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                        <title>The Express Tribune</title>
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                        <description>The Express Tribune keeps you up to date with all the latest happenings from Pakistan and across the world!</description>
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			<title>In another blow to PTI, PML-N candidate declared winner in NA-79 recount</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2492290/in-another-blow-to-pti-pml-n-candidate-declared-winner-in-na-79-recount</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2492290/in-another-blow-to-pti-pml-n-candidate-declared-winner-in-na-79-recount#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 30 Aug 24 15:03:08 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Amna Ali]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2492290</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[ECP issues notification of Zulfiqar Ahmed’s victory from Gujranwala constituency]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has declared Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Zulfiqar Ahmed as the winner in the NA-79 constituency following a recount, issuing an official notification on Friday.

This result reduces Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf&rsquo;s (PTI) seats in the National Assembly by one.

The recount in the NA-79 Gujranwala constituency saw PML-N&rsquo;s Zulfiqar Ahmed emerging victorious, further decreasing PTI&rsquo;s presence in the National Assembly.

According to the ECP&rsquo;s notification, Zulfiqar Ahmed secured victory after the recount, defeating PTI-supported candidate Ahsanullah Warraich. The recount showed Ahmed with 95,604 votes, while Warraich received 92,581 votes.

The recount also revealed that the total number of rejected votes in the constituency amounted to 23,845. PML-N&rsquo;s Zulfiqar Ahmed won with a margin of 3,023 votes.]]>
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			<title>Nawaz Sharif calls high electricity bills ‘unbearable’ for public, vows relief</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2488323/nawaz-sharif-calls-high-electricity-bills-unbearable-for-public-vows-relief</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2488323/nawaz-sharif-calls-high-electricity-bills-unbearable-for-public-vows-relief#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 15 Aug 24 14:14:02 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[news.desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2488323</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[PML-N president chairs crucial consultative meeting at the party secretariat in Lahore’s Model Town]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-NN) President Nawaz Sharif has termed the rising electricity bills as &quot;unbearable&quot; for the public, stressing the need for immediate relief.

In a crucial consultative meeting held at the party secretariat in Lahore&rsquo;s Model Town on Thursday, Nawaz Sharif chaired discussions that included Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other senior PML-N leaders. The focus of the meeting was on providing relief to the public amid soaring inflation, particularly the high cost of electricity.

&quot;These expensive electricity bills are intolerable for the people,&quot; Nawaz Sharif stated during the meeting. He blamed the PTI government for the economic devastation that led to inflation and skyrocketing bills, adding, &quot;Despite the challenges, people expect relief from us.&quot;

Nawaz Sharif acknowledged that the current situation is a test of the party&#39;s abilities. &quot;It is a testament to your patriotism that you made political sacrifices to save the country from default and bring back economic stability,&quot; he said.

He emphasised that just as the party saved the country from default, it now faces the challenge of protecting the people from financial ruin. &quot;The PML-N has always found a way through difficulties,&quot; he added.

Prime Minister Shehbaz briefed the party president on the national economic agenda, highlighting that a comprehensive plan has been developed to address the country&#39;s issues. He informed that a three-month relief package has been introduced for electricity consumers using up to 200 units, covering both protected and non-protected categories.]]>
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			<title>Senator draws stark comparison between UK and Pakistan riot trials</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2487066/senator-draws-stark-comparison-between-uk-and-pakistan-riot-trials</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2487066/senator-draws-stark-comparison-between-uk-and-pakistan-riot-trials#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 10 Aug 24 16:56:26 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[our.correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2487066</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[PML-N's Irfan Siddiqui points out how UK courts quickly jailed rioters, while Pakistan's May 9 cases remain unresolved]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[The justice systems of Pakistan and the United Kingdom were thrust into the spotlight on Saturday when a member of the ruling party drew a comparison between the two countries&#39; handling of riots&mdash;those in the UK following a recent, tragic incident in Southport, England, and the May 9 unrest in Pakistan in 2023.

According to British media reports, the fatal stabbing of three young girls during a dance class in Southport triggered the worst unrest in the UK in more than a decade. The violence, which spread across towns and cities in England and Northern Ireland, was exacerbated by misinformation and far-right, anti-immigration sentiment.

In contrast, Pakistan witnessed severe attacks on key civilian and military installations on May 9, 2023, following the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founding chairman Imran Khan on corruption charges at the Islamabad High Court. While the Pakistani government labelled the day as &quot;Black Day,&quot; the trials of those allegedly involved in the violence are still pending, unlike in the UK, where the courts quickly responded to the unrest.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader, Senator Irfan Siddiqui, compared the judicial responses of the two countries, highlighting the swift actions taken by the UK courts. &quot;In the UK, over 100 people were sent to jail within two weeks of the riots,&quot; Siddiqui remarked. &quot;In contrast, those involved in the May 9 riots in Pakistan not only remain unpunished but are even demanding an apology from the state.&quot;

Senator Siddiqui lamented the delay in justice, noting that despite the passage of approximately 15 months, the tragic events of May 9 are still awaiting resolution. He pointed out that following the Southport incident and a subsequent false social media campaign, the British courts were immediately ordered to operate 24 hours a day to process the cases.

&quot;The UK judicial system acted swiftly, sending rioters who damaged public and private property to jail within days, even denying bail to those merely present at the scenes of violence,&quot; Siddiqui emphasized, quoting Judge Francis Rafferty, who remarked that &quot;someone&rsquo;s presence at a riot made them involved in the riot.&quot;

&ldquo;Despite the lapse of around 15 months, the tragic incident of May 9 is still awaiting justice as the same was denied,&rdquo; he said. He pointed out that following the Southport incident and a subsequent false social media campaign, the British courts were immediately ordered to operate 24 hours a day to process the cases.

Read also: PHC refuses to form May 9 commission

Siddiqui pointed out that the judicial system in the UK sent the rioters who damaged public and private property to jail within days and hours.

&ldquo;Even the spectators of the violent riots were not spared and their bail applications were rejected by the UK courts,&rdquo; Siddiqui emphasised, quoting Judge Francis Rafferty, who remarked that &quot;someone&rsquo;s presence at a riot made them involved in the riot.&quot;

In his statement on social media platform X, Senator Siddiqui expressed frustration that the May 9 incident in Pakistan continues to &quot;cry for justice,&quot; while the alleged perpetrators not only evade accountability but also pressure the state to issue an apology.

This statement is tied to PTI&rsquo;s incarcerated chairman Imran Khan&#39;s stance that he deserves an apology for being arrested on court premises.

Recently, Khan reportedly offered a conditional apology for the May 9 riots if evidence proves that PTI-affiliated individuals were involved in the attacks on civilian and military installations.

Meanwhile, the government has criticised Imran Khan and PTI for deflecting blame rather than offering a straightforward apology for the events of May 9.]]>
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			<title>PTI led in IMF interest payments, PPP accumulated most debt: report</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2485276/pti-led-in-imf-interest-payments-ppp-accumulated-most-debt-report</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2485276/pti-led-in-imf-interest-payments-ppp-accumulated-most-debt-report#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 03 Aug 24 15:08:25 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Irshad Ansari]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2485276</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[PML-N government returned the most, with over $5.92 billion paid back to the IMF]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs has released significant data revealing which political party&#39;s government in Pakistan borrowed the most from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and which repaid the most loans and interest.

In a briefing to the National Assembly&#39;s Standing Committee on Saturday, officials from the Ministry of Economic Affairs disclosed that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) borrowed over $7.72 billion from the IMF, ranking it at the top of the list of borrowing governments.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) ranked second, having borrowed a total of $6.48 billion, while the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) came third, taking loans amounting to $6 billion, just $480 million less than the PML-N.

In terms of repayments, the PML-N government returned the most, with over $5.92 billion paid back to the IMF, putting it in the first position. The PTI government, however, topped the list for the most interest paid, having paid $791 million in a single term.

Officials informed the Standing Committee that during its tenure from 2008 to 2013, the PPP government borrowed over 5.23 billion in Special Drawing Rights (SDR) from the IMF, which amounts to more than $7.72 billion in US&nbsp;currency. Consequently, the PPP is the leading party in terms of borrowing.

The statistics presented to the Standing Committee showed that the PPP government repaid over $3 billion of the IMF loan and paid more than $484 million in interest.

Similarly, during its tenure from 2013 to 2018, the PML-N government borrowed 4.39 billion SDRs, translating to more than $6.48 billion. Over this five-year period, they repaid more than 4 billion SDRs, amounting to over $5.92 billion. The PML-N paid more than $317 million in interest during these five years.

The PTI government, from 2018 to 2022, borrowed over 4.05 billion SDRs, which translates to approximately $6 billion in loans. During this time, the PTI repaid 2.72 billion SDRs, equivalent to $4.02 billion in U.S. currency. From 2018 to 2022, PTI topped the list of interest payments to the IMF, having paid $791 million.]]>
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			<title>'Imran Khan's residence in Lahore was used as terrorist training hub'</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2482204/imran-khans-residence-in-lahore-was-used-as-terrorist-training-hub</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2482204/imran-khans-residence-in-lahore-was-used-as-terrorist-training-hub#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 23 Jul 24 10:11:32 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[News Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2482204</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Punjab CM condemns PTI, accusing them of inciting chaos and undermining the state]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Tuesday claimed that former prime minister Imran Khan&#39;s residence in Lahore, Zaman Park,&nbsp;had become a &quot;training hub&nbsp;for terrorists&quot;, where petrol bombs were made, and attacks on the state were planned.

In a statement, Maryam condemned the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) as a group focused on creating chaos and damaging the state.

She claimed that during a four-month period when PTI leaders feigned leg injuries, they orchestrated the May 9 attacks, which resulted in assaults on over 200 military installations, including setting fire to Air Force planes and the Corps Commander&#39;s house, and desecration of martyrs&#39; memorials.

The chief minister also accused PTI of conspiring to default the country, writing letters to the IMF, waving cyphers, and disrespecting martyrs&#39; memorials as part of a larger plot.

CM Maryam called for strict action against the group in accordance with the Constitution and law, citing national security and interests.

The chief minister further criticised PTI for alienating friendly countries, making baseless accusations against the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and disrupting Chinese President Xi Jinping&#39;s visit in 2014 by staging a sit-in.

She recounted PTI&#39;s previous attacks on Parliament, PTV, and the Prime Minister&#39;s house, and accused them of violence against police officers and desecrating the Supreme Court&#39;s walls.


&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>Punjab deploys AI technology to detect smoke-emitting vehicles</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2481942/punjab-deploys-ai-technology-to-detect-smoke-emitting-vehicles</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2481942/punjab-deploys-ai-technology-to-detect-smoke-emitting-vehicles#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 22 Jul 24 15:03:04 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[News Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2481942</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Under the Punjab Safe City Project, AI-driven detection of smoke emissions will be used to issue traffic challans]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Punjab government, led by the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), has begun using artificial intelligence (AI) technology to detect and fine vehicles emitting excessive smoke.

Citizens are cautioned that traffic violations will now result in electronic challans with proof and hefty fines.

Under the directive of Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz, transport authorities have initiated the process of monitoring smog-emitting vehicles using advanced cameras equipped with AI technology through the Punjab Safe City project in Lahore.

The system targets trucks, buses, cars, wagons, auto-rickshaws, and motorcycles.

The Lahore Traffic Police have issued hundreds of challans based on the AI-driven detection of smoke emissions. Each electronic ticket includes photographic evidence of the violation.

Senior Punjab Minister&nbsp;Marriyum&nbsp;Aurangzeb&nbsp;stated that the use of modern technology ensures both environmental protection and strict enforcement of traffic rules.

She vowed to implement this model across Punjab in a phased manner.

Yesterday, a rescue air ambulance successfully transferred a patient for the first time in the country through an initiative undertaken by the Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif.

Halima Bibi, a 40-year-old woman from Mianwali, who suffered paralysis after falling from a roof two days ago was transferred in an air ambulance.]]>
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			<title>PML-N faces another setback as senior leader jumps ship</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2481515/pml-n-faces-another-setback-as-senior-leader-jumps-ship</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2481515/pml-n-faces-another-setback-as-senior-leader-jumps-ship#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 21 Jul 24 06:21:40 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[News Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2481515</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Asif Kirmani reveals that he distanced himself from political affairs of Nawaz Sharif’s party for a long time]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Former political secretary to ex-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Dr Asif Kirmani, has officially announced to quit the ruling party Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) following critical remarks about the party&#39;s leadership.

Kirmani revealed that he has distanced himself from the political affairs of Nawaz Sharif&rsquo;s party for a long time, criticizing that while people are suffering from high electricity bills and inflation, a faction of party leaders was cheering the rulers on their &quot;ineffective governance&quot;.

The senior politician did not indicate any intention to join another party. Kirmani, who was pivotal during the PML-N&rsquo;s 2013 electoral campaign, also mentioned that he would soon issue a detailed statement regarding his decision to leave the party.

His departure follows a recent trend of high-profile exits from the party, including last month&#39;s resignation of Abbas Khan Afridi and the formation of a new party, Awaam Pakistan, by former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and ex-finance minister Miftah Ismail.

This new party has attracted several ex-PML-N stalwarts, intensifying the challenges faced by Nawaz Sharif&rsquo;s leadership.

&nbsp;

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			<title>PPP banks on PML-N promise</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2475294/ppp-banks-on-pml-n-promise</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2475294/ppp-banks-on-pml-n-promise#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 30 Jun 24 01:08:10 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[RAMEEZ KHAN.]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2475294</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Party expects key ally to honour agreement amid tensions]]>
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				<![CDATA[Despite the ongoing friction between the PML-N and the PPP, hope is not lost as the PPP still believes that the ruling party will honour the agreement reached earlier this month while expressing disappointment over the PML-N&rsquo;s lower cadre&rsquo;s negation of the agreement&rsquo;s terms.

While the PML-N, at least off the record, is denying most of the PPP&rsquo;s claims, the latter contends that the power-sharing arrangements made public are not about ceding authority but ensuring fair administration.

PML-N insists that Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz will not compromise on merit or allow nepotism.

In response, PPP fired back, asserting that demanding impartial district commissioners (DCs) in their majority-held areas was essential for meritocracy, challenging any notion of favouritism.

It has contended that if ensuring fair appointments was against merit, then such officers do not deserve roles in any province. The PPP further questioned why PML-N&rsquo;s preference for appointing a &ldquo;blue-eyed candidate&rdquo; was deemed acceptable, while insisting on a politically impartial officer was labelled as &lsquo;shifarish&rsquo; (favouritism).

PPP leader Nadeem Afzal Chan, who was part of the committee, cautioned that any statement contradicting the agreement should be taken with a pinch of salt, suggesting that PML-N needs to appease its own supporters.

He emphasised that in actuality, no ground was lost, affirming that PPP would proceed with naming its law officers as agreed upon. Stressing a commitment to merit-based appointments, he affirmed, &ldquo;If they claim they will appoint based on merit, so be it. We advocate the same: appoint on merit, not political connections.&rdquo;

When questioned about PML-N sources denying the terms of the agreement, he rebutted, calling their denials outright falsehoods. He affirmed that PML-N would uphold its commitment despite their recent posturing.

PPP parliamentary leader Ali Haider Gillani stated that his party does not want officers posted in their majority areas to be favoured solely because they were close to PML-N. Instead, he stressed the importance of appointing officers based on merit.

Gillani clarified that they advocate for a consultative process before such appointments and postings, rather than seeking preferential treatment for individuals aligned with their party.

Regarding recent statements, he expressed that PPP can overlook them. However, if the agreement is not upheld, they will address it during the bi-monthly meeting scheduled for the first week of July, as previously agreed.

The PML-N leader and advisor to the prime minister reiterated that the premier had affirmed during the meeting that his government would honour all agreements made with the PPP regarding the budget.

Attempts to reach Punjab government spokesperson Azma Bukhari for comment were unsuccessful.]]>
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			<title>Omar Ayub calls for Imran Khan's release as condition for PTI-PML-N talks</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2474241/omar-ayub-calls-for-imran-khans-release-as-condition-for-pti-pml-n-talks</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2474241/omar-ayub-calls-for-imran-khans-release-as-condition-for-pti-pml-n-talks#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 26 Jun 24 12:13:08 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[News Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2474241</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Omar Ayub insists dialogue with PML-N can only take place after Imran Khan and other PTI members are released.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Omar Ayub, during a session of the National Assembly, has said that dialogue with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) can take place only once Imran Khan and other detained party members are released.

The opposition leader made these remarks on Wednesday during a speech made in response to Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif&rsquo;s address in parliament.

The Speaker of the National Assembly intervened when Omar Ayub made the remarks, requesting him to maintain decorum, but the opposition leader continued, stressing his right to respond.

Ayub recounted the participation of PTI members in the funeral of Kulsoom Nawaz but highlighted his inability to attend his father&#39;s funeral.

He called for acknowledgment of the mistreatment of PTI members Yasmin Rashid, Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed, and Hassan Niazi.

The Speaker intervened once again, suggesting Ayub had made his point, but the opposition leader continued, highlighting that Imran Khan is being held in a death cell while previous detainees had access to air conditioning.]]>
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			<title>‘Budget drama a red herring’ by PML-N, PPP: PTI</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2473735/budget-drama-a-red-herring-by-pml-n-ppp-pti</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2473735/budget-drama-a-red-herring-by-pml-n-ppp-pti#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 24 Jun 24 23:13:32 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2473735</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[PTI slams both parties over ‘Muk-Muka’ behind the brief charade of discord]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has berated the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) for a &lsquo;Muk-Muka&rsquo;&mdash;collusion&mdash;over the recently approved budget.

According to PTI, the two parties put on a brief charade of discord before joining hands to push the budget through.

Just a day after the PPP and PML-N settled their differences, a PTI spokesperson lashed out at the coalition partners, accusing them of play-acting to win public sympathies. He said both parties were merely putting on a show, pretending to be at odds over the federal budget, adding that the public was not so easily fooled.

Party spokesperson Raoof Hasan said that PML-N and PPP have long been orchestrating such dramas and often abruptly end their so-called fights for their vested interests.

However, the PTI leader said that the Pakistani nation was cognisant of the fact that &ldquo;these mandate thieves&rdquo; had equally contributed to the economic devastation and financial carnage that had beset the country at present.

The PTI spokesperson stated that both parties had a long history of conveniently setting aside their differences to perpetuate their self-serving agendas in total disregard for any concern for the welfare of the people, democracy and constitution.

He averred that the PPP and PML-N being birds of a feather were devoid of any concern for the public welfare, saying they conveniently put aside their past differences to protect their personal interests by making a mockery of democracy and the constitution.

After several days of pretending battle, the spokesperson went on to say that they &ldquo;clandestinely evolved consensus on the approval of the anti-people budget&rdquo; because these two parties had nothing to do with public issues. He alleged that their past was tainted with conspiracies against democracy.

In addition, he said that the politics of PPP, the so-called champion of democracy, had been shrouded under the shadows of dictatorship since its very foundation and its animosity towards democracy was well-documented in the Hamoodur Rahman Commission Report.]]>
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			<title>PPP, PML-N strike power-sharing deal in Punjab</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2473449/ppp-pml-n-strike-power-sharing-deal-in-punjab</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2473449/ppp-pml-n-strike-power-sharing-deal-in-punjab#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 23 Jun 24 23:10:40 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[RAMEEZ KHAN.]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2473449</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Party leaders say budget-related proposals reviewed thoroughly]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) have hammered out a power-sharing deal in Punjab, signalling an end to their standoff over the national and Punjab budgets, as per parliamentary leader in Punjab Assembly Ali Haider Gilani.

The PPP leader told The Express Tribune that the crux of the matter for both parties was the lack of a fair and equitable power-sharing arrangement in Punjab, leaving them feeling sidelined despite being a crucial partner of the central government.

Gilani disclosed that during the recent high-stakes meeting in Islamabad, attended by a PPP delegation led by former Speaker National Assembly Raja Pervez Ashraf, along with PPP General Secretary Punjab Hassan Murtaza and Nadeem Afzal Chan.

From the PML-N side, the delegation was headed by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar. Other members present included the advisor to PM and provincial president, Rana Sanaullah, Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, and senior minister Marriyum Aurangzeb.

Under the terms of the agreement, Gilani explained that districts, where the PPP holds a clear majority, will fall entirely under their control, whereas districts with a substantial presence of their party will see partial control.

Specifically, districts like Multan and Rahim Yar Khan fall in the former category, while Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Muzaffargarh, Toba Tek Singh, Rajanpur, and Rawalpindi fall in the latter.

He added that funds will be evenly distributed among parliamentarians, both MNAs and MPAs, from PML-N and PPP alike. Development funds will also be allocated to their respective notables.

Moreover, he mentioned that bureaucrats would also be made aware of the importance of PPP in this alliance, underscoring the need to keep a tight rein on bureaucracy as it had the potential to destabilise the alliance if not managed carefully. However, he expressed confidence that both sides are fully aware of this risk.

Furthermore, he confirmed that PPP will have representation in various committees ranging from Zakat and Ushr Committees to market committees, district coordination committees, and DC and MC boards.

While in Multan and Rahim Yar Khan, all the aforementioned responsibilities will fall under their purview. Elaborating on this, he clarified that their nominated representatives will be part of the district coordination committees, whereas in these two districts, they will hold the position of convener.

Similarly, he mentioned their nominees will serve in all relevant authorities and boards, with their chairmanship over the Multan Development Authority boards being a key example.

He also stated they will have the right to appoint law officers both at the federal and provincial levels according to a mutually agreed formula.

&nbsp;

Furthermore, they will nominate an expert of their choice to the search committee tasked with selecting vice chancellors for Punjab&rsquo;s universities.

Regarding transfers and postings in districts with PPP&rsquo;s presence, which includes 12 districts, decisions will be made in consultation with them, while in Multan and Rahim Yar Khan, it will be solely within their domain.

He noted that they have extended a similar power-sharing formula to Sindh, ensuring that any notable figures from PML-N will be treated equally.

However, he clarified that this agreement does not erase the ideological differences between the two parties. Despite being allies, they maintain distinct views on various issues, and this arrangement does not alter their respective party lines or positions.

He confirmed that PML-N has also endorsed this agreement, with the deputy prime minister expressing commitment to its full implementation. With this issue resolved, he assured that PPP will fully support the budgets at both the federal and provincial levels.

He emphasized that the discord arose not at the federal level but in Punjab, where they felt sidelined.

This agreement, he explained, was originally agreed upon before the formation of the current government, with their main concern being its faithful implementation. However, he acknowledged that recent adjustments had been made to the original terms.

&nbsp;

&lsquo;No ministries yet&rsquo;

However, Gillani clarified that the agreement does not include ministries, as the party has yet to decide on becoming part of the government. He explained that the party&rsquo;s Central Executive Committee (CEC) will make the decision after the budget.

&nbsp;

Regarding the party&rsquo;s stance on this issue, he said nothing could be determined in advance.

Attempts to contact PML-N leaders for their perspective on the matter were unsuccessful.

However, a PPP leader regretted his party&rsquo;s move, claiming that PPP Punjab has been misleading its leadership about the ground realities.

He argued that PPP Punjab was portraying its lack of administrative control as an inability to make any inroads in Punjab, whereas the situation was actually the opposite. He asserted that by joining the administration, the party would lose the minimal traction it has with voters.

Accepting insignificant positions would damage the party&rsquo;s public image, making them appear as sellouts, he added.

He asserted that by joining the administration, the party would lose the minimal traction it has with voters. Accepting insignificant positions would damage the party&rsquo;s public image, making them appear as sellouts.

He further warned that the party would not be able to bounce back by becoming PML-N&rsquo;s subordinate team. Instead, he called for taking a strong stance against PML-N on the streets to win votes, rather than following an appeasement policy.

He accused some members of seeking power positions to line their own pockets.

Meanwhile, a source within PPP added that in addition to these agreements, it was also decided that PPP&rsquo;s development schemes under the PDSP would not face budget cuts, while schemes, which are subject to IMF-mandated reductions amount to approximately Rs200 billion.

However, Hasan Murtaza, another committee member, offered a slightly different perspective, noting that both sides had worked out a multifaceted power-sharing formula that requires endorsement from both party leaderships.

Responding to queries about dissent within the committee, he conceded that while consensus had been reached at the committee level, final approval from the leadership was still pending.

When pressed on how a budget previously criticised as unfriendly and burdensome could be considered kosher simply by gaining more influence in Punjab, he clarified that the budget-related proposals had also been thoroughly reviewed, indicating that the agreement covered more than just power sharing.

&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>PML-N, PPP spar amid political tensions</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2472685/pml-n-ppp-spar-amid-political-tensions</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2472685/pml-n-ppp-spar-amid-political-tensions#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 21 Jun 24 03:32:51 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2472685</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Some analysts believe recent exchange of harsh words won’t affect their relations]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[The sparring between two allies reached new heights, with a second-tier PML-N leader belittling the PPP and a PPP leader reminding the ruling party that its leadership would have been languishing behind bars if the PPP had not provided its support.

This round of friendly fire began with PML-N leader Hanif Abbasi disregarding the factual position in the National Assembly and asserting during an interview that remaining their ally was a compulsion for the PPP, not for them.

He said both the federal budget and the Punjab Defamation Bill were prepared in consultation with the PPP, as the PPP was part of the finance committee.

He said the Punjab governor&mdash;who belongs to the PPP&mdash;went on holidays to avoid directly giving his seal of approval to the defamation bill, but this move was &ldquo;not going to fool anyone.&rdquo; Abbasi claimed that the PPP had approved the defamation bill.

He also contested the notion that the PPP was not a stakeholder at the federal level, stating that the party had received the Senate chairmanship, governorship in two provinces, the government in Sindh, and the position of the president as a result of a deal. &ldquo;After taking all this, how can they say they are not part of the government?&rdquo; he asked.

Responding to Hanif Abbasi, PPP General Secretary Hassan Murtaza reminded the PML-N that it was in power due to the support of his party. &ldquo;If it were not for the PPP, you wouldn&rsquo;t have been in the Prime Minister&#39;s House; rather, you would have been in Adiala jail,&rdquo; he said.

He termed Abbasi&rsquo;s statement comical. Interestingly, he also declared the PML-N&rsquo;s success in the February 8 general elections a product of rigging. He said the former commissioner of Rawalpindi had already exposed the reality of elections &ldquo;in this region.&rdquo;

He urged Hanif Abbasi to stop fueling the politics of division and chaos, while recalling that the same leader had previously made reprehensible statements against PPP&rsquo;s slain chairperson, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

He asked the PML-N leadership to rein in elements like Abbasi within their ranks. The PPP, he said, believes in parliamentary democracy and the politics of reconciliation.

Hassan Murtaza also warned that anyone who makes derogatory statements against the PPP leadership in the future will receive a befitting response. He asked the PML-N to take cognizance of such statements.

Some political analysts believe that this war of words between the two allies is not going to strain their relationship, as it is the fear of the PTI and its chairman Imran Khan that has brought the former rivals together.]]>
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			<title>PPP links budget support to ‘more share’ in Punjab</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2472716/ppp-links-budget-support-to-more-share-in-punjab</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2472716/ppp-links-budget-support-to-more-share-in-punjab#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 21 Jun 24 05:02:48 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Rizwan Shehzad  ]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2472716</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Bilawal meets Shehbaz to iron out differences]]>
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				<![CDATA[The PPP, a key ally in the ruling alliance, has linked its support for the budget and other issues to receiving more share of power in Punjab, it emerged on Thursday after a meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.

In addition to receiving &ldquo;more space&rdquo; in Punjab and its set-up, sources in the ruling PML-N shared that the PPP sought additional development budget for its lawmakers in the province.

Although the premier has not yet given any assurance to the PPP in this connection, he has directed the committees of both the parties to resolve all the issues by Sunday.

The meeting between PM Shehbaz and the PPP delegation lasted for roughly 90 minutes wherein both the sides deliberated on the proposed federal budget, power-sharing in Punjab as well as other matters in line with the post-election agreement that the two parties had reached before forming the government.

The meeting on Thursday was held against the backdrop of the PPP&rsquo;s claim that the PML-N had completely sidelined it during the budget preparation, violating the agreement reached between the two parties after the general elections on February 8 this year.

Tensions between the PPP and PML-N had emerged on June 12 as the former had only engaged in a token participation in the National Assembly&rsquo;s budget session.

The PPP was prompted to opt for the step after the PML-N did not bother to address its key ally&rsquo;s reservations over the budget.

Earlier, the PPP had decided to boycott the budget session altogether. The party later changed its mind to engage in a token representation after Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, who also holds the additional portfolio of the foreign ministry, rushed to Bilawal&rsquo;s chamber to request that his party should attend the session.

However, no major breakthrough was reached during Thursday&rsquo;s meeting as both sides could only managed to agree that talks would continue through the committees of the two parties.

The leaders from both the parties said the full participation of the PPP in the budget session depended on the outcome of the negotiations between the two sides.

Federal Planning and Development MinisterAhsan Iqbal told The Express Tribune that both the PML-N and PPP, which were partners in the ruling alliance, reviewed the coalition formation in a cordial atmosphere.

He maintained that both the sides expressed the satisfaction that most of the terms of the agreement had been fulfilled.

The minister said the PPP leadership raised the issue of implementation of the agreement by the Punjab government and sought the PM&rsquo;s support in this connection during the meeting.

He added that PM Shehbaz had formed a committee to resolve all the outstanding issues by Sunday.

To a question, Iqbal said the issues related to the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) had already been resolved to the extent of Sindh as Rs65 billion were allocated to the province when its chief minister approached the premier.

Commenting on further power-sharing between the two sides, Iqbal said both the parties were committed to abide by the agreement that they had reached after the elections.

&ldquo;Both parties believe that the economic crisis which the country faces demands collaborative politics,&rdquo; he added.

The minister hoped that all the issues would be resolved within the stipulated timeframe set by PM Shehbaz and the PPP would soon be back in the NA.

PPP leader Shazia Marri while talking to The Express Tribune admitted that her party wanted &ldquo;some space&rdquo; in Punjab.

However, she denied that it sought a share in the Punjab government.

&ldquo;It&rsquo;s unfair for an ally to seek a proper share in the province as its lawmakers are answerable to their constituents,&rdquo; she added.

However, Marri questioned why the PPP&nbsp; should not be given some space in Punjab.

&ldquo;The PPP has won some seats in Punjab and it&rsquo;s an ally of the government. The party is unhappy with the treatment meted out to its MPAs in Punjab. It&rsquo;s inappropriate to say that the PPPP wants a share in the federal and provincial cabinets.&rdquo;

Referring to the post-election agreement signed between the PML-N and PPP, Marri claimed that it specifically stated that federal PSDP would be pre-agreed.

&ldquo;The PML-N&rsquo;s actions show a &lsquo;breach of trust&rsquo; as no input was taken from the PPP for the budget even though assurances given that the agreement would be fulfilled.&rdquo;

To the statement that the PPP&rsquo;s reservations over the PSDP budget of Sindh had already been addressed, Marri said thr PPP chairman had made it clear time and again that the party was not&nbsp; confined to the province alone.

An official statement issued after the meeting read that a PPP delegation led by its chairman met with PM Shehbaz and discussed the political situation of the country as well the budget 2024-25. The PPP delegation, led by party chief Bilawal, included Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Khursheed Shah, Naveed Qamar, and Sherry Rehman.

The statement added that the premier highlighted that the macroeconomic indicators about the country&rsquo;s economy were showing encouraging growth while a historic boom in the stock market was the endorsement of the government&rsquo;s budget by the business community.

He said all political parties should work together to ensure the country&rsquo;s development, prosperity and the public welfare, saying steps were taken to provide maximum relief to the people in the budget 2024-25.

It was agreed in the meeting that further consultation would be continued through the parliamentary committees, the statement read.

It added that the meeting was held in a positive atmosphere with both sides agreeing on the need for collaboration to address the country&rsquo;s challenges.

&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>PPP, PML-N in dispute over agriculture tax</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2471132/ppp-pml-n-in-dispute-over-agriculture-tax</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2471132/ppp-pml-n-in-dispute-over-agriculture-tax#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 11 Jun 24 22:46:09 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Rizwan Shehzad  ]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Islamabad]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2471132</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[PPP accuses PML-N of turning a deaf ear to its concerns]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[The Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) hit a stumbling block on Tuesday, unable to reconcile their differences over the proposed 18 per cent standard sales tax on agriculture inputs and machinery.

The tax, which the International Monetary Fund (IMF) insists on as part of its campaign to end

tax exemptions in Pakistan, remains a bone of contention.

Feeling left out in the cold by the PML-N ahead of the budget, the PPP leadership minced no words in expressing their displeasure. They lambasted the PML-N for sidelining a key coalition partner, making it clear that no new taxes on the agriculture sector would be tolerated.

The PPP warned that unless the prime minister or his government personally addressed these concerns, things would not proceed smoothly.

Resultantly, Tuesday brought a flurry of meetings and media talks as the prime minister called on President Asif Ali Zardari in an attempt to win his support before the budget. Separately, PPP held a party meeting, chaired by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, where its lawmakers lashed out at the ruling PML-N for completely abandoning the allied partner and not taking any input in the budget. Besides, two PPP leaders, Shazia Marri and Khursheed Shah, turned their guns towards PML-N when they talked to media at the parliament and regretted how PM Shehbaz and the ruling PML-N turned a deaf ear to the key ally by neither taking its input in budget nor apprising it what was coming peoples&rsquo; way on June 12 (today).

Surprisingly, Marri&rsquo;s outburst came after the Shehbaz-Zardari meeting where the president &ldquo;assured the prime minister of his support for the national development and achievement of fiscal targets&rdquo;.

Despite showing displeasure for not being consulted, PPP sources said that the real issue between the two allies stemmed from the IMF&rsquo;s proposal to impose an 18 per cent tax on all items as the party doesn&rsquo;t want any taxes on the agriculture sector, especially on fertiliser, pesticides, tractors, and other agriculture produces on the grounds that its lawmakers cannot face the constituents after that.

In addition, the PPP leadership is unhappy over load-shedding, importing wheat at the wrong time and the inquiry results, and not giving relief to the agriculture sector in the upcoming budget.

Marri said that many PPP lawmakers belong to rural constituencies and they have to face difficulties when the farmers are not given any relief; when there is no relief on fertilisers, tractors, or electricity, saying all these concerns were raised in the party meeting.

&ldquo;We will raise our concerns when public-importance projects [for provinces] are not included in the federal PSDP,&rdquo; Marri said.

&ldquo;We are a political party, we have an ideology and a manifesto, and we wanted to give input in line with our manifesto but when a political party is deprived of doing that then what is left for it.&rdquo;

&ldquo;Does the government want that PPPP should start protesting; does the government want us to express our anger about the way we have been treated on the floor of the house,&rdquo; Marri didn&rsquo;t mince any words before adding, &ldquo;It&rsquo;s up to the government now to look into it as the responsibility lies on it to do so.&rdquo;

The PPP leader further regretted that the party was not expecting PM Shehbaz, with whom PPP worked as an ally in the previous 16-month stint, would also treat the allied partner the way it is currently being treated, saying that &ldquo;we thought that Shehbaz Sharif was aware of our concerns and he would not only realise it but approach us. But, we are not seeing that kind of situation right now.&rdquo;

She warned that if the prime minister and the federal government continue to marginalise PPP, the party would return to its roots, focusing on its people, ideology, and manifesto. She highlighted that the PPP&rsquo;s commitment to the public includes providing relief through solar energy projects, but no progress has been made in this area.

Additionally, she reiterated that PPP had made promises to the agriculture sector and farmers, yet no relief has been provided there either.

To a question, if PPP would part ways with the federal government, Marri said that this question should be asked of the government, saying PPP has only shared its legitimate concerns and reservations and the same were raised in the party meeting, headed by Bilawal.

&ldquo;We are giving a lot of space to the government and haven&rsquo;t behaved unreasonably,&rdquo; she said, adding that the party would meet again on Wednesday to contemplate the current situation. &ldquo;If you [PMLN] treat us this way then we also have to see our constituencies, and people and ensure implementation of our manifesto,&rdquo; she said.

Surprisingly, Marri while referring to the coalition partners &lsquo;agreement&rsquo; reached before they formed the federal government incorporated the PML-N had assured that PPP&rsquo;s input would be taken in the budget but regretted that &ldquo;no input from our party has been taken in this budget; not even our viewpoint has been taken in this regard.&rdquo;

In addition, Marri explicitly mentioned that the PPP had zero input in the federal PSDP.

Marri said that PPP tried to that the issues shouldn&rsquo;t come out in public but PPPP wasn&rsquo;t expecting the kind of treatment being meted out to it. Referring to the National Economic Council meeting where all four chief ministers fought their provinces&rsquo; cases, Marri said that the Sindh CM presented his case but PPP wants the ruling PML-N to address the concerns of all the provinces and not just of Sindh.

Once again, Marri said that the PPPP was not joining the federal cabinet yet but extending support to the government as the party believed that the same was necessary for bringing political and economic stability to the country.

Referring to the party meeting, she revealed that party leaders blasted the government&rsquo;s current approach, adding that several concerns have come from Punjab province as &ndash; where PML-N is ruling with the help of PPPP and others.

She said that the government should understand the situation as the PPP chairman wants redressal of his party members&rsquo; concerns and reservations, reminding once that the power and all the portfolios were with the government and &ldquo;its government&rsquo;s responsibility now to see if it wants to keep having the support that it has from one of the biggest political parties; I leave it up to it if it wishes to talk.&rdquo;

&nbsp;

Khursheed Shah

Moreover, Shah also lashed out at the PMLN leadership for not taking PPPP into confidence over budget, the PM&rsquo;s recent visit to China, and what has been decided with the IMF. &ldquo;We are allies and should have been taken into confidence,&rdquo; Shah lamented, saying the government should take along its allies. &ldquo;We are completely in the dark about budget,&rdquo; he said.

&nbsp;

PM-President meeting

Meanwhile, an official statement said that PM Shehbaz and President Zardari discussed the country&rsquo;s overall economic situation with a particular focus on extending relief to the people in the upcoming annual budget 2024-25. Federal Minister for Planning and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal also attended the meeting.

During the meeting, President Zardari emphasised that the interests of the low-income and middle class should be protected in the annual budget. The statement said that he also assured the prime minister of his support for the national development and achievement of fiscal targets.

They both deliberated on the development projects to be proposed in the next budget. PM Shehbaz also apprised the President of his recent five-day visit to China.

&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>PML-N, PPP drift apart over Budget 2024-25</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2471064/pml-n-ppp-drift-apart-over-budget-2024-25</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2471064/pml-n-ppp-drift-apart-over-budget-2024-25#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 11 Jun 24 17:06:49 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[news.desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2471064</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Bilawal's party voices its apprehensions about not being included in budget discussions]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has expressed serious concern over not being consulted on the upcoming fiscal year&#39;s budget, giving a deadline for consultation by tomorrow.

The PPP&#39;s parliamentary party, chaired by Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, held a meeting in Islamabad on Tuesday where it voiced its apprehensions about not being included in budget discussions.

The PPP has given the committee until tomorrow to liaise with the government on budget proposals and has scheduled another parliamentary committee meeting for 2:30pm tomorrow. Members complained that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) did not include them in budget preparations, urging that relief be provided to the public.

The PPP clarified that while they support the PML-N for the sake of democracy, they will not compromise on public interests, accusing the PML-N government of not fulfilling its promises.

Previously, PPP leader Khurshid Shah stated that the government had not informed them about the budget and they had no knowledge of it.

Speaking to the media outside Parliament House, Shah said, &quot;We have no knowledge of the budget, the government did not consult us. In the past, the opposition was taken into confidence. Now that we are allies, we should have been consulted.&quot;

He added that if the IMF has set conditions, the government should have informed them. &quot;We are stuck on the budget and have not even considered participating in the cabinet. The PPP is in the dark about the budget, and the government&#39;s failures will be blamed on us.&quot;

Also read:&nbsp;Economic Survey 2023-24: Aurangzeb highlights GDP contraction, urgent need for IMF programme

Shah stressed that the government should consult PPP leadership, maintaining that parliament should function smoothly. &quot;The PPP has been in power before and will return to power with the support of the people. We stand firmly with the government in the current situation,&quot; he said.

Meanwhile, after the parliamentary party meeting, PPP spokesperson Shazia Marri spoke to the media, stating that a meeting chaired by Bilawal was held to discuss the national budget scheduled for tomorrow. &quot;Assembly members informed the party leadership of their concerns,&quot; she said.

Marri noted that difficulties arose due to the federal government&#39;s attitude towards PPP. &quot;If farmers do not get relief, we face the consequences. It is surprising that the federal government has not fulfilled its agreements.&quot;

The PPP spokesperson stated that they were not consulted on the budget and tried to avoid reaching this point.

&quot;The chairman spoke with the government, but the results were not as expected. The NEC meeting should have been held earlier. The chief minister of Sindh fought his case in the NEC. What has been given to Balochistan and Punjab? We are a political party and will provide input based on our manifesto. Does this government want the PPP to protest? The government needs to act responsibly,&quot; she said.

Marri added that they expected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to understand their concerns. &quot;We see nothing in solar energy. Another meeting will be held at 2:30pm tomorrow,&quot; she concluded.]]>
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			<title>PML-N MNAs get relief from ECP </title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2470875/pml-n-mnas-get-relief-from-ecp</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2470875/pml-n-mnas-get-relief-from-ecp#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 10 Jun 24 22:47:59 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Rizwan Shehzad  ]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[The bench also noted that there is no option available to a tribunal to remove any legal defect]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) transferred on Monday the election petitions of three MNAs of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) after they expressed a lack of confidence on the incumbent election tribunal and sought a transfer of their cases to another one.

The four-member ECP bench, headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja, ruled in favour of PML-N&rsquo;s Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Anjum Aqeel and Raja Khurram Nawaz, stating in its judgments that the election tribunal headed by Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) exercised a jurisdiction not legally vested in him.

Three PTI-backed independent candidates, Shoaib Shaheen, Aamir Mughal and Ali Bukhari had challenged the election to three National Assembly seats of the capital &ndash; NA-46, NA-47 and NA-48 &ndash; alleging that the February 8 results were marred by rigging.

&ldquo;The tribunal has deviated from the prescribed procedure of law under the Act, 2017 and the Rules, 2017,&rdquo; the four-member ECP bench stated in one of the three judgments issued on Monday evening. &ldquo;Once, for genuine reasons a party lost its confidence in a trial court, in such eventuality and to fulfill the ends of justice, the relief sought by the applicant is of worth consideration,&rdquo; the bench stated.

In addition, an identical finding in the three orders by the ECP bench was that the PTI-backed candidates challenged the election results after the prescribed time, saying that the law provides that under Section 142 of the ECP Act of 2017, it is mandatory to file the election petition before the election tribunal within 45 days of the notification of the returned case.

&ldquo;The petition filed by the Respondent [PTI-backed candidates] is hopelessly time-barred,&rdquo; the ECP bench stated in the judgments.

In response to the object raised by the PTI-backed candidates over ECP&rsquo;s jurisdiction on grounds that the ECP has already been impleaded as a respondent in the election petitions, the ECP bench ruled that Section 151 of ECP Act, 2017, empowers the commission to transfer the election petitions from election tribunal to another at any stage on its own motion or on an application of a party. It added that it is &ldquo;the exclusive domain of the Commission&rdquo;.

Another common sentence found in the judgments stated that the ECP bench has utmost respect and regard for the presiding officer of the Tribunal under consideration but detected &ldquo;some apparent illegalities and irregularities, occasioned therein&rdquo;.

While emphasising that it was crucial to fulfil the ends of justice, and to remove all kinds of apprehension borne in the mind of the petitioner, the ECP bench noted that &ldquo;the office of the learned tribunal has extended the period for presentation of the petition beyond the prescribed period provided under Section I42 of the Act, 2017 while no court or tribunal could exercise a jurisdiction not legally vested in him.&rdquo;

The bench also noted that there is no option available to a tribunal to remove any legal defect occasioned therein the election petition, prescribed under Section 142 to 144 of the Elections Act, 20l7 and in case, if any provision of Section 142, 143 or 144 of the Elections Act, 20 l7 is not complied with.

&ldquo;Such election petition shall be summarily rejected in terms of Section 145(1) of the Act, 2017,&rdquo; it stated, &ldquo;however, in so far as the statutory time limitation prescribed under Section 142 of the Act, 2017 is concerned, the same defect could not be remedied, in a slipshod manner, subsequently, without application of mind to take away legal rights of other party accrued by implications of law without following due course of law.&rdquo;]]>
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			<title>Ex-Sindh governor Zubair parts ways with PML-N</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2470657/ex-sindh-governor-zubair-parts-ways-with-pml-n</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2470657/ex-sindh-governor-zubair-parts-ways-with-pml-n#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 10 Jun 24 04:39:28 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Senior politician says currently he has no intention of joining another political party]]>
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				<![CDATA[Former Sindh governor Muhammad Zubair, who was seen as a close confidante of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, parted ways with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Friday, ending a decades long association with the ruling party.

Announcing his resignation from the party, Zubair did not reveal his future plans, but stated that he did not intend to join the new Awam Party of former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi &ndash; another political heavyweight to quit the PML-N in recent months.

&ldquo;I had reservations regarding Muslim League [PML-N] for a long time and I had made it clear to the party leadership a long time ago,&rdquo; Zubair said in a statement. &ldquo;That is why I separate myself from the party,&rdquo; he added.

Explaining the reasons, he pointed to his differences with the party on various issues, including no-confidence motion against former prime minister Imran Khan in February 2022, and the performance of 16-month coalition government.

&ldquo;The attitude of the party has changed,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;For now, I have not yet decided to join any other party. I will decide about the political future after consulting friends and supporters, he said, adding that he did not intend to join the Awam Party.

Zubair previously served as the spokesperson for both PML-N President Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. His other positions included chairman of the Privatisation Commission and later the Board of Investment (BoI).

Zubair, brother of former planning minister Asad Umar, has been critical of the incumbent government, formed after the February 8 general elections. Recently, he expressed dissatisfaction with the party leadership.

Speculations have been rife in recent months that disgruntled PML-N leaders Miftah Ismael, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and former Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokar were forming a new political party.

Rumour also had it that Zubair would be another PML-N stalwart to join their ranks. Although the former governor did not say which political side he will choose next, he indicated that he would continue politics. &ldquo;Politicians cannot remain silent for long.&rdquo;]]>
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			<title>Kerfuffle in the House over the chair</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2470383/kerfuffle-in-the-house-over-the-chair</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2470383/kerfuffle-in-the-house-over-the-chair#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 08 Jun 24 03:46:51 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2470383</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[PTI calls out PPP senator for presiding over the session in presence of deputy chairman ]]>
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				<![CDATA[The upper house of parliament on Friday saw tensions flare as the treasury and opposition lawmakers locked horns over the presiding authority with the PTI calling out PPP Senator Palwasha Khan for chairing the session in the presence of Deputy Chairman Senate Syedal Khan Nasir.

Initially, Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani presided over the proceedings but left 40 minutes into the session, after which Senator Palwasha took the chair.&nbsp;

This drew immediate criticism from PTI Senator Fauzia Arshad, who lamented, &quot;Regrettably, Palwasha is presiding while the deputy chairman is present.&quot; Palwasha countered, saying it was the chairman&#39;s prerogative to make that decision and that the deputy chairman had arrived after she had already begun officiating the proceedings.

Repeatedly interrupted by Senator Arshad, Palwasha kept on urging the opposition lawmakers to decide among themselves who they wanted to speak next.&nbsp;

Leader of the opposition in the Senate Shibli Faraz said, &quot;Don&rsquo;t make a mockery of the House and don&rsquo;t damage its sanctity. This is no way that you seat the deputy chairman, who has a role in the chairman&rsquo;s absence, and make him a decoration piece.&quot;

A heated exchange followed between the opposition leader and Palwasha, with the latter insisting the deputy chairman arrived after her. Faraz maintained that Nasir was already seated in the Senate. Palwasha asked the opposition leader to mind his tone, to which the senator questioned her manner of speaking.

&quot;I am speaking to you the same way you&rsquo;re speaking to me,&quot; she retorted before turning to the treasury benches and giving the mic to Rana Mehmoodul Hassan.

As the shouting continued from the opposition benches, Palwasha chastised them, saying, &quot;Fine, continue to create a ruckus. I choose to ignore you.&quot; She then ordered PPP Senator Farooq Naek be given the mic, stating, &quot;I do not fall for this hooliganism, and this cannot go on.&quot;

Faraz interrupted Naek, calling it &quot;shameful&quot; that the PML-N had sent its own chairman out of the House. Palwasha shot back, &quot;It&rsquo;s alright, he doesn&rsquo;t have an issue with this.&quot;

Naek defended Palwasha&#39;s role, stating, &quot;The Senate chairman gives a list of presiding officers. Who presides in his absence is the prerogative of the chairman. He can tell any presiding officer to preside over the session. And the way you are presiding right now, this is within the Senate rules.&quot;&nbsp;

Palwasha echoed his sentiment, asserting, &quot;The purpose of this uproar is just disruption.&quot;

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Senator Attaur Rehman added that the session should start after the chairman and deputy chairman arrive, deeming it inappropriate for someone else to preside while the deputy chairman was present.&nbsp;

&quot;It would be better if you call the deputy chairman to come sit in this seat, that will be appropriate, otherwise, we will walk out against this behaviour,&quot; Rehman said. Palwasha responded that her role was by the rules.

The opposition benches began chanting &quot;chor, chor&quot; (thief, thief) while PML-N Senator Talal Chaudhry commented, &quot;I want to thank the opposition leader and PTI that they have so much love for the PML-N deputy chairman. They only have to protest and don&rsquo;t look at the rules or situation; they only play to the gallery.&quot;

The presiding officer subsequently adjourned the meeting till 5pm on Monday.

Meanwhile, the session also debated the contentious issue of women having to carry their ex-husband&rsquo;s name on passports. Senator Samina Mumtaz called it &quot;ridiculous&quot; and questioned the logic behind such a law, suggesting the identity card should bear the father&rsquo;s name instead.

&quot;Instead of improving our passport rankings, we&rsquo;re discriminating against women,&quot; she said. &quot;If you want women to carry the names of their ex-husbands, then make men carry the names of their ex-wives too.&quot;

Senator Riaz Pirzada noted that the high court had struck down the proposal and given women the option to add their father&rsquo;s name. He recommended referring the matter to the standing committee for consultation.

Senator Faraz agreed, highlighting the need to update family laws as the current situation posed problems for many women and families. Senator Rehman concurred but suggested seeking the opinion of the Islamic Ideology Council, a proposal that faced objections from women senators.

Chairman Gilani concluded by referring the matter to the standing committee, noting that issues concerning women and minorities fell under his jurisdiction.
&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>PTI rejects govt's strings-attached talks offer</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2469368/pti-rejects-govts-strings-attached-talks-offer</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2469368/pti-rejects-govts-strings-attached-talks-offer#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 02 Jun 24 04:55:21 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Rizwan Shehzad  ]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Says reconciliation with ‘mandate thieves, national criminals’ out of question]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) fired back on Saturday at the ruling alliance&#39;s offers for dialogue with strings attached, reiterating its founding chairman Imran Khan&rsquo;s post-February 8 general election stance against talks with the PML-N, PPP, or MQM-P.

In a statement, a PTI spokesperson lambasted Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Governor Faisal Karim Kundi for their &ldquo;absurd statements&rdquo; about talks.

The spokesperson declared that the &ldquo;fraudulently imposed people&rdquo; lacked the mandate and authority to slash fuel prices, let alone negotiate with PTI.

The response from PTI came just a day after the deputy PM asserted that there would be no talks with those attacking state institutions, labelling such actions as &ldquo;acts of rebellion.&rdquo;

Reportedly, the foreign minister stressed his belief in political negotiation and reconciliation but drew a firm line against actions targeting the state.

K-P Governor Kundi also expressed his readiness to talk with PTI if the party apologizes for past mistakes, urging PTI to play its role in parliament instead of making noise.

In a strongly-worded retort to Dar and Kundi&rsquo;s statements, the PTI spokesperson described the invitation to the country&#39;s largest political party for talks by the &ldquo;mandate stealing puppets&rdquo; who came to power with the help of &ldquo;fake Form 47&rdquo; as extremely ridiculous.

The spokesperson said that those who stole public mandates in the dark of the night and unlawfully imposed on the nation through forged form 47 hold no authority, nor do any of their words or actions have any value.

He stated that the Sharifs and Zardari&rsquo;s &ldquo;courtiers&rdquo; were making hues and cries under the pretext of a new propaganda campaign every day, saying it was a clear indication that the end of their &ldquo;illegitimate power&rdquo; was near.

He stated that &ldquo;national criminals who seized powers with the help of striking secret deals and corruption under the auspices of powerful circles&rdquo; have no authority to make decisions in the national interest.

&ldquo;There was no room for reconciliation with the thieves and national criminals who had been looting the country by coming into power through deals with the powerful,&rdquo; the spokesperson said. He pointed out that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif&rsquo;s authority was challenged last night when his statement reducing the prices of petroleum products was changed within minutes by the finance ministry.

Similarly, he recalled, there were several people like PML-N leader Javed Latif in the ranks of the ruling alliance testifying to the fact that they had been imposed on the people through poll rigging.

PTI reiterated that Imran Khan has made it clear that &ldquo;there will be no talks with the three parties with fake mandate PML-N, PPP and MQM-P.&rdquo;

After pushing the country into a dead-end politically and economically, he said, &ldquo;they were now begging for direct negotiations with the country&rsquo;s largest and only national-level party.&rdquo;

He concluded by saying that after seizing power through &ldquo;illegitimate means and massive loot and plunder,&rdquo; they should seek forgiveness from the nation for their crimes and &ldquo;return the public mandate rather than begging for talks.&rdquo;]]>
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			<title>PM promises ‘big relief’ in budget to MQM-P</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2469063/pm-promises-big-relief-in-budget-to-mqm-p</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2469063/pm-promises-big-relief-in-budget-to-mqm-p#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 30 May 24 19:11:47 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Rizwan Shehzad  ]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Says federation is ‘serious’ in resolving issues of Sindh]]>
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				<![CDATA[Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif promised on Thursday the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) &ldquo;big relief&rdquo; in the upcoming budget, saying the federation was serious in resolving issues of Sindh, especially of urban areas, and soon there will be reduction in gas and power load-shedding in the province.

In addition, the premier assured the party that the youth of urban Sindh would be given jobs on merit in the federal government and loans will also be provided to them for doing business under the Khushal Youth Programme.

The premier&rsquo;s assurance came after a delegation of the MQM-P led by Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui called on him and conveyed that the provincial and local governments in Sindh &ldquo;do not provide employment to urban Sindh youth even on quota&rdquo;.

Though PML-N, PPPP and MQM-P are coalition partners in the federal government, MQM-P and PPPP &ndash; ruling party in Sindh &ndash; are often found quarrelling over issues ranging from governance to law and order situation and from jobs to developmental projects.

The MQM-P delegation included Syed Mustafa Kamal, Dr Farooq Sattar, Syed Aminul Haque, Javed Hanif and Syed Hafeezuddin. Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazir Tarar and Adviser to PM on Political and Public Affairs, Rana Sanaullah, were also present in the meeting.

Read also:&nbsp;PPP, MQM-P bury the hatchet, join hands

&ldquo;Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan is an important coalition party of government,&rdquo; PM Shehbaz said in an official statement released after the meeting, adding &ldquo;will work together with the allied parties to solve the issues being faced by the country.&rdquo;

PM Shehbaz emphasized Karachi&#39;s critical role as the country&#39;s most important city and economic backbone, declaring that &ldquo;solving the problems of this city is the first priority of the government&rdquo;.

During the meeting, it was reported that consultation was held on the federal budget for the financial year 2024-2025. The MQM-P delegation presented suggestions regarding the federal budget, which the prime minister welcomed.

MQM-P officials told The Express Tribune that the party raised the issue of youth&rsquo;s unemployment in Karachi, Hyderabad and other cities of Sindh, saying the provincial and local governments do not provide employment to the youth of urban Sindh even on quota. The party, they said, urged PM Shehbaz that the federal government should provide a remedy in this regard.

Sources said that the MQM-P delegation informed the premier that the citizens of Sindh were seriously worried about inflation, power and gas load-shedding, and hefty bills, demanding that the federal government provide solutions.

Read:&nbsp;MQM-P asks centre to fund infrastructure needs of Karachi, Hyderabad

They revealed that PM Shehbaz while assuring reduction in power and gas load-shedding amid sizzling summer not only promised big relief in the upcoming budget but also assured that youth in urban Sindh areas would get jobs and loans.

The officials said that the PM also promised that the federal government would provide interest-free loans to the citizens of Sindh for solar panels in collaboration with the Akhut Foundation.

&ldquo;PM Shehbaz promised MQM delegation to give big relief to the citizens of Sindh in the upcoming budget,&rdquo; they added.

Furthermore, they said that the MQM-P delegation demanded the early completion of the K-4 project and new development projects in other cities of Sindh. The delegation also urged the prime minister to issue direction for a five-year &ldquo;socio-economic and cultural development plan&rdquo; for Karachi.

Meanwhile, PM told the MQM-P delegation about the UAE government&rsquo;s investment in the desalination plant in Karachi.]]>
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			<title>Nawaz reclaims PML-N presidency after 6 years</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2468701/nawaz-fires-broadside-at-imran-facilitators-after-re-election-as-pml-n-president</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2468701/nawaz-fires-broadside-at-imran-facilitators-after-re-election-as-pml-n-president#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 28 May 24 13:07:21 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[news.desk]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Emboldened ex-PM dredges up old grievances, takes aim at imprisoned Imran]]>
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				<![CDATA[PML-N supreme leader and founder Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday officially reclaimed the party presidency, sailing through &ldquo;unopposed&rdquo;, six years after a court ruling had removed him from office.

Emboldened after restoring a formal grip over the party&#39;s reins, the former prime minister, instead of laying out a roadmap for the future, kicked things off by dusting off old grievances and lamenting past injustices inflicted upon him.

Taking aim at his imprisoned rival while addressing the party&#39;s general council meeting after being elected to the top post, Nawaz kept PTI chief Imran Khan in the crosshairs &ndash; reflecting a palpable concern simmering within party ranks.

With meticulous attention to election protocols to ward off potential legal battles, the party conducted the presidential elections at a Lahore hotel

Rana Sanaullah, acting as the chief election commissioner for the presidential elections, formally announced Nawaz Sharif as the unopposed candidate for the party presidency.

Presenting Nawaz&rsquo;s endorsement as party president before the general council, the decision received unanimous approval from all participants, effectively restoring the former premier&rsquo;s leadership of the party.

Despite not holding the official title of party president until now, he had been effectively calling all the shots.Before the announcement of the election results, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar addressed the gathering, attributing the decision to hold these elections to Shehbaz Sharif&#39;s resignation on May 11.



https://www.facebook.com/pml.n.official/videos/leader-is-always-fearless-to-protect-his-public-and-quaid-nawaz-sharif-is-that-l/1014379146697065/



Also read: Nawaz elected unopposed as PML-N president

He declared that, according to party rules, a central working committee meeting had to be convened within seven days, which was held on May 18 and announced party elections for the post of president on May 28.

Rana Sanaullah announced that ten nomination papers were submitted in Nawaz Sharif&#39;s name, all of which were approved after scrutiny. He then asked the attendees to stand up if they wished to endorse Nawaz Sharif&#39;s appointment as party president, although it seemed unnecessary since no other candidate was contesting.

All party leaders, including Sanaullah, Ishaq Dar, and General Secretary Ahsan Iqbal, emphasized the importance of adhering to election requirements, codes, and formalities.



https://www.facebook.com/pml.n.official/videos/430174526528177



&nbsp;

Dredging up old grievances

Though Nawaz Sharif&#39;s return to the throne at this juncture might hand PML-N a tactical advantage, considering the outgoing president held the position of incumbent PM, reinstating him as party leader allows for decisions to be run by him formally and even left to his approval, thereby taking some weight off the PM&#39;s shoulders.

In his typical fashion of bashing Imran Khan, Sharif pondered over his removal and the potential outcomes if he had been allowed to function uninterrupted. He also extolled the services and sacrifices of former PM Shahid Khaqan Abbassi and Miftah Ismail, both of whom have bid adieu to the party.Moreover, he acknowledged the attempts made by some to drive a wedge between him and his brother Shehbaz Sharif.

Despite the odds, he applauded his younger brother for standing by him through thick and thin.

The prime minister also recalled how Shehbaz Sharif was asked to abandon him and become PM, commending Shehbaz for rebuffing all such offers. He praised Shehbaz&rsquo;s unfaltering commitment, noting that it even landed his sibling in hot water and ultimately behind bars.

He then took time to mention almost all those who had braved jail for their loyalty.

He asserted that PML-N has always managed to turn the tide for Pakistan during its time in power. He lamented that if there had been no disruptions in 1990, Pakistan would have been a force to be reckoned with on this continent. He said we&#39;ve been having our legs pulled since 1947.

Alluding to his ousters from the premiership, he remarked that we have been shooting ourselves in the foot.

He reminded the attendees of the low commodity prices during his tenure, stressing that there was no &lsquo;begging bowl&rsquo; in sight, and the government was not going hat in hand seeking foreign monetary assistance.

He highlighted several key achievements from his time in office, noting that they had built a network of motorways, restored peace, hit record highs in the stock exchange, and amassed foreign reserves that were through the roof.&quot;All this was taken away by four to five people,&quot; he remarked, adding that disqualifying him for not taking pay from his son was an absurd excuse.

Taking a shot at the imprisoned Imran Khan, he said, &quot;If we had been ousted for looting 460 billion in the Al-Qadir Trust case, we wouldn&#39;t have had any objections. But disqualifying me for not taking a salary from my son? It&#39;s not like I was asking for a salary from your son,&quot; he joked.

He recounted his efforts to reconcile with Imran after the 2013 elections and revealed details about a &#39;London Plan&#39; orchestrated by a serving military general, aimed at toppling his government.

He referenced a statement from an anchor, who claimed to have witnessed a meeting where the &#39;London Plan&#39; was discussed, as well as another meeting where it was revealed that Nawaz Sharif was pressured to resign but refused, asserting, &quot;I do not resign.&quot;

It&#39;s worth noting that the anchor in question has developed a reputation lately for being bitterly biased against Imran Khan.

Nawaz Sharif challenged Imran Khan, stating that if the latter could convincingly refute the notion that he was the &quot;third force&quot; being manipulated by the establishment to overthrow his government, he would retire from politics indefinitely.

He accused Imran Khan of launching his political career with the backing of the establishment. Sharif laid blame on Khan for the purported rigging of the 2018 elections.

Drawing a stark contrast, he highlighted their differing allegiances: &quot;While we stand for May 28, when Pakistan&#39;s defence was made invincible, he represents May 9,&quot; alluding to the day military installations were attacked.

Meanwhile, in his scathing critique of Imran Khan, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif accused him of tarnishing the reputations of families of armed forces members, those who make ultimate sacrifices for the peace and prosperity of Pakistan.

Shehbaz also aimed his criticism at the judiciary, alleging that there were a few &ldquo;black sheep&rdquo; within it who favour Imran Khan.

In a pointed address to those labelled as &quot;black sheep,&quot; he asserted that Imran Khan had allegedly embezzled 190 million pounds, acquired luxury items, and amassed property, actions attributed not to PML-N.

Despite these allegations, there seemed to be an endless discussion about granting bail to him in all cases.

He emphasised that although the majority of judges were patriotic and aimed for Pakistan&#39;s prosperity, there were a few exceptions among them.]]>
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			<title>PML-N, PPP invite PTI to ‘meaningful’ talks</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2468469/pml-n-ppp-invite-pti-to-meaningful-talks</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2468469/pml-n-ppp-invite-pti-to-meaningful-talks#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 27 May 24 04:10:55 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2468469</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Acting president Gilani, Planning Minister Iqbal urge opposition to shun street protests]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), two major components of the ruling coalition, have invited the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to abandon street protests and engage in political dialogue with the government.

Acting President Yousuf Raza Gilani and Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal both emphasized the government&#39;s openness to talks, but stressed that the PTI must decide with whom it wants to negotiate.

Speaking separately to the media, Gilani, in Lahore, reiterated the government&#39;s willingness to negotiate. However, he noted that the PTI seems intent on negotiating with someone else. &ldquo;The PTI wants to carve its path by confronting the establishment and the government in court,&rdquo; he remarked.

&ldquo;[Our] doors are open for meaningful talks but the PTI will have to decide with whom they wanted to negotiate,&rdquo; said Gilani. He emphasised that the country currently suffered instability, therefore, all political leaders must come on the same page.

The acting president recalled that during their time in opposition under the PTI-led government, they were willing to engage in political talks, despite the PTI&#39;s reluctance to do the same even while in power.

In response to a question, Gilani emphasized that the PPP remains committed to supporting the current government, noting that internal consultations are ongoing regarding their potential involvement in the cabinet. &ldquo;The PPP has never indicated that it is not part of the government; we are aligned with the government in all matters,&rdquo; he told reporters.

He further explained, &ldquo;Consultations within the party are underway regarding joining the ministries. Following these discussions, a decision will be made about participating in the cabinet at both the Centre and in Punjab.&rdquo; Gilani reiterated, &ldquo;The Pakistan Peoples Party is part of the government and supports it in all endeavors.&rdquo;

In response to another question regarding the defamation bill, Gilani said that there had been a detailed discussion with Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in this regard. Bilawal, he added, had gone to meet President Asif Zardari, and when he returned, he would give his action plan.

However, the acting president emphasised that concerns of journalists regarding the defamation bill, recently passed by the Punjab Assembly, should be removed. He refrained from responding to a query about judiciary-establishment differences. He also said that people should get relief in the budget.

Meanwhile, speaking to the media after distributing laptops among students at the University of Narowal, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said that the government&rsquo;s doors were open to all parties for purposeful and meaningful negotiations.

&ldquo;The PTI is in the government in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and they should serve the people there. I advise the PTI leadership to shun streets [protests] and enter the [parliamentary] houses to play a positive role as opposition,&rdquo; he added.

In the same breath, the minister criticised the PTI, saying that the party wanted to use the courts after being defeated in politics. &ldquo;The PTI wants to make its way by fighting the establishment and the government in the court,&rdquo; he charged.

He claimed that there was uncertainty in the country because of a court decision. &ldquo;Our doors are open to all parties for purposeful and meaningful negotiations but purposeful and meaningful negotiations can only happen when the parties negotiate with a positive agenda,&rdquo; he said.

The minister also said that the nation could never forgive the events of May 9. He expressed the hope that the next five years would save the economy from political confrontation. He stressed that there should not be the game of rallies anymore rather &ldquo;we should compete for public service&rdquo;.

The planning minister stressed that the country&rsquo;s economy was headed in the right direction as the stock market index had crossed the 76,000 mark. &ldquo;This shows strong confidence of foreign and domestic investors in the policies of the government,&rdquo; he said.

&ldquo;We have given around 1 million laptops to youth and a politician made fun of us. But today, Pakistan is the third largest free-lancing country in the world. We want to give the youth a digital platform that can be used to make this country one of the top 10 economies of the world on its 100th birthday.&rdquo;

Earlier, Iqbal told the ceremony that an incompetent government was imposed on the country through rigged elections in 2018. &ldquo;The country is suffering after it was handed over to an incompetent politician. Due to his hate-based policies, Pakistan suffered internal unrest and extremism,&rdquo; he said.

&ldquo;Instead of promoting a culture of abuses and hate, we are providing modern higher education, digital training and equal employment opportunities to the youth. The current government has changed the direction of the country and there is stability and improvement in every sector,&rdquo; he said.]]>
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			<title>Will three-time former PM ever get justice?</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2467387/will-three-time-former-pm-ever-get-justice</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2467387/will-three-time-former-pm-ever-get-justice#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 20 May 24 04:46:21 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Rizwan Shehzad  ]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Experts say Nawaz always supported ouster of other premiers]]>
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				<![CDATA[It was a slightly cold afternoon on February 12, 2023, when a legion of journalists sat with Maryam Nawaz, now the chief minister of Punjab, at the residence of the then information minister Marriyum Aurangzeb located in Islamabad&rsquo;s ministers enclave.

Back then, Maryam had regretted that the PML-N and government had not fought the case of her father &ndash; party supremo Nawaz Sharif -- the way they should have.

She had maintained that neither any narrative was built, nor a law drafted for this purpose -- something she described as a &ldquo;weakness&rdquo;.

However, she had deflected a question if the judges or generals could be prosecuted or court-martialed.

Fast forward a year and a few months from then, Nawaz&rsquo;s brother is the prime minister of the country and his daughter the Punjab chief minister.

His party is in power both in the Centre and Punjab.

The PML-N supremo himself ruled the country thrice.

He, along with his party, takes pride in the fact that he appointed many people to key positions.

Yet, he keeps on complaining that he was wronged many times in the past and has not been delivered justice yet.

Sometimes, he accuses the judges and on other occasions, the generals. At times, he assails them both. However, the question, which has not been answered yet, is that what kind of justice is he is looking for and who can actually deliver that -- above all, what steps will his party take now to ensure that.

During his self-imposed exile, he kept pointing finger at the judges and the generals, demanding accountability. And then as usual, he went into hibernation mode.

Soon after returning to Pakistan, he acquired relief from courts and was on his way to become the premier for the fourth time before the tables suddenly turned and his brother became the prime minister for the second time.

Nawaz&rsquo;s track record shows that neither is he a common man, nor the general rules always apply to him&nbsp; -- in fact he has earned the reputation of a &lsquo;prison breaker&rsquo; or as BBC puts it: &ldquo;king of comebacks&rdquo;.

Yet, the pangs of pain for being ousted by judges and generals thrice not only keep him unhappy but make him question the whole system.

Since no major step has so far been taken to address his woes, a disheartened and beleaguered Nawaz poured his heart out once again before the PML-N members on May 18, just 10 days before he is set to take the reins of his party once again -- on the day when he made the decision to make the country an atomic power.

Overall, NUML University&rsquo;s Professor Tahir Naeem Malik said Nawaz pointed towards a structure where premiers were kept sent packing even after a charter of democracy was signed and the president surrendered his powers to dissolve assemblies under Article 58 2(b).

Under the new model, PPP&rsquo;s Yousuf Raza Gilani, Nawaz himself and PTI founding chairman Imran Khan were ousted, Prof Malik added.

&ldquo;Article 582(b) was scrapped from the Constitution yet the sword of disqualification still hangs on the politicians, especially the prime ministers,&rdquo; Prof Malik noted, adding that Nawaz had not given any solution for that.

However, Prof Malik recalled that Nawaz had always supported the ouster of other premiers as well as disqualification through courts whether it was Gilani or Imran, saying that it was evident in his past speeches and statements.

&ldquo;He [Nawaz] talks about civilian supremacy and urges to end contradictions in the political system but has never provided any way forward for achieving those objectives.&rdquo;

Besides, the Prof Malik observed that Nawaz kept on complaining about why he was ousted [Mujhay Kyun Nikala] and why he was wronged instead of presenting it the other way around that sending a premier home with a single stroke of pen affected the constitutional and democratic rights of the people who had elected them.

&ldquo;He highlights only his own case without regretting his previous stance on other&rsquo;s ousters and presenting a way forward.&rdquo;

Political expert Majid Nizami said Nawaz wanted that the State should readdress the alleged wrongs it had committed.

&ldquo;His addressee is the establishment but he usually calls out the judiciary to express his grievances,&rdquo; he added.

&ldquo;In the current political scenario, Nawaz or his party can&rsquo;t even think about making any powerful person stand trial,&rdquo; the expert said, noting that the space for politicians had already shrunk for the past several years.

&ldquo;He [Nawaz] will keep on expressing his anger and agony in news conferences and rallies but to book the culprits in the cases, make them stand trial and sentence them doesn&rsquo;t seem to be possible in the current circumstances.&rdquo;

Nizami observed that Nawaz had complaints against the current and previous security establishments.

He added that the previous one had allegedly helped the judiciary to oust him but the current one did not address the issue.

&ldquo;Therefore, Mian Nawaz Sharif is in the assembly without the portfolio of the prime minister.&rdquo;

He added that the previous security establishment might have done something wrong with him but the current one had not helped him secure the PM&rsquo;s slot.

Despite the PML-N supremo&rsquo;s complaints and demands for accountability, it seems that the silence from his party and the habit of deflecting the questions of how it can actually make the powerful stand trial, like it did in Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf&rsquo;s case, will not lead to anything that he desires -- showing that the &ldquo;weakness&rdquo; that Maryam had detected has not been addressed yet.]]>
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			<title>Shehbaz appointed interim PML-N president, Nawaz set for re-election on May 28</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2467198/shehbaz-appointed-interim-pml-n-president-nawaz-set-for-re-election-on-may-28</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2467198/shehbaz-appointed-interim-pml-n-president-nawaz-set-for-re-election-on-may-28#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 18 May 24 13:30:13 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[news.desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[PM says his elder brother was unjustly removed from the party's presidency through a conspiracy]]>
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				<![CDATA[Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who has been appointed interim president of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), stated that his elder brother and former three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif was unjustly removed from the party&#39;s presidency through a conspiracy.

On May 13, Prime Minister Shehbaz had stepped down as the president of the PML-N, paving the way for party supremo and three times former premier Nawaz Sharif to be elected as the party head.

Shehbaz was formally elected PML-N president in March 2018, months after the disqualification of his elder brother Nawaz Sharif by the Supreme Court. After the disqualification from holding any public office, Nawaz was also disqualified from holding any office in the political party.

A meeting of the PML-N Central Working Committee was held at the Party Secretariat in Lahore&#39;s Model Town on Saturday. Attendees included Prime Minister Shehbaz, party leader Nawaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, and leaders Rana Sanaullah, Ahsan Iqbal, Ishaq Dar, among others.



https://www.facebook.com/pml.n.official/videos/786060716950565




During the meeting, PM Shehbaz was nominated as the acting president of the ruling party, a role he will hold until May 28.

PML-N leader Saiful Mulook Khokhar announced that Nawaz Sharif will be re-elected as party president at the general council meeting on May 28. Rana Sanaullah Khan has been nominated as the chief election commissioner for the party president election.

Also read:&nbsp;Nawaz laments ouster of 1993 govt, Pakistan&#39;s missed opportunities

Khawaja Saad Rafiq expressed that Shehbaz Sharif&#39;s resignation as party president was accepted with a heavy heart and his contributions were acknowledged during the meeting.

Musadiq Malik stated that Allah has vindicated Nawaz Sharif, who is set to return to the party&#39;s presidency. He confirmed that PM Shehbaz has been appointed interim president, with re-election to be conducted by the general council, reinstating Nawaz Sharif as president.

Party sources revealed that the election commission members for the party president election will also be nominated during the meeting. The decisions made will be endorsed by the central executive committee, with final approval to be granted at the general council meeting on May 28.

Prime Minister Shehbaz, addressing the meeting, expressed his honour in returning the PML-N presidency to Nawaz Sharif, stating that Nawaz was wrongfully removed through a conspiracy.

&quot;Today is a day of satisfaction for me. I was given the party chairmanship temporarily under compulsion. I cannot forget the scene of handcuffing Nawaz Sharif in 1999. Nawaz Sharif was subjected to atrocities. He introduced significant services in politics,&quot; said the prime minister.]]>
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			<title>Nawaz begins move to reclaim PML-N leadership</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2467136/nawaz-begins-move-to-reclaim-pml-n-leadership</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2467136/nawaz-begins-move-to-reclaim-pml-n-leadership#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 18 May 24 05:06:35 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2467136</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Party’s CWC likely to appoint former PM as its acting president]]>
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				<![CDATA[Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has taken the first step to reclaim the leadership of the ruling party&mdash;the PML-N&mdash;from his younger brother, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

In the initial phase, he will be elected as the party&rsquo;s acting president at the PML-N&rsquo;s Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting convened today (Saturday) under Article 15 of its constitution at the party&rsquo;s Model Town Secretariat.

In the meeting, senior party members will present a resolution nominating Nawaz Sharif as the acting president of the party. The CWC members are expected to approve this nomination.

According to the agenda of the meeting unveiled on Friday, the CWC will also announce the convening of the party&rsquo;s General Council for the election of its president, a post currently held by Shehbaz. The CWC will also appoint an election commissioner for the election of the new president.

Both Shehbaz and Nawaz will address the meeting participants. The party&rsquo;s key decision-making body will also present resolutions against Israeli atrocities in Gaza and Kashmir&rsquo;s illegal occupation by India.

Nawaz, who served as the country&rsquo;s prime minister thrice, was ousted from power in July 2017 after the Supreme Court disqualified him for life in the Panama Papers case.

The SC had later ruled that a disqualified person could not lead a political party, a decision that forced him to also relinquish the position of party president.

However, after changes in the country&rsquo;s election law which set the duration of disqualification at five years, Nawaz became eligible both to contest polls and head a political party.

The PML-N&rsquo;s CWC is one of its highest decision-making bodies. It plays a crucial role in strategic planning, policy formulation, and major decision-making processes.

The PML-N&rsquo;s General Council serves as a larger representative body within the party. It includes members from various regions and sectors, ensuring broad representation.

The General Council is responsible for electing the party president and other key office bearers. It provides a platform for discussing the party&rsquo;s direction, policies, and electoral strategies.

Nawaz Sharif&#39;s expected re-election as the party president is anticipated to bring about a shift in the party&#39;s dynamics and strategies.]]>
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			<title>7 years on, Nawaz’s wounds still to heal</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2467194/7-years-on-nawazs-wounds-still-to-heal</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2467194/7-years-on-nawazs-wounds-still-to-heal#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 18 May 24 12:53:20 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[RAMEEZ KHAN.]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Party issues intra-party polls schedule as Shehbaz ‘to act’ as PML-N chief until 28th]]>
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				<![CDATA[The PML-N&rsquo;s Central Working Committee (CWC) on Saturday accepted &ldquo;with a heavy heart&rdquo; the resignation of the party&rsquo;s incumbent president, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, while asking him to serve as acting president until May 28. On this date, the PML-N will hold party elections, likely to reelect his elder brother Nawaz Sharif as the party chief.

The CWC also elected Rana Sanaullah as the chief election commissioner for the intra-party polls. Sanaullah later issued the schedule for the May 28 election in consultation with other members of the election commission&mdash;Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, Ishrat Ashraf, Jamal Shah Kakar, and Kheeal Das Kohistani.

According to the schedule, candidates will be able to obtain nomination papers for the position of party president from the central office of the PML-N in Lahore during office hours on May 27.

&ldquo;Nomination papers can be submitted on May 28 from 10 am to 12 pm. The scrutiny of the papers will take place between 1 pm and 2 pm, and the General Council will elect the new PML-N president at 4 pm,&rdquo; said a press release issued after the meeting.

Interestingly, May 28 is the date when Pakistan tested its nuclear weapons in 1998 during the second government of the PML-N. This date was celebrated as Youm-e-Takbeer until the ouster of Nawaz Sharif in a military coup led by General Pervez Musharraf.

While theoretically all party members can contest the polls for the party president, it is a foregone conclusion that Nawaz Sharif, who holds the ceremonial position of PML-N Quaid since his ouster from power and subsequent removal from the party presidency in 2017, will take back the reins of the ruling party in the election after a lapse of 7 years.

During his address at the CWC meeting, Nawaz once again demanded accountability for all characters involved in ousting his past governments, including former Supreme Court judges Ijazul Ahsan and Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi.

Nawaz demanded that Justice Naqvi should face National Accountability Bureau (NAB) references like other politicians for amassing wealth beyond his means.

Unlike his party, which spares no opportunity to disparage the PTI and its founder Imran Khan, Nawaz Sharif took a more calculative approach, questioning how Imran Khan allegedly went back on his commitment soon after holding a meeting with him.

&ldquo;After the 2013 polls, I went to Bani Gala and held a meeting with Imran Khan and his party members. We told him that his accusation of &lsquo;35 punctures&rsquo; was baseless,&rdquo; he said, adding that the meeting ended on a positive note with Imran Khan demanding a freshly paved road to Bani Gala.

According to Nawaz, Imran, Chaudhary Parvez Elahi, Tahir Ul Qadri, and ISI former chief Gen Zaheer Ul Islam later flew to London one after the other &ldquo;to spin a web of conspiracy&rdquo; against his government.
Referring to this so-called London Plan, he said the PTI and the PAT later staged a marathon sit-in in Islamabad, a protest due to which the Chinese president could not come to Pakistan to inaugurate CPEC earlier.

Nawaz said if it was not for him, the PTI would not have been able to form its government in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) after the 2013 polls.

He said he had to convince JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who had wanted a coalition government in the K-P, to allow the PTI to form a government in the province as it was the single largest party there.

Read Nawaz&rsquo;s job to &lsquo;rein in&rsquo; leaders bent on dividing PML-N

He said the PML-N even had the chance to dislodge the PPP government in Kashmir but allowed the party to continue their rule.

Nawaz said he was leaving a lot of things for the May 28 meeting.

Referring to his own ouster and subsequent removal from the party, he asked how could &ldquo;three people&rdquo; disqualify a prime minister and then even remove him from his party presidency.

He also alluded to former Islamabad High Court (IHC) judge Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui&rsquo;s speech at Rawalpindi Districts Bar in July 2018.

&ldquo;This speech needs to be probed as Justice Siddiqui had revealed that a general came to him to tell him to keep me and my daughter [Maryam Nawaz] behind bars.&rdquo;

Nawaz said he was not asking for accountability to punish those who wronged him or his party but to hold accountable the people who impeded the country&rsquo;s growth by overthrowing elected governments.

&ldquo;If politicians can face accountability, then why not other people including judges?&rdquo;

He said he was happy to see all the PML-N senior leaders under one roof after a long time. He praised those who stood by him during hardships, saying that such people are worth weighing in gold.

He recalled how his 1993 government was overthrown.

&ldquo;We don&#39;t even know why I was removed then. If the same trajectory as we were following then had continued unabated, we would have been an Asian power if not more.&rdquo; He said in 1999 he was punished again for making Pakistan&#39;s defense invincible by conducting nuclear tests.

Nawaz also talked about his contributions in making motorways, improving the economy, and foreign ties. &ldquo;The consequence of making Pakistan invincible was that I was declared a hijacker and sent into exile,&rdquo; he said in reference to the October 1999 coup.

Shehbaz Sharif, during his address, said he was thankful to his party workers and leader, who helped him in shouldering the responsibility he was entrusted with honorably. &ldquo;This charge was only given to me owing to the injustices meted out to my brother [Nawaz Sharif],&rdquo; he added.]]>
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			<title>‘Pakistan to be among world’s top 10 economies by 2047’</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2466924/pakistan-to-be-among-worlds-top-10-economies-by-2047</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2466924/pakistan-to-be-among-worlds-top-10-economies-by-2047#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 16 May 24 17:58:37 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[APP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Planning minister Ahsan Iqbal says ‘negative voices’ needed to be silenced to achieve this feat]]>
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				<![CDATA[Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Ahsan Iqbal on Thursday said that by 2047, Pakistan would be included amongst the top 10 economies in the world.

&ldquo;By working hard, we can bring Pakistan to the top 10 economies of the world by 2047 and for this, we have to silence negative voices,&rdquo; he said.

Iqbal expressed these remarks at the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Conference held in the Ministry of Planning regarding the national development agenda.

The minister said that development is possible only through the implementation of SDGs. &ldquo;It is also to be taken into consideration that Pakistan&rsquo;s budget would be compatible with the SDGs&rdquo;, he said.

Read more:&nbsp;Pakistan will be 16th largest economy by 2050: PwC report

Ahsan said that natural resources were misused in industrial revolution, adding that Pakistan is among top ten countries affected by climate change.

The minister said that parliamentarians have a very important role regarding sustainable development goals and the work of distribution of resources is done by the Parliament.

He said that the private sector has an important role to play in achieving the SDGs and the media should help spread awareness of SDGs to the public.

The Sustainable Development Goals, when formulated, were intended to develop and it is our responsibility to establish safe and sustainable development for future generations, he said.

The minister said that sustainable development goals are included in Pakistan&rsquo;s 2025 agenda.

Today, all the stakeholders, civil society and the private sector can also play a role in achieving sustainable development goals, he stressed.]]>
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			<title>PML-N MPA’s victory overturned</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2466827/pml-n-mpas-victory-overturned</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2466827/pml-n-mpas-victory-overturned#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 16 May 24 05:23:21 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[APP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2466827</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[PML-N MPA’s victory overturned]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday set aside the notification of the election of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz&rsquo;s (PML-N) Rana Arshad on a Punjab Assembly constituency of PP-133, Nankana Sahib, accepting the petition of the rival independent candidate Muhammad Atif.

LHC Justice Shahid Karim announced the reserved verdict. The petitioner had submitted that he won from PP-133 in February 8 elections by a margin of 3,500 votes, but the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) illegally ordered a vote recount and declared Arshad as winner by 2,500 votes.

The petitioner argued that the ECP could not order vote recount after the formation of the election tribunal. Earlier on April 16, the court had suspended the victory notification of Rana Arshad, after hearing initial arguments of the petitioner&rsquo;s counsel.]]>
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			<title>Opposition urges action over gymkhana lease</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2466789/opposition-urges-action-over-gymkhana-lease</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2466789/opposition-urges-action-over-gymkhana-lease#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 15 May 24 19:47:08 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Rana Yasif]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2466789</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Lawmakers decry disparity in fees for elite and common citizens]]>
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			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Punjab Assembly found itself in a state of shock as revelations surfaced regarding the lease of a gymkhana for a mere Rs417.

Opposition voices demanded immediate action, decrying the apparent favouritism towards the elite class.

The issue was brought to light during a session of the House through an adjournment motion by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz&rsquo;s (PML-N) leader, Amjad Ali Javed. Speaker Punjab Assembly, Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, expressed astonishment at the unfolding situation, prompting calls from opposition lawmakers for decisive action.

Opposition members condemned the stark contrast between exorbitant fees charged to the common citizenry and the nominal amount granted to the elite for gymkhana leases.

PML-N representatives highlighted the disparity, pointing out the Lahore gymkhana&#39;s hefty membership fees juxtaposed with the nominal lease fee of Rs417.

In response, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Mian Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman, admitted to being unaware of the lease details, indicating that it fell under a department of the Punjab government.

Speaker Khan directed the minister to furnish a comprehensive report by the next session.

In addition to the gymkhana lease issue, the Opposition criticized the government&#39;s introduction of a Defamation Bill in the presence of existing legislation.

Speaker Khan urged the Opposition to submit their proposed amendments in due course. The House adjourned with plans to reconvene on May 16 at 2 pm.

Defamation Bill Concerns

Assembly Speaker Punjab Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan engaged in discussions with representatives from prominent journalist organisations, including CPNE, PBA, APNS, AMEND, and PFUJ.

The meeting centred on concerns raised regarding the Defamation Bill 2024.

Journalists conveyed their apprehensions regarding the bill, emphasising the need for mutual consultation among stakeholders.

Speaker Khan assured the delegation that the bill differed from previous legislation, underscoring the government&#39;s commitment to safeguarding journalists&#39; rights.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 16th, 2024.]]>
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			<title>Opp’s uproar mars budget debate</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2466634/opps-uproar-mars-budget-debate</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2466634/opps-uproar-mars-budget-debate#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 14 May 24 20:22:48 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Balochistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2466634</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[PML-N MPA tears up copies of budget]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[During the budget debate in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, the opposition members raised a commotion in the house and termed the budget unconstitutional. 

PML-N MPA Sobia Shahid tore up the copies of the budget while PPP MPA Ahmed Kundi advised the KP chief minister to negotiate with the federation about the rights of the province instead of making dialogues like actors. 

The discussion on the budget in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly was started by PMLN MPA Sobia Shahid. She said if the caretaker government was illegal then why the provincial government is passing the budget of the outgoing caretaker government. &ldquo;We are with the government, instead of passing the budget, the government should send the matter to NAB and the Public Accounts Committee for inquiry into their funds,&rdquo; added Sobia. She tore up the copies of the budget and flicked them in the air in protest.

Ahmad Kundi of PPP said that the caretaker government did not have the power of more than three budgets, then how can the current government present it in the house. The government has the majority, but it does not have a mandate to disrespect the house. 

The budget of the caretaker government under Article 126 is unconstitutional and an action should be taken against those who resorted to the unconstitutional and illegal action. 

He blamed the bureaucracy to put the caretaker government on the wrong path and added that it is also showing the wrong way to the current government. He urged the government to show dare and take action against the perpetrators of the unconstitutional and illegal measures. 

He gave credit to President Asif Ali Zardari for giving the province its right in the National Finance Commission Award during his previous tenure, adding the province is presenting a surplus budget for that reason. 

He said the province did not get its due rights for the last nine years, adding the province has the right to increase its revenue.

The PPP MPA said, &ldquo;We are happy to see that the KP chief minister is talking about the rights of the province and we are with him for the purpose,&rdquo; adding that he could not take the province&rsquo;s rights through fiery speeches rather he needed to make strong arguments and hold negotiations. 

Ahmed Kundi said the local bodies&rsquo; representatives have been demanding their rights for last two years but they are being denied their rights and kept deprived of development funds.

Published in The Express Tribune May 15th, 2024.

&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>Shehbaz steps down as PML-N president</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2466383/shehbaz-steps-down-as-pml-n-president</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2466383/shehbaz-steps-down-as-pml-n-president#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 13 May 24 11:37:29 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2466383</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[PM says it’s time for Nawaz to resume leadership and guide party as per his vision]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stepped down as the president of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Monday, paving the way for party supremo and three times former premier Nawaz Sharif to be elected as the party head.

Senior PML-leader Marriyum Aurangzeb confirmed the news in a post on X that had also attached the letter of prime minister&rsquo;s resignation addressed to PML-N Secretary General and Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal. A meeting of the party&#39;s Central Committee had been called on May 18.

&ldquo;Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has resigned from the presidency of Pakistan Muslim League (N),&rdquo; Aurangzeb said in her tweet, adding that Shehbaz said that he was returning the party leadership to his leader to guide the country and the party with his vision.

Shehbaz was formally elected PML-N president in March 2018, months after the disqualification of his elder brother Nawaz Sharif by the Supreme Court. After the disqualification from holding any public office, Nawaz was also disqualified from holding any office in the political party.

In his letter of resignation, Shehbaz recalled the &ldquo;tumultuous events&rdquo; of 2017 when Nawaz was disqualified. He stressed that now he was quitting the party post at &ldquo;a pivotal moment&rdquo; in the party&rsquo;s history to reaffirm his unwavering commitment to the party&rsquo;s principles and values.

Read Only Nawaz can remedy political instability: Fawad

&ldquo;In the face of adversity, Quaid Mohammad Nawaz Sharif entrusted me with the responsibility of assuming the presidency of the party, a duty I have upheld with utmost dedication and sincerity.

However, I am cognizant that this role has always been viewed as a trust, or &quot;amanaat,&quot; bestowed upon me by our revered leader,&rdquo; he said.

&ldquo;I am heartened by recent developments that have exonerated our leader with dignity, affirming his unblemished integrity and commitment to the service of our nation. &ldquo;[Also after] the General Elections of 2024, the Quaid and the Party have entrusted me with the responsibility of the Prime Minister&#39;s Office,&rdquo; he added.

&ldquo;In light of these developments and the steadfast guidance of our beloved leader, I believe the time has come for Mohammad Nawaz Sharif to resume his rightful place as the President of Pakistan Muslim League (N) and provide his invaluable leadership and vision to steer the party forward.&rdquo;

Therefore, he continued, &ldquo;it is with a deep sense of duty and reverence for our party&#39;s principles that I tender my resignation as the President of Pakistan Muslim League (N). I remain steadfast in my commitment to serve the party diligently and with unwavering loyalty under the leadership of Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.&rdquo;

Shehbaz thanked the party leadership for &ldquo;understanding and support&rdquo;. He also acknowledged that the party and the leadership faced the trials and tribulations with great bravery and steadfastness.]]>
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			<title>High treason comment sparks ruckus in NA</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2466420/high-treason-comment-sparks-ruckus-in-na</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2466420/high-treason-comment-sparks-ruckus-in-na#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 13 May 24 16:22:57 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Waqas Ahmed]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2466420</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Opposition leader calls for unveiling of judicial commissions’ reports on national tragedies]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[The government and opposition traded barbs in the lower house on Monday, with the latter calling for the unveiling of judicial commissions&rsquo; reports on various national tragedies, and the former seeking high treason proceedings against deceased dictators, including Field Marshal Ayub Khan.

Kicking off the debate on President Asif Ali Zardari&rsquo;s address to the parliament, Leader of Opposition Omar Ayub&mdash;also the grandson of Ayub Khan&mdash;dismissed a recent press conference by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) chief ahead of the first anniversary of the May 9, 2023 incidents of vandalism.

Omar, a member of the PTI, stated that the press conference, in which the military&rsquo;s spokesperson demanded an apology from PTI founder Imran Khan for the May 9 mayhem, was political in nature.

The leader of the opposition remarked that officers of the armed forces take an oath not to indulge in politics. He emphasized that the country would progress only when all institutions stayed within their limits. &ldquo;Article 6 of the Constitution applies to all who subvert or suspend the Constitution,&rdquo; he added.

The first section of Article 6 states that any person who abrogates, subverts, or suspends the Constitution by force or show of force shall be guilty of high treason.

The second section deals with the punishment for those found guilty of high treason, stating that they shall be punishable by death or life imprisonment.

Omar Ayub demanded the formation of a judicial commission to probe the May 9, 2023 incidents and the April 10, 1988 Ojhri Camp fiasco. He also demanded the publication of the inquiry report on the December 16, 2014 Army Public School attack.

&ldquo;Additionally, reports of other commissions such as the Hamoodur Rahman Commission and the Abbottabad Commission should also be made public,&rdquo; he added.

The Hamoodur Rahman Commission was formed to investigate the causes of the Fall of Dhaka, while the Abbottabad Commission was formed to probe the May 2, 2011 killing of Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in a CIA-led operation inside Pakistan.

Omar Ayub claimed that the May 9, 2023 incidents were part of a plan to discredit PTI founder Imran Khan and to launch a crackdown on the &ldquo;most famous political party of the country.&rdquo;

On May 9, 2023 violent protests erupted across the country after paramilitary Rangers arrested Imran Khan from the premises of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on the order of the country&rsquo;s top graft buster.

During these protests, alleged PTI workers and supporters vandalized and set fire to state and army properties and memorials.

Omar Ayub criticized the military establishment, using the metaphor of &quot;khalai makhlooq&quot;&mdash;aliens&mdash;to depict their alleged interference in politics. &ldquo;Other countries are sending probes to other planets in search of aliens but in Pakistan the khalai makhloq roam streets on dalas (four-door trucks),&rdquo; he said.

In response, Minister for Defence Khawaja Asif supported the suggestion to hold trials for those involved in subverting the Constitution under Article 6, starting with Field Marshal Ayub Khan.

&ldquo;Ayub Khan was the first to violate his oath. He toppled a democratic government. He is the root cause of all chaos that we are facing today. Therefore, Article 6 should be invoked; his dead body should be exhumed from the grave and be hanged,&rdquo; the minister asserted.



https://www.facebook.com/NationalAssemblyOfPakistan/posts/840625541441261



&quot;

Khawaja Asif also criticized former prime minister Imran Khan, branding him the biggest thief in the country&rsquo;s history and accusing him of using official resources for personal gain.

Read more: Asif holds talks with SCO counterparts

He pointed out that Imran Khan now criticizes the army despite previously &ldquo;serving military generals for ten years&rdquo;. Asif further highlighted Imran Khan&#39;s absence during assembly sessions while military officials briefed the assembly during PTI&#39;s rule.

During Asif&rsquo;s speech, PTI members protested loudly as lawmakers from both sides exchanged heated words. Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq called for opposition lawmakers to maintain silence during Khawaja Asif&rsquo;s speech, similar to the behavior of treasury benches during Omar Ayub&#39;s address.

The speaker later expunged Omar Ayub&#39;s comments on state institutions and adjourned the sitting until 11 am the following day (Tuesday) after Khawaja Asif&rsquo;s speech concluded.



https://www.facebook.com/NationalAssemblyOfPakistan/posts/840712354765913



&nbsp;



https://www.facebook.com/NationalAssemblyOfPakistan/videos/432452062876964/



&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>Miftah confirms to form new political party</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2466279/miftah-confirms-to-form-new-political-party</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2466279/miftah-confirms-to-form-new-political-party#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 12 May 24 19:07:14 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[news.desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2466279</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[New political party has yet to be named]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Former finance minister Miftah Ismail confirmed on Sunday to form a new political party.

In an op-ed published in an English-language daily, he announced forming the new party, which has yet to be named.

Speculations were doing the round that disgruntled PML-N leaders Miftah Ismael, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and former PPP Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokar were forming a new political party.

In his op-ed, Miftah said that the new party would be of &ldquo;a different kind&rdquo; and its leadership would comprise of &ldquo;women and young people&rdquo; and would also constitutionally mandate term limits for party leaders.

He added that the party would avoid targeting one province or ethnic group and would not rely on the dynastic or family politics that dominated its contemporaries.

Read more:&nbsp;Miftah dismisses reports of joining PPP

Miftah wrote that the impetus for forming his new party was the need to &ldquo;radically restructure our governance&rdquo;. &ldquo;We are fast reaching the point of no return &mdash; and it is imperative we take a hard look at our ineffective governance that has failed our people,&rdquo; he mentioned.

He deemed Pakistan&rsquo;s current political leaders &ldquo;out-of-touch and short-sighted&rdquo; with regard to Pakistan&rsquo;s future. &ldquo;I am sorry to say they lack both the courage and the competence to change the course of this country,&rdquo; Miftah said.

The former finance minister stated that Pakistan needed to be run by individuals with a track record of integrity, competence and results, emphasising that younger people would make up the core of the party&rsquo;s leadership and public appeal.

&ldquo;We want to present to our people a new vision of Pakistan, a nation focused on its people &mdash; especially the young,&rdquo; he wrote.]]>
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			<title>Only Nawaz can remedy political instability: Fawad</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2466179/only-nawaz-can-remedy-political-instability-fawad</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2466179/only-nawaz-can-remedy-political-instability-fawad#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 11 May 24 18:48:05 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[our.correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2466179</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Ex-minister says govt should create atmosphere of trustEx-minister says govt should create atmosphere of trust]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry on Saturday maintained that only PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif holds the key to easing the prevailing political tensions in the country.

Speaking to the media after a court appearance, the former minister said that the path to reconciliation could be paved only if the reins of PML-N leadership returned to Nawaz.

&ldquo;The PML-N&rsquo;s true politics lies with Nawaz Sharif. [Prime Minister] Shehbaz Sharif has nothing.&rdquo;

Fawad described PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah&rsquo;s suggestion to initiate a dialogue with the PTI as a step in the right direction.

However, he continued that one day the PTI was subjected to more restrictions and on the other, the former interior minister spoke about holding talks with the party. &ldquo;I think that the ruling parties should clarify what they want,&rdquo; Fawad said.

&ldquo;They should clarify if they wanted to impose more restrictions on the PTI or engage in a process of dialogue with the party. The PTI will respond accordingly.&rdquo;

Fawad stressed the importance of creating an environment of trust for the process of dialogue to kick off.

He pointed out that PTI senator Ejaz Chaudhary was languishing in jail for a year and his production order was not being issued.

&ldquo;I am pointing out small matters that can help in building an atmosphere of trust.&rdquo;

Read also:&nbsp;Fawad sees Imran becoming Shehbaz on striking &lsquo;deal&rsquo;

He noted that the government could provide immediate relief to incarcerated PTI leaders including Omar Cheema, Mehmoodur Rasheed, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Aliya Hamza, and Sanam Javed.

Fawad claimed that PTI founding chairman Imran Khan would not strike any deal for his release from jail.

He added that only the people could compel the government to set him free.

&ldquo;The government should take some steps to restore the atmosphere of trust.&rdquo;

The former federal minister maintained that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had noted in it&rsquo;s report that there was political instability in Pakistan.

&ldquo;It&rsquo;s the government&rsquo;s responsibility to create an environment where things can move forward.&rdquo;

Describing the PTI as a major party, he conceded that it was &ldquo;too loud&rdquo;.

Fawad said it was necessary to stand by the PTI founding chairman as if lost the battle, it would mean a defeat for the nation.

Earlier, the former minister denied his involvement in two cases related to last year&rsquo;s May 9 violence.

He was produced before a district court in Lahore.

Read:&nbsp;Fawad may rejoin PTI

He was interrogated by police in a case linked to the attack on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif&rsquo;s residence in Lahore.

Fawad also submitted his statement in the case pertaining to the attack on the PML-N secretariat also in the same city.

The former minister told the interrogators that he was neither directly linked to the attack on the premier&rsquo;s residence in Lahore, nor had he incited anyone to carry it out.

He also denied the accusation that he was involved in the attack on the PML-N secretariat. The police told the court that they had rounded up 49 people in both cases.

They added that Fawad was interrogated based on the statements and evidence provided by the arrested people.

The police have declared Fawad&rsquo;s initial response to the queries as unsatisfactory.

They continued that they informed the former federal minister that more detailed answers were required.

The police officials said Fawad would be summoned in connection with other cases as well.

The law enforcement agencies arrested the PTI founding chairman for the first time on May 9 last year from the premises of the Islamabad High Court in connection with a corruption case, triggering violent riots in many parts of the country.]]>
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			<title>PM declares education ‘emergency’</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2465724/pm-declares-education-emergency</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2465724/pm-declares-education-emergency#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 08 May 24 14:15:11 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[APP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2465724</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Shehbaz pledges to work towards enrolling 26m out-of-school children]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday declared an &lsquo;Education Emergency&rsquo; across Pakistan to enroll around 26 million out-of-school children and promote literacy to make the country regain its lost space and develop it as one of the most educated societies in the world.

&ldquo;Today, with iron conviction, and the support of provinces, we will handle the challenge of 26 million out-of-school children. We will bring them back to school&hellip;I declare from this moment an Emergency in Education all over Pakistan&hellip;The way we did it in Punjab, we will do it in Pakistan,&rdquo; the prime minister said addressing the National Conference on Education Emergency.

He told the gathering of federal ministers, parliamentarians, vice-chancellors, diplomats, and development partners that he would personally supervise the programme and meet all the chief ministers, setting aside political affiliations, with a vision to march in unison, expressing the hope that the provinces too would extend their support.

&ldquo;This is about our children and our future&hellip; This is a very challenging task, no doubt. But nations which had faced difficulties and defeat in the past arose from the ashes of defeat.

Germany and Japan are the examples. Why can&rsquo;t Pakistan be? I guarantee, if we move in unison to find our space, Pakistan will emerge as one of the most educated societies one day,&rdquo; he remarked.

The prime minister, recounting the achievements of the Punjab Government during his chief ministership, highlighted the boosted enrollment rates, especially for girls, through initiatives like the Zevar Taleem Programme, and rescuing 90,000 boys from brick kilns to sending them to schools.

He also mentioned outsourcing of 10,000 poorly performing schools to improve education quality and established Daanish Schools which offered free high-quality education and boarding for underprivileged children. The Punjab Education Endowment Fund provided scholarships to hundreds of thousands of deserving students based on merit.

He said the enrollment of 26 million out-of-school children and stunted growth were major challenges facing Pakistan which required huge financial resources. &ldquo;But the real challenge is the will to do,&rdquo; he commented and recalled Pakistan&rsquo;s manifestation of the commitment to become a nuclear power despite international pressures, and eliminating terrorism by sacrificing around 80,000 lives to establish peace in the country as well as the globe.

In his address, Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said the education sector needed immediate actions and urgent responses as Pakistan stood at the crossroads of destination with no option to lose.

Read more: PM Shehbaz orders creation of &#39;Pakistan Skill Company&#39;

&ldquo;The statistics of education in Pakistan are disturbing, alarming and disheartening. More than 26 million children are out of school. This number is greater than the population of 150 countries in the world,&rdquo; he commented.

Unicef Representative in Pakistan Abdullah A Fadil said over 70% children of age 10 in Pakistan could not read or understand text. Despite constitutional guarantees, education in Pakistan was neither yet compulsory nor free.

He said through enhanced investment in education and young people, Pakistan could regain its lost stature as the first Nobel Laureate in Physics belonged to Pakistan and that the country also recently sent a space mission to moon.

British High Commissioner in Islamabad Jane Marriott said that Pakistan with 60% population under 30 years of age was at a crossroads to make tough choices.
She said the conference called for urgent actions like enhanced funding, inclusivity, multiple shifts schools and retaining the children, and assured her country&rsquo;s all-out cooperation to make Pakistan achieve the goal.

Also read: Fawad sees Imran becoming Shehbaz on striking &lsquo;deal&rsquo;

World Food Programme Country Director Coco Ushiyama in her video message said food security and education went hand in hand and school meals was one of the best programmes to invest in the country&rsquo;s future.

World Bank Vice President Martin Raiser said Pakistan was faced with 40% children having stunted growth and the ratio was around 60pc in poor districts.

He also commended the prime minister for taking the out-of-school children as a challenge and suggested the government to hold absent teachers accountable, and provide public transport, safe roads, toilets and electricity in schools to enhance enrollment.

He said as Pakistan&rsquo;s education system was vulnerable to climate change, it was a must to invest in climate resilience.

Pakistan&rsquo;s fastest mountaineer Naila Kiani, in her video message from Makalu Mountain, said she had been able to achieve her dreams just because of self-belief and education.
She requested the prime minister and chief ministers to allocate more resources for girls&rsquo; education to help them materialise their dreams.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>PTI needs to be serious for dialogue: Sanaullah</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2464906/pti-needs-to-be-serious-for-dialogue-sanaullah</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2464906/pti-needs-to-be-serious-for-dialogue-sanaullah#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 02 May 24 17:44:52 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[News Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Urges political parties to ‘sit together’ to steer country out of crises]]>
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				<![CDATA[PML-N Punjab President Rana Sanaullah on Thursday underscored the necessity for the PTI to adopt a more &ldquo;serious approach&rdquo; towards political dialogue, citing &ldquo;inconsistencies&rdquo; in the party&rsquo;s statements.

Speaking to a private TV channel, the PML-N leader urged all the political parties to &ldquo;sit together&rdquo; to steer the country out of the current political and economic crises.

Replying to a question whether the PML-N planned to constitute a body for talks with other political parties, particularly the PTI, Sanaullah said, &ldquo;Absolutely, we as a political party and [I] as a [political] worker, think that right now, the solution to the political situation faced by the country is that dialogue is held&rdquo;.

Sanaullah noted that the PTI gave &ldquo;conflicting&rdquo; statement for talks with the government.

Read more:&nbsp;Imran gives PTI go-ahead for talks

&ldquo;One day, they give a statement in this favour (of talks) and the next day, another leader says otherwise. If there is a display of seriousness from there, then absolutely, this dialogue should take place between political parties,&rdquo; he said.

During a Senate session last month, PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui extended an invitation to PTI for talks on the directive of party leadership.

On the same day, PTI leader Shehryar Afridi expressed intentions to engage in discussions with the establishment.

However, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan later clarified that the party was not currently holding &ldquo;backdoor talks&rdquo; with anyone.

Gohar&rsquo;s statement came just a day after it was reported that the incarcerated founding party founder Imran Khan had green-lit negotiations with the establishment and political forces.]]>
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			<title>Nawaz’s job to ‘rein in’ leaders bent on dividing PML-N</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2464496/nawazs-job-to-rein-in-leaders-bent-on-dividing-pml-n</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2464496/nawazs-job-to-rein-in-leaders-bent-on-dividing-pml-n#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 29 Apr 24 18:12:45 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[RAMEEZ KHAN.]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2464496</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Sanaullah, Latif tried to fan flames of internal strife by making case for PML-N supremo’s return to party presidency]]>
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				<![CDATA[PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif should have taken notice of the statements being given by party leaders Rana Sanaullah and Javed Latif, whose public positions were damaging for its federal government, an official close to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told The Express Tribune on Sunday.

The official added that these two leaders recently tried to fan the flames of an internal strife within the PML-N by making a case for Nawaz&#39;s return to party presidency.

PM Shehbaz is fully aware of this position in the party and recognises the authority of his elder brother Nawaz in every respect. Nawaz&rsquo;s personality is such that he does not need to resort to such a petty move to take back the party presidency.

The official continued that Nawaz could at any moment instruct his younger brother Shehbaz, the incumbent president, to make the necessary arrangement to hand him back the position and it would be done.

Therefore, he continued that there was no need for such poorly planned optics.

He said there were no differences between the two brothers although such moves did cast shadows of doubt and gave fodder for criticism to the party&rsquo;s rivals.

Read also:&nbsp;Sanaullah requests Nawaz to take helm of PML-N amidst internal strife

The official said that the news conference by Sanaullah was not well received in Islamabad, but PM Shehbaz was firm on his stand of resolving the party&rsquo;s affairs internally.

He said during a meeting, when another PML-N man tried to talk against these leaders, particularly about Sanaullah, the premier snubbed him.

PM Shehbaz told the PML-N leader that despite their public positions, they were senior men and had tremendously served the party.

The official said PM Shehbaz had never even allowed his team to respond to these matters.

He said that they knew it for a fact that there was no camping behind this but if it was allowed to happen unchecked, an impression that a certain campaign was taking place against PM Shehbaz would gain traction &ndash; at least in the media.

Read:&nbsp;PML-N leaders engage in public spat

About Ishaq Dar being appointed the deputy prime minister, the official said without mincing words that the move was meant to satisfy his ego.

If it makes Dar happy, then let it be, he added.

He said the deputy premier was not an official position so apart from a titular impact, this served no other purpose.

When asked about the reason behind the move, he cryptically replied that usually when someone was unsatisfied with a certain position and went around complaining about it, it necessitated handing down a pacifier to such an individual. This post is nothing more than a pacifier, he claimed.

Federal Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal as well as Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar were contacted for comments, but to no avail.]]>
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			<title>Fazl threatens to run ‘freedom movement’</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2464349/fazl-threatens-to-run-freedom-movement</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2464349/fazl-threatens-to-run-freedom-movement#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 28 Apr 24 15:15:30 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[our.correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2464349</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[JUI-F chief says party will announce future action plan on May 9]]>
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				<![CDATA[JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Sunday said his party would save the country by running a freedom movement to abolish the &ldquo;imposed system&rdquo; and restore &ldquo;real democracy&rdquo;.

&ldquo;The country is being run by fake assemblies,&rdquo; the JUI-F chief claimed while addressing via a video link an organisational meeting of his party held at Mufti Mehmood Centre in Peshawar.

Fazl, who claims that general elections held in February this year were rigged, said the JUI-F&rsquo;s future action plan would be announced in Peshawar on May 9.

The JUI-F chief maintained that his party had always played a leading role against election rigging.

He added that his father and former party chief Mufti Mehmood had led the movement against polls rigging in 1977, the worst manipulation of elections took place in 2018 and the &ldquo;same drama&rdquo; was repeated now in 2024.

&ldquo;Why are those who raised their voice against rigging in the past silent on the manipulation of the elections now?&rdquo; he asked, apparently referring to his party&rsquo;s former ally, the PML-N.

The JUI-F chief claimed that those who fought for power gained it by poll rigging.

Read also: Protest drive will spell doom for &lsquo;fake govt&rsquo;, says Fazl

He continued that his party would never accept &ldquo;slavery&rdquo;, in a veiled reference to the &lsquo;powerful circles&rsquo;.

Fazl warned that those who had kept the JUI-F away from parliament should listen that the party would raise its voice against their oppression in the grounds.

He noted that for the last 76 years, the country had been irreparably damaged politically, economically and democratically.

The JUF-F chief continued that they had stepped out to save the country and launch a freedom movement to restore true democracy by abolishing the &ldquo;imposed system&rdquo;.

He said after Quetta and Karachi, a public gathering would be staged in Peshawar on May 9 where the nation would be informed about the conspiracies against the country.

He continued that some forces not only trampled the people&rsquo;s right to vote but held it &ldquo;hostage&rdquo;.

Fazl said as long as the political parties were not on the same page, the JUI-F would run the freedom movement from its own platform.

Read:&nbsp;I will criticise institutions if they &lsquo;meddle&rsquo; in politics: Fazl

Fazl pointed out that today Israel and its followers had stepped up their atrocities against the oppressed Muslims of Gaza.

&ldquo;Innocent children, women and the elderly are being targeted [in Gaza].&rdquo;

He added that the JUI-F had always stood with the oppressed Palestinian people and would continue to raise its voice against the atrocities they were being subjected to.

He highlighted that India was dreaming of becoming a superpower of the world while Pakistan was struggling to avoid defaulting on its loans.

Fazl said the JUI-F was entrusted to them by its elders.

He continued that the party&rsquo;s elders had entrusted them with their freedom movement.

&ldquo;We have to loosen the grip of the forces on the country responsible for its slavery today.&rdquo;]]>
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			<title>Sanaullah requests Nawaz to take helm of PML-N amidst internal strife</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2464097/sanaullah-requests-nawaz-to-take-helm-of-pml-n-amidst-internal-strife</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2464097/sanaullah-requests-nawaz-to-take-helm-of-pml-n-amidst-internal-strife#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 26 Apr 24 16:02:21 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[news.desk]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Senior leader says ex-PM’s narrative would guide party’s direction, whether towards reconciliation or resistance]]>
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				<![CDATA[Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Punjab President Rana Sanaullah stated on Friday that he has urged the party&rsquo;s supremo, Nawaz Sharif, to resume leadership of the party once again.

Sharif, a three-time prime minister, relinquished his position within the party following his disqualification in the Panama Papers case of 2017, which also led to his departure from the prime minister&#39;s office.

Sanaullah&#39;s announcement comes amidst internal tensions within the ruling party in Punjab and at the federal level. Despite internal criticisms, the PML-N seems determined to maintain its stance, choosing to ignore dissenting voices in hopes that such critiques will not gain significant traction.

Notably, several prominent figures within the party, including Sanaullah, portfolio-less Federal Minister Javed Latif, Senator Javed Abbasi, and former Senator Asif Saeed Kirmani, have publicly criticised the leadership. Their remarks have ranged from questioning cabinet formations to expressing disillusionment with the party&#39;s alignment with the establishment, straying from its &quot;vote ko izzat do&quot; (respect the vote) slogan.

The airing of these grievances has tarnished the party&#39;s reputation as a proponent of democracy. Interestingly, all four critics share a commonality: either facing electoral defeat or lacking party support for re-election, leaving them outside of legislative assemblies.

Also read:&nbsp;PML-N stays aloof from internal rift

Following today&#39;s meeting of the party&#39;s Punjab chapter, Sanaullah announced in a press conference that Nawaz Sharif was removed from office due to a conspiracy. He reiterated his request for Sharif to reassume the party&#39;s top position, stressing that Sharif&#39;s narrative would guide the party&#39;s direction, whether towards reconciliation or resistance.

Sanaullah pledged to provide the leadership that the people expect, expressing optimism that under Nawaz Sharif&#39;s presidency, the party would address its shortcomings and regain popularity.

He also highlighted the party&#39;s confidence in Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, proposing Nawaz Sharif&#39;s presidency given Shehbaz&#39;s responsibilities.

Shehbaz Sharif, he said, did not take any decision without consulting Nawaz Sharif and he is trying to get the country out of economic difficulties while Maryam Nawaz is taking steps for public relief.

He affirmed the party&rsquo;s Punjab chapter&#39;s support for both the federal and Punjab governments.

Answering the question regarding PTI founder Imran Khan&#39;s bail and possible release, Sanaullah said that Khan is not sher (lion) but real lion is us. &ldquo;We have no problem tf the courts release him, but the country has suffered due to the apolitical behaviour and intransigence of the PTI founder,&rdquo; he remarked.]]>
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			<title>Maryam's appearance in police uniform sparks controversy and praise</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2463986/maryams-appearance-in-police-uniform-sparks-controversy-and-praise</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2463986/maryams-appearance-in-police-uniform-sparks-controversy-and-praise#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 25 Apr 24 18:39:06 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Muhammad Shehzad]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[Female police cadets applauds Punjab CM with many eagerly taking pictures with her]]>
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				<![CDATA[Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz&#39;s appearance as the chief guest at a passing out parade of female police officers at Chung Police Training School, where she donned a police uniform, has sparked a flurry of reactions, both positive and negative, across social media platforms.

The event saw female police cadets warmly welcoming Maryam Nawaz, surrounding her as she received applause from officers while adorned in the police attire. Many attendees eagerly took pictures with her, capturing the momentous occasion.



https://www.facebook.com/etribune/videos/308572978800332/




However, former Supreme Court Bar office bearer Advocate Supreme Court Aftab Ahmad Bajwa took a different stance, filing a petition seeking a court order for the registration of an FIR against Maryam Nawaz for wearing the police uniform.

The ceremony, organised at Chung Training College, marked the passing out parade of a new batch of female police officers. Maryam Nawaz, herself a woman, attended as the chief guest, wearing the police uniform as a gesture of goodwill and to express solidarity with the graduating recruits as they prepared to embark on their duties.

The visuals of Maryam participating in the passing out parade while wearing the uniform ignited a storm of controversy on social media. Critics viewed her actions as inappropriate and unworthy of her stature, with some accusing her of violating regulations and committing a criminal offense by wearing the police uniform without holding the official position of a police officer.



https://www.facebook.com/pml.n.official/videos/3889372611290249




Bajwa, renowned for his involvement in the Sabzazar encounter case, petitioned the court to register a criminal case against Maryam Nawaz for allegedly committing a criminal offense by donning the police uniform.

In response to the criticism and legal challenge, the Punjab Police defended Maryam Nawaz&#39;s actions, citing the Punjab Police Dress Regulations 2024, which permit the Chief Minister of Punjab to wear the police uniform on formal occasions.

Also read:&nbsp;Bilawal lauds Maryam for making history

The move has been widely celebrated by police personnel, who see it as a commendable display of solidarity. The Central Police Office received numerous messages from officers praising the gesture. Female police officers have enthusiastically shared pictures of &quot;Madam CM Punjab&quot; in uniform, expressing their appreciation for her support.

Speaking at the ceremony, Maryam stressed the importance of women in law enforcement and expressed her commitment to increasing their representation within the police force. She praised the dedication and hard work of female officers, highlighting their vital role in maintaining law and order.

The chief minister also reflected on her own journey to leadership, acknowledging the challenges she faced and the responsibility that comes with holding public office. She expressed pride in her accomplishments and reiterated her commitment to serving the people of Punjab diligently.

In her remarks, Maryam underscored the importance of empowering women and ensuring their equal participation in all sectors of society. She expressed optimism for the future, envisioning a time when women would make up a significant proportion of the police force, contributing to a safer and more prosperous Punjab.



https://www.facebook.com/pml.n.official/videos/7184975158294518




Maryam remarked that wearing the police uniform for the first time made her realise the immense responsibility that comes with being a police officer or holding the position of chief minister.

Reflecting on her journey, she noted the challenges she faced and the need to prove herself to attain her current position. She expressed joy in seeing her father&#39;s pride when she updates him on her daily activities, symbolising her journey through adversity and triumph.]]>
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			<title>Asif denies pressure on Imran</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2463985/asif-denies-pressure-on-imran</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2463985/asif-denies-pressure-on-imran#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 25 Apr 24 18:34:08 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[news.desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2463985</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Minister dismisses PTI chairman’s claims of govt pressure for a deal]]>
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				<![CDATA[Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has dismissed the assertions made by PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan, alleging that incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan was being pressured to accept a &ldquo;deal&rdquo;.

&ldquo;There is no truth in claims of pressuring Imran Khan to come to the negotiating table,&rdquo; the defence minister said in an interview published on Wednesday on Independent Urdu.

While speaking to reporters outside Rawalpindi&#39;s Adiala Jail on Tuesday, Barrister Gohar asserted that PTI had not been contacted for any negotiation, refuting rumours of ongoing secret discussions. If a genuine invitation were received, the party would publicly acknowledge it, he said.

He highlighted that the incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan had also confirmed that he did not receive any message for dialogue.

Read also: Sharjeel accuses Imran of conspiring against country

However, Gohar also said: &ldquo;Another thing we (PTI) are saying is that the way Khan sahib is being kept in jail, the way [Bushra] Bibi has been [jailed], these are all [forms of] pressure that Khan sahib somehow agrees to a deal.

&ldquo;And these are all pressures that Khan sahib somehow breaks,&rdquo; he claimed.

Rejecting Gohar&rsquo;s statements, the defence minister maintained that the former ruling party was making such statements only to stay &ldquo;relevant&rdquo;.

&ldquo;Reputable people from the PTI had given statements that there was no deal taking place nor was there any contact,&rdquo; he said.

&ldquo;Now, if such controversial statements would come from the PTI itself, what can we say about it?&rdquo; he questioned.

When asked about relations between the PTI-led Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government and the Centre, Asif said the federal government should not be the one to take the &ldquo;initiative&rdquo; of ruining the relations.

He recalled that the meeting between Premier Shehbaz Sharif and K-P Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur held in March, during which he was present, took place in a &ldquo;very pleasant atmosphere&rdquo;.

&ldquo;We would like the province to maintain the same spirit,&rdquo; Asif said, adding that the relations &ldquo;should not deteriorate from our side&rdquo;.

&ldquo;If K-P gives an indication of spoiling relations, we will think about what we have to do, but there should be no initiative from our side.&rdquo;

Regarding the potential implementation of a governor rule in K-P, Asif said, &ldquo;Political forces should avoid such a situation. About this, I will not discuss what the options will be&rdquo;.
&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>‘Incumbency factor’, low turnout dent PTI in by-polls</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2463555/incumbency-factor-low-turnout-dent-pti-in-by-polls</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2463555/incumbency-factor-low-turnout-dent-pti-in-by-polls#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 22 Apr 24 17:27:37 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[RAMEEZ KHAN.]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2463555</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[No surprises as PML-N emerges victorious in seats vacated by PTI]]>
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				<![CDATA[In a turn of events that hardly surprised anyone, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)-led coalition government emerged victorious in Sunday&rsquo;s by-elections, leaving opposition parties, particularly the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), in the dust.

With sporadic incidents of violence marring the polls, the PML-N managed to reclaim even the seats vacated by PTI &mdash; a well-known trend as per political pundits, who attribute it to the advantage enjoyed by incumbents in the post-general election by-polls.

Unofficial results revealed a clean sweep for the PML-N in Punjab. Its coalition partners, the PML-Quaid-e-Azam and the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), also retained their respective vacated seats &ndash; PP-32, Gujrat and PP-149, Lahore.

Besides, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), another ally of the coalition government, secured victory in PP-266, Rahimyar Khan, a seat where polling was delayed during the general elections, all with staunch support from the PML-N.

Read more:&nbsp;PTI announces countrywide protests against &lsquo;rigged&rsquo; by-polls

Further opening up their lead on their opposition camp, was the PML-N&rsquo;s victory on PP 36 Wazirabad and the PP-93, Bhakkar, the two seats vacated by PTI leaders, Muhammad Ahmad Chattha and Amir Inayat Shahani.

The PML-N was quick to celebrate their victory, with the provincial government attributing the win to the diligent efforts of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. The federal government, on the other hand, credited the victory to the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, also the party president.

Despite the victory, reports suggest a noticeable decline in voter turnout, indicating a growing disillusionment among the masses with the political system. Even, the pre-vote atmosphere was surprisingly subdued, lacking the usual hustle and bustle seen before elections.

With PML-N&rsquo;s campaign remained largely confined to local and targeted initiatives, the PTI, with its senior-most leadership behind bars, operated under the wing of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), merely to stay afloat in the political realm.

Also read:&nbsp;PML-N wins lion&rsquo;s share in by-elections

However, the results hamper its ability to pose any real threat to the ruling party. Further compounding the problems for the PTI is its perception of the election and that the system was rigged in favour of the PML-N, rendering its votes inconsequential.

This time around, the PTI candidates not only suffered defeat in Punjab but also faced a troubling reality: the margin of their loss widened compared to previous elections, indicating a failure of the party or their candidates to rally their supporters.

Former caretaker Punjab chief minister and political analyst Hasan Askari stated that the incumbency factor had favoured the ruling government, noting that the outcome of these elections was no different from the previous by-elections.

However, he pointed out that a low turnout was a worrying sign, which reflected a lack of trust in the political system. He also highlighted that incidents of violence were indicative of growing frustration among the public.]]>
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			<title>PML-N’s win in by-polls symbol of ‘people’s trust’</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2463472/pml-ns-win-in-by-polls-symbol-of-peoples-trust</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2463472/pml-ns-win-in-by-polls-symbol-of-peoples-trust#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 22 Apr 24 04:10:45 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[​ Our Correspondents]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2463472</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[PM Shehbaz vows to uphold public’s confidence in govt]]>
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				<![CDATA[The PML-N on Sunday described its victory in the by-elections as a manifestation of the people&rsquo;s trust in the public-friendly policies of the government and a clear rejection of the narrative of falsehood crafted by the PTI leadership from behind bars.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated the newly elected members of the National Assembly and provincial legislatures in the by-polls.

In a statement, the premier said the victory of the newly elected members of the PML-N in the by-elections was a manifestation of the people&#39;s confidence in the party.

He expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the people who had voted for the PML-N in the by-elections.

&ldquo;We assure the people that they we will not leave any stone unturned in their service. We will try to fulfill their faith in us with full honesty and hard work,&rdquo; he added.

PM Shehbaz observed that along with the visible signs of economic improvement, the change in public opinion was also becoming noticeable.

&ldquo;The success of the PML-N candidates is a public acknowledgment of the government&#39;s service in restoring the economy, reducing inflation, and improving foreign relations,&rdquo; he added.

He continued that with economic improvement and increase in relief for the people, public opinion would further change in the future.

The premier noted that forecasts of economic improvement by international financial institutions, news agencies and surveys also had a positive impact on public opinion.

He added that the negative political behaviour of the opposition after February 8 this year &ndash; the day of the general elections -- had also left its supporters and the people confused and disappointed, apparently referring to the PTI.

The premier noted that losing and winning was part of the electoral process and it was a democratic attitude to adopt the path of political cooperation instead of hurling accusations.

&ldquo;Flaws and objections in the electoral process can only be removed through mutual cooperation and political dialogue.&rdquo;

In a video message, Federal Information and Broadcasting Minister Attaullah Tarar said the preliminary results of the by-polls had validated the fact that the people of Pakistan firmly believed in the leadership of the PML-N.

&ldquo;They fully welcome the people-friendly policies of its government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif,&rdquo; he added.

He said the economic reforms implemented by PM Shehbaz as well as his team had given a hope to the people, who had shown their trust in the government by voting for the PML-N.

The minister credited his party for kicking off the journey of economic stability in the country by curbing inflation and increasing foreign reserves.

Tarar said the people had rejected the &ldquo;false&rdquo; and &ldquo;misleading&rdquo; narrative of the PTI, whose leadership was allegedly conspiring against the country from behind the bars to achieve its ulterior motives.

&ldquo;[The PTI leadership is] issuing statements from prison that seriously damages the credibility of Pakistan at the international level,&rdquo; he added.

&ldquo;The &lsquo;anti-state narrative&rsquo; is further pushed through these false statements.&rdquo;

The minister maintained that the people had rejected the PTI founding chairman Imran Khan&rsquo;s &ldquo;politics of hatred, chaos, division, falsehood and hypocrisy&rdquo;.

He continued that the performance of the PML-N governments in the Centre and in Punjab spoke volumes and had truly manifested in the form of the results of the by-polls.

&ldquo;The PML-N stood victorious in most of the by-polls today,&rdquo; the minister said, vowing that the government was aggressively taking measures to restore the stature of the country at the international level and provide relief to the people by stabilising the economy.

He paid tribute to the people for standing by the &ldquo;truth&rdquo; and burying the narrative of &ldquo;falsehood&rdquo;.

He expressed his gratitude to the Almighty for the PML-N&rsquo;s success in the by-polls.

Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said the PTI&rsquo;s &ldquo;bullying&rdquo; would not be tolerated in any case, adding that the &ldquo;murderers&rdquo; of PML-N activist Muhammad Yousaf, who was killed in Narowal, had been arrested.

In a statement, CM Maryam offered her condolences to the family of the slain PML-N activist.

She said turning politics into hatred and personal enmity was a major challenge for the society.

&ldquo;Politics means service and reforms, not violence and intolerance.&rdquo;

Earlier in the day, Yousaf, a 60-year-old PML-N activist, was killed during a clash with PTI activists in Kot Najo village of Narowal during the by-election for its constituency PP-54.

The federal information minister in a news statement also condoled with the PML-N activist&rsquo;s bereaved family and condemned the PTI for the tragedy.

Tarar regretted that the PTI had resorted to violence and killing for winning the by-polls through rigging.

&ldquo;Muhammad Yousaf&rsquo;s sacrifice will not go in vain,&rdquo; he added, vowing to bring his killers to justice.

Tarar also prayed to the Almighty to grant Yousaf&rsquo;s departed soul eternal peace as well as courage to his bereaved family to bear the irreparable loss.

(With input from APP)]]>
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			<title>Army, civil armed forces to be deployed for Sunday’s by-polls</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2463293/army-civil-armed-forces-to-be-deployed-for-sundays-by-polls</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2463293/army-civil-armed-forces-to-be-deployed-for-sundays-by-polls#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 20 Apr 24 14:38:10 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[news.desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2463293</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[They will function as a Quick Response Force, positioned as second and third tiers behind the police]]>
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				<![CDATA[Enhanced security measures have been implemented in anticipation of tomorrow&#39;s by-elections nationwide, with the federal government approving the deployment of civil armed forces and Pakistan Army troops to avoid any untoward incidents from happening.

According to Express News, these forces will function as a Quick Response Force, positioned as second and third tiers behind the police.

Following approval from the federal government, the Ministry of Interior has issued a notification for the deployment of security troops for tomorrow&#39;s by-elections.

The notification specifies that civil armed forces and Pakistan Army troops will be stationed in 21 constituencies from today until April 22nd.

It&#39;s worth noting that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had formally requested security assistance from the federal government for the by-elections.

Meanwhile, preparations are completed for the by-elections on five national and 16 provincial assembly seats across Punjab, Sindh, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), and Balochistan scheduled for Sunday.

Polling will proceed without interruption from 8am to 5pm for seats vacated by candidates who won multiple seats or where polling was delayed in February 8 general elections due to the death of a candidate.

The polling will be conducted across five National Assembly seats, 12 Punjab Assembly seats, two K-P Assembly seats, and as many Balochistan Assembly seats. According to the ECP, the re-polling in PB 50 Killa Abdullah will be also held on Sunday.

The polling for NA-8 Bajaur and PK-22 Bajaur was delayed on February 8 following the assassination of a candidate, Rehan Zeb Khan. Additionally, polling will take place in NA-44 Dera Ismail Khan, where the National Assembly seat was relinquished by Ali Amin Gandapur, who opted to retain his provincial assembly seat in order to assume the role of K-P&rsquo;s chief minister.

Read also: Stage set for by-elections

Similarly, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif vacated her NA-119 seat in Lahore, choosing instead to keep the PP-159 constituency that she also won.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif won elections on two provincial and National Assembly seats. He left the NA-132 Kasur and Lahore&rsquo;s PP-158 and PP-164 seats vacant, preferring to retain the NA-123 Lahore constituency.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari won two National Assembly seats. He retained the NA-194 Larkana constituency, leaving the NA-196 seat in Qamber Shahdadkot vacant.

The ECP has provided 6.23 million ballot papers to the relevant Returning Officers (ROs) for tomorrow&rsquo;s by-elections in 21 constituencies.

Approximately 2.55 million Pakistanis are expected to participate in voting for the five National Assembly constituencies, while around 3.61 million individuals will cast their votes for 16 provincial assembly seats nationwide.

A total of 174 candidates are contesting in the by-elections for 12 provincial constituencies in Punjab, where the voter count stands at approximately 4.04 million.

Read: Balochistan reviews by-poll readiness

According to the ECP, the by-elections for two provincial constituencies of K-P have a total of 1.47 million voters. In the race, there are 49 candidates, and 892 polling stations have been set up, with 139 identified as sensitive.

In NA-196 in Sindh, two candidates will compete, with 423,781 voters eligible to cast their ballots across 303 polling stations, 158 of which are sensitive, according to the ECP.

The ECP has announced that by-elections will take place for two provincial constituencies, PB-20 and PB-22, in Balochistan. A total of 396,246 voters in the province will participate, with 354 polling stations designated for the process.

Nine candidates, including Ali Pervaiz and Shehzad Farooq, are vying for the National Assembly seat NA-119, while 11 candidates, including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) nominee Malik Riaz independent and Muhammad Khan Madani, are competing in PP-147.

Additionally, 14 candidates, including Muhammad Shoaib Siddiqui and Qaiser Shehzad from the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party, are contesting in PP-149. In PP-158, there are 22 candidates, with Chaudhry Nawaz and Moonis Elahi of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) among them.

Furthermore, PP-164 has 20 candidates in the fray, with PML-N leader Rashid Minhas and Muhammad Yusuf of the SIC among the contenders.]]>
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			<title>PTI gears up for protest blitz against rigging</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2462372/pti-gears-up-for-protest-blitz-against-rigging</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2462372/pti-gears-up-for-protest-blitz-against-rigging#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 12 Apr 24 17:39:32 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[our.correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2462372</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Omar Ayub says countrywide protests would be kicked off from Balochistan]]>
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				<![CDATA[Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Omar Ayub Khan has declared that the party is geared up to join hands with a &quot;grand opposition alliance&quot; in a bid to kick up a storm against alleged electoral malpractices in the February 8 general elections.

The former ruling party will push for the &quot;restoration of the Constitution and democracy&quot; across Pakistan, with the campaign slated to kick off from Balochistan.

Speaking to reporters in Rawalpindi following a meeting with the PTI founder Imran Khan at Adiala Jail on Friday, party leader Asad Qaiser disclosed that the inaugural rally would take place in Pishin district as part of the protest initiative.

The announcement came as earlier this month, the PTI had revealed plans for a nationwide movement against the alleged election rigging, scheduled to kick off on April 13.

The PTI is crying foul, alleging that the current government snatched its mandate, claiming fiddling with Form 47s to give the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) the upper hand.

Read also:&nbsp;PTI rally demands release of Imran Khan

Ayub reiterated that the protest movement would begin in Balochistan before expanding nationwide.

An upcoming opposition meeting is slated to deliberate on the potential inclusion of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman in the grand opposition alliance.

Earlier this month, the PTI forged the opposition alliance as part of its strategy to mount pressure on the incumbent government.

&quot;We are the strongest opposition in history; we are not among those who backtrack,&quot; Ayub affirmed.

The grand opposition alliance has unanimously agreed on upholding the Constitution and the rule of law as core principles.

Read:&nbsp;PTI to launch anti-govt movement from April 13

The PTI leader emphasised the critical link between investment, trade, development, and the supremacy of the constitution.

He cited the example of Saudi businessmen&#39;s investment in a solar energy project in Balochistan, which he claimed was disrupted following the PTI government&#39;s ousting and the formation of the PDM-II government.

Referring to the events following the May 9 riots, Ayub lamented the alleged crackdown on PTI workers, citing over 200 cases lodged against the PTI founder and detailing the suffering endured by their supporters.

&quot;Our mission is to uphold the supremacy of the constitution and law,&quot; Ayub asserted, questioning the reasons behind their perceived marginalisation.

&quot;We want a strong nation,&quot; he added.

Ayub also raised concerns regarding the Senate elections, asserting, &quot;The people will ensure equal implementation of the law for all.&quot;

&lsquo;Rioters&rsquo;

On the other hand, in a sharp retort to a statement made by the PTI leader, PML-N Senator Talal Chaudhry condemned the PTI leader, whom he referred to as &quot;the rioter,&quot; for lacking the courage to express solidarity with the country&#39;s martyrs &ndash; the armed forces &ndash; in the wake of recent terrorist attacks targeting military personnel.

Talal Chaudhry said that sitting in Balochistan and voicing opposition to foreign investment perpetuates the narrative of conspiracy.

He chastised the printing of images of K-P chief minister, Ali Amin Gandapur, and a TikToker on aid kits by &quot;May 9 Riot militants,&quot; who have taken yet another U-turn.

Taking aim at &ldquo;those who challenge judicial independence&rdquo;, Talal accused PTI of conducting political business at the expense of the judiciary&#39;s autonomy.

He also denounced any attempt to portray the riots, chaos, and the events of May 9 as political consciousness, labelling such assertions as shameless.

He also warned against the resurgence of economic challenges and inflation, attributing these difficulties to those who he claims pushed the country to the brink of default.]]>
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			<title>Losers emerge victorious in recount</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2460339/losers-emerge-victorious-in-recount</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2460339/losers-emerge-victorious-in-recount#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 24 Mar 24 04:40:37 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Rizwan Shehzad  ]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2460339</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[After winning chunk of reserved seats, PML-N’s resurrection in full swing in recounting process]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-backed independents are caught in a downward spiral as their grip on victory slips away in the recounting of ballots following the recent general elections as losers emerge victorious nonstop across several constituencies of national and provincial assemblies, it emerged on Saturday.

Even though PTI-backed independent candidates achieved a historic feat by securing the highest number of seats in the National Assembly during the February 8 general elections, despite facing the setback of losing their iconic bat symbol, the party&#39;s streak of losses persists.

This was evident as they first lost reserved seats and subsequently conceded several other seats to opponents during the recounting process.

The recent case where a loser was declared victor happened in NA-154 (Lodhran) where ex-minister of state for interior Abdul Rehman Kanju, who was defeated by PTI-backed independent candidate Rana Faraz Noon, somehow stunned Noon with victory in the recount.

Initially, Noon had won with a margin of 6,499 votes. The recount, however, made PML-N&rsquo;s Kanju a winner with a lead of 7,301 votes. Noon had secured 134,937 votes, which now have shrunk to 120,683 as opposed to Kanju&rsquo;s 128,438 votes after the recount &ndash; leaving one to wonder what really happened in the first counting.

Subsequently, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) issued the victory notification of Kanju and withdrew the one that had declared Noon as a returned candidate. In some other cases, it was reported, that Azhar Qayyum Nahra of PML-N was declared the winner after recounting in NA-81, Gujranwala.

Nahra&rsquo;s opponent, a PTI-backed independent candidate Bilal Ijaz, had secured 117,717 votes, winning with a lead of 7,000 votes against Nahra. The recounting, however, turned Ijaz&rsquo;s victory into defeat as Nahra got 110,057 votes against Ijaz&rsquo;s 106,860 votes and won with a 3,197 lead in the recount.

Also, PMLN&rsquo;s Khan Bahadar from Jaranwala PP-100 constituency recently defeated PTI-backed candidate Chaudhry Umair Wasi Zafar. On Bahadur&rsquo;s application, the ECP ordered recounting. The results reversed the equation, suggesting that PML-N&rsquo;s resurrection is in full swing in the recounting process.

Since the general elections, the PTI leadership has constantly been claiming that its mandate was stolen as well as expressing reservations on poll results but to no avail. After losing a big chunk of reserved seats in NA, PTI is now losing the seats its independent candidates had won one after the other in the second round of counting.

The second counting of poll results is proving to be disastrous for PTI as predicted by one of its leaders, Asad Qaiser, a few days ago. Qaiser while talking to a private news channel had alleged that the ECP was planning to reduce 20 more seats of PTI in the recounting process.

The PTI leader had said that ECP doesn&rsquo;t order recounting when the tribunals are functioning. Yet, he regretted, ECP was still ordering recounting in different constituencies and the runners-up were emerging victorious in the recount.

Qaiser also alleged that the PTI-backed candidates were even being deprived from entering the building where recounting takes place, lamenting that the country had been turned into a &lsquo;banana republic&rsquo;.

Under section 143 (case management) of the ECP Rules of 2017, the Election Tribunal may, with the consent of parties, fix a time schedule for trial and disposal of the petition within one hundred and eighty days period from the date of filing of the petition till the announcement of the final judgment in the case.

With current speed, some political experts conjecture that the PTI-backed candidate, who had merged into the Suni Ittehad Council to claim reserve seats might end up becoming the third largest party in NA; falling behind PPP which was in third position after the polls.

The PTI spokesperson was approached for comment regarding the party&#39;s ongoing losing streak in the recount, inquiries about whom they believed was accountable, what actions PTI was taking in response, and how many more seats they were apprehensive about losing in the recount. However, as of the story&#39;s submission, no comments were received from the spokesperson.]]>
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			<title>LHC moved to stop Nawaz from chairing Punjab govt meetings</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2459942/lhc-moved-to-stop-nawaz-from-chairing-punjab-govt-meetings</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2459942/lhc-moved-to-stop-nawaz-from-chairing-punjab-govt-meetings#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 20 Mar 24 09:56:07 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Rana Yasif]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2459942</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Nawaz does not hold any official position, says the petition]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[A petition was filed in the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday to restrain PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif from chairing administrative meetings as he does not hold any official position.

Petitioner Mushkoor Hussian made former premier Nawaz Sharif a respondent in the case with the stance that the PML-N supremo cannot chair administrative meetings and issue any directions to the Punjab cabinet and state functionaries without holding any official position in either the provincial or federal governments.

The petitioner maintained that Nawaz is only a member of the National Assembly.

He added that the PML-N chief made a &lsquo;conspicuous&rsquo; appearance by chairing three administrative meetings of the Punjab government, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. He added that the act had raised many constitutional questions.

&quot;An official handout issued after the meeting said the party supremo Nawaz issued directions to ministers and officials regarding different infrastructure projects, including the underground train and metro bus, farmers&rsquo; plight, electric bikes for students, and Ramazan relief package,&quot; the petition stated.

Read: Nawaz concerned over IMF&#39;s electric shock

The petitioner also termed the act of chairing meetings and passing directions by the former premier &lsquo;illegal&rsquo;, stating that it is against the Constitution, democracy, and Punjab Government Rules of Business 2011.

It is widely believed that the PML-N supremo is the one calling the shots on all major decisions despite having no official role in the province.

CM Maryam also left no doubts about it when she replied to a question by saying that&nbsp;&ldquo;It is Nawaz Sharif&rsquo;s government&rdquo;.

Nawaz on Wednesday chaired a special meeting of the Punjab government alongside Maryam Nawaz and stressed the pressing need to address the potential hike in utility prices imposed by the global lender.

He reiterated the need to prioritise farmers&#39; concerns, stressing that government funds should be dedicated to supporting agricultural initiatives. He also emphasised the importance of ensuring fair compensation for farmers&#39; labour and shielding them from exploitation by middlemen.

&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>PML-N picks Sindhu for Senate polls</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2459691/pml-n-picks-sindhu-for-senate-polls</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2459691/pml-n-picks-sindhu-for-senate-polls#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 18 Mar 24 04:54:28 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2459691</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Punjab minister told to submit papers for minorities seat]]>
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				<![CDATA[The PML-N has nominated Provincial Parliamentary Affairs and Human Rights Minister Khalil Tahir Sindhu for the seat reserved for minorities in the Senate from Punjab for the upper house polls slated for April 2.

Sindhu was directed by the party leadership to submit his nomination papers for the Senate seat at the closing hours on Saturday.

He has been issued a party ticket to run for the Senate seat. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is also the president of the PML-N, congratulated him for receiving the ticket.

The PML-N did not give the ticket for the seat for minorities to former senator Kamran Michael this time.
Michael has served as a PML-N senator on a seat for minorities from 2012 to 2024.

Former PML-N senators Mushahid Hussain Sayed and Dr Asif Kirmani were also not given Senate tickets this time as well.

Other prominent PML-N leader who have been ignored for the Senate polls include&nbsp; Khawaja Saad Rafique, Rana Sanaullah, Khurram Dastgir and Javed Latif.

A PML-N insider told The Express Tribune that there was much resentment within the party for choosing &ldquo;outsiders&rdquo; over loyalists for the Senate seats.

However, Sindhu is certainly no outsider. Sindhu, who is currently serving as a provincial minister, has remained a member of the Punjab Assembly from 2008 to 2024.

During this period, he has held the provincial portfolios of health, minority affairs, finance, parliamentary affairs and human rights.

He was also the PML-N chief whip in the previous Punjab Assembly.]]>
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			<title>Can Shehbaz-Gandapur meeting mend broken trust?</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2459689/can-shehbaz-gandapur-meeting-mend-broken-trust</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2459689/can-shehbaz-gandapur-meeting-mend-broken-trust#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 18 Mar 24 04:32:11 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Rizwan Shehzad  ]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2459689</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Experts say both PML-N and PTI reluctant to take decisions independently]]>
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				<![CDATA[&nbsp;

A recent meeting between the prime minister and the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) chief minister rekindled the hopes that a bitter rivalry between the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) could finally lead to reconciliation but the experts see little hope in this regard due to the lack of independent decision making in these parties.

Last week, the ice-breaking development came as K-P Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, who belongs to the PTI, held a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif &ndash; also the president of the PML-N -- and asked him to politically engage with his party&rsquo;s founder Imran Khan, besides discussing other matters.

Though, the experts wish to see the political elite sitting across the table, instead of quarrelling with each other for tiny gains, they feel that the political parties seem to rely more on the powerful stakeholders than anything else.

&ldquo;The real situation is somewhat more complex,&rdquo; Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (Pildat) President Ahmed Bilal Mehboob said, &ldquo;some political parties don&rsquo;t take independent decisions as the dependency culture is chronic.&rdquo;

Apparently, the Pildat chief was referring to the parties&rsquo; habit of waiting for the powerful stakeholders&rsquo; signal before they take a step, whether inside or outside the parliament. Time and again, the political parties vow to reduce powerful quarters&rsquo; role in the political domain but usually end up seeking their support for moving ahead.

The Pildat chief, who keenly monitors the parliamentary proceedings and keeps an eye on the political developments, noted that for regaining the broken trust, the parties and institutions would require some time to show their genuine interest in settling things. &ldquo;Even if the party leaders and institutions are willing to reconcile,&rdquo; Mehboob said, &ldquo;some cooling off period is required.&rdquo;

Agreeing that a lack of independent decision making was evident in the political parties, Prof Tahir Naeem Malik of the NUML University said that the Shehbaz-Gandapur interaction could prove to be a thaw in political tensions.

As the office of the chief minister required a constant contact with the prime minister and other federal forums and constitutional bodies, the professor noted, regular contacts could lead to reducing the &ldquo;heat between the two&rdquo; sides.

Noting that optics like Shehbaz-Gandapur meeting, followed by a joined press talk by Gandapur and PML-N&rsquo;s Ahsan Iqbal, could frustrate PTI supporters, Prof Malik said maintaining a working relationship was needed by the PTI.

The PTI, he added, had to simultaneously govern a province and continue opposition of the ruling alliance at the Canter. &ldquo;It is time to abandon the polarisation and anarchic model; its dividends would be for all,&rdquo; he said.

When asked if the political temperature could go down in the coming days, Malik replied that currently things were not at the &ldquo;not-negotiable&rdquo; stage. He said they could reconcile but the onus of taking things forward was more on the government side than the PTI. &ldquo;The ruling alliance should engage the PTI now after Shehbaz-Gandapur interaction,&rdquo; he said.

Soon after the Shehbaz-Gandapur contact, President Asif Zardari had lauded the meeting, saying that it was time to begin the process of healing divisions, restoring confidence in democracy and keeping Pakistan above all. He also called for curbing polarisation and &ldquo;political sectarianism&rdquo;.

Even before Shehbaz-Gandapur meeting, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had also pointed out that no matter how many resolutions were passed to stop powerful quarters&rsquo; interference in the democratic system, the results could not be achieved until politicians start respecting one another and operate within their constitutional domain.

&ldquo;We should not expect the judiciary and other institutions to work within their constitutional boundaries if we do not respect them ourselves,&rdquo; he had said on the floor of the National Assembly on the heels of a speech by PkMAP&rsquo;s chief Mahmood Achakzai&rsquo;s suggestion that a resolution should be passed to limit interference in the political arena.]]>
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			<title>PML-N senator regrets appointment of ‘imported finance minister’</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2459540/pml-n-senator-regrets-appointment-of-imported-finance-minister</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2459540/pml-n-senator-regrets-appointment-of-imported-finance-minister#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 16 Mar 24 17:27:47 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[RAMEEZ KHAN.]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[Dr Kirmani alleges establishment ‘pawns’, members of 'political lobbies' included in the cabinet]]>
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				<![CDATA[Terming the finance minister as an outsider and admitting the presence of establishment-recommended souls in the federal cabinet, PML-N&#39;s Dr Asif Kirmani has joined the chorus of senior party leaders urging the incumbent leadership to engage in introspection to mitigate further political losses.

Outgoing Senator Dr Asif Kirmani, who once was seen as a close aide to PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, talking to a private TV channel said that there were unelected people in cabinet, alluding to, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Ahad Khan Chema and establishment-backed former caretaker Punjab CM Mohsin Naqvi.

Kirmani specifically highlighted his lack of knowledge regarding Aurangzeb&#39;s credentials to hold the position of financial czar.

Expressing regret over such appointments, Dr Kirmani drew parallels with past instances where individuals like Shaukat Aziz and Moeen Qureshi were brought in.

Alluding to Aurangzeb, he said that reportedly Aurangzeb took the oath of his ministry first and later had his nationality revoked. He claimed that some individuals belonged to political lobbies, while others were associated with establishment lobbies.

Read also:&nbsp;X users weigh in on crucial appointment after Aurangzeb takes charge of finance

Strangely, many senior analysts and journalists, seemingly supportive of PML-N, have taken it upon themselves to associate Muhammad Aurangzeb with the party to rationalise his appointment, dismissing those who label him an outsider as ignorant.

Lamenting the influx of both political and establishment figures into the party&#39;s ranks, Dr Kirmani stressed the need for a return to the core principles that once defined the PML-N&#39;s narrative.

He pointed fingers at the party&#39;s deviation from its &quot;vote ko izzat do&quot; (respect the vote) slogan, marking it as the beginning of their downward spiral, especially after it voted for General Bajwa&#39;s extension.

He suggested that Nawaz Sharif should engage in some brainstorming to understand why a party that was once national in scope is now confined to a single province, and why it failed to achieve the desired outcomes.

The party had anticipated a simple majority, but the election results did not align with its expectations, he added.

Read:&nbsp;PTI denounces inauguration of &lsquo;fake&rsquo; federal cabinet

Regarding Nawaz Sharif&rsquo;s active role in the party, he remarked that until the supreme leader of the party decides to &lsquo;minus himself&rsquo;, no one else can.

Regarding the party losing touch with reality, he said he continued to voice concerns even during the toughest times. However, if their advice goes unheeded, all they can do is pray.

Regarding Maryam Nawaz, Kirmani said that she should function as a head of the province, as the chief minister&rsquo;s role is not akin to that of a price control magistrate or chairman of a price control committee. He advised her not to exhaust herself early on, as it was a long race.

Recently, former federal minister Javed Latif labelled the government as a puppet and raised doubts about the credibility of elections.

It&#39;s worth mentioning that at least two sitting federal ministers and several other leaders have expressed disappointment over the inclusion of establishment appointees in the cabinet. Similarly, some have voiced dismay at the party&#39;s decision to align itself closely with the establishment, viewing it as a step towards becoming a pawn in their game.]]>
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