Sheikh Rashid moves LHC against Naqvi's appointment

Awami Muslim League Chief (AML) Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Thursday filed a petition in the Lahore High Court (LHC) against the appointment of Mohsin Raza Naqvi as the caretaker chief minister of Punjab. In the petition, filed through advocate Azhar Siddique, the AML chief challenged the appointment over Naqvi’s alleged affiliation with Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and active involvement in the regime change movement against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The petition added that no due process was adopted by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in the caretaker chief minister Punjab’s appointment with a request to “set aside the impugned notification declaring it as illegal”. Advocate Siddique implored in the petition that since the ECP and its members have “violated the constitutional and statutory requirements vis-à-vis appointing the care-taker Chief Minister of Punjab; they be censored and be held guilty of violating their constitutional position and committing misconduct, as detailed above, hence, the same be declared to be partial and incapable to hold a free and fair election”. Read PPP, PML-N to jointly contest elections in Sindh The petition also stated that the caretaker CM had been “involved in a case of corruption and corrupt practices initiated by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) where he struck a plea bargain, voluntary return under section 25 of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999 and is thus a convicted person”. The AML chief in the petition also stated that the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) in a suo moto case had held that once a person is accused of corruption or corrupt practices, volunteers to offer to return the amount he has pocketed or gained through illegal means cannot hold any government/public office. Under such circumstances Mohsin Naqvi was "not eligible" to be appointed as caretaker CM Punjab and, thus, he has no lawful authority to continue in the office, it maintained. Also Read PTI moves SC against Naqvi’s appointment The former interior minister requested the court that the appointment of Naqvi as caretaker CM be declared illegal and unlawful and the notification to appoint him as caretaker CM be set aside. It was further requested that CM Naqvi be restrained from appointing any cabinet, or performing any function vis-à-vis the issues of elections till the decision of this instant writ petition. Moreover, the petition added that the operation of the notification referred above be suspended and Naqvi be restrained from performing any function of the stated office. It is pertinent to note that the AML chief was arrested by the Islamabad police in the early hours of Thursday for levelling allegations against Zardari and will be produced in an additional and sessions court of the federal capital today. 

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How terrorists crossed ‘fenced’ border: Murad

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Murad Saeed on Wednesday raised questions on the recent hike in terrorism, wondering how the terrorists enter Pakistan when the border was fenced. Addressing a press conference, he said that various condemnations and statements are coming on the Peshawar incident, however, “accidents do not happen all at once”. “We always wait for tragedies to happen,” he said, asking whether they were not informed that the people would be fueled. “Today I will put before you a series of events,” he stated. “We said earlier that our people will be fueled in the second phase of the regime change operation,” he added. The PTI leader said that there were 400 drone attacks in the country after the United States went to war against terrorism, but not a single drone attack took place during former prime minister Imran Khan's tenure. He pointed out that the defence minister resorted to mocking when he was asked about border fencing. “I saw smiles on the faces of my people in Swat after 15 years,” he said. “Malakand Division had a business of Rs60 million during the last Eid in our era.” “I have been warning since August, but no one listened,” the former federal minister said. “I say to the media people, at that time you did not play a single ticker on that; when bodies pile up, arms are cut, then they provide coverage,” he added. Murad said that in Malakand Division, people took to the streets to protest for peace. “When the border was fenced, how did the terrorists come?” he asked. “For asking this question, I was charged with sedition,” he added. “If there is a fire in Peshawar, its heat will spread to Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi,” he further said. The PTI leader urged Pakistanis to stand up for peace in the country. He called on the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) to come out on the streets on Friday, transcending party politics. “I ask the media to support us for peace,” he said. “When even the funerals of our people did not take place, some people started talking about postponing the election,” he added. “Do not rub salt on our wounds,” he further said.

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Police regroup after Makarwal station attack

Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman visited Makarwal police station following a terrorist attack and said the police force was the pride of Punjab. He lauded police for having foiled a major terrorist attack and added that authorities will fully cooperate with the force. Additionally, he announced that all arrears of police martyrs will be cleared within three days and Makarwal police station will be rebuilt. Accompanying the Chief Secretary, IG Punjab Dr Usman Anwar said terrorists have no religion and are not brave, but weak and murderous. All law enforcement personnel, including police elite force, CTD and other agencies have to put an end to terrorists together, he continued, stating that this is not the first attack and will be more, for which we have to be prepared. Chief Secretary and IGP Dr Usman Anwar also distributed Rs2.5 million in cash and certificates of appreciation among 26 police officers and officials of the district, including SHOs, ASIs and constables who participated in the Makdarwal police station encounter. Additional IG, DIGs, RPO Sargodha and DSPs were also present on the occasion. Makdarwal police station was attacked by terrorists late on Tuesday night. Dozens of terrorists stormed the police station and attacked with modern weapons, hand grenades and Kalashnikovs. Published in The Express Tribune, February 2nd, 2023.

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Uncertainty hangs heavy over elections

The upcoming elections in both Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab have apparently hit a snag as their governors on Wednesday did not give the dates to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for holding the polls in the two provinces sought by the electoral watchdog from them. In fact, they advised the ECP to take the country’s security situation – especially in the wake of the bombing inside a mosque in Peshawar that claimed over 100 lives a day earlier – into consideration before announcing the polls in the two provinces. In a letter to Chief Election Commission (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja, K-P Governor Haji Ghulam Ali wrote that the opinion of the law enforcement agencies should be taken before holding the elections. He added that security agencies, as well as political parties, should be taken into confidence for this purpose. The governor urged the electoral watchdog to have a dialogue with the law enforcement agencies because of the alarming situation in the province after the recent incidents of terrorism. He added that the date for the polls should be announced after consultation with the law enforcement agencies and political parties. A spokesperson for the ECP said the K-P governor had not yet given the date for the elections to be held in the province. Similarly, Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman also advised the ECP against holding the elections in his province in the near future citing the law and order situation as well as the financial woes in the country. He too did not give a date for conducting elections in the province. He informed the ECP that it was necessary to take all the stakeholders on board before announcing the date for the provincial elections. He maintained that Article 105 (3) of the Constitution could not be applied in prevailing circumstances. Article 105 (3) states: “Where the governor dissolves the provincial assembly, notwithstanding anything contained in clause (1), he shall, (a) appoint a date, not later than ninety days from the date of dissolution, for the holding of a general election to the assembly; and (b) appoint a caretaker cabinet.” Earlier, the ECP had sent letters to the governors of K-P and Punjab with the proposed dates for the elections in the two provinces. The electoral watchdog had proposed April 15 to 17 for the elections in K-P and April 9 to 13 for the polls in Punjab. It had asked the respective governors to select a date within the given timelines. Also, Federal Minister for Information Technology & Telecommunication Syed Aminul Haque on Wednesday said that the digital census would continue till March, after which the election commission would need four months for de-limitations, that made it clear that general elections in the country were not possible before October 2023. He stated this while addressing the Internet Governance and Internet Resources Share for Pakistan event organised by Number Resource Society (NRS), a news release said. Meanwhile, PTI leader Farrukh Habib castigated the coalition government for high inflation rate and the recent hike in the prices of petroleum products. Addressing a news conference in Lahore, the PTI leader observed that the inflation rate that was 12 per cent during the PTI government had increased to 27 per cent under the incumbent government. “Despite all the genius and experienced people present in the government, inflation has broken the back of the people. Cost of living has skyrocketed during the tenure of the incumbent government,” he said. “By hiking the prices of petrol and diesel by Rs35 each, the government has committed cruelty with the people who were already hard pressed by the unprecedented inflation.” Habib maintained that the incumbent regime had “snatched food” from the people as the prices of edible items had increased manifold. “Earlier, flour, which was Rs60 per kg is now being sold at Rs160 per kg. Pulses, milk and other essential food items have gone out of reach of the common man,” he said. The PTI leader noted that Pakistan saw a drop of 11 per cent in its remittance while the foreign investment declined by 180 per cent. He pointed out that the government would again increase the electricity tariff on the demand of the International Monetary Fund. He said, “law does not exist in the country as anyone who utters a word is charged with sedition”.

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Not responsible for resurgence of terrorism, says Imran

Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has said that he was not responsible for the resurgence of terrorism in the country. "I am not part of the government... how can I be blamed for it (rise in terrorism)," he said while addressing his supporters from his Zaman Park resident in Lahore on Wednesday. While condemning the suicide attack in Peshawar, he claimed that the government was trying to delay elections on the pretext of the security situation. Imran underscored that there is no ambiguity in Article 105 of the Constitution that after the dissolution of the assembly, elections should be held within the 90 days. "Whoever will try to deviate from the Constitution will have to face Article 6," he warned. The PTI chief said he opted for the constitutional way by "sacrificing" his two governments for bringing stability to the country and his strategy worked out well. "Now, the government is trying to escape from elections on the pretext of security situation because they are used to play a fixed match. They are habitual of playing by appointing their own umpires at their own pitch," he said while using cricketing terminologies. He said that the government was trying to imprison "the captain of the opposing team and targeting its main players." Read more: Dissolving assemblies was the best strategy, claims Imran Imran also spoke at length about the causes of the deteriorating security situation in the K-P and pointed out that he had categorically told the former army chief Gen (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa that the economic and security situation would go out of hand if he allowed to succeed the ‘regime change operation’. He stressed that there is only one solution to pull out the country of the current chaos which is free and fair elections in the country. "Only an elected and strong government constituted through public mandate can make difficult decisions and bring political and economic stability in the country," he maintained. Earlier, while speaking to senior journalists, Imran said he was standing by his statement given about PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, adding that the former president is free to file the defamation suit against him as “defamation is claimed by those who themselves have any respect”. “I welcome the defamation suit filed by the PPP. I have very solid information that Zardari is among four people who were planning to assassinate him," he added. Imran said that two plans were made earlier against him but they failed. "This time they will try to disguise it like a suicide bomber attacking Imran Khan," he said and added that he also knows the name of other officials who are involved in the conspiracy. Lashing out at the caretaker Punjab government, he said that it has already appointed 13 out of the total of 22 anti-PTI officers in the province despite the party's reservations. The former prime minister said that fake cases were being registered against PTI leaders and workers. “I have never seen a caretaker government which is involved in such activities and not focused on its prime mandate of holding free and fair elections," he added. Meanwhile, PTI leader Farrukh Habib has castigated the coalition government for the high inflation rate and the recent hike in the prices of petroleum products. While addressing a press conference in Lahore, he observed that the inflation rate which was 12 per cent during the PTI’s government has increased to 27 per cent under the incumbent government. “Despite all the ‘genius’ and ‘experienced’ people present in the government, inflation has broken the back of the people," he said. Farrukh said that the cost of living has skyrocketed during the tenure of the incumbent government, adding that by hiking the prices of petrol and diesel by Rs35 each, the government has committed cruelty to the people who were already hard-pressed by the unprecedented inflation. He pointed out that the government would again increase the electricity tariffs on the demand of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He further said that the law did not exist in the country, as anyone who utters a word was charged with sedition.

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Minister hints at up to 8% increase in railways fares

Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique on Tuesday hinted at increasing rail fares from 7% to 8%, following the new raise in fuel prices and financial crunch in the department. Addressing a news conference at the Railways Headquarters, Rafique said that diesel bill of Pakistan Railways had already reached Rs38 billion and the department was not able to afford an additional Rs5 billion under the head of increased fuel prices announced by the government this weekend. He said that railways was facing financial crunch due to floods which disturbed the budget, leaving damages of billions of rupees, adding that the railways needed immediate financial injection of Rs40 billion to meet pension and salaries shortfall and the federal government would be requested next week in this regard. He said that salaries of railway employees were being paid in five schedules on 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th and 25th dates of every month while this month two schedules of 15th and 25th dates could not be followed. However, Rs930 million had been released while the remaining amount of Rs310 million would be paid on Wednesday (today) to clear all salaries, he added. The minister said that railways was trying to find its own means of earning by giving agricultural land on short-term lease, hoping that branding initiative would also generate income in coming days. He claimed that no one had bothered to fully read the Supreme Court's order and some 2,600 shops along its network across the country were not leased, which caused a loss of millions to the railways. He said that with the relaxation secured from the top court, tenders had been invited for leasing out these shops. On the political scenario, he said that no doubt inflation was unbearable but these first eight months of the government were of “fire fighting”, adding that the country needed to do more to avoid default. He hoped that the situation would be improved with the arrival of oil from Russia. All civilised nations close markets at 6pm, but here in Pakistan, the scenario was quit different, he said, advising that the nation would have to change its habits for progress and prosperity of the country. 

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BISP disbursed funds to ‘dead people in 2018-19’

Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Tuesday reviewed Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division (PASSD) report 2019-2020, revealing 23 percent of the 92 beneficiaries, taken as sample, were dead. The review meeting was informed that 53 percent of the tested sample had ‘ghost beneficiaries’ whose record could not be found. Unearthing embezzlement to the tune of billions of rupees in BISP programme, PAC disclosed that Rs19 billion of the funds were distributed outside the affected districts. It transpired that fifty-one franchises were used for payments outside the districts concerned in financial year 2018-2019. Highlighting the suspicious activity that raises eyebrows, report mentioned that thirty-nine districts’ funds were disbursed through Tariq mobile shop in Multan. BISP secretary cited migration to be the reason behind ghost beneficiaries, adding that the disbursement through biometric has improved the situation. Admitting that the biometric system was also being misused, the secretary added that the talks to open bank accounts of the deserving citizens were underway with State Bank of Pakistan.

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