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Pakistan government says dialogue possible if ex-PM Khan’s party apologizes for May 9 riots

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party activists and supporters of former Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran shout slogans next to a fire as they block a road during a protest against the arrest of their leader in Karachi on May 9, 2023. (AFP)
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Updated 02 September 2024
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Pakistan government says dialogue possible if ex-PM Khan’s party apologizes for May 9 riots

  • Khan, who has been in jail since last August on a spate of charges, has made a conditional offer for talks with the army
  • Government and army have both rejected Khan’s talks offers, with political temperatures remaining high in Pakistan
Updated 02 September 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Defense, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, said on Sunday “meaningful dialogue” was only possible if the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan sought an unconditional apology for “orchestrating” the riots of May 9, 2023.

Khan, who has been in jail since last August on a spate of charges, has made a conditional offer for talks with the army, whom he describes as Pakistan’s “real decision maker,” and called on the military to appoint its representatives for the negotiations. The army has so far ruled out any talks.

Political temperatures have been particularly high in Pakistan since May 9 last year when alleged supporters of the PTI attacked and damaged government and military installations. Hundreds of PTI followers and leaders were arrested following the riots and some continue to remain behind bars as they await trial. The army has also initiated military court trials of at least 103 people accused of involvement in the violence. Many close Khan aides have since deserted him, due to what is widely believed to be pressure from the army, which denies interfering in politics. Khan has also been indicted under Pakistan’s anti-terrorism law in connection with the violence. A section of Pakistan’s 1997 anti-terrorism act prescribes the death penalty as maximum punishment. Khan has denied the charges, saying he was in detention when the violence took place.

Khan and his party have complained of an ever-widening crackdown against the party since May 9 and also say the Feb. 8 general elections were rigged to keep the PTI out of power, which the election commission has denied. 

“It is impossible to negotiate with a party engaged in activities that undermine the political process,” Asif said in an interview to a local TV channel, when questioned about talks with the PTI. “Prime Minister [Shehbaz Sharif] has repeatedly called for discussions and even proposed a Charter of Economy to address the country’s challenges.”

In May, the head of the army’s media wing ruled out talks with the PTI without a public apology from Khan and his party over attacks on military installments on May 9.

Khan came to power in 2018 and was ousted in 2022 in a parliamentary no-trust vote after what is widely believed to be a falling out with Pakistan’s powerful military, which had helped propel him into office. The army denies political interference. 

Since his ouster, Khan and his PTI have led a defiant campaign against the army, even blaming senior military officials for an assassination bid on Khan in November 2022 as he was leading a protest caravan to Islamabad. 

After his removal from office, Khan was booked in dozens of cases and convicted in four. Two of the cases have since been suspended and he was recently acquitted in the remaining two, but authorities have since brought new charges against him, keeping him behind bars. 

Arguably Pakistan’s most popular politician, Khan says the cases against him are “politically motivated,” aimed at keeping him from returning to power and suppressing the PTI’s popularity. 

Topics: Imran Khan PTI May 9

Parliament ‘supreme’ institution, says Pakistan PM ahead of key judicial legislation

Updated 9 sec ago
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Parliament ‘supreme’ institution, says Pakistan PM ahead of key judicial legislation

  • Government plans to introduce constitutional amendment in parliament to increase retirement age of apex court judges
  • Matters concerning the naton should be resolved through the parliament, says Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif
Updated 9 sec ago
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif this week described the parliament as the country’s “supreme institution” through which important matters should be resolved, as the government gears up to introduce key legislation to extend the retirement age of Supreme Court judges. 
Sharif’s weak coalition government is planning to get a constitutional amendment passed from parliament to allegedly give an extended term to the country’s top judge. The amendment requires a two-thirds majority in both houses of parliament. 
The country’s main opposition party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has criticized the move, alleging that it was designed to favor the country’s chief justice. Former prime minister Imran Khan, the PTI’s founder, this week warned of nationwide protests if the amendment was approved. 
“The parliament is the country’s supreme institution,” Sharif said while hosting a dinner for legislators on Saturday night, according to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). 
“To ensure the sanctity of the parliament is maintained, it is necessary that legislation in the national and public’s interest takes place.”
The Pakistani premier said matters concerning the nation should be resolved through the parliament. 
The dinner was attended by federal ministers and lawmakers of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Balochistan Awami Party, National Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Zia, the PMO said. 
Sharif’s coalition government is trying to muster the support of enough lawmakers for a two-thirds majority to get the constitutional amendment passed, fearing it can lose a portion of its existing number of seats after an earlier ruling by the Supreme Court on the reserved seats for women and minorities in parliament. 
In a verdict on July 12, a 13-member bench of the court declared the PTI eligible for the reserved seats after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) forced the party’s candidates to contest the Feb. 8 polls as independents.
The ECP took the decision after the PTI lost its election symbol in the wake of a prolonged legal battle for not holding proper intra-party polls. Subsequently, the election body refused the reserved seats to the PTI on technical grounds, saying they were only meant for political parties instead of independent candidates.
The Supreme Court overturned the ECP decision, saying it had misconstrued an earlier verdict related to the election symbol by depriving the PTI of the reserved seats. Instead of giving the seats to the party, however, the election body filed a petition, seeking guidance on the matter and questioning the validity of the party’s organizational structure under the circumstances.
In a short order on Saturday, the apex court censured the election regulatory authority for its “dilatory tactics” to avoid the implementation of the judgment. 
As per the official tally, the ruling coalition is short of at least 13 lawmakers in the National Assembly and nine in the Senate to gain the required two-thirds majority.

Topics: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif

Around 150 Pakistani companies take part in international trade fair in China 

Updated 3 min 21 sec ago
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Around 150 Pakistani companies take part in international trade fair in China 

  • Over 2,000 companies from 107 countries are taking part in fair scheduled to run till Sept. 20 
  • Pakistani minister says trade fair to serve as “excellent opportunity” for investment in country
Updated 3 min 21 sec ago
Aamir Saeed

ISLAMABAD: Around 150 Pakistani companies are taking part in an international service trade fair being held in China, Pakistan’s privatization minister said this week, announcing that the event would serve as an “excellent opportunity” to enhance investment in the South Asian country. 
The China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) 2024 kicked off in Beijing on Sept. 12, Thursday. Scheduled to run till Sept. 20, over 2,000 companies from 107 countries around the world are taking part in the international event. The fair reflects China’s eagerness to work with the international community to seize opportunities in a fast-evolving global economy.
China is an important trade and investment partner for Pakistan. Chinese investment and financial support since 2013 have been key for Pakistan’s struggling economy, including the rolling over of loans so that Islamabad is able to meet external financing needs at a time when its foreign reserves are critically low.
In his virtual address to the fair, Pakistan’s Investment and Privatization Minister Abdul Aleem Khan spoke about the “ample scope” for investment in agriculture, livestock, food processing and minerals sectors in Pakistan.
“Abdul Aleem Khan said that this international event will be an excellent opportunity and positive step for investment [in Pakistan] with great expectations,” Pakistan’s privatization ministry said in a press release. 
It said that Pakistan would ensure all possible support for investments from China, adding that the country was keen on availing opportunities offered by special economic and export processing zones. 
Khan noted that Pakistani companies were getting more opportunities to increase their business-to-business activities with China to establish or shift industries to Pakistan. 
“He indicated that under CPEC, transport, infrastructure, energy and communication in Pakistan has been developed visibly and there has been a significant improvement in these sectors,” the ministry said, referring to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project. 
CPEC is a flagship of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative through which it has pledged over $60 billion in investment projects in Pakistan. Various power and infrastructure projects have already been built in the South Asian country under CPEC but the implementation of various projects has slowed in recent months.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited China in June on a five-day trip. Sharif’s visit was aimed at upgrading and enhancing CPEC projects, strengthening bilateral ties and fostering stronger ties between the business communities of the two countries.

Topics: Pakistan china Pakistan China trade China International Fair for Trade in Services

Five coal miners die of suffocation from hazardous gas in southwest Pakistan

Updated 22 min 47 sec ago
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Five coal miners die of suffocation from hazardous gas in southwest Pakistan

  • The incident took place in Balochistan’s Harnai district where 12 miners were killed in an explosion in March
  • The province’s chief mines inspector says the laborers who lost their lives due to asphyxiation were Afghans
Updated 22 min 47 sec ago
SAADULLAH AKHTER

QUETTA: Five coal mine laborers died of suffocation on Saturday after the mine filled with hazardous gas in the Shah Rag area of Harnai district, located in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, according to the province’s chief mines inspector.
Balochistan, known for its rich mineral resources, has a history of such accidents, reflecting the region’s unsafe mining practices. Earlier this year, in March, a gas explosion in a coal mine in the same district claimed the lives of 12 laborers due to gas buildup and a lack of proper safety protocols.
While provincial authorities said they were taking notice of the development, workers in many mines across the province still lack adequate protective gear amid an absence of essential safety protocols.
“Five coal laborers suffocated to death due to a lack of oxygen in the mine, while one managed to survive,” Abdul Ghani Baloch, Balochistan’s chief mines inspector, told Arab News. “The workers were 400 feet inside the coal mine when oxygen deficiency took place for unknown reasons.”
He said the area where the incident occurred is located about 137 kilometers from the provincial capital Quetta, adding that the miners who had died belonged to Afghanistan.
“The bodies of the coal mine workers have been reprieved and shifted to their native villages in in the neighboring country,” he continued.
“The provincial mining teams have visited the area and commenced an investigation to know the causes of the incident,” he added.

Topics: Coal miners killed Coal miners

Chinese military officials vow ‘unfettered commitment’ to Pakistan in meeting with top general

Updated 26 min 18 sec ago
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Chinese military officials vow ‘unfettered commitment’ to Pakistan in meeting with top general

  • General Sahir Shamshad holds separate meetings with the top officials of China’s Central Military Commission
  • The Chinese generals acknowledge progress related to bilateral strategic partnership and defense cooperation
Updated 26 min 18 sec ago
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Two top Chinese military officials highlighted their country’s “unfettered commitment” to standing in solidarity with Pakistan, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Saturday, as they met with Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Sahir Shamshad Mirza during his visit to Beijing.
China and Pakistan’s strategic partnership, rooted in decades of close ties, has expanded beyond defense cooperation to encompass infrastructure development and regional connectivity. Through projects like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the administration in Beijing has bolstered Pakistan’s economy by billions of dollars of investment.
Simultaneously, Pakistan remains firmly committed to the One-China policy, underscoring its support to Beijing on key issues like Taiwan and Tibet, while China continues to deepen its defense ties with Pakistan, to serve mutual security interests.
“General Sahir Shamshad Mirza ... on an official visit to [the] People’s Republic of China held separate meetings with General He Weidong, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), and General Liu Zhenli, Chief of CMC Joint Staff Department, and delivered a talk in 11th Beijing Xiangshan Forum on the Role of Pakistan toward regional peace and stability,” the ISPR said.
It informed that both sides appreciated the deep and historic relationship between Pakistan and China in multiple domains and acknowledged progress related to bilateral strategic and defense cooperation.
“The Chinese leadership ... reaffirmed their unfettered commitment to support Pakistan on its territorial integrity and sovereignty,” the ISPR added.
Just a day ago, the Pakistani general told a major forum in Beijing that CPEC was not just beneficial for his country’s economy but also a “stabilizing force” for South Asia.
He also maintained that the strategic cooperation between the two countries was “a cornerstone for peace and stability” for a region fraught with security challenges.

Topics: ISPR General Sahir Shamshad Mirza Pakistan China Ties

Government in a fix as Pakistan top court orders immediate implementation of reserved seats verdict

Updated 14 September 2024
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Government in a fix as Pakistan top court orders immediate implementation of reserved seats verdict

  • Supreme Court ruled in July the PTI was eligible for reserved seats in national and provincial assemblies
  • Judgment was viewed as a setback for PM Sharif’s ruling coalition and was not implemented by the ECP
Updated 14 September 2024
Aamir Saeed

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Saturday censured the election regulatory authority for its “dilatory tactics” to avoid the implementation of a judgment on reserved seats for women and minorities in the national and provincial legislatures that favored the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, warning of potential consequences.
The court has addressed the issue through a short order at a time when Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s coalition government is planning to get a constitutional amendment passed from parliament to allegedly give an extended term to the country’s top judge. The amendment requires two-third majority in both houses of parliament, though the coalition can lose a portion of its existing number of seats after the apex court ruling.
In a verdict on July 12, a 13-member bench of the court declared the PTI of Pakistan’s jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan eligible for the reserved seats after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) forced the party’s candidates to contest the February 8 polls as independents.
The ECP took the decision after the PTI lost its election symbol in the wake of a prolonged legal battle for not holding proper intra-party polls. Subsequently, the election body refused the reserved seats to the PTI on technical grounds, saying they were only meant for political parties instead of independent candidates.
The Supreme Court overturned the ECP decision, saying it had misconstrued an earlier verdict related to the election symbol by depriving the PTI of the reserved seats. Instead of giving the seats to the party, however, the election body filed a petition, seeking guidance on the matter and questioning the validity of the party’s organizational structure under the circumstances.

“The clarification sought by the Commission [ECP] … is nothing more than a contrived device and the adoption of dilatory tactics, adopted to delay, defeat and obstruct implementation of the decision of the court,” read the court’s four-page order.
“The attempt by the Commission to confuse and cloud what is otherwise absolutely clear as a matter of the Constitution and the law must therefore be strongly deprecated,” it added.
The government and its allies are currently struggling to complete the required two-third majority for the constitutional amendment allegedly to revisit the length of the top judge’s tenure.
As per the official tally, it is short of at least 13 lawmakers in the National Assembly and nine in the Senate to gain the required number.
In recent days, the top government leaders have tried to complete the numerical strength by wooing opposition parties like the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam of Maulana Fazlur Rehman and some PTI lawmakers who are yet to be declared members of the party due to the delayed implementation by the ECP of the Supreme Court judgment.
The four-page Supreme Court order may serve as a setback to these efforts since it recognizes the PTI-backed independent candidates “members of the parliamentary party of PTI in the National Assembly and Provincial Assemblies concerned, for all constitutional and legal purposes.”
“The continued failure of, and refusal by, the [ECP] to perform this legally binding obligation [of implementing the July verdict] may, as noted, have consequences,” the order said.
“This obligation must be discharged forthwith,” it added.
Speaking to Arab News, Abdul Moiz Jaferii, a legal expert, described the order without ambiguity.
“This is a clear order from the Supreme Court that all returned independent candidates of the PTI are deemed to be PTI lawmakers,” he said.
“The election commission is now left with no choice but to notify all independent returned candidates as lawmakers of the PTI forthwith,” he added. “The top court has censured the ECP for delaying the implementation, but now one can hope that this issue will come to a logical conclusion within days with allocation of the reserved seats to the PTI.”

Topics: Supreme Court of Pakistan The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) PTI reserved seats National Assembly of Pakistan

Latest updates

Parliament ‘supreme’ institution, says Pakistan PM ahead of key judicial legislation
Around 150 Pakistani companies take part in international trade fair in China 
‘Things might improve’: Young Kashmiris set for first local elections in decade
Five coal miners die of suffocation from hazardous gas in southwest Pakistan
Chinese military officials vow ‘unfettered commitment’ to Pakistan in meeting with top general

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