Court upholds power of Delhi’s opp’n chief

PTI gains ground

NEW DELHI, July 5, (RTRS): India’s Supreme Court upheld the powers of the chief minister of Delhi on Wednesday in a win for his political party embroiled in a protracted fight with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government that has compounded the capital city’s problems.

Under India’s political system, Delhi has a unique position in which the federal government controls the state police and oversees land issues while the local government is in charge of the general upkeep of the capital of some 19 million people.

But Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party has sought more powers and operational autonomy to govern the city ever since it beat Modi’s party in a stunning election upset in the capital three years ago.

It accused Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party of trying to interfere in Delhi’s governance through the federally appointed Lieutenant Governor.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court said the real power lies with the elected government of Delhi and that the Lieutenant Governor, who acts as the representative of the federal government, cannot be making decisions and must be working harmoniously with the state.

“Lieutenant Governor cannot act independently unless where the Constitution allows. L-G cannot be an obstructionist, he must take advice from the Council of Ministers,” India’s Chief Justice Dipak Misra said.

Delhi is one of the world’s most polluted cities and authorities have struggled to reduce the risk to residents each winter when the smog gets worse. The city, which draws tens of thousands of migrants from neighbouring states, also has high crime rates, especially against women.

The local government and Modi’s administration have traded blame for Delhi’s mounting problems. Kejriwal says he needs authority over the police to be able to maintain law and order.

He said on Twitter the court verdict was “a big victory for the people of Delhi” and a “big victory for democracy”.

“If Modi government had not withdrawn the powers of elected government through illegal orders, precious three years would have been saved,” Kejriwal said on Twitter.

Kejriwal

Imran Khan’s party gains ground:

The Pakistani opposition party led by former cricket star Imran Khan is gaining ground in opinion polls ahead of a July 25 general election, with one survey showing it pulling ahead of the ruling party and another showing it only slightly behind.

A survey by Pulse Consultant showed Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI, or Pakistan Justice Movement) ahead with the support of 30 percent of respondents nationwide, compared to 27 percent for its main rival, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) was at 17 percent.

A separate nationwide poll by Gallup Pakistan had PML-N on top with 26 percent, PTI with 25 percent and the PPP at 16 percent.

Both polls were commissioned by Pakistan’s Jang Media Group and were published on Wednesday in its affiliated newspaper, The News. They each surveyed about 3,000 people, with a margin of error of 1.6 percent for the Pulse survey and 2-3 percent for Gallup.

The new polls indicate a swing towards Khan’s party compared to similar nationwide polls in 2017, which put the PML-N 8-9 percentage points ahead of PTI.

Khan’s political fortunes have improved since PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif was removed as prime minister by the Supreme Court last year over undeclared assets.

Sharif, who was disqualified from politics for life, now faces a verdict in an anti-corruption court on Friday along with his daughter Maryam, who is running for parliament. The case, which concerns the purchase of luxury apartments in London, could see Sharif jailed and Maryam disqualified.

What next for Afghan capital?:

The aging Ariana Afghan Airlines Boeing 727 took off from Islamabad with about 10 passengers, myself included, huddled near the exits, bound for war-torn Kabul months after the 2001 fall of the Taleban.

The Afghan capital had been consigned to rubble by rocket-propelled grenades and artillery fire, first in fighting between mujahideen warriors and the Soviets after their invasion in 1979, and then between different mujahideen factions.

The airport was fringed with burnt-out fighter planes and scores of people, a skewer in each hand, scouring the tarmac for landmines. Someone put a ladder up against the fuselage, opened a flap, poured in some liquid and threw the empty can over his shoulder. Fast forward 16 years, or four World Cups. I fly in from Dubai, sipping red wine as we descend into Kabul, a city transformed from rubble into a bustling capital, though still visibly plagued by the escalating war with Taleban insurgents.

The centre of the city is a heavily protected zone of concrete fortresses, razor wire and well-protected checkpoints. The ruins of an office building near the presidential palace bear witness to a massive bomb last year that killed 150 people.

But in other areas, such as in the west of the city, shining blocks of flats have replaced the debris, behind lines of stalls and shops selling fresh vegetables, smart phones, fashion and kitchenware and the all-important building materials.

The memory of women bowed by the all-enveloping burqa, enforced under Taleban rule, trudging past destroyed homes is also fading amid talk of possible further Taleban ceasefires, upcoming elections, the national cricket team’s first “Test” match against India — and the World Cup.

So what next for the fast-growing capital, sitting up against the khaki mountains of the Hindu Kush? An unprecedented three-day ceasefire by the Taleban over last month’s Eid al-Fitr festive period brought them roaming into the capital for hugs and selfies and raised hopes for a longer peace.

“You can’t ignore the Taliban,” Sharifi said. “But there are red lines. If they come back and join the political process, we will be there with our art. People can’t just keep killing.” The tailor agreed.

“If the Taleban come back, it will be with a new government, not like before,” he said. “We will have a good future if there is no fighting.”