Pakistan

‘Youm-e-Tashakkur’: PTI to rejoice top court’s verdict in polls delay case

Published

1 year ago

Farwa

Imran Khan to address his supporters and warn of “real danger”.
PTI will celebrate victory in SC verdict in 21 cities across Sindh.
Only three cities in KP to celebrate party’s “thanksgiving day”.

After the Supreme Court issued its verdict in favour of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in the election delay case a day earlier, the former ruling party Wednesday announced celebrating “thanksgiving day” across the country’s four provinces tonight.

PTI Chairman Imran Khan, taking to Twitter, wrote that his party will celebrate Youm-e-Tashakkur in over 75 cities across the four provinces after Isha prayer tonight.

The country’s top court, on Tuesday, in its unanimous verdict declared the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision on the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) election null and void, ordering the electoral authority to hold snap polls issuing May 14 as the date for Punjab.

The court’s judgement came as a result of a plea filed by the PTI against the ECP following the party’s persistent demand of conducting polls, particularly in Punjab and KP — where the PTI had ended their government after dissolving the provincial assemblies.

The ECP, earlier today, announced its polls schedule with the date of polling mentioned as May 14.

He added that the apex court stood with the Constitution and put an end to the doctrine of necessity. Khan deemed it a huge step towards Haqeeqi Azadi (true freedom).

“SC has stood with Constitution & put an end to Doctrine of Necessity, which is used in absence of Rule of Law. This is also a huge step forward towards Haqeeqi Azadi,” Khan tweeted.

Tonight after Isha prayers we will be celebrating Youm-i-Tashakur in over 75 cities across all 4 provinces. SC has stood with Constitution & put an end to Doctrine of Necessity, which is used in absence of Rule of Law. This is also a huge step forward towards Haqeeqi Azadi.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) April 5, 2023

The former prime minister, who was ousted from office after a no-confidence motion in April last year, also stated that he will address his people and warn them about the “real danger”. He added that despite the top court’s order, the “ruling mafia” will avoid conducting elections owing to their fear of losing.

“I will address our ppl & warn of the real danger that, despite SC order, ruling mafia will still not hold elections bec they are petrified of losing. We must be prepared to come out on the streets for peaceful protest in support & protection of SC, which is upholding Constitution,” Khan wrote in his tweet.

I will address our ppl & warn of the real danger that, despite SC order, ruling mafia will still not hold elections bec they are petrified of losing. We must be prepared to come out on the streets for peaceful protest in support & protection of SC, which is upholding Constitution
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) April 5, 2023

Khan insisted his workers and supporters remain prepared for taking to the streets for “peaceful protests” for supporting and protecting the Supreme Court.

“We must be prepared to come out on the streets for peaceful protest in support & protection of SC, which is upholding the Constitution.”

The party’s Secretary General Asad Umar, meanwhile, also shared the update about PTI’s celebration following the SC judgement.

“Thanksgiving day will be celebrated in all four provinces tonight in the context of the Supreme Court’s decision,” PTI Secretary General Asad Umar said.

The party has posted a tweet informing its workers and supporters about the locations where they can gather for the celebration with most number of protests taking place in Sindh’s 21 cities, followed by 19 in Balochistan, 13 in Punjab and three in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Youm E Tashakur will be held tonight at 9PM. Below are the venues for Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and KPK: pic.twitter.com/kI05GWr9NG
— PTI (@PTIofficial) April 5, 2023

In Sindh PTI’s gatherings will take place in Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Sujawal, Tando Allah Yar, Dadu, Badin, Tando Mohammad Khan, Matiari, Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Tharparkar, Nawabshah, Sanghar, Sukkur, Jacobabad, Shikarpur, Qambar, Jamshoro, Ghotki and Kahirpur.

Balochistan’s cities which will witness celebration by the Khan-led party include Quetta, Zhob, Dukki, Ziarat. Qilla Abdullah, Harnai, Jaffarabad, Naseerabad, Usta Mohammad, Sohbatpur, Lasbela, Loralai, Khuzdar, Jhal Magsi. Barkhan, Pishin, Sherani, Musakhel and Qilla Saifullah.

In Punjab celebrations will take place in Lahore, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Jhang, Chiniot, Sahiwal, Okara, Pakpatan, Multan and Bahalwalpur.

Meanwhile, only three cities in KP comprising Peshawar, Swat and Abbotabad will see the PTI celebrate thanksgiving day.

Latest News

PM Shehbaz will meet with Saudi ministers and speak at the WEF special session today.

Published

12 hours ago

Farwa

On the third day of his visit to the Kingdom, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will speak at the World Economic Forum Special Meeting’s final plenary, which is titled “Rejuvenating Growth.”

Other speakers at the concluding plenary, in addition to the prime minister, are Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal Alibrahim, British Secretary of State David Cameron, WEF Geneva President Brørge Brende, and WEF Head of Middle East and North Africa Maroun Kairouz.

Meetings with Saudi ministers of trade, energy, the environment, and agriculture are also scheduled for the third day of the prime minister’s visit. He will probably also meet with his counterpart from Malaysia.

Mohammed bin Salman, the prime minister and crown prince of Saudi Arabia, will be present at the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth, and Energy for Development, which gets underway here today.

Latest News

The nomination of Ishaq Dar as deputy prime minister raises concerns.

Published

12 hours ago

Farwa

A lot of doubts have been raised by Ishaq Dar, the foreign minister, being appointed deputy prime minister.

No reference to the Constitution, regulations, or any other law was mentioned in the Cabinet Division’s notification of the appointment.

What powers Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif used to designate Ishaq Dar as deputy prime minister has come under scrutiny in light of this.

There are questions about the legal foundation for the deputy prime minister’s nomination as it appears from the notification’s phrasing that rules for the position have not yet been established, according to insiders.

Likewise, the announcement is vague about the deputy prime minister’s proposed authority.

Deputy prime minister would be purely symbolic, according to government sources, and would not be authorized to carry out prime ministerial duties. In Pakistan, the deputy prime minister has previously been nominated.

The PPP administration appointed Chaudhry Parvez Elahi as deputy prime minister.

Observe that Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar was appointed deputy prime minister on Sunday with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s consent; the Cabinet Division formally announced the appointment.

Dar holds the position of Pakistan’s fourth deputy prime minister. Previous appointments to the position of deputy prime ministers included Parvez Elahi, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, and Begum Nusrat Bhutto.

Latest News

Audio leaks case: FIA, PTA, and PEMRA pleas seeking Justice Sattar’s recusal dismissed

Published

13 hours ago

Farwa

The Islamabad High Court fined each of the three government departments Rs. 500,000 on Monday after dismissing their arguments against a bench trial over audio leaks.

The court may also hold the heads of the aforementioned departments—the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA)—culpable for contempt.

In the audio leak case, four government agencies—the PEMRA, PTA, FIA, and Intelligence Bureau—filed separate petitions with the IHC, pleading for Justice Babar Sattar’s recusal and asking for the case to be heard by the same bench that has previously decided a case of a similar nature.

The petitioners contended that in order to prevent a different ruling, Justice Babar Sattar should recuse himself from the case that was decided in 2021. The petitions of Bushra Bibi, the wife of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan, and Najamul Saqib, the son of former chief justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar, should also be brought before the same bench.

During the current hearing, Justice Sattar also issued a summons to IB Joint Director General Tariq Mehmood, directing him to come before the court for the case’s subsequent hearing.

Following the issue’s discovery in 2023, the judge has been considering the aforementioned petitions.

The government agencies contended in the petitions in the case before Justice Sattar that Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani had already resolved an analogous issue in 2021. Thus, in order to prevent a conflicting ruling and for the sake of justice, they asked the judge to recuse herself from the case.

The departments are requesting that Justice Sattar recuse himself after six IHC judges—among them, himself—complained in writing to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) about intelligence agencies interfering with the court’s decision.

On March 25, the judges called for the calling of a judicial convention to address the issue of purported meddling by intelligence agents in the judicial activities or “intimidation” of judges in a way that jeopardised the judiciary’s independence.