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Analysts worried over Kulsoom Nawaz election for National Assembly

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Analysts worried over Kulsoom Nawaz election for National Assembly

Punjab can’t impose leaders for the rest of the country, says career diplomat Ashraf Jehangir Qazi

The election of Begum Kulsoom Nawaz, wife of Pakistan’s ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif as Member of National Assembly from Lahore constituency with margin of 14000 votes is being seen with “serious concern” by several analysts in the country.

The NA-120 is Sharif’s family constituency from where Nawaz Sharif had won by around 40,000 vote’s margin during last elections in 2013, which has now dwindled to just 14000 margin. Begum Kulsoom Nawaz begged 61,745 votes while Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) candidate Dr. Yasmin Rashid remained the runner-up with 47,099 votes.  She had also contested against Nawaz Sharif on the same seat in 2013 general elections.

The National Assembly seat fell vacant after the disqualification of the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif by country’s Supreme Court in the controversial Panama papers case in July this year. The polling was held on September 17 with 44 candidates in the fray.

Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, a career diplomat who served as his country’s ambassador to India as well, writes in an opinion piece published by renowned newspaper Dawn on Tuesday that, “electorally, Nawaz Sharif has won and Imran Khan has lost again….. The big deal is….. That Nawaz Sharif was removed as prime minister by a unanimous verdict of Supreme Court for a false declaration regarding his sources of income, and faces the possibility of convictions on far more serious charges of corruption, fraud, etc. If this means little or nothing to his supporters in Lahore and Punjab, so be it.”

Former diplomat dares saying “The PML-N could have chosen any candidate other than from the family of the disqualified and controversial prime minister.”

Qazi further says, “If Punjab chooses to vote for a prime minister disqualified by the Supreme Court, or his wife as a stand-in, that is its choice, however unfortunate, short-sighted, self-destructive and unfathomable it may be. But Punjab cannot choose on behalf of the rest of Pakistan. If it tries to impose a criminally corrupt political leader on the rest of Pakistan it will destroy the country, because the people of Sindh, KP (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Fata (Federally Administered Tribal Area) and Balochistan never chose to join Punjab; they chose to become Pakistan.”

He expressed concern about the possible repetition of what had  happened in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). He said, “This was proven by their rejection 60 years ago of One Unit which was an anti-Pakistan political imposition by Punjab aimed at denying the political rights of the East Pakistani majority of Pakistan’s population as well as those of the smaller provinces of West Pakistan. As a result, the Pakistan of the Pakistan Movement died within 25 years of its birth (in 1971). The same game is now being played with what is left of Pakistan. It must not succeed.”

Ashraf Jehangir Qazi concludes his opinion piece by saying, “As a country, a nation, a people we need to get a life! As Edward Murrow rightly observes “a nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves.”

Meanwhile, Mosharraf Zaidi opines in The News International that in the light of the election results from Lahore bye-elections it is understood that “The PML-N’s crisis will continue until there is decisive change in the party’s leadership. And that change is to come, given that the party culture leans more sycophancy and acquiescence than wise counsel or dissent.”

He begins and ends his piece with “We should not read too much into the NA-120 by-election, but we should not read too little into it either.”

Meanwhile, Imran Khan, Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), on Monday admitted defeat in the much hyped by-election. Earlier he had alleged that the polls in three union councils of NA-120 Lahore-III had been rigged.

Nawaz Sharif won this seat in 1988, 1990, 1993, 1997 and 2013. During the 2002 and 2008 elections, proxy PML-N candidates Muhammad Pervaiz Malik and Bilal Yaseen were respectively elected from the same constituency.

Present Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was elected by his party in August as “interim” arrangement after Supreme Court disqualified Nawaz Sahrif over allegations that he lied on a wealth declaration.

Immediately after his swearing in ceremony Abbasi was quoted saying, “Whether I am here for 45 hours or 45 days, I am the prime minister of this country, and I have come here to get work done, not to keep the seat warm.”

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India envoy Dinesh Trivedi meets PM Modi after talks with Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman 

India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi met PM Modi after talks with Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman amid diplomatic tensions.

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India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Tuesday, a day after his meeting with Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Dhaka.

According to the High Commission of India in Bangladesh, Trivedi sought PM Modi’s guidance on further strengthening the bilateral relationship between India and Bangladesh through a constructive and people-centric approach.

The meeting came a day after Trivedi held discussions with Tarique Rahman on matters of mutual interest and ways to advance ties between the two neighbouring countries.

Dinesh Trivedi Meets Bangladesh PM

During his meeting with Tarique Rahman on Monday, Trivedi conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Modi and reiterated India’s commitment to working with the Bangladeshi administration and its people in a positive, constructive and forward-looking manner.

The two sides discussed issues of mutual interest and explored avenues for strengthening India-Bangladesh relations with a people-centric approach.

The engagement took place at the Prime Minister’s Office in the Cabinet Division at the Bangladesh Secretariat. Trivedi also shared his experience of serving in Dhaka over the previous two months.

Sheikh Hasina Extradition Request

The meeting assumed significance as Bangladesh has expressed hope that India will expedite the extradition process involving former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted following a student-led uprising in 2024.

According to a statement issued by the Bangladesh Prime Minister’s Office, Dhaka also reiterated its request for India to return individuals it alleges were involved in the killing of Shahid Osman Hadi, a prominent figure associated with the July uprising who was shot on December 12, 2025.

Tarique Rahman stressed the need to create a suitable environment to take forward relations between Bangladesh and India.

Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman, Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir and other officials attended the meeting.

India-Bangladesh Ties Amid Diplomatic Friction

The latest high-level engagements come amid diplomatic tensions between the two countries following a virtual press interaction by Sheikh Hasina in New Delhi on August 5.

The event, organised by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia to mark the second anniversary of her ouster, prompted strong objections from Dhaka.

During the interaction, Hasina said she remained determined to return to Bangladesh in December and restore democracy, while acknowledging the possibility of imprisonment or a death sentence upon her return.

Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs subsequently registered a strong protest and said the development had affected public sentiment and complicated efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation.

India has said the government had no involvement in the event. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said it was organised by a private media entity and clarified that New Delhi did not endorse views expressed at the forum.

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Trump, PM Modi will resolve tariff issue over Russian oil trade, says US official

White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro said Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will resolve the issue over US tariff threats linked to India’s Russian oil trade.

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US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will resolve the issue surrounding the threat of US tariffs linked to India’s purchase of Russian oil, White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro said on Tuesday.

Navarro’s remarks came days after the US Senate passed a bill authorising the US President to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on the top five purchasers of Russian oil. The measure argues that such purchases directly contribute to financing Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Navarro comments on India’s Russian oil trade

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Navarro said India was not involved in the oil trade with Russia before the Ukraine war began in 2022.

He alleged that India became heavily involved in the trade after Russia’s invasion and sold refined products on behalf of Russia, which he said helped support the Russian war effort.

“Prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, India was not involved in the oil trade with Russia, but afterwards it got heavily involved,” Navarro said.

The White House adviser also claimed that the issue had since been resolved and attributed some of the shift in India’s Russian oil trade to an opinion article he recently wrote in the Financial Times.

Trump and Modi will resolve issue, Navarro says

Navarro said the relationship between Trump and Modi would help address the tariff-related issue.

“The president and your prime minister have a very good working relationship. They are going to work that out amongst themselves,” he said, adding that it was not his place to intervene.

His comments come amid US concerns over countries purchasing Russian oil and proposed measures aimed at imposing additional tariffs on major buyers.

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US Senate passes Russia sanctions bill, India-China face 100% tariff risk

The US Senate has passed a Russia sanctions bill that could allow 100% tariffs on major buyers of Russian oil and gas, including India and China.

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The US Senate has approved a bipartisan Russia sanctions bill that could allow President Donald Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100% on major buyers of Russian oil or natural gas, including India and China.

The legislation was passed by an 86-11 vote and will now move to the US House of Representatives, which is scheduled to reconvene on August 31.

The bill is named in honour of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a strong supporter of Ukraine who died on July 11. Graham had pushed for tougher sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine.

India and China among major Russian energy buyers

The legislation gives the US president the power to impose tariffs on the world’s top five purchasers of Russian oil or natural gas.

India and China are among those countries, along with Azerbaijan, Hungary and Slovakia.

The bill also contains an exception for countries importing less than 15% of their natural gas from Russia and taking steps to reduce their dependence on Russian supplies.

What does the Russia sanctions bill contain?

Apart from the proposed tariffs, the legislation includes sanctions targeting Russian President Vladimir Putin, senior Russian political and military officials, financial institutions and energy projects.

The bill would also expand US sanctions to older and reflagged oil tankers allegedly used by Moscow to bypass existing restrictions on Russian oil and energy revenues.

At the same time, the White House would have the option to waive sanctions or restrictions if the president certifies to Congress that doing so is in the national interest.

Bill also extends Iran sanctions law

The legislation also contains a provision related to Iran. It would extend the expiration date of the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 until 2031.

The law penalises companies that invest in Iran’s energy sector.

The bill’s passage in the Senate marks the next step in the US legislative process, but it still needs approval from the House of Representatives before it can move forward.

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