Final decision on banning PTI to be taken after consulting allies, clarifies PML-N; Terrorists kill 15 people in two separate attacks in KP; ISPR blames Hafiz Gul Bahadur
In Brief
POLITICS
Final decision on banning PTI to be taken after consulting allies, clarifies PML-N
On 16 July, the PML-N assured that no final decision had been made on banning the PTI, with Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar stating: “We need to consult our leadership and allies in this regard. Any decision to ban PTI will be made in accordance with the law and Constitution.” He added that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had documents proving that the PTI “is a foreign-funded party.” Meanwhile, the PPP continued to withhold its official reaction to the decision while the PML-Q cautioned against a hasty execution. A senior leader from the Nawaz camp, Mian Javed Latif, warned that “weakening” national political parties “is not in the best interest of the country.” Defence Minister Khawaja Asif echoed sentiments similar to Dar’s, stating that a “final decision would be taken only after consulting with the government’s political allies.” He also criticized the US for expressing “deep concern” over the decision, and remarked that the “US should also show concern for the oppression and persecution in Gaza.” Also on 16 July, a source told Dawn that Nawaz Sharif had “reluctantly agreed to the proposal to ban the PTI as he was told that his younger brother’s government has to do it.” (Zulqernain Tahir, “PML-N promises to consult allies over PTI ban,” Dawn, 17 July 2024)
Defence minister says judiciary should not give verdicts that are “political in nature”
On 16 July, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif called on courts to refrain from giving “political verdicts” in accordance with the Constitution, saying that “courts should also get themselves respected and the politicians should not be mistaken as being too weak.” This statement came following the Supreme Court’s (SC) short order in the reserved seats case, which granted the PTI to have its reserved seats for women and non-Muslims. He accused the PTI leaders of lobbying to persuade foreign powers to speak against Pakistan. Asif questioned whether an “institution not commit contempt as it does not dispose of 2.6 million cases,” and emphasized that the judiciary “needs to make itself worthy of respect by giving verdicts in line with the Constitution — that are not political in nature.” He also questioned why the judiciary had not taken notice of the 2018 election results. (“Khawaja Asif urges courts to refrain from ‘political verdicts’,” The News International, 16 July 2024)
“The decision to ban PTI is yet another sign of the state’s desperation,” says an opinion in Dawn
On 17 July, in an opinion in Dawn titled ‘Shadow of authoritarianism,’ Zahid Hussain wrote on the “senseless, self-destructive” decision of the government to ban the PTI, which regardless of implementation, had “jolted the foundations of the existing political power structure.” The recent ruling in favour of the PTI in the reserved seats case came as a “serious blow to the military-backed dispensation,” and was a “damning indictment of the establishment’s efforts to suppress the PTI.” Despite Imran Khan being acquitted in multiple cases and fresh cases being framed to prevent his release, he has remained the “most powerful political leader threatening the establishment-dominated regime.” Hussain described that the “reckless decision” to ban the PTI is “another sign of desperation to hold onto sliding power” and has put the “entire system at the stake.” He claimed that the establishment is evidently behind the plan, highlighting the irony over the fact that Nawaz Sharif, who was removed from power has “become an instrument in the establishment’s game plan,” proving that he has not “learnt any lesson from his own political history.” Though the PML-N has said its coalition partners are on board, statements from these parties have exposed the “divide within,” with the PPP saying it had not even been consulted on the decision. Thus, without the support of any major political party, the “establishment stands isolated.” Though it is unlikely that the apex court will approve the ban, even if it does, the PTI’s “support base will not diminish.” Hussain asserted that if the “election results had not been manipulated,” the PTI would have won a majority in parliament. He concluded by saying that the “shadow of authoritarianism is looming large” at a time when Pakistan is facing economic and security challenges and needs “political reconciliation rather than confrontation.” (Zahid Hussain, “Shadow of authoritarianism,” Dawn, 17 July 2024)
PTI chairman claims appointment of retired judges is linked to SC’s reserved seats verdict
On 16 July, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan called the proposal of appointing ad hoc judges at the Supreme Court an “uncalled-for” move and linked it to the “PTI’s reserved seats judgment.” He expressed suspicion about the proposal and wrote on X: “The move to appoint ad-hoc judges and that too four judges at once and during vacation is uncalled-for and is unprecedented.” Earlier on 12 July, the Supreme Court (SC) in its short order allowed PTI to have reserved seats for women and minorities in all legislatures including the National Assembly. Following this move, the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) announced that it was considering appointing retired judges to look after the pending cases in the SC. Khan connected both developments and argued that there has been no single ad hoc judge appointment since 2015. He noted that it had been “decided in principle that adhocism is prejudicial to the independent judiciary,’ meaning the move to “unprecedented” move of appointing adhoc judges would “compromise the entire SC and its judges.” (“PTI links SC retired judges appointment to reserved seats verdict,” The News International, 16 July 2024)
“Using the ‘backlog’ is just an excuse,” says opposition leader on appointing retired judges
On 16 July, the PTI opposed the decision of the Supreme Court (SC) to appoint retired judges to clear backlog cases, calling on the judges to decline the offer. The leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, Omar Ayub Khan, wrote on X that “CJ Qazi Faez Essa’s [Isa] new ploy to appoint Ad Hoc Judges is nothing but a ploy to ‘fix’ the bench. Using the ‘backlog’ is just an excuse. Target is something else.” He urged the judges to decline the offer if they want to lead a “positive legacy” path and warned that if they did not do so, the nation would remember them as “rubber stamps.” (Ikram Junaidi, “PTI rejects SC plan to appoint retired judges,” Dawn, 17 June 2024)
ECONOMY
Plan to double exports “over the next three years is nothing more than wishful thinking,” says an editorial in Dawn
On 17 July, an editorial in Dawn titled, ‘Export delusions’ described the trade ministry’s plan of doubling exports to USD 60 over the next three years as being “nothing more than wishful thinking.” This compares with the IMF projection of a 22 per cent increase in exports during the targeted period, but the editorial questioned whether the new target is backed by a “solid plan or strategy.” Pakistan will need to maintain a consistent growth in its foreign sales by nearly 25 to 30 per cent a year to double its export earnings in the next three years, which requires “vast private investments both in industry and agriculture.” However, given a lack of evidence of “any such thing happening in the foreseeable future,” it can be said that “this fantastic target will remain elusive.” Over the last few decades, Pakistan’s economy has been battling “stagnating exports,” which have been marked by marginal gains in their value and falling global market share. Exporters have said high energy prices, fluctuations in global demand, and domestic policy shifts are the reason behind “their poor performance.” The editorial acknowledged that while these constraints “impede export development,” their impact is “clearly exaggerated by the powerful textile lobby that wants to retain its benefits.” The failure to diversify exports, improve productivity, and enhance technology is just as much to blame. To conclude, the editorial advised that while Pakistan must “increase exports to bridge its trade deficit,” this cannot be done by “coming up with a target that is not backed by a solid plan to increase investment and productivity.” (“Export delusions,” Dawn, 17 July 2024)
SECURITY
Terrorists kill 15 people in two separate attacks in KP; ISPR blamed Hafiz Gul Bahadur
On 16 July, at least 15 people, including ten soldiers, were killed in two separate attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) Dera Ismail Khan (DIK) and Bannu regions. As per the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), on the night between 15 and 16 July, terrorists entered a rural health centre (RHC) in DIK’s Kirri Shamozai area, killing five civilians and two army personnel. Hours before this, militants entered the cantonment in Bannu, opening “indiscriminate fire” on staff and civilians. The ISPR stated that in the early hours of 15 July, ten terrorists attacked the cantonment, and since security forces effectively thwarted this attempt, the terrorists rammed “an explosive-laden vehicle into the perimeter wall of the cantonment.” An ensuing operation by security forces killed all ten terrorists. In its statement, the ISPR banned the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group for the “heinous act of terrorism,” claiming that the group “operates from Afghanistan and has used Afghan soil to orchestrate acts of terrorism inside Pakistan in the past as well.”
After the situation died down, on 16 July, on the call of the Bannu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, local elders, political leaders, and activists participated in a rally to call for peace in the region. The Vice President of the chamber, Nasir Bangash, stated that “people will not receive any compensation for their relatives killed in terrorist attacks,” and instead their deaths would be avenged. A complete shutter-down strike on 19 July and a grand peace jirga on 21 July were also announced. Leaders including the prime minister, federal interior minister, and KP governor strongly condemned the attack. Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan also expressed condolences. (Ghulam Mursalin Marwat & Muhammad Irfan Mughal, “Ten army men martyred in south KP attacks,” Dawn, 17 July 2024)
Police force tightens security ahead of Ashura processions in Rawalpindi
On 17 July, Dawn reported that over 6,000 police officers had been deployed in Rawalpindi to ensure security during the Ashura processions, and were tasked with closely monitoring online spaces to curb the spread of religious and communal hatred. Senior Superintendent of Police Operations, Hafiz Kamran Asghar, asserted: “Legal action will be taken against those who spread religious and communal hatred on social media, while all senior officers will be present in the field to personally monitor the security arrangements.” He further assured that his team “used effective communication methods and deployed extensively.” The security measures included the deployment of 6,000 policemen, 900 traffic police officers, and more than 2,900 additional personnel to provide foolproof security for the main procession of ten Muharram, along with 65 other processions and 113 ‘majalis’. The entry points will have a full body search of participants and the procession routes be thoroughly searched by bomb disposal squads with sharpshooters deployed on rooftops. (Mohammad Asghar, “Police on toes to curb online hate, protect Ashura processions in Rawalpindi,” Dawn, 17 July 2024)
EXTERNAL
Terrorist attack in Oman kills six, including four Pakistanis
On 16 July, the Islamic State (IS) state militant group claimed responsibility for a terrorist attack which killed six, including four Pakistanis and one Omani policeman, at the Imambargah Ali ibn Abi Talib mosque near Muscat. The attack targeted a gathering of mourners commemorating the death of Imam Hussain. The Foreign Office (FO) stated that 30 Pakistanis were injured during the shooting and had been taken to various hospitals. Further, the FO noted that the Omani police confirmed that three attackers had been neutralized. The Pakistani ambassador to Oman, Imran Ali, stated that at least 50 Pakistani expatriates were injured in the attack, and that the Indian embassy in Muscat reported one Indian national had been killed and another injured. Though attacks on Shia mosques have plagued the Gulf, the attack was the first for Oman.
Pakistan, Oman, and the US condemned the incident. Omani police stated on X that “all necessary security measures and procedures have been taken to handle the situation,” and added investigations were under process to uncover the “circumstances surrounding the incident.” The US embassy in Muscat issued a security alert and cancelled all visa appointments. The Foreign Minister of Oman, Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, expressed his condolences. Similarly, Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed their condolences and promised assistance to the victims and their families. Sharif reiterated his vow to eradicate terrorism and warned the supporting elements would be brought to justice. Additionally, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also condemned the attack. (Iftikhar A. Khan, “Four Pakistanis among six slain in rare Muscat terror,” Dawn, 17 June 2024; “PM Shehbaz condemns loss of life in DI Khan, Muscat attacks,” The Express Tribune, 17 June 2024)
CLIMATE CHANGE
US ecologist says temperature in multiple Pakistani cities will increase by five to six degrees
On 17 July, Dawn reported on a web app developed by Professor Matthew Fitzpatrick, an ecologist at the University of Maryland in the US, that predicts the future climate of over 40,000 cities, including major cities in Pakistan. The app, called CityApp also uses data from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). It detailed the climate conditions for Pakistan, showing that many regions would be on average five to six degrees Celsius warmer in summers, which could become “horrible” due to extreme heat and weather changes. The app summarized that Lahore’s summers are projected to be 4.7 degrees Celsius hotter and 21.2 per cent wetter by 2080, similar to the current climate of Khairpur, Sindh. If emissions are reduced, Lahore’s weather will become only 1.5 degrees Celsius warmer in 2028 and 19.2 per cent wetter in winter. The app also provided projections for the cities of Faisalabad, Multan, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Karachi, Peshawar, and Quetta. Pakistan’s Ministry of Climate Change had warned in a report published earlier that many regions in the country would become “uninhabitable.” During an interview, Fitzpatrick explained that rapid warming over the past 150 years has been mainly driven by human activities like fossil fuel burning, and urgent action is needed to avert unprecedented climate changes by the end of the century. (Irfan Aslam, “Most cities to be 5-6 degrees Celsius warmer by 2080,” Dawn, 17 July 2024)
WORLD VIEW
“Trump remains a threat, Biden a liability,” says an opinion by Mahir Ali in Dawn
On 17 July, an opinion by Mahir Ali in Dawn titled, ‘After the fall’ highlighted that the “incumbent president’s physical and mental health remains a bigger cause for concern than that of his challenger” in American politics. He argued that the incident of attempted assassination against former US President Donald Trump will increase the chances of his re-election. US President Joe Biden's “apparent personal conviction” that he is the only one who can prevent Trump's return to power “does not stand up to scrutiny,” though no one can say that any other alternative to Biden would “be an adequate bulwark against” Trump. Ali stated that the “choreographed coronation” of Trump at the recent convention in Milwaukee was “reminiscent of a Nuremberg rally.” Though Trump has blamed the Democratic campaign for the violence, the motives of the shooter, who turned out to be Republican, are yet to be determined. However, the opinion stated it would be “surprising and disappointing” if Biden does not step aside before the Democratic Party’s equivalent event in Chicago in August. His record as a “borderline segregationist senator beholden to corporate America and the national security state” does not add up to much, and it is “insufficient to claim that Trump would be much worse.” (Mahir Ali, “After the fall,” Dawn, 17 July 2024)
|
Imran Khan is finished. The sooner you accept, the better it will be for your health.
- Saad Kaiser
Who is Sanam Javed? The one who burned down the Corps Commander's house? Sanam Javed's case should be tried in military courts, the courts are facilitating, send it to military court, Hasan Ayub Khan. Hasan Ayub has described the real times of Sanam Javed
- Pervaiz Sandhila
When there is an itch in the backyard, it becomes Kork Commander's House. When there is both an itch and a worm in the backyard, then it becomes a Jinnah House. The question here is that why Jinnah House was occupied by the generals? Why was there a need to occupy Jinnah's house and at whose request was it done??
-Pervaiz Sandhila
|
|
|
|
"There are similarities between Karbala and Gaza."
-An opinion in Dawn, ‘Karbala glimpses’
|
|
|
