Snail-paced tribunals
The Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN), an independent think tank, maintains that the overall pace of decisions has been slow. It says between February 1 and April 20, 2025, election tribunals decided 24 petitions related to the general elections, bringing the total number of decided petitions to 136 of a total of 372 being heard across the four provinces. Of these, 26% relate to National Assembly seats and 42% to provincial assembly seats. Apparently, the intention is to deny justice to the PTI candidates, most of whom contested as 'Independent' and were declared successful as per Form 45, only to be declared otherwise under a jaundiced order of Form-47 by the electoral watchdog.
One of the prime reasons behind this stalemate is the influence of the executive over the judiciary. The non-formation of tribunals in real time, an inordinate delay in hearing the cases and a biased approach from the state prosecution are the obstacles to dispensation of justice. Likewise, four tribunals remained largely dysfunctional during the reporting period, including two in K-P, one each in Punjab and the Islamabad Capital Territory. This dilemma is casting negativity: coupled with this is the phenomenon of an incomplete Senate, as K-P lacks representation in it, and the non-implementation of the Supreme Court's July 12 verdict on awarding of reserved seats for women and minorities.
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Listen to article The PTI's woes seem to be unending, as well as the government's policy to push it to the wall. The swift manner in which the Election Commission disqualified three party legislators, on the premise of their convictions by the anti-terrorism courts over May 9 vandalism testifies the intolerance that institutions have bred towards the opposition. The cases are subject to appeal and the breakneck speed was unwarranted. It is a foregone conclusion that former PM Imran Khan and his stalwarts, who are standing with him, are subject to blatant victimisation and this does not bode well for political stability and social coherence of society. Lawful efforts on the part of the PTI to seek relief from the courts have often hit snags. It is also an undeniable fact that all public litigation cases of high profile interest, especially those pertaining to the 2024 general election and the 26th amendment, are lingering and yet to see the light of the day. The hurried adjournment of Imran Khan's bail pleas in eight May 9 cases until August 12, by a two-member bench of the apex court yesterday, has sent the wrong signals at a time when the party is gearing up for a nationwide protest movement. The continued denial of relief to PTI founder and other imprisoned workers, and the tendency of slapping more cases amid a witch-hunt of its supporters, is in need of being reviewed. This policy has led to nowhere and repeatedly failed the initiatives of brokering a dialogue between the PTI and the government, compelling the aggrieved party to raise the stakes by demanding talks only with the security establishment. With terrorism, economic downslide and a regional revulsion knocking on its doors, the country cannot afford to be groped down in chaos and instability. Lifting the lid of oppression from the PTI and releasing imprisoned workers, including Khan, will be in national interest, and this would pave the way for a constructive dialogue. The courts are poised with a responsibility to go by the book and let justice be seen to be done.
Business Recorder
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- Business Recorder
Happy birthday to Asif Ali Zardari!
President Asif Ali Zardari is celebrating his 70th birthday today. The best way to congratulate and pay tribute to him on this occasion is to understand his personality and politics as they truly are. Asif Ali Zardari holds the distinction of being the first civilian president in Pakistan's history to be democratically elected to this esteemed position twice—and he continues to serve in this role today. This achievement has earned him international recognition for his political acumen, as such an occurrence is rare in a country like Pakistan. Today, the world also acknowledges that President Asif Ali Zardari deserves credit for the continuity of Pakistan's democratic system since 2008, a span of 17 years. In this way, a new chapter in the history of Pakistan's democratic evolution has been written. This achievement belongs to Asif Ali Zardari, who restored democracy in its true spirit by making the difficult process of power transfer through elections possible in a purely democratic manner. By resolutely countering all conspiracies from undemocratic forces and overcoming extremely adverse circumstances, he successfully completed his five-year democratic term. Through his policy of reconciliation, he created a golden chapter in the 66-year history of our beloved country. By upholding the vision of the Father of the Nation, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, realizing the dream of the Leader of the People, Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, and carrying forward the mission of the martyr of democracy, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, he has transformed Pakistan into a truly democratic state—one that champions public rights and stands as a remarkable example. His philosophy is rooted in the belief that the continuation of the democratic process will allow people-oriented forces to flourish and enable Pakistan's state structure to evolve within a democratic framework. He firmly believes that the institutions of the establishment are national institutions, and for democracy to be fully realized, these institutions must also be strengthened. Asif Ali Zardari achieved what were once thought to be remarkable feats only after he ensured constitutional safeguards for democracy. The list of major achievements during his tenure is extensive, but a few stand out as especially significant. During his first term, the 1973 Constitution was fully restored, accompanied by substantial parliamentary and constitutional reforms, most notably the 18th, 19th, and 20th Amendments. These modifications enhanced autonomy of the provinces and also reinforced the federal structure. One of Zardari's most remarkable accomplishments was the repealing of the notorious Article 58(2)(b) which had allowed the dissolution of democratically elected governments. These constitutional changes enriched democracy through an independent judiciary, the unshackling of the media, the formation of a self-governing Election Commission, and the provision for a non-partisan interim government to supervise elections. In response to international pressure and to address the energy crisis, the Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project was signed under his leadership. Additionally, a strategic agreement was made to hand over operations of Gwadar Port to the People's Republic of China. Between 2008 and 2013, foreign exchange reserves grew significantly from 6 billion dollars to 16 billion dollars. During Zardari's presidency, formal work on CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor) was initiated, which marked a new era of development for Pakistan. Exports, which stood at $18 billion in 2008, rose to $29 billion by 2012. Similarly, the stock market index climbed from 5,220 points in 2008 to 18,185 points in 2013. The interest rate, which was 17 percent in 2008, was reduced to 9 percent by 2013. Under the direction of Asif Ali Zardari, the PPP government raised the support price of wheat to benefit farmers. Consequently, Pakistan began exporting wheat for the first time and achieved self-sufficiency in wheat production. The increase in support prices also set a new record in the production of rice and cotton. The introduction of the Benazir Tractor Scheme and electricity at a fixed cost for agricultural tube-wells benefitted farmers through the provision of tractors. These schemes greatly enhanced the rural economy, which grew from 50 billion rupees in 2008 to 800 billion rupees by 2013. This was Asif Ali Zardari's first term in office, during which the financial resources available to the people were significantly increased through the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award. During his five-year tenure, the salaries of government employees rose by 158%. Through the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), financial assistance to 7.5 million households, benefiting approximately 50 million individuals,was doubled, with a total of Rs 70 billion distributed. In addition, self-reliance initiatives such as the Waseela-e-Haq and Waseela-e-Rozgar schemes were launched to support millions of low-income families. Furthermore, 135,000 beneficiaries received assistance from Bait-ul-Mal, including care for homeless children through the establishment of Sweet Homes. From 2008 to 2013, Zardari made strides to resolve the energy crisis by adding over 3600 MW of electricity to the national grid. Expansion projects for the Mangla and Tarbela Dams were initiated, creating the potential to generate an additional 4,500 MW of electricity. Furthermore, $3.5 billion in assistance was secured for the Diamer-Bhasha Dam project, and work began on the Neelum-Jhelum, Gomal, and Sat Dam projects. In addition to developing wind power generation at Thar Coal and Jhampir, several small and large-scale hydropower projects were launched. Various initiatives implemented made it possible to store 8.5 million cubic feet of water through irrigation, which was aimed at improving water management and agricultural support. President Asif Ali Zardari and the PPP government placed special emphasis on creating employment opportunities for the country's unemployed youth. Between 2008 and 2013, 105,000 lady health workers were employed. Thousands of workers who had been laid off in previous administrations were reinstated, and millions of contract employees were regularized. 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Raja seeks masses' support for PTI protest
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