Live: Elections 2024

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.

Read more here

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.

Read more here

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”.