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NIAS Area Studies
PAKISTAN READER
Photo : XINHUA
In Focus
Pakistan-China reaffirm their commitment to ensuring peace and stability in the region
On 24 July, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir held a meeting with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing. The Chinese foreign minister conveyed China’s “full confidence” in Pakistan’s military for enhancing “strategic partnership” between the two countries. Further, he reaffirmed that Pakistan would continue to be a “diplomatic priority” for Beijing. He expressed Beijing’s willingness to strengthen bilateral ties and together contribute towards enhancing regional peace and stability. Pakistan’s chief of army staff acknowledged Beijing’s continual backing and assistance to Pakistan for achieving its “socio-economic” goals. He reaffirmed the Pakistan Armed Forces’ resolve towards making sure that Chinese nationals who are working in the country remain safe. He also stressed Islamabad’s commitment towards enhancing “counter-terrorism” collaboration with Beijing for maintaining peace and stability in the region. (“China reiterates unwavering support for Pakistan,” The Express Tribune, 25 July 2025)
Senate passes resolution to denounce the “honour killing” in Balochistan
On 24 July, PPP leader Sherry Rehman put forward a resolution in the senate which denounced the recent “honour killing” incident which took place in Balochistan. The resolution was later passed in the Senate. JUI-F was the only political party that refused to support the resolution. The resolution called the incident an “act of vigilante violence” and dismissed any sort of justification for the murder. The resolution emphasized that the gruesome murder should not be justified using “cultural or traditional pretexts.” The resolution called for bringing the culprits under the ambit of law and argued that rules and regulations should not be “selectively applied.” Further, it demanded that the government initiate a fair inquiry into the incident and work towards providing speedy justice. It also suggested that the Ministry of Law and Justice must look into the loopholes that prevent “enforcement of laws” with regard to honour killings. (“Senate slams 'honour killing' in Balochistan, urges swift justice,” The Express Tribune, 24 July 2025)
Foreign Office dismisses speculations around diplomatic recognition of Taliban government
On 24 July, the Foreign Office termed rumours about Pakistan looking to provide diplomatic recognition to the Taliban government in Afghanistan as “speculative.” He said, “At this point, it is speculative. I cannot comment on it.” He informed that discussions related to security concerns were prioritized during the recent visit of Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to Kabul. Further, he asserted that there has been a significant amount of progress in addressing matters that could lead to disruption in bilateral trade. On relations with Iran, he reaffirmed Iran being a “very close friend, neighbour, and brotherly country.” He informed that Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian would soon be travelling to Pakistan, however did not mention the actual dates. On relations with the US, he informed that Foreign Minister Dar would be holding a meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The two leaders are anticipated to address matters related to “bilateral relations and global issues.” Further, the foreign office cautioned New Delhi not to engage in any “misadventure.” He asserted that Pakistan is ready to give a befitting reply to any Indian acts of “aggression.” (“FO rejects reports of Afghan Taliban recognition as 'speculative,'” The Express Tribune, 24 July 2025)
In Brief
POLITICS & GOVERNANCE
Tehreek Tahaffuz-e-Ain announces two-day all-party conference
On 25 July, The Express Tribune reported that during a press conference, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, head of Tehreek Tahaffuz-e-Ain, which is an alliance of opposition parties, stated that the coalition will hold an All Parties Conference (APC) between 31 July and 1 August in order to advocate for constitutional supremacy. Achakzai, who is the chairman of Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), further stated that the alliance was not formed at the behest of any organisation and will exist till “the country has a truly impartial polls oversight authority, supremacy of the Constitution, and a parliament that is the true source of power”. Achakzai called the arrest of former Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan “an insult to governance” and condemned the Anti Terrorism Court's 10-year sentences for the 9 May, vowing peaceful nationwide protests against the government. Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s Salman Akram Raja affirmed the non-violent character of the movement and cautioned against using this movement as an excuse for the suppression of the opposition’s voices. ( “Opposition calls APC on July 31-Aug 1,” The Express Tribune, 25 July 2025)
Prime Minister Sharif holds meeting with tribal leaders of merged Khyber Pakhtunkhwa districts
On 25 July, The Express Tribune reported that, while hosting a delegation of tribal elders (jirga) from the merged district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, led by JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced a revival of quotas in medical colleges and engineering universities for the merged districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This decision was appreciated by the jirga. In his conversation with the delegation, PM Sharif praised the tribes for their enormous sacrifices for safeguarding the security of Pakistan and further emphasized that the establishment of law and security remains of immediate importance for the government. The prime minister also highlighted the federal government’s significant financial allocation in this year’s developmental budget to enhance police infrastructure in the region and the upgradation of FATA University. He also directed the expansion of the committee headed by Federal Minister Engineer Amir Muqam to more effectively tackle issues in the merged districts. He noted that tribal elders have been included in the committee for broader representation. The jirga expressed gratitude for the consultative session on peace and development, and the prime minister assured that more such meetings with tribal elders would follow. ( “PM restores tribal quota in universities,” The Express Tribune, 25 July 2025)
Ahsan Iqbal-led Committee proposes National Executive Service alongside other extensive reforms
On 25 July, Minister Ahsan Iqbal led committee shared certain recommendations alongside a group of technocrats, journalists, and other service professionals on the establishment of a National Executive Service (NES) with lateral entry and an improved compensation package. Some of the other recommendations made by the committee include: operationalizing three major areas, namely administrative, finance services, and information group, granting permission for usage of Urdu, protection of tenure-based postings, a screening test before the conduct of Central Superior Services exam (CSS) modeled on Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) examinations. The committee also closely examined the Pakistan Army’s MS Branch, observing key insights. These included a structured pyramid hierarchy with fewer promotions at higher ranks, and a merit-based system guided by comprehensive assessments, decisions on promotions based on objective criteria such as performance, training, discipline, and war experience. The committee recommended opening up NES to private sector talent, it advocated a pyramid structure, skill specialization, performance-linked pay, such as PKR five million in incentives for top performers, and tax reliefs. Drawing from global best practices, the committee suggested adopting market-based salaries to enhance civil service efficiency and a depoliticisation of bureaucracy. (Mehtab Haider, “Panel unveils sweeping civil service reforms,” The News International, 25 July 2025)
Court turns down Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister’s request
On 25 July, a Lower Court in Islamabad turned down Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur’s request to let an advocate general record a statement on his behalf in a case related to alleged illegal weapons recovery and liquor. The court maintained the arrest warrants and instructed Gandapur to submit his statement either in person or through video link at the next hearing. ( “Court rejects K-P CM's request,” The Express Tribune, 25 July 2025)
ECONOMY
NA’s Public Accounts Committee meets to review audit objections related to Agricultural Development Bank
On 25 July, The Express Tribune reported that the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has sounded alarm over the extent of unresolved audit objections plaguing the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB). Repeated reports of corruption, embezzlement, non-repayment of loans, and theft evoked great concern from the members of the committee. While responding to the concerns, the ADB President affirmed that with the recruitment of better-qualified officers, the situation has markedly improved, admitting that many of the officers previously only possessed matric level qualifications. The PAC’s Chair, Naveed Qamar, criticized the bank's history of lending to defaulters, describing it as blatant fraud. (“PAC shocked by ADB corruption,” The Express Tribune, 25 July 2025)
Federal Board of Revenue flags loss of revenue through fake invoices
On 25 July, Dawn reported that Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) member Hamid Atique Sarwar has testified before a senate standing committee on Finance and Revenue that more than PKR 873 billion were discovered in fake invoices last year, taking up the total to PKR 2.37 billion in the preceding two years which he said is almost one-third of the total tax collected on the Customs side. Sarvar asserted that such a loss of revenue due to a weak government cannot continue. Sarwar provided this information in response to the appeals made by the business community for a relaxation in tax laws under the Finance Bill 2025-26. Further, praising the bill, Sarvar stated that it provides “multiple safeguards to avoid harassment of businessmen and taxpayers”. FBR official Dr. Najeeb noted that the government had scaled back the FBR’s powers due to resistance from coalition partners, lawmakers, and others, resulting in significant changes between the bill’s original version and the final version passed by Parliament, he acknowledged that limited time for anomaly committees led to some misunderstandings but insisted the “element of fear” was exaggerated. (“More than Rs 2.2tr lost to tax evasion in 2 years :FBR” Dawn, 25 July 2025)
Senate Standing Committee addresses concerns regarding FBR’s detention powers
On July 25, The Express Tribune reported that The Senate Standing Committee on Finance, led by Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, met to address concerns over the four percent additional sales tax and the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) detention powers. FBR Member Dr. Hamid Ateeq Sarwar explained that instead of encouraging formalization, businesses chose to pay the extra tax and pass it on to consumers. The International Monetary Fund rejected a proposal to abolish the tax, demanding 50,000 new sales tax registrations. Sarwar revealed that only 60,000 of 200,000 registered sales taxpayers actually pay taxes. Pakistan Muslim League -Nawaz’s Anusha Rahman cautioned about legal loopholes and urged arrests only with evidence of fraud. The Prime Minister instructed that taxpayers must not face harassment. While Sarwar said changes couldn’t be made until the next budget, clarifications would be issued via circulars. (Shahbaz Rana “IMF ties 4% tax removal to wider net”, The Express Tribune, 25 July 2025)
SOCIETY
Inoculation is not enough to eradicate polio from the country, argues National Assembly panel
On 24 July, the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination informed that the re-emergence of cases of polio in Karachi and southern areas of KP was due to “poor sanitation” and not being able to inoculate enough number of children because of “security and operational challenges.” The committee was presided over by Member of the National Assembly Mahesh Kumar Malani. He especially stressed the need to enhance “environmental hygiene” through “cleaning drains and sewage systems.” He argued that inoculation alone will not help in eradicating polio from the country. The attendees of the meeting acknowledged that “stagnant water, overflowing drains, and poor hygiene” have resulted in the reversal of improvements made through vaccination. (M. Waqar Bhatti, “Polio resurfaces in KP, Karachi, warns NA panel,” The News International, 25 July 2025)
SECURITY
Security forces neutralize three militants in Mastung, Balochistan
On 25 July, The Express Tribune reported that security forces launched an intelligence-based operation in Mastung, Balochistan. They managed to neutralize three militants, who, as per the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), were backed by India. However, in the gunfight, two army personnel also lost their lives. Security forces have initiated a search operation to hunt down other militants who are hiding in the area. Separately, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Tall Scouts, a soldier fell victim to a “sniper attack.” In another incident in Bannu, KP, an FC personnel lost his life in a militant assault, whereas two others were wounded. The security forces managed to injure one militant; however, they were unable to capture him. President Zardari appreciated the efforts put in by the security forces and paid his respects to the army personnel who lost their lives in the attack. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi conveyed his condolences to the relatives of the army personnel who lost their lives. He reaffirmed the government's commitment towards eradicating terrorism from Pakistan. (“Army officer, soldier martyred in Mastung anti-terror operation,” The Express Tribune, 25 July 2025)
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