KP government announces PKR 1.7 trillion budget for upcoming fiscal year; All Makran Transport Union strike disrupts traffic along the coastal belt of Balochistan
In Brief
POLITICS
PTI criticizes CDA action, accusing government of “fascist tendencies” and predicting “system collapse”
On 24 May, at a news conference held at the PTI’s now partly demolished central secretariat, PTI’s Core Committee Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan accused the Capital Development Authority (CDA) of “violating” the “sanctity” of the party’s secretariat by “invading” it. He also argued that systematic targeting of the PTI was aimed at diverting attention from the recently revealed “Dubai leaks.” Gohal Ali Khan revealed that a petition has already been filed in the Islamabad High Court against the CDA’s action and that the case would be heard on 27 May. He was supported by other PTI leaders present at the scene. Opposition Leader in National Assembly Omar Ayub stated that the demolition has sparked an “intifada” for the “restoration of democracy” and vowed to continue the struggle against the government. PTI leader Raoof Hassan alleged “state tyranny” against PTI for the last two years and also revealed that Imran Khan has expressed concerns regarding threat to his life. However, PML-N MNAs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and Anjum Aqeel have defended the CDA stating that the action was in tune with the law. (Kalbe Ali, “Livid over office demolition, PTI predicts ‘system collapse’,” Dawn, 25 May 2024)
JUDICIARY
LHC Chief Justice denounces strike culture, denies wanting confrontation
On 24 May, Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Malik Shahzad Khan stated that the bench did not want confrontation with anyone and reiterated that it “took two hands to clap.” His remarks come in the wake of his confrontation with the lawyers, where latter called for strikes against the “unilateral” decision by him to shift courts from Lower Mall to Model Town. One of the lawyers’ protests had also turned violent due to clashes with the police leading to the former calling for a nationwide strike. The chief justice revealed that there were 1.4 million cases pending in the district judiciary attributed this to the “culture of strikes.” However, he also reiterated “90 per cent of the lawyers were professional” and agreed with him that strikes should end. According to the chief justice, the strike has adversely affected case filing as the courts have been shut for 73 days. He further asserted that respect was about give and take, stating that “If there is no respect for the courts, then do not expect it from us either. We would act according to the law and do nothing outside of it.”(Wajih Ahmad Sheikh, “‘Judiciary does not want confrontation with anyone’,” Dawn, 25 May 2024)
SECURITY
All Makran Transport Union strike disrupts traffic along the coastal belt of Balochistan
On 25 May, The Express Tribune reported that a strike by the All Makran Transport Union which entered its third day on 24 May has severely impacted travel “along the coastal belt of Balochistan.” Passenger buses and trucks have been stopped at Gwadar leading to traffic disruptions across the three districts of Makran division – Panjgur, Kech and Gwadar. This has impacted not only local travelers but also patients traveling to Karachi and pilgrims at the Iran-Pakistan border. The transporters have been protesting against alleged “unnecessary” checking by security forces on two highways: the Coastal Highway and the RCD Highway. In response to these claims, Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti had directed the provincial home minister to look into the allegations. (Syed Ali Shah “Makran travel disrupted by transport strike,” The Express Tribune, 25 May 2024)
EXTERNAL
CPEC-II to be launched in China next month
On 24 May, Dawn reported that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is set to visit China in the first week of June for the official launching the second phase of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC-II). While the focus on the first phase was on infrastructure and energy projects, CPEC-II will focus on agriculture, the Main Line-I of Pakistan Railways, businessmen-to-businessmen deals and realignment of Karakorum Highway (KKH), among others. The prime minister while addressing a meeting of representatives of the Chinese companies expressed intent to benefit from China’s experience to boost Pakistan’s IT sector and exports. Describing the partnership between both countries he stated, “China has an important role in Pakistan’s development. It has always helped Pakistan in difficult times for which the entire nation, including me, is grateful to the Chinese leadership and the people.” Further, he provided security guarantees for the Chinese people and businesses in Pakistan reiterating that “The government has taken all possible measures to ensure foolproof security of the Chinese citizens in Pakistan.” He called for investment Chinese investment in various sectors emphasizing the electric and hybrid auto sector. He also expressed an interest in learning from the modern technology employed by China in agriculture highlighting Pakistan’s agriculture dependent economy. (Syed Irfan Raza, “PM to visit China in June to join formal launch of CPEC-II,” Dawn, 25 May 2024)
Foreign Office rejects fresh Indian Supreme Court order on Jammu and Kashmir
On 24 May, in a weekly press briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch “rejected” a new order of the Supreme Court of India which has “upheld” its earlier judgment that had accepted the Modi government’s move to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir by abrogating Article 370 of the Constitution. In this regard, she stated “We reject the fresh order of the Indian Supreme Court just as we had rejected the earlier order of 11 December, 2023. Two verdicts fail to recognize the internationally recognized disputed nature of Jammu and Kashmir... Indian Supreme Court judgments cannot distract the international community’s attention from the gross and systemic human rights violation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.” She reiterated that “Kashmiris” had the right to self-determination and termed the Modi government’s move “unilateral” as it did not take into account “the will of parties in the dispute — Kashmiris and Pakistan.” Separately, she also “welcomed” the decision by Ireland, Spain and Norway to recognize the state of Palestine and termed the announcement a “milestone” in the Palestinian people’s fight for right to self-determination. (“FO rejects Indian SC order on held Kashmir,” Dawn, 25 May 2024)
PROVINCES
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Provincial government announces PKR 1.7 trillion budget for upcoming fiscal year
On 24 May, the PTI-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government presented its first budget for the upcoming fiscal year (FY25) amounting to PKR 1.7 trillion. This is an unprecedented move as it is rare for a provincial government to unveil its budget before the federal government presents its financial plan. This move has irked the Centre with Minister of State for Finance Ali Pervez Malik terming the move “irresponsible” and blaming the PTI of “bringing the country to the brink of bankruptcy.” The projected expenditure in the budget of PKR 1.65 trillion is 21 per cent higher than the current fiscal which amounted to PKR 1.3 trillion. PKR 416 billion has been earmarked for development “mainly focusing on social protection, law and order and economic development.” PKR 29 billion has been allocated for wheat subsidy, PKR 28 billion for the flagship Sehat Card Plus programme, and PKR 12 billion for three youth employment programmes. A ten per cent hike has been announced with respect to salary and pension for government employees and pensioners. Further, an increase in the minimum wage from PKR 32,000 to PKR 36,000 per month has also been announced. (Manzoor Ali, “KP budget 2024-25: KP draws Centre’s ire by pre-empting federal budget,” Dawn, 25 May 2024 & “KP govt to unveil its first Rs1.6tr budget today,” Dawn, 24 May 2024)
Sindh: Temperature crosses 51 degree Celsius mark, heatwave like condition to continue
On 25 May, temperatures in Sindh crossed the 51 degree Celsius mark. According to the Meteriological Department, the maximum recorded temperature was 51 degree Celsius in Mohenjo Daro, followed by Jacobabad and Khairpur, each recording 50 degree Celsius. Karachi recorded a temperature of 36.7°C with 55 per cent humidity and hot weather conditions are likely to continue in the city. The Med Dept daily advisory has predicted “very hot” weather in almost most parts of Sindh for the next 24 hours. Further, in the upper districts of Sindh, temperatures are likely to remain “six to eight degree centigrade above normal.” In the coastal areas of the province, “humid conditions” are likely to prevail. (“Temperature crosses 51°C in Sindh as heatwave continues,” Dawn, 25 May 2024)
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I reaffirmed Pakistan’s strong commitment to the just struggle of the Palestinian people and lauded ICJ decision to order Israel to stop its assault on Gaza and Rafah. We hope the oppressed people of Kashmir would receive similar attention from the international community, as they too have been enduring brutal occupation and denial of fundamental human rights for the last seven decades.
- Shehbaz Sharif
This Man who is talking about Palestine, Pakistani nation can't even protest for Palestine under his govt. He is just a puppet of Pak establishment and he doesn't even a bit power to take any kinda of decision!
- The Voice of Pakistan
Complaints have reached me that police and Levies are collecting extortion at check posts in Balochistan.
-Sarfraz Bugti
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Mirza Moiz Baig, ‘Democratic breakdown’
Dawn, 25 May 2024
“Section 8 of the Act establishes tribunals which may comprise non-judicial members appointed by the executive in consultation with the Lahore High Court chief justice. The tenure of such members shall be renewable every 18 months, subject to their performance being satisfactory. Section 8(6) delineates three-pronged criteria to gauge a member’s performance, with 50 per cent marks reserved for adhering to statutory timelines, and 25pc each for competence and integrity. By placing adherence to statutory timelines on a higher pedestal than competence and integrity, the Act allows a member to pass muster even where his judgements are egregiously unlawful or motivated by extraneous factors.”
Danyal Adam Khan, ‘Unglamorous dreams’
Dawn, 25 May 2024
“Even a political demand for establishing LGs has yet to gain public traction. For one, tensions in the national and provincial arenas are already so electrifying that they consistently hold the country’s imagination captive. In such instability, it is difficult to get attention spans to rest on seemingly boring matters of local governance. Secondly, public expectations from representatives are entirely warped, wherein we look towards national-level legislators to perform tasks that are categorically the domain of LGs. Thirdly, LGs are too small, scattered, and fractured of a polity to lobby for their own collective rights.”
Dr Miftah Ismail, ‘Myopic policies, distorted prices’
The News International, 25 May 2024
“Microeconomics studies show how individuals choose to allocate various scarce resources. Another name for microeconomics is price theory, which tells us that prices play a vital role in efficiently allocating resources. I start with this to emphasize that one important reason we are economically backward is because our government usually sets the wrong prices of things that it sells, distributes or influences -- and thus causes inefficiency and misallocation of resources in the economy. In fact, almost all shortages (or excess capacity) of, say, gas and electricity, wheat and sugar, or cotton and sugarcane can be understood as a misallocation of resources due to wrong prices. Prices that are set due to political consideration and not based on sound economic principles.”
Editorial, ‘More pledges’
Dawn, 25 May 2024
“The pledges from our friends in the Gulf are reassuring, but the multibillion-dollar question is: when will they materialise? Perhaps the Saudis and Emiratis are waiting for the IMF to green-light the next loan to Pakistan before releasing their own funds. Though the IMF loan has yet to be approved, Fund officials have described discussions with the government as “fruitful”, saying that “significant progress” has been made towards a staff-level agreement. Hopefully, once the loan is approved in the near future, the investment agreements signed with Gulf partners will start taking firmer shape.”
Editorial, ‘The misogyny toll’
The News International, 25 May 2024
“That people in the 21st Century can still demand money from a woman’s parents for marriage as though they are doing them some kind of favour by taking their daughter off their hands is reflective of the fact that many Pakistani women are still seen as less worthy than men and are second-class citizens when it comes to the protection of their rights. While stricter laws against dowry might have some impact, it is unlikely that they will eradicate the practice. The experience of neighbouring India, where dowry-related deaths and abuse are still a problem, can attest to this. What is needed is a cultural transformation that ends with women being viewed as just as valuable, capable and worthy of jobs, property and education as men.”
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“Making an energy transition towards a sustainable future is critical.”
-An opinion in Dawn, ‘A crisis of power’
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