ISLAMABAD, MAR 11: Army Chief Gen Qamar Bajwa and Director General of Inter-Services Intelli­gence Lt Gen Faiz Hameed attended a session on Afghan peace process in Bahrain, it emerged on Wednesday.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in a statement said: “Current developments in Afghan peace process, border security and necessary steps to be undertaken to facilitate an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process were discussed” during the meeting which was held on Tuesday.

It was reportedly part of the international efforts to accelerate the Afghan peace process that is virtually stalled at the moment and included key players in the process.

The meeting has taken place at a time when the United States is planning to request the United Nations to convene a meeting of the foreign ministers and envoys from Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, India, and the US so that the regional countries could develop a unified approach for supporting the peace process.

The Biden administration has also proposed a ‘power sharing agreement’ between the Afghan government and the Taliban.

Diplomatic efforts have recently intensified to bring peace to war-torn nation

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in a letter to President Ashraf Ghani, underscored the urgency for a political settlement of the Afghan dispute, while warning that “Taliban could make rapid territorial gains” in the eventuality of a US withdrawal. The US, under an agreement signed with the Taliban in February 2020, has to complete its withdrawal from Afghanistan by May 1.

US Special Envoy for Afghan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalil-zad, who visited Pakistan on Monday, in his meeting with Gen Bajwa stressed the need to accelerate progress towards “a just and durable peace” in Afghanistan.

Russia is, meanwhile, hosting a meeting of the ‘extended troika’ on March 18. The US, China, Pakistan, Afghan government and the Taliban have been invited to the meeting by Moscow.

Gen Bajwa, meanwhile, held meetings with Commander Bahrain Nation Guard Field Marshal Mohammed Bin Isa Al Khalifa and Bahraini National Security Adviser Maj Gen Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

“During the meetings, issues of mutual interest and regional security situation came under discussion. COAS offered Pakistan’s complete support in achieving shared interests in bilateral security cooperation including training and capacity building,” the ISPR said.

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PESHAWAR, MAR 11: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Thursday ordered the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to ban TikTok — the popular social media platform for entertainment videos — over proliferation of videos "spreading obscenity in society".

PHC Chief Justice Qaiser Rashid Khan gave the order while hearing a petition against the social media platform.

PTA Director Kamran Gandapur and deputy attorney generals Amir Javed and Asghar Kundi were also present in court.

Justice Khan said videos being uploaded to TikTok were "unacceptable for Pakistani society". "TikTok is affecting most of the youth. Reports being received about the platform in Peshawar are sad."

He remarked that the videos were "spreading obscenity" and thus the platform should be immediately closed. He questioned whether the closure would hurt the platform, to which Gandapur responded in the affirmative.

The PTA director said the authority had sent a request to TikTok officials but had not yet received a "positive response".

"TikTok should be closed down unless their officials comply with your request and cooperate with you to prevent immoral content," said Justice Khan. "It will be closed until your request is processed," the court said.

The chief justice enquired where the offices of TikTok were located to which he was told that the platform had no office in Pakistan, its head office was in Singapore and it was controlled from Dubai.

TikTok, which is owned by a Chinese company, was banned in October after repeated warnings by PTA over alleged ‘unethical content’. However, the PTA later restored TikTok with conditions and warnings that it adhere to the laws of the country, the platform should not be used for spreading vulgarity/indecent content and values of society should also not be abused.

In January, the Pakistan Infor­mation Commission had directed the PTA to provide minutes of a meeting and the file notes related to the banning of TikTok.

The telecom regulator was also directed to provide copies of letters or emails sent to the TikTok management in this regard by PTA, along with copies of the letter(s) or email(s) it received from the management of TikTok and copies of the notes and minutes of the meeting in which it was decided to ban the social media platform.

"Citizens of Pakistan have the right to have access to noting on the files and minutes of the meetings which led to the imposition of the ban on TikTok application so that they can judge for themselves the input provided by officers involved which led to the ban through the final order,” the PIC order said.

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ISLAMABAD, MAR 11: A day after the National Command and Control Centre (NCOC) re-imposed restrictions to curb the spread of Covid-19 in the country, Pakistan reported more than 2,000 virus cases for the first time since January.

According to official data, Pakistan has reported 2,258 cases in the last 24 hours, marking the first time the country has reported over 2,000 infections since January 29, when 2,186 cases were recorded.

An NCOC press release stated that 42,164 tests were conducted on March 10, which translates into a positivity rate of 5.3 per cent, while the total number of active cases in the country is 17,627 as of March 11.

Breakdown of cases reported during last 24 hours:

• Punjab: 1,290 cases
• Islamabad: 350 cases
• Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: 289 cases
• Sindh: 256 cases
• Azad Jammu and Kashmir: 57 cases
• Balochistan: 16 cases

With the new cases, the national tally has risen to 597,497.

The NCOC also shared the percentage of ventilators occupied in four major areas of the country. According to the breakdown, Lahore has the rate of ventilator occupancy at 39 per cent.

Highest ventilator occupancy rates

• Lahore: 39pc
• Islamabad: 37pc
• Peshawar: 24pc
• Multan: 21pc

Furthermore, another city in Punjab — Gujrat — has the highest rate of oxygen beds currently occupied at 94pc, highlighting a worsening situation in the province.

Highest oxygen beds occupancy rates

• Gujrat: 94pc
• Peshawar: 39pc
• Islamabad: 36pc
• Lahore: 29pc

Punjab reports more than 1,000 cases for second straight day

Meanwhile, Punjab has reported 1,290 coronavirus cases and 33 deaths during the past 24 hours. The provincial total has risen to 180,944 and the death toll is 5,662.

This is the second straight day the province has reported more than 1,000 coronavirus cases. A day earlier, Punjab recorded 1,006 cases and 29 deaths.

According to the Punjab health department's data, 741 of the 1,290 cases (57.4pc) were reported in Lahore – the provincial capital. Rawalpindi and Faisalabad both reported 81 cases each, followed by 58 in Gujrat.

Addressing a press conference later on Thursday, Punjab Health Minister Yasmin Rashid said that the public needed to practice precautionary measures in order to curb the spread of the disease.

She stated that some parts of the province were reporting the British variant of the Covid-19 virus which was more contagious. "[Therefore] we think that the British strain is causing a spike in cases," she said.

She added that it was important to relay this information to the public as some had taken the situation "very lightly". "When the government decided to lift restrictions [...] people stopped taking precautionary measures," she said.

The Punjab health minister also urged citizens over the age of 60 to register themselves for the Covid-19 vaccine.

Earlier this week, a senior official of the health department had said the Punjab government’s hospitals were reporting an alarming situation because of the increasing number of the Covid-19 patients.

He had warned that if new cases continued to increase at the present pace, the government would have to expand the bed ratio and treatment facilities for Covid-19 patients. The facilities at public hospitals were yet to be reviewed, he had added, seeking anonymity.

NCOC re-imposes restrictions

The government, in view of the declining trend of Covid-19 cases prevailing in the country, had earlier relaxed a number of restrictions on commercial activities and official work on Feb 24.

Under the new directives, time limit on commercial activities had been lifted and condition of 50 per cent attendance at workplaces was removed with immediate effect.

Permission to hold indoor wedding ceremonies and opening of cinemas and shrines had also been granted with effect from March 15

However, expressing concern over the government’s decision to relax Covid-19 related restrictions, the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) had on March 4 warned that the coronavirus situation may worsen in the country as the vaccination campaign was moving at a slow pace.

It suggested that the restrictions shouldn’t be lifted till 70 per cent of the country’s population was vaccinated against coronavirus.

As cases began rising drastically since then, the NCOC on Wednesday (March 10) re-imposed a number of restrictions that had been in force in the country prior to Feb 24.

The centre announced a two-week spring vacation in educational institutions in 10 cities whereas Balochis­tan and Sindh were suggested to limit attendance to 50pc.

It decided to continue smart lockdowns and micro smart lockdowns and re-enforce 50pc work from home policy and time limit of 10pm on all commercial activities with immediate effect. Amusement parks will be closed at 6pm and strict compliance of standard operating procedures (SOPs) will continue across the board.

The NCOC session was presided over by Minister for Planning and Develop­ment Asad Umar which reviewed the non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) already issued and valid till March 15.

Later at a joint press conference, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan and Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood said a number of relaxations had been withdrawn. Mahmood said the meeting discussed the prevailing pandemic situation in the country.

“It was decided that in Sindh and Balochistan, the situation was better due to which 50pc students will be allowed to attend schools per day. In 10 cities of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtun­khwa, Azad Kashmir and Islamabad, spring vacations will start from March 15 and educational institutions will remain closed for two weeks till March 28 in view of the rising Covid-19 cases,” he said.

The minister said the cities where the new directives would be applicable were Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Lahore, Gujrat, Multan, Rawalpindi, Sialkot, Islamabad, Muzaffarabad and Peshawar. However, he said final examinations, which were under way or expected to take place later this month, including those of O and A levels, would go ahead as per schedule.

Additionally, he said in the remaining parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, half of the students would keep attending classes daily.

He said the provincial governments would keep reviewing the situation and, if it worsened, closure of schools would be necessary.

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ISLAMABAD, MAR 11: Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan emphasized that enhanced trade and regional connectivity are the cornerstones of economic growth and development during talks with visiting Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulaziz Kamilov on Wednesday.

Khan highlighted during the meeting that Pakistan offers all Central Asian countries very short routes to international seas through Karachi and Gwadar ports, according to a statement from the Prime Minister Office.

Pakistan highly values its close, fraternal ties with Uzbekistan and wishes to deepen bilateral cooperation in all areas, the prime minister said, reaffirming Pakistan's resolve to facilitate Uzbekistan's access to Pakistani ports.

Kamilov arrived in Pakistan Tuesday night on a two-day visit and held talks with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi covering the entire gamut of bilateral relations, and views were also exchanged on regional and international issues, according to the Foreign Ministry of Pakistan.

The Pakistani prime minister also underlined Pakistan's resolve to forge closer ties with Central Asia, including trade, investments, energy and people-to-people exchanges, according to the statement.

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ISLAMABAD, MAR 11: Khalid Taimur Akram, Executive Director, CGSS visited the Embassy of Kyrgyz Republic and had a meeting with Erik Beishembiev, Ambassador of the Kyrgyz Republic to Pakistan.

During the meeting various avenues of cooperation were discussed including academic collaborations between institutions of Kyrgyz Republic and Pakistan.

Furthermore, academic exchange programs for students and faculty members were also brought under discussion.

It was also agreed that joint research projects will be initiated by CGSS and think tanks of Kyrgyz Republic.

This will create an opportunity to explore and highlight different sectors of connectivity like trade, economy, academia, and culture between both countries.

Erik Beishembiev recognized and appreciated the active role played by CGSS in regional connectivity and specifically in improving bilateral relations between Pakistan and Kyrgyz Republic.

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ISLAMABAD, MAR 10: Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood said on Wednesday that educational institutions in seven cities of Punjab will close down for two weeks from March 15 (Monday) in light of rising Covid-19 cases.

The minister was addressing a press conference alongside Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan shortly after the National Command and Control Centre (NCOC) reviewed the coronavirus situation at educational institutions.

Mahmood said spring break will begin in the following cities in Punjab and will continue till March 28.

• Faisalabad
• Gujranwala
• Lahore
• Gujrat
• Multan
• Rawalpindi
• Sialkot

He added that the same decision will also apply to educational institutions in Islamabad. The decision regarding Muzaffarabad will be taken by the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Government, he said.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he specified that the directive will only be applicable to schools in Peshawar where a high positivity rate has been recorded. "In Peshawar, all educational institutions will remain closed from March 15 to March 28. Half of the students will keep attending classes in other districts."

He said that the provincial governments will keep reviewing the situation and, if the situation is worsening, will close schools where necessary. "A constant review will be going on," he said, adding that the NCOC will also keep monitoring the situation.

The minister said that the decisions do not apply to examinations such as those for O and A levels. "All send-ups and exams being currently conducted will continue under proper SOPs," he said.

He said that it had previously been decided that exams for grade 9,10, 11 and 12 would be held during the period between May and June. "I think schools should continue monitoring their situations individually and where they see something unusual, they should inform the authorities."

Briefing the media at the start of the press conference, the minister said that all steps have to be taken while keeping in mind the nearly 50 million children that attend schools, colleges and universities. "This is a sector that has a direct effect on the spread of the disease," he said.

He stated that officials conducted an analysis of the situation in the entire country, adding that the situation in Sindh and Balochistan were satisfactory. "Therefore, it was decided that 50 per cent of all children would attend classes every day while maintaining social distancing and wearing face masks."

The minister added that all standard operating procedures (SOPs) previously enforced will continue to be followed. He added that on the other hand, the situation was not as satisfactory in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Decision to lift restrictions on indoor dining, weddings withdrawn

Meanwhile, the PM's aide stated that the country's healthcare system comes under pressure as the number of patients in medical institutions increases. "Therefore, we considered it prudent to tell you in a timely manner that cases are increasing and the positivity rate is also increasing," said Dr Sultan.

"We are seeing more patients in hospitals compared to a month ago," he said, adding that authorities were now stressing the use of face masks to curb the spread of the virus.

Speaking about the 50pc work from home policy, Dr Sultan said that the provinces were better informed about the areas where it should be followed.

However, he said that it would be enforced with immediate effect in Islamabad, while the time limit for commercial activities will be 10pm. This is not applicable to essential services like pharmacies, he said.

He added that amusements parks across the country will close down at 6pm. "If any province or city wants to close earlier, they can exercise their own judgement."

He added that earlier it was decided to lift restrictions on indoor weddings, dine-in restaurants and cinemas by March 15. However, in light of the current situation, that decision has been withdrawn.

"Outdoor dining and outdoor policy will continue from March 15 to April 15," he said, adding that this will be reviewed again at the end of this period.

"Outdoor weddings will continue as well as a limit of 300 guests. The review of all these steps will be done on April 1," he said. "These are baseline decisions. If any province wishes to take further steps according to their numbers, then they have the right to do so."

The PM's aide added that the vaccination of those above 60 years of age had started on Wednesday and urged citizens to register themselves for inoculation.

NCOC meeting

Earlier today, Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar presided over the NCOC meeting attended ministers from all the provinces and federating units.

The forum was given comprehensive update and review about non-pharmaceutical interventions already issued and which were valid till March 15, a press release said.

In view of prevailing diseases pattern and rising positivity ratio, the meeting decided the following:

• Strict compliance of mask wearing will continue across the board
• Smart lockdowns/ micro-smart lockdowns will continue to be imposed based on disease prevalence
• 50pc work from home policy will be implemented on the discretion of federating units. However, it will be enforced in Islamabad with immediate effect
• Time limit of 10pm on all commercial activities will be re-enforced with immediate effect
• Amusement parks across the country will be closed at 6pm
• Earlier decision of allowing indoor weddings, indoor dining and opening of cinemas and shrines with effect from March 15 has been withdrawn. However, outdoor dining/ takeaway will continue to remain open as per previous practice
• Outdoor gatherings will continue to remain limited to a maximum of 300 individuals with strict enforcement of Covid-19 SOPs
• Review of all enforced non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) will be carried out on April 12

"The decisions regarding NPIs are the baseline decisions. Federating units are at liberty to impose stricter NPIs in selected cities or districts keeping in view the local disease spread," the press release said.

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WASHINGTON, MAR 10: The United States has prevented Turkey from supplying 30 locally-made attack helicopters to Pakistan, diplomatic sources in Washington told Dawn.

According to Bloomberg News, Turkey’s presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin told reporters on Monday that “the US has blocked Turkey’s helicopter sale to Pakistan, which will likely lead to Islamabad buying it from China.”

The ATAK T-129 is a twin-engine, tandem seat, multi-role, all-weather attack helicopter based on the Agusta A129 Mangusta platform and is equipped with American engines.

The US is holding up export clearance for the LHTEC engine.

The blockade could “cause more harm” to US interests, Mr Kalin added.

Turkey and Pakistan signed a $1.5 billion deal for the Turkish-made helicopter gunships in July 2018. But the delivery date was pushed back after the Pentagon refused to issue the Turkish company an export license for the engines.

The Turkish official mentioned the US blockade while briefing journalists on the impact of US sanctions on Turkey, triggered by Ankara’s decision to buy S-400 missiles from Russia.

He said Turkey was forced to buy Russian missiles because Washington had refused to supply Patriot air defence missiles systems to Ankara on favorable terms. The sanctions are designed to deter any country from signing military deals with Russia and restrict US loans and credits to a defaulter.

Developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) in partnership with a European firm, Agusta-Westland, the ATAK T-129 helicopter is designed for advanced attack and reconnaissance missions in hot and high environments in both day and night conditions.

The United States announced the first blockade in July 2019, days before a meeting between the former US president, Donald Trump, and Prime Minister Imran Khan in Washington.

In January 2020, the head of Turkey’s Defence Industries (SSB) said that Ankara and Islamabad had extended the delivery deal by another year to ensure a smooth delivery. The agreement gives Pakistan the option to buy the Chinese Z-10 helicopters should the Turkish deal not materialize.

Reports in the Turkish media said that the Turkish-built T-129 ATAK helicopter was still on the Pakistan Army shopping list.

In August 2020, Turkey hired a Washington law firm to lobby with the US administration and Congress for securing an export license which will help complete its biggest ever defence deal with Pakistan.

The US firm Greenberg Traurig and its subcontractor were paid a monthly retainer of $25,000 to lobby for the deal.

The latest blockade, however, is likely to force the two allies to cancel the deal, persuading Islamabad to look for other options.

US officials in Washington were contacted for comments on the announcement made in Ankara but did not respond.

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OSLO, MAR 10: The infection situation in Oslo is very serious, City Council chief Raymond Johansen (AP) said during a press conference on Tuesday. 

He urged the city’s population to take personal responsibility.

“Right now, the situation is very serious. Each of us must now take personal responsibility for reversing this development,” Johansen said.

The City Council announced that the measures would be tightened further – all schools and kindergartens will have to operate at the “red” level. 

People should avoid visits at home, have as few close contacts as possible, and avoid gatherings indoors completely, Johansen said.

He pointed out that the mutated virus variants have made it much more difficult to beat the infection in this round. Last week, more than 1,300 people were diagnosed with coronavirus in Oslo, the largest number ever.

Mutated virus

“A large part of the city’s population can be vaccinated by the summer. But that does not help us right now,” Johansen said.

When asked by NTB about why the infection is rising, Johansen noted that many people are careless in complying with the infection control rules.

He pointed to children and young people in particular, who meet each other across cohorts, classes, and sports teams.

“It is an important cause of the infection we now see, because this mutated virus is so much more contagious than we have seen before.”

Kindergartens and primary schools 

Kindergartens and primary schools will have to operate at the “red” level in Oslo, and leisure activities for children will be banned. 

“We have never seen so much infection among the younger population,” Jonahsen added.

The new measures will apply until Easter. The “red” level does not mean closed schools but a greater degree of school from home. 

All indoor leisure activities for children and young people will be stopped, and leisure clubs with indoor facilities will be closed. 

Johansen says the City Council would like to shield children and young people, but that it is unfortunately not possible to do so due to the mutated virus.

“We see that the infection is now increasing sharply among the youngest. The mutated varieties are more contagious among children and young people, and we have never seen so much infection among the younger ones as we do now. The infection is increasing throughout the city and in all age groups, but to a particularly large extent among those between 10 and 19 years,” he warned.

Responsibility

At the same time, Johansen warned residents who are tired of measures.

“Now, each of us must take on personal responsibility to reverse this dangerous development,” he said.

Until after Easter, he asked that people meet as few others as possible and avoid having home visits from others. 

He also asked people to limit possible close contacts and keep the greatest possible distance from others. Indoor social gatherings should be avoided altogether.

In addition to tightening the rules for children and young people, all the other infection control measures that have already been introduced will be continued. 

Restaurants must be kept closed, with the exception of takeaway. Only grocery stores, pharmacies, and some other stores can stay open. There is still a ban on events and the serving of alcohol. 

Gyms, theaters, and cinemas have to remain closed.

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ISLAMABAD, MAR 10: Noon Academy, a London based EdTech Startup with over 400,000 users in Pakistan, has entered into a Letter of Understanding with the Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training (MoFEPT) for the provision of Digital Education in Pakistan. The LoU was signed at a ceremony held at the Federal Education Ministry in Islamabad.

As per the understanding, Noon Academy, as a global e-learning platform, will use its expertise in technology to develop high quality content for the MoFEPT.

The content will be promoted through print, social and digital media, including the global award-winning Noon Academy app. The app includes live classes, practice exams, comprehensive courses, assessments, and many other social learning features.

Speaking at the occasion, Joint Secretary IC, Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Trainning, Mr. Waseem Ajmal Chaurdhary appreciated the efforts of Noon Academy and emphasized the positive impact of the private sector in the education space.

Mr. Umair Babar Chishti, Country Manager Pakistan, Noon Academy, said “Noon Academy has entered Pakistan with the vision to provide learning opportunities to everyone, and through our platform we want to make the best teachers in Pakistan affordable, accessible and available for all students in Pakistan and help them achieve their goals in life”.

Noon Academy will assist the MoFEPT in developing the concept of Tele-school on the PTV to provide learning opportunities in all provinces of Pakistan while maintaining standards and overcoming the language barriers.

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ISLAMABAD, MAR 10: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) general secretary Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri on Tuesday rejected the government's offer of Senate deputy chairmanship and condemned "in the strongest words" Defence Minister Pervez Khattak's statement in front of the media without discussing it in a meeting beforehand.

While talking to reporters alongside Haideri and Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani after a meeting today, Khattak said "we have invited [Haideri] to come and be the deputy [Senate chairman]."

"It will be beneficial for him and everyone," the minister added.

At the time, Haideri said that he had come to meet the Senate chairman which was something he does as a matter of routine.

However, in a statement issued later, the JUI-F leader said that "no such discussion" regarding the Senate deputy chairmanship had taken place in the meeting earlier, in which members of all political parties were present.

"Pervez Khattak talked in front of the media after the meeting. I condemn in the strongest words such talk by the minister in front of the media," he added.

Haideri said that an offer by a government, which the opposition does not recognise, was "meaningless".

Talking about the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), the 11-party opposition alliance of which JUI-F is a member, he said that the party was bound by any decision that the alliance takes.

"PDM is completely united and in consensus," he stressed. "The government is using delaying tactics to save its sinking ship," he claimed.

When asked by a reporter whether the PDM had nominated him for deputy chairman of the upper house of parliament, Haideri replied that he had not been made aware of any such development.

The JUI-F leader was also asked whether he saw Sanjrani remaining the Senate chairman after the election this week, to which he responded that he "does not know who will be the chairman after March 12 but Sadiq Sanjrani is our chairman right now".

Last week, Prime Minister Imran Khan had named Sanjrani as the government's candidate for the Senate chairman's office while on Monday, the PDM named PPP's Yousuf Raza Gilani as the opposition's joint candidate.

PDM's candidates

Meanwhile, a PDM committee met today to decide on the names of the alliance's candidates for the Senate deputy chairman's office as well as the leader of the opposition in the upper house of parliament.

According to PDM information secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain, it was decided that the candidate for Senate deputy chairman would be from JUI-F while the leader of the opposition would be from the PML-N.

Shortly afterwards, spokesperson for JUI-F, Aslam Ghauri, confirmed that Maulana Haideri would contest the election for the deputy chairman's office as a joint candidate of the opposition.

"[PDM President and JUI-F chief] Maulana Fazlur Rehman has approved Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri's name for deputy chairman," he said, adding that those who wanted to create chaos within the PDM would fail.

"PDM candidates will succeed. PDM will achieve full success," the spokesperson claimed.

The PTI has so far not announced its candidate for the office of deputy chairman, keeping the slot open and placing itself in a better bargaining position to ensure the support of its allies and independent candidates.

Presiding over a meeting of his spokespersons on Monday, the prime minister vowed to win the chairman’s post despite the opposition’s majority in the upper house.

Following the March 3 elections, the government, its allies and five independent senators have a combined strength of 48 in the upper house while the opposition has 51 senators.

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ISLAMABAD, MAR 10: The State of Palestine welcomes the announcement of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court on proceeding with the investigation into the Situation in the State of Palestine. This is a long-awaited step that serves Palestine’s tireless pursuit of justice and accountability, which are indispensable pillars of the peace the Palestinian people seek and deserve.

The State of Palestine reminds the Prosecutor and States Parties that the crimes committed by officials of the occupying Power against the Palestinian people are ongoing, systematic, and widespread. In accordance with the objectives and mandate of the Rome Statute, this calls for a particular urgency to promptly conclude investigations into these crimes, to ensure accountability, promote deterrence, and save lives.

All States Parties must refrain from politicizing these independent proceedings. They must also respect their obligation to protect the Court and its proceedings from interference and to shield Court staff, including judges, the Prosecutor, and their families from any threats or attempts at coercion.

The State of Palestine stands ready to cooperate with and extend all assistance to the Office of the Prosecutor and the Court during this investigation.

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