EX - PAKISTAN PRIME MINISTER KHAN, PARTY ERASED FROM ELECTION CAMPAIGN

EX - PAKISTAN PRIME MINISTER KHAN, PARTY ERASED FROM ELECTION CAMPAIGN

@Jackie San

MIANWALI, Pakistan (January 28, 2024): Pakistani cricketing legend turned world leader Imran Khan is wildly popular in his constituency and ancestral homeland of Mianwali, but the political posters that line the streets do not bear his face and flags do not fly his colours.

A relentless crackdown widely attributed to Pakistan’s powerful military has seen him and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party almost erased from the election campaign ahead of the vote.

“Our party workers are facing harassment, and I personally have received death threats,” says 61-year-old Jamal Ahsan Khan, who is standing for PTI in Mianwali in place of his leader.

“Throughout my life, I have never witnessed an election as intense and threatening as this one.”

Khan, currently in jail facing dozens of legal challenges, is barred from contesting elections on February 8 because of a graft conviction — cases he claims are politically motivated.

Across the country, PTI has been obstructed from holding rallies and the heavily censored media is restricted in its coverage of the opposition, pushing the party’s campaign almost entirely online.

Dozens of candidates nationwide have also had their nomination papers rejected by the electoral commission.

Like many other party candidates, loyalist Ahsan Khan has been in near hiding in the build-up to the election, unable to hold meetings or distribute leaflets.

“It feels disheartening that as a candidate of Pakistan’s leading political party, I am unable to conduct my campaign in a meaningful way,” he told AFP.

With two weeks until the vote, there is none of the fervour and excitement that usually marks an election in the country of more than 240 million people.

– ‘HE IS A HERO’ –

It was from Mianwali, a largely rural district in the central province of Punjab, that Khan built his political career and was elected three times as MP.

PTI’s national victory in 2018, driven by its promises to put an end to corruption and the family dynasties which have ruled the country for generations, propelled him to prime minister.

In Mianwali, where he notably built a hospital and a university, the 71-year-old “is not just a political figure, he is a hero”, Rana Amjad Iqbal, editor-in-chief of local newspaper Nawa-e-Sharar, or the Daily Spark, tells AFP.

“However, the primary and most significant reason for his enduring political relevance lies in his anti-establishment stance,” underlines the journalist.

Khan was widely believed to have been backed by the military in his rise to power, but became emboldened during his leadership and began to push against the control of the mighty generals.

Eventually, he lost their favour and was ousted in a parliamentary no-confidence vote in 2022 after dozens of his MPs defected.

His subsequent arrest in May 2023 brought supporters onto the streets who protested against military symbols — sparking the start of a widespread crackdown against PTI.

Thousands of supporters were arrested and around 100 — half from Mianwali — are awaiting trial before military courts, while senior party leaders were detained and forced underground before defecting in their dozens.

Khan “is still popular with the public, but he is unacceptable” to the army, retired schoolteacher Ijaz Khan said.

– SIDELINED –

Earlier this month, PTI suffered a crucial blow when the Supreme Court banned it from contesting elections with its electoral symbol: the cricket bat.

In a country where millions of people cannot read or write, symbols are crucial for voters to identify their prefered party and candidate.

The election commission instead ordered Ahsan Khan to use a bottle, an emblem viewed with disdain in rural areas because it is associated with alcohol.

Khan’s rival in Mianwali, Obaid Ullah Khan, is indifferent to the punishment meted out to his rival political party.

“When would it be justified if not now?” he said of the crackdown.

Unlike PTI candidates, Ullah Khan, who is standing for Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N), meets openly with villagers, whose leaders assure him of the support of the entire community, in hope of future favours.

The PML-N is the party of another former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, who was jailed ahead of the 2018 election and later forced into self-imposed exile.

As Khan has fallen, Sharif has risen, returning to his country and into the arms of the military, analysts say.

Despite being sidelined from the election campaign, voters have not lost their lust for Khan.

Hanzala bin Shakeel, a 23-year-old computer science student, will vote for the first time and is making no secret of his choice.

“I will vote for (Imran Khan) because he is the only one who really cares about this country; the others prioritise their personal interests.”

>>>READ MORE ARTICLE HERE<<<

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2023/02/former-pakistans-military-ruler-pervez.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2023/07/muted-protests-for-ex-prime-minister.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2023/08/pakistan-billionaires-son-suleman.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2024/01/pakistan-says-two-children-killed-in.html

@Jackie San

URGES PUBLIC TO VIEW GOVERNMENTS PROPOSAL TO ABOLISH PENSION SYSTEM RATIONALLY - TIONG

URGES PUBLIC TO VIEW GOVERNMENTS PROPOSAL TO ABOLISH PENSION SYSTEM RATIONALLY - TIONG  

@Jackie San

SIBU (January 28, 2024): The public should view the federal government’s recent proposal to abolish the civil service pension system and replace it with the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) from a more rational and long-term perspective, said Tourism, Culture and Arts Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.

Tiong, who is Bintulu MP and Dudong assemblyman, said if the new system is not implemented, the government will have to bear RM120 billion in pension expenditure in 2040.

“In this regard, I hope everyone will think deeply. Every year, from the hundreds of billions of ringgit in the budget, a very large part to the tune of tens of billions of ringgit is used to pay civil servants’ pensions.

“If the new system is not implemented, the government will have to bear RM120 billion in pension expenditure in 2040,” he said at Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) Chinese New Year gathering at a local hotel here last night.

Tiong acknowledged that the proposal has aroused heated discussions among the public.

“Some political leaders from the ruling and opposition parties have taken the opportunity to exploit the issue and believe that the government should not make such reforms,” he said.

He added that instead of speculating blindly on the relevant issues, the public should think comprehensively about the real meaning behind the reforms that they are striving for.

“Especially now when Malaysia is in the stage of economic transformation. If we want the country’s economic development to break through the bottleneck and boost our competitiveness on the international stage, it is inevitable to implement reforms as the times evolve.

“And of course, it will take some time. Any reform will go through a painful ‘teething’ period before it can proceed smoothly and achieve the expected results.”

Tiong believed that if the review of the civil service pension system could, among others, allow for more access to funds to support the disadvantaged, upgrade rural infrastructure, implement development plans, it will go a long way to create betterment for Malaysians.

Among those present were PDP deputy president Datuk Henry Harry Jinep, PDP vice-president Datu Dr Penguang Manggil, Meluan assemblyman Rolland Duat, Krian assemblyman Friday Belik, organising chairperson, Agatha Ting, PDP Dudong chairman Datuk Teo Boon Siew, Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) president Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh and his deputy president I, Johnical Rayong Ngipa.

>>>READ MORE ARTICLE HERE<<<

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2023/07/japan-govenment-approves-hike-in.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2023/10/pokemon-card-shop-in-osaka-city-says-it.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2023/10/record-yen-3-billion-stolen-via.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2023/09/in-year-2023-sarawak-now-high-income.html

@Jackie San

Internatinal Congress Symposium 2024 Thailand

  https://youtu.be/zm_HavUOIX8?si=2A46OyP9r_CjGLsy

>>>MORE VIDEO JUST WATCHING FROM HERE<<<

  

EXECS OF FRUIT SALES COMPANY ARRESTED FOR FRAUDULENTLY FALSIFYING APPLE EXPORT DOCUMENTS - TOKYO JAPAN

EXECS OF FRUIT SALES COMPANY ARRESTED FOR FRAUDULENTLY FALSIFYING APPLE EXPORT DOCUMENTS - TOKYO JAPAN  

@Jackie San

TOKYO

Police in Tokyo have arrested the president and an executive of a fruit and vegetable sales company on suspicion of forging documents to illegally export Japan's high-quality Sun Fuji apples from Aomori Prefecture to Thailand.

According to police, Isao Nasuno, 57, president of Tokyo company Sun Fresh Japan, and Atsushi Uchida, 48, exported 180 kilograms of apples, worth 6.6 million yen, between November 2021 and December 22 by forging documents claiming pest control measures had been taken, Kyodo News reported.

Police said they forged a report certifying that pests had been exterminated and submitted it to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Documents certifying that apples are free from pests are required to export them overseas.

The incident was discovered after a mite was found on one of the apples exported to Thailand in December 2022.

Police suspect that the company was trying to increase orders from overseas by increasing the pace of shipments of domestic apples, which are easy to obtain.

>>>MORE ARTICLE PLEASE READ HERE<<<

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2024/01/urge-elderly-people-to-be-careful-whrn.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2024/01/bedbug-conslutations-surge-in-tokyo-and.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2023/12/japan-battles-to-protext-premium-fruits.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2022/12/durian-prices-fall-amid-supply-spike.html

@Jackie San

Awesome Things To Do In Hat Yai At Night

  

https://youtu.be/ejNjLiTfQ30?si=ypKmw2GAW5-diylA

>>>MORE VIDEO JUST CLICK AND WATCH FROM HERE<<<

  

Road To Songkhla Hat yai Thailand

 

 https://youtu.be/L0gAta1Xu0g?si=DU6cfnLsaquVyTq5

>>>MORE VIDEO JUST CLICK TO WATCH FROM HERE<<<

  

FIRST TIME JAPAN'S FOREIGN WORKER POPULATION TOPS 2 MILLION

FIRST TIME JAPAN'S FOREIGN WORKER POPULATION TOPS 2 MILLION

@Jackie San

TOKYO

The number of foreign workers in Japan as of the end of last October topped 2 million for the first time, government data showed Friday, as the country grapples with labor shortages amid an aging population.

The rise to a record 2,048,675 foreign workers, up 225,950, or 12.4 percent, from the previous year, was also due to a recovery in the number of technical interns following the end of Japan's strict coronavirus border controls.

The foreign worker population has logged consecutive annual highs since 2013, but last year's increase dwarfed the 5.5 percent rise in the previous year.

The number of workplaces employing foreign nationals climbed 6.7 percent to a new high of 318,775, as firms increase hiring to cope with labor shortages.

"With the construction and medical and welfare sectors hiring more (foreign workers), the rate of increase has come close to pre-pandemic levels," a labor ministry official said.

By nationality, Vietnamese workers accounted for the largest proportion, at 518,364 people, accounting for 25.3 percent of the total.

They were followed by Chinese at 397,918 people, or 19.4 percent, Filipinos at 226,846 people, or 11.1 percent, and Nepalese at 145,587 people, or 7.1 percent.

By residency status, specialist and engineer visa holders rose 24.2 percent to 595,904 people, while technical interns were up 20.2 percent to 412,501 people, marking the first increase in three years.

The rebound in people working under the technical internship program comes as the government considers scrapping the controversial scheme, which has been criticized as a front for importing low-cost labor.

Conversely, the number of holders of the designated activities visa that applies to various residency types including individuals working while studying Japanese fell 2.3 percent to 71,676 people.

By location, Tokyo had the largest foreign worker population at 542,992 people. It was followed by Aichi Prefecture in central Japan at 210,159 people and Osaka Prefecture in the country's west with 146,384 foreign workers.

>>>MORE ARTICLE JUST READ FROM HERE<<<

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2023/11/40-over-of-workers-in-japan-sleep-less.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2023/12/no-merit-in-my-number-health-insurance.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2023/12/united-kingdom-unveils-tough-new-rules.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2024/01/south-koreas-top-court-orders-3rd.html

@Jackie San

ORDERS JAPANESE FISHING BOAT TO LEAVE WATERS NEAR DISPUTED ISLANDS - CHINA

ORDERS JAPANESE FISHING BOAT TO LEAVE WATERS NEAR DISPUTED ISLANDS - CHINA

@Jackie San

BEIJING

China's coast guard said Saturday its officers ordered a Japanese fishing vessel and several patrol ships to leave waters surrounding tiny Japanese-controlled islands in the East China Sea. It marked the latest incident pointing to lingering tensions between the sides.

China says the islands belong to it and refuses to recognize Japan’s claim to the uninhabited chain known as the Senkakus in Japanese and Diaoyu in Chinese. Taiwan also claims the islands, which it calls Diaoyutai, but has signed access agreements for its fishermen with Japan and does not actively take part in the dispute.

Coast guard spokesperson Gan Yu said in a statement that the vessels “illegally entered” the waters, prompting its response. “We urge Japan to stop all illegal activities in the waters immediately and to ensure similar incidents would not happen again,” the statement said. But the statement did not specify whether the vessels complied with the order.

China’s insistence on sovereignty over the islands is part of its expansive territorial claims in the Pacific, including to underwater resources in the East China Sea, the self-governing island republic of Taiwan with its population of 23 million, and virtually the entire South China Sea, through which an estimated $5 trillion in international trade passes each year. As with the Senkakus, China largely bases its claims on vague historical precedents. Taiwan, a former Japanese colony, split from mainland China in 1949 amid the Chinese Civil War.

The islands lie between Taiwan and Okinawa, 330 kilometers (205 miles) off the Chinese coast. Following World War II, they were administered by the United States and returned to Japanese sovereignty in 1972.

>>>READ MORE ARTICLE JUST FROM HERE<<<

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2023/11/wary-of-joint-china-russia-bomber.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2023/12/meets-chinas-xi-to-find-ways-to-reduce.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2023/12/china-economy-real-problem-is.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2024/01/south-koreas-top-court-orders-3rd.html

@Jackie San

WHY GUNDAM IN JAPAN BECAME FAMOUS ?

  https://youtu.be/N47wxJ7PZbo?si=7K0NPHOiGHnX13hw

>>>MORE VIDEO JUST CLICK HERE FOR WATCHING<<<

  

VOLUNTEERS ARRIVE - AIRLINE RESUMES FLIGHTS TO QUAKE-HIT AIRPORT IN ISHIKAWA

VOLUNTEERS ARRIVE - AIRLINE RESUMES FLIGHTS TO QUAKE-HIT AIRPORT IN ISHIKAWA

@Jackie San

KANAZAWA

All Nippon Airways resumed its flights to and from an airport in Ishikawa Prefecture on Saturday, almost a month after a magnitude-7.6 earthquake hit the region on New Year's Day and left its runway damaged.

While regular flights connecting Noto airport in Wajima, and Tokyo's Haneda airport are limited to one round-trip per day on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays through February, it is hoped they will help bring volunteer workers to the quake-hit area to assist in recovery from the disaster, which left more than 230 dead.

Before the quake struck the Noto Peninsula on the Sea of Japan coast, there were two round-trip flights between the two airports each day. But the airport was forced to suspend services after a gap measuring 10 centimeters in depth and 10 meters in length was found on a runway following the quake.

After temporary repairs were made, the airport started accepting Self-Defense Forces aircraft on Jan. 11 and decided to widen the service to commercial flights as it completed full restoration work.

A 40-year-old woman living in quake-hit Suzu on the peninsula was among 62 passengers aboard a flight that departed for the region from Haneda earlier in the morning. She was visiting her hometown in Saitama Prefecture near Tokyo with her two children when the earthquake struck and has been unable to return until now, she said.

"My car is parked at Noto airport so I was waiting" for flights to resume, she said. "The house was built recently, so I don't think it has collapsed, but we will have to clean up the inside."

Passengers were handed two-liter bottles of water by cabin crew as they boarded the plane. While greeting passengers after takeoff, the plane's captain said, "Please take great care in the area."

Among them were some of the 75 registered volunteer workers who entered Ishikawa Prefecture Saturday to join cleanup efforts.

Partly because landslides and cracks had severed roads leading to the quake-hit area, local governments were not ready to accept such volunteers until now, with prefectural authorities saying more than 15,000 people have registered from across Japan as of Saturday.

So far, over 43,000 homes have been damaged by the quake and around 230 people have been confirmed dead, the prefecture said.

Among the fatalities, nearly 90 percent of the 129 people whose names were released were found to be victims of collapsed houses, many of whom appear to have died from crushing or suffocation.

Some quake-hit areas with a high proportion of elderly residents have a large number of old wooden houses, suggesting seismic reinforcement work was hindered by financial constraints.

As the Ishikawa prefectural government had been asking individuals to refrain from coming to the quake-hit area, those eligible for volunteer work had previously been limited to people who belonged to organizations with disaster relief knowledge and experience.

Among the newly arrived volunteers was Shuto Kaji, a 30-year-old office worker from western Tokyo, who has been visiting Nanao in Ishikawa Prefecture once or twice a year for the past seven years to teach tennis to local children

"This is my first time volunteering for disaster recovery, but I hope I can be of a little help to Nanao," he said.

Volunteers worked in pairs to remove water-damaged tatami mats and other debris from homes affected by the disaster. "I can only be grateful," said local resident Kenichi Kawamura, 55, after receiving assistance.

At a ceremony prior to embarking on their activities, Ishikawa Gov. Hiroshi Hase addressed participants who had gathered wearing blue vests emblazoned with the words "Ishikawa Prefecture volunteer."

"I thank you for your warm sentiments. I hope you will take good care of yourselves as well," Hase said.

>>>MORE ARTICLE JUST READ FROM HERE<<<

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2022/10/united-states-plans-to-reinstate.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2023/08/two-plannes-bump-into-each-other-at.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2023/08/4-skyamark-flights-delayed-at-fukuoka.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2023/10/trains-flights-canceled-as-typhoon.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2023/12/find-wreckage-bodies-from-united-states.html

@Jackie San

Gundam Park Lalaport Fukuoka Best In The World

 

 https://youtu.be/rK8lINYfJTQ?si=VbJ7Y4KkCgmM2BBh

>>>MORE VIDEO JUST CLICK HERE FOR WATCHING<<<