Photo : Dawn
NIAS Area Studies
PAKISTAN READER
Photo : Dawn
In Focus
Turkey’s foreign and defence ministers arrive in Islamabad on official visit
On 8 July, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Minister of National Defence, Yasar Guler arrived in Islamabad for an official visit. Describing the relationship between Turkey and Pakistan as “close” and “brotherly,” The News International reported that during this visit, all matters of “mutual interest” will be deliberated upon, including the strengthening of “bilateral defence cooperation.” The duo is expected to meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister/Minister of Foreign Affairs Ishaq Dar, and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir. The News also quoted the Turkish media, which stated that “Türkiye and Pakistan enjoy close bilateral relations in the fields of economy, trad,e and defence. The high-level visit is expected to advance bilateral cooperation in the fields of security and counter-terrorism.” According to the report, “Ankara fulfilled 11 per cent of Islamabad’s total arms needs in 2023 by exporting weaponry and ammunition worth USD 21 million.” The visit follows Turkey’s support for Pakistan during the brief confrontation between India and Pakistan post-Pahalgam attack. (Mariana Baabar, “Turkiye’s foreign, defence ministers arrive,” The News International, 9 July 2025; “Top Turkish officials to arrive in Pakistan today,” The Express Tribune, 9 July 2025)
Privatization Commission shortlists four potential buyers for PIA
On 8 July, the Privatization Commission (PC) shortlisted four potential investors for the divestment of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). The board had received Statements of Qualification (SOQs) by five interest parties and those shortlisted include: First consortium comprising Lucky Cement, Hub Power Holdings, Kohat Cement and Metro Ventures; second consortium comprising Arif Habib Corporation, Fatima Fertiliser Company, City Schools (Private) Limited and Lake City Holdings (Private) Limited; Fauji Fertiliser Company and Airblue (Private) Limited. The next step involves a “buy-side due diligence phase.” In a separate but related development, the Cabinet Committee on Privatization (CCOP) came to a decision regarding the “transaction structure” for the Roosevelt Hotel in New York, which is owned by the PIA and is part of the privatization process. The committee approved a joint venture (J/V) model for the same. It is to be noted that the government is aiming for divestment of the PIA, where it will also forego majority shares and management control. A similar privatization process had failed last year, and this is the government’s second attempt. (Israr Khan, “PIA privatisation moves ahead as four investors pre-qualify,” The News International, 9 July 2025; Shahbaz Rana, “Cement makers in race to buy PIA,” The Express Tribune, 9 July 2025)
79 people killed in rain-related incidents, KP worst affected
On 8 July, the National Disaster Management Authority revealed that approximately 79 people, including 38 children, have been killed in rain-related devastation since 26 June. These incidents include landslides and house collapses. The body has further issued warnings for “flash flooding and glacial lake outbursts” in the northern and northwestern provinces of Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). The body has attributed these to “a significant rise in temperature, accelerating snow and glacier melt.” It has declared KP as the most “vulnerable” province owing to “critical infrastructural weaknesses and governance gaps.” KP has lost the maximum number of people (29) to rain-related incidents recently, with Swat, Kalam, and Chitral being most affected. On the same day, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) predicted and warned against forthcoming “widespread rain-wind/thundershower activity across the country.” (“79 lives lost to monsoon wrath,” The Express Tribune, 9 July 2025)
In Brief
POLITICS
Imran Khan rejects his party’s calls for dialogue with the ruling coalition
On 9 July, jailed PTI Founder Imran Khan rejected calls for a dialogue by his party leadership with the ruling coalition. It is to be noted that PTI leaders lodged in Kot Lakhpat Jail, including Shah Mehmood Qureshi, had earlier sought “unconditional” dialogue both with the current dispensation and the establishment. Both the PML-N and the PPP had reacted positively to this overture. Khan’s recent statement dismissing talks follows this development, indicating a starkly different position. Moreover, Khan has asserted that the moment for negotiations was “over.” Terming the incumbent government a “puppet regime,” he also announced a nationwide protest on 5 August. This day also marks the two-year anniversary of his arrest. (Ansar Abbasi, “Imran rejects Qureshi, other PTI leaders call for talks as sole option,” The News International, 9 July 2025)
PHC directs ECP to reallocate reserved seats in KP after political deliberation
On 8 July, the Peshawar High Court declared a 2024 notification of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) pertaining to the reserved seats in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) assembly as “null and void.” It also directed the ECP to redistribute the seats after deliberation with all concerned political parties in the next ten days. Moreover, it also ordered that the ECP’s deadline of 22 February, 2024, for independent candidates interested in joining a political party was “unconstitutional” as it violated “violated Article 106 of the Constitution, the Election Act 2017, and the Election Rules.” Separately, the Adviser to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister on Information, Barrister Muhammad Saif, called on the JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to reject the reserved seats allocated to this party and demonstrate “moral courage.” (Amjad Safi, “PHC voids notifications on reserved seats in KP,” The News International, 9 July 2025)
ECONOMY
PM Sharif calls for agricultural sector reforms to boost production
On 8 July, in a review meeting on the agricultural sector’s performance, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed concerned authorities to devise and propose a “comprehensive action plan” to improve production. He also asked them to suggest reforms for the same. In this regard, he said, “Improving agricultural productivity, value addition, and increasing exports of agricultural products are top priorities of the government.” He suggested that action plans, both short and long-term, be forged for “modern agricultural machinery, quality seeds, geographical planning of crops, and provision of easy loans to farmers.” He also emphasized that research centres for the sector be made more “effective” and “modern research” be fostered via “public-private partnerships.” (“PM seeks plan to boost agri production,” The Express Tribune, 9 July 2025)