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Clash of hybrids leaves Pakistan in tatters

The PMLN government’s decision to ban Pakistan’s most popular party and charge PTI leaders with sedition has sparked fears of a political clash and potential martial law. Amid economic crisis and security challenges, Pakistan risks severe instability and unrest, writes Dr Sakariya Kareem

The decision of the PMLN government led by Shehbaz Sharif to ban the most popular political party in Pakistan and initiate sedition proceedings against PTI leader and former Prime Minister Imran Khan and former President Arif Alvi has put the country on a disastrous path to a clash between two hybrid political dispensations.

The Pakistan Army, the creator of both hybrid formations, will likely be caught between the two stools, putting the army chief, General Asim Munir, on a more difficult wicket.

General Asim Munir with Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif

The army had created the hybrid regime led by Imran Khan during General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s tenure. When Bajwa fell out with Khan, the artificial edifice collapsed, ironically propelling the former cricket star as a popular political leader among the disgruntled masses, mostly young voters. The country’s fortunes, however, plummeted. When the army got a new chief Asim Munir, there was a deep divide in the military leadership and Munir had several bones to pick with Imran Khan. Munir was keen on punishing Khan and propping up a new hybrid regime with Shehbaz Sharif as the Prime Minister.

Former Prime Minister Imran Khan and former Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa

The move is now unravelling with Imran Khan gaining popular support as the Shehbaz Sharif government, doing the bidding of General Asim Munir, is mounting uncalled-for persecution of the former Prime Minister. The recent Supreme Court ruling in favour of Khan’s party, PTI, has further rattled the army-backed government. The apex court had given PTI the due share of reserved seats in the National Assembly besides recognising it as a parliamentary party. The PTI thus has emerged as the single largest party in the Lower House, reducing the Shehbaz Sharif government’s two-thirds majority in both the Houses. The court’s decision indirectly indicts the government’s desperate efforts to suppress the PTI and its leader. A lower court had earlier given a clean chit to Imran Khan and his wife in the marriage case, undermining the deep state’s concerted attempts to dismember Khan’s party and career.

The move to ban PTI has the nod of PMLN supremo, Nawaz Sharif. This shows a political leader who was once labelled the `Lion of Punjab` has turned into a `jackal` hemmed in by the Generals who do not trust him a bit. If the government goes ahead with this suicidal mission, it will signal the end of PMLN and deepen the divide among the senior and middle-rung leadership of the army. The army is already cut by divisions over PTI and Imran Khan.

Former PM Imran Khan shaked hands with then Lt. Gen. Munir

Many commentators suspect that the move was a strategic ploy to pave the way for martial law. The Generals were uncertain about Shehbaz Sharif’s ability to stabilize the country amidst its severe turmoil. If the situation deteriorates further, Pakistan could face a disaster akin to the 1971 crisis when the country split into two. Alongside political instability, Pakistan is experiencing one of its worst economic crises, leading to widespread poverty and unrest. Security challenges are intensifying across the east, centre, and west, presenting formidable difficulties that won’t be easily resolved. Banning the PTI and imprisoning Imran Khan for an extended period could provoke public unrest, which the Generals might struggle to contain. In this power struggle between hybrid regimes, both the country and the military risk losing whatever remaining prestige and stability they have.

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PTI, JUI-F voice strong rejection of Pak federal budget

The two leaders rejected the budget, describing it as an International Monetary Fund (IMF) and anti-people budget…reports Asian Lite News

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Asad Qaiser and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) chief, Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman on Sunday showed strong opposition to the federal budget for the fiscal year 2024-25, reported ARY News.

According to details, the JUI-F chairman and PTI leader expressed worry about the deteriorating peace and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and vowed to work together in the National Assembly to oppose the budget for 2024.

The two leaders rejected the budget, describing it as an International Monetary Fund (IMF) and anti-people budget.

Asad Qaiser and Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman emphasised the importance of maintaining brotherly connections with Afghanistan, including the establishment of economic corridors at key crossing sites, as per ARY News.

The gathering also voted to form a political committee to address disagreements between the two parties and develop future political strategies.

Akhtar Hussain Yousafzai, PTI Central Deputy Secretary Information, also attended the meeting, which aimed to improve political collaboration.

Earlier, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb presented Pakistan’s budget for the fiscal year 2024-25, which included a total spending of more than PKR 18 trillion, prompting protests from opposition legislators from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed Sunni Ittehad Council.

The federal government suggested eliminating sales tax exemptions and incentives for a variety of commodities, including mobile phones, copper, coal, paper, and plastic scrap, according to ARY News.

Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, recommended an 18 per cent standard sales tax rate on numerous commodities during his speech on the floor of the National Assembly.

The lawmakers from even the treasury benches joined their opposition counterparts in lashing out at the government over the federal budget, Dawn reported.

The legislators last week slammed Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb for presenting a “tax-loaded and International Montery Fund (IMF)-dictated budget”.

The second day of the budget debate was also marked by fierce criticism of the government by the members from both sides over the absence of the ministers, especially the finance minister, from proceedings.

The PPP, a key partner in the ruling coalition, continued its protest by only having a “token participation”, as its members attended the session but didn’t participate in the debate as a mark of protest over the alleged violation of an agreement reached with the PML-N at the time of the formation of the government after the February elections and for “not consulting” it on the preparation of the budget. (ANI)

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PTI Plans Rally for Imran Khan’s Release After Eid

PTI on Sunday held a street power show to extend support for the autonomy of the judiciary and the release of party founder Imran Khan…reports Asian Lite News

Pakistan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf party on Sunday declared its intention to rally for the release of its founder and former prime minister Imran Khan after Eid reported Dunya News.

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan made the announcement during a gathering in Peshawar, affirming that the founder would be freed from prison and cited all cases as political.

“PTI founder’s ideology will win,” Barrister Gohar said are quoted by Dunya News.

“The independence of the judiciary is necessary. There will be resistance on the streets after Eid,” Gohar added.

According to Dunya News, Barrister Gohar affirmed that the gang occupying the country took away the independence of the judiciary. He pledged to take back the mandate from these ‘thieves and dacoits.’

PTI on Sunday held a street power show to extend support for the autonomy of the judiciary and the release of party founder Imran Khan, as reported by Geo News.

Previously, six judges of the Islamabad High Court wrote to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) to convene a judicial convention over the matter of accusing the country’s spy agencies of interfering in judicial matters

Gohar Ali Khan, after meeting with Imran Khan on March 29 in Adiala Jail, said, “The PTI is going to stage a rally for the freedom of the judiciary on the directives issued by the founder of the PTI.” (ANI)

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PTI Threatens to Disrupt Assembly Unless They Get ‘Due Rights’

PTI leader Junaid Akbar said: “We do not recognise this assembly. We will neither legislate nor allow it [in the House].

Coming down hard on the ruling alliance, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Junaid Akbar warned that they would not let the National Assembly function until provision of their “due rights,” Geo News reported on Friday.

The PTI leader, who is also a Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) lawmaker, made the remarks during his fiery speech at the second session of the newly elected lower house of parliament.

Taking the floor, Akbar said: “We do not recognise this assembly. We will neither legislate nor allow it [in the House].

Notably, the Imran Khan-founded party has claimed that its mandate was “stolen” during the February 8 general elections. It has termed the polls “rigged” and accused the caretaker government of denying a ‘level playing field’ in the run-up to elections.

“A market [of horse-trading] was set up at the Sindh House and consciences [of lawmakers] were bought,” Akbar said firing a fresh salvo at the Pakistan Peoples Party. “Some were threatened, some were shown their videos.”

Highlighting the cases of alleged discrimination with the PTI, the lawmaker said that his party was stripped of its electoral symbol ‘bat’ in the garb of May 9 mayhem.

He also alleged that two assassination attempts were made on the life of the PTI founder.

Some 34 PTI supporters were killed on May 9 and FIRs were also lodged against the leadership of Khan-founded party, he added. “Sedition cases were registered against me and my friends.”

The May 9 riots were triggered almost across the country after the deposed prime minister’s arrest in the 190-million-pound settlement case. Hundreds of PTI workers and senior leaders were put behind bars for their involvement in violence and attacks on military installations, according to Geo News.

During the protests, the miscreants targeted the civil and military installations including — Jinnah House and the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi. The military termed May 9 “Black Day” and decided to try the miscreants under the Army Act.

(Photo: Instagram)

Talking about the alleged rigging in the February 8 general elections, the PTI leader said that those who suffered defeat as per Form 45 were sitting in the House.

He also vowed to hold the ruling alliance accountable for “violating” the constitution and harming the country.

The PTI urged the government and Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa to launch a fresh inquiry to ascertain the beneficiary of the May 9 violence, Geo News reported. (ANI)

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PTI, SIC Forge Alliance for Parliamentary Seats

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan.(photo:instagram)

Gohar Ali Khan stated that the agreement with the SIC had been reached with consensus and received the approval of PTI founder Imran Khan…reports Asian Lite News

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has allied with the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) to secure its reserved seats for women and minorities in parliament and to consolidate its independent members-elect under party discipline, as reported by The Nation.

After days of speculation regarding the future of PTI-backed independents, the party confirmed that its members-elect from the national, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies would join the SIC. Additionally, the Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) would also be part of the alliance.

During a joint press conference in Islamabad on Monday, PTI leader Gohar Ali Khan, accompanied by the party’s nominee for the prime minister’s slot Omar Ayub Khan, MWM Secretary General Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, and SIC chief Sahibzada Hamid Raza, announced the alliance, as per The Nation.

Gohar Ali Khan stated that the agreement with the SIC had been reached with consensus and received the approval of PTI founder Imran Khan. He highlighted the submission of applications for special seats in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to formalize the affiliation of their candidates with the SIC.

Since the February 8 elections, the PTI has been struggling to join the ranks of another party to ensure its reserved seats as the party-backed candidates had contested the election as independents following the loss of its electoral symbol ‘bat’ as a result of the Supreme Court verdict.

According to The Nation, Gohar Khan stated, “We demand ECP to allot reserved seats to us as per our mandate and in line with the law,” reiterating the party’s commitment to reclaim its electoral rights.

The Former Federal Minister for Economic Affairs of Pakistan, Omar Ayub, speaking at the occasion, alleged widespread rigging aimed at diminishing PTI’s majority, particularly citing incidents in Karachi, Hyderabad, Peshawar, and Punjab.

SIC head Hamid Raza and MWM Secretary General Allama Nasir Abbas affirmed their unconditional support for PTI, emphasizing their joint efforts towards national progress and unity.

The alliance, rooted in a shared vision, aims to combat sectarian violence and promote democracy for the betterment of the nation, they stated.

Meanwhile, PTI initiated legal action in the Peshawar High Court to assert its entitlement to reserved seats for women and non-Muslims in the national and provincial assemblies. The party representative, Mashal Yousafzai, filed a writ petition, contesting the Election Rules 2017 and highlighting PTI’s compliance with electoral regulations.

The petition underscored PTI’s commitment to democratic principles and its pursuit of fair representation in government.

The alliance between PTI and SIC marks a significant political development, underscoring efforts to navigate the complex landscape of Pakistani politics while advocating for electoral fairness and inclusive representation. (ANI)

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PTI Rejects Alliance with PPP and PML(N)

The PTI will be joining hands with another party to claim the reserved seats as lacking them will deal a severe blow to its chances in forming the governement in National and provincial assemblies…reports Asian Lite News

Ruling out alliance with PPP and PML(N) to form government, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf has said it is better to sit in opposition then to join hands with them.

In an interview to Dawn on Sunday, PTI chief Gohar Ali Khan said the party does not feel comfortable with both of them (PPP and PML-N), and it is better to sit in the opposition than to make a government with them.

The PTI will be joining hands with another party to claim the reserved seats as lacking them will deal a severe blow to its chances in forming the governement in National and provincial assemblies.

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‘Neck-and-Neck’ in Pakistan

As per ECP, PTI-baked independents are leading on 28 seats, followed by a tight contest between PML-N (19 seats) and PPP (18 seats)….reports Asian Lite News

As the counting for the Pakistan general elections progresses, the independent candidates backed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) are leading with 73 seats in a tight contest with two major parties, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistani local media reported.

According to the unofficial results called by Geo News for 163 out of total 266 seats, PTI-backed independent candidates are leading on 73 seats, followed by PML-N on 48 and PPP on 35.

However, the provisional results have only been released for 72 seats by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Dawn reported.

As per ECP, PTI-baked independents are leading on 28 seats, followed by a tight contest between PML-N (19 seats) and PPP (18 seats).

Among major candidates, three-time former PM and front-runner Nawaz Sharif won from the NA-130 constituency in Lahore with 1,71,024 votes.

However, in a major surprise, he lost in the NA-15 constituency in Mansehra against PTI-backed independent Gustasap Khan, according to ARY News.

Nawaz Sharif’s daughter, Maryam Nawaz won the NA-119 seat from Lahore. Former PM Shehbaz Sharif also won from the PP-158 seat in Lahore.

Among PPP leaders, former President Asif Ali Zardari and former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also won from their respective seats in NA-207 and NA-196.

Notably, Imran Khan was disqualified from contesting the elections due to criminal convictions. The electoral symbol of the PTI was also taken away by the ECP, in a ruling later backed by the Pakistan apex court. As a result, the PTI leaders and supporters contested as independent candidates, Dawn reported.

Local media outlets in Pakistan today started reporting the results of the polls conducted in the national and provincial assemblies that began at 8 am on February 8 and was conducted by 5 pm on the same day.

Pakistan’s Interior Ministry today said delay in election results, which was supposed to be out by Friday morning, was due to a “lack of connectivity,” which it stressed was the result of preventive measures taken to ensure foolproof security. (ANI)

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Imran Khan’s PTI Faces Crisis as Nomination Papers Rejected

The PTI also lost its electoral symbol ‘bat’ leaving the party’s nominated candidates with no other option but to contest as independent candidates…reports Asian Lite News

Future of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which emerged as a major political party in the country in the 2013 general polls, is in the doldrums as nomination papers of several party leaders, including founder Imran Khan, have been rejected by the Election Commission of Pakistan over corruption charges.

Though Khan, former prime minister, is languishing in jail on charges of corruption and misplacement of secret document for 14 years and 10 years respectively, he enjoys love and support of many.

The PTI also lost its electoral symbol ‘bat’ leaving the party’s nominated candidates with no other option but to contest as independent candidates.

With PTI and its leader Imran Khan out of the picture, many believe that the tone for the polls has already been set as the country heads towards another process of “selection” rather than “election”.

It is believed that the May 9, 2023 riots, triggered after the arrest of Khan in Islamabad, which saw angry party supporters storming military installations across the country, became the prime reason for the downfall of PTI and its leadership.

“The military establishment under COAS (Chief of Army Staff) General Syed Asim Munir seems to have decided to dismantle and destroy PTI as part of their punishment for attacking military installations on 9th May,” said senior political analyst Javed Siddique.

“We see an open, blatant and targeted dismantling of PTI, its workers, its leaders and its founder as anyone and everyone who tries to even come out of their home with a PTI flag are taken into custody. The party is not allowed to hold even a corner meeting for political campaigning. Its candidates are now contesting polls under multiple election symbols in independent capacity. It is almost clear to all now that PTI has been kept out of these elections deliberately,” he added.

A different version of analysis on PTI still remains that while it may not be contesting the upcoming elections, the party itself may be a major asset for the military establishment after the formation of the new elected government.

“PTI and Khan have proven many interesting facts about themselves. There are a set of people who follow Khan more than the party’s policy. They have also proven that they are not equipped or competent to run a national government. But they have also proven that they can send shockwaves in any government through protests, street power shows, resistance campaigns and long marches, which in the past have proven to be very effective and have kept ruling governments on their toes,” said political analyst Ayub Khan.

“So I think that PTI may not have any say in the upcoming polls, but it certainly is a major tool for the military establishment or even for itself to cause serious damage to any ruling governments. And that is what I think now, will keep the presence of PTI alive in the future,” he added.

“It is an open secret in Pakistan that the former PTI chief’s followers and supporters have been silenced but are still intact. The ongoing targeted cleansing operation against the party, its leaders and supporters may have yielded results for the polls, but it certainly cannot be sustained for long,” he said.

Many people are of the view that soon after the general elections, the former prime minister will be out and emerge more stronger. He will challenge the ruling government through big rallies and anti-government long marches, a tool that the country’s powerful military establishment would always want to keep in its backup plan.

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Amid Turmoil, PTI Considers Dialogues with Political Opponents

The PTI leader added that the party will field independent candidates in case of a ban on the party to contest polls…reports Asian Lite News

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) which is struggling amid multiple cases on its top brass including former Prime Minister Imran Khan, is slowly changing its tone realising that it may have to sit down with other political stakeholders, including the arch-rivals Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Dawn reported.

“Although the party is not ready to hold negotiations with the PPP and PML-N, it seems we may be left with no other option but to talk to these parties,” a PTI leader told reporters.

He said that regarding this, a chapter on “healing the politics” has been included in the party manifesto as well.

The leader further claimed that actions against PTI workers and activists have not dented its spirits, adding that after its “successful power shows” in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — despite restrictions — the party has decided to organise countrywide conventions to rejuvenate its election bid, even if the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) does not allocate it the ‘bat’ symbol, Dawn reported.

The PTI leader added that the party will field independent candidates in case of a ban on the party to contest polls.

During the briefing, party leaders said they were aware of efforts to keep the PTI out of the elections and a counter-strategy in this regard was also in place.

“We have decided to contest the February 8 election on any electoral symbol…and we are ready to field independent candidates in case of a ban,” a senior PTI leader told Dawn.

As per the PTI leader, the party has also learned from its past mistakes. For instance, it will not pick the “wrong persons” to represent the party, nor will it form a government without having a clear majority in parliament.

“It was also a blunder to form the government in 2018 as we did not have a clear majority,” he said, adding that such a move “would not be repeated in the future”.

He added that Imran Khan has also realised that “it was not a wise decision to make the government in 2018 without having a clear majority” in the National Assembly.

Another representative of PTI said that the powers that be were frustrated as they were hoping that Khan would not be able to last a single day in jail but now he has spent almost 130 days in ‘detention’, Dawn reported.

“But the PTI’s popularity increased after the arrest of Imran Khan and this situation can force them to delay or suspend the elections. In that case, the Supreme Court could play its role,” he said.

On being asked about recent appointments in the party, particularly of its chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, the PTI leader said Imran Khan had asked Hamid Khan to become the Chairman of the party, but the latter refused.

Regarding the claims that the party had been hijacked by lawyers, he said the PTI managed to “get the affiliation and sympathies” of a majority among the lawyers’ community.

Replying to a question about Afghan immigrants, the PTI leader criticised the government for mishandling the Afghan issue.

“It will increase problems for Pakistan and we will not be able to make the Pak-Afghan border peaceful,” Dawn quoted him as saying. (ANI)

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Gohar Ali Khan Replaces Imran Khan As PTI Chairman

PTI chief Imran Khan had nominated Gohar Khan to succeed him as he was unable to contest polls due to his disqualification in the Toshakhana case

 Lawyer Gohar Ali Khan was on Saturday was elected unopposed as the new chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) after its intra-party elections were held earlier in the day.

PTI chief Imran Khan had nominated Gohar Khan to succeed him as he was unable to contest polls due to his disqualification in the Toshakhana case, The News reported.

Omar Ayub Khan was also chosen as the party’s central general secretary unopposed, party’s Chief Election Commissioner Niazullah Niazi said in Peshawar while announcing the results.

He shared that Ali Amin Gandapur and Yasmin Rashid have been chosen as the party’s provincial presidents in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, respectively.

The PTI intra-party elections were held in line with the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) orders to secure its election symbol “bat” for the general elections slated to take place in February next year, The News reported.

Speaking with journalists in Peshawar, Gohar Khan said he will take on the responsibilities of the chairman as Imran Khan’s representative.

“We will take the country forward but as long as I am here, I will (act as) Imran Khan’s representative who is in jail because of his principled struggle. PTI will not fight anyone,” he said.

He lamented that none of the political parties “faced this sort of elections” like the PTI did, adding that the court did not look into other parties’ receiving foreign funding.

The intra-party polls hold immense importance in the country’s current political climate as the party’s Chairman Imran Khan, for the first time since PTI’s inception, decided to hand over the chairmanship to Gohar Khan, who will be holding the party reigns until the Khan’s release from jail, The News reported.

Earlier this week, PTI member and senior lawyer Ali Zafar announced Gohar’s name as the party’s chair, adding that his position is temporary, as Khan would return as chairman once his disqualification in the wake of the Toshakhana case is overturned.

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