Embassy of Azerbaijan observes September 27 as ‘Remembrance Day’
The Embassy of Azerbaijan in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, organized a poignant event to observe September 27 as “Remembrance Day,” paying tribute to the martyrs and commemorating a historic victory.
In a solemn ceremony attended by dignitaries and guests, Azerbaijan Ambassador to Pakistan, Khazar Farhadov, spoke about the significance of this day. He emphasized the profound impact of the 44-day Patriotic War, which culminated on September 27, 2020, when Azerbaijan liberated its territories from Armenian occupation.
Ambassador Farhadov highlighted that the day serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made by Azerbaijani soldiers and officers who fought heroically for their nation’s territorial integrity. He recounted the pivotal moment when Armenia was forced to sign an act of surrender, bringing an end to decades of illegal occupation.
owever, the Ambassador also expressed concern over Armenia’s failure to fully implement the trilateral statement signed on November 10, 2020. He pointed to continued provocations and acts of terrorism, such as the recent landmine explosions that claimed civilian lives.
Local anti-terror measures were initiated to uphold the provisions of the trilateral statement, secure the withdrawal of Armenia’s armed forces, and restore constitutional order in the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ambassador Farhadov noted.
He acknowledged Pakistan’s unwavering support during these challenging times, highlighting the nation’s moral and political backing of Azerbaijan’s just position. “I would like to extend my deep gratitude to our brotherly Pakistani media representatives for their support in highlighting the Azerbaijan realities among the Pakistani public as well as in the international arena,” the Ambassador said.
Ambassador Farhadov shared updates on the massive reconstruction and restoration efforts in the liberated areas, with international airports built and cultural hubs like Shusha and Aghdam now hosting international events.
FAFEN voices concernover draft delimitation by Election Commission
Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) has expressed concern over the draft delimitation prepared by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), noting that more than one-fifth of
constituencies exceed the 10 percent population variation.
In a statement, during the week, the FAFEN said as many as 180 constituencies of national
and provincial assemblies as proposed by the ECP do not meet the legal preferability of 10pc variation in population.
According to the watchdog, the move “undermines the principle of equal suffrage that was otherwise upheld by the Parliament through latest amendments in the Elections Act, 2017”.
According to the amendments enacted on August 4, 2023, after parliamentary approval, the Election Commission was expected to disregard district boundaries to ensure that the variation among the population of an assembly’s constituencies does not ordinarily exceed 1opc, FAFEN noted.
The quota for each National Assembly (NA) constituency for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was calculated at 907,913, Islamabad Capital Territory 787,954, Punjab 905,595, Sindh 913,052 and Balochistan 930,900.
Similarly, the Provincial Assembly (PA) seat quota for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was established at 355,270, Punjab 429,929, Sindh 428,432, and Balochistan 292,047.
“An analysis of the preliminary report of delimitation 2023 and draft lists of constituencies reflects that the parliamentary emphasis on minimizing the population variation was not extensively used to ensure the equality of votes in constituencies of an assembly”, the statement noted.
FAFEN said the recently added provision in the law was only employed in delimiting 11 National Assembly constituencies – six in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, three in Punjab, and two in Sindh – and one Punjab Assembly constituency.
As a result, it said, the number of constituencies with more than 10% variation in population went up from 170 – 82 NA and 88 PAs – in the 2022 delimitation to 180 – 83 NA and 97 PAs – in the 2023 draft lists of constituencies.
LPG prices increase by Rs20.86 per kg
The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has increased the prices of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) by Rs20.86 per kg, during the week.
According to OGRA, the price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) was increased by Rs20.86 per kg after which the LGP price is fixed at Rs 260.98 per kg.
Meanwhile, the domestic cylinder rate has been increased by Rs246.15. The new rates of LPG with increased prices will be Rs3,079.64 per domestic cylinder.
It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan received the first batch of 100,000 metric tons of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) from Russia.
In a message on X (formerly Twitter), the Russian Embassy to Pakistan said that Moscow has delivered the first batch of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in the amount of 100 thousand metric tons to Pakistan.
The LPG batch entered Pakistan through Iran’s Sarakh’s Special Economic Zone (SEZ). It added that Pakistan and Russia are holding consultations for the second LPG shipment.