Latest news with #SalmanAkramRaja
Express Tribune
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Lawyers demand release of Imran Khan
A lawyers' convention held in Lahore on Saturday demanded the immediate release of former prime minister Imran Khan and political workers as it urged that all national issues be resolved through dialogue, while calling for avoiding the use of force. A declaration issued after the convention organized by the Lahore High Court Bar and the Lahore Bar's All Pakistan Lawyers Convention also demanded that all political workers "who have been subjected to enforced disappearances outside the constitutional and legal framework" be immediately released. The convention also strongly condemned the recent amendments to the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), stating that these changes violate fundamental rights — freedom of expression and press. "The lawyers also express solidarity with journalists and media workers across Pakistan who are struggling for freedom of speech," the declaration added. The convention also defended Pakistan's rightful claim to water under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), which India unilaterally suspended after a militant attack in held Kashmir on April 22. "The declaration strongly condemns India's attack on Pakistan's sovereignty. The prompt response of the Pakistan Armed Forces, especially the Pakistan Air Force, is highly appreciated," it added. Addressing the convention, senior lawyer Salman Akram Raja earlier said lawyers carry the great responsibility to tell the people that their vote was stolen in the February 2024 elections. "A system built on lies has been imposed on us. The 26th Constitutional Amendment is part of that falsehood. After rigging the elections, there was an attempt to control our courts," he said. Raja, who belongs to Imran Khan's PTI, said those who rigged the elections cannot tolerate democracy in this country. He said for 78 years, democracy has repeatedly been attacked.
Express Tribune
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
PTI rejects CB ruling on military courts
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf outright rejects the Supreme Court's ruling allowing civilians' trial in military courts, saying it will lead to a constitutional crisis. The party urged the chief justice to form a full court to settle the issue. Addressing a press conference in Islamabad following the SC ruling, PTI leader Salman Akram Raja called it "another dark day" for the country, saying the Constitution had been attacked. "It is the darkest day of my career as a lawyer," said Raja, adding, "The entire nation feels sorrow over today's verdict." He said the Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Court had delivered a judgment that undermined the progress of the past 80 years. Referring to Article 175(3), which came into force in 1988 to define the boundaries between the executive and judiciary, he said: "Today's decision has dismantled the very the foundations of the constitutional structure." As per the decision, Army officers will decide the fate of civilians behind closed doors, said Raja, adding, they could award life term or death penalty as per their discretion. He highlighted that Pakistan would be the only country where civilians will be tried in military courts. He said a five-member bench earlier termed military courts unconstitutional and illegal. Then, an appeal was filed in 2023 against the decision. In October 2024, the 26th Constitutional Amendment was passed and a constitutional bench was formed with judges of their choosing, said the PTI leader. He said the CB's decision has deprived Pakistan's citizens of fair trials. On the occasion, Babar Awan said the SC ruling has led to a new constitutional crisis.
Express Tribune
24-03-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
IHC restores two days of meeting with PTI founder
A three-member larger bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday restored the two days of weekly visits to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan but banned the media talks by the visitors after the meeting. The bench, led by Acting Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar and including Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir and Justice Muhammad Azam Khan, said that only those persons could meet Imran whose names would be given by the PTI founder's coordinator Salman Akram Raja. However, the IHC order, instead of settling the matter, created a disagreement among the PTI lawyers, as Faisal Chaudhry opposed the ban on the media talk, and announced to challenge the order in apex court. He termed the order a breach of the right to freedom of speech. The larger bench heard the clubbed petitions related to the visits to the PTI founder. The lawyers for the petitioners' said that the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the prison visits were set in an intra-court appeal, which stated that the family would meet him on Tuesdays and friends on Thursdays. However, they added, the Thursday meetings had been stopped since December. Naveed Malik Advocate, the lawyer for the Adiala Jail superintendent, said that the SOPs were followed till December, until Imran's status changed to a convicted prisoner in January. "Since January, we have been allowing meetings with the PTI founder on Tuesdays as per the Jail Manual, he added. To a court query, Malik added that because of security threats, two meetings were being allowed on Tuesday, instead of on two separate days. "It's difficult to manage two days a week." Malik argued that the jail rules gave the authority to the Adiala Jail superintendent to schedule the meetings. On that Salman Akram Raja, the coordinator for the PTI founder, requested the bench to restore the two weekly meetings. Acting Chief Justice Dogar stated that more than 100 petitions for jail meetings had been filed and about 98 had been disposed of. He added that he wanted the larger bench to settle the matter once, and for all. The acting chief justice pointed out that the visitors used the jail meetings for political purposes as they make political statements just after coming out of the jail after the meetings. What was the need for the media talks, the acting chief justice asked. Later, the court ordered that the PTI founder would have two days of meetings every week. The court further ordered that the names given by the PTI founder's coordinator Salman Akram Raja would be able to meet him, and those having the meeting would not talk to the media after the meeting. Raja assured the court that he would not talk to the media after the jail meetings with the PTI founder. The three-member bench also ordered that application could be filed with the trial court for the PTI founder's meeting with his children. Later, PTI lawyer took to the microblogging website of Twitter, announcing that he would challenge IHC decision. He said that no court could restrict the right to speech of Imran Khan, his family or any other person. He added that IHC order was a clear violation of the Constitution and the law. He also criticised Raja for giving the assurances for no media talks after the meetings. "No person has the right to give such a guarantee on behalf of all that Imran Khan's message cannot reach the public. Any such order will not be acceptable to us," he added. Later, talking to The Express Tribune, Faisal Chaudhry Advocate said that it was highly unfair to place a blanket ban on the fundamental right to freedom of speech. He vowed to challenge the order because it was a violation of the law and the Constitution. Disagreeing with statement of Raja, he said that it could not be taken as a commitment on behalf of all the PTI lawyers. "It's against the law and propriety to put a blanket ban on the message Imran Khan, who is a former prime minister and the leader of the largest political party of Pakistan," he added. However, Raja, in his media talk, explained that the ban on the media talk was only on the friends. The friends, who would meet Imran would not engage in political discussion after the meeting with Imran, he said. "The jail authorities said that there is a risk of instability from the media talk of the friends." Raja said that meeting with lawyers, friends and family was the PTI founder's right and the court made it clear that two meetings would be held on a weekly basis. "We will now give a list of the people for meetings with Imran Khan," he said.
Express Tribune
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
JIT to grill PTI leaders in smear campaign case
In a recent development, the JIT has issued notices to senior PTI leaders and workers as part of an investigation into an alleged smear campaign on social media. Those served with notices include Gohar Ali Khan, Salman Akram Raja, Rauf Hasan, Asad Qaiser, Syed Firdous Shamim Naqvi, Muhammad Hammad Azhar, Aun Abbas, Aliya Hamza, Sheikh Waqas Akram, Kanwal Shauzab, Asif Rasheed, Muhammad Arshad, Sibghat Ullah Virak, Azhar Mashwani, Muhammad Numan Afzal, Jibran Ilyas, Syed Salman Raza Zaidi, Zulfi Bukhari, Musa Virk, Ali Hasnain and others. The federal government has constituted a JIT under Section 30 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016. The team, led by the Inspector General of Police ICT, Islamabad, is investigating whether the accused and their accomplices were involved in an organized effort to spread disorder in Pakistan through a malicious social media campaign.
Express Tribune
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Opp accuses govt of muzzling confab
The grand opposition alliance, Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP), on Wednesday accused the government of pulling the strings behind the scenes to pressure a hotel into revoking permission for the second day of its national conference. Nevertheless, opposition leaders vowed to go ahead with the event, calling the move a desperate attempt to stifle debate. The two-day conference, held at a hotel, brought together opposition leaders to discuss national issues and the prevailing political climate. The meeting was attended by PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, SIC Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Awam Pakistan's Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, MWM's Nasir Shirazi and others. Addressing a news conference alongside other opposition leaders, former prime minister and Awaam Pakistan party president Shahid Khaqan Abbasi blasted the government's actions. "There was nothing against the state or any talk of incitement and only discussions on the Constitution and the rule of law were held. But this government is so afraid of even the mention of the Constitution that it couldn't tolerate a single conference." He alleged that authorities had pressured the hotel administration, warning them of hefty fines and potential closure if the event continued. Despite the conference being held behind closed doors with only a few hundred participants, the government still sought to shut it down. "The hotel administration expressed its helplessness, telling us they were being threatened. We had booked the venue for two days, and this is a national conference on the country's issues. If they were pressured, we asked them to provide written proof," Abbasi said. Calling the government's actions a "sign of failure and weakness," he stressed that the conference would continue as planned. He also took a swipe at the PML-N, pointing out that while the government was spending "billions on advertisements," it was afraid of a single discussion on constitutional matters. "This government is made up of two parties that have ruled for 50 years. We were once part of them. But today, those who once championed democracy are scared of it," he said, calling the coalition's rule a "lust for power" with no real concern for national issues. Opposition leader Omar Ayub also slammed the government, calling the situation a clear attempt to suppress democratic discourse. "We are talking about strengthening the country, yet the hotel administration told us they were under pressure. When we asked from whom, they said, 'You are wise enough to understand.'" Ayub sarcastically suggested that the pressure could be coming from "Gog and Magog, angels, or intelligence officials," but left no doubt about where the orders were coming from. He warned that if the government continued to obstruct the conference, he would "directly knock on the chief justice of Pakistan's door as the opposition leader". He recalled that opposition leaders had recently met the top judge to highlight the "lack of rule of law in the country," adding that the authorities' attempts to block the conference were proof of this. TTAP chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai reaffirmed the alliance's commitment, vowing to continue "this sacred battle" against unconstitutional forces. He said that TTAP was "a natural and organic alliance," unlike previous political coalitions. During the conference's earlier session, Abbasi accused the ruling coalition of betraying their past commitments to democracy. "These are the same people who used to say exactly what I am saying today. For years, they spoke of democracy and the rule of law. But today, they are the ones dismantling the judiciary, suppressing free speech, and fueling political anarchy," he said. He warned that when political leaders "sell their conscience" and abandon their principles, governance collapses. He also denounced the recently introduced Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act 2025 (Peca), suggesting it was part of a broader strategy to stifle free expression. "Now, even talking about the Constitution is forbidden. Laws are being made to silence voices and weaken the judiciary," he lamented. Abbasi urged the public to raise their voices for constitutional supremacy and democratic integrity. "This is an open forum, and defending democracy is everyone's responsibility," he asserted. Despite political differences, he said all opposition parties stood united in their commitment to "the supremacy of the Constitution, the rule of law, and judicial independence".
