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TEHRAN: Iran’s foreign ministry said on Sunday that talks with the United States slated for next weekend will remain “indirect” with Omani mediation, and focused solely on the nuclear issue and lifting of sanctions.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff held talks on Saturday in Muscat, marking the highest-level Iran-US nuclear negotiations since the collapse of a 2015 accord.
They agreed to meet again in seven days.
“Negotiations will continue to be indirect. Oman will remain the mediator, but we are discussing the location of future negotiations,” foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said in an interview with state TV.
He said the talks would only focus on “the nuclear issue and the lifting of sanctions,” and that Iran “will not have any talks with the American side on any other issue.”
Iranian foreign ministry says venue of ‘indirect negotiations’ being decided
Analysts had said the US would push to include on the agenda discussions over Iran’s ballistic missile programme along with Tehran’s support for the anti-Israel network.
Tehran has, however, maintained it will talk only about its nuclear programme.
Donald Trump in 2018 pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers during his first term as US president.
He reimposed sweeping economic sanctions against Iran, which continued to adhere to the agreement for a year after Washington’s pullout but later began rolling back its own commitments.
Iran has consistently denied seeking to acquire nuclear weapons.
Saturday’s rare negotiations came weeks after Trump sent a letter to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urging nuclear talks while warning of possible military action if Iran refuses.
Iran and the US separately described Saturday’s discussions as “constructive”.
Iran said the talks were held indirectly with Oman’s foreign minister acting as intermediary. The negotiators, Araghchi and Witkoff, spoke directly for “a few minutes” after the talks, Tehran’s foreign ministry said.
Another round of talks will be held on April 19.
Asked about the talks, Trump told journalists aboard Air Force One: “I think they’re going OK. Nothing matters until you get it done.”
The process took place in a “friendly atmosphere”, Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said.
Several Iranian websites that track the unofficial exchange rate reported on Sunday a strengthening of the Iranian rial to around 850,000 to the US dollar, down from more than one million in recent days.
Iran, reeling from Israel’s pummelling of its allies in Gaza and Lebanon, is seeking relief from wide-ranging sanctions hobbling its economy.
Tehran has agreed to the meetings despite baulking at Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign of ramping up sanctions and repeated military threats.
On Sunday, Iranian media largely welcomed the rare talks as a “decisive turning point” in relations between the longtime foes.
Iran’s conservative Javan daily praised the US for “not seeking to expand the negotiations to non-nuclear issues”.
The government-sponsored newspaper, Iran, described the discussions as “constructive and respectful,” quoting Araghchi.
Meanwhile, the reformist Shargh newspaper said it was a “decisive turning point” in Iran-US relations.
The hardline Kayhan newspaper, which was largely sceptical in the days leading up to the talks, lamented that Iran does not have a “plan B” while there was “no clear prospect for an agreement with Donald Trump.”
It, however, lauded the fact that the American side did not bring up “the dismantling of nuclear facilities” and “the possibility of a military attack” during the discussions.
Tehran and Washington have had no diplomatic relations since Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution toppled the CIA-backed Shah.
Iran has been wary about engaging in talks with the United States, often citing previous experience and undermined trust.
Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2025
BEIJING: China has called on the United States to “completely cancel” its reciprocal tariffs after Washington said exemptions for consumer electronics and key chipmaking equipment may be short-lived.
“We urge the US to … take a big step to correct its mistakes, completely cancel the wrong practice of ‘reciprocal tariffs’ and return to the right path of mutual respect,” a commerce ministry spokesperson said in a statement on Sunday.
The world’s two largest economies have been engaged in a tit-for-tat tariff war since US President Donald Trump announced this month sweeping global tariffs — since escalating the blanket duty on Chinese goods to 145 per cent.
Retaliatory Chinese import tariffs of 125pc on US goods took effect on Saturday, with Beijing standing defiant against its biggest trade partner.
US’ electronics tariff exemption to be short-lived; commerce secretary says semiconductor levy to be in place within months
Washington dialled down the pressure Friday when the US Customs and Border Protection office said smartphones, laptops, memory chips and other products would be excluded from the global levies.
China’s commerce ministry on Sunday called the exemptions a “small step” by Washington and said that China was “evaluating the impact” of the decision.
‘Short-lived’
The new exemptions will benefit US tech companies like Nvidia and Dell, as well as Apple, which makes iPhones and other premium products in China.
US Customs data suggests the exempted items account for more than 20pc of Chinese imports, according to senior RAND researcher Gerard DiPippo.
The relief could, however, be short-lived with some of the exempted consumer electronics targeted for upcoming sector-specific tariffs on goods deemed key to US national defense networks.
Trump has said he will give “very specific” details on Monday, and his commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, said semiconductor tariffs would likely be in place “in a month or two.”
The White House says Trump remains optimistic about securing a deal with China, although administration officials have made it clear they expect Beijing to reach out first.
China looks elsewhere
China has sought to present itself as a stable alternative to an erratic Washington, courting countries spooked by the global economic storm.
Xi on Monday kicks off a five-day Southeast Asia tour for talks with the leaders of Vietnam, a manufacturing powerhouse, as well as Malaysia and Cambodia.
The fallout from Trump’s tariffs — and subsequent whiplash policy reversals — has sent particular shockwaves through the US economy, with investors dumping government bonds, the dollar tumbling and consumer confidence plunging.
Adding to the pressure on Trump, Wall Street billionaires — including a number of his own supporters — have openly criticised the tariff strategy as damaging and counterproductive.
The White House insists the aggressive policy is bearing fruit, saying dozens of countries have already opened trade negotiations to secure a deal before the 90-day pause ends.
“We’re working around the clock, day and night, sharing paper, receiving offers and giving feedback to these countries,” Greer told CBS.
Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2025
SUMY: A Russian missile strike on Sunday in the Ukraine’s city of Sumy killed at least 34 people, Kyiv said, with European and US officials condemning the attack.
Kyiv said Moscow hit the northeastern city, close to the Russian border, with two ballistic missiles on Sunday morning and that the attack also wounded nearly 120 people.
US President Donald Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine, retired lieutenant general Keith Kellogg, said on X that the attack by Russian forces on civilian targets “crosses any line of decency”.
The strike came two days after US envoy Steve Witkoff travelled to Russia to meet President Vladimir Putin and push Trump’s efforts to end the war.
The local emergency service said in its latest bulletin that 34 people died and 117 were wounded.
US, European leaders condemn Palm Sunday attack on Sumy
Bodies were seen covered in silver sheets at the scene of the strike in the city centre, with a destroyed trolleybus. Rescuers worked through the rubble of a building.
The head of Ukraine’s GUR military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, said on Telegram that Russia used two Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles on Sumy.
One woman told AFP she heard two explosions. “A lot of people were very badly injured. A lot of corpses,” she said, struggling to speak.
It was the second Russian attack this month to cause civilian death toll.
Trump has previously voiced anger at Moscow for “bombing like crazy” in Ukraine.
Zelensky called on the United States and Europe to give a “strong response” to Russia, adding: “Talking has never stopped ballistic missiles and bombs.” French leader Emmanuel Macron said the strike showed Russia’s “blatant disregard for human lives, international law and the diplomatic efforts of President Trump”.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was “appalled” by the attack, which Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni described as a “cowardly” act by Russia.
The fact that the bloodshed fell on Palm Sunday outraged several leaders.
It was “a barbaric attack, made even more vile as people gathered peacefully to celebrate Palm Sunday,” European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said on X.
“The Russian version of a ceasefire. Bloody Palm Sunday,” said Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, while Danish leader Mette Frederiksen said the “missile attack on civilians gathered on Palm Sunday… shows Russia’s true face”.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the killing “as many people made their way to prayer on Palm Sunday” demonstrated that “Putin underscores with blood that he seeks not peace but destruction”.
Dutch premier Dick Schoof urged more air defences “so that Ukraine can defend itself against this violence”.
Relentless offensive
Russia did not immediately comment on the strike. Moscow has refused a US-proposed unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine.
Local authorities in Sumy published footage of bodies strewn on the street and people running for safety, with cars on fire and wounded civilians on the ground.
Russia has relentlessly attacked Ukraine in recent weeks, extending the violence wrought by its all-out invasion that has gone on for more than three years.
Sumy has been under increasing pressure since Moscow pushed back many of Ukraine’s troops from its Kursk region inside Russia, across the border.
Kyiv for weeks has warned that Moscow could mount an offensive on Sumy.
Russia launched its invasion partially through the Sumy region and briefly occupied parts of it before being pushed back by Ukrainian forces.
On Sunday, Russia said it captured another village in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region.
Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2025
LONDON: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed regret over the continued use of Afghan soil by terrorist groups to carry out attacks inside Pakistan, calling it a “painful reality”.
Speaking to reporters outside Avenfield apartments, where he met PML-N President Nawaz Sharif, the PM stressed the need for peaceful relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Deputy PM Ishaq Dar was also present during the visit.
Sharing concerns over attacks, PM Shehbaz said, “We have repeatedly urged the Afghan interim government to ensure its territory is not used, in line with the Doha agreement, against Pakistan or its interests. Unfortunately, terrorist outfits such as TTP and other groups continue to operate from Afghan soil, taking innocent lives in Pakistan.”
Asking Kabul to take action and restrain these elements, the PM said Afghanistan was “our brotherly nation” and as neighbours, it is essential for both nations to “coexist peacefully and harmoniously”.
The premier also reflected on his visit to Belarus, describing his talks with the Belarusian leadership as fruitful.
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“We explored several avenues for cooperation, especially in agriculture, where Belarus possesses significant expertise. Pakistan, blessed with vast mineral wealth, can also benefit from Belarusian machinery,” he said.
“During the visit, we toured a factory, and an understanding was reached which could see around 150,000 skilled Pakistani workers secure employment opportunities in Belarus,” the PM said.
He said, “We’ve steered Pakistan away from the brink of economic default, and the prayers of the people have played a key role in this journey.”
PM Shehbaz, along with Deputy PM Ishaq Dar, is scheduled to return to Pakistan from London on Monday.
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Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2025
GAZA CITY: An Israeli strike on Sunday heavily damaged one of a few functioning hospitals in Gaza, leaving behind scenes of devastation and fear and putting nearly one million people without access to emergency or ambulance care.
The strike on Al-Ahli Hospital in northern Gaza — also known as the Baptist or Ahli Arab Hospital — came a day after Israeli forces seized a key corridor in the territory and signalled plans to expand their bombing campaign.
Marwan al-Hams, director of field hospitals in the Gaza Strip, warned that putting the Baptist Hospital out of service has left nearly one million people without access to emergency or ambulance care.
He stressed that no medicine, medical supplies, or fuel had entered the Gaza Strip in over 40 days. He also revealed that most hospital oxygen stations are now out of service, placing the lives of dozens of patients in immediate danger.
Attack has left one million people without access to emergency treatment, says director of field hospitals
“The remaining hospitals in Gaza are severely under-equipped and unable to provide essential medical and surgical care,” al-Hams stressed, sounding the alarm over a looming collapse of the healthcare system.
He urged the international community to act urgently, warning that “without intervention from the free world, Gaza’s entire medical infrastructure could collapse.”
Since the outbreak of war, tens of thousands of Gazans have sought refuge in hospitals, many of which have suffered severe damage in the ongoing hostilities.
It also came as aid agencies and the United Nations warned that medicines and related supplies were rapidly running out in Gaza as casualties surged.
“The bombing led to the destruction of the surgery building and the oxygen generation station for the intensive care units,” Gaza’s civil defence rescue agency said.
The blast left a gaping hole in one of the hospital’s buildings, with iron doors torn from their hinges. An Iraqi broadcaster said one of its TV vans was also damaged.
Six brothers among seven killed
A separate air strike on Sunday on a vehicle in the central city of Deir el-Balah killed seven people including six brothers, the civil defence agency said.
Mahmud Abu Amsha, who witnessed the strike, said those killed were distributing aid among Palestinians.
“They do not care about children or people being killed… This aid was being provided to the displaced people,” he said.
Patients, relatives and medical personnel evacuated the Al-Ahli hospital in haste following the military’s warning. Many found themselves stranded in the surrounding streets.
Naela Imad, 42, had been sheltering at the hospital but had to rush out of the complex.
“Just as we reached the hospital gate, they bombed it. It was a massive explosion,” she said.
“Now, me and my children are out on the street. We’ve been displaced more than 20 times. The hospital was our last refuge.”
The Israeli military asserted that Hamas was operating “a command and control centre” inside the hospital compound.
Hamas condemned what it described as a “savage crime” committed by Israel “with blatant US cover and complicity”, dismissing the claim that the facility was a being used for military purpose.
Violation of international law
Hospitals, protected under international humanitarian law, have repeatedly been attacked by Israel in the Gaza Strip since the start of the war.
Aid agencies and the UN say that only a few of Gaza’s 36 hospitals remain partially functional.
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy urged Israel on Sunday to halt the “deplorable attacks” on hospitals, calling for diplomacy to “achieve a lasting peace”.
Last month, Israeli forces opened fire on ambulances in Gaza, killing 15 medics and rescuers in an incident that sparked international condemnation.
The Palestine Red Crescent Society said on Sunday that a medic who had been missing since the attack, Asaad al-Nsasrah, was being held by Israeli troops.
“His fate had remained unknown since he was targeted along with other PRCS medics in Rafah,” the group said in a statement.
Gaza’s health ministry said on Sunday that at least 1,574 Palestinians had been killed since March 18 when the ceasefire collapsed, taking the overall death toll since the war began to 50,944.
The ceasefire had largely put a halt to the fighting in Gaza for two months, but Israel restarted intense bombing in mid-March, with Palestinian fighters resuming rocket fire from the territory days later.
Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2025
AUTHORITIES in Bangladesh have issued an arrest warrant for British MP and former Labour minister Tulip Siddiq, BBC reported on Sunday.
Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has been investigating allegations that Ms Siddiq illegally received land as part of its wider probe of the regime of her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, who was deposed as prime minister in August.
The ACC is examining claims that Ms Hasina and her family embezzled up to £3.9bn from infrastructure spending in Bangladesh.
Ms Siddiq became a member of Parliament (MP) from the Hampstead and Highgate constituency in London in July 2024.
She served as economic secretary to the Treasury and City Minister from July 2024 until her resignation in January 2025.
Ms Siddiq’s lawyers denied the charges, which they said were “politically motivated”.
The ACC had not presented any evidence or informed Ms Siddiq about an arrest warrant, the lawyers added.
The UK has an extradition treaty with Bangladesh, but the latter has to provide evidence in support of any request for extradition before ministers and judges make a decision.
The ACC investigation into Ms Haseena’s family was initiated after allegations made by Bobby Hajjaj, her political opponent.
Court documents seen by the BBC show Mr Hajjaj has accused Ms Siddiq of helping to broker a deal with Russia in 2013 that overinflated the price of a new nuclear power plant in Bangladesh.
In a statement seen by the BBC, Ms Siddiq’s lawyers said the allegations were “completely false”.
“The ACC has not responded to Siddiq or put any allegations to her directly or through her lawyers.”
As per the lawyers, Ms Siddiq neither knew about ACC’s hearing in Dhaka nor about any arrest warrant that have been issued.
“To be clear, there is no basis at all for any charges to be made against her, and there is absolutely no truth in any allegation that she received a plot of land in Dhaka through illegal means.”
“She has never had a plot of land in Bangladesh, and she has never influenced any allocation of plots of land to her family members or anyone else.”
“No evidence has been provided by the ACC to support this or any other allegation made against Siddiq, and it is clear to us that the charges are politically motivated.”
Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2025
ISLAMABAD: The increase in trade tariffs on Pakistani products announced by US President Donald Trump — later suspended temporarily — could have a devastating impact on Pakistan’s important exports and serves as a wake-up call for diversification, according to a state-owned think tank.
“A storm may be brewing on Pakistan’s trade horizon,” said the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (Pide), adding that the “proposed reciprocal tariffs by the United States could have a devastating impact on the country’s export sector”.
In a stark policy note, the institute cautioned that these tariffs could lead to macroeconomic instability, significant job losses and a critical reduction in foreign exchange earnings.
The study, titled ‘Impact of Unilateral Tariff Increase by United States on Pakistani Exports’ and conducted by Dr Muhammad Zeshan, Dr Shujaat Farooq and Dr Usman Qadir, analysed the consequences of a proposed 29 per cent reciprocal tariffs on Pakistani exports to the United States.
When added to the existing 8.6pc Most Favoured Nation (MFN) tariff, the total duty could reach 37.6pc, the policy note said. The result would likely be a 20-25pc decline in exports to the US, translating into an annual loss of $1.1-1.4 billion, with the textile sector bearing the brunt of the blow.
In the fiscal year 2024, Pakistan exported $5.3bn worth of goods to the United States, making it the country’s largest single-country export market. A significant portion of these exports were textiles and apparel, which already face tariffs as high as 17pc.
If the proposed tariffs are implemented, Pakistan’s price competitiveness would be severely eroded, possibly allowing regional competitors like India and Bangladesh to capture the market share.
The economic consequences would extend beyond textiles, the Pide analysis warned. Major exporters such as Nishat Mills and Interloop may be forced to reduce production, threatening more than 500,000 jobs. Non-textile exports — including leather, rice, surgical instruments and sports goods — also face increased vulnerability.
Despite the risks, Pide viewed the crisis as an opportunity for strategic transformation. The policy note encourages Pakistan to take swift and thoughtful action in response. In the short term, Pide recommended that Pakistan engage in high-level diplomatic efforts to highlight the mutual costs of the tariffs and preserve long-standing trade relations.
For example, the United States exported $181 million worth of cotton to Pakistan in 2024, a trade stream that is now at risk. Pakistan might also consider reducing tariffs on select US imports — such as machinery, scrap metal and petroleum — to create room for negotiation. Additionally, Pakistani firms could be encouraged to use more US-origin inputs like cotton and yarn to help maintain value chains and seek tariff exemptions.
For the long term, Pide emphasised the need to diversify both export products and markets. Emerging destinations such as the European Union, China, Asean nations, Africa and the Middle East offer growth potential in sectors like IT, halal food, processed foods and sports goods.
The report also called for measures to reduce energy and logistics costs, streamline regulations and promote innovation and technology adoption. Furthermore, a comprehensive US trade strategy is necessary — one that focuses on building synergies in technology, agriculture, energy and value-added manufacturing.
On the international front, Pide noted that the proposed US tariffs exceed the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) bound tariff ceiling of 3.4pc, potentially violating multilateral trade rules. While legal recourse through the WTO remains an option, Pakistan’s limited fiscal resources may hinder such efforts, it said. More importantly, the tariffs ignore the interconnected nature of global trade.
The US-Pakistan textile loop is a prime example — American cotton supplies Pakistani mills, which in turn export finished garments to the US. Disrupting this value chain benefits neither country.
“The road ahead is challenging, but it also presents a chance for Pakistan to recalibrate and strengthen its export framework,” the report noted.
With timely diplomacy, strategic policy reforms and bold diversification efforts, Pakistan can not only withstand this external shock but also emerge as a more competitive and resilient player in the global economy, it concluded.
Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2025
ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has come under criticism from within and outside for charging hefty fees to consumers for appeals and reviews of regulatory decisions.
This emerged after a strong dissenting note from Nepra Member (Tariff) representing Balochistan Mathar Niaz Rana for disallowing on technical grounds a review application from Karachi-based industrial consumers Muhammad Arif Bilwani against weaknesses in the matter of K-Electric’s power generation tariff.
The regulatory order issued on April 10 noted that Mr Bilwani was not a party in the matter of KE’s power generation tariff and did not pay about Rs1 million fee but paid only Rs1,000 as a common consumer and hence did not qualify to be entertained by the regulator.
However, Mr Rana, in his dissenting note, reminded the regulator that Nepra had allowed similar requests and almost on similar grounds in the past, including to the federal government.
He said the Nepra Act, to safeguard consumer interests through transparency and impartiality, required the Nepra to provide an accessible and affordable mechanism for the public to challenge its decisions. “This promotes public participation and access to justice while maintaining fairness, privacy and the integrity of proceedings”. The member said Nepra’s legal team opposed the review motion on the grounds that Mr Arif was not a direct party to the proceedings under the regulations, but section 7(6) of the Nepra Act provided sufficient flexibility to allow broader public involvement. He strongly advocated allowing review motions from the general public through a minimal or no-cost process.
“Procedural technicalities should not exclude public participation in matters affecting their rights. Instead, submissions should be evaluated on their merits and dismissed only on substantive grounds, if necessary,” he argued.
According to the member, active public engagement through interventions and comments meant strengthening regulatory transparency and accountability.
The regulator was reminded that Energy and Power Solutions (Pvt) Limited’s intervention in the 600MW solar plant case in Muzaffargarh was also entertained despite not being party to the original proceedings.
Moreover, there were numerous precedents in Nepra where delays in filing reviews were condoned. He demanded that the previously prescribed fee of Rs1,000 for public review motions should be reinstated as it was unreasonable to charge half of the fee paid by a utility.
An energy sector analyst and a regular participant of the Nepra hearings, Rehan Javed, also supported Nepra member Mathar Rana and said it highlighted how regulatory procedures, originally meant to ensure fairness, could evolve to restrict public participation and burden consumers.
He said a review motion against Nepra’s decision was rejected on procedural grounds — specifically, not qualifying as a “party” and failing to pay a newly imposed 50pc fee of the original tariff petition instead of Rs1,000 only.
“The change in fee structure, without sufficient flexibility, effectively excludes public oversight,” he said, adding that consumers lose the ability to challenge tariff hikes that directly impact their bills.
Meanwhile, regulatory amendments favouring procedural rigidity benefit powerful stakeholders by shielding tariff decisions from broader scrutiny, he said.
Mr Javed said the Member (Tariff) Mathar Niaz Rana’s dissent underscored the risk of turning regulatory laws into tools that protect monopolies while transferring inefficiencies and losses onto the public. “This erodes accountability, increases electricity costs, and misuses public money through unjustified tariff approvals,” he said.
The regulator, in its majority decision, returned the review motion submitted by a consumer, Muhammad Arif, as non-maintainable, saying he did not qualify as a party to the proceedings of the determination in the matter of the KE tariff petition for its power generation plant. It said the petitioner also did not pay Rs934,722 fee along with Rs10,000 per day of delay in filing the application.
Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2025
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA), a key stakeholder in the ongoing judicial seniority dispute, appears to be undecided on whether to pursue a petition filed by its former president ahead of a crucial Supreme Court hearing, scheduled for April 14 (today).
Sources privy to the matter revealed that the current IHCBA leadership has yet to formally decide whether the bar would become a party to the dispute regarding the inter-se seniority of judges transferred from other high courts to the IHC.
The development comes as the Supreme Court prepares to hear identical petitions, including the one filed by five senior IHC judges.
The previous bar president, Riasat Ali Azad, had submitted a petition to the apex court before his term expired. However, the current bar representatives, led by its president Syed Wajid Ali Shah Gillani, reportedly found “no formal record such as meeting minutes or resolutions” authorising Mr Azad to file the petition on behalf of the association.
Lawyer appointed by bar’s previous leaders ‘not authorised’ to pursue case by incumbents
Despite appointing prominent lawyer Faisal Siddiqui as counsel by the ex-president, the incumbent bar leadership has not authorised any legal representation in the case, sources claimed.
IHCBA President Gillani had earlier stated that the decision to participate in the litigation would be made after a formal meeting of the executive body. However, neither any such meeting was held nor resolution passed. The agenda of bar meetings is publicly circulated.
Former bar president Azad told Dawn that being representative of the bar, he had filed the petition and also appointed senior lawyer Faisal Siddiqui as counsel. However, ex-secretary Shafqat Tarrar, who had signed the petition, admitted that the bar did not hold any executive or general body meeting before filing the petition.
Insiders said the current bar initially considered withdrawing the petition but refrained from doing so after receiving a letter from several lawyers, including prominent rights activists, reminding Mr Gillani of their “electoral mandate”.
A five-member constitutional bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and comprising Justices Naeem Akhtar Afghan, Shahid Bilal, Salahuddin Panhwar, and Shakeel Ahmed, will take up petitions filed by the IHC judges, the Karachi Bar Association (KBA) and the IHCBA.
On the other hand, Justices Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Babar Sattar, Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, and Saman Rafat Imtiaz have sought a court declaration that judges transferred to the IHC cannot be considered permanent members of the court until they take oath under Article 194 of the Constitution.
They have also challenged the seniority list considered by the Judicial Commission of Pakistan on Feb 10, arguing that it “wrongfully” included the transferred judges, leading to improper recommendations for elevation to the Supreme Court.
The petitioners demand that the Feb 12 notification issued for appointment of Justice Sardar Mohammad Sarfraz Dogar as acting chief justice of the IHC be set aside, asserting that he was “ineligible under constitutional provisions”.
Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2025
ISLAMABAD: After Imran Khan’s meetings with his family members and party leaders became a contentious issue, the PTI on Sunday formed a five-member committee to decide who can meet its incarcerated founder.
However, the decision made by PTI’s political committee stopped short of naming the five members of this body.
When asked about its composition, PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqqas Akram told Dawn that the five members would be finalised by Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Salman Akram Raja.
A statement issued by the party said that no person, apart from those recommended by the committee, would be allowed to meet Mr Khan.
Anyone meeting him without the committee’s permission would be held liable for violating party discipline.
But PTI leaders from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government would be exempted from the restriction, as they do not need the committee’s approval to meet Mr Khan.
While the committee will nominate visitors for meetings on Tuesdays and Thursdays as per court order, Mr Khan’s input would be sought for future visitors during these meetings.
The party’s political committee, which met to discuss the overall situation, also decided that a list of approved visitors would be sent to the Adiala jail administration through three focal persons — Barristers Gohar and Raja, and Intizar Hussain Panjhuta.
The political committee decided that if any person approved by the committee was stopped by jail authorities from meeting Mr Khan, no one would go inside the prison as a mark of protest.
Also, an application of contempt of court against jail authorities would be filed in the IHC, it decided.
Last week, police took into custody Mr Khan’s sisters, Aleema and Uzma Khan, as well as others from outside the prison after they were denied a meeting with the incarcerated PTI founder. The arrests were made ostensibly to prevent a law and order situation as protesters pelted police officials with stones and the latter responded with baton charge.
These meetings, as per the court order, were to be coordinated by PTI leader Salman Akram Raja. However, Mr Raja himself was stopped by jail authorities from meeting Mr Khan last week.
Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2025
QUETTA: The Quetta-bound Bolan Mail (3UP) train was stopped at Jacobabad railway station on Sunday due to security reasons, officials told Dawn.
Pakistan Railways officials said the train reached Jacobabad from Karachi just after midnight, where the relevant authorities informed the station master to keep the train at the station and not allow it to proceed towards Quetta until security clearance was given.
Talking to Dawn, Pakistan Railways Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Amir Ali Baloch confirmed the hours-long stoppage of the Quetta-bound Bolan Mail, saying that it was due to security reasons as train operations were not allowed in Balochistan during night-time.
A senior Railways official from the Quetta division told Dawn the train was carrying about 150 passengers.
He claimed that after security clearance was not received, the train’s onward journey was suspended, and passengers were sent to Quetta and other destinations via buses under strict security measures.
PR officials say ‘night-time travel’ not permitted in Balochistan; passengers from Quetta to be brought to Sibi for journey to Karachi
“This train reached Jacobabad in the night hours, and if it had continued its journey, it would have reached Sibi late at night. Therefore, we stopped the train at Jacobabad, telling the passengers to wait until morning,” the CEO told Dawn.
He said that some passengers were given a refund, whereas around 100 asked railway authorities to arrange alternative transport, adding that they were sent to their destinations via bus.
However, there were conflicting reports about the transportation arrangements, and eye-witnesses said passengers protested in Jacobabad after railway authorities asked them to disembark.
The enraged passengers said that the railway administration had charged them the fare from Karachi to Quetta, but had left them to their own devices in the middle of the journey.
The passengers called it an injustice, saying the fare from Jacobabad to Quetta was more than a thousand rupees, but the railway administration had returned only Rs200 to some passengers, while others were not reimbursed at all.
Meanwhile, the timings of the Bolan Mail are set to be revised from tomorrow (Tuesday). According to an announcement by Pakistan Railways, the 3UP train —which usually departs Karachi City Station at 7pm, will now leave four hours earlier at 3pm.
Passengers, especially those holding advance bookings, have been asked to plan their travel accordingly.
Our correspondent in Sukkur also contributed to this report
Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2025
ISLAMABAD: After Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called on Tehran to ensure justice for the deaths of eight of its nationals in Iran’s province of Sistan-Baluchestan, Islamabad on Sunday sought Iran’s full cooperation to investigate the “inhumane and cowardly” killings.
The eight men, who worked as motor mechanics in Mehrestan county (approx. 230km from the Pakistan-Iran border) were tied up and killed execution-style by unidentified attackers a day earlier.
Among the slain were a father and son duo, as well as four members of the same family. Most of them hailed from small towns in the Bahawalpur district of south Punjab.
In a statement, the Iranian embassy in Islamabad expressed deep sorrow over the tragic incident and pledged full cooperation in the investigation.
As news of their death spread in their native towns, mourners thronged the homes of the slain men to comfort their grieving families.
According to the Associated Press of Pakistan, Khanqah Sharif-residents Dilshad and his son Danish operated the motor workshop and had recruited a number of other mechanics from his area to work there.
The men included Jaffer, Nasir, Naeem and Aamir from Khanqah Sharif, as well as Muhammad Khalid of Dera Nawab Sahib and Muhammad Jamshed of Chakki More in Ahmedpur East.
The families of the victims called on the government to ensure the swift repatriation of the mortal remains of their loved ones, so they could be laid to rest in their native areas.
They also sought compensation from the Pakistan government, saying that they were already living below the poverty line and the loss of their primary breadwinners — who had gone to Iran to earn their livelihoods — would leave them hand-to-mouth.
Shared commitment against terrorism
Statements issued from Tehran and Islamabad in the wake of the incident reflected a shared resolve to fight against terrorism.
The scourge of terrorism could prove destructive for all countries in the region, PM Shehbaz noted in his condolence message, adding that all nations should come together to develop a fool-proof strategy to deal with this menace.
He called on the Iranian government to immediately arrest those responsible and award them exemplary punishment, as well as bringing to light the motives behind this heinous act.
The prime minister also instructed the Foreign Office to contact the victims’ families and arrange for the swift return of their bodies.
In its statement on Sunday, the Foreign Office noted that Pakistan’s embassy in Tehran and the consulate in Zahedan were in constant touch with Iranian authorities for a comprehensive investigation “to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice as well as for prompt repatriation of the victims’ remains to Pakistan”.
“Further updates will be provided as soon as additional details regarding the identification of dead bodies and the circumstances leading to their tragic deaths become available,” the statement said.
Separately, in a post on X, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Iran Muhammad Mudassir Tipu they were in touch with authorities in Iran to carry out a swift investigation and bring the perpetrators to justice.
“Iran has assured of its utmost cooperation,” Mr Tipu said.
While assuring Pakistan of full cooperation, Tehran also called for collective international efforts to curb terrorism.
“Terrorism is a chronic plight and a common threat throughout the region by which the traitorous elements, in collaboration with international terrorism, target security and stability throughout the region,” Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan Reza Moghadam wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The statement underscored the need for collective action, calling on all regional countries to intensify joint efforts to eradicate terrorism and extremism
“Combating this ominous phenomenon requires collective and joint efforts by all countries to eradicate all forms of terrorism and extremism that have claimed the lives of thousands of innocent people in recent decades,” Mr Moghadam stressed.
Multiple claims
While a spokesperson for the banned Balochistan National (or Nationalist) Army had claimed responsibility for the killing, the AFP news agency reported that the Jaish al Adl — formerly known as Jundullah — had also owned the attack.
This was the second such incident in Sistan-Baluchestan in recent years, as nine Pakistani workers hailing from Punjab were gunned down by unidentified attackers on Jan 27, 2024 in the province.
The same month, Pakistan conducted retaliatory strikes on terrorist hideouts in Sistan-Baluchestan after Iran launched attacks on the border town of Panjgur.
Balochistan, which borders Sistan-Baluchestan, has witnessed a spate of attacks targeting those hailing from Punjab in recent months.
In late March, five passengers were gunned down in a firing incident in the Kalmat area of Balochistan’s Gwadar district, with officials saying at least four of them belonged to Punjab.
Days earlier, four labourers from Punjab were shot dead by unknown assailants in the Kalat district.
In February, seven Punjab-bound passengers were offloaded from a bus and shot dead in the province’s Barkhan district.
Majeed Gill in Bahawalpur also contributed to this report
Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2025
BEIJING: China’s Commerce Minister Wang Wentao told the head of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) that US tariffs will “inflict serious harm” on poor nations, according to a ministry statement released Saturday.
Washington and Beijing have been trading salvos of increasingly higher tariffs this month, raising fears of an intensifying trade war between the world’s two largest economies that has sent global markets into a tailspin.
Economists warn that the disruption in trade between the tightly integrated US and Chinese economies will increase prices for consumers and could spark a global recession.
“These US ‘reciprocal tariffs’ will inflict serious harm on developing countries, especially the least developed countries, and could even trigger a humanitarian crisis,” Wang told WTO chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in a call on Friday, the statement said.
“The United States has continuously introduced tariff measures, bringing enormous uncertainty and instability to the world, causing chaos both internationally and domestically within the US,” Wang added.
Beijing said that its 125 per cent tariffs on US goods would take effect on Saturday — almost matching the staggering 145pc levies imposed by Washington on Chinese goods entering the United States.
But China indicated that it would ignore any further levies by US President Donald Trump because, Beijing said, it no longer makes economic sense for importers to buy from America.
China also said it would file a lawsuit with the WTO over the latest round of levies and dismissed Trump’s mounting brinkmanship as a “joke” and a “numbers game”.
Beijing’s retaliation sparked fresh market volatility, with stocks seesawing, gold prices surging and US government bonds under pressure.
Trade between the two economic rivals is vast, with sales of Chinese goods to the United States last year totalling more than $500 billion — 16.4pc of the country’s exports, according to Beijing’s customs data.
Trump insisted that his tariff policy was “doing really well” despite the new hikes from China.
Earlier this week he postponed punishing levies on multiple trade partners for three months after trillions of dollars were wiped off global markets.
The White House said that Trump remained “optimistic” about a deal with Beijing, and added that 15 other countries have offers “on the table” during his 90-day pause in their tariffs.
Tariff talks
Meanwhile, Taiwan’s government on Saturday said it held first tariff discussions with the United States and expected more talks to build “strong and stable” trade ties.
Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te said the island was on “the first negotiating list of the US government” as he looks to shield its exporters from a 32pc tariff.
Taiwan now faces a 10pc tariff and Lai said talks would seek to strike a deal with Washington to bring that down to zero.
Taiwan’s Office of Trade Negotiations said on Saturday that Taiwanese officials held a video conference the day prior with “relevant US officials” without identifying them.
The two sides “exchanged views on Taiwan-US reciprocal tariffs, non-tariff trade barriers, and a number of other economic and trade issues including export controls”, it added.
Taiwan’s trade surplus with the United States is the seventh highest of any country, reaching US$73.9bn in 2024.
Around 60pc of its exports to the United States are information and communications technology products, including semiconductors. But chips were excluded from Trump’s new tariffs.
Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2025
KOLKATA: India deployed troops on Saturday to quell deadly protests that have erupted in the state of West Bengal over legislation to change how Muslim-owned properties are managed.
Police fired tear gas at the thousands of demonstrators who gathered on Friday in the state’s Murshidabad district. Three people, including a child, were killed, police said on Saturday.
“So far, 118 people have been arrested in connection with the violence,” said Jawed Shamim, a senior police official in the state, adding that at least 15 police officers were injured.
The state’s high court ordered federal troops to deploy. The Waqf amendment bill that set off the protests was passed earlier this month after heated debate.
According to the ruling Hindu nationalist government, it will boost transparency around land management by holding accountable powerful Waqf boards, which control properties gifted by Muslim charitable endowments.
But the opposition has called the bill a polarising “attack” on India’s Muslim minority. They accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of trying to win favour with its right-wing Hindu base.
After the bill’s passage, Modi called it a “watershed moment”. Opposition Congress Party chief Rahul Gandhi meanwhile said the bill was “aimed at Muslims today but sets a precedent to target other communities in the future”.
Modi’s decade as premier has seen him cultivate an image as an aggressive champion of the country’s majority Hindu faith.
His government revoked the constitutional autonomy of India’s Muslim-majority region Kashmir, and backed the construction of a temple on grounds where a mosque stood for centuries before it was torn down by Hindu zealots in 1992.
Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2025
BEIJING: China’s capital hunkered down on Saturday as rare typhoon-like gales swept northern regions, forcing the closure of historic sites and disrupting travel while bringing late snowfalls and hailstone showers in some areas.
Windows shook and trees crashed onto footpaths and cars, rocked by gusts of wind driven by a cold vortex from neighbouring Mongolia that sent temperatures plunging.
The winds, which started on Friday, are set to continue over the weekend, packing gusts of up to 150kph (90mph), the official Xinhua news agency said. They brought late snowfalls in Inner Mongolia and hailstones in southern China.
Beijing issued its second-highest gale alert this weekend, for the first time in a decade, warning 22 million residents to avoid non-essential travel as winds could potentially break April records dating from 1951.
After earlier warnings, some residents said they were very nervous but still managed to get around.
“It wasn’t as severe as I had imagined - not to the point where it was impossible to go out — though it is having some impact on daily life,” said 30-year-old local resident, surnamed Li.
By 2pm, winds had felled 703 trees in Beijing while 693 flights had been cancelled at Beijing’s two international airports — Beijing Capital and Beijing Daxing, state media reported.
The winds dominated social media chats, with many people expressing concern for food delivery workers braving the conditions.
“In weather like this, we can choose not to order delivery — it’s too hard for them,” one Weibo user wrote.
The winds forced the postponement of a half-marathon set for Sunday featuring humanoid robots competing with humans in a bid to showcase China’s technological advances.
Sandstorms raging over a stretch from Inner Mongolia to the Yangtze River region crippled road travel in eight provinces, Xinhua and state broadcaster CCTV said.
Sandstorms were expected to impact Shanghai from Saturday afternoon through to Sunday morning.
Strong winds bringing sand and dust from Mongolia are routine in spring, but climate change has made weather events more extreme.
Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2025
MUSCAT: The United States wants a nuclear agreement “as soon as possible”, Iran said after rare talks on Saturday, as US President Donald Trump threatens military action if they fail to reach a deal.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who briefly spoke face-to-face with Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff during the indirect meeting in Oman, said the talks would resume next Saturday.
“The American side also said that a positive agreement was one that can be reached as soon as possible but that will not be easy and will require a willingness on both sides,” Araghchi told Iranian state television.
“At today’s meeting, I think we came very close to a basis for negotiation... Neither we nor the other party want fruitless negotiations, discussions for discussions’ sake, time wasting or talks that drag on forever,” he added.
Witkoff’s direct communication is a step forward in achieving a ‘mutually beneficial outcome’, White House says
A statement from the White House said: “The discussions were very positive and constructive. Special Envoy Witkoff’s direct communication today was a step forward in achieving a mutually beneficial outcome,” it said.
Oman’s foreign minister acted as intermediary in the talks in Muscat, Iran said. The Americans had called for the meetings to be face-to-face.
However, the negotiators also spoke directly for “a few minutes”, Iran’s foreign ministry said. It said the talks were held “in a constructive and mutually respectful atmosphere”.
The long-term adversaries, who have not had diplomatic relations for more than 40 years, are seeking a new nuclear deal after Trump pulled out of an earlier agreement during his first term in 2018.
Araghchi, a seasoned diplomat and key architect of the 2015 accord, and Witkoff, a real estate magnate, led the delegations in the highest-level Iran-US nuclear talks since the previous accord’s collapse.
The two parties were in “separate halls” and “conveying their views and positions to each other through the Omani foreign minister”, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei posted on X.
The process took place in a “friendly atmosphere”, Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said.
Iran, weakened by Israel’s pummelling of its allies Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, is seeking relief from wide-ranging sanctions hobbling its economy.
Tehran has agreed to the meetings despite baulking at Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign of ramping up sanctions and repeated military threats.
Meanwhile, the United States, hand-in-glove with Israel, wants to stop Tehran from ever getting close to developing a nuclear bomb.
Open to ‘compromise’
There were no visible signs of the high-level meeting at a luxury hotel in Muscat, the same venue where the 2015 agreement was struck when Barack Obama was US president.
Witkoff told The Wall Street Journal earlier that the US position starts with demanding that Iran completely dismantle its nuclear programme — a view held by hardliners around Trump that few expect Iran to accept.
“That doesn’t mean, by the way, that at the margin we’re not going to find other ways to find compromise between the two countries,” Witkoff told the newspaper.
“Where our red line will be, there can’t be weaponisation of your nuclear capability,” he added.
The talks were revealed in a surprise announcement by Trump during a White House appearance with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday.
Hours before the talks began, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One: “I want Iran to be a wonderful, great, happy country. But they can’t have a nuclear weapon.” Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s adviser Ali Shamkhani said Iran sought “a real and fair agreement”.
The latest International Atomic Energy Agency report said Iran had an estimated 274.8 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 per cent, nearing the weapons grade of 90 per cent.
Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2025
QUETTA: Unidentified armed men killed eight Pakistani workers in the Iranian province of Sistan-Baluchestan, who were working at a workshop, on Saturday, officials said.
The Iranian authorities confirming the killing of the Pakistani nationals said that the tragic incident took place in a village of Meharistan district in the morning.
“All the eight Pakistani who were killed belong to Bahawalpur city of southern Punjab,” the Iranian officials said, adding that they were staying at a workshop where they used to dent, polish, paint and repair cars.
According to reports, unknown armed men barged into the workshop sometime in the night and after tying their hands and feet opened indiscriminate firing and killed them.
The attackers after killing all the eight Pakistanis escaped from the site.
All victims hailed from Bahawalpur, worked at car repair shop
The Iranian police rushed to the area after receiving information about the tragic incident and after recovering the bodies were shifted to the hospital.
Five out of eight victims of the firing were identified as Dilshad, his son Muhammad Naeem, Jaffar, Danish and Nasir.
A spokesman for the banned Balochistan National Army (BNA) through a statement issued to the media has claimed responsibility for the killing of eight Pakistanis.
Iranian authorities have said that the Iranian police were investigating the incident. It was a second such incident in the Sistan Baluchestan, as a few years ago armed men had killed nine Pakistanis who were also working in Iran as motor mechanics and staying in a workshop.
Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2025
LAHORE: A 5.5 magnitude earthquake struck northwestern parts of Punjab, Peshawar and Islamabad on Saturday.
The Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) confirmed that no casualties or property damage were reported.
Tremors were felt around 12:30pm in major cities, including Lahore, Rawalpindi, Gujrat and Faisalabad, with the strongest shaking reported in Rawalpindi and Attock.
In KP, tremors were felt in Haripur, Abbottabad, Attock, Swat, Malakand, and Peshawar, according to the National Seismological Centre.
The earthquake measured 5.5 on the Richter scale, according to the National Seismic Monitoring Centre (NSMC).
However, according to the United States Geological Survey, the quake measured 5.0 on the Richter scale and had a depth of 39.2km.
A PDMA spokesperson said the quake’s epicentre was 60km northwest of Rawalpindi.
The PDMA said its central control room and all 36 district emergency operation centres were activated and Rescue 1122 teams and machinery were put on standby for aftershocks. The agency said that the building inspections were underway in urban centres.
PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Kathia said teams were monitoring seismic activity 24/7 and the disaster response system was fully operational.
In several areas of Peshawar and Islamabad, the quake caused panic among residents who swiftly exited their homes and offices, PTV News channel reported.
Meanwhile, the Earthquake Quick News and Research Centre claimed to have forecast Saturday’s earthquakes.
During a press conference at the National Press Club, centre’s CEO Muhammad Shehbaz Leghari said they had predicted seismic activity between April 8 and 11, with an estimated magnitude of 4.8 on the Richter scale in “northern to southern parts” of the country, APP reported.
Pakistan recorded around 20 low-intensity earthquakes in the first half of February — an average of more than one tremor each day. However, experts say such minor seismic activities “preempt” high-intensity earthquakes by constantly releasing accumulated energy within the tectonic plates.
According to NSMC, the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border region also felt minor quakes earlier in the day. The border region experienced a 3.8-magnitude jolt at 11:26am, with a depth of 109km. Another 4.3-magnitude earthquake with a depth of 88km jolted the region at 11:54am.
With additional input from APP
Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2025
LAHORE: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has urged the business community to share ideas and proposals to enable the government in ending trade deficit with the United States in light of duties imposed by the Trump administration.
“There is a relief in US tariff for 90 days. But the 10pc base tariff has already been enforced. Though this issue [imposition of tariff] exists at the moment, the real issue is the trade imbalance which needs to be resolved with your [business community’s] views, suggestions and ideas,” the minister said while speaking at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) on Saturday.
“By seeing our exports, now we will have to increase our imports too. As you say we may import wheat and other items to end the trade imbalance. For this, I would request you to give us your ideas and proposals about how to increase our exports and more importantly the imports from America for this purpose,” he said, adding that since the US is Pakistan’s largest trading partner, the business community should come forward and help government face these challenges professionally.
Mr Aurangzeb said the government would be sending a high-power delegation to the US for having constructive engagements with the relevant authorities there in this regard. The delegation would have representation from the business community as well, he assured.
SOEs privatisation
Talking about privatisation of the state-owned enterprises (SOEs), the minister said as many as 24 SOEs have been handed over to the privatisation commission. Similarly, a committee headed by him is also looking into the affairs related to rightsizing of the ministries and their attached departments.
“About this, I want to tell you that the problems don’t exist in the ministries, but their over 400 attached departments that are costing the exchequer heavily due to corruption, leakage (of money),” he said, adding that the committee was reviewing all attached departments very closely.
“But surprisingly when we see their (attached departments) presentations, we are told a lot of work is being done by them. But then I ask them that since you didn’t do anything in the last 50 years, how you can perform in future,” the minister quipped.
About crops, the finance minister strongly recommended to go for deregulation of prices rather than fixing support price or procurement.
Mr Aurangzeb believed that the IT and mineral sectors would be a game changer for Pakistan’s economy, as the recent conference on minerals remained very successful in this regard.
He said only nickel became a major export driver for Singapore, with a $22 billion share in exports. Copper has the potential to yield similar dividends for Pakistan, he said, adding that global interest in Pakistan’s mineral sector and IT potential was growing, and the government was focused on removing all barriers to attract and facilitate both local and foreign investment in these sectors.
The industrial growth was only possible if financing costs, power tariffs was reduced and taxation policies were improved, he said, adding under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s leadership, the economic direction of the country was being steered with clear goals and results would soon be visible.
The minister said that hurdles in profit repatriation for foreign investors had been addressed, which boosted their confidence in the Pakistani market. “We are ensuring that the benefits of reduced inflation directly reach the common man. Middlemen will not be allowed to exploit the system,” he said.
While talking about taxation, he admitted that the salaried class was bearing the tax burden, as income tax was being deducted at the source. “We intend to offer relief to the salaried segment,” he assured. He was of the view that if the tax-to-GDP ratio increased to 13 per cent, the government could offer broader relief to various sectors.
LCCI President Mian Abuzar Shad praised the government’s efforts in curbing inflation and reducing the policy rate.
He urged the government to ensure timely disbursement of tax refunds, particularly to exporters, to support liquidity, stimulate investment, and maintain momentum in economic activity.
He pointed out that the FBR often delayed refunds for up to a month, despite the 72-hour processing requirement under the FASTER system.
“If refunds are not released within 15 days, the FBR should pay exporters with a markup,” the minister suggested.
Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2025
QUETTA: The Balochistan National Party (BNP-Mengal) has decided to convene a multi-party conference (MPC) on Monday amid a deadlock in negotiations with the government, which refused to allow the party’s long march — launched from Wadh to demand the release of Dr Mahrang Baloch, chief organiser of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee, and other women activists — to enter Quetta.
Speaking to reporters at the sit-in, which has now entered its third week, BNP-M President Sardar Akhtar Mengal announced on Saturday evening that the MPC would take place at the sit-in site, and invitations had been sent to leaders of various political parties.
He said the MPC would discuss the demands of the long marchers and address other serious issues faced by Balochistan, adding that the conference would also determine a future course of action in light of the government’s lack of seriousness regarding the province’s concerns.
Mr Mengal reiterated that the BNP-M’s primary demand was the release of arrested women political activists, including Mahrang Baloch. “If the government had accepted our demand, we would have ended the sit-in and returned,” he said. He added that three rounds of talks had been held with the government, but none resulted in any meaningful resolution, reflecting the government’s indifference.
He accused the state of being disinterested in resolving Balochistan’s issues, claiming that the province was facing its fifth militar operation. “The people who went to the mountains were once protesting peacefully on these roads,” Mr Mengal said, adding that when the government responds to grievances with enforced disappearances and the dumping of bodies, it leaves the people with no options.
He criticised parliament, calling it a “rubber stamp” where women legislators are being coerced into voting for constitutional amendments through the abduction of their sons and husbands. “Earlier, there was kidnapping for ransom; now it’s kidnapping for constitutional amendments,” he remarked.
He also accused major political parties of having no genuine concern for the people of Balochistan, claiming that they were complicit in looting the province’s resources and stealing the public mandate through collaborations with the establishment.
Mr Mengal also denied media reports suggesting he had submitted demands to Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti through backdoor channels.
Political dialogue
Meanwhile, the PML-N Balochistan leadership on Saturday emphasised that all issues should be resolved through political dialogue between the BNP-M and the government, rather than through sit-ins and highway blockades.
PML-N Parliamentary Leader and provincial Minister for Communications and Works Mir Saleem Khosa made these remarks during a press conference, accompanied by fellow ministers from the party, including Raheela Hameed Khan Durrani, Noor Muhammad Dummor, Nasimur Rehman Mulakhail, Mir Barkat Ali Rind, Wali Muhammad Noorzai, Sardar Masood Luni, and Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind.
“The right way to find solutions to issues is through dialogue,” Mr Khosa said, adding that attempts to push illegitimate demands through protests and highway blockades were not the appropriate way to compel the government. He extended an offer to BNP-M chief to initiate political dialogue to address the issues for which the sit-in had been staged.
“If judicial matters are to be resolved on the streets, we might as well shut down the courts,” Mr Khosa remarked. He questioned why Sardar Mengal did not speak up for the victims of terrorist attacks and accused him of misleading the public by portraying his protest as legitimate.
“The state of Pakistan gave him honour and a political platform, yet now he is using his rhetoric against that very state,” Mr Khosa said, adding that the people of Balochistan are politically aware and have moved beyond the politics of hate.
The PML-N leader said that due to its flawed political approach, the BNP-M had now been reduced to the “politics of a single Union Council”. He recalled that while the BNP-M once held 10 seats, it now retains only one. Despite this, the government has continued to treat them with respect and dignity.
Mr Khosa said it was on record that the BNP-M played a key role in the ousting of former chief minister Jam Kamal’s government and benefited significantly from the subsequent administration. He claimed that the government led by Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo was dominated by Akhtar Mengal, who was effectively running its affairs.
“What development projects or policy proposals did he introduce during those one and a half years that brought any meaningful progress?” Khosa asked, adding that the public rejected the BNP-M in the elections due to its poor performance.
“BNP has always engaged in politics for personal gain,” he alleged, noting that while the government sent delegations to negotiate with Mr Mengal, unlawful demands could not be enforced through protests. “If everyone starts protesting over court cases, the entire country will be out on the streets,” he remarked.
Mr Khosa said the PML-N leadership had reached out to Akhtar Mengal to encourage him to pursue a political path, but his refusal had created a deadlock.
Speaking on the occasion, Raheela Durrani said she had approached Mr Mengal personally, not on behalf of anyone, to play a positive role as a woman. “We told him that people are suffering, but he insisted that the sit-in would not end until all their demands were met,” she said.
“Nawaz Sharif and the PML-N have always stood for Pakistan. It pains us when offensive language is used against our leader. The PML-N has always supported nationalist groups,” she added.
Notably, Sardar Abdul Rehman Khetran, Zarak Khan Mandokhail and other members were absent from the occasion.
Peaceful politics
Meanwhile, PPP leaders on Saturday reiterated the party’s commitment to peaceful politics and the values of brotherhood, rejecting politics of hatred and hollow slogans used merely to remain relevant.
PPP Quetta division president Sardar Khair Muhammad Tareen made these remarks at a press conference, accompanied by the party’s Quetta district president Mir Naseeb Ullah Shahwani and information secretary Ehsan Ullah Afghan.
“Both the government and the opposition must come to the negotiation table to resolve Balochistan’s issues,” Mr Tareen said.
He emphasised that the PPP believes in the power of dialogue and peaceful engagement, and reiterated the party’s stance of relying on the people as the true source of power.
Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2025
WASHINGTON: The Trump administration will not renew the protected status of thousands of Afghans legally residing in the United States — a move that could expose them to deportation next month.
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed on Friday that it will terminate the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghans — a designation that had allowed them to live and work legally in the country.
The decision would affect nearly 14,600 Afghans.
TPS is a legal protection granted to nationals from countries experiencing armed conflict, natural disasters, or other extraordinary conditions.
It shields them from deportation and allows lawful employment in the United States.
The Biden administration first designated TPS for Afghans in 2022. The status was extended in 2023.
However, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said on Friday that Secretary Kristi Noem — after reviewing updated assessments by immigration authorities and consulting with the State Department — had determined that Afghanistan “no longer meets the statutory requirements” for TPS.
The decision drew swift criticism from advocacy groups and veterans’ organisations that have supported Afghan allies of the US military.
Destination
It remained unclear where these Afghans would be sent in case of deportation, as the US does not recognise the Taliban-led government in Kabul and has no direct flights to Afghanistan.
In such a scenario, deportees are often returned to the country from where they last departed.
For many Afghans, that would be Pakistan, which is itself currently deporting undocumented Afghans.
Tens of thousands of Afghans had supported US forces during the war — including as interpreters and contractors. Many were resettled under the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) programme or through the US Refugee Admissions Program, but a significant number are still waiting for their immigration cases to be processed.
For them, TPS served as a temporary legal safeguard.
WFP cuts back assistance
The Afghans are now at risk of being sent back to Afghanistan, which is already grappling with humanitarian and economic crises.
Aid organisations working to mitigate the human catastrophe are under strain due to funding cuts.
The World Food Programme has warned it can support only half the people in need as fresh US cuts to food assistance risk worsening already widespread hunger in Afghanistan.
In an interview with AFP, WFP’s acting country director Mutinta Chimuka urged donors to step up to support Afghanistan, which faces the world’s second-largest humanitarian crisis.
A third of the population of 45 million people needs food assistance, with 3.1m people on the brink of famine, the UN says.
“With what resources we have now barely eight million people will get assistance across the year and that’s only if we get everything else that we are expecting from other donors,” Chimuka said.
The agency already has been “giving a half ration to stretch the resources that we have”, she added.
WFP, like other aid agencies, has been caught in the crosshairs of funding cuts by US President Donald Trump, who signed an executive order freezing all foreign aid for three months shortly after his inauguration in January.
Emergency food aid was meant to be exempt, but this week, WFP said the United States had announced it was cutting emergency food aid for 14 countries, including Afghanistan, amounting to “a death sentence for millions of people” if implemented.
Washington quickly backtracked on the cuts for six countries, but Afghanistan — run by Taliban authorities who fought US-led troops for decades — was not one of them.
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, UNAMA, this week urged international donors to keep supporting Afghanistan, saying 22.9m needed assistance this year.
“If we want to help the Afghan people escape the vicious cycle of poverty and suffering, we must continue to have the means to address urgent needs while simultaneously laying the groundwork for long-term resilience and stability,” said Indrika Ratwatte, the UN’s resident and humanitarian coordinator in Afghanistan.
Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2025
ISLAMABAD: Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Saturday called for a reset in US-Pakistan relations, urging a shift towards a development-focused partnership anchored in trust and grounded in new geopolitical realities.
Mr Iqbal’s comments came during a meeting with a visiting bipartisan US congressional delegation, the first high-level group from Capitol Hill to visit Pakistan in almost two years.
The delegation comprised Congressmen Jack Bergman, Tom Suozzi and Jonathan Jackson. Mr Suozzi heads the Pakistan Caucus at the Congress.
“In the realities of new geopolitics, there is a need to establish a new equilibrium in Pak-US relations,” Mr Iqbal said, according to an official readout. “It must be based on the ground realities, mutual trust and a development-focused partnership.”
The minister stressed the need for a deeper US understanding of Pakistan’s socio-economic challenges, citing the long-term fallout from two decades of conflict in neighbouring Afghanistan.
He noted that Pakistan had absorbed more than 3.5 million refugees over the past three decades and faced serious social consequences, including extremism, drug trafficking and arms proliferation.
The minister emphasised a forward-looking agenda centred on education, infrastructure, energy, climate change and digital innovation. He called Pakistan’s information technology sector its “most promising field”, led by a skilled and youthful population.
“Pakistan has emerged as the third-largest supplier of freelance IT professionals globally,” he said, encouraging US investment in the sector.
The delegation invited Mr Iqbal to participate in a seminar on promoting US-Pakistan relations in Washington on April 30. Earlier, the delegation met with Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch for official-level talks.
“The two sides resolved to further strengthen and diversify bilateral relations in the areas of mutual interest,” the Foreign Office said in a statement after the meeting.
The congressional visit, running from April 10 to 15, is the first of its kind since US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer visited Pakistan in February 2023. During the trip, the lawmakers are expected to meet Pakistan’s top civilian and military leadership and political figures and travel to Azad Jammu and Kashmir and the Kartarpur Corridor.
Led by Reps Bergman and Suozzi, the visit comes amid a complex moment in US Congress-Pakistan relations. Congress has taken an increasingly vocal stance on human rights and democratic backsliding in Pakistan, particularly after the country’s controversial 2024 general elections.
A House resolution introduced by Rep Greg Casar (a Democrat from Texas) called for the release of political prisoners, including former prime minister Imran Khan — a move that drew sharp reactions in Islamabad.
Meanwhile, Congressman Joe Wilson, alongside Representative Jimmy Panetta, have tabled the “Pakistan Democracy Act”, a bipartisan bill aimed at sanctioning Pakistan’s military leaders for alleged human rights violations and political persecution.
The bill leverages the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act to propose visa bans and entry restrictions within 180 days unless Pakistan ‘restores’ civilian-led democracy and releases political detainees.
Still, officials on both sides have signalled a desire to focus on common ground. There have been indications prior to the trip that the delegation aimed to prioritise constructive engagement over contentious issues.
Mr Iqbal echoed that approach, stating that Pakistan was committed to working with global partners to build a prosperous future. “As an emerging democracy, Pakistan is going through important phases of development,” he said.
“We stand ready to work closely with our international partners.”
Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2025
GAZA CITY: Israeli forces completed the encirclement of Gaza’s Rafah, the military said on Saturday as part of an announced plan to seize more areas of the enclave, accompanied by large-scale evacuations of the Palestinian population.
Israel said troops had begun seizing the area, it called the Morag Axis, in southern Gaza on April 2, forcing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to flee Rafah that borders Egypt to the south. “Over the past 24 hours, the 36th Division’s troops completed the establishment of the Morag route, separating Rafah and Khan Younis,” the Israeli military said on Saturday.
The seizure of the “Morag axis” came while Hamas expected “real progress” towards a ceasefire deal to end the war in Gaza, an official from the group said, with senior leaders from the Palestinian movement scheduled to hold talks with Egyptian mediators in Cairo later on Saturday.
“The IDF (military) has now completed its takeover of the Morag axis, which crosses Gaza between Rafah and Khan Yunis, turning the entire area between the Philadelphi Route (along the border with Egypt) and Morag into part of the Israeli security zone,” Defence Minister Israel Katz claimed in a statement addressed to residents of Gaza.
Capture of ‘Morag Axis’ comes amid Cairo talks for ceasefire
The military also announced a sweeping evacuation order for tens of thousands of residents of Khan Yunis and surrounding areas in southern Gaza.
“Soon, IDF operations will intensify and expand to other areas throughout most of Gaza, and you will need to evacuate the combat zones.
“In northern Gaza as well — in Beit Hanoun and other neighbourhoods — residents are evacuating, the area is being taken over and the security zone is being expanded, including in the Netzarim corridor,” the minister added.
Cairo talks
Since a ceasefire brokered in January collapsed in mid-March, Israel’s renewed offensive in Gaza has killed more than 1,500 Palestinians, displaced hundreds of thousands of people while the military has seized large swathes of the war-battered territory.
Top Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have repeatedly said that the ongoing assault aims to pressure Hamas into freeing the remaining 58 Israeli prisoners held in Gaza.
Hamas said the offensive not only “kills defenceless civilians but also makes the fate of the occupation’s prisoners uncertain”.
The United Nations had warned a day before that expanding Israeli evacuation orders were resulting in the “forcible transfer” of people into ever-shrinking areas, raising “real concern as to the future viability of Palestinians as a group in Gaza”.
On Saturday, a Hamas delegation and Egyptian mediators were to meet in Cairo. “We hope the meeting will achieve real progress towards reaching an agreement to end the war, halt the aggression and ensure the full withdrawal of occupation forces from Gaza,” a Hamas official familiar with the ceasefire negotiations said on condition of anonymity.
According to him, Hamas has not yet received any new ceasefire proposals, despite Israeli media reports suggesting that Israel and Egypt had exchanged draft documents outlining a potential ceasefire and prisoner release agreement.
“However, contacts and discussions with mediators are ongoing,” he added, accusing Israel of “continuing its aggression” in Gaza.
Strikes continue
Egypt’s proposal would involve the release of eight living Israeli prisoners and eight bodies, in exchange for a truce lasting between 40 and 70 days and a substantial release of Palestinian prisoners, according to the Times of Israel.
US President Donald Trump said during a cabinet meeting this week that “we’re getting close to getting them (prisoners in Gaza) back”.
Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff was also quoted in an Israeli media report as saying “a very serious deal is taking shape, it’s a matter of days”.
Since Israel resumed its Gaza strikes, more than 1,500 people have been killed, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory to which Israel cut off aid more than a month ago.
Dozens of these strikes have killed “only women and children,” the UN human rights office said on Friday.
AFP footage of the aftermath of a strike on Saturday showed the bodies of four men, wrapped in white shrouds, at a local hospital, while several individuals gathered to offer prayers before the funeral.
Since October 2023, when Israel intensified Gaza offensive, 50,933 Palestinians have been killed.
Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2025
MOSCOW: US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff held talks with President Vladimir Putin on Friday in St Petersburg about the search for a peace deal on Ukraine as Trump told Russia to “get moving”.
Putin was shown on state TV greeting Witkoff in St Petersburg’s presidential library at the start of the negotiations. The Izvestia news outlet earlier released video of Witkoff leaving a hotel in the city, accompanied by Kirill Dmitriev, Putin’s investment envoy.
Witkoff has emerged as a key figure in the on-off rapprochement between Moscow and Washington amid talk on the Russian side of potential joint investments in the Arctic and in Russian rare earth minerals.
However, the talks come at a time when US-Russia dialogue aimed at agreeing a ceasefire ahead of a possible peace deal to end the war in Ukraine appears to have stalled over disagreements around conditions for a full pause in hostilities.
Kremlin says there is no need to expect any breakthroughs
The US leader told NBC News last month that he was “pissed off” with his Russian counterpart, while top US diplomat Marco Rubio warned last week that Washington would not tolerate “endless negotiations” with Russia over the conflict.
“Russia has to get moving,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, adding that the conflict was “senseless” and “should have never happened”.
Shortly after his social media post, the Kremlin said talks between Putin and Witkoff had started. The meeting, taking place in Putin’s home city of Saint Petersburg, would touch on “various aspects of the Ukrainian settlement”, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
“There is no need to expect any breakthroughs here, the process of normalising relations is ongoing,” Peskov was quoted as saying by Russian state media.
Asked whether the two would discuss a possible meeting between Putin and Trump, Peskov was quoted as saying: “Maybe”.
Witkoff has held two previous meetings with Putin in Russia since Trump returned to the White House in January.
After their last meeting, Witkoff, a long-time Trump ally who worked with the US president in real estate, said Putin was a “great leader” and “not a bad guy”.
The envoy’s praise of a president long seen by the United States as an autocratic adversary highlights the dramatic turn in Washington’s approach to dealings with the Kremlin since Trump took office for a second term.
Earlier in the day, Witkoff met Russia’s top economic negotiator Kirill Dmitriev.
Rocky road
Trump has pushed for a broad rapprochement with Moscow, which has yielded some results.
On Thursday, Russia freed dual US-Russian ballet dancer Ksenia Karelina from prison in exchange for suspected tech smuggler Arthur Petrov, the second exchange between Moscow and Washington in less than two months.
Karelina, arrested last January while visiting Russia to see family, was serving a 12-year sentence on “treason” charges after she donated the equivalent of around $50 to a pro-Ukraine charity.
The head of Moscow’s foreign intelligence service, Sergei Naryshkin, said on Friday that Russia would discuss more prisoner swaps in the future.
Witkoff’s visit to Russia also comes ahead of crucial talks between Iran and the United States over Tehran’s nuclear programme, scheduled for Saturday in Oman. Witkoff, whose sweeping remit covers the conflicts in both Ukraine and Gaza, is set to lead the US delegation for the negotiations.
Moscow, which counts Iran as a close ally, has urged for a diplomatic solution and warned military confrontation would be a “global catastrophe”.
Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2025
JENA: An immigration judge in Louisiana ruled on Friday that President Donald Trump’s administration can proceed with its deportation case against Columbia University graduate student and Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, who was arrested in New York City last month.
The ruling was made by judge Jamee Comans of the LaSalle immigration court, located inside a jail complex for immigrants surrounded by double-fenced razor wire run by private government contractors in rural Louisiana.
Khalil, a prominent figure in the pro-Palestinian student protest movement that has roiled Columbia’s New York City campus, was born in a Palestinian refugee camp in Syria, holds Algerian citizenship and became a US lawful permanent resident last year. Khalil’s wife, Noor Abdalla, is a US citizen.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined last month that Khalil should be removed because his presence in the United States has “potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences”, citing a 1952 law called the Immigration and Nationality Act.
Khalil and his lawyers have said the Trump administration was targeting him for speech that is protected under the US constitution’s First Amendment, including the right to criticise American foreign policy.
His case is a high-profile test of efforts by the Republican president to deport foreign pro-Palestinian students who are in the United States legally and, like Mahmoud Khalil, have not been charged with any crime.
The administration has said Khalil and other international students who take part in such protests are harming US foreign policy interests.
Khalil, 30, has called himself a political prisoner. He was arrested on March 8 at his Columbia University apartment building and transferred to a Louisiana jail. His lawyers have said they are being rushed to review the evidence that the administration submitted on Wednesday on the orders of the judge.
In a two-page letter submitted to the court and Khalil’s lawyers, which they shared with reporters, Rubio wrote that Khalil should be removed for his role in “anti-Semitic protests and disruptive activities, which fosters a hostile environment for Jewish students in the United States”. Rubio’s letter did not accuse Khalil of breaking any law.
Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2025
GAZA CITY: Dozens of Israeli air strikes on Gaza have killed “only women and children” after a ceasefire collapsed, the UN said, as an Israeli attack in the territory’s south on Friday left a family of 10 dead.
A UN rights office report also warned that expanding Israeli evacuation orders were resulting in the “forcible transfer” of people into ever-shrinking areas, raising “real concern as to the future viability of Palestinians as a group in Gaza”.
The United Nations’ human rights office warned that Israel’s actions in Gaza were increasingly endangering the very existence of Palestinians as a group.
“In light of the cumulative impact of Israeli forces conduct in Gaza, we are seriously concerned that Israel appears to be inflicting on Palestinians in Gaza conditions of life increasingly incompatible with their continued existence as a group,” Ravina Shamdasani, the spokesperson for the office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights told reporters in Geneva on Friday.
While Israel resumed its Gaza strikes on March 18, ending a two-month ceasefire with Hamas, Israel’s military about the latest strikes said it was looking into the attack that killed members of the same family in Khan Yunis.
UN rights office warns Israel’s actions in Gaza threaten very existence of Palestinians
“Ten people, including seven children, were brought to the hospital as martyrs following an Israeli air strike that targeted the Farra family home in central Khan Yunis,” civil defence spokesperson Mahmud Bassal said.
Footage of the aftermath showed several bodies wrapped in white shrouds and blankets, and footage of the house showed mangled concrete slabs and twisted metal.
Since March 18, more than 1,500 people have been killed by Israeli forces, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory to which Israel cut off aid more than a month ago.
‘Barbarism’
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan denounced Israel, saying: “If this is not barbarism, I ask you, what is it?”
The UN decried the impact of the ongoing Israeli strikes, finding that “a large percentage of fatalities are children and women”.
224 attacks in three weeks: UN
“Between March 18 and April 9, 2025, there were some 224 incidents of Israeli strikes on residential buildings and tents for internally displaced people,” the UN human rights office said in Geneva.
“In some 36 strikes about which the UN Human Rights Office corroborated information, the fatalities recorded so far were only women and children.”
UN rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani also raised concerns over “the denial of access to basic necessities within Gaza and the repeated suggestion that Gazans should leave the territory entirely”.
Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, after meeting regional counterparts in Turkiye, urged “maximum pressure to ensure” aid is delivered into Gaza.
Gaza’s health ministry said at least 1,542 Palestinians have been killed since March 18, taking the overall death toll to 50,912 since October 2023 when the decades-old conflict intensified.
Ceasefire efforts
A two-month truce brokered on Jan 19 saw the return of 33 Israeli prisoners, eight of them in coffins, in exchange for around 1,800 Palestinian prisoners.
In a Passover holiday message, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his pledge to bring the remaining captives home. He spoke after Trump suggested progress in prisoners’ release talks, telling a cabinet meeting on Thursday that “we’re getting close to getting them back”.
Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff was also quoted in an Israeli media report as saying “a very serious deal is taking shape, it’s a matter of days”.
Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2025
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Belarus on Friday agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation across various sectors, including agriculture, food security, industry, trade and defence.
During a meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko, both sides signed several memorandums of understanding (MoUs) and agreed to send 150,000 skilled Pakistani youth to Belarus to support its nation-building efforts. A comprehensive strategy for this initiative will be developed soon.
Both sides also agreed to collaborate and expand cooperation in the manufacturing of agricultural machinery, electric buses, and in the area of food security.
Furthermore, the two leaders reiterated their resolve to boost defence and business-to-business cooperation.
The two sides discussed matters relating to trade, investment and regional issues and expressed satisfaction over the recent progress on all aspects of the bilateral relations.
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PM Shehbaz said a significant progress in various sectors was made after the eighth meeting of Pakistan-Belarus Joint Ministerial Commission held last year and visit of Pakistan’s inter-ministerial delegation to Belarus.
He termed contribution of 150,000 skilled workers as a “gift” for the people of Pakistan and expressed deep gratitude for the opportunity, highlighting that this initiative will not only benefit the Belarusian economy but also provide meaningful livelihoods to the Pakistani youth.
“I assure you that the skilled Pakistani workforce, duly certified both by international standards and through national accreditation, will serve as a valuable asset to Belarus,” the premier said while speaking at a joint press conference with President Lukashenko.
Recalling the visit of the Belarusian president to Pakistan in 2015-16, the prime minister said the trip had laid the foundation of long journey of friendship and cooperation in areas of mutual interests.
The prime minister expressed the government’s interest in benefiting from the experience of Belarus in various areas, especially agriculture.
“Pakistan is an agrarian country and 65 per cent population reside in rural areas. We need your expertise to increase our per-acre yield by utilising the modern methodologies in the sector,” he said, adding that Pakistan needed to have joint ventures between with Belarusian companies.
“The companies from both Pakistan and Belarus will have a win-win situation in this regard,” he added.
The prime minister also highlighted the Belarusian expertise in manufacturing mining equipment, saying that Pakistan had mineral deposits worth trillions of dollars and both countries could become great partners in this sector.
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Bilateral collaboration
On the occasion, President Lukashenko emphasised the importance his country placed on fostering strong ties with Pakistan. He said Belarus attached great significance to its relations with Pakistan and looked forward to deepening cooperation on multiple fronts.
Mr Lukashenko highlighted the potential for expanding bilateral collaboration in diverse sectors, including trade, industry, agriculture and technology.
He expressed confidence that the high-level engagement would pave the way for long-term strategic partnership and mutual growth. He noted that PM Shehbaz’s visit would serve as a catalyst for opening new avenues of cooperation between the two nations. He stressed the need for exploring untapped areas of partnership and building upon the existing friendly relations.
Meanwhile, PM Shehbaz in his social media post on X highlighted his meeting with the Belarusian president and said: “We reviewed the entire spectrum of our bilateral cooperation, including political, trade, investment, and people-to-people contacts.”
Presidential dinner
President Lukashenko on Thursday hosted a dinner at his farmhouse in honour of PML-N President Nawaz Sharif and PM Shehbaz.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also attended the dinner.
President Lukashenko expressed extraordinary warmth for Shehbaz Sharif and Nawaz Sharif. The prime minister thanked President Lukashenko for the warm welcome and hospitality.
Later, Chairperson of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus Natalya Kochanova and Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly Igor Sergeenko called on PM Shehbaz.
Both sides desired to extend parliamentary ties between the two countries. They stressed the need for exchange of parliamentarians’ delegations of the two sides.
Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2025
DUBAI: Iran said on Friday it was giving high-level nuclear talks with the United States on Saturday “a genuine chance”.
President Trump, who in his first term withdrew the US from a 2015 big-power accord with Tehran, made a surprise announcement on Monday that Washington and Tehran would begin talks in Oman.
The talks would be led by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and US special envoy Steve Witkoff, with Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi as intermediary.
The Iranian foreign ministry said on Friday the US should value the country’s decision to engage in talks despite what it called Washington’s “prevailing confrontational hoopla”, days after Trump had threatened to bomb Iran if the discussions failed.
“We intend to assess the other side’s intent and resolve this Saturday,” spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei posted on X. “In earnest and with candid vigilance, we are giving diplomacy a genuine chance.”
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-i Ravanchi was quoted by ISNA as saying: “Without threats and intimidation from the American side, there is a good possibility of reaching an accord.
“We reject any bullying and coercion,” he said.
Iran had rejected direct negotiations with Washington before Trump announced on March 30: “If they don’t make a deal, there will be bombing, and it will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before.”
Iran has also been talking with the three European parties to the 2015 nuclear deal, Britain, France and Germany.
The 2015 accord saw sanctions relief for Iran in exchange for limits on its nuclear programme.
On Friday, the European Union cautioned that there was “no alternative to diplomacy” on the Iranian nuclear issue.
Earlier, the US imposed additional sanctions on Iran, targeting oil network and nuclear programme.
Iran’s nuclear agency chief Mohammad Eslami downplayed their impact.
“They applied maximum pressure with various sanctions, but they were unable to prevent the country from progressing. They still think they can stop this nation with threats and intimidation, psychological operations, or stupid actions,” he said.
Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2025
NEW DELHI: More than 100 people have died since Wednesday after unseasonably heavy rain lashed parts of India and Nepal, officials said, as the weather department predicted more rain for the region.
In Bihar, at least 82 people have died in rain-related incidents over the last two days, the eastern state’s disaster management department said.
In India’s most populous state of Uttar Pradesh, meanwhile, authorities said 18 people had died due to lightning and storm-related incidents.
In neighbouring Nepal, lightning strikes and heavy rain killed at least eight people, National Disaster Authority officials said.
Weather dept forecast heatwave conditions in the west, thunderstorms in eastern and central region of India
India’s weather office expects more rain with thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds over central and eastern India until Monday.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) had earlier warned of multiple weather hazards, with heatwave conditions in the west and thunderstorms in the eastern and central region although the torrential rain associated with the monsoon usually starts in June.
Intense heatwaves in the summer months of the past have killed several people in the South Asian region.
State-run IMD said last week that India was expected to experience a much hotter April, with above normal temperatures across most of the country.
Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2025
ISLAMABAD: The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) on Friday picked Justice Ali Baqar Najafi to become a judge of the Supreme Court, out of the five most senior judges of the Lahore High Court (LHC), by a nine-to-four majority.
Presided over by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi, the 13-member commission during its two-and-a-half-hour session considered the appointment of two judges to the apex court, but chose to elevate only one.
A prolific judge, Justice Najafi previously made headlines when he suspended appointments of returning officers for the 2024 general elections. The decision was subsequently nullified by the apex court, headed by then-CJP Qazi Faez Isa, paving the way for general elections in February 2024.
On Friday, his appointment was opposed by the CJP, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Muneeb Akhtar and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel.
However, the two PTI members of the commission voted with the government for the appointment of Justice Najafi as a judge of the Supreme Court.
The other points on the agenda were the nomination of a former chief justice/judge of the Sindh High Court, Balochistan High Court, Peshawar High Court and Islamabad High Court under second proviso to Article 175A(5), a request of LHC’s senior puisne judge Shujaat Ali Khan for expunction of remarks/observations contained in the minutes of JCP’s July 2, 2024 meeting and to consider the appointment of LHC’s two judges to the apex court.
On Feb 10, the JCP had confirmed the appointment of six SC judges and an acting judge under the 26th Amendment, but deferred the elevation of two LHC judges. Originally, the commission was set to nominate eight new judges to the Supreme Court.
CJP Afridi, Justice Shah, Justice Akhtar and Justice Mandokhel dissented from the majority opinion on the grounds that they had endorsed the opinion during the July 2, 2024 meeting.
The commission took considerable time to discuss Justice Shujaat’s request for the removal of negative remarks.
An informed source told Dawn that the focus of the discussion revolved around the issue whether the JCP could review or revisit any decision it made earlier in case a perceived mistake was committed.
The majority view emphasised that the JCP being the highest constitution body should desist from levelling allegations or casting aspersions without a solid proof as it was not enough to make such remarks that the general reputation of a judicial functionary was not up to the mark in the eyes of people.
Such an allegation, especially in the minutes of the commission’s meeting, becomes a stigma for life against the judicial functionary, the source said.
On July 2, the commission had observed that nominees for the office of chief justice of a high court must possess unchallenged integrity and an unblemished reputation in the public.
The JCP had then approved the elevation of Justice Aalia Neelum to become the first-ever woman chief justice of the LHC. However, the commission observed that while the 1996 Al-Jehad Trust case held that the most senior judge had a legitimate expectation of being appointed chief justice of a high court, it was not an automatic right.
The JCP, while evaluating the credentials and suitability of the nominees for the appointment as the LHC’s chief justice, had concluded that Acting CJ Shujaat was not suitable or fit to hold the high court’s top office due to the alleged negative public perception as to his integrity and reputation among the judicial and legal fraternity.
Friday’s meeting also considered the name of LHC Chief Justice Neelum for her elevation to the Supreme Court, but the majority of members agreed that the LHC CJ was discharging her responsibilities efficiently to the best of her abilities.
The meeting also decided to appoint new members to the JCP. Retired judges namely Maqbool Baqir from the SHC, Nazeer Ahmed Langove from BHC, Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui from IHC and Shakirullah Jan from PHC were appointed as members of the commission.
The members appointed from amongst retired judges will attend meetings of the JCP whenever an agenda item regarding the appointment of judges of their relevant high court is to be taken up.
Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2025
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Friday predicted a heatwave in the country from April 13 till the end of next week and urged the people to adopt precautionary measures.
In the heatwave alert, PMD said that a high pressure is likely to grip the upper atmosphere from April 13, triggering heatwave conditions in most parts of the country which are expected to become more severe in southern half of the country from April 14 (Monday).
It said that due to this heatwave, the day temperatures are likely to remain 6 to 8 degree Celsius above normal in southern half (Sindh, southern Punjab and Balochistan) from April 14 to 18.
Day temperatures are likely to remain 4 to 6 degree Celsius above normal in upper half (central and upper Punjab, Islamabad, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan) from April 14 to 18.
“Nights will also be warmer during the forecast period. Excessive heating/rising temperatures may generate duststorm/windstorm during the forecast period,” it said.
The PMD said that due to heatwave conditions, general public, especially children, women and senior citizens should take precautionary measures and avoid themselves from direct exposure to sunlight during day time and remain hydrated.
Farmers have also been advised to manage their crop activities (wheat harvesting) keeping in view the weather conditions and take care of their livestock as well.
Rising temperatures in northern areas may enhance snowmelt rate from April 14 to 18.
The PMD advised government departments to stay alert and take necessary measures to avoid any untoward situation due to these weather conditions.
The Met Office also said that there is also acute shortage of water in the Tarbela and Mangla dams and water in different rivers is flowing at extreme low level.
Below average rainfall
The country has experienced significantly below average rainfall during the first quarter of 2025, with an overall decline of 41 per cent compared to normal levels, and Punjab and Sindh were particularly affected, recording extreme departures from normal rains at 92 per cent and 96 per cent, respectively.
The most pronounced deficit occurred in January, when rainfall was substantially lower than average across the country, Pakistan Meteorological Department said in its quarterly drought bulletin, issued on Friday.
The dry conditions persisted into February, with rainfall departures ranging from minus eight per cent to minus 97 per cent across most regions, excluding Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, which experienced relatively normal rainfall.
The Drought Monitor for March 2025 shows moderate drought affected regions as Turbat, Jiwani, Ormara, Dadu, Mithi, Badin, Thatta, Shaheed Benazirabad, and Karachi. Mild drought conditions have been observed in various parts of Sindh, Balochistan, and southern Punjab.
The recorded below normal rainfall has caused soil moisture deficit in Potohar region, Sialkot region, Kashmir, a few parts of upper KP, and south western Balochistan, which indicates the depleted soil moisture leading to drought conditions, crop stress, and a clear sign of water scarcity.
Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2025
WASHINGTON: All foreign nationals living in the United States have to register with the government and carry documentary proof of their legal status at all times, according to new rules that came into effect Friday, following an executive order by President Donald Trump.
The rule, applicable to all non-citizens — known as aliens — was announced by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and implemented by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
It mandated all aliens aged 18 and above, including those with legal status, to carry evidence of their registration at all times.
This includes Green Card holders and other categories of non-citizens residing legally in the US.
Fingerprint registration made mandatory for all foreign nationals over the age of 14
“Once an alien has registered and appeared for fingerprinting (unless waived), DHS will issue evidence of registration, which aliens over the age of 18 must carry and keep in their personal possession at all times,” the USCIS stated in a March 21 alert.
It warned of criminal and civil penalties, including misdemeanor prosecution, fines, or incarceration in case of failure to comply with these requirements.
The rule enforces Section 262 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), which has long required registration of non-citizens but lacked a universal mechanism for enforcement.
President Trump’s Executive Order 14159, titled Protecting the American People Against Invasion, issued on Jan 20, directed DHS to treat noncompliance with this registration requirement as a law enforcement priority.
Under this rule, aliens who have remained in the US for 30 days or longer must register using an online system, including the new Form G-325R for Biometric Information.
Those who have not been fingerprinted previously must also appear for fingerprinting.
“Many aliens in the United States have already registered, as required by law. However, a significant number of aliens present in the United States have had no direct way to register and meet their obligation under INA 262,” the USCIS explained.
“USCIS has established a new form… and an online process by which unregistered aliens may register and comply with the law.”
The rule applied to nearly all noncitizens, including temporary visitors, students, and workers, with only limited exceptions.
It also placed obligations on the parents or legal guardians of children under 14 years old.
“Within 30 days of reaching his or her 14th birthday, all previously registered aliens must apply for re-registration and to be fingerprinted,” the regulation stated.
After the new regulation, even traffic police and other law enforcement officers may now legally demand proof of an individual’s registration status.
Canadians entering the US for more than 30 days are also required to register unless they already possess an I-94 admission record.
Those entering by land or ferry must ensure they are issued such a document.
“The fee applied to the I-94 is $6. It is possible to make this request in advance at a land border,” an immigration advisory noted.
The CBP One mobile app can be used for such purposes.
Serious provision
Legal experts have urged the immigrants and foreign visitors to take the new regulation seriously.
The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) has also taken note of the rule and advised its members to stay updated with the changing regulations.
“Of particular note is that those with children in the US as non-immigrants must be mindful that their children will need to register and appear for fingerprinting within 30 days of turning 14,” AILA stated.
The USCIS said it will continue to update the public and immigration professionals on how to comply with the new regulation.
Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2025
BEIJING: China increased its tariffs on US imports to 125pc on Friday, hitting back against US President Donald Trump’s decision to hike duties on Chinese goods and raising the stakes in a trade war that threatens to upend global supply chains.
Although it indicated this would be the last time it matched US tariff rises, Beijing has nevertheless left the door open for other types of retaliation.
“If the US truly wants to have talks, it should stop its capricious and destructive behaviour,” Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the US, wrote on social media.
But despite the spiralling trade war, the US president insisted that his tariff policy was “doing really well”.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt added that “the president made it very clear, when the United States is punched he will punch back harder.”
But pressure is growing on Trump as markets continue to fret.
“Recession risk is much, much higher now than it was a couple weeks ago,” noted Adam Hetts, global head of multi-asset at Janus Henderson.
As a result, the dollar slid and a sell-off intensified in US government bonds, the world’s biggest bond market. Gold, a safe haven for investors in times of crisis, scaled a record high.
With the dollar weakening, selling of US assets was perhaps most exemplified by the drop in prices of the US 10-year Treasury note, long considered among the world’s safest investments.
Also on Friday, a top UN economist said global trade could shrink by three per cent as a result of the new US tariff measures.
“There will be shifting, I think, in supply chains, there will be a reassessment of global alliances. There will be geopolitical shifts and economic as well,” said Pamela Coke-Hamilton, head of the International Trade Centre (ITC).
Meanwhile, US Federal Reserve officials warned that the Trump administration’s current trade policies will accelerate inflation this year.
“It’s hard to know with any precision how the economy will evolve,” New York Federal Reserve President John Williams said on Friday.
The University of Michigan said its Consumer Sentiment Index dropped to 50.8 this month from a final reading of 57.0 in March. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the index falling to 54.5.
In a reversal of previous surveys, the latest one also showed weakening confidence among Trump’s fellow Republicans.
Consumers’ 12-month inflation expectations soared to 6.7pc this month, the highest reading since 1981, from 5.0pc in March, according to the survey.
However, Boston Fed President Susan Collins said the Federal Reserve is “absolutely” prepared to intervene to help calm nervous financial markets if the need arose.
Separately, a group of US senators have urged the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to investigate whether President Donald Trump or White House insiders broke securities laws ahead of his dramatic reversal on global tariffs.
The six Democrats — led by Elizabeth Warren — noted in a letter to the SEC that Trump posted on his website Truth Social early on Wednesday: “THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY!!!”
A few hours later, he announced a 90-day suspension of additional tariffs against dozens of countries, triggering a historic stock market rebound and the best day for the S&P 500 since the recovery from the 2008 financial crisis.
“We urge the SEC to investigate whether the tariff announcements… enriched administration insiders and friends at the expense of the American public,” senators said.
Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2025
ISLAMABAD: The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Friday expressed strong dismay over the “astronomical increase” in the estimated cost of the Dasu Hydropower Project, which has surged to approximately Rs1.74 trillion due to massive mismanagement and prolonged delays.
The CDWP meeting, chaired by Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal, focused heavily on the sharp cost escalation of the Dasu Hydropower Project. The CDWP cleared a total of 10 development projects with an estimated cumulative cost of Rs1.83tr. Of these, four projects worth Rs14.312 billion were approved directly by the CDWP, while six projects — involving a total cost of Rs1.82tr — were recommended to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) for final approval, as the CDWP cannot approve projects exceeding Rs7.5bn in cost.
The most significant project on the agenda was the Dasu Hydropower Project (Stage-1), whose estimated cost has ballooned from Rs479bn in 2014 — with an original completion target of December 2019 — to Rs1.738tr, with the new completion date pushed to November 2028. The delay and massive cost overrun have been attributed to mismanagement and inordinate delays, drawing strong criticism during the meeting.
Wapda’s parent department — the Ministry of Water Resources — remained uncertain about meeting project deadlines. The implementation of Dasu HPP is a clear example of poor project management by Wapda, from land acquisition to contract awards and beyond. Despite this, there is still no indication of achieving the planned progress on time. All project-related issues must be resolved to ensure timely completion, the ministry told the meeting.
The project involves $2.26bn (almost Rs1.45tr) of foreign financing, mostly from the World Bank at a markup ranging between six per cent and 15pc for different segments.
The CDWP referred the project to Ecnec for approval subject to Wapda rationalising the cost and answering the queries. Reviewing the project, Mr Iqbal emphasised the strategic importance of the Dasu project for water and food security, but “expressed serious concern over massive cost escalation from the original Rs479bn to almost Rs1.73tr due to delays and mismanagement in the project,” an official statement said.
The meeting directed that a third-party validation be obtained for the astronomical increase in the revised PC-1, according to the statement. The primary objective of the Dasu project is to enhance the country’s power generation capacity by harnessing its hydropower potential through river-based projects, thereby reducing the carbon footprint and utilising clean, renewable energy resources.
The planning minister underscored the need for swift completion of the project in the national interest.
He said that previously, the estimated construction cost was Rs479bn with Rs120bn already allocated for land acquisition and around Rs400bn already spent.
However, the minister attributed the substantial cost escalation — from Rs479bn to Rs1.73tr — to “mismanagement and delays and lack of progress during the previous government” which he said had disastrous consequences for development projects in every field.
The minister took serious notice of the fact that, despite Ecnec’s clear directives to appoint an independent, full-time project director for all projects exceeding Rs3bn, Wapda had failed to do so for the Dasu Hydropower Project. It was also revealed that the project lacked a professional chief financial officer.
Expressing concern, the minister questioned, “How is Wapda running a project of this magnitude without a qualified and competent CFO?” His frustration deepened upon learning that Wapda had awarded the contract for the construction of a 66-kilometre section of the KKH in foreign currency.
Asked why a road construction project was awarded in foreign currency, Wapda was unable to provide a satisfactory explanation, according to the statement. The minister termed it “a criminal negligence”.
Projects referred to Ecnec
The meeting also referred to Ecnec for approval the Rs28bn project ‘Getting Results Accesses and Delivery of Quality Education Services in Balochistan (new)’.
The project, to be financed through foreign funding of $100m from the World Bank, is designed to address systemic challenges in Balochistan’s education sector.
The meeting approved “Establishment of Sub-Campus Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad at Sharaqpur, Sheikhupura” at an estimated cost of Rs3.89bn on the condition of provision of land by the Punjab government and approval by the university syndicate.
The CDWP also approved three projects in science and technology sector, namely “Prime Minister’s Initiatives — Support for IT Startups, Specialized IT Trainings and Venture Capital — at a cost of Rs5bn, “Strengthening of Ministry of Planning, Development & Reform in IT” at a cost of Rs579.81m and “National Semiconductor HR Development Programme Phase-I” at a cost of Rs4.844bn.
The project “Construction of Customs Complex at Sost (Part A) and Construction of Customs Digital Enforcement Stations by FBR along the rivers Indus, Hub and in Balochistan (Part B) (revised)” worth Rs16.1bn was also referred to Ecnec for approval.
The “Sindh Flood Emergency Rehabilitation Project (SFERP) Phase-II” project worth Rs12.26bn and Balochistan Water Security and Productivity Improvement Project (BWS&PIP) — Improvement of Quetta Water Supply System (new) project worth Rs9.83bn were referred to Ecnec.
Another water-related project “Flood Management of Kachhi Plains under the BWS&PIP” at cost of Rs17.17bn was also referred to Ecnec. This project will be financed through World Bank’s IDA credit.
Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2025
RAWALPINDI: A colourful and impressive ceremony marked the beginning of the 10th edition of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) here at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Friday.
The opening ceremony started with the national anthem, and was followed by melodious performances of the country’s renowned singers, including legendary folk singer Abida Perveen, who mesmerised the spectators through her Sufi songs.
Before formal opening of the ceremony, the thousands of the spectators were fascinated to see perhaps for the first time a jetpack pilot landing at the middle of the ground after demonstrating his skills all around the stadium amid loud noises.
Ali Zafar, Natasha Baig, Abraul Haq, Talha Anjum and Talha Yunus of the Young Stunners group were the other artists who performed amid dazzling laser lights and cheering by the spectators, comprising mostly the youth.
Renowned international fame singer Ali Zafar also presented a solo performance besides enthralling the spectators with the specially-prepared anthem for the PSL ‘X’, as it has been named this year, with other singers.
Nearly an hour-long ceremony ended with a spectacular fireworks show as the jubilant spectators got ready to witness the first match of the 38-day tournament between the host and the defending champion Islamabad United nd Lahore Qalandars. The tournament is slated to run until May 18, with a significant part of it to run parallel with the Indian Premier League.
The 34-match tournament comprises of three-double headers scheduled on April 12, May 1 and 10, while the remaining fixtures will be single headers taking place across Karachi, Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi.
The six teams will also be locking horns to take away the half-a-million-dollar prize money set for the winners, while the runners-up team will be awarded US$200,000. The HBL PSL X Draft, which took place on January 13, gave the six franchises an opportunity to refurbish their squads ahead of the historic edition.
The newly renovated Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore is set to play host to 13 matches including Qualifier, Eliminator and the 18th May final. The Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium will host 11 matches, while Multan Cricket Stadium and National Bank Stadium will witness five matches each this season.
The Rawalpindi police had set in place “foolproof” security measures, including providing 5,000 cops for the tournament, according to a police spokesman.
The security arrangements have been made in coordination with the Army, Rangers and other agencies. Further, special police teams have been deployed around the stadium and more than 376 personnel from traffic police.
The large numbers of cricket lovers turned to see opening ceremony and first match of the league. Within first five overs of the match, the stadium was almost full to capacity and fans were enjoying boundaries and wickets. Islamabad United, being host, enjoyed good supports of fans.
Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2025
QUETTA: Amid an ongoing political standoff in Balochistan, opposition party JUI-F has offered to mediate between the provincial government and the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) to resolve the two-week-long protest sit-in over the detention of Dr Mahrang Baloch and other female activists of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC).
On Friday, a JUI-F delegation led by the party’s Secretary General Senator Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri and the party’s provincial emir Senator Maulana Wasay held a meeting with Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti. The delegation also included the opposition leader in the Balochistan Assembly, Younis Aziz Zehri, and other party lawmakers.
Officials said the meeting focused on the province’s deteriorating law and order situation and the ongoing BNP-M protest in the Lakpass area. “Despite multiple efforts by the government and political leadership, a deadlock persists and no agreement has been reached to end the sit-in,” a senior Balochistan government official noted.
CM Bugti briefed the JUI-F leadership on the outcome of three rounds of negotiations held with BNP leader Sardar Akhtar Mengal. He added that the government had offered to allow the long march participants to enter Quetta, but no breakthrough had been achieved so far.
Maulana Haideri offered to play a reconciliatory role in the current political crisis. “We are ready to mediate and help bring the province out of this worsening situation,” he told CM Bugti.
The chief minister welcomed the offer and emphasised that restoring peace and political stability was a collective responsibility of both the government and the opposition. He acknowledged JUI-F’s constructive political contributions and praised its commitment to democratic principles.
CM Bugti reiterated his government’s commitment to resolving all political issues through dialogue and consultation and welcomed all positive steps in this regard.
Govt legitimacy rejected
Meanwhile, opposition parties held a joint press conference in Quetta, rejecting the legitimacy of the current provincial government. They accused it of being formed through electoral manipulation, alleging that the people’s mandate was stolen with the support of the establishment.
BNP-M Senior Vice President Sajid Tareen, PkMAP Secretary General Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal, PTI Balochistan President Dawood Shah Kakar, BNP-Awami Vice President Hassan Advocate and other leaders spoke at the press conference.
Mr Tareen condemned recent remarks by PPP ministers against BNP-M leaders, calling them “baseless and abusive”, and accused them of hiding the details of closed-door negotiations. “They are not worth responding to; all they know is how to hurl accusations,” he said.
He also alleged that a fake leadership had long been imposed on Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while the resources of both regions were exploited to develop Punjab. He rejected the authority of the current parliament, terming its decisions illegitimate.
Mr Ziaratwal said Pakistan must be governed under the principles of the 1940 Resolution, which called for provincial autonomy. He alleged that in the Feb 8 elections, eight PkMAP seats were fraudulently handed over to rival candidates, prompting the formation of the Tehreek-i-Tahaffuz-i-Ayeen-i-Pakistan to safeguard the Constitution.
He opposed constitutional amendments passed by the present government and denounced legislation transferring control of provincial minerals to the federal government, vowing to resist such actions.
Dawood Shah Kakar also warned against federal encroachment on the mineral wealth of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “We will not allow this to happen,” he said, voicing support for the BNP-M protest sit-in.
Mengal slams PPP
BNP-M President Akhtar Mengal also strongly rebutted allegations made by PPP ministers during a recent press conference, challenging them to organise a public gathering at the same location where his party has been staging a sit-in for the past two weeks.
Speaking at the sit-in in Lakpass on Friday evening, Mr Mengal lashed out at the PPP leadership, accusing it of betraying citizens. The PPP promised roti, kapra aur makaan to the people, but instead delivered bullets, shrouds and burned down huts, he said, referring to repeated crackdowns against protesters.
Addressing PPP leaders Sadiq Umrani and Ali Madad Jattak directly, he dared them to bring their party supporters to the protest site. “We’ve been sitting here in this rugged terrain for 14 days, demanding the release of our daughters and sisters. Your people can’t even match the courage of our women,” he said.
He also criticised former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, claiming he ordered crackdowns on Baloch people and jailed their leaders. He also President Asif Ali Zardari of abandoning Sindh and its people. “He faked illness and vanished to avoid facing public anger over Punjab canal construction. PPP has never stood with the Baloch — their hands are stained with our blood,” he alleged.
The BNP-M chief noted that while leaders from various parties have visited the protest site in solidarity, the PPP and PML-N have remained absent. “They are only interested in clinging to power,” he said.
Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2025
ISLAMABAD: Religious scholars from various schools of thought, as well as leaders of religio-political parties on Thursday regretted the Muslim world’s inaction over the killings of innocent Palestinians, but stressed that any boycott or agitation should remain peaceful and not descend into violence or vandalism.
The call came following a string of recent incidents, where charged mobs had vandalised a number of fast food chain outlets across the country, leading to police action.
Addressing the national conference titled ‘Palestine and the Responsibility of the Muslim Ummah’, the participants emphasised the need for collective action and supported the move for a boycott in support of Palestinians, but in a peaceful manner.
In an emotional speech, former Federal Shariat Court judge Mufti Taqi Usmani asked the Muslim world “to do whatever they can” to stop Israeli aggression in Gaza.
Clerics warn against damaging life, property; deplore Muslim world’s ‘inaction’ against Israeli aggression
“What is the use… if they cannot save the Muslims from brutality,” Mufti Usmani asked, while expressing frustration over the silence of the Muslim world, despite Israel’s flagrant violation of the ceasefire agreement.
He also stressed the need to avoid violence, saying: “Islam is a religion of balance. It is not a religion of vandalising [property] or hurting someone by getting carried away by emotions.”
“Pelting stones at someone or harming someone’s life and property is forbidden in Sharia. Do protest and boycott, but peacefully, there should be no element of unrest,” he said, apparently referring to recent incidents where some multinational fast food outlets had came under attack in different parts of the country, including Karachi and other parts of Sindh and Punjab.
He said the country’s rulers should also be convinced to carry out their responsibilities and obligations in this regard in a peaceful manner, recalling that the Quaid-i-Azam had also declared Israel an “illegitimate state”.
Speaking on the occasion, JUI-F Maulana Fazlur Rehman called Israel a “terrorist state”.
He said if Pakistan did not come out in support of the Palestinians, then it would be negating the very ideology under which the country was founded.
The situation in Gaza demanded that the Muslim world should unite, he said, claiming that the rulers of most Muslim countries were the main obstacles in the way of unity among the Ummah.
He specifically mentioned the names of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkiye, Malaysia and Indonesia, and called on them to take lead and play their due role in this regard.
The conference concluded with a unanimous declaration suggesting a number of actions required to be taken against Israel and to prevent the bloodshed in Palestine.
The declaration called upon the UN to immediately convene a meeting on the Palestine issue. It also urged the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to set up funds to help the Palestinian people.
The conference also urged the nation to observe a ‘Day of the Oppressed Palestinians’ today (Friday) and hold rallies and peaceful demos across the country.
Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2025
NEW DELHI: A Pakistan-born Canadian citizen wanted for his role in the deadly 2008 Mumbai siege landed in New Delhi on Thursday after his extradition from the United States, Indian law enforcement said.
Tahawwur Hussain Rana, 64, arrived at a military airbase outside the Indian capital under heavily armed guard, and will be held in detention to face trial.
India accuses Rana of helping to plot the 2008 Mumbai attacks when 10 gunmen carried out a multi-day slaughter in the country’s financial capital.
The National Investigation Agency said it “secured the successful extradition of… Mumbai terror attack mastermind Tahawwur Rana from the US”.
The extradition took “years of sustained and concerted efforts to bring the key conspirator behind the 2008 mayhem to justice”.
US President Donald Trump announced in February that Washington would extradite Rana, who he called “one of the very evil people in the world”.
Rana was flown to India after the US Supreme Court this month rejected his bid to remain in the United States, where he was serving a sentence related to another attack.
India accuses Rana of helping his long-term friend, David Coleman Headley, who was sentenced by a US court in 2013 to 35 years in prison after pleading guilty to aiding militants, including by scouting target locations in Mumbai.
Rana, who denies the charges, is accused of playing a smaller role than Headley, but India maintains he is one of the key plotters.
Rana is accused of conspiring with David Coleman Headley, and operatives of terrorist organisations to carry out the devastating terror attacks, the NIA said in the statement.
Rana, a former military medic, emigrated to Canada in 1997, before moving to the United States and setting up businesses in Chicago, including a law firm and a slaughterhouse. He was arrested by US police in 2009.
A US court in 2013 acquitted Rana of conspiracy to provide material support to the Mumbai attacks. But the same court convicted him of backing a militant organisation to provide material support to a plot to commit murder in Denmark.
Rana was sentenced to 14 years for his involvement in a conspiracy to attack the offices of the Jyllands-Posten newspaper.
In February, Devendra Fadnavis, chief minister of Maharashtra state which includes the megacity Mumbai, said that “finally, the long wait is over and justice will be done”.
Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2025
THE HAGUE: Sudan told the International Court of Justice on Thursday that the United Arab Emirates was the “driving force” behind a genocide in Darfur, a charge the UAE said “couldn’t be further from the truth”.
Khartoum has dragged the UAE before the ICJ, accusing it of complicity in genocide against the Masalit community by backing the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) battling the Sudanese army since 2023.
The UAE denies supporting the rebels and has dismissed Sudan’s case as “political theatre” distracting from efforts to end the war that has killed tens of thousands.
Opening the case at the ICJ, Muawia Osman, Sudan’s acting justice minister, told the court that the “ongoing genocide would not be possible without the complicity of the UAE, including the shipment of arms to the RSF. Sudan wants ICJ judges to force the UAE to stop its alleged support for the RSF and make “full reparations”, including compensation to victims of the war.
Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2025
JERUSALEM: An Israeli military official said on Thursday that reserve pilots who publicly called for securing the release of prisoners, even at the cost of ending the Gaza war, would be dismissed from the air force.
“With the full backing of the chief of the General Staff, the commander of the IAF has decided that any active reservist who signed the letter will not be able to continue serving in the IDF,” the official told AFP in response to a letter signed by around 1,000 reserve and retired pilots.
The letter, which was published on a full page in multiple daily newspapers, directly challenges the policy of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has insisted that increased military pressure on Gaza is the only way to get Palestinian fighters to release prisoners seized during Hamas’ October 2023 attack.
“We, the aircrew in the reserves and retired, demand the immediate return of the hostages even at the cost of an immediate cessation of hostilities,” the letter said.
Tel Aviv says it will fire aircrew that publicly called for release of prisoners, even if it means ending the war
“The war serves primarily political and personal interests, not security interests,” it said, adding that the resumed offensive “will result in the deaths of the hostages, IDF soldiers and innocent civilians, and the exhaustion of the reserve service”.
“Only an agreement can return the hostages safely, while military pressure mainly leads to the killing of hostages and the endangerment of our soldiers.”
The official said most of the signatories of the letter were not active reservists.
“Our policy is clear — the IDF stands above all political dispute. There is no room for anybody or individual, including reservists in active duty, to exploit their military status while simultaneously participating in the fighting and calling for its cessation,” the official said.
Netanyahu said he supported the move to dismiss any active pilots who had signed the letter. “Refusal is refusal — even when it is implied and expressed in euphemistic language,” a statement released by his office said.
“Statements that weaken the IDF and strengthen our enemies during wartime are unforgivable”.
Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2025
ISLAMABAD: Climate Change Minister Musadik Malik announced on Thursday that a ‘Green Climate Fund’, being established on the directions of the prime minister to deal with the challenge of climate change, would be unveiled soon.
At a press conference, the minister shed light on key aspects of Pakistan’s climate change policies and clarified the country’s stance on green financing and carbon credits, a statement issued after the presser said.
Under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s directives, he said, Pakistan has finalised regulations for its Green Climate Fund, which will soon be unveiled, APP reported.
The minister said that at COP29, the PM had invited other countries to invest in green projects in Pakistan, and the country aimed to continue this policy to reduce the impacts of climate change and promote green development.
“A carbon exchange company is being planned in Pakistan, which will provide an essential platform for green finance and enhance the global prospects of Pakistan’s success in this domain,” the statement quoted him as saying.
According to the statement, a plan has been developed to establish 250 water treatment plants in Punjab to ensure the provision of clean water. Under the Mehmood Booti carbon credit project, the Ravi Urban and Development Authority (Ruda) will claim carbon credits through methane sequestration, which will be important for environmental protection.
The minister also praised the Sindh government’s mangrove projects, which will generate carbon credits, and further steps were being taken to protect these natural resources for long-term preservation.
Following the impacts of climate change on the Margalla Hills, the minister announced measures for its protection and restoration, including the launch of a pilot project for carbon trading to safeguard the environment and reduce the effects of climate change.
The minister commended the green initiatives of the Punjab government, which aimed to benefit local communities through environmental protection while providing access to clean water and healthcare services.
The minister also spoke about climate justice, urging industrialised nations to take responsibility for their carbon emissions by purchasing carbon credits from climate-vulnerable countries like Pakistan.
Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2025
ISLAMABAD: Thousands of Afghan refugees who are awaiting resettlement to Western countries will be deported from Pakistan if their host nations do not relocate them by April 30, a key government minister said on Thursday.
Amid calls for Pakistan to halt the deportation of Afghan nationals, State Minister for Interior Tallal Chaudhry also ruled out any extension in the deadline for the repatriation of Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders, which expired on March 31.
At a press conference, the minister revealed that as many as 857,157 undocumented foreign nationals had so far been sent back to their countries.
ACC holders had been asked to leave voluntarily by March 31, he said, adding that there would be no extension for them.
He also said that many individuals had been approved for resettlement by various third countries, but the process has been facing delays.
Mr Chaudhry said a uniform extension for such individuals was not possible, but individual cases based on ‘cogent reasoning’ could be considered by the government. He said a one-document regime would be fully implemented, requiring valid visas and passports to enter Pakistan.
He recalled that the policy of repatriating illegal foreign nationals had been in effect since October 2023 and listed its phases: in the first phase, undocumented foreigners without legal documents were sent back. In the second phase, the Afghan Citizen Card
holders are being repatriated, while in the third phase, those who have the Proof of Registration (PoR) cards will be deported.
He explained that the decision to expel these people was taken in light of current ground realities and security concerns. It had been observed that Afghan citizens were involved in narcotics trade and terrorism in Pakistan, he claimed.
Discussing arrangements to ensure the dignity of ACC holders, he claimed that all provinces, including Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, were fully on board with this initiative.
He said that 38 transit points have been established in Punjab, three in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, two in Sindh, three in Azad Kashmir, and one each in Balochistan, Islamabad, and Gilgit-Baltistan.
He said ACC holders were kept at these facilities before their onwards journey to Afghanistan, adding that they were being provided with shelter, food, medical care, and transport facilities.
Sharing the figure of the registered Afghan nationals, the minister said there were 815,247 Afghan Citizen Card holders, while 1,469,522 were registered under the PoR programme.
Answering a question, he said a mechanism was in place to track and deport Afghans who were neither registered with the UNHCR nor awaiting resettlement to a third country.
Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2025
ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) on Thursday approved Rs1.71 per unit subsidy on average tariff for consumers of all distribution companies, including K-Electric, for three months (April to June).
The Rs58.6 billion subsidy would be funded through Rs10 per litre petroleum levy on petrol and diesel imposed by the federal government on March 15.
“The request of the Ministry (of Energy) to provide additional subsidy of Rs.1.71/kwh to all consumers of XWDISCOs and K-Electric (except lifeline consumers) for the period from April 2025 to June 2025 is hereby approved,” read an order issued by the regulator.
It said the ministry had not requested for any change in the Nepra’s determined tariff or revenue requirement of Discos, rather had decided to use the petroleum development levy (PDL) to provide additional subsidy to all consumers across the country, except lifeline consumers.
Base national tariff to come down to Rs31.20/unit excluding taxes, duties and surcharges
It said the federal cabinet had taken a decision on March 26, as part of the government’s “efforts to reduce consumer-end tariff and improve demand”.
Nepra had determined the average rate for FY25 at Rs35.50 per unit. The government had notified the national average tariff of Rs32.99 per unit from October 2024 onwards with a Rs2.51 per unit tariff differential subsidy out of the taxpayer’s money. After fresh notification, the base national tariff would come down to Rs31.20 per unit for three months, excluding almost a dozen taxes, duties and surcharges.
It was not yet clear if the Rs1.71 per unit subsidy would continue after June 30, as the government did not make any commitment to the regulator. “The MoE explained that expected PDL collection for the FY2025-26, would be considered at the time of annual rebasing of tariff for the FY2025-26, after approval of the cabinet,” the regulator said.
The MoE reported that the government had allocated around Rs266bn subsidy for the FY2024-25, which after inclusion of the currently proposed relief of Rs58.6bn at the rate of Rsl.7l per unit, would become Rs325bn. However, the category-wise relief would be different depending upon applicable taxes for the relevant category.
The petroleum levy on petrol and diesel was increased by Rs10 to a maximum of Rs70 permissible under the Finance Act 2025 to divert the revenues towards maximising relief in power tariffs.
Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2025
DONALD Trump seems to have singled out one of its largest trading partners - China - for an all-out war.
Although the temporary halt in the imposition of reciprocal tariffs levied on dozens of countries is meant to allow them time to renegotiate bilateral trade with the US, a universal across-the-board tariff of 10 per cent is still in place.
However, this is nothing compared to the levy stacked on US imports from China, which Trump enhanced to 145pc on Thursday.
This is not the first time the US has initiated a trade war with China.
“Back in 2018, the US (under Trump) had singled out and slammed tariffs on China. Initially, other countries were also on Trump’s tariff list, but were dropped later as he directed his focus on China,” recalls Dr Manzoor Ahmed, who has served as Pakistan’s ambassador to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Geneva.
Experts fear China might flood European market with cheaper goods; suggest energy imports from US to reduce trade deficit
Amid the rapid escalation of the trade war between its two largest trade partners, Pakistan’s chances of getting caught in the crossfire cannot be ruled out.
Analysts believe that a highly negative spillover impact of an all-out China-US trade war would be felt globally as it is going to slow their own and global growth down, and even lead to a recession.
Challenge for Pakistan
Apart from indirect ramifications of a full-blown trade war for the rest of the world, Pakistan’s teetering economy will likely have to deal with the direct impact of the spillover of this war.
China, as the world’s biggest manufacturer, produces far more than it consumes domestically and could seek to divert its goods to other markets, like the European Union.
“The Pakistan government thinks that there is a risk that China could endeavour to dump its products elsewhere and hack away at Pakistan’s market share there, if it were unable to enter the US,” Dr Ahmed said.
Musadaq Zulqarnain, chairman of Interloop and one of Pakistan’s largest exporters, echoes the same views.
“With its deep pockets and large international reserves, China has the ability to subsidise and support its industry,” he said.
“The Chinese firms will likely divert their ‘excess export surplus’ generated from recent tariff restrictions in the US to Europe, the biggest importer of Pakistan’s textiles and apparel.”
According to Mr Zulqarnain, China has the ability to offer big discounts and undercut prices to attract European buyers to switch to their products.
This can set off an “intense trade competition” not just with China but also with other competitors like Bangladesh and India.
“In my view, our apparel exports may face greater pressure in Europe besides a plunge in sales in the US due to potential economic slowdown and possible recession.”
Mr Zulqarnain fears that China could increase its heavily discounted exports to Pakistan as well.
“We have a free trade agreement with Beijing besides our strategic relationship with that country, and, thus, cannot stop or restrict Chinese imports. This could bring other industries (besides textiles and clothing) under significant pressure.”
The influx of cheaper Chinese goods into Pakistan through its online giant, Temu, is already giving local retailers sleepless nights as they are not able to match the massively low prices in addition to stripping the government of sales tax on those online sales.
Deal with US
The owner of the country’s largest apparel company listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange pointed out that the pause in higher tariffs for three months may have afforded Pakistan some room to “negotiate our trade relationship with the US”.
However, uncertainty remained over Pakistan’s potential to secure a lucrative deal.
“[W]e are not sure if Pakistan will be able to negotiate a deal equal or better than its competitors like Vietnam, India and Bangladesh,” the businessperson said, adding relatively lower reciprocal levy was Pakistan’s edge over many of its competitors before the tariffs were announced.
Compared to 37pc reciprocal tariffs for Bangladesh, 46pc for Vietnam and 49pc for Cambodia, Pakistan was slotted for 29pc (all higher reciprocal levies include 10pc universal baseline tariff).
However, India was slammed with 26pc and Turkiye with just 10pc reciprocal baseline import taxes.
“Earlier, we had advantages over some and disadvantages against others. But now, no one knows what they are going to get in trade negotiations with the US Treasury Representative,” the businessperson said.
“On the one hand, a demand slowdown in the US and intensified competition in Europe is in prospect. On the other hand, uncertainty looms over the outcome of the ensuing negotiations on bilateral trade adjustment with Washington. We have relatively low trade surplus with the US and are in a better condition than our competitors. But we need to tread very carefully,” he concluded, cautioning the country’s trade authorities against complacency in talks with the Trump administration.
‘Silver lining’
However, some experts believe that Pakistan stands to gain from a potential decline in global growth caused by the Trump tariffs, which have resulted in lower oil prices.
Energy consumes 25-30pc of our total import bill and the drop in oil prices could reduce it by $1.5-2bn and help narrow trade deficit, stabilise currency, strengthen foreign exchange reserves, and contain inflation.
Pakistan’s nearly $5.5bn exports — comprising 75 to 80pc of textiles and apparel shipments — to the US constitute 20pc of the country’s total exports.
Some, like Ahmed Kamal, the chief executive of Kamal Textiles, insist that Pakistan could walk away with significant concessions from the Trump administration.
For that, Pakistan could “completely slash import taxes on US goods and increase our imports from the US to eliminate or reduce our trade surplus”.
“We are just a minor dot on the US’s trade deficit problem. Our competitors have already offered this to Trump. Why can’t we?,” Mr Kamal added.
“It is time we sign a free trade agreement that we have been pursuing with the US for the last two decades,” he argued.
Dr Ahmed of WTO points out that if Pakistan reduces tariffs on US imports, the country will also have to give the same treatment and advantage to its other trading partners as well.
“We can’t give preferential treatment to just one country under the WTO framework. It is because we don’t have an FTA with the US,” he said.Mr Ahmed suggests Pakistan imports energy supplies from the US to narrow the trade imbalance, which is at the heart of the reciprocal tariffs, besides addressing their legitimate concerns over their list of non-tariff barriers and additional duties on top of normal import levies on US goods.
Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2025
ISLAMABAD: Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan, a member of the Supreme Court’s constitutional bench hearing cases related to the military trial of civilians, raised concerns on Thursday over an unusual discrepancy — the possibility of a civilian facing court martial under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) merely for entering a cantonment area to visit a shopping mall, food court, residency or attend a commercial event.
“To say civilians become subject to the Pakistan Army Act (PAA) 1952 and could be tried by the military court if nexus is established for their role that affects the discipline of the armed forces is a very dangerous proposition,” feared Justice Afghan. Every cantonment area has been notified as prohibited area, he stated, but noted that for the welfare of soldiers, shopping malls — even private residency — have been established inside such areas.
In case a civilian tried to enter a cantonment area forcibly upon declining permission to do so, he may face cases under the OSA and could be tried by a military court, observed Justice Afghan.
Headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan, the seven-judge CB has taken up 38 intra-court appeals moved by the governments, Shuhada Forum Balochistan, etc, against the Oct 23, 2023 judgement.
This will be an anomalous situation since civilians trying to enter a cantonment area may not have a proper entry pass and may be denied entry by the security guards, he observed.
At this, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail recalled how he was not permitted to enter some cantonment area for not having a pass. He also recalled how civilians without entry passes face difficulty on a daily basis merely upon entering an area in Quetta where an ordnance facility exists.
To define nexus between a person and the country’s defence has a very wide connotation, observed Justice Mandokhail, also highlighting that institutions like parliament, Supreme Court, airports or railway stations also fall within the definition of prohibited areas.
Khawaja Haris Ahmed on behalf of the defence ministry, however, argued that prohibited areas are always notified by the government for having work of defence, arsenal facility, wireless or signal station etc and that these were not general areas.
Every institution has a peculiar definition but the country’s defence is always related to the armed forces, he emphasised, adding that there were certain offences which were more serious. He pointed out that there were many statutes like the NAB law where the onus to prove innocence rests with the accused.
To an observation about the jail trial or trial by civilian courts through video links, he said many offenders were so dangerous that they cannot be tried in civilian courts.
Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi reminded that there were many cantonments in Karachi but only Malir Cantt and the Creek area were prohibited for having sensitive installations. Even five or six judges live inside the Karachi cantonments which were not prohibited.
Fair trial
Justice Mandokhail observed that the composition of court martial was something that raises concerns, especially after Article 10A which asks for fair trial. Even for the trial of the members of armed forces an independent forum should be established.
The real question is whether any court could be established which does not come under the ambit of Article 175(3) of the Constitution, Justice Mandokhail observed.
The counsel said there is no denying the fact that fundamental rights like Article 9, 25 or 203 will not be available to the accused facing military trials but the Constitution has created a clear exception which was also noted by the SC’s previous larger bench.
It is for the legislature to consider this aspect, especially in view of the warfare that has become complicated and left the armed forces in a state of war even during the peace time.
The counsel said that any threat to the armed forces’ state of preparedness by any civilian committing any of the offences under the OSA inevitably has the effect of preventing or impeding them in the proper discharge of their duties.
It is for this reason that the trials of such civilians fall squarely within the ambit of the PAA in the present case relating to members of the armed forces, that has been made to ensure the proper discharge of their duties. As such, where these civilians are accused of any of the offences falling under the provisions of Section 2(1)(d), the trial conducted against them takes place in terms of PAA and therefore, covered by Article 8(3)(a) of the Constitution, the counsel said.
The case will now be taken up on Tuesday.
Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2025
ISLAMABAD: For the second time this week, the PTI leadership was barred from meeting its party founder, Imran Khan, by Adiala jail authorities — in spite of a high court order, which had allowed party leaders to meet the former prime minister two days a week.
Earlier, on Tuesday, a decision to bar the family of the PTI founder from meeting him had led to minor clashes outside the jail, forcing police to disperse the PTI supporters.
PTI leader Omar Ayub also wrote a letter to the jail superintendent, urging him to implement the decision of the Islamabad High Court.
In his letter, the PTI opposition leader said the list of the persons who wanted to meet Mr Khan was provided to the jail staff, but they refused to receive the letter.
Speaking to media persons, Omar Ayub said that it was nothing but contempt of court. He said court orders were also handed to the jail staff, but they allegedly refused to receive them.
Those who planned to meet Mr Khan on Thursday included Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Raja Nasir Abbas and Punjab opposition leader Ahmed Khan Bhachar.
Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2025
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday reminded Afghanistan that terrorism remains a major impediment to improving bilateral relations, amid ongoing concerns over militant sanctuaries across the border.
“We have been trying to improve relations but the major roadblock, of course, remains the security situation and the sanctuaries enjoyed by terrorists,” Foreign Office spokesman Shafqat Ali Khan told reporters at the weekly media briefing.
Mr Khan made the comments while responding to a question about the anticipated meeting of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Coordination Committee (JCC), a forum both countries had agreed to reconvene as part of efforts to strengthen trade and economic cooperation.
He declined to provide a date for the JCC meeting, saying: “We will share information once more concrete things are available.”
Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Amb Muhammad Sadiq visited Kabul last month where both sides agreed to sustain engagement on key issues including security, trade, and refugees.
One of the key understandings reportedly reached during the visit was to hold the JCC meeting before mid-April. Afghan Commerce Minister Nooruddin Azizi was also expected to visit Islamabad after Eid.
“Special Representative’s visit to Kabul was very successful and certain understandings have been reached in terms of the follow-up action,” Mr Khan said, noting progress in bilateral discussions.
However, tensions have remained high. Speaking at a recent seminar hosted by a think tank, Amb Sadiq warned that “all deals with Afghanistan are off if the Taliban authorities fail to address Islamabad’s” mounting concerns about terrorism emanating from Afghan territory.
Mr Khan avoided commenting directly on Amb Sadiq’s statement, saying he had not seen it.
Since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, terrorism has emerged as a growing source of strain between the two countries. Pakistan has accused the Taliban of allowing militant groups, “especially the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)” to operate from Afghan soil, intensifying cross-border attacks and undermining diplomatic efforts.
Islamabad, once hopeful that a Taliban-led Afghanistan would bring a more cooperative regional partner, has since grown wary as militant activity has surged. The lack of action against these groups has led to repeated diplomatic friction and cast a shadow over economic and security collaborations.
India’s Waqf Act
The FO also rejected India’s recently passed Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, describing it as a discriminatory move that infringes on the religious and economic rights of Indian Muslims and could deepen their marginalisation.
“About Waqf Amendment Act, we strongly believe it is an infringement over the religious and economic rights of Indian Muslims,” the FO spokesman said. “Particularly the act usurps the property rights of Muslim community, and could potentially dispossess them of a number of mosques, shrines and other holy places.”
He added that the new legislation would “certainly undermine the Muslims’ management and control of their properties endowed for different religious and charitable purposes.”
The remarks come as India’s parliament earlier this month approved the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, which is now awaiting presidential assent. The law, which governs the management of Waqf properties “Muslim religious endowments” has drawn sharp criticism from Muslim leaders and opposition lawmakers who say it threatens religious autonomy.
The legislation mandates financial audits for Waqf institutions with annual incomes exceeding 1 lakh Indian rupees, lowers the mandatory contributions to Waqf Boards from 7 per cent to 5pc, and introduces a centralised digital portal for property oversight.
It also calls for the inclusion of Muslim women and non-Muslims in the Waqf Board management.
Critics argue that the bill amounts to an unconstitutional overreach and could pave the way for state interference in religious affairs.
“The passage of this discriminatory legislation is also reflective of the growing majoritarianism in India,” Mr Khan said. “There are serious apprehensions that it will contribute to further marginalisation of Indian Muslims.”
Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2025
WASHINGTON: A growing wave of visa revocations, detentions, and deportations is sending shockwaves across US campuses, leaving foreign students — particularly those linked to pro-Palestinian activism — facing increasing uncertainty.
Days when Israeli military actions in Gaza sparked US-wide protests across American campuses are now a thing of the past. Today, universities face a new reality, where even minor infractions could lead to the cancellation of student visas.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said late last month that he has stripped visas for some 300 people and was doing so on a daily basis.
In a recent briefing, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce indicated that the gloves were off, saying: “[T]he department revokes visas every day in order to secure our borders and to keep our community safe, and we’ll continue to do so”.
When asked about the cancellation of visas of vulnerable people who had sought refuge in the US, such as citizens of civil war-torn South Sudan, the State Department spokesperson was even more blunt.
“Every country must accept the return of its citizens in a timely manner when another country, including the United States, seeks to remove them. South Sudan’s Transitional Government has failed to fully respect this principle by not permitting the entry of an individual that they had confirmed and documented as a citizen.”
She maintained that her department would restrict the further issuance of visas to South Sudan citizens to prevent their entry into the US. “We will be prepared to review these actions when … South Sudan is in full cooperation,” she said.
On Wednesday, immigration authorities announced they will look at social media accounts and deny visas or residence permits to people who post content considered anti-Semitic by President Donald Trump’s administration.
The move follows the cancellation of visas for students, even though the the First Amendment of the US Constitution guarantees freedom of speech.
Rubio had said that non-US citizens do not have the same rights as Americans and that it was at his discretion, not that of judges, to issue or deny visas.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem “has made it clear that anyone who thinks they can come to America and hide behind First Amendment to advocate for ‘anti-Semitic violence and terrorism’ — think again. You are not welcome here,” said department spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services “will consider social media content that indicates an alien endorsing, espousing, promoting or supporting anti-Semitic terrorism, anti-Semitic terrorist organizations or other anti-Semitic activity as a negative factor” in determining benefits, the statement said.
The policy will take effect immediately and apply to student visas and requests for permanent resident “green cards” to stay in the United States.
Students, varsities alarmed
On Tuesday, Ms Bruce was responding to questions from NBC News journalist Andrea Mitchell, who asked for clarification on the large-scale, and often unexplained, cancellation of student visas.
“In some cases, students have said their visas were cancelled due to traffic citations, not involvement in protests or illegal activities. Is there a clear process or threshold for why student visas are cancelled,” Mitchell asked.
Ms Bruce responded by acknowledging the department’s actions, but remained firm on not providing specifics.
“We’ve never gone into the details of the visa process,” the spokesperson stated.
“We don’t discuss individual visas because of the privacy issues involved. We don’t release statistics or numbers, and we don’t go into the rationale behind what happens with individual visas.”
But the State Department’s refusal to provide a clear rationale for these decisions or disclose statistics has only increased concerns among international students.
Universities have been alarmed by the sheer volume of visa cancellations. In recent weeks, major institutions like Harvard, the University of Michigan, Stanford, UCLA, and Ohio State University have seen foreign students affected.
At Harvard, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) revoked the visas of three graduate students and two recent graduates.
Many schools, including those in California such as UC Berkeley and UC Davis, learned of these cancellations only after the fact.
‘Don’t go abroad’
The situation has escalated to a point where several universities, including Brown, Cornell, and Columbia, have issued internal travel advisories urging international students to reconsider any plans to travel abroad. “Anyone who isn’t a US citizen should think hard about the need to leave the United States,” said César Cuauhtémoc García Hernández, a law professor at Ohio State University.
While the government’s crackdown has been most notable in relation to pro-Palestinian protests, the scope of the visa cancellations is broader.
Many international students are now living in a state of limbo, unsure whether their visa status will be revoked without warning. For some, a single protest or even a social media post could trigger deportation or detention. This new reality has created a chilling atmosphere on campuses, where students are advised to stay away from protests or political activity, particularly those involving Palestine.
With input from AFP
Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2025
NEW DELHI: Indian authorities are readying for the extradition from the United States of a man that New Delhi accuses of helping plan the 2008 Mumbai siege that killed 166 people.
Tahawwur Hussain Rana, 64, a Canadian citizen born in Pakistan, is due to be extradited “shortly” to face trial, Indian media said, reporting that New Delhi had sent a multi-agency team of security officials to collect him.
India accuses him of being a member of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) group, designated by the United Nations as a terrorist organisation, and of aiding planning the attacks.
US President Donald Trump announced in February that Washington would extradite Rana, whom he called “one of the very evil people in the world”.
64-year-old Canadian citizen acquitted of plotting to facilitate attacks by US court in 2013
The US Supreme Court this month rejected his bid to remain in the United States, where he is serving a sentence for a planning role in another LeT-linked attack.
New Delhi blames the LeT for the Mumbai attacks in November 2008, when 10 gunmen carried out a multi-day slaughter in the country’s financial capital.
India accuses Rana of helping his long-term friend, David Coleman Headley, who was sentenced by a US court in 2013 to 35 years in prison after pleading guilty to aiding LeT militants, including by scouting target locations in Mumbai.
Rana emigrated to Canada in 1997, before moving to the US and setting up businesses in Chicago, including a law firm. He was arrested by US police in 2009.
A US court in 2013 acquitted Rana of conspiracy to provide material support to the Mumbai attacks. But the same court convicted him of backing LeT to provide material support to a plot to commit murder in Denmark.
Rana was sentenced to 14 years for his involvement in a conspiracy to attack the offices of the Jyllands-Posten newspaper, which had published caricature depicting Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
India maintains Rana is one of the key plotters of the Mumbai attacks along with the convicted Headley — and the authorities have welcomed his expected extradition.
In February, Devendra Fadnavis, chief minister of Maharashtra state which includes the megacity Mumbai, said that “finally, the long wait is over and justice will be done”.
Symbolic outcome
Counterterrorism experts however suggest Rana’s involvement was peripheral compared to Headley, a US citizen, who India also wants extradited.
“They gave us a small fish but kept David Headley, so the essential outcome is going to be symbolic,” said Ajay Sahni, head of the Institute for Conflict Management in New Delhi. He said Rana’s extradition is of “historical importance” rather than a source of any “live intelligence”.
Rana knew Headley, 64, from their days together at boarding school in Pakistan.Headley, who testified as a government witness at Rana’s trial, said he had used his friend’s Chicago-based immigration services firm as a cover to scout targets in India, by opening a branch in Mumbai.
Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2025
PARIS: France plans to recognise a Palestinian state within months and could make the move at a UN conference on settling the conflict in New York in June, President Emmanuel Macron said in an interview broadcast on Wednesday.
“We must move towards recognition, and we will do so in the coming months,” Macron, who this week visited Egypt, told the France 5 television channel.
“Our aim is to chair this conference with Saudi Arabia in June, where we could finalise this movement of mutual recognition by several parties,” he said.
“I will do it as I believe at some point it will be right and because I also want to participate in a collective dynamic, which must also allow all those who defend Palestine to recognise Israel in turn, which many of them do not do,” he added.
Nearly 150 countries recognise a Palestinian state. In May 2024, Ireland, Norway and Spain announced recognition, followed by Slovenia next month, in moves partly fuelled by condemnation of Israel’s brutal action in Gaza.
Macron said such recognition would allow France “to be clear in our fight against those who deny Israel’s right to exist — which is the case with Iran — and to commit ourselves to collective security in the region.”
A formal recognition by Paris would be a major policy shift and risk antagonising Israel and US.
France’s recognition of Palestinian statehood “would be a step in the right direction in line with safeguarding the rights of Palestinians and the two-state solution,” Palestinian state minister for foreign affairs Varsen Shahin said.
In Egypt, Macron held summit talks with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Jordan’s King Abdullah II and also made clear he was strongly opposed to any displacement or annexation in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
US President Donald Trump has suggested turning Gaza into the “Riviera of the Middle East” with the Palestinians moving elsewhere — a suggestion that has sparked bitter condemnation. Macron responded the Gaza Strip was “not a real estate project”. “Simplistic thinking sometimes doesn’t help,” he added, and, in a message to Trump said “our responsibility is to save lives, restore peace, and negotiate a political framework. If all this doesn’t exist, no one will invest. Today, no one will invest a cent in Gaza.”
Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2025
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump’s administration has moved to reinstate at least six recently cancelled US foreign aid programmes for emergency food assistance, according to six sources familiar with the matter.
The quick reversal of decisions made just days ago underscored the rapid-fire nature of Trump’s cuts to foreign aid. That has led to programmes being cut, restored and then cut again, disrupting international humanitarian operations.
Jeremy Lewin, USAID Acting Deputy Administrator, who has previously been identified as a member of billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, asked staff in an internal email to reverse the terminations.
He asked to restore awards to the World Food Programme (WFP) in Lebanon, Syria, Somalia, Jordan, Iraq and Ecuador.
The administration also resumed four awards to the International Organisation for Migration in the Pacific region.
“Sorry for all the back and forth on awards,” Lewin said on Tuesday in the internal email.
“There are a lot of stakeholders and we need to do better about balancing these competing interests. That’s my fault and I take responsibility,” he added.
The Trump administration ended life-saving aid programmes this week for more than a dozen countries, including Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia and Syria, totalling over $1.3 billion.
According to Stand Up For Aid, an advocacy group of current and former US officials, WFP contracts cancelled on Lewin’s orders last weekend for Lebanon, Syria, Somalia and Jordan totalled more than $463 million.
Many of the terminated programmes had been granted waivers by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio following an initial round of cuts to foreign aid programmes. The State Department said those did not reflect a final decision.
The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment about restoring the awards.
A ‘death sentence’
The decision to restore some aid followed pressure from inside the administration and from Congress, sources said.
The World Food Programme said on Monday that the US notified the organisation it was eliminating emergency food assistance funding in 14 countries, warning: “If implemented, this could amount to a death sentence for millions of people facing extreme hunger and starvation.” The US did not restore aid to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan and to Yemen. Washington has been the largest aid donor to both countries, which have suffered years of devastating conflicts.
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told reporters on Tuesday the United States had concerns that WFP funding for Yemen and Afghanistan was benefiting the Houthis and the Taliban.
“There were a few programmes that were cut in other countries that were not meant to be cut that have been rolled back and put into place,” Bruce said, adding that the administration remains committed to foreign aid.
Among the cuts over the weekend were $169.8m for the WFP in Somalia, covering food assistance, nutrition for malnourished babies and children and humanitarian air support. In Syria, $111m was cut from WFP food assistance.
The cuts have been the latest piece of the Trump administration’s drive to dismantle USAID, Washington’s main humanitarian aid agency.
The administration has cancelled billions of dollars in foreign aid since the Republican president began his second term on Jan 20 in an overhaul that officials described as marked by chaos and confusion.
Democrats on the Senate’s foreign relations committee wrote a letter to Rubio on Tuesday regarding plans to restructure the State Department, including by folding in USAID, which they said was “unconstitutional, illegal, unjustified, damaging, and inefficient”.
Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2025
JAKARTA: Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto on Wednesday said he was prepared to grant temporary shelter to Palestinians affected by the war on Gaza.
Nearly half a million Gaza residents have been displaced in the weeks since Israel resumed military operations in the territory last month, according to the United Nations.
“We are ready to receive wounded victims,” Prabowo said before leaving for a Middle East visit to the United Arab Emirates, Turkiye, Egypt, Qatar and Jordan.
“We are ready to send planes to transport them. We estimate the numbers may be 1,000 for the first wave.”
Wounded Palestinians and “traumatised, orphaned children” would be prioritised, he added.
He said he had instructed his foreign minister to talk with Palestinian officials and “parties in the region” on how to evacuate orphans and wounded people. The victims may stay in Indonesia until they completely recover and it’s safe to return, he said.
Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2025
CAIRO: An Israeli air strike killed at least 29 Palestinians, including children, in a home in Shujaiya in Gaza City, local health authorities said on Wednesday.
Medics said dozens of others were wounded in the attack that hit a multi-floor residential building in the eastern suburb of Gaza City. Many were still believed to be missing and trapped under the ruins of the building. The strike damaged several other houses nearby, medics said.
However, the Israeli military claimed it struck a senior Hamas official responsible for planning and executing attacks from Shujaiya in northern Gaza, whom it did not identify. The military said “several steps” were taken before the attack to mitigate harm to civilians.
Local health authorities said nine other Palest-inians were killed in separate Israeli military strikes in other parts of the enclave, raising Wed-nesday’s death toll to 38.
1,500 killed in three weeks
Israel resumed its bombardment of Gaza on March 18 after a two-month truce and sent troops back into the enclave. In the three weeks since, the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza says Israeli military strikes have killed nearly 1,500 Palestinians.
Over 50,800 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s military campaign since October 2023, Palestinian authorities have said.
Since late March, Israel has ordered Gazans out of territory around the edges of the enclave to create what it describes as a security zone; residents fear the aim is to “permanently depopulate” swathes of territory.
Meanwhile, Arab mediators Qatar and Egypt, backed by the United States, have stepped up efforts to restore calm but have so far failed.
The UN special rapporteur on Palestine, Francesca Albanese, warned at a two-day event on Palestine in Paris that Israel would continue its violence against Palestinians unless action is taken, saying there is “not much time left” to save the Palestinian people.
Albanese told Anadolu that Israel has never respected the ceasefire.
Israel has not intention to halt war
She said that Israel has no intention of halting its actions for several reasons, claiming: “Because [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu will be the target of justice when he stops the war against the Palestinians.
“You may have noticed that Netanyahu was going to appear in court the day after he ordered a new attack against the people of Gaza. So, the question is; was there a connection? Maybe,” she added.
“I know that he has his own issues, with national and international justice, even though I think I no longer have any hope in national justice at the Israeli level or the international level because you see everyone saying they’re increasingly ready to roll out the red carpet for him,” stated Albanese.
Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2025
Gohar hits back at Salman Akram Raja, disputes latter’s claim about ‘avoiding’ meetings in solidarity with Imran’s family members
ISLAMABAD: PTI leaders on Wednesday appeared to be at loggerheads over the question of access to party founder Imran Khan, a day after the jail administration’s decision to bar the former prime minister’s sisters from meeting him ended in a clash with police.
On Tuesday, the Adiala administration had stopped Aleema Khan and other family members, but allowed a group of five lawyers — including Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Ali Zafar — to meet the PTI chief in jail.
This development did not go down well with Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, who was also not allowed to meet Mr Khan.
The PTI had given a list of six lawyers — as per the high court order that sanctioned two weekly meetings — to the jail administration for the meeting on Tuesday, but Mr Raja’s name was removed from the list and he was stopped by the jail staff.
It may be noted that the Islamabad High Court had ordered that the PTI founder should be able to meet visitors every Tuesday and Thursday, and that the visits would be coordinated by Salman Akram Raja.
In response to this development, the PTI secretary general said on Tuesday night that people whose names were not included in the list should not meet Imran Khan, and as long as Imran Khan’s sisters were not being allowed to meet him, other leaders should also refrain from meeting the former prime minister.
This apparent dig at Barristers Gohar and Ali Zafar did not go down well with the PTI interim chairman, who took the secretary general to the task in a media talk on Wednesday.
“The party has never decided that no one will meet the founding chairman if his sisters will not be allowed to meet him. Moreover, if that is the case why did Salman Akram Raja meet Imran Khan (on March 25) while Aleema Khan and other sisters were not allowed to meet their brother,” he said.
“I am the chairman of Pakistan’s largest political party and have confidence of Imran Khan. I am facing criticism for last one and half years and I appreciate positive criticism but no one should do it for cheap popularity,” he said.
“…the party has not decided that if one lawyer’s name is removed from the list provided to the Adiala administration, others lawyers will not meet Imran Khan either. Moreover, we have not decided that if Imran Khan’s sisters will not be allowed, no lawyer will meet Mr Khan,” he said.
He said the boycott happened only once and that too at the time of the 26th Amendment. “We had provided a list of five lawyers in which Salman’s name was also included, but when we received the approval, there were names of three lawyers and Salman’s name was missing. We decided that either all five would go there or none of us would. The government was of the view that Salman’s name was not included because he was not a parliamentarian…,” he explained.
Banister Gohar said that the political committee never took such a decision after that, adding that the proposal could be tabled in front of the political committee and if it decided in its favour, then no one would meet Imran Khan if his sisters’ access was restricted.
“However, political point-scoring should not be done, and no one should try to gain cheap popularity. No one should speak about Ali Zafar that he is a ‘favourite’ person. He is great person…(he) contested party cases in the Peshawar High Court, the IHC, the Lahore High Court, the Supreme Court, the Election Commission and at other forums without charging even a single rupee,” he claimed.
Parliamentary party meeting
Later, after the meeting of the PTI parliamentary party, leader of the opposition in National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan said that the Pakistan Peoples Party was responsible for the canals which are being made in Punjab. “In July last year a meeting was called in which President Asif Zardari gave approval for the canals under SIFC,” he alleged.
“However, it is the PTI which has raised the issue and said that the water belongs to Sindh and issue should be addressed through Council of Common Interests,” he said.
“Moreover, a mineral conference was held in Islamabad, but I need to tell that the investment comes to those places where peace prevails. We are being told that the cases against PTI can be withdrawn if Imran Khan seeks an apology. It shows that all cases are politically motivated,” he claimed.
Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2025
ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to send a high-level delegation to the US for negotiations aimed at addressing the new tariffs and duties imposed on Pakistan by the Trump administration, as well as strengthening trade relations.
Speaking during a meeting of the Economic Advisory Council (EAC) on Wednesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the delegation would include key business leaders and exporters from Pakistan.
A senior government official, who attended the meeting, told Dawn that the delegation will consist of prominent figures from the public and private sectors.
“Senior officials of the relevant ministries… including finance, trade, commerce, IT, labour and foreign affairs will also be part of the delegation. Similarly, prominent businessmen, industrialists, importers and exporters will also be included in the mission,” he added.
PM tells economic team to prepare action plans for development of various sectors
During the meeting, the PM praised the government economic team for convincing the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a reduction in domestic electricity prices.
“With the reduction in power tariffs, the production cost of the industrial sector will also reduce, and as a result, the exports of the country will go up,” he added. The PM said industrial development was one of the top priorities of the government that would help create new employment opportunities.
“Due to the comprehensive advisory process, the sustainable development goals will become possible soon,” he said, adding that the government was easing the process of investment and business by introducing reform measures in the taxation system and through information technology.
He emphasised that experts from various sectors included in the EAC will play an important role in national development through their valuable suggestions.
The prime minister directed the government’s economic team to prepare a practical action plan based on the suggestions of the council members. He also instructed the formation of separate sub-committees under the Economic Advisory Council for different sectors, which will propose actionable suggestions regarding those sectors.
The participants presented their recommendations on the future course of action, particularly regarding the growth of Pakistan’s economy and the increase in exports.
The participants lauded the special attention given to the recent Mineral Investment Forum and considered it an important milestone for the development of Pakistan’s mineral and mining sector. The participants recommended focusing on the export of value-added products rather than raw materials.
They also suggested strengthening the communication infrastructure for the transportation of goods from industries to ports, aligning the skills of the domestic workforce with international standards, improving the promotion of Pakistani goods through foreign embassies, establishing export promotional councils, and further improving facilities in special economic zones and industrial areas.
They also proposed reforms in Pakistan’s banking sector to facilitate exports and appreciated the decision to send a high-level delegation to negotiate on the recent tariff imposition by the US.
The meeting was attended by members of the Economic Advisory Council, including Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar; federal ministers Ahad Cheema, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Attaullah Tarar, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Ali Pervaiz Malik, and Sardar Awais Khan Laghari; advisers Muhammad Ali and Syed Tauqir Shah; state minister Bilal Azhar Kayani; Special Assistant Haroon Akhtar; State Bank Governor Jameel Ahmad; and other relevant officials.
Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2025
LAHORE: Schools across Punjab have been advised to alter working hours or declare early summer holidays if excessive heat persists.
The Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has issued urgent directives to educational institutions and district administrations across the province in view of heatwave threat, warning of a potential temperature surge of 4 to 7 degrees Celsius.
The institutions have been advised to take immediate measures to protect students and staff from extreme heat.
The advisory includes schools should alter working hours or declare early summer holidays if excessive heat persists, all outdoor sports and activities should be suspended immediately, schools must ensure uninterrupted availability of clean, cold drinking water and maintain functional ventilation, fans, and cooling systems and students should wear loose, light-colour clothing, while schools must set up first aid counters with staff trained in heat-related emergencies.
A letter in this regard was sent by PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Kathia to school education and higher education departments.
Earlier, PDMA and the Environment Department held a joint meeting chaired by Environment Secretary Raja Jahangir Anwar and the PDMA DG. Officials from agriculture, health, irrigation and education departments participated via video link, alongside commissioners and deputy commissioners from Bahawalpur division.
DG Kathia warned that Punjab’s plains would face rising temperatures starting this month, increasing the likelihood of heat strokes and dehydration. “Extreme heat can be life-threatening; preventive measures must be enforced without delay,” he stressed.
District administrations were instructed to coordinate with PDMA and ensure real-time updates through disaster management authorities. Citizens have been advised to stay hydrated and avoid unnecessary sun exposure.
Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2025
LAHORE / QUETTA: PML-N President Nawaz Sharif has called for a “political solution” to the issues in Balochistan, vowing to play a key political and democratic role in fostering peace in the restive province.
Mr Sharif made this statement during a meeting with former Balochistan chief minister and National Party President Dr Abdul Malik Baloch at his Jati Umra residence on Wednesday, a day after army chief Gen Asim Munir assured foreign investors that Pakistan would provide robust security to protect their interest amid heightened unrest in the mineral-rich province.
Mr Sharif and Dr Baloch discussed the overall political situation in the country, especially Balochistan. The former PM said he would play his political and democratic role in promoting peace in Balochistan. “I will soon visit Balochistan to meet the [angry] people there. The issue of Balochistan is political and must be resolved through political means,” Mr Sharif was quoted by Dr Baloch as saying.
He said Mr Sharif assured that he would personally take interest in the matters of Balochistan. “I told Mr Sharif that his role is crucial given the current situation in Balochistan. We held an in-depth discussion on the political affairs of the province. There is an ongoing sit-in in Balochistan, and many people are imprisoned. Nawaz Sharif should play his part in resolving these issues,” the former CM said, adding that the elder Sharif agreed to play his role.
Dr Baloch was referring to the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) sit-in led by Sardar Akhtar Mengal against the arrest of Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) leaders and activists, including Dr Mahrang Baloch, and police crackdown on their sit-in in Quetta.
Talking to reporters after the meeting in Lahore, PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique said that Dr Baloch shared his views and requested that Nawaz Sharif play an active role in resolving the issues of Balochistan.
“Nawaz Sharif assured that he would play his political and democratic role in promoting peace in Balochistan. When Nawaz Sharif was prime minister and Abdul Malik Baloch was CM Balochistan that era witnessed development. Unfortunately, democracy was disrupted that led to the current situation,” Mr Rafique said, adding that Mr Sharif had assured that he would personally take interest in resolving the Balochistan issues.
Senator Jan Muhammad Buledi, who attended the meeting, later issued a statement saying that various issues related to Balochistan, including the complex political and law and order situation, were discussed in detail. Dr Malik Baloch, who led the NP delegation, also raised concerns with Mr Sharif regarding the BNP-M’s ongoing protest sit-in in Mastung district, political instability, slow development progress, and the arrests of Mahrang Baloch and numerous other political activists. “Major national and political issues were also discussed,” Mr Buledi said in the statement.
Dr Malik Baloch, who served as the chief minister while heading a coalition government with PML-N and other parties in Balochistan, presented various proposals to Nawaz Sharif regarding the resolution of issues.
He also briefed Mr Sharif on the deadlock in negotiations between the government and BNP-M concerning the protest long march and sit-in demanding the release of Mahrang Baloch and other detained political workers in Balochistan. Mr Baloch requested that the PML-N chief play a key role in finding a solution to Balochistan’s problems.
According to the statement issued by Senator Buledi, Mr Sharif would consult with the prime minister and other relevant authorities to take appropriate action.
Both leaders expressed concern over Balochistan’s unresolved issues and emphasised the need for urgent resolution. The meeting also addressed Balochistan’s administrative and developmental challenges, including youth issues, student scholarships, the legal recognition of border trade, the promotion of fisheries, and a ban on illegal hunting.
Directives were given to the planning and development minister to remove obstacles hindering road infrastructure projects in the province and to expedite their implementation.
Additionally, the ongoing loadshedding, Qesco’s irresponsible behaviour, failure to repair transformers and the need to ensure an uninterrupted power supply from Iran were also discussed.
Negotiation deadlock persists
Meanwhile, the deadlock continues in negotiations between the government and the BNP-M leadership, whose protest sit-in has been ongoing for the last 12 days in response to the arrest of Dr Mahrang Baloch and other political activists in the Lakpass area.
BNP President Akhtar Mengal has refused to engage with any government delegations to call off the sit-in unless Mahrang Baloch and the other female activists arrested by the police are released. He rejected government proposals to end the protest and provide an alternative location in Quetta for the demonstration.
No new delegation from the government side has visited the BNP-M sit-in camp for the last two days. Former Senate chairman Sadiq Sanjrani was the last to have a one-on-one meeting with Sardar Mengal.
However, Mr Mengal clarified that the meeting was held in Mr Sanjrani’s personal capacity and did not involve discussions about the sit-in issue.
Meanwhile, Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti met former CM Nawab Aslam Raisani in Karachi. According to officials, the two leaders discussed the prevailing situation and matters of mutual interest.
PML-N reorganisation
Prime minister’s adviser and PML-N Punjab president Rana Sanaullah met Nawaz Sharif and received instructions from the party head to launch a mass public campaign aimed at strengthening and reorganising the party.
“Once Nawaz Sharif begins visiting other provinces, public rallies will also be held there,” Mr Sanaullah said. He also called for an end to baseless political cases.
“Political parties should sit together and resolve issues through dialogue. We expressed the same sentiment in 2018, 2019, and 2020, and we continue to say this today. However, everyone knows who is unwilling to come to the table for talks,” he said, referring to PTI founder Imran Khan.
“Imran Khan was willing to engage with the establishment, but negotiations with the establishment alone will not solve the problem. If the PTI founder is ready to talk to political parties, then a solution can be reached.”
Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2025
BEIJING / NEW YORK: Wednesday saw markets around the world taking a rollercoaster ride after a series of moves and counter-moves in the rapidly escalating global tariff war saw the Trump administration announce a 90-day pause on duties against all other nations — except for China, which now faces a staggering tariff.
“Based on the lack of respect that China has shown to the World’s Markets, I am hereby raising the Tariff charged to China by the United States of America to 125 per cent, effective immediately,” Trump said on Wednesday.
The move came after both Beijing and the European Union hit back by raising duties on American products on Wednesday. Beijing announced it would also raise its levies on US goods by 50 per cent, adding to the 34pc increase previously announced and due to be implemented on Thursday.
This would raise additional duties on American imports to China to 84pc.
The EU also adopted its first measures, hitting back at President Trump’s tariff onslaught, targeting more than 20 billion euros worth of US goods including soybeans, motorcycles and beauty products.
“I have authorized a 90-day PAUSE” on higher tariffs that took effect on Wednesday, Trump said, adding that he took the decision after more than 75 countries had reached out to negotiate and did not retaliate against the US.
Only a flat rate of 10pc on all countries that took effect on Saturday will remain in place. This marked a stunning reverse from often punishing levies that hit even many of the closest US allies.
Following initial confusion about whether the pause also applied to the EU or not, a White House official told BBC News that the bloc would only face the 10pc baseline tariff.
The EU notably did not retaliate against the separate 20pc US tariffs on all goods that came into effect a minute after midnight on Wednesday.
The official also clarified that tariffs above 10pc were paused for everyone expect China, Mexico and Canada. The baseline rate was never applied to the latter two, thanks to the their free trade agreement with the US.
Amid stock market panic, Trump earlier Wednesday urged Americans to “BE COOL!” and said that “Everything is going to work out well”.
Stocks, oil prices and the dollar all rallied in the latter half after weak showings earlier in the day.
Minutes after the pause was announced, the S&P 500 surged 6pc to 5,281.44, snapping a brutal run of losses over the past week, while the Nasdaq was up about 10pc.
The US dollar had initially weakened against safe-haven currencies including the yen and the Swiss franc while the euro strengthened as markets grappled with tit-for-tat measures by major countries.
Against the Japanese yen, the dollar eventually strengthened 1.25pc to 148.08.
US Treasuries were also hit with new selling pressure before Trump’s announcement of a pause served as a balm, with yields paring gains after an auction of 10-year notes saw strong demand.
Oil prices climbed too, bouncing back from four-year lows earlier in the session. Brent futures were up $1.82, or 2.9pc, to $64.64 a barrel at 1802 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude futures gained $1.92, or 3.22pc, at $61.50.
Both contracts lost about 7pc earlier in the session before the reversal.
Beijing’s tariffs
China had imposed restrictions on 18 US companies, mostly in defence-related industries, adding to the 60 or so American firms earlier punished over Trump’s tariffs.
Earlier on Wednesday, Beijing also released a white paper on US-China commercial ties in which it called the trade gap between the world’s top two economies “inevitable”.
“The trade imbalance in goods between China and the U.S. is both an inevitable result of structural issues in the U.S. economy and a consequence of the comparative advantages and international division of labour between the two countries,” said the report, which was released by the State Council Information Office shortly after the higher US tariffs took effect.
“If the US insists on escalating trade restrictions, China has both the determination and the means to respond forcefully — and will do so,” a commerce ministry spokesperson said in a statement accompanying the white paper’s launch.
Reuters reported China’s top leaders planned to convene a meeting as early as Wednesday to discuss measures to boost the economy and stabilise the capital markets.
EU tariff
The EU’s levies of up to 25pc are retaliation for US duties on steel and aluminium imposed last month with Europe’s response to Trump’s latest tariffs salvo yet to be announced.
“These countermeasures can be suspended at any time, should the US agree to a fair and balanced negotiated outcome,” the European Commission said in a statement issued after EU member states greenlit the measures.
Duties will start to be collected under the measures on April 15, the commission said.
Trump has also slapped a 25-percent tariff on car imports from the EU.
The measures approved Wednesday consist of two parts: first, the EU will let a set of levies dating from Trump’s first term — but currently suspended — snap back into place and they will be collected from next Tuesday.
The second step includes the new list of products to target with tariffs, most of which will take effect next month, with some in December.
Meanwhile, China has filed a complaint with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) over bruising tariffs imposed by Washington, Beijing’s commerce ministry announced Wednesday, accusing US President Donald Trump of engaging in “bullying” tactics.
Beijing has called for the world to unite against Trump’s aggressive trade policy and warned that it intends to “fight it to the end”.
Calling the snowballing rounds of tariffs unleashed on China “a grave mistake”, a spokesperson for the commerce ministry said the cumulative measures highlight “the unilateral bullying nature of the US actions”.
Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2025
ISLAMABAD: A new World Bank report says three out of four people in low- and middle-income countries now live in households that either benefit from social protection transfers or have access to social protection through contributions.
Over the past decade, low- and middle-income countries have expanded social protection to cover a record 4.7 billion people, accomplishing that has been no easy feat, however, despite the record increases in coverage, 1.6bn people in low- and middle-income countries still have no access to social protection, reveals the ‘State of Social Protection Report 2025’ released by the World Bank on Monday.
Extending the shield of social protection to cover the two billion people who are either lacking coverage or inadequately covered will undoubtedly require increasing the financing envelope, particularly in poorer countries, via either increased domestic revenues or external financing. This implies that social protection financing needs are central to fiscal policy reforms, it says.
For an additional 400 million people, the benefits these programmes provide are so meagre that they may not help recipients escape poverty or cushion the blow of unexpected shocks, protracted political and socioeconomic crises, or long-term economic and life cycle transitions.
Many households bear disproportionate burden that prevents them from escaping poverty, weathering crises and managing uncertainties of fast-changing world
The report estimated that despite significant progress, access to social protection remains an aspiration rather than a reality for far too many people, and at current growth rate, it will take 18 years for those living in extreme poverty to be fully covered by social protection programmes and another 20 years for the poorest 20pc of households in low- and middle-income countries to be covered.
The situation is particularly dire in low-income countries where despite substantial increases in coverage, social protection systems reach only one in four people, on average. Even in lower middle-income countries, social protection systems fail to reach more than half the population, the report warns.
Challenges
These unreached households, often among the poorest, bear a disproportionate burden of constraints that prevent them from escaping poverty, weathering shocks and crises, and managing the uncertainties of a fast-changing world. Many of these households live in fragile, conflict-affected locations or hunger hot spots that are concentrated in parts of the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
Disasters, shocks and protracted crises make poor people poorer and can plunge better-off households into poverty. People also need support during life and economic transitions that affect their livelihoods, such as aging, digitalisation, and the green transition.
In the face of increasingly frequent shocks, crises, and transitions, governments are turning to their social protection systems to respond to local events and global changes by boosting households’ resilience and delivering more timely and tailored support to affected households.
Dire need to invest
The time for investing in more and better social protection is now. Strong global headwinds from climate change, food insecurity, conflict and displacement challenges are picking up force, driving up levels of poverty and vulnerability and heightening demand for social protection and labour market programmes.
Emerging global trends are also affecting the demand for and composition of social protection services. Major population shifts are under way, manifesting themselves in the form of a youth bulge in some countries, rapid aging in many others, and internal and international migration along many corridors. Moreover, digital technologies, the changing nature of work, and the need for an accelerated green transition are leading to profound changes in employment that will require major investments in labour market programmes.
Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2025
GILGIT: A federal committee constituted by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to address the concerns of people affected by the Diamer Basha Dam on Tuesday vowed to resolve their genuine issues.
The assurance came as the ongoing protest sit-in in Chilas entered its 52nd day.
Meanwhile, a delegation of the protest committee is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif today (Wednesday) to seek a comprehensive and amicable resolution to the standoff.
A crucial meeting of the federal committee, chaired by Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Engineer Amir Muqam, was held in Islamabad.
It was attended by Federal Minister for Water Resources Moin Wattoo, Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan, Chief Secretary Abrar Ahmed Mirza, Wapda Chairman Lt Gen (retd) Sajjad Ghani, Secretary for Kashmir Affairs Zafar Hassan, Additional Secretary Kamranur Rehman and Joint Secretary of the GB Council Sudhir Khattak.
The meeting discussed the ongoing protest movement in Chilas, where locals affected by the dam project have continued a sit-in, demanding the implementation of a 31-point charter of demands. The committee expressed commitment to addressing these issues in line with the prime minister’s directives.
Mr Muqam said the development of Gilgit-Baltistan and the fair use of its resources for the well-being of its people remained a top priority for the federal government.
The protest, directed primarily at the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda), has focused on compensation, employment opportunities and the regularisation of workers. Protest leaders briefly reopened the Karakoram Highway (KKH) on Monday until negotiations with the federal government but warned that they would intensify the demonstration if their demands remained unmet.
Sources said a deadlock persisted between the protesters and the federal committee despite two rounds of talks. Protest representatives reportedly demanded the resolution of key issues, including compensation for 18,000 acres of acquired land, household assessments based on the 2025 survey, appointments for local people in dam-related jobs, the regularisation of contingent and daily wage employees, and a timeline for addressing all pending issues.
The government’s committee, however, offered to resolve only some issues immediately and sought more time to address the core demands, urging an end to the sit-in. Protest leaders have insisted that the sit-in will not end until major issues are resolved.
A delegation of the protest committee, led by Maulana Hazratullah, left Chilas for Islamabad on Tuesday and is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif today (Wednesday) to discuss the issue.
Recently, Minister Amir Muqam had claimed that Rs151 billion had already been paid as compensation for land acquisition. However, Maulana Hazratullah rejected this, saying only Rs75bn had been disbursed for land and infrastructure losses.
Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2025
ISLAMABAD: The PTI continues to yearn for engagement with the corridors of power, insisting that it is ready for talks with the “all-powerful” establishment.
“If we talk, we will talk to the establishment because the government is powerless,” PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said on Tuesday.
In an appearance on DawnNewsTV, he insisted that they were not hiding in tunnels and were ready to come to the table.
“We will negotiate with those who are blocking democracy and the Constitution, but an apology is out of the question,” Mr Raja said, referring to the military’s long-standing demand for an apology over the events of May 9, 2023, when PTI supporters swarmed a number of military installations following the arrest of their party founder, Imran Khan.
Mr Raja maintained that he and his party colleagues would be available for initial engagement, but the talks would proceed under the guidance of their incarcerated party founder.
“All decisions will be taken by Imran Khan, but we are available for initial discussions,” Mr Raja said.
He said that powerful quarters should realise the need for engagement, given the direction the country is heading in. “Look at the situation in Balochistan, it is their job to sit with us and bring stability to the country,” he said.
“We are not looking for a backdoor, nor would we compromise on our principles,” Mr Raja said.
Swati’s new video
Meanwhile, PTI leader Azam Swati, who recently claimed that Mr Khan was ready to negotiate with the establishment, released another video on Tuesday.
In the fresh video, Mr Swati claimed the PTI founder had not closed the doors on talks since 2022, but that his willingness to talk should not be construed as willingness to make a deal.
“In 2022, we convinced Imran Khan for talks and he is still ready. However, do not associate the offer of negotiations with a deal. My leader is happier in jail compared to Zaman Park (his Lahore residence),” Mr Swati claimed.
“We convinced Imran Khan for talks in the best interest of Pakistan. It does not show any weakness; it is for the sake of the country,” he claimed.
Earlier this week, Mr Swati had claimed that he had secured Mr Khan’s blessing to engage in efforts to bring both sides to the table.
Nadir Guramani and Ikram Junaidi in Islamabad contributed to this report
Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2025
WASHINGTON: US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has fired a senior officer assigned to Nato, the Pentagon announced on Tuesday, saying her removal was due to a loss of confidence in her ability to lead.
Vice Admiral Shoshana Chatfield is the latest in a string of top officers to be dismissed by Donald Trump’s administration, part of a rare major shakeup of senior US military leadership.
Hegseth removed Chatfield “from her position as US representative to Nato’s military committee due to a loss of confidence in her ability to lead,” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement.
Chatfield is a helicopter pilot by training who has previous deployments to the Pacific and Gulf in support of carrier strike group and amphibious ready group operations, according to her Nato biography.
She was also a senior military assistant to the supreme allied commander for Europe, served as the deputy US military representative to Nato’s military committee, and taught political science at the US Air Force Academy, among other positions.
Democratic lawmakers slammed her removal, with Representative Adam Smith saying “our country is less safe because of President Trump’s actions,” while Senator Jack Reed said the move was “unjustified” and “disgraceful.”
On the other hand, NBC News has reported that the US could withdraw 10,000 troops from Europe.
About 20,000 extra troops were deployed to the easter region in 2022 under former president Joe Biden, reinforcing Nato’s eastern flank after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Since taking office, President Trump has repeatedly criticised Nato and insisted that Europe take more responsibility for its defense.
Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2025
KARACHI: The Afghan interim government under the Taliban on Tuesday called upon the United Nations and international organisations to ensure the “dignified return” of Afghan refugees from Pakistan, Dawn.com reported.
According to a press release issued by the Afghan Presidential Palace in Kabul, a special meeting chaired by acting prime minister Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund called upon the United Nations and international organisations to ensure the dignified return of Afghan refugees.
The session, attended by cabinet members, emphasised a strong condemnation of these actions as against fundamental human rights, the statement added.
“Officials described the treatment of Afghan refugees as contrary to accepted principles,” the statement said, adding that the meeting called for the people, political parties, and influential figures in Pakistan to uphold their neighborly responsibilities in this matter.
Dawn.com reached out to the Foreign Office in Islamabad, for a comment but did not receive a response.
“The participants highlighted the long-standing positive relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, stressing the importance of maintaining these ties for the benefit of both nations and their peoples,” it added.
The meeting’s participants “warned that inappropriate actions could undermine this relationship,” according to the press release.
“The commitment to fostering cooperation and compassion was a central theme, reflecting the shared history and cultural connections between the two countries,” the statement said.
Forced deportation
The Afghan Taliban’s Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation Affairs issued a separate statement “condemning the forced deportation of Afghan refugees from Pakistan.”
“The mistreatment of them (Afghans) by neighbouring countries is unacceptable and intolerable,” the ministry said on X, calling for a joint agreement to facilitate repatriations.
As part of the ongoing deportation process, 1,636 Afghan nationals were deported from Punjab and Sindh on Sunday. The largest transfer took place in Punjab, where 5,111 other Afghan nationals were transported to the transit camps or holding centres across the province for repatriation, including 2,301 children and 1,120 women.
A majority of them carried Afghan Citizen Cards that Pakistan’s National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) had issued to them after getting each case verified from the FIA, police and other agencies.
With additional input from AFP
Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2025
BEIJING: China vowed on Tuesday to “fight to the end” after US President Donald Trump threatened to further ramp up tariffs but the EU warned against escalating a trade war as hard-hit global markets steadied.
Trump has upended the world economy with sweeping tariffs that have raised the spectre of an international recession, but has ruled out any pause in his aggressive trade policy despite a dramatic market sell-off.
Beijing — Washington’s major economic rival but also a key trading partner — responded by announcing its own 34 per cent duties on US goods to come into effect on Thursday (tomorrow), deepening a showdown between the world’s two largest economies.
The swift retaliation from China sparked a fresh warning from Trump that he would impose additional levies of 50pc if Beijing refused to stop pushing back against his barrage of tariffs — a move that would drive the overall duties on Chinese goods to 104pc.
In a call with Chinese premier, Ursula von der Leyen suggests ‘negotiated solution’
“I have great respect for China but they cannot do this,” Trump said at the White House. “We are going to have one shot at this... I’ll tell you what, it is an honour to do it.”
China hit back, blasting what it called “blackmailing” and vowing “countermeasures” if Washington imposes tariffs on top of the 34pc extra that were due to come in force on Wednesday.
“If the US insists on going its own way, China will fight it to the end,” a spokesperson for Beijing’s commerce ministry said on Tuesday.
In a mounting war of words between Beijing and Washington, China’s foreign ministry also condemned “ignorant and impolite” remarks by US Vice President J.D. Vance in which he complained the US had for too long borrowed money from “Chinese peasants”. The ministry said that “pressure, threats and blackmail are not the right way to deal with China”.
Stability is vital
The European Union sought to cool tensions, with the bloc’s chief Ursula von der Leyen warning against worsening the trade conflict in a call with Chinese Premier Li Qiang.
She stressed the “vital importance of stability” for the world’s economy, urged a “negotiated solution” and emphasised “the need to avoid further escalation,” according to a readout from EU officials.
The bloc said that it expects to present as soon as next week its response to the 20pc levies it is facing under Trump’s latest tariff wave, with Germany and France advocating a tax targeting US tech giants.
But Brussels has also proposed an exemption from tariffs on industrial products, including cars, which Trump said was not enough to resolve the US trade deficit with the EU.
“The European Union has been very, very bad to us,” Trump remarked.
In retaliation for US levies introduced in mid-March on steel and aluminium, the EU plans tariffs of up to 25pc on US goods ranging from soya beans to motorcycles and make-up, according to a document.
But US bourbon was spared after Trump threatened to hit European alcoholic drinks with massive retaliatory duties.
A 10pc “baseline” tariff on US imports from around the world took effect on Saturday, and a slew of countries will be hit by higher duties from Wednesday, including China and EU nations.
Trump’s tariffs have roiled global markets, with trillions of dollars wiped off combined stock market valuations in recent sessions.
Stock markets staged a mild rebound on Tuesday, with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index rising 1.5pc after crashing 13.2pc the previous day. Shares in Tokyo leapt after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggested Japan would get “priority” in negotiations as they had sought talks quickly.
European markets also clawed back some ground, with London, Paris and Frankfurt all up more than 2pc in afternoon trade while oil prices edged higher.
Trump believes the tariffs will revive America’s lost manufacturing base by forcing foreign companies to relocate to the US, rather than making goods abroad. But most economists question that and say his tariffs are arbitrary.
Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2025
WASHINGTON / ISLAMABAD: The Trump administration’s funding freeze on nearly all “non-essential” federal programmes is threatening the long-standing Fulbright scholarship programme — which has given scores of talented Pakistani students the opportunity to study at top US universities over the years.
On Tuesday, a formal announcement regarding the closure of a separate undergraduate exchange programme — that has been going for around 15 years — also came as a blow to the ambitions of scores of Pakistani students, who would have benefitted from spending a semester in top US colleges and universities.
Long seen as the crown jewel of US-Pakistan exchanges, the Fulbright programme has been in limbo since February, when the State Department abruptly suspended all cultural and academic exchanges administered by its Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA).
The scholarship usually covers travel, living stipends, health insurance, and tuition for a student’s entire study period.
Initially described as a temporary 15-day freeze, the suspension remains in place more than two months later, with no official explanation or timeline for resumption.
The Institute of International Education (IIE), which administers the Fulbright Programme and other ECA-managed scholarships and fellowships, had indicated last month that their employees were being furloughed.
Recent communications sent to Fulbright scholars currently in the US have also indicated that the payment of their stipends would be affected by the State Department’s funding ‘pause’.
Despite this, the United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP) went ahead with accepting applications for the 2026 cycle. The foundation is currently reviewing submissions in the hope that the programme will resume, but insiders indicate that this seems unlikely.
The Fulbright programme had a particularly strong presence in Pakistan, offering financial support for Masters and PhD programmes, as well as a Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant fellowship.
According to the US Embassy in Islamabad, over 4,000 Pakistani students have availed the Fulbright scholarship since it was launched in 1951.
“Since its inception, more than 9,300 Pakistanis and over 935 Americans have participated in USEFP-managed exchange programmes,” according to the embassy’s website.
Exchange programme shuttered
Meanwhile on Tuesday, the USEFP formally announced the closure of its Global Undergraduate Programme, another ECA-administered programme that provided students from Pakistan the opportunity to attend US universities and colleges for non-degree academic study for one semester.
Sources said that every year, over 100 Pakistani students availed this opportunity in the spring and fall sessions.
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“We regret to inform you that after 15 incredible years, the Global Undergraduate Exchange Programme for Pakistan has come to an end. The US Department of State informed USEFP that the Global UGRAD-Pakistan Programme will no longer be offered. We understand that this news may be disappointing, especially for those who applied this year and were looking forward to this opportunity,” USEFP announced on its website and social media platforms.
Although no specific reason was cited for the program’s termination, USEFP acknowledged the disappointment it may cause and encouraged students to explore other exchange and scholarship opportunities.
Talking to Dawn, Higher Education Commission (HEC) Chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmed described the programme as being “very useful” for Pakistani students.
“In my personal opinion, this should have continued… It was very good programme,” he said.
Scholars already in US also worried
Dr Mukhtar also acknowledged reports that students who were already studying in the US under the Fulbright programme were also facing uncertainty.
“Since the HEC has no direct link with the programme, we do not have exact information”, he said, adding that his office was still trying to get a clear picture.
However, he maintained that students already in the US should be given the chance to complete their studies.
The lack of clarity from Washington has deepened anxieties, not only about the fate of the Fulbright programme, but also the broader environment for Pakistani students in the US. Many now fear that visa restrictions, regulatory overreach, and changing political attitudes are threatening the future of academic mobility.
A number of Pakistani students Dawn spoke to said that even minor infractions — such as traffic violations or administrative delays — have led to visa complications. These issues are often discovered only when a student tries to re-enter the US or applies for work authorisation.
In some cases, students lost their legal status without notification, as federal agencies no longer inform universities of such changes.
“There’s a constant fear now,” said one student at a major Midwestern university. “You don’t know whether a simple mistake will cost you your degree, your status, or your future.”
These fears are particularly acute with the summer break approaching. Many students face a wrenching choice: travel home to reunite with family and risk being denied re-entry, or remain in the US, isolated and uncertain about their legal footing.
According to recent data, around 11,000 Pakistani students were enrolled in US institutions during the 2023–24 academic year — a 16 per cent increase from the previous year. Pakistan now ranks as the 15th-largest source of international students in the US.
Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2025
Header image: The Pakistani students who will take part in Global UGRAD this year hail from every region of the country. — Photo courtesy: US Embassy Pakistan Flickr/File
KARACHI: Pakistanis can now avail five-year visas following the resolution of “existing issues”, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Pakistan Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al-Zaabi was quoted as saying on Tuesday.
The development came during a meeting between Zaabi and Sindh Governor Karmran Khan Tessori at the Governor’s House, Dawn.com reported.
“Visa issues have been resolved, Pakistanis can get a five-year visa,” a statement released by the Governor’s House quoted Ambassador Zaabi as saying.
Dawn reached out to the UAE’s mission in Islamabad for more clarity on the envoy’s statement, but did not receive a response until the filing of this report.
According to the statement, the envoy also invited the governor to visit the visa centre at the Karachi consulate.
Governor Tessori thanked the UAE diplomat for his country’s investment in the province, especially in Karachi. The ambassador praised ongoing projects under the governor’s initiative.
UAE authorities had lately increased the scrutiny of Pakistanis arriving in the country due to their alleged involvement in crime and unlawful activities, such as begging.
On December 23, a Senate panel was informed that all Pakistani travellers to the UAE needed to be vetted and verified by the police.
In another meeting on Jan 9, the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development was told that there were “no restrictions on work visas” for Pakistanis travelling to the UAE.
It was also learnt that visas to the UAE had been “unofficially closed” and its government had reservations that Pakistanis, on visit visas, resort to begging in the country.
In an interview with Geo News in November last year, the UAE consul general in Karachi, Dr Bakheet Ateeq Alremeithi, had revealed that Pakistanis may be facing visa rejections due to their negative activities on social media.
However, he clarified that there was no ban on UAE visas for Pakistani nationals, per se.
Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2025
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday has ordered Anti-Terrorism Courts (ATCs) to conclude cases pertaining to May 9 violence within four months.
A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi, issued the directions on Tuesday while hearing several pleas moved by the Punjab prosecutor general Punjab to cancel the bails of May 9 suspects or transfer their cases.
The Supreme Court also ordered the ATCs to furnish progress reports on trials to the relevant high courts every fortnight.
Punjab Prosecutor General Zulfikar Abbas Naqvi also submitted a report before the Supreme Court.
It said the violence on May 9 caused a loss of Rs197.4 million. A total of 157 people, including 152 cops, were injured in different cities of Punjab. Four people were killed in the violence.
Police booked 35,962 individuals in 319 FIRs for their alleged involvement in May 9 incidents. Of these, 11,367 were arrested by the police, with 24,595 still at large.
The report further said 307 challans have already been submitted before the relevant courts.
Additional Prosecutor General of Punjab Wajid Gilani said the statements of 28 witnesses have been recorded so far.
During the hearing, Advocate Sameer Khosa, the counsel of Khadija Shah, who was also arrested in connection with May 9 incidents, said a number of cases have been registered against his client. He requested the court to order to protect his client’s fundamental rights.
The CJP asked the counsel to have faith in the ATC and let the case proceed before relevant courts.
The prosecutor general contended the findings of the Lahore High Court, which granted bail to different suspects, was against the law and evidence.
The CJP observed that other cases related to May 9 would be fixed on Monday or Tuesday.
Later, while talking to Dawn, Faisal Chaudhry expressed his surprise over the absence of PTI lawyers during the hearing.
He said he was “amazed” to find the PTI legal team absent as directions issued by the court equally affected PTI leader Imran Khan, who was a co-accused in many cases, including the attack on GHQ.
He said though the apex court’s intention may be based on bonafide, its directions may be misconstrued.
Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2025
RAWALPINDI: A handful of PTI supporters clashed with police outside the Adiala jail on Tuesday, after the prison administration did not allow the sisters of PTI founder Imran Khan to meet him, prompting the police to baton-charge the crowd to disperse them.
The police also took into custody Mr Khan’s sisters Aleema and Uzma Khan, as well as others, ostensibly to prevent a law and order situation and relocated them to a nearby marriage hall before sending them back to Lahore under police protection via motorway.
Prior to this, a hide-and-seek of sorts between PTI supporters and the police continued for some time, as protesters pelted police officials with stones and the latter responded with baton-charge.
The police took some workers, as well as the sisters of the PTI founder, into custody from near the Gorakhpur checkpoint.
Police take Aleema, others into custody; PTI flays jail administration for denying audience with ex-PM
The sisters and cousins of Imran Khan were taken to a private marquee, where the women sat on the ground in protest.
A group of PTI supporters also gathered outside the marriage hall and shouted slogans in favour of their leader and demanded his release from the jail. However, the situation was defused and they were sent to their homes via motorway.
PTI leader Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has condemned the detention of Mr Khan’s family members, calling it illegal and unconstitutional.
Speaking to the media outside the prison, Barrister Gohar said the meeting was the right of Mr Khan’s sisters in light of the high court order.
Despite the directive, the decision to deny them the meeting was incomprehensible, he said.
According to Barrister Gohar, Mr Khan’s sisters have not been allowed to meet their brother the last two times, due to which they had announced a sit-in on Tuesday.
He said that just as Bushra Bibi’s family was allowed to meet her, the family of the PTI founder should have been allowed a meeting as well.
In response to a question, Barrister Gohar claimed that the PTI workers did not hurl stones at the police, nor did the PTI give a call for a sit-in. They had only come to express solidarity with the PTI founder’s sisters.
Later, in a press conference at the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House, Barrister Gohar said Mr Khan’s family had not been allowed to meet him since March 20.
Speaking about the events that transpired outside the prison, the PTI leader said Ms Aleema told the police that she would not leave the premises unless a meeting was arranged with her brother.
After six hours, the police detained the sisters of Mr Khan along with Sahibzada Hamid Raza.
PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said they wanted to arrange a meeting of the Lahore Bar’s office-bearers with Mr Khan, but the jail administration changed the names of the visitors.
He said a list of six persons was shared with the administration for the meeting but the names, finalised by the jail administration, did not exist in the list.
On the other hand, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari said police had not arrested the sisters of the former prime minister or any other women.
‘Use of force’
In a statement, PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqqas Akram condemned both the use of force against protesters and the detention of Mr Khan’s sisters and PTI leader Aliya Hamza and party workers, lawyers, and journalists outside the prison.
He criticised jail authorities for defying the IHC orders and urged the courts to ensure the implementation of their orders.
Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2025
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday invited foreign investors and entrepreneurs to explore Pakistan’s mineral sector, offering investment-friendly policies, technology partnerships and research collaboration and stressing that the country’s mineral wealth has the potential to deliver shared prosperity.
Meanwhile, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Asim Munir said Pakistan would provide robust security to protect the interests of investors and partners amid heightened unrest in the mineral-rich Balochistan.
Addressing the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2025 at the Jinnah Convention Centre, Islamabad, the premier said the country is blessed with immense natural wealth — from the rugged terrain of Balochistan to the snow-covered peaks of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the pristine landscapes of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
He said the valleys of Sindh and plains of Punjab also possessed immense natural resources worth trillions of dollars.
“If we are able to harvest these great assets, I can say without any contradiction that Pakistan will say goodbye to the IMF programmes,” he said, acknowledging that the global financial institution had been a great source of support for the country for decades.
PM Shehbaz urged foreign investors to seize current opportunities without the burden of borrowing and instead form strong, mutually beneficial partnerships with Pakistan, leading to a win-win situation for all.
More than 300 delegates, including governors, chief ministers, the Army chief, federal ministers, diplomats and corporate leaders attended the event, held under the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC).
Terming the existing potential in the minerals sector beneficial for all, the prime minister said that Pakistan was blessed with fertile land and its brave people were ready to accept all challenges.
He expressed confidence that if they put their acts together and are geared towards the set goals, they could get beneficial dividends. He assured complete support from the federal government, provinces, institutions and the Army in this regard.
He highlighted the mineral potential across all provinces — from Punjab’s Chiniot iron ore reserves to Sindh’s vast coal deposits and the untapped resources of KP, AJK and GB.
The prime minister said the government would no longer allow the export of raw materials. “Instead, investors must establish downstream industries to process minerals locally and export finished products. This policy is now a cardinal principle for international partnerships,” he declared.
The prime minister also welcomed all the companies from Europe, the United States, China, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Turkiye, etc, to invest in the country’s minerals sector. He encouraged them to invest in vocational training centres for Pakistani youth, enabling them to develop modern skills and become future entrepreneurs.
He informed the participants that provincial governments had been working to provide a conducive environment to foreign investors.
PM Shehbaz specifically lauded Mark Bristow, the CEO of Barrick Gold, for his commitment to the Reko Diq project.
“Under his leadership, a decades-old stalled project is now progressing and should serve as an example to others,” the premier said.
Global supply chains
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said Pakistan is strategically poised to become a global mining hub.
In his opening remarks at the event, he said the country holds vast untapped reserves of rare earth elements, industrial minerals and gemstones, anchored in the Tethyan Metallogenic Belt — home to Reko Diq, one of the world’s largest copper-gold deposits.
“As an advocate of economic diplomacy, I consider it a crucial tool in our shared mission to transform Pakistan’s trade and investment landscape not only broadly but also specifically within the minerals sector,” he remarked.
“Strong remittance inflows and increasing FDI are providing much-needed foreign exchange, boosting domestic consumption, investments and overall economic growth,” Mr Dar said.
“These achievements, coupled with improved credit ratings from Fitch and Moody’s, underscore our commitment to economic stability and fiscal discipline.”
He said the government had prioritised the strategic development of the minerals sector through progressive policy reforms and investor-centric initiatives.
By aligning its regulatory frameworks with competitive fiscal terms, Pakistan was positioning itself as a dynamic hub for sustainable, high-yield ventures in resource exploration, extraction, refining, logistics and infrastructure, Mr Dar added.
“To truly unlock the true potential of this sector, we need more than just capital… Investment in the mineral sector represents not only financial opportunity but a vital step towards securing a sustainable and technologically advanced future for generations to come,” he said.
He said the forum provided a unique platform for stakeholders, friendly countries and partners to converge, explore new prospects and build mutually beneficial partnerships.
“This forum is anchored in the three pillars — potential, people and policy — a vision the government of Pakistan is implementing to drive shared prosperity and sustainable growth… Let us fully appreciate the tremendous value of this sector and the responsibility that comes with it. Let us invest with purpose, with foresight, and with the collective well-being of the people of Pakistan in mind,” he added.
‘Leading mineral economy’
Addressing the forum, COAS Gen Asim Munir said Pakistan was poised to emerge as a leader in the global mineral economy. “I firmly believe that Pakistan is ready to take a leading role in the international mineral economy,” he said.
Welcoming international institutions, he invited global stakeholders to bring their expertise to Pakistan, explore investment opportunities, and partner with us to develop the vast potential of our mineral resources.
He said there was a dire need for engineers, geologists, operators, and skilled miners to explore Pakistan’s mineral wealth. “That is why we are also sending students abroad for training to support the development of this sector,” he said.
Gen Munir said that currently as many as 27 Pakistani students belonging to Balochistan were receiving training in mineral exploration in Zambia and Argentina.
The COAS said economic security has now emerged as a vital component of national security.
He assured that the Pak Army would ensure a robust security framework and proactive measures to protect the interests and confidence of partners and investors.
The development of both upstream and downstream mineral industries in Pakistan will be ensured, he said.
Gen Munir stressed the importance of investing in refining and value addition in order to reduce costs and diversify markets in Pakistan. “With vast mineral reserves beneath our soil, skills in our hands and a transparent mineral policy in place, there is no room for despair or inaction,” he insisted.
Acknowledging the contribution of the tribal elders of Balochistan, Gen Munir praised their role in promoting mining activities and fostering development and progress in the province. “Through collective efforts, Pakistan’s mineral sector can become a driver of regional development, prosperity and sustainability for the common good,” he said.
Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2025
IN Trumpian America, even those foreigners with legal status are finding that the walls are closing in on them. As part of regulations linked to an imaginatively titled presidential executive order — ‘Protecting the American People Against Invasion’ — signed in January, non-citizens in the US will now be required to register and carry proof of registration at all times. Permanent residents — those with the coveted Green Card — visitors, students and workers, with few exceptions, will be affected by the changes, and even a routine traffic check may result in law enforcers asking foreigners for proof of registration. Registration has been a legal requirement in the US since 1940; what is different with President Donald Trump’s regulations is that foreigners will now be required to carry their papers at all times, or risk fines, even incarceration. For any foreigner who has travelled to the US, these are disturbing changes; legal visitors could earlier feel at ease in the country, without the fear of being hauled up by law enforcement and asked for their papers. But these are very different times.
Historically, America has had its periods of authoritarianism, especially when descendants of immigrants and people of colour have been targeted in xenophobic fits of rage by the state. The starkest example is of the Nisei, or second-generation Japanese-Americans, who were rounded up and placed in camps during World War II. However, in the decades since, the US had come a long way, attracting talent and brains from around the world to help power its economy. Those days are over. As for the Maga crowd, all of America’s ills are to be blamed on foreigners, and xenophobic policies are needed to restore the country’s ‘greatness’. Such moves will ultimately hurt America, as the world’s best minds and most industrious people will now think twice about wanting to live or work in the US.
Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2025
WITH the Trump administration’s trade war on China and the rest of the world having led to global economic uncertainty, the Asian Development Bank’s advice for Pakistan’s policymakers to stick to the reforms agenda agreed with the IMF comes at the right time. Reminding our policymakers of the several downside risks to the country’s hard-won but fragile economic recovery, the lender has projected that the national economy will expand at the much slower pace of 2.5pc during this fiscal year compared to the average South Asian growth rate of 6pc. How Donald Trump’s trade war will impact these growth estimates if protectionist US policies push the global economy towards recession is anybody’s guess. The report has not taken into account the ramifications of the insanely high American ‘reciprocal import levies’ in its projections. But both the IMF and State Bank have highlighted lately the uncertain global environment as a risk to the country’s struggle to overcome its economic crisis.
That debt-ridden Pakistan faces several vulnerabilities despite its improved external position and a quicker-than-anticipated drop in inflation shows that the country must stay on the path of structural reforms, even more so after the punitive baseline and higher tariffs slammed by the US on most of the world. In its latest Asian Development Outlook report, the lender noted that recovery requires policy consistency and reform implementation to sustain it, build resilience and enable durable growth. Macro improvements, it warns, must not lead to a relaxation of policies and deviation from the reforms path, which could potentially trigger new balance-of-payments pressures, and jeopardise our hard-earned stability and disbursements from multilateral and bilateral partners. The potential negative impact of the Trump tariffs on the global economy will likely spill over into Pakistan too, especially if the tariff war between the US and China does not end soon. The emerging global landscape demands that Pakistan navigate this challenge carefully because of its reliance on both the US and China. With major economic challenges facing the country amid rising militancy, it is crucial for politicians to work out a formula to resolve their selfish disputes and join forces to deal with the emerging situation. The ongoing economic slowdown has affected the average Pakistanis the most in recent years. They deserve better days now.
Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2025
ANOTHER round of climate-induced misery is upon us. The Met Office predicted last Friday that this week would be a sweltering one, with a heatwave sweeping over the country till the coming weekend. It said that a high-pressure system was likely to grip the upper atmosphere from Sunday, triggering heatwave conditions in most parts of the country, which would get more severe in the southern half from April 14. It expected daytime temperatures to remain 6°C to 8°C above normal in Sindh, southern Punjab and Balochistan from Monday to Friday. Meanwhile, the upper half of the country would stew in temperatures four to six degrees higher than usual. Hot nights, dust storms and windstorms also featured in the forecast. It made for a rather sobering prognosis, with an acute shortage of water in the Tarbela and Mangla dams adding to the worries.
Large parts of Pakistan’s key agricultural regions have already been facing drought-like conditions, with rainfall drastically below average in the first quarter of 2025. Now adding to that is the extreme heat, which will create major problems for farmers.
These unnatural climate conditions are a sign of how fast the reality is changing for Pakistan, where policymakers still do not appear to be acting very decisively to protect the people and secure their future. While competing claims are being made on its already stressed water resources, the larger picture points to the fact that a much broader and more cohesive plan is needed to meet Pakistan’s changing requirements amidst an accelerating climate crisis. Yet, we continue to rely on band-aid measures.
Consider the Met Office’s warning to farmers. Based on its prediction, it advised agriculturalists to manage their activities keeping in view weather conditions and to protect their livestock during the heatwave. But such warnings serve no long-term purpose. Given the recurrence of freak weather patterns, perhaps what is needed is continuing farmer re-education and training programmes aimed at climate adaptation. Pakistan must confront the fact that the farm practices in vogue in large parts of the country may have been rendered outdated by climate change. It must move quickly to find ways to mitigate the climate’s effects on national output.
Likewise, the issue of water scarcity needs urgent attention. Both climate scientists and experts have long warned that Pakistan cannot continue wasting this vital resource and treating it as if it will stay constant. With reservoirs depleted to critical levels, Pakistan remains at the mercy of nature. An extended drought could trigger disaster in the coming months. There is, therefore, an urgent need to educate the public about water conservation and impress upon it the seriousness of the situation. This is an existential crisis and should be treated as such.
Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2025
PRESIDENT Donald Trump has blinked but refuses to surrender.
The markets that forced him to temporarily freeze higher ‘liberation day’ tariffs but leave the universal 10pc levy in place continue to fret over potential outcomes of his trade war. The dollar has slid, and investors are fleeing the US government bond market, once considered the safest bet in troubled times. The Fed has warned that Mr Trump’s trade policy will keep inflation in the US higher this year, even if it is difficult to predict how the economy will reshape itself afterwards.
Yet Mr Trump warns that higher tariffs will be back if he does not get what he wants from the 75 countries now willing to reset the terms of bilateral trade with America to avoid punitive levies. China, the primary US target of import levies, has reacted aggressively, raising levies on American goods to 125pc. Hours earlier, it had released a white paper on the US tariff war on its goods, saying America will reap what it sows.
However, the US will not be alone in this harvest. Caught in the trade war between the two economic giants are developing countries like Pakistan, which was slotted for a 29pc increase in the levy on its exports to the US. For starters, the pause is only for 90 days. So, one does not know whether Mr Trump will withdraw the higher tariffs or we will secure a deal equal to or better than what our competitors strike.
Even if the US removes the higher import taxes, chances are that the baseline levy will stay — a significant tariff to bear for troubled economies like Pakistan, which ship many of their goods to the US. This raises the question of what Islamabad can offer to the single largest buyer of its goods — after the EU — in terms of tariff reductions.
In the absence of a trade agreement, under WTO rules, Pakistan cannot reduce duty rates for the US without doing the same for other countries. Then, the main objective of reciprocal tariffs for the US is to balance trade deficits with others, meaning that Pakistan would need to displace imports from other countries with US goods worth about $3.3bn or decrease its exports to the US. Is this even possible?
More crucially, China is likely to aggressively displace the exports of other countries to Europe and Britain, which will hit us hard due to the cost differential. Although some analysts argue that the falling global oil prices may make up for the potential loss of export revenues in the event of a global recession, America’s demand reduction due to higher prices, and aggressive Chinese marketing in our traditional markets, well-functioning economies should not strategise their economic future on the basis of hope alone.
Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2025
THE recent declaration by ulema affirming that organ donation after death is not only permissible but an act of sadaqah-i-jariyah (ongoing charity) marks a turning point for Pakistan. This clear endorsement should finally dispel religious misconceptions that have hindered a life-saving practice. For too long, Pakistan has lagged behind other Muslim-majority nations in organ donation rates, with tragic consequences. Every year, tens of thousands of Pakistanis die from end-stage organ failure while waiting for transplants that never come. Now, with the support of scholars and medical experts, the foundation for change has been laid. The government must seize the moment to launch a mass awareness campaign which stresses that organ donation represents the highest form of human generosity — the gift of life itself. It must address family concerns directly, as even when individuals wish to donate, relatives often refuse consent, believing it ‘desecrates’ the body. It should also highlight stories like that of Uzair bin Yasin, whose posthumous donation saved seven lives.
Healthcare providers can play a vital role. Doctors must educate patients about organ donation during routine care, initiating conversations that normalise this practice. Medical institutions should develop simplified registration systems for willing donors and establish clear, transparent protocols that inspire public trust. At the state level, Pakistan must invest in the technical infrastructure necessary for effective organ transplantation. This includes well-equipped facilities capable of harvesting organs within the crucial three to four hours after brain death, improved preservation techniques, and transparent allocation systems that ensure organs go to recipients based solely on medical need and compatibility, not wealth or influence. Such equity is essential to building public trust in the system. Religious leaders across all sects must continue to reinforce their support, framing organ donation as an ultimate expression of Islamic values of compassion and charity. Public figures should lead by example, openly declaring their intention to donate. The ulema’s endorsement has set the wheels in motion. With concerted efforts, Pakistan can foster a culture where organ donation is recognised not as a violation of dignity, but as its ultimate affirmation — allowing one life’s end to bring healing and hope to others. This would truly embody the spirit where the saving of one life is equivalent to the saving of all humanity.
Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2025
THE recent notice sent by the FIA to former senator Farhatullah Babar is deeply troubling — and revealing. Ostensibly based on a private citizen’s complaint alleging corruption and misuse of office, the inquiry appears designed less to establish facts than to intimidate a long-standing critic of state overreach. That Mr Babar has not held any public office in over a decade — and served only in an honorary capacity during his last political assignment — raises serious questions about the nature of the complaint itself. The FIA acted with unseemly haste, summoning him just before the Eid holidays, without even sharing a copy of the complaint or supporting documentation. Mr Babar’s public record speaks for itself. As a legislator, he championed progressive laws and human rights causes, which ranged from missing persons to transparency in state institutions. Even in retirement, he has remained an active voice for the voiceless — from supporting marginalised groups to demanding greater clarity on the mandate of intelligence agencies. His recent use of the Right to Information law to probe sensitive areas of governance may well explain why the state seems uncomfortable with his persistence and moral clarity.
It is regrettable that rather than engage with the legitimate issues he raises, the state appears to be resorting to coercive tactics to silence him. The HRCP has rightly termed the move “a dangerous precedent” — one that undermines the credibility of institutions and signals a continued intolerance for dissenting views. In any democracy, criticism of the state should not be met with reprisal, but with reflection and reform. The FIA’s actions will only further the perception that accountability mechanisms are selectively employed, targeting those who dare to speak out. If the state still wishes to be seen as democratic, it must cease and desist from this example of lawfare. It must stop stifling voices like Mr Babar’s and instead, listen to them.
Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2025
IT was a monumental triumph: Noor Zaman came back from the brink to clinch the Under-23 World Squash Championships title, and in the process, revitalised hopes for the sport in Pakistan. This was the first time the World Squash Federation, the game’s global governing body, held an event for the age group. Noor’s 3-2 victory against Karim El Torkey gave the tournament hosts — holding a world championship for the first time in 20 years — a lot to celebrate. The grandson of squash great Qamar Zaman, Noor’s win qualifies him for this year’s PSA World Championships — the sport’s elite tournament. Alongside Hamza Khan, who ended Pakistan’s 37-year wait for the World Junior Squash Championship in 2023, Noor is part of Pakistan’s next generation of promising talent. Not since Jansher Khan triumphed in 1996 has Pakistan seen a world champion; but with Noor, Hamza and Mohammad Ammad — who won the consolation final at the Under-23 championships — there is genuine hope for the drought to end. But how to make that hope a reality? The onus falls on the Pakistan Squash Federation to help the players reach their full potential. In the past several decades, Pakistan has seen many talents fall by the wayside. But the emergence of the current crop presents Pakistan with a new opportunity to return to the top. Opportunities and support for these players should not be lacking at any level.
Due attention also needs to be paid to the women’s game in the country. The Under-23 Championships also provided Pakistan its first-ever women’s tournament where Amna Fayyaz grabbed a silver medal after her loss in the consolation final. With better training and more exposure, Pakistan’s players will do well. Noor’s win is a timely boost for the country ahead of the 2028 Olympics, where squash will feature for the first time. It is a great opportunity for Pakistan, once undisputed kings of world squash, and they should not squander it.
Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2025
A CONCLAVE of local divines that had gathered in Islamabad on Thursday have made two important points: firstly, that all protests and boycotts in support of the besieged Palestinians should remain peaceful, and secondly, that the Muslim world should take collective action to stop the genocide in Gaza. Mufti Taqi Usmani observed that “do protest and boycott, but peacefully”. This message is important because over the past few days, mobs have attacked several Western fast-food outlets in Lahore as well as Karachi and other Sindh towns, apparently due to the perception that these brands ‘support’ Israel. However, vandalism is not the way to express solidarity with Palestine. It is a fact that many MNCs — including Big Tech firms — have financially and otherwise supported Israel. But violent attacks on foreign brands in Pakistan will hardly end the genocide. Instead, a more intelligent way for those looking to stand with Palestine would be to follow the guidelines of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. Rather than randomly boycotting firms believed to be aiding Israel, BDS targets those companies with “a record of complicity in Israeli apartheid”. This can include firms involved in illegal Israeli settlements, or those that have made donations to Tel Aviv’s military. The boycott of apartheid South Africa worked, and conscientious people worldwide should also shun Israel and its allies until the genocide in the occupied territories is permanently halted.
As for the other point made by the clerics, sadly, the Muslim world has done very little of substance to stop the massacre in Gaza, allowing Israel to ramp up its campaign of extermination in the Strip, and also attacking Syria and Lebanon. Calls for unity are important, but the Muslim world is characterised by intense internal division, and the lack of a cohesive policy to stop the war on the Palestinian people. The sad fact is that Muslim-majority countries have been unable to leverage their collective economic and political clout. Other than making sympathetic statements, the OIC has not been able to enforce a trade blockade against Israel, while Muslim states that have diplomatic relations with Tel Aviv have not felt it necessary to break off ties until the bloodshed in Gaza stops. Israel knows how weak and divided the Muslim world is, hence it sees no reason to stop the murder.
Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2025
WESTERN countries have been quite cruel to the Afghan people. Not only did they lay waste to the latter’s homeland over a war that ultimately went nowhere, but they are also failing to take responsibility for the lives they placed at risk during the process of attempting to ‘rebuild’ Afghanistan.
This, of course, is a reference to the many Afghans awaiting their promised repatriation to various Western countries. They have been stranded for years in Pakistan because states that once promised them asylum in recognition of their sacrifices and contributions have been taking their sweet time processing their visa applications.
These refugees face certain risks to their lives and liberty if they return to Afghanistan: their past work for various Western governments and organisations has seen them branded as ‘traitors’ in their country. Those risks have increased considerably of late, as Pakistan has adopted a ‘no concessions’ policy towards Afghan nationals.
It is deeply disappointing that the countries responsible for these refugees’ plight have not shown more urgency in addressing their condition. One wonders if there is any concern about the message being sent by their complacency. They seem to be telling the Afghan people that, no matter where they stood during the so-called war on terror, they were, ultimately, dispensable to Western nations.
One wonders what the Afghans make of their situation: after all, the forces that went into Afghanistan presented themselves as more ‘moral’, more ‘civilised’ and more concerned with ‘human rights’ than the ‘barbarians’ they meant to defeat. Once their long campaign fizzled out though, it seemed only those Afghans who had kept their distance, or those who sided with the ‘enemy’, were the ones who came out on top. The rest had to flee for their lives and seek the charity of other nations.
The countries who pledged their support to them must do better. Pakistan has already made it clear that it is no longer hospitable to Afghan nationals. Though Islamabad must show more flexibility towards refugees who face risks to life and liberty in case of deportation, the other nations responsible for their well-being should also be pushed to step up and expedite their repatriation.
The Afghan people cannot be treated like a football that is kicked around while nations bicker over visa protocols and policies. They deserve safety, stability and a chance to rebuild their lives.
It is both unfair and dangerous that the Afghan people’s immediate well-being has been left entirely to Pakistan to consider, while other nations have been taking years figuring out whether or not they will do right by those whom they promised safety and security. Whatever their concerns, they can be addressed once these refugees are relocated to less hostile locations.
Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2025
BRIGHT young Pakistanis face an uncertain future in the US. The Trump administration, not content with merely terrorising foreign students with visa revocations and deportations for expressing criticism of Israel and its genocidal campaign in Palestine, has also taken an axe to academic exchange and scholarship programmes that had for ages made America an aspirational higher education destination for the Pakistani intelligentsia. According to recent reports, the United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan has formally shut down the 15-year-old Global Undergraduate Exchange Programme for Pakistan. The future of its Fulbright Programme is also in doubt, owing to an extended funding freeze imposed by the new administration in February. Students already in America on Fulbright scholarships have not been receiving their stipends owing to the same funding ‘pause’, which has likely made it difficult, if not impossible, for many to continue living and studying in that country. They will find themselves in limbo if Washington decides to pull the plug.
It is, of course, up to the US government to spend its money however it sees fit. It would have been better, obviously, if it allowed foreign students already enrolled in American universities to complete their education without placing an unanticipated financial burden on them. But such decency seems to be in short supply in these troubled times. Exceptional Pakistani students hoping to study abroad should not lose heart, though. There are many excellent universities in other countries where students can still pursue their academic goals while contributing positively to their host countries and institutions. Many of them offer generous scholarships to Pakistani students. It is also hoped that other countries will fill the void being created by the Trump administration. Young Pakistanis have repeatedly proven that they possess some of the brightest minds in the world. Inviting them to study will nurture a lasting relationship with Pakistan’s future generations and shape their worldview in positive directions.
Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2025
THE build-up to the 10th season of the Pakistan Super League, cricket’s most lucrative product in the country, has hardly been ideal.
This season marks a decade since the inception of the league that had earlier been transformational for the sport in Pakistan. But it begins today amid concerns that cricket in the country has touched an all-time low, with the national team consistently underperforming and a war of words raging between franchise owners over the PSL’s standing.
Pakistan have been struggling internationally for several months now — be it at the Champions Trophy they hosted or the New Zealand series, which ended with skipper Mohammad Rizwan stating that the players would try to do better in the PSL.
However, the PSL — once Pakistan’s springboard to success at the international level, and a platform for budding players who would go on to become the national team’s stars — is no longer the same competition it was in its earlier iterations.
It also does not have international players of the same calibre as before, thanks largely to the fact that it runs at the same time as the Indian Premier League. It has meant that PSL sides will make do with international players not picked in the IPL draft, former Australian opener David Warner among them. The mood has also been dampened due to Pakistan’s own star names floundering at recent international matches.
Furthermore, there are doubts over the PSL’s overall standing. Multan Sultans owner Ali Tareen questioned the claim of the Pakistan Cricket Board that the upcoming season of the PSL would be the biggest, stating it was more of the same. It prompted a strong rebuke from his Karachi Kings counterpart Salman Iqbal before Mr Tareen clarified he was worried about the league’s stagnation. He spoke about the need to make it an international brand, but it is evident with the PSL’s scheduling this season that it is not drawing global attention as it runs in the shadow of the IPL.
That should not, however, in any way diminish its status as Pakistan’s most entertaining sports product, one that paved the way for the return of international cricket to the country. The current season, though, should pave the way to make the PSL bigger and better.
Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2025
THE problems of Balochistan are “political and must be resolved through political means”.
This view, espoused by PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif during a recent meeting with National Party chief and former Balochistan chief minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch in Lahore, is shared by many in Pakistan who wish to see a peaceful and just resolution to the troubled province’s crises. And coming from the leader of a party which currently heads the federal government, while also representing Pakistan’s politically most powerful province, makes the statement more relevant.
Some observe — and not without reason — that the civilian leadership has little actual say in the state’s Balochistan policy. That is why it is even more important for politicians to assert themselves and speak up at this critical time in favour of a political solution for Balochistan.
The elder Sharif also reportedly said that he would speak to the prime minister as well as “other relevant authorities” to help resolve the Balochistan imbroglio. The fact is that it is actually the ‘other authorities’, particularly those in Rawalpindi, that need to be convinced by the political elite that the troubled province’s issues cannot be resolved militarily alone, and that without meaningful political engagement the insurgency cannot be defeated.
The fact that Mr Nawaz Sharif has become involved is also relevant as he was on good political terms with former Balochistan chief minister Sardar Ataullah Mengal, whose son Akhtar Mengal is currently camped outside Quetta in protest, calling for the release of political prisoners. Though the establishment may have the upper hand in the current set-up, Mr Sharif can use his influence to persuade it to let the politicians take the lead in resolving Balochistan’s conundrum. In fact, all mainstream parties must unite over this existential matter and initiate a process of reconciliation and dialogue in the province.
Dr Malik Baloch’s efforts must also be encouraged: unless the administration engages with credible politicians such as the NP leader, Mr Mengal and other moderate nationalists, the last remaining link between those in the province that believe in the constitutional process and the state will eventually break. This would give extremist elements and separatists a fillip, spelling immense trouble for the federation.
The window for a peaceful settlement to the Balochistan problem may close soon. The state needs to show magnanimity and vision. It can start by releasing all political prisoners and removing obstacles in the way of political activity in the province. Terrorists must be dealt with firmly. But engaging in political activity cannot be equated with terrorism. These CBMs can pave the way for a dialogue on ensuring Balochistan’s constitutional and economic rights, and ushering in representative political rule. The clock is ticking.
Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2025
THE participation of 300 delegates, including guests from overseas, in the two-day mineral summit in Islamabad has renewed hopes of growing foreign interest in Pakistan’s mineral sector, which remains mostly unexplored due to lack of financing and access to technology.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has highlighted mineral resources as the lynchpin of the nation’s economic revival. Addressing the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum, he went on to state that the country’s mineral wealth ‘worth trillions of dollars’ could free its economy from perpetual dependency on frequent bailouts from global lenders.
Indeed, the recent announcement at the forum of new, significant discoveries of hydrocarbons in KP and gold-copper deposits in Balochistan underscores the presence of vast reserves of natural resources in the country waiting to be tapped.
However, the conversion of these deposits into mines will not happen overnight in spite of a discernible international interest in the country’s mineral sector due to the new discoveries and the settlement of the Reko Diq dispute leading to its revival. Investors would want to first carry out studies to determine the size of the deposits and economic viability of undertaking exploration before committing funds rather than relying on the optimistic estimates of Pakistan’s government.
The policymakers must also avoid rushing into flawed agreements just to woo investment in this critical sector. The agreements should be transparent and based on assessment of the true value of the deposits. If the country is to truly benefit from its mineral wealth, it is also crucial to ensure that the policy and subsequent contracts under it cover the entire minerals’ value chain: the extraction of minerals to local processing and refining for production of the finished products for export.
We have seen the investors take out minerals from Saindak in raw form, with virtually little to no benefit to the country. The Reko Diq dispute also had its genesis in such a defective agreement. While the renewed focus on the mineral sector is welcome, we should not forget the reality that this wealth is found in the two provinces reeling under growing militancy and insurgency. Though the army chief promised the forum participants robust security for investors, practical measures need to be taken to allay their concerns in Balochistan.
Moreover, it must be ensured that the people of Balochistan and KP have first priority in jobs, and that the proceeds from these projects are spent on the welfare of the people. The Baloch unrest is partly the result of the belief that the province’s resources are being used for the rest of the country rather than for Balochistan’s economic development. This perception will not go away unless the financial benefits accruing from these projects are directed for the development of the province and its population.
Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2025
THE latest Citizens’ Report by Pildat on the performance of the Senate of Pakistan is a sobering account of parliamentary dysfunction during the 2024-25 legislative year. While the upper house met its constitutional requirement by holding 65 sittings and in that time passing 51 bills, the report reveals troubling signs of procedural decay, declining productivity, and executive overreach. The executive’s growing reliance on ordinances stands out as the most disturbing trend. Sixteen ordinances were laid before the Senate — a 1,500pc increase from the previous year — effectively bypassing debate and oversight. These were introduced even as private members’ legislative output declined by 63.8pc, a clear indicator of shrinking space for independent or opposition voices. Meanwhile, the passage of the controversial 26th Constitutional Amendment — marred by reports of coerced absences and disputed votes — further eroded confidence in the chamber’s integrity. Operationally, while the Senate increased its sittings, total working hours fell by over 20pc, making 2024-25 the least productive year in six years. Quorum issues persisted, with 16 sittings adjourned due to low attendance. The Leader of the House, Senator Ishaq Dar, attended just 28pc of sessions, the lowest in recent history. In contrast, the Leader of the Opposition, Senator Shibli Faraz, recorded 80pc attendance and emerged as the most vocal senator. Financial accountability also faltered. The Senate’s total budget rose by 43.3pc to over Rs7bn, with per-member expenditure climbing to Rs85.2m — a 68.5pc spike from the previous year.
A particularly alarming concern is the continued absence of representation for KP. Eleven Senate seats from the province remain vacant due to a standoff between the PTI-led provincial government and federal authorities over oath-taking on reserved seats. The Election Commission’s allocation of these seats to opposition parties was rejected by the KP government, which refused to administer oaths, resulting in indefinite delays to the elections. To restore credibility, Pildat has urged reforms on multiple fronts: reducing the use of ordinances, ensuring timely filling of vacant seats, improving attendance of key officeholders, enforcing quorum rules, and strengthening the role of Senate committees in legislative oversight. What is at stake is more than legislative efficiency; it is the health of the democratic process itself. If these recommendations are ignored, the Senate risks sliding into irrelevance.
Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2025
IT is quite the coup. One of the most recognisable names in the global cryptocurrency market has been roped in by the finance ministry to serve as ‘strategic adviser’ to the Pakistan Crypto Council, established to oversee and promote wider adoption of blockchain technology and digital assets within the country. Changpeng Zhao, or CZ as he is commonly known, is not only one of the richest persons in the world, thanks to early investments in cryptocurrencies, he is also the co-founder of popular trading platform Binance, the largest cryptocurrency trading exchange by volume in the world today. Mr Zhao is also intimately aware of the legal issues surrounding the crypto trade, thanks to his experiences as former CEO of Binance. That makes him a valuable ally for policymakers in Pakistan, who are gearing to go big on crypto and related technologies. “With Zhao onboard, we are accelerating our vision to make Pakistan a regional powerhouse for Web3, digital finance, and blockchain-driven growth,” the finance minister said.
There is no doubt that Mr Zhao’s onboarding will invite the right kind of interest from around the world. However, it is also hoped that his opinions and advice will be given careful consideration. After all, regulators worldwide have been quite suspicious of the crypto trade, and for many good reasons. Even in Pakistan, Binance had, till recently, been operating in a regulatory grey area, with the State Bank discouraging citizens from engaging in crypto trading and refusing to provide assistance in case they encountered fraudulent activity. Local investors will obviously feel much more confident knowing that the founder of Binance is now on board, but the aim should be to look at the bigger picture. Pakistan can emerge as a hub for future growth and innovation in these technologies if it plays its cards right. But to do that, it must overcome many regulatory challenges and limitations.
Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2025
AMID dramatic aid cuts, the WHO has sounded the alarm about the dangers to Pakistan’s mothers and newborns, asking global and national associates to help lower its maternal and neonatal mortalities without delay. To prevent another bleak phase — in 2020, a UN progress report said that Pakistan ranked third among the top 10 nations with the highest maternal and newborn deaths and stillbirths — the government must pay close attention to WHO’s depressing data:675 under one-month-old babies and 27 mothers succumb to preventable complications daily in the country, amounting to an annual loss of more than 9,800 mothers and 246,300 newborns with over 190,000 stillbirths every year. We can, however, take credit for the fact that 80pc of our population resides in areas where neonatal tetanus spread has been contained. While the Trends in Maternal Mortality report states that maternal deaths between 2000 and 2023 fell by 40pc due to easier access to health facilities, it also warns against a relapse — approximately 260,000 women died in 2023, which means one expectant mother perished every two minutes.
This nation cannot relive another nightmare. If authorities slacken, health gains diminish. This jeopardises global goals to reduce maternal mortality, putting over a million females at risk by 2030. The challenges in the provision of obstetric care within health units are prime concerns as haemorrhages and deficiencies are common causes of deaths. But most obstetric services are concentrated in urban areas, with not enough focus on underdeveloped regions. There is a need for investment in quality infrastructure and staff to handle labour problems and deliver superior neonatal care. The government, aside from healthcare reforms, must develop training programmes in partnership with health specialists that focus on the untrained midwives who perform rural deliveries, with large-scale distribution of medical supplies to ensure safety. In short, the blood of mothers dying in childbirth must not darken our prospects again.
Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2025
THE unrest within the Islamabad High Court shows no sign of abating, and it is perhaps just as well that the petition filed by five of its judges questioning the court’s seniority list and its acting chief justice’s appointment has been fixed for hearing before the Constitutional Bench in the coming week. In recent days, several IHC judges have expressed concern over the acting chief justice of the court transferring cases from one bench to another “without clear legal justification”. The issue first came to the fore last month, when one of the IHC justices, after discovering they had been reassigned a case they had previously recused from, challenged the acting chief justice’s intervention in returning the case to their bench. On Monday, a similar situation arose when a division bench of the IHC discovered that it had been assigned three blasphemy cases previously heard by another bench. “This case has already been heard in detail by a single bench. It is not appropriate to transfer it to another bench without any justification,” one of the judges remarked on the occasion. The concern was reportedly endorsed by the counsel of the parties present as well.
The IHC has been in the limelight ever since three judges from other high courts were transferred to the court in controversial circumstances. Later, one of those three was also elevated as its acting chief justice, superseding several judges who had been serving at the court for years. Five of the IHC ‘older’ judges subsequently petitioned the Supreme Court challenging the transfer, the changes made to the court’s seniority list, as well as the appointment of the IHC’s acting chief justice. Separately, the Karachi Bar Association also petitioned the court questioning why the transferred judges were immediately given senior positions in the IHC and arguing that their transfers were never made in the public interest but in order to punish certain judges of the IHC and disrupt the court’s functioning. As the Constitutional Bench prepares to hear their arguments, it bears pointing out that it is crucial that this controversy is settled expeditiously and in line with prevailing rules, regulations and the law. The questions being raised about the IHC’s functioning from within are tarnishing its credibility. There must be justice within the judiciary, otherwise public faith in its impartiality will continue to dwindle.
Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2025
THE government’s decision to establish the National Intelligence Fusion and Threat Assessment Centre (Niftac) under the National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta) is a positive move — on paper. With violence escalating in KP and Balochistan and the TTP and BLA continuing their campaign of terror, Pakistan cannot afford to delay action. The deadly ambushes on security forces in North Waziristan, targeted attacks in Dera Ismail Khan and Gwadar, and the Jaffar Express hijacking in Balochistan demonstrate the growing sophistication and reach of militant groups.
Nacta’s fifth Board of Governors meeting, where Niftac was approved, also laid out plans for Provincial Intelligence Fusion and Threat Assessment Centres (Piftacs), a promising attempt to streamline threat analysis across federal and provincial lines. But Nacta has seen hopeful launches before. The Joint Intelligence Directorate approved in 2016 was hailed as a game-changer in intelligence coordination — until it faded into irrelevance. Similarly, past counterterrorism frameworks, including the National Internal Security Policy (2018–23), with its emphasis on non-kinetic measures, were left unimplemented. Now, faced with another wave of militant violence, officials have returned to old plans with renewed urgency.
The situation demands more than bureaucratic reshuffling or new acronyms. Pakistan’s CT response has too often consisted of making new bodies, issuing fresh mandates, and calling for coordination — without addressing the root causes of militancy or ensuring continuity in policy execution. If the government truly wishes to fortify the internal security apparatus, it must do more than approve plans. It must execute them in all earnest.
This means empowering Nacta to function as the country’s lead civilian CT authority. It also means breaking the cycle of sidelining Nacta after every surge of violence. It means funding and strengthening provincial CT departments to detect and disrupt militant networks before they strike. The ideological dimension of this war must also be tackled. As highlighted in the National Action Plan — the government’s central policy document on countering terrorism — long-term peace depends on addressing deep-rooted local grievances in restive areas like Balochistan and the merged districts of KP. Reconciliation, development, and deradicalisation initiatives cannot remain dormant words in a policy document.
As this newspaper argued last year, the state must prioritise reforms in regions that have long suffered from poverty, marginalisation, and security operations devoid of political will. Moreover, extremist and sectarian outfits that still operate in the public sphere must be dismantled. They feed the very ideologies that produce suicide bombers and armed groups. Reviving Nacta is important. But so is recognising that CT is not just about hardware and coordination cells. It is about political resolve, long-term investment in affected communities, and an unwavering commitment to implement what has already been promised. The question is whether this government, like others before it, will once again stop short of following through.
Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2025
PRESIDENT Donald Trump’s announcement of sweeping tariffs on imports from nearly every country upended the global trading order and plunged markets into turmoil. It left countries scrambling to respond by either imposing counter levies or seeking negotiations to secure lower rates. The US stock market lost $5.4 trillion within two days of the announcement while global stock markets lost $5tr as fears intensified about a global recession. The prospect of a full-blown trade war shook investor confidence. The IMF warned this would significantly affect already sluggish global economic growth. The head of America’s central bank warned increased tariffs would lead to “higher inflation and slower growth”.
Using emergency powers, Trump slapped so-called “reciprocal tariffs” on America’s trading partners that ranged from baseline 10 per cent to 50pc, an action that did not discriminate between friend and foe. The steepest tariffs were imposed on Asian countries with China initially facing 34pc (added to previous levies and an additional 50pc it took the net rate later to 104pc). EU was subjected to a blanket 20pc levy. Trump’s justification rested on flimsy grounds — that this will boost the US economy by reducing its trade deficit, bring manufacturing and jobs home, promote investment in the country, raise revenue to finance deep domestic tax cuts, and protect American businesses and workers. Most of these assumptions are deeply flawed but the Trump administration rejected the view that the measures would hurt US industries and lead to recession and higher prices for American consumers.
The Financial Times described Trump’s decision as “one of the greatest acts of self-harm in American economic history”. In similar vein, The Economist wrote in its leader that Trump’s announcement, which marked the biggest break in America’s trade policy in over a century, “committed the most profound, harmful and unnecessary economic error in the modern era”. It dubbed Trump’s economic ideas as delusionary “nonsense”. Former US treasury secretary Janet Yellen described the tariffs as “the worst self-inflicted wound” she had ever seen imposed on a well-functioning economy.
The world’s response was swift and strong. America’s biggest trading partner and the world’s largest exporter, China retaliated by announcing a matching 34pc tax on US imports. When Trump imposed additional duties, Beijing also raised tariffs and said it would “fight till the end”. This marked a dangerous escalation in the trade war and drove the two global powers towards a historic split. European leaders roundly denounced Trump’s tariffs as “illogical” and “paranoid”.
Trump’s tariff policy has sparked a trade war and damaged US credibility.
With markets tanking, American bankers and businessmen panicking and heavy sell-off in US bonds, Trump suddenly switched course. He backed down against a range of countries he claimed wanted negotiations and did not take retaliatory actions.
He announced a 90-day pause on tariffs but added more levies on China taking them eventually to 145pc. The policy U turn — so characteristic of Trump — was apparently the result of combined pressure from the US business community, foreign governments and Congressional leaders including Republicans. But while it temporarily halts higher duties on many countries, it doesn’t end uncertainty about Trump’s next protectionist moves. A 10pc levy on most countries is still in force while some assessments show that despite Trump’s retreat “tariffs average over 25pc across all trading partners, when weighted by America’s imports last year”.
How far Trump’s tariffs are a negotiating tactic to force trading partners to align with Washington’s interests will soon be tested. His 90-day pause suggests negotiations may enable some countries to bargain for lower rates in return for concessions. What those concessions are will be determined by Trump. But while Trump’s climbdown has come as a relief to many countries, no one can be sure he won’t flip again. In any case, the damage to US credibility has been incalculable. Markets remain jittery while Trump’s erratic policies have injected volatility into the global economy. The US-China trade clash — with China hiking retaliatory tariffs to 124pc — will dampen global growth and raise inflation in America.
The geopolitical consequences could be even greater as nations across the world begin to recalculate their relationship with an unpredictable, whimsical, bullying power whose reliability is in growing doubt. Trump’s economic warfare made no distinction between friend and adversary; almost everyone being deemed “cheaters”. It angered nations across the world, placing traditional relations with allies under strain and ratcheting up tensions with them. This may affect cooperation by them on other fronts too. It could set in train a realignment of relations and even reshape geopolitics over time.
Trump’s unilateralist action is likely to erode the trust and confidence of allies urging them to adopt hedging strategies and consider reducing their exposure and dependence on the US in the long run. Such recalibration of foreign policies may leave Washington without the firm friendships and alliances it has counted on in the past. This has strategic implications for America’s contain-China strategy especially in Asia, where allies like Japan, South Korea and others were hit hard by tariffs (even if they are now up for negotiation), some of whom were persuaded in the past to move their businesses out of China.
Faced with an untrustworthy trade partner in the US, the economic imperative for countries would be to pursue trade diversion. As some commentators have pointed out, the EU, far from de-coupling, may well consider re-coupling with China. Countries will look for trade opportunities with each other and may gravitate more towards China. That top officials from China, Japan and South Korea met twice in the past fortnight to enhance ‘trilateral trade cooperation’ says much about emerging trade alliances.
If Trump has chosen an isolationist policy, isolation is what the US economy will end up in. The biggest beneficiary will be China even as it struggles now to limit the damage wrought by Trump’s tariff war. As Howard French wrote in Foreign Policy, “If a country has to choose a superpower to hitch its wagon to, China may loom as the preferable option” because it appears as a more moderate and stable force.
The consequences of the turmoil caused by Trump at home and abroad will come back to haunt his country whose international reputation has already been severely tarnished.
The writer is a former ambassador to the US, UK and UN.
Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2025
RECENT convulsions in the global economy mark another curtain call for the long 20th century. The worldwide economic system put in place during the 1970s appears to be unwinding.
The system was built on the back of American political-economic hegemony. It featured an increasingly liberalised global trade regime facilitated by the US dollar, especially through an exclusive trade in oil, and free(er) movement of capital across national borders, especially towards financial assets such as bonds and equities.
Clubbed under the larger rubric of neoliberalism, the system produced several long-term shifts. It shifted manufacturing from the West to East/Southeast Asia, creating value chain booms in the latter and cheap consumer goods for the former. It created new and increasingly risky avenues in global financial markets, which offered astronomical returns to a small segment of the population. And, most of all, it helped subsidise consumption through debt for the American population far beyond any actual growth in wages.
Critical voices spent many years pointing out the crisis-inducing impact that such unhindered liberalisation posed to economies, especially of the developing world. It led to premature deindustrialisation for many countries in Asia and Africa, including Pakistan, made the world prone to financial crises, and heightened inequality across a variety of metrics. Such critiques were labelled as archaic, anti-development, anti-freedom and summarily dismissed.
Progressives in Europe and the US too spent much of the 1990s and early 2000s warning about the corrosive impact that neoliberalism was having on their own domestic economies. Between 1979 and 2022, real (ie, inflation adjusted) wages for middle and low-income workers in the US, showed paltry growth of a mere 12 per cent, even when overall productivity has increased by almost 80pc.
So who benefited from this gain in productivity if the average worker is still where they were 40 years ago? Unsurprisingly, wealth and incomes for the top earners and incomes from capital (profits, rents, and returns from stocks and bonds), increased significantly, widening overall inequality.
The simple fact is that the rhetoric of bringing back good jobs for American workers is eyewash.
Four decades of a widening gap between the haves and the have-nots mean the proverbial chickens have finally come home to roost. For the last decade and a half, inequality has staged a comeback as a political issue in Western politics. Unfortunately for everyone else, the issue is finding its expression through a variety of regressive political forces, especially in the US and UK.
In a recent note, Stephen Miran, one of the architects of Trump’s tariff policy, cited a decline of stable manufacturing jobs across the Midwest and the South as a key justification for the US president’s tariff antics of the past few weeks. As free trade became the norm, he argued, good jobs went offshore in search of cheaper labour costs, leaving behind increased dependence on precarious, service sector employment for American workers.
In rhetoric at least, the Trump administration wants to ‘reshore’ industrial production so that white male workers in Ohio can relive a mid-20th-century golden era, ie, the fantasy of an archetypical breadwinner who could buy a house, car, and provide for his stay-at-home wife and three kids.
There is nothing intrinsically wrong with giving workers better jobs. But as many have pointed out, there is no going back to this golden past. Most manufacturing jobs rely on cheap labour, which Asia and Latin America have plenty of and the US simply cannot provide. As per some reports, an iPhone if made entirely in the US, would cost $25,000. No company in their right mind could sell a mass consumer product at that price tag.
This is one reason why the Trumpian diagnosis, even if one takes it at face value, is seriously flawed. In rhetoric, it seeks to go back to a long distant past, without giving up the debt-based consumption privileges that the US has attained through its dominant political and military position in the world.
On the other hand, if the precarious material conditions of blue-collar workers in places like Ohio is of actual concern, then one should be considering an entirely different set of solutions. For example, there are jobs that cannot be sent offshore (such as in personal services and care work), which remain remunerated very poorly. Why not think of ways to raise incomes for those actual working-class people doing such jobs, and ensure they have a better standard of living?
If the average worker is struggling to afford housing and other basic needs, why can’t the state redistribute a greater share of the profits accrued by big companies and wealthy individuals? This is not some alien concept. It formed the basis of social democracy in the mid-20th century, a period that saw some of the greatest gains towards equality and improvements in overall standards of living. As one economist put it wryly, if inequality in the US is your concern, how does taking jobs away from Vietnamese workers act as the solution?
The simple fact is that the rhetoric of bringing back good jobs for American workers is eyewash. The real goal, as it so often is for governments of this ilk, is to secure returns for some section of the capitalist class. In this case, raising some revenue through performative tariffs may act as a convenient and stealthy way of providing further tax cuts for high-income earners. The end result will be more inequality and more immiseration for workers.
The political and economic costs of America’s domestic dysfunction are borne by everyone else. The erratic display of decision-making witnessed in the last month is reflective of a hegemon confronted with internal contradictions and faced with external decline. Unfortunately, we mere mortals located elsewhere have to put up with these symptoms of morbidity, which will only distort and escalate till something else is ready to take its place.
The writer teaches politics and sociology at Lums.
X: @umairjav
Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2025
IF you have travelled on the Grand Trunk Road, which we insist was built by Sher Shah Suri, towards Peshawar, some 90 kilometres from Islamabad, you come across a town called Kamra in Attock district, Punjab. Its namesake Kunal Kamra is in hot water in India these days as his stand-up act has not gone down well with the Shiv Sena and BJP. When people and institutions take themselves so seriously that they cannot take a joke, there is usually something very wrong with the ecosystem.
More on this some other time. For now, back up a little on the GT Road of Chandragupta Maurya vintage and stop at Taxila, then Takshashila. This prominent site in the Buddhist tradition, home to one of the earliest universities anywhere, today presents a ruinous view with tombstone-carving workshops lining both sides of a narrow excuse for a road leading up to the archaeological treasures of the Dharmarajika Complex and Sirkap.
That knowledge is power is not lost on conquerors. They want the vanquished to lose their cultural moorings and slightest pride, even in the deep recesses of libraries. The faith of opponents seems to make no difference. Bakhtiar Khilji is known to have ransacked the Buddhist seat of knowledge at Nalanda and burnt its libraries in the late 12th century.
Salahuddin Ayyubi, who lived around the same time, is alleged to have treated his co-religionists similarly at the Al Azhar Library in Cairo. Some accounts assert that Saladin, as he is known to the West, replaced the Fatimid era tomes of Shia tradition with Shafai’i literature instead of burning them upon assuming power in Egypt. The Fatimids, who rightly lamented the loss of Al Azhar’s treasures, glossed over their own alleged sacking of the great library at Aleppo, as per some accounts, when they took power in 1076, as the contents were not in keeping with Ismaili jurisprudence. Hulagu Khan’s sacking of Baghdad came in 1258.
That knowledge is power is not lost on conquerors.
Known for pilfering and looting antiquities and everything of value from wherever they went, the Brits burnt the Library of Congress alongside much of the US Capitol in Washington, D.C., in 1814. The attack on its former colony was in retaliation to the American attack on Canada and the burning of public buildings in York.
Universities continue to have a rough time everywhere. In a recent interview, Nobel Prize-winning professor of economics Amartya Sen pointed out ‘bureaucracy’ as the most persistent challenge for Indian universities. The problem, he said, is now compounded by two more factors: communalism and thought control by the executive. Our universities are no strangers to direct intervention by state institutions and their proxies. They are battlegrounds for ideological dominance supported by both state and non-state actors, local and foreign.
Much as one would like universities to compete in the realm of ideas and innovation, they are bogged down in existential battles ranging from federal to provincial funding to the appointment of vice-chancellors. Lately, Sindh has become a hotbed of controversy as the provincial government has empowered itself to appoint bureaucrats as VCs in universities across the province. The MQM, largely representing urban Sindh, asks that university admissions in Karachi be restricted to its residents. The senior minister representing the PPP, with its power base in rural Sindh, accuses the MQM of fomenting communalism. No matter who the perpetrators are, Dr Sen seems to have rightly pointed out that bureaucracy, communalism, and the executive’s desire for thought control are wreaking havoc in seats of higher learning.
Modi wants India to become a vishwaguru (teacher of the world). Amid newfound nationalistic and religious fervour, efforts are afoot to purge everyday Hindi of foreign influences and strengthen its Sanskrit core. The Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan governments have approved bills to call university VCs kulgurus; whether or not it revives the guru-shishya parampara (teacher-student tradition) remains to be seen. Our courts, too, from time to time, order the adoption of Urdu as the official language. The VCs are sometimes called ‘shaikh-ul-jamia’ and department heads ‘sadr-i-shoba’, lending Arabic gravitas to titles without any discernible improvement in the quality of instruction or research.
The university at Taxila was disrupted around the 5th-century CE, as the White Hun attacks from Central Asia made knowledge creation and sharing unfeasible. The monks, along with books and centuries-old oral traditions, moved to Nalanda, helping it become the mahavihar (grand monastery). Khilji’s sacking caused an 800-year pause at Nalanda, which was revived in 2010. Taxila, unfortunately, stands no chance of revival.
The writer is a poet. His latest publication is a collection of satire essays titled Rindana.
shahzadsharjeel1@gmail.com
Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2025
WHEN tour guides in Egypt describe how ancient Egyptian tombs were robbed of their treasures, they include a clarification: we mean by indigenous grave robbers, not the Western archaeologists who took the antiquities to museums and private collections abroad.
On a recent trip to Egypt, I was struck by several guides’ lack of ambiguity that Western exploration was tantamount to theft, and their confidence in the rightful place of Egyptian antiquities. Seeing Egyptian engagement with the country’s heritage is among the strongest cases for cultural repatriation that I have encountered.
It is difficult in a world of tariff wars, looming recessions and Trumpian imperialism to recall that in recent years the issue of cultural repatriation was among the most charged topics.
The Global South (and other countries such as Greece) has been asking for the return of cultural treasures that had been looted, procured under dubious circumstances or in the context of skewed colonial power dynamics to their countries of origin or the heirs of original owners.
There is little risk that Egyptians will neglect their heritage.
Western governments, museums and some pockets of academia have been resisting these requests.
Arguments for keeping artefacts in Western museums are wide-ranging: developing countries do not have the resources and expertise to maintain cultural objects; corruption and theft will endanger the objects and facilitate illicit trading. When all else fails, Western museums argue that they have more foot traffic and so artefacts left in situ are likely to be more accessible to more people.
These arguments seem less compelling than others, given that knowledge transfer, trainings and partnerships between museums around the world could help plug any gaps in resources and know-how. My support for cultural repatriation is occasionally tempered by concerns that certain artefacts could be intentionally destroyed, for example, by religious extremists (think of the Bamiyan Buddhas).
Alternatively, there is concern that the provenance and history of certain objects could be suppressed or rewritten in service of contemporary national narratives or strategic imperatives. One can certainly envision scenarios in which Pakistan’s pre-Muslim history or anti-establishment art are subject to destruction, censorship, or decontextualisation.
This is where Egypt offers a valuable model. The country takes a whole-of-society approach to ensuring that cultural nationalism does not become an indulgence that breeds complacency and corruption, and is something that is, instead, nurtured through education, critical thinking, policy implementation. and international cooperation.
In El Hegez, a village on the bank of the Nile south of Luxor, a girl proudly explained how she is learning about the pharaohs in primary school. Her mother, the first generation of women in her family to receive an education, hopes her daughter will become a diplomat to promote Egyptian heritage globally.
A tour guide in Edfu explained that he began planning his career as a child. Official guides must speak several languages fluently, study Egyptology and related subjects at university level and pass exams to get their licences. They are also subject to extensive security screening and background checks before being unleashed on tourists.
A bookshop outside the souk in Luxor holds an impressive collection of books on Egyptian history, art, artefacts, geography and anthropology, one that would rival any major university library. The Arabic language section is as extensive as the English one, and the man at the till explains that students and locals with an interest in their heritage are a key part of the customer base along with tourists.
Every ancient Egyptian temple and tomb we visit hosts a foreign mission partnering with Egyptian universities or government departments for restoration or excavation projects. The flags of France, Poland, Germany and other countries are proudly pointed out by guides, touts and ticket sellers.
Egypt is not perfect. Illegal antiquities sales soared post-Arab Spring turmoil. A decade ago, some cleaners at the Egyptian Museum damaged Tutankhamun’s burial mask. The opening of the impressive Grand Egyptian Museum was repeatedly delayed.
But there is little risk that Egyptians will take their cultural heritage for granted or neglect it. It is too much a part of their national identity and integral to their lived reality (and economy). There is social consensus on the value and centrality of Egyptian culture, one that is bolstered through education and intellectual curiosity.
Countries demanding cultural repatriations or seeking to boost tourist economies can learn from Egypt’s example, and understand that investments must be made not just in the artefacts themselves but in society as a whole.
The writer is a political and integrity risk analyst.
X: @humayusuf
Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2025
THE establishment’s growing oversight of key state institutions suggests a strategic pivot on its part to restore order within the governance system. While it has historically contributed to institutional dysfunction through martial laws and hybrid regimes, the establishment now appears to prefer a more structured role in steering the state apparatus. This shows a significant shift in its approach, ie, towards a ‘hard state’, and is exhibited in the reforms and restructuring of the state’s economic, judicial and governance structures as well as internal security.
Perhaps the recently approved formation of the ‘National Intelligence Fusion and Threat Assessment Centre’, of which the National Counter-Terrorism Authority will be a wing, can be seen in this context. The interior minister approved the establishment of Niftac recently while presiding over a meeting of the board of governors of Nacta. Establishing the new threat assessment body has been declared a vital step towards achieving strategic internal security objectives. Still, the idea of the body is not a unique one. A prototype of a ‘Joint Intelligence Directorate’ (JID) was established in 2016 after a long wait, and a brigadier-level officer was appointed as director general of the body. The idea was that the body would bring all civilian and non-civilian intelligence apparatuses under one roof, and their coordination would help to counter terrorism and internal security threats effectively.
As expected, the JID had not worked out, and the reason was that every intel agency wanted a monopoly over information and had its own mechanisms to assess the extent and nature of threats. Another significant factor is that civilian intelligence constitutes the eyes and ears of the civilian government, which causes friction with other intel agencies. However, the government is optimistic this time that Niftac will work because the civilian and military leadership are on the same page.
It may be useful to recall that the previous regimes of Imran Khan and Gen Bajwa were projected as being on the same page until the no-confidence move was launched against Khan in 2022. The Khan government had also approved the establishment of a similar body for better intelligence coordination under the supervision of the director general of the ISI; this body was called the National Intelligence Coordination Committee. Little is known about the NICC’s fate, but Nacta was also declared part of the body among the country’s two dozen intelligence agencies.
Creating a new threat assessment body is seen as vital to achieving internal security aims.
The government is also planning to set up threat assessment centres at the provincial level. However, the counterterrorism departments already have similar facilities, and Nacta has faced challenges in coordinating with the provincial CTDs as it did not have any legitimate cooperation mechanism. A former national coordinator at Nacta, Rai Tahir, proposed establishing a national CTD and bringing all the CTDs under its command, with Nacta being a secretariat for the national-level CTDs. The idea was to effectively and swiftly counter terrorism threats and reduce the reliance on military and paramilitary institutions. However, this idea has not really been appraised. After his departure from the body, reports appeared that the government had decided to appoint a major general as the new head of Nacta to make the institution more functional. However, the head of Niftac is also from the military, and he will look after the affairs of Nacta as well. The government has agreed on specific terms of the transition with the military establishment, and it will pacify the police as per the Nacta Act — the top position belongs to the police.
Last month, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also gave its nod to a composite security model, replacing security forces with police in areas that face a lower terrorist threat. The police were to assume security management in Buner and Upper Chitral districts within 15 days. However, security forces would continue to play a primary role in managing security in the highly volatile southern districts. Under the CSM, approved by the apex committee, police will receive arms, ammunition, and modern gadgets. The cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur, also approved Rs567.7 million for the police to procure equipment, according to an official statement.
Such provincial measures are directly related to countering terrorism threats, but it remains to be seen how these would be synchronised with the objectives of Niftac.
Apparently, like the NICC, the purpose of Niftac is also described as ensuring the effective implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP) and addressing emerging security challenges. However, if Niftac is going to replace Nacta, it would have the additional task of coordinating with those managing provincial security operations and feeding them information and actionable advice. Niftac would not have any operational role as was proposed for the National Counter Terrorism Department by Rai Tahir.
In fact, Niftac may have to revise NAP, which lost its focus when it was reviewed a few years back, and its 20 points were shortened to 14. While a few clauses from the original draft have been retained, some have been amended, and a few new ones have been included in the revised plan. However, the primary focus of NAP should be confined to terrorist groups, their nexuses, ideology, and support networks and must not include any politically motivated design. If it loses its focus on terrorism, it will lose its utility.
It is important for the government to dispel the impression that superior security institutions are encroaching on the domain of the civilian security institutions. This perception can further demoralise the police, especially in KP and Balochistan, where they are directly exposed to terrorism threats. The police are suffering from a bad image and involvement in malpractices, necessitating massive reforms to restore the confidence of the public in them and the system.
The writer is a security analyst.
Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2025
BALOCHISTAN is on the boil with increased militant activity targeting the state and the non-Baloch, coupled with protests across the province pressing for political and economic rights and justice. It is creating a situation where now night travel has been banned on key highways.
Against this backdrop, it was a welcome development when National Party leader and former Balochistan chief minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch visited the opulent Lahore estate of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. The meeting represented hope.
Yes, hope of change in how the issue is perceived at the centre and dealt with — so far with consequences one would be hard-pressed to describe as anything but disastrous, with the state apparatus and militants locked in a spiral of unending violence. Of course, one needs to ask if any hope is misplaced.
In the past, the elder Sharif demonstrated political accommodation which could give rise to optimism going forward. Off the back of the meeting, a photograph showed Mr Sharif and Dr Baloch sitting in a room so ostentatious that more than 99 per cent of Pakistanis would struggle to relate to it.
A well-informed source said that there was little Nawaz Sharif could do as he has little or no elbow room on Balochistan.
Despite this apparent disconnect between grandeur and the issues of an impoverished, battered province, one couldn’t be blamed for hoping that the great democrat, Nawaz Sharif, would attend to the burning issue quickly as time is of the essence, as this paper so eloquently argued in its Friday leader.
Nobody is suggesting that he needed to proceed to Balochistan right away as even if he could help, some groundwork would be needed before moving forward. Still, it needed to be started with immediate effect. So, you can imagine my surprise when I saw images of the Sharif family in Minsk.
When Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko received the Pakistan delegation, Shehbaz Sharif, Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz with her daughter, Hussain Nawaz and Ishaq Dar were among the easily recognisable faces and, perhaps, lesser known family members too. I am sure there were others including cabinet members, diplomats, and civil servants; after all, it was an official delegation.
But the family-heavy delegation was a bit perplexing. Oh yes, MoUs were signed, regardless of when they are realised and when they result in contracts and agreements. I am sure among the range of papers on which signatures were affixed, many could potentially bring benefit to Pakistan.
It was also clear that with the support of the military leadership assured, the Sharifs don’t seem bothered by optics and public perceptions. With at least six close family members in the delegation, it gave the distinct impression of a family visit and should have been best avoided.
Those who defend such visits say Nawaz Sharif is keen to train his political heir for a bigger role in the country. This is an integral part of her statecraft instruction for high office. Even this defence seems oblivious to how the public perceives such events.
Not just that, it seems that Pakistani VVIPs, from the civil-military hierarchy at the centre to that in the provinces, have now quite openly abandoned any attempt to be seen as frugal. Just look at their motorcades.
Some measures can be justified on account of legitimate security concerns. But how they prefer to travel by executive or bigger (dedicated) jets whether within the country or abroad can hardly be explained away, especially when the salaried class is being asked to shoulder an increasingly crushing tax burden.
However, there are also very sympathetic explanations of why Nawaz Sharif left for Belarus en route to London, despite having called for a political solution of the Balochistan imbroglio while talking to Dr Baloch, his erstwhile partner in government.
A well-informed Islamabad source said that there was little Nawaz Sharif could do as he has little or no elbow room on Balochistan: “The ‘hard state’ has decided that it will deal with the insurgency as it is dealing now with raw force. It is the assessment of those directing the policy that the kind of losses being taken now can be sustained for long.”
Those who argue this strategy may work say the price being paid in its pursuit may well be affordable because the prize in terms of the potential earnings from mineral resources could run into hitherto unimaginable amounts — some say hundreds of billions over the long term. “There is no interest in reaching out, negotiating, as that may entail sharing some of the revenue. Nobody here seems to be in a generous mood anymore,” said another Islamabad source.
What the Constitution says about the provinces’ rights to their resources and the role that the Council of Common Interests is mandated to play is being ignored. “Many people thought that the 26th Amendment was Imran Khan-specific. They will realise now that the formation of the constitutional bench and controlling superior court appointments were aimed at much broader objectives than one out-of-favour politician.”
Nawaz Sharif may have followed his instinct in telling Dr Malik he was prepared to play a role in trying to work towards a political settlement in Balochistan but after his valued guest left, his focus may have shifted back to reality. Recognising it, he may have decided to continue with his travel plans as he knows he can’t do much, constrained as he is.
Despite this, many commentators, whose hearts ache for Pakistan, say that returning to the Baloch their snatched mandate — which was handed over to proxies who remain opposed to any political settlement because they know their true political standing in the province — is the only viable long-term move there is.
My only concern is that between the hard state and the foreign trips of its soft-façade family, time is running out. If there was a military solution, I may not have approved of it but would have said if it works it works. What do I do when I believe it is self-harm?
The writer is a former editor of Dawn.
Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2025
WHO would’ve thought a phone call from a journalist asking to write an anonymous column called ‘Single Women Over Thirty’ (SWOT) would lead to a) a trailblazing column in the then midweek magazine ‘The Review’ celebrating female agency and b) a lifelong friendship?
That is what happened when journalist Sahar Ali showed up at Dawn in 2001 or 2002 — forgive my memory.
This is pre-social media, when people read newspapers and its magazines and word of mouth played a big role in some pieces gaining more traction. There was no concept of virality. Feedback came in the form of letters, emails and phone calls.
When SWOT started, some were not sure — it wasn’t for Dawn readers, they told editor Saleem Asmi who, bless him, disagreed because he understood times were changing, albeit at a snail’s pace.
To be fair, I understood the reluctance; it was progressive at a time when a single woman was viewed as a spinster or a financial burden or an oddball, something was wrong with her if she was still single. Women all over are seen through the lens of marriage and motherhood, anything challenging that makes her the problem.
The decline of marriage is a global trend.
SWOT lived life by her rules and wasn’t marriage-obsessed. She had supportive parents who told her to live life the way she deemed fit, taught her to be financially independent and supported her when she, for example, moved to Islamabad for a job and lived by herself. Most importantly, SWOT was funny and laughed at herself as well as social norms.
SWOT wasn’t the first per se. Readers may remember the equally brilliant Girl Friday column(s) at The Friday Times weekly but their reach was not as vast as Dawn’s. SWOT developed a cult-like following — pre-social media — where readers waited for her next column.
It’s remarkable how SWOT’s identity managed to be kept under wraps. I once ran into columnist Ardeshir Cowasjee in the hallway, he was waving his walking stick at me as he said “chokri, admit it’s you.” I told Asmi sahib later that day and he admitted he was now a SWOT fan and also wanted to know who she was. Sahar ‘outed’ herself in another paper, a decade later.
You can understand then that this (sort of) buzz wouldn’t go down well with traditionalist readers not used to seeing happy women in print. Little has changed today except of course it is far more common to see happy single women all over the world, rejecting roles expected of them. It is a result of rising literacy rates, financial independence and global exposure courtesy the internet. The decline of marriage is a global trend with one claim that 89 per cent of the world lives in countries with falling marriage rates. The median age for first marriages has risen.
I was reminded of SWOT after watching Americanish, a movie by Iman Zawahry which will soon screen in Pakistan. It is about three young women pursuing their ambitions but, as immigrants, also trying to straddle both the worlds. We have two sisters living with their mother, whose father/ husband walked out on them when they were young. The mother wants her children to settle while the elder daughter, played well by Aizzah Fatima, a communication professional, wants to move out and live independently. The younger one wants to go to Harvard medical school but has to make a tough decision when her fiancé asks her to sacrifice her dream.
Then there is their cousin from Lahore who arrives in New York City with the sole purpose of meeting a doctor to marry, never mind that she likes someone else. Let me warn you she likes a black Muslim, cue every desi parents’ nightmare courtesy all the internalised racism. They each navigate their challenges to find what they are looking for: love on their terms.
It is a sweet film that celebrates the milestones made by women in exercising choice — refusing to conform in the workplace or at home, even if going against the grain means being on your own. Of course, I recognise not everyone has that opportunity. Too many women die trying to live life on their terms.
While the award-winning film was released three years ago, many of the issues around navigating relationships for familial or societal acceptance or personal happiness remain valid today. SWOT wouldn’t be so groundbreaking today because more people exercise agency and, for example, use technology to find partners.
There’s less shame around singledom for both men and women. No one wants to settle — be it immigrants in the land of dreams, as America is often portrayed, or Pakistanis living in (mis)government’s created nightmare.
The writer is a journalism instructor.
X: @LedeingLady
Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2025
IN a recent setting in the US, a lively group of university students — from Pakistan, India, France, and Colombia — came together in conversation. The interaction was fascinating. While the South Asians effortlessly shuffled between Hindi or Urdu and English, the French and Colombian leaned in, eager to catch the rhythm of unfamiliar languages.
This little union of nations seemed more than friendship. It felt like soft diplomacy, warm and unscripted — and ever since the Colombian has become fluent in saying “acha, theek hai” (all’s well).
It’s a pity world leaders don’t value the diplomacy in action when cultures meet over coffee and coursework. The recent cancellation of the United States Education Foundation-administered Global Undergraduate Exchange Programme (UGRAD) for Pakistan contradicts the idea that at universities one learns the world is kinder than the issues that divide us.
Every year, 108 students, split into two groups of 54 undergraduates, visited the US through this programme. It offered one-semester scholarships for non-degree, full-time study, combined with community service, professional development, and cultural enrichment. The global programme has been cancelled only in Pakistan.
Hopes for regional education exchanges are fading.
The number of 108 students out of some 2.5 million enrolled in higher education is a drop in the ocean — but it’s a drop that matters. Given the political mood in the US, education experts fear other such programmes, too, may face the axe. Educationist Faisal Bari suggests this could be the time to look beyond the US, to Europe, the Far East, Australia — and within South Asia.
He has a point. South Asia holds immense potential; yet, for most Pakistanis, it is out of reach. India has the world’s second-largest higher education system, with over 58,000 institutions. In 2021-22, the number of foreign students enrolled was around 46,000, with the largest groups coming from Nepal (28 per cent), Afghanistan (7pc), the US (6pc), Bangladesh (6pc), the UAE (5pc), and Bhutan (3pc). Tellingly, Pakistan didn’t make it to the list.
The idea of exchange programmes for students and faculty alike is not new. As our students crossed borders, others crossed into ours. Nepali and Bengali students were once a more common sight on our campuses. The same is true for visiting faculty. Tahir Kamran, historian and head of the Department of Liberal Arts at the BNU, recalls Prof Iftikhar-ul-Awal from Dhaka University visiting the Government College University in Lahore.
But, as regional cordiality turned hostile, Dr Bari says, the plans to invite faculty, especially from India, was thwarted when visa restrictions were imposed.
Clearly, an opportunity for education exchanges in South Asia is slipping away. While there have been sporadic efforts to promote regional collaboration in higher education, often on the sidelines of Saarc meetings, only two initiatives stand out: the South Asian University in Delhi and the Asian University for Women in Chittagong. A similar opportunity lies in Unesco’s Mandanjeet Singh Scholarship, which supports postgraduate education for South Asian scholars.
Aside from bilateral MoUs with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, Dr Kamran regrets that the HEC has not articulated any policy to foster similar collaborations. The World Bank is offering some support to promote knowledge exchange among South Asian countries. It helped arrange a conference in January 2025 in which delegates from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka took part. The purpose was orienting higher education for evolving national and global labour markets and promoting research and innovation for com-mercialisation.
As part of the World Bank’s #OneSouthAsia strategy, the South Asian Economics Students Meet, hosted by a network of South Asian universities, is an annual conference for undergraduate economics students from across the region. Dr Ali Hasnain, Pakistan’s coordinator for the programme, says it provides a few Lums students with a chance to connect with peers from countries often at odds with their own.
Addressing political and social mindsets is key to creating an environment for learning in the region. For, in the prevailing situation, even exploring digital learning platforms remains a challenge, as they are perceived as threats to national security and culture.
Also, with the bulk of higher education concentrated in the private sector — 147 out of a total of 247 institutions — where profit trumps purpose, the hope for such initiatives is minimal.
Those at the helm of higher education must recognise that education is as much about experiences, feelings, and dreams as it is about degrees. They must stretch outwards, seek opportunities, more near than far. Only by embracing cooperation will ‘acha, theek hai’ carry true meaning.
The writer is a freelance journalist based in Lahore.
alefiath@gmail.com
Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2025
EVERY year, close to 164,000 people die due to tobacco use in Pakistan. This means 450 deaths per day, more than 3,100 deaths per week and over 13,600 deaths per month.
In addition to the devastating loss of lives, the latest research indicates that the annual economic and health cost of tobacco in Pakistan amounts to around Rs700 billion. However, the tobacco industry’s total tax contribution to Pakistan — around Rs298bn in 2024 — does not even amount to half of the economic losses triggered by tobacco consumption in the country.
This loss of lives and the economic consequences of tobacco are preventable if people reduce consumption and quit smoking. To achieve this, increasing taxation is one of the key policy measures governments can use for tobacco control. Taxation not only saves lives but also reduces negative economic impacts and increases tax revenue.
Research has proven that taxing conventional tobacco and other novel tobacco products reduces overconsumption. Additionally, it increases tax revenues that can be allocated to finance health and development priorities. Pakistan’s already overstretched healthcare systems can also achieve greater viability by reducing the burden of tobacco-related diseases.
The negative impacts of tobacco are jeopardising Pakistan’s commendable efforts to advance the 2030 Agenda and all its SDGs. Sustainable development needs healthy workers, healthy mothers, healthy fathers, healthy children, and healthy communities.
Tobacco costs Pakistan 164,000 lives and Rs700bn yearly.
In Pakistan, tobacco taxation has proved to be effective. In 2023, a tax increase on tobacco products led to reduced consumption and increased revenues. Around 26.3 per cent of smokers cut down on cigarette consumption, which declined by 19.2pc. In parallel, revenue collection from the federal excise duty (FED) on cigarettes increased by 66pc — from Rs142bn in 2022-23 to Rs237bn in 2023-24.
FED rates on cigarettes have not increased in Pakistan since February 2023 — making them more affordable — and taxation levels remain below WHO’s recommended level of 75pc of the retail price. This presents an opportunity to strengthen control measures.
Pakistan ratified the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) in 2004. In this regard, WHO is continuously providing technical support to the Ministry of National Health Services Regulations & Coordination and the FBR in the areas of tobacco tax policy and track-and-trace implementation. The WHO FCTC is a milestone in the promotion of public health. The WHO FCTC has registered 182 Parties, covering more than 90pc of the world’s population.
Tobacco kills up to half of its users who don’t quit — but it is not only them. Second-hand smoke also harms the health of our communities and families. There is no safe level of exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke. Second-hand smoke causes serious cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and kills around 1.3m people every year.
More than a quarter of the world’s population in 74 countries is protected by comprehensive national smoke-free laws. Among smokers who are aware of the dangers of tobacco, most want to quit. Counselling and medication can more than double a tobacco user’s chances of successfully quitting.
To this end, national comprehensive cessation services to assist tobacco users to quit, with full or partial cost coverage, are available in only 32 countries, representing around a third of the world’s population.
One-third of countries, representing a quarter of the world’s population, have completely banned all forms of tobacco adver-tising, promotion, and sponsorship.
Hard-hitting anti-tobacco mass media campaigns and pictorial health warnings prevent children and other vulnerable groups from taking up tobacco use. They also increase the number of tobacco users who quit.
There is a fundamental and irreconcilable conflict between the tobacco industry’s interests and public health policy interests. The tobacco industry produces and promotes a product that has been proven scientifically to be addictive, to cause disease and death and to give rise to a variety of social harms, including increased poverty.
The scale of the human and economic tragedy that tobacco imposes is shocking, and also preventable. The dangers of tobacco products should not be concealed. WHO is determined to provide science-based information to the public, so everyone can make informed decisions to safeguard their health and the health of their families and loved ones. WHO also stands by those smokers who want to quit and need support and will continue to partner with the government of Pakistan to provide high-quality information and health services to them and their families.
WHO stands with the Government of Pakistan to work together in reducing tobacco use and saving lives.
The writer is WHO representative in Pakistan.
Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2025
IT was a week of turnarounds. The Trump White House, eager to remain on the warpath with the rest of the world, came down with ridiculous and enormous tariffs for other countries. On April 2, 2025, President Donald Trump imposed a universal tariff on most nations, sending the US stock market into a tailspin, with trillions of dollars wiped out within days. For his part, President Donald Trump acted nonchalant and went off to play golf with the visiting Saudis. Then on April 9, even more draconian reciprocal tariffs were imposed on another slew of countries — allegedly based on a formula that assessed trade deficits and existing tariffs on American goods. Amid the mess, Trump officials advised targeted countries not to retaliate.
China, however, did not listen. After the April 2 tariffs, it decided to retaliate with an 84 per cent tariff on US goods, hiked later to 125pc in response to a further increase by Trump. Unsurprisingly, this turmoil rattled investors everywhere, and nearly all markets took a hit. Economists and analysts began sounding the alarm about a global recession. The White House’s belligerence didn’t suggest that the president — who is using emergency powers to enact these tariffs — was about to capitulate.
It might have gone on — had the US bond market, one of the world’s safest and most stable investments, not suddenly started to tank. The bond market — essentially the channel through which countries buy US debt in 10- and 30-year increments — reflects global confidence in America’s ability to repay its dues. That confidence has traditionally remained high, given the size and strength of the US economy. Unlike stocks, which are known for their volatility, the bond market is supposed to be steady. But not this time.
The current situation may present an opening.
The sudden volatility there is likely what forced Trump’s hand, when he recently announced a 90-day pause in tariffs on all countries — except China. Stock markets around the world exhaled. The NASDAQ posted its biggest single-day gain since 2008. China, however, now faces 125pc tariffs.
The world’s two strongest economies have locked horns — and this will affect everyone, including Pakistan. While Pakistan was among the countries hit with a 29pc tariff (now paused for 90 days), the current situation may present an opening. One of the things the US is pursuing is to negotiate entirely new trade agreements with the rest of the world. The tariffs, in this sense, are a strange sort of invitation to close a ‘deal’ with the Trump administration. Countries that do so may find themselves in a better position than those that don’t. All they need is to propose something the Trump team can spin as a win.
The countries that dominated in the pre-Trump 2.0 world are no longer favourites. The US turn away from China and, to some extent, India means it will need to rely on smaller suppliers to fill the gaps left behind. The aim is to decimate China’s monopoly by diversifying who gets access to the US consumer market. Pakistan could play a role in this diversification. It cannot replace China or India, but may be able to find niche areas that serve unmet demand in the US.
This task would have been easier had the US objectives around these tariffs been clearer. Take the case of Vietnam, slammed with a 45pc tariff before the 90-day pause. Exports to the US make up nearly a quarter of Vietnam’s GDP, so it was no surprise the latter country quickly arrived at the negotiating table. The Trump administration’s response was unexpected. Trump adviser Peter Navarro dismissed Vietnam’s 0pc tariff offer as “not enough”. The reason? Navarro accused Vietnam of “non-tariff cheating” — routing Chinese goods through its ports to bypass US restrictions. The message was blunt: Vietnam must choose between the US and China. In Trump’s world, there is no room for divided loyalties. Vietnam, it seems, has made its choice. Reports now suggest the country has agreed to purchase expensive defence equipment — including warplanes — to help reduce the trade deficit and show goodwill.
Adept diplomats negotiating on Pakistan’s behalf could learn a lot from this. Pakistan desperately needs better trade agreements to lift itself out of economic stagnation and reduce its dependence on IMF lifelines. The country has the capacity to supply textile-based goods to the US consumer market — and with China out of the picture those products could fare better if Pakistan secures more favourable trade terms.
China’s loss could be Pakistan’s gain — if Pakistan is bold enough to seize the moment and clinch a deal with the Trump administration that can be packaged as a win. For a country that has waited a long time for an opportunity, this might be one.
The writer is an attorney teaching constitutional law and political philosophy.
rafia.zakaria@gmail.com
Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2025
THE demise of former Pakistan foreign secretary Najmuddin Shaikh has been mourned not only in Pakistan but also in India by those who knew him professionally and personally.
He had all the qualities of a good diplomat: civility, patience, precision and the ability to present his viewpoint calmly and firmly. He also consistently pursued Pakistan’s interests in an enlightened manner.
While Najmuddin sahib was in office, I saw some facets of his diplomatic skills during his one interaction in end 1996 in Delhi with his Indian counterpart, the remarkable and erudite, Salman Haidar. I was then heading the Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan Division of the Ministry of External Affairs. Najmuddin sahib retired soon thereafter; hence, it was only 15 years later and onwards that I witnessed the full range of his qualities during Track 2 meetings. By that time, I too had retired from the Indian Foreign Service.
There may be a public perception that the negative relationship between India and Pakistan completely seeps into the ties between their diplomats. Naturally, diplomats of the two countries are often circumspect and cautious in dealing with each other but generally their approach is professional. They also usually acknowledge and respect each other’s professional skills and qualities. In this they are not unique because globally, professionals, in different fields, often develop a feeling of community and regard which transcends national boundaries.
Sometimes, Indian and Pakistani diplomats are able to develop mutual trust and talk with candour about constraints of their governments. Often, they convey the substance of these conversations to the highest decision-making levels in the two countries. Diplomatic bonds of trust are especially important when bilateral relations, always difficult, dip further. This does not imply that Indian and Pakistani diplomats do not give objective advice or implement the policies set out by the decision makers in the two countries or, if required, present their views emphatically and strongly to the other side.
Diplomatic bonds of trust are especially important when bilateral relations, always difficult, dip further.
Since, I have mentioned constraints of the governments I would like to recall what I was told by prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee during his visit to Lahore in February 1999. I happened to be alone with him and suggested a point which he could convey to prime minister Nawaz Sharif. Vajpayeeji looked at me indulgently and remarked “Uski mushkil bhi samjho”.
I have also wondered how Najmuddin sahib would have reacted had he been in office when Prime Minister Narendra Modi stopped over in Lahore on Christmas Day of 2015. Would he have made all the institutions in Pakistan comprehend the significance of the signal which Modiji had sent out?
Najmuddin sahib had an enduring interest and great understanding of Afghanistan, a country of my interest too. In Track 2 meetings I listened carefully to his remarks on the Afghan situation. He always spoke on a subject after researching and reflecting on it. Indeed, careful study and a sifting of facts on different topics was his forte. Track 2 meetings got interrupted while the Covid-19 pandemic raged. At that time, I sent him an article that I had written on how quickly the devastating Spanish Flu, which took such an enormous toll of human life worldwide but especially in the Indian subcontinent, went out of popular memory.
He wrote back: “I enjoyed reading the article you attached. It was like what you have written earlier, very well researched. It suggests that just as the 1918 Flu was easily forgotten, not only in South Asia but globally, so too will our children or grandchildren forget the havoc Covid-19 has caused.” Naturally, I was happy that he found my article “well researched”.
In early June 2021 when the Delta wave of Covid-19 was exacting a heavy toll I enquired about his welfare. I also added, “The news from Afghanistan is troubling. I wonder what the future holds.” Responding the next day, he remarked on the Afghan situation, inter alia, “All one can do is hope against hope that the Afghans can agree on a power-sharing arrangement and thus avoid the civil war that is otherwise bound to come in that multi-ethnic country. Such a war will of course be disastrous for Pakistan but it will not leave the rest of the region unaffected.”
While the Afghan Taliban succeeded in establishing full control over the country, thus avoiding the civil war Najmuddin sahib had feared, Pakistan’s relations with Afghanistan continue to be difficult. Pakistani decision-makers would surely miss his expertise on Afghan affairs as they deal with their western neighbour.
In the 1980s, someone had casually told me that a Pakistani diplomat, Najmuddin Shaikh, was a descendent of Acharya J.B. Kripalani’s brother who had embraced Islam. That intrigued me and the memory remained. Kripalani became an educationist and a devoted follower of Mahatma Gandhi. He was a prominent member of the Congress Party, including its president in 1946-47. Later, he broke with Jawaharlal Nehru but remained active in public life.
In one of my interactions with Najmuddin sahib I broached this subject with him. He responded in the affirmative and said that his grandmother’s father Shaikh Abdal Rahim was Kripalani’s brother. Both were sons of Dewan Bhagwandas Kripalani, a leading member of Hyderabad Sindh’s Amil community. The differing trajectory of the brothers offer insights into the history of South Asia in the first half of the last century.
While researching for this article my attention was drawn to Najmuddin sahib’s grandmother, Ghulam Fatima Sheikh’s fascinating memoir. She was a great lady whose account of her travels with her husband in West Asia and Turkey for eight years during World War I and later offers a vivid testimony of her powers of observation and understanding of human affairs. Najmuddin sahib had obviously imbibed these; they became the foundations of his diplomatic skills.
The writer is a retired Indian diplomat.
Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2025
FINALLY, it is happening through the US president’s executive orders — closure of USAID, the start of a tariff war to balance the trade deficit, challenging of trade liberalisation and breaking away from global value chains.
The US has managed to disrupt global markets by unilaterally altering the terms of trade in the name of reciprocity for the world’s largest consumer market.
In disrespect to the governing rules of the WTO and internal Congressional processes, this executive order is based on a so-called economic emergency in the US. It has not only signalled an uncertain future for economic engagement but has also announced the beginning of an era of popular protectionism.
At the end of the day, it seems all about curtailing China, opening up spaces for US companies in the global marketplace and balancing US trade deficit. Evidence suggests, though, that protection through tariffs does not lead to achieving medium-term goals of investment, competitiveness and job creation.
Various economies are left with no choice but to come up with a short-term response to adjust to the new ways of engagement with the US administration. The top five suppliers of US imports in 2022 were: China ($536.3 billion), Mexico ($454.8bn), Canada ($436.6bn), Japan ($148.1bn), and Germany ($146.6bn), while Vietnam, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan exported $120bn, 90bn, 8.3bn and 5.2bn respectively to the US.
So, the higher tariffs could be a massive downward impact on the GDP of economies that largely depend on their exports to the US, and global financial markets are negatively responding to this development. From the other side, the top five purchasers of US goods in 2022 included Canada ($356.5bn), Mexico ($324.3bn), China ($150.4bn), Japan ($80.2bn), and the UK ($76.2bn).
The China factor remains one of the key driving forces behind this US presidential order. China, the country the US has its largest trade deficit with, has been hit with the highest 125 per cent tariff, prompting Beijing to respond with similar countermeasures. The escalation has marked the beginning of a new global trade war between the world’s two largest economies.
The total US-China bilateral trade in goods was $582bn in 2024, down from $661.5bn in 2018 — the US share of Chinese exports dropped from 19.2pc to 14.7pc. The general perception is that China will emerge as a winner in the medium term due to its dominance in technology and market diversification under the Belt & Road Initiative.
The other major change for developing countries is the closure of USAID. Historically, bilateral aid, multilateral loans and market access have remained visible foreign policy tools for fostering economic diplomacy and geopolitical influencing. Since World War II, the model of delivering aid and concessional loans have undergone several adjustments — from building infrastructure to military aid and from food and medicines to building climate resilience.
The real shock hit the so-called international development sector when on the day of his inauguration, President Trump issued an executive order for “re-evaluating and realigning United States foreign aid” that said the US “foreign aid industry and bureaucracy are not aligned with American interests and in many cases antithetical to American values” and that they “serve to destabilise world peace”.
What do the current economic shocks mean for Pakistan?
Since that order, which froze almost $72bn of US foreign development assistance, the Trump administration has moved to shut down the 65-year-old USAID. While foreign aid has always been aligned with the political priorities of donor countries, it has also helped poor countries deal with natural disasters, displaced populations due to conflicts and other economic shocks like Covid-19.
The US began providing economic assistance and military aid to Pakistan shortly after the latter’s creation in 1947. In total, the US obligated nearly $67bn (in constant 2011 dollars) to Pakistan between 1951 and 2011. In 2009, in an attempt to signal America’s renewed commitment to Pakistan, the US Congress approved the Enhanced Partnership for Pakistan Act (aka Kerry-Lugar-Berman bill).
KLB’s intention was to put security and development on two separate tracks. The Act authorised a tripling of US economic and development-related assistance to Pakistan, or $7.5bn over five years (FY2010 to FY2014) to improve Pakistan’s governance, support its economic growth, and invest in its people. Between FY2002 and FY2009, only 30pc of US foreign assistance to Pakistan was appropriated for economic-related needs; the remaining was allocated to security-related assistance.
For the past three decades, Pakistan has failed to bring a change to the structure of its economy which remains largely dependent on non-exportable services. Under the emerging scenario of US-Pakistan trade, our exports are expected to take a hit due to a potential dip in consumer demand in the US. The opportunity arising from the pressures on our competitors is unlikely to materialise in the short term as the investment climate remains unfavourable for the expansion of export-led industry, knowledge products or relocation of industry from China and East Asia.
The best Pakistan can do in the short term is to control the potential damage through trade and strategic diplomacy with the US. Pakistan’s trade deficit with China is huge and the US may ask for shifting some imports towards itself under the argument of reciprocity. This will lead to making some difficult choices as maintaining a balance between relations with the US and China will get more difficult. It is yet to be seen if China will consider giving more market access to Pakistan to make up the potential trade losses with the US.
For Pakistan, transitioning from using geopolitics and diplomacy as tools for economic gains in the shape of aid, market access or investment is inevitable. There is an urgent need to develop an economic value proposition based on the competitiveness and diversification of the economy. This can only be done if institutional changes are carried out to delegate economic transactions to the private sector.
The current uncertainties might open up space for trade with India and other regional countries. Pakistan’s failure to leverage the connectivity infrastructure needs to be revisited under the tariff war. There are a number of markets in East Asia, Southeast Asia and the Middle East that will be looking for diversification from the US and China.
Can Pakistan offer an attractive economic value proposition to partner with these countries? At the end of the day, Trump’s tariffs have only served to accelerate moves to a new global economic order that will shape the contours of future globalisation and global politics.
The writer is a development policy thought leader and former investment minister.
Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2025
WITH the political moral vision of the Quran, Islam defeated the corrupt socioeconomic structures of the world and linked human egalitarianism and monotheism. This was the fulfilment of the primordial covenant, which at the time of creation man struck with God. Islam ethically oriented the world and brought forth a unique civilisation. However, later the trichotomy of dictatorship, mysticism and orthodoxy placed obstacles in the path while speculative thought, mystic deliriums and political cynicism of the mediaeval era further prevented progress. During the mediaeval era, the world of Islam was standing at a critical juncture when the imperial West took it by surprise.
Islam’s encounter with the imperial West set in motion the ‘dark age’ of Muslim history, ie the age of surrender and collaboration; since then, Islam is being viewed as per the standards of Western modernity, with secularism and nationalism being the linchpin of all interpretive endeavours. The saner voices of genuine Muslim modernists, who deem nationalism a cannibalistic ideology and secularism to be the bane of modernity, a threat to modern civilisation, have been lost in the cacophony of secular Muslim modernists who happen to be at the helm.
The Orientalists divide Islam into two separate phases: the Makkah and Madinah ‘periods’. They viewed Islam through the lens of the Christian tradition’s ‘render to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s’. This initially led to the dichotomy of the sacred and the profane, while the violent Protestant movement culminated in the Peace of Westphalia (1648) which alienated religion from the state’s affairs. Hence, the West and its Muslim cliques leave no stone unturned to establish that the Holy Prophet (PBUH), when he acted as a lawgiver or political leader, acted ‘secularly’.
In fact, Abrahamic monotheism, outgrowing racial and territorial elements, was at the cusp of launching its ‘world career’ when Islam appeared in Arabia. Hence, monotheism encapsulated in socioeconomic justice was a panacea to the twin malaises, ie socioeconomic disequilibrium and polytheism of the Prophet’s immediate society and the world around. So he himself and his opponents from the very outset knew well that the scale of social reforms this monotheism needed would require his assumption of political power. Thus, what transpired at Madinah was very much linked to the revelations in the cave of Hira.
Monotheism was a panacea to twin malaises.
The Prophet was asked to approach his tribe, then all Arabs in ethnic terms, and mankind at large in human terms. There is nothing ‘national’ about this. Ibn Khaldun and Shah Waliullah concur that Arab conditioning was absolutely necessary if Islam was to develop as an effective religion in the world.
At Madinah, Muslims were constituted as a median community against the rigid formalism of Judaism and the liquidity of Christianity: the ‘best ever’ produced for mankind, balancing out their extremes to fulfil the task of an egalitarian moral order with the instrument of jihad. Internally, the community was relentlessly egalitarian and open with its conduct based on active goodwill and cooperation, with no toleration for distinction between one believer and another, male and female in their equal participation in tasks and functions. In perfect harmony to this vision, the Quran laid out the principle of shura, ie mutual advice through mutual discussion on an absolutely equal footing, to conduct the affairs of the community.
After the Prophet, the principle of shura was observed to elect his first successor. Then it was run on an ‘ad-hoc’ basis, with only great companions consulted on military problems. Following this developed the doctrine of the ‘people of the loosening and the binding’, with influential men selected for shura, which, with the onset of dictatorships in the Islamic world later in history, turned into cliques supporting the regime and shura failed to develop into an institution. Thus the religous doctrine of ‘joint rule’ gave way to political cynicism, which alienated the masses from the political process.
So, amidst colonialism when Jamal al-Din Afghani and Namik Kamal suggested democratic set-ups as a bulwark against Western imperialism, it was not conformism to Western modernity but rather judging their own tradition by the normativity of the Quran.
Iqbal was a democrat in impulse and thought; he attacked Western democracy for its secular orientation rather than its form and process. Pakistan was achieved to fulfil Iqbal’s vision of spiritual democracy, but it adopted Western secular democracy.
If we do not orient ourselves to the political moral vision of the Quran which Iqbal suggested and Jinnah pursued, we are bound to serve others at our own peril, unable to materialise our own destiny.
The writer is an academic.
Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2025
THERE is a new(ish) game in town and it is called the scramble for ‘critical’ minerals. In a world dominated by microchips and digital gadgets, and in which capitalism is greening itself through the so-called energy transition, minerals like lithium, silicon and gallium are more coveted than ever. The desire to control critical minerals is increasingly at the heart of geopolitical conflict.
In large parts of the post-colonial world, natural resource endowment has been a curse for local populations rather than a blessing. Most of sub-Saharan Africa has been pillaged for its resources, while in Pakistan, Reko Diq and Saindak offer examples of how rich-resource regions and local populations never benefit from mineral riches. As per the evolving geostrategic logics of the global order, our militarised ruling class is priming itself to preside over a new round of mineral extraction in peripheries like Balochistan, KP and Gilgit-Baltistan.
While hosting a galaxy of global investors at a high-profile conference in Islamabad earlier this week, the prime minister insisted that critical mineral exploration offered Pakistan a shortcut out of its perennial debt trap. In parallel, the new US secretary of state Mark Rubio emphasised in a phone call to his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar that Pak-US relations could improve if Islamabad grants Washington access to Pakistan’s deposits of critical minerals.
While officialdom here never needs legal cover for resource grabs at the behest of imperialism, it is worth noting that amendments to the KP Mines and Materials Act have rather suddenly been proposed in a hush-hush manner to pave the way for a ‘development’ miracle that suits global capital and local contractors alike.
Natural resource endowment has been a curse for local people.
For context, in 2023 the US Department of Energy published a Critical Minerals list, including the ‘electric 18’ minerals that Washington believes will be at the heart of the struggle for control over the global economy in decades to come. While the entire world is up in arms about the Trump administration’s tariff wars, especially against China, bear in mind that Joe Biden had already launched a chip war against China in 2022. Washington imposed stringent limits on the exports of any material to China, including silicon, used in the design and production of chips, which today are the essential intermediate goods in virtually all everyday consumption items, including mobile phones and cars.
Crucially, AI and advanced weapons systems are also reliant on cutting-edge chip technology — and the reaction of Big Tech and Western governments to the emergence of China’s DeepSeek confirms the high-stakes nature of technology wars today and in our putatively collective future.
Then there is the massive growth of industries like electric cars, as well as renewable energy sources in general, particularly solar. This translates into a huge demand for batteries, solar panels and other related implements, requiring huge quantities of critical minerals.
It is in this context that Pakistan’s current rulers are hedging its bets on a new wave of resource grabs; whereas until recently our fossil fuel-dominated economy revolved around oil, gas and coal, today it is all about critical minerals. Pakistan has never had huge deposits of oil and gas, but the establishment and its lackeys have always generated rents by playing off Pakistan’s geostrategic location.
This has not changed; the Gulf kingdoms, China and the US continue to grapple for influence within our ruling class. What has changed — or at least this is what the current regime believes — is that Pakistan now has significant enough deposits of critical minerals to be a big economic player in its own right.
But this would require Pakistan to have a strategy to use its minerals to industrialise, rather than just sell them off to the highest bidder. It is also telling that mineral extraction is hardly beneficial for local ecologies, no matter how one pitches the energy transition. But then again, Pakistan’s rulers have never been shy to trade in contradictions — as the ‘Green Pakistan’ corporate farming initiative, which is premised on more canal-building on the Indus river, confirms.
And then of course there is the question of what the critical minerals game will mean for the Baloch and other peoples who have only ever suffered brutalisation due to the geopolitical struggles that have played out on their lands. Beyond Balochistan, the current wave of violence in KP and the increasingly brazen ecocide in the mountainous highlands of GB have a lot to do with the race for critical minerals.
Bounty hunters are at it again. And the people whose rights and resources everyone is after are still proverbial sacrificial lambs.
The writer teaches at Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad.
Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2025
WITH one stroke of his pen, a day after April Fool’s Day, Trump left the entire world bewildered at his tariff policy. He made the entire secretariat of the World Trade Organisation redundant, on the one hand, and all other countries engage in technical exercises with regard to the impact of his new tariffs on their economies, on the other.
The proponents of free trade (as if it really existed before Donald Trump’s order) are now trying to find new ammunition to attack Trump’s tariff plan. New phrases had been coined much before Trump assumed his second presidency. A popular phrase is ‘the transactional nature of his approach to dealing with international geopolitical relations’ (as if pre-Trump relations were based on ‘benevolence’!). While, as an economist, I am a proponent of free trade, I must admit that I am having trouble understanding the doomsday nature of predictions about the consequences of Trump’s tariffs in the US and the rest of the world. More on this later.
In writing the above, I run the risk of being labelled a proponent of Trump’s economic policies. I don’t want to make disclaimers such as are now common in the writings of many persons of science and knowledge who when agreeing with one point of Trump, start with a paragraph dissociating themselves with Trump’s utterings or actions.
For example, scientist Richard Dawkins recently wrote: “In my opinion Donald Trump is a loathsome individual, utterly unfit to be president, but his statement that ‘sex is determined at conception and is based on the size of the gamete that the resulting individual will produce’ is accurate in every particular, perhaps the only true statement he ever made.” When Trump and his vice president gave a dressing down to Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office, the best analysis came from Jawed Naqvi in this paper: “The point we may have missed was Trump’s sound advice to Zelensky showing him the door: ‘You are gambling with World War III.’ It’s hard to remember an American president confessing to an ally he had been arming in a brutal war to be wary of the conflict turning into a nuclear war.”
Trump’s order was an invitation to negotiate; that’s probably why he tweeted that China got it wrong by retaliating.
Have we missed something in the Trump order? From my reading of the fact sheet released by the White House on April 2, 2025, it looked like an invitation to all affected countries to negotiate bilaterally with the US to move in the direction of pre-Trump free trade to the extent acceptable to him. Commentators have stated that the tariff numbers in the order are based on an allegedly erroneous formula. But what actually matters is that almost all countries have imposed higher tariffs on American goods compared to what the US has imposed on theirs. If tariffs are bad, why are these much higher in all other countries?
All countries other than the US suddenly seem to have become champions of free trade. If so, they all can and should reduce their tariffs. If not, then it means that their actions are not consistent with what they propose to champion. It is almost impossible to find fault with the principle ‘treat us like we treat you’. Trump has left the door open for free trade (relative to what it will be if no country negotiates with the US to seek concessions by somewhat lowering their tariffs) in his order. Retaliation is not a good option for any country, at least, for one like ours, that is always at the mercy of other countries. China has retaliated; it is not like us and is already a superpower and well on its way to dominating the world.
Trump’s order was an invitation to negotiate; that’s probably why Trump tweeted that China got it wrong by retaliating. Only time will tell who was right or wrong. Whichever way the tariffs have been crafted in Trump’s order, they induce uncertainty regarding future levels of the actual tariff, except baseline tariff which is 10 per cent for all countries. The formula for the level of additional tariff will be debated in negotiation. The correct level imposed by a country should be clearly known by that country’s officials. If that is lower than what Trump’s order imposed, the order has the flexibility to reduce it in future. But this process will take months, if not years, to complete. Until that process is kick-started and ends, uncertainty over America’s tariff policy will continue. This will be bad for the US and the world economy. It seems that an international recession, including in the US, is likely to occur soon. Strangely, when this uncertainty is pointing towards greater certainty about a US trade policy-induced recession, interest rate cuts by the Fed are likely to come soon, notwithstanding the Fed chair Jerome Powell’s recent talk about maintaining interest rates under heightened uncertainty. Trump seems to have visualised a recession much earlier and hence is demanding rate cuts notwithstanding the Fed’s autonomy.
The international media’s ‘doomsday’ reaction is entertaining. The Economist blurted out that Trump’s “mindless tariffs will cause economic havoc”. The Wall Street Journal chided: “Blowing up the world trading system has consequences that the president isn’t advertising.” The Financial Times warned: “Trump takes world to brink of full-blown trade war.” But why is Trump risking a recession in his own country with tariffs? It is because he wants to transfer resources from US consumers to producers and his government (through tariff revenues). This is consistent with what he was campaigning before he won the trust of the majority of Americans. One has to admire the tenacity of his actions, consistent with his words, and the speed with which he is moving to deliver his agenda. No matter how loathsome he might be to Dawkins and others in the US and abroad, Trump is convinced that he will restore manufacturing supremacy in America. He does not care if prices of cars rise in his country and admits this with impunity. People like me wonder when did the US actually lose its manufacturing prowess!
The writer is former deputy governor of the State Bank of Pakistan.
rriazuddin@gmail.com
Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2025
TECHNICAL and vocational education and training (TVET) is a tough market to untangle. No wonder we are still struggling with it. But given where we are as an economy, we cannot afford to dillydally for long.
We currently provide technical training to very few young people in our country. This is not only true of skills that are used in manufacturing or construction, it is also true of skills in service delivery (sometimes called soft skills). The result is that there is a significant unmet demand for skilled workers, but the supply is not there, leading to a gap. There is a skills mismatch too as the skills in demand are not the ones in which young people are trained or are attracted to.
The majority of skills training programmes that we currently have are also not of good quality. This is the same problem we have with our education system. Most schools offer a poor quality of education. Most skills providers offer training of poor quality. Additionally, skills programmes are not internationally accredited and often not recognised. Given our foreign currency needs, the government would be thrilled if more Pakistanis could go abroad to work and remit money back home. But we do not have skilled person power to do that.
In fact, the problems of the skills market run much deeper. Skills do not have a good reputation. People do not want their children to acquire skills; they want their children to be doctors and not nurses or health professionals; and they want their children to be engineers and not technicians. Some of this is understandable as doctors and engineers are paid more than nurses and technicians. But a lot of it is about reputation and how society perceives skills versus higher education and the choice of a career based on skills versus jobs in offices.
Skills do not have a good reputation.
I did a focus group discussion with young people, most of whom had cleared their matriculation examinations, in a village outside Sheikhupura a few years ago. The discussion made it clear that they thought a) after their education they did not want to do any skills-based work (no work with their hands); b) they were not inclined towards entrepreneurship; c) all of them wanted government jobs as they thought these were permanent, had good benefits as well as opportunities for graft and involved less work; and d) all of them were willing to pay a certain sum, whatever they or their parents could afford, to be able to get government jobs. The heroes in this crowd were the two or three young boys who had, over the last few years, been able to get jobs in the police and railways departments.
Why do skills have such a poor status in our society? Part of the answer lies in the historical development of society. The landed and moneyed did not need to work with their hands. Hired help did that work for them. One life objective was/is to reach that station where one has leisure or does higher mental work, while hired help does the menial work.
There are clear links of this to the client-patron models that have determined governance structures as well as hierarchy in our society for a long time. Jobs and economic opportunities are tied to patrons and their generosity. The state is one of the largest patrons if not the largest one. Government jobs offer the most security.
In many countries, some of the above dynamics changed as economies modernised, the manufacturing base expanded, specialisation increased and population growth was controlled. But these structural changes have not really taken place in Pakistan.
The result is people do not feel skills are respected and rewarded as they should be. And they are right. They do not want themselves or their children to be stuck in skill-based careers if they have a choice. This lack of demand also means we have few skill training programmes available. And this leads to the skill mismatch and unmet demand story that was mentioned at the start of the article.
So, how do we resolve the conundrum? TEVTAs and NAVTECs have a role to play. But despite government efforts, they have remained relatively small programmes. This is not surprising as these are supply-side initiatives. We have to work on the demand side as well. Similarly, asking the Chinese government or companies to train 10,000 people here and there is also going to be a small step. Setting up one skills university or two, that is able to give degrees in certain skills and areas, again very important, will also need to be part of a bigger effort to be really effective.
What is the big effort that is needed? If we want to change the narrative around skills, we need to bring skills into education in a big way. Schools are the spaces where most formal education now takes place. We need to find a way to bring skills into schools in a big way. This cannot be a small programme or restricted to just government schools (or it will simply reinforce existing perceptions about skills), it will have to be a large, society-level intervention. Say, half of all schools, public and private, would start skills programmes for their students. We have some 250,000 public and private schools across the country. So, some 125,000-odd should be a part of this programme.
What skills to offer, at what stage, to whom and what career paths to build from there, all of this and more will need to be worked out. And it will take time and effort and we will make mistakes too. But, given where we are on the skills debate, small efforts are not going to be able to bring the change we need and have been thinking about. Somebody needs to take the bull by the horns here.
The writer is a senior research fellow at the Institute of Development and Economic Alternatives and an associate professor of economics at Lums.
Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2025
IN today’s complex global trade environment, Pakistan finds itself navigating between two competing demands: the Trump administration’s protectionist tariffs and the European Union’s emerging Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). While these trade measures emerge from different motivations, they highlight similar structural weaknesses in Pakistan’s trade framework that demand urgent attention.
As Pakistan grapples with the dual pressures of economic stability and climate vulnerability, an often-overlooked dimension deserves urgent attention: how trade barriers impact our ability to meet climate commitments. The tariffs announced by the Trump administration have made it imperative for Pakistan to examine the underlying factors driving these barriers, quantify their potential impact, and adopt a strategic roadmap to not only mitigate these challenges but transform them into competitive advantages.
Structural factors behind US trade barriers
The Trump administration’s approach to trade with Pakistan reflects concerns about several longstanding structural issues evident in the relationship. According to the National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers (NTE Report), Pakistan maintains an average Most-Favoured-Nation applied tariff rate of 10.3 per cent, with agricultural products facing even higher rates at 13pc. This protectionist framework runs counter to the administration’s focus on reciprocity in trade relations.
The administration has targeted Pakistan’s use of statutory regulatory orders that provide sector-specific exemptions and protections. These SROs, often issued without stakeholder consultations, create an unpredictable business environment that disadvantages US exporters. Despite pledges to limit SROs to genuine emergencies under previous IMF programmes, their continued issuance signals a resistance to transparent trade practices.
Both the US and EU demand similar reforms to Pakistan’s trade framework.
Administrative barriers are equally concerning for the US as Pakistan’s customs valuation lacks uniformity — the officials often using minimum values rather than declared transaction values. Requirements mandating physical documentation within shipping containers create compliance burdens that contradict modern electronic commerce practices.
Intellectual property protection remains another crucial concern. These structural weaknesses have provided the US with a justification for imposing tariffs, framed as responses to unfair trade practices rather than arbitrary restrictions.
The same structural limitations identified by the NTE Report will likely impede Pakistan’s ability to comply with the EU’s CBAM. These will initially apply to carbon-intensive goods, including cement, iron and steel, aluminium, fertilisers, electricity, and hydrogen, imposing stringent reporting and verification requirements regarding the carbon content of imports.
Pakistan’s difficulties with customs procedures and digital infrastructure create a challenging environment for implementing the carbon accounting required under CBAM. The reported “lack of uniformity in customs valuation” will only be exacerbated when customs authorities must additionally verify carbon content documentation.
Digital limitations pose another shared barrier. The NTE Report notes Pakistan’s data localisation requirements and limitations on cross-border data flows through the Personal Data Protection Act. CBAM compliance necessitates strong digital systems for tracking carbon throughout production processes and supply chains. The frequency with which internet services are suspended further undermines the digital infrastructure needed for modern trade compliance.
Investment restrictions, including equity caps and repatriation hurdles, similarly hinder Pakistan’s ability to attract the foreign capital needed to modernise industries to meet both US trade expectations and EU carbon requirements. The reported contract enforcement difficulties further discourage long-term international partnerships.
Divergent motivations, convergent requirements
While the Trump administration and the EU operate from fundamentally different policy objectives, their impact on Pakistan creates a convergent set of reform pressures. The US administration’s focus on economic nationalism and reciprocity shares little philosophical ground with the EU’s climate-centred approach. However, both demand similar underlying reforms to Pakistan’s trade framework.
While the US focuses on market access and economic competitiveness, CBAM emerges as a climate policy tool to prevent carbon leakage and ensure imports reflect appropriate carbon pricing. Despite these divergent motivations, both systems ultimately require Pakistan to increase transparency, modernise customs procedures, strengthen rule of law, improve digital infrastructure, and create more predictable regulatory environments.
This convergence creates a potential silver lining: reforms undertaken to address US concerns could simultaneously prepare Pakistan for CBAM compliance. For instance, addressing the reported weaknesses in customs procedures would benefit both relationships. Similarly, creating a more transparent system for regulatory orders would improve both US trade relations and provide the predictability needed for EU carbon reporting.
Expanding global challenge
The dual pressure from US tariffs and EU carbon measures likely represents just the beginning of a broader global shift. Some major economies are exploring or implementing similar carbon border measures. Even countries without explicit carbon border taxes are increasingly incorporating climate considerations into trade agreements and policies. These emerging systems create a complex matrix of compliance requirements for Pakistan.
Envisioning Green CPEC Framework
China faces similar pressures from US tariffs and European carbon border measures, creating potential for cooperation on compliance strategies. CPEC could evolve to incorporate green infrastructure and low-carbon manufacturing capabilities that would help Pakistani exports meet emerging standards.
CPEC presents a strategic opportunity to address both trade challenges through a Green CPEC Framework with three components: a) Low-Carbon Industrial Zones prioritising renewable energy in CPEC Special Economic Zones, b) Supply chain integration developing joint Pakistan-China standards for carbon accounting, and c) Technology transfer focusing on clean technology in future CPEC agreements.
From barriers to bridges
Ultimately, Pakistan’s response to these dual pressures will determine whether they represent insurmountable barriers or catalysts for necessary reform. By recognising the convergent nature of these seemingly disparate trade measures, Pakistan can pursue strategic reforms that strengthen its position in the evolving global trade architecture. The arbitrarily calculated barriers represent a stringent but straightforward list of complaints that Pakistan can address with speed, if the strategic objective is to regain lost trading space, and fill the void created by even higher tariffs on regional competitors.
The writer is a climate change and sustainable development expert.
Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2025
BY all accounts a world is ending and we don’t know what is going to replace it. For Pakistan this is particularly troubling because despite what we like to tell ourselves, this country has always been deeply dependent on this world to keep itself afloat.
Rarely has the bigger picture mattered more than it does now. To focus only on the short-term impacts would be a mistake. The bigger picture here is brutal in its simplicity, and critical in its importance. For almost half a century now, Pakistan has been kept afloat as a country via bailouts arranged by the institutions of a multilateral world order, chief among them the IMF, followed by the World Bank. The sun is now setting on this world. The day is coming when Pakistan runs into one of its traditional balance of payments crises and runs out of foreign exchange reserves, like it has on more than a dozen occasions over the past four or five decades, and there is nobody around to come to its rescue.
As of this writing, the trade war between the United States and China is escalating with dizzying speed. Within hours both these countries announced massive tariffs against each other’s products, and another round of tariffs was expected from the European Union. Something highly unusual was happening in the financial markets too, as stock and bond markets both started to collapse simultaneously. Usually these two move in opposite directions, because money pulled out of one goes into the other. A simultaneous plunge in both shows far deeper chaos gripping world markets.
Here are some things to note in order to get a handle on a fast-moving situation.
The bigger picture here is brutal in its simplicity, and critical in its importance.
First, the tariffs are not the result of lobbying by industry, agriculture or any other powerful vested interest in America, and they are almost universally denounced by the community of economists in American academia. You will be hard-pressed to find any voice outside of the Trump administration which thinks these tariffs are a good idea.
This is important, because it tells us that this is a madman’s gambit. All earlier tariffs, including those brought by the famous Smoot-Hawley Act in 1930, came into being because of fierce industry lobbying for protection. This time it’s the opposite. Industry, financial markets and academia are united in denouncing these tariffs as reckless. And with their actions, the markets are signaling their displeasure. The sell-offs in the stock and bond markets, the upgrading of the likelihood of a global recession, the closure of factories and layoffs of workers, all are expressions of deep disapproval and apprehension regarding the impact these tariffs are likely to have.
Second, if these tariffs, and the resultant trade war, are being pushed against the will of all-powerful vested interests in America, then what exactly is the big idea here? What do the architects of this policy hope to achieve?
There is a paper titled ‘A User’s Guide to Restructuring the Global Trading System’ written by a relatively unknown individual by the name of Stephen Miran. Published in November 2024, it lays all this out. Miran was subsequently picked by Trump to be the chairman of the President’s Council of Economic Advisors and whereas he disagrees with the pace and intensity with which Trump is pursuing the tariffs, he lays out clearly in the paper why the policy is necessary.
In a nutshell, Miran argues that America is carrying a huge burden in providing a security umbrella to the world as well as its reserve asset, the US dollar. While the US had a dominant position in the world economy (back in the 1960s its share of global GDP was 40 per cent, he says, which has now shrunk to 26pc), the dollar as reserve currency helped America because they could print any amount of money to pay for their bills. But today as the rest of the world has powered on and America’s share of global trade as well as global GDP has shrunk, the dollar as reserve asset has become a burden because other countries can devalue their currencies to cheapen their products in global markets but the US cannot.
To arrest this trend, the US can either take monetary measures (like attaching user fees to dollars held as reserves by other countries) or it can take trade measures through tariffs. He advocates for the latter, argues this is in opposition to what industry and academia wish, that it will be accompanied by a short-term asset price collapse, but eventually could bring America to a position where it can regain some of the ground it has lost to other countries.
Most importantly, he argues for intertwining security and trade relations. Since America provides the security and the reserve asset which underpins the global trade system, it is in a position to use both to arrest the erosion of its own position within this world. “Countries that want to be inside the defense umbrella must also be inside the fair trade umbrella,” he argues.
“Such a tool can be used to pressure other nations to join our tariffs against China, creating a multilateral approach toward tariffs. Forced to choose between facing a tariff on their exports to the American consumer or applying tariffs to their imports from China, which will they choose? … The attempt to create a global tariff wall around China would increase the pressure on China to reform its economic system.”
The key takeaway here is that the tariffs are not about to go away soon, that the institutions which bailed Pakistan out historically could be on their way to disappearing, and that Pakistan could, in the near future, be forced to choose between the US and China. This calls for a comprehensive revamp of our economic strategy altogether. The new world dawning before us will admit neither import substitution orthodoxies nor faith in liberalisation and export-driven growth.
The writer is a business and economy journalist.
Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2025
HISTORY has been in love with Lahore since forever. It was not its only admirer. The Mughals remained enamoured of it. Akbar made it the capital of his kingdom for 14 years. Jahangir chose to be buried within sight of it. Shah Jahan embellished its fort. Aurangzeb commissioned a magnificent mosque opposite the fort.
Under the Sikh maharaja Ranjit Singh, Lahore became the fulcrum of his Sikh empire. It remained so until 1849 when the East India Company possessed it. From then, it reverted to its traditional role, subordinate to Delhi.
Today, the capital of the Sharifs oscillates between Model Town (originally named Ideal Town) and Ideal Islamabad. Sindh stands forfeit to the successor of the Talpurs. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is a craggy eminence with feudal loyalties. Balochistan is a crucible of fermenting dissent. The provinces of Pakistan are beginning to look like a cracked mirror image of the creaking USA.
No man in modern history has changed the world’s rotation as suddenly or as capriciously as President Donald Trump has. He has reversed the globe’s orbit, from anticlockwise to clockwise. To Trump, this makes sense. The sun should rise in the west and set in the east, at least for the next four years.
Can Pakistan expect any relief from Trump?
His imposition of tariffs is a message to countries worldwide to recalibrate their economies according to his reordered chronometer. To him, globalisation is a dirty word, and economic interdependence a synonym for weakness.
He sees no advantage to the US in Russia supplying cheap gas to Europe, or French companies buying components from Germany for assembly in France. Trump must have smirked when his protégé Nigel Farage of the UK’s Reform Party brextricated Great Britain from the EU. The anthem in Brussels — Beethoven’s Ode to Joy — should be replaced by Sauve qui peut (every man for himself).
In the hastily constructed temple in which Trump sits as a presiding deity, a different mantra is being chanted. Globalisation is being replaced by transactionalism. It is economic narcissism at its best, or diplomatic worst.
Countries have already begun sending their emissaries to Washington to genuflect before the almighty dollar. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is keeping count. He has announced that at least 50 countries have contacted the US to negotiate relief.
Pakistan has been quicker than most. On April 7, our Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar discussed with Mr Rubio “tariffs, trade relations, immigration and prospects for engagement on critical minerals”. The Trump administration has imposed a 29pc tariff on Pakistan. Dar hoped for a reduction to 10pc.
After their call, the State Department and Pakistan’s foreign ministry issued separate statements. The State Department said: “They (Rubio and Dar) discussed US reciprocal tariffs on Pakistan and how to make progress toward a fair and balanced trade relationship”.
“The Secretary raised prospects for engagement on critical minerals and expressed interest in expanding commercial opportunities for US companies.” The foreign ministry added that Rubio “reciprocated the desire to collaborate with Pakistan in trade and investment in various sectors, especially critical minerals.”
These critical minerals are the new weapons of commerce. It is well-known that the Trump administration wants to strike a deal with Ukraine over critical minerals as part of the peace settlement between Russia and Ukraine. Less publicly, Washington is discussing simultaneously with the Congo critical mineral partnerships to “help end a conflict raging in the African country’s east”. Peace on earth is being replaced by peace for earth.
During the Rubio-Dar call, Rubio “emphasised the importance of Pakistan’s cooperation with the US on law enforcement and addressing illegal immigration”. Dar countered that Pakistan had already offered the head of Mohammad Sharifullah, whom the US wanted for an attack on its troops fleeing from Kabul airport in 2021.
Can Pakistan expect any relief from Trump’s administration? The trade imbalance between the two speaks for itself. In 2024, the US imported from Pakistan $5.1bn, mainly textiles, leather goods, and furniture. The US exports to Pakistan included $772m of raw cotton and goods, $406m of iron and steel, and $141m of machinery. Pakistan (once a major cotton producer) now imports raw cotton and textile-based goods from the US.
Some classicists see a similarity between Trump and the legendary demon Hiranyakshsa. He obtained immunity from the devas against death by man or beast. He then stole the world and took it to the nether regions. It was retrieved by Vishnu’s avatar Varaha who, being half-man and half-beast, sidestepped the protective condition.
Many pray that some bipartisan American — half-Republican and half-Democrat — will challenge Trump and rescue our hapless world from this swirling disorder.
The writer is an author.
www.fsaijazuddin.pk
Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2025
RECENTLY China has announced construction of the world’s largest dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet. India has criticised Beijing’s initiative due to potential downstream impacts. This isn’t the only dam in the region facing opposition from a lower riparian state.
India is advancing several large-scale hydropower projects, such as Tipaimukh dam on the Barak River, which is opposed by Bangladesh. Ratle, Pakal Dul, Kishanganga, Salma dam (also known as Afghanistan-India Friendship dam), Shahtoot dam and Kamal Khan dam have also raised serious concerns of lower riparian states, ie Pakistan and Iran.
As per international law, states can construct dams within their defined territories to utilise water for various purposes. Construction of dams is an internal matter of states to support economic development because they provide a reliable source of hydroelectric power, which is a renewable and cost-effective energy alternative, crucial for powering industries and households.
However, in this part of the world, construction of dams is a major source of tensions between upper and lower riparian states. Due to several reasons, construction of dams is not viewed as a positive development; rather, lower riparian states question ‘geopolitical motives’ behind construction of dams by upper riparian states.
First, the historic baggage of armed clashes and unresolved boundary disputes have plagued bilateral relationships. In case of Sino-India relations, strategic competition and border dispute have added fuel to the fire. Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran have similar border-related disputes and a history of troubled relations, which adds mistrust with regard to the respective upper riparian state’s intentions.
Pakistan is reluctant to engage India for revision of the IWT.
For instance, Bangladesh and Pakistan do not view floods as the result of their weak water infrastructure; rather, both countries often blame India for flooding. Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan face growing concerns over water scarcity, worsened by climate change, frequent droughts, and rising populations, which have reduced water availability for lower riparian states.
Second, the absence of a comprehensive water-sharing agreement between upper and lower riparian states is one of the major reasons for the construction of these dams. This also allows upper riparian states more freedom to take unilateral actions without consulting lower riparian states. Further, technological advancements and abundant economic resources have increased the ability of upper riparian states to construct big dams to control water flows. This is why upper riparian states reject calls to modify their projects to address concerns of lower riparian states.
Third, the changing world order and weakening of existing international norms has also ramped up the confidence of upper riparian countries. Upper riparian states view this evolving world order as an opportunity for maximisation of their interests with least accountability at global institutions. Thus, threats or attempts to restrict water flow to lower riparian countries have become a norm in international relations. This trend could be viewed in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia.
The Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) is the only beacon of hope that has managed water-sharing issues between Pakistan and India since 1960. Yet this treaty too is currently under significant duress. With India sending two formal notices to Pakistan (in January 2023 and September 2024) seeking modifications to the treaty, coupled with aggressive statements from Indian leadership such as “blood and water cannot flow together,” concerns have been expressed by Islamabad that India might attempt to take ‘unilateral’ steps or may divert water flow from the western rivers allocated to Pakistan.
Climate change and growing water scarcity are two primary factors that necessitate revision of the treaty. However, Islamabad is reluctant to engage with New Delhi for revision of the agreement. Political instability, economic turmoil, weak water management of existing resources and lack of expertise in water-related diplomacy are key drivers of Pakistan’s reluctance to engage with India for revision of the IWT.
On the contrary, New Delhi today is politically confident, economically stable, and diplomatically assertive as compared to 1960. Hence, Islamabad does not view it as the right time to renegotiate the treaty. Resultantly, Pakistan’s reluctance and India’s push to revise the treaty have put the IWT’s future in doubt.
Recent trends suggest that dams with geopolitical motives will further mar bilateral relationships between upper and lower riparian states. The 2023 Iran-Afghanistan clash, which killed one Taliban fighter and two Iranian guards, shows water disputes can lead to border conflicts, if left unresolved.
The writer is director of the India Study Centre at ISSI.
Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2025
THE 18th Amendment brought new challenges in operational policing, police reforms, public service delivery, accountability, and autonomy. Before debating these, some questions arise. For example, who has the legal mandate to reform the police? Is it the government, parliament or all stakeholders, including elected representatives? Is the best option a consensus-based approach involving all stakeholders? What about the knowledge, capacity, and experience of those entrusted to reform the police?
How do we draw a line between police autonomy and accountability? How can we protect internal police administration from external interference and influences? Who can clearly define public interest? This should not be the sole prerogative of the powerful elite. Public interest should be transparent, helping weaker segments see exercised authority as self-explanatory.
The opponents of police autonomy must realise that this is the 21st century, and a democratic state should distance itself from colonial norms. With an outdated policing model, how can human rights be ensured? How can a relationship between policing, public safety and public service delivery be established? These questions need public attention, parliamentary agenda-setting and media coverage.
As per the essence of the Constitution’s Article 140A, devolving political, administrative and financial responsibility and authority to local governments isn’t possible without introducing local law-enforcement services in municipalities to be entrusted with prevention, security, public safety, traffic management, and watch and ward functions.
How can an outdated policing model ensure reforms?
The 18th Amendment was a significant development. It expanded provincial autonomy and empowered provincial legislatures to legislate on many subjects, including law enforcement and policing. The GB, AJK and capital city police forces, Nacta, FIA, ANF, Motorway Police, Railways Police and Frontier Constabulary are federal LEAs. This means that law enforcement in Pakistan is the collaborative domain of the provincial and central governments. Hence, in law enforcement, isolation cannot be afforded.
Clearly demarcated roles of the provincial and federal governments will improve law-enforcement coordination and response among LEAs. Areas such as CT, standardisation of recruitment, training, arms and investigation standards, and research and collaboration with foreign LEAs should be the responsibility of the federal government. Operational law enforcement in provinces should be the provinces’ responsibility. Areas like intelligence collection and sharing, reforms, standardisation, and coordination should be in the concurrent domain.
In national security issues such as CT and internal security policies and strategies, federal institutions’ role is vital. Effective and timely coordination between provincial and federal LEAs is challenging, especially in CT and inter-provincial crime. Coordination gaps between provincial police forces and federal institutions must be plugged. In provinces, operational space for CTDs is significant; but other CT aspects fall under the domain of federal agencies such as FIA, Nacta, ANF, PTA, Pemra, and SBP. This situation warrants a more coordinated response between federal and provincial agencies. The establishment of Nacta at the provincial level will improve CT cooperation and response with CTDs.
Lack of coordination and uniformity among different provincial police forces due to different laws and policies leads to inconsistent policing standards across the country. Provincial police forces also face resource disparities, such as inadequate funding and equipment.
In the last two decades, provinces have increased training facilities, which requires standardisation. The federal government can also be of help in securing collaborations with international partners and donors. Police Order, 2002, provides for standardised accountability, complaint and safety commissions. Since every province has opted for its own police law, each has its own interpretations of public safety and public complaint authorities.
The 18th Amendment provided an opportunity for provinces to reform the police and improve law-enforcement standards. However, the last 15 years have either seen slow-paced police reforms or reversed efforts. Provinces are yet to introduce substantial police reforms based on parliamentary deliberations aimed at improving public safety standards, addressing public complaints, and ensuring accountability of police chiefs. Autonomy should not be interpreted as law enforcement operating in isolation or without being accountable to democratic and public oversight. Instead, it means a more collaborative approach to law enforcement while remaining impartial.
The writer is the author of Pakistan: In Between Extremism and Peace.
X: @alibabakhel
Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2025
PRELIMINARY judgement on any new US administration usually involves waiting for at least 100 days before holding it to account. That arbitrary measure seems particularly inappropriate in the context of the revived Trumpocracy.
On the 75th day after the formal resurrection of Donald Trump, hundreds of thousands — possibly millions — of Americans poured into the streets to demonstrate their resentment against a variety of measures, ranging from sweeping tariffs against almost every nation (and a few uninhabited islands), to expanding curbs on free speech, the depletion of the federal workforce, the incarceration and threatened deportation of students for opposing Israel’s genocide, and the cruel immigration crackdown that, inter alia, is filling prisons in El Salvador.
Trump has been a big fan of tariffs for decades, but restricted them chiefly to China during his first term. This time, it’s some of the world’s poorest nations that have been hit hardest. The idea is to ensure that any country exporting goods to the US must import an equivalent amount of American products. Manufacturing in the US, mind you, has declined for several decades, and its working class has suffered most. A substantial proportion of it opted for Trump because the Democrats — under Clinton, Obama and Biden — offered no viable alternative.
Trump wouldn’t have emerged as a feasible alternative in 2016 had the Obama administration not managed to conclusively dash the hopes it had nurtured in 2008. And he might not have re-emerged eight years later had the Democrats not relied upon a superannuated veteran of the establishment to safeguard its dubious interests. Joe Biden’s limitations were evident long before he demonstrated his unsuitability for office in a presidential debate with Trump. Not all leading Democrats hailed Kamala Harris as the alternative, but other options were no longer available.
In both 2016 and 2020, the Democratic establishment had come down hard on Bernie Sanders for seeking the party’s presidential nomination. Both times, many Democratic voters begged to differ, and in 2016 some of them saw Trump as a better option than Hillary Clinton. Four years later, the supposed anti-Trump triumphed, but Biden’s 36-year record in the Senate was pretty dismal, and he won few laurels as president. His legacy will include whole-hearted backing for the genocide in Gaza, and equally vehement support for stretching the war in Ukraine.
There’s worse to come, with little resistance.
Domestically, his initiatives were compromised as much as his senatorial record. There were some worthy efforts to revive the post-pandemic economy and promote greenish initiatives. The latter did not amount to much, and while the economy showed considerable improvement on paper, the benefits barely trickled down to most voters, all too many of whom succumbed to the Trumpian delusion of making America great once again through antediluvian measures. The idea that a president in thrall to dysfunctional billionaires would champion the interests of the proletariat has inevitably been exposed as a cruel fantasy. Tariffs that protect local industries have been a part of the economic playbook for centuries, but it could take decades to revive America’s capacities as a manufacturing state, and in the long interim the poorest consumers will pay the biggest price.
Other nations will also suffer, which is why so many of them are willing to kowtow to the richest and militarily most powerful nation in human history, whose brutality abroad matches its lack of empathy at home. In what kind of world is it acceptable to ignore homelessness and the incapacity of even people who have employment to dread the idea of seeking out a doctor when they desperately need one? Countries equally aligned to capitalism offer an alternative that America has never seriously contemplated since the Reagan-Thatcher era.
With the exception of Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, plus a few Democrats, the supposed opposition remains largely reticent about offering meaningful resistance to Trump’s clearly authoritarian and potentially fascist agenda. America has not been “looted, pillaged, raped and plundered” by its economic partners, but that has effectively been its attitude towards the rest of the world since the end of World War II, enhanced by the collapse of the socialist alternative in 1989-91.
American hegemony over the past 80 years undoubtedly plays into Trump’s blighted vision of a world that kowtows to whatever Washington prescribes. With the possible exception of China, that assumption has been ratified by acolytes and hangers-on eager to be sucked into the Trump-verse, with the obsequious EU and several other nations offering zero-for-zero tariffs to the US. Boycott, divestment and sanctions might be the best riposte to Israel’s godfather, but which nation will dare to hurl the first stone?
mahir.dawn@gmail.com
Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2025
FOR the last several weeks, life in Balochistan has been paralysed with most highways connecting the province with the rest of the country blocked by protesters, while mobile services have been suspended. Quetta, the provincial capital, is virtually under siege with the administration desperately trying to stop protesters, led by Akhtar Mengal, from entering the city.
There appears to be complete breakdown of the state’s authority in large parts of the troubled province. Even leaders like Mr Mengal and some other Baloch nationalists, who were seen as the last bridge between an alienated population and the state, seem to have lost hope in the political process. The former provincial chief minister, who is also head of his faction of the Balochistan National Party (BNP) resigned from the National Assembly a few months ago citing frustration over the parliament’s apathy towards “insecurity faced by the people of Balochistan.”
He recently returned from the UAE, where he has been living since he quit as a parliamentarian, amid escalating tensions in the aftermath of the latest wave of militant violence and terrorism in the province. He is now leading a ‘long march’ against the arrests of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) leaders. The march has now been joined by several other nationalist groups and mainstream political parties. The growing mass discontent against state excesses has pushed many among the Baloch youth towards supporting militant groups; this worrying trend could make the nationalist parties completely irrelevant.
In such a situation the state will be left with no one to talk to. But there seems to be no realisation of the gravity of the situation in the corridors of power in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Instead, we are witnessing increasing use of coercive power to silence even the rational voices, forcing them to abandon the democratic path. The ongoing crackdown on political opposition in the wake of rising militant violence and terrorism has turned the situation in the province extremely volatile.
A fractured provincial government with questionable legitimacy has completely lost the plot. It’s apparent that the real power lies with the establishment, which sees the situation only through the security lens. That has been the major reason for the state losing the hearts and minds of the people. That certainly provides a favourable environment for terrorist groups to operate with greater impunity.
The recent wave of high-profile terrorist attacks across the province is also testimony to the state losing control. According to some reports, up to 20 of the province’s districts are now affected by militant violence and political unrest. The collapse of administration has worsened the situation.
There seems to be no realisation of the gravity of the situation in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
Reportedly, some of the provincial cabinet ministers cannot go to their constituencies even with heavy security detail. The recent hijacking of a passenger train and simultaneous terrorist attacks in different parts of the province underscore the increasing capabilities of militant groups. This could not have been possible without local support. The crackdown by the security forces provides these groups with more recruits. The growing ranks of women fighters have given Baloch militancy a more lethal dimension.
There have been many cases of women suicide bombers carrying out terrorist attacks, particularly on security targets. Women are also leading the rights movement. For example, many see Dr Mahrang Baloch as the leading light of the movement for rights. Most of the women who are now leading the rights movement have their own stories of family members becoming victims of apparent state oppression. The emergence of a new generation of young and educated Baloch resistance leadership has rendered the old guard politically irrelevant. The state now has to deal with them. But there seems to be no understanding of the fast-changing political landscape in the province.
Whatever is happening in Balochistan now is the consequence of decades-long state misrule, neglect, and denying people their basic fundamental political and economic rights. The growing alienation and rising separatist militant violence seems to be a reaction to the colonial methods and mindset of our ruling elite and the establishment.
The security forces now find themselves confronting a fifth Baloch insurgency. There have been four previous insurgencies — 1948, 1958-59, 1962-63 and 1973-77. This time, the insurgents appear better prepared and possess sophisticated weapons and a modern communications system.
The province had remained relatively stable after the last insurgency, and the restoration of democracy in 1988 brought Baloch nationalists into the mainstream. Though many of their demands, with regard to natural gas royalty and the province’s natural resources, were not fulfilled, democratic rule provided the Baloch a sense of political participation.
Tensions began to mount in 2003 when the Musharraf regime announced plans for three new cantonments in the province. The idea did not go down well with local political forces. The increasing deployment of security personnel further fuelled discontent.
In Balochistan, even the maintenance of law and order is largely the preserve of federally controlled paramilitary forces. This, amongst other matters, has exacerbated the situation. Even the present provincial government, which has been propped up by the establishment, wields no real power.
One thought that the worsening terrorist violence and protests may work as a wake-up call and would compel the federal government and the establishment to do some course correction and engage with nationalist leaders to find a political solution. But it has not happened. Instead, the government has set up a ‘hardening of state’ committee headed by the federal interior minister. One wonders what this means.
There are several unanswered questions about what exactly constitutes the ‘hardening of the state’. The state can only be strengthened by removing the sources of discontent, and not by gimmickry. One can only hope that better sense will prevail before it is too late.
The writer is an author and journalist.
zhussain100@yahoo.com
X: @hidhussain
Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2025
A mark in every face I meet,
Marks of weakness, marks of woe. — William Blake
Nishaan har chehrey par, majboori ke, sadmay ke.
Pindar ke khugar ko nakaam bhi dekhoge?
Aghaaz se waqif ho, anjaam bhi dekhoge? — Faiz Ahmad Faiz
(You wish to see the arrogant fail?
You’ve made a start.
Now will you see it through and prevail?)
PAKISTAN is confronted with a range of existential challenges. The vast majority of Pakistanis know this. These challenges are regularly covered by the print and electronic media, and much more so by the social media.
In Balochistan and KP, protests and speeches against killings, torture, disappearances, destruction of properties, stealing of land, water and mineral resources, violation of basic rights, etc are viewed by the centre as criminal support for terrorism. In the name of counterterrorism a campaign has been unleashed against the protesting people. False narratives and black laws are launched to misinform and intimidate the rest of the nation into accepting what is happening.
Those implementing this policy are confident the people are incapable of resisting them. They seem assured their comrades and institutions will support them against the development, security and welfare of their own people. This state of repression is borne out by the miserable national indices of Pakistan, which are those of a failing state. No wonder so many Pakistanis worry their country is in peril.
I have advocated the only way out of this situation is a truth, justice, and reconciliation process that prioritises country above every personal, institutional, class, regional, sectarian or other interest. There need be no losers.
But this assumes a fundamental decency and patriotism among all concerned. Love of country is a fraudulent claim unless it is love and respect for all its people with their variety, differences, and aspirations. The government, and particularly the establishment, as the repository of state power, is primarily responsible to uphold the requisites of good governance.
Tragically, the people of Pakistan are today united in depression, pessimism and outrage. Those whom they trusted are now seen as having thoroughly betrayed that trust.
There now needs to be a process of reckoning, redress, reconciliation and redemption that can lead to renewal, recovery, and indeed a renaissance. There will be no forgetting nor forgiving. And certainly no hybrid governance. But neither will there be vengeful punishment. That will be the necessary price of justice and reconciliation. It will be a process of education, transformation and liberation.
The dreams of our founding fathers can live again. Is this not a prospect to move the most hardened cynic? The South Korean Constitutional Court has shown the way. Nothing will be easy. But nothing need be impossible. The rights of a people and nation are a demand; never a plea.
As for the external environment, it is more treacherous than ever. Foreign policy is Pakistan’s critical first line of defence. But for it to be possible it needs a national policy that is viable. Without that, foreign policy is without anchor or direction. It is doomed to blameless failure even though it will be blamed every step of the way.
Trump’s America, which may survive Trump for the foreseeable future, can never be a strategic asset for Pakistan. It needs to be kept at bay by a combination of diplomatic tact, feasible cooperation, and national viability. It has no vital stake in Pakistan’s success and survival.
China is the essential strategic relationship for Pakistan. It is rooted in mutual cooperation and trust. It has enormous potential. But today this relationship is challenged by the state of Pakistan’s governance and China’s perception of the relationship as a declining asset in which they have invested so much but may have to write off.
China is aware of the US project to strategically detach Pakistan from it, particularly with respect to Gwadar and CPEC. This is at the core of the reported demands of the US which Pakistan’s dependent ruling elites are hardly in a position to reject out of hand.
China must know its primary assets in Pakistan are not the ruling elites but the people, including the people of every province of Pakistan. This may be awkward for China. But it is the only way to help realise the strategic potential of Pakistan as well as protect China’s global supply chains.
In 1971 Prime Minister Zhou Enlai reportedly declined Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s request for arms to crush the Mukti Bahini in East Pakistan on the grounds that China could not provide arms to any country to suppress its own people. The restoration of a government in Pakistan that is no longer arrayed against its people would resolve this dilemma for China.
The only way out of this situation is a truth, justice, and reconciliation process that prioritises country above every other interest.
Afghanistan is the Cinderella story of Pakistan’s foreign policy. Despite the challenges it posed it was critical to Pakistan’s security.
But arrogant ignorance instead of far-sighted generosity has been the hallmark of our Afghan policy, not unlike that of India towards Pakistan. As a result, it has been gratuitously converted into a strategic asset for India against Pakistan. However, given the necessary will and imagination this short-sighted and rather stupid policy can be corrected.
India remains the perennial challenge, which has been exacerbated by Modi’s India and Pakistan’s inept policies. Kashmir should not be a shadowboxing game for Pakistan. It is a real issue whose principled and peaceful compromise settlement in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiris requires Pakistan to become a viable state with viable options.
Within such a policy framework a fair degree of bilateral cooperation and exchanges can be feasible, mutually profitable, and goodwill building — provided India is willing. But until India restores the internationally recognised status of Kashmir and respects the human rights of Kashmiris the normalisation process will remain limited.
Confrontation and war of any kind, meanwhile, neither helps Kashmir nor Pakistan. Musharraf’s proposals need not be buried forever provided India can see value in cooperation with a democratic and successful Pakistan.
The writer is a former ambassador to the US, India and China, and head of UN missions in Iraq and Sudan.
ashrafjqazi@gmail.com
Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2025
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