Legal experts, journalists say Toshakhana verdict as per ‘expectations’, deride manner of proceedings

After PTI founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi on Wednesday were sentenced to 14 years in jail in the Toshakhana reference by an accountability court, legal experts and journalists criticised how the trial was carried out, albeit adding that the verdict against the two was “expected” and came as no surprise.

A day earlier, a special court established under the Official Secrets Act had sentenced Imran and foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi to 10 years in prison for leaking state secrets.

Previously, Imran was convicted in a separate Toshakhana case on August 5, 2023, and sentenced to three years’ imprisonment. The Islamabad High Court (IHC) had suspended his sentence, however, a division bench had later rejected Imran’s petition seeking the suspension of the conviction.

Regarding the latest legal axe to fall on the PTI chief, this is what the experts Dawn.com spoke had to say:

Verdict gives impression that a deadline is being met: Basil Nabi Malik

Lawyer Basil Nabi Malik said the “back-to-back convictions … on back-to-back days” were “shocking to those who know not and quite expected for those who claim to know a bit too much.”

He said the verdict, “similar to the case in the cipher matter”, was rushed and gave an impression of “an impending deadline being met”.

Malik said a discussion on the merits of the decision would be premature without reading the detailed verdict itself but a few things were “certain”.

“Firstly, very few will consider this judgment credible, he said. “Secondly, overreliance on procedural straitjackets provides impetus to the opinion that the merits of the case must not have been sufficiently strong.

“Thirdly, any verdict given without affording the accused a fair opportunity to present his defence or cross the prosecution witnesses will always be shrouded in whispers of a kangaroo court proceeding.

“Fourthly, and perhaps most importantly, rather than hurting Imran Khan, this may well politically strengthen him for the upcoming elections,” the lawyer said.

Victimisation turning Imran into mythical character: Shahzeb Jillani

Journalist Shahzeb Jillani said the way the trials against Imran were conducted and their subsequent verdicts made a “mockery of our judicial process”.

He added that “the deep dislike for Imran Khan among state institutions is now well-established. At first, it seemed like they just wanted to cut him down to size. Now, it’s clear that the aim was to demolish his politics completely.

“They think they are punishing him for his transgressions. But the brazen victimisation over the last year or so is turning him into a mythical character in the public imagination as sympathy for him grows — even among people highly critical of his divisive and confrontational politics.”

Judge did not disappoint gossipmongers: Arifa Noor

Anchor and journalist Arifa Noor, too, said the sentence was “expected” after what had transpired a day earlier.

“Yesterday evening, while news channels were commenting on the quick decision in the cipher case, the Toshakhana case was being heard in Adiala Jail and the general perception was that the conviction would come in a similar manner.”

She added that the judge in the Toshakhana case “did not disappoint the gossipmongers or the analysts”.

Toshakhana verdict undermines people’s faith in justice: Rida Hosain

Meanwhile, lawyer Rida Hosain said that just a day ago, Imran and Qureshi were denied the right to be represented by a counsel of their choice and convicted in the cipher case.

She added that the right to cross-examine prosecution witnesses was closed “as per reports” in the Toshakhana reference.

Hosain questioned: “What is the extreme urgency, and why are verdicts being pronounced in complete disregard of fair trial and due process rights?

“The Toshakhana verdict has little to do with the law. It undermines people’s faith in the justice system when the law is weaponised, and fundamental rights are ignored.”

Hosain said that past wrongs could not and should not be used to “legitimise obvious injustice”.

Instance of long, sordid history of political victimisation: Zarrar Khuhro

Journalist Zarrar Khuhro rued that the decision was “unfortunate but also inevitable; unfortunate because it is again an instance of a very long and sordid history of political victimisation and inevitable because we can see a very clear pattern of dwindling the PTI down to nothing”.

He said it was a “concentrated and highly accelerated version of what, to one degree or another” the country’s past elected governments and prime ministers had faced.

“An even more unfortunate part is that we have seen the same thing over the years happen to prime minister after prime minister and we have seen that the opposition at the time celebrates such instances that are collectively a blow to the democracy. It was the same case in the previous government, it is the same now.”

He regretted that no lessons were “really learnt”, adding that as far as today’s sentence went, it was “done so by design”.

“When you make a weak case and leave these kinds of loopholes then these judgements can easily be struck down in the future.

“And that point in the future usually comes when the present government and the present establishment are inevitably at odds and they will be at odds as Pakistan’s entire political history suggests.”

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4 dead, 6 injured in blast at PTI rally in Balochistan’s Sibi

Four people were killed while six were wounded in a bomb blast at a PTI rally in Balochistan’s Sibi on Tuesday, police and health officials said.

The medical superintendent of the District Headquarters Hospital in Sibi, Dr Babar, confirmed the casualties to Dawn.com. The incident comes just nine days before the February 8 general elections.

According to Sibi Station House Officer (SHO) Zakaullah Gujjar, the injured persons were being moved to the Civil Hospital. He said the condition of most of them was critical and expressed fears that the death toll could rise.

Gujjar said security forces reached the blast site immediately after the incident was reported and cordoned off the area. “A bomb disposal squad is collecting evidence from the crime scene,” he added.

Separately, the PTI said the blast occurred at an election rally organised by party-backed candidate Saddam Tareen, who is contesting the upcoming polls from the NA-253 (Ziarat) constituency.

It said three PTI workers were killed and seven were injured in the incident while Tareen remained unhurt.

“We strongly condemn this heartbreaking incident and demand that attention should be given to suppressing terrorists instead of PTI workers,” the party said in a post on social media platform X.

In another statement, the PTI termed the incident a “criminal failure” of the provincial and federal governments.

“A full investigation of the incident should be conducted and the criminal negligence of the supervising governments should also be investigated to bring those responsible to justice,” it said.

The party also questioned why security was not provided to the rally despite a high alert.

Meanwhile, Balochistan Health Secretary Abdullah Khan Noorzai had imposed an emergency at hospitals across Quetta and Sibi, according to a statement issued by the provincial health department.

“Instructions have been issued to Sibi’s medical superintendent to provide the best healthcare facilities to patients. All doctors and staff are instructed to be present on duty immediately,” the statement said.

It added that instructions were issued to increase the security of hospitals to tackle any untoward situation, gather medicines, medical equipment, lab necessities, and ample stock of blood.

ECP takes notice, summons report

In a post on X, the Election Commission of Pakistan said it had taken notice of the incident and summoned a report from Balochistan’s chief secretary and police chief.

Meanwhile, Interim Balochistan Information Minister Jan Achakzai said: “Regardless of the actions of terrorists, the elections will proceed as planned.”

“The rally in Sibi, which was targeted by terrorists, will not discourage the government of Balochistan from conducting the elections,” he maintained.

The caretaker minister said it was “evident” that terrorists aimed to disrupt the election process and its results.

“The resilient people of Balochistan, by the grace of God, will ensure that at least 50 per cent of the population actively participates in the voting process on February 8.

“I would like to express my heartfelt condolences to the three families affected by the tragic blast in Sibi,” Achakzai added.

Uptick in terror incidents

Today’s incident comes as Pakistan has recently witnessed an uptick in terror activities, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

A day earlier, seven militants were killed after security forces thwarted three terror attacks in Mach. According to Achakzai, a clearance operation is underway in the area.

On Sunday, two people were injured in an explosion outside the residence of a PTI-backed candidate. Malik Shah Muhammad Khan remained safe in the attack.

Earlier this month, former MNA Mohsin Dawar survived an armed attack on his convoy in the Tapi area of Miramshah tehsil in KP’s North Waziristan. The attack on Dawar’s convoy occurred during an election rally. The assailants opened fire and subsequently fled.

The same day, JUI-F’s Qari Khairullah also narrowly escaped a roadside bomb in Bajaur.

Last week, caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar constituted a high-level committee to oversee security for the upcoming general elections.

Under the terms of reference (ToRs), the committee will be responsible for overseeing security arrangements for general elections. It will also review and resolve matters regarding administrative arrangements and coordination for smooth conduct of general elections.

According to an annual security report issued by the Centre for Research and Security Studies, Pakistan witnessed 1,524 violence-related fatalities and 1,463 injuries from 789 terror attacks and counter-terror operations in 2023 — marking a record six-year high.

KP and Balochistan were the primary centres of violence, accounting for over 90 per cent of all fatalities and 84pc of attacks, including incidents of terrorism and security forces operations.

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This is a developing story that is being updated as the situation evolves. Initial reports in the media can sometimes be inaccurate. We will strive to ensure timeliness and accuracy by relying on credible sources such as concerned, qualified authorities and our staff reporters.

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Mending fences

FROM exchanging missile strikes two weeks ago to trading compliments, Pakistan and Iran have managed to handle a potentially explosive crisis in a mature fashion.

On Jan 16, Iran had bizarrely launched strikes on Panjgur hitting, what it said, were terrorists affiliated with the Jaish al-Adl outfit. Pakistan said two children died in the incident. Two days later, Pakistan replied to the violation of its sovereignty by striking targets in the Iranian town of Saravan neutralising, as per the state, several Baloch separatists.

But the acrimony seemed a thing of the past as caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani met his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Islamabad on Monday, indicating that the crisis was now behind both states. It is also hoped that as relations improve, the brutal murder of nine Pakistani workers in Saravan on Saturday is fully probed.

Mr Amir-Abdollahian said both countries were “one nation” while observing that “third countries” were aiding militants in the common border area. Meanwhile, Mr Jilani said that a “high-level mechanism” was being established to oversee bilateral cooperation, while adding that liaison officers would be stationed in Turbat and Zahedan.

Indeed, this display of cooperation is a welcome change from the acrimonious exchanges that had threatened to scuttle bilateral ties. Both sides chose to handle the crisis with wisdom, as opposed to jingoistic nationalism. This should serve as a template to manage all future bilateral ties.

While the exchange of pleasantries makes for good optics, both Islamabad and Tehran need to get down to business and address the single biggest irritant that stands in the way of better ties: border security. Both sides have pledged to work for collective security, and these promises should be followed by action to secure their common border.

Whether it is religiously motivated militants working against Iran that allegedly find refuge in Pakistan, or Baloch separatists plotting against Pakistan on Iranian soil, both sides need to address the threats these non-state actors pose through mutual cooperation; under no circumstances should unilateral action be taken, as Iran did a few weeks ago.

The crisis was defused this time, but there is no guarantee that similar rational behaviour will prevail in the future. With regard to the killing of Pakistani workers, those involved in this heinous crime need to be identified and brought to justice, while Tehran should ensure security for all Pakistanis living in or visiting Iran.

A few weeks from now a new administration will take over in Islamabad, and it will be up to the new rulers to build on the points agreed to during the foreign ministers’ meeting. Both sides should also be wary of inimical foreign actors working to destabilise the border areas in the hopes of souring the Pakistan-Iran relationship.

Published in Dawn, January 30th, 2024

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Iran denies links to Jordan drone strike that killed 3 US troops

Iran denied US and British accusations that it supported militant groups behind a drone strike in Jordan that killed three US military personnel, Tehran’s official IRNA news agency reported on Monday.

“These claims are made with specific political goals to reverse the realities of the region,” IRNA quoted foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani as saying.

There has so far been no claim of responsibility for the strike.

US President Joe Biden said on Sunday that “radical Iran-backed militant groups operating in Syria and Iraq” were behind the strike on the frontier base in Jordan’s northeast.

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron reiterated a call for Iran “to de-escalate in the region”.

Kanaani said such statements threatened “regional and international peace and stability”.

US Central Command said 34 personnel were also wounded, eight of whom required evacuation.

US troops operate at the base near Jordan’s border with Iraq and Syria as part of an international coalition against the Islamic State militant group.

The strike marked the first US military losses since Israel began bombarding Gaza following the October 7 attack by Hamas.

The Palestinian group Hamas had launched an attack on October 7 that resulted in about 1,140 deaths, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official figures.

Israel’s subsequent relentless military offensive has killed at least 26,422 people in Gaza, most of them women and children, according to the health ministry in the enclave.

Political pressure builds on Biden to strike Iran

The killing of three US troops is piling political pressure on Biden to deal a blow directly against Iran, a move he’s been reluctant to do out of fear of igniting a broader war.

Biden’s response options could range anywhere from targeting Iranian forces outside to even inside Iran, or opting for a more cautious retaliatory attack solely against militants responsible, experts say.

American forces in the Middle East have been attacked more than 150 times in Iraq, Syria, Jordan and off the coast of Yemen since the Gaza conflict erupted in October.

But until Sunday’s attack on a remote outpost known as Tower 22 near Jordan’s northeastern border with Syria, the strikes had not killed US troops nor wounded so many.

Republicans accused Biden of letting American forces become sitting ducks, waiting for the day when a drone or missile would evade base defenses. They say that day came on Sunday, when a single one-way attack drone struck near base barracks early in the morning.

In response, they say Biden must strike Iran.

“He left our troops as sitting ducks,” said Republican US Senator Tom Cotton.

“The only answer to these attacks must be devastating military retaliation against Iran’s terrorist forces, both in Iran and across the Middle East,” he said.

The Republican who leads the US military oversight committee in the House of Representatives, Representative Mike Rogers, also called for action against Tehran.

“It’s long past time for President Biden to finally hold the terrorist Iranian regime and their extremist proxies accountable for the attacks they’ve carried out,” Rogers said.

Former US president Donald Trump, who hopes to face off against Biden in this year’s presidential election, portrayed the attack as a “consequence of Joe Biden’s weakness and surrender”.

One Democrat openly voiced concern that Biden’s strategy of containing the Israel-Hamas conflict to Gaza was failing.

“As we see now, it is spiraling out of control. It’s beginning to emerge as a regional war, and unfortunately the United States and our troops are in harms way,” Democratic Representative Barbara Lee said, renewing calls for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Democratic Representative Seth Moulton, who served four tours in Iraq as a Marine, urged against Republican calls for war, saying “deterrence is hard; war is worse”.

“To the chicken hawks calling for war with Iran, you’re playing into the enemy’s handsand Id like to see you send your sons and daughters to fight,” Moulton said.

“We must have an effective, strategic response on our terms and our timeline,” he added.

Experts caution that any strikes against Iranian forces inside Iran could force Tehran to respond forcefully, escalating the situation in a way that could drag the United States into a major Middle East war.

Jonathan Lord, director of the Middle East security programme at the Centre for a New American Security, said striking directly inside Iran would raise questions for Tehran about regime survival.

“When you do things overtly you represent a major escalation for the Iranians,” Lord said.

Charles Lister of the Washington-based Middle East Institute said a likely response would be to go after a significant target or high-value militant from groups in Iraq or Syria.

“What happened this morning, was on a totally different level than anything these proxies have done in the past two to three months […] (but) despite all of the calls to do something in Iran, I don’t see this administration taking that bait,” Lister said.

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Bilawal demands ‘place, date’ after Shehbaz quips better to compare Sindh’s state than public debate

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari demanded the “city and date” from PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday after the latter responded to a challenge from the former to hold a public debate by saying it would be better to compare Sindh’s state instead.

Bilawal has criticised the PML-N on the regular during his election trail as the competition heats up with less than two weeks to go to the February 8 general elections. The PPP scion’s digs have prompted responses from the PML-N’s top echelon in return.

A day ago, Bilawal proposed a debate between him and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif anytime before the election date.

“Globally, presidential and prime ministerial candidates participate in televised debates, providing voters with crucial insights into their plans. This transparency is vital for an informed electorate ahead of the voting process,” he had explained.

In an apparent response to the challenge, Shehbaz posted on social media platform X today that it would’ve been better if the “gentlemen” had invited Nawaz to an inspection of Sindh than a debate, adding that it would have solved the matter of both a comparison and a debate.

He echoed the same during an election rally in Rawalpindi.

Responding to his former ally in the Pakistan Democratic Movement-led government, Bilawal demanded the “city and on which date your brother wants to debate”.

The former foreign minister said he was up for both a debate and comparison between the state of development and infrastructure in Sindh and Punjab.

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To find your constituency and location of your polling booth, SMS your NIC number (no spaces) to 8300. Once you know your constituency, visit the ECP website here for candidates.

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India, France agree on joint defence production

India and France have agreed to work together on the joint production of defence equipment including helicopters and submarines for the Indian armed forces and production for friendly countries, New Delhi said.

The deal was reached during a visit by French President Emmanuel Macron, who met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and attended a state banquet hosted by President Draupadi Murmu, the government said in a statement late on Friday.

Macron and Modi agreed to expand bilateral ties in defence production, nuclear energy, space research and the use of artificial intelligence for public services like climate change, health and agriculture, the statement said.

It did not specify the value of any deals.

After Russia, France is the largest arms supplier to India, which has relied on its fighter jets for four decades.

The leaders welcomed the setting up of maintenance, repair and overhaul services by France’s Safran for leading-edge aviation propulsion (LEAP) engines in India and adding such services for Rafale engines, and a helicopter partnership.

The bilateral summit during Macron’s 40-hour visit, was the fifth Macron-Modi meeting since May.

India’s Tata Group and France’s Airbus have signed an agreement to manufacture civilian helicopters together, Indian Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said.

French jet engine maker CFM International also announced an agreement with Indias Akasa Air to buy more than 300 of its LEAP-1B engines to power 150 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.

Akasa Air previously ordered 76 aircraft powered by the engine, of which 22 are in use.

India and France agreed to intensify cooperation in the southwest Indian Ocean, building on joint surveillance missions carried out from the French island territory of La Reunion in 2020 and 2022, the government statement said.

Macron also said France would create conditions to attract up to 30,000 Indian students a year for higher education.

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Bilawal — from Bhutto’s scion to a shrewd political operator

Born in 1988, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has been active in politics for over a decade but is yet to follow the footsteps of his mother Benazir Bhutto and grandfather Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, and become the prime minister.

The Bhutto-Zardari scion spent most of his childhood outside Pakistan, shuttling between London and Dubai, after Benazir went into self-exile in 1999. In 2007, he joined the Christ Church College at Oxford to study modern history and politics. Tragedy struck that same year after his mother was assassinated weeks before the elections.

Days later, Bilawal added Bhutto to his surname and was made the PPP chairperson. However, since he was still studying, his father Asif Ali Zardari became co-chairperson so he could manage the party’s affairs till Bilawal’s graduation.

Following his graduation in 2010, Bilawal entered politics, making his political debut in December 2012 on the fifth anniversary of his mother’s killing with an emotionally charged speech.

Bilawal contested elections for the first time in 2018 and became a member of the National Assembly. He also led the party’s election campaigns in Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir in 2020 and 2021, respectively. In 2022, the PPP chairperson led a long march from Karachi to Islamabad against the then PTI government.

After the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) — a coalition of opposition parties — ousted then-prime minister Imran Khan in April 2021 with a successful no-confidence vote, Bilawal was appointed foreign minister — the country’s youngest — in the newly formed cabinet led by former fierce rival Shehbaz Sharif.

During his tenure, he went on several tours, from Moscow to Japan to the United States, in a bid to forge stronger ties. However, there were two events during his 2.5-year-long stint that earned him a lot of acclaim, and both were linked to India.

At a news conference inside the United Nations in Dec 2022, Bilawal had described Modi as “the butcher of Gujarat,” questioning why instead of being punished for the 2002 massacre of over 2,000 Muslims in Gujarat, he was made the prime minister of India.

His statement was in response to his Indian counterpart S. Jaishankar’s remarks who had called Pakistan “the host of Osama bin Laden” and the “perpetrator of terrorism”. While the comments were heavily criticised in India — where protests were staged — they were widely praised back home.

A few months later, Bilawal became the first Pakistani foreign minister to visit India in a decade. The trip, according to the PPP chairman, had succeeded in “countering the false narrative” of the Modi government that every Muslim was a terror suspect.

Bilawal has also time and again called for an end to what he calls “traditional politics”. During his farewell speech on the floor of the outgoing National Assembly, the PPP chairman had implored his own father, Asif Ali Zardari, as well as PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif to make decisions that would make politics easier for the younger generation, which he said was losing hope in the country’s future.

However, last year, Zardari said Bilawal was “not fully trained” in politics and would “take time” to get up to speed. Despite the former president’s statement, the PPP approved Bilawal’s nomination as its candidate for prime minister on January 3.

Key stances:

• Bilawal calls himself a strong proponent of democracy and has repeatedly stressed that only democracy can solve the people’s problems.

• He has also stated that the PPP is a “pro-poor” party and announced plans for doubling salaries and expanding housing and health services if elected.

• Bilawal has emphasised that stronger ties with other countries are essential to fixing domestic issues.

• He has been vocal about increasing the role of youth in the country’s politics, urging veteran politicians to quit and make decisions that will make things easier for the next generation, including him and Maryam.

• He has also vowed to “end politics of revenge”.

• He has insisted that political parties should seek an impartial establishment and judiciary.

• The PPP chairperson has said his party will establish a South Punjab province if voted into power.

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Header artwork by Abdul Sattar Abbasi

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Afghan-Pakistan Torkham border crossing reopens after 10 days

The Pakistan-Afghanistan Torkham border, which was shut for 10 days due to the imposition of visa restrictions on truck drivers by Islamabad, was reopened on Tuesday, state-run Radio Pakistan reported.

The crossing was closed on January 13 after Pakistani officials at the crossing began asking for passports and visas from Afghan drivers under a new policy, prompting a reciprocal ban on Pakistani truckers by the Afghan Taliban authorities.

The border closure had come in the wake of Pakistan’s decision to start expelling more than a million undocumented foreigners, mostly Afghans, on Nov 1, amid a row over accusations that Kabul harbours militants that launch cross-border attacks.

Islamabad claimed that Afghan authorities had been conveyed the message on the imposition of the visa policy several times, but Kabul had failed to take any practical steps to adhere to international border crossing rules.

According to traders, the border closure resulted in significant economic losses for people in both countries, with daily losses estimated at around $100,000.

This was not the first time that Torkham was shut. The border crossing has been closed several times in recent months, including in September when it remained shut for nine days due to clashes between border forces.

In a report today, Radio Pakistan said the border crossing was reopened for “commercial consignments”. The decision was taken in a meeting between the Afghan consul general and Pakistani authorities in Peshawar.

Quoting Customs authorities, it said the first cargo vehicle had entered Pakistan through the Torkham while Afghan drivers of commercial vehicles had been given visa and passport relaxations till March 31.

“No cargo vehicle will be allowed entry into Pakistan without travelling documents from April 1,” Radio Pakistan added.

Separately, in a post on social media platform X, the JUI-F said the decision to relax visa requirements was taken on the request of Maulana Fazlur Rehman — who recently visited Kabul and discussed a range of issues, including bilateral trade, with the Afghan government.

Significant losses

Business leaders from both nations were united in opposing the border closures. Khan Jan Alokozai, the vice president of the Afghan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, earlier told Dawn that Pakistani and Afghan traders suffer losses of about $100,000 daily due to Torkham’s closure.

He alleged that Pakistan usually closes trade routes due to political reservations. “Afghans have almost stopped transit via Pakistan when Pakistan issued a new SRO (statutory regulatory order) nearly four months ago,” Alokozai added.

Meanwhile, Ziaul Haq Sardahi, coordinator of the Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI), said Pakistani exporters had urged the government to give Afghan drivers more time to get passports.

“Traders in both countries suffer millions of rupees of losses due to the closure of the Torkham border,” Sarhadi said, adding that several other crossings to Afghanistan also remain closed, including Chaman in Balochistan, Ghulam Khan Kelay in North Waziristan, Angoor Adda in South Waziristan, and Kharlachi in Kurram district.

Some 2,000 to 2,500 trucks on each side of the border remain stranded, he said, adding that the disruption has also affected Pakistan’s trade with Central Asia.

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Baloch protesters call off sit-in outside Islamabad’s National Press Club

Baloch protesters, who had been camped outside Islamabad’s National Press Club (NPC) since December, called off their sit-in on Tuesday.

The announcement came a day after the NPC penned a letter to the Islamabad police requesting the removal of the Baloch rights camp. The NPC’s request was later withdrawn following severe criticism from all quarters, including journalists.

The protesters had been demonstrating in a sit-in organised in front of the NPC by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) against enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings.

The camp was established on December 22 and had persisted despite harsh weather. Further, organisers of the Islamabad sit-in had also accused police of harassing their supporters and profiling them as well as registering first information reports against them.

In the letter to the Islamabad police, the NPC had requested that a plan be drawn up to relocate the protesters to a different location so “the difficulties for the press club and all residents and the business community can be reduced”.

The letter said that the press club’s sole means of income were press conferences and seminars held at its premises. It said the sit-in and its related issues such as security requirements were impeding not only the club’s members but also the holding of its events, as well as the local business community and residents.

Responding to the letter, Dr Mahrang Baloch, one of the protest organisers, had expressed dismay and said the journalist and media community “have an obligation to stand with people whose voices are neglected”.

Addressing a late-night press conference, she had also said demonstrators were “under severe pressure to vacate the camp”.

“We are being harassed and threatened, with police circulating false information and journalists being stopped from visiting us. We are told there is a possible threat around the press club area,” she had said.

In a press conference today, Mahrang termed the letter by the NPC a “stain” on the profession of journalism.

“We will take back the message of hate we received. We will remember everything that has happened with us,” she asserted, adding that the protesters would head back to Balochistan tomorrow.

“We are not against the state, the state is against us,” she said, adding that Baloch protesters had been trying to communicate with the authorities to find a solution to the issue of missing persons.

“It is a shame that despite election campaigns being under way, no political party has spoken about the issue of missing persons,” she said.

Earlier today, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said that it stood in solidarity with the Baloch camp that “has faced persistent harassment from local law enforcement as well as dismissal from government authorities”.

It also said it was “deeply concerned” by efforts to uproot the camp.

“The validity of the Baloch protestors’ demands cannot continue to be ignored, and must be heeded with the legitimacy it deserves, not with undue force or defamation,” the commission said.

NPC says letter ‘taken out of context’

Separately, the NPC clarified that its request regarding the removal of the Baloch protest camp was “taken out of context” and “viewed with suspicion”.

In a fresh statement today, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, the NPC said it had always given a platform to Baloch protesters and yesterday’s letter did not have intentions to hurt anyone or “take a particular stance”. Rather, it had called for the safety of the demonstrators, it claimed.

“The request came in light of present security concerns (which include threats of attacks) and took into consideration the safety and well-being of the journalist community,” the NPC stated.

It said the letter addressed to the Islamabad police yesterday was withdrawn owing to a “misunderstanding”. The NPC alleged that certain people operating “with an agenda” were trying to create a rift between the club and Baloch protesters.

It concluded that the NPC had always accommodated various groups and would continue providing a platform to those who needed it.

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PTI set to retain ‘sizeable presence’ in next Senate

Irfan Khan

• Unless it gets ‘bat’ symbol back in time, PTI may be unable to add to its tally when polls are held for upper house
• Over half of PPP, PML-N lawmakers due to retire on March 11
• Incoming Senate will have 96, not 100 members, as ex-Fata areas lose their seats

THE Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), which is facing a tough time in the run up to the general elections scheduled for February 8, looks set to retain a significant presence in the Senate until 2027.

On the other hand, term-wise data of senators suggests that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) stand to lose a large chunk of their members — 69 per cent and 57 per cent, respectively — as they retire on March 11 after completing their terms.

But depending on how they fare in the upcoming polls, both PML-N and PPP would definitely be able to add to their tally when March rolls around. The PTI, however, will be at a definite disadvantage, given that its candidates will enter the assembly as ‘independents’.

Then, even if the party of Imran Khan is able to satisfy the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in time by holding intra-party elections that conform to ECP standards, it would require the complete loyalty of all independent lawmakers in all five legislatures to ensure that its candidates get the required number of votes for elevation to the Senate.

Once the general elections are done with, the president and the provincial governors will have to summon the inaugural sessions of their respective assemblies as soon as possible to enable the newly-elected lawmakers to vote for the Senate polls, which are due in the first week of March.

As soon as the upper house becomes fully functional, all the legislatures will then be required to vote for the country’s president, as incumbent Dr Arif Alvi is already on borrowed time, his term having expired on Sept 9 last year.

‘House of the Federation’

Up until now, the total strength of the Senate has been 100, including 23 members each from the four federating units, and four each from erstwhile Fata and Islamabad.

The 23 seats allocated to a province comprise 14 general seats, four reserved for women, four for technocrats and one for a minority member.

This time around, though, only 96 members will grace the chamber as the representation of the erstwhile tribal areas will end, following their merger with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under the

25th Constitutional Am­­­e­­n­dment. This means that the upcoming elections to the Senate will elect 48 new senators — 11 each from all the four provinces on general and technocrats seats, two from Islamabad and two minority members from Punjab and Sindh.

At present, the house has 97 members, due to the death of PML-N’s Rana Maqbool Ahmed, and the resignations of PTI’s Shaukat Tarin and Anwaarul Haq Kakar of the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) after assuming the office of the caretaker prime minister.

The term of a senator is six years, but half of them retire every three years, and elections are held for new members.

Elections to fill the seats allocated to each province are held in accordance with the system of proportional representation, by means of the single transferable vote, and members of each provincial assembly elect their respective representatives, whereas members of the National Assembly vote to elect senators from Islamabad. The 12 MNAs from erstwhile Fata used to vote for the four senators from their areas.

This is why the outcome of Senate elections always hinged on party positions in the four provincial assemblies, as well as the National Assembly.

In the past, it was always easy to predict the results of the Senate polls after looking at party positions in the provinces. However, this time around, the Senate’s possible future complexion will only become clear after the Feb 8 general elections.

Who is retiring?

The data shows that out of the 49 members retiring in March from the current 97-member upper house, only seven belong to the PTI.

Presently, the PTI is the single largest party in the Senate with 24 senators, which means it will continue to maintain a significant presence in the upper house with at least 17 senators staying on till March 2027.

The seven retiring PTI members include Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Dr Shahzad Waseem, former minister Azam Swati, Faisal Javed and Walid Iqbal, who is chairman of the Senate Committee on Human Rights.

The party, which first entered the Senate in 2015, became the single largest party in the upper house in March 2021 due to its numerical strength in the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies.

In addition, this year will see 12 out of 21 PPP senators and 11 out of 16 PML-N lawmakers retiring on March 11.

Raza Rabbani, Moula Bux Chandio, Bahramand Tangi, Rukhsana Zuberi, Quratulain Marri and Waqar Mehdi are among the PPP senators who will be completing their six-year term in March.

Leader of the House and former finance minister Ishaq Dar, Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Musadik Malik, Kamran Michael and Nuzhat Sadiq are prominent among the PML-N senators who will retire at the same time.

A total of five members from BAP are also retiring, including incumbent Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani.

Then there are two senators each from the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) and National Party (NP) whose term will end on March 11. The NP presently has only two senators — Tahir Bizenjo and Muhammad Akram.

Former law minister Farogh Naseem is the only senator from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) to complete his term, whereas two senators — Faisal Sabzwari and Khalida Ateeb — will continue until 2027.

The Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), PML-Functional and Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) have one senator each at the moment, all three of whom are set to retire in March.

All six independent senators in the present house are also set to retire in March. These independents are Deputy Senate Chairman Mirza Muhammad Afridi, Dilawar Khan, Hidayatullah, Hilalur Rehman, Naseebullah Bazai and Shamim Afridi.

Others retiring on March 11, 2024 include Dr Asif Kirmani, Hafiz Abdul Karim, Asad Junejo, Rana Mehmoodul Hassan, Shaheen Khalid Butt and Sabir Shah of the PML-N; Anwar Lal Dean (Minority Sindh), Keshoo Bai, Khalida Sikandar Mandhro, Rubina Khalid and Ali Shah Jamot of the PPP; Dr Mehr Taj Roghani, Seemee Ezdee and Fida Muhammad of the PTI; Moulvi Faiz Muhammad and Talha Mehmood of the JUI-F; Abida Azeem, Ahmed Khan, Kauda Babar and Sana Jamali of BAP; Muzaffar Hussain Shah (PML-F); Sardar Shafiq Tareen (PkMAP); Mushtaq Ahmed (JI).

Published in Dawn, January 22nd, 2024

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