Photo : X/Ishaq Dar
NIAS Area Studies
PAKISTAN READER
Photo : X/Ishaq Dar
In Focus
Chinese FM Wang Yi to visit Kabul for trilateral meeting with Pakistani and Afghan counterparts
On 20 August, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan Ishaq Dar will be visiting Kabul to take part in a “trilateral meeting” along with the Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Amir Khan Muttaqi. The attendees of the meeting would examine the state of progress in “counter-terrorism cooperation,” expanding CPEC to Afghanistan, and enhancing “trade and connectivity” in the region. The trilateral meeting would be the first in Afghanistan after the Taliban gained power, post-US withdrawal. Foreign Minister Wang Yi would also convene separate discussions with other leaders in the Taliban government regarding “political and economic cooperation.” After the meeting, Foreign Minister Wang Yi would visit Islamabad to take part in the Pakistan-China strategic dialogue scheduled for 21 August. (“Kabul hosts Pakistan, China foreign ministers today,” Dawn, 20 August 2025)
12 per cent decrease in Af-Pak trade in July
On 20 August, The Nation reported that the bilateral trade volume between Pakistan and Afghanistan has come down by 12 per cent in July, in comparison to June. The numbers in July are two per cent less than the numbers in July 2024. In July, Pakistan-Afghanistan trade stood at USD 138 million. This number came down from USD 158 million in June. In July 2024, the number stood at USD 141 million. In July, Pakistan’s export numbers to Afghanistan amounted to USD 102 million. This number came down by 28 per cent in comparison to June numbers, which stood at USD 142 million. In July 2024, this number stood at USD 104 million, two per cent higher than the July 2025 numbers. Pakistan’s imports from Afghanistan witnessed a huge increase. This number stood at USD 37 million in July, 129 per cent more than the June numbers, which stood at USD 16 million. Pakistan in July saw an increase in the import numbers of grapes (562 per cent), tomatoes (212 per cent), apricots (116 per cent), and cucumbers (nine per cent) from Afghanistan, in comparison to July 2024 numbers. (“Pak-Afghan trade drops by 12pc on MoM basis in July,” The Nation, 20 August 2025)
Pakistan braces for more rains; countrywide internet and telecom disruptions
On 19 August, heavy monsoon rains battered Karachi and other southern parts of Pakistan, killing at least eight people through electrocution and collapsing structures, flooding key roads, submerging underpasses, and crippling power and transport systems. Karachi’s outdated drainage and sewerage networks were overwhelmed, leaving commuters stranded and several areas without electricity. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah announced a public holiday for 20 August, excluding essential services, and discussed relief efforts with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. At the same time, 15 districts of Balochistan have been impacted by heavy rains, damaging up to 50 houses and blocking the main highway to Sindh. The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) forecast continued monsoon activity driven by currents from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, with widespread downpours expected in Sindh and heavy falls in Balochistan until 22 August. Lighter rains are likely in Islamabad, Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, POK, and Gilgit-Baltistan. PMD warned of urban flooding “in low-lying areas of Sindh, including Karachi, Hyderabad, Badin, Sajawal and adjoining districts,” flash floods in Balochistan, and structural damage, urging authorities, residents, and travellers to remain cautious and prepared.
On 20 August, Dawn reported that heavy rains in Karachi triggered a major countrywide internet and telephonic disruption after PTCL and Ufone services went down, affecting Jazz, Zong, and Telenor subscribers as well. NetBlocks confirmed connectivity had plunged to 20 per cent of normal levels. While PTCL acknowledged the issue without citing a cause, officials at the Ministry of IT and Telecom suggested a “technical fault at the submarine cable landing station in Clifton” may have resulted in the current countrywide outage. IT Minister Shaza Fatima pointed to power failures, downed towers, and congestion as further reasons, stating, “The other localised issue is temporary choking of the network as too many people were stranded at the same spot and almost everyone was either making calls or receiving them.”Around 12 million mobile users in Karachi were impacted, as the network load shifted to the three remaining telecom operators following Ufone’s outage. A PTA official stated that over 200 telecom towers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were damaged by flooding, though most sites in affected areas such as Swat, Buner, and Shangla have already been repaired. (“Karachi goes underwater,” The Express Tribune, 20 August 2025; Kalbe Ali, “Stormy weather disrupts internet nationwide,” Dawn, 20 August 2025)
In Brief
POLITICS
Imran Khan resilient in solitary confinement, PTI rejects by-elections
On 20 August, The Express Tribune reported that former Prime Minister Imran Khan was granted a meeting with his lawyer, Ali Bukhari, at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail on 19 August, while his wife, Bushra Bibi, was allowed to see her daughter and sister-in-law. In contrast, Khan’s sisters Aleema Khan, Uzma Khan, and Noreen Niazi were refused access, leading them to stage a roadside protest where six PTI workers were arrested. According to Bukhari, Khan remains resilient despite being held in solitary confinement, with no access to media or regular family visits, and expressed optimism that “the sun of justice will rise.” Aleema Khan accused officials of concealing CCTV evidence of the 9 May incident, demanded accountability, and rejected any need for an apology. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General Salman Akram Raja criticized convictions against PTI leaders based solely on two policemen’s testimony, calling the cases a “conspiracy,” stating that such “excesses” were not committed even during the freedom movement. He confirmed Imran Khan’s directive not to contest the upcoming by-elections and stated, “Some leaders believe we should participate, but for us, his word is final.” (Imran Asghar, “Sun of justice will rise, says Imran,” The Express Tribune, 20 August 2025)
ECONOMY
SBP data reveals USD 254 million current account deficit in July
On 20 August, The Express Tribune reported that Pakistan’s current account (CA) posted a USD 254 million deficit in July 2025, compared to a USD 335 million surplus in June and a USD 348 million deficit in July 2024, according to State Bank of Pakistan data. This reflects a year-on-year improvement of USD 94 million. Over July 2024–June 2025, performance was mixed: the fiscal year began with three consecutive deficits (July–Sept 2024), followed by strong surpluses in October–December 2024 . The largest deficit came in January 2025 (USD 380 million), before March recorded the highest surplus (USD 1.28billion). The account then stabilized with modest shifts, ending FY25 with a USD 340 million surplus in June. Analysts attribute the July 2025 shortfall to a “widening trade deficit as economic recovery spurred imports.” JS Global’s Waqas Ghani projected the CA to close FY26 in deficit, but noted stable commodity prices and “resilient remittances” will support reserves and external stability. (Shazia Tanseem Farooqi, “Current account posts $254 million deficit in July,” The Express Tribune, 20 August 2025)
SOCIETY
567 rape cases in four years in Islamabad
On 20 August, The Express Tribune reported that the Interior Ministry informed the Senate that between January 2021 and June 2025, Islamabad police registered 567 rape cases, of which 200 involved children (93 boys and 108 girls). A total of 625 suspects were arrested in connection with these cases. Of the child abuse cases, 222 suspects were arrested; 12 were convicted, 163 remain on trial, 15 acquitted, and 26 are absconding. Overall, out of 567 cases, “485 were challenged,” and court proceedings are ongoing. So far, “80 accused have been convicted,” 23 acquitted, and suspects in 406 cases are still on trial. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi stressed these figures were compiled from all police stations in Islamabad through zonal SPs. (“200 children among Islamabad rape victims,”) The Express Tribune, 20 August 2025
EXTERNAL
PM Sharif’s visit to Beijing will mark the initiation of CPEC-II, says Planning Minister
On 19 August, the federal government informed that PM Sharif’s visit to China in late August would signify the initiation of the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC-II). This was confirmed in a high-profile meeting by Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal. As per the sources of Dawn, PM Sharif, who will be traveling to China to take part in the Shanghai Cooperation Summit (SCO), will also hold separate meetings with President Putin and President Xi Jinping. Minister Iqbal informed that in China, he had expressed PM Sharif’s request for President Xi to come to Islamabad in 2026. 2026 marks 75 years of Pakistan-China relations. Further, Minister Iqbal, during the meeting, highlighted the urgency to increase Pakistan’s trade and export volume with China and instructed the relevant authorities to reduce the time required for obtaining a visa, which will help in growing businesses. (Khaleeq Kiani, “PM Shehbaz’s China visit to mark formal launch of CPEC-II,” Dawn, 20 August 2025)
Pakistan to request Qatar to revise the LNG import deal
On 19 August, Islamabad decided to engage with Qatar for revising the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) import deal. Pakistan has witnessed a decrease in industrial growth, which has also led to a decrease in the demand for electricity. Pakistan would have 50 extra cargoes of imported LNG in the next months. Pakistan’s LNG import deal with Qatar is set to expire in 2031. The Economic Coordination Committee has given its assent to the Petroleum Ministry to discuss the issue with Qatar, so that import numbers could be reduced. Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik will be going to Qatar, as the concerned authorities in Pakistan are unsure of Qatar’s readiness to renegotiate the import numbers. As per The Express Tribune, Pakistan is left with three options for managing the import surplus of LNG. First, it might request that Qatar decrease the cargo numbers from nine to six per month. Second, the government might request Qatar to delay the “expiry period” of the deal. Third, the government might ask Qatar to send the extra LNG to other countries, and the difference would be paid off by Pakistan. The federal government is required to pay for the agreed number of imported LNG cargoes, regardless of the fact whether the same is utilized or not. (Shahbaz Rana, “Pakistan seeks to renegotiate LNG deal with Qatar,” The Express Tribune, 20 August 2025)
|
