Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has agreed to the proposal to form a caretaker government in a move to solve the prevailing economic and political crisis suffered by the country, political sources divulged.
The proposal to form an interim caretaker government with the membership of all parties representing Parliament was first brought by former Ministers Wimal Weerawansa and Udaya Gammanpila and the other minor parties of the government.
Weerawansa and Gammanpila, together with Vasudewa Nanayakkara and Tiran Alles have met the Prime Minister today in elaborating the proposal, to which Prime Minister Rajapaksa has reportedly agreed, sources added.
Accordingly, chances are high that a caretaker government may be formed with a new Cabinet of Ministers within the next few days, according to sources.
The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) has reportedly informed President Rajapaksa that all 14 MPs will resign from their posts in the government if it fails to negotiate with all parties represented in Parliament and form a caretaker government within a week.
This has been informed to the President via a three-page letter composed by SLFP Secretary General Dayasiri Jayasekara.
A man has reportedly taken his own life in front of the President’s Private Residence in Mirihana.
The victim, 53 and a resident of First Lane, Edirisinghe Road, Mirihana, was protesting against the ongoing power outages by climbing up on a nearby power transformer, during which he was electrocuted and killed.
The victim was electrocuted as he was attempting to take his own life by grabbing the two wire terminals at the same time.
Pasan Liyanage, the composer behind ‘Weda Karana Ape Viruwa‘ the President’s Theme Song for Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s 2019 Presidential Campaign has apologised to the people in a Social Media remark, saying that he will no longer be supporting any political party.
The composer added that a new group should be given the opportunity to build the country.
The Social Media restriction imposed by the government of Sri Lanka has been lifted a short while ago.
A Social Media restriction was imposed from 12.20 am today (03) and ended at 3.30 pm.
The restriction was imposed based on a request by the Defence Ministry, the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) earlier said in a statement.
The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) has urged the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) and internet service providers to lift the restriction imposed on Social Media immediately.
The Social Media restriction has made it difficult to inform the public about the power cuts, the PUCSL Chairman said, adding that it would be essential for people to use Social Media to become aware of the power outages.
Therefore, it would also be essential to lift the restrictions imposed on the use of Social Media, the PUCSL emphasised.
At his barber shop in a middle-class neighbourhood in Islamabad, 32-year-old Mujahid Ali, dressed in a beige, traditional shalwar kameez, won’t be sorry to see Imran Khan ousted from office.
“I haven’t enjoyed his time,” he says ruefully.
The former cricketer turned politician won in this constituency in 2018. Mujahid voted for him, hoping he could deliver change as a new, third force in Pakistan’s politics, which has long been dominated by two rival established political dynasties. But now he blames Mr Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party for the rising cost of living.
“You work all day and earn 500 rupees ($2.70; £2.06),” he tells the BBC. “But now a kilogram of butter costs 500 rupees. Before it was 180.”
Image caption, Islamabad barber Mujahid Ali voted for Khan, but won’t be sorry to see him go
Khan’s likely replacement as prime minister would be Shehbaz Sharif. His brother is Nawaz Sharif, a three-time serving prime minister now convicted on corruption charges which he has always regarded as politically motivated.
Shehbaz too has faced allegations, which he denies, but Mujahid says that doesn’t put him off: “They might be corrupt, but at least they help poor people.”
Waiting for a haircut is 27-year old Ali Malik, a junior accountant. He too voted for Mr Khan in 2018, but remains supportive of him. “We have to endure this hard time,” he says of the economic situation. “Imran Khan has taken a stance and we should stand with him.”
Mr Khan has been a staunch campaigner against corruption, and has accused opposition parties of paying off members of parliament to vote against him, an allegation they deny.
The rising cost of living is a complaint of nearly all the voters we speak to at a handful of markets across the constituency. At the barber shop, the owner begins striking his head with palms of his hands in frustration. “The poor of this country have been ruined,” he shouts emotionally.
Some, like him, dismiss Mr Khan as “incompetent,” but others, such as housewives Iram and Noreen, browsing at a stall selling hairbands, accept his justification that prices have risen across the world following the coronavirus pandemic.
“It’s everywhere, not just Pakistan,” they say, though another friend accompanying them disagrees.
Image caption, Iram and Noren say the rising cost of living is not the fault of the prime minister
The truth is, price rises have been significantly sharper in Pakistan than in most of its neighbours. Yet however disgruntled many may be with Mr Khan’s policies, the move to oust him is not based on a sudden wave of popular sentiment. It’s down to elite political manoeuvring.
Mr Khan is widely regarded as having come to power with the help of Pakistan’s army, but now observers say they have fallen out. His political opponents are seizing the opportunity to strike whilst he’s weak, persuading a number of his coalition partners to defect to them.
Mr Khan has a different, more outlandish explanation for his political troubles. He says he’s the victim of an international conspiracy attempting to bring about “regime change” in Pakistan.
He claims US officials warned Pakistani diplomats he would need to be removed from power because of his foreign policy decisions, such as recently visiting Moscow to meet President Vladimir Putin and his previous criticism of America’s “War on Terror”. Opposition politicians ridicule the allegation, and the US has denied there is any truth to it.
Image caption, Khan claims he’s the victim of an international conspiracy attempting to bring about “regime change” in Pakistan
It appears Mr Khan is attempting build a populist, anti-Western narrative and many of his most ardent followers appear to be buying into it.
Sohail Akhtar, a 25-year-old working in marketing, is sitting at a plastic table in a small open-air restaurant smiling and chatting with a group of friends. All voted for Mr Khan in 2018, and all remain loyal to him. “I wanted Pakistan to be respected on the world stage,” he says. “And now that’s happened.”
“Look out how he has spoken out against Islamophobia,” chimes in Mohammad, a civil servant. “Before we used to be like slaves.”
When talk turns to the Pakistani military’s stance on Mr Khan and whether they’re really responsible for his change in fortunes, there’s a slight hesitation amongst the group at the restaurant.
Until recently, Imran Khan proudly proclaimed he and the army were on “the same page,” and many of his followers view themselves as “patriots” who firmly back the military.
“Well you can’t form a government without their support,” admits 25-year-old Shafqat, but he remains convinced of the international conspiracy Mr Khan has talked about. He and his friends say they all plan on attending a rally close to parliament on the day of the vote of no confidence.
No Pakistani prime minister has ever completed their full five-year term, and it looks likely Mr Khan won’t either.
However, whilst, the poor state of the economy has undoubtedly diminished his popularity, Mr Khan looks set to remain a formidable force in the country’s politics.
The government of Sri Lanka has taken the measure to declare a state of emergency and an islandwide curfew to ensure the public’s security, the Department of Government Information said in a press release.
Emphasising that the government is committed to protecting the people’s democratic right to speech, right to freedom of expression, right to assembly and right to protest, the statement added that the incumbent President has never launched a baton assault, tear gas or water against a peaceful protest since he assumed office.
It added that in some cases, representatives of the demonstrators were called in to the Presidential Secretariat to discuss issues and resolve them and even an agitation site has been reserved near the Office for protests and demonstrations.
“During the protest organised in the Mirihana area on Thursday, March 31, some people behaved in a riotous manner and caused damaged to public and private property, while some people were injured,” the statement added.
The press release by the Info Dept also claimed that the damage done to the properties due to the riots is Rs. 39 million.
The state of emergency and curfew were imposed in accordance with accepted legal provisions with the aim of protecting public life, public order and public and private property, the statement further noted.
Diesel stocks are now being dispatched for fuel stations island wide, revealed the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CEYPETCO).
It has been decided to release 3,500 metric tonnes of diesel for power generation on a daily basis, in a move to curb the power interruptions, which at present are exhausting the general public.
The CEYPETCO had suspended the supply of diesel in recent days due to non-availability of stocks and the absence of dollars required for purchases and this had led to the closure of many fuel sheds across the country.
The power cuts approved in response to the fuel shortage had exceeded 13 hours a day.
In the backdrop, the public uprising against the government hit a fever pitch, later to be met with an island wide curfew effective from 06 pm yesterday to 06 am tomorrow. However, demonstrations are still taking place in some parts of the island regardless of the curfew.
