ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani court on Thursday extended the stay on the swearing-in of reserved seat members in parliament until March 13, as former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party struggles to secure its share following last month’s general elections which the PTI candidates contested as independents.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) earlier this week rejected a petition to allocate the reserved seats for women and religious minorities to PTI lawmakers who joined a little-known party, the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), to organize themselves better in parliament. However, the election commission said the SIC had not submitted a list of candidates before the polls that it wanted to join the national legislature on these seats.
The PTI-SIC alliance challenged the matter in the Peshawar High Court that issued the stay order for a day on Wednesday after the ECP decided to distribute reserved seats among other parliamentary parties, including its rival factions of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Pakistan Peoples Party and Muttahida Qaumi Movement.
During a preliminary hearing on Wednesday, the court barred the reserved seat members from taking the oath for a day and referred the matter to the chief justice for a larger bench to adjudicate upon the intricate constitutional questions involved. A five-member larger bench led by Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim took up the petition on Thursday and extended the stay order till March 13, as attorney general Mansoor Usman Awan failed to appear before the court due to his engagements in the Supreme Court.
“The presidential election is taking place and the party with 93 seats [in the National Assembly] has not been allotted the reserved seats,” PTI counsel Babar Awan argued, pointing out that one party that had won only a single general seat had been given two reserved seats.
The presidential election in Pakistan is scheduled to be held on March 9, with an incomplete electoral college as some reserved seat members have yet to take oath. The electoral college for the presidential election comprises members of the National Assembly, Senate and four provincial legislatures.
The counting of votes in the presidential election follows a unique formula, distinct from the general polls. While each citizen’s vote counts as one in general elections, the presidential election employs a weighted formula to ensure equal representation from all federal units.
Justice Ibrahim ordered the attorney general to appear before the court in the next hearing, extending the stay order till March 13.
Tahir Mehdi, an election expert, said the reserved seats, nominations of candidates and the party lists for women and non-Muslim lawmaker were introduced for the first time in 2002 under the former military ruler General (r) Pervez Musharraf when policymakers had not foreseen such challenges in the coming years.
“This is a matter of legal interpretation now as there are a lot of grey areas here which the high courts or the Supreme Court would ultimately decide on,” Mehdi told Arab News, adding the courts would ultimately see if submission of a prior list of candidates by a party before the elections was necessary in this case.
“The courts can decide either way … they may order to allocate the reserved seats to the PTI-SIC alliance or uphold the ECP’s decision,” he added.
Pakistani court extends stay on swearing-in of reserved seat members in national parliament
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Pakistani court extends stay on swearing-in of reserved seat members in national parliament
- The court grants the stay until March 13 as ex-PM Khan’s party struggles to get its share of seats for women, minorities
- An election expert says the situation demands legal interpretation after a large number of independents won the polls
England overwhelm Pakistan in final T20 before World Cup defense
- England restricted Pakistan to a modest 157 after winning the toss, with Adil Rashid taking 2-27 from his maximum four overs
- Harry Brook ended the game with a six off paceman Haris Rauf, pick of Pakistan’s attack with 3-38, as England finished 158-6
LONDON: Reigning champions England produced a fine all-round display as they beat Pakistan by seven wickets at The Oval on Thursday in their last competitive match before they begin the defense of their Twenty20 World Cup title.
England restricted Pakistan to a modest 157 after winning the toss, with leg-spinner Adil Rashid, the player-of-the-match taking 2-27 from his maximum four overs.
They then made a rapid start to their chase as Phil Salt (45) and skipper Jos Buttler (39) shared a blistering opening stand of 82 inside seven overs.
Harry Brook ended the game with a six off paceman Haris Rauf, the pick of the Pakistan attack with 3-38, as England finished on 158-6 to win with more than three overs to spare.
Victory gave England a 2-0 triumph in a four-match T20 series where games at Headingley and Cardiff were both washed out without a ball bowled.
“We have worked hard in training and there is a good feeling around the squad,” Buttler told Sky Sports.
Buttler was leading England after his wife gave birth to the couple’s third child following his dashing 84 in the hosts’ 23-run win in the second T20 at Edgbaston.
“It would have been nice to get two more games in to expose a few guys to different situations,” Buttler added.
“But we have really good experience in the group and a lot of guys have been playing in the IPL (Indian Premier League), so we are not short of cricket.”
Both England openers launched Naseem Shah for huge sixes before Salt holed out off Rauf for a quickfire 45.
Earlier, Pakistan had been well-placed at 59-0 after losing the toss at an overcast Oval.
But they slumped to 86-5, the collapse starting when captain Babar Azam was caught at slip for a brisk 36 off fast bowler Jofra Archer.
“It went well for five or six overs but then I got out,” said Azam. “The middle order needs to step up.
“We need to sort out those things for the World Cup. We have a few injuries but there are a lot of positives. Our play is good in patches.”
Pakistan were also undone by a disciplined England attack, with Rashid telling reporters: “As a unit I thought we bowled exceptionally well. I know they (Pakistan) got off to a great start, but that’s T20 cricket.”
Rashid was also enthused by the sight of injury-prone quicks Archer and Mark Wood, who took wickets with sharp bouncers, bowling in tandem.
“Jof and Woody, when you watch them bowl it is exciting,” he said.
“Seeing the ball zip off the pitch, the keeper taking it really high and it’s exciting to have two quality, world-class bowlers in our squad.”
England launch their T20 World Cup campaign against Scotland in Barbados on June 4, with 2009 champions Pakistan in action two days later against co-hosts the United States in Dallas.
Pakistan look to end World Cup preparations on a high against England in 4th T20I
- England win toss, put Pakistan to bat first as rain threatens to disrupt today’s match
- All-rounder Imad Wasim rested after experiencing discomfort in rib cage, says PCB
ISLAMABAD: England won the toss and elected to put Pakistan to bat first, as the two sides lock horns today, Thursday, at The Oval for the fourth and last T20I match before both teams leave for the United States to take part in the T20 World Cup.
Pakistan’s preparations for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, scheduled to be held next month in the United States and the West Indies, have been anything but impressive. The green shirts lost 4-1 to New Zealand in an away series in January before drawing 2-2 against a second-string New Zealand side in a home series in April.
The green shirts then scraped a 2-1 series victory over Ireland this month but still lag 1-0 behind England in the four-match T20I series. Two matches of the series were abandoned due to rain.
“Toss: England won and decided to bowl,” the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said in a statement.
Pakistan said all-rounder Imad Wasim is not playing in Thursday’s match after experiencing discomfort in his rib cage.
“While batting in the nets during Wednesday’s training session, he experienced discomfort in his right rib cage. He was sent for a preventative scan as advised by the PCB medical panel,” the cricket board said.
The PCB said Wasim is expected to be fit before Pakistan begins its World Cup campaign next month.
“The panel is actively monitoring Imad’s progress and will provide further update if deemed necessary,” the PCB said.
Playing XIs
Pakistan: Usman Khan, Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam (c), Fakhar Zaman, Azam Khan (wk), Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Amir, Naseem Shah
England: Jonny Bairstow, Phil Salt (wk), Will Jacks, Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali (c), Sam Curran, Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer, Chris Jordan, Mark Wood
Pakistan’s PM urges world to rein in Israel as it intensifies Rafah military offensive
- Israel has intensified bombardment of Rafah, killing dozens of Palestinian civilians since last week
- Sharif lauds Spain, Norway and Ireland for recognizing Palestinian state, hopes others follow suit
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday urged world powers to play their role in ending Israel’s war on Gaza, as the Jewish state pushes on with its military campaign in Rafah despite global protests and outrage.
The prime minister’s televised comments came as Israel ramped up its military operations against Hamas in Rafah, which it launched earlier this month.
Israel has vowed to destroy the remaining Hamas battalions in the city in southern Gaza, where it says it believes Israeli hostages are also being held. Its offensive in Rafah since last week has killed dozens of Palestinians as NGOs and professional unions declared Gaza a “famine-stricken” zone.
Israel’s war on Gaza, which is about to enter its eighth month, has caused widespread outrage in many parts of the world owing to mounting civilian casualties. Israel has killed over 36,000 people in its military campaigns, including women and children, in Gaza since Oct. 7 when it retaliated to a surprise attack from Hamas.
“I urge world powers to play their role in helping Palestinians get their rights,” Sharif said on Thursday. “We pray to God to bring a halt to this unjust war.”
Sharif lauded the governments of Norway, Spain and Ireland for recognizing Palestine as a state, hoping others would follow suit.
“I believe this will give courage to other states to raise their voice with these European nations to demand a separate, independent homeland for Palestinians and will also put in efforts to do so,” he said.
The Pakistani prime minister thanked Muslim states for raising their voices for the people of Palestine at global forums such as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the United Nations.
“The Saudi crown prince is taking the lead in this and also Qatar, UAE, Kuwait and other countries are involved too,” he said.
Pakistan does not have diplomatic relations with Israel. The South Asian country has called for an unconditional ceasefire and a separate homeland for Palestinians according to the wishes of the Palestinian people.
Pakistan inks agreements with Kuwait in industrial cooperation, engineering amid investment push
- Pakistan’s Privatization and Investment Minister Abdul Aleem Khan participates in joint ministerial commission meeting in Kuwait
- Khan says Pakistan to “soon” start visa on arrival service for GCC countries, hopes for visa relaxation for Pakistanis as well
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Kuwait signed agreements on industrial cooperation and engineering on Thursday, Pakistan’s privatization ministry said, as both countries vowed to enhance bilateral economic ties for their mutual benefit.
The agreements were signed as Pakistan’s Minister of Communications, Investment Board and Privatization Abdul Aleem Khan led a delegation of officials to Kuwait for the fifth joint ministerial commission meeting between the two countries.
Pakistan has increasingly sought to attract foreign investment, particularly from Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait as it struggles with a macroeconomic crisis that has depleted its reserves and caused inflation to surge.
“Pakistan and Kuwait signed agreements in the fields of industrial cooperation and engineering,” a statement from the privatization ministry said.
“Federal Minister for Investment Abdul Aleem Khan and Kuwait’s Minister of Commerce and Industry Omar Saud Al-Omar signed the agreements.”
Khan said during the meeting that Pakistan would appoint a commercial consular in Kuwait to promote its business activities in the Gulf country. He added Pakistan would promote bilateral cooperation in pharmaceuticals, engineering and automotive sectors with Kuwait.
He said Pakistan aims to invest more in the food, textile and energy sectors with Kuwait. The Pakistani minister hoped for relaxation in visa restrictions from Kuwait.
“We will soon start visa on arrival for GCC countries,” Khan said. “We will provide Kuwait with a Pakistani workforce of veterinary staff, doctors, nurses and from other important sectors.”
During Kakar’s Nov. 2023 visit to Kuwait, various memoranda of understanding aimed at boosting cooperation in the fields of manpower, information technology, mineral exploration, food security, energy and defense were signed between the two countries.
His visit to the country came a few months after Pakistan established the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), a civil-military hybrid body designed to oversee foreign financing with a specific focus on the Gulf region in key economic sectors.
Azerbaijan urges Pakistani businesses to capitalize on global transit corridors connecting both states
- Azerbaijan’s foreign minister is in Islamabad on a two-day visit to review bilateral ties
- Pakistan seeks to enhance role as pivotal trade, transit hub connecting Central Asia with world
ISLAMABAD: Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov urged Pakistani businesspersons on Thursday to capitalize on opportunities provided by international transit corridors passing through the Central Asian country as Islamabad eyes greater regional trade and connectivity.
Bayramov arrived in Islamabad on Wednesday night for a two-day visit during which he met Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and held delegation-level talks. According to Pakistan’s foreign office, both sides reviewed progress on bilateral relations and exchanged views on regional and global developments.
Pakistan has aimed to enhance its role as a pivotal trade and transit hub connecting the Central Asian republics with the rest of the world, leveraging its strategic geographical position.
One of the main international transit corridors Pakistan can use to enhance regional trade is the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), also referred to as the Middle Corridor. It begins from southeast Asia and China, crosses Kazakhstan and connects to Azerbaijan through the Caspian Sea. From there, the route proceeds to Georgia, Turkiye, and Europe. It is utilized extensively in both directions.
“We invite Pakistani business representatives to consider the opportunities provided by the international transit corridors passing through the territory of Azerbaijan and the Baku International Sea Trade Port,” Bayramov said as he spoke at a joint media briefing with Dar in Islamabad.
The Baku port, situated at a pivotal intersection with Europe to the west, Asia to the east, and the Middle East to the south, serves as a hub for connecting these three major regions.
Relations between Pakistan and Azerbaijan have strengthened recently, particularly in defense, energy, and trade. Last year, they signed an agreement for discounted LNG supplies from Azerbaijan to Pakistan to boost Pakistan’s energy reserves.
Pakistan also seeks to boost its status as a key trade link between Central Asia and the world through the ambitious China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project. China has invested over $65 billion in the energy and infrastructure corridor which aims to enhance both countries’ connectivity and improve Pakistan’s infrastructure.
Bayramov said Azerbaijan was also investing heavily in railroad infrastructure, both in its territory and neighborhood.
“At the same time we are aware of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and we believe that the transit transportation dimension of this project can also be a very good synergy when we talk about the participation of both countries in connectivity, in trade, and we see great potential here, and it was one of the topics of today’s discussions,” the Azeri foreign minister said.
Pakistan has sought third-party investment in CPEC for which it has invited Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Germany, UAE, Iran, Indonesia and Afghanistan to join the multi-billion-dollar project. However, there has been no progress on that front.
Dar, meanwhile, said both countries agreed to further enhance multifaceted cooperation in trade, investment, connectivity, security, energy, and defense.
The Pakistani deputy premier also sought support from Azerbaijan in the upcoming election for non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) where Pakistan is vying to be elected for the eighth time.
Elections for five of the 10 non-permanent seats on the UN Security Council for 2025-26 are scheduled for June 6.
“I will take this opportunity for your [Azerbaijan] great support for our candidature as the non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the election which is going to be held on the 6th of June next month,” Dar added.
'PAKISTAN’S ADVANTAGEOUS LOCATION'
Taimur Ali, who works at the Central Asia section at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad, said Pakistan’s growing inclination toward maintaining beneficial bilateral and multilateral relations with Central Asian republics stemmed from Islamabad’s comprehensive national security policy, which was published in 2022.
“Apart from this, the tilt toward Central Asian republics is a factor in the overall Eurasian integration process as well, because Pakistan’s strategic location is at a very advantageous position, which plays the role of a zipper between Central Asian and South Asian countries,” he told Arab News.
He said Pakistan wants to remain connected to Central Asian states through CPEC to derive maximum benefits from the mega project.
“Since Central Asian republics are geographically very close to Pakistan and CPEC-related projects, it is but natural that Pakistan would invite all Central Asian countries to invest and be a part of the CPEC project,” he explained.
