Kurram: Security forces launch attacks on militant safe havens I First commercial flight lands at New Gwadar International airport
In Focus
Government promises to respond to PTI’s demand charter in a week
On 20 January, the government promised the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) that it would submit a response to the party’s demand charter in seven working days. This comes as the party had issued a warning that the next round of talks would be boycotted if no judicial commissions were constituted to investigate the 9 May and 26 November episodes. After meeting Imran Khan at Adiala, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan revealed that the former had directed him to not engage in dialogue with the government if their demands were not met. Responding to a question posed by the media he stated that recent meeting with General Asim Munir pertained to the law and order and security situation of Pakistan. Hence, this matter should not be apprised during the upcoming round of negotiations.
Separately, Senator Irfan Siddique said that the charter has been circulated among the government’s allies and that it would be given “serious” consideration. He added that expert opinions have been sought from the Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar and legal teams from its respective allies. Hence, the reply is likely to be presented before the National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq once they arrive at a unanimous opinion. In a separate statement, PTI leader, Salman Akram Raja said that the party is likely to abandon the talks if they were not given unmonitored access to Khan. Responding to a question posed by Dawn News TV regarding potential negotiations between the PTI and the establishment, Raja said that the party would welcome talks with all actors including the establishment. On the matter of the GBP 190 million case, PTI legal expert, Faisal Chaudhry stated that Khan remains unaffected by the recent conviction and that all he cares about is the constitution of a judicial commission as per his party’s judicial charter. Additionally, on 21 January, the National Assembly Opposition leader Omar Ayub Khan stated that the party would head to the high court to challenge the GBP 190 million verdict delivered by the National Accountability court. (Syed Irfan Raza & Ikram Junaidi, “Govt swings into action after PTI threatens boycott,” Dawn, 21 January 2025; Asim Yasin, Muhammad Saleh Zafar, Mumtaz Alvi & Shakeel Anjum, “Talks to be over if judicial panel not formed in 7 days: PTI,” The News International, 21 January 2025)
Security forces launch attacks on safe havens of militants in Kurram
On 20 January, the security forces made use of helicopters to identify potential targets and hideouts of the militants in the region. This was the second day of the security operation launched by the government to root out militants from the Kurram. The curfew which was enforced on 19 January in Bagan also continues. The curfew compelled many families to take refuge in Thall. As per the residents, two helicopters attacked many possible safe havens of militants in Pastwani, Maddara, Sangrobba and Jarrni. Reportedly, no militant was killed in the attack. As per the sources of Dawn, security forces are aiming to confiscate weapons in a phased manner and as per the peace accord which was agreed upon on 31 December. They also confirmed that state is determined to take strict action against the militants and the bunkers would be destroyed. The operation was not paused despite tribal elders insisting the government and security forces to delay the same as Tribal elders were urging for the postponement of the security operation due to the cold weather. (Umer Farooq and Javid Hussain, “Miscreants’ hideout targeted in Kurram operation,” Dawn, 21 January 2025)
Balochistan: First commercial flight lands at New Gwadar International airport
On 20 January, the New Gwadar International Airport became functional. A commercial airplane of Pakistan International Airlines landed at the airport which was flying from Karachi. The plane ferried 46 people to the Gwadar airport. Defence and Aviation Minister Khwaja Asif, Balochistan CM Safaraz Ahmaf Bugti and Balochistan governor Jafar Khan Mandokhel were present at the airport when the plane landed. The airport is one of the most important projects under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). It is the country’s largest airport in terms of area. The airport has only one runway whose length is 3658 meters. The airport has a capacity of accommodating 400,000 passengers and has state of the art “air traffic control system, security features and navigational aids.” Commenting on the significance of the airport in increasing connectivity PM Sharif said “Another milestone has been achieved to create an important link between Gwadar and Central and East Asia, and the Middle East and Gulf countries.” (Mohammad Zafar Baloch and Muhammad Anis, “Gwadar airport up and running,” The News International, 21 January 2025)
In Brief
POLITICS
Senate approves four bills, including Salaries and Allowances Bill, Secretariat Bill, and Supreme Court Bill among others
On 20 January, the Senate passed the Members of Parliament Salaries and Allowances Amendment Bill 2025, with only opposition from PTI Senator Hamayun Mohmand. The bill aligns Senate and National Assembly policies by shifting salary and allowance decisions to the finance committees of both parliamentary houses. Additionally, the National Assembly Secretariat Employees (Amendment) Bill 2024 was approved. Meanwhile, Senator Abdul Qadir withdrew the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) (Amendment) Bill 2024 which was introduced on 2 September 2024. The Senate further forwarded seven private members’ bills to committees, including amendments to the National Commission on the Status of Women Act, the National Commission for Human Rights Act, and two Constitution (Amendment) Bills addressing quotas and anti-discrimination measures. However, The Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (Amendment) Bill 2025 was rejected. Furthermore, the Senate adopted a resolution urging the government to protect over 23,000 Pakistanis imprisoned abroad. It recommended better consular assistance, legal aid, and bilateral prisoner transfer agreements to safeguard their fundamental rights and enable repatriation. (“Senate passes MPs’ salaries bill,” The International News, 21 January 2025)
National Assembly discusses economic reforms and fiscal measures
On 20 January, the National Assembly was informed of a comprehensive plan to address Pakistan’s undocumented economy, narrow tax base, and reliance on regressive taxation. The Minister of State for Finance Ali Pervaiz Malik highlighted that tax system reforms and capacity building for the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and Customs are government priorities. Furthermore, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved an FBR transformation plan to achieve these goals. The House was also informed that Pakistani currency appreciated by 2.7 per cent in FY 2024 and closed at PKR 278.34 per US dollar. This was due to improved balance of payment and prudent fiscal policies. In contrast, the Pakistani rupee depreciated by 28.4 per cent from 2022 to 2023 due to weak external accounts and a USD 17.5 billion current account deficit in 2022. Additionally, austerity measures were approved by the Federal Cabinet on directives of the Prime minister and announced. This banned vehicle purchases (except operational ones), machinery procurement for non-essential purposes, new posts, and non-obligatory foreign visits at government expense. (Muhammad Anis, “Plan made to document economy, widen tax base, NA told,” the International News, 21 January 2025)
Lawmakers quarrel over Al Qadir Trust verdict
On 20 January, the conviction of Former Prime Minister Imran Khan in the GBP 190 million case to 14 years of imprisonment became a source of friction within the Senate as the merits of the case were debated by the government and the opposition party. At the session, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf’s Shibli Faraz claimed that the conviction was a politically motivated action, to keep Khan away from the political landscape. PTI leaders believe that the grounds for guilt were ambiguous as Khan had sought to establish a university, hence, it would be challenged in the superior courts. Senator Faraz was of the opinion that Khan had nothing to benefit from the Al Qadir Trust case as it was established in the view of an “Islamic spirit.” He said: “If you start punishing people for good works, who will engage in welfare and charity activities.” Responding to the PTI’s statements, Pakistan Muslim League’s Senator Irfan Siddiqui suggested that no entity would gift 500 kanals of land to a trust if they did not stand to gain from anything. Additionally, the Al Qadir Trust was not a registered entity, with two of its four trustees being removed. Ultimately, Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi gained the ownership of university’s property. Besides, Al Qadir University was not legally recognized. In a separate development, the National Assembly session was adjourned till 21 January as the PTI resorted to sloganeering, desk thumping and even staged a walkout. (Ifthikar A Khan, “Lawmakers bicker over verdict in £190m case,” Dawn, 21 January 2025)
PM Sharif briefed on PTI and COAS meeting
On 21 January, the News International quoted a source saying that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was briefed on the meeting that took place between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf and the Army Chief General Asim Munir. The meeting that took place between Chief General Asim Munir, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Amin Ali Gandapur was believed to have a political undertone to it. Contrastingly, while the incarcerated PTI founder was briefed on what transpired in their meeting, he was apprised that the meeting only discussed the law and order situation prevailing in Pakistan. The Army Chief has stopped them from discussing political matters and the PTI’s issues. He advised them to take their concerns up with the government. (Ansar Abbasi, “PM briefed on ‘unscheduled’ COAS-PTI meeting,” The News International, 21 January 2025)
JUDICIARY
Question of regular bench’s jurisdiction comes to light as SC official is slapped with contempt of court charge
On 20 January, during a Supreme Court (SC) hearing led by Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, a show cause notice was issued to the Additional Registrar Nazar Abbas for charges of contempt of court. These charges were imposed against him as he did not fix a case pertaining to the jurisdiction of regular benches. It involved the determination of Article 191A’s constitutionality, under which the constitutional bench was formulated. This matter came to light on 13 January when a three-judge bench heard a government petition against the Sindh High Court’s decision to revoke Section 221-A(2) of the Customs Act, 1999. The filer argued that the regular bench could not hear the case as it challenged the existing laws. In the subsequent hearing, Justice Shah ordered the case to be heard in the presence of Irfan Saadat Khan on 20 January. However, this did not transpire, causing the Additional Registrar to be summoned for an explanation. At the hearing, Deputy Registrar Zulfiqar Ali had appeared before the court stating that a three-judge committee formed under the SC (Practice and Procedure) Act 2023 that fixes court hearings had fixed the case for 27 January, to be heard by the constitutional bench. However, Justice Shah was unaware of this development. In his statement, he opined that the committee had “no authority” as a judicial order cannot be turned a blind eye as the case was not fixed before the regular bench. (Nasir Iqbal, “Judicial ‘bad blood’ in focus as SC official faces contempt,” 21 January 2025)
ECONOMY
World Bank highlights nine risks to USD 20 billion loan to Pakistan
On 21 January, the News International reported that the World Bank (WB) has identified nine risks pertaining to the USD 20 billion loan it has planned to extend to Pakistan. Some of these risks include macroeconomic risks, sectoral strategies and policy risks, technical design risks, institutional capacity to implement and sustain risk, fiduciary risk, environment and social risk, stakeholders risk as well as the risk of fragility, violence andconflict. It suggested that due to high levels of polarization of the polity, there have been many changes in the government and brief political cycles. This trend is likely to continue and even give birth to unsustainable policy decisions as the political tensions intensify. Under the Country Partnership Framework (CPF), six risks were termedmore crucial, namely-political, macroeconomic and governance factors. Reflecting on its CPF experience with Pakistan, the WB suggested that the resources should be utilized strategically and carefully instead of implementing inconsistent programming and temporary engagements. In this regard, the CPF is designed to reduce particular risks within the political landscape by focusing on only some outcomes. In addition, it also suggests that via a two-consecutive-year business, it will allow the authorities to adapt to changing trends as well as gauge whether if it would like to extend the CPF to a complete 10-year period. (Mehtab Haider, “WB identifies nine risks to $20bn loan facility for Pakistan,” The News International, 21 January 2025)
Barrick Gold CEO confident of significant contribution from Reko Diq project to Pakistan’s economy
On 21 January, The News International reported that as per CEO of Barrick Gold, Reko Diq is likely to induce USD 74 billion “in free cash flow.” The amount is anticipated to be generated over the next 37 years. Barrick Gold has 50 per cent shares in the Reko Diq project while the rest of the 50 per cent shares are with the federal and provincial government of Balochistan. Barrick Gold views the mine area as “one of the largest underdeveloped copper-gold areas.” It is optimistic that the project would provide a boost to Pakistan’s ailing economy. It is anticipated that the production would begin in the mines from 2028. In the first phase, the mines would generate 200,000 tons of copper annually which would be worth USD 5.5 billion. Barrick Gold’s CEO confirmed that the first phase is scheduled to end by the year 2029. The second phase which would be worth USD 3.5 billion will increase the production by 100 per cent. (“Reko Diq to generate $74bn in free cash flow over 37 years: Barrick CEO,” The News International, 21 January 2025)
On Panda bonds: “The optimism notwithstanding, investors, including the Chinese, would want speedy and tangible progress on reforms before they bet their money on us,” suggested an editorial in Dawn
On 21 January, an editorial titled “Panda bond,” in Dawn highlighted that Pakistan’s plan to issue Panda bonds to improve its finances and diversify its funding “will be a major test of investor sentiment.” This comes as the Finance Minister has repeatedly emphasized the need to establish Pakistan’s presence within the Chinese capital market. While it may be a cakewalk to raise funds, it will also bring to light the wariness of Chinese investors as Pakistan heavily depends on debt roll-overs and rescheduling of energy loans from China. In addition, a recent report from the Exim Bank of China suggested that it was not very happy with the concessional loans being advanced to Pakistan and even raised “concerns over non-payment or delayed payments to Chinese power generation companies.” Pakistan has not been in the international bond market since 2021 where it sold a debt of USD 3.5 billion to foreign investors because of a balance-of-payment crisis which almost pushed the country into default until the International Monetary Fund came to the rescue in 2022. Hence, the success of these bonds for Pakistan can be determined by how fast the country can “return to the international bond markets to raise the planned USD 2.5bn in Eurobonds.” (“Panda bond,” Dawn, 21 January 2025)
SOCIETY
On crackdown on corruption, “latest crackdown underscores how deeply rooted malpractice often necessitates a top-down shakedown to expose and expel those complicit within the system,” says an editorial in The Nation
On 21 January, an editorial titled, “Petty Corruption,” in The Nation stated that Pakistan’s crackdown on corruption within the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), airport customs, and passport departments highlighted entrenched malpractice and a system requiring top-down reform. The editorial opined that while international pressure and tragic headlines drive action, everyday corruption quietly erodes law enforcement integrity and fosters distrust and impunity. A recent case in the Chiniot district is an example of this issue. The District Police Officer Abdullah Ahmed suspended a whistleblower who accused senior officers of sheltering criminals, ignoring emergency calls, and profiting from corrupt schemes. The authorities silenced the accuser instead of investigating. This in turn discouraged accountability and reinforced a culture of silence and retaliation. The editorial further pointed out that Pakistan must establish mechanisms to protect whistleblowers to break this cycle. The mechanisms should ensure anonymity, protect individuals from reprisals, and enable quick investigations. The corruption and impunity would continue to undermine trust in law enforcement and governance without these safeguards. (“Petty Corruption,” The Nation, 21 January 2025)
On unity and development of Balochistan, “The people of Balochistan must reject divisive rhetoric perpetuated by foreign elements and militant groups and focus on building peace and progress,” says an editorial in The Nation
On 21 January, an editorial titled, “Building Balochistan,” in The Nation stated that Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti’s call for unity with Pakistan emphasized that division will yield no progress for the province. Bugti’s message underscored the importance of collaboration between the federal and provincial governments to ensure the effective use of developmental funds, particularly in health and education. The editorial stated that Balochistan’s potential is being recognized globally with a US delegation recently discussing investments in mining, healthcare, and education. Meanwhile, Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, expressed interest in the mining sector of Balochistan. These opportunities showcase a promising future. However, stability and effective governance remain crucial for these developments. Furthermore, the provincial government must address administrative issues like the unwarranted revocation of worker association registrations. The editorial further stated that rejecting divisive narratives and fostering cooperation among investors, authorities, and the people is essential to create peace and prosperity. (“Building Balochistan,” The Nation, 21 January 2025)
PAKISTAN OCCUPIED KASHMIR
On the continual protests in Gilgit Baltistan “because the regional administration has failed to deliver on promises of good governance, the people have taken to the streets” says an editorial in Dawn
On 21 January, an editorial in Dawn, titled “GB’s status” discussedthe grievances of the people of Gilgit Baltistan (GB) and what could be a possible way forward. The editorial mentioned a recent protest in Islamabad in which people of GB came out to pressurize the government for bringing constitutional reform. The protesters have vowed to initiate a movement for getting “constitutional status” for GB. The editorial highlighted that the people in GB have been demanding for more autonomy and more representation in the country’s “constitutional bodies.” In 2021, the legislative assembly of the province had brought forward a resolution which called for giving GB a “provisional provincial status.” However, the government has been reluctant to pay heed to the demands raised by the people of GB. The editorial pointed out the problem in accepting the demands of the people of GB which is that the government in that scenario would have to compromise their stand on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. The editorial suggested that GB should be given a status similar to “Azad Jammu and Kashmir” which is also a part of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. This would give GB greater “self-autonomy” but it would not have a “provincial status.” (“GB’s status,” Dawn, 21 January 2025)
EXTERNAL
Iran’s Armed Forces’s Chief of General Staff visits Pakistan’s President and Chief of Army Staff
On 20 January, Chief of General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Major General Mohammad Bagheri, met with Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari and Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir during his visit. The discussions emphasized the enduring fraternal ties between the two countries, the need to enhance trade and economic collaboration, and joint efforts to combat terrorism. At the General Headquarters (GHQ) Rawalpindi, Major General Bagheri discussed regional security and bilateral defence cooperation with Gen Asim Munir. Furthermore, he paid homage to Pakistan’s martyrs and laid a wreath at Yadgar-i-Shuhada. He also commended Pakistan’s stance on Gaza and Lebanon. (“Iranian military official meets army chief, president,” Dawn, 21 January 2025)
Pakistan to establish new authority for immigration and border security
On 21 January, Dawn reported that the government is advancing efforts to create the Passports and Border Control Authority (PBCA) to unify immigration and border security under one command. The PBCA will absorb responsibilities from the Directorate General of Immigration & Passports and shift the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Immigration Wing’s functions. The previous attempts to establish such an authority failed due to resistance from within the bureaucracy. However, recent human trafficking tragedies and rising unauthorized border crossings have elevated the initiative to a national security priority. The PBCA will streamline operations, reduce corruption, and improve border control efficiency. The officials proposed appointing a grade 22 officer to lead, supported by region-specific officers and brigadier commanders for key borders. This system is modeled on systems in countries like India and China. The PBCA aims to separate immigration from law enforcement, allowing the FIA to focus on white-collar crime investigations. The authority is expected to be operational within six months after legislation. (Khaleeq Kiani, “Govt in another push to beef up border oversight,” Dawn, 21 January 2025)
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All the evidence of May 9 is there. This is an open-ended case Barrister Aqeel Malik
- PMLN Digital
We condemn the pressure on the judiciary and the disregard of judicial orders. What freedom can anyone expect in a country where even the justice system is shackled?”
- Imran Khan
The rulers and the establishment will have to change their policy regarding Balochistan, the people of Balochistan will have to be given their rights, and to solve Balochistan's problems, we will have to talk to the real leadership of Balochistan instead of those with Form 47.
- Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan
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"The significance of the Peshawar meeting should not be lost among other national headlines."
- An opinion in Dawn, 'The change in the air.'
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