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PHC seeks written replies from governor, ECP on KP polls

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  • Two-member bench hears PTI’s plea seeking election date for KP Assembly.
  • Chief secretary submits reply in court.
  • Court directs governor, ECP to submit reply by Thursday.

The Peshawar High Court (PHC) sought on Tuesday written responses from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Haji Ghulam Ali regarding the date for general elections in the province. 

A two-member bench comprising Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Justice Syed Muhammad Attique Shah heard the petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) seeking a date for the polls in the KP Assembly. 

PTI leaders Azam Swati, Asad Qaiser, Shibli Faraz and Shah Farman also appeared in the court. The PTI had submitted a petition to the court stating that the elections must be held within 90 days after the dissolution of the assembly. 

During the hearing, the court asked why the governor has not yet given a date for the elections.

At this, the KP’s advocate general said that the governor still has time to give a date for elections as per the Constitution, adding that the chief secretary has submitted a reply today. 

To this, Justice Ali ordered Governor Ali to submit a written reply by Thursday in response to the letter sent to him by the electoral body seeking a date for the polls.

The high court then asked what will be the future course of action if the ECP does not get the date today. 

PTI’s lawyer said that the governor is not giving the date and is only making excuses. 

The court after issuing the notices adjourned the hearing till Thursday. 

ECP seeks election date

The ECP had sent a letter to the provincial governor, proposing dates for the assembly elections between April 14 to 17. However, Governor Ali informed the electoral body that it should give the dates for the elections itself in consultation with all stakeholders while keeping in view the prevailing security and economic conditions of the country.

The KP governor advised the ECP to “consult and take into confidence” political parties and law-enforcement agencies (LEAs) before fixing a date for the polls. 

“In view of the alarming law and order situation in the province and series of terrorist attacks during the past days, it would be advisable that before fixing a date for the general elections, the Election Commission of Pakistan should consult and take into confidence the relevant institutions/LEAs as well as political parties, to ensure conduct of general elections in a fair, free and peaceful manner in the province,” said the governor in a letter he sent to Chief Election Commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja. 

The governor was of the view that the law and order situation was worsening in KP and hinted at delaying the polls.

The governor had said: “400 tribal elders have requested him that elections should be held after three to four months.”

“If a province demands to conduct census first or intelligence agencies advise to postpone elections then how will the elections be held?” he added. 

Referring to the terror attacks on police and rising terrorism in the province, the governor had asked if elections could be held in Waziristan, Bannu and Lakki Marwat.

He also added that the law and order issue should be addressed ahead of the provincial polls.

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The IHC upholds Bushra Bibi’s request to be transferred from Bani Gala to Adiala Jail.

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Bushra Bibi’s request to be transferred from Bani Gala to Adiala Jail was granted by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday.

The former first lady Bushra Bibi’s application to be transferred from Bani Gala sub-jail to Adiala was heard today.

Details reveal that the Islamabad High Court heard a motion to restore the denied petition about the relocation of Bushra Bibi, the wife of PTI founder, from sub-jail Bani Gala to Adiala.

The application for the reinstatement of appeal was heard by Justice Miagul Hassan Aurangzeb. When state attorney Abdul Rehman entered the courtroom on behalf of the state, Usman Riaz Gill represented the former first lady.

State counsel did not object to the appeal being restored during court proceedings. At the following hearing, the court asked for assistance in determining what conditions must be met for a location to be designated as a sub-jail.

The court also mandated that Bushra Bibi’s medical examination be scheduled. The court subsequently delayed the hearing and gave instructions to fix the appeal for April 22.

Recall that the attorneys for former first lady Bushra Bibi, Barrister Salman Safdar, Usman Riaz Gill, and Khalid Yusuf Chaudhary, had filed an application to restore the dismissed appeal a day ago, but the Islamabad High Court had denied their request to pursue the case.

The petition contended that the traffic gridlock at the Sarina Chowk checkpoint was the reason for the delay in getting to the court.

The attorneys did not purposefully take their time getting to court. They warned that the petitioner would suffer irreversible loss if the petition was not resurrected.

IHC Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb has voiced his displeasure at the absence of attorneys from the court.

According to Judge Aurangzeb, the former first lady would have been imprisoned if Bushra Bibi’s attorneys had prevailed in this case. The attorneys themselves were opposed to Bushra Bibi’s incarceration.

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oath-taking ceremony for the Balochistan cabinet postponed

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The Balochistan cabinet’s oath-taking ceremony, which was supposed to take place at the Governor’s House today (Thursday), has been rescheduled.
The Governor’s House spokeswoman announced that the Balochistan cabinet’s swearing-in event has been postponed. Nevertheless, there was no explanation provided for the ceremony’s postponement.

It is important to note that the 14-member Balochistan cabinet, which consists of two members from the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and six ministers from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was set to take the oath of office today, Thursday.

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PMD forecasts rain throughout the majority of the nation.

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During the next 24 hours (Thursday–Friday), the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has predicted rain, windstorms, thunderstorms, and a few torrential downpours or hailstorms throughout the majority of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir, Islamabad, Punjab, and Balochistan.

In several areas of Sindh, a rain-windstorm/thunderstorm is anticipated. Much of Balochistan is being hit by a powerful westerly wave trough, which is expected to spread to the top regions by April 18.

Prolonged downpours have the potential to cause flash flooding in Balochistani local streams and drains, particularly in Gwadar, Jiwani, Pasni, Ormara, Kech, Awaran, Kharan, Panjgur, Washuk, Noshki, Lasbela, Khuzdar, and Kalat.

On April 18–20, heavy rains could cause flash floods in tributaries of the Kabul River as well as in Dir, Swat, Chitral, Kohistan, Manshera, Gilgit–Baltistan, Kashmir, and other areas.

Lower Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Murree, Galiyat, Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan are among the regions where landslides may occur.

At this time, standing crops, power poles, cars, solar panels, and other objects may sustain damage from wind, hail, and lightning, according to meteorologists.

Upper Sindh and Balochistan saw rain, wind, and thunderstorms in the past 24 hours. During the era, there were also significant rainfalls in South Balochistan. Wednesday’s highs of 42 degrees Celsius in Mithi kept it as the country’s hottest spot.

Officials reported that lightning-related storm-related occurrences claimed the lives of at least 65 people in Pakistan, where the rate of precipitation in April has so far been roughly twice that of previous years. Floods and house collapses were caused by heavy downpours that occurred between Friday and Monday. Lightning claimed 28 lives.

32 people, including 15 children, have killed and over 1,300 homes have been damaged in northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which has suffered the greatest victim count.

The meteorological experts report that there is little probability of rain, despite the fact that drizzle fell in numerous areas of Karachi.

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