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Pakistan polls: PML-N pushes for ‘seat adjustment’ agreement with MQM-P in Karachi constituency

Shehbaz Sharif (C), leader of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) party and country's former Prime Minister addresses the media after a meeting with Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) party leaders ahead of the upcoming 2024 general elections at latter's headquaters in Karachi, Pakistan, on December 29, 2023. (AFP/File)
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Updated 10 January 2024
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Pakistan polls: PML-N pushes for ‘seat adjustment’ agreement with MQM-P in Karachi constituency

  • PML-N to field former PM Shehbaz Sharif from Karachi’s NA-242 constituency where the party feels it is popular
  • MQM-P leader Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, PML-N confirm talks so far have remained inconclusive 
Updated 10 January 2024
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: Former ruling party Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) will hold talks today, Wednesday, with the Muttahida Quami Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) in hopes of convincing the latter to withdraw its candidate from a key Karachi constituency in favor of former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif, a PML-N leader confirmed. 

The PML-N has traditionally enjoyed electoral support in Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous and prosperous province. However, the party thinks it has a strong chance of winning Karachi’s NA-242 constituency. The PML-N won the NA-242 constituency, previously NA-249, in 1993. During the general elections of 2018, the party fielded Sharif from the same constituency, who ended up losing to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate by a narrow margin despite polling over 34,000 votes.

The MQM-P has remained a key political player in the southern port city of Karachi. Founded as MQM in 1984 by controversial Pakistani politician Altaf Hussain, it has been divided into several factions since 2016 when it distanced itself from Hussain. Siddiqui leads the MQM-P faction currently. 

MQM-P leader Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui refuted media speculation that both parties had reached a deal on Wednesday, saying that the party would field former Karachi mayor Syed Mustafa Kamal as its candidate from NA-242. 

“There is no truth in the news circulating about seat adjustment in NA-242 constituency,” Siddiqui said in a statement shared by the MQM-P, adding that Kamal, the party’s senior deputy convener, was its candidate.

Nasiruddin Mehmood, a PML-N leader who is involved in the ongoing talks with the MQM-P, confirmed both parties had failed to reach an agreement on the matter, adding that the party wanted to field Sharif from the constituency. 

“The news [about seat adjustment] being aired is based on assumptions,” Mehmood told Arab News. “No agreement was reached on this seat, leading to the decision that both parties’ senior leadership will directly contact each other.”

Mehmood said both parties would speak to each other on Wednesday evening after which the situation would become clearer.

Zia Ur Rehman, a Karachi-based journalist and researcher, said the PML-N sees the upcoming polls as a significant opportunity for it to win the NA-242 seat with the MQM-P’s support. 

He pointed out that the PPP was aiming to dispel the impression that its vote bank is limited to Sindh only by fielding its chairman, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, from a Lahore constituency. He said the PML-N was aiming to dispel the impression that it has support only in Punjab by fielding Sharif from Karachi. 

“PML-N aims to overcome any regional limitations by electing its central leader from Karachi,” Rehman told Arab News. 

“Despite narrow losses in the 2018 general elections and the 2021 by-election, the PML-N stands a good chance,” Rehman said. “The MQM-P is actively seeking to maximize gains from the seat, considering it as still open for their party.”

Abdul Jabbar Nasir, an expert in electoral politics, said NA-242 is the only seat in Sindh that the PML-N believes it can win solely based on its popularity and without relying on an “electable“— a euphemism for candidates who have the financial resources or means to win elections. 

Kamal, who served as mayor of Karachi from 2005-2010, contested the 2021 by-election from NA-242 as the head of the Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP), securing over 8,000 votes. MQM-P candidate Hafiz Mursaleen secured 7,007 votes in the by-poll that was won by the PPP.

Last year, Kamal’s PSP merged with the MQM-P and according to Nisar, Kamal believes the party can easily win the upcoming election as the combined votes polled by the MQM-P and PSP in 2021 were more than the votes secured then by the PPP candidate. 

“If an agreement isn’t reached on this seat, it’s highly likely that there will be no seat adjustment between the two in Sindh,” Nisar said.

Topics: elections 2023 PML-N

Pakistan stock market registers second highest single-day gain on ‘easing political noise’

Updated 9 sec ago
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Pakistan stock market registers second highest single-day gain on ‘easing political noise’

  • The benchmark KSE-100 index surged by 4,411 points, or 4.3 percent, to close at 113,924 points on Monday, according to stock traders
  • The development came as Pakistan’s government holds talks with ex-PM Imran Khan’s PTI opposition party to address political polarization
Updated 9 sec ago
KASHIF IMRAN

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) began the week on a strong note and gained more than 4,000 points on Monday, stock analysts said, attributing the rally to “easing political noise” and upbeat economic indicators.
The benchmark KSE-100 index surged by 4,411 points, or 4.3 percent, to close at 113,924 points on Monday, according to stock traders. The market saw the trading of 424,809,788 shares and registered the second highest single-day gain from Friday’s close of 109,513 points.
Stock analysts said upbeat economic indicators on surging exports, remittances and foreign exchange reserves as well as the government’s talks with the opposition Pakistani Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party played a catalyst role in the rally.
“Stocks’ bullish record led by scrips across the board as investor weigh falling lending rates after fall in government bond yield and easing political noise,” Ahsan Mehanti, chief executive officer of Arif Habib Commodities, told Arab News.
Mehanti’s comments came hours after the Pakistani government held a first round of talks with jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s PTI party to address political polarization in the country.
Pakistan has remained gripped by political unrest and uncertainty since Khan’s ouster from power through a parliamentary no-confidence vote in April 2022, which has also exacerbated Pakistan’s economic hardships.
However, Pakistan’s economic indicators have improved and the stock market has surged significantly, reaching a historic high of 117,039 points this month. Though the market shed around 9,000 points last week, but it recovered on Friday by registering a sharp increase of more than 3,000 points.
Pakistan’s central bank this month cut its key interest rate by 200 basis points to 13 percent, marking the fifth straight reduction since June. The country’s annual consumer inflation also slowed to 4.9 percent in November, lower than the government’s forecast and the lowest in nearly six years. This was down from 38 percent last year.
Data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics also supports positive investor sentiment as the trade deficit narrowed by 7.39 percent during the first five months (July-November) of the current fiscal year, standing at $8.651 billion, compared to $9.341 billion during the same period last year.
Exports rose by 12.57 percent to hit $13.69 billion, while imports increased by 3.90 percent to $22.342 billion during this period. November’s trade deficit narrowed even further, dropping by 18.60 percent year-on-year to $1.589 billion compared to $1.952 billion in November 2023.
Pakistan recorded an increase of 29.1 percent year on year in workers remittances, which amounted to $2.9 billion in November, according to the central bank data. The inflows rose by 33.6 percent to $14.8 billion from July till November, compared to $11.1 billion received during the same period last year.

Topics: Pakistan Stock Exchange Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) Stock Market

PM hails Pakistan for ‘unstoppable, unbeatable’ performance in South Africa ODI series

Updated 23 December 2024
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PM hails Pakistan for ‘unstoppable, unbeatable’ performance in South Africa ODI series

  • Green Shirts thrashed South Africa 3-0 after losing Twenty20 series 2-0
  • Pakistan will now play three Tests against South Africa later this month
Updated 23 December 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday praised the Pakistan cricket team for winning a three-match One Day International (ODI) series against South Africa, describing their performance as “unstoppable and unbeatable.”

The Green Shirts completed a series clean sweep over South Africa in the third ODI at the Wanderers Stadium on Sunday, with rising star Saim Ayub smashing his second century of the series and his third from five innings.

The left-handed opening batsman made a sparkling 101 off 94 balls in a Pakistan total of 308 for nine. Heinrich Klaasen thrashed 81 off 43 balls for South Africa, but the hosts were beaten by 36 runs chasing an adjusted target of 308 because of rain.

“Unstoppable and unbeatable!” Sharif remarked in a post on X. “Congratulations to Team Pakistan on an outstanding 3-0 ODI series victory against South Africa.”

The prime minister also praised the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman for the team’s performance.

“Well done, boys! Your determination, skill, and teamwork under the leadership of the PCB Chairman Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi have made the entire nation proud,” he said.

“Keep raising the green flag high!“

South Africa won the T20I series 2-0 after the third match was washed out on Dec. 14. The ODI series win comes ahead of the upcoming International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy, which Pakistan will hosting in February and March 2025.

Pakistan will also play three Tests against South Africa later this month.

Topics: Pakistan v South Africa Cricket South Africa ODI series Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif Arab News Pakistan

Government, Imran Khan’s party conclude first round of formal talks, next session on Jan. 2

Updated 23 December 2024
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Government, Imran Khan’s party conclude first round of formal talks, next session on Jan. 2

  • Negotiations began after Khan threatened civil disobedience, seeking release of political prisoners
  • PTI has been asked to present its demands in the next session to set the tone for the negotiations
Updated 23 December 2024
Hasaan Ali Khan

ISLAMABAD: The government and the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of former Prime Minister Imran Khan held the first round of formal negotiations on Monday to address a range of issues, with PTI asked to present its demands in writing at the next session on January 2.
The two sides began long-awaited talks to resolve issues fueling political polarization and straining the country’s fragile economy, with National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq chairing the meeting, after the government formed a negotiating team a day earlier.
The development came after ex-premier Khan’s threat to launch civil disobedience by urging overseas Pakistanis, his party’s key support base, to halt remittances if his demands, including the release of political prisoners, were not met by Dec. 22. Khan, who has been imprisoned for over a year on charges he claims are politically motivated, has also called for judicial commissions to investigate violent protests on May 9 last year and Nov. 26 this year, which the government says involved his party supporters.
Known for taking hard-line political positions, Khan formed a seven-member committee to negotiate with the government. This was done amid growing concerns he may face trial by the military for allegedly inciting attacks on sensitive security installations during violent protests following his brief detention last year in a graft case.
“Since some members of the opposition could not join the talks today, we have decided to hold the next meeting on January 2,” Sadiq said at the end of the initial round of negotiations. “The opposition will also present a charter of demands in the meeting.”

Representative of the government coalition attend the committee meeting in Islamabad, Pakistan, on December 23, 2024. (@NAofPakistan/X)

He said the talks were held in a cordial environment, adding that it was vital to end political polarization in parliament and across the country.
The speaker requested Senator Irfan Siddiqui to read a joint press statement and urged people not to speculate excessively about the negotiations to ensure their success.
Siddiqui said both sides agreed parliament was the appropriate forum to resolve political differences and emphasized that the negotiation process should continue.
He mentioned the PTI had been asked to provide a written document outlining its demands to help set the tone for the talks.
Speaking to the media later, Khan’s close aide, Asad Qaiser, said the PTI team asked the government to release all political prisoners, including the former prime minister, and form a judicial commission with senior Supreme Court judges to probe the May 9 and Nov. 26 incidents.
“We should be allowed to hold a meeting with Imran Khan,” he said. “He is our leader. We will move forward with his instructions.”
Qaiser informed the government had said it would arrange the meeting, though he maintained it was not clear when would that happen.

Asad Qaiser (left), member of former Prime Minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, speaks during the committee meeting in Islamabad, Pakistan, on December 23, 2024. (@NAofPakistan/X)

The negotiations came days after Pakistan’s military announced prison sentences for 25 people involved in the May 9, 2023, protests, which PTI has demanded be investigated. The military said it had gathered “irrefutable evidence” against those prosecuted and reiterated its commitment to bringing the planners of the violence to justice.
The country has remained gripped by political unrest and uncertainty since Khan’s ouster from power through a parliamentary no-confidence vote, which has also exacerbated Pakistan’s economic hardships.
Senior government representatives have previously acknowledged that negotiations could offer a pathway out of the current political impasse. However, they have cautioned that it is too early to determine which of PTI’s demands might be addressed.

Topics: Pakistan Imran Khan PTI Asad Qaiser Ayaz Sadiq Arab News Pakistan

Ancient winter festival in Pakistan’s Chitral concludes with rituals, traditional dance

Updated 23 December 2024
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Ancient winter festival in Pakistan’s Chitral concludes with rituals, traditional dance

  • Chawmos festival is celebrated in December by the Kalash people, who are numbered around 4,000
  • Festival marks welcoming of new year, celebrated with dance, animal sacrifice, singing and feasting
Updated 23 December 2024
REHMAT MEHSUD

PESHAWAR: A religious winter festival celebrated by the Kalash people in the northwestern Pakistani district of Chitral has concluded after featuring rituals, traditional dance and other festivities for two weeks, provincial tourism authority said on Monday.

The Kalash are a group of about 4,000 people, possibly Pakistan’s smallest minority, who live in the mountains of the Hindu Kush, where they practice an ancient polytheistic faith.

They come together each year in December to celebrate the two-week Chawmos festival after the community finishes fieldwork and stores cheese, fruit, vegetables and grains for the year.

The festival features various rituals, animal sacrifice, dance, songs and feasting, preserving the Kalash culture and attracting a number of tourists to Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

“The religious Chawmos festival of the ancient Kalash Valley has concluded,” Mohammad Saad, a spokesperson for the KP Tourism Authority, said in a statement.

“The festival continued from Dec. 8 in the three valleys of Bumburet, Birir and Rumbur.”

The picture shared by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority on December 23, 2024, shows men wearing animal masks participate in the two-week Chawmos festival in the northwestern Pakistani district of Chitral. (kptourism/Facebook)

The Kalash community’s religion incorporates animiztic traditions of worshipping nature as well as a pantheon of gods, and its people live mainly in the three Kalash valleys of Bumburet, Birir and Rumbur.

The Chawmos festival is celebrated to welcome the new year, with the Kalash people indulging in religious practices and distributing vegetables and fruit among each other, according to the official.

The picture shared by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority on December 23, 2024, shows a man applying henna at the Chawmos festival in the northwestern Pakistani district of Chitral. (kptourism/Facebook)

The festival was attended by a large number of domestic and foreign tourists who were fully facilitated by the provincial tourism authority.

The picture shared by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority on December 23, 2024, shows Kalash tribespeople and tourists participate in the two-week Chawmos festival in the northwestern Pakistani district of Chitral. (kptourism/Facebook)

 

Topics: Pakistan chitral kalash valley

Pakistan defense minister blames judiciary for delayed verdicts in May 9 cases

Updated 23 December 2024
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Pakistan defense minister blames judiciary for delayed verdicts in May 9 cases

  • National problems require decisions at the earliest, says Khawaja Asif while talking to media in London
  • Protests erupted in several Pakistani cities on May 9, 2023, over ex-PM Imran Khan’s arrest in a graft case
Updated 23 December 2024
Hasaan Ali Khan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif on Sunday blamed the judiciary for delaying verdicts in the May 9, 2023, cases, which have so far led to the conviction of 25 supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party for attacking government buildings and military properties last year.

On Dec. 21, the Pakistan Army sentenced 25 people for participating in the violent protests that erupted in several Pakistani cities following Khan’s brief detention on corruption charges, resulting in damage to major military facilities and martyrs’ monuments in the country.

However, several suspects are also facing legal charges in anti-terrorism courts, with the military hoping for early verdicts in their cases, according to a statement announcing the sentencing of the 25 individuals, which described the rioting as “politically provoked violence.”

The PTI has denied any involvement in the violence, describing the May 9 incident as a “false flag” operation aimed at crushing the party.

“The judiciary created the biggest hurdle in this [the conviction of May 9 suspects] while this thing was allowed to linger for one and a half years,” Asif said while speaking to the media in London, the city he is currently visiting.

Describing the May 9 protests as a national problem, he said all the cases related to it required verdicts at the earliest.

The conviction of the 25 individuals followed a ruling by a seven-member Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Dec. 13, allowing military courts to share their verdicts. Prior to that, the court had unanimously declared last year that prosecuting civilians in military courts violated the Constitution.

Khan’s PTI party rejected the military’s announcement, with opposition leader Omar Ayub Khan saying they were “against the principles of justice.”

The sentencing of the 25 individuals also raises concerns about Khan, who faces charges of inciting attacks against the armed forces and may potentially be tried in a military court.

Earlier, Asif had regretted the delay in announcing the verdicts, saying that it “raised the morale of the accused and their facilitators.”

“Right now, only the workers, who were used [to generate violence], have been punished under the law,” he had said. “This will not end until the ones, who planned this terrible day, are not brought before the law.”

Topics: Pakistan May 9 protests Khawaja Asif military courts Arab News Pakistan

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