MQM-P urges govt to lower electricity rates, fuel prices

HYDERABAD: The former lawmakers of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) have expressed concern over the hike in electricity bills,the prevalent problem of delayed bills and urged the government to withdraw the recent hike in units, ARY News reported. 

In a statement issued here on Saturday the former MNAs Sabir Hussain Qaimkhani and Salahuddin said besides making electricity very expensive, up to 10 to 12 hours of load shedding was also being carried out, affecting domestic, commercial and industrial consumers.

They deplored that instead of ensuring that the meter reading of exactly, the meter readers of Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) take readings of extra days.

Read more: Inflated power bills: JI announces protest across Karachi

They reiterated that the complaints about the burnt or defective transformers were not timely addressed and the consumers had to pay from their pockets to get the tranformers repaired even though HESCO’s stated policy was that the company was reposonsible for the repair and replacement.

The legislators said the expensive electricity at the time when the country and its people were reeling from inflation only multiplied woes of the people.They requested the government to withdraw the recent hike in the price of units and to address the services related issues of the power distribution companies like HESCO.

Earlier today, Jamaat Islami (JI) announced protest in markets across Karachi against the inflated power bills on Monday. The JI consultation meeting decided to hold protests in markets at the same time across Karachi.

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JI to move SC for timely elections

Jamaat-e-Islami Chief Sirajul Haq decided to move Supreme Court (SC) for timely general elections, ARY News reported.

As per details, Head of Jamaat-e-Islami said that the elections should not be delayed from 90 days.

He also announced that JI will hold protests across Pakistan against the increasing prices of electricity and petrol.

JI chief said that the neighboring country India has reached mood but our leaders have increasing inflation for the people.

Read more: All political parties agreed to hold elections on new census data: ECP

Earlier, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said in a declaration that all political parties had agreed to conduct general elections on new census data.

The election commission issued a declaration after holding consultations with the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) delegation today.

It stated that the Council of Common Interests (CCI) had unanimously approved the 2023 census statistics and all political parties agreed to hold general polls on the basis of new census data.

It is pertinent to mention here that Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced that general elections are not possible within 90 days.

The Election Commission of Pakistan decided to hold the upcoming general election on the census 2023. The ECP stated that the commission is bound to carry out the delimitation process. The first publication will be on October 9 while the final publication will be on December 14.

The ECP meeting decided to seek assistance from the provincial governments and the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) in the delimitation process.

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Pervez Khattak sees general elections in Feb 2024

PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Parliamentarians (PTI-P) chief Pervez Khattak on Saturday asserted the upcoming general elections are likely to be held in February 2024, ARY News reported on Monday.

Talking to journalists in Peshawar, the former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Governor said that if any political party move court, the elections will be delayed.

Referring to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan, Pervez Khattak said that the former prime minister lacked a strategy to address the challenges confronting the nation when he was in power and “used to tell us to lie to such an extent so that it appears to be the truth”.

He claimed that former Inter-Services Intelligences (ISI) chief Faiz Hameed and chief of army staff (COAS) Qamar Javed Bajwa had “created an environment for elections, but Imran Khan did not agree”.

Moreover, he said, “I was the one who had brought around 60 per cent of electables in the party (PTI).” He noted that four cases — Toshakhana, cipher, Al-Qadir Trust case and May 9 riots — could present challenges for the PTI chief.

Pervez Khattak further said that Imran Khan wasn’t interested in bringing reforms in Punjab.

Read More: General elections likely in February 2024

Former defence minister Pervez Khattak launched a new political party under the name of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Parliamentarians.

Khattak who was expelled from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), last week, over his statement against the party chief, announced his new political party.

PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan issued the termination letter ‘with reference to the show cause notice’ served to Pervez Khattak last month.

‘Elections likely to be delayed’

Meanwhile, the upcoming general elections in the country will likely be delayed as the Council of Common Interest (CCI) “unanimously” approved the 2023 census.

Federal Ministers Khawaja Muhammad Asif and Rana Sanaullah also hinted at possible delay in holding of general elections.

A day earlier, Khawaja Asif stated that there is a possibility of a delay in holding the next general elections.

“I do believe that elections will be held in November. But you asked me if there is a possibility of delay: There is a possibility of a delay but not more than a couple of months on technical grounds,” he said.

When asked whether the approval of the 2023 census would result in an election delay, Khawaja Asif said: “I cannot speculate at the moment but it is a possibility. I won’t rule that out.”

On the other hand, Rana Sanaullah said that the general elections would be held in the third week of February or the first week of March after new delimitations.

Sanaullah said that fresh delimitation is a constitutional requirement. “The general elections would be held in the third week of February or the first week of March after new delimitations.”

He added that the delimitation process would be completed in December 2023.

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Pakistan envoy to UK calls on PM Kakar

Pakistan’s High Commissioner to UK Dr Muhammad Faisal called on caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on Friday, ARY News reported.

He congratulated the prime minister on assuming the office and expressed good wishes for him.

The envoy got instructions from the prime minister on the improvement of the relations between Pakistan and the UK, the PM office said in a statement.

It may be noted that Dr. Faisal assumed office as the country’s HC to the UK recently, on August 2 and recently held a meeting with Nawaz Sharif in London.

Former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif will return to Pakistan in October, his brother and party’s president Shehbaz Sharif confirmed on Friday.

“We held consultations with the senior leadership of the party and we have decided that Nawaz Sharif will return to Pakistan in October and lead the election campaign,” Shehbaz Sharif said while talking to journalists in London.

The PML-N president also said that his brother world come to Pakistan and face the law and “there are no two opinions on it”. However, Shehbaz Sharif did not specify a date when Nawaz would return.

“Nawaz Sharif’s name was not there in Panama papers. His name was included in the investigation through a conspiracy and no action was taken against other people whose names were actually there,” the former premier said.

Former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif and PML-N President is currently in London to discuss the matters related to his elder brother’s return to Pakistan and the current political scenario in the country.

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Sutlej River surges to high flood at Islam Headworks

LAHORE/BAHAWALNAGAR: Sutlej River has been in high flood at Islam Headworks, with 1,51,000 cusecs flow, ARY News reported on Saturday.

The floodwater has submerged several areas in Vehari, Burewala, Lodhran and Bahawalpur and destroyed standing crops.

Sutlej has also been in high flood at Ganda Singh Headworks with present water flow 1,22,000 cusecs, Provincial Disaster Management Authority stated. The water level has been 20.8 feet.

The river has been in medium flood at Sulemanki Headworks as water going down at the point with present inflow 96,638 cusecs and outflow 83,720 cusecs, Provincial Disaster Management Authority stated.

A search has been underway to trace a resident of Chak Pana Mahar, Mohammad Rafique, who was swept away by the flood water.

Floodwater released from waterworks in India has drowned a vast area of Sutlej River belt breaking roads and temporary protective dykes across the border in Pakistan.

Flooding has wreaked havoc in the region as thousands of acres farmland has drowned and crops destroyed in Kasur, Bahawalnagar, Okara, Pakpattan, Sahiwal and Vehari districts.

The area has become a mammoth lake with water everywhere to the limit of the visible landscape and dozens of settlements submerged.

An unusual flooding in Sutlej River has wreaked havoc in the area destroying houses and standing crops on thousands of acres.

In Bahawalnagar over several villages land link has severed and people waiting for relief from the government agencies.

The administration along with rescue teams and local volunteers engaged in relief operations and 9,980 stranded people have been transferred to safer places.

The emergency services on Wednesday said that around 100,000 people have been evacuated from flooded villages in Punjab.

Several hundred villages and thousands of acres of cropland in the central province were inundated when the Sutlej River burst its banks.

The monsoon rains had prompted authorities in India to release excess reservoir water into the Sutlej River, causing flooding downstream on the Pakistani side of the border.

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Video: Courier rider snatches pistol from mugger in Karachi

KARACHI: A courier rider made a courageous move and foiled the robbery bid in the Nazimabad area of Karachi on Friday, ARY News reported.

The failed robbery event was caught on camera. The video showed a courier rider standing outside a house in the Nazimabad area when an armed street criminal reached there.

The street criminal snatched mobile phone and other valuables from the courier rider at gunpoint. Suddenly, the courier rider caught the criminal and tried to snatch his pistol. During the fight, the rider fell to the ground but he did not lose his grip and managed to take away his pistol.

The street criminal fled from the scene after losing his weapon, leaving behind his motorcycle.

A few days ago, a woman in Karachi successfully thwarted an attempted burglary from a family.

A woman foiled an attempt of robbery from a family at Karachi’s Rashid Minhas Road.

A witness said the two suspects on the motorcycle were trying to rob the family. A brave woman along with her son fought with the robbers and managed to nab one after kicking him, while the other fled the scene.

Later, the enraged citizens attacked the robber and handed him over to the police after beating him viciously.

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ECP delists contempt case against PTI chief, others

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday delisted September 5 cases, including a contempt case registered against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan and others, ARY News reported.

In a statement, the electoral watchdog has asserted that the cases – to be heard on September 5 – were delisted due to the unavailability of the bench.

It is pertinent to mention here that the ECP had served notices to PTI chief and former federal ministers Asad Umar and Fawad Chaudhry in contempt case.

Earlier, Lahore High Court (LHC) stopped Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) from taking final decision against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief in the contempt case.

LHC Judge Justice Muhammad Wahid Khan heard the plea filed by PTI chief against the ECP proceedings.

LHC stopped ECP from taking the final decision in the contempt case however directed the commission to continue the proceedings.

Furthermore, the PTI chief’s petition was referred to Chief Justice LHC and asked to form a larger bench in this case.

Earlier, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) deferred the indictment of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan in a contempt case filed against him.

The electoral watchdog had reserved its verdict in a contempt case against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman and others, the announcement of verdict was scheduled on June 20.

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