pakistan
ECP calls emergency meeting to review Sindh’s plea against LG polls
ECP calls emergency meeting to review Sindh’s plea against LG polls
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Saturday called an emergency meeting to discuss the Sindh government’s request to delay the local body polls in Karachi division and Hyderabad district.
The meeting, chaired by the chief election commissioner, will begin at 1pm to review the provincial government’s second plea.
Earlier in the day, the Sindh government once again asked the electoral body to postpone the LG polls, citing delimitation issue and unavailability of army troops for deployment at the polling stations a day after the identical request was turned down by the ECP. Th election body, in its decision, announced that polls would be held as planned on Jan 15. The Muttahidah Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), a key coalition partner of PDM and PPP in centre, is mulling the possibility to pull out of the alliance if its demands regarding delimitation are not met.
In the fresh letter, the provincial government took up the security issue with the ECP, stating that the electoral watchdog had given no response to the concerns of the provincial govt regarding the unavailability of “Pakistan Army & Civil Armed Forces”. Owing to the prevalent security situation, the government said “there is a greater need for the presence of troops of Pakistan Army and Civil Armed Forces to be statically deployed at the polling stations”.
As the federal government has excused itself from providing the required troops, the provincial government has asked the ECP to delay the polls in Karachi division and Hyderabad district.
The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Islamabad has discharged 32 individuals arrested in connection with the PTI protests, clearing them of the charges.
The 32 accused were brought before the ATC Islamabad late at night after being sent for an identification parade.
The case was heard by ATC Judge Abulhasnat Zulqarnain, with the accused represented by their lawyer Ansar Kiani.
Although the police had claimed that the arrests were made at the I-9 and Margalla police stations, the accused were brought to the court from Jhelum Jail, which led to the judge expressing displeasure.
During the proceedings, the police argued that the accused were arrested on November 25 and the identification parade had not yet been conducted. The police requested a 30-day physical remand for each of the accused.
However, the defense lawyer opposed the request, stating that there had been no identification parade and the police were seeking remand for recovery purposes.
The lawyer further claimed that the police had picked up laborers from their homes just to meet arrest quotas, involving them in the protest case.
After hearing the arguments, Judge Abulhasnat Zulqarnain ordered the release of the 32 accused by discharging them from the case, removing their handcuffs in the courtroom.
He also warned that if the police re-arrested them, the officers would be handcuffed as well.
An anti-terrorism court in Islamabad on Saturday extended bail of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser in a case pertaining to vandalism in Sangjani public gathering held by his party on Sept 28.
Justice Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain of the ATC conducted hearing of the case against the former NA speaker.
The petitioner’s lawyer requested exemptionof her client from appearance, citing terminal illness.
The lawyer also attached medical certificate of the former NA speaker.
Later, the court accepted the plea of Qaiser by extending his bail till Jan 7.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Adviser Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif claimed on Saturday that “secret meetings” were being held in the President House to oust Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and bring Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari as the new PM.
In a statement, the adviser said both father and son (President Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal) were making all the necessary efforts for premiership of the latter, adding that the president was on a secret mission to see his son as the PM.
“Zardari should make his son the PM through fair means instead of stealing the mandate given by the people to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Both Sharifs and Zardaris are enjoying the power through a stolen mandate,” he added.
He reiterated that Zardari should keep it in mind that the PTI would continue its struggle to restore its mandate.
To rival SpaceX’s Starship, ULA eyes Vulcan rocket upgrade
AI with reasoning power will be less predictable
On Syria tour, Blinken pledges to work with Iraq against IS jihadists
-
Entertainment2 months agoMovie Review: Helen Mirren tells a story of evil and hope during WWII in ‘White Bird’
-
Business2 months agoRay-Ban maker EssilorLuxottica slams ‘grab bag’ lawsuits claiming eyewear monopoly
-
Entertainment2 months agoDozens of health workers killed in Lebanon over past day, WHO says
-
Entertainment3 months agoShagufta Ejaz’s husband passes away after protracted illness
-
Entertainment3 months agoHilfiger goes full nautical for Fashion Week, with runway show on former Staten Island Ferry boat
-
pakistan2 months agoPunjab govt imposes Section 144 in five districts
-
Business3 months agoGold scales fresh record high in Pakistan
-
pakistan3 months agoWomen steal the SBP currency note design competition show