NEWS:  Major political developments are taking place in country. PTI leaders have held meetings with JUI leader, Fazlur Rehman. Former Speaker, Assad Kaiser, and other PTI leaders were also part of the meeting which took place at Fazlur Rehman’s Islamabad residence. Though the ostensible purpose of the meeting was to condole the death of Fazlur Rehman’s mother-in-law, sources said the leaders discussed major political developments in country. (Awami Awaz, Oct.26)

• In a press release issued today Election Commission of Pakistan vehemently denied any possibility of postponing the election, and refuted President Dr Arif Alvi’s doubts about the date of the general elections as misplaced. The poll body said that there is no fear of delay in holding the elections at the end of January. Election Commission has already clarified the position in this regard, the release said, adding that the first phase of constituency delimitation has been completed and the second phase of filing objections will be completed tomorrow i.e., 27 October 2023. (Dawn Daily)  

• The Central Secretary of Awami Party Dr. Hamid Khan Achakzai and Provincial President Abdul Qahar Khan Wadan along with leaders of Chaman district and thousands of workers participated in a sit-in.  Achakzai said for the past 130 years, the people of the Pashtun nation have been doing legitimate business and trade in a peaceful manner across the Durand Line. Now they do not like passport regime to criss-cross the Durand Line. The current Caretaker Government, which has exceeded its authority, has imposed illegal conditions on our people, depriving us of employment, business, and trade; they are engaged in economic massacre. (Urdu Point)  

• In a joint operation, Quetta police and sensitive institutions arrested two Afghans, Nisar Ahmad and Abdul Manan, who made fake ID cards and sensitive institutions’ cards. Fake cards and documents were also recovered from the arrested suspects. (Urdu Point)

• Caretaker Home Minister Sarfaraz Bugti has said that preparations are completed for the crackdown against illegal immigrants after November 1. They will be arrested and kept in holding centers instead of jails. Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, he said that November 1 is the deadline given to people living illegally. After that, a crackdown will begin. Holding centers have been set up in all cities, where they will be kept, and from there they will be sent to their homeland. Sarfraz Bugti said that a crackdown will cover people who do not have documents to stay in Pakistan. Immigrants who have forged or illegally created identity cards or other documents will also be dealt with. Strict action will also be taken against the Pakistanis who have facilitated them. He said that the expelled foreigners will not be allowed to carry more than 50 thousand rupees in cash per family, and the remaining amount will be transferred through banking channels.   Sarfaraz Bugti added that according to Pakistani law a foreigner who marries a Pakistani woman does not get citizenship, but a foreign woman who marries a Pakistani stand to get citizenship. (Qudrat Daily) 

• Mir Kabir Muhammad Shahi, Central Vice President of National Party, has stated that the landlord class in Balochistan is living a life of poverty, and the elements sitting in the cold rooms of Islamabad have no idea of their plight.  The economy of Balochistan depends on agriculture, which is facing destruction due to government’s illogical decisions. He stated that KESCO is again oppressing the landowners. Providing only two to three hours of electricity   is equivalent to destroying agriculture. Landlords will be forced to take the path of protest and all political parties will be on their side. (Urdu Point)  

• Members of a 7-member delegation from the Christian community visited the Sindh headquarters of Pakistan Rangers. The delegation consisted of leaders and people from Catholic, Protestant and other schools of thought. DG Rangers stated that since the establishment of Pakistan, the Christian community has rendered significant services in every aspect of life, especially in health, and education. For the development and prosperity of Pakistan, they all have to play their part together. The leaders of the Christian community expressed full confidence in the security measures taken by the Rangers to maintain law and order in the city and during the religious festivals of the minorities. (Urdu Point)  

• Due to the strike of CNG pumps in Peshawar, the citizens are facing difficulties in transportation; bus fares have also gone up. People demanded that the Government resolve the issue of CNG stations as soon as possible. (Urdu Point)  

• Government employees from various Departments of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa staged a protest in Peshawar against the proposed salary cuts and pension reforms.  A large number of employees of various Departments including Education Department, C&W and Civil Affairs Department participated in the demonstration led by leaders of All Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government Employees Grand Alliance Haider Ali Khan, Samiullah Khan Khalil, Azizullah Khan, Naveed Gul Hazar Khawani, PWD Labor Union President Malik Nisar Khan and others. (Urdu Point)  

• Caretaker Chief Ministers of Sindh and Punjab, Justice (R) Maqbool Baqir and Mohsin Naqvi met in Karachi and finalised a comprehensive strategy to deal with the situation in the Katcha areas.  Sindh Chief Secretary Dr. Fikar Alam, Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman, Sindh Interior Minister and Punjab Information Minister Amir Mir also participated in the discussions. Sindh IGP   Rafat Mukhtar and Punjab IGP Usman Anwar were also present. (Daily Pakistan)

• The Election Commission gave clean chit to Tehreek-e-Labbaik (TLP) on charges of anti-state activities and prohibited funding. In the Faizabad dharna case, the Election Commission submitted a report to the Supreme Court giving TLP a chit. (Daily Pakistan)  

• Due to the 10-day educational boycott by teachers of government schools across Punjab, including Lahore, 26,000 children have left school from government schools across Punjab. (Daily Pakistan)  

• As a part of the on-going drive against electricity theft, 190 government employees and officers are suspended. Most of them are from the distribution companies. So far, 39,836 cases of electricity theft have been registered since September.  Some employees of electricity companies are suspended for tempering the meters. (Aeen Daily) 

• Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf leader Dr Yasmin Rashid has challenged PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif to contest the election against her. Speaking to the media at the Lahore anti-terrorism court, she said: “If you (Nawaz) are brave, then show it by contesting the election against me”. She further said that Nawaz Sharif is a convict and a wanted criminal. He has been brought from outside for the election. It is certain that this is not an election but a selection. Another PTI leader Umar Sarfraz Cheema said that he has been kept in the jail for 6 months in a false case. “I was at home in the cases in which I was arrested”. The Anti-Terrorism Court extended the judicial remand of Dr Yasiman Rashid, Umar Sarfaraz Cheema, Ijaz Chaudhry, and Khadija Shah in various cases of arson till November 9. (Qudrat Daily) 

• The Lahore Accountability Court has discharged Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf President Chaudhry Pervez Ilahi in the Rahim Yar Khan Sugar Mills case while the Judicial Magistrate Imran Abid has extended his remand by two days in the recruitment scam. Lawyer of the Anti-corruption department told the court that Chaudhry Ilahi is needed for further investigation, for which his physical remand is required in the recruitment scam. Lawyers of Chaudhry said that political cases are being made against the PTI leader. In an informal chat with reporters, Chaudhry Parvez Ilahi said there is relief only for Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif. We have been on bail for the past five months. Yet we are being harassed. Is special justice only for the Sharif Family? (Dawn Daily) 

• Police have rounded up around 24 people for tearing posters of Nawaz Sharif and blocking roads during protests in Bahawalpur City and the Lodhran area of Dunyapur area on October 21, the day former Prime Minister returned home. Police sources said that on October 21, some people gathered in front of a hoarding, which had pictures of Nawaz Sharif at Pakora Chowk in the Model Town area. When the Civil Lines police team reached the spot, the protesters were shouting slogans against Nawaz Sharif and the caretaker government and blocked some busy roads in the area. Sources said that on seeing the police, most protestors fled. However, two youth kept shouting slogans and blocked the road. They were arrested. Similarly, according to the report of Lodhran District Police, 22 people were arrested in Dunyapur for allegedly tearing down posters of Nawaz Sharif and stealing iron frames of hoardings from the meeting hall. (Dawn Daily) 

• The Pakistan Muslim League (N) and the Istehkam e Pakistan Party have demanded that action be taken against Chairman Tehreek e Insaf Imran Khan and his former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, for misappropriating Rs 87 crore from the state fund for recruitment of ‘influencers and trolls’ for allegedly running a social media campaign. The PTI termed these allegations as a ‘malicious propaganda’. Speaking to journalists in Lahore, ML-N Secretary-General Attaullah Tarar said that we have details of how the PTI government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recruited 1100 trolls in 2019, targeting politicians and journalists. He alleged that Rs 87 crore of the national exchequer was spent for this purpose, while it should have been spent from the party funds. Tarar further said that state institutions were also targeted through these accounts. He demanded action against all those involved in recruiting trolls. In a chat with the media, the IPP Information Secretary Firdous Ashiq Awan has said that 87 crore rupees have been spent from the national treasury to portray the Chairman of PTI in a good light and oppose the state institutions. (Dawn Daily)   

• There is very little time left for the illegal aliens in Pakistan to evacuate and there are reports that the illegal aliens are seeking European-style paper marriage from Pakistani women and men to save their businesses and jobs and to avoid deportation. Sensitive institutions have widened the scope of investigation in this regard. (Jang) https://jang.com.pk/news/1282978

• In Geo’s program “Report Card”, the host Alina Farooq posed a question: PML-N says that Nawaz Sharif is not getting relief, but it is delayed justice. Is PML-N’s explanation justified? Responding to this, analysts said that no institution including the judiciary is free and independent in Pakistan. If a politician forms a government with a huge majority, there is a fear that after a year they will not start talking about civilian supremacy. Shahzad Iqbal said the accountability bureau has been used for political engineering. (Jang) 

EDITORIALS

• Hundreds of people have been taking out protest rallies in Pakistan, India, Turkey, Indonesia and several Arab countries demanding to restrain Israeli war mongering. We also demand from the global community to rise from deep slumber and take a look around at the merciless killing of innocent children by the Israeli army. The world community should use all its might to put an end to Israeli and American war jingoism. We also look up to UN to take urgent measures to put blockade to Israeli aggression before it is too late. (Kawish Edit, Oct.26)

• The   hospitals in Sindh are in a poor state. They are deprived of basic facilities. We welcome the hospital inspections by the caretaker CM. Hopefully, his visits will do something good for these hospitals and will result in better conditions there over time. Government should also take immediate measures to address issues like shortage of medicines and absence of modern machinery for the larger good of Sindh people. (Kawish Edit, Oct.26)

• The caretaker government’s primary task is to hand over power smoothly to the elected government after polls, but, sadly, it is going beyond its limits. It wants to undertake tasks for which it has no mandate. Now, it says the entire Karoonjhar belt is not a cultural site. We can put a few questions to the Sindh caretaker government. Will natural environs at Karoonjhar Mountains be not affected in blasting and mining for granite? Will rare species of birds and animals in this belt not get affected in mining? The concerned minister in the caretaker government in Sindh fails to realize that more than mineral wealth, it is the cultural heritage that matters more. History itself is real wealth. Karoonjhar is not just a pile of stones; it is a big world in itself. It has ancient pilgrimage places apart from historical Jain temples. Karoonjhar is a big protector of Thar’s environment. Amongst several other boons and blessings associated with it, Karoonjhar is a source of rare herbs and plants; livelihood of the majority of people is connected with it. Besides several plus points and positive aspects connected with it, Karoonjhar is a good tourist spot, and hence the caretaker government should obey the court orders and give up its stubbornness to extract granite from Karoonjhar and set up Granite City there.   (Pahenji Akhbar Edit, Oct.26)  

• The fourth month of the financial year is about to end, but the Caretaker Government of Punjab could not release the Zakat fund to the districts, due to which the beneficiaries, crushed by inflation, could not even get their “living allowance” (Guzara Allowance). It should start the process of financial assistance to the deserving ones by re-establishing the Zakat Committees. (Daily Pakistan Edit)  

• President Arif Alvi has voiced his concerns over uncertainty about the poll date.   He has explained in detail his position and spoke of the constraints regarding the date of the elections. Now the matter is in the court and a decision will come out from there, but almost all the political parties, including the PPP are demanding the date of the elections. It is better that the Election Commission fixes and announces the poll date as soon as possible so that lingering doubts stand removed. (Daily Pakistan Edit)

• Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province is suffering from a financial crisis due to the increasing imbalance in terms of external debt, expenditure and local income. In recent days, the situation has reached such a level that the caretaker provincial government has no choice but to take drastic measures. According to reports, recommendations have been prepared for a 25% cut in the salaries of government employees, which will be sent to the caretaker chief minister for approval. To deal with the financial crisis, the relevant authorities are considering three options, including withdrawing the 35% increase in the salaries effective from July 1 this year, ending the executive health, professional and other allowances and a. 25% salary cut across the board. This situation is not only a matter of great concern but also encourages other provinces to do the same, which will adversely affect the lower grades in this era of worst inflation. In this regard, the opinions of economic experts should also be obtained, but they have already suggested withdrawing additional facilities from the privileged class to deal with the situation. Last November Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Finance Minister had demanded recovery of 119 billion rupees due to the government. It would be better if the caretaker provincial government widens its priorities before taking any decision so as not to put more economic burden on the lower class. (Jang Edit)

• Pakistan got membership of the IMF in 1950. The first loan was taken in 1958 and the second in 1965. Pakistan has approached the International Monetary Fund 22 times till the year 2019. The release of remaining two and a half billion dollars of the $6.5 billion bailout package agreed in 2019 had to wait for several months, which expired a month before the agreement. Domestic foreign exchange reserves were at low levels and revolving credit was overextended. There was an apprehension of becoming bankrupt though China, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had chipped in with some help. To bail out Pakistan’s sinking economy, a $3 billion Standby Arrangement (SBA) agreement was reached in July. Strict conditions were set; and the government accepted them. Pakistan was saved from bankruptcy but people were crushed under the burden of inflation. It was also decided in this agreement that the initial installment would be $1.20 billion which Pakistan has received while the remaining amount of $1.80 billion will be received after two reviews which will be held in November and February. The IMF review mission for the second installment is arriving in Pakistan on November 2. Before its arrival, important condition of reducing the budget deficit by increasing the petroleum levy by 362%, subsidies and substantial reduction in development expenses has also been fulfilled. However, it has been revealed that the interim governments of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are spending in a worrying manner. The next tranche of $71 million will be released in December after hard negotiations, which will reduce the pressure on Pakistan’s external payments. (Jang Edit)

• The parents of the martyred children in the APS tragedy cried outside the Supreme Court for justice, because the case was not listed up for hearing for 2 years.   For what crime these innocent children were punished by the heartless terrorists, we still do not understand. But what is even more painful is that the parents of these children have become walking corpses and they are still waiting for justice for their beloved martyred children. It is very sad for the parents of the martyred children to run one pillar to post for justice. It is necessary that the patience of the parents of the martyred children should not be tested further and justice should be ensured to them immediately. (Edit, Daily Khabrain) ####