SLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday initiated the process to remove Imran Khan as chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) following his disqualification in the Toshakhana reference, a report published in The News said.

According to ECP sources, a notice has been issued to the PTI chief and the case has been fixed for a hearing on December 13.

The Election Commission will also resume hearing on a show cause notice to the PTI on the basis of the foreign funding case judgement on the same day, the publication reported.

However, a senior PTI leader has questioned the legality of the notice issued to the party chairman and said it had already been decided to write to Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja for an explanation.

He insisted that there was no legal footing to remove a party leader and there was no bar on any convicted person from leading or becoming an office-bearer of a political party.

The Elections Act 2017 has not retained the provision, which was part of Section 5 (1) of the erstwhile Political Parties Order 2002, which read, “Every citizen, not being in the service of Pakistan, shall have the right to form or be a member of a political party or be otherwise associated with a political party or take part in political activities or be elected as an office-bearer of a political party: provided that a person shall not be appointed or serve as an office-bearer of a political party if he is not qualified to be, or is disqualified from being, elected or chosen as a member of the Majlis-e-Shoora under Article 63 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan or under any other law for the time being in force….”

It is pertinent to note that a three-member bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, headed by then chief justice Saqib Nisar in 2018 and consisting of Justice Umer Ata Bandial and Justice Ijazul Ahsan, had heard petitions challenging the Elections Act 2017.

The bench ruled in its judgment that former premier Nawaz Sharif did not qualify to serve as PML-N president.

In October last, the commission had disqualified Imran Khan in the Toshakhana reference under Article 63 (1) (p) for making ‘false statements and an incorrect declaration’ and the written order read that the respondent had ‘intentionally and deliberately’ violated the provisions contained [in] Sections 137, 167 and 173 of the Elections Act 2017, as he ‘has made false statements and an incorrect declaration before the commission in the statement of assets and liabilities filed by him for the year 2020-21.

The ECP also said in its order, “Accordingly, he (Imran Khan) ceases to be a member of the National Assembly and legal proceedings will be initiated against him under Section 190 (2) of the Elections Act 2017.”

ISLAMABAD:

The Supreme Court (SC) ordered the interior secretary on Tuesday to register an FIR by tonight of the October 23 brutal killing of senior journalist Arshad Sharif. The directives came after Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial took suo motu notice of the incident.

Earlier today, notices were issued to Foreign Affairs Secretary Asad Majeed, Information and Broadcasting Secretary Shahera Shahid, Federal Investigation Agency Director General (DG) Mohsin Butt, DG Intelligence Bureau, the interior secretary and president of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) Afzal Butt.

Headed by CJ Bandial, a five-member bench presided over the proceedings today.

During the hearing, Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan asked the interior secretary whether it was true that an FIR had not been registered in either Pakistan or Kenya. The court was then informed that the government was “waiting for the fact-finding committee’s report to register an FIR”.

CJ Bandial observed that “it has been a while since the fact-finding committee returned” from Kenya as he inquired why the report had “not yet been received by the SC”.

Additional Attorney General (AAG) Chaudhary Amir Rehman explained to the court that Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah had been in Faisalabad during the weekend whereas the report was received on Friday evening. He told the bench that “the report will be submitted after he sees it”.

“Does the interior minister want to alter the report?” CJ Bandial retorted, calling for the minister to appear before the court “right now”.

“There is an ongoing debate on social media,” the judge added, “fingers are being pointed at so many”.

However, the AAG said that the prime minister and law minister were also yet to see the report.

“Everyone has the right to access the investigation report,” the judge responded, adding that “investigation is the government’s responsibility, not the court’s”.

“A journalist was murdered,” the CJ added, “who killed him should be brought to light”.

Upon the AAG’s assurance of the report’s submission “by tomorrow” the court ordered that “it must be submitted today so that [the matter] may be heard tomorrow”.

“We have been waiting for 43 days for the report,” CJ Bandial added, observing that to date only Sharif’s medical report had been submitted, which the court also deemed “unsatisfactory” and that the court was “taking the issue very seriously”.

“A five-member bench has been constituted keeping in view the weight of the situation,” the judge stated. “Mistreatment of journalists will not be tolerated under any circumstances”, he said, adding that if journalists contribute to false reporting then the government should “introduce laws to punish them”.

“Is an investigation taking place in Kenya?” Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar inquired.

Admitting the “suspicious circumstances” under which the journalist was murdered, Justice Ijazul Ahsan also inquired “what action has the foreign ministry taken so far”.

Upon this the foreign secretary informed the court that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had spoken to the Kenyan president and that the Pakistani high commissioner in Kenya was in touch with the relevant authorities. However, he stated that the progress made in the investigation was not yet known.

Expressing anger at the federal government’s failure to submit the fact-finding committee’s report on Arshad Sharif’s murder, the top court ordered the interior ministry to register an FIR regarding killing of senior journalist and adjourned the hearing till tomorrow.

The murder

Sharif was shot dead on the outskirts of the Kenyan capital Nairobi on October 23. His death sent shock waves across rights organisations, the media fraternity and civil society and prompted calls for a thorough investigation and disclosure of facts.

Initially, the Kenyan media quoted the local police as saying that Sharif was shot dead in a case of “mistaken identity”.

However, later reports reconstructed the events surrounding the killing, stating that an occupant in Sharif’s car at the time of his killing was believed to have shot at paramilitary General Service Unit (GSU) officers.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah had also at that time said that evidence suggested a prominent Pakistani journalist was the victim of a targeted killing in Kenya, not an accidental shooting, though he still needed more information on the incident.

The journalist hosting the show also claimed that Sharif was shot at close range and that this was not a case of mistaken identity but a ‘planned murder’.

He further claimed that the slain journalist’s fingernails were pulled out and his fingers and ribs were broken during torture.

The senior journalist, on his show, further stated that around ’10 American instructors and trainers’ were present at the shooting range on the day of Sharif’s murder. 

According to the host of the show, Sharif’s contact in Kenya, Khurram, decided to take a longer route back to the city on the day of the murder instead of the oft-used Magadi Highway route on October 23. 

The private TV program further claimed that the Kenyan authorities did not cooperate with the investigation either, adding that they also avoided giving information about the persons present at the range.

Sharif was shot dead on the outskirts of Kenya’s Nairobi city on October 23. His death sent shock waves across rights organisations, the media fraternity and civil society and prompted calls for thorough investigation and disclosure of facts.

Earlier, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said evidence suggested Sharif was the victim of a targeted killing in Kenya, not an accidental shooting, though he still needed more information on the incident.

Kenyan police spokesman Bruno Shioso declined to respond to the minister’s comments on the death of the TV journalist.

A police report a day after the shooting said police officers hunting car thieves opened fire on the vehicle that Sharif was traveling in as it drove through their roadblock without stopping.

Shioso said the case was now being investigated by the police watchdog, the state Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA). A spokesperson at the IPOA did not immediately respond to calls and a message seeking comment.

The government had formed an investigation team to look into the matter, which caused uproar in the country. The minister said the team had returned from Kenya, but Kenyan police had not yet given Pakistani investigators all of Sharif’s recovered belongings.

The 49-year-old journalist fled the country in August to avoid arrest after he was slapped with multiple cases, including sedition charges, over an interview with PTI leader Shahbaz Gill during which the latter had made controversial comments.

Alleging threats to his life, Sharif had moved to Dubai in August and later relocated to Kenya.

According to the letter, the FIA has asked the Dubai police to provide visa, travel documents and other details including CCTV footage of the journalist during his stay in the emirate.

The committee also inquired whether Sharif’s was cancelled by UAE authorities.

The FIA has also asked for CDR (call data record) of Sharif, ARY News CEO Salman Iqbal and Tariq Wasi’s phone numbers.

The UAE authorities were also requested to provide details of arrivals and departures of Pakistani passport holders from August 10 to August 20.

The FIA also sought information about allegations that Arshad Sharif was asked by a UAE government official to leave the country.

Earlier this month, the Foreign Office strongly dismissed reports that Pakistani authorities had written a letter to the UAE seeking eviction of Arshad Sharif.

FO spokesperson Asim Iftikhar, while speaking at a weekly media briefing, denied the “disinformation on social media” and said there was no such letter to the knowledge of the FO.

“We have seen such reports, spreading disinformation on social media as well, where some people were suggesting that there was a letter and it was allegedly signed by the foreign minister,” the spokesperson said.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said earlier this month that evidence suggested a prominent Pakistani journalist was the victim of a targeted killing in Kenya, not an accidental shooting, though he still needed more information on the incident.

Kenyan police spokesman Bruno Shioso declined to respond to the minister’s comments on the death of TV journalist Arshad Sharif, who was shot dead on the evening of Oct 23 on the outskirts of the Kenyan capital Nairobi.

A police report a day after the shooting said police officers hunting car thieves opened fire on the vehicle that Sharif was travelling in as it drove through their roadblock without stopping.

Shioso said the case was now being investigated by the police watchdog, the state Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA). A spokesperson at the IPOA did not immediately respond to calls and a message seeking comment.

Sana told the media: “Arshad Sharif’s death is not a case of mistaken identity — I can say, and, on the evidence we have so far, this prima facie is a targeted killing.”

DNA

Islamabad/Karachi, 5 December 2022: Former President of Pakistan and President Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians, Asif Ali Zardari called on PML-Q Chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain at his residence in Islamabad. During the meeting, General Secretary PML-Q and Federal Minister Tariq Bashir Cheema and former President’s Political Secretary Rukhsana Bangash were also present. In this meeting, the political situation of the country and the current political situation of Punjab were discussed in detail.

DNA

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and the party leadership congratulated Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) PTI and Prime Minister AJK Sardar Tanveer Ilyas for trouncing the political opponents in the AJK Local government elections polls against all odds.

In a statement on Monday, PTI Chairman felicitated AJK PM on his success in AJK LG elections. Imran Khan stated that the PTI won the local body elections against all odds.

PTI Central Secretary General Asad Asad congratulated the PTI AJK over securing thumping victory in the LG polls and said that the captain crushed the imported government everywhere across the country. Asad Umar stated that there was no place left in Pakistan where the captain has not taken out the political funeral of this imported government. He said that the imported government was not acceptable.

PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhary said that PTI government conducted local body elections in AJK after lapse of 31 years. He said that the federal government did everything what they can to secure victory, as they appointed officers, invested money and put pressure. However, he said that even then results of these elections clearly reflected that it was actually an electoral battle between PTI and independent candidates because both PML-N and PPP were buried under the burden of Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari.

PTI Senior Vice President Dr. Shireen Mazari congratulated PTI AJK for trashing the political rivals in the LG polls. She said that once again people have shown their support for Imran Khan and PTI. Dr. Mazari stated that once again people have sent a clear message that they stand with PTI.

DNA

ISLAMABAD, DEC 5: The secular paradigm of the West has largely transformed the epistemological foundations of the Muslims’ beliefs, which demands a revival of a universally applicable Islamic civilization.

This was the crux of a dialogue held with Prof Dr. Anis Ahmad, vice chancellor, Riphah International University (RIU), to discuss ‘Civilization and Politics: Islam’s Engagement with the West’ in the context of the recent IPS Press publication ‘Islam aur Maghrib ki Tehzeebi o Siyasi Kashmakash,’ authored by Professor Khurshid Ahmad, patron-in-chief, Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), at Riphah International University (RIU), Islamabad.

The event, organized through the collaboration of IPS and RIU, was joined as discussants by Soumia Aziz, assistant professor, International Islamic University (IIU), Islamabad, Dr. Ghulam Hussain, IPS’ research fellow and assistant professor, Bahria University, Islamabad, Dr. Hamid Farooq, assistant professor, RIU, Ahmad Hamidi, lecturer, RIU, and Ahmad bin Qasim, a young researcher and activist, whereas it was concluded by Chairman IPS Khalid Rahman.

Prof Khurshid Ahmad’s book, as discussed by the panelists, serves as an asset of information and insights on Islam’s political and civilizational outlook vis-à-vis the Western civilization. As indicated by several anecdotes from the book, the West is facing a crisis of human development and civilization, causing cultural conflicts and raising social, political, and moral issues like economic inequality, social injustice, and blasphemy in the name of freedom of speech vis-à-vis Islam.

The book emphasizes that the solution to these problems lies in Islamic civilization, providing guidance and set of actions to the Muslim and non-Muslim world alike. Thus, a revival of Islamic civilization is the need of the hour.

Prof Anis Ahmad applauded the contributions of Prof Khurshid Ahmad in extending the efforts of Muslim philosophers and scholars like Iqbal and Maududi, who presented a different approach and outlook to interpret Islam and its doctrines as universally applicable philosophies.

The fragmentation, coming from the secular paradigm, has created a sense of mental slavery and has incorporated Western secular trends in Muslim communities because of the lack of understanding of Islamic thoughts and ideologies, he stated in the context of Prof Khurshid’s book.

Khalid Rahman, in his concluding remarks, pointed out that Muslim existence, like all human existence, is in a dilemma of survival and development. Sharing the statistics of a Pew research report, he said that the world’s population is estimated to increase by 34 percent by 2060 and within this total the Muslim community is expected to grow by 70 percent. Where this growth seems encouraging, the increase in secular trends and their inclusion in Muslim societies have also caused complications.

To get rid of these dilemmas, Muslims must understand the Islamic paradigm of development and devise strengths through self, social, national and international development, he stressed.