ISLAMABAD: A key coalition ally of the Pakistan government on Saturday distanced itself from the decision to ban jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party for its alleged involvement in anti-state activities, saying it would not become part of such an “undemocratic move.”
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar announced the government’s plan earlier this week to ban Khan’s party, just days after the Supreme Court handed PTI a major legal victory by declaring it eligible for reserved seats for women and minorities in the national and provincial assemblies.
Tarar justified the decision on the basis of “available evidence,” saying the ex-PM’s party was guilty of inciting violent protests last year, which made its followers set government buildings on fire, along with publicizing state secrets.
Shortly after his announcement, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s coalition partners, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), said they had not been taken into confidence.
Subsequently, government representatives, including Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, held a meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari, the PPP co-chairman, on Friday and told him about the decision to file treason charges against Khan and two senior PTI leaders, former President Arif Alvi and ex-Deputy National Assembly Speaker Qasim Suri.
“We have clearly told Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s representatives our party would not become part of any undemocratic move like banning the PTI,” Sehar Kamran, a PPP lawmaker, told Arab News. “We are the government’s key coalition partners but we were not consulted on its decision to slap a ban on Imran Khan’s party.”
Kamran said the PPP would take the matter to its Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting for a final decision, though “one thing is for sure that we are not going to be part of any undemocratic, unconstitutional and illegal action of the government.”
She said it was not clear yet as to when her party’s CEC meeting would be called as the party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari was out of the country.
“The government should try to find out democratic and constitutional solutions to its problems,” she added.
Sharif’s another key coalition partner, MQM-P, also said they were not taken on board before the announcement of the government’s decision to ban PTI and file treason charges against Khan and other leaders.
“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s party has not contacted us yet for consultation on their decision to ban PTI and file treason charges against the party’s leadership,” an MQM-P media cell official told Arab News on condition of anonymity.
“We will discuss the matter in our party before making the final decision whether we should stand by the government or not,” he continued. “It is too early to say anything about it. Let’s wait for the government to share its plans with us first.”
Arab News reached out to the information minister for comment but did not receive a response.
Key coalition ally of Pakistan government opposes ban on ex-PM Khan’s political party
https://arab.news/57evj
Key coalition ally of Pakistan government opposes ban on ex-PM Khan’s political party
- PPP says it will not become part of any ‘undemocratic move,’ though the matter will be decided by top leaders
- The government announced its plan to impose a ban on PTI for alleged involvement in anti-state activities
Government approves revised deals with 14 independent power producers to reduce electricity costs
- Revised contracts will save the government about $5 billion over their duration, benefiting consumers
- Revised agreements will also include a $126 million cut in the profits reaped by these IPPs in the past
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s federal cabinet on Tuesday approved a plan to renegotiate agreements with 14 independent power producers (IPPs), a move aimed at lowering electricity costs and addressing the country’s mounting circular debt crisis, according to a government statement.
The issue of IPPs, dating back to agreements signed in the 1990s and 2000s, gained prominence recently amid soaring inflation and public discontent over high electricity prices.
At the core of the problem are capacity charges, or payments made to IPPs regardless of electricity consumption, which have exacerbated Pakistan’s circular debt, now exceeding Rs2.4 trillion ($8.6 billion), as per the energy minister Sardar Awais Ahmad Laghari.
“These revised agreements, finalized after negotiations with 14 IPPs, propose a reduction of Rs802 billion ($2.9 billion) in costs and profits, including a Rs35 billion ($126 million) cut in past excess profits,” the statement said, adding the revised contracts will save the government Rs1.4 trillion ($5 billion) over their duration, translating into annual savings of Rs137 billion ($493.2 million) for consumers.
The renegotiated deals include 10 IPPs established under the 2002 policy and four under the 1994 policy, with one 1994 agreement terminated altogether.
The government’s renegotiation efforts, also influenced by International Monetary Fund reform recommendations, seek to reduce tariffs and capacity payments to ease fiscal pressure.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was also quoted in the statement as describing the revised agreements as significant achievement.
“These settlements will not only save the national exchequer but also help eliminate circular debt and reduce electricity prices,” he said.
Muslim World League supports UNICEF on children’s needs in Pakistan, Chad, Afghanistan
- $1.5 million agreement will enhance education and skill-building programs in Chad and Pakistan
- In Afghanistan, agreement will help to improve, increase coverage of maternal, newborn, childcare services
ISLAMABAD: UNICEF and The Muslim World League (MWL) have signed a $1.5 million agreement to enhance education and skill-building programs in Chad and Pakistan and to improve maternal, newborn and childcare services in Afghanistan, the UN agency said in a statement this week.
The agreement was signed by UNICEF Representative to Pakistan, Abdullah A. Fadil, on behalf of UNICEF’s Executive Director, Catherine Russell, and MWL’s General Manager of Strategic Partnerships, Dr. Shaima Alluqmani, on the sidelines of a global conference on Muslim World League Initiative hosted by Pakistan in Islamabad last week.
‘The climate crisis and digital divide are critical challenges faced by children in Pakistan every day. Providing vulnerable children and youth, especially girls, with the education and skills they need will empower them to reach their full potential and help Pakistan prosper,” Fadil said.
“We look forward to working with the Muslim World League to help ensure that no girl is left behind.”
The agreement will support the “Green Skills Training Programme for Non-Formal Education Students” in Pakistan to equip adolescents — especially girls — with essential green skills and digital skills. The program will enhance their employability and empower them to contribute to a sustainable future, the statement said.
In Chad, the “Renovation of Qur'anic Schools in Lac” program aims to improve access to education and learning environment in religious schools. This program includes teacher training, the construction of 12 classrooms, and the provision of clean water to 500 students in two schools.
As for Afghanistan, the “Improving Quality of Care for Maternal, Newborn and Childcare Health Services (MNCH)” program was designed to increase access to and utilization of high-quality MNCH services across the country through strengthening health facilities, equipping them with necessary supplies, and improving clinical practices. This program seeks to reduce maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity by ensuring better care and coverage.
Dr. Shaima Al-Luqmani, Director General of Strategic Partnerships at the Muslim World League, said the MWL was keen for such agreements to represent an important pillar of the MWL’s initiative, “Girls’ Education in Muslim Communities: Challenges and Opportunities,” through tangible projects that positively impact the future of millions of girls and women in Muslim societies.
Al-Luqmani added that the initiatives and partnerships established by the MWL with various governmental and non-governmental regional and international organizations “have emphasized inclusivity in their programs, whether in the field of girls’ education and its related services and institutions, or in raising awareness and correcting misconceptions and misinterpretations that cast doubt on the undisputed legitimate right of girls to receive education.”
Muslim World League and UNICEF had partnered for over 14 years, delivering impactful results for children and reaching the most vulnerable with humanitarian supplies and services in education, health, social protection, water and sanitation hygiene ‘WASH’.
‘All options exhausted,’ army chief tells political leaders on militant attacks from Afghanistan
- General Asim Munir explained the situation this week after politicians in Peshawar called for negotiations with Kabul
- All parties unanimously expressed support for targeted actions against TTP militants, as per meeting participants
KARACHI: Pakistan’s army chief, General Asim Munir, told political leaders in Peshawar this week the country had “exhausted all options” to persuade Afghanistan to curb cross-border militant attacks, expressing regret the administration in Kabul had failed to restrain armed factions, a participant of the meeting said on Tuesday.
General Munir visited Peshawar on Monday, where he received a briefing on the current security situation and ongoing counter-terrorism operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), which borders Afghanistan.
Pakistan has struggled to contain escalating militant violence in KP since a fragile truce between the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the government collapsed in November 2022. Officials in Islamabad say the TTP leadership is based in Afghanistan from where its attacks on Pakistani civilians and security forces are “facilitated” by the Afghan authorities, an allegation denied by Kabul.
During his visit to Peshawar, the army chief engaged with leaders from various political parties, including Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur. During the meeting, political representatives expressed “vivid clarity on unflinching support” for the armed forces and law enforcement agencies in the nation’s fight against extremist violence and agreed on the need for a unified front against militant networks, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing.
“We have exhausted all our options,” Aftab Sherpao, a former federal minister who heads the Qaumi Watan Party and attended the meeting, told Arab News over the phone, quoting the army chief.
Sherpao said the top Pakistani general issued the comment while responding to political leaders advocating for talks and avoiding confrontation with the Afghan Taliban administration.
“He [the army chief] also said some foreign countries were also engaged in talks to persuade the Taliban in Kabul, but terrorist attacks still continue against Pakistan,” Sherpao added.
Professor Muhammad Ibrahim, another participant and leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Party, corroborated the information, saying that almost all political parties agreed that negotiations with Kabul should continue.
“Almost all political parties emphasized the need for negotiations with Afghanistan, arguing that war is not the solution,” he said.
“The army chief said the negotiations were still going on, but no positive outcome had emerged so far,” Ibrahim continued. “In response we stressed that a positive outcome will eventually come, and talks should continue.”
The JI leader also quoted the army chief as saying the military was not planning a full-scale operation against the TTP but was carrying targeted intelligence-based actions.
Brig. Mehmood Shah, an expert on Pakistan-Afghanistan affairs, criticized the Afghan Taliban for failing to honor the 2020 Doha Agreement, which ended the Afghan war on the condition that Kabul would prevent its soil from being used by militants against other countries.
“The world knows that in the Doha Agreement, the US explicitly stated that Afghanistan must not allow its territory to be used against its neighbors,” he said. “The US is not Afghanistan’s neighbor, so why was it so insistent?”
Shah said the international community knew Afghanistan had been allowing its land to be used against its neighbors.
He noted that Pakistan, a nuclear-capable country with an air force, had shown restraint despite its capabilities.
“Pakistan has been in dialogue with Afghanistan, but Afghanistan is unwilling to act against the TTP,” Shah continued. “If Pakistan then carries out operations inside Afghanistan, Kabul should not complain.”
According to Pakistan’s state broadcaster, PTV News, the army chief informed the meeting that the primary points of contention between Pakistan and Afghanistan were the presence of the banned TTP on Afghan soil and cross-border attacks.
Pakistan expects $40 billion as World Bank announces decade-long development framework
- World Bank Group’s Country Partnership Framework is designed to support inclusive and sustainable growth
- The framework aims to focus on education, health care, environmental resilience and financial management
ISLAMABAD: The World Bank Group’s (WBG) Boards of Executive Directors on Tuesday announced a decade-long Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for Pakistan, a plan the administration in Islamabad hopes will channel $40 billion in economic support to drive inclusive and sustainable development.
The country plan is a strategic framework that shapes the WBG’s long-term engagement with a country. It is built on a thorough assessment of the nation’s critical challenges and opportunities, ensuring that the group’s financial, technical and advisory resources are precisely aligned with the country’s development priorities for optimal impact.
According to the World Bank, the new framework for Pakistan targets six major areas, including education, health care, environmental resilience and financial management.
“Our new decade-long partnership framework for Pakistan represents a long-term anchor for our joint commitment with the Government to address some of the most acute development challenges facing the country,” said Najy Benhassine, World Bank Country Director for Pakistan. “Support to policy and institutional reforms that boost private sector-led growth and create fiscal space to finance the investments needed to address these challenges will remain key in our engagements.”
According to a statement from Pakistan’s Economic Affairs Division, the World Bank and its partner institutions have committed a total of $40 billion under the framework. This includes $20 billion from the International Development Association (IDA) and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), while an additional $20 billion will come from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), which focuses on private sector development.
The WBG noted that the country plan aims to reduce child stunting by improving access to clean water, sanitation and nutrition services, while also addressing learning poverty through better foundational education.
Other priorities include bolstering resilience to floods and climate-related disasters, improving food and nutrition security, promoting cleaner energy and better air quality, and enhancing fiscal management to create space for development spending.
Zeeshan Sheikh, IFC Country Manager for Pakistan and Afghanistan, highlighted the importance of private sector participation in these areas, saying, “We are focused on prioritizing investment and advisory interventions that will help crowd-in much needed private investment in sectors critical for Pakistan’s sustainable growth and job creation, including energy and water, agriculture, access to finance, manufacturing and digital infrastructure.”
The framework also includes cross-cutting measures such as expanding social safety nets, advancing financial inclusion and enhancing digital and transport connectivity to protect vulnerable populations, particularly women.
Since commencing operations in Pakistan in 1950, the WBG has provided over $48.3 billion in assistance through IBRD, invested $13 billion via IFC to advance private sector-led growth, and delivered $836 million in guarantees through Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA).
Currently, the WBG’s portfolio in Pakistan includes 106 projects with a total commitment of $17 billion.
Eight Pakistani firms participate in Intersec 2025 business exhibition in Dubai
- The development comes as Pakistan, faced with a prolonged economic crisis, is scrambling to enhance trade with various countries
- Consul-general says the participation of local firms in global exhibitions like Intersec underscores Pakistan’s capabilities in safety sector
ISLAMABAD: Eight Pakistani firms are participating in the Intersec 2025 business exhibition in Dubai, the Pakistani embassy in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) said on Tuesday.
The 26th edition of Intersec, touted as the world’s largest business exhibition for security, safety and fire protection, is being held on Jan. 14 -16 at Dubai World Trade Center.
On Tuesday, Pakistani Consul-General Hussain Muhammad, along with Trade and Investment Counselor Ali Zeb Khan, inaugurated the Pakistan Pavilion at the exhibition.
“Pakistani companies, under the auspices of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), are participating in event to showcase their products,” the Pakistani embassy said in a statement.
“The Pakistani exhibitors expressed their satisfaction with the event arrangements and emphasized the significance of such platforms in enhancing Pakistan’s export potential to the UAE and other GCC [Gulf Cooperation Council] markets.”
The development comes as Pakistan, faced with a prolonged economic crisis, has been making efforts to enhance trade with various countries in the region as well as to attract foreign investment to revive its $350 billion economy.
Policymakers in Pakistan consider the UAE an optimal export destination due to its geographical proximity, which minimizes transportation and freight costs while facilitating commercial transactions.
The Pakistani consul-general said the participation of Pakistani companies in global exhibitions like Intersec underscores Pakistan’s commitment to fostering trade ties and showcasing its capabilities in the safety sector.
“The event provides an ideal opportunity for Pakistani companies to explore the world market and make business connections,” he added.
