Polling begins in Taiwan, over 19 million voters to elect President, VP as world watches
As Taiwanese prepare to cast their votes to determine the fate of their country, the three presidential contenders for Taiwan in the 2024 general election cast their ballots early on Saturday, according to Taiwan News.The presidential candidates from the three major parties are: the Democratic Progressive Party’s Lai Ching-te and his running partner Hsiao Bi-khim; the Taiwan People’s Party’s Ko Wen-Je and his running mate Wu Hsin-Ying; and the Kuomintang’s Hou Yu-ih and his running mate Jaw Shaw-kong.According to Taiwan-based SET news, Lai travelled to Anping Elementary School in Tainan’s Anping District, Tainan City, to cast his ballot.He said that he loved every chance to cast a ballot and that he saw Taiwan’s democracy as a labour of love.Whereas, at the Da’an district of Taipei’s Jinou Girls’ High School, Ko cast his ballot, Taiwan news reported citing Channel News Asia.Meanwhile, Hou visited Banqiao Elementary School in New Taipei City’s Banqiao District to vote.The election will not only determine Taiwan’s president, and vice president, but also 113 legislators, which will include 73 district lawmakers, six Indigenous lawmakers, and 34 legislators-at-large.The polls opened at 8 a.m. and will close at 4 p.m.In a strict appeal, voters are reminded by the Central Election Commission to arrive at their assigned polling place with their national ID card, voting notice, and personal seal (chop).It stated that encouraging or discouraging others to vote, as well as causing disturbances or interfering within 30 metres of the polling place, are forbidden, Taiwan News reported.It stated that offenders might be imprisoned for up to a year, placed under confinement, or fined up to New Taiwan dollars15,000 (USD482.46) even after being stopped by security officers.Moreover, mobile phones, and other cameras are not allowed in the polling stations, but devices with the power turned off are exempt from the restrictions.Notably, 70 per cent of the island’s 19.5 million voters are registered to vote, and they are spread throughout the five biggest cities: Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Taichung, Tainan, and Kaohsiung, according to Al Jazeera.There are 17,795 polling stations, the majority of them in schools.The result, however is expected late on Saturday.The world is keenly watching Taiwan as its citizens prepare to vote for a new President and Parliament amidst escalating tensions with China.Beijing’s increasing threats towards Taipei over the past eight years have raised concerns, and the world awaits not only the election results but also the response from Taiwan’s ‘authoritarian neighbour,’ as reported by CNN.In terms of age groups in the presidential election, 40-49-year-olds make up the largest voting bloc with 3.88 million eligible voters, or 19.88 per cent of the electorate, followed by 50-59-year-olds with 3.53 million eligible voters, who account for 18.06 per cent of the electorate, Taiwan’s Central Election Commission (CEC) said in a statement.Around 2.84 million of age from 20-29 year-olds are eligible to vote in the presidential election this time, the CEC said.Taiwanese voters will be choosing a successor to Tsai Ing-wen, the nation’s first female president, who cannot seek re-election due to term limits after winning in 2016 and 2020. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), led by Tsai, is viewed unfavourably by China, which considers Taiwan a sovereign nation. (ANI)
Terry Gou said the decision was “for the future of the Republic of China.”
Terry Gou, founder of contract manufacturing giant Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (better known as Foxconn) has withdrawn from Taiwan’s 2024 presidential election.
His running mate Tammy Lai confirmed the withdrawal, saying that the duo “will not appear on the ballot in 2024,” reports Focus Taiwan website.
“It is a tough decision. But after thorough consideration, it is the best decision (we can make) at the moment,” Lai was quoted as saying.
However, the reason for Gou’s withdrawal was not revealed.
Gou said the decision was “for the future of the Republic of China.”
“It now remains to be seen which opposition presidential ticket Gou will endorse,” the report mentioned.
In August, the iPhone maker Foxconn’s founder announced an independent bid for the Taiwan presidential election in January 2024.
He was pitted against Vice President Lai Ching-te of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Ko Wen-je, and New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih of the China-friendly Kuomintang (KMT).
Gou had said at a press conference he will “make Taiwan overtake Singapore within 20 years” and have the highest GDP per capita in Asia.
“Taiwan should absolutely not become Ukraine. I shall never let Taiwan be the next Ukraine,” said Gou.
“I can guarantee that I’ll bring 50 years of peace to the Taiwan Strait.”
Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan.(photo:instagram)
Imran Khan’s survival is partly due to the soft corner that some generals have for the former prime minister. In a real sense, the incumbent Army Chief Gen. Asim Munir’s task is now to stitch up unity within the ranks of the top echelons of the Pakistan Army and ensure that Imran Khan is kept out of the electoral contest expected to be held this year … A special report by Dr Sakariya Kareem
That former Prime Minister Imran Khan has managed to survive thus far in the turbulent landscape of Pakistan’s politics is a function, both of his tenacity and continued support from elements within the Pakistan Army. This is the reason why Imran Khan remains out of judicial confinement. The political drama surrounding the former PM recently witnessed a bizarre incident when he was seen outside a court in Lahore wearing a makeshift bulletproof helmet that looked like the black hood, fully guarded by four men with bulletproof shields and an aide guiding him to an anti-terror court for seeking an extension in bail in three of the scores of cases registered against him.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief was shot in the leg during a political rally in Wazirabad (November 2022) and since then travels under tight security. Imran Khan knows that his battle against the establishment could well lead to his assassination, especially with Asim Munir as the Army Chief.
A video of the same has gone viral on social media and show security guards holding up bulletproof shields around him, and Imran Khan wearing a makeshift bulletproof helmet resembling a black hood pulled over the head of a death row prisoner before hanging. An aide can be seen in the video guiding Imran Khan towards the court because it was difficult to see through the slit in the bulletproof helmet, according to Geo News. Khan entered the Anti-Terrorism Court(ATC) under heavy security because the judges had made his appearance in person for the appeal for an extension of bail as a condition of his release on bail. Notably, Imran Khan was granted interim bail by a Lahore ATC in three cases and his bail was extended till 13 April 2023 in the three terrorism cases registered against him.
According to Geo News, Khan is currently embroiled in more than 140 cases related to terrorism, murder, attempted murder, and blasphemy that the PMLN-led coalition government has registered against him over the past 11 months. Earlier, in March, the Lahore High Court LHC granted protective bail to Imran Khan in the ATC case and directed him to approach the relevant court in this matter. Imran Khan, who arrived at the court, wrote in his petition seeking interim bail that he wants to be involved in the probe but fears arrest by the police, reports The News International. Khan had been granted bail by the ATC with a condition that he post surety bonds of PKR 100,000 in each instance and cooperate with the investigation and appear at all scheduled hearings. While Imran Khan is currently out on bail, the incumbent government and deep state would ideally like to see him behind bars. The objective is to ensure that he does not fight the elections due to be held sometime later this year.
Photo of Asim Munir when he was Lieutenant General in the Pakistan Army.
One of the reasons why Lt. Gen. Asim Munir was chosen to be the Army Chief after Qamar Bajwa was because when the former was DG, ISI, he had objected to some of the activities of the then Prime Minister Imran Khan’s wife. An angry Khan ensured Gen. Munir’s ouster from the ISI in haste. However, while Munir is against Imran, there are others within the establishment who are in his favour. One of them is Lt. Gen. Faiz Hameed, also a former DG ISI.
According to Pak media reports, General Hameed was involved in an attempt to prevent Gen. Asim Munir from becoming the Army Chief. The bottom-line is that Gen. Hameed played a key role in supporting and sustaining the Imran Khan government, which is why Imran Khan was keen to appoint Hameed as the COAS.
General Qamar Javed Bajwa has admitted in a recent interview that he had ignored a few of Hameed’s “unauthorised acts” as DG, ISI. Hameed was part of a Whatsapp group of Generals, judges, bureaucrats, and political leaders which manipulated events in the country. The latest episode, part of an unravelling series of stories, is related to an attempt by Gen. Hameed to block the possible selection of Gen. Asim Munir as the new chief. Hameed along with four other Generals were in the queue for the top post in the Pakistan Army.
An investigation carried out by Pakistan’s central citizen database, National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), found that some senior officers of the agency were involved in extracting personal information about Gen. Munir’s wife and international travels of the family. During this time, a junior data entry operator at NADRA, Farooq Ahmed, allegedly accessed the data of a female family member of Gen Asim Munir Shah and collected the family’s details and identity card numbers.
Pakistani President Arif Alvi (L) meets with chief of army staff Asim Munir in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan. (PID/Handout via Xinhua)
This data was later used in the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Integrated Border Management System (IBMS) to track the international travel destinations of the family. The News International reported that the NADRA leak was calculated to block the chance of Gen. Munir becoming the new COAS. Further, he was projected as a Shia officer. The NADRA inquiry was ordered by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif after he got a communication from Saudi Arabia that attempts were being made to label one of the main contenders for the COAS, General Munir, as a Shia officer and hence not fit for the top military position.
The Dawn newspaper reports that conspiracy occurred in October 2022, when five senior Lt-Gen’s, including Munir and Hameed, were being mentioned as possible contenders. The inquiry into the data leak was supervised by Brigadier (Retd.) Khalid Latif, a senior NADRA officer. He was later found to be a close aide of Lt. Gen. Faiz Hameed. Latif was then replaced by another senior officer, Ali Javaid. The inquiry found two NADRA officers, Khalid Anayatullah and Amir Bukhari, as the key players behind the data leak, both disclosed that close relatives of the contenders for COAS had sought their help in accessing the data. The other senior General allegedly involved in the conspiracy was Lt. Gen. Azhar Abbas, the then Chief of General Staff.
Abbas had the support of other officers belonging to the Kakul Military Academy who were opposed to Munir as he had completed his training from the Officers Training School (OTS). Abbas is said to have objected to Gen. Bajwa who in turn conveyed the same to Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. Former PM Nawaz Sharif who was also consulted point blank refused to entertain anything against Gen. Munir. Gen. Abbas reportedly then threatened a coup and the government quickly approached Lt. Gen. Shahid Shamshad and offered him the post of Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC). Lt. Gen. Shamshad was at that time commanding 111 Brigade, also known as the ‘coup brigade.’ Investigations by Pakistan’s Intelligence Bureau reveal that other officers involved in the conspiracy were the former head of ISI Islamabad office, Colonel (Retd.) Liaquat Ali Waseem and Lieutenant Colonel (Retd.)
former Director General, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Lt Gen Faiz Hameed.
Asif Mehmood, both close to Lt. Gen. Faiz Hameed. Waseem and Mehmood were involved in accountability cases against PML-N leaders on behalf of Hameed. The extent of Lt. Gen. Hameed’s network of conspirators can be gauged from the group’s involvement in the leakage of sensitive meetings at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) between Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, his principal secretary Dr. Tauqeer Shah, Maryam Nawaz, and other senior ministers. These conversations took place in September 2022. During the investigation by the Intelligence Bureau, the main culprit was found to be the Prime Minister’s Aide-De-Camp (ADC), Major Arsalan. Arsalan was ADC to Lt. Gen. Hameed when he was DG, ISI. When Hameed was transferred to Peshawar, he positioned Major Arsalan as the then Prime Minister Imran Khan’s ADC. By the end of November, Hameed knew that he was under scrutiny and therefore, decided to retire prematurely from the Army. In March 2023, the Shahbaz Sharif government initiated a corruption probe against Gen. Hameed.
It is interesting how former PM Imran Khan built a network within the Pakistan Army to ensure his survival. However, eventually, the Army realised that Imran had become a liability and needed to be discarded. This suited the Army Generals, except for Gen. Hameed and his colleagues. Imran Khan’s survival today is therefore partly, due to the soft corner that some generals have for the former prime minister. In a real sense, the incumbent Army Chief Gen. Asim Munir’s task is now to stitch up unity within the ranks of the top echelons of the Pakistan Army and ensure that Imran Khan is kept out of the electoral contest expected to be held this year.
The BJP has a brute majority in the assemblies of UP and Uttarakhand and any reduction of seats will put the game in the opposition camp as the Chief Ministers of different regional parties are trying to join hands…reports Asian Lite News
The outcome of the five state elections will have an impact on the Presidential poll and will also bring some change in the Upper House of Parliament as except for Punjab the other four states were ruled by the BJP with brute majorities in UP and Uttarakhand.
The Bharatiya Janata Party may not be that comfortably placed in the Presidential election which is likely to be conducted in June-July 2022, as the President is indirectly elected by an electoral college consisting of the elected members of both the Houses of Parliament and the Assemblies.
The electoral colleges comprises 776 MPs of both the Houses and 4,120 MLAs of all the states and Union Territories. The electoral college has 1,098,903 votes, and a majority is 549,452 votes. As far as the value of votes is concerned, Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of votes, approximately 83,824 followed by Maharashtra and West Bengal.
The BJP has a brute majority in the assemblies of UP and Uttarakhand and any reduction of seats will put the game in the opposition camp as the Chief Ministers of different regional parties are trying to join hands.
If they join hands and put up a joint candidate, the BJP will find it difficult to get its nominee elected. The only way would be a division in the opposition camp which may be a difficult task. After West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who is trying to expand her party, Trinamool Congress’ footprints at the national level, Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR) had a meeting with Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.
Not only is the Mumbai meeting important but KCR is also meeting Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Even Mamata Banerjee is likely to travel to Hyderabad to meet KCR. He has the support of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda who could be another possible candidate for President.
However the Chief Ministers trying to unite en bloc is not a good sign for the Congress which may get isolated in the opposition while the BJP has to search for a consensus candidate for the Presidential poll.
KCR’s new initiative is to save his home turf as the BJP is expanding its base in Telangana. He is being forced to take on the BJP due to domestic political compulsions, otherwise the party had been bailing out the BJP on key legislation in the Upper House since 2014.
The southern states and Maharashtra account for more than 200 Lok Sabha seats and almost half of the electoral college which could be crucial in the next Presidential poll. If the regional parties team up, it will be unlikely that the BJP will have its way in the choice of President.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee
Thus the electoral outcome in the five states which include UP will impact the presidential election.
If the opposition puts up a candidate like NCP supremo Sharad Pawar who is capable of mustering support from others like the Trinamool Congress, the BJD, the TRS, the YSRCP, the CPI-M, the CPI and the other parties, then the BJP will have a tough task ahead of it.
The earlier NDA government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee had to field A.P.J. Abdul Kalam to get support from non-NDA parties, while UPA candidates Pratibha Patil and Pranab Mukherjee had attracted support from many political parties.
