PM Sharif attends One Water Summit in Saudi Arabia I Pakistan to import Russian crude oil at discounted rate
In Brief
POLITICS
Government decides to enforce measures to block terrorists from using social media
On 3 December, the National Action Plan committee meeting chaired by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi resolved to implement measures aimed at blocking terrorist activities on social media. In cooperation with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), it was decided that the accounts of suspected terrorists would be banned and provinces would undertake comprehensive measures to curb the use of illegal SIM cards. While this development may be aimed at maintaining security, Dawn reported that these actions may have an underlying political agenda as many government representatives have been calling the opposition party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf an anti-state group and not a political party. On the same day, Downdetector, a tool that monitors real time internet disruptions claimed that 35 per cent user complaints emerged from WhatsApp users, while 66 per cent came from Instagram users. It also revealed that major cities including Lahore, Karachi, and Islamabad were the most affected by internet disruptions. (Ifthikhar A Khan, “Govt moves to curb social media use by terror outfits,” Dawn, 4 December 2024; Aimen Siddiqui, “No end to internet outages, issues with communication apps,” The News International, 4 December 2024)
Government proposes PKR one million fine and five year jail term for spreading fake news
On 4 December, The News International reported that as a part of its efforts to amend the cybercrime law, the government has proposed a sentence of five years and a PKR 1 million fine on those who are found guilty of intentionally spreading false information. The draft also proposed changes to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016 (PECA). It called for the creation of a Digital Rights Protection Authority (DRPA), which will control/filter the content that is against the public interest. It will be authorized to remove content against the law enforcement agencies, certain individuals and even the government. It will also be responsible for filtering content targeted towards religion and ethnicity, terrorism and violence, and illegal content. (“Govt proposes 5-year jail, Rs1m fine for spreading fake news,” The News International, 4 December 2024)
JUDICIARY
Constitutional bench urges parliament to resolve missing persons issue
On 3 December, a six member constitutional bench led by Justice AminudDin Khan has sought reports pertaining to the missing persons case from all relevant institutions. The bench constituted of Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Syed Hassan Azhar Rizvi, Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Musarat Hilali. After hearing several cases, the bench issued notices to the attorney general, Ministry of Interior and other parties. During the hearing, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail stated the need to resolve this issue in the legislature as: “thousands of people are missing.” On the other hand, Deputy Attorney General claimed that the cabinet had discussed the issues and formed a sub-committee to provide recommendations. In response, Justice Mandokhail stated that rhetoric was not the solution. He suggested that the issue be resolved “by calling a general or joint session of parliament.” (“Constitutional bench seeks reports on missing persons,” The News International, 4 December 2024)
ECONOMY
IT industry claims loss of USD one million per hour of internet outage
On 4 December, Dawn reported that the IT industry has alleged that disruption in the internet services for one hour leads to a loss of “more than one million dollars” for the entire sector. On 3 December, Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@sha) Chairman Sajjad Mustafa Syed told the media that relevant authorities have conceded that a ban on Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) would be illegal as it does not fall within the ambit of any existing law in the country. Syed also revealed both to IT Ministry and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has been informed that “regular” internet disruptions is causing not only economic losses but also adversely affecting the “IT service exports.” The government has also been warned that it would be difficult to bring businesses back once they exit the country. Separately, Netblocks has also estimated the total loss for the economy for one hour of complete internet outage to be around USD 2.21 million. Similarly, in 2023, the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics had estimated a loss of PKR 1.3 billion per day from the closure of 3G/4G services in the country. (Kalbe Ali, “IT industry ‘loses $1m’ due to one hour of net outage,” Dawn, 4 December 2024)
“Ill-timed or overly ambitious monetary policies risk undoing the hard-won gains and plunging the country back into economic turmoil,”: The News International editorial
On 4 December, an editorial titled ”Declining inflation” in The News Internationaldiscussed the improvement in Pakistan’s inflation situation that the country had been struggling with sometime now. . The editorial pointed out that after being subjected to external shocks including the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia-Ukraine war, the reluctance of Middle Eastern allies to offer aid and the increase in interest by the US Federal Reserve, Pakistan can now see a “glimmer of hope.” Earlier, in order to stabilize the economy, , the government had adopted “aggressive” policies, like raising interest rates to 22 per cent and then eventually reducing it to 15 per cent. It had also resorted to increasing import duties among many others. However, the editorial warned that Pakistan must not hastily reduced policy rates as most of its inflation crisis is caused by external factors. It said: “Ill-timed or overly ambitious monetary policies risk undoing the hard-won gains and plunging the country back into economic turmoil.” The editorial also argued that the government needs to look beyond the monetary policy to recover the economy. It should first stop undertaking “counter productive measures” like imposing internet restrictions and create an inclusive economy to achieve sustainable and long term gains. (“Declining inflation,” The News International, 4 December 2024)
SOCIETY
“The state must realize: the more it clamps down on legitimate discourse, the more it fosters a climate of rumour-mongering and conspiracy theories”: Dawn editorial
On 4 December, an editorial in Dawn titled “Online oppression” criticized the government’s recent announcement indicating its intention to amend Peca 2016 and create a new Digital Rights Protection Authority (DRPA). The editorial argued that this reflects that the government “continues to prioritize control over real cyber security concerns.” It also highlighted how this is not the first instance of Peca being used as a weapon against free speech. Since it came into existence, Peca has been viewed by “journalists, CSOs, and digital rights advocates” as a facilitator of “state overreach.” The editorial pointed out that the proposed changes by the government are “troubling” as the scope of the definition of “social media platforms” has been widened: it will now also include “tools” that are used to access these social media platforms. Acknowledging that misinformation is a problem, the editorial, however, pointed out that the definition of misinformation is also not very clear in the proposed law. This will further complicate the classification/categorization of information as misinformation in the future. Provisions for prison terms in the context of “fake news” in the proposed law has also created “an environment of fear and self-censorship.” It is important to recognize that citizens often resort to the social media in case of increasing censorship on traditional media platforms. The editorial also noted that the government has not focused on eradicating the “root causes” of misinformation like “fostering media literacy and protecting press freedom.” Instead, it has decided to establish another regulatory body like DRPA. The editorial suggested that “rather than heavy-handed measures, the government should foster a culture of open dialogue.” (“Online oppression,” Dawn, 4 December 2024)
PAKISTAN OCCUPIED KASHMIR
POK SC suspends implementation of Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Ordinance, 2024
On 3 December, the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir Supreme Court (SC) suspended the implementation of the “Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Ordinance, 2024.” The SC had received appeals filed against a high court (HC) decision which was in favor of the law. The ordinance was earlier challenged at the regional high court by three members of the Central Bar Association and the Bar Council. Since the subordinate court dismissed the petitions, members of both groups were forced to approach the SC. In their petition, they alleged that the HC had failed to address critical points pertaining to the ordinance’s legitimacy. They also claimed that the legislature lacked the authority to deprive people of the fundamental rights underlined in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir’s interim constitution. Separately, this decision has come two days before a planned protest by the Jammu & Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC). A core committee member of the JKJAAC, Shaukat Nawaz Mir lauded the SC’s decision. However, he said the the protest will not be called off unless the ordinance is officially withdrawn by the government. He also alleged that the “The ordinance was a targeted move to suppress the JKJAAC.” (Tariq Naqash, “AJK SC suspends controversial protest ordinance,” Dawn, 4 December 2024)
EXTERNAL
PM Sharif emphasizes on water conservation, trans-boundary cooperation and cooperative action at One Water Summit
On 3 December, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attended the One Water Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia under the theme “Restore, Preserve, and Adapt.” In a speech at the summit, he argued that “water scarcity is the world’s biggest challenge and requires urgent measures.” He emphasized the importance of water conservation as it is essential to support economic development, food security as well as the environment. He also highlighted Pakistan’s concerns on trans-boundary cooperation, and some initiatives taken by Pakistan and called upon the international community to take cooperative action in tackling the effects of climate change. The PM highlighted Pakistan’s vulnerability to climate change-induced disasters as about 30 per cent of the population is prone to drought. With regard to trans-boundary water management, PM Sharif maintained how Pakistan prioritized trans-boundary agreements such as the Indus Water Treaty. While speaking about the climate change-related initiatives taken by the country, he spoke of the “Recharge Pakistan initiative” and even announced that the ‘National Drought Plan’ was in its final stages of approval. He also proposed a six-point agenda for international cooperation in overcoming water-related challenges in accordance to the sixth Sustainable Development Goal.
Additionally, on the sidelines of the summit, PM Sharif met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and French President Emmanuel Macron. In his meeting with President Macron, he lauded France’s work on climate change and both sides agreed to “enhance Pakistan-France cooperation.” (“PM underscores need for strong political will, global leadership to tackle water crisis,” Dawn, 3 December 2024; Syed Irfan Raza, “PM Shehbaz meets MBS, Macron on sidelines of global water summit,” Dawn, 4 December 2024)
Pakistan Refinery Limited to import Russian crude oil at discounted rate
On 4 December, The News International reported that a senior government official has revealed that a new understanding has been reached between Pakistan and Russia for the former to import oil from the latter. As a part of thie deal, the Pakistan Refinery Limited (PRL) will import 12 cargoes from Russia in one year. This development is an outcome of the Inter-Governmental Commission (IGC) meeting hosted in Moscow. In the agreement, Pakistan agreed to import Russia’s crude oil at a discount from Moscow from January 2025. In return, the profit gained from the import of Russian crude oil would be invested in the refinery’s upgradation projects and the incentives provided under the Brownfield Policy. (Khalid Mustafa, “Pakistan may start importing Russian crude oil at discounted rate soon,” 4 December 2024)
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November 24 protest is proof of Tehreek-e-Insaf administration's incompetence.
Aleema Khan
- PMLN Digital
We will go to the last extent against the injustice that has been done to us, we will approach the courts, we will also take to the streets and use international forums.
Asad Qaiser
- PTI
"The person sitting in the jail did not sit with the PDM government for a single day. He was made to stand on fire under a hot stove. Sometimes one foot burns and he lifts it, then the other starts burning. Two and a half. Not a single day over the course of a year has allowed the PDM to rest in peace, and this is no mean political feat."
Habib Akram
- PTI
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"The worsening clash between the government and PTI has closed all avenues for negotiations."
- An opinion in Dawn, 'Silence of the lambs.'
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