Story Highlights
US Elections
US Presidential elections had been the centre of worlds ‘media from the campaign till the polling day. People were anxiously waiting for the next president of the United States. Media analysts and experts were considering Democratic party’s Hillary Clinton as favourite against Donald Trump, a Republican. But in an up-set, Americans chose Donald Trump as their next leader. Polling began in the United States on Tuesday with high hopes among Mrs. Clinton supporters. However she and her supporters had to face shock. Five States including Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin and Iowa flipped to Republicans and played a decisive role in President-elect Trump’s victory. He secured 290 electoral votes against Hillary Clinton who managed to bag 228 votes.
Mrs. Clinton conceded defeat and called President-elect Trump to congratulate him. In her post-defeat speech Hillary expressed hope that Trump would be a successful president of the United States. President Obama invited the president-elect to the White House on Thursday to discuss the smooth transition of power. He also called former Secretary of State Mrs Clinton and expressed admiration for the strong campaign she waged throughout the country.
The Republicans also won the Senate and maintained their majority in the House of Representatives. In his victory speech Trump said he would pursue harmony over hostility throughout the world and vowed to work with American nation to unify the country.
Meanwhile Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif congratulated the newly elected President of The United States. The Foreign Office also congratulated Donald Trump over his victory and welcomed his offer to mediate between Pakistan and India on the Kashmir dispute. Foreign Office (FO) Spokesman Nafees Zakaria said Pakistan had a multidimensional relationship with the US and wanted to strengthen it further. He said that Pakistan desires a close relationship with the US, and wishes to further strengthen ties in areas including the economy, defence, science and technology, education, strategic issues and counter-terrorism.
Panama Leaks
Pakistan Tehreek-e- Insaf chairman Imran Khan called off sit- in against the prime minister earlier this month after assurance from the Supreme Court that the court will hear the case and take the decision based on evidences. This week opposition parties staged a protest demonstration in front of Parliament House, seeking the passage of “The Panama papers inquiries bill 2016”. The joint opposition parties, except Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), protested against referring the bill by the chairman Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice to chairman senate (Raza Rabbani) to take his viewpoint regarding matter.
The joint opposition parties comprise members of Pakistan People Party (PPP), Awami National Party (ANP), Balochistan National Party Awami (BNP-A) and Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q). They all strongly condemned forwarding the Panama Paper bill to the Senate Chairman, after the Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice conducted voting to either forward the bill to senate chairman or pass it. The joint opposition termed the move an effort to protect Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family from accountability. The opposition senators chanted slogans against the government in the committee room after the bill was referred to Raza Rabbani.
Meanwhile Supreme Court on Monday directed the parties in the Panamagate case to place all documentary evidences on which they were relying for proceedings. The court ruled that no further opportunity, pertaining to request for time to submit documents, will be available to the parties during the proceedings before the Commission.
During the course of the hearing, counsel for the prime minister and his children Salman Aslam Butt told the bench that Hussain and Hassan Nawaz have denied the allegations. Both sons in their reply stated that they are not dependent on Nawaz Sharif, as well as non-resident, settled and conducting their lawful business outside Pakistan.
Pak-India
Firing and clashes across Line of Control (LoC) between India and Pakistan continues as at least three people were killed by Indian shelling this week. According to reports, three civilians were killed and three others wounded by Indian shelling in Battal Sector in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Pakistan military’s media wing, ISPR, said that Pakistani troops were responding befittingly to Indian aggression and had targeted their posts. The Foreign Office also summoned India’s deputy high commissioner on Tuesday to condemn the firing. The foreign secretary observed that the indiscriminate firing and shelling from the Indian side targeting villages and civilian populated areas, in the last two months, has resulted into deaths of 26 civilians and injuries to 107. The Foreign Secretary urged India to investigate the continued incidents of unprovoked ceasefire violations on the LoC and the Working Boundary and ensure respect for the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding.
Meanwhile Foreign Office also released the detail of Indian diplomats engaged in subversive activities in Pakistan. Spokesman Fareed Zakaria said that six out of eight identified Indian diplomats and staff have been found involved in coordinating terrorist in Pakistan under the garb of diplomatic assignments and they all had left Pakistan.
Over Kashmir issue, Zakaria reiterated Pakistan’s concern over continued atrocities committed by Indian forces in Indian-held Kashmir (IHK). The Foreign Office spokesman also expressed Pakistan’s condemnation over the continued detention of Kashmiri leadership in IHK.
Zakaria also said that Pakistan would continue to raise the issue of Kashmir bilaterally as well as at all regional and international fora till the just resolution of this dispute in accordance with UN resolutions and the aspirations of Kashmiri people.
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