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Ex-PM Khan aide arrested for sedition over ‘threats’ to members of election regulator

Police officials escort the arrested leader of opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, Fawad Chaudhry (C) to present him before a court in Lahore, Pakistan, on January 25, 2023. (AFP)
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Updated 25 January 2023
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Ex-PM Khan aide arrested for sedition over ‘threats’ to members of election regulator

  • Election Commission secretary says Chaudhry Fawad Hussain threatened ECP chief, tried to obstruct state’s electoral process 
  • Lahore high court dismisses plea to 'recover' Hussain, says police did not resort to any 'illegal' action in his arrest
Updated 25 January 2023
Aamir Saeed

ISLAMABAD: Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, a close aide to ex-premier Imran Khan, was arrested early on Wednesday morning in Lahore for alleged sedition, among other charges, over a complaint filed by the secretary of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) accusing the former minister of ‘threatening’ members of the regulatory body, Islamabad police said.

Hussain’s arrest will pit Khan even more squarely against the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif government and the all-powerful military at a time of high political tensions and economic crisis in Pakistan.

Since being ousted from power in a parliamentary no-trust vote, Khan has refused to accept Sharif’s coalition government and campaigned for snap polls, holding protest marches and rallies across the country. In recent months, his relationship with Pakistan’s military, which is widely believed to have propelled his rise to the PM’s office, has also sharply deteriorated as he blames it, and its then army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, of being part of a foreign conspiracy by the United States to remove his government. Washington and the army deny the charge.

Hussain’s arrest was first reported at 616am on Wednesday morning when Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party’s official Twitter account published videos of “police cars” it said were taking away Hussain.

The police case filed against Hussain refers to an interview he gave to the 92 News channel in which the complainant, the secretary of the ECP, says the PTI leader had “threatened the chief election commissioner, other members of the election commission and their families through his speech and tried to obstruct the state’s election process.”

“A permanent threat has been created for the lives of election commission members and their families through this speech … The accused has tried to create a mutiny and differences among the state institutions, so that a wedge should be created between the public and the institutions.”

Charges have been filed against Hussain under sections 153-A (promotion of enmity between groups), 506 (criminal intimidation), 505 (inciting public mischief) and 124-A (sedition) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Hours after his arrest, video footage shared by the PTI showed Hussain surrounded by police officers as supporters threw rose petals on him outside a lower court in Lahore. In response to a reporter’s question about why he had been arrested, the aide said, laughing, as he was led away by policemen:

“Because I have rebelled.”

Speaking from inside the courtroom, Hussain said the case against him was for “disrespecting” the election commission, which was being called “rebellion.”

“The election commission doesn’t want anyone to crticize it. Rebellion is an obligation in this country. The 220 million people of the country should come out and rebel against this system, otherwise your children will be crushed under this system.”

Referring to his handcuffed wrists, he added:

“These handcuffs are my jewelry.”

“SHADY CASE”

Khan and his party have in recent months been at loggerheads with the ECP and its current leadership, which they accuse of being biased in favor of the Sharif government. The ECP denies this. The regulator ruled against Khan in a case late last year related to his failure to disclose wealth earned from the sale of state gifts.

Taqi Jawad, a spokesperson for Islamabad Police, confirmed to Arab News that an FIR had been registered against Hussain at Islamabad’s Kohsar Police Station following a complaint from ECP Secretary Omar Hamid Khan.

“The police have been following the law and procedures to present him [Hussain] before the court of law for a remand,” he said, declining to disclose the exact location of the PTI leader and specify if he was still in Lahore or had been moved to Islamabad.

Hussain’s brother, advocate Faisal Fareed, said under the law, police was obligated to present him in the court within 24 hours of the arrest: “This is a shady case and we will fight it out in court.”

Responding to a petition filed against Hussain’s arrest by a family member, the Lahore High Court directed Punjab Advocate General Chaudhry Muhammad Jawad Yaqub to produce Husain in court even if “he has reached Islamabad”.

But media widely reported that police had already shifted Hussain to Islamabad. Later, reports stated that the high court dismissed the petition to "recover" Hussain after it was informed that a magisterial court in Cantt Lahore approved Fawad's transitory remand. 

The court ruled that the plea was no longer admissible as police had not taken any "illegal" action against the former minister, local media reported. 

Just hours before his arrest, Hussain had held a press conference outside Khan’s Zaman Park residence in Lahore where PTI supporters had gathered in the night between Tuesday and Wednesday morning amid widespread speculation that the ex-PM might be arrested. 

In strongly-worded remarks, Hussain called on police to arrest Khan if they had the “courage and audacity”:

“The PTI’s plan of action [if Khan is arrested] is that there will be protests across Pakistan, we will lock down all cities of Pakistan, Pakistan’s public is standing behind the biggest leader in Pakistan, and god willing, they will get the kind of reaction, the plan of action that they can’t even imagine.”

At 525am, Hussain posted a video on Twitter, showing supporters gathered outside Zaman Park. Media widely reported that he left soon after for his house in Lahore and was arrested from outside the residence.

Hussain’s arrest comes months after another close Khan aide, Dr. Shahbaz Gill, was arrested by police and accused of inciting mutiny against the military. Gill is out on bail. Another PTI leader, Senator Azam Swati, was also arrested and released on bail in multiple cases, including for posting tweets considered to be anti-military.

Analysts say Khan, who was brought to power in a 2018 election with what is widely believed to be the military’s support, had fallen out with the powerful generals in his final months in office. In a recent interview, Khan said his party had “no relationship” with the new army leadership under General Asim Munir, who was appointed the new chief of army staff late last year.

Topics: Chaudhary Fawad Hussain Pakistan Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) PTI Lahore Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan Imran Khan

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Pakistan gears up for PM Sharif’s visit to China in May

Updated 5 sec ago
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Pakistan gears up for PM Sharif’s visit to China in May

  • Planning minister says China has invested $25 billion in infrastructure projects in Pakistan since 2013
  • However, the undertaking has been affected by Pakistan’s financial woes, attacks on Chinese in recent years
Updated 5 sec ago
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is preparing for a possible visit by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to China next month and the 13th meeting of a joint cooperation committee (JCC) on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the Pakistani planning ministry said on Friday.

The statement came after Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal presided over a meeting with regard to the prime minister’s visit and preparations for the 13th JCC meeting.

Sharif is expected to visit China in May to restore Beijing’s confidence in Islamabad with regard to various Chinese-funded projects, Pakistani state media reported this month, citing a senior official.

“The federal minister said that the prime minister’s visit to China will be of great importance and China wishes that the 13th JCC [meeting] is held before this visit,” the Pakistani planning ministry said in a statement.

“So that projects, including five new economic corridors, can be accelerated and the desired results can be obtained from the visit.”

Beijing is investing over $65 billion in energy and infrastructure projects in Pakistan as part of CPEC, a major segment of Beijing’s Belt and Road infrastructure initiative, which will connect China to the Arabian Sea and help Islamabad expand and modernize its economy through a network of roads, railways, pipelines and ports in Pakistan.

Since its initiation in 2013, CPEC has seen tens of billions of dollars funnelled into massive transport, energy and infrastructure projects. But the undertaking has also been hit by Pakistan struggling to keep up its financial obligations as well as militant attacks on Chinese nationals in Pakistan.

From 2013 to 2018, Iqbal said, China invested $25 billion in Pakistan under CPEC that improved economic condition of the country.

He said his government was currently taking steps to implement CPEC projects and was determined to soon complete them.

Topics: Pakistan China Ties China-Pakistan Economic Corridor

Green glamor: Young Pakistani innovators transform electronic waste into fashionable jewelry

Updated 12 min 10 sec ago
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Green glamor: Young Pakistani innovators transform electronic waste into fashionable jewelry

  • Jewelry crafted from electronic scrap appeals to a young demographic that values innovation, ethical lifestyle choices
  • Sameer Asif began to pursue entrepreneurial dream by partnering with a classmate to launch ‘Wired Wonders’ in 2023
Updated 12 min 10 sec ago
Yusra Jabeen

ISLAMABAD: In a room filled with discarded computer components and broken electronic items, 21-year-old Sameer Asif works under a bright fluorescent light, meticulously shaping an old motherboard into a heart-shaped pendant.
His project is more than a hobby; it’s the core of his entrepreneurial dream, “Wired Wonders,” a venture launched in 2023 to transform electronic waste into wearable art.
Jewelry crafted from electronic scrap aligns with a global trend in sustainable fashion, appealing to a young demographic that values innovation, individuality and ethical lifestyle choices.
Despite its niche market appeal, this form of jewelry reflects a growing interest in repurposing materials that would otherwise contribute to landfills, offering a creative solution to the challenge of electronic waste.
For Asif, however, the whole thing began as an accident.
“I was always into arts and crafts as a child,” he told Arab News in a conversation this week. “I enjoyed giving handmade things, and the first-ever necklace I made from a motherboard was also a gift for my friend.”
“She wore it to the university, and people started asking her about it,” he continued. “That’s when we thought this could actually become a business since people were interested in it.”
Asif said he was fascinated by electronics since childhood, using his tools to dismantle sophisticated gadgets to understand how they worked.
“When I was like five or six years old, on my birthday, someone gifted me a toy set of mechanical things,” he recalled. “It had nuts and screws, and it came with a screwdriver. I used that screwdriver to open my brother’s PlayStation 2 which he really loved.”
“I just opened it but couldn’t fit it back,” he recalled with a smile, saying his brother and parents were not pleased with him.
Asif partnered with his friend Maham Usman to launch Wired Wonders, asking her to manage the social media, sales and marketing.
Asked about the challenges of developing a small niche business, Usman said the biggest problem was procuring discarded motherboards that were not readily available.
“There are like one or two scrapyards in Rawalpindi where they sell discarded electronics in bulk,” she said. “To tackle this challenge, we have started a recycling initiative where we ask people to donate the electronic devices they want to dispense with. Not only will this help us with business, but it is also good for the environment.”
Making a single piece of jewelry can take about two hours. The process involves cutting and shaping motherboard pieces, removing the sharp edges and then pouring resin – a transparent, viscous liquid – over it for shine and preservation. Thereafter, the piece is left to dry for 24 hours.
Asked about the prices of their products, the Wired Wonders’ team informed that they ranged from $1.40 to $7.
“The gold and copper in motherboards add unique value to our jewelry,” Usman said.

Topics: Wired Wonders Jewellery

China unveils first Hangor-class submarine developed for Pakistan

Updated 34 min 5 sec ago
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China unveils first Hangor-class submarine developed for Pakistan

  • Islamabad signed agreement for the acquisition of eight submarines during President Xi’s visit to Pakistan
  • Under the contract, four submarines will be built in China, while other four will be built at Karachi Shipyard
Updated 34 min 5 sec ago
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: China on Friday unveiled the first Hangor-class submarine that it has developed for Pakistan, the Pakistani military said.

The Pakistani government had signed an agreement with Beijing for the acquisition of eight Hangor-class submarines during the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Pakistan.

The first of these submarines was launched at a ceremony held at Shuangliu Base in China’s Wuhan, which was attended by Pakistan’s Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf as the chief guest, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations, the Pakistani military’s media wing.

“Under the contract, four submarines will be built in China while the other four will be built at Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works Limited in Pakistan,” the ISPR said in a statement.

“These submarines will be equipped with advanced weapons and sensors to target long-range targets.”

The ISPR said the project would add a new dimension to Pakistan-China friendship. China has been one of Pakistan’s most trusted friends and both countries have worked on a number of joint projects in the field of defense in recent years.

Besides, Beijing is investing over $65 billion in energy and infrastructure projects in Pakistan as part of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a major segment of its Belt and Road Initiative designed to give China a shorter, more secure trading route to the Middle East and beyond, while also boosting Pakistan’s economy.

Since its initiation in 2013, CPEC has seen tens of billions of dollars funnelled into massive transport, energy and infrastructure projects. Beijing has also often provided financial assistance to bail out its often-struggling neighbor in times of a financial crunch.

Topics: Hangor-class submarine submarine

Army chief stresses economic stability as key to national sovereignty at Green Pakistan conference

Updated 26 April 2024
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Army chief stresses economic stability as key to national sovereignty at Green Pakistan conference

  • General Asim Munir says army will continue to support the government with economic development of Pakistan
  • He tells the gathering the military will provide comprehensive national security, work for Pakistan’s collective good
Updated 26 April 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s army chief General Asim Munir emphasized the importance of economic stability for a country to achieve full sovereignty while addressing the Green Pakistan Initiative conference on Friday, adding that his institution would continue to support the government in these efforts.

The initiative was launched as a response to the severe climate change impacts that Pakistan has faced over the years, including droughts, catastrophic floods, and extreme heatwaves. The program aims not only to mitigate the effects of erratic weather patterns by improving forest cover and restoring the ecosystem but also enhance the country’s resilience against future climatic shocks.

Pakistan has witnessed a growing awareness about the nexus between environmental issues and national security, prompting various sectors, including the military, to contribute to such green efforts.

“Pakistan is a blessed land with an industrious and resilient nation which needs to come together for national development,” the military’s media wing, ISPR, quoted the army chief in a statement circulated after the conference.

“Pakistan Army will continue to provide all possible support for the economic development of Pakistan,” he continued while pointing out the efforts of his institution to provide comprehensive national security and work for the collective good of the nation.

The state-owned PTV News reported the army chief warned all those who were trying to stop the country from progressing that their efforts would be wasted.

“In today’s era, the concept of complete sovereignty is not possible without economic stability,” he added.

Senior members of Pakistan’s federal cabinet were also present at the conference.

The participants reviewed the progress made under the initiative, expressing satisfaction that the country had achieved significant milestones under the program by establishing model farms, launching water management schemes and enhancing agricultural productivity.

Topics: Arab News Pakistan COAS Pakistan Army Pakistan Green Pakistan conference

‘Shares on fire’: Pakistan’s key stock index nears 73,000 level after hitting another historic high

Updated 26 April 2024
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‘Shares on fire’: Pakistan’s key stock index nears 73,000 level after hitting another historic high

  • Analysts say the bullish sentiment owes to IMF talks and optimism around Saudi investment, key policy rate cut
  • The benchmark KSE100 index has surged by 8,081 points since January, gaining about 80% in US dollar terms
Updated 26 April 2024
KHURSHID AHMED   

KARACHI: Independent financial experts in Pakistan said on Friday the country’s equity market was on fire as stocks hit another all-time high of 72,739 points amid euphoria surrounding the government’s negotiations with the International Monetary Fund for another loan along with possible Saudi investment and interest rate cut optimism.

The benchmark KSE100 index ended the weekend trading session with a gain of 771.7 points despite a relative decline in the morning. However, the market rebounded in the second half and soared to a new record high, closing at the 72,739 level.

The prevailing positive momentum began at the beginning of the year, making the KSE100 gain 8,081 points since January.

“Pakistan’s share market is on fire,” commented Muhammad Sohail, CEO of Topline Securities. “It is hovering around the 73,000 mark and still soaring.”

Sohail said Pakistani stocks were “leading the pack” with nearly an 80 percent gain in US dollar terms over the past year, maintaining their number one position.

The market on Friday saw selling pressure in the morning but recovered in the second half, mainly due to the fertilizer and banking sectors.

“Initial pressure in the morning session was mainly due to the rollover week,” said Sheheryar Butt, Portfolio Manager at Darson Securities. “Later, the fertilizer sector led the buying spree, helping with the market recovery.”

Other sectors that contributed to the highest ever close included commercial banks, cement and the power sector since they collectively reversed the previous negative close and created a more bullish trend.

“Foreign inflows, a stable rupee, speculation ahead of the central bank policy rate decision on April 29, and firm IMF new loan talks played a key role in the record close,” said Ahsan Mehanti, CEO of Arif Habib Corporation.

The KSE100 index has gained 5.4 percent on a week-on-week (WoW) basis, with many attributing this positivity in the market to investor expectations of an interest rate cut in the upcoming monetary policy meeting on Monday.

The economic indicators also played a major role in the bullish trend of the stock market, particularly the current account number for the month of April which showed a 9-year-high surplus of $619 million.

Additionally, media reports that Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif was going to Saudi Arabia where he would request the kingdom to expedite investment in Pakistan’s oil, gas, and mining sectors also kept the bullish sentiments alive.

“Investors expect that Pakistan’s prime minister will speed up the investment of $5 billion,” Butt said. “If he brings any good news, the market will see it positively.”

The stock market is also expecting that after keeping the policy rate high at 22 percent since June 27, 2023, the central bank will make some changes in its monetary policy statement next week. “Expectations are high this time,” he continued. “The interest rate can come down by 50 to 100 basis points.”

Pakistani stocks have largely witnessed a bullish trend after the country secured $3 billion in short-term financing in July last year to stave off sovereign debt default.

The government is now expecting the final disbursement of $1.1 billion of IMF financing after the approval of its executive board.

A new IMF program being negotiated by the authorities has also led to positive sentiment in the capital market and can lead to another round of bullish spells if and when it materializes.

Topics: PSX Pakistan Pakistan Stock Exchange

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