Pakistan

CJP Bandial directs ECP to implement LHC orders on Punjab election date

Published

1 year ago

Farwa

Why ECP is consulting governor, asks SC judge.
ECP informs SC of its delegation’s meeting with governor.
Apex court seeks progress on LHC order regarding elections.

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial on Wednesday directed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to implement the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) orders on general elections in Punjab.

The directives were issued by the Supreme Court when it took up the petition of the Punjab Assembly lawmakers that were de-seated for not towing the party lines. The plea was dismissed as the petitioner informed the bench that it was inadmissible following the dissolution of the assembly.

At the outset of the hearing, CJP Umar Ata Bandial observed that the issue of restoring the dissident lawmakers was over as the assembly had been dissolved.

The CJP then asked the Election Commission what it was doing on the directives issued by the high court to give a date for the elections.

At this, ECP’s director-general of law told the bench that a delegation of the commission had met Punjab Governor Baligh Ur Rehman on the issue a day earlier. He added that the governor had directed the ECP to seek further clarity in this regard.

“The legal way has to be taken by the governor or the Election Commission?” asked CJP. The ECP official said that it was the governor’s domain.

At that point, Justice Ayesha Malik interjected and asked why the ECP was consulting with the governor.

“Does the Constitution make it liable for the ECP to consult the governor before the polls?” she asked.

Meanwhile, CJP Bandial told the ECP counsel that the high court had asked them to hold elections and they should implement its order.

To this, ECP’s DG law informed the bench that the court had also directed them to consult with the governor.

“If the high court has given this order then follow it,” remarked CJP Bandial and disposed of the plea.

LHC directs ECP to hold polls within 90 days

Last week, the high court had directed the commission to ensure that polls in Punjab are held within 90 days.

Announcing the reserved verdict, Justice Jawad Hassan accepted the PTI’s plea and asked the electoral body to hold the polls within the constitutional limit.

“…the ECP is directed to immediately announce the date of election of the Provincial Assembly of Punjab with the notification specifying reasons, after consultation with the Governor of Punjab, being the constitutional Head of the Province, to ensure that the elections are held not later than ninety days as per the mandate of the Constitution,” the judgment read.

Business

Price of LPG “slashed” by Rs. 20 per kilogram

Published

2 hours ago

Farwa

Sources claim that LPG rates have been lowered by Rs 20, making the cost per kilogram drop from Rs 280 to Rs 260.

It is noteworthy to remark that the costs of LPG were reduced by Rs 20 per kilogram earlier, resulting in a total reduction of Rs 40 per kilogram within a few weeks.

The price of liquefied petroleum gas for the month of May 2024 was lowered by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) on April 30.

The LPG tariffs were lowered by Rs 11.88 to Rs 238.46 per kilogram in accordance with the OGRA’s notice. On Wednesday, May 1, 2024, the new rates will go into effect.

In April of last year, the price per kilogram of LPG was Rs 250.34. pricing reduction of Rs 140.18 has resulted in a new pricing for home LPG cylinders set for May 2024 of Rs 2813.85.

The OGRA reported a drop in liquefied petroleum gas pricing in April. The price of LPG is now Rs 250.34 per kg instead of Rs 256.78 due to a reduction of Rs 6.44 per kg.

The price of the household cylinder was fixed at Rs 2954.03 for the month of April, down from Rs 3030.12, a decrease of Rs 76.9.

Business

ADB delegation stops by FBR headquarters

Published

2 hours ago

Farwa

Senior Director ADB Tariq Niazi oversaw the expedition, which also involved Sana Masood, Farzana Noshab, and Senior Public Sector Management Specialist Laisiasa Tora. The meeting included presentations from economists as well, according to an FBR press release.

The officers focused on structural and policy adjustments as they discussed the Domestic Resource Mobilization Program’s implementation at the meeting.

$300 million was given to the Pakistani government by ADB in December 2023 as a result of the hard work and dedication of FBR. Better laws, regulations, and institutional capability for the FBR were established by Sub-Program I.

With the $300 million in funding provided by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to the Government of Pakistan in December 2023, the delegation conveyed satisfaction with the program’s effective launch.

The FBR also underlined how crucial digitization is to recording the economy and boosting productivity in a sustainable way.

In order to promote the Government of Pakistan’s Digital Tax Administration Project, both parties decided to look into measures to improve their cooperation.

Latest News

Off-duty police in Islamabad are prohibited from donning uniforms.

Published

2 hours ago

Farwa

The new directives, according to specifics, were sent via wireless by the federal capital police and state that no officer may wear a uniform when reporting for duty or leaving it.

According to the police official, uniforms will only be worn when on duty; otherwise, two policemen will accompany each other during duty hours and will always be required to carry guns.

A different development was the earlier release of an app by the Islamabad Police with the goal of improving crime prevention and public safety.

Launched on the orders of former Interior Minister Sarfraz Akbar Bugti, the recently released ICT-15 app aims to empower the people of the capital city by giving them the ability to actively engage in the battle against crime and protect their areas.

Residents of Islamabad can now easily download and utilize the ICT-15 app because it is easily accessible on the Google Play Store.

Citizens can report a variety of issues with this easy-to-use application, such as incidents, unlawful behavior, complaints against law enforcement, the presence of undocumented people, or any suspicious criminal activity.

The police promise quick reaction times as soon as information is reported using the app, so assistance will be provided as quickly as feasible.