PM FOR EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION PL AN TO PROMOTE TRANSPARENCY
g THE
Miftah Ismail wants probe into sugar crisis, denies corruption allegations
Former federal finance minister Miftah Ismail on Monday called for a thorough investigation into the country’s recent sugar export crisis alleging that the policy benefited only a select group of sugar mill owners and was driven by vested government interests Addressing a press conference in Karachi, Ismail categorically rejected corruption allegations leveled against him by two senators from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), terming them “baseless and politically motivated ” He singled out PML-N leader Tariq Fazal Chaudhry stating that the former minister had already apologised to him privately for making false accusations regarding the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) I was in jail when the funds for this program were raised,” Mr Ismail said, insisting he had no involvement in the alleged mismanagement These allegations are being made simply because I speak the truth about the failures of this government he said, adding that if Mr Chaudhry or any other accuser has evidence, they should bring it forward “Otherwise, apologise or be ready to face the court,” he added Commenting on the sugar export policy the former finance minister said the export was deliberately carried out to create an artificial price hike Sugar was exported to make it expensive Only mill owners benefited, and the decision was taken in an organised way,” he alleged In a surprising revelation, Mr Ismail said that the foreign minister was made the head of the committee overseeing sugar matters a move he described as unprecedented and a reflection of the government s conflict of interest This is not just about sugar; this is about the government s priorities, he said Mr Ismail also criticised the federal government’s policies, especially in the agriculture and energy sectors
“The current government is not farmer-friendly The farming community has been left to suffer while sugar barons thrive he said expressing concern over rising input costs and a lack of subsidies
On the issue of power tariffs, Mr Ismail lamented the growing burden on the common citizen Electricity prices are increasing every other day The poor are being crushed under the weight of overbilling and inefficiencies he said referring to the recent Rs244 billion in electricity overbilling If you are honest return this amount to the
follows several rounds of technical discussions launched in May when Aurangzeb and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer opened talks via a teleconference on reciprocal tariffs The talks began after the United States proposed a 29 percent duty on Pakistani exports a move that was later temporarily suspended to allow for negotiations By July discussions in Wash-
ISLAMABAD
S ta f f R e p o R t
Three new polio cases have been confirmed in Pakistan bringing the total number of cases for 2025 to 17 The new cases were reported from Takhtikhel in Lakki Marwat, Mir Ali in North Waziristan, both in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Chajro in Umerkot, Sindh The children affected by the virus include a 15-month-old girl from Lakki Marwat a six-month-old girl from North Waziristan and a five-year-old boy from Umerkot
So far this year Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has reported 10 cases, Sindh five, and Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan have reported one each The emergence of these new cases
highlights the continued threat posed by the virus, particularly in areas with low acceptance of the polio vaccine
Polio is a highly contagious and incurable disease that can cause permanent paralysis The only effective protection against it is through repeated doses of the oral polio vaccine (OPV) for all children under the age of five Despite significant progress in eliminating the disease, vaccine refusals and the difficult security situation in certain areas continue to hamper efforts
A special vaccination campaign is currently underway in border regions, coordinated with Afghanistan’s own polio drive Additionally a fractional IPV-OPV vaccination campaign launched in Chaman district on July 21 will be extended to six more districts in Balochistan starting July 28 In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the highest number of cases has been reported from Bannu, with several cases also detected in Lakki Marwat and North Waziristan However efforts to curb vaccine refusals are showing signs of progress Awareness campaigns
COMMENT
Tis a credit to careful diplomacy and a rare opportunity not to be squandered For Pakistan this is a moment to look beyond traditional trade categories and toward sectors that promise long-term strategic growth Information technology agriculture and minerals all represent promising frontiers if investment can be paired with policy stability and infrastructure improvements But here lies
Democracy in Pakistan: A journey of trials, transition and tenacit y
is more
Djust a system of governance it is a reflection of a society s maturity, the collective yearning of its people for representation, justice, and the rule of law For Pakistan, a nation born out of a vision of justice and dignity, the road to democracy has been neither linear nor easy It has been interrupted challenged and at times even reversed Yet the will to persevere remains intact The return to democratic governance in 2008 after years of military dominance, marked a profound turn in Pakistan s political history, not as an end in itself, but as a beginning of a long and intricate transition
To speak of democracy in Pakistan is to speak of endurance The elections held in 2008 were not just procedurally significant; they were symbolically vital They took place under the shadow of deep institutional suspicion and a past marred by coups and constitutional overreach And yet, they happened They were, by most accounts, relatively free and fair, a testament to the growing capacity and credibility of the Election Commission of Pakistan The peaceful exit of President Pervez Musharraf after these elections was a significant moment not of defeat but of institutional respect setting the stage for civilian supremacy However, one fair election does not make a democracy The years that followed 2008 tested the resilience of Pakistan’s political framework Democracy is not merely the presence of elections but the consolidation of freedoms institutions and accountability It demands continuity not just of governments but of reform dialogue and stability It requires the steady erosion of military dominance in civilian affairs, and the parallel growth of democratic norms across political, judicial, and bureaucratic institutions
The process of democratic consolidation, as political science understands it is complete only when the major political actors agree to compete within the democratic rules of the game regardless of the outcomes In Pakistan s context this remains a work in progress Despite commendable advancements such as the successful completion of multiple civilian governments, increased judicial activism, and a freewheeling electronic media the democratic spirit has
often wrestled with the legacies of authoritarianism, religious extremism and institutional fragmentation One of the gravest challenges has been the lingering shadow of militant networks and their occasional overlaps with sections of the state While the state has made undeniable progress in counterterrorism operations, Zarb-e-Azb and Radd-ul-Fasaad being two major examples, much remains to be done in addressing the ideological roots of extremism and ensuring the civilian supremacy over national security policies Between 2008 and 2024 Pakistan s democracy has continued to
PakistanÊs democracy has continued to evolve According to the Economist Intellig ence UnitÊs Democracy Index, Pakistan scored 4 25 in 2023, classifying it as a hybrid regime , indicative of electoral activity but marred by institutional weakness and civil liber ties constraints Nonetheless, this marks a measurable improvement over earlier decades, and signals a growing democratic consciousness
India’s nuclear waiver: A strategic blunder with global consequences
Nazia Sheikh
membership despite its controversial proliferation record The U S granted an NSG waiver to India in 2008 and firmly supported its NSG membership India, after this waiver, has been able to sign agreements for civil nuclear cooperation with more than 16 nations However, India has yet to execute its 2008 commitments which include working with the United States to finalize the Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty (FMCT) and identifying and separating military and civil nuclear sites In this context, the strategic blunder of granting a waiver to a non-NPT signatory state heightened arms race, will have detrimental effects on international security in two ways Firstly it has damaged the credibility of the global non-proliferation regime and established a concerning precedent that will affect the international security dynamics in the end Such concessions based on geopolitical interests raise questions on the credibility of multilateral frameworks Their legitimacy is being undermined which could encourage other governments to pursue similar preferential treatment The NPT which is the foundation to stop the spread of nuclear weapons, also suffered a significant blow from the waiver In exchange for peaceful nuclear cooperation, non-nuclear weapon states for decades refrained from devel-
by
and undermin-
military purposes India is already modernizing its nuclear arsenal according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) 2025 report increasing from 172 to 180 in 2025 By gaining access to international nuclear markets it enables India to safeguard uranium and cutting-edge technologies while maintaining its substantial nuclear arsenal Consequently, India may gain a strategic advantage over Pakistan, enabling it to promote its ambitious thoriumbased program As seen by its training of Sri Lankan experts and possible reactor exports to Bangladesh the waiver benefits India economically by allowing it to commercialize nuclear power technology increasing both its reputation
and revenue As an NSG member, India also gains the power to influence future additions, preventing Pakistan from joining and solidifying its dominance in the region In line with India s goal of reducing dependence on fossil fuels under the broader aim of clean energy these developments also help the country reach its target of 40% nuclear, solar, and wind power Furthermore, rather than naively endorsing India’s bid for NSG membership proponents of giving India such a favor should have taken into account India s track record of proliferation as India has a history of uranium theft incidents raising concerns regarding the safety and security of nuclear infrastructure Aside from escalating an arms race and causing instability to the geopolitical landscape of South Asia establishing a nation-specific exception for NSG membership would hurt global nonproliferation initiatives Non-proliferation goals should not be subordinated to political expediency or commercial considerations; rather, NSG should evaluate non-NPT governments membership based on objective, non-discriminatory standards The heightened great power competition limited wars regional conflicts and rapid advancements in nuclear and missile technology pointed towards horizontal nuclear escalation in the future To prevent nuclear proliferation, there is a pressing need for strong, widely accepted non-proliferation regulations based on an equal and non-discriminatory approach
The writer is a Research Officer at Centre for International Strategic Studies AJK She can be reached at Nsheikh536@gmail com
The chaos within
Dr zafar khaN SafDar
Ar tificial Intelligence: A tool, not a master
reduce the need for human intellect it mag-
nifies it Another prevailing fear is that AI will trigger mass unemployment In truth, AI and automation change the nature of work, not its existence Consider the case of robotic manufacturing Yes, robots now assemble cars, but this has created demand in software engineering robotics design systems maintenance AI training cybersecurity and interface optimization According to the World Economic Forum (2024), while 85 million jobs may be displaced by automation by 2025, 97 million new roles are expected to emerge many requiring higher cognitive input When the typewriter was replaced by the computer secretarial roles changed but they didn t vanish When elevators became automated, operators lost jobs, but electrical and mechanical engineers gained them The same logic applies to AI It displaces repetitive work but creates a flourishing ecosystem of innovation control refinement and creative oversight Despite media portrayals and marketing hype AI doesn t think It doesn t understand love, betrayal, fear, or sacrifice It can simulate emotion with text, generate art with prompts, and mimic dialogue, but these are shadows of reality not reality itself Like a shovel extends our arm AI extends our mind It does not replace it Much like computers smartphones and the Internet before it, AI is a technological tool It runs on algorithms, pattern recognition, neural approximations, and code It does not dream It does not choose It does not rebel or reflect Its logic is built on trillions of tokens from human data books conversations art articles but it remains synthetic Just as a telescope brings faraway stars into focus but doesn t generate light itself, AI helps us process data, but not understand it in the human sense More profoundly, the purpose of human intelligence is not to be overtaken by machines but to use every tool available to fulfill the divine mission set forth by Allah: to explore understand and eventually conquer the universe The Qur’an in Surah Ar-Rahman [55:33] declares: O company of jinn and mankind if you are able to pass beyond the regions of the heavens and the earth then pass You will not pass except by authority (from Allah) This command is not symbolic It is a clear call for discovery, exploration, and transcendence Humanity has been given the capability to think imagine
tion unmonitored use increases factual error rates by over 45% In other words, AI doesn t
T
h e a r t o f d e c e p t i o n i n t h e W h i t e H o u s e
IN 1987, Trump published his autobiographical The Art of the Deal in which he offered advice on how to succeed in business The book was a huge success and made it onto The New York Times bestseller list helping its author rise to fame In one of the most famous passages, the now president stated: I play to people’s fantasies People may not always think big themselves but they can get very excited by those who do That is why a little hyperbole never hurts People want to believe that something is the biggest the greatest and the most spectacular Trump continues to apply this technique to the letter but now not only in business, but also in politics The president has taken to the extreme what political communication expert Javier del Rey Morató warns about in his book Political Communication the Internet and Election Campaigns: “Rhetoric is not based on truth
worst score of the three presidents the website has evaluated since it went live
DECLARING EMERGENCIES TO INCREASE
HIS POWER: Since his return to the White House one of Trump s most often repeated strategies to extend his decision-making power and justify his most controversial measures has been to declare a national state of emergency or warn that national security is at risk Of the 171 executive orders signed by the president as of July 17, one in five has been justified with these arguments He first did so to reinforce border control reduce the influx of illegal immigrants and combat the drug cartels Later he also applied it to impose tariffs on different countries and completely upend global trade
THE MACHINE GUN OF FALLACIES: In his speeches and electoral debates Trump tends to apply a technique that was popularized by the biochemist Duane Gish one of the most influential figures in the creationist movement It is called the Gish gallop and it consists of throwing out a huge amount of data, regardless of whether it is inaccurate or outright false The goal is to overwhelm the audience and opponents, who are often unable to refute everything that has been said and run out of time to share their own ideas
DECEIVE TO SURPRISE? The president uses the socalled madman theory as a negotiating tool According to analysts who believe that behind all his chaotic appearances there is a certain method and strategy, what Trump is doing is deceiving others to make them think that he is capable of anything and thereby get his rivals to give in and give him what he wants Whether or not it is planned the truth is that his threats advances and retreats have made his presidency highly unpredictable which undermines his position in the world According to the latest Pew Research study on the United States and China, the former ’s image has deteriorated in the last year, while that of its rival has improved THE DETERIORATION OF POLITICAL DISCOURSE: The rise of fake news is not solely Trump s fault However his style has contributed to the deterioration of political discourse and has fueled mistrust in institutions and their leaders The United States has traditionally defended liberal democracy, characterized by strong institutions capable of checking each other The new ways of the US president allow the actions of illiberal regimes such as that of Vladimir Putin to gain ground and not be so easily challenged Democracy is the loser This has been the case since the beginning of Trump s first term when his advisor Kellyanne Conway popularized the expression alternative facts to defend the falsehood that more people had attended Trump’s inauguration ceremony than Barack Obama’s Antoni Gutiérrez-Rubí is a communications and political consultant
FO R the past few years, governments across the world have paid close attention to conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East There it is said we see the first glimpses of what warfare of the future will look like not just in terms of weaponry, but also in terms of new technologies and tactics Most recently, the United States-Israeli attacks on Iran demonstrated not just new strategies of drone deployment and infiltration but also new vulnerabilities During the 12-day conflict Iran and vessels in the waters of the Gulf experienced repeated disruptions of GPS signal This clearly worried the Iranian authorities who, after the end of the war, began to look for alternatives “At times, disruptions are created on this [GPS] system by internal systems, and this very issue has pushed us toward alternative options like BeiDou ” Ehsan Chitsaz deputy communications minister told Iranian media in mid-July He added that the government was developing a plan to switch transportation agriculture and the internet from GPS to BeiDou Iran s decision to explore adopting China s navigation satellite system may appear at first glance to be merely a tactical manoeuvre Yet its implications are far more profound This move is yet another indication of a major global realignment For decades the West and the US in particular have dominated the world s technological infrastructure from computer operating systems and the internet to telecommunications and satellite networks This has left much of the world dependent on an infrastructure it cannot match or challenge This dependency can easily become vulnerability Since 2013 whistleblowers and media investigations have revealed how various Western technologies and schemes have enabled illicit surveillance and data gathering on a global
H A I L A N D A N D C A M B O D I A A G R E E
I n d i a c r a c k s d o w n o n B e n g a l i M u s l i m s a h e a d o f s t a t e p o l l s
sea of blue tarpaulin in a corner of northeastern India near Bangladesh hundreds of Muslim men women and babies take shelter after being evicted from their homes, in the latest crackdown in Assam ahead of state elections They are among thousands of families whose houses have been bulldozed in the past few weeks by authorities – the most intense such action in decades – who accuse them of illegally staying on government land
The demolitions in Assam, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi s Hindu nationalist party will seek reelection early next year have coincided with a national clampdown on Bengali-speaking Muslims branded illegal infiltrators” from Bangladesh, since the August 2024 ouster of a pro-India premier in Dhaka
The government repeatedly harasses us said Aran Ali 53 speaking outside a patch of bare earth in Assam s Goalpara district that has become the makeshift home for his family of three
“We are accused of being encroachers and foreigners said Ali who was born in Assam as the scorching July sun beat down on the settlement
Assam accounts for 262 km of India’s 4097 km-long border with Bangladesh and has long grappled with anti-immigrant sentiments rooted in fears that Bengali migrants both Hindus and Muslims from the neighbouring country would overwhelm the local culture and economy
The latest clamp-down under Modi s Bharatiya Janata Party has been exclusively aimed at Muslims and led to protests that killed a teenager days ago
Assam’s firebrand Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma who is among a slew of ambitious BJP leaders accused of fomenting religious discord to stir populist sentiments ahead of polls across the country, says Muslim infiltrators from Bangladesh” threaten India’s identity
“We are fearlessly resisting the ongoing unchecked Muslim infiltration from across the border which has already caused an alarming demographic shift, he recently said on X
“In several districts, Hindus are now on the verge of becoming a minority in their own land
He told reporters last week that migrant Muslims make up 30% of Assam s 31 million population as of the 2011 census
“In a few years from now, Assam’s minority population will be close to 50% ” he said Sarma did not respond to a
Reuters request for comment ‘Vulnerable Targets’
The BJP has long believed that Hindu-majority India is the natural homeland for all Hindus and implemented policies to counter the country’s large Muslim population In 2019 it amended India s citizenship law to effectively naturalise undocumented non-Muslim migrants from neighbouring countries
Since he became chief minister in May 2021 Sarma’s government has evicted 50 000 people mostly Bengali Muslims from 160 square kilometres of land, with more planned In just the past month alone, about 3,400 Bengali Muslim homes have been bulldozed in five eviction drives across Assam according to state data The previous government evicted some 4 700 families in the five years to early 2021 Bengali-speaking Muslims, regardless of their legal status, have become vulnerable targets for right-wing groups in India ” said Praveen Donthi senior analyst at International Crisis Group
The
Why
MUSADIK MALIK ORDERS URGENT OVERHAUL OF GMO SOYBEAN REGUL ATIONS IN PAKISTAN
Ataullah Tarar Hails Erdogan as Voice of the Muslim Ummah
ISLAMABAD s ta f f r e p o r t
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ataullah Tarar praised Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as a principled, visionary leader and a unifying force in the Muslim world during the launch ceremony of the Urdu-language book “Recep Tayyip Erdogan: Tiger of the Islamic World authored by Dr Furqan Hameed held at the National Language Promotion Department in Islamabad The event was organized by the Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies (IPDS) in collaboration with the National Language Promotion Department (NLPD) and the Turkiye-AzerbaijanPakistan Friendship Forum (TAPF) It brought together ambassadors from Turkiye, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Rwanda senior journalists academics and members of civil society to celebrate the political journey and impact of President Erdogan Speaking as Chief Guest, Minister Ataullah Tarar said, President Erdogan is not just a Turkish statesman; he is a towering figure of the Muslim Ummah Under his leadership Pakistan-Turkiye relations gained a new and dynamic direction
He has given voice to the rights of Palestinians and the broader Muslim world at every international forum He described Erdogan as a leader whose roots lie in public service, citing his successful tenure as Mayor of Istanbul as a period of “golden urban governance ” He also noted that Erdogan’s time in office witnessed the deepening of bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and Turkiye across sectors including defense trade education and cultural exchange Our two nations share a bond that predates even the creation of Pakistan,” Tarar said referencing the Khilafat Movement and Turkiye s unwavering support for Pakistan s principled positions on global issues He added that President Erdogan en-
immense admiration and respect among the people of Pakistan for his moral clarity and firm positions on international justice Addressing the audience Dr Farhat Asif, President of the Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies, highlighted the significance of the trilateral partnership fostered through the Turkiye-AzerbaijanPakistan Friendship Forum and emphasized the importance of people-to-people diplomacy This book launch is
a
event it is a
to a leader who represents dignity, strategic independence and courage in a rapidly shifting global order said Dr Asif Through this work Dr Furqan Hameed offers a window into the strength of cultural
STABILIT Y
PPP rejects gov t ban on road travel to Iran, Iraq for Arbaeen pilgrims
Bugti
orders fast-tracking of
fully funded development projec ts in B alochistan
Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti has reaffirmed that the provincial government’s top priority is the timely and quality execution of development projects to better serve the people across the province Chairing a key meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on the Implementation of the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) at the Chief Minister ’s Secretariat Bugti said delays in fully funded schemes would not be tolerated He directed that all projects which have received full funding of up to Rs650 million must be completed by February 2026 adding that any delays beyond that would be unacceptable He further stated that budget planning and consultation on next year s development priorities would be concluded by March 2026 to allow for an effective and coherent PSDP that delivers tan-
gible results to the people
The meeting was attended by members of the provincial assembly from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League (PML), Awami National Party (ANP), and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI)
Additional Chief Secretary for Development and Planning
Zahid Saleem briefed participants on the current PSDP including a comparison with the previous year s program, available funds, and the pace of implementation
Emphasizing transparency speed and quality as the “three pillars of the development process the Chief Minister said these principles would not be compromised under any circumstances He ordered that PC-I documents for future schemes must reflect full estimated costs; partial or vague estimates he warned would not be accepted as they open the door to delays mismanagement, and corruption Bugti stressed that projects should be realistic, necessary, and
aligned with available resources to ensure swift implementation He also underscored the importance of including elected representatives in both planning and execution stages, saying their input enhances transparency and reflects the true aspirations of the people
“The timely completion of every scheme is crucial for restoring public trust he said adding that the government itself would monitor the speed and effectiveness of all major projects
The Chief Minister made it clear that corruption or misuse of public funds would be dealt with strictly He described Balochistan s development as a shared responsibility requiring political unity, institutional cooperation, and administrative seriousness
Reiterating his government’s commitment Bugti said that wide-ranging consultations robust monitoring and a clear accountability system would be introduced to ensure development schemes genuinely serve the public good
Pakistan, Turkey c all for int ’l unity and
urgent ac tion on G aza
comprehensive peace in the region
that it will start special flights for Iraq to accommodate zaireen from Aug 8 to 11 Reacting sharply to the move the Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) rejected the ban on Sunday, calling it unacceptable, unjustified and unconstitutional
Teenaged girl raped and murdered in Naushahro
Feroz
NAUSHAHR O FER OZ s ta f f r e p o r t A teenaged girl raped and murdered in Mohabbat Dero in district Naushahro Feroz also highlighting the role of a local jirga in the brutal incident Local police last night was reported that a girl Faiza 13 has been killed The family members said that the close relatives had raped the girl two weeks back and the matter was taken to the local landlord to decide the matter The family members informed the police, they had entrusted local influential to keep the victim girl in his protection, the girl was kidnapped by the culprits near the landlord’s home by the culprits, they killed her, thrown her body and fled from the scene Police said the dead body has been shifted to Kandiaro hospital for the post-mortem The case will be registered after the report Local influential Azizullah Dahraj has confessed to conduct a Jirga over the matter, adding that the girl s relatives have been his servants and they had insisted to him to decide the matter
ISLAMABAD
s ta f f r e p o r t
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday held a telephonic conversation with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, where both leaders strongly condemned Israel’s ongoing atrocities in Gaza
They expressed grave concern over the worsening humanitarian crisis, particularly the widespread starvation, forced displacement, and loss of innocent lives in the region
In their conversation the two foreign ministers emphasized the urgent need for unimpeded humanitarian aid an immediate ceasefire and a united international effort towards achieving a just, lasting, and
Reaffirming their unwavering support for the Palestinian people and their just cause both Dar and Fidan expressed hope for meaningful outcomes from the international conference on Palestine which was set to take place at the United Nations on Monday This conference focuses on the implementation of the two-state solution a long-standing aspiration of the Palestinian people
Ishaq Dar who will attend the high-level international conference on Palestine and the implementation of the two-state solution, noted in a post on X that he had been invited by his Saudi Arabian and French counterparts Faisal bin Farhan and Jean-Noël Barrot to participate in
the event The conference, which will be co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France from July 28 to 29 aims to address the peaceful settlement of the Palestinian issue
In his message Dar reiterated Pakistan s principled and consistent support for Palestine, highlighting the importance of achieving tangible steps towards the establishment of a Palestinian state based on pre1967 borders with Al-Quds Al Sharif as its capital
He also stressed the need for international efforts to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people and to provide support for the reconstruction of Gaza “Pakistan will continue to contribute to all these endeavours Dar concluded
ECP disqualifies three PTI lawmakers following their convic tion
ISLAMABAD
s ta f f r e p o r t
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday notified the disqualification of three PTI lawmakers over their convictions in various cases Last week a Lahore anti-terrorism court acquitted PTI leader Shah Mahmood
Qureshi while sentencing Dr Yasmin Rashid, Senator Ejaz Chaudhry and others to 10 years in prison over a May 9 riots case related to violence on Sherpao Bridge According to the notifications
Chaudhry, member of the National Assembly (MNA) Mohammad Ahmed Chatta and member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA) of Punjab Ahmad Khan were disqualified under Article 63(1)(h) of the Constitution (a person shall be disqualified from being elected [if] he has been, on conviction for any offence involving moral turpitude, sentenced to imprisonment for a term of not less than two years) The first notification acknowledged Chaudhry s conviction in the case The State vs Dr Yasmin Rashid etc , reading: As a consequence, Senator Ejaz Ahmad Chaudhry, has become dis-
qualified under Article 63(1)(h) of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan for being member of [the] Senate Resultantly Notification No F 3(2)/2021Cord dated 10th March 2021 to the extent of Ejaz Ahmad Chaudhary, as Senator, is hereby recalled with immediate effect,” the notice added, referring to the document notifying Chaudhry’s seat The second notice also acknowledged Chatta and Khan s 10-year sentences on July 22 but in the case The State vs Zafarullah Khan and others As a consequence, Mohammad Ahmed Chattha, MNA from NA-66 Wazirabad and Ahmad Khan, MPA Provincial Assembly Punjab from PP-87 Mianwali-Ill have become disqualified under Article 63(1)(h) of the Constitution for being members of National Assembly and Provincial Assembly of Punjab respectively, the ECP notification read “Resultantly, notification No F 2(5)/2024-Cord(1) dated 16th February 2024 to the extent of Mohammad Ahmed Chattha and notification No F 2(6)/2024Cord dated
