ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) called a meeting of the parliamentary party on Monday to formally nominate Imran Khan as the candidate for the next prime minister, PTI spokesman Fawad Chaudhry told reporters on Sunday.
After exhausting talks with allied political parties and successful independent candidates, PTI announced it had achieved the required number to form a government in the center.
The PTI emerged as the single largest party in the July 25 elections, winning 116 seats in the National Assembly out of the contested 270 parliamentary constituencies.
Chaudhry claimed the PTI-led coalition had reached the figure of 174 after political allies and reserved seats pooled in.
Khan, who is all set to become Pakistan’s new prime minister, earlier hinted he would take the oath before the country’s Independence Day on August 14, but no date has officially been announced yet.
Earlier this week, caretaker Minister for Information Ali Zafar said that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had assured it would complete all legal formalities by Aug. 11 and the first session of the recently elected National Assembly may be convened by Aug. 14.
It is obligatory to summon the first session of the National Assembly within 21 days of conducting general elections, according to Pakistan’s constitution.
Once the government summons the first session of the parliament, the newly chosen members will first elect the new speaker, deputy speaker and then the leader of the house or the prime minister.
The ECP is in the process of completing legal prerequisites including consolidation of election results and collection of returns from successful candidates regarding expenditure incurred during elections.
The president of Pakistan will summon the first session of the newly elected assembly upon the advice of Caretaker Prime Minister Nasir-ul-Mulk once the ECP concludes all formalities.
Imran Khan’s party to announce him as prime minister candidate on Monday
Imran Khan’s party to announce him as prime minister candidate on Monday
- Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) convened its first parliamentary party meeting on Monday after announcing it had bagged the required number to form government in the center
- It is obligatory to summon the first session of the National Assembly within 21 days after holding elections, according to Pakistan’s constitution
Archbishop of York says he was ‘intimidated’ by Israeli militias during West Bank visit
- “We were … intimidated by Israeli militias who told us that we couldn’t visit Palestinian families in the occupied West Bank,” the archbishop said
LONDON: The Archbishop of York has revealed that he felt “intimidated” by Israeli militias during a visit to the Holy Land this year.
“We were stopped at various checkpoints and intimidated by Israeli militias who told us that we couldn’t visit Palestinian families in the occupied West Bank,” the Rev. Stephen Cottrell told his Christmas Day congregation at York Minster.
The archbishop added: “We have become — and really, I can think of no other way of putting it — we have become fearful of each other, and especially fearful of strangers, or just people who aren’t quite like us.
“We don’t seem to be able to see ourselves in them, and therefore we spurn our common humanity.”
He recounted how YMCA charity representatives in Bethlehem, who work with persecuted Palestinian communities in the West Bank, gave him an olive wood Nativity scene carving.
The carving depicted a “large gray wall” blocking the three kings from getting to the stable to see Mary, Joseph and Jesus, he said.
He said it was sobering for him to see the wall in real life during his visit.
He continued: “But this Christmas morning here in York, as well as thinking about the walls that divide and separate the Holy Land, I’m also thinking of all the walls and barriers we erect across the whole of the world and, perhaps most alarming, the ones we build around ourselves, the ones we construct in our hearts and minds, and of how our fearful shielding of ourselves from strangers — the strangers we encounter in the homeless on our streets, refugees seeking asylum, young people starved of opportunity and growing up without hope for the future — means that we are in danger of failing to welcome Christ when he comes.”
