Islamabad court dismisses Gill’s bail plea in sedition case

A District and Sessions court of Islamabad dismissed the post arrest bail petition of PTI leader Shahbaz Gill on Tuesday.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal pronounced the reserved verdict.

Gill was arrested on August 9 in Islamabad after a sedition case was filed against him for inciting mutiny within the Pakistan Army. He was already facing sedition charges, but the Islamabad Police last week also registered a case against the PTI leader over possession of an illegal weapon.

His bail in the arms recovery case has already been approved.

Gill was booked in the case after police raided the incarcerated PTI leader's room in Parliament Lodges late Monday where they recovered weapons, a satellite phone, and foreign currency.

The PTI has repeatedly demanded that the party leader be released on bail, alleging that he is facing humiliation, torture and sexual abuse in police custody.

Gill, during the raid at his Parliament Lodge's residence, also told journalists that he had been sexually assaulted.

The party leader also asserted that he was denied treatment for asthma; however, the federal government and police have refuted the allegations.

 

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PM summons 'emergency meeting' of Govt's allies

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called an "emergency meeting" of the government s allies to deliberate upon the current situation in the country.

The emergency meeting of the government allies will be held at the Prime Minister house at 6:00pm today (Monday).

The chief ministers of all provinces have also been invited to attend the meeting. The meeting will be also attended by the heads of the three armed forces.

According to media reports, the meeting will review the current flood situation in the country. Important decisions are expected to be taken during the meeting.

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Death toll breaches 1030 mark as flash floods sweep country

Flash floods triggered by heavy monsoon rains across much of Pakistan have killed over 1,030 people and injured and displaced thousands more.

Floods continued to devastate the country on Sunday, particularly the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and Balochistan leaving at least 119 people dead and more than 70 injured in the past 24 hours.

Floods have claimed over 1,030 lives, with 74 deaths reported in Sindh, 31 in K-P, six in Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B), four in Balochistan, and one in Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

According to the data released by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), 32 children, 56 men and nine women are among those who died in the flood after the rains, while the number of victims has reached 5.77 million.

Over the past 24 hours, nearly 0.95 million houses and 0.72 million livestock were flooded while 0.27 million houses were destroyed and 3,116 kilometres of highways and 149 bridges were washed away.

According to media reports, 0.49 million people in Sindh, 0.45 million in Punjab, and 0.36 million in Balochistan have been affected by floods.

Meanwhile, two ships carrying relief goods from Turkiye are expected to arrive in Karachi tomorrow [Monday]. The Turkish Consul General in Karachi will hand over the relief goods to the Pakistani authorities at the airport tomorrow morning.

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) announced on Sunday that various private mobile network services had been restored in the provincial capital of Balochistan, while efforts were underway “to restore services in other affected areas”.

Earlier this week, as the unprecedented vicious attacks triggered by climate change had continued unabated, leaving many marooned, the environmental crisis had robbed Balochistan of digital connectivity after almost cutting it off from the rest of the country physically.

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PTI plotting against IMF deal: Shehbaz Sharif

Self-centred politics can cause irreparable damage to Pakistan as unfortunately, a party is playing politics over the agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) when the lender's board meeting is around the corner, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said, without naming the PTI.

"I have never seen such self-centered politics; it will be a huge injustice with Pakistan and a big conspiracy against the country,” the premier said while referring to PTI on his visit to the flood victims in Sujawl, Sindh.

PM Shehbaz said that the federal government had allocated Rs38 billion in grant to support the flood-affected families with the disbursement of Rs25,000 to each of them.

Speaking to the flood victims, the prime minister said he had already announced Rs15 billion in grant to Sindh while the distribution of flood relief amount among the affected families had commenced in the province after Balochistan under the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP). “The BISP has complete data, ensuring prompt and fair distribution among the deserving families,” he added.

Assuring the provincial governments of the federal government’s support, the prime minister said other provinces would also be provided with grants. The prime minister was accompanied by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, federal ministers and relevant authorities.

The prime minister said the federal government had continued it efforts to support the provincial governments in rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts with the support of the National Disaster Management Authority and other relevant departments. “A survey will be launched soon to assess the damages and losses caused by floods across the country,” he added.

The prime minister stressed that in the hour of trial, they had to work collectively, instead of playing politics.

The prime minister said that they would have to devote themselves to the country and the nation and urged industrialists and businessmen to come forward and support people suffering from the impacts of rainfall and floods. He said it was time to seek Allah Almighty’s mercy.

“In Swat and Kalam, flash floods have caused colossal losses as hotels have been swept away and scores of lives were lost,” he maintained. The prime minister also directed Minister for Energy Khurram Dastagir to supervise efforts for restoration of power supply to affected areas.

Meanwhile, Pakistan contacted the IMF for a clarification of a letter written by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Finance Minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra to Finance Minister Miftah Ismail.

 

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PM to visit Balochistan today to review rescue, relief activities in flood-hit areas

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif will visit Haji Alladino village of Jafarabad district Balochistan on Sunday to review the rescue and relief activities in the flood-hit areas.

Chief Secretary Balochistan and Director General Provincial Disaster Management Authority will brief the Prime Minister about the relief provided to the flood affected people and restoration of the infrastructure.

The Prime Minister is expected to interact with the flood-hit people to know about the relief being provided to them.

Shehbaz Sharif will also have an aerial view of flood-affected villages of Hafeezbad, Gaibi Khan, Qadirpur and Shikarpur.

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Army called in as floods uproot millions

Government has decided to deploy Pakistan Army to help the civilian authorities in rescue operations in the flood-hit areas.

The troops are being deployed in pursuant to the requests made by all the provincial governments in wake of the emergency situation due to torrential rains and floods.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, scores of people have died due devastating floods in rivers and streams. The flash floods washed away dozens of hotels, bridges, mosques and link roads in the Upper Swat district while hundreds of houses, shops and restaurants were submerged.

The Munda Headworks in Charsadda on Friday collapsed due to heavy monsoon rains due to which water levels in Jindi and Khiyali canals had increased.

The provincial government has declared rain emergency in several districts as flash floods triggered by torrential rains wreaked havoc in most parts of the province.

Meanwhile Balochistan remained cut off from the rest of the country as linking highways remained non-operational because relentless rains and floods did not allow authorities to repair the damaged artery.

Quetta and its outskirts remained submerged as over a day long rain spell inundated most parts of the provincial capital, bringing life to a standstill and leaving hundreds of families without homes.

Elsewhere in the country, a Punjab PDMA spokesperson said that moderate to high level of flooding was expected in the Indus River at Kalabagh, Chashma and Taunsa during the next 48 hours, which could affect the Mianwali, Bhakkar, Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffargarh and Rajanpur districts.

In Sindh, Larkana, Shaheed Benazirabad, Matiari, Tando Allahyar, Hyderabad, Badin, Jacobabad, Umerkot, N. Feroze, Kashmore, Jamshoro, Dadu, Sujawal, Khairpur, Ghotki, Sanghar, Kamber, Umerkot, Matiari and Keamari were battered by the monsoon.

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PTA reports internet service outages in KPK after flash floods

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) reported a disruption in communication lines in several areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

In a statement today morning, the telecom regulator said flash floods have damaged optical fibre cable and led to power outages, due to which there is an "impact" on the services.

Services have been affected in Chitral, Upper Dir, Donbala, Swat, Mardan, Lal Qila Samarbaghdir, Tank, and Dera Ismail Khan.

"PTA is monitoring the situation closely. Work is underway to fully restore services," the telecommunication authority said.

Devastating flash floods have brought the lives of people across Pakistan to a standstill, with the rain and flood related death toll jumping to 982, according to official statistics.

Hundreds of thousands of homes have been destroyed and scores have been displaced as the government appeals to international donors in its bid to provide relief to the people. 

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Devastating flash floods cripple Pakistan

Thirty million people have been affected and hundreds have been killed, government declares a national emergency, after heavy rains triggered historic flooding in the country.

The flow of water at the Munda Headworks bridge which collapsed last night has slowed down, but the threat of floods in Charsadda and Nowshera districts remains.

The bridge had broken down overnight due to the severe pressure of flood water, which disconnected Tehsil Shabqadar and Prang from the district.

As per media reports, the flow of water at Munda Headworks has reduced from 260,000 cusecs to 135,000 cusecs, said Charsadda Deputy commissioner Abdur Rehman Saturday morning.

In view of the expected flood, nearby localities were evacuated, he said, adding that the emergency measure was taken to avoid any human loss.

The deputy commissioner said that 17 relief camps have been established in Charsadda to deal with any emergency situation.

“Kabul River is still running in high flood,” he said, adding that the flow of water in the river is recorded at 280,000 cusecs.

“Water level is still high at Khayali Bridge in Kabul River,” he added.

A flash flood of 400,000 is expected to pass through the Kabul Rives in the next few hours, he warned.

The deputy commissioner confirmed that the flood water entered several areas in the district.

The Munda Headworks bridge incident took place late at night on Friday at around 11pm. The residents were then advised to leave their homes and go to government designated camps.

 

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Flash floods wreak havoc in Swat

Flash floods damaged houses and crops, blocked roads and caused power outages in Swat with several people to leave their houses due to the damage caused by the floodwater.

Several houses and hotels were flooded at Mingora by-pass. While the road of Mingora by-pass was blocked for any kind of travelling as it was inundated with the floodwater.

Due to the risk of a high-level flood in the Swat river, the administration directed the residents to leave their houses.

Also, rains wreaked havoc in the Tank district. 90 percent of the area has been badly affected by the flood. The flashfloods also swept away 3 people.

On the other hand, due to the floodwater of the Chenab river, residents have been facing food shortages, power outages. The people have lost their lands and animals. Their houses have also been swept away with the flashflood. The people of the area are living under the sky without any roof or shelter.

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IHC rejects contempt plea against PDM leaders

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has dismissed a contempt petition filed against Maryam Nawaz, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

The IHC upheld the registrar’s objection regarding that it was not the relevant forum to file the petition.

Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani heard the plea with the objection raised by the registrar on Friday.

Local lawyer Ali Ijaz Buttar requested the court to start the contempt proceedings against the coalition leaders.

Justice Kiyani asked the lawyer what was his petition?

He replied that Maryam, Rana Sanaullah, Fazlur Rehman and others made contemptuous remarks about the judiciary on social media.

Justice Kiyani asked the lawyer if this court was mentioned in those remarks. He advised him to take his petition to either Supreme Court or the Lahore High Court.

Why the petitioner who belongs to Lahore has filed his plea in the Islamabad High Court, the judge objected saying nobody bothered to take notice of the contemptuous remarks at the time when they were uttered then why the filing of petition now.

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Torrential rains, flash floods leave 151 people dead in Punjab

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has released a report containing the details of the damage caused by torrential rains and floods in Punjab from June 15 to August 21.

The PDMA Punjab report states that heavy downpours submerged 69 schools and seven basic health centres under rainwater. Rains and flash floods unleashed devastations in 555,893 areas in six districts of the province.

Rajanpur, DG Khan, Mianwali, Muzaffargarh, Sialkot and Layyah are the most affected areas, according to the PDMA report. The rainwater inundated 201,965 agricultural areas and 12,628 houses under flood water.

The PDMA data shows that at least 151 people lost their lives due to floods and rains, 606 people were injured and 341,077 others were displaced.

Rain and flood caused death to over two lakh large animals, and 2,586 small animals, while 37 roads and eight bridges were swept away in the water. Flood water also destroyed seven canals.

According to the PDMA Punjab report, 20,264 people and 516 animals were rescued from flood-affected areas. The report said the government has established at least 147 medical camps while 9,355 tented settlements were set up for the affected people.

According to the data released by PDMA, over one lakh animals were vaccinated. Food hampers were distributed to 19,839 people.

According to PDMA, rescue operation is still underway in the affected areas of the province with 551 rescuers and 84 boats participating in the relief and rescue activities.

The PDMA Punjab said the authority in concert with other government organisations is carrying out relief activities in the flood-ravaged areas and all resources are being utilized to provide relief to the flood victims.

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Terrorism case: Imran Khan due in ATC today

Former prime minister Imran Khan will appear before an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Islamabad to seek pre-arrest bail today (Thursday) in a terror case filed against him for threatening Additional Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry during a public rally.

Khan will appear in person before the court where ATC judge Raja Jawwad Abbas will hear his plea.

The PTI chair had staged a rally in the federal capital on August 20 to express solidarity with his chief of staff Shahbaz Gill after claims of torture in custody. He said that the additional sessions judge who sent Gill into physical remand on the police's request should brace herself for consequences.

An FIR was registered against him under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act at the Margalla police station for threatening the judge and other senior officers of the Islamabad Police during the rally.

A day after the registration of a case against him, Imran Khan secured transit bail till August 25 from the Islamabad High Court which directed him to approach the relevant forum for pre-arrest bail.

For today's hearing, strict security arrangements have been made around the Federal Judicial Complex, which is home to Islamabad's ATC. Security arrangements include the deployment of additional police personnel comprising 400 cops and FC personnel to assist the police.

All the ways leading to the judicial complex have been blocked using barbed wires and irrelevant persons have been restricted to enter the vicinity. Moreover, an armoured vehicle is also present outside the court.

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15 die in house collapse incidents as rain continues to ravage Sindh

Heavy rains continue to ravage the province of Sindh, killing another 15 people in house collapse incidents in the districts of Sukkur, Shikarpur, and other areas and leaving hundreds of families stranded and homeless.

Rain lashed several cities in Sindh on Tuesday, including Sukkur, Shikarpur, Dadu, and Khairpur districts.

Six members of the same family died when the roof of their house collapsed in the Chak area of Shikarpur district. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari took note of the incident and directed Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to provide immediate assistance to the deceased's heirs as well as rehabilitation.

 

A woman named Shamaila died in district Sukkur when a wall of her house collapsed, while three children died in Rohri due to a roof collapse. Three children, Ehtesham, Bisma, and Kashyan, were killed in Gherelo when their house's roof collapsed.

Meanwhile, in Hubbo Saeed Khan and Lakhi Ghulam Shah, two people were killed in a similar incident. Reports said that Akhairaj dyke broke near district Umerkot after the water level rose in LBOD, which inundated around 40 villages that included mud houses and cattle, while roads were washed away by the flood water.

The stranded people need rescue and relief as they lack access to Umerkot city. The rain victims in Khairpur, Sukkur, Qamber, and Dadu districts protested against the lack of facilities, such as tents, food, and shelter, and held the Sindh government responsible for their miseries.

Bilawal asks UN for help

 

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Tuesday appealed to the United Nations (UN) to help the flood-hit families. Speaking to the media in Shahdadkot, he said that there was a great need for tents in the affected areas of Sindh, adding that we all had to face the difficulties together. Too many houses and crops have been damaged. He also said that the Benazir Income Support Program will help the victims get help from the Sindh government.

"I am appealing to the UN to help us in this difficult time. Please help with rations and tents. My European tour has been cancelled due to the floods," he added. Bilawal Bhutto further said diseases were spreading in the flood-affected areas, flood victims needed immediate help, and the administration was assessing damage in the flood-affected areas.

Earlier, while chairing a meeting at the DC Office Qambar, Bilawal said that the unprecedented heavy downpour followed by hill torrents had wreaked havoc in the Qambar-Shahdadkot district and directed them to build embankments to save the main roads and arteries connecting different cities and towns from hill torrents.

He also directed CM Murad Ali Shah and elected MPs to work sincerely and energetically to serve the flood victims, terming their rehabilitation and rescue the biggest challenge for the provincial government.

Bilawal told the meeting that during his visit, he observed the Larkana-Shahdadkot Road that connects various towns and villages of both the districts flooded by hill torrents and ordered building embankments along the main road. Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah directed the chief engineer of irrigation to review the situation and deploy equipment to stop the erosion of roads by rainwater and hill torrents.

 

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If Imran Khan's bail is rejected, govt will be left with 'no choice but to arrest him': Interior Minister

Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah on Tuesday said if PTI Chairman Imran Khan's request for bail is rejected by the court, the government will have "no choice but to arrest him".

"If the government decides, we will arrest Imran Khan," the minister said, and rejected the party's claims of the "devastation" that will follow.

He was speaking on a private TV programe and was referring to Khan being granted protective bail by the Islamabad High Court till Thursday in a terrorism case, after which he is expected to attempt to obtain pre-arrest bail.

The case was filed after the PTI chairman allegedly threatened a female judge — who remanded into police custody his chief of staff, Shahbaz Gill — besides speaking against senior police officials at a rally.

Referring to the statements by Gill which landed him in prison on sedition charges, the minister said that the remarks were "not the act of an individual".

“Gill’s [comments] were a part of the party’s campaign rather than an individual act," he said, adding: "Gill revealed during investigations that it was a written statement."

“PTI’s social media wing was also a part of the campaign,” he added.

Sanaullah accused the PTI of spreading "negative social media propaganda" targeting the Balochistan helicopter crash martyrs, and questioned why the party has not apologised for its alleged actions.

Speaking of the party's rule in Punjab, he said that the province is not being ruled by the PTI, “in fact, it is being ruled by PML-Q and the biggest thief”.

“The running of Punjab government affairs cannot go on this way. The stories we hear are bizarre,” he said, adding that matters aren’t being handled well between the PTI and PML-Q and they were unlikely to improve in the future.

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Pakistan, Qatar reaffirm resolve to further enhance bilateral cooperation, particularly in trade & investment domains

Pakistan and Qatar have reaffirmed their resolve to further enhance bilateral cooperation, particularly in trade and investment domains.

The understanding was reached during a meeting between Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani in Doha.

During the meeting, the two leaders reviewed bilateral relations and exchanged views on regional and international issues of common interest.

They expressed satisfaction at the growing momentum in engagement between the two countries.

Shehbaz Sharif thanked the Qatari leadership for the care afforded to Pakistani expatriates in their country.

Highlighting Pakistan’s rich human resource potential, the Prime Minister said he looks forward to working with the Qatari leadership in exploring more opportunities for Pakistanis who can contribute to Qatar’s development through their skill and enterprises.

Reviewing the latest developments in Afghanistan, Shehbaz Sharif underscored the importance of constructive engagement and the need for international community to scale up its support for Afghan people in dealing with the humanitarian and economic crises.

He congratulated Qatar on hosting the FIFA World Cup 2022, and wished the people and government of Qatar every success in convening of the world’s largest sporting events.

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PM Shehbaz leaves for Doha on two-day official visit

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has left for Doha on a two day official visit to Qatar on the invitation of Amir of state of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

This is the Prime Minister's first visit to Qatar after assuming the office.

The Prime Minister is accompanied by a high level delegation including key members of the cabinet.

During the visit, Shehbaz Sharif will hold in-depth consultations with the Qatari leadership. The two sides will review the entire spectrum of bilateral relations with a particular focus on advancing energy related cooperation, deepening trade and investment ties and exploring greater employment opportunities for Pakistanis in Qatar.

They will also exchange views on a range of regional and international issues of mutual interest.

The Prime Minister will also engage with leading Qatari and Pakistani business leaders, investors and entrepreneurs.

He will visit Stadium 974 in Doha, where he would be briefed on the extensive preparations undertaken by Qatari government to host FIFA World Cup.

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Haleem Adil Sheikh granted bail in land grabbing case

An anti-encroachment court on Monday granted bail to Haleem Adil Sheikh in a land grabbing case.

As per details, Haleem Adil was granted bail against a bond of Rs 100,000 while the court fixed the hearing for the indictment of the accused for September 8.

Earlier, the PTI leader was taken into custody after the court rejected his plea for an extension in bail in the land grabbing case.

As per media reports, the PTI leader appeared before the court for the extension in bail against the case of land grabbing but the court after hearing the arguments cancelled his bail.

As soon as the verdict was announced, a team of the anti-corruption establishment (ACE) reached the premises.

Earlier, on July 27, the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) had arrested the Opposition Leader in Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil at Jamshoro Toll Plaza. Sindh ACE Director Zeeshan Memon was present at the time of the arrest.

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FM Bilawal postpones European countries trip due to calamities caused by rains

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari postponed his official visits to four European countries in view of calamities across Pakistan caused by the ongoing heavy monsoon rains and flooding, a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry said.

The foreign minister was set to depart on a four country-trip including Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway in a bid to strengthen Pakistan’s engagement with Europe and share its perspective on regional and global issues from August 22-26.

According to the statement, Bilawal delayed his visits due to the heavy damages to lives and property caused by the torrential rains in the country.

The foreign minister is looking forward to his interactions with his counterparts, other dignitaries and media, as part of Pakistan’s continued engagement with Europe.

FM Bilawal's visits to these capitals will be rescheduled at mutually agreed later dates in consultation with the host governments, said the ministry.

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Voting is underway for the NA-245 by-poll in Karachi

Voting is underway for the NA-245 by-poll in Karachi, with 15 candidates contesting for the National Assembly seat that fell vacant after the death of Aamir Liaquat Hussain, who was elected on a PTI ticket in 2018.

The polling process started at 8am and will continue till 5pm today (Sunday).

Aamir Liaquat beat Dr Farooq Sattar in 2018 after securing 56,673 votes.

Amon some of the major contesting candidates are MQM-P's Mueed Anwar, the PTI's Mehmood Maulvi, the Pak Sarzameen Party's (PSP) Syed Hafeezud Din, the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan'S (TLP) Muhammed Ahmed Raza and MQM Bahali Committee's Farooq Sattar.

The constituency is set to witness a tough contest among candidates of the PTI, MQM-P and Farooq Sattar. The MQM-P seems to have an edge as the PPP and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) have withdrawn their candidates in favour of MQM-P.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said it finalised arrangements to hold the NA-245 by-polls in Karachi amid strict security.

The electoral body said 263 polling stations have been set up, of which 60 have been declared sensitive and 203 most sensitive.

The by-poll in this constituency was scheduled for July 27, however, the ECP postponed the election owing to the lashing rains in the metropolis.

 

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PEMRA bars TV channels from live telecasting Imran Khan speeches

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has imposed a ban with immediate effect on the live telecast of speeches of former prime minister Imran Khan after he threatened state institutions and government officials with serious consequences.

Imran Khan's addresses are in open violation of the PEMRA rules, according to the PEMRA notification issued in Sunday's wee hours. The PEMRA further said that Imran Khan's speeches are a violation of Article 19 of the Constitution.

Only pre-recorded speeches can be broadcast now with effective monitoring and editorial control, per the new PEMRA notification.

PEMRA issued a six-page notification, stating it has been observed that Imran Khan is persistently levelling baseless accusations in his speeches and statements against national institutions and spreading hatred in his speeches.

According to the PEMRA, the ban has been put in place under Section 27 of the PEMRA Ordinance 2002. The PEMRA notification mentioned Khan's speech at the F9 Park, Islamabad.

The notification states that the PTI chief's statements are detrimental to the maintenance of law and order as he is constantly inciting citizens against institutions and officers in his speeches.

The notification said the former PM's hate speech is against the Supreme Court's verdict in the suo motu case. The contents of Imran Khan's speech are also against the Lahore High Court verdict, says the PEMRA.

The PEMRA also warned news channels of strict action if the directives were not followed.

The PEMRA notification also carries the excerpts from Imran Khan's speech on August 20 in Urdu.

In the meantime, sources said the government has lodged an FIR against Imran Khan under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) for threatening a judge and two top police officials during an above-mentioned public gathering.

Imran Khan threatened Additional Sessions Judge Ms Zeba Chaudhry, saying, “Zeba! Be ready, we will take action against you.” He also hurled threats to the IGP and DIG Islamabad, by calling out them, “IGP and DIG! We will not spare you.”

On August 20, Imran Khan warned that he would “not leave” Islamabad's inspector-general, deputy inspector general, and female magistrate, saying he would file cases against them for torturing his aide Shahbaz Gill.

“We will not spare the IG and DIG,” he said while addressing a public gathering at the F-9 park in Islamabad. The former prime minister called out Additional District and Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry, who last week had approved Gill’s two-day physical remand at the request of the capital police, and said she too should prepare herself as the case will also be registered against her.

The PTI chief led a rally in Islamabad from Zero Point to F-9 Park in support of incarcerated leader Shahbaz Gill, who the party said was subjected to alleged “gruesome torture” in police custody.

He further said that if a case can be registered against Gill, then, Fazlur Rehman, Nawaz Sharif, and Rana Sanaullah will also face judicial proceedings.

“They [coalition government] are trying to scare us by torturing Gill,” he said, adding that this is a “decisive moment” for the people of the country.

Reiterating his stance not to bow down before the idol of fear, he said: “If we bow down then we will have to face slavery although in the garb of Gill’s arrest they are trying to enslave the people.”

Khan maintained that what happened to Gill wasn’t because of what he said since the PDM leaders in the government had “said much more than that."

 

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