ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has declared 711 polling stations as sensitive in Lahore, the country’s second most populous city and the capital of Punjab.
Pakistan’s leading English daily newspaper The Nation and other media outlets reported on Tuesday that for the July 25 general elections the ECP decided to install 2,886 closed-circuit television cameras on 711 sensitive polling stations in Lahore.
The ECP officials held a meeting with military and other law enforcement officers in Lahore on Monday to access the security arrangements ahead of the polls. Twenty to 25 military personnel will be deployed on reportedly sensitive polling stations, the convention decided.
The ECP has categorized polling stations as normal, sensitive, and highly sensitive, and nearly 20,000 polling stations have been categorized as sensitive across the country.
Last week, the army spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor told reporters that the military has “no direct role” in the electoral process but announced it was deploying 371,388 troops across the country for three days at polling stations to ensure free, fair and transparent general elections on July 25.
The ECP has delegated six tasks to the army, including maintenance of overall security of the country, provision of security to printing presses, and aiding transportation of the ballot papers.
Lahore: 711 polling stations declared as sensitive
Lahore: 711 polling stations declared as sensitive
- Election Commission of Pakistan declared 20,000 polling stations as sensitive across the country
- Military will deploy 371,388 troops at polling stations across the country for three days to ensure free, fair and transparent general elections on July 25
New 10-day truce after over 110 killed in Pakistan sectarian feuding — officials
- Troops will be deployed at key locations in Kurram to enforce the ceasefire, compensation will be provided to victims’ families
- The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said 79 people had been killed between July and October in sectarian clashes
PESHAWAR: Feuding communities in northwest Pakistan on Wednesday agreed to a new 10-day ceasefire, as the death toll from a week-long spate of sectarian violence rose to 111, officials said.
“A ten-day ceasefire between the warring parties in Kurram has come into effect as of today,” the office of the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where the district is located, said in a statement.
The statement caps a day of continuing hostilities, with provincial officials saying that the death toll from the latest spate of violence had climbed to 111, including 79 Shias and 32 Sunnis. Another 88 people were injured.
Pakistan is a Sunni-majority country, but Kurram district — in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, near the border with Afghanistan — has a large Shiite population and the communities have clashed for decades.
The provincial minister’s office added that troops will be deployed at key locations in Kurram to enforce the ceasefire and compensation will be provided to the victims’ families.
“Negotiations will continue to ensure lasting peace,” the statement said.
The latest violence began last Thursday when two separate convoys of Shiite Muslims traveling under police escort were ambushed, and at least 43 people were killed.
Provincial officials brokered a seven-day truce this weekend but it did not hold.
Police have regularly struggled to control violence in Kurram, which was part of the semi-autonomous Federally Administered Tribal Areas until it was merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2018.
Last month at least 16 people, including three women and two children, were killed in a sectarian clash in Kurram.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said 79 people had been killed between July and October in sectarian clashes.
Pakistan hopes for fair deal from ICC on Champions Trophy impasse with India
- PCB says it’s unacceptable that Pakistanis play in India while Indians don’t come to Pakistan
- Pakistan has spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of three stadiums chosen for tournament
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan hopes it will get a fair deal on “equality” when the International Cricket Council (ICC) holds a virtual meeting on Friday to finalize details for next year’s Champions Trophy.
There’s an impasse for the eight-team, 50-over format tournament after India declined to tour Pakistan for the event, scheduled to be held from Feb. 19 to March 9.
A decades-long tense political situation between the two South Asian countries hasn’t seen India playing international cricket in Pakistan since 2008 when it competed in Asia Cup.
Both nations have competed in ICC tournaments with Pakistan touring India last year for the 50-overs World Cup.
“I promise we’ll do what is best for Pakistan cricket,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi said in Lahore. “We’re still clear in our stance that it’s not acceptable that we play cricket in India, and they don’t play cricket here. Whatever will happen, will happen on the basis of equality. We’ve told the ICC very clearly, and what happens next we’ll let you know.”
The ICC board could decide the issue in a vote among members.
“Whatever we do, we will make sure the best outcome for Pakistan is achieved,” Naqvi said. “But I repeat, and I am sure you know what I mean, it’s not possible that Pakistan play in India, and they don’t come here.”
Earlier this month, the ICC told the PCB that the Board of Control for Cricket in India had informed the game’s governing body it will not tour Pakistan for the event. The PCB sent an email, asking the ICC reasons behind India’s refusal.
Naqvi said he’s been in “constant touch” with the ICC chairman Greg Barckley, but didn’t say whether he got the answers from the game’s governing body as to why India was not willing to tour Pakistan.
Naqvi, who is also the interior minister in the Pakistan government, said that whatever decision the ICC makes on Friday, he will go to his government for the final approval.
Pakistan has spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of three stadiums in Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi — the three venues chosen for the Champions Trophy. Naqvi said he hoped the renovation of three stadiums will be completed well in time to host the event.
Pakistani stocks breach 100,000 points first time in history, marking historic milestone
- Pakistan Stock Exchange has surged 150 percent from 40,000 points in just 17 months
- PM Shehbaz Sharif congratulates the nation, says investors trust government’s policies
KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) reached an unprecedented milestone on Thursday, with the benchmark KSE-100 index surpassing 100,000 points for the first time in history.
The index stood at 100,334.91 after gaining 1,065.66 points by 10:48 AM, recovering from its biggest-ever decline of 3,506 points, or 3.57 percent, earlier this week.
The market’s rally is attributed to a combination of positive economic developments, including Pakistan’s new $7 billion loan agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which has bolstered investor confidence.
The IMF’s disbursement of the first tranche of approximately $1 billion in September, along with fiscal and monetary reforms, has improved market sentiment.
“A remarkable 150 percent return from 40k to 100k in just 17 months,” Mohammad Sohail, CEO of Topline Securities, exclaimed in a social media post. “New IMF loan coupled with fiscal and monetary discipline [is] improving investor sentiment. Moreover, faster than expected fall in inflation and interest rates [is] adding cash liquidity to the stock market.”
The PSX’s historic rise coincides with a steady decline in inflation and interest rates, which have provided liquidity to the market.
Pakistan’s inflation dropped to 12.5 percent in October, from its peak of over 38 percent earlier this year, creating a more favorable environment for investors.
Additionally, the three-day state visit of Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko to Pakistan has contributed to optimism. The two nations signed multiple agreements aimed at boosting trade and investment, signaling Pakistan’s efforts to stabilize its economy and attract foreign investment.
The PSX’s growth trajectory reflects its resilience over time.
“From less than 1,000 points in the late 1990s to 100,000 today, market is up 100 times,” Sohail said, adding the milestone was a testament to the ups and downs, bull runs and bear runs, optimism and pessimism the market had endured over the last 25 years.”
He maintained the PSX’s performance underscored the resilience and potential of Pakistan’s financial sector, even amid ongoing economic and political challenges.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif congratulated the nation on the PSX crossing 100,000 points for the first time.
“This milestone showcases the trust of the business community and investors in our policies,” he said in a statement. “It is a testament to the hard work of our economic team and officials working to promote investment in the country.”
The premier also reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring economic stability and national progress.
Pakistani journalist critical of government, military ‘picked up’ in Islamabad — family
- Matiullah Jan’s son says he was taken by unknown people from outside Islamabad’s PIMS hospital
- Jan has been covering opposition protests, had criticized authorities’ version of the killing of troops
ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani journalist critical of authorities’ handling of recent anti-government protests was ‘picked up’ from outside a hospital in the federal capital of Islamabad while reporting on Wednesday, his son said in a video statement on Thursday.
The disappearance of Matiullah Jan, known for his outspoken reporting and criticism of the all-powerful military, comes after he published reports on his YouTube channel that a paramilitary officer killed during recent opposition protests had been run over by the force’s own vehicle.
In recent years, journalists in Pakistan have complained of increasing government and military censorship, intimidation and harassment as well as digital abuse. Authorities deny they persecute journalists. This has been an especially dangerous year for the press in Pakistan, with at least six journalists killed in direct or suspected relation to their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said last month.
“Yesterday, my father [Matiullah Jan] was picked up around 11:30 p.m. from in front of PIMS [hospital] along with uncle Saqib Bashir, picked up by unknown people in unmarked cars,” Abdul Razzaq said in a message on X, posted from Jan’s account.
“They made no introduction that we are from the police, Rangers or we are someone else. They didn’t introduce themselves because it is the democratic republic of Pakistan so what’s the point of informing people who is who?”
Razzaq said the other journalist, Bashir, was allowed to get out of the car after a short distance.
“[They] stopped somewhere and after that, they said to Bashir Uncle, ‘We have no issue with you.’ He was let go. They said, ‘The issue is with Matiullah Jan’.”
Prominent Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir, a friend of Jan’s, said on X the journalist was being detained at the capital’s Margalla Police Station but did not share further details.
The government and Islamabad police have yet not issued a statement on the issue.
“CPJ expresses grave alarm over reports of the abduction of journalist Matiullah Jan in the capital Islamabad following his coverage of protests by supporters of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Authorities must ensure Jan’s safety and immediate release,” CPJ said on X.
“We call for a swift and impartial investigation into the incident and accountability for all perpetrators.”
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan also demanded Jan’s “immediate and unconditional release,” saying he had “reportedly been arrested following his coverage of the recent protests in Islamabad.”
Jan was picked up once before in June 2020 but released after about 20 hours. The Committee to Protect Journalists said at the time, demanding Jan’s release, that he may have been picked up for sharing anti-state remarks on social media.
Jan has been at the forefront of reporting on protests that began last week by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party of jailed former premier Imran Khan. The government says three paramilitary troops and one policeman were killed in violence by protesters, with Jan questioning the circumstances of the deaths in his reporting.
Imran Khan’s wife Bushra forcibly removed from Islamabad protest, sister says
- Bushra left PTI party’s protest convoy after a raid by security forces to disperse protesters on Wednesday morning
- Her sister Maryam Wattoo says Bushra was taken by KP administration and her location was being concealed from family members
ISLAMABAD: Bushra Khan, the wife of Pakistan’s incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan, was removed against her will from an anti-government protest she was leading in Islamabad and her whereabouts were unknown and not being revealed to family members, her sister said during an interview with a local media network on Wednesday night.
Bushra and close Khan aide Ali Amin Gandapur had been leading a protest march that began on Sunday and ended on Tuesday night after a sweeping raid by authorities on the sit-in in Islamabad’s D-Chowk, located near the country’s parliament building and other government installations. They had been demanding the release of Khan, who has been in prison since August 2023.
As police and paramilitary troops cracked down on the demonstration to disperse the crowd, Bushra and Gandapur vanished from the venue. While Gandapur addressed the media the following day from the PTI’s stronghold province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Bushra has not yet made a public appearance.
“For several hours, we had no idea what was happening,” her sister, Maryam Riaz Wattoo, told local ARY TV during an interview. “We were only being told that she had gone to KP. But I couldn’t believe that she would leave for KP so easily because I knew she was determined to stay there until it was do or die.”
Wattoo said she tried to contact her sister but no one was willing to put her through.
“I got to talk to her by my own means very late in the day [Wednesday],” she said. “And I asked her to tell me clearly, ‘Did you leave with your own will?’ She said, ‘No. I never wanted to leave. I was ready to die there’.”
The sister said Bushra had been taken by the KP administration, with her location concealed even from family members.
“Bushra didn’t even know about the press conference,” she said, referring to a planned media interaction Bushra was meant to hold with Gandapur, the chief minister of KP, according to media reports. “She has been taken to an unknown location.”
Wattoo said that while she was not accusing Gandapur of ill intent, the lack of communication with family was concerning.
“I find it strange that even if they are moving her for security reasons, why is her family not informed about it,” she asked.
Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari, a senior PTI leader and close aide of ex-premier Khan, dismissed Maryam Riaz Wattoo’s claims as “not true,” telling reporters they should be ignored.
Pakistan’s Geo TV also aired CCTV footage purportedly showing Bibi in Islamabad, where she is seen stepping out of one vehicle and boarding another before leaving the federal capital.
Born Bushra Riaz Watto, she changed her name to Khan after her marriage. Her husband and followers commonly refer to her as Bushra Bibi or Bushra Begum, titles that denote respect in the Urdu language.
Bushra entered the capital Islamabad this week with thousands of PTI party supporters who breached heavy security force barricades. Not far from the country’s parliament, she addressed supporters from atop a truck near the historic square of D-Chowk where they vowed to hold a sit-in until Khan was freed.
“You all need to promise that until Khan is among us, you won’t leave D-Chowk,” said Bushra in the first time she had addressed a public rally.
Underscoring her growing active role in PTI’s strategy, she insisted on holding the protest at D-Chowk. However, after a massive midnight raid by security forces following days of deadly clashes, the protesters dispersed and party officials said Bushra was widely reported to have escaped to KP.
Bushra, who is in her late 40s, has kept a low profile since marrying Imran Khan in a secret 2018 ceremony. It was his third marriage and her second. They were charged with not completing the waiting period mandated by Islam after her previous marriage, although a court this year overturned the conviction.
She was released from prison in October after nine months for a case involving the illegal sale of state gifts.
Bushra was previously married for around 30 years. She hails from a family of landowners in Punjab, but little is known about her early life.
Bushra is a devotee of Fariduddin Masud Ganjshakar, or Baba Farid, a revered Muslim mystic and Sufi saint whose shrine is located in her ex-husband’s hometown of Pakpattan in Punjab.
She usually appears in public with her face covered by a veil, dressed in a flowing plain black or white abaya, or robe.
Pakistanis who admire Bushra’s devotion to the saint call her a spiritual leader while Khan’s opponents accuse her of practicing sorcery, a claim his aides have repeatedly denied.
With inputs from Reuters
