ISLMABAD: The government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday filed a petition seeking review of last week’s ruling by the Supreme Court of Pakistan that declared former prime minister Imran Khan’s party eligible for reserved seats in parliament.
The July 12 verdict in favor of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party dealt a blow to the ruling coalition of PM Sharif, which may lose its two-thirds majority in Pakistan’s parliament. PTI candidates contested the Feb. 8 national election in Pakistan as independents after the party was barred from polls on the technical grounds that it did not hold genuine intra-party polls, which is a legal requirement.
Subsequently, they won the most seats in the election, 93, but the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said independents were ineligible for their share of 70 reserved seats — 60 for women, 10 for non-Muslims. The reserved seats were then distributed among other parties, mostly those in the ruling coalition, a decision appealed by the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) that was joined by Khan-backed independents to claim their share of reserved seats.
In its review petition, the government noted the issue of granting reserved seats to the PTI was not even in the pleadings of the SIC before the election commission, the Peshawar High Court and the Supreme Court.
“SIC and PTI are two separate political parties and two separate entities. The Order under Review, it seems has treated them as one party with different names which cannot be permissible under the Law,” the government petition read.
“It is submitted and reiterated here that PTI neither filed any case before the ECP, nor before Peshawar High Court, nor before the Supreme Court, hence it is not entitled to any relief, let alone a relief which was not even pleaded.”
The petition stated that all returned candidates had already joined the SIC and hence there was no question of giving them an option of joining the PTI that too after many months of the election. It was also against Rule 92 (6) of the Election Rules, 2017 which states that once an independent candidate has joined a political party, there is no option to recall or cancel, it added.
“The Order under Review is against the settled principles of interpretation of the Constitution. By carving out a procedure which is not provided under the Constitution, Order under Review might have gone into the realm of creating and not just interpreting the Constitution which is against the long standing jurisprudence of this Honourable Court,” the petition read.
The government requested the top court to accept the review petition for hearing and stay implementation of its order declaring the PTI eligible for reserved parliamentary seats.
All candidates from Khan’s PTI party were forced to contest the February polls as independents after the party was stripped of its election symbol of the cricket bat by the ECP on the technical grounds that it did not hold intra-party elections, a prerequisite for any party to take part in polls.
The PTI is currently entitled to around 78 reserved seats in the national and provincial assemblies, which does not affect the parliamentary majority of the Sharif-led coalition government.
The July 12 verdict also bolstered political position of Khan’s supporters, whose rallying cry has been that the election commission and a pro-military caretaker government that oversaw the polls indulged in electoral fraud to deprive it of a victory. The ECP denies this.
Pakistan seeks review of court ruling declaring Imran Khan party eligible for reserved seats
https://arab.news/4qfvh
Pakistan seeks review of court ruling declaring Imran Khan party eligible for reserved seats
- Khan’s PTI party was denied its share of reserved seats in national and provincial assemblies, benefitting the ruling coalition
- Government says the issue of granting reserved seats to PTI was not even in pleadings before the election commission, courts
At least 28 Pakistanis traveling in Iran for religious tourism killed in road accident
- The incident took place near the Iranian city of Yazd where a bus carrying Pakistanis overturned
- Every year, thousands of Pakistanis travel to Iran, Iraq and Syria to visit shrines in these countries
ISLAMABAD: At least 28 Pakistani nationals traveling in Iran for religious tourism have died, and 20 more were injured when their bus overturned near the city of Yazd, Iranian media reported on Wednesday.
The bus was carrying Pakistani nationals from the Sistan region in the southeast to the Chazabeh border terminal in western Iran when the incident occurred.
Every year, thousands of Pakistanis travel to Iran, Iraq and Syria to visit shrines in these countries.
“A bus carrying Pakistani Shia pilgrims has overturned near the Iranian city of Yazd,” Iran International said on Wednesday in a post on the social media platform X.
“The death toll has risen to 28, according to local emergency officials,” it added. “20 others have also been injured.”
The media outlet said over 25,000 Pakistanis had entered Iran to further travel to Karbala, Iraq, to participate in 40-day mourning rituals at the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) grandson Imam Hussein’s shrine.
Meanwhile, local media quoted a Shia scholar Syed Qamar Abbas Naqvi as saying that the death toll had gone up to 35 with 15 injured people. The figure could not be verified independently.
According to Geo News, 10 persons injured in the accident hailed from Khairpur and the rest from Kashmore in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province.
Social media erupts as hit-and-run suspect in Pakistan’s Karachi skips court appearance
- Natasha Iqbal, wife of a prominent businessman, killed a man and his daughter in a road accident
- Social media users questioned the police for their inaction against what they called a wealthy woman
KARACHI: Police in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi faced intense social media backlash on Tuesday after the main suspect in a high-profile hit-and-run case that claimed two lives the previous day was not brought to court, with her lawyer citing a psychiatric report declaring her mentally unfit.
CCTV footage of the accident was widely circulated on social media, showing a Toyota Land Cruiser allegedly driven by Natasha Iqbal, the wife of well-known businessman Danish Iqbal, hitting a motorbike from behind, resulting in the death of a female student and her father. Five others were also injured in the incident.
The vehicle’s alleged driver is the CEO of Metro Capital (Private) Limited and JSDN Electric Limited, two companies owned by her husband under the Metro Power business group.
The incident sparked outrage on social media, with many accusing the police of giving preferential treatment to the wealthy.
“Until the distinction between the elite and the common public is eliminated in the eyes of law enforcement agencies and responsible individuals, the rule of law will remain a dream, and the common people will continue to die unjustly on the streets,” a local lawyer, Barrister Usman Cheema, said in a social media post after sharing the details of the case. “Fear the time when the public, fed up with this oppression and unjust discrimination, is forced to take the law into their own hands.”
A social media influencer, Rabi Pirzada, said on X, formerly Twitter, she was certain the woman driving the vehicle would not be punished.
“Only the underprivileged are punished in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan,” she added.
Following the arrest of Natasha Iqbal, she was taken to the psychiatry ward of Jinnah Hospital in Karachi, where she was also medically examined to determine if she was under the influence of drugs at the time of the accident.
Her lawyer, Amir Mansoob, presented a police report in court that included a doctor’s note saying the suspect was “confused and not in a good state of mind.”
He claimed she had been under psychiatric treatment for five years, adding, “such patients are kept in an isolation ward and do not remember anything.”
Following the submission of the doctor’s report, the police did not produce the suspect in court.
However, a source familiar with the case alleged the police and health officials were involved in “a cover-up,” as the blood and urine samples had not been submitted for analysis to the laboratory despite a delay of more than 24 hours. The source suggested the delay could negatively impact the test results, supporting the defense’s claim that she was mentally unwell.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Investigation Aleena Rajpar confirmed the samples had not been dispatched further, informing that they would be sent for analysis on Wednesday morning.
She attributed the delay to a public holiday in Sindh province, marking the birth anniversary of Sufi saint Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai, adding, “The police are proceeding according to the law and merit. The lab was closed today, but the samples will be submitted tomorrow.”
Karachi Police Chief Javed Alam Odho, however, said it was not the police’s responsibility to submit the samples to the lab, noting that the hospital was responsible for this task.
Odho also said the police had taken the accused for a medico-legal examination on Monday night.
Meanwhile, Deputy Executive Director of Jinnah Hospital Dr. Yahya Tunio denied the police chief’s assertion.
“We don’t deal with medico-legal cases,” he told Arab News. “The police surgeon takes care of them. It’s their responsibility to collect, send and secure the sample.”
Dr. Summaiya Syed Tariq, the police surgeon, confirmed her department had collected the urine and blood samples of the accused, adding they had been handed over to the investigation officer.
“The lady was brought to us under police custody to rule out intoxication,” she said, noting that she was “very aggressive at the time of examination” and was referred to the Department of Psychiatry for emergency treatment.
“Blood and urine samples were handed over to the investigation officer,” she said, a claim which the SSP had also confirmed.
Pakistan reports 15th polio case of this year in Balochistan’s Kharan
- This is the 12th polio from the Balochistan province this year
- Two cases have been reported from Sindh and one from Punjab
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday reported one new polio case in the Kharan district of its southwestern Balochistan province, health authorities said, bringing the total number of polio cases this year to 15.
The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH) confirmed the poliovirus in a 23-month-old child from Kharan.
This is the first case from Kharan and the 12th from the Balochistan province this year, while two cases have been reported from Sindh and one from Punjab, underscoring the constant threat the current outbreak poses to children’s wellbeing.
“Balochistan is facing an intense outbreak of WPV1 following disruptions to polio vaccination campaigns last year, and vulnerable children are now suffering the consequences of missing a crucial vaccine which offers protection from this terrible disease,” Ayesha Raza Farooq, the prime minister’s focal person on polio eradication, said in a statement.
“The virus is extremely efficient in finding those children with weak levels of immunity and showing us where we have consistently missed children, not just in polio campaigns but also for routine immunization.”
She said the affected child was subsequently diagnosed with malnutrition and passed away.
“Over the past few weeks, we have been gearing up for the next polio campaign working with our provincial teams to strategize on localized approaches to reach missed children and strengthen routine immunization rates,” the official said.
“We have been very focused on identifying our weak points and working to plug these gaps ahead of the next campaign and we should soon see progress in reversing virus spread.”
Pakistan’s polio program has conducted an extensive self-critical assessment in consultation with all provinces and is implementing a comprehensive roadmap to interrupt virus transmission, particularly in polio high-risk districts of Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh provinces, according to officials.
Anwarul Haq, coordinator of the National Emergency Operations Center, said they had begun preparations for a vaccination campaign in early September to rapidly raise vaccination rates and build population immunity in polio hotspots.
The campaign is being conducted in synchronization with a polio campaign in Afghanistan to ensure enhanced immunity across the region.
“Poliovirus has been found in 59 districts so far, with the most detections in Quetta and Karachi blocs of Balochistan and Sindh,” he said.
“High-risk districts are a high priority for us, and we will make all efforts to ensure that no child is missed during this campaign.”
Pakistan take on Bangladesh today in first Test in Rawalpindi
- Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood will lead the side for the first time at home
- Visitors Bangladesh aim to overturn their no-win record against South Asian giant
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will lock horns with Bangladesh today, Wednesday, in the first of a two-match Test series at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, with both teams eager to begin the series on a high note.
Having released their only spinner, Abrar Ahmed, Pakistan will enter the Test with an all-pace attack — a ploy they last used five years ago against Sri Lanka at the same venue.
Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood will lead the team for the first time at home, with coach Jason Gillespie's first assignment as the red-ball head coach. Tickets for the match are available online.
“The series against Bangladesh is very important for us as we prepare for a busy season ahead, and we are determined to perform well," Shan said ahead of the first Test.
“It is an honour and a privilege to lead the side at home. With captaincy comes great responsibility, and I will do my best to take this team forward.”
Pakistan are scheduled to play nine Test matches this season with seven of these to be played at home, including two against Bangladesh, three against England in October and two against West Indies in January next year, according to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
The two away Test matches against South Africa will be played in December and January.
Pakistan are currently ranked sixth in the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25. They have played two away series in the championship, winning 2-0 against Sri Lanka and losing 3-0 to Australia.
Bangladesh, who rank eighth, will be hoping to overturn their no-win record against Pakistan, having lost 12 of the last 13 Tests, with just one draw. The second will start on Aug. 30 at the same venue.
Bangladesh captain Najmal Hossain Shanto said he was grateful to the PCB for arranging practice sessions for his side in Lahore.
"We had a couple of sessions there and I am hopeful the players will do well in the series," he said. "We know that Pakistan has great potential. The series is part of the ICC Championship and we know every game is very important."
Bangladesh team preparations were severely hampered by political turmoil at home. The unrest that led to the overthrow of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina kept the team’s foreign coaches indoors, strictly following advisories from their embassies, while mass protests stopped the team from assembling for practice sessions.
Teams
Pakistan: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Hurraira, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Agha Salman, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi
Bangladesh: Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Zakir Hasan, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Nahid Rana, Shoriful Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Khaled Ahmed.
High-ranking UAE delegation in Pakistan to discuss maritime, railways, aviation investments
- The development comes amid Pakistan’s push for investment to revive its $350 billion economy
- The UAE is one of Pakistan’s closest allies and has frequently bailed out the South Asian country
ISLAMABAD: A high-ranking delegation from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Tuesday called on Pakistan’s deputy prime minister, Ishaq Dar, and discussed with him investment in Pakistan’s maritime, railways and aviation sectors, Dar’s office said.
The development comes amid a push for foreign investment by the South Asian country, which has been facing low foreign exchange reserves, currency devaluation and high inflation for the last one year.
Since avoiding a default last year, Pakistan has been making desperate attempts to revive its fragile $350 billion economy and reached a staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in July for a new $7 billion loan.
The UAE delegation, which called on the deputy prime minister, was led by Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al-Maktoum, according to Dar’s office.
“The talks focused on investment opportunities in Pakistan’s maritime, railways, and aviation sectors,” it said in a statement on Tuesday.
The UAE is one of Pakistan’s closest allies and has frequently bailed out the South Asian country, joining Saudi Arabia and China in rolling over billions of dollars of loans in support to the South Asian country.
In May, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan announced $10 billion investment in Pakistan during a visit by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to the Gulf country, according to Sharif’s Office.
The South Asian nation this year also signed an agreement with the Abu Dhabi (AD) Ports Group, which will be investing about $395 million for the development of a container and cargo terminal under a government-to-government (G2G) agreement between the UAE and Pakistan.
