Joe Biden, who till Friday, has carried a tradition of not engaging with any of the Prime Minister in Pakistan during his tenure, reports Hamza Ameer
In a first official communication, US President Joe Biden has broken with tradition and has written a letter to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, expressing readiness to work together for regional peace and counter-terrorism efforts.
Biden, who till Friday, has carried a tradition of not engaging with any of the Prime Minister in Pakistan during his tenure, has not only reached out to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif but effectively has also put forward the lens through which US looks at its relationship with Pakistan along with expectations from the new government in Islamabad.
The US President emphasised the sensitivity and critical nature of “pressing global and regional challenges,” assuring Islamabad that it would continue to work with it and Shehbaz Sharif-led government to counter the menace of terrorism.
“The enduring partnership between our nations remains critical to ensuring the security of our people — and people around the world — and the US will continue to stand with Pakistan to tackle the most pressing global and regional challenges of our time,” said Biden’s letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
“That includes advancing our shared vision for a future of greater health, security, economic growth, and access to education for all. Through our US-Pakistan Green Alliance framework, we will also continue to strengthen our climate resilience, support sustainable agriculture and water management, and assist with Pakistan’s recovery from the devastating floods in 2022. And, the US remains committed to working with Pakistan to protect human rights and promote progress,” Biden’s letter added.
Biden did not interact with former Prime Minister Imran Khan after his victory during 2018 nor did he speak to Shehbaz Sharif when he took charge of the Prime Minister’s office after removing Imran Khan through a vote of no-confidence in April 2022.
While Biden’s letter to PM Shehbaz Sharif signifies the value Washington gives to Pakistan in terms of its regional relevance and importance; one thing that the letter also indicates is that Washington still looks at Islamabad through the lens of counter-terrorism, regional and global security in reference to terrorism.
Despite the fact that US is not longer engaged in Afghanistan and its level of priority for Pakistan is not what is used to be after its withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021; Pakistan’s regional role in countering terrorism retains it as a key player for the Biden administration.
The Biden administration seems to be ready to work with the newly-elected Pakistani government, despite the widespread allegations of rigging and ballot fraud.
It should also be noted that despite difference of opinion about the current government set-up in Pakistan and broadly debated power centre still with the military establishment; the American military establishment still seeks a working cooperation with Pakistan.
Sharif Meets CJ Qazi Faez , Crafting Conciliatory Statement Emphasizing Cooperation Among Parliament, Judiciary, and Establishment…reports Asian Lite News
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has stepped into become a mediating partner between the judiciary and the powerful military establishment to avert a possible disastrous confrontation between the two.
Reliable sources have said that the open letter by at least six Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges in relations to interference by intelligence agencies in judicial matters have the tendency to trigger a dangerous rift between the two institutions. This is why Sharif, who is known to be close to the military establishment has been assigned to intervene in the matter and put it to rest at the earliest.
Sharif is meeting with Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJ) Qazi Faez Isa on Thursday (today) to not only discuss details of the open letter but also to come out with a face-saving conciliatory statement that talks more about value of coordinated working mechanism between parliament, judiciary and the establishment.
“The PM along with Minister of Law Azam Nazeer Tarar and Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Awaz will meet with the CJ Qaxi Faez Isa and Senior Judge Syed Mansoor Ali Shah. Meeting will take place at the SC premises,” a senior government official said.
Concerned speculations of a possible conflict between the two powerful institutions have become more evident after at least six judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) wrote a letter to the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) seeking clarity on the interventions and interference of spy agencies and their operatives in judicial matter.
The open letter, written by six judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) including Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani, Justive Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Justive Babar Sattar, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz highlighted the blatant and disturbing interference of country’s intelligence agencies in the affairs of the court.
“We, therefore request that a judicial convention be called to consider the matter of interference of intelligence operatives with judicial functions and/or intimidation of judges in a manner that undermines the independence of the judiciary,” the open letter to the Supreme Court of Pakistan by the IHC judges stated.
Earlier, the Supreme Court held a full-court meeting to discuss the content of the IHC Judges’ letter, in which at least six of eight judges pointed direct fingers at the intelligence agencies for using coercive tactics to influence court proceedings, discussed the constitutional and judicial value of the letter and what action can be taken in this regard.
Pertinent to mention here that the latest controversy of a letter by the IHC Judges’ is part of a newly found confidence to stand against the powerful military establishment and its institutions among the serving judges after the recent notification of the SJC was set aside by CJ Qazi Faez Isa which resulted in the dismissal of former senior puisne judge of the IHC Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui.
Justice Siddiqui had also accused the intelligence agencies of manipulating the proceedings of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) during a speech at Rawalpindi Bar in July 2018.
Now, with Sharif due to meet in a rare meeting with the CJ Isa, senior lawyers are concerned of a manipulation in the final response of the Supreme Court in response to the IHC Judges’ letter.
“CJ Isa should have sought endorsement from all the judges before the meetings; otherwise it will not send a good optic for the judiciary as an institution,” said a senior lawyer.
“IHC judges wrote a letter to the Supreme Court and not to the government. The response should be representative of the Judiciary’s position as an institution only,” he added.
“There is no need for such meetings rite now when the country’s largest political party, the PTI, is claiming that they have been a victim of the manipulations of judicial proceedings in the past. Prime Minister Shehbaz should not have asked to meet the Chief Justice. Instead, he should have requested the chief justice to conduct an inquiry into the serious allegations made by the IHC judges,” another senior lawyer said.
The letter of IHC judges’ has certainly opened up a debate on the interference by intelligence agencies in judicial matter, decision and their timings of announcements.
Pakistan has a history of civil military divide and confrontations resulting in military takeovers. This time, it seems that a strong section of the judiciary has decided to take on the military establishment and its allied spy agencies to expose their forced maintenance of matters within the judiciary as well.
While the confrontation can have serious and dangerous consequences, PM Shehbaz seems to be on a damage control mission to have the apex court melt down the heat with its positioning on the critical matter.
Shehbaz Sharif thanked PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif for nominating him for the coveted post and expressed gratitude to his allies for supporting him….reports Asian Lite News
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday took over the country’s premiership for the second time after he bagged 201 votes in the National Assembly, becoming the 24th prime minsiter.
“Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has been elected prime minister with 201 votes. [While] Omar Ayub Khan obtained 92 votes,” announced National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq amid protest by the SIC lawmakers.
The speaker then invited Shehbaz Sharif, the only politician to be elected as the PM for the second consecutive time, to sit in the prime minister’s seat and asked him to address the house, The News reported.
In his maiden speech as the prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, surrounded by party leaders, thanked PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif for nominating him for the coveted post and expressed gratitude to his allies for supporting him.
Without taking any names, Shehbaz Sharif took a jibe at the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for hounding the then-opposition, going against the country’s national interests while resorting to levelling serious allegations against the armed forces.
“It is sad that the nation had to witness the [state] institutions including the GHQ, Corps Commander Houses being attacked,” he said while recalling the May 9 riots that were triggered after the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan in a graft case last year, The News reported.
Pakistan is preparing to welcome self-exiled former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on October 21. The PML-N supremo does not seem in any mood to abandon his long-standing demand for the ‘strict accountability’ of general and judges for their alleged involvement in a ‘conspiracy’ to oust him from power in 2017. The Pakistan army has ruled the state directly for 33 years and exercised influence from behind the scenes during the remaining period. It has shown resilience in recovering from periodic setbacks, including its crushing defeat in 1971, using strong-arm tactics and intimidation to enforce its will. ‘The very institution created to protect the polity is given sufficient power to become a threat to the polity.’ A special report by Dr Sakariya Kareem
In Pakistan, it is not history that repeats itself but the military establishment that repeats history. Historically, one of the key reasons why the military is politically involved in Pakistan is colonialism. After partition in 1947, the Muslim League, which spearheaded the Pakistan movement, was too weak. There was a large vacuum for the military to take politics into its own hands. Hence the military has been involved in Pakistani politics since 1948.
The Pakistan army has ruled the state directly for 33 years and exercised influence from behind the scenes during the remaining period. It has shown resilience in recovering from periodic setbacks, including its crushing defeat in 1971, using strong-arm tactics and intimidation to enforce its will. The continual infringement of the Constitution has left a watermark of what should have been a robust democratic culture. Recurrent military regimes arrested the political process and have polluted political outfits that now, more often than not, collude with unelected elements to wrest power.
The Pakistan military, as an institution, remains materially and economically strong and capable of exerting the kind of influence despite the criticism from both political and civilian institutions, civil society, academia and the media. The military as an institution remains strong and the core reason for this is its material wealth. And the fact that there is no challenge. One of the key reasons why there have been coup like in 1999 or before or after that, is that some civilian actors tried to control power and that is what brought them into conflict with the military establishment, which resists these efforts by all means.
For example, Nawaz Sharif, the three-time PM of Pakistan and the military establishment became rivals in the 1990s. The key reason was that the Nawaz Sharif government tried to impose taxes on the military’s industries and economic wealth. This created a wedge between Nawaz Sharif and the military establishment and resultantly Nawaz Sharif’s government was overthrown by the same military establishment because of their growing differences.
A UNDP report of 2021 said that Pakistan’s various business elites, that include the military itself, received about USD 17.4 billion in subsidies and taxes concessions and exemptions from the state of Pakistan annually.
There was a period in Pakistan’s history where the opposition alliances had pitched a united front even against military dictators as witnessed against Field Marshal Ayub Khan in the late 1960s. However, what has become increasingly apparent in Pakistan’s political scenario is the waning influence of the classical civil society to forge an opposition as against Ayub Khan.
Rise and Fall of Imran Khan
For many years, the military establishment propped up Imran Khan as a fresh face in politics. For them, a ‘corruption-free,’ honest and popular political leadership was necessary as an alternative for the two main parties taking turns in power. Instead of direct military rule, a ‘hybrid regime’ was in the making for over two decades, which was accelerated by various political events, and materialised in 2018. A political demagogue, Khan promised to build a new Pakistan through reform, better governance, and eliminating corruption. This last pledge resonated with the urban middle class, particularly among bureaucratic and military families.
During his tenure, Khan outsourced the political management of both his allies and adversaries to the military establishment, undermining the structure of his party. Hiding behind this veneer, the state used the pretext of ‘hybrid warfare’ and ‘fifth generation warfare’ to crush all criticism of them. There was complete media censorship. Suppression and abductions were commonplace.
Khan counts some landmark achievements during his almost four-year rule. He introduced the Naya Pakistan Qaumi Sehat Card scheme, which provided Pakistani families with up to one million rupees (around $5400) in annual health care coverage. He successfully navigated the 2019 border crisis with India, which brought the rivals to the brink of war. During Khan’s tenure, Pakistan also proposed a resolution against Islamophobia at the United Nations General Assembly, which was adopted in March.
But Imran Khan’s greatest strength – the military’s seemingly unconditional support – became his Achille’s heel. As Pakistan’s economy tanked and its internal security worsened, Khan became a liability for the military. His reluctance to appoint Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum as the new intelligence director and transfer out then-sitting director and Khan loyalist Lt Gen Faiz Hameed was the final straw. Khan had hoped to keep Hameed on as spy chief and promote him to army chief at the end of Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa’s tenure; this position crossed a red line for the military.
But Khan’s showdown with Gen Bajwa proved costly. The military soon stepped back from supporting Khan, paving the way for the opposition’s no-confidence motion. The military ruled Pakistan for three decades and has managed ‘chosen’ administrations. A recent glimpse of that was the hybrid model of the PTI-led government, which failed resoundingly, as have similar experiments.
The current military regime under Gen Syed Asim Munir is leaving no stone unturned in ensuring Imran Khan’s removal from Pakistan’s political scene.
The political crackdown on former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan by the establishments holds no surprise as the country’s democratic backsliding goes beyond that. Imran Khan’s arrest on corruption charges triggered widespread protests across the country on May 9. The Pakistani Army swiftly labelled May 9 as a ‘Black Day,’ emphasizing that Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf’s ‘lust for power’ achieved what its enemy had failed to do in 75 years.
Pakistan witnessed a disturbing trend of stifling dissent and suppressing voices critical of the government. The abduction of senior journalist Sami Ibrahim, the murder of journalist Arshad Sharif, the disappearance of Imran Riaz Khan, and the attempted assassination and arrest of popular leader Imran Khan served as chilling reminders of the growing dangers faced by those who dare to speak out against the ruling powers. These incidents not only raise concerns about the state of press freedom and human rights but also shed light on the tactics employed by those in power to silence opposition.
The biggest achievement of Imran Khan has been to call out the military for its machinations in Pakistan politics and infuse the spirit of ‘true democracy’ in the masses. A recent survey conducted by a political party placed Imran Khan’s popularity at 60%.
Sayed Zulfiqar Bukhari, a close aide of Imran Khan said: ‘How can you classify something as a transparent democracy when you are dismantling the largest national level party… and the most popular leader in the country is in prison? For Pakistan to become a free and democratic country, what needs to happen is free and fair elections. The people have to pick their leaders and the government that comes in has to have the mandate of the masses.
The continuous erosion of democracy in Pakistan has largely been due to the machinations of the military, its political leaders and the gullible public. However, the Western powers, who are the champions of democracy and freedom, also share some blame. Pakistan has been bailed out repeatedly from various perils be it economy or terrorism, by the same Western powers. A large Pakistan diaspora exists in Western countries, be it the US, the UK or other countries which repeatedly calls out for a functional democracy in their home country. In spite of all these factors, the Western powers failed to assist Pakistan in achieving the desired democracy as envisioned by its creators. Pakistan’s military played into the sentiments of radicalisation, internal and external threats, the Afghanistan card and various other factors to its own advantage thereby completely hoodwinking the West.
Joe Biden.
Biden’s Strategy
Is there anything the Biden administration can do to help alleviate the situation in the short term?
The Biden administration can stand in favour of democracy in Pakistan, the rule of law, and the supremacy of its constitution, all of which are under threat in this current crisis – and not with the United States’ usual and favoured partner in Pakistan, its military. This means the US should explicitly speak up in favour of free, fair and on-time elections in Pakistan this year, and against violations of the rule of law and the country’s constitution.
Throughout much of this history, Pakistan has been led by military dictators. In return for helping the United States and the West pursue its objectives, the Pakistan military obtained sizable economic and military aid and political support. However, the degree of Pakistan’s cooperation has been much less than claimed.
The Pakistani priorities reflect the specific institutional interests of the military and therefore cannot be fundamentally changed unless the army gradually cedes its political role to representative civilian leaders and limits itself to defending borders.In other words,the United States and other international actors vital to Pakistan’s future must stop taking the metaphorical bribe of partial Pakistani cooperation in fighting radicalisation, terrorism etc in return for propping up an unrepresentative, military government.
Conditionality of cooperation assistance applied by a large number of countries, not simply by the United States, should be applied to Pakistan’s leadership, in particular the military leadership, and should not affect the general population.
The first step towards this would be for the West to ensure that Pakistan’s old political guard under Nawaz Sharif as well as the publicly popular Imran Khan, be strengthened to pursue a legal course against their own corrupt Army Generals, who have involved themselves in political machinations and are responsible for the country’s plight.
Nawaz Returns
Nawaz Sharif is also due to return to Pakistan on October 21. With days left before his arrival, the PML-N supremo does not seem in any mood to abandon his long-standing demand for the ‘strict accountability’ of general and judges – former army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa, ex-spymaster Faiz Hamid, and former chief justice Asif Khosa and Saqib Nisar – for their alleged involvement in a ‘conspiracy’ to oust him from power in 2017.
The international community has all the right to be concerned. Pakistan is a nuclear nation veering from its pluralistic, democratic course, its ethnic divisions, religious and political polarisation and deepening under the jackboot of shaky military rule, posing a threat to its neighbourhood as well as the capitals of its distance western allies whose hand-wringing and threat of sanctions has fooled no one, least of all Islamabad’s current powerbrokers.
The West will be told any formulation that sees the military take the back seat in the political process has the potential for a prolonged civil war, if the current unrest, brutally suppressed by the authorities, turns into a full-blown rebellion under self-serving politicians. After another failed attempt at political engineering, the military establishment must step back and allow the democratic process to evolve.
The political churning set off by the confrontational course adopted by the military against civil society will throw up forces that could sweep even the semblances of democracy that exist in Pakistan out of the window. The US must be willing to take a chance that after the initial upheaval, Pakistan will find its democratic feet. Politicians must be allowed to have a say in a new caretaker administration and arrive at a representative, if untidy democracy.
Pakistan has long paid the price for the West’s myopic dependence on the military as the solution to all ills. This time, the West must have the courage to allow Pakistanis to winnow the democratic chaff from the military weed. Pakistan needs a new social contract that addresses injustice and inequalities.
The starting point of this might well be instituting Constitutional amendments to bring the powerful Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) under civil leadership as is done in all democracies of the world.
Sharif, along with party members and journalists, is scheduled to leave Dubai for Pakistan on October 21…reports Asian Lite News
Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif will reach Pakistan in a chartered plane from Dubai on October 21, ending his four-year-long self-imposed exile in the United Kingdom, according to a media report.
The flight carrying Nawaz, will have the name “Umeed-e-Pakistan” which can carry approximately 150 passengers, Geo News reported.
“The booking has been made and all arrangements are in place,” the report said. The 73-year-old three-time prime minister is expected to lead his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party in the general elections likely to be held in January next year.
قائد محمد نوازشریف کے استقبال کے حوالے سے مسلم لیگ ن ویمن ونگ پنجاب کی تیاریاں پنجاب بھر میں جاری pic.twitter.com/YA7KU3l8jI
Sharif, along with party members and journalists, is scheduled to leave Dubai for Pakistan on October 21. The special flight will land in Islamabad from Dubai before proceeding to Lahore, Sharif will address the gathering at Minar-e-Pakistan.
Sharif will reach Saudi Arabia for Umrah on Wednesday. He will stay in Saudi Arabia for a week during which he will hold important meetings. He will arrive in Dubai on October 18.
Sharif will be accompanied to the Saudi visit by his close aides Mian Nasir Janjua, Waqar Ahmed, his friend Karim Yousaf and a few others. Nasir Janjua, the owner of MIDJAC company, spent nearly three years in exile in London with Sharif and returned to Pakistan just a few months ago, the report added.
On Tuesday, PML-N Senators Ishaq Dar and Irfan Siddiqui said Sharif would leave for Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, October 11, 2023.
Refuting rumours pertaining to Sharif’s presence in Saudi Arabia, Irfan Siddiqui confirmed that the former prime minister is still in the United Kingdom and that the visit to Saudi Arabia is of a private nature as the ex-premier will perform Umrah.
PML-N gets ready
Meanwhile, the PML-N has cancelled three rallies in Lahore, planned to build momentum ahead of the homecoming of its supremo Sharif, in a bid to prevent its workers from getting burnt out ahead of the big event.
According to a senior PML-N leader in Punjab, the decision was taken on the direction of the elder Sharif himself, who is slated to land in Lahore later this month and address a gathering at Minar-i-Pakistan.
“Nawaz Sharif directed party president Shehbaz Sharif not to exhaust the party workers ahead of his return. He said the party leaders should continue to hold corner meetings and coordinate well with the workers to make his homecoming historic,” the PML-N leader told Dawn.
Amid reports of differences within the party, the PML-N supreme leader also asked the junior Sharif to immediately resolve differences among some leaders of the Punjab, particularly the Lahore chapter, to make the Oct 21 show successful.
Three rallies in Lahore were planned in the constituencies of Khawaja Saad Rafiq, Rana Mashhood, and Riaz Malik to whip up enthusiasm for elder Sharif’s homecoming. Maryam Nawaz, the chief organiser, was supposed to address these rallies in Lahore.
The PML-N was supposed to hold seven rallies in Lahore, but it cancelled two rallies earlier this month and now the three remaining gatherings were also cancelled.
The PM informed that the National Assembly would be dissolved on August 9 and a caretaker government would be formed….reports Asian Lite News
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declared on Sunday that if the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is elected to power, Nawaz Sharif will become the country’s Prime Minister of Pakistan, the Express Tribune reported.
He was speaking at a public meeting after laying the foundation stone for the Taray Garh interchange on the Lahore-Bahawalnagar motorway and the Rai Mansab Ali Khan interchange on the Abdul Hakim motorway on the Bucheki-Nankana road.
“Nawaz Sharif will serve the people of Pakistan as Prime Minister for another term if voted to power. He considers the whole of Pakistan as his family and in the past, selflessly served the people,” he said.
He recalled that in the past, Pakistan suffered from load-shedding of 20 hours every day, and then Nawaz Sharif came in 2013 and “removed the darkness” from power shortages by setting up power projects, reviving industry and agriculture, and bringing the USD 30 billion CPEC project to Pakistan with the collaboration of China, the Express Tribune reported.
He noted that Nawaz Sharif initiated the project of the Diamer-Bhasha and Dasu dams and made Pakistan a nuclear state by conducting six nuclear tests in response to five explosions by India.
He reminded that Nawaz Sharif rejected the offer of USD 5 billion by then-US President Bill Clinton and went on with the nuclear explosions while ignoring pressure. Nawaz Sharif also started the Zarb-e-Azab operation led by Pakistan Army to eradicate terrorism, he claimed.
In the era of Nawaz Sharif, the Premier said, Pakistan had good relations with friendly and brotherly countries including China, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey, and Qatar, among others.
“Then Imran Niazi was imposed on the country after rigged elections in 2018 and his regime caused severe damage to relations with these countries, including Islamic countries, and he resorted to baseless allegations of corruption against companies of China,” he added.
Ties with China were broken by the former government despite the fact that the neighbouring country massively invested in infrastructure, power and road projects, he pointed out.
The Prime Minister said former Chief Justice Saqib Nisar and other co-conspirators ousted Nawaz on the basis of a residence permit, even when his name was not among the 400 persons named in the Panama papers, the Express Tribune reported.
“Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz appeared before the court 100 times in their cases and did not evade arrests as was later done by Imran Niazi, who presented a fake receipt for an expensive watch imprinted with a model of the Khana-e-Kaaba and came in court with a bucket on his head,” he added.
He said those who filed false and concocted cases against Opposition leaders had now met divine justice.
He added that during in the tenure of former PM Imran Khan, several cases of corruption surfaced including wheat and sugar scams in which money was minted by unnecessary export and import of these commodities, and then these acts of fraud were never probed and citizens bore the burden of loot and plunder, the Express Tribune reported.
He said his government faced unprecedented challenges of inflation and devastating floods.
He added that the reasons for current inflation were the war in Ukraine and rising international commodity and fuel prices, adding due to the mismanagement of the past government, his government had to sign an agreement with IMF despite its tough conditions.
The PM informed that the National Assembly would be dissolved on August 9 and a caretaker government would be formed.
However, Pakistan’s Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said holding the general elections based on the 2023 digital census was not feasible before January or February of 2024, The News International reported.
Speaking to Geo News on Saturday, Tarar said a meeting of the Council of Common Interest (CCI) headed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif “unanimously” approved new census results, the Express Tribune reported.
Referring the Article 51 of the Constitution, the law minister said the general elections for the national and provincial assemblies will be conducted as per the limits of the constituencies published by the Commission, The News International reported.
The outer limit of 120 days can be reduced by effective work, the law minister said, adding that 54 more days are required for holding the general elections.
The entire process should not go beyond 150 to 165 days, he added.
Under the law, if a new census is notified, the ECP is bound to hold elections on the basis of new data.
It is important to note that the ruling coalition agreed to dissolve the National Assembly prematurely on August 9 — three days before its term ends — giving the electoral body 90 days to conduct polls.
The two main coalition partners of PM Shehbaz Sharif — Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and PPP — hold opposite views on the enumeration.
The PPP has on multiple occasions said that polls should be held on the basis of the 2017 census, reiterating that any delay in polls will not be accepted. (ANI)
PM Shehbaz Sharif making desperate bid to get Pakistan out of FATF's Grey List.(photo:IN)
The premier has said that elections will be held only on the basis of the 2023 digital census, hinting towards a delay between eight months to one year. ..writes Hamza Ameer
As the Pakistan government is readying to bring in an interim setup with a mandate to hold elections within 90 days, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has hinted towards a delay in the polls, creating a rift within his coalition partners.
The visible rift, as seen on various social media posts, is exposing the lack of talks and closed door consultations between Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League–Nawaz (PML-N)) party and its major coalition partnerPakistan People Party (PPP),
The premier has said that elections will be held only on the basis of the 2023 digital census, hinting towards a delay between eight months to one year.
“We have to hold the elections on the basis of the new census… When the census has been conducted, the polls should be held on its basis unless there is an obstacle that cannot be overcome. But I don’t see any such hurdle,” he said during an interview.
Sharif’s comments have sparked a widespread debate as the PPP has made it clear that it would not endorse any decision that results delaying the polls.
“The party has already taken a position on the subject that fresh delimitation would cause delay in holding general elections and given this reason, the party has opposed it,” senior PPP leader Nawaz Muhammad Yousaf Talpur said.
“Fresh delimitations would in theory require four months, but in reality, it might take as long as eight months or an year,” said PPP information secretary Faisal Kareem Kundi.
Meanwhile, the Mutahida Qaumi Movement–Pakistan (MQM-P) has also opposed the decision of going to the polls based on the old census.
“We have already taken the matter up with the Prime Minister. We believe that the polls should only be held as per the new delimitations, which is only possible after the digital census,” MQM-P senior leader Mustafa Kamal said.
“If the government goes into polls as per old census, it would deprive millions of their voting rights.”
The open statements on public fora and social media platforms by political leaders further exposes the detachment and lack of communication between the coalition parties.
“The PML-N leadership would want to delay the elections so that it can use the time to campaign and do a much needed damage control to gain the confidence of its voters before the elections,” said senior political analyst Javed Siddique.
“On the other hand, the PPP would be desirous to make full use of the deteriorated loopholes and openings in Punjab, after PTI’s meltdown and PML-N’s weak political position.
“PPP would not want to allow PML-N time to campaign for a longer period of time and re-strengthen its political position in Punjab. This way, it would be able to make its comeback in Punjab and become the driving force in the formation of the next government as it would have its stronghold in Sindh province, its solid political alliance in Balochistan and a considerable penetration in Punjab and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” the analyst added.
“The ongoing rumours about the caretaker setup being brought in for a longer stretch of time that would function beyond 90 days, and with financial empowerment of the interim setup seen as part of that scheme, the recent revelations by the premier only provide credence to suspicions of inordinate delay in elections,” said political analyst Rameez Khan.
General elections are held 60 days after the National Assembly’s constitutional period ends….reports Asian Lite News
With uncertainty surrounding the tenure of the incumbent National Assembly, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that his government will leave before completing its tenure, reported Geo News.
PM Sharif while addressing a programme at Government College Women’s University in Sialkot on Sunday said, “Next month our government will complete its tenure. We will leave before the completion of our tenure and an interim government will come.” The comment contradicts what the Prime Minister said about his government a few days ago, when he hinted that his government would finish its term, as per Geo News.
Geo News is a Pakistani news channel launched in October 2002.
PM Sharif had previously claimed that the coalition government’s tenure will end on August 14 and that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) would declare the next election date in “October or November.”
According to the premier’s statement, the present rulers do not intend to dissolve the National Assembly before its scheduled expiration date of August 14 this year.
General elections are held 60 days after the National Assembly’s constitutional period ends.
However, if the government dissolves the lower house of parliament before the end of its constitutional term, the polling date can be pushed back to 90 days after the dissolution, according to Geo News.
The prime minister stated during his speech at the Sialkot event that the fall in the price of petroleum products announced by the finance minister the day before was attributable to the deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
According to him, the IMF accord strengthened the rupee against the dollar, making the purchase of oil cheaper. He went on to say that the government responded by lowering the price of fuel items.
Regarding the laptops supplied by his government to students, PM Shehbaz stated that 1,00,000 machines will be provided in the fiscal year 2023-24, while the ones being distributed today are those designated in the fiscal year 2022-23. He also expressed gratitude to Finance Minister Ishaq Dar for enabling the computers to be imported, as per Geo News.
He said, “I want to tell the nation’s girls that it wasn’t a favour to give you laptops but is being provided on merit.”
PM Sharif also said that this year Pakistan Rupee (PKR) 5 billion has been allocated for projects related to women. He added that the nation cannot succeed till its women participate in it.
“All girls who get an education must enter the practical field,” PM Shehbaz further said. All over the world women are working day and night alongside men, he went on to say.
Earlier, while speaking at a cheque distribution ceremony in Lahore, PM Sharif stated that if given the opportunity in the upcoming general elections, Nawaz Sharif and the entire leadership of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) would change the country’s destiny by leading it to progress and prosperity, Geo News reported. (ANI)
He claimed that the incumbent government, in mere 15 months of its brief tenure, cleaned the “rubble of destruction”, which he said was a “work of the PTI” over the last four years…reports Asian Lite News
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that he will be handing over the government to a “caretaker set-up” in August, once the term of the assembly ends, Dawn reported on Thursday.
Sharif made a similar announcement yesterday as well, in which he declared that the term of his government would end on August 14. However, Sharif did not make it clear whether the coalition partners would go for the normal dissolution of the National Assembly (NA) on completion of its term on August 12 or he would advise the president for an early dissolution.
The five-year term of the NA commenced under the then-PTI government on August 12, 2018 and will be completed under a PM-Shehbaz-led ruling coalition following the ouster of former premier Imran Khan through a no-confidence vote in April last year.
At the outset of an address — broadcast on television — PM Sharif said he was given the “sacred responsibility” of running the country and “working for its welfare” in April last year.
“We will hand over this responsibility to the caretaker set-up in August 2023,” Dawn quoted Sharif as saying.
He claimed that the incumbent government, in mere 15 months of its brief tenure, cleaned the “rubble of destruction”, which he said was a “work of the PTI” over the last four years.
Sharif added that during the past few months, his government “sacrificed politics to protect the state”.
Earlier on Wednesday, Shehbaz Sharif said that the coalition government’s tenure will end on August 14 and the date for the next polls will be announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) either in “October or November”, Geo News reported.
“Our government’s tenure will end on August 14, the election commission will decide when the polls will take place — whether in October or November,” Geo News quoted Sharif as saying.
He added, “Whosoever forms the next government after elections, their top priority should be education so they can make this nation great”.
Earlier, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah had also said the assemblies could be dissolved earlier than the scheduled date of August 13 to “facilitate” the ECP.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has also demanded the elections take place at their stipulated time as it is eyeing “its victory” in the upcoming polls, Geo News reported.
The government continues to be under pressure as the country is undergoing its worst economic crisis, inflation is at record highs and the prices not coming down despite all the claims by the authorities.
Citing recent surveys, Geo News reported that the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) — the ruling coalition government in Pakistan — has lost much of its popularity and faces an uphill task to win the confidence of the people in the upcoming polls.
As a result, PML-N is eyeing the return of its supremo, Nawaz Sharif as the three-time PM has a strong support base in Punjab, Geo News reported. (ANI)
Sharif said it was not a “moment of pride but a moment of contemplation”, questioning whether nations developed on the back of loans….reports Asian Lite News
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz urged that the $3 billion pact signed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) should be the country’s last loan programme with the global lender.
The staff-level agreement is on a $3 billion stand-by arrangement, which is subject to approval by the lender’s executive board, the IMF said on Friday.
The long-awaited decision comes after an eight-month delay and offers some respite to Pakistan, which is battling an acute balance of payments crisis and falling foreign exchange reserves, Dawn reported.
On Friday, Sharif said it was not a “moment of pride but a moment of contemplation”, questioning whether nations developed on the back of loans.
“Never, forget this, we were forced to take this loan and it is my prayer … that this is the last time Pakistan goes into an IMF programme and we never have to take a loan again,” he added.
Regarding his talks with IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, the Prime Minister said he had had multiple conversations and exchanges with her in which the Finance Minister and his team presented their facts but despite all that, no progress was being achieved, Dawn reported.
He added that in a meeting with the managing director in Paris last week, he had told her that the government had fulfilled the Fund’s conditions and put its political capital at stake “just so that we can prevent Pakistan from defaulting and we took bitter steps for the country’s economic stability”.
