PPP and PML-N nominate governors for Punjab and KP; FBR uncovers a major tax scandal amounting to PKR 756 billion
In Brief
POLITICS
Imran Khan links the possibility of dialogue to the return of his party’s “stolen mandate”
On 4 May, Dawn stated that Imran Khan, the founding chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, has”linked the possibility of dialogue to the return of his party’s “stolen mandate” and the release of imprisoned PTI workers whom he considers innocent. Speaking from Adiala Jail, Khan urged the judges handling his and his wife’s cases to expedite their rulings instead of causing unnecessary delays. He claimed the cases against him, including the Al-Qadir Trust, Iddat, and Cipher cases, as “fabricated and baseless”. Further, he pointed out that PTI's petitions regarding the May 9 riots and alleged vote rigging in the 8 February general elections were pending and had not been fixed for hearing. He criticized the Supreme Court’s decisions, claiming they were made under pressure and intimidation, thereby harming the country’s judicial system. Additionally, he wrote a letter to The Telegraph expressing concern for his and his wife’s safety, claiming that his wife had been denied medical treatment for the past three months. He also urged the nation to make use of this unique opportunity and stand against oppression. (Kashif Abbasi, “Dialogue only when ‘stolen mandate’ returned: Imran,” Dawn, 4 May 2024)
PPP and PML-N nominate governors for Punjab and KP
On 3 May, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari nominated two members for the post of governor for the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab. This is in accordance with a power-sharing formula between the PML-N and the PPP agreed earlier. Sardar Saleem Haider, a PPP leader from Rawalpindi has been nominated for Punjab and Faisal Karim Kundi from Dera Ismail Khan has been nominated for KP. Haider will be replacing PML-N leader Balighur Rehman in Punjab and Kundi will be succeeding JUI-F’s Haji Ghulam Ali in KP. Following the announcement, PPP chairman Bhutto and PM Shehbaz Sharif held a one-on-one meeting where they discussed the two governors’ nomination. Additionally, Jaffar Khan Mandokhail, president of the PML-N’s provincial chapter has been appointed as the governor of Balochistan. (Syed Irfan Raza, “Bilawal names PPP loyalists as Punjab, KP governors,” Dawn, 4 May 2024)
ECONOMY
FBR uncovers a major tax scandal amounting to PKR 756 billion
On 4 May, Dawn reported on a major tax crime amounting to PKR 756 billion which was uncovered by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). The Board informed PM Shehbaz Sharif on the “sales tax fraud” who then directed the Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan to assist the tax authorities in retrieving the revenue from the culprits. FBR has filed 100 FIRs relating to the scandal. Separately, the PM was informed about the revenue measures being undertaken to achieve the set revenue target. In April, tax collection fell short of the target by PKR 53 billion, mainly due to a decrease in domestic taxes and customs duty. The PM has also requested the FBR Chairman Zubair Tiwana to rework his presentation on the revenue collection in collaboration with the Finance minister Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb for the next three months. (Mubarak Zeb Khan, “FBR uncovers Rs756bn sales tax scam,” Dawn, 4 May 2024)
EXTERNAL
Pakistan raises concerns in the UN over India’s cross-border assassination strategy
On 2 May, Pakistan’s United Nations Ambassador Munir Akram, when speaking at the UNGA discussion on “Culture of Peace,” expressed strong dislike over India’s new strategy of cross-border assassinations. He urged the United Nations to take notice of the matter and address it. He also alleged that India continuously persecuted Christians, Muslims, and other minorities within its borders and has extended that to its political opponents in Canada and the United States. He also termed cross-border killings as “India’s extraterritorial state terrorism.” Additionally, he also alleged that “hate, oppression, and violence” against India’s Muslims, Christians, Dalits, and other minorities have been widespread since the BJP-RSS administration came into rule. He urged the UN Secretary-General to implement the plan of Action to overlook the religious sites. Further, he said that India was funding the TTP and BLA to carry out terrorist attacks on the western border. (Anwar Iqbal, Pakistan slams India’s cross-border assassination campaign,” Dawn, 4 May 2024)
PROVINCES
Punjab: KEP calls on the government to purchase wheat and threatens protests if it fails
On 3 May, while addressing the press conference, Kissan Etihad Pakistan (KEP) Chairman Khalid Hussain Batth along with Asmatullah Dummar and other leaders of KEP showed concern over the arrest of farmers and beating of women, children, and elderly people from Punjab. He insisted on the immediate release of those arrested. He cautioned the Punjab government if they refuse to buy wheat from farmers which they committed already, blocking highways and causing disruption of movement will be the response. His statement details: “We demand the government to ensure the purchase of wheat at the rate of PKR 3,900 per tonne as announced by the Punjab government itself. Otherwise, protest rallies will be held, and sit-ins will be staged on highways, roads, and railway tracks with tractor-trolleys carrying wheat until wheat procurement starts and farmers’ dues are paid to them.” (Saleem Shahid, “Farmers warn of nationwide highway blockade over wheat price,” Dawn, 4 May 2024)
SPACE
Pakistan’s first moon mission, ICUBE-QAMAR
On 3 May, Pakistan launched it’s first-ever satellite moon mission, named ICUBE-QAMAR. It was launched on board China’s Chang’E6 from Hainan, China. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated the nation and the scientists on the successful launch stating that this was Pakistan’s “first step in space.” Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also congratulated the team and stated that: “Today’s launch from Hainan in China is a good example of countries and organizations coming together for space cooperation and shared benefits.” As per the details from Dr Khurram Khurshid, a member of the Core Committee at the Institute of Space Technology (IST), the satellite has been designed and developed by the IST, Suparco, and China’s Shanghai University. It is pitched to take several pictures of the moon to and will facilitate country’s own moon research programme. (“History made as Pakistan sends first mission to moon,” The News International, 4 May 2024)
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The Pakistan People’s Party has nominated Faisal Karim Kundi as Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sardar Saleem Haider Khan as Governor Punjab.
-Bilawal Bhutto Zardari
Member of National Assembly and Chairman of Pakistan People's Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari meeting with Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif. The overall political situation of the country was discussed in the meeting.
-PML-N
The supremacy of PML-N. Pakistan is landing on the moon!
-Saad Kaiser
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Abrahim Shah, ‘History’s lessons’
Dawn, 4 May 2024
“What do these forays into economic history hold for Pakistan — a country mired in interminable political and economic turbulence? First, we must acknowledge that mainstream economic theory remains woefully inadequate to address our plethora of challenges. This mainstream thinking — embodied by kicking away the ladder of alternative growth opportunities — has been crystallised in the Washington Consensus of the 1990s and putative victory of free market neoliberalism, both of which remain political projects to maintain global north-south political and economic disparity.”
Khawaja Khalid Farooq, ‘No need for NCCIA’
Dawn, 4 May 2024
“Creating the NCCIA to replace the FIA’s cybercrime wing could result in an overlap of responsibilities, leading to bureaucratic inefficiencies and confusion. There were questions whether the cybercrime officers of FIA would continue with the NCCIA. If they did, would it be different from continuing with the FIA and doing the job they were already doing? If they did not, why would the government want to waste trained human resource and make efforts to train others, not to mention waste other resources spent on this training? Does that make any sense at a time of economic crunch? As it turns out, existing personnel will continue with their duties for a year until staff is appointed at the NCCIA..”
Azam Amjad Chaudhry, ‘Is there a future for export-led growth in Pakistan?’
The Express Tribune, 4 May 2024
“The continuous balance of payments problem in Pakistan can be described as a problem of balance of payments constrained growth, which means that whenever Pakistan grows at more than 4% per annum, we import so much more than we export that we run out of foreign exchange reserves. In many economies, this imbalance is made up through remittances or foreign investment. In the case of Pakistan, the former has stagnated and the latter is non-existent. So, the only solution is to increase exports with a coherent export-based industrial strategy.”
Editorial, ‘Rigging claims’
Dawn, 4 May 2024
“The PTI’s allegations are not new; most elections in Pakistan have been controversial, and it is almost a given that results will be challenged by the losing side. The legitimacy of the 2018 elections was in doubt as well, when the PTI itself came to power, and of several elections before that. The sad fact remains that whoever is close to the powers that be is given an edge, with the ECP either powerless to act or worse, complicit.”
Editorial, ‘Constitutional guardrails’
The News International, 4 May 2024
“We have seen how meddling into others’ domains has led to chaos and confusion. For example, the judiciary’s reinterpretation of Article 63A was perceived as a rewriting of the constitution and massively led to the political chaos that followed during the PDM’s first tenure after the vote of no-confidence against Imran Khan.”
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“A change in our economic destiny requires critical rethinking.”
-An opinion in Dawn, ‘History’s lessons’
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