In Brief
POLITICS
Bushra Bibi booked under three new cases
On 25 November, Dawn reported that three more cases were lodged against Incarcerated Leader Imran Khan’s spouse Bushra Bibi across various police stations across Gujranwala, for her comments in a video statement. She has been registered under four sections of the Pakistan Penal Code and the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016. This development comes as she was first booked under three separate FIRs at the Punjab police stations of Rajanpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, and Layyah on 23 November, for the same reason as above. In the freshly filed case, it was claimed that she accused the Saudi government of going against the Sharia, thereby damaging Pakistan’s diplomatic with Saudi Arabia. (Waseem Ashraf Butt, “More cases against Bushra over Saudi Arabia statement,” Dawn, 25 November 2024)
PML-N urges NA speakers to pay heed to PPP concerns
On 24 November, during a consultative session in Lahore, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif asked the National Assembly speaker, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, and Punjab’s Provincial Assembly Speaker, Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan to address the Pakistan People’s Party concerns amid growing inter-party tensions. In a separate development, on 23 September, the Governor of Punjab, Sardar Saleem Haider Khan, who is also affiliated to the PPP called upon the Pakistan Muslim League-led Punjab government to uphold their party’s end of the agreement. He expressed how a stable coalition government was necessary for Pakistan and how its failure would harm the PMLN. (“PM Shehbaz directs Punjab, NA speakers to address PPP concerns,” The Express Tribune, 24 November 2024)
SECURITY
Seven-day ceasefire secured in Kurram
On 24 November, warring tribes in Kurram district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), agreed to a seven-day ceasefire as the death toll reached 64. This development comes as a convoy of 200 vehicles was at the receiving end of gun attacks which led to the demise of about 43 people and after the KP government constituted a commission to address the land disputes between the fighting tribes. KP Chief Minister’s adviser, Barrister Ali Saif, stated that a government delegation initiated dialogue with the Shia tribe and Sunni tribe leaders. He informed that the warring parties have agreed to return hostages and bodies to each other and commented on “positive developments in engagements with stakeholders.” Responding to the Kurram attacks, Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, called upon the KP Governor to provide a report on the current situation in Kurram. In his statement, he mentioned how the Kurram district was in unrest while the government was nowhere in hindsight. He alleged that the government’s oversight was “tantamount to being an ally of the terrorists.” (Arif Hayat, “7-day ceasefire agreed between warring tribes in Kurram: Barrister Saif,” Dawn, 24 November 2024; “Kurram unrest KP govt's failure: Bilawal,” The News International, 25 November 2024)
Bail granted to policemen involved in custodial killing
On 23 November, a sessions court granted bail to three policemen among the four who were involved in the custodial death of Moiz Naseem. The fourth individual is Superintendent of Police Clifton Nayyar Ul-Haq who was already on bail. At the hearing, the district and sessions court authorized the bail pledged against a surety of PKR 150,000 each since the legal heirs had no objection. In other news, the antiterrorism court extended the term of custody of individuals involved in the suicide bomb attack outside the Karachi airport. The attack led to the demise of three individuals, including two Chinese Nationals. (“Three policemen granted bail in custodial death case in Karachi,” Dawn, 24 November 2024)
ECONOMY
Government revisits PSDP plan
On 25 November, according to Dawn, the government decided to phase the current Public Sector Development Programme over three years to stay in line with the International Monetary Fund’s demands under the USD 7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EEF). Since the portfolio of PSDPs has increased to USD 9 trillion, it may take 14 more years for project completion. In this regard, the government has decided to implement a “one-time review of all technically approved projects to reduce the set of active projects to high-priority projects that can be completed in a timely manner.” In this regard, the government is required to furnish a report on its PSDP review to the IMF due to the following reasons listed below.
The PSDP target of 2024 was at 1071 however, only 105 projects are nearing completion. While 85 projects are foreign-funded, the respective ministries received a decreased sum on the PSDP estimates to meet the IMF demands. That is not all, as ministries have also projected a slow spending in funds thereby causing resource wastage and prolonging Pakistan’s development process. (Khaleeq Kiani, “Govt decides to phase PSDP over three years,” Dawn, 25 November 2024)
SOCIETY
“The restrictions on VPNs would be a big blow to one of Pakistan’s fastest-growing industries,” says an editorial in Dawn
On 25 November, an editorial in Dawn titled “IT sector concerns,” discussed how the federal government’s recent restrictions on the use of VPN could lead to adverse consequences for the IT sector in Pakistan. The editorial mentions Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s target of escalating IT exports to reach USD 25 billion in the coming five years. However, his government’s recent measures to reduce internet speed and implementation of restrictions on the use of VPNs are counterproductive to the proposition. The editorial supported the concerns raised by the IT industry which expects that the recent government measures might lead to huge monetary loss and damage to reputation. It speculated that the government's restriction might lead to the shutting down of IT firms, or they might choose to move out of the country. It also highlighted the importance of the IT sector in Pakistan, which has enabled the reduction of joblessness among the Pakistani youth and provided women the chance to work from home. The editorial argued that the recent restrictions are not in anybody’s interest and that the government should not enforce them just to put curbs on the opposition's voice. (“IT sector concerns,” Dawn, 25 November 2024)
Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Islamabad witness disruption in mobile services
On 24 November, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and Lahore witnessed a suspension in mobile and internet services. The interior ministry communicated that the decision was taken per the instruction received from the district administration. Internet users started facing issues in using Instagram and WhatsApp from 23 November. The concerned authorities have also initiated restrictions on the use of Virtual Private Networks through mobile internet. Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has not informed any of the four telcos that function across the nation, which are Jazz, Ufone, Zong, and Telenor, about their plans to instruct them to disrupt services amid PTI’s protest. On another note, the PTA has initiated another test to ban the use of “unregistered VPNs” using a firewall. PTA has given an ultimatum to all unregistered VPNs to get their registration done by 30 November. Banning of VPNs that have not been registered would begin from 1 December. To date, roughly 25,000 VPNs are registered. (Kalbe Ali, “Mobile phone, data services likely to be suspended in capital, Punjab today,” Dawn, 24 November 2024; Sajid Chaudhry, “Second trial to block unregistered VPNs begins,” The News International, 25 November 2024)
“Pakistan is among the most dangerous countries for females” cites an editorial in Dawn
On 25 November, an editorial in Dawn titled “Anti-woman state,” discussed the issues behind the increasing number of cases of violence against women. Pakistan’s Ministry of Human Rights has confirmed that “cases of violence against women” reached from 2022 to 2024. A report drafted by the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan which was published in August mentioned that there has been a spike of 81 per cent in the number of undecided “gendered-based violence” cases. The editorial blamed the current and previous governments for not making efforts to create “protective systems” or combat the “patriarchal system.” It also called out the criminal justice system, which is not fair and is biased. This has led to a disturbing and shameful statistic for the country where a rape is committed “every two minutes.” The editorial highlighted the predominance of male members in provincial assemblies, which have not resulted in the overturning of laws that are not in the interest of women, such as the Child Marriage Restraint Act in Balochistan. In this regard, it suggested that female members of the parliament get together and emphasize increasing women's participation in legislative assemblies, demand measures that would facilitate female education, and strict implementation of laws. (“Anti-woman state,” Dawn, 25 November 2024)
Polio cases reach 55 in 2024
On 25 November, Dawn reported that two new cases of poliovirus have been detected in Balochistan and one in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In Balochistan, the cases have been detected from Zhob and Jaffarabad whereas in KP it was reported from Dera Ismail Khan. The three places have witnessed cases of polio before as well in 2024. The routine immunization programme in Dera Ismail Khan has undergone several problems and has been categorized in “polio endemic districts.” Zhob has seen a total of three cases whereas Jaffarabad has witnessed two cases in 2024 due to similar problems as in Dera Ismail Khan. The cases came to light after a meeting was held between PM Shehbaz Sharif and a team from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. The total number of polio cases in the country has reached 55 in 2024. The spike in the number of cases and its reach across multiple cities highlight the lack of “immunity” in children. 26 out of a total of 55 polio cases were detected in Balochistan. 14 cases were reported from KP followed by Sindh where 13 cases were detected. In Punjab and Islamabad, one case each was reported in 2024. (“Three more cases of poliovirus in Balochistan, KP take year’s tally to 55,” Dawn, 25 November 2024)
ENVIRONMENT
“There is a deep disconnect between climate reality and wealthy nations’ commitments” claims an editorial in Dawn
On 24 November, an editorial in Dawn titled “Short-changed” discussed the disagreement between countries of the global south and global north over assuming responsibility for financing the measures against climate change and some of the measures taken by Pakistan to combat climate change. The editorial highlighted that although rich countries during COP-29 have increased climate financing to USD 300 billion, it still falls short of the minimal USD 1 trillion required to comply with “Paris Agreement goals.” The editorial also highlighted Pakistan’s worries as it requires a mammoth amount of USD 348 billion by 2030 to meet its goals. It argued that the developed countries must assume the responsibility of climate finance as in the past it has been responsible for massive emissions. In light of the recent US election where Donald Trump emerged victorious, it would lead to developed countries reckoning that the world’s biggest economy would do little to combat climate change owing to Trump’s views on climate change. It also highlighted Pakistan’s initiatives, such as “National Climate Finance Strategy” and “Recharge Pakistan” to combat the effects of climate change. It further stated the bureaucratic hurdles in access to climate funds and reminded the developed world that climate finance must be used to increase the capacity of susceptible countries to withstand crises. (“Short-changed,” Dawn, 24 November 2024)
ENERGY
Cuts in gas outflows leads to huge monetary losses for E&P firms
On 25 November, The News International reported that Pakistan’s exploration and production (E&P) firms have witnessed a loss of PKR 50 billion in the last four years (2021-24) due to the cut in “gas outflows.” The gas firms have decreased their outflows to diminish the “line pack pressure in the national gas transmission system.” A senior member working in the Ministry of Energy stated that E&P firms have repeatedly warned the gas companies of the adverse consequences if they decrease the gas outflows. He further informed that when the reduction in gas outflows is initiated for wells that are about to deplete, it can lead to irrevocable damage. It leads to the possibility of not being able to revive the wells to their initial “flow levels.” The cuts made in gas flows by Sui Northern from 13 November 2024 have led to the likelihood that recharging wells to their initial flow levels might not be conceivable. Separately, PM Shehbaz Sharif has given his assent to the proposal, which would permit E&P firms to put 35 per cent of gas extracted from “future gas well” on sale, which could be purchased by private companies. (“E&P firms face over Rs50 bn loss in four years due to cut in gas outflows,” The News International, 25 November 2024; Khalid Mustafa, “PM endorses gas sale mechanism approved by Dar’s task force,” The News International, 25 November 2024)
EXTERNAL
Consul General of Iran optimistic about bilateral trade
On 23 November, top entrepreneurs of the Quetta Chamber of Commerce and Industry (QCCI) convened a meeting, which was also attended by the Consul General of Iran in Quetta. At the meeting, the Consul General of Iran stated that the two countries are likely to surpass bilateral trade of USD 10 billion very soon. The consul general pointed out the substantial spike in trade between Iran and Pakistan in the past few years. He also highlighted the contribution of QCCI in facilitating trade between the two countries and informed that the “12th Joint Border Meeting” would be scheduled to be conducted in Quetta. (“Iranian envoy eyes $10bn trade with Pakistan,” Dawn, 24 November 2024)
Belarus delegation visit coincides with PTI protest
On 24 November, Dawn reported that a ministerial team from Belarus constituting 68 members had reached Islamabad. President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko is scheduled to visit the country from 25 to 27 November. In September, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the two countries which calls for initiating “a trade roadmap for 2025-2027.” The President of Belarus is expected to have a substantial level of discussions with PM Shehbaz Sharif on improving bilateral ties and cooperation in several areas. It is anticipated that numerous “agreements and MOUs” will be agreed upon by the two countries. The Belarussian Ministerial team’s arrival coincides with “PTI’s final protest.” The concerned authorities put several containers on the border of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as demonstrations were carried out in Lahore, Multan, Gujrat, Gujranwala, and Faisalabad among many other cities. (Abdullah Momand, “Belarus delegation touches down in Islamabad for state visit,” Dawn, 24 November 2024; Ali Raza, Asim Yasin, Azam Butt, Faizan Bangash, Mumtaz Alvi, Rasool Dawar, Salman Aslam and Shakeel Anjum, “Belarus delegation arrives, president due today: Clashes, arrests as PTI convoys enter Punjab,” The News International, 25 November 2024)
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The leaders of Tehreek-e-Insaf asked the administration to make arrests in order to get rid of the sit-in.
Federal Minister of Information Attaullah Tarar
- PMLN Digital
PTI has always damaged national installations in the name of protest.
Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal's news conference.
- PMLN Digital
This time we will not allow Islamabad police to oppress us because we are strong enough to defend ourselves.
- Sher Afzal Khan Marwat
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"Nearly 90pc of harassment complaints received by FIA are filed by women."
- An opinion in Dawn, ‘Protecting women.’
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