Punjab CNF command changes hands

Chief Election Commissioner of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Justice (retd) Ghulam Mustafa Mughal has said that the first phase of the electoral process in the region was completed in a free and transparent manner. He said all political parties actively participated in the elections. He added that polling was conducted in a peaceful environment across the region. Justice (retd) Ghulam Mustafa Mughal said voters participated in large numbers. He said people exercised their constitutional right to vote and took part in the electoral process. The chief election commissioner said the overall polling process remained peaceful. He said election authorities and other relevant institutions worked to ensure that voters could cast their ballots. He also acknowledged the role of law enforcement agencies during the elections. According to him, security personnel played an exemplary role in maintaining law and order. The chief election commissioner said security arrangements helped keep the polling environment peaceful. Law enforcement agencies remained deployed to deal with any situation that could affect the electoral process. However, he said an incident was reported in Samahni where attempts were made to disrupt polling. The people involved in creating a disturbance were arrested, he said. Justice (retd) Ghulam Mustafa Mughal said the authorities took action to ensure that polling activities were not affected. He stressed that maintaining peace was essential for a smooth electoral process. He also highlighted the participation of political parties in the elections. He said their involvement reflected the importance of the electoral process in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The chief election commissioner’s statement came after the completion of the first phase of polling in the region. The election process attracted significant participation from voters. He said the authorities remained focused on ensuring transparency throughout the process. He also stressed the importance of maintaining law and order during polling. The election authorities are now expected to continue the next stages of the electoral process according to the announced schedule. The results and subsequent procedures will determine the political direction of the region. Justice (retd) Ghulam Mustafa Mughal said the peaceful completion of the first phase was an important development. He maintained that the cooperation of political parties, voters, election officials and law enforcement agencies helped the process move forward.

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has rejected a proposed deduction of Rs6.4 billion from the province’s federal financial transfers. Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said the federal government had sought an additional amount from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa before the provincial budget. The provincial government had linked the release of the additional funds to a meeting with PTI founder Imran Khan and his approval. Afridi said the KP government neither approved nor agreed to the proposed deduction of Rs6.4 billion. He said the additional federal grant had also not been included in the provincial budget for the 2026-27 financial year. The chief minister said the matter was not merely a political dispute but concerned the province’s constitutional and financial rights. He maintained that Article 164 of the Constitution does not give the federal government the authority to unilaterally deduct money payable to a province. According to Afridi, any such deduction requires a clear constitutional or legal basis as well as the consent of the provincial government. He said the Finance Department had clearly conveyed its disagreement with the proposed deduction in a letter issued on August 13. Written instructions were also issued that no deduction should be made without the province’s consent. Afridi said Finance Adviser Muzammil Aslam immediately met the relevant officials of the Accountant General KP. The Accountant General of Pakistan Revenues was also directed not to record or implement any transaction without the clear consent of the provincial government. The chief minister said the provincial government had decided to prepare a summary and ordinance under the 7th National Finance Commission (NFC) after the province did not receive its share for six months. He said the provincial government did not sign the memorandum of understanding concerning the additional amount because a meeting with the PTI founder was not arranged. Afridi said the KP government had already approached the Federal Constitutional Court to seek its constitutional rights under the National Finance Commission. He made it clear that the provincial government would not compromise on its NFC rights. The chief minister further said the federal government had no authority to unilaterally deduct money on the basis of an unapproved memorandum of understanding. He vowed that the provincial government would use every legal and constitutional avenue to protect its rights and defend every rupee of its financial share. Afridi also said that if the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) achieved its Rs15.26 trillion tax collection target, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s share would amount to approximately Rs175 billion. He added that providing the merged districts with their rightful share under the 11th NFC was also one of the provincial government’s conditions.