[🇵🇰] Pakistan General Elections -- 2024

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MQM-P did not ask for any cabinet positions, says Siddiqui​

Updated Feb 29,
Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui clarified on Thursday that decisions regarding cabinet positions had been finalised, but the party had not sought any specific roles.

Addressing the media ahead of the National Assembly session, Siddiqui emphasised that the MQM-P's focus was not on governorship or ministries, but on delivering the benefits of democracy to the people.

The return of the MQM signifies a genuine mandate, and despite expecting more seats, the party is prepared to voice its concerns about electoral irregularities on appropriate platforms, he added.

Furthermore, Siddiqui underscored the persistent nature of the issues, stating that the circumstances today mirror those of 75 years ago. He highlighted the significance of a democracy that truly benefitted the public, highlighting the imperative to grant rights to Pakistan's 230 million citizens.

 

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JUI-F to sit on opposition benches, announces Fazl​

Updated Feb 29,
JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman announced on Thursday that his party will sit on opposition benches and not be party of the new incoming coalition government.

The JUI chief further said that he would not participate in the voting for the premier, president, speaker and deputy speaker.

Speaking to the media in Parliament House, Fazl maintained that he does not foresee the incoming government completing its five-year tenure.

When asked about his party's intention to join the PTI protest or launch his protest movement, he said: “Wait and watch, will protest together with you.”

 

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Imran's letter to IMF akin to hostility towards state, says Nawaz​

Updated Feb 29,
PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif said on Thursday that PTI founder Imran Khan's letter to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) - linking the country's political stability with any further bailout talks - is akin to hostility against the state.

Nawaz made these remarks as he arrived at the Parliament House for the inaugural session of the 16th National Assembly (NA). When probed further, the PML-N leader said such tactics were the 'tradition' of PTI.

Nawaz further said that "no political party will write such letters" and asked if this was not an act of hostility. "You can draw the conclusions yourself."

 

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PM disapproves of Imran’s IMF letter​

Updated Feb 29,
Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar has expressed his disapproval of PTI chief Imran Khan’s letter to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), terming this move as 'highly irresponsible'.

Appearing on a talk show of a private TV channel, the prime minister said the letter was sent at a time when the caretaker government had significantly worked for economic revival, with relevant indicators showing positive trends and achieving various financial targets.

He mentioned that negotiations with the IMF are underway for a $6-billion-dollar agreement, which is crucial for the economic health of the country. Moreover, different multilateral agreements also depend on it.

 

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PPP urges prompt Senate elections to fill 11 vacant seats​

Updated Feb 29,
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has urgently called for elections to fill the currently vacant seats in the Senate.

In a letter addressed to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), PPP Senator Taj Haider highlighted that 11 Senate seats are now unoccupied due to the resignation of several senators who have now been elected as members of the assembly.

The seats left vacant include those of Yousuf Raza Gilani, Jam Mehtab, Nisar Khuhro, Gafoor Haideri, Sarfraz Bugti, Nuzhat Sadiq, Sadiq Sanjrani, Prince Umar, the late Rana Maqbool, Shaukat Tareen, and Anwarul Haq Kakar.

The vacancies in the Senate have arisen as a result of senators resigning from their positions, with some opting to become members of the National Assembly following their success in the general elections.

 

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Ali Muhammad Khan, Sher Afzal Marwat attend NA session donning ‘Imran mask’​

Feb 29, 2024
In a display of solidarity, key figures from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) including Ali Muhammad Khan and Sher Afzal Marwat made a notable entrance into the National Assembly today donning the mask of their party's founder and former prime minister, Imran Khan.

The inaugural session of NA was chaired by Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf. During the session, newly elected members of the assembly took oath.

The House echoed with slogans in favour of Imran Khan, with lawmakers, including Ali and Marwat, wearing Imran’s face mask and carrying his posters.

Today's session also witnessed the return of PTI to the Parliament after the party resigned en masse, the only difference is that PTI lawmakers have entered the legislature this time around under the banner of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).

Despite the unspoken ban on mentioning Imran Khan's name and displaying his photo or video, this is the first time the party has had the chance to take the PTI founder's name and show his photos on television screens; perhaps a small reward for returning to the Parliament.

Seeing the unruly behaviour of the lawmakers from both sides of the aisle, the speaker adjourned the session till 10am on Friday.

 

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ANP won’t participate in parliamentary elections: Asfandyar​

Updated Feb 29, 2024
Awami National Party (ANP) chief Asfandyar Wali Khan has declared that ANP members will refrain from participating in the election process within any assembly and the Senate.

In a statement released on Thursday, he emphasised ANP's commitment to civilian supremacy, democracy, and parliamentary strength in the country. Khan expressed concern about the unprecedented use of money in the recent elections, stating that the party is not inclined to cast votes in the provincial assemblies and the Senate under the current circumstances.

He added that despite offers of posts from the current majority parties, ANP does not engage in politics for power or seats. Khan reiterated ANP's principled stance, advocating for the retrieval of the mandate from 'mandate thieves' and its rightful allocation to genuine representatives.

Regarding roles within parliament, Asfandyar mentioned that further decisions would be made through mutual consultation at a later time.

 

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PTI delegation meets Fazl, seeks support for key parliamentary slots​

Updated Feb 29, 2024
A delegation from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) approached Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman, seeking support for their nominees for speaker, deputy speaker, and prime minister.

PTI's prime ministerial candidate, Omar Ayub Khan, along with senior party members Asad Qaiser and Junaid Akbar, held discussions with Fazl at his residence.


Following the meeting, Ayub addressed the media, stating their purpose was to solicit votes from Fazl's party for their candidates. "I have come here to seek votes, and that is my right," he asserted.

Responding to queries, Ayub affirmed that Imran Khan was aware of their visit to secure support from JUI-F chief for their candidates. "Imran Khan's stance is to engage with political parties," he added.

 

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Balochistan CM’s election on Saturday​

Feb 29,
The election for the new Balochistan Chief Minister is set to take place on Saturday, as announced by the newly elected Speaker Abdul Khaliq Achakzai during a session of the provincial assembly.

Chairing the assembly session, Speaker Achakzai unveiled the schedule for the election of the Leader of the House, stating that candidates vying for the position of chief minister could submit their nomination forms until 5pm on Friday. The election itself is scheduled to occur on Saturday, with the session adjourned to reconvene at 11am on that day.

Addressing the media following the session, Achakzai affirmed his commitment to impartially preside over the House, assuring equal treatment to both the treasury and opposition benches. He underscored his dedication to upholding the rule of law and the supremacy of the Constitution.

Achakzai urged the assembly members to rise above their political affiliations and work together for the strengthening of democracy and the welfare of the people. He thanked the MPAs for electing him as Speaker of the Balochistan Assembly.

 

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MQM-P to decide on joining federal cabinet tomorrow: Farooq Sattar​

MQM-P Deputy Convener Farooq Sattar has said that the party would likely decide on joining the federal cabinet tomorrow, state-run Associated Press of Pakistan reports.
Talking to a private news channel, he said that it would be politically favourable for the party to sit on opposition benches. At the same time, he said that the MQM-P was ready to take some difficult decisions in the larger national interest.
To a question, Sattar said that the MQM-P’s basic demand was a constitutional amendment to strengthen the local government system, not cabinet portfolios.
The MQM-P would fully support the PML-N in forming the government, he added.

 

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PML-N’s Khawaja Asif says party holding talks with JUI-F​

Former federal minister Khawaja Asif has said that the PML-N’s doors for communication and negotiation with other political parties are open.
He said that PML-N leaders were in contact with the JUI-F leadership and did not want to comment on a “premature situation”.
“If their mandate was stolen in KP, then neither we nor PPP stole the mandate […] If the theft has taken place over there then it was done by PTI,” he alleged.
“We have never closed the door for possibilities,” Asif asserted

 

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JUI-F, PTI on same page on ‘massive rigging’ in Feb 8 polls: Ali Muhammad Khan​

PTI leader Ali Muhammad Khan has said his party and the JUI-F are on the same page regarding the “massive rigging” during the February 8 general elections.
Speaking on Geo News, he said that the JUI-F had agreed that more than 100 members in the National Assembly had lost their seats in the general elections due to “rigging”.
“We are not asking for repolling nor are we asking for recounting,” he said, adding that the PTI only demanded results according to Forms-45.
“But the Form 45 should be from February 8, not February 29,” Khan added.

 

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Newly elected NA is set to be one of the most ‘paralysed’ in Pakistan’s parliamentary history​

Political experts believe that the PTI is capable of disrupting the assembly’s proceedings for a long time, making things difficult for the incoming govt.

The first day of the newly elected National Assembly panned out just as expected: rancorous PTI members, now part of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), protested over the alleged election rigging and the arrest of their party founder Imran Khan.

For those who were there, the clamour on the first day of the assembly’s inaugural session refreshed memories of the 2002 house where the then opposition, comprising the two major parties — PPP and PML-N — kept the house paralysed for months.

On Thursday, the two parties, set to form the government this time, got a taste of their own medicine, albeit while being on the other side of the aisle.

They should probably get used to it, as the PTI-backed lawmakers have announced the plan to protest in every sitting till the time they get back the seats allegedly snatched from them through manipulation of the election results.

If the first session of National Assembly is anything to go by, the newly elected house is set to be one of the most ‘paralysed’ in the country’s parliamentary history

Seeing the composition of the PTI members comprising some firebrand speakers and the party’s track record of doing aggressive and agitational politics, many political experts believe that the party is capable of disrupting the assembly’s proceedings for a long time, thus making things difficult for the upcoming coalition government, being dubbed the “PDM 2.0.”

In 2002, the then opposition parties, PPP and PML-N, with the support of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal and some nationalist parties, refused to provide legitimacy to the Legal Framework Order (LFO) through which the then military dictator Gen Pervez Musharraf made a number of amendments to the Constitution.

They disrupted every house sitting through constant desk thumping and sloganeering, thus forcing the former dictator to engage opposition parties, finally resulting in their alliance’s break-up. Only then was the house able to conduct its businesses.

The difference, however, is that 22 years ago, there were seasoned politicians in the opposition alliance like Javed Hashmi, Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan, Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Shah Ahmed Noorani and Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

Mr Rehman and other seniors, like BNP President Akhtar Mengal and PkMAP head Mehmood Khan Achakzai, are on the opposition benches this time, but many believe their presence will not tone down the ruckus.

Heavily outnumbered, these leaders will not be in a position to exert control over the opposition alliance, with more than 90 SIC members who’d be getting direct instructions from their jailed leader through his counsel-cum-parliamentarians.

PTI’s hotheaded MNAs, Sher Afzal Marwat and Jamshed Dasti, left no doubts about their intentions to paralyse the house.

A few of their other senior colleagues avoided the hard line and simply said the assembly that “came into existence as a result of the blatant and massive rigging may not last long”.

Mr Mengal, however, was the voice of reason, saying the country needed “general surgery” as cosmetic measures would not bring any improvement.

Some PML-N and the PPP members also raised slogans in favour of their leadership and against Mr Khan, but they showed restraint and avoided a direct clash with SIC members.

A senior journalist credited PTI leadership for keeping a hold on their nearly 100 members when it was predicted that some would ditch Mr Khan and join the government.

Another senior journalist commented that seeing the grim faces of those set to form the government was surprising.

Previously, the prospects of forming a government used to elicit emotions of joy, at least in the initial days, aptly called the government’s “honeymoon period”.

There were three senators — PML-N’s Nuzhat Sadiq, JUI-F’s Abdul Ghafoor Haideri and PPP’s Yousuf Raza Gilani — who took the oath as MNAs after resigning from the upper house.

Many were surprised to see Mr Gilani taking oath as he was being tipped as a candidate for the Senate chairman.

His oath as MNA reaffirmed reports that the ‘establishment’ had suggested the names of Sadiq Sanjrani and incumbent caretaker prime minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar for the Senate top post.