ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), on Thursday, approached the Supreme Court seeking guidance about 41 parliamentarians who contested the general elections 2024 as independent candidates.

The ECP has notified 39 returned MNAs as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers following the Supreme Court’s order on the reserved seats case.

The application submitted by ECP in the Supreme Court Registrar’s Office as the eight judges order said; “In case the Commission or PTI need any clarification or order so as to give effect to this para in full measure, it shall forthwith apply to the Court by making an appropriate application, which shall be put up before the judges constituting the majority in chambers for such orders and directions as may be deemed appropriate.”

The Commission mentioned that according to its record the PTI has no party structure and Barrister Gohar Ali Khan is not PTI chairman, therefore, sought Supreme Court’s guidance.

They declared that out of the 80 returned candidates (now MNAs) in respect of whom the Commission has shown “PTI” in any one of the columns in the List, provided by ECP, were and are the returned candidates whose seats were and have been secured by the PTI within the meaning, and for purposes of provision of Article 51.

They further ordered that any of the remaining 41 returned candidates out of the 80 may, within 15 working days of this Order file a statement duly signed and notarized stating that he or she contested the General Election as a candidate of the political party specified therein. If any such statement(s) is/are filed, the Commission shall forthwith but in any case within seven days thereafter give notice to the political party concerned to file, within 15 working days, a confirmation that the candidate contested the General Election as its candidate.

The Commission shall also forthwith issue, and post on its website, a list of the retuned candidates (now MNAs) and seats to which this para applies within seven days after the last date on which a political party may file its confirmation and shall simultaneously file a compliance report in the Court.

The number of general seats secured by PTI shall be the total of the seats declared. The PTI shall be entitled to reserved seats for women and minorities in the National Assembly accordingly. PTI shall, within 15 working days of this Order file its lists of candidates for the said reserved seats and the provisions of the Elections Act, 2017 (including in particular Sec 104) and the Elections Rules, 2017 shall be applied to such lists in such manner as gives effect to this Order in full measure.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: The opposition leader in National Assembly Omar Ayub said on Thursday that the party founding chairman Imran Khan has asked the nation “to get ready for new elections.”

Talking to journalists, Ayub, who is also PTI secretary general said that “the nation should get ready for new elections because they will lead to the country's development.”

“The incumbent regime has failed and has pushed the military against PTI and the masses,” noting that Imran Khan urged the nation to get ready for fresh elections.

He relayed Imran Khan’s message to army chief General Asim Munir, claiming that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the incumbent regime aim to create a rift between the Pakistan Army and PTI.

“The army chief should understand that Shehbaz Sharif [prime minister] wants to pit the military and the masses against each other,” he added.

He claimed that 90 percent masses stand behind PTI.

He also pointed out the alleged disappearance of footage from the May 9 protests at the Corps Commander’s House and GHQ.

Ayub noted that footage from the March 14 raid at Zaman Park and the March 18 incident at the judicial complex is also missing, which he explained, has prompted Imran to seek legal action.

He stated that the Islamabad commissioner had cancelled PTI’s rally permit, but PTI plans to hold another rally on August 5, led by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur.

He said that during the meeting with the party supremo, PTI members proposed names for reserved seats to Imran, who suggested that women who stood firm during challenging times should be given these seats.

Kanwal Shauzab will finalise the details, he added.

Ayub stated that the press conference held by the DG ISPR highlighted the government's failure.

“The DG ISPR had to address a presser as both the interior and foreign ministers were missing and this is the reason the DG ISPR had to speak on their behalf,” he regretted.

He also called for the Chief Election Commissioner and provincial commissioners to resign, accusing them of misinterpreting the apex court's decision.

At a hunger strike camp outside the Parliament House, Ayub emphasised that General Asim Munir should understand the government's attempt to pit the military against PTI and the people.

The symbolic hunger strike of the party continued for the third consecutive day. The participants said that they would continue the strike till Imran Khan and other party leaders are released from the jails.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: BMI, a Fitch Solutions company has predicted that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz-led government will remain in power over the coming 18 months and will succeed in pushing through with the International Monetary Fund (IMF)-mandated fiscal reforms.

“In the unlikely event that the government is replaced, the most likely alternative is a military backed technocratic administration rather than fresh elections,” it added.

In a report, “Pakistan Country Risk Report”, the rating agency noted that despite several successful legal appeals, opposition leader Imran Khan will remain imprisoned for the foreseeable future.

It further stated that the risks to growth outlook are heavily weighted to the downside. Pakistan’s economy remains very fragile in the face of external shocks. Given that 40 percent of Pakistanis work in agriculture, another flood or drought would pose a significant risk to the economy.

The country’s fragile political situation could also derail the recovery. While Pakistan’s establishment parties were successful in creating a new coalition government following the February election, the strong electoral performance of independent candidates backed by jailed opposition leader Imran Khan suggests that there is significant dissatisfaction with the current political elite. Another round of protests in urban areas could disrupt economic activity.

As we had predicted, economic activity in Pakistan was stronger than most analysts had expected in FY2023/24 (July 2023-June 2024).

Economic growth in Pakistan will accelerate from 2.4 percent in FY2023/24 to 3.2 percent in FY2024/25, driven by monetary easing, improved agricultural output and slowing inflation. Risks are heavily weighted to the downside, the report noted.

“We think that Pakistan’s current account deficit will remain small but will widen from 0.8 percent of GDP in FY2023/2024 to 1.0 percent of GDP in FY2024/2025. The slightly wider overall deficit will be due to a larger trade deficit, which will widen from 7.5 percent of GDP in FY2023/2024 to 7.7 percent of GDP in FY2024/25. Risks are weighted towards a wider deficit, which could be caused by a jump in oil prices or lower-than-expected grain production. Pakistani policymakers have had more success than we had expected in stabilising the rupee, and we now think that the big falls in the currency are behind us.”

It further stated that the rupee will only weaken a touch over the remainder of 2024, slipping from PKR 278/USD to PKR 290/USD. Risks remain weighted heavily towards a larger rather than a smaller depreciation. Easing inflation in Pakistan will provide the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) with the space to cut its key policy rate from 22.00 percent to 16.00 percent in 2024. We expect that policymakers at the SBP will continue to loosen policy over the longer term, to 14.00 percent by end of 2025. The key risk to this forecast is towards faster-than-expected inflation, which would cause policymakers to slow their easing cycle.

“We expect that Pakistani policymakers will miss their ambitious budget targets, but we still expect that the deficit will narrow, slipping from 7.4 percent in FY2023/24 to 6.7 percent of GDP in FY2024/25. Provided that the government remains on the current policy trajectory, the country will probably succeed in negotiating a longer-term deal with the IMF. Risks remain weighted towards a much larger deficit. The economic recovery is fragile and another shock would quickly push up the cost of servicing Pakistan’s large government debt burden,” the report noted.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif skipped an important session as the National Assembly on Friday passed a counter resolution condemning a recent resolution by the United States House of Representatives, calling for a probe into the February 8 controversial elections.

Minutes before the resolution was moved in the house by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) member Shaista Pervaiz Malik, the prime minister left the house, while his deputy Ishaq Dar, who is also the foreign minister, remained seated, leaving the matter to the party’s benchers.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) members opposed the resolution tooth nail and shouted full-throated slogans of “probe into cypher” – a diplomatic cable sent to the then prime minister Imran Khan.

The PTI members tore apart the copies of the resolution and tossed them in the air and kept shouting “cypher!”, “who will save Pakistan, Imran Khan! Imran Khan!” etc.

Pakistan questions timing after US lawmakers call for probe into general elections

A day ago, while speaking in the National Assembly, the deputy prime minister Dar had expressed anger over the resolution by the United States House of Representatives.

However, on Friday, neither Dar nor any other senior minister bothered to introduce the counter resolution in the house nor minced a single word, and instead allowed the party backbenchers to speak on the government-sponsored counter resolution.

Shaista Pervaiz Malik, the party’s female MNA elected on a seat reserved for women, read out the resolution and said that the US resolution displayed a complete ignorance of Pakistan’s electoral process.

“The house takes notice of the resolution passed by the US House of Representatives concerning Pakistan,” she declared.

She argued that such interference in Pakistan’s internal affairs was inappropriate and unbecoming of global powers, adding, “This kind of meddling in our country’s internal matters is unacceptable.”

“It is not appropriate for any global power to interfere in the internal affairs of another country.”

Amid opposition uproar, Malik responded by highlighting the global violations of human rights. “Just as we condemn human rights violations around the world, we should denounce this interference,” she added.

“It is shameful that Pakistan’s sovereignty is under attack and some among us are encouraging this assault. It is regrettable that foreign powers are meddling in our internal matters, and we must deter them,” she added.

Malik urged everyone to condemn these actions, saying “we should all denounce these steps, but some are supporting foreign interference, which questions our nation’s sovereignty.”

Shagufta Jumani, a Pakistan People’s Party MNA elected on seats reserved for women, said that those who are not supporting this resolution have no right to call themselves Pakistanis.

“This is our country, and they should stop interfering,” she said amid opposition members’ “Cipher! Cipher! Shame! Shame!,” slogans.

At the onset of the session, the PTI-backed SIC lawmakers condemned the recent statement by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, in which, he “irresponsibly” declared that Pakistan would carry out cross-border strikes in Afghanistan to target terrorists.

Speaking on a point of order, the opposition leader in NA, Omar Ayub said that condemned the defence minister’s statement and also sought an apology from him, saying such reckless rhetoric is not only inflammatory but also endangers the fragile peace and brotherly relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

“Khawaja Asif’s statement has the potential to escalate tensions and spark a wave of terrorism, reversing the efforts made towards regional stability and peace,” Omar Ayub said.

“Our focus should be on dialogue and collaboration with our Afghan brothers to combat terrorism, not on threats of unilateral military action,” insisted the opposition leader. Another senior PTI leader Asad Qaiser said that Khawaja Asif’s statement is not just irresponsible, it is a dangerous provocation that threatens to destabilize our region further.

“Cross-border strikes are not a solution to the menace of terrorism. They will only exacerbate the situation and lead to further loss of innocent lives on both sides of the border,” he added.

Qaiser called for working together to ensure peace and security in the region, respecting each other’s sovereignty and fostering mutual trust.

Responding to the opposition, Asif said that terrorism is being exported from Afghanistan to Pakistan, and asserted Pakistan’s right to respond in kind.

“Two days ago, I mentioned that terrorism is being exported from Afghanistan to our land, and there is evidence of terrorist hideouts there. We also have the right to retaliate in defence of our people,” he added.

He said that if both countries want to maintain brotherly relations, nothing could be better, adding Asad Qaiser and the opposition should not politicise this issue as “it concerns our blood”.

He said that if they choose to side with terrorists, it will be clear that they support terrorism, alleging the PTI has ties with the Taliban and had brought 6,000 members of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to Pakistan.

This angered the PTI lawmakers, who staged a token walkout from the house, saying the minister should think twice before making allegations against a political party.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch sharply criticised a resolution passed by the US House of Representatives on Friday. Resolution 901 calls for an investigation into Pakistan’s February elections, which were contested by former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party.

Baloch called the resolution “unsolicited interference” based on a “misunderstanding” of Pakistan’s political process.

She emphasised that Pakistan values its relationship with the US but stressed that “bilateral relations should be based on mutual respect and sovereign equality.”

FO terms US Congress’ resolution ‘unconstructive’

The timing of the resolution, Baloch added, is “not conducive” to the current positive trajectory of US-Pakistan ties.

Pakistan, Baloch reiterated, seeks to build trust with the US through “non-interference in each other’s domestic affairs.”

The press briefing also addressed the situation in Kashmir. Baloch expressed concern about the “continued suppression of democratic rights” of Kashmiri people under Indian administration. She condemned the oppressive measures by Indian authorities, which she said violate fundamental freedoms of assembly and association.

On Afghanistan, Baloch confirmed Pakistan’s participation in the upcoming Doha talks. She emphasised Pakistan’s respect for Afghan sovereignty but also called on the Afghan government to take action against terrorist groups responsible for attacks in Pakistan. Baloch urged Afghanistan to eliminate “terrorist hideouts” that destabilise the region, fulfilling its commitments to the international community.

To a question, the spokesperson said Pakistan will participate in the Doha-III meeting on Afghanistan. She said Pakistan will be represented by Special Representative on Afghanistan Ambassador Asif Durrani and Ambassador to Afghanistan Obaidur Rehman Nizamani in the talks.

She categorically denied reports of an exchange of letters between Pakistan and India, stating that such claims are purely speculative and often propagated by Indian media without basis.

A few days ago, she said that the Indian authorities banned the elections of Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association (JKHCBA), and arrested former president of the Bar Association, Mian Qayoom.

Earlier, on the occasion of Eidul Adha, the Kashmiris were not allowed to congregate at Srinagar’s historic Jamia Mosque and Eid Gah for the Eid prayers.

The prayer leader and prominent Kashmiri leader, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, was also placed under house arrest.

Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said the government has appointed Additional Foreign Secretary (Middle East and SIFC) Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh as Pakistan’s Ambassador to Washington.

She further said that Asim Iftikhar, currently serving as Pakistan’s Envoy in France, has also been appointed as Pakistan’s Additional Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

WASHINGTON: The United States has once again stressed Pakistan to fulfil its “constitutional and International responsibilities and respect human rights and fundamental freedoms.”

These remarks were made by State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller in his weekly press briefing in Washington.

During his media talk, he urged Pakistan to respect freedom of expression and right to hold peaceful public gathering.

However, Miller restrained from commenting on recently passed resolution by the US House of Representatives on Pakistan’s elections and said: “But speaking generally, our most senior officials – including Secretary Blinken and Ambassador Blome – have consistently both privately and publicly urged Pakistan to respect the rights of its people and live with its constitutional and international obligations.

We continuously urge the Government of Pakistan to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the freedoms of expression, association, peaceful assembly, and religion, as well as the rights of marginalized populations such as women and religious minorities.”

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Affairs Ministry states US House of Representatives’ Resolution 901 on the political situation in Pakistan stems from an incomplete understanding of the political situation and electoral process in Pakistan.

In response to media queries regarding the passage of the House Resolution 901 by the US House of Representatives on 25 June 2024, Spokesperson, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said: “Pakistan has taken note of the passage of the House Resolution 901 by the US House of Representatives on June 25.

We believe that the timing and context of this particular resolution does not align well with the positive dynamics of our bilateral ties, and stems from an incomplete understanding of the political situation and electoral process in Pakistan.”

Pakistan, as the world’s second-largest parliamentary democracy and fifth-largest democracy overall, is committed to the values of constitutionalism, human rights and the rule of law in pursuance of our own national interest, she maintained.

She further states, “We believe in constructive dialogue and engagement based on mutual respect and understanding. Such resolutions are therefore neither constructive nor objective. We hope that the US Congress will play a supportive role in strengthening Pakistan-US ties and focus on avenues of mutual collaboration that benefit both our peoples and countries.”

On Wednesday, the United States (US) House of Representatives approved a resolution supporting democracy and human rights in Pakistan, urging an impartial investigation into claims of irregularities in the country’s February 8 general elections.

A total of 368 members voted in favour of the resolution, calling for a full and independent investigation of claims of interference or irregularities in Pakistan’s February 2024 election.

The House Resolution 901 asked the representatives to vote if they wanted to “express support for democracy and human rights in Pakistan. Seven members voted against it.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

In response to a US resolution calling for a probe into Pakistan’s general elections, Islamabad on Wednesday said the timing and context of the resolution “does not align well with the positive dynamics” of the bilateral ties between the two countries.

The statement comes mere hours after the United States House of Representatives voted on Tuesday in favour of an impartial investigation into the general elections held this year in February in Pakistan.

“Pakistan has taken note of the passage of the House Resolution 901 by the U.S. House of Representatives on June 25,” said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement on Wednesday. “We believe that the timing and context of this particular resolution does not align well with the positive dynamics of our bilateral ties, and stems from an incomplete understanding of the political situation and electoral process in Pakistan.”

US concerned about reports of intimidation, voter suppression in Pakistan election, White House says

“Pakistan, as the world’s second-largest parliamentary democracy and fifth-largest democracy overall, is committed to the values of constitutionalism, human rights and rule of law in pursuance of our own national interest.

“We believe in constructive dialogue and engagement based on mutual respect and understanding. Such resolutions are therefore neither constructive nor objective. We hope that the U.S Congress will play a supportive role in strengthening Pakistan-U.S ties and focus on avenues of mutual collaboration that benefit both our peoples and countries,” the statement added.

House Resolution 901

A total of 368 US lawmakers had earlier voted in favour of the resolution which called for “full and independent investigation of claims of interference or irregularities in Pakistan’s February 2024 election.”

The resolution condemned “attempts to suppress the people of Pakistan’s participation in their democracy, including through harassment, intimidation, violence, arbitrary detention, restrictions on access to the Internet and telecommunications, or any violation of their human, civil, or political rights”.

It also urged the government to uphold democratic and electoral institutions, human rights, and the rule of law. It asked the government to respect the fundamental guarantees of due process, “freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and speech of the people of Pakistan”.

Questions have been raised about the fairness of the February 8 election both inside Pakistan as well as in major foreign capitals.

The United States, Britain and the European Union separately expressed concerns about Pakistan’s electoral process and urged a probe into reported irregularities back then.

The main battle in the elections was between former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s party and candidates backed by ex-prime minister Imran Khan who is currently incarcerated.

Both declared victory separately.

Elections were held for 265 seats in the national assembly and a political party needed 133 seats for a simple majority.

Subsequently, Shehbaz Sharif took oath as the new prime minister after his party PML-N formed an alliance with PPP.

Text of House Resolution 901

Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

(1) affirms its strong support for democracy in Pakistan, including free and fair elections reflecting the will of the people of Pakistan;

(2) calls on the President and the Secretary of State to work with the Government of Pakistan to ensure democracy, human rights, and the rule of law are upheld;

(3) urges the Government of Pakistan to uphold democratic institutions, human rights, and the rule of law, and respect the fundamental guarantees of due process, freedom of press, freedom of assembly, and freedom of speech of the people of Pakistan;

(4) condemns attempts to suppress the people of Pakistan’s participation in their democracy, including through harassment, intimidation, arbitrary detention, or any violation of their human, civil, or political rights; and

(5) condemns any effort to subvert the political, electoral, or judicial processes of Pakistan.

Read full text of the resolution here.

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Imran Khan has prayed to the Supreme Court to hear his petition to form a judicial commission to probe alleged rigging and irregularities in general elections 2024, preferably on June 25.

The founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Friday filed an application for an early hearing of his petition through his counsel Hamid Khan. Imran in March this year had filed the petition under Article 184 (3) of the constitution citing Federation through the Ministry of Law and Justice, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) as respondents.

He stated the constitution casts duty upon the ECP to hold free, fair and transparent elections, but it failed to perform its duties as given in Articles 218 and 219.

The counsel said that the elections having been rigged and manipulated, denying political justice to the people of Pakistan those genuinely elected, and in order to give powers to the “true public representatives” it needs to be investigated by appointing a judicial commission consisting of a serving Supreme Court judge.

He mentioned that during the hearing of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) amendments case, on 31 May 2024, he appeared before the court from Adiala Jail via video link and requested for fixation of two petitions related to violation of human rights, as well as, alleged massive rigging during the February 8 elections; whereupon Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa inquired about his legal representation. He replied that Hamid Khan was his counsel. The chief justice then said that Hamid Khan was a senior counsel and knew how to fix the matter, hence this application for an early hearing.

An important constitutional question of great public importance is involved, but the case has not been fixed since its filing, said the petitioner, praying that the case be fixed on 25-06-24.

Imran in his petition also prayed: “All consequential acts of the forming governments at the federal and Punjab levels be immediately suspended until the commission makes the probe public.” It demanded orders, directions, and relief be granted in the “best interest of the nation, its electoral mandate, and Constitutional dispensation”.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: The electoral entity has reserved its verdict on a petition from three PML-N lawmakers for changing the election tribunal that hears the case involving alleged rigging on three National Assembly seats of Islamabad in the general elections that the N-Leaguers won.

During the case hearing on the second consecutive day, the defence side, Friday, questioned the legal authority of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to change the ET.

After the conclusion of arguments from both sides, the bench reserved its verdict.

Earlier on Tuesday, the ECP declared as maintainable a petition from Anjum Aqeel Khan, Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and Raja Khurram Nawaz for changing the ET that is hearing Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) petition regarding alleged foul play on three NA seats, NA 46, 47 and 48, which Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) candidates won in February 8 general elections.

It merits mentioning here that Islamabad High Court (IHC) judge Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri, who is the ET judge for three NA seats from the federal capital, is hearing the petition of PTI leaders regarding alleged rigging on three Islamabad NA seats in general elections.

On the night of February 8, when the results of the general polls were being announced, the PTI-backed candidates were leading the poll charts with heavy margins against their respective electoral rivals in different constituencies across the country when the ECP’s much-hyped Election Management System (EMS) suddenly broke down— and the poll body stopped the announcement of results. Several hours later, when the EMS was restored, the PTI-candidates lost the polls, as per the ECP results.

The ECP is since under fire from public and political circles, as well as, international stakeholders over allegedly massive rigging in the general polls. Several mainstream political parties and international observers have demanded a comprehensive audit of these elections. The ECP has rejected the poll rigging allegations.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has fixed for hearing a case involving failure, on part of some 40 political parties, in submitting their general elections expenses details, and has fixed the related case for hearing on Wednesday.

Pakistan Muslim League Quaid (PML-Q), Balochistan National Party–Mengal (BNP-M), Awami National Party (ANP), Pakistan Peoples Party-Shaheed Bhutto (PPP-SB), Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Nazriati (PTI-N) are among the notable political parties notices have been issued to - for Wednesday hearing - reveals the cause list issued by the electoral body.

The political parties are required to furnish to the ECP the details of their general elections’ expenses within 60 days of the polls.

Rule 161 (1) of the Election Rules 2017 provides that every political party taking part in general elections shall furnish to the Commission details of the election expenses incurred by it during that elections: “Provided that such detail of election expenses shall also contain the list of contributors who donated or contributed an amount equal to or more than one hundred thousand rupees to the political party for its election campaign expenses.”

The Rule 161(2) provides that the details of election expenses shall be submitted by the political party within 60 days of the publication of the names of returned candidates in the official gazette.

Meanwhile, the Commission has fixed the “controversial” PTI intra-party elections case for hearing on Thursday. The hearing of this case was previously scheduled on May 30 but was deferred reportedly due to the unavailability of the bench hearing this case.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: Jailed former prime minister Imran Khan said on Thursday February’s national election was stolen from his party, describing it as the “biggest robbery of a public mandate”.

Khan, speaking in the Supreme Court via video link from Adiala Jail in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, said he was being held in solitary confinement.

His remarks were the first to be heard in open court since he was jailed in August.

“My party is being victimised. There have been gross human rights violations,” Khan said. “The February 8 election was the biggest robbery of a public mandate.”

New cases: lawyer says IK seeks live streaming of hearings

The Election Commission has denied the election was rigged.

Khan, a 71-year-old cricketer-turned-politician, was jailed on corruption charges. He is also fighting dozens of other cases.

He and his Pakistan Tehree-e-Insaf Party (PTI) say the charges were politically motivated to thwart his return to power.

Candidates backed by Khan won the most seats in February’s election but fell short of a majority required to form a government. His opponent Shehbaz Sharif became prime minister in a coalition government with several other parties.

Khan was allowed by the top court to appear and plead petitions he had filed against amendments in the country’s anti-graft laws, which he claims was made to favour corrupt politicians.

The court, however, turned down his request to live-stream the proceedings. It said it was not a public interest case, according to a Reuters reporter inside the court room.

Khan has previously been speaking to a select group of reporters who are allowed to cover his closed-door trials conducted inside the jail.

His aides have been conveying his messages after visiting him and his social media accounts remain active, but it is unclear who is operating them.

He has faced numerous cases since his ouster in 2022 in a parliamentary vote of confidence, which he alleged was backed by the powerful military after he had fallen out with the army generals. The army denies the accusations.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday dismissed British High Commissioner Jane Marriott’s criticism of the court’s ruling regarding Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) election symbol as “unjustified”.

The Supreme Court responded to comments made by Marriott at the Asma Jehangir conference in a letter written by the Registrar of the Supreme Court on the orders of the Chief Justice of Pakistan.

PTI loses bat symbol in major blow ahead of elections

The removal of the bat symbol from PTI by the Supreme Court has been met with criticism.

At the Asma Jahangir conference last month, Marriot expressed concerns about Pakistan’s elections on February 8th.

“…not all parties were formally permitted to contest the elections and that legal processes were used to prevent some political leaders from participation, and to prevent the use of recognizable party symbols,” the top diplomat from Britain had stated.

As the Supreme Court of Pakistan explained, all decisions were made according to the country’s constitution and laws.

The letter said that the top court’s decision concerning the PTI’s “bat” symbol was also made following the constitution and law, adding that any criticism in this regard is unjustified.

Restoration of electoral symbol to PTI: ECP approaches SC against PHC’s decision

As the letter stated, the decision to remove the symbol was based on the fact that the party had not held intra-party elections as required by law.

The letter also referred to the fall of the Mossadegh government in Iran and the Balfour Declaration, emphasizing the necessity to acknowledge past wrongdoings.

The letter noted that the SC has admitted to and corrected its prior errors to prevent them from happening again.

The PTI lost its “bat” symbol just days before the general elections after the Supreme Court reversed a ruling rendered by the Peshawar High Court (PHC). The court ruled that the party could not demonstrate that it had held internal party elections, much less transparent ones.

KARACHI: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Pakistan Amir Engr Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, on Thursday, dismissed demands for fresh elections, instead calling for the formation of a new government based on the results of the February 8 polls, as reflected in Form 45. "A re-election in the prevailing circumstances will make no big difference," he told a group of media persons at a local hotel.

He dubbed the incumbent coalition rule in the country a "fake Form 47 government”, saying that it was imposed on the nation like "a fake mayor was imposed on Karachi". He vowed to continue ‘Karachi Rights Movement’ to highlight the problems of the megacity and its people.

"The JI emerged as the single largest party in the local government elections, whereas the general elections saw further rise in its electoral support in Karachi," he claimed.

He said the MQM failed to win a single seat in Feb 8 polls as per the Form 45 across the metropolis, but instead it was declared a victorious party with huge 15 seats for the national assembly.

He said that Karachi, which is known as a mini Pakistan, is running the entire country with its revenues and trade, but it is forced in a dictatorial way to recognise "goons and unelected representatives”.

Hafiz Naeem regretted for ever rising civic and economic issues of Karachi, saying "the city once called a financial and trade hub has gradually grown as the hub of problems with the soaring law and order and infrastructure depletions".

Warning about the looming unrest amongst the people of Karachi, he said that the ruling power in the country has widely failed to sense the changing public views about their negative policies hurting everyone.

He said that coercive actions will fail if applied to change the public opinions, saying that the JI unlike the ruling elite is all aware of the situation and is making efforts to soothe the angry public who are faced with daily problems.

The JI Pakistan Chief also raised the long-running electricity load shedding problem along with rising street crime, water shortage, and other issues in Karachi and held the ruling PPP responsible for them.

"Electoral and other reforms may prove vital to help the society grow out of its problems and find the course of development," Hafiz Naeem acknowledged and proposed a proportional electoral representation in this regard.

About the situation in Gaza, he said that the government should have played an active role for the cause and people of Palestine. "The US and other western nations have been supporting Israel openly but unfortunately the Muslim world has adopted a criminal silence on Gaza," he added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: The ‘independents’ associated with former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party won more votes than any other group and have formed a sizable opposition in the National Assembly, says the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The Fund in its latest report on Pakistan stated that in March 2024, a newly-elected government came into power after almost seven months of a caretaker government, which continued the steadfast implementation of the SBA just as was agreed between the outgoing elected government and the Fund.

The current coalition government consists of almost the same political parties which despite heavy political cost implemented all the actions committed under the EFF program and approved all the prior actions under the SBA.

The return of the outgoing government to power after the elections means a continued commitment to the reform agenda agreed at the time of the SBA.

This not only means a higher likelihood for the continuity of reforms but also political stability for the next five years.

Although the elections were followed by litigation against the election results in some constituencies at the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and superior courts, the initial decisions in the favour of the sitting government have reinforced legitimacy and stability to the constitutional and political system of the country.

The socio-political tensions have attenuated following the elections and confidence has returned following the Staff Level Agreement (SLA) for the completion of the second review.

Following the February 8 elections, a new cabinet was sworn in on March 11.

The two leading parties of the previous government (April 2022-August 2023), the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), together with some small parties formed a new coalition, and Shehbaz Sharif (PML-N) was elected as prime minister.

Independents associated with former prime minister Imran Khan’s PTI party won more votes than any other group and have formed a sizable opposition in the National Assembly.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

EDITORIAL: Three months after the general elections that were expected to presage easing of all political uncertainty paving the way for economic stability that all stakeholders and associated media pundits insisted would be a key factor in turning the economy around are having to deal with a major wheat scam that has Punjab farmers protesting on the streets, the acceptance by the State Bank of Pakistan that there were mistakes in the Urdu text on currency notes only after it was pointed out by the ombudsman and one conflict arising from the Punjab police heavy-handedness against the lawyers.

The wheat scam, in a nutshell, can be traced back to the decision by the caretaker finance minister, no doubt supported by the caretaker prime minister who kept portfolio of National Food Security and Research, to allow the private sector to import wheat at a time when the projected target for the coming season was enough to meet the country’s consumption needs.

The decision to import wheat, farmers lament, has disabled the Punjab government from procuring wheat and compelled them to sell at prices way below their costs. Disturbingly, the caretaker finance minister has reportedly refused to appear before the inquiry committee and the caretaker prime minister is defending his government’s decision by insisting that he operated on information available at the time and that by allowing the private sector to import his government was not doling out cash for the purchase.

That is certainly true; however, two observations are in order: (i) the decision to import was taken at a time when foreign exchange reserves were extremely scarce and import restrictions were in place to strengthen balance of payment position; and (ii) the state funds used for wheat procurement by PASSCO (Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation) or TCP (Trading Corporation of Pakistan), are earmarked in the budget; however, they are recovered as and when the government releases its stock of wheat purchased from the farmers.

The wheat scam therefore indicates that the caretakers were at best not knowledgeable enough about the matter and inadvertently allowed the current impasse or at worst deliberately incentivised the private sector for material gain. Either way, this must bring it home to parliamentarians that the caretaker mechanism must be abandoned.

Some heads should have rolled as far as SBP’s (State Bank of Pakistan’s) faux pas is concerned. While usually the head of an institution resigns even if he has no direct involvement in a mistake having occurred; however, in a country where passing on the buck by members of the executive, bureaucracy, and hard won constitutional positions like the governorship of the SBP, is the norm resignations are rare. One would hope that the SBP takes appropriate measures to ensure that its review mechanism functions better than it clearly did in this instance.

And finally, the clash between the lawyers and the police in Lahore was reminiscent of similar scenes during past administrations. The Chief Minister of Punjab stated on X, formerly twitter, that she had not directed the police to arrest lawyers.

While Business Recorder is not a supporter of violence by lawyers (wukala gardi) yet it is unclear whether the Punjab Chief Minister discussed the matter with the provincial law minister or bothered to find out exactly who summoned the police (reportedly it was the Chief Justice of Lahore High Court) and who gave the orders to use batons and tear gas on the lawyers.

Merely absolving oneself of all responsibility is almost reminiscent of Governor SBP’s silence on the failure of his institution to first identify and then correct the mistakes in the Urdu text of the incoming banknotes.

These three instances are independent of any involvement of the opposition and reflect mismanagement at best, outright incompetence at worst. This in the face of ever-rising electricity rates as pledged to the International Monetary Fund in an attempt to attain full cost recovery (instead of improving the management of the sector as is required) and failing to compel the traders to register to widen the tax net with only 70 traders out of 3.2 million meeting the 30 April deadline to register (though there is optimism that negotiations would be successful between the Federal Board of Revenue and traders) the outlook appears bleak.

It is, therefore, imperative that the government deals with scams by making heads roll, and those who refuse to appear before an inquiry committee as reportedly the caretaker finance minister refused, must face very serious consequences.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: The firebrand Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Sher Afzal Marwat on Thursday accused party secretary general Omar Ayub of conspiring against him to remove him from the party in order to settle the scores with him for defeating his father-in-law with a huge margin of 72,000 votes.

Marwat had defeated Salim Saifullah Khan – who, according to him, happens to be the father-in-law of Omar Ayub, in the February 8 general elections, with a huge margin of 72,000 votes, from NA-41 Lakki Marwat.

Earlier, Ayub told reporters that Marwat is being expelled from the party’s core and political committees on the directives of party founding chairman Imran Khan and disciplinary action would be taken against him for violating party discipline.

In a message on X, following Ayub’s announcement that he would be issued show-cause notice on the directives of Imran Khan, Marwat, took to X, and said: “I’d decided to resign from both political and core committees, but the announcement was made today by using the name of Imran Khan. I’m not going to believe on any statement unless Khan himself conveys the message to me through Barrister Gohar.”

“I’m taking rest and will talk only when Khan sahib will listen to me, and then take a decision. I’ll abide by all the decisions taken by Khan,” he declared.

Earlier in the day, the PTI secretary general said that Imran Khan had directed him to issue a show-cause notice to Marwat as he attempted to spoil his relations with Saudi Arabia.

Ayub, who is also the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, said Marwat was warned time and again against violating the party’s policies.

“The PTI founder said Marwat tried to damage his personal relations with Saudi Arabia, as he has excellent ties with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman,” Ayub said.

The political committee has been directed to take disciplinary action against Marwat, said Ayub in today’s media talk.

Ayub said although he is secretary general of the party, the authority to make final decisions rested with the incarcerated leader and added that he was appointed leader of the opposition on Khan’s instructions. He said it is not his authority to decide about the people meeting the PTI founder in jail.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

LAHORE: An election tribunal on Monday issued notices to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on three separate petitions challenging the victory of Federal Minister for Planning and Commission Ahsan Iqbal.

Ahsan Iqbal who contested election from NA-76, Narowal had secured 136279 votes and the petitioner PTI-backed independent candidate Javaid Safdar Kahlon stood runner-up with 109309 votes.

The petitioner alleged that massive rigging and irregularities were committed on the polling day.

He contended that the ECP did not issue forms 45 and 46, but declared the success of the respondent on the basis of form 47.

He asked the court to declare the notification of Ahsan Iqbal’s success null and void.

The court also issued notice to Election Commission of Pakistan in another PTI-backed independent candidate Dr Tahir Ali Javed and Danyal Aziz challenged the election of Anwarul Haq Chaudhry from NA-75 of Narowal and sought replies within a week.

MNA Anwarul Haq won the election with 99625 votes against 75626 bagged by Dr Tahir Ali Javed and 50984 by Danyal Aziz.

In their election petitions, both losing candidates leveled allegations of rigging on the returned candidate of the PML-N.

They alleged that their polling agents were not provided with the form 45.

They asked the tribunal to set aside the election of the respondent and order a fresh poll in the constituency.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

EDITORIAL: Politics is a fickle business. JUI-F (Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Pakistan) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman headed the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), a nine-party alliance which ousted the PTI government in a no-confidence motion and formed a multi-party alliance government.

Since his party’s poor showing in the February 8 general elections, the Maulana has changed tack. He came to the National Assembly on April 29, two months after taking oath as an MNA on February 9, and railed against his perceived detractors.

Accusing the bureaucracy and the establishment of manipulating election results, he asked his former PDM partners, the PML-N (Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz) and PPP (Pakistan People’s Party), to hand over government to the PTI (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf), his former nemesis, if it really won the largest number of seats in the election. Lest his assertions could be shrugged off as empty rhetoric, he announced his plan for a ‘million march’ starting with a protest rally in Karachi on May 2, and in Peshawar on May 9, with the warning that “if anyone tries to stop it, he will invite trouble for himself.”

Addressing a huge rally in Karachi, Maulana Rehman reiterated most of his earlier allegations, calling the assemblies fake not only “because the elections were fraudulent, or the vote count was bogus, but also because the seats were decided through sale and purchase.”

Adding a new factor to his grievances, he went on to aver that his party was denied its real mandate by the establishment since the US was angry over his engagement with Gaza Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, as well as the Afghan Taliban. His critics though say he is a slippery customer seeking accommodation with the ruling setup by using pressure tactics.

But considering his ever hardening stance, how can he become part of an ‘arrangement’ whose legality he refuses to accept? Be that as it may, it is difficult to disagree with his contention that the Feb 8 elections were rigged. Even some prominent members of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s party have publicly been casting doubts on its outcome.

Some previous governments also came to power through manipulation, but none faced as serious legitimacy questions as has the present one. Not all of the JUI-F leader’s claims may be true, nevertheless there is plenty of verifiable evidence supporting his principal argument and disputation.

A six-party coalition of opposition parties has already launched a countrywide movement under the banner of Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (protecting the Constitution of Pakistan) for the rule of law. The Maulana has an unmatched street power.

He can mobilise thousands of supporters and his madressah students at a moment’s notice. In case he decides to join the opposition alliance, that can produce serious disorder and chaos. It is hard to predict how and where the fight will end.

But it will create more political instability, increasing the severity of the present economic crisis. It is imperative therefore that all involved try and find a way out of the present standoff before things get out of control.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Thursday issued a detailed 234-page ‘white paper’ on alleged rigging and irregularities in February 08 general elections and demanded formation of a high-powered judicial commission to probe them.

Speaking at a presser, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, along with opposition leaders in Senate and National Assembly, Shibli Faraz and Omar Ayub, respectively, claimed that the electoral process was marred by serious flaws and compromises. “We’d won 180 seats in February 8 general elections…our seats were given to other parties through Forms 47s,” he said, adding “we’ve filed a petition in Supreme Court against the alleged rigging, besides filing 158 petitions in different election tribunals, but our pleas are yet to be fixed for hearing”.

“We are issuing a white paper to bring it to the notice of the people as how their mandate was stolen and we will not rest unless our mandate is returned,” he maintained.

Referring to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)’s decision to declare the party’s intra-party polls as invalid, Barrister Gohar said that the party was forced to contest the general elections without its traditional bat electoral symbol. “Our victory was turned into defeat by manipulating election results in the Form 47,” he added.

The PTI chief said the white paper is based on the reports of international organisations, foreign media and newspapers’ report.

He also called for carrying out the electoral reforms to eliminate rigging in the polls once and for all.

The opposition leader in National Assembly, Omar Ayub, PTI secretary general said that the ECP was granted billions of rupees to hold free and fair elections in the country. “We demand the chief election commissioner to step down.”

Highlighted within the white paper are a myriad of concerns, including breaches of constitutional mandates for election procedures, allegations of bias in the caretaker government’s extended tenure, and purported instances of election manipulation aimed at marginalising PTI from the electoral arena.

One of the core contentions is the alleged violation of the constitutionally prescribed 90-day timeframe for conducting general elections, with PTI suggesting an unlawful extension of the caretaker government’s term. Besides, PTI points to what it dubs a “London plan” and the purported false flag operation on May 9th, involving violent incidents and assassination attempts targeting PTI figures and supporters.

The white paper accuses authorities of manipulating electoral rolls, censoring media coverage, rejecting PTI candidates’ nomination papers, and orchestrating internet shutdowns, all purportedly to sabotage PTI’s electoral prospects.

Evidence presented in the white paper spans from the pre-poll phase to the final government gazette notification, including statements from key officials like the Commissioner of Rawalpindi and a letter from the Returning Officer (RO) for NA-8 detailing alleged misconduct by his staff.

Beyond the immediate implications for electoral integrity, PTI emphasises the broader erosion of public trust in Pakistan’s democratic institutions. In response, PTI has proposed a series of measures to rectify the situation, including the Supreme Court’s intervention to investigate alleged electoral fraud and the formation of an independent judicial commission with powers to subpoena witnesses and access international election observers’ reports such as the EU Mission, PATTAN, PILDAT, FAFEN, Commonwealth Observers Group, and the US Institute of Peace.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

An incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founding chairman, Imran Khan, has rejected the reports of any deal with the powers that be, saying neither anyone has approached him nor has he received any message for striking a deal.

He has, however, raised a question why the powers that be would make a deal with him, saying that “On the day of general elections [February 8] people stood on a side; it was the time to negotiate.” Be that as it may, it is important to note that the PTI chairman has not ruled out the possibility of cutting a deal in spite of the fact that he has raised a seemingly legitimate question in this regard.

In my view, Imran Khan has shown, albeit reluctantly, a willingness to yield or cooperate because of a desire to be agreeable. He must have understood by now that ours is not a Jeffersonian democracy, so to speak. I think Imran Khan knows too well how democracy has evolved and how it operates in Pakistan.

Having said that, the fact that he or his party was deprived of a level playing field in the 2008 general election cannot be overemphasised. I believe the PTI founder is fully aware of the developments, including the May 9 violence in particular, that preceded establishment’s conclusion that his party had crossed the red line.

It is therefore about time the party revisited its approach to politics in order to protect and preserve the gains that it had made so far; one of which is the fact that it is the largest political party in the country with its founder being the most popular and charismatic leader.

Last but not least, the powers that be too appear to be amenable to talks, given Imran Khan and his party have already paid a very costly a price by squandering away the opportunity to regain power due to whatever reasons. I wish both—the establishment and Imran Khan—success.

Anwar Saeed Ghumman

Lahore

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

The thing about economic indicators is they can tell whatever story the narrator wishes to sell. A quick look at latest current account balance would indicate that Pakistan’s economy has achieved hard won stability, with 9M fiscal year current account deficit at its lowest since early 2015. An eternal pessimist, however, might point to the performance of textile exports, which on a 12-month rolling basis are at their lowest in 18 months.

So which number should independent observers put their faith in? That depends on the type of answer you are looking for. If you are sick of the news pieces and vlogs predicting “Pakistan’s economy imploding”, the current account numbers might be your preferred vice. The latest snapshot of the current account confirms beyond a shadow of doubt that fears of balance of payment crisis have subsided. Foreign exchange reserves of the central bank have increased by 2.2 times over the last ten months, making forecasts of Pakistan defaulting on its external debt obligations – recurrent headlines till just six months ago – appear almost laughable (in retrospect, of course). But if you are willing to dive even slightly deeper, that hard won confidence might unravel fairly quickly.

The economic stabilization witnessed over the last six to ten months in effect stands on two pillars: the stabilization in exchange rate since September 2023, and a stellar performance by food exports segment. Take away either, and the edifice would collapse almost immediately, tall tales of IMF wooed notwithstanding. Those of weak faith can’t help but ask what is keeping the exchange rate stable (in fact, ten percent lower since Aug-2023) when exports are virtually at a standstill. And if you are one with no faith at all, you can’t help but wonder: what happens to the outstanding growth in food export when Indian rice exports enter the fray next quarter?

Remember, Pakistan’s food exports doubled between Aug and Dec 2023, and are currently 51 percent higher than the previous year. However, this performance is almost fully attributable to growth in export of primary commodities: rice, sesame, and corn – which could quickly return to last year’s levels if either the weather or global prices turn unfavorable. Global commodity prices are already receding, and exporters can only withstand unfriendly movement in exchange rate for so long, a phenomenon already visible in corn and sesame. Meanwhile, the jump in rice exports is all thanks to Mr. Modi’s re-election jitters, who banned rice export last year in a bid to restrain food inflation at home in the run up to general elections 2024.

Which brings us to the anti-hero of this story: textile exports. Whichever way you wish to look at it, textile exports are at a standstill, and will not resume growth unless there is a breakthrough in energy tariffs. If you have been sold the lie that industry exports have bottomed out and can only rise from hereon, look no further than the trends in export bill discounting, which are at their lowest level since the pandemic (on 12 months rolling basis). Granted, bill purchases have recovered since August 2023 when the exchange rate had bottomed out. But these have since plateaued, most likely indicating that whatever gains could be made from currency stability have now been long exhausted. If you have come to believe that agricultural exports can replace the lost opportunity in textile exports, this section is barking up the wrong tree.

So, what does macroeconomic outlook look like? Depends on the question you are asking. Has macroeconomic stabilization on the external front been achieved? Yes. Is Pakistan going to default on its external obligations in the near term? Most certainly not. But change the question, for example, to whether exports are now on solid footing? No. Could Pakistan withstand an external shock ala February 2022, such as a war breaking out in Middle East, oil prices rising, or a capital flight to safety? Most definitely not.

The members of the monetary policy committee should pay hard and close attention to these questions before rolling out the ‘Mission Accomplished’ banner, come next Monday.

ISLAMABAD: The incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founding chairman, Imran Khan, on Tuesday, rejected the rumours of any deal with the powers that be, saying neither anyone has approached him nor he has received any message for striking a deal.

Talking to the media after hearing of the Al-Qadir Trust case, he said the question is, why they would make a deal with me. “On the day of general elections [February 8] people stood on a side; it was the time to negotiate,” he said.

Khan said Punjab police interfered during the recent bye-elections on April 21. The bye-elections were held in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa but police did not register any case against anyone, he said, adding there was no democracy in the country.

Rule of law: IK writes 7-point letter to CJP

He said that elections were delayed from February to October and were aimed at crashing PTI.

The PTI founder said that democracy was mandatory for a stable government which was possible only through fair and transparent elections. The present setup in the country was causing damage to the country, he said.

He said his wife had nothing to do with politics, adding she had been awarded a sentence and locked in a room. “Cases have been registered against my three sisters,” he said.

Khan said “we had good relations with Saudi Arabia, due to which the OIC Foreign Minister’s conference was held during his government.

Earlier, Accountability Court judge Nasir Javed Rana, while hearing the £190 million National Crime Agency (NCA) scam commonly known as the Al-Qadir Trust recorded statements of more than six witnesses.

The PTI founding chairman and Bushra Bibi’s lawyers, Usman Gull, Zaheer Abbas Chaudhry, and Khalid Yousaf Chaudhry, appeared before the court.

During the hearing, the defence counsel completed cross-examination of two more witnesses. So far, the court recorded statements of 21 witnesses and defence counsels completed cross-examination of 15 prosecution witnesses.

The court adjourned the hearing of the case till April 29.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: In a goodwill gesture to mend relations after tit-for-tat missile strikes in January this year, the Foreign Office (FO) confirmed on Sunday that Iranian President Dr Ebrahim Raisi would arrive on a two-day - from April 22 (Monday) to April 24 (Wednesday) - official visit to Pakistan today (Monday).

A statement issued by the FO said that this would be the first visit by any head of state to Pakistan after the February 8 general elections.

“The Iranian president will be accompanied by his spouse and a high-level delegation comprising the foreign minister and other members of the cabinet, senior officials as well as a large business delegation,” the FO said.

Iranian President to arrive on 22nd

It said that Raisi would meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, President Asif Ali Zardari, Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gillani and National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq. “He will also visit Lahore and Karachi and meet with the provincial leadership,” it added.

“The two sides will have a wide-ranging agenda to further strengthen Pakistan-Iran ties and enhance cooperation in diverse fields including trade, connectivity, energy, agriculture, and people-to-people contacts,” the FO said. “They will also discuss regional and global developments and bilateral cooperation to combat the common threat of terrorism,” it added.

“Pakistan and Iran enjoy strong bilateral ties anchored in history, culture and religion. This visit provides an important opportunity to further strengthen Pakistan-Iran relations,” the FO concluded.

The visit comes months after Iran launched attacks in Pakistan targeting what it described as bases for the militant group Jaish al-Adl in the border town of Panjgur in Balochistan, Iranian state media reported, prompting strong condemnation from Islamabad and downgrading of diplomatic ties.

Less than 48 hours later, Pakistan struck terrorist hideouts in Iran’s Sistan-Baluchestan province. Reacting to the strikes, Iran had stressed that it would not allow its enemies to strain its “amicable and brotherly relations” with Islamabad.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: Preparations are complete for the by-elections on 5 National and 16 provincial Assembly seats across Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan scheduled for Sunday (today), accompanied by heightened security measures to address any potential incidents.

Polling will proceed without interruption from 8 am to 5 pm for seats vacated by candidates who won multiple seats or where polling was delayed in the Feb 8 general elections due to the death of a candidate.

By-polls on 21 seats: election campaigns conclude

The polling will be conducted across 5 National Assembly seats, 12 Punjab Assembly seats, two Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly seats, and two Balochistan Assembly seats. According to Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the re-polling in PB 50 Killa Abdullah would be also held on Sunday.

The polling for NA-8 Bajaur and PK-22 Bajaur was delayed on February 8 following the assassination of a candidate, Rehan Zeb Khan. Additionally, polling will take place in NA-44 Dera Ismail Khan, where the National Assembly seat was relinquished by Ali Amin Gandapur, who opted to retain his provincial assembly seat in order to assume the role of KP’s chief minister.

Similarly, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif vacated her NA-119 seat in Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore, choosing instead to keep the PP-159 constituency that she also won.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif won elections on two provincial and National Assembly seats. He left the NA-132 Kasur and Lahore’s PP-158 and PP-164 seats vacant, preferring to retain the NA-123 Lahore constituency.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari won two National Assembly seats. He retained the NA-194 Larkana constituency, leaving the NA-196 seat in Qamber-Shahdadkot vacant.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) provided 6.23 million ballot papers to the relevant Returning Officers (ROs) for the upcoming by-elections in 21 constituencies.

Approximately 2.55 million Pakistanis are expected to participate in voting for the five National Assembly constituencies, while around 3.61 million individuals will cast their votes for 16 provincial assembly seats nationwide.

A total of 174 candidates are contesting in the by-elections for 12 provincial constituencies in Punjab, where the voter count stands at approximately 4.04 million.

According to the Election Commission of Pakistan, the by-elections for two provincial constituencies of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have a total of 1.47 million voters. In the race, there are 49 candidates, and 892 polling stations have been set up, with 139 identified as sensitive.

In NA-196 in Sindh, two candidates will compete, with 423,781 voters eligible to cast their ballots across 303 polling stations, 158 of which are sensitive, according to the ECP. The ECP has announced that by-elections will take place for two provincial constituencies, PB-20 and PB-22, in Balochistan. A total of 396,246 voters in the province will participate, with 354 polling stations designated for the process.

Nine candidates, including Ali Pervaiz and Shehzad Farooq, are vying for the National Assembly seat NA-119, while 11 candidates, including PML-N nominee Malik Riaz independent Muhammad Khan Madani, are competing in PP-147.

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari today (Thursday) will address the joint sitting of the Parliament. Under Article 56(3) of the Constitution, the President shall address a joint session of Parliament at the commencement of the parliamentary year after general elections. The joint-sitting of the Parliament would be held at 4:00 pm.

According to Presidency’s media wing, President Zardari also called the session of the National Assembly on the next day (Friday) of joint-sitting of the Parliament at 10:30 am. The President called the session of the National Assembly under Article 54 (1) of the Constitution. As for the joint sitting of the Parliament, this will be President Zardari’s record seventh address to the joint sitting of the National Assembly and Senate.

During his five-year stint in the Presidency from 2008 to 2013, he had already addressed the parliament six times.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday declared that the total number of registered voters in the country has surged to 130.136 million from 128.59 million on the eve of the February 8 general elections.

According to the latest data released by ECP, the registered voters to date stand at 130.136 million, with 70.043 million males and 60.092 million females, reflecting an increase of 1.546 million voters since the February 8 elections.

Islamabad has a total of 1.094 million voters, including 0.52 million females and 0.574 million males.

According to statistics released by ECP, the latest figures of voters include 70.40 million males and 60.92 million females.

The ECP said that in Punjab, the total voter count exceeds 74.93 million.

In Sindh, the total voter count is 27.259 million, with 14.4612 million male voters and over 12.382 million female voters.

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the third-largest province of the country, is home to over 22.83 million registered voters whereas, in Balochistan, the total number of registered voters has crossed 5.4 million.

According to ECP, the number of registered voters in February 2018 was 128 million.

“The ECP’s commitment to transparency is evident in this disclosure, providing citizens with accurate electoral information,” it added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: The general election 2024 was less fair than the past two general elections as it scored 49 percent in fairness assessment which is three percentage points lower than the score received for the 2018 general election and eight percentage points lower than the score for the 2013 general election, according to an assessment of Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (Pildat).

The report, “Assessment of the Quality of General Election 2024”, observed that fairness assessment scores for the 2013 and 2018 elections had stood at 57 percent and 52 percent respectively.

In this report, Pildat has highlighted the key issues which have negatively impacted the quality of the 2024 general election.

General Elections 2024: PILDAT releases its assessment report

During the pre-poll phase, Pildat observed considerable delays in scheduling of the election, political repression, lack of impartiality from State institutions and worsening law and order in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

The suspension of mobile phone and internet services on polling day not only compromised the Election Management System (EMS) but also created problems in public participation in the electoral process.

The delay in the announcement of the provisional results beyond the deadline fixed in Section 13(3) of the Elections Act, 2017 has prompted serious questions about the credibility of the election.

The widespread allegations of discrepancy between Form-45 and Form-47, suggesting that the provisional result was tempered with at the returning officers’ offices, have also created concerns around the credibility of the election.

The failure to publish Forms 45, 46, 48 and 49 on the ECP website within 14 days of polling day, as mandated by Section 95 (10) of the Elections Act, 2017, prompted questions regarding the integrity of the election results.

The ECP decision to allocate or not allocate the reserved seats to SIC was delayed and remained a major point of contention between the ECP and the SIC for 25 days since the polling day, while allocation of reserved seats was made to all other political parties.

In order to bring the controversies relating to general election 2024 to a close, it has been recommended that there are two possible avenues which need to be considered.

The most straightforward one is to allow Election Tribunals to resolve disputes on a case-by-case basis.

However, this will be a slow process as tribunals are allowed 180 days for resolution in the law and many petitions are decided even beyond the legal deadline.

Moreover, issues of understaffing have been raised.

Reportedly, the Lahore High Court has only constituted two tribunals against a request for nine by the ECP.

The second option is, in addition to the tribunals, to constitute a Commission of Enquiry like the one formed to probe the general election 2013.

This is an avenue that the incoming National Assembly should deliberate over to decide whether it is required and if it will help attain some political stability.

Overall, the controversies and challenges that dominated the 2024 election cycle in Pakistan point once again to the need for greater transparency and accountability to overcome systemic shortcomings and safeguard the integrity of future electoral processes.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said dialogue was needed to resolve heightened friction between Pakistan and India during a meeting in Riyadh with visiting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Sharif was making his first overseas visit since winning power in elections in February. He met with bin Salman on Sunday.

“The two sides stressed the importance of dialogue between Pakistan and India to resolve the outstanding issues between the two countries, especially the Jammu and Kashmir dispute to ensure peace and stability in the region,” a joint statement released by foreign office and the Saudi government said.

MBS hosts Iftar for PM

Sharif and bin Salman had also discussed expediting a planned $5 billion investment package, which cash-strapped Pakistan desperately needs to shore up its current account deficit and signal to the International Monetary Fund that it can continue to meet requirements for foreign financing that has been a key demand in previous bailout packages.

Pakistan said in January it had credible evidence linking Indian agents to the killing of two of its citizens on its soil. India said it was “false and malicious” propaganda.

2024 emerged as a comparatively optimistic period in contrast to the challenging preceding years marked by Covid-19 pandemic. In its aftermath, global economy faced significant upheavals, with numerous businesses shutting down and both developed and underdeveloped nations grappling with inflationary pressures.

The geopolitical situation further exacerbated economic uncertainties, particularly with the eruption of Russia-Ukraine conflict that reverberated across the world, impacting economies of the European Union and the United States. Moreover, unresolved tensions stemming from Israel-Palestine conflict, in particular the devastating attack in October 2023 resulting in loss of thousands of lives, intensified global economic volatility.

The cumulative effect of these crises accentuated the fragility of global economic growth and heightened uncertainties regarding future trajectories.

In addition to global conflicts, 2024 is marked as election year in various countries. Alongside European Parliament Elections set for June 6-9, 2024, the United States and numerous other nations are gearing up for their electoral processes. Pakistan held its general elections, beyond the stipulated period provided in the Constitution, on February 8, 2024, resulting in a fragmented outcome where no party secured a clear majority to form a government. Consequently, a coalition government was formed by the two major political parties, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People Party (PPP).

Despite allegations of electoral irregularities from opposition factions, a government has been formed and is now operational. The primary focus of the newly-formed government is on revitalizing the economy and addressing pressing socio-economic challenges. With the mandate to navigate the nation through difficult times, the coalition government faces the daunting task of fostering economic stability and fostering growth amid a complex geopolitical landscape.

Despite having been in power for approximately a month, the government has yet to propose innovative solutions to tackle prevailing economic difficulties. The Finance Minister’s apparent lack of direction in devising revenue generation strategies is quite concerning. There seems to be a reliance on judicial rulings to favour government taxation, potentially yielding around Rs 1700 billion.

However, this approach overlooks the reality that assessing officers often issue arbitrary and inconsistent orders. Dependency on legal outcomes highlights a broader issue of strategic planning and foresight within the finance ministry. It is imperative for the government to proactively explore comprehensive measures that go beyond litigation-dependent approaches, ensuring a more robust and sustainable economic trajectory.

Moreover, it is imperative for the Finance Minister to recognize that the government’s success rate in both High Court and Supreme Court is less than 5%. While the minister may possess commendable administrative experience, his educational background lacks expertise in economics, public policy, and public financial management.

Therefore, it would be prudent to consult with industry experts when formulating revenue generation measures. Collaborating with professionals well-versed in economic and financial matters can enrich the policymaking process and enhance the effectiveness of revenue generation strategies.

Consulting with experts can provide invaluable insights and ensure that policies are formed by a comprehensive understanding of economic principles and market dynamics. This approach can contribute to the development of more robust and pragmatic solutions tailored to address Pakistan’s economic challenges effectively.

Apart from Pakistan, the United States is gearing up for its own election on November 5, 2024. The Democratic candidate is expected to retain presidency, unless Donald J. Trump, representing the Republicans, is disqualified, or convicted by the courts. Trump faces multiple legal challenges, with his Hush money trial scheduled to commence on April 15, following a judge’s refusal to further postpone the case.

However, Trump’s legal team plans to file a motion alleging bias against Judge Juan Marchan, seeking his recusal due to his alleged Democratic affiliations. This motion stems from Marchan’s reported past contributions to Democratic campaigns and his daughter’s role as president of Authentic Campaigns, a prominent progressive political consulting firm in Chicago. Particularly, Authentic Campaigns has high-profile Republican clients, including Adam Schiff, who served as the lead prosecutor in Trump’s first impeachment trial, according to reports in the New York Post.

Furthermore, in our neighboring country India, a six-week election schedule starting on April 19, 2024, for the Lok Sabha polls has been announced. The election will be conducted in seven phases, with voting concluding on June 1, and the vote count is scheduled for June 4.

It is interesting to note that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third term after completing his second. However, his opponent has labeled his government as one of the most corrupt, alleging financial irregularities in highway projects. Furthermore, a significant scandal involving Modi concerns the alleged concealment of donations from businesses, adding to the political tension ahead of the elections.

According to Reuters, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been the primary beneficiary of an opaque funding scheme since 2019. This scheme permits individuals and companies to make unlimited and anonymous donations to political parties. Reuters further revealed that BJP accounted for nearly half of the total bonds sold, amounting to 165 billion rupees ($1.98 billion), between January 2018 and February 2024.

The Washington Post’s recent story revealed a tumultuous scenario in Indian politics, with substantial donations traced back to under-investigation firms revealing that Jalan’s enterprises covertly contributed millions to the Indian Prime Minister’s party. This data leak provided unprecedented insight into the inner workings of Indian politics, uncovering a clandestine funneling of US$2 billion by Indian corporations to political entities since 2018.

Approximately half of these funds were directed towards the ruling BJP. These revelations sparked public outcry, particularly with national elections looming over the horizon, projected to be the world’s most expensive, surpassing even the anticipated costs of the 2024 U.S. presidential election.

Fascinatingly, the Supreme Court of India directed the central bank of India to reveal donor identities. Despite the bank’s plea for an extension, the court denied it, setting a deadline of March 12, 2024 for submission. Additionally, the court instructed the Election Commission to publish these details by March 15, 2024 by 5 pm.

In the backdrop of opposition protests, denouncing it as a major corruption scandal involving corporate donations, Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is set to release its mutual evaluation report for India during the upcoming June 2024 plenary, right after the Indian elections.

Beyond the bond controversy, India faces scrutiny from international bodies such as the UN, American Bar Association, and Amnesty International for human rights violations, weak control related to Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing. The evaluation will gauge how effectively the global watchdog rates the world’s second-largest country in terms of adhering to global standards in combating financial crimes.

(Huzaima Bukhari & Dr Ikramul Haq, lawyers and partners of Huzaima, Ikram & Ijaz, are Adjunct Faculty at Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), members Advisory Board and Visiting Senior Fellows of Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) and Abdul Rauf Shakoori is a corporate lawyer based in the USA and an expert in ‘White Collar Crimes and Sanctions Compliance’)

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

It is widely argued that an embittered Nawaz Sharif has gone into low profile since his party failed to get majority in the Feb 8 2024 general election.

In my view, however, he’s not out of public view as such if we take into account his active participation in recent Punjab government meetings at which not only did he convey to the participants his world view, he also issued directives to the provincial bureaucracy in relation to the ongoing and planned development projects in the country’s largest province.

Secondly, he met his party members from the Faisalabad Division and spoke at length about how looks at the current situation.

That he still laments or bemoans his ouster from the prime minister’s house in 2017, describing it as “gross injustice” is a fact. He’s been repeatedly telling people that if he had been allowed to complete his term the country would have progressed in ‘leaps and bounds’.

Nawaz Sharif, in my view, is preparing himself for the next general election, which can take place in less than two years in view of the gravity of challenges facing the country and the existence of a woefully weak coalition government, which cannot deal with the challenges of terrorism and economic impasse head-on owing to a variety of reasons.

The spurt in terrorist activities, including the killing of five Chinese engineers working on country’s mega hydropower project a day ago, clearly indicates the erosion of state writ on a brisk pace since the arrival of the present government, although the performance of the interim government led by Anwaarul Haq Kakar was not good either.

Relegating himself to a position of a veteran adviser or ataaleeq of Punjab chief minister Maryam Nawaz in view of the enormity of challenges was a good move that Nawaz Sharif made following the Feb 8 general election. The present government will surely fall.

Nawaz Sharif, however, will not be held responsible for its failure. In other words, circumstances have forced Nawaz Sharif to keep a low profile.

Zahoor Mahanti (Karachi)

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

A few days ago, US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu submitted a written testimony in the American Congress, saying the general elections in Pakistan seemed to be as per law but there had been ‘irregularities’ in how the results were compiled.

Donald Lu’s testimony had come ahead of his scheduled appearance in US Congress Foreign Affairs subcommittee. We all know that Mr Lu was the central figure of a controversy that seemed to have cost Imran Khan his government in 2022.

Therefore, the observations that he made about the credibility of the elections do not necessarily add to the stance of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) that the election were held in fair, free and transparent manner. Except for Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), almost all parties that had entered the election fray have made allegations of vote rigging on an “unprecedented scale”.

In my view, the Feb 8 general elections had become highly controversial much before the nation actually went to the polls. The main reason behind this grotesque example of credibility erosion was Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI’s) lament through which it had been through which it had been conveying to the world that it had been deprived of a level playing field.

Depriving the party, perhaps the single largest party of the country, of a level playing field stemmed from a strategy aimed at dimming or eliminating the electoral prospects of the party.

No doubt, it had been an extremely difficult electioneering for the party, so when the Election Commission of Pakistan did not allow the party to use its iconic bat symbol, forcing its candidates to context the election as independent candidates, it was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Embittered by the entire election exercise, which appeared to be shorn of democratic sanctity, the electorates therefore threw up an extremely divisive and polarized mandate.

I wonder why the global election monitoring bodies or individuals, including US official Lu, have not taken into consideration the pre-poll situation in Pakistan while preparing their reports about the authenticity or credibility of the elections.

Ahmad Raza (Karachi)

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

LAHORE: An appellate tribunal (AT) on Monday sought replies from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on appeals of PTI President Pervez Elahi and his absconding son Moonis Elahi against rejection of their nomination papers for by-polls in Punjab.

The returning officers rejected the papers of Pervez Elahi from PP-32, Gujrat for not disclosing details of his assets and Moonis from PP-158, Lahore for being an absconder in multiple cases of alleged corruption.

The appellants’ counsel argued that the decisions of the ROs were not based on facts. He said Pervez Elahi submitted the same documents along with the nomination papers for the February 8 general election and his candidature was duly accepted by the RO concerned.

The counsel argued that the Supreme Court had allowed politicians to contest the elections in the country who were declared absconders by different courts in politically motivated cases.

He said the apex court declared that contesting elections was a fundamental right of every citizen.

He asked the tribunal to set aside the impugned decisions of the ROs and accepted the nomination papers of the appellants.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: The election organisation has asked the government personnel and their immediate family members, who intend to use the postal ballot facility for by-elections on 23 seats of the Assemblies, to cast their votes not later than April 2, 2024.

This facility, under the law, has been extended to the persons in government service, members of armed forces and their spouses and children, as well as persons with physical disabilities, and persons who are imprisoned or held in custody, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said on Friday.

The aforementioned persons are eligible to vote through postal ballot under Section 93(1) of the Elections Act 2017.

By-elections are scheduled on 23 seats of the Assemblies on April 21, comprising of 19 seats vacated by those candidates who had won more than one seats in the last month’s general elections, and four seats that saw elections postponement due to the deaths of contesting candidates.

The by-polls would be held on the six seats of National Assembly, 12 seats of Punjab Assembly, two seats each of Balochistan Assembly and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, and one Sindh Assembly seat.

Of these seats, the general elections that were scheduled on February 8, on National Assembly’s seat NA-8 and KPA seat PK-22, were delayed due to the killing of a candidate who was contesting the polls on both these seats. Polls were also postponed on KPA seat PK-91 and PA seat PP-266 due to the deaths of the respective contestants ahead of February 8 general polls.

The remaining 19 seats that have been vacated by candidates who won more than one seats in the general polls, and where by-polls are being held, are: NA-44, NA-119, NA-132, NA-196, NA-207, PP-22, PP-32, PP-36, PP-54, PP-93, PP-139, PP-147, PP-149, PP-158, PP-164, PP-290, PB-20, PP-22 and PS-80.

The ECP is under fire from public and political circles as well as international stakeholders over allegedly massive rigging in February 8 general polls. The electoral body has rejected these allegations.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

LAHORE: Four senior leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), who had lost their seats in the general elections held on February 8, are not in the race for the by-elections, as they had not submitted their nomination papers.

PML-N leaders Rana Sanaullah Khan, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Mian Javed Latif and Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan had stayed away from the by-polls scheduled to be held on April 21.

In Punjab, for the National Assembly seats by-poll was scheduled in NA-119 Lahore-III and NA-132 Kasur-II. The seat of NA-119 was vacated by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz while NA-132 was vacated by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The by-elections were also being held in different Punjab Assembly constituencies, including PP-22 Chakwal-Cum-Talagang, PP-32 Gujrat VI, PP-36 Wazirabad-II, PP-54 Narowal-I, PP-93 Bhakkar-V, PP-139 Sheikhpura-IV, PP-147 Lahore-III, PP-149 Lahore-V, PP-158 Lahore XIV, PP-164 Lahore-XX, PP-266 Rahim Yar Khan-XII, and PP-290 Dera Ghazi Khan-V.

The seat of PP-147 was vacated by the former Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz while PP-149 was vacated by Istakam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) President Abdul Aleem Khan.

It may be added that March 29, is the last date for withdrawal of candidature and publication of the revised list of candidates, and subsequently, election symbols will be allotted to contesting candidates on March 30.

On the other hand, the nomination papers of 12 candidates, including the candidates of the PML-N and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have been approved for NA-119. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has approved the nomination papers of PML-N’s candidate Ali Pervez Malik of PML-N, and PTI’s candidates Shahzad Farooq and Nadeem Sherwani for the by-election in NA-119. The nomination papers of other candidates, including Ali Sarwar Gillani, Zarak Tanveer, Akmal Khan, Abdul Karim Khan, Asghar Ali, Ahmed Mughal, Muhammad Zaheer, Muhammad Nawaz and Mian Rohail Ashraf, have also been accepted.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has expressed its desire to engage in meaningful discussions with the United States to address “misunderstandings” with regard to the country’s domestic situation and electoral laws.

Speaking at her weekly news briefing in response to media queries about the US Congressional hearing of alleged rigging in Pakistan’s February 8 general elections, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said that during the hearing some statements were made, which were intrusive and reflected a misunderstanding of Pakistan’s domestic situation and electoral laws.

“We hope to engage in meaningful discussions with the United States to address these misunderstandings. We also hope that the US Congress will play a positive and constructive role in strengthening Pakistan-US ties and developing avenues of mutually beneficial cooperation,” the spokesperson said.

Lu submits written testimony in US Congress: ‘Despite complaints Pakistan polls were as per law’

She said Pakistan respects the prerogative of legislative bodies to discuss international issues. She; however, said the deliberations of these legislative bodies should contribute to promoting positive dynamics in bilateral ties based on mutual respect and understanding.

US Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu, a central figure in the cipher controversy, testified before a Congressional panel on Thursday about US-Pakistan ties in the wake of allegations of rigging in the February 8 general elections, as he told the panel that if the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) failed to investigate allegations of irregularities in the polls, it will retard the bilateral relationship.

When her response was sought on Lu’s remarks about the Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project, she said that it is the sovereign decision of the Pakistan government to move forward on the project and it will start work on construction of the pipeline. “At this point, there is no room for any discussion or waiver from any third party for the construction of the pipeline inside Pakistan’s territory,” she made it clear when her response was sought on the top US diplomat’s statement that Pakistan has not yet sought any waiver.

However, she added that Pakistan remained in contact with American partners, and “we have conveyed to them the importance of energy security for Pakistan’s future and the important role that the Pakistan-Iran pipeline plays in the overall context of Pakistan’s energy security.”

To Lu’s remarks that the US continues to monitor the weapons it provides to Pakistan especially F-16 to ensure their correct use, she underlined that the hearing was an internal event of the United States where the Congress and the administration were engaged in a conversation.

As far as Pakistan is concerned, she added that Pakistan remains in dialogue with the United States on all aspects of our mutual interest and that includes cooperation in the realm of security and defence. “We will continue to engage with them (the US) with respect to our defence needs and the regional situation that Pakistan faces. And we hope they will understand our concerns and requirements,” she added.

To another query, she said that the case of Shakil Afridi is being dealt with according to the laws of Pakistan and the country’s position on his case has not changed. “He (Afridi) is in prison as a result of the legal processes and a decision by the courts of Pakistan. Pakistan’s position with regard to the case of Shakil Afridi hasn’t changed,” she added.

About Dr Aafia Siddiqui, she said that Pakistan has remained in contact with the US State Department, the Department of Justice and the Bureau of Prisons to extend all possible support for Dr Aafia Siddiqui for her welfare and to explore all options with regard to her continued stay in the United States.

Commenting on the 18th March cross-border operation in Afghanistan, she said the operation was not targeted against the people, institutions or the military of Afghanistan. “We respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan and look forward to working together to find joint solutions in countering terrorism and preventing any terrorist organisation from sabotaging bilateral relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan,” she said.

She added that Pakistan carried out intelligence-based anti-terrorist operations in the border regions inside Afghanistan and the prime target of the operation was terrorists belonging to Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group, which along with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has been responsible for multiple terrorist attacks inside Pakistan.

She said Pakistan has on multiple occasions shared concrete evidence and intelligence with the Afghan authorities about the presence of terrorist sanctuaries inside Afghanistan. “It is a reality that terrorists especially the TTP have their basis in Afghanistan. This is not just Pakistan’s assertion but also confirmed by the international observers including reports by the United Nations,” she said.

She said that Pakistan is looking forward to work together to find joint solutions in countering terrorism and preventing any terrorist entity from sabotaging bilateral relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan. “We should be partners in peace and partners against terrorism,” she added.

About the terrorist attack in Gwadar port, she said that Pakistan’s security agencies successfully eliminated the terrorists involved. She added that Pakistan remains committed to protecting all projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) including the Gwadar port. “Pakistan believes that these terror organisations, including BLA, are a threat to the entire region. And we would like to work with our neighbouring countries in defeating this terror threat,” she added.

When asked about the Indian Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent remarks that Azad Kashmir is part of India, the spokesperson said these are unwarranted statements and based on fallacy. She said Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally-recognised dispute whose final disposition is to be made by the Kashmiri people in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions.

AFP adds: Government dismissed a warning from the United States that relations between the two countries would suffer if it did not probe irregularities in last month’s election.

Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, the spokeswoman for Foreign Ministry, said the warning from Donald Lu, the top US diplomat for South Asia, “reflects a misunderstanding of Pakistan’s political situation and electoral laws”.

“We hope to engage in political discussion with the United States to address misunderstandings so that our two countries continue to move forward for regional cooperation,” she told reporters in the capital, Islamabad. Lu told lawmakers on Wednesday that the United States had “serious concerns” about the conduct of the February 8 election and ongoing disruptions of media and social media, including a prolonged shutdown of X, formerly known as Twitter, and called for an investigation.

“The Election Commission of Pakistan, should it find that these irregularities are substantiated, should rerun elections where there’s been interference,” Lu told a hearing of a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee.

Lu said the United States was not considering any major new military sales to Pakistan, a Cold War ally whose army and intelligence apparatus has long played a dominant role in politics and whose past links with Afghanistan’s Taliban soured ties with Washington.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

WASHINGTON: US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu has submitted a written testimony in the American Congress, saying the general elections in Pakistan seemed to be as per law but there had been ‘irregularities’ in how the results were compiled.

Donald Lu’s testimony comes ahead of his scheduled appearance in US Congress Foreign Affairs subcommittee, which will take place later today.

The four-page testimony says that the US observed multiple irregularities in the election. “We were particularly concerned about electoral abuses and violence that happened in the weeks leading up to the elections,” he wrote.

Donald Lu said there had been terror attacks against police, politicians, and political gatherings. He also said that journalists had been harassed by party supporters as well.

The US assistant secretary also said that many political leaders were unable to register parties, as well as, specific candidates.

Lu said that the irregularities were also continued on the polling day when international observers could not witness counting in half of the country’s constituencies. He also referred to the shutdown of mobile internet on the day of the election as well. “More than 5,000 independent observers were in the field. Their organization’s conclusion was that the conduct of the election was largely competitive and orderly, while noting some irregularities in the compilation of results,” he said.

Lu; however, also noted that over 60 million people had voted and had been given a range of choices, saying three different parties have formed governments in Pakistan.

Calling Pakistan an important partner of the US, Lu said that the two countries had shared goals against terrorism. “The Pakistani people deserve a country that is peaceful, democratic, and prosperous. We are working every day to support that vision,” he added.

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court ordered for re-poll in PB-50 Qilla Abdullah, Balochistan as all the parties including the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) agreed on the proposal.

A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, on Monday, heard the case.

The court annulled the ECP’s earlier order of re-polling at six polling stations and ordered the electoral watchdog to conduct fresh polls in the constituency as per the law.

Awami National Party (ANP)’s Zamurd Khan challenged the ECP’s order and contended that the turnout at many polling stations of the constituency remained low.

The ANP leader’s claim of low turnout could be termed as the outcome of the several acts of terrorism that unfolded in Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa when the general elections were just around the corner.

The week following the elections in Balochistan was marred by protests from political and religious parties that took to the streets against alleged election irregularities including rigging, manipulation of results, and undue delays in the announcement of poll results.

Despite calls for restraint and appeals for dialogue, political and religious groups had persisted in holding rallies and demonstrations and had intensified their demands for electoral transparency and accountability.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

NEW DELHI: India’s Supreme Court ordered the State Bank of India (SBI) on Monday to submit all the details of so-called electoral bonds issued under an opaque political funding system, just a month before general elections.

The further details of the controversial funding mechanism, introduced in 2017 but subsequently scrapped, are expected to make public information linking donors to political parties over the last five years, and the size of their donations.

Corporate funding of political parties is a sensitive matter in India, where the February scrapping of electoral bonds, along with the publicising of the names of donors and recipients, has become a hot topic ahead of elections due by May.

The Supreme Court gave the state-run lender until Thursday to provide the Election Commission of India with the unique identification numbers of the bonds, so as to allow donors to be matched with recipients.

ISLAMABAD: The scrutiny of nomination papers for the forthcoming Senate elections, encompassing 48 vacant seats is scheduled to take place on Tuesday (tomorrow).

As per the electoral schedule, the revised list of candidates vying for these seats will be unveiled on March 26, while any candidate can withdraw his/her nomination paper till March 27.

In federal capital, members of National Assembly will exercise their voting rights to elect Senate members, including one for a general seat and one for technocrats, including Ulema.

The members of four provincial assemblies will play a pivotal role in determining Senate composition as they are set to elect senators for seven general, two women and two seats designated for technocrats including Ulema from each province.

Besides, one seat each for minorities from both Punjab and Sindh provinces will be filled.

42 candidates have submitted their nomination papers for Senate elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

According to a list issued by a spokesman of ECP Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sohail Ahmad in Peshawar this afternoon, 25 candidates have submitted their nomination papers for seven general seats.

Similarly, 10 candidates have submitted their nomination papers for two technocrat and Ulema seats.

Seven women candidates have submitted nomination papers for two reserved seats for women from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The Senate elections will be held on April 02.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Thursday expressed the optimism that the US Congress subcommittee’s forthcoming hearing on US-Pakistan relations in the wake of February 8 general elections will contribute to promoting positive dynamics in bilateral ties based on mutual respect and understanding between the two countries.

Responding to media queries during her weekly news briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said that Pakistan values its close relationship with the United States and believes in constructive engagement on all matters.

“We are aware of the notification and the hearing of the subcommittee that is scheduled for the 20th of March. And we respect the prerogative of legislative bodies to discuss and debate international issues. We sincerely hope that their deliberations contribute to promoting positive dynamics in bilateral ties based on mutual respect and understanding. We, therefore, hope that the US Congress will continue its supportive role in strengthening Pakistan-US ties and developing avenues of mutually beneficial cooperation,” she added.

US Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu will brief the House Subcommittee on ties with Pakistan in the wake of the February 8 general elections.

The United States House Subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia is scheduled to conduct a hearing on “Pakistan After the Elections: Examining the Future of Democracy in Pakistan and the US-Pakistan Relationship” on Wednesday, March 20th.

The committee has invited Donald Lu, the US Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau for South and Central Asian Affairs, US State Department as a witness, to explain about the prospects of US-Pakistan ties in the wake of the February 8 elections with “the US Observations”.

The United States and some other Western countries have been urging Pakistan to investigate the allegations of fraud in the elections. Donald Lu is the top US diplomat, named by the PTI founding chairman Imran Khan in the cypher controversy.

To another question about the information minister’s allegations that PTI wants to disrupt the GSP Plus status, she said that Pakistan has close multidimensional ties with the European Union and GSP Plus is an important pillar of our bilateral relations.

She said that the facility is pivotal for Pakistan’s trade, and it is a successful framework for development and mutually beneficial cooperation between Pakistan and the European Union.

She said that the ninth round of Pakistan-EU political dialogue took place last week, where both sides agreed to continue and strengthen cooperation in various domains including GSP Plus. “So, we are confident that going forward, Pakistan and the European Union will continue to work together in the framework of GSP Plus,” she added.

Responding to another query, she said that Pakistan has taken strong exception to the implementation of the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act by India. She said that the legislation and the relevant rules are evidently discriminatory in nature as they differentiate among the people on the basis of their faith.

She said that the regulation and laws are premised on a false assumption that minorities are being persecuted in Muslim countries of the region and the facade of India being a safe haven for them.

She pointed out that the rising wave of Hindutva under the BJP government has led to rapid political, economic and social victimisation of Muslims and other minorities in India. She said the discriminatory steps further expose the sinister agenda of transforming India into a Hindu Rashtra.

Baloch advised the Indian authorities to stop pre-choreographed targeting and systematic marginalization of minorities. She said only a few days ago, a group of UN special rapporteurs urged corrective actions to protect human rights and attacks against minorities in the run-up to India’s national elections.

Commenting on India’s recent test of a ballistic missile, she said that Pakistan has taken note of the missile test on March 11, adding that the advance notification was shared by India but it did not follow the three-day timeline as stipulated in Article 2 of the Agreement on Pre-notification of the Fight Testing of Ballistic Missiles. “The agreement on pre-notification we believe must be complied with in letter and spirit,” she added.

About the recently held 59th Session of the Programming Committee of SAARC held in Kathmandu, Nepal, she said that Director General (South Asia &SAARC) Ilyas Mehmood Nizami represented Pakistan at the committee.

She said that the Committee reviewed the status of SAARC processes and activities and finalised the budgets and calendars of activities of the SAARC Secretariat, specialised bodies, and regional centres.

Since the postponement of the 19th SAARC Summit which was planned to be held in Islamabad, she added that the Programming Committee is the only Charter Body of SAARC that reviews all organisational activities and processes.

As a founding member of SAARC, she stated that Pakistan is fully committed to advancing the objectives of the organisation as enshrined in its Charter and has always played an active role in the SAARC processes and activities.

About the situation in Gaza, she said that Pakistan remains deeply concerned about the ongoing atrocities against the people of Gaza by Israeli occupation forces. “We strongly condemn yesterday’s attack on UNRWA’s food distribution center in the eastern part of Rafah in Southern Gaza. Attack against the few remaining food distribution centers for a population on the verge of famine is part of Israel’s deliberate and inhumane policy of mass starvation. It is inhumane, unconscionable and a crime against humanity,” she added.

She stated that Pakistan also condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the recent Israeli decision regarding the construction of 3,500 new settlement units in the occupied West Bank.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

RAWALPINDI: The incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, on Wednesday, termed the threat alert due to which the Punjab government has imposed a ban on his meetings with PTI leaders in jail, “a lie”.

Talking to reporters informally in Adiala Jail after hearing of the Al-Qadir Trust case, he said the whole country was being “run on lies”. All institutions had been destroyed in the country, he said, adding the PTI had not been allowed to take part in the general elections.

Khan said the masses had taken revenge on the mafia on election day but they did not accept change brought through the vote. They had snatched the public mandate and ended the hope of the public, he said. “All my predictions have come true, now I am telling you that the Sri Lankan situation is going to happen in Pakistan,” he said, adding that inflation would further increase and people would take to the streets.

He said the PTI’s ongoing protest against rigging in the elections would continue. “PTI will also move the Supreme Court against rigging,” he said.

Earlier, an accountability court recorded the statements of three more prosecution witnesses in the £190 million National Crime Agency (NCA) scam commonly known as the Al-Qadir Trust case against PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi.

Accountability Court judge, Nasir Javed Rana, while hearing the case at Adiala Jail, recorded the statements of three prosecution witnesses. Both Khan and his wife were present in the courtroom during the hearing.

Khan’s lawyer will conduct a cross-examination of the witnesses during the next hearing to be held on March 16.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: Turkish Ambassador to Pakistan Dr Mehmet Pacaci, paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, earlier today, said a press release issued on Tuesday.

The Ambassador congratulated the Prime Minister on his re-election and conveyed best wishes from the leadership of Turkiye and emphasized the importance of strengthening the fraternal ties between both countries.

The Prime Minister deeply appreciated the congratulatory telephone call and message of felicitations from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan immediately after his re-election.

He emphasised that Pakistan and Turkiye enjoyed exemplary bilateral relations that were based on shared history, religion and culture and were unshakeable.

The Prime Minister said both countries needed to work together to achieve the annual target of US$5 billion in bilateral trade. He also called upon the two sides to enhance their bilateral cooperation in all areas of mutual interest including trade, defence, connectivity and culture. In this regard, he congratulated Turkiye on the successful flight of KAAN 5th generation fighter aircraft.

The Prime Minister said Pakistan and Turkiye have consistently supported each other on core issues and would continue to do so in the future.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reiterated his invitation to President Erdogan to visit Pakistan. He said the people of Pakistan looked forward to the visit that would also provide a useful opportunity for both sides to carry out extensive consultations during the 7th session of High Level Strategic Coordination Council (HLSCC).

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: In an unprecedented move, the dysfunctional Upper House of the Parliament goes to by-elections on Thursday (tomorrow) on six of its seats —without a chairman, deputy chairman, leader of the house and leader of the opposition in place.

By-elections are scheduled on three seats of Balochistan, two seats of Sindh and one seat of Islamabad.

Although, these elections are constitutionally organised and supervised by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), with Special Secretary ECP Zafar Iqbal Hussain been appointed as Returning Officer (RO) of the by-polls, these elections are being held with 52 senators already retired on Monday, following the completion of their term, including Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani, Deputy Chairman Mirza Muhammad Afridi, Leader of the House Ishaq Dar and Leader of the Opposition Dr Shahzad Waseem.

Sanjrani had quit Senate even before his retirement following his election to Balochistan Assembly.

This scenario indicates that after March 14 by-polls, the returned candidates on the six seats would not be able to take oath till new chairman and deputy chairman Senate are in place after April 2 Senate polls that are taking place on 48 seats. This implies, till April 2 elections, Senate would remain dysfunctional.

Last week, the Senate Secretariat reportedly discussed with parliamentary political parties a proposal to extend the tenure of Sanjrani, the then Chairman Senate, till his successor was in place.

However, this proposal was not materialised due to political opposition, it is learnt.

Reportedly, Senate Secretariat proposed to include a provision in the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate 2012 to extend the tenure of the outgoing chairman Senate till his successor was at the helm — on the same pattern the speaker National Assembly remains in charge till their successor takes over.

The Article 67(1) of the Constitution of Pakistan empowers a House to make rules for regulating its procedure and the conduct of its business.

Unlike the chairman Senate, the speaker NA is constitutionally mandated to continue with their official responsibilities till their successor takes charge.

Article 53(8) provides that when the NA is dissolved, the speaker shall continue in office till the person elected to fill the office by the next Assembly is at the helm.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazal (JUI-F), Tuesday, decided to join hands in the coming elections of the Senate.

Both parties would support each other in the Senate by-election on March 14 and the Senate general election on April 2.

“The PPP will support the JUI-F in Balochistan Senate elections, while the JUI-F will extend support to Yousaf Raza Gillani,” JUI-F leader Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri said.

“We will not participate in government-making but play our role in the Parliament,” he said.

PPP leader Nayyar Bukhari has said that the PPP will extend support to the JUI-F candidate in the Senate’s by-election in Balochistan.

The Senate by-election will be held for six seats of the upper house in Islamabad, Sindh and Balochistan on March 14 (Thursday). Balochistan’s three Senate seats have been vacated and the JUI has requested the PPP’s support in Balochistan, Nayyar Bukhari said.

Yousaf Raza Gillani said, “We have discussed over the matter with Maulana Sahib scores of times, we welcome him here”.

“We are supporting each other for the Parliament and will work in tandem in the house,” he added.

It is to be mentioned here that Gillani and Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC)’s Ilyas Meharban will contest in the Senate by-election on the vacant seat from Islamabad.

According to the election commission, polling will be held at the upper house of parliament as well as at Sindh and Balochistan assemblies in Karachi and Quetta from 9:00am to 4:00pm on Thursday.

Among these general category seats, one falls vacant in the federal capital, two in Sindh, and three in Balochistan as senators relinquished their seats, following their election as members of the National Assembly as well as provincial assemblies of Sindh and Balochistan.

Earlier, People’s Party decided to nominate Yousaf Raza Gillani as its candidate for the Senate chairman’s office and he was asked to relinquish his National Assembly seat from Multan.

In order to fill 48 vacant seats, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Monday, also announced holding the Senate elections on April 2.

Fifty-two seats in the upper house of parliament will fall vacant after the expiration of the six-year term of the incumbent senators today (Tuesday). The elections, however, would be held to elect 48 senators as four reserved seats for the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) had been abolished after the 25th Constitutional amendment.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

As could be anticipated, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf’s (PTI’s) protests on March 10, 2024 against alleged election rigging were nullified by the police, particularly in Punjab, where newly inducted Chief Minister (CM) Maryam Nawaz Sharif had promised to ‘crush’ any such manifestation.

Sindh saw little of a heavy-handed government response, perhaps because the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) government headed by CM Murad Shah is securely ensconced with a huge majority.

Balochistan barely witnessed a murmur, underlying the reality that the PTI has little if any strength in the largest by area and most troubled by a nationalist insurgency province. Also as anticipated, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), the PTI was not only able to mount protests without police hindrance but also hold a rally addressed by CM Ali Amin Gandapur in Peshawar.

The explanation for this clear exception to the rule lies in the fact that the PTI is in power in KP. Most prominent PTI leaders were arrested in Punjab, some by being dragged out of vehicles. The response of the PTI leaders and workers to this time honoured treatment by the Punjab police was different from the past. It seems that the PTI has learnt some lessons from the May 9, 2023 fracas and its aftermath, and now plumbed for ‘peaceful resistance’.

What is notable about the PTI’s protests on the street is the extraordinary array of gleaming vehicles. This is perhaps areflection of its urban middle class base, particularly in Punjab. This relatively new phenomenon in the country’s politics points toward the changing social and political dynamic in the country, of which the PTI is the main beneficiary, having focused on this demographic since at least 2011. The question that remains unanswered is whether this urban middle class base can demonstrate in practice the efficacy of street protest, even if peaceful.

It goes without saying, and the events of March 10, 2024 indicate that the incumbent government in Punjab particularly is in no mood to allow the PTI to gain momentum for its political campaign against alleged rigging of the elections through street power. Although the PTI has also seemingly learnt the lesson that abandoning parliament, as it did after its government’s removal in 2022, is bad strategy, it remains to be seen whether its clamorous opposition inside the Houses combined with its newfound Gandhian peaceful resistance on the streets can or will yield the expected results.

For the PTI, those results rest centrally on the dissolution of the present government and anointing of the PTI in power or, failing that, a fresh election with some guarantees that it will be conducted in a fair and free manner and without the manipulation and other legerdemain employed for the Elections 2024. It is possible to see the shape of some of the future if PTI’s Sher Afzal Marwat’s announcement of another protest in Islamabad (and elsewhere?) on March 30, 2024 comes to fruition. As it is, the authorities have released prominent PTI leaders such as Latif Khosa and Salman Akram Raja but charged many workers for defying the imposition of section 144 just before March 10, 2024. This may portend an even harsher response to future protests. What this means is that the rules of the democratic game remain suspended except on the establishment-backed government’s terms, which naturally include acceptance of their (controversial) mandate.

The PTI’s game, on the other hand, seems to include continuing efforts for a rapprochement with the estranged establishment. One pointer to this continuing effort may be detected in outgoing president Dr Arif Alvi’s revelation that he had been, and continues to try for such a rapprochement, but regrettably without success so far. Perhaps Dr Alvi needs reminding that it takes two hands to clap, whereas the miffed establishment (because of the thrust of the May 9 ‘uprising’) is so far not interested in talking to the hitherto ‘insurgent’ PTI.

Meanwhile the system juggernaut continues in motion with the first phase of a 19-member federal cabinet being sworn in on March 11, 2024 in the aftermath of Asif Ali Zardari returning to the presidency. This cabinet assumes office on the verge of Ramazan. Surprise, surprise, Mohsin Naqvi’s stars are not confined to being anointed Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman immediately after he surrendered the caretaker CMship of Punjab (a trajectory that seems to be acquiring the permanence of a norm given the previous example of Najam Sethi), but also shine for him in terms of being inducted into the federal cabinet as proposed interior minister, a post he can hold for six months until he is elected to parliament, which opportunity beckons in the impending Senate elections. Now to ordinary sceptics there is no answer how or why this has transpired.

What are Naqvi’s credentials for the post he is destined for? But then why quibble over qualification when now CM Balochistan Sarfraz Bugti was, until recently, caretaker federal interior minister? In both cases, the deft hand of the establishment seems inescapable.

The only difference is that whereas Bugti had already won the affections of the establishment in the conflict with Nawab Akbar Bugti in 2006 and after, which was instrumental in him being awarded the caretaker federal ministry, Mohsin Naqvi seems to have passed the establishment’s test as caretaker CM Punjab with flying colours. This conclusion is not as farfetched as it may seem at first glance, given the fact that both the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the PPP are at pains to deny Naqvi is their man. Now President Asif Ali Zardari, on the other hand, will have little hesitation in honouring Sarfraz Bugti with this title since, in an extraordinary sleight of hand, a caretaker interior minister resigned just days (literally) before the general elections 2024, stood for a Balochistan provincial seat in his home area of Dera Bugti, and was not only elected, but duly ensconced as CM Balochistan. There are some who question the constitutional and legal validity of this sleight of hand. Others feel constrained to remind us that the PPP inducted Sarfraz Bugti into its ranks immediately after he left the caretaker federal cabinet and Asif Ali Zardari even campaigned for him (albeit from a distance because of bad weather cancelling flights) in his provincial constituency at a triumphant election rally. Now the PPP can boast of heading not just the Sindh government, but that of troubled Balochistan too.

It seems this may well be the last caretaker government Pakistan will see, as both the PML-N and the PPP seem determined in the light of all the objections that have been raised against the last such body, including overstaying its constitutional welcome to straying into areas that were not within its purview, to change this rule that has been in vogue since the 1977 abortive elections. Whether, however, a polarised polity such as Pakistan’s at present can agree how and what rules to replace the caretaker setup with, remains in the realm of the unknown so far.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday staged a protest rally against alleged electoral fraud on the call given by party founding chairman Imran Khan.

The PTI activists led by Shoaib Shaheen and MNA Sher Afzal Khan Marwat, gathered at the Zero Point and marched towards the National Press Club, crossing all the barricades created by Islamabad Police.

The police tried to stop the protesters from staging the protest under Section 144, but they managed to reach the National Press Club chanting slogans against the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the PML(N)-led coalition government.

Addressing the protesters, Marwat alleged that the victory of National Assembly seats won by PTI-backed independent candidates was stolen at the last minute. He said that the protests will continue unless their stolen mandate is returned.

He said that the party would never compromise on the theft of people’s mandate, and all the seats snatched from the PTI through rigging with the help of the returning officers (ROs) would be snatched back.

He further stated that the party had submitted an application to the DC, Islamabad seeking permission for a protest rally on March 23, adding the party will approach the Islamabad High Court (IHC) if permission was not granted. In Rawalpindi, PTI workers and the paramilitary forces came face to face after a protest rally led by party leader Seemabia Tahir was prevented from entering the city via the Khanna Pul route. The police also apprehended some party workers, who were later freed.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has demanded constitution of a judicial commission to investigate the cipher case and alleged rigging in recently-held general elections.

Addressing a public rally here, the chief minister alleged that a conspiracy was hatched to oust PTI-led federal government in 2022.

It is pertinent to mention here that PTI founder Imran Khan was ousted as the prime minister from office through a no-confidence motion in April 2022.

“One day all conspirators will be exposed,” CM Gandapur said, demanding Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa to form judicial commission on Cipher at the earliest.

“Illegal cases were fabricated against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder while Asif Ali Zardari illegally took away a vehicle from Toshakhan and had been made the President of Pakistan. Unfortunately, Shehbaz Sharif had been doing money-laundering and he was made the prime minister of the country,” he alleged

Referring to alleged rigging in February 8 general elections, Gandapur said that the PTI won the polls as per the Form 45s while demanding a judicial inquiry into “result tempering”.

He also lamented the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision of not allocating reserved seats to Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), saying that distributing claimed seats for minorities and women among other political parties was illegal and unconstitutional.

KARACHI: In the National Assembly and provincial assemblies, reserved seats for women should be increased from 16% to 23%. General seats should also be allocated 5% to 20% for women. Political parties should ensure representation and presence of women in decision-making bodies.

These demands were made during the first Sindhi Women’s Day ceremony at Karachi Press Club on Sunday.

Prominent women from various fields, including sports, law, journalism, and other walks of life, addressed the event, showing remarkable achievements at the national and provincial levels.

Mahreen Baloch, a gold medalist in boxing and a Commonwealth Games representative for Pakistan in combat sports, stated that men also feel intimidated when women enter the boxing arena. She hails from Lyari, where men are famous in boxing, and she ensured women’s inclusion in it.

Verun Pirzado, a sports teacher, expressed her desire to elevate football to the grassroots level as the first female referee in football. She believes that women need to be brought forward not only in the field of academia but also in sports.

Fahmeeda Riaz Shewani, a member of the organising committee for Sindhi Women’s Day, pointed out that even in recent elections women were mostly confined to reserved seats, although some contested on general seats like Maryam Nawaz and Shazia Marri.

Rabiya Ejaz Sheikh, hailing from Khairpur, is a designer on YouTube. She learned from YouTube and built her channel, earning enough to build her own house, which was astonishing for the villagers. She thought spending the whole day on mobile phones could be a waste of time. She advised young girls to enter their preferred fields and benefit from the current era, allowing them to earn from home.

Lok singer Nahid Mallani, Alghoza Nawaz Arbab Khoso also performed, while Professor Shahnila Zardari, Wahida Mahesar, Shazia Nazamani, Rubina Chandio, and others also spoke.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Sunday appointed returning officers and polling officers for the forthcoming elections on 48 seats of the Senate. The appointments were made through a notification.

As per the ECP, in all the provinces elections will be held for seven general seats, two women seats and two technocrat seats. Apart from this, there will be election on one minority seat from Punjab and one minority seat from Sindh while one general and one technocrat seat from Islamabad.

The ECP has further informed that relevant Provincial Election Commissioners have been appointed as Returning Officers for the Senate elections in all the four provinces.

For Islamabad, the director general, training, ECP, has been appointed as the Returning Officer. The ECP has already issued schedule of the elections on 48 seats of the Senate in the first week of April. Polling for the elections will be held on April 3 in the national and four provincial assemblies.

Twelve each senators will be elected from Sindh and Punjab and two from Islamabad, while 11 each senators will be elected from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

KARACHI: The Provincial Election Commission of Sindh on Sunday announced that the by-elections to two general seats of Senate from Sindh will be held on March 14, Thursday, in the Sindh Assembly building. The polling for the Senate seats will start from 09am to 04pm in the assembly.

Jam Saifullah Khan and Mohammed Aslam Abro are the nominated candidates of Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarian (PPPP) for Senate general seats whereas Nazirullah and Shazia Sohail of Sunni Ittehad Council will compete as candidates in the by-elections.

As per the by-election schedule of the Election Commission of Pakistan for 2 general seats of the Senate from Sindh province Waqar Mehdi and Mukhtiar Ahmed Dhamra of PPPP whereas Jameel Ahmed of the Sunni Unity Council had withdrawn from the Senate by-election.

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf key leaders MNA Sardar Latif Khosa and Salman Akram Raja and several others have been taken into custody by the Punjab Police in Lahore after authorities started arresting protesting PTI workers yet again.

A large number of PTI leaders and activists organised protest demonstration across the country on the call and back of PTI founder Imran Khan against the alleged rigging in the election.

The party leaders and activists also gathered at the GPO Chowk and other areas of Lahore to register their protest against the alleged rigging in the recently held polls. The arrest of PTI’s senior leader Sardar Latif Khosa was confirmed by his son Shahbaz Khosa.

LHC orders release of Barrister Latif Khosa’s son

Khosa was arrested from Sadar Cantt roundabout while Salman Akram Raja was detained near Ichhra.

Following the arrest of PTI lawyer Salman Akram Raja from a protest site, lawyer Usama Khilji called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for his release. Member Punjab Assembly Haroon Akbar was also detained from Ichhra.

Dr Hasan Mahmood, son of PTI leader Mian Mahmood-ul-Rashid, was also detained. Mian Mehmood-ul-Rashid’s son was detained from a rally in Shadman. Mian Mehmood-ul-Rashid and his son-in-law Akram Usman are already in jail.

Earlier, police had arrested PTI-backed provincial assembly member Hafiz Farhat Abbas.

Party leader Sher Afzal Marwat called the arrest “utterly deplorable and wholly intolerable”, adding that the authorities in Punjab need to stop the “unfair behaviour”.

Two PTI MPAs were also arrested from Multan where heavy police force were deployed at various places including Nawan Shehar, Chungi 9 and Sehv Chowk.

MPAs Moinuddin Riaz Qureshi and Malik Adnan Dogar were arrested by the police.

According to police sources, they had been shifted the arrested leaders and along with several workers to an unknown location.

Similarly, police manning a checkpost on Old Airport Road in Rawalpindi arrested several PTI workers while several others managed to escape from the spot.

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to take oath today (Monday). Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) sources maintained that initially, 12 to 14 members cabinet will take the oath of their portfolios, most probably today (Monday) to be administered by newly-elected President Asif Ali Zardari.

They further maintained that Azam Nazeer Tarar is likely to be given the ministry of law ­and justice, Ishaq Dar is expected to be given ministry for foreign affairs, and Tariq Fatemi to be made special assistant on foreign affairs. Khawaja Asif is likely to be given the portfolio of defence.

Mohammad Aurangzeb is likely to be given portfolio of finance. Ahsan Iqbal is likely to be given planning and development, Musaddiq Malik to be given petroleum, Atta Tarar information and broadcasting, and Shaza Fatima Khawaja is likely to be made minister for information technology.

Shehbaz Sharif takes oath as 24th PM of Pakistan

Ahad Cheema is likely be made adviser on establishment division and Mohsin Naqvi as adviser on interior.

Jam Kamal and Chaudhary Salik Hussain will also be part of the federal cabinet.

However, the sources maintained that some of these portfolios may likely be changed, as consultations were still under way within the party, as well as with other stakeholders.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

The swearing-in ceremony of Asif Ali Zardari as 14th President of Pakistan yesterday was coincided by arrests of several Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders and workers in various parts of the country.

The PTI, as per its plan, has embarked on a protest drive against the Feb 8 vote rigging through which, according to the party, its mandate was “stolen”. Those arrested included senior lawyers and leaders of PTI Sardar Latif Khosa and Salman Akram Raja.

That political stability remains elusive even one month after the general election with the consequent emergence of new legislatures in provinces and at the Centre, and election of four chief ministers and prime minister is a grim reality. That the absence of required political stability has been exacting its toll on the country’s economy is no longer a secret.

A weak and controversial mandate for the ruling coalition is nothing but a stupendous challenge for the government and electorate alike. The seemingly unstable structure of the Shehbaz Sharif-led government (PDM 2.0) and its inclination to collapse in short time will only add to political instability in the country.

In other words, the main takeaway of the Feb 8 general election is that the political instability of 2023 continues in 2024.

Political stability and predicable policies frameworks are widely considered as key drivers for attracting global investment.

The setting up of Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) was a step aimed at achieving and ensuring policy consistency. This objective seems to have been somehow achieved or it will be attained in due course.

However, insofar as the goal of ensuring political stability is concerned, it is conspicuous by its absence.

The current spell of political polarization in the country, in my view, underscores the need for introduction and adoption of a new ‘Charter of Democracy’ that must seek to protect and preserve, among other things, country’s economic interests while suggesting ways and means to insulate the process for every general election from any real or perceived interference in future.

Hence the need for all the stakeholders to join hands to initiate an action in accord with reason without any loss of time.

Sehrish Mustafa Haider (Karachi)

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

PESHAWAR: Business community has demanded of the newly elected central and provincial government to jointly outline a 20-year economic plan for revival of industries, trade and business and progress.

Traders expressed high optimism that the newly elected provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will take a strong stance with the centre for attainment of due constitutional rights with regard to gas and electricity.

The business community assured the central and provincial governments to continue consistent cooperation and support for bringing economic prosperity, progress, industrialization and trade promotion along with framing sustainable and growth-oriented policies.

This was the crux of a meeting of the business community chaired by Industrialists Association Peshawar (IAP) President Ayub Zakori held at IAP Office, said in a press release here Sunday. IAP executive members, industrialists and members were present during the meeting.

On the occasion, the participants felicitated the newly elected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his cabinet, and provincial chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur and his cabinet and expressed hope both federal and provincial governments would take proactive initiatives to resolve all issues of the community.

Ayub Zakori in his opening remarks said the Gandapur-led provincial government would achieve early successes with regard to economic advancement and progress and gaining all constitutional rights of the province.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari took oath as the 14th President of Pakistan on Sunday, becoming the first elected president to reach the presidency for the second time. Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa administered the oath to Asif Ali Zardari at a ceremony held at the President House.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, former Prime Minister and PML-N Supremo Nawaz Sharif, the outgoing President Dr Arif Alvi, parliamentarians, political leaders, Services Chiefs, and Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, members of the diplomatic community and other high officials attended the ceremony. Moreover, Chief Ministers, Governors, attended the ceremony while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister skipped the ceremony.

Asif Ali Zardari, as a joint candidate of the PML-N and the PPP, defeated Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) candidate Mahmood Khan Achakzai in the presidential elections held on Saturday. Zardari secured majority votes of the Electoral College, comprising the parliament and provincial assemblies.

Asif Ali Zardari elected as 14th president of Pakistan

He secured 411 votes while the SIC backed candidate Mehmood Khan Achakzai managed to get 181 votes. In a joint sitting of the National Assembly and Senate, the coalition government’s nominee received 255 votes while the SIC-backed candidate managed just 119 votes.

Asif Ali Zardari is the first elected president of Pakistan, who succeeded in reaching the president office for a second time. Earlier, he served as the 11th President of Pakistan from 2008 to 2013 and was the first politician to complete a full term in office. Under 18th Amendment, he gave away the presidential powers to strengthen parliamentary democracy and bolstered provincial autonomy.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping sent congratulations on Sunday to Asif Ali Zardari on his election as Pakistan’s president, state media reported. Reuters.

NNI adds: President of Iran Syed Ebrahim Raeesi in a message congratulated Asif Ali Zardari on his election as the president of Pakistan.**

President Raeesi expressed hope that during his presidency, the relations between the two countries, having historical, cultural and religious history, will be more developed and deepened than before.

The Iranian President stated, “As always, and especially in the new era, the Islamic Republic of Iran declares its readiness to expand relations with the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.”

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi was presented with a farewell guard of honour on Friday, marking the culmination of his term as the 13th head of state, as Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari is poised to become the new president with the support of the allied parties in Saturday’s (today’s) election.

Alvi was sworn in on September 9, 2018, as the president of Pakistan and his term ended last year but due to the absence of the Electoral College for the election of president, he continued to serve in the presidency.

On Friday, a smartly turned-out contingent of the armed forces presented a guard of honour to the outgoing president.

The national anthem was played as the president stood at the saluting dais.

Later, he also shook hands with the officers and staffers of the Aiwan-e-Sadr.

The farewell guard of honour was given a day before the next presidential election scheduled to be held on Saturday.

The government has nominated PPP’s Asif Ali Zardari for the president’s slot. Zardari would be up against Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party Chairman Mahmood Khan Achakzai, who enjoys the backing of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).

Whereas, Zardari has the support of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Awami National Party (ANP), The Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), and others.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: A day before the presidential poll, scheduled today (Saturday), Mehmood Khan Achakzai, one of the two election candidates, wrote to Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja on Friday that holding this election without completion of electoral college would be “illegal, unlawful and against the spirit of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan”. He demanded that the poll be postponed till the completion of Electoral College.

In his letter to CEC, Achakzai, the candidate of Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) for the presidential poll, stated that the Electoral College prescribed by law and Constitution for the election of the President of Pakistan, was still incomplete, as there were some reserved seats in the National Assembly and Provincial Assemblies, which were still vacant.

“As yet, no one was elected on those reserved seats and without nominations and proper election on these seats, if the presidential election is conducted as per the schedule, that would be denial of their votes, which otherwise, is against the fundamental rights, law and Constitution,” Achakzai contended in the letter.

The completion of this Electoral College under the Constitution and law is not possible unless these members would be elected accordingly to fill in vacant seats, he said.

“As matter of fact, a petition has also been filed by the Sunni Ittehad Council before honourable Peshawar High Court, on account of reserved seats issue, and an injunctive order was passed by the honourable Court, and petitioner is hopeful for a clear verdict in favour of Sunni Ittehad Council, however, the completion of electoral college for the presidential election in near future would not be in sight and this infirmity would make the whole election illegal and unlawful,” Achakzai, the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PMAP) chief, stated in the letter.

“Under the above circumstances, it was submitted that the proposed election to the office of the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is clearly impossible; therefore, the same may kindly be postponed or delayed till completion of electoral college accordingly, in the best interest of justice, fair play and equity,” Achakzai demanded of the CEC, the Returning Officer of the presidential poll. Achakzai and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) supremo Asif Ali Zardari are the two candidates in run for the presidency in today’s election.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Friday refused to issue any order restraining the members of assemblies elected on reserved seats from exercising their right to vote in the presidential election being held on Saturday (today).

The court, however, issued notices to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and other respondents on a petition of Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) and sought their replies by March 13.

The SIC’s counsel said the members on reserved seats of the Punjab Assembly took oath in a session convened before its scheduled time on Friday.

He pointed out that the Sindh and Peshawar high courts restrained the MPAs on reserved seats from taking oath in the respective assemblies. A law officer, however, said the situation in Punjab was different from other provinces.

The court asked the petitioner’s counsel as if the party approached the ECP against the impugned decision which he replied in negative. Earlier, the court took up the petition of the SIC as an objection case.

The court overruled two objections raised by the registrar office on the petition with a direction to fix its hearing and observed that the third objection about the maintainability of petition would be decided by the court on the judicial side.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024