ISLAMABAD: The government is weighing options to review a constitutional amendment, which a decade ago granted greater autonomy to provinces.
The 18th Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan was passed by the National Assembly in 2010, supported by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).
While it primarily turned Pakistan into a parliamentary republic and removed the power of the president to dissolve the parliament, the amendment also devolved 18 federal ministries to the provinces. It also removed a ban on prime minister serving more than two terms, clearing the way for PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif to take office for a third time in 2013.
Amendment to the amendment has been discussed several times since Prime Minister Imran Khan's party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) came into power in 2018, attracting criticism from the opposition, especially PML-N and PPP.
In its resolve to review the amendment, the ruling party cites the need to fix several flaws and restore federal authority over legislation and financial matters.
"The amendment was a major step towards provincial autonomy in Pakistan, but some flaws have also surfaced in it with the passage of time, which need to be fixed," Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan told Arab News in an interview on Wednesday.
He said that while the government strongly believes in provincial autonomy and would not infringe upon provincial rights, it wants "to improve the 18th amendment in consultation with all parliamentary parties."
He said the federation’s authority over legislation and financial matters has been significantly reduced, as provinces are now autonomous to legislate over subjects such as education and health. "This is problematic in many ways … coordination issues (with provinces) have also come up during coronavirus pandemic," he said.
Meanwhile, opposition parties demand that the amendment be first fully implemented before the government starts negotiations to fix it.
"These are the tactics to distract media and public from real issues," Taj Haider, a senior PPP leader, told Arab News.
He said the federation under the amendment was bound to accept provincial ownership over natural resources and hand over 50 percent of its revenue to the relevant province, but the clause has not been implemented.
"The center is denying us (Sindh province) over Rs200 billion annually in our due share of earnings through natural gas and petroleum products," Haider said.
According to PML-N chairman Raja Zafarul Haq the debate is "untimely and useless." He said, "We should move forward instead of looking back into the history."
"The government should first tell us the flaws in the amendment, and then we will decide what to do," Haq said, adding that his party would look into the issue if the government brings in on in parliament.
Independent experts, however, argue that federal concerns over revenue distribution could be genuine as the center is left with little resources to meet its expenses. Provinces get their share from taxes collected by the government by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). In the fiscal year 2011-12, it was increased from 46.5 percent to 57.5 percent, affecting federal development and defense expenditure.
"There is no harm in reviewing the amendment through a democratic process," Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, president of Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT), told Arab News. "Constitution is a living document and can be amended anytime, but this should be after thorough debate in the parliament."
The ruling party lacks the necessary two-third majority in both the National Assembly and Senate to amend the 18th amendment on its own.
Calls for constitutional amendment stir debate over provincial autonomy
https://arab.news/n9teg
Calls for constitutional amendment stir debate over provincial autonomy
- 18th amendment passed in 2010 granted financial and legislative autonomy to provinces
- Under the amendment, federation is bound to accept provincial ownership of natural resources
Pakistan football team to travel to Saudi Arabia on Thursday for AFC Asian Cup qualifier camp
- Pakistan will face Syria in AFC Asian Cup qualifier fixture on Mar. 25 in Saudi Arabia's Al-Ahsa
- Green shirts to resume training camp in Saudi Arabia under Head Coach Stephen Constantine
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's national football team will travel to Saudi Arabia tomorrow, Thursday, where they will resume training for the upcoming AFC Asian Cup qualifier fixture against Syria, the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) said in a statement.
Pakistan will kick off their AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualification campaign against Syria on Mar. 25 at the Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia.
The green shirts concluded their training session in the eastern city of Lahore on Wednesday night, the PFF said.
"The team is set to depart for Saudi Arabia tomorrow night, where they will continue their training under the guidance of Head Coach Stephen Constantine," the PFF said.
Earlier this month, Pakistan reappointed Constantine, who previously served as the country's head coach from late 2023 until mid-2024, as head coach for the Syria fixture.
Pakistan's inclusion in the qualifier was made possible after the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) lifted its international suspension against the country earlier this month.
FIFA hit Pakistan on Feb. 6 with a third international suspension in less than eight years after the federation rejected its electoral reforms. Following the suspension, the PFF unanimously approved FIFA's proposed constitutional amendments in an extraordinary meeting in Lahore this month.
Pakistan are placed in Group E of the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers alongside Syria, Afghanistan and Myanmar.
PAKISTAN PROBABLES
Goal-Keepers: Yousuf Butt, Saqib Hanif, Abdul Basit and Adam Khan
Defenders: Abdullah Iqbal, Easah Suliman, Haseeb Khan, Junaid Shah, Mamoon Moosa, Mohammad Fazal, Abdul Rehman and Waqar Ihtisam
Midfielders: Alamgir Ghazi, Ali Uzair, Ali Zafar, Muhammad Umar Hayat, Rahis Nabi, Toqeer ul Hassan, Umair Ali and Moin Ahmed
Forwards: Fareedullah, Harun Hamid, Imran Kayani, Mckeal Abdullah, Abdul Samad, Shayak Dost and Muhammad Adeel Younas
Pakistan, Russia conduct joint naval exercise in North Arabian Sea
- Both navies hold ‘Arabian Monsoon-VI’ exercise in Arabian Sea to enhance interoperability
- Russian navy delegates meet Pakistan Navy officials, pay tribute to Pakistan founder Jinnah
KARACHI: Pakistani and Russian navies conducted a bilateral naval exercise named “Arabian Monsoon-VI” in the North Arabian Sea on Wednesday, the Pakistan Navy said in a statement, in their bid to counter maritime security threats and enhance interoperability.
Pakistan and Russia, once Cold War rivals, have strengthened their relations through increased dialogue, trade and cooperation in energy and defense. Regular port visits and joint exercises between the Pakistan Navy and the Russian Navy have deepened bilateral ties, enhanced naval collaboration and fostered mutual trust.
“Various assets of Pakistan Navy, including a Destroyer, an Offshore Patrol Vessel, a Fast Attack Craft (Missile), a Maritime Patrol Aircraft and a UAV, participated in the exercise alongside Russian Federation Navy ships,” the Directorate General Public Relations (DGPR) of the Pakistan Navy said.
Multi-faceted maritime warfare serials and a coordinated patrol featured in the exercise, which also aimed at enhancing the interoperability of both navies, it added.
The exercise also featured participation from the Pakistan Air Force fighter aircraft.
The Russian navy delegates also called on Pakistan Navy officials and paid tribute to the nation’s founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah, laying a floral wreath at his mausoleum.
“Joint maritime exercises with key naval forces underscore Pakistan Navy’s commitment to maintaining maritime security and ensuring a stable maritime order in the region,” the statement added.
On Mar. 13, the Russian navy flotilla arrived in the southern port city of Karachi where cross-ship visits, harbor drills and table-top discussions between the two sides were conducted.
The Pakistan Navy regularly collaborates with allies and friendly nations, conducting joint military exercises to enhance synergy, promote regional peace and stability, deter piracy, drug trafficking and other illicit maritime activities.
Pakistan stocks hit record high on strong buying from local institutions
- The KSE-100 Index hit a record high of 117,974 points, rising by 973 points
- Overall, 543 million shares were traded, with a turnover of Rs 32 billion
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s benchmark stock index (PSX) hit an all-time high on Wednesday, nearing the barrier of 118,000 points due to strong buying activity from local institutions, Topline Securities said.
The KSE-100 Index hit a record high of 117,974 points, rising by 973 points (0.83 percent).
“The market continued its upward momentum, fueled by strong buying activity from local institutions, peaking at 118,244 points during the day,” Topline Securities said in its market review.
The rally was primarily driven by Hub Power Company, Mari Energies, Engro Holdings, Systems Limited and Pakistan Petroleum, which together contributed 551 points to the index. On the other hand, Fauji Fertilizer Company, Engro Fertilizer, and Pakistan Oilfields exerted downward pressure, pulling the index down by 54 points.
“Overall, 543 million shares were traded, with a turnover of Rs 32 billion. Pakistan International Bulk Terminal topped the volume chart with 52 million shares traded,” Topline added.
Mohammed Sohail, a chief executive at Topline Securities, attributed the bull run to “expectations that the government will agree with banks to resolve old circular debt issues that will help listed energy companies.”
In Pakistan, “circular debt” refers to a cascading cycle of unpaid liabilities within the energy sector, where power distribution companies (DISCOs) fail to pay the Central Power Purchasing Authority-Guarantee (CPPA-G), which in turn cannot pay power generation companies (GENCOs), and so on.
The government last week announced it had reached an agreement with banks to extend PHL, a state-owned entity, Rs1.25 trillion in financing at a favorable floating interest rate of Kibor minus 0.90pc per annum.
The move was described as part of a broad strategy to eliminate circular debt in the power sector, which has been fueled by unpaid bills, theft, and distribution losses that have continued to accumulate over the past decade. Circular debt is one of the most contentious issues in Pakistan’s negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the first review of its $7 billion bailout program.
Sana Tawfik, head of research at Arif Habib Limited, said the positive momentum in stocks was continuing since last week.
“Secondly, volume levels have improved since Ramazan’s first week — that is, buying activity is visible,” she said. “On the economic front, there has been significant progress made regarding the IMF deal.”
Pakistan announces three-day Eid Al-Fitr holiday from Mar. 31 to Apr. 2
- Ramadan began in Pakistan on Mar. 2, a day after most other Muslims nations
- Eid Al-Fitr festival at the end of Ramadan is expected to fall on Mar. 31 in Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan government has announced a three-day holiday from Mar. 31 to Apr. 2 on account of the Muslim festival of Eid Al-Fitr, the cabinet division said on Wednesday.
Eid Al-Fitr marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan for Muslims worldwide. Ramadan began in Pakistan on Mar. 2, a day after most other Muslims nations, and the Eid Al-Fitr festival at end of the holy month is expected to fall on Mar. 31.
Pakistan’s central moon sighting committee, the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, spots the Shawwal moon and declares Eid dates in advance.
“It is notified that the Prime Minister has been pleased to declare public holidays (Monday to Wednesday) on the occasion of Eid-Al-Fitr,” the notification from the cabinet division said.
Eid Al-Fitr is one of two major Muslim festivals, the other being Eid Al-Adha, which is marked by the slaughtering of animals such as sheep and goats whose meat is shared among family and friends and donated to the poor. This year, Eid Al-Adha is expected to fall on June 6 or 7, marking the culmination of the Hajj pilgrimage.
Pakistani home appliances giant targets $100 million exports in 2 years by tapping US market
- Pak Elektron Limited announced this week it is expanding export operations to US
- PEL says company eyeing expanding its footprint to Saudi Arabia after tapping US market
KARACHI: Pakistani home appliances giant Pak Elektron Limited (PEL) plans to increase its exports to $100 million by the end of 2026, a senior official of the company said on Wednesday, days after announcing it had begun its export operations to the United States.
The Lahore-based manufacturer of home appliances has been one of the most-traded scrips at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) so far this week. It had the second-most traded stock on Wednesday, registering a 3.2 percent gain and over 36 million volumes.
On Monday the company announced it has expanded its global footprint and will be now exporting its products to the US. PEL’s new American client is Maddox Industrial Transformer LLC, which supplies new and remanufactured power transformers to commercial and industrial clients in the US.
“We are exporting distribution transformers for now and the majority of our exports, say 90 percent, are going to the US,” Nadeem Asghar, the general manager of finance at PEL, told Arab News.
PEL plans to increase its exports up to $50 million this year by December and double the same to $100 million by the end of 2026, Asghar said.
The company’s current exports stand at $3 million, with most of its shipments going to the United Kingdom, Jordan and African countries.
PEL’s stock price appears to have increased steadily in recent days. Its recent announcement of beginning export operations to the US has contributed to a notable increase in its stock price, Sana Tawfik, the head of research at the Karachi-based brokerage firm Arif Habib Ltd., said.
“The stock price has witnessed a gain of 13 percent in the last three days,” Tawfik told Arab News.
The company has already sent its first consignment of distribution transformers to the US on Mar. 13 as part of its business expansion strategy to explore new international markets.
Asghar, meanwhile, said this is the first time that PEL has received a “major order” from the US.
“The majority of our products will be exported to America now,” he said, adding that PEL would keep increasing its exports even beyond $100 million after 2026 as “sky is the limit.”
PEL entered into a strategic partnership last month with Swedish giant Electrolux AB, a global leader in multi-category home appliances brands such as Electrolux, AEG and Frigidaire, to leverage its strength to drive sustainable growth.
In 2024 Electrolux Group had sales of Swedish Krona 136 billion and the company employed 41,000 people worldwide.
After tapping the US market, Asghar said the Pakistani company plans to expand its reach to the Middle East as well, particularly Saudi Arabia.
“We would look to tap the Saudi Arabian market where we see enough demand for our products,” Asghar said, adding that talks with the company’s potential clients from Saudi Arabia were underway. He did not mention their names.
“We will tap all these markets, the UK, Saudi Arabia and others. Our negotiations are ongoing with the Saudi Arabian clients,” Asghar added.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has repeatedly said his government is prioritizing exports to ensure sustainable economic growth for the country’s fragile $350 billion economy. Sharif has recently said his government aims to increase Pakistan’s exports to $60 billion in five years.
Pakistan is trying to stabilize its economy through sustainable reforms agreed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in exchange for a financial bailout program.
