The Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) leaders declared that Punjab would be administered based on the performance of the opposition. Speaking to the media on Monday outside the Punjab Assembly was SIC’s nominee for chief minister, Rana Aftab Ahmad, and party MNA Dr. Nisar Jutt. “What is the next step in the process since the house isn’t finished yet?” inquired Rana Aftab. He also mentioned that the court will be approached by the SIC regarding the unfinished house. Dr. Nisar Jutt, the newly elected MNA, claimed that when he and the party’s nominee for chief minister arrived at the Punjab Assembly, security personnel stopped them at Mall Road. “To run the house efficiently, you will need to include the opposition,” stated Rana Aftab.
Gohar Ejaz, the minister of commerce, industry, and investment, is in Abu Dhabi for the 13th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). He had meetings with peers from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt, Turkiye, and China while on the sidelines. Speaking with his colleagues, he claimed that Pakistan’s share of global commerce has increased thanks to the proactive measures implemented by the caretaker government. He added there has been a 46% growth in Pakistan’s exports of goods and services to China. Pakistani citizens would profit as a result of increased foreign trade, according to Dr. Gohar Ejaz. World Trade Organisation (WTO) summit in Abu Dhabi on Monday brought together trade ministers from all around the world with the goal of establishing new global trade regulations.
Dennis Francis, the president of the UN General Assembly, has urged UN member nations to give UNRWA, the main UN relief organisation functioning in besieged Gaza, “sustainable and predictable financial and political support.” “UNRWA has been an indispensable lifeline for millions of Palestinians,” declared Francis in response to a letter from UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini. UNRWA, which offers the Palestinian people healthcare, education, and other essential services, is today facing its “biggest humanitarian crisis since its establishment.” Israel accused the CIA last month of being involved in the October 7 operation by Hamas, the Palestinian resistance movement, against the Israeli occupation. More than ten donor nations have responded to the accusations made by Israel against UNRWA, which were not supported by information that was made public.
After receiving the support of the majority of legislators, Anthony Naveed was appointed deputy speaker of the provincial legislature and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MPA Awais Qadir Shah was sworn in as speaker of the Sindh legislature. With 111 votes, Qadir Shah defeated Sofia Saeed of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), who was only able to garner 36 votes. Agha Siraj Durrani, the outgoing speaker, gave new Speaker Qadir Shah an oath after he was elected. Naveed received 111 votes as opposed to Rashid Khan of the MQM-P, who was only able to obtain 36. Qadir Shah then administered an oath to Naveed, designating him as deputy speaker. After a short delay, the session started, and several provincial assembly members took an oath of office.
According to President Dr. Arif Alvi, establishing health and educational facilities is essential to reaching the objective of women’s empowerment. He emphasised how important it is to give women access to an environment free from harassment so they may join the labour and support economic expansion. Speaking at the HUM Women Leaders Award’s fifth edition in 2024, the President stated these opinions. “We celebrate women leaders for their endeavours and men who contributed to the economic empowerment of women,” the president declared. He quoted the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) when discussing women’s rights, stating that a man earned his place in paradise by raising two daughters.
Shehbaz Sharif, the president of the Pakistan Muslim League-N, underlined on Sunday the vital connection between the nation’s political stability and economic development, emphasising that resolving political unrest via constructive discourse is a prerequisite for achieving economic stability. Shehbaz, the PML-N’s candidate for prime minister, noted in a statement issued on Sunday that there has never been a more pressing need for unity in order to maintain political and economic stability. He asserted that drawing in foreign investment required political stability and a tranquil atmosphere. According to the former prime minister, the nation needed to make coordinated efforts to end unemployment and poverty. He also emphasised the necessity of maintaining austerity while spending as much as possible on the wellbeing of the populace.
Mohsin Naqvi, the chief minister of Punjab, met with Governor Muhammad Balighur Rehman on Sunday. Mohsin Naqvi briefed the governor on the caretaker setup’s 13-month performance. A book on the caretaker government’s performance was also given to the governor by the chief minister. While praising Mohsin Naqvi and the cabinet for finishing public welfare projects ahead of schedule, the governor also noted that the supervisory cabinet, led by Naqvi, had set a strong example for governance, transparency, and public service. Earlier, Punjab Governor Muhammad Balighur Rehman was visited at Governor House Lahore by Dr. Drago Stambuk, the ambassador of the Republic of Croatia. On this occasion, Imran Baig, the Honorary Consul General of Croatia in Pakistan, was also in attendance.
Ataullah Tarar, the leader of the PML-N, has questioned Imran Khan’s motivation for wanting to write a letter to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) requesting an audit of the general elections. He questioned, “Under what relation do you say that you will write a letter to the IMF?” to the Lahore media. According to Tarar, Imran ought to clarify in the letter that he was imprisoned following his conviction in charges of corruption. “Would you inform them that the $190 million scandal was orchestrated by your cabinet?” Tarar enquired. “When you write a letter to the IMF, make sure to mention that you used religion as a political narrative in your letter,” he continued.
According to the Palestinian Wafa news agency, numerous residents, including a large number of women and children, have lost their lives as a result of the most recent Israeli onslaught in Khan Younis, northern Gaza, east of Gaza City, and the Sabra neighbourhood of Gaza City. Since October 7, Israeli bombardment on Gaza have resulted in at least 29,692 Palestinian deaths and 69,879 injuries, according to a statement released on Sunday by the health ministry in Gaza. According to sources, US and British forces launched strikes on over a dozen Houthi targets in Yemen on Saturday. This was the most recent round of military action against the organisation, which is tied to Iran and continues to assault shipping in the area. As the Houthis hold the majority of Yemen’s territory, the US has been attacking them almost every day.
On Friday, the newly elected members of the Punjab Assembly were sworn in by outgoing Speaker Sibtain Khan. After more than two hours of waiting, the PA session, chaired by Sibtain, started on Friday. The assembly secretary announced that a secret ballot will be used to elect the speaker and deputy speaker tomorrow, Saturday. “Nomination papers for speaker and deputy speaker will be collected and scrutinised today,” he stated. Following the general elections on February 8, this was the first provincial assembly session where the newly elected members were sworn in. 313 parliamentarians were present during the session, of which 215 were from the PML-N and its allies. Additionally, 98 members of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) took the oath of office.
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