PAKISTAN READER

Photo : Pak Tribune

Government and Opposition poles apart on 9 May

In Brief
POLITICS
Government wants strong action. Opposition is against military involvement in politics
On 9 May, the first anniversary of the 9 May riot, the government has planned to chair a special meeting to commemorate the day by dedicating it to the “martyrs” and their families. The meeting will be chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The government is commemorating the day with the quote “May 9, never again.” Additionally, the information minister is organizing a special function at the Jinnah Convention Centre. President Asif Ali Zardari also issued a statement saying “We have never seen such vandalism in responsible democracies, with violent mobs wreaking havoc on state properties for political gains.”

Meanwhile, the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has planned to arrange a protest to show solidarity with its jailed leader Imran Khan However, to in response to the protests, the provincial governments of Islamabad and Punjab have implemented section 144. PTI spokesperson Raoof Hasan claimed the arrest of workers by the Islamabad police was to prevent them from carrying out demonstrations He stated: “Section 144 has been already imposed in many cities, including Islamabad. We will hold peaceful rallies and there is no plan to hold sit-ins. The state is so afraid of Imran Khan that it has again changed the prisoner number of Imran Khan.”Separately, the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam(JUI-F) led by Maulana Fazl announced to stage a protest at various places in the country and a public meeting in Dera Ismail Khan but stated it has “nothing to do with the May 9 incidents.” (Syed Irfan Raza and Ikram Junaidi “Govt dedicates May 9 anniversary to martyrs,” Dawn, 9 May 2024)
 
Opposition leaders question military interference in political affairs
On 8 May, while speaking at a seminar on the “Tahafuz-i-Aain-i-Pa­kistan: Kaise aur Kyun”, key opposition leaders demanded total implementation of the constitution and slammed military involvement in political matters. The seminar was organized jointly by the opposition on the eve of the 9 May riots. PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub, the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly rejected the DG ISPR’s press meeting and questioned his right in political matters. He declared, “DG ISPR, you are a protector, not the owner of the state.” He further demanded public access to reports on several sensitive matters such as Army Public School and the Abbottabad Commission, as well as the investigation into journalist Arshad Sharif’s death. Several opposition leaders who spoke at the seminar questioned the right of DG ISPR. Liaqat Baloch, the deputy head of Jamaat-i-Islami declared the non-acceptance of press conferences and said they ‘Will accept the result of the elections, which will be held without the establishment’s interference.” PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan argued that the Constitution was practically suspended. (Ikram Junaidi, “Opposition leaders slam military involvement in politics,” Dawn, 9 May 2024)
 
Federal government approves PECA bill to ensure digital rights
On 9 May, Dawn reported that the federal government has approved a draft for amending the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016, proposing the establishment of a Digital Rights Protection Authority to regulate social media in the country. The bill, which will be presented in the parliament, will fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Information Technology. The authority will oversee responsible internet usage, enforce legislation, and advise the government on issues pertaining to digital rights. It will work with social media companies to uphold the integrity of the digital ecosystem, control information on the internet, look into PECA law infractions, and prosecute offenders. In addition to establishing guidelines for police laws pertaining to digital rights, the proposed authority would require information from witnesses and parties involved. The measure seeks to shield people's privacy from the risks associated with social media. (Rana Ghulam Qadar, “PM okays Peca law tweaks to regulate social media,” Dawn, 9 May 2024)
 
ECONOMY
Finance Ministry delays presentation of Budget 2025-27 till IMF visit
On 9 May, The Express Tribune reported that the federal government is attempting to violate the Act of Parliament by deciding to delay the Budget Strategy paper until the IMF agrees on the fiscal policy. The decision was made in the light of the upcoming IMF visit and the drafted Budget will be shown to the IMF for review. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb declared that the IMF will be visiting Pakistan in the next seven to ten days and they will be in the country for two weeks. The Finance Ministry structured a plan to get approval for the Budget Strategy Paper 2025-27 by 10 May which is the statutory deadline mandated in the Public Finance Management Act. Through amendments to the law, the deadline was changed from 15 March to 15 April and finalized for10 May. The delay in the presentation of the Budget paper will undermine the Parliament's role by reducing the standing committee’s time to give their input. According to officials in the finance ministry, preliminary projections place the amount of the budget for the upcoming year at around PKR 16.7 trillion. This amount is still provisional, though, unless the IMF authorizes a number of expenses, most notably the cost of interest payments. A budget of PKR14.5 trillion was approved by Parliament for the current fiscal year. (Shahbaz Rana, “IMF to vet budget before cabinet,” The Express Tribune, 9 May 2024)
 
Pakistan and World Bank to jointly prepare a Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) framework
On 9 May, The News International reported that Pakistan and the World Bank (WB) agreed to work together to prepare a Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) framework. The WB has also proposed a ten-year CPS with power for review every four or five years. It will be decided in the upcoming CPS presentation for Pakistan, which was supposed to be finalized from FY2022 to FY2026. For four years, Pakistan proposed a USD 8 billion portfolio. If the period increased to ten years, then the CPS will also increase to USD 20 billion. In the concluding statement of the three-day visit issued by World Bank, Vice President for South Asia, Martin Raiser stated: “I am pleased to learn about the government’s reform plans to boost growth and attract more private investment, leverage digital transformation to improve governance, strengthen climate resilience and invest in human capital to tackle daunting challenges such as child stunting and learning poverty.” During the visit, he met several officials and also attended the National Education Conference on Out-of-School Children under the chairmanship of the prime minister. Additionally, A detailed presentation on the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and its reforms agenda was made with a special focus on initiatives under the Pakistan Raises Revenue Project for Harmonization of Sales Tax, Track and Trace System, and improving ICT capacities of FBR. (“Pakistan, WB to prepare partnership strategy,” The News International, 9 May 2024)
 
JUDICIARY
Lawyers' associations declare protest against Punjab “police brutality”
On 8 May, the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) and the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) declared a nationwide strike on 9 May for all courts, including the Supreme Court, High courts, and the Subordinate courts. In addition, they have also decided to carry out protest meetings marches, and rallies in their bar rooms.
This is to condemn the violence that lawyers have been subjected to by the Punjab police over their peaceful protest on the “unlawful divisions” of the civil courts in Lahore. Lawyers in Lahore have been protesting against the notification to transfer cases to the “Model Town kutchery” and the unjustified registration of terrorism cases against them. The police force started using baton charges and tear gas shelling in an attempt to stop the lawyers from entering the Lahore High Court (LHC). The police-initiated violence happened at Mall Road, near LHC in which 12 people were injured. SSP Operations Lahore Muhammad Ali Raza said the police responded after being provoked by the stone-lobbing lawyers. He said peaceful rallies were permitted but violence was unacceptable. In contrast, The Punjab Bar Council (PBC) has condemned the police brutality inflicted upon lawyers, stating that it is a grave violation of their duty and discipline. The PBC has demanded immediate action from both the federal and Punjab governments, along with senior police officers, to address the involvement of police officials in the incident. The lawyers have also expressed disappointment towards the chief justice of the Lahore High Court (LHC) for failing to resolve the issue through peaceful negotiation. They have called for immediate medical attention for the wounded and the prompt release of the arrested lawyers. If police brutality continues unchecked, the protest will escalate into a nationwide movement, with the SCBA spearheading the call for nationwide action. The legal fraternity condemned the police brutality and demanded the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take suo moto cognizance of the incident. (Nasir Iqbal, “Lawyers go on nationwide strike against police today,” Dawn, 9 May 2024; Arshad Dogar and Sohail Khan, “Several hurt as lawyers, police clash in Lahore,” The News International, 9 May 2024)

SOCIETY
PM Shehbaz Sharif declares ‘Education Emergency’ in the country
On 8 May, PM Shehbaz Sharif, while addressing the National Conference on Education Emergency declared an 'Education Emergency' in the country  with the aim of  enrolling around 26 million out-of-school children and promoting literacy to reclaim lost places. The aim is to establish Pakistan as one of the world's most educated countries. He said: “Today, with iron conviction, and the support of provinces, we will handle the challenge of 26 million out-of-school children. We will bring them back to school…I declare from this moment an Emergency in Education all over Pakistan…The way we did it in Punjab, we will do it in Pakistan.” He praised the achievements of the Punjab Government, including boosting enrolment rates, rescuing 90,000 boys from brick kilns, and established Daanish Schools which is offering free and quality education and admitting underprivileged children. The Punjab Education Endowment Fund provided scholarships to hundreds of thousands of deserving students. During the meeting, Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui emphasized the need for immediate actions and urgent responses. (“PM declares education ‘emergency’,” The Express Tribune, 9 May 2024)
 
Pakistan’s lunar satellite, ICUBE-Q enters its orbit
On 9 May, the Institute of Space Technology (IST) confirmed that Pakistan's lunar satellite, ICUBE-Q, was successfully deployed in the moon's orbit on 8 May, marking a significant milestone for the country. It stated: “Satellite after deployment is performing as per design specifications. All sub-systems’ health data is excellent. The imaging payload is fully functional.” IST detailed that the next two days will be spent in carrying out a thorough in-orbit testing. The satellite, launched on the Chinese Chang'e 6 lunar probe, will play a critical role in deep space missions. The satellite, which can operate in extreme temperatures, as low as minus 100 degrees Celsius, features a 7-kilo gram one-megapixel camera for power constraints. As the Chinese Lander collects rock and soil samples, ICUBE-Q will spend three to six months orbiting the moon, capturing and transmitting images back to Earth. By May 15, Pakistan expects to share captured images. (Jamal Shahid, “Pakistan’s first moon satellite enters its orbit,” Dawn, 9 May 2024)

Chairman Pakistan People's Party demands accountability for May 9 attacks, and advocates for the judicial probe. -PPP   Because the great leader of the Muslim Ummah was illegally taken away from the High Court, our workers were injured and martyred, illegal FIRs were registered. -Tehreek-e-Insaf   The launch of the Balochistan Rights Package, the Seventh NFC Award and the Eighteenth Amendment are all proofs of President Zardari's love and affection for Balochistan. I am deeply grateful to him on behalf of the people of Balochistan. -Sarfraz Bugti

“For the poor farmer, hope is all but lost” -An opinion in Dawn, ‘Grapes of wrath’