Current account surplus witnesses USD 729 million increase I Calls for increased cooperation with UAE
In Brief
POLITICS
Finance Minister Aurangzeb to table “Tax Law Amendments Bill 2024” in National Assembly
On 18 December, Finance Minister Mohammad Aurangzeb will table the Tax Law Amendments Bill 2024 in the National Assembly. The bill proposes stringent measures against tax-evaders such as “freezing bank accounts, banning purchasing immovable property and vehicles and investing in stock markets.” The implementation of Agriculture Income Tax has led to disagreements between the federal government and Sindh government. Federal government is pushing the Sindh government to implement it so as to satisfy the demands put by the International Monetary Fund. PPP was in favor of the government issuing ordinance for changing tax laws. Federal government is now proposing the changes in tax laws through a bill. The Federal Bureau of Revenue has also put forward a proposition in which for people earning more than PKR 10 million, a “common data-sharing mechanism” would be formulated with the assistance from the State Bank of Pakistan. Among those whose “transaction” does not correspond to declared earnings, “cash deposits/withdrawals” will be limited to PKR 30 million in a year. (“Aurangzeb to move bill in NA today to target tax dodgers,” The News International, 18 December 2024)
Madressah board says it will not submit to government control
On 17 December, the Ittehad Tanzeemat-i-Madaris Pakistan announced that it would want to remain an autonomous body and not be integrated into the government’s department. The declaration marks a shift from its previous stance in 2019, where the madressah boards had agreed to be a part of the education ministry. This development comes as Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islami founder, Maulana Fazlur Rahman has been threatening to launch protests if the government does move ahead with the Societies Registration (Amendment) Bill 2024. This bill aims to reduce the district administration’s authority to register educational institutions. The JUI-F leader was visited by a delegation of representatives from the Shia, Barelvi, Deobandi, and Ahle Hadith sects to help support Fazlur Rahman in influencing the legislative process. After the meeting, Mufti Taqi Usmani claimed that the board had agreed to not come under state administrative control under government pressure. Separately, at the National Assembly, the JUI-F and the government have expressed openness to a dialogue on this matter. Earlier, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar had called upon Fazlur Rehman to discuss this matter as legal complexity had emerged after the President returned the bill with objections. The Minister assured that the matter could be resolved “in line with the Constitution.” (Kalbe Ali, “Seminary boards refuse to become ‘subservient to govt’,” Dawn, 18 December 2024; “Fazl warns govt of street protests over madrasa bill,” The News International, 18 December 2024)
Imran Khan puts Civil disobedience movement on hold
On 17 December, jailed leader, Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan announced that he has put the civil disobedience movement on hold while speaking outside the Adiala jail. She further claimed that Pakistani nationals abroad are willing to voluntarily stop sending remittances. After her meeting with Khan, she communicated Khan’s warning, if both his demands were not met then he would urge Pakistanis from overseas to stop sending remittances. Khan’s demands involve the creation of a judicial commission consisting of Supreme Court judges and the release of innocent PTI supporters. (Shakeel Anjum, “Imran has put civil disobedience on hold for now: Aleema,” The News International, 18 December 2024)
PM Sharif forms task force for the housing sector
On 18 December, The News International reported that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has constituted a special 11-member task force to help design a blueprint for the development and growth of the housing sector. In this regard, it will provide policy recommendations on goods and products linked to the domain and even study how the revenue apparatus affects the sector. The task force is set to be led by the Federal Minister for Housing Riyaz Hussain Pirzada and includes a diverse membership of representatives from the army, government employees, ministers and experts from the housing sector. (Rana Ghulam Qadir, “PM forms task force for housing sector growth,” The News International, 18 December 2024)
Cabinet approves reforms to CrPC
On 17 December, a federal cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved the Criminal Procedure (Code of Criminal Procedure) Amendment Bill 2024 on the Law Ministry’s recommendation. This information was via a press release from the PM’s Office. The proposed amendment aims at simplifying FIR registrations, integrating modern technology in investigations, forensics, and audio-video recording. It also grants greater autonomy to the prosecutors in the investigations and empowers them to identifies loopholes in the police reports. The changes also include a direction to that the trial court should deliver its verdict within one year. A failure to do so will render the concerned High Court responsible for the same. Further, it has been mandated that the appeals should be decided by the appellate court within six months. Besides, the meeting was briefed about the implementation of the e-office in 18 divisions of the government. This marked the first time a policy has been implemented at such a large scale. It is expected that this will help save PKR 230 million in fuel and stationery costs. (“Cabinet okays changes to colonial-era CrPC,” The News International, 18 December 2024)
ECONOMY
Current account surplus witnesses USD 729 million increase
On 17 December, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his satisfaction over Pakistan’s record collection of USD 729 million in its current account surplus. The November surplus of USD 729 million marks the highest earning since 2015. It also marks a consistent improvement in the current account surplus for the third consecutive month. According to data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the present fiscal surplus stands at USD 944 million in the first five months, a progress from the previous year’s deficit of USD 1.68 billion, during the same period. According to the director of research at AKD Securities Limited, Awais Ashraf, this development comes amid improvement in the reduction of “trade and services deficit as well as a cut in the monetary rate and the return of dividends in November.” It also follows the investigation of the unofficial transfers of foreign currency. A press statement from the Prime Minister’s office said that PM Sharif has stated that the economy is moving in the right direction. He added that the decline in inflation rates and improvement in the current account surplus served as “clear evidence” of the effectiveness of the government’s economic policies. Additionally, during a monetary committee meeting of the SBP, it was predicted that the current account deficit is set to be within the 0-1 per cent range of the fiscal 2025 GDP. The Finance Minister, Muhammad Aurangzeb expects the remittances to hit a record of USD 35 million in the present year. (“PM Shehbaz applauds 10-year record $729m current account surplus,” Dawn, 17 December 2024; Erum Zaidi, “Pakistan posts highest monthly current account surplus in 10 years,” The News International, 18 December 2024)
OGRA proposes hike in gas tariffs
On 17 December the Oil & Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) approached the federation to increase gas prices by 26 per cent to help it earn a PKR 847.33 billion in the present fiscal. In its proposal, the authority stated that it had determined an increase of PKR 142.25 per million British thermal units in the average rates for Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited for consumers in the Northern provinces, and such as Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Additionally, the Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL) will witness a PKR 361 per unit increase in Sindh and Balochistan. This price increase is aimed at recovering costs to address the issue of circular debt. (Khaleeq Kiani, “Ogra proposes up to 26pc hike in gas prices,” Dawn, 18 December 2024)
“Pakistan’s infrastructure development woes are wide and deep”: Dawn editorial
On 18 December, an editorial in Dawn titled “Development expenditure” discussed the sorry state of infrastructure development in the country and criticized the inefficacy of the Federal Bureau of Revenue. The editorial highlighted that Pakistan needs to contribute 10 per cent of the total GDP for infrastructure development. It pointed out that despite adding the federal and provincial spending on infrastructure development, total spending has never surpassed 2 per cent of GDP. The editorial delineated several reasons for the limited spending, such as FBR failing to collect enough taxes which leads to resource crunch for the sitting governments. Another reason, which the editorial noted is that the government only spends on development projects during election times. The editorial also highlighted how the people running the government have never reduced their own personal expenses. The editorial termed FBR an “inefficient organization” with dubious “integrity.” The editorial further pointed out that government spending is way below the allotted budget and this will continue to go on since the FBR is undergoing a downfall in tax collection. (“Development expenditure,” Dawn, 18 December 2024)
HEALTH
“Government must recognize that each security lapse not only costs precious lives but also pushes us further from our goal of a polio-free Pakistan”: Dawn editorial
On 18 December, an editorial in Dawn titled “Polio’s toll” discussed what measures must be taken to enhance the security in polio prone areas. The editorial argued for changes in security measures as despite increasing the police presence, the attacks have not come down. The editorial highlighted poor security as one of the major reasons for the increased number of polio cases in Balochistan. The editorial mentioned how because of the security threat, vaccinators are unable to reach every house which increases the possibility of infection in susceptible children. The editorial suggested that there should be an increase in intelligence collection and Law Enforcement Agencies must enhance cooperation among themselves. It further suggested that the government must create “secure vaccination points” in regions where there is a major security threat and where it is not possible to conduct door to door campaigns. It also suggested that the concerned authorities must “counter anti-vaccine propaganda” and involve local important leaders to promote vaccination. (“Polio’s toll,” Dawn, 18 December 2024)
SECURITY
5 security officers killed in KP in two separate attacks
On 18 December, Dawn reported that in the Dera Ismail Khan district of Pakhtunkhwa, a vehicle of security personnel was attacked. The attack was carried out using improvised explosive device. It resulted in the death of three security officers and wounded two. After the explosion, more police and security personnel reached the spot of the incident and initiated “rescue and search operations.” The attack received condemnation from KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi who also accused the KP government for not responding with appropriate action. Separately, in Shangla, KP, militants killed two security officers in a police checkpoint. It was confirmed by the District Police Officer of Shangla that the armed gunmen made use of “rocket shells and hand grenades” to assault the police checkpoint. Two police officers lost their lives in the assault. After the death rites, inhabitants of Shangla carried out demonstrations, calling for wiping out terrorism from the region. Demonstrators also threatened to go on “sit-in” protests if steps are not taken to combat terrorism in the region. (Irfan Mughal and Umar Bacha, “5 security men martyred in D.I Khan, Shangla,” Dawn, 18 December 2024)
Standoff in Kurram continues
On 18 December, The News International reported on the standoff between the warring parties in Kurram. It is reported that one of the groups has dismissed the proposition of disarming itself. A member of the KP government stated that the group’s reluctance in giving up arms has added another issue to be resolved by the jirga that aims to bring back normalcy in the region. He further opined that normalcy cannot be brought back to the region unless all the groups disarm themselves. On another note, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has confirmed that the news of 29 children dying in Parachinar is false. It alleged that the District Health Officer was pressurized to issue such a “statement.” Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam stated that helicopters have been put to use to make sure that there is enough stock of medicines and essential goods. It was also confirmed by the Secretary Health Adeel Shah that the District Headquarters Parachinar at present has enough stock of medicines that are needed by the patients and it can last for quite a few months. (Arshad Aziz Malik, “Kurram talks hit impasse as one group refuses to disarm,” The News International, 18 December 2024)
The government’s “failure to act decisively now risks further loss of life, escalation of violence, and a destabilisation that Pakistan cannot afford”: The News International editorial
On 18 December, an editorial in The News International titled “Kurram’s tragedy,” highlighted the administrative and political failure in Kurram as the sectarian clashes spiraled out of control and collateral damage in which more than a 130 civilians loss their lives. The “dysfunctional and distracted governance system” has caused the citizens to suffer unquantifiable losses. The editorial pointed out how even in this situation, the political blame game continues instead of taking any concrete measures towards subduing the conflict. The provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, led by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf’s “sluggish approach – has only aggravated matters.” The situation is further exacerbated by the PTI’s boycott of the All-Parties Conference (APC) which sought to look at the law and order situation in the Kurram district. It sent a message that the government prioritized “petty political rivalries” than human life, thereby widening the gap between the state and the people in the Kurram district. (“Kurram’s tragedy,” The News International, 18 December 2024)
PROVINCES
Balochistan: Vaccination drive rescheduled, to begin from 30 December
On 18 December, Dawn reported that the Balochistan polio vaccination drive has been put off for two weeks. It was confirmed by Inamul Haq who is the coordinator of Balochistan Emergency Operations Centre that the campaign is rescheduled to begin from 30 December. The rescheduling took place as more arrangements were to be made before beginning the campaign amid a large number of cases being detected from the provinces. 41 per cent of polio cases in the country were detected in Balochistan which amounts to 26. 63 cases have been reported nationwide in 2024. Sources of Dawn, however, cited different reasons for the postponement. As per the sources, the drive was rescheduled because health workers went on a “strike.” The health workers have called for hiring “doctors and health officials on permanent basis,” putting a stop to “public-private partnership in hospitals” and ensuring the supply of “medicines and equipment.” (Saleem Shahid, “Polio drive in Balochistan postponed for two weeks,” Dawn, 18 December 2024)
EXTERNAL
PM Sharif and President Zardari call for increased cooperation with UAE
On 17 December, President Asif Ali Zardari, PM Shehbaz Sharif, UAE’s Ambassador to Pakistan Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al-Zaabi and several government and diplomat officials attended “UAE 53rd National Day” celebrations in Islamabad. At the event, President Zardari stated that Pakistan wanted to further increase bilateral collaboration with the UAE in “IT, renewable energy, agriculture and tourism.” He called the entrepreneurs from UAE to look into the options provided by the country’s economy such as in the Pakistan Stock Exchange and “renewable energy. President Zardari pointed out that the bilateral ties between the two countries have grown into “trustworthy strategic partnership” which includes “political, economic and social dimensions.” At the event, PM Sharif also expressed optimism regarding the growth in bilateral relations between the two countries. He applauded the accomplishments of UAE in the past few years. PM Sharif stated that celebrations serve as a testimony to “Pakistan’s support for territorial integrity and solidarity of UAE.” He also thanked the UAE for assisting Pakistan in difficult times and stated that the current International Monetary Fund programme had been made possible only with the help from the UAE. (Asim Yasin, “President, PM vow to boost ties with UAE,” The News International, 18 December 2024)
“While we cannot fix these enterprises across the world, we can certainly put our own house in order”: The News International editorial
On 18 December, an editorial titled “A place called home,” in The News International discussed the recent death of five Pakistani nationals after a migrant boat capsized near Greece, the double standards of the Global North towards migrants, and the need to address domestic issues. It highlighted those circumstances in one’s own country force citizens in developing countries to look outward for employment. “They do not think twice before setting out on a difficult journey where the probability of losing their lives is quite high,” the editorial commented. While developed states champion themselves as representatives of democracy and liberty, they tend to turn a blind eye to the immigrant communities within their countries. The editorial exemplified this statement by highlighting the recent UK riots where much hate was mobilized towards the migrants. It also lamented how those who embark on journeys to foreign destinations, to earn a living don’t know what to look out for. This uncertainty and vulnerability become an open invitation for human smugglers and traffickers. They may take advantage of people’s circumstances and keep them in dangerous conditions. Hence, while such enterprises cannot be taken down, the editorial underscored the necessity to address the ground realities of countries experiencing large volumes of migration. (“A place called home,” The News International, 18 December 2024)
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The obstacles to polio eradication are pitiful.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif
- PMLN Digitial
"Imran Khan Sahib set an example of courage and bravery by spending 500 days in jail in the harshest conditions. He did not show his face to the nation for 500 days, but still he was mentioned everywhere. He remained the center and axis of politics and all the country's situations and the heartbeat of the nation. He still stands as a mountain of determination and courage. His stance has not wavered, nor has the roar of his voice diminished. This is the prisoner who encourages his lawyers, workers and party members not to panic, not to be worried, to stand firm."
Samina Pasha
- PTI
PTI will get an answer in their own language. Our position is clear.
Federal Minister of Defense Khawaja Asif
- PMLN Digital
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"It is a nightmare situation for the country in the face of growing political instability."
- An opinion in Dawn, 'Struggling against terrorism.'
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