ISLAMABAD: Opposition parties led by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) on Saturday opposed a National Assembly resolution denouncing a US House of Representatives resolution that has called for a probe into alleged voting irregularities in the South Asian nation’s general election.
Earlier this week, a US congressional resolution called for “the full and independent investigation of claims of interference or irregularities” in Pakistan’s Feb. 8 national election, drawing a strong reaction from Islamabad. The resolution was seen as a boost for the PTI party of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, which has insisted that its victory was converted into a defeat by the country’s election commission, which denies this. Other than widespread allegations of rigging, the vote was also marred by violence and communication blackouts throughout the country.
The government “did not show us the text of the resolution it passed in the National Assembly condemning the resolution passed by the US House of Representatives pointing out rigging in the 8th February 2024 elections,” Omar Ayub Khan, the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, said on X on Saturday.
“The resolution passed by the US House of Representatives is based on the reports of multiple election observers and points out the facts. It points out the interference of intelligence agencies, lack of proper procedures followed, and a tainted electoral process.”
On Friday, when the resolution was tabled and passed, opposition lawmakers chanted “shame- shame” and tore up copies of the document.
In a televised speech, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz lawmaker Shaista Pervaiz Malik, who tabled the resolution, said the US resolution was “completely against the facts” and Pakistan would not tolerate any such interference in its internal affairs.
“The House further regrets that the US resolution does not acknowledge the free and enthusiastic exercise of the right to vote by millions of Pakistanis in the recently held General Election,” the resolution read. “An independent and sovereign country like Pakistan will not accept any interference in its internal affairs and the subject resolution is an attempt to undermine the state.”
Addressing a weekly news briefing earlier this week, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch separately said Pakistan “deeply regretted” the resolution, saying it stemmed from an “inadequate and erroneous understanding of the political and electoral processes of Pakistan.”
“It is also an unsolicited interference in Pakistan’s domestic affairs,” she said. “We believe that bilateral relations between countries should be based on mutual respect and sovereign equality … The unsolicited interference from the US Congress is therefore neither welcome nor accepted.”
Baloch said Pakistan wanted relations with the United States “on the basis of mutual trust and confidence and non-interference in each other’s domestic affairs.”
“We also hope that the US Congress would play a more constructive role in strengthening Pakistan-US bilateral relations by focusing on avenues of collaboration for mutual benefit of the relations,” the spokesperson concluded.
Khan’s party won the most seats in general elections but fell short of a simple majority to form a government, paving the way for Khan’s political rivals led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to form a coalition government.
Opposition rejects parliamentary resolution denouncing US congressional motion on probe into Pakistan polls
https://arab.news/5guf5
Opposition rejects parliamentary resolution denouncing US congressional motion on probe into Pakistan polls
- National Assembly adopts resolution despite objections from Imran Khan party lawmakers
- February 8 vote was marred by violence, communication blackouts and allegations of rigging
Pakistan’s tax-heavy budget goes into effect today ahead of IMF loan talks
- Pakistan’s parliament passed federal budget last week despite protests from opposition
- Economists say budget in line with IMF recommendations, to help Pakistan secure bailout package
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s tax-heavy $67.76 billion budget for the new fiscal year takes effect from today, Monday, which Islamabad hopes will prove instrumental in securing another bailout package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to stave off a macroeconomic crisis.
President Asif Ali Zardari signed the Finance Bill 2024-25 into law on Sunday after the country’s parliament passed it last week amid an annual inflation projection of up to 13.5 percent for June. The bill comes ahead of more talks with the international lender for a loan of up to $8 billion to avert a debt default for Pakistan, the slowest-growing economy in South Asia.
The ambitious budget, with a challenging tax revenue target of Rs13 trillion ($46.66 billion) has drawn the ire of the government’s allies and opposition alike, who have demanded relief for the salaried class and the poor. The revenue collection target for FY25 is almost 40 percent higher from the last fiscal year, drawing criticism from the business community as well.
“I have already said we are moving in a positive way,” Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said on Sunday, speaking about the fresh IMF program during a media interaction in the federal capital. “During July we should get into a good agreement.”
Pakistan began discussions about a new loan with IMF officials soon after completing a $3 billion program that helped the country stave off a sovereign debt default last year. The international lender sent its delegation to Pakistan in May to hold negotiations with the new government which did not materialize into a staff-level agreement.
Pakistan has sought IMF loans in recent years due to a combination of economic challenges, including significant fiscal and current account deficits, declining foreign exchange reserves and rising public debt.
These economic vulnerabilities have been exacerbated by external shocks like fluctuating commodity prices and internal challenges such as political instability and policy inconsistency.
The government has maintained the country’s economy is on the mend but considers the new bailout important to ensure a substantial financial cushion.
TAX-LADEN BUDGET
Pakistan’s finance ministry said in a report on Friday that the budget is gearing the country toward “an era of sustainable and inclusive growth.” It projected an annual consumer price inflation for June 2024 between 12.5 percent to 13.5 percent, up from 11.8 percent in May.
The rise in the tax target is made up of a 48 percent increase in direct taxes and a 35 percent hike in indirect taxes over revised estimates of the current year. Non-tax revenue, including petroleum levies, is seen increasing by 64 percent.
The tax would increase to 18 percent on textile and leather products as well as mobile phones besides a hike in the tax on capital gains from real estate.
Workers will also get hit with more direct tax on income. Opposition parties, mainly parliamentarians backed by the jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, and top trade bodies have rejected the budget, saying it will be highly inflationary and lead to industry shutdowns.
Pakistan’s central bank has also warned of possible inflationary effects from the budget, saying limited progress in structural reforms to broaden the tax base meant increased revenue must come from hiking taxes.
The upcoming year’s growth target has been set at 3.6 percent with inflation projected at 12 percent.
Pakistan’s tax authority says surpassed revenue collection target for FY24
- Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) says it collected Rs9,306 billion ($33.55 billion) as opposed to target of Rs9,252 billion ($33.36 billion) for FY24
- FBR says ready to put in “best efforts” to achieve ambitious revenue target of Rs13 trillion for this fiscal year
ISLAMABAD: The Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR) announced on Sunday it had surpassed its revenue collection target of Rs9,252 billion ($33.36 billion) by collecting Rs9,306 billion ($33.55 billion) for the previous fiscal year, saying it is ready to achieve the ambitious revenue target for the current fiscal year.
Pakistan’s narrow tax base and enduring tax evasion issue leads to the problem of insufficient revenue collection for the country’s fragile economy each year. The shortfall exacerbates the government’s tendency to run a high fiscal deficit, often financed through domestic and international borrowing, increasing the nation’s debt burden.
The FBR announced on social media platform X it had “comfortably achieved” its revenue collection target for the previous fiscal year, collecting Rs9,306 billion ($33.55 billion) in total and thus exceeding its target by Rs54 billion.
“The growth in revenue collection is 30 percent as compared to the last year,” the FBR wrote on X.
The FBR said it had collected Rs1,183 billion ($4.27 billion) in June alone, adding that the target was despite imports being compressed from $55 billion ($200 million) to $53 billion ($200 million).
“For the FY 2023-24, FBR collected income tax amounting to Rs4,528 billion ($16.33 billion) as compared to Rs3,270 billion ($11.79 billion) during the same period last year, depicting an increase of 38.4 percent,” the tax authority wrote.
“Similarly, under the head sales tax Rs3,098 billion ($11.17 billion) was collected as compared to Rs2,593 billion ($9.35 billion).”
The FBR said it collected Rs576 billion [$2.08 billion] in Federal Excise Duty (FED) compared to Rs370 billion ($1.33 billion) last year while the revenue collection under the Customs Duty tax head was recorded at Rs1,104 billion ($3.98 billion) compared to Rs931 billion ($3.36 billion) last year.
“FBR collected Rs6,128 billion ($22.09 billion) in domestic taxes and Rs3,178 billion ($11.46 billion) in import taxes, thereby depicting a growth of 37 percent in domestic taxes and 18 percent in imports despite import compression during the current financial year,” it said.
The tax authority said it had disbursed refunds amounting to Rs469 billion during FY 2023-24 compared to Rs331 billion ($1.19 billion) during FY 2022-23, with the amount being 42 percent more than last year.
“In addition to exceeding the annual revenue target, the Tax System of Pakistan also witnessed significant structural improvements, which were a direct result of the interest of the Honorable Prime Minister and Finance Minister,” it said.
The FBR said that despite all odds, it remains committed to achieving targets “under all circumstances.”
“It is reiterated that for the assigned revenue collection target for the FY 2024-25, the team FBR is ready to deliver and put in their best efforts to achieve it and serve the nation,” it added.
Pakistan has set a challenging tax revenue target of Rs13 trillion ($46.66 billion) for the current fiscal year, a near 40 percent jump from the previous one, to strengthen the case for a new bailout deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Pakistan’s new administration has decided to digitalize the tax collection system to prevent leakages, even as a large segment of the national economy remains undocumented.
Pakistani state minister for IT arrives in China to attend digital economy conference
- Conference aims to build up broader platform for cooperation, communication in terms of global digital economy
- State Minister for IT Shaza Fatima Khawaja to visit Pakistani tech companies’ booths, participate in panel discussions
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s State Minister for IT and Telecommunications Shaza Fatima Khawaja arrived in China on Monday to attend the “Global Digital Economy Conference,” state-run media reported, as Islamabad hopes to attract foreign investment in its priority sectors and modernize its economy amid efforts to ward off a macroeconomic crisis.
The Global Digital Economy Conference 2024 is scheduled to be held from July 2-5 at the China National Convention Center in Beijing. This conference aims to build a platform for cooperation and communication in terms of the global digital economy, and jointly promote prosperity and development of the global digital economy with all attendees, China’s government said on its official website.
“The Minister of State will visit booths of Pakistani tech companies and meet their representatives,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported. “She will also attend ‘Euro Asia Pakistan Digital Economy Forum’ and participate in the panel discussions.”
Radio Pakistan said Khawaja will also hold meetings with “important figures” related to the information and communication technology sector during her trip. China is a major ally and investor in Pakistan, investing over $65 billion in energy and infrastructure projects in the South Asian country as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a key element of its Belt and Road initiative. This will connect China to the Arabian Sea and help modernize Pakistan’s economy through a network of roads, railways, pipelines, and ports.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited China on a five-day official trip with a high-level delegation in June during which both countries signed several agreements to bolster trade and investment in agriculture, economy, IT and other sectors.
Pakistan has been trying to navigate a prolonged economic crisis by actively pursuing foreign investments and enhanced trade opportunities, while also seeking yet another International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout to keep economic reforms on track.
Islamabad established the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), a civil-military hybrid forum, in June 2023 to attract foreign funding in agriculture, mining, information technology, defense production and energy.
Pakistan experienced 12% decline in overall violence during second quarter of 2024— report
- Violence in Balochistan decreased by 46% during second quarter, with fatalities dropping from 178 to 96
- Pakistan reported decline in 380 violence-linked casualties during this quarter compared to 432 in previous one
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan experienced a 12% decline in overall violence during the second quarter of 2024 from April to June, a local think tank’s report said on Monday, noting that the country’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and southwestern Balochistan provinces remained the “epicenters of violence” during this period.
Pakistani think tank Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) released the report on Monday. The CRSS, established in September 2007, says it is dedicated to advancing knowledge and understanding through research endeavors and publications, from in-depth analyzes of regional and national dynamics to policy recommendations for sustainable development.
In a report titled, “Overview Of Pakistan’s Security Landscape In Q2 2024” the CRSS stated that Pakistan witnessed 380 violence-linked fatalities and 220 injuries among civilians, security personnel, and outlaws in the second quarter of this year. These fatalities took place due to 240 incidents of terror attacks and counter-terror operations, the report said. Of these fatalities, 236 included civilians and security forces personnel.
“Violence and casualty rates across the country plummeted in Q2, 2024,” the report said. “The country experienced a 12% reduction in overall violence, with 380 fatalities recorded compared to 432 in Q1 2024.”
It said KP and Balochistan were the “epicenters of violence” accounting for nearly 92% of all fatalities and 87% of attacks (including incidents of “terrorism” and security forces operations) during the second quarter.
KP suffered 67% and Balochistan 25% of all fatalities during this period, the report disclosed, noting that the data reflected the remaining regions of the country were “relatively peaceful” and suffered only 8 percent of all fatalities.
It said Balochistan showed “remarkable” improvement, with the rate of violence dropping to almost 50 percent during the second quarter. “The most notable improvement was seen in Balochistan, where violence decreased by 46 percent, with fatalities falling from 178 in Q1 to 96 in Q2 2024,” the report pointed out.
It added that violence saw a notable decline of 32% in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province while “similar downward trends” were reported in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad and its semi-autonomous region of Gilgit-Baltistan.
The report noted that outlaws accounted for the majority of fatalities, 38%, followed by civilians, who accounted for 32% of all the casualties during the second quarter of 2024. Security and government officials comprised 30% of all the casualties, it said.
“Compared to Q1, civilian and security forces’ fatalities decreased by 21% and 10%, respectively, while militant fatalities increased by 29%,” the CRSS report said. “Notably, only 2 insurgents were killed in Q2, a sharp decline from 41 in Q1.”
However, the report also acknowledged some of the worrying trends of the second quarter, most notably that civilians, government officials, and security personnel suffered 62 percent of all fatalities, compared to the 38 percent figure for outlaws.
“Civilians suffered the highest number of militant and insurgent attacks,” the report said.
Pakistan has seen an uptick in attacks on its western provinces bordering Afghanistan. The South Asian country has blamed the recent surge in militant attacks on neighboring Afghanistan, which it says allows Pakistani Taliban militants to hold camps and train insurgents to launch attacks inside Pakistan.
Kabul denies this. Since last November, the Pakistan government has also launched a deportation drive under which over 600,000 Afghan nationals have been expelled from Pakistan.
Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif threatened to launch cross-border attacks in Afghanistan to carry out alleged militant targets in the country. His statement was criticized by the Taliban government in Kabul, who warned him that such a move would have “consequences.”
Pakistan kicks off anti-polio campaign in 41 districts amid surge in cases
- Pakistan last week reported three polio cases, taking total tally of cases this year to eight
- Anti-polio campaign of varied duration to vaccinate 9.5 million children in targeted districts
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan kicked off an anti-polio vaccination campaign on Monday to vaccinate 9.5 million children across several districts in the country amid a surge in cases of the disease, state-run media reported.
The development takes place after Pakistan reported three people contracted the disease last week. Two of the cases were reported in Pakistan’s southwestern Killa Abdullah district while one child contracted the disease in the southern port city of Karachi.
Polio has been eliminated in developed nations but persists in parts of India, Nigeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan. It is a highly infectious disease that invades the nervous system and can cause total paralysis. While polio mainly affects children under five years of age, anyone who is unvaccinated can contract the disease at any age.
“Anti-polio campaign of varied duration will start in forty-one districts of the country from tomorrow,” the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported on Sunday. “During the special campaign, more than 9.5 million children under five years of age will be administered polio vaccine.”
It said the campaign would be held in 16 districts of Balochistan, 11 districts of Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), eight districts of Sindh and five districts of Punjab province. It said that a door-to-door polio campaign will be conducted in specific union councils of Islamabad as well.
“This campaign is being launched in view of increasing polio cases in Balochistan,” APP said.
National Command and Operation Center Commander Muhammad Anwar Haq said the campaign will be conducted in areas where polio virus is “continuously present.”
“He appealed to parents to consider it their national duty to join this campaign and vaccinate the children,” APP said.
Polio vaccination efforts in Pakistan have been hampered by the belief among many Pakistanis, particularly those residing in the conservative tribal areas, that the medicine is a Western campaign aimed at sterilizing the country’s population or a cover for Western spies.
In 2012, the local Taliban had ordered a ban on immunization against polio in some tribal districts. At least 11 policemen have been killed this year while on security duty during vaccination campaigns that are frequently targeted by militants. Dozens of polio workers have also lost their lives over the decades.
The 2011 US special forces raid inside Pakistan that killed Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, architect of the September 11 attacks on the United States in 2001, also increased masses’ fears about polio vaccination. A Pakistani doctor was accused of using a fake vaccination campaign to collect DNA samples that the CIA was believed to have been using to verify bin Laden’s identity. The doctor remains jailed in Pakistan.
