ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s newly-formed ruling alliance is yet to finalize its finance minister, the person who has to lead an immediate effort to negotiate a new International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout, sources familiar with the discussions said.
The struggling $350 billion economy has a narrow path to recovery and the current IMF agreement expires on April 11, with critical external financing avenues linked to securing another extended program.
Former four-time finance minister Ishaq Dar remains the top contender, according to two sources in his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, which is leading the coalition.
PML-N’s Shehbaz Sharif has been nominated by the alliance to be prime minister in an election scheduled for March 3. He will announce his cabinet, including the finance minister, shortly after being elected.
But Dar is not the only candidate being considered, the sources said. Despite being a relative of, and close aide to, PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif, many political allies have criticized Dar’s handling of the economy in the last coalition set up.
He, however, has defended his actions, saying he had to take tough measures to avert a sovereign default by securing the IMF program, which former Prime Minister Imran Khan had scuttled days before leaving his office, a charge Khan denies.
Pakistan struggled for over four months to lock in the stand-by arrangement last summer when Dar was finance minister, and it took the intervention of his prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, to secure a last-ditch deal.
Dar also regularly criticized the IMF on public platforms in the middle of negotiations, and has long favored market interventions to prop up the Pakistani rupee – something the IMF has warned against.
If Dar doesn’t get the portfolio, his party might consider creating a position of deputy prime minister for him, one of the sources in the PML-N said.
Also being considered are caretaker Finance Minister Shamshad Akhtar, a former central bank governor, who is overseeing key policy measures under the current IMF program, both sources said.
Akhtar has been a key part of the caretaker set up that has been praised by the IMF for “decisive policy efforts” to maintain stability.
Another name being considered is Muhammad Aurangzeb, president and chief executive officer of the country’s largest bank, Habib Bank Limited, the sources said.
Aurangzeb had also served as the CEO of JP Morgan’s Global Corporate Bank based in Asia.
Akhtar did not respond to a Reuters request for a comment and Aurangzeb’s HBL said it would not comment on “rumors and speculations.”
A PML-N spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.
Dar himself told reporters before the parliament’s inaugural session on Thursday that there was no decision yet when asked if he would be the choice for finance minister again.
PML-N senior leader Irfan Siddiqui told the local newspaper The News that Dar will “most probably” be picked for the post.
Aside from negotiating a new and extended IMF program, the new finance minister will have about three months to prepare a federal budget that will need to strike a difficult balance between tough reforms and rejuvenating a struggling economy.
The PML-N, leading a minority government, will be relying on the support of different parties to pass critical legislation, with alliance partner Pakistan Peoples Party saying it would support the government on an issue-to-issue basis.
Efforts to assuage growing public anger at record inflation hovering around 30 percent will also be challenging with limited fiscal space.
“Pakistan needs someone who has broad and in-depth international experience to introduce the kind of reforms that have helped many other countries to come out of economic crises,” said Yousuf Nazar, a London-based economist and former Citigroup banker.
He, however, declined to say who was best suited.
Race for new Pakistan finance minister heats up ahead of crucial IMF negotiations
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Race for new Pakistan finance minister heats up ahead of crucial IMF negotiations
- Ishaq Dar remains the top contender, though he may be declared deputy PM if he does not get the portfolio
- Pakistan’s interim finance minister and president of the country’s largest HBL bank are also said to be in the race
IMF team to arrive in Pakistan in coming week for talks on ‘next phase of engagement’
- Esther Perez Ruiz says IMF encourages better governance, wants to help with inclusive economic growth
- She says IMF mission team will be led by Nathan Porter and hold meetings with the Pakistani authorities
KARACHI: The top International Monetary Fund (IMF) official in Pakistan confirmed on Saturday the global lending agency will send a delegation to Islamabad next week to discuss the “next phase of engagement” with the government that has publicly expressed its interest in securing a larger and longer-term loan.
Last month, the country’s finance minister, Muhammad Aurangzeb, told a media briefing Pakistan was hoping to reach a staff-level agreement with the IMF for a new loan “by June or early July.”
His statement came at a time when the country’s short-term IMF loan program of $3 billion was about to expire after its successful completion.
However, he did not elaborate much on the government’s preference for the size and duration of the next loan facility, saying these issues would be discussed during negotiations with the IMF team.
“A mission team led by Nathan Porter, IMF’s Mission Chief to Pakistan, will meet with authorities next week to discuss the next phase of engagement,” Esther Perez Ruiz, IMF Resident Representative for Pakistan, told Arab News in response to a query.
“The aim is to lay the foundation for better governance and stronger, more inclusive, and resilient economic growth that will benefit all Pakistanis,” she added.
Some Pakistani media outlets recently reported that an IMF team was already visiting the country to discuss the bailout program under the Extended Fund Facility.
However, the IMF statement clarifies its mission is yet to arrive in Islamabad for negotiations.
PM Sharif seeks UK investment as Pakistan bolsters economic diplomacy amid financial recovery
- The PM highlights governance and institutional reforms by his administration in a meeting with the top British diplomat
- Pakistan has been actively urging countries worldwide to explore opportunities in mining, tourism and agriculture sectors
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed a keen interest in attracting investment from the United Kingdom during a meeting with British High Commissioner Jane Marriott on Saturday, as his administration continued active economic diplomacy by encouraging countries worldwide to explore opportunities in mining, tourism, information technology and agriculture sectors.
Faced with daunting financial challenges, Pakistan sought the International Monetary Fund (IMF) assistance and encouraged businesses and entrepreneurs from friendly nations to invest in the local market to reap benefits and help with the country’s economic recovery.
So far, the government’s focus has mainly remained on the Gulf states since the establishment of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), a civil-military hybrid body, established last year to oversee foreign financing.
However, Federal Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb announced earlier this week investors from the United States and European countries were also taking interest in putting their money in Pakistan amid its gradually recovering economy.
“Pakistan and the United Kingdom enjoy long-standing relations that are further strengthening with the passage of time,” the prime minister was quoted as saying by the state-owned Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news service.
The APP also reported that Sharif highlighted his administration’s efforts to improve governance structures and introducing institutional reforms.
“He said that the government was taking measures at the micro and macroeconomic levels to recover the country’s economy,” the report said. “Moreover, he said the digitization process of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) was in the final stage.”
Pakistan serves notices to 12 cosmetic companies for ‘greenwashing,’ misleading marketing
- Competition Commission of Pakistan says these firms falsely claimed their products to be organic, chemical-free
- It asks customers to remain vigilant and report misleading advertising claims, health hazards caused by them
KARACHI: The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) announced on Saturday it had served notices to 12 cosmetics companies for running “deceptive marketing campaigns” by engaging in “greenwashing,” falsely describing their products as organic and devoid of any chemicals.
The CCP is a regulatory agency with a fundamental mandate to ensure a level playing field for all market players and to protect consumers from anti-competitive practices, predatory behavior and price-fixing.
The CCP statement also highlighted that Section 10 of the Competition Act, 2010, prohibits misleading marketing practices and emphasizes “accuracy, integrity, reliability and truthfulness” in marketing communication to assist consumers in making informed purchase decisions.
“The Competition Commission of Pakistan has taken cognizance of deceptive marketing by the beauty products’ manufacturers and issued notices to 12 companies regarding their false and misleading claims,” the CCP said.
“CCP’s preliminary probe revealed that these Undertakings were prima facie engaged in ‘greenwashing’, advertising their products as ‘Natural, Organic, Sustainable, Pure, and Chemical Free’ without having any scientific evidence to support their claims,” it added. “Such unsubstantiated marketing claims not only mislead the consumers but also pose potential health risks.”
It added the notices issued by its officials could ultimately lead to responsible marketing practices prioritizing environmental integrity and consumer trust.
The statement also urged consumers to remain vigilant and report false advertising claims along with any health hazards caused as their consequence.
Japan defeat Pakistan in dramatic shootout to win 2024 Azlan Shah Hockey Cup final
- Japan seized an early lead with a field goal in the 12th minute, igniting a fierce contest that ended in a 2-2 draw
- The electrifying shootout phase led to Japan’s convincing 4-1 victory, helping the team clinch the Azlan Shah cup
ISLAMABAD: In a dramatic conclusion to the 2024 Azlan Shah Hockey Cup on Saturday, Japan defeated Pakistan in a penalty shootout after a tense 2-2 draw, dashing the Pakistan team’s hopes that had reached the tournament final for the first time since 2011 following a series of stellar performances.
Six teams participated in the event, including the tournament Malaysia, Pakistan, South Korea, Japan, New Zealand and Canada. Pakistan won the Azlan Shah Cup title three times in the past and was the second runners-up in the last edition which was also held in Malaysia two years ago.
Prior to facing Japan the second time in the tournament, Pakistan played against New Zealand on Friday in a match that ended in a tie.
“Today is the day we’ve all been waiting for,” the Pakistan Hockey Federation exclaimed in a social media post prior to the match. “The FINAL showdown of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup is here, and our beloved Green Shirts are ready to take on Japan ... Let’s rally behind our team with all our support and cheers as they aim for glory on the field!”
In a riveting showdown, Japan seized an early lead with a field goal in the 12th minute, igniting a fierce contest that saw both teams neck and neck until the final whistle.
As regular time expired with the score deadlocked, the match escalated into an electrifying shootout phase.
When the dust settled, however, Japan had triumphed with a convincing 4-1 victory, clinching the cup and retaining their top position on the leaderboard where they already stood tall with 13 points right ahead of the final.
Pakistan, despite a valiant effort, were on the second place with two draws.
Pakistan drafts new social media regulatory law amid free speech concerns from digital activists
- The government says it wants the legislation to curb disinformation, hate speech on social media platforms
- Rights activists fear the authorities may curb online dissent instead of encouraging responsible Internet use
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is working on a draft law to regulate social media to “protect digital rights” of millions of users, encourage responsible Internet use and regulate online content to prevent hate speech and disinformation, confirmed a senator belonging to the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party on Saturday.
The authorities have long struggled to regulate the social media content through different legislations, prompting critics to accuse it of trying to quell dissent. The popular social media platform X remains blocked in the country after widespread allegations of election manipulation in the wake of the February 8 national polls.
Earlier this month, the government notified a National Cybercrimes Investigation Agency to probe electronic crimes and is now working on another draft law related to the social media content, making digital rights activists describe it as yet another official attempt to stifle criticism online.
“The government is currently working on a draft law to regulate the social media content as we want to curb disinformation and hate speech being spread through these platforms,” Senator Afnan Ullah Khan told Arab News.
“A committee led by the federal law minister is discussing the draft law as we have to ensure people’s right to freedom of speech and freedom of expression as well,” he continued, ruling out concerns the government wanted to muffle its rivals and critics.
Khan said the draft law would be tabled in parliament within four weeks for discussion and debate.
“The opposition parties or any parliamentarian can object to any clause of the bill once it is presented in parliament for vote,” he said.
“We want to protect digital rights of our users instead of imposing any restrictions, but at the same time we want those to be prosecuted who violate the law by inciting hate speech and pedaling disinformation, or any content against the national security,” he added.
The draft law may propose establishment of a digital rights protection authority to ensure effective enforcement of laws, Khan informed, but “all this will be disclosed to the media and public once the bill is tabled in parliament for discussion.”
Digital rights activists said successive governments in Pakistan had drafted new laws or amended old ones to curb the dissenting voices on social media platforms and file criminal charges against journalists and activists to restrict freedom of speech and expression.
“The government should involve all stakeholders, including civil society and rights activists, while drafting the new law to prevent its misuse,” Sabookh Syed, President of Digital Media Alliance of Pakistan, told Arab News.
“The government may strengthen defamation laws to prevent social media misuse instead of making it a criminal offense that could lead to persecution of activists and violate constitutional guarantees related to free speech,” he added.
