Pakistan top court to weigh in on political crisis as no-trust motion dismissed, assembly dissolved

A man walks by the Supreme Court building in Islamabad, Pakistan, on September 15, 2017. (AFP/File)
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Updated 04 April 2022
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Pakistan top court to weigh in on political crisis as no-trust motion dismissed, assembly dissolved

  • Opposition has called developments a “coup,” demanded full court hearing on ‘violation of constitution’
  • President dissolves National Assembly on PM's advice after Khan dodges ouster through no-confidence

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani Supreme Court's chief justice said on Sunday evening the court would hear tomorrow, Monday, the matter of a political and constitutional crisis arising after the deputy speaker of parliament blocked an opposition no-confidence motion that Prime Minister Imran Khan had widely been expected to lose, with the president of Pakistan subsequently dissolving the lower house of parliament.

The court said any directions given by the president and prime minister on Sunday would be subject to the court's orders, calling a hearing on Monday. 

In an address to the nation after the parliament session in which the deputy speaker dismissed the no-trust move against Khan, the PM advised the president of Pakistan to dissolve assemblies. The National Assembly and the federal cabinet were subsequently dissolved. While a notification from the cabinet division said Khan had ceased to hold the office of the prime minister "with immediate effect," his former information minister said he would continue to perform the duties of the PM until the assembly elected a new prime minister.

In a joint statement, opposition parties condemned what they called the prime minister’s “coup” against the country’s constitution and called for a "full court hearing."

The opposition says the deputy speaker's dismissal of the no-trust motion without a vote and the subsequent dissolving of the National Assembly by the president are both unconstitutional.

 

 

The country’s top court took notice of the developments, and a three-judge bench, led by Chief Justice Umar Atta Bandial and comprising Justices Ijazul Ahsan and Muhammad Ali Mazhar, heard the matter in an emergency hearing on Sunday.

The chief justice observed before a packed courtroom that no state functionary should take any “extra-constitutional” steps.

"Public order should be maintained," Justice Bandial said. 

The hearing was adjourned until Monday.

"FOREIGN CONSPIRACY"

Khan on Sunday “congratulated” the nation after the deputy speaker of the national assembly blocked voting on the no-confidence motion against him on the grounds that it was “unconstitutional.”

Khan has said the campaign to oust him through a no-trust vote was part of a foreign conspiracy orchestrated by the United States.

As Sunday’s session began, Information Minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said in light of the alleged foreign interference in domestic politics, the no-trust motion was against Article 5, which deals with obedience and loyalty to the state and constitution.

Deputy speaker Qasim Suri accepted Hussain's points as “valid,” and threw out the motion.

“We will not let such a [foreign] conspiracy succeed,” Khan said in an address to the nation after the parliament session. “I have just now sent my advice to the president of Pakistan to dissolve the assemblies.”

Khan then called on the public to prepare for elections: “No foreign government or corrupt people will decide [the fate of the nation].”

Talking to the media after the court hearing, former information minister Hussain said that Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party would defend the speaker’s ruling in the court.

“Under Article 69 of the constitution, the Supreme Court does not have the authority to adjudicate on the ruling as this is the constitutional prerogative of the speaker,” he said.

He called on opposition parties to compete with the PTI in general elections instead of trying to get “justice from the court on technical grounds.”

“Political decisions are made by the public," he said, "not the courts.” 

"RULE OF A DICTATOR"

Khan said later on Sunday his "evidence" of a foreign conspiracy had been accepted by the country's National Security Committee.

"When the country's highest national security body confirms this, then the [parliamentary] proceedings were irrelevant, the numbers were irrelevant," Khan said.

US officials on Sunday denied any involvement.

"There is no truth to these allegations," a State Department spokesperson told media, adding "we respect and support Pakistan's constitutional process and the rule of law."

Farrukh Habib, another former minister, said elections would be held in 90 days, although the decision rested with the president and the election commission.

Deputy Attorney General Raja Khalid, a top prosecutor, resigned from his post, saying the government's dissolving of parliament was unconstitutional. 

"What has happened," he told local media, "can only be expected in the rule of a dictator."


Punjab mulling over acquiring national airline, says Pakistan ruling party chief 

Updated 03 November 2024
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Punjab mulling over acquiring national airline, says Pakistan ruling party chief 

  • Nawaz Sharif says Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz consulted him on acquiring PIA, renaming it “Air Punjab”
  • Pakistan this week kicked off national flag carrier’s privatization process, receiving single highest bid of $36 million

ISLAMABAD: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz proposed acquiring the country’s national flag carrier and renaming it as “Air Punjab,” her father and ruling party chief Nawaz Sharif said this week, days after Islamabad started the bidding process for the state-owned asset. 

Pakistan’s government kickstarted the privatization process of the loss-making Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flag carrier on Thursday, holding a televised auction in which it received the sole bid of Rs10 billion ($36 million) from Blue World City, a real estate development firm. 

The bid fell far short of the minimum price of Rs85 billion ($305 million) set by the government, following which Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province formally offered to exceed the bid on Friday, saying that the PIA should remain under government control to preserve its status. 

“Maryam said to me during consultations, “Shouldn’t we acquire the PIA and establish a brand new airline? Bring in brand new planes and that we should give a new airline to Pakistan,” Sharif said to members of his party in New York during a meeting. 

“She told me to name it as ‘Air Punjab.’“

The former prime minister said he told the Punjab chief minister to weigh the option of buying the PIA or the possibility of the Punjab government establishing a new one altogether. 

“We could introduce a new airline that would offer direct flights from Karachi, Lahore, Pesha­war, and Quetta to New York, along with services to London, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and other international destinations,” Sharif said. 

He said the Punjab government was holding consultations on the matter. 

Pakistan decided to move ahead with PIA’s privatization under terms agreed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a 37-month, $7 billion bailout approved in September, aiming to divest over 51 percent of its stake in the financially struggling national carrier.

Critics, including PIA union representatives and independent analysts, called the low bid an “embarrassment” for the government, with airline employees suggesting Pakistani authorities should expand PIA’s fleet to restore its operational viability.


Authorities shut primary schools in Pakistan’s Lahore for a week amid record pollution

Updated 5 min 5 sec ago
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Authorities shut primary schools in Pakistan’s Lahore for a week amid record pollution

  • Lahore’s air quality index soared to unprecedented 1,194 as smog enveloped city on Sunday
  • The provincial government says strong winds from India have increased pollution in Lahore

ISLAMABAD: Authorities in Pakistan’s second city of Lahore on Sunday announced closure of all primary schools for a week due to record pollution, as smog in the city rose several times above the levels deemed dangerous for health.

For days, Lahore, a city of 14 million people, has been enveloped by dense smog, a mix of fog and pollutants caused by low-grade diesel fumes, smoke from seasonal stubble burning and winter cooling.

The air quality index, which measures a range of pollutants, exceeded 1,000 on Saturday, well above the level of 300 that is considered “dangerous” for human health, according to data from IQAir, a Swiss air quality monitor.

The provincial government in Punjab recorded peaks of over 1,000 on Sunday, which it considered “unprecedented” in the country’s most populous province.

“All the classes up to 5th grade in all schools (public, private & special education) located in the territorial jurisdiction of district Lahore shall remain closed for one (01) week with effect from 04-11-2024 (Monday) till 09-11-2024 (Saturday),” Dr. Imran Hamid Sheikh, a senior environment protection official, said in a notification.

The situation will be assessed again next Saturday to determine whether to extend the closure of schools.

“This smog is very harmful for children. Masks should be mandatory in schools,” provincial minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said at a news conference on Sunday. “We are keeping an eye on the health of children in senior classes.”

The provincial government had established smog counters at hospitals, she added.

“Public should strictly follow precautionary measures, the elderly, the sick and children should be especially careful,” Aurangzeb was earlier quoted as saying by her Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party.

She urged people to wear face masks and not venture outside their homes unnecessarily, warning farmers against burning crop residues.

“Arrests and fines for violations will continue,” she added.

Breathing the toxic air has catastrophic health consequences, with the World Health Organization saying strokes, heart disease, lung cancer and respiratory diseases can be triggered by prolonged exposure.

On Saturday, the concentration of deadly PM2.5 pollutants — fine particulate matter in the air that causes most damage to health — was more than 40 times the level deemed acceptable by the WHO. PM2.5 levels on Sunday morning exceeded that before decreasing slightly.

Last month, authorities banned schoolchildren from outdoor exercise until January and adjusted school hours to prevent children from traveling when the pollution is most punishing.

Children are particularly vulnerable because they have less developed lungs and breathe more rapidly, taking in more air relative to their size than adults.

Last week, the provincial environmental protection agency announced new restrictions in four “hot spots” in the city. Tuk-tuks equipped with polluting two-stroke engines are banned, as are restaurants that barbecue without filters.

Government offices and private companies will have half their staff work from home starting Monday. Construction work has been halted and street and food vendors, who often cook over open fires, must close at 8 pm.

— With additional input from AFP


Pakistani airline Air Sial launches weekly flights from Islamabad to Riyadh

Updated 03 November 2024
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Pakistani airline Air Sial launches weekly flights from Islamabad to Riyadh

  • Air Sial launches two flights per week from Islamabad to Riyadh, says airline 
  • Airline says will start flights from Lahore, other Pakistani cities to Riyadh “soon” 

ISLAMABAD: Air Sial, one of Pakistan’s most prominent private airlines, this week launched its weekly flights from Islamabad to Riyadh, announcing that flights from the eastern city of Lahore to the Saudi capital will commence “soon.”

Thousands of Pakistanis visit the Kingdom every year where they live and work, and to perform the voluntary Umrah pilgrimage at some of the holiest sites in Islam in Makkah and Madinah.

Several Pakistani airlines offer direct flights to Jeddah, Riyadh and other Saudi cities at economical rates, promoting religious tourism and connectivity between the two close allies. 

“Pakistani airline, Air Sial has commenced weekly flights to the Saudi capital Riyadh from Islamabad, with two flights per week,” Air Sial said in a statement it circulated among reporters on Sunday. 

“The management has announced that flights to Lahore will also start soon.”

Pakistan’s Welfare Attaché, Rana Muhammad Masoom, inaugurated the airline’s regional office in Riyadh on Thursday, Air Sial said, adding that community members and Air Sial’s country and regional management were also present at the ceremony.

(please embed Air Sial tweet here)

“A cake-cutting ceremony was held to celebrate the start of the weekly flights from Riyadh to Islamabad, and it was announced that new flights to Lahore and other cities will be launched soon,” the airline concluded. 

Air Sial was inaugurated in 2020 by the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce & Industry to improve air travel to and from Pakistan’s Sialkot city, a major industrial hub in Punjab. The airline uses a fleet of modern Airbus A320 aircraft for its operations. 


Pakistan eyes enhanced trade, economic ties with Uzbekistan amid investment push

Updated 03 November 2024
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Pakistan eyes enhanced trade, economic ties with Uzbekistan amid investment push

  • Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan arrives in Tashkent for three-day official visit
  • Khan to take part in fourth Uzbekistan-Pakistan Business Forum, says commerce ministry

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan is in Uzbekistan on a three-day visit aimed at enhancing bilateral trade, commerce and economic ties with the Central Asian state, his ministry confirmed on Sunday, amid Islamabad’s efforts to attract foreign investment to improve its economic prospects.

Pakistan has increasingly sought to enhance regional connectivity to landlocked Central Asian states by providing them access to its warm water ports. It recently offered Central Asian states to become part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project, under which Beijing has pledged around $65 billion in energy, infrastructure and other projects in Pakistan.

Khan arrived in Tashkent on Saturday evening marking the start of his three-day visit to Uzbekistan, the commerce ministry said.

“Key agenda items include strategic meetings with top Uzbek officials such as Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Jamshed Khujaev and Transport Minister Mr. Ilkhom Makhkamov to discuss pivotal projects in trade, investment, and logistics,” the ministry said.

Khan’s visit will feature the ninth session of the Pakistan-Uzbekistan Inter-Governmental Commission (IGC) on Trade-Economic and Scientific-Technical Cooperation, and the fourth Uzbekistan-Pakistan Business Forum, the commerce ministry said. The session will be co-chaired by Khan and Uzbek Minister for Investment, Industry and Trade Mr. Laziz Kudratov.

The ministry said that the Business Forum will host 33 Pakistani business delegates across various sectors for B2B meetings aimed at fostering new partnerships and enhancing trade.

“The minister’s visit reflects both nations’ dedication to deepening economic and technical collaborations and supporting mutual goals, including Uzbekistan’s ongoing WTO accession,” the ministry concluded.

Pakistan has increasingly sought to promote closer ties with regional allies to bolster its fragile $350 billion economy, which is currently suffering from a prolonged macroeconomic crisis.

The South Asian country narrowly avoided a sovereign default last year when it secured a last-gasp $3 billion financial assistance package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Pakistan’s economic crisis saw its inflation reach double-digit figures, foreign exchange reserves plummet to historic lows and its currency weaken significantly against the US dollar over the past two years.


Pakistan pick pace-dominated XI to rattle Australia in first ODI 

Updated 03 November 2024
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Pakistan pick pace-dominated XI to rattle Australia in first ODI 

  • Pakistan head into Melbourne ODI with Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Hasnain and Haris Rauf in playing XI
  • Green shirts will play three ODIs against Australia on Nov. 4, 8 and 10 at Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, respectively

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will head into the first ODI against Australia on Monday with fiery fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf and Mohammad Hasnain featuring in the playing XI squad, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said. 

Pakistan’s new white-ball skipper Mohammad Rizwan will lead his side for the first time since assuming captaincy this month at Melbourne against Australia on Monday. 

The South Asian country is scheduled to play three ODIs on Nov. 4, 8 and 10 in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, respectively before taking on Australia in a three-match T20I series on Nov. 14, 16 and 18. 

“The men’s national selection committee has confirmed Pakistan’s playing XI for the first ODI against Australia,” the PCB said in a statement. 

Rauf and Hasnain have both had ample experience playing on Australian pitches for the Big Bash League (BBL). Both bowlers have the ability to bowl above 150 kmph and bamboozle batters through sheer pace. 

Australian pitches favor pace and bounce, serving as ideal hunting grounds for pacers from Australia, South Africa, Pakistan and the West Indies in the past. 

Afridi and Shah, Pakistan’s experienced pace bowlers, will return to the squad after they were dropped from the Test squad after England drubbed Pakistan in the first Test in Multan last month. 

Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam and Kamran Ghulam have both been included in the squad while the green shirts will rely on openers Abdullah Shafique and Saim Ayub to deliver the goods with the bat against Australia. 

Playing XI:

Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Kamran Ghulam, Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Muhammad Irfan Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain