ECNEC approves new projects; Delay in elections would make no difference, says Zardari
In Brief
POLITICS
PPP accused of killing MQM-P party workers
On 11 December, three Mutahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) workers were shot dead and others injured. In a statement, the MQM-P party stated that its election office in Karachi’s Machar Colony was targeted allegedly by PPP party. The incident happened while the party workers were busy with election activities. Meanwhile, the police accused that both MQM and PPP participated in confrontation. They further added that three people were killed during the rampage. On the other hand, the paramilitary forces stated that they were looking for people involved in the attack. (Raheel Salman, “Three ‘MQM-P workers killed’ in Karachi’s Machar Colony,” The News International, 11 December 2023)
PM Kakar expressed intolerance against terrorist groups
On 11 December, in a meeting with the families of killed soldiers at the Interior Ministry in Islamabad, Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar cautioned the terrorist groups. He advised the groups to make an “unconditional surrender” and stated that the country has zero tolerance and would not heed any negotiation. Kakar said that no person can defer the law and only states have the legitimacy to retaliate against terrorist attacks via their security forces. He stated, “No one should have any doubt about the stance of the state against terrorists.” He further insisted that a terrorist should seek salvation from the families of the victims. He further stated, “We cannot compensate those who lost their loved ones but we can make a gesture to acknowledge and honour their invaluable sacrifices.” The ultimate goal of the society is to honour the martyrs and their families added Kakar. ( “PM Kakar tells militants to ‘surrender unconditionally” Dawn, 12 December 2023)
PPP calls for a thorough investigation
On 11 December, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari in a press conference after the meeting held at the Ministry of Interior expressed his view on the theme of the meeting ‘The Wall of Martyrs’. He stated that a thorough investigation has to be done for the terrorists who were released during the PTI’s administration. He also insisted that Parliament was not notified about the whole procedure and henceforth advised the dignitaries to keep Parliament intact. Interior Minister Sarfaraz Bugti shared the press conference with the PPP chairman and stated, “Unfortunately, a decision was taken which undermined the efforts of our martyrs.” Meanwhile, the PPP chairman stated, “Our army and police are still targets of terrorism and the state of Pakistan should ponder upon how this can happen through a U-turn taken overnight without the permission of the parliament and the people, despite the country’s continuous struggle to rid the land of terrorism. Once again, our army soldiers, police, and the people would have to combat terrorists and defeat them.” (Iftikhar A. Khan, “Bilawal demands probe into the release of terrorists,” Dawn, 12 December 2023)
Imran dares the indictment process
On 11 December, a petition was filed by Imran Khan via his counsel. The filing came before his trial hearing of the cipher case and the anticipated charges against him and PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi. Through this petition, Imran Khan challenges the course of his indictment in the cipher case in the Islamabad High Court (IHC). The plea disputed that an IHC bench has surpassed the trial proceeding due to the legal proceedings. The plea further stated that post the verdict, the Special Court (Official Secrets Act) judge advised the police to present the two PTI leaders at the Federal Judicial Complex on 28 November. However, the authorities did not present them at the court instead submitted a report stating they were not produced due to security reasons. (Malik Asad, “Imran challenges cipher indictment process,” Dawn, 12 December 2023)
ECONOMY
ECNEC approves new projects
On 11 December, the National Economic Council's Executive Committee (ECNEC) authorized nine projects totalling more than PKR 371 billion. Dr Shamshad Akhtar, the caretaker Federal Minister for Finance, Revenue, and Economic Affairs, presided over the ECNEC meeting. They plan to allocate the funds by approving for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Security Support Project for PKR 25.098 billion; Sindh School Rehabilitation Project under Flood Restoration Program (ADB Emergency Assisted) for PKR 86.080 billion and others for educational infrastructure rehabilitation and laptop scheme for higher education amongst others. (Tahir Amin, “ECNEC approves 9 projects worth Rs371bn,” Business Recorder, 12 December 2023)
EXTERNAL
Foreign Minister Jalil on Indian Supreme Court's verdict
On 11 December, Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jillani commented on the Indian Supreme Court's verdict on Article 370 which guaranteed limited autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir. He stated that India cannot renounce its international obligations in the guise of domestic ruling. This comment came at the outset of the Indian Supreme Court’s verdict on Article 370 and upholding the 2019 verdict. During the press meeting, the foreign minister expressed Pakistan’s response by stating that Pakistan rejects the verdict on the status of the Jammu and Kashmir. ( “Pakistan doesn’t acknowledge supremacy of Indian Constitution over IIOJK: FM,” The News International, 12 December 2023)
PAKISTAN ELECTIONS 2023
PR Exclusive Update 27
Delay in elections would make no difference, says Zardari
On 11 December, PPP co-chairperson and Former President Asif Ali Zardari apprised prolongation of general elections will not make any changes. He stated that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had the legitimacy to conduct polls before or post the scheduled date of 8 February 2024. On the other hand, on 10 December, PML-N Khyber Pakhtunkhwa President Amir Muqam stated that elections should be delayed by two or four weeks due to security concerns and harsh weather. Zardari claimed that Former Prime Minister and PTI leader Imran Khan for registering illegal Afghans residing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as citizens of Pakistan by procuring them with ID cards. He further stated, “He (Imran) has got votes of Afghans registered by making their ID cards in KP,” he said. “That’s why he talks about the Afghans so much. He has made fake lists in KP where Afghans have been declared as Pakistan citizens and their names are in the voters’ list.” ( “Delay of 8-10 days in general elections will make no difference: Zardari,” Dawn, 12 December 2023)
ECP changes election commissioners of Sindh and Balochistan
On 11 December, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) swapped the provincial election commissioners of Sindh and Balochistan. The election commissioner of Sindh Aijaz Ahmed Chohan to Balochistan. Balochistan’s election commissioner Sharifullah is transferred to Sindh. The ECP stated that the decision to change had come purely based on public interest. ECP also apprised the appointments of the officers are carried out by district administration for the polls. The swapping of the officers came at the outset of MQM’s doubts about the fairness of the general elections where they alleged that Chohan and member of ECP Sindh Nisar Durrani were playing cards behind the election process. (Iftikhar A. Khan, “ECP swaps Sindh, Balochistan poll bosses,” Dawn, 12 December 2023)
CHINA/CPEC
China set to review Free Trade Agreement
On 11 December, Commerce Minister Gohar Ejaz visited China, where the Chinese government agreed to consider a request to review the existing Free Trade Agreement (FTA), supply trade finance in yuan, and render loans to assist industry remotion to Pakistan. During his visit, the commerce minister Gohar Ejaz led a 20-member group and apprised Pakistan and China have come to a mutual understanding to revise the FTA. This revision foresees to extend comparable inclination to Pakistani products, calibrating them with the existing treaty between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries. (Mubarak Zeb Khan, “China agrees to review Free Trade Agreement, boost yuan-based trade,” Dawn, 12 December 2023)
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“Bizarre interview by Asif Zardari:From contradicting his own son's entire campaign on his criticism of Nawaz Sharif as Ladla, to posing himself as his son's competitor as PM candidate, to a very strange plan for irrigating Balochistan via Tajikistan and through GB, to the usual, to a racist anti-Afghan diatribe (all of PTI's vote bank according to him is because of millions of Afghans voting for PTI), is it really these model politicians that so much political engineering is being done for?
- Taimur Khan Jhagra
"HRCP takes strong exception to a Lahore antiterrorism court's decision to grant the Quetta police two-day transitory remand of @PTIofficial supporter Khadija Shah. All the cases heard against Ms Shah, a resident of Lahore, have so far been heard in the city where she was originally charged. To implicate her in a new case to which she has no connection, just as she was likely to be released, appears to be a means of continued harassment, given that she has been separated from her children for months. To move her to Quetta by road in the cold weather is tantamount to ill treatment under the law and Pakistan's international obligations under the CAT. Ms Shah should be allowed to remain in Lahore and her right to due process upheld.
- Human Rights Commission of Pakistan
“Reprehensible treatment being meted out to Khadija Shah. Her illegal incarceration is a classic case of kidnapping by a gangster state. Parties that are silent today should remember it will again be their turn tomorrow. Politocal leadership is refusing to learn from history.”
– Ammar Ali Jan
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Maleeha Lodhi, ‘Cost of election delay’
Dawn, 11 December 2023
“All three major political parties, which are now in electioneering mode, would oppose the delay and also mount a legal challenge plunging the country into a constitutional crisis. Half of the Senate is up for election in March. If elections are not held before then, it will leave the country with a truncated Upper House, which is elected by national and provincial assembly members. That too would be a recipe for constitutional chaos.”
Masood Lohar, ‘Climate action’
Dawn, 12 December 2023
“Before the start of COP28, there was intellectual chaos across sectors and regions. Some organisations even boycotted the event, protesting the appointment of Dr Sultan Al Jaber, the CEO of UAE’s national oil company ADNOC as the president of COP28. Critics were sceptical about holding the summit in one of the world’s top 10 oil-producing countries, fearing bias towards the fossil fuel industry. The controversy escalated when Dr Al Jaber was quoted as saying that there was “no science” indicating that a phase-out of fossil fuels is needed to stop global warming, later clarifying that he was misquoted. Despite the early scepticism, progress and commitments at the event have made it unique. COP28 has seen unprecedented momentum, inclusivity, and a willingness to adapt. There was optimism for groundbreaking developments, with early consensus reached on the loss and damage issue, setting a positive tone for the remaining agenda items.”
Dr Niaz Murtaza, ‘Pakistan regionally’
Dawn, 12 December 2023
“We think we were on the way to being an economic star under dictators but got waylaid under civilians. This is humbug. All our regimes used non-durable local or foreign stimuli to achieve transient growth that bust soon. People argue that mean GDP growth under Ayub was 5.8pc but 4.8pc under Bhutto.Even this is not a big fall. But take Ayub’s first five years only to fairly match Bhutto’s term, and his falls to 4.9pc. Ayub gained from a booming global economy (capitalism’s golden age), huge US aid and unfair milking of the Bengalis. Bhutto had oil shocks, global stagflation and big floods but not aid. Yet Bhutto did better than Ayub on most key axes: poverty rose under Ayub but fell under Bhutto; our export-GDP ratio was only about 7pc under Ayub but 12pc under Bhutto (it being highest in the civilian 1990s at 16pc); the trade-deficit-GDP ratio was about -7pc under Ayub but only -4pc under Bhutto and investment growth only 12pc under Ayub but highest ever at 35pc under Bhutto.”
Khwaja Amir, ‘A parallel economy’
The News International, 12 December 2023
“Smuggling poses an increasingly troublesome and complex challenge for Pakistan. Often labeled as an underground economy, it detrimentally affects revenue collection, fostering tax evasion and leaving a substantial dent in the national exchequer.Former governor of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Dr Ishrat Hussain says, “Sixty per cent of the national economy is outside the tax net.” This highlights the magnitude of this undocumented economy. This clandestine economic activity undermines border sovereignty, impedes law enforcement, erodes government authority, and hampers the country’s journey towards self-sufficiency. Tax evasion not only affects the overall development of the country but also triggers inflation as the burden to minimize the deficit is passed on to the public. According to a 2022 report from the Research and Development Department of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 11 identified smuggled goods cause a staggering loss of $9 billion, equivalent to 3.0 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).”
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“Every discussion in Islamabad begins and ends with the possibility of elections and what they will bring”
-An opinion in Dawn, Let the games begin
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