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Only 1 out of 9 PMs from 1999-2022 was able to get re-elected for next NA

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LAHORE: Pakistani politics is known for the turmoil it goes through and interestingly only one out of nine prime ministers from 1999-2022 has been able to return to the National Assembly after fresh elections, reported The News on Thursday.

Every outgoing prime minister except one out of the total 9 has not been able to return to the lower house of Parliament either because they lost the election, were disqualified or some other reason.

Between 1999 to 2022, the former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif (twice), Zafar Ullah Jamali, Shujaat Hussein, Shaukat Aziz, Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf could not qualify for the very next National Assembly. Now Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan has also joined the list as his papers have been rejected due to his disqualification.

Among all these former prime ministers, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is the only one who took oath as PM and was able to return to the very next National Assembly. However, his return was likely due to the NA seat he was able to win in the by-poll in Lahore after suffering defeats from Murree and Islamabad in the 2018 elections.

Abbasi had almost missed the next NA after suffering defeats in the 2018 general elections but he was fortunate to have won the NA-124 by-polls from Lahore due to which he returned to the NA.

Had he not won the by-polls then nine out of nine former PMs between 1999 to 2022 would have missed the next NA that came into being after the one which made them prime minister.

It remains to be seen whether the number would reach one out of 10 or not as former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif, who was elected PM last, is contesting polls for two National Assembly seats.

On October 12, 1999, then PM Nawaz Sharif was removed after a coup by then army chief Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf.

By 2000, Nawaz had left Pakistan and he was not part of the National Assembly that came into power following the October 2002 polls.

Between 2002 to 2007, Shaukat Aziz, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Zafar Ullah Jamali served as PM. However, all of them failed to return to the National Assembly that was elected after the 2008 polls.

Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani of PPP served as the PM between 2008 to 2012 and after the Supreme Court’s ruling disqualified him he could not contest the next polls and was out of the next NA.

Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, who replaced Gilani as the new PM, lost the 2013 general elections and like his predecessor could not become the part of the next NA that was elected for 2013-2018.

Nawaz Sharif, the PML-N supermo who became PM in 2013 had to face disqualification through court in 2017 and after being convicted by the court, he was unable to contest the next general election and could not become part of the National Assembly that continued between 2018 to 2013.

Quite contrary to this, between 1988 to 1999, the tradition was different. Benazir Bhutto became Prime Minister in 1988.

In the next National Assembly that came in 1990, Nawaz became PM but Benazir Bhutto was part of that NA and she also served as Opposition leader. Benazir Bhutto became Prime Minister in 1993 while Nawaz Sharif was part of that NA and also served as the Opposition leader. Even in the 1997 Assembly while PPP had only 17 seats, Benazir Bhutto remained part of that NA from where Nawaz took oath once again.

In Pakistan, for last 25 years that every politician except one who has taken oath as Prime Minister of the country has missed the next National Assembly.

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Sheikh Rasheed says PTI and government negotiations won’t provide any results.

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Sheikh Rasheed voiced his worries about the nation’s ongoing political dilemma while speaking outside the Anti-Terrorism Court.

According to Sheikh Rasheed, a committee was established to negotiate, but the process has not produced any tangible results. In order to emphasize the seriousness of the situation, he said, “Political conditions are extremely bad.”

He made the joke, “Even after war, if negotiations fail, then it will all come down to judo karate,” in reference to the next steps.

“Everyone there prays for Pakistan’s betterment,” Sheikh Rasheed, who had returned from Saudi Arabia, said. He emphasized the necessity for the nation’s circumstances to improve and stabilize.

Assad Qaiser, a former speaker and PTI leader, had earlier called on Speaker Ayaz Sadiq of the National Assembly to discuss the official start of talks with the government.

The two leaders shared their opinions on bringing parties together on matters of national importance and reducing political tensions and conflict.

“I will persuade my people, you persuade the hardliners in your party,” Ayaz Sadiq said to Assad Qaiser.

The party’s founder is in jail, and the PTI leadership has asked to meet with him. “We will continue to confer with him,” Assad Qaiser declared.

Earlier, PTI leader Shaukat Yousafzai stated that if the discussions don’t begin, a campaign of civil disobedience will begin on December 14.

Speaking to the media Regarding the meetings, Yousafzai claimed that the government ministers were making insincere remarks.

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Bushra Bibi maintains bail as the IHC concludes the FIA’s petition.

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The Islamabad High Court (IHC) conducted a hearing about the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) plea for the revocation of Bushra Bibi’s bail.

The court, led by Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, rejected the FIA’s petition during the hearing.

Judicial Proceedings

Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb sought information regarding Bushra Bibi’s location, to which her attorney, Barrister Salman Safdar, affirmed her attendance in court.

The judge urged the counsel to regard the matters with gravity, underscoring the necessity of adherence to trial protocols.

The court sought details about instances where Bushra Bibi had been exempted from attending trial hearings and clarified that if the High Court grants bail and the accused fails to appear, the trial court holds the authority to cancel the bail.

Justice Aurangzeb assured that such actions would not amount to contempt of the High Court’s order.

Based on these considerations, the court closed the proceedings and dismissed the FIA’s plea.

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The Supreme Court has granted the appeal of the PTI founder for a judicial probe into the events of May 9.

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The Supreme Court has officially accepted the plea submitted by the PTI chairman for a judicial probe into the events of May 9 for a comprehensive hearing.

The constitutional bench of the Supreme Court annulled the registrar’s office’s objections to the petition and instructed the office to allocate a case number and arrange the hearing.

The PTI chairman was represented by prominent attorney Hamid Khan, who appeared in court to argue for the petition’s admission.

The Lahore Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) already convicted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan in connection with the incidents on May 9 and denied his bail on eight distinct counts.

The court’s finding was delivered in a six-page written order by ATC Judge Manzar Ali Gul.

The written ruling emphasized substantial evidence against the PTI founder, comprising audio and visual recordings of his directives to incite violence.

The court observed that witnesses had provided testimony on the conspiracy planned by Imran Khan at Zaman Park, where he purportedly strategized for his possible arrest by intending to disrupt state functions via his supporters.

Imran Khan’s legal counsel contended that he was in custody at the time of the incidents, proposing that bail be granted in accordance with precedents where bail was awarded in like circumstances following detention.

Nevertheless, the court rejected this argument, underscoring that the case’s nature was not a trifling issue of conspiracy or incitement.

The prosecution established that Mr. Khan had explicitly incited assaults on military and governmental facilities and had galvanized both his commanders and supporters to adhere to his directives.

The decision additionally cited the Lahore High Court’s finding regarding a prior release granted to Ijaz Chaudhry, highlighting Imran Khan’s involvement in the conspiracy. The court dismissed the defense’s challenge over the prosecution’s lack of specificity concerning the date, time, or location of the purported conspiracy, affirming that the scheme was allegedly devised on May 7 and May 9 at Zaman Park.

The prosecution asserts that undercover police officers, masquerading as PTI supporters, intercepted discussions outlining the scheme.

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