The move has happened on direction of PTI founder, says Omer Ayub

Saifullah Ansar

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf on Friday announced to suspend its hunger strike camp outside the parliament. PTI’s Secretary General Omer Ayub said that the decision was made on the direction of the PTI founder.

He said Imran Khan had directed the party members to prepare for the Independence Day celebrations in their constituencies.

The party’s secretary general, however, said the symbolic hunger strike would begin after a hiatus of few days and a formal announcement would be made in this regard.

Meanwhile, Opposition alliance, Tehreek Tahafuz Ayin-e-Pakistan has announced to hold a public gathering in Lahore on August 27.

Representative Akhunzada Hussain Yousafzai talking to media, he emphasised that Lahore public gathering would be the biggest and historic jalsa.

He reiterated that this historic public gathering would pave the way for opening the doors of Adiala jail, referring to the release of Imran Khan.

He disclosed that the venue for the public gathering would be finalised with the administration on August 16.

He asserted that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was the biggest party of Pakistan and they requested Minar-e-Pakistan for the venue.

He regarded the arrest of PTI MNA Chaudhry Imtiaz arrest, a ridiculous tactic, he demanded to issue production orders of PTI MNA and brought PTI members in the Parliament.

ISLAMABAD, AUG 9 (DNA): Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi visited the Saudi Arabian Embassy in the Diplomatic Enclave and met with Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Said Ahmed Al-Malki on Friday.

During the meeting, matters of mutual interest and ways to promote Pakistan-Saudi relations were discussed in detail.

Interior Minister assured the Saudi Ambassador of taking robust action against professional beggars traveling to Saudi Arabia.

He stated that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has been directed to crack down against the mafia across the country involved in sending beggars to Saudi Arabia.

He said that this mafia is tarnishing Pakistan’s image abroad. He highlighted that the people of Pakistan have great reverence and respect for Saudi Arabia.

He said that Saudi Arabia has always stood by Pakistan in difficult times.The Saudi Ambassador said that both countries have brotherly relations.

ISLAMABAD, AUG 9: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said Friday that a dead political party was resurrected through a court decision that stripped of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) bat symbol, emphasising that the judiciary was responsible for the current crises.

“No one sitting in this House is responsible for the current crisis in the country. Only the court was and is the reason for the crisis,” said the PPP chairman.

Addressing the National Assembly in today’s session, Bilawal insisted that the judiciary is constantly “interfering” in Pakistan’s politics.

“The history of judiciary is before everyone,” the young politico said, adding that his party had to fight for justice on behalf of its martyred leaders — Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto.

He added that the PPP founder did not get a fair trial from the judiciary, while lamenting the delay in justice for common citizens. It was this year, he added, that his grandfather received justice posthumously.

Commenting on PTI’s bat symbol case, Bilawal said it was initially a result of the party’s “rigged” intra-party elections, according to the court. He insisted that the verdict on the bat symbol was not issued by him or the government.

“This verdict resurrected a dead political party after which, it started mobilising,” he said, adding that the decision had political implications and benefitted the PTI at the last minute — closer to February 8 general polls.

The Supreme Court had, ahead of elections, stripped the PTI of its electoral symbol ‘bat’.

“They have handed out the verdict and seats [to PTI] like candy,” he said, adding that the court issued a political decision that the party did not even seek.

“They did not even ask for it and the law and Constitution did not even permit it.”

Bilawal, taking a jibe at the judiciary’s role in the country, said that the institution is so capable that it cannot just run the courts but also build dams.

In his speech at the Parliament, during which the opposition protested by making noise, the PPP politician lamented about the rise of politics of hatred in the country. “The political division today did not exist earlier.”

Pointing towards the political crisis in Bangladesh, Bilawal said Pakistanis are carefully watching the unfolding situation in the wake of the anti-government protest that triggered its prime minister Sheikh Hasina to resign.

He insisted that it is crucial for the state to now pay attention to the issues of the people who are experiencing an economic crisis.