Electioneering is heating up, with political parties banding together to fortify their positions ahead of the polls on February 8. Jahangir Tareen, the leader of the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), expressed his excitement about collaborating with his “leader,” Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif, on Sunday. At a political rally in Multan, where he is running for office on the NA-155 seat, Tareen declared, “I will work with Nawaz Sharif as he will be our leader once the government is formed [after the polls].” After a money laundering case was brought against him while the PTI administration was in office, Tareen—a former close aide to former Prime Minister Imran Khan who was instrumental in the establishment of the PTI government in 2018—broke out with Khan.
In accordance with Article 63 (1)(h) of the Constitution, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) barred Shah Mehmood Qureshi, the vice chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), from running for office for a period of five years. The electoral authority has disqualified the senior politician from running in the general elections that are scheduled for next week on February 8 and any following elections, according to a notice that was sent out. According to the notification, Qureshi was found guilty in the cypher case by the special court formed under the Official Secrets Act. As a result, he was disqualified under Article 63 (1) (h) of the Constitution and sentenced to ten years of hard labour. In the cypher case, Qureshi and PTI founder Imran Khan were given 10-year sentences on January 30.
Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar stated on Friday that the game of chess aids in the inculcation of discipline in people’s mental processes, underscoring the significance of sports, especially mind games, in promoting youths’ physical and mental growth. Speaking at the National Mind Sports Initiative inauguration, the prime minister emphasised the benefits of mind games for mental health and predicted that young people who participated in these beneficial pursuits would go on to lead fulfilling lives as professionals. According to him, playing these games increases players’ critical thinking and cognitive function. The prime minister expressed his satisfaction at having committed to this particular cause and promised to support and advance it going forward.
Dr. Gohar Ejaz, the interior minister, reaffirmed on Friday his government’s commitment to carrying out the mandate of holding free, fair, and transparent elections, promising that the caretaker system would remain completely neutral during the entire electoral process. procedure. Speaking to a private news channel, he declared, “Equal opportunities are being provided to all political parties; there will be no discrimination against anyone.” “All provincial governments will receive all available resources to hold free and fair elections,” he continued. The Minister asked the populace to uphold the nation’s democratic system and vote for their future. He pointed out, “The implementation of the Election Commission’s code of conduct, and measures will be taken to ensure compliance.” “Rule of law during the electoral process,” he pledged.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) stated on Friday that during the three days of “firefights and sanitization/ clearance operations” in Mach and Kolpur, Balochistan, at least 24 terrorists were killed by law enforcement. The propaganda wing of the military identified Shehzad Baloch, Attaullah, Salah Uddin, Abdul Wadood, and Zeeshan as the principal terrorists who were slain following their attack on the Mach and Kolpur Complexes in Balochistan on the evening of January 29 and 30. “The identification process of remaining terrorists is in process, the military’s media wing stated,” the statement continued. Two citizens and at least four courageous members of law enforcement agencies accepted martyrdom during a fierce gunfight with terrorists. The fallen law enforcement officers valiantly battled the terrorists.
Former prime minister and seasoned leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) from south Punjab, Yusuf Raza Gilani, has stated that prior to the CIA operation in Abbottabad, former US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice had alerted Pakistan about Osama bin Laden’s presence in the country. In an interview, Gilani revealed that Rice had expressed concern about Osama being in Pakistan during her visit. The prime minister at the time refuted this, claiming it was false information. As US secretary, Rice made four trips to Pakistan. In December 2008, on her unexpected trip to Islamabad following the bombings in Mumbai, she had a meeting with the PPP leader. Gilani was the prime minister from 2008 to 2012.
During the meeting with Belgian colleague Hadja Lahbib on Friday, Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani and Lahbib talked about commerce, education, and people-to-people interactions. At present, Foreign Minister Jilani is in Brussels for the third EU Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum, an official visit. The two foreign ministers discussed the bilateral relations between Belgium and Pakistan during the meeting and expressed gratitude for their steady improvement. Both parties acknowledged that in order to improve bilateral relations, ongoing participation and cooperation are essential. They also looked into fresh approaches to collaboration for shared prosperity.
Diplomatic efforts to achieve a truce accelerated as Israel readied itself to push its war on Gaza closer to the Egyptian border, having claimed to have decimated Hamas in Khan Younis. According to Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, Israel achieved a significant victory over Hamas in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis. assault last week, allowing its soldiers to progress to Rafah on the southern boundary of the enclave. This area is home to almost half of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents, who are primarily staying in improvised tents and public buildings where they are often cold and hungry. In a statement, Gallant stated, “We are accomplishing our goals in Khan Younis, and we will also reach Rafah.”
All uncertainty about a possible postponement of the impending general elections was dispelled on Thursday when Interior Minister Gohar Ejaz declared that the poll would take place on February 8 regardless of the situation. The security conditions in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan raised questions about how the elections would be conducted. “There shouldn’t be any confusion regarding the date of the elections—February 8,” the interim minister informed the media following the meeting of the electoral body. He said that, come rain or shine, the electoral commission would see to it that the polls are held on the scheduled day. A crucial meeting was held at the ECP today due to the rapidly worsening peace and order situation in the days leading up to the general elections.
Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, the prime minister, claims that every effort is being made by the administration to ensure that the general public has access to affordable medications. In his capacity as chair of today’s Federal Cabinet meeting in Islamabad, he stated that the government is formulating measures that will help the pharmaceutical business as well as the general public. The Prime Minister gave the task of formulating suggestions to enhance the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan’s operations even more. He also gave the order to intensify the fight against drug hoarding and smuggling. The Prime Minister stated that recommendations for the deregulation of medicine costs should be sent so that a draft summary can be prepared for the upcoming elected parliament to consider.
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