Photo : Dawn
Photo : Dawn
In Brief
POLITICS
PPP Chairman shifts stance on digital rights and development agenda
On 23 December, while speaking at a convocation ceremony at the University of Sindh, Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari commented on the restrictions placed on the use of Virtual Private Networks and Pakistan’s readiness to deal with climate change. He highlighted the construction of the six canals on the Indus River which has been a matter of dispute between his government and the centre. He stated that neither Pakistan nor the world was prepared to deal with the side effects of climate change. In a significant departure from the official stance of the coalition government, he argued for a “bill of rights” on the digital front and called for a realigning of development agendas with the reality of climate change. He urged the youth to learn from the mistakes of their predecessors and plan to overcome impending challenges posed by climate-induced disasters. On the matter of internet restrictions, he opined that earlier people were controlled in different ways. Today, “a similar attempt is being made in the shape [of controlling] bandwidth, optical fiber, and wireless internet.” In this regard, he called upon the youth to demand for their digital rights. (Mohammad Hussain Khan, “Bilawal advocates `bill of rights` for digital age,” Dawn, 24 December 2024)
ECONOMY
State Bank data reveals 64 per cent foreign investment withdrawal
On 24 December, according to Dawn, the latest State Bank of Pakistan data revealed that 64 per cent of the foreign investment in Pakistan’s treasury bills have been pulled out from the country. . While it is unclear as to why exactly this ishappening, experts suggest that the trend in outflows is due to constant falls in returns on domestic bonds as the monetary policy rates have been lowered in recent months along with unstable politics prevailing in the country. Additionally, bankers have claimed that any possibility of an increase in bond rates remain dim with foreign investment inflows at an unfavorable level. This development comes as the net foreign investment inflow was marked at zero, and the outflow was recorded at USD 5.5 million, setting the stage for a downward trajectory in the future. (Shahid Iqbal, “64pc foreign investment withdrawn from T-bills,” Dawn, 24 December 2024)
SOCIETY
Telecom Authority announces registration system for VPN service providers
On 24 December, Dawn reported on a press release from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) pertaining to registering Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). The Authority announced that it will introduce a licensing regime where VPN service providers must apply for a Class License for Data permit to dispense their services. This is aimed at overcoming the issue of having unregistered VPNs. In this manner, all those unregistered VPNs will be assumed unregistered and eventually be blocked and local firms will be legally bound to Pakistan’s laws, their licenses and other provisions and consequently, enable the authority to maintain its control. One of the provisions for the terms of license highlight that companies will be obliged to supply all information to the PTA, which will help it “to quantify proliferation of the technologies or services whether technical, regulatory or financial in nature.” (Kalbe Ali, “PTA unveils new regime to `localise` VPN services,” Dawn, 24 December 2024)
PROVINCES
KP government devises sustainable peace plan for Kurram
On 23 December, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government decided to implement a comprehensive peace plan in the Kurram district, which has been afflicted with violence since November. . The cabinet meeting was also briefed that jirgas have been involved in arriving at a sustainable solution to the sectarian clashes between tribal groups. An official statement after the meeting suggested that the government has decided to deploy Special Forces on the Parachinar highway where temporary checkpoints will be set up after permanent posts. Additionally, all illegal weapons in the region will be seized by 1 February 2025. Subsequently, a committee will be constituted at the province’s home department to issue arms licenses. The government has also planned to launch a crackdown on those involved in using social media to incite violence by blocking their accounts via a cell under the Federal Investigation Agency. On the same day, two people who were en route to Parachinar were shot dead and decapitated in the Bagan area by unidentified culprits. (Umer Farooq & Javid Hussain, “KP govt forms roadmap for peace in Kurram,” Dawn, 12 December 2024)