pakistan

President Alvi asks ECP to immediately announce date for KP, Punjab polls

Published

2 months ago

February 8, 2023

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President Alvi asks ECP to immediately announce date for KP, Punjab polls

President Arif Alvi has asked the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to immediately announce the date of elections for provincial assemblies of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab to “put an end to dangerous speculative propaganda”.

The president has written a letter to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has been demanding the KP and Punjab governors, and ECP to announce date for elections since the dissolution of the provincial assemblies last month.

In the letter, Mr Alvi referred to the dissolution of the provincial assemblies of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and said “the election of an Assembly is to be held within 90 days of the dissolution as provided by the Article 224(2) of the Constitution”. He added that the conduct and holding of elections was the primary and essential duty of the ECP as per PART VIII of the Constitution, particularly Article 218 (3) which assigned the duty to the ECP to ensure the holding of fair and free elections.

He conveyed that it was ultimately the Commission which, if it failed to discharge its functions and duties, was to be held responsible and answerable for the violation of the Constitution of the country.

“Referring to Article 42 and Third Schedule, the president stressed that he was under oath ‘to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution’ being the Head of State,” reads the press release. He reminded the CEC and the members of the ECP about their fundamental duty as per their oath to avoid serious consequences of breach/violation of the Constitution/law and announce election schedule of the two dissolved assemblies forthwith.

Highlighting the significance of the Preamble/Objectives Resolution, the president said the preamble stated in unambiguous words that ‘the State shall exercise its power and authority through the chosen representatives of the people’.

“Such is the unflinching resolve and commitment by the forefathers of the Nation who drafted the Objectives Resolution duly made part of the Constitution (Article 2A). Thus, there remains no obscurity about the democratic principles and values that are to be adhered to, observed and followed”, he further wrote.

He emphasised that the oldest democracies had never delayed elections even during wars. In this regard, he quoted the examples of the USA which held elections despite being at war with Great Britain in 1812 under President James Madison. He further stated that in 1864 during the American Civil War, top advisers of the then president, Abraham Lincoln, wanted to postpone elections due to the Civil War but he disagreed with them, and even though he thought that he was going to lose the elections, he never really contemplated suspending the elections.

He said the Commission itself had already taken an appropriate constitutional step and had announced the holding of bye-elections of National Assembly seats of different constituencies. The president concluded that he was of the firm view that there were no such circumstances in the country that provided any justification for delaying or postponing the elections.

He stressed that recent world history had shown that the postponement of constitutionally-mandated elections had caused serious long-term setbacks to democracy.

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pakistan

Toshakhana case: Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi challenges NAB notices in IHC

Published

11 hours ago

April 1, 2023

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akistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi on Saturday moved the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against the call-up notices issued by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in a reference regarding Toshakhana gifts.

The former first lady has challenged the notices served on her on March 16 and 17 through her lawyer, Khawaja Harris. She has made the NAB chairman, and additional director of NAB Rawalpindi respondents in the case.

Bushra Bibi had pleaded the court to declare the notices null and void. She also requested the high court to bar the NAB from taking any disciplinary action against her on the basis of the notices. The petitioner asked the court to stop NAB from converting the case inquiry into an investigation.

The development comes after she failed to appear before the anti-graft watchdog to join the inquiry proceedings in the reference.

A notice issued to Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi and others in the Toskhana case in February this year states: “The competent authority has taken cognisance of an offence allegedly committed by the accused persons under the provisions of NAO, 1999. In this regard, the inquiry proceedings have revealed that during your tenure in office you retained some state gifts presented to you by various foreign dignitaries including the following luxury items — five Rolex wristwatches; one iPhone presented by Chief of Staff, Qatar Armed Forces, dated 14.11.2018; (No. E67574V3), a pair of cufflinks, one ring; unstitched cloth of pant coat from Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia dated 18.09.2020; Graff gift set containing one Graff wristwatch Master Graff Special Edition Mecca timepiece, one 18K gold and diamond Graff pen and a ring and pair of cufflinks with micro-painting of Mecca.”

“You are therefore requested to join the inquiry proceedings before the Combined Investigation Team (CIT), NAB (Rawalpindi/Islamabad), Civic Centre, G-6, Islamabad,” reads the notice

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pakistan

Govt moves SC to withdraw curative review reference against Justice Isa

Published

12 hours ago

April 1, 2023

admin

The federal government on Saturday filed a petition in the Supreme Court to withdraw curative review reference against Justice Qazi Faez Isa.

The government said it did not want to pursue the case and pleaded the apex court to allow the withdrawal of the petition against the senior judge.

A day earlier, President Dr Arif Alvi approved the withdrawal of the curative review reference and Civil Miscellaneous Application (CMA) against the judge of Justice Isa.

The president gave the approval on the advice of the prime minister in accordance with Article 48 of the Constitution. Dr Alvi also signed his power of attorney in favour of Advocate Supreme Court Anees Ahmed Shehzad.

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pakistan

‘Only three’ died in pursuit of free flour in Punjab, clarifies Punjab gov spox

Published

12 hours ago

April 1, 2023

admin

Punjab caretaker information minister Amir Mir on Saturday said PTI senior vice president Fawad Chaudhry’s claims of 20 deaths in pursuit of free flour across the province were ridiculous.

He clarified that “only three” people died in a stampede while four others suffered a cardiac arrest adding that two of them died in the hospital while the remaining breathed their last in their homes.

He said Mr Chaudhry’s false claims won’t get the air adding that he should refrain from telling lies in the holy month of Ramadan at least. “PTI leaders compete with each other in lies”, he added. People of Pakistan, he said, were aware of the difference between truth and lies and it was not possible for people like Fawad to misguide them.

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