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Politics May 28 2023

Khadija Shah issues apology video

She has been in custody over alleged involvement in May 9 attacks
File photo.
File photo.

Fashion designer Khadija Shah, who is in custody for alleged involvement in the attack on the Corps Commander House in Lahore, appeared in an apology video on Sunday.

“I like all Pakistanis have been extremely upset by the events of the past few days,” Khadija Shah says in the video posted to social media. Khadija is reading from her phone throughout the video.

“I myself belong to an army family having grown up in different cantonments, it is hearbreaking to see all that has transpired,” she said.

She added that she had also made some tweets containing inappropriate remarks against the army high command in the heat of the moment which have now been deleted.

Read: Khadija Shah sent to jail for seven days amid reports of deal

“My desire is for the nation to come together and heal as one as soon as possible. Pakistan zindabad, Pakistan Army paindabad.”

Khadija Shah had been accused of leading people to vandalise the Corps COmmander House in Lahore as protests broke out in the wake of Imran Khan’s arrest on May 9. She had initially avoided arrest for a few days but later turned herself in.

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Amir Mir terms women mistreatment claims as ‘propaganda’

Imran had said women wer being scared for depoliticisation
File photo.
File photo.

Punjab Information Minsiter Amir Mir said that the claims about Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s female workers being mistreated in prison were ‘fals propaganda’ and the woemn are actually being treated as per the law.

In a statement issued adter Imran Khan said his ‘suspicions had been confirmed’ about the mistreatment of women, Mir said that the women had been to prison were themselves testifying that they had treated as per the law.

He added that a total of 32 women had been arrested in Punjab after the protests of May 9 of which 21 had already been released. He added that the 11 women still in custody had been sent to jail on remand.

He further said that Imran Khan should be ashamed trying to use women to get sympathy after the events of May 9. Mir also said that the government was the biggest flagbearer of women rights and could not even think of mistreating anyone in custody.

Imran Khan’s statements had come after Rana Sanaullah made a late-night press conference on Saturday saying that a rape could be ‘staged’ to fram law enforcement personnel.

Khan had said that this had proved his suspicions that the government was mistreating women to depoliticise half of the population.

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We did not break, says Maryam

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Maryam Nawaz told party supporters in Lahore that Nawaz Sharif and his party faced political victimisation but did not break, while the PTI melted away in a few minutes.

She recounted the names of PMLN leaders who had gone to jail and said that leaders stand like a wall when their country is faced with a crisis.

She added that Nawaz Sharif had gone ahead with testing the nuclear bomb in 1998 despite pressures from the United States and had rejected threats and money to serve the country.

She also added that Imran Khan had made accusations of foreign conspiracy but was now ‘begging’ US lawmakers to issue statements in his favour.

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Do you want May 9 or May 28? Maryam asks supporters

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Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz Chief Organiser Maryam Nawaz said on Monday that Nawaz Sharif had led to Pakistan to May 28, the day of the nuclear bomb test, while Imran Khan had led the country to events of May 9.

She added that May 28 had made the whole country proud, while the events of May 9 had left everyone’s head hanging in shame.

“The scenes Pakistan saw on May 9 were only seen Afghanistan or terrorism-ridden countries,” she said.

She also added that Nawaz Sharif had done more for the country in his three incomplete terms compared to the rest of the Pakistan’s history put together.

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Break as many as you can, then announce elections: Imran

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PTI Chairman Imran Khan told the government that they had broken away alot of his party’s senior leaders but they should set a deadline to break away as many as they could.

“At the rate you’re going, you have already broken many and many more will break away,” Imran said referring to the desertions from his party in recent days.

“Break away as many as you in two to three weeks but then announce elections when you think PTI will not be able to compete,” he said.

He added that the Pakistan had become unlivable due to its economic conditions, especially for its salaried class.

“Do not destroy the country just to keep me out,” he said.

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Imran says women being mistreated to depoliticise them

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Imran Khan also raised concerns over how female PTI workers and protestors were being treated in custody.

“After Rana Sanaullah’s press conference, I have no doubt that PTI’s women are being mistreated,” he said. He added that he had heard allegations of rape as well.

He said that the government was either afraid that the women who are in custody would reveal their mistreatment when they are released from prison or that the government has done something that if word got out they would not be able to control it.

He added that the violence against women seemed to be part of larger plan to depoliticise women and remove their support for the PTI. He said that the treatment would make male members of their families so scared that they would not let women from their family attend any protest.

“There can be no greater injustice than this in any society to keep out 50 per cent of your population outside politics.”

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Imran Khan asks SC judges to take stand for democracy

Says history will remember the role played by the judiciary

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan appealed to the 15 judges of the Supreme Court on Sunday to take a ‘stand’ as the whole country was looking towards them.

“Till now it looks like you are conceding you power to the powerful,” Imran Khan said in a speech broadcast on the internet on Sunday. “We have not seen you taking a stand against the powerful till now.”

“Otherwise history will remember that when a fascist government was rolling back democracy, you did not do your duty,” he said.

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No one will talk to PTI, says Saad Rafique

Says 'no amnesty' for terrorism under garb of politics

Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz Leader Saad Rafique said that there was ‘no atmosphere’ for talks and ‘terrorism’ under the garb of politics could not be forgiven.

“He (Imran) has formed a committee for talks, but who will they talk to? No one,” Saad Rafique said.

Imran Khan had nominated a committee of party leaders for talks with the government to find a way out of the current political crisis.

However, while visiting the Corps Commander House in Lahore, Rafique said there was no atmosphere for talks in the country and talks could not suddenly begin just because Imran Khan’s ‘plans’ had failed.

He also said that the talks between the government and the PTI that had been ordered by the Supreme Court had been going on well until Imran Khan himself put an end to them.

“We had an agreement on most things, only the date of the elections was left to be decided but when they went to Imran he said ‘Nothing doing’,” Rafique said.

He also said that he had been disheartened to see that a historic building that had belonged to Jinnah had been reduced to ashes, including Jinnah’s own possessions.

He also said that the building had been set on fire using chemicals, and it needed to be determined how these chemical came into the protestors’ possession in the first place.

Rafique said that the PMLN had had issues with the establishment in the past, but military installations were never made the site of protests in the past. He added that even if a single soldier told them to stay clear of building, the party had never gone near it.

He said that there could be no amnesty for ‘terrorism’ just because it had been done under the garb of being a political party. However, he added that he was not aware of any plan of banning the PTI as a political party yet.

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More PTI leaders announce resignations

Malik Khurram Ali and Tariq Mahmood ul Hassan announce resignations.

Defections from PTI continued on Sunday as multiple people denouned the events of May 9 and said they would part ways from the party.

PTI leader Tariq Mahmood ul Hassan addressed a press conference in Lahore and said that the party had failed to prevent the events of May 9. He then added that he could no longer stay a part of the PTI.

He had served as a special assistant to Imran Khan on overseas Pakistanis.

Former member of provincial assembly Malik Khurram Ali also announced that we would part ways with the party.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Khurram said that he had stuck with the party even after being denied a ticket but PTI was no longer the party he had joined.

He also added that the most important thing about the country were its institutitions and only by supporting them could the country be stregthened.

PTI MPA Nadia Aziz also announced her resignation from the party. She added that the perpetrators of May 9 should be brought to justice.

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Woman journalist who was arrested with PTI protesters claims ‘Adiala prison is safe’

There’s a very strict administration and super good management in Adyala Jail, says Anum Sheikh
Journalist Anum Sheikh in a video statement. Screengrab via Twitter/@iAnumSheikh
Journalist Anum Sheikh in a video statement. Screengrab via Twitter/@iAnumSheikh

Woman journalist Anum Sheikh, who was arrested with PTI protesters, has claimed that the Adiala prison was “safe”.

“There’s a very strict administration and super good management in Adyala Jail atleast,” she said in a tweet on Sunday. She clarified that she could only speak for the Adiala Jail.

 A screengrab of Anum Sheikh’s tweet.
A screengrab of Anum Sheikh’s tweet.

“No males are even allowed to cross the main gate of women premises. It’s highly secured, contained by huge walls and 24*7 security outside the strong iron gates,” Anum said and added that she felt “completely secured” in the prison.

She claimed that there was no concept of women harassment in the jail. Anum reiterated that she could only testify for the jail. “I don’t have any idea what’s happening elsewhere.”

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‘We are living in dark ages,’ says PTI chief Khan

Laments raid at houses of Omar Ayub, Shahzad Akbar

PTI chief Imran Khan has claimed that the Pakistanis were living in “dark ages” as he claimed that Constitution was violated and court orders flouted by the government.

“There were raids at night on Omar Ayub and Shahzad Akbar’s (he’s not even in the country) houses,” he said in a tweet.

“Today we are living in dark ages.. Constitution violated, court decisions openly flouted, houses broken in without warrant and smashed, media muzzled and no one to protect our fundamental rights.”

Ayub and Akbar in their separate tweets claimed that their houses were raided.

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Campaign started to defame departments: Islamabad police

Claims officers of every rank were being targeted
A representational image. In this file photo, policemen in Islamabad keep guard outside the Supreme Court building. Reuters
A representational image. In this file photo, policemen in Islamabad keep guard outside the Supreme Court building. Reuters

The Islamabad police have claimed that as per reports available to them, a systematic campaign to defame the departments has been launched.

“Officers of every rank are being targeted so that institutions can be defamed,” police said in a tweet.

The statement comes after Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah alleged that the PTI tried to hatch a conspiracy that was apparently aimed at maligning law enforcement agencies.

“All women are respectable. But some can be used in this campaign,” he said, “such nefarious tactics have been used by foreign intelligence agencies in the past.”

The Islamabad police have directed all the officers to “keep things transparent” to avoid any such tricks. “Keep cameras in all offices, police stations, and police stations,” police said.

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Intelligence agencies unearth PTI’s plan to malign govt, LEAs, claims Sanaullah

Interior minister alleges Imran Khan-led party planned to portray such incidents as human rights issue
In this file photo, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah addresses a press conference in Islamabad. APP
In this file photo, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah addresses a press conference in Islamabad. APP

The intelligence agencies had intercepted a telephonic conversation about a staged police attack on one of the PTI leaders, killing its occupants, and then blaming law enforcement agencies for the act, the interior minister has claimed.

“The second plan revealed in the intercepted audio involved staging incidents of firing and disgracing women with the intention of portraying it as the work of intelligence and law enforcement agencies,” Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said at a hurriedly called press conference late Saturday night.

They “planned” to highlight it as a human rights issue at the international level, he claimed.

He described the alleged claims as a matter of “huge importance” and thought it was necessary to apprise the nation as the “orchestrated event” was planned for Saturday night. But timely action from the intelligence agencies foiled the nefarious design, he said and claimed it resulted in the “exposure of the plot” even before its execution.

The intended purpose of the orchestrated event was to generate controversy surrounding the legal actions taken after May 9 riots and to present such staged plays as grave human rights violations and state oppression through international media, Sanaullah alleged.

The interior minister alleged that such people hurt the sentiments of martyrs’ families and the nation by attacking the martyrs’ monuments, Jinnah House, and military installations.

He expressed firm resolve that the May 9 miscreants would definitely be brought to justice. Those, who attacked Jinnah House and broke into military installations, would be “tried in military courts” under the Military Act 1952, he added.

For all others involved in the May 9 riots, Sanaullah clarified that their trial would be conducted in civil courts.

The minister conveyed the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the firm resolve of the federal government that “no innocent” would be prosecuted.

Sanaullah claimed the PTI leadership employed methods without considering its impact including lobbying with external forces like Zalmay Khalilzad to achieve their objectives. But when they failed, he said that they hatched a “dreadful plan” to stage such attack and “put the blame” on law enforcers.

“The gang and its ringleader were near to meet their logical end, and they would never be allowed to achieve their objectives,” he said.

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Khan accuses Sanaullah of trying to ‘cover up horror stories’

PTI chief says women have been mistreated by govt
in this file photo, PTI chief Imran Khan addresses party workers. Photo via Facebook
in this file photo, PTI chief Imran Khan addresses party workers. Photo via Facebook

PTI chief Imran Khan has accused the interior minister of trying to “cover up and preempt the horror stories” about to break in the media.

“If there were any doubts about women being mistreated in jails, this press conference from this certified criminal should remove all such doubts,” he said in a tweet on Sunday in reaction to the interior minister’s Saturday night press conference. “He is so obviously trying to cover up and preempt the horror stories about to break in the media.”

Khan claimed that women had never been so mistreated and harassed by the state as they have been by the ruling alliance when they were exercising their right to “protest peacefully”.

In a hurriedly called press conference late Saturday night, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah claimed that the intelligence agencies had intercepted a telephonic conversation about a staged police attack on one of the PTI leaders, killing its occupants, and then put the blame on law enforcement agencies for the act.

The intended purpose of the orchestrated event was to generate controversy surrounding the legal actions taken after May 9 riots, Sanaullah alleged.

Most of PTI chief’s top aides were arrested shortly after protesters stormed and set ablaze a number of military installations across the country. Many have been released and shortly after announced their resignations from Khan’s party. Dozens of other mid-tier leaders have also left.

Khan claimed that they were being made to resign under duress in a bid to weaken him and dismantle his party. He distanced his party from the attacks on military installations during the unrest that followed his arrest and reiterated a call for an investigation to determine who was involved.

PTI members have said they were leaving of their own free will. Many of them cited concerns for their family and health.

A general election is scheduled to be held in November, and polls show Khan remains the country’s most popular leader.

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