In Brief
PAKISTAN ELECTIONS 2023
PR Exclusive Update 19
Nawaz to court BAP to strengthen PML-N
On 7 November, PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif is expected to travel to Balochistan the next week to work with the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) ahead of the elections after welcoming the MQM-P. A party official told Dawn, "Mr Sharif is expected to meet some electives during his visit to Balochistan and a formal alliance with the BAP will be announced." "The elder Sharif believes it is crucial to secure 'reasonable seats' in Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to form the federal government following the upcoming elections," he stated. (Zulqernain Tahir, “Nawaz to woo BAP to solidify PML-N in Balochistan,” Dawn, 8 November 2023)
ECP received a charter of demands from PTI
On 8 November, The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was presented with a 24-point Charter of Demands (CoD) by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI). The CoD requests that the watchdog guarantee free, fair, and transparent general elections and grant the party equal playing fields so that it can freely conduct its campaign in the lead-up to the polls on 8 February. During their 45-minute meeting, Barrister Ali Zafar, Gohar Ali Khan, and Dr Babar Awan of the PTI's legal team delivered the CoD to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja. The PTI delegation listed "obstacles" to the party's electoral campaign and expressed its concerns about the upcoming elections. After the meeting, PTI spokesperson Barrister Gohar Ali spoke with reporters and urged the electoral watchdog to make public the long-awaited written ruling on the petitions PTI filed on 18 and 30 October regarding the party's electoral symbol, "bat," to permanently end the current state of uncertainty. According to him, the ECP ought to assign the party the electoral symbol "bat" right now and create an even playing field. (Ikram Junaidi and Iftikhar A, “Khan PTI presents 24-point charter of demands to ECP,” Dawn, 8 November 2023)
PR Exclusive Update
Repatriation of Illegal migrants
The first batch of Afghan immigrants set to be deported from POK
On 8 November, the first batch of illegal immigrants was ready to be deported to Afghanistan via the Torkham border crossing of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region. About 245 refugees were scheduled to be repatriated at different periods, perhaps 24 individuals including women, children and men from the remote areas of POK. An official said that 25 undocumented prisoners who have been charged with trivial crimes are said to be deported to Afghanistan. On the whole, a total of 288 immigrants were shifted via the Torkham border. Meanwhile, Iran is also in the process of deporting Afghan immigrants from the country, and there has been a considerable number of Afghans deported from Iran. (Umer Farooq and Saleem Shahid, “First group of Afghan immigrants from AJK set for repatriation,” Dawn, 8 November 2023)
POLITICS
PTI expresses concerns to President Alvi about fair play for political parties
On 8 November, President Arif Alvi expressed the PTI's concerns about the "erosion of fundamental rights and a level playing field for all political parties" in the lead-up to the 2017 general elections in a letter to the Prime Minister. Anwaarul Haq Kakar. President Alvi and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) decided earlier this month to hold general elections on 8 February 2024. This news has sparked a movement within the ranks of major political parties. Following the unrest in the nation on 9 May, the PTI has claimed that it is being prevented from engaging in political activities and that several of its leaders are behind bars. The PTI has requested that all political parties be given equal treatment during the run-up to elections and has called for free, fair, and transparent conduct during the upcoming polls. According to Kakar, lawmakers who have supported PTI Chairman Imran Khan, who is now serving a jail sentence for the cipher case and was found guilty in the Toshakhana case, will be permitted to run in future elections. (“In a letter to PM, President Alvi raises PTI’s concerns on level playing field for political parties,” Dawn, 8 November 2023)
EXTERNAL
PM Kakar expresses ‘growing bilateral cooperation’ with Uzbekistan
On 8 November, during a meeting with the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar voiced his "satisfaction at the growing level of bilateral cooperation" with the nation. The gathering happened outside of the 16th Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Summit in Tashkent. "Exchanged views on deepening bilateral cooperation in a range of areas including political, trade, economic, security, defence, and connectivity" were expressed by PM Kakar and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Along the sideline of the summit, Kakar met ECO Secretary General Khusrav Noziri and reviewed the developments in trade, connectivity and economic cooperation. (“PM Kakar expresses satisfaction at ‘growing bilateral cooperation’ with Uzbekistan,” Dawn, 8 November 2023)
ECONOMY
Unexpected hike in gas price
On 8 November, the Oil and Regulatory (Ogra) informed that a hike in gas prices and fixed charges for all consumers will be effective from 1 November. As per the information, the fixed monthly prices for the residential “protected category” of consumers have increased from PKR 10 to PKR 400 meaning an increase of 3,9000 per cent. Adding to that, the consumers would also have to pay PKR 108 per month as minimum charges. With this being notified, per unit gas rates remain unchanged at PKR 121 per British thermal units for 0.25 hundred cubic metres. ( “Unprecedented hike in gas, fixed charges notified,” Dawn, 8 November 2023)
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“Better late than never. I applaud the statement of PM on Afghanistan. On the economic side, our selfless support to Afghanis has costed us immensely. There is over $ 5 billion abuse of Afghan Transit Trade; about 1/3 of Pak currency in circulation in Afghanistan, etc. Pakistan first.”
- Syed Shabbar Zaidi
“I was deeply disappointed yesterday, when the Senate majority rejected this Resolution urging the Government of Pakistan to develop food systems-related institutional mechanisms in line with Pakistan’s global commitments ahead of COP-28. On the one hand, climate change, Pakistan’s burgeoning population, the precarious water scarcity situation and the tendency to use arable land for lucrative housing schemes is creating serious food security challenges, and is threatening the future of generations, but on the other hand, our toxic political environment is not just hampering the country’s progress on such existential matters, it is also undermining Pakistan’s reputation globally.”
-Senator Dr Sania Nishtar
“Echoes of serious crimes allegedly committed in recent past are heard loudly. It is understandable. But the deafening silence about the doling out of $ 3 billion among 626 elites in Covid is not understandable. This is an elite capture that transcends politics & politicians.”
- Farhatullah Babar
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Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, ‘Elusive climate justice’
Dawn, 9 November 2023
“NO other climate issue has divided the Global South and Global North in international climate negotiations as much as the question of setting up of the loss and damage fund (LDF). Developed and developing countries have shouted at each other in a dialogue of the deaf because the two subscribe to two distinct principles, if not paradigms.”
Zaeem Mehmood, ‘Untapped economic potential of Pakistan’s EEZ’
The Express Tribune, 8 November 2023
“Since the Paris agreement, there is an increase in global demand for sustainable bonds and those issued in the previous five years have a market estimated value of $1 trillion. Pakistan had earlier raised $500 million by issuing its first green bond in 2021 to finance hydro power projects, including Diamer Bhasha and Mohmand dams (S&P Global, 2023). Therefore, in order to address monetary constraints, the government could tap into the global green market instruments, like blue bonds to finance exploitation of oceanic resources and harness the untapped potential of EEZ.”
Khurram Husain, ‘What China wants from Pakistan’
Dawn, 9 November 2023
“WHAT China wants from Pakistan is the same as what China wants from every other country, which is to endlessly run a trade surplus in their favour. There might be a few specific things beyond this, such as Gwadar for instance, but those are marginal and nowhere near as central to Chinese designs in Pakistan and the rest of the world as we might imagine.”
Talat Masood, ‘Improving prospects for peace and stability’
The Express Tribune, 8 November 2023
“Pakistan’s security challenges are manifold and fairly complex. Some have historical roots, the most significant of which is the animosity between India and Pakistan, accentuated by the unresolved issue of Kashmir”
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“We have been ruined by our political inertia.”
- An opinion in Dawn, ‘Bars and ballots’
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