Pakistan says social media should be ‘regulated’ following deadly political riots

The undated photo shows social media apps displayed on a smart phone. (Shutterstock)
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Updated 28 June 2023
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Pakistan says social media should be ‘regulated’ following deadly political riots

  • Defense minister Khawaja Asif says “script” of May 9 violence against the state was prepared on social media platforms
  • Facebook, YouTube and Twitter remained suspended for at least a week following unrest after Khan’s arrest in May

ISLAMABAD: Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said this week social media in Pakistan needed to be regulated following May 9 riots in which military, government and private properties were attacked by protesters last month in violence that he believed was planned online.

Popular opposition leader and former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s arrest in a land fraud case last month sparked widespread protests by his supporters who ransacked military facilities, as well as state buildings and private properties. The violence subsided only after Khan was released on an order by Pakistan’s Supreme Court.

At least 10 people were killed in clashes between Khan’s supporters and police and since then, more than 5,000 people have been arrested in connection with the riots. Most have been freed on bail pending trial.

Pakistan’s military said Monday that it has fired three senior army officers over their failure to prevent the attacks.

“It should be done,” Asif said in an interview when asked if social media should be regulated.

“Social media is regulated in Europe, China, United States, in all places social media has some rules, some regulatory framework, it is monitored but here, on social media people are incited to revolt against the state,” he said, adding that the “script” of the May 9 violence was prepared on social media.

Immediately after unrest began following Khan’s arrest on May 9, the Ministry of Interior suspended mobile broadband services across the country and blocked access to Facebook, YouTube and Twitter for at least a week. Khan often uses social media platforms to address his supporters and has a massive social media following and very organized online team.

Khan has also disappeared from all mainstream news channels in the country after the media regulator this month asked networks to block out people involved in rioting. Coverage of the former prime minister — Pakistan’s most popular leader according to polls — has disappeared to the extent that his name and image are not being aired. His mention has also disappeared from many news websites.

The ban comes amidst a wider crackdown on Khan and his party that has seen dozens of his party members and thousands of his supporters arrested, which, he says, is being done by the country’s powerful military. The army says it is not cracking down on political activity but will only punish those that attacked military properties. 

Leading his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party in opposition, Khan remains staggeringly popular and has crafted a campaign accusing the government and army of colluding to keep him out of power, lock him up and even assassinate him. 

Khan came to power in 2018 marketing himself as a political outsider and riding a pioneering wave of social media enthusiasm to challenge the country’s two main dynastic parties, who between them have ruled Pakistan for decades.

Last April, after having lost the key support of Pakistan’s powerful military — which has itself ruled the country directly for more than three decades — he was ousted in a no-confidence vote.

The ensuing political chaos has exacerbated an economic downturn that has seen decades-high inflation, the rupee tumbling to record lows and deadlocked bailout negotiations with the International Monetary Fund.

Last month’s Internet outage has added to those woes, costing Pakistan as much as $53 million a day according to global Internet monitor NetBlocks, with mobile data coverage powering economic transactions, including credit and debit card point-of-sale terminals.
 


Pakistan warns of ‘first water war’ under nuclear shadow if India cuts off river flows

Updated 2 min 32 sec ago
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Pakistan warns of ‘first water war’ under nuclear shadow if India cuts off river flows

  • Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari calls Indus Waters Treaty ‘gold standard in diplomacy’ at a think tank in Brussels
  • He condemns Israel’s military strike on Iran, says the region cannot afford the war to continue for long

KARACHI: The head of Pakistan’s diplomatic mission touring world capitals to explain Islamabad’s position on a recent military standoff with New Delhi warned Friday India’s threat to cut off his country’s water supply could lead to the “first water war” between two nuclear-armed states at a think tank in Brussels.

The warning came after New Delhi announced in April it was suspending the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, a World Bank-brokered agreement seen as a cornerstone of India-Pakistan water cooperation, following a deadly gun attack in Kashmir, which it blamed on Pakistan.

Islamabad denied any involvement and called for an impartial international probe. However, tensions quickly escalated, with both sides deploying fighter jets, missiles, drones and artillery fire before a US-brokered ceasefire was announced by President Donald Trump on May 10.

Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Pakistan’s former foreign minister and the current head of the country’s diplomatic outreach, told the European think tank India’s threat to disrupt river flows affecting 240 million people amounted to a “war crime.”

“It would turn this into an existential crisis, and we would be left with no choice but to embark on the first water war… between two nuclear-armed states,” he said.

Bhutto-Zardari described the Indus Waters Treaty as “the gold standard in diplomacy,” noting it had survived multiple wars and had been replicated in over 40 other international water-sharing agreements.

He said recent Indian actions, such as the delayed or excessive release of water, had already damaged Pakistan’s crops and posed a humanitarian risk.

“Just a few days’ delay in water release can have devastating consequences for our agriculture,” he said. “This is the only water supply into Pakistan. In the context of climate vulnerability, the last thing we need is a fault line developing where cooperation once existed.”

His other delegation members maintained undermining the treaty would set a dangerous global precedent, allowing upper riparian states anywhere in the world to disregard binding water-sharing agreements.

“If this treaty is in abeyance, then no treaty signed after World War II is worth the paper it’s written on,” Musadik Malik, the climate change minister, said. “That threatens the rights of lower riparian countries across Africa, South America and beyond.”

Earlier, in a brief exchange with reporters, Bhutto-Zardari welcomed renewed interest from Washington in mediating between India and Pakistan.

“As you have seen, President [Donald] Trump said once again yesterday that he is ready to mediate on Kashmir,” he noted. “At the moment, Pakistan is talking about peace, America is also talking about peace. If anyone is still talking about war, it is India, and, by the grace of God, they will step back from this position soon.”

Responding to a query, Bhutto-Zardari strongly condemned Israel’s military operations against Iran and its broader regional policies.

“We strongly oppose the attack on Iran and the way the war is being waged in this region,” he said. “No amount of condemnation is enough. We demand that this war be stopped and that the entire world plays its role. Peace is very important in our territory. We cannot afford Israel’s war on Iran to continue for long.”


Pakistan’s top revenue-generating Sindh province unveils $12.4 billion budget with major tax cuts

Updated 13 June 2025
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Pakistan’s top revenue-generating Sindh province unveils $12.4 billion budget with major tax cuts

  • Sindh, home to commercial hub Karachi, wants to abolish five taxes to ease pressure on individuals, businesses
  • Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, governed by jailed ex-PM Khan’s PTI, presents $7.63 billion budget for FY2025-26

KARACHI: Pakistan’s southern Sindh province on Friday proposed abolishing five taxes as it presented a Rs3.45 trillion ($12.41 billion) new budget for fiscal year 2025-26 to simplify taxation and alleviate financial pressure on people and small businesses.

Friday also saw Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province announcing a surplus budget of Rs2,119 billion ($7.63 billion) for next year, without proposing any new taxes. The province allocated significant financial resources for the militancy-hit tribal districts and social welfare programs, according to the budget document.

SINDH

Sindh’s budget, which carries a deficit of Rs38.46 billion ($138.35 million), includes plans to eliminate professional tax, cotton fee and entertainment duty among other levies as part of broader reforms to support salaried individuals, small businesses, and cultural industries.

“I would like to share some important changes being planned to make our tax system simpler and to reduce the financial burden on both individuals and businesses,” Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said while presenting the budget in the provincial assembly.

Sindh generates most of Pakistan’s revenues, more than 60 percent, and is the second most populous province ruled by Pakistan People’s Party of President Asif Ali Zardari, a coalition partner of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party which leads the federal government.

Pakistan remains under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan program approved last year and the Washington-based lender wants Islamabad to broaden its tax base by taxing incomes from agriculture, retail and real estate sectors at the provincial level.

The two provinces announced their new fiscal plans days after Pakistan’s federal government announced its FY26 budget targeting 4.2 percent economic growth, while aiming to arrest fiscal deficit at 3.9 percent of the GDP.

In Sindh, the province’s total revenue receipts are projected at Rs3.41 trillion ($12.27 billion) for FY2025-26, up 11.6 percent from the current fiscal year ending June. Transfers from the federal divisible pool, which account for 75 percent of revenue, are expected to rise 10.2 percent to Rs1.93 trillion ($6.94 billion). With additional grants and straight transfers, total federal receipts are estimated at Rs2.10 trillion ($7.55 billion).

Current Revenue Expenditure (CRE) has been set at Rs2.15 trillion ($7.73 billion), a 12.4 percent increase from the prior year, driven by higher salaries, pensions, and grants to non-financial institutions.

Allocations for key sectors have seen marked increases. The education budget has risen to Rs523.73 billion ($1.88 billion) – a 12.4 percent hike – with major investments in primary and secondary education. New initiatives include hiring 4,400 staff, opening four community colleges, and funding for 34,100 primary schools through cost centers.

The health sector will receive Rs326.5 billion ($1.17 billion), up 8 percent, including Rs19 billion ($68.35 million) for the Sindh Institute of Urology & Transplantation (SIUT) and Rs10 billion ($35.97 million) for a new hospital in Larkana.

Enhanced ambulance and mobile diagnostic services are also planned.

Grants-in-aid total Rs702 billion ($2.53 billion), reflecting allocations for hospitals, universities, and development bodies. A Rs520 billion ($1.87 billion) Annual Development Program (ADP) focuses on 475 new schemes targeting flood recovery, renewable energy, and underserved regions.

Karachi, the provincial capital of Sindh, will see major upgrades in transport and infrastructure. Fifty electric buses will launch this year, with 100 more expected by August. Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Yellow Line is nearing completion, and the Red Line has passed the halfway mark.

The Karachi Safe City initiative will expand CCTV coverage using artificial intelligence, while blockchain-based land records, a KPI monitoring dashboard, and digital birth registration aim to enhance governance.

In rural areas, Rs20 billion ($71.95 million) has been allocated for pro-poor initiatives, while the new Benazir Hari Card will support 200,000 farmers. The Sindh Cooperative Bank is being explored to provide interest-free loans to progressive farmers.

KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA

Presenting the new budget, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Finance Minister Aftab Alam said the province achieved a Rs100 billion ($359.71 million) surplus in the outgoing fiscal year despite receiving Rs90 billion ($323.74 million) less in funds from the federal government.

The province is ruled by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, which is in opposition at the federal level.

“Against all odds and skepticism, we not only met our budget targets but also ensured timely debt repayments of Rs49 billion [$176.26 million],” Alam said.

He added that KP’s own non-tax revenues rose by 74 percent this year, while the KP Revenue Authority collected Rs41.37 billion ($148.79 million) in the first 10 months of the outgoing fiscal year.

The province has set a tax revenue target of Rs83.5 billion ($300 million) and a non-tax revenue target of Rs45.5 billion ($163.71 million) for the next fiscal year, aiming to widen the tax net rather than impose new levies.

Federal transfers, including Rs1,147.91 billion ($4.13 billion) from tax revenues and Rs58.15 billion ($209.17 million) in oil windfall levy, are expected to form the bulk of receipts.

The tribal districts are set to receive Rs292.34 billion ($1.05 billion), including Rs50 billion ($179.85 million) under an accelerated implementation program and Rs39 billion ($140.28 million) for development.

Key initiatives include the expansion of the Sehat Card Plus with life insurance coverage, recruitment of 16,000 teachers, and establishment of new degree colleges.

The province’s police force will receive Rs693.7 million ($2.49 million) for modern arms and Rs1.22 billion ($4.39 million) for vehicles.
 


IFC to provide $400 million loan for Pakistan’s copper-gold Reko Diq mine

Updated 13 June 2025
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IFC to provide $400 million loan for Pakistan’s copper-gold Reko Diq mine

  • The loan adds to a $300 million commitment announced in April, bringing the total to $700 million
  • Reko Diq, one of the largest undeveloped copper-gold deposits, is being developed by Barrick Gold

ISLAMABAD: The International Finance Corporation will provide a $400 million subordinated loan for Pakistan’s Reko Diq copper-gold mine, according to an IFC disclosure on Friday.

The loan adds to a $300 million commitment announced in April, bringing IFC’s total financing for the project to $700 million. The estimated cost of the mine is $6.6 billion, to be funded through a mix of debt and equity from a consortium of lenders.

“The estimated total Project cost is $6.6bn, and it will be financed using a combination of debt and equity,” the disclosure said, adding that other parallel lenders will provide the remaining debt financing.

This type of loan, known as subordinated debt, is typically repaid after other senior loans and helps absorb more risk, making it easier for other lenders to invest.

Other financiers, including the US EXIM Bank, Asian Development Bank, Export Development Canada, and Japan’s JBIC, are also expected to join the financing package, project director Tim Cribb told Reuters in April.

Term sheets are expected to close by early in the third quarter. IFC chief Makhtar Diop said earlier this year that the institution was “doubling down” on Pakistan, with a focus on infrastructure, energy and natural resources.

Reko Diq, located in Balochistan, is one of the world’s largest undeveloped copper-gold deposits. It is being developed by Barrick Gold, which holds 50 percent, with the remainder split between Pakistan’s federal and provincial governments.

Production is expected to begin in 2028. Barrick has projected the mine will generate up to $74 billion in free cash flow over its estimated 37-year life.


Pakistan stocks drop over 1,900 points amid Israel-Iran tensions

Updated 13 June 2025
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Pakistan stocks drop over 1,900 points amid Israel-Iran tensions

  • Analysts cite fears of broader regional escalation following Israeli strikes on Iran
  • Israel struck Iran, claiming Tehran was “close” to developing a nuclear weapon

KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) plunged more than 1,900 points on Friday, as investor sentiment soured following Israel’s strikes on Iran, triggering fears of wider regional escalation.

The benchmark KSE-100 index fell 1,949.56 points, or 1.57 percent, closing at 122,143.56, down from the previous close of 124,093.12.

Shares traded largely in the red, mirroring losses across regional and global markets after the Israeli attacks shook investor confidence, according to a market review by Pakistani brokerage Topline Securities.

“Geopolitical tensions after Israel’s attack in Iran weighed down on world equities, including the KSE100,” Raza Jafri, Head of Intermarket Securities, told Arab News. “In particular, if a geopolitical risk premium gets added to international oil prices on a prolonged basis, it could negatively affect the outlook for the current account deficit and inflation, given more than 25 percent of Pakistan’s import bill comprises of petroleum products.”

He noted that Pakistan was now “much more disciplined” economically, having avoided fuel subsidies and refrained from using foreign exchange reserves to support the currency. This, he said, would help the country better withstand a potential oil price shock than in the past.

Ahsan Mehanti, Chief Executive of Arif Habib Commodities Ltd, said stocks declined across the board in response to the strikes.

“Slump in global equities on geopolitical risks and weakening rupee played catalyst role in panic selling at PSX,” he said.

Israel launched strikes on Iran earlier on Friday, claiming Tehran was “very close” to developing a nuclear weapon. The attacks reportedly targeted nuclear facilities, scientists, and senior military commanders.
 


Pakistan urges religious devotees to postpone travel to Iran, Iraq amid regional tensions

Updated 13 June 2025
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Pakistan urges religious devotees to postpone travel to Iran, Iraq amid regional tensions

  • A senior government official says currently there are an estimated 5,000 Zaireen in Iran
  • Israel launched strikes against Iranian military and nuclear facilities earlier in the day

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday advised its citizens planning religious travel to Iran and Iraq to reconsider their plans, citing security concerns after Israeli strikes on Iranian military and nuclear facilities earlier in the day.

The advisory mentions Pakistani “Zaireen,” or Shi’ite Muslim pilgrims who travel to Iran and Iraq to visit sacred religious sites, particularly in Mashhad, Qom, Najaf and Karbala.

The region has seen heightened tensions following Israeli attacks on key installations in Iran, prompting fears of broader instability.

“In view of the evolving security situation in the region, the Zaireen from Pakistan are advised to reconsider their travel plans to Iran and Iraq,” the foreign office said in a brief statement issued in Islamabad.

According to a senior government official who spoke on condition of anonymity, the number of Zaireen traveling to Iran fluctuates, and most do not contact the Pakistani diplomatic missions.

“Currently, there are an estimated 5,000 Zaireen in Iran,” he said, adding that Pakistan’s embassy in Tehran and its consulates remain available to assist citizens.

“Any Pakistani requiring guidance or support is encouraged to contact our relevant diplomatic missions, which will, as always, provide necessary assistance and facilitate their return to Pakistan,” the official added.

While no evacuation plans have been announced, the authorities say they are closely monitoring the regional situation.