ISLAMABAD: The 11th session of the Pakistan-Saudi Arabia Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) began on Tuesday with a renewed pledge to boost bilateral economic, investment and trade cooperation between the two countries.

High-ranked officials of various ministries of both countries also participated, with an aim to draw a future roadmap to cooperate with each other for economic development.

Special Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs Aitzaz Ahmad said Pakistan offered tremendous opportunities in various sectors of the economy, particularly in tourism which could be exploited for better financial developmental prospects. He expressed hope that the session would provide a ‘way-forward’ agenda to promote trade and investment.

Speaking on the occasion, Secretary for Foreign Trade Saudi Arabia Abdul Rehman bin Ahmad Al-Harbi said that Riyadh provided great investment opportunities, particularly in the infrastructure field. He was of the view that sessions like JMC should conclude with a tangible outcome to make this bilateral cooperation fruitful for both countries.

During the session, both sides agreed to simplify the procedure of business visa issuance in both countries besides rationalising the visa fee on reciprocal basis. They also agreed on activation of the Saudi-Pak Business Council to promote trade and investment on fast-track basis, while Pak-Saudi bilateral Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) also came under consideration.

The two sides agreed to introduce products through exhibitions in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, besides agreeing to identify and remove the obstacles that hinder smooth flow.

Recently, the results of the by-election in PP-20 Chakwal were declared, giving the embattled Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) a comfortable victory. This particular by-election was important for the following three parties: PML-N, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP).

For PML-N, ever since Nawaz Sharif’s disqualification through Supreme Court’s (SC) landmark decision, a question which has constantly been discussed in the media is their political future. According to some, PML-N is in dire state after the disqualification and is facing harsh subsequent events which include Faizabad sit-in and former prime minister’s continuous confrontation with higher judiciary and establishment.

At the same time, some believe that despite problems, Nawaz is still popular and PML-N’s vote bank is still intact. Going into election 2018 (assuming these are held on time or held at all), it became imperative to gauge its electoral prowess and this by-election provided a useful means to do that.

Likewise, popularity of the main opposition party, PTI, which spearheaded the campaign against Nawaz, also needed to be assessed. On electronic and social media, the party definitely has a massive footprint and furthermore there is absolutely no doubt that today, PTI has more street power than any other political party, matching Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in the latter’s heydays. Whether these obvious advantages translate into electoral majority in Pakistan, particularly Punjab, this by-election was an important way to gauge.

In addition, everyone was also interested in gauging the prospects of new right-wing party TLP, particularly after the recently concluded Faizabad sit-in. It has been claimed that the party would make a dent into PML-N’s vote bank in 2018 general election, thus benefiting PTI.

So how did the three parties fare in the by-election?

For PML-N, given the fact that it has been facing problems for some time now, this was a do or die situation. Moreover, this was the seat they have been winning for decades, barring the 2002 election. Local dynamics were apparently in their favour, which actually made it even more important for them to win. They had to win this seat and by a very comfortable margin to prove that they were not only intact as a party but also had a fighting chance in the upcoming general election. A loss in a “safe” seat would have spelled disaster for them and would have probably led to mass scale defections from their own MPs. Moreover, a defeat would have severely discouraged their supporters and also changed the decision-making calculus of the rational voter – one who votes after taking into account the winning prospects of a party – to a substantial margin.

Given that scenario, PML-N has done well as it not only retained its seat but actually increased its vote tally and that too in a by-election. In 2013 elections, it got a little over 62,000 votes, but in this election, it has managed to secure more than 75,000 votes. Given that politics is often local, this does not mean that PML-N is going to have a landslide victory in the upcoming election. However, it does show that it’s still well-entrenched in its own constituencies and if the local factors don’t change, the party is not going to witness a total annihilation. It has a fighting chance, unless something drastic happens before the elections. The disqualification of Nawaz apparently has not dented PML-N’s vote bank, at least in their rural and semi-urban strongholds like PP-20 Chakwal. It proves that where local factors favour them, they have a good chance.

For PTI, stakes were high though not as high as for PML-N. This was an election; they were expected to lose, though a win would have proven extremely beneficial for them. It was also an opportunity for them to know the extent of political capital they have gained due to their “victory” at the SC.

Although PTI has lost the election by a large margin, at the same time, compared to 2013, they have also increased their vote tally, which is a good sign for the party. The defeat by a large margin may also be partially due to local factors but the increase in number of votes shows that the party is catching up. It has now completely displaced PPP as the second major force in the Punjab province and shows that the future holds promising for them.

However, they need to work better at the local level and moreover expand their message beyond corruption of their rival politicians. This is because the impact of SC’s decision is perhaps there, but not to the extent that the party was hoping. Of course, for majority of the urban middle class supporters of PTI, corruption of Nawaz is the biggest and perhaps the only issue in Pakistan, but the reality is different outside their bubble. When masses vote, their considerations are often not always aligned with “educated” urbanites and that is why PTI has to talk about other issues also, instead of continuously repeating the same things regarding corruption of Nawaz.

The most frightening development in the last few months has been the rise of TLP. First time it contested the election in NA 120, it actually got more votes than PPP and Jamat-i-Islami (JI) combined. Although the party had no chance of winning this seat, all political pundits were interested in knowing how many votes it would gain in this election and whether it would actually dent PML-N’s vote bank.

The party has gotten more than 16,000 votes which for a nascent and frankly a fringe right-wing religious party is quite high. This is a dangerous development showing that religious extremism is selling and unfortunately, slowly becoming mainstream in the country.

This result, however, does not prove that TLP has dented PML-N’s vote bank, at least in this constituency. Nevertheless, this may not prove to be the case in other constituencies as PML-N has traditionally been the major recipient of the Barelvi votes in the past. That is why I fear that both PTI and PML-N might be tempted to use similar tactics in order to gain votes or at least prevent loss in their existing vote bank in the upcoming general election. In fact, PTI’s Jahangir Khan Tareen has already started to court certain Barelvi hardline scholars as evident from his following tweet:

LAHORE: The Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) has finalised all arrangements for the demonstration to be held on Wednesday (tomorrow). The party leaders claim around 100,000 people will join the protest to seek justice for the Model Town incident.

“We have finalised all arrangements and will not bow down in front of the government,” said PAT Secretary General Khurram Nawaz Ghandapur.

Talking to The Express Tribune, he said that it would be a peaceful protest and assured no damage to public property. “The party has established a master control room at the PAT office in Model Town and formed 14 committees to look over the sit-in.
Mall Road’s Charring Cross has its own significance despite the fact that it is the political and business hub of the city. It is also a main thoroughfare of the metropolis from there thousands of vehicles pass over the 24 hours of a day. On the other hand, the Punjab government has already imposed Section 144 for any political gathering in this area.

Various political activists of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP), Muttahida Muslim League (MML), Ulam-e-Mushaikh Council, all factions of Jamiat Ulma-e-Islam (Except Fazalur Rehman group), Jamat Islami and Sunni Ittihad have assured their presence in the protest.

Replying to a question, Gandapur said that PAT, along with other parties, will hold the sit-in at any cost.”

Gandapur, in the meeting said this was an alliance of political parties to seek justice for the victims of the Model Town incident. “We do not make alliances for any political point-scoring or to destabilise the political process in the country.”

“The Model Town inquiry report by Justice Baqir Najafi proved that the chief minister and the law minister were instrumental in the killing of PAT workers,” he said. He added that they have made the alliance only to seek justice for the Model Town incident.

Gandapur said that for the last three year, PML-N ministers have been appearing on TV and denying their role in the Model Town tragedy. “ PAT has not deviated from his earlier stance with regards to seeking justice on the incident.”

“I greatly appreciate the families and relatives of the martyrs for their patience. The party workers who lost their lives in the firing incident were wealthy when it came to piety and virtue.” Gandapur believed Shehbaz Sharif and other PML-N leaders would be in jail soon.

Earlier, Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) Dr Tahirul Qadri announced that an agitation campaign would be launched across the country on January 17 by various like-minded opposition parties to force the Punjab chief minister and the law minister to tender resignations.

He said all members of the steering committee have agreed to launch a movement to overthrow the government.

Dr Qadri said that everyone knew who opened indiscriminate fire on innocent protesters. “We want justice. Dr Tauqir Shah (then principal secretary to the chief minister) was ordered to kill people in Model Town and later was appointed as an ambassador to keep mum over the issue.

LAHORE: Two cases of sexual abuse of children surfaced in the city and two suspects were arrested on Monday.

In the first incident, a five-year-old boy was sexually assaulted by a neighbour. Muhammad Ashfaq, the father the boy, told The Express Tribune that his son was playing outside their house in Mangi Mandi when a man, identified as Umar, took him to a nearby field. When the son didn’t return home after some time, the family started searching for him. Witnesses guided them about the direction the suspect had taken with their son.

“Just as we reached near sugarcane fields, we heard the screams of our child. We saw the suspect had removed the clothes of my son and was sexually assaulting him. We caught him immediately and handed him over to the police.” The police arrested the suspect and registered an FIR against him.

In another incident which took place in Sabzazar, the family of a 12-year-old boy alleged that the boy had gone to buy milk from a nearby shop. The boy’s uncle told The Express Tribune that the owner of the shop, Imran, a resident of Mandi Usmanwala Kasur, tried to molest his nephew. On the complaint of Ilyas, police registered an FIR against the suspect.

A police officer at the Sabzazar police station, requesting anonymity, told The Express Tribune that the complainant had manipulated the case. “The suspect had only touched the boy’s face gently and treated him nicely and the family has registered an FIR against him.” On the other hand, Investigation Officer Imtiaz Ahmad said that they have arrested the suspect and have conducted his and the victim’s medical examination. The suspect will be presented before the court for further investigation, he added.

Security guard of a girls’ school injured

A security guard of a girls’ school was shot at and injured in Harbanspura on Monday. The incident occurred outside the Govt Girls School Harbanspura in Jorha Peer. The victim, identified as Muhammad Akbar, works as a security guard and gardener at the school.

Police said that he exchanged some harsh words with some unidentified men who would gather outside the school to harass students. Akbar had repeatedly asked them not to stand outside the school, but they didn’t pay any attention. On Monday, two unidentified men came to the school, pulled out a gun and opened fire at Akbar and fled. The victim was taken to a nearby hospital.

Residents complained that the boys would gather outside the school daily to harass female students. Akbar often warned them and also exchanged harsh words with them many times. On getting information of the incident, police teams reached the spot, collected forensic evidence from the crime scene and recorded statements of witnesses.

District Education Officer Ehsanul Haq told the media that initial investigations suggested that the victim was shot at and injured over a personal enmity. He added the victim was in a stable condition and police were looking into the matter further.

DUBAI/JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, detained for over two months in an anti-corruption crackdown, is negotiating a possible settlement with authorities but so far has not agreed on terms, a senior Saudi official said.

Prince Alwaleed, whose net worth has been estimated by Forbes magazine at $17 billion, is chairman and owner of international investment firm Kingdom Holding 4280.SE, and one of the country’s most prominent businessmen.

“He offered a certain figure but it doesn’t meet the figure required from him, and until today the attorney-general hasn’t approved it,” the official said on condition of anonymity under government briefing rules.

A second source familiar with Prince Alwaleed’s case told Reuters on Saturday that the price had offered to make a “donation” to the Saudi government, which would avoid any admission of wrongdoing, and to do so from assets of his own choosing. The government refused those terms, the source said.

Kingdom Holding’s share price jumped as much as 9.8 per cent on Sunday in response to news of the negotiations, adding about $860 million to the company’s capitalization. The stock price was still 7 percent below its level just before Prince Alwaleed was detained.

Since early November Prince Alwaleed has been held, with dozens of other members of Saudi Arabia’s political and business elite detained in the crackdown, in Riyadh’s opulent Ritz Carlton hotel as authorities seek to reach settlements with the detainees.

Saudi officials say they aim to claw back some $100 billion of funds that rightfully belong to the state. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who launched the crackdown, has indicated he wants to close existing cases quickly and expects most suspects to cut a deal.

The allegations against Prince Alwaleed include money laundering, bribery and extorting officials, a Saudi official told Reuters soon after his detention. Neither he nor his company has commented publicly on the charges.

Kingdom Holding, which has said it is continuing to operate normally, did not respond to requests for comment when asked about any settlement talks.

Construction giant Saudi Binladin Group said on Saturday that some of its shareholders might transfer part of their holdings to the state in a settlement with authorities. Chairman Bakr Bin Laden and several family members were detained in the crackdown.

In late November, senior Saudi Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, once seen as a leading contender to the throne, was freed after reaching a settlement with authorities that involved paying more than $1 billion, according to a Saudi official.