RAWALPINDI: On Sunday, former Interior Minister and Awami Muslim League (AML) leader Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed expressed dissatisfaction with the rejection of his nomination papers for the 2024 general elections, stating that the Supreme Court (SC) had previously declared him ‘Sadiq and Ameen.’
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) rejected his papers for NA-56 Rawalpindi-V and NA-57 Rawalpindi-VI.
Sheikh Rasheed, in discussions with journalists, mentioned his attempts to obtain a copy of the ECP’s decision, emphasizing the need for it to challenge the decision in the Supreme Court and secure his electoral rights.
Asserting his determination, Rasheed declared, “I will not relinquish my right to contest the election, and I will persevere until the end for my legal and constitutional entitlement.”
Addressing allegations that he failed to pay rent for a rest house 12 years ago, leading to his disqualification, Rasheed vehemently denied the accusations, challenging anyone to prove otherwise and pledging to resign from politics if proven true.
Expressing regret over what he deemed a violation of the law to repatriate a “corrupt person,” Rasheed affirmed his allegiance to Pakistan, contrasting it with those who he claimed had inflicted economic and political damage on the country and then sought refuge abroad.
Sheikh Rasheed announced his intention to challenge the returning officer’s verdict in court, expressing confidence in voter support for an inevitable victory. He concluded by emphasizing the significance of historical symbolism, invoking the image of the ink pot with a pen, and predicting no escape for the opposition alliance (PDM) from impending defeat.
The previous day, Sheikh Rasheed had faced additional accusations related to the nondisclosure of a specific piece of land during a summons to the commissioner’s office.
PBS Reveals Pakistan’s IT Services Export Surpasses $892 Million In Four-Month Span
Meanwhile, during the first four months of the fiscal year 2023-24, Pakistan has demonstrated a robust performance in the Information Technology (IT) sector, raking in a substantial US $892.972 million from various IT services provided to different countries.
This figure showcases an impressive growth of 4.45 percent compared to the corresponding period in the last fiscal year, where earnings stood at US $854.918 million, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
The export of computer services played a pivotal role in this surge, experiencing a 4.81 percent increase from US $688.078 million to US $721.162 million from July to October 2023. Within the realm of computer services, software consultancy services marked a remarkable growth of 93.76 percent, escalating from US $1.009 million to US $1.955 million.
Additionally, hardware consultancy services saw a modest rise of 1.13 percent, reaching US $256.408 million from US $253.543 million.
