ISLAMABAD: Faisal Saleem, first Pakistani senator elected to the International Monetary Fund-World Bank Parliamentary Network board, on Saturday said he would highlight Pakistan’s economic challenges and try to engage global financial institutions to help overcome these woes during his tenure.
The IMF-World Bank Parliamentary Network provides a platform for parliamentarians from over 140 countries to advocate for increased accountability and transparency in international financial institutions and multilateral development financing. Founded in 2000, the network seeks to engage lawmakers from around the globe in the common mission of addressing good governance and poverty challenges both at home and abroad.
Directed by a 12-member board elected by their peers, the Parliamentary Network is an independent non-governmental organization with a secretariat in Paris. The organization is open to all elected parliamentarians from World Bank member states, who hold a current mandate. Its members represent themselves and their constituents, and not their countries, parliaments or governments, according to the Network.
“My election to the Parliamentary Network’s board is an honor for Pakistan and I am the only member from Asia on the board [at present],” Senator Saleem told Arab News, adding that he was nominated by the Pakistan parliament and was elected this week as a member of the IMF-World Bank Parliamentary Network board by parliamentarians of other countries.
“My mission is to highlight and debate Pakistan’s economic challenges through the forum and try my best to steer the country out of the crisis. I’ll be there with a one-point agenda and that is to work for the betterment of my country.”
Senator Saleem, an industrialist hailing from Pakistan’s northwestern Mardan district, became a member of the upper house of Pakistan’s parliament in March 2021 on the ticket of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.
He said he was elected to the IMF-World Bank Parliamentary Network board for a period of three years, adding that half of the board members retire every three years and new members are elected in their place. “I have become the first Pakistani parliamentarian in the country’s history to be elected to the coveted position,” Senator Saleem added.
As a board member, he said, he would be discussing with his peers the loan programs, development projects and different initiatives to improve governance and overcome poverty in Pakistan. “I’ll be trying to initiate favorable recommendations to international financial institutions for Pakistan during my tenure,” the senator said.
Economically troubled Pakistan came to the brink of a sovereign default in June last year, but averted it by securing a $3 billion stand-by arrangement (SBA) from the IMF, which expires next month.
The country urgently needs a fresh IMF agreement to shore up its struggling $350 billion economy, which is suffering from high inflation, low reserves and mounting external financing needs.
Senator Saleem, however, clarified the IMF-World Bank Parliamentary Network had no direct role in loan disbursements or development projects funded by the IMF or the World Bank.
“I’ll be working closely with the government in Pakistan to give my productive inputs at the forum,” he said. “My first priority will be inviting all the board members for an official meeting to Pakistan to highlight a positive image of the country.”
First Pakistani elected to IMF-World Bank parliamentary board vows to highlight country’s economic woes
https://arab.news/jvmht
First Pakistani elected to IMF-World Bank parliamentary board vows to highlight country’s economic woes
- Senator Faisal Saleem, who was elected this week for a period of three years, calls it an ‘honor’ for Pakistan
- The parliamentarian says will work closely with the Pakistani government to highlight the challenges facing the country
Pakistan vows order as Imran Khan’s party launches protest before Belarusian president’s arrival
- Deputy PM questions PTI motives, calling protest march ‘conspiracy’ against Pakistan’s honor
- Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi asks Ali Amin Gandapur to prioritize stability in his own province
ISLAMABAD/PESHAWAR: Tension continued to mount in Pakistan on Sunday as the government vowed to prevent any disruption in Islamabad during a high-level visit by the Belarus president, as supporters of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan began marching to the capital to demand his release.
Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party is spearheading a “long march” to the capital after more than a year of his incarceration on charges he claims are politically motivated. The party is also protesting alleged rigging in February’s general elections and raising concerns about judicial independence, which it says has been undermined by recent constitutional amendments, a claim the government denies.
Security in Islamabad has been tightened, with paramilitary forces deployed and major roads sealed with shipping containers. The interior ministry has suspended mobile data services in sensitive areas, and highways have been blocked to thwart the arrival of protesters.
Addressing the media in Islamabad, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi criticizing PTI’s timing ahead of the three-day visit of Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko to discuss for bilateral economic cooperation.
“Protecting the lives and property of citizens is a priority,” he said. “Disruption during the arrival of foreign guests will not be tolerated under any circumstances. Anyone spreading chaos will be arrested.”
Naqvi also urged Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, a close aide of ex-PM Khan, to prioritize stability in his own province instead of staging protests, calling such demonstrations harmful to national interests.
He also informed the authorities had detained “extremists” in Islamabad.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar also questioned PTI’s motives, describing its protest as “a deliberate conspiracy against the country’s honor and dignity.”
Earlier, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal accused Khan’s party of attempting to disrupt Pakistan’s economic recovery by launching a demonstration right ahead of the Belarusian president’s visit.
“I am hopeful this drama will end tonight, and normalcy will return,” he said at a press conference in Lahore.
Iqbal defended the government’s strict measures, highlighting its responsibility to ensure law and order.
Meanwhile, residents of Islamabad said they were already grappling with disruptions. Mohammad Hayat, a 32-year-old fruit vendor, lamented the impact of the ongoing political friction between the government and the opposition party on his livelihood.
“Since morning, I haven’t had a single customer. Roads are blocked, people can’t come out, and my fruit is perishing,” he said.
Another resident, Sayyed Sarmad from E-16 sector, criticized the road closures, claiming, “A girl died in an ambulance yesterday. The government should allow protests but manage them better.”
PTI leaders also remained resolute as caravans from KP headed toward Islamabad.
Asif Khan, a party lawmaker, declared “we will go to our destination at any cost,” highlighting transportation challenges as booked vehicles were allegedly blocked. “We arranged vehicles from other districts and captured videos to show our strength,” he added.
Iman Tahir, a women’s leader from Attock, underscored the movement’s peaceful nature.
“We have always been peaceful and will go peacefully this time again,” she said. “Today, all of Pakistan will rise, and Khan’s final call will be a successful one.”
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, leading the rally, reiterated his commitment while traveling in official protocol.
“We are going to D-Chowk at any cost, and we will not return before reaching D-Chowk,” he said at the Peshawar Motorway toll plaza, referring to an iconic spot in Islamabad that has witnessed political protests for decades.
Another PTI lawmaker, Arbab Sher Ali, echoed the party’s determination to reach the federal capital, saying, “We are instructed to reach Islamabad and are following Khan’s directives. If we can’t reach today, we will reach tomorrow or the day after.”
PTI leaders have hinted at an indefinite sit-in in Islamabad, saying the will not return until their demands are met by the government.
Pakistan vows to facilitate Chinese investors in Special Economic Zones
- China, a major ally of Islamabad, has pledged $65 billion for a massive economic corridor project in Pakistan
- Chinese investment and financial support since 2013 have been key for Pakistan’s struggling, fragile economy
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Privatization Minister Abdul Aleem Khan promised to facilitate Chinese investors in Special Economic Zones (SEZs), state media reported this week as Islamabad eyes foreign investment in vital sectors to sustain growth and avoid a macroeconomic crisis.
SEZs are usually subject to different and more favorable economic regulations compared to other parts of the same country, which include tax incentives and the opportunity to pay lower tariffs.
China, a major ally and investor in Pakistan, has pledged over $65 billion in investment in road, infrastructure and development projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project. CPEC is a part of the Belt and Road Initiative, a massive China-led infrastructure project that aims to connect various countries around the globe through trade.
“Federal Minister for Privatization and Communications Abdul Aleem Khan says the Board of Investment will provide all facilities to Chinese investors including sale and transfer of land in Special Economic Zones,” Radio Pakistan reported on Saturday.
Khan, as per the state-run media, was presiding over a meeting in Lahore to discuss difficulties being faced by investors in SEZs.
“He directed to resolve all problems being faced in the Special Economic Zones across the country,” the state broadcaster said.
Chinese investment and financial support since 2013 have been key for Pakistan’s struggling economy, including the rolling over of loans so that Islamabad is able to meet external financing needs at a time its foreign reserves are low.
Though time-tested allies, recent security challenges have put a slight strain on Pakistan’s ties with China. Separatist militants have attacked Chinese projects in Pakistan over the past few months, killing Chinese personnel.
In October, a suicide blast claimed by the separatist Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) killed three people in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi, including two Chinese nationals, who were targeted in the attack.
Five Chinese workers were killed in a suicide bombing in March this year, which was the third major attack on Chinese interests in Pakistan in a week.
China has called on Islamabad to ensure security for its citizens in Pakistan. The South Asian nation has in turn sought to ease Chinese fears, vowing to provide fool-proof security to its citizens living and working in the country.
82 killed in three days of Pakistan sectarian violence
- Mobile network across Kurram is suspended and traffic on main highway remains halted amid tensions
- Around 300 families fled on Saturday as gunfights with light and heavy weapons continued into the night
PESHAWAR: Three days of bitter sectarian gunfights in northwestern Pakistan have killed at least 82 people and wounded 156 more, a local official said Sunday.
Pakistan is a Sunni-majority country but Kurram district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province — near the border with Afghanistan — has a large Shiite population and the communities have clashed for decades.
The latest bout of violence began on Thursday when two separate convoys of Shiite Muslims traveling under police escort were ambushed, killing at least 43 and sparking two days of gunbattles.
“The clashes and convoy attacks on November 21, 22, and 23 have resulted in 82 fatalities and 156 injuries,” said a local administration official speaking on condition of anonymity.
“Among the deceased 16 were Sunni, while 66 belonged to the Shia community,” he told AFP.
Around 300 families fled on Saturday as the gunfights with both light and heavy weapons continued into the night, however no fresh casualties were reported on Sunday morning.
“The mobile network across Kurram remains suspended and traffic on the main highway is halted,” said the local administration official.
Police have regularly struggled to stymy violence in Kurram, which was part of the semi-autonomous Federally Administered Tribal Areas until it was merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2018.
A delegation from the provincial government held talks with the Shiite community on Saturday and is scheduled to meet the Sunni community later on Sunday.
A security official in the provincial capital of Peshawar told AFP the negotiators’ helicopter had come under fire as it arrived in the region, although no one was harmed.
“Our priority today is to broker a ceasefire between both sides. Once that is achieved, we can begin addressing the underlying issues,” provincial Law Minister Aftab Alam Afridi said Sunday.
Last month at least 16 people, including three women and two children, were killed in a sectarian clash in Kurram.
Previous clashes in July and September killed dozens of people and ended only after a jirga, or tribal council, called a ceasefire.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said 79 people died between July and October in sectarian clashes.
Several hundred people demonstrated against the violence on Friday in Pakistan’s second largest city of Lahore and Karachi, the country’s commercial hub.
Pakistan’s Iram Parveen Bilal bags Best Director award for ‘Wakhri’ at Indian film festival
- Wakhri, meaning one of a kind, is inspired by life of murdered Pakistani social media star Qandeel Baloch
- Yellowstone International Film Festival is an Indian festival that showcases films from around the world
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani director Iram Parveen Bilal this week bagged the Best Director Feature Film award at the fifth Yellowstone International Film Festival, held in India’s New Delhi, for her film “Wakhri.”
Wakhri, meaning one of a kind in the Punjabi language, was inspired by the life of murdered Pakistani social media celebrity Qandeel Baloch. The film’s plot revolves around the challenges faced by a widowed schoolteacher named Noor, who becomes a social media sensation overnight.
Yellowstone International Film Festival is an Indian film festival that showcases films from around the world, providing a platform for filmmakers. With special categories such as women empowerment films, environmental films and student films, this year’s YIFF was held from Nov. 15-20 in New Delhi.
“Thank you for the honor, [YIFF] jury and organizers,” Bilal wrote on Instagram on Thursday. “[Wakhri] shines brightest with its audiences. Deep gratitude to my entire team, cast and crew alike, for enhancing my vision every step of the way.”
Wakhri had its world premiere at the Red Sea International Film Festival in December 2023 before its release in Pakistan on Jan. 5 this year.
Written by Bilal and Mehrub Moiz Awan, Wakhri has been produced by Abid Aziz Merchant, Apoorva Bakshi and Bilal’s Parveen Shah Productions.
The film stars prominent Pakistani actress Faryal Mehmood in the lead role, Gulshan Mated, Sajjad Gul, Salem Mairaj, Sohail Sameer, Bakhtawar Mazhar, Akbar Islam, Tooba Siddiqui, Behjat Nizami and Bushra Habib.
Pakistan reports three new polio cases, pushing 2024 tally to 55
- Two cases reported from southwestern Balochistan province, one from northwestern KP
- Pakistan, along with neighboring Afghanistan, remains the last polio-endemic country
PESHAWAR: Pakistan has reported three new cases of poliovirus, two from the southwestern Balochistan province and one from the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), the country’s polio eradication program said on Sunday, pushing this year’s total tally of cases to an alarming 55.
Pakistan, along with neighboring Afghanistan, remains the last polio-endemic country in the world. The nation’s polio eradication campaign has faced serious problems with a spike in reported cases this year that have prompted officials to review their approach to stopping the crippling disease.
On Friday, Pakistan reported two poliovirus cases from the KP province.
“The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health has confirmed the detection of three wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) cases in Pakistan, bringing the number of total cases in the country this year to 55,” the polio eradication program said in a statement.
Two out of the three cases were reported from Balochistan’s Zhob and Jaffarabad districts while one was reported from the northwestern Dera Ismail Khan district.
The program said that D.I. Khan is one of the seven polio-endemic districts of southern KP which has now reported six polio cases this year. Zhob has reported its third polio infection while Jaffarabad its second this year.
Out of a total of 55 cases reported this year, Pakistan has reported 26 from Balochistan, 14 from KP, 13 from Sindh and one each from Punjab and Islamabad.
Poliovirus, which can cause crippling paralysis particularly in young children, is incurable and remains a threat to human health as long as it has not been eradicated. Immunization campaigns have succeeded in most countries and have come close in Pakistan, but persistent problems remain.
In the early 1990s, Pakistan reported around 20,000 cases annually but in 2018 the number dropped to eight cases. Six cases were reported in 2023 and only one in 2021.
Pakistan’s polio program began in 1994 but efforts to eradicate the virus have since been undermined by vaccine misinformation and opposition from some religious hard-liners, who say immunization is a foreign ploy to sterilize Muslim children or a cover for Western spies. Militant groups also frequently attack and kill members of polio vaccine teams.
Pakistan’s chief health officer this month said an estimated 500,000 children had missed polio vaccinations during a recent countrywide inoculation drive due to vaccine refusals.
“Considering the intense polio outbreak, it is crucial for parents to ensure vaccination for all their children under the age of five to keep them protected,” the program said.
