Pakistan’s Finance Division releases Rs17.4 billion to election regulator amid reports of delay in polls

A Pakistani man casts his vote as a soldier stands guard at a polling station during Pakistan's general election in Karachi on July 25, 2018. (AFP/File)
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Updated 05 December 2023
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Pakistan’s Finance Division releases Rs17.4 billion to election regulator amid reports of delay in polls

  • Pakistan’s government allocated Rs42 billion for upcoming general elections in this year’s budget 
  • Election Commission of Pakistan announced in November that polls would be held on February 8 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Finance Division said on Tuesday it had released Rs17.4 billion to the country’s election regulator so that it can hold polls in the country, with the development taking place amid reports of a delay in the upcoming national elections scheduled for February 8. 

On Monday, Information Minister Murtaza Solangi said the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had approached the government to release funds worth Rs17.4 billion, adding that there was no “crisis on meeting the financial needs of the ECP.” 

The government allocated Rs42 billion for the upcoming general elections in this year’s budget, but it had only issued Rs.10 billion to the Election Commission of Pakistan in July. Pakistani media widely reported on Monday there had been a delay in the disbursement of the remaining amount, at which the ECP summoned the finance secretary. 

“Finance Division has released Rs. 17.4 billion to the Election Commission of Pakistan in addition to Rs. 10.0 billion released in July 2023 for conduct of general elections in the country,” the Finance Division said in a statement on social media platform X. It said the total amount disbursed to the ECP since July now totaled Rs27.4 billion. 

“Finance Division remains committed to provision of funds as and when required by the Election Commission of Pakistan,” the statement said. 

Pakistan, following more than a year of political turmoil since the ouster of ex-prime minister Imran Khan in Aprill 2022, is finally headed to general elections in February next year, with many analysts expecting the polls to lead to some stability in the South Asian country. 

The ECP last week put to rest rumors of a delay in election and its top official said the regulator would release a schedule in December for the upcoming general election. 

“Count 54 days backwards from February 8,” Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja said in an informal chat with journalists, which means the announcement could be expected in the third week of December. 

The outgoing Pakistani government had amended the Elections Act to empower the ECP to fix and announce the election date and specifying the timeline for the announcement of election schedule, which needs to be done about 54 days before the polling day. 

On Monday, ECP Secretary Omar Hamid Khan requested the interior ministry for the deployment of armed forces and other law enforcement agencies personnel at polling stations to ensure foolproof security arrangements, citing a shortfall of police personnel across the country as Pakistan heads toward elections. 

“Keeping in view, the deficiency of Police personnel indicated by the Provinces and the Federal Capital, the Election Commission of Pakistan has decided that in view of the clear shortfall of 277,558 personnel, the services of Pakistan Army and Civil Armed Forces (CAFs) shall have to be requisitioned in static mode in terms of Article 220 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan at the Polling Stations to ensure smooth elections,” Khan wrote in a letter to the interior ministry.

“This is all the more relevant in the context of fragile security cum law-and-order situation prevalent in country.” 

Khan said as per reports from the Inspector Generals of Police (IGPs) of all four provinces and Islamabad, there is a shortfall of around 4,500 police personnel in the capital city, 169,110 in Punjab, 56,717 in KP, 33,462 in Sindh, and 13,769 in Balochistan. 

The regulator said as per Article 220 of Pakistan’s constitution, all executive authorities of the administration and the provinces are bound to assist the ECP in its task of holding free, fair and transparent elections. 

“While the ECP takes all necessary steps to organize an election in accordance with the Constitution and the relevant Election Laws, it also expects the same commitment from the executive authorities and law enforcement agencies to maintain law and order in the area of the constituencies during the conduct of elections,” the letter read. 


Pakistan urges political inclusion in Iraq ahead of elections, warns UN of regional volatility

Updated 11 June 2025
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Pakistan urges political inclusion in Iraq ahead of elections, warns UN of regional volatility

  • Pakistan reaffirms support for Iraq’s sovereignty, says it should not be pulled into regional confrontations
  • It seeks an inclusive, coordinated transition aligned with Iraq’s priorities as the UN mission nears its end

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday called for greater political inclusion in Iraq ahead of national elections later this year, warning the United Nations that rising regional tensions could undermine the stability of the Arab country.

Speaking at a UN Security Council briefing on the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI), Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UN, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, praised Iraq’s efforts to strengthen democratic institutions and improve governance.

The UN mission was established in 2003 following the US-led invasion, with a mandate to support Iraq’s political transition, humanitarian coordination and national reconciliation. The mission is set to conclude by the end of 2025, as part of a structured drawdown approved by the Security Council last year.

Ahmed said Islamabad supported Iraq’s progress but remained concerned about the broader security situation in the Middle East, including ongoing conflicts in neighboring states and the risk of Iraq being drawn into regional confrontations.

“Pakistan remains concerned about the volatile regional security environment, which poses a risk to Iraq’s stability,” Ahmad told the Council. “We reiterate our firm support for Iraq’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity. It is imperative that Iraq not be drawn into regional confrontations.”

The ambassador encouraged all political stakeholders in Iraq to maintain dialogue and inclusivity as the country prepares for national elections in November, urging them to address institutional gaps and reinforce democratic processes.

He also welcomed Iraq’s recent reforms, including the implementation of the federal budget and successful provincial council elections.

Pakistan also highlighted the need for sustained humanitarian attention, particularly for internally displaced persons (IDPs), and acknowledged Iraq’s progress in enabling voluntary returns and reintegration.

As the UNAMI mission approaches the end of its mandate, Pakistan welcomed transition planning but emphasized that the process must remain “inclusive, coordinated and responsive to Iraq’s national priorities.”


Taliban hang up Kalashnikovs to pen memoirs of Afghan war

Updated 11 June 2025
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Taliban hang up Kalashnikovs to pen memoirs of Afghan war

  • Most Afghan war accounts are from a Western perspective, covering 9/11 to the Taliban’s 2021 return
  • Taliban-authored books praising the group’s ‘victories’ now shape the dominant narrative within Afghanistan

KABUL: Since trading the battlefield for Afghanistan’s halls of power, some Taliban members have also swapped their weapons for pens to tell their version of the 20-year conflict with Western forces, who they accuse of distorting “reality.”

A flood of books has been written, mostly from a Western perspective, about the war between the US-led forces that invaded Afghanistan in the wake of the September 11 attacks until the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.

But in the years since, a proliferation of writings by Taliban figures — praising their exploits and the achievements of the “Islamic Emirate” — is now the reigning narrative in Afghanistan.

“No matter what foreigners have written... they have largely ignored the reality of what happened to us and why we were forced to fight,” author Khalid Zadran told AFP.

A member of the Haqqani network — long viewed as one of the most dangerous militant factions in Afghanistan — he now serves as the spokesman for the capital’s police force.

In his 600-page tome in Pashto published in April, he recounts US incursions in his home province of Khost, his childhood steeped in stories of soldiers’ “atrocities,” and his desire to join the Taliban in the name of his country’s “freedom.”

“I witnessed horrific stories every day — mangled bodies on the roadside,” he writes in “15 Minutes,” a title inspired by a US drone strike he narrowly escaped.

Muhajer Farahi, now a deputy information and culture minister, penned his “Memories of Jihad: 20 Years in Occupation” to “state the facts,” he said.

“America, contrary to its claims, has committed cruel and barbaric acts, destroyed our country with bombs, destroyed infrastructure and has sown discord and cynicism between nations and tribes,” he told AFP from his office in central Kabul.

Little attention is paid in either book to the thousands of civilians killed in Taliban attacks — many of them suicide bombings that entrenched fear across the country for nearly two decades.

Farahi insists the Taliban “were cautious in saving civilians and innocent” lives, while criticising fellow Afghans who collaborated with the pro-Western police as a “stain” on the country.

Rights groups accuse the current Taliban authorities of widespread abuses — particularly against women and girls, who the United Nations say are victims of what amounts to “gender apartheid.”

In his book published in 2023, Farahi claims the Taliban attempted to negotiate — in vain, he insists — with the United States over the fate of Osama bin Laden, whose capture or death Washington demanded after his plane hijackers killed around 3,000 people in the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Bin Laden, the leader of Al-Qaeda, who had been based in Afghanistan, was killed by US forces in Pakistan in 2011.

“It was clear... that the Americans had already planned the occupation of Afghanistan,” writes Farahi in the English version of his book, which has been translated into five languages.

In the wake of the September 11 attacks, Afghans thought it would “have nothing to do with our country,” he continues, but soon realized that Afghanistan would face “punishment.”

For 20 years, the war pitted Taliban militants against a US-led coalition of 38 countries supporting the Afghan Republic and its forces.

Tens of thousands of Afghans died in the fighting and in Taliban attacks, as did nearly 6,000 foreign soldiers, including 2,400 Americans.

For Farahi, the war reflects the West’s desire to “impose its culture and ideology on other nations.”

His disjointed journal mixes battlefield memories with polemical chapters railing against the American “bloodthirsty dragon.”

The book “reveals the truths that were not told before because the media, especially the Western media, presented a different picture of the war,” he said.

According to him, the mujahideen, or holy warriors, despite being far less equipped, were able to rely on their unity and God’s aid to achieve victory.

Only a few of the new wave of Taliban books have been autobiographies, which appeal to an audience seeking to understand the war “from the inside,” according to Zadran.

His book, initially 2,000 copies in Pashto, sold out quickly and another 1,000 are in the works — along with a Dari-language version, he said.

Many chapters mention Bowe Bergdahl, the US soldier held hostage for five years by the Haqqani network.

He recounts treks through the mountains along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border to move him between hideouts, efforts to convert him to Islam and conversations about his girlfriend back in the US.

Both accounts end in 2021, before the transformation of the fighters who moved from remote mountain hideouts to the carpeted offices of the capital.

There, their battle has turned diplomatic: the Taliban are now fighting for international recognition of their government.

“The war is over now,” Farahi said, “and we want good relations with everyone” — even with the “bloodthirsty dragon.”


Sadiq Khan, son of Pakistani immigrants, receives knighthood from King Charles

Updated 11 June 2025
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Sadiq Khan, son of Pakistani immigrants, receives knighthood from King Charles

  • Khan, who grew up in south London, is the son of a bus driver and a seamstress
  • He is London’s first Muslim mayor and has won three consecutive terms in office

ISLAMABAD: London Mayor Sadiq Khan, the son of Pakistani immigrants, was awarded a knighthood by King Charles III for public service, a recognition he described on Tuesday as a “truly humbling moment” for himself and his family.
Khan, who grew up on a council estate in Tooting, south London, is the son of a bus driver and a seamstress.

A trained human rights lawyer, he made history in 2016 by becoming the first Muslim mayor of London, and was re-elected for a third term last year, a rare feat in British politics.

His trajectory from modest beginnings to high office has often been cited as emblematic of London’s multiculturalism and opportunity.

“The London promise: if you work hard, and get a helping hand, you can achieve anything,” Khan posted on X. “Immensely proud to receive a knighthood from His Majesty The King. Growing up on a council estate in Tooting, I never imagined I’d one day receive this great honor while serving as Mayor.”

“It’s a truly humbling moment for myself & my family, & one I hope inspires others to believe in the opportunities our great capital offers,” he added. “I’ll forever be honored to serve the city I love – & will continue to do all I can to build a fairer, safer, greener London for everyone.”

53-year-old Khan has built a reputation as an outspoken advocate for progressive causes, including climate action, affordable housing and inclusivity, often clashing with national-level Conservative leaders.

Despite political headwinds, he remains broadly popular in one of the world’s most diverse cities.

In 2018, Pakistan awarded him the Sitara-e-Pakistan, the country’s third-highest civilian award, in recognition of his efforts to strengthen UK-Pakistan relations and promote community cohesion.


Pakistani man who allegedly plotted US attack extradited from Canada

Updated 11 June 2025
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Pakistani man who allegedly plotted US attack extradited from Canada

  • Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, 20, was arrested in Canada last year in September
  • Officials say he was planning a mass shooting at a Jewish center in New York

NEW YORK: A Pakistani man was extradited from Canada to the United States on Tuesday to face charges of plotting to carry out an attack on Jews in New York City, the Justice Department said.
Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, 20, also known as Shahzeb Jadoon, was arrested in Canada in September.
According to a criminal complaint, Khan planned to travel to New York and carry out a mass shooting in support of Daesh, also known as the Islamic State (IS), at a Jewish center in Brooklyn on the October 7 anniversary of the deadly 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.
“He planned to use automatic weapons to kill as many members of our Jewish community as possible, all in support of IS,” US Attorney Jay Clayton said in a statement.
Khan allegedly revealed his plans in conversations with conspirators who were actually undercover law enforcement officers, the Justice Department said.
He was taken into custody by Canadian authorities in the municipality of Ormstown some 12 miles (19 kilometers) from the US-Canada border.
Khan is charged with attempting to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization and attempting to commit acts of terrorism.
He could face a maximum of life in prison if convicted.


US confirms Trump’s willingness to mediate Kashmir dispute after India-Pakistan ceasefire

Updated 11 June 2025
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US confirms Trump’s willingness to mediate Kashmir dispute after India-Pakistan ceasefire

  • State Department says US president has taken steps to resolve ‘generational conflicts’ across the world
  • It also confirms meetings of a Pakistani parliamentary delegation with officials in Washington recently

ISLAMABAD: The United States on Tuesday said President Donald Trump would like to mediate between India and Pakistan over the decades-old Kashmir dispute, describing such a move as consistent with his desire to resolve “generational” conflicts around the world.

The comment follows a ceasefire between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, announced by the US president on May 10 after a brief but intense military standoff involving fighter jets, missiles, drones and artillery fire.

While tensions have eased, longstanding issues remain unresolved.

The US informed last month after the ceasefire announcement both India and Pakistan had agreed to meet at a neutral venue to address their differences, though New Delhi has so far publicly ruled out bilateral talks with Islamabad.

“I can’t speak to what’s on the mind or the plans of the President,” said State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce in response to a question about the American president’s offer to mediate after the ceasefire.

“What I do know is that I think we all recognize that President Trump in each step that he takes, it’s made to solve generational differences between countries, generational war,” she continued. “So it doesn’t – it shouldn’t surprise anyone that he’d want to manage something like that.”

Bruce maintained Trump had the ability to bring enemies “to the table to have conversations that nobody thought was possible.”

She added that she hoped “something like that” could be resolved during the current American administration’s term in office, referring to the Kashmir dispute.

In a related development, the State Department spokesperson confirmed a Pakistani parliamentary delegation led by Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari met last week with senior State Department officials, including Under Secretary for Political Affairs Allison Hooker.

While she did not reveal details of the discussions, Bruce said the talks covered counterterrorism cooperation and US support for the India-Pakistan ceasefire.

The Pakistani delegation is currently visiting key global capitals to present Islamabad’s perspective on the limited war with India while lobbying the international community to press India to return to dialogue over Kashmir and other issues.