In the federal capital, trade and business remained closed as well…reports Asian Lite News
The mobile phone services remained suspended in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad for the third day, continuing on Sunday amid the ongoing unrest amid Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest in the federal capital, Geo News reported.
At other locations, such as Sri Nagar Highway, Zero Point, and Faisal Avenue, containers are in position, and the Faizabad Interchange has partially opened.
Meanwhile, Punjab police officers continue to remain stationed at various locations throughout the garrison town, raising the level of security.
Road closures made it difficult for the people of Islamabad to commute.
In the federal capital, trade and business remained closed as well.
Earlier on Saturday, Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi claimed that 11 officers from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police and 120 Afghan nationals were among the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protesters arrested in Islamabad.
According to ARY News, Naqvi said that 564 people were arrested during the crackdown, including 11 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police officers who were reportedly involved in the protest.
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party Pakistan Tehreek-I-Insaaf (PTI) has been staging protests against the government in Islamabad and Lahore. PTI gave a fresh call for nationwide protests on October 1, starting in Islamabad, to ensure the independence of the judiciary.
Regional instability: Afghanistan
The Taliban-led Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan expressed grave concern over the escalating tensions between Pakistan’s government and opposition, warning that the intensifying tensions between government supporters and opposition forces pose a threat to regional stability.
In a rough translation of a post on X by Abdul Qahar Balkhi, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, he wrote, “In the neighbouring country of Pakistan, the tension between the supporters of the government and the political opponents has reached an alarming level, which may continue to have a negative impact on the entire region.”
Notably, former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party Pakistan Tehreek-I-Insaaf (PTI) has been staging protests against the government in Islamabad and Lahore. PTI gave a fresh call for nationwide protests on October 1, starting in Islamabad, to ensure the independence of the judiciary.
Balkhi emphasised the importance of negotiation and understanding in addressing the legitimate demands of the people. He also said that Afghanistan is keeping a close eye on the situation in Pakistan.
“The best way to meet the legitimate demands of the people is through negotiation and understanding. Recent events have proven that the refusal to negotiate complicates the issue. We are closely monitoring the situation in Pakistan,” the post added.
Earlier on Saturday, Pakistan Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi claimed that 11 officers from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police and 120 Afghan nationals were among the PTI protesters arrested in Islamabad.
According to ARY News, Naqvi said that 564 people were arrested during the crackdown, including 11 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police officers who were reportedly involved in the protest.
Meanwhile, in wake of protests by PTI, the mobile phone services remained suspended in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad for the third day, continuing on Sunday, Geo News reported.
At other locations, such as Sri Nagar Highway, Zero Point, and Faisal Avenue, containers are in position, and the Faizabad Interchange has partially opened. Meanwhile, Punjab police officers continue to remain stationed at various locations throughout the garrison town, raising the level of security. (ANI)
Kovind said that during the first four electoral cycles of the country, Lok Sabha and state assembly elections were “synchronised,” which was later broken in the year 1968..reports Asian Lite News
Former President Ram Nath Kovind said that simultaneous elections under the “One Nation, One Election” policy were a vision of India’s constitutional forefathers and that it was the norm during the early years of the republic.
Speaking on “Simultaneous Elections” at the 30th Lal Bahadur Shastri Memorial Lecture on Saturday, Kovind said that during the first four electoral cycles of the country, Lok Sabha and state assembly elections were “synchronised,” which was later broken in the year 1968.
Kovind, who led the ‘One Nation, One Election’ high-level committee, said that it was ironic when we look back on the origin of the disruption of the electoral cycles, while some sections deem simultaneous elections as undemocratic as well as unconstitutional.
“”Simultaneous elections were the norm in the early years of the republic. Elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies were synchronised during the first four electoral cycles… This cycle of concurrent elections was broken in the year 1968 when several state assemblies were prematurely dissolved by the then Union Government exercising its power under Article 356…Some sections of society have termed simultaneous elections undemocratic and unconstitutional. It is hard to miss the irony when we look into the genesis of the disruption of electoral cycles… Simultaneous elections were the vision of our constitutional forefathers,” he said.
Kovind said that during the consultation process of the policy, 15 parties did not support the idea, out of which many were there who supported the concept of simultaneous elections in the past.
“During our consultation process, 47 political parties presented their views to the committee. 32 out of these 47 parties supported the idea of simultaneous elections; only 15 parties did not. Many among these 15 parties have supported the concept of simultaneous elections in the past,” he added.
On September 18, the Union Cabinet approved the government’s ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal, which proposes simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, with urban body and panchayat polls to be held within 100 days.
The recommendations were made in a report of a high panel committee led by former President Ram Nath Kovind. (ANI)
The tensions stem from remarks made by Subhash Velingkar, former Goa unit chief of RSS, concerning St. Francis Xavier, a Catholic missionary revered as the “Protector of Goa.”…reports Asian Lite News
Amid rising tensions in Goa, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Sangh Parivar for inciting communal discord.
The protests stem from remarks made by Subhash Velingkar, former Goa unit chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), concerning St. Francis Xavier, a Catholic missionary revered as the “Protector of Goa.”
Velingkar had controversially called for a “DNA test” of the saint’s relics, sparking outrage among the Christian community.
Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, took a strong stand against the BJP-led state government under Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant. In his statement, Gandhi emphasised Goa’s unique identity as a harmonious, diverse, and peaceful region, attributing much of its charm to its natural beauty and inclusive social fabric.
He accused the BJP of intentionally stoking communal tensions and dividing the people for political gain.
“Under BJP rule, this harmony is under attack,” he said, alleging that Sangh Parivar organizations were promoting an economic boycott of Muslims alongside Velingkar’s provocations against Christians.
According to Gandhi, this divisive agenda is not limited to Goa but is part of a broader national strategy by the Sangh Parivar, backed by high-level support.
He claimed that the BJP is exploiting Goa’s ecological and social heritage by encouraging illegal land conversions and bypassing environmental regulations, further exacerbating tensions.
“The people of Goa and the whole of India see through this divisive agenda and are standing united,” he added.
The protests erupted following Velingkar’s suggestion of a DNA test on the relics of St. Francis Xavier, which are housed at the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa, a prominent pilgrimage and tourist site.
Velingkar questioned the saint’s legacy and status as Goa’s protector, prompting backlash from the Christian community.
However, the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti’s national spokesperson, Ramesh Shinde, defended Velingkar, arguing that the DNA test was justified.
He claimed that the body displayed in the church might belong to Rahula, a monk from Sri Lanka, rather than St. Francis Xavier.
In response to the controversy, Goa Forward Party President Vijay Sardesai met with Goa Governor P. S. Sreedharan Pillai, demanding immediate government intervention.
Sardesai expressed concerns that the government’s failure to act was eroding Goa’s image as a land of peace and religious coexistence.
He accused the Sawant administration of deliberately diverting attention from pressing local issues by allowing communal tensions to simmer, thereby damaging the Goan identity, or “Goenkarponn.”
The ongoing protests have led to increased unrest in Goa, as citizens from various communities demand action against Velingkar’s comments.
Sardesai warned that the government’s inaction was not only hurting religious sentiments but also damaging Goa’s longstanding reputation for communal harmony and peaceful coexistence.
‘Three dark clouds’ threatening Indian economy: Jairam
Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh on Sunday said that there are “three dark clouds” looming over the Indian economy, which would constrain India’s growth potential in the coming years.
Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the NDA government, Ramesh said that the “bombastic claims” on the economy were the chokepoints that would strangulate India’s growth in the coming years.
Ramesh stated that the “unsteady path of private sector investment,” the ” stagnation of India’s manufacturing units,” and the “decline of real wages as well as productivity for India’s labourers for the last 10 years” were some “mere issues” that had surfaced in the past few weeks showing “highly detrimental economic trends” in the country.
In a statement released on the social media platform X, the Rajya Sabha MP stated that the private-sector investment during 2022-23 had returned to an unsteady path, and there was a 21 per cent decline in new project announcements made by the sector during the financial years (FY) 2023 and 2024.
He said that this shows the lack of uncertainty and investor’s trust in the Indian consumer markets generated by the government’s “inconsistent policymaking and raid raj.”
“After a brief surge in private sector investment during 2022-23 on the back of the COVID-19 recovery, investment has returned to an unsteady path. New project announcements by the private sector fell by 21 per cent between FY23 and FY24. This reflects a lack of investor confidence in India’s consumer markets and the uncertain investment climate generated by the government’s inconsistent policymaking and Raid Raj,” the statement read.
He said that the formal sector of the country, that is, India Inc., has been focusing on stock market valuation rather than revenue growth with a cue from the government, which according to him would affect the medium- to long-term future of India’s economy.
“In this context, rather than grow their businesses, companies are using profits to reduce debt burdens. We are witnessing a growing financialisation of the Indian economy, with India Inc.–perhaps taking its cue from the government–focussing on stock market valuations rather than top-line revenue growth. This bodes poorly for the medium- and long-term future of the Indian economy as the growth engine of the economy–private sector investment–continues to languish,” he stated.
He said since the launch of the Make in India scheme for the past 10 years, India’s manufacturing has been stagnating or is the same in comparison to the growth of GDP in the country.
He stated that the employment share had marginally declined in the manufacturing unit and India’s share of global merchandise exports has also stagnated.
He asserted that from 2005 to 2015, under the UPA Government, the growth of India’s share in global exports grew much faster.
“Ten years after the government’s flagship Make in India scheme was launched, India’s manufacturing is stagnating. As the share of GDP, manufacturing is the same as it was ten years ago. As a share of total employment, manufacturing has marginally declined. India’s share in global merchandise exports has also largely stagnated, and exports are falling as a share of India’s GDP. In fact, growth in India’s share of global exports grew much faster in the 2005-15 period, largely corresponding to Dr. Manmohan Singh’s tenure as Prime Minister. In labour-intensive sectors like garments, exports have fallen from USD 15 billion in 2013-14 to USD 14.5 billion in 2023-2024,” the statement read.
Referring to the latest report by the Annual Survey of Industries (ASI) for 2022-23, Ramesh said that there was a decline in the real wages as well as productivity for Indian labourers in the country and that the GVA, which is a measure of labour productivity, had also slowed down from 6.6 per cent in 2014-15 to 0.6 per cent in 2018-19.
He said that the decrease in labour productivity had impacted real wage growth amid rising inflation in the country, resulting in a weak consumption rate as well as low investment in the market restraining India’s growth.
“Annual Survey of Industries (ASI) for 2022-2023 has revealed a decline in real wages and productivity for India’s labourers. The growth in GVA per worker (a measure of labour productivity) slowed from 6.6 per cent in 2014-15 to 0.6 per cent by 2018-19. After the COVID era statistical irregularity, worker productivity contracted in FY23 again. This decrease in labour productivity has impacted real wage growth, especially amidst rising inflation. As real wages stagnate, consumption will remain weak, resulting in the low investment that has been a consistent restraint on India’s growth,” he said. (ANI)
Samajwadi Party and Congressm have not been able to firm-up a seat-sharing pact for the bypolls yet…reports Asian Lite News
Bypolls to 10 assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh will be a litmus test for the INDIA bloc’s unity after the group’s success in the recent Lok Sabha polls when they won more than 40 seats, significantly contributing to the BJP’s failure to win a simple majority in parliament.
However, the two INDIA bloc allies in Uttar Pradesh — Samajwadi Party and Congress — have not been able to firm-up a seat-sharing pact for the bypolls even though the Congress has staked claims to contest five of the 10 seats, a proposition the SP may not agree with.
Leaders from both the parties say their aim is to defeat the BJP, and they are confident they would contest the bypolls together.
Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai told PTI, “The party is holding ‘Samvidhan Bachao Sammelan’ (save Constitution conferences) on all 10 assembly seats that are going to polls. Two such conferences have already been held. We have appointed incharges and observers on all the 10 seats and ground work is on.”
The assembly seats where bypolls are due are: Katehari (Ambedkar Nagar), Karhal (Mainpuri), Milkipur (Ayodhya), Meerapur (Muzaffarnagar), Ghaziabad, Majhawan (Mirzapur), Sishamau (Kanpur city), Khair (Aligarh), Phulpur (Prayagraj) and Kundarki (Moradabad).
Nine of these seats fell vacant after their MLAs were elected as MPs in the Lok Sabha polls, while bypolls are being held on the Sishamau seat due to the disqualification of SP MLA Irfan Solanki, who was convicted in a criminal case.
Asked if he hopes the alliance will continue in these bypolls, Rai said, “Yes. We will contest in alliance. The aim of both the Congress and the SP is to defeat the BJP.”
“We have given a proposal to contest five assembly seats — Majhwa (Mirzapur), Phulpur (Allahabad), Ghaziabad, Khair (Aligarh) and Meerapur (Muzaffarnagar) to our leadership. These seats are those, where BJP candidates had won,” Rai said.
In the 2022 assembly polls, Sisamau, Katehari, Karhal, Milkipur and Kundarki seats were won by the SP; while Phulpur, Ghaziabad, Majhawan and Kahir elected BJP MLAs. The Meerapur seat was held by the RLD.
When asked whether his party had any talks with the SP in this regard, Rai said, “A meeting was held in which it was discussed. We have told the leadership and our UP incharge Avinash Pande about it.”
Asked specifically whether he sees the alliance continuing in the bypolls, Rai said, “Yes, 100 per cent. Ummid nahi, pucca hai (it’s just a hope, but a certainty).”
In the Lok Sabha polls held in April-May, INDIA bloc partners Samajwadi Party won 37 seats the while Congress got six. The BJP had won 33 seats (down from 62 in 2019) while its ally Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and Apna Dal (Sonelal) got two and one seat respectively.
The Azad Samaj Party had won one seat.
When asked about the bypolls, SP chief spokesperson and National Secretary Rajendra Chowdhury said, “We are fully prepared for the polls. The INDIA bloc will win all the 10 seats.”
On seat-sharing and the Congress’ demand of five seats, Chowdhury said, “Baith ke tay hoga’ (We will sit together and decide). He did not elaborate further, just saying that the party leadership will decide.
This time BJP will not be able to do anything unwanted at polling booths, he said. “We are doing our preparations upto the booth level and emphasising on making our party strong at booth level,” Chowdhury said.
The dates of by-elections have not been announced yet.
While Karhal seat fell vacant due to SP chief Akhilesh Yadav getting elected from Kannauj as MP, Katehari has been vacated by the party’s Lalji Verma after he was elected as MP from the Ambedkar Nagar Lok Sabha seat.
SP leader Awadhesh Prasad’s election to Lok Sabha from Ayodhya led to his resignation from Milkipur seat, while SP leader Zia-ur Rahman Barq’s Kundarki assembly seat in Moradabad has fallen vacant following his election to the Sambhal Lok Sabha seat.
Chandan Chauhan of the Rashtriya Lok Dal resigned from his Meerapur assembly seat of Muzaffarnagar following his election to Lok Sabha from Bijnor. The Ghaziabad seat fell vacant after the BJP’s Atul Garg was elected to the Ghaziabad LS seat.
The BJP’s Vinod Kumar Bind resigned from his Majhawan assembly seat of Mirzapur following his election to Lok Sabha from Bhadohi, while party leader Anoop Singh alias Anoop Pradhan Balmiki resigned from his Khair assembly seat of Aligarh following his election from Hathras Lok Sabha seat.
The BJP’s Praveen Patel resigned from Phulpur assembly seat of Prayagraj following his election to Lok Sabha from the Lok Sabha seat with the same name.
Projections for 2027 reveal the massive revenue-generating potential across the AI sector. AI data centres are expected to lead, with infrastructure revenues forecasted to hit USD 331 billion….reports Asian Lite News
Analysts predict that artificial intelligence’s (AI) influence will reshape the global economy, driving monumental growth and creating an ecosystem brimming with innovation and financial gains, according to the UBS report.
This profound technological shift is expected to open doors for companies and investors, positioning AI at the forefront of global progress.
Projections for 2027 reveal the massive revenue-generating potential across the AI sector. AI data centres are expected to lead, with infrastructure revenues forecasted to hit USD 331 billion.
Cloud AI services are projected to generate USD 185 billion, while large language models (LLMs) are predicted to bring in USD 255 billion.
Applications, the most lucrative layer, are set to drive USD 395 billion in revenue. For investors, the key focus will be on the ratio of monetisation potential between the AI application layer and the costs of the enabling and intelligence layers, a crucial metric for determining returns.
The adoption of AI is expected to trigger a massive surge in capital expenditures (capex) for data centres, particularly for AI-specific infrastructure. By 2027, AI data centres are forecasted to command 75 per cent of total data centre capex, up significantly from 30 per cent in 2023.
AI chips, particularly GPUs, are positioned to capture the largest portion of AI’s value creation. GPUs make up over 70 per cent of the bill of materials in AI servers, making them the primary beneficiaries of AI investments.
Memory and interconnect components, comprising 15 per cent and 9 per cent of server costs respectively, will also play vital roles in driving the AI revolution.
The first wave of AI adopters, including hyperscalers, are poised to reap significant revenue and margin growth. As AI technologies become integral to business operations, these enablers are expected to capture gains from AI products while benefiting from the productivity improvements that generative AI (genAI) promises. Over time, this will lead to notable margin expansion as businesses increasingly rely on AI-driven solutions.
As AI continues to evolve, it is anticipated that monolithic players will emerge, forming a small oligopoly of vertically integrated “AI foundries.”
These giants will dominate the value chain, controlling different segments from chip manufacturing to software development, while enjoying attractive margin structures.
The productivity gains from AI will extend to software development, where AI-driven tools will significantly speed up the creation of software code.
This increased efficiency will make AI-enabled software development ubiquitous, transforming industries and accelerating the pace of technological innovation.
In the race for AI supremacy, data will become the key differentiator. Companies with large, diverse datasets will have a significant advantage in optimising AI models, allowing them to outperform competitors.
As data assets continue to grow in importance, businesses with a strong data foundation will hold the upper hand in AI development and deployment.
Despite the increasing number of open-source models, proprietary models continue to outperform their competitors. As of August 2024, closed-source models have remained the top performers due to their superior accuracy and scalability.
The capital expenditures required for foundational AI models create barriers for open-source competition, further cementing the dominance of proprietary systems developed by tech giants.
The future of AI will likely see the merging of the application and intelligence layers, bringing us closer to the realisation of artificial general intelligence (AGI).
Current developments show that single language models are achieving above-average scores on domain-specific tasks, indicating the potential for AGI to reshape industries in the years to come. (ANI)
Local media cited that Gandapur’s decision to leave the party workers in Islamabad and move to KP House has “raised eyebrows”….reports Asian Lite News
Pakistan’s capital Islamabad remained tense on Sunday as the massive protest by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) entered its second day. Hundreds of PTI supporters and members have also made it clear that they will not call off the protest at the D-Chowk in front of the parliament until receiving further instructions from party leader Imran Khan.
The move comes amid reports of confusion surrounding the whereabouts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur.
Local media cited that Gandapur’s decision to leave the party workers in Islamabad and move to KP House has “raised eyebrows”.
“PTI’s political committee while criticising the disappearance of the Chief Minister, has warned that there will be ‘serious repercussions’ if Gandapur was arrested,” reported Pakistan’s leading daily Dawn.
It added that the committee has also decided that, in the event of Gandapur’s arrest, Azam Swati would lead the protest, and in case of Swati’s arrest, a new leader would be named to guide the demonstrators.
PTI leader Shaukat Yousafzai has reportedly confirmed to local media that Gandapur was still at the KP House where he presented demands to the administration, including the immediate release of the party’s founder Imran Khan and redressal of PTI’s grievances.
“The clashes between the law enforcers and PTI supporters were reported from different areas of the twin cities throughout the day amid fiery statements from government ministers and PTI leaders against each other. Meanwhile, the roads remained blocked with containers and cellular services suspended, resulting in increasing difficulties of the citizens manifolds,” reported The Express Tribune.
Despite massive security deployment, a rally led by Gandapur had managed to reach Islamabad, with some workers gathering near prominent locations such as Centaurus Mall and China Chowk.
Earlier on Friday, PTI workers led by Amir Mughal had gathered at D-Chowk, where they cut a cake to celebrate Imran Khan’s birthday.
KP government spokesperson Barrister Mohammad Saif claimed that Gandapur had been arrested but later clarified on X that the KP CM had not been formally arrested.
He emphasised that Gandapur was on bail until October 25, warning that any arrest would insult the mandate of the KP people and that the government would have to answer for such “unconstitutional and illegal actions.”
Meanwhile, PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Khan indicated that the protest would continue due to the government’s crackdown. As he left KP House, he declined to comment when asked about Gandapur’s potential arrest.
The Congress is likely to win 50-58 seats in the state while the BJP can win 20-28 seats. The other can win 10-16 seats….reports Asian Lite News
The Congress is likely to make a strong comeback in Haryana after a decade in the recently held Assembly elections, according to TV-Today C voter projection, which said that the party may win 50-58 seats in the state. The majority mark to form the government in the 90-member assembly is 46.
According to TV-Today C-voter projections, the Congress is likely to win 50-58 seats in the state while the BJP can win 20-28 seats. The other can win 10-16 seats.
Congress leader and former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Saturday attributed this projected win to the impressive track record of Congress between 2005 and 2014, coupled with the perceived failures of the BJP-led government from 2014 to 2024, marked by corruption and underperformance.
“I have been saying this since we started campaigning that there is a wave in favour of Congress. Congress will form a government with a thumping majority…The main factor was our achievements from 2005-2014 and the failure of the BJP government from 2014-2024- corruption and non-performance. We will work on unemployment, education and security,” Hooda said.
According to the Republic TV-Matrize poll, the Congress Party may get 55-62 seats out of 90, while the BJP is poised to win18-24 seats.
People Pulse poll survey said that the Congress may get 44-54 seats, BJP 15-29 and others may win up to 4-9 seats.
Dainik Bhaskar in its poll survey suggested that the Congress will get 44-54 seats, BJP 15-29 and others may get 4-9.
As per the Dhruv Research polls survey, the Congress may get 50-64 seats, and BJP may win up to 22-32 seats in the state.
Congress leader Capt. Ajay Singh Yadav, Chairman of the AICC OBC unit said that the party should get 60 seats adding that it won’t be a surprise if the number crosses 65 as well.
“Exit polls have started coming. I think we should get around 60 seats. Some 10-12 (election) tickets were not given appropriately, else it was going to be a tsunami. It won’t be a surprise if the number of seats crosses 65 as well. Many start campaigners came here, if Rahul Gandhi had come it would have been good,” he said.
Meanwhile, Union MoS & BJP leader Ch. Krishan Pal Gurjar exuded confidence that the BJP will form the government in the state by winning over 50 seats.
“I am confident that BJP will form the government by winning over 50 seats in the state,” he said.
AAP President Sushil Gupta said that the people of Haryana have voted for change.
“The people of Haryana have voted for change. They have voted against the BJP’s arrogance, corruption, crime and rising unemployment. You will see results which will shock you on 8th October. I am confident that we will play an important role,” the AAP leader said.
Haryana recorded 61 per cent of voter turnout till 5 pm on Saturday across all the 90 assembly seats in the single-phase assembly polls in the state.
According to the data of the Election Commission of India, Mewat leads with 68.28 per cent voter turnout while Gurugram has recorded the lowest voter turnout of 49.97 per cent till 5 pm.
Yamunanagar has recorded a voter turnout of 67.93 per cent, followed by Palwal with 67.69 per cent, Fatehabad with 67.05 per cent, Jind with 66.02 per cent, Mahendragarh with 65.76 per cent, Kurukshetra with 65.55 per cent and Sirsa with 65.37 per cent.
As per the ECI, Hisar recorded 64.16 per cent, Bhiwani 63.06 per cent, Kaithal 62.53 per cent, Ambala 62.26 per cent, Rewari 60.91 per cent, Panipat 60.52 per cent, Jhajjar 60.52 per cent, Rohtak 60.56 per cent, Karnal 60.42 per cent, Charkhi Dadri 58.10 per cent, Sonipat 56.69 per cent, Faridabad 51.28 per cent and Panchkula 54.71 per cent voter turnout.
A total of 1,031 candidates contested in 90 assembly constituencies, and 20,632 polling booths were set up for voting. The votes will be counted on October 8 for both Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir.
In the 2019 Assembly elections, the BJP won 40 of the 90 seats, forming a coalition government with the JJP, which won 10 seats. The Congress secured 31 seats. However, JJP later broke out of the coalition.
65.65% voter turnout
The single-phase polling for 90 Assembly Constituencies in Haryana concluded peacefully on Saturday across more than 20,000 polling stations and recorded a final voter turnout of 65.65 percent.
According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), single-phase polling for General Elections to the Legislative Assembly of Haryana recorded an approximate voter turnout of 65.65 per cent as of 11:45 pm, which beats the Lok Sabha 2024 voter turnout of 64.8 per cent in the state.
Fatehabad topped the turnout charts with 74.51 per cent followed by Yamunanagar with 73.27, Mewat with 72.83, and Panchkula had the lowest turnout at 54.71 per cent. Congress leader Harish Rawat exuded confidence in the party registering a record win in Haryana.
This comes amid the ongoing protests by Pakistan Tehreek-I-Insaaf (PTI) against the government in Islamabad and Lahore…reports Asian Lite News
The Islamabad High Court ruled that no unauthorised protests or gatherings will be allowed in the capital city during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit scheduled to be held on October 15 and 16, ARY News reported on Saturday.
According to ARY News, the High Court bench comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq issued a written order on a plea filed by traders, ruling that no lockdown should also be made during the SCO summit.
This comes amid the ongoing protests by Pakistan Tehreek-I-Insaaf (PTI) against the government in Islamabad and Lahore.
The HC directed the Islamabad administration and government to allocate a designated area for protests. “The protesters must gather in the area specified by the administration to record their protest,” ARY News quoted the ruling.
While acknowledging Articles 16 and 17 of the Pakistani Constitution, which guarantee the right to assembly and movement, the HC stressed that these rights are subject to reasonable restrictions, ARY News reported. The IHC directed authorities to take necessary measures to maintain peace in Islamabad.
As per ARY News, the court was told that the activists of a political party are marching towards the red zone, which would freeze the movement of other citizens. The order read that the court was informed that the army has been deployed under Article 245 to ensure security while Section 144 is also imposed, ARY News reported.
Earlier on Saturday, Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi claimed that 11 officers from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police and 120 Afghan nationals were among the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protesters arrested in Islamabad, ARY News reported.
According to ARY News, Naqvi said that 564 people were arrested during the crackdown, including 11 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police officers who were reportedly involved in the protest.
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party Pakistan Tehreek-I-Insaaf (PTI) has been staging protests against the government in Islamabad and Lahore. PTI gave a fresh call for nationwide protests on October 1, starting in Islamabad, to ensure the independence of the judiciary, as reported by Dawn. (ANI)
Biden’s warning came with lawmakers and analysts voicing concern over increasingly bellicose campaign language ahead of the vote….reports Asian Lite News
US President Joe Biden said on Friday he is confident that the upcoming presidential election will be fairly conducted, but he warned that Republican candidate Donald Trump and his running mate could refuse to accept the outcome.
“I’m confident it will be free and fair. I don’t know whether it will be peaceful. The things that Trump has said, and the things that he said last time out, when he didn’t like the outcome of the election, were very dangerous,” Biden said.
Biden said it was notable that Trump’s running mate, US Senator JD Vance, would not confirm during this week’s vice presidential debate that he would accept the outcome of the vote in the Nov. 5 election.
Trump is running against Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris for president, in a tight race that will come down to a handful of battleground states.
Biden’s warning came with lawmakers and analysts voicing concern over increasingly bellicose campaign language ahead of the vote.
Trump — who survived an assassination bid in July and another apparent plot in September — alleged widespread fraud after his defeat to Biden, and pro-Trump rioters riled up by his false claims ransacked the US Capitol.
Trump was impeached in 2021 for inciting the insurrection after hundreds of his supporters — exhorted by the defeated Republican to “fight like hell” — battered police as they smashed windows at the Capitol and broke through doors.
He has been indicted over what prosecutors allege was a “private criminal effort” to subvert the election that culminated in the violence. Trump — who is due to return to the venue of his first assassination bid in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday — has long been assailed over his violent rhetoric.
Biden made his comments during what was the first appearance of his presidency in the White House briefing room, where he touted his administration’s achievements as his vice president, Kamala Harris, battles Trump. Harris and Trump meanwhile were barnstorming the battleground states that are likely to decide who wins the White House.
Trump campaigned Friday in North Carolina, where he reprised his claims of 2020 voter fraud: “We should get elected, but remember this, they cheat like hell,” he said.
He also visited neighboring Georgia, a swing state narrowly claimed by Biden four years ago but won by Trump in 2016 — and one of the biggest prizes of the 2024 election map.
The Republican inserted himself aggressively into Georgia politics after his 2020 defeat, pushing for state officials to “find” enough votes to overturn Biden’s victory.
Trump, 78, was charged by state prosecutors with racketeering, in a case that is on pause and expected to start up again after the election. He denies wrongdoing.
On Friday Trump joined Georgia Republican Governor Brian Kemp after receiving a briefing on the devastation wreaked by Hurricane Helene, the deadliest storm to hit the US mainland since Katrina in 2005.
Trump has repeatedly spread misinformation about the federal response to the disaster, falsely alleging that funding for relief has been misappropriated by Harris and redirected toward migrants. Harris, who is neck-and-neck with Trump in all seven swing states, rallied Friday in Michigan — a union stronghold that epitomized the US manufacturing decline of the 1980s.
The Democratic contender accused Trump of jeopardizing Michigan auto jobs. “This is a man who has only ever fought for himself. This is a man who has been a union buster his entire career,” she said at a stop in Detroit. Later, in the city of Flint, she branded Trump “one of the biggest losers of manufacturing jobs in American history.”
Flint is a majority Black city where a 2010s scandal over lead-tainted water highlighted government mismanagement and the disproportionate damage to poor and non-white communities. She reminded rallygoers that the election is just one month away, and early voting has already begun in several states.
“Folks, the election is here. And we need to energize, organize and mobilize,” Harris said.
Earlier her campaign announced the country’s first Black president, Barack Obama, would stump for her in Pennsylvania and other swing states from next week as she woos undecided voters in the US heartland.
Trump suggests striking Iran nuclear facilities
President Joe Biden on Friday advised Israel against striking Iran’s oil facilities, saying he was trying to rally the world to avoid the escalating prospect of all-out war in the Middle East.
But his predecessor Donald Trump, currently campaigning for another term in power, went so far as to suggest Israel should “hit” the Islamic republic’s nuclear sites.
Making a surprise first appearance in the White House briefing room, Biden said that Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “should remember” US support for Israel when deciding on next steps.
“If I were in their shoes, I’d be thinking about other alternatives than striking oil fields,” Biden told reporters, when asked about his comments a day earlier that Washington was discussing the possibility of such strikes with its ally.
Biden added that the Israelis “have not concluded how they’re, what they’re going to do” in retaliation for a huge ballistic missile attack by Iran on Israel on Tuesday.
The price of oil had jumped after Biden’s remarks Thursday.
Any long-term rise could be damaging for US Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democrat confronts Republican Trump in a November 5 election where the cost of living is a major issue.
Meanwhile Trump, campaigning in North Carolina, offered a far more provocative view of what he thinks a response to Iran should be, referencing a question posed to Biden this week about the possibility of Israel targeting Iran’s nuclear program.
“They asked him, ‘what do you think about Iran, would you hit Iran?’ And he goes, ‘As long as they don’t hit the nuclear stuff.’ That’s the thing you want to hit, right?” Trump told a town hall style event in Fayetteville, near a major US military base.
Biden “got that one wrong,” Trump said.
“When they asked him that question, the answer should have been, hit the nuclear first, and worry about the rest later,” Trump added.
Trump has spoken little about the recent escalation in tensions in the Middle East. But he issued a scathing statement this week, holding Biden and Harris responsible for the crisis.
Biden’s appearance at the famed briefing room podium was not announced in advance, taking reporters by surprise.
It comes at a tense time as he prepares to leave office with the Mideast situation boiling over and political criticism at home over his handling of a recent hurricane that struck the US southeast.
Biden said he was doing his best to avoid a full-scale conflagration in the Middle East, where Israel is bombing Lebanon in a bid to wipe out the Iranian-backed militia Hezbollah.
“The main thing we can do is try to rally the rest of the world and our allies into participating… to tamp this down,” he told reporters.
“But when you have (Iranian) proxies as irrational as Hezbollah and the Houthis (of Yemen)… it’s a hard thing to determine.”
Biden however had tough words for Netanyahu, with whom he has had rocky relations as he seeks to manage Israel’s response following the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel.
The Israeli premier has repeatedly ignored Biden’s calls for restraint on Lebanon, and on Israel’s war in Gaza, which has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians.
Biden deflected a question on whether he believed Netanyahu was hanging back on signing a Middle East peace deal in a bid to influence the US presidential election.
“No administration has helped Israel more than I have. None, none, none. And I think Bibi should remember that,” Biden said.
“And whether he’s trying to influence the election, I don’t know, but I’m not counting on that.”
Biden said he had still not spoken to Netanyahu since the Iranian attack, which involved some 200 missiles, but added their teams were in “constant contact.”
“They’re not going to make a decision immediately, and so we’re going to wait to see when they want to talk,” the US leader added.
Iran said its attack was in retaliation for the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Hezbollah has been launching rockets at Israel since shortly after the October 7, 2023 attacks.
Keir Starmer defended the UK relinquishing control of the Chagos Islands …reports Asian Lite News
The UK is “resolutely committed” to all of its overseas territories, the responsible foreign minister said, after Argentina vowed to gain “full sovereignty” of the Falkland Islands. Stephen Doughty said on Saturday that the sovereignty of the territories is “not up for negotiation”.
Keir Starmer defended the UK relinquishing control of the Chagos Islands on Friday and said the agreement with Mauritius over the remote archipelago would achieve the “single most important thing” of securing the long-term future of a joint US-UK military base on Diego Garcia, the largest of the islands.
Doughty, minister of state for Europe, North America and overseas territories, wrote on X: “British sovereignty of the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar or any other of our Overseas Territories is not up for negotiation.
“The Chagos Islands are a very different issue with a very different history. The UK remains resolutely committed to all our Overseas Territories.”
Luke Pollard, the armed forces minister, added on X: “UK Armed Forces support our Overseas Territories, protect sovereignty and operational capabilities and our commitment to them remains unwavering and resolute.”
Argentina’s foreign minister, Diana Mondino, promised “concrete action” to ensure that the Falklands, the British-controlled archipelago that Argentina calls the Malvinas and claims as its own, are handed to Buenos Aires.
She said: “Following the path we have already taken, with concrete actions and not empty rhetoric, we will recover full sovereignty over our Malvinas Islands.” The Falklands’ governor, Alison Blake, has already sought to reassure residents that the UK’s commitment to the territory is “unwavering”.
On Friday, Starmer was asked to guarantee that no other British overseas territories would be signed away, and he responded: “The single most important thing was ensuring that we had a secure base, the joint US-UK base; hugely important to the US, hugely important to us.
“We’ve now secured that and that is why you saw such warm words from the US yesterday,” the prime minister added. The agreement over the continued UK-US military presence on Diego Garcia is expected to run for 99 years, for which Britain will pay an annual fee.
