Roj Bash Kurdistan

Pakistan’s PM Imran Khan removed

Pakistan’s much loved Prime Minister Imran Khan has been ousted from power after losing a no-confidence vote in his leadership

The vote was held past midnight after opposition parties brought a motion against him, which was upheld by the Supreme Court.

Mr Khan had said he would not recognise an opposition government, claiming that there was a US-led conspiracy to remove him very probably TRUE because he refused to turn against Russia

Pakistan’s parliament will meet to vote for the country’s new leader on Monday.

That person will be able to hold power until October 2023, when the next election is due to be held.

Ayaz Sadiq, who is in charge of the national assembly while there are no ruling party members or designated speakers, said nomination papers for candidates should be filed by 11:00 local time (06:00 GMT) on Sunday. This shows the takeover was preplanned or more time would be allocated for nominations.

Minutes before the vote started, the speaker of Pakistan’s lower house of parliament – an ally of Mr Khan – announced his resignation. Members of Mr Khan’s party (PTI) left the building, insisting he was the victim of an international conspiracy. 100% likely.

Opposition parties were able to secure 174 votes in the 342-member house in support of the no-confidence motion, the house speaker said, making it a majority vote.

In a tweet, opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan and its parliament were “finally freed from a serious crisis”.

Mr Sharif added: “Congratulations to the Pakistani nation on a new dawn.”

Meanwhile, PTI senator Faisal Javed Khan said the 69-year-old walked out of his prime ministerial residence “gracefully and he didn’t bow down”.

The senator went on to say that Mr Khan had “lifted the entire nation”.

The former captain of Pakistan’s national cricket team was elected prime minister in 2018, and promised to fight corruption and fix the economy.

But those pledges have gone unmet with the country gripped by a financial crisis.

In late March a series of defections deprived him of his majority and left him fighting for his political career.

Mr Khan has repeatedly said that Pakistan’s opposition parties are working with foreign powers. He also claims that he is the target of a US-led conspiracy to remove him because of his refusal to stand with Washington on issues against Russia and China

The US has said there was “no truth” in these allegations, and Mr Khan has never provided any evidence.

He visited Moscow to meet President Vladimir Putin as Russia was launching the invasion of Ukraine and has previously criticised what the Bush administration called the war on terror.

https://www.blueprint.ng/breaking-pakis ... n-removed/

I love Imran Khan and until he refused to follow US lies against Russia - everyone loved him - apart from ISIS supporters

Imran Khan put his own money into setting up hospitals - he is a truly great man

One wonders if, as people are starting to uncover the US lies about about the Ukrainian, the US is going to start a civil war in Pakistan !?!

If Khan is arrested

Former information minister Fawad Chaudhry calls on people to gather in the hundreds in front of former PM Imran Khan's residence and says that his arrest would mean the crossing of a "red line."

After former prime minister Imran Khan was reported under the anti-terrorism legislation for remarks he made regarding the judiciary, Pakistani opposition leaders warned on Monday that the government would cross a "red line" if it arrested him.

Khan was Prime Minister from 2018 until April of this year when he was forced to step down after losing a confidence vote that he said was the result of a conspiracy by the US, which denies the charge. (US have a tendency to LIE)

Since then, Khan has organized large demonstrations around the nation, advising state institutions, including the military, not to support the coalition government formed by his political adversary Shehbaz Sharif.

Furthermore, masses gathered outside Khan's residence, allegedly to prevent his arrest, although the former leader has been battling a plethora of charges for months and has yet to be detained.

"Wherever you are, reach Bani Gala today and show solidarity with Imran Khan," tweeted former information minister Fawad Chaudhry, referring to Khan's home, adding that "Imran Khan is our red line."

Sunday saw the filing of a First Information Report with the police, the start of a procedure that might result in official charges and an arrest.

The report against Khan includes testimony from magistrate judge Ali Javed, who described being at the Islamabad rally and hearing Khan criticize the inspector-general of Pakistan’s police and another judge.

During his speech at Saturday's rally, Khan threatened to file his own charges against Judge Zeba Chaudhry, two police agencies, the Pakistani Election Commission, and other political opponents, warning that they would face "consequences" for their treatment of his Chief of Staff, Shahbaz Gill.

He had organized the rally in Islamabad's F-9 Park in support of Gill, who was arrested on sedition charges last week.

In a statement, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-insaf party (PTI), Khan's political party, said that the latest allegations against him were "frivolous," adding that "We have serious reservations on this politically motivated move which leads towards further instability in the country."

On the evening of August 20, following a rally led by Khan, the country's digital media watchdog, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), barred satellite stations from airing the speech – or any upcoming live addresses from Khan – unless a time-delay mechanism was in place "to ensure effective monitoring and editorial control."

Earlier this month, the PEMRA ordered the suspension of the transmission of ARY News in different parts of the country, ARY News reported.

The channel was suspended for allegedly airing "hateful, seditious and malicious content," according to PEMRA.

A PEMRA official confirmed the authenticity of the notice, which directed the channel's CEO to appear for a hearing.

The suspension came hours after the news channel reported that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had launched a systematic campaign against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and chairman Imran Khan on the recent deaths of Pakistan Army personnel in the Balochistan chopper crash.

Pakistani TV station taken off air due to criticism of government

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... -khan-is-a

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No actions against Imran Khan

The Pakistani police announced on Saturday that no actions have been taken yet since an arrest warrant has been issued against former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, local sources reported

"The news about the dispatching of an arrest team to Imran Khan is untrue," the police said in a statement broadcast on local media. "The issuing of an arrest warrant is a legal procedure that is carried out on the judicial level."

The police added that "rumors that 300 policemen were sent to Bani Gala to arrest the former prime minister are also untrue and baseless."

Pakistani police issued earlier on Saturday an arrest warrant for former Prime Minister Imran Khan, saying "Khan violated a decision banning public gatherings and accused officials of torturing his detained assistant, Shahbaz Gill."

Given Khan's wide base of popular support, it is unlikely that the police would dispatch any arrest team so early since their forces would definitely be met by Khan's angered supporters.

He is seen as a "red line" that must never be crossed by his supporters.

Pakistan's DAWN newspaper reported that a court issued an arrest warrant against Khan over his remarks against Sessions judge Zeba Chaudhry and other officials during a public gathering on August 20 in Islamabad.

On August 22, the police filed a report and issued charges against Khan under "anti-terror law" over his involvement in the organizing of nationwide rallies while calling for early elections.

Since his ousting from power following a vote of no-confidence last April, Imran Khan has actively organized a series of popular anti-government demonstrations and faced a slew of charges along with other members of his political party Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

The country's rulers have a history of using the police and courts to silence political opponents, and Premier Sharif has several pending cases brought against him while he was in opposition.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... st-warrant:

Am I the only person who suspects the US of being behind the regime change in Pakistan - just me and 90% of Pakistanis

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Referendum' on Imran Khan's popularity

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is running for seven of the eight national assembly seats up for grabs in a key by-election on Sunday, which he calls a "referendum" on his popularity

The by-election is the latest twist in the political saga that began with Khan's ouster via a parliamentary no-confidence vote on April 10.

It comes as the country deals with the aftermath of devastating monsoon floods that affected more than 30 million people and submerged one-third of the country.

Candidates in Pakistan elections can run for multiple seats. If they win more than one, they must choose which to keep, and those forfeited must be voted on separately later.

It is unusual for a candidate to run for as many seats as Khan is doing on Sunday. "This is not just a simple election, it's a referendum," he told a rally late Friday in Karachi, the bustling port city in the south of the nation of 220 million.

Khan has held dozens of rallies since his ouster, drawing tens of thousands of people, and has promised to announce the date of a "long march" of his supporters on the capital, Islamabad, soon.
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) April 11, 2022

He is demanding that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's coalition government call an immediate general election rather than waiting until October of next year. "If he wins most of the seats, he will press the government more," political analyst Hassan Askari Rizvi told AFP.

"But the government will reject the election call, claiming it doesn't reflect the national will."

Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has already won a string of recent by-election victories, including control of the state assembly in Punjab, the country's most populous province, in July.

Sunday's polls take place in eight constituencies of three provinces –- three each in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where Khan’s party holds sway, and two in Sindh.

"This is indeed a litmus test of his popularity provided elections are held in a free and fair atmosphere and they are not rigged," said Imtiaz Gul of the Center for Research and Security Studies in Islamabad.

"If he wins the majority of the seats, that will again be a testimony to the success of his narrative that he has built since his exit from power and that will obviously bring more pressure on the government."

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... on-his-pop

Imran Khan survives assassination attempt

Former PM Imran Khan survived an attempted assassination on Thursday during a political rally in Gujranwala, on his way to his final destination, Islamabad

Pakistani news channel Geo stated that he was injured in the leg after an anonymous attacker shot his convoy, leading to the injury of five other people from his party, Tehreek-e-Insaf. Raouf Hasan, one of Khan's aides, told AP that the ex-PM's condition is now stable, after video emerged on social media showing the attacker aiming at Khan in the crowd.

PM Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attempted assassination and asked the Interior Minister to investigate it.

Khan intended to gather his supporters and regain popularity, succeeding in attracting a large crowd that demanded early elections be held after Khan resigned due to a no-confidence vote last April.

Since then, Khan has been aiming for legislative elections to take place by October of next year, but a judicial body pertaining to the elections committee announced that the former PM is not qualified to participate as an upcoming candidate or run for office for the next five years.

However, Khan's lawyer, Imran Jawhar, commented that the elections committee in Pakistan labeled Khan as being involved in corruption practices, but the lawyer assured that they will appeal that in front of the Supreme Court of Islamabad.

This comes despite Khan's win in the by-elections when he took six out of eight seats in the National Assembly.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... ion-attemp

Imran Khan continues protests

The Minister claims that there had been threats of attacks from militant groups and tells Khan that he is facing "danger" to his life

Pakistan's Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said on Friday that former Prime Minister Imran Khan was facing "danger" to his life after militant groups threatened to stage an attack once Khan is set to resume his protest march on November 26. 

Sanaullah said Khan should postpone the resumption of his protest march from Rawalpindi to Islamabad, which is scheduled tomorrow, after Khan recovered from injuries sustained from an assassination attempt that occurred on November 3.

Pakistan has entered a "dangerous phase" following the assassination attempt on former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his accusation that it was a plan involving a senior intelligence officer, according to commentators.

Khan was leading supporters on a widely publicized march to the capital to call for early elections when the attempted assassination occurred. 

On November 4, he accused Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, and Major-General Faisal Nasir, an intelligence officer, intended to assassinate him and blame it on "a religious fanatic."

"The political situation in Pakistan has entered into a dangerous phase," said academic and political analyst Tauseef Ahmed Khan, who is also a board member of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. "In a country with a history of political chaos, the sounds echo."

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... pone-prote

Who believes the US was behind the Pakistani regime change that threw out Imran Khan - Imran Khan being the MOST popular man in Pakistan - known for fighting corruption - was planning to hold elections - did NOT support US

First rally since shooting

Pakistan's ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan has spoken to hundreds of thousands of supporters, in his first public appearance since being shot at and injured three weeks ago

Crowds gathered for a rally in the city of Rawalpindi, taking flags and signs.

The former cricket star urged them to live without fear of death.

One person was killed and several others injured during the attack earlier this month, which unfolded as Mr Khan led a similar event.

The former PM was injured in his right leg and underwent surgery. He has accused members of the current government of plotting the attack, in Wazirabad.

Authorities have rejected the accusation and released a video purporting to show a confession from a man they describe as the only suspect in the shooting.

On Saturday, Mr Khan alleged that "three criminals" were waiting to make another attempt on his life.

But he said "fear makes an entire nation into slaves", telling supporters they should not be intimidated by threats or violence.

During his speech, he also admitted failures in tackling corruption during his premiership - saying he "failed in bringing the powerful under the law".

The rally took place in Rawalpindi - a city in which Pakistan's influential military is based.

The event was described as the climax of Mr Khan's "long march" - a series of rallies during which he has been demanding early elections.

Beforehand, authorities put up roadblocks and urged him to call off the rally - citing the risk of violence.

Thousands of Mr Khan's supporters attended the rally

The former international cricket star was removed from office earlier this year after losing a confidence vote in parliament. He was later disqualified from holding public office.

He has been accused of failing to accurately declare details of presents he received and sold off while in office - including Rolex watches, a ring and cuff links.

Mr Khan denies any wrongdoing and describes the case against him as politically motivated.

Following his ejection from office, he has become a vocal critic of Pakistan's government and its powerful military leadership.

Mr Khan remains very popular in the country and attracts large turnouts at his rallies.

The government has repeatedly said it will hold a national poll next year, as planned.

Pakistan has a long history of deadly political violence. In the most high-profile case, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated at a public rally in 2007.

Link to Article - Photos:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-63767040

Police try to arrest Imran Khan

The Pakistani police used excessive force against Khan's supporters, firing tear gas bombs to disperse them

Police and supporters of Pakistan's leading opposition leader, Imran Khan, clashed outside his residence as officers attempted to arrest him.

The police used excessive force against Khan's supporters, firing tear gas bombs to disperse them.

The situation outside the compound was so tense, in the city of Lahore, as the police attempted to force their way into Khan's residence.

Police have made previous attempts to arrest him, but Khan, 70, told Al Mayadeen that he is currently facing 77 lawsuits and brought to the audience's attention that new lawsuits continue to be filed against him -- the latest of which is blasphemy and sowing sedition and terrorism -- stressing that the point is to keep him away from the political arena

Just a few days after the Islamabad police in Lahore showed up at the former premier's residence in Lahore and attempted to arrest him in cooperation with the Punjab police, Khan touched on the current Pakistani situation and the country's sufferings, as well as the scheme that was plotted against him during his interview for Al Mayadeen.

According to Khan, his government was "removed through a conspiracy."

"The conspiracy was led by an ex-army chief, after joining two crooked families who had been ruling Pakistan for 30 years. And I had replaced them, so he brought them back," he indicated.

Khan considered that all parties to the conspiracy to remove him from power are terrified of the upcoming elections because they are very well aware that his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will "sweep the elections."

Khan confirmed that these parties' fear of the election results led them to attempt to exclude, imprison, or even kill [him], describing all parties to the conspiracy as "mafias".

Khan noted that he was expecting an assassination attempt against him and that he named, about two months ago in two public rallies, the parties that tried to assassinate him, namely the two families or the "mafias" who had ruled Pakistan, along with Pakistani intelligence officer General Faisal, whom he called out by name when he survived the assassination attempt.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... imran-khan

Imran Khan to Al Mayadeen

In an exclusive interview for Al Mayadeen, Imran Khan touches on the situation in Pakistan, his assassination attempt, Western interference, and several other files

Al Mayadeen Media Network conducted an interview with the former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan as part of Zeinab Al Saffar's The Proximate Aspect program.

The interview comes a few days after the Islamabad police in Lahore showed up at the former premier's residence in Lahore and attempted to arrest him in cooperation with the Punjab police.

During the interview, Imran Khan touched on the current Pakistani situation and the country's sufferings, as well as the scheme that was plotted against him and the European ambassadors' request for him to condemn the Russian military operation.

He also reflected on the US presence and the Palestinian cause.

Imran Khan told Al Mayadeen that Pakistan is going through a period of huge transformation.

The former Prime Minister pointed out that the country had been taken over by "a bunch of criminals," highlighting that Pakistan's economy was going through its best period in 17 years in terms of growth rate in record exports and record agriculture production, as well as taxes, industrial growth, and IT exports.

Making a comparison with Lebanon, Khan said he is aware that Lebanon is currently going through a tough ordeal, even more difficult than the situation his country is going through.

Conspiracy followed by murder attempt

According to Khan, his government was "removed through a conspiracy."

"The conspiracy was led by an ex-army chief, after joining two crooked families who had been ruling Pakistan for 30 years. And I had replaced them, so he brought them back," he indicated.

Khan considered that all parties to the conspiracy to remove him from power are terrified of the upcoming elections because they are very well aware that his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will "sweep the elections."

He noted that out of 37 elections, PTI won the majority, assuming power in 30 of them. Khan confirmed that these parties' fear of the election results led them to attempt to exclude, imprison, or even kill [him], describing all parties to the conspiracy as "mafias".

The former Pakistani Prime Minister confirmed that he currently faces 77 lawsuits for the same reason and brought to the audience's attention that new lawsuits continue to be filed against him -- the latest of which is blasphemy and sowing sedition and terrorism -- stressing that the point is to keep him away from the political arena

Khan noted that he was expecting an assassination attempt against him and that he named, about two months ago in two public rallies, the parties that tried to assassinate him, namely the two families or the "mafias" who had ruled Pakistan, along with Pakistani intelligence officer General Faisal, whom he called out by name when he survived the assassination attempt.

Khan revealed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the Minister of Interior Rana Sanaullah, and General Faisal are involved in extrajudicial killings, stressing that these three were responsible for his assassination attempt.

Regarding the prohibition order by Pakistan’s electronic media regulatory authority to ban his speeches, Imran Khan explained that this was out of fear that he would return to power through the people, since the country is on the verge of upcoming elections, approximately 60 days away.

"The reason why they ban me is because they don’t want me to campaign," he said.

Selective Western standards

According to the PTI chairman, European Union ambassadors pressured him to publicly condemn the Russian military operation in Ukraine -- a thing which he described as "unprecedented" and "against diplomatic norms."

Unlike Pakistan, EU ambassadors did not ask India to condemn the operation, since New Delhi is a partner and ally of Washington, Imran Khan pointed out.

"How dare they interfere in my internal politics?" he said, underlining that his idea of international relations lies in the interests of the 200 million people of Pakistan.

As a result of the increase in the global oil price, Pakistan, just like India, negotiated with Russia in order to obtain oil at low prices in order to avoid inflation that leads to poverty, Imran Khan explained, pointing out that by condemning the operation, this would be jeopardized.

Khan pointed out the selectivity of ethical standards adopted by EU and US ambassadors, especially when it comes to their interests, adding, "They do not condemn what is happening in Palestine or what is happening in Kashmir because Israel is their ally and India is their ally."

Kashmir & Palestine, and rejection of US presence

Addressing the situation in Kashmir, the former Pakistani Prime Minister considered that the only viable solution is giving Kashmiris autonomy.

He noted that 70 years ago, a United Nations Security Council resolution promised the people of Kashmir that they will be able to decide their own destiny through a plebiscite on whether they wanted to be with India or Pakistan

"You cannot, through the barrel of a gun, keep people enslaved," Imran Khan affirmed, adding, "Unfortunately, I have no hope in the current government in India."

According to the PTI chairman, the Israeli occupation is doing the same with Palestinians.

"How can you deprive people of their right to live as free, liberated human beings?" he said.

Imran Khan stressed that "Israel" must give Palestinians their rights sooner or later, or otherwise, the problem will not be resolved.
US so-called "war on terror" cost Pakistan 80,000 deaths

The former prime minister of Pakistan pointed out that the reason he refused to agree on establishing a US military base in Pakistan is that when his country joined the US so-called "war on terror," this led to 80,000 Pakistanis killed, over 100 billion dollars economy losses, and over 400 US drone attacks inside Pakistan.

"We were blamed for playing a double game, we were not even given credit for sacrifices this country made for fighting their [US] war," he stressed.

Imran Khan urged a good relationship with Washington, explaining that the US is a superpower and a trading partner. He also noted that the most powerful expatriate Pakistani community is the Pakistani American community.

"We have to have a good relationship with them. But you know, a relationship that must have dignity and respect," he considered.

Islamic world in 'terrible situation'

Regarding Pakistan's relationship with the West Asian and Muslim countries, the PTI chairman said the Islamic world is in a "terrible situation", as the majority of its countries are experiencing conflicts.

He explained that ongoing conflicts between countries that have strong relationships with Pakistan, such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey affect his country.

In the event of his return to power, Imran Kan pointed out that the biggest challenge before him will be saving Pakistan from the worst economic crisis it has gone through in 75 years.

A message from Imran Khan through Al Mayadeen

In the same context, Khan explained that the way Pakistan will get out of this economic mess is through the prevalence of justice and rule of law.

"You must remember that countries that have rule of law prosper, countries which have law of the jungle are called banana republics. Not because of lack of resources but because they don’t have laws," he said.

Answering a question about whether there are talks behind closed doors about Pakistan giving up its nuclear weapons program in exchange for its economic rescue, the former Prime Minister pointed out that if Pakistan did not have the protection provided by nuclear weapons, its security would be at risk, as it is threatened by India, a country that is estimated to be seven times its size.

He explained that if a country is economically bankrupt, then it will be pressured to give up its nuclear weapons. "This has been a worry of Pakistanis for a long time because of the insecurity brought by our neighbor," India.

Khan admitted that the biggest mistake he committed during his premiership was granting the former army chief full confidence and believing that he prioritizes the interest of Pakistan, but it turned out that the former army chief works for "the crooks".

It is noteworthy that last year, the Pakistani parliament passed a no-confidence vote against Imran Khan's government, which garnered 174 votes in favor.

The vote came after Khan pointed to foreign interference in his country's affairs and a foreign conspiracy against Islamabad for refusing to establish a US military base in the country.

It also came after the former Prime Minister slammed foreign missions to Islamabad for attempting to pressure his country to support a UN General Assembly resolution denouncing Russia's special military operation in Ukraine.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... -al-mayade

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Pakistan court drops arrest warrant

After Pakistani ex-PM Imran Khan showed up at court, his lawyers confirmed on Saturday that a Pakistani judge dropped the issued arrest warrant against him, which was issued originally as police attempted to arrest him for court cases after his ousting

"The court has canceled the arrest warrant after marking Imran Khan's attendance. The hearing has been adjourned till March 30," Gohar Khan, one of Khan’s lawyers, disclosed to AFP.

It is now clear that, despite my having gotten bail in all my cases, the PDM govt intends to arrest me. Despite knowing their malafide intentions, I am proceeding to Islamabad & the court bec I believe in rule of law. But ill intent of this cabal of crooks shd be clear to all.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) March 18, 2023

Supporters of the ousted PM went head-to-head with police who were trying to arrest Khan in Lahore due to security concerns as Khan did not show up to court before. When he did this week, nearly 4,000 supporters mobbed the Islamabad court complex throwing bricks at police who threw back tear gas at the crowd.

Premeditated planning

As a result of the chaos, anti-terrorism squads, and paramilitary rangers have been placed around Islamabad and hospitals put on high alert as police on the other side in Lahore, raided Khan's house and blocked roads in proximity.

Khan said that there was a premeditated plan to arrest him, adding that it was part of a larger "London plan" schemed by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Recovering from an assassination attempt in Wazirabad last year, the former Prime Minister missed three indictment hearings in the case in an Islamabad sessions court.

According to Dawn, he is accused of "allegedly concealing, in his assets declarations, details of the gifts he retained from the Toshakhana — a repository where presents handed to government officials from foreign officials are kept." Islamabad Police said Khan was "avoiding" the arrest, noting that the superintendent of police had "gone into Imran’s room but he was not present there."

Al Mayadeen Media Network conducted an interview with the former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan as part of Zeinab Al Saffar's The Proximate Aspect program.

The interview comes a few days after the Islamabad police in Lahore showed up at the former premier's residence in Lahore and attempted to arrest him in cooperation with the Punjab police.

During the interview, Imran Khan touched on the current Pakistani situation and the country's sufferings, as well as the scheme that was plotted against him and the European ambassadors' request for him to condemn the Russian military operation

He also reflected on the US presence and the Palestinian cause.

Imran Khan told Al Mayadeen that Pakistan is going through a period of huge transformation.

The former Prime Minister pointed out that the country had been taken over by "a bunch of criminals," highlighting that Pakistan's economy was going through its best period in 17 years in terms of growth rate in record exports and record agriculture production, as well as taxes, industrial growth, and IT exports.

Conspiracy followed by murder attempt

According to Khan, his government was "removed through a conspiracy."

"The conspiracy was led by an ex-army chief, after joining two crooked families who had been ruling Pakistan for 30 years. And I had replaced them, so he brought them back," he indicated.

Khan considered that all parties to the conspiracy to remove him from power are terrified of the upcoming elections because they are very well aware that his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will "sweep the elections."

He noted that out of 37 elections, PTI won the majority, assuming power in 30 of them. Khan confirmed that these parties' fear of the election results led them to attempt to exclude, imprison, or even kill [him], describing all parties to the conspiracy as "mafias".

The former Pakistani Prime Minister confirmed that he currently faces 77 lawsuits for the same reason and brought to the audience's attention that new lawsuits continue to be filed against him -- the latest of which is blasphemy and sowing sedition and terrorism -- stressing that the point is to keep him away from the political arena.

Khan noted that he was expecting an assassination attempt against him and that he named, about two months ago in two public rallies, the parties that tried to assassinate him, namely the two families or the "mafias" who had ruled Pakistan, along with Pakistani intelligence officer General Faisal, whom he called out by name when he survived the assassination attempt.

“The assassination attempt on me was predicted by me.” #ImranKhan mentions those responsible for planning the assassination attempt at one of his rallies last year by name.@ZeinabSaffar@ImranKhanPTI@PTIofficial pic.twitter.com/UlGwZBL4gB
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) March 12, 2023

Khan said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the Minister of Interior Rana Sanaullah, and General Faisal are involved in extrajudicial killings, stressing that these three were responsible for his assassination attempt.

Regarding the prohibition order by Pakistan’s electronic media regulatory authority to ban his speeches, Imran Khan explained that this was out of fear that he would return to power through the people, since the country is on the verge of upcoming elections, approximately 60 days away.

Reason why they ban me they don’t want me to campaign

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Khan: opponents likely to attack again

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said, in an interview for Der Spiegel, on Thursday, he believed a second assassination attempt is likely and explained that despite "precautionary measures" that he has been taking, his opponents remained "very powerful people."

Khan said his opponents will try another assassination attempt on him, making accusations, "above all", against the intelligence chief, Faisal Naseer, alongside the Prime Minister and the Interior Minister.

Khan also noted that his opponents have resorted to coercion and violence "because they know they will lose the elections," adding that "they don't want to see me in power because they fear that I will then bring them to justice."

When asked where the country is headed, considering that his party just won a victory against the central government in court, the former PM said, "According to the constitution, elections must be held within 90 days if the Provincial Assembly or the National Assembly is dissolved. My party ruled in two of the four provinces, which is almost 64 percent of the electorate of the whole country. So, I dissolved both my governments."

That being said, Khan stressed that "if the government follows the Supreme Court ruling, it will have to hold elections," adding that "that can lead to political and economic stability." However, if the Supreme Court ruling gets overridden, then "the law of the jungle will prevail" in Pakistan.

Khan had made similar remarks during a previous interview for Al Mayadeen last month.

Conspiracy followed by murder attempt

During his interview for Al Mayadeen, Khan proclaimed that his government was "removed through a conspiracy."

"The conspiracy was led by an ex-army chief, after joining two crooked families who had been ruling Pakistan for 30 years. And I had replaced them, so he brought them back," Khan indicated.

Khan considered that all parties to the conspiracy to remove him from power are terrified of the upcoming elections because they are very well aware that his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will "sweep the elections."

He noted that out of 37 elections, PTI won the majority, assuming power in 30 of them. Khan confirmed that these parties' fear of the election results led them to attempt to exclude, imprison, or even kill [him], describing all parties to the conspiracy as "mafias"

The former Pakistani Prime Minister confirmed that he currently faces 77 lawsuits for the same reason and brought to the audience's attention that new lawsuits continue to be filed against him -- the latest of which is blasphemy and sowing sedition and terrorism -- stressing that the point is to keep him away from the political arena.

Khan noted that he was expecting an assassination attempt against him and that he named, about two months ago in two public rallies, the parties that tried to assassinate him, namely the two families or the "mafias" who had ruled Pakistan, along with Pakistani intelligence officer General Faisal, whom he called out by name when he survived the assassination attempt.

Khan said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the Minister of Interior Rana Sanaullah, and General Faisal are involved in extrajudicial killings, stressing that these three were responsible for his assassination attempt.

Regarding the prohibition order by Pakistan’s electronic media regulatory authority to ban his speeches, Imran Khan explained that this was out of fear that he would return to power through the people, since the country is on the verge of upcoming elections, approximately 60 days away.

"The reason why they ban me is because they don’t want me to campaign," he said.

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Imran Khan arrested

Protesters loyal to Khan took out their anger on the military: storming the residence of the Pakistani corps commander in Lahore and surrounding the army's general headquarters in Rawalpindi

After months of political unrest, protests erupted all across Pakistan against the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Khan was arrested during a court hearing in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad. His arrest followed shortly after the Pakistani army had rebuked his allegations about the involvement of a senior official in the failed assassination attempt which targeted him earlier this year.

The rebuke late Monday underscored how far Khan's relations have deteriorated with the military. Back in 2018, the military had backed Khan's ascension to power but withdrew their support.

"The timing of the arrest is striking, The senior army leadership is uninterested in repairing the rift between itself and Khan, and so with this arrest, it's likely sending a message that the gloves are very much off," said Michael Kugelman, director of the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Center.

Protesters loyal to Khan took out their anger on the military: storming the residence of the Pakistani corps commander in Lahore and surrounding the army's general headquarters in Rawalpindi.

Police fired tear gas and water cannons at the former PM supporters in Islamabad, Peshawar, and other cities.

Footage circulating on national television show Khan being apprehended by dozens of paramilitary rangers from the Islamabad high court and getting escorted into an armored car.

"As we reached the court's biometric room to mark the attendance, dozens of rangers attacked us. They beat him and dragged him out," said Ali Bukhari a member of Khan's Party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said Khan was arrested by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), the country's top anti-corruption body.

"This arrest is in accordance with the law," he said. "NAB is an independent body and not under government control."

Soon after the arrest, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf officials released a video of Khan coming out in support of true freedom. The video was apparently pre-recorded in anticipation of the case where Imran gets arrested.

"One thing that should become clear for all of you from this is that fundamental rights in Pakistan, the rights given to us by our constitution and democracy, have been buried." Imran Khan was quoted saying in the pre-recorded video.

"Imran Khan is our red line. Even a scratch on him is not acceptable. We will sacrifice our lives, but we will free Imran Khan," one of the protesters was quoted as saying.

Earlier today, Imran Khan, Pakistan's former prime minister, was detained by the military when he appeared in court in Islamabad to face corruption accusations.

According to Fawad Chaudhry, a senior official with Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, the 72-year-old was detained on the court grounds on Tuesday by operatives from the National Accountability Bureau, the country's anti-corruption organization.

Shortly after Khan passed past the entrance of the Islamabad High Court, paramilitary men and armored personnel carriers followed him. Armored trucks blocked the gate, and Khan was hauled away under tight protection.

Khan was defeated in a no-confidence vote in April of last year. During an interview with Al Mayadeen in March, the former Prime Minister proclaimed that his government was removed "through a conspiracy."

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The naked face of fascism in Pakistan

After the forced regime change has been rough for Imran Khan, PTI's leaders, voters, supporters, journalists, social media activists, and the general public, the PDM government came to power with a fascist mindset shamelessly executing it

Democracy in Pakistan has lately been continuously deteriorating, but the dream of true Democracy is getting stronger than ever before. The nation is united and standing strong for the country's sovereignty, prosperity, and respect under the leadership of Imran Khan. The former Prime Minister of Pakistan is recrafting Pakistan's politics with unprecedented maneuvers. One such initiative called for country-wide rallies in solidarity with the judiciary on 6th May 2023.

Pakistan's Supreme Court is passing through a testing time while safeguarding the Constitution. The sitting government wants to avoid an election at any cost till some critical changes in the Supreme Court of Pakistan and the Presidency.

On the other hand, Article 224 of the Constitution of Pakistan mandates that elections be held within 90 days after the dissolution of the assemblies in two critical provinces, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. CJP Umar Ata Bandial took a Suo-motu and ruled that provincial elections in the two provinces must be held within 90 days. As the government is resorting to all the possible delaying tactics, the situation is becoming critical with every passing second with serious repercussions.

Within twenty-four hours, PTI was able to showcase peaceful protests in more than 4000 locations throughout Pakistan. In the regime of a fascist government, every political endeavor has a consequence. The successful political venture initiated a new wave of political victimization, quickly becoming a norm in Pakistan.

The nation witnessed women being dragged brutally by the police, bronzing their bodies, and tearing their clothes in public. They were taken away in a men's prison van. PTI leadership, voters, followers, and supporters were harassed, abducted, and booked in bogus FIRs. The initiative has overwhelmed the sitting government and the power hubs leading to chaos based on the biggest miscalculation of the last two decades.

Imran Khan was arrested from the Islamabad High Court premises by Rangers on behalf of NAB as he announced his election campaign in the coming week. He was mishandled and humiliated for confronting the power hubs unapologetically. Sadly this is the tip of the iceberg.

The arrest has initiated country-wide protests where the public blamed the military establishment for this blatant misadventure. The friction is unprecedented in Pakistan's history. Not only that, the public vigor and rage against Imran Khan are alarming. Additionally, whether Imran Khan was arrested or abducted remains a question.

After the forced regime change has been rough for Imran Khan, PTI's leaders, voters, supporters, journalists, social media activists, and the general public, the PDM government came to power with a fascist mindset shamelessly executing it. PTI's leaders, voters, and supporters were abducted, harassed, raped, molested, and tortured. They were pushed off the bridge, shot in a peaceful political gathering, abducted from a rally, and killed in custody.

Imran Khan narrowly escaped a murder attempt that left him injured and home confined for months. The world of journalism lost a gem like Arshad Sharif. Pakistan is witnessing unprecedented political victimization where PTI leaders are relayed across Pakistan to attend to multiple cases through the length and breadth of the country. Imran Khan is booked in more than 150 cases. The authorities mindlessly acted outside the legal jurisdiction in their attempt to arrest Khan. Law enforcement agencies ransacked his home.

PTI supporters and voters, men, women, children, young and old, were tear-gassed, baton-charged, and water cannoned. Private calls are tapped and shamelessly flashed in the minister's press conferences. Privacy, human rights, and freedom of speech are unblushingly violated.

Staying in power is the primary focus of the government. With a corruption legacy and cases being the only binding force, the Pakistan Democratic Movement, an alliance of 13 political parties, was formed in September 2020, which aimed to secure the power to serve their set self-interests. After gaining power by ousting Imran Khan through a conspiracy back vote of no confidence motion, the unholy alliance paced towards legitimizing their corruption and altering laws and institutional capacity accordingly.

Imran Khan's popularity skyrocketed after the regime change, and now he is considered Pakistan's most loved, embraced, and acknowledged leader. On the other hand, PDM gradually lost all its political capital, making them more desperate for power. It is not a secret that the PDM government feels threatened by Imran Khan, the only national-level leader with voters, supporters, and followers throughout the country.

Suppose he succeeds in securing a free and fair election. In that case, he is all set to bag a two-thirds majority, placing him in a position to reinitiate the obstructed accountability process. This time its canvas would be wider than ever before, including all the entities considered holy cows in the past.

Considering Imran Khan as the primary threat, convincing, constraining, curbing, or curtailing him is critical for the sitting government. From Treason to balsamy allegations, they have left no stone unturned but failed terribly in all their endeavors. Still, the threats clouding over Khan are far from over.

It's a matter of time before PDM will lose the support of the power hubs. Considering divide and rule as the course of action, the sitting government has intentionally made intuition collide. They have widened the gap between the establishment and the people. Currently, the supreme court is their primary target. Now the most honored and loved institution in Pakistan, its Army found itself in the middle of the most chaotic political confrontation.

Not only that, they are willing to usurp the Constitution of Pakistan to avoid elections. Gradually sliding into global isolation, Pakistan's souring economy pleads for political stability, but PDM will do anything but opt for elections before 16th September 2023.

On the other hand, Imran Khan is riding the wave of people's support, love, and appreciation. He is not compromising on his narrative, which is the gelling force between him and his people. As the government resists implementing the Supreme Court verdict, it is giving another reason for Imran Khan and the people of Pakistan to bond and strive together to preserve the Constitution.

They are willing to face anything but want to achieve their goal, a sovereign, democratic, and prosperous Pakistan. PDM, the corrupt leadership, and flag bearers of dynastic politics are venturing into a failed rove. Imran Khan's arrest is proving to be a catalyst for venting pent-up rage among the people. The situation is expected to excellate for the worse while Khan remains captive. Sadly with a rational and democratic approach, this situation could have been addressed amicably and politically. After burning in the furnace of fascism, Democracy in Pakistan will flourish in its true colors.

https://english.almayadeen.net/articles ... n-pakistan

Arrest dubbed unlawful

The Islamabad High Court freed on bail former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday, after his "unlawful" arrest on corruption accusations this week provoked fatal protests

Khan was also granted bail in other ongoing matters, and the court decided that he could not be detained again until Monday. He was due to appear in court today shortly after the Supreme Court of Pakistan ruled the arrest of Khan is "unlawful" and ordered his immediate release.

The former PM was taken into custody on Monday by authorities following a hearing on Al-Qadir Trust case.

The former Premier's arrest followed months of political crisis and came hours after the powerful military criticized the former PM for accusing a senior officer of being involved in a plot to assassinate him.

Since Tuesday, thousands of his supporters have taken to the streets and were met with brutal police crackdown, resulting in the death of a few of them.

Khan told AFP from the court building that the "head of the country's largest party was abducted, kidnapped from the high court, and in front of the entire nation."

"They treated me like a terrorist, this had to have a reaction."

Nearly 1,000 people have been detained in Punjab since protests broke out following the arrest of Khan.

In a statement, the police reported the arrest of "945 lawbreakers and miscreants from across the province."

Local media reported at least eight people were killed and 290 were injured in light of the clashes.

Internet phone services and access to social media sites, including as Facebook and YouTube, which had been suspended quickly after Khan's arrest on Tuesday, were gradually restored across the country late Friday.

After Khan's Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party called for supporters to congregate, Islamabad police issued an emergency order prohibiting any gatherings in the capital city

Faisal Hussain Chaudhry, a lawyer for Khan, said the country "needs peace but such steps by the government are not helpful."

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah remained determined to arrest Khan, telling Dunya TV that "if (Khan) gets bail from the High Court tomorrow, we will wait for the cancellation of bail and arrest him again."

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