Page 12 - Pakistan Link - August 25, 2023

P12 - PAKISTAN LINK - AUGUST 25, 2023 PAKISTAN

President Seeks Law Ministry’s ent context,” the letter added. The JIT interrogation pertains contesting elections freely. more than five years now. – Anadolu
Advice on ECP Stance over Fixing The CEC also highlighted the is- to the diplomatic cypher which re- The Western capitals are closely Agency
Election Date sue of fresh delimitation after the portedly went missing from Imran’s following the developments and are
(Continued from page 1) approval of the 2023 census result custody and which he had for long keen to know when elections will Pakistanis Stand by Their Christian
has written the letter to the min- which he claimed “is one of the presented as evidence of a “foreign take place… - The Express Tribune Brothers and Sisters during This
istry’s secretary on the ECP’s re- foundational legal steps towards conspiracy” to remove him as the Traumatizing Time: Ambassador
sponse with regard to the letter he election”. prime minister. OIC Calls on India to Reverse Masood Khan
had sent for a meeting to decide “In pursuance of the last pre- On August 5, Imran was arrested ‘Illegal, Unilateral’ 2019 IIOJK (Continued from page 1)
the election date. ceding census officially published and sent to the Attock jail after be- Measures leaders, including Maulana Taqi
Caretaker Law Minister Ahmad on August 7, 2023, the commission ing declared guilty in the Toshakha- (Continued from page 1) Usmani, Maulana Tahir Ashrafi
Irfan Aslam has said that they are decided to carry out fresh delimita- na case. The call made by OIC Chief His- and Ameer Jamaal-i-Islami, have
yet to receive the said letter from the tion of constituencies as provided On March 27, 2022, ahead of vote sein Brahim Taha was read out strongly condemned the incident
president. under section 17(2) of the Elections of no-confidence that resulted in his by Assistant Secretary-General and stand by their Christian broth-
“We will send a response in light Act, 2017, to protect the fundamen- ouster, former premier Imran had for Palestine and Al-Quds Affairs ers and sisters during this trauma-
of the applicable laws once we re- tal rights of contesting candidates, pulled out a piece of paper – alleg- Samir Bakr at an event and photo tizing time, he added.
ceive the letter,” Aslam told Geo political parties and electorates as edly the cypher – from his pocket exhibition hosted by the Muslim “The government of Pakistan has
News. guaranteed under Article 17(2) of and waved it in a public gathering bloc’s secretariat general in Jeddah, not only condemned the incident in
No need to meet President Alvi the Constitution.” in Islamabad, claiming it was the Saudi Arabia on Wednesday. the clearest and strongest manner,
regarding election date, says CEC In response to the criticism over evidence of an “international con- The event in Jeddah was held to but has also announced compensa-
Earlier in the day, the ECP re- the delay in polls, Raja said that the spiracy” being hatched to topple his highlight the “gross human rights tion for the affected people,” he said.
fused to consult President Arif Alvi ECP is taking its responsibility of government. - The News violations in the Indian Illegally Oc- In addition, Khan related that
on the upcoming general election holding the general election very cupied Jammu and Kashmir and to members of the Jaranwala commu-
date, saying the president is not em- seriously and has also initiated the Rupee Reaches New Low: strengthen OIC solidarity with the nity had helped rebuild their neigh-
powered to announce poll dates af- process of inviting major political Greenback Trades for people of Jammu and Kashmir,” the bors’ damaged homes and buildings.
ter amendments to the election law. parties to hear them on the electoral around Rs314/$ 57-member bloc of Muslim nations “Ahl-e-Hadis have invited the af-
The development came in a meet- roadmap. (Continued from page 1) said in a statement. fected Christians to worship not in
ing chaired by CEC Raja to ponder “In view of the above, the com- in the two markets has increased Taha said that meaningful en- the dilapidated churches but in their
over President Alvi’s letter — in mission is of the considered view threefold to more than 4%, or gagement and dialogue among the mosques. This is the true spirit and
which he had invited Chief Elec- that participation in the meeting Rs14, compared to the 1.25% parties, as well as “a constructive the real face of Islam,” the ambassa-
tion Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar (with the President) would be of (around Rs4) gap recommended involvement of the international dor said.
Sultan Raja to set an election date scant consequence.” – The News by the International Monetary community are essential steps in the US ambassador-at-large for
— and concluded that the meeting Fund (IMF), putting a question resolution of the Jammu and Kash- international religious freedom
would be of “scant consequence”. Cypher Trial against IK, Qureshi mark over the ongoing $3 billion mir dispute.” Rashad Hussain condemned the
Dr Arif Alvi, in the letter to the May Start within a Fortnight loan program. The secretary-general recalled incident and expressed deepest con-
CEC, said since the National Assem- (Continued from page 1) During the previous day’s trade, that during the 49th session of the dolences on behalf of US Secretary
bly was dissolved on August 9, 2023, formed recently. The FIA has al- the greenback inched closer to the Council of Foreign Ministers held of State Antony J. Blinken and the
under Article 48 (5) of the Consti- ready arrested both Khan and 300 barrier and was being traded at in March this year in Nouakchott, US government.
tution, he (as the president) was Qureshi in the case. around Rs299.63/$. The local cur- Mauritania, the council urged In- “Pakistan is a place that is very
obliged to fix a date not later than In case Imran Khan gets relief in rency has consistently lost value dia to reverse “all illegal and uni- dear to my heart,” Hussain said.
90 days from the date of dissolution the Toshakhana case and his bail is during the week’s trade. lateral measures taken on or after “My family is from Lahore. It is such
for the holding of general election of accepted and sentence suspended, On the other hand, the Pakistan 5 August 2019, and to stop the a beautiful country in so many re-
National Assembly. he will continue to be behind the Stock Exchange continues its bull- gross, systematic and widespread spects. To me it hurts when I see
“Forgoing in view, the Chief Elec- bars for having already been arrest- ish trend, with the PSX opening human rights abuses in the Indi- events that don’t represent the beau-
tion Commissioner is invited for a ed in the cypher case. the day’s trade with a 528-point in- an Illegally Occupied Jammu and ty of Pakistan, the true values of the
meeting with the President today The sources clarified that the spe- crease, reaching 47,946 points. Kashmir.” Pakistani people.”
or tomorrow to fix an appropriate cial court was formed a few months A day earlier, the country’s central On August 5, 2019, the Indian Ilyas Masih, director of the All
date,” the letter noted. back and before the recent amend- bank stated that pent-up demand for government scrapped the autono- Neighbors organization, high-
In his response to the president, ment to the Official Secrets Act. The imports and people rushing to buy mous status of the Muslim-majority lighted that the teachings in the
CEC Raja stated that the National special court, it was explained, was as many dollars as possible were region occupied by it and divided it Qur’an, the vision of Quaid-i-
Assembly was dissolved in terms of there even before the registration causing the rupee’s fall; however, it into two centrally ruled Union Ter- Azam and the Constitution of
Article 58(1) of the Constitution on of FIR under the Official Secrets showed its inability to bring imme- ritories that have been ruled since Pakistan all guarantee freedom of
the advice of the prime minister on Act against Imran Khan and Shah diate stability to the market. then by officials appointed by New religion for everyone.
August 9, 2023. Mehmood Qureshi by the FIA. In a briefing to the Senate Stand- Delhi. Many speakers underscored the
The letter pointed out that Sec- According to media reports, the ing Committee on Finance, central Before August 5, 2019, IIOJK had need for working hand-in-hand to
tion 57 of the Elections Act, 2017 has ATC-I Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqar- bank Deputy Governor Dr Inayat its own constitution, flag, and two- protect the true face of Islam, noting
been amended after which the ECP’s nain hears all cases registered any- Hussain said “there was a substantial house assembly that could make its that violent acts committed against
authorities have been increased re- where in the country under the Offi- increase in demand for the dollar”. own laws. Christians and people of other faiths
garding holding of polls. cial Secrets Act, 1923. All these trials The latest wave of depreciation The Indian government also make the fight against Islamophobia
“That prior to the amendment will be held in-camera. will further fuel inflation due to in- scrapped another legislation, Ar- even more difficult.
of Section 57(1) of the act ibid, the Although many believe that the crease in prices of fuel, electricity, ticle 35A of the Indian Constitu- Participants in the embassy dis-
president was required to consult special court has been constituted transport, pulses and other durable tion, which empowered the IIOJK cussions highlighted the role of the
the commission in terms of Section on the basis of latest amendments and consumable goods. government to define its residents media and civil society in promot-
57 of the Elections Act 2017, before made to the Official Secrets Act, yet Hussain said that dollar demand and barred all outsiders from own- ing interfaith harmony and rejecting
appointing a date for the election. the Ministry of Law and Justice had had been on the rise after the central ing properties or taking government extremist and discriminatory ele-
However, after the amendment in appointed Judge Zulqarnain as the bank lifted restrictions on imports jobs, raising fears that more than 12 ments. They were pleased with the
Section 57, the commission has been ATC-1 Judge on June 27. under an International Monetary million original residents, nearly commitment being shown by the
empowered to announce the date or In view of the ministry’s notifi- Fund (IMF) deal. 28% of them Hindus, would be re- highest level of the Pakistani gov-
dates for the General Elections,” the cation, the Islamabad High Court Pakistan has committed to the duced into a minority by outsiders. ernment to bring the perpetrators
letter read. (IHC) on July 3 had directed the IMF that the difference between The Indian government defended to justice and compensating those
It further stated that the presi- judge to join his new assignment open and inter-bank markets would the move as its “sovereign decision” affected.
dent can fix a date for election if the till December 8, 2025. According to not be more than 1.25%. approved by parliament. It said the Pakistani-American Christian
NA under Article 58(2) read with the IHC notification, Judge Zulqar- According to this commitment, special status was responsible for leaders and members of other faiths
Article 48(5) of the Constitution. nain will also try the cases reported the rupee’s value in the inter-bank “separatism” – the popular anti- expressed their gratitude to the
The Election Commission under the Official Secrets Act, 1923 market should now be more than India insurgency is now nearly 33 Pakistani government for its strong
noted that if the assembly is dis- “until further orders”. Rs310 per dollar. – The Express Tri- years old – and was responsible for commitment to protect minorities
solved on the advice of the prime While Shah Mehmood Qureshi bune the economic backwardness of the and particularly its expression of
minister or by afflux of time as was arrested last Saturday and was region. solidarity with the country’s Chris-
provided in Article 58(1) of the later remanded by the special court Let People Decide Future It is facing challenge in the Su- tian community.
Constitution, then the commis- in the custody of FIA for four days Government, US Ambassador Tells preme Court of India where judges Ambassador Khan thanked the
sion understands and believes that till August 25, Imran Khan was ar- Chief Election Commissioner are hearing cases against removal of leaders gathered at the embassy for
power to appoint a date or dates rested in the same case during his (Continued from page 1) special status almost on a daily basis. their support and their commitment
for elections rests exclusively with imprisonment in Attock jail in the able to all the parties during the The August 5, 2019, decisions towards promoting greater under-
the commission. Toshakhana case. elections. were preceded and followed by the standing among the followers of
“The commission believes with The JIT, formed to probe the cy- The crackdown against Pakistan arrest of tens of hundreds of pro- various religions and societies.
the utmost respect that the reliance pher case, interrogated Imran Khan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and jailing of freedom politicians and activists (Elaine Pasquini is a freelance
placed on the provisions of the Con- in the Attock Jail. Imran Khan, the its leaders, including the party chief, and a massive crackdown on the me- journalist. Her reports appear in
stitution mentioned in your subject sources said, confirmed to the JIT is also something that is seen as part dia. The occupied region has been the Washington Report on Middle
letter are not applicable in the pres- that he had lost the cypher copy. of efforts to deny the party from without an elected government for East Affairs and Nuze.Ink.)
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