Hamza Shehbaz Sharif was elected Chief Minister (CM) Punjab yesterday (Friday) after Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Dost Mazari rejected 10 Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) votes.
Deputy Speaker Mazari said no PML-Q votes will be counted because of party head Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain’s letter.
The crucial session faced a three-hour long delay with a day-long political drama. Amid the political chaos, Pakistani Twitter users could not stop making memes.
Have a look at the tweets:
Federal Minister Shazia Atta Marri in a press conference lashed out at former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan and said that the abusive culture that Khan has nurtured in Pakistan does not represent our values.
Commenting on the criticism at Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari by Khan and his party leaders for visiting Lahore before the chief minister Punjab election, Marri said, “Tumhare baap ka nahi hai Lahore. Woh [Asif Ali Zardari] Pakistan kay kisi bhi hissay mein jaa saakte hain.” [Lahore is not owned by your father. He can visit any place in Pakistan.]
“Will Asif Ali Zardari ask a person like Imran Khan whether he should visit Lahore or not to meet his political coalition partners?” questioned Marri.
“This is a ridiculous reaction that we are witnessing. There is a way to talk. Imran Khan has made the public blind with his abusive narrative of disrespecting his opponents,” said Marri.
Jamat-e-Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman warned the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan that he needs to stay within his limits.
“Imran Khan, apni hudood main raho, Jamiat walay zinda hain.” [Imran Khan, stay in your limits, the people of JUI-F are alive.]
“We will make it very difficult for the PTI supporters to come out and support you,” said Maulana.
Owing to a partial recovery of international orders and government support programmes, Pakistan’s non-textile exports increased by 25.85 per cent year over year to $12.46 billion in the preceding 2021–22.
The value-added sectors are primarily driving overall growth in the non-textile sector. According to data produced by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Thursday, the non-textile sector has not yet received full orders to pre-Covid levels.
Despite lockdowns in several nations, three industries—leather clothing, medical equipment, and engineering goods—maintained growth in export revenues in FY21.
Exports of leather clothing increased by 10.15 per cent and those of leather gloves by 10.60 per cent in the value-added leather industry. In contrast, raw leather exports rose by more than 28.50% over the previous fiscal year.
One of the major producers of surgical instruments worldwide is Pakistan. However, well-known brands resell these instruments in western nations. Because of this, the export value of these goods is still extremely low.
In FY22, surgical tool exports experienced a 1.29 per cent decline. Pharmaceutical exports, however, decreased by 0.49 per cent.
The Capital Development Authority’s (CDA) Planning Wing sealed the management offices of an illegal housing society along the Islamabad Expressway on Thursday, preventing the sale, acquisition, and transfer of plots.
Since neither the layout design for this housing society was approved nor the management received an NoC, the planning division of the CDA has already declared all stages of this housing society to be illegal.
Along with physically shutting the office, CDA’s Director of Regional Planning also issued a letter in this regard, according to The News.
According to the letter, despite warnings about the housing society’s management’s illegal behaviour, the management proceeded to sell and transfer plots, which prompted the authorities to take enforcement action.
Due to violations of the CDA Ordinance 1960, ICT Zoning Regulations 1992, and ICT Building Control Regulations 2020, the housing society’s offices have been sealed.
The PTCL, Islamabad Electric Supply Company, and Sui Gas Northern Gas Company have also been advised by the CDA planning wing not to offer their services during all stages of the private housing society.
A dozen unauthorised housing societies in the Rawalpindi district were also sent notifications by the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) in a similar development.
New Metro City, Smart City, Prism Town, Capital Valley, Life Residencia, Seven Enclave, Manan City, Lake View City, Faha Fatima, Park Zameen Town, Hawks Melbourne City, and Kashmir Valley have all received notices from RDA’s Metropolitan Planning and Traffic Engineering (MPTE) Directorate.
The Punjab Private Housing Schemes and Land Subdivision Rules 2010 were used to issue the notices. These societies have been requested by the RDA to produce mortgage deeds, surrender deeds, and NOCs. Otherwise, they will be the target of legal action.
Hyundai-Nishat Motors raised the pricing of its Tucson variants by Rs1.1 million, citing the decline in the currency as the primary cause, following Lucky Motor Corporation’s price increases for its KIA-brand vehicles.
After an increase of Rs1.1 million price increase for the c, the Hyundai Tucson FWD model is now offered for Rs6.89 million. The price of the AWD version has increased by Rs1.1 million to Rs7.39 million.
According to a sales representative, the company would accept reservations upon full payment, and delivery is anticipated to occur in August and not take longer than 60 days.
Prior to that, Lucky Motor announced an increase in the prices of its KIA-brand vehicles starting on July 19, with the rise reaching as high as Rs1.1 million.
The corporation said that the ongoing depreciation of the rupee versus the dollar was to blame for their need to raise pricing.
“Kia and Hyundai have taken the initiative to increase car prices but the rest of the automakers will follow too,” said Sunny Kumar, Research Analyst at Topline Securities.
“The last pricing most of the carmakers did was when the dollar stood at Rs185. It has now crossed Rs225. The price hike was imminent and announcements from other automakers could be expected anytime now.”
According to Brecorder, the CEO of Lucky Motor Corp, Asif Rizvi, acknowledged that the auto sector primarily employs imported materials and that localised parts also contain a large percentage of foreign components while speaking on the sidelines of the Peugeot 2008 launch in March.
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari met Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain last night (Thursday).
The two leaders held a meeting for hours but it is not known what they discussed. However, it is being speculated that Zardari met Shujaat to convince him to be on Hamza Shehbaz’s side for the election of Chief Minister (CM) Punjab today (Friday). Shujaat had already announced his support for Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi who is Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate for the CM seat.
The Punjab Assembly (PA) session for the CM election is scheduled to take place at 4pm today.
Zardari and Shujaat’s meeting spread like fire on social media and this is what Twitter had to say about the duo.
Bakhtawar Bhutto-Zardari, the daughter of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari, hit back at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan for levelling allegations against her father.
Bakhtawar took to Twitter and warned Khan: “Why don’t you take your obsession with proof to the court, otherwise you will be hearing from our lawyers for defamation and lies.”
“Still not over the absolutely no phone call? Why don’t you take your obsession with proof to the court,” wrote Bakhtawar, adding that she pities Khan as he has never read the Constitution and that nothing can save the PTI chairman “for committing treason”.
On July 20, Khan alleged that Asif Ali Zardari was the “main architect” behind horse-trading in Lahore, adding that the former president has secured an “NRO for his corruption and purchases people with looted wealth”.
READ MORE: PTI rejects ECP decision to defer Sindh local body elections, plans to challenge it
Khan further claimed that after his government was toppled with stolen money from Sindh and NRO 2 achieved, “certified criminal Asif Zardari in cahoots with the Sharif mafia was now seeking to steal people’s mandate in Punjab by trying to purchase MPAs”.
The Minor, who was sent to a Dar-ul–Aman (shelter home) in Lahore on court orders, was allowed to meet a stranger by a local magistrate.
“Extremely questionable proceedings of the Concerned Magistrate at Lahore who on the application of a complete Stranger has allowed her to meet The Minor at Darul Aman to get Vakalatnamas signed whereas kept our application to intimate Court abt Hon SHC order is pending,” tweeted lawyer Jibran Nasir, who is representing The Minor’s father.
The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday ordered to transfer The Minor to Karachi. A two-member SHC bench announced its verdict yesterday on a petition filed by The Minor’s father Syed Mehdi Ali Kazmi regarding the alleged kidnapping and child marriage of his daughter.
Hamza Shehbaz elected Chief Minister (CM) Punjab again after Deputy Speaker Dost Mazari rejected 10 Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) votes.
Deputy Speaker Punjab Assembly Dost Mazari says 10 PML-Q votes will not be counted because of Chaudhry Shujaat’s letter.
According to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Murad Raas, Hamza received 179 votes whereas Elahi got 186 votes. After Mazari rejected 10 PML-Q votes, Elahi was left with 176 votes, which turned the tables in Hamza’s favour.
While announcing the result, Mazari read Shujaat’s letter out loud. “As party head of Pakistan Muslim League, I have issued directions to all my provincial members to cast their votes in favour of Muhammad Hamza Shehbaz Sharif,” Mazari quoted Hussain as saying.
His ruling was countered by PTI MPA Raja Basharat, who said that the law states that the parliamentary party could issue instructions to party members.
“The head of the parliamentary party is Pervaiz Elahi,” he contended.
However, Mazari said that the matter had been clarified by the Supreme Court, subsequently proroguing the session.
Moonis Elahi has confirmed to senior journalist Hamid Mir that Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has indeed written a letter to the Deputy Speaker. He has said that he will not support the PTI candidate for the CM slot.
Senior journalist Hamid Mir originally broke the story about Chaudhry Shujaat’s letter, which was later confirmed by Moonis Elahi to him as well.
Senior journalist Hamid Mir says that Asif Zardari is about to meet PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain.
Reports suggest that Moonis Elahi has also left the Punjab Assembly.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz has tweeted that the PML-N has not forgotten the treatment meted out to them. “Now the rules of the game will be the same for everyone, else PMLN knows how to play it better. Insha’Allah.”
PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry has tweeted that the unnecessary delay in starting the Punjab Assembly session is a violation of the Supreme Court’s orders. He said that the party has directed its lawyers to file a contempt of court petition against Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari.
Hamza Shehbaz has reached the Punjab Assembly. Talking to the media, Hamza seemed quite happy and hoped for a victory.
According to media reports, Chairman PTI Imran Khan said that Hammad Azhar will be the new PTI Punjab President.
Last month, Shafqat Mahmood stepped down from this post. Hammad Azhar was made PTI Central Punjab General Secretary.
However, Azhar took to Twitter and said that “No changes are being in punjab chapter’s organisation.”
Former CM Punjab Usman Buzdar was asked about his absence from the PTI jalsas being held in Punjab.
He responded by saying, “I was present at every jalsa.”
The PTI candidate for the CM slot, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, is currently in the House. Talking to the media, he seemed really hopeful of a win.
Today, the Punjab Assembly will vote in the runoff election and decide who gets to be the next chief minister of the province: Hamza Shehbaz or Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi. The Punjab Assembly session started at 4pm today as per the Supreme Court’s orders.
Hamza Shehbaz is the incumbent chief minister and CM candidate of the PML-N and its coalition partners, including the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). The total number game of the PML-N-led ruling coalition is179.
Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi of the PML-Q is the CM candidate of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). PTI and PML-Q have a total of 187 members on their side.
Yesterday, PTI Chairman Imran Khan said yesterday that if Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi is not allowed to become CM Punjab, Pakistan will become another Sri Lanka.
“I will never forget what happened to us on May 25. We will never forget,” added Khan.
PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said that the Maryam Nawaz group’s gesture by accepting the results of the Punjab by-polls was good but the Shehbaz Sharif group is most probably working under the influence of Asif Ali Zardari. He alleged that Shehbaz Sharif is consulting Zardari these days for major decisions.
“Credit goes to Zardari for destroying two parties, first the PPP and now the PML-N,” added Fawad Chaudhry.
Read more: What next for the PML-N? Experts weigh in
PPP co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari met PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain once again last night. Zardari had already held two meetings with Chaudhry Shujaat earlier in an effort to get his support for Hamza Shehbaz.
The former president had sent a message for a meeting with Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and his son Moonis Elahi. However, they both refused to meet him according to The News.
Moonis Elahi said that it’s “game over” for the government.
“They can do whatever they want, they have lost the game,” said Moonis Elahi.
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has claimed that 50 PTI MPAs can vote for Hamza Shehbaz in the CM Punjab election today.
“Not five, but 50 PTI MPAs can either use their right to vote or abstain from casting their votes,” said Rana Sanaullah.
Samina Baig, a mountaineer from Gilgit-Shimshal Baltistan, has become the first Pakistani woman to reach the top of K2. At 7:42 am today (Friday), Samina Baig and a Pakistani team of seven successfully ascended the treacherous peak of K2.
The team consists of mountaineers Samina Baig, Eid Muhammad, Bulbul Kari, Ahmed Baig, Rizwan Dad, Waqar Ali, and Akber Hussain Sadpara.
Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif congratulated Samina Baig on her achievement.
“Samina Baig has emerged as a symbol of determination, courage and bravery of Pakistani women,” tweeted PM Shehbaz.
The second-highest summit in the world, K2, is 8,611 metres above sea level. It is considered to be the most hazardous and challenging summit in the world.
In 2013, Baig became the first Pakistani woman to summit Mt Everest, the tallest mountain in the world.