ISLAMABAD: Unofficial results of Sunday’s by-polls indicate a neck-to-neck race for Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) and ruling party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), with both securing four seats each from the 11 vacant National Assembly (NA) constituencies.
PTI lost a seat to Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA), a five-party alliance led by Fazlur Rehman and partner of PML-N. However, the Pakistan Muslim League – Quaid, a supporter of PTI, bagged two NA seats.
Preliminary figures showed PML-N securing six seats in the Punjab provincial assembly while PTI took four. Two other seats went to independent candidates. In the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, PTI grabbed six of the nine seats losing two to the Awami National Party and one to PML-N.
Parliamentarians from the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) took two seats in the Sindh Assembly while the Baloch National Party (BNP) and an independent candidate secured one seat each in the Balochistan Assembly.
Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry cited the absence of Prime Minister Imran Khan in PTI’s by-election campaign as the main reason for the setback. However despite the opposition’s gains, the ruling party still received the highest number of combined assembly seats.
The slim margin is also a tell-tale signs of voters’ confidence in PM Khan’s policy amendments to steer the country toward progress, but at a cost borne by the common man. An unusually low voter turnout was recorded in Pakistan on Sunday as the country held by-elections for 11 national and 24 provincial assembly seats that had fallen vacant after the general elections in July.
More than 9.2 million voters were expected to cast their ballot at 7,489 polling centers that had stringent security measures in place. While media persons were barred from entering the polling stations, the voter turnout remained poor as per the initial counts, with an unnamed Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) official saying that it was 35 percent.
“The polling station was deserted when I went to vote late morning,” Syed Ather Ali, who voted for PTI from NA-60, a National Assembly constituency in Rawalpindi, said.
Some 370 hopefuls contested the by-polls, according to the ECP, which approved 645 nomination papers of the 661 submitted by different candidates. According to the data provided, 218 candidates contested from Punjab, 57 from Sindh, 36 from the sparsely populated province of Balochistan and 59 from KP.
According to unofficial results, a PML-N candidate won from NA-131, in Lahore. Similarly, the country’s former prime minister, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, won and bagged the greatest number of votes in NA-124, Lahore, on the PML-N ticket. Much like the last general elections, the political battle was once again anticipated to be between PTI and PML-N and going by the unofficial accounts, both parties are understood to have taken four NA seats each.
Two unopposed candidates had already won the provincial seats of PP-87, Mianwali, and PP-296, Rajanpur. The most unique feature of the by-polls was the participation of overseas Pakistanis who could participate in the vote for the first time by accessing the ECP’s website.
However, out of the 7.9 million nationals living abroad, only a little more than 7,400 took part in the polls.
Meanwhile, few contestants, who lost the electoral race, believed they had fallen victim to systematic irregularities. Political analyst Qamar Cheema said the by-polls were vital for PTI since it had managed to form the government at the federal level with only a narrow margin. “These by-elections will also prove whether people have accepted or rejected all the changes that PM Khan’s administration has introduced in the country,” Cheema said while talking to Arab News.
PML-N strikes back as PTI struggles to maintain dominance
PML-N strikes back as PTI struggles to maintain dominance
- Both parties secure four seats each in Sunday’s by-polls
- Overseas Pakistanis vote for the first time via ECP website
Pakistan, Egypt among countries who pay most in surcharges to IMF— report
- Indebted member countries paid about $6.4 billion in surcharges between 2020-2023, says report by US think tanks
- Surcharges do not hasten repayment, instead punish countries already struggling with liquidity constraints, critics say
Countries, mostly middle and lower-income, have been burdened by surcharges on top of interest payments on their borrowings from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), widening global inequities, according to a report by US think tanks.
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT
Indebted member countries paid about $6.4 billion in surcharges between 2020-2023, the report from Boston University’s Global Development Policy Center and Columbia University’s Initiative for Policy Dialogue released on Tuesday showed.
And the number of countries paying these surcharges has more than doubled in the last four years.
The IMF is expected to charge an estimated $9.8 billion in surcharges in the next five years, according to an earlier report by the Center for Economic and Policy Research.
Critics of the policy argue that surcharges do not hasten repayment and instead punish countries already struggling with liquidity constraints, increase the risk of debt distress and divert scarce resources that could be used to boost the struggling economies.
BY THE NUMBERS
Countries such as Ukraine, Egypt, Argentina, Barbados and Pakistan pay the most in surcharges, the report showed, accounting for 90 percent of the IMF’s surcharge revenues.
These surcharges, levied on top of the fund’s increasingly steeper basic rate, are IMF’s single largest source of revenue, accounting for 50 percent of total revenue in 2023.
KEY QUOTES
“IMF surcharges are inherently pro-cyclical as they increase debt service payments when a borrowing country is most need of emergency financing,” Global Development Policy Center’s director Kevin Gallagher said.
“Increasing surcharges and global shocks are compounding the economic pressure on vulnerable countries.”
CONTEXT
Data published by the Institute of International Finance earlier this year showed global debt levels hit a record of $313 trillion in 2023, while the debt-to-GDP ratio — a reading indicating a country’s ability to pay back debts — across emerging economies also scaled fresh peaks.
IMF shareholders agreed last week on the importance of addressing challenges faced by low-income countries, Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said on Friday.
ICC names Pakistan’s Sana Mir as Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier ambassador
- Sana Mir led Pakistan in 137 of 226 international matches she played during her career
- Mir says will guide teams and players on how to deal with pressure in the tournament
ISLAMABAD: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday named Pakistan’s former iconic cricketer Sana Mir as its ambassador for the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier tournament.
Former skipper Mir, considered widely as Pakistan’s best woman cricketer to date, will keep a keen eye on the tournament which would see 10 women’s teams battle it out for two spots at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024.
The first four matches of the tournament will take place tomorrow, Thursday, which is scheduled to go on till May 7.
The 10 teams have been divided into two groups of five, with the top two from each group entering the semifinals. The winning semifinalists confirm a trip to Bangladesh for the T20 World Cup later this year.
“ICC named Sana Mir, who represented Pakistan in 226 international games, 137 of them as skipper, as the ambassador of the Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier on Wednesday, 24 April,” the cricket regulatory body said in a post on its website.
Mir told ICC the tournament would provide an excellent opportunity for fans to witness exciting cricket.
“The women’s game has become more and more competitive in recent years,” Mir said. “And the 10 nations involved in the Qualifier possess a number of quality players.”
Mir featured in several ICC tournaments during her impressive career. Her most memorable one was in the 2008 ICC Women’s Qualifying Series for the Women’s Cricket World Cup where Pakistan went all the way to the finals.
Sana won the joint Player of the Series award for the tournament. The Pakistani icon said she aims to share her expertise and experience with the international players as ambassador.
“My aim is to talk to the various teams and players during the Qualifier and help guide them on how to deal with the pressure of these events and what it takes to succeed,” Mir explained.
“Pakistan had a great record in these events, and I in particular have fond memories of the 2008 edition of the 50 over World Cup qualifier event that I played.”
Mir said that while Sri Lanka and Ireland were favorites to qualify for the World Cup, others had a chance to cause major upsets too.
“Teams like Scotland, Netherlands, United Arab Emirates, Uganda, and Zimbabwe surely have the potential to cause major upsets,” she said. “And make their way through to the semis and eventually to the final as well.”
Pakistan’s disaster management authority urges citizens to exercise caution as heavy rains loom
- Pakistan’s NDMA says heavy rains expected in KP, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir from Apr. 25-30
- Disaster management authority warns administrations to prepare for emergencies in vulnerable areas from Apr. 25-30
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Wednesday cautioned citizens in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan areas against rising water levels, as it braces for heavy rains in various parts of the country from Apr. 25-30.
A westerly wave from Apr. 25-30 is expected to bring “significant” rainfall and thunderstorms in Balochistan, KP, the northern Gilgit-Baltistan region, and Azad Kashmir, the NDMA said.
The disaster management authority said these areas are expected to face heavy to moderate rains, windstorms, and hailstorms while it was expected to snow over high mountains.
“Residents near riverbanks and nullahs should be aware of rising water levels and evacuate if necessary,” the NDMA said. “Citizens are urged to exercise caution, avoid weak structures and waterways, and stay updated on weather conditions.”
It also urged farmers, livestock owners, tourists, and travelers to take protective measures for their safety and properties.
The NDMA urged authorities to prepare for potential floods and landslides, especially in upper KP, Murree, Galyat, Azad Kashmir, and GB.
“Authorities should ensure readiness to respond to emergencies, with machinery and staff pre-positioned in vulnerable areas,” it added.
A spell of heavy rains from April 12-21 in Pakistan’s Punjab, Balochistan and KP killed over 90 people, destroying property and farmlands. Experts say the country is experiencing heavier rains than normal in April because of climate change effects.
In 2022, downpours swelled rivers and at one point flooded a third of Pakistan, killing 1,739 people. The floods also caused $30 billion in damages, from which Pakistan is still trying to rebuild.
Pakistan consistently ranks among the world’s worst-affected countries due to climate change.
PM Sharif meets business community, Sindh leadership during Karachi visit
- This is Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s maiden visit to Pakistan’s financial hub since assuming country’s top political office
- PM Sharif says business community “backbone” of Pakistan’s economy, stresses unity to overcome national challenges
KARACHI: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Pakistan’s financial hub Karachi on Wednesday on his maiden trip to the city since assuming the top political office, where he held meetings with the provincial leadership and the business community.
Sharif, who is in Karachi for a day-long visit, visited the mausoleum of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Pakistan’s founder, to pay his respects after arriving in the city.
“The prime minister will exchange views with the governor of Sindh and its chief minister on Sindh province’s overall political situation and administration matters,” a statement from Sharif’s office said.
Sharif presided over a meeting at the Chief Minister House later in which he was informed about the financial matters between the center and the province.
The chief minister’s spokesperson informed Sharif that the center owed Sindh a whopping Rs1,078.198 billion yet it had handed over Rs28 billion less than that.
“The prime minister instructed the federal finance minister to speak to the chief minister and resolve financial matters,” the chief minister said.
Sharif later announced the addition of 150 buses in Karachi to a fleet of 300, which the provincial government aims to deploy to alleviate the people’s transport woes.
“On the insistence of transport minister, Sharjeel Inaam Memon, prime minister announced 150 buses in the pool of 300 buses,” Abdul Rasheed Channa, the Chief Minister’s House spokesperson said, adding that the prime minister praised the provincial transport department.
Karachi, one of the largest cities in the world with a population of 20.3 million people, has 25,000 buses operating on over 700 routes covering the city. The number of private buses has decreased to 300 which operate on only 50 routes.
The prime minister later spoke to Karachi’s prominent businesspersons, referring to them as “the backbone of Pakistan’s economy.”
“We should rise before our personal likes and dislikes to serve Pakistan,” he said, adding that he wanted to carve out the best business policies for Pakistan to improve the country’s financial health.
Pakistan trains hundreds of volunteers ahead of annual Hajj pilgrimage
- Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and every adult Muslim is required to undertake it at least once in their lifetime
- Islamabad is to begin its Hajj flight operation from May 9 that would conclude on June 9 and facilitate over 63,000 pilgrims
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani government has started training hundreds of volunteers ahead of the annual Hajj pilgrimage to help thousands of pilgrims overcome language barrier and other challenges in Saudi Arabia, besides imparting training to intending pilgrims on how to perform Hajj rituals.
Pakistan has a Hajj quota of 179,210 pilgrims this year. Of them, 63,805 pilgrims will be performing the pilgrimage under the government scheme, while the rest would be accommodated by private tour operators, according to the Pakistani religious affairs ministry. The South Asian country is set to start its Hajj flight operation on May 9, which would conclude on June 9.
The ministry conducts training of Hajj assistants and pilgrims every year ahead of their departure to Saudi Arabia to make sure the whole process, including their food, transportation and accommodation, is managed efficiently. This year, Pakistan will be sending 550 Hajj assistants and 400 doctors and paramedical staff to Saudi Arabia to facilitate the pilgrims.
“The training programs are currently underway at district and tehsil level and Islamabad is one of them,” Noor Muhammad Soomro, a deputy director at the Hajj directorate in Islamabad, told Arab News.
“Ministry of Religious Affairs has made very good arrangements for the pilgrims, and this includes Pak Hajj app. If a pilgrim uses the Pak Hajj app, he gets all the details, including training, vaccination, maps.”
Soomro said each Pakistani pilgrim would be provided with a SIM card having 7GB data to connect with their families back home.
“This time, we will provide the train facility to all those pilgrims who travel to Saudi Arabia on the government scheme in Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah,” he said.
Hajj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage that has been in practice for over 1,400 years. It is one of the five pillars of Islam and requires every adult Muslim to undertake the journey to the holy Islamic sites in Makkah at least once in their lifetime if they are financially and physically able. This year’s pilgrimage is expected to run from June 14 till June 19.
Instructors have been training Hajj assistants and intending pilgrims at a sprawling auditorium at the Islamabad Hajji Camp, where they can also visit different stalls to purchase Hajj items like Ihram, umbrella and towels.
“This training is basically the introduction of the duties of Hajj,” Sanober Khaliq Baloch, a Hajj assistant, told Arab News. “Hajj assistants would be performing those duties for example the induction [of the pilgrims], the transport, the food and obviously about Mina map, a little about the roads and traveling, all these things.”
Speaking about the potential challenges, she said the temperature difference and up to 14 hours of duty could be “daunting,” but she was determined to facilitate the pilgrims in all possible way.
Faisal Hafeez, another Hajj assistant, said he was committed to serve the pilgrims well by taking care of their food, accommodation and transportation.
“Different problems that confront the pilgrims have been discussed here [during the training] and how we are supposed to deal with them and solve the problems,” he told Arab News.
Syeda Munir, who is going to perform Hajj for the first time, praised the training sessions, saying this would help them smoothly perform all rituals.
“This is my third [training] session,” she told Arab News. “They guide us well about how to perform Umrah and Hajj.”
