Opposition protests as Pakistani president signs ordinance excluding government entities from anti-graft probes

In this photo, opposition leaders are talking to journalists on July 29, 2018 in Islamabad, Pakistan. (AP)
Short Url
Updated 07 October 2021
Follow

Opposition protests as Pakistani president signs ordinance excluding government entities from anti-graft probes

  • Amended National Accountability Bureau ordinance excludes decisions of cabinet, central bank, finance commission 
  • Allows president to extend term of NAB chief, opposition politicians say law tantamount to “distorting constitution”

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani President Dr. Arif Alvi on Wednesday signed an ordinance that curtails the jurisdiction of the country’s anti-corruption watchdog by excluding key government entities from the ambit of investigations and enables the president to reappoint the body’s chief or extend their tenure. 

The government and the opposition in Pakistan have been at loggerheads in recent weeks over the legislation which allows key changes in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). The opposition says the amendments will allow the government to use NAB to go after political opponents.

Opposition members have been calling the National Accountability (Second Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 another NRO (National Reconciliation Ordinance), a controversial law passed in 2007 to “promote national reconciliation” by offering amnesty to politicians during former military dictator Pervez Musharraf’s reign. In Pakistan’s political lexicon, using the word NRO is the equivalent of saying someone is being unfairly let off the hook.

As per the new ordinance, its provision will not be applicable to the following persons or transactions:

“All matters pertaining to Federal, Provincial or Local taxation, other levies or imposts, including concealments, refunds, criminality, criminal intention or loss of exchequer pertaining to taxation; decisions of Federal or Provincial Cabinet, their Committees or Sub-Committees, Council of Common Interests (CCI), National Economic Council (NEC), National Finance Commission (NFC), Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), Central Development Working Party (CDWP), Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) and Departmental Development Working Party (DDWP), or decisions of the Boards of the State Bank of Pakistan,” a copy of the document seen by Arab News says. 

The ordinance’s provisions will also not apply to any “person or entity, which are not directly or indirectly connected with the holder of a public office; procedural lapses in any public or governmental work, project or scheme, unless it is shown that a holder of public office or any other person has been conferred or has received any monetary or other material benefit from that particular public or governmental work, whether directly or indirectly on account of such procedural lapses, which the said recipient was otherwise not entitled to receive; an advice, report or opinion rendered or given by a public office holder or any other person in the course of his duty, unless there is sufficient evidence to show that the holder of public office or any other person received or gained any monetary or other material benefit, whether directly or indirectly, on account of such advise, opinion or report, which the said recipient was otherwise not entitled to receive.”

To grant extension in the tenure of the NAB chairman, sub-section b of Section 6 of the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) has been amended by excluding the word “non-extendable” from the statute. 

The amended ordinance has retained the provision that requires consultation between the opposition leader and the leader of the house in the National Assembly for the appointment of the NAB chairman. But the section states that the president would consult both of them. 

“There shall be a Chairman, National Accountability Bureau to be appointed by the President in consultation with the Leader of the House and the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly. The Chairman shall hold office for a period of four years on such terms and conditions as may be determined by the President and shall not be removed from office except on grounds provided for the removal of a Judge of Supreme Court in the manner and by the forum provided under Article 209 of the Constitution of Pakistan,” the document reads. 

“Provided that on expiry of the period of four years, the incumbent Chairman may be appointed for another period of four years by the President...” 

The ordinance has enhanced the authority of the NAB prosecutor general, empowering him to play a crucial role in advising the chairman to file or withdraw any reference from a court. 

It has also allowed the accountability court to grant bail to any accused. Under the NAB law previously, there was no provision of granting bail to the accused as an under-custody suspect could only apply for bail after the expiry of his 90-day remand and that too under the extraordinary jurisdiction of the high court, under Article 199 of the Constitution of Pakistan, which empowers the court to enforce fundamental rights. 

The ordinance also allows the appointment of retired judges of high courts as accountability judges. In addition, it provides that a district and sessions judge and an additional district and sessions judge may also be designated as the judge of an accountability court with the consent of the chief justice of the concerned high court. 

Opposition parties have criticized the government over the amended law.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) lawmaker Shazia Marri said the government’s move to extend the tenure of the NAB chief was tantamount to “distorting the constitution and law of the country.” 

Marriyum Aurangzeb, the spokesperson of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), said the procedure to appoint the NAB chairman was already enshrined in the constitution. 

The Awami National Party (ANP) also rejected the extension in the tenure of the NAB chairman through the ordinance, describing it as a violation of the constitution.


Pakistan to unveil Economic Survey 2024-25 on Monday

Updated 08 June 2025
Follow

Pakistan to unveil Economic Survey 2024-25 on Monday

  • The survey will include details about performance and trends of various sectors in outgoing fiscal year
  • The survey will be followed by federal budget, which is expected to lay out targets for macroeconomic stability

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will unveil its Economic Survey 2024-25 tomorrow, Monday, and detail major socio-economic achievements of the outgoing fiscal year, Pakistani state media reported.

The survey will include details about performance and economic trends of various sectors, including agriculture, industry, services, energy, information technology and telecommunications, capital markets, health, education and transport.

Annual trends of major economic indicators regarding inflation, trade and payments, public debt, population, employment, climate change, and social protection will also be part of the survey.

“Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb will release the Economic Survey-2024-25 at a ceremony to be held in Islamabad,” the Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.

The survey will be followed by the presentation of the national budget. The earlier dates for the announcement of Economic Survey 2024-25 and federal Budget 2025-26 were June 1 and June 2, respectively, but the government extended the dates to June 6 and June 7.

Pakistan is currently bolstered by a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program and is navigating a long path to economic recovery. The country’s annual inflation rate rose to 3.5 percent in May, though its macroeconomic outlook has improved in recent months, supported by a stronger current account balance and increased remittances.

The Pakistani government says it remains committed to maintaining macroeconomic stability, accelerating structural reforms, and ensuring that economic growth translates into real and inclusive progress for all citizens.

Earlier this month, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal announced the government has allocated Rs1 trillion ($3.5 billion) for development projects in the upcoming budget for fiscal year 2025-26.


Pakistan to face off Myanmar in AFC Asian Cup qualifier on Tuesday

Updated 08 June 2025
Follow

Pakistan to face off Myanmar in AFC Asian Cup qualifier on Tuesday

  • The Pakistan team arrived in Yangon via private airline flight on Sunday
  • Pakistan are placed in Group E alongside Myanmar, Afghanistan, and Syria

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will face off Myanmar on Tuesday to qualify for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup tournament, the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) said on Sunday.

The Pakistan team arrived in Yangon via private airline flight on Sunday, according to the PFF. They will train in Yangon on Monday.

“The match between Pakistan and Myanmar will be held at Thuwana Stadium,” it said. “It will start at 3:30 PM according to Pakistani time.”

Pakistan have been training under the supervision of head coach Stephen Constantine in hopes of bouncing back from a 2-0 defeat to Syria in the campaign opener back in March.

Pakistan are placed in Group E alongside Myanmar, Afghanistan, and Syria.


At least five injured as fire engulfs multiple factories in Pakistan’s Karachi

Updated 08 June 2025
Follow

At least five injured as fire engulfs multiple factories in Pakistan’s Karachi

  • The city, home to hundreds of thousands of industrial units, has fragile firefighting system and poor safety controls
  • In November last year, a blaze erupted at a shopping mall killing around a dozen people and injuring several others

KARACHI: At least five persons were injured after a fire engulfed multiple factories in the southern Pakistani port city of Karachi, Rescue 1122 officials said on Sunday, with efforts underway to douse the blaze.

The fire affected four factories, including YG Textile and MF Roomi Textile, at the Landhi Export Processing Zone, with 11 fire brigade trucks and one snorkel taking part in the firefighting operation.

The operation was facing difficulties due to the intensity of smoke and shortage of water in the city of roughly 20 million people, according to rescue officials.

“Five people were injured after part of an affected building collapsed,” Rescue 1122 spokesperson Hasaan Khan told Arab News. “The injured were shifted to the hospital.”

The Rescue 1122 team is making efforts to control the blaze by utilizing all possible resources, Khan added.

Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city and commercial capital, is home to hundreds of thousands of industrial units and some of the tallest buildings in the South Asian country. The megapolis, known for its fragile firefighting system and poor safety controls, witnesses hundreds of fire incidents annually.

In Nov. last year, a blaze at a shopping mall killed around a dozen people and injured several others. In April 2023, four firefighters died and nearly a dozen others were injured after a blaze erupted at a garment factory, while 10 people were killed in a massive fire at a chemical factory in the city in August 2021.

In the deadliest such incident, 260 people were killed in 2012 after being trapped inside a garment factory when a fire broke out.


Volleyball returns to Azad Kashmir border village as fragile India-Pakistan ceasefire holds

Updated 08 June 2025
Follow

Volleyball returns to Azad Kashmir border village as fragile India-Pakistan ceasefire holds

  • As guns fall silent in Battal sector, youth return to riverside ground with message of peace, memories of fallen friend
  • Anwar Taskeen, 17-year-old student and regular at the matches, was killed in shelling hours before May 10 ceasefire

Battal Sector, Azad Kashmir: On a dusty, uneven patch of ground beside the Poonch River, the rhythmic thud of a volleyball hitting palms and sand rose above the late afternoon quiet. 

It’s a familiar sound in the border village of Jhawara, located in the Poonch district of Azad Kashmir, the part of the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir that is governed by Pakistan. But until recently, it had fallen silent under the roar of artillery and gunfire.

Just weeks ago, the area bore the brunt of intense cross-border shelling between India and Pakistan. The Line of Control (LoC), a jagged and heavily militarized de facto boundary slicing through the disputed region, once again became a flashpoint for conflict, forcing families into hiding and pausing everyday joys like this daily volleyball match.

Now, with a tenuous ceasefire in place since May 10 — brokered with help from Washington — the boys are back on the field. 

For them, the return to play is more than a pastime. It’s an act of defiance, remembrance, and quiet hope.

“There has been firing here before but now it doesn’t feel scary,” said Hamid Fareed, 18, as he waited to serve. “There is a ceasefire in place now, which is why we play with peace of mind. Before, when there used to be firing, we didn’t play here.”

People are playing volleyball in the border village of Jhawara, located in the Poonch district of Azad Kashmir, on May 23, 2025. (AN photo)

The Battal sector, situated at one of the most sensitive stretches of the LoC, was at the heart of last month’s escalation, with the shelling so heavy residents were forced to evacuate, and even the simple joy of a volleyball match became too dangerous to risk.

Among those displaced were the families of the boys who now fill the field each evening from 4pm until the sunset maghrib prayer. Many had sought shelter with relatives in safer villages farther from the border during the latest fighting. Others, like Fareed, stayed behind but refrained from venturing out unnecessarily.

The violence still didn’t spare the players. Anwar Taskeen, a 17-year-old student and regular at the matches, was killed in shelling on his home just hours before the ceasefire was announced.

“Our brother who got martyred [on May 10, 2025] used to play volleyball with us,” said Muhammad Nawaz, one of Anwar’s closest friends. “He used to come every day.”

“When they [Indian forces] fire, they target civilians and army posts as well,” he added.

The picture shows Anwar Taskeen, a 17-year-old student who was killed in shelling on his home just hours before India-Pakistan ceasefire. (AN photo)

SYMBOL OF NORMALCY

Now that calm has returned, at least for the moment, the boys are determined to reclaim the ground and the normalcy it represents. Most days, they split into two teams of six, playing until darkness falls. Laughter, shouts, and the squeak of rubber slippers on hard soil fill the air.

But the volleyball field isn’t just a space for play. It’s also a space of memory.

Taskeen’s absence lingers. So too does the knowledge that peace here is often fleeting.

“There are beautiful places on that side, people should get to enjoy them. And people from there should be able to come here,” said Abdul Hannan, another student who recently completed his intermediate studies.

“Many people there [Indian-administered], in Jammu and Kashmir, play as well,” Hannan added. “We watch their videos to gain skills. They are playing better than us. We also get motivated by watching them.”

The boys recalled that some former players who used to compete on this very field had now moved abroad in search of better opportunities. From afar, many continued to support the volleyball tradition, pooling together funds to help maintain the ground. 

Their latest contribution helped install a protective net, now in place for six to seven years, which keeps the ball from rolling into the river and drifting downstream toward the Indian side.

“WE JUST WANT PEACE”

The Poonch River marks both a border and a lifeline for the region. On hot days, the boys often dive into its cool waters to beat the heat, even as Indian army posts watch from across the bank.

That same river has seen far more than games but carried the sounds of shelling, the cries of displaced families, and now, the echoes of a volleyball match played in the name of peace.

During Ramadan and other special occasions, the field hosts semi-annual tournaments. Teams travel from neighboring towns and villages to compete, a reminder that even in a conflict zone, community and competition endure.

“When there is peace, we can play. That’s all we want,” Fareed saiid. 

India and Pakistan have long shared a contentious relationship over Kashmir, with flare-ups along the LoC occurring frequently despite periodic agreements. The current ceasefire too is fragile, its future uncertain. But on this side of the Poonch River, young players are daring to imagine something more permanent — not through diplomacy, but through volleyball, through shared videos, playful rivalries, and quiet tributes to friends lost. And through simple, hopeful wishes — that one day, the people of Kashmir might cross the border not as enemies, but as guests.

“We just want peace,” Hannan repeated softly. “That’s all we’ve ever wanted.”


Pakistan-origin Mahnoor Qazi wins James Baldwin award for fiction

Updated 08 June 2025
Follow

Pakistan-origin Mahnoor Qazi wins James Baldwin award for fiction

  • The James Baldwin Award for Fiction is one of six creative writing awards given by Penguin Random House
  • Qazi, whose entry ‘Eternity’ won $10,000 prize, aims to connect literature with the deepest human emotions

ISLAMABAD: Mahnoor Qazi, a Pakistani-origin high school student in the US state of California, has won the inaugural James Baldwin Award for Fiction, the organizers announced this week.

The James Baldwin Award for Fiction is one of six creative writing awards given by Penguin Random House, touted as the world’s largest trade book publisher, as part of their signature Creative Writing Awards (CWA) program. The award is named after Baldwin, a novelist, essayist, playwright, poet and critic.

Qazi, an aspiring writer who attends Golden Valley High School in California, is dedicated to connecting the art of literature with the deepest human emotions. Her entry ‘Eternity’ won the first-place prize of $10,000.

“As his niece, it has been an honor to select the recipient of the James Baldwin Award for fiction. Traveling the creative landscape of students with insightful narrative voices has been inspiring,” Baldwin’s niece Darlene Burnett said.

“They continue to demonstrate that the power of words can inform minds, fuel the imagination, and construct narratives that compel us to read and to feel. They are the literary architects of the future.”

Other categories included the Freedom of Expression Award, Michelle Obama Award for Memoir, the Amanda Gorman Award for Poetry, and the Maya Angelou Award for Spoken Word.

Since 1993, the Penguin Random House CWA program has awarded more than $2.9 million to public high school students for their original compositions.

In addition to scholarships, the publisher hosts a virtual development week for the CWA winners each summer that includes networking workshops, a panel about career opportunities in publishing, and fireside chats with Penguin Random House authors.