Imran Khan's party's presence in parliament gains strength months after the elections

Imran Khan's party's presence in parliament gains strength months after the elections

    Friday, July 12, 2024   No comments

Pakistan's Supreme Court ruled on Friday that the party of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan is eligible for 23 additional seats in parliament, adding pressure on the country's weak coalition government.

Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party ran as independents in the Feb. 8 election after being barred from taking part, and won the most seats, but the Election Commission said independents were ineligible for the 70 seats reserved for political parties only.

On Feb. 20, two major parties, the military-backed Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), announced they had reached a power-sharing deal that would return Shehbaz Sharif to the premiership after this month's election failed to produce a clear winner.

The committee ordered the reserved seats to be distributed to other parties, most of which belonged to the ruling coalition parties.

The reallocation of the 23 reserved seats does not affect the parliamentary majority of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s coalition government, but the decision strengthens the political position of Khan’s supporters, who have accused the Election Commission and the interim government that oversaw the elections of rigging the elections to deny them victory.

Under Pakistani electoral rules, 70 seats are allocated to parties, 60 to women and 10 to non-Muslims, in proportion to the number of seats won by each party. This brings the total number of seats in the National Assembly to 336.

Khan was ousted from power in 2022 after falling out with the country’s powerful military leaders, while the military denies interfering in the country’s politics.

It is noteworthy that Imran Khan has been behind bars since August 2023, after he was arrested by the police, as he faces long sentences on corruption charges, but he says there are political motives behind the charges, aimed at removing him from power.

Iran’s elections: Change brings new opportunities for Iran's new president--Masoud Pezeshkian

Iran’s elections: Change brings new opportunities for Iran's new president--Masoud Pezeshkian

    Saturday, July 06, 2024   No comments

Foreground:

Mere weeks after the tragic death of several Iranian officials including the president, Iran managed to elect a new president, while a caretaker government was headed by the vice president. The successful transition is only part of the story in a country with complex social fabric and complex relations with the world. What might be lost on many observers is the historical election of a president who represents ethnic and linguistic minorities in Iran.

Masoud Pezeshkian, born in 1954 in the city of Mahabad in West Azerbaijan Province, northeastern Iran to a deeply religious Shia family to parents of both Kurdish and Azeri background. He was raised in a religious family. He often speaks of being proud Turkish speaker. Now that he is elected president of Iran, he will be the first ethnic minority office holder in a region where Kurdish minorities are marginalized in all four countries-Iraq, Turkey, Syria, and Iran. 

Being from Azerbaijan Province, he will be able to dial down the rhetoric among Azeris who are Shia in terms of faith but Turkic in terms of ethnicity. Having family connections to the Kurdish community, he will also be able to address the separatist activities with which all four countries have struggled since the end of direct colonial control of the region. His political activism in the movement that brought about the modern Islamic republic of Iran provide him with the credibility to work out change through the various institutions of power. In short, this election cycle might be as significant of a turning point as the one that took place 1981 when another Iranian president, Mohammad Ali Rajaʾi, was killed, and who was replaced Ali Khamenei, the current supreme leader.

Background: 

Pezeshkian completed his primary education in Mahabad, West Azerbaijan Province, and then joined the Agricultural Institute in Urmia, where he received a diploma in food industries.

 

He completed his military service in 1973 in the border city of Zabol, Sistan and Baluchestan Province, and after completing his service, he decided to become a doctor, and received his natural diploma in 1975. A year later, he was accepted into the medical field at Tabriz University of Medical Sciences.

 

With the start of the Iran-Iraq war in 1980, Pezeshkian was responsible for sending medical teams to the battlefronts, and was active in many operations as a fighter and a doctor.

 

He completed his medical course in 1985, and began working at the Faculty of Medicine as a physiology teacher. In 1990, he received a specialty in general surgery from Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, and in 1993 he received a specialty in cardiac surgery from Iran University of Medical Sciences in Tehran, and was appointed to Shahid Madani Heart Hospital in Tabriz, and later became its head.

  

In 1994, he was appointed as the head of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, and his presidency continued until 2000. Then he was transferred to Tehran and assumed the position of Deputy Minister of Health, Treatment and Medical Education for 6 months.

 

After that, in the second term of Mr. Mohammad Khatami's presidency, Pezeshkian assumed the position of Minister of Health, and after a while he was questioned by the parliament, and then he left his position. In 2013, he ran for president, but his candidacy was rejected by the Guardian Council. In 2016, he won a seat in the parliament and held a seat in parliament for many years. Since 2008, Pezeshkian has represented the city of Tabriz in the Iranian parliament.

 Pezeshkian believes that Iran's internal problems cannot be solved without solving problems with the outside world, and stresses that the country's management is based on constructive engagement with the world on the basis of dialogue and negotiation with various countries.

 Pezeshkian also calls for improving relations between Iran and Western countries, especially the United States, based on the three pillars of "dignity, wisdom, and interest."

 

He announced that he will put at the top of his government's priorities the revival of the nuclear agreement, which is in Iran's interest, and if it were not, former US President Donald Trump would not have withdrawn from it.

 Pezeshkian believes that it is in Iran's interest to join the "FATF" (Financial Action Task Force) in order to develop and facilitate trade with other countries.

 

Pezeshkian stressed that he will put an end to the differences between political forces, which he says are the "main cause of the country's problems," by seeking the help of the best experts and specialists.

 

He promised that he would follow up on the problems of workers, retirees and employees and work in a way that eliminates poverty, discrimination and corruption in the country, stressing the need to deal honestly with the public and not give empty promises, promising to involve the people in running the country and not a specific group.

 

He also promised to deal positively with women's issues, freedom of access to the Internet, constitutional rights of nationalities, and political and social freedoms.

 

Pezeshkian won the Iranian presidential elections after receiving 16,384,403 votes, compared to 13,538,179 votes for candidate Saeed Jalili, thus becoming the ninth elected president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, since the victory of the Islamic Revolution led by Imam Khomeini in 1979.

 

Pakistan government commissioner admits election fraud; Maulana Fazlur Rehman, head of Pakistani Islamic Scholars Association, admitted that the overthrow of Imran Khan by Army Commander, General Qamar Javed Bajwa

Pakistan government commissioner admits election fraud; Maulana Fazlur Rehman, head of Pakistani Islamic Scholars Association, admitted that the overthrow of Imran Khan by Army Commander, General Qamar Javed Bajwa

    Saturday, February 17, 2024   No comments

 Today, Saturday, a government commissioner surprised everyone when he publicly admitted that he had falsified the results of the general elections held on February 8, announcing his resignation from his position, and demanding that everyone who participated in the fraud be punished.

Liaquat Ali Chatha, a government commissioner in the city of Rawalpindi (southeast of Islamabad), admitted to falsifying the results of the elections that took place under his supervision in the city of Rawalpindi.

Meanwhile, protest demonstrations swept through many Pakistani cities against what they called the manipulation that occurred in the elections, demanding a recount so that the results are correct, stressing the right of supporters of Imran Khan, founder of the Tehreek-e-Insaf Party, to win more seats.

“I bear responsibility for all these violations,” Chatha said at a press conference in Rawalpindi on Saturday afternoon. "The Chief Election Commissioner and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court are involved in this matter," he added.

"We made independent candidates who received between 70,000 and 80,000 votes lose by submitting fraudulent ballot papers," he added.

In a handwritten letter, Chatha said he was resigning from his position because he was deeply involved in the "serious crime of rigging the 2024 general elections."

The handwritten letter was addressed to the governor of the Punjab province, the interim prime minister of the province, Mohsin Naqvi, and the secretary general of the province.

In front of the media, Chatha said that he “stabbed the country in the back,” referring to election fraud, so he cannot sleep.

He further said, "I must be punished for the injustice I committed, and others who participated in this injustice must be punished."

Earlier, Chatha said that he was under intense pressure not to announce the fraud to the point that he thought about committing suicide, but he finally decided to present matters to the public.

In response to Chatha's allegations, the Election Commission of Pakistan said it "strongly rejects the accusations leveled against her or her boss."

In a press statement, the election monitoring body said that none of its officials had issued any instructions to Chatha to “change the election results.”

He added, "But the Election Commission will conduct an investigation into the matter as soon as possible."

For his part, interim Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi ordered an “impartial investigation” into the allegations leveled by Chatha.

Yesterday, the leader of the Pakistani Islamic Scholars Association, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, detonated a heavy political bomb when he admitted that the overthrow of Imran Khan from power in April 2022 came based on directives from the then Army Commander, General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

Fazlur Rahman explained that he was personally against the move of no confidence in Imran Khan's government, but this position would not have worked in light of the insistence of other parties, most notably the Muslim League led by Nawaz Sharif and the People's Party led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

Fazlur Rehman was the head of the People's Democratic Movement coalition that ousted Imran Khan and the PTI in April 2022 and took power, after which Shahbaz Sharif led a multi-party coalition of the country for 16 months before handing over the reins to the interim government.

Regarding the recent elections, Fazlur Rehman pointed out that it is clear that fraud occurred in the elections, and that the PML-N party is the biggest beneficiary of that.

He said to me, "Parliament has lost its credibility." He added, "Decisions will no longer be made in Parliament, but will be taken in the streets," indicating that there will be protests in the country against the results of the elections, the validity of which is being debated.

The Washington Institute: Hezbollah's popularity and support for Hamas have risen in Lebanon

The Washington Institute: Hezbollah's popularity and support for Hamas have risen in Lebanon

    Wednesday, January 10, 2024   No comments

The American "Washington Institute" conducted an opinion poll in Lebanon, and found that there was an increase in Hezbollah's popularity compared to the last poll conducted in November 2020, and that support for Hamas was more widespread in Lebanese society.

The Institute conducted this survey in the aftermath of the “Al-Aqsa Flood” saga and the escalation between the Israeli forces and Hezbollah, during the period extending from November 14 to December 6.

The Washington Institute poll showed that 79% of the Lebanese express a positive opinion of Hamas, while perceptions of a military solution to the conflict with the occupation, rather than a “political solution,” are much more widespread in Lebanon than in other Arab countries.

As for the position on the United States of America, the poll found that most Lebanese, specifically 71%, do not agree with the idea that Washington “is still in the best position to help end the war in Gaza.”

The institute also noted that there is “a noticeable shift in Lebanese society, away from the United States and towards other powers,” as the percentage of those who agree that their country “cannot rely on the United States these days, and therefore must look more to Russia or China.” As partners, it rose by 17 points.

Sheikh Hasina wins elections boycotted by the opposition in Bangladesh

Sheikh Hasina wins elections boycotted by the opposition in Bangladesh

    Sunday, January 07, 2024   No comments

Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina (76 years old) won a fifth term in power, after legislative elections that were boycotted by the main opposition party and described as “sham elections.”

A spokesman for the National Election Commission said on Sunday that the ruling Awami League party led by Sheikh Hasina “won more than 50% of the seats,” while the counting process is still ongoing.

Bangladesh, which occupies eighth place on the list of the world's most populous countries (about 170 million people), has witnessed strong economic growth under the leadership of the Awami League party led by Hasina, according to Agence France-Presse, which adds that the government has faced accusations of violating human rights several times and suppressing the opposition with violent methods. .

The Awami League party faces almost no opponents in the electoral districts in which it competes, but it has refrained from nominating candidates in a number of them, in an attempt to avoid parliament becoming a tool controlled by one party.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party, whose ranks witnessed a widespread wave of arrests, called for a general strike at the end of the week, and urged residents not to participate in what it described as “sham” elections.

Chinese Foreign Ministry: We are good friends of the Arab and Islamic countries

Chinese Foreign Ministry: We are good friends of the Arab and Islamic countries

    Tuesday, November 21, 2023   No comments

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced on Monday before a delegation including Arab foreign ministers that the international community must take urgent measures to stop the “humanitarian catastrophe” unfolding in Gaza.

"Let us work together to quickly calm the situation in Gaza and restore peace in the Middle East as soon as possible," Wang said in his opening speech in Beijing.

Wang added to the diplomats that “there is a humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza,” noting that “the situation in Gaza affects all countries around the world and reconsiders the principle of good and evil and the basic principles of humanity.”

He stressed that "the international community must act urgently and take effective measures to prevent the spread of this tragedy."

Wang said, "China is a good friend and brother of the Arab and Islamic countries," adding that it "firmly defended the legitimate rights and interests of the Arab and Islamic countries, and strongly supported the efforts of the Palestinian people to restore their legitimate national rights and interests."

Earlier, the Chinese Foreign Minister expressed "China's strong sympathy for the Palestinians, especially in the Gaza Strip," adding that "what the people of Gaza need most is security, food and medicine, not war, weapons and ammunition."

Wang Yi stressed that "the historical injustice against Palestine cannot continue," and that "China is currently working closely with all parties to strengthen the ceasefire and end the war."

The Arab delegation includes the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Palestine, and the Secretary-General of the Council of Islamic Cooperation.

The visit of the Arab ministerial delegation comes as part of a tour to the capitals of a number of countries that are permanent members of the Security Council, with the participation of the foreign ministers of the committee formed from the recent Arab-Islamic summit, with the aim of advancing the process of stopping the war on Gaza, and dealing with the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the Strip.

China backs an international peace conference to push the Palestinian issue back to the track of two-state solution: top diplomat

China supports the convening of a more authoritative, broader and more effective international peace conference as soon as possible to push the Palestinian issue back to the track of the two-state solution, said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, in a phone conversation on Wednesday with Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, noted that the current situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, with an increasing number of casualties among the civilians. Any country with a conscience and a sense of responsibility can't allow such a tragedy to continue. The recent emergency special session of the UN General Assembly passed a resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian truce, reflecting the strong call from the international community, Wang said.