KARACHI: Several Pakistani parties on Saturday announced they would observe February 27 as “black day” in response to Sindh police firing tear gas at political workers protesting suspected rigging in the general elections earlier this month, as the newly elected lawmakers joined the inaugural session of the provincial legislature.
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) bagged the highest 84 seats in the southern Sindh province, followed by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) which secured 28 seats, while 14 seats went to independents. The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) religious party and the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) won two seats each.
Supporters of the JI, GDA, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), and other nationalist parties gathered near the provincial assembly in Karachi’s South zone to protest the alleged manipulation of the Feb. 8 election, which was marred by a mobile network outage and delays in the release of constituency results.
Hundreds of police personnel were deployed to prevent opposition supporters from advancing toward the Sindh Assembly building. The GDA and JUI-F were en route to the Karachi Press Club when clashes broke out between their workers and the police, resulting in stone-pelting and tear gas shelling.
“I strongly condemn the police shelling over the JUI-F workers,” Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman, the JI chief, said at a joint protest with the GDA. “We will observe February 27 as black day against election rigging and police torture on political workers.”
Rashid Soomro, a JUI-F leader, also confirmed development.
“Our peaceful workers were beaten and subjected to shelling as we attempted to reach the press club,” he said.
Political workers belonging to the protesting parties also blocked a main thoroughfare, Shahrah-e-Faisal, for several hours during the day.
Earlier, the outgoing speaker of the Sindh Assembly, Agha Siraj Durrani, administered oath to the newly elected lawmakers amid heavy security around the building.
“I do solemnly swear that I will bear true faith and allegiance to Pakistan, that as a member of the provincial assembly of Sindh, I will perform my functions honestly, to the best of my ability, faithfully, in accordance with the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the law and the rules of the assembly, and always in the interest of sovereignty, integrity and solidarity, well-being and prosperity of Pakistan,” Durrani said as he read out the oath to the lawmakers.
“May Allah Almighty help me and guide me.”
In view of the protest calls, the Sindh caretaker government on Friday imposed a ban under Section 144 on public assembly, gatherings, protests, processions, and demonstrations in Karachi’s South zone, where the provincial legislature is located, for a period of 30 days, according to the provincial home department.
Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) empowers the administration to issue orders in public interest and place a ban on any activity for a specific period of time.
The oath-taking ceremony came a day after the PPP nominated Murad Ali Shah, former Sindh chief minister, for the top provincial office once again, Syed Owais Shah for the role of speaker, and Anthony Naveed for the post of deputy speaker of the Sindh provincial assembly.
“We will not only compete with the governments of other provinces but also with the Center in performance,” Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, a former foreign minister and the PPP chairman, said at a meeting of newly elected party lawmakers in Karachi.
The PPP chairman announced that his party would forge a working relationship with all opposition parties in Sindh and address their legitimate grievances, according to a PPP statement. He urged the newly elected lawmakers to play their role in resolving the people’s problems in their respective constituencies.
“Be my eyes and ears,” Bhutto-Zardari was quoted as saying. “You play the role of a bridge between the people of your constituency and me; you are my ambassador to the people.”
Opposition parties in Sindh announce ‘black day’ following clashes during provincial lawmakers’ oath ceremony
https://arab.news/p86s5
Opposition parties in Sindh announce ‘black day’ following clashes during provincial lawmakers’ oath ceremony
- Political workers of different parties staged hours-long blockade of a central thoroughfare despite tear gas shelling
- Jamaat-e-Islami, Grand Democratic Alliance and Jamiat-e-Ulama-e-Islam raised rigging allegations after Feb. 8 polls
World Bank approves $400 million to expand water, sanitation services in Pakistan’s Punjab
- Project aims to improve access for 4.5 million people and curb waterborne diseases
- Program to prioritize women’s participation and climate-resilient urban infrastructure
ISLAMABAD: The World Bank this week approved $400 million for a new project to expand access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene services for around 4.5 million people in Pakistan’s most populous Punjab province, aiming to curb waterborne diseases and reduce long-term public health costs.
The project, known as the Punjab Inclusive Cities Program (PICP), is the second phase of the World Bank-supported Pakistan Urban Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Services Multiphase Programmatic Approach. It will focus on rehabilitating water supply networks, sewerage systems and wastewater treatment plants, while expanding stormwater drainage infrastructure across 16 secondary cities in Punjab.
Punjab faces persistent challenges in providing safe drinking water and adequate sanitation, with many urban households relying on contaminated sources. Weak infrastructure and limited hygiene services contribute to high rates of waterborne diseases such as diarrhea, typhoid and hepatitis, which disproportionately affect children and low-income communities.
“Reducing child stunting is essential for Pakistan’s future. Through the Punjab Inclusive Cities Program, we are investing in safe water, sanitation, and hygiene services to break the cycle of malnutrition and disease that holds back so many children from reaching their full potential,” the World Bank quoted its Country Director for Pakistan, Bolormaa Amgaabazar, as saying in a statement.
“In collaboration with the Punjab Government, the program represents a significant step forward in improving urban infrastructure and strengthening local institutions, thereby laying the foundation for healthier communities and a more prosperous Pakistan.”
Child stunting, a form of chronic malnutrition that leaves children too short for their age, is often linked to repeated infections, poor sanitation and unsafe drinking water, and remains a major public health concern in Pakistan.
Beyond water and sanitation, the project will also support solid waste management systems to improve sanitary waste disposal, extending services to an additional two million people in Punjab’s urban areas. The program will strengthen the capacity of local governments, including efforts to improve revenue generation and long-term service sustainability.
“The program complements infrastructure investments with capacity building and revenue generation, helping to ensure that service delivery is well sustained,” the statement quoted Amena Raja, Senior Urban Specialist at the World Bank, as saying.
“It will also help Punjab’s cities better withstand floods and droughts, ensuring urban development is both environmentally responsible and resilient to climate change.”
The program includes a gender-focused component, prioritizing the hiring of women in decision-making roles, establishing gender-compliant service desks and supporting skills development. It also aims to mobilize private capital to support water and sanitation services in Punjab’s secondary cities.
Pakistan has been a member of the World Bank since 1950 and has received more than $48 billion in assistance since. The Bank’s current portfolio in the country comprises 54 projects with total commitments of $15.7 billion, while its private-sector arm, the International Finance Corporation, has invested about $13 billion since 1956.
Earlier this year, Pakistan and the World Bank signed a first-of-its-kind agreement for a plan to focus $20 billion in lending to the cash-strapped nation over the coming decade on development issues like the impact of climate change as well as boosting private-sector growth.
