Low voter turnout witnessed at by-elections in Pakistan

Pakistani women voters lineup outside the poling station during the by-election in Lahore on Oct. 14, 2018. Over 100 candidates are contesting for 35 National Assembly and provincial assembly seats in the by-election on Oct. 14. (AFP)
Updated 14 October 2018
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Low voter turnout witnessed at by-elections in Pakistan

  • For the first time in history, overseas Pakistanis were allowed to cast their vote electronically
  • The by-polls were held in 11 national and 24 provincial constituencies

ISLAMABAD: Low voter turnout was recorded in Pakistan on Sunday as the country held by-elections on 11 national and 24 provincial assembly seats that fell vacant after the July 2018 electoral contest.

More than 9.2 million eligible voters were expected to cast their ballot at 7,489 polling centers that were tightly guarded to deal with any security problem. While the media were barred from entering the polling stations, voter turnout remained poor according to initial counts.
“The polling station was deserted when I went to vote late morning,” said Syed Ather Ali, who voted for the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party from NA-60, a National Assembly constituency in Rawalpindi.
Some 370 hopefuls contested the by-polls, according to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), which approved 645 nomination papers of the 661 submitted by different nominees.
From the four provinces of the country, 218 candidates contested from Punjab, 57 from Sindh, 36 from the sparsely populated province of Baluchistan, and 59 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
According to unofficial results, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate was leading from NA-131, Lahore. Similarly, the country’s former prime minister, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, was ahead of his opponents and had bagged the greatest number of votes in NA-124, Lahore, on the PML-N ticket.
Preliminary figures also showed that the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) candidate had won NA-65, Chakwal. PTI candidates were leading in NA-243, Karachi, NA-35, Bannu, and NA-53, Islamabad.
Much like the last general elections, the political battle was once again anticipated to be between the ruling PTI party and the largest opposition PML-N faction. Going by the unofficial accounts, both parties have taken four seats each in the National Assembly of Pakistan.
Two unopposed candidates had already won the provincial seats of PP-87, Mianwali, and PP-296, Rajanpur.
The most unique feature of the 2018 by-polls was the participation of overseas Pakistanis who could vote for their favored candidate electronically via the ECP website for the first time in the country’s history. Only a little more than 7,400 people availed the facility, though the option was open to 7.9 million Pakistanis living abroad.
The results of the general elections held in July were marred by allegations of rigging by opposition parties. Some very strong contestants, who lost the electoral race, believed they had fallen victim to systematic irregularities.
Political analyst Qamar Cheema said the by-polls were vital to the ruling PTI party since it had managed to form the government at the federal level with only a narrow margin.
“These by-elections will also prove whether people have accepted or rejected all the changes that Prime Minister Imran Khan’s administration has introduced in the country,” Cheema claimed while talking to Arab News.


New Zealand recall proven trio for Pakistan-hosted Champions Trophy

Updated 8 sec ago
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New Zealand recall proven trio for Pakistan-hosted Champions Trophy

  • New Zealand recall Kane Williamson, Devon Conway and Lockie Ferguson for upcoming tournament
  • Key trio were unavailable for home ODI series against Sri Lanka due to offshore T20 commitments

Wellington: Seasoned players Kane Williamson, Devon Conway and Lockie Ferguson were recalled Sunday to an experienced New Zealand squad to contest the Champions Trophy one-day tournament.

The key trio were unavailable for the just-completed home ODI series against Sri Lanka because of offshore T20 commitments.

Batters Williamson and Conway have been playing in South Africa’s T20 league while pace bowler Ferguson is involved in Australia’s Big Bash competition.

Ben Sears was also selected for the ICC tournament co-hosted by Pakistan and UAE, having missed the 2-1 series win over Sri Lanka with a knee injury.

It will be the first senior ICC event for Sears and fellow pace bowlers Will O’Rourke and Nathan Smith.

Coach Gary Stead will oversee a squad he said also boasted experience and depth.

“We’re currently blessed with a lot of quality players and that certainly made for some challenging selection discussions,” Stead said.

Spin bowler Mitchell Santner will lead New Zealand at a major event for the first time, after being named full-time white ball captain in December.

Santner, former skipper Williamson and wicketkeeper Tom Latham were all part of the New Zealand squad for the last edition of the Champions Trophy, in England and Wales in 2017.

New Zealand will contest the tournament’s opening match against Pakistan in Karachi on February 19, followed by pool games against Bangladesh and India.

New Zealand squad: Mitchell Santner (capt), Will Young, Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Nathan Smith, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Ben Sears, Will O’Rourke


Balochistan sacks 15 Levies personnel for surrendering to separatists in Khuzdar attack

Updated 11 January 2025
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Balochistan sacks 15 Levies personnel for surrendering to separatists in Khuzdar attack

  • Dozens of armed militants took control of a small town in the district, set government properties on fire
  • Khuzdar’s top administration official says paramilitary personnel showed ‘cowardice’ by not fighting

QUETTA: Authorities in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province sacked 15 paramilitary personnel of Levies, it emerged Saturday, for showing “cowardice” by surrendering to armed militants of a separatist group following an attack on Zehri, a small town in Khuzdar district, on January 8.
Dozens of ethnic Baloch separatists entered the area and took control of Zehri Bazaar for several hours, setting government properties on fire and robbing Rs768,000 ($2,745) from a private bank.
Footage and pictures seen by Arab News showed armed fighters roaming the streets of the town after seizing weapons, vehicles and motorbikes from the paramilitary force.
Security forces later reclaimed the town following skirmishes with the militants, during which one soldier was injured.
“The Levies officials clearly showed cowardice and irresponsibility,” said a notification seen by Arab News. “The undersigned is of the view that there is no need to conduct any formal inquiry.”
Prepared by Khuzdar’s deputy commissioner, Yasir Iqbal Dashti, the notification was issued on January 9, a day after the incident.
Dashti confirmed the development to Arab News, saying the district administration had terminated the services of Levies personnel who did not fight the militants.
An outlawed armed separatist faction, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), claimed responsibility for the attack.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province by landmass and rich in mineral resources, has long faced a low-level insurgency led by separatist groups like the BLA, who accuse Islamabad of exploiting the province’s natural resources, such as gold and copper, while neglecting the local population.
Pakistani governments deny these allegations, saying that it has prioritized Balochistan’s development through investments in health, education and infrastructure projects.
The BLA has emerged as a significant security threat in recent years, carrying out major attacks in Balochistan and Sindh provinces while targeting security forces, ethnic Punjabis and Chinese nationals working on development projects.
Violence by Baloch separatist factions, primarily the BLA, killed about 300 people last year, according to official statistics, marking an escalation in the decades-long conflict.


Pakistan PM calls for AI integration to strengthen faceless customs system in Karachi

Updated 11 January 2025
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Pakistan PM calls for AI integration to strengthen faceless customs system in Karachi

  • Sharif inaugurated the system Wednesday to increase transparency, minimize human interaction
  • The initiative also aims at digitizing the tax collection system and reduce clearance time at the port

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday stressed the importance of utilizing artificial intelligence to further enhance the newly installed Faceless Customs Assessment System at Karachi Port, a move aimed at improving transparency and efficiency in customs operations.
Sharif inaugurated the system, installed by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Pakistan’s tax collection agency, during a daylong visit to the southern metropolis on Wednesday.
Launched as a pilot project in December 2024, the system seeks to streamline customs clearance by minimizing human interaction, reducing clearance times and improving trade facilitation.
The prime minister met with the chief collector of customs in Karachi Zone, Jameel Nasir, praising him and his team for their efforts in implementing the system.
“The Faceless Customs Assessment System has significantly improved transparency, efficiency and service delivery in customs operations,” Sharif was quoted as saying in a statement released by his office following the meeting.
The statement added that he “emphasized the need to incorporate advanced technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, to make the system world-class and foolproof.”
The initiative marks a step in the government’s broader strategy to digitize its tax collection, a key condition set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as part of its $7 billion loan program.
The government plans to expand the system to other ports and border stations across the country in the coming months.
The prime minister announced a reward of Rs15 million ($54,000) for Nasir and his team, acknowledging their dedication to the project.
“This system is a major milestone and will play a crucial role in Pakistan’s economic development,” he continued, adding that it aligned with the government’s vision of fostering a business- and investor-friendly environment.
Pakistan has been actively working to modernize its port facilities to transform the country into a transit trade hub.
The government has also extended an invitation to landlocked Central Asian nations to use its ports for access to global sea lanes, a move expected to enhance regional trade connectivity.


Islam places no restrictions on girls’ education, MWL chief tells conference in Pakistan

Updated 11 January 2025
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Islam places no restrictions on girls’ education, MWL chief tells conference in Pakistan

  • Sheikh Abdul Kareem Al-Issa says anyone opposing girls’ education is deviating from global Muslim community
  • Top Muslim World League official says Muslim women always enjoyed significant presence in all spheres of life

ISLAMABAD: Islam places no restrictive conditions on girls’ education, and anyone opposing it is deviating from the global Muslim community, Sheikh Muhammad bin Abdul Kareem Al-Issa, Secretary General of the Muslim World League (MWL), said on Saturday at an international conference in Pakistan focusing on the issue.
Muslim communities have often faced criticism for not providing sufficient opportunities to women in fields like education, though many of their countries have made significant strides in promoting women’s participation across various fields.
The issue of girls’ education has drawn heightened attention recently, particularly after Afghanistan’s interim administration, led by the Taliban, imposed restrictions on girls’ education, including shutting down secondary schools and barring women from attending universities.
The two-day conference, co-hosted by Pakistan and the MWL, comes at a time when global leaders, organizations and activists have urged the Taliban to reverse their policies. The conference aims to address the issue by signing a consensus “Islamabad Declaration,” reaffirming that Islam does not prohibit women’s education in any way.
“Our Islamic faith has always celebrated the education of every Muslim, both male and female, because the message of Islam was to enlighten all, regardless of gender,” Al-Issa told participants. “Therefore, Muslim women in Islam had a significant and active presence in all spheres of life — in religious matters and in the sciences, politics, economics and societal affairs throughout history.”
The MWL chief said any reservations toward girls’ education must be understood as stemming from non-Islamic customs that have no basis in the Muslim faith.
“Those who deviate from this Islamic consensus are deviating from the ummah [community of believers],” he said, adding, “The Prophet Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him, warned that whoever desires the best place in paradise must stick to the community.”
The global summit, which aims to find ways to advance girls’ education across the Muslim world, has brought together over 150 dignitaries from 44 Muslim and other friendly states, according to the foreign office of Pakistan.
Al-Issa noted all participants of the gathering unanimously agreed on the need for girls’ education.
“They are all here to say with one voice that Islam is innocent of depriving women of education in any field and at any level of education,” he added.
The MWL chief arrived in Pakistan a day earlier and held separate meetings with high-ranking officials, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the keynote speaker at the conference’s inaugural session.


New-look Pakistan squad announced for West Indies Test series

Updated 11 January 2025
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New-look Pakistan squad announced for West Indies Test series

  • Pakistan will host West Indies for the first time in 19 years, with both Tests held in Multan
  • Shan Masood is retained as skipper despite Pakistan losing both the Tests in South Africa

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan selectors Saturday recalled opener Imam-ul-Haq in a new look squad for the two-match Test series against the West Indies starting next week.
The 29-year old Imam has played 24 Tests for Pakistan but was dropped over poor form after a 3-0 defeat in Australia early last year.
The selectors have also named three uncapped players in opener Muhammad Hurraira, wicketkeeper Rohail Nazir and pacer Kashif Ali on the back of their good performances in domestic matches.
Pakistan will host the visitors for the first time in 19 years, with both Tests held in Multan, starting from January 17 and January 25.
Shan Masood is retained as skipper despite Pakistan losing both the Tests in South Africa last week.
Besides Masood, Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Rizwan, Noman Ali, and Salman Ali Agha kept their places from the South Africa series.
Off-spinner Sajid Khan and mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed have been recalled to partner with left-arm spinner Noman Ali.
Noman and Sajid took 29 wickets in Pakistan’s 2-1 win over England last year.
Injured opener Saim Ayub is also left out of the Pakistan squad for the West Indies Tests.
Squad: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Kashif Ali, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Hurraira, Mohammad Rizwan, Noman Ali, Rohail Nazir, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha.