COAS General Asim Munir deems the use of force by entities other than the state “unacceptable”; IMF rejects Pakistan’s CAD forecast, reduces loan amount
In Brief
POLITICS
PTI core committee condemns “denial of justice” to Imran Khan’s calls for free and fair elections
On 17 November’ Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) core committee strongly denounced the perceived “denial of justice” to PTI Chairman Imran Khan, accusing the legal system of slowing down trials and closing doors to justice. The committee also condemned what it called an “extraordinary slowing down” of trials and harassment against Khan’s family, characterising it as an attempt to force compromise on principles. The committee expressed commitment to resisting state efforts to hinder PTI’s participation in the upcoming elections and called for free and fair elections’ urging the Election Commission of Pakistan to formalise the allotment of the ‘bat’ symbol to PTI. (Mumtaz Alvi, “PTI slams ‘denial of justice’ to Imran,” The News International, 18 November 2023)
Pakistan Awami Tehreek ends seven-year dormancy, announces participation in 2024 elections
On 17 November, after seven years of political dormancy, Dr Tahirul Qadri’s Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) announced its active participation in the February 2024 general elections. The PAT central president, Qazi Zahid Hussain, stated that the party would contest the elections independently, emphasising comprehensive reforms in the system as its primary slogan. The decision, endorsed by Dr Qadri, marks a return to electoral politics for PAT, which had boycotted the 2013 polls but participated in the 2015-16 local body elections. The party clarified its stance against entering electoral alliances and indicated a focus on mass-contact campaigns and immediate electioneering. (Amjad Mahmood, “Pakistan Awami Tehreek ‘re-remerges’,” Dawn, 18 November 2023)
Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari warns against joining PML-N, stresses trusting people in politics
On 17 November, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, speaking at a worker’s convention, cautioned political leaders against joining the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), stating that they would lose their “political weightage” in doing so. He referred to PML-N as the ‘Mehngai League’ that practiced “selected rule,” and asserted that individuals joining PML-N “won’t remain an electable anymore.” Emphasising the importance of trusting the people in politics, Bhutto called for an end to the politics of hatred and division, advocating for a government that represents farmers, labourers, and young people. He additionally pledged to address issues such as poverty, price hikes, and unemployment through a PPP-led “democratic and federal” government. (Muhammad Jamal Hoti, “Bilawal warns “electable” against joining PML-N,” Dawn, 18 November 2023)
COAS General Asim Munir deems the use of force by entities other than the state “unacceptable”
On 17 November, during an interaction with Islamic scholars at General Headquarters Rawalpindi, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir declared the use of force or armed action by any militia’ entity’ or group other than the state as “unacceptable.” Munir underscored that Pakistan belongs to all Pakistanis without any distinctions and called for rejecting the “use of force and armed action” by entities “other than the state.” He appreciated the ‘Paigham-i-Pakistan’ fatwa for countering “misleading propaganda disseminated by extremists and terrorists,” and urged religious scholars to propagate and implement it. The religious scholars condemned extremism, terrorism, and sectarianism, pledging support for state efforts to bring tolerance, peace, and stability to the country. (Iftikhar Shirazi, “Use of force by any militia, group other than state unacceptable: COAS,” Dawn, 17 November 2023; “Only State Has Monopoly On Violence: Army Chief,” The Friday Times, 17 November 2023)
Federal government appeals Supreme Court decision on military trials of civilians
On 17 November, the caretaker federal government filed an appeal in the Supreme Court against the decision of a five-member bench that declared the trials of civilians under the Pakistan Army Act 1952 as unconstitutional. The 23 October ruling had deemed the military trials of civilians involved in attacks on army installations during riots as ultra vires the Constitution, highlighting that such cases should proceed before criminal courts. The appeal argues that the incidents involved “targeted attacks” on military installations in an organised and coordinated manner, justifying the use of military courts. It further stated that the judgement was “untenable, contrary to settled jurisprudence of this honourable court and thus, liable to be set aside.” The federal government called for setting aside the previous judgment, and “humbly prayed” that the court allow the appeal. (Haseeb Bhatti, “Caretaker govt challenges SC verdict on military trials of civilians,” Dawn, 17 November 2023)
ECONOMY
IMF rejects Pakistan’s CAD forecast, reduces loan amount
On 18 November, The Express Tribune reported that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) revised its loan plans for Pakistan. They plan to allocate USD 25 billion for the coming year reducing the bail-out amount and also lowering the growth projection by 2 per cent. IMF rejected the ministry’s current account deficit estimated on imports and economic growth. The cut in loan amount stands as the international lender did not agree with Pakistan’s CAD projection. (Shahbaz Rana, “ Pakistan needs $25b loans this FY: IMF,” The Express Tribune, 18 November 2023)
EXTERNAL
The culmination event of Sea Guardian-2023
On 18 November, according to The Express Tribune, the Sea Guardian-2023 bilateral naval exercise, held in Karachi and the North Arabian Sea between the Pakistan Navy and the Chinese Navy, concluded with a closing ceremony at the Pakistan Navy Dockyard. The event, attended by officials from both navies, featured the participation of six units from the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (Navy). Operational manoeuvres, covering aspects like anti-surface, anti-air, mine warfare, and special operations, were conducted in a simulated multi-threat environment, providing valuable training. Rear Admiral Liang Yang from Qingdao Naval Base also visited Pakistan, discussing matters of bilateral naval collaboration and regional maritime security with senior Pakistan Navy officials. The exercise, as stated in the Express Tribune, proved mutually beneficial, enhancing the professional skills of both navies and reinforcing their commitment to bilateral cooperation through the regular conduct of such exercises. (“Sino-Pak ‘Sea Guardian-2023’ war games conclude,” The Express Tribune, 18 November)
Tenth Pakistan and Russia Joint Working Group
On 17 November, tenth meeting of the Pakistan and Russia Joint working group was held, both were reportedly engaged in discussions regarding the various manifestations of radicalization, the dissemination of terrorist ideologies, and the inappropriate use of information and communication technologies for terrorist activities. The foreign office said, “Both Pakistan and Russia agreed on the need for comprehensive strategies to counter these challenges.” The discussions between them were about enhancing cooperation in multilateral forums like the UN and Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) were specifically successful. The two sides agreed to collaborate in combatting terrorism finance and other crucial areas of counter-terrorism. The meeting was co-chaired by Ambassador Syed Haider Shah, Additional Foreign Secretary, and Ambassador Sergey Vershinin, Russian Federation Deputy Foreign Minister, with the next Working Group meeting scheduled for 2024. (“Pakistan, Russia agree on joint efforts against terror,” The News International, 18 November 2023)
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“Pakistan is a peaceful country. For the last four decades, Pakistani nation & Armed forces of Pakistan have done admirable services for the peacekeeping & elimination of terrorism. The world appreciates Pakistan's peacekeeping efforts.”
-Hassan Sajid
“The US. Ambassador to Pakistan Donald blome called on Quaid, Pakistan Muslim League(N) Nawaz Sharif earlier today.”
-Zeeshan Malik
“A tribute to Pakistan's resolve against terrorism! The nation's sacrifices and proactive measures, including participation in UN peace missions, underscore its pivotal role in fostering global peace and security.”
-Mawria Khan
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Aisha Khan, ‘Climate action’
Dawn, 18 November 2023
“The ICJ’s advisory opinion may shift the discussions from countries merely offering charity and aid to vulnerable nations to fostering a fair and legally sound form of reparations for climate harm and injury. For countries like Pakistan that contribute the least to the crisis but suffer the most, this opportunity must be used for timely and strongly argued submissions. With the world caught in the grip of violence at a time when the planet is burning, this development infuses new hope in multilateralism and the global justice system. The idea of voluntary reduction in emissions has not worked. It was instrumental in developing an ‘Agenda of Solutions’ but hope of a fair future has been on the decline. This offers state and non-state actors a unique chance to participate in a process that can clarify countries’ legal obligations and hold them accountable for delivery.”
Editorial, ‘Women politicians’
Dawn, 18 November 2023
“According to UN Women’s “Women in Politics 2023” Map, “the proportion of women parliamentarians has increased globally to 26.5pc from 25.5pc in 2021”, whereas, in the Women Legislators Performance Report 2017-18, Pakistan ranked 89th among democracies with 20.5pc women in the National Assembly and 18.3pc in the Senate.”
Syed Mohammad Ali, ‘Lingering elite capture’
The Express Tribune, 17 November 2023
“Inequality in Pakistan has been a lingering problem. It was back in the late 1960s that Mahboob-ul-Haq famously pointed out how 22 families had come to dominate the country’s economy. Despite lackluster attempts to implement land reforms, and undertake nationalisation, the wealth gap in the country continued to grow. Ishrat Hussain, the former governor of the State Bank, has drawn attention to how the Pakistani state primarily aims to serve the interests of the elites, instead of being concerned with enabling equitable growth.”
Adnam Anjum, ‘Rethinking women’s role in Pakistan’s governance’
The Express Tribune, 18 November 2023
“Positive developments in the electoral framework, such as measures to increase women’s voter registration and a 5% quota for women candidates within political parties, have been introduced in the recent past. However, these initiatives have not proven effective in ensuring greater women’s participation as candidates and voters. Sex-disaggregated voter turnout records and the potential voiding of election results in constituencies with less than 10% women turnout have not translated into substantial change.”
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“Afghans in Pakistan must be dealt with as per universal norms that respect human rights.”
-An opinion in Dawn, “Scapegoating the refugee”
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