Day: June 26, 2021

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Government and allies MPAs’ cooperation was ideal in budget approval, grateful to Speaker Parvez Elahi for running House appreciably: CM Usman Buzdar

Lahore, June 26, 2021 (PPI-OT):Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar called on Speaker Punjab Assembly Chaudhry Parvez Elahi in his Chamber here today (Friday). Provincial Law Minister Mohammad Basharat Raja, Secretary Punjab Assembly Mohammad Bhatti and Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Tahir Khurshid were also present during the meeting. In the meeting satisfaction was expressed over completion of the process of approval of next financial year in an appreciable manner.

 

Praising the role of Speaker Ch Parvez Elahi in running the House smoothly and appreciably, Chief Minister Usman Buzdar said that you conducted the House according to the parliamentary traditions on which I thought it proper to come and thank you in your chamber. He said that the government and allies MPAs cooperation in budget approval was ideal, presented people’s friendly budget and MPAs took full interest in its approval. He said that Punjab has embarked upon a path of progress; the previous government had left Punjab in problems and difficulties, now we are taking the province towards prosperity along with the allies.

 

Speaker Punjab Assembly Ch Parvez Elahi said that the House of the Assembly is the centre of hopes of the people, elected representatives can only be victorious before the people by focusing on the people’s problems, and was successful in running the House appreciably only with the cooperation of all MPAs.

 

For more information, contact:

Mediacell, Pakistan Muslim League

30-C, Chaudhry Zahoor Elahi Road,

Gulberg-II, Lahore, Pakistan

Tel: +92-42-35878428

Fax: +92-42-35877329

Website: www.pmlmediacell.com

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Balochistan Assembly passes Finance Bill, approves 102 demands for grants

Islamabad, June 26, 2021 (PPI-OT):The Provincial Assembly of Balochistan passed the Finance Bill, 2021 and approved 102 demands for grants of various ministries and departments, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet on Friday.

 

Following are key observations of the House proceedings during sixth sitting of the budget (40th) session:

 

Members’ Participation

 

The House met for an hour and 10 minutes.

 

The sitting started at 05:17 pm against the scheduled time of 03:00 pm.

 

The speaker presided over the entire sitting.

 

The deputy speaker was also present.

 

The leader of the House (Chief Minister) attended the entire sitting.

 

The opposition leader was not present.

 

As many as 17 MPAs (26 percent) were present at the outset and 21 (32 percent) at the adjournment of the sitting.

 

The parliamentary leaders of BNP-A, ANP, JWP and HDP attended the proceedings.

 

As many as one out of three minority lawmakers was present.

 

Output

 

The House passed the Balochistan Finance Bill, 2021 and approved 102 demands for grants related to various ministries and departments.

 

Order and Institutionalization

 

All opposition members remained absent from the proceedings of the House.

 

The House was adjourned to meet again on Saturday, June 26, 2021 at 11:00 am.

 

Transparency

 

‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and others.

 

The attendance of lawmakers was not available to the observers and media.

 

For more information, contact:

Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN)

FAFEN Representative

FAFEN Secretariat 224, Margalla Road F-10/3 – Islamabad

Tel: +92-51-2211026

Fax: +92-51-2211047

Cell: +92-321-5017355, +92-301-8549188

Email: media@fafen.org

URL: www.fafen.org

 

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PAK – Tripartite Commission Invitation Places for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 in Weightlifting 

Lahore, June 26, 2021 (PPI-OT):Accepting the request of NOC Pakistan, the International Olympic Committee has confirmed that the Olympic Games Tripartite Commission has finalized the Invitation Places in collaboration with International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) and Mr. Talha Talib has succeeded to secure the Invitation place in -67kg in Weightlifting for Tokyo 2020. It is the first time that he will be participating in the Olympic Games representing Pakistan. Mr. Talha Talib has clinched Medals in Commonwealth (Bronze), South Asian Games (Gold) and International Solidarity Weightlifting Championship (Gold) for Pakistan.

 

Lt Gen (R) Syed Arif Hasan, President POA has congratulated Mr. Talha Talib for securing Olympic berth for the first time. President POA paid tribute to the Pakistan Weightlifting Federation and his parents for their efforts and support to Mr. Talha Talib for this milestone. It indeed is a great honour for the athlete to be part of an Olympic Games and amongst the finest athletes of the world showcasing their performance. With his inclusion, Pakistani athletes have so far earned participation in Athletics, Badminton, Judo, Shooting, Swimming and Weightlifting events for Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

 

For more information, contact:

Pakistan Olympic Association

Olympic House, 2-Hameed Nizami (Temple) Road,

Lahore, Pakistan

Postal Code: 54000

Phone: +92-42-36280002, +92-42-36373753

Email: info@nocpakistan.org

Website: https://nocpakistan.org/

 

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IIUI holds meeting of BOG

Islamabad, June 26, 2021 (PPI-OT):The 88th meeting of the Board of Governors (BoG) of International Islamic University, Islamabad (IIUI) was held here at Faisal Masjid campus of the university. The meeting was chaired by Dr. Masoom Yasinzai, Rector IIUI and Chairman Board of Governors of University. It was also attended by Vice Chairman BoG and President IIUI Dr. Hathal Homoud Alotaibi and the board members. The board appreciated the actions of the university in response to the unfortunate happening occurred at campus.

 

It was agreed that strict action shall be taken against the negative elements who defame the university. The board decided that actions shall also be taken against officials who bypass the hierarchy. The board also approved the social media usage policy implies any employee, student or the outsider found involved in defaming the university shall be dealt through university rules, Students Discipline Committee and Courts of law accordingly.

 

For more information, contact:

Public Relations,

International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI)

Room No.118, Admin Block, New Campus,

H-10 Sector, Islamabad, Pakistan

Tel: +92-51-9019249

Fax: +92-51-9257909

Email: iiuipublicrelations@iiu.edu.pk

Website: www.iiu.edu.pk

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GB status quo continued in 2020

Gilgit, June 26, 2021 (PPI-OT):The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP)’s annual report on the state of human rights in 2020 notes with concern that, despite the long-standing demand that Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) be made a constitutional part of Pakistan, the territory remained a de facto administrative unit, its citizens deprived of the right to political representation in the National Assembly and Senate of Pakistan and other policymaking institutions. Additionally, GB’s judicial system remained under the control of the executive pillar of the state and appointments continued to be made on a political basis.

 

In common with the rest of Pakistan, GB struggled to counter the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak in 2020, which led to job losses for daily-wage labourers, caused education at all levels to come to a standstill, and put severe strain on the healthcare system.

 

A key development in 2020 was the joint sit-in in Hunza by the families of political prisoners and the Asiran-e-Hunza Rehayee Committee in October, following which the caretaker government and leaders of the committee agreed that the political prisoners would be released on bail. Subsequently, all the prisoners in question – including the incarcerated leader of the Awami Workers Party (AWP), Baba Jan were released.

 

Regrettably, the misuse of anti-terrorism laws – a trend observed consistently by HRCP over the years continued in 2020, with youth, rights activists, journalists, political workers, and nationalists monitored regularly under Schedule Four of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997. Rights activists continued to allege that Schedule Four was being used to stifle political dissent during the year. In one notable case, Irfan Haider John, a nationalist political worker, was warned by the local administration to curtail his social media and political activities after he had hosted Mohsin Dawar – a leader of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement and member of the National Assembly. HRCP’s report also notes that instances in which local journalists were threatened or intimidated by state or non-state actors appeared to have increased in 2020.

 

Elections for the GB Legislative Assembly were held on 15 November. Although the polling process was largely peaceful and orderly, HRCP was concerned to learn that independent election observers – including its own team of observers in four cases—were not allowed into polling stations in the city of Gilgit during the vote counting process. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf formed the new provincial government in GB. HRCP’s report notes, however, that the absence of local bodies since the last elections in 2009 has scuttled the emergence of leadership at the grassroots level, explaining why the election for the GB Legislative Assembly in 2020 witnessed a large number of candidates.

 

For more information, contact:

Chairperson

Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP)

Aiwan-i-Jamhoor, 107-Tipu Block,

New Garden Town, Lahore-54600

Tel: +92-42-35864994

Fax: +92-42-35883582

Email: hrcp@hrcp-web.org

Website: www.hrcp-web.org

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Punjab Assembly passes Finance Bill, 2021

Islamabad, June 26, 2021 (PPI-OT):The Punjab Assembly passed the Punjab Finance Bill 2021 and referred another government bill to relevant committee for consideration, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) on Friday.

 

Following are key observations of the House proceedings during the ninth sitting of the 33rd session:

 

Members’ Participation

 

The House met for 20 minutes.

 

The sitting started at 03:58 pm against the scheduled time of 02:00 pm.

 

The speaker presided over the entire sitting.

 

The deputy speaker was not present.

 

The leader of the House (Chief Minister) attended the sitting for 14 minutes.

 

The opposition leader was not present.

 

As many as 39 MPAs (11 percent) were present at the outset and 247 (67 percent) at the adjournment of the sitting.

 

The parliamentary leader of PRHP attended the proceedings.

 

As many as four out of eight minority lawmakers attended the sitting.

 

Output

 

Moved by the Provincial Minister for Finance, the House passed the Punjab Finance Bill 2021. He also laid the Schedule of Authorized Expenditure for the year 2021-2022.

 

The House witnessed introduction of the Ghazi National Institute of Engineering and Sciences, Dera Ghazi Khan Bill 2021 which was referred to the relevant committee for deliberation.

 

Order and Institutionalization

 

The House was adjourned to meet again on Monday, June 28, 2021 at 02:00 pm.

 

Transparency

 

‘Orders of the Day’ was available on Assembly’s website.

 

Information on Members’ attendance is available on Assembly’s website.

 

For more information, contact:

Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN)

FAFEN Representative

FAFEN Secretariat 224, Margalla Road F-10/3 – Islamabad

Tel: +92-51-2211026

Fax: +92-51-2211047

Cell: +92-321-5017355, +92-301-8549188

Email: media@fafen.org

URL: www.fafen.org