Politics

Bilawal advises PML-N supremo to focus on Lahore

Published

9 months ago

Farwa

Bilawal urges PML-N to not rely on others for politics.
Says he’s hopeful that PPP will win upcoming polls.
“Manifesto of PPP is reflection of its performance in Thar.”

As Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif headed to Balochistan, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Tuesday advised the three-time prime minister to keep his focus on Lahore and address the problems his party faced in Punjab.

“Mian sahab has been suggested to visit other provinces. I would suggest that he should stay in Lahore and focus on its problems,” said the PPP chairman during a presser in Mithi.

The PPP chief urged PML-N to do politics on its own instead of relying on others.

The former foreign minister made these comments after PML-N announced to jointly contest polls with Muttahia Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P).

Nawaz is also visiting Balochistan to meet several political leaders, including from the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP). There is also a possibility of a seat adjustment agreement with the party.

Nawaz’s visit in Balochistan to bore bad results

The politician, during the press conference, questioned what political party would run away from by-elections if they had a government in a province and centre and had the backing of institutions.

“They ran away from the local body election. I don’t know what the fear was,” Bilawal said, adding that the Nawaz-led party should have focused on Balochistan first.

The politician said that the PPP was kicked out of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and criticised for taking votes from BAP.

“If BAP was bad yesterday, they will be bad today as well. The same result will come out in Mian Sahib’s visit.”

It should be noted that the PML-N and BAP have had a bitter past, as the party was founded in 2018 by political dissidents from Nawaz’s party as well as those from the PML Quaid.

PML-N Chief Organiser Maryam Nawaz had also criticised the PPP leadership for cosying up to the Balochistan-based party, while PML-N was at loggerheads with BAP on the position of opposition leader.

However, Nawaz’s party forgot everything and nominated Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar as the interim prime minister.

Bilawal, during the presser, also said Pakistan cannot prosper amid the politics of backbiting, accusations and revenge.

He insisted that there is a huge gap between Islamabad and the people across the country.

“Those who sit in Islamabad know less about ground realities. We don’t look left and right, we look towards the people,” the PPP leader said.

‘We wish for PPP’s govt to be formed’

Looking back at the time when the PPP was part of the grand PDM coalition, the former federal minister said: “Forming a government by supporting PDM was the need of the hour. Had we kept [our] political interests first, then we would have taken a different decision.”

He maintained that there was a political and economic crisis in the country at the time and Pakistan was isolated at the foreign level, therefore, forming a government with the PDM was the right decision according to the time.

“We are now heading towards the election, we wish for PPP’s government to be formed,” he said.

The former minister iterated that he has no difference or resentment with anyone. “We do not have any dispute with any institution at this time. PPP is looking towards the people, but there is no fight with any institution.”

PPP never received level playing field

Bilawal once again complained that the PPP never received a level playing field.

PPP has been persistently voicing concerns regarding the absence of equal opportunities to prove itself ahead of the polls.

The [Islami Jamhoori Ittehad] IJI was formed against PPP. There was no level playing field, yet the government was formed.

“Even today, a field of sorts is being decorated. PPP is ready to play on every pitch. We will hopefully win.”

The 35-year-old politico said he is ready to contest elections after his 15 months of performance in the government as the foreign minister. “Are Shehbaz Sharif and other leaders also ready or are they hiding their faces,” he said, taking a jibe at politicians from PPP’s rival parties.

PPP has support of Bhuttos’ loyalists

Bilawal further said that he has the support of Benazir Bhutto and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s loyalists, adding that his party is fulfilling the promises of his mother.

“We are trying to complete the incomplete mission,” he said, adding that critics said his party cannot deliver.

Speaking about the situation of Tharparkar, Bilawal said that the death rate of women and children in the district has decreased by 50% and that there were no doctors in Thar before, however, PPP has helped reduce unemployment due to its projects.

“The manifesto of the PPP is a reflection of its performance in Thar,” he highlighted. Bilawal further added that they will not rest until there are jobs for everyone and the people are not reeled out of poverty.

The former minister said that PPP plans to establish a railway line from Tharparkar to Karachi which will help Thar’s coal reach the markets.

Bilawal then went on to say that the RO plant in the district faced hurdles due to differences between the province and the federal government, adding that the housing project for the flood victims in Sindh was also slowed down.

“We argued with the federal government that the royalties (given to Sindh) should be spent on the people here. However, this couldn’t be sorted out due to the end of our tenure,” he added.

The PPP chairman then spoke about the incumbent government, saying that the caretakers are supposed to conduct elections and continue the policy of the previous government.

“The caretaker government should provide facilities and not become an obstacle,” he added.

Lamenting the lack of attention to education in Pakistan, the former minister said that the NED University’s project has begun in Thar.

He added that his party has started a monthly stipend for women so they can teach their children, adding that they want to raise the level of teachers through teacher training.

Latest News

Containers were used to seal the Red Zone before JI’s sit-in at D-Chowk.

Published

21 hours ago

Farwa

Authorities in Islamabad have blocked off the Red Zone by erecting containers in front of today’s (Friday) Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) demonstration and the Jamaat-i-Islami sit-in at D-Chowk in Islamabad.

Jamaat-i-Islami is scheduled to stage a sit-in at Islamabad’s D-Chowk, and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has declared a nationwide protest against the country’s soaring inflation and recent spike in electricity rates.

Containers have been used to block access to the Red Zone’s main crossroads, D Chowk, Nadra Chowk, and Sarina Chowk.

ISLAMABAD, PUNJAB SECTION 144

In the meantime, in response to PTI and JI plans for statewide rallies, the federal and Punjabi governments enforced Section 144 in Islamabad and Punjab. Section 144 will be in force from Friday, July 26 to Sunday, July 28, per the notification that was released in this regard.

Rallies, sit-ins, protests, and rallies are prohibited from July 26 to July 28, according to a letter from the Home Department. It said that terrorists may find public gatherings to be an easy target and stated that the decision had been made with the threat of terrorism in mind.

In contrast, JI Secretary General Ameerul Azeem claimed in a statement that police had raided the residences of JI officials across the nation.

In an attempt to break up the protest, he said, police had targeted JI leaders and activists. He also alleged that multiple instances of police raids, arrests, and harassment of women had occurred in various towns.

GOVT ADVISED

The government was forewarned by Jamaat Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman earlier on Thursday that it would face consequences if the party was barred from accessing Islamabad for their scheduled demonstration against inflation and an increase in electricity prices.

He stated in a statement that their belief is in peaceful political protest as a means of securing public rights. “We are not afraid of arrests, and the Jamaat-e-Islami cannot be stopped,” he added.

“The historic sit-in on Friday, July 26, will represent 250 million people of Pakistan, and we will sit peacefully at D-Chowk.”

According to the JI, convoys are in route from all around the nation to participate in the sit-in. He encouraged the administration to offer a location for the protest, highlighting that it is their constitutional and democratic right to speak up for the country.

“Any political party that wishes to participate” was invited, and he welcomed them all.

Prior to the sit-in, police raided the residences of JI leaders and officials in many parts of Punjab and Rawalpindi, making multiple arrests.

Ameerul Azim, the central secretary general of Jamaat-e-Islami, was not able to be arrested during the police raid; instead, Shaukat Mahmood, his driver, was taken into custody.

Latest News

The Socioeconomic Registry of Punjab. Real data gathering is essential to effective governance. Maryam

Published

22 hours ago

Farwa

Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the chief minister of Punjab, announced that the province will introduce the “Apna Ghar Scheme,” adding that accurate data collecting is necessary in order to provide social security to the impoverished.

At the Punjab Socio-Economic Registry’s opening event in Lahore, the Maryam announced that the province’s government has started the “Roshan Gharana” project, which aims to provide 4.5 million individuals with solar panels on manageable installment plans.

Maryam Nawaz, who emphasized the necessity of centralized data, stated that data has become increasingly important in recent years since it makes basic amenities more accessible and aids in the classification of the poor.

She stated that several initiatives are being taken by the Punjabi government to assist those with disabilities.

The Punjab government, led by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, is dedicated to providing relief to the poor, according to Senior Provincial Minister Punjab Marriyum Aurangzeb, who spoke on the occasion.

The government, she noted, is concentrating on health and education services.

Latest News

The ECP asks the SC to clarify the ruling in the PTI reserved seat case.

Published

2 days ago

Farwa

Seeking clarity on a court ruling concerning the allotment of particular seats to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) moved the Supreme Court on Monday.

ECP members reportedly agreed unanimously on the SC’s decision to consult the SC.

Particularly cited under Paragraph 10 of the Supreme Court ruling, the ECP has called attention to vagueness in the ruling. In order to determine which body is in charge of party certificate issuance, the ECP is asking the Supreme Court for advice.

Concerning the validity of PTI’s party structure, the ECP pointed out that the organisation hasn’t held internal elections.

In the lack of distinct party organisation and intra-party elections, there is ambiguity over which certifications hold recognition.

Position of ECP

The absence of intra-party elections, according to ECP sources, prevents Tehreek-e-Insaaf from operating as a legitimate organisation.

A plea for clarification on party certificate authority and recognition has been made to the Supreme Court by the ECP.

Resolving the existing ambiguity and guaranteeing proper electoral processes will depend on the Supreme Court’s clarity on these issues.

Continue reading: ECP orders implementation of SC ruling regarding PTI reserved seats

Previous to this, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) reserved seat verdict will be implemented, according to a Friday announcement made by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) of Pakistan.

On Friday, a meeting of ECP members was chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja.

If the SC ruling is being carried out with any judicial decision becoming a roadblock, ECP has resolved to seek guidance from the judges in the room.

“The Supreme Court will be consulted for additional guidance in the event of any obstacles,” the ECP statement stated.

ECP declines resignation demand and political party criticism.

The chief election commissioner and members have been the target of persistent attack from a political party, which the highest electoral authority has sharply denounced. No political name was mentioned by the ECP.

The ECP called the demand for resignation from the party “absurd” and rejected the political party’s unjustified criticism, which had been made continuously.

Regardless of the pressure, the statement said, ECP would keep up its adherence to the law and the Constitution.