[🇵🇰] Pakistan General Elections -- 2024

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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.

 

[Old School]

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.

 

[Old School]

Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari elected unopposed as MNA from Shaheed Benazirabad​

Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari was elected unopposed as a member of the National Assembly from NA-207 Shaheed Benazirabad (formerly Nawabshah) on Friday.

She had filed her nomination papers to contest the by-election on March 17 and her candidature was subsequently approved by the returning officer (RO) after the scrutinisation process on Thursday.
This seat was vacated by her father, Asif Ali Zardari, after he was elected as the president. Word on the grapevine was that President Zardari was going to make Aseefa the new first lady. The PPP has already started referring to her with that title.

According to a notification — a copy of which is available with Dawn.com — issued by the RO, three candidates withdrew their names from the contest for the by-poll.

 

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[H3]ECP's role ends after election win notification: SC[/H3]
Judge says stopping polling after printing of ballot papers will be inappropriate

Jahanzeb Abbasi
April 17, 2024

The Supreme Court of Pakistan. PHOTO: APP/FILE

ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court Justice Ayesha Malik remarked on Wednesday that the role of the Election Commission of Pakistan concluded after issuing the notification of the success of the winning candidate and all the subsequent matters would go to the election tribunal.

During the hearing of a petition against re-polling at four polling stations in the Balochistan Assembly constituency of PB-9, Justice Malik sought the reasons, as to why the order for the re-polling should be suspended.

The apex court bench, led by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and also including Justice Irfan Saadat Khan, issued notices to the relevant parties, including the ECP, the attorney general for Pakistan (AGP) and others on the appeal against election victory of Nawab Chenghaiz Khan Marri.
Ali Zafar, the lawyer for the petitioner, told the court that Marri, who belonged to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was won the PB-9 election on February 8. However, the voting could not take place at four polling stations because of the law and order situation.

Later, on the request of Mir Naseebullah Khan of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), the ECP ordered a re-polling at seven polling stations, which was held on February 16, and Marri still won the election and took oath as the Balochistan Assembly member on February 28.


Justice Malik asked the lawyer why the re-polling order should be suspended. Justice Khan inquired from the ECP lawyer whether the ballot papers have been printed or not? He remarked that it would be inappropriate to stop the voting when the ballot papers were printed.

The ECP lawyer replied that he would inform the court about the ballot papers after getting the information from the ECP. However, he added that polling was scheduled for April 24. The court adjourned the hearing till April 22.