NHA achieves Rs50 billion revenue surge
The minister also updated senators on the progress regarding the Lowari Tunnel's access roads. He stated that the 33.2 km network is split into two phases. The first phase, covering 18.6 km, was completed in 2010 and has been serving traffic since. The second phase, stretching 14.6 km, saw its southern segment finished in December 2020.
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Business Recorder
15 hours ago
- Business Recorder
PTI strategy stalls oath-taking of reserved seat lawmakers in KP Assembly
A session of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly scheduled for oath-taking of lawmakers on reserved seats was adjourned on Sunday after the treasury benches raised the issue of quorum, a deliberate move seen as part of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) strategy to delay the process amid internal rifts and growing pressure ahead of Senate elections, Aaj News reported. The assembly session, scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m., was delayed by nearly two and a half hours and eventually adjourned until July 24 at 2:00 p.m. due to a lack of quorum. The adjournment halted the swearing-in of several women and minority lawmakers from the opposition, despite their presence in the house. The session, chaired by Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, began only briefly before PTI lawmaker Sher Ali Afridi pointed out the quorum, prompting government members to start leaving the hall one by one. Only four PTI lawmakers were present in the chamber at the time, sources said. Opposition parties, including PML-N, JUI-F, and PPP, slammed the government's tactics, accusing it of deliberately obstructing the democratic process. Several opposition lawmakers gathered in front of the speaker's dais, shouting slogans and urging him to proceed with the oath-taking. Speaker Swati noted that the required strength of 25 members was not met, and therefore, the session could not continue. A female member from the opposition objected, saying quorum cannot be pointed out during Quranic recitation, but the speaker insisted on counting members before any further debate. Among those present to take oath were PML-N's Farah Khan, Amina Sardar, Faiza Malik, Shazia Jadoon, Afsha Hussain, Jameela Paracha, and Sonia Hussain, along with JUI-F's Bilqees, Sitara Afrin, and Aiman Jaleel Jan. PPP's Madiha Afridi and Rabia Shaheen, and other minority and women lawmakers were also in attendance. PHC bars elected MPAs on reserved seats from taking oath The move comes amid reports of widening cracks within the ruling PTI's provincial chapter. According to party insiders, tensions between Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and a breakaway faction of PTI lawmakers have intensified, particularly over the allocation of Senate tickets. Sources claimed that the party leadership, anticipating backlash from disgruntled members, had devised a 'Plan B' to avoid the oath-taking altogether. The tactic: disrupt the quorum to prevent the opposition from gaining voting strength ahead of the upcoming Senate elections. Opposition Leader Dr Ibadullah told reporters that if the government continues to block the process, the opposition alliance has alternative legal routes to ensure the swearing-in takes place. He added that any delay is a 'blatant subversion of parliamentary norms' and called on the Election Commission to take notice. Meanwhile, opposition parties held an emergency meeting at the Governor's House to outline their next steps. With political temperatures rising in the province, both sides appear locked in a high-stakes standoff that could shape the composition of the upper house in the weeks to come.
Express Tribune
20 hours ago
- Express Tribune
PTI rift threatens to unravel govt-op bonhomie
Listen to article The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) found itself in the throes of a growing internal rift on Saturday as rebel Senate candidates rejected the party's 'diktat' to withdraw their nomination papers, vowing instead to contest the July 21 polls in open defiance of an opposition-backed consensus deal. The development came as the government and opposition in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have struck a rare unity pact to ensure the victory of 11 agreed-upon Senate candidates in a move to sideline the party's rebels. PTI's political committee, meeting late Saturday night, endorsed a power-sharing agreement with the opposition and reaffirmed the list of official candidates issued by party founder Imran Khan. However, the move has triggered a backlash from sidelined aspirants, who accuse the leadership of capitulating to what they term an "establishment-sponsored deal". Despite the directive to withdraw, five rebel candidates, including Irfan Saleem, Khurram Zishan, Waqas Orakzai, former IG Irshad Hussain and Aisha Bano, stood their ground following internal consultations. In public statements and video messages, they declared they would not bow to what they alleged to be "political expediency" and "closed-door compromises". "This has gone far beyond the Senate elections," Khurram Zishan said in a defiant message. "We're being asked to hand over our trust to the very people who jailed our workers, tortured our elders, and stole our mandate via Form 47. We reject political wheeling and dealing. We are not playing politics ... we are waging resistance." Party pushes back, rebels dig in The party's political committee, while backing PTI Imran Khan's handpicked list, acknowledged internal objections, including to candidates like Mishal Yousafzai and Irfan Saleem, but said the founder's decisions were final. The committee warned dissidents that they could face disciplinary notices if they did not comply. PTI leadership has given the rebel candidates a deadline of 12 noon today to withdraw. However, the dissenters, emboldened by what they claim are 20 MPAs in contact with them, appear undeterred. Irfan Saleem accused PTI's leadership of forming an "unholy alliance" to install establishment-backed candidates. "We will not allow this taint on a legislature built on Imran Khan's name," he said. "Our resistance is not personal, it is ideological." Aisha Bano said the Senate seats were "a trust given to us by the party's workers and Khan himself," and would not be handed to those who "stole our mandate". "This is not just another election ... it's the front line of a movement," she said. Govt, opposition join forces to shut out rebels Meanwhile, sources confirmed that the government and opposition in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa have struck a rare unity pact to ensure the victory of 11 agreed-upon Senate candidates in a move to sideline the PTI rebels. Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and opposition leader Dr Ibadullah will jointly oversee the formation and coordination of seven special voting panels. Four of these will be supervised by provincial ministers, with the remaining three managed by opposition parliamentary leaders. Under the plan, government MPAs will be gathered at the CM House and dispatched in groups to cast votes under ministerial supervision. Opposition MPs will follow a similar strategy. Each panel will be instructed to vote for specific general, women, and technocrat candidates. The cooperation includes an accountability mechanism, with both sides agreeing to investigate if votes slip toward rebel candidates. A backup Plan B, involving delaying the election or swearing in new MPAs, was discussed but ultimately set aside due to a lack of consensus. Senior PTI leaders are expected to be present in the assembly during the vote, as are key opposition figures. Sources within the opposition expressed confidence in the arrangement. "We are satisfied with the government's commitment. All eleven candidates should win smoothly if the agreement holds," they said.
Business Recorder
a day ago
- Business Recorder
Senate polls in KP: Members defying party line face expulsion: PTI
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Saturday said it would take strict disciplinary action, including possible expulsions, against party members defying internal decisions ahead of Senate elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. PTI acting chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan told reporters that several dissenting members failed to appear at a scheduled meeting a day ago and had ignored directives to withdraw their nominations. 'The Chief Minister [Gandapur] and I waited for them, but they did not come,' he said. The party has referred the issue to its political committee, which, following internal consultations, instructed dissenting candidates to pull out by Sunday. 'If they fail to comply, action will be taken under party discipline,' Gohar said, adding that the individuals in question hold formal positions within PTI. 13 vacant seats in KP, Punjab: ECP to hold Senate polls this month The internal rift comes as PTI seeks to consolidate control in the Senate through unopposed elections in the provincial assembly. According to party sources, veteran PTI members, including Irfan Saleem, Ayesha Bano, Waqas Orakzai, and Khurram Zeeshan, voiced dissatisfaction over the allocation of Senate tickets, accusing the leadership of sidelining long-time workers. Despite the unrest, the party's political committee has approved a plan for unopposed elections in the province. A declaration following the committee's meeting stated that all candidates had withdrawn their papers after resolving differences with party leaders. PTI leadership said the decision, taken in consultation with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa parliamentary party, aimed to curb vote buying and selling - an issue that has marred past Senate polls in the country. The final list of PTI-backed candidates includes Murad Saeed, Faisal Javed, Mirza Afridi, and Noorul Haq Qadri for general seats. Rubina Naz was nominated for the women's reserved seat, Azam Swati for the technocrat seat, and Mishal Yousafzai for the seat vacated by former senator Sania Nishtar. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
