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ECP puts off Punjab elections till October amid ‘security threats’
ContInueD froM pAge 01
In a mammoth public gathering in November last year, former prime minister Imran Khan had announced that his party would disassociate itself from the “current corrupt political system” by quitting the two provincial assemblies where PTI was in power.
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Despite several obstacles put up by the coalition government, the Punjab and KP assemblies were dissolved on Jan 14 and Jan 18, respectively. Under the law, the elections are to be held within 90 days after the dissolution of assemblies.
That means April 14 and April 17 were the deadlines for holding general elections to Punjab and KP assemblies, but the two governors instead of setting dates for elections after receiving the proposal from the ECP had advised the commission to consult stakeholders. legal expertS, activiStS equate poStponement to violation of conStitution: Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan said that the postponement of the election was such a gruesome violation of the Constitution which could provide the basis for martial law in the country.
He said that those who would violate the Constitution would be dealt under Article 6 of the Constitution. “This would be [Justice] ‘Munir moment’ for any judge who would condone this act. The CJP can rise to the occasion and it could be [Justice] Bandial moment,” he told a TV talk show. He argued that if there is no government after 90 days in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces which constitute 70 percent of Pakistan .. because the caretaker governments will have no power and they would have to go home. He asserted that if this postponement was accepted, the Chief Election Commissioner would have the nod to do any illegal act in the future under article 254.
MPs urge NA Speaker to play role in ending spiraling crises
ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt
Barrister Ahmed Pansota said that the decision to withdraw the election schedule and delaying the date of general elections in Punjab by the ECP was in gross violation of the Constitution of Pakistan, 1973 alongwith the Supreme Court’s Judgment on the subject.
“Article 218(3) doesn’t empower the ECP to do so,” he added.
Fawad Chaudhry said that the Constitution and Supreme Court of Pakistan had been demolished by subjugation of the Constitution and now the country had no constitution to be followed.
Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar posted a tweet, stating, “Delaying of the elections by the ECP is a blatant mockery of the constitution. ECP surely has decided this on the wishes of the govt and the establishment which are terrified of the polls. With already a tarnished reputation sadly ECP now has no credibility left”.
Global Public Policy activist Mosharraf Zaidi wrote, “This is a deliberate and malafide violation of the Constitution. A timely, free and fair election remains the only legal way forward. Those behind this manoeuvre will not hesitate to postpone the general election either. This is a formula for further disarray,” he added. ‘volatile law, order briefS led ecp to poStponement’: Chief secretaries and inspectors-general of the two provinces during meetings with the ECP had said they were short of police force and talked of terrorism threats, making out a case for putting off elections. The finance division had also expressed its inability to provide funds and the interior ministry told the ECP that the army and civil armed forces will not be available. On Feb 17, President Alvi had invited CEC Raja for an urgent meeting regarding consultations on election dates but the ECP told him he had no role in the announcement of dates for general elections to provincial assemblies and the commission was aware of its constitutional obligation in this regard.
Saudi Embassy organizes video competition to celebrate 70 years of Pak-Saudi relations
ISLAMABAD Shahzad paRacha
Saudi Embassy in Pakistan has organized a video competition to celebrate 70 years of Pakistan Saudi relations. According to details, the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Pakistan has received 114 videos during two weeks depicting historical relations between two brotherly Muslim Countries.
The royal Embassy has shortlisted 10 best videos subsequently, the Saudi Ambassador in Pakistan Nawaf bin Saeed Al-Malki along with the chief guest Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Maryam Aurangziab on Tuesday night distributed the gifts including air tickets of Saudi Arabia to successful Pakistani and Saudi nationals.
The Saudi Ambassador in Pakistan Nawaf bin Saeed Al-Malki in his brief address to audience said that March 1953 is a significant event in the history of relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in which the Governor General of Pakistan during his first official visit met with the founder of Saudi
Arabia Shah Abdul Aziz bin Abdur Rehman Al Saud.
He said that we have organized the competition in memory of this event by which Pakistan and Saudi youth living in Pakistan are given an opportunity to use their skills so that they can express their feelings on bilateral relations.
The Saudi Ambassador said that Saudi Arabia considers Pakistan close to its heart and I wish for the stability of both brotherly countries.
Ambassador Nawaf bin saeed also said that such sort of event or other initiatives will be able to further deepen the relationship between both countries.
The chief Guest of the event Federal Minister for information and Broadcasting Maryam Auranzeb also shed light on the strategic relationship between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. She also congratulated the Saudi Ambassador for the 70 years relationship between both countries. She said that Saudi Arabia always helps Pakistan in difficult times. I also visited Saudi Arabia in April with the Prime Minister of Pakistan and the Saudi government warmly welcomed us and I have felt that I am not in some other country, she added.
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The members of the Parliament on Wednesday urged National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf to play his role in initiating a dialogue between the government and the opposition to end perpetuating political crisis, causing disruption in the democratic process. Addressing the joint session of the Parliament, the members of the National Assembly and senators urged the government and the speaker to sit with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership to hold talks as it was the only solution to fight the country’s spiraling crises. Taking floor of the House, Senator Tahir Bizinjo of the National Party said both the sides were doing politics, but the national economy was not performing. The country was facing the huge challenges of poverty and terrorism amid persistent instability and the government was indecisive as any course adopted by it would be detrimental, he added. He said the Constitution was not implemented in letter and spirit despite lapse of 50 years. Free and fair elections could be held with the implementation of the Constitution, which would also help overcome multiple crises faced by the country, he stressed. “The political parties should compete each other in the public’s arenas, and resolve issues through mutual negotiations,” he said, adding as per today’s newspapers, the PTI had hinted to participate in any all parties’ conference to be called by the government. “The government should thus should convene an all parties conference and announce elections date after consensus,” he added. MNA Ghous Bux Khan Mahar of Grand Democratic Alliance said no minister was present and only members of both the houses were called to attend the joint sitting. Only one minister had addressed the House. The prevailing division among political parties not good for the national unity and cohesion, he added. The NA speaker should intervene and resolve the matter through mutual consensus, he suggested. “All institutions must work within their constitutional limits and ensure supremacy of the parliament. The political crisis should be resolved through the intervention of the speaker,” he added. Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani of the PTI said all the institutions had their role in the state system. “Every country prefers its national interests over others and that is how nations prosper,” he added. MNA Khalid Hussain Magsi of Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) said the government was assumed to resolve public issues and take strict decisions. “It is now time to decide a policy direction,” he added. ‘Same day electionS in country to be level playing field’
Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly (NA) during joint session on Wednesday, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that they are not fleeing from the elections but are willing to organise general polls on the same day. He said that the parliament should guide the government and all institutions for the general polls. He said, “Elections of all assemblies should be held in the presence of the caretaker set-up. Polls on the same day will be a level playing field for everyone.”
