NIAS Area Studies
PAKISTAN READER
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In Brief
POLITICS & GOVERNANCE
Efforts to release political prisoners, including Imran are on tract, claims Fawad Khan
On 5 November, Dawn reported on former minister Farwad Khan’s claims that his effort to release political prisoners, including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, would start in the next 10 to 15 days. Fawad, along with fellow former PTI leaders Mehmood Moulvi and Imran Ismail, has been demanding discussions with the government and the PTI to achieve political stability and facilitate Imran’s release. “It is important to abate political hostilities for Pakistan’s political stability and […] long-term development,” Fawad said. Fawad’s statements follow a post on Imran Khan’s X account stating that he would “neither hold talks with the government nor with the establishment.” (“Fawad claims efforts for release of political prisoners, including Imran, to bear fruit soon - Pakistan - DAWN.COM,” Dawn, 5 November 2025)
Ishaq Dar denies allegations of external influence in the Constitutional Amendment bill
On 5 November, Dawn reported that Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed that the 27th Constitutional Amendment bill would be brought before parliament “soon,” and denied the involvement of any “external hand” in the amendment, and asserted that it was a government initiative. He assured that the bill will be presented “in accordance with the constitution,” and the voting will not be rushed. The remarks were in response to protests by opposition parties over the delay in appointing the leader of the opposition. Dar also stated that after consultations with the PPP, the government would engage all coalition partners, including the MQM, ANP, IPP, and BAP, following a standard process. He explained that such amendments usually originate in the National Assembly but added that, if senators preferred, he could request that the draft be presented in the Senate first. He also endorsed the opposition’s call for the prompt appointment of the opposition leader, noting that the Senate chairman must first determine who holds the majority. PTI Senator Ali Zafar described the proposed 27th Amendment as a “conspiracy against the Constitution.” He cautioned that “dictators had distorted” the constitution and that the proposed amendment risked reversing the achievements of the 18th Amendment by rolling back the provisions of the federal government. “All these proposals, as suggested in PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s own tweet, strike at the very foundations of our constitutional order, reversing the principles of provincial autonomy, parliamentary supremacy and judicial independence,” he stated. (“No ‘external hand’ behind latest amendment: Dar - Newspaper” Dawn, 5 November 2025)
ECONOMY
Pakistan assures IMF on releasing the Governance and Corruption Diagnostic (GCD) assessment report ahead of board meeting that will decide USD 1.2 billion disbursement
On 5 November, Dawn reported that Pakistan has assured the International Monetary Fund (IMF) it will release the long-delayed Governance and Corruption Diagnostic (GCD) assessment report before IMF’s executive board meeting to decide a USD 1.2 billion disbursement under the USD 7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF). Release of the IMF-prepared report and a follow-up action plan addressing governance weaknesses at both federal and provincial levels is part of key structural benchmarks. The report’s release had been postponed many times, primarily due to technical and factual disagreements between Pakistan authorities and the IMF. According to an official, these differences are now resolved and the final draft has been shared with IMF headquarters in Washington for review. The GCD, developed in consultation with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and domestic institutions such as the judiciary, anti-corruption bodies, and finance ministries, finds major gaps in public finance management, tax systems, and asset disclosure mechanisms. The IMF has advised Pakistan to improve transparency, data-based accountability, and safeguards against misuse of public office. The report’s publication comes ahead of the upcoming board approval expected after mid-November, this is set to enable the next tranche of IMF funding. (Khaleeq Kiani, “Govt to release key report ahead of IMF board meeting,” Dawn, 5 November 2025)
SOCIETY
Pakistan’s actual level of urbanisation at about 88 per cent far over the 39 per cent quoted in official statistics, finds a World Bank study
On 5 November, Dawn reported findings from a World Bank working paper titled “When Does a Village Become a Town?: Revisiting Pakistan’s Urbanisation Using Satellite Data,” which estimates Pakistan’s actual level of urbanisation at about 88 per cent which is significantly higher than the 39 per cent quoted in official statistics. Using satellite data and the Degree of Urbanisation (DoU) methodology, the study shows that Pakistan’s administrative boundaries do not capture the actual population density and settlement patterns. It finds that 46 per cent of the population lives in high-density urban areas and 42 per cent in moderately dense centres, pointing that peri-urban and secondary cities, not just megacities, are driving recent urban growth. This discrepancy in official classifications could distort fiscal planning, reduce property tax revenues, and add challenges to equitable delivery of public services. Moreover, it shadows real urban–rural disparities, complicating evidence-based policymaking. Provincial variations are also deep, Islamabad’s urban population rises from an official 47 per cent to 90 per cent under the DoU, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s increases nearly threefold. The research shows that since the early 2000s, Pakistan’s urban landscape has transformed, with large segments of the rural population transitioning from agriculture and rural settlements into new urban centres. (Amin Ahmed, “World Bank study finds Pakistan’s urbanisation level at 88pc,” Dawn, 5 November 2025)
EXTERNAL
Germany offers cash incentives to Afghan refugees in Pakistan open to withdraw from its resettlement program
On 5 November, Dawn reported that Germany has offered cash incentives to Afghan refugees in Pakistan willing to withdraw from its resettlement programme. Around 2,000 Afghans, accepted under a scheme created by the previous German government, have been struck in Pakistan since Chancellor Friedrich Merz froze the initiative in May. According to the group Airbridge Kabul, refugees received letters offering payments including 1,500 euros in Pakistan and additional 5,000 euros upon return to Afghanistan or relocation to a third country as part of a voluntary return programme. The scheme was originally aimed for Afghans at risk from the Taliban, including journalists and human rights defenders. Activists criticised the move, saying none planned to accept the offer, reported Dawn. Despite a previous German-Pakistan understanding to stop deportations, at least 17 arrests occurred in late October in the backdrop of strained relations between Afghanistan-Pakistan. (“Germany offers cash to Afghans in Pakistan to forgo resettlement,” Dawn, 5 November 2025)