ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday announced a schedule for the presidential election on March 9, months after the end of Arif Alvi’s term as the 13th president of Pakistan.
Nominations for the post can be filed until Saturday with presiding officers in Islamabad and provincial capitals of Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar and Quetta, according to the ECP.
A returning officer, appointed by the ECP, will scrutinize the nomination papers by March 4 and candidates can withdraw their nominations by March 5.
“In pursuance of the provisions... public notification for election to the office of the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is hereby issued,” read an ECP notification issued on Friday.
In Pakistan, a president is elected by members of an electoral college, which comprises both upper and lower houses of parliament as well as provincial assemblies. Polling to elect the new president will be held on March 9.
An alliance of major political parties, including three-time former prime minister Nawaz Sharif-led Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and ex-foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), has nominated Asif Ali Zardari as its candidate for presidency. Zardari has previously served as the president of Pakistan from 2008 till 2013.
President Alvi’s five-year term ended in September last year, but in Pakistan, a president may continue to stay in office constitutionally until his successor is elected to the presidency.
The tenure of Alvi, who took oath on Sept. 9, 2018 after former PM Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party came to power in election held the same year, was marked by political instability and civil-military tensions, and saw the ouster of Khan in a parliamentary no-trust vote in April 2022, followed by the departure of PM Shehbaz Sharif’s coalition government in August.
Besides political instability, an economic crisis gripped Pakistan during this period, with the South Asian country barely averting a default in June last year by securing a $3 billion bailout deal from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
KARACHI: Pakistan’s southern city of Jacobabad has reported its fourth polio case this year, the country’s polio program said on Wednesday, amid an intense resurgence of the virus in the South Asian country.
Polio is a paralyzing disease that has no cure. Multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and completion of the routine vaccination schedule for all children under the age of five is essential to provide children high immunity against this terrible disease.
Pakistan is responding to an intense resurgence of wild poliovirus type 1, with 64 cases reported this year, according to the polio program. Of these, 26 are from Balochistan, 18 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 18 from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad.
“It is crucial for parents to ensure vaccination for all their children under the age of five to keep them protected,” the polio program said in a statement.
Pakistan on Monday launched the latest nationwide anti-polio drive to vaccinate 44 million children in 143 districts. The drive will continue till Dec. 22. The South Asian country’s polio eradication efforts have faced several challenges in recent years, including militant attacks and misinformation spread by militants and conservative clerics.
Pakistan, along with neighboring Afghanistan, remains the last polio-endemic country in the world. In the early 1990s, the country reported around 20,000 cases annually but in 2018 the number dropped to eight cases. Six cases were reported in 2023 and only one in 2021.
KARACHI: Pakistan’s federal cabinet has approved amendments to more-than-a-century-old Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), a senior official said on Wednesday, adding that the “landmark reforms” would address long-standing issues in the criminal justice system.
Enacted during the British rule in 1898, the CrPC governs all aspects of criminal proceedings in Pakistan, from investigation and prosecution to adjudication and appeals. But many of its provisions were deemed outdated and in need of reforms.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s cabinet approved amendments to CrPC, which would now be presented before both houses of parliament for approval. The draft of amendments would then be sent to the president to be signed into law.
Barrister Aqeel Malik, adviser to the prime minister on law and justice and a government spokesperson on legal affairs, said the changes were essential to “streamline” the criminal justice system of the country.
“The amendments to the CrPC were long overdue,” Malik told Arab News. “These landmark reforms will simplify and streamline processes.”
The reforms followed the creation of a committee by PM Sharif, which engaged bar councils, prosecutors, judges, lawyers and experts to ensure the amendments address issues within the system.
The key changes include measures to protect vulnerable groups, such as women, children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities, by recording their statements at the place of their ease, instead of calling them into a police station.
Under Section 46, only female officers can now arrest women, and male officers have been prohibited from arresting female suspects. Newly added provisions, 54-A and 54-C, seek to align the laws with international standards on the treatment of detainees, while modern electronic devices would now be used to record witness statements and facilitate cross-examinations under Section 161-A, according to Malik.
Another reform requires a police station in-charge, or station house officer (SHO), to be an officer of the sub-inspector rank, instead of an assistant sub-inspector (ASI), while other amendments focus on making it easier for citizens to file police complaints. Previously, if a police officer refused to lodge a complaint, people had to resort to lengthy procedures to seek redressal. Now, people can approach a superintendent of police (SP) to address their grievances.
The role of prosecutors has been strengthened in the new draft, allowing them to flag deficiencies in police reports and recommend suspending or closing cases. Timelines have also been introduced for speedy resolution of cases.
“The trial court will now have to set a timeline for each case within 15 days of taking cognizance, similar to practices in countries like the UK and the US,” Malik said.
A “case management schedule” has been recommended in the amended draft of CrPC and trials must conclude within a year, with a one-time, four-month extension. Appeals must be decided within six months to a year, with fewer adjournments, and legal heirs can now file appeals if the convicted person dies before appealing a verdict to ensure justice may continue posthumously, according to the official. One of the amendments is the inclusion of psychologists and psychiatrists in medical boards.
“The term ‘lunatic’ has also been removed from the CrPC and replaced with a more appropriate definition for individuals suffering from mental disorders,” he added.
Haider Imam Rizvi, a lawyer and former vice-chairman of the Sindh Bar Council, supported the government’s move, but urged it to “avoid using the reforms to consolidate its power.”
“We had been demanding that the outdated 1898 system needs to be amended,” he said. “If the amendments are being introduced to assert dominance over others and deprive people of their rights in certain aspects of the criminal procedure, then I would consider it an improper exercise of power. However, if these changes are genuinely positive, as we still need to see the draft, then we will support them.”
Malik emphasized the reforms were not politically motivated: “These changes are aimed solely at improving the system to ensure speedy justice.”
Saqib Bashir, a local media reporter who has excessively covered legal cases, welcomed the amendments, urging their effective enforcement.
“The use of modern devices like video links for recording statements is a great step. The timeline is also a welcome step but unless there is a will and enforcement, it could remain an unfulfilled promise,” he said. “The mindset of the police, especially regarding FIRs (first information report), also needs to change for the reforms to succeed.”
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will address on Thursday the 11th Summit of the Developing Eight (D-8) countries in Cairo, Sharif’s office said, with the Pakistan premier expected to hold bilateral meetings with leaders of member states as well as attend a special meeting on Gaza and Lebanon.
Sharif arrived in Cairo on Wednesday to lead the Pakistan delegation at the D-8 summit on December 18-19. Egypt’s Minister for Public Business Sector Mohamed Shimi and officials of the Pakistani embassy received the prime minister at the airport.
Founded in 1997 in Istanbul, D-8 is an organization for development co-operation among Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Türkiye. The 11th summit of the bloc is themed as “Investing in Youth and Supporting SMEs: Shaping Tomorrow’s Economy.”
“At the Summit, the Prime Minister will underline the importance of investing in youth and SMEs (small medium enterprises) for building a strong and inclusive economy, creating jobs, advancing innovation, and promoting local entrepreneurship,” Sharif’s office said.
“The Prime Minister will also attend the Special Session of D-8 on the Humanitarian Crisis and Reconstruction Challenges in Gaza and Lebanon to deliberate on the situation resulting from Israeli aggression in the Middle East.”
The D-8 organization aims to boost economic growth, sustain development and promote and improve standards of living among member states by focusing on bringing improvement and enhancing cooperation in agriculture, trade, transportation, industry, energy and tourism.
Ahead of Thursday’s session, Sharif held a meeting with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and congratulated him on assuming the office.
The two figures exchanged views on a wide range of issues of mutual interest, including bilateral ties covering political, trade and economic matters as well as cooperation at the multilateral fora, according to Sharif’s office.
“Both the leaders reaffirmed their unwavering support for the Palestinian cause and called for a ceasefire in Gaza urging for a comprehensive approach for resolution of the Palestinian question, with the establishment of a sovereign and independent State of Palestine,” it added.
Sharif is also accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, Information Minister Ataullah Tarar at the summit.
On Wednesday, Dar attended the 21st meeting of D-8 Council of Foreign Ministers in Cairo, where he reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the D-8 charter and intra-regional cooperation.
He highlighted the potential for economic collaboration and trade within the D-8 economies, specifically in the areas of agriculture, food security, and tourism. Dar also expressed Pakistan’s support for Azerbaijan’s application for D-8 membership.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani security forces have killed 11 militants in separate operations in the country’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, the Pakistani military said on Wednesday, amid a surge in attacks in the region.
Seven militants were killed during an exchange of fire in an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in KP’s Tank district, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing.
Two militants were killed in an encounter in North Waziristan district, while a third operation in Mohmand district killed two more militants, following an intense exchange of fire.
“Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from killed khwarij [militants], who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities against the security forces as well as innocent civilians,” the ISPR said in a statement late Wednesday.
“Sanitization operations are being carried out to eliminate any other Kharji found in the area.”
Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which borders Afghanistan, has witnessed a number of attacks by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant groups that targeted security forces convoys and check posts, besides targeted killings and kidnappings of law enforcers and government officials in recent months.
Earlier this month, six Pakistani soldiers and 22 militants were killed in three separate gunfights in Tank, North Waziristan and Kurram districts of KP, according to the military.
Pakistan has frequently accused neighboring Afghanistan of sheltering and supporting militant groups, urging the Taliban administration in Kabul to prevent its territory from being used by armed factions to launch cross-border attacks.
Afghan officials, however, deny involvement, insisting Pakistan’s security issues are an internal matter of Islamabad.
SANGHAR, Sindh: Irum Jatt’s hands gripped the steering wheel tightly as the ambulance she was driving zipped through the roads of the southern Pakistani city of Sanghar earlier this month, sirens blaring to warn other cars and pedestrians to move out of the way.
While a woman driving an ambulance is no anomaly in cities like London or New York, in this remote, conservative town in Sindh province, Jatt, 21 and another colleague Shereen Shah, 22, made history in June when they were hired as the first women ambulance drivers for the Sindh Integrated Emergency & Health Services (SIEHS), a semi-governmental organization operating around 283 “HOPE” ambulances across the province.
Established in 2021, SIEHS employs 750 Emergency Vehicle Operators (EVOs) and launched operations in Sanghar in October 2023 with three ambulances.
In conservative and patriarchal Pakistan, where the right to education, employment and even voting is sometimes not extended to women, employing female ambulance drivers was a bold move by SIEHS and one that has not even been experimented with in large urban centers of the province such as Karachi and Hyderabad. Women in Sindh in general also face many challenges such as discrimination, violence, and limited access to health, education and job opportunities.
“Many people believed that it wasn’t possible,” Jatt told Arab News in an interview as she drove on a road in main Sanghar city.
“But there’s something within a person, a passion that drives them to do something. I felt the same, I wanted to do it, I wanted to drive an ambulance.”
An ambulance under the Sindh Integrated Emergency & Health Services is pictured in the southern Pakistani city of Sanghar on December 14, 2024. (AN photo)
Jatt, an intermediate degree graduate, saw the job opening for an ambulance driver on social media and applied, having to go through several rounds of tests before her selection.
“On the road, it’s common for people to stare when they see a woman driving,” Jatt said.
“Many people don’t give way. While leaving our Sanghar city, motorcyclists don’t give way, and we have to face all of that.”
Female ambulance driver Shereen Shah speaks to Arab News in the southern Pakistani city of Sanghar on December 14, 2024. (AN photo)
Negative stereotypes and biases, including that women were bad drivers or drove slowly, also made the job harder, she said.
“Some good people get it but there are communities that don’t understand and say things like, ‘You arrived late,’ or ‘You deliberately delayed’. Some might even think, ‘Because it was a woman driving, it took longer’.”
Mumtaz Ali Pirzada, the district manager at the SIEHS, acknowledged the initial resistance by the community to the women ambulance drivers.
“When we first inducted female drivers in Sanghar, and we did and in the future also we will do it, there was significant backlash on social media, most people asked how can a woman drive an ambulance,” he said.
“But we have broken that stereotype. These women have broken it because they are doing all these things and doing them with a lot of hard work.”
Ambulance driver Irum Jatt closes the trunk of the ambulance in the southern Pakistani city of Sanghar on December 14, 2024. (AN photo)
According to Pirzada, Shah and Jatt often outperformed their male counterparts.
“But their success isn’t due to sympathy or special treatment, it’s purely their hard work and skills,” he added. “They even handle tasks like changing tires, including the heavy tires of ambulances, which challenges the traditional mindset that only men can manage such tasks.”
Shereen Shah, another women ambulance driver from Sanghar, said the response from the community was improving.
“When we first started working here, people were shocked to see women driving ambulances, they thought we wouldn’t be able to handle it, that we might hit something,” she told Arab News as she stood by her vehicle.
“But now, wherever we go, if the traffic police sees us, they salute us and the Sindh police also salute us. They feel proud of us.”
She said it was “so fulfilling” to be able to rescue people from road accidents and other emergencies and deliver them to medical facilities in a timely manner.
“A few years ago, women rarely stepped out of their homes in this city,” she said. “But today, women are driving vehicles here and that’s a matter of pride for Sanghar.”
