[🇵🇰] Pakistan General Elections -- 2024

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PTI holds Sindh-wide protests against workers’ arrest, poll rigging​

Scores of workers march from Guru Mandir to Mazar-i-Quaid, demanding Imran Khan's release.

 

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The political leadership has yet not been able to agree on a charter of economy for the new government​

The government needs to create a healthy industrial culture to maximise indigenous resources.

 

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Former caretaker Punjab chief minister Mohsin Naqvi will be sworn in as the interior minister on Monday (today) when the new federal cabinet members will be administered their oath of office, a source within the PPP confirmed.

 

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The PPP leader maintained that Naqvi was “Rawalpindi’s man”, who would become the interior minister with PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif’s blessings.

Naqvi extended all kinds of favours to the PML-N but not to the PPP’s provincial chapter – so much so that it had complained to the party leadership of ex-interim CM’s “discriminatory” attitude towards them.

 

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Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz appears to have preferred fresh faces over old guards as more than half of her eighteen-member cabinet comprises first-time ministers.

Meanwhile, in a somewhat surprising move, despite having a coalition partner in PML-Q, her cabinet did not feature any member from IPP, even as strong rumours suggested the party's parliamentary secretary was in line for a ministerial position.

 

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Ishaq Dar becomes FM as PM Shehbaz’s 19-member cabinet sworn in​

Federal ministers include Khawaja Asif as defence minister, Attaullah Tarar as information minister, MQM-P's Khalid Maqbool, IPP's Aleem Khan and ex-Punjab CM Naqvi.
Updated about 3 hours ago

 

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ECP announces schedule for Senate polls​

Electoral body sets April 2 for elections on 48 seats as 52 senators retire today

Our Correspondent
March 11, 2024

PHOTO: AFP/FILE


ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced on Monday that elections for 48 Senate seats would take place on April 2, following the expiration of the six-year term for the current Senators on Tuesday.

52 seats in the upper house of parliament will become vacant, but elections will only be held for 48 senators. The reduction is due to the abolition of four reserved seats for the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) following the 25th constitutional amendment.

The official schedule for the elections is set to be issued on March 14, according to the electoral watchdog. The polling will include seven general seats, two for women, two for technocrats (including Ulema), and one for non-Muslims from Sindh and Punjab.

Furthermore, lawmakers from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and Balochistan will participate in electing members for seven general seats, two women, and two technocrats (including Ulema).

Members of the National Assembly will elect one general seat and one technocrat seat (including Ulema) from the federal capital.

 

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In preparation for the upcoming elections, the ECP appointed returning officers (ROs) for Islamabad and the four provinces.

Saeed Gul, the Director General Training of the ECP, will serve as the Returning Officer in the federal capital.

Meanwhile, Aijaz Anwar Chohan, Sharifullah, Shamshad Khan, and Muhammad Farid Afridi will act as returning officers in Punjab, Sindh, KP, and Balochistan, respectively.

In addition, by-elections for six vacant Senate seats are scheduled for Thursday, March 14. The polling will take place at the upper house of parliament, as well as at the Sindh and Balochistan assemblies in Karachi and Quetta.

These vacancies in the general category arose in the federal capital, with two in Sindh and three in Balochistan, as senators relinquished their seats after being elected as members of the National Assembly and provincial assemblies.

Former prime minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri recently joined the lower house of parliament, while Nisar Ahmed Khuhro and Jam Mehtab Hussain Dahar were elected to the Sindh Assembly.

Prince Ahmed Umer Ahmedzai and Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti became members of the Balochistan Assembly.

 

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President Zardari decides to name daughter Aseefa as first lady​

Investigation reveals president holds authority to confer the title upon any female member of his family

News Desk
March 11, 2024

President Asif Ali Zardari with daughter Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari. PHOTO: PPP MEDIA CELL


President Asif Ali Zardari has decided to confer the title of first lady upon his daughter, Aseefa Bhutto, Express News reported.

Traditionally, the role of 'first lady' has been reserved for the wives of presidents or prime ministers, prompting questions about the legitimacy of appointing a daughter to the position.

Express News' investigation into the matter has revealed that the president holds the authority to confer the title upon any female member of his family. Legal experts consulted by the news outlet confirmed that there are no legal barriers preventing such an appointment.

 

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PPP, JUI-F reach agreement over Senate by-poll on March 14​

Aleema Khan says Imran’s only response to "deal offer" is to return "stolen mandate"; president, interior minister to forgo salaries due to "economic challenges".

 

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Asif Ali Zardari is the head of the state again and we all love him: Ayyan Ali​

Model shared an old clip and captioned it with a playful message

Entertainment Desk
March 12, 2024

In what can only be seen as a blast from the past, renowned Pakistani model Ayyan Ali recently took to social media to share a throwback clip and pen a note for Asif Ali Zardari, who has once again taken the oath as the President of Pakistan.

The model, known for her bold and candid expressions, reminisced about a moment from an old interview where she was queried about Zardari by actor Shaan Shahid.

Sharing the clip on her social media platform, Ayyan showcased a moment from the past when Shaan asked her about Zardari. In the clip, Ayyan responds, "Very respectfully, he's the head of the state, our President. We all love him." The exchange continues with Shaan reiterating, "We all love him," and Ayyan concluding, "Yes, we do. Now don't say anything after this."

 

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Imran deprived of visitors after govt imposes two-week ban on Adiala jail visitations​

NEWS DESK

Punjab home dept says decision taken in light of 'threat alert' issued by law enforcement, intelligence agencies

 

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LHC turns down SIC plea for stay on allocation of reserved seats​

Court instructs federal, provincial govts to submit replies in next hearing

Rana Yasif
March 13, 2024

Lahore High Court building. FILE: PHOTO

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday turned down the Sunni Ittehad Council's (SIC) request for issuing a stay on the allotment of reserved seats in light of the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) new schedule.

Justice Chaudhry Muhammad Iqbal fixed the next hearing and instructed the federal and provincial governments to submit their replies.

 

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Senior Pakistan Judges Allege Intimidation, Torture by Military-Run Spy Agency​

A majority of federal High Court judges in Pakistan have jointly accused the country's military-run spy agency of intimidating them and their relatives through abduction, torture, and secret video surveillance inside their bedrooms to influence judicial outcomes.

In a rare letter this week addressed to mostly Supreme Court judges, including the chief justice, six out of eight members of the Islamabad High Court documented the allegations and sought their intervention to resolve the complaint.

It prompted Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa to summon an emergency meeting of all the Supreme Court judges to discuss the matter on Wednesday.

The letter dated March 25 blamed the Inter-Services Intelligence, or ISI, for meddling in judicial proceedings "to seek a certain outcome." An army general runs the spy agency, and it is notorious for allegedly orchestrating the making or breaking of elected governments at the behest of Pakistan's powerful military.

The Pakistani military has not responded to VOA’s request for comment on the allegations.

"We believe it is imperative to inquire into and determine whether there exists a continuing policy on the part of the executive branch of the state, implemented by intelligence operatives... to intimidate judges, under threat of coercion or blackmail, to engineer judicial outcomes in politically consequential matters," the letter read.

It highlighted several instances of attempted coercion and intimidation by ISI officers "to influence the outcome" of cases, including those related to jailed former prime minister Imran Khan.

Referring to a March 2023 state-backed lawsuit against Khan, the letter said that "considerable pressure was brought to bear" on judges "by operatives of the ISI." It said the judges sought additional protection for their homes over personal security fears.

"One of the judges had to be admitted to a hospital due to high blood pressure caused by stress," it noted.