Fazl to defend his independence day statement before court

ISLAMABAD: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman on Saturday said he would repeat the same before the court as well what he had said on streets, ARY News reported.
A plea has been filed in a session court of Lahore against Fazl on his statement that he would not celebrate Independence Day.

Levelling allegations of rigging in the elections, he had said he would not celebrate Independence Day for his party was robbed of the right to vote.

Maulana Fazl held the Election Commission of Pakistan responsible for “rigging in the polls”. He lost polls on two National Assembly seats.

However, he said, his party would carry forward every struggle for Pakistan and its ideology. He said the JUI-F would take full part in elections of prime minister, speaker and deputy speaker and its candidate would be the same as nominated by the opposition.

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Shehbaz, Bilawal to be invited to Imran’s oath-taking ceremony: PTI

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) spokesman Fawad Chaudhry on Saturday said heads of all parliamentary parties, including Shehbaz Sharif and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, will be invited to Imran Khan’s oath-taking as prime minister.
The PTI claims to have garnered support of 180 members of the National Assembly and 200 of the Punjab Assembly.

Imran will take oath as PM on August 18.

Fawad Chaudhary said the demands of opposition will be considered.

“The parliament is the most important institution in democracy and in order to strengthen it, it is necessary to take opposition along,” he said.

He said the prime minister would himself be accountable to the parliament. He said the decision regarding residence of the PM would be made after security review.

He also told that PTI chairman Imran Khan had decided to retain the seat of NA-95 Mianwali.

The PTI spokesman said meeting of elected members of Punjab had been convened on August 14.

He said that three names had been shortlisted for the position of deputy speaker National Assembly.

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Ruet-e-Hilal Committee meets today to sight Zil-Haj moon

KARACHI: The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee will meet in Karachi this evening to sight the Zil-Haj moon which marks the advent of the 12th month in the lunar Islamic calendar.
Chairman of the Committee Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman will preside over the meeting.

The Zonal Ruet-e-Hilal Committees will also hold separate meetings to collect evidence of sighting of the moon.

Yesterday, Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court announced that the kingdom will mark August 12 as first day of the holy month of Zil-Haj.

According to Saudi Press Agency, the Saudi apex court announced this decision after a session presided over by the President of the Supreme Court Ghihab bin Mohammed al-Ghihab.

The kingdom marks Sunday (August 12) as first day of the holy month while Eid-ul-Azha will be celebrated on August 21.

Eid Al Adha, falls on the 10th day of Zil-Haj, is celebrated by Muslims around 70 days after Eid Al Fitr which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.

Also known as the Feast of Sacrifice is one of two Eid festivals celebrated by the Muslim faithful to commemorate Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his own son to God. Traditionally marked by the slaughter of animals, whose meat is shared with family members and the poor.

The faithful slaughter their sacrificial animals in remembrance of Sunnat-e Ibrahimi, which continues for three days of Eid.

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Karnal Sher Khan’s brother bars Manzoor Pashteen from entering martyr’s tomb

SWABI: Criticisng his anti-army activities, brother of Kargil hero Karnal Sher Khan Shaheed stopped Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) leader Manzoor Pashteen from entering the martyr’s tomb in Swabi, ARY News reported.

According to ARY News correspondent, the PTM leader arrived in Swabi to pay a visit to the martyr’s tomb but Sher Khan’s brother reached there and stopped Manzoor from entering the tomb’s premises.

“I have been following your activities on Facebook they are suspicious,” said Anwar Sher, the brother of Nishan-e-Haider recipient.

Addressing the Waziristan tribesmen accompanying Manzoor Pashteen, Anwar Sher added that his brother sacrificed his life for the country, “our Pathan brethren and Waziristan tribesmen”.

Anwar Sher’s protest forced Pashteen and his men to leave without visiting the tomb.

About Karnal Sher KhanKarnal Sher Khan was born on January 1, 1970, in Nawan Killi (Shewa Adda) village in Swabi.

He was commissioned in the Army on October 14, 1994. Captain Karnal Sher Khan emerged as the symbol of mettle and courage during the Kargil conflict on the Line of Control.

He set examples of bravery and inflicted heavy losses on the enemy. He defended the five strategic posts, which he established with his soldiers at the height of 17,000 feet at Gultary, and repulsed many Indian attacks.

After many abortive attempts, the Indians on July 5, 1999 ringed the posts of Captain Karnal Sher Khan with the help of two battalions and unleashed heavy mortar fire and managed to capture some part of one of his posts.

Despite facing all odds, he led a counter-attack and re-captured the lost parts of his post.

But during the course, he was hit by the machine-gun fire and the brave son of soil embraced martyrdom at the same post.

He is one of only ten recipients of the Nishan-e-Haider, Pakistan’s highest military honour.

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PTI’s ‘chaiwala’ MNA-elect speaks up about owning assets worth millions

BAJAUR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) MNA-elect Gul Zafar Khan on Friday spoke to ARY News about the reports that he owns assets worth millions despite being introduced as a ‘chaiwala’ (tea-seller) by his party during July 25 elections.

Speaking during ARY News show ‘Sawal Yeh Hai’, Gul Zafar Khan said that he belongs to a noble family in tribal area bu back in 90s he rebelled against the prevalent system and had to leave his home and sell tea at a stall in Karachi.

“I worked in Karachi and sold tea from 1992 to 2002 and then two more years, so in total I worked as a tea-seller for 12 years,” said Gul Zafar.

He explained that the property he declared before Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was all inherited.

Gul Khan who clinched victory in NA-41 (Bajaur) was widely reported to be a ‘chaiwala’ but a look into documents submitted with ECP revealed that he has assets worth over Rs30 million in his name including optical and garment businesses and a non-custom paid luxury car.

Social media trolls were quick to call him a fraud but Zafar Khan maintains that he sacrificed and stayed away from his family and its property to pursue his political ambitions.

He also thanked PTI for putting its trust in him over influential families in tribal areas.

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PTI consolidates position in NA as MNAs take oath tomorrow

ISLAMABAD: The newly elected members of the National Assembly are set to take the oath on Monday (tomorrow).
The leader of the lower house of parliament, who automatically becomes prime minister of the country, will be elected on August 17, according to schedule.

After the oath of MNAs, the elections of the speaker and deputy speaker of the National Assembly will be held on August 15. Candidates up for the coveted posts will file their nomination papers to the speaker office on August 14.

The NA speaker will be elected first after which he will conduct the election of the deputy speaker.

The deadline for the submission of the nominations for prime minister office is 2:00 pm on August 16 as the election of the PM will be held the next day (August 17). President Mamnoon Hussain will administer the oath to the prime minister after his election.

It is pertinent to mention here that the PTI has nominated party chief Imran Khan as its candidate for the prime minister office.

It has nominated Asad Qaiser for the post of speaker National Assembly, while the joint opposition, comprising 11 political parties, has fielded Syed Khursheed Shah for the post and Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s son Asadur Rehman for the post of deputy speaker.

The PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif has been named as the opposition’s candidate for the PM slot.

– PTI grabs 158 NA seats –
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) tally reached 158 members in the National Assembly after it secured 28 reserved seats for women and five for religious minorities.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) issued a notification, allocating reserved seats for women and minorities to political parties according to their total tally in the National Assembly.

The National Assembly has 342 seats. Of these, 272 are filled by direct elections. While, the reserved 10 seats for religious minorities and 60 seats for women are filled by proportional representation among parties with more than 5% of the vote.

Out of 60 reserved seats for women, the PTI has bagged 28, the Pakistan Muslim League-N 16, the Pakistan Peoples Party nine, the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal two and one each by the Grand Democratic Alliance, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan, the Pakistan Muslim League-Q, the Balochistan Awami Party and the Balochistan National Party.

Out of 10 reserved seats for minorities, the PTI has secured five, followed by the PML-N and the PPP with two each, while, the MMA has secured one seat.

The PTI maintains the lead as tally rises to 158 seats in the NA, followed by the PML-N with 82, the PPP 53, the MMA 15, the MQM-P seven, the PML-Q five, the BAP five and the BNP four.

The notifications have also been issued for 66 women and eight minority members in Punjab, 29 women and nine minority members in Sindh, 22 women and three minority members in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 11 women and three minority members in Balochistan.

The PTI claims to have garnered support of 180 members of the National Assembly. It has nominated Asad Qaiser as the speaker of the National Assembly and Imran is scheduled to take oath as prime minister on August 18.

As soon as the newly-elected prime minister would take oath, the job of the caretakers would be over and power would be transferred to the newly elected government under the law and the constitution.

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Islamabad, Rawalpindi receive heavy downpour

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad and Rawalpindi received heavy rainfall on Monday night.

The incessant downpour flooded many streets in the low-lying areas of the twin cities which lead to locals experiencing great difficulties in commute.

Scores of localities in Rawalpindi such as Shamsabad, Javed Colony, Committee Chowk and Sadiqabad are overflowed with water as it has entered houses, shops, mosques thus creating difficulties for the residents.

The two cities received 202 milimetres of rain so far, according to a report of the Flood Control Unit.

The water level in Nullah Lai has risen to 14 feet, as a result, Civil Defence, Rescue 1122, Wasa and other departments have been directed to remain on alert to meet any contingency.

Flooding in Nullah Dek
According to Punjab irrigation department nullah Dek flowing in high flood near Sialkot, while 17,000 cusecs flood stream passing through the Chhor point.

India has released water in Nullah Dek, and the water level continuously rising at Kangra, the point where the nullah enters into Pakistan.

Nullah Dek has a capacity of 17,000 cusecs, in case of flooding dozens of the villages in Sialkot will submerge under the floodwater, the irrigation department officials feared.

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Petition in court seeks removal of ‘N’ from PML-N

PESHAWAR: A petition has been filed in the Peshawar High Court seeking the removal of ‘N’ from the name of Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N).
The petition was submitted by Khanzada Ajmal Zeb to the PHC, according to reports.

The petitioner prayed the court to declare the word ‘Noon’ or ‘Nawaz’ with PML illegal and unconstitutional and “therefore, it should be expunged from the Pakistan Muslim League.”

The petitioner told the court that Nawaz was convicted in corruption charges and sentenced for 10 years. He asked how can the name of former prime minister is still attached to a political party despite being banned from participating in politics for life?

“Nawaz has hijacked the PML and has introduced his own group, which is against the policy of party’s original ideology and public interests,” he claimed.

A similar application was filed with the Election Commission of Pakistan in the last week of June. The plea had sought removal of Nawaz Sharif’s name from PML-N, arguing that the name of the disqualified person cannot be used in a title of a political party.

The ECP had also issued a notice to party’s supreme leader Nawaz Sharif to file his reply on the petition.

The NAB court had sentenced Nawaz Sharif to 10 years in prison for corrupt practices linked to his family’s purchase of upscale London flats.

Sharif’s daughter, Maryam, widely seen as his chosen political heir, was sentenced to seven years in prison and was disqualified from contesting the elections. Maryam’s husband capt (retd) Muhammad Safdar was handed a year in jail.

Sharif returned to country on July 13 and was arrested subsequently in the light of court orders. He is currently serving his jail term along with his daughter and son-in-law.

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ECP issues final list of election winners

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has notified the final results of the general election 2018, however, results of a few constituencies have been withheld due to pending disputes in courts.
According to the ECP declaration (attached below), the results of all five constituencies contested by PTI chairman Imran Khan have been withheld. Khan had contested from NA-35 (Bannu), NA-53 (Islamabad-II), NA-95 (Mianwali-I), NA-131 (Lahore-IX) and NA-243 (Karachi East-II).

According to the ECP, the notification of Khan’s win in NA-35, NA-95 and NA-243 is subject to a final ECP decision.

However, our correspondent Zahid Mashwani quotes the ECP spokesperson as saying that Mr. Khan can take oath of the prime minister despite withholding of notifications of the constituencies he won.

Meanwhile, the results of 16 constituencies in total have been withheld by the ECP.

The constituencies where results have been withheld are: NA-25, NA-35, NA-53, NA-60, NA-90, NA-91, NA-95, NA-103, NA-108, NA-112, NA-129, NA-131, NA-140, NA-215, NA-243 and NA-271.

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IHC approves transfer of Al-Azizia, Flagship Investment cases against Sharif family

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Tuesday approved transfer of two pending references against former premier Mian Nawaz Sharif and his family to other courts, ARY News reported.

According to details, a two-member bench of the IHC, comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb, approved transfer of Al-Azizia and Flagship Investment references on the former PM’s plea.

The deposed premier’s counsel had filed a petition requesting the court to transfer Al-Azizia and Flagship Investment references from Judge Muhammad Bashir’s Accountability Court-I to another accountability court.

Sharif family had also appealed against its conviction in Avenfield verdict.

In the hearing on Monday, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Prosecutor Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi submitted in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that former prime minister’s petition of trial transfer to another accountability court could not be entertained because if an accused has been indicted by a court then the trial cannot be transferred to another judge.

“The reference is in its last stages henceforth the high court will have to decide on this matter now,” the NAB counsel had argued.

Nawaz Sharif was arrested on July 13 along with his daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif when the duo returned to the country. The arrest was in compliance with July 6 court order against Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and her husband Captain (retired) Safdar.

The verdict was announced by accountability court judge Muhammad Bashir.

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