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The voting for the by-election on 35 national and provincial assemblies commenced at 8AM, with more than 300 candidates, including some political bigwigs, in the running.

Over five million registered voters — about 2.3 million women and almost 2.7 million men — will exercise their right to vote. It is noteworthy that the overseas Pakistanis will be voting for the first time in the by-polls.

Seats up for grabs comprise 11 from National Assembly, 11 from Punjab Assembly, nine from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and two each from Sindh and Balochistan.

In Lahore’s NA-131 constituency, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) candidate Khawaja Saad Rafique will face Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Humayun Akhtar. Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is PML-N’s candidate from NA-124. His opponent in the constituency is Ghulam Mohiuddin of the PTI.

In Karachi’s NA-243 constituency, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) is expected to give tough competition to the PTI.

Over 9.9 million ballot papers have been printed for the by-elections and handed over to presiding officers of all polling stations, while some 7,489 polling stations have been set-up, of which 1,727 have been declared “highly sensitive.”

On Thursday, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) constituted 27 monitoring teams to observe the by-polls. They will examine the distribution of polling equipment and training of the polling staff.

On the day of the by-polls, the teams will also monitor security arrangements, the result transmission system (RTS) and votes of the overseas Pakistanis in addition to the process of tabulation and compilation of results.

The voting for the by-election on 35 national and provincial assemblies commenced at 8AM, with more than 300 candidates, including some political bigwigs, in the running.

Over five million registered voters — about 2.3 million women and almost 2.7 million men — will exercise their right to vote. It is noteworthy that the overseas Pakistanis will be voting for the first time in the by-polls.

Seats up for grabs comprise 11 from National Assembly, 11 from Punjab Assembly, nine from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and two each from Sindh and Balochistan.

In Lahore’s NA-131 constituency, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) candidate Khawaja Saad Rafique will face Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Humayun Akhtar. Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is PML-N’s candidate from NA-124. His opponent in the constituency is Ghulam Mohiuddin of the PTI.

In Karachi’s NA-243 constituency, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) is expected to give tough competition to the PTI.

Over 9.9 million ballot papers have been printed for the by-elections and handed over to presiding officers of all polling stations, while some 7,489 polling stations have been set-up, of which 1,727 have been declared “highly sensitive.”

On Thursday, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) constituted 27 monitoring teams to observe the by-polls. They will examine the distribution of polling equipment and training of the polling staff.

On the day of the by-polls, the teams will also monitor security arrangements, the result transmission system (RTS) and votes of the overseas Pakistanis in addition to the process of tabulation and compilation of results.

ISLAMABAD: Candidates contesting from 35 constituencies of the national and provincial assemblies will campaign for the final time today before by-polls are held on October 14.

Election campaigning picked pace in this week as the by-polls drew closer. Today is the last day when candidates will appeal to registered voters before the election takes place.

In NA-131 Lahore, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Khawaja Saad Rafique will come face-to-face against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf candidate Humayun Akhtar.

Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is PML-N’s candidate from NA-124. His contender in the constituency is PTI’s Ghulam Mohiuddin.

ECP constitutes teams to monitor by-polls

For Karachi’s NA-243 constituency, MQM-P is expected to give tough competition to PTI.

Overseas Pakistanis for the first time will use their right to vote in the by-elections.

On Thursday, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) constituted 27 monitoring teams to monitor the by-elections.

The teams will examine the distribution of polling equipment and training of the polling staff. On the day of the by-polls, the teams will also monitor security arrangements, the result transmission system (RTS) and votes of the overseas Pakistanis in addition to the process of tabulation and compilation of results.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan will launch a countrywide cleanliness campaign today (Monday).

The “Clean and Green Pakistan” drive will be initiated from all major cities across the country as part of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government’s policy for a clean and green country.

The decision to start a countrywide cleanliness campaign was taken last month during a meeting chaired by the prime minister on the functions of the Ministry of Climate Change.

Premier’s adviser on climate change Malik Amin Aslam Khan earlier said that the government will launch an aggressive campaign to educate people and motivate them to participate in the “Clean and Green Pakistan” campaign.

Last month, PM Imran launched “Plant for Pakistan” drive which was part of PTI government’s billion tree Tsunami 2018 drive.

Climate change is one of the main issues that PM Imran’s government aims to tackle through initiatives like tree plantation.

The country-wide tree plantation drive came after the PTI-led provincial government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa executed a large-scale tree-planting project during its previous tenure.

According to experts, Pakistan is facing enormous environmental challenges.

A survey conducted by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute ahead of the 2018 poll found that respondents prioritised three key environmental issues: rising temperatures, water shortages, and air pollution.

KARACHI: A man shot dead on Thursday in the metropolis’ Gulshan-e-Iqbal area was killed over honour, it emerged, as the deceased’s brother confirmed to police in a statement Friday night.

Irshad — the victim, according to the initial police investigation — was gunned down in Block 8 of Gulshan-e-Iqbal when he was driving alone. Originally a resident of Parachinar, he had escaped to Karachi after a woman he was in a relationship with was killed back home over honour.

In the southern industrial hub of Pakistan, Irshad had started working a taxi driver. At the time he was targetted and killed, he did not have any passengers.

Police had moved his body to a local hospital for post-mortem, the report of which revealed that he had sustained five gunshot wounds.

Following a day-long search, police were able to track down Irshad’s brother, who recorded his statement with them. He confirmed that the deceased’s lover was murdered in Parachinar a few months ago, following which Irshad escaped to Karachi and started residing here.

The brother also corroborated that Irshad was shot dead on the orders of a panchayat (a group of the village’s governing elders) in his hometown, and in the first information report (FIR) filed there, the woman’s father and relatives have been named as the suspects

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Friday formed a commission to probe the 2014 Army Public School attack.

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar heard the suo motu case of the APS attack.

The commission will be headed by a senior judge of the high court and will submit its report to the top court within six weeks.

Justice Nisar had taken suo motu notice of the case during a trip to Peshawar earlier this year.

In May, the chief justice had ordered formation of a judicial commission on the APS tragedy.

On December 16, 2014, terrorists stormed the army-run school and killed around 150 people, including more than 130 students, in one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in Pakistan’s history.

The incident shook the country and resulted in the formation of a National Action Plan to stem extremism and terrorism from the country, as well as the creation of military courts to try ‘hardcore’ terrorists.

The heinous attack on schoolchildren followed intensification of the military’s campaign against terrorists of all hue and colour, chasing and wiping them out from the country’s urban centres to far-flung rural areas.

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court chief justice on Thursday appointed a monitoring judge to oversee the joint investigation team (JIT) formed to probe into the May 12 carnage.

Justice Salahuddin Panhwar has been appointed to oversee the workings of the JIT probing the carnage.

On September 11, the SHC had ordered the formation of a JIT to probe into the mayhem.

Following the court orders, the Sindh government constituted a JIT on September 28. As per the notification, Karachi Police Chief is the head of the JIT.

The JIT will probe into the various cases regarding the mayhem and apprise the monitoring judge about the progress made after every 15 days.

On May 12, 2007 a major portion of Karachi’s main artery, Shahra-e-Faisal, turned into a battlefield when rival political groups clashed with each other soon after the arrival of the then chief justice of Pakistan. Due to the clashed, the former chief justice did not move ahead from the lounge of the airport and returned to Islamabad without addressing a lawyers’ convention at Sindh High Court.

The thoroughfare was to be used by the procession of the then chief justice, but was made completely inaccessible to commuters as all the intersections were blocked by large containers and trucks.

Addressing a press conference in the consulate here, Honardoost said that CPEC is a game changer and that it is time to priortise regional trade-File Photo

QUETTA: Iranian ambassador Mehdi Honardoost on Thursday said that the country has no objection on any country participating in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Addressing a press conference in the consulate here, Honardoost said that CPEC is a game changer and that it is time to priortise regional trade.

Commenting on relations between the two countries, the ambassador said that Iran wishes to have good relations with Pakistan and that he is positive they will improve even more.

Relations and cooperation in various matters between the two countries is on the right track, Honar doost said, adding that the two countries are on the same page in a lot of matters.

Terrorism has affected both countries, the ambassador added.

The government had in September said that Pakistan has invited Saudi Arabia to be part of CPEC. The statement resulted in criticism and questions from the opposition who asked why they were not taken into confidence over the decision. It also asked whether China’s consent as well as regional concerns were taken into account

However, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry on Tuesday said that Saudi Arabia would not be part of the project.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan leader Farooq Sattar on Wednesday, October 3, 2018, was indicted in a case pertaining to violating the Loudspeaker Act. Photo: File

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Farooq Sattar on Wednesday was indicted in a case pertaining to violating the Loudspeaker Act.

As the judicial magistrate began hearing the case today, Sattar and others were indicted in the case. However, the MQM-P leader pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Summoning witnesses on October 17, the court adjourned the hearing.

Speaking to journalists outside the city court, Sattar demanded that false cases against workers of MQM should be dismissed. “We want our missing workers to be recovered. Our partnership with the government should not be just all words and no action.”

The MQM-P leader also commented on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) plan. “This project is a game changer. China and Pakistan are partners but India is finding ways to disrupt the CPEC project. The Indian army chief’s statement is also a link in the same chain,” he said.

Sattar also claimed that his party was responsible for making the circular railway a part of the CPEC projects.

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Ahmad Hassan and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Shahzad Waseem will face each other in today’s Senate election.

The election on the vacant Senate seat from Punjab will be held today and the provincial election commissioner will perform duties as the presiding officer.

The voting process will take place in the Punjab Assembly from 9am to 4pm.

There are 358 senators of which 185 belong to PTI and its allied parties. The PML-N is expected to get 159 votes of the 162 senators belonging to the party and its allies.

The senate seat fell vacant after Chaudhry Ghulam Sarwar was appointed governor Punjab.