Connect with us

pakistan

Triumph of hope and resilience

Triumph of hope and resilience

Published

on

Triumph of hope and resilience

The trumpeted general election in Pakistan are over and results from the length and breadth of the country continue to trickle in.

Barring few places, the contestants in most constituencies are at variance about the outcome and pledge to slug it out at all possible fora. After all, the stakes are high in what can be described as the ‘fate-changing’ event of the country.

The success trajectory of independent candidates, especially those backed by the embattled PTI, comes as a surprise for the voters.

One can look at the election from various angles but the most heartening aspect is public enthusiasm, which can be borne out by high turnout, and the level of commitment and resilience some of the aspirants showed. Those who campaigned and contested on the proverbial sticky wicket actually “fought till the last ball”.

Advertisement

Let’s have a glimpse of the results of some of these candidates – something which instils hope among the masses and restores their confidence in the political system.

Yasmin Rashid

Take the example of iron-willed former Punjab health minister Dr Yasmin Rashid who, as expected, gave PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif a run for his ‘votes’ in NA-130 Lahore. Although Nawaz Sharif has won by taking 171,024 votes, Dr Rashid chipped in with 115,043 votes despite being incarcerated and reports of ill health.

Nawaz Sharif, again contrary to expectations, has been defeated in his second home, NA-15 Mansehra where he has faced drubbing by a lesser known but locally active PTI-backed candidate, Gastasab Khan, who bagged 105,249 votes. Sharif could get 80,382 votes.

Aliya Hamza

Advertisement

Aliya Hamza, another PTI-backed lady from NA-118 Lahore, sprang a surprise by taking 100,803 votes against an astute political operator, Hamza Shehbaz, who managed to win by a slim margin of almost 5,000 votes.

Hamza bagged 105,960 votes but Aliya’s supporters see a clear moral victory for her amid a sea of challenges.

Sardar Latif Khosa

Sardar Latif Khosa, a seasoned lawyer who joined the PTI just a few months back, has come up as a classic case of triumph of hope and resilience.

Khosa seems to have never aspired to become an MNA in his political career, yet he romped home against firebrand PML-N leader Saad Rafique who is very well connected with locals in his constituency.

Advertisement

His elders’ decades-long political affiliation in NA-122 couldn’t win him the seat this time round.

Rehana Dar

Septuagenarian Rehana Dar from Sialkot deserves credit for fighting tooth and nail against PML-N’s Khawaja Asif who eventually won the contest. She lost to the PML-N veteran politician but showed grit at an advanced age.

Salman Akram Raja

The erudite Salman Akram Raja, one of the finest legal brains of the country, contested in Lahore’s key NA-128 constituency. Initially, he emerged as a clear winner but his rival Awn Chaudhry, a candidate of the Istehkam-e-Pakistan party supported by the House of Sharifs, was declared victorious according to unofficial results.

Advertisement

Raja contested the outcome and immediately challenged the ‘anomalies’ in the Lahore High Court (LHC) which has now stopped results of the constituency.

What goes beyond the shadow of doubt is the public support for him. The PTI remained successful in the constituency in 2013 and 2018.

Barrister Gohar Ali Khan

PTI’s moving spirit Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has won with a heavy majority in his native constituency of Buner (NA-10). The road to his success remained paved with obstacles.

Dr Nisar Jutt

Advertisement

The story cant’t be complete without Jutt’s mention as he has defeated Rana Sanaullah in his hometown Faisalabad. It was one of the seats where the PML-N seemed to have a clear edge but Dr Nisar Jutt sprang a surprise.

Jamal Ahsan Khan

Jamal Ahsan Khan, the covering candidate for PTI founder in his native NA-89 constituency, has clinched 217,427 votes – the highest number of votes any candidate has got all over the country. He has won by a massive margin of 183,359 votes.

Mian Muhammad Azhar

Octogenarian Mian Azhar, who appeared as the covering candidate for his son Hammad Azhar, mounted a rearguard action against odds and emerged successful in NA-129.

Advertisement

Qaisra Elahi

The wife of incarcerated Parvez Elahi, who once ruled Punjab and remained the deputy prime minister, contested in Gujrat’s NA-64 and lost to her nephew Salik Hussain but still showed a great deal of vigour.

pakistan

Govt wants more women in police department: Maryam Nawaz

Govt wants more women in police department: Maryam Nawaz

Published

on

By

Govt wants more women in police department: Maryam Nawaz

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has said government wants to increase number of women in the police department.

Maryam, while addressing the passing-out parade ceremony at Chung Police Training College, said, “I salute you all. I am happy the first Sword of Honour has been awarded to a female police officer. I am proud of you. I was waiting for this event since taking oath as chief minister, she said.

“When I wore the police uniform for the first time, I realised it is a big responsibility,” said the chief minister and added she was happy to see 530 women passing out.

She said she happy to see women police officers performing duties.

Advertisement

“When I wore the uniform for the first time today, I felt it was a big responsibility. I am proud of women serving in police department,” said CM Maryam.

She said there were 7,000 women police personnel serving in Punjab. “I want to increase women participation in Punjab police. Lady cops are superhuman. Women are soft hearted so they forgive.

However, there should be no tenderness in your heart for the oppressor,” said the chief minister and asked the lady police officers to take pity on the oppressed and hold the oppressor accountable for his misdeeds.

“THERE IS NO REVENGE IN MY HEART”

Maryam said there was no feelings of revenge in her heart. “If, being the chief minister, I decide something against someone, I do it with a heavy heart,” she said.

“To be a chief minister is not an easy task. I had to make hectic efforts reach this place,” she said.
She paid glowing tribute to her father Nawaz Sharif and uncle Shehbaz Sharif.

Advertisement

PASSING OUT PARADE

Earlier, a passing out parade was held at Chung Police Training College. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz attended the ceremony as a special guest.

Maryam inspected the parade dressed in police uniform. She also distributed prizes to police officers who exhibited excellent performance.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

pakistan

Supreme Court reinstates Balochistan Assembly speaker, annuls ECP’s decision

Supreme Court reinstates Balochistan Assembly speaker, annuls ECP’s decision

Published

on

By

Supreme Court reinstates Balochistan Assembly speaker, annuls ECP's decision

The Supreme Court on Thursday annulled the decision of Election Commission (ECP) and reinstated Balochistan Assembly Speaker Abdul Khaliq Achakzai.

A three-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan, also annulled the ECP’s order of re-polling at 12 polling stations of PB 51 Chaman.

Justice Khan asked the ECP counsel under which regulation the commission ordered re-election at 12 polling stations?

Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar remarked that the ECP considered only 12 polling stations but ignored others.

Advertisement

Justice Khan remarked that the ECP had neither conducted an inquiry nor followed any rules. The DG Law submitted that the ECP took into account those 12 polling stations regarding which it had received plea. There was high voter turnout in these 12 polling stations.

Justice Mazhar said that the ECP should have taken into account the entire constituency. Had the ECP performed according to rules, people would not have had to come to court.

The court referred the case back to the ECP after consulting the parties and ordered the commission to decide the issue within 10 days.

It may be remembered that the ECP had ordered re-polling on the application of Khaliq’s opposing candidate Asghar Khan Achakzai and withdrew the notification of his success. PML-N’s candidate Khaliq challenged the ECP decision. 

Advertisement
Continue Reading

pakistan

Govt, Opp prepare power-sharing framework for NA committees

Govt, Opp prepare power-sharing framework for NA committees

Published

on

By

Govt, Opp prepare power-sharing framework for NA committees

The government and opposition on Thursday prepared a power-sharing formula for formation of National Assembly committees, after which the negotiations entered the final stage.

The government alliance will get chairmanship of 26 committees of the National Assembly while opposition will have chairmanship of 11 committees.

Similarly, the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee will be from the opposition and the chairman of the Kashmir Committee will be appointed from the government side.

The speaker will be the chairman of the National Assembly House Business Advisory Committee.

Advertisement

According to the framework, standing committees will have 13 members and Public Accounts Committee will have 16 members from the government alliance.

Likewise, Kashmir Committee will have 15 members while House Business Advisory will have 18 members from the coalition government.

The number of opposition members in the standing committees of the National Assembly, Public Accounts Committee and Kashmir Committee will be 7-7.

Apart from this, the chairman of 14 committees of the National Assembly will be from the Muslim League-N, while PPP will get chairmanship of eight committees.

MQM will get chairmanships of two committees. Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) will get one chairmanship each.

Advertisement

10 committees will be chaired by independent members supported by PTI while one committee will be chaired by JUI.

Out of the 20 members of the standing committees, 14 members will be appointed from the government side and six from the opposition parties.

Each standing committee will have seven members from PML-N, four from PPP and one member each from PML-Q and MQM.

In the standing committee, five independent members of PTI and one member of JUI will be given membership as committee members.

Of the 23 members of the Public Accounts Committee, 16 MPs will be included from the government and seven from the opposition.
About 22 members of the Privileges Committee, 15 members will be included from the government and seven from the opposition side. Of 16 members in the government assurances committee, 11 will be from the government and five from the opposition.

Advertisement

In the 22-member Kashmir Committee, the government’s quota will be 15 while the opposition will contribute with seven members. Of the 26 members of the House Business Advisory Committee, 18 will be from the government and eight from the opposition.

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © GLOBAL TIMES PAKISTAN