ISLAMABAD: Legal and political experts said on Wednesday Prime Minister Imran Khan was only left with one option after the opposition moved a no-confidence motion against him in the National Assembly which was to prove his majority in the house to save the government.
The opposition needs at least 172 votes in the 342-member lower house of parliament to topple Khan’s administration.
After the submission of the no-confidence motion on Tuesday, opposition leaders claimed they could bring more than the required number of votes to oust the prime minister.
“As per the rules, the government can neither delay the National Assembly session nor defer voting on the no-confidence motion,” Pakistan’s former attorney general Ashtar Ausaf Ali told Arab News. “The only legal and constitutional option left with the prime minister is to ensure majority of 172 votes in the house to save his government.”
According to the current party position in the National Assembly, the opposition enjoys the support of 162 lawmakers while the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have 179 votes along with its coalition partners, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q).
The opposition parties have been trying to woo the government’s political allies to ditch the coalition. They also claim to have the support of nearly 20 lawmakers of the ruling party.
In case of such defections, Ali noted the prime minister would not be able to get his party members disqualified by going to the country’s election commission in his capacity as the PTI chief since the dissidents would also file a petition and refuse to recognize him as their leader.
However, former vice chairman of Pakistan Bar Council Abid Saqi said such a scenario could play out in another way.
“In case of defections from the ruling party to vote on no-confidence motion, the party head can write to the election commission for their disqualification, but this can be done only after the voting process,” he told Arab News. “The election commission can disqualify lawmakers for defection during their current term, but they will be eligible to contest the next general elections.”
He added the speaker would be bound to convene the National Assembly sitting within 14 days and ensure voting on the motion within seven days after the opposition requisitioned a no-trust session.
“The Speaker cannot shy away from his legal responsibility of summoning the session and hold the voting as per rules on the no-confidence motion,” he said. “If the government tries to delay convening the National Assembly session in violation of the rules, it will further lose its moral legitimacy.”
This is the third no-confidence motion against a sitting prime minister in the country’s parliamentary history, though the previous two against late Benazir Bhutto and Shaukat Aziz were defeated.
Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, president of Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT), said the government and opposition were struggling to gather support of maximum lawmakers in the house ahead of the vote.
“We cannot predict the outcome of the move until voting result on the no-trust motion is announced,” he told Arab News.
He maintained the government of the day always had an upper hand in parliamentary democracies since it found itself in a position to oblige and dole out development funds and lucrative positions to lawmakers.
However, he added the opposition was also playing its cards to gather support of maximum legislators to get the motion passed.
“It is a tricky game and can go either way,” he said.
PM Khan’s only option is to defeat no-trust motion by proving majority — experts
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PM Khan’s only option is to defeat no-trust motion by proving majority — experts
- After two unsuccessful no-trust moves against Pakistani PMs in the past, Khan faces the third one
- Political commentators call the situation ‘tricky’ while noting it is too early to predict the outcome
Pakistan launches first dematerialized ID card on silver jubilee of database authority
- Digital Pakistan initiative aims to expand knowledge-based economy, spur socio-economic growth using digital technologies
- Pakistan has made considerable progress in its digital transformation journey with rapid expansion of mobile broadband networks
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) marked its silver jubilee on Monday, launching the country’s first dematerialized ID card to commemorate 25 years in legal identity management and national database integration.
The launch of the new card is part of the government’s vision of a Digital Pakistan, where citizens will have digital certificates instead of material ID or, at least, in addition to material ones.
“Federal Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi commended the launch of the dematerialized ID as a step toward digital identity,” NADRA said in a statement.
“With the launch of this feature in the Pak ID Mobile Application, citizens will no longer need to carry physical ID cards. Moreover, digital verification systems will soon be implemented to facilitate authentication for various services under the World Bank-funded Digital Economy Enhancement Project.”
A pilot project for the fully digital identity will be launched on Aug. 14, 2025 to coincide with Pakistan’s Independence Day.
Pakistan has made considerable progress in its digital transformation journey with the rapid expansion of mobile broadband networks over the last decade. Today, nearly 80 percent of the adult population lives in areas served by mobile broadband (3G or 4G) networks, compared to 15 percent in 2010. But experts say more work must be done to ensure that connectivity reaches everyone, as only 22 percent of the population is subscribed to mobile Internet.
To this end, Digital Pakistan is a flagship initiative of the government to expand the knowledge-based economy and spur socio-economic growth using digital technologies.
“The vision with regards to Digital Pakistan Policy is to become a strategic enabler for an accelerated digitization ecosystem to expand the knowledge based economy and spur socio- economic growth,” according to a government policy document outlining the strategy.
No Pakistani players on ICC Champions Trophy 2025 team of the tournament
- India won ICC Champions Trophy 2025 on Mar. 9
- Pakistan crashed out of home trophy without a win
ISLAMABAD: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday announced its ‘Team of the Tournament’ for the Champions Trophy 2025, which concluded last week, with no Pakistani player making it on the prestigious list.
The ninth edition of the Champions Trophy saw India being crowned as the winners on Mar. 9 after they overcame New Zealand in the final. Pakistan ended their campaign in the home trophy without a win.
“Several exceptional performers lit up the tournament with the bat and ball,” ICC said on its website. “The best of them made it to the Team of the Tournament.”
The team includes six players from India, four from New Zealand and two from Afghanistan.
Here’s what the side looks like:
1. Rachin Ravindra (New Zealand)
251 runs, 62.75 average, two hundreds
2. Ibrahim Zadran (Afghanistan)
216 runs, 72 average, one hundred
3. Virat Kohli (India)
218 runs, 54.5 average, one hundred
4. Shreyas Iyer (India)
243 runs, 48.6 average, two fifties
5. KL Rahul (wk) (India)
140 runs, 140 average, 42 highest score*
6. Glenn Phillips (New Zealand)
177 runs, 59 average, two wickets, five catches
7. Azmatullah Omarzai (Afghanistan)
126 runs, 42 average, seven wickets, one five-wicket haul
8. Mitchell Santner (c) (New Zealand)
Nine wickets, 26.6 average, 4.80 economy
9. Mohammed Shami (India)
Nine wickets, 25.8 average, 5.68 economy, one five-wicket haul
10. Matt Henry (New Zealand)
Ten wickets, 16.7 average, 5.32 economy, one five-wicket haul
11. Varun Chakaravarthy (India)
Nine wickets, 15.1 average, 4.53 economy
12th player: Axar Patel (India)
Five wickets, 39.2 average, 4.35 economy
Geopolitics and lack of buzz blight Champions Trophy’s return
- Indian board BCCI stuck to their policy of not touring Pakistan because of strained political ties
- Allowing India to play all their matches in Dubai robbed Pakistan of honor of hosting the final
Geopolitical reality, lack of buzz in host nation Pakistan and mediocre cricket in general meant Champions Trophy’s much-anticipated return to the calendar did not go according to plan for the governing International Cricket Council (ICC).
The one-day international (ODI) tournament served as an ICC fundraiser but offered no assurance about the future of a format battling for relevance in a cricket landscape ruled by Twenty20 leagues either.
Financial engine India’s participation, a key factor behind the commercial success of any cricket tournament, was in doubt after Pakistan bagged the hosting rights for the first ICC event in the country since 1996.
The Indian board (BCCI) stuck to their policy of not touring Pakistan because of the strained political ties between the bitter neighbors, who play each other only in ICC events.
Like for the 2023 Asia Cup in Pakistan, a ‘hybrid model’ was agreed on under which India were allowed to play their matches in Dubai to salvage a tournament, which had been discontinued after the 2017 edition.
Under the agreement running until 2027, Pakistan will play in a neutral venue for any ICC event, like next year’s Twenty20 World Cup, scheduled in India.
Reigning T20 world champions India beat New Zealand in Sunday’s final to prove their credentials as a white-ball behemoth.
India have lost just one match — the final of the ODI World Cup in 2023 — in their last three ICC events and probably did not require what many called an “unfair advantage” of playing all their matches in Dubai.
“I feel sorry for India’s cricketers,” award-winning cricket writer Nicholas Brookes told Reuters.
“They are an outstanding team – in my mind, streets ahead of their competition regardless of conditions, and one of the greatest white-ball sides the game has seen.
“This tournament should have been their victory lap, but their brilliance has been somewhat overshadowed by constant questions about unfair advantages.”
Allowing India to play all their matches in Dubai robbed Pakistan of the honor of hosting the final and disrupted the schedule of the knockout matches.
South Africa were made to take a farcical 18-hour trip to Dubai in anticipation of a semifinal against India before flying back to Pakistan to face New Zealand.
“BENDING OVER BACKWARDS”
The whole affair made the ICC, currently headed by former BCCI secretary Jay Shah, look weak in front of the world’s richest cricket board.
The scheduling also favored India, who had a week’s rest between their last two group matches, while Afghanistan played twice in three days.
“That looks like the ICC putting finances ahead of fairness,” said Brookes, whose “An Island’s Eleven” charts the history of Sri Lankan cricket and won the Wisden Book Of The Year award in 2023.
“Some people will naturally think that the governing body is bending over backwards to accommodate India.”
Defending champions Pakistan looked under-prepared for the tournament, both on and off the field.
Eleventh-hour facelift to stadiums in Karachi and Lahore, sparse crowd and three washouts dampened the spirit among the locals.
Adding to their woes, Mohammed Rizwan and his men finished bottom of Group A after a winless campaign that included a defeat by arch-rivals India.
An injury-ravaged Australia fielded a second string pace attack with Steve Smith, who quit ODIs after their semifinal exit, leading them in the absence of regular skipper Pat Cummins.
New Zealand all-rounder Rachin Ravindra bagged the player-of-the-tournament prize, while fellow Black Cap Glenn Phillips redefined fielding with gravity-defying catches and India’s Virat Kohli proved he is not a spent force yet but the cricket was largely mediocre.
Afghanistan could not make the last four but impressed on their Champions Trophy debut while former champions England are searching for a new captain after their winless campaign prompted Jos Buttler to step down.
Saudi Arabia top contributor as Pakistan remittances grow 38.6 percent year-on-year
- In Feb. 2025, Pakistan received highest inflows from Saudi Arabia, $744.4 million, followed by UAE, which contributed $652.2 million
- Among factors driving up remittances are reforms to curb illegal foreign exchange trading and incentives implemented by central bank
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan recorded year-on-year growth of 38.6 percent in remittances with inflows of $3.1 billion in February, the central bank said on Monday, with the highest contributions coming from Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Remittances are a lifeline for Pakistan’s cash-strapped economy, playing a critical role in stabilizing foreign exchange reserves and supporting balance of payments.
“Workers’ remittances recorded an inflow of $3.1 billion during February 2025,” the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) said in a press release. “In terms of growth, remittances increased by 38.6 percent and 3.8 percent on year-on-year and month-on-month basis respectively.”
In February 2025, Pakistan received its highest inflows from Saudi Arabia, $744.4 million, followed by the UAE, which contributed $652.2 million. Remittances received from the United Kingdom and the United States stood at $501.8 million and $309.4 million respectively.
“Cumulatively, with an inflow of $24 billion, workers’ remittances increased by 32.5 percent during July to February, FY25 compared to $18.1 billion received during July to February FY24,” the central bank added.
Among factors driving an increase in remittances are reforms that have curbed illegal foreign exchange trading and incentives implemented by the State Bank of Pakistan. Decreased global inflation rates have encouraged Pakistani migrants to send more money back home.
Families in Pakistan are also relying more on financial support from relatives working abroad due to inflation at home.
Pakistan reports first death of 2025 from deadly brain-eating amoeba
- Naegleria fowleri, with 98 percent fatality rate, is transmitted when contaminated water enters body through nose
- Over a hundred people have died from the infection in Pakistan since 2008, five people died last year
KARACHI: A 36-year-old woman died in the Pakistani city of Karachi last month after contracting Naegleria fowleri, a health official confirmed on Monday, marking the first death this year from the deadly brain-eating amoeba.
Naegleria fowleri has a fatality rate of more than 98 percent. It is transmitted when contaminated water enters the body through the nose and cannot be passed person-to-person.
Pakistan has seen a rise in Naegleria fowleri cases in recent years, with over a hundred people dead since the first reported infection in 2008. Five people died from the infection last year.
Symptoms of Naegleria fowleri infection include severe headache, altered taste, high fever, light sensitivity, nausea and vomiting. Death usually occurs five to seven days after infection.
In the latest case, a woman was admitted to the hospital on Feb. 19 after experiencing symptoms and died four days later on Feb. 23.
“The presence of Naegleria fowleri was confirmed in the patient on Feb. 24, 2025 after the patient had passed away,” Sindh Health Department spokesperson Meeran Yousuf said in a statement.
“Upon investigation, it was noted that the patient had not participated in any water-related activities and her only exposure was regular use of water to perform ablution five times a day at home.”
Yousaf said this was the first death in Pakistan from Naegleria fowleri in 2025.
A 2021 study by the Sindh Health Department found that 95 percent of water samples in Karachi, the provincial capital, were unfit for human consumption, with experts attributing the contamination to the spread of amoeba.
