Current Final

Category: Politics

  • No reserved seats for PTI backed Sunni Ittehad Council: Election Commission

    No reserved seats for PTI backed Sunni Ittehad Council: Election Commission

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) rejected the request of the Sunni Ittehad Council on the issue of reserved seats.

    The issue of reserved seats came to light after independent candidates of Tehreek-e-Insaf joined the Sunni Ittehad Council. On the plea of ​​the Sunni Unity Council, the ECP ruled that it could not get the quota of reserved seats for women and minorities.

    The decision said that the Election Commission informed all political parties that they needed to submit their names for the reserved and minority seats, but the Sunni Ittehad Council did not do so.

    The Election Commission in its decision also stated that it is a legal requirement to provide the list of specific seats before the elections, and the failure of the Sunni Ittehad Council to provide the list of specific seats on time is a legal defect.

    The ECP ruling stated that the chairman of the Sunni Ittehad Council contested the election as an independent despite the election symbol and the party confirmed that its candidates had contested as an independent.

    The decision said that it has clearly stated in Article 51 of the Constitution that the political parties who win seats in the National Assembly will be entitled to specific seats. The decision was a 4 – 1 dissent, with Member Punjab Babar Hasan Bharwana, writing a dissenting note.

    Bharwana said in a dissenting note that he agrees with the four members that the seats cannot be given to the Sunni Ittehad Council. But these specific seats cannot be distributed among other political parties and these seats should be kept vacant under Article 51 and 106 of the Constitution. He also said that the seats should be kept vacant until Article 51 and 106 of the Constitution are amended.

  • ‘Grammar, Geography’; CM Maryam’s school visit gets mixed reactions

    ‘Grammar, Geography’; CM Maryam’s school visit gets mixed reactions

    Maryam Nawaz has been in the spotlight since the day she took oath as the Chief Minister of Punjab. She recently visited a government school in Lahore where she entered a classroom and asked the students what they are studying to which the students replied, “Conjunctions, Grammar.” She picked up a book from a child, checked the cover and responded, “Oh Geography.” To this, the students collectively replied, “No, English.”


    The interaction has been garnering a lot of reactions on social media. A user commented that people should understand that the textbooks in government schools are always compiled together and that is why she got confused. In the longer version of the video, it can be seen that a teacher explained the same to her.
    Another netizen commented that even if we accept this explanation it makes no sense how she understood geography as conjunction.

    Amidst all the conversation around the videos some also showed their awe seeing the spaciousness of a government school in Lahore as they lamented the condition of schools in rural areas.

    A Twitter user commended her for visiting a school and showing her commitment to education.

  • Maryam Nawaz announces first public cancer hospital in Punjab

    Maryam Nawaz announces first public cancer hospital in Punjab

    Chief Minister of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz, has announced plans to build the first government cancer hospital in Punjab. The hospital will be built near Valencia town in Lahore, as per SAMMA. 

    The newly-elected chief minister visited the potential site for the hospital and received a briefing about the project. The CM also approved the construction of a hotel building for the attendants of cancer patients.

    Maryam Nawaz said that cancer patients will get free treatment in the hospital.

    The Punjab chief minister also announced that the government will provide the best medical professionals and state-of-the art equipment to treat cancer patients.

    She declared that screening for diseases will start in the province, adding that when she vacates her office after five years, she wants a state-of-the-art hospital in every city. She also announced free medicines in all emergency departments of government hospitals starting today. The Rescue 1122 service has been asked to launch a motorway ambulance service.

  • HRCP condemns Senator’s proposal to ban social media

    HRCP condemns Senator’s proposal to ban social media

    The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has opposed a proposed Senate resolution seeking a ban on social media platforms.

    The rights body has warned the members of the senate that such “ill-judged measures that violate people’s constitutional right to freedom of expression” represent an erosion of democracy.

    HRCP released the statement on Sunday, a day after it was reported that the Senate is going to discuss today (Monday) a resolution moved by Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi calling for a complete ban on some social media sites—X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

    Tangi was expelled by the PPP last month. The senator is set to retire on March 11.

    His resolution had argued that the platforms are adversely affecting the younger generation in the country as they are being used to promote norms that are against religion and culture. “[The platforms are also] creating hatred among the people on the grounds of language and religion,” it said.


    The resolution also “noted with concern” the use of such platforms against the interest of the country for spreading negative and malicious propaganda against the armed forces of Pakistan.

    “The HRCP calls on civil society and digital rights activists to mobilise against all efforts to impose such arbitrary curbs, including reports of a ban on all VPNs, and demands that X be restored immediately,” the statement said.

    Previously, Senator Brahmand Tangi, who was expelled by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) one month ago, had moved a resolution in the senate asking that all social media platforms including X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, YouTube and Instagram be banned in Pakistan to protect the next generation from what he has dubbed their “negative and devastating” effects.

    Tangi was expelled by the PPP last month after he went against party policy and remained silent on a resolution asking for delay in Balochistan and KP general elections. However, DAWN has reported that the party has till now not moved a reference against him.

    The resolution has alleged that social media platforms were being used to promote norms “against our culture and religion” and creating hatred among the general populace.

    The document also charges the platforms with being used to run “malicious” campaigns against the army and spreading fake news.

    PPP has said that the senator should not use the party’s name anymore, swiftly distancing itself from the controversial resolution. Nonetheless, it will be on Monday’s agenda.

    Senator Tangi is set to retire on March 11.

  • Shehbaz Sharif takes oath as Pakistan’s 24th PM

    Shehbaz Sharif takes oath as Pakistan’s 24th PM

    Shehbaz Sharif has taken oath as the 24th prime minister of Pakistan today (Monday) at President’s House in Islamabad.

    President Dr Arif Alvi administered the oath to the newly-elected premier. The oath-taking ceremony began with a holy recitation.

    The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president was elected the 24th prime minister of the country on Sunday, after completed his previous 16-month tenure from April 2022 to August 2023.

    It will be the second time that Shehbaz Sharif will serve the nation as prime minister. The PML-N president got 201 votes against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) opponent Omar Ayub Khan, who got 92 votes in the National Assembly (NA) on Sunday.

    Shehbaz’s victory was expected, as he enjoyed the support of seven other parties apart from the PML-N. The PM-elect is backed by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), Pakistan Muslim League-Zia (PML-Z), Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), and the National Party (NP).

    The sources of Geo News claimed that caretaker prime minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar will welcome Shehbaz Sharif at the Prime Minister’s House.

  • PPP agrees on Dar as finance minister

    PPP agrees on Dar as finance minister

    The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has agreed to the appointment of Ishaq Dar as the finance minister, as per The News on Monday. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and PPP are ready to form a coalition government in the centre after the February 8 polls nationwide.

    The development comes in the backdrop of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto’s tirade during election campaign in the run-up to the February 8 polls, wherein he had time and again criticised Dar for mismanaging the economy during the PML-N-led Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government.

    In January, Bilawal Bhutto told Geo News that his party will see  “anyone but Dar” as the country’s finance minister because of the poor economic situation in Pakistan.

    The PML-N leader refrained from responding to his comment and said, “He [Bilawal] is like my child. I don’t want to comment on what he said.” 

    “This is the same Bilawal who on the floor [of the parliament] a few months back used to say that for him I’m Dar uncle,” he added.

  • Qamar Zaman Kaira to be next Governor of Punjab?

    Qamar Zaman Kaira to be next Governor of Punjab?

    The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has nominated stalwart loyalist Qamar Zaman Kaira and two other party leaders for the post of governor of Punjab as the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has agreed to form a coalition government with the PPP, The News has reported on Monday.

    Sources have told The News that the names of Makhdoom Ahmed Mehmood and Chaudhry Riaz are also in consideration for the post of Governor.

    However, the PPP is currently holding consultations for the post of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) governor, as the party will announce the names of their candidates for both positions after the presidential elections, which are going to be held on March 9.

    The development comes after both parties reached an agreement to form a coalition government in the centre, wherein the PPP, with its 54 National Assembly seats, agreed to support the PML-N in government formation after none of the parties managed to secure a simple majority in the lower house in the February 8 general elections.

  • Shehbaz Sharif elected as 24th prime minister of Pakistan

    Shehbaz Sharif elected as 24th prime minister of Pakistan

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif has been elected the 24th prime minister of Pakistan on Sunday.

    “Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has been elected prime minister with 201 votes. [While] Omar Ayub obtained 92 votes,” announced Speaker Ayaz Sadiq during the session of the national assembly.

    The speaker then invited Shehbaz, the only politician to be elected as the PM for the second consecutive time, to sit in the prime minister’s seat and asked him to address the house.

    As soon as the result was announced, SIC lawmakers started causing a commotion and chanted slogans to disrupt Shehbaz’s speech after a victory that was expected as he enjoyed the support of seven other parties apart from the PML-N.

    The PM-elect has the support of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), Pakistan Muslim League-Zia (PML-Z), Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) and National Party (NP).

  • Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s cabinet will be finalised after Imran Khan’s approval

    Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s cabinet will be finalised after Imran Khan’s approval

    The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) cabinet will be finalised after the approval of sentenced founder Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, Geo has reported, quoting newly-elected chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Saturday.

    “I will meet the PTI founder over [matters pertaining to the formation of the] KP cabinet on Monday (March 4),” Gandapur said.

    Geo sources claimed that there are 15 members on the list of prospective cabinet members that will be shown to founder PTI, including the names of Mushtaq Ghani, Khaleeq ur Rehman, and Aqib Ullah Khan. 

    The development comes days after newly-elected members of the provincial legislature were sworn in by now-former speaker Mushtaq Ghani in a ruckus-hit inaugural assembly session.

    A day earlier, Ali Amin Gandapur, after being elected chief minister, demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja in his victory speech in the provincial assembly.

  • PPP wants Yusuf Raza Gillani as Chairman Senate

    PPP wants Yusuf Raza Gillani as Chairman Senate

    Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has made a decisive move in selecting former Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani as its nominee for the position of Senate chairman.

    Gilani, who recently resigned from the Senate and subsequently took oath as a member of the National Assembly, has emerged as the party’s top choice for the role of Chairman Senate.

    Despite the resignation, PPP leadership remains steadfast in their decision regarding Gilani’s candidacy for the Senate chairmanship, according to a report by The News on Saturday.

    The Bilawal Bhutto-led party is actively consulting its legal and political experts to determine the most appropriate path for Gilani’s re-election to the Senate.

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has scheduled Senate by-elections for March 14 to fill vacant seats, but the timetable for the upcoming main Senate elections, due to the retirement of half the senators on March 11, has not yet been announced.

    PPP insiders reveal that the party’s legal team is weighing the options available for Gilani’s return to the Senate, whether through the by-election or the subsequent Senate elections for a six-year term.

    The final decision, expected within a day or two, will hinge on the advice of PPP lawyers, who will obtain nomination papers for the Senate by-election on the seat vacated by Gilani.

    If approved by the party leadership, Gilani will file his nomination for the Senate by-election from Islamabad, the constituency he won after resigning from the Senate.

    However, this course of action may change if PPP leadership opts for Gilani to contest the main Senate elections instead.

    Sources within the PPP also indicate that Gilani remains a top contender for the Senate chairman position, with details of his candidacy finalized in coordination with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). Gilani has entrusted the decision to PPP’s top leadership.

    If elected as Senate chairman, Gilani would achieve a unique distinction, having served in the top three constitutional posts in the country: Speaker of the National Assembly, Prime Minister of Pakistan, and Chairman of the Senate.

    While Gilani previously contested the Senate chairman election in 2021, he narrowly missed out on victory after seven of his votes were deemed invalid, leading to the election of Senator Sadiq Sanjrani as Senate chairman.

    He won the seat of the National Assembly in general elections which was contested by his rival. On February 11, after the recount in National Assembly constituency NA-148, the number of votes obtained by the former PM increased.

    Upon the request of Independent candidate Barrister Taimur Malik, the process of verification of Form 45 was carried out in the RO office.
    Resultantly, Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani secured victory with 67,377 votes, while Taimur Malik remained runner-up with 67,047 votes. According to Form 47, Gilani had defeated Taimur Malik by a lead of 293 votes previously in the first count. After recounting, Gilani’s lead increased to 330 votes.