• Governor acknowledges receipt of the “brief” recommendation and states that he will consider the recommendation with a heavy heart

•  Fawad declares that the house will be immediately dissolved even if Governor is not on the summary for more than 48 hours

LAHORE: A few hours after regaining the trust of the majority of legislators of the Punjab Assembly, Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi officially instructed the Governor on Thursday to disband the provincial legislature.

The decision comes after months of speculation, legal battles, and a public display of the rifts between the ruling party’s allies in Punjab – that is, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and PML-Q over whether the Assembly will be disbanded or not.

“I, Parvez Elahi Chief Minister Punjab, at this moment advise you to dissolve the provincial assembly of Punjab,” is the official advice sent to the Governor.

The Governor’s House got their Punjab Assembly dissolution advice in an envelope sealed shortly after 10 pm, which the Governor confirmed via tweet.

Geo News quoted the Governor as saying breaking up the Assembly, the body representing thousands of citizens, wouldn’t be an easy choice to make and one that he would take “with a heavy heart”.

Fawad Chaudhry claimed”If the governor does not accept the advice within that time, the assembly will automatically stand dissolved,” he said.

According to Mr. Chaudhry, the PTI would also issue an open letter requesting that Hamza Shehbaz. The opposition leader in the Punjab Assembly, return to Pakistan within the next two weeks. F or the purpose of debating the Constitution’s provision for an interim arrangement.

 The nation would head for the two provinces, which comprised 60% of the legislatures in provincial areas across the country. “To assist, the PDM government should use caution, choose an electoral system, and progress toward holding national elections. Political stability in the nation leads to economic stability, “He suggested.

The former minister alleged that PTI leadership and each of its MNAs had convinced speaker of National Assembly to accept. Their resignations and the timing of provincial assembly elections.

 

Attaullah Tarar, the prime minister’s special assistant, said. Said as soon as the Governor had the CM’s proposals, the government would reveal its upcoming plan.

Mr. Elahi attended a brief discussion and PTI chairman Imran Khan in his Zaman Park residence in the evening. He then signed the much-anticipated review. In addition to Rasikh Elahi and PML Q MNA Hussain Elahi, Pervaiz Khattak, former defence minister, also attended meeting.

Earlier, Mr. Khan had a lengthy meeting with the party’s top officials. Who insisted on the Assembly’s quick dissolution in accordance with his November 26 announcement. That he would step down from the KP and Punjab assemblies as well.

The PTI chairman talked about opposition to holding general elections within following ninety days from the probable federal government alliance. The Constitution and the Constitution, respectively. If this scenario materializes, the federal government’s ruling coalition will still have to deal with the ire of the populace.

 And the PDM government’s attitude plays a role in the establishment. Q’s demanded that the PTI not run its candidates in the districts in which they had previously won reelection.

However, an official close to the minister acknowledged that the Assembly dissolution was an example of an unexpected choice. However, they said it was PTI Khan’s prerogative, and he acted upon it.

The insider said that the PML-Q was now looking forward to an announcement. The PTI would allocate a larger amount of seat changes to its “reliable ally.”

 

Police inform the court that a report concerning the categorizing cases as C-class cases will be presented to magistrates.

KARACHI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shahbaz Gill got relief from the Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday when the court dismissed three cases filed against the leader at Karachi based on the Police.

A two-member bench, ruled by Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto, listened to the matter on Gill’s demand to dismiss three of the cases brought within Karachi against him for making negative remarks about the national institutions.

During the hearing, the police officials informed the court that their report on categorizing three cases in the C-class classification would be presented to magistrates.

In the petition application, the PTI leader took the position that cases have been filed against him at Sarjani Town, Brigade, and Rizvia police stations in the city. He claimed that a case linked to his assertion was already registered at the Manga Mandi police station of Lahore.

Thus, the cases recorded in Karachi must have been declared invalid and null.

In December 2022 in 2022, in December 2022, the Balochistan High Court (BHC) had the court order the cancellation of the initial informing report (FIR) made for Gill from the Killa Abdullah district of the province.

In granting the order, the judge knew there was no way to have multiple cases filed against an accused in a single case or allegation.

Furthermore, a bailable detention warrant was also granted for Gill last month when he was charged with inciting sedition in state institutions after the court ruled against Gill’s request for an exemption from attendance at personal events.

 

Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi photographed following his visit to the Punjab Assembly. 

The opposition and the government lawmakers continued escalating their hostilities on the speaker’s podium. Engaged in a tense fight in the Punjab Assembly in the early hours of

Punjab chief minister Parvez Elahi meets PTI lawmakers upon his arrival in the Punjab Assembly.

This photo illustrates PTI leaders’ appearance at the Punjab Assembly on Wednesday. Photo credit: Azhar Mashwani Twitter

Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi photographed following his visit to the Punjab Assembly.

Opposition and government lawmakers are escalating their hostilities on the speaker’s podium and engaging in a furious jousting in the Punjab Assembly in the early hours of Thursday.

When he arrives at the Punjab Assembly, Punjab chief minister Parvez Elahi meets PTI lawmakers.

This photo illustrates PTI leaders’ appearance at the Punjab Assembly on Wednesday. Photo by: Azhar Mashwani Twitter

Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, in a normally chaotic session in the early hours of Thursday, was able to secure an affirmative vote by the Punjab Assembly after the opposition quit, saying it was “bulldozed” and “unconstitutional.”

Speaker Sibtain Khan, who presided at the meeting, stated that Elahi could secure the requisite 186 votes, which is the number needed to maintain his position, and one less than the 187 PTI leaders claimed they had before the vote.

Before the vote, lawmakers from the opposition and government reopened hostilities at the speaker’s table and engaged in angry frenzied fighting. Then, shortly after, the opposition MPAs staged a protest of the meeting and marched out.

In the absence of the Punjab Assembly, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah labeled the session’s actions “against the rules and Constitution” and accused speakers of “bulldozing” the vote of confidence.

Sanaullah and another leader of the PML-N, Ata Tarar, have said that the confidence vote could be challenged in court.

At the time, PTI Vice President Fawad Chaudhry declared that the PTI-PML-Q coalition had the backing of the 187 MPAs, a claim reiterated by Mian Mahmoodur Rashid.

PA sessions, which started at five o’clock on Wednesday, were a mess for the third consecutive day when the opposition repeated its demands for Elahi to ask for a confidence vote.

The session began just hours before it was announced that Lahore High Court (LHC) extended the “interim relief” of reinstating Elahi as the chief minister until January 12, adding the fact that Elahi as chief minister could not dissolve the Assembly until 9 am on Monday.

In the meantime, Elahi — who had been in contact with PTI leader Imran Khan during the previous day was at the PA just after 10 pm.

At the Assembly Hall, Fawad said: “The numbers for the confidence vote are complete.”

The PTI-PML-Q alliance is currently waiting for lawmakers who were on their way for the PA from different cities of the province. He also said that the vote of confidence would take place when they arrived.

 

If asked was the strategy should the confidence vote be conducted, Fawad said the party would then remove this petition to the court of appeal and then forward the summary of the resolutions for both Punjab as well as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies by tomorrow early in the morning.

When asked about his views on whether the confidence vote is taking place, Fawad responded: “God willing, we will be able to take the confidence vote. We’re waiting only for two MPAs [to be delivered for the confidence vote to be held.”

In the meantime, Fawad also took to Twitter to declare”the “number of 187 is complete”.

In a separate tweet, he stated that, by the guidelines given through the LHC, Elahi could seek the approval of the LHC “at any time.”

“For several weeks, the PML-N demanded that we display the 186 lawmakers. When the moment has arrived to display the numbers, why are you still running?”

In contrast, PA Deputy Speaker Wasiq Qayyum told that he needed help to think of the confidence vote scheduled for this evening. “There’s a long process […] our agenda was to show our complete numbers, and we have done that.”

He added that the procedure for the vote would “happen tomorrow after taking the date from the court.” “A vote of confidence is taken when it comes on the agenda, not without that,” the deputy speaker explained.

If asked if the session could be adjourned soon after lunch break was over, he said: “Definitely.”

PA agrees with the opposition’s call for a trust vote.

The previous day in the morning, the PA session sounded the alarm for the third consecutive day with opposition demands that the Chief Minister give a vote of confidence. 

A look at an image of the Punjab Assembly session on Wednesday.

PPP MPA Syed Usman Mehmood made a declaration during the meeting.  Also possible is scheduling a second round of questions.

Raheela Khadim Hussain, a PML-N legislator, resisted. Instead of accepting the offer to speak during the session of questions and answers, she insisted on holding the vote of confidence first.

 

The president said the government could only be in place with the confidence vote. He then instructed the opposition to file a motion of no confidence to resolve the issue.

In the meantime, PTI MPA Sardar Shahabuddin Khan slammed the opposition for creating an uproar and claimed the incident had nothing to do with the assembly proceedings. The PA Speaker also agreed that legislators who refuse to allow Assembly to go on should be exiled.

When opposition MPs gathered with government MPAs while yelling slogans. The public address system announcer yelled at them to return to their seats and informed them that the opposition was the subject of a criminal inquiry.

At some moment, Punjab Parliamentary Affairs Minister Basharat Raja tried to calm the opposition. He continued to use their rhetoric to press the chief minister to take an unpopular confidence vote.

In the meantime, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that contrary to claims of the PTI. Elahi did not get the support of 186 lawmakers.

Addressing the media in Lahore before the beginning of the session, He claimed that between six and seven PTI MPAs were overseas and that the federal government had their travel documents to prove it.

Alongside him, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Ata Tarar claimed that 12 lawmakers belonging to the PTI-PML-Q coalition weren’t present in Lahore and added that he had the information and proof to support his assertion.

Tarar warned the PTI-PMLQ coalition against staging an act like the one “staged by Qasim Suri in the National Assembly.”

Imran praises the govt coalition.

However, during a short video address at the parliamentary party’s session. PTI Chairman Imran Khan was all praise for the PTI-PMLQ MPAs.

He thanked the PTI and CM Elahi for continuing to remain loyal to PTI. PTI regardless of the pressure applied to them to change to one side.

The PTI director claimed it was PPP vice-chairman Asif Ali Zardari. Who had been behind attempts to persuade lawmakers to change between the two parties. “I should thank him for cleansing our party of bad eggs,” Imran said.

The PTI chairman also thanked and acknowledged independently-minded MPA Bilal Warraich, a coalition government member.

 

Crisis in Punjab

In the wake of Imran’s announcement regarding his announcement of Punjab as well as the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies’ dissolution and the leaders of the coalition took action to stop Elahi from dissolving the PA.

In a double-edged move, the Punjab government requested the chief minister’s support in the Punjab Assembly on December 20. To stop governor from dismissing Assembly, the PPP and PML-N lawmakers also tabled a second resolution of no-trust against him.

The governor’s order, according to PA Speaker Sibtain Khan, is “illegal. Against the provisions of the Constitution and so stand disposed of,” he said.

In his two-page rule, the speaker argued that governor’s directives were not in compliance with Article 54(3) or Article 127. “The House has been in session since October 23, 2022. It is also subject to the provisions of Articles 54(3) and 127. 

Then, on December 21, the Punjab governor termed the speaker’s decision “unconstitutional.”

In a late-night decision on December 23, the governor should have notified Elahi. In a written order that he issued, he stated: “Consequent to the facts that Ch. Following an order made under Article 130(7) of the Constitution. . Parvez Elahi did not bother getting the confidence vote in the 1600 hour yesterday (Wednesday). And given that he hasn’t done it after the passing of twenty-four hours. I am confident that he hasn’t gained the confidence of the majority of those who make up the Punjab Assembly.

The result was that “the provincial cabinet stands dissolved forthwith,” as he stated.

CM Elahi approached LHC in following days to complain that action had been “unconstitutional, unlawful and of no legal effect.”

In the hearing before at the previous hearing, the LHC had restored the PML-Q leader as chief minister. And reinstated province cabinet status as “interim relief” after he signed an undertaking announcing to his court. That he would be able to dissolve the Assembly of the province until the following hearing (January 11.).

At the hearing held today at the hearing, this court granted the relief granted to Elahi until the next Thursday (January 12) at 9 am. The court also noted that the chief minister could disband the Assembly at the period of.

 

The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) approved two gas companies, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) and Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL), to boost rates to 74.42pc and 75.35pc, respectively, on Wednesday.

Regarding the two petitions submitted by the firms, the court’s ruling. Ogra granted SNGPL permission to increase the authorized average gas price for the fiscal year. In addition to SSGCL hiking its specified gas rates by Rs499.28/mmBtu, which is currently in effect and is Rs406.28/mmBtu.

In July 2022, the two businesses asked the regulator to sanction increases in the amounts of Rs1,294.02/mmBtu and Rs667.44/mmBtu, respectively.

The previous cost of prescribed gasoline for SNGPL users was Rs545.89/mmBtu and would be Rs952.17/mmBtu. 

Ogra has also set a standard rate for all consumers, including commercial, domestic, tandoors general industries, and export-oriented industries. The increase in tariffs will impact the domestic market the most, with some consumers seeing their rates double.

Ogra informed the Federal authorities of her decision. Which will inform the regulator of the appropriate fee the government should impose in 40 days. The retail price for each class of consumer for inclusion in the government-published gazette.

“The federal government shall ensure that the sale prices so advised are not less than the revenue requirement [of the companies] determined by the authority,” Ogra declared in the ruling.

If 40 days pass without the federal government providing notice. Announcing and detailing the price determined by Ogra

SNGPL calculated that the income gap for the current fiscal year would be Rs178.814 billion in their appeal. In addition to the deficit of Rs. 295.268 billion from the prior fiscal year. They asked the price-controlling authority to boost tariffs by Rs 1,294.02/mmBtu. It mentioned air-mix project liquefied natural gases, the differential effect of RLNG diversion, and UFG (unaccounted in gas) adjustments.

At the present price of natural gas, the company Ogra calculated the income shortfall for FY23 to be Rs109.180 billion. It estimated the company’s total income as Rs306.245bn for the current fiscal year.

The regulator also set SSGCL’s requirement for revenue in FY23 at Rs327.227bn.

The previous time, Ogra determined a 45 percent increment on the pre-determined price that natural gas will be charged for in the fiscal year to satisfy SNGPL and SSGCL’s requirements for revenue.

The agency had referred the findings at the request of the federal government to get guidance on prices for gas sold to all categories of consumers. But, the federal government has yet to respond to the earlier determinations.

 

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ISLAMABAD Pakistan’s top electoral monitor on Tuesday issued bailable arrest warrants for former premier Imran Khan and the additional Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leaders in contempt of court.

Local media stated that arrest warrants had also been issued to several high-ranking officials of the ruling party. Including Asad Umar and Fawad Chaudhry. The Election Commission denied a request for exemption from attending.

After the concerned individuals were unable to appear, ECP issued the warrants. In front of the commission for hearings on contempt against the defendants.

In the last month in April, earlier this month, the Supreme Court of Pakistan allowed the highest electoral watchdog to take action against the PTI leader and his party leaders in a contempt lawsuit filed due to controversial comments against the commission.

Election Commission started contempt proceedings against defiant politicians accusing them of using foul language towards the chief election commissioner and others.

Officials also served numerous notifications on PTI leaders. They asked them to appear before the commission in person, but leaders of the former ruling party were absent from the commission. Later, he went to court, accusing ECP.

 

ECP states that elections will be conducted following the voter lists that exist

KARACHI: On Monday, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced its decision regarding the Sindh local body elections case and announced that elections would be held in the constituencies in Karachi and Hyderabad in January.

According to the review body’s verdict. The Muttahida Qaumi Party-Pakistan (MQM-P)’s petition has been denied, and the vote will be conducted according to the existing voter lists.

 

 

 

Analysts say Pakistan must reduce its expenditure and avoid imports to revitalize the economy.

Punjab Govt Imports Planes: Aijaz Ahmed says it is crucial for the country to reduce its dependence on imports and cut back on spending to revitalize the economy.

The journalist said that despite a down economy, the government in Punjab continues to import expensive planes and cars.

Abdul Moiz Jaferii, a legal expert, spoke on behalf of Miftah. He said that Miftah was a victim of racism because he is from Karachi and belonged to the mon community.

He said that Ismail still acts politely and humbly. One can imagine how the PMLN treats people who are from other provinces.

Jafari stated that Finance Minister Ishaq dar speaks illogically about IMF conditions. One can’t negotiate and need money simultaneously.

Miftah supported Ahmed’s comments, saying that the ex-finance Minister has apologized but is, in fact, a victim of racial discrimination. He has every right and privilege to defend himself.

Khurram Husain stated that Pakistan would have passed a difficult phase if Miftah were still in charge of its financial affairs.

 

PTI leader Shahbaz Gill has been in various cases. Since his comments about the military establishment were made, was brought to Islamabad’s sessions court by ambulance,

Footage showed Gill on a stretcher, apparently convulsing while wearing an oxygen mask.

The PTI leader was admitted to Lahore’s Services Hospital last month due to shortness of breath. According to reports, he was having trouble breathing and coughing.

On August 9, the PTI leader was taken into custody on charges of inciting the public to attack state institutions and sedition. Later, he was released on bail.

 

Defense minister discusses military cooperation Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir met on Thursday with Saudi Arabia’s Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman and discussed the possibilities of enhancing collaboration between the two countries.

In the words of The Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the army chief was to Saudi Arabia’s Kingdom at around 6:00 am on Thursday. Prince Khalid welcomed her.

At the beginning of the meeting, The Saudi defense minister thanked Gen Munir for his appointment as army chief.

The SPA stated that the two leaders at the summit stressed the strength and longevity of bilateral relations between fraternal countries.

They discussed defense and military cooperation, how to strengthen and support these, and critical international and regional issues of shared concern.

In an earlier tweet, Prince Salman said he was happy to meet with the Pakistan army chief.

 

“We emphasized the strategic partnership between our brotherly countries, reviewed the bilateral military and defence relations, and discussed ways of strengthening our cooperation,” the official added.

It was reported that the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) announced that Gen Munir would be in Saudi Arabia and UAE from January 4 through January 10.

“The COAS will be meeting the senior leadership of both brotherly countries to discuss matters of mutual interest, military-to-military cooperation and bilateral relations focusing on security-related subjects,” the military’s media unit said.

It is crucial to point out that Gen Munir’s visit to the United States was his first official trip abroad following his appointment.