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.
Parliament ‘supreme’ institution, says Pakistan PM ahead of key judicial legislation
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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
Russia would support Pakistan’s inclusion in BRICS, says Russian deputy PM
- BRICS bloc features Brazil, Russia, China, South Africa and Pakistan’s arch-rival India
- Russian Deputy PM Alexei Overchuk arrived in Pakistan on two-day visit today
ISLAMABAD: Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk said on Thursday that Moscow would support Pakistan’s inclusion in BRICS.
“We would be supportive of it,” Overchuk, who is on a two-day visit to Islamabad told a joint press conference with Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in Islamabad, in response to a question about Pakistan’s request to become part of the grouping of the world’s leading emerging market economies.
BRICS is named after Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The bloc last year invited Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, Argentina and the United Arab Emirates to become members, in a move aimed at accelerating its push to reshuffle a world order it sees as outdated.
Pakistan Railways says 40% restoration work completed on Balochistan bridge targeted by militants
- Track connecting Balochistan to other parts of country was targeted by militants on Aug. 26
- Train operations expected to resume by October 15, says railways spokesperson
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Railways has completed 40% of the restoration work on a bridge damaged in a militant attack in the southwestern Balochistan province last month, state-run media reported on Wednesday, saying that train operations are set to resume by Oct. 15.
The bridge, located in the Bolan area of the Kachi district in Balochistan, was destroyed in one of multiple militant attacks on Aug. 26.
Pakistan Railways suspended train operations via the bridge, which connects the militancy-hit province to other parts of the country.
“The Pakistan Railways has successfully completed 40 percent of the restoration work on a bridge damaged by terrorism in Quetta, Balochistan,” the Associated Press of Pakistan said on Wednesday. “The spokesperson assured that the bridge would be ready for train operations by October 15.”
He said the rail connection between Balochistan and other parts of the country via the bridge would be restored once the railways receive security clearance.
Balochistan, which borders Iran and Afghanistan and is home to major China-led projects such as a strategic port and a gold and copper mine, has been the site of a decades-long separatist insurgency, with ethnic Baloch militants saying they are fighting what they see as the unfair exploitation of the province’s mineral and gas wealth by the federation. The Pakistani state denies the allegations and says it is working to uplift the impoverished province through various development schemes.
The province is also currently in the grips of civil rights protests by Baloch people who are calling for an end to what they describe as a pattern of enforced disappearances and human rights abuses by security forces, which deny the charge.
Pakistan to organize ‘Seerat Festival’ this week to pay tribute to Prophet Muhammad
- Three-day festival to take place in Islamabad’s National Skills University from Sept. 20-22
- Festival to feature research papers by scholars, documentary screenings on Prophet Muhammad’s life
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will organize a three-day “Seerat Festival” from Sept. 20-22 in Islamabad to pay tribute to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and highlight valuable lessons from his life, a government authority said on Wednesday.
The National Rahmatul-lil-Alameen Wa Khatamun Nabiyyin Authority (NRKNA), an ideological government institution that aims to promote research on Prophet Muhammad’s life for the betterment of society, will organize the festival.
The NRKNA said the theme for the festival, which will take place in the Islamic month of Rabi Al-Awwal when Prophet Muhammad was born, is titled: ‘Searching for World Peace: In the Light of the Prophet’s Teachings.’
“The festival, organized by the Rahmat Lal Alamin wa Khatam-ul-Nabieen Authority, will feature over sixty research papers presented by scholars from both Pakistan and abroad,” the NRKNA said in a statement.
“Special sessions dedicated to children, women, and minorities will also be included in the festival agenda.”
NRKNA Chairman Khurshid Nadeem told reporters during a press conference that the festival, which would be held in Islamabad’s National Skills University, would “transform the atmosphere of the capital.”
“The international conference, ‘Searching for World Peace: In the Light of the Prophet’s Teachings,’ will bring scholars from around the world to explore various aspects of the Prophet’s biography,” Nadeem told reporters during a press conference.
“Our aim is to promote scholarly engagement with the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad.”
Pakistani publishers will offer discounts of up to 50 percent on biographical books, the NRKNA said, adding that the festival will also showcase Islamic art and culture through a calligraphy exhibition.
“Additionally, poetry readings and documentary screenings will highlight the life and teachings of the Holy Prophet, aiming to convey messages of moral integrity based on Qur’anic verses and prophetic sayings,” it said.
Pakistan police arrest key suspect in gang rape of woman polio worker
- Three men assaulted woman polio worker during last week’s vaccination campaign in Jacobabad district
- Anti-polio campaigns in Pakistan are regularly marred by violence by militant groups opposed to them
MULTAN, Pakistan: Pakistani police arrested the key suspect in the gang rape of a woman polio worker who was assaulted by three men during last week’s vaccination campaign, officials said Wednesday. Two other suspects are still at large.
The assault on Thursday in Jacobabad, a district in the southern Sindh province, was one in a spate of attacks targeting polio vaccination teams going door to door in the campaign across Pakistan.
The woman who was attacked had alerted the authorities, saying she was raped by three men after going into a house in Jacobabad to administer polio drops to the children there, local police official Mohammad Saifal said.
The suspect, identified as Ahmad Jakhrani, was arrested overnight, Saifal added.
Police are still seeking the arrest of the two other men, accused of taking turns to assault the woman, Saifal said. A local police chief was fired for negligence following the attack, for failing to provide the polio worker with adequate security.
The attack shocked many Pakistanis as such sexual assaults are rare, though women polio workers have complained of harassment in the past during the campaigns. The provincial government in Sindh has said it would fully investigate the case.
Police also detained the husband of the attacked woman for kicking her out of their home and threatening to kill her after the assault over allegedly tarnishing the family’s honor by being raped.
So-called honor killings, in which women and girls are slain by their own relatives for allegedly dishonoring the family’s reputation, are still common in Pakistan.
Saifal also said police have been deployed to the house where the woman was now staying with her relatives for her protection.
Anti-polio campaigns in Pakistan are regularly marred by violence. Militants often target polio vaccination teams and police assigned to protect them, falsely claiming that the campaigns are a Western conspiracy to sterilize children.
Since January, Pakistan has reported 17 new cases of polio, jeopardizing decades of efforts to eliminate the potentially fatal, paralyzing disease from the country. Polio often strikes children under age 5 and typically spreads through contaminated water.
Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only countries in which the spread of polio has never been stopped. Pakistan’s government is planning another polio vaccination drive in October.
Pakistan PM accepts King Charles’ invitation to attend Commonwealth summit in Samoa
- King Charles III invites Sharif to Commonwealth summit during telephone call
- Leaders to discuss global economic and environmental challenges during October summit
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shebaz Sharif on Wednesday accepted an invitation by British King Charles III to attend an upcoming Commonwealth summit in Samoa, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said, reiterating his country’s commitment to the international association.
The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2024 (CHOGM) will take place in Apia, Samoa from October 21-26, 2024. This will be the first time that King Charles III will head a meeting of the global association since becoming king.
According to the Commonwealth’s website, leaders will deliberate on global economic, environmental and security challenges during the summit. They will also discuss how Commonwealth countries can work together to build resilience, boost trade, innovation, growth and empower the 1.5 billion young people who live in member states.
Sharif received the invitation over a telephone call from the British king on Wednesday, the PMO said, adding that the Pakistani premier described it as a “significant moment in the history of the Commonwealth.”
“Prime Minister Sharif reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to the Commonwealth and the values enshrined in the Commonwealth Charter,” the PMO said.
He noted the UK monarch’s longstanding interest in environmental issues and initiatives for climate sustainability. The Pakistani premier said he looked forward to engaging with Commonwealth leaders on climate change as Pakistan is “highly vulnerable” to its impacts.
Unusually heavy rains and the melting of glaciers in June 2022 triggered flash floods in many parts of the country. Over 1,700 people were killed as large swathes of crops were destroyed and critical infrastructure was damaged. Pakistan estimated losses of over $30 billion from the floods.
Sharif also expressed his best wishes for the king’s health and for Catherine Middleton, the princess of Wales, who announced in May that was suffering from cancer.
“Recalling the fond memories of the King’s last visit to Pakistan, when he was the Prince of Wales, the Prime Minister hoped that the King and Her Majesty The Queen would visit Pakistan soon,” the PMO said.
Pakistan is a member of the Commonwealth, a voluntary association of 56 countries out of which the vast majority are former British territories.
The governments of Commonwealth countries pledge to promote common objectives such as development, democracy and peace.
