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PM REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO SINO-PAK MARCH TOWARD SHARED VALUES, PROSPERITY Thursday, 14 March, 2024 I 3 Ramazan, 1445
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Expresses gratitude to Xi for his warm congratulations, continued support for Pakistan
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Rs 20.00 | Vol XIV No 256 I 8 Pages I Islamabad Edition
Says two countries developed into all-weather strategic partners with unique friendship
CPEC initiatives to be ensured in stipulated time: PM Shehbaz ISLAMABAD
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ISLAMABAD
Staff RepoRt
AKISTAN and China will carry shared values and march toward shared development, prosperity, and progress together, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declared. Chinese President Xi Jinping congratulated Sharif on his election as prime minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on March 3. In his response, Sharif thanked Xi for his warm congratulations and continued support for Pakistan. “I deeply value his sentiments not only for the people of Pakistan, for our friendship, but our mutual cooperation,” Sharif said during an interview with Xinhua here at the Prime Minister’s Office, the first exclusive one with foreign media since his inauguration. “For me, it’s a very good start.” This year marks the 73rd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. Sharif said that over the past 70-plus years, the leaders of Pakistan and China have continuously culti-
vated and promoted bilateral friendship. The two countries have developed into allweather strategic cooperative partners with a unique friendship like “iron brothers” that has stood the test of time. “This friendship now must achieve higher heights,” he added. Sharif, 73, served three terms as chief minister of Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province and has extensive experience in regional economic development and governance. When talking about Chinese modernization, Sharif said Pakistan should emulate the model. “It is a great success model and success story,” the prime minister said, recalling how generations of visionary Chinese leaders have led their people to create unprecedented development miracles, lifting hundreds of millions of people out of poverty and providing vast rural populations with access to education, healthcare and employment. Sharif said Chinese modernization has created growth centers and sectors competitive in the global market. “Despite challenges in recent years, China’s growth has still gone steadily compared to other countries, which is a remarkable achievement,” he added.
‘Reserved Seats Case’: PHC asks whether or not SIC is a political party PESHAWAR
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The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday asked whether the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) was a political party or not, wondering whether it could take part in the elections for president, Senate, National Assembly speaker and deputy speaker, and if it could have its member made an opposition leader. The PHC larger bench observed that the “method for a list of reserved seats was not clear in the law,” again asking the Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) if the SIC was being considered a political party. The observation was made by the larger bench of the PHC — led by Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim, and comprising Justices Ijaz Anwar, SM Attique Shah, Shakeel Ahmed, and Syed Arshad Ali, which resumed hearing on the SIC’s petition about the allocation of reserved seats. Qazi Anwar represented the SIC while Farooq H. Naek was the lawyer for the PPP — a respondent in the case. PPP leaders – Faisal Karim Kundi and Nayyer Bukhari also reached the PHC while Azam Swati was present from the PTI’s side. AGP Mansoor Usman Awan, after failing to appear during the previous hearing, appeared before the court on Wednesday, as well as ECP lawyer Sikander Basheer Momand. The SIC — joined by PTI-backed independents who won the elections sans their electoral symbol — has challenged the Election Commission of Pakistan’s decision to reject the party allocation of reserved women and minority seats. In a 4-1 verdict earlier this month, the electoral watchdog ruled that the SIC was not entitled to claim quota for reserved seats “due to having non curable legal defects and violation of a mandatory provision of submission of party list for reserved seats which is the requirement of law”. The commission had also decided to distribute the seats among other parliamentary parties, with the PML-N and the PPP becoming major beneficiaries. Meanwhile, the verdict was rejected by the PTI as unconstitutional.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has said that his government to ensure implementation of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) initiatives within stipulated time period will leave no stone unturned. Speaking during his meeting with Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China Jiang Zaidong who called on him at the Prime Minister’s House on Wednesday, he stressed that Pakistan was keen to move to the next phase of CPEC, including operationalisation of the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) to facilitate Chinese investment in Pakistan. Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Minister for Planning, DevelopThe prime minister said Pakistan could learn from the model to alleviate poverty, boost youth employment, and encourage small and medium entrepreneurship in agricultural, industrial, and information technology sectors across urban and rural areas. Noting that Pakistan is among the first batch of countries joining the Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative (GDI), Sharif said that Pakistan fully and firmly supports the GDI and Global Security Initiative. He believes such initiatives will strengthen the bond among global communities. Noting that projects under the Belt and Road Initiative span across continents, Sharif said they contributed to alleviating poverty, reducing hunger, facilitating investment, and pro-
ment and Special Initiatives Dr. Ahsan Iqbal, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Syed Tariq Fatemi and the foreign secretary also attended the meeting. The prime minister said the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) had been created during his previous tenure to attract foreign investment in priority sectors including agriculture, IT, minerals and renewable energy. He said Chinese companies would find many profitable opportunities in Pakistan. The prime minister thanked President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang for their warm messages of greetings on his re-election and assumption of office.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 03 moting education and health. “There couldn’t have been a better model for forging global societies together,” Sharif said. As a prominent project under the Belt and Road Initiative, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was featured in Sharif’s first parliamentary speech after reelection. Pakistan is now ready to move toward the second phase of CPEC, Sharif said, aiming to promote technological development and agriculture through the corridor. Pakistan has established the Special Investment Facilitation Council, which will cut red tape and remove delays and inefficiencies for CPEC projects, Sharif said.
Imran granted right to appeal in cypher case
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ISLAMABAD
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The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has dismissed a prayer contending that former prime minister Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi do not have the right to appeal against their conviction in the diplomatic cypher case. The court will hear the appeals of the PTI leaders “on merit” on March 18. A special court on January 30 convicted Imran and Qureshi in a case related to the misuse of a diplomatic cypher during the final days of the PTI government in March 2022 and sentenced them to ten years in prison each under the Official Secrets Act (OSA), 1923. The PTI leaders filed appeals against their conviction in the IHC, where the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the prosecution in the case, argued that the PTI leaders did not have the right of appeal against their conviction. When a division bench, comprising IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, resumed hearing the case on Wednesday, FIA Special Prosecutor Hamid Ali Shah stated that the right of appeal is not provided in the OSA, 1923. “An appeal can be considered a continuation of a trial only if the relevant act provides for it. If there is no right of appeal in the law, the matter concludes with the trial,” he said. PTI’s lawyer Barrister Salman Safdar responded to the objections raised by the FIA’s special prosecutor. He said that while the OSA, 1923 does not mention an appeal, the procedure and process have been out-
lined. He argued that an appeal against a conviction is a continuation of a trial. Safdar referred to the high treason case filed against General Pervez Musharraf in 2013 for subverting the Constitution through the imposition of emergency. He also cited various other judicial precedents. He stated that there is no right of appeal in the high treason case, but Musharraf was given the right in the Supreme Court under the criminal law. “The Supreme Court ruled that even convicted individuals have the right to appeal. In light of the Supreme Court’s decision, convicted individuals cannot be deprived of the right to appeal,” he said. After hearing the arguments, the court dismissed the FIA’s prayer. It announced that it will hear the appeals on merit on March 18.
Additionally, the IHC issued a notice to the Adiala Jail superintendent while hearing a petition filed by the PTI against the Punjab government’s decision to impose a twoweek ban on meetings with prisoners at the jail due to security threats. A single-member bench of the IHC, comprising Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, heard the petition. During the hearing, Lawyer Shair Afzal Marwat stated that the Punjab government imposed restrictions on meetings with Adiala Jail prisoners, including PTI founder Imran Khan, citing security threats. He argued that the Punjab Home Department does not have the authority to impose such restrictions, as the jail superintendent has the authority to make decisions regarding jails.
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ECP to hold by-polls to NA, provincial seats on April 21 ISLAMABAD
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The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will hold by elections on vacant national and provincial assembly seats, on April 21. The election commission has announced its schedule of by elections on vacant assemblies’ seats across the country. The electoral body will hold elections on six National Assembly seats, two seats each of KP and Balochistan assemblies and 12 vacant seats of Punjab Assembly. The candidates could submit their nomination papers from 16-18 March and preliminary list of candidates will be displayed on March 18, election commission said. The scrutiny of nomination papers will be conducted on March 21. It is pertinent to mention here that the People’s Party has decided to field Aseefa Bhutto Zardari as its candidate on the National Assembly seat vacated after Asif Ali Zardari’s election as the President of Pakistan. The Senate by election on six vacant seats, from Islamabad, Sindh and Balochistan on Thursday March 14 (tomorrow). According to the election commission, polling will be held at the upper house of parliament as well as at Sindh and Balochistan assemblies in Karachi and Quetta from 9:00am to 4:00pm on Thursday. Among these general category seats, one fall vacant in the federal capital, two in Sindh, and three in Balochistan as senators relinquished their seats, following their election as members of the National Assembly as well as provincial assemblies of Sindh and Balochistan.
Gandapur hopeful of solution to KP’s woes after ‘positive’ talks with PM CONTINUED ON PAGE 03
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Says Shehbaz Sharif assured him of facilitating a meeting with PTI founder in Adiala ISLAMABAD
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Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Wednesday said he had very “positive” talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on public and provincial issues, law and order and other matters, saying the Premier assured him of a meeting with the incarcerated PTI founder at Adiala Jail. “I told him that political engagement with Khan sahib is very necessary to resolve political issues. He was very positive and told me plainly he would make my meeting possible so I can complete consultations regarding the Senate election,” Gandapur said of his meeting with PM Shehbaz. Talking to the media alongside Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, the KP CM stressed the need for resolution of public issues together and the need for the federal and provincial governments to deliver. “We had good talks. It was very positive. He assured that he would fulfil his promise
and would not lie,” Gandapur said about PM Shehbaz. Gandapur highlighted the key discussions centered around law and order, public issues, and the economic challenges faced by the province. The KP chief minister said he discussed the upcoming Senate election with the premier, emphasising the importance of addressing security concerns and facilitating a meeting with PTI founder Imran Khan, who holds significant influence in the electoral process. The prime minister committed to making the meeting possible in the Adiala Jail and ensuring a smooth electoral process. Gandapur expressed satisfaction with the meeting, emphasising that it was his first encounter with the prime minister. He disclosed that talks had been held on critical matters, and Prime Minister Shehbaz had assured full cooperation. Speaking on the occasion, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal also expressed his positivity on the talks between Prime Minister
Shehbaz Sharif and KP CM Ali Amin Gandapur, saying that the premier had reassured the CM that the province’s dues would be fulfilled by the federal government. He said the prime minister had obligated officials of the finance ministry to sit down with KP officials on the matter of dues to the province. Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered a continuous joint team between the federal and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments that would work with the Centre to solve the province’s issues. “The summary of today’s meeting is in two words: we all have our own politics but the state is together,” Iqbal said. Iqbal said the prime minister also gave instructions regarding difficulties faced by the people during sehar and iftar in KP. ‘MEETING WITH PREMIER’ The meeting also included Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan
Iqbal, Federal Minister for State and Border Affairs Amir Muqam, and other senior government officials. One of the primary points of discussion was the payment of arrears the Centre owed to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Gandapur ac-
knowledged the economic challenges faced by Pakistan but asserted that realistic demands would be made with the Centre, considering the current conditions.
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