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Pak-India Relations
After a series of firing and violence incidents on Line of Control and exchange of harsh statements against each other, Pakistan and India had taken their concerns to the United Nations. On the occasion of 70th UNGA session in New York, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s speech focused mainly on Kashmir and other conflicts with neighboring India. On Wednesday, the prime minister in his address to the UNGA proposed four peace measures, which included demilitarising of Kashmir, withdrawal of troops from the Siachen Glacier, ceasefire on the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir and not using the threat to use force against each other. Nawaz Sharif had also called for the expansion in the role of the UN Military Observers Group for India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to monitor the observance of the ceasefire.
Meanwhile India hit back at Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s address in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) where he proposed de-militarising of the Kashmir region as a peace measure by saying that “de-terrorising” Pakistan is the answer. In a series of tweets posted on his official Twitter account, Indian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said that Pakistan’s instability arises from its breeding of terrorists.
Earlier during the week, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had met UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon on the sidelines of UNGA Session in New York, where he urged for a plebiscite in Kashmir, stressing on the need for implementation of the United Nation’s Security Council (UNSC) resolution in this regard.
War on Terror
As Pakistan fights militancy on its own land, Afghanistan also blames Pakistan for terrorist activities on its soil including recent Taliban offensive in Kunduz. Afghanistan complains that Pakistan allows its territory to be used by Afghan Taliban fighters, battling the government in Kabul. Meanwhile Pakistan shows its intention to get Afghanistan rid of militant groups including Taliban as Army Chief General Raheel Sharif vows to help resume the dialogue with the Afghan government and the Taliban, which was stalled due to intensification of militant attacks. Army chief said that Pakistan stood for promoting peace and stability in Afghanistan and encouraged international community to continue peace process in Afghanistan.
Meanwhile in recent operation against the militants in Pakistan, atleast 25 terrorists were killed and six militant hideouts had been destroyed in aerial strikes in North Waziristan. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the strikes were carried out in the area close to the Pak-Afghan border.
Local Body Polls
Political atmosphere is charged as parties are preparing for local body polls to be held in the country. However ruling party PML-N faced first hurdle as the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) ordered the federal government to stop implementation on the Prime Minister Kisan Package terming the announcement of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif “an attempt to influence the local government (LG) elections in Punjab and Sindh”. According to ECP verdict no development scheme could be announced after the schedule of the local government election had been issued.
PM Nawaz had announced the Rs 341 billion Kisan Package on which the Election Commission had taken notice. However, the government may start implementing Kisan Package after completion of all three phases of the local government elections in Punjab and Sindh.
Meanwhile The Supreme Court of Pakistan has issued a stay order on Laudhran by-poll elections in the constituency of National Assembly 154. Supreme Court ruled in favor of PML-N’s Siddique Baloch who had submitted a plea against election tribunal’s orders in which re-elections were ordered in the constituency.
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