Page 6 - Imran Khan

Pakistan polls: Imran Khan calls on US to raise voice over transparency

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has accused the US of not fulfilling responsibility against the anti-Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) measures in Pakistan

Pakistan elections: PTI nominates Mian Aslam Iqbal as Punjab chief minister

Discussions were being held over the nomination of Salaar Khan Kakar as Balochistan CM, according to Dawn report

Imran's PTI announces nationwide protests on Feb 17 against poll 'rigging'

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced "peaceful" protests across the nation on February 17 against the alleged rigging in the general elections conducted on February 8

PTI suffers blow as 3 independent assembly members join opponents in Punjab

Jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party has suffered a blow as three independent members elected to Punjab's provincial assembly backed by it have joined a rival party in the politically important province. On the other hand, Nawaz Sharif-led Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) managed to take eight more independent Members of the Provincial Assembly (MPA)-elect and one Member of the National Assembly (MNA)-elect, who are not backed by the PTI, on board, raising its tally in National Assembly to 80 seats and in Punjab Assembly to over 150. In Punjab, former three-time prime minister Sharif's daughter Maryam Nawaz has been nominated by the PML-N for the slot of chief minister. The three PTI-backed members Punjab Assembly joined hands with Aleem Khan's Istehkham-i-Pakistan Party (IPP). After the resignation of IPP patron-in-chief Jahangir Khan Tareen, Aleem is looking after the affairs of the party that was carved out of Khan's PTI in the wake of th

Our mandate has been stolen in dark of night: Ex-Pak PM Imran Khan's PTI

Jailed former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's party on Wednesday alleged that its mandate has been stolen in the dark of the night after major political parties in the country decided to form a coalition government led by PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif. In a surprise move, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Tuesday night nominated Shehbaz, 72. as the prime ministerial candidate instead of the party supremo and three-time former premier Nawaz Sharif. Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's Central Information Secretary Raoof Hasan said that Imran's mandate has been stolen in the dark of the night. In a post on X, Hasan said, Pakistan is being put on [the] road to further destabilisation. Referring to a possible coalition government led by the PML-N, he said, The decision to induct a bunch of criminals to form governments, who have been rejected by the people, reflects a myopic view of the grave challenges the country is beset with.

Ensure transparency, respect people's will: White House on Pak elections

The White House has called for ensuring a transparent election process in Pakistan and said there is a need to respect the will of the Pakistani people. US President Joe Biden is aware of the elections in Pakistan, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters at her daily news conference on Tuesday. "Obviously, the president is very much aware. Millions of Pakistanis turned out to vote last week, including record numbers of women, members of religious and ethnic minority groups, and young voters," Jean-Pierre said. "So certainly, we congratulate the Pakistani people for participating in last week's elections, including poll workers, civil society members, and journalists and election observers who have protected Pakistan's democratic and electoral institutions," she added.

Imran's party forms special committees to strategise govt formation

Jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's party has established special committees to strategise the government formation at the Centre, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces. Participants during the party's core committee meeting agreed to early completion of the nomination process for important government and parliamentary positions according to the recommendations and strategies proposed by the committees, Dawn News cited a statement as saying on Monday.

'Imran's party to sit in Pak Oppn as he rules out joining coalition'

Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party will not join hands with rival PML-N or the PPP to form a coalition government and would sit in the opposition despite having a majority in the newly elected Parliament, party leader Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has said. Independent candidates, mostly affiliated with Khan's PTI, secured the most parliamentary seats in last week's general election. However, PTI does not have enough seats in the 266-member National Assembly to form a government on its own. We don't feel comfortable with both (Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pakistan Peoples Party) of them. There will be no talks with anyone to make a government or to make a government together with them. It is better to sit in the opposition than to make a government [with them], but we think we have the majority, Gohar Khan told Dawn News. The Election Commission of Pakistan has announced that independent candidates, a majority of them supported by the PTI secured 101 seats, followed by ...

PPP's Bilawal Bhutto withdraws from Pakistan's prime ministerial race

Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Tuesday withdrew from the race for the prime minister, saying that his party would support Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's candidate for the premier's slot without being part of the government. The decision of Bilawal came hours after Pakistan's former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday reaffirmed that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif will become the prime minister for a record fourth time. Addressing a press conference after the meeting of Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP) high-powered Central Executive Committee (CEC), held under his leadership, Bilawal said that his party failed to get a mandate to form a government in the federation.

No democracy can function, no govt can be formed in Pak without Imran

No democracy can function and no government can be formed in Pakistan without jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, a senior party leader asserted on Tuesday as rival political parties were in talks to form a coalition government. Expressing astonishment at reports of a power-sharing formula being discussed between the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party leader Latif Khosa described it as a joke that rival political parties were putting forward such a proposal. The 71-year-old jailed cricketer-turned-politician and PTI founder will have to be brought back, he said. Who are they - who have been rejected by the people - to divide among themselves... No Assembly or Parliament can function without Imran Khan. No democracy can function and no government can be formed with Imran Khan. "So rid yourself of the misunderstanding that by minusing Imran they will be able to operate a democracy or the government. You will hav

Protests erupt in Balochistan over election rigging, army intimidation

The Baloch Raji Aajoi Sangar (BRAS), an alliance of armed pro-independence groups, claimed responsibility for 161 attacks in the 11 days leading up to the election, according to The Balochistan Post

Bilawal's PPP split on whether to join coalition govt or sit on in Oppn

The Bilawal Bhutto-led Pakistan Peoples Party which won the third largest number of seats in the National Assembly in the elections appears to be split on whether to join a coalition government or sit on Opposition benches. The Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the PPP which met in Islamabad to deliberate on the post-poll scenario and proposals regarding the coalition government has decided to reach out to all political parties, including the PTI-backed independents, for a possible power-sharing deal. Addressing a press conference after the CEC meeting on Monday night, Senator Sherry Rehman said, The PPP will approach all (political) parties, and a committee will be set up. The committee will be formed on Tuesday, while the CEC meeting which ended without reaching any final decision will also resume at 3 pm. A highly reliable source within the party said this was the main reason for the party's central executive committee which met on Monday.

UN Secretary General Guterres following Pak polls situation very closely

In the wake of the general elections in Pakistan, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is following the situation in the country very closely and has urged the authorities and political leaders to refrain from violence and avoid actions that could increase tensions. Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, made these remarks at the daily press briefing here on Monday. On the elections in Pakistan, I can tell you that he is indeed following the situation very closely and continuing to monitor the situation following the general elections, Dujarric said while responding to a question on the Secretary-General's reaction to the outcome of last week's election in Pakistan. Guterres calls for resolving all issues and disputes through the established legal frameworks and for human rights and the rule of law to be fully respected in the interest of the people of Pakistan. The Secretary-General urges the authorities, and political leaders to maintain a calm atmosphere and

Pakistan parties' coalition talks hit speed bump over who becomes PM

Pakistan's benchmark stock index fell 2.8% Monday after dropping 1.8% on Friday

Ready to work with any government that takes power in Pakistan: US

The US is ready to work with any government that comes to power in Pakistan, a State Department official said on Monday, amid rumours of horse-trading in the absence of a clear majority after general elections in the country and also the delay in declaring results on all National Assembly seats. Contrary to its earlier claim, the Election Commission of Pakistan on Monday blamed the suspension of Internet and mobile services on February 8 -- when countrywide polling took place -- and said it did "create hindrance" in declaring results promptly. It also claimed that the delay did not harm "any specific political party". In the US, State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters at his daily news conference, "I don't think there is a new Pakistani government yet. I believe there are still discussions going on about the formation of a government." "But one of the things that we have said leading up to the elections, and we'll continue to make clear, is that whoever the ...

Almost dozen Independents declare support to Nawaz Sharif's PML-N

Almost a dozen Independent candidates who won the Pakistan general elections on February 8, joined the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Samaa TV reported on Tuesday

Pak poll panel denies rigging charge but owns up to 'few irregularities'

"Immediate decisions are being taken on complaints filed," the poll panel added in its statement

Pak elections: Nawaz, Bilawal eye new alliance to run federal govt

The leaders of both parties engaged in substantive discussions regarding the prevailing political landscape and the imperative of collaborative efforts for the betterment of the country

Has Pakistan's military finally lost its influence over country's fate?

In often dysfunctional Pakistan, citizens have typically seen the army as a functional and trustworthy institution

Pakistan's old guard parties near coalition deal to thwart Imran Khan

The parties of the Sharif and Bhutto clans "agreed in principle to save the country from political instability," according to a statement posted on X last night