Recent Appearances...

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Recent Appearances...

India-Pakistan

Disappointing electoral performance prompts resignations of JI's Haq, IPP's Tareen

2024-02-13

[GEO.TV] After facing setbacks in the February 8 general elections as both the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party and the Jamaat-e-Islami failed to show any electoral progress, IPP's Patron-in-Chief Jahangir Tareen and JI's Emir Sirajul Haq announced resigning from the party offices on Monday.

Subsequently, Pervez Khattak — the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-Parliamentarians (PTI-P) chief and former aide of PTI founder Imran Khan — also announced "taking a break from politics" after the election setback.

Tareen, an influential politician who was once a close aide of incarcerated former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, has faced humiliation in the nationwide February 8 general elections as his newly-formed party grabbed only two National Assembly (NA) and one provincial assembly seats.

Citing poor electoral performance, the IPP founder announced quitting politics and his party position in a post on X.

“I would like to thank everyone who supported me in this election and want to offer my congratulations to my opponents. I have immense respect for the will of the people of Pakistan. Therefore, I have decided to resign from my position as Chairman IPP and step away from politics altogether,” the senior politician wrote on his official X handle.

“My gratitude to all the members of IPP. I wish them the absolute best. By the Grace of Allah, I will continue to serve my country to the best of my ability in a private capacity. May the next few years see Pakistan prosper IA. Pakistan Zindabad,” he added.

In another development on the political landscape today, the chief of the politico-religious party, Sirajul Haq tendered his resignation citing “failures to get the targeted electoral results.”

The Siraj-led party failed to win a single NA seat, however, it grabbed five provincial seats.

Qaiser Sharif, JI’s Central Secretary Information of, confirmed the development regarding the party chief’s resignation which he tendered after taking responsibility for disappointing electoral performance in the general polls.

Sharif said that JI’s Secretary General Ameerul Azeem summoned an emergency session of the central shura on February 17 at the party’s headquarters — Mansoora Lahore. “The central shura’s session will commence at 10am and mull over the situation [post-resignation of the JI emir].”

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India-Pakistan

Abdul Aleem Khan named the President of Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party

2023-06-13

[PUBLISH.TWITTER]

I am pleased to announce Abdul Aleem Khan as the President of Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party. Aamir Mehmood Kiyani as Secretary General. Awn Chaudhary as Additional Secretary General & Spokesperson of the Party as well as of the Patron-in-Chief.
More announcements to follow Inshallah
— Jahangir Khan Tareen (@JahangirKTareen) June 12, 2023

Link

India-Pakistan

Blame-shifting: Govt pins TTP’s rise on PTI chairman

2022-12-26

Today’s Five Minutes of Hate:

[Dawn] Amid an increase in the number of attacks by militants in parts of the country, federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ayaz Sadiq on Sunday blamed former prime minister Imran Khan for the resurgence of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

While referring to rise in terror attacks and the dialogue with the banned outfit initiated by the PTI government last year, the PML-N leader said the nation had seen the result of Imran Khan’s strategy of opening talks with the Taliban.

“Imran Khan (while in power) did not curb terrorism. Rather he allowed negotiations with those who had martyred children at the Army Public School (in Peshawar). And now a new wave of terrorism has begun because of those negotiations.”

The former speaker also urged former army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa to reveal his “role” in the 2018 general election in “ensuring” the victory of the PTI. He said the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) representatives said they were under pressure in 2018 to join the PTI.

He said the support extended by Mr Bajwa to Imran Khan when he was prime minister had never been given to any other premier in the past. But, the PTI chairman is “ungrateful to his benefactors” as he was now maligning the ex-COAS. He said Mr Khan did the same thing to Aleem Khan and Jahangir Khan Tareen.

He advised Punjab Chief Minister Parvez Elahi to remain “vigilant” while doing favours to Imran Khan since his “characteristics cannot change as I know him since the 1960s”.

Mr Sadiq lambasted the PTI chairman for using the religious card in politics, abusing and victimising rivals, as well as preferring his personal interest over national interest.

“The one who had been talking of the state of Madina committed corruption by taking away gifts from Toshakhana worth Rs6 billion, declaring one of them (in his tax statement) and devouring the rest. The claimants of the Madina state would neither steal nor conceal (one’s wealth).”

He lamented that Imran Khan always foul-mouthed PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, who always addressed the PTI chairman decently. He alleged that Mr Khan got spying cameras installed even in the bathrooms of the jail where Maryam Nawaz Sharif was imprisoned.

The PML-N leader said those who brought Imran Khan to power were responsible for the financial damage caused to the country during the around four-year rule of PTI as the national debt doubled in the PTI regime, which took $44 billion in loans.

In reply to a question, he said while listening to the conversation between Parvez Elahi and his son Moonis Elahi one “gets the impression that the PML-Q got just 20 seats” in return for a promise to dissolve the Punjab Assembly at the directives of Imran Khan.

He, however, cautioned the ‘Q’ leadership that the crutches available during the 2018 polls would be missing in the next general elections and they as well as the PTI would have to stand on their own legs.

Referring to U-turns often taken by the PTI chairman, he said on one hand Imran said that he would fight his political fight on his own, and on the other, he was requesting the establishment to intervene and save him from likely accountability.

In response to a question, the minister said if the PTI chairman intended to dissolve the Punjab and KP assemblies he would have done so at once after the announcement during a Pindi rally in November.

Answering a question, he said if the coalition in Punjab had the backing of the required number of MPAs to remain on his post then why was Mr Elahi trying to delay the trust vote.

He said that local government elections would be held in the month of April, while the general election would be held after Aug 15, 2023, when the assemblies would complete their five-year constitutional terms.

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India-Pakistan

Security Forces Gun Down 3 Terrorists in an Encounter in North Waziristan: ISPR

2021-02-18

[DailyTimes.pk] During an intelligence based operation (IBO), security forces killed 3 Lions of Islam from the Aleem Khan Khushali group. According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) the encounter took place in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s North Wazoo

Wazoo district on Tuesday.

"These Lions of Islam were involved in murder, kidnapping for ransom, extortion, fire raid on security forces and improvised bomb (IED) explosions," ISPR added. "Sanitisation of the area was carried out."

As told by military’s media wing the operation was carried out after the security forces noticed the presence of Lions of Islam in a compound in North Waziristan’s area Mir Ali.

The ISPR said that 42-year-old resident of Chitral Naib Subedar Aminullah and a 24-year-old resident of Landi Kotal Sepoy Sher Zamin embraced martyrdom and four other security personnel received injuries during the operation.

Previously two bad boyz were potted on 18th January during an IBO in Nargosa area of South Waziristan The military’s media wing further added to the previous operation that "During an intense fire, two Lions of Islam Usman Ali and Waheed Lashtai were killed and one was injured and apprehended".

Related from January 6:

Waziristan Militant Leader Aleem Khan Ustad Joins Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan

[Defence.pk] On December 15, Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud, the emir of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), appeared in a video released by Umar Media, the official media arm of TTP (Umar Media, December 15). This video demonstrated a continuation of the series of mergers of Pakistani jihadist groups into TTP, which started in July 2020.

The video contains footage of the bay’ah (oath of allegiance) ceremonies of two jihadist organizations from Waziristan, Pakistan, including Mulawi Aleem Khan Ustad, and Commander Umar Azzam groups. Khan is a powerful jihadist commander who joined TTP with nine commanders and dozens of fighters (Tribal News, November 28).

TTP announced the mergers of both groups into its ranks on November 27 (Umar Media, November 27). The video shows that the merger ceremony apparently took place outside Afghanistan, most probably in Waziristan’s remote areas bordering the country. The footages include video clips of both commanders’ oath-taking, holding Mahsud’s hands and announcing their pledges of allegiance to him.

WHO IS MULAWI ALEEM KHAN USTAD?
Aleem Khan is from the tribal North Waziristan district, in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which served as the base of al-Qaeda for more than a decade after 9/11, from 2004 to 2015 (Asia Times, November 5). Khan was deputy to Hafiz Gul Bahadur—the al-Qaeda host and shadow governor of Waziristan (Gandhara, March 16, 2015). The Gul Bahadur group became the largest local group in Waziristan between 2008 and 2014 and even hosted TTP in North Waziristan after the organization lost its strongholds in neighboring South Waziristan.

Gul Bahadur’s decline started after the 2014 military operation in North Waziristan, when the jihadists escaping that military operation sought shelter in Afghanistan. [1] Khan disassociated from Bahadur that same year and since then has operated independently (The News, August 20, 2014).

During this period, serious differences emerged that would divide Khan and Bahadur, resulting in the latter ultimately seeking leadership of the group (The News, August 20, 2014). Bahadur alleged that Khan was in league with the Pakistani government, and in return was receiving protection for his areas and tribesmen from military operations. As a reaction to this accusation, Khan announced that he was now emir of the group, removing Bahadur, who had moved to the Afghanistan side of the border to escape military operations.

A few months later, Aleem Khan somewhat confirmed what Bahadur had accused him of when he surprisingly announced an end to the war against the Pakistani Army, and offered his group’s assistance in returning the internally displaced people (IDPs) of North Waziristan back to their homes. Like thousands of others from North Waziristan, these IDPs had left their homes due to the military operations that took place in 2014. His group had taken responsibility for restoring peace in North Waziristan and threatened military operations against all those aiming to engage in an insurgency against the state (Daily Pakistan, March 16 2015).

Thus, the merger of the Aleem Khan group into TTP is important from two perspectives. First, it is a major blow to the Pakistani Army’s efforts to coopt the anti-state militants in Waziristan for peace and the restoration of government authority in the area (Gandahara, July 24 2018). Second, Khan’s bay’ah to TTP is the first time that a jihadist group from North Waziristan is joining the organization. It is particularly signicant that Khan’s group is a strong splinter of the Gul Bahadur organization.

The TTP and the Gul Bahadur group share a history of rivalry rooted in the tribal politics of the region. The senior leadership of al-Qaeda, particularly its Afghanistan-Pakistan chief, Mustafa Abu Yazid, tried to unify the TTP and Bahadur group, but the latter did not accept it for long [2]. Gul Bahadur’s rejection has roots in the historical tribal feuds between Mehsuds and Wazir tribes of Waziristan. The Wazirs considers themselves superior to Mehsuds [3]. Thus, Gul Bahadur, being the strongest leader of the Wazir tribes, never agreed to merge into TTP, which was led by the Mehsuds.

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India-Pakistan

Flawed foreign policy leading country to isolation: Fazl

2019-02-19

[DAWN] Jamaat Ulema-e-Islam
...Assembly of Islamic Clergy, or JUI, is a Pak Deobandi (Hanafi) political party. There are two main branches, one led by Maulana Fazlur Rahman, and one led by Maulana Samiul Haq. Fazl is active in Pak politix and Sami spends more time running his madrassah. Both branches sponsor branches of the Taliban, though with plausible deniability...
-Fazl chief Fazl, older and even wider than he used to be...

Fazl, older and even wider than he used to be...

Maulana Fazlur Rehman
Deobandi holy man, known as Mullah Diesel during the war against the Soviets, his sympathies for the Taliban have never been tempered by honesty ...
has said that the flawed foreign policy of Pakistain Tehrik-e-Insaf
...a political party in Pakistan. PTI was founded by former Pakistani cricket captain and philanthropist Imran Khan. The party's slogan is Justice, Humanity and Self Esteem, each of which is open to widely divergent interpretations....
government is leading the country to isolation in the comity of nations, while its economic policy is increasing poverty and indigence in the country making life harder for the poor.

Addressing the ’million march rally’ organised by JUI-F here on Sunday, he came down hard on the PTI government and warned the rulers that any move to rollback the 18th Amendment and recognise Israel would be disastrous for the country.

Criticising the government for its failure to improve the economy despite tall claims during the election campaign, the chief of his own faction of JUI said poverty was on the steep rise with the result that life was becoming harder for the poor.

"Those who were claiming to change the very fate of the poor and bringing about revolutionary changes in their lives have now come up with hens and eggs and forgot and consigned to oblivion their glittering promises," he said

Mr Rehman alleged that the government was conspiring to amend the law that had declared the Ahmadis as a minority and the chain of events and the stance of the government had proved it beyond any shadow of doubt that the rulers were with the enemies of Islam.

"The government is guilty of conspiring to alter the blasphemy law, setting blasphemers free and playing to western tunes, and it was due to this reason that a former elected prime minister and politicians of the parties were sent to jail before the election," he continued.

The JUI-F chief said his party would not allow the implementation of any foreign agenda contrary to the teachings of Islam and that his party supporters would not hesitate to render any sacrifice for upholding Khatam-e-Nabuwwat.

The JUI-F chief accused the PTI of stealing the public mandate, alleging that the last general elections were rigged in favour of Imran Khan

... aka Taliban Khan, who who convinced himself that playing cricket qualified him to lead a nuclear-armed nation with severe personality problems...
-led party.

Regarding the Aasia Bibi case, he said it was not the legality of arrest or release of the Christian woman that was bothering the nation, but her release "under a deal" with the west.

He insisted that the PTI supported and appreciated NAB when it jugged
Please don't kill me!
the opposition leaders but started criticising the accountability watchdog when it began investigations against Imran Khan’s sister and Aleem Khan.

He announced that the next protest would be held on Feb 24 in Badin district of Sindh province and on Feb 28 at Nasirabad in Balocistan province.

MMA leaders Mufti Kifayatullah, Maulana Shah Awais Norani, Rashid Mehmood Sumro, Mufti Shahabuddin Popalzai, Akram Khan Durrani, Maulana Amanat Shah, Maulana Shuja-ul-Mulk, Abdul Ghafoor Haderi, and other leaders also addressed the ’million march’.

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India-Pakistan

PTI leaders laud Aleem Khan's decision to quit ministry following arrest

2019-02-07

[DAWN] Punjab
1.) Little Orphan Annie's bodyguard
2.) A province of Pakistain ruled by one of the Sharif brothers
3.) A province of India. It is majority (60 percent) Sikh and Hindoo (37 percent), which means it has relatively few Moslem riots....
Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar on Wednesday said that fellow Pakistain Tehrik-e-Insaf
...a political party in Pakistan. PTI was founded by former Pakistani cricket captain and philanthropist Imran Khan. The party's slogan is Justice, Humanity and Self Esteem, each of which is open to widely divergent interpretations....
leader Aleem Khan has set a great example by tendering his resignation following his arrest by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) earlier in the day.

Khan was taken into custody by NAB officials in Lahore over allegations of owning assets beyond his known sources of income.

Sarwar, while speaking to media, said that the first thing Khan did following his arrest was to resign from his ministry, adding that according to the party's ideology everyone was equal before the law.

"This is the standard PTI wants to set," he said.

The governor noted that Khan had obliged every time he was summoned by NAB and had been very cooperative with the bureau.

He, however, made it clear that those "who have looted the country in the past 30 years should be held strictly accountable".

Governor Sarwar also chaired a meeting along with Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar in Lahore to discuss the situation arising from the senior minister's arrest, during which they expressed "complete solidarity" with the minister, according to Radio Pakistain.

The PTI leaders appreciated Khan's decision to resign while hailing his services for the party. They also agreed to avoid politicising the issue.

PTI's Secretary General Arshad Dad, meanwhile, said that by resigning from his ministry, Khan has laid the foundation of a strong democratic tradition.

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India-Pakistan

Devolution only way to empower masses, PM Khan says

2018-09-24

Top down devolution. This should devolve nicely.
[DAWN] Prime Minister Imran Khan

... aka Taliban Khan, who ain't the sharpest bulb on the national tree...
, on his visit to Lahore on Sunday, declared that strengthening local bodies is the primary agenda of the Pakistain Tehrik-e-Insaf
...a political party in Pakistan. PTI was founded by former Pakistani cricket captain and philanthropist Imran Khan. The party's slogan is Justice, Humanity and Self Esteem, each of which is open to widely divergent interpretations....
led government.

To discuss the establishment of local bodies, the premier chaired a meeting attended by Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, Punjab
1.) Little Orphan Annie's bodyguard
2.) A province of Pakistain ruled by one of the Sharif brothers
3.) A province of India. It is majority (60 percent) Sikh and Hindoo (37 percent), which means it has relatively few Moslem riots....
Governor Chaudhry Sarwar, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Shah Farman and senior party leadership.

Addressing the meeting, PM Khan said that devolution of power is the only way to empower the masses. He added that the local body system would pave the way for future leadership and break the status quo.

Senior minister Aleem Khan, who is also heading a special task force, is expected to come up with a viable LG system to be introduced in the province.

Later, while briefing the media, Chaudhry said that in the next 48 hours, the participants of the meeting will decide the number of members to be included in village and union councils. The participants will also decide if direct elections should be held on the tehsil level or district level.

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India-Pakistan

Reham signs divorce papers, refutes allegations against her

2015-11-08

[DAWN] Reham Khan announced on Saturday that she has signed her divorce papers, thus officially ending her marriage with Pakistain Tehrik-e-Insaf
...a political party in Pakistan. PTI was founded by former Pakistani cricket captain and philanthropist Imran Khan. The party's slogan is Justice, Humanity and Self Esteem, each of which is open to widely divergent interpretations....
Chairman Imran Khan

... aka Taliban Khan, who ain't the sharpest bulb on the national tree...
.

In a statement issued from London, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, Reham cited 'a breakdown in relationship' as the reason that led them to part ways.

Reham said the decision to take divorce from Imran was taken before she left for England, saying "it was best to part ways so our work commitments were not affected by our personal problems".

She, however, criticised and condemned the media for acting unbecomingly, as it levelled baseless accusations regarding the divorce and behaved out of accord.

"The quest for ratings and misogynistic witch hunt is shameful," she maintained.

While responding to the allegations, Reham said that reports of her receiving Rs50 million from Aleem Khan and Rs80 million from Faisal Vawda are false.

"The allegation of any physical violence is not only pure fiction but ludicrous," she added.

Reham also denied media reports related to someone trying to poison Imran, saying "no stomach washing was ever carried out".

While sharing her future plans, Reham announced to continue working on issues related to child protection and other projects and causes that are dear to her.

Earlier this week, the PTI had also rubbished the reports doing the rounds on local television channels and said that "Reham Khan had not hit Imran Khan".

The official response by Shireen Mazari, the spokesperson for PTI chairman Imran Khan, came after local television channels reported that there may have been a physical altercation between the couple.

Mazari had expressed regret "at the manner in which malicious rumours are being given out regarding the breakup of Chairman Khan's marriage to Reham Khan."

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India-Pakistan

Imran presents new claims to support rigging 'mantra'

2015-11-07

[DAWN] Pakistain Tehrik-e-Insaf
...a political party in Pakistan. PTI was founded by former Pakistani cricket captain and philanthropist Imran Khan. The party's slogan is Justice, Humanity and Self Esteem, each of which is open to widely divergent interpretations....
(PTI) Chairman Imran Khan

... aka Taliban Khan, who ain't the sharpest bulb on the national tree...
said that issues faced by the country cannot be resolved till free and fair elections are conducted in the country.

"The only time transparent elections were held in the country was in 1970, elections held in 2013 witnessed a record level of rigging," claimed Imran Khan while addressing a presser at the PTI Secretariat on Friday.

Imran said that people blame him for continuously complaining about the rigging in elections rather than moving forward, "but that remains the root cause for all the problems faced by the country," he insisted.

"As the party leader, I lost by a margin of 8,500 votes, while my candidate Aleem Khan lost by 2,400 votes. Is Aleem Khan more popular than I am, no, I am more popular than him," stated Khan while referring to the recently held by-polls in NA-122.

The PTI chief went on to say that "it is not a matter of who is more popular, but a case of how effective the PTI was in controlling the rigging in the recently held by-polls".

Link

India-Pakistan

Taliban 'hurl threats' at PTI leaders

2015-09-12

[DAWN] The banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) has hurled life threats at Pakistain Tehrik-e-Insaf
...a political party in Pakistan. PTI was founded by former Pakistani cricket captain and philanthropist Imran Khan. The party's slogan is Justice, Humanity and Self Esteem, each of which is open to widely divergent interpretations....
's six big shots after making two attempts on the life of party MPA Mian Aslam Iqbal.

The timing of the attacks and the threat is crucial as the PTI has launched by-election campaign in NA-122 and PP-147.

Claiming responsibility for the attacks, a TTP spokesperson through an email on Sept 7 threatened fatal attacks on PTI national organiser Shah

Mehmood Wormtongue Qureshi, Punjab
1.) Little Orphan Annie's bodyguard
2.) A province of Pakistain ruled by one of the Sharif brothers
3.) A province of India. It is majority (60 percent) Sikh and Hindoo (37 percent), which means it has relatively few Moslem riots....
organiser Chaudhry Sarwar, NA-122 candidate Abdul Aleem Khan, opposition leader in Punjab Assembly Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed, MPAs Mian Aslam Iqbal and Malik Taimoor.

The Punjab government has directed the PTI leaders to restrict their movement for a few days, till the government hunts down perpetrators of the attack on Aslam Iqbal's residence and trace origin of the email.

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India-Pakistan

PTI's Democratic Myth

2015-06-18

[NATION.PK] It seems Wajihuddin Ahmed is fast becoming the new Javed Hashmi for Pakistain Tehrik-e-Insaaf; a respected veteran that is being ostracised for trying to make the party a democratic and accountable institution. From being the party's candidate for the presidential election of 2013 to being labelled "mentally unstable" by party ranks; Justice Wajihuddin's story -- just like Javed Hashmi's -- is a stark reminder of the fate that is to befall anyone who challenges the edicts of Imran Khan

... aka Taliban Khan, who who convinced himself that playing cricket qualified him to lead a nuclear-armed nation with severe personality problems...
.

On Tuesday, an intra-party tribunal headed by Wajihuddin Ahmed, the retired Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court, set up to investigate rigging in PTI's intra-party polls ordered the expulsion of big shots Jehangir Tareen and Nadir Khan Leghari from the party for manipulating the polls that were held before the 2013 general election. Also in the line of fire were Pervaiz Khattak, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
... formerly NWFP, still Terrorism Central...
chief minister, and ex-Lahore party chief Aleem Khan, both of whom were ordered to be stripped from office and barred from re-entry into the party. To this PTI contends that the tribunal was disbanded by party chairman, Imran Khan in the month of April, and thus the order holds no weight, and they are right. According to the standards of the PTI's "democratic" party charter -- in which the chairman holds unfettered and unlimited power to override and reverse any decision -- the contention is correct; PTI members are not bound by the decision, and Wajihuddin can be safely considered a rouge judge. But according to the democratic pretensions of the party and by the notions of accountability and due process that Imran Khan has so often advocated; the whole saga sinks the myth of PTI's democratic nature and shows Imran Khan to be the antithesis of what he purports to be -- an autocratic dictator.

Wajihuddin's tribunal was not disbanded when he concluded his judgement and ordered immediate re-elections -- since massive irregularities were unearthed in the intra-party polls -- his tribunal was disbanded when it summoned Imran Khan to answer why new elections haven't taken place yet. Not only does this show the fact that Imran Khan wilfully chooses to ignore corruption in party ranks, it also shows how he reacts to dissent; effectively silencing it. What legitimacy remains in his pursuit of a favourable Judicial Commission verdict? In one go he has demolished the whole narrative he painstakingly built during the dharna -- with the talk of stolen mandates and accountability -- shooting his already shaky credibility in the foot. With his own house in disarray, what legitimacy does he have to preach reform to others? More shameful is the reaction of the PTI's social media contagion, which spent no time in demonising Wajihuddin and accusing him of conspiring with the PML-N; who, incidentally, only a few months ago was a paragon of integrity and living proof of PTI's honest foundations. Day by day, PTI is being joined by opportunistic electables, while politicians of merit are being chased out for daring to disagree with the mighty Khan.

Link

India-Pakistan

PTI ready to back army action

2014-02-26

[DAWN] The Pakistain Tehrik-e-Insaf
...a political party in Pakistan. PTI was founded by former Pakistani cricket captain and philanthropist Imran Khan. The party's slogan is Justice, Humanity and Self Esteem, each of which is open to widely divergent interpretations....
has said that it will support the army operation if the Taliban refuse to announce an unconditional ceasefire.
Train's left the station. Time to get on board.
The announcement came at a grinding of the peace processorion organised by the students' wing of the party here on Sunday.

The participants, some of them on foot and others on cycle of violences and cars, went from Ichhra to Shama Chowk through Ferozepur Road. They were led by Ejaz Chaudhry, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly Mahmoodur Rashid and Aleem Khan.

Carrying placards, banners and party flags, they called upon the government to quit the US-led 'war on terror' to restore peace in the country.

They also asked the Taliban to stop attacks on Frontier Corps and police.

Addressing the participants, Mr Chaudhry reiterated chairman Imran Khan

... aka Taliban Khan, who ain't the sharpest bulb on the national tree...
's demand that the Taliban must announce an unconditional ceasefire.

Mr Rashid advised the Taliban not to construe the offer for dialogue as a sign of weakness (of the state) and warned that if they did not stop attacking the army, the forces would have the right to counter-attack in its defence.

The party's provincial information secretary, Andleeb Abbas, said if the Taliban were serious about the dialogue they should agree to a ceasefire and ensure that other groups abided by it.

She said the PTI stood by the army, FC and police and would not tolerate a single incident of terrorism against them.

Dr Yasmin condemned the killing of armymen and innocent women and kiddies in terrorist attacks.

Pigeons and balloons were released and the participants recited the national anthem before dispersing.

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