Despite the opposition parties’ protests, the Election Reforms Bill 2017, as expected, was cleared by the National Assembly on Monday –  removing the hurdle for deposed PM Nawaz Sharif in becoming the chief of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) again.

Law Minister Zahid Hamid presented the electoral reforms bill in the assembly. The session was presided over by Speaker Ayaz Sadiq.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) MNA and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Shah Mehmood Qureshi strongly opposed the bill.

After the speaker refused to allow Khursheed Shah to speak, opposition members began shouting anti-government slogans and also tore copies of the bill.

PML-N central body okays altering party rules to make Nawaz chief again

The bill had already been passed by the National Assembly and was returned to the lower house on Monday for fresh votes on the Senate’s amendments.

Given the PML-N’s majority in the lower house, it was expected to be smooth sailing.

Now the bill will land on President Mamnoon Hussain’s desk for a signature approving it as law.

Among the new laws introduced to the bill was an amendment to Section 5 of the PPO. The amendment allows every citizen who is not a government servant to form a political party or hold any office of a political party.

Introduced during Musharraf’s era, PPO Section 5 (1) says that every citizen, not being in the service of Pakistan, has the right to form or be a member of a political party or be otherwise associated with a political party or take part in political activities or be elected as an office-bearer of a political party.

But the clause currently has a proviso which reads “Provided that a person shall not be appointed or serve as an office-bearer of a political party if he is not qualified to be, or is disqualified from being, elected or chosen as a member of Parliament under Article 63 of the Constitution…or under any other law for the time being in force”.

Major reforms approved in Elections Bill 2017

That clause disappeared in the bill. When the bill was passed in the National Assembly, it went unnoticed.

It was only during voting on the bill in the Senate that leader of the opposition Aitzaz Ahsan brought the development to the notice of the house and proposed an amendment in the relevant law passed by the National Assembly.

Ahsan proposed an amendment to clause 203 (1) of the new election laws with a new proviso stating: “provided that the person shall not be appointed or serve as an office-bearer of a political party if he is not qualified to be, or is disqualified from being, elected or chosen as a member of the parliament under any law for the time being in force”.

Law minister Zahid Hamid opposed the amendment, which led to the chairman calling a vote count. To the opposition’s surprise, Ahsan was outvoted by one vote, with 37 for and 38 against, despite the government’s numerical inferiority.

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Original Post: Opposition fails to stop treasury from clearing Election Reforms Bill in NA

Another civilian was martyred, and four others injured in unprovoked Indian firing in Rakhchikri sector along the Line of Control (LoC) on Monday.

“One civilian [identified as] M Din embraced martyrdom,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.

Pakistan Army effectively engaged Indian posts targeting civil population. “[There were] reports of two Indian posts destroyed,” the communique added.

Indian envoy summoned

The Director General (SA & SAARC) Dr Mohammad Faisal summoned Indian deputy high commissioner and condemned the violation by the forces, the Foreign Office said.

The firing took place in Rakhchikri and Rawalakot sectors on September 30 and October 2, resulting in the deaths of three civilians, and injuries to five others, including a woman, it said.

This, the official added, was the fifth ceasefire violation by Indian forces in the past 12 days, resulting in the deaths of 11 civilians, including five women, and injuries to 37 others.

Two children killed as India, Pakistan trade fire in Kashmir

Despite calls for restraint, he added, India continues to indulge in ceasefire violations. In 2017 to date, the forces have carried out more than 900 ceasefire violations along LoC and the Working Boundary, killing 43 civilians and injuring 153, as compared to 382 ceasefire violations in 2016.

The DG SA & SAARC termed the deliberate targeting of civilians deplorable and contrary to human dignity and international human rights and laws. The violations are a threat to regional peace and security, and may lead to a strategic miscalculation, he maintained.

He urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 ceasefire arrangement, investigate incidents of ceasefire violations, instruct forces to respect the ceasefire in letter and spirit and maintain peace on the LoC.

The official also urged the Indian side to permit UNMOGIP to play its mandated role as per the UN Security Council resolutions.

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Original Post: Civilian martyred, four others injured as India violates ceasefire again

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund on Monday announced plans to set up two investment companies to develop infrastructure in Mecca and Medina, Islam’s two holiest cities.

The state-run PIF announced the creation of Rou’a Al-Haram and Rou’a Al-Madinah for Mecca and Medina respectively, where the annual number of visitors is expected to triple by 2030.

Religious tourism: the white gold of Saudi Arabia

The two firms will together build 150,000 hotel rooms to accommodate the increase in Muslim pilgrims who visit the sites annually.

PIF said the number of visitors is expected to reach 30 million in Mecca and 23 million in Medina by 2030, up from a total of eight million to both sites this year.

Muslims should reconsider letting Saudis manage Hajj, holy sites: Khamenei

The two firms are part of a venture included in Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, a development plan aimed at diversifying the country’s economic revenue model and decreasing its reliance on oil.

The first phase of the project will be completed within five years, according to the PIF.

Saudi Arabia has said the two projects are expected to create more than 200,000 jobs.

The Public Investment Fund did not disclose the cost of the project.

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Source: Tribune News
Original Post: Saudi Arabia to launch investment firms for holy cities