Pakistan and Russia extend parliamentary cooperation I Anger in Balochistan Assembly for shutting down Iran border
POLITICS
JUI-F top leaders to meet on 2 November, amidst reports of 27th Amendment
On 29 October, Dawn reported that JUI-F had issued a call for a meeting to be held on 2 November where the party’s top leaders would be present. The meeting is important amidst reports of the Government considering the 27th constitutional amendment. The government has dismissed it. JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has stated that his party would resist any attempt by the Government to include texts that were excluded from the 26th Amendment. (Kalbe Ali, “Amid talk of another ‘tweak’, JUI-F calls a meeting of top leaders,” Dawn, 29 October 2024)
JUDICIARY
PTI wants to join JCP and file a contempt of court petition against EC
On 28 October, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf sought membership in the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) which has been re-constituted to include members of the parliament, after the 26th amendment. Separately, a PTI leader, Kanwal Shauzab filed a contempt of court petition in the Supreme Court (SC), against the Election Commission’s chief for not abiding with the court’s 12 July decision. The petition calls upon the SC to take action against the ECP for not following through with its decision to allot the reserved seats for minority members of the PTI. (“PTI decides to join body that will pick judges,” The Express Tribune, 27 October 2024)
“Perhaps one can also say that like Chaudhry, Isa too leaves with no major legacy in terms of a judgment,” suggests an opinion in Dawn
On 29 October, an opinion titled “A tale of two judges,” by Arif Noor in Dawn, discusses outgoing Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s term in the judiciary. According to the opinion, Justice Isa “has left behind a far weaker and more divided court than he inherited.” The author draws parallels between him and Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry. Both were projected as anti-establishment incarnate until they took office in the apex court. They went from “confronting” the establishment to “collaborating” with it. Though their judgments may come off as reactionary towards the treatment they received from parties, they were strongly influenced by the context of their situation rather than their personal biases. A difference in context was the nature of the government. While the Pakistan People’s Party was weak, the present one enjoys the support of the elite. As a result, Justice Isa’s decisions reduced people’s participation in politics, thereby leaving them to be “disenfranchised.” Another factor that remains common between these two judges is the fact that both were not left with many supporters. (Arifa Noor, “A tale of two judges,” Dawn, 29 October 2024)
On the balance of power, “the right way lies in renewing power legitimacy and diffusion,” suggests an opinion in Dawn
On 29 October, an opinion titled “Imbalance of power,” by Dr Niaz Murtaza outlines the state of power distribution within Pakistan’s political and judicial landscape. The author observes a reverse in the balance of power among state institutions under the rule of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PMLN) and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). The autonomy between the legislature, judiciary, and executive has diminished as the centre has a sway on the “peripheries” of the country. The practice of devolution of powers has been abandoned and an “opaque, non-merit, executive-run system” has been adopted. The author argues that an independent judiciary forms only when it is outside the executive’s influence. It is further empowered by formally established laws that gurantees their liberty, as was the case when the 19th Amendment was implemented. Earlier, the executives used to hire the judges, thereby allowing some judges to misuse their authority and now Pakistan may have returned to this politicized system within the judiciary. On the bright side, six judges have showcased grit in “their recent letter against the agencies, which many say spurred the apex court’s judges to rule rightly against regime interests on reserved seats.” (Dr Niaz Murtaza, “Imbalance of power,” Dawn, 29 October 2024)
SC on discussing 59,191 pending cases
On 28 October, during a full court meeting under the chairmanship of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Yahya Afridi, the Supreme Court (SC) was informed that 59,191 cases were pending at the top court. Public Relation Officer of the SC, Dr Shahid Hussain Kamboyo, issued a press release statement where the Registrar Jazeela Aslam presented an overview of the pending cases in the court and provided measures to be adopted to carry out timely judgements. While assessing the Case Management Plan 2023 prepared by Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, the judges explored a range of strategies to achieve the. Goals mentioned in the plan. (Sohail Khan, “SC devises plan for 59,191 pending cases,” The News International, 29 October 2024)
SECURITY
Two FC personnel killed in KP
On 29 October, Dawn reported that some unknown armed militants attacked FC personnel who were guarding the roads in Char Khel, Kurram, KP. Two of the FC personnel succumbed to their injuries when they were taken to Combined Military Hospital. (Javid Hussain, “Two FC men martyred in Kurram,” Dawn, 29 October 2024)
ECONOMY
On regional trade, “a blueprint for normalizing trade finalized in 2012 can be used as a reference point to start the process afresh,” suggests an editorial in Dawn
On 29 October, an editorial titled “Regional trade,” speaks about the need for Pakistan to establish trade relations with India. The editorial cites Finance Minister Aurangzeb’s recent statement in Washington. He said it made little sense for Pakistan to expand its trade relations until and unless it trades with its neighbour first. The editorial terms its strained ties with India to be Pakistan’s “biggest obstacle standing in the way of greater regional commerce.” Though the Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N) government has always expressed its inclination to have trade relations with India, however, certain stakeholders within Pakistan are against the “normalization of trade ties.” The editorial speaks of how regional countries offer it an opportunity to further its economic interests. Both India and Pakistan stand to benefit one another. The former may access central asian markets by crossing Pakistan and the latter’s businesses can find new markets in India. This will only be possible when the “hardliners” of India and “powerful quarters” of Pakistan are willing to be on the same page. (“Regional trade,” 29 October 2024)
SOCIETY
“Polio situation in Pakistan demands proactive measures rather than reactive interventions” argues an editorial in Dawn
On 29 October, an editorial in Dawn titled “On the edge” discussed the disturbing trend of rising cases of polio in Pakistan in 2024. Pakistan witnessed only one case of polio in 2021, which went up to 20 in 2022 and then again went down to six in 2023. However, it is likely that in 2024, the total number of polio cases in the country will reach 50. The editorial highlights three key reasons for the resurgence of polio which are gaps in vaccination, limited cooperation from the public, and lack of trust in the community. It praises the efforts put in by the National Emergency Action Plan that has focused on vaccinating people who constantly migrate and live near the Afghan border. It highlighted the efforts put by the Sindh Government which is coordinating with the cleric community for encouraging vaccination. Further, the editorial acknowledges the fact that encouragement through religious figures would not be enough to solve the problem. The government needs to ensure the security of the polio workers, especially in Balochistan where the polio numbers are very high, and work to improve hygiene and sanitation. Also, efforts should be put into connecting public health communications with parental duties. (“On the edge,” Dawn, 29 October 2024)
“Pakistan needs to nationalize the polio programme” argues an opinion in The Express Tribune
On 29 October, an opinion in The Express Tribune titled “Why are we failing to eradicate polio?,” discussed the dire situation of increasing polio cases in Pakistan despite getting huge funds from International agencies. This year polio cases have reached a total of 40 in Pakistan with around 70 districts being in the ambit of the virus. The editorial highlighted how each polio case signified that there is a possibility of 50 to 500 people in the community being affected by the virus but since they have less or no symptoms, they manage to bypass the ambit of the “polio surveillance system” and act as a potential spreader of the disease. It mentioned that the fund spent on polio elimination is actually more than the fund spent on the whole vaccination programme that includes seven diseases. From 2003-2017, a total of PKR 52 billion, some of which includes soft loans, have been received from donors outside of Pakistan for elimination of polio which includes international agencies such as the World Bank which gave USD 300 million. USD 1.2 Billion is also expected to come from the Gates Foundation. A major problem highlighted by the editorial is that the people at the top do not pay attention to the feedback of the field workers as the polio programme in Pakistan adheres to the guidelines which are formulated outside Pakistan. To solve this problem, the editorial suggests that the Government of Pakistan should adopt a “bottom-up” approach by nationalizing the programme and limiting the role of International donors. (Dr Rana Jawad Asghar, “Why are we failing to eradicate polio?,” The Express Tribune, 29 October 2024)
PROVINCES
Sindh: Resolution to condemn alleged atrocities in Jammu and Kashmir passed
On 29 October, according to The News International, the Sindh Assembly resolution passed unopposed where the members expressed solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon who had initiated the resolution in the house alleged that the Government of India was committing crimes in Jammu and Kashmir and that it had snatched fundamental rights from the residents of the state. He further claimed that youth of Jammu and Kashmir were killed every day and enforced disappearances continue to occur which is not acceptable to Pakistan. Members of JI and MQM-P had also expressed their concerns in the house regarding the supposedly dire situation in Jammu and Kashmir. (“PA resolution expresses solidarity with oppressed Kashmiris,” The News International, 29 October 2024)
EXTERNAL
PM Sharif to attend 8th Future Investment Initiative hosted by Riyadh
On 29 October, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to leave for Saudi Arabia. He is expected to attend the 8th edition of the Future Investment Initiative (FII) in Riyadh, said a Foreign Office statement issued on 28 October. The FII presents an opportunity for countries to discuss means to carry out sustainable growth, promote their economies as well as attract overseas investment. It’s even more important as this year’s theme is “Infinite Horizons: Investing Today, Shaping Tomorrow” focusing on investment in the areas of artificial intelligence, education, energy, space, and so on.
On the sidelines of the programme, PM Sharif and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman are scheduled to hold bilateral meetings. They are expected to discuss cooperation in the areas of economy, energy, and defence. This visit comes after both countries signed 27 agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) worth USD more than USD 2 billion. (Baqir Sajjad Syed, “PM heads to Riyadh for investment moot today,” Dawn, 29 October 2024)
Saudi delegation Pakistan to finalize SOF modalities
On 29 October, a report from The News International revealed that a Saudi delegation is expected to arrive in Pakistan by December 2024 to finalize the agreement on the provision of the USD 1.2 billion Saudi Oil Facility (SOF). This development comes as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia confirmed its approval of the SOF for Pakistan to secure a USD 7 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) programme. A top official said: “The KSA delegation is expected to hold parleys with Pakistani authorities in coming December 2024 for finalizing modalities of fresh Saudi Oil Facility (SOF).” Additionally, Pakistan is likely to ask the Kingdom for the SOF for one year, on a deferred payment basis. An amount of USD 100 million will be submitted and its refund will begin the following year. (Baqir Sajjad Syed, “PM heads to Riyadh for investment moot today,” Dawn, 29 October 2024)
Pakistan and Russia extend parliamentary cooperation
On 28 October, Pakistan’s Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani, and the Speaker of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Valentina Matvienko signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to extend parliamentary cooperation between both countries. Speaking on the occasion, Gilani said: “We are confident that this visit’s outcome will pave the way for a stronger, more meaningful inter-parliamentary and bilateral partnership between Pakistan and the Russian Federation in the years ahead.” After this, a delegation led by Speaker of the Russian Federation Council Valentina Matvienko attended a meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari. At the meeting, both countries affirmed their commitment to one another in the areas of trade, commerce, agriculture, energy, and investment. At the meeting, the President emphasized the need to strengthen their cultural exchanges and scholarship programmes and even sought Russia’s support to become a member of the BRICs. Both sides emphasized diversifying their cooperation in the areas of trade and economics instead of only focusing on enhancing commercial ties and regional connectivity. Separately, while addressing a special sitting of the Senate, Matvienko expressed Russia’s reverence for Pakistan’s sovereignty, history, and culture and hoped that their bilateral ties would deepen. (“Pakistan, Russia reaffirm to boost ties,” Dawn, 29 October 2024; Asim Yasin,“Pakistan, Russia sign MoU for enhancing parliamentary diplomacy,” 29 October 2024)
Anger in Balochistan Assembly for shutting down Iran border
On 29 October, Dawn reported that the opposition of Balochistan assembly that includes members Balochistan National Party (BNP) -Awami, BNP- Mengal, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), National Party and Jamiaat-e-Ulema-e-Islami (F) (JUI-F) expressed their dissent against the shutting down of the border with Iran by staging a walkout. The members argued that the cross-border trade was necessary for the subsistence of the people of Balochistan. Minister for Planning and Development Zahorr Ahmed Buledi cited the issue of terrorism for the closure of the border. President of BNP-Awami Mir Asadullah Baloch claimed that trade between the two countries is vital for the financial sustenance of the communities that reside in border regions who also have relations across the border. Maulana Hidayatur Rehman who heads the Balochistan chapter of Jamaat-i-Islami alleged that the Federal Government sees the people of his province as “second-class citizens”. On this issue, the chair of the house stated that Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti would again address the concerns on his arrival. (Saleem Shahid, “Opposition in Balochistan Assembly protests Iran border closure,” Dawn, 29 October 2024)
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The lawyers of PTI are also at loggerheads at the moment. The harshest language is being used against each other and it is not difficult to gauge from this fight how much the party has become fractured.
- PML-N Digital
"Today, the opposition is complaining, we say that it is their right, but before complaining, they should admit that we did wrong during our time.
- PPP
25 to 30 masked unknown persons entered our house, as soon as they came, they started breaking everything. Unknown people kept asking about Haji Imtiaz.
MNA Haji Imtiaz's sister-in-law
- PTI
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