Reporter/Editor. Pakistan Editor @arabnewspk @arabnews. Ex @reuters. Words in @nytimes @guardian @WashingtonPost @BBC etc. Alum @UWMadison @LifeAtLums.
Jan 4 • 5 tweets • 3 min read
Imran Khan writes from prison: 1/n
Whether elections happen or not, the manner in which I and my party have been targeted since a farcical vote of no confidence in April 2022 has made one thing clear: the establishment—the army, security agencies and the civil bureaucracy—is not prepared to provide any playing field at all, let alone a level one, for PTI.
It was, after all, the establishment that engineered our removal from government under pressure from America, which was becoming agitated with my push for an independent foreign policy and my refusal to provide bases for its armed forces. I was categorical that we would be a friend to all but would not be anyone’s proxy for wars.
2/n
Sep 4, 2023 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
Caretaker Prime Minister @anwaar_kakar met with foreign media journalists today. I asked if he could confirm army chief’s meetings with business leaders in Karachi and reports of $25 billion investment each from Saudi Arabia and UAE under Special Investment Facilitation Council. He confirmed. Gave 2-3 year timeframe for the Saudi/UAE investment, mentioned minerals and mining sectors. 1/n
I asked PM if government would renegotiate IPP contracts in light of the electricity bills crisis and he said at this time it was enough to say that the government was “thoroughly discussing” this option. 2/n
Mar 31, 2022 • 9 tweets • 3 min read
How does a no-confidence vote work in #Pakistan -A thread as parliament begins debate today:
Under constitution, PM is elected by majority of lower house National Assembly, which has 342 members.
A candidate needs a majority of legislators, 172, to vote for him to become PM. 1/n
That is the same number of votes against him in a no-confidence vote needed to oust him & dissolve his cabinet.
So Khan could survive a no-trust even if he got fewer votes than opposition but only if the latter did not get 172 votes that make up a majority in 342-seat house 2/n
Oct 14, 2021 • 12 tweets • 6 min read
At the #NoorMukadam murder case indictment hearing today, #ZahirJaffer spoke openly before the court for the first time. Some of his main quotes in this thread:
“I accept I have committed this crime, now it’s up to you to punish or forgive me," he tells court.
1/n
“We quarrelled, and we both were angry, and this all happened," a somber looking #ZahirJaffer, visibly in low spirits unlike at previous hearings, said before additional sessions judge Atta Rabbani at indictment hearing in #NoorMukadam murder trial
2/n
Apr 14, 2021 • 17 tweets • 5 min read
Over 300 policemen in #Punjab, including 97 in #Lahore, injured, many seriously, after violent protesters attacked them with clubs, bricks and firearms. Gujrat district police officer and Kharian Deputy superintendent of police were among the injured. THREAD ON VIOLENCE 1/n
Hundreds of protesters and policemen injured and thousands of Tehreek-e-Labaik #Pakistan supporters arrested and booked for attacking law enforcement personnel and blocking main roads and highways. 2/n
