Politics

General elections to be held after August 15: Ayaz Sadiq

Published

2 years ago

Farwa

Sadiq says first LG polls will be conducted in April 2023.
Advises CM Elahi to remain distant from Imran Khan.
Blames Khan for rising terrorism in Pakistan.

LAHORE: Economic Affairs Minister Ayaz Sadiq announced that the general elections will be conducted after August 2023 after the local government (LG) elections in April 2023, The News reported Monday.

The announcement was made by minister at a ceremony held in connection with Quaid-e-Azam’s birthday and Christmas on Sunday.

Sadiq said the election will be held in 2023. “First we will go to local government elections in April 2023 and then general elections will be held after August 15,” he announced.

Speaking to journalists, Sadiq talked about the dissolution of assemblies and said if Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan wanted to dissolve the assemblies, he should have done it forthwith instead of giving dates.

“First he said he will fight his own battle and now he is looking towards the establishment to save him and bring him back to power,” Sadiq said adding Khan took massive loans during his tenure and that loans caused massive inflation in the country.

Quaid’s day

“Today is the birthday of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and without him, there would have been no Pakistan,” the PML-N leader said, paying rich tributes to the efforts of the Quaid for changing Pakistan from a thought into a reality.

He said the white part of Pakistan’s flag reflected the minorities, including Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, Parsis or any other religion and the state has promised to protect their rights. Sadiq said today was also the birthday of Hazrat Isa (peace be upon him).

“Today is the birthday of Nawaz Sharif who carried forward the tradition of Quaid-e-Azam Muslim League and made Pakistan prosper and stronger by doing nuclear tests,” the minister maintained.

CM Elahi should keep distance from Khan

The minister advised Punjab Chief Minister Parvez Elahi to distance himself from Khan and contest the next general elections without him because at that time there would be no support available to him from any side.

He further said that CM Elahi and his son Moonis were already fed up with Khan’s behaviour. “MQM and other parties left Imran because of his self-centric political approach.”

New wave of terrorism

Answering a question about the new wave of terrorism in the country, Sadiq said that Khan has seen the result of talking to the Taliban as terrorism had started again in the country. “Imran Khan did not stop terrorism but started negotiations with those who martyred our children,” he maintained.

The minister said those who selected Khan and brought him to power in 2018 were responsible for the damage done to the country. The trade deficit reached $45 billion, he said, adding it seemed that Khan came to destroy the country. They also took money from Indians and then targeted the chairman of the Election Commission of Pakistan, he said.

He said Pakistan’s electricity and gas became very expensive due to khan’s policies.

Bajwa’s support

Sadiq said that in 2018, former army chief General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa supported Khan while Jahangir Tareen gave MPAs and Aleem Khan gave everything but Khan forgot everything and was talking openly against all three persons and even cases were filed against Tareen’s wife and daughter.

“I have known Imran Khan’s character since 1960. A person who uses mothers and sisters to take revenge for power is a small person,” he said adding Pakistan ML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz faced cameras in jail.

Making a mockery of Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, he said he never took the former interior minister seriously.

If the PTI claims that their numbers were complete, then why CM Elahi did not take the vote of confidence on the governor’s constitutional order, he questioned.

Speaking on the occasion, PML-N leader Khawaja Salman Rafique questioned the Pakistan Kidney & Liver Institute and Research Centre (PKLI) did not get funds, and how the poor people would be treated. “Why are you in such a hurry to dissolve the assembly, you are in power, serve the people,” he said.

‘PML-N ended terrorism, loadshedding’

Meanwhile, in another ceremony, PML-N leader Rana Mashhood said Pakistan was established under the Two Nation theory. He said Quaid-e-Azam created Pakistan so that Muslims could live a free life and after his death, those who took care of the country were also sidelined and conspiracies were hatched against politicians.

He said elected representatives of the people should be allowed to make their own decisions and restoration of democracy was the demand of the people of Pakistan.

Mashhood said the PML-N ended terrorism and loadshedding while Khan brought back both. Party supremo Nawaz Sharif strengthened the country’s economy and gave big projects to the country and investments from foreign countries started to come.

“In 2018, Imran Khan was brought to power by stealing the election. During his tenure, horse-trading in the Senate was done openly but at that time it was right. Imran Khan himself said there is no better army chief than General Bajwa and now the same General Bajwa is responsible for everything done bad to the country during Imran Khan’s tenure,” he said.

Mashhood held Khan responsible for economic and other problems in the country because he was imposed on the people. Nawaz was fired for not taking salary from his son whereas Khan’s Banigala house was made legal, he said.

Latest News

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

Published

17 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

18 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.