maynot be a good sign’.

Ali Amin Gandapur, the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, promised not to go back home unless the PTI founder was freed. During their demonstration, Imran Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, encouraged the party officials to come up with strategies to avoid being arrested.

According to an alleged audio recording, she stated that November 24 will be a loyalty test for PTI members.

Additionally, the government of Islamabad has enforced section 144 for a period of two months, which prohibits processions, rallies, demonstrations, and meetings of five or more individuals in the city.

As per the notification, the prohibition forbade meetings in any public space inside the boundaries of Islamabad, including the Red Zone, which encompasses important government buildings, diplomatic missions, and other sensitive sites.

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PTI representatives conjecture in the media over Imran’s approval of bail: FIA investigator

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The hearing on the PTI founder’s bail application in the Toshakhana-2 case has resumed at the Islamabad High Court (IHC), with Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb serving as the presider.

The hearing was attended by the defense attorney, Barrister Salman Safdar, and FIA prosecutor Zulfiqar Abbas Naqvi.

Judge Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb told the FIA prosecutor to “leave the media alone and exempt yourself from them” in order to avoid commenting on the media. The statement followed the prosecutor’s assertion that the bail would be granted, which had previously been reported by media sources.

In addition, the court questioned whether the receipts in question were issued in the name of Bushra Bibi or the PTI founder itself. Bushra Bibi’s name was on the receipts listed in the challan, according to Barrister Salman Safdar.

Defense arguments
The defense expressed displeasure about the case’s 3.5-year registration wait. The prosecution has swore in Sohaib Abbasi and made Inamullah Shah a crucial witness without requiring them to take an oath.

Barrister Salman Safdar highlighted that multiple agencies, including NAB, FIA, Police, and the Election Commission, have initiated actions related to the Toshakhana case, suggesting procedural redundancy.

Regarding a phony Toshakhana receipt, he contended, the Kohsar Police Station has also filed a case.

Position of the prosecution
The FIA prosecutor, Umair Majeed Malik, maintained that the valuation of the jewelry set mentioned in the case would be explained in the prosecution’s evidence.Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb remarked, “If the media does not spread sensationalism, how will they conduct their business?” He dismissed rumors about his health, stating that he was present and hearing the case despite such reports.

Status of Co-Accused
The court was informed that Bushra Bibi, a co-accused in the case, is currently on interim bail and awaiting a decision by Judge Afzal Majuka. Barrister Salman Safdar expressed hope that Judge Majuka would soon announce his verdict.

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Naqvi visits Fazl to express gratitude for contributions to the 26th amendment.

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Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi convened with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman to deliberate on issues of shared concern and the current political landscape in the nation.

In today’s meeting in Islamabad, Mr. Naqvi asked about Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s health and sent his best wishes for the JUI chief’s well-being and future pursuits.

Naqvi extended his appreciation to Maulana Fazlur Rehman for his crucial contribution to the enactment of the 26th Constitutional Amendment, which he characterised as a significant milestone in Pakistan’s legislative history.

Following the meeting, Naqvi commended Mr. Fazlur Rehman’s commitment to the nation, asserting, “Maulana Fazlur Rehman has consistently prioritised Pakistan’s interests, and his contributions to the country are indispensable.”

The experienced politician reaffirmed his dedication to Pakistan and its populace, stating, “Our priority has consistently been Pakistan and the well-being of its citizens.”

Senator Kamran Murtaza attended the meeting.

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