News

Imran wants complete audit of general election results

Jul 16 2014
Pakistan
Source: 
Dawn News

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has called for a complete “audit” of results of the general elections held in May last year.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, he said: “Time for recounting of votes of four constituencies is over. Now the PTI demands a complete audit of the poll results as is being done in Afghanistan.”

In that country, the election commission has decided to go for recounting after the two leading candidates of recent presidential election contested poll results.

Former K-P CM Hoti elected as ANP provincial president

Jun 24 2014
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune

CHARSADDA: Former Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Amir Haider Khan Hoti was elected as the Awami National Party (ANP) provincial president on Tuesday.

The provincial elections were held at Asfandyar Wali Khan’s home at Wali Bagh, in Charsadda on Tuesday.

Around 426 ANP provincial members took part in the elections under Bahser Khan Matta who was appointed as the election commissioner.

LG polls: Other provinces asked to emulate Balochistan

Jun 19 2014
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune
ISLAMABAD: While other provinces dither over when to hold local government (LG) polls after the 18th Amendment, Balochistan took a leap forward by successfully conducting them.

Devolution Trust for Community Empowerment (DTCE) Chief Operating Officer Azhar Bashir Malik said this while speaking at a seminar titled, “Citizens’ engagement and accountability for an effective LG system and policy and implementation under 18th amendment”, organised by DTCE in collaboration with USAID under the “Citizens’ Voice Projects”.

Free and fair?: PML-N lawmaker expresses partiality concerns over G-B polls

Jun 17 2014
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune
GILGIT: A lawmaker representing the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in the Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) Assembly on Monday voiced reservations over the partiality of polls if conducted under the supervision of Chief Minister Mehdi Shah, asking his party’s chief to review the decision.

The suggestion that elections in G-B be conducted under the supervision of Shah’s government was floated by PML-N’s regional chief Hafeezur Rahman a day earlier in a bid to turn up pressure to hold the polls sooner.

Tug-of-war: PML-N pushes for fall polls as G-B CM plans spring elections

Jun 16 2014
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune

GILGIT: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has turned on the pressure to hold elections early in Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B).

These efforts are sharply in contrast to the resolution passed by the G-B Assembly two months ago which stated that elections will be held after December 10, 2014 – the date the current government will complete its five-year term.

“Given the tough weather conditions of G-B, you can’t hold elections after October and winter only eases up following April or May,” the regional chief of PML-N, Hafeezur Rahman, toldThe Express Tribune on Sunday.

Electoral fraud: NADRA finds rigging in records of NA-118

Jun 10 2014
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune
LAHORE: The National Database Registration Authority (NADRA) has found rigged votes in the record of ballot papers from NA-118, Lahore, The Express Tribune has learnt.

According to a report submitted by the authority to the election tribunal, the record of only 68 of 251 polling stations in the constituency were provided to NADRA. The total number of votes here was 46,118 and only 15,835 voters’ thumbprints were verified.

PM proposes parliamentary committee on electoral reforms

Jun 10 2014
Pakistan
Source: 
Dawn News

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday proposed setting up a parliamentary committee to finalise recommendations on electoral reforms and submit its report within three months.

In a letter addressed to Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, the prime minister said given the importance of the matter, the parliamentary committee may prepare comprehensive recommendations to ensure free, fair and transparent elections in the country.

Reserved seats: AJK apex court seeks comments from all political parties

Jun 08 2014
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune
MUZAFFARABAD: The Supreme Court of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Friday sought comments from all major political parties on 12 seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees in the AJK Legislative Assembly.

The top court sought the comments on a petition filed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz AJK Secretary-General Shah Ghulam Qadir, who had challanged the decision of the AJK High Court, which had ordered the election commission to declare his participation in 2011 elections null and void.

PML-Q, PAT to launch anti-govt movement next month

Jun 01 2014
Pakistan
Source: 
Dawn News

LAHORE: The PML-Q and the Pakistan Awami Tehreek decided on Saturday to launch a movement against the government next month. The decision was made by the two parties at a meeting in London which set a 10-point agenda they intend to achieve either “through pressuring the government or sending it home”.

The meeting was attended by PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Husain, Pervaiz Elahi, Moonis Elahi and PAT leader Dr Tahirul Qadri and his team.

Balochistan LG elections: Councillors to elect women, non-Muslim members today

May 29 2014
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune
ISLAMABAD: Councillors in Balochistan are set to elect women and minority members for their respective councils today (Thursday), after a lapse of almost six months since the first phase of the local government (LG) elections was held in the province.

A total of 2,332 women and 743 non-Muslim members will be elected on reserved seats for local councils throughout the province. Elected members from each local council in all districts will serve as the electoral college for the elections on reserved seats.

Promoting ties: ‘Religious parties must work together’

May 27 2014
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune
LAHORE: A delegation of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl) called on the newly elected chief of the Jamaat-i-Islami, Sirajul Haq, at Mansoora on Monday to congratulate him on assuming the office.

The delegation included Hafiz Husain Ahmed and Maulana Amjad Khan among others.

JI Secretary General Liaquat Baloch, Hafiz Muhammad Idrees, Mian Muhammad Aslam and Rashid Naseem were also present. They discussed global issues and national politics with special reference to religious parties.

Ghani seeks comeback in marathon Afghan election

May 22 2014
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune

KABUL: Afghan election candidate Ashraf Ghani vowed on Thursday to overturn first-round results and seize the presidency as he launched his comeback campaign ahead of a run-off vote next month.

Ghani, a former World Bank economist, faces an uphill task to win the head-to-head vote after finishing second – 13 percentage points behind opposition leader Abdullah Abdullah – in the eight-man election held on April 5.

Election tribunal accepts PTI's request for thumb print verification in NA-154

May 21 2014
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune

MULTAN: The election tribunal in Multan accepted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) General Secretary Jehangir Tareen’s request for thumb print verification of the votes cast in the NA-154 constituency during the May 11 general elections last year,Express News reported on Wednesday.

Sadiq Baloch had outvoted Tareen in NA-154 during the elections.

The election tribunal stated that the case will be sent to National Database Registration Authority (NADRA).

PCB accused of rigging in LCCA zonal polls

May 21 2014
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune
KARACHI: The ousted Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) regime has been accused of rigging zonal elections of the Lahore City Cricket Association (LCCA).

According to Mohammad Shoaib Dar, the PCB announced the result of the election for the West Zone Cricket Association president in defiance of court orders. Dar was the losing candidate as the board declared Rai Zulfiqar head of the zone after the voting.

Escalation between state institutions could result in derailing democracy: Asfandyar Wali

May 19 2014
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune

ISLAMABAD: Awami National Party (ANP) chief Asfandyar Wali Khan has warned political forces to avoid polarisation in order to steer the country out of its present crises.

Addressing members of the party’s provincial and central organising committees in Wali Bagh on Monday, Khan asked the government to take the Parliament in to confidence over the evolving political situation in the region in the aftermath of general elections in Iran, India and Afghanistan.

Supreme Court to be consulted on YouTube ban

May 19 2014
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune
LAHORE: The Supreme Court is yet to be approached for clarification of its order regarding ban on YouTube, as directed by the Lahore High Court last week.

On May 13, a division bench of the LHC had directed petitioner Bytes for All to approach the Supreme Court in this regard. In the meantime, the court stopped proceedings on the petition for restoration of access to the website.

The LHC had issued these directions to the petitioner when the federal government had informed the court that they had imposed the ban on the orders of the Supreme Court.

LG polls to be held by Oct-Nov: Pervez Khattak

May 18 2014
Pakistan
Source: 
The News International

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pervez Khattak Sunday announced that local bodies’ elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will be organized by the month of October-November.

 Addressing a programme in Lahore, he said other provinces told lies in connection with holding the local bodies’ polls.

 Pervez Khattak described the center as a hurdle in creation of employment opportunities in KP.

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