Pakistan Weekly News

The Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) have announced names for three ministries in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa provincial government. Sirajul Haq, Inayatullah Khan and Habibur Rehman have been put forward for the ministries of education, zakat and finance. Speaking to the media after a meeting, provincial Amir JI Senator Professor Ibrahim said that a consensus has been reached on Sirajul Haq, Inayatullah Khan and Habibur Rehman.

He said that that the final names for the three ministries will be reached after more discussions. The JI leader said that the three coalition parties will have similar number of ministries in the province.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) have stuck to their pre-election stance that scrutiny of candidates will continue after the elections, according to officials of the two state institutions. But political observers believe that these are hollow claims because after the elections the two institutions will be helpless to take any action against the elected representatives, especially those belonging to the PML-N which is set to form government at the centre.

The upcoming Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf led provincial government will find it hard to turn its pro-people election manifesto into a reality without growing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s income considerably, according to official sources.

The PML-N, the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) and National Party (NP) which together have a majority of seats in the Balochistan Assembly have agreed to form a coalition government and authorised Nawaz Sharif to nominate the leader of the house. This was announced by PML-N leader Shahbaz Sharif here on Sunday after holding discussions with the MPAs-elect of his party and leaders of the PkMAP and NP.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain has asked his party’s activists to tender an apology to the members of Coordination Committee after emotionally charged workers violated organisational discipline at the party’s headquarters, Nine Zero. According to details, MQM activists gathered at Nine-Zero late Saturday night to register their protest against Imran Khan’s statement. During the protest, some emotionally charged MQM workers assaulted members of the party’s Coordination Committee for failing to act against those who insulted Altaf. The equipment of mediapersons covering the protest was also damaged by protesters. Taking serious note of the incident, the MQM chief ordered those who violated the party discipline to tender an apology to the members of the Coordination Committee within 24 hours.

Unidentified men attacked the election candidates of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas amidst a partial strike in the two districts on Sunday. At least three vehicles – including two cars belonging to PTI leaders – were reportedly burnt. However, the party’s leaders survived the attacks.

After much debate, allegations and counter-allegations between political parties, a partial re-run of the vote in 43 polling stations of NA-250 (Karachi-XII)concluded peacefully and efficiently on Sunday, amid tight security provided by police, Rangers and army personnel. As unofficial results from the re-polls poured in late Sunday night, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) appeared far ahead of the pack. Dr Arif Alvi, PTI’s candidate for the National Assembly seat, led with 17,541 votes – a staggering lead considering his sole rival for the constituency, Jamaat-e-Islami’s Naimatullah Khan, could muster around 446 votes, despite Jamaat-e-Islami’s boycott.

Elders of Waziristan here on Wednesday demanded the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to reschedule elections in NA 42 of Mehsud area in South Waziristan Agency. In a press briefing, the elders of Waziristan including Malik Jamal Mehsud, Malik Sher Bahadar Mehsud, Malik Bismal Khan Mehsud, Malik Ghausudding Muhsud, Malik Sher Muhammad Mehsud and Malik Javed Mehsud said that thousands of tribesmen have been deprived from exercising of their voting rights inadequate polling stations in Tank and Dera Ismail Khan. They said that there were only three polling stations for a population of one lakh and eight thousands voters. Maliks said that Mehsud tribesmen who came to their native towns from Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta and others part of country have not exercised their right of franchise due insufficient polling stations in their respective areas.

Hundreds of women from various parts of Kurram Agency on Wednesday took to the streets and organised a sit-in, alleging widespread rigging in their area, adding that they had been deprived of their right to vote. The protesting women demanded re-election in at least 10 polling stations of NA-37. Shazia, one of the protesters, while talking to Pakistan Today, alleged that one of the contesting candidates had deprived thousands of women of their voting rights with help of polling staff and political administration. Explaining further, Shazia said that on May 11, doors of polling stations had been locked and polling booths were occupied by supports of one candidate. The occupants of the polling station stamped almost 9,000 ballot papers in favour of one candidate whereas the number of registered voters was only 3,000, she added. Similarly another protester Zubaida Bibi alleged involvement of political administration and Levies personnel and Khasadar forces in rigging of elections. The protesting women demanded re-elections in at least 10 polling stations. Both Shazia and Zubaida Bibi demanded re-elections under the direct supervision of the armed forces. They said they had no trust in the political administration or teachers from the Education Department. 

The tribeswomen continued protest on the third consecutive day to demand re-election on NA-37 constituency, Kurram Agency.The protesting tribeswomen alleged that the former MNA Sajid Turi, political administration and local clerics had been involved in rigging. Meanwhile, speaking at a press conference, Turi and Bangash tribal elders, Hamid Hussain, Inayat Hussain, Captain Yousaf, Haji Rauf and others said that Sajid Hussain Turi had won the polls despite rigging and violation of rules. The losing candidates should adopt legal ways and record their protest with the Election Commission of Pakistan and the authorities concerned. Losing candidates of various political parties in NA-43 and NA-44 constituencies announced to call off the wheel-jam strike on May 17 after political administration in Bajaur Agency assured them of support and cooperation.However, a partial protest was observed in various parts of Bajaur Agency where the protesters blocked roads for some time. The losing candidates for NA-36 Mohmand Agency also refused to accept the results and demanded re-polling.

The Election Commission of Pakistan has directed all the independent candidates to submit an affidavit stating that each one of them is joining a particular political party voluntarily and without any coercion. According to a press release issued here on Saturday, the affidavit should be duly sworn before the Oath Commissioner and shall be deposited with the Provincial Election Commissioner concerned or with the Deputy Director (Cord.), Election Commission of Pakistan Secretariat, Islamabad. Keeping in view the convenience of the candidates, they have been allowed to submit their declarations in the ECP Secretariat as well.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has decided to sue Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan for defamation. MQM leader Wasay Jalil said that the party would sue Mr Khan for Rs50 billion for issuing statement against Altaf Hussain. Imran Khan on Saturday held Mr Hussain responsible for the murder of his party leader Zahra Shahid, drawing strong reaction from the MQM.

THE Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, which is poised to form the federal  government, is not keen on borrowing more dollars from the IMF — at least not in its early months in power, despite warning of a looming balance-of-payments crisis. The party leadership feels that its plan to stimulate growth, the main plank of its economic revival strategy as outlined in its election manifesto, will be compromised by the stringent, painful economic stabilisation conditions attached with the IMF loans, and prevent it from providing relief to voters who have returned it to power in the May 11 election with emphatic victory over its rivals.

Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has appealed to his party workers in Lahore to end their sit-in protests, DawnNews reported. He said that the party will hold full-fledged sit in protest in Islamabad on 24th May. Speaking to media representatives at Lahore’s Shaukat Khanum Hospital, Imran Khan said that PTI workers will protest on 24th May in which he himself will participate.

Fuelling doubts about the transparency of the May 11 elections, President Asif Ali Zardari has said that the returning officers (ROs) played an important role in the elections. “If I get [the support of] these ROs, I can win the presidential election,” he said while talking to a delegation of South Asia Free Media Association (Safma) at Bilawal House on Sunday. The PPP did not want to sacrifice ‘another Bhutto’ just for another 25-26 seats, he added.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has announced a series of peaceful protests across the country and abroad against PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s statement holding Altaf Hussain ‘directly responsible’ for Saturday’s murder of senior PTI leader Zahra Shahid Hussain. Speaking at a news conference on Sunday, MQM Deputy Convener Farooq Sattar said that party workers would respond to the PTI chief’s allegations by peaceful protests. “We will take up democratic and legal means against Imran Khan. We will not reply to hatred with hatred,” he added.

FATA: Sharif loves using his mukhabera. "I use it daily, mostly at night time, because signals are clear at that time," he says. "I am in touch with most of my friends this way." Mukhabera means walkie-talkie in Pashto. For Sharif, this tool is what a mobile phone might be to other young men around the world: a cheap, reliable way to keep in touch with friends and family, so long as they are within an 18-mile range. Every week, he spends about 100 rupees, just over one U.S. dollar, on batteries. In the evenings, his group of friends all tune in to "hang out" on the same frequency. "Everyone in my village is schizophrenic. You hear screams in the middle of the night from people having bad dreams about the drones. Everyone is always angry or suspicious of everyone else." Sharif likes to stay connected, and not only for fun. His life depends on it. Sharif, 28 years old and unemployed, lives in Datta Khel, a town located on the border with Afghanistan in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).

FATA: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate from Kurram Agency has appealed to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to further delay elections in NA-38 because of the ongoing military offensive in the area. More than 40,000 tribesmen have been forced to leave for settled areas, including Peshawar and Kohat, and are now homeless, said the tribal leader. “If you hold elections now, you will deprive a large number of people from their right to vote.” The PML-N candidate also accused the Kurram Agency Political Administration of supporting the Jamiat-e-Ulema-Islam-Fazl’s candidate Munir Khan Orakzai. “It is the duty of the political administration to assist people, and not to take sides.” Orakzai demanded the immediate reshuffling of the existing political agents to ensure transparent polls. In addition to NA-38, two other constituencies have yet to complete polling. In NA-41 South Waziristan four polling stations will have re-elections after allegations of rigging emerged. Re-elections will take place on May 18 in 21 out of 41 polling stations in NA-46 Bara Khyber Agency after candidates accused each other of sabotage.

The political administration of Bajaur Agency has imposed a ban on public rallies and gatherings in Bajaur tribal area in order to keep peace and normalcy of the region intact and to thwart any unpleasant incident in the agency, FRC learnt. An official of the local administration while talking to media said that the ban has been put into place with effect from May 14 and will continue for an indefinite period of time. “The purpose of the ban is to ensure peace and normalcy of the area and to prevent any possible unpleasant incident in the ongoing protest demonstrations launched by the workers of various political and religious parties against the results of the recent general election against the two national assembly seats from Bajaur Agency”, the official told. The official added that, “all type of rallies of political nature, holding a protest demonstration and display of weapons will be prohibited across the agency.The administration not only issued written instructions to all the political and religious parties but also the announcements were broadcasted through local FM Radio channels,” the official added. Meanwhile the leaders and workers of various political and religious parties and losing candidates have strongly rejected the decision of ban over the public meeting and rallies in the agency and saying that they will continue to organizing protest demonstration against the rigging of election outcome for both the National assembly constituencies in Bajaur agency.