ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s opposition on Thursday assured lawmakers belonging to the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party it would protect them from the wrath of the government if they participated in the no-confidence voting to topple Prime Minister Imran Khan’s administration.
The opposition submitted the motion in the National Assembly Secretariat on Tuesday while hoping to get support from dissident PTI members along with other coalition partners.
The opposition collectively has 162 votes against 179 of the government in the 342-member National Assembly. One seat is vacant due to the death of a legislator. The opposition requires at least 172 votes to bring down Khan’s government.
“We will protect all those who will vote in favor of the no-confidence [against the prime minister],” Marriyum Aurangzeb, a spokesperson for the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, said while addressing a news conference in Islamabad.
The government on the other hand has announced its strategy to foil the opposition’s move, saying no PTI lawmaker or member of its allied parties would go to the assembly on the voting day.
Earlier today, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser had the right to disqualify lawmakers who crossed floor during the no-confidence session.
“The speaker has the right to disqualify any PTI member who disrespects the votes they secured due to Imran Khan,” he said while referring to Article 63-A of the constitution that was passed in April 2010 to discourage lawmakers from changing their political loyalties.
This article empowers a parliamentary party’s head to move a reference for disqualification of a lawmaker in case of a defection or voting in parliament against the party’s directives.
The opposition said that implementation of the article was possible only after someone had voted against the party policy, adding the party chief could not stop them from going to parliament.
“This is false propaganda ... the implementation of the defection clause will be possible after a member casts vote,” Khurram Dastgir, another senior PML-N leader, said while jointly addressing the news conference with Aurangzeb.
“Nobody, including Imran Khan, has the right to stop lawmakers from coming to parliament,” Aurangzeb said.
Legal experts maintained party heads would have to follow procedure to get a dissident member of their party disqualified from the election commission. They also maintained the speaker had no authority to declare vote of any disgruntled member invalid.
“The law is very clear. Any dissident member of a party can vote on the no-confidence motion and the speaker will have to count it,” Justice (r) Shaiq Usmani told Arab News. “The speaker has no authority to cancel or invalidate any vote in the National Assembly.”
He said the election commission could disqualify a lawmaker for violating Article 63-A after following the required legal process.
“A lawmaker cannot be disqualified just on the direction or wish of a party chief,” he added.
Barrister Omar Malik said if the speaker declared the vote of a ruling party’s disgruntled member as canceled, this would be against the law and constitution.
“In this case, the matter will ultimately land in the Supreme Court for adjudication,” he told Arab News.
Opposition promises to protect dissident lawmakers of Pakistan’s ruling party ahead of no-trust vote
https://arab.news/gj8kv
Opposition promises to protect dissident lawmakers of Pakistan’s ruling party ahead of no-trust vote
- Legal experts maintain National Assembly speaker cannot cancel votes of legislators on the basis of defection
- Opposition says party heads cannot stop lawmakers from showing up at parliament house on the voting day
Pakistan strongly condemns ‘heinous’ Afghanistan mosque attack that killed six
- Gunman stormed mosque in Afghanistan’s Herat province on Monday, killing six and injuring one
- Pakistan says it condemns “terrorism” in all its forms, including attacks on places of worship
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office on Wednesday strongly condemned a “heinous terrorist attack” that left six people dead in Afghanistan’s Herat province this week, reiterating Islamabad’s stance that it condemns violence in all its forms.
A gunman stormed a mosque in Herat province’s Guzara district on Monday, killing six worshippers and injuring one. Locals said the attackers had targeted the minority Shia community in the country.
While no group claimed responsibility for the attack, militant outfit Daesh’s regional chapter is the largest security threat in Afghanistan and has frequently targeted Shia Muslims.
“Pakistan condemns in the strongest terms yesterday’s heinous terrorist attack at a mosque in Herat, Afghanistan, resulting in loss of life and injuries,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said in a press release.
The foreign office said the people and government of Pakistan stand with the people of Afghanistan and express their heartfelt condolences over the loss of lives in the incident.
“Pakistan condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including despicable attacks on places of worship,” it added.
Relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan have deteriorated after militant attacks in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces bordering Afghanistan surged. The attacks increased after a fragile truce between Islamabad and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a banned outfit that pledges allegiance to the Afghan Taliban but is a separate group from it, broke down in Nov. 2022.
Islamabad says the attacks are launched mostly by TTP members who operate from safe havens in Afghanistan. Kabul denies this and blames Islamabad for not being able to handle its security challenges.
Tensions escalated in March when Pakistan conducted two airstrikes in Afghanistan against what it said were militant targets. Afghan officials said the airstrikes killed eight civilians, including five women and three children.
US State Dept official leads delegation to Pakistan, reiterates support for economic stability
- Jon Bass, US under secretary for political affairs, discusses regional and bilateral issues with Pakistani officials
- Bass reiterates Washington’s commitment to a stable, secure and prosperous future for Pakistan and US
KARACHI: State Department official Jon Bass led a delegation to Pakistan this week to discuss bilateral and regional matters, including Washington’s support for Pakistan’s economic stability, the US embassy said on Wednesday.
The US State Department had confirmed this week that Bass, who is the US acting under secretary for political affairs, would meet senior Pakistani government officials to discuss a range of regional and bilateral issues on Apr. 30.
“He met with senior Pakistani government officials to discuss a range of regional and bilateral issues, including US support for Pakistan’s economic stability and bilateral priorities for regional prosperity and security,” US Mission Spokesperson Thomas Montgomery said in a statement.
Montgomery said Bass underscored Washington’s commitment to a stable, secure, and prosperous future for both nations.
Pakistan’s relationship with Washington has experienced fluctuations over the decades, characterized by periods of close partnership and notable estrangement.
Despite Islamabad’s recent initiatives to enhance and deepen its ties with Washington, until recently, President Joe Biden’s administration had remained reluctant to engage with Pakistan’s top leadership.
Ties between the two countries have improved since former prime minister Imran Khan’s government was ousted via a parliamentary vote on Apr. 2022. Khan had accused Washington of colluding with his political rivals to oust him from power via a “foreign conspiracy.” Washington has consistently denied the allegations.
Cash-strapped Pakistan has been grappling with an economic crisis that reached its peak last year when inflation climbed to a staggering 38 percent and the country’s foreign exchange reserves plummeted to alarmingly low levels.
Pakistan views the US as a key ally that can help alleviate its economic crisis considering its huge influence within the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The IMF’s executive board this week completed the second review of a Stand-by Arrangement (SBA) it reached with Islamabad last year. The last-gasp deal helped Pakistan avoid a sovereign default.
Pakistani writers say Abu Dhabi book fair opportunity to promote country’s talent, rich culture
- Abu Dhabi International Book Fair kicked off on Apr. 29 and is scheduled to continue till May 5
- In a first, Pakistani writers will take part in the fair to discuss country’s literature and fiction works
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani writers taking part in the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair on Wednesday hailed the platform as a crucial opportunity for the South Asian country to promote its culture and dispel negative stereotypes associated with the nation.
The international fair kicked off on Apr. 9 and is scheduled to continue till May 5 in Abu Dhabi. It is an annual event that brings different writers together to promote reading, diverse cultures and knowledge locally, regionally, and globally. Organizers of the fair say their aim is also to promote cultural exchange and dialogue between several nations.
It also brings together leaders from the publishing and creative industries every year, providing promising opportunities for those involved in this sector to form new partnerships, learn about the latest trends and developments, and discuss its fundamental priorities.
For the first time ever, Pakistani writers are taking part in the international festival in two different sessions slated to be held on May 1 and May 3.
“Pakistan’s maiden participation in this event is crucial not only for the diaspora but also for familiarizing the Gulf and the world with Pakistan’s cultural richness, countering stereotypes, and dispelling reductionist descriptions,” Dr. Osama Siddique, a Pakistani novelist, told Arab News from Abu Dhabi.
Siddique is part of a panel that will discuss the state of Pakistan’s literary on May 3. He said Pakistani literature has struggled on the global stage due to a lack of support from the state, ineffective institutions, expensive printing materials and a lack of publishing industry development.
“Writers need to be proactive, and publishers must elevate their standards, and events like this provide a perfect platform for this,” he added.
He said Pakistan often falls short of showcasing its rich civilization, culture, and literature, despite the country’s profound historical and linguistic heritage spanning over 9,000 years.
He said Pakistani writers, local entrepreneurs and the Pakistani embassy in UAE collaborated to ensure Pakistan’s participation in the annual fair for the first time this year.
“It’s a start, albeit insufficient,” he said.
“It is vital to capitalize on such opportunities, considering the significant cultural investments made by the Gulf states in education, literature, and the arts,” he noted.
Tahira Iqbal, a Pakistani novelist who writes in Urdu, said participating in such events is crucial as it allows one to connect with writers from diverse backgrounds, languages, and regions.
Iqbal will also attend the May 3 session with Siddique as a panelist.
“Although Pakistani fiction is of high quality, it has not garnered significant recognition on the global stage, so participating in such events can address this issue,” Iqbal told Arab News.
Shazia Ali Khan, a UAE-based Urdu film screenplay writer, said such events provided an opportunity for writers to challenge preconceived notions about their country, its culture, and the role of women within it.
“So it is almost like an ambassadorial or diplomatic mission, where just us being there and speaking our minds may or may not remove any notions in people’s minds about where we come from, what our culture is, and how empowered the women are,” Khan told Arab News.
Khan stressed that Pakistani writers should ensure their literary works are translated so that they reach a wider audience, noting how most literary works originating from Pakistan were in Urdu language.
“In the absence of good translations and the proper sort of publishing houses backing all of this up to get to the end user is a bit difficult,” Khan pointed out.
Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, Pakistan’s ambassador to the UAE, said the country’s participation in the event is a testament to the rich literary heritage and vibrant intellectual discourse that it possesses.
“This representation not only showcases the diversity and creativity of Pakistani literature but also fosters meaningful cultural exchanges on a global platform,” he told Arab News.
By engaging in such events, Tirmizi said Pakistan played a crucial role in promoting cross-cultural understanding, fostering dialogue, and building bridges of friendship and cooperation between nations.
Students in Lahore protest America’s ‘hypocritical’ support for Israel’s war in Gaza
- Students say United States raises rights concerns everywhere without criticizing Israel for its occupation
- They block the road leading to the American consulate, make fiery speeches and chant slogans for hours
LAHORE: A student organization blocked the road leading to the United States Consulate in Lahore on Tuesday, protesting the American support for Israel’s war in Gaza by making fiery speeches for several hours and chanting pro-Palestine slogans.
The Progressive Students’ Collective (PSC) is a student-led movement in Pakistan which has staged protests in solidarity with the Palestinian cause, including disrupting a speech by the German ambassador to the country last week.
Both students and civil society activists highlighted the “glaring hypocrisy” of western nations like the United States and Germany, saying they raised human rights concerns in the developing states while staying silent about the plight of Palestinians under Israeli occupation.
A media statement issued by the PSC advocated for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel and its powerful state and corporate funders while highlighting the Palestinian rights to resist, right and self-determination.
There were hundreds of Palestinian flags and people wearing keffiyeh, chanting slogans in favor of intifada and revolution.
“When looking at atrocities being committed across the globe, [we have to ask] who is enabling them,” 23-year-old Ali Raza, who delivered the opening address at the protest, told Arab News. “It is on American shoulders that Israelis put their weapons before firing them at Palestinians.”
He went on to describe Israel as a “proxy state,” policing the Middle East for “western imperial powers.”
Raza, the former PSC vice president, said the students chose the US consulate as the venue for protest because since it was the largest state funder of Israeli occupation.
Earlier, the told the gathering the US monitored freedom of expression across the world, but police officers retrain American university professors by force who speak up for Palestinian rights, adding that was what hypocrisy looked like.
At the Asma Jahangir Conference in Lahore last Saturday, the current PSC spokesperson, Ali Abdullah Khan, protested against the German ambassador’s speech and disrupted him while he was discussing civil rights in South Asia.
“We protested against him, protested against his invitation [to the conference],” he told Arab News.
Khan said the students’ collective wanted to make Pakistan an important part of the global student-led BDS movement against Israel.
He pointed out the PSC wanted to show solidarity with the students who were being expelled from Columbia University in New York for protesting against the Israeli occupation.
“We support the Palestinian right to resist, we support the Palestinian right to return, we support the Palestinian right to self-determination,” Khan said in his speech to the demonstration. “We want to talk about putting an end to settler colonialism, putting an end to imperialism and we want to talk about a free and independent Palestinian state.”
Pakistan’s army chief meets top UK generals at regional stabilization conference
- A 30-member UK delegation is visiting Pakistan until May 3 for the flagship UK-Pakistan security dialogue
- The scope of the discussion this year has been expanded from bilateral to regional issues amid volatility
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s army chief General Asim Munir held a meeting with the United Kingdom’s Chief of the General Staff (CGS) General Patrick Sanders on the sidelines of the opening session of the 6th Pakistan-UK Regional Stabilization Conference at the National Defense University on Wednesday.
According to the military’s media wing, ISPR, the conference is a flagship defense and security dialogue alternatively hosted by the two states, bringing together experts from diverse fields including diplomats, defense officials, scholars and civil society representatives.
Currently, a 30-member UK delegation is visiting Pakistan in connection with the conference and will stay in the country until May 3.
“This year, the scope of discussion has been expanded from bilateral to regional issues and defense officials of both countries are also participating in the conference,” the ISPR said.
It mentioned the meeting of Pakistan’s chief of army staff (COAS) with General Sanders and the British CGS-designate General Roland Walker in which measures related to further enhancing bilateral defense ties came under discussion.
“The COAS thanked General Patrick Sanders for his services in enhancing bilateral military ties and felicitated General Roland Walker on his nomination as the next CGS of the UK Army,” it added.
