Australian High Commissioner Neil Hawkins arrived for a meeting with Imran Khan at his Zaman Park residence on Tuesday.

The HC had met Jahangir Tareen, Maryam Nawaz and Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi earlier in the day in Lahore as well.

Imran Khan said that he was ‘certain’ that a third attempt will be made on his life but he had decided that he would not back down.

“They think I will be hard to contain even if I’m in jail,” Imran said.

“But do you think I will back down?” Imran said.

Imran Khan also said that all institutions of the country are working towards the single aim of ‘crushing’ his party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.

“Police, FIA all have forgotten their jobs and are targeting our people,” Imran Khan said. He added that people were being picked up from their homes and families were being threatened.

However, Imran said that only a few people had left the PTI and most ticket holders were still standing firm.

He even recounted one instance where he himself told a ticket holder to leave the party if he was facing pressure, but the member refused to leave saying the people of his area said they would not vote for him.

PTI Chairman Imran Khan said that his party;s ticket holders have already been targeted and the ones who have broken away are now lobbying to get other ticket holders to leave.

“A new ‘king’s party’ drama is being enacted,” Imran said in a speech broadcast on YouTube.

Rumours are already afoot about a new party being formed by Jahangir Tareen and Aleem Khan.

Imran Khan said that even members of the higher judiciary are receving threatening phone calls to prevent them from doing their duty.

“I understand that the judiciary is also under immense pressure,” Imran Khan said.

He added that judges are being told that there are files prepared against them and in some cases they are receving threats related to children and other family members.

PTI leaders Ali Mohammad Khan and Shaharyar Afridi were released on Tuesday but re-arrested shortly after they stepped out of jail.

Both PTI leaders are being held at Adiala prison in Rawalpindi.

They were released on Tuesday at different hours but as soon as they stepped out of the jail they were re-arrested.

Reports said the release was ordered at the end of a 15-day period for their detention under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) ordinance.

Ali Muhammad’s latest arrest is his third. Earlier, He had been arrested upon release from Jhelum Jail.

KP leaders go into hiding

Several leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in Swat have gone into hiding after police nominated them in cases for speeches inciting hatred.

In Mingora, police filed a case against 12 PTI members including former MPA Fazal Hakeem, former Mingora Mayor Shahid Ali and Murad Saeed’s brother, Kaleem, for a hateful speech made in Nishat Chowk on May 10.

Earlier, a complaint had been registered Saidu Sharif Police Station against 200 people including former MPA Saleem ur Rehman, former Mayor Shahid Ali and Fazal Hakeem for ‘spreading fear’ and making speeches against institutions. The case includes anti-terrorism clauses as well.

Another case was filed in Khwaza Khela Police Station for ‘statements against institutions’ against former MPA Mian Sharafat Ali and multiple other PTI workers.

In Mata, three important figures belonging to the PTI were arrested after a case was filed against them.

PTI has seen a slew of defections as leaders continue to be imprisoned and a general crackdown remains underway against the party.

Several leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in Swat have gone into hiding after police nominated them in cases for speeches inciting hatred.

In Mingora, police filed a case against 12 PTI members including former MPA Fazal Hakeem, former Mingora Mayor Shahid Ali and Murad Saeed’s brother, Kaleem, for a hateful speech made in Nishat Chowk on May 10.

Earlier, a complaint had been registered Saidu Sharif Police Station against 200 people including former MPA Saleem ur Rehman, former Mayor Shahid Ali and Fazal Hakeem for ‘spreading fear’ and making speeches against institutions. The case includes anti-terrorism clauses as well.

Another case was filed in Khwaza Khela Police Station for ‘statements against institutions’ against former MPA Mian Sharafat Ali and multiple other PTI workers.

In Mata, three important figures belonging to the PTI were arrested after a case was filed against them.

PTI has seen a slew of defections as leaders continue to be imprisoned and a general crackdown remains underway against the party.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Shehryar Aridi was re-arrested immediately after his release from Adiala Jail on Monday.

He had been released after 15 days in custody under the Maintainance of Public Order and was sent back to jail for a further 15 days. The re-arrest was made by Rawalpindi police.

Afridi is among the dozens of PTI workers and leaders who were rounded up after protests broke out across the country right after Imran Khan was arrested from the Islamabad High Court on May 9.

The federal government has filed a petition before the Supreme Court of Pakistan asking Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, and Justice Munib Akhtar to recuse themselves from the bench that is hearing a case about the audio leaks commission.

The commission under Justice Qazi Faez Isa was formed by the federal government under the inquiry commission act. However, senior lawyers challenged the commission before the Supreme Court of Pakistan on the account that it had been created without consulting the CJP.

A five-member larger bench barred the commission from probing the leaks on May 26.

Justice Shahid Wahid and Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi are the two other judges on the bench.

In its petition against including the three judges on the larger bench, the government has said that one of the leaked audios sent to the commission had been linked to the mother-in-law of CJP Bandial. Under the code of conduct for judges, a judge cannot hear a case that involves the interest of his or her relatives, said the petition which cited the case of former CJP Iftikhar Chaudhry who had recused himself from the bench in the Arslan Iftikhar case.

The petition said that objections were raised on the presence of CJP on the bench during the May 26 hearing but the court did not entertain them.

The government has also sought reconstitution of the larger bench before the next hearing which is set for Wednesday (tomorrow).

Anti-terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore has granted bail to PTI chairman Imran Khan in three cases of arson.

The former prime minister appeared before ATC in Lahore on Monday to submit bail bonds in three cases of arson, including the Jinnah House attack case. Judge Ejaz Ahmed heard the case.

The court accepted the bail bonds of Imran Khan.

The ATC had ordered Imran Khan to appear in person before the court along with the guarantor.

PTI chief Imran Khan send Rs10 billion worth of defamation notice to Health Minister Abdul Qadir Patel over the May 26 press conference in which the latter made claims about the medical condition of the former.

Through the press conference, it said that the health minister had “falsely, erroneously, dishonestly, unfairly, unethically, and maliciously” made statements regarding the PTI chief.

Patel had claimed that Khan’s medical reports had shown traces of toxic substances including cocaine and alcohol. The traces had been found in Khan’s urine test that was taken at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad, he claimed.

Khan’s legal team questioned the veracity of the claims made by Patel in the press conference.

“The mental stability is questionable. There was some appropriate gesture,” he had said.

The notice demanded of the health minister to retract the statements in the “same mood and manner in which Patel had made them” in the first place.

“Tender an unconditionally apology and admit that you have misstated; Pay Rs10 billion for defaming our client and leveling false allegations against our client, which will be donated to Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre.”

It further demanded of the minister to refrain from repeating and making any further defamatory comments/remarks against Khan in the future.

“Take notice that in case of your failure to do the needful within 15 days, our client would be compelled to institute legal proceedings, the costs of such proceedings and the risk as to consequences thereof shall be entirely on your account,” it said.

Former interior minister Sheikh Rashid has claimed that he was not on talking terms with the-then adviser to the prime minister on interior and accountability Shahzad Akbar when the Al-Qadir Trust matter was taken up by the cabinet.

He said this in his reply to the National Accountability Bureau, which is investigating the alleged corruption in the land allotment case. Rashid shared a copy of his reply on Twitter on Tuesday.

“I want to inform you that when the item of Al-Qadir Trust was taken up in cabinet meeting on 13.12.2019, I was not present as I had already left the cabinet meeting before the said item was taken up. I have no information and evidence with regard to Al-Qadir Trust,” it said.

“Furthermore, I was having strained relations with Shahzad Akbar and was not even on talking terms with him. I have no evidence or document in my possession with regard to Al-Qadir Trust case,” the reply added.

PTI chief Imran Khan has decided to not appear before the Punjab government’s joint investigation team on Tuesday (today), his legal adviser Umair Niazai said.

“A representative will appear before JIT and give answers,” Niazi told Aaj News when asked about the JIT notice.

The JIT has summoned the former prime minister in the investigation into attacks on Jinnah House (Lahore Corps Commanders House) and Askari Tower.

The provincial government has blamed the PTI for the vandalism, saying that the former ruling party incited their supporters to take to the streets and state buildings after Khan was arrested on May 9.

But the PTI leadership has claimed to have condemned the attacks on state buildings and damage to state properties. The party has also called for a judicial inquiry into the events.

Punjab suffered more than Rs6,000 million worth of losses due to violent protests on May 9, interim chief minister Mohsin Naqvi said in a press conference on May 14.

https://www.aajenglish.tv/live/politics-may-30-2023

Sami Abraham, a prominent Pakistani television journalist known for his public support of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, has returned home after six days.

Journalist Siddique Jan also took to Twitter to announce Abraham’s return and expressed hope that Imran Riaz Khan would also be back soon.

Abraham was reportedly taken away by unidentified men in Islamabad on May 24, the family said. They claimed that there was no information about his whereabouts.

His brother, Ali Raza, had filed a complaint of abduction at Aabpara Police Station.

In a tweet, Abraham expressed gratitude to Allah.

The Punjab government’s joint investigation team, tasked to probe the May 9 events, summoned PTI chief Imran Khan in matters related to attacks on Jinnah House (Lahore Corps Commanders House) and Askari Tower on Tuesday (today).

“Imran Khan is required to attend the office of the DIG Investigation to join the investigation proceedings entrusted to the JTI formed by the Punjab government,” said the notice issued by Lahore DIG (investigation) head Kamran Adil.

On May 27, the Punjab Home Department formed a JIT to probe the vandalism and arson at Jinnah House and causing damage to other military installations. The team comprises four police officers who have been included as members.

The provincial government has blamed the PTI for the vandalism, saying that the former ruling party incited their supporters to take to the streets and state buildings after Khan was arrested on May 9.

But the PTI leadership has claimed to have condemned the attacks on state buildings and damage to state properties. The party has also called for a judicial inquiry into the events.

Punjab suffered more than Rs6,000 million worth of losses due to violent protests on May 9, interim chief minister Mohsin Naqvi said in a press conference on May 14.

Until last week, the Punjab police claimed that they have arrested more than 2,000 people. The provincial government ran an advertisement campaign to help identify the miscreants. The government also announced prize money for the people.