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Nawaz Sharif most popular leader in Punjab: survey

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  • Nawaz’s popularity has gone up to 52% in December 2023.
  • Gallup Pakistan survey lays out political mood of the masses.
  • PML-N gaining its lost ground, especially in Punjab, survey mentions.

ISLAMABAD: Nawaz Sharif has emerged as the most popular leader in Punjab, according to a newly released survey, whereas he is fast catching up with Imran Khan at the national level as the former’s graph goes up and the latter’s is going down after incarceration.

A survey released by Gallup Pakistan on Thursday laid out the political mood of the masses that shows Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is gaining its lost ground, especially in Punjab, the participants were also asked about their favourite personalities. One survey was conducted in June and another in December last year. The mood swing in this span shows Nawaz Sharif making advances since his return to Pakistan.

At the national level, Nawaz has gone up from 36% popularity (in June 2023) to 52% (in December 2023). Imran in the corresponding period has gone down from 60% to 57% which suggests that public mood is swinging towards the former keeping in view the perception that he will be able to form the next government whereas the latter stands no chance in the near future. So going by the above, it appears that though Khan is still the most popular leader at the national level, it is on decline whereas Nawaz heads upward in terms of approval rate.

If their standing is judged at Punjab level which will be the key determinant in deciding the future prime minister, Nawaz has scored higher than Imran. The only survey conducted in this regard at the provincial level was in December which shows Nawaz’ popularity at 60% and Imran’s at 53%. Third most popular leader in Punjab is Jamaat-e-Islami’s emir, Sirajul Haq (36%). Bilawal Bhutto follows him with 34% popularity. Saad Rizvi of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan grabbed fifth slot by scoring 31% approval. Maulana Fazlul Rehman (27%) and Jahangir Tareen (21%) comes after him.

A national-level survey of the leaders’ personal approval rate indicates that almost all the leaders surveyed have lost popularity except Nawaz Sharif, Maulana Fazlul Rehman and Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui. As mentioned above, Imran’s rating decreased by 3%. Similarly, Saad Rizvi went down 10% (from 38% to 28%) in the duration of seven months. Bilawal lost 1% from 36% to 35%. Tareen’s rating decreased by 3%.

Overall mood suggests that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and PML-N are in neck-on-neck competition in Punjab if the elections are held today. The gap between the two parties is 2% which is within the error margin of this survey and therefore statistically insignificant.

Given Punjab represents more than half of the National Assembly seats, this narrowing gap however could have implications in terms of both parties’ abilities to bag seats. Both parties have had the same position in 2018 elections as PTI got 36% vote and PML-N 35% votes and it resulted in a difference of two seats. PTI bagged 63 seats and PML-N 61 seats.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), PTI’s approval has increased to 45% in 2024 from 37% in 2018. The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) has 15% approval rate there, PML-N 9% whereas 7% each of Awami National Party (ANP) and PPP. Considering JUI-F and PML-N alliance in South KP (stronghold of JUI-F) and Hazara region (stronghold of PML-N) could upset the PTI there. Same goes in Malakand where ANP and PPP have its vote bank.

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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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