The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday denied issuing any statement regarding the time frame for the next general elections. “It is necessary to clarify that the Election Commission of Pakistan has not issued any statement regarding the election,” ECP tweeted.
الیکشن کمیشن آف پاکستان
اسلام آباد 5 اپریل 2022 ضروری وضاحت
ضروری وضاحت کی جاتی ہے کہ الیکشن کمیشن آف پاکستان نے الیکشن سے متعلق کوئی بیان جاری نہیں کیا ھے۔۔۔
— Election Commission of Pakistan (OFFICIAL) (@ECP_Pakistan) April 5, 2022
Earlier, a news report published in Dawn quoted an ECP official saying that it is not possible to hold general elections within three months due to a variety of legal and procedural issues.
“Fresh delimitation of constituencies, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where the number of seats had been increased under the 26th Amendment, and bringing district- and constituency-wise electoral rolls in conformity were the major challenges,” a senior ECP official told Dawn, adding that it will take six months to prepare for the general elections.
State Minister for Information Farrukh Habib said on Sunday that fresh elections in Pakistan will be held in 90 days after President Arif Alvi dissolved parliament on the advice of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday declared that Russia is well aware of the events that led to the dissolution of the National Assembly (NA) in Pakistan.
In a statement, Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Maria Zakharova said, “Immediately after the announcement of the upcoming working visit of Imran Khan to Moscow on February 23-24 this year. The Americans and their Western associates began to exert rude pressure on the Prime Minister, demanding an ultimatum to cancel the trip.”
“When he nevertheless came to us, United States (US) Deputy Secretary of State for South Asia D Liu [Donald Lu] called the Pakistani ambassador in Washington and demanded that the visit be immediately interrupted, which was also rejected.”
“According to the Pakistani media, on March 7 this year. in a conversation with Pakistani Ambassador Asad Majeed, a high-ranking American official (presumably the same D Liu) sharply condemned the balanced reaction of the Pakistani leadership to the events in Ukraine and made it clear that partnerships with the United States are possible only if Imran Khan is removed from power.”
Zakharova further added, “The situation leaves no doubt that the United States decided to punish the ‘disobedient’ Imran Khan: a group of deputies of the same party of the prime minister ‘suddenly’ went over to the Opposition and the question of a no-confidence motion against the head of the incumbent government (Prime Minister) was immediately tabled in the parliament, the vote on which was scheduled for April 3rd.”
“There is another attempt of shameless US interference in the internal affairs of an independent state for its own selfish purposes. The above facts eloquently testify to this. The Pakistani Prime Minister himself has repeatedly stated that the conspiracy against him was inspired and financed from abroad.”
“We hope that Pakistani voters will be informed about these circumstances when they come to the elections, which should be held within 90 days after the dissolution of the National Assembly,” read the statement.
It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan is in a state of political chaos as the no-confidence motion against Khan was dismissed abruptly on Sunday. Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri said that the no-confidence motion, presented on March 8, should be according to the law and the Constitution. “No foreign power shall be allowed to topple an elected government through a conspiracy,” he said, adding that the points raised by the minister were “valid”.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Mahmood Khan will lay the foundation stone for Swat Motorway Phase-II in the next week.
The CM instructed that development on the Dir Motorway project’s PC 1 for land acquisition be quickened so that practical work on the project can proceed.
He was presiding over a meeting of the Pakhtunkhwa Highways Authority to discuss the status of various road projects, including the Swat Motorway Phase II and the Dir Motorway.
The meeting was informed on the status of Swat Motorway Phase II, which will be 88 km long and will be built at a cost of Rs58 billion and will run from Chakdara to Fatehpur. It was also revealed that a contractor deal for the project’s construction had been inked.
It was revealed that Rs6.7 billion had been allocated for the project’s land acquisition. In addition, section four was implemented for the purchase of land.
Project Plan
Swat motorway will have four lanes at first and will be expanded to six lanes later. Chakdara Interchange, Shamozai Interchange, Barikot Interchange, Mingora Interchange, Kanju Interchange, Malam Jabba-University of Swat Interchange, Sher Palam Interchange, Matta Khawazakhela Interchange, and Madin-Fatehpur Interchange would be among the nine interchanges.
On the Swat River, a total of eight bridges will be built. The project also includes the construction of four rest spots in various places, as well as the construction of connection highways if required.
PHA officials briefed the meeting on Dir Motorway that an Expression of Interest for a 30 km long Dir Motorway from Chakdara to Rabat had been floated. Three interchanges, four flyovers, 24 bridges, two underpasses, and two tunnels will be part of this road project.
These developments, according to the Chief Minister, would help boost tourism, trade, and economic operations, making them a “milestone” for the long-term growth of the Malakand division. These initiatives will also provide employment chances for locals in addition to improving transportation facilities.
The US State Department on Tuesday once again rejected Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s allegations that the United States of America (USA) has aided and abetted the Pakistani opposition in tabling a no-confidence motion in the National Assembly to topple the PTI government.
US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said that there is absolutely no truth in that allegations as “you heard from me last week.” “We [US] support the peaceful upholding of constitutional democratic principles in Pakistan.”
“We do not support one political party over another, we support the broader principles, the principles of rule of law, and equal justice under the law,” he added.
US State Department spokesman Ned Price says allegations of meddling in Pakistan are baseless, do not support a single political party in Pakistan, and support the supremacy of the constitution and democratic principles.pic.twitter.com/WYt57TBdwi
Last week, Washington reacted to the allegations levelled by Imran Khan. White House Communications Director Kate Bedingfield said, “There is absolutely no truth in these allegations.”
At the time, US Department of State Spokesperson Ned Price also seconded Kate’s statement saying, “We are closely following developments in Pakistan. We respect and support Pakistan’s constitutional process and the rule of law. But when it comes to those allegations, there is no any truth.”
On March 27, Khan accused the US of interfering in Pakistan’s politics and plotting to oust him through a no-confidence motion in the National Assembly (NA). In a public gathering, he also brandished a ‘threat letter’ [which he claimed is from the US].
Following this, based on this ‘threat letter’, the deputy speaker Qasim Suri rejected the no-trust motion against the PM. Later, acting on the PM’s advice, President Arif Alvi dissolved the National Assembly.
This act of the government, however, plunged Pakistan into a constitutional crisis as the matter is being heard by the Supreme Court (SC) currently.
Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) has constituted special squads to prevent one-wheeling and road stunts in the federal capital.
The special squads were created on the orders of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad, Muhammad Ahsan Younis to control one-wheeling, car racing, and rash driving, which endangers not only the offenders’ lives but also many other motorists.
Various ITP units and special squads would conduct continuous patrolling operations at different spots of the metropolis, particularly on 7th Avenue, 9th Avenue, Margalla Road, Kashmir Highway, Islamabad Expressway, and Murree Road, and take action against motorists who engage in dangerous road stunts.
The police officers and squads in these regions would maintain intensified watch, prohibiting young folks from being involved in dangerous actions.
SSP Traffic, Rai Mazhar Iqbal stated that one-wheelers and rash drivers would face severe punishment. He urged parents to keep a close eye on their children and not allow them to play stunts on the roadways, endangering their lives.
A topic on ‘merits of dowry’ in textbooks for nursing students has sparked a heated controversy in India. The image of the textbook page has gone viral on social media which started a debate among people on the negative impacts of such readings on young minds and society overall.
NDTV reported that users claimed that this is the textbook of Sociology for Nursing students written by T K Indrani. The book cover says that this is written according to the Indian Nursing Council syllabus.
The image of the textbook’s page has been shared by the Indian party Shiv Sena’s leader, MP Priyanka Chaturvedi. She requested the education minister to remove the content from the textbook.
She stated, “A textbook elaborating merits of dowry can actually exist in our curriculum is a shame for the nation and its constitution”.
I request Shri @dpradhanbjp ji to remove such books from circulation. That a textbook elaborating the merits of dowry can actually exist in our curriculum is a shame for the nation and its constitution. https://t.co/qQVE1FaOEw
The section on Merits of Dowry highlighted that it is helpful in establishing new a household with items including furniture, electronic goods, and a vehicle. Girls can receive a share of parental property through dowry. The most shocking point which provoked people is that ‘ugly looking girls can be married off with attractive dowry with well or ugly looking boys’.
The #BushraFarahNexus has been trending on Twitter and other social media platforms for the past 24 hours, following a press conference by dissenting PTI leader and former Punjab senior minister Abdul Aleem Khan about the alleged corruption by Farah Khan.
In a crowded press conference, Abdul Aleem Khan accused Farah Khan of corruption with the connivance of her “contacts in the power corridors”. Reports and rumours started making rounds suggesting that Farah Khan has left for Dubai on Sunday in the wake of the no-confidence motion.
On the other hand, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz dubbed Farah Khan “mother of all scandals” and also accused her of receiving huge money for transfers and postings. “I dare to name Farah, a friend of Bushra Bibi who is involved in receiving millions of rupees in transfers and postings and these are directly connected to Banigala (residence of Prime Minister Khan),” said Maryam Nawaz.
Who is Farah Khan?
She is a close friend of Bushra Bibi.
She joined PTI four years ago.
Farah Khan was also present at the Nikkah cermoney of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi.
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced Monday that 99 per cent of people on Earth breathe air that comprises numerous contaminants, citing poor air quality for millions of deaths each year.
According to new data from the UN health organization, air pollution affects every part of the globe, albeit the problem is far worse in developing nations.
“Almost the entire global population (99 percent) breathes air that exceeds WHO air quality limits, and threatens their health,” the organization said in a statement.
WHO had already established that about 90 per cent of the world’s population was impacted in its previous report from 2018, but it has subsequently expanded its boundaries.
According to the WHO, the evidence base for the harm caused by air pollution is quickly advancing, and even low levels of certain air pollutants can cause serious illness.
Despite UN statistics suggesting that pandemic lockdowns and travel restrictions improved air quality for a short time in 2021, WHO warned that air pollution continues to be a major threat.
The WHO report includes data on air quality from over 6,000 cities and communities in 117 countries. Keeping in view the frightening statistics, the organisation emphasised the need to immediately limit the usage of fossil fuels.
National Assembly (NA) Secretariat in a statement has refuted all rumours circulating in the media in relevance to Speaker (NA) Asad Qaiser refusing to endorse the assembly dismissal on Sunday, April 3.
“Qaiser decided not to preside over the meeting due to a no-confidence motion against him”, read the statement.
Speaker Asad Qaiser had resisted the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership’s script of rejecting the vote of no-confidence against Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan under Article 5 of the Constitution, reportsGeo News.
On the day of voting, Qaiser did not preside over the lower house session. Instead, Deputy Speaker NA Qasim Suri conducted the session.
Geo reports that sources privy to the matter have revealed that Qaiser reportedly was not ready to give a ruling under Article 5 of the Constitution to reject the no-trust motion against PM. The news outlet further reveals that the premier’s legal team tried hard to pursue Qaiser to foil the trust motion; however, he disagreed and refrained from attending the NA session.
Qaiser responded with “no comments” on Geo News’ attempt to get his version. “The matter is in the Supreme Court of Pakistan, therefore I cannot talk on this,” he said.
However, Qaiser tweeted the detailed ruling of the dismissal of the no-trust motion.
It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan is in a state of political chaos as the no-confidence motion against Khan was dismissed abruptly on Sunday. The move came after Suri termed it “unconstitutional”, saying that it was backed by “foreign powers”.
Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan were all spotted spending with Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Alsaud, Saudi Arabia’s minister of culture, and Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, along with Mohammed Al Turki, Chairman of the Kingdom’s Red Sea International Film Festival.
Taking to Instagram, Alsaud dropped a series of images from his meeting with the above-mentioned stars, with a post that read: “Delighted to have engaged in insightful conversations on the beautiful world of films, exploring cross-cultural collaborations with Bollywood superstars @iamsrk @beingsalmankhan @akshaykumar #SaifAliKhan.”
Al Turki also posted a selfie with Shah Rukh with the location tag placing them at the Bollywood superstar’s seaside Mumbai home, Mannat.
With the Don 2 star wearing the same t-shirt that he had on in the pictures with Prince Badr could imply that the meeting took place at the actor’s home, with all the stars present.
You can get exclusive details in our new show, Maslay Aur Masala:
Saudi Arabia has been giving a big push to feature Bollywood entertainment, with Salman having performed in the country last December as part of the Riyadh Season, where his Da-bangg Reloaded tour also featured the likes of Shilpa Shetty Kundra, brother-in-law Aayush Sharma, Saiee Manjrekar, Maneish Paul and others perform live.
In January 2022, Joy Awards in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia has awarded the “Personality Of The Year” award to Bollywood actor, Salman Khan.
The Bajrangi Bhaijaan hero shared his achievement on Instagram with his fans on Sunday. He was awarded by the Saudi Royal Court Advisor and Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, Turki Alal Shikh in the ceremony.
Ek Tha Tiger star also met with Hollywood actor, John Travolta and introduced himself by saying, “I work in the Indian film industry, my name is Salman Khan” while shaking hands with the American actor.
On December 10, 2021, Saudi Arabia opened the doors for Bollywood to perform at the big event titled, Da-Bangg tour in Riyadh along with other actors including Shilpa Shetty, Jacqueline Fernandez, Prabhu Deva, Aayush Sharma, and Saiee Manjrekar.
Salman and his troupe’s power-packed performance saw a sea of fans attending the concert, making it a huge success.
