Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) suffered a significant setback as the Supreme Court (SC) overturned the Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) January 10 decision, stripping the former ruling party of its ‘iconic’ electoral symbol, the bat. This development comes just days before the upcoming general elections, Geo reported on Saturday.
A three-member bench — headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa and comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Musarrat Hilali — announced the verdict after a day-long hearing.
The election commission had on December 22 barred the PTI party from keeping its ‘bat’ symbol for the upcoming February elections, citing irregularities in their internal polls that did not comply with the party’s own constitution and election laws.
Instead of mentioning constitution provisions, Supreme Court’s order just narrated the facts and deprived one larger party from its elections symbol. pic.twitter.com/GD6TZVQkM2
Surrounded by family and friends, clapping and cheering, Gaza woman Afnan Jibril beams a brilliant smile on her wedding day, determined to celebrate even as war rages.
“We are a people that love life, despite death, murders and destruction,” said her father, Mohamed Jibril.
Relatives were gathered on Friday for the wartime wedding in a tiny room at an abandoned school building in the besieged Gaza Strip’s southern city of Rafah, near the frontier with Egypt.
The city has suffered daily Israeli bombardment, and the families of both bride and groom are among hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who have fled the fighting further north.
“The usual preparations for marriage are not possible, and traditional ceremonies are not feasible,” said the bride’s father. “However, clothes are available, although they are scarce and expensive.”
Afnan, 17, donning a crown of flowers and pristine white dress with stark red embroidery, and her partner Mustafa Shamlakh, 26, want to make the most of their rare chance to celebrate.
They dance and laugh as guests spray white mousse around the room.
But eventually they have to face reality.
Israel’s relentless military campaign, triggered by attacks by Palestinian militants, has killed at least 23,843 people, mostly women and children, in Gaza, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.
The war began when Hamas militants launched an unprecedented attack on October 7, which resulted in about 1,140 deaths in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
The newlyweds make up part of another grim tally — those displaced by the violence, which UN estimates put at 1.9 million Palestinians out of a total population in Gaza of 2.4 million.
“The house where the groom was supposed to live was destroyed,” Ayman Shamlakh, the groom’s uncle, told AFP.
As the war went on, both families felt there was nothing to be gained from waiting and they agreed to the marriage.
After the school celebration, the couple head for a ceremony set to take place in a tent.
As they dive into a waiting black SUV, surrounded by a massive crowd of well-wishers, it almost looks like any other wedding day.
“We are all living through the same tragedy,” said Ayman Shamlakh. “However, we must continue to live, and life should go on.”
The leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Nazriati (PTI-N), Akhtar Iqbal Dar, has leveled serious accusations against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), alleging the submission of fake tickets by PTI candidates under the banner of PTI-N.
Speaking at a press conference in Lahore, Dar expressed bewilderment at the emergence of PTI candidates allegedly utilizing PTI-N tickets.
پی ٹی آئی نظریاتی کے چئیرمین اپنی اصلی پارٹی ٹکٹ دکھا رہے ہیں۔
دوسری جانب وہ ٹکٹیں جو PTI نے جعلی طور پر پی ٹی آئی نظریاتی کی ازخود جاری کروائیں۔
He adamantly declared, “I do not know from where the PTI candidates got our tickets. PTI submitted our fake tickets; I issued tickets to PTI Nazriati candidates.”
Accusing PTI of forgery, Dar underscored the gravity of the situation, emphasizing that candidates from one political party cannot exploit the platform of another. He urged the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter and take appropriate action against instances of electoral forgery.
Dar asserted the distinct identity of PTI-N, stating, “PTI-N has its own manifesto, its own constitution; our slogan is the death penalty for corruption.” He called for transparency in the electoral process and adherence to ethical standards.
Responding to rumors circulating since midnight, Dar revealed that the distinguishing mark on PTI-N tickets is the unmistakable ‘batsman’ symbol. He claimed that Returning Officers (ROs) had inquired about their tickets, and PTI-N clarified that their tickets bear the clear mark of the regular ‘batsman,’ a symbol consistent with their 2018 election tickets.
Journalist Murtaza Ali Shah took to X (former Twitter) and said, “ECP has stopped the retuning officers not to allow the candidates to get the Batman symbol while deceiving to be the members of an other party – after PTI decides to get Batman symbol of PTI-N”
ECP has stopped the retuning officers not to allow the candidates to get the Batman symbol while deceiving to be the members of an other party – after PTI decides to get Batman symbol of PTI-N pic.twitter.com/qwe0wJjw8x
Displaying a PTI-N ticket to the media, Dar said, “This is our ticket. PTI has submitted our fake tickets. The ECP has issued a clear and blunt order that no candidate of any party can use the ticket of any other party.”
Dar explained the genesis of PTI-N, stating, “In 2007, I felt the need to discourage rigging, hooliganism, money politics, electorate politics, and promote transparency. That’s why PTI-N was formed, and I must be a part of PTI-N.” PTI-Nazriati was formed by Akhtar Iqbal Dar in 2012 after differences with PTI founder Imran Khan. Like many past members, he alleged that the party established in the name of justice had become a party of turncoats with the inclusion of politicians from other parties.
PTI-N was registered with the country’s top electoral authority in 2016 after accepting an application from Dar. At that time, the Khan-led party had filed an application in the Lahore High Court against the decision which was rejected.
The PTI-N fielded 35 candidates in the 2018 elections. Although, they did not win any seats they secured over 21,000 votes from Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The party has a base in Punjab.
It’s not just the symbol and name; both parties also have the same flags.
In June 2022, PTI had urged the ECP not to grant the symbol to PTI-Nazriati, citing potential confusion among voters. However, the ECP did not entertain PTI’s request.
Earlier today, PTI initiated a “plan B” by aligning with its splinter group, PTI-Nazriati, to secure the “batsman” symbol for its candidates, as the fate of its long-held “bat” symbol hangs in the balance pending a Supreme Court hearing.
جن افراد کے پاس ”تحریک انصاف نظریاتی “کے ٹکٹ ہیں وہ فوری طور پر جمع کروا دیں
Amidst the Supreme Court’s deliberations on the Election Commission of Pakistan’s petition challenging the restoration of PTI’s “bat” symbol by the Peshawar High Court, PTI instructed its candidates to submit PTI-Nazriati tickets to Returning Officers. The move comes as a backup plan in case the iconic “bat” symbol is denied.
The official PTI account posted on X, stating, “Whoever has PTI-Nazriati tickets should immediately submit them and take any kind of hindrance to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and high courts.”
The move to secure an alternative symbol gained traction following Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa’s remarks during a recent hearing.
ہر پولٹیکل پارٹی کی پہچان اس کا نشان ہوتا ہے پاکستان میں کسی پارٹی نے ایسے الیکشن نہیں کروائے جس طرح پی ٹی آئی نے کروائے لیکن الیکشن کمیشن کے پاس دو چشمے ایک سے تحریک انصاف اور دوسرے سے باقی پارٹیوں کو دیکھتا ہے – پاکستان کی تاریخ میں کبھی اس طرح کسی پارٹی سے اس کا نشان نہیں… pic.twitter.com/qrb1T9pxbO
While the Supreme Court’s decision is pending, tensions rise within the political landscape. PTI leader Shoaib Shaheen submitted a plea to the ECP, requesting acceptance of PTI Nazriati tickets for candidates. However, the ECP issued a statement warning against attempts to deceive the commission through such requests.
The evolving situation poses challenges for PTI-Nazriati candidates who have already received tickets in constituencies where PTI is fielding its candidates. The uncertainty surrounding the electoral symbol deadline adds further complexity to the political landscape, with the Supreme Court expected to announce its decision soon.
A 5-year-old child, Shehzad Gul, was beaten to death in what is being described as a dispute over garbage collection between two groups in Surjani Town, Karachi, reports Dawn.
The horrific incident took place in Sector-4B. Shehzad Gul was one of three children and had two sisters.
The dispute erupted between two Afghans over the collection of garbage, which led to the murder. The suspect(s) had been identified and police were waiting for the family to lodge an FIR to formally initiate legal proceedings.
The victim’s father, Gul Mohammad, told reporters that he had been collecting garbage from houses for the last one month. On Friday, his son and a daughter accompanied him to collect the garbage.
During the work, he left both children for a while and went to another street and when he returned, he learned that his son had been injured after being hit with a hard and blunt instrument. He rushed the child to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH) where doctors confirmed his death. The grief-stricken father said that he had been receiving “threats” from a man who had got the contract of garbage collection earlier. He suspected that his son was killed over that dispute. “I am a poor labourer who earns Rs13,000 on a monthly basis through garbage collection,” said the father.
British singer Zayn Malik teamed up with Pakistani music band ‘Aur’ to release an Urdu song called ‘Tu Hai Kahan’. The Pakistani band shared a short preview of the new song on Instagram, announcing its release. Zayn Malik lent his vocal talents to the song, as seen in a video where he recorded part of it in his own recording room. The final version includes vocals by Rafi, Osama, and Ahad from the ‘Aur’ band.
Notably, ‘Aur’ gained widespread fame a few months ago with the same song ‘Tu Hai Kahan,’ which has amassed 92 million views on its music video. The collaboration with the British superstar adds another exciting chapter to their musical journey.
The song released at 12pm on Friday, amassing massive hits within 24 hours. The song is a mellow, easy listen that we can predict will be on a lot of playlists.
Something Zayn’s fans absolutely loved was that he sang in Urdu.
its not a dream ZAYN MALIK IS ACTUALLY SINGING IN URDU desi girls we really won at life
ZAYN MALIK THE MAN THAT YOU ARE ZAYN’S VERSE IN ‘TU HAI KAHAN’ IS SO GOOD @AURmusic__ and @zaynmalik thank you so much for this song and wishing you very Happy and healthy Birthday Zayn pic.twitter.com/1HbsymtVV5
Dr. Fahad Mirza, husband of Pakistani actress Sarwat Gilani, has made surprising revelations about his first marriage and subsequent breakup with actress Sarwat Gilani.
Breaking his silence, Dr. Mirza shared, “I broke up with Sarwat when I was 25 to 26. After she left, I felt like a living corpse, utterly disappointed and financially struggling. I didn’t even have money for cigarettes or phone calls. I prayed for guidance, and Allah sent someone into my life – my first wife.”
According to Dr. Fahad Mirza, at that time he met the woman who was 15 years older than him, she also had three children. “I was so broken at that time that I married her. She was 15 years older and a mother of 3 children but still I decided to marry her.” According to the actor and doctor, he then left home and started living with his first wife because he felt that Sarwat and he broke up “because of family”. He says that when he started living with his wife, “everyone started to think that I was worthless, even my father said that I was not fit to become a surgeon.”
Mirza recalls that when he joined civil hospital, he was being paid Rs 12,000 as salary. “After this job I used to go to the library and study, during this time my wife took care of me, she used to send me food, give me pick and drop. She supported me at every step because she was wise, mature, she taught me a lot. Even after separation, I am still thankful to my wife for guiding me, otherwise I would have destroyed myself.”
As the nation braces for the upcoming general elections, Karachi police is facing a substantial shortage of 14,300 security personnel, including female officers.
As per The News, Khadim Hussain Rind, the additional inspector general (AIG) of Karachi, revealed that the city’s police force had initiated robust security arrangements for the elections scheduled for February 8.
However, he underscored the significant shortfall in required personnel.
“Over 46,076 police personnel are needed for the election security plan, while Karachi Police have only 31,776. The required number of female police personnel is also not available,” said the AIG.
He elaborated on the specific needs for female personnel, highlighting, “At least 3,200 female personnel are required for security arrangements at women’s polling stations while we have 1,200 female personnel. The KPO faces a shortage of 2,000 lady cops.”
As per the security plan, eight police personnel are required for the most sensitive, six for sensitive and four for normal polling stations each. In Karachi, there are 2,033 most sensitive stations, 3,008 sensitive stations, and 308 polling stations are declared normal, while 16,264, 18,048, and 1,232 personnel respectively are required for them.
Rind disclosed that 35,544 personnel would be assigned to duty at 5,349 polling stations in the megacity.
Additionally, a quick response force is set to be deployed at polling stations, with 3,892 personnel assigned to 2,774 buildings. Furthermore, 4,210 police officers will be placed on reserve duty under the supervision of the Deputy Inspector General (DIG), accompanied by nine Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs), 16 Superintendents of Police (SPs), 57 Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs), and 107 Station House Officers (SHOs).
The AIG outlined plans to allocate 2,430 personnel for various election commission offices, welfare duties, hospitals, and miscellaneous tasks.
However, he emphasized the glaring shortage of 14,300 police personnel and revealed that multiple options were under consideration to address this gap. Possibilities include deploying lady health workers, and polio staff, or hiring private security guards, anti-encroachment, excise police, anti-corruption, or forest department personnel to bolster the existing security measures.
As the elections draw near, efforts are underway to mitigate the shortfall and ensure the safety and integrity of the electoral process in Karachi.
As the general elections loom closer, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has disclosed its roster of candidates for both the National and Punjab Assemblies, drawing attention for granting tickets to more than 30 family members, as reported by The News.
The announcement was made by Ishaq Dar, PML-N’s Head of Election Cell, marking a pivotal moment in the party’s preparations for the upcoming political showdown.
In a notable revelation, 36 candidates have familial ties, including father-son, father-daughter, husband-wife, brother-in-law, mother-son, father-in-law, and uncle-nephew relationships among them.
Candidates of PMLN who are father-son, father-daughter, husband-wife, brother-in-law, mother-son, father-in-law and uncle-nephew.
Nawaz Sharif and his daughter will contest the National Assembly polls from Lahore.
Similarly, Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz will…
PML-N stalwarts Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz are set to contest the National Assembly polls from Lahore, while PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz will participate in both the National Assembly and provincial assembly polls.
Malik Saif ul Mulook Khokhar, the President of PML-N Lahore, and his son Faisal Ayub, have secured tickets for the National and provincial assemblies, respectively.
Afzal Khokhar and his nephew Irfan Shafi Khokhar from Lahore are also contesting on PML-N tickets.
From Dera Ghazi Khan, former minister Awais Leghari and his son Amar Leghari are nominated for National Assembly seats in Rajanpur.
Additionally, former minister Khawaja Saad Rafique is vying for a National Assembly seat, while his brother Salman Rafiq is contesting for a provincial assembly seat, both from Lahore.
In Muzaffargarh, former minister Syed Basit Bukhari and his daughter Syeda Shahr Bano Bukhari have been fielded as candidates.
From Bahawalpur, Iqbal Chanar is nominated for a National Assembly seat, with his son Zaheer Iqbal Chanar is contending for a provincial assembly seat.
Chaudhry Khalid Javed Waraich and his son Uqba Waraich are PML-N’s candidates for the National and provincial assemblies from Toba Tek Singh, respectively.
Yaqoob Shaikh is contesting for the National Assembly from Jhang, while his wife Rashida Yaqoob is running for a provincial assembly seat.
Notable leaders like Daniyal Aziz didn’t make it to the list.
PML-N ticket distribution extends to various regions, including Kasur, Vehari, Dera Ghazi Khan, Taunsa, Lodhran, Khanewal, and Sheikhupura, with candidates such as Rana Hayat, Begum Tahmina Daultana, Amjad Farooq Khosa, Siddique Baloch, and Mian Javed Latif, among others.
Notably, the PML-N has introduced eight new faces in Punjab for National Assembly tickets, including Bilal Azhar Kayani and Attaullah Tarar. The party has also allocated tickets to six women for the National Assembly and three for the provincial assembly in Punjab, showcasing a diverse candidate pool.
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has awarded four party tickets for general seats in provincial and national assemblies to minority candidates.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has given one party ticket to minority candidate Lalchand Malhi from NA-213 Umerkot Sindh.
The PPP nominated Sakhawat Masih, a ground worker from Narowal, for NA-76 Narowal, along with giving tickets to Doctor Mahesh Kumar Malani from Tharparkar for NA-215 Mithi/Tharparkar.
Malani was the only Hindu MNA on general seat in the National Assembly from 2018–2023.
PPP is also fielding Seth Hari Ram Kishori Lal from Mirpurkhas, for P.S-45 Mirpurkhas-I.
He was also the only Hindu member of the provincial assembly (MPA) on a general seat from 2018–2023.
Dr. Saveera Parkash from PK-25 Buner is also a PPP candidate, the first female Hindu candidate from the region.
American and British forces have launched fresh raids on Yemen’s capital, Houthi rebel forces confirmed on Saturday, a day after the allies carried out dozens of strikes on the country.
The latest raids targeted Al-Dailami airbase in Sanaa, which has been under Houthi control since 2014, a statement released on their official media stated. “The American-British enemy is targeting the capital, Sanaa, with a number of raids,” Al-Masirah TV posted on X, formerly Twitter, citing its correspondent in Sanaa.”The American-British aggression targeted the Al-Dailami base in the capital, Sanaa,” it added.
Raids on Yemen follow weeks of Houthi attacks on Israel’s ships in the commercial Red Sea in protest against the war on Gaza.
The strike on a Houthi radar site comes a day after scores of attacks across the country heightened fears that Israel’s aggression on Gaza could engulf the whole Arab region.
The Houthis warned that US and British interests were “legitimate targets” after the initial strikes. Britain, the United States and eight allies said strikes carried out on Friday had aimed to “de-escalate tensions”, but the Houthis vowed to continue their attacks. Hussein al-Ezzi, the rebels’ deputy foreign minister, said the United States and Britain would “have to prepare to pay a heavy price”.
The rebels have controlled much of Yemen since a civil war erupted in 2014 and are part of the “axis of resistance” against Israel and its allies.
Violence involving these groups in Yemen, Lebanon, Iraq, and Syria has surged since the war in Gaza began in early October.
BREAKING: Massive United States fleet of warships seen off the coast of Yemen.
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UN chief Antonio Guterres called on all sides “not to escalate” in the interest of regional peace and stability, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.
The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting on Friday, days after adopting a resolution demanding the Houthis immediately stop their attacks.
At the meeting, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield warned that no ship was safe from the threat posed by Houthis to shipping in the Red Sea.
Russian ambassador Vassili Nebenzia denounced the “blatant armed aggression” against the entire population of the country.
Red Sea attacks and the politics of the Middle East
The Houthis have intensified attacks on what they deem Israeli-linked shipping in the Red Sea- through which 12 percent of global maritime trade normally passes- since October 7.
The United States and Britain launched strikes on Friday that targeted nearly 30 locations using more than 150 ammunitions, US General Douglas Sims said, updating earlier figures, and President Joe Biden said he did not believe there were civilian casualties.
Biden called the strikes a successful “defensive action” after the “unprecedented” Red Sea attacks and said he would act again if the Houthis continued their “outrageous behaviour”.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the Houthis’ breach of international law warranted the “strong signal”, with his government publishing its legal position justifying the strikes as lawful and “proportionate”.
Nasser Kanani, spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry, said the Western strikes would fuel “insecurity and instability in the region” while “diverting” attention from Gaza.
The Houthis fired “at least one” anti-ship ballistic missile in retaliation on Friday that caused no damage, according to Sims.
The United States said it did not seek conflict with Iran, with National Security Council spokesman John Kirby telling MSNBC there was “no reason” for an escalation.
Middle Eastern leaders voiced concern at the violence, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan describing the strikes on Yemen as disproportionate and saying: “It is as if they aspire to turn the Red Sea into a bloodbath.”
Saudi Arabia said it “is following with great concern the military operations” and called for “self-restraint and avoiding escalation”. The kingdom is trying to extricate itself from a nine-year war with the Huthis, though fighting has largely been on hold since a truce in early 2022.
Palestinian freedom fighting group Hamas said it would hold Britain and the United States “responsible for the repercussions on regional security”.
‘Death to America’
Hundreds of thousands of people, some carrying Kalashnikov assault rifles, gathered in Yemen’s capital Sanaa on Friday to protest, many waving Yemeni and Palestinian flags and holding portraits of Huthi leader Abdulmalik al-Huthi, an AFP journalist reported.
5 million people protested in Yemen today. Does The United States and Israel know what they got themselves into? This is terrifying, pic.twitter.com/MBRw9f8X5r
In Tehran, hundreds rallied against the United States, Britain, and Israel, burning the three countries’ flags outside the UK embassy while voicing support for Gazans and Yemenis, an AFP correspondent reported.
In Gaza, Palestinians lauded Houthi support and condemned Britain and the United States. “No one is standing with us but Yemen,” said Fouad al-Ghalaini, one of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians left homeless by Israel’s bombardment of Gaza City
