Live: Elections 2024

This is the end of Dawn.com’s live blog for elections 2024.

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Scrutiny of nomination papers for 48 Senate seats, including 12 each from Punjab and Sindh, 11 from Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and two from the federal capital, has been completed, APP reports.

In the federal capital, National Assembly members will elect representatives for one general seat and one seat for technocrats, including Ulema, in the Senate.

Meanwhile, members of the four provincial assemblies will elect senators, including seven for general seats, two for women seats, and two for technocrats, including Ulema, from each province.

Additionally, one seat for non-Muslims will be elected from both Punjab and Sindh provinces.

Polling for the Senate’s vacant seats from the federal capital will take place at Parliament House on April 2, 2024.

The Election Commission of Pakistan has notified Mahmood Khan as the chairman and Malik Afzal Din Khan as the vice chairman of the PTI-Parliamentarians following the party’s intraparty elections.

PTI Senator Mohammad Humayun Mohmand has questioned the government as to why it is scared of his party’s processions and rallies.

In a conversation on Geo News show ‘Capital Talk’, Mohmand said the permission sought by the party from Deputy Commissioner (DC) Irfan Nawaz Memon for the rally on March 23 in Islamabad was to understand the situation.

“We are seeing if they will allow us or not,” he said.

While answering about the PTI’s intentions for the rally, he said the party’s objective for the rally was to raise its complaints regarding the injustice being done.

“I don’t understand why they are scared and jealous of PTI rallies,” he said.

“Maybe it is because they cannot carry out such rallies which is why they are not allowing us either,” he said.

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority Chairman retired Major General Hafeezur Rehman has said he can not comment on the closure of social media platform X.

In a conversation with Dawn.com later today while answering a question regarding his meeting with the concerned government body on X’s closure, Rehman said that he did attend the meeting, however, he could not say anything regarding the ban.

PTI leader Parvez Elahi suffered a minor fracture after a fall in the prison toilet in Adiala Jail, according to a report from the prison superintendent presented during a hearing today in the Lahore anti-terrorism court.

The report added that the incident occurred on Sunday.

PTI leader Sher Afzal Marwat has downplayed the alleged split in the party, adding that the decisions by the party are taken through “collective wisdom”.

“We have no differences between us. There is a difference of opinion on the decision or issue but you should not take that as a conflict between the leadership,” he said while speaking to the media outside Islamabad High Court, adding that the party is united for Imran Khan’s mission.

“There can be differences on specific issues,” he said.

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) retired Major General Hafeezur Rehman has said that authority had not received any written order from the interior ministry regarding the closure of X.

“There is just confusion for now,” he said.

While answering a question regarding Information Minister Attaullah Tarar’s acknowledgement of the closure, Rehman stated that Tarar should be questioned for any information on X.

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority retired Major General Hafeezur Rehman has said a meeting took place on February 8 at 5am in Interior Secretary Aftab Durrani’s office where it transpired that there were security threats on election day.

“We were ordered to shut down the internet [on the day] and we formally tweeted about it as well,” he told Dawn.com.

He stated that it should be clarified whether X is shut or else someone should take responsibility for it.

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority Chairman retired Major General Hafeezur Rehman has said he will raise the issue of the closure of social media platform X with the interior ministry.

In a telephonic conversation with Dawn.com, he said: “Either the matter should be cleared or someone should take responsibility for it. The closure of social media forums is always directed by the interior ministry.”

When asked whether any instruction was issued regarding shutting down X in the country, the PTA chairman stated that there is just confusion for now.

“I have asked my staff that my internet is working even though I do not have a VPN,” he said, referring to a virtual private network.

British High Commission’s Political Counsellor Zoe Ware has called on PTI leader Asad Qaiser to discuss matters related to parliamentary politics, freedom of expression and mutual interests.

President Asif Zardari has highlighted the need to translate bilateral relations between Pakistan and Bahrain into a “mutually rewarding economic partnership”.

According to the President’s Secretariat, the head of state expressed these views while talking to Commander of the National Guard of Bahrain General Sheikh Mohammad bin Isa bin Salman Al-Khalifa who called on him at the Aiwan-e-Sadr today.

Zardari said Pakistan attached great value to its fraternal ties with Bahrain which were based on shared religion, culture and history.

“Welcoming the visiting commander, the president said Pakistan and Bahrain enjoyed excellent relations, which needed to be further strengthened in the areas of mutual interest,” the statement said.

“During the meeting, the commander of the National Guard of Bahrain felicitated the president on assuming the office for the second time and expressed the hope that Pakistan would move forward under his leadership,” it added.

The statement quoted the Bahrain commander as saying that “both countries enjoyed excellent defence cooperation and expressed his gratitude for the supportive role of the armed forces of Pakistan. “

General Khalifa also extended an invitation to President Zardari to visit Bahrain.

PTI leader Khurrum Sher Zaman has applauded the Sindh High Court for issuing a notice to Chief Election Commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja on a plea seeking contempt proceedings against the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

PTI-backed candidates had sought contempt proceedings against the electoral watchdog for not deciding their complaints against provisional results of general elections.

“Kudos to SHC for issuing notice to CEC on PTI pleas,” Zaman said in a post on X.

Interior and Narcotics Minister Mohsin Naqvi has urged to review laws governing social media in light of the prevailing disruption of X.

Speaking to the media in Lahore today alongside PPP leader Ali Haider Gilani, the security czar gave an example of how the US House passed a bill to ban TikTok.

“In a country like the US where such things (ban) are taking place, we will also need to review our law and make sure that there is ‘no ban’ on the freedom of expression,” Naqvi added.

The interior minister emphasised that the misuse of social media which results in levelling unfounded allegations “needs to be kept in check”.

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has defended the party’s decision to have winning candidates backed by it join the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).

Speaking to reporters, he said, “There is no difference with the SIC. The decision to join the SIC was absolutely right and the better decision.”

The PTI MNA emphasised, “ We kept striving for our party symbol and wanted to contest [the elections] on our [electoral] symbol.“

Gohar reiterated that it was the SIC-PTI coalition’s “right” to get reserved seats in the assemblies.

Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) leader Allama Raja Nasir has said that Pakistan cannot “afford” such politics where “power is transferred among generations”.

In a post on X, Nasir said that a “horde of losers from Britain is taking Pakistan towards destruction” — an apparent reference to the PML-N.

“The same people are responsible for this destruction who have occupied power for the past 40 years,” the MWM chief added.

The Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) has said that it was “impossible” for the country’s situation to improve unless its leaders “prioritised public interests over their own”.

The PTI, without naming, has alleged that all projects under Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz were for “personal publicity and gathering false praises on social media”.

In a post on X, the party said, “Lights, camera, action”. It claimed that food packages were “taken back” after photographing people with it and shared a video of a few Punjabi-speaking residents claiming that “photo sessions” were held.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has appointed Zeeshan Malik as the special assistant to CM on political affairs, according to a notification shared by the PML-N on X.

Former information minister Fawad Chaudhry has said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif “got ‘selected’ in the same manner” as Russian President Vladimir Putin, who recently extended his rule for another six years after winning the elections.

In a statement posted on his X account attributed to him, Fawad also compared the premier to Bangladesh’s Sheikh Hasina Wajid.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has appointed Saima Farooq as the personal secretary to CM, according to a notification shared by MPA Hina Parvez Butt on X.

Iranian Consul General Mehran Mowahid has met PML-N Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz and congratulated her on being elected as the Punjab chief minister, the party said on X.

During the meeting, it was decided that the Badshahi Mosque in Lahore would be decorated on the occasion of Nowruz on March 20.

PTI leader Khurrum Sher Zaman has raised questions over PLM-N supremo Nawaz Sharif chairing Punjab Assembly meetings when he was only an MNA.

Questions were raised when Nawaz on Monday made a conspicuous appearance by chairing three administrative meetings of the Punjab government.

“In what capacity is Nawaz Sharif presiding over administrative meetings?” Zaman asked in a post on X.

“He is only an MNA, and that too with a stolen mandate,” the PTI leader added.

Disruption of social media platform X has continued for over a month as civil society and rights activists raised their concerns about the situation.

Referring to Information Minister Attaullah Tarar’s recent comments on the disruption, BoloBhi Director Usama Khilji said, “Finally some acknowledgement.”

“When will [the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority] speak up as per its legal mandate?” he asked in a post on X.

PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub has said that party-backed MNA Bilal Ejaz has lost his NA-81 seat from Gujranwala after a vote recount was held.

In a post on X, Ayub claimed, “The ECP allowed a vote recount, and his votes were reduced by putting double stamps on his electoral symbols.”

He said a PML-N candidate had been declared the winner now, adding, “The ballots were double-stamped to spoil the votes of Bilal Ejaz.”

“This is a complete farce and proves that the commissioners [of] ECP and Chief Election Commissioner should resign immediately,” the PTI MNA demanded.

The Supreme Court has ordered re-election in Balochistan Assembly’s PB-50 constituency in Qilla Abdullah.

Headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, a three-judge SC bench on Monday set aside the Election Commission of Pakistan’s order for re-polling at six polling stations in the constituency.

The bench, including Justice Irfan Saadat Khan and Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan, ordered the ECP to conduct a fresh election as per the law.

The ECP’s decision was challenged by Awami National Party’s Zamarak Khan, who contended that the turnout at many polling stations in the constituency remained low.

Read more here

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said the government is seeking economic consensus with all political parties to push the country towards economic prosperity, Radio Pakistan reports.

Speaking to a private news channel, he said PML-N’s manifesto included giving facilities to Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s interior areas and bringing them at par with major cities.

The minister said the government was also taking steps to overhaul the fragmented tax system, ensuring businesses pay their tax on time, and tackling electricity and gas theft to strengthen the economy.

Former PTI leader Faisal Vawda has said that the politics of “hatred” was not just employed by the PTI but also by other parties.

Speaking to the media in Karachi, he said, “Venom and hatred are not just in the PTI but in the rest of the parties too.

He also recalled his cordial relations with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s Mustafa Kamal, Rauf Siddiqui and Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori.

The scrutiny of nomination papers filed for 48 vacant seats of the Senate is under way and will conclude today, Radio Pakistan reports.

A revised list of candidates will be issued on March 26 and candidates can withdraw their nomination papers by the next day. Polling will be held on April 2.

In Islamabad, MNAs will elect members of the Senate against one general seat and one seat for technocrats, including Ulema.

The Election Commission of Pakistan has constituted five appellate tribunals to address appeals regarding the acceptance or rejection of nomination papers submitted by candidates for the vacant Senate seats.

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The Election Commission of Pakistan has appointed Lower Dir additional deputy commissioner (finance & planning) Jan Mohammad as the returning officer for the by-election on NA-8 in Bajaur tribal district.

After his appointment as RO, Jan Mohammad issued a notification, fixing March 16 to 18 for the filing of nomination papers by the candidates for the by-poll to be held on April 21.

He fixed March 21 for the scrutiny of nomination papers and March 25 for filing of appeals against the decision of the returning officer regarding the rejection or acceptance of the nomination papers.

Similarly, March 28 was set for a decision on appeals by the appellate tribunal.

Read more here.

PPP MNA Nafisa Shah has congratulated Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari for filing her nomination papers to contest the by-election from NA-207 Nawabshah-I.

While talking to media outside the Islamabad High Court, PTI MNA Malik Amir Dogar expressed hope that PTI leaders would be “acquitted” today.

He said the judges’ observations during the detailed hearing on Monday indicated that the case is nearing conclusion.

He also commented on the decision of PTI-backed winning candidates to join the Sunni Ittehad Council and said it was taken with Imran Khan’s permission.

Presi­d­ent Asif Ali Zardari emphasised the need for boosting trade ties with the US and the United Arab Emirates and invited businessmen of the two countries to invest in Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX).

US Ambassador Donald Blome congratulated Asif Ali Zardari on assuming the office of president for a second time.

Later, Ambassador of UAE to Pakistan Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al-Zaabi called on President Zardari.

Talking to the UAE ambassador, President Zadari stressed the need for boosting trade ties between Pakistan and the UAE.

The ambassador congratulated President Zardari on becoming the president for the second term and extended best wishes on behalf of the leadership and people of UAE. He invited Mr Zardari to visit the UAE, which the president accepted.

Read more here

The Election Commission of Pakistan has notified appointment of five appellate tribunals for the Senate elections 2024, consisting of high court judges.

According to a notification issued here, an appellate tribunal has been constituted for the federal capital comprising Justice Saman Rifat Imtiaz.

Likewise, an appellate tribunal, headed by Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan for Punjab, the appellate tribunal for Sindh will be headed by Justice Adnan Iqbal Chaudhry, the appellate tribunal for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will be headed Justice Shakil Ahmed.

According to the notification, unlike the other three provinces and the federal capital, two appellate tribunals have been formed for Balochistan, comprising Justice Ejaz Swati and Justice Nazeer Ahmed Langove.

Read more here

After mostly staying away from public view since the Feb 8 general elections, PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif made a conspicuous appearance on Monday by chairing three administrative meetings of the Punjab government.

The move has raised many eyebrows since Nawaz holds no official position in either the provincial or federal government and is officially only a National Assembly member.

An official handout issued after the meeting said the PML-N supremo issued directions to ministers and officials regarding different infrastructure projects, including the underground train and metro bus, farmers’ plight, electric bikes for students and Ramazan relief package.

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PTI leader Latif Khosa has downplayed the alleged split within the party over the decision to join the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).

Speaking on Geo News show Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath, he said: “Nothing is happening. When you ask different people then they will give their own opinion.”

He instead hinted at the issue allegedly being perpetuated by the PTI’s opposition and the former caretaker government.

Punjab Finance Minister Mian Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman has presented the provincial budget for the fiscal year 2023-24 worth Rs4,480.7 billion in today’s Punjab Assembly session, Radio Pakistan reports.

Read more here.

PTI’s Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has defended the party’s decision to join the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), saying that it was a “very correct and serious decision”.

He said the SIC was the most suitable party in comparison to other political parties present in Parliament to avail the reserved seats.

Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader Engineer Ziaur Rehman has filed his nomination papers for the NA-44 seat, which PTI’s Ali Amin Gandapur vacated after his election as the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister.

PTI MNA Malik Amir Dogar has said that the decision of PTI-backed winning candidates joining the Sunni Ittehad Council — currently facing criticism from some party leaders — was taken with party founder Imran Khan’s permission.

Speaking to reporters outside the Islamabad High Court, Dogar said, “There is no dispute. Everything was done with consensus.

“When I had gone to meet Imran Khan *sahib — Ali Muhammad Khan and Barrister Gohar sahib, [Latif] Khosa sahib were with me — there was consensus,” he added.

“We had two to three options. Among those, we chose this with Khan sahib’s permission,” Dogar said on the matter of joining the SIC.

The PTI has shared videos of its party supporters chanting slogans in the favour of incarcerated ex-premier Imran Khan.

Party workers chanted “Neither is he rebel nor a traitor — prisoner 804” and “Release Imran Khan”.

PTI-Parliamentarian Information Secretary Ziaullah Bangash has termed PTI MNA Sher Afzal Marwat’s allegations regarding corruption in the former KP government as “baseless and false”.

In a post on X, he said former chief minister Mahmood Khan “outright rejected such unfounded accusations”, terming Marwat’s remarks as “childish”.

“Members from previous terms are also included in the current cabinet, so do not tarnish Imran Khan’s leadership,” Bangash added.

He urged Marwat to present evidence to the National Accountability Bureau if there was any.

PTI leader Taimur Jhagra has called out the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for using “delaying tactics” to prevent candidates’ petitions from being submitted before the election tribunals.

In a post on X, the former KP finance minister said the electoral watchdog’s behaviour will only raise “serious questions” about its role in the entire process.

“Candidates across 9 Peshawar seats having been ping-ponged across ROs, DROs, and ECP to try to get attested copies of the supposed Forms 45 that tally with the Forms 47 of the result. This is happening despite high court orders,” Jhagra alleged.

Ex-premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has called for the country’s politicians to hold a national dialogue to bridge the “divides”.

In an interview with DawnNewsTV, the estranged PML-N leader said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif should hold talks with “everyone”.

“He will have to sit together. It is a reality — whether you accept it or not — that the PTI has won seats. The fight is on how many,” he said.

Abbasi further said, “May God guide the PTI so that they understand what is a parliamentary system. They have entered it [so] should [play the role as] opposition; they are in such huge numbers.”

The politician asserted, “Until a consensus is reached, the country cannot be run.”

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has directed candidates contesting Senate polls to submit their election returns of elections expenses on forms-C within 30 days, APP reports.

According to a notification issued by the electoral watchdog, the candidates need to comply with the directions within the allotted time or face action under Sections 136 (4) and 136 (5).

Former Senator Babar Awan and PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub have met Aliya Hamza and Sanam Javed — party members who have been in jail in cases pertaining to the May 9 violence.

In a post on X, Awan termed the incarcerated women’s morale “higher than the Himalayas”. “Release Imran Khan and jailed women,” he added.

Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said that it was difficult for a government that has “questions on its mandate” to run the country’s affairs.

In an interview with DawnNewsTV, the seasoned politician said the previous PML-N-led government of 16 months did not have a “quarrel on mandate”. “Today, fingers are pointed at the mandate.”

He further said that the “divide” in the country needed to be eliminated, for which the entire political, judicial and military leadership needed to “sit together”.

Abbasi added that time would tell if the current system of the country’s economic matters being decided by the Special Investment Facilitation Council would prove to be fruitful.

Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said that the Sunni Ittehad Council — the new home of PTI-backed winning candidates — has the right to reserved seats in the national and provincial assemblies.

In an interview with DawnNewsTV, the estranged PML-N leader said, “If they did not submit a list [of the candidates], there is a solution for that as well.

“If they cannot do this either, then leave the [reserved] seats vacant,” Abbasi added.

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has said the Pakistan-China All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership is indispensable for the progress and prosperity of the two countries, Radio Pakistan reports.

Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong called on FM Dar in Islamabad today, where the latter reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to making joint endeavours for further deepening bilateral relations and to advance phase II of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

Ambassador Jiang underscored the special importance China accords to Pakistan and its firm support for the country’s socioeconomic development, and industrial and agricultural cooperation, the report stated.

He also agreed with Dar on the high-quality development of phase II of CPEC.

PTI’s estranged member Akbar S. Babar has urged Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to conduct an inquiry into the PTI’s alleged “secret” bank accounts abroad.

In a letter to Naqvi, a copy of which was also sent to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Babar recalled the years-long prohibited funding case against the PTI, in which the ECP ruled that the party did indeed receive prohibited funding.

He quoted details from the ECP order, including “private bank accounts of PTI employees illegally used to collect donations” and “grossly inaccurate and wrong” filing of signed certificates by ex-premier Imran Khan.

“There is a need to pursue with full vigour all instances of violations of law documented in the ECP of Aug 2, 2022,” Babar asserted.

The letter mentioned seven foreign bank accounts “identified” during the proceedings of the case and “admitted by PTI” — three Bank of America accounts, one in Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, one in Australia and New Zealand Banking Group and two in Lloyds Bank. It further said three sources of funding were revealed — from PTI Finland, PTI Norway and Insaf New Zealand.

Terming “illegal funding of political parties” as a matter of national security, Babar urged the interior minister to “seek details of all PTI international bank accounts maintained abroad through the Mutual Legal Assistance arrangements” and to take action against the perpetrators.

PTI spokesperson Raoof Hasan has termed it “shameful that X has remained blocked in the country for over one month now.”

“We fully endorse 28 civil society organisations’ demand for immediate removal of ban on the social media platform allowing free flow of information as should be the case in a democratic country,” he wrote in a post on X.

The statement by organisations had said: “We urge the incoming government, regulators and other public bodies to recognise that any action that affects the flow of information and limits has a direct and lingering impact on citizens’ human rights including the right to political participation.”

Signatories include Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Reporters Without Borders, the Pakistan Press Foundation and the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists.

The Supreme Court has ordered fresh elections in Balochistan’s PB-50 constituency of Qila Abdullah, declaring “null and void” the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) order for re-polling in only six polling stations.

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa heard the case today.

ANP leader Zamrud Khan’s win in the Feb 8 elections was challenged by PML-N leader Malik Nawaz in the ECP. Subsequently, Zamrud filed a plea against the electoral watchdog’s decision in the top court.

During the hearing today, the CJP cautioned against involving the court in election-related matters, pointing out that appeals should be filed in tribunals.

“The court cannot hear 400 election cases,” CJP Isa remarked. “If both parties are satisfied, they can conduct re-polling across the entire constituency.”

The court ordered re-polling in the constituency after all the parties agreed to it.

Privatisation and Board of Investment Minister Abdul Aleem Khan has said that all development projects would be completed in a coordinated manner in accordance with the public interest to ensure their sustainability, Radio Pakistan reports.

Speaking at a ceremony in his NA-117 constituency in Lahore, Aleem said that before the construction of roads, sewerage and other essentials would be ensured so that the public exchequer could be saved.

The Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party leader pledged to address long-standing public interest issues being faced by the residents in his constituency on top priority.

The scrutiny of nomination papers filed for 48 vacant seats of the Senate will be carried out tomorrow, Radio Pakistan reports.

A revised list of the candidates will be issued on March 26 and candidates can withdraw their nomination papers by the next day. Polling will be held on April 2.

In Islamabad, MNAs will elect members of the Senate against one general seat and one seat for technocrats, including Ulema.

Russian Consul General Andrey Fedorov has congratulated PPP’s Murad Ali Shah on his election as the Sindh chief minister.

In a post on X, the Sindh CM House confirmed Fedorov’s meeting with Shah.

PTI leader Musarrat Cheema has pleaded with the government to end the “chain of oppression against its own citizens”.

“We appeal that this chain of oppression against our own citizens must come to an end,” she said in a post on X. “The betterment of the country lies within this.”

Cheema claimed that such “injustice and unfair treatment” meted out to political prisoners was “unparalleled in history”.

“In the bogus cases of May 9, hundreds of Pakistanis have been subjected to the worst injustice for over 10 months now,” she added. “Despite their illnesses, they are being forced to undergo hardships daily. Lives of thousands of families have been destroyed.”

A session of the Punjab Assembly is scheduled to be held at 2pm today, Radio Pakistan reports.

Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan will chair the session.

Punjab Finance Minister Mujtaba Shuja ur Rehman will present the budget for the remaining next three months during the session.

The coalition of convenience between PTI and the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) remains strained due to conflicting statements from leaders of both parties.

SIC chief Sahibzada Hamid Raza has warned PTI leaders that their criticism of the alliance will make Imran Khan “suffer more than anyone”.

Speaking to DawnNewsTV, Mr Raza said censuring the PTI-SIC alliance in public would benefit the current government. “Party discipline will also be compromised, and our attention will be diverted from Imran Khan’s cases,” he said.

“The purpose of joining SIC was to bring PTI candidates under one umbrella, so the plans of other parties to pressurise candidates would not be successful,” he said, adding that the target was achieved as their votes in most elections in the parliament remained secure.

Read more here

PTI has cast fresh doubts on the participation of individuals who were members of the caretaker set-up in the upcoming Senate polls, saying that the Constitution does not allow it.

In a post on social media platform X, PTI-backed MNA Ali Mohammad Khan claimed that a minister, chief minister or prime minister of the interim caretaker set-up cannot contest elections which they supervised. Khan cited Article 224(1B) of the Constitution in support of his claim.

However, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar rejected the PTI leaders’ contentions.

When contacted, Tarar told Dawn that Article 224(1B) did not apply to the caretakers contesting the upcoming Senate elections as the article bars them from becoming a member of the first assembly to be elected after the interim set-up.

He quoted the example of PTI leader Ali Zafar, saying he had been elected to the Senate soon after he served as caretaker law minister in 2018. “In fact, the PTI leader has wrongly interpreted Article 224 as his claim has no relevance with the said article,” the minister added.

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At the funeral of Lt Col Syed Kashif Ali and Capt Muhammad Ahmed Badar on Saturday night, President Asif Ali Zardari asserted that the blood of the martyrs would not go in vain and the country would avenge the deaths. The president said Pakistan would not hesitate to strike back if attacked by anyone at borders or inside its territory. He added that the army and the people were united to fight against terrorism.

“This noble sacrifice stands as another glorious testament to the unflinching resolve of our gallant sons, who have never hesitated to offer the ultimate sacrifice for the defence of our motherland. The entire nation stands in solidarity with our armed forces, APP quoted the president as saying.

Besides President Zardari, the foreign and interior ministers, the chairman joint chiefs of staff committee, the chief of army staff, relatives of martyrs and locals of the area attended the funeral, APP added.

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Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur said a comprehensive plan had been prepared for the restoration of law and order in the province, highlighting that it was the government’s top priority.

Speaking to the media today during his first-ever visit to Dera Ismail Khan after being elected as the chief minister, the PTI leader asserted that the security plan would be implemented soon as it was imperative for the progress of any area.

He said steps would also be taken for the safety of police and other forces in light of the rise in terror attacks last year.

The chief minister said the government will also bring back the Sehat Card facility. “We have to improve the treatment facilities at public hospitals,” he said, expressing hope that the people would not feel the need to visit private hospitals as the provision of all facilities would be ensured at public hospitals.

Commenting on the current wave of inflation, he said the provincial government will give Rs10,000 each to 850,000 deserving families of the province under the Ramazan package. “It will be handed over to them at their doorstep respectfully,” CM Gandapur said.

Read full story here

Former speaker of the National Assembly Asad Qaiser visited Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) leader Allama Raja Nasir at his residence where the current political situation and the future political plan were discussed in detail.

MWM leader, in a post on X, said that the future course of action with the parties who have reservations about election results was discussed during the meeting.

PTI leader Raoof Hasan has said there is absolute clarity in Imran Khan’s thinking regarding party policies, adding that he did not believe in any conspiracy theories about the party.

While speaking to Geo News, Raoof said that the miscommunication was caused by PTI leaders’ inability to meet Imran in Adiala Jail.

“We have raised these complaints in front of the courts, the courts have given their orders [to allow PTI leaders to meet Imran], but the jail administration does not follow those orders,” he said.

He stated that there was absolute clarity in Imran’s thinking, however, the restrictions to the party’s movement in meeting Imran creates a “vacuum” which is then exploited to confuse.

“I am not the one to go for conspiracy theories,” he said, adding that the party has taken notice of the incidents.

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar has said that the elected government’s priority was to find a resolution for the problems of the masses, APP reports.

While addressing a ceremony in Lahore, he claimed the PML-N had always served the people with utmost dedication under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

He thanked the people of his constituency for supporting him and stated that he would strive to solver their problems.

He stated that the people of Christian faith in his community also supported him in the general elections, adding that it was his responsibility to work for their welfare.

Tarar called for making Pakistan a citadel of peace where people from all faiths could live in peace and harmony.

Former provincial minister Faisal Amin Gandapur has submitted his nomination papers to contest the by-election from Dera Ismail Khan’s NA-44.

The PML-N has claimed that incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan “will disown (PTI’s) Sher Afzal Marwat just like Akbar S Babar for spitting facts”.

In a post on X, the PML-N also alleged that PTI was the “most corrupt political party” in the country’s history.

PTI leader Ali Muhammad Khan has questioned if the federal government is using public VPNs to gain access to accounts on social media platform X.

Khan raised the matter while replying to a post from the government of Pakistan’s X account.

“If Twitter X is such a good and useful thing, then why is [it] closed?” he questioned, adding that if the opposite was true, why was the government using it themselves?

PTI leader Ali Muhammad Khan has claimed that a minister, chief minister or prime minister of the interim caretaker set-up cannot contest elections which they supervised.

In a post on X, the MNA cited Article 224 (1B) of the Constitution in support of his claim.

“If they can’t even contest elections how can they even think of joining the cabinet of the incumbent government? Strange things are happening in Pakistan!” he concluded.

Iranian Ambassador Dr Reza Amiri Moghaddam has called on the Speaker of the National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq at Parliament House in Islamabad.

According to a press release issued by NA, the pair’s discussion encompassed various topics, focusing on bolstering parliamentary and economic relations between Iran and Pakistan.

During the meeting, Sadiq reaffirmed Pakistan’s “deep-rooted fraternal bond with Iran, steeped in a shared history, culture, and religion”.

He emphasised the need to strengthen these ties further by expanding cooperation across all mutual areas of interest, particularly in energy and trade, to uplift the economies of both nations, especially those living on both sides of the common border.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that former prime minister Imran Khan’s party has lost its identity.

“Today we don’t know if it’s PTI, Sunni Ittehad Council or the Majlis Wahadat-i-Muslimeen,” he said while speaking to the media. “They are still trying to search for their party’s name.”

The PML-N leader pointed out that no one knew on whose name the party was registered with and who was calling the shots.

Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) chief Sahibzada Hamid Raza has said that escalating criticism in the media by PTI leaders on the party’s decision to join SIC will make Imran Khan “suffer more than anyone”.

In an appearance on Dawn News show Doosra Rukh, Raza said that hitting out at the PTI-SIC alliance in public would benefit the current government more and that he “would not want in any situation to discuss internal affairs in public”.

“The discipline of the party will also be compromised and our attention will also be diverted from Imran Khan’s cases,” he said, adding that he had not yet met the jailed PTI founder as his name had not been cleared by jail authorities for a meeting.

Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) Chairman Sahibzada Hamid Raza has said that the PTI move to join SIC was to bring them “under one umbrella”, and was conveyed to him via the party’s top leaders.

“The purpose of joining SIC was to bring PTI candidates under one umbrella so the plans of other parties to pressurise candidates would not be successful,” he said, adding that the target was achieved as their votes for most elections in the Parliament were secure.

During an interview with DawnNewsTV, Raza confirmed that Imran made the decision to join SIC, adding that the decision was conveyed to him through PTI leaders such as chairman Gohar Khan, secretary general Omar Ayub Khan and spokesperson Raoof Hasan.

Regarding Ali Zafar’s criticism of the decision, Raza said it was possible that Zafar was not part of the team that met Imran when the decision was finalised as “three different teams met Imran”.

Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari has filed her nomination papers for Nawabshah’s NA-207 seat, which was vacated by her father Asif Ali Zardari after he was elected president of the country.

The PPP shared a video on X of people showering her with flower petals on the occasion.

Former PTI senator Walid Iqbal has joined other party leaders, including Sher Afzal Marwat, in criticising the decision to join the Sunni Ittehad Council in a bid to secure reserved seats.

In an interview with DawnNewsTV, Iqbal stated it would have been wiser to have joined a party that had submitted a list of reserved seats, adding that it would have reduced legal and constitutional challenges for the PTI.

On the upcoming Senate polls, he said, “Well, I am not a crystal ball but I have seen surprises in the Senate [elections] before.”

Sunni Ittehad Council Chairman Sahibzada Hamid Raza has said that the decision of PTI-backed independent candidates to join his party was made by ex-premier Imran Khan.

During an interview with DawnNewsTV, when asked about PTI potentially wanting to get back its candidates, Raza said, “I have no issues.”

“Our settlement [with the PTI] was temporary,” the SIC chief further said, adding that it was done to “secure” PTI candidates.

PTI MNA Sher Afzal Marwat has cancelled a press conference scheduled for 4pm today, he said in a post on X.

It was not immediately clear what the now-cancelled media talk was about or who had to hold it.

PTI Sindh President Haleem Adil Sheikh has met party chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan to discuss the current political situation.

In a post on X, Sheikh said Gohar accepted his invite to a “Million March” taking place in Karachi on April 21.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar has urged the PTI supporters, who he claimed were behind a vicious social media campaign against the armed forces after yesterday’s attack, to “unite for national peace”.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, he said, “I am here to request that we should unite for national unity and peace. There are some red lines that should not be crossed.”

“Do political criticism; criticism not for the sake of criticism but constructive criticism,” he stated, asserting that action would be taken against those responsible for the said social media campaign.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar has emphasised “political stability” while assuring the public that the government was working with full force to bring economic stability.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, he said, “I think not a single day goes by that prime minister sahib does not do a meeting about the economy.”

“The government’s priorities are very clear; financial stability results only from political stability and we are working very hard on this,” Tarar added.

Former PTI minister Shireen Mazari has termed the upcoming Senate polls an “electoral circus”, citing the candidature of ex-caretaker premier Anwaarul Haq Kakar and former caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi.

In a post on X, she said, “So now we have Kakar and Mohsin Naqvi both being sneaked into Senate. For the parties putting up these two, clearly the Constitution is of no relevancy.

“There is also Aimal Wali changing his domicile to sneak into the Senate. Earlier we saw caretaker minister [Sarfraz] Bugti resign and be cleared for elections,” she recalled.

“What an electoral circus!”

PTI spokesperson Raoof Hasan has said that alleged “forgery” in the general election results is leading to “such a situation which can include extreme disorder and even violence”.

In a written statement shared on X, Hasan said, “This forgery has neither yielded any results yet nor will do [in the future].”

He warned that the people’s sentiments were in chaos and their “patience was at its limit”.

Azhar Mashwani, the focal person for social media to PTI Founder Imran Khan, has said that Lahore party worker Waqas Aslam has been released from jail after “10 months”.

The process of filing nomination papers for elections on 48 vacant seats of the Senate has concluded at the National Assembly and all four provincial assemblies, Radio Pakistan reports.

The scrutiny of nomination papers will be carried out on Tuesday. According to the schedule, polling will be held on April 2.

A revised list of the candidates will be issued on March 26 and the candidates can withdraw their nomination papers by the next day.

In the federal capital, MNAs will elect members of the Senate against one general seat and one seat for technocrats, including Ulema.

Members of the four provincial assemblies will elect senators for seven general seats, two women seats, and two seats for technocrats, including Ulema from each province, as well as one seat for non-Muslims from both Punjab and Sindh.

In KP, 42 candidates are in the run for 11 Senate seats, including 25 on seven general seats, 10 on two reser­ved seats for technocrats, and seven on two reserved seats for women.

The list of candidates finalised by the PTI shows that the party has chosen its “hawks” for future politics. Some PTI’s candidates for Senate seats are either in jail or their nomination papers to contest Feb 8 elections had been rejected. Some of them remained underground or had to exit the country.

A party official told Dawn that Azam Swati and Murad Saeed wanted to contest the general elections, but their nomination papers were rejected. He said Swati remained under arrest.

Murad Saeed, Faisal Javed Khan, Mirza Afridi, Irfan Saleem and Khurram Zeeshan will be the party’s candidates for general seats from KP, while Azhar Mashwani would be the covering candidate of Murad Saeed.

Read more here.

As many as 35 candidates of different political parties, including PPP, MQM-Pakistan and the SIC as well as independents have submitted their nomination papers for the upcoming Senate elections on 12 seats in Sindh.

The 12 seats comprise seven general, two each for women and technocrats and ulema, and one seat for non-Muslims.

According to the provincial election commissioner, 21 aspirants have filed papers for general seats, five for technocrats and ulema, six for women and three for the category of non-Muslims.

Read more here.

After ex-PTI lawmaker Maleeka Bokhari said she had been informed her name had been removed from the Exit Control List (ECL) upon Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s “intervention”, the former asked the latter to not use the move as a “social media campaign”.

Sharing a post by PML-N MPA Hina Pervez Butt which contained screengrabs about Maryam’s “immediate action” and “timely intervention” on the matter, Bokhari said, “Please stop using my lawful right to travel to see my sister one last time before she dies as your social media campaign for compassion.”

Bokhari had earlier urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to give her “one-time permission to be with my sister”, who was “on life support on a ventilator” in Australia.

Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has alleged that the PTI, “by holding protests outside the IMF office [and] demanding stricter terms for Pakistan” was committing “economic terrorism” against the country.

In a post on X, the PML-N leader said, “By holding protests outside the IMF office to stop Pakistan’s financial aid, demanding stricter conditions for Pakistan and conducting a vile campaign abroad against the Pakistan Army, the PTI is committing economic terrorism against Pakistan.”

A spokesperson for the Election Commission of Pakistan has said a total of 36 candidates have submitted nomination papers for 11 Senate seats from Balochistan, APP reports.

A total of 28 candidates have submitted their nomination papers for election to 12 Senate seats in Punjab, APP reports.

According to a spokesperson for the Punjab provincial election commissioner, 16 candidates submitted their nomination papers for seven general seats.

Additionally, four candidates submitted nomination papers for two technocrat seats.

For the two women seats, five candidates submitted their nomination papers. Furthermore, three candidates submitted their nomination papers for one minority seat.

PTI leader Ali Muhammad Khan has said the party has prioritised party workers over “investors” for Senate candidates.

Talking on Geo News show ‘Naya Pakistan’, he said the issue of the Senate candidates was discussed between party founder Imran Khan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur.

Former caretaker prime minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar has submitted nomination papers for the vacant Senate seats from Balochistan, APP reports.

“On behalf of former PM Kakar, Senator Danesh Kumar submitted the nomination papers,” an Election Commission of Pakistan spokesman said.

PPP leader Dr Ramesh Vankwani has said the party is supporting Mohsin Naqvi in the Senate polls instead of Faisal Vawda.

Former federal ministers Faisal Vawda and Pervaiz Rashid have filed their nomination papers for the forthcoming Senate elections.

Vawda, who was part of the PTI previously, is contesting the Senate polls as an independent candidate from Karachi, while PML-N’s Rashid will be contesting from Punjab, provided that their nomination papers are accepted after the scrutiny process.

In a meeting with National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, US Ambassador Donald Blome has emphasised the need for parliamentary cooperation between the two countries.

In a press release issued by the National Assembly Secretariat today, Ambassador Blome called on Speaker Sadiq to discuss strengthening of bilateral relations between Pakistan and the US.

“The meeting focused on a broad spectrum of issues concerning mutual interests,” the statement said. “Speaker Sadiq reiterated Pakistan’s longstanding and broad-based relationship with the United States, based on principles of mutual respect and trust.”

Ambassador Blome also congratulated Sadiq on his re-election as the speaker.

Former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry has said that the incumbent government would topple if JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman decides to embark on a long march, BBC reports

Speaking to reporters at a district and session court in Islamabad, Chaudhry said that no one had any faith in the current government “except for the Modi government and Ayan Ali”.

He said it would be tough for the government to even last till May.

He claimed that no one from the European Union congratulated Shehbaz Sharif on his appointment as the prime minister, adding that the PTI-backed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would play an important role in toppling the government.

“If Maulana Fazlur Rehman decides, the entire Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will turn against the government,” he said.

PTI leader Gohar Khan has said PTI would go to the Supreme Court (SC) despite the Peshawar High Court decision, hoping that the judiciary remembers what they promised.

“CJP [Chief Justice of Pakistan] had given an observation that they will look into it when the case comes to them,” Gohar said while speaking outside Adiala Jail.

He said his party’s stance is that any party cannot get more reserved seats than the ones they have won according to Article 51, urging the SC to announce a decision.

Interior and Narcotics Minister Mohsin Naqvi has submitted his nomination papers for the forthcoming Senate elections as an independent candidate from Punjab.

During an interaction with journalists earlier today, the federal minister, who is also the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, confirmed that he would be contesting the Senate polls as an independent.

According to the law, he can only remain a minister for six months without being a member of the parliament.

The Election Commission of Pakistan has said that candidates contesting the upcoming Senate elections can submit their nomination papers until 6pm today.

In a press release today, the electoral watchdog said today was the last date to submit the nomination papers.

PTI leader Asad Qaiser has raised doubts about whether incarcerated party founder Imran Khan has approved the list of candidates put forth by the party for the upcoming senate elections.

When asked on DawnNewsTV on the programme ‘Doosra Rukh’, whether he was satisfied that genuine people were coming to the Senate and the picks were made Imran Khan, he said:

“I don’t really understand [what’s going on]. I don’t know if Imran approved it or not. I don’t want to get into it.

He added that PTI leader Omer Sarfraz Cheema is entitled to a Senate ticket.

PTI leader Asad Qaiser has said that his party has started consultations regarding filing a reference against the Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, adding that his party was ready to fight the legal battle against the electoral body’s chief.

“We would use the legal option against the Chief,” Qaiser said while speaking to DawnNewsTV.

He said consultations regarding the inclusion of the Public Accounts Committee were ongoing.

Amnesty International has called for the immediate restoration of social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) 29 days after the government blocked access to it.

In a post on X, the human rights group said it has signed a joint statement with 28 other civil society organisations for the restoration of X and has urged “Pakistani authorities to uphold the rights to freedom of expression and access to information under the country’s international human rights commitments.”

The full statement can be found here.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday committed to fulfilling the military’s resource requirements, as he sought US support for economic reforms and a new International Mone­tary Fund (IMF) programme.

“Government shall provide all the resources required for ensuring operational readiness of the Armed Forces,” PM Shehbaz said during his first visit to the General Headquarters after assu­ming office, where he was accompanied by some of his key ministers.

PM Shehbaz said that Pakistan was destined to rise and the armed forces had a crucial role in ensuring the peaceful rise of the country.

“PM and cabinet members appreciated the professionalism, operational readiness, and sacrifices of Pakistan Army in war against terrorism and commended the dedication of the Pakistan Army in safeguarding the nation’s territorial integrity and ensuring peace and stability,” the statement said.

According to the statement, Army Chief General Asim Munir affirmed that Pakistan Army will live up to the nation’s expectations and will resolutely support the government in addressing the security challenges facing the country.

Read more here

Though PPP members initially opposed the government’s move to table the ordinances that the caretaker government had promulgated in line with IMF conditions, they later voted in favour of the government when Speaker Ayaz Sadiq put the motion for a vote after the opposition challenged his ruling on the voice vote.

Interestingly, the first opposition to the ordinances came from the PPP, when its MNA from Karachi, Abdul Qadir Patel, questioned the haste the government showed in bringing the ordinances without giving the members a three-day notice as required under the rules.

Patel alleged that the caretaker government had promulgated the ordinances while exceeding its mandate. He asked the speaker to follow the Sindh model and constitute a committee to review the caretaker government’s decisions.

Instead of the government, Speaker Sadiq himself responded to Patel’s objections, stating that these ordinances were linked to the “IMF-related issues” and, if not taken up timely “, Pakistan can face a loss”.

The speaker declared that the ordinances were being tabled in the form of bills and that he would refer them to the committees where the members would get an opportunity to debate them.

Read more here

In a National Assembly session on Friday, five women elected on the reserved seats from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa took the oath as MNAs.

These lawmakers are Naima Kanwal, Asma Arbab Alamgir, Shaheen Shah, Ghazala Anjum and Naeema Kishwer.

The PPP has announced its candidates, after approval by the party leadership, for the upcoming Senate elections, according to a press release issued by the party’s media cell.

For Sindh, the party has listed Kazim Shah, Ashraf Jatoi, Masroor Ahsan, Nadeem Bhutto, Sarfaraz Rajar, Dost Ali Jessar and for technocrats: Barrister Zameer Ghumro and Sarmad Ali.

Quratul Ain Marri and Rubina Qaimkhani were PPP candidates for the reserved seats for women meanwhile, Poonjo Bheel was the candidate for the minority seat.

The press release stated that Aimal Wali Khan, Jan Mohammad Buledi, Mir Changaiz Khan Jamali and Sardar Umer Gorgaij were party candidates for the Balochistan seat.

Bilal Mandokhel was the party’s candidate for the technocrat seat while Ishrat Brohi and Kiran Baloch were the candidates for the reserved seats for women.

It stated that the candidates for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Islamabad were Rana Mehmoodul Hassan, Faiza Ahmed Malik and Rubina Khalid, respectively.

Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) Pakistan Chairman Sahibzada Hamid Raza has advised the party’s PTI allies to “resolve their issues at home” and asserted that the latter’s decision to join the SIC was made by Imran Khan.

“From election symbols to specific seats, I have something to say that if I sit in talk shows and say something, many people will not be able to show their faces,” he said.

PTI leader Ali Zafar has said party founder Imran Khan was informed about the party’s decision to join the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) after it was taken.

In a conversation with Dawn News show InFocus, Zafar said the decision was taken that the PTI should go with a party which contested the general elections and had a member in Parliament.

“We wanted to join a party for the reserved seats,” he said.

Confirming PTI leader Sher Afzal Marwat’s remarks on the issue, Zafar said Imran had decided to join the Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen previously but the decision was changed.

Zafar said the party knew this might create an issue in securing reserved seats but the decision was taken nonetheless. He added that the reasons will be clarified by the party later on.

On whether Imran was aware of the decision to join the SIC, Zafar stated there was some miscommunication in that regard which could only be clarified by those who took the decision.

“Imran Khan sahib was told later on,” Zafar said, adding that he himself was not an active part of the decision-making process.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar has alleged that the PTI has always kept its politics above the state while speaking about anarchic elements existing outside the country trying to malign the Pakistani military.

Speaking on Dawn News show ‘InFocus’, Tarar said PTI should have helped the government in regards to the IMF deal to increase the GDP growth and the tax net.

Senator Sherry Rehman has said that there is no indication that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is proactively seeking to meddle In Pakistan’s constitutionally agreed frame of resource allocation.

In a post on X, Rehman asked why the IMF would want to be in the middle of changing the National Finance Commission formulae of Pakistan.

“Seems that it is the federal structure that cannot collect taxes, which incidentally the provinces are doing far better than the centre,” she said.

US Ambassador Donald Blome has expressed support for Pakistan’s democracy and the key role of an independent press in a meeting between the envoy and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, according to a statement from Acting US Mission Spokesperson Thomas Montgomery.

The statement said the pair met to discuss a broad range of bilateral issues, including partnering with Pakistan on regional security, US support for continued economic reforms with and through the International Monetary Fund, trade and investment, education, climate change and private sector-led economic growth.

The US ambassador and PM Shehbaz also discussed how both countries can work together to accelerate projects addressing climate change under the US-Pakistan Green Alliance framework.

The PPP has constituted a committee for negotiations with other political parties for Senate elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

In a post on X, it said the body comprised Syed Khursheed Shah, Faisal Karim Kundi, Muhammad Ali Shah Bacha and Shuja Khan.

PTI’s Musarrat Cheema has said that it would be a great achievement if the current coalition government completed “even five months”.

In a post on X, she criticised Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz for conducting “photoshoots” while assessing rate lists of items in markets.

The PPP has formed a committee for negotiations with other political parties for Senate elections in Punjab.

In a post on X, the party said the body comprises Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Syed Hassan Murtaza, ⁠Nadeem Afzal Chan and ⁠Syed Ali Haider Gillani.

PTI’s Taimur Saleem Jhagra has said that if alleged “forgery” of election results was accepted once, it would be “accepted forever”.

“Imran Khan’s mandate is Imran Khan’s mandate, but it is also the mandate given by the people of Pakistan that is being violated,” he said in a post on X.

PPP leader Naveed Qamar has requested Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar to not process the ordinances presented in the National Assembly today against the wishes of the people.

Addressing the floor of the National Assembly, the former federal minister said his party also had serious reservations over the contents of the ordinances and the way they were presented.“

“We would not want the implementation of the ordinances to become irreversible,” Qamar said. “If that is the case, wind up the assembly, and run the ordinance factory from home.”

Information Minister Atta Tarar has claimed that the PTI is “dead-set on sabotaging” the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme, adding that the party should prioritise the country first and keep “politics” secondary to the welfare of the state.

He added the new prime minister has a vision and he said that everyone was willing to give their “blood and sweat” to get the economy moving, noting increasing the tax net, decreasing government expenditures, and restructuring the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) were on the agenda.

He praised the newly elected finance minister, saying that he had a “complete command over economic affairs”.

Tarar also criticised people living abroad for protesting in front of the IMF building and asking for the institution to not give relief to Pakistan until jailed PTI leader is released, calling it a “heinous and despicable act”.

He criticised the protestors, adding that they had no right to protest as they “were paying taxes abroad and living on that money”.

The PTI has appointed Senator Aon Abbas Bappi as the party’s South Punjab president, according to a notification the party shared on X.

PTI leader Barrister Gohar Khan lambasted the way ordinances were presented by the government, saying that “legislation should be done according to the National Assembly rules”.

Speaking to the media alongside party leaders Omar Ayub Khan and Asad Qaiser in Islamabad today, he said making law was the parliament’s job but it should be done properly “if ordinances have to be promulgated”.

“The government initiated legislation after violating the rules,” he added.

The PTI leader also extended an invitation to everyone to attend the anti-islamophobia event at the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House later today at 3pm.

PTI leader Asad Qaiser has said that he does not see the current coalition government staying in power for “more than four to five months”.

In an interview with DawnNewsTV, he said, “A fake government cannot understand this country’s economic situation.”

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has said he was delighted to receive a congratulatory telephone call from his UAE counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

“We discussed the sustained momentum of our multi-tiered cooperation,” he said in a post on X.

“I look forward to working closely with His Highness in transforming the bilateral relations with [UAE] into a mutually beneficial economic partnership.”

PTI leader Asad Qaiser, lamenting the treatment meted out to his party by the government, has said his party would adopt an approach of “no reconciliation [but] only confrontation”.

Speaking to the media in Islamabad, he said, “We are completely ready. There will be no reconciliation, only confrontation.”

“There is a difference between words and actions. The government says one thing, and does something else,” he remarked.

He further said the government’s actions against the PTI MNAs were “outside the law”.

PTI Chairman Gohar Khan has also argued against the amendments proposed in multiple ordinances.

Speaking in the National Assembly, he claimed the opposition had not been given copies of all of them.

The PTI chairman also said he “strongly condemned the words” used by one of the elder lawmakers there, at which NA Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq assured him he would expunge any such words used.

National Assembly Opposition Leader Omar Ayub has strongly opposed the changes proposed in various ordinances.

Speaking in the NA, Ayub accused the government of doing a “mis-shift in the law” by changing words — an example he gave was the proposed removal of the word “difficulties” from ‘The Pakistan Postal Services Management Board (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023’.

Addressing the lawmakers, he asked them if they had read all the ordinances in which changes were being proposed: “Khawaja Asif sahib, have you read? Khursheed Shah sahib, have you read? The answer is no.”

Noting that changes were also suggested in ‘The Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023’, the opposition leader asked which standing committee had read and deliberated upon it. “What [change] is not happening in this?” Ayub asked, referring to ‘The National Highway Authority (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023’.

“They will give the rate to their favourite contractor and leave the country in shambles,” the PTI MNA claimed.

PTI leader Sher Afzal Marwat confirmed the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) decision to allow online interactions with Imran Khan, who is currently incarcerated at Adiala Jail, following a two-week ban imposed on all public meetings at the facility earlier this week.

The ban came into effect owing to ‘security threats’ — a move denounced by the PTI as contrary to court orders.

Marwat praised the court’s “excellent development” in allowing video conferences for those who are incarcerated. He said the judge noted that this decision solves the issue of “security threats” during in-person meetings.

When asked by reporters outside the IHC, where he was speaking, who would be allowed to video call Imran, Marwat said he would consult with Niazi and Khan and submit a list to the jail authorities.

PTI leader Sher Afzal Marwat has told media outside the Islamabad High Court that he has challenged a “British-era law” that restricts political discussions in jail.

His comments come after the Punjab Home Department on Tuesday imposed a blanket ban on meetings with prisoners for two weeks owing to ‘security threats’ — a move denounced by the PTI as contrary to court orders.

Marwat said he has challenged Rule 265 of Pakistan Prison Rules of 1978. He said he raised the question of how Imran Khan can be imprisoned — when his party has a strong presence in all provinces and the Centre — and not be allowed to have discussions related to his party.

“Rule 265 was made before Pakistan was created, when the British were here. The world has progressed, and they remembered this rule now? What else happens in jail I will not discuss, but now they’re troubled by political discussions in jail,” he said.

He added that he has submitted a writ petition for this case.

Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar has defended the proposal of amendments to six ordinances and the introduction of another in the National Assembly.

Speaking in the NA, he assailed the PTI for opposing the ordinance, saying: “The country will not go on like this. You should do some soul-searching; writing letters to the IMF and EU will not do you any good.”

Tarar recalled that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had issued directives to constitute NA committees regardless of how many seats parties had in the parliament.

“The moment they (ordinances) have been laid in front of this house, they will be converted into bills. Now, these bills are to be referred to the committees by the House,” the law minister said. He asserted that most of the parties and the opposition were present in those committees.

PTI leader Asad Qaiser has said that his party would “merge” with the Sunni Ittehad Council if the Election Commission of Pakistan accepted its recent intra-party polls and returned its electoral symbol of ‘bat’.

In an interview with DawnNewsTV, when asked whether it was the right decision for its candidates to join the SIC, Qaiser replied that the party held “many consultations” amongst it, emphasising that the options were few.

When asked whether PTI-backed candidates who joined the SIC would remain in it, Qaiser said, “Yes, we will remain but we will also merge with it.” He explained that if the party got back its electoral symbol after the recent intra-party polls, “both [parties] would merge” and “remain as PTI”, rather than the current scenario of its candidates being a part of the SIC.

On the matter of whether it would be allowed under the laws, he said his party was consulting legal experts.

Speaking about the PHC verdict upholding the ECP’s decision of not allocating the SIC reserved seats, the ex-NA speaker said the party intends to challenge it in the Supreme Court.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has said that an air ambulance service will be launched soon in the province, Radio Pakistan reports.

Chairing a meeting of the Air Ambulance Project in Lahore, she allowed the use of a helicopter for the emergency shifting of patients.

She said the Rescue 1122 service would also be started on the motorway.

Inaugurating the first tree-planting drives since his re-election, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has urged the nation to take part in such campaigns.

Speaking in Islamabad, he noted that climate change-related disasters had led to the loss of almost 10,000 lives in recent years and caused billions of dollars worth of loss to the country’s economy.

Emphasising the importance of tree-planting drives, he urged the public to participate in such movements so that Pakistan “remained safe from every kind of atmospheric risk”.

Former PTI provincial minister Mian Aslam Iqbal has said the party has reached a consensus to nominate Zulfi Bukhari and Hamid Khan as the party’s nominee for Senate.

Party leader Col (retired) Ijaz Minhas has been nominated as a covering candidate for general seats.

Dr Yasmin Rashid and Brig (retired) Musadiq would be women and technocrats seat candidates.

Mr Iqbal, in another [tweet][2], announced that the party had also nominated Sardar Shahabuddin Khan Sehr, Ali Imtiaz Warraich and Ahmad Mujtaba for the Punjab Assembly finance committee.

Read more here.

Incarcerated PTI President Parvez Elahi on Thursday signed nomination papers for by-election from PP-32, Gujrat, during his appearance before a special court (central-I) in a money laundering case by the FIA.

The FIA officials brought Mr Elahi from Adiala jail to Lahore for the hearing of the case.

A lawyer for the PTI leader requested the court to allow his client to sign the nomination papers for upcoming by-poll on the Punjab Assembly seat, which fell vacant after winning candidate Chaudhry Salik Hussain decided to retain his National Assembly seat.

After a larger bench of the Peshawar High Court dismissed petitions of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) challenging the ECP’s decision to deny the party its share of seats reserved for women and non-Muslim lawmakers in the assemblies, PTI said it would take the matter to the Supreme Court.

The bench, which heard arguments for two consecutive days, pronounced a short order on Thursday and rejected the two petitions filed by the SIC — which was joined by the PTI lawmakers to claim their share of reserved seats.

After the decision, PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan told reporters outside the Adiala jail in Rawalpindi that the former ruling party would move the Supreme Court to claim its share of reserved seats. Mr Gohar urged the top court to constitute a larger bench to hear the case.

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Minister for Petroleum and Energy Musadik Malik said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is looking to bring down political and social tension in the country.

The PM on Thursday chaired a high-level meeting, laying down a comprehensive roadmap for the country’s economic resurgence over the next half-decade.

“In such a tense situation, even a house cannot run, let alone a country,” he said, adding that “we need to show tolerance while maintaining differences so that a tolerant future could be given to a growing population”. However, he did not spell out the required measures in this regard.

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Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal hailed the meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and said that the Centre would resolve all problems of KP and provide all outstanding dues to the provincial government.

“We have to work together to resolve people’s problems. Resour­ces of the KP will be utilised for the betterment of the people,” he said.

Meanwhile, Information Minister Ataullah Tarar said that the meeting was a positive development for the country, adding that if these meetings continue, then he could see the country moving towards a solution to its economic problems.

Another PML-N leader, Khawaja Saad Rafiq, also welcomed the meeting and said, “it was a step in the right direction”.

He emphasised that political opponents should continue to hold dialogues on key national issues.

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PTI leader Sher Afzal Marwat has said the party is paying the cost of two wrong decisions.

Speaking on Geo News show Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath, he said the first major mistake was committed when party founder Imran Khan gave instructions for a political alliance with the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Sherani.

He said the second major mistake was the announcement of the inclusion into the Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen, adding that some people gave a sectarian colour to the issue and gave threatening messages to the PTI leadership.

Later, Marwat said the PTI suddenly decided to join the Sunni Ittehad Council.

“These are two wrong decisions and their culprits should be determined because we lost more than 80 seats due to them.”

PTI’s core committee has barred party leaders from taking part in political talk shows hosted by five news anchors belonging to four different media channels in the country.

According to a circular issued by PTI’s central media department, party leaders have been instructed to boycott the following anchors and shows:

1. Kamran Shahid, Dunya News (Off The Front)

2. Adil Shahzeb, Dawn News (Live with Adil Shahzeb)

3. Muneeb Farooq, Samaa TV (Mera Sawaal with Muneeb Farooq)

4. Shahzab Khanzada, Geo News (Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath)

5. Saleem Safi, Geo News (Jirga)

The Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) has named PTI-backed candidate Zain Qureshi as the party’s parliamentary leader in the National Assembly.

His name was submitted to National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq by the SIC leaders.

Zain is the son of jailed PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja has left for Russia as a foreign observer of the upcoming presidential elections.

The Election Commission of Pakistan’s spokesperson Hamid Raza Wattoo told Dawn.com that the CEC is visiting Russia at the invitation of the Russian chief election commissioner and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

PTI leader Sher Afzal Marwat has disclosed that party founder and former prime minister Imran Khan instructed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur to remove Inspector General of Police Akhtar Hayat Khan from his post.

The revelation was made in a post on X today.

PPP’s Abdul Quddus Bizenjo, PML-N’s Dostain Domki and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam’s Abdul Shakoor Ghibzai have been elected senators in the polling held for three vacant seats of the Senate of Pakistan, APP reports.

The polling for by-elections on three vacant Senate seats of Balochistan was held at the Balochistan Assembly.

As many as 61 parliamentarians exercised their right to choose the senators for the upper house.

As per results announced by the election commission, Bizenjo obtained 23 votes, Domki clinched 17 votes and Ghibzai 16.

The returning officer for the Senate by-election in Sindh, Sharifullah, has announced the result of the polls held on two vacant seats in the Sindh Assembly and declared PPP’s Jam Saifullah Dharejo and Aslam Abro as winners, APP reports.

According to the result, Dharejo secured 58 and Aslam Abro obtained 57 votes while Sunni Ittehad Council candidates Nazirullah and Shazia Sohail secured only 4 votes each.

Barrister Gohar Khan has alleged that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is hatching a conspiracy against his party by accepting pleas to recount votes in constituencies where PTI candidates won.

“Recounting can’t be done after the consolidation of results,” he said while speaking to the media in Islamabad today. “Only pleas against PTI are being accepted.”

Barrister Gohar accused the electoral watchdog of conspiring to change the victories of PTI candidates into losses through the recounting process.

PTI leader Barrister Gohar Khan has announced that the party will hold a rally on March 23 — Pakistan Day — to protest against its “stolen” electoral mandate.

Addressing the media alongside party leader Sher Afzal Marwat in Islamabad today, Gohar said the protest venue would be formally announced tomorrow or the day after.

President Asif Ali Zardari has welcomed yesterday’s meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur.

Terming the meeting a “good start”, the president said: “This is the time that we think of resolving the differences facing Pakistan.”

The PTI has alleged that Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja is “continuously manipulating” the results of the general elections.

“Never before has a CEC acted in such a way against Pakistan and its citizens!” the party said in a post on X, sharing Hammad Azhar’s statement on PTI losing an NA seat after recounting.

PPP candidate Yousaf Raza Gilani has secured the Senate seat from Islamabad with 204 votes against the 88 votes of Sunni Ittehad Council’s candidate Chaudhary Ilyas Mehrban.

A total of 301 votes were cast while nine were rejected during counting.

PTI leader Hammad Azhar has said that another National Assembly seat was snatched from them after recounting was held in Gujranwala’s NA-81 constituency.

In a post on X, he said, “The crime that [Chief Election Commissioner] Sikander Sultan Raja has done with the nation, he should escape even beyond Canada.”

Counting of votes is under way for by-elections on six vacant Senate seats after the polling time came to a close at 4pm.

The polling is being held on one vacant seat in Islamabad, two general seats from Sindh and three from Balochistan.

At National Assembly, PPP candidate Yousaf Raza Gilani and Sunni Ittehad Council’s candidate Chaudhary Ilyas Mehrban are in the race for the seat.

PTI leader Khurrum Sher Zaman has expressed disappointment over the decision taken by the Peshawar High Court (PHC) which dismissed their plea challenging the Election Commission of Pakistan on reserved seats.

“Very disappointing decision by [PHC] but we will continue to fight on to get out rightful seats in all assemblies through Supreme Court,” he wrote in a post on X.

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has reiterated that the Parliament was “incomplete without reserved seats for women and minorities allocated”.

Speaking to reporters in Islamabad before the Peshawar High Court announced its verdict on the matter, he said, “The Senate and the National Assembly comprise of the general and the reserved seats.”

“A political party can merely get the number of [reserved] seats it has won; not more than that,” he added.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has cast his vote in the Senate by-polls on six vacant seats under way today in the Parliament.

PPP leader Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani is contesting the election to regain his seat from Islamabad which had fallen vacant following his victory as an MNA in the Feb 8 general elections.

Petroleum Minister Musadik Malik has said the government has devised two separate strategies for agricultural production in the country.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, he said, “The prime minister has formed two separate strategies for the country — one for the urban areas and the other for the rural.”

Explaining the plan of action for rural actions, he noted there were three things needed for development there — soil, seeds and water. “If the farmer gets these three things, then there would be what you call silent revolution or agricultural revolution.”

It has been decided that why not give these subsidies directly to the farmer, ensuring the availability of soil to them at a lower price.

Highlighting that there were now modern seeds with increased harvest rates, Malik put forward the idea of using those to increase production amounts in the country.

Noting that the steps above also needed enough supply of water, for which tubewells are used which in turn is difficult for farmers due to high electricity rates, the minister said it was further decided to employ solar tubewells.

The PPP has opened applications for nominations for Senate by-polls from the National and provincial assemblies.

In a statement posted on X, the PPP said the ticker aspirants could submit their applications by March 16. It also sought bank drafts worth Rs40,000 from NA candidates and Rs30,000 from provincial.

PTI leader Asad Qaiser, while decrying alleged manipulation in general election results, has said that the current situation is taking them “towards confrontation”.

Speaking to the media in Islamabad, he said, “They are taking us towards confrontation; it is their choice. They may check the ground.”

“They have no respect,” he said while talking of the ECP.

The Peshawar High Court has dismissed the Sunni Ittehad Council’s petition challenging the Election Commission of Pakistan’s decision to reject the party allocation of reserved women and minority seats.

Yesterday, Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan and the counsels for the PPP and ECP had completed their arguments.

AGP Awan had argued that a political party could get reserved seats only if it won a general one. ECP lawyer Sikander Basheer Momand had supported his arguments, stating that the SIC was a political party but not a parliamentary one.

Today, the bench — led by Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim and including Justices Ijaz Anwar, S.M. Attique Shah, Shakeel Ahmed and Syed Arshad Ali — resumed hearing the case.

PTI’s Ali Zafar appeared as the counsel for the SIC and completed his arguments, following which the court reserved its verdict.

President Asif Ali Zardari has thanked Chinese President Xi Jinping for “extending him warm congratulations on his re-election as the President of Pakistan”.

According to a statement issued by the President House, President Zardari “expressed his commitment to working closely with the Chinese President to deepen practical cooperation, strengthen the all-weather partnership, and foster a shared community for the benefit of the two countries”.

In his letter, President Zardari said that Pakistan and China “shared a unique bond forged in the crucible of history and nurtured by mutual respect, understanding, and common views on all global issues”.

He wrote that Pakistan and China were not merely neighbours, but iron-clad brothers fully committed to the success of our All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership.

The President said that President Xi’s unstinting support would remain instrumental in achieving CPEC’s continued development and meeting the two peoples’ shared objectives of progress and prosperity.

As the Peshawar High Court resumed hearing the Sunni Ittehad Council’s plea pertaining to the allocation of reserved seats, PTI’s Barrister Ali Zafar, who is representing the SIC, said his client had expected that the ECP would rule in their favour.

At the outset of the hearing, Zafar informed the court that 86 independent candidates from National Assembly, 107 from Punjab Assembly, 90 from KP Assembly, 9 from Sindh Assembly and one from Balochistan Assembly had joined the SIC.

He contended that the SIC should have been allocated reserved seats “under Article 104’s section (c)” of the Elections Act. “We expected that we would get the reserved seats. The ECP was mandated to allot 78 seats to the SIC but it did not do so.”

Here, the court asked him if the case before it was pertaining to the entire country, to which Zafar replied that it was limited to the national and KP assemblies’ reserved seats.

The SIC counsel further said the reserved seats “belonging to the SIC were instead given to occupiers”, at which the court directed Zafar to not refer to them as such, noting that the seats were allotted by the ECP.

Former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani casts his vote in the Senate by-elections being held on the vacant seats of the upper house of parliament today.

Gilani, who had taken oath as MNA on Feb 29 after winning the NA seat from Multan and voted for PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif during the election of the prime minister on March 3, is being tipped as the next Senate chairman as per the power-sharing formula agreed between the PPP and the PML-N to form a government.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has voted in the Senate by-polls taking place at the Parliament House for six vacant seats.

Ex-premier and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif has cast his vote in the by-elections being held for six Senate seats.

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said that if parliament is to be run, it must be done seriously, and is in need of serious reform.

“To stop this lavish and incorrect spending of the people’s money, we need to bring a lot of reform in the Senate elections and by-elections,” he said while speaking to the media.

Parliament is incomplete without reserved seats, he added.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reached the Parliament House to cast his vote in the Senate by-polls underway for six vacant seats.

The Peshawar High Court has reserved its verdict on the Sunni Ittehad Council’s plea challenging the denial of reserved seats, which it claims it deserves.

A five-member larger bench — led by Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim and including Justices Ijaz Anwar, S.M. Attique Shah, Shakeel Ahmed and Syed Arshad Ali — resumed hearing the case today.

A day ago, Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan had argued before the court that a political party could get reserved seats only if it won a general one.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has issued the schedule for elections on 48 vacant seats of the Senate.

According to the schedule, polling will be held on April 2 from 9am to 4pm.

The candidates can file their nomination papers with the returning officers from March 15 (tomorrow) till 16 (Saturday). March 19 has been fixed for the scrutiny of nomination papers.

A revised list of the candidates will be issued on March 26 and the candidates can withdraw their nomination papers by the next day.

In the federal capital, members of the National Assembly will elect members of the Senate against one general seat and one seat for technocrats including Ulema.

According to Radio Pakistan, members of the four provincial assemblies will elect senators for seven general seats, two women seats, and two seats for technocrats, including Ulema from each province, as well as one seat for non-Muslims from both Punjab and Sindh.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has voted in the Senate by-polls being held on six vacant seats.

PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique has said that major political parties of the country — including his own, the PPP and the PTI — would have to “accept each other”.

In a post on X, he referred to the recent meeting between KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and PM Shehbaz Sharif, terming it a “step in the right direction”.

Rafique said, “The pulse of the country is drowning in the game of putting each other down.”

Asserting that the PML-N and the PPP had “buried the game full of hatred”, he criticised ex-premier Imran Khan for indulging in the same “game” and involving others in it.

Rafique said: “[We] will have to accept each other. Dialogue with rival parties on state matters should continue.”

The recounting of ballot papers for PP-269 constituency will take place today on the Election Commission of Pakistan’s order.

The returning officer has issued notices to all candidates for the recount.

PPP’s Alamdar Abbas Qureshi, who was declared winner from this constituency, approached the Lahore High Court, Multan bench, to halt the recount. However, the court raised objections to the petition. His lawyers said that after addressing the objection, the writ petition will be filed again.

Independent candidate Iqbal Pittafi approached the RO office for a recount. However, his application was rejected, leading him to appeal to the ECP for a recount. On Feb 8, PPP’s Qureshi secured 34,588 votes, while Pittafi received 33,082 votes. Pitafi alleges that the defeat was orchestrated. However, MPA Qureshi insists that he won, and the people had voted for him.

PTI leader Hammad Azhar has said that KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur’s meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif should not be considered an indication of “any compromise on the theft of Imran Khan’s or the public’s mandate”.

In a post on X, Azhar said, “Firstly, Ali Amin would never do so and even if he does, he himself knows the emotions of the public and the party.

“Thousands of our people (workers) are currently unjustly imprisoned and half of the national and Punjab assemblies are fake,” he claimed. “This is no small matter.”

PTI Sindh President Haleem Adil Sheikh has moved an election tribunal impugning the result of a National Assembly constituency in the city.

In his election petition, the provincial chief of the embattled PTI submitted that he had contested Feb 8 general elections as an independent candidate from NA-238 (Karachi East-VI).

Citing the Election Commission of Pakistan, provincial election commissioner, the returning officer, the returned candidate from the subject constituency Sadiq Iftikhar and others as respondents, the petitioner asked the tribunal to set aside the impugned result/notification and declare him returned candidate or order a fresh election in the entire constituency.

He contended that as per Form-45s, obtained by his polling agents from presiding officers at all the polling stations of the constituency, he secured the highest number of votes (84,049) while around 10,000 votes were polled to MQM-P’s aspirant Iftikhar.

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National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has cast his vote in the Senate by-polls being held on six seats that were left vacant after their occupants won in the Feb 8 general elections.

PTI MNA Amir Dogar has cast his vote in the Senate by-polls being held for six vacant seats.

Polling for by-elections on six vacant Senate seats is currently under way at the Parliament House in Islamabad.

National Assembly lawmakers and MPAs from Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will elect six senators in the by-election. The polling will continue till 4pm.

Besides a seat from Islamabad, five seats — three from Balo­chistan and two from Sindh — fell vacant after the occupants were elected to the national and provincial assemblies.

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National Assembly lawmakers and MPAs from Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will elect six senators in a by-election, being held on the vacant seats of the upper house of parliament today.

PPP leader Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani is contesting the election to regain his seat from Islamabad which had fallen vacant following his victory as an MNA in the Feb 8 general elections. Gilani will face Chaudhry Ilyas Mehrban of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) in a one-on-one contest for which polling will be held in the National Assembly hall from 10am to 4pm.

Though there has been no official announcement that Mr Gilani is the candidate of the newly formed eight-party ruling coalition for the top Senate office, the fact that no one from the PML-N submitted papers against him gives credence to such reports.

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Meanwhile, Imran Khan voiced concerns over potential horse-trading in the upcoming Senate elections and vowed to approach the Supreme Court against the alleged rigging in the general elections.

Talking to the media persons after a hearing in the £190 million corruption reference — in which Mr Khan and his spouse, Bushra Bibi, are being tried by the accountability court of Islamabad — the former premier said the votes of parliamentarians would be bought in the upcoming election of the upper house.

He described the elections as bogus and said that they damaged the reputation of the institutions.

He said that even though the PTI was not allowed to run its election campaign, the citizens reacted with the power of votes. How­ever, he said, the people’s mandate was not acknowledged but was stolen.

Mr Khan said the PTI would continue peaceful protests against the “rigged elections” and warned that Pakistan would face the same situation that Sri Lanka witnessed after default.

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At a National Assembly session on Wednesday, PTI’s Omar Ayub Khan said there were reports that the government was planning to appoint Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja as high commissioner to Canada. He said there were also reports that the government wanted to deprive the PTI of at least 20 seats through a recount. He reiterated the party’s demand for the resignation of the CEC and other members of the Election Commission.

Khan also called for the release of the two party activists who were in the custody of the military in connection with the May 9 incidents and condemned the government for not allowing the PTI members a meeting with jailed Imran Khan.

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Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has assured that all justified demands of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province would be met while keeping in view the current financial situation of the country, APP reports.

Welcoming Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur, the prime minister said that all the four provinces were the components of the federation and when they moved together, the country achieved progress and development.

The chief minister, who called on the prime minister, also briefed him on the administrative affairs of the province in detail.

The meeting was attended by Minister for Foreign Affairs Ishaq Dar, Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for States and Frontier Regions Amir Muqam and other relevant senior officials.

The prime minister stressed to sit together to resolve all issues, adding that public welfare would be the top priority of their collective efforts.

The federal government believed in working in harmony with all the provincial governments, including KP, and would foster strong bonds.

The chief minister also expressed the resolve that the provincial government wanted to move forward with good intentions and was committed to playing a positive role in national development.

Information Minister Ataullah Tarar has said that the meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur is a positive development for the country, adding that if these meetings continue then he could see the country moving towards a solution to its economic problem.

Speaking on Geo News show Capital Talk, Tarar said the Constitution provides the government with a federal set-up of governance which entails close coordination between the provinces and the Centre to work together.

“If the coordination between federal and province is weak then Pakistan will get weak,” he said.

He reiterated what PM Shehbaz said on the floor of the National Assembly regarding the Charter of Conciliation, that the responsibility to fix the country’s economy lay with everyone.

PTI leader Omer Ayub has said that it should be conveyed to his party if its members will be listened to in the National Assembly or if it has become “redundant”.

While speaking on the assembly floor, Ayub said: “Please tell us if we have rights here. We have been elected here after gathering hundreds of thousands of votes so do we have the right to represent our constituencies?”

He said if they did not have the right then it should be told that the assembly is now redundant.

KP CM Gandapur has said that he requested Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to facilitate a meeting of his with PTI founder Imran Khan.

“I told him that political engagement with Khan sahib is very necessary to solve political issues. He was very positive and told me plainly he would make my meeting possible so I can complete consultations regarding the Senate election,” Gandapur said of his meeting with PM Shehbaz.

Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered a continuous joint team between the federal and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments that would work with the Centre to solve the province’s issues.

“The summary of today’s meeting is in two words: we all have our own politics but the state is together,” Iqbal said.

Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has also expressed his positivity on the talks between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and KP CM Ali Amin Gandapur, saying that the premier had reassured the CM that the province’s dues would be fulfilled by the federal government.

He said the prime minister had obligated officials of the finance ministry to sit down with KP officials on the matter of dues to the province.

Iqbal said the prime minister also gave instructions regarding difficulties faced by the people during suhoor and iftar in KP.

Talking to the media with Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, KP CM Ali Amin Gandapur has stressed on the need to solve public issues together and the need for the federal and provincial governments to deliver.

“We had good talks. It was very positive. He assured that he would fulfil his promise and would not lie,” Gandapur said about PM Shehbaz.

KP CM Ali Amin Gandapur has said he had very “positive” talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on public and provincial issues, law and order and other matters.

“It was very positive and he gave full support and reassured,” Gandapur said of the interaction with the premier.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal are addressing a joint media talk in Islamabad.

The PTI has shared a video on X, showing NA Opposition Leader Omar Ayub and MNA Sher Afzal Marwat walking alongside other PTI leaders and lawyers — what it said was a “protest march outside the Islamabad High Court”.

“[We] demand immediate justice for Imran Khan,” the party said.

PTI leaders Taimur Khan Jhagra and Kamran Bangash have paid a visit to Awami National Party’s Aimal Wali Khan to condole over the death of his mother, the party said in a post on X.

Earlier, PM Shehbaz and other cabinet members had also visited the ANP leaders in Charsadda.

Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) chief Allama Raja Nasir has said that the Islamabad High Court has issued notices to the Adiala jail superintendent on a contempt petition he filed for not allowing him to meet ex-premier Imran Khan despite court orders.

In a post on X, he said that despite orders from the Islamabad High Court, the jail staff did not let him meet Imran.