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Tuesday, 27 February, 2024 I 16 Sha’ban, 1445
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Rs 50.00 | Vol XIV No 240 I 36 Pages I Islamabad Edition
MARYAM NAWAZ ELECTED PUNJAB’S g MURAD ALSO MAKES HISTORY WITH ELECTION FIRST FEMALE CM AMID SIC BOYCOTT AS CM SINDH FOR RECORD THIRD TIME
Maryam Nawaz takes oath as first woman chief minister of Pakistan LAHORE
STAFF REPORT
P
LAHORE STAFF REPORT
AKISTAN Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) nominees, Maryam Nawaz and Murad Shah, were elected as Chief Ministers of Punjab and Sindh Provinces respectively on Monday. in Lahore, Maryam Nawaz was elected as the first female chief minister of Punjab province amid a boycott of proceedings by the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC). The PML-N Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz, who has become the first-ever female chief minister of Punjab, won the elections after receiving 220 votes. Her opponent, Sunni Ittehad Council’s (SIC) candidate Rana Aftab Aftab Ahmad, received zero (0) votes due to the boycott. The session, which began at 11:30 am, was presided over by newly-elected Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan. The Punjab Assembly session witnessed an uproar as members of the opposition Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) boycotted the proceedings. The Punjab Assembly session to elect the Chief Minister began on a sour note on Monday morning as members of
the opposition Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) boycotted the proceedings right from the word go. No sooner had Speaker Malik Ahmed Khan explained the procedure for the election of the chief minister than the members of the SIC stood up and heckled him by raising slogans. The SIC members later walked out of the assembly to register their protest over what they said “stolen mandate”. Earlier, PML-N nominee Maryam Nawaz, who enjoys support of majority in the House, reached the premises and was warmly greeted by the party leaders. Maryam, who is the Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) senior vice president, became a member of the provincial assembly by winning the Feb 8 general elections from constituency 159 Lahore-XV. The speaker explained the procedure of voting when the assembly session started. Later, the assembly secretary briefed the house on the voting procedure. In the meanwhile, the opposition SIC members raised the objection that house was incomplete as women’s reserved seats and minority members have not been named yet. Speaker Khan formed a committee to negotiate with the protesters who briefly returned to the assembly but again moved out. The speaker then de-
SC seeks assistance from religious institutions in Mubarak Sani case ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
The Supreme Court on Monday decided to seek assistance from religious institutions in the Mubarak Ahmad Sani case, and issued a notice to the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII). The court also issued notices to Jamia Naima, Darul Uloom Karachi, Jamiat Al-Hadith, Quran Academy and Jamita-ul-Natzaar Lahore and sought opinions and reports on the matter within three weeks. A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Qazi Faiz Isa heard the case. During the hearing, Jamaat-eIslami lawyer Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui said that they have also filed a review petition in the case, to which the CJP replied “Your petition has been received but has not been read yet”. Siddiqui added that they believe the court did not provide proper assistance in the case, and that the petitioner never requested to delete the provisions. Following these remarks, the court ordered the numbering of JI’s application and adjourned the hearing for three weeks. A similar bench during an earlier hearing admitted for hearing a review petition filed by the Punjab government in the case, and issued notices for further proceedings on February 26. The petition said that Article 20 of the Constitution was not fully explained in para 9 of the Mubarak Sani case judgment, therefore, a wrong impression had prevailed. It added that religious freedom was not unlimited under Article 20. During the hearing, the chief justice remarked that when Article 20 was mentioned then there was no need for explanation. He told the Punjab government lawyer that the court would give the explanation. According to Article 20, he added, religious freedom was subjected to public order and morality.
PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz was sworn in as the Punjab chief minister at the Governor House on Monday, shortly after she secured a comfortable lead over PTI-nominated Rana Aftab in the Punjab Assembly to become the first woman chief minister of the province. The PML-N leader swept the contest after securing 220 votes while the PTI-designate secured none as his party had boycotted the election. Maryam was administered the oath by Governor Punjab Baligh-urRehman, with her father Nawaz Sharif, and uncle Shehbaz Sharif watching from the stage. Her son Junaid, Shehbaz’s son Hamza and senior PML-N leader Ishaq Dar also attended the ceremony. In her maiden speech at the Punjab Assembly, Maryam thanked God and her supporters for the win and took a conciliatory tone towards the opposition. “I want to give a message to the opposition: the doors of my chamber and heart will always remain open for them as they are for my party members.” “Today, I am upset that the re-
cided to proceed without the opposition. At the start of the session, Speaker Khan said only elections will be held for the chief minster and no lawmaker was allowed to speak in today’s session. As the SIC MPAs walked out, the speaker formed a committee, comprising Khawaja Salman Rafique, Salman Nazeer, Samiullah and Khalil Tahir Sindhu, to convince the legislators to return to the Assembly. A day earlier, PML-N clinched victory in the Punjab Assembly speaker and
spectable members of the opposition benches are not present here. I wish they would be a part of the political and democratic process,” said the newly-elected chief minister. “If the opposition was present today, and if they had protested during my speech, I would have been happy.” She also asserted that she had no desire for revenge from her political opponents and maintained that her government will work for those who voted for her as well as those who did not. “From the day I was nominated as Punjab CM, Nawaz Sharif chalked out a five-year plan for the province and gave me valuable advice every day,” said Maryam. “I want to take this moment and tell the youth that you should respect your parents because the prayer of our parents takes us to the position where we never envisioned to be,” the PMLN leader added. Outlining the objectives for her provincial government, the Sharif scion maintained the provision of employment, education and healthcare remain key to the PML-N’s vision for Punjab and added that free medicine would be available in all provincial hospitals.
deputy speaker elections in the house numerically dominated by the party. PML-N’s leader Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan was elected as PA Speaker, amassing a commanding 224 votes out of the total 327 cast in the house. At the same time, Malik Zaheer Ahmed Channer, the PML-N candidate for the deputy speaker position, emerged victorious against Mohammad Moinuddin from the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), garnering 220 votes.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 03
IHC issues notices to NAB, FIA on Imran, Bushra’s pleas CYPHER, TOSHAKHANA CASES
ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has issued notices to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to seek their replies by Thursday (February 29) over incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, his wife Bushra Bibi, and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s pleas challenging their sentences in cypher and Toshakhana cases. The IHC’s two-member division bench comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb conducted the hearing on Khan, and co-convict Qureshi’s pleas seeking the overturning of their 10-year sentences pronounced by the trial courts in the cipher case. The IHC office also removed objections to an appeal submitted by the disqualified prime minister. Additionally, notices have been issued to the anti-corruption watchdog for Thursday over Khan and Bushra’s pleas against their 14-year, each, imprisonment in the Toshakhana case. At the outset of the hearing, PTI counsel Barrister Ali Zafar ar-
gued that unusual occurrences were witnessed during the trial. The chief justice remarked that the counsel should point out disagreements at the time of raising arguments during the hearing. It is noteworthy to mention here that in the previous hearing, a bench was also constituted to hear the bail application of Imran Khan in the £190 million corruption case. Last month, ex-PM Khan and former foreign minister Qureshi were sentenced to 10 years, each, in the cipher case by a special court established under the Official Secrets Act 2023. The case pertains to allegations that the former prime minister had made public contents of a secret
cable sent by the country’s ambassador in Washington to the government in Islamabad. The former premier and his spouse had been declared guilty of corrupt practices by the election commission after the emergence of the allegations that Khan purchased the gifts he received as prime minister at throwaway rates and sold them off in the open market for staggering profits. Later, the duo was sentenced to 14 years in prison with rigorous punishment by an accountability court last month, also disqualifying the former premier for 10 years while handing over a fine of Rs1.57 billion — Rs787 million each — to the couple.
IN TODAY’S ISSUE
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ECP decides to ‘hold open hearing’ on PTI-SIC plea seeking reserved seats
irfan.farooq@pakistantoday.com.pk
ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT
After much deliberation, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has decided to hold an open hearing on the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) application seeking allotment of reserved seats after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed lawmakers joined their ranks. The decision comes amid expectations that the electoral watchdog would decide on the matter of awarding leftover reserved seats today. However, the ECP announced that a five-member bench of the electoral body will hold the open hearing tomorrow. It also issued notices to Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, SIC, Mahmood Khan, Maulvi Iqbal Haider and Kunzus-Saadat. The development comes shortly after it emerged that President Alvi reportedly refused to sign a Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs summary seeking the convening of a National Assembly session. President Alvi has maintained that the remaining reserved seats should be allocated before summoning the NA session which is supposed to be held within 21 days of the elections under the Constitution. Following his refusal, National Assembly’s outgoing Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf “decided” to convene the inaugural session of the new lower house of parliament on February 29, well-placed sources confirmed Monday. The PTI-affiliated independent members joined the SIC in a bid to retain reserved seats since the Constitution entitles parliamentary parties present in the different houses to have a quota of reserved seats for women and minorities. These PTI-affiliated independents joined the SIC in the National and Punjab assemblies last week. The idea behind this alliance was for the PTI independents to become a parliamentary group in the houses so they could avail the reserved seats. Well-placed sources told media that the SIC had approached the ECP and asked it to accept their contention of entitlement of reserved seats but ironically hadn’t submitted the list of its nominees for reserved seats till Sunday; the ECP was open on Sunday, despite it being a holiday. The SIC chief was approached on Sunday evening to ascertain the reasons for not filing a list of its members but he wasn’t available. Sources have quoted the constitutional obligations of the ECP in the matter. Article 219 says: “The Commission shall be charged with the duty of: (a) preparing electoral rolls for election to the National Assembly, Provincial Assemblies and local governments, and revising such rolls periodically to keep them up-to-date; (b) organizing and conducting election to the Senate or to fill casual vacancies in a House or a Provincial Assembly; and (c) appointing Election Tribunals; (d) the holding of general elections to the National Assembly, Provincial Assemblies and the local governments; and (e) such other functions as may be specified by an Act of Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament).” The sources have also indicated that the SIC could knock at the door of the superior judiciary regarding its claim on the reserved seats, once the ECP makes a decision and if it declines to oblige its submission.
Speaker convenes NA meeting on Nov 29 as president refuses doing so ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
President Arif Alvi on Monday returned the summary of caretaker parliamentary affairs ministry, objecting to the proposed meeting of the National Assembly scheduled for 10 am on February 26. The president has raised concerns, insisting that the process of allocating reserved seats for women and minorities must be completed before calling the National Assembly into session. The move has set off a constitutional debate, with Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf ulti-
mately deciding to call the meeting on Thursday, February 29, citing Clause 2 of Article 91 of the Constitution. This decision follows consultations with senior officers and constitutional experts of the National Assembly Secretariat, who reviewed the situation arising from the president’s refusal to sign the summary. According to constitutional provisions, the meeting of the National Assembly must be convened within 21 days of the elections, and February 29 is the mandated date under Article 91. If the National Assembly meeting proceeds as scheduled on February 29, the schedule for the new speaker will be released
on the same day after the oath. Subsequently, on March 1, papers for the speaker’s election will be submitted, and on March 2, the speaker will be elected, along with the deputy speaker. The process for submitting nomination papers for the election of the prime minister is slated for March 3, followed by the prime minister’s election in the National Assembly on March 4. The Election Commission of Pakistan will then conduct the election for the president on March 9. The constitutional timeline also necessitates the meeting of the KhyberPakhtunkhwa Assembly on February 29.