Category: Politics

News stories of Politics, for the topics that matter the most to young professionals and college students, political news reported with a different angle.

  • ECP completes printing of 260 million ballot papers

    ECP completes printing of 260 million ballot papers

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said on Monday that it finished printing 260 million ballot papers for all 859 constituencies across the country, as reported by The News.

    The spokesperson of the electoral body stated that they also completed the reprinting of some ballot papers for a few constituencies on time, as ordered by the Supreme Court (SC).

    He also explained that after printing, the process of delivering ballot papers across the country is in progress and will be completed today.

    The spokesman highlighted that for the 2018 general elections, they printed 220 million ballot papers using 800 tonnes of special security paper. However, for the 2024 general election, they printed 260 million ballot papers, requiring 2,170 tonnes of paper.

    According to the spokesperson, the electoral body faced many challenges during the printing process, but ECP fulfilled its responsibility with honesty and completed the printing of ballot papers on time.

  • Electioneering in Sindh – IV

    Electioneering in Sindh – IV

    In this part we will discuss Matiari, Tando Allahyar, Hyderabad, and Tando Mohammad districts of Hyderabad division of Sindh. Hyderabad is the largest division of Sindh in the context of districts. It consists of nine districts with 13 National Assembly (NA) and 28 provincial assembly (PA) seats.

    Matiari, with two PA seats and one NA seat, is famous for handicrafts of Hala and the tomb of Bhit Shah. The Makhdooms of Hala and famous novelist Bina Shah hail from this district. In NA 216 Matiari, 12 candidates are contesting. However, PPP’s Jami-Uz-Zaman and PML-N Sindh president Bashir Memon, who beside his community is also supported by GDA and JUI-F, are the main contenders on this seat. Jamil-Uz-Zaman won this seat in 2018 by getting over 100,000 votes while his close rival GDA’s Fazal Shah got 50,000 votes. Makhdoom has a bigger challenge to retain his ancestral seat while Memon has to prove his worth. Naseer Memon, brother of Bashir Memon, is the PML-N candidate who, alongside eight others, will challenge PPP’s Mehboob Zaman on PS 56 Matiari-I. Nargis Naz of PTI is also in the running here. Mehboob defeated Naseer in 2018 by taking 50,000 votes, while Naseer got 34,000 votes. On another provincial assembly seat, PS 57 Matiari-II, 15 candidates are testing their luck, but the real contest is expected to take place between PPP’s Fakhar Zaman and GDA’s Syed Jalal Shah. PTI’s Gulzar Hussain is also contesting on this seat. Jalal Shah was beaten by PPP’s Rafiq Zaman in 2018. He got 24,000 votes while the PPP candidate polled around 46,000 votes.

    Tando Allahyar district in Hyderabad division has one NA and two PA seats. PPP’s Zukfiqar Bachani, who won NA 217 in 2018 by getting more than 90,000 votes, is facing 17 candidates. Raheela Magsi of GDA would be his main challenger, while PTI’s Rozina Bhutto is also contesting. Bachani family has been winning this seat continuously since 2002. In 2018, there was seat adjustment between PTI and other anti-PPP political parties and families. Raheela Magsi of GDA, Syed Zia Abbas Shah of PPP, Rashid Hussain Meo are among 23 candidates vying for victory on PS 58 Tando Allahyar-I. In 2018, PPP’s Zia Abbas Shah won this seat while his close rival was PTI’s Ali Palh, who got 34,000 votes against 58,000 votes of PPP candidate. Aslam Leghari of PTI, M. Mohsin Magsi of GDA and Imdad Ali Pitafi and other nine candidates are competing on PS 59 Tando Allahyar-II. Imdad Pitafi of PPP won this seat in 2018 by taking 47,000 votes while his close rival GDA’s Khair Muhammad Khokahr got 39,000 votes. Magsi family will display some resistance, but it seems PPP is poised to retain its hold in this district.

    There are three NA and six provincial assembly seats in Hyderabad district. In 2018, PPP won one NA and three PA seats while the remaining two NA and three PA seats were grabbed by the MQM. In NA 218 Hyderabad-I, 11 candidates are the running. Syed Tariq Hussain of PPP, Nasreen Akhtar of MQM, and Zubair Khadim of JI are prominent among the contestants. PPP may retain this seat. JI’s Meraj-Ul-Huda Siddiqui, Mehmood Qadri of JUP Noorani, Mohammad Ashraf of PkMAP, Ali Muhammad Sahito of PPP, Abdul Aleem Khan of MQMP, Husnain Rashid of PML-N, Mustansir Billah of PTI and Muhammad Momin Kunwar are prominent among 40 candidates who are running for NA 219 Hyderabad-II. MQM will try to retain this seat while others, especially the PPP, are poised to challenge their hegemony. On NA 220 Hyderabad-III, 36 candidates are running. JUP(N)’s Abul Khair Zubair, PML-N’s Khalid Aziz, MQM-P’s Syed Muhammad Hussain, Tahir Majeed of JI, PPP’s Waseem Khan Rajput and PTI’s Faisal Mughal are among notables running on this seat. A close contest is expected here between the PPP and MQM-P.

    PPP candidate Jam Khan Shoro won PS 62 Hyderabad-I in 2018 by getting 35,000 votes. His close rival Ayaz Latif Palijo of GDA got 13,000 votes. In 2024 elections, Jam Khan Shoro is running again to retain the same constituency re-designated as PS 60 Hyderabad-I. His rivals are Afroz Shoro of PTI, Ayaz Latif Palijo of GDA, Sajid Ali of MQM-P, Mehboob Mahesar of JI and 19 others. Hyderabad’s main locally of Sindhi speaking population Qasimabad is in this constituency. Ayaz Latif banks on residents of that area for success. However, here Jam Khan Shoro seems favourite for victory. On PS 61 Hyderabad-II, 22 candidates are contesting in 2024. Anwar Ali of PTI, Fateh Muhammad Shoro of JI, Saeed Ahmed Talpur of JUI-F and Sharjeel Inam Memon of PPP are prominent contestants. Sharjeel Inam Memon won this seat in 2018 by getting 44,000 votes. The PPP candidate is the frontrunner on this seat. On PS 62 Hyderabad-III, the total number of candidates is 35. Awais Khan of PTI, Hashim of ANP, Faizullah of JUI-F, Abdul Jabbar of PPP, Sabir Hussain of MQM-P, Saif-Ul-Rehman of JI, Syed Muhammad Hassan of JUP-N, Saeed Akbar of PkMAP, and Khalid Aziz of PML-N are the prominent among them. Abdul Jabbar of PPP won this seat in 2018. A close contest between the PPP and MQM-P is expected during these polls. 41 contestants are vying on PS 63 Hyderabad-IV. Yasir Talpur of PML-N, Muhammad Rehan Rajput of PTI, Kamran Shafique of MQM-P, Sanam Talpur of PPP and Afaq Nasir of JI are the main contenders. MQM-P’s Naeem Siddiqui won this seat in 2018. PPP’s Sanam Talpur may put some resistance. However, MQM-P may clinch this seat. 45 candidates have fielded their nomination papers on PS 64 Hyderabad-V, which include PPP’s Aajiz Dhamrah, MQM-P’s Muhammad Rashid Khan, JI’s Zaheeruddin Shaikh, Rashid Hameed of PML-N and PTI’s Naeem Uddin. In 2018, MQM-P won this seat; PTI was the runner up while PPP stood third. Although history favours MQM-P, PPP will try to turn the tables. 42 candidates are running on PS 65 Hyderabad-IV. Shoaib Shaukat of PTI, Nazim Ali Arain of JUP-N, Nasir Hussain Qureshi of MQM-P, M. Fareed Qureshi of PPP, and Irfan of JI are the notables among them. MQM-P won this seat in 2018 and they will repeat same in these elections.

  • Electioneering in Sindh – III

    In the previous two parts of this series, we have gone through possible election scenarios in Larkana, Sukkur and Shaheed Benazirabad divisions of Sindh. In this part we will discuss the situation in Mirpur Khas division. This division has three districts, Mirpur Khas, Umerkot and Tharparkar. Pakistan’s first minority MNA was elected from Mirpur Khas division in the 2018 elections.

    District Mirpur Khas has two National Assembly (NA) and four provincial assembly (PA) seats. In NA 211 Mirpur Khas-I, 20 candidates are testing their luck and the most prominent among them are PPP’s Syed Aftab Shah Jillani, ex-MNA Syed Ali Nawaz Shah, Mohammad Asad Ali Junejo of PML-N, Afaque Ahmed Khan of MQM and Raja Abdul Haque. However, the actual contest is between ex-MNA Syed Ali Nawaz Shah, who is running as an independent candidate, and PPP’s Aftab Shah Jillani, who is returning to electoral politics after a decade. In 2018, Ali Nawaz won this seat by getting 75,872 votes, while his closest rival – PPP’s Hasan Ali Shah – got 67,782 votes, MQM, PTI and TLP candidates got 8,869, 4,985 and 2,353 votes respectively. On NA 212 Mirpur Khas-II, PPP’s Mir Munawar Talpur, independent candidate Ali Nawaz Shah, JUI-F’s Ghulam Qadir Khan, PTI’s Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah are prominent among 11 candidates. PPP’s Munawar Talpur, who won this seat in 2018 by getting 105,952 votes trouncing his close rival Arbab Ghulam Rahim, who got 51,208 votes, is said to be the favourite for victory on February 8, 2024. Including Hari Ram, winner of 2018 elections, 35 candidates are running for elections on PS 45 Mirpur Khas-I. MQM dominated this seat in 2002, 2008 and 2013 elections. It has fielded Zafar Ahmed Kamali while the PML-N has awarded a ticket to Abdul Hameed and PTI has nominated Aftab Hussain Qureshi. A close contest is expected in this constituency. PPP’s Zulfiqar Ali Shah, PTI’s Mumtaz Ali Shah, MQM’s Abdul Hameed are among 17 candidates on PS 46 Mirpur Khas-II. On PS 47 Mirpur Khas-III, GDA’s Mir Janullah Talpur, PPP’s Noor Ahmed Bhurgri, PTI’s Ali Raza and independent candidate Ali Nawaz Shah are contesting. A three-way fight between Mir Janullah, Ali Nawaz Shah and Noor Ahmed Bhurgri is expected. GDA’s Inayatullah, PPP’s Mir Tariq Talpur and PTI’s Mohammad Iqbal are among 15 candidates vying for victory on PS 49, Mirpur Khas-IV. Here, Noor Mohammad Bhurgri is poised to win this seat for the PPP.

    On Umerkot’s only seat NA 213, a total of 19 candidates have been awarded symbols by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). A three-way fight is expected between PPP’s Nawab Yousuf Talpur, PML-N’s Mir Amanullah Talpur and PTI’s Lalchand Malhi. In the 2018 elections, Yousuf Talpur beat PTI’s Shah Mahmood Qureshi by getting 164,047 votes, while Qureshi got 104,849 votes. Although votes of minorities and disciples of Ghousia seat of Multan may help the PTI candidate put up a good fight, a split in the anti-PPP votes will benefit the PPP candidate. There are three PA seats in this district. In the 2018 elections, PPP won all PA seats and is vying to repeat the same feat again. PPP’s Sardar Shah, GDA’s Khizar Hayat, PTI’s Ali Akber Palli and independent Ali Murad Rajar are prominent among the 23 candidates running on PS 49 Umerkot-I. Sardar Shah won this seat in 2018 and would like to repeat the same but may see a tough competition by independent candidate Rajar who has the support of his community as well as of Sarwari Jamaat. On PS 50 Umerkot-II, PPP’s Ameer Ali Shah is facing 21 candidates, noticeable among those are GDA’s Ghulam Nabi Mangrio and PTI’s Lekhraj Malhi. Ameer Ali Shah beat Arbab Ghulam Rahim by securing 58,968 votes against Arbab’s 30,832 votes in the bye-election held in 2021. His father also defeated Arbab Ghulam Rahim in the general elections held in 2018. Chances of victory of Ameer Ali Shah seem bright. On PS 51 Umerkot-III, 10 candidates are in the running; however, the main contest is between PPP’s Taimur Talpur and GDA’s Dost Mohammad Memon. History is on the side of Talpur.

    Once the Arbab family was seen as the ‘king’ of Tharparkar district, but in 2018, PPP routed and ended their dominance by winning all but one seat. On NA 214 Tharparkar-I, a total of 11 candidates are contesting. PTI’s Shah Mahmood Qureshi, PPP’s Ameer Ali Shah Jeelani and Abdul Razzaque are notable among them. In 2018, the father of PPP candidate beat Qureshi by securing 80,047 votes while his opponent bagged 72,884 votes. In 2018, Qureshi was supported by the Arbabs. However, this time they have fielded their local ally Rahmoon, so the benefit of a three-way contest may go in the favour of the PPP candidate. On another seat – NA 215 Tharparkar-II – 20 candidates are in the field: GDA’s Arbab Ghulam Rahim, PPP’s Mahesh Kumar Malani and PTI’s Mehar-Un-Nisa Baloch are prominent among those candidates. In the last elections, the PPP candidate beat GDA’s Arbab Zakaullah by a margin of 20,000 votes. Although an interesting contest is expected on this seat, the split in anti-PPP votes between GDA and PTI may favour PPP’s Malani. On PS 52 Tharparkar-I, 11 candidates are contesting: GDA’s Sher Khan and PPP’s Dost Muhammad are the main contenders. In 2018, GDA won this seat. On PS 53 Tharparkar-II, GDA’s Arbab Anwar Jabbar, PPP’s Muhamad Qasim Soomro, JUI-F’s Umer Farooq, PTI’s Pehlaj Rai and 10 other candidates are pitched against each other. In 2018, Qasim Soomro won this seat. Soomro and GDA candidate are the main contestants here. On PS 54 Tharparkar-III, among 12 aspirants, PPP’s Faqeer Sher Muhammad Bilalani, GDA’s Arbab Togachi Fawad Razzaq, PPP’s Sher Muhammad Bilalani, PTI’s Lajpat Rai are the main competitors. Bilalani defeated Arbab by a difference of 21,000 votes. Although 18 candidates are in the race, it is a contest between a family on PS 55 Tharparkar-IV. Arbab Lutifullah of PPP is in the against Arbab Zakaullah. Voters will decide who will be the new king of Tharparkar.

  • Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi sentenced to 7 years each in ‘un-Islamic nikah’ case

    Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi sentenced to 7 years each in ‘un-Islamic nikah’ case

    The trial court at Adiala jail today sentenced Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi to seven-year prison terms each in the “un-Islamic nikah” case.

    Senior Civil Judge Qudratullah pronounced the verdict. Yesterday, the case was heard inside the jail premises for 14 hours.

    The judge announced the court’s decision about the plea Khawar Maneka, Bushra Bibi’s ex-husband, made. He claimed that her marriage to the former prime minister was against Islamic law and illegal.

    The complainant’s counsel, Raja Rizwan Abbasi, Khan’s lawyer, Salman Akram Raja, and Bushra Bibi’s lawyer, Usman Gul, also gave their final arguments a day earlier.

    Maneka accused Bushra and Khan of committing fraud in their nikkah ceremony, claiming that they got married while Bushra was still in her iddat period.

    “That above said nikah, and the marriage ceremony was neither legal nor Islamic as it was solemnised without observing the iddat period,” read the petition available with Geo.tv.

  • ‘Real youth, not ‘mummy daddy’ ones, support PML-N, says Nawaz Sharif

    ‘Real youth, not ‘mummy daddy’ ones, support PML-N, says Nawaz Sharif

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif criticised supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), saying in a rally that the country’s “real youth” stands behind his party, if not the “mummy-daddy” ones.

    PML-N and other political opponents have always accused PTI of attracting “privileged youth” or “wannabes,” who they say lack traditional values and commitments. They use phrases like “mummy-daddy” to suggest that the party’s supporters aren’t genuine.

    “Some people say the youth support someone else. But no, youth, not the mummy-daddy ones, are with Muslim League Noon. The real Pakistani youth. That’s why Nawaz Sharif loves you,” the ex-prime minister told a rally in Faisalabad on Friday.

    Nawaz Sharif is aiming to become prime minister for the fourth time, after receiving legal relief from courts in multiple cases. After the Supreme Court’s (SC) decision, the PML-N supremo is now eligible to contest elections.

    The competition in the upcoming general elections is seemingly between PML-N and its former ally, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), as the popular PTI is seemingly out of the election race, with it’s candidates contesting as independents. The founder of PTI, Imran Khan, is currently in Adiala jail.

    Earlier, an accountability court sentenced former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his spouse, Bushra Bibi, to 14 years in prison in the Toshakhana reference.

  • ‘If you harm an American, we will respond,’ says Biden after launching airstrikes in Syria and Iraq

    ‘If you harm an American, we will respond,’ says Biden after launching airstrikes in Syria and Iraq

    The President of the United States of America, Joe Biden, has cautioned, “If you harm an American, we will respond,” as US forces attacked more than 80 targets in Iraq and Syria in a wide-ranging air assault on sites belonging to Iran-linked fighter groups and Tehran’s Revolutionary Guard.

    The US president said the strikes had been launched in retaliation for the drone strike that killed three US troops in Jordan earlier in the week, adding: “Our response began today. It will continue at times and places of our choosing,” reports The Guardian.

    The US military’s Central Command said it had struck with more than 125 bombs in an attack that took place around midnight local time in what was described as the first of multiple attacks against the groups.

    “US military forces struck more than 85 targets, with numerous aircraft to include long-range bombers flown from the United States,” Centcom said in a statement. The raids were aimed at facilities believed to be controlled by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force and affiliated militia groups.

    John Kirby, the White House national security spokesman, said the strikes lasted about 30 minutes. “These responses began tonight. They’re not going to end tonight. So there will be additional responses. There will be additional action that we will take, all designed to put an end to these attacks and to take away capability by the IRGC.”

    The 85 targets were grouped in seven different locations: four in Syria and three in Iraq, according to US officials. Lt Gen Douglas Sims, director for operations on the joint staff, said the timing of the strikes was determined by the weather.

    “The initial indications are that we hit exactly what we meant to hit with a number of secondary explosions associated with the ammunition and logistics locations,” Sims said, although this could not be verified.

    On Thursday, the US said it blamed Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a coalition of Iran-linked militias, for the deadly drone attack last weekend on the remote Tower 22 logistics base in Jordan, near the border with Syria and Iraq. Three US army reservists were killed after living quarters were struck at night and more than 80 wounded.

  • NADRA official ‘kidnapped’ in Islamabad

    NADRA official ‘kidnapped’ in Islamabad

    Islamabad police are currently looking into the reported abduction of Najeebullah, Deputy Assistant Director at the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA).

    Asadullah Khan, a resident of Islamabad, lodged a First Information Report (FIR) with the Ramna police on January 31, stating that his brother left for duty at 9 pm on January 30, and has not returned since.

    According to the FIR, Najeebullah contacted his family the following morning via WhatsApp, stating that he was en route to Peshawar and assured them of his imminent return. Asadullah, however, noted a distressed tone in his brother’s voice and expressed concern as Najeebullah reportedly had no acquaintances in Peshawar.

    Subsequent communication with Najeebullah intensified the concerns, as he conveyed suspicions of being held against his will. The family is now apprehensive that his disappearance may be linked to an ongoing case.

    According to sources of Hum News, NADRA is cracking down on foreign nationals illegally residing in Pakistan who have managed to obtain fake national identity cards.

    During a meeting held at the Ministry of Interior, it was revealed that a significant number of non-residents managed to acquire properties worth billions using fake Pakistani identity cards.

    A senior police officer shared that an investigation is underway after taking footage from Safe City security cameras.

    A NADRA spokesperson stated that they were monitoring the situation closely and were in contact with the officer’s family.

  • Talks for a possible ceasefire between Gaza and Israel underway

    Talks for a possible ceasefire between Gaza and Israel underway

    Under the latest development, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry has reportedly received “an initial positive confirmation from the Hamas side” on the “general framework” for a ceasefire in Gaza.

    According to Qatari officials, Hamas has responded positively to receiving a proposal to pause the military operations in Gaza. However, the final deal is “weeks” away.

    As of January 30, reported by Al Jazeera, Hamas is “studying” a three-phased truce proposal whereas some Israeli officials have warned to “collapse the coalition” if the deal is not in accordance with their wants.

    On the other hand, journalists on social media are claiming that Hamas officials have denied confirmation of any agreement pertaining to a truce.

  • One dead, four injured in multiple blasts in Balochistan

    One dead, four injured in multiple blasts in Balochistan

    At least one person was killed and four injured as multiple blasts occurred on Thursday in different areas of Balochistan, including the provincial capital, Quetta, the police confirmed.

    The blast took place in the Spinny Road area of Quetta. Police have cordoned off the area and are figuring out what caused the explosion.

    Blasts also happened in Turbat and Naseerabad district.

    According to the police, at least three people were injured when a hand grenade exploded at the Dera Allah Yar Bhatti gate area in Naseerabad, while one person was injured in a grenade blast in Turbat’s main market.

    Bomb disposal squads and rescue teams have arrived at the site of the blast in Quetta, where, according to police, at least one person has died in the explosion.

    According to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations Quetta, Tariq Jawad, eight to 10 kg of explosives were used in the blast in Quetta.

  • PTI will hold new intra-party polls

    PTI will hold new intra-party polls

    The central media department of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), announced on Thursday that the party has issued the official schedule for its intra-party elections, set to take place on February 5.

    The party’s spokesperson has been named as the federal election commissioner.

    “The PTI Federal Election Commission is pleased to announce the Election Schedule for the Intra-party Elections (IPE) of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf to elect the Chairman, Central and Provincial Organisations,” the statement read.

    According to the released statement, all party members registered before January 31 will be allowed to vote for their favourite panel as well as for the chairman candidate. Party members can use the ‘Raabta Application Intra Party Election Module’ to record their votes.

    Details regarding all the panels participating in the intra-party elections as well as the procedure of the elections are explained in the Election Rules, 2020, which will be available on the party’s official website and Raabta application.

    The polling will begin at 10am and end at 4pm.

    The last date for submission of nomination papers will be February 2, 2024, until 10pm. Candidates can submit their nomination papers at central and provincial secretariats and also digitally through email.