ISLAMABAD: All eyes are on Pakistan’s top court today, Friday, set to deliver a verdict on a set of petitions challenging the denial of reserved seats in parliament to the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) party, which is backed by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court had reserved its verdict in the case, which could see 70 seats for women and minorities that were allotted to the ruling coalition of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif after Feb. 8 general elections go to the Khan-backed alliance.
A simple majority in Pakistan’s parliament is 169 out a total 336 seats. Candidates backed by Khan had won the most seats, 93, in the polls but did not have the numbers to form a government.
“A 13-member bench [of the Supreme Court] will announce the decision at noon [12pm] Friday,” the PTI said in a text message sent to reporters with a copy of the cause list issued by the top court on Thursday.
All candidates from Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party were forced to contest the February polls as independents after the party lost its election symbol on technical grounds. After the election, these candidates joined the Sunni Ittehad Council party to claim a share of 70 reserved seats for women and minorities allotted in proportion to the parliamentary seats a party wins in elections.
The Election Commission (ECP) however ruled that the SIC was not eligible for the reserved seats and a Peshawar court upheld the decision, dealing a blow to the embattled PTI’s governing prospects and proving to be a major setback for Khan, who has been in jail since last August. The Supreme Court subsequently overruled these verdicts and has since last month been hearing petitions filed by SIC to restore the seats to the opposition alliance.
PM Sharif formed a weak coalition with other parties after the general elections produced a hung parliament. Sharif’s PML-N party’s 79 and the PPP’s 54 seats together made a simple majority in parliament to form a government at the center and they also roped in smaller parties in the coalition.
Khan and his party have rejected the results of the elections, alleging widespread rigging, which the ECP denies.
In Pakistan, parties are allocated 70 reserved seats — 60 for women, 10 for non-Muslims — in proportion to the number of seats won in general elections. This completes the National Assembly’s total 336 seats. Independents are not eligible for reserved seats.
Without the reserved seats, Sharif’s ruling coalition will lose its two-thirds majority in the National Assembly, without which the government cannot push through constitutional amendments.
All eyes on Pakistan Supreme Court, set to rule on parliamentary reserved seats case
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All eyes on Pakistan Supreme Court, set to rule on parliamentary reserved seats case
- Under election rules, parties are allotted reserved seats in proportion to number of parliamentary seats they win in polls
- Khan’s party hopes to win back 70 seats that were allotted to other parties which are now part of the PM Sharif-led ruling coalition
Pakistan, China call for more ‘visible, verifiable’ actions to dismantle ‘terrorist’ groups in Afghanistan
- Foreign ministers of China, Pakistan co-chair seventh round of strategic dialogue in Beijing to review bilateral cooperation, regional situation
- Pakistan accuses Kabul of facilitating attacks launched by militant outfits from Afghanistan’s soil, a charge Kabul has repeatedly denied
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China on Monday urged Afghanistan to take more visible actions to dismantle “terrorist organizations” based in its country, vowing to work with world powers to encourage Kabul to adopt moderate policies and integrate into the international community.
Ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan remain strained as Islamabad alleges militant outfits, mainly the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) group, uses Afghan soil to launch attacks against Pakistan. Islamabad accuses the Afghan Taliban government of facilitating these attacks against Pakistan, charges Kabul have repeatedly denied.
The joint statement by China and Pakistan was released after a meeting of both countries’ foreign ministers, Ishaq Dar and Wang Yi, in Beijing. Dar and his Chinese counterpart co-chaired the Seventh Round of China-Pakistan Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue in Beijing on Jan. 4 where they reviewed cooperation in trade, investment, economic sectors, counterterrorism, defense and regional matters.
“The two sides called for more visible and verifiable actions to dismantle and eliminate all terrorist organizations based in Afghanistan which continue to pose serious threats to regional and global security, and prevent terrorist organizations from using the Afghan territory for terrorism against any other country and to endanger any other country,” the statement read.
The joint statement said the two countries will work with world powers to encourage Kabul to adopt an inclusive political framework, moderate policies, and pursue good neighborliness.
On bilateral cooperation, China and Pakistan said they had agreed to focus on industry, agriculture and mining, and also promote the building and operation of the Gwadar Port in southwestern Pakistan.
“The two sides will deepen cooperation in areas such as trade and investment, information technology, science and technology, cybersecurity, technical and vocational training and education, and people-to-people and cultural exchanges,” the statement said.
“The two sides agreed to further strengthen cooperation in the financial and banking sectors, including extending mutual support at regional and international multilateral financial forums. Pakistan appreciated China for providing support for its fiscal and financial sectors.”
The joint statement said China commended Pakistan’s “comprehensive measures” to combat “terrorism” and protect Chinese personnel, projects and institutions in the country.
“The two sides reiterated their commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations with zero tolerance, and agreed to further deepen all-round cooperation on counter-terrorism and security, and make concerted efforts to ensure that the China-Pakistan Belt and Road cooperation advance in a secure and smooth manner,” the statement said.
Pakistan and China expressed their willingness to conduct a transboundary water resources cooperation, stressing the importance of fulfilling international legal obligations. The statement comes as Pakistan frequently accuses India of violating a water-sharing agreement between the two neighbors, claiming New Delhi purposefully diverts the flow of water away from its territory.
Islamabad has warned that any move by New Delhi to stop or divert the flow of Indus rivers to Pakistan will be considered an “act of war.”
Pakistan and China also demanded an unconditional, comprehensive and permanent ceasefire in Gaza in their joint statement, reaffirming their support for the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and for the implementation of a two-state solution in the Middle East.
“The two sides also expressed their concern at the situation in the occupied West Bank, and urged the need for urgently addressing it,” the statement said.
