Asif Ali Zardari elected for second term as the 14th President of Pakistan [Updated Post #11]

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President gives assent to four bills

President Asif Ali Zardari has signed into law four bills aimed at ending government patronage for several state institutions, paving way for greater autonomy.

Zardari approved the Pakistan Postal Services Management Board Amendment Bill 2024, which will reform the governance of the postal services. He signed the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation Amendment Bill 2024, ensuring similar reforms for national shipping entity.

The president also ratified amendments for the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation and the NHA, under the 2024 amendment bills, respectively.

EXPRESS TRIBUNE

 

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President Zardari for raising law enforcement capacity to counter terrorism

President Asif Ali Zardari has called for enhancing the capacity of the law enforcement agencies (LEAs), posting competent officers in Balochistan, and improving the prosecution mechanism to effectively counter terrorist elements in the province.

The president expressed these views while chairing a meeting on the security and law and order situation in Balochistan on Thursday.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti, MNA Malik Shah Gorgaij, Home Minister Ziaullah Langove, MPA Maulana Hidayatur Rehman and senior civil and military officials attended the meeting.

President Zardari was briefed about the overall security situation of the province as well as the role of LEAs in countering terrorist attacks in various districts.

The meeting was informed that the initiatives taken by LEAs had resulted in improved the security situation in the province.

The president appreciated efforts of the provincial government as well as the sacrifices of LEAs in combatting terrorism.

Speaking on the occasion, the president said that the prosecution system needed to be improved so that terrorists could not escape justice.

He said that compensation for the families of martyrs of LEAs should be enhanced bringing it on a par with the rest of the provinces.

Mr Zardari said that competent and brave police officials needed to be posted in the province as it would help improve law and order situation of the province.

He also called for taking effective measures to ensure safety and security of Zaireen.

Underlining the need to improve the socio-economic condition of Balochistan, the president called for focusing on the skill development of its people and producing more skilled professionals.

Mr Zardari also called for promoting the fishing industry of Balochistan by providing financing and equipment to local fishermen, apart from promoting sustainable fishing practices and checking the production of illegal fishing nets.

During the meeting, the president said that political dialogue was the way forward to bring prosperity, development and peace to Balochistan.

Balochistan chief minister thanked the president for visiting Gwadar, saying that it would give the people of Balochistan a sense of ownership as well as strengthen the resolve of law-enforcement agencies to eliminate terrorism.

He underlined the importance of equipping the people residing in border areas of Balochistan with marketable skills to help them find employment in the country and abroad.

He highlighted that all stakeholders needed to make collective efforts to stamp out terrorism, besides evolving a national consensus for the development of Balochistan.

The meeting stressed the need for completing the Kachhi Canal project to fulfil the food requirements of the province.

DAWN

 

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President Zardari ‘apprehensive’ of agricultural tax

President Asif Ali Zardari has called for adopting a holistic approach and prudent financial policies to put the country on the path of development.

Speaking at a seminar here on Tuesday, the president said the government was planning to tax agricultural income as per the International Monetary Fund’s conditions, but the provincial governments would be leading the initiative to tax large land-holding farmers in accordance with their profitability and expenditures.

The president said that agro-farm and agro-industry were the future and big landowners would have to be taxed.

Referring to his repeated media trial, he said that he did not watch TV but knew that the amount of criticism pointed at him in the electronic media had never been given to anyone else.

“I consider this backbiting as a source of reward (in the hereafter) for myself,” he said.

He said he supported freedom of the press but not the freedom for any agenda by forming a group.

He also said the world’s strong lobby wants to create a perception on its own behalf to create division in the Muslim world.

Mr Zardari said that today is the era of social media and everything can be exposed to the world through social media as it had given power to the people by amplifying their voices, but recent years had also witnessed a grouping in the media.

He said that societies needed to be careful against agenda-driven information.

DAWN

 

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President Zardari vows to eliminate terrorism following Bannu attack​

President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the terrorist attack on Bannu Cantonment and honoured the bravery of the soldiers who thwarted the assault.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, President Zardari paid tribute to the eight soldiers who were martyred in the attack, recognising their swift action that prevented greater loss. He expressed pride in the nation's security forces, acknowledging their sacrifice and commitment to protecting the country.

The president reiterated the nation's determination to eliminate those involved in such heinous acts, offering prayers for the martyrs and seeking patience for their grieving families.

The Bannu Cantonment attack occurred early this week when ten terrorists targeted the facility. According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the attackers detonated an explosive-laden vehicle against the perimeter wall, causing significant damage and resulting in the deaths of eight soldiers.

The fallen heroes included Naib Subedar Muhammad Shehzad, Havildar Zil-e-Hussain, Havildar Shahzad Ahmed, Sepoy Ashfaq Hussain Khan, Sepoy Sobhan Majeed, Sepoy Imtiaz Khan, Sepoy Arsalan Aslam of the Pakistan Army, and Lance Naik Sabz Ali of the Frontier Constabulary.

ISPR reported that Pakistani troops effectively engaged the terrorists, killing all ten assailants during the operation. The timely response by the security forces averted a major catastrophe, saving many lives. The attack was attributed to the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, operating from Afghanistan.

Pakistan has consistently urged the Afghan government to prevent the use of its soil for terrorist activities against Pakistan. The incident comes amid an increase in terrorist activities in Pakistan, particularly in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, following the end of a ceasefire between the government and the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan in November 2022.

President Zardari vows to eliminate terrorism following Bannu attack | The Express Tribune

He expressed pride in the security forces, acknowledging their sacrifice and commitment to protecting the country

tribune.com.pk

 

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Zardari wants efforts stepped up to eradicate workplace harassment

President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday directed Federal Ombudsperson Fauzia Viqar to expedite efforts to eradicate harassment of women in workplace and ensure security of their rights.

He expressed these views during a meeting with the federal ombudsperson at the Aiwan-i-Sadr.

The president lauded the hard work of Federal Ombudsperson Secretariat for Protection against Harassment (FOSPAH) and its role in women’s development. He said it was time to eliminate harassment and ensure proper property rights for women.

Ms Viqar also presented an annual report for the year 2022-23 to the president that was prepared by FOSPAH.

“FOSPAH must increase its awareness campaign so that the maximum number of people can get relief,” Mr Zardari said. He assured the ombudsperson of his support to the secretariat’s cause.

DAWN

 

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They are capitalizing on this chaos

https://twitter.com/x/status/1817201127235948927

 

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President seeks solution to energy costs, capacity payments to IPPs​

President Asif Ali Zardari called on Thursday for finding a win-win solution to address not only the issue of rising energy costs but of paying capacity charges to the Independent Power Producers (IPPs), conveying he was aware of the problems being faced by people and the business community due to the current energy crisis.

Subsequently, the president proposed that the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) should form a committee and work with the President’s Office to develop a viable solution to the issue of paying capacity charges to the IPPs.

The president gave these remarks while talking to a delegation of FPCCI comprising businessmen and office-bearers of 40 regional business associations, led by former interim commerce minister, Dr Gohar Ejaz, at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Thursday.

While talking to the delegation, President Zardari said that the President’s Office would collaborate with a smaller committee from the business community to find a win-win solution for the government, the people, the business community and IPPs.

President Zardari urged for evolving a consensus solution so that none of stakeholders lose out. An official statement issued after the meeting said that President Zardari was aware of the problems being faced by Pakistani businesses, saying they were in a “triple-whammy” due to high input, energy, and fuel costs.

The statement said that Dr Gohar Ejaz highlighted that rising energy costs were overburdening the people, industry, agriculture and exports sector, emphasising the need for reforming the energy sector to bring down energy prices.

Dr Ejaz requested the president to intervene in the matter and play his role in resolving the issues faced by Pakistan’s industries and businesses due to high electricity prices. The president assured the delegation of his support in coming up with a solution to their problems and taking up the matter with relevant quarters.

The president’s intervention and suggestion has come on the heels of former policy makers, renowned experts and industrialists recommending a series of steps, including parliamentary legislation, slashing taxes and ordering forensic audit of IPPs in a bid to reduce inflated power bills and to avoid further economic chaos triggered by the energy crises.

The experts while taking part in the Grand Debate on Energy Crisis recently held at Express News had warned that further delaying the matter could lead to a situation where system would fall of its own weight.

Currently, the power tariff has almost reached to Rs70 per unit, including capacity payment of Rs24 per unit, leading to mounting discontent over skyrocketing electricity bills couple with runaway inflation.

Since August 2023, nationwide protests and fervent outcry over soaring electricity costs have been taking place in the midst of broader political, economic and constitutional uncertainties. Lately, the discussions on exuberant power tariffs have dominated the social media platforms as well where people are pouring their heart out and urging the rulers to find solutions.

Shocking as it may seem, according to the Private Power Infrastructure Board, Pakistan’s peak demand is roughly 25,000 MW and its generation capacity is about 42,000 MW. Since demand is less than the supply, the government has to pay excess payments to the IPPs. In addition, consumers are burdened with capacity charges because of the transmission and higher loss on theft, among other things.

During the debate, PML-N’s former federal minister for energy Khurram Dastgir had pointed out that the power demand is roughly 12,000 MW in winters while, in summer, it reaches to 32,000 MW, saying capacity payments were needed to fill the gap. “If the parliament scrutinises then chances are that some solution can be found to deal with those contracts,” Dastgir had suggested.

Similarly, Yonus Dagha, former secretary power, had suggested that 15 to 20 per cent decrease can be seen in electricity bills if the government forgoes that Rs25billion, with the consent of IMF.

Ex-SAPM on CPEC Affairs Khalid Mansoor while referring to a report of NEPRA issued in July 2023 said that 45 per cent of capacity payment goes to government-run power plants followed by 40 per cent to plants established under CPEC and 15 per cent to private IPPs, totaling a capacity payment of Rs1.954 trillion, “half of which goes to government of Pakistan.”

Suggesting a solution, Mansoor had said that electricity theft causes a loss of just over 6.4 per cent and translates into an impact of Rs3 per unit while the transmission and distribution losses cause an impact of 17 per cent and translates into Rs7 per unit, saying Rs11 relief can be provided by just handling these two things.

Arshad Abbasi, an energy expert, had revealed that that idle capacity payment was increased from 60 per cent to 85 per cent via the 2015 energy policy, which was being criticised now. Commenting on the flaws in different policies, Abbasi said that the planning commission, bureaucracy and NEPRA needed to learn from past’s mistakes but it seems they haven’t.

President seeks solution to energy costs, capacity payments to IPPs | The Express Tribune

Zardari proposes that FPCCI should form a committee and work with his office to develop a viable solution to IPPs issue

tribune.com.pk

 

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President Zardari signs election amendment bill banning party-switching by independents​

President Asif Ali Zardari has signed the Election Act Amendment Bill 2024, which prohibits independent lawmakers from switching parties.

The bill was passed by a majority vote in both the National Assembly and the Senate, officially making it part of the Election Act.

Sources indicate that the gazette notification is anticipated to be issued today.

However, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) yesterday challenged the bill in the Supreme Court, naming the federal government and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) as respondents, requesting it be declared null and void.

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan submitted the petition to the top court under Article 184(3) that argues that the bill, which was approved by a majority vote despite strong protests and objections from opposition parties, is "unconstitutional and illegal".

"The instant petition seeks to challenge, therefore, subversion of the democratic process made by the Impugned Act and is, therefore, a petition that raises questions of immense public importance with reference to the enforcement of the fundamental rights, conferred by the Constitution, in particular the rights guaranteed by Article 17," read the petition.

President Zardari signs election amendment bill banning party-switching by independents | The Express Tribune

Decision came after PTI challenges the bill in SC, requesting it to be declared null and void

tribune.com.pk

 

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President Zardari announces national awards for 104 Pakistanis, foreigners on Independence Day

President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday announced the conferment of national awards for 104 Pakistanis and foreigners in recognition of their services, excellence, and sacrifices in their respective fields.

The awards were announced on Pakistan’s 78th Independence Day and will be presented to the awardees at an investiture ceremony on Pakistan Day, March 23, 2025, according to the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP).

The president conferred awards in the fields of science and engineering, education, medicine, arts, literature, sports, social services, philanthropy, entrepreneurship, taxpayers and exporters, public services, gallantry, and services to Pakistan.

The Nishan-i-Pakistan was conferred on former president and prime minister Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in recognition of his public services.

In the sports category, Zardari announced the Hilal-i-Imtiaz for Arshad Nadeem, who recently bagged gold and broke the Olympic record at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Meanwhile, Sitara-i-Imtiaz will be conferred posthumously on renowned climber Murad Sadpara, who succumbed to his injuries on Monday morning after the army launched an operation to rescue him from Gilgit-Baltistan’s Broad Peak.

Other awardees for sports include Maqsood Ahmed, Amad Shakeel Butt, Rehman Ishtiaq, Mir Nadir Khan Magsi, who will all receive the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz, while Amir Ishfaq will be conferred with the Presidential Pride of Performance award.

In recognition of their excellence in the field of science, the president conferred the Hilal-i-imtiaz on Amir Hafeez Ibrahim, Sitara-i-Imtiaz on Dr Ghulam Muhammad Ali and Sardar Muhammad Aftab Ahmed Khan; and Tamgha-i-Imtiaz on Dr Sara Qureshi, Dr Rafiuddin and Professor Dr Usman Qamar.

In the field of education, Sadia Rasheed will be awarded the Hilal-i-Imtiaz, while Dr Suleman Shahabuddin and Syed Azhar Hussain Abidi will be awarded the Sitara-i-Imtiaz. The Pride of Performance award will be conferred upon Barkat Shah, Abdul Rasheed Kakar, and Aneeqa Bano.

For their contribution to the field of medicine, Zardari will award the Hilal-i-Imtiaz to Dr Shahryar and Dr Zaryab Sethna, and the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz to Dr Akifullah Khan, Dr Syed Abid Mehdi Kazmi, and Ikramullah Khan.

In the field of arts, Collin David was bestowed with the Sitara-i-Imtiaz, while Arshad Aziz Malik, Bakhtiar Ahmed, and Barrister Zafarullah were conferred with the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz. The Pride of Performance will be awarded to Fariha Pervaiz, Hamid Rana, Shiba Arshad, and Naveed Ahmed Bhatti.

The recipients in the fields of literature include Javed Jabbar (Hilal-i-Imtiaz); Salman Awan, Zafar Waqar Taj and Muniza Shamsi (Sitara-i-Imtiaz); Syed Jawad Husain Jafari (Tamgha-i-Imtiaz) and Ambreen Haseeb (Pride of Performance). The Nishan-i-Imtiaz was posthumously conferred upon Nasir Kazmi.

Other recipients of the Sitara-i-Imtiaz include Mian Aziz Ahmed, Hunaid Lakhani, Sana Hashwani and Safinaz Munir, the duo behind the luxury clothing brand Sana Safinaz. The Hilal-i-Imtiaz will be conferred upon Khwaja Anver Majeed and Hussain Dawood.

Taxpayers and exporters who were conferred the Sitara-i-Imtiaz include Syed Imran Ali Shah, Nazimuddin Feroz, Imtiaz Hussain, Adnan Niaz, Zahid Ahmed Ghareeb, and Syed Asad Hussain Zaidi.

The president also announced the conferment of Sitara-i-Shujaat on Panjgur Deputy Commissioner Zakir Hussain Baloch who was recently martyred in a terrorist attack in Mastung. Meanwhile, Capt. (Retd) Muhammad Khurram Agha, Dr Syed Tauqir Hussain Shah, and Umar Farooq will be awarded the Hilal-i-Imtiaz.

In the field of public service, the Sitara-i-Imtiaz will be conferred upon Dr Rubaba Khan Buledi, Dr Hamid Attiq Sarwar, Waqasuddin Syed, Jameel Ahmed, Ayaz Khan, Ahmed Ishaq Jahangir, and Irfan Nawaz Memon. The Tamgha-i-Imtiaz was announced for Syed Shakeel Shah, Ashhad Jawad, Rubab Sikandar, Muhammad Yousuf Khan, Cardinal Joseph Coutts, Rehan Mehtab Chawla, Rear Admiral Tanvir and Amir Mahmood Lakhani.

To recognise their gallantry, the president conferred the Hilal-i-Shujaat posthumously on Sub Inspector Taimur Shehzad Shaheed, Sepoy Muhammad Asif Shaheed, SP Muhammad Aijaz Khan, DSP Sardar Hussain Shaheed, DSP Allama Iqbal Shaheed, LHC Muhammad Farooq Shaheed, Additional SHO Adnan Afridi Shaheed, Allah Rakhio Nandwani, Constable Jahanzeb, and Constable Irshad Ali Shaheed.

Malik Sabz Ali Shaheed and Retired Captain Hamza Anjum were conferred the Sitara-i-Shujaat, while the Tamgha-i-Shujaat was announced for Malik Mahmood Jan Shaheed, Saeed Khan, Samiullah Shaheed, Sahib Khan and Dr Shafi Muhammad Bazenjo.

For their services to Pakistan, the following foreigners were conferred with national awards: Saudi Prince Abdulaziz Bin Salman al Saud (Hilal-i-Imtiaz); Fu Zhiheng (Hilal-i-Quaid-e-Azam); Mohammad Saif Al Suwaidi (Hilal-i-Quaid-e-Azam); Majid bin Abdullah Al Kassabi (Sitara-i-Pakistan); Abdullah Al-Swaha (Sitara-i-Pakistan); Haydar Qurbonoy (Sitara-i-Quaid-e-Azam) and Dr Christine Schmotzer (Sitara-i-Quaid-e-Azam).

The president also conferred Tamgha-i-Pakistan on Mountaineer Lukas Woerle, Dr Aurore Dither, Prof Valeria Fiorani Piacentini, and Agostino Da Polenza. The Tamgha-i-Quaid-e-Azam was conferred upon Zhang Baozhong and Xinmiin Liu, while the Tamgha-i-Khidmat was awarded to Diana McArthur.

DAWN NEWS

 

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President Zardari gives assents to ‘peaceful assembly’ bill

President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday assented to the bill allocating only designated venues for public gatherings in Islamabad, ahead of PTI’s tomorrow’s –September 8– rally.

After the President’s approval, the Islamabad public gatherings bill has become an act called The “Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act 2024”.

In Islamabad, holding an assembly without permission will lead to a 3-year imprisonment, while a second illegal assembly will result in a 10-year imprisonment. The designated venue for gatherings will be the Sangjani area or any other area allocated by the government.

Even with permission, a police officer can disperse public gatherings in Islamabad at any time. The Deputy Commissioner will grant permission, and if permission is denied, an appeal can be made to the Chief Commissioner. A review request against the Chief Commissioner’s decision can be submitted to the Interior Secretary.

The government will designate Sanjgani or any other area, with a gazette notification issued. For any gathering or assembly in Islamabad, the request must be submitted to the Deputy Commissioner at least 7 days in advance. The coordinator of the assembly or gathering must submit a written request, providing details such as the venue, number of participants, timing, and objectives.

The District Magistrate will have the authority to impose a ban on the assembly. Before granting permission, the District Magistrate will assess the security situation and obtain security clearance from law enforcement agencies. The District Magistrate will not allow assemblies outside the designated areas. Additionally, the District Magistrate (Deputy Commissioner) may amend the permit based on the circumstances.

The government can declare a specific area of Islamabad as a red zone or a high-security zone. If a gathering disturbs public order and is not dispersed, a police officer can use force to disperse it while arresting or detaining the members of an illegal assembly under the Act.

President Zardari gives assents to 'peaceful assembly' bill

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday assented to the bill allocating only designated venues for public gatherings in Islamabad, ahead of

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President Zardari rejects legislative assembly polls in occupied Kashmir

President Asif Ali Zardari has categorically rejected the legislative assembly elections in the India-occupied Kashmir (IoK), asserting that the polls were “no substitute for the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination”, a statement from the President’s House said on Wednesday.

India-held Kashmir began voting today (Wednesday) in the first local elections since the cancellation of its special semi-autonomous status in 2019, which sparked fury in the valley.

Many in the Muslim-majority territory of 8.7 million registered voters remain bitter over the 2019 order by the Hindu-nationalist government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to impose control from New Delhi.

President Zardari’s comments came today during a meeting at the Aiwan-i-Sadr with migrants from IOK, who have been residing in Pakistan since 1989, led by Uzair Ahmed Ghazali.

“Welcoming the delegation, the President condemned the Legislative Assembly elections in [IOK], terming them a part of India’s broader strategy to consolidate its illegal occupation of the region,” the statement said.

Zardari highlighted that such measures could neither legitimise India’s occupation nor suppress the freedom struggle of the Kashmiri people.

According to the statement, he said that India was trying to alter the demographic structure of IOK by turning Kashmiri Muslims into a minority and transforming them into a disempowered community in their own land.

“Pakistan greatly valued the sacrifices made by the Kashmiri people for their rights and would continue to stand in solidarity with them,” Zardari said while reiterating Pakistan’s commitment to providing moral, political, and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri people till the realisation of their right to self-determination.

The delegation apprised the president about atrocities being committed in IOK, per the statement.

It was highlighted that the entire Kashmiri leadership had been imprisoned to suppress the voice of the Kashmiri people. The delegation also apprised the President about the issues of the refugees in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

President Zardari said a protest should be lodged over the “illegal steps and atrocities being committed by Indian Occupation Forces in IOK”.

He said that Pakistan was committed to the socio-economic uplift of refugees and resolving their issues.

He assured the delegation that the government of AJK would be asked to enhance subsistence allowance as well as provide other relief measures to Kashmiri refugees.

Zardari also assured the delegation that Pakistan’s social safety net would be extended to include 8,000 migrant families through the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).

The delegation thanked the president for Pakistan’s continued moral, political, and diplomatic support for the Kashmiri people, the statement said.

President Zardari rejects legislative assembly polls in occupied Kashmir

Says polls are no substitute for the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination.

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