Pakistan ranks 129th in the Rule of Law index I PSX crosses 90,000 point milestone
In Brief
POLITICS
Matters related to IPP contracts, counter narcotics and Kashmir presented at the NA
On 25 October, Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Attaullah Tarar informed the National Assembly of the termination of five contracts signed with five independent power producers (IPPs). On the other hand, contracts with eight other IPPs are being negotiated to lower the electricity prices. He also spoke of the government’s commitment towards creating a drug-free society in Pakistan. He stated that the Anti-Narcotics Force has carried out consistent raids against traffickers. The government has also allocated funds for creating a counter-narcotics campaign and entered bilateral engagements with the US, the UK, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE and Iran to counter the issue. Separately, the government introduced a bill in the National Assembly (NA) aimed at amending Section 14-A of the Pakistan Citizenship Act 1951. The Act aims at providing citizenship to a large population of the Pakistani Diaspora. In the meantime, the NA also passed a resolution regarding Pakistan’s dedication towards supporting Kashmiris. It was introduced in observance of the 77th Anniversary of the “Black Day.” The House also expressed displeasure at India’s steps allegedly aimed at altering the internationally recognized status of Jammu and Kashmir. (“Contracts being negotiated with 8 IPPs, NA told ,” The News International, 26 October 2024)
JUDICIARY
New Chief Justice of Pakistan: Justice Yahya Afridi takes the oath
On 26 October, Justice Yahya Afridi took oath as the 30th Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP). An oath-taking ceremony was organized at the President House in Islamabad where President Asif Ali Zardari administered the oath of office to Justice Afridi. Justice Afridi has been appointed chief justice for a period of three years and his term will conclude on 26 October 2027. He is the first CJP hailing from the ex-Fata region. Earlier, he was nominated for the post by members of a Special Parliamentary Committee (SPC) following the passage of the 26th Constitutional Amendment. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir attended the ceremony along with other judges of the Supreme Court. Senior most judge of the SC, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, who would have been the chief justice if the 26th Amendment had not been approved, could not attend the event due to family obligations.
Separately, in an event held for the outgoing Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa on 25 October, Justice Afridi stressed that “rule of law shall rule” under his tenure. Addressing a full court at the event, he said “Let me assure all that with the blessings of Allah Almighty, for the citizens of Pakistan, rule of law shall rule; principles of trichotomy of power shall prevail; the dignity of a judge and majesty of the court shall be strictly ensured.” He also assured that complaints of the bar will be heeded to promptly. (“Justice Yahya Afridi takes oath as 30th chief justice of Pakistan,” Dawn, 26 October 2024; “‘Rule of law shall rule' on new CJ's watch,” The Express Tribune, 26 October 2024)
Justice Mansoor Ali Shah skips CJP Isa’s farewell, issues one page letter instead
On 25 October, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah skipped the full court reference held in honor of outgoing Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa. Instead, he issued a one-page letter expressing why he did not attend the occasion. In his letter, Justice Shah criticized CJP Isa for opening “gates wide” and changing the course of the judiciary’s role of acting as a “check and balance on power.” He acknowledged that it was a universal tradition to hold a farewell for the outgoing Chief Justice, however, in the context of Justice Isa, he commented that traditions must be upheld on the basis of those who embody them. In his opinion, Justice Isa not only failed at holding dialogue but also made unilateral decisions, compromising on the judicial consensus. He expressed that the Justice had a low regard for the court’s judgments and “contemptuously and unashamedly suggested that they may not be implemented by the executive.” According to him, Justice Isa was complicit in allowing forces to weaken the institution. (Nasir Iqbal, “Superseded judge Mansoor Ali Shah has ‘choice words’ for Justice Isa ,” Dawn, 26 October 2024; Hasnat Malik, “Justice Shah skips CJ Isa's farewell reference over 'divisions sowed within judiciary’,” The Express Tribune, 25 October 2024)
The judiciary is undergoing an evolution, where it not only deals with “new regulations but also of philosophical change,” argues an editorial in The Nation
On 26 October, an editorial titled “New Judiciary” in The Nation discussed a new shift within the judiciary, as Chief Justice Qazi Faiz Isa bids farewell to the previous judiciary and incoming Chief Justice Yahya Afridi bears the torch. In his address, Justice Yahya spoke of the need for reform within the judicial system especially in remote areas where resources and support as present in the provincial capitals are absent. He also expressed his commitment towards increasing accessibility to the judicial system for children, women and those with disability. However, the editorial highlighted how the incoming Chief Justice’ vision does not mention judicial activism or any intervention in the “political and legal landscape” of Pakistan. The editorial pointed out that this a “shift in the judiciary’s focus, suggesting a recognition of the need to address its own backlog and delay issues before taking on broader societal challenges.” (“New Judiciary,” The Nation, 26 October 2024)
Pakistan ranks 129th in the Rule of Law index
On 26 October, Dawn reported that Pakistan has ranked 129 among 142 countries on the recently released Rule of Law Index by the World Justice Project (WJP). In 2023, Pakistanhad ranked 130th on the index which means that it has slightly improved its ranking. Pakistan had demonstrated an improvement in its ranking between 2015 and 2018 followed by a decline in performance during the period between 2019 and 2023. Among the South Asian countries, Pakistan and Afghanistan are the worst performers. Out of six South Asian countries, Pakistan ranks fifth. The index which is based on an annual survey ranks countries on eight indicators like: “Constraints on Government Powers, Absence of Corruption, Open Government, Fundamental Rights, Order and Security, Regulatory Enforcement, Civil Justice, and Criminal Justice.” Pakistan has been ranked 140th, “the-third worst” among all countries in terms of law and order. This ranking takes into account three factors: “crime control, protection from armed conflicts and the use of violence to resolve civil disputes.” Pakistan has ranked only above Mali and Nigeria on this indicator. Further, Pakistan has ranked 103rd for constraints on government powers, 120th for corruption, 106 for open government, 125th for fundamental rights, 127th for regulatory enforcement, 128th for civil justice and 98th for criminal justice. The report also indicated that there has been an overall decline in rule of law across the world over a period of last seven years. (Amin Ahmed, “Pakistan third-worst country for law and order, security: World Justice Project,” Dawn, 26 October 2024; Ansar Abbasi, “Pakistan 129th out of 142 countries in Rule of Law index,” The News International, 26 October 2024)
ATC grants bail to Imran Khan’s sisters
On 25 October, the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) granted bail to the sisters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, Aleema Khan and Uzma Khan. The bail was granted on the basis of surety bonds worth PKR 40,000. The sisters had been taken into custody on 4 October for carrying out protests amid the enforcement of Section 144. The sisters had appeared before Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain after completing their term of physical remand on 10 October, however, their remand was extended for another two days. At the hearing, counsels Niazullah Niazi, Ansar Mahmood Kiyani and others appeared on behalf ofthe sisters. . The prosecutor objected to the bail claiming that a megaphone had been seized from the suspects which indicated that they were involved in inciting chaos. Responding to this Niazi said: “There is a video of the suspects when they were arrested,” however, there was no evidence of them inciting chaos. He added they were simply a target of what he believed was political revenge. (Khalid Iqbal, “ATC grants bail to Imran’s sisters,” Dawn, 26 October 2024)
ECONOMY
PSX crosses 90,000 point milestone
On 25 October, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed satisfaction over the PakistanStock Exchange (PSX) crossing the 90,000 target on the Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE)-100 index. He attributed this breakthrough to his administration’s efforts and hinted at how it reflected upon investor confidence in the government’s policies. He said: “The positive economic indicators have dispelled the narrative of imminent default.” He commended the economic team under his administration for its achievements of reducing inflation from 38 per cent to 6.9 per cent as well as bringing about a surge in the stock market by 36 per cent. The KSE-100 index rose by 1141.43 points or 1.25 per cent, representing a 137 per cent within less than two years. Head of research at Arif Habib Limited attributed this gain to the investors anticipation of a cut in the monetary policy rates. Tawafik attributed this bull market to “improved liquidity.” A brokerage firm named Topline Securities conducted a survey which displays that 85 per cent of the respondents believe that the State Bank of Pakistan would announce a minimum policy rate cut of 200 points as the upcoming monetary policy meeting in November will be “driven by the single-digit inflation reading of 6.9 per cent in Sept 2024.” (“PM Shehbaz hails PSX milestone as economy shows signs of stability,” The Express Tribune, 25 October 2024; Mahira Sarfraz, “Major gains make shares at PSX breach 90,000 milestone,” Dawn, 25 October 2024)
IMF forecasts inflation to decline to 10.6 per cent by 2025
On 26 October, an article on The Express Tribune reported on the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) estimation of the inflation rate, which is set to further fall to 10.6 per cent in 2025. IMF’s Director for the Middle East and Central Asia, Jihad Azour stated that the economy may grow at 3.2 per cent in the fiscal year 2024-25. Speaking about Pakistan’s reform package, he mentioned that it was aimed at addressing particular objectives, namely, reduced deficits, fiscal stability as well as an increase in revenue. He also suggested some ways in which Pakistan can maintain its growth trajectory:by improving its tax collection as well as addressing structural issues. He remarked on the necessity of creating a favorable investment environment. He stated that the fiscal policies in place are assisting in easing the inflation and promoting capital flows. (“IMF forecasts Pakistan’s inflation rate to fall to 10.6% by 2025 ,” The Express Tribune, 26 October 2024)
Government should make clear the terms of the PIA privatization process in order to avoid controversy, suggests an editorial in Dawn
On 26 October, an editorial titled “Selling PIA” in Dawn, discussed the delay in the privatization of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). Recently, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb made remarks at the annual International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings, where he expressed hopes for the finalization of the delayed privatization next month. He stated that the demands posed by the bidders would be soon addressed. He said: “The reality is, when any foreign investor comes in, or even the local investor, who is going to put in a substantial amount of money, they want to ensure that the foundation is there.” In succeeding statements, the parliamentary secretary for communications stated that the PIA would be up for auction on 30 October. However, this does not mark the first time the airline has been scheduled to be auctioned. About a month ago, the PIA was offered for auction. However, investors demanded that the Pakistan tax law be amended so that they receive the same treatment as foreign investors do. They also wanted to change the current terms of employment of staff and review sales conditions including the injection of USD 800 million in the form of re-capitalization, to make the carrier “financially viable.” However, unfortunately, for the bidders, the relevant authorities rejected the terms of granting them with “special tax treatment.” These resulted in the dampening of their interests and led the government to postpone the auction of the company. The editorial observed that though the investor concerns are legitimate, they should not force the government to sweeten the deal for them as it already has to take over the airline’s liabilities. (“Selling PIA,” Dawn, 26 October 2024)
HEALTH
Polio cases reach 41 in Pakistan
On 26 October, The News International reported that a three year six months old girl from Loralai has been found infected with poliovirus type one. This has taken the total tally of polio cases in Balochistan to 21. This is the first case of polio from the district, however, as per the authorities the polio virus could have been present for several months owing to the four positive sewage samples. An official from Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) warned that Loralai is not the only district at risk of polio virus transmission and conveyed that 204 positive environment samples have been found in over 70 districts across the country. PEI has further pronounced the need for assistance from the local communities and stated that parents should show more willingness to cooperate with the vaccinators for vaccination of their children. Pakistan still remains among the only two countries where polio is still not eliminated. (M.Waqar Bhatti, “41st polio case reported from Balochistan,” The News International, 26 October 2024)
“Without immediate intervention, Pakistan risks a healthcare burden it cannot bear” argues an editorial in Dawn
An editorial in Dawn titled “On the pulse” discussed the spike in the cases of heart diseases in Pakistan, especially among the young population. It cited data from Karachi where 40-45 cases of heart attack are reported daily and 15 per cent of them belong to an age group of 25-40 years old. The city has also witnessed an increase in obesity level at 70-80 per cent. The reasons stated in the editorial for this anomaly are attributed to inactive life routines, high consumption of Trans fats, rising air pollution and smoking. Post Covid-19, cardiovascular problems have become very common especially among people who are already diabetic. The editorial also highlighted an often overlooked reason for the spike observed in heart attacks which is an increase in traffic noise. The editorial suggested that the government must tax beverages which contain high sugar, encourage people to go for workouts by improving public infrastructure and build sound barriers to tackle the noise problem. Additionally, it also suggested that the government must work towards preserving green spaces and vegetation which are found to be beneficial for one’s overall well-being and also act as a noise absorber. On an individual level, people must stick to healthy diets, consume less trans fats and inculcate a habit of doing daily exercise which eventually could lead to a downward trend in the number of cardiovascular cases observed.(“On the pulse,” Dawn, 26 October 2024)
SECURITY
Prison vans containing PTI members attacked in Islamabad
On 25 October, a statement issued by the Islamabad Police spokesperson revealed that about 20 armed suspects attacked a convoy of three police vans carrying prisoners, near the Sangjani Toll Plaza. The statement noted that four policemen were injured and four attackers were taken into custody. The attack took place as the vans were in the process of transferring 82 inmates to Attock Jail after an appearance before the district magistrate court. Six members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf, including, legislative members as well as four other party workers were a part of the convoy. Other members included 34 police personnel and 42 members of Rescue 1122. The court’s order stated that these suspects were arrested on 4 October. The court had also ordered their immediate release.
Responding to this development, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, in a televised speech claimed that the attack on the convoy was instigated by the PTI in order to free the prisoners. He said that it was a “planned out attack” and five other suspects, including the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Member of Provincial Assembly have been arrested. Two cars and two weapons have also been seized from the attack. (Shakeel Qarar & Tahir Naseer, “4 cops injured as convoy of prison vans attacked near Sangjiani: police,” Dawn, 25 October 2024)
19-year-old cadet, ten Frontier Constabulary officials martyred in KP
On 25 October, Dawn reported that armed militants attacked a mosque in Lakki Marawat, KP in which a 19-year-old cadet named Arif Ullah lost his life. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) commended the bravery of Arif who gave up his life while saving lives of the people in the mosque. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif denounced the attack and praised the bravery of the young cadet by further stating that his sacrifice “embodies the patriotism of the armed forces”.
On another front, ten Frontier Constabulary officials lost their lives in a terrorist attack in Darazinda, Dera Ismail Khan in KP. The Tehreek-i-Taliban (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the attack and termed it a revenge for the killing nine of their men by security forces in Bajaur. (“Cadet martyred in Lakki Marwat mosque attack: ISPR,” Dawn, 25 October 2024; Muhammad Irfan Mughal and Ghulam Mursalin Marwat, “15 security men martyred in attack acroos KP,” Dawn, 26 October 2024)
PROVINCES
Punjab: Marriyum Aurangzeb commits to tackling smog problem
On 26 October, Dawn reported that Senior Minister in Punjab Marriyum Aurangzeb has demanded that all citizens should join the war against smog and warned that even with comprehensive consistent efforts the issue of smog will still take eight to ten years to get resolved. She mentioned the formation of “methane clouds and urban heat islands” in the hotspots of Lahore, a city home to a whopping 15 million and where only one-third of green area is left. She also accused India for 30 per cent of the smog seen in Lahore. She further claimed that hard measures are taken against brick kilns that do not follow government regulations and was herself present at the demolition of the same that were owned by powerful figures. Further, she mentioned that farmers were given 60 per cent subsidy to buy super seeders so that they don’t have to burn the rice stubble. She also advised citizens to check the AQI if they are planning to travel to “smog hotspots” and demanded that the media should assist the government by running “anti-smog campaigns”. (Zulqernain Tahir and Imran Gabol, “Punjab govt calls for ‘war on smog’,” Dawn, 26 October 2024)
EXTERNAL
FM Ishaq Dar discussed the revitalization of the SAARC with Bangladeshi representative at CHOGM: Foreign Office
On 26 October, The News International reported that Deputy PM of Pakistan Ishaq Dar met Adviser for Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh Md Touhid Hossain on the sidelines of Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa. Both leaders discussed the way forward for restarting South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), in addition to the dialogue on trade, cultural ties and people-to-people relations. SAARC, whose idea was initiated by former Bangladesh President Lt Gen Ziaur Rahman, remains dormant owing to the postponement of its 19th summit in Islamabad and India’s stance of not willing to attend the same in Pakistan. (Mariana Baabar, “CHOGM sidelines: Pakistan, Bangladesh discuss Saarc revival,” The News International, 26 October 2024)
“International lobbying can foster internal divides within the country” argues an editorial in The News International
On 26 September, an editorial in The News International titled “Letter from the US” discussed the letter written by 60 US lawmakers to the US president asking him to compel the Pakistani government to free Imran Khan. The editorial pointed out that this is not an isolated incident as previously too a US House resolution had demanded impartial investigations into complaints about elections in Pakistan on account of being unfair/rigged. In response, Pakistan had termed these allegations a lack of understanding of the country's political and legal climate. The editorial also stated the possible drawbacks of international lobbying though it might seem lucrative at first. The editorial opined that it is not good for the image of PTI which would be seen as a party dependent upon support from other countries and suggested that instead of depending upon external support, it must resolve its issue within the country. It further stated that Pakistan might pay a high price in terms of possibly experiencing a disruption of unity in the country and diplomatic balance in exchange for international lobbying. (“Letter from the US,” The News International, 26 October 2024)
“EU states certainly need to do more to protect Muslims” argues an editorial in Dawn
On 26 September, an editorial in Dawn titled “Anti-Muslim bias” discussed the rise in intolerance against Muslims in the European Union. The editorial cited findings of EU’s human rights agency report that even before the war in Gaza, the life of Muslims in the region was difficult. There has been an increase in hatred against Muslims post the events of 7 October, 2023. The EU human rights agency report depicts that 47 per cent of the Muslims selected in the survey reported facing discrimination with the numbers highest in Austria and Germany where right wing parties have made inroads. The report also highlighted an interesting observation that racism has compounded Islamophobia, stating that Muslims in Europe are targeted because of their skin color as well. The editorial attributed the reason for the observed increase in the population of Muslim in the continent to the conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria where NATO countries were involved. It further called on the EU states to put more efforts in protecting the Muslim communities in Europe. (“Anti-Muslim bias”, Dawn, 26 October 2024)
|
This is the time to change your destiny, you have to think about yourself and your future generations, what kind of nation we want to be. Pakistan is the name of a big dream of Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal.”
Imran Khan
- PTI
It is said that Bushra Bibi is a non-political and religious woman, then what is she doing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa? A house is in Zaman Park, a house is in Bani Gala, so what is the purpose of going to the house of a non-Muharram?
- PMLN Digital
Be it acquisition of nuclear power, end of load shedding or war against terrorism, Muslim League-N has always played its full positive role as a political force.
Rana Sanaullah
- PMLN
|
|
|
