Tag: pakistan politics

  • General elections 2024: Candidates allowed to spend up to Rs10 million on campaigns

    General elections 2024: Candidates allowed to spend up to Rs10 million on campaigns

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has recently finalised the Code of Conduct for political parties in preparation for the upcoming general elections in 2024.

    In a collaborative effort with political parties, the Election Commission of Pakistan has meticulously drafted the code of conduct, incorporating valuable suggestions from various political entities.

    According to reliable sources, the code includes provisions preventing political parties from undermining the sovereignty of Pakistan during the election campaign.
    Additionally, parties are expected to refrain from disparaging the ECP in the course of their campaigns.

    The code of conduct emphasises ethical practices, urging political parties and candidates to abstain from offering gifts, inducements, or bribes to encourage the withdrawal of other candidates.

    Ensuring the safety of election staff and polling agents is paramount, as outlined in the draft.
    A noteworthy feature of the code is the commitment to implementing a 5 per cent women’s quota in the upcoming general elections in 2024. This underscores the importance of gender inclusivity in the political landscape.

    The code unequivocally discourages violence on polling day, strictly prohibiting the display of weapons during election campaigns.
    Aerial shootings and the use of firecrackers in public gatherings are also prohibited, promoting a peaceful electoral environment.

    Addressing the eligibility of election agents, the code stipulates that the appointed agent must be a registered voter in the relevant constituency.

    Furthermore, financial regulations have been established, allowing National Assembly candidates a spending limit of up to Rs10 million for their election campaigns, while Provincial Assembly candidates are capped at a maximum of Rs4 million.

    In adherence to transparency, successful candidates are required to submit detailed reports of their election expenses to returning Officers, fostering accountability in the electoral process.

    The comprehensive nature of the Code of Conduct reflects the Election Commission’s commitment to conducting fair, transparent, and violence-free elections in 2024.

  • ‘How can I provide evidence when I could not register an FIR against Gen Faisal’: Imran Khan

    ‘How can I provide evidence when I could not register an FIR against Gen Faisal’: Imran Khan

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has addressed news reports about his appearance in front of a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) on Monday. Taking to Twitter, the former Prime Minister asked how could provide evidence against Major General Faisal Naseer when he was unable to register an FIR against him. Khan added, if the investigation were independent, he would prove that Naseer has been involved in crimes against citizens of Pakistan.

    “Firstly, I own everything what I said in the videos. Question is, how can I provide evidence when I could not register an FIR against Gen Faisal Naseer who I know was not only behind the plot to assassinate me (along with Rana Sanaullah and Shehbaz Sharif) but also in the cover up that followed where he sabotaged the JIT report which had concluded that three shooters were involved,” he wrote.
    He went on to add, “However, were there to be an independent investigation, I would prove that he has been involved in the worst crimes against our citizens.”

    Imran reportedly told the (JIT) that he has no proof that DGC Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Maj Gen Faisal Naseer threatened him and had no evidence to support his allegations against the military man.
    In the past, Imran asserted that Naseer had orchestrated an attempted assassination in November 2022, when Khan was shot at in Wazirabad, sustaining injuries to his leg. Khan also claimed that Faisal Naseer had a hand in the murder of known journalist Arshad Sharif.
    The former Prime Minister has used the term “Dirty Harry” many times in his speeches, referring to Naseer.

    The interrogation was done against the First Information Report (FIR )no 255/23 registered in Ramna Police Station. The JIT session was held at the office of Islamabad Police DIG (operations). The JIT explained the major points of the FIR while officials showed Imran Khan video clips in which he was accusing the DGC of abuse and planning his assassination.
    The following questions were asked from Imran:
    JIT: Do (you) own these clips?
    Imran: Yes.
    JIT: Do u have any proof of your allegations that you can present?
    Imran: No.
    JIT: Did Gen Faisal directly threaten you?
    Imran: No.
    JIT: Then why did (you) level allegations?
    Imran: Someone told me.
    JIT: Any proof or evidence?
    Imran: No.
    JIT: Why did you name DGI?
    Imran: He did a press conference.
    JIT: Have you met Gen Faisal?
    Imran: No.
    JIT: Who do you refer to as Dirty Harry?
    Imran: Gen Faisal.

  • ‘We are not against US, but pro-Pakistan’: Hammad Azhar on Khan’s audio leak

    ‘We are not against US, but pro-Pakistan’: Hammad Azhar on Khan’s audio leak

    PTI leader Hammad Azhar, while responding to a question in Geo News‘ programme Report Card, regarding Imran Khan’s audio leak, has said that, “We are not against the US but pro-Pakistan.”

    He added that Imran Khan is willing to move past the cypher issue for the sake of good relations between both the countries.

    Azhar further said that facts have shown that the real motivation for cypher was domestically-driven.

    Earlier in the day, a conversation between Imran Khan and US Congresswoman Maxine Moore Waters surfaced online.

    In the audio clip, the former prime minister can be heard requesting the American politician to issue a statement about what’s happening in Pakistan “as it will create waves”.

    After his ouster from power in April 2022 through a Vote of No-Confidence, Imran Khan had blamed America for removing his government.

  • ‘Agar mulk chalana hai toh NAB ko khatam karey’: Shahid Khaqan Abbasi

    ‘Agar mulk chalana hai toh NAB ko khatam karey’: Shahid Khaqan Abbasi

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and former Prime Minister (PM) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has demanded the abolishment of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), blaming the watchdog institution for the ongoing crisis in the country.

    While speaking outside an accountability court in Islamabad after attending a hearing in the LNG case, he said, “Agar mulk chalana hai toh is idaray [NAB] ko khatam karain (If you want the country to progress, this institution [NAB] should be abolished).

    He said the “so-called” accountability was aimed at defaming only politicians. “The so-called process of accountability operates just to ridicule politicians,” he added.

    Lambasting ex-chairman of NAB, Javed Iqbal, the former premier said that he should confess who told him to register false cases.

    It is pertinent to mention that PML-N has repeatedly criticised NAB and said that false cases were made against party leaders.

    In August, the National Assembly passed the National Accountability (Second Amendment) Bill, 2022, which sought to exclude private transactions from the scope of NAB.

    Under the amended bill, the pecuniary jurisdiction of NAB had been fixed to only take action against mega scandals. Furthermore, it had been proposed that supplementary references can only be filed with the permission of the court to expedite the proceedings of the court within one year.

  • ‘Yeh bhi jhoot hai, yeh bhi dhokha hai’: Bilawal adamant that Khan will not resign from assemblies

    ‘Yeh bhi jhoot hai, yeh bhi dhokha hai’: Bilawal adamant that Khan will not resign from assemblies

    Foreign Minister (FM) and Chairperson of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has predicted that the Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, will not resign from assemblies despite his announcement to do so.

    Addressing a ceremony held to mark PPP’s 55th foundation day, Bilawal said “Yeh bhi jhoot hai, yeh bhi dhokha hai” (This is also a lie, a betrayal). He claimed that Khan is “lying” as he will not resign from Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) assemblies.

    “Don’t you remember”, he asked the crowd, “that after PTI resigned from the National Assembly and the by-polls were set to take place, they moved the courts and pleaded that their resignations were just a political stunt”.

    During the address, he noted that the army stepped back from politics, “but now, they [puppet politicians] are worried that if the institution has become neutral, then what will become of their politics.”

    Bilawal told Khan that if he decides to resign from the assemblies, then the PPP and its “jiyalas” are ready to face his party.

    At the start of the address, Bilawal paid tributes to his mother, former PM Benazir Bhutto and his maternal grandfather, former PM Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.

  • 2 PTI men shot by JUI-F workers over social media comments

    2 PTI men shot by JUI-F workers over social media comments

    Two workers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf  (PTI ) were injured during an armed scuffle with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) workers over some social media content and comments. The police said that the incident took place in Timergra area of Lower Dir. Police officials said that the workers of both parties started fighting over some social media comments, which resulted in two PTI workers getting injured after being shot. They were rushed to the nearest hospital subsequently.

    On Tuesday, a fight broke out between a man with dissident PTI’s Noor Alam Khan, PPP’s Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, Nadeem Afzal Chan and Faisal Kundi.

    Noor Alam who was severely critical of Imran Khan was verbally abused and punched by a PTI supporter at an iftar after which his colleagues retaliated.

    “We were sitting for iftaar at a hotel and someone abused Noor Alam Khan before iftaar. We didn’t respond. When iftaar started, I said to the man why he is using this language. He started abusing even more and punched Noor Alam. That’s when we responded because he was uncontrollable,” says Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar.

  • Video: PPP’s Saeed Ghani opening water bottle for Bilawal

    Video: PPP’s Saeed Ghani opening water bottle for Bilawal

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari handed over a water bottle to his party fellow Information minister Sindh Saeed Ghani to open.

    In a video, the chairman can be seen sitting alongside Ghani and Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah while addressing a press conference in Karachi.

    The moment went viral when Bilawal picks up a bottle of water and for a moment attempts to open the plastic seal on the cap. Ghani is seen reaching out to assist him and Bilawal gave the bottle to him. Ghani opens it and instantly handed it over to Bilawal.

  • Fazl-ur-Rehman accuses Bilawal of making a deal with the establishment

    Fazl-ur-Rehman accuses Bilawal of making a deal with the establishment

    Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Fazl-ur-Rehman accused Chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari of making a deal with the establishment.

    Maulana Fazl, blaming Bilawal for the failure of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), claimed: “The deal was previously offered to us but we didn’t agree to it.”

    Earlier, Bilawal Bhutto, while addressing a gathering in Rahim Yar Khan, said, “It is not possible that you talk about ‘vote ko izzat do’ [give respect to the vote] and run away the moment one has to use the power of the vote.”

    “When we were with you [PML-N], you used to say that nothing can happen without resignations. I challenge you here to work with us or start implementing your own words and resign. You [PML-N] will have to do either of the two things, otherwise, the people of Punjab will know that you are neither revolutionary nor ready for reconciliation but a hypocrite.”

  • Former President of Pakistan Mamnoon Hussain passes away at 80

    Former President of Pakistan Mamnoon Hussain passed away in Karachi on Wednesday. His son, Arsalan Mamnoon, confirmed the news while talking to Geo News.

    Mamnoon Hussain was hospitalised for the last two weeks and was battling cancer.

    He served as the 12th President of Pakistan between September 2013 and September 2018.

    PML-N vice-president Maryam Nawaz expressed her condolences over the demise of Hussain.