PPP to support PML-N in upcoming by-elections on 20 Punjab Assembly seats

The PPP on Wednesday announced that the party would support PML-N's candidates who will take part in the upcoming by-elections on the 20 vacant seats of the Punjab Assembly.

The seats had fallen vacant after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had de-seated PTI’s dissident lawmakers for voting against party policy.

The polling will take place on July 17, as per the ECP schedule that was issued on May 26. Meanwhile, the nomination papers for the by-elections can be submitted from June 4 to 7 and this will be followed by the returning officers carrying out scrutiny of the nomination papers till June 11. However, the appeals against the returning officers’ decisions can be filed till June 15.

"In view of the country’s interest, the PPP has decided to support the PML-N’s candidate for all the 20 vacant seats," PPP provincial minister Hassan Murtaza said while addressing a joint press conference flanked by PML-N’s Attaullah Tarar and Malik Ahmad Khan.

Both the parties, however, will remain political rivals during the next general elections, clarified the PPP’s leader.

However, the PPP’s candidates will withdraw their nomination papers for the upcoming by-elections on the seats.

On his part, PML-N’s Malik Ahmad vowed that they will jointly inflict defeat on PTI during the upcoming by-polls on all the 20 seats.

Tarar said that there were coalition governments in Punjab and the centre, adding that the consensus and unity will be maintained in the future as well.

He maintained that they were united not only on the front of elections but also on the governance. Responding to a question, the PML-N minister warned that they will take strict action against those who will take the law into their hands.

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Asif Ali Zardari’s mother passes away in Karachi

PPP Co-chairman and former president Asif Ali Zardari’s mother, Zareen Ara Bukhari, passed away in Karachi, the party confirmed Wednesday.

Family sources said that the deceased was admitted to a private hospital for the past few days. After remaining at the medical facility, she passed away today.

Following the news of his mother’s demise, the ex-president left Islamabad for Karachi.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani expressed grief over the demise of the former president’s mother.

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Bakhtawar Bhutto, Aseefa Bhutto, Sindh Health Minister Azra Fazal Pechuho, PPP leader Faryal Talpur, and others will arrive in Karachi as well. They will leave for Nawabshah via a special flight.

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Rupee finally snapped its losing streak against the dollar

The rupee finally snapped its losing streak against the dollar on Wednesday, gaining Rs1.80 in early morning interbank market a day after the government secured the much-anticipated deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

According to the Forex Association of Pakistan (FAP), the rupee appreciated to Rs210 against the dollar from Tuesday's close of Rs211.80. Yesterday, the greenback was at an all-time high, appreciating by a sharp Rs2.

The development comes after weeks of persistent declines in the rupee's value, which has been largely attributed to the country's rising import bill and depleting foreign exchange reserves.

Zafar Paracha, general secretary of the Exchange Companies Association of Pakistan, credited the rupee's recovery to the good news related to the IMF deal. "Hopefully, once the deal is finalised by the end of this week, it will pave way for loan from China and other financial institutions."

 

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Pakistan strongly condemns killing of Kashmiri youths by Indian forces

Pakistan strongly condemned on Wednesday the extrajudicial killing of four more Kashmiri youths and termed it a result of "continuing state terrorism by Indian occupational forces", a statement from the Foreign Office read.

The statement highlighted that since India’s illegal and unilateral actions of August 5, 2019, more than 636 Kashmiris have embraced martyrdom in fake encounters and so-called cordon-and-search operations. This year alone, 113 extrajudicial killings of Kashmiris have been recorded.

The FO further stated that the intensified military crackdown and rising numbers of extrajudicial killings in IIOJK were part of the extremist anti-Muslim designs of the Hindutva inspired BJP-RSS combine in India.

“Ironically, Kashmiri youth have been a specific target of the 900,000 strong Indian military occupation force stationed in the IIOJK,” said the FO.

The FO denounced the use of brutal force against Kashmiris and said, “extrajudicial killings, custodial torture and deaths, forced disappearances, incarceration of Kashmiri leadership an youth and other methods of subjugation have failed in the past and will not succeed in the future.”

It also highlighted that through a dossier unveiled last year, Pakistan provided the world "incontrovertible evidence of the gross and systemic oppression and human rights violations by the Indian occupation forces in the IIOJK".

The FO once again reiterated its stance on Kashmir regarding a call for investigation of extrajudicial killings by establishing an Independent Commission of Inquiry as recommended by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in its Kashmir reports of 2018 and 2019.

“Pakistan also urges the international community to hold India responsible for its brazen suppression of innocent Kashmiris and play its due role in ensuring a just and peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people,” the statement read.

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IMF agrees with the budget targets of Pakistan

An agreement has been reached between the government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

According to sources in the Ministry of Finance, the talks between the IMF and Pakistan have been successful and the IMF has agreed on the steps taken by Pakistan for the budget for the next financial year.

Sources in the Ministry of Finance said that the IMF also agrees with the budget targets of Pakistan after which the chances of resumption of IMF loan program have become bright.

Under the loan program, Pakistan will get one billion dollars immediately.

According to government sources, a declaration on the agreement will be issued soon.

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IMF agrees with the budget targets of Pakistan

An agreement has been reached between the government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

According to sources in the Ministry of Finance, the talks between the IMF and Pakistan have been successful and the IMF has agreed on the steps taken by Pakistan for the budget for the next financial year.

Sources in the Ministry of Finance said that the IMF also agrees with the budget targets of Pakistan after which the chances of resumption of IMF loan program have become bright.

Under the loan program, Pakistan will get one billion dollars immediately.

According to government sources, a declaration on the agreement will be issued soon.

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Verdict in PTI foreign funding case reserved

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday reserved its verdict in the much-delayed prohibited funding case — previously referred to as the foreign funding case — against the PTI.

The case, which was filed by party founding member Akbar S Babar, has been pending since Nov 14, 2014. Babar, who is no longer associated with PTI, had alleged serious financial irregularities in the party's funding from Pakistan and abroad.

The PTI has denied any wrongdoing, and maintains the funding is not from prohibited sources.

A bench headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja presided over today's hearing. CEC Raja remarked that the case against the PTI had concluded, adding that the electoral watchdog also wanted to conclude the cases against other political parties.

He went on to say that the ECP wanted to restore voter confidence and strengthen the country democratically. At the conclusion of the hearing, the commission reserved its verdict in the case but CEC Raja said that the respondents could be summoned again if need be.

During today's hearing, petitioner Babar's financial expert, Arsalan Wardak, pointed out that it was an "established fact" that money was received from Britain. He also highlighted that no one was aware of the origins of the money received from Canada.

"Funds were received from Wootton Cricket Limited for which the registration number has been provided. Another $49,000 dollars were received from another company in the United Arab Emirates," he said, adding that the PTI did not deny receiving these funds.

The financial expert also highlighted that the donor lists were missing several details. "The PTI received funds from 13 countries [...] There is no record of the Rs20 million received at the PTI chairman's office," he said.

Wardak said that 41 of the 50 banks did not respond to the scrutiny committee's inquiries, pointing out the possibility of more accounts existing. The PTI ignored the principles and the standards of auditing, he alleged.

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