VOTERS in Pakistan were set to cast their ballots on Wednesday (25) while the military fanned out across the country as the south Asian nation elects a new prime minister this week.
The contest has largely been distilled to a two-party fight between jailed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s incumbent Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz party (PML-N), and cricket legend Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
Nearly 106 million Pakistanis, including more than 19 million new voters, will choose a successor to the PML-N, which took power in 2013 and hopes for a new mandate under leader Shahbaz Sharif.
A third choice, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari – son of slain prime minister Benazir Bhutto – could become kingmakers, forming a coalition with the winner.
Armed soldiers watched closely as election officials in the capital Islamabad on Tuesday (24) distributed ballot boxes and voting materials to polling stations across the city.
The military has stationed more than 370,000 personnel nationwide to ensure the vote goes smoothly – the largest such deployment in Pakistan’s history on an election day. It has said the soldiers will work with local law enforcement to ensure “a safe and secure environment” for voting.
An additional 450,000 police were also assigned to provide security, according to election officials.
The mammoth deployment, coupled with a recent decision by election authorities to grant military officers broad powers inside polling centres,
has stirred fears of possible manipulation.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said military officers would be given magisterial powers, effectively making them judge and jury to punish individuals for illegal acts committed inside polling stations.
Last week, Sherry Rehman – opposition leader in the Senate, the parliament’s upper house – said the move could lead to potential conflicts and confusion. Raza Rabbani, another high-profile senator, demanded a clarification from the ECP.
The ECP said last Sunday (22) the presence of troops at polling stations is meant to ensure a “free and fair election”.
“I don’t know why they have given these powers, because that will unnecessarily create doubts in the minds of people,” retired general and security analyst Talat Masood said. “I don’t think these powers have ever been granted.”
Election observers also questioned the move, and said there was rising anxiety over the large military presence at the polls. “A lot of our interlocutors, and I would dare to say most of them, they raise serious concerns regarding the role of the military,” said Dimitra Ioannou, deputy chief observer of the European Union Election Observation Mission.
Political parties held their final rallies on Monday (23) night – before campaigning was suspended – in a last-ditch attempt to energise voters.
“I am giving this task to all of you: wake up early on the 25th and cast your vote,” Khan told thousands of PTI faithful in Lahore.
In southern Punjab, PML-N leader Shahbaz Sharif – the brother of Nawaz Sharif – said victory was “certain”. “Despite all the odds, PML-N is winning the July 25 polls,” he was quoted as saying by Pakistani media.
The PML-N has accused the military, the country’s most powerful institution, of manipulating candidates and the media ahead of the vote in a bid to push out the party and install a pliant government, with Khan seen as the likely beneficiary.
Activists and think tanks have also widely decried a “silent coup” by Pakistan’s generals. At a PML-N rally in the military garrison city of Rawalpindi, anger simmered over what participants said was engineering by “the establishment” – referring to the military.
Some vowed to take to the streets if directed by their leaders. “After the election, we will fight,” said PML-N supporter Aftab Anjum, 67. “We are all ready.”
The military – which has ruled the country for roughly half its 70 year history – remains Pakistan’s most powerful institution and has a long history of meddling in politics and judicial affairs – a charge that it denies.
The controversy comes as increasing militant attacks on campaign events in the last month have raised fears that insurgents may target voters.
Three candidates have been killed in attacks at political events this month, including a member of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party in a suicide attack last Sunday.
And on Monday, authorities announced an increased death toll – 153 – for an earlier attack on a rally in the town of Mastung in southwestern Balochistan province, making it the second-deadliest terror attack in Pakistan’s history.
Punjab holds the key to power under Pakistan’s first-past-the-post system, with a potential 141 out of 342 seats in the National Assembly, 272 of which are directly-elected.
The stand-off between Sharif and the military peaked earlier this month, when he was sentenced in absentia to 10 years in prison for corruption.
One week later, he returned to Pakistan from London, where his wife is receiving cancer treatment, and was promptly imprisoned. Analysts say the PML-N’s fate rests on his ability to frame himself as the victim of a military conspiracy.
He is not alone in his accusations against the generals. Major media outlets and activists have increasingly complained of kidnappings and intimidation in recent months.
There have been allegations of censoring coverage of certain topics and parties ahead of the election, they say. The PML-N appears to be the main focus, though Bhutto has also complained his campaign is being hampered.
There is a widespread belief that the generals prefer a weak civilian government who will not seek to rebalance the power between it and the security establishment. “The military is clearly trying to create a new generation of leadership,” says security analyst Ayesha Siddiqa.
Khan is seen as the beneficiary of that favour, allowed to move freely around Pakistan and proclaim his ambition to build an “Islamic welfare state”. His chances of running the country are considered the best since entering politics two decades ago.
Polls show PTI’s popularity climbing, while Sharif’s incumbent PML-N party limps into the contest. Khan has cut a relaxed image on the campaign trail, looking confident of his chances.
The three times-married 65-year-old cuts a rather conservative persona as a devout Muslim, often carrying prayer beads and nurturing beliefs in living saints.
Earlier this year, he married his spiritual advisor Bushra Maneka, with wedding photos showing the new bride clad in a conservative veil.
To his legions of fans, he is uncorrupted and generous, spending his years off the pitch building hospitals and a university.
“We want change because the current system is corrupt, and we are going to have to face many difficulties,” said PTI supporter Jamil Ahmed.
Khan entered Pakistan’s politics in 1996 promising to fight graft. For his first decade and a half as a politician he sputtered, with PTI never securing more than a few seats in the national assembly.
“Sports teaches you that life is not in a straight line,” he said in an interview earlier this year. “You take the knocks. You learn from your mistakes.”
In 2012 PTI’s popularity surged with hordes of young Pakistanis who grew up idolising Khan as a cricket icon reaching voting age.
Khan admits his party was ill-prepared to capitalise on the gains during the 2013 election. But that was then. “For the first time, we’ll be going into elections prepared,” he has said previously of 2018.
Five years later PTI is running a nationwide campaign including areas far from its northwestern and urban strongholds.
To shore up its chances of winning, PTI has begun luring candidates away from Sharif’s party, stirring controversy among long-time party loyalists who say Khan is relying on the same corrupt politicians he once denounced.
However, some fear Khan’s mercurial nature is unsuited to being prime minister. He has raised eyebrows by increasingly catering to religious hardliners, particularly over the hugely inflammatory charge of blasphemy, spurring fears his leadership could embolden extremists.
“It’s hard to judge anyone when they’re in opposition because the real challenge is when you take over,” said journalist Arifa Noor. “On the downside he’s playing up the religion card.”
Khan has also been attacked for his repeated calls to hold talks with militants and for his party’s alliance with Sami ul Haq, the so-called Father of the Taliban whose madrassas once educated Taliban stalwarts Mullah Omar and Jalaluddin Haqqani.
And earlier this month, the al Qaeda-linked Harkat-ul-Mujahideen announced their support for Khan’s party, with pictures of the US-designated terrorist group’s leader posing with PTI hopefuls posted online.
Still, many, including Khan, believe this is the best political opportunity he will ever have.
“After the 25th of July, God willing we will reunite this divided nation,” he said during a rally in Lahore days before the polls. “And end the hatred.”
Whatever the result, Pakistan faces pressing challenges. One of the most acute is the economy, with analysts warning the next government has little time to avert a balance-of-payments crisis, likely requesting Pakistan’s second IMF loan in five years.
It will also have to tackle one of the fastest population booms in Asia, negating economic and developmental gains, particularly alarming when combined with the threat of absolute water scarcity as soon as 2025.
Security has improved dramatically since a military crackdown. But analysts have long warned of Pakistan’s failure to address the root causes of extremism. Militants still carry out spectacular attacks.
To gain a majority, a party needs 137 of the 272 elected National Assembly seats. A further 70 seats for women and minorities are awarded proportionally based on the voting percentages.
In 2013, the PML-N won 126 seats, while Khan’s party came third with 28 seats. After the results, 27 winning independent candidates joined Sharif’s party to give it a majority.
The election results will be updated on the official Pakistan election website www.ecp.gov.pk. (Agencies)
THE US State Department on Monday said it was imposing visa restrictions on owners and staff of travel agencies in India who it says knowingly facilitate illegal migration to the United States.
An unspecified number of individuals associated with these travel agencies are being subjected to visa bans under the Immigration and Nationality Act. The action is based on information collected by the US mission in India, according to department spokesperson Tammy Bruce.
Washington often imposes such visa restrictions without naming the individuals involved.
"We will continue to take steps to impose visa restrictions against owners, executives, and senior officials of travel agencies to cut off alien smuggling networks," Bruce said. She did not provide details on how the travel agents had facilitated illegal migration.
The action is part of a broader effort under president Donald Trump's administration to curb migration to the United States and deport undocumented immigrants already in the country.
The US embassy in New Delhi has also issued repeated warnings on its social media platforms, advising Indian nationals visiting the United States not to overstay their authorised period of stay. It warned that overstaying could lead to deportation and a permanent ban from entering the country.
The Spain Airbnb crackdown has led to more than 65,000 holiday rental listings being removed from the platform, as the Spanish government takes firm action to address breaches in national regulations and respond to growing housing concerns.
The Ministry of Consumer Affairs ordered the mass delisting due to thousands of properties lacking valid licence numbers, having unclear ownership records, or showing discrepancies between listed information and official housing databases. The government said these violations warranted immediate removal from Airbnb’s platform.
This action is part of a wider effort to bring order to Spain’s short-term rental sector and alleviate the country's worsening housing affordability crisis, especially in major tourist destinations such as Madrid, Andalusia and Catalonia, where the volume of tourist rentals has surged.
Consumer Affairs Minister Pablo Bustinduy said the government aimed to end what he described as a “lack of control” and growing “illegality” in the holiday rentals market. “No more excuses. Enough with protecting those who make a business out of the right to housing in our country,” he said during a press briefing.
The decision follows a broader trend of local authorities in Spain cracking down on tourist rentals. In 2023, the city of Barcelona announced a plan to eliminate all 10,000 of its licensed short-term lets by 2028, arguing that housing must be prioritised for long-term residents rather than tourists.
The Spain Airbnb crackdown reflects rising pressure on public officials to act, as protests continue over high rents and property prices, particularly in cities with large tourism industries. Many residents and campaigners argue that the expansion of short-term rentals has significantly reduced the availability of affordable housing.
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According to official data, there were approximately 321,000 licensed holiday rental properties across Spain as of November 2023, representing a 15% increase compared to 2020. Authorities believe many more operate without licences, prompting the Consumer Affairs Ministry to open a formal investigation into Airbnb in December.
In response to earlier scrutiny, Airbnb said it requires hosts to confirm they have permission to rent their properties and that they follow local laws. However, the company also claimed the government had not provided a clear list of non-compliant listings. It added that not all owners are required to hold a licence and questioned whether the ministry had the authority to regulate digital platforms.
Airbnb has yet to issue a formal response to the latest action.
The Spain Airbnb crackdown aligns with similar efforts across Europe, including in Portugal, the Netherlands and parts of Italy, where governments are introducing stricter regulations on short-term rentals in a bid to balance tourism with long-term housing needs.
As Spain continues to grapple with housing shortages and rising costs, the government has made clear that further measures may follow to ensure platforms and property owners comply with national laws.
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The man stood up during a Teams call to adjust a cable behind his computer, without wearing any trousers.
A MANAGER was sacked from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) after accidentally flashing his genitals during a video call, an employment tribunal has ruled.
The digital production manager, referred to as DB in the tribunal’s ruling, was earning £58,580 a year when the incident occurred. He stood up during a Teams call to adjust a cable behind his computer, without wearing any trousers, The Telegraph reported.
The tribunal said: “During the call, after approximately three minutes 26 seconds, the claimant stood to adjust a cable behind the computer and revealed he was wearing nothing from the waist down. His genitals were visible.”
Two Capgemini consultants based in India, who were on the call, complained to the FSCS the following week. An internal investigation concluded the staffer was “inappropriately dressed” and “naked from the waist down.”
DB, born in India, in the employment tribunal’s ruling, told his line manager in an email that he did not realise his camera was on and closed his laptop when he noticed. He was dismissed in January 2024 for breaching FSCS rules requiring employees to be dressed appropriately.
He later filed a complaint for unfair dismissal and racial discrimination. The tribunal ruled the dismissal was lawful and said his discrimination claims were not well founded, The Telegraph reported.
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He was jailed in October after admitting to breaching an injunction that barred him from repeating false claims about a Syrian refugee who had successfully sued him for libel. (Photo: Getty Images)
STEPHEN YAXLEY-LENNON, also known as Tommy Robinson, is set to be released from prison within a week after the High Court reduced his 18-month sentence for contempt of court.
The far-right anti-Islam activist was jailed in October after admitting to breaching an injunction that barred him from repeating false claims about a Syrian refugee who had successfully sued him for libel.
The Solicitor General had taken legal action against Yaxley-Lennon for comments made in online interviews and a documentary titled Silenced, which was viewed millions of times and shown in Trafalgar Square in July.
The sentence was made up of a 14-month punitive element and a four-month coercive element. Mr Justice Jeremy Johnson had said the four-month part could be lifted if Yaxley-Lennon complied with the court order to remove Silenced and related content from social media and other platforms.
On Tuesday, Yaxley-Lennon appeared via video link from HMP Woodhill in Milton Keynes. His lawyer, Alex Di Francesco, told the court that Silenced had been removed from accounts under his control and that requests were made to remove other interviews where the false allegations were repeated.
Judge Johnson ruled that Yaxley-Lennon had “purged” his contempt. “The practical effect is that the defendant will be released once he has completed the punitive element, which I understand will be within the next week,” he said. The original release date had been set for 26 July, but it has now been moved up to 26 May.
The judge noted that while there was “an absence of contrition or remorse”, Yaxley-Lennon had given assurances that he would comply with the injunction in the future and understood the consequences of breaching it again. The court accepted that he had shown a “change in attitude” and had taken steps to comply with the order.
Yaxley-Lennon, 42, was jailed for 10 admitted breaches of the injunction after two contempt of court claims were brought against him by the Solicitor General. The injunction was first issued in 2021 after he falsely accused a Syrian teenager in a viral video of being violent. The teenager later won a libel case against him.
He was accused by some media and politicians of inflaming tensions that led to riots across Britain in July and August last year, following the murder of three girls at a dance workshop in Southport.
In January, a post from his social media account claimed that US billionaire Elon Musk was paying some of his legal fees. Musk has not confirmed this.
(With inputs from agencies)
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The first lady described the law as a "national victory"
US First Lady Melania Trump has welcomed a new law criminalising the non-consensual sharing of explicit images, including AI-generated deepfake content, calling it a major step towards protecting children and families from online exploitation.
The Take It Down Act, signed into law by President Donald Trump, makes it a federal offence to post "intimate images", whether real or digitally fabricated, without the subject’s consent. Under the legislation, individuals found guilty of intentionally distributing such content could face up to three years in prison. The law also compels technology companies to remove the offending material within 48 hours of notification.
The bill, which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, 409 votes to 2 in the House of Representatives and unanimously in the Senate in February, has been one of the most widely backed pieces of legislation during Trump’s second term in office. It marks the sixth bill signed into law since his re-election, with the administration often favouring executive orders to implement its agenda.
Melania Trump, who has largely kept a low public profile, played a key role in advancing the legislation. The first lady described the law as a "national victory" and stressed its importance in shielding children from harmful online behaviour.
“This legislation is a powerful step forward in our efforts to ensure that every American, especially young people, can feel better protected from their image or identity being abused,” she said. “It will help parents and families safeguard children from online exploitation.”
Melania Trump first appeared publicly in support of the legislation in March during a solo roundtable event on Capitol Hill, where she urged lawmakers to pass the bill. “It’s heartbreaking to witness young teens, especially girls, grappling with the overwhelming challenges posed by malicious online content, like deepfakes,” she said at the time.
The law addresses two main forms of abuse: revenge porn the non-consensual sharing of intimate real images and deepfake pornography, where AI is used to create fake explicit material by inserting someone’s face into pornographic content. These practices have become increasingly common, particularly targeting women and public figures.
Paris Hilton, businesswoman and DJ, publicly supported the legislation, calling it “a crucial step toward ending non-consensual image sharing online”. Major tech firms, including Meta, TikTok and Google, have also backed the new law.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the first lady was “instrumental” in rallying support for the bill and ensuring its passage through Congress.
Despite the strong support, the legislation has attracted criticism from some digital rights organisations. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) warned that the law’s broad scope could have unintended consequences for free speech and privacy.
“While protecting victims of these heinous privacy invasions is a legitimate goal, good intentions alone are not enough to make good policy,” the group said. “As currently drafted, the Act mandates a notice-and-takedown system that threatens free expression, user privacy, and due process, without addressing the problem it claims to solve.”
The Internet Society, another advocacy group for digital privacy, raised concerns that the law could undermine encryption and pose “unacceptable risks to users’ fundamental privacy rights and cybersecurity”.
Critics argue that the bill, while well-intentioned, lacks adequate safeguards to prevent misuse and could result in overreach, affecting legal online content, including LGBTQ+ material, adult entertainment, and political commentary.
Nonetheless, supporters maintain that the new law fills a critical gap in US legislation by targeting a growing form of online abuse and sending a strong message against digital exploitation.