Wednesday, 5 October, 2022 I 8 Rabi ul Awwal, 1444 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XIII No 97 I 12 Pages I Islamabad Edition
Imran’s desIgns to weaken army wIll never materIalIze, says Pm g
CALLS PTI CHIEF A ‘LIAR & CHEAT’ WHO HAD LEFT NATIONAL ECONOMy IN RUINS
ISLAMABAD
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staff report
RIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that the policies of his predecessor Imran Khan, based on ‘lies and cheat’, have left the country’s economy in ruins. In an interview with the British daily The guardian, Shehbaz Sharif Sharif spoke of the “damage” that Khan, the former prime minister who ruled Pakistan from 2018, had done to the country in both domestic and foreign affairs. According to The guardian, as Pakistan’s economic turmoil continued, Sharif called Khan “a liar and a cheat” whose policies had left the economy in ruins. Sharif accused Khan, who ran on an anti-corruption manifesto, of conducting the country’s affairs to suit his own personal agenda “in a manner which can be only described as the most inexperienced, selfcentred, egotistical, immature politician in the history of this country”. Khan was found to have violated the Constitution in an attempt to stop the vote
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SAyS IMRAN DAMAgED PAKISTAN’S RELATIONS WITH US FOR NO RHyME OR REASON
from going ahead, and he also threatened to impose martial law rather than hand over power to the opposition coalition, the guardian mentioned. The audio leaks allegedly captured Khan discussing how to fabricate a conspiracy about a foreign threat, with him heard saying they would “play with the cable”. PM Sharif said the leaked audios were “an irrefutable endorsement that he [Khan] is the biggest liar on the face of the earth. I’m not saying this with a sense of glee but a sense of embarrassment and concern. My country’s image has been damaged hugely by these lies, told out of mean personal interest.” “Never before was I concerned about our country’s future,” said Sharif. “Imran Khan has injected an infinite amount of poison in this society and made it hugely polarised as never before … he is distorting facts and creating hate.” The prime minister deliberated upon his efforts to rebuild relations with several of Pakistan’s foreign allies, which were seen to nosedive after 2018. Shebaz Sharif said he had been
“shocked” at the UN general assembly in New york earlier this month when several world leaders, who he refused to name, had personally raised Khan’s conduct. “Some leaders told me in person about his personality,” said Sharif. “They told me he was rude, he told lies and he is a ‘narcissist’, quote unquote.” “Khan has damaged Pakistan’s relations with the United States for no rhyme or reason,” he said. Shehbaz Sharif also made it clear he would be reaffirming Pakistan’s close relationship with China, which reportedly suffered under Khan after he stalled the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). He vowed to continue with the project, describing China as “one of the most trusted friends of Pakistan”. “Make no mistake, CPEC is a project which is not only good for Pakistan’s wellbeing but for the whole region,” he said. On the involvement of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in his government, he said: “Of course, I consult Nawaz, he is my leader and my older brother,” he said. “But he has given me completely free rein to make decisions.” Sharif vehemently rebuffed the criticism of Imran Khan against the politics of Maryam Nawaz as ‘dynastic’. “It’s about competence: it’s about public support, it’s about people’s trust,” he said. “It’s not about dynasty.” IMRAN KHAN’S LIES & CHEAT HAVE LEFT ECONOMY IN RUINS: Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Imran Khan would not be able to succeed with his designs to weaken the institution of armed forces. “Let me make it clear: His [Imran Khan] design to weaken the prestigious institution will never materalise,” the prime minister said in a tweet. PM Sharif pointed out that Imran Khan’s campaign against the military aimed at “coercing” them into his lust for power. “By launching a campaign against our armed forces and its leadership, Imran Niazi wants to coerce them into supporting his lust for power,” he said. The prime minister said that after the audio leaks, the desperation of the PTI leader had increased.
PTI chief should not be allowed to ‘attack’ federal capital: Maryam ISLAMABAD staff report
Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday said the “foreign-funded party” should not be allowed to hold long march on Islamabad, saying PTI should be dealt with iron first. “An example should be made of Imran for conspiring against the country and institutions,” she declared while addressing a press conference here on Tuesday. Maryam said the PTI chief should not be allowed to “attack” the federal capital with his “armed group”. Lashing out Imran Khan, the PML-N VP said that when he was in power, he liked the institutions very well but when was refused to change his “nappies,” he abused the word “neutral.” She said Imran Khan had made a word like neutral an abuse, adding that he also launched a campaign against the victims of the helicopter crash. Maryam also claimed that when the PTI chief failed to get NRO in the secret meeting held in President’s House, he started criticizing “them.” Highlighting the PTI chief’s hard-hitting statements against the establishment, Maryam said the ousted premier would praise military when he was sitting in the Prime Minister’s Office. “Nawaz Sharif never used abusive language against establishment like Imran.” Her statement came a day after the PTI chief indicated that his party’s much-awaited long march to the federal capital might finally be taking place in the third week of this month. The former prime minister on Monday held a meeting of district presidents and secretaries of his party’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and Punjab wings, wherein he issued strict instructions to officials for the upcoming march. He had directed them to ensure full participation of the people and advised them to consider “real freedom as “jihad”. He added that if they do not get “real freedom” now, they might never get it at all. Responding to a question about PTI’s narrative of real freedom, Maryam told reporter at the presser that Imran’s entire narrative is based on lies, adding that this is not a narrative rather a fraud. “Shelf life of Imran Khan’s lies has expired,” she said. Maryam pointed out that Finance Minister Ishaq Dar’s return to country was a slap in the face of PTI’s narrative.
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CJP dubs law demanding MPs to be honest ‘draconian’ ISLAMABAD staff report
Chief Justice (CJ) of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial said on Tuesday that Article 62(1)(f), which holds ultimate punishment of lifetime disqualification of lawmakers, is a ‘draconian’ constitutional provision. CJ Umar Ata Bandial made the observation while heading a three-member Supreme Court (SC) bench, hearing a petition filed by former Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) senator Faisal Vawda against his lifelong disqualification by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the subsequent ruling by the Islamabad High Court (IHC). During the proceedings on Tuesday, CJ Bandial observed that “Article 62(1)(f) is a draconian provision”, added that “this case will be heard with utmost care”. Counsel for Vawda’s Waseem Sajjad argued in the court that Vawda had contested elections in 2018 and two years later a disqualification petition was filed in the high court for submitting a false affidavit. However, the court observed that the ECP retained the right to investigate a false affidavit. “Even if the SC declares the lifetime disqualification orders illegal,
the facts would remain the same,” remarked CJ Bandial, adding that the ECP has “properly reviewed” the case. “The IHC has clearly stated in its judgment that Faisal Vawda had accepted dual citizenship,” argued the lawyer Farooq Hamid Naek. “The only question, in this case, is whether or not the ECP can issue orders for lifetime disqualification,” observed CJ Bandial. Terming Article 62(1)(f) a draconian law, the judge remarked he had to see if ECP can disqualify a Parliamentarian for life or not. Later, the hearing was adjourned until October 6. OBSERVERS FEAR WAY BEING PAVED FOR RETURN OF NAWAZ SHARIF IN PARLIAMENT: Article 62 (1)(f) of the Constitution, which sets the precondition for an MP to be “sadiq” and “ameen” (honest and righteous), was termed “draconian” by the chief justice, prompting questions if the courts are paving the way for the return of Nawaz Sharif, former prime minister who was ousted under the same provision and now lives in self-exile in London. In April 2018, the Supreme Court barred Sharif from holding office for life in the Panama Papers corruption case.
At the time, Umar Ata Bandial, the chief justice who was a judge on the panel which delivered the verdict, ruled that disqualification handed down under the aforementioned provision is “permanent” — for life. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz
(PML-N) is hinting at his return since early August. The smooth return of Ishaq Dar, a Sharif family member and a proclaimed offender in a mega graft case until last week, led many to believe Sharif will follow suit. His party is also considering an
amendment in Article 62 (1)(f) to ease the process. ARTICLE 62 AMENDMENT BILL: A day earlier, a bill to amend Article 62 of the Constitution was tabled in the Senate. The bill moved by PPP Senator Palwasha Khan recommends deleting the words Sadiq and Ameen and replacing them with the words Rastgo and Wafa Shaar. The bill states: “In the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, in Article 62, in clause (1), in sub-clause (f), for the expression ‘honest and ameen’, the expression ‘veracious and devoted’ shall be inserted.” According to Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution, a person may be qualified or elected as a member of the parliament provided he has adequate knowledge of Islam and is essentially ‘sadiq and ameen’ (honest and righteous). “In literal terms, Sadiq is a qualitative metaphor used for one who has never spoken a lie. Ameen refers to one who has never breached anyone’s trust. These two words are used in Arabic as laqab for Holy Prophet (PBUH) for his unprecedented truthfulness and honesty which no man can practice and reach the level.”
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